cherry on top - an eddie munson one shot
can be read as a solo one shot but exists as part 2 to chemistry
Summary: good girl!Y/N and Eddie continue working on their chemistry assignment the next day after school. things are going well but Eddie starts to get too close. It's one thing to talk about college or music but Y/N nearly draws the line at sex and drugs?
A/N: this chapter sort of features a latina!reader, mainly just a few cultural references but for the most part is general. yall it got a little real writing this and i definitely tapped into my inner teenager this time around but hopefully it resonates with someone
cw: mentions of sex, mentions of drugs, cursing, angst, fluff, romance
âLetâs go,â Eddie swings the jingling keys in his hand. He sits up from the bench and ventures into the parking lot as Y/N follows. She clutches the straps of her backpack in her hands and looks around.Â
âAfraid someone will see us,â Eddie asks as he looks over his shoulder at her.
âYou look nervous,â he says as he slows his stride to walk next to her.Â
âIâm not,â Y/N lies. Sheâs not nervous to be seen with him, sheâs nervous to be in a car with him. Sheâs especially nervous because up until today, she had never really spoken to Eddie or really had any one on one time with it.Â
But thatâs not the only reason sheâs nervous. Sheâs nervous because sheâs never been alone in a car with a boy before, not like this at least. Sheâs been in cars with groups of people for volunteer events with the honor society, but that hardly even counts.Â
Y/N has to remind herself that heâs just giving her a ride home. Itâs no more than a five minute drive away, and yet, the thought has Y/Nâs nerves on red alert.
Y/N sees a bulky and scratched up van at the far corner of the parking lot and instantly identifies it as the old yet lovable van Eddie described. Eddie leads her to the passenger side and opens the door for her. Y/N looks at him quizzically before shaking her head and thanking him. He slaps the van door shut and walks off to the other side, hair bouncing in his stride. He climbs into the driver's seat and feels around the car floor between their seats.Â
âListen Y/N, I only have one rule when it comes to the van okay?â He swirls his body around the seat and uses his hand to search the floor beneath the back seat. Y/Nâs throat dries as she sees Eddieâs neck crane. As his long locks remain tucked behind his shoulder, the view of the bare skin and protruding vein of his neck mock her.Â
âAnd that rule is that while Iâm in the driver's seat, I get to pick the music.â
âOh, sure,â Y/N shrugs meekly.Â
âAha! Here it is,â he grins and his eyes move from the tape in his hand to Y/Nâs eyes.
âNow this, this is real music,â he says with a glint in his eye as he inserts the tape into the deck. He puts the key in the ignition and starts the car. It sputters for a bit before the engine roars to life.Â
âItâs a good day if sheâs sounding like this,â Eddie wiggles his eyebrows at Y/N before backing out of the parking space. Y/N nods and pulls the backpack in her lap closer to her chest.Â
âYou can put that on the floor if you want.â
âUm, itâs ok, Iâm fine like this,â Y/N softly replies and looks out the window.
âOkay⌠Well, while weâre partners for this assignment, youâre probably gonna have a lot to teach me about chemistry so I figure Iâll return the favor and teach you about heavy metal. What do you say, huh? Are you ready for a rock education, a rock-ification if you will?â
âHuh?â Eddieâs train of thought takes Y/N for a spin. She lands on the thought that it makes no sense how Eddie can be so edgy and so much of a dork all at the same time.
âI imagine youâre probably up in your bedroom studying to Beethoven and what not, so youâve probably never heard of this band before but this is Black Sabbath.â
âIâve heard of Black Sabbath, Eddie.â
Eddieâs eyes widen and he looks over at Y/N briefly before turning his eyes back on the road.
âYou can make a right here.â Y/N points with her index finger at the light theyâre approaching.
âYou know Black Sabbath?â
âSure, I mean, theyâre not exactly a new band. Theyâre pretty famous.â
He looks quizzically at Y/N from the corner of his eye. âStill, I didnât think you would.â
Y/N rolls her eyes. âOf course you would think that. You know, for someone whoâs quick to be judged by others, Iâm surprised how quick you are to judge me. And newsflash, I donât have to listen to an artistâs music to know they exist, Eddie.â
Eddie bites his tongue for a moment. Even though they hardly know each other, he shouldnât be surprised that Y/Nâs heard things about him. He hopes she doesnât believe half the things people have to say about him. And yet, she speaks as though she doesnât. Like she would rather get to know you first and then make a fair judgment.Â
âFair enough.â Eddie clicks his tongue. âSo what kind of stuff do you listen to?â
âYou can make a left on Deer Street,â Y/N instructs. âUm, I like a lot of different artists. I like Whitney Houston, Tears for Fears, Prince, The Cure, Michael Jackson, Queen, stuff like that.â
âEhh, I guess I can work with that,â Eddie says reluctantly while tilting his hand back and forth.
âIs Black Sabbath all you listen to?â Y/N asks innocently.
âNo. I also like Ozzy Osbourne who was actually a member of Black Sabbath at one point but Iâd say his solo career counts. I also like Metallica too. Honestly anything heavy metal or rock is good in my book.â
Y/N nods and as one song transitions to the next, Y/N instantly recognizes the chord progression and straightens her posture. âWait, I do know this song.â
âYeah. I donât know what itâs called but Iâve definitely heard it before.â Eddie rolls to a stoplight and he looks over at Y/N.
âWhere have you heard Iron Man by Black Sabbath?â His tongue swipes across his bottom lip. Y/Nâs attention is drawn to the red plushness of his mouth and forces herself to move her gaze back to his eyes.
âUm,â Y/N squirms under his intense gaze. âIâm pretty sure from my dadâs garage.â
Eddie jerks his head when the car behind him honks. He turns his attention back to the road and drives.
