Stay With Me (Hick Fan fic)

Chapter Two

"What time is it?" I groggily asked as the sunshine hit my face.

"Well good morning Sweetheart, it's just after 9:00" Eddie replied. I stretched my arms out, yawning.

"Get a good night's rest?" He asked chuckling.

"I guess you could say that" I replied, thinking about last night's events. I looked down and saw one of Eddie's shirts draped over me.

"I didn't want you catching, what is it called? Hypotension?, on me" He said noticing me tying the shirt sleeves together.

"Hypothermia" I replied dully, not looking up at his gaze. I could tell I had hurt his feelings, which I felt a tad bit bad for. I mean, the man could've just let me freeze.

"It was a nice gesture, thank you." I said trying to recover from my previous response. I leaned over and gave him a peck on the cheek, which seemed to surprise him.

"No problem Darlin'" He replied as a broad smile stretched across his face.

"So what's for breakfast?" I asked as my stomach growled.

"Sounds like someone's hungry" He chuckled. "There's a diner right up the road" He said, with that Cheshire cat grin still on his face.

As we walked into Patch's Café N ' Diner, I couldn't help but feel stares from everyone in the room.

"I'm going to go change in the ladies room, I'll be right back" I told Eddie as he sat in a booth.

"Alright, but hurry back now, ya hear?" He joked as I let out a fake laugh. I hurried to the bathroom and sat my stuff down on the sink. I stared at myself in the mirror, wondering what the hell I was doing. This is dangerous. I should be at school right now, in English class to be exact, not with some man I barely know. But Eddie's not violent, not to me anyways. I thought back to when that dirty retard tried to take advantage of me, but Eddie rescued me. I guess he really did care about me. I shook those thoughts away as I changed into a pair of cut off jean shorts and a simple gray tank top, the only clean clothes I had left. I ran my fingers through my hair and wiped the dried eye boogers that resided in my tearduct.

I uneasily walked to the booth, to see Eddie rubbing his cheek. The cheek I had kissed him on. Maybe that was a mistake. He looked up and saw me, and that same grin appeared on his face.

"I ordered you eggs and bacon, is that okay?" Eddie asked as I slide in across from him.

"Uh, yeah. That's fine" I replied as the thought of crispy bacon made my mouth water.

"Hey Eddie, where are we going after this?" I asked, hoping to wash my clothes. And maybe take a shower.

"Nowhere in particular, why? You need something?" He asked.

"Uh I was hoping to wash some of my clothes, and maybe take a shower actually" I said. Before he could reply a waitress, probably in her late 50's, approached us.

"Oh well aren't you the most cutest thing! We don't get very many pretty faces like yourself around here!" The waitress examined.

"Uh thank you" I said shyly, looking down at the wood grain finish on the table.

"Why thank you, Betty" Eddie said looking at her name tag.

"Oh! And you must be her...?" She said unasure.

"Uncle. And this little lady is Lucinda" Eddie said flashing Betty a crooked smile. Part of me wished she would see past his charade. But just like everyone else, she was putty in his hands.

"Well Chad, Lucinda, your order will be out in just a second" Betty cheerfully exclaimed sitting down two glasses of orange juice. Funny, I didn't even realize she had drinks with her.

"Chad? Lucinda? What's with the names, Eddie?" I asked confused.

"Well Lucinda, you're a runaway, aren't you?" Eddie asked sipping his orange juice.

"I guess so" I replied. "I mean, technically I walked away but-"

"And you don't want to go home, do you?" He interrupted, my gaze meeting his. I knew what I wanted to say and what I was going to say where two complete different things.

"Uhm. No." I answered looking down at my orange juice. I could see some pulp floating at the top.

"Exactly. Now drink your orange juice, Lucinda" He demanded as Betty brought our food to the table.

"Well here y'all are, enjoy" Betty said with a warm smile.

"Thank you Betty" Eddie said between bites of bacon.

I ate in silence as Eddie had a one sided conversation with himself. He kept his eyes locked on me, not looking away for a single second.

"So, uh you said you need to wash your clothes?" He asked, trying to get me to talk.

"Yeah." I replied staring down at the remnants of my eggs.

"Well we can swing by my house tonight, maybe get a good night's sleep" He laughed nervously. I couldn't tell what he ment by sleep, so I just nodded in response.

He paid our ticket, and limped his way to the front of the diner, just to hold the door open for me. I had to hand it to him, he really was trying.

"So, to my house?" He asked as we pulled out of the parkway.

"I guess" I replied, playing with my fingers.

"You'll love it there Luli, two stories complete with a big open backyard, big enough for kiddies to play" He said, lighting his cigarette. Kids.

"Eddie, what are we?" I asked, staring at the buildings that passed us.

"I suppose anything you want us to be" He reply looking over at me.

"Friends?" I suggested looking down at the leather seat. He drew his cigarette to his lips and was quiet.

"Friends." He finally muttered as he fixed his hat. I smiled softly, the heaviness in my stomach easing up.