Infatuation | Eddie Munson

15- Eddie Watch

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The group prepared to leave the rusty shack, Eddie still sat inside the boat, staring at us as we began to leave. Just as I was about to step out of the door, a hand was abruptly placed in front of me, stopping me from doing so.

"Nuh-uh, you're on Eddie watch until we get back," Dustin said, signalling towards the shaggy haired boy who was sitting in the boat, still eating honeycomb cereal.

"What?" I complained, my expression blank and my jaw slightly ajar. "Again?"

"Yup! Have fun, we'll be back in a day or two," Dustin replied with a cheeky grin.

Without saying another word, he shut the door behind him, walking off with the others.

"You're kidding," I said slowly, turning to face Eddie who was looking at me blankly.

"You know you love me," Eddie smiled mockingly, putting down the cereal box as he gave me a stupid look.

I scoffed at the statement, knowing that it would never be true nor could I even think about the possibility without internally gagging.

"Yeah, okay," I said, brushing him off and sitting beside the boat on the creaky, old plank floor.

"Do you really believe that shit about the girl with the super powers, and the upside-down universe that killed Chrissy," I asked as I reached for my dirty backpack.

"I mean if I didn't kill Chrissy, which I didn't, there's nothing else to justify it, and do you have any other suggestions to what could have caused her to... you know?" He explained.

I shrugged, "I dunno, it's just all so weird."
I reached into my bag, pulling out my walkman and my tapes that I took with me. I scattered them on the ground, inspecting each one of them. They mostly consisted of mixtapes I had accumulated, ranging from all sorts of genres and artists.

I picked up the tape in which read 'Everybody Wants To Rule The World" and presented it to Eddie.

"Can you really play this song on your guitar?" I asked, signalling it towards him as he read it.

"What?" He asked, furrowing his eyebrows as he tried to remember what I was talking about. He realised. Smiling, he let out a drawn out "Oh."

"No," he laughed. "I was lying to you."

"Wait, what?" I asked confused, looking down at the cassette tape. I thought back to the day of the pep rally.

'You know, I can play that song on my guitar, you should come over to check it out!'

I looked over to him, "Why would you even lie about that?"

He stared at me for a few seconds with no reply, then looked down at the ground as I sat there confused. That was until it hit me.

"Wait... were you trying to ask me out?" I asked, trying to hold back my laughter.

"Pft, no," he began, "Don't flatter yourself too much sweetie."

"You so were!" I teased, leaning forward.

He sighed, "I wasn't, but, I could quite easily-"

"Shut up," I interrupted, putting the tape
inside of my walkman and putting my headphones snuggly over my ears.

"I swear to god I'm going strangle you one day, Spring," he replied in a joking manner as he reached into his own bag, talking out a cigarette and a lighter. I watched him as he lit up the end of the cigarette, holding it between two of his fingers and placing it between his rosy lips. He inhaled, pulling the cigarette away from his lips and exhaling, smoke releasing as he let out a breath. He looked out into the lake before turning to face me.

Noticing me staring, the corners of his lips cracked into a smile. "Not weed this time," he began, "You still want it?"

"What do you mean 'this time'?" I asked.

"Remember that party, I was only there for a drug deal but I ran into you, and then-"

"Oh god... don't remind me," I groaned, rolling my eyes.

He observed me for a few seconds before holding out the cigarette, signalling for me come closer. And so I did. I scooted closer, leaning in towards the cigarette as he placed it in between my soft lips. I held onto it with my fingers, taking a drag of the cigarette before removing it from my lips and exhaling the smoke. I subtly cleared my throat before handing it back to him.

"You're not good for me," I said jokingly as I coughed, scooting back to my previous position.

"I could be," he whispered.

I snapped my head around to face him, causing him to immediately look away.

"What did you say?" I said, checking if I heard the boy correctly.

"I didn't say anything. You're probably hallucinating," he said, crossing his arms as he leant back.

"Oh," I nodded hesitantly, turning on my walkman and a couple seconds later the music began to blare in my ears and my body instantly was put at ease as it played. I subtly nodded my head to the beat, closing my eyes as I allow to beat of the music take control of my thoughts.

I suddenly let out a wince, my head was spinning and the pain was excruciating. I ripped off my headphones. Something was extremely off and something inside of me was telling me to put my headphones back on. But I didn't.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

It was the same ticking I heard the previous morning, the sound of a grandfather clock.

Besides the ticking of the clock, everything was uncomfortably silent. The sound of chirping birds was no longer, and the rippling of the lake didn't sound peaceful anymore, it sounded rough.

"Eddie?" I called, looking at the boat to notice that the boy that was once there was not anymore. "Eddie?!"

There was no reply. My breath began to become heavier and my heart was beating out of my chest. I stood up, looking behind me.

A grandfather clock. The long, brown clock was chiming, the noise loud and unbearable. It was as if it was built into the wall, cracks surrounding the large object.

'Florence, you need to wake up."

I turned around, a figure standing there dauntingly.
My father. Except it didn't look exactly like my father. Its face was warped and crooked, stomach churning scars covering him all over. My eyes felt as If they were about to pop out of their sockets as the voice became louder. "Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!"

"Go away!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

It felt like everything negative washed away as I felt a pair of hands on my shoulders. Gasping for air, I opened my eyes, seeing Eddie in front of me, his eyes wide and his voice shaky as he shook me to wake up.

"Eddie?" I whispered. The sight of his face immediately calmed me down. I'm supposed to hate him. The presence of him is meant to fill me with complete rage, but this time it filled me with complete comfort. No, I hate him. I hate him so much. My hatred is so strong, that when I look at him, my stomach begins to burn. The feeling of his touch on my shoulders, the sound of his voice as he says my name. I hate him so much that when I look at him I can hardly breathe.

~
1241 words

Is Florence is catching feelings? 🤭🤔