― 004. under the old streetlight

𓆩♡𓆪

"𝐈'𝐌 𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐎 come with me today." Steve spoke, turning the car into the Family Video parking lot. The sun was going down as they drove in for his evening shift.

"Yeah, I just..." Lizzie shrugged. "I wanted to get out of the house."

"I don't know what's going on," Steve turned his car off and faced his sister. "But you seem happier, Liz. I like it."

Lizzie grinned at this, looking down at her lap, feeling somewhat embarrassed but mostly her chest was swelling with joy. Steve smiled over at her briefly before climbing out of the car. Lizzie followed his lead and the two walked into the video store together.

Steve grabbed his employee vest off the hanger by the door and Lizzie went right over to say hello to Robin Buckley, one of Steve's coworkers and closest friends.

"Hey Rob," Lizzie greeted her with a big smile.

Robin was squatting by a case of movies, putting some tapes away. At the sound of Lizzie's voice she popped her head up and returned the grin.

"Oh, hey!" She stood up. "What are you doing here?"

"Just wanted to get out." Lizzie answered. "I got tired of sitting in my bedroom."

Robin furrowed her brow and brought her hand up to Lizzie's forehead, feeling for a fever. "Are you sick?"

Lizzie laughed and grabbed Robin's wrist, lowering her hand down. "No! I'm fine. I just realized that going out and seeing you would be more fun then sitting in my dark room, that's all. I'm just coming to my senses."

"Well, I'm flattered that I'm part of the reason you emerge from your cave." Robin chuckled.

"Plus," Lizzie added. "The arcade is right next door and I've really been craving some game time."

"That's right!" Robin gasped. "I always forget you like video games. It's so out of character."

Lizzie was laughing again. "People aren't just characters Robin. People have depth." She couldn't help but to think about Eddie as she spoke.

"Of course," Robin nodded fast, not wanting to offend her. "It just doesn't compute in my brain."

"Hey Robin!" Steve called, sounding annoyed. "Come help me, will you?"

"Geez," Robin rolled her eyes. "He can't do anything without me, can he?"

"Nope." Lizzie said.

"Well, you go play some video games, you deep human being." Robin started to step away from her. "And I'll see you later."

"See ya." Lizzie raised her hand, offering Robin a little wave before the taller girl left her side completely and went over to help Steve.

Lizzie stuffed her hands in her coat pockets before making her way out the front door. The crisp spring wind hit her face, the air smelling like flowers and rain. She looked around at the busy street in front of her and at all the people walking around, enjoying their lives. Her eyes landed on a particular group just across from her, and after staring for a moment, she identified them as Eddie and his band. Corroded Coffin, she remembered him telling her.

"Eddie!" Lizzie couldn't stop herself as she called to the brunette.

Eddie looked up and locked eyes with her, even from all the way across the street. He seemed surprised to see her. "Harrington?"

To Lizzie's surprise, Eddie looked both ways and then crossed the street, leaving his friends to approach her. "What're you doing?" Eddie's voice was friendly.

"I was gonna go into the arcade and play some games." Lizzie told him. "Would you care to join?"

Eddie thought for a moment, and Lizzie felt a pang of guilt. "I mean, you're obviously busy so you don't have to...I just..." she hurried to explain herself and to fill the awkward silence.

"Nah, I'd much rather hang out with you then those losers." Eddie joked. Lizzie felt her tense muscles relax and a smile took over her face.

"Okay!" She breathed, the butterflies returning to her stomach.

Eddie faced his band mates, calling to them, "I'll meet up with you guys later." The group of boys groaned and rolled their eyes, but none of them protested, instead just continuing on their way without Eddie.

Lizzie was beaming now, the happiness inside her chest making her feel like she might burst. "Let's go inside, shall we?" She asked.

"We shall." Eddie smiled back at her.

The two of them entered Palace Arcade, the bell on the door alerting Keith, the owner of the place, to their presence. The arcade was almost empty, which was surprising for a Friday night, with just a few younger teens hunched over some of the machines.

"Lizzie Harrington is that you?" Keith set down the magazine that he was reading.

"It's me." Lizzie replied.

"I haven't seen you in forever." Keith went on. "You look great." His mouth was slightly open as he looked her up and down.

Lizzie suddenly felt awkward. "Thanks."

Eddie moved his hand to Lizzie's lower back, sensing she was uncomfortable. Lizzie felt a pit growing in her stomach as Eddie started to rub comforting circles against her jacket.

Despite the butterflies and bright red blush that was growing on Lizzie's face from Eddie's hand placement, she felt herself actually growing calmer, remembering what she came her for.

"Do you still have the old Pac-Man machine?" Lizzie spoke with her confidence back. She tried not to appear disappointed when Eddie removed his hand from her back.

Keith shook his head. "We had to get rid of it to make room for some newer machines. Sorry."

Lizzie frowned. That was the only game that she had been dreaming about playing for the past week. Keith thought for a moment. "You know what?" He added. "For you, I can make an exception." He reached over the counter and opened the little gate beside him. "It's in the back. You can use it if you can figure out how to turn it on."

