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When a girl like Chrissy Cunningham gets in your car, talks to you for more than thirty seconds, and asks you for drugs, what do you do? Certainly, Eddie didn’t know how to react in such a situation, he just wanted to make a deal with her and then both change paths and never cross a word again. But when Chrissy Cunningham looks like she hasn’t eaten in several hours, is scared and probably wants to cry, comes to you and asks you for drugs, you don’t give them to her.
The girl was sitting next to Eddie while he is driving to his trailer. She is quiet and clever and her side profile was something Eddie could not take his eyes off of. Silence. She probably was nervous, or Eddie was just overthinking the moment. Maybe play some music.
“Do you like Blondie?” He asked Chrissy in an optimistic voice, to make the mood a bit more light.
She turned to look at Eddie and then said “Yeah”
Eddie turned on the car speakers and a melody started to play. His voice following the song lyrics and driving calmly, Chrissy was looking through the window with an emotional face that emanated some kind of sadness and longing. She was trying not to break down while Eddie sang sweetly Colour me your color, baby . Eddie felt like something in Chrissy was off. She wasn’t really that kind of girl at all. She was in the cheer club, and she’s even the favorite to win the next Prom Queen. What was such a pretty girl with such a freak like Eddie?
“That is my trailer…" Eddie broke the silence once he saw his trailer from afar. He parked the car in front and got out of the car, he even opened the car’s door to Chrissy and she walked next to him.
“Welcome” He opened his trailer’s door and let her in. Then he closed it.
“Wait here, I’m going to look up for that”
Eddie started to look around the trailer for the so-called drug that Chrissy wanted, the girl stood there and waited for Eddie to bring her what she wanted but, he didn’t come, for a moment, everything was silent, until Eddie went back to the living room, with his guitar in hands.
“What is that?” Chrissy asked in her sweet and calm voice, but with a desperate tone.
“What does it look like? My guitar” He then says.
When Eddie got in the trailer, he reconsidered giving Chrissy the drugs. He wasn’t going to do that. She asked for something harder, but he knew the effects of drugs on people, and even though he knew that selling them wasn’t a very morally good thing to do, he wasn’t bad enough to make a girl like Chrissy fall into the deep hole that seemed to never finish. Eddie knew she has a bright future, she is nice, pretty, popular, and smart… She didn't deserve it, whatever she was going through, drugs weren’t going to solve anything.
“I can play something if you want. What is your favorite song?” Eddie said, trying to lighten the mood.
“But you said, you had… you know" Chrissy replied. She didn’t understand anything, she just wanted to feel better.
“You sure you don’t wanna hear me? I’ve improved, though” Eddie simply replied.
Chrissy looked around the trailer, shaking her hands and with a worried expression, but then she nodded, so Eddie approached and fixed the curds of his guitar. Chrissy sat on the couch and turned to look at Eddie again. He played a small melody to see if the curds were in their place and then turned to look at Chrissy.
“This one is only for you” He let out a cocky smile and Chrissy chuckled.
Don’t stop believing by Journey started to play from the curds of Eddie’s guitar. He was smiling as he used his hands to play the song, willing to make Chrissy feel better. He didn’t know if she would like the song, or if he was playing it right, but he was wishing this might help. And not even knowing why, he just wanted to make the girl happy.
The song, that was initially played on piano, sounded more rockish when Eddie played it on the guitar, it hit so hard on Chrissy the fact that Eddie decided to play a song on his guitar instead of giving her magical pills. She didn’t exactly trust Eddie, but he had some kind of charm that made Chrissy feel safe like he meant no harm. His sweet brown eyes were the ones that made her smile back at the picnic table, and it was his sweet brown eyes the ones that made her accept to hear a song from him. Then, the melody filled Chrissy’s ears and a tender smile appeared on her face.
“Just a small town girl… living in a lonely world” Eddie sang along with the melody of the guitar. “She took the midnight train going anywhere”
Chrissy thought that Eddie was very good at playing guitar, but the guitar was better because his voice singing wasn’t exactly good. He then invited her to sing along with him. Chrissy stood up with a big smile on her face and jumped along with the song.
