“and that’s it for today, everyone!” the cheer coach called out, and all the cheerleaders of hawkins high began to gather up their stuff from the field. chrissy cunningham grabbed her backpack from the ground, and started to make her way towards the locker rooms at the other side of the field, attached to the school building.

“oh my god- kelly is such a bitch.” her teammate jocelyn snapped, as she hurried next to chrissy. “yeah,” chrissy noted, letting out a small chuckle. “like, did you hear what she said?” jocelyn continued. “that she should be on top of the pyramid. who does she think she is?!” chrissy was about to answer to that, but her gaze got stuck at the sight of some black curly hair peeping out from behind the stadium benches.  “chrissy?” jocelyn asked. “hello- did you hear what i said?”  “uhm- i’ll, i’ll be right after you.” chrissy blurted out to her, and jocelyn frowned at chrissy as she started to walk towards the benches, holding on to her backpack straps. “fine, whatever.” jocelyn said, and started marching towards the locker rooms.

as chrissy got closer, she started to see more of the boy she’d already; from the top of his head; recognized as eddie. he was sitting on one of the metal planks, brushing off mud and- blood? - chrissy frowned to herself, - from his ripped jeans. chrissy then noticed that his jeans weren’t ripped on purpose. they’d gotten ripped. he had a pretty bad cut on his lip, and his shirt was all muddy as well.  “eddie?” chrissy asked softly, voice full of worry and confusion. eddie flinched, turning his head around fast. his lips parted a little as she saw chrissy, embarrassment filling his gut. he didn’t think anyone would find him here; and he definitely didn’t want someone like chrissy finding him here. chrissy and eddie weren’t that close, other from the fact that they had been assigned lab partners ― which was why eddie had started to form a massive crush on chrissy. he was simply aware that there was probably never going to be a single chance for someone like him to be with someone like her. he’d given up on the thought of the two of them before he had ever really started. but of course, chrissy’s boyfriend jason didn’t know that.

༝   ”what’s the freak drawing-?!”

eddie shot his gaze up as jason and his gang started approaching him in the park by the school.

“you, naked.” eddie smirked at him, and jason’s nostrils widened from anger. he marched over to eddie, and eddie tried to close the sketch book, but jason snatched it from his hands just in time.

“give it back,” eddie spat, jumping up and trying to grab the book, but jason stepped away, quickly opening the page eddie was just on.

“i bet it’s some nasty shit about the monsters in his stupid game,” one of the guys laughed from the side, but jason wasn’t laughing. he was staring at the book with furrowed brows and an open mouth. eddie clenched his jaw, waiting for jason’s final reaction.

“what the shit?” jason spat. he turned to look at eddie, and held the book up, showing him the page. it was a picture of chrissy. nothing sexual, just a sketch of her leaning against the desk in maths class, staring out of the window, chewing on her pen. something eddie was more focused on in the class than the actual lecture.

“you’re drawing my girlfriend?” jason asked, raising his brows.

“whaaaat? she’s your girlfriend?” eddie faked, and jason growled, throwing the book in to the trash.

“oh, you’re dead, freak.” he growled, walking off to eddie and sucker punching his face. eddie fell to the ground, and before he could get up, jason kicked his rib, making eddie fold. the other guys started to kick him as well; and then the bell rang.

“guys— guys, i think someone’s coming,” one of the boys yelled, and they stopped.

“this isn’t over, bitch.” jason spat to eddie, and then they took off, leaving eddie lay on the ground. ༝

“chrissy,” eddie said. “what are you… doing here?” he let out a nervous chuckle which hurt his ribs, gesturing around. “i don’t think this is where the cheer practice is.”  “i saw you,” chrissy said, walking closer to him, ignoring his joke. “what happened to you? why are you bleeding?”  “i tripped.” eddie said, and chrissy only stared at him, blinking.  “oooohkay- guess we’re not buying that one,” he cleared his throat. “your boyfriend. your boyfriend happened.” he fake smiled, wincing a little at the pain it sent to his lip.  chrissy’s brows furrowed.  “jason?” she asked.  “you have more than one idiot boyfriend?” eddie raised his brows.  “jason and i aren’t together anymore.” chrissy said quietly, glancing at the ground. she crossed her arms in front of her chest, and turned her gaze away. it wasn’t that she felt awkward talking about it with eddie— it was that jason had been such a douchebag to her, that it made chrissy uneasy just talking about him in general. “i, uhm… i broke up with him last night.”  “oh,” eddie said, not even realizing how his tone of voice just kinda raised in a hopeful manner. “i mean-“ he now tried to brush his reaction off. “good for you. he’s a real dick.”  “yeah.” chrissy said, and eddie just looked at her.

short silence.

