As Erica closed the door to Matt's apartment, she started to walk back towards the parking lot. It was an hour past the time that she had told her father she would be home. He was probably already worrying about her. She hated how he did that, but supposed that that was what happened when trauma strikes in a family.
Along the way to the edge of the apartments, her thoughts get drifting back to the conversation she and Matt had been having. Of course, they were talking about life, their future, and how the situation is in Berkeley seemed to always get bigger or smaller, depending on the urgency of the situation. But they had seemed to drift over into a conversation, somehow, about Zero. About how the HEW had just closed. About how, neither one knew what lied ahead for the man.
It had been over a week since either had seen or talked to him. What had he been doing? They hadn't seen him around in Berkeley. In fact, they hadn't even seen him around the apartments. She hoped he was ok.
She turned the apartment corner, walking straight towards the parking lot, when she turned around. She was highly curious as to whether or not Zero was ok. She turned back around the corner. She would just say hi, nothing more. She knew she didn't have time fot a lengthy conversation. The one with Matt had already been well into the night.
She walked along the closed doors that bordered along the bottom row of the apartments. She was almost to the stairs that led up to the second floor, when she suddenly could hear voices upstairs. She paused, resting her hand on a stair rail, and tried to hear what was going on up there before advancing any further.
It sounded like the voice of an older woman, but one with a definate self-assured tone in it. Who was she talking about, though? And who was she now talking to? Erica didn't flinch a muscle, as she strained to hear what was said next.
She sounded definately younger than the other person. Erica looked up, although all she could see was the underneath banner of the balcony that extended out in front of the second level apartments. She wished she could get a good view of who these people were, though. She was barely even able to make out what was being said. She would have to stay perfectly still in order to just hear a tone just louder than a faint whisper.
More of that self-assured tone. In a way, it almost sounded arrogant. At least, from where Erica was sitting, listening, it did. Also, judging from her commment, it sounded as if she was probably twice the age of the other.
The other girl was now speaking. Upon a second listen, she sounded a lot younger than the other. This would be interesting. Erica wondered how the new neighbor would go over with Zero. Or even, if he knew who any of his neighbors were to begin with. She listened closer to hear how the woman would respond.
What?! What was she talking about? Was she even talking about the same Zero that she knew?! Erica bit her lip to keep from screaming up at the woman at that moment. She did begin to stir a little in her position, though. Who was this woman, and why did she have such a hatred for Zero.
Erica remembered, though. In Berkeley, no one seemed to like Zero. It wasn't something he had done to them. They just didn't like him for whatever reason. Erica knew better, though. To talk to him is to like him. Unfortunately, not many had given him that chance.
The girl's voice sounded sincerely concerned. Erica realized what was going on. This woman was scaring her away from Zero, without the girl even giving him a chance. It wasn't right. It wasn't right at all.
What wasn't right about him? There was so many things wrong in Berkeley, this woman included, that Zero helped make up for that loss. Erica was becoming steamed. She quietly started nudging up the stairs. The conversation between those two was turning bad, and in a hurry.
Sure enough, the woman had scared her already. Now she would just avoid Zero at all costs.
Erica heard the woman sigh a thoughtful sigh, and then responded to the girl.
Those kids? Trash? Wait . . . Erica figured it out quickly. That woman was talking about her and Matt! She was beyond steamed now. She started to make her way up the stairs, not caring if she could be heard or not. The metal stairs echo'ed under her shoes. She was about to share a little insight with this woman.
Up above, the girl responded to the woman.
Mrs. Jenkins, as was her name, laughed a little conceited laugh.
Mrs. Jenkins
"Oh, darling, it's been all my pleasure. When you don't know about something here, just come to . . ."
Erica was on the second floor, walking straight towards Mrs. Jenkins. Her eyes were big, and her mouth was moving frantically, just awaiting the speech that would soon come gushing out in anger.
She saw the two women, and instantly knew which one would be Mrs. Jenkins. While one of them was young, probably around the age of 23 or so, with shoulder length brown hair, and casually dressed in relaxed pants and a t-shirt, the other looked quite the opposite. She was wearing a long, blue jean dress. She looked to be at least in her upper 40's. Silver rimmed glasses, and hair pulled up in a bun atop her head, she had to Mrs. Jenkins.
