Veilbound (Eddie Munson x OC)

Chapter 4: Awakening Storms

Eddie stayed with Carrie that night, the both of them so caught up in the moment that neither thought twice about it. They spent the night talking and sharing soft kisses, eventually falling asleep in each other's arms.

When Carrie woke up the next morning, sunlight streaming through her window, she felt a wave of panic. Eddie was still asleep beside her, his arm draped over her waist. For a moment, she just lay there, listening to his steady breathing and feeling the warmth of his body next to hers. She felt safe with him, but there was also a gnawing fear at the back of her mind—fear of what her family would think, fear of the intensity of her feelings for Eddie, and fear of the unknown changes happening within her.

"Eddie," she whispered, gently shaking him awake. "You have to go."

Eddie blinked awake, confusion turning to understanding as he registered where he was. "Oh, right. Sorry."

Carrie bit her lip, trying to hide her anxiety. "It's okay. I just... I don't want my dad or Gareth to see you here."

Eddie propped himself up on one elbow, a teasing glint in his eyes. "You sure you don't want me to stay? I could get used to waking up like this."

Carrie felt a blush creep up her cheeks. "Eddie, please," she pleaded softly, though a small smile played on her lips. "You have to go."

"Alright, alright," Eddie said, sitting up and stretching. "But only because you asked so nicely."

They quickly and quietly straightened up her room. Eddie kissed her one last time before slipping out the window. Carrie watched him go, her heart pounding with a mix of fear and excitement.

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The weekend was busy with family obligations. That Saturday, Carrie had a cheerleading competition, and the next day, Stephen and the family were invited to a barbecue at Trevor's parents' house (they were family friends). Carrie found herself surrounded by people, which left her little time to think about Eddie. But every spare moment she had, her mind drifted back to the night they shared. She felt a warmth in her chest whenever she thought about him, a warmth that contrasted sharply with the cold fear she felt about her powers and the strange flashes of unfamiliar faces that sometimes haunted her thoughts.

Stephen and Gareth noticed the change in her demeanor. Stephen kept his observations to himself, but Gareth was more vocal.

"What's up with you?" Gareth asked as they sat in the living room when they arrived home that evening, watching TV. "You've been daydreaming all day."

Carrie shrugged, trying to play it off. "Just thinking about school stuff."

Gareth raised an eyebrow and, in a defiant way, pushed it further. After all, her thoughts couldn't revolve around school all the time. "Are you thinking about Eddie?" He was joking about it, but the expression on her face told him maybe it was true.

"Who's Eddie?" Stephen suddenly joined them, pretending he hadn't been listening to the whole conversation from the dining table. All eyes were on Carrie, who was speechless for the first time.

"Well..." she began, trying to keep it cool. "Eddie is a friend of Gareth and...I've been helping him with school." Stephen's eyes were hard to read; she couldn't tell if he was angry or concerned, but she continued, letting go of some of her frustration that had accumulated towards her dad. "You would know that the counselor suggested that tutoring can be beneficial for me if you had the chance to make it to dinner sometime."

Stephen was taken aback by her attitude. Gareth didn't know if he was impressed or afraid for Carrie. She never talked back to her father that way. In any case, he was getting more and more uncomfortable being in the middle of the situation.