The Ballad of Eddie Munson

Roll for Focus

Eddie rubbed the back of his neck and paced. "Of all days to be late, huh?" He bent slightly, tilting his head, his hair hanging. "You okay?"

Lissa nodded.

Eddie set his lunchbox on a desk before removing his jacket. He laid his jacket over the desk and sat down. He leaned back, stretching out his legs, working to be as unassuming as possible. He observed the way she held his book, one hand beneath the binder, her thumb keeping the random pages open. Her other hand crossed her body, holding her upper arm. Guilt ate away at his mind. I should have been here.

After a few slow breaths, Lissa was ready to put it out of her mind. "So did you really think of a statement for your final paper?" The tears had faded, leaving her with bloodshot eyes.

There was a different kind of tension between them. He wasn't sure how to break it this time. "Weeelll, no." His chest tightened when she looked at him. She was not in the mood. "Okay, but before you get really mad, I'm almost done with Pride and Prejudice. So I should be okay for the next test."

She closed the small paperback book and held it to her chest. "Oh, that was fast."

A smirk of pride, "Yeah, I'm a fast reader."

"Did you retain it?"

"Wait, what's 'retain' mean?"

Lissa raised a brow.

Eddie stretched forward across the desk, looking up, "Yes! I absorbed the story."

"Really? And how do you think you'll do on a test?"

A light frown swept his mouth as he looked back at her. "Have confidence, teach." He sat up. "I got this."

"So tell me something about it. Anything."

He looked away in thought for a moment, "Well, I found Lizzie relatable."

Lissa cocked her head to the side as she looked down at him with a puzzled expression. "Lizzie? Elizabeth? Relatable? To you?"

"Well yeah. She's outspoken like me, spirited like me," he leaned back again "and let's face it, gorgeous like me with the prettiest eyes you've ever seen, so people don't always notice how smart she is."

Lissa gave a soft laugh, connecting the dots in her head.

"Go ahead and laugh, Mr. Darcy."

Lissa opened her mouth with amused surprise. "Did you just call me Mr. Darcy? If anyone, I'm Elizabeth."

He stood up, feeling their connection rekindled. "Nooo, you are definitely my Mr. Darcy." Eddie wagged a finger at her. You're beautiful, but kind of unapproachable because you're snarky. And you have a million reasons we shouldn't be together," he let out a dramatic loving sigh, "yet you still find me irresistible."

She bit her lip in a poor attempt to suppress her smile.

Eddie stood in front of her. "Feeling better, Mr. Darcy?"

She looked away, feeling suddenly shy. "Yeah. Thanks"

"So do you trust me now?"

Lissa's breath hitched, she looked at him.

"That I can pass the next test?"

"Oh, right." She took a calming breath. "You still need to finish the book first."

"Okay. Let's do that."

Lissa's brows furrowed, "Now?"

"You got something better to do?"