Forest Hills (Eddie MunsonxOC)

Halloween night.

"Annie! Are you dressed? Eddie and Wayne will be here soon."

Loretta had gone all out. Gumbo, cornbread, Pecan Pie, and Bloody Mary's. It'd been forever since she was able to have company over and was ecstatic about the opportunity to cook for others again. She'd been dancing and singing while cooking the whole day, something that Annie hadn't seen in a very long time. Loretta was a born caregiver, she got her joy from caring and giving to others. This was something that her ex-husband constantly to advantage of to the point of quitting his job and being a lay about at home.

"Yeah, I'm dressed." Annie turned the volume of the record player down. She was happy to see the spark back in her mother. Annie was sporting a scream shirt and some ripped jeans, her old vans squeaked on the linoleum floor of the kitchen.

Loretta was often found in floral dresses and heels, with her blonde curls done up in a ponytail or bun. Despite their differences she loved her daughter's sense of fashion, it reminded her that she had raised an independent woman which was something she was very proud of.

"Well don't you look adorable." Loretta smiled and gestured to her daughter. "It wouldn't happen to be because of a certain boy coming over would it?"

(Photo AI generated by author)

"Mom, no." Annie couldn't help but smile. "Eddie and I don't really hang out, he has his own crowd."

Annie had purposefully left out the part where Eddie was literally teased and bullied for a few days simply for bringing her to school. She knew her mom wanted her to have friends, even date, so badly. A small part of Annie wanted that as well, but she was held back by her own fears. She actually did want to get to know Eddie better, she liked him. Hell, she kind of thought he was cute.

"Honey, if it's about those rumors-."

"It's not the rumors, mom." Annie sat up on the counter and clasped her hands in her lap, eyes trained on the floor. "I don't care if he sells pot or if he sleeps around, I don't care if he's a little wild or whatever...Just...What if he's like Jessica? Or worse, what if he's like dad?"

Loretta's brown eyes flooded with sadness. "Oh hun." She set down the plates and wiped her hands on her apron. Her slender arm wrapped around Annie's shoulders as she held her close. "You can't let one bad relationship ruin the possible others. I fell out of love with your father a long time ago, the divorce was bound to happen, I just had to gain the courage to leave. And as for Jessica, she was just a bad egg. She may have been pretty on the outside but you're pretty on both the outside and the inside, if Eddie is smart the he'll see that."

Annie looked up at her mother, opening her mouth to protest.

"No. Antebellum I wish you could see how I see you. You're kind and strong. A beautiful woman." Loretta tapped Annie's forehead. "You just sabotage yourself...speaking of which when do I need to go to the pharmacy again?"

"Next week."

"Write it down on the calendar."

Loretta went back to setting out the plates and silverware, the clock reading 6:20, the Munson's would be over soon. Annie shook herself out of her little fog, doing as told and writing down a reminder for her mother to pick up her prescription from the pharmacy.

Dinner actually went well, Wayne couldn't stop talking about how good the food was. Apparently the Munson house basically lived off of microwave tv dinners and boxed foods, Wayne worked the night shift to be able to support himself and Eddie so home cooked meals were scarce. Loretta offered to pack up some gumbo for them and Wayne graciously accepted.

"Why don't you kids take a walk? It's a nice night, we can take care of this."

With that and a few insistent "No I want to help." From Annie, Eddie now was talking Annie on a walk through the trailer park. He was smoking a cigarette, coughing and grumbling as the cold wind blew the smoke back in his face.

"Your mom is cool."

"Yeah."

Eddie took in a deep breath and let it out slow. "Follow me, I need a joint."

Annie without question followed Eddie into his trailer and straight back to his bedroom. It was messy, smelly, crowded. She was surprised that he could find anything in this mess. "What's 'Corroded Coffin'?"

Eddie was sat on his bed, lighter in hand and joint between his lips. He looked at the yellowing white sheet with 'Corroded Coffin' spray painted on it in bright red.

"S' my band." He gestures to a red warlock hanging on the wall in front of a dusty mirror. "That's my sweetheart, my lady, my prized possession." He gets up and lovingly strums the strings.

Annie smiled. "You must really love music. I've always wanted to learn an instrument."

"Why haven't you?"

"I've tried, never got any good at it."

Eddie nodded and blew out some smoke, he looked at the joint in his hand and help it out to her. Annie shakes her head, politely declining.

"I was wrong about you."

Annie gives Eddie a confused look.

"I've been avoiding you 'cause, well, I don't enjoy being fucking teased over some bitch I don't know...But you're actually kind of cool, even though you hang around Cunningham..."

Annie leaned on the wall and crossed her arms. "I didn't mean for everyone to tease you."

"Shit, I know."

There was an awkward silence before Annie held her hand out to him. "I'll forgive you, if you stop being a pussy and hang out with me."

Eddie looked at her hand skeptically. He mulled it over in his head and carefully took her hand, a smirk plastered on his face.