𝙋𝙀𝙍𝙁𝙀𝘾𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉 || EDDIE MUNSON

Silent Riding

EDDIE glanced over at Brandy, her eyes watched the road intently, sweeping back and forth between each side of the lanes, even glancing at the rearview mirror on the occasion. Even though her eyes told him she didn't have much trust in his driving her body language seemed relaxed, almost bored. Her chin sat in her palm as she rested against the window.

It was normally easy for Eddie to tune out the boys in the back, but today he seemed to notice little things that he could ignore most days, people chatting, the hum of electricity, somebody tapping their pencil rhythmically. "Alright if you guys are gonna be talking that much I need music," Eddie huffed. Mike and Lucas weren't too fond of his taste. Though Dustin didn't seem to mind it much, Eddie would never tell him but he had a swell of pride knowing that Henderson liked music like Iron Maiden and Mötley Crue.

Eddie bent down, pulling out a stray box full of cassettes. "Eddie," Brandy said nervously.

"I got it," Eddie huffed, as he glanced rapidly down at the box of tapes and back to the road. "I do this so much I'm practically an expert." his eyes kept leaving the road, making Brandy shift in anxiety and trepidation.

"Just- Let me do it, Eddie," She went to grab the Mötley Crue tape from his hands.

"I have it," He reassured.

"Eddie please," She begged. Her anxiety rose as he struggled to put the tape in. Her stomach dropping each second he continued. "I'll feel more comfortable if you just let me-"

"I almost have it." He interrupted once more.

"Eddie! Damn it! Just let me do it!" Brandy yelled. She was shocked by her own volume, and apparently as was everyone else.

The boys in the back came to a standstill, as they looked amongst each other before they watched the two older teens in the front. Eddie looked at Brandy with surprise, his mouth slightly agape. He readjusted his knuckles on the steering wheel, he pushed the cassette the rest of the way in as they stared at each other. In nearly the span of two seconds, there was a certain understanding of emotions, frustration, hurt, surprise from both ends. They broke their gaze as the tape clicked, Live Wire playing over the speakers. Eddie flexed his jaw, and looked back at the road. "Okay then." He said before falling silent with the rest of the passengers.

Brandy crossed her arms, turning her body towards the window. She felt bad, but he just wasn't listening. She heard muttering from the back, whispers and hushed voices she knew spoke about her. Eddie and Brandy looked in the rearview mirror simultaneously, sensing they were being talked about. The boys looked up as Dustin silently whispered gossip, it took the curly-haired boy a moment to register that his friends weren't engaged in his words anymore. Instead they stared uneasily at the mirror. Dustin looked up, being met with two glares.

Dustin quit his secretive and muted speaking, looking at both matching pairs of brown eyes in the small reflective glass. "Sorry," He mumbled, sharing a look with Lucas and Mike.

Brandy looked back out the window, her mouth glued shut. She didn't dare say a thing after her outburst. Quite frankly she felt a bit embarrassed, though her temper overtook her embarrassment for the time being. There was a sense of guilt creeping up her spine, but she was stubborn, she wouldn't apologize for raising her voice until that guilt ate at her enough to tear down her walls.

Eddie chewed at the skin inside his cheek, he let out a long sigh as he pulled up to the curb of Dustin's house. "Alright, Henderson," Eddie told him.

Dustin quickly grabbed his backpack, opening up the back of the van with urgency. He scurried his way onto the pavement outside the vehicle, desperately ready to get away from the thick tension.