#strangerthingsoneshot

You raised your wrist up to your face so you could read the numbers on your watch. It was almost four in the morning. The plan was to spend just a few hours at the motel, then start moving again.

You dumped some stuff out of your backpack that you wouldn’t need overnight- although it was already morning and you wouldn’t be staying overnight at all. Those things were replaced with some of your snacks and drinks. Once your bag was securely on your back and your keys were in hand, you opened the door and went inside.

The first thing you noticed was the distinct smell of cigarette smoke that hit you in the face and filled your nose as soon as you stepped in.

The second thing you noticed, unsurprisingly, was the lady sitting at the desk had a cigarette lit in between her fingers. She was older, probably around fifty or sixty. She had prominent wrinkles on and around her lips, probably from smoking. Her red lipstick left a stain on the styrofoam cup she was drinking out of. Her thin brown hair was big and round and somewhat matched the shape of her face and made it look even rounder.

You walked up to the desk with your best attempt at a smile on your face. “Can I get a room? I just need it for a few hours and I’ll be gone later today.”

She looked you up and down with judgmental eyes. “Just one night?” Her voice was crackly and reminded you of tv static in a way.

“I guess,” you responded. “I won't need it overnight or anything. Just for a few hours.” You chewed on the inside of your cheek while the woman, Clarice, took a long drag of her cigarette.

She blew the smoke out the side of her mouth and pulled out a notebook. Her bright red fingernails flipped through the pages until she got to the one she was looking for. “Nineteen ninety-nine,” she said flatly. “And I need to see some identification.”

You pulled a bill out of your pocket and handed it to her then pulled out your wallet. In the first little compartment was your ID. It wasn’t real but it had fooled everyone that had seen it. There was no record of you, so you would never be able to have a real one. To the world outside of that laboratory, you don’t even exist.

She narrowed her eyes at the card and the money, scrutinizing them both. With a seemingly satisfied grunt she took the money and turned around to grab a key. Room number five. You picked up the key and your ID.

“Have a good night,” she crackled.

You nodded and smiled thinly before you walked back outside and to your room for the morning. The handle to the door was rusting just like the plaque with the number five on it. It took a bit of wiggling for the door to finally unlock, and a good push before the door screeched open.

The air inside was stale and unmoving. The curtains matched the bedspread, which was a muddy rendition of roses and other flowers. You set your bag down on the floor next to the bed and sat down. The bed was hard as a rock but you were at the point of exhaustion you could lay on the street and manage to pass out.

You unlaced your boots and took your denim jacket and flannel off, placing them next to you on the bed. You kept everything else on though and slipped under the scratchy cover and let sleep overtake you.

…

When you woke up your back was aching just as much as your head. You felt like you were sticking to the sheets and had to peel yourself off of them. You stood on the stained dark blue carpet and stretched, relieving your sore muscles.

You opened the curtains just a little to peek outside. The sky was blue and the sun was fully out. One glance at your watch and you realized it was noon; you slept way longer than you intended. With more energy than before, you splashed some water on your face before you collected your things and headed back outside.

Instead of the woman from four that morning being at the front desk, it was a younger guy. He looked up as you walked in and greeted you with a smile. That was the warmest welcome you had received since your journey began.

“I just need to drop this key off,” you said, placing the key on the table in front of him. “I was in room five. I checked in this morning.”

“Leaving so soon?” he asked. His mouth was turned up at one corner as he picked up the key and replaced it on a hook behind him.

“Unfortunately,” you said sarcastically.

He laughed and nodded, understanding what you meant. “Well we’re sad to see you go.”

You hummed and nodded, unsure of what to say. You turned around and started making your way towards the door, only pausing to wave when he told you goodbye.

The midday sun blinded you as soon as you stepped outside. The air in this random town was different from Burns Harbor. It didn’t have that hint of moistness that came from Lake Michigan. You honestly missed it.

Once you were back in your Jeep you picked your map up and checked the route. You should arrive in Hawkins in two and a half hours.

You shuddered a little. This town which you had vowed never to go to again was just a drive away and you were willingly going. For the sake of the people of Hawkins, you had to go. Why did you care about the people of Hawkins anyways? It wasn’t like they had done anything for you. But they couldn’t have known what was going on either. They were innocent. You weren’t religious but you at least had a heart and some morals, and if something could be done you would do it.

It was a Saturday and most of the schools were out for spring break. That meant people were actually on the roads now. Traffic wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t nearly as smooth as the first half of the drive had been. To be fair, it was the middle of the night though. Nobody in Indiana was going anywhere at that time of day.

The traffic, plus a stop at a drive-thru had added more time to your drive, and now you were stopped at a gas station only a few towns away from your destination filling up for the last time. You were in the home stretch with less than an hour- give or take- left in your drive. You were mentally preparing yourself for whatever was ahead of you.

It was, without a doubt, going to be dangerous. Anything dealing with the Upside Down was. What happened at the lab was too, and they were definitely connected. You didn’t know all the details about what had gone down in the past few years since you were only learning things through visions, but it sure seemed like the lab was a big part of the “curse” that riddled Hawkins. The lab had created a plague, and it spread from within the walls outwards to the rest of the town.

Driving with one hand and chewing on a beef stick with the other you drove towards the “Welcome to Hawkins, Indiana” sign. You took in a deep breath and shut your eyes momentarily- but not for too long- and steeled yourself. The sign disappeared in your rear view mirror as you drove deeper into town. It felt like a weight was pressed against your shoulders and chest as soon as you had passed the boundary into Hawkins.

To dispel the heavy feeling that was seeping into your car and filling your lungs you popped in a Cyndi Lauper cassette and turned the volume up. It was different from everything else you had been listening to on the drive, but you wanted something upbeat and bubbly that you could sing along with to distract you.

You made it into the main part of town and looked around. People turned to watch as an unfamiliar vehicle- yours- drove past. Unlike residents of Burn Harbor, the people of Hawkins were nosy. They didn’t even try to hide how hard they were rubbernecking. Without a doubt they would go home and mention to their friends and family the young girl that they’d never seen before in a bright red Jeep in town.

You didn’t know where anything was located in town. It had been years since you’d last stepped foot in Hawkins, and even then it was the middle of the night when you had escaped. Despite living there for much of your adolescent life, it was like seeing everything for the first time.

You drove through town until you spotted a small motel. You didn’t want to stay at another motel, but it didn’t look like you really had a choice. You didn’t know anyone in town and you sure as hell weren’t about to go asking around for a place to stay. You had enough disposable money that you could afford to stay for a couple nights and it not kill you. If there was anything you had learned in the past couple years, it was the importance of saving. You never know what could happen.

On the outside the motel looked a little nicer than the one you had stayed at earlier in the morning. You could only hope it wouldn’t be as dingy on the inside as the other one was.

You pulled into the parking lot but left your bag in the car this time. You could put everything up on your way to the room. The only thing on you was your wallet, which was in your jacket pocket, and your knife, which was in the back pocket of your jeans. You could never be too safe.

You stepped into the motel and were greeted by a kinder face than the woman that checked you in earlier that day. This lady was clearly older than her, but smaller in stature and build; a classic grandma. She wasn’t smoking, nor did it smell particularly like cigarettes in the room. It was cleaner and smelled like coffee.

“Hello dear, how can I help you?” the woman asked. A smile was on her face, accentuating the wrinkles in her cheeks.

It was hard not to return her smile when you approached the desk. “I need a room. I’m not sure how long I’m going to be staying though…” you trailed off.

“Well that’s no problem,” she nodded her head and picked up a pen to write in her log book. “I can start you off with two days and then go from there.”

You nodded. “That sounds good.” You pulled out your wallet and opened up the compartment with the bills. “How much is it?”

“Twenty-five a night. You can just give me fifty for now,” she answered sweetly.

You were flipping through bills when a door opened behind the lady at the desk. The man that came out immediately noticed you as a newcomer and began to scrutinize you. He was old, and had very tan, wrinkled skin. You could barely see his eyes under his hat but you could tell he was sizing you up.

