chapter two
happy halftime

Early November 1985

"Thanks, again." Robin said glancing over at Arwen, who stood next to her in the band's line up. Normally, Arwen would scold Robin for distracting her, but they were down by thirty points, and hadn't scored a single one in the last two quarters. There was no point in being ready to play for a touch down. "For the ride. I-I, uh, I would have asked Steve, but he's busy and couldn't come tonight. I was kind of pissed at him for that, he said he would to make fun of how I looked in this band suit. Not that we're together! Or anything like that, no. Not at all. Platonic! Just friends, and only friends. Friends."

"Hm?" Arwen grinned, waving her off. "Robin, come on. It's really no problem. Why aren't you with Harrington, though? He's cute. Not my type, but cute."

Robin grimaced, visibly wincing as she readjusted the hold on her instrument. "Well... uh, well.. For, you know, curiosity what is your type?"

Arwen paused, Eddie Munson briefly flashing through her mind. Briefly. So quick she almost didn't notice.

She did, though. But she passed it off, she could (and would) never actually be interested.

Sure, he was a gentleman whenever they interacted, but Arwen had dreams. She needed someone to support her in those dreams, and Eddie did not seem like the right boy to do that.

(Or so she thought, soon enough Arwen would realize just how wrong she was about him.)

"Hello?" Robin whispered, gently nudging the girl. Arwen almost jumped out of her skin, glancing over at Robin. A nervous smile crossed her face and she muttered an apology about being lost in thought.

"I don't know." Arwen answered honestly with a shrug, "I guess I don't really have one."

Robin nodded awkwardly, drumming her fingers against the cool metal she held. "Cool. Cool."

~~

Mid December 1985

"Never again, huh?" Eddie grinned triumphantly, pulling back to admire the girl. Arwen panted, her button up shirt hanging loosely from her shoulders. Her pants discarded across the room, along with her underwear and his shirt. "Hate to say it, sweetheart. But I told you so. "

"Shut... up." Arwen muttered, her fingers tangling in his hair to pull him in closer. "Just... Eddie... fuck."

"Use your words, sweetheart." Eddie's breath fanned her face, "What do you want?"

Arwen truly didn't know how she ended up under him again. For the third time. When she said never again, she really did mean it. How she ended up hooking up with him again (and again) would be one of life's greatest mysteries.

He was addictive. He was so careful with her, even when he was being rough. He was somehow still careful not to hurt her, reassuring her throughout their time. It wasn't even just that. It was everything.

Arwen was addicted to him. To his touch, his scent. The way he held her, pressed her against the wall. To the way he gripped her hips, her thighs and pulled her close. The way his hands felt around her neck and how his rings left marks. How he took care of her after. The first time they hooked up, he ordered her to stay put while he carefully and gently wiped the inside of her thighs and her chest with a damp wash cloth. The second time he'd done the same thing, even offering her the use of his shower if she'd wanted it.

She was addicted, she could never get enough. She wanted to fight it, but here she was. A third time. Loving every minute of it.

It was almost as if their bodies were made for one another.

Arwen didn't understand how they became.. friends? Sort of friends, maybe.

Maybe it was when, after the last time they'd hooked up, he asked her what her favorite color was.

Early November 1985

"What?" She'd asked, panting. Her bare chest rose as fell as she looked over at the boy, sure that she had misheard him. His now messy hair stuck to his face, hickies littering his neck and chest. Her breath caught in her throat just looking at him.

"Color." He repeated, a goofy grin on his face as he turned to fully face her. "You know, red.. orange, yellow.. Mine is red... pink is my second, tell anyone and I'll deny it."

Arwen giggled, covering her face with her hands. "Really?"

Eddie nodded enthusiastically, his eyes lighting up as he spoke. "It's just light red."

Arwen nodded along with him, "Yeah.. Orange is mine. The kind you see in sunsets, though. Not the Burger King orange."

"You, my friend, have great taste in colors." Eddie sat up, leaning over the bed to hand her her shirt. He didn't feel right letting her lay in his bed bare, felt disrespectful to her somehow.

"Thanks.." Arwen muttered, taking the shirt from his hands and pulling it over her head. "Is that what we are?"

"Hm?" Eddie hummed, reaching for a lighter as he rested a joint between his lips.

"Friends." She repeated. "I think we'd need to do more talking, rather than.."

Her voice trailed off, assuming he knew what she meant.

Eddie coughed, patting his chest to rid his lungs of the burn. "Let's talk then. If you, Arwen, are sure you wanna be friends with one of the freaks."

Arwen laughed, a genuine laugh, as she shook her head. "We'll just have to find out."

~~

Mid December 1985

"It's late." Arwen jumped at the sound of her father's voice. Swearing under her breath she slowly turned to face the man who sat on the sofa in the living room.

"Hi, daddy." She smiled nervously, "Uh- Yeah, I'm sorry. Debate ran late tonight, I tried to call but it wouldn't go through."

Her father's eyes studied her, and after a moment he nodded. "Okay. You missed Family Feud, though. It's not the same without you, pumpkin."

Arwen felt a flash of guilt as she locked the door, frown etching itself onto her features. "I'm sorry.. are they having a rerun of it?"

"In thirty minutes, and tomorrow night." He answered, flipping through the channels, "Go to bed, get some sleep or you'll be tired for school tomorrow."

"Tomorrow is my last day," She started, resting her purse on the table beside the front door. "Before Christmas break... can I stay up with you?"

"Is it Christmas already?" The man wondered aloud, humming when Arwen nodded in response. "Huh.. time flies, doesn't it."

Arwen kicked off her boots, placing them under the table and her scarf next to her purse. She treaded over to him, her thick socks protecting her feet from the cold hardwood floors. The fire crackle in the fire place, though it was clearly on its last leg. She yawned as she curled up next to her dad, pulling the blanket he had over her own legs.

"Time flies."

~

a/n: idk how i feel ab this