Eddie is silent for another moment and the track moves on to the next.
âYour dad listens to metal music and you donât? How can that be? I donât know where Iâd be if I hadnât gotten my love of music from my old man.â
âI donât know! Itâs fine, I guess. I just like other stuff more. Take a right here.â Y/N watches his dexterous ring clad fingers swirl around the steering wheel and gulps.
âKeep hanging round me and I promise youâll be a full blown metal head, like throw your panties on stage at a Metallica concert metalhead.â
âEddie,â Y/N squeals and widens her eyes. She brings her palms to cover her face and Eddie catches a patch of red forming along her neck.Â
âWhat? Goody two-shoes Y/N isnât throwing her panties on stage for anyone?â
âUgh! One, youâre crude, and two, thereâs no way Iâm ever doing that. And if somehow I did get possessed by some supernatural entity that takes over my judgment and makes me throw my⌠undergarments on stage for someone it definitely wouldnât be for Metallica. Luis Miguel maybe, butââÂ
âLuis Miguel? Who the hell is that?â
âHeâs only the hottest man alive,â Y/N gushes and Eddie furrows his eyebrows.Â
âSorry,â Y/N giggles, âHeâs a famous Mexican pop star. Keep going straight after the stop sign.â
âWhy havenât I ever heard of him before?â
âProbably because they only play his music on the Spanish radio stations. But knowing you, even if they did play him on the English stations I doubt youâd find him that way.â
âHm. Do you have any of his tapes?â
âSure, but theyâre at home.â
âOk well bring one tomorrow and Iâll let you listen to him.â
Y/N quirks an eyebrow at him. âYouâll let me listen to him? Wow, I feel so special.â
âYou should! I donât even let Dustin play his Oingo Boingo crap in here.â
âDustin⌠that freshman you hang out with?â
âYes, the freshman I hang out with. Donât say that like itâs a bad thing. Iâm telling you, those kids give me hope for the next generation of Hawkins.â
âWhatever,â Y/N rolls her eyes.
âIâm serious though. Bring your tape and Iâll give him a listen.â
âI donât think youâll like him. His stuff is pretty pop-y and itâs all in Spanish.â
âMaybe thatâll make it more tolerable than the stuff thatâs in English.â
Y/N gives him a skeptical look.
âJust humor me Y/N, Iâm curious.â
âIf you say so,â Y/N huffs as she gathers her backpack.Â
âMy house is on the left, the one with the white car.â Eddie continues to drive past her house then pulls into her neighbors driveway to make a U-turn.Â
âSo letâs go over the plan for tomorrow.â Y/N says as he parks the van. Eddie groans.Â
âCâmon, weâll need a plan of attack.â
âOkay, whaddya got?â Eddie says as he moves the gear shift to park.
âI was thinking we could meet right after school. Iâm not sure where we should go to study though. The library is obviously off limits and in all honesty, so is my house.â
âNo offense, but,â Eddie scans his eyes over the two story colonial, âYour house seems pretty fine to me.â
âUm, Itâs not that. Itâs justâŚItâs my parents, actually. Iâm not allowed to have any boys over.â Y/N chews her lip nervously. Eddie tries to brush aside the thought that the nervous look on her face makes her look so undeniably hot.
âNot even for some innocent studying? Itâs not like Iâm asking to be locked alone with you in your bedroom.â Y/N eyes widen and cheeks redden at his words.
âWhat?â Eddie raises his eyebrows innocently.Â
Y/N viciously shakes her head. âYou donât understand Eddie. My parents wonât allow it, no exceptions. You could be my bestfriends boyfriend coming to pick her up at a birthday party where its only other girls and my parents would still blow up about it.â
âWait, that was too specific. Did that actually happen?â Eddie stifles a laugh.
âYes! Well, not to me, but to my older sister, yeah. My parents gave it to her something awful that night, while the party was still going on! Everybody went home right after that, but still. No boy can be worth that wrath.â
Eddie is shocked to hear this. He doesnât have any sisters or female friends, but heâs seen tv shows and movies with daughters and their over protective dads. He didnât think that sort of thing actually happened. Whatâs even more shocking is just how much Y/N is willing to live within the confines of that outrageous rule. Itâs obvious she wouldnât even think of going behind their back, for anything. Sheâs content with compliance. Itâs the opposite of everything heâs ever lived by.
âYour parents are really strict. My uncle could care less about what I do, as long as I make it home alive and not in jail.â
Y/N almost wants to say heâs lucky, but she bites her tongue. Eddieâs lucky that his family isnât strict, but based on the things she's heard about him, she doubts heâs lucky in a lot of other aspects. The thought tugs on her heart strings a bit.
âYeah, um⌠It must be nice not having to worry so much.â Eddie shrugs.
âWell anyway, the point still stands that I donât know where else in town we can go to get some proper studying done.â
âWe could go to Frankieâs,â Eddieâs eyebrows raise.
âYeah! You know, the diner on Main Street.â
âOh yeah⌠we could do that. Iâll have to be home by 7:00 though, so that should give us a few hours to get things done.â
âYour curfew is 7:00? Why so early?â
âItâs a school night? What do you mean?â
âI mean it just seems kind of early, even for a school night.â
âWell, thatâs when my family has dinner,â Y/N shrugs nonchalantly.Â
He jerks his head back slightly. Is her family the Brady Bunch? âYou have dinner with your family?â
âYeah? You say that like itâs a weird thing.â She looks at him skeptically.
âWell, it is weird, to me at least. Back home, itâs just me and my uncle. He works nights at the plant so uh, I don't really have anyone waiting up on me.â
âOh,â is all Y/N says but she really wishes she could say more. She wishes she could tell him that the thought of him eating alone every night makes her feel sad. She almost feels compelled to invite him over for dinner but could never bring herself to actually do it. Not only do they not know each other well enough to be doing that sort of thing, but bringing a boy home is just out of the question. Maybe in another life.
