Please Don't Let Go || Chrissy Cunningham

xxiii

Tamia pressed her lips closed as she hid next to Eddie in the bushes. They were at the back of her house, Tamia looked at her watch and knew that it was late and that both of her parents should be sleeping. "Okay, I'll go in first because I know where the spare key is for the back door then you come in behind me okay?" Tamia instructs quietly to Eddie who nods quickly.

The two of them are crouched low to the ground until Tamia reaches the door, she closes her eyes and lets out a deep exhale opening her eyes when was finished. She looked towards the flower pot that was next to the screen door and grabbed the rock she was looking for, ignoring Eddie's confused look she flipped it over and untaped the key from the bottom. She reached up and unlocked the door before pocketing the key and the rock. She slowly opened the door wincing when it creaked, she stepped inside and motioned for Eddie to come inside.

Eddie had just gotten in the house when she could hear Francine tell Deakin that someone was in the house making Tamia wince. "Go to my bedroom," Tamia whispered to Eddie who nodded and made his way as quickly as he could to Tamia's room which was down a hall next to the kitchen. Tamia heard her bedroom door shut just as Tamia saw the living room lamp click on. "Tamia! We thought you were an intruder, where have you been?" Francine shouted in surprise, Tamia watched as her Dad slowly put the baseball bat that he brought for protection. "Out, been clearing my head."

Tamia watched as Francine opened her mouth to say something but thought the better of it and closed it. "Have you seen Eddie? They've been trying to get him so they can talk." Deakin asks slowly watching his daughter's reaction, Tamia let her anger breach out a little bit. "I haven't, and even if I have I wouldn't tell you two. I told you he didn't do it, and you didn't believe me. He didn't kill my girlfriend, and he wouldn't." Tamia crossed her arms tightening her fist around the rock that was still in her hand. "Do you have any proof because how do you know that honey? He was alone with her in his trailer and he fled the crime scene, if he was innocent why would he just not say that." Tamia bit back what she really wanted to say, Deakin placed a hand on Francine's shoulder and locked eyes with Tamia. "Well, if you do see him let him know I can represent him. I may not be able to prove he's innocent but I can try and get a reduced sentence but he has to give himself up." Deakin locked eyes with Tamia and looked at her seriously. Tamia gulped and placed the rock and key onto the kitchen counter harshly. "I'm going to bed."

Tamia didn't wait to see her parents reply, she just walked towards her door and opened it just enough to get inside, luckily Eddie was smart enough to hide because as soon as she shut the door he emerged from her closet. "I changed." Eddie nodded his head towards her bed which had Eddie's clothes from the days before on it. "I'll wash them," Tamia said curtly before she shucks her shirt off and pants, she picked a long band shirt that was on the floor and picked up the pile of clothes before carefully opening the door and closing it just in case one of her parents walked by.

She was lucky that the washer was empty so she dropped the clothes in and poured some detergent, she closed the lid and set the timer. She scrubbed a hand over her face as she walked back towards her room to find that Eddie was now laying on her bed. "Do you think I should take your Dad's advice? And turn myself in." Eddie asks turning his head to face Tamia as she walked further into the room. "I don't."

Tamia sighed as she lay next to him beginning to let the warm scent of her best friend wash over her. "And I'll tell you why, they already have their preconceived notions about you. And you know that if this goes to trial which will happen if you turn yourself in it will get big which means they'll find out that you're gay and specifically what you're into which only feeds into the notions about you. Dad isn't a liar but he can't promise you that you can get a reduced sentence and if we don't prove that you're not the killer and if this Vecna monster kills again you'll be regarded as a serial killer Eddie, no, and if or buts about it." Tamia was blunt, Eddie was crestfallen but Tamia knew that he understand. "Plus, you're all I have left." Tamia quietly said before grabbing Eddie's hand and interlocking their fingers, Eddie let out a shuddering breath but Tamia knew he wouldn't cry.

Eddie didn't show emotion by crying, he would let it bottle up and then Tamia would take him to the junkyard to break stuff then they would start the process all over again, it wasn't healthy but it worked for Eddie. Tamia didn't know how long the two of them were laying there next to each other but the two of them zoned out because Tamia jerked when she heard the loud alarm for the washer. "Fuck, I need to change them to the dryer." Tamia quickly got up dislodging the two of them from their comfortable position, it seemed that Eddie had fallen asleep because he jumped awake looking confused.

Tamia didn't give him time to react, she opened her door quickly and closed it before she walked towards the washer and turned it off. She let out a sigh of relief and proceeded to switch the wet clothes to the dryer, she was turning to go back to her room when she was given a heart attack by seeing her mother leaning against the hallway entrance. "Are you being careful?" Francine's voice wavered but she held her head high, Tamia licked her lips before nodding. "I am, I'm doing what you both always taught me, sticking up for what's right." Tamia let out a shuddering breath before she walks towards her room and opens the door a fraction to walk in and shuts it behind her quietly.

"Are you okay?" Eddie asks when he sees the look on Tamia's face. "We need to leave early tomorrow so we can leave before my parents go to work. We should go to Skull Rock, we can tell the crew where we're at when we get there." Tamia ignored what Eddie said, Tamia wasn't mad at Eddie by no means but she just wishes this was over. Tamia heard Eddie sigh and then she could feel a shuffle as Eddie turned so he was facing her back, Tamia heard the wordless invitation, she reached back and grabbed his hand putting it loosely around her waist, to anyone else this would look romantic but this was how Eddie and Tamia always were around each other ever since they met in kindergarten, Tamia knew that Eddie needed a friend and so did Tamia, it was perfect and here they are 13 years later, trying to clear Eddie's name for murdering Chrissy, Tamia's girlfriend.

NOTES:

If I see any comments shipping Tamia and Eddie, they will promptly be deleted.
Tamia is a lesbian, I've written her that way and I've written Eddie as a gay man.
Do not erase that just because I've written them to be very touchy friends.