Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

***

-Hello! 

-Hi

-You were really good out there.

-Really? 

-Uh-huh. I thought you did amazing. I liked how you were…everywhere. (giggles)

-Gee, thanks. I thought you did pretty good out there too. Those were some cool backflips and high kicks. 

-(giggles) Thank you. I'm Chrissy, Chrissy Cunningham

-Nice to meet you. I'm Eddie, Eddie Munson

-I’ve seen you around school. You’re going to start high school next fall, right?

-Yeah. You just finished sixth grade, right?

-Yes! Wow, I didn’t think you recognized me. I’m so tiny and quiet.

-That’s how I recognized you! You’re so tiny walking down the hallways with that giant pink backpack.

(Both laugh)

-Christina Elizabeth Cunningham! Get your butt over here this instant! 

-I'm sorry, I have to go. Nice meeting you. Hope I get to see you again! 

-Oh, uh ok. Bye then!

-Christina, you listen to me, young lady...I don't want you anywhere near that boy. He's a Munson. They are never to be trusted...He's a Munson.

-He's a Munson...Munson, Munson, Munson. Munson! Munson!! MUNSON!!! HEY! HEY! WAKE UP! WAKE UP!!!

***

"Huh? What? What's happening?" Eddie asks. He wakes up in a dazed. He winces from the sunlight shining down on him. He looks at his surroundings, feeling more lost than ever. That's when he notices he's outside his friend/supplier, Reefer Rick's lake house on Lovers Lake. He's lying on his back, surrounded by empty beer bottles and a couple of burnt joints. 

A dark figure steps in front of him, blocking the sunlight. Rick is tall, chubby, and has on a dark purple hat, dark baggy clothes, and dark boots. He looks mid-aged, having dark hair all curly and reaching down to his shoulders. Rick has a thick mustache and a five o’clock shadow on his face. "Dude! DUDE! GET YOUR ASS UP NOW! COPS ARE COMING!"

The last three words were enough to wake Eddie from his dazed. He scrabbles out of the floor, realizing he's missing his top, leather jacket, and shoes. He's barefooted. "Shit, shit, shit!" he hisses between his teeth as he runs around looking for his clothes. Rick tells him his top and jacket are hanging on the couch and his shoes are near the front door. He runs over, nearly falling face-first on the ground. He crawls over to the couch, finding his Black Sabbath turned inside out and his dark leather jacket with a cut-out, sleeveless denim jacket nearly sliding off. ‘Jesus, what the hell did I do last night?’

Fainted police sirens can be heard from a far distance. Eddie panics more as he dresses himself up. 

"Go out the back way! Through the woods!" Directs Rick. 

Eddie runs over to put on his shoes. "But my van, I came here with it."

"Dude! The. Cops. Are. Coming! They will block you in! Go out the back while you still have a chance! Go! Now!" Rick pushes Eddie out the back door as he barely ties his shoes. 

"Okay, okay, I'm going!" Eddie runs out the back door. The sirens grow louder and louder. He speeds off, a bit cold from the thirty-degree weather outside, but the adrenaline of getting caught by police for the tenth time makes his blood run, warming up his body heat. "Shit, shit, shit!" 

He passes through the forest and finds himself back in town. He makes it to the back way, an alleyway. The sirens die down. Eddie cools his running and catches his breath. He looks around, not spotting any police or anyone noticing him. It's a ghost town. Yes! He's in the clear. He chuckles at himself, thinking he outsmart the cops. He places his hands in his jacket pocket. He walks down the alleyway all cocky with a giant smirk on his face. 'Thought you could get me this year Hopper.' He thinks in his head. 

He reaches the end of the alleyway, up to the streets when suddenly, a police car pulls up in front of him, pushing hard on the brakes. Eddie stops and jolts back. "Holy Shit!" 

The passenger window lowers down, revealing the chief of Hawkins police, Jim Hopper sitting with a stern look on his face in the driver's seat. He glares at Eddie, making his skin crawl. 

"Chief!" Eddie shouts with a nervous laugh. "Happy New Year Old Timer! What brings you up so early?" He asks in a lying tone. He plays innocent in a poor way.

Chief Hopper continues to stare at him, giving him the deadliest look a man could give someone at 7 in the morning. "You know god damn well why I am here this early Munson!" he growls at him. "We have a few words for you-Oh, GOD, DAMN IT!" Eddie takes off running to the other side of the road before he could finish. Hopper makes a forced U-turn, accelerating the gas, and chases after Eddie throughout town. Eddie jumps some fences, climbs over some cars, passes some buildings, and dodges as many police cars as he can while running around.

Sadly, Eddie is forced to give up when he's trapped by some more cop cars. He puts his hand up, looking back at Hopper who cuffs him. 

***

"Damn it boy, it's only the tenth day of the new year, and already you've broken your New Year's Resolution." Grunts Hopper. He's driving Eddie back to the police station. He looks at Eddie through the rearview mirror, his face still stern but a little soft in his blue eyes. Eddie could feel the Chief staring at him, but he doesn't look back. "Kid, come on. What's going on? You promised me and your uncle that you would stay out of trouble this year. We both want you to focus on school and graduate."

Eddie rolls his eyes. He doesn't need to hear the, I'm disappointed in you son... speech from him. It's bad enough he's going to call his uncle and pick him up again from the police station. He stays silent and turns his attention to the window until they reach the police station. 

***

"Munson! Your uncle is here. He bailed you out!" Calls a policeman as he walks up to the jail cellar. He unlocks the cell, opening it. Eddie, all by himself, gets up from the uncomfortable, but never a stranger cold-feeling, brick seat. He's been sitting in jail for about an hour since he arrived. 

"'Bout damn time," He shouts, not giving the cop his attention. He passes him, going through some halls. He presses two doors open, making his way to the waiting room. 

His uncle Wayne waits for him at the corner standing next to the front desk lady. She gives Eddie a disgusted look. He gives her a smirk back, squinting his nose. He turns to his uncle who looks like hell. He must've just gotten home after a long twelve-hour shift at the plant. 'Oops. Sorry uncle.' He gives him an apologetic smile, his dark brown eyes glowing back at him. He laughs nervously as he messes with his long curly brown hair. 

"Damn it, boy," mumbles Wayne under his breath. He shakes his head in disappointment. "You promised me you'd stop doing this! What happened to the New Year's Resolution? Don't you want to graduate high school? Boy, I swear to god--"

"I know, I know, I'm sorry," Eddie mumbles as he passes his uncle. He's heard this disappointing speech millions of times. He understands, he really does, but sometimes he can't help it. Sometimes things happen around him, and he gets put into these types of situations. Ever since he moved in with his uncle 9 years ago, he's been living out his own life while trying to do his best for his uncle. "I swear Uncle Wayne, this wasn't on purpose." 

Wayne stops Eddie, forcing him to face him. "You ‘purposely’ weren't trying to get yourself into deep trouble with your little drug friend? You told me last night before I left for work that you were going to watch a movie and go to bed." He places his hand on his forehead, "We'll discuss more later." He nods his head at the front desk lady as they head out of the building. Eddie smirks and sticks his tongue out at the front desk lady, making her shudder in disgust as he follows his uncle. 

***

Wayne drives them back home in his used 1981 FORD Red and Silver pickup truck. It's beaten up, the red color is fading, and it has a broken back mirror. The two stay silent for an uncomfortable 15 minutes. The only sound coming out was a dying-out radio set to the country station. Reruns of Johny Cash and Willie Nelson songs are playing. 

"Are you even planning on graduating this year, son?" Wayne asks, breaking the awkward silence.

Eddie turns to his uncle, shocked by his question. Wayne doesn't look back at him, keeping his eyes on the road. Eddie crosses his arms together, slumping deep in his seat. "What are you talking about Wayne? Of course, I plan on graduating this year. I’ve only got one more shot. Wayne, I know I've let you down throughout the years, and I'm sorry. I promise this is the last time you will pick me up from the police station. I want to graduate and get the hell out of here! I want to follow my dream and be a kick-ass guitarist living in New York or California. I'm telling you; this year is my year. I don't know how to explain it, but I just do. I feel like '86 is my year Wayne."

"Oh, okay, so running from your drug dealer's house that's planted with illegal drugs and running away from the cops was not part of your year?" A low chuckle comes out of his mouth. The corner of his duel brown eyes wrinkles, making him soften. 

Eddie rolls his eyes, facing the road and buildings passing by on the passenger side. 

"Edward, I know you're trying your best, and I do appreciate it, honestly I do!" Wayne says in a serious tone, "I want to be there and see you walk up that stage and handed that high school diploma. I know it's something your mother would've wanted." ‘Shit, shouldn’t have said that.’ Wayne thinks to himself, immediately regretting his last sentence.

Just like that, ice-cold air runs through his skin. Eddie’s heart skips a beat. He fists his right hand, holding it against his chin, containing himself from doing anything with his hands or screaming at Wayne. He hates talking about his mother or having her mentioned. Don't get him wrong, he loves his mother...well, had loved her.

Wayne sighs. He presses his hands tight on the wheels. They turn left, bringing them into the Trailer park. Forest Hills Trailer Park. He drives through and parks in front of their small one-bedroom trailer. Wayne turns off the engine. Both stay in the truck. None look at each other. 

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring-It's just that-I just want you to have a better life. If you truly mean that '86 is your year, then I believe you. Just please for the sake of my heart and well-being, stay out of trouble. Graduate, and go follow your dream." 

Throughout his life, Eddie has always been told to 'grow up,' or 'get a real job,' whenever he was asked what he wanted to be when he grows up. his answer, ‘I want to be in a band and play in New York. I wanna be a rock star.’ He was always laughed at and told he will never amount to anything. Everyone gave him crap on his dreams, everyone but Wayne. His one supporter. His only true fan and family. When he told him what he wanted to be, he smiled at Eddie. Told him he will do anything if he was that passionate. He patted Eddie on the back and stood by him every step of the way. Wayne was the one that gave him his first acoustic guitar when he was 9 years old and helped him save enough money for his new amp set. 

When Eddie first moved in with him, he was skittish about everything for an 11-year-old boy. Broke Wayne’s heart. He came in with nothing but some clothes on the small backpack that was nearly ripped apart, a black eye on him, and skin to the bones. The acoustic guitar Wayne gave him for his 9^th birthday, got taken away, making Eddie scared and miserable. Wayne found out his father stole his guitar and pawned it for beers and cigarettes.

Wayne was furious when he found out his young brother did that to his own son. While money is tight, Wayne did everything he could to make Eddie feel safe. It took nearly a year before Eddie slowly acted like his own self. On his 12^th birthday, Wayne gifted Eddie with another acoustic guitar. After that, Eddie finally learned that he was safe and that Wayne wasn’t going to hurt him. Wayne never hits Eddie, or yells at him, or calls him ‘stupid.’ Instead, Wayne would just give him a disappointed look, give him a speech, and hug him.

Eddie sighs, "You're right uncle, I'm sorry." He turns to him. Both finally face each other with watery eyes. "I promise to make it a bit easier on you and graduate this year." He smiles at him. 

Wayne shrugs at him, giving him a light pat on his left knee. "I know you will." His voice cracks at the end. He opens the door and gets out. He leaves Eddie inside the truck. 

Eddie sighs, thinking about what they've talked about. 'Damn it.' He sighs. ‘Damn it, damn it, damn it.’ He groans in frustration. He has a huge tendency of letting people down, disappointing them. He swears he promises to do better, but it always falls back on him. Not on purpose, but out of accidental or bad timing. ‘Damn it stupid, you’re a third-year senior and have gotten into trouble 10 days into the year ‘86. So much for saying, ‘This is my year.’ God, were you drunk as fuck when you said that out loud?’ He scoffs out loud. He opens the passenger door. He steps out. “’86 baby.” He sarcastically yells, loud enough to wake up the entire trailer park at 8 am. He stomps into the trailer, slamming the door behind him.

***

Far away on the other side of town in the upper-class neighborhood…

”Christina! Christina! It’s past 8! Quit being so lazy and get your butt out of that bad this instant young lady!”  Shouts a stricken-tone woman’s voice. A roll of thunder slams against the bedroom door over and over again. It’s enough to startle a small, skinny young woman with wild strawberry-blonde hair out of her deep dream.

Chrissy yelps, nearly falling out of bed. She looks around, confused about what’s happening around her. Her heart is racing. She was having a peaceful dream. A dream where she was somewhere else, and she was happy. She could wear whatever she wants, eat whatever she wants, and live life to the fullest.

BANG, BANG, BANG! The knocks get louder and sound aggressive.

”Chrissy! Chrissy! You better be downstairs in fifteen minutes or you will not have any breakfast! Understand me?” The door is slammed one more time before it goes quiet. Footsteps are heard fading out.

Chrissy breathes in a sigh of relief. Thank god she’s gone. She thinks to herself. She sighs as she gets up to change. She slips into her white pants and a thick pink sweater. She puts her hair in a high pony hair and puts on some makeup. However, she doesn’t look at herself in the mirror too much. Ever since she was little, she always hated to look at herself in the mirror. Not because she was ugly-hell, she’s the most beautiful cheerleader in Hawkins High School. No, she hated looking at herself in the mirror because she has never felt beautiful on the outside. She grew up being told what to do, say, react, talk, and even walk. She never felt like she was her own person. All of her clothes were picked out by her mother ever since she was 3 years old. If it wasn’t her clothes, it was either her makeup or jewelry.

She runs downstairs and into the kitchen. There, she greets her father whose sitting at the end of the table reading the morning newspaper, and her 8-year-old brother, Benjamin ‘Ben’ Cunningham as he eats his breakfast. On the table lie some blueberry pancakes, a picture of orange juice, a side plate of freshly cooked bacon, and some scrambled eggs. On the other side of the table, toasted bread, and some butter. It smells so delicious; Chrissy’s stomach begins to rumble. She checks the clock hanging against the wall, showing she made it with five minutes to spare. Great, I can eat. She thinks to herself.

“Made it just in time. I’m starving.” She goes to grab a plate from the counter. She runs over to the pancakes when suddenly, a hand grabs her shoulder, and not in a gentle way.

“Wait! I need to look at you.” Her mother says in a stern, cold tone. She grips on tight to Chrissy’s shoulder. Her long, sharp red nails dig deep through her thick sweater, and into her skin.

Ouch, Chrissy thinks as she crumbles from the pain. Before she says or does anything, her mother forcibly turns her around. Chrissy is facing her mom. Her mother, Laura sneers down at Chrissy. She shrinks from Laura’s judgmental look. Chrissy looks down, staring directly at the floor. She presses the empty plate against her chest, using it as a shield.

Laura lets go of Chrissy and studies her from head to toe, giving the most intense eye stare. She presses her lips together. She groans, giving Chrissy a disgusted look. “Unbelievable.” She mumbles to herself. She shakes her head. “How sickening.”

Chrissy looks up, she wants to know what she did wrong. She holds her breath. “Mom?” She faintly whispers.

“How does this happen? How does it look like you’ve gained 15 pounds during the Christmas break? You look like a fat cow. Great, now I got to redo your uniform in time before Monday when school starts back up. Just for that, you will have no pancakes or bacon. You will have a small amount of eggs. In the meantime, I suggest you double your running time, take more laps. You will have small meals these next couple of weeks. Hopefully by the time Jason’s basketball team reaches the playoffs, you will lose all that extra weight.”

Chrissy keeps herself from tearing up. She cried way too much last night, leading her to fall asleep in bed. Instead, she holds her head up high. “Yes, mother.” She does as she is told to, and grabs a small amount of scrambled eggs. She sets the plate down, grabs a fork, and pours herself a glass of OJ. She sits at the table, taking small bites of her food. Every time Chrissy would scoop herself a good chuck of scrambled eggs, her mother sitting next to her would groan and clear her throat, making it evident that she’s not happy with her choice.

Her father and brother don’t say anything or look at Laura or Chrissy. Philp Cunningham is a successful businessman and owns his own part of the plant. He married his high school sweetheart, Laura, and stayed in Hawkins, calling it their ‘home.’ He loves Chrissy, at least she thinks he does. He never butts in whenever Laura is overwhelming Chrissy, thinking it’s a ‘girl thing,’ and just like him, Ben doesn’t butt in. He learned his lesson one night when Laura was yelling at Chrissy for falling off the pyramid during practice. He stood up and defended his big sister, but only to get slapped hard with her ring hand by Laura. Since then, he’s never said anything back. He hardly looks at them when Laura starts the harsh words and punishment towards Chrissy. Laura has since then treated Ben like a prince. He thinks she’s doing it because she feels guilty about the slap, and he’s right, even though Laura never admits it or apologized.

After breakfast, Chrissy runs up to her bedroom which has a small bathroom, and locks herself inside. She cries, leans next to the toilet, and spends the next five minutes forcing herself to throw up. Once she’s done, she flushes the toilet and cries some more. She brushes her teeth, and flosses.

Thirty minutes later, she changes clothes. She’s dressed for her now 20-mile run around the neighborhood. Before she leaves, she catches a glimpse of her whole body in the family mirror next to the front door. She looks average thin, which makes it even worse for Chrissy. She sighs at the mirror, wondering if she will ever be good enough for her mother’s approval. For years, it’s always been, ‘Cunninghams never ask for seconds,’ ‘It’s not lady-like to show your ugly bucked teeth in front of people,’ ‘Chrissy, I really wish you stop filling your fat face up with food,’ or, ‘You’ve lost three pounds, lose five more!’ She can’t even remember the last time her mother hugged her or told her how proud she was of her. When she was made Cheer Captain in her senior year, her mother responded with, ‘Well, let's hope they listen to a fat cow in the cheer squad.’

She cries again during her jog. She runs to find a place to hide, whether it was behind a bush, or behind a house, she would find a place to cry her heart out. She thinks about everything in her life. She was raised to be happy and be a good little girl and to always listen to the adults. If she rebelled, she would get a good knock-sense talked to and promised to never act up again. The further she ran, the hungrier she got. Her stomach began to rumble. Since she doesn’t eat on a regular or safe basis, her stomach growls in pain, in desperate need of food. She wraps her arms around her stomach, almost as if to shield it from Laura’s ear.

She takes off again, finishing up her laps. She runs back home, showers, and changes into something more comforting. She slumbers back into bed, holding on tight to her stuffed animal, a pink bunny she’s had since she was five years old. It was given to her on her 5^th birthday by her grandmother. The only person in the family that actually cares about Chrissy and listens to her.

Grandma Emily Cunningham was her father, Philip's mother. She was a gentle soul, good-natured, a down-to-earth woman. She was a loving mother to Philip as he was an only child. When she first met Laura, she thought that Laura was a bit too stuck up but supported her son when he decided to marry her. When Chrissy was born, Emily loved that child to death. She would present her first granddaughter with hundreds of gifts. She gave her thousands of stuffed animals and eventually, knitted Chrissy a pink bunny stuffed animal. When Laura would talk down on young Chrissy and make her cry, Emily was always here to rescue her. She would take her for a walk where she would treat young Chrissy to some ice cream or snacks and not tell Laura. Grandma Emily would try to talk to her son about Laura’s behavior towards Chrissy, but he always put it to the side, or say, ‘I will talk to her about it,’ and never do it. A year later, Grandma Emily was diagnosed with Stage 4 Breast Cancer. Three years later, she lost the battle a shy before her 87^th birthday in the summer. Chrissy at 9 years old lost her only friend and loving family member who loved Chrissy for who she was.

She didn’t have that many friends, despite being popular in high school. She would meet classmates and make a friend or two but when it came to having visitors over, Chrissy would pretend that everything is happy and wholesome in the Cunningham house. Her mother pretended to be loving and caring, letting her listen to music out loud, and even chow on some snacks her friends would bring over to share. But by the next day when her friends leave, she would be punished by Laura for eating snacks. A small amount of breakfast, no lunch, and a small amount of dinner for three days. The friend who brought the snacks over was never invited back. Laura saw that particular friend as a carefree woman who listens to rock music and gets into trouble. Laura ordered Chrissy to stay away from her. Given no choice, Chrissy tearfully did. Over the summer, Chrissy’s little friend moved away. Since then, Laura got the last say on who can come over and who can’t.

“I miss you, grandma,” Chrissy whimpers into her stuffed bunny she named, Johnny after musician Johnny Cash. When Chrissy went over to Grandma Emilie’s house, she would put on Johnny Cash. Grandma Emily would sit on the rocking chair holding young Chrissy, rocking her back and forth as they listen to Johnny Cash. When June Carter Cash sang alongside Johnny, Chrissy would fall in love with her voice. She would fall asleep as her grandma holds on tight to her while whispering against her ear, ‘I’ve got you.’ That feeling of being held tight made Chrissy safe. With her grandmother, Chrissy felt like she was truly at home. Visiting Grandma Emily was the one thing that made Chrissy happy. When Grandma Emily died, she was left with no one to protect her from her mother. Not even her boyfriend of 3 years, Senior and captain of the basketball team, Jason.

Jason Carver, whom Chrissy began dating since sophomore year of high school may look and act like Prince Charming from the Disney Princess movies, but he mostly acts like a prince than being one. Jason Carver, also known as the King of Hawkins High, makes Chrissy, Queen of Hawkins High. Something she thought would be fun but isn’t. Not while the king is acting like a fool.

In sophomore year when Chrissy and Jason first started dating, it was sweet puppy love. Chrissy thought he was sweet, charming, and cute but a year into their relationship, he’s become more about himself and less about Chrissy’s feelings. He used to bring her flowers, wrote her poems, took her to expensive places, but quickly when the former king, Steve Harrington who nearly lost the throne to rival Billy Hargrove moved into town with his little sister, Max from California graduated high school in ‘85, Jason has been chasing the throne of Hawkins High since Day 1. There are days that Chrissy takes her out of the house, but only to go to the Starcourt Mall where his friends are there, and she’s still being watched by her mother's eyes.

When Chrissy introduced Jason to her family, her mother was static. She and Jason’s mother were very close friends at the Country Club and had talked about having their oldest children get together. Jason was born in a catholic family of five. He has two young brothers the same age as Ben. Jason was a straight-A student and did some volunteer work at the shelter. He helps his youngest brothers with homework and spends his time playing basketball and spending time with his family. A perfect boyfriend. A boyfriend that every mother in Hawkins would love to have dated their daughters. He’s every girl's dream, everyone, except Chrissy. She planned on dumping him the weekend before the Thanksgiving holiday, but when Laura learned about this, she told Chrissy that no other boy will treat her or love her the way Jason does. She convinces her all the other boys in Hawkins would see her as a vulnerable little fawn.

‘But I don’t love him anymore!’ cries Chrissy with tears pouring down her face. She’s wearing an itchy fluff-up orange dress with white stockings and black pumps. They were always so tight on her that even clipping her toenails dangerously short doesn’t help how painful the shoes were. Her hair is sprayed up, combed up, and curled up. She has glittery makeup on that makes her scratch her face. She’s all alone in her parents' bathroom, crying for twenty minutes before she steps out.

***

It's the morning of Thanksgiving and Laura had just done Chrissy’s hair and makeup. She’s about to leave the bathroom in her parents’ room until Laura stops her.

‘What is this?’ She asks with a short tone in her voice. She pulls out from one of her drawers a small pink book with little hearts around it. It’s Chrissy’s diary.

Chrissy looks at her diary, anger sets in, but then she immediately pulls it back before she can express it on her face. In fear of getting the ring hand again. She calms herself down, thinking of how to explain why…if she gets a chance. ‘Mother, I…I can—’

‘Explain to what? How stupid you would be if you do this! Why on earth do you want to break up with Jason? He’s a gentleman, someone with a bright future. Not to mention his family is rich. If you marry him, you will be set for life. You don’t have to get a job. You can be a housewife! Don’t you want that?’ Laura places Chrissy’s diary down on the sink table. She goes over to pat Chrissy on the shoulder. Chrissy feels the touch on her shoulder, but it feels cold. Less feeling. ‘Chrissy, honey, you know you can’t live out in the real world on your own right? It's dangerous out there. If you dump Jason, graduate, and move out all by yourself, the world outside of my reach will either use you for your body or kill you. Trust me, you’re better off with Jason my dear. Stay with him. It’s the smart choice.’ She takes her hand off Chrissy’s shoulders, leaving it colder than before.

She attempts to leave the bathroom until Chrissy makes a shaky statement, ‘But what if I don’t love him anymore?’ It took a few seconds until Laura came back around, and slap Chrissy across the face. Luckily, it was with her other hand and not her ring hand. The slap echoes throughout the bathroom. Chrissy gasps as she slowly brings her hand up to touch the side where Laura hit her.

‘You ungrateful little brat.’ Laura hisses, ‘After all that we have done for you and what Jason has done. You take that back and say that you will never break up with Jason. Say it.’

Chrissy looks over at her mom, ‘But-.’ She gasps when she saw her mother’s hand raise up. She shrinks down, wincing at the hand. ‘Okay, okay.’ She says, sniffing through her hands. ‘Okay, I won’t break up with Jason. I promise.’

‘I don’t ever what to hear about this ever again!’ Laura roars, making Chrissy shrink further down. ‘You live here, then you listen to my set of rules. Either you continue seeing this wonderful boy, or you will find yourself out on the streets, broke, homeless, and pregnant.’ Those words are the exact words her mother would tell her whenever she thought about expressing her interest in everything she liked.

*

‘Mom, I like this band/singer.’

‘If you listen to this type of music, you might as well work as a stripper at the club.’

‘Mom, can I get these? They look cute!’

‘Absolutely not! No daughter of mine would go strutting down Hawkins dressed like a fat whore! You’re better off keeping your legs together.’

‘Mom, can we get a kitten? I promise I’ll take good care of it.’

‘Not on my clean furniture. How stupid are you Chrissy? Pets are dirty, helpless, and leave a mess.’

‘Mom, I don’t think I want to cheer again. I don’t feel happy anymore.’

‘Don’t be stupid. Cheering is the only thing you are slightly good at. If you do better and eat less, you will be on top of the pyramid in no time. Plus what are you going to do if you don’t cheer? There’s nothing out there for you. You are either somebody or nobody at all!’

*

***

“I wish I was out of this stupid town,” she cries into her stuffed bunny. “I wish I could just leave, just drive off and leave. I wish I was somewhere else. I wish, I wish I was dead.” She stops and thinks back to what she just said. Did I just say I wish I was dead? She sighs, moving herself on the bed, staring at her ceiling. Death. That doesn’t sound too scary. She thinks to herself. Death. Being gone. Out of this misery. Out of everything. I can finally be free. I can go somewhere, away from this cruel town. Away from mother. Away from Jason. Away from the pain. Away from it all. But can I do it? Can I really do it? Can I just end this all at once? She shakes her head, “No, no I can’t. I can’t. I won’t.” I hope. She cries more in her bedroom. Soon, she lays there for almost two hours, motionless. Unwilling to go back downstairs.

***

Back at the trailer park…

Eddie changes into his black sweatpants and a faded gray ‘Black Sabbath’ shirt with giant sleeveless holes on each side. He settles on the bed that weaks of spilled beer and coffee. He had just closed the door, letting his uncle go back to sleep before he has to get up around 5 pm for his next shift.

He grabs his notebook with hand drawings of demon faces and skulls on the cover. The corners are all bent and ripped up. He opens it, turning a couple of pages into it. In the background, he has his radio turned up but all the way up, jamming to Rio from his cassette tapes. The song ‘Rainbow in the Dark,’ comes up. Eddie finally reaches a recent page from last night. It's notes and ideas for a song he’s been working on since October.

Eddie looks up at his red electric guitar that’s hanging against the wall. He smiles and looks back at his notes. He begins thinking of ideas. Since middle school, he’s been writing his own songs just for fun until he created a band called, ‘Corroded Coffin’ with one of his best friends, Jeff Robinson. Eddie plays guitar while Jeff’s lead singer and also plays guitar. They hosted auditions and met their third member, drummer, Gareth Emerson, and bass player Dale Higgens. Both are also into Dungeons & Dragons. Another plus for the two new recruits.

Another thing that is keeping Eddie busy. Besides being a third-time senior and being in a band, he’s also a leader of his D & D campaign, ‘The Hellfire Club.’ Since his first term as a senior, he’s been the leader of the club. He organized the campaign more than he does with school. Probably one of the reasons why he failed twice. Well one of them was not his fault.

After twenty minutes of thinking, he grunts in frustration over not coming up with anything. He looks up at his ceiling. He clears his mind. ‘God damn it. God damn it.’ He thinks back to what happened to him earlier this morning. He places his hands on top of his head as he leans back on his pillows.

He groans, moving his hands to his face. “Way to go dumbass. Just couldn’t say ‘no’ to Ricky, couldn’t you? God damn it!” He moves his hands out of his face, dropping them on each side. He looks at his entire room. It’s messy as hell.

He has dirty clothes, and papers from school lying everywhere. There are a couple of empty beer cans on his corner table, on his amp, and his small desk beside his bed. He looks at his band’s name he created years ago for the middle school talent show. He loves the banner so much he decided to hang it up in his room.

Eddie thinks back to his first performance at the talent show.

He threw up twice before he walked to the auditorium where the talent show was taking place. He’s wearing all black, has black eyeliner, a silver chain wrapped around his waist with two handcuffs dangling to the side. He shaved his head last month so his hair is slowly growing back. He has on black heavy boots that barely fit him. He borrowed Jeff’s black boots for tonight. Jeff has an older cousin that is almost the same size as Eddie, but the boots he let Eddie borrowed were a size small. Apparently, Jeff’s cousin is tall with small, unusual feet sizes. He remembered how nervous he was.

“Oh god, oh god, oh god. I don’t think I can do this.” He whimpers to himself as he gets out of the boy’s bathroom. He begins to change his mind. He thinks about how he can break the news down to his band members before they get called up. He doesn’t want to perform in front of all of the students and teachers. “I can’t do this. I gotta call Uncle Wayne and ask him to come pick me up. I’ll make it up to the guys some other time.”

“Really? That’s a shame. I really wanted to see you perform out there,” says a low soft voice from behind him. It’s enough to make him jump and turn around.

“Woah!” He shouts.

“Sorry!” laughs a little girl with giant blue eyes staring back at him. The girl is dressed in a green cheerleading outfit with glitter on the edge. She has her strawberry-blonde hair pulled up in a high ponytail, showing off her beautiful face with some glitter around her eyes. She has pink lip gloss on and light blue eyeliners. She jumps back, instantly regretting her decision. Not because he looked scary looking, but the guilt of startling him. She pulls her hands together, resting on her chest. She lets out a nervous chuckle, smiling big at him.

Eddie looks back at the little girl, mesmerized by her beauty and blue eyes that sparkle from the light. He’s never seen anything so gorgeous in his entire life. He’s so lost in her eyes, he forgot why he felt his heart racing, and not because of his jitters.

The little frowns nervously at him. “Are you okay?”

Speak stupid! He shakes his head, bringing his mind back to earth. “Uh, yeah, yeah.” He clears his throat. “Just nervous. I don’t know if I can do this. I look and feel stupid.” He gives her a nervous laugh.

