No Surrender | Eddie Munson

Chapter Forty-One: The Big Game

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE: THE BIG GAME

KIDS IN AMERICA — KIM WILDE

Friday night and everyone's moving
I can feel the heat but it's soothing, heading down
I search for the beat in this dirty town

——————

Time goes on. It's still us. Even after months, it's just us — Eddie and I.

And it's hard. It's really hard. Some days I don't get up, I just can't. He never pushes or pries. He listens. I spend Christmas at the trailer with him and his uncle. They try to act like it's normal but I know I'm getting in the way.

School starts again and I have to spend my time alone.

I take the time to work on Eddie's graduation suit. I only just got my hands on the fabrics and I think this design might actually work.

My gaze flits up to the clock on the wall. "Shit!"

Scrambling to hide my work under my bed, I pull one of Eddie's old flannels on to cover the cereal stains on my t-shirt. I take my skates from by the door. They feel strangely heavy now. It's been a while since I last used them.

Leaving the cabin still feels like a death sentence. I hate the trees now. I hate the birds. The stars aren't out yet but the sun is setting. At least then I'll have something then.

This year's mixtape plays from my headphones, probably loud enough to burst an eardrum. I don't really care. The streets pass me by in a blur and the high school rises before me. It's dark by now but the lights from the gym and a steady stream of people approaching guide me in the right direction.

Roaring cheers meet me the second I enter. I wince and retreat further into my flannel.

"Beth!"

I freeze.

Stood with a girl I don't recognise on the very back bleacher, Steve waves to me. His smile fades a little when he takes in my appearance but he beckons me over again. "Hey, Beth! Over here!"

A few more people look my way. I lower my head and take a seat as far away as possible, right in the corner. The crowd swallows me in and I disappear from his view.

The marching band silences as the principal takes to the microphone in the middle of the basketball court. "Everyone now please rise for our national anthem. Singing for us tonight, we have a very special guest. All the way from Nashville, our very own Tammy Thompson!"

She starts to sing. After the first few mic screeches, I tune it out. I focus on the faces around me. There are too many. My throat already starts to close up and I twist at the hem of my sleeve. Eddie's familiar scent is overpowered by rubber and popcorn and heady excitement.

One face in particular catches my eye — Lucas. He looks older than the last time I saw him; taller, too. His hair is more carefully styled and he wears the school colours with pride. But something is wrong. His hopeful eyes scan the crowd for someone familiar. His friends aren't here. Of course, I realise, they must be at Hellfire Club. Eddie has been talking about the end of the campaign for weeks. I am brought out of that refuge by the realisation that Lucas has seen me. He stands rigid, eyes wide as they fix on me, taking in my weary appearance. He almost seems disappointed, hurt.

I hurriedly look away.

The game begins. I try to keep up, not that I understand most of it, anyway. What I do know is that it's a massacre.