Trigger/Content Warning - Language
"Eddie?" A soft, sweet voice said his name, and Eddie's heart skipped a beat. He knew that voice. He whirled around and found himself face to face with Chrissy Cunningham.
"Chrissy!" he yelped.
"Sorry," she chuckled. "Didn't mean to scare you."
Eddie couldn't find his words, he was too busy drinking in the sight of her. He'd missed her. It had been two weeks since prom. Two weeks since he'd seen her. Two weeks he'd spent wondering if he ever would again and trying to come up with a reason to stop by her house. She was so pretty, dressed in a pink shirt tucked into jeans, her white sneakers as pristine as ever.
"Chrissy," he said her name again, struggling to remember what came next. What came after hi? Why was this so hard? Why was she looking at him like that? Finally, he broke free of her spell. "How are you?" he asked, his voice altogether too loud.
"I'm good!" she said, ducking her head.
"Good," Eddie managed to say, still trying to adjust to being in Chrissy's presence again. He had been standing at the counter talking to Robin and Steve when she'd come in. Now he could feel them behind him, laughing silently. He shot a glare at them over his shoulder then shoved himself away from the counter, walking past Chrissy onto the store floor, leading her away from Robin and Steve.
"So, how are things at the summer camp?" he asked, urging his voice to sound normal.
"Oh, it's actually been so much fun," Chrissy smiled. "Everyone who works there is super nice, and the kids are so cool. How are things going here?" She waved her arm to take in the store full of teenagers and families on a Friday night.
"Pretty great, yeah. This place is kind of a support group for losers trying to figure out what to do with their lives, so that's been good for me." He laughed. Robin and Steve scowled at him from behind the counter. He waved at them and Robin flipped him the bird. Chrissy turned to see and Robin hid her finger and plastered a huge smile on her face just in time.
"Hey, Chrissy," Steve smiled at her.
"Hi," Chrissy said to Steve and Robin. She sounded shy.
Eddie couldn't take his eyes off of her. "So, are you here for a movie?"
"Yeah!" she said, brightening. "My parents are out of town this weekend with my brother and it's supposed to rain tomorrow and I kind of just want to have a big movie night, you know?"
"Oh yeah, I get that. What are you in the mood for?"
"I was kind of hoping you'd have some suggestions?"
Eddie grinned.
***
Eddie rang Chrissy through the system. He'd drawn out her movie selecting process as long as he possibly could, but eventually, it had been obvious it was time for her to go. He looked at her file. Her last rental had been almost a year ago. "You haven't been here in a while," he said, and to his surprise, she blushed.
"No, well, I guess I was too busy with school," she said hurriedly.
"Right, I already forgot what a model student you were." He grinned.
Chrissy laughed. "Honestly, I'm so glad it's over. But I miss seeing some of my friends every day." She looked at him with her big eyes and he wondered if he could drown in them or if that was just a figure of speech.
"Well, it sounds like you've made some new ones," Eddie replied, feeling a twinge of jealousy. He imagined the male camp counsellors were like Jason on steroids. Tanned, blonde, and athletic. Everything he wasn't.
"Yeah, I guess so." Chrissy looked away.
Not knowing what else to say, Eddie blurted: "Well, I guess you're all set. Don't forget to be kind and rewind."
Chrissy looked back at him, surprised. "Oh, yeah, uh, thanks, Eddie. Thanks for your help." Colour rose to her cheeks again. "Well, bye." She picked up her tapes and turned, awkwardly, then headed out of the store.
"Dude," Steve groaned. He and Robin both glared at Eddie in exasperation. "Why'd you let her go like that?"
"What? What was I supposed to do?! She's Chrissy Cunningham!"
"And she likes you!" Robin said.
"Come on man, go after her!" Steve insisted.
Eddie swivelled his head between the door and his friends. "You think I should?"
"YES!" they yelled at him in unison.
Eddie hesitated for a second more then he leaped over the counter, knocking a pile of tapes to the ground and startling a couple of customers. Shouting apologies behind him, he ran out the door. Standing outside he looked around frantically. There she was, walking through the parking lot towards her car, her blonde ponytail swishing from side to side.
