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Eddie hated himself for it, how his gaze drifted back to her every time he wasn’t talking with his friends; how he’d momentarily forget to chew on his lunch when she’d merely look his general way. He hated how beautiful she looked smiling with her friends all the way on the other side of the lunchroom; he hated how he had fallen for none other than the princess of Hawkins High.
“Eddie, are you listening?” Dustin snapped his fingers in front of Eddie.
He blinked, forcing his eyes to focus on the boy in front of him. The sounds of the mixed voices of students talking and laughing, sneakers scratching the ground, lunch trays hitting tables and faint singing of birds outside tuned back to Eddie’s ears as the image of you became a distant blur when he averted his gaze.
“Yeah man, what’s up?” Eddie popped another cashew into his mouth.
“I asked, what time is Hellfire tonight?” Dustin asked with big eyes, excited to battle the new monster they encountered in their last session. “You still haven’t confirmed and I’m dying to kill that beast.”
A smirk came to Eddie’s lips, he furrowed his eyebrows pretending to think about it. “I’d say we meet at seven, I still have to stop by the library to pick up a chemistry book.”
“You’re studying?” Mike, who sat beside Dustin, chuckled at the thought of Eddie with his head buried in a book.
“Yeah, what of it, Wheeler?” Eddie jabbed back, leaning over the table and closer to Mike, making the boy shut his mouth promptly. “Mr. Anderson gave us a fucking assignment and I need to pass, just so I can shove my diploma on his face.”
Eddie slumped back in his seat, the grin never leaving his face. “This is my year, guys.” His smile faltered slightly when you came into his view, walking past his table and towards the exit; the afternoon sun making your hair and eyes shine. Eddie exhaled softly, he was such a loser. Deep down he knew you didn’t even know his name, probably didn’t even know he existed.
“… It’s my year.” He repeated to himself, looking away just before you walked out the door.
The last bell rang indicating the end of classes for the day, students exited their classrooms in masses, chatting in the school corridors; some stopping by their lockers and others making a beeline for the parking lot.
Eddie did neither, he slung his worn backpack over his shoulder and walked through the less populated corridors towards the school’s library. He passed by only a few other students, not missing the judgemental stares he received from some of them. He didn’t bother meeting any of their gazes, amidst a crowd he had no problem in creating a commotion; but alone, he preferred to keep to himself. Deep down the title of being the school’s freak was a heavy one to carry.
He opened the library doors, making them creak as they moved. An older woman looked up at him through her glasses, he gave her a nod with a tight-lipped smile. The library wasn’t huge by any means, filled with a few rows of shelves loaded with mostly outdated books, with two big windows on the right wall to allow some natural light in and three round tables by the middle of the room for whoever felt like studying here.
The late afternoon sunlight barely peeking through the clouds cast an orange glow over the bookshelves, making dust particles fill the air as Eddie walked by.
His eyes scanned the paper labels taped to each shelf in search of chemistry books. Scrunching his nose in annoyance when he couldn’t find anything.
“Excuse me?” A soft voice called Eddie’s attention, making him turn his head only to be met with the person he’d been longingly watching throughout the year.
“It’s Eddie, right?” You said his name with a small smile, taking half a step towards him. His mouth went dry at the same time his heart sped up.
“Um-” Eddie mentally kicked himself for forgetting how to form words, his brain still going haywire at the fact you knew his name. He settled for an overexcited nod.
“Could you maybe give me hand in reaching a book? It’s way up and I’ll probably knock the whole shelf to the ground if I keep trying to reach it myself.” You chuckled, mindlessly pointing behind you with your thumb.
Your soft laugh brought heat to Eddie’s cheeks. He blushed, he fucking blushed and he felt like a thirteen-year-old boy for it; but the timid smile on his lips let it show he was loving every second. “Yeah, of course.”
You walked back to the row of shelves you came from, Eddie trailing right behind you. “It’s that blue one right over there.” You pointed up to a thick blue and white book that collected dust high up on the wooden shelf.
Eddie glanced up, dropping his backpack and standing up on his tippy toes. The tip of his fingers closed around the book and urged it to fall forward on his hand. With said book in hand, he passed his palm on the hardcover to reveal the title; it read ‘Chemistry, second year and up’.