Erica
"Just what do you think you're talking about!?!"
Erica stopped about five feet from the girl, and a total of ten feet from Mrs. Jenkins.
Mrs. Jenkins' hand rushed to her chest, as if in a mannerism of both surprised and flabber gasted.
Mrs. Jenkins
"Why the nerve!!"
She sounded it off in a high voice, accenting the last word.
Erica's rebuttal was quick and sharp, right back at her.
Erica
"More of the nerve of you to start spreading rumors about someone you don't even know!"
The girl turned to Erica, and then looked back at Mrs. Jenkins. She was obviously in the middle of this, but didn't know what to say to either of them. Mrs. Jenkins knew what to say, though.
Mrs. Jenkins
"Just what I was telling you about, Carenthia. This is one of those kids . . ."
She pointed her finger over at Erica. Erica responded with a hand flying up into the air, obviously in an act of dismay for the woman's actions.
Erica
"I'm not some kid!"
She hollared it back to Mrs. Jenkins. A light from down the row of apartments came on, but Erica paid it no mind. She continued right along.
Erica
"I just heard you talking about a friend of mine. One of my friends who you don't even know, and you're already filling up her mind with your lies."
Mrs. Jenkins instantly grabbed the girl's wrist, and began to lead her to her apartment, away from Erica.
Mrs. Jenkins
"Come on Carenthia, let's leave this rude child alone."
Carenthia, the girl's name, acted slightly in contempt of the hand on her wrist, though. She looked back at Erica, and then to Mrs. Jenkins.
Carenthia
"Mrs. Jenkins . . ."
Mrs. Jenkins paid her no mind, though. She continued to lead her to her apartment, far from Erica and her "wave of rebellion."
Mrs. Jenkins
"Come on! Your mother would want me to see after you."
Carenthia gave in to the hand on her wrist, and followed Mrs. Jenkins towards the apartment door.
Erica continued to rant at Mrs. Jenkins, though. Obviously mad, she hollared at her, just as Mrs. Jenkins and Carenthia were walking into Mrs. Jenkins' apartment.
Erica
"Go on, fill her with more of your lies. Why don't you try to meet Zero, instead of just talk abo . . ."
Mrs. Jenkins slammed the door shut. Erica could hear a dead bolt turn, and lock the door.
Why the nerve?! Erica stood there for a moment, still in awe of what had just happened. Sweat was running down her forehead from her verbal activities. And the whole thing that made Erica even more mad, was that Mrs. Jenkins was going to win. She had control over the girl, Carenthia. And Carenthia seemed as if she had no power to do anything about it, only follow the orders of Mrs. Jenkins, her mother's high school friend.
Erica turned, and walked to the stairs. She was still breathing hard and heavy from the confrontation. She began to walk down the stairs, listening to each thud as her shoes clamped down onto the metal. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she remembered why she had first went to the stairs to begin with. It had been for the guy was had just gotten through defending just moments ago.
She turned around, and once again climbed up the stairs. The thought of Matt hearing all that had went on, briefly crossed her mind. But she knew he had been tired, and had probably went to sleep as soon as she had left. She hoped so. He would of came out, got in the middle of all that had been going on, and probably would of made the scene that much more of a mess.
She reached Zero's door, and stood, silently, for a moment. It was the man she had just defended.
She hoped he was home.
She knocked once. There was no answer, though. The lights inside of the apartment were out. He probably wasn't home. She knocked one more time, this time was a more solid strike, loud enough that he would HAVE to hear it, wherever he could be inside of the apartment.
There was still no answer.
She slowly started to turn, a little discouraged. As she turned, though, a figure came up the stairs. Almost out of the night, as her angle skewed the scene just slightly.
Zero!
She jumped just slightly. His voice had startled her. A slight sound even made it out of her mouth from the moment of shock.
Erica
"Aaeeii . . . hey! Zero, yeah."
She smiled at him. He could see the brightness of it even through the pale moonlight shining down from the sky. He was still feeling a little better since his return from the post office.
Zero
"What brings you around?"
This was the man they all feared? This was the man who Mrs. Jenkins spoke so strongly against? Erica could feel the peeve boiling back inside of her. She decided to halt it, though. She had to put it to the side, put it to a halt.
