by Zoe Knights
Eddie threw that comment off with another wave of annoyance. “That shop,” she pointed to the costume shop. “Let me pick something out, and you have to wear it for the rest of the day no matter where we go and pretend it’s totally normal.”
Sam looked at her with a dubious, yet sly smile. “Double dare,” he said simply. “Unless… you’re not game to let me choose, that is.”
Eddie felt her competitive urge flare again. “Agreed,” she said instantly. “But nothing… skanky,” she added quickly, “that’s the only rule.”
Sam rolled his eyes. “It’s not sexy when it’s forced. Do you think so little of me?”
Eddie observed him from the corner of her eye. “I’m not sure, to be honest,” she said after a moment. “Come on then,” she added, checking the road before running across the rainy street to the cover of the costume shop on the other side.
Sam followed her into the dry warmth of the shop, and they exchanged a glance before splitting up to rummage the goods.
It took them a good twenty minutes to find the appropriate punishment for the other person. They made their purchases and met each other back outside.
Eddie appeared after him, a pair of fluffy and sparkly white angel wings clutched in her hands – it was cheap, and also seemed fitting.
She grinned when Sam looked sceptically from her to the wings.
“Hmm…” he murmured dully.
Eddie smirked, “Not up to it, then?” she teased darkly.
Sam’s eyes continued to flicker between her and the wings. “Oh, I’m up to it,” he said rather quietly. “Simply I am more… accustomed to ‘angel wings’ than you might imagine.”
Eddie gave him a look. “Uhuh,” she said dully, before smirking again. “I suppose you’ll have no problem wearing them then.”
Sam’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the wings once more. He shrugged. “Well, they are poor imitations. But, I’ll manage.”
Eddie snorted. “Lovely. So turn around. I’ll pin them on.”
Sam seemed suddenly ill at ease. “Give them to me,” he said roughly. “I’ll do it.”
Eddie stared at him. “Uh…how?” she asked dubiously before shaking her head at him. “Don’t be stupid. Just let me do it.”
She went to go behind him, but he turned instantly, ending up quite close to her, with his chest before her.
Eddie looked at him again, her heart skipping a beat while her face formed a frown. “Why?” she asked.
“Because I don’t trust you with a sharp pin and my back turned,” Sam snapped a little more aggressively than necessary.
Eddie rolled her eyes. “You’re just trying to get out of it. Turn around,” she reached behind him again, and this time her hand just brushed his shoulder blade.
She felt his skin tremble beneath her touch and he turned again sharply, grabbing her hand. “Don’t,” the word flew from his mouth, and his eyes seemed darker than normal.
Eddie’s breath caught, and she stared at him.
He dropped her hand quickly. “No one touches my back,” he told her quietly. “Alright?”
With that, he grabbed the wings from her hand and whipped his jumper off. Eddie just watched in silence as he pinned on the wings before replacing the jumper, fluffy wings now sparkling on his back.
He smiled abruptly, breaking the tense vibe Eddie had been feeling. “And now you,” he said smoothly. He then proceeded to pull a bushy, brown stick-on moustache from his back pocket, wiggling it before her face. “Ta-daa,” he smirked at her.
Eddie looked at him for a moment, still recovering from the abrupt change in atmosphere before taking the moustache from his grasp. “You thought I’d be embarrassed?” she quipped, promptly peeling off the adhesive film and sticking it above her lips. She scrunched up her mouth, making the moustache wiggle. “I’m not even bothered. In fact, maybe I like it.”
Sam laughed, and it seemed genuine this time. “I may have messed up,” he said idly. “I think it might look too cute.”
Eddie was taken by surprise this time, and her cheeks flushed. She tried to hide this and force a glare. “You just can’t help it can you?” she asked loftily, shaking off the compliment as yet another annoying hit on. “Come on then, angel boy,” she smirked. “The world awaits, and you do look so pretty with your wings.”
She turned to leave, and Sam watched her go for a moment before following, a slightly strange frown forming on his brow.