Lizzie's face lit up and she happily walked past Keith, into the employees only zone, with Eddie on her heels.

The duo entered the storage room, and Eddie shut the door behind them. Lizzie went right over to the Pac-Man machine in question, resting her hands on the sides of it. She was immediately struck with a wave of nostalgia as she remembered how she used to play this particular game every day for the entire summer before eighth grade.

That was the school year that everything changed for Lizzie. She started getting bullied then, being called all kinds of nasty names all while Steve ruled the entire high school even as a freshman. Lizzie was constantly reminded that Steve was so much cooler and more popular than she was, as the other kids her age picked on her.

That was also when she decided to retreat into her hole, her comfort zone. If she was invisible, there would be no comparison between her and Steve, it would be no competition. If she just gave up and shut down, maybe the bullying would stop.

Of course, it didn't stop completely, but it did slow down. This gave young Lizzie the reassurance she needed that hiding away and watering herself down was the right thing to do. So, she continued to do it, all through high school.

It wasn't until she met Eddie that her view shifted. She had no idea how somebody could change her so much in such a sort amount of time, but Eddie had managed to do it. She was so happy that she met him, and she couldn't wait to continue to grow with him by her side. As friends, or maybe more.

Lizzie let her mind wander with the possibility of them being more than friends. As she started to daydream, Eddie brushed up behind her. "This is cool." He breathed, putting his hands right above hers to feel the machine beneath his grasp. Lizzie shook herself out of her imagination and put all her attention on Eddie.

She removed her hands from the machine, instead turning around so she was looking into Eddie's face. He kept his hands where they were, trapping her in between him and the machine, her back pressing into the control panel.

Lizzie felt her cheeks start to heat up as she realized how close their faces were. She couldn't stop her eyes from landing on Eddie's lips, and neither of them moved away from the closeness.

She sucked in a breath, fighting against the magnetic pull towards Eddie in her chest. Eventually, she couldn't hold back any more and she leaned in, closing the gap between them.

She pressed her lips against Eddie's, and she felt him tense up, inhaling sharply with surprise. She carefully lifted her arms and put her hands on his biceps, holding him as she continued to kiss him.

But he wasn't kissing her back.

Realizing this, Lizzie suddenly felt sick to her stomach. What did I just do? She pulled back and hesitantly looked up into Eddie's eyes. He was staring at her, eyes wide, mouth hanging slightly open, just in complete and utter shock.

Lizzie felt all her confidence rush out of her body,  and hot tears pricked the corners of her eyes. "I'm so sorry!" She whispered. "I just-"

The lump in her throat was rising, and she knew she had to get out of there before she started to cry in front of Eddie. She ducked under his arms and rushed out of the storage room. Tears started to fall before she even made it out of the employee's only area.

"Did you get it to work?" Keith tried to talk to her but Lizzie ignored him, stepping over the gate and continue to push her way to the exit. "Whoa, what happened?" Keith kept trying to talk to her but before he could say anything else, Lizzie slipped outside.

Lizzie sniffled, trying not to break down in sobs, making her way across the parking lot. She had no idea where she was going but she couldn't go back into the arcade and face Eddie, and she couldn't go back into Family Video, because then she'd have to talk to Robin and Steve.

She just wanted to be alone.

Lizzie could feel herself starting to shut back down, and the urge to curl up into a ball in her bedroom and never come out was overwhelming. She approached the street, pausing on the edge of the sidewalk. She looked both ways through her tears, making sure the coast was clear before she crossed.

She heard the arcade door swing open and footsteps running up to her. She didn't even turn around, already knowing that it was Eddie and she just couldn't bear look him in the eyes right now.

The last car flew past Lizzie, blowing her hair as it sped off. The road was now completely empty, and dark, as the sun had gone down. The pavement was illuminated only by the singular street light that was posted up in the middle of the sidewalk.

"Lizzie, wait!" Eddie's voice sounded desperate but still she didn't turn around.

Lizzie stepped out into the road and heard Eddie follow her. She sighed, and figuring she had nothing left to lose, she whipped around to face him. "You don't have to say anything, okay?" She said, voice cracking as more tears threatened to fall. "I read into it wrong, and you just wanna be friends, and I'm so sorry. Just forgot that it ever happened, please."

She turned away from Eddie as a sob shook her shoulders. She was absolutely humiliated right now, never in her whole life had she ever felt so stupid.

So stupid.

But Eddie grabbed her wrist and spun her around, making her look at him. "I don't want to be just friends."

"What?" Lizzie breathed, searching his eyes to try and read his expression.

Eddie took a shaky breath. "I want to do this."

He leaned in and connected their lips once again, this time kissing her back. Lizzie brought her hands up to the sides his face, taking fistfuls of his hair as the passion between them grew. Eddie's hands were holding onto her waist so tight, yet so gentle, like he was afraid she might run away.