"Hey!" Eddie called as he ran. "Hey, Chrissy!" She turned at the sound of his voice, a look of surprise on her face. When he reached her he put on a show, huffing and puffing with his hands on his knees, and she laughed. Standing up straight he asked her, "I was just wondering, would you want to do something sometime? With me, I mean. Do something with me. Like, go for ice cream? Or, I don't know..." he looked around wildly for inspiration but came up blank.
Chrissy smiled so big all he could see was her snaggle tooth, the one he loved so much. The one he'd missed for two weeks straight. "Do you want to come over tomorrow and watch these with me?" she asked, holding up the movies she'd just rented.
Eddie was stunned. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah, if you want to..."
"Yeah, yes, that would be fun," he said quickly, stumbling over his words. He smiled, shyly. His palms were sweaty so he crossed his arms and tucked his hands under his armpits and tried to look casual. "What time?"
"How about 8 o'clock?"
"Yeah, ok, that works." His heart was pounding.
"Do you remember where I live?" she asked.
Of course he remembered where she lived. Everything about the night Chrissy had almost died was burned into Eddie's memory, including when he drove her to her house. How she'd sat so quietly in the seat next to him. He hadn't really wanted to take her home, he hadn't wanted to let her out of his sight, but he hadn't expressed that. Instead, he'd tried to be strong for her, to make her feel better. She'd assured him her parents were home and that she'd be ok. He'd felt sick with worry the moment the door closed behind her.
"Yeah, I remember," he said.
"Good. It's a date, then," Chrissy said, blushing.
Eddie grinned with delight. "It's a date," he repeated. He stepped back. "I should get back to work, so, see you tomorrow."
"Bye Eddie," Chrissy breathed, her eyes twinkling.
"Bye, Chrissy."
***
Eddie flung the door open and waltzed back into Family Video, puffing his chest out like a returning hero, casting his gaze from side to side, waving at pretend throngs of fans.
Behind the counter, Steve crossed his arms and Robin smirked. "I assume it went well," she said.
"I, Eddie Munson, the freak, have a date with Chrissy Cunningham tomorrow night," Eddie bowed gracefully.
"Way to go, Romeo," Steve drawled, but he wasn't fooling anyone. Eddie could hear how happy he was. Steve loved Love.
"Yeah, this is big. Question: Have you ever even kissed a girl?" Robin asked.
Eddie's eyes widened and like a popped balloon, he deflated instantly.
"No," his voice trembled with panic. He grabbed his head in his hands. Shit, he thought. "What if I'm terrible at it? What if I do it wrong and she never wants me to kiss her again?" His eyes fell on Robin. "Robin, can I practice on you?!"
"Ew, no!" Robin said. "Besides, it's not like I've ever kissed one either. If you want someone to practice on it should be Steve. He's the pro."
Eddie's eyes lit up. "Steve," he said, suggestively, sidling his way up to the counter and making puppy-dog eyes at his friend.
"No," Steve said. "Nope. No. Never. You're just going to have to learn the old-fashioned way, with the person you like, terrified that you'll screw it up and they'll never want to see you again." He grinned sarcastically at Eddie.
Eddie looked horrified. "Can you at least give me some pointers?" he whined.
Steve eyed him, imperiously. "The most important thing is to ask what she likes and then try to do that, obviously," he glanced at Robin for approval and she snorted.
"How do you know she'll even want to kiss you?" Robin asked.
"I don't! I hadn't even thought about it! It was you who put this idea in my head, just now!" Eddie stabbed his finger at Robin's chest. "This is your fault! Kissing Chrissy Cunningham, Jesus Christ," he snapped. "How did I let you two talk me into this asking her out?!"
"He'll thank us someday," Robin said to Steve, ignoring Eddie.
"Oh, definitely," Steve replied, ignoring Eddie more.
Author's Note:
It makes me so happy to think of Steve and Robin and Eddie working together at Family Video and hanging out together all summer. I didn't work at a movie rental store but I spent soooooo much time in them during my teenage years and my twenties. They were the best.