The day continued, and Eddie found herself actually having fun. They completed their interviews for the assignment and Sam really got into the whole dare. By the end of it, the two began taunting each other to do certain things. Sam made Eddie sing as much of Chattanooga Choo Choo that she could remember while standing on a bench seat with her school hat on the ground for tips, her moustache wiggling all the while. And Eddie made Sam do ballet for two elderly women in the park. They’d adored him, and the wings. One of them had even tried to kiss him – Sam had gracefully allowed a peck on the cheek instead. Lastly, Eddie had been made to go into the pub to ask for a pint.
The two settled for not being kicked out, and instead took a table to get some food. Eddie was surprised at just how much fun she was having with her usually infuriating work partner. That thought alone was rather concerning, and she tried not to think too much on it.
Currently, she was hesitating over the menu; she didn’t have much money to spare. Maybe she could just order the garlic bread.
Sam seemed to read her mind. “I’ll buy it,” he said abruptly, peering at her over the top of his menu. “Not because I like you,” he added firmly. “But because I have stupid amounts of money and you don’t.”
Eddie raised her eyebrows. “Nice clarification.”
Sam shrugged, looking back at the menu. “Don’t want any misunderstandings,” he said simply.
Eddie snorted. “Like that would ever happen,” she said dryly. Then, “Well perhaps I want the roast. And the apple pie for after. And a lemon lime and bitters. Maybe even a cup of tea too with the pie.”
Sam didn’t even look up. “You’re supposed to tell the kind gentleman at the bar, not me.”
Eddie’s eyes narrowed. “And garlic bread. And… and I’ve never tried Yorkshire puddings. Maybe those too.”
Sam’s lip was twitching as he tried not to smile. “Great,” he said casually. “I’ll enjoy watching you finish every last bit. I’m sure you’re not one who likes to let food go to waste unnecessarily.”
Eddie glared at him, but it still went unnoticed till he finally put the menu down. “I’ll go order shall I?” he asked her sweetly. “A roast, apple pie, garlic bread, Yorkshire pudding, lemon lime and bitters, cup of tea and…? Is that really all? Such an inexpensive eater.”
Eddie huffed in annoyance, her fake moustache bristling. “Just the garlic bread,” she told him stoutly. “And I’ll buy it myself.”
She stalked off to the bar and ordered the measly food. Sam rolled his eyes at her when she passed him, but she ignored this. He ordered too then returned to the table with a whiskey on the rocks for himself and a lemon lime and bitters for her.
Eddie stared at the whiskey, “How did you get that?!” she demanded.
Sam shrugged, “I get what I want, remember?” he pushed her drink toward her.
Eddie eyed it suspiciously, sniffing the top of the glass.
Sam rolled his eyes. “So grateful,” he said sarcastically.
Eddie threw him a look, taking a sip after deciding it was not spiked with alcohol. “Thank you,” she said stiffly. “But, I didn’t ask you to buy it.”
Sam groaned slightly. “You are the most annoying person I think I’ve ever met,” he told her.
“Have you ever tried meeting yourself?” Eddie threw back at him.
“Oh what a joy that would be. If only, darling.”
“Euck. You’re obtuse. And to think for a minute there I was actually having fun with you.”
Sam raised his eyebrows at that. “Oh rea
lly?” he grinned devilishly. “The angel wings appeal to you hmm?”
Eddie gave him a very apathetic look, and Sam snorted. “Tell me,” he continued slowly, “what spurred you into picking angel wings? Of all the things you could have chosen?”
“Seemed fitting,” Eddie shrugged, “such a perfect contrast to your devilish nature.”
Eddie was only joking, but Sam seemed to take this quite seriously. “Do you think I’m more devil than angel?”
Eddie looked at him for a moment before responding. “What kind of question is that?” she asked with a frown.
Sam sighed a little roughly. “One I’d like to know the answer to…” he muttered.
Just then, their food arrived. Sam had ordered her the roast as well.
Eddie gave him yet another look, opening her mouth to both thank him and chastise him. But he cut her off.
“Just eat and forget about the money thing,” he said, picking up his cutlery. “If there’s one thing I couldn’t care less about in the world its money. Alright?” He glanced from his plate to look at her. “And try not to get it in your moustache, hmm?”
