Margot was a nerve-wracking addition to the usual six we performed to, but I felt like I was onstage at the Palladium with the way she smiled at me. I had told the boys earlier in the day that they were required to play only our best songs – I had even tried to see if we could learn a love song before the show.
We couldn't, but it's the thought that counts right?
My voice cracked a couple of times during the set due to my nerves, but I powered through. She had drunk several beers, sweet and grateful whenever Nick came over to get her a fresh one. We finished the set and I put my guitar away, shaking with nerves as I prepared to go see Margot. I turned to her, smiling nervously.
She was smirking at me, her legs crossed. I almost fell off the stage as I stumbled towards her, unbelieving that Margot Patterson had come to a Corroded Coffin show. She leaned forward as I got to her, bouncing the legs I had been obsessed with over the last year. I cleared my throat and stood awkwardly in front of her as she looked up at me.
"So, uh, w-what d-did you think?" I asked, trying not to look too hard at her. She was shiny again, making my heart skip. She held her hand out.
"I think," she started as she pulled me into the seat next to her, "That you're an actual rockstar. And that it is so cool that you're a lead singer in a band, and that the band is actually great."
"Oh, I don't know about—"
"I know, Eddie Munson," she insisted, sliding her hand up my thigh and leaning close to my face. I felt my face burn and my stomach flip as she smirked at me – this was New Margot. Confident and cool, never letting anything get to her. I needed to remember that when she drank, New Margot was in charge.
"Yeah?" I croaked, my mouth going dry. She grinned and moved even closer, her lavender perfume consuming me and making me dizzy.
"Oh, yeah – like a regular Oscar," she replied. My nerves broke and I furrowed my brows.
"Oscar?"
Her eyes widened and New Margot broke for a second.
"Isn't that his name? The spooky rockstar who bit a rat?"
I grinned and shook my head, snaking my hand around the back of her neck and pulling her closer to me.
"It's Ozzy, princess. And he bit the head off a bat," I corrected. I grinned when she flushed and smiled nervously.
"Oh, sorry," she said quietly. I crinkled my eyes and shook my head.
"Nothing to be sorry for, you secret nerd," I teased. I pulled her to my lips, kissing her deeply. My heart skipped when she gripped onto my shirt, holding me closer to her. I leaned back, stroking her hair as she looked up at me, her eyes glistening.
"You really were great, Eddie," she repeated. I smiled and nodded, kissing her quickly. I glanced back at the stage, my friends watching us absolutely stupefied. I turned back to her.
"You okay to drink with the boys for a while? I promise they won't say anything," I asked, twirling one of her curls around my finger. She smiled and nodded at me. I looked back at my friends. "Hey, assholes – come have some drinks with us."
Jeff and Gareth scampered over, sitting quickly and watching us. I held Margot's hand, tracing her fingers with mine. Gareth was the first to break the silence.
"I'm sorry, I just can't believe that you're even hanging out with Eddie," he said, shaking his head. She let out a sparkling laugh and leaned into me.
"Keeping it quiet for now, but you better believe it," she responded. I kissed the top of her head but felt a pit in my stomach when she said we were keeping things quiet. I tried to focus on the "for now" part.
"Isn't he so fucking dorky though?" Jeff asked. Nick brought us all fresh beers and winked at Margot.
"You guys want shots?" he asked. I shook my head and Margot smiled at him.
"Sure!" she replied. I looked at her, grinning. Her eyes widened. "Sorry, should I have said no?"
"No, not at all, princess," I replied. I kissed her quickly. "Just surprised that you want one."
She grinned and blushed, leaning her head on my shoulder. I smiled a shit-eating grin at Gareth and Jeff, reveling in the fact that they had to eat their words after not believing me.
"You guys were really great," Margot complimented the boys. I wrapped an arm around her back and held her close. Jeff shook his head.
"I'm sorry, I'm still freaking out at the fact that Eddie hasn't been lying for the last couple of days," he said, half laughing.
"Nope, he wasn't lying!" Margot quipped. "Just keep it on the down low for now."
I bristled again but shook it off. Nick set the shots down in front of us and Margot grabbed one, holding it up.
"To Corroded Coffin – you guys were incredible!" Margot exclaimed, setting her other hand on my thigh. I grinned and clinked my shot against hers, kissing her forehead before taking the shot. Gareth grimaced after taking the shot, shaking his head.
"I still can't believe Margot Patterson came to our show. And that she lets Eddie Munson touch her," he joked, elbowing Jeff. I glanced down at Margot, grinning at her as she looked up at me.
---
God, Eddie was hot.
I was drunk, and I was fuzzy, but I didn't need to be drunk to know that he was attractive. Why did everyone have such a problem with him? He could be popular based solely on his looks.
He had his arm around me, holding me close to him. This was natural. It felt normal. He kissed me on the forehead, making me melt into him. I leaned my head back onto his shoulder, listening to the boys as they talked.
"So, your dad is actually E.J. Patterson?" Gareth asked me, his stare still incredulous. I nodded.