“You chose a bad time to come here young lady. We’ve got a killer on the loose,” he warned loudly. With one last warning look he stomped past you in heavy work boots and went out the door.

The lady laughed awkwardly, staring after the older man. “Don’t mind Earl dearie. He loves scaring people.”

You raised your eyebrows and nodded, but you knew there was some truth to what the old man had said. You finished counting the bills and slid them over, then you pulled out your ID- which she hadn’t asked for- and slid it over too.

She quickly glanced over the card and flipped through the money, verifying that it was enough. She placed it next to her and opened a drawer in the desk. From there she pulled out a silver key and dropped it into your open hand.

You were about to turn and leave when your stomach growled. You hadn’t had a real meal in hours and it was dinner time. “Do you know any place to eat close by?” you asked.

“Oh yes! Just a few buildings down my friend Patty owns a little diner.” She pointed to her left, which was your right.

You nodded and thanked her before you walked outside, key and wallet dragging down the pocket of your jean jacket. You unlocked your Jeep and grabbed your backpack and the plastic bags that held your snacks.

A few doors down from where you had parked was your room. You carried your things and dropped them on the ground below the number plate so you could get out the key. With some wiggling it gave purchase and the door drifted open.

The first thing you noticed was the scent of citrus and fabric freshener hitting you in the face. At least you knew the furniture had been cleaned recently.

Your expectations weren’t high, and it was a typical motel- something modeled right out of a magazine. There was one bed with a nightstand on each side, lamps with yellowing shades sitting atop them. Opposite the bed was a little wooden desk with a bible and black landline telephone. You would have looked at the room more but your stomach growled in protest.

The diner truly was only a few buildings down. It was styled after a fifties restaurant, fit with the red and white neon signs and on the inside the black and white checkered tile, retro booths, and stools at the red vinyl counter. There were a couple people inside eating and they all glanced at you when you came in, but most didn’t make it obvious.

You took a seat at a booth near the door and sat down. A waitress, Betty, quickly came and handed you a menu. “Hello there, welcome to Patty’s! What can I get you to drink?” She waited eagerly with a pen and pad of paper in hand.

“Um… just a water please.”

She scribbled something on her pad and nodded. “I’ll be right back with that and then I’ll take your order!”

“Thank you,” you gave her a small smile and watched as she disappeared through a door.

You looked around, surveying all the diner-goers. It was all middle aged people- other than you- including the waitresses. They were all talking and having conversations. They all knew each other. A man and a woman sat in the booth next to yours and you could hear most of what they were saying. You would have ignored them if their conversation hadn’t piqued your interest.

“I heard it was that Munson boy,” the woman tsked. “I knew he was trouble, jus’ like his daddy.”

“Where’d you hear that from?” the man asked in a hushed voice.

“Samuel called me this morning and said cops were swarmin’ ‘round Munson’s trailer, and Eddie’s been missin’ since last night. Nobody knows where he’s at,” she answered. “Wayne swears that his nephew could never do something like that but I don’t believe it for a hot second. If you ask me-“

“Darlene!” he whispered fervently, cutting the woman off. “There’s Wayne.”

A gush of air came from behind you, signaling that the door had been opened. To your left you saw an older, slim man walk by. He was wearing a hat and kept his head down as he took a seat at the counter.

It seemed to you that this man’s nephew- Eddie- is the so-called “murderer” the man from the motel mentioned earlier. If the “murder” they’re referring to is the girl from last night then maybe this Eddie was the guy in the vision you saw-the one you tried to reach out to. You needed to find him.

Betty came back with your water, cutting off your train of thought. “Here you go…” she set the drink down in front of you and pulled a straw out of her apron. “Do you know what you’d like to eat yet?”

You were so busy listening in on Darlene and her male friend’s conversation that you didn’t even look over the menu. There was one thing that almost all American eateries had though. “A burger please. And fries,” you added.

“Alright…” she wrote it down on her pad. “Is that all?”

You nodded.

“Alrighty! I’ll be back with your food in a few minutes.” She smiled and walked off to tend to other customers.

You picked up the straw and took off the white paper, balling it up and setting it aside. You stuck the plastic straw in your water. It was nice to take a long sip of something cold for once after only drinking room temperature sodas.

You began to think again, getting your train of thought back on track. So apparently Eddie was missing. This was a problem. Luckily for you, there was a possibility that you could find him. Through a mindlink you would be able to see some of his surroundings but last time you tried it seemed like he could see you, maybe even hear you too.

On the off chance that he could, you could just do a mindlink again and ask him where he was. If that plan just so happened to succeed, it wasn’t a guarantee that he would even tell you. He would probably think he was going crazy. Only time would tell.

While you waited for your food you watched Wayne, the man that was this guy’s uncle. He was quiet and didn’t really look at anyone, keeping to himself. If you were in his position, and your nephew was being accused of murder you would probably act the same. But he says it couldn’t possibly be Eddie. Did he know where his nephew was? Was his nephew still alive? It was possible that the Upside Down had gotten to him too.

Suddenly your vision went black and your senses were clouded. A scene appeared in front of you. A boy was rising up out of a lake, just like that girl had in your last vision. His limbs warped at odd angles, his jaw unhinged, his eyes sucked into the back of his head, and then he fell back into the water.

As quick as it had come it was over. You looked around and you were still in the diner. Betty was headed your way with a plate in her hand. “Here you go,” she said, setting the burger and fries in front of you. “If you need anything just flag me down.”

“Thank you,” you managed to smile, but were still frazzled from the vision. While you replayed the vision you’d just had you started eating. It was good, but the image in your head wouldn’t go away. If you were any normal person your appetite would’ve ceased immediately at the grotesque scene. But you were starving, and the abilities of the Upside Down weren’t anything new to you.

So another person was going to die. You knew the vision wasn’t happening just then since it was lighter outside the diner than it was at that lake. It could be in a few hours, or tomorrow. There was no way to tell, but you needed to try to stop it.

You tried to eat quickly while also listening and watching around you. No one other than waitresses talked to Wayne, but you saw the man and woman at the booth beside you casting glances at the back of his head. Since he had walked in they hadn’t dared talk about his nephew at all. Before you were finished eating they ended up finishing and leaving. In no time your plate was cleared and the sun had set in the sky, leaving it a dark gray. It wasn’t sunny there in Hawkins like it was in that last town or Burns Harbor, it was cloudy. The gloomy atmosphere outside matched the town’s overall aesthetic.

Betty passed by and she noticed you had finished your food. She handed you the bill, which you paid, and then you left. You drove the few blocks back to the motel and got back to your room without talking or running into anyone.

You were finally able to take a look around the room. Everything generally looked nicer than the last motel. The carpet wasn’t even a fraction as stained as the other one. You stepped onto the tile in the bathroom and looked around the bathtub and shower combo. You could smell the cleaning products that had been used, and there wasn’t anything questionable on it so you decided to take a shower before you went to sleep. You would explore the town more tomorrow and try to find more clues to the whole situation.

After a nice, long, refreshing shower you changed into some makeshift pajamas and crawled into the bed. Sleep came easy to you thankfully.

…

The next morning you woke up earlier than you had the previous day. When you checked your watch you saw that it was nine in the morning. You brushed your teeth in the bathroom and got dressed before you headed outside. You weren’t sure where you were headed, but it wouldn’t hurt to drive around.

You drove past the police station, the arcade, the mall, the high school, the Family Video. None of it seemed like it would help you in your search. What exactly were you searching for? Any signs of what was going on and how you could stop it. You really needed to find that lake. Or you could try talking to Eddie through a mindlink.

You figured that would be your best option. There was a chance that it wouldn’t work, but it was worth a try. You pulled into a random parking lot and turned around so you could head back to Family Video- the last thing you drove past.