Erica
"I was over at Matt's and-- Where did you go?"
It had just really hit her. She hadn't seen him anywhere in a week, and the moment that she went to see him, he had went somewhere. What irony. She tilted her head a little, looking over at him, as he opened his mouth to respond to her. He was quick with, inducing a tone that really didn't ask for any other explanation.
Zero
"Out . . ."
Erica's eyebrows raised a little, as in a silent "ah." The neighbor. Mrs. Jenkins. Carenthia. She hadn't even mentioned those to him yet. She needed to say something, something to vent the sweat that was still arching across her forehead just slightly, although unnoticable to Zero. It was nighttime, after all.
Erica
"Oh. Did you know about your new neighbor?"
Zero started walking from from the stairs, reaching down into his pocket to grab something. Erica heard a jingle, as he pulled the keys out. As he walked by her to his door, he responded.
Zero
"I'm sure I'll eventually know about them."
It was a tone that meant he was really indifferent towards them, whoever they might be. Erica knew then that he really didn't care if he had new neighbors or not. Was everything she had done been in vain?
Zero words pulled her out from thoughts, though.
Zero
"Would you like to come in?"
She turned to look at him, as he stood inside of the opened door to his apartment. That had been why she had stopped by, actually. Not to talk to him about his neighbors, but about the HEW. Of course she wanted to come in.
She snapped out of her slight gaze, and answered him.
Erica
"Umm, sure. There was something I had to talk to you about, actually. It was the reason why I stopped by."
She walked into the apartment, with Zero closing the door behind her. He turned on the lights, and was greeted, once again, to his messy apartment. He hadn't been able to clean it yet, since he had finally decided to get out and do something just an hour earlier.
He walked over to the table in the living room, and tossed the keys down onto it. Erica walked past him, and cleared off a spot on the couch to where she could sit down. She was slightly amazed at how much he had let the apartment go since the last time she had seen it. Was the loss and closure of HEW really something that had caused all of this? She wasn't sure. Possibly.
Zero took out his pack of cigarettes, lit one, and layed the others down onto the TV in front of the table. He grabbed an ashtray from the table, and laid it on the floor beside his chair in the living room. Sitting down, he thumped a few ashes away, and then looked back to Erica, as she sat on the couch across from him.
As he looked up at her, she put her hands together, and looked back at him.
Erica
"It's been a while. So, how have you been?"
Blowing a small patch of cigarette smoke out, he sighed, and looked back over towards her.
Zero
"Yes it has. I'm doing better, now. I assume you heard?"
She rubbed her hands together just a little. It seemed to be a little cool inside of the house. The temperature was dropping just slightly each day, but it seemed as if he had kept the air down on 60 degrees in the apartment.
She looked back to him, rubbing her hands a little more, and responded.
Erica
"Yeah, that was why I was stopping by. Matt and I were just talking about the HEW closing earlier tonight.
Zero rested the cigarette between his lips, and spoke between tightened lips.
Zero
"I see."
Erica rested her back against the couch, and decided to sit on her hands.
Erica
"Do you think you're gonna go on, or are you finished for good now?"
Zero took the cigarette out of his mouth, and thumped the ashes that had been forming on it.
Zero
"It was definately something to pay the rent, if not more. But honestly, I don't know what the future holds."
So, it had affected him. He might not be showing it on the outside, but Erica could tell that the closure had done something to him. What, she wasn't sure. Outwardly, he seemed as fine as Zero usually was, whatever that was, but she knew him. He seemed a little uneasy about what exactly did lie ahead for him.
Erica
"Matt was telling me that the warehouse is looking for some help, if you need a job."
She doubted he would take a job like that, though. Zero wasn't the kind of person to punch a time card. He had to be in control of what he was doing, in some way, shape, or form. That was probably why he enjoyed wrestling, perhaps. He was more free. More liberal in direction. Not tied down to a certain time schedule.
Zero
"I might look into it. I'm ok for a little while, though."
Yep. She could tell by his tone that he didn't want to look any further into it.
Erica
"Well, Zero, you know that if you need anything, I'm here for you. Matt's here for you. And also . . . well . . . we're . . . here, for you."