“Oh,” the little girl says, “well if it makes you feel any better, I’m nervous too. This is my first time doing a cheer performance with my friends. I threw up before I got here. My parents are here, so my nerves are everywhere. I feel like I’m losing my mind. I sure hope I don’t mess up.” She looks down, lifting herself up and down by her feet. Her white shoes pressed close together. She moves her hands down but still together. She begins to swirl around her fingers.

Eddie seeing this cute little girl telling him how nervous she is warms his heart. He smiles at her. Amazed by how cute she is. He’s also amazed that this brave little cheerleader is talking to a tall and scary-looking boy. She’s so tiny, she could fit into one of his pockets. “Really?”

“Yeah, and I don’t think you look stupid. Especially with that awesome eyeliner.” She says lifting her head back up. “Normally you don’t see boys with makeup on.” She giggles. “Is this your first time performing in front of everyone?”

“Sort of. I played for my uncle a couple of times. He’s the only one that sees me go crazy on my guitar.”

The little girl laughs again. “Well, in that case, I really do hope you go out there and perform. I like rock stars.”

She likes rock stars huh?

“Really?”

She nods her head. “Yep. I dig them.”

Eddie smiles at her. They stay there, looking at each other. Both giggle.

“Well, I guess I’m going out there,” Eddie says.

“Oh yay!” She jumps up and down, clapping her hands together. She smiles at him, giggling. It’s enough to let out all of the jitters from his body. “Oh, I can’t wait. Good luck. I will be rooting for you.” She gives him two thumbs up.

“Thank you. Good luck to you on your cheer squad. I will be rooting for you.”

The little girl smiles at him. “Thanks.” She leaves, going to the auditorium. Eddie stares back at the little girl until she disappears.

Eddie takes a breather once he’s all alone. He thinks back to what the little girl just said. He thinks back to what she was wearing, her makeup, her hairstyle. Everything about her. She wasn’t even afraid of him or his outfit. She jumped because he probably scared her with his yelp. She looked and talked to him like a regular person. He admits he finds it a bit odd that a little girl wasn’t so scared of a big scary looking eighth grader. Either way, he shakes it off and goes to the auditorium, and meets up with his band members. He keeps his word and goes out to perform. He does it for the brave little cheerleader.

At the end of the performance, almost no one clapped for Eddie and his band. No one, but the same little girl in her cheerleading outfit from backstage. She gives him a huge smile and even waves at him. Eddie smiles back at her. Just as they were leaving, the little girl and her cheerleading friends enter the stage to perform next. Before he leaves, Eddie gives the little girl a thumbs up. She spots it and winks at him.

Holy shit, she winked at me. She clapped for me and my band when no one else did. She was there, cheering him on. She didn’t care that her friends gave her a strange look and told her to stop. She smiled at him. She encouraged him when he doubted himself. At that moment. Eddie knew he had to see her again.

After the talent show, everyone was preparing to either leave or chat for a while longer. Some parents arrive at the school to pick up the kids. Eddie’s bandmates have already left. He waits for his uncle who had to work tonight but will leave briefly to go pick up Eddie, drop him off at the trailer, and drive back to the plant to finish up the full 12-hour shift.

While Eddie waits for his uncle, he spots the little girl again. She’s walking around, looking for someone. Could…could she be looking for me? No, no, that’s silly. She’s probably looking for her family or friends.

Just then, the little girl spots Eddie. She smiles and runs over to him. Eddie stands completely still, not knowing what to do. The little girl reaches him. She’s smiling. Eddie smiles at her.

“Thank goodness, I was afraid you left.” She says to him.

You…you were looking for me? Really?

“You were really good out there.” She says.

“Really?”

She nods her head at him. “Uh-huh. I thought you did amazing. I liked how you were…everywhere.” She giggles again, only this time she tries to cover her mouth.

“Gee, thanks. I thought you did pretty good out there too. Those were some cool backflips and high kicks.”

She giggles again. She lowers her hand down. “Thank you. I’m Chrissy, Chrissy Cunningham.” She pulls out her hand.

Seeing this, Eddie does the same and raises his hand up towards her. They shake hands. “Nice to meet you. I’m Eddie, Eddie Munson.” They break their hands away.

She smiles at him. “I’ve seen you around school. You’re going to start high school next semester, right?”

She’s seen him during school and believed he was an eighth grader. Wow, this girl is amazing at remembering things. He didn’t think anyone was paying attention to him. Chrissy. Your name is Chrissy. Come on Munson, don’t blow this. “Yeah. You’ve just finished sixth grade, right?”

Chrissy lifts her head up at him. “Yes! Wow, I didn’t think you recognized me. I’m so tiny and quiet.”

“That’s how I recognized you! You’re so tiny walking down the hallways with that giant pink backpack.”

The two laugh together.

“So, I was wondering if—”

“Chrissy! Chrissy! Christina Elizabeth Cunningham! Get your butt over here this instant!” Calls out a loud woman’s voice a few feet behind them.

Chrissy turns around. Eddie follows her eyesight and spots a tall woman with short, puffed dark blonde hair. The woman has on bright red lipstick and a long tan dress with pointy shoes that matches. She doesn’t look too pleased by what she sees. She crosses her arms.

Chrissy turns back to Eddie. “I’m sorry, I have to go. Nice meeting you. Hope I get to see you again!” She runs over to her mother.

Eddie waves ‘bye’ to her. He keeps his eyes on her. He notices Chrissy’s mother yelling at her.

“Christina, you listen to me, young lady,” She turns to him, giving him a dirty look. The mother turns her attention back to Chrissy. She’s loud enough that he can hear everything that she’s telling Chrissy. “I don’t want you anywhere near that boy. He’s a Munson. They are never to be trusted.”

“But mom—”

“No butts! Come on! Let’s get out of here.” She grabs a strong hold on Chrissy’s arm. She yanks Chrissy out of the building. “I can’t believe they let that boy and his band perform that devilish music.”

Eddie stands there, sadden by Chrissy’s brief exit and warning from her mother to steer clear of him. ‘He’s a Munson. They are to never be trusted.’ Those harsh words run through his head. He sighs, blaming his father for their reputation.

“Eddie!” Shouts a familiar voice. Eddie turns around. He sees his uncle coming up to him. He’s still in his light brown body suit from work. “I’m sorry I’m a bit late picking you up. I tried to get off early to see you perform, but my boss is being a jack-uh, a pain in the butt.” He looks over at where Chrissy and her mother left. Judging by his hard glare, he overheard everything. He turns back to Eddie, giving him a reassuring pat on the head. “Come on, let me take you home.”

Eddie nods his head. “Okay.”

Thinking back to the middle school talent show, Eddie never stops thinking about Chrissy. The only girl in his young life that treated him as a human being. Chrissy. He takes a breather, wondering if she ever remembers that night. He never forgets.

Eddie, without thinking, grabs his guitar pick he has wrapped around his neck with a black chain. It’s the same guitar pick he used at the middle school talent show. “Chrissy.” He closes his eyes.

Chapter Text

March 13^th, 1986.

Chrissy had just celebrated her 18^th birthday…well in her mind, she ‘celebrated’ her birthday. All day, she was cherished with ‘Happy Birthdays’ from most of her classmates, cheerleaders, and random students from down the hallway. Jason Carver arrived at Chrissy’s house in his black 1971 Jeep Cherokee that his rich father gave to him after he announced he made team Captain of the Varsity Boys’ Basketball team. Jaso treasured Chrissy with a dozen red roses and a ‘Happy Birthday’ card with his hand-written note, “Love, Jason. Your King.”

She doesn’t show it, but she rolls her eyes in her head at the word, ‘Your King.’ Whenever they spend time together alone, Jason would obnoxiously call himself ‘King.’ At first, it was cute, but now he uses that word a lot. “Listen to your king Chrissy,” “I’m the king of Hawkins High, aren’t I?” “Always listen to your King, Chris. I know what’s best,” and “As king…” She found it annoying. Making him stuck up.

Her parents wished her a ‘Happy Birthday,’ and presented her with a cash of $100. Ben also wished her a ‘Happy Birthday,’ and presented her with a hand-drawn of him and Chrissy. She thanks them and leaves with Jason.

After nearly a hundred classmates wished her a ‘Happy Birthday,’ in a couple of classes, she leaves her Math class and is scheduled to go to lunch with Jason and a couple of his teammates and some junior cheer mates. But as usual, she skips out and goes to a mostly empty girls’ bathroom in an empty hallway next to the School counselor. There, she forces herself to throw up her breakfast. A horrible daily routine, even on her birthday.

After she was done, she flushed the toilet one last time and rinsed her mouth up with the fountain water. She wipes her mouth with paper towels and looks at the corner of herself in the mirror. She shivers from the cold air brushing against her white flat shoes, light blue capris, and a tight white shirt with a pink jacket over it. Her hair is half up, half down with a pink scrunchy.

Just then, a sharp pain hits her head. She groans from it. She lightly touches the top of her head. “Ow.” The pain goes away, leaving her speechless and confused. ‘That was strange’, she thinks to herself. She shakes it off and washes her hands. She takes a breather before she steps out of the bathroom.

Looking at the clock down the hallway, she’s got an extra fifteen minutes before lunch ends. She thought about going to the library and hide in the forbidden romance section, but the library is on the other side of the school, along with her next class. She sighs, knowing she has no option but to go to lunch and sit next to Jason.

She goes to the cafeteria, spotting Jason and the rest of the jocks sitting at the far end of the room. She walks over, crossing her arms together and placing them in front of her stomach as she passes the smell of cafeteria pizza. Her stomach growls. She whimpers as her stomach begins to hurt again. Just then, her head begins to hurt.

“Ow,” She says, as she walks slowly, fearing she might’ve thrown up too hard, causing her to have pain over the vain muscle on her forehead. She stops in place when the pain grows intense. She looks down at her shoes. “Ow, ow.”

Knowing she’s standing in the middle of the walkway, she turns around. ‘Maybe I should go back to the bathroom. I hope Jason or any of the girls didn’t see me.’ She turns around and attempts to speed out of the cafeteria. She doesn’t bother to look back up when suddenly, a hard forced object or person slams into her, almost bumping her backward.

“Oof,” calls out the stranger.

Chrissy gasped, feeling guilty for causing someone else’s misfortunes from her actions. She looks straight at the person, apologizing instantly. “I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry! That was my fault. I didn’t see where I was going.”

The two look at each other. It’s a young boy, almost as tall as her. He is a little plus-size, short, has khaki capris, a Hawaiian short-sleeved jacket, and a shirt with a giant weird Als face on it. His hair is combed with grease, showing off his brown curly hair.

“No, no,” says the young classmate. “That was my fault. I wasn’t paying attention. I was rushing back to my table.” He chuckles, giving a big goofy smile, showing off his missing front teeth.

Chrissy looks at him, immediately calmed by his chuckle and his sparkling brown eyes. She gives him a shy smile. ‘Thank god he’s not mad at me.’

“Word on the hallways is that it’s your birthday, your majesty. Happy Birthday.” His smile never goes away.

Chrissy smiles at him. “Thank you,” she whispers. The longer she looks at him, she can’t help but wonder if she’s seen this kid before. But before she could begin to think, she heard footsteps at a fast pace coming from behind her.

“Watch where you’re going freak!” shouts Jason. He puts his arm around her, pulling her under his arm. She crumbles underneath his rude strength. “Chris, you alright babe?” He doesn’t sound that concerned over Chrissy as he keeps his stone-cold blue eyes directly at the kid.

In the nick of time, Chrissy’s headache goes away while she tries to calm Jason down and drag him away. “I’m fine sweetheart. I promise.”

Jason gets overly possessed when another boy, whether it’s from school or in town, always hovers over her. He wants to let every guy know that she’s taken. Thanks to him, she never has any guy friends. Not since she made friends with a new student named Andy Smith. He had a similar interest in books, and they wanted to hang out at the library and talk about it. When Jason found out, he followed Chrissy like a helpless puppy, literally putting his hands on her the second Andy came into the room. The possession was too uncomfortable with Jason’s presence, so he stopped spending time with her. Chrissy was furious and had a discussion with Jason about it. His defensive response, ‘Babe, what’s a king without his queen?’

“Woah, calm down there buddy. I was just apologizing to her and making my way back to my table.” The kid holds his hands up in a surrender way. His smile dies out, taking in a more serious tone. He walks past them, giving Chrissy an apologetic gesture. Chrissy smiles back at him before Jason could notice it.

Jason scoffs at the young student. “What a freak.” He murmurs.

Chrissy turns to face Jason. “Don’t say that! It’s mean to call someone that.” She frowns at him, giving him her rarest fits. “He seems like a nice kid.”

Jason looks down at Chrissy with a confused look. “Are you kidding me? That little twerp that bumped into you is in that satanic club. Remember we would see them strutting down with their shirts every Friday? ‘Hellfire,’ they call it. They cast dark spells, do animal sacrifices, drink blood, and call for the devil.”

Chrissy frowns at him, then looks over to where the young student ran off to. He goes over to the near end of the table, taking a seat with a group of other students who look a bit tough and scary. All of them were wearing ‘Black Sabbath, Metallica, Rio, or Wasps’ shirts and dark pants.

They look scary, but when Chrissy examines them closer, she can see a couple of students talking, laughing, and having lots of fun. They eat regular food. No sign of any animal parts or blood. One looks awkwardly tall and skinny. He has dark curly hair. He’s reading a book. It reads, ‘Dungeons and Dragons.’

She turns back to Jason, confused and not believing it. But she doesn’t say anything.

“It’s a good thing their freaky leader isn’t here.” Jason murmurs.

“Their leader?” She asks.

“Eddie ‘The Freak’ Munson.” He replies.

‘That name. Why does that sound familiar?’ She thinks to herself. ‘That name…why do I know that name?’ She shakes it off. ‘Maybe it’s a common name.’

“Where is he?” She asks.

She gaps, not believing she said that out loud. Jason turns to her, his cold blue eyes glaring. He doesn’t blink.

“Don’t bother worrying about that freak. Who cares. As long as he’s not here to bother my queen. I’ll protect you from him.” He dedicates with a wild smile on his face. He leans in closer to her, his weight growing painfully heavy on Chrissy. She winces.

‘That’s nice, but who is going to protect me from you and my mother?’ She wishes she could tell him that, but once again she keeps her mouth shut.

Her mother's stern words flooded her head, ‘It’s not lady-like to speak your mind, Chrissy. Just stand there and smile.’ She gives Jason a fake smile as they make their way to their table.

As it turns out, Eddie Munson was at school, but he was hiding in his van, completing his final campaign for next Friday. Before Spring Break. He’s been battling both wars this past month. He’s been battling to keep his grades up in his English class and making sure his final campaign is something he’s going to remember.

He kept that promise to himself and his uncle that this year would be his year to graduate. He’s done everything to get his grades up to at least a D average. That’s still passing.

Ms. O’Donnell’s class is not an easy one. She’s part of the reason Eddie failed twice. Not for being unfair, but for being completely strict with how she grades, and her finals are usually a 10-page essay. But still, Eddie pursues, trying his best to keep his mouth shut and actually doing the school work. He mumbles to himself, finishing up before the bell rings for class. He chews on his bag of pretzels and chugs a can of soda.

After school, Chrissy gets a ride from Jason and is dropped off at her house. Jason apologizes to her, saying he has to go back to school for some more practice for the Championship game against Christian Academy. They’ve won the championship five times in a row.

Deep inside, Chrissy was relieved Jason would be gone the rest of the day. She kisses him goodbye and leaves. She goes inside, it’s quiet. She goes to the kitchen and spots on the counter a small slice of vanilla cake with a single candle on top. There is a note and a small lighter next to the cake.

On the note, Chrissy reads, “My boss invited us for dinner at the last second for a big promotion. Ben is spending the night at his friend's house. We should be back later on tonight. Be sure to exercise 5 miles before bed. Don’t eat too much cake. Remember, Thursday is Jason’s game. He needs his skinny cheerleader girlfriend cheering him on. Love, Mom, and Dad.”

She scoffs at the words, ‘love’ and ‘Mom’ in the same sentence. She tosses the note away and eats no more than two small bites of her birthday cake.

She wasn’t surprised by her parents ‘sudden’ dinner date around the same day as her birthday. Avoid the awkward situation of Chrissy’s eating disorder. Years ago, her father noticed something was up when Chrissy would barely eat her food at the Country Club one night. He kept eyeing her, but never pulled her to the side and asked her what was going on.

That night, Chrissy goes to bed. She hated her birthday. Always act like a royal, but never allowed to express freely. It’s 10 PM by the time Chrissy drifts off to sleep.

An hour later, she is awakened by the sound of something hitting the floor. A thud. She lifts herself, scanning every corner of her room. There’s nothing out of place. Confused and half-awake, she goes back to lying down. She calms herself down by thinking of any logical reasons for the unknown thud.

‘Maybe I dreamed about it.’ She thinks. She closes her eyes, going back to sleep.

Tick, toc, tick, toc, tick, toc.

Chrissy opens her eyes again. She holds her breath, hearing a strange clock ticking. It sounds like it’s coming from outside. She gets up, listening very closely. She walks around the room, detecting the location. It’s the backyard.

She walks over to the window and opens the closed pink curtains. It has a full view of her backyard. From a far distance, she notices something that gives her goosebumps. She sees, standing out in the middle of her backyard, a tall dark figure, standing completely still.

“Hello?” She calls out as she opens her window.

‘Chrissy?’ Laura’s voice echoes from the dark figure.

She gaps as she jumps back. “Mom?”

‘Chrissy?’

“No, no, no. How could that be?” She asks herself.

‘Chrissy? Honey?’

Not sure of what to make out, Chrissy grabs her pink robe hanging on her chair next to her desk. She puts it on and rushes downstairs. She makes it out the back door. She calls for her mom who has suddenly disappeared, leaving behind a low mist.

Her heart races, wondering where her mom has gone to. ‘Was…was I just imagining it? Did I really just see her?’

‘Whoo, whoo!’ calls an unknown voice from a high distance behind Chrissy. She screams from the sound, turning around. It’s an owl.

Chrissy breathes a sigh of relief. “That’s it! I’m out of here.” She tells herself as she rushes back to the back door. She opens it, closes it, and locks the door behind her. She doesn’t bother to look back. She instead runs upstairs and reaches her bedroom door. She opens it and runs inside, only to find herself back in the backyard.  

“What the heck? How did I end up back in here?” She whimpers.

Just then, tick, toc, tick, toc, tick, toc.

Chrissy runs over to the door. She opens it, but it doesn’t pull open. It’s stuck. She begins to jerk at it to open.

Panic sinks in as the clock ticking grows louder. Chrissy whimpers loudly, giving all of her strength to open the door.

Suddenly, the ticking stops. She stops and turns around. There’s a giant grandfather clock standing in the middle. Alarmed by it, Chrissy slowly walks towards the clock. Her breath is heavy, her legs begin to tremble.

She stands five feet away from the clock. The whole yard is silent. Even the owl stops hooting. Chrissy keeps her legs still, terrified to take another step forward. She stares at the clock. It says, ‘3:45’.

‘CHRISSY!’ calls out a deep demotic male voice coming from behind her.

She screams, jerking herself out of bed. She wakes up, finding herself back in her room. She’s sweating, tears roll down her face. She looks around, frightened if something dark and scary is coming from a dark corner. She blindly searches for her stuffed bunny. She soon finds it, clutching it close to her chest.

She looks over at the clock on her nightstand.

12:03 AM.

She whimpers into her stuffed bunny. “Oh, that was one heck of a dream.” She whispers to Johnny. She keeps him close as she slowly goes back to sleep.

However, it isn’t until around 2 AM that Chrissy finally goes back to sleep.

***

The next day after cheer practice, Chrissy is the last one to leave the gymnasium. She took a shower and changed into her workout clothes. She puts her hair up in a high ponytail. She grabs her pink duffle bag and heads out of the girl's locker room. She makes her way down the hallway where her mother waits for her at the front of the school.

As she makes her way, Chrissy notices how truly empty and unsettling the hallway is. “Wow, those girls left fast.” She tells herself. “Usually they stay around and wait until everyone gets a ride home.”

Just then, one of the hallway lights flickers on and off. She looks at it, uneased by the feeling.

She’s halfway out of the main hallways when suddenly, ‘Chrissy?’

She stops in her tracks, confused by what sounds like her mother’s voice echoing in the hallway. “Mom?” She whimpers.

‘Chrissy? Chrissy dear!’

She turns around. She sees nothing.

“Mom? What are you doing here?”

‘What do you mean sweetheart? I’m here to screw on your uniform.’

She hears her voice coming from another hallway. It leads down to the home economics and Art class. She follows her mother’s voice as it grows louder and louder the closer she gets.

‘Chrissy? Can you come in here, please? I almost got your uniform ready for the basketball game.’

Chrissy turns a corner and reaches the home economic small hallway. She hears a screwing machine go on and a light flickering from inside one of the rooms. She cautiously makes her way in. Only the back lights of the room flicker on and off. No one else is inside but a dark figure at the end of the room, its back facing her. It’s working on one of the machines.

Chrissy feels her heart racing as she gap. Sweat and heat runs down her whole body. Her fingers begin to twitch. She breathes heavily, almost hyperventilating. She stands close to the door, her legs too shaky to move another inch.

“Mom, how did you get in here? The janitor locks the doors after school.”

The figure suddenly stops screwing. “Stop being stupid Chrissy. I already told you. Now, I’m almost done.” The voice at the end didn’t sound like her mother. It sounded demotic. The figure slowly stands up, its bones crackling.

Chrissy whines. She begins to see a clearer view of the dark figure.

The figure is dressed in her mother’s clothes and has her hair, but the skin is dark and slimy. It turns its head, showing a demon face with red eyes and sharp rotting yellow teeth. It growls at her, ‘Chrissy!’

“Ahh!” She screams as she backs up and shuts the door behind her. 

Just then, the doorknob slowly turns. In fear, Chrissy grabs the knob with both hands and holds it shut. The figure screams her name as it tries to pull it open. She screams as she tries to hold on for dear life. She whimpers as the voice grows louder, thundering at the door.

“No, no, no, no!” She screams at the dark figure. She continued screaming until she found herself back in her bedroom. She opens her eyes, sweating again. She stops screaming, gasping for air.

She looks at her clock. 11:35 PM.

Her bedroom suddenly opens. The lights turn on. It’s her father. He’s dressed in blue pajamas, a thick navy blue house robe, and brown house slippers. He nearly broke the door open when he heard Chrissy scream.

“Chrissy! Honey, are you okay?” He asks, gasping for air as well.

She tries to calm herself down. Relieved to see her Dad. “I’m fine. I’m sorry I woke you guys up. I…I just had a bad dream. That’s all.”

Philp sighs, his duel gray eyes soften. “Oh sweetheart, I’m sorry about that. It was just a nightmare.”

‘Yeah, sure. A nightmare. Twice in a row though?’

She sighs, embarrassed for what she has done. If Ben had come in, she probably would’ve wept in her stuffed bunny. She convinces her Dad to go back to bed. He finally gives in and leaves, turning off the light.

That night Chrissy stayed up all night, too afraid of going back to sleep. When she finally did go back to sleep, it was close to 6 AM, Sunday morning. Two hours later, her mother wakes her up to get her ready for church. The entire time at church, Chrissy had trouble keeping awake.

***

On Monday afternoon, Chrissy is in her English class, struggling to stay awake. One of the bad times to stay awake in class considering the teacher is Miss. O’Donnell. A class she’s having trouble with.

She yawns as she looks over at the class clock. It’s her first class of the day, and twenty minutes in, she’s fucking miserable. She had just had a little argument with Jason earlier on the way to school about her appearance.

Last night she ended up falling asleep and had another terrible nightmare. She was in her house, all alone. She was running around, being chased by something evil, calling her name. No matter where she went, even if she ran out the front door, it would either be a dead end or by magic, another room, leading her trapped.

She woke up and found herself sitting with her family at the dinner table. Everyone is acting like everything is normal. She looks at her plate in front of her, seeing it filled with yummy foods that she can’t have. Suddenly, the food is infested with millions of tiny black spiders crawling out and spreading everywhere. She jumps out of her seat, screaming bloody murder.

She wakes up again, only this time it’s for real. She’s back in her bedroom. Her parents come in to check up on her. She apologizes to them again. They leave the room, not knowing what to do with their daughter. Chrissy doesn’t go back to sleep.

When Jason came over to pick up Chrissy for school, he was horrified by the way she dressed. She had on a dark blue polo shirt with blue pants and white sneakers that she would usually wear with her cheerleading outfit. Her hair is half up, half down with a blue scrunchie. She barely has any makeup on. Just pink lip gloss. No golden earrings this time.

Inside Jason’s car, he lets out a loud grunt in disproval. “Wow, um, sweetheart, um, I hate to tell you this, but you don’t look too well. Whatever you’re going through, I really need it to be gone by Thursday. Remember, we are at Game 6 here! We need to win tonight and tomorrow! If you are like this,” he points at her up and down, “then that makes me look bad, and I don’t want everyone to give me a strange look that might upset me before the championship game.”

She rolls her eyes at him. “Seriously Jason?”

“Yes, babe! Come on! I need you to look good out there for me. We are in this together. You’re my queen.”

“Miss Cunningham!” Shouts a voice.

Chrissy snaps out of it. She looks up, Miss. O’Donnell glaring down at her. Low chuckles are soon heard from around the room. ‘Oh no, I’m making a scene.’ She takes a huge gulp as she thinks of a way of apologizing to her.

Miss O’Donnell, standing tall with short, faded blonde curly hair, and wears an out-of-fashion dress that covers her arms, knees, and ankles. She has bright red lipstick and heavy purple makeup on her eyelids. She sighs at Chrissy, giving her a disappointed look.

“Miss Cunningham, I suggest you quit daydreaming and pay attention to what I have to say next. This involves your grade which will affect whether you take my final or not.”

“Sorry,” She mumbles out loud.

Miss O’Donnell scowls at her. She clears her throat. “Well, before I was rudely interrupted, this week before Spring Break, we will be…”

As she trails off, Chrissy grabs her pink notebook from her backpack and opens it up. She flips a couple of pages before she reaches a fresh page. She begins to doodle some little birds (Not perfect, but perfect for her) flying. She doodles some more, blocking out her teachers' announcements.

Minutes later, she turns the page when out of nowhere, hundreds of spiders-similar to her dream- crawl out of her notebook and spread everywhere. Chrissy screams, closing her eyes and jumping out of her seat.

She screams again, but when she opens her eyes, she’s back sitting in her chair. She’s screaming bloody murder in the middle of class. She looks around at the floor, the spiders disappeared. She turns back to her notebook; the spiders were gone. Vanished.

She gasped, it felt so real.

“Miss Cunningham!” Shouts Miss O’Donnell. She rushes over to Chrissy. The classmates look at her, confused and whispering to each other about her.

Chrissy jumps out of her seat when Miss O’Donnell reaches and is about to touch her. “What on earth is going on with you Miss Cunningham? Do I need to send you to the nurses' office, or call your mother?”

“No, no, I will be fine.” Chrissy insists, calming herself down. “I just need to use the bathroom.” She gathers her things and leaves the classroom. She at this point doesn’t care if students are talking behind her back. She doesn’t feel safe or can concentrate well. She steps out and goes to the nearest bathroom. She hides in one of the stalls for the rest of the class period.

When the bell rings, she puts on a brave face and goes to her next class. But sadly, it gets worse for her. By the time she reaches her third period class, she begins to hear disoriented sounds of clocks ticking, and spiders showing up in corners and then disappearing.

It got so bad that halfway through her math class, she fell asleep and had another nightmare. It got so bad that her teacher signed her up to go to the school counselor's office. Miss Kelly. She met with Miss Kelly and tried to deny her troubles affecting her school grades. After twenty minutes, Miss Kelly suggested they meet up twice a week. Wednesday and Friday. Before lunch. Chrissy agrees if she doesn’t call her mother and she stays in cheerleading.

For the next three days, Chrissy suffers from her nightmares. She begins to get dark circles from under her eyes.

***

By Thursday she is at a state where she wants to give up and end the torcher. End her misery of being haunted by her nightmares and withdrawing her from everyone. She doesn’t care about anything around her. She soon draws the attention of rumors about her mental state and her relationship with Jason during the Championship game week. Jason noticed how terrible she was getting, but never bothered to ask. Instead, he grows irritated at her for looking this ridiculous. He condoles her, calling her lazy, and selfish.

After history class, she exits the room when suddenly a good friend of hers pulls her to the side. It’s a childhood friend of hers she made when they were young and attended the same Country Club. April Winters. She’s the same age as Chrissy and just recently moved into her school.

When Chrissy was little, she met this little girl with long curly dark hair, brown eyes, a beauty mark, and tan skin. Her mother was a former Super Model. Her father, Adam Winters is a successful realtor man.

Her parents befriended Chrissy’s parents immediately. She met up with April one day, and they hit it off immediately as well. They were the only young girls at the country club besides some boys, so it wasn’t hard being friends with her.

Both have a lot of things in common. They love to dance, what their favorite music, actors, colors, animals, and dreams. Both wish to move out of their small town, and out of the state. They want to explore the world and be free.

For a long time, April lived further out from Hawkins. She lived in the nearest town, but they didn’t have a country club, only Hawkins did. So, April wasn’t with Chrissy all the time growing up, but she did learn some things that Chrissy told her that no one else knew. Her food struggles because of her mother, and her fake and miserable relationship with Jason Carver.

During the holiday break, April and her family announced they were moving into Hawkins and that April would attend Chrissy’s school. Both girls were extremely excited about the news.

When she came to Hawkins, Chrissy stood by her side the entire time. Jason, who knows April through the country club, sort of likes her. He gets a bit jealous then and now of when she and Chrissy would be spending most of her free time and days with her.

April, dressed in almost a Madonna-style outfit looks at Chrissy, getting eye-to-eye with her. “Chrissy, honey, are you doing okay? You don’t look like yourself.”

‘When did I ever?’ She sighs, unsure if she wants to tell April about what’s going on. She wants to tell her about the nightmares, but she’s too scared that her only true friend will judge her or call her names.

She looks back at April. Her dark brown eyes staring back at Chrissy. She’s three inches taller than Chrissy. Her lips, glowing red. “Nothing much. Just having some trouble getting a good night's sleep.” She gives April a fake smile.

April doesn’t buy it. She gives her a look. A look that says everything, ‘Girl please, who are you trying to fool? What is it?’

They stay silent for a while. Both do not care about the students around them or the fact they will be late for next period class. In fear of getting into trouble, Chrissy caves in. “It’s nothing really, well it shouldn’t be. It’s just really bad nightmares. I don’t know how to explain it, but it all felt so real. Like I was in real trouble.”