When you opened the door to the shop you were greeted by a cashier who seemed to be your age. As soon as he laid eyes on you his jaw went slack. At that moment he was suddenly grateful his coworker Steve hadn’t showed up for work. Just like all the other customers you probably would have flocked to the most popular worker at the Family Video. At least that’s what Keith thought.

“Can I- Can I help you?” he asked, struggling to pick his jaw up off the floor because of you. He’d never seen you in town before; he would definitely remember if he had.

“Um… yeah. Do you have a bathroom?” you asked. You were aware of the way he was looking at you, but you weren’t interested.

“Yeah- um, it’s back there,” he pointed to the back of the store where the bathroom was.

You nodded and started heading back there. “Thanks.”

“No problem,” he breathed out, eyes trailing after you even when you’d disappeared behind the bathroom door.

You didn’t pay much attention to what the restroom looked like, you just needed somewhere to sit and focus. Why it always ended up being a bathroom: you didn’t know. You put the lid down on the toilet and sat there. Your eyes squeezed shut and you tried focusing on the face of the guy whose mind you wanted to enter, possibly Eddie. You thought of his brown eyes, his frizzy brown hair, his full lips. His frame suddenly came into view and you focused harder so you could get to him.

The two steps you took towards him left ripples in the black water beneath your boots. He was standing, cooking something on a stove. You walked closer and said his name. “Eddie?”

He froze for a second and swallowed, then continued stirring the food in the pot. It seemed like he heard you. He reacted to your voice. “Eddie,” you said again. He clenched his jaw and shook his head. He could clearly hear you but was choosing to ignore you. You couldn’t say you blamed him. If you were hearing voices in your head you would try to pretend they weren’t there too.

“Eddie,” you said one last time.

This time he tilted his head back and looked up to the ceiling… then he talked. “God if that’s you please, please know that I didn’t do it. You must have seen it! I didn’t kill her.”

You bit back a laugh. So he thought you were God. As much as you wanted to pretend you were the man in the sky you just couldn’t. “Eddie, I'm not God.”

He swallowed again and looked around. His gaze settled on you, or at least your direction. He leaned towards you slightly and reached forward. You watched as his hand went through you. He pulled it back and let his hand dangle by his side. “I can’t see you. Who are you? How- How are you talking to me? Am I going crazy? Oh my god, I am going crazy.”

You let out an amused breath through your nose. As serious as the matter was, it was quite funny seeing how he was reacting. There was no way this guy could kill someone. “No, you aren’t going crazy.”

“How do you know my name then? How can I hear you? What are you?” Boy was he full of questions.

“I’ll explain at another time. For now all you need to know is that my name is y/n. But I need you to tell me what happened to that girl,” you said.

He started shaking his head quickly. “No, no, no, stop! I didn’t- I don’t know!”

You opened your eyes and you were back in the bathroom at the Family Video. “Fuck,” you muttered. Eddie had pushed you out of his mind, but you couldn’t really blame him. If you were in his shoes and had witnessed someone dying in such a brutal way, and an unexplainable way at that, you would be on edge too.

You would have to be more careful with your wording next time you tried, but for now you would have to leave him alone. You did actually need to use the restroom so you did it quickly then washed your hands and walked back out into the main area of the store.

Since you were there you might as well look around and see if the cashier will talk about anything of use to you. He was waiting behind the counter when you came around the corner. He visibly jumped when he saw you again, for what reason you aren’t sure. He knew you were back there.

“Everything go okay?” he asked.

“...yeah,” you answered. What an odd question. You felt bad for him though; he was obviously nervous.

“Um…” He wasn’t sure what to say, but he didn’t want you to leave just yet.

Before he had to struggle to find something to say to you, you spoke. “Can you show me some movies?”

His eyebrows shot up. “Oh! Yeah- yeah I can.” He walked out from behind the counter and started walking towards aisles of movies. “So what are some movies you like?” he asked.

“I like Star Wars, Terminator, Poltergeist, and The Breakfast Club to name a few,” you answered, scanning over all the movies on the shelves.

“The last one’s a bit different from the others,” the guy said, laughing awkwardly.

“Yeah, it's my roommate’s favorite movie. She rents it all the time so I’ve seen it a bunch.”

“Oh.” He nodded. “Have you seen Back to the Future? It came out last year.” He picked up a VHS tape and showed it to you. Marty McFly was printed on the front along with the DeLorean.

“I watched it in a theater whenever it came out actually,” you told him. You realized then that every movie he recommended to you would be something you’ve probably already watched. Watching VHS tapes and listening to cassettes were your top two pastimes. You had a feeling that if you told him you’d watched all these movies already he would probably spend all day trying to find one you hadn’t watched and you didn’t feel like being at the video store all day. “I would love to watch it again though.”

His face lit up. “Okay, sounds good. Um- come over here and I can get you checked out.” You followed him over to the counter and he set his fingers over the keys of a computer but didn’t type anything just yet. “So first I need to know your name.”

“Oh it’s y/n y/l/n.”

“Okay…” He squinted at the computer screen while he typed out your name into its database. “Can I get an address?”

You paused for a second and weren’t sure what to say. You were only going to be in town for a few days and he didn’t really need your address back in Burns Harbor. “I’m actually staying at a motel right now so I don’t have one. Could I just give you the money for it and return it on time?” You gave him your best puppy dog eyes and the sweetest smile you could muster without being too much.

His eyes looked all over your face, not sure where to look before he gulped and had to look away. “Yeah that- that’s um, fine. Actually I can just put it under my name, it’s no big deal. I work here so you know… just come back and it’s fine.”

“Okay thanks.” You smiled at him. Were you actually going to watch the movie? Probably not, but you made a mental note to return it before you left Hawkins.

“Uh, here you go.” He slid the VHS across the counter. “Come again, to return the tape you know.”

“Thank you; I will.” You picked it up and waved at him before you walked out the door.

Half an hour later you were back in your car and driving around again- after you had lunch-, this time further outside of Hawkins. You needed to find that lake now. You should have asked that guy about it but it completely slipped your mind after that absolute failure in the bathroom. You hated how much time you were wasting.

While you were searching for the lake you found something more intriguing. Your Jeep crawled past a trailer park where two cop cars were parked. You pulled up as close as you felt was sane without seeming like you were up to something. You raised up in your seat and could see yellow police tape around one trailer. That must have been where the first murder took place. You couldn’t get out and start knocking on doors; that just wasn’t logical.

You backed out of the gravel road and back onto the paved one and drove a little further down on the road. To your great surprise they had the road blocked off with police tape too. Was there another murder you didn’t know about? You hadn’t heard of that one yet.

Right there in the middle of the road your sight went black. You saw a girl rising up into the air at a cemetery. She had red hair and had on headphones. On the ground it looked like three people- guys- yelling and encouraging her. She dropped. Her limbs didn’t start breaking. Her eyes were completely fine. She survived it.

You gasped and you were right back in your car on the same road you were before, looking out at the police tape. You had seen three victims through your visions so far. One had died for sure already, that you were pretty confident about. The other two though… you couldn’t even be sure they were in order. And this girl, she survived. What about the crime scene in front of you? Was that a victim too?

So far there were either one or two victims dead already, and you knew of two others, but only one of them dies- at least for now. You weren’t going to be able to do this by yourself, that you were sure. That girl… you could try finding her through a mindlink, but she probably doesn’t even know she’s going to be a victim yet. Neither does the boy you saw last night.

Your visions were helpful, but you liked to think they loved to challenge you. They gave you barely any information and told you to work with it. It was only twelve and you still had a few hours left to spare but you weren’t sure what to do next.

Driving around wasn’t getting you anywhere. You could feel the stares every time you passed by people, could practically hear their thoughts wondering who you were. You realized it didn’t look good to just be lurking around town forever, popping into random stores and coming out with nothing, but you needed more to go off of.

You ultimately decided to go back to the motel. Maybe the lady at the front desk would tell you something. If the conversations at the diner told you anything, people had some opinions.