She kind of stuttered on the last line. She couldn't think of anyone else. Erica wasn't really sure if maybe, the two of them actually were the only ones there for him. Instantly, her mind flashed back to earlier, when the neighbors had been talking about him. It was no wonder that her and Matt were the only ones there for him. All of the others had been lied to, and were now afraid of, or at least, despised him.
Zero
"I think it would be just the two of you. No reason to hide that."
He knew it, too. Zero knew Erica stuttered on that last line. He didn't want her to feel sorry for him for that, though. He was content and fine with how things were.
She had to tell him about the neighbors, though. It was bugging her. She had tried to earlier, but needed to go ahead and finish the story now.
Erica
"I know. It's just that . . . when I was coming up to your apartment, I heard your neighbor talking about you. It makes me mad to hear that, when they don't even know you."
Zero arched an eyebrow at her as he inhaled on the cigarette. Blowing the smoke out, he responded . . .
Zero
"The ones you were talking about earlier?"
Erica shook her head.
Erica
"Yeah"
Zero raised his hand, twisting it just a little. It felt cold. He tried to remember what he had had the air set on. He thought back, and if memory served him correctly, he had had it all the way on sixty! After a week of isolation in an apartment, one would get kinda hot. Perhaps too hot. He knew the walk had done him a lot of good. But it looked as if Erica was getting cold, as she sat on her hands.
Zero
"Would you like for me to turn the air off? It seems a little cold in here."
Erica didn't want to stop the conversation about the neighbors this time, though, even if it was just slightly cold in the apartment.
Erica
"No, that's ok. You can continue."
She really did want to hear what he was going to say about the neighbors. He flicked a few ashes away, and then looked over to her.
Zero
"I learnt to get used to it. I learnt that a long time ago."
She took her hands out, and threw them in the air just a little. How could he just get used to it, when she had gotten mad and even confronted the woman?
Erica
"It still makes me mad. They need to get to know you first before . . ."
He cut her off.
Zero
"Erica, it's ok. It's fine. They live their life how they want to, and I live mine. I might not agree with how they live theirs, but I give them the freedom to do as they choose. No one has verbally announced to me that I should change. Well, not for awhile at least. As long as they don't, I'm content. People will talk behind your back, but there is nothing you can do about it. You just have to continue living life, and be glad at least you're on someone's mind."
He had her, there. She had never really looked at it that way before. She slowly pieced together a sentence to respond to him.
Erica
"That's, at least, a good way to look at it."
Zero nodded.
Zero
"I try to keep it like that."
She smiled over to him, and they looked into each other's eyes for a moment. Breaking the look, though, Erica arose from the couch, and put her hands in her pockets.
Erica
"Well, i need to get back to my house. I was on my way there, but I had just wanted to stop by here on my way out."
Zero got out of the chair, and put his cigarette out in the tray.
Zero
"It was nice seeing you. It has been awhile."
She walked up to him. They stood no more than two feet apart, looking at each other. Erica smiled up at Zero. Zero, his face so accustomed to only a meager expression of content, curved the right side of his mouth to her, causing his lip ring to rise up in the process.
Erica thought that looked pretty neat when it happened.
Erica
"I know. Best of luck to whatever you decide to do. Again, I'm sorry to hear about what happened with the federation."
Remembering the letter, Zero held out his finger, as if to tell her to hold on. He reached into pocket . . .
Zero
"Well . . . I wouldn't count it completely out yet."
Erica saw him reaching into his pocket, curious as to what it would be that he would pull out.
Erica
"Oh?"
Zero started to pull it out of his pocket.
Zero
"This came in the mail."
He pulled it out, showing Erica the crumpled piece of envelope that he had crammed into the pocket earlier.
Zero
"I had just came back from the post office when i ran into you."
She looked at it, but had no idea what it was. She was curious, but had no idea.
Erica
"What . . . what is it?"
He slowly unfolded the paper, and handed it over to her.
Zero
"It's an invitation to a tribute show that the HEW is putting on. A final farewell, so to speak."
Her eyes got big. He wasn't out of it yet! She was so happy for him. She reached out, not realizing it, and grabbed him around the neck, and pulled him in tight for a hug.
It caught Zero off guard. She wrapped her arms around him, and pulled him into a hug. He hesitated for a moment, not real sure of what to so. Evenually, though, he returned the hug, albiet just an arm around her back.
While still hugging him, she was talking to him.