April studies Chrissy. She sees the dark circles under her eyes, and how distant she looks right now. She’s seen Chrissy like this whenever she gets harshly punished by her mother when she was young and at the country club. She sighs, and her eyes soften. “Okay, okay, okay.” She gently rubs Chrissy’s shoulder up and down a couple of times.

Chrissy does her best to not break down and cry right in front of everyone in the hallways. She looks away.

“I think I might have something that could help you…if you really are having a hard time relaxing and going to sleep.”

Chrissy turns to her, confused about what she just said. “What are you talking about?”

April looks around to see if anyone is eased dropping. The coast is clear, but they only have 5 minutes until the warning bell rings. She leans in close to Chrissy. “How bad are the nightmares?”

“Super. Like I’m seeing some unnatural things that shouldn’t happen. It’s making me lose my mind. Have you ever had that?”

She shakes her head in sorrow. “Unfortunately, I don’t, but I do know something that I’ve overheard recently. Last Friday, my history partner, Jamie Hanson brought weed or something from this ‘freak’ they call.”

‘She wouldn’t be talking about…’

“Eddie ‘The Freak’ Munson. He’s a third-repeat senior, but apparently, he does drugs on the side. Jamie was having panic attacks like crazy, so he asked ‘The Freak’ for something to relax him. Three days later, he’s calmer and hasn’t had a panic attack since the night before.”

Great, just what she needs. Ask for some illegal stuff that might help her with her nightmares from a big scary high school student who is a little controversial. It’s bad enough that she’s jumpy and has trust issues, but now she has to go up to the scary student and ask for help. ‘What if he laughs at me? What if he makes fun of me? What if he tells everyone in school?’ She takes a breather. ‘Then again, how desperate am I to do something like this?’

“Chrissy?” April asks nervously.

“Huh?” She asks, snapping out of her trail of thoughts.

“I asked how desperate are you to give it a try?”

She sighs, “I’m willing to try anything. What do I do?”

April sighs, but her face is soft. “Okay then.” She digs in her backpack and pulls out a small, wadded-up little note. She hands it to Chrissy. “This is his locker number. Jamie gave it to me in case I wanted to try. Get a small piece of paper, write down your name, locker number, and what you want, and stick it in his locker in between classes before last period. By the end of the school day, check your locker and he will reply with a note saying where to meet up, when, and to bring cash up to a hundred.” She leads Chrissy to walk with her to next class. Luckily they have class beside each other.

Chrissy looks at the small note. ‘219.’ Her heart beats at the sight of it. She quickly places the note in her front pocket. “Thank you for helping me.” She tells April as they strut to class.

“Just be careful. I’ve never done it, so I wouldn’t know what he’s truly like. Remember, you don’t have to do this. I’m just giving you an option, but If you want to do this, please be safe and smart.”

Chrissy reassures her that she will watch out.

After cheer class, Chrissy had finished thinking it over and decided to be brave and ask Eddie for help. ‘If he really is that mean and scary, then it’s his loss for not helping out a small and frightened girl. I can’t say I tried everything if I don’t do this.’

She reaches her Spanish 2 class, realizing she’s in the small hallway where all of the 200-400 locker numbers are located. In the middle of class, she wrote down what she remembered from April and later asked to use to restroom. When she does, she hides the small note in her back pocket.

She doesn’t search that long for Eddie’s locker. She finds it, noticing a sticky note attached to it. She reads it, ‘FREAK!’ Disgusted by the cruel word, she looks around, knowing she’s alone, and rips off the cruel note and throws it on the floor. She pulls out her note, giving it one last look before sliding it inside Eddie’s locker.

Chrissy leaves, hoping the note is good enough for Eddie. ‘Hi, I was wondering if you could help me with my sleep and anxiety problems. Locker 11, Chrissy C.’ She out of habit, put a small heart shape at the end. She prays all the way back to class, hoping she gets a note from him by the end of the day.

When school ends, Chrissy rushes to her locker. She opens it, relieved to see a small note fall out. She quickly retrieves it before it hits the floor. With shaky hands, she opens the folded note, ‘Meet me tomorrow after school deep in the forest behind the school tracks. There’s an abandoned picnic table there. BRING CASH! E.M.’

Her heart skips a beat. She’s going to get help. It’s going to happen tomorrow. She places the note against her chest. She breathes heavily. ‘Thank you.’

“Hey, Chrissy! Ready for tonight’s game?” Jason calls out as he makes his way through the crowd over to her. She quickly hides the note in her backpack as she gathers some more books out from her locker. She pretends everything is normal as she meets up midway with Jason.

That night, Chrissy gets everything ready for tomorrow. Her schoolwork, her uniform, and some birthday cash she places in her backpack. She worries about going to sleep but reminds herself that she will get something to hopefully help her. ‘Tomorrow, tomorrow. Just think of tomorrow. Just a little bit longer.’ She thinks to herself as she drifts to sleep.

***

She wakes up before her alarm clock. Another nightmare. This time, this demotic creature almost got her. She gets herself ready for school, putting on her cheer uniform and doing her hair and makeup. For once, Laura trusts her this week to do her own hair and makeup. Maybe a little bit of independence now that she’s 18.

She gets everything ready, almost forgetting about the money in her backpack. ‘Eddie. After school. The picnic deep in the forest.’ That little thought of him gives her enough strength to go downstairs, breathe in Laura’s snarky comments about her uniform, and wait for Jason to come pick her up. ‘You can do this, you can do this, you can do this.’

Chrissy and Jason arrived at school early along with the rest of the cheerleaders and varsity basketball players. They were getting ready for the morning prep rally for tonight's championship game. Both teams are one win away.

Around 7 AM, school starts, and the students gather to go to the gymnasium by Miss Kelly and some of the teachers. The prep rally begins. Chrissy puts on a brave face for the crowd. After their performance, Jason and his team come in to say a few words. Of course, when Jason gets the mic first, he makes a speech, but not before declaring his love for her. She kisses him, silently telling him to leave her alone.

Classes go well, and Chrissy keeps reminding herself about the secret meet-up. Before lunch, Chrissy is ordered to skip her science class and go to Miss Kelly’s office as it is Friday. Her day with Miss Kelly. She goes to see her, only to tell her little bits about her continuous problems. By the end of it, Miss Kelly leaves Chrissy with a few words of wisdom.

“Chrissy, always remember you are your own person. You make the final decisions. You can do whatever you want, as long as you believe in yourself and the people you trust.” She thinks about it as she tearfully punks up her breakfast in the Girls' bathroom stalls during lunch.

***

“The devil has come to America. Dungeons and Dragons, at first regards as a harmless game of make-believe, now has both parents and psychologists concerned. Studies have linked violent behavior to the game, saying it promotes satanic worship, ritual sacrifice, sodomy, suicide, and even…murder!” Eddie reads out loud, sounding dramatic and sticking his tongue out in front of his friends as he reads the Newsweek magazine his uncle brought this morning when he went to a gas station to buy some more cigarettes.

He laughs with his friends in the cafeteria. They found the article obnoxiously hilarious. A thousand perfect lies about the game that’s nothing but imagination and fantasy. When things calm down, Eddie sees through the corner of his eye, freshmen Dustin Henderson and Mike Wheeler joining them at the table.

“Society has to blame something,” points out junior-year, Dale with a low sigh, “We’re an easy target.”

“Exactly,” Eddie says crossing his arms and being pouty at the thought of him and his friends already getting bullied enough. Now the whole town is tricked into thinking a damn fantasy is a devil-worshiping cult. Thinking about it more drives him mad, so mad, his legs begin to get all antsy.

“We’re the freaks because we like to play a fantasy game.” He’s got to do it. He’s got to do it. Everything in his entire body is telling him to do it. “But” He gets up, placing one foot on the table, and leaning himself up. Pretty soon, he’s on top of the table, making himself feel proud and taller. ‘Hello, peasants.’

Some eyes draw to him. He makes sure everyone hears what he has to say, “As long as you’re into band,” he eyes directly at some of the band geeks across the table, “or science,” he turns to the science geeks next, “or parties,” he sneers at the party groups, some give him ugly looks, one gives him the finger. He then catches his eyes on the basketball varsity table. All of them, act as if they are ‘heroic’ knights. Talking, joking, being annoying jerks. “Or a game where you toss,”

He puts his hands over his mouth, yelling and looking directly at them, “balls into laundry baskets!”

A boo is heard in the crowd. “Loser!”

Annoyed and irritated with Eddie’s outgoing remarks, Jason stands up from his seat. He glares back at Eddie, ready to take him, “You want something freak?”

Eddie glares back before he puts his hands up, making devil horns. His wide are eyes open and his tongue sticks out. He makes a demotic gargling sound from the back of his throat.

His friends laugh, thinking of it as a joke.

Jason stays still, intimidated by his devil face. He doesn’t react anymore, knowing Eddie is full of shit. He’s all bark but no bite. No one could have kept him quiet in high school. Not even Billy. No matter how many times Billy threatened or beat the shit out of Eddie, he never shut up. He watches as Eddie puts his fingers down, grinning now. He slowly turns away, leaving Jason feeling defeated. “Prick.” He murmurs to himself as he sits himself back down.

“It’s forced conforming. That’s what’s…” He leaps down, jumping in front of and scaring one of the library teachers. “…killing the kids!” He shouts.

His friends laugh again as the library teacher scurries off. Eddie grins as he soon notices two cheerleaders walking his way. They hold onto each other’s hands, getting close to each other. They try not to make eye contact with him.

Being taught to be a gentleman all the time by his uncle, Eddie stops and steps back, giving a small bow. He lets them pass. Neither acknowledges his presence as they brush past him. Eddie grins at them, making his way back to his table. “That’s the real monster.”

Eddie still has his mind focused on the small little note from yesterday. He’s dumbfounded…trying to process the fact that in reality, Chrissy Cunningham asked him for something to help calm her down. Her. The same girl who encouraged him to go out on stage to perform. Chrissy. ‘In a couple of hours, I will see her again.’ He thinks to himself.  

“So, uh, speaking of monster,” says Dustin, snapping Eddie out of his thought bubble. “Uh, Lucas has to do his ‘balls in a laundry basket game.’” He stops for a moment, pretending to act calm and cool. Eddie can see right through his nervousness as he takes small bites of his pretzel. Dustin begins to chuckle nervously, sending the entire group on edge for what he might say next. ‘Where are you going with this Henderson?’

***

After school, Eddie makes a quick stop to his van. He drops off his school books in the back and fishes out the stuff for Chrissy. He dumps out his pretzel crumbs from his dark lunchbox. He places the stuff in the lunchbox and then makes his way to the forest.

Along the way, he thinks of the things he wants to tell her. ‘Hey, you getting ready for Spring Break? Shit no, don’t say that. Um, so, you having some fun after today? No, not that. Oh, so, the queen of Hawkins wants to explore the dark side? What the hell? God, don’t say that. Um, so, having trouble focusing, me too.’

He groans. He hits himself on the head. “God, you are such an idiot.” He snarls to himself. “It’s just a drug deal. It’s nothing else. Just pretend it’s a normal deal. Come on man, you can do this. You’ve gone through more challenging stuff than this. Why is it so god damn hard for you on this one?” he scoffs, ‘Dummy, you know the answer. You’re pathetically in love with Chrissy Cunningham.’

He stops midway, not knowing if he can go through with it. He wants to turn back around and hide out in the theatre room until Hellfire begins, but he can’t. He knows he needs the money. He’s saving up as much as he can from his deals so that when he does graduate, he has enough to get him the hell out of Hawkins. He reminds himself of the victorious C plus he got from Miss O’Donnell’s class. “Damn it.” He mumbles as he continues forward.

He thinks of some more things to come up with to say. ‘Uh, hi! You may know me around the hallways, but um,’ he shakes his head at the thought. ‘Damn it, no. Be smart. Think for a second. She’s buying from you, which means she’s probably going through something troubling. Remember what the note said. She was feeling a bit anxious…What could she be going through?’

Apparently, Eddie thought way too hard about it and wasn’t paying attention to how close he was to the picnic spot. Before he knew it, he bumped into her as she was running backward from something. She gives out a loud yelp, turning around and backing away from him. The collision woke Eddie up, but the yelp and backing away from him was a heartbreaking reality of what he was.

Not wanting her to be afraid of him anymore, he jumps back and with his free hand raises it up in front of him as surrender. “Whoa, whoa, hey, hey, hey.” He says, trying to calm her down. “Sorry.” He chuckles nervously. He smiles at her, showing off his dimples. “Didn’t mean to scare you.”

She’s not backing away anymore, but she still looks frightened. She looks up at Eddie, her big blue eyes getting glossy. Her lips tremble. She’s still breathing heavily. She looks like she just saw something scary.

‘Jesus, what’s wrong?’ He studies her, up and down. She looks small and fragile. “You okay?”

Chrissy blinks a couple of times. She turns back to the tall oak tree behind them. Nothing is there, Before, there were hundreds of spiders crawling out of a grandfather clock. ‘Was I imagining it?’ she thinks to herself. Eddie follows where she’s staring off into. There’s nothing but a tree there, but he doesn’t say anything.

Chrissy turns back around, only to look down at her shoes. She doesn’t want him to see the tears roll down her face. She doesn’t want him to see her like this. “It’s nothing. I…I thought I saw something.” She shivers.

Eddie nods his head, not pushing her for any answers. Instead, he watches as she makes her way to the picnic table, facing the tree. She places her backpack to the side and takes a seat. She keeps her head down, hearing Eddie walk over to the other side of the picnic table.

Eddie places his lunch box on the table. He catches Chrissy keeping her head down. Her legs begin to shake. She keeps her hands together. He frowns at her, ‘Is she afraid of something here? Or has she realized how big and scary-looking I am?’ He slowly takes off his jacket. ‘Talk to her stupid. Say anything to help keep her calm.’

“There’s, uh…There’s nothing to worry about. Okay? No one ever comes out here. We’re safe. I promise.” He tells her as he sits down. He can’t help but sound distant. He’s seen it all the time. Girls get scared when they see him. They curl up and make no eye contact. They see him as a wild animal. A look he gets used to, but never he would think Chrissy. ‘She doesn’t remember. She doesn’t remember me. Then again, I don’t blame her. Have I seen myself? Alright then, just think of this as a regular drug deal. Make it quick and painless. You can cry when you get to your van.’

He grabs his lunch box and shifts it in front of him as an emotional wall between them. He unlocks it and flips it open. Out pops the good stuff. He sits back, placing a hand over his chin. He waits for her to do something.

Chrissy looks up briefly at the lunch box, then back at the ground. She twists her fingers carelessly. “So, how does this work exactly?” She gets the courage to look up at Eddie. She holds her breath, afraid of what he will say next.

Eddie drops his hand down; he looks away in the beginning. “Oh, just like any other old sale except, uh, cash only,” he turns to her, talking in a blatant tone, “and, uh, for obvious reasons, no receipts.” He smirks at her in the end.

Not liking his smirky attitude, Chrissy looks away.

‘She wants nothing more to do with me. Okay, let’s talk business.’ He grabs a small bag. “I’ll do a half ounce for, uh…20. What do you say?” He shows her the bag of weed. “Plenty of bang for your buck. Should last a while.”

A twig snaps. Chrissy gasps, turning around. There’s nothing but a squirrel climbing up a tree. ‘Get it together Chrissy. Eddie’s going to think you’re crazy.’

‘She’s scared. She’s not focused. Maybe she’s having second thoughts. I don’t want to push her anymore if she’s scared. That’s it. I’m calling it. I knew it was too good to be true.’ He closes his lunch box, moving it in front of him. He doesn’t look at her, too hurt to see her scared face one last time.

“Hey, uh, we don’t need to do this. Just give me the word and I’ll walk away. Okay?” He grabs his lunch box before he finishes his sentence. ‘I’m sorry I scared you, Chrissy.’ He’s getting ready to leave when he hears a frightened but stern voice from Chrissy.

“No, it’s not that. I don’t want you to go.” She puts both hands on the table. She keeps her head down still but looks in his direction. ‘Please don’t go. Please don’t leave me alone.’ She realized what she had said out loud when Eddie paused midway through. ‘I don’t care if he believes me or not, I’m scared that I’m losing my mind. I don’t want to do this alone. Please, Eddie.’

He places his lunch box beside him. Stunned by her words and sounding shaky and pleading, he stays. He moves his entire body back, facing her. He places his hands on top of the table.

She takes a breather. “It’s just…” she hesitates, rubbing one hand against the edge of the table. “Do you ever feel like, you’re losing your mind?”

Eddie turns his head to get a better look at Chrissy’s face. ‘What’s going on Chrissy? You’re jumpy. You don’t want me to leave, but you’ve barely looked at me. It’s not because of me, is it?’ She looks up at him. His heart crushes by the fear in her eyes. He wants to do something to cheer her up.

“Um, you know, just…on a daily basis.” He smiles, letting loose a bit. Chrissy lowers her stiff shoulders. Her eyes are still on the blink of tears. “I mean I feel like I’m losing my mind right now doing a drug deal with Chrissy Cunningham, the queen of Hawkins High.” He leans to the side a bit, letting out a goofy grin.

Seeing him like that without the jacket and the shouting, he looks and acts like a normal human being. She gives him a small awkward smile.

He gently taps his rings on the table three times. ‘She’s smiling, it’s small, but she’s smiling. That’s something. I’ve seen a similar smile like that before. I can still see the cute, crooked teeth. She’s wearing the cheer uniform, god it all brings me back. Seven years ago, the talent show. I got to tell her. I have to remind her of the talent show. Distract her.’

He takes the D20 and rolls the dice. “You know, this isn’t the first time that we’ve, um…” He looks away for a second, “Hung out.”

She frowns at him, “No?”

He raises his brows, “You don’t remember?” He doesn’t act surprised by her forgetting. After all, it has been seven years. So many things have happened since then. He was different.

She slowly shakes her head, feeling guilty. ‘I met him before? When? I don’t recall a tall boy with crazy long hair. Did I bump into him in middle school? Did I have class with him years ago?’ “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” He stays quiet, his eyes look off into the distance. Without warning, he makes an arrow with his hands, aiming it directly at his chest, making him fall off the bench.

“Ahh!” Chrissy gasps, terrified of what to do next.

Eddie rolls around on the ground filled with leaves. He gets up and walks away, brushing off leaves out of him. “I wouldn’t remember me either, Chrissy.” He says in a teasing tone. He looks back, scrapping leaves out of his hair. Chrissy laughs, not knowing what’s up with this fool.

“Honestly, um, do I have stuff in my hair?” he asks her, pretending to be clueless. He moves some more loose leaves out of his crazy hair. She laughs again, only it sounds more heartwarming. He giggles a little, loving the little chuckle in her voice. ‘Alright, she’s smiling. Way to go stupid!’

He makes a small circle and then turns to face her again. He crosses his arms over his chest. “You don’t remember me?” He asks, sounding goofy.

She gives him another guilty look. “I’m sorry.”

“Middle school, talent show. You were doing this cheer thing. You know, the…the thing you do.” He mocks a little of her routine cheer performance. She giggles at him, thinking it’s the cutest thing ever. A big, tall man doing little cheer routines. “It was pretty cool, actually.”

‘Come on Chrissy. You got to remember me. Please remember how crazy my band was.’ He looks down, kicking the leaves around and moving around a bit. “And I…I was with my band.” He winces at the end, afraid of saying too much or her not remembering anymore.

Just then, a lightbulb hits her head. ‘A little tall boy who was nervous to go out to perform. Eddie? The same little Eddie that I was afraid of minutes ago? Eddie?’ “Corroded Coffin!” She blurts out.

Eddie, blown to the roof claps his hands, spinning around in excitement. “Corro-- You do remember! Right?”

“Oh my god, yes! Yes, of course. With a name like that, how could I forget?” She laughs.

“I dunno. You’re a freak.” He teases.

She gasps, thinking how cute it is that he’s teasing her. She smiles at him. “No, you just…” He hardly looks recognizable from a far distance. She frowns about how long it’s been since she last seen him. “You looked so—”

“—Different?” He finished her sentence. ‘Yeah, yeah, I’ve made a lot of big decisions.’ “Yeah, well, uh, my hair was buzzed, and I didn’t have any of these…” he pulls his shirt down, showing bits of his spider tattoo on his chest and his right arm that's a huge hand holding a demon with strings. (Puppet master) “…sweet old tatties yet.”

She blushes a bit from seeing part of his upper chest exposed. “You play guitar right?” She asks, trying to distract herself from lingering at Eddie’s chest.

“Uh-huh.” He puts his hands on his back hips. He grins at the thought of Chrissy now remembering everything. ‘Thank god. She looks more relaxed.’ “Still do, still do.” ‘Should I? Should I invite her? Should I…screw it.’ “You should come see us.” He bites his lower lip, trying to remain calm.

Chrissy softens her face. She thinks of the idea of Eddie jamming and kicking around while playing his guitar, just as she remembers years ago. ‘Eddie, Eddie, how could I have forgotten you?’

After the Talent Show night, Chrissy tried looking for Eddie, but could never find him. She thought about him the entire summer. It wasn’t until she met Jason that she slowly forgot about him to the point where she completely forgot about him. ‘Oh Eddie, I’m so happy I finally found you.’

“Uh, we play at the Hideout on Tuesdays. It’s pretty cool.” He looks a bit bashful for talking about his band that’s struggling. “We…we actually got a crowd of about five…drunks.” He says, lingering at the end, making it sound dramatic.

She laughs at his statement. She can’t remember the last time she laughed like this.

“It’s not exactly the Garden, but you gotta start somewhere, right? So…” He turns and playfully hits the tree trunk twice. Doing it just for shits and giggles.

She smiles at Eddie, admiring his ambition and loyalty. “You know, you’re not what I thought you’d be like.”

He bashfully pulls a piece of his hair and puts it over his lips, hiding his grin. ‘Oh god, you’ve got to be kidding me. She’s smiling at you. She’s smiling at you, and you’re here, trying not to show yourself blushing. Idiot.’ “Mean and scary?”

She guilty nods her head. The rumors overwhelmed her. She listened to them instead of seeing for herself. She looks at him and she thinks of the same kid that was too scared to show his true self. She remembers when he performed. She remembers how unusual his music was, but how amazing he was performing. She never took her eyes off of him years ago. Pretty soon, all of her anxiety and depression slip away. She’s here, enjoying her company with Eddie. She doesn’t ever name him as ‘The Freak’ as it was a cruel word to call someone.

“Yeah, well.” He stops for a moment but waves his way back to Chrissy. “I actually kinda thought you’d be mean and scary too.” He reaches the table, letting go of a piece of his hair.

“Me?” She whispers to him, not believing him. She shows off her crooked teeth, her eyes sparkle against the sunlight.

Eddie sees it and can’t help but smile and scrunched his nose. He swings his leg over. “Terrifying.” He whispers back. “Uh, so, in other good news, flattery works with me.” He brings his lunch box back to the table. He leans forward, bashfully placing his hand over his chin again. “So, twenty-five percent discount for the half.” He pulls out the small ounce of weed, placing it between them. “Fifteen bucks. You’re robbing me blind here, you know.” He jokes, barely looking at her again.

She looks at the object, remembering why she came to him. ‘The nightmares, the sweats, the screams.’ She sighs, crying deep inside that she’s coming back to real life. She looks down, feeling small again.

Eddie sees this immediately, regretting to upset her again.

“Do you have anything…maybe…stronger?” She asks, looking back at him. Her face, begging her to help. ‘Eddie.’

He leans back, not believing what she’s saying. ‘Something stronger? This girl doesn’t look like someone who smokes. How bad is her anxiety? What do I do? The only strong thing I have is that Special K back at home, but I don’t know if she’s brave enough for it. She would need someone with her all the time. This shit is strong, even for a novice. It’ll overwhelm her.’

He looks back at Chrissy, she’s still waiting for an answer. ‘Aw man, she looks like she’s waiting for good news.’ He clears his throat. He plays with the rings in his fingers, trying to at calm. “Listen, Chrissy—”

She shakes her head; she turns to her backpack. She scrabbles as she gets up. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make things complicated for you. I shouldn’t have said anything.” Her leaving makes Eddie panic.

He stumbles to get up. ‘Chrissy, wait no. Don’t go.’ “Chrissy, whoa, hey, hey. Chrissy! Wait!” He yells at the end.

Chrissy stops and looks back at him. She has her big eyes all watery. Her breathing, shutters.

“Chrissy, I…I have something.” He mumbles. “It’s…it’s called Special K. A drug that I usually don’t sell because it’s too strong, but uh, I can give you a taste of it.” ‘It’s powerful shit Chrissy.’

“You…you would do that for me?” She asks, taking a step forward.

He nods his head. “Do you have any plans for tomorrow afternoon? We can meet up somewhere else, and I can drop this to you—”

“No!” She yells. It shocks Eddie to stop talking. She immediately regrets reaching her tone to him. She blinks a couple of times as she looks down again. “I’m…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell at you. It’s just that, is there a way I can get it tonight, after the game?”

‘After the game? Did she just say that? Wait, is she gonna do this with Jason? Wow, I didn’t think pretty boy was into stuff like that.’ He slowly nods his head, giving her a grin. “Ah, I see. I’m not judging. If you wanted to say that you and Carver want to start Spring Break with a couple of strong drugs, all you had to do was ask.”

“What? No, no.” She continuously shakes her head. “Jason’s not into that stuff. He…he doesn’t know about this…about my…problems. He would be upset if he knew.”

‘Little shit Carver…’

“No one knows about this.” She blindly confesses.

This shocks Eddie to his core. ‘Was…was she thinking of doing strong drugs all by herself? I can’t let her do that.’ “Chrissy, that shit is hardcore. You would need someone to watch over you the whole day so that nothing bad happens to you. I can’t sell it to you if you’re not being safe, and I’m not just saying that as a responsible drug dealer.” He places a hand over his chest. He tilts his head, smirking at her but in a charming way.

She smiles at him. Her heart warms her up. She hasn’t felt this relaxed or trusted someone this much since her grandma. Eddie Munson, something about him makes her happy. She feels like she can tell him anything and he won’t judge.

She stares at his big brown eyes. She can sense warmth and bravery in his eyes. “Eddie.” She whispers.

He leans forward. His face softens. “Chrissy.” He whispers without thinking.

She takes a step forward. “If…if it’s not too much trouble, will you watch over me? Make sure I don’t get hurt?”

‘I would never let anything hurt you,’ but he doesn’t say it out loud. He presses his lips together. ‘She’s asking for you to be with her. Holy shit, now I have to be dreaming.’ “You…you sure you want me? You have anyone else to trust?” He asks, acting sheepishly.

Everything he says and does makes her smile. “There’s no one I could rather ask than you. If that’s okay.” She nervously laughs.

That smile warms Eddie’s heart. “Well, then, it would be an honor to watch over Her Majesty the Queen.” He steps aside from the picnic table and dramatically bows down. He hears her giggle again. He lifts himself straight up, looking at her smile disappearing within seconds.

“I don’t feel like a queen.” She murmurs. “I don’t have a voice.”

He steps forward, getting a better look at her. “Everyone has a voice. How about ‘princess?’ A young beautiful princess who wishes to find a better way to enjoy life. How does that sound?”

“That sounds better. I like it.” She smiles back at him.

For a good minute, the two quietly keep staring and smiling at each other.

“So…I guess I’ll see you later on tonight?” She asks, blushing.

“Yeah, yeah. I have my Hellfire game tonight around the same time as the game, but it should end around the same time. I’ll, uh, if you want I can pick you up at the gymnasium. Once everyone leaves.”

She nods at him. “I can’t wait.”

“Me too. See you then, princess.”

***

After both games, everyone leaves the school building to celebrate. Chrissy is the last to leave, telling her friends and Jason that she has to go back home to change and that she will meet them later. Only so that tomorrow, she can innocently apologize to them, saying she got tired and fell asleep.

The entire game, Chrissy was cheering outside, but inside, she was too excited and busy thinking of Eddie. ‘Me and Eddie. An entire night with him. Never did I think my night would end like this. Calm down, Chrissy. This is just business. He’s there to make sure I don’t hurt myself. He wouldn’t do anything to betray my trust. Would he?’ She shakes off all the doubts and exits the gym once she learns she is the last.

Outside, the car park is already empty. She gaps, realizing how scary it looks at night all empty. She rarely leaves the school all alone. Most of the time, she joins the crowd to leave. She crosses her arms, pressed tightly against her chest.

‘Eddie.’

Suddenly, a van pulls up from the back. The music is jamming loud enough Chrissy can hear a guitar solo. The vehicle is fast, but in the flick of a dime, stops-tires squealing- in front of Chrissy.

She jumps back, scared by the sudden van. The music dies down, and the passenger seat window pulls down. It’s Eddie behind the wheel. She forgot that he drives mad.

He shows her his guilty smile. “Sorry, I hope I didn’t scare you again.”

The fear suddenly wears off her face. Truthfully, she wonders what it’s like to be with Eddie when he drives crazy. She steps forward, smiling bigger than ever. “No worries. I’m just glad you’re here.”

He smiles at Chrissy as he unlocks the passenger side door. Chrissy hears it and opens the door. She climbs in, immediately noticing how much it smells of weed and cigarettes. The passenger side looks clean, but she can easily see a big pile of empty soda cans and beers in the back. On his cupholders, she sees an ashtray with about twenty cigarette butts.

“Sorry about the mess.” He mumbles. Almost as if he could read her mind.

She shakes her head. “No, no. Don’t worry about it. It’s your van.” She places her pink backpack on the floor. She buckles herself up. She feels her heart racing, her fingers sweating. She crosses her legs.

Eddie sees Chrissy like that and starts messing with the air conditioning. “It takes a while, but it will warm you up if you’re cold.”

“I’m okay, thank you.”

He smirks at her. “Okay then. You sure you want to do this?”

She turns to him, nodding with confidence. “I’m positive.”

“Well okay then. Hold on tight, princess. This bad boy of mine can be a beast on the road.” He puts it in drive and speeds off. He speeds the limit, but only up to five miles over instead of the regular fifteen over the speed limit. He tries to drive a little safer for Chrissy.

As they drive off, Eddie keeps the music on low. He doesn’t want to hurt her ears and make her more nervous. “You, uh, can change the station to whatever. I have it on the metal station.” He says, clearing his throat.

“Oh, I’m okay. What were you listening to earlier?” She asks.

“Metallica.” He replies. “I’m, ugh, I’m trying to get this one song right for next Tuesday at the hideout. I have it almost just right, but the guitar solo is a bitch.”

She giggles at him. “Oh.”

“Yeah. If I want to be the best metal rockstar, I have to practice until I get it right. Kind of like what you and your cheerleaders do. Am I right?”

“Yes. You’re right about that. What song is it that you’re trying to get perfect?”

“Master of Puppets. It’s a pretty metal song. They have some good songs. Them and Black Sabbath. We play some of their songs, along with bits of ours. Last year I mastered the song ‘Paranoid’ and managed to get some eyes on us. It felt pretty awesome.”

