Being Erica

Have you ever had a feeling

that's like an unwelcome guest?

It invades your mind,

and no matter how hard you deny,

misdirect, or avoid it,

You just can't make it go away?

You tell yourself you can control it,

but the truth is,

it's never that easy.

Deciding not to do something? No problem.

But deciding not to feel something?

A whole other ball game.

Erica, hey.

Ethan, hey. Uh...

I'm just running out, I'm gonna be late.

I'll walk you down.

Erica, you can't keep avoiding me like this.

I've just, uh...

you know, I've been really... I've been really busy.

I texted you, I banged on the wall,

you're not getting rid of me that easily.

You know what? I'll call you tomorrow.

Okay? I swear.

I just, I don't wanna be late for the move.

I'd love to go to a movie.

So, Jude, she really wants to see this Sci-Fi flick.

It's something about aliens bursting out of people.

I mean, I guess it makes sense, given that she's, you know...

Yeah, yeah, Erica...

The only Sci-Fi film that's ever really done it for me

is "The Matrix",

but, you know, it completely transcends the genre of...

Erica, Erica,

you haven't stopped talking since we left the building.

We're gonna be there in a minute,

and we still haven't discussed what happened.

Because I don't want to discuss it.

Don't you get that?

I mean, Ethan, it's embarrassing.

I said... what I said,

and you don't feel the same way and that's fine,

but I can't...

I can't just move on and...

stop feeling, you know, what I feel.

Is our friendship over?

No. Of course not.

Then were gonna have to figure out a way

to get past this.

Well, we are not figuring it out now,

'cause there they are.

Is that Katie?

Yeah, she's in town for a couple days,

covering the Giller Prize or something.

Hey y'all!

Erica, you look amazing.

Have you lost weight?

Thanks. Uh, no.

Um, yeah, you too.

And, Ethan, hi.

The last time I saw you,

you were pretending to be Erica's boyfriend.

And I was pretending to be a huge bitch.

Uh, how 'bout you guys get popcorn?

We can save seats.

Uh, o-okay.

So, you're a fourth grade teacher.

Wow, that is so awesome.

Mm-hmm.

Why do they make the small so big?

My bladder's already getting crushed under this baby.

"have you lost weight?"

I mean, what is that supposed to mean?

Maybe they'll let me get a child size?

Since I am with child.

And then the way that she sucks up to Ethan?

"grade four? That is so amazing!"

I mean, she's probably in there pumping him for information.

"so, what idiotic thing has Erica done lately?"

Erica...

You two have been fighting this fight for years now.

Why can't you just let it go?

Oh-whoa-whoa, me, let it go?

She wrote in her column that I peaked in high school.

She wrote about a fictional woman.

Named "Merica Grange".

A 32-year-old assistant who... you know,

brings a fake boyfriend to her reunion.

Erica, she writes about everybody in her column.

That's kind of... her job.

Okay, and what part of "Merica Grange" are you?

Oh, would you just stop it already?!

You know my back is killing me,

and in 3 weeks

I'm gonna suffer through the worst pain of my life

Just so I can push something the size of a football

out of my vagina.

Yeah, let me get a double combo

with double butter, please.

And a diet coke.

Mm-hmm.

You know, today I just wanna...

I wanna eat popcorn, and...

and watch aliens take over the planet,

and... just have fun with my friends

before my life changes forever.

Okay? Mm...

And in the column?

I was "Lisa Coles,"

the pregnant woman that's terrified of kids.

'Okay, I'm gonna go first.

Thank you.

Just make sure you move

when I have to go to the bathroom.

Okay.

Well, I go to the Giller's,

and then I usually take some time off

and go to the Caribbean,

do some writing in a cabana.

It sounds amazing,

The life of a writer. Mind if I ask?

Where do you come up with all your material?

Oh, well, that's the hard part.

Sometimes I really search until I hit on that right story.

You know, whatever I think people are gonna connect with.

I won't lie, it can be a slog sometimes.

Wow, that sounds really tough.

Well, enough about me, how are you guys doing?

Are you still...

just best friends or friends with benefits?

So, the Giller's, is that the TV prize?

Well, I know it's none of my business, Erica,

but I just thought you should know

that that night at the reunion,

I was actually really happy for you.

I thought, "finally, these two are a couple."

Sorry, excuse me, I need to get...

You guys just make...

the absolutely cutest couple ever.

Why is everything in my life

a joke to you?

What are you talking about?

Guys, can we not do this now? I mean really...

I was just teasing. God, you're so sensitive.

Oh, no, no-no-no,

Don't make it seem like it is my problem.

Erica, can you at least move over

so I can get up, please?

You just can't leave me alone, right?

You can't stop rubbing it in.

maybe other people don't see through you,

but I do, Katie.

Oh, God, bathroom. Bladder. Now!

Oh, I'm sorry.

Nice one.

Let the pregnant girl pee herself.

These are comfy.

Thank you.

Oh, Judith, I'm so sorry.

Ah, don't worry about it.

Just tell me what's been going on?

I don't know,

It's like every time I'm around Katie,

I become this different person.

Just seeing her, I...

I get this tight feeling in my chest

and I'm so angry.

What is wrong with me?

Why can't I decide just not to care?

It's funny...

Watching you guys rip each other apart

like that.

I was thinking about the day that Katie introduced us.

You know, Katie's the reason that we're friends.

I know.

Katie and I, we used to spend every second together.

She's the only friend that I've had

since I was five-years-old.

See? There's history there.

And now look at us.

I can't even be in the same room with her

for less than a minute without...

wanting to rip her head off.

So, what happened? I mean, what's changed?

I wish I knew.

Can I borrow your phone?

Why?

Hi. Hi. Uh... Katie.

Can you believe what a psycho Erica was?

I thought she was gonna rip my head off.

Literally.

Actually, it's me, Katie, it's Erica.

Oh...

Look, I didn't call to fight.

I did, I did call to...

well, to talk about what a psycho I was.

Look, I'm only in town for a few days,

so, really... don't worry about it.

No, but I do worry because, you know, that was...

Awful? Yeah. It was awful.

And maybe that's all there is to say about it,