Her eyes lower and she peers back up at Eddie, leaning over her seat. Eddie leans over his own seat to look into Y/Nâs eyes.
âIâll see you tomorrow. Okay?â
âOkay,â Eddie softly whispers, the silence in his van deafening.Â
Y/N climbs out of the van and speed walks to her front door. She looks over her shoulder and sees Eddie still parked, waiting for her to enter the home. She painfully smiles and unlocks the door. She opens it and walks through. When she looks through the living room window, his van is already long gone. She sighs in exasperation.Â
Y/N walks into the kitchen and sees her older sister and mother shuffling around the small space.
âY/N, youâre home,â her mother greets. She walks over and gives Y/N a hug and kiss.
âHey mom,â Y/N says with a smile. She greets her sister and walks over to the pantry.
âNo snacks, Y/N. Dinnerâs almost ready and your father should be here any minute now,â her mom declares as she glances at the watch on her wrist.
âOkay,â Y/N responds glumly.Â
âHow did your studying go?â Y/Nâs mom asks. During lunch, Y/N made a call to her mom on the schoolâs pay phone letting her know sheâd be out late.Â
âAnd this is for which class?â
âChemistry,â Y/N answers and her mom nods.
âThe assignment is due on Friday so weâll probably be meeting for the rest of the week to get it done.â
âThatâs fine, just remember to be home by seven okay?â
âOkay,â Y/N nods and her sister smirks and raises her eyebrows. Y/N hopes she doesnât suspect anything but the conversation they have after dinner confirms otherwise.
âThe boy youâre sneaking off to see?â
âDonât act dumb. I saw him drop you off. Youâre lucky mom didnât see.â
Y/N shakes her head. âItâs not like that. Heâs just my partner for this assignment.â
âWhatever you say Y/N,â her sister walks away nonchalantly.
Y/N isnât doing anything bad, but she canât help the guilty feeling that pangs in her chest. She'll need to be careful hanging around Eddie. Sheâs used to hiding things from her parents. Like how she loves to draw or that she likes the way she looks in red lipstick. Thereâs certain things in this world that theyâll never need to know about her, and Eddie Munson is now one of them.  Â
âHe shouldâve been here fifteen minutes ago,â Y/N huffs worriedly as she looks up from her watch to the view of Eddie strutting his way over along with the other members of the Hellfire club. He smiles and says something to them before walking in Y/Nâs direction. The other boys cast their gaze from Eddie to Y/N and it makes her want to crawl out of skin.Â
âHey Y/N,â he smirks and flickers his eyes up and down her body. âHowâs my smarty pants doing today?â
Y/N didnât expect it, but she had been looking forward to seeing Eddie today, that is until he disrespected her perfectly crafted schedule.
âYouâre late,â Y/N scowls at him. âLetâs go.â Â
Y/N storms off and paces quickly to Eddieâs van, which to her luck is parked in the same spot it was the day before.
Eddie jogs to catch up with her. âWait, Y/N. Relax. Iâm here now arenât I?âÂ
âEddie, the later you show up, the less time we have to work on this. You know I have an early curfew.â
âLike I said, Iâm here now.â
âI donât care. We agreed on 4:00 not 4:15. Itâs called making a commitment Eddie.â
âCâmon it was just a few minutes. Weâll still have plenty of time.âÂ
Y/N swiftly turns around and plants her feet on the ground. Eddie almost bumps into her but stops just a few inches away.
âYou wasted my time Eddie and I didnât like that very much. It was very inconsiderate of you to make me wait like that when we both agreed to meet at 4:00. Donât ever make me wait again.â
Y/N spins on her heel and walks to the passenger side and climbs in the van, leaving Eddie stunned. The sound of her slamming the door shut brings Eddie back to earth and he rushes over to the driverâs side. Y/N huffs as she roughly puts on her seatbelt and slumps in the seat.
It all happened so fast, but Eddie couldnât ignore the strange feeling he got when Y/N commanded him like that. Why was her strong tone and the assertive look on her face so attractive?Â
Eddie climbs in the van and puts on his seatbelt. He puts the key in the ignition and starts the car. Y/N runs a hand through her hair and leans her head against the headrest.
âDo you have that Luis Miguel tape?â
She turns to face him without moving her head from the headrest and looks at him with confusion.Â
âDo you have the tape I told you to bring? You know, that Mexican pop singer you like?â
Y/N blinks in confusion. âYou were serious about that?â
âI may not take a lot of things seriously, but music is one of the few things I do.â Eddie explains as he looks around for a tape on the van floor.
âOh, I didnât bring it. I didnât think you actually meant it.â
âOf course I meant it.â
Y/N shakes her head and frowns. She genuinely didnât think Eddie cared, but knowing that he does, makes her heart feel heavy.Â
âThatâs alright, weâll just continue our rock-ification,â Eddie declares, hoping it would make Y/N laugh. Y/N only exhales as she leans her arm on the armrest and rests her chin in her palm and stares out the window. Eddie retrieves a random tape among the collection of scattered tapes on his van floor and puts it into the deck. When the music starts playing, it blares at the normal volume he keeps it at, but he lowers the volume out of consideration for Y/N.
Eddie pulls out of the parking lot and heads towards the diner. Y/Nâs position hasnât changed and he starts to get worried.
âHey, Y/N,â he briefly looks over at her before returning his focus to the road, âI'm sorry for being late. I just caught up with some of the Hellfire guys, you know?â
âItâs whatever,â Y/N glumly responds, barely moving her mouth.
A moment passes and a silence falls on them. It makes Eddie uncomfortable and concerned for Y/N.
