The Reflex

8. Rock n Roll Damnation (Eddie Ending)

Thora lay back in the inflatable doughnut, looking up at the sky, her bottle in hand dangling aimlessly in the water, and she gently bobbed around the centre of the pool.

When any confusing racing thoughts entered her head, she focused back into the sky or the AC/DC album playing loudly at the poolside, trying to bury it way down.

She wasn't sure what she was trying to unpack in her mind. She wished Thorin was still around to talk to. Even though his advice usually ended up with "Fuck 'em all, Ra! Just be yourself and let the world come to you."

How could she even be herself if she didn't know who that was? Thora takes another swig from the bottle and lazily lies back, hoping the answers will magically come to her.

She knew the repercussions were imminent. She'd just left them there. They'd probably be worried, angry even, and although that wasn't her intention, it felt like a suitable price to pay for the hour of brain peace she had floating around into the never.

There are many things Thora wished she could turn back time to change, but this was in the top 3. The reaction she had, was not the one she'd planned. She thought she'd feel overjoyed, but something churned in her stomach. Something she wasn't understanding.

Thora doesn't hear it, but a cab pulls up outside the house. Eddie and Robin step out of it.

"Are you sure you've got this?" Robin says seriously to Eddie.

"Look, if you wanna speak to her about it, go for it. I'm not stopping you." Eddie holds his hands at his waist slightly, "Just know, she wasn't trying to sabotage you, ok? She's just confused. I know you know that deep down, right, Buckley?"

Robin frowns a little, "I guess." Eddie nods reassuringly.

"And, my god Buckley, straight for the owner's niece, huh? Fuck, not even I'm that bold!" He nudges Robin playfully.

Robin smiles and laughs a little, "Well, I didn't think about that at the time, you know..." She shrugs.

They get to the front door, and Robin opens it.

She sighs, "Are you definitely sure about this, Eddie? I feel like it should be me. I'm her best friend."

Eddie puts his hands on Robin's shoulders, "I have got this, Buckley, alright?" He says, readjusting his battle vest.

Robin twists her fingers awkwardly, then looks up at Eddie, giving him a light thump on the arm. "She'll be in the pool floating around to AC/DC. It's her thinking spot."

"Got it", Eddie smiles, making his way outside.

Thora hears a splash and snaps her head around in alarm, searching the water for the intruder. But unfortunately, the small army of inflatables was obstructing her view. She holds the glass bottle tight in her hands.

Eddie breaks the surface and nearly gets clobbered with the bottle, "Jesus Christ, Eddie!" Thora exclaims, falling back into the doughnut, clutching her chest and pulling the bottle back just in time, "Fuck, I could have glassed you".

Eddie can't help a smile at a successful jump scare, "Yeah, but you didn't", he says, climbing aboard a nearby inflatable armchair.

Thora and Eddie exchange a severe glance for a few seconds, and Thora casts her eyes down to the water.

"I'm sorry." She says sadly, twirling the bottle in the water.

"Ok, a couple of things with that. One, drinking is not the answer to things like this. Two, we are not gonna just plaster over this with a weak 'I'm Sorry,' and lastly, do you even know what you are apologising for?" Eddie says with his arms folded, but he speaks gently, scanning Thora's face for any apparent indicators.