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It was only the second week of school and his excitement for high school had already run its course. His Sophomore mentor/partner, whatever they called it, Ryan, was a nice guy, but he seemed to have his head in the clouds and he wasn’t much help to Mike. He explained the ins and outs of the class schedule and how the days alternated. He talked about how to sign up for clubs but that was about it. Anything else he wasn’t helpful with.
Dustin and Lucas seemed to have better luck, Lucas raved about Jay and Dustin and Leonard connected on a scientific level. There was Steve who always suggested tips to surviving high school, but not only did Mike have to explain to him that they were nothing like him and probably would never be… but Dustin was Steve’s favorite, and he wasn’t subtle about it, so they were always laughing and chatting cutting into the “sound advice”.
He had to admit he was a little jealous.
He had Nancy, she was helpful but only when she wanted to be and only when Mike asked. Otherwise, they went about their school lives separately. He would never admit this but he missed talking to her and they promised no more secrets so long ago… but they did not keep that promise. But a big sister wasn’t the same as having a big brother.
Mike walked towards his locker, he was carrying the textbooks he forgot to plan for. His book bag wasn’t nearly big or strong enough for this. He liked to read, he would always be ahead of the assigned reading, but whose idea was it, to have giant text books for each class? He would like to talk to them for a little bit.
It was like all of the teachers got together and planned to give their students their textbooks all at the same time. The size of that Biology book should be a crime. Last week was all syllabus, introductions, papers for their parents to sign and the chance to sign up for clubs. This week was when everything truly began.
He was annoyed.
Mike shifted his load, as he got to his locker to put in his combination. 32 left, 7 right, 12 left. He groaned under the weight of the books. The large Biology textbook, digging into his boney wrist, as they teetered in his arms.
Click!
He almost dropped his books trying to pump yes! when he got the combination on the first try.
“Hell yeah,” he said under his breath, hefting the stack into his locker. There was one more class today, which meant one more book… only to do it all again tomorrow. He would get his mom to buy him a better book bag and then he would be in business. He let out a sigh of relief, his arms no longer feeling like they were about to fall off. Maybe he should take Steve up on his offer and work out with him, even if it’s just to strengthen his arms.
He laughed at the thought.
Mike closed his locker and turned to head to class when he was knocked back into his locker, grunting in surprise and at the impact. He gasped at the sudden spray of red liquid that splashed all over him, some of it clinging to his chin. Dark eyes narrowed as he looked up to see three upperclassmen, laughing, and pointing. The blond one holding his dripping cup.
“Watch it Freshman!” The blond said, shaking his cup in Mike’s direction so even more liquid splashed on him. Mike covered his face, his arms tucked in to save what little of him was unblemished.
“Yeah, watch it,” the curly haired one said, parroting the blond who was clearly the ring leader. They all laughed and began to walk away. Mike huffed, looking down at his shirt. The annoyed feeling he already had was piling on now, it filled him with anger. Some things never change.
“Assholes,” he muttered under his breath, shaking off the access drink… What was it? A slushie? They were major assholes. Apparently they heard him as they stopped and turned. The blond walked up to him first and crowded him back against his locker.
“What was that Freshman?”
Mike couldn’t help but to shrink back even though he was a couple of inches taller than all three of them. What good was being tall if it didn’t keep him from being bullied? He wasn’t twelve anymore but some things never changed. However, he thought of Eleven and how she took on Troy and James a few times to protect him. He wished she was here because she could make this experience bearable. But right now, he wanted to pull from her confidence and strength.
The annoyance welled up in his chest, along with fierce anger but he didn't say anything. Instead his eyes were dark and narrowed, potentially an intimidating image but the upperclassman just laughed, the blond one glancing at his friends as his raucous laughter caught the eye of other students who walked by, glancing at the scene but doing nothing. Mike’s eyes followed a group of students as they walked by, his eyes imploring but they ignored him.
The blond fisted his shirt and jerked Mike forward as all three of them closed in. It happened so fast that Mike was sure he got whiplash.
“Just because you’re taller than us doesn’t mean we can’t kick your ass,” the blond whispered in his ear. Mike didn’t doubt that. He couldn’t fight. At least not like this. He’s faced demogorgons, demodogs, a Flayed Billy and the Mind Flayer. He should be able to handle these jerks but… but he couldn’t. He flinched as he prepared for a punch but it never came.
“Hey,” Mike cracked open an eye, gulping, seeing the raised fist prepared to connect if it wasn’t for the voice. “Leave him alone.”
“Get out of here Freak, this doesn’t concern you.”
