eastside

chapter thirteen

Eddie laid staring at the ceiling of his 'girlfriends' apartment as she was sprawled out beside him. He had woken up with his mind racing in about fifty different directions knowing that he wouldn't be able to fall back asleep. He laid still, not wanting to bother Piper as she had an arm and a leg thrown out on top of him, her mouth agape as she slept peacefully. She was snoring softly as he lazily gazed down at her, her long dark eyelashes contrasting against her pale skin, her rose colored lips, soft brown hair strewn about.

She was absolutely beautiful to him and he was an idiot in love. An idiot who still hadn't asked her to be his girlfriend because he was chicken shit. A chicken shit idiot who felt the need to beat around the bush about how he felt, about how he loved her.. because he was scared. He had never felt these types of emotions for a person so fast and so strong. What he told her a few days ago was the truth, he had been meaning to ask... and tell her his feelings.. but he just couldn't work up the nerve yet. He could sing on stage in front of tons of people or even have sex on a fucking public beach (and almost get caught) but there was something about officially making her his that made his stomach flip into all kinds of knots.

Eddie truthfully believed that the universe brought them together no matter what label they had, he knew he was exactly where he was supposed to be. He thought about how he almost didn't go outside the day Piper ran into him... how the guys were ragging on him for taking another smoke break... It made him wonder what would've happened if he chose to stay inside.. Would they have crossed paths elsewhere? Maybe at a show? At Pops when he went to trade vinyls?

Whatever the case, he was glad that he told the guys to shut the fuck up and went out anyway because it led him to her and ultimately, to her safety. He tried not to think about the reverse situation too much, if he hadn't of went out..

There was no telling what the creep had in mind which made his blood boil.

Eddie was shaken from his thoughts when the phone began to ring loudly. He carefully lifted her arm and leg off and slid out of bed, quickly grabbing the phone before it rang again. He put the phone to his ear when he suddenly realized he was standing in front of her street facing window.. fully nude and with a short phone cord... He glanced to his left and saw his hat lying on the floor. That'd have to do.. He stretched his leg out, grabbing for the black cap with his foot and scooted it across until he could reach it. The last thing he needed was to be arrested for accidentally flashing someone..

Eddie held the hat over himself as he heard a voice and a faint beeping noise in the background coming out of the receiver as he put it up to his ear again.

"Sorry, what was that?"

Piper began to gently stir from her sleep as she stretched her arms out over her head and to the side when she felt that the warm spot beside her was vacant, making her eyes open. She rolled and saw Eddie standing with the phone between his shoulder and his ear, his voice low as he held.. his hat over his junk?

What was he doing...

"Eddie?" She laughingly called out softly, gathering his attention as he turned and held up a finger signaling to hold on. He nodded his head a few more times as he spoke before thanking the caller and hanging up. He plopped his hat on top of his curly locks and made his way back to her bed before sitting down on the edge, his face contorting into a look of worry and shock as he rubbed his chin.

"That was the hospital... Apparently Pops was in a car wreck this morning." Piper shot straight up, her hands covering her mouth in a state of shock. "What?? Is he alright? Did he get hurt??" Eddie quickly reassured her that Pops was fine as he grabbed for her hands.

"He's got a concussion and a few broken bones that'll keep him there for a few days. They said he told them to specifically call you so you wouldn't worry and that he's going to make a recovery 100%." Piper felt a lump sneaking up in her throat as she thought about the older man.