âYou okay? You seem a little more than just pissed off at me for being late.â
âJust got a lot on my mind I guess.â Y/N mumbles.Â
Eddie reaches a stop light and presses on the break. He looks at her with concern and confusion. He doesn't talk to girls very often, especially not when they're in a state like this. Heâs in uncharted territory but attempts to tread lightly.Â
âDo you, um⌠want to talk about it?â
âNot really,â Y/N replies and he sighs in relief. Eddie figures they can make it to the diner in silence and once theyâre eating something there, sheâll feel better.
His theory proves true when they make it to Frankieâs and sit in a booth in the farthest corner of the place. When the waitress gives them their menus, Y/Nâs eyes light up as she scans it. When the waitress comes by to take their orders, Eddie orders a vanilla milkshake first and Y/N looks at him puzzled before ordering a chocolate milkshake.
âSo youâre a vanilla guy?â She asks once the waitress leaves.
âYouâre a vanilla guy. You ordered a vanilla milkshake.â Y/N declares as she starts pulling her notebooks and pencils from her backpack.
âTrust me sweetheart, I may have ordered a vanilla milkshake but Iâm far from vanilla.â Eddieâs sexual innuendo goes over her head and she continues to press the topic.
âI donât know, I just feel like the last thing I wouldâve expected you to want is a vanilla milkshake. You seem more like a strawberry guy at least.â
âWell my friend, all I can say is to expect the unexpected,â Eddie shrugs and Y/N quirks her eyebrow before turning her concentration to their assignment. Theyâre both able to work in silence and pure focus for a good ten minutes until the waitress brings out their drinks.Â
Y/N smiles at the glass before her and it feels like a victory for Eddie. In the same moment, Eddie and Y/N each take a sip of their drinks, but Y/N looks up at Eddie first. She sees his eyelids closed and admires the way his eyelashes frame each lid. When he feels her looking at him, he peers up at her through the long lashes and it makes Y/N almost choke on her drink.Â
She covers it up by clearing her throat and asks, âHowâs your drink Mr. Vanilla.â
âYou tell me,â he says, pushing the glass across the table. She looks from the drink to Eddie and back to the drink. She takes the straw out of her own drink and holds it in midair when Eddie shouts, âWhatâre you doing?â
âIâm trying your drink?â
âDonât use your straw, you weirdo! Itâll mix the flavors. Just drink from mine.â
The thought hadnât even occurred to her. Somehow it feels extremely intimate to be putting her mouth in a place where Eddieâs once was.
âWhat? You afraid youâre gonna get my cooties?â
âUgh,â Y/N cringes and bites the bullet. She takes a sip and shrugs.Â
âItâs alright. Not as good as mine though.â
Eddie grabs her drink before she can even realize and takes a sip. He groans and slowly unravels his puckered lips from the straw. The sight and sound are enough to make Y/Nâs mouth water.
âThatâs so good. I might start converting to chocolate,â Eddie nods and moves Y/Nâs glass closer to her.
âHa ha, yeah,â Y/N forcefully replies, thanking the universe he canât hear her thoughts or loudly beating heart.Â
Eddie takes the cherry on top of his milkshake and tilts his head back. He dangles the cherry above his mouth. His tongue slightly sticks out and he slowly wraps his lips around the juicy red fruit, pulling it from its stem.Â
Y/N swears heâs doing this on purpose. Heâs putting on a show. Is he doing it to entertain her or entice her? Quite possibly. But more than anything, she knows he does it to see if it has an effect on her. To see if it makes her squirm in the best way possible. She wonât give him the satisfaction.Â
She looks down at the cherry atop her own milkshake and offers it to him.Â
âDo you want mine?â Y/N asks aloofly as she scoops out the cherry with her spoon and holds it out to him.
âYou askinâ me if I want your cherry?â He teases with a quirked eyebrow and extremely direct eye contact.
âDonât be weird about it Munson,â she responds in annoyance as she avoids his gaze and transfers the cherry to his glass.Â
The two return to working on their assignment. Thereâs a few periods of actual concentration and progress punctuated by the occasional question or thought from Eddie.
âDo you think a hurricane would ever come to Hawkins?â Eddie asks.
Without looking up from her paper, Y/N responds with a simple, âNo.â
âWhy not? You never know what could happen.â
âActually we do know. Hurricanes can only happen in coastal areas. The only thing Hawkins is on the coast of is suburban boredom and everlasting cornfields.â
Y/Nâs annoyed remark brings a bubble of laughter to Eddieâs body. The sound is sweet yet foreign to Y/Nâs ears. Her cheeks heat at the realization that her snarky comment made him laugh.
âYou know youâre secretly funny,â he comments with subtle adoration as he brings his jean jacket clad arms to rest against the table.Â
âYeah? And youâre, not so secretly, annoying. Now letâs get back to work.â
Eddie is prepared to say something sarcastic back but Y/Nâs attention is laser focused on the paper before her. He takes in the sight of her: A studious girl in her natural environment. Tendrils of hair sneak out of her pulled back bun. She has papers, pencils, and folders scattered about. His attention is caught on a folder with a title written in marker that says, âCollege Applicationsâ. He wonders what colleges sheâs applying to or what sheâd want to study. He almost asks her but looks at her and sees how focused she is. Itâs surprisingly adorable to him. Â
He decides to turn his own attention to the assignment at hand. He has a good feeling heâll have plenty of time to learn these things about her later. A good 20-30 minutes passes without interruption when Eddieâs thoughts begin to trail off again.