You pulled your Jeep into a parking space closer to your room and walked down to the office. Once again the little old lady was sitting there, this time doing a crossword puzzle. It took her a minute to notice you standing there but a kind smile appeared on her face when she did.

“Is there anything I can help you with dear?”

“Well I was thinking about what that man said earlier… Earl was it? He said there’s a murderer around here right now?” You tried to seem genuinely concerned.

She shook her head, the smile dropping from her face. “Hawkins has had a lot of tragedies. It’s gotten worse these past couple years. A girl died a few nights ago, but it wasn’t right. And what I hear people say… I just don’t believe it.”

”What do they say?”

“A boy, Eddie Munson, he lives in that house with his uncle. He’s disappeared. I know his uncle though- known him for a long time. The boy is a good kid. Not the brightest in school but can you blame him? It’s not everyone’s strong suit. And Wayne speaks so good of him. I don’t see him hurting anyone.” She paused for a second and set down her pen and crossword book. You could see her hands shaking before they disappeared in her lap under the table. “I don’t know who, or what, did those horrific things to that girl, but Hawkins isn’t safe. I don’t know what you’re here for, but I don’t suggest staying long.”

She gave you a lasting look, deathly serious. She wanted you to heed her words, even if it meant she lost business. “I make sure that it’s safe here; to the best of my ability. Earl too. He won’t let any harm come to any of our guests. I’ve roped my son into being security during the night time so Earl and I can get some shut-eye. You have nothing to worry about here, but I can’t say the same for when you leave. You be careful now.”

You nodded, “Yes ma’am, of course. Thank you.”

She didn’t verbally respond but watched as you walked out of the motel office, continuing with her puzzles. Her words felt heavy on your mind. Maybe not all, but some people in Hawkins had their suspicions. The wiser ones surely couldn’t believe that people were just up to no good.

————

“Yeah!” Andy hollered.

“Let’s get moving,” Jason said. The five of you started walking through the woods together, just as was planned. You didn’t know what was about to go down, but you knew that you still needed to get Eddie alone somehow. He was doing a pretty good job of hiding, you had to give him that. You understood why he was hiding, but if he wouldn’t talk to anyone no one would know the truth. But even if he did tell them the truth, who would believe him? It seemed like the entire town was against him. You had hope though. Lucas’s friends must have some reason to also be looking for Eddie. Maybe he had made it somewhere safe. He didn’t deserve what was coming to him if Jason got ahold of him.

You and the group had traveled a little further into the woods silently, and once they were close enough to the house Jason motioned with his flashlight for Patrick and Andy to start taking a different route. You, Lucas, and Jason continued on though. You were in the very back of the group of three, with Lucas in front of you and Jason leading, of course. 

There was tension in the air, and it was pretty obvious that you guys were uncomfortable. You had been running around all day, following leads that you didn’t even know were trustworthy and now it was dark and you were sweaty and tired and it wasn’t pleasant. In the end, if you found out the truth about what happened to Chrissy, it would all be worth it.

You weren’t paying attention to your feet so it was no surprise when you tripped over a tree root, crashing to the forest floor. You cursed and rolled over, rubbing your ankle.

“Are you okay?” Lucas asked. You nodded and accepted the hand that he offered. You looked at him skeptically but didn’t say anything. There were some traces of nervousness, but no guilt in his facial expression. Your first assumption was that Lucas sold Eddie out, but maybe he hadn’t. Only time would tell.

“Let’s get moving,” Jason said flatly. He didn’t care that you had fallen. He just wished you would hurry up and quit wasting time. Time where he could be landing blows on Eddie Munson’s ‘freak’ face. You huffed but started moving again.

In no time you arrived at the boat house. There were no lights on inside, no signs of life that you could tell. Jason panned his flashlight on the windows but the curtains were closed. He tried the door, but to no avail. It was locked of course. You groaned internally. Knowing the basketball captain he was going to break in. “Fantastic,” you thought, rolling your eyes. Low and behold, he was using the butt of his flashlight to break the glass window in the door. He slammed it into the pane and it shattered, leaving jagged shards on the ground.

You heard a rustling behind you and whipped around. It was just Patrick and Andy. You shot them a glare which they probably couldn’t see in the dark. It was the thought that counted though. 

Jason was undeterred at their arrival, and stuck his hand through the place the window previously was, careful not to cut himself on the remaining glass. Once the door was unlocked the five of you entered the house. 

It looked abandoned, unlived in for a while. The wooden floor was covered in dirt and leaves, there were old empty boxes of food on the counter, and furniture was flipped over and disheveled. Jason panned his flashlight around the ramshackle cabin. No one was there. No Eddie in sight. You weren’t sure whether to be relieved or disappointed. At this point finding him seemed like it would be impossible.

You were nearly blinded when Jason swung his flashlight around and pointed it in Lucas’s face. He squinted against the bright light. “You sure Eddie was here?” Jason asked.

“Yeah. I-I’m-I’m positive,” Lucas answered.

Jason just looked at him for a second. “Let’s check around the back,” he finally said.

The three of them started walking, and you were going to follow them until Lucas grabbed your arm, stopping you. You turned around, about to say something but he hurriedly put a finger to his lips and ushered you to follow him. He left the cabin through a back door and broke out in a run, stopping at the side of the house to grab two bikes that were leaning against the wall.and you had no choice but to follow him and get on the second one. Your heart was hammering in your chest but Lucas wasn’t slowing down so you couldn’t either. After you were a good distance away from the house he slowed his pace just a bit.

“Lucas-” you panted, legs pumping beneath you. “Where- the hell- are we going?”

“Okay so- Eddie is not here obviously. Never was. This is my friend’s old house,” he explained.

“So why did we come here?” you asked, slightly irritated.

“To get away from Jason, Andy, and Patrick. I know where Eddie really is, but right now we have to go to the high school.”

“What? The school? Why?” you questioned.

“My friends. They’re going to meet us there. Eddie didn’t kill Chrissy. He tried to save her.”

So Eddie really didn’t kill Chrissy. You were right on that. But if it wasn’t him, who was it? And if Eddie tried to help her, he must know who. So why isn’t he coming forward?

“Okay so who did?” you probed.

“I don’t know. But I think my friends might have some ideas.”

“I guess we’ll see.”

Eight miles and a gallon of sweat later you were at the school. “God I’m about to die,” you groaned. Lucas wasn’t complaining nearly as much as you, but he was sweating profusely and panting too. You dumped your bikes outside and ran into the school, weaving through hallways and classrooms alike, feet pounding on the floor. If anyone else was in the school, they would know you were coming.

You and Lucas turned one more corner and- “AHH!” multiple screams filled the air. You backed up multiple steps, heart racing even more than it already was. Lucas stuck his arms out and said, “It’s me! It’s me- and this is y/n!”

“Lucas?” a girl's voice said. You squinted at where the voice came from and saw a very familiar girl. After a few seconds of staring at her you realized who it was. It was the girl from the bathroom. What was her name? Max?

“Jesus, what’s wrong with you Sinclair?” You recognized this guy too. It was Steve Harrington. Everyone knew Steve. He had just graduated last year and worked at the video store. You didn’t know that he was friends with Lucas.

“I’m sorry,” Lucas huffed. He and you both were still trying to recuperate from the eight mile distance you rode.

“I could’ve taken you out with this lamp!” Harrington shouted. He was indeed holding a lamp… like a baseball bat.

“Sorry guys,” he leaned against a locker for support while you clutched at your chest, “We were- we were biking for eight miles. Give me a second. Shit.” He wiped an arm across his forehead and walked back to the group. “We’ve got a code red.”

“What?” Steve asked. Lucas was still panting and trying to catch his breath and seemed like he was struggling to keep talking. You were in no better a state than he was but you had your mind somewhat together at the very least.

“Jason, Andy, and Patrick are trying to capture Eddie. Jason is like set on it being Eddie and I’m pretty sure he wants to beat the shit out of him. And they think a kid named Dustin knows where he’s at,” you rushed out.