She uncrosses her legs. Her heartbeat calms down a bit but is beating fast for a different reason. “I’m sure you will be great. I can’t wait to go and see you perform.”

He turns back at Chrissy for a brief second. It’s enough to see she looks serious. He tabs his fingers against the steering wheel. “Do you want to hear a little sneak peek of one of our songs?”

She quickly nods her head.

Seeing a glimpse of her answer, he laughs as he quickly turns up the volume. They listened to some Metallica songs. Something that none of them would imagine.

About ten minutes later, they reach the trailer park. Eddie pulls up in front of his small one-bedroom trailer. He cuts the engine as they both exit the van. Chrissy leaves her backpack in the van.

“This is, uh, my castle.” He says, showing his trailer to her. He skips up and unlocks the door. He opens it, letting Chrissy in first. He enters next, locking the door behind him. Chrissy smiles at him the entire time.

Once she enters the trailer, she’s amazed to see the entire place messy. There are some shirts on the ugly brown couch. Food wrappers and empty cans are on the small table in the corner and coffee table. There’s another ashtray with more butts on it. She’s not disgusted by the mess but more interested by how freely he lives in his own home.

Embarrassed by the mess he and his uncle made this morning, he scrambles over to the small diner table and picks up all the trash. “Sorry for the mess, uh, maid took the week off.” He jokes as he makes his way to the trash can in the kitchen.

Chrissy looks around until something catches her eye. Hanging up against the wall is a huge collection of truck hats. She admires the collection, placing her hands behind her back. “You, um, you live here alone?” She asks, trying to continue the conversation.

Eddie throws the trash away. He begins digging in some shelves nearby. “With my uncle,” he replies back as he looks for the Special K. “But uh, he works nights at the plant. Bringing home the big bucks.” He checks a small coffee box. Nothing. ‘Damn, where did I put that thing?’

“How long does it take?” She whispers.

Eddie stops in motion. He looks back at her, “I’m sorry?”

Ashamed of speaking small, she asks the question. “The Special K. How long until it kicks in?” She sounds scared and out of focus.

“Oh, well, depends if you snort it or not, but, uh, if you do, then, uh, yeah it’ll, uh, kick in pretty quick.” He says as he continues looking for the case it’s in. He finds a purple case and looks up at Chrissy, smiling at her. He turns back to open it, only to be disappointed that it’s empty. “Oh shit.” He mumbles. ‘The hell? I know I have it.’

Hearing him mumble in disappointment, Chrissy looks at him with concern. ‘Oh no. What if he doesn’t have it? What do I do next? Do I change my mind and go home? No, I can’t risk having another terrible night. What’s the next option? Do I go back to the weird green stuff and try it with him instead?’

“You sure you have it?”

“No, no, no, I got it. Um, somewhere.” He says. He thinks of the last time he had the thing. ‘Think, think. When was the last time I used it? Valentines Day?’ He doesn’t say anything as he jolts to his bedroom in the back of the trailer. Leaving Chrissy behind, all alone.

He reaches his room, admiring his guitar hanging up. “Sorry, I’m late sweetheart.” He struts over across. Gently grabbing and lightly strumming his guitar strings. “You’re beautiful.” He continues his search for the Special K.

Back in the small living room, Chrissy nervously waits for him to come back. She brings her hands up front, curling and twisting them around. She sighs, hoping he comes back with or without the thing. She doesn’t want to be alone for too long.

She distracts herself by looking around the living room. She sees another collection, only its coffee mugs. She smiles about how cute the collections are. She looks around until something familiar catches her.

On the ground next to a fold-up mattress next to the window, a couple of giant cassette discs. She goes for a closer look at it. She bends down, detecting, Elvis Pressley, Willie Nelson, and Johnny Cash. She gasps at the album, the same one her grandma used to own.

She grabs the album. A cold chill runs down her back. She soon hears her grandmother's laugh from a far distance. Memories of her grandmother floods her head. ‘Oh, grandma.’

“Found it!” Shouts Eddie. He proudly emerges from his room with a small black case. “Peaceful bliss, just moments away.” He stops midway through the kitchen, noticing Chrissy down on the ground, her back facing him. “Chrissy?”

She jumps, turning around. Her mouth is wide open. Her eyes are watery. “Eddie, oh god, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to touch your…I mean your uncle’s…I mean.” She panics as she tries to explain herself. She stands up, still holding on tight to the album.

Seeing her like this breaks his heart. He rushes over, meeting Chrissy when she stands straight up. His face softens at her. He attempts every part of himself from going up and holding Chrissy in his arms.

“Hey, hey, hey, it’s okay. You don’t need to apologize. You’re okay. It’s actually kind of funny. My uncle loves Johnny Cash. He always tells me he sees me as a young Johnny Cash in metal. Troubled, but gifted with music.” He giggles. He shows his dimples, skipping Chrissy’s heart by a second.

“So, uh, how did you get introduced to Johnny? I figured you guys listen to church music.”

“No, at least not me. My Mom is mostly. My grandma…she would…she would play his songs whenever I would come over to visit. She and I were very close. She always knew how to cheer me up. Every time I would see or hear a Johnny Cash song, I would always think of her.” She keeps herself from falling apart.

Studying the way Chrissy would stand or sound, Eddie knows that sad look. He wants to ask but doesn’t want to upset her.

“If you don’t mind me asking—”

“She passed away nine years ago.” She answers calmly.

“I’m sorry.” He softly whispers to her. She nods, thanking him by mouth read. He clears his throat but not too loud. “I lost my mother that same year.”

She meets his eyes. His face is soft. “I’m sorry.”

“Thank you.” He whispers.

They stay still for another good minute. None of them looked away from each other or blinked. As if they were afraid to see the other person gone.

“So, your uncle likes him too.” Chrissy points with her eyes on the album.

“Yeah,” he chuckles. He bashfully rubs his free hand on the back of his head. “When I first, uh, uh, little, he used to play a lot of his songs for me. Most I couldn’t stand, but some I secretly liked.”

Chrissy tries to hide her smile, thinking back to little Eddie listening to Johnny Cash. She wonders why she never got the chance to see him again after the talent show. She fantasizes about the two of them listening to each other's music. She wonders what he would like or dislike, and what he thinks about her songs. ‘Well, I did listen to one or two songs of his.’ She raises a brow at the last thought.

“Do you secretly like Johnny Cash?” She asks, tilting her head, curious for the answer.

He nervously chuckles, not looking directly at Chrissy in the eye. He’s only doing that so he can hide his blushed cheeks. ‘Damn, should’ve expected that. Should I tell her the truth? Can I trust her? Then again, she’s here with me in my trailer instead of drunk partying with Jason and her friends. Hell, she said back in the forest she trusts me to watch over her. She trusts you first Munson.’

He grins at her. Swaying left and right like he’s a toddler. “You promise not to tell anyone?”

She nods her head, eager for the answer.

Eddie sees her face and laughs. Finds it the cutest thing he has ever witnessed. He wants more of it. Making Chrissy happy and herself. Like how he remembered her at the talent show. “Okay, then I liked maybe one or two songs from him. ‘Ring of Fire’ is my favorite.”

She’s not surprised.

“I can’t stand Elvis or any of the redneck songs Uncle Wayne plays. I do find the band Creedence Clearwater Revival interesting. They got some songs that I put on for shits and giggles when I’m stuck on a problem or a Hellfire campaign issue. That’s all I can spill, princess.” He laughs and she joins him.

“Eddie Munson, I never would’ve expected a metal boy to have a soft spot for Creedence. I love them too. My uncle from California loves them. Said he met them once when they were still trying to make a name for themselves.”

“Which is what I’m hoping for whenever I get out of here. Go to Chicago, California, or New York. Anywhere but here.”

“Yeah?”

“Hell yeah! I mean, I admire my uncle for wanting to stay here, but I can’t imagine staying another second the moment I graduate.”

“Oh, you’re not going to walk up to the stage and receive your diploma?” She asks, almost sounding disappointed. She’d heard and seen bits of him acting up down the hallways but never out of all the years had class with him.

“Oh, I’ll get that diploma from Principal Higgins alright.” He laughs with a grin.

She smiles, keeping her eyes on him as she lingers on the couch. Spotting this, Eddie rushes over to the couch first, throwing away some of the loose clothes left by him and his uncle. She waits for him before he tells her to sit.

They sit across from each other.

“You know, we’ve been in high school for years and it’s a real shame we were never in class together. I’ve seen you a couple of times during lunch.” She teases. If she was done throwing up early, she would hear Eddie’s voice going off against the annoying and popular crowd. Something she believes is truthful for half of the student body. One thing she always admired about the so-called Freak.

“Yeah?” He asks bashfully. “Well, how come I haven’t you seen you sit alongside your friends who call me and my friends names? I usually see ugly students mocking me. Never a pixie short, enchantress like you.” ‘Holy shit, did I just say that out loud? Oh god, please tell me I didn’t scare her.’

She looks down, fidgeting with her hands again. “I usually do homework or stuff for next class during lunchtime, but I don’t agree with what my so-called friends say. I don’t think you’re a freak.” She looks up at him, her face serious.

He stares at her, then back at the small box in his hands. “Chrissy…are you sure you want to try this? Last chance. You don’t have to be brave—”

“Eddie.”

“Chrissy, if you’re having second thoughts or change your mind, we can stop. We can stop the business sale and I can take you home—”

“No!” She shouts again. It’s enough to make Eddie stop in his tracks, again. She holds back, fearing letting too much out. “I’m sorry, I mean, home right now…is the last place I want to be.” Her eyes get watery again.

“Okay, okay.” He whispers in a soft tone voice. His eyes are soft too. “I won’t take you home. You’re safe here. You can stay here as long as you want.” He wants to lean forward and hug her, but he stays where he’s at.

“But, uh, if it’s okay with you, I’d think I would like to go back to the weird-looking green stuff.” She says shyly.

“No problem, princess. Just give me one minute.” He gets up, making Chrissy regret him getting up to leave again. “In the meantime,” he walks over to the kitchen counter where his uncle’s small radio lies. He grabs it and brings it back to the living room. He sets it on the coffee table. He turns it on. “You can change the radio station if you want to. It’s my uncle. He won’t mind.”

That’s a damn lie. Uncle Wayne brought that for himself when Eddie kept jamming his metal music, making the entire trailer shake. He warned Eddie to not touch it while he’s gone. He has it on a certain radio station he listens to whenever he goes fishing or has a moment to himself in the trailer. He warned him if he touched his radio or messed with it, he would pawn his amp and electric guitar.

She thanks him before he disappears again into his bedroom. He trades the drugs, not lasting longer than a minute. He comes back with a new stash of weed. He trots back to the couch. Chrissy is still picking out a station.

She finally finds one. It plays a variety of music from different generations. She turns her attention back to Eddie, relieved to see him again.

“Hi,” He whispers.

“Hello there,” she teases back.

“I got the thing.” He places the weed down on the coffee table. On the corner lies some wrappers, a crusher, and a pencil. He opens the bag of weed and begins to make a joint for them. Once he’s done, he grabs a lighter from one of his jacket pockets and turns back to Chrissy with a smirk on his face. “Almost forgot.”

He gets up one last time, but to receive a glass of water for her. He comes back, placing the glass in the middle of the coffee table.

“Do you want me to show you how to do this?” He asks.

She nods, covering part of her face. “Please.”

“No need to be embarrassed. I’ll try to make it easy on you.” He takes off his jacket, placing it on the armrest. He lights up the joint, taking the first hit. He coughs, but not too much. He explains it to Chrissy and later hands it to her.

She tries it, coughs a couple of times, and goes after the water as Eddie tries his best on not to laugh too much at her. He congrats her on her first try. He insists on taking it away from her, but she refuses. She goes again.

As she coughs on the second try, Eddie this time sits back, admiring her bravery and being smart. He truthfully was relieved Chrissy changed her mind about the Special K. But part of him wonders why she asked for it in the first place.

For the next twenty minutes, the two took turns taking a hit on the joint. They talk about what they did after the talent show, and what they remembered the most about middle school. By the end of the joint, Eddie suggests on him making another one.

“Okay, but do you have anything that I can…maybe snack…on…” her mother nags inside her head. ‘Don’t be a nasty little piggy.’

“Hey, hey,” Eddie whispers to her, seeing the guilt in her eyes. “It’s no trouble at all. I have something for you. I promise I’ll be right back.” He goes to the kitchen.

Ten minutes later, he comes back with two small bowls of Cheerios cereal. “I hope you don’t mind this. What you’re experiencing right now are the munchies. The part of high where you want to eat chips or cereal without the milk.”

Chrissy takes it. “Thank you.” She’s never had cereal. She’s seen other girls have cereal, but she was told by her mother to never have it as it will give her carbs. Usually, when people offer her food, she politely regrets it, making some excuse. This time, her stomach was growling and hurting her more. She caves in and takes a couple of bites. ‘Oh my, I’m eating with my hands.’

Eddie makes the second joint as she chows down on the cereal. By the time he’s ready, Chrissy is almost done with her cereal. He offered her some more, but she said no this time. She’s already regretting eating all of it but doesn’t feel or have the will to get up and throw it all back up in the bathroom. Deeply though, she doesn’t want to leave Eddie’s side.

Eddie lights it, and they go again with the joint.

A half-hour later, it’s around midnight and the two are still chatting, getting caught up with each other. Chrissy leans her head at the coffee table, looking around when she spots something. A thick book. She leans over to it, getting a better glimpse of the cover.

Eddie notices this and goes over to grab the book and show it to her. “You, uh, you’ve seen this before?”

‘Fellowship of the Rings? I’ve heard about it.’ “Maybe. I think from one of my brother's friends. He kept bringing the name up, but I was leaving the room around that time. But the cover does look familiar. What’s it about?”

‘Uh, can someone pinch me? Did Chrissy Cunningham ask me about Lord of the Rings?’ He snaps out of it when Chrissy calls his name. “Um, sure. Okay.” He tells her the main plot of the story and about each main character. She asks some questions, and he answers.

Minutes later, “Would you mind reading me the first couple of pages?” Chrissy asks, not knowing why she asked him that, but isn’t taking it back.

“Really?”

She nods her head.

Dumbfounded, he stumbles to say ‘yes’ as he readjusts himself on the far edge of the couch. He still has the joint in his hands. “Love to.” Just then, Chrissy crawls over close to him. He stays stiff, not wanting to move his hands and have it accidentally touch Chrissy inappropriately, ending the night horribly.

“Is it okay if I lay on you?” She whispers to him, her blue eyes never leaving him.

He gulps hard as he slowly nods his head.

Chrissy gently lays on him, her hands resting on his chest. She puts half of her body weight on the couch and the other half on Eddie.

Eddie places one hand with his lighted joint on the edge of the couch and his other hand gently on her upper back. The book lies on his chest. Eddie gives his joint to Chrissy who takes it as he uses that hand to open it and hold it up.

He clears his throat, narrating the story.

When he finishes, he asks Chrissy what she thought of it so far. When she doesn’t answer, he looks down, concerned for her safety. That’s when he sees her fast asleep. ‘She’s asleep.’

“Chrissy? Chrissy?” He whispers as he gently shakes her shoulder after he places the book down.

Her eyes are sealed shut. She unconsciously holds on tight to his body, something that Eddie has never experienced with anyone. Not even a woman. The only time he’s been close to a woman was when it was after his band's performance at the hideout, and he has a quickie with a woman at the bar in the back of his van. Maybe five minutes with her, and she scurries out, not looking back.

‘Chrissy.’ He notices that one of her hands has a light grip on his Hellfire shirt. He smiles at her but wants to move her somewhere more comfortable. He figures his bed, and he can sleep on the couch. If they oversleep the night, he’ll come up with something to explain to his uncle about why he’s sleeping on the couch.

He looks for the joint, seconds later remembering he placed it in the ashtray. They finished it.

Eddie rocks Chrissy’s shoulder, “Chrissy.” He whispers, getting close to her ears.

She makes a low groan as she still keeps her eyes closed. She rubs her head deep in his chest. She clutches tight on his shirt. She stays asleep.

He sighs quietly, unsure of what to do. He wants to make her comfortable, but he also remembers why she contacted him in the first place. She was having trouble getting some sleep and anxiety. If he wakes her just to move her to another room to go back to sleep and she never does, he will never forgive himself.

Just then, a haunting song comes on the radio. ‘Oh shit, the radio. Uncle Wayne is going to kill me.’ He slowly gets himself up, but Chrissy keeps a tight grip on his shirt, no matter how gently he tugs. It makes his heart cringe for how cute and heartwarming it is. ‘Chrissy.’

He hears the song ‘I’m on Fire,’ by Bruce Springsteen. An ironic song for him to play at this very point.

He thinks both ways about how this will go in the morning. Risk getting his ass chewed off by his uncle for using his radio, or risk waking Chrissy up and she never goes back to sleep. ‘Eh, screw it. If my uncle sells my stuff, I’ll just find a way to buy it back.’ He stays still, but only to readjust himself to get more comfortable on the couch. That Chrissy has no trouble lightning her grip.

When he gets comfortable, Chrissy holds her grip tight again. Something that makes Eddie grin. He nests his head on the armrest of the couch. His jacket, making a perfect pillow. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. He inhales and catches a good whiff of Chrissy’s hair. It smells of strawberry and vanilla.

After Bruce, by coincidence, a Creedence Clearwater Revival song comes on the radio. ‘Fucking Have You Ever Seen the Rain? Really?’ He rolls his eyes, not believing that this is happening. ‘This morning, the only thing that ran through my mind was how unreal it was that I was going to do a drug deal with Chrissy Cunningham. Never did I think that hours later, I would be resting on the couch in the middle of the night in my trailer with Chrissy Cunningham wrapped around me, sleeping. Jesus, did I die in a car crash on the way to school, and I’m just living my heaven or something?’

He yawns as he checks his wristwatch.

1:15 A.M.

During the song, Eddie closes his eyes, letting his mind drift off. He keeps one hand on her upper back, and the other hand dangling off the edge of the couch.

Twenty minutes later, Eddie (fast asleep) unconsciously moves his dangling hand up and blindly finds Chrissy’s tight grip on his shirt. This time (still asleep) she lets go, but only to linger onto Eddie’s hand. Both never let go. Both find comfort in one another. 

That night, the two are fast asleep. Two of them, not thinking of tomorrow. Just holding onto each other, caring about nothing but this moment they are in. While tonight begins with nothing but an innocent sleepover between childhood friends, tomorrow will bring a frightening unknown future between two worlds. A world that would leave them, upside down.

Chapter Text

Every morning around 7 a.m., Wayne drives his red pickup truck back home after a long, exhausting twelve-hour shift at the work plant. His bones ache, his back feels like it’s been stabbed with a butcher knife 300 times, and his eyes are barely hanging on. He rests one hand that’s covered in old scrapes and cuts on the steering wheel, and the other hanging out the driver's side window with a lighted cigarette.

His country station is on, humming along to some of the lyrics. He turns into the trailer park, relieved to be a couple of feet away from home. He yawns as he parks in front of his trailer. He notices Eddie’s van, happy to see he’s home.

He cuts the engine and opens the door. He groans as he steps out. He’s wearing a gray shirt with a red plaid shirt over it. He has on his old, raggedy blue jeans and heavy brown boots. He grabs his red lunch box from the passenger side and closes the door.

Wayne walks to the trailer, he has both hands full. One holding onto his lunch box, and the other has the keys to the trailer.

He reaches the front door when he begins to hear muffled music on the other side of the door. He stops to listen. He leans his head close to the door. ‘What the hell?’ he thought to himself.

“Climbing up from

down here below

where the streets

sees me lonely for

you, oh

I can dream about you

If I can’t hold

you tonight

I can dream about you

you know how to hold

 me just right

(I can dream

about you)

I’m gonna press my lips against you and

hold you to me

(I can dream

about you)”

He gasps, detecting the radio station he specifically told Eddie not to touch turned on. ‘Damn it, boy.’ He groans. He gets his keys ready to unlock the door.

Usually, when he comes home from work, he usually finds his troubled nephew either passed out in the living room or in his bedroom with empty beer cans. Eddie mostly jams heavy metal from his bedroom, but when he gets drunk, he jams the volume up to a high, nearly shaking the entire trailer house. By morning if he doesn’t lower the volume, Chief Hopper, or Powell would stop by and ask him to turn it down, saying they’ve received some noise complains.

Another thing fearing Wayne was whether he brought a ‘friend’ to his home and smoked some things that Eddie promised that he wouldn’t.

Eddie rarely brings anyone home, even if it’s for the night. If it is, the person would disappear before sunrise.

Wayne unlocks the door, preparing to see what sort of mess Eddie has gotten into. He opens it, marches in, inhales deeply, and is about to wake Eddie up from his sleep when he immediately stops in place, stunned by what he sees next.

On the couch, lies Eddie with a young and beautiful cheerleader on top of him, holding hands, and sleeping. He nearly trips on himself. He breathes out slowly, slowing his speed down. He doesn’t want to disturb them.

Out of the 9 years Eddie has lived with him, he has never, ever-well not that he knows- brought home a girl, stayed with him, and slept with him.

Eddie had trouble making friends growing up thanks to his family name.

The Munsons. A tainted name.

It all started years ago when Waynes’ grandfather, Travis Jones Munson a local drunk told stories about his past. He moved in from up north and was traveling around the country, but his car broke down here, and since then, he’s been living in Hawkins. He got a job, and spent most of his money at the local bar. One night, he met a young woman, brought her some shots, took her home, and 9 months later, had a son.

That son, Randy Edwards Munson grew up in Hawkins. Travis very quickly married the local young woman, Daisy Petterson, the daughter of the town's preacher after the birth of their son. Sadly, she was dead to the family when she married Travis. 3 months later, Travis left her and infant Randy for a younger woman who too was traveling around the country. Daisy’s family never took her back, so she raised Randy on her own until she met a young man she soon married. However, Randy’s stepfather was an abusive drunk and gambled a lot.

Randy grew up and did the same thing as his father, only he stayed. (That became the worst decision he ever made for his two sons, Robert and Wayne.) Thanks to him, many people in Hawkins stayed away from the Munsons.

Eddie grew up being a victim of bullying and isolation from the community for who he is. Wayne tries to cheer Eddie up and tells him not to worry about what other people say. He does everything he can to protect and comfort Eddie.

In middle school, Eddie was having a rough time getting used to some drastic changes at home, so he would act up in school, making himself a target for bullies. He would get beat up after school, and always came home with a black eye or a cut lip.

Wayne did everything he could to make Eddie happy, even through the darkest of times in his life. When was given the option of looking over his nephew 9 years ago, he didn’t hesitate to say ‘yes.’ He wanted to give Eddie a chance to break the Munson circle and fulfill his dreams. No matter what it was. Everyone in town didn’t like him, including girls, but that didn’t stop him from getting his band to perform at the local rough bar, The Hideout on Tuesday nights. He was dedicated to becoming a heavy metal rocker, and Wayne was proud of him, but he had trouble seeing him perform due to work.

Luckily, Wayne has two friends from work who go to the Hideout regularly and see Eddie play. They watch over him and make sure no one bothers him or his band. Once and a while, they would see a tipsy woman 21 years or older dressed in raunchy dark clothes and tongues her throat down Eddie’s mouth after the performance. They will leave the back way, then 10 minutes later, the woman would come back out, running as fast as she can away from Eddie, who would come out five minutes later, satisfied, but a little bummed for how fast the woman ran out.

Wayne has never seen a girl talk or get to know Eddie since…years ago at a middle school talent show. ‘Cheerleader outfit, strawberry blonde hair…no, it couldn’t be. Not after several years.’ He’s about to step back out when he suddenly hears a fainting cry coming from the girl.

He looks over, holding his breath.

Chrissy moves her head around Eddie’s chest. Her hands are still together with his. She keeps her eyes closed but opens her mouth. “Eddie?” She mumbles before she resettles herself. She stays asleep.

Wayne stares at her, amazed she called for Eddie. This only makes Waynes’ heart ache more for the fact that someone, a girl, voluntarily slept the night with his outsider nephew. Clutching for him in her sleep.

He sighs softly, wondering how Eddie would explain himself. He changes his mind about going outside for another smoke. Instead, he looks over at the kitchen. He thinks about brewing up some coffee for the three of them.

He takes three steps to the kitchen when a particular spot on the floor creaks, echoing to the living room. It’s loud enough to stir Chrissy up.

She lifts her upper body up, dazed by the sunlight. She still holds onto Eddie’s hand as she looks around, and spots Wayne. She gaps. “Oh my, Eddie!” She squeals. She stares at Wayne, scared by his presence. ‘Oh my god, I overslept! No, no, it can’t be morning already.’

Hearing Chrissy squeal, Eddie wakes up alarmed and focused. He lets go of Chrissy’s hand but places both hands on her elbows. He sits up, holding on tight, but not too tight that it hurts Chrissy. He leans close to Chrissy, almost touching her face with his. “What…what’s wrong? What is it?” His clouded big brown eyes catch Wayne in the corner. It wakes him up entirely. “Wayne! You’re here! It’s morning already?”

Chrissy and Eddie stop and look at each other. Both are close to each other and holding on tight. Chrissy looks down, seeing her hands clutch on his shirt. Bashfully embarrassed, she let go, scrambling to get up from the couch. She stands up, smooths her hair with her fingers, and straightens her cheerleading skirt. She clears her throat, looking down at the carpet.

Wayne stands there, watching the two scramble up. He sees Chrissy looking scared and ashamed of herself. He immediately wonders if she’s regretting staying with Eddie and getting caught. He turns to Eddie, who looks back and forth between him and Chrissy.

He stands straight up, fixing his shirt and hair.

Eddie realizes his uncle’s radio station is still on, and he nearly falls on the floor to turn it off. ‘Shit, shit, shit. He’s going to kill me.’ He looks over at Chrissy. She’s looking back at him, her big blue eyes growing worried.

Seeing her scared, he gives her a reassuring smile. “It’s okay.” He mouths to her as he straightens up and grabs his leather jacket. “Uncle, this is a classmate of mine from school, Chrissy Cunningham. Chrissy, this is my uncle, Wayne.” He goes and stands behind her. Not because he’s afraid of Wayne finding out about him using his radio, but because he wanted to be close to Chrissy. He wants to reassure her that she’s okay. He doesn’t touch her but stands very close, almost touching her back with his chest.

Wayne sees this and it only makes him nervous about the whole event. But still, he puts on a brave face. He gives Chrissy a small smile.

Chrissy looks up, her eyes are big and glossy. She goes from a frightened girl to a bright-eyed blue bird smiling at him. “Hi,” she says in a low but sweet voice. “It’s nice to meet you. Eddie has told me some things about you.” She holds her hand out toward Wayne.

Wayne and Eddie look at Chrissy’s hand.

Not wanting to be rude, Wayne pats his hand on his jeans before he goes over and shakes Chrissy’s hand. He gives Chrissy a light squeeze at the end and lets go.

‘Chrissy, wait, Chrissy? The Chrissy Cunningham? The same little cheerleader who hung around with Eddie after the middle school talent show. The same girl whose mother came up, yelling at her daughter to get away from my nephew? That’s the same Chrissy?’

Just then, he remembered something else familiar about that name. Her last name, Cunningham. The only Cunningham he knows in Hawkins is Philip Cunningham. Philip, who owns part of the plant that he works in.

‘Shit. Eddie, what have you gotten yourself into? Out of all the girls in Hawkins, you chose the daughter of one of my bosses? Are you trying to send me to my grave early?’ He eyes Eddie, glaring at him and raising one eyebrow.

Eddie sees this and shrugs, not looking at his uncle anymore. He regrets telling his uncle all about Chrissy years ago. ‘Don’t say anything, old man. I beg you. Please don’t punish me by spilling the beans in front of her.’

Chrissy looks back and forth at the Munson boys. Part of her thought it was an uncomfortable scene for her to be in, but another part of her was strangely calm by their unspoken facial communication. She doesn’t say or do anything. She waits for one of them to speak. She presses her lips together and bites her lower lip. She turns her direction to Eddie but lowers her head.

Wayne catches a glimpse of Chrissy looking at Eddie. He notices the way she stands; her hands go from open arms to crossing them closed. She leans close to Eddie as if she finds comfort and a protective shield. He turns back to Eddie, who has his eyes on her.

He walks over to the kitchen. “Miss Cunningham, if you want, I can make some coffee for all three of us. Are you hungry? I can cook up some toast?”

Chrissy turns to Wayne, “Oh, thank you Mr. Munson, but I don’t want to intrude. Plus, I should go back home.”

She’s got a lot to explain to her mother. She was supposed to call her mother and say that she was going to spend the night at April’s house, call April, and ask her to vouch for her. She learns she still has her cheerleading jacket on. She sighs in relief, worrying that she might’ve gotten herself a little carried away last night.

“I can take you home.” Eddie insists.

She turns to Eddie, his big brown eyes smiling softly at her. She immediately feels her heart warm up and soothes her icy-cold body from the thought of going back home. “Oh, I couldn’t—”

“Hey, it’s no big deal, Chrissy.” He whispers with a low chuckle. He leans in close to Chrissy’s face, eye-to-eye with her. He leans back, giving Chrissy some space. He smiles warm and big, showing off his dimples. “I promise.”

She smiles at him. She keeps her teeth sealed shut.

“Besides, what kind of a guest I would be if I didn’t make sure the princess is safe and sound in her castle?”

She stiffs at the words Eddie just said. She turns away, looking at the front door. She turns back and gives him a low hum.

Seeing this, Eddie shames himself for saying that to her. He should’ve remembered last night when she didn’t want to go home, no matter if he had the Special K or not. He clears his throat as he puts his jacket on and grabs his keys.

As Eddie gets ready to leave, Chrissy turns up to Wayne who is still in the kitchen. He smiles at her. She smiles back. “It was nice meeting you, Mr. Munson.”

Wayne nods at her. “It was nice meeting you too Miss Cunningham.” He lightly waves at her.

She gives her a small wave as Eddie goes and opens the front door for her. She steps out, and Eddie turns back to Wayne. Something he instantly regrets.

Wayne leans his head forward, his brows raised up, and his eyes glaring back at him. He lets out a loud sigh.

Eddie doesn’t need to hear Wayne say it. That look says everything: “Boy, what in the Sam Hell have you gotten yourself into?” He turns back, closing the door behind him.

Wayne leans against the sink. He stares at the door, holding everything in his power to stand up. ‘Oh, Eddie, what did you do? What did you do?’

Outside, the two walk over to the van. Chrissy looks around, she doesn’t see anyone up yet. It brings a relief to her. She then notices Eddie coming right up beside her and reaches the passenger door before her. She smiles when he looks back, giving her an awkward smile.

She tucks a hair piece in the back of her ear. “Thank you.” She whispers when he opens the door. “Your uncle seems like a nice guy.”

He scoffs softly, “Yeah, he usually is. He’s a sweetheart but he can also be very protective. He’s like me. We’re rough and scary looking from the outside but on the inside, we are just lovable teddy bears. It’s that Munson trait.” He snickers as he closes the door once Chrissy’s safely seated.