”cop or robber?”

“cop.”

the sun of California was shining brightly on a hot, Sunday evening on the yard of the Hargrove’s yard.

billy sighed, rolling his eyes. “what a surprise.”

“well you asked me!” willy defended himself.

“whatever—! get on your side.” billy snapped.

the 8 year old twins backed to two opposite unsteadily drawn chalk lines on the asphalt.

“okay. you ready?” willy asked.

“i was born ready.” billy smirked, turning his baseball cap to the side.

“alright braggart: here i come!” willy shouted. he jumped forwards and began chasing billy, who burst out in laughter while running away from him.

—

“dude, are you ready? can you open the damn door-? you don’t live here alone, you know.” billy smacked his fist to the bathroom door.

“in a second!” willy shouted back from behind the door.

“dude i am going to piss on the floor.” billy spat, and just then willy slammed the door open, flashing his brother a warm fake smile.

“all yours.” he said, bowing at his twin brother.

“you were shaving?” billy quirked a brow, looking at his brother’s face. they looked really similar, really; well, they were twins after all — but there were a few things telling them apart. billy’s hair was curly, where willy’s was more wavy rather than curly. willy had several ear piercings, billy had one. and if you ask willy, the most important thing telling them apart— wait, that’s something you probably don’t need to know.

“first day of new school,” willy said. “i don’t wanna look like a complete jackass.” he nodded at billy’s scruffy face.

“whatever, loser.” billy rolled his eyes and stomped to the bathroom, slamming the door shut.

willy shook his head, tired of billy’s constant anger. of course willy knew that billy had always been angry; it was in his natural instinct, or something, to get pissed at the slightest inconveniences. but ever since their mother died, it had gotten worse. everyone has their own ways of dealing with grief, of course — but the way billy was handling it, was something willy just couldn’t get behind. so what he was doing these days, was just ignoring it. he thought that if he ignored it, it’ll just go away; billy will get tired of hating the world and the entire universe eventually. he’d always been the one for attention, and willy knew his twin; he knew that his constant anger was also him acting out, wanting to show the world just how bad he was hurting. he turned his sadness into anger, but didn’t accept help or comfort. he just wanted to bathe in his own little tub of hatred. and eventually, that’s why willy had come to the conclusion to just let it be. it was billy’s life, not willy’s; whatever stupid decisions his twin made to make his own life more miserable, wasn’t willy’s problem.

willy had made his way to his bedroom, and was currently looking at his appearance from the mirror. after a moment he sighed.

“as good as it gets,” he murmured to himself. he was wearing a black band tee, a light denim jacket and a pair of jeans.

then there was a knock on the door, which made him turn rapidly. standing by his door was max, their stepsister.

“hey,” max smiled, and as she looked at willy from head to toe, she smirked. “looking good.”

“you think?” willy asked, self-consciousness splashing through from his voice. “i hate being the new kid.”

“trust me, you can’t hate it more than me.” max mumbled.

“thats debatable.” willy said, throwing his backpack over his shoulder. “are you ready to go?”

“yeah— i was gonna ask you the same thing.” max said. “it is okay i ride with you, right?”

“are you kidding me? of course.” willy said as he started to walk towards max, and then they began walking to the front door. “i wouldn’t let you drive with billy ever. he drives like he and everyone in the car has nine lives.”

“that’s why i don’t ride with wussies.” billy appeared from the living room, biting into a green apple.

“good morning, billy.” max said to him, sarcastically.

“morning, ginger.” billy snapped. “what, you don’t wanna ride with me? i am so, so hurt.” he said, faking a pout, but his eyes stayed dead serious.

“see you at school.” willy snapped at billy, starting to make his way out. “and try not to kill anyone on your way.“