The other student was tall, maybe a little taller than Mike. He wore a Metallica shirt under a denim vest and a black leather jacket. Also noticeable was his long mop of curly hair. His dark eyes were hard as he stared at the scene, his arms folded across his chest.
“You know, Stanley, it would be funny if your rich mommy and daddy found out that you like to have parties whenever they go out of town,” the student dubbed ‘Freak’ looked at his nails, his expression nonchalant. The other students glanced at each other and laughed uneasily. Mike was honestly tired of their laughter. They were like badly written bullies in fictional novels.
“Parties that have teenagers fucking in their guest bedrooms, their bed, not to mention all the booze and drugs…”
“They won’t care!” Stanley, the blond, Mike assumed, said back in a gruff voice.
“Besides, who would take Eddie ‘the Freak’’s word over mine?” Eddie the Freak? Mike thought, his eyebrows raising.
“Okay, how about,” Eddie rubbed his forehead, as if in thought, “At your next party… 50%.”
The other two upperclassmen's eyes widened in shock at the words. The blond faltered, his raised fist lowering and Mike felt his grip loosen.
“Ah, that got your interest,” Eddie chuckled, his smile wide and eyes twinkling. “Let the kid go and at your next party, for all three of you… 50%...each.”
Without a second thought, Mike was released. He stumbled back into his locker, regaining his balance as Stanley and his two lackeys glanced back at him. He was pushed back into the locker once more and Stanley growled a ‘you better watch yourself Freshman’, before stalking away.
Mike grumbled looking down at his ruined shirt, wiping the liquid from his face with the bottom of the already ruined shirt. His mom would not be happy to see the new shirt she bought him be ruined by a cherry slush. He could do his own laundry but he did not know how to remove pesky stains. The older teen, Eddie, tsked, his eyes on the stain.
“You got an extra?”
“What?” Mike asked dumbly. Eddie furrowed his brow and folded his arms, his eyes on the ruined shirt.
“An extra shirt.”
“Oh,” Mike said. He shook his head. “No. But I can see how that would be smart.”
“Yeah, you should always have a change of clothes in your locker, you never know with these jerks around here,” the older teen turned and began to walk away, his wallet chain jingling as he went. Mike didn’t know what to do with that information so he just stood there. Eddie paused and turned on his heel to face Mike again. “What are you doing? Come on,” he nodded his head in the direction he was walking and Mike’s eyes widened in surprise and hurried after him.
They came to a locker decorated with drawings of puppets, bats, guitars and other little doodles. It has personality, Mike thought. Eddie opened his combination with ease and pounded on the middle of the metal and the door swung open. Mike’s jaw dropped.
“Whoa.”
“Don’t be impressed,” the older teen said. “It’s just a shitty locker,” he started rummaging around in his cluttered locker and Mike glanced around, noticing how the gaggle of students began to dwindle. Just as before, some were glancing at him but now because he was with this weird guy and not because he was being held against his locker by some bullies. He decided to ignore them, just like they did him.
“Yo kid?” Mike jumped at the snap of fingers in front of his face, Eddie’s large eyes were focused on him and they were amused.
“What?” Mike asked, not hearing whatever it was Eddie said to him.
“I said, don’t let these assholes get to you. They get to high school, throw a ball, kick a ball… something with a ball… and think they’re the shit,” he grinned a toothy grin and pulled a tin beat up lunch box from his locker. “Hold this,” he grunted, thrusting it into Mike’s arms who scrambled to keep a firm hold, the movement catching him off guard.
“Thanks for your help. I’m Mike by the way.”
“I didn’t ask… and it wasn't a big deal.”
“No one else stopped to help me.”
“Like I said Mike, people around here are assholes,” Eddie turned to him and put a hand with fingers covered in rings on his shoulder. “They’ll all peak here, but people like you and me, we’re made for something greater. The rest of them, they’re gonna run in circles-” Eddie smirked. “When people run in circles it’s a very, very-”
“Mad world,” Mike finished. Eddie raised his eyebrows, a small smile on his lips, removing his hand from the boy’s shoulder. Mike shrugged. “My sister likes that band.”
Eddie eyed him for a second and Mike fidgeted. This guy had intense energy but Mike couldn’t help but to think… he was kind of cool. Eddie turned back to his locker and Mike had no idea what he could possibly be doing in there. He was curious about the lunch box that dangled from his fingers but he didn’t want to risk trying to snoop. Eddie might have helped him but Mike didn’t know him and he could turn on him in a blink of an eye. But he was curious about something else.
“What is the 50% you mentioned?”
“Oh that?” Eddie shrugged his shoulders and continued to mess in his locker, something Mike couldn’t see. “They think they’re going to get a 50% discount at their next party.”
