The Freak and His Queen [Eddie Munson x Chrissy Cunningham]

Love Is Hard

"Why didn't she ask me?" Eddie groaned. He was slumped over the counter at Family Video and Steve and Nancy were eyeing him with a friendly mix of sympathy and annoyance. Eddie had stormed into the store a few minutes before and had just finished detailing the very strange conversation he'd had with Chrissy that afternoon to them.

"Why do you think she was so upset?" Nancy asked.

"I don't know! She doesn't talk about her family much but I know things aren't great there. I'm ok with her leaving. I mean she mentioned it at prom so it's not a total surprise. I just thought she'd at least ask me what my plans are." Or ask me to come with her, Eddie thought, grudgingly.

He'd come to work straight after dropping Chrissy off at home after their date. Everything had been going so well. It was their third weekend together and it was a beautiful day. They'd had a picnic in the park and had been laying in the shade afterwards when Eddie had asked Chrissy what her plans were for the fall. He'd been thinking about it since their first kiss and as July had drawn on it had begun to feel pressing. In fact, he'd thought it was a little strange they hadn't talked about it yet.

Right away he'd sensed something was off. Chrissy had sat up quickly, looking away. "I can't live with my parents anymore, Eddie," she'd said quietly. "I have to get out of here."



Eddie had sat up too and put his hand gently on her back. He'd felt how tense she was, her whole body rigid. "Where are you going to go?" he'd asked her.

She'd told him she was going to Ohio State, in Columbus, and that was it, that's all she'd said. "That's great, Chrissy," he'd said, and he'd meant it. Sure, it had sent him reeling, thinking of what that meant for them. Did she want to keep dating long distance? Or would she want to break up at the end of summer? Did she want him to go with her? Then wouldn't she have at least asked him what his plans were?

But Chrissy hadn't said anything else. She'd turned to Eddie and looked so upset he hadn't asked any more questions, he'd just wrapped her in his arms and held her. Afterwards she'd acted as though nothing had happened. She'd pushed him back onto the ground and kissed him sweetly. They'd laid a while longer in the shade beneath the rustling leaves, and then he'd driven her home. Maybe she'd been a bit quieter than usual, but otherwise, everything had been back to normal.

"Why didn't she ask me what I was going to do this fall?" Eddie restated the question that was bothering him.

"Well, do you know what you're going to do?" Nancy asked.

"I barely graduated, Wheeler, you think I managed to apply to any colleges while I was almost failing for the third year in a row?"



"I'm going to go out on a limb and say Chrissy probably assumed as much," Nancy said, matching Eddie's level of sarcasm. "Maybe she didn't want to embarrass you by bringing it up."



Eddie groaned again. "Being a loser didn't used to be a problem for me, you know?"

"Look man, she obviously likes you," Steve cut in. "I mean, this is Chrissy Cunningham we're talking about. She could be with anyone she wants. Guaranteed there's a creep a week or more at that camp trying to get with her but she's spending 100% of her free time with you. This is not a fling. So, what are you going to do about it? Just let her go in the fall? Or find a way to go with her."

"Jesus, Harrington." Eddie put his hands up in surrender. "I appreciate your can-do attitude man, but wouldn't she ask, if she wanted me to go with her? Like, wouldn't that make me a creep too if I just assume that's what she wants and show up in Columbus one day ready to move in?"



"Not necessarily," Nancy mused. "She could be scared to ask. Scared you won't want to change your life for her, or that you can't. Or maybe she's scared you'd try to convince her to stay."



"I'd never ask her to stay for me!" Eddie felt his face flush in anger at the thought. "I mean, I don't want her to leave me, but I want her to leave, you know? She deserves to get out."

"Then you have to go with her," Steve said.

"But how?" Eddie threatened to collapse on the counter again.

"I don't know, get a job dude! Columbus is a big city. You've saved up some money from the summer. Go there, get a job, and get a place to live."



"You make it sound so easy," Eddie snapped.

"Yeah, well, sometimes love is hard," Steve said firmly, glancing at Nancy.

Eddie looked back and forth between his friends. Nancy was leaving in the fall too and Steve was going with her. They were going to get a fresh start, away from Hawkins. Maybe Nancy was right about Chrissy. Maybe she was just scared. Scared Eddie wouldn't be able to go with her, or wouldn't want to. And maybe Steve was right too. If he could get a job in Columbus then Eddie could at least give Chrissy the option. If she didn't want him then he'd stay in Hawkins, but if she did...

If Chrissy wanted him then Eddie would follow her anywhere.

Author's Note:

Hiya! I'm sorry I took a little break from posting daily! I had a case of the doldrums and then a teensy cold but I'm feeling better now. Thanks so much for all the reads and likes in my absence! 

What do you think Chrissy would have studied in college? My guess is Psych. Maybe she'd even be a school counsellor someday. But I could also see her being into art or physiotherapy.