He handed the book to you, not caring that this was the same one he came here for.
“Thank you so much.” You beamed, storing the book inside your backpack with a relieved smile.
Eddie picked up his own backpack, gripping tightly into the strap once it rested over his shoulder, burying his other hand in the pocket of his pants to stop it from fidgeting. “It’s no problem.”
“What were you looking for?” Pushing some strands of hair behind your ear, your gaze never left him. Up close, he was quite handsome. His big and gentle brown eyes captured your attention, making you not want to look away. Your friends spoke of him as if he was this freak, someone not worth sparing a glance towards and deserving of mean insults. You never really agreed.
“It was uh- just a literature book,” Eddie said the first thing he thought of, averting his gaze for a second to stop the twirling in his stomach. Were you really making conversation with him?
“Already got it, nothing exciting.” He chuckled nervously and patted the strap of his backpack.
“Nice, let’s go then.” You smirked at the flush on his cheeks, walking around him and turning backward when he didn’t move.
“Go… ?” He furrowed his eyebrows in the most adorable lost look you’d ever seen, making you full-on smile.
“Leave. My dad is waiting outside and I suppose you’re going home as well?”
Eddie’s mouth opened and closed once as he thought of what to answer. Did you really want to be seen walking around with him? Even if most students were gone by now, heads would be turned if people saw you two walking side by side.
You raised an eyebrow at him, making Eddie slightly shake his head. “S-sure, I’m leaving too.”
Walking the school hallways with less than a meter between him and you was something Eddie never thought would happen. The school was mostly empty by now, only a few scattered first years remained.
Eddie kept a safe distance from you as you walked, being extra careful to not overstep any boundaries and mess up the last little moments he had with you; which he would sure be replaying in his mind like a fool later on.
You kept rambling on to him about the chemistry assignment, the same one he would have to make. The hand gripping his backpack strap tightened on its hold, a faint smile was now permanent on his lips. He held on to every word you were saying, treasuring the way your voice sounded directed at him deep inside his heart. Sure this would be a one-off event yet feeling elated nonetheless.
Until the main school doors opened, and the real world greeted him with a slap on the face. His skin became a few shades paler when his eyes landed on the brown car parked further in the parking lot. The words 'Chief of Police’ stood out proudly against the car’s paint.
Princess of Hawkins High, one of the most popular and beloved girls of the school, with perfect grades and perfect charisma; and the daughter of Hawkins chief of police. The fact had been blurred inside Eddie’s mind with your presence beside him. Yet now he could only imagine how much Hopper was wishing to kill him only for standing close to you.
“Thank you again for the book.” You turned to Eddie, reaching a hand out to touch his forearm.
He shuddered under your unexpected touch, feeling goosebumps already crawling on his skin. He gulped, brown eyes looking at you with something akin to yearning.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?” You took a few steps backward and away from him, giving him a small wave and smile of goodbye.
“I- yeah, see you, sure,” Eddie called out, his voice losing volume by the end; being able to see Hopper boring his eyes into his soul from inside the car. He risked a last glance at your back, feeling his heart clenching inside his chest for having a taste of something that could never be his.
Eddie walked about four steps before stopping abruptly. Did you just say 'see you tomorrow’?
You plopped into the passenger seat, greeting your dad warmly with a kiss on his cheek.
Hopper took your backpack from you and threw it onto the backseat, his gaze moving to the retreating figure of Eddie. “Are you friends with that guy?”
You glanced in the same way, pursing your lips in thought before answering. “I guess so, why?”
“Hmm, looks like trouble,” Hopper grumbled.
You turned to him with a glare, you knew it was just his protective side but it still didn’t make it fair. “Dad, stop judging people by their looks, he’s actually really sweet.”
“Just be careful is all I’m saying.” Hopper raised a hand in surrender, shooting you a soft glance as he started the car.
Your eyes drifted back towards the school grounds, now empty, you kept your gaze until the car turned the street and the building disappeared. Your mind replayed the image of his kind brown eyes and alluring smile. Really sweet indeed.