“I’m Dustin,” a boy with a cap on said. “Who are you again?” he asked.

“Y/n. I’m Chrissy’s best friend. Was Chrissy’s best friend,” you corrected. “And you,” you looked at Dustin, “are in danger.”

“We’ve got bigger problems to deal with than Jason.” Dustin turned around and looked at Max.

“What are you talking about?” Lucas asked.

“We’ll explain on the way home. We can’t stay here though,” Harrington said. “Are you coming too?” he asked you.

Once they found out you were best friends with Chrissy, you told them all about how she was having nightmares, headaches, and trouble sleeping, and even that episode in the bathroom the other day. They informed you that Chrissy’s ‘episode’ was probably her seeing the thing that had killed her. Max said that something similar had happened to her.

It was a whole lot to take in, and almost too hard to believe. You were keeping your mind open because you’d always heard that Hawkins was cursed, and it sort of made sense. It didn’t make you feel any better about Chrissy, but at least it was some closure.

“This thing… you’re calling it ‘Vecna?’” you asked.

“Yeah, we came up with that with Eddie,” Dustin said.

You raised your eyebrows, “You’ve talked to Eddie?”

“Yeah, we know where he’s at.”

“Where?” you asked quickly.

Your eagerness must have concerned them because no one said anything for a minute. Steve was driving but you saw him glance at you through the mirror. Max wasn’t really contributing much to the conversation, which you didn’t blame her for but she also glanced between you and Dustin. Lucas seemed to be waiting for Dustin to say something. And Dustin was just looking at you, contemplating. So it was going to come down to Henderson on whether or not you would talk to Eddie.

Dustin finally spoke up, “Why do you need to know? How can we trust you and know that you won’t go tell Justin and his goons?”

“I want to talk to Eddie. He was the last one that saw Chrissy before she… died. And believe me, I don’t want anything to do with Justin. He’s a douchebag.” You stared at the freshman expectantly, waiting for him to answer. You could tell he was really thinking about it. You didn’t know exactly what kind of relationship he had with Eddie, but you could tell that Dustin wanted to protect him.

“Look, I promise I’m not going to tell anyone his location or try anything. I just want to talk to him,” you said.

“Hmm… fine.” Dustin finally gave in. “He probably needs more food anyways. Let me talk to him.”

You let your shoulders drop with relief while Dustin pulled out his walkie talkie. “Eddie? Eddie, this is Dustin.”

“Dustin! Hey, I’m running low on food. And I could really use a six pack right now.” Eddie’s voice crackled over the device.

“Okay well you’re in luck because someone wants to come talk to you. Here, I’m handing her the walkie talkie.” Dustin held out the walkie talkie and looked at you to take it and you stared at him with wide eyes before he thrusted it into your hands.

“Hello? Dustin? Who am I talking to?” Eddie asked.

“Hi!” you cringed because of how eager you sounded. “Hi, you probably don’t know me but my name is y/n y/l/n. I’m Chrissy’s best friend.” You gulped, waiting for his response. You didn’t know what exactly you should have said, but hopefully that basic information would let him know enough.

“Y/n? We have Ms. O’Donnell’s together don’t we?”

“Yeah.” You were surprised he knew who you were. You had only talked to him maybe once or twice.

“I’m really sorry about Chrissy,” he said. You could hear in his voice, though somewhat distorted, that he truly was sorry.

“Thank you. Um… I was hoping I could talk to you. If you don’t mind,” you quickly added.

“No, no. I don’t mind at all. It would be nice to have some company actually.”

So instead of taking you to the Wheeler’s house, Steve dropped you off at your own home. You went inside, passing by your mother in the kitchen. “Y/n!”

“Hi Mom!” you yelled back, taking the steps two at a time.

“Y/n where have you been?” she called, voice laced with worry and concern.

You stopped at the top of the stairs and started going back down. You would do a lot of things, but worry your mom to death wasn’t one you wanted to do. “I’ve been with some friends.”

She sighed at your vagueness but didn’t pry any further. “Please, please, be safe. Y/n I am begging you. I love you so much and I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you.” Her eyes were watery and you could tell how scared she was.

“Mom…” you walked around the counter and hugged her, letting her envelop you in her motherly embrace. She sniffled next to your ear, but you could feel some of the unease leave her body. “I’m going to stay safe. I promise.”

She pulled back from the hug and looked at you, searching your face. “I believe you honey.” She paused for a second, “How are you doing?”

“I’m- I’m coping,” you said, looking at your feet.

“Oh honey,” she said, cupping your face. Her hands were soft and slightly wrinkled. She held your face like she had a million times before and it did make you feel better. You loved your mom more than words could describe. Of all people, she would be the one to convince you to stay home and stop chasing something that could get you hurt. That was the reality of it: you could get hurt, multiple people had.

“Chrissy’s funeral is tomorrow. Her dad called earlier. He doesn’t seem to be doing too well.”

Of course it was her dad that had called. Her mother never would have. You were repulsed just thinking about Chrissy’s mom. Your best friend had told you stories of what that woman had said to her, all the nasty, vile things that she had put into Chrissy’s head. You pushed those thoughts away and just nodded, “I’ll be there.”

“Okay. Be safe,” she said. She leaned in to kiss your cheek and then let you go. As you walked back up the stairs your lip quivered. You would need to stay safe, for your mom. You grabbed a backpack and packed it with some items. Flashlight, a pocket knife, your wallet, your house key, and more miscellaneous things.

You walked back down stairs and out into the garage. You looked between your car and your bicycle, which had gone largely unused since your sixteenth birthday. The car would be quicker, but the bicycle was less conspicuous. Choosing the ladder, you pedaled to the grocery store. He wanted some beer but you were only eighteen. If you wanted to get him some you would need to ask someone else to get it for you.

Taking a chance, you left your bicycle on the side of the building and went in. There wasn’t much time left before closing, maybe an hour or less. Only two or three customers remained in the store. You glanced at the cash register, and perked up when you realized the cashier was someone you knew. Maybe you wouldn’t have to ask someone to buy that beer for you after all.

You walked down the aisles, tennis shoes tapping on the linoleum floor as you thought about what Eddie might like to eat. You grabbed two large bags of chips and dropped them into your shopping basket. Other things that were added were some Pop Tarts, cookies, crackers, a box of cereal, a few bottles of water, and some Cokes. You would have bought more but you had to keep in mind how much space the basket on your bicycle could hold, and how much room you had left in your backpack.

Your last stop in the grocery store was the refrigerators. You stood there staring at the six packs of beers stacked up inside the white, lit up walls. There was an internal battle going on inside you. If you tried to buy these beers, you could get in trouble. Or the cashier could if they sold it to you. On the other hand, if you bought the beers, it would probably make Eddie happy. You gave in and picked up the box, fast walking toward the cash register. You set down your basket and the six pack, panicking just a little bit.

To your surprise the cashier, a fellow senior, said nothing about the beer. They scanned all your items and bagged them, not saying anything until you were handing over your money. “I’m sorry about Chrissy,” they said.

“Oh, thank you,” you responded.

“No problem. She didn’t deserve that man,” he said.

“No, no she didn’t.”

“Well, have a good night.” He handed you the receipt.

“Thanks, you too.” You took the receipt and stuffed it into one of the plastic bags that you were trying to hold. It took you a minute but you finally were able to fit two of the bags into your backpack, and carry the rest outside. To your relief your bicycle was right where you left it. A small miracle. You maneuvered the bags into your little basket and started on your ride to where Eddie was. Every so often you would stop to check the piece of paper the directions were written on. They weren’t perfect but they did the job.

There were stars in the sky by the time you arrived at the boat house. You walk up to the house hesitantly, peeking at the windows before you knocked on the door. In a few moments the door swung open with a flourish.