But Lizzie wasn't going to run away. This was everything that she wanted, right in the middle of the road under the old streetlight.

𓆩♡𓆪

Eddie drove Lizzie home after they had pulled apart from their kiss. He laughed at how small she looked in his big van, and she laughed at his poor music taste, to which he took great offense. Now, the two sat in her driveway, neither of them wanting to leave just yet.

"Can we talk about all of this tomorrow?" Eddie asked. "I just want to enjoy this moment."

"Yeah," Lizzie breathed.

The tension grew thick in that stuffy van, before they broke it and leaned in and kissed once again. Lizzie had never felt this way before in her entire life. The way that Eddie made her whole entire body tingle and her heart beat so fast she thought she might go into cardiac arrest.

It was so exciting.

Lizzie broke the kiss, seeing over Eddie's shoulder that Steve's headlights were coming down the road, still a ways away. "You better go. I don't think Steve would approve of...this."

"I thought you didn't care about what people thought about you anymore?" Eddie teased her.

"I don't...I just don't want to fight with him. He's basically the only family that I have now." Lizzie said solemnly.

Eddie nodded, returning her seriousness. "All right. I'll call you tomorrow, does that sound good?"

"It sounds great." Lizzie smiled, giving him another peck on the lips. She reached down to open the car door, but gasped when she remembered. "Oh yeah!" She looked back over at Eddie, who was watching her curiously. "I wanted to give you this."

Lizzie reached into her coat pocket and took out the paper with smiley face Eddie doodle on it. She handed the folded up paper to him and he opened it carefully, his face lighting up.

"This is so cute!" He smiled. "You are so cute!" He leaned over to ruffle Lizzie's blond hair.

"I mean," Lizzie deflected. "I can do much better, but it's the first thing I ever drew with that pen and in that sketchbook so, I wanted you to have it."

"Well, I think it's a perfectly accurate depiction." Eddie responded.

Lizzie saw Steve's headlights getting closer and she opened her car door slightly. "We really should go."

"I'll call you!" Eddie reminded her.

"I'll be sitting by the phone!" Lizzie joked, earning a loud, genuine laugh from Eddie. She slid out of the tall seat and landed on her feet, her shoes crunching against the gravel. She gave Eddie once last smile before shutting the van door. She stood there and watched him drive off, turning down the road, in the opposite direction of Steve, and she prayed that her big brother hadn't seen the van.

Lizzie hurried inside, entering the kitchen to make herself some dinner. Steve came in a few moments later, and she greeted him with a smile. "How did the rest of your shift go?" She asked cheerfully.

"It was okay. We weren't very busy." Steve answered simply. He started to put away his jacket in the entryway coat closet. "How was the arcade?"

"Also not very busy." Lizzie reflected, opening up the refrigerator. "It was nice to have the space to myself."

"To yourself?" Steve looked taken aback. "Are you sure there wasn't somebody else with you?"

Lizzie felt her heart sink, realizing that he might know more than she wanted him too. But, she played it cool. "Like, I said, it was practically empty in there."

Steve finally just came out with it, "Oh, so I just dreamt that you kissed Eddie Munson in the middle of the road then, huh?"

Closing the refrigerator, Lizzie turned and gave her full attention to this conversation. "Why do you even care so much?"

Steve scoffed. "Did you not hear a single thing that I said earlier? I think he's a bad influence on you, Liz!"

"And what would lead you to believe that?" Lizzie was genuinely curious to know his answer.

This question seemed to stump Steve, because all she got was a sigh from him. "Listen, I don't want to be a dick, but I just think you should be with someone in your league. Like somebody from art club or from the basketball team. You deserve a nice, clean cut guy whose gonna push you to work hard."

"So you think I can do better than him?" Lizzie asked.

"I don't think so, I know so!" Steve countered.

Lizzie blood was boiling at this point. "Eddie does push me, but in a different way then everybody else. He pushes me to be myself and to do whatever the hell I want!"

"That doesn't sound like a good thing, Liz!" Steve snapped back at her.

"I don't care how it sounds!" Lizzie was yelling now, feeling herself wanting to cry from frustration. "I care how it feels, and Eddie makes me feel happy! And I don't give a fuck about what you think!"

Steve's anger immediately dissipated. A heartbroken look took over his eyes. "You don't mean that." He spoke softly.

"Yes," Lizzie snapped. "Yes, I do."

With this, she stormed out of the kitchen and straight out the front door, slamming it extra hard on Steve. She marched towards the garage, stepping inside and climbing into one of her parents many cars.

Lizzie didn't have her license yet, only her permit, but right now, she was too angry to care. She dared the police to pull her over right now, she bet they would love to deal with her burning anger this late at night.

But as she started up the car and backed out of the garage, Lizzie felt her anger melt into tears. She broke down into sobs behind the wheel, but that still didn't stop her from pulling out into the street and speeding away from her house.

For the second time that night, Lizzie didn't know where she was going, but all she knew was she had to get as far away from Steve as she could.

𓆩♡𓆪

𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞!
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