wanted - Eddie Munson

my kinda lover

February 18th, 1985

It had almost been a month and the only interaction I'd had with Eddie was curt, tight smiles in class or in the hallway. I had gone to the picnic table for lunch every Monday for the past three weeks. After that Friday, I spent the weekend hanging out with Max. She helped me see that Eddie and I needed each other, so on the following Monday, I went out to the picnic table and waited. I had hoped that he'd come out there, but he didn't. I tried again every Monday after that. I had decided that today would be the last time. I knew I shouldn't have left the way I did a month ago, but I was hurt and confused. Now I just wanted to fix it.

The weather today was less than appealing. It wasn't 'walk out into the woods and sit outside for an hour' weather, that's for sure. It had snowed last night and my Docs crunched on the snow as I walked. A breeze cut through the trees causing me to shiver, pulling my jacket tighter. Yeah, I definitely can't do this again. I finally got to the table and dusted off the bench to sit down. The wood was cold, damp, and unforgiving. The moment I sat down the cold pinched the backs of my thighs.

"Hey," The voice made me jump, swivelling my head around to see him. He stood with his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket, the toe of his combat boot pushing the snow.

"Hey, you're here." My voice was soft, just above a whisper.

"Yeah. Max told me that you've been coming out here every Monday." That little shit. Thank you. His head was low and his eyes were downcast towards the ground. It was a few minutes before either of us spoke again.

"Eddie, I'm sorry I acted the way I did. I was just hurt and confused at the moment, but I need my best friend. I shouldn't have kissed you, I get that now. I should have never put our friendship at risk just because of my feelings, it was a mistake." His eyes met mine the moment the word 'mistake' left my mouth. He titled his head to the side a bit and scrunched his eyebrows together.

"A mistake, huh?" He was moving now, he had walked around the table. Dusting off the bench before sitting down. My eyes never left him as I watched his every movement, trying to see even a trace or sign of him feeling uncomfortable or nervous.

I just nodded my head in response and he copied the movement with pursed lips.

"So, I guess you would say no to me asking you on a date then?"

"What?"

"A date? Say this Friday, for your birthday?" He was smiling now. I searched his eyes, waiting on him to take it back. Say it was just a joke. Say that he just wanted to be friends.

"Really?"

"Mhmm. As you said, we're best friends. And I need you in my life, but I could never just be your friend. I won't get into why tried shutting us down a month ago, because after talking with your sister I realized that my reason was stupid. I was stupid to think I could ever distance myself from you after-" He stopped, briefly. His eyes fleeting down to my lips before coming back up to meet my eyes. "Well, you know. So, princess, what do you say? A date with the freak?"

My mouth was hanging open slightly, my eyes wide, and I was in complete shock. There was so much in what he said to dissect. He talked to my sister. His reason for pulling away after our moment wasn't what I thought it was. He just asked me on a date?

Once my thoughts finally caught up to one another, I was able to answer him. "It'd be my pleasure to go on a date with you, Munson." I fully smiled and he did too.

"Well, in that case, you want me to give you and Max a ride home tonight? I gotta talk to your mom anyways."

"Why do you need to talk to my mom?"