Eddie & Chrissy: What Could Have Been

Chapter Ten: All In

Eddie followed behind Chrissy up the walkway towards the light blue mansion. Chrissy turned the knob to the front door and it flew open. At that moment all he could think of was that he hoped he didn't reek of cigarettes.

"Dad, I'm home!" she called out as it echoed throughout the old house. Eddie looked around, it looked like something out of a magazine, he thought. There was no clutter, no mess, everything had a specific place and purpose. What Eddie assumed to be Chrissy's father emerged from the next room over holding the daily paper.

"Hiya sweetie," he hugged her. "How was school? Oh, who's this?" he asked.

"It was interesting to say the least, this is Eddie. We're going to hang out in my room," she replied.

Eddie stepped forward and reached his hand out towards Mr. Cunningham, "nice to meet you, sir." Chrissy's father hesitated. Eddie could feel the sweat starting to bead at his forehead.

"Well it's nice to meet you, young man," Mr. Cunningham said with a big smile. The two shook hands and a wave of relief rushed over Eddie's entire body. "Ah, a nice firm handshake. I like that, Eddie," Mr. Cunningham pointed and winked at him.

"Thank you, sir." Eddie smiled, almost embarrassed.

"Come on!" Chrissy grabbed Eddie's arm and pulled him up the stairs.

"Ah, Chrissy?" her father called out. Eddie stopped in his tracks which nearly pulled Chrissy backwards.

"This is it, I blew it," Eddie thought.

"Yeah, Daddy?" She yelled down.

"Leave the bedroom door open," he called from the living room. Eddie was in shock.

"What is going on!?" he screamed internally.

"Okay!" Chrissy replied cheerfully while continuing to yank Eddie up the stairs.

The stairway walls were crowded with pictures of Chrissy's family. Photos of her and her brother throughout the years till present day high school yearbook photos trailed up the wall. "Family photos. Hm, those would be nice to have," Eddie thought as his arm was being pulled towards the top of the staircase. He felt sad for a moment but that quickly went away when he reached the doorway into Chrissy's bedroom.

Chrissy jumped into the room and proudly stated, "this is my room!" The carpet changed from the hallway to the doorway into Chrissy's bedroom. It went from a short avocado green to a shaggy mauve carpet. Eddie could feel through his Reebok's beneath his feet how cushy it was. Her furniture was a complete set of white wicker pieces and the wallpaper was blue and pink flowers. Her bed was neatly made with an actual comforter on it and matching pillows. It even matched her wallpaper. Eddie's bed, on the other hand, consisted of two mattresses stacked, a single bed sheet, and an overly flattened, drool-stained pillow. He could smell her perfume as soon as he walked in and spotted it sitting on her vanity, "Love's Baby Soft," the small pink glass bottle read. She always smelled so sweet. He continued to scan the room. A pile of stuffed animals were neatly formed into a pyramid next to her closet. "That's a lot of pink fur," Eddie thought. Two posters were pinned to her wall. One was of the character, John Bender from the Breakfast Club. He was your typical rebellious 'bad boy' in the movie. The guy who the popular 'good girl' Molly Ringwald's character fell for. Eddie chuckled to himself and thought, "oh the irony". The other poster was of Jon Bon Jovi. He picked up on the fact that she seemed to have a type.

Chrissy stood there observing Eddie explore her room. She felt slightly embarrassed after catching Eddie looking at her pile of stuffed animals. She sat down on her bed. Eddie walked over to a shelf where her cheerleading trophies and medals were collected from over the years. "Most School Spirit," one medal read from 1984. He turned and smirked at her, she blushed. Then he stumbled upon a picture of her when she was younger with a couple of her friends. They were on a stage. Eddie recognised that stage and picked up the frame from off the shelf.