“Good,” Austin said. “They saved the best for last. We’re seriously going to blow the crowd away.” He let a happy little breath out of his nose. Out of the four of you he was the most confident about your band. You guys were good for a bunch of 18 year olds, plus Sammy who was 19.

“You’re right. We totally will,” Carter said, agreeing with Austin. You smirked and gave Carter a look. He glared at you for a split second, tired of your subtle teasing. He had a crush on Austin, one that he wasn’t sure was reciprocated. As much as you wanted him to tell the redhead, you knew what restrained him from doing so.

“We just need to make sure we keep in time and don’t rush,” Sammy said, looking pointedly at Austin. She took a bite out of her fry, careful not to mess up her plum lipstick that coated her lips. 

“Hey! I’ve been practicing and I got my speed under control. No more rushing, geez.” He rolled his eyes at the black haired girl. 

“Okay that’s good. It sounds like we’re all set then,” you said.

“I can’t believe we’re finally doing it,” Carter said. “This is going to be the moment of truth.” 

You sighed, “I know. But we’ve worked really hard these past few months and we’re going to do good tomorrow. I’m sure of it.”

“Y/n’s right. Tomorrow we’re gonna rock the house,” Austin said, pressing his index finger into the table.

The four of you finished your burgers and shakes and carpooled in your car to Carter’s house. His parents were away for the weekend, which bummed Carter out, seeing as they wouldn’t be able to watch the band play. They never were too supportive of his music though, and they partially blamed that on you for introducing him to it. Your dad supported your music, and thought it was really cool. He was the one that got you into metal and rock.

You practiced late into the night, playing “Where Is My Mind?” by the Pixies over and over until you guys were completely satisfied with the results.

“And we are done,” you said, tossing your hair back out of your face. Your wrists were sore and your butt was numb but you had finally gone through the song multiple times without messing up. The next night you would see if all your hard work was going to pay off.

—

Eddie’s band was first to play, and after their performance they packed up their stuff and headed into the crowd. It was a pretty nice size considering there were only a few bands playing. Eddie was able to weave his way through the crowd and get a spot to stand near the middle left of the room. He was able to catch the last two bands play. The first band he thought was good, not his style of music really, but he could appreciate it.

The lights that were focused on the stage dimmed as the next group took their places. The fresnels turned backed on, flooding the stage with brightness once again. Slivers of light reflected off the various instruments and if you were standing in the wrong spot you would be blinded. 

There was the tapping of drum sticks and then the song started. Eddie recognized it quickly. It was a new song that he had heard on the radio before. He tapped his foot in time with the music, which was being played pretty well,  as he panned across the group.

Front and center was a guitarist, orange cropped hair looking like cheddar cheese under the light. He had a presence on the stage, and a smirk on his face that made it obvious he was comfortable being the center of attention. To his left was a girl with big curly black hair playing a guitar. On one side it was pinned down to give the effect of being shaved. Her lips were painted a deep purple to match the short dress she was wearing under a black denim jacket. To the redhead‘s right was a shyer, more timid-looking boy. He was somewhat hunched over his silver bass guitar and avoiding looking out at the crowd. Eddie knew how nerve wracking it can be up on stage, but he had played in front of people enough times that it didn’t even phase him anymore.

The last person he looked at was in the very back, and he almost felt sorry he had wasted so much time looking at the others when he could have been watching the girl playing the drums. In Eddie’s eyes you looked ethereal, glowing. You were quietly singing along with the lyrics and hitting every beat exactly. Your eyes were closed and you were entirely in your own world, just you and the music. You radiated such a warm and calming aura, he couldn’t fathom why he was so drawn to you.

He watched for the rest of the song in a trance, eyes never leaving you. Nearing the last few notes of “Where Is My Mind,” you finally became present again and looked out into the crowd. Your eyes were drawn to a guy with long and wavy brown hair. His big brown eyes were transfixed on you, and his mouth was slightly agape. You smiled and continued to look at him, and all he did was blink a few times. Your face heated a little, not used to getting so much attention. The song came to a close though, the crowd cheering and whistling.

Austin turned around and gave you all a thumbs up. “We did it!” he yelled over the noise.

“Hell yeah we did!” you yelled back. The moment seemed perfect. Yes you were sweating and hot and your makeup was surely running a little bit, but the buzz in the air and the excitement shared between the four of you was something you could never forget. You stood up and waved your drumsticks in the air before the four of you had to walk off stage.

An hour later you were driving around with the windows open, music blaring as you all sang into the pitch black night, celebrating the victory of winning Battle of the Bands. You had stopped at the same diner you ate at the previous night and were all eating burgers and fries, not caring that there were some abandoned on the floorboard to be found a few weeks later. You were driving over the speed limit but the streets were empty. The pure adrenaline flowing through you was enough to last a lifetime. Cold wind nipped at your face and your hair was flying everywhere.

“Whoa! We’re halfway there! Whoa-oh! Livin’ on a prayer!” all four of you belted out. You erupted into laughter, reminded of why Austin was your main vocalist. You stayed out until eleven before you dropped off Sammy and Austin. Austin had a curfew and Sammy told her girlfriend that she would call her soon. It was just you and Carter left and the energy in the car had died down.

“Tonight was a-maze-ing,” you said, enunciating each syllable. 

Carter sighed wistfully, “Yes it was.” He turned to you, “Who was that guy that was making googly eyes at you the entire performance?”

You thought for a second, remembering the exact person he was talking about. “I have no idea actually. He looked sort of familiar though.”

“Ooooo, y/n has an admirer,” your best friend teased.

You smiled, “Maybe I do.”

—

For some weird reason Battle of the Bands was on a Thursday, so the next morning you had to get ready for school. Your dad wouldn’t mind if you skipped and hung out with him, but you’d missed a few days that semester already.

Your first class was pretty boring; you weren’t really friends with anyone there. You walked into your second period and were surprised to see that the same guy that had been staring at you last night was standing by your seat. He lit up when he saw you.

“Hi,” you said. You felt a bit relieved to see him again. Before going to sleep he was all you could think about. You didn’t know it, but you were also the only thing he was thinking about.

“Hi, I’m Eddie,” he said. Eddie, so that’s his name. Now that you were closer to him and hearing his name you actually recognized him. You had two classes with the guy. You felt somewhat embarrassed at the fact that you couldn’t even remember who he was until now.

“You guys did really great last night,” he said. “That’s the only reason I wasn’t hurt that my band didn’t win.” He smiled, dimples appearing on his cheeks.

“I didn’t even realize you had played,” you said, feeling even more embarrassed. You probably shouldn’t have even told him that. There was no harm in just telling him that his band did good, even if you didn’t know which one it was.

“Heh, it’s okay. We were the first to go on anyway so you were probably backstage preparing.” His eyes were glued to you, it was making you feel a little bashful being in a close proximity. He was across the desk from you, maybe two feet away. He had his arms crossed but he didn’t seem closed off at all. He seemed a little… nervous.

“Ohh, that makes sense. I wish I would have heard you play though. That makes me kind of sad,” you said, rubbing the back of your head.

“Well you would be in luck because tonight my band and I are playing somewhere. You should come,” he said, still smiling.

“I’ll come by then,” you said, returning the smile. His grew even bigger, which didn’t seem possible.

“Good, good. Can I pick you up and take you there?” he asked.

You narrowed your eyes skeptically but the smile remained on your face. Was Eddie trying to ask you on some sort of date? After all this time of having classes together he just now starts paying attention to you after last night. Was he so amazed by your performance that he just had to get to know you? You let the thought enlarge your ego a little bit, deciding that was probably the case. You barely knew anything about the guy, but there was no denying that he was your type physically, and what seemed to be interest-wise too. Maybe if you got to know him and hung out with him a little bit more, something could happen. You sure weren’t opposed to it. He had a bright personality and an ever infectious smile.

“Sure,” you agreed.

