Darker Things (Eddie Munson)

Reefer Rick

"You here in your van?" Pen said with a grin
"Yes.....you mean my sweetheart, Bertha?"
"Good, let's split" said Pen, pulling his hand after her as she started to run with a chaotic energy.

They ran to the doors of Eddies van giggling, Eddie looking behind him just once to check that they weren't seen. He unlocked the drivers door and then leaned across to unlock the door for Pen.

She more or less jumped in, her brown eyes bright shining orbs. Eddie started up the van and quickly turned down the metal that was blasting out of the stereo.
Between large intakes of breath he said
"Where are we going?"
"Lovers lake" she whispered, shuffling over so she was in the closest seat next to him
"As you wish, milady" he replied as the van started to move.

Pen lit up a cigarette as they pulled away from the school
"Did you enjoy your 'special' cigarette earlier, Ed?"
"I did, I really did - you got anymore of them?"
"Plenty more where they came from baby"
"Gooood!" Eddie said elongating the sound.

After a few moments of silence Eddie felt he had to speak.
"Look Pen, why did you blank me that day I spoke to you?"

"Caroline" Pen replied with an eye roll
"Caroline?" Eddie repeated "what's she got to do with you speaking to me, never stopped us before?"
"I know, and I'm sorry Ed.......well.......see she doesn't like you"
"Tell me something I don't fuckin' know"

"She also knows that I um, like you and said that I could do much better than you. So I ignored you, to avoid the shit from her, thinking I'd get the chance to explain when we were in class; but that didn't happen, because they moved me over to Larssons class, didn't they? You shot me such a shitty look the next time I saw you I decided not to bother. You know how stubborn I am"

"You've liked me all this time?" Eddie said quietly
"Yeah" Pen said shyly
"And I've liked you all this time?"
"Boy, are we fucking stupid?!" Said Eddie, with a broad smile,
"REALLY fucking stupid" laughed Pen "I've vowed to never to let anyone's opinion affect me like that again. I'm so sorry Eddie"

Eddie reached out his hand and put it on her thigh, his hand was hot against her leg as he gave it a squeeze.
"Well it sure seems we have quite a bit of catching up to do, sweetheart"
He shot a look across to Pen which told her of his intention without meaning to. She returned it briefly before he looked back at the road.

Pen started fiddling with the mood ring that was on one of his fingers
"Is that a mood ring?"
"Yeah I think so; didn't know that when I got it"
"It's really pretty" Pen lifted his hand up to rotate the stone to see the colours dance through it.

Eddie parked Bertha up in a spot opposite some dense woodland where there didn't seem to be any other cars.

He turned the engine off and the silence of expectation was suddenly heavy between them, the sun had just set and there was a glow in the sky that spoke of magical summer nights.

Eddie swivelled his legs on the seat, tucking one of them underneath him so he could face Pen. She stared into his perfect starry eyes for a moment as they observed her in return.

She leaned in and delicately kissed his waiting lips with the lightest of touches. Eddie closed his eyes, anticipating more, She leaned back from him for just a moment, just appreciating how freaking beautiful he was.

"Let's go for a walk before dark" said Pen suddenly, opening Berthas door before Eddie could reply.
"I hope you don't mind but I need to nip to Ricks house to pick up my next stash"
"Who's Rick?"
"You'll see"
"Oh, erm, OK" Eddie was really surprised, and wondered if he had been unwittingly used as a drug runner.

They followed a trail from the van down to the waters edge that then snaked off towards the left back into the lush trees that surrounded the lake. After a few minutes walk they came to a house just set back from the waters edge.

Made entirely from wood, light was coming through the windows and voices could be heard coming from the decking that overlooked the water.

Pen knocked on the door and went in. Eddie clicked the door shut behind him.
"Rick!" She shouted "it's Pen!"
"Through here" said a deep voice.

They walked out onto the deck where two men sat drinking beer, Eddie could never work out peoples ages but he presumed they were old enough to know better than supplying weed to kids.

"Rick, Dan, this is Eddie"
"Eddie....Munson, right?" Rick said to Eddie
"Yeah that's right" replied Eddie coyly. He knew what was coming next. He could feel it.

"I went to school with your Dad" said Rick, shaking Eddies hand "damned shame what happened to him"
A sadness glossed over Eddies eyes as he smiled and nodded in agreement.
"You look just like him too....." Rick trailed off,

"I guess you've come for this?" Said Rick holding up several bags of weed in both hands
"Even weighed it out for ya"
"Great! Thank you!" said Pen "been real busy this past two weeks; can you get me the same again for two weeks time?" As she handed a roll of banknotes over to Rick, he handed her the bags in return.
"Sure thing Penny, I'll have it ready" penny went on tiptoes to kiss Ricks cheek
"Good girl - be careful around the lake - cops seem to be around just lately"
"We will! See you!" Pen turned to walk away, Eddie followed, taking in how surreal this evening had become. Even by his standards.

"Bye Eddie! Rick shouted as they walked through the kitchen
"Bye, er, Rick" Eddie replied, still slightly blindsided by what he had just seen.