He runs over to his side and opens the door. He hopes in and closes it behind him. He’s about to start the van, putting his keys in the ignition. “Okay, I guess, uh,” He turns to her, and his smile disappears within seconds. “Chrissy?”

‘No, no, I don’t want to go home,’ she thinks to herself. She looks out the window. She wraps one arm around her waist and is nibbling on her fingernail tips. Her face is winkled worried about her oversleeping the night at a classmate's house. ‘What if mom calls all of my cheerleader girls or April? What if she goes to Jason and tells him that she can’t find me? Oh god, what if she called the police? Oh no, what if Eddie pulls up to my house and there’s a swamp full of policemen and cars? Eddie would get caught up in the mess. I can’t do that to him.’

“Hey, Chrissy?”

This time she snaps out of it and turns to Eddie.

He frowns at her, confused by her worried face. “Hey, are you okay?” He asks softly.

She nods her head. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Really?”

She nods again. “Honest.” ‘Come to think of it’…She laughs, shaking her head at the thought.

‘Okay, now she’s laughing. Is that a good thing?’ He nervously laughs with her. “What? What’s so funny?”

“It’s just that…that was the first time…that I actually got some real sleep.” She chuckles again. “I guess, uh, I have you to thank.” She begins to stare at him. She looks deep into his brown eyes. “Thank you for helping me.”

Eddie stares back at her, embracing her smile as it warms back into her face. He softens when he sees her blue eyes sparkle with a glow of life and determination. A will and a chance to live again. He gave that back to her. He let her have a good smoke, slept the whole night, and thanked him for everything. ‘Fucking pinch me, I must be dreaming.’

“No problem. Anytime. Not bad for your first time doing weeds, huh?” He smiles.

“Oh, I almost forgot!” She gasps, loud enough to make Eddie jump. She bends down to grab her backpack. She pulls it up to her leg, opening and digging inside. “I almost forgot the money that I still need to pay you. Let me just look for it.” She scrambles looking for the money.

Eddie almost forgot about the money. ‘Oh yeah, the only reason you came to contact me.’ He knows he needs the money, especially since he’s dealing with some of Ricky’s drugs. However, another part of him is telling him not to take the money. It would be wrong. He was mostly helping Chrissy out rather than having her do it herself.

“Chrissy, wait, hold up.”

She doesn’t listen. She panics when she can’t find the money. ‘I know I have it here somewhere…’

“Chrissy,”

“I got it, I know I do!”

“Hey, hey, Chrissy! Hold on!” He reaches over to her shoulder for a gentle shake to get her attention. “Chrissy, please stop and look at me.”

“Ah, I found it!” She screams with excitement when she finds the money. She moves her hand over to Eddie to hand it to him when suddenly, her hand collides with Eddie’s hand, and he has a good grasp on her entire hand with the money.

Both gasp at the sight of it but remain still. They look at their hands. Eddie has pretty much swallowed Chrissy’s small hand, burning it up with his heat.

Chrissy stares at his hand, amazed by how soft his hand is, despite some rough cuts on the tip of his fingers. She notices he doesn’t hold on tight but is wrapping her hand more as if it’s a warm blanket. A reassurance hold. She tilts her head, still staring at their hands.

Eddie studies how small and delicate Chrissy’s hand is. He’s also troubled by how ridiculously cold and shaky her hand was seconds ago. He remembers last night how small and warm her hands were when she was fast asleep. They weren’t shaking, they never shook when he held her hands.

Without thinking, Eddie slowly rubs with his thumb, little circles on Chrissy’s hand. He lays his soft big brown eyes on Chrissy’s. He doesn’t blink. His lips soften.

She looks up at him, staring deep into his eyes. ‘Eddie.’

THUD!

Something lands on top of the hood.

Chrissy yelps, letting go of Eddie’s hand and the money. Eddie snaps out of it when she screams and jolts up. He looks at the front of the van.

“What the hell?” Eddie shouts.

On top of the hood, a skinny black cat with its tail high up looks back at the scared teenagers with its glowing lime-green eyes. Around its neck is a bright red scarf.

Both sigh in relief.

Chrissy chuckles at the black cat.

“Oh, it’s just you,” Eddie sighs at the cat.

The black cat turns to Eddie, letting out a low meow sound. “Meow.”

“Is he your cat?” Chrissy asks, giggling.

“Sort of. He decided to be independent last year after he killed some rats and brought them to the front porch. Now he likes to run around the trailer park and snoop up some more rats. I put that scarf on him, letting other people know that he has an owner.”

“Meow!”

“Awe, he’s adorable.” Chrissy gushes. She adores cats. Always loved them growing up.

“Yeah, he can be.” Eddie groans, smirking at the cat. “I’ve seen him troll the dogs that are chained up around the trailer park.”

“What’s his name?”

“Midnight. Rescued him when he was a kitten. I found him as I was leaving the gas station one night. It was cold and the poor little guy was standing helplessly by a trash can. He couldn’t be any older than a month. Took him in, two years later, he decided to be a grown-up and hitch our place just to rest.”

Midnight shakes his head. He jumps off, walking to the back of the trailer.

Chrissy turns to Eddie. He’s staring at where Midnight went off. She looks at his face, his poster, his outfit. Everything about him, she finds unique. He gets to choose his own style of clothing, and not care about what anyone says.

It isn’t long until she thinks back to last night. How he felt when she lay on him. She could hear his heartbeat at a steady pace, making her at ease. She remembers lying on his strong chest, his arm gently on her back. Hearing him narrate a fantasy book was a lullaby to her ears. She remembers hearing the sound of his soothing deep voice. The way she felt safe in his arms. She didn’t want it to end. She felt protected. Like she felt with Grandma Cunningham. Maybe that’s why she fell asleep.

“Eddie.” She whispers.

He turns to her, but he acts like he didn’t hear her. “My guess is that Midnight is sneaking to the back of the trailer, going into my window that I always leave open for him in the mornings, and will take a nap on my bed now that he knows that I’m up and out.” He chuckles. “He loves sleeping on my bed…without me in it.”

Chrissy laughs with him. “Awe, I’m sure he likes and appreciates you.”

“Oh, he does. Trust me, that’s his way of showing affection. He lets me pet him, but he loves to give me love bites on my hands.”

A minute passed until Eddie finally asked the most painful and difficult question. He hates wanting to ask it. If it was up to him, he would ask for some breakfast at the diner and then maybe go to walk around the lake or listen to some more music.

But this isn’t his choice. And this isn’t his dream. It’s reality. She has a boyfriend. She’s the head cheerleader. She’s far beyond his type.

He sighs, dreading to break the fantasy. “So, um, if uh, it’s okay with you, I mean whenever you’re ready…you can uh, give me your uh, address to the place.”

“Oh, yes, sorry.” She says, shaking her head. “I’m sorry, um, right, yes.”

She gives him the address, and he drives off.

They stay silent for twenty minutes. Both not knowing what to say next. Both secretly hating the soon separation. 

When they reach the neighborhood, Chrissy asks Eddie to drop her off a block away from her house. Eddie agrees, not surprised by her request.

As they slowly get close to the house, Chrissy points it out to him. “See that? The one with the red bricks on top? That’s my house.”

Eddie catches a glimpse of the house she’s pointing at. ‘Holy shit, how could I not miss that?’ The house is white with red bricks on top in a Spanish roof style, it’s three stories, has pillars on the front, and is gated all around. He blinks a couple of times from the sight of it.

“Damn. What a mansion you got there Cunningham. Got any butlers or maybe, 3 maids?” He chuckles as they drive by.

“No,” Chrissy laughs, “I promise we are not that rich.”

They reach the block. Eddie puts it in Park. ‘Ask her. Do it. Ask her now. What are you waiting for? Ask her.’ He clears his throat, stretching part of his body directly at her. He rests one elbow on the steering wheel and the other on his armrest. ‘Play it cool, Munson.’

Chrissy swings her backpack over her shoulder. “Hey, um, Chrissy. Listen I know you’re probably busy during the Spring Break, and um, I don’t know, um, but maybe if you’re in town and you’re feeling…you know.” He sighs, shaking his head, “Chrissy, what I mean is, if you’re feeling like you need…someone to…well I’m here if you need to talk. I can even be your driver and take you somewhere peaceful. You know.”

Chrissy looks at him, tickled by his nervousness and unable to look directly at her. She giggles, unable to contain it. While he continues to jabber, Chrissy quickly opens and digs out a pen and a piece of paper from her notebook. She writes down her number, and just for kicks, puts a heart at the end. She folds it up and hands it to him.

“Here.” She laughs.

Eddie stops talking once he sees the folded-up paper. He takes it, opens it up, and is grinning ear to ear on the note. Just then he thinks of something. He rips up half of the paper, saving Chrissy’s number on the top, asks to borrow her pen, and puts down his number on the bottom half.

He hands the other half to Chrissy. She takes it and opens it up. She smiles at him. “Thank you.” She puts it in her backpack and seals it up.

“You can call me whenever you want. I don’t care if it’s in the morning, afternoon, night, or middle of the night. I stay up all night. I’ve got nothing to do this Spring Break but finish my solo and write songs. Honestly. Anytime you need me, I’m here for you, princess.”

She pauses for a moment, staring right at him. ‘Does he really mean it? He would be there for me?’ She smiles at him. Gives him a small nod. “Thank you, Eddie, for helping me.”

“Thank you for trusting me.” He smiles.

Chrissy opens the door and steps out. She waves bye to Eddie. He waves back. She walks home, smiling all the way. But she doesn’t let Eddie see.

***

Two minutes later, she reaches her house. She unlocks the front door and sneaks inside. She quietly closes it behind her. She listens very carefully. It’s dead silent. ‘Oh thank god.’

She tip-toes to the phone on a small table by the stairs. She dials April's number.

“Hello?” She asks. She picked it up after the third ring. Chrissy is relieved by her answering first. She sounds tired. Normally she wakes up around this time, 7 am.

Chrissy holds on tight to the end of the phone. “Oh thank god,” she whispers. “I need you to do me a huge favor.”

“Uh, sure, what’s up?” She sounds concerned.

Chrissy stops and looks around. No one is nearby or listening. “If my mom calls, can you back me up by saying I was with you all night?”

There’s silence on the other side of the phone.

Chrissy plays with the cord phone. ‘Please, please say yes.’

“Okay, but um, where were you last night? Everyone thought you would show up at the party, but you didn’t. Jason was worried, but it didn’t take him that long to get his mind distracted.”

Chrissy rolls her eyes at the thought of Jason getting drunk and possibly touchy with another woman. She’s seen him eyeing other girls at parties or events while she’s with him. She gets hurt by it but doesn’t say anything. Afraid her jealousy would turn back to her.

“April, I promise I will tell you everything. Just…not right now. I’ll tell you later.”

“Chrissy, is that you?” calls out Laura.

“I gotta go, I’ll talk to you later. Thank you so much for helping me.” She hangs up before April could reply. She looks and finds her mother coming down the hallway from the kitchen.

She doesn’t look too pleased to see her daughter coming home. She glares at Chrissy, perching her lips together. She tilts her head high, almost giving out a disgusted look. She has on her light green house dress with green earrings to match. She already has on her heavy makeup.

Laura clicks her lips. “Christina, where on earth have you been? Your father and I were worried sick. We were getting ready to call your friends and Jason until I smelled something funny.”

‘Oh no, can she smell the weed?’

She lingers at Chrissy, “Well, where were you?”

“Oh, I’m sorry mother. I was at Aprils' house. I wanted to hang out with her some more after the game and celebration, and one thing led to another, and we ended up falling asleep. Probably what you’re smelling is her new…perfume. It has a strong, earthly flavor to it. Again, I’m really sorry for scaring you and Dad last night. Was Ben worried?”

“No, he was too busy reading his new comic that he got yesterday after school.” Laura studies Chrissy, detecting or finding anything strange or out of place.

Chrissy stands her ground to the story. “Can I go upstairs and take a shower? I would really love to get out of this uniform.”

Laura glares but nods her head. “Hurry, that smell is really getting to me.” She clears her throat.

Chrissy rushes upstairs.

“Next time, call us if you decide to spend the night at April’s house again!” Laura roars up the stairs for Chrissy to hear.

“Yes, mother!” She shouts back.

Chrissy reaches her door, opens it, and closes it behind her. She drops her backpack and slumps to the floor. She keeps her knees close to her chest. ‘Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god.’ She thinks to herself. ‘I can’t believe I spent the night at Eddie’s house. Not only that, I spent the night WITH Eddie.’ She shivers thinking about the touch again. ‘Oh, Eddie.’

She touches the hand that Eddie touched with his. She covers it up, not feeling the same as his, but she could still feel a little bit of warmth from his. ‘Eddie.’ She looks up at her window. It’s covered, but the curtains are so thin and light pink, she can see through it. She walks up and goes to open her window.

She looks out, seeing her backyard again. Days ago the backyard was once the start of a nightmare, but now she sees the sunlight shining throughout the entire yard. The birds singing and flying around. It’s an awakening to something beautiful.

***

Wayne is outside, sitting on a nearby shaded picnic table with an ashtray. He takes another smoke or two before he goes to sleep. Mostly Eddie joins him for a smoke, but rarely in the mornings. This time, Wayne waits for Eddie to come back home so that he can have a couple of words with him. Right now he’s on his second, debating if he should have a third when he talks to Eddie.

It isn’t long until Eddie pulls up and parks. Seeing his uncle outside, he knows he has two options. He can ignore him and head inside or he can man up and face him. Hear what he has to say. There is a third option, and that’s to drive away, but it won’t solve anything. Just make it worse.  

He turns off the engine. He sighs, choosing option 2. He looks down and spots something green. He leans in for a better look. It’s money. Chrissy’s money. ‘It must’ve fallen out when I hold—’ he shakes his head. He grabs the money and places it in one of his jacket pockets. He steps out, walking over to Wayne.

“Well, good to see you home,” Wayne grunts when Eddie gets closer.

Eddie grunts back at him. He sits next to him.

Wayne hands him his box of cigarettes. Eddie takes one, quietly thanks him, pulls out his lighter, and lights it up. He inhales and exhales. A good puff of smoke comes out his nose.

Wayne sighs, looking over at Eddie. “Edward, --”

“I’m sorry I used your radio!” Eddie blurts out. He turns to his uncle, “I know you don’t want me to touch it—”

“So why did you?” Wayne snaps at him.

“I-I wanted t-to you know…to…you know, when you want to be a good host when you have guests over.” He sighs, trying to find the right words to explain. He rubs his forehead with his free hand. “I invited her over, because she was going through a hard time, and she needed…uh, needed someone to t-talk to.”

He glares at his nephew. “Edward, please tell me you haven’t gone back to—”

“Noo!” He lies. “I…Wayne…” he scoffs, saving his breath. “Aren’t you going to punish me for using your radio?”

Wayne laughs back. “Boy, you’d be damn old for a punishment. Instead, I will give you a good old talk about the birds and the bees.” He leans over and pats him on the back. “There’s a thing called ‘rubbers’ and they are a whole lot damn cheaper than a baby.”

Eddie groans, gagging almost from the words coming out of his uncle. He burns his cigarette out, and lightly pushes his uncle’s hand off of him. “Oh god Wayne, seriously? The hell’s wrong with you old man?” He runs off to the trailer.

Wayne follows behind with a huge grin on his face. “Awe come on son, it’s not every day I get to prepare my nephew for—”

“She has a boyfriend!” He stops and screams back at him. They are inside the trailer when Wayne closes the door.

Both stop, gasping at the situation.

Wayne puts his hand on the back of his head and rubs to the top of his head with a low grunt. “Oh Eddie,” he whines with a heartbreaking sound.

“I know, I know.” Eddie groans. He shakes his head. “I swear I’m not doing this on purpose. I don’t plan on getting myself into deep shit. I-I’m not my dad, okay?” He turns back, stomping to his bedroom. He closes the door behind him. Not too loud, just a stern shut.

Wayne groans. ‘Whelp, that didn’t go well.’ Looking at the clock, he knows he has to get some sleep while he can.

***

2 days have passed since Friday night. During that time, Chrissy has tried to keep a healthy relationship with her foods and her dreams. Once and a while she would encounter a haunting image in her dreams, but she manages to go back to sleep. Eddie spent the days perfecting his guitar solo. Along the time, he manages a slow business with his drug deals, but he doesn’t worry about it too much.

Ever since Friday night and the little moment in Eddie’s van, he has never kept his mind off of it. Chrissy blushes every time she thinks of him while Eddie nervously sweats and looks away at the thought of her.

On Sunday, Chrissy meets up with April after morning church. She dreaded the entire service. The Father talked about Sin and how the Devil will charm you into whatever your heart desires. Chrissy shakes her head, not believing that Eddie would be like the devil as the townspeople claim him to be. She doesn’t mention anything to her yet about Eddie. April doesn’t push her, and instead talks with her about their future.

Monday night after dinner, Chrissy runs up to her bedroom and closes it behind her. She just had another argument with her mother about her diet and her choice of college for next semester.

She climbs to her bed, clutching onto her stuffed bunny. She can faintly hear her mother calling her a fat ugly pig. She whimpers deeper into her stuffed bunny. “Oh Johnny, I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to go with Jason to Purdue University.”

She sighs, lying flat on her back. She stares at the ceiling. ‘I wish I go somewhere. Disappear from all of this. Wait a minute.’ She remembers the note Eddie gave to her Saturday morning.

‘You can call me whenever you want. I don’t care if it’s in the morning, afternoon, night, or middle of the night. I stay up all night. I’ve got nothing to do this Spring Break but finish my solo and write songs. Honestly. Anytime you need me, I’m here for you, princess.’ Echoes Eddie’s voice.

‘Eddie.’ She goes to her backpack. She has it hanging on her desk chair. She opens it and looks for the half-torn-up paper. She finds it in a few seconds. She opens it and looks at the note. ‘Eddie’s home number.’

She turns to her phone on the desk. She wants to dial him but is afraid to bother him. ‘Anytime you need me, I’m here for you, princess.’ That sentence goes on repeat inside her head. She finally gives in after nearly half an hour.

She dials his number, her heart racing with each number. She presses the phone against her ear. She hears two rings. Fear and regret hover over her head until…

“Hello?” asks an older male voice.

She pauses, then thinks of many things. ‘Did I dial the wrong number? Is it Eddie? Is it his uncle? What do I say? Do I ask for Eddie?’

“Hello?” The male voice asks again.

“Oh, sorry, um, is this the Munson resistant?” ‘Why did you ask that?’

“Uh, yes. Whom may I ask is calling?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. How rude of me. This is Chrissy…Chrissy Cunningham. I’m asking for Eddie Munson, is he there by any chance?”

On the other side of the phone, Wayne is standing in the middle of the trailer, dumbfounded by a young female caller's request. ‘Y-you’re asking for my nephew?’

He turns to Eddie. He’s sitting on his chair, one leg on the seat as he’s munching on some pizza that Wayne got for them while out running some errands earlier today. Eddie looks up at him with his mouth full.

Eddie frowns, not understanding why his uncle is looking at him like that.

“Oh, Miss Cunningham, what a pleasure it is to hear from you again. You want to talk to Eddie?” He asks, slowly easing the phone away from him.

‘Chrissy? Chrissy wants to speak to me?’ He stumbles up, chewing as fast as he can on his bite. He grabs the phone from Wayne. He swallows his piece as he places the phone against his ear. He clears his throat. “Chrissy?”

She smiles, happy to hear his voice again. She acts as if she hasn’t heard from him in months instead of a day or two. “Eddie.” She gushes.

He smiles, not caring that his uncle is watching from behind. “Chrissy…hey. H-how’s it going?”

“Oh, just things.” She laughs nervously. ‘Ask him, Chrissy, ask him. Do it.’ She clears her throat, trying to find the words to say. “How about you?”

“Nothing much, just getting some personal things done.” He sees Wayne eyeing him. He rolls his eyes and turns his back at him. “Is, uh, is everything okay?” He asks in a low voice.

“Well, actually, I was wondering if you are busy, later on?”

“No, not really. Why you ask?”

“Well, because I was wondering if maybe you…want to…go out somewhere…with me?”

‘Did Chrissy Cunningham just ask to see me again? Holy shit, why are you asking yourself and not answering her question?’ He nods his head, “Oh, yeah, sure. I can meet you or pick you up and we can go…somewhere and just relax.”

Wayne hears it and groans in pain. He doesn’t want to see his nephew hurt anymore by anyone, and a girl is one thing that can tear him. He doesn’t say anything but knows his time for talking to his nephew about boys and girls together is running out. ‘Boyfriend my ass. That boy is charming her and he doesn’t even know it.’

“Actually, can you pick me up at 10 pm? My parents will go to bed close to that time.”

“Sure. I’ll meet you then. I’ll park at the same spot I dropped you off.”

“Okay.”

They hang up.

Eddie smiles a bit longer. ‘I’m going to see her again.’

“Eddie, I think it’s time we need to talk,” Wayne says.  

His smile disappears when Wayne comes over to him. He groans at him, wanting to run out the front door right now to avoid Wayne’s uncomfortable parent talks.

Wayne tries, he really does when it comes to parenting Eddie. He made a promise to his mother when he went to visit her at the cemetery that he would do his best to watch over Eddie and protect him. He always had a soft spot for children. Loved Kids. He always wanted a have a child of his own, but just never found the right woman. Plus he barely goes out. When he’s not working overnight at the plant, he stays at home. Either watching over young Eddie or sitting on his rocking chair, watching Western movies.  

He tries to talk to Eddie. He wants to get to know him and guide him with whatever he needs. He knows that once Eddie graduates, he will leave town and follow his dreams. He told Wayne hundreds of times that he wanted to leave and not look back. Wayne's guess, Eddie has no intention of coming back, not even for the holidays.

“Wayne,”

“Edward, hush and just listen!” Wayne interrupts him with a stern voice.

Eddie stays quiet, looking at his uncle. Wayne doesn’t raise his voice unless it’s serious.

“Eddie, that girl seems nice, but I want you to watch out. Her father owns part of the plant and writes the paychecks. His wife…Laura Cunningham is the worse. She will do anything and manipulate anyone into getting what she wants. Son, if she found out that you have been hanging around with her daughter, she would make your life a living hell. If she could, she would convince Philip to fire me. And I know you told me she has a boyfriend, but I don’t see her keeping him that long.”

Eddie frowns at him. “Why do you say that?”

He wants to tell him what he saw Saturday morning but keeps his mouth shut on that. He wants Eddie to see for himself. “I don’t know…I-I just I can see it in her eyes.” He sighs.

“Look, I appreciate you warning me, but trust me, I know what I’m doing. We’re just old friends. Nothing more, okay? She…she just needs someone to talk to.”

Wayne looks at Eddie. He knows he’s talking out of his ass. ‘That’s not what I saw. I saw the way you looked at her, and how she looked at you. She wanted to get close to you.’ “Just promise me that you will be a gentleman to this young lady and don’t do anything to hurt her. She looks like she trusts you with her life.” His eyes looked tired and in pain.

Seeing Wayne nearly pleading for him to behave, Eddie learns how serious this is. His uncle rarely pleads with him for anything. He usually lets him be free and vocal. “Okay,” he whispers to him. “But trust me, Wayne, I have no intention of hurting Chrissy. Ever.”

***

At a quarter until 10 p.m., Eddie heads out of the trailer. He drives to Chrissy’s neighborhood. He parks at the same spot as last time. He looks at the clock on his dasher.

9:50 P.M.

He kills the lights but keeps the engine on. He waits for her. He debates on whether he should pull out a cigarette or not.

Luckily he’s distracted with he spots a small, dangly figure with a high ponytail running toward the van. He smiles at the sight of her. ‘Chrissy.’ He unlocks the passenger door for her.

She opens it and hops in. She has this big smile on her face. Her blue eyes sparkle at him, matching her light blue shirt with a pink jacket over it. She has on light capris and white shoes that look brand new. “Hi.” She says with a giggle at the end.

She didn’t know why she’s smiling big and giggling at Eddie. She acts like he hasn’t seen her in months instead of days. She has to stop herself from jumping over and hugging him. She sits back and buckles her seatbelt.

“Hi. Fancy seeing you here at this time. Monday night, Spring Break, sneaking out past curfew. My, my, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say I put a bad influence on you, princess.”

She giggles again. Her cheeks glow red. “I just felt like getting out. Plus, I figure you would make good company on my first time sneaking out.”

He hides his blush when she says, ‘My first time.’ He clears his head from the dirty thoughts. He licks his lips. “Oh really?”

She nods her head. She smiles seeing Eddie hiding part of his face when she says she wants him with her. She presses her lips together. ‘I-I hope I didn’t make you uncomfortable. You’re smiling so that’s a good sign.’

Eddie turns on his headlights. He turns to her, grinning from ear to ear. “So, rebel princess, where do you want to escape to?”

She frowns at the thought. “Hm, I don’t know. Do you know any places where we can run off and disappear for a while? A place where no one would bother us?”

Eddie thinks of one place. He turns forward, moving the gear to Drive. “Oh, I know a place.” He looks back at her, “You ready?”

She nods her head with confidence. “You bet.”

Chapter Text

Eddie takes Chrissy out of town and towards the direction of Lovers Lake. A small lake outside of Hawkins and close to the wilderness. A place that never ran through Chrissy’s head in the beginning when Eddie asked where she wanted to escape.

To be honest, Chrissy didn’t want to go somewhere to get away temporarily. She wanted to escape Hawkins and never come back.

Ever since she was little, she always dreamt of running away in the middle of the night. It would be her only chance of escaping, just like tonight. She’d planned on how she would pack her clothes in her pink backpack before everyone went to bed. Later on, she would wait until everyone went to bed, sneak out with some cash she had saved up from Christmas and birthdays, and run straight to the bus station. buy a one-way ticket and leave, go somewhere, anywhere but home. Away from everyone. Away from any contact with family. Away from a town that calls itself an angel but is really a devil in disguise.

Chrissy stays quiet throughout the ride. She stares out the window, looking at the stars and the moon. She feels guilty about not wanting to turn around and talk to Eddie, but at the same time, she doesn’t know what to say. She’s a little surprised that he hasn’t asked what’s really going on at home. He sounded a bit surprised on the phone when she asked him to help her sneak out in the middle of the night. But since the drive, he hasn’t said anything. Which was odd for her, because she’s heard from Jason and her cheer girls that Eddie basically never shuts up in school. He’s always loud or making loud sounds. Still, she looks away, praying he doesn’t ask her.

Eddie has his radio on to heavy metal music but lowers the volume down for Chrissy. He tries his best not to glance over at Chrissy a couple of times throughout the ride. ‘Shit, shit, shit, what do I say? Do I ask her why she wanted to sneak out? Do I talk about something else? Where do I start? Fuck.’ He begins to flicker his thumbs on the steering wheel.

Two nervous lost souls speechless.

Eddie turns down a road and drives through a deep forest area. It leads to a small area where people can unload their canoes and kayaks to the lake. This concerns Chrissy.

She looks around, frowning and looking lost. She lifts herself high on her seat, stretching her neck to look further out the back of the van.

Looking at her acting like that melts Eddie’s heart. He crumbles at how cute and tiny she is when she’s alerted. He wants to grab her hand and soothe her by rubbing his thumb against her palm so bad, it’s nearly impossible to ignore. Little bits of her remind him of the first night he took young Midnight home with him. Both skittish.

It was a cold night when Eddie found him. Mid-fifties. He was so cold and scared that he was shaking throughout the entire ride, clinging onto Eddie’s chest. At the trailer, while Wayne was at work, Eddie hand-bottled Midnight with milk from the refrigerator and watched over him. He stops shaking once he warmed up, but still holds on tight to Eddie. Whenever Eddie tried to gently get him off, his sharp nails would immediately dig deep into his shirt. Something that Eddie didn’t mind. He always had a soft spot for small animals. He does keep an eye on small dogs, but big animals scare him.

“Hey, it’s okay.” He says in a low, soft voice. “I promise I won’t do anything to hurt you. I know a secret place where you can feel safe and undisturbed. I-I found this place years ago, about when I first moved in with Wayne.” He clears his throat, unsure if he wants to continue on.

Chrissy turns to Eddie. He looks back at her, he nearly crumbles when he sees her big blue eyes staring back at him. “Oh?”  

He smirks at her. “Yeah, I-I hope you're okay with that.” He looks back on the road, too nervous to show off his big goofy grin. His cheeks grow red and hot. ‘Shit, keep it cool Munson. Be calm for her.’

“No, no, it’s okay,” Chrissy says, nearly yelling back at him. “I know you won’t do anything to hurt me.”

He clicks his tongue, dramatically, but playfully huffs, bringing one hand and placing it on his chest. “Well, be stole my heart. The sweetest and fairest princess in Hawkins puts her faith and life in me, Eddie the Banished. What an honor it is then.”

She giggles at him as he makes a right turn instead of a left for the canoe and Kayaks drop off. They drive deeper and deeper into the woods. Pretty soon, the road disappears. Eddie tells her the road will get bumpy, but that they were halfway to the destination.

About 3 miles ahead, is a big cliff that shows a beautiful view of the entire lake and woods. Luckily the edge has a wooden fence. The spot is big enough for Eddie to stop his van, back up, and turn to where the back of the van faces the view. He puts it in Park and turns off the engine.

Chrissy and Eddie step out of the van. Eddie goes to the end and opens both back doors. He climbs in and spots a small blanket. He moves it forward, showing Chrissy that if she wants, she can sit on it instead of the hard cold floor of the van.

Chrissy smiles and sits next to him on the edge of the van. Eddie turns to his side and digs for something. He opens a small dark metal box, revealing some more weed and other drugs wrapped in separate bags.

As he digs around, Chrissy looks out at the view. She only saw glimpses of it as Eddie turned the van around. She looks out, seeing everything. She gasps, ‘oh wow.’

Outside, the lake is quiet, peaceful, and blissful through the moonlight. The crickets are singing, while some frogs ribbet a note or two. She barely spots a boathouse or two. Something that actually makes her feel relieved. ‘A place where no one would bother us.’ She smiles at the view. It looks and feels as if they were the only two people on earth.

After moving some stuff around, Eddie finally finds two recently made joints. He smiles as he grabs the two joints. He’s about to turn around until he spots his own radio box. ‘Holy shit.’ He grins. He grabs it and turns around. “Hey, Chrissy…” he stops, realizing she’s eye glued to the view of Lovers Lake. He can’t help but smile, watching her reaction.

She smiles big, showing off her crooked teeth that Eddie finds enchanting. Everything about Chrissy is amazing. She’s breathtaking. Her smile, her voice, her hair, her tiny body, her laughs, the way she looks at something when she’s in tune. He would move heaven and earth for her just to be happy. So hearing about how she hates going home, wants to get away in the middle of the night, has something that upsetting her, but is too afraid to say anything is driving Eddie crazy. He wants to help and learn what’s bothering her, but he doesn’t want to push her. He stays quiet and watches Chrissy.

