The Devils Bride [Eddie Munson]

I got you: Part five

TW: Smoking, talking about deaths

After a ride of laughter and loud music, we eventually pull over to the side of the woods. Eddie parks the van and we both hop out. We start following a trail to skull rock and Eddie lights a cigarette. He looks over at me as we are walking and says “Wanna smoke?” Me knowing damn well I don't smoke I froze and said yes. He handed me his cigarette and I took a drag from the cigarette and handed it back to him. I exhaled and tried not to cough.
That wasn't so bad.

We were walking along the trail then out of the blue Eddie says. 
“Did you mean to call me that?” 

I look up at him and go ‘hm?’ 

“You know, call me Ed’s?” he asked 

Shit. he probably thinks I'm weird now. “I’m sorry about that i didn't mean to-”
He cuts me off by saying “Oh no it's fine…my mom used to call me it all the time, not gonna lie I kinda like it.” 
I felt relieved. We kept walking down the path making small talk until we arrived at skull rock. 

Everyone was standing around a rock and Dustin came up to give Eddie a hand shake. We all walk over to the rock and Steve says hi to me and Eddie. Nancy says hi and gives me a hug.
Then she looks at Eddie's jacket wrapped around me and then looks me in the eyes. I stick my hands in the coat pockets and look down at the rock to avoid nancy’s stare.

“Remember Chrissy? Well look at this, the same thing happened to fred.” Nancy says as she throws down the crime scene photos from Chrissy's and Fred's deaths.  
My heart sinks to my stomach and my eyes widen. I take a step back, almost stumbling. Everyone's eyes turn to me.
“What?” I say. Will looks at me in a concerned way and I shrug. 

Everyone goes back to talking and pictures flash in my head. Not again. This can't keep happening. “Hey, I think I left something in the car. I'll be right back” I say. Nancy nods then goes back to talking. 

I start walking down the path as tears fill my eyes. Why me? 
Eddie is following me because the van doors are locked and he was coming to give me the key, I didnt know that at the time.

The tears build up more and more and a knot in my throat starts to form. I start to panic and I start sprinting to Eddie's van. The next thing I know Tears are streaming down my face. Just then I hear a voice yell my name. It's Eddie, I can't let him see me like this. I turn into the trees and run as fast as I can. He continues to run after me and shout my name. I trip over a rock and fall to the ground. He's caught me at this point and I've accepted it.

“Atlas? What's wrong.” I can feel his eyes on me but I refuse to meet his gaze. He bends down and sits next to me. 

He starts to comfort me and says “Hey what's going on? It's oka-” I cut him off by burying my face in his chest, I then started to sob. 

He is surprised and hesitates. But he then wraps his arms around me and rubs my arm. His touch calms me down within seconds. I can hear his heartbeat and it’s music to my ears.

 “It's okay, I got you” he repeats. I pick my head up and we look each other in the eyes. I apologize. I feel awful. I can't believe I just cried into Eddie munsons arms. 
“Atlas what's going on.” He asked as he pushed my hair behind my ear. It’s too hard to talk about, I can't. I just can't. 

“Thank you so much but I don't want to talk about it…at least not right now” I reply, I feel awful, he's just trying to help but of course i have to push him away…it's what i do best i guess. 

“Let me drive you home okay, I’ll tell the others you just got sick” He demands. I definitely need to go home. It’s for the best.
“Okay” I whisper. 
We stand up and walk to his van. I don't deserve for Eddie to be this nice to me, I've done nothing. 

Time passes as we are on a quiet ride for what feels like forever. My eyes look out the window the whole time but I can feel Eddie's eyes burning right through me. 

We arrive at my house and He walks me to the door and then says “I'll call you and let you know what happens, get some rest” He wraps one arm around me giving me a side hug then walks back to his van. 
Right before I walk inside I look back and see Eddie smiling at me, I wave and walk inside.
I rush right to my room and my head hits the pillow. I look up and giggle a little, remembering when Eddie wrapped his arms around me. I repeated his words “it's okay, I got you” in my head and drifted off to sleep.