“Discount on what?” Eddie turned to face Mike, his shoulder blocking the entrance of his locker. He looked him up and down and chuckled.
“Weed,” he turned back to his locker and Mike’s eyes bulged. Is that what he was holding? He couldn’t smell anything but he remembered how Billy smelled whenever he came around… like weed, cigarettes and alcohol.
“Weed?” He whispered, his shoulders hunched up around his ears. “Is there weed in here?” He asked holding the lunch box away from him, but Eddie ignored him. “You also never said you were gonna give them a discount… you just said 50%.”
“Exactly. Those idiots didn’t try to barter or nothing, they just took my words and ran with it. Instead, they’ll be surprised to find an upcharge of 50% at their next party. Called the “asshole charge”.”
“My sister Nancy says you should always get it in writing,” Mike added. Eddie nodded in approval and finally pulled out a black and white t-shirt.
“Your sister Nancy is smart,” he tossed the shirt to Mike. “You can borrow this.”
Mike tucked the lunchbox between his knees to hold it in place and unfolded the shirt. His eyes widened seeing the Hellfire Club logo on the front of the shirt. His dark eyes looked back to Eddie who was rummaging in his locker again. He was Eddie Munson. Mike’s words got caught in his throat as he tried to speak to the enigmatic Eddie Munson. He had to be Eddie Munson. A Hellfire shirt AND his name was Eddie?
It couldn’t be that much of a coincidence.
They didn’t know what Eddie Munson looked like but here he was… in the flesh and Mike had been standing at his locker with him for the past two minutes… holding a lunchbox that was potentially full of drugs. They knew the stories about Eddie, how he had failed his senior year 4 times, how he was dangerous, a drug dealer who lived in a bad part of town. That he was loud and scary and a freak… to stay away. But they wanted to join Hellfire regardless, they were… just going to be cautious.
Nothing could be worse than the Upside Down.
They also knew that freshmen weren’t usually allowed into the D&D club, per Eddie’s specific rules but they still signed their names. And here Mike was, with Eddie Munson, holding his Hellfire Club t-shirt.
“Hey,” Mike blinked, shaking his mind clear as Eddie waved a hand in front of his face. “Space out a lot?”
“Sometimes, sorry,” he said. Eddie nodded to the shirt, his arms folded.
“Do you want to use the shirt or not?”
“Oh-oh yeah, of course I do.” Eddie noticed how the Freshman looked at his Hellfire shirt and he went through the small list of names on the signup sheet Gareth gave him. He remembered a Mike on the list but he needed more information. It was a common name after all. But, there was something about this kid.
“What’s your name again?”
“Mike Wheeler,” he answered, passing back the beat up lunch box, peeling off his shirt and making a face at the faint pink stain on his white undershirt.
It could be worse. He thought. He pulled the shirt on and almost combusted with how excited he felt wearing the Hellfire Club t-shirt.
Eddie nodded, pinpointing the name on the list in his mind. He also recognized the younger teen from last week in the cafeteria. He may not be the best at school but he had a good memory and he generally never forgot a face.
Mike Wheeler stuck out being so tall for the Freshman class, he wore some bullshit shirt that his mom obviously bought for him to wear during his first week of high school. He remembered a shorter kid with curly hair, kept under a hat, and a Weird Al shirt, which Eddie still thought was a brave choice and an average height black kid who seemed to be almost too cool for the other two.
They all walked together to find a table in the busy and loud cafeteria. The three of them had caught his eye when he saw how some Upperclassman teased and jeered at them and he could see their confidence collectively drop. At that moment, he concluded all three of them were lost sheep.
Eddie Munson nodded, slammed his locker shut then turned on his heel and began to walk away, the lunch box swinging back and forth in his hands. Mike was dumbfounded.
“Uh thanks and I can give your shirt back-” he called, his voice tapering off at the end. Eddie paused, spun on the ball of his foot with a large grin.
“You can give it back to me on Friday during Hellfire,” he started walking again and Mike’s eyes widened. What the fuck? Was he serious? Eddie Munson never let Freshman join Hellfire…
“Seriously?”
“And bring your two friends,” Eddie called over his shoulder.
Mike watched as Eddie Munson, the enigmatic leader of Hellfire Club, gave a quick bow to let a strawberry blond cheerleader walk past him. He gave her a quick glance then disappeared around the corner. Mike couldn’t believe it. He was going to Hellfire. He was invited personally by Eddie Munson to come to Hellfire. Holy shit. Mike glanced around and saw no one and couldn’t help but to shout a YES! that echoed through the empty halls. Then the bell rang.
“Shit, I’m late,” he groaned, taking off down the halls to his last class. He couldn’t wait to tell Dustin and Lucas.