âWhy do I have to learn about atoms and molecules?â
âHuh?â Y/N zones out of her lazer focus.Â
âIt just seems so unimportant in the grand scheme of things. Thereâs so many problems in the world, chemicals seem like the least of my worriesâÂ
âWell, that doesnât make them not important Eddie. Thereâs a lot of applications of chemistry to real life. Just think of it like this, people have to understand atoms and molecules in order to make the guitars your favorite musicians play or all the pyrotechnics and stage effects at their concerts.â
âYeah, but they can worry about that. Why should I?â Eddie replies, dazed at the thought.Â
âHm, maybe that wasnât a good example. Try thinking of it like this. Thereâs a lot of chemistry involved in your inventory.â
Eddie quirks an eyebrow.Â
âI may not be a customer, but word gets around Munson.â
âFair enough,â Eddie nods his head to the side.
âAnyways, even though youâre not the one making it, the slightest change in a compound's chemical makeup can alter the substance itself and thereby the effect it has on the person using it.â
âHm, how can I put this? Imagine youâre learning how to play a song on the guitar. You see the sheet music, read the notes and play it on the guitar. Well what if you changed one note or a few notes. You change an a-chord to a c-chord or an eighth note to a quarter note. Something random and seemingly miniscule. Is it still the same song?â
Eddie raises an eyebrow. âWait, how do you know so much about music?â
âI know a lot about a lot of things, Munson. But back to my question-â
âAnswer mine first.â Eddie holds Y/Nâs gaze with a severity sheâs never seen before. He really is passionate about music. Y/N almost deflects his questions, but can tell he wants to know more than anything.
âI, uh, used to play the piano.â
âNo. I only learned for a few years in middle schoolâ
Eddie contemplates her answer. Heâs gonna put this out there and itâs a long shot sheâll even accept, but he wonât know until he tries. âIf you ever want to learn how to play the guitar, I can teach you.â
âSure,â she shrugs, âBack to what I was saying, if you changed a single or couple of notes, would it be the same song?â
Itâs not a denial but itâs not a complete acceptance either. Itâs a start though. And before Eddie can even start daydreaming about what it would be like to wrap his arms around Y/N as he helps her pluck the strings on one of his guitars, she snaps him out of it.
âDid you even hear me?â
âOk, what did I say?â
âSomething about chemistry?â He smiles tryingly.
 âIâm kidding Y/N, relax. And to answer your question, no theyâre not the same songs. You can hear the difference in that one note change.â
Y/N looks up and beams, instantly forgetting her frustration. âExactly!â
âAnd sometimes in chemistry, that one minor note change, so to speak, can make a really big difference. Just look at coal and a diamond. Chemically theyâre nearly identical, but physically, they couldnât be more different,â Y/N explains, pointing to an open page in her textbook showing the chemical formulas and pictures for coal and diamonds.
âHoly shit thatâs trippy,â Eddieâs eyebrows raise.Â
âSee, itâs not all boring.â
âNot if you have the right teacher,â Eddie winks up at her and Y/N forces a smile while shaking her head.
âIâm just the messenger,â she downplays his compliment as she looks down and flips through the pages of her textbook, more as a distraction than to actually turn to a specific page.
âYou really like this stuff, huh?â
âYour eyes light up when you talk about it. Probably the same way mine light up when I talk about music.â
âUm, Iâm sure thatâs not true,â Y/N shyly tucks a strand of hair behind her ear.
Y/N likes chemistry but itâs not her true passion; that would be civil engineering. At least thatâs what the Big Book of College Majors tells her. She likes math and drawing so that narrows her prospects to architecture and civil engineering. She feels like itâs too dorky or weird to talk about it with others, so she just plays it off or lies that sheâll be studying economics. No one ever asks questions if youâre an economics major.
âYou donât have to be ashamed, Y/N. I think itâs cool.â
âWell, youâd be one in a million,â Y/N teases.Â
âIâm okay with those odds,â Eddie proudly says. Y/N avoids his magnetizing eyes and shuffles through the papers on the table.
âIs that what you want to study? In college?â Y/N stops in her tracks and slowly looks up at him. She moves her tongue to the side of her mouth and bites it. She shakes her head and looks away toward the drafts of college essays taunting her from their place in the folder next to her left arm. Theyâre due in a couple of months and everyday theyâre a reminder that gnaws at her brain.Â
âWhat do you want to studyâ
âUm, itâs okay we donât have to talk about it.â Y/N shyly shakes her head.
âHave you met me? Iâm a nineteen year old playing Dungeons and Dragons all day with fourteen year olds, I invented nerdy,â Eddie replies and it makes Y/N full on belly laugh. It shouldnât have, but the way he said it was undeniably funny.
âYou shouldnât put yourself down like that.â
âThatâs not important. Whatâs important is that I want to know what youâre passionate about,â Eddie says as he looks at her wide-eyed. Itâs at this moment that Y/N realizes heâs not just asking her something just because itâs the cordial thing to do or because itâs something about her anyone should know. Heâs asking because he genuinely wants to know what it is she likes, what it is that speaks to her heart.
âI⌠Iâm going to be majoring in civil engineering,â Y/N wrinkles her nose as the admission.
âWhy do you say it like that? You could be the next Iron Man, or Iron Woman.â
âWhat?â Y/N shakes her head in confusion.
âYou know, Iron Man? Classic American superhero whoâs also an engineer? You donât know about him?â
âUm, not really,â Y/N grumbles.
âGod Y/N thereâs so many things I need to teach you,â Eddie throws his hands up and Y/N forces herself not to smile at his flustered movements. She also forces herself not to let her thoughts wander to other things Eddie could teach her.
âWe can do that later. Letâs just focus on getting this assignment done first, okay?â
Around 6:00, the waitress stops by and places a single check in front of Eddie.Â
Y/N scrambles to search for the wallet in her backpack. By the time she takes it out, Eddie has already put enough cash to cover the bill inside the slot.
âHow much was my shake?â Y/N asks as she flips through the dollar bills in her wallet.