Erica
"Zero, that's awesome! So something was still planned! I'm so happy for you! What is going to happen?"
As she released the hug, he thought about what she had just asked. And honestly, he wasn't sure what was going to happen. There was no telling what could, or would, or should happen. It was the last one. The finale. The farewell. He knew some people would pull anything out, in order to be remembered as anything but the last "loser."
He wasn't sure how to answer the question.
Zero
"I . . . don't know. I have a match on it."
Erica, still happy for Zero that something else was in store for him, was curious as to who this person would be.
Erica
"Against who?"
Zero sighed, any of his enjoyment that might of just happened, quickly drained away from him. The mere mentioning of the name caused the memories to arise. Memories that he was unsure of whether or not even the presence of Erica would make go away.
Quietly, he responded to her.
Zero
"Havoc."
Erica picked up on his mood change, and how his head tilted back, and looke up to the ceiling. In the time since she had met him, she had learned the whole story about what the name, and person, meant, to Zero. Now, she was unsure if it was something she was exactly happy for. Perhaps it would of been better if they had of just left the way they parted as the finale. Not have to drag it out further.
Erica
"Havoc? Is this, you know . . . it?"
He thought back. All of the memories. The times in the ring. The times out of the ring. All of the countless promos and vignettas. All of the blood . . . and stress, they the two had went through. Was it definately the end of all of it. Over a year plus of it, now all coming to a screaching end.
Zero
"I would think so. A year and a half will end on the 23rd; when the show ends; when HEW breaths it's last breath."
How did he mean that? Relief that it was finally coming to an end? She knew him, but still had moments when she couldn't read him well.
Erica
"I . . . is that good?"
Zero thought about that question. And being honest with himself, he had no idea if it was or wasn't.
Zero
"It all depends."
Depends? On whether he wins or loses? Or whether the aloof Karen resurfaces? He was playing the mind games again. Or was he? Did he even know which or what way was best?
Erica
"What, what about . . ."
As they stood face to face, Zero knew she needed to go. He couldn't keep her here all night. He had met, and actually spoken to, her father on a few occasions. And when she was needing to go, she needed to go then. He knew that it was probably already thirty minutes past the time that she had originally intended to leave. That's not adding any time that Matt had probably kept her while she was at his apartment.
Zero
"Erica, I know your father is getting worried about you."
She couldn't leave yet. She knew Zero was right, but the two of them were just now starting to talk about some things. She was getting able to learn more.
Erica
"No, he's . . ."
He recited to her the things he had just thought.
Zero
"I've met your father. I've heard the stories told, from both Matt and yourself."
How could she argue? He was right, and she was unwilling.
Erica
"Well . . ."
Zero patted her on the shoulder.
Zero
"Yes, there's plenty of time to talk more about this. Trust me. It's still over a week away. We'll see each other before then, I know."
Ok. She figured she really did need to go. It was no telling what time it was already. The moon had been out for awhile. Her father liked her home not too late. If only . . . she didn't need to think about her late mother as the cause off this. It was her mother. Instead, she held her chin up, and smiled up at Zero.
Erica
"Ok. Well, here's best of luck to you. I hope everything goes ok."
Zero sighed, realizing he had been thinking the same thing since the walk home.
Zero
"So do I."
She smiled, and laughed a small laugh.
Erica
"You are probably right. My father is probably worried sick."
It was an awkward moment, as she didn't know whether to hug him goodbye again, or just walk out. She stood there, smiling up at him, but not moving.
Zero, unsure what she was about to do, stood still for a moment, too. Finally, after twenty seconds that seemed more like minutes, he spoke up.
Zero
"I will see you later, Erica."
Ok. She needed to just go. That was too awkward.
Erica turned towards the door, and walked a couple of steps, before turning back towards Zero with that smile.
Erica
"I'll see you soon. Bye Zero."
She turned back, and walked out of the door. Zero went up to it and locked it. He then walked to the TV set, and pulled another cigarette out and lit it. Sitting down on the couch, he wondered why that had been so awkward. Was it awkward? He took another drag from the cigarette, and rested his head against the back of the chair.
He had the Tribute to think about. He sat there in silence, and thought. Smoke blew up from around him, as he submerged himself into those thoughts.
music: "Infected" by Bad Religion