Eddie frowned at him, but she followed suit, picking up her own cutlery. “Thank you,” she said quietly after a few silent moments of eating.
Sam smirked, watching her moustache wobble as she ate. “You know, you should think about making the stache permanent,” he teased. “It could almost be called endearing. Makes up for your more annoying qualities.”
Eddie just rolled her eyes, “Stop giving me reasons to take it off,” she snipped. “I don’t back out on dares.”
“No?” Sam smiled slyly. “Well, I suppose that’s how the lake thing happened, then.”
Eddie eyed him without qualm. “Yes,” she admitted easily.
Sam chuckled, turning back to his meal. They ate in silence for a moment, and Eddie frowned as she chewed her lamb while peering at Sam every now and then until Sam suddenly caught one of her glances and Eddie felt a jolt pass through her.
Sam smirked at her. “So then,” he began casually. “Do you miss your home?”
Eddie blinked in surprise. “Where did that come from?”
“It’s called conversation, Eden,” Sam teased. “It’s polite.”
Eddie gave him a look, “Fine,” she said with a slight exhale. “I do. Sometimes,” she admitted. “Well… I don’t miss the drama at home. But, I miss Australia more than I thought I would.”
“How so?” Sam seemed strangely interested.
Eddie continued to feel both confused and paranoid like he was digging for something.
But, just at that moment the barman came back to deliver her a slice of apple pie with vanilla ice cream.
She gave Sam a look, and he merely shrugged.
“Now you’re just going overboard,” she scolded but was already reaching for the spoon to taste the delectable looking dessert.
“Who says it was for you?” Sam quipped cheekily, diving in to get the first bite of the pie.
Eddie laughed in surprise, her cheeks flushing. “Oh… right, well-”
But, Sam nudged the second spoon toward her that she hadn’t noticed. “We’re sharing,” he smirked. “Which I regret. It’s pretty good.”
Eddie grinned, grasping the spoon and ignoring the part of her that knew this must have looked like a date to any outsiders before piling a mouthful onto the cutlery. “Wow…” she said after she swallowed. “That’s impressively good. The pastry is perfect! Melt in your mouth consistency – they clearly had the butter cold enough. And the filling is perfectly caramelised-”
She broke off, blushing when she noticed Sam’s stare with a quirked eyebrow.
She cleared her throat. “It’s… a nice pie,” she muttered finally. “Anyway – what were you asking before?”
Sam was smiling crookedly at her, amusement glinting in his eyes. “You were saying what you miss about your home…”
“Right… yeah, um… well,” she continued quickly, “back home it was sunny nearly all year round. I loved the rain and rainy days. But now… cause it rains all the bloody time I really miss the sun…” she told him, thinking rather wistfully of a beautiful Australian beach where the sand was warm and soft on your feet, gulls squawked in the salt-scented wind, and waves crashed against the sea’s edge. “Plus… the sky is bluer back home. It’s… kind of dull here.”
Sam tilted his head, still smiling. “Interesting…” he murmured.
Eddie frowned at him. “Why do you care?” she demanded. “And don’t say conversation again. You don’t do small talk.”
Sam chuckled. “Well, what else is there to do? Unless,” he smirked, “you’ve changed your mind and-”
“Ugh, do not go there again,” Eddie cut in flatly, thoroughly unamused.
Sam shrugged, not abashed, he simply returned to his meal.
Eddie frowned, watching him for a moment. “Why do you do that?” she asked with a burst of confidence. “Why do you turn everything toward some sort of meaningless sexual… thing. What’s so wrong with having friends?”
Sam looked at her blankly. “I don’t need friends,” he said bluntly. “And sex is fun.”
“What does that mean?” Eddie sighed with exasperation. “I don’t need friends,” she quoted in a mock British accent. “That’s ridiculous.”
Sam paused, his eyes shadowed by his brow. “There’s no point,” he muttered finally.