âDonât worry about it,â Eddie says nonchalantly and Y/N freezes and looks up at him. She cocks her head to the side.
âNo seriously. Let me see,â she reaches for the check and Eddie grabs it and raises his arm.
âEddie, just let me pay for my drink.â
âYes it is,â Eddie smugly grins at Y/N whoâs eyes narrow. âConsider it your lucky day.â
âEddie, seriously. Itâs not a big deal.â
âExactly, itâs not a big deal. The cost of your milkshake isnât exactly breaking the bank sweetheart.âÂ
âY/N, let me pay for your goddamn chocolate shake.â
Y/N breathes out through her nose. âFine. Next time we come here, drinks are on me.â
âSure they are,â Eddie says as he places the check back on the table.Â
âOh, I know you are,â Eddie taunts.Â
The waitress comes by to pick up the money and while they wait for her to bring Eddieâs change, Y/N reviews their progress.
âIâd say today was pretty productive, wouldnât you?â
âBeats being in the library.â
Y/N looks at her watch and marvels at the time.âWe even have some time to spare.â
âSo, about tomorrow, Iâm going to need a raincheck for Thursday. On Wednesdayâs I have a meeting with the honor society and a tutoring session after school.â
âYouâre in tutoring?â Eddie asks incredulously.
Y/N laughs and says, âNo, silly. Iâm the tutor. I help Ms. Callaghan with the juniors in algebra two.â
âGod, I hate algebra two.â
âWhat? I loved algebra two, it was so much fun. â
âFun? You think math is fun? And people have the nerve to call me a freak?â
âCalm down, Munson. Math is fun. Itâs like solving a puzzle.â
âEven worse,â he shudders. âAnyway, tomorrowâs no good for me either. Got a massive campaign with the Hellfire club.â
âOkay,â Y/N nods and pens something in her planner.Â
Eddie leans over to see what sheâs writing down. âYouâre real Type A, huh?â
âWhat?â Y/N looks up from her notes and leans back from his close proximity.
He gestures towards the planner and pen in her hand. âYouâre a straight-A student whoâs always gotta be on time, youâre super organized, and you even have a math fetish.â
âOh my god Eddie! Are you insane? All I said was that math is fun. I highly doubt that makes it a,â she looks around before she whispers her next word, âfetish.â
âI donât know Y/N,â Eddie says in a sing-song way. âLotâs of peopleâs fetishes are for things they think are fun.â
âI-I donât even know what to say to that,â Y/N stutters as she shakes her head. Eddie smiles at the splotches of red coating her cheeks and the tips of her ears. He can see the gears turning in her head at the thought of his words.Â
The waitress brings back the change and Eddie pockets it. Y/N puts the rest of her belongings in her bag and looks at Eddie who shoves the loose leaf pieces of paper into his.
âYou ready?â He asks calmly, casually, as if going to get milkshakes and study at the local dinner is something they do often.
Y/N nods and they slide out of the booth. When they reach the exit, Y/N keeps walking to the van but Eddie calls out her name to stop her.
âWe still have some time before you have to go home right?â
Y/N looks at her watch and it's 6:23. âYeah.â
âWhat do you say to a celebratory smoke?â Eddie asks, but itâs a rhetorical question because heâs already pulled out a carton of cigarettes from his jean jacket pocket and a lighter has miraculously appeared in his other hand. He lights up and takes a puff before Y/N can say anything. She freezes a good couple of feet away from his body thatâs leaned effortlessly against the wall of the red-brick building.
He takes another drag and then offers it to her. She looks from the cigarette to him, a confused look on her face.
âEddie, are you crazy? If I go home smelling like cigarette smoke, my parents are going to kill me.â
âRelax, Y/N youâre not going to go home smelling like cigarette smoke.â
He takes another drag and exhales the smoke, making Y/N cough.
âYes I will. Look Iâm just gonna wait in the van while you finish up and pray to God my parents donât say anything when I get home.â
Y/N holds out her hand for Eddie to give her the keys, but he decides to forfeit altogether. He shakes her hand away and puts the cigarette out. When he stomps on the cigarette, the chain hanging from the belt loops of his pants jingles slightly.Â
âFine, we wonât do that, but can we at least drive around a bit?â Eddie asks as he makes his way over to the van. The two get inside the car and Eddie starts it.
âI donât want to go home yet.â Eddie says casually, but Y/N picks up on what he doesnât say. That heâd rather be out anywhere else than at his house. The thought weighs on Y/N but she tries to let it go.
âFine, but remember I have to be home by-â
â7:00, I know,â Eddie replies as he puts in a tape.
âSo tell me smarty-pants, you donât smoke weed or cigarettes,â Eddie places a hand on Y/Nâs headrest and looks over his shoulder as he backs out of the parking spot. The combination of that and his newfound nickname for her makes a pool of heat settle in Y/Nâs stomach. âTell me you at least drink.â
âNot that it matters, but um, yes I have.â
âReally?â He looks over at her and smiles. âCare to explain?â
Now, Y/N doesnât owe Eddie an explanation for anything, but something inside her wants to. She likes that he wants to know her, that he tries to understand her. Despite not having known him long, she feels comfortable around him even though she doesnât really know why.Â
âUm, sometimes at family parties, late at night when all our aunts and uncles are drunk, theyâll let my cousins and I take a tequila shot with them. It tastse horrible, even with the lime and salt, but itâs kind of fun to do it with them.â
âThatâs badass,â Eddie riles as he looks over at Y/N with a sensational grin and she shrugs, playing off the happiness she feels at his perception of her. âHave you ever been drunk before?â
âI donât know. I guess it just hasnât happened yet. Alcohol tastes terrible so thereâs not really an incentive for me to drink enough of it to be intoxicated.â
Eddieâs eyebrows furrow in concentration and he remains silent for a moment. Itâs simultaneously sexy and annoying when she speaks so formally like that. Eddie thinks, would it kill her to just say I donât like drinking enough to get drunk?
