Chapter Seventeen:

Doing It Lovingly

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Eden rose her eyebrows and pursed her lips as she watched Davey pace back and forth in a panic. "How are you guys not freaking out right now? He called himself! There's no Jamie! This proves he's guilty. We gotta get into that house to find out what's in there!"

"Are you crazy? Look at how much trouble we got into just for digging up his garden." Farraday rolled his eyes, gesturing to the group.

"Shit." The boy cursed, leaning over and picking up the walkie talkie. "If I think she knows you guys are up here, I'll radio so you can climb out the window."

Eden knitted her eyebrows together as the radio began to crackle. "We have apprehended Mr. Arthur Ray Peterson earlier today.. And I would like to bring up the arresting officer.. Wayne Mackey."

"Fuck." Eden's blood ran cold and her heart sank into her stomach as she locked eyes with Tommy.

"I know that this has been, uh, a trying to time for our community, but, uh, we hope that this announcement can bring a little peace to those who have been living in fear. Justice will be served."

"It'll be fine." Tommy said, his eyes trained on his girlfriend as he tossed her the basketball. "Don't worry about it, princess. They got him."

Eden murmured to herself, drumming her fingers on the red basketball. "I hope s-"

"A hero." Davey's voice cut her sentence short as he abruptly shut the door behind him. "Did you guys not hear the broadcast? He's clearly guilty."

"And you're a little fucked in the head." Tommy countered, sliding his arms around his girlfriend's waist as she moved to sit on his lap. "He just caught the killer, dude. It can't be him/"

"Don't you think it's a little coincidental that the person we just accused of being the killer just so happens to catch the killer?" Davey rambled as Eden let out a sigh, shaking her head slowly. 

"Dude, you just sound desperate now. Okay? Just admit you were wrong." Tommy continued.

"I'm not wrong." Davey said stubbornly. "And I know there's something behind that locked door in his basement? We have to find out what it is before more people die."

"So.. You want us to break in? To a cop's house.. That you thought wanted to kill us?" Eden trailed off, raising one eyebrow. 

"Listen, Davey, even if you were able to hypothetically get into his basement, there's no way you can take anything to prove it without him knowing it's you." Farraday pointed out, causing Eden to nod her head in agreement. 

"I don't have to. I'll use my dad's camcorder.. Film it all. I don't need to steal anything, tape doesn't lie." Davey frowned as he watched his friends share looks with each other, "I know you guys all think I'm crazy, but I'm gonna prove it to you. Look, I'll take all the risk, okay? I just need you guys to watch my back.. Make sure Mackey doesn't come home while I'm inside."

"No." Tommy shook his head, patting Eden's thigh, indicating he wanted to stand up. She quickly stood, taking his seat after he had moved. "No way, dude. I'm done with this shit. We both are. He's clearly not the killer, but did you see how he was looking at Eden when we were apologizing? Like she was a piece of meat."

"Eats, you do that too." Woody argued, crossing his arms. Eden's face reddened as she glanced over at her boyfriend, a nervous giggle leaving her lips when he sent her a flirtatious smile.

"Well, yeah." Tommy rolled his eyes, "But I do it lovingly."

"Whatever, dude." Woody scoffed, shaking his head. 

"You're gonna get caught, anyway." Tommy continued, "You're gonna get caught. Either by Mackey, or your dad-"

"No! Because everyone's gonna be at the Bay Festival tomorrow." Davey cut Tommy off, causing the boy to roll his eyes and scoff. "All I need you to do is set up at the bus stop down the street. Okay, and Farraday-"

"No, dude. You know that my parents take me every year, and there is no way that they'd let me ditch." 

"Which is why I need you to keep an eye on Mackey there, if he leaves the party early, just give me a head's up." 

"Woody, I need you to stay and watch right outside his house." Tommy crossed his arms, raising his eyebrows. "With multiple layers of protection, there's no way I get caught."

"Okay, but.. what about me? You guys know this is my dad's biggest campaign.. There's no way he'd let me skip." Eden pointed out, "So what am I gonna do?"

"Keep watch with Farraday." Davey said, glancing at Tommy when his back straightened and his jaw clenched. "Are you with me?"

Tommy rolled his eyes, glancing over at Eden. "Whatever, fine! But if shit goes sideways.. I'm pinning it all on you."

Davey nodded his head as Eden stood, resting her hand on her boyfriend's. "I'm in too."

"Yeah, but.. This is your last shot, Davey." Farraday said, resting his his hand on top of Eden's, avoiding looking at the glare that Tommy sent him. 

Woody sighed, nodding slowly. "I mean, yeah.. If you really think something's down there, then.. I guess I'm in too."

~~

"I just don't understand why you can't join me." Tommy huffed, rubbing his thumb against the palm of Eden's hand as she walked him home. 

"Because my dad'll have my head if I even attempt to skip this thing, Tommy." Eden explained with a sigh. "You know how strict he can be sometimes."

Tommy nodded, looking down at his feet as Eden knitted her eyebrows together. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, princess." Tommy shook his head, "Don't worry about it."

Eden paused, shaking her head. "You know I'm gonna worry about it."

A small smile crept onto his face as he glanced over at her. "No funny business with Farraday, you got it?"

Eden stopped in her tracks, furrowing her eyebrows together as she looked up at hum. "Are you serious?"

Tommy shrugged, "No.. Yes. No... Yeah."

"Tommy.." Eden whispered softly, tilting her head and letting her blonde hair fall into her eyes. "You have nothing to worry about. Not with Farraday, not with Davey, not with Woody."

"I better not." Tommy smiled sadly. "I'll beat their asses into a pulp."

Eden giggled, rolling her eyes and shaking her head, "I'm sure you would.. I'm sure you will."

Tommy rose an eyebrow, "Will? Is there something you're not telling me.. princess?"

"I don't know.." Eden trailed off, smiling teasingly as she pulled her hand from his and walked off teasingly. "Maybe, maybe not."

"Wait, what?" Tommy called, jogging to catch up with her. "You're serious?"

Eden avoided his eyes as she looked up at the starry night's sky, "You're not gonna like it."

"Well, fuck. Now I gotta know." Tommy scoffed, sliding his hand into hers. 

"Well.." Eden trailed off, avoiding her boyfriend's gaze, "Um..."

"Babe, just tell me!" Tommy scoffed, "It can't be that bad!" 

"So.. When you said you kissed me first.. and Davey said actually-" Tommy stopped in his tracks, his heart dropping into his stomach as he turned to look at her. 

"You're fucking with me." Tommy cut her off, "You better be fucking with me."

"I mean.." Eden trailed off avoiding his eyes,"Okay, so here's the thing."

"You better tell me the fuckin' thing or I'm beating his ass." Tommy muttered, his voice quieting, "He knew how I felt."

"Well.. I just wanted to get my first kiss over with." Eden said slowly. "So, one night-"

"Yeah, okay." Tommy cut her off, his eye twitching from the pure  "That's all I need to know. I'm killing him."

"Don't worry, Tommy. You're the better kisser."

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

{ A/n: I mean,,, i love them }

{ Edited: No }