“Alright. I’ll see you tonight,” he said before walking to his seat. You watched him the entire way there, and throughout class you found your attention on him, noticing how often he played with his hair and how he tapped his foot and pretended to drum with his fingers. One of the times you were staring at him he just so happened to look over, startling you and making you quickly look away. You could hear a very quiet chuckle across the room.

—

It was six o’clock and you were sitting in the passenger seat of Eddie Munson’s van. It smelled like weed, a scent that you were accustomed to because of your dad. His van was beat up on the outside and a little musty on the inside but it suited him. He was visibly nervous when you got in, clutching the steering wheel and talking way too fast. It was pretty cute.

“So your parents don’t care that you're going with me, a seeming stranger? A 20 year old?” he asked.

“No, not really. My dad isn’t very strict; he trusts me to make my own decisions,” you answered. You took a peek at Eddie, and let out an amused breath through your nose.

“What? Do I look weird?” he asked, worried.

“No, no, not at all. I just think that my dad would really like you. He’s really into metal and loves music and instruments. He taught me how to play the drums.”

“Oh. That’s good to hear. It sounds like you have a good relationship with him.”

“Yeah I do. I’m there for him as much as possible. My

Mom couldn’t handle him.” You put air quotes around that last part, a little aggravated thinking of your mom. It had been years since you last saw her. She had abandoned you and your innocent father.

Eddie hummed and nodded his head. He didn’t know enough about you to feel comfortable making any comment on it, or to ask any further questions on the matter, especially when it seemed to bother you so much.

“I live with my uncle. He’s pretty cool. I appreciate him a lot for letting me stay with him. Maybe this year I’ll finally graduate and get out of his hair,” he chuckled, but it was bittersweet.

The two of you arrived at the venue, a small dank place that only had a few people milling about. Eddie introduced you to his band mates and his guitar, which was his baby. You got to watch them practice for an hour before more people started to arrive. The crowd was mainly people looking for a drink and a good time.

You stood close to the stage, eyes on Eddie the entire time. When they started to play for real you got a sense of what Eddie must have felt when he watched you play. There was just something about him that you couldn’t place, but you did know that it drew you in like a siren. You watched his hands, his fingers changing chords and sliding up and down the neck of his red guitar.

His gaze stayed on you as much as possible, and one time he even winked at you. You smiled and looked down at your shoes, embarrassed. 

Between songs he tossed you his leather jacket and rolled up the sleeves on his shirt, revealing his tattooed arms. Deciding to be bold, you put the jacket on, and when he noticed the biggest smile adorned his face. 

He could imagine it now, dating you and calling you his. You would come to his shows and cheer him on, and he would do the same for you. Maybe you guys could even play together sometime. He would take you out to special places around town and maybe even out of town to hang out and talk. You could come to his uncle’s trailer and listen to music in his room and maybe even smoke some weed.

He could go to your house and meet your dad. He wasn’t usually the type that you would want to bring home to your parents, but the fact that you told him that your dad would like him gave him hope. He knew that it was early, that he had just met you and that it was irrational how much he already liked you but he couldn’t help it.

There was no rush to become anything more than friends; he had time and hoped that sometime down the road maybe you would reciprocate his feelings.

—

A few weeks later you were in your room, Eddie perched on your bed beside you. It was crazy how quickly you guys had gotten close. He had met your friends and they all approved of him. A few times both of your friend groups had met and hung out and it was nothing but good vibes.

“So you’re telling me that you’ve never had a real boyfriend before?” Eddie asked, absolutely perplexed.

“I’m serious! I really haven’t. I never looked out for guys to pounce on or anything like that. Of course I thought there were some cute guys but nothing clicked, ya know?”

“Uh-huh.” He nodded his head but you could tell he was skeptical. You were a beautiful girl, and fun to be around. You were attentive and beyond caring. You had a no-bullshit attitude, one that Eddie found quite attractive.

“I’m sure this will come as a surprise to you, but I’ve never had a girlfriend,” he admitted. 

You let your mouth fall open theatrically. “No. Way.”

“Yes way.” He shrugged with a mischievous glint in his eye, one that appeared often. “Women are just so intimidated that they never approach me.”

“You are not intimidating,” you said. “If anything, you are one of the most easy going and non-intimidating people I know. You’re like a puppy with those big brown eyes.”

“I thought you liked my eyes,” he teased, opening them wide.

“I do like them,” you said, opening yours up as big as you could.

Neither of you spoke, nor blinked, just stared, having an unspoken contest. Eddie moved his face closer to yours and in turn you moved yours closer too. His eyes shifted to your lips and you could tell exactly what he was thinking at that moment. 

You tilted your head to the right and started leaning in, finally shutting your eyes. A hand came up to the side of your face as his lips pressed against yours. They were warm and soft, and the kiss itself was slow and gentle. It was the best kiss you’d ever had. You put your hands in his hair, making a moan escape from his then parted lips.

“Hey kids- oh!”

The two of you quickly broke apart, faces red. Your dad stood in your doorway with his eyes shut, “I was just going to ask if you wanted me to call for a pizza,” he said.

“Sure, that sounds good,” you managed to get out. You were beyond embarrassed. Eddie was the first guy you had ever brought over, and despite being eighteen you still didn’t want your dad seeing you locking lips with him.

He gave you guys a quick thumbs up and shut the door, “I’ll leave you to it then! Be safe!”

“I want to disappear,” you groaned, burying your face in Eddie's shoulder.

The crawling feeling on your face wasn’t going away and if whatever it was didn’t get off soon you were going to go insane. You tried multiple things: twitching your cheek, blowing air at it through the corners of your mouth, shaking your head slightly. None worked. As a last resort you ever so slowly lifted your hand to swipe at your face, letting out a sigh when the thing finally flew off you and hit the dirt and grass mixed ground.

It was a ladybug. An orange one. When you were a child, ladybugs were “your animal,” or insect technically. Countless hats and outfits that were red with black spots, baby utensils and plastic plates with ladybugs, and vinyl wallpaper with grass, flowers, and the red insects covering your nursery. Your mom would gush about how adorable you were with your chubby cheeks, somewhat resembling the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from the Ghostbusters movie with your fat rolls. Your mother thought it was the cutest thing ever, but she was your mother. She was definitely biased. 

Oh how simple it was to be a baby, spending your days eating, sleeping, and shitting. As you get older the world just gets more and more complicated, more and more responsibilities are put on you. That’s life. At the ripe age of eighteen you realized that life wasn’t fair. You had actually realized that at the age of twelve when your favorite cousin, and only friend at the time, moved across the country. That realization was nothing compared to how other people came to the conclusion that life isn’t fair, but to your twelve year old self it was the worst thing that could happen to a kid. Life would continue to remind you that it wasn’t fair, that nothing came without a price and nothing lasts forever.

The best thing to do was be grateful for what you did have, and find the positive in every situation no matter how dreadful it was. Chrissy had died. That was final. She was never coming back. No one could ever replace her, or come close to being as bright as she. However, there was a small light that had come from all this. That light was Eddie. 

Just months ago you never thought that any of this would happen. You imagined that you would go on through your senior year, graduate, go to a college that your parents would help you pay for, graduate, get a job, maybe get married and have kids. Now you scoffed at that idea.

A soft groan came from behind you. “Good morning,” Eddie said in a gravelly voice. He lifted one arm and stretched it up towards the sky.

“Good morning sunshine,” you replied. “How’d you sleep?” You shifted and turned around, now just a few inches between your faces. You were so close you could see the peach fuzz that covered his skin, the slight stubble that was sprouting from his chin, how his long eyelashes casted a slight shadow over his eyes, and all the creases and pores that made Eddie’s face Eddie’s face. A beautiful face. He stared at you with his big doe eyes, a small shy smile coming to his face at your proximity and analyzing expression.

“I slept alright,” he said, trying to hold his breath. He didn’t want you to smell his morning breath, which was probably unpleasant from a few days of not being able to brush his teeth. He was so conscious of everything about himself. He didn’t want you to be repulsed. Eddie didn’t know it but that could never happen. You yourself didn’t fully know the extent, but you were too fond of this man in front of you for something as miniscule as his breath deter you.