“I’ve never seen a view this beautiful in my entire life,” Chrissy chuckles.

He stares at her, embracing her radiant skin glowing from the moonlight. Her laugh and smile. She looks like an angel.

“How did you find this place? I’ve been to Lovers Lake a couple of times, but never up here.” Chrissy asks him. She turns to him.

He scoffs, “I was still trying to adjust to living with Wayne, so there were moments when I ditched school and ran off to find a place to hide from everyone. I stumbled upon this place, along with Skull Rock near Cornwall and Garrett, and made it my spot to hide. Every now and then I would drive up here and spend 2 hours smoking and enjoying the view. Sometimes I would bring my acoustic guitar and play along. Unfortunately, I lost Skull Rock thanks to prep boy Harrington a couple of years ago. He made Skull Rock into a super popular make-out spot. I had to save this secret spot before anyone found it.”

“Oh, how did you do that?” She asks as she looks back out at the view.

“I, uh, I kept the bones from a drumstick or chicken thigh from fast food places, cleaned it up, and collected enough to make it look like small animal sacrifices around this area.” He grins, showing guilt, but not 100 % guilty of his actions. “It worked though! Chief snooped around but gave up after a 3-night stakeout and didn’t catch me. Months later, people finally stayed clear of this part of the lake. You, uh, you’re actually the first person I brought up and shared my hidden spot.”

She turns to him, shocked by what he just said. She stares into his dark brown eyes. They’re so gentle yet warm and protective. She shivers, spellbound by his warm eyes and dimples whenever he smiles at her. All the panic and coldness melts the second she makes eye contact with him.

Her heart beats fast, wanting to touch his hand. She wants to feel his warm hands against hers. Something, she had never felt when she was with Jason.

Every time they would hold hands, his hands were always rough and pressed hard against hers, as if he was keeping her from running off. She never liked Jason touching her. He was never gentle with his kisses as well. He would always kiss fast, or it felt cold. Whenever he would hold her, or walk with her, it was more of him wanting to do little bits for her, and then talk her into giving him some love or attention.

As she’s thinking back to the times Jason would kiss her, she begins to wonder about Eddie, and what his lips would feel like.

She begins to blush at the thought of Eddie’s lips against hers. ‘Sure, it’s a thought, but that doesn’t mean anything, right?’ She keeps her eyes on him. She studies every inch of his face, wondering why she didn’t remember him earlier, especially all those years at school. All those rumors about a strange boy who loves metal music even though many people call it Satan music, yet she never put two and two together. She sighs about how stupid she is for not seeing it earlier.

Eddie looks down. He clears his throat as he fiddles with the two joints. “Do you, uh, wanna…” he shows her the joints. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to. I was just, I-I have these lying around, don’t want them to go to waste. We can share one if you want?” He begins to ramble on, sounding ashamed for being nervous and not shutting up.

He shakes his head as Chrissy laughs. This makes him so wreaked, that he questions if he’s really awake or dreaming. Last week he was studying his ass off on his history review for a test the next day. He barely kept his eyes open as he was reading a chapter and ended up falling asleep and drooled everywhere on his page, nearly sticking to his face the next morning.

Now here he is, a week later and he’s out on his favorite hidden spot in the middle of the night with Chrissy fucking Cunningham. Someone he least expected to join him. If someone came up to him that night and told him that a week from today, he would be smoking weed with his middle school crush by Lovers Lake, he probably would've responded with, ‘The fuck you smoking? Ain’t no way in hell the queen of Hawkins would want anything to do with me.’

“I’d like to have some.” She says to him.

“Cool,” he mumbles. He places one joint in his jacket pocket and he digs out a lighter. He takes a couple of smokes before handing it to her once he gets it lighted.

Chrissy takes one hit, and coughs like crazy. Eddie grabs a water bottle he brought from home and hands it to her. She takes a couple of big gulps of it. She thanks him as she hands it back to him. Both laugh at it.

“I guess I should’ve warned you that it might take a couple of big hits before the heat in the back of your throat cools down.” Chrissy hands the joint back to Eddie. “Sorry about that.”

“No, it was my fault. I should’ve remembered that it was hot last time. Sometimes, I can be stupid.” She sighs under her breath. She looks back out at Lover’s Lake.

Eddie frowns at her last sentence. ‘You’re not stupid. If anyone is stupid in this van, it’s me.’ He leans in close but doesn’t do anything with his hands. “Chrissy—”

“Can I try it again?” She asks, turning to him with a change in her face. She’s putting on a brave face. She smiles big, but he knows that it’s not real. He’s seen both sides of her smile. He knows between a real one and a fake one. He’s seen mostly fake smiles growing up. Mostly from his mother.

He presses his lips and hands it to her. He watches her take a couple of hits; each one she slowly progresses better. He doesn’t let go of Chrissy’s last statement. Something about it aches a part of his heart. It beats fast but for the thought of someone actually calling her ‘stupid’ to her face. His hands grow hot and sweaty. He’s thinking too much of it, but why? Why can’t he let it go? Chrissy seemed to. Why can’t he?

Maybe, just maybe, it’s because he can see and read the signs. Signs, that he saw many times on his mother. He doesn’t want to believe it, but it looks a bit familiar. ‘Chrissy…’

“Oh, you have a radio box yourself?” Chirps Chrissy.

“Huh? What?” He jumps, snapping himself back to reality. He looks back at her. She’s looking down beside him. He follows her eyes, spotting his radio box. He chuckles at it. He completely forgot all about his radio. He shows it close to Chrissy as he tries to play it cool. “This little sucker, I thought I left at Gareth’s place. I guess I owe him an apology.” He jokes. “Um, but yeah.” He turns it on.

“I Would Die 4 U” by Prince and The Revolution plays immediately. This shocks Eddie, for he usually has it on the metal radio station. He questions how it changed to a different station. But he doesn’t focus on it too much as he turns back to Chrissy. She’s staring at the radio.

He sees through the moonlight a little smile coming at the corner of her mouth. Her eyes soften then where they were before. She loosens herself.

Eddie sets it down between them. He keeps the volume at a medium. They take turns with a good smoke. They continue to look out at the view. After the song, a different song plays. It’s Broken Wings by Mr. Mister.

A song that unsettles Chrissy. She gets chills on her back. She pulls her legs close to her body and wraps her arms around it. She puts her head on her knee, resting as she looks out at the view. Eddie finishes the first joint. He’s about to light the second one when he sees Chrissy.

His heart drops, hurt from seeing her like this. Never has he seen a girl like this before. He worries more, wanting to help her with whatever she’s going with. He doesn’t know if it’s basic instincts to help out a young fair maiden in distress or the fact he sees his mother suffering. Especially in the middle of the night.

“So, uh, I finally got the song mastered,” he says proudly, wanting to distract her from the thought. He scratches the back of his head as he taps the joint on his right knee. She looks up at him. “Yeah, uh, last night. I finally got it down a little before 3 AM.”

“Wow,” she huffs out in amazement. “That’s super late! Were you up all night practicing?”

“I’m nocturnal! I sleep during the day and wake up at night. That’s why I’m always late for school in the mornings.” He jokes. He smiles, showing his warm dimples and little crinkles forming on the side of his eyes.

“Really?” She sounds shaky and tiny.

He tilts his head, “Guilty as charge. I’m always running around, doing something. Even when I do sit down, my mind continues running. I pick up a pin and either write notes for some songs, my D&D campaign, or what I should be doing first and that’s school work.” She chuckles but still holds on tight to her legs. It’s enough for Eddie.

Chrissy wants to tell him about her dreams. She feels he has the right to know since she ran to him for help. She tries to find the words to say. She opens her mouth, as if she wants to say something, but hesitates. She looks down, afraid to look like a fool in front of him.

“Chrissy, you okay?” Eddie asks, noticing her acting this way. He leans close to her, wanting to comfort her, but is afraid to touch her. He leans his head down, trying to find her eyes.

She looks back at him. His dark brown eyes melted her icy back. All the doubt and intense feelings drain out of her after one look. Something, unexplained. ‘Eddie.’ She presses her lips together. She bites her lower lip, giving him a small smile. Seeing her make that face sparks a nerve inside of Eddie. His heart skips a beat. “Yeah, I’m fine. Actually, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Oh?” He raises his brows.

She nods her head. “Ever since…” she blushes to finish the sentence, making Eddie blush as well. “…you know…that night, I haven’t had any terrible nightmares keeping me up all night.”

“Oh yeah? That’s great to hear!” ‘Does she mean it though? And what about her anxiety?’ he thinks but doesn’t bother to tell her. “I’m happy to hear that. I guess the weed was enough to help. I’m sorry that I talked you out of the Special K, but I had a feeling that…the thing…would.” He fades out, getting lost in her eyes. He clears his throat. “…would be too…beautiful.” He whispers without thinking.

Chrissy raises her brows, giggling at him. She covers her mouth, hiding her crooked teeth. ‘Did…did he say, ‘beautiful’ while looking at me?’ She looks down, blushing from the thought.

Realizing too late on what he said, he stumbles trying to undo the word. “I mean it would be too…too…beat…be…shit, uh…I mean, oh.” He shakes his head in frustration. “Damn it.” He mumbles under his breath.

Chrissy continues to giggle at him. Eddie doesn’t know if he wants to jump off the cliff or walk into the woods and hope a hungry coyote gets him. She turns back to him. His face is bright red. He looked rapidly left and right at the floor embarrassed. Seeing him tall, scary-looking, and acting nervous, and speechless brings joy and happiness back into her life. A light shining inside of her.

He gives up on coming up with an excuse. He sighs low, “I’m sorry. Really, I didn’t mean to blur that out. I-I hope I didn’t make you uncomfortable with that.” He keeps his head down, waiting for her to say the word and drive her back home.

“It’s okay. Honestly.” She hesitates but decides to go ahead and tell him. “I’m glad it helped too. Well, except for the anxiety…kind of one of the reasons why I wanted to get out of the house.” She waits for his response. She tense up, preparing for the worst.

Instead, he stands completely still, patiently waiting for her to continue on.

She takes a deep breath. “I, uh, I kind of had a bad time with my mom…during dinner. She, uh, she…she was just giving me a hard time with… things.” She looks down, regretting she said too much. She sighs, moving a loose hair out of her face.

Eddie nods his head. He can see she doesn’t want to tell him too much about her life. He does that whenever someone talks or brings up his mother. He shuts everyone out. Doesn’t make eye contact, and he keeps quiet. The only thing that can quiet Eddie.

“It’s okay. You don’t have to say too much.” He whispers low to her. “I get it.”

She looks back at Eddie. Her blue eyes sparkle, showing a teardrop running down her face. She has her mouth half open.

“I, uh, I don’t like to talk about my family either. It’s, uh, it’s a mess.”

“Really?”

He nods his head as he lights up the second joint. “Oh hell yeah. All of them are a mess. Well, except for my uncle of course. He’s, uh, he’s the only guy that didn’t turn away from me. He took me in and raised me as his own. He gave me his own bedroom without hesitation. When I didn’t graduate from school, he didn’t get mad or give up on me. Not even when I failed twice. Man, I thought for sure he was going to throw me out that time. I would have.” He laughs at it. “But nah, he never threatened me to graduate or I’m out. He never yells, hits, or calls me stupid. Sometimes, there are days where I’m at my worst, and he would make me some hot cocoa or give me a pat on the back and tell me he loves me.”

She smiles at him. She thinks back to her grandmother. “Sounds like he loves you.” She whispers back.

He keeps his eyes on her. “He does. I’m so damn lucky to have him. Don’t know where I would be if it wasn’t for him.”

“I know how you feel. My grandma was the only person in the family that cared and listened to me. She would do anything to make me smile. She was a real angel.” She slowly releases her knees and drops them on the edge of the van. “She had the sweetest smile that could light up the whole room. She always knew if you were having a bad day. She didn’t even have to ask. It’s like she could sense it. She was such a people person. She would always welcome them into her arms. It didn’t matter what the person looked like, she would give them a hug and a warm plate of her homemade brownies. Those, I miss every day. Along with her hugs, kisses, and music, I deeply miss her brownies. She always gave me as many as I could have when we visited. Whenever we would get ready to leave, she would pack up four extra brownies in a bag and hand them to me while my parents weren’t looking. She told me whenever I’m having a bad day, I can have a bite, and it will be as if I am there with her. She never told us her secret recipe, though. That was the one thing she kept to herself. So when she passed away, the brownies died with her.” She looks down, hiding her sadness from him.

Eddie sighs low. He knows exactly how she feels. “I’m sorry.”

“Thank you,” she whispers, keeping her head down. “I miss her every day.” Her voice cracks at the end.

A different song plays in. ‘Here Comes The Rain Again’ by Eurythmics. Both stay silent. They look away, not knowing what to do or say next.

Halfway through the song, Chrissy looks over at Eddie. He’s staring off at the view. Out of nowhere, she asks him a question. “You said your mother passed away too, right?”

He turns to her, a little shocked by the question. “Right.”

“Do you miss her?”

He stands still, not knowing how to answer it. Then again, he always walks off whenever anyone asks him that question. Refusing to answer. Sometimes, he would get so mad, he would shout at the person to fuck off. But for Chrissy, he couldn’t bare to do that to her. Not after she talked to him about her beloved grandma.

Just like that, Eddie decides to peel off the bandage and answer the question he tried dodging for years. He takes a deep breath. ‘okay, you can do this.’ He sits up a little. He clears his throat. “It’s kind of complicated. Yes and no. Yes, because she’s my mother. No, because she was going through a rough path, and I couldn’t…I…I couldn’t…help her.” He clears his throat again. His face is hard, his dark eyes looking ice cold. He turns away, taking a big whiff of the joint.

Chrissy stays quiet, fearing she might’ve said something to upset him. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you. That was stupid of me.”

Eddie turns to her, frowning but not directly at her, but from what she just called herself. ‘There’s that word again. Why did she call herself that?’ “I don’t think you’re stupid Chrissy.”

She keeps her eyes on him. Her face softens.

“Remember when I said my family was a mess? She was one of them. I’ll happily tell you if you still want to know. I must warn you, it’s not a good ending.”

Normally Chrissy wouldn’t pressure anyone into saying something too personal, but with Eddie, she wants to know. She has heard so many nasty rumors about him, it would be nice to hear something about him that’s true, and directly from him. “If it’s okay with you, I mean…” She takes a breather. “Whatever you want.”

He gives her a warm smile. “As you wish, princess. My mom, well she wasn’t always a mess. She was actually a strong and smart woman. She was headstrong but strong. She was a brave woman. She didn’t let anyone or anything stand in her way. When my mom wanted something, she was dedicated to it. She didn’t care how long it took, whatever she had her mind set on, she got it done.” They laugh. “Yeah, my mom was amazing. She, uh, she actually got me into music.”

Chrissy’s eyes brighten. “Really?”

“Yep, she played the guitar a lot. She taught me how to play with her guitar. She learned from her mother when she was little. She also sang. Her voice was mesmerizing. Deep, mellow, angelic. She would play me a lullaby all the time when I was little. When I was 6, she promised me she would give me her guitar, but she ended up having to pawn it.”

‘Eddie.’

“She, uh, had trouble, keeping a steady job. Dad was there, but he never…he was never good at keeping money. Thanks to him, he made our lives a living hell. Long story short, she went down the wrong path while she was struggling to take care of me. I was probably 7 years old when she started. I tried everything to help her out of it, but she was…headstrong.” He stares past her. He presses his lips together. He tenses his body, thinking about the bad memories of his mother using hard-core drugs in front of him. His heart races, hearing faint memories of that night.

Chrissy stares at Eddie, urging herself not to reach out and gently grab his hand.

He sighs low. “One day, she, uh, she…” He groans in frustration. “It was hard on me, when, she, you know. After that, Dad didn’t step up or even bother to try. One thing lead to another, next thing I know, I’m being dropped off at my uncle’s doorstep.” His tone sounds bitter at the end.

‘Oh, poor Eddie.’

He looks up, forgetting that Chrissy was there with him. He looks away, clearing his throat. ‘Fuck. Chrissy, I’m sorry you had to hear that.’ He turns to face her. His heart breaks seeing tears roll down her face.

“Oh shit, I’m sorry about that.” He pulls out his skull bandana from his back pocket. He shows it to Chrissy.

She smiles and takes it. She gently wipes the tears off her face. “Don’t apologize. I’m, I’m glad you told me.” She gives him back his bandana. He takes it and puts it to the side. “I’m, I’m sorry you had to go through that alone. You don’t deserve that.”

He stares at her. She gives him a gentle smile. “Thanks. And whatever happened between you and your mom, I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

She gently nods her head. “Thank you.” She sighs, “It’s just frustrating, my mom. She orders me around, lets me have limited…uh, free time, doesn’t trust me, ugh. She just makes me so mad that I want to scream.”

“So, why don’t you?”

She frowns at Eddie. “What?”

He chuckles under his breath. “You said you feel like you want to scream, we are miles away from town, and no one at the boat houses can hear you. Do it right here!” He flicks the near-dead joint away as he steps out of the van. He shows Chrissy with his hand, the view of the lake. He turns his back to the view, smiling big at Chrissy.

She blinks a couple of times, trying to understand what Eddie’s saying. ‘He can’t be serious.’

“What? You’ve never tried going to a quiet place and scream out all the frustration out of you? You’re a cheerleader! Don’t tell me you haven’t waited until everyone leaves the gym after cheer practice and screamed your head off!”

She shakes her head while laughing at his dramatic reaction. “No, I’ve never done anything like that before.” This time, she shows her crooked teeth.

Eddie smiles, laughing with her. ‘There’s that smile.’ He takes a step close to her. “Chrissy, princess, you gotta try it. Trust me, you will feel better.”

She shakes her head when Eddie takes another step close to her. She puts her hands on each side of her cheeks. “Eddie, I can’t!”

“Come on! Just one! One time, and that’s it! If you don’t like it, well, at least you tried.”

She laughs again at him. “Eddie!”

He opens his hand out, reaching to her. “Come on, I’ll do one with you. If you want, you don’t have to scream. You can howl instead.” His voice is low and gentle.

She raises an eyebrow, “Howl?”

“Sure! It’s more fun than screaming. Come on, I’ll do one first.”

She giggles, still unsure if she wants to do it. She looks at his hand. She moves her hands to her chest, pressing hard against her heart that’s racing, but from the excitement, not anxiety. “I don’t know,” she whispers.

“Chrissy,” his voice is soft, and his dark warm eyes help calm her racing heart. “Do you trust me?”

She stares at him. “What did you say?”

He leans in close to her. “Do you trust me?”

She looks back at the open hand. It’s big, almost the size of her whole head. She bites her lower lips, rethinking what Eddie suggested. ‘Howl? I’ve always wanted to howl at the moonlight.’ She looks up at Eddie, smiling at him. “I do, I do trust you.” She grabs his hand, lingering her fingers with his. He gently lifts her up from the back of the van.

Touching his hand, Chrissy feels warm and safe. He cradles her whole hand, gently giving it a nice squeeze. She tries to hide her smile as Eddie leads her close to the edge of the cliff. She stands close to him, nervous about trying it.

He stands close to her as he releases her hand. “Don’t worry, I’m right here with you. I’ll do the first one.”

“Eddie.”

“No, no, it’s okay.” He chuckles. “Trust me, I love doing this.” He clears his throat and takes a couple of deep breaths. Chrissy steps back a bit, but not too far away. She smiles as Eddie gets himself ready. ‘I can’t believe he’s going to do it.’

He takes one deep breath, and with all his might, he cuffs his hands to his mouth and lets out a loud, deep, and bone-chilling wolf howl. The howl echoes throughout the woods, making some birds fly away nearby. Chrissy covers her ears, but not for too long.

Once he’s done, Chrissy laughs out loud. “Oh my god, I can’t believe you did that!”

He chuckles when he looks at her. “It’s fun! Trust me. Okay, princess, it’s your turn now.”

She stops laughing, “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know what you’re missing.” He hums.

She sighs, giving in, but good-natured about it. “Okay fine, I’ll do it.” She takes a step forward, clears her throat, and takes a couple of deep breaths. She looks one last time at Eddie. He encourages her.

“You’re going to be fine. I’m right here.”

Those were enough to make Chrissy howl, singing a note as she howls. Once she’s done, she steps back, nervous about what she just did.

“Wow, that was amazing. How do you feel?”

She burst out laughing. “Like I want to do it again.”

‘So, let's.” he holds his hand out again for her, but this time, she doesn’t hesitate to take it.

The both of them took a deep breath and howled together in the moonlight. They laughed and howled some more. Twenty minutes later, they stopped, laughing about what they had just done.

Hours pass, next thing they know, it’s sunrise.

Chrissy slowly wakes up, confused, and blurred about why she’s sleeping on something a bit hard. She keeps her eyes closed but slowly moves her body around. Suddenly, she begins to feel something heavy wrap around her waist. It’s enough to wake her the hell up. She opens her eyes, halting for a brief second.

She looks around, noticing some familiar things. ‘I’m in the back of a van, I’m not alone, I smell something funny…Eddie.’ She slowly turns her head around, hearing a low snoring sound. She finds Eddie, sleeping next to her, and very close.

He has his mouth partly open, little bits of drool come out, and his hair is nearly everywhere. She is shocked to find herself in this position but doesn’t overthink it. Instead, she stares at Eddie, catching every single angle of him. His right eye twitches, she covers her mouth as she smiles at him. She giggles as he continues to snore again. It isn’t too loud, but it’s loud enough for her to be a morning alarm clock.

Just then, she thinks about the time. She looks out the open back door van. It’s bright, and the heat on the van is nearly up to 90 degrees. She winces at the light, fearing how long she’s been asleep. Hell, she doesn’t remember when she fell asleep.

She turns her attention back to Eddie. As much as she enjoys watching him sleep, she knows she has to wake him up so he can take her back home. She slowly turns her entire body to Eddie, facing him. She smiles, as she gently places a hand on his shoulder, and shakes him. “Eddie? Eddie?” She whispers as she leans in close to his face.

He lets out a loud snort but doesn’t wake up. Instead, he groans under his breath and moves his head deeper into the blanket.

She giggles again, adoring his refusal to wake up. Still, she tries again. “Eddie, Eddie, Eddie, Eddie, wake up. Eddie.” With one good shake, she calls for him with a loud voice. “Eddie!”

He moves his head, opening his eyes. He moves his free hand to his forehead. He stretches, unconsciously clutching Chrissy with his other hand closer to him.

She gaps from it, not knowing what to do. She holds her breath, waiting for Eddie to look at what he’s doing.

He blinks a couple of times, staring up at his van top. He frowns, groaning under his breath. He moves his head and eyes around. Seconds later, he spots Chrissy looking back at him.

He yelps as he lets her go and pushes himself away. His eyes are big and guilty looking. “Chrissy, oh my god, I’m…I’m so sorry. I-I-I didn’t…I didn’t mean to…”

“No, no, it’s okay. Eddie, we fell asleep again.” She whispers.

Eddie quits scrambling. ‘Again?’ He looks around, groaning at the sunlight. He rubs his eyes, “Awe man, really?”

“Yeah.” She nods.

He looks back at her. She looks so stunning from the sunlight shining directly at her. Her strawberry hair glistened through the gentle wind. He sighs as he watches her move another loose hair out of her face. ‘Chrissy.’

She looks directly at him. Her blue eyes smiling at him. “Eddie,” she whispers. She stares at his brown eyes, losing her trail of thought in them. She slowly leans forward. “Eddie.”

Hearing her say his name, he scoots himself closer to her. He doesn’t blink or look away. She does the same. Both mouths are partly open.

“Eddie.” She whispers.

“Chrissy.”

They are maybe an inch or two away from each other until they stop. Both begin to breathe heavily. Both lips are soft.

Chrissy looks at his lips, then back into his eyes. “Eddie.”

“Yes,” he mutters. ‘Say it. Say it. Say the words, Chrissy. Please, say it.’ He leans close, nearly touching her lips. She doesn’t move.

She wants to say something. Anything, but what? “Stop?” It’s one word. A simple word. But why can’t she say it? She has a boyfriend, Jason. So why can’t she say it? “Eddie, I have a boyfriend.” She looks back at his lips. The closer they get, the more heart-pounding and thrilling it gets.

Just then, a crow from a distance cries, snapping the two young souls out of a trance. Both back away. They’re shaking and speechless. They look away, wondering what would’ve happened if the bird didn’t make a sound. Would they have done something they would’ve regretted? Would they have done…anything?

Chrissy shakes her head. She turns to Eddie, “Eddie? I’m sorry but I think I need to go back home before my mom wakes up.”

Eddie shakes his head. He climbs out of the van. “Uh, yeah, of course. I’m, uh, I’m sorry that I uh…um. Let me stretch first and then we can head out.” He doesn’t look back at her.

“Eddie?” Chrissy calls, fearing she made things weird between them.

He stops and looks back at her. He notices she looks scared and worried. He softens his face, giving her a small smile.

She smiles back at him. She watches him stretch and minutes later, the two gather at the front of the van. They buckle up, getting ready to leave. Only this time, Chrissy wasn’t going to hesitate to ask him something that’s been on her mind for a while. “Eddie?”

“Yeah?”

She presses her lips together. “I-I was wondering since it’s Tuesday…that it would be okay if…if maybe I come over and…see you…play?”

‘Oh shit, really?’

‘Please say yes.’

He nods his head, “Sure, hell yeah. Yeah. That’s…that will be amazing if you did.” He tries to keep cool, but his smile turns on him. “I’d love that.”

She smiles at him, showing her crooked teeth. “Great, I can’t wait. What time?”

“We arrive at the Hideout at 7 to set things up. We start at 8 PM.”

Chapter Text

20 minutes later, Eddie drops Chrissy at their drop-off spot. They say ‘goodbye’ until tonight. Chrissy jumps out of the van, giving one last wave at Eddie before darting. She runs to the backyard, tiptoeing to the door. It’s unlocked.

With all the prayers and her grandma watching over her, she slowly opens the door and peeks her head out. It’s dead silent. The lights aren’t on. No one is up. She looks at the clock hanging against the wall in the living room. 7:30 am.

She doesn’t waste time and runs upstairs. She makes it to the second floor when suddenly, she hears a door opening from across the hallway. It’s her parents’ bedroom. Oh no, she thinks. Given her only 5 seconds, she spots the nearest door and scurries in. She closes the door behind her.

It’s dark. She’s cramped up in a small tight space. Immediately, she discovers she’s in the hallway coat closet. She keeps still, but her breathing is heavy. Her adrenaline begins to rush. Go downstairs. Please go downstairs, she pleads.

She hears what sounds like her parents' bedroom door close. Footsteps are followed afterward. They’re coming closer. Her legs begin to shake, nearly giving out. She covers her mouth when she begins to breathe too loud. Luckily, the footsteps pass her and head straight to her bedroom. She prays her mom doesn’t open it.

Bang, bang, bang!

She holds her breath, waiting for the worst thing to happen.

“Christina! Time to get up! Now!” muffles Laura. She bangs on the door one more time before her footsteps are heard walking over to Ben’s room. She bangs on his door twice before saying, “Wake up, wake up sweetheart.” The tone on hers is gentle and calming. The footsteps soon walk back over and pass Chrissy.

She drops her hands when she hears her mother going downstairs. She breathes in and out through her nose. She’s about to touch the doorknob when she suddenly hears her brother’s door open and close. She holds back, waiting patiently for Ben to go downstairs.

Once Ben gets close to the bottom of the stairs, Chrissy opens the door and peeks her head out. The coast is clear. She sprints over to her bedroom. She gets in and closes the door behind her.

She breathes in a sigh of relief. She leans her head against the door and closes her eyes. She thinks back to what happened last night.

Eddie’s home number…sneaking out of the house…the van…Eddie…secret spot…smoking…howling…laughs…lots of laughs…overslept again.

Chrissy gasps at the last thought. We overslept again. We…we were sleeping…together. A small smile forms on her lips. She thinks back to the way Eddie held her, his touch, the feeling of his cold metal rings touching her bony skin. His hands were never under her shirt or stone-cold like Jason’s. His hands were always warm and gentle. He was a true gentleman to her. Listened to her, talked, made her laugh, and howled. Eddie.

She thinks back to how twice she has slept with him and woke up in his arms. Twice she slept with him and didn’t have a horrible nightmare. Never, has she ever fallen asleep with someone who wasn’t related. Not even with Jason. She was vulnerable on those nights and Eddie never took advantage of her. He never tried to do anything to her. Never called her names or bossed her around. He was there for her when she needed someone. He came and took her away somewhere quiet with no hesitation.

She felt safe with him. Felt like she could trust him. But that can’t be, can it? She’s been with Jason for about 4 years, and he never made her feel safe with him. Jason was the complete opposite of Eddie.

“Jason.” She whispers to herself. “Jason.”

No. No. She can’t. She can’t do it. Her mother would never let her. She couldn’t. She won’t.

She sighs in frustration. What would Eddie do or say? She thinks to herself. Eddie…Eddie…Eddie. She stares off at her window. Eddie.

She gasps, remembering how close she was to possibly kissing him. Their lips were less than an inch away from each other. His dark brown eyes melting her cold and frightened heart. Almost as if he was sending out a comfort blanket for her.

If she wanted to, she could have let Eddie kiss her in the back of his van. Even though it was wrong. She knows cheating is horrible and is against it, but for Eddie, if she was given the option, she would’ve cheated with him in a heartbeat.

“You know what, it’s my life. I’m eighteen years old. I can do whatever I want. I’m an adult. I can make my own choices.”

Just then, the phone rings in her room. She nearly jumps from the first ring. She runs over to pick it up, wondering who's calling around this time.

“Hello?” She answers.

“Chris! Hi, It’s your king.” Jason says with an energetic tone in his voice. The second he spoke; Chrissy’s stomach begin to turn. Her skin crawls by how obnoxious he sounds.

“Oh, hi Jason.” She fakes her voice.

“Chris, babe, listen, uh, how about, today, we do something? Go to see a movie or go to the lake with the others. What do you say, my queen? Wanna do it?”

She needs to do it. She’s got to do it today. For hers and Eddie’s safety. “Actually, is there a way you can come pick me up this afternoon? I want to go to the park today.”

“Uh, okay…I guess.” He doesn’t sound too thrilled about it. That is something that made Chrissy 100% sure of her decision. “Why do you want to go to the park?”

“Because there’s nothing wrong with getting some fresh air and walking.”

She hears a low groan coming from the other side of the line. “Alright.”

“And Jason, there’s something I want to discuss with you about.”

“Oh, well what’s so special about it that you can’t tell me over the phone?” He whines, wanting to hear it now.

“It’s something that…I think you would rather hear from me face-to-face.”

“Well, okay. I’ll pick you up close to noon. I love you.”