âWhat?â Y/N breaks the silence.
âYeah but everyone hates the taste of alcohol at first. Then you get used to it and it starts to get fun.â
âI donât think drinking or doing any kind of drug could ever be fun, for me.â
Eddieâs in shock at her words. Who their age talks like that? Is she a walking D.A.R.E campaign?
âAre you being serious?â
Eddie pauses for a moment before saying, âI just have a hard time understanding how someone could not like any type of smoking or drinkingâ
âWe exist, okay? God, you make it sound like itâs the worst thing ever. You know, if there were more people like me, the world would probably be a much better place,â Y/N replies defensively.
Eddie contemplates her words for a moment. The light he approaches turns red and he presses his foot on the brake pedal. He runs a hand through his hair and the sound of his denim jacket rustling can be heard. The silence eats at Y/N and sheâs worried her words might have insulted him. She only meant to defend herself, not to offend him. She opens her mouth to say something when Eddie beats her to it.
âJust, tell me this. Do you genuinely not like it? Or are you just afraid of what your parents would say?â
Y/Nâs caught completely off guard at his question. She looks outside the window and tries to regain her composure by concentrating on the rush of buildings they pass.
Eddieâs words hit her right in the chest, so hard it almost hurts. Heâs right, but he shouldnât be. How could he have made that connection so quickly? Even before she had? Is she that easy to figure out? Is she that pathetic that others can see it so vividly when all she can do is unconsciously turn a blind eye to it?Â
Y/N can feel her eyes start to water and heat spread through her chest. She reaches into an ever diminishing reservoir of strength to fight the tears threatening to form at her eyes.Â
She should not be reacting this way. She shouldnât be feeling so triggered over such a small observation. And yet, this small observation is one that has defined her entire life. Thereâs so many things sheâs never done or would even think to do in fear of their repercussions. And for someone like Eddie whoâs probably never lived this way to see this quality in her makes her feel pathetic.
âMaybe a bit of both?â he softly asks as he looks over at her when they reach another stoplight. Y/N nods and looks into her lap. Eddie senses her discomfort and opens his mouth to say something reassuring.
âThereâs also another reason too,â she says softly before he can say anything.
âYeah?â Eddie replies softly, sensing her apprehension.
âYeahâŚEven if I did like it, or even if I didnât care what my parents thought, one of the biggest reasons I avoid that stuff is because⌠Iâm afraid.â
âWhat are you afraid of?â
Y/N looks up and sees the last of the sunâs light as it sets beyond the trees in the horizon. It leaves trails of hot bright orange and crimson streaks in the sky. It reminds her of the way her cheeks feel in this moment when she feelâs uncovered, almost naked in front of him.Â
Itâs easy to lie to your friends or your family that you donât smoke or drink because you donât want to get caught or because you donât like it or some other plausible excuse. But itâs harder to tell people that youâre afraid of what it might do to you. Of how it might change you.
Itâs not that big of a deal to most people, but Y/N canât change the fact that it is to her. Itâs hard for her not to take things so seriously. For everyone else, smoking or drinking comes easily to them, but for her, itâs really difficult.Â
âI justâŚEven though it seems like everyone does it and it's celebrated by society as this thing we all naturally want to do, I donât. Itâs temporary fun for the moment, but after the fact? I see the effect it has on people and⌠And I donât want to subject myself to that.â
âWhat do you mean?â Eddie asks in confusion.
âWhen people are drunk or high, they feel good but they⌠they also lose all sense of control and I couldnât bear to do that to myself. I couldnât stand the idea of having no control over my thoughts or my words or my actions. And just imagine what would happen if I was surrounded by the wrong people or in an unsafe environment? It would be really bad and just⌠I need to be in controlâŚit's all I have.â
Eddie frowns and notices a furrow in Y/Nâs eyebrows. For the first time he sees it so clearly. Y/N may be a goody two-shoes girl on the road to college and a perfect life, but she herself is far from perfect. Sheâs just like anyone else, but under way too much pressure; both from her parents and mostly from herself. She works tirelessly to maintain this illusion of perfection and it's causing so much tension in her; tension he wishes he could help her release.Â
Eddie wants to do something or say something that would make her feel better but he doesnât know what. She seems so vulnerable and exposed to him, but not at all weak. Thereâs a strength in her conviction that even she doesnât see, but he does.Â
He wants to let her know that what she feels is okay. In fact, itâs more than okay. Thereâs nothing wrong with being afraid or not wanting to do something just because everyone says you should; he knows that better than anyone.Â
At the same time, he also wants her to understand that being in control is an illusion. Thereâs much more things in life we donât have control over than the things we do have control over. If she doesnât feel that way about drugs is one thing, but she needs to know realistically, there will be other things she wonât be able to control and that itâll still be okay.
He wants to gently say something philosophical or even poetic to get his point across, but Y/N makes him too nervous. He ends up relying on his good old Munson instincts and says something much more provocative than it is profound.
Eddie looks at Y/N through his peripheral vision then calmly asks, âHave you ever had sex before?â
Y/N chokes and starts uncontrollably coughing. âWhat?âÂ
âI said, have you ever had sex before?â Eddie says in a controlled voice.
âPlease donât say that with the same casual demeanor of someone asking, âHave you ever been to Mount Rushmore before?ââ
Eddie turns the corner into Y/Nâs neighborhood and she instantly feels a wave of sadness; one she doesnât really understand. She also wonders why heâs asking her this, especially so close to her house.
âItâs a simple question Y/N,â Eddie says nonchalantly.