"Dude, she's named after Princess Margot!" Eddie interjected, squeezing my side. I flushed but grinned at how excited Eddie was about that face. Jeff's eyes widened.
"Really? I'm surprised Eddie hasn't tried proposing – he's obsessed with those books. We like them, too, but it's nothing compared to Munson," Jeff teased, elbowing Gareth. I looked up at Eddie, grinning at how red he got. Jeff let out a yelp of pain and I realized that Eddie had kicked him under the table.
"Eddie, be sweet," I admonished, smacking his chest. He turned even redder, and Gareth and Jeff started laughing.
"You're in trouble!" Gareth joked, making Jeff laugh harder. I looked up at Eddie, trying not to laugh as he started trying to explain himself. I kissed him, catching him off guard.
"You're killing me, princess," he sighed, pressing his forehead to mine. I giggled and took a sip of my beer, settling into the cute boy's embrace as he and his friends made each other laugh.
We drank for a while – Gareth and Jeff were so funny, always picking on Eddie whenever they got a chance. They told me tons of embarrassing stories about Eddie, relishing in his protests to stop. They reminded me of the few friends I had back home. It was obvious how much they cared about each other, and it made me happy.
I had sobered up a bit but was still tipsy when we finally decided to leave. I waited by the door with my hands clasped, watching Eddie as he packed his guitar. He glanced at me, doing a double take before smiling at me. He came over to me, his grin getting goofy and giddy.
"What?" I asked, my face heating as he watched me. He shook his head.
"Sometimes you're too shiny for me, Go," he said, taking my hand. I followed him out into the parking lot.
"Shiny?"
We got to the van, and he helped me in, watching me again.
"Like, you catch me off guard. It's hard for me to look at you sometimes," he explained. I furrowed my brows and his eyes widened. "Like in a good way – like you're too pretty!"
I felt my stomach flipped and grinned, leaning close to him and kissing him. He flushed as we pulled away from each other, his smile the goofy one I loved so much.
"There you go with your lines again," I said quietly.
He shook his head and closed the van door, scrambling over to his side. He got in, starting Shelob and taking my head. I smiled as he started back towards my house. He was singing to himself, reminding me of his performance.
"Do you write all of your songs?" I asked suddenly. He grinned, his eyes still on the road ahead.
"We all do," he answered. I started tracing his fingers with mine, the skull ring he had given me clinking against the ones he was wearing.
"Where do you get your ideas?" I questioned. He shrugged.
"A lot of different places," he said before turning onto a street. He finally looked at me, his smile making my heart skip. "Sometimes I get ideas from pretty girls who love puppets and David Bowie."
I flushed and grinned at him, shaking my head.
"Another line," I said, teasing him. He winked.
"Can you blame a guy?"
I watched him, trying to memorize his features as his face was illuminated by the passing light posts. He squeezed my hand, leaning forward to kiss my forehead quickly.
God, Eddie was hot.
We got to my house and Eddie parked carefully. He turned to me and leaned close to me. My face heated and my heart started to race, overwhelmed by his proximity. He clicked my seatbelt, undoing it and setting a hand on my waist.
"Get over here," he growled, pulling me onto his lap and kissing me deeply. I wrapped my arms around his neck, melting into him as he started tracing my thigh. I would never get bored of kissing Eddie Munson. Every touch set my skin on fire and my head foggy. I wonder if you could get drunk from kissing.
I moved down Eddie's neck, grinning as he hummed happily. I got caught up in the fervor of our kissing and nipped at his neck, not thinking. He grunted as he pulled me back to his face, kissing me hard.
"Did you just give me a hickey?" he asked, close to my lips. My eyes widened and I flushed.
"Oh, my god, I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking—"
He cut me off with a kiss, wrapping a hand around the back of my neck.
"I liked it," he whispered, making my heart pound. I kissed him again, never wanting to leave. I didn't want to go to school tomorrow. I didn't want to sneak around. I wanted to do what we did tonight and go out in front of people.
New Margot reigned me back in. We were going to figure it out. But sneaking around was required for now.
I pulled back and brushed his hair out of his face.
"You really were a rockstar tonight," I complimented. He grinned and swallowed hard.
"I'm glad you came," he replied. I nodded and kissed him again.
"Thanks for invite. And for the ride, Sir Tiebaut," I quipped.
He kissed my forehead and started helping me out of the van. He took my hand as we started towards the front door, giggly and goofy at each other's touch. I was sobered up, drunk only on Eddie Munson's touch. We stopped at the door, grinning wildly at each other.
Eddie snaked an arm around the small of my back and wrapped his hand around the back of my neck, pulling me to him. He kissed me like he had before coming to dinner with my family, kissing me until I was out of breath and dipping me back a bit. I was breathless when he pulled away, and he smiled at how flustered he had made me.
"I look forward to sneaking around again tomorrow, princess," he whispered before kissing me softly. I ached when he let go of me. He walked backwards to Shelob, shooting me finger guns. I giggled and went inside, still floating from his goodnight kiss. I leaned against the door and pressed my fingers to my lips, ghosts of his touch all around me.
God, Eddie was hot.