Teaching | Eddie Munson

The Rumors

The ride to school on Monday morning was marked by Max bombarding her sister with a barrage of questions. It seemed the information Victoria had shared over the weekend wasn't nearly enough to satisfy the younger girl's curiosity. The brunette could feel her patience wearing thin, but how could she blame Max? It wasn't every day that Vic found herself kissing someone, especially someone she had been secretly obsessed with. Even if she was reluctant to admit it.

"Are you official now?" Max asked, her bright red hair bouncing as she leaned forward in her seat, eyes wide with excitement.

Victoria drummed her fingers on the steering wheel, her gaze fixed on the red light ahead. "Kissing someone doesn't automatically make you official." She replied, trying to keep her tone neutral while the tension in her chest coiled tighter.

Max shrugged, unfazed. "Maybe not, but come on! You've been practically glued to Eddie's side. I figured this was the breakthrough you needed to make it official." She cast a quick glance at her sister, who remained silent as the traffic light turned green. Victoria pressed the gas pedal, avoiding eye contact, as if the road ahead held more answers than their conversation.

Deep down, the truth was that Victoria was terrified. She didn't know what Eddie's confession and their kiss meant for their relationship, and the thought of clarifying it made her stomach churn. It wasn't like she could just stroll up to him and casually ask, "So, are we boyfriend and girlfriend now?" They weren't in preschool anymore. The idea of confronting that uncertainty felt overwhelming, and she feared it would only make things more awkward between them.

As her mind swirled with anxiety, she snapped back to reality, realizing her sister hadn't stopped talking. Max was still on a roll, her voice a constant hum in the background.

"I guess you just love copying me." Max quipped, a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Copying you?" Victoria echoed, confused.

"Yeah!" Max exclaimed as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. But when she noticed her sister's distant expression, her confidence faltered. "I was saying that I had my first kiss with Lucas at the Snow Ball. So it must run in the family, or maybe you just love copying me." She smirked, a mix of pride and playful teasing.

"With one small difference, Maxine. It wasn't my first kiss." She retorted, a sly smile creeping onto her face.

"And another difference: unlike you two, I wasn't having a complete makeout session." she shot back, causing a shocked look to form on Victoria's face.

"Good! Because I would kill Lucas. You're still a child." Victoria reminded her, raising an eyebrow. The thought of her sister casually discussing makeouts unsettled her. Sometimes she forgot that Max was already fifteen, but the reality of it didn't bring her any comfort. The memories of herself that age and what a menace she was only added to it.

"I'm only three years younger than you." Max huffed, crossing her arms defiantly.

"In my book, that's still ten years too young to be dating, so watch out." Victoria said, trying to maintain a serious tone, though a hint of humor laced her words.

"Oh, but it's perfectly fine for you!" Max scoffed, rolling her eyes dramatically. "Must be nice to be so old and wise."

"I have an old soul..." Victoria replied, attempting to defend herself with a smirk.

"No, you're just old." Max shot back, a teasing glimmer in her eye. Victoria shot her a warning look, though she couldn't suppress a smile.

As Victoria made her way to the classroom, she glanced around anxiously, her heart racing. But there was no sign of Eddie. A wave of relief washed over her; she didn't have to confront the awkwardness of discussing the details of their relationship just yet. She knew it was inevitable, that the conversation loomed over them. But for now, she craved the luxury of postponing it, ideally to a time far in the future. Still, a part of her felt a tinge of disappointment at his absence. His presence always had a way of comforting her.