“Just a city boy…" they sang together. “Born and raised in south Detroit” Eddie got closer to Chrissy. “He took the midnight train going anywhere”
Chrissy started to dance around the living room as Eddie continued to play the song. He was admiring her, the way she danced, smiled, and the way she sang, and even the way her hair waved because of her body movements. She looked absolutely beautiful when she was having a good time, she looked like the most charming girl Eddie had ever seen, and then he remembered why she was there.
Both continued to sing the song and dance around while listening to each other voices. Chrissy had a smile on her face that brought peace to the whole room. Then, the song ended.
“Are you always like this with your… clients?" Chrissy asked sitting on the floor.
“No, I don’t even bring them to my house” Eddie replied and then sat on the floor just as Chrissy did.
“Why did you bring me, then?”
“Because… I-I just…" Eddie now didn't know what to say. "Because you looked like you needed help, so I offered help"
Chrissy looked at him not understanding what he meant by that.
"What?"
"When we met at the picnic table... You looked scared. You were shaking like a storm" Eddie replied placing his guitar by his side and using his most honest voice. "Look, I don't know what you're going through but, trust me, drugs are not going to fix it" His eyes were a thing Chrissy could easily get lost in. "You're not on your own."
Chrissy's eyes were crystally, she was about to cry. She just let out the tears come off her eyes and wet her cheeks. She buried her face in her hands once she noticed the tears and sobbing sounds filled now the room.
"I-I don't know what to do. I just keep seeing these... visions and having nightmares. Waking nightmares. My head hurts all the time and the worst part is that everyone has me under pressure. I haven't had a proper meal since yesterday morning and I'm starving, but I can't eat because then my cheering uniform won't fit" She didn't know from where she took the strength to speak, but she just let all that out. "I just want to feel alright."
Eddie was shocked, probably even terrified at seeing the poor girl cry all that tears and trying to hold her breath. He thought that Chrissy just wanted something to relieve her stress and maybe relax a little. But back at the picnic table he learned that it was something else, he thought that it was probably boyfriend-girlfriend problems even, but this, this wasn't alright in any way. Eddie got closer to Chrissy and opened his arms to then place them around her back and shoulders. She was still sobbing.
Her answer was only to hold him tight and bury her face in between his shoulder and head. Chrissy, for some reason, felt something she had never felt. A kind of warmth that nobody has shown her. Not her mom, her dad, not even her boyfriend. Eddie smelled like leather, sweat, hair spray, and male perfume. His body emanated a feeling of reliving and calmness. Suddenly, her crying stopped, leaving her with this calmness.
"Thanks..." She whispered in Eddie's ear. He didn't respond, instead, he stroked her hair in an intended tender way and Chrissy could only smile. After a few minutes, both separated from each other and saw their faces again. Chrissy's face was rosy from the crying and Eddie looked relaxed as always.
"Don't worry, I'm here if you ever need someone to make you smile" Eddie said and then made a cocky smile as he would always do.
Slowly, the light seemed to be fading as Chrissy felt herself getting closer to Eddie and his eyes penetrated hers as both could now feel each other's breath. Without really thinking and driven by the moment, Chrissy closed her eyes and let Eddie touch her lips with his. Eddie placed his right hand on Chrissy's cheek and the girl slowly let the boy take her breath away. Fireworks. It felt like never before. Eddie's lips were soft and tender, and Chrissy's lips tasted like a gummy lipgloss with a little cherry on them.
Chrissy forgot she had a boyfriend, Jason. So, suddenly she separated from Eddie, who was smiling, he looked happy that he kissed her. When Chrissy saw his face, again, she forgot that Jason even existed. Eddie laid on the floor next to Chrissy and she chuckled at his action. "You cheered up!" He then said.
Chrissy didn't want to think of anything else if she was with this odd boy, this boy who she didn't know was capable of making her feel this way. He was better than all. How could 'Eddie the freak' make her smile like a fool in love. Only he knows.