“Love you.” She lies, biting her lower lip. She hangs up the phone. She thinks about what she wants to say to him. Wondering how she’s going to break it to him. She doesn’t want to hurt his feelings, but she also doesn’t want to make him angry. Not after last time.

When Jason started dating Chrissy in their sophomore year, he was a sweet guy. Did everything to charm Chrissy. Then one night, at a friend's house, Jason was with some of his friends and teammates who were a grade up. There were other girls at the house, but none of them were nice to Chrissy. They were taller, older, wore more makeup, smoked cigarettes, and lost their virginities not too long ago.

Chrissy was taught to wait and save herself for her future husband on their wedding night. Her mother tells her that a woman must marry a successful man and give him many children. Raised to believe that a woman’s job is to stay at home and be with the children instead of being outside where there’s danger. Her priest and the bible tell her that she needs to wait until marriage, or else she will perish in hell. For a long time, Chrissy believed in it, but after being with Jason, she rethought on the loss of her virginity. If losing your virginity was for your future husband, shouldn’t it also be for love? Two people who truly love each other and their bodies? Well, if Jason, as told by himself and her mother on many occasions that he’s her future husband, and says he loves her, then why does he call her names and roughly manhandle her?

It got scary for Chrissy when later on that night when a couple of Junior classmates introduced Jason to alcohol. One beer led to another, and the next thing she knew, Jason was drunk and on top of her, wanting to touch her breasts in front of everyone. She got scared and asked Jason to let her go home, but he didn’t listen and tried to pull her pants down. When she finally screamed, Jason let go but got angry. He grabbed her by the back of the neck and dragged her all the way out of the back of the house. He slapped her to shut up and finally threw her on the ground. He yells at her, telling her she’s a bitch and a teased. She ran away from him and went straight home where she hid in her bedroom and cried all night. The next day, Jason apologized and promised he wouldn’t drink ever again. She believed him and stayed. She forgave him…and all the other times that he was drunk and violently abusive towards her. Each time, he was getting closer to holding her down and stealing her virginity.

She shakes it off, knowing she can never truly be left alone with Jason when she breaks up with him. She chose the park for maybe a witness or two. Speaking of which, if Jason is going to pick her up, and she dumps him and it ends horribly, she has no car to drive off. She needs to think of a plan. Someone to watch over her in case Jason gets too physical.

“April.” She murmurs to herself as she dials April’s home phone number.

Five rings in, “Hello?” April answers. She sounds like she just woke up…again…from her.

“April, hey. I’m sorry to wake you up, again, but I need your help…again.” She winces, feeling embarrassed.

She sighs on the other line. “Oh god, please tell me it’s at least related to your strange request Saturday morning.”

“Actually, yes. It does.”

“Seriously?” She asks, sounding a little wide awake.

“April, I know it sounds crazy, but I need you to meet me at the park this afternoon. I’m…I’ve decided that I’m going to break up with Jason, and I need someone there in case…well…he...” She lingers on the words, not sure if she wants to tell her everything about Jason or Eddie over the phone. “Can you be there for me? Please?” She begs.

“Chrissy? Are you okay?”

“Yes, yes.” I think. “I’ll tell you everything after the break-up. I swear. I’ll tell you what I actually did last Friday night.”

“Well…okay. I’ll meet you at the park and watch over you.”

Chrissy sighs in relief. “Oh, thank you so much. You’re amazing. I’ll see you then. Bye.”

“Bye.”

Both hang up the phone. Including the one downstairs. The one in Phillip’s work office room. She overheard the whole conversation. Laura Cunningham. She presses her lips, frowning at the thought of her daughter’s actions. 

***

At the trailer park, Eddie makes it home. The entire ride though, was anything but smooth sailing.

“Fuck, fuck, oh, fuck, fuck, what the fuck happened back there? Holy shit! Oh, fuck.” Eddie screams, panicking from what happened back at the secret hideout. Sweat drips down his forehead. He feels hot. He turns up the AC, but no matter how much cold air hits him, he’s still burning up as if it’s 110 degrees. His heart is racing like a thoroughbred horse, nearly pounding against his chest. He breathes heavy, unable to calm himself down.

Once he pulls up next to his uncle’s truck, he cuts off the engine and slams his head on top of his steering wheel. He groans, confused, and saddened by what almost happened earlier with Chrissy. “Jesus, what the hell man? Did you almost…kiss…Chrissy Cunningham? The Chrissy Cunningham? The same Cunningham who wasn’t afraid of you in the middle school talent show? The same Cunningham who's also dating Carver? Jason Carver? Shit.” He groans, knowing he can’t get himself mixed into that. Or can he?

After witnessing hundreds of affairs from his father, Eddie promised himself that he would never get mixed into that mess. Affairs, taken women. Not when it damages a family. Whenever he’s with a woman, even if it’s for a one-night stand, he always asks them if they’re married, or in a relationship. If they are, he immediately stops and refuses to go forward. No matter how bad the woman begs.

But with Chrissy, it’s different. Almost as if…it felt…right. He remembers the look on her face. The need. She leaned in too. She didn’t look away or say anything. She…she was looking at him as if she was looking into God himself.

One thing ran in his mind though. If he was allowed to kiss her, he probably wouldn’t stop. He would kiss her, touch her, lick her, do anything to make her happy. Do things to her that she didn’t know existed.

He snaps out of his dirty thoughts, afraid he will go deep in, and…well…have a moment outside of his trailer. He takes a couple of breaths and steps out of his van. He looks over at his uncle’s truck. He groans, forgetting that his uncle was at home all night. Shit, what if he’s been waiting all night for me to come home? Shit.

He groans as he steps aside and goes to the back of the trailer where there’s a back door inches away from his room. He reaches it, unlocks it, and is about to open it when he suddenly hears footsteps walking to the end of the hallway, and to his room. He mouths, “Shit,” and looks over at the small open window he leaves for Midnight.

There's an empty trashcan under the open window. He climbs on the can and steadies himself as he rises up and climbs through the window. He grunts and nearly falls off as he struggles to get his whole body through the small crack. But still, he powers through. He worms himself in and crashes onto his desk. He groans as he crawls down and falls face-first on the floor.

“Ow, fuck.” He groans. He slowly gets up, dusting off some of the dirt from last night. He takes off his jacket, placing it on his chair. He sighs, in relief, glad he’s home before his uncle could—

A loud grunt comes from the corner of his room. It startles Eddie, making him jump and yelp. “Fuck!”

He turns and sees his uncle sitting on a chair he brought from the kitchen on the other side of his room. He has his arms crossed, glaring at Eddie with his duel blue eyes that have seen through so much shit throughout the years. Sitting in the middle of Eddie’s bed is Midnight, looking unhappy with him as well.

Shit.

He sighs, giving in to the fact he got caught. He drops his head down, Great, he thinks to himself, Just fucking great. He lifts his head back up, looking at his uncle with huge guilt.

“Edward,” says Wayne in a deep stern voice. His eyes never leave Eddie.

“H-how long have you been—”

“Since six am!” Wayne interrupts. He never blinks.

He’s never seen him this upset before. Not since he nearly burned down the entire trailer from one of his old amp that he was working on. It’s true what Eddie told Chrissy about his uncle. He never hits or yells at him. Disappointed, yes. He shows his disapproval but never says the words to him.

“Oh,” whispers Eddie sleeplessly.

“Eddie, I know you’re an adult and I’m not trying to tell you what you can or can’t do, but for all that is holy, were you two…safe?”

He rolls his eyes. Not again. “Jesus Wayne.” He hisses. “We didn’t do anything. God, is it that hard to believe that I can be with someone that I know who’s a girl? A girl who wants someone to talk to late at night?”

“And coming home the next morning, sneaking in through the cracked window?” Wayne points behind Eddie.

“Meow!” Midnight cries as he shakes his head.

Eddie looks at Midnight, giving him a look. Dude, don’t butt into this. He looks back at Wayne, “I promise we didn’t do anything.” I almost did. I almost kissed Chrissy in the back of my van. God, can’t imagine what would’ve happened if we kissed and didn’t stop. He shakes it off, trying to not think of something like that while his uncle is staring down at him.

“Eddie?”

“Wayne, I swear on my mother’s grave that we didn’t do anything.” Fuck, I brought up mom. He shudders, closing his eyes. His heart sinks down to his stomach.

Wayne’s eyes grow big. He softens his stern face but is stunned that Eddie brought up his mother for the first time in 5 years. The last time he mentioned his mom was when they visited her grave in Nashville, Tennessee. At that time, Eddie was going through the aftermath of his father, and a horrible experience.

Eddie stands stiff, not wanting to show any type of emotion in front of his uncle. He looks away for a brief moment, regretting the words he just said.

Wayne studies his nephew. He sees the pain and anger in his eyes, but also a sense of sorrow for his loss. He wasn’t as hurt as he was before. He gets up and walks over to the door with the chair. He doesn’t look at Eddie. He opens the door but stops and looks over his shoulder. He catches a glimpse of Eddie looking back at him. “I believe you, son. I’m going to make some breakfast for us.”

Eddie nods his head.

Wayne looks away and walks out with the chair. He closes the door behind him.

The second the door closes, Eddie sighs and slumps to his bed. Midnight moves out of the way in time, letting out a low ‘meow’ at him. “Sorry buddy.” He grunts to Midnight. He puts his hands over his forehead, staring off at the ceiling. Mom, help me.

***

That afternoon, Jason arrives to pick up Chrissy. Laura has been quiet since this morning. She doesn’t even tell Chrissy ‘bye’ when she announces she’s leaving.

At the park, Chrissy doesn’t get out of Jason’s jeep until she finds April's white car parked on the other side of the parking lot. Luckily Jason doesn’t notice it, and both hop out.

Jason looks at himself in his side mirror, admiring his golden blonde hair and his light blue eyes. He’s still wearing his letterman jacket over his white shirt and khaki pants with the cleanest and whitest shoes. He runs his hair through his fingers. “Perfect.” He mumbles.

Chrissy, dressed in her white skirt and a pink long-sleeve shirt with her hair in a high ponytail rolls her eyes when he’s not looking. She’s never been this excited to dump Jason than ever. She puts on a brave face as she walks over to Jason.

He turns to her, grinning. “So babe, we’re here, what do you want to talk about?”

“Let’s take a walk honey, come on. Let’s enjoy the weather a bit longer.” She smiles, waiting for Jason to loosen up before she tells him.

He frowns at her, not looking too happy. “What? Why do you want to walk for a little bit first? Jesus, Chris, stop being stupid. Come on, you told me you want to see me and tell me something, spill it out!” he growls at the end. He pierces his cold blue eyes at Chrissy, his lips pressed. He nearly hovers over her, wanting to make himself look dominant.

Chrissy steps back, her lower lip trembling. She lowers her head down. “I will tell you; I promise. I just want us to walk around for a bit. Enjoy the fresh air.”

He scoffs as he rolls his eyes at her. “Fine, whatever.” He says under his breath. He follows her as they walk around the park.

She waits until Jason has completely calmed down. When he does, she takes the chance.

“Jason, honey,” she says, gently grabbing his elbows and stopping him in his tracks. She waits until he looks back at her. She wants to tell him eye-to-eye. Let him know, she’s serious. “Listen, um, you know how much I…care about you, right?”

Jason stares at her, frowning his brows. “Yes, of course.” He lets out a nervous chuckle, his smile is tight. “Chris, what do you mean? I love you and you love me. That’s all there is to it.”

She nods her head. “Right, well…I do…love you, Jason.” She feels her heart racing. Her hands begin to sweat. “And these past couple of years together have been…amazing.”

“Chris?” He asks. His voice is soft. His smile disappears, turning into a deeply concern look. He leans in close to Chrissy, trying to see her face.

Chrissy leans away, trying to get some space between her and Jason. She drops her hand, crossing her arms close to her chest. “Jason, I love you, but things have changed…between us.”

“What?” He snaps, his eyes looking panicked, but his face looks mad. He keeps his eyes on Chrissy, making her uncomfortable. He takes a step towards her. She steps back, but he takes another step until she stops. “What are you talking about, Chris? Things haven’t changed. I’m still the same old Jason!” He raises his voice at the end.

It makes Chrissy jump a little from the little burst. “No, no, things have changed between us. You’re not the same Jason that I knew and loved. You’ve become more dominating and easily threatened by anything or anyone who looks at you differently or isn’t in the same…wealth or belief as you.” She tries not to bring up Eddie or his hellfire group into the mix. But at the same time, she wants to tell him that he’s been rude to people different than him.

He shakes his head, “What…what are you talking about? Chrissy, please.” He goes to grab her arm, but she pulls away. He gasps at her. “Chris.”

“I’m sorry Jason, but I think it’s best we see other people.” She steps away, looking at his reaction. She gets nervous when he doesn’t say anything. Just stares. April…. where are you?

“Y-you…you can’t be serious. Chrissy, you…what the hell is going on with you?” He follows her. His look is hard and cold. “Why are you doing this?”

“Jason, please understand I’m not trying to hurt you.”

“No!” He roars as he runs over and grabs a hard firm on her arm. She gaps, uncrossing her arms, and crumbles from him. Her eyes are big, filled with terror.

“Jason, please.” She whimpers.

“NO! You’re mine Chris!” He grips harder. “You’re talking like an idiot! You wanna see other people? What other people? Everyone knows we belong together.”

Not me, she thinks to herself. “Jason, I’m sorry but I need some time away from you. Please, please let me go.” She whispers softly to him. Trying to calm him down. “Please, please let me go.”

He continues to shake his head. Gripping harder on her arm. It hurts so bad, that it begins to form a bruise around. She leans down, whimpering. “I won’t,” he hisses. “I won’t do it. You’re my girl. No one else. No one is good enough for you. I’m the only one you got.”

Feeling scared, she begs loudly and grabs his arm with her free hand to pull away. “Jason.”

“Who are you seeing behind my back? Huh?” He says. He viciously pulls her close to him. He leans against her face, his nostrils flaring. “Huh? Is that it? Are you seeing someone? Who is it? Who's the guy Chrissy? Tell me! Tell me!”

“Hey!” Calls out a voice from behind Jason.

Chrissy and Jason stop and turn around. It’s April. She’s standing there with her hands in her denim jacket matching her skinny blue jeans. She has a white shirt under her jacket. She’s an inch taller with her dark high heels on.

Chrissy sighs in relief to see April. Jason, not so much. April walks toward them. She looks at both of them, mostly concentrating on Jason's grip on Chrissy.

“This doesn’t concern you, Winters,” snarls Jason.

April glares at him, unphased by his demeanor. She raises a brow. “You have your hands on my best friend when clearly she doesn’t want to be manhandled. That seems like a pretty big deal not to ignore. Especially in broad daylight.”

Jason, keeping his eyes on April finally lets go of Chrissy. “We were just talking.”

Chrissy runs over to April, hiding behind her. Her friend grabs her hand, squeezing it tight. Chrissy lingers with her hand.

Jason sees this, glaring at their hands. He breathes heavy, then turns to Chrissy. “This isn’t over. We’re meant to be Chrissy! I’m going to let you go for now, but just you wait. When I find out who it is, I’ll make him pay. You’ll see.” He turns away, leaving the girls.

They watch him go to his jeep and drive off. April soon guides Chrissy to her car. They reach it and hop in. April starts the car but turns off the radio station. They stay quiet in the car for two minutes.

Chrissy tries to calm down. She soon touches the arm where Jason grabbed her. It’s sore and hurts, but not too bad. She looks down and slowly lifts up her sleeve. There’s a small handprint bruise. She gaps, never thinking Jason would do that to her. He hurt her. Marked her.

April looks over, appalled by what she sees. “Oh my god,” she whispers. “H-he…he did that to you?”

She nods her head without looking.

“Shit. Chrissy, I’m so sorry.” Her voice is soft and broken. “Has he…done something like this before?”

She nods her head again. This time, she looks up at April with her blue eyes. “That’s why I wanted to end it. I-I…I wasn’t…safe with him…anymore.”

“Is it true? I mean…what he said back there? Is there someone else? Someone…you feel…safe with?”

She hesitates but gives in. April is the only person she can trust right now. “There…is.” She takes a deep breath. “It’s…it’s Eddie. Eddie Munson.” She holds her breath, waiting for her reaction.

“Eddie? Eddie? Eddie ‘the Freak’ Munson? The same guy whom I recommended to help you with your problems? Chrissy, that guy is a freak!”

“No, he’s not!” She snaps back at her. “He’s not a freak and he’s not mean and scary as others say he is. April, he’s a nice guy. Once you get to know him, he’s actually a sweet guy. When we were doing the drug deal on Friday, we got to talking, one thing led to another, and I ended up spending the night at his trailer.”

“Chrissy!” April gasps.

“We didn’t do anything physical or kiss!” She defends. “No, no, we just smoked weed and talked. That’s all. We fell asleep and that’s why I came home early the next day and called you with that strange request.”

She sighs, shaking her head. He presses her temple with one hand. She stares off into the distance. “Chrissy, are you sure he didn’t do anything to you, like take advantage of you?”

She shakes her head, “God no. He’d never…no. April please listen. Eddie Munson isn’t like that. He’s more than that. He’s a great listener, he’s funny, goofy, a true gentleman. He doesn’t do satanic stuff or even knows how to do that. He’s just a regular guy.”

“He failed senior year twice!”

“So, he’s not dumb to me.”

April turns to her friend. She looks at her face, trying to read her face. She sighs, “You’re…you’re serious, aren’t you.”

She smiles at April. Nodding her head. “I’ve never been more serious about anything in my entire life. With him, I feel safe and happy. More than when I was with Jason. I broke up with Jason on my own will. I didn’t love him-never loved him.”

“Oh, Chrissy.”

“Tell you what, you want proof, come with me tonight at the Hideout. He and his band will perform there. Please April, it will mean a lot to me if you come along.”

“Chrissy, that place is dangerous! My parents tell me that place is a scary, rundown bar where many drunks and workers from the plant go to get drunk or be rowdy.”

“He told me I would be safe. His uncle knows some friends who can watch over us. Please come with me. See him, get to know him. Trust me, he’s a nice guy. Please.”

April grunts, saying she will come along.

Chrissy squeals and hugs April. The two drive off and talk about tonight.

***

A half hour until 7 that night, April arrives to pick up Chrissy. She told her parents that she was going to go to the Star Court Mall with April. When her mother asks about Jason, Chrissy tells her that it’s just a girl's night. Until she can think about what to tell them tomorrow, they don’t need to know about her breakup with Jason. Laura tells her she can go out, but that she needs to be home by no earlier than 10 pm. Chrissy argued but stopped when Laura threatened to accept the time or not go out tonight. She finally agrees and leaves the house. She let April know, and they agreed to leave the Hideout no later than 9:30 pm.

April drives to the place while Chrissy changes clothes in the back. She puts on a dark shirt with blue jeans her father secretly gave her for her birthday last year. She puts on her dark shoes and leaves her hair down. This will be the first time that Chrissy has ever let her hair fully down. She wanted to put it half up and half down but decided at the last minute to change it up for Eddie. She wanted to be different for him, show how much she’s changed. April gives her some makeup for her. She puts on some dark lipstick and a little bit of dark eyeliner. She puts on some blush and wears some dark jewelry that April let her borrow for tonight.

The girls arrive at the Hideout. April parks close. She looks around, spotting a couple of big tough-looking men walking inside.

In front of the bar, there stands a bigger-looking man dressed in all black. He’s bald, has one earring, has a white growing beard, and has a flashlight in one hand. He’s checking for I.D.S.

April, worried about the place turns to Chrissy. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

Chrissy, also noticing how scary the place looks turns to her friend with a big smile on her face. “Yeah, I’m sure.” Deep down, she wasn’t. She’s worried she should’ve met up with Eddie and his friends here instead of a little before the show. But still, she came here to see Eddie and watch him perform.

The whole day, Chrissy thought about how she would tell Eddie that she broke up with Jason and want to go on a date with him. She likes him, but she wants to know that he likes her too. Sometimes she worries that she’s going to make a fool of herself and get the wrong message. She worries if she tells him, he will back out, saying it was a misunderstanding. But the moment of this morning at the back of his van runs through her mind. Reminding her of the intense feeling they had between them.

He wanted to kiss me. It looked like he wanted to kiss me. Come on, Chrissy, you can do this. Eddie will be there. He promised that you will be safe. You trust him, right? She takes a deep breath, “You ready?”

“No, but someone’s gotta be there for you.” April smirks.

The girls get out of the car. They go to the front door where the doorman stares at them, mind blown by their presence at this time. The man raises a brow, not moving a single muscle.

The girls stop in front of him. They look up, intimidated by him.

The doorman groans at them. “I.D.S?”

The girls show him their I.D.S. The man shines his flashlight at them, then gives it back to them. “So what’s two young ladies doing in a place like this?”

“My friend, Eddie Munson,” Chrissy replies. “He’s performing with his band.”

“Munson kid? Really?” He chuckles. “Well, in that case, enjoy.” He steps aside, letting the girls enter the bar.

They go inside. They see a near-empty room with some tables taken by a man or two or five. On the left side is a bar area. There are maybe six or seven people at the bar, drinking. Most of the men at the Hideout have on flannel shirts, dirty blue jeans, and heavy mountain boots. A majority of the men have a trucker hat.

As soon as the girls step in, many faces focus on them. Half of the room gets quiet. The girls try to ignore it and search for a place to sit. Whispers start to form when they begin to walk around. Some of the men go back to chatting while others stay focused on the girls.

Chrissy looks around and spots a small stage area where some of Eddie’s band members are already setting up. She smiles, relieved to see Eddie’s bandmates are classmates from school. One of them, the awkwardly tall African American fellow, Jeff is in her History and Science class. She remembers him being shy but smart. She also remembers some of Jason’s basketball friends harassing him and calling him names. Everyone, but Senior year Patrick McKinney.

“Oh, look, there’s a spot that looks safe.” April points.

Chrissy follows her fingers, seeing a table close to the band and by an exit door in the back. It’s also far away from the group of men. They go over and sit down. They watch the band members get their instruments ready and plugged up to their amps.

Just when Chrissy wonders where Eddie is, he appears from the back curtains. He’s wearing a skull dark shirt, silver chains on his neck, and his arm tattoos are shown from the short sleeves. He has some dark makeup on, and his hair is a bit puffed up. He has another chain wrapped around his waist. He’s wearing his dark pants with some holes, and dark cowboy boots.

Her heart skips a beat when she sees him. He keeps his head down, looking over at some of the equipment. She breathes heavy, never taking his eyes off of him.

“Oh, it’s Eddie,” April says, not paying attention to her friend. “Wow, um, he certainly does know how to dress scary.” She chuckles, waiting for Chrissy to defend him again. When she doesn’t hear anything from her, she turns to her. “Chrissy?”

She’s off in a daydream, drooling over Eddie.

April smirks at her. She gives her another second, then claps her hands in front of her. “Hello!” She yells.

It snaps Chrissy out of it. “Huh? Sorry?”

April laughs at her. She hasn’t seen Chrissy this dazed since they were little and at the Country Club to celebrate Christmas early. There was a boy that Chrissy liked and couldn’t keep her eyes off him. Sadly, he moved to another state the next year. “My, my, Chrissy,” she teases. “Are you sure Munson didn’t put a spell on you or something?”

She laughs with her. “No, I promise you. There’s nothing.” The girls giggle.

Their laughter echoes halfway through the stage. Pretty soon, it rings in Eddie’s ears. He stops, looking straight up at where the laughter is coming from. His heart skips a beat when he sees her. Chrissy.

Holy shit. The bar light shimmers down on Chrissy, making her and her smile angelic. Her strawberry-blonde hair glows and flows down. She’s wearing dark makeup, making her enchantress. She’s dressed differently than what she would wear at school. She looks like she’s stolen hearts from hundreds of boys. Everything about her, he can’t take his eyes off. Chrissy’s changed. She’s more daring. More exciting. More…willing to sneak out. Go to a place where she would never visit. An unknown place, and she’s laughing…showing her crooked teeth. She’s gone out with the wolves tonight. No, even better, she’s a she-wolf.

Holy shit. Chrissy’s here. She’s here. The longer he thinks of it, the more nerve wrecking it sounds. Oh shit…Chrissy’s here. She’s actually here. She’s here to see me…she’s here….oh, shit. His stomach begins to turn upside down. He feels queasy. Oh, shit, I think…shit.

He power walks off the stage, then zooms to the backstage room. Inside the room, there’s a giant mirror, a desk, a couch, two chairs, and a bucket. Eddie closes the door and runs to hover over to the bucket. He hurls but doesn’t throw up. For a good five minutes, Eddie gags. Spitting nothing but his own saliva.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

“I’m busy!” Eddie growls at the door, hunched over, glaring.

“Dude, dude, it’s Jeff. Open up!” He continues pounding on the door.

Eddie groans, knowing he won’t leave him alone. He gets up and opens the door.

Jeff’s standing on the other side of the door. His eyes are big, and he’s breathing more than usual. Sweat is already forming on his forehead. He has on a spikey necklace, a black shirt with white writings on it saying, ‘Corroded Coffin,’ tight dark pants, and heavy dark boots.

“Dude, due, Chrissy freaking Cunningham is here.” He blurts out. “The queen of Hawkins is in the Hideout. Giggling! What the hell man?”

Eddie tries to explain but every time he opens his mouth, Jeff keeps questioning.

Just then, Gareth, dressed as a mixture of Eddie and Jeff’s outfit, comes running in. He too has panic in his eyes. “Dude, dude, Chrissy is here. Why is she here?”

The two talk over each other. Eddie rolls his eyes, grabs the two by their shirts, and drags them inside the room. He kicks the door shut with his boot. He lets go of the boys.

“Shut up!” He roars. The boys obey. “Now, if I can explain—”

“Dudes, dudes! You gotta come out here! You won’t believe who I—”

Eddie opens the door, grabs Dale, and pulls him into the room. He slams the door again. He glares at Dale to shut up. It doesn’t take long.

“Okay, now since we are all here, I can explain everything. Yes, Chrissy Cunningham is here because I invited her. I invited her to see us play. Okay? Is that a problem?”

There’s a brief moment of silence before all three of them shout, ask questions, argue, and warn Eddie about Chrissy all at once. Eddie in frustration rubs his temples, growling at them. After 15 seconds, Eddie roars at them to shut up.

***

30 minutes later, five minutes after 8 pm, the four band members march on stage. Eddie, Jeff, and Dale grab their guitars and plug them on their wire. Gareth goes to his drums. Everyone in the group are putting on a brave face. They pretend Chrissy Cunningham isn’t in the crowd.

Jeff stands in front of the band. He grabs the mic on center stage. “Hello Hideout! We’re Corroded Coffin! Are you ready to rock?!”

The girls get quiet and look at the band. Some other people around the bar look at them but don’t reply. They go back to drinking. One table at the far end is packed with five big, grown men with a couple of empty beer cans on their table, cheering at the band.

Most of them have long, thick beards. Chrissy smiles, thinking they must be the five drunks Eddie talked about last Friday. She turns her attention back to the band, mostly Eddie. April frowns at them, unsure of their music. She heard he plays metal music. Her parents told her that metal is the closest gate to hell and its devils.

Gareth starts off with a drum solo to the song, ‘Iron Man’ by Black Sabbath. It gave the girls goosebumps. None, more than Chrissy. The music was loud but sounded unique. Each time the drum hit a beat; the vibration shook through their entire body. It gave a shiver during the aftershocks. Both are amazed by the experience. Was it because it was their first bar performance to see? Their first time going to a bar? Their first time listening to metal music that’s introduced the correct way? Whatever it is, the girls are enjoying the feeling. Wishing for it to never stop.

After the song, another Black Sabbath song comes in. “Paranoid.” Throughout the guitar solos, Eddie’s been the main spotlight. He’s the lead guitarist and mastered most of the solos. He’s been running around on stage, doing high kicks, sticking his tongue out, and spinning around. Once and a while, he will look over at Chrissy, who’s been staring at him most of the time and wink at her.

She loved it. The entertainment Eddie will give out, his smile, the way he always looks over at her, winking at her. It was perfect. All of it. She gives him the biggest smile, not caring that her crooked teeth are showing. Then and now, April will look over and grin at her for showing off the biggest ‘I’m crushing on you’ look she’s ever seen.

After the third song they played, “I Wanna Be Somebody” by W.A.S.P.S., Chrissy tells April she’s going to the bar to get some water. April insists on coming with her, but Chrissy shrugs it off. She’s warned to be careful as she leaves the table.

Chrissy walks over and reaches the bar. There, she sees four, big, mean-looking men giving her a second glimpse. They frown and drink their beer, trying to understand what a cute little girl is doing in a place like this. She blows them off, not giving them a single response. She keeps her head straight forward as she waits for the bartender to serve her.

The bartender just finished serving someone a beer when he catches his eyes on Chrissy.  He’s a mid-aged man, big, fair skin, bald, but has bottom white facial hair. He’s wearing a dark shirt, showing off his tattoos, and huge muscles. Over his shirt is a gray vest. He’s also wearing dark blue jeans and dark boots.

He leans against the bar, both hands on the table. He stares at Chrissy, curious about her presence like everyone else. “What can I get ‘cha?” he grunts in a deep voice.

“Two waters please,” Chrissy says. She looks up at him, but not for too long. She’s about to dig inside her front pocket for the money until the bartender who sees this waves his hand to stop her.

“On the house. It’s water.” He grabs two clean empty glasses, pours water and ice, and hands it to her. She thanks him and heads back to her table.

As she walks her way back to her table, many eyes from the men turn and follow her sight. The Hideout is a place where some women come but are nothing compared to Chrissy and April. While many eyes are set on Chrissy, one in particular has a huge interest in her, never blinking.

Sitting at the end of the bar, taking little sips of her beer is a tall, beautiful, and lustful woman by the name of Jessica Wilson. Her hair is long, curly, and dark brown, matching her eye color. She has heavy dark makeup on, making her look like in her mid-30s. Her brows are plucked, making her look dangerously dominant. She has on a dark tank top, revealing some tattoos on her left arm. Her top also matches her dark blue tight pants and high heels, making her look almost 6 feet tall.

She has a beer in one hand and a cigarette in another. She puckers up a puff as she watches Chrissy walking back to her table.

“Well, well, well,” she says to herself in a deep seductive voice. She takes one puff, blowing the smoke out through her nose. “Looks like Eddie got himself a little lamb. How sweet. Wonder how long it’ll take until he damages her?” She smirks at the thought. She turns to the bartender, asking for another beer.

Throughout the night of the performance, Jessica continues eyeing Eddie and Chrissy. She sees the cute flirtation Eddie does to Chrissy, making her gag. She asks for more beers as she watches some drunk men try and attempt to walk over and talk to Chrissy and April but are blocked by two big men who are friends with Wayne Munson. Eddie’s personal bodyguards. They are there to protect the girls from the men. Some women show up, but none are as pretty or grabbing the attention as Chrissy and April.

At 9:25 pm, the band finishes playing one song when Jeff comes up to the mic, “Thank you!”

