Lonely Hearts Club

Your Fault

I followed Eddie's van, gnawing on my thumbnail. We had chosen to drive two different cars, just in case we needed the extra car, or if one of us needed to go somewhere for something. Matty was so upset and hard to understand over the phone, which didn't help the panic Eddie was going through.

We got to the trailer, and I slowly pulled toe a stop in front of the trailer. Eddie parked, slamming on the brakes and storming out of the car. He came over to my car, and I rolled the window down.

"Do you see this? Do you hear this?" he yelled, gesturing at the trailer. Lights and music were pulsing from inside – honestly, I was surprised cops hadn't been called just from the sound alone. Eddie started pacing around, muttering to himself. I got out, trying to catch him and calm him down.

"Baby, it's okay, you're here now—"

"I don't want to do this, I don't want to be the fucking bad guy," he hissed, still pacing. My heart broke.

"You aren't the bad guy, you've never been the bad guy," I insisted. He was running his hands through his hair.

"What did Matty say again?" he asked, looking at me finally. I sighed.

"That Maggie was drunk, she had gotten sick, and she wasn't stopping the party, and he was really worried," I repeated for the twentieth time. Eddie had made me repeat the entire conversation multiple times, trying to glean something that I had missed from the conversation. He shook his head.

"I know it was that Matty shit. I know it was."

"He was the one who called us, Eddie," I replied, trying to give Matty the benefit of the doubt. He scoffed.

"Maggie promised me – she promised me," he seethed. My heart broke.

This was the refrain Eddie had repeated over again since I had gotten the phone call. He was beside himself with anger, specifically about this point. I wanted to reach out and hold him, but I didn't know if it would help. I felt so bad for him.

"Do you know what you're going to do?" I asked quietly. He stopped his pacing and looked at me.

"I have to go and break it up, don't I?" he asked. I sat, frozen.

I was out of my depth. I just felt so bad for Eddie. I shrugged. He sighed and shook his head. He started towards the trailer, turning when I didn't follow him.

"Are you coming?" he asked. I wrung my hands together.

"I...I'm not sure if I should right now. I'm their teacher," I explained awkwardly. His eyes widened and ne nodded his head.

"Yeah, yeah – no, that makes total sense," he replied. My heart caught, and I felt guilty.

"I'm sorry – I can go in—"

"No, no, Dolly, it's okay – stay out here for now," he replied.

He took a deep breath and started up the stairs. I got back in my van, anxiously watching him. I watched him roll his shoulders back and steel himself. He suddenly threw the door open with a force I had never seen.

"If you're last name isn't Munson, get the fuck out of my house," he bellowed.

I watched as streams of teenagers ran out of the trailer, and they were scampering away, shouting at each other to run faster. The stream finally ended, and I saw Matty come out, waiting nervously at the door. I got out, bounding up the stairs to the trailer. I patted his shoulder, and he looked at me, wide-eyed and panicked.

"I'm so sorry, Ms. Brooks," he stammered anxiously. I shook my head. I heard yelling inside, wincing at what I was imagining,

"You did the right thing by calling us."