𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙨 𝙄𝙣 𝙎𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚

This is new.

Lizzy slammed the door to her beat up Volkswagen, " Fuck. Fuck! She scrambled the keys against the ignition , flustered and blushing profusely. This had never happened to her. She had often encountered handsome men as they grabbed an early morning breakfast or late night coffee during her shifts at Grits and Coffee. Her neighbor Andy had often flirted with her, held the door open for her and they even went on a date, yet she never felt the butterflies .

Never in her life had she felt an invisible noose around her neck. A noose that slowly tightened each time she met Eddie's eyes, or heard his voice resonating deep into her stomach. It felt like someone  was strumming her insides like a guitar. Not vile but it was significantly stronger than a crush .She knew that her body wanted to be his property , she wanted him to own her and make her feel. 

She backed out of the staff parking and drove done the boulevard. she passed 3 blocks until she spotted the payphone - a rectangular box. She pulled over and scraped the ashtray for spare quarters. Yes! she'd gotten a few dollars. Lizzy nearly forgot to lock her car as she bolted to the phone. 

She threw the coins in and frantically dialed a number. 

It rang.  she waited.

A second ring. She tapped her foot impatiently.

A third ring. She looked around nervously.

A forth ring and a click of the receiver.

* a voice on the other end* " Hello this is Min-"

Lizzy : " Minnie? Its me , Lizzy! I've got something mighty important to tell you!"

Minnie: * sarcastically * " well its nice to hear from you too." * then cheerfully* " How have you been girl?"

Lizzy : " oh Minnie the most incredible thing happened . Well almost incredible..."

Minnie : " Give me the news"

Lizzy : "I met someone"

Minnie : " Someone as in a movie star? Did you get an autograph? Was it Harrison Ford?"

Lizzy : " No , no , no!"

Minnie : " oh. As in?.."

Lizzy : " As in a boy.."

Minnie: "SHUT UP. Tell me EVERYTHING and don't you dare skip a thing , or I'll make my way over there and whup your ass."

Lizzy : " Ok , I'll just top up the credit"

Minnie was Elizabeth's best friend since kindergarten and although their mothers breathed fire at each other, they had formed a bond closer than sisters. They worked at Grits and Coffee together until Lizzy's mother had passed and her grandma became intolerable. It was Minnie who convinced her to leave and not look back. Minnie gave her a suitcase and Minnie's mother had given her some money and a teary smile. The money helped her get her car and the tears were followed by the words " I know we fought a lot, but I cared deeply for your mother".   As Lizzy recounted her story, she regretted nothing.

Minnie: "Oh he wants you I can FEEL it"

Lizzy : "I told you , he's wearing the bracelet"

Minnie : " Tell me when he removes it."

Lizzy : " How do you know that he will? "

Minnie : " Just tell me girl, ok?"

Lizzy: " Alright but-" * a voice grumbled in the background*

Minnie: " Lizzy darling, I gotta go!"

Lizzy : "Ok ta ta!"

Lizzy hangs up and the change rattles down the chute. She bites her lip as his gaze replays in her mind and his voice rings in her ears. She gets into her car once more and drives home , running a red light and forgetting to stop at a Stop sign. 

Eddie's Perspective:

Eddie had finished arranging the records and had moved on to unpacking the new records. Megadeath... Madonna...Van Morrison...RHCP, hell yeh.

Billy : "hey careful with those records, man"

Eddie: * Nods and cautiously stacks them*

Billy: " so what brings you here. If you're looking for fame you'd better head back to California"

Eddie: " I like it here. Its real"

Billy : " If real equals a big dump the yeah, you got it right. Now don't get me wrong i love it here but i see no future for a guy like you here."

Eddie : " i got offered a place in a band. Some guys here are going to make it. I can feel it"

Billy : * he laughs , voice booming* "Ok, son"

Eddie smiles but he looks guarded. He knew why he was here and he knew this job was temporary but he wondered if Billy was right.

Billy : " You know what ? A guy like you can make it wherever the hell you are. Don't listen to this old cat. He had to deal with racist motherfuckers all his life."

Eddie : " I hear you man . That's total bullshit"

* Customers enter and begin flicking though the boxes*

Billy and Eddie pause their conversation. Then Eddie tentatively asks him , " Billy , whos' the girl?"

Billy : " you mean Lizzy?

Eddie : " Yeah "

Billy : " She moved here a few months ago. Walked in one day like a lost cat and I had just lost a worker. Why ?

Eddie : " Nothin' , Just wondering"

Billy : * stares at him * " You like her don't you?"

Eddie : * hurriedly* " Nah man, I'm just - 

Billy : "I can see it in your eyes, MOTHERFUCKER!" 

* The customers jump*

Billy : * cackles with laughter*

Eddie : " Billy shut the fuck up ! Im just curious!" * his eyes dart down then back up . He can see the twinkle in Billy's eyes. He laughs sheepishly* " yeah. I like her , ok?"

Billy : " you can't hide nothing from me, man"

Eddie : "Just - don't say anything to her."

Billy: "why the hell not? Can't I play your 47 year old black male fairy godmother?"

Eddie : * sighs* " it's a little more complicated than that.."

Billy : " fair , fair. I won't go prying but i'm telling you man . Don't you make her cry. " * he pauses * " I need my vanilla coffee"

Eddie : * nods and falls silent once more*

7 pm . 

Eddie is alone in his motel with a beer at hand. One waits on the bedside table and two lay discarded on the floor. The TV is on. It emits an unnatural bluey-white light  and a older woman  smiles blindingly white teeth at the camera and her hand faux elegantly posed - displaying a product. 

He stares at the screen but he isn't watching.  His mind is on Lizzy .Elizabeth . the name rolls off his tongue.

Lizzy sits on the curb outside her apartment. The sky deepens and the stars begin to appear. On the second floor of the apartment opposite is lit up . A family sits around the table and a dog sits by the balcony door. She has a mug of macaroni and cheese cradled in her hands but she doesn't eat . She doesn't see anything either. All she can think of is him.

 Eddie Vedder.