Bound in Love

Chapter 42

"Why go home... why go home..." Eddie yelled with that passion that everyone recognized in him even if it was just soundcheck. "Ok... we're good." He said then out of the blue and everyone stopped playing. All instruments quieting at the same time.

Suddenly, he let the microphone fall on the floor, turning his back at his bandmates and left literally running. He didn't even say a word. Eddie turned around and left soundcheck almost running. He knew Brooke was about to arrive in the venue and she would go straight to their lounge area. Usually, she would come with him, but that day, she felt tired and stayed at the hotel resting. Eddie then sent the car back to get her and it should be any time now for her to arrive.

"Ed!" Stone called him and he thought about pretending he didn't hear him, but he looked back, making a pause. "What's the matter? Are you alright?" He asked for it was unusual of him to do so.

"Yeah.... yeah... " He nodded and scratched the back of his neck. "It's just that Brooke must be getting here..." He pointed with his thumb backstage, to the pavilions placed side by side at the end of the huge lawn of the festival.

"Ok..." Stone whispered, but completely surprised with his reaction.

Eddie didn't wait any longer, he just turned around again and started running down the hill that led to the improvised pavilions that served as backstage lounges for the bands playing. He pulled the door of the one that belonged to Pearl Jam and entered it in a rampant, to find it empty. No one was there yet.

"Ok..." He breathed. Then, he took his cap off his head and ran his hand over his hair and puffed three times in a row.

His heart started racing fast and he felt his legs trembling and his hands sweating. He stuck his hands inside the pockets of his shorts just to check if everything was in place and then started walking in circles. Suddenly, the door opened and he jumped scared.

"Fuck!" He protested. "I thought you were Brooke. You scared the shit out of me!" Stone chuckled.

"Your girlfriend scares you?" He asked and Eddie made a face.

"No jokes..." He said, pointing a finger at him. Stone raised both hands as if surrendering.

"What's the matter with you? You're not drinking. You're not high..." Stone pointed out while he grabbed a beer of the small fridge they had in one of the corners.

"Where are the others?" Eddie asked him, shoving his hands in the pockets of his shorts.

"Mike and Jeff are talking to MTV, and I bailed." He snickered. "Dave ... well... Dave is after groupies. You know him..."

"So, you bailed on MTV?" Eddie ended up smiling though his heart was beating somewhere already outside of his body.

"Oh yes..." He rolled his eyes. "If someone asks me one more time about the Seattle scene, I'll commit murder. Grunge... what's even that? What does it even mean?" Then, he peeked at the window and saw Brooke approaching. "Hey... Brooke is here?"

"Really?" Eddie gasped feeling unable to breathe. "Shit..."

"Did you cheat on her?" Stone asked and Eddie frowned.

"No!" He almost yelled. "What the fuck?" Eddie said and Stone shrugged.

"I don't know... you're acting so weird." Stone pointed out.

"I'm cool..." He breathed walking to the door. Then, he looked back. "I am really cool." He said again and then opened the door and got out.

Stone approached the window to see him. Brooke smiled instantly as she saw her boyfriend. She was dressed in a denim skirt with black Doc Martens and a Pearl Jam shirt tied with a knot around her waist. Eddie stumbled while walking up to her and Stone frowned.