Eddie spots you across the hall and immediately locks in.

Everything else fades — lockers slamming, lights buzzing, people shoving past him. His fingers start tapping rapidly against his rings, then fluttering near his chest. He’s rocking before he even realizes he’s moving.

You walk up to him.

He inhales sharply.

“You’re here.” He says it like it’s a fact he needs to confirm. “You’re actually here.”

You tell him you’re free.

His brain explodes.

He makes this high, overwhelmed laugh and grabs your hand without thinking, tugging you toward the parking lot. Not hard — just urgent. Like if he doesn’t move now he might combust.

“Okayokayokay— you said you’re free, that means you can come over, you can come over now, Wayne’s not home and it’s quiet and I cleaned and I moved the amps so there’s space and I set up the couch because I thought maybe you’d sit there—”

He’s rambling fast, rocking as he walks, squeezing your hand in quick pulses like he needs the pressure to stay grounded.