“Good,” you said with a smile. 

God that smile, Eddie thought. How could someone be so beautiful? Since Eddie had met you he had been going through very similar doubts and thoughts. You, from the very beginning, welcomed him with open arms. Despite the fact that you were a cheerleader you didn’t hold any prejudice against him. He had been learning lately, that maybe it wasn’t fair to label people based on the sports they play.

You hadn’t known each other for very long, but after you left Reefer Rick’s house all he could think about was you, you, you. He looked forward to the next time he was going to see you, and when he was finally able to he was almost automatically in a better mood and his spirits were lifted. He could understand why Chrissy loved you so much. 

He had accepted the fact that he was indeed falling for you. Every time you looked at him or smiled at him his face warmed up and butterflies erupted in his stomach. Him, a twenty year old, getting butterflies. He thought he was past all that, and that he, Eddie “the Freak” Munson, would never have those types of feelings for someone, and that they would never be reciprocated. But maybe he was wrong. He hoped he was wrong.

“Eddie?” you said, giggling quietly. He had completely zoned out staring at your face.

“Yes?” he asked, snapping back to reality.

You smiled, “Nothing.”

An hour later you and Eddie were scouting the area around you, trying to find something that could be of use. The walkie was busted, so you had no way to contact the gang. You two were on your own. By the grace of God, or whatever was up there, you hit a goldmine. There was a construction lot just two or three miles– you couldn't be sure– away from Skull Rock. It was broad daylight now and the area was crawling with workers and advisors.

“Look at their belts,” you said, putting a hand on Eddie’s upper arm. “They have walkie-talkies.”

“Okay great… but how do we get them?” he asked.

“Umm, I don’t know just yet.” The two of you were crouched down in tall grass, several yards away from a stack of wood planks and a porta potty that were stationed on the outskirts of what you assumed was a house was being built. It was a nice location for a home. Reefer Rick had a nice home too, it was just messy from the vacancy. You watched as various workers walked past, hard hats shading their faces but still sweating.

“Eddie! Eddie!” you said, pointing at a worker that was headed towards the bathroom. He took his belt off and laid it on a table next to the wood planks. It was the perfect opportunity.

Without a word the brunette ran up to the table and very quickly grabbed the walkie-talkie out of one of the slots. Thankfully no one saw him. You backtracked to Skull Rock, taking less time to get back since you weren’t wandering around.

“Okay here we go,” Eddie said. You weren’t sure what he had done, but somehow he got on the same radio frequency as Henderson. He pressed the button, “Dustin, can you hear me? Wheeler?”

There was a beep and then you heard Henderson’s fateful voice, “Eddie. Holy shit. Are you okay?”

“Not exactly,” he answered, glancing at you. You were sitting right next to him and listening too.

“Where are you? Is y/n with you?” Dustin crackled through the speaker.

He looked at you with a puzzled look, “Yes she is. And we’re at Skull Rock. Do you know it?”

“Yeah, yeah.” There was static for a second before he spoke again, “Hold tight. We’re coming.” 

Eddie put his head down and nodded. You reached over and rubbed his back. “Now all we do is wait.”

“Yeah…” he trailed off. You expected him to be happy but he didn’t seem to be. He seemed sad.

“What is it?” You leaned forward to look at his face but he didn’t meet your eyes. He stared at the ground and chewed on the inside of his cheek. “Eddie?” you asked again softly.

His brown eyes finally met yours, and in the moment he resembled something of a wounded puppy, which made your heart ache. “Y/n… I’m scared.”

“Of what?”

“Of what’s about to happen next. Or what isn’t going to happen. What if-” his eyes got glossy and tears started forming on his water line. “What if the police still take me? A murder sentence would be a long time and I can’t go to prison. I wouldn’t survive in there. I couldn’t leave this all behind. Graduation, my band, Hellfire Club… you.” He looked at you with a glint of something in his eyes, and you wanted to say something, you wanted to reach out, but you weren’t sure if he meant what you thought he did.

“Eddie…” you started, but he raised his hand to stop you.

“I’m afraid that I’ll lose my chance at a future. I never thought that I would amount to much. It’s my third time being a senior and I’m twenty years old living with my uncle in his trailer, selling drugs out of a lunchbox. But now I’ve met you and all of this,” he waved his hand in the air, “has happened and I want to be more than that.”

“You can be. We’re going to set things straight and you’re going to be a free man for good. I’m going to do everything I can to make sure of it,” you said.

“I’m glad you think so and hopefully everything will be okay. But I’m not certain that’s what’s going to happen so I can’t waste my chance. I know we haven’t known each other for very long and that these are really shitty circumstances but I think I like you y/n.” He reached for your hand and you took it. He had never been so vulnerable with anyone before, and his heart was racing at the possibility of rejection.

“I think I like you too,” you said, laughing a little bit when he let out a long breath.

“Can I kiss you?” he asked hesitantly.

You nodded and leaned towards him with your eyes shut. He cupped your face with his hands and you could feel the cool metal of his rings as his lips touched yours. They were surprisingly soft and he kissed you very gently. After a few seconds you both pulled away but kept your faces close together. Eddie had the biggest smile you had seen yet on his face and a tint of pink on his cheeks. You didn’t think Eddie Munson would ever blush.

You let out a content sigh, happier than you thought you could be at a time like this. So Eddie did like you all along and you weren’t crazy. The thought alone made your heart flutter. It had been a long time since you’d felt the way you did towards Eddie. This newfound attraction fueled you to make sure his name was clear even more. The truth was, if he did go to prison, what would you do? You couldn’t just forget about him.

“Are you happy?” you asked, looking over at the brunette.

He laughed, “What kind of question is that? Of course I’m happy. I wasn’t sure if you felt the same way but it turns out you do. Y/n Y/l/n, a cheerleader, likes Eddie “the Freak” Munson. Who would’ve thought?”

“You aren’t a freak. Not in my eyes.”

“I’m glad you think so,” he said, grinning.

For another hour the two of you talked and laughed, reminiscing on childhood stories and other things of the sort. Conversation came easy. You bounced off one another like twin flames. Eddie was halfway through talking about a ghost encounter he had two years ago when you heard voices in the distance.

“That must be them,” Eddie said. “I’m going to hide up here on this rock.” You watched as the brunette climbed up on a smaller boulder like a spider-monkey, much more agile than you expected. You followed him but didn’t climb on top of the rock, just stood behind it.

You heard Henderson’s voice talking to another male, presumably Harrington. You peaked out from behind the rock and saw Steve just a few feet away. “You are a massive butthead.”

Eddie jumped down, startling Dustin and the rest of the gang. “I concur. You, Dustin Henderson, are a total butthead.”

“Jeez we thought you were a goner.” Dustin wrapped his arms around Eddie as you walked forward, becoming visible to everyone. Low and behold, there was Nancy, Robin, Max, and Lucas. All six of them came.

“Oh y/n!” Dustin said when he spotted you. Eddie turned towards you and smiled and you walked up to stand by his side. To your surprise the taller male put an arm around your shoulder.

“Woah woah woah, when did this happen?” Henderson asked, jaw practically on the floor. You took a look around and saw a variety of facial expressions. Steve and Robin looked at each other with raised eyebrows, Max was slightly smiling at you, and Lucas and Nancy were just generally surprised.

“What can I say?” Eddie said. “Y/n couldn’t resist my wicked charm.”

“Uhuh, yeah. It was more like you couldn’t resist mine.” You poked him in the side, focusing only on him. Dustin gagged.

“Henderson I don’t want to hear it. You talk about your supposed girlfriend all the time and how awesome she is,” Eddie said.

“I- That’s because she is. Suzie is amazing and super smart and beautiful. And real,” Dustin added.

Nancy sighed, “Guys as much as I would love to hear about all this, we have things we need to discuss.”

Steve nodded, “Nancy is right.”

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