𝓣𝓻𝓾𝓮 𝓟𝓻𝓸𝓶𝓲𝓼𝓮𝓼 𝓞𝓯 𝓛𝓸𝓿𝓮 {Eddie Munson}

43) "𝔂𝓸𝓾'𝓻𝓮 𝓽𝓸𝓸 𝓹𝓻𝓮𝓬𝓲𝓸𝓾𝓼 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓵𝓭."

-Eddie POV-
" He- I don't.." She didn't directly, answer the question I asked. " It's okay, I won't judge. If you don't want to tell me, that's okay too. I just don't want you to feel like you have no one to talk to about this, about either of them." I told her, referring to Nathan and her dad. She nodded in reply.

" I want to tell you, but it's complicated." I nodded, " Take your time, I'll always be here to listen to you and help you." She looked up at me, " Okay, it's a lot, so if you don't want to listen anymore just tell me."

" I can almost remember it perfectly. It was a Thursday, I think, March 13, 1980. I was 12 and Steve was 14, about to be 15. I had just got home from school, I was listening to Blondie on my Walkman. It was so confusing at first, Mom was sitting at the dining table crying, and Steve was sitting beside her. Steve came over to me and told me that Dad was drunk."

" He told me before that Dad has had a drinking problem for years, and he picked it up again. He told me that- that Dad had hit Mom, it scared me when Steve would be so serious, he's usually not like that, he said it in a tone that I've never heard him talk in. It was scary, Eddie. It's only gotten worse since then."

Her gorgeous eyes looked back up into mine, I placed a hand on her cheek, my thumb stroking her cheekbone. She didn't deserve any of this.

" I'm sorry that, those two times, I came to you all upset and whatever. I'm sorry you had to see me like that. I was scared that something else would happen. You always make me feel safe; I know that you won't hurt me, so I came to you, and I'm just sorry that it had to happen that way." She said aloud, her voice breaking slightly.

I felt myself crumble when tears glossed over her eyes, she doesn't have to be sorry for anything, especially that. I quickly hugged her, softly pressing her head into my shoulder as she began to cry.

" Oh, Ariel. Ariel, don't ever be sorry for that, I will always be here to help you from that asshole. I don't want to hear that word come out of your mouth." I told her soothingly, I felt my eyes sting with tears from sympathy and sadness for her, I blinked them away before moving away from her a little.

" Okay." She bit her lip to stop the tears that were still running down her face. I wiped her tears and she softly pushed my hand away, " Sorry, I-" I gently hugged her again.

" You're too precious for this world. They don't deserve you." I whispered in her ear; she wrapped her arms around my back tightly.

She pulled away, " I'm good now, I think." She smiled, " I don't want to cry anymore, it's so pathetic." She wiped her own tears quickly and stood up from the couch, I grabbed her wrist, "Where are you going?" I asked, She looked at the wall clock and then back down at me, "It's 2:15, doesn't your campaign start at 2:30?"

" Your leaving me? I don't want you to leave." I looked up at her, " It's only a few hours, I know it's not really your thing, can we hang out after?" I added, brining a smile to her face. She nodded, " Yeah, I'd like that."

"I'll walk you out." I stood up and she turned around, almost instantly smashing her lips against mine, I kissed back, smiling into it.

" Don't forget about later, Eddie. As long as you want." She whispered with a smirk on her face. I walked her out, giving her a goodbye kiss.

-time skip, Ariella POV-
It was now 4:30, I was reading a book that I checked out from the library after I left Eddie's. I looked up from the book when the phone rang.

" Hello?" I said into the receiver, " Hey Ari." My stomach dropped at the sound of the voice on the other side of the receiver, Nathan.

" What the hell do you want from me? Why won't you just leav-" I stopped talking when I heard him speak again, " Woah, slow down, babe. I just have a question for you." I rolled my eyes, "Ask."

" Why so cold, love? I just wanted to know if what Carver told me is true. Did you really sleep with the freak?" At first I panicked, how does he know? I only told Chrissy and Robin, Chrissy wouldn't spread my business like that, and Rob doesn't know Jason.

Jason doesn't even talk to him! How the fuck does Nathan know!? " Who I sleep with is none of your concern, stop calling me." I hung up and then dialed Jason's number.

Before Jason could finish greeting me, I cut him off. " Jason, Nathan's calling me again. He said you told him I slept with Eddie. You said you didn't even talk to him anymore?-"

" I don't talk to him, he's making shit up again, Ariel. Is he harassing you again? Because if he is, I'll fix it for you." I felt myself calm down a little from Jason's words.
" He's not harassing me, Jason. Chill out, he just keeps calling me. I'm kinda freaked out about how he found out I hang out with Eddie."

I heard a yell in the background," Shit, I'm sorry I gotta go. If he does anything call me or any of the boys. Bye." That was quick, I thought. How did he even find out, how did he even get the number to my  line? I sat there confused for a few minutes my thoughts broke when I heard Steve yell.

" 'Ella! I'm home!" Steve called, I hopped up and ran down the stairs. " I gotta tell you something!" I yelled back as I came into the room.

" What is it?" He said in the same tone as me, " Nathan called!" I exclaimed, " Again! Didn't he call the home number last time? You broke up with him before you got your new line right?" He questioned.

" Yes! I don't even know how he got that number! Another creepy thing is that he knows I've been hanging out with Eddie. He says Jason told him but Jason doesn't even talk to him anymore because he spread that rumor about him!" I added, " Why is he still talking to you? He doesn't even go to your school anymore, he has no damn reason to keep calling you. If he calls you again, tell me."

"Okay, thanks Steve." I gave my brother a small side hug, before going back upstairs.