It’s late. Really late. The kind of late where the world outside was dead silent except for the faint rustling of leaves. You and Eddie are sat on the hood of his van, parked out on the edge of the woods near Lover’s Lake. A couple of beers in, the conversation had slowed to a comfortable silence, both of you staring up at the stars as if they held some kind of secret, or maybe an answer.

Eddie nudged your knee with his, breaking the stillness. “Ever think about what it’d be like if none of this happened?” He can see the silent ‘huh?’ in your expression and he chuckles softly, shaking his head. “If I wasn’t the town freak. If people didn’t see me as some metalhead burnout. If you...” He trails off, biting his lip. “Never mind. It’s stupid.”