Eddie eyed him for a moment, feeling nerves twist in her stomach as this felt like very tender territory. “I used to think like that,” she said quietly, watching Sam’s fork still in his hand. “Back home. I… was away more than I was at school. I didn’t have time to make friends… nor did I see the point when I was barely there. I guess they all thought the same because no one really tried with me either.”
Sam tilted his head to the side with that frown still formed on his brow. He seemed to think about this for a long moment before he asked quietly, “Why were you away a lot?”
“Oh… well, I…” Eddie’s stomach churned nervously; she did not like talking about this, and yet for some reason, with him, she felt she could. “A few reasons. Um. Mum was… unwell. Well, I mean… she- she has bipolar, and there was a particularly bad patch and Dad-” she paused with a quick breath. “It’s just hard, sometimes… and I just… was needed at home more than at school. And I… well I sort of took off every single Monday for an entire year to be able to fit in an extra part-time job. Nearly got expelled for it actually.”
Sam was observing her in such a way that Eddie was beginning to feel quite self-conscious.
“So how then, did you end up here?” he asked her quietly.
“Well…” Eddie began, “my… grades were dropping – I wasn’t focusing on school, and then my brother Alex insisted my education was important, you know, all that jam. And he sent me the scholarship details to this school – cause he reckoned I needed to get away if I had any chance to focus. He was determined that this was the place for me. So he…got me to study my ass off and… well, here I am.”
Sam nodded slightly, his eyes dark and unreadable, but he didn’t say anything this time. Eddie chewed the inside of her lip, feeling rather vulnerable, “So er… anyway. What I was trying to say was… I was really lonely during that time. I think I could have used a good friend. I think it would have been… worth trying.”
Sam did not agree. “Maybe for you,” he muttered lowly. “But we are not the same. You can’t understand,” he looked away, exhaling roughly. “So just drop it.”
Eddie hesitated for a moment, “I don’t understand,” she agreed quietly. “But, perhaps I could if you explain-”
“What do you want from me right now?” Sam cut across, his anger flaring, taking Eddie aback and he met her gaze, but his eyes were dark and blazing. “You want to figure me out? You think I need a friend because you’ve heard some rumours about my parents and now you pity me?”
Eddie blinked in shock, her mouth falling open, b
ut she wasn’t sure what to say.
“I don’t want pity or friends,” he snarled, his voice lower now but just as dangerous. “So don’t waste your breath.”
A heavy moment of silence lay between them as they looked at each other across the table; Sam’s eyes still guarded, anger swirling behind them and Eddie’s were wide and shocked.
She looked away, reaching for her bag. “Fine,” she said very quietly. “I won’t,” she stood up, her meal only half finished. She looked back at Sam, who refused to look up at her before she ripped off her fake moustache and dropped in onto the table, ignoring the sting in her skin above her lip. “Enjoy being alone,” she snarled quietly before turning on her heel and storming from the pub.
The grey sky outside mimicked her mood, cold rain getting blown with the wind and spattering her in the face. She clutched her jacket closer, bracing herself against the weather and stomped off down the lane, her old Clarke school shoes slipping on the wet cobblestone.
A few minutes of angry walking went by, and Eddie went to pull out her phone, deciding to text Quinn to see if she’d finished her questionnaire so that they could meet up.
But, her phone wasn’t there.
Eddie cursed out loud, turning back around furiously; she’d left her phone in the pub.
She couldn’t trust that Sam would bring it back for her – nor did she want him to. She didn’t want to speak to him at all. To think for a moment there when she’d been having fun, she’d actually thought they could be friends. She grit her teeth on the way back into the pub, but Sam was gone.
She asked the barman if he’d seen him or if her phone had been handed in. He told her that the boy had left and there was no phone on the table – but he’d left behind the fluffy, white angel wings.
Eddie did not take them – angered just at the thought while her stomach twisted and turned, making her feel sick. She headed back out into the rain to make her way to the bus. Surely Sam must have it, she just hoped he wouldn’t figure out her pin and do something scandalous with her phone.
She stomped through a puddle, the water splashing her tights and flooding her shoe and she shuddered, jumping aside with another curse.