âNo itâs not and you know it. And itâs not one Iâm going to answer either,â Y/N huffs and points her nose up in the air.
âLooks like you already did,â Eddie smirks at her, teasing her to lighten the moment which works as Y/Nâs eyes almost pop out of their sockets. Sheâs even cuter when he gets a rise out of her like that.
âEddie! Why are we even talking about thisâ Y/N says completely flustered.
âBecause thereâs a point to it and because itâs important to talk about. Even if itâs not with me, I hope youâre talking about it with someone.â
Eddie is walking a line right now and he knows it, but he somehow also knows how to stay within that line too. Heâs right and Y/N knows this but she wonât admit it. Sex isnât something she talks about or knows a lot about. Sure her friends talk about it and Y/N will pretend like she can keep up with the conversation, but deep down, she doesnât understand what theyâre talking about half the time. She knows so much about calculus, chemistry, and college applications, but she just doesnât understand what the big deal is about sex.Â
âAll Iâm saying is, anyone whoâs had sex before knows that sometimes, thereâs moments in this life where youâre left with no choice but to give up a sense of control. It can be scary, sure, but when you finally let go of that, it can give you the most satisfying and freeing feeling in the world.â
Y/N scowls at him in confusion.Â
âItâs easy for you to say something like that. Youâd never have to worry about getting pregnant or disappointing people that matter to you.â
Eddie arrives at Y/Nâs house and parks the car. By now, the street lights have come on and are the only thing illuminating the space before them. Eddie shifts in his seat to face Y/N. The golden lamps cast a glow across the hollow planes of his cheeks.Â
âY/N, for a second, I want you to block out the rest of the world; all its people and consequences. Itâs just you and your desires.âÂ
Y/N gulps and she swears Eddie is slowly moving toward her. Sheâs frozen in her body as Eddie continues and says, âYou need to know that youâre allowed to be sexual. And, youâre allowed to not only experience but enjoy pleasure. Itâs what makes us human.â
Y/N blinks rapidly and focuses her concentration on his big brown eyes. His bangs are getting so long they threaten to drape over his eyes like the curtains at a theater. His full lips curl and tighten with every syllable he speaks. Y/Nâs breath is caught in her throat so she reminds herself to breathe but it ends up being shallow.Â
âOkay?â Eddie asks, confirming that sheâs listening to him. She nods slightly which is more than she thought sheâd be capable of. She feels paralyzed in her body and her mind.Â
Where is this coming from? Why is he telling her this? Why do his words stir something in her body that she canât even begin to explain because sheâs never felt them before? How did one of her deepest darkest secrets get brought to the surface, exposed by none other than Eddie Munson?Â
And yet, heâs not judging her. Heâs not making fun of her or thinking sheâs weird for it. Heâs helping her. But why? He pried this thing out of her, uncovering something that would make most run for the hills. But he⌠he has her heart on a silver platter and is protecting it? Heâs treating it with the utmost care.Â
âIf you ever want a safe space with someone you trust,â he emphasizes every other word and locks eyes with Y/N as he slowly and clearly tells her, âto be able to give up control in a way where something good comes from itâŚâ
Eddie doesnât say it, but he wants Y/N to know that if she ever experiences those urges, he can be a safe place for her to explore those desires. And without saying it, Y/N knows thatâs exactly what he means. The thought makes her tremble.Â
The sound of a car door shutting snaps Y/N out of her paralysis. She sharply inhales and turns over her shoulder and sees that her neighbor just got home.Â
âI gotta go.â She scrambles to undo her seatbelt and mutters nervously.
âYou need to leave. Now. Before my dad gets home and sees you,â She nervously tells him as she jumps out of the car and runs into the house. Another neighbor walks past her house with their dog. The sound of the dog barking puts Y/N on edge even more, but she forgets about it as soon as she runs through the door.Â
She zooms up the stairs and runs into her room. She softly shuts the door because if she slammed it shut, who knows what fresh hell her mom would give her. She makes a beeline for her closet and collapses to the floor. She closes the door behind her and takes an extremely deep breath in. She wants to cry but nowâs not the time. Sheâll wait till she takes a shower later so no one can hear her and the hot water will help depuff her eyes so no one suspects a thing after.
She looks at her watch and sees that it's 6:49. She has a good 5-10 minutes before her parents will start to worry. She can make up an excuse that she had to go to the bathroom or briefly check the TV listings to make sure she can tune in on her favorite tv show that will come on later that evening. Sheâll come up with something, but for now, all she wants to do is explode.
This is starting to become more than what she bargained for and it's overwhelming. Eddieâs getting too close and Y/N convinces herself she doesnât like it but in reality it just terrifies her more than anything else. Whatâs worse is that he knows too much about her and she hardly knows anything about him. She feels helpless and like she doesnât know what to do which is an even worse position to be in. How could this happen?
 When she got partnered up with Eddie Munson, she expected sheâd be doing all the work while he only slacked off. Not the most ideal situation, but one she could tolerate and push through till their due date at the end of the week. And soon enough they would get their A and she would never have to deal with him or his Hellfire nonsense ever again.
She didnât think he would actually pay attention to her and actually do the work if she was patient enough to explain things to him. She didnât think he would actually want to know about more than just her understanding of chemistry. Hell, she didnât think he would ever get to know her and have her figured out this early on; sheâs known practically everyone in this town all her life and no oneâs been able to do that.Â
She didnât expect to look forward to seeing him again. She didnât expect she would replay their conversations in her head before she went to sleep and imagine what other things they might talk about when she saw him next. She didnât expect to find Eddie charming or endearing. She didnât expect he would push her buttons or make her laugh. She didnât expect to feel so safe with him either. Least of all, she didnât think she would ever find someone who truly understood her, not until Eddie Munson came along.