Chrissy, April, and the five drunks are the only ones to clap for them. Eddie definitely notices it. He winks at Chrissy again. She giggles at it.

“Alright everybody, it’s about that time to wrap things up and head back to our caves.” The girls laugh at it. “Now for our last song, instead of it being one of our regulars, we decided to treat you guys with something new. So, I have a question for you guys. Are you ready for the most metal song in the history of the world?” He turns to Eddie, “Our lead guitarist, Eddie Munson just mastered the guitar solo, so he’s ready to end the night with a bang. Aren’t ya buddy?”

Eddie turns to Jeff, giving him a big grin. “You bet.” He kisses his guitar pick, Chrissy, this is for you. He looks over at Chrissy, winking at her.

They play the song, “Master of Puppets.” The song Eddie told Chrissy about. He plays his heart out. When it came to the guitar solo, he performed with so much determination, that he drew eyes from everyone at the bar.  

By the end of the song, everyone is clapping and cheering for the boys. The band wave bye and ran out backstage.

Chrissy turns to April once they disappear, “So, what do you think?”

She shrugs it off, acting as if she didn’t have fun. “I have to admit, the music isn’t that horrible. Especially with that lead singer of theirs.” She gazes her eyes back to the stage.

“Wait, are you talking about Jeff?” Chrissy laughs.

April looks away, playfully. “I don’t know.”

The girls chuckle again.

“Hello,” says a female voice from behind them. It stops the girls from laughing. They turn around, curious to see who wants their attention.

They spot Jessica Wilson with a leather jacket on this time. She has her hands in her jacket pocket. She’s smiling at the girls. Raising one brow at them.

“Hello,” Chrissy says nervously.

“Hi,” April says, guarding herself from Jessica’s presence.

Jessica smirks at Chrissy. She scans her up and down. She clicks her tongue and shakes her head, making Chrissy uncomfortable. She presses her lips together, “I’m Jessica Wilson.” She holds her hand out to her.  

Chrissy, being polite takes the hand and shakes it. She then pulls her hand back, crossing her arms. “I’m Chrissy, and this is April.”

Jessica nods her head at them. She turns back to Chrissy, “So, is this your first time here?”

She nods her head.

Jessica scoffs, envying the girl’s youth and innocence on her face. “Ah, let me guess, you’re a friend of one of the band members?”

“Eddie,” Chrissy answers quickly. “He invited me to see him perform and I brought along my friend. We go to the school together. All three of us.”

“Ah, Eddie Munson.” She says, unpleased by her answer. “I should’ve guessed. He’s always bragging about how talented he is on the guitar.”

Chrissy gives her a small smile, not liking her reply. “Do…do you know him?” She asks, regretting the question.  

“Sort of. We’ve known each other…on…a couple of occasions.” She stops for a while, glaring at Chrissy. “But I’m not the only girl in this bar—nor are you the only girl from school that Eddie has invited to see him perform. Most of the time after a performance, when Eddie sees a girl he likes, he grabs her, takes her backstage or in the back of his van, has his rockstar moment, then dumps the girl afterward.”

Chrissy frowns at her, not believing Eddie would do that to her. Not after what we’ve been through. No, he wouldn’t. He wouldn’t take advantage of me. You’re lying.

“Is that all you’ve come to say?” April asks in a demanding voice.

“Hey, hey, I’m just warning you guys,” Jessica laughs, putting her hands up in surrender. “I don’t mean to make things difficult. I assumed,” she turns to Chrissy, “she knows what to expect from Eddie, the wannabe rockstar Munson. Unless you came here for a good time, which in that case, you won’t be disappointed. Oh, and if you’re here thinking to yourself of being in a relationship with Munson, stop. You’re wasting your time. He doesn’t tend to stick with one person for too long.” She lingers away, getting one last good look at Chrissy.

The girls frown at Jessica. They watch her disappear into the crowd.

Chrissy sighs, knowing what she’s talking about. For years, she heard from classmates and cheerleaders about Eddie being amazing and rough in bed, and how he never denies sex. Although, no one has ever stayed or been in a relationship with him. Maybe, he’s not the type of guy that goes on dates or do relationships. Oh no, what if this was all a huge mistake? What if this entire time, Eddie has been working on getting into bed with me? She’ll feel horrible if it’s all true.

“Hey, Chrissy, sweetheart, don’t believe her,” April whispers. She detects her friend feeling bad and ashamed. “From what I saw during the show, was you and Eddie giving each other gross puppy love eyes. You looked happy. Better than I have seen you in years.”

Chrissy turns to her friend, smiling at her. “Really?”

“Of course.”

From the corner of their eyes, they see a tall dark figure walking towards them. They look to see it’s Eddie. He has this big smile on his face. It warms and calms Chrissy a bit, but the anxiety stays. Still, she smiles at him.

Eddie reaches the table. “Hey, Chrissy, you came. I’m glad you got to make it.” He turns to April, smiling at her.

Chrissy introduces her to him. They shake hands. Eddie turns back to Chrissy.

“So, what did you think of the show?”

“It was good.” Chrissy replies, too shy to look back at him. “I liked it. It was… different, but not in a bad way. It was cool.”  

“Yeah, totally,” April says.

Eddie thanks them but keeps looking back at Chrissy. He frowns, concerned to see Chrissy quiet and not making eye contact with him. She looks…like someone just sucked all of the color and love out of her. Why is she looking down? Is she lying? Did she hate it? Did she have a horrible experience? He’s worried someone might’ve bothered them underneath Wayne’s coworkers' watch. No, they would’ve told me as soon as we exited the stage. It has to be something else. But what?

Eyeing the young lovebirds in a quarrel, April excuses herself to use the girls' restroom. She leaves them, wondering what else to say next. For Chrissy, she’s too scared and ashamed to speak about not being those girls who want sex. As for Eddie, he fears she didn’t have a great time as she did minutes ago. Seeing Chrissy like this makes him useless.

Chrissy keeps her head down as she fiddles with the straw on her water cup.

Eddie leans his level to hers, “Hey, Chrissy, are you okay?” He whispers.

She nods her head.

This doesn’t settle him well. He knows something is bothering her. “Are you sure?”

She nods her head again.

He doesn’t believe it. It kills him that she won’t open up to him. “Hey, Chrissy, it’s me. Remember?” He waits patiently for her to face him. When she does, he wills with whatever strength he has in him not to touch and comfort her. His face crumbles though.

She sees him, seeing that he’s not like Jason. His dark brown eyes don’t look or read as someone who would have two sides. But still, he has a past. And she doesn’t believe she’s that kind of girl that can do that.

“Hey, what is it? Did someone say something to you?” He tilts his head, examining her. “Was it your mother again?”

She gasps.

“Did she say something to upset you?” He asks, gently. He keeps contact but is soft.

He remembers your mother. He listened. See? This is not the same guy that the woman claimed him to be. He’s a good guy. He’s a good guy, Chrissy. Please believe that.

She stumbles, trying to find the words. Eddie waits for her, patiently. He stays there, unwilling to move. She looks down, takes a breath, then looks back at him. “It’s…it’s just that…do you know a girl by the name of Jessica Wilson?”

He pauses, stunned by the full name. He hasn’t heard that name in a long time. He groans, scratching the back of his head in a defeating manner. Chrissy waits, holding her breath for his response.

He looks at her with deep sympathy in his eyes, “Is it okay if I take a seat next to you?” He asks.

Chrissy turns to where her friend disappeared, not seeing her. She nods her head quietly. He places her hands together and on the table.

Eddie takes a seat next to her. He doesn’t take his eyes off of her. “Look, uh, before I start, I just want to say that I would never force you into something that you’d feel uncomfortable with or take advantage of.” Without knowledge, he moves his hands on the table. Chrissy keeps her hands close. Both keep their eyes together.

Eddie.

“Jessica was someone that I met two years ago. She had just come out of a long and bad relationship and wanted to have fun. We talked, and one thing led to another, but it only lasted for a week! I soon saw what kind of a woman she was. We didn’t have that much in common; she was untrustworthy. I broke it off and politely told her it was over. She, sadly had a hard time accepting it. Whenever she saw me with or talk to a woman, she would go bad shit crazy and spread rumors about me being a heartbreaker-which I am not. She was a mistake and I distance myself from her.”

“But you still…give classmates at school a…fun time.” She says in a serious voice.

The intense look on her face is enough to make him crumble up and hide underneath a rock to rot. But he puts on a brave face, wanting to give Chrissy truthful answers. Whatever he can do to make her trust him.

He sighs, “Yes. I had given some classmates of ours sex before, but only because they asked me. Girls at school hear how much of a freak I am, that they want to know what it’s like to ‘get with him.’ Hook up. That’s all it was. Nothing but a one-night stand. The girls go home, and the next day, they go back to treating me like dirt.” Without knowing, he scoots his hands closer to Chrissy’s hands. “Please, believe me. I don’t ask girls for sex. I’m not that type of guy, Chrissy.”

She sighs, “What about your drug deals? Do you ask for…that instead of money.”

He shakes his head intensely. “God no. I would never. Chrissy, I would never do anything like that to women or you.”

Should I trust him? His words over a stranger at a bar? “You promise? Because I’m not that type of girl, Eddie. I don’t use people or…” She looks down, too embarrassed to finish the rest of the sentence.

Eddie sees this and leans in close to her face. He gently grabs her chin with his thumb, lifting it up to face him. She looks back at him with her big glossy blue eyes. She gasps but doesn’t worry. She focuses on Eddie’s warm dark brown eyes. “I promise. The last thing I want to do is hurt you.”

She gives him a small smile. She’s starting to feel a little relaxed over his words.  

“I would rather jump in front of an incoming train than hurt you. Plus, you’re with Jason. I don’t go after married or girls in a relati—.”

“I broke up with him!” She spits out. The words nearly echo the space between them.

Eddie blinks, backing his head away, but not too far. He slowly drops his hand from her chin but keeps it close to his other hand on the table. A crooked smile forms on the side of his mouth. He tries to control it but is too happy with the words Chrissy said ringing in his ear. “You…you what?”

“I…I broke up with Jason…just today.” She mumbles. She darts back and forth at Eddie and the table. She keeps her hands still.

“May I ask why?” He whispers.

She shrugs, looking back at Eddie. “I…I wasn’t happy with him. For a…long time…I-I’ve been wanting to break up with him. I-I just never got t-to…you know.” She guides her hands towards Eddie’s hands as she keeps her eyes on him.

“Well, that’s pretty awesome of you. Congrats. Now since you dump him, I can safely say, he’s a huge douchebag.”

She giggles, sliding her hand close. Eddie does the same. Their hands are an inch away from touching. They giggle for a good while.

When they both settle down, Eddie asks her how she’s doing now.

She thinks about the question. After everything that happened last Friday, minutes ago with Jessica and Eddie’s sex past, she wonders if she still wants to pursue him. What if he’s lying and doesn’t want a relationship with me? What if he changes his mind? Many nagging voices run through her head.

She runs her hands through her hair. She stares off in the distance. This worries Eddie, but he patiently waits for her to answer.

“I’m fine.” She answers, smiling back at him. She shows her crooked teeth. “I’m…I’m glad you were honest with me.”

Eddie smiles back. He sighs in relief. “Good.”

“I’m sorry for acting strange earlier.”

“No, no, it’s okay. Don’t apologize. Please. If anyone should be apologizing, it’s me. I should’ve warned you about my past. Chris, I’m so sorry about Jessica. I didn’t even know she would be here tonight. She hasn’t shown up in months. I thought she moved away. I hope she didn’t ruin your night. It really means a lot to me that you’re here.”

She nods her head at his apology. She doesn’t blame him. She presses her lips together and smirks her mouth to the side. “I don’t like being called, ‘Chris.’ I hate that nickname.”

Eddie frowns in confusion, curious if she’s changing the subject. “What?”

She giggles, easing Eddie a little. “I’ve always hated that nickname. Jason would call me that. It…it got under my nerve…overtime.” She hides the fact that he would use that name whenever he was mad at her. Even when he would say it in a loving way, it always made her uneasy. Like she was held against her will by that nickname under his mouth. Her smile begins to fade.

Seeing this, Eddie takes the biggest step and places one hand on her hands. The warmth startles Chrissy, but she doesn’t pull away. Eddie smiles, feeling more confident, “Well then, consider the nickname gone, princess.”

She smiles at him. They gaze into each other’s eyes for a long time. Eddie’s about to open his mouth when he sees a small hand reach over and grab Chrissy’s shoulder.

“Chrissy!” Shouts April. Her face looks frightened. She’s breathing heavy, her brows risen up, and her eyes darting at the two lovebirds.

Eddie frowns, wondering what’s wrong with her.

“April?” Chrissy asks, concern about her friend, “Are you okay?”

She shakes her head at her, “No, Chrissy, it’s almost 9:45! We gotta leave…now!”

Oh, no, I didn’t realize how late it was, she thought to herself. She turns back to Eddie, heartbroken that she has to leave now. Eddie.

He squeezes her hands, now worried about her. “Chrissy, what is it?”

“I’m sorry. I have to leave.” She, hating to do this, pulls her hands away, gets up, and walks away. She walks backward, keeping her eyes on Eddie. April gently grabs Chrissy’s arm that wasn’t touched by Jason and leads her out of the bar.

Eddie panics, getting up as well, and follows behind. “What? Why? What’s going on?”

Chrissy’s heart aches, “I’m so sorry. I have to leave before my mom goes out searching for me.”

He wants to ask but doesn’t have time. “When can I see you again?”

She smiles, tugging away from April’s grip, but gently. “Tomorrow afternoon? It’s the only time I’m free from my parents!”

“It’s a date!” He blurts out.

She gives her one last smile before she disappears into the crowd.

Eddie stays behind, not believing what just happened. Holy shit, did I just ask out Chrissy Cunningham? He thinks to himself. He chuckles, thinking about the smile she gave him. She smiled, so I think it was confirmed. Holy shit, I got a date with Chrissy fucking Cunningham. I can’t believe it.

“You’ll never be good enough for her,” shouts a voice from behind him.

He turns around, and sees Jessica standing there, crossing her arms, and glaring at him. His smile disappears within seconds of seeing her. You bitch, he thought to say. How dare you upset Chrissy. He frowns at her, growling. Anger boils over, and it takes every part of him to not reach over and put her hands on her.

She scoffs at his hatred, “I know you, Munson. More than you know yourself. She’ll see right through it. You got that family tradition.”

“Fuck off, you don’t know shit. Do me a favor and stay the fuck away from me and Chrissy.” He storms past her, not giving her the satisfaction of making him burst out anymore.

She turns and watches him go back to the backstage room. “You’ll see! You’ll find a way to disappoint her. And when you do, I’ll be here waiting.”

He scoffs, In your fucking dreams Wilson.

Chapter Text

Throughout the entire ride back home, Chrissy shows off the biggest, most blushed smile…ever. Unable and unwilling to contain it. She is on cloud 9. She’s going on a date with Eddie Munson tomorrow. April of course, noticing her smile teases her the whole way back.

“Chrissy and Eddie, sitting in a tree.” She sings.

Chrissy laughs at her. “You’re funny.”

“Well, either way, it’s cute, but how are you going to go out with him without letting your mother know? And does she know about you dumping Jason’s ass yet?”

She sighs, trying not to think about her mother or Jason. “I’ll think of something. Mom and Dad will be at Ben’s middle school orchestra tomorrow. I’ll just play sick and tell them that I can’t make it.” She hates to blow off Ben’s performance for Eddie, but truthfully, Ben hates orchestra. He hates playing the violin. Laura made him.

When she was at his middle school Christmas Orchestra last year, he was in the bathroom crying his eyes out before the show. Apparently, Laura yelled at him because he messed up a note before they left the house. Chrissy heard him crying when she was nearby, throwing up her lunch. She went in and comforted Ben. Luckily, he was the only boy in the boy’s restroom. He tearfully told her that he would rather play the guitar or the drums and that he tried to tell Laura a long time ago, but she didn’t listen. When she finally did, she told him that it’s nothing but a waste of time. Playing music. Ben later tells Chrissy that he won’t hold it against her if she stops showing up to his performance. Saying she won’t miss much.

“Okay, but how are you going to make sure your family and Eddie don’t collide tomorrow?”

“I’ll call him when he gets home,” Chrissy answers immediately. “I think he said something yesterday about coming home from the Hideout around 10:30 pm on Tuesdays. I’ll tell him what time is best for him to come over. It’ll all be fine.”

Around 10:30 pm, Chrissy called Eddie. He picked up on the third ring and talked for almost an hour about the performance and tomorrow’s date. She told him about faking in sick, and that 12:30 pm would be the best time to come over. That night, Chrissy had a hard time going to sleep. And not because she was having nightmares. It was because of Eddie.

Chrissy finally went to sleep around midnight.

***

As for Eddie, well, that night, he didn’t do much sleeping. After all these years of dreaming and wanting to be with Chrissy and take her out on a date is about to come true tomorrow. An actual date. Real life. A day…with Chrissy.

After he got home and talked with Chrissy for an hour, he stayed up and made a list of where to take Chrissy. He wrote, scratched, and groan from frustration on not finding a place for them that’s dissent and, on his budget…his $20 budget in his back pocket.

“Damn, damn, damn. Damn it,” he growls under his breath. He crumbles up and throws away his fourth piece of paper. He puts his hands over his head. “You finally got a date with Chrissy Cunningham, and you can’t think of anything special to take her.”

He looks around his room, seeing his metal band posters and hand-drawn demons. He catches a glimpse of his B. C. Rich NJ Warlock guitar. He thinks back to how much money he saved up on it when it came out. He basically spent the first round of money he saved up for moving out into buying the guitar. Something he doesn’t ever regret. He was happy to start all over.

He remembered the time he first got the guitar. How happy it made him. How much he admires it. Just like when he first held his mother’s guitar. He remembers her gentle hands guiding him through the strings. Her warm smile and her dark brown eyes glistened back at him. Her sweet voice as she told him what to do next on the guitar.

Whenever his mother taught him how to play the guitar, they would sometimes go out to a peaceful park in Tennessee. It was one of his most favored memories of his mother. He closes his eyes as he thinks back to how the weather felt in the summer. The warm green grass brushing up against his little feet. The loving and gentle feeling of his mother’s hand lingering against his.

The small apartment they stayed in was close to a park. So, whenever they felt like going to the park, they would walk there. Eddie would listen to his mother humming a little song as they made their way to the park.

“Oh, Eddie, I love you so much.” His mother’s voice rings in his ears.

He opens his eyes, and a light bulb hits him. He goes to his drawer and digs out a small dark box. He opens it, about $500 is worth saved in here. A smile forms in his mouth. That’s it, he thinks to himself. I know where to take Chrissy.

Eddie runs back to his desk and writes down his plan for tomorrow. It isn’t until 1 am that he finally falls asleep.

***

At 8 am, while her family is eating breakfast, Chrissy secretly warms up her pink hand towels and places them on her forehead and arms in her bathroom. She grabs her thermometer from the cabinet and hovers it over her lighted lamp. She keeps her hair a mess and works on her fake sick cough.

“Chrissy? Chrissy?” Shouts Laura in a sharp tone. The tone makes Chrissy jump. A cold chill runs down her back. She shivers from it. “Christina!” Laura shouts again, marching up the stairs.

Chrissy pulls her thermometer away from the lamp. It reads, ‘101.1.’ She carefully, without burning her whole tongue, places it in her mouth…mostly to the side. The heat makes her wince, but she tries to ignore it. She stumbles over to the bed. She removes the warm hand towels and hides them under the bed.

Just in the nick of time, Laura bangs on the door. “Christina Elizabeth, you better be dying in there or something!” Without warning, she opens the door. She barges in, seeing Chrissy lying in bed, still in her pink pajamas. Her stern cold look lightens, but only a little. Her lips make an ugly smirk upon seeing her daughter in bed.

An ugly judgmental look, Chrissy sees all too well whenever she really is sick or has the terrible flu. She’s never played sick before, so she prays her mother falls for it. Come on Chrissy, you can do this. You’ve seen enough drama shows to act sick. She lets out a weak cough.

Laura clicks her tongue. She walks over to Chrissy. Each step she takes is heavy. “Oh, Chrissy. What is this?” She doesn’t sound too concerned about her well-being.

“I-I I don’t…feel so well.” She whispers. She pretends to look exhausted. Like she just threw up three times in a row. A brief memory she knows all too well.

Laura puts her hand over Chrissy’s forehead. “Hmm, you do feel hot.” She mumbles. “Judging by your ugly look, you might’ve caught something while you were out with April last night. Where exactly did you girls do or go to…again?”

“W-we just walked around the mall. You know, went inside every little store.” She lies, holding her breath under her lungs.

Laura glares at her. She stays silent for a long time. She pulls her hand away from her forehead, not taking her eyes off Chrissy’s. “Well, alright then. You can stay home for the day. After the performance, we will treat Ben to lunch and a trip to the toy store. Afterwards, we will stop by the church and see the Father. We won’t be back until 5 pm. I suggest you stay here and rest. Drink lots of water.”

Chrissy nods her head.

Laura walks away, looking at her room. She finally reaches the door, giving Chrissy one last ugly look. “Get well Chrissy.” She exists, closing the door behind her.

***

The entire morning, as the rest of the family gets ready, Laura has been checking up on Chrissy every 30 minutes. She checks her temperature each time. It’s still hot. Chrissy keeps warming up her towels and thermometer as much as she can.

When 11:45 finally rolls in, Laura gives one last check-up on her. “Alright, we will be leaving.” She announces.

“Okay,” Chrissy mumbles.

“We will return around 5 pm. If you need to reach us, contact the Father. He knows we will be stopping by.” She leans between the door and the hallway. Observing her behavior.

Chrissy continues to play sick. She barely keeps her eyes open. “Okay, mommy. Be sure to wish Ben my luck. I know he will be great.”

Laura hums at her reply. “Well, get some rest. I would hate for you to be sick the rest of Spring Break.” She closes the door one last time.

Chrissy waits for 5 minutes before she hears the garage door open. She stays in bed until she hears the car turn on, back out, and the garage closing. She then pops out of bed and runs out of her bedroom. She spots the front window and catches her parents' car driving away from the house.

With a sigh of relief, Chrissy rushes back to her bedroom and gets ready for her first date.

Along the way, Chrissy turns on her radio and turns the volume up high to a Billy Joel song. While she’s changing, she notices the bruise Jason gave her on her arm yesterday is visible. It’s medium size and purple. Upset by the mark, she looks for a long sleeve top to cover it up from Eddie. She puts on her long-sleeved pink shirt. Thankfully, the weather is still cool, so she won’t be sweating in it too much.

The next song plays and it’s a Madonna song, ‘Dress You Up.’ Chrissy sings along and puts on a short white blouse. She puts on her white summer shoes and does a little bit of makeup.

Throughout the time she’s been with Eddie, he had never told her how beautiful she was with makeup or how she would be more beautiful with extra makeup on like Jason would say to her.

She puffs her hair and puts on a little bit of makeup and keeps an eye on the clock.

By the time she is ready, it’s 12:20 pm. 10 minutes before Eddie arrives at the regular spot to pick her up. She giggles at the sight of the clock. She can’t contain her smile. Every time she thinks about him or even his name, she giggles.

She checks herself in the mirror one last time before she turns off her radio and heads downstairs. She exits the front door, locks it, and walks over to the secret spot.

***

Noon. 30 minutes before Eddie meets Chrissy at the spot.

Eddie had just stepped into the shower and cleaned himself up everywhere. He showered like he hadn’t showered in years. And he can’t help but sing a little note or two while he is in the shower. Something that both Wayne and Midnight have noticed.

Wayne, the minute he came in from work was disturbed and surprised by Eddie’s morning cheer at 8 am. A time in which Eddie has never been in his best suit. Usually during the school days, Eddie is just now waking up and making his way to school late. This time, seeing Eddie all happy and singing in the kitchen was enough to make him worry and asking if he was under something.

While Eddie walks back to his bedroom after the shower, Wayne pulls up the pull-out bed. He’s about to lie down and go to sleep when suddenly he hears the bedroom door open again. He looks up, spotting his nephew still smiling, humming in the kitchen.

He closes his eyes, lays his head down on the pillow, and tries to sleep when he begins to hear more humming followed by Eddie creeping to the other side of the trailer. He’s moving some stuff around.

With a low grunt, Wayne sits up, getting ready to complain to Eddie about being too loud when he sees him with a medium-sized straw basket. “Uh, uh, whatcha doing there son?”

Eddie frowns in confusion until he looks down and sees what he’s holding onto. He chuckles at it. “Oh, you’re probably wondering what I’m doing with this huh,?”

Wayne nods his head, still confused by what’s happening.

“Well, I—” He stops himself. Does he really want to tell his uncle about the girl he was trying to deny he had feelings for and hadn’t stopped thinking about since the middle school talent show? His uncle waits for him to finish, raising his eyebrows at him.

Damn it Wayne, he thinks to himself. He sighs, knowing he must tell him at some point. What would he do if he and Chrissy keep seeing each other and she one day asks to see his uncle? “Okay, so…remember the girl I…invited over…last Friday?”

“I recall a nice young lady, yes.” He replies.

“Yeah, well…when I dropped her off the next day at her house…I, uh, invited her to…the show at the Hideout and…next thing I know, I got a date with her today.” He tries to play it cool. Acting as if it’s normal.

Wayne says silent for a good minute before he gives Eddie a slow grin. “Edward…”

“Jesus Christ, I know, I know.” He hisses at his uncle, rolling his eyes. “Be safe and always be a gentleman to her, I know the drill old man.”

He lets out a loud chuckle. “I was going to say, it sounds like she’s no longer seeing that boyfriend of hers, but good to know you’ve been listening to me.”

Eddie glares at his uncle. “Are you done laughing all about it old man?” He walks back to the kitchen.

Wayne can’t help but get up and follow Eddie. He’s got to see what his troubled and starstruck nephew of his is up to in the kitchen.

In the kitchen, Eddie is making a peanut and jelly sandwich for the two of them. He smiles at him. He loves the sight of his young nephew acting all nervous and making lunches for him and his date. He hasn’t seen Eddie this lovely dovely since middle school.

“So, what’s the plan with…Chrissy?” He asks at the end, trying to pretend he doesn’t remember her name. Testing Eddie.

“Chrissy, yep,” Eddie says, looking at his uncle to the side. “Chrissy Cunningham.”

“Ah, yes, How could I forget? The daughter of one of my bosses.”

This time, he turns to Wayne, giving him a serious look.

Seeing this, Wayne puts his hands out, giving him a surrender motion. “Easy there. I was just having a conversation.”

He glares at him as he slowly turns back to his food in the making.

Wayne slowly takes a step forward. “So, what’s the plan for today with Chrissy?”

He knows his uncle is trying to have a peaceful conversation with him, but he can’t help but feel a bit offended over his date with Chrissy and talking about her. He doesn’t know if it’s because he’s used to being by himself or the fact that after last night’s run-in with Jessica, he can’t help but feel a bit protective of her.

“Well, the plan is to take her out—maybe somewhere outdoors like. Treat her to some lunch, maybe take her on a nice stroll around the park. You know, something that is peaceful and free.”

Wayne says nothing but nods his head.

Eddie finishes the sandwiches, bags them in separate zip-locked bags, and packs them nicely in the basket. He walks over to the refrigerator and grabs two Coca-Cola in a glass bottle. He puts them in the basket.

Midnight comes out from the bedroom, meowing his guts out. He looks up at Eddie. He meows again, lifting his tail up. He sits but sniffs his nose upward. “Meow, meow, meow!”

Eddie looks down at Midnight. “What?” He asks in a gentle tone.

Midnight jumps on the counter, sniffing around. Eddie laughs as he picks him up and pets him on the head. “Sorry buddy, but you can’t come with me. As much as you love being a charmer, I can’t have you coming along.”

Midnight nudges against his hands. He purrs, looking up at Eddie.

Wayne looks at Eddie being happy. Something he hasn’t seen in years. He lets him continue packing for his date. He only prays that Eddie is safe and knows what he’s doing.

***

Eddie parks at the same spot. It’s 12:32 pm. He sits back, looking out the front window. He rethinks the plan he has for them over and over again. He wants it to be perfect but at the same time, not too perfect for her. He wants to be a gentleman to her, but also be himself. Unlike the other girls he’s been with, he pretends to be a hot shot. He likes to have fun with the girls who already accuse him of being a bad boy like his father. Chrissy has never accused him of being like his father or called him ‘Junior’ like many people in town do.

Right next to being called ‘the Freak,’ the word, ‘Junior’ was also used a lot around him. Mostly when he got older. Whenever he got into trouble with the law or with other kids, people would call him ‘junior,’ saying that he’s just like his father. Another bad memory of him.

Chrissy is probably the only girl in his life whose taken the chance to get to know the real him outside of school.

Chrissy, he thinks to himself.

Just then, a little figure pops out of nowhere, running towards his van. He looks straight ahead, it’s Chrissy.

He sits straight up. He wonders if he should get out and open the passenger door for her, but she’s too fast. She reaches the door before he has time to move.

She hops in, happy as ever to see him again.

“Howdy,” he laughs.

“Howdy,” she laughs back.

“Are you ready for one special afternoon date?” He asks in a dramatic voice.

She nods her head.

***

Eddie drove them a little outside of Hawkins and closer to the wood area. Chrissy was never nervous throughout the whole ride.

About 20 minutes outside, Eddie finds the spot where he can safely park his van inside the woods. He turns left on an open spot and drives down about five miles where they come across an old parking spot for people to get out and hike in the woods.

Eddie parks his van and turns off his engine. They unbuckle their seatbelts.

Chrissy happily jumps out, looking up at the woods. She’s smiling, grinning from ear to ear.

Eddie opens the side door and pulls out his picnic basket, a folded-up clean dark blue towel, and his radio pocket. He closes the door and carries the things with both hands as he walks over to Chrissy.

She turns around, notice his hands are full, and ask for help.

At first, Eddie denies her help, saying he got it, but Chrissy walks over and takes the towel. She smiles at him, telling him it’s okay to ask for help. Eddie blushes as they make their way to the old trail.

Chrissy holds on tight to the towel. Eddie holds on to the basket in one hand and the radio in the other. He looks over at her, wondering if the dark wooded abandon area is making her nervous.

“The place we are heading to isn’t too far away. It has a beautiful view of the wide-open field.”

She looks up at Eddie. “Oh, how exciting.” She sounds perky when she said it. “Have you been here before?”

“Yeah, another hidden place I came across while growing up. Luckily, this place is easy to keep abandoned. Rumor has it that the ghost of a woman who was murdered 20 years ago haunts this park. They said her body was found, nearly buried by dirt and tree leaves. Not that many townspeople come here and risk seeing the ghost. Not since they’ve seen me and a couple of my past hellfire members strolling around here. They thought we were doing our satanic ritual.” He clicks his tongue at the terrible thought of it. He sighs, bitter from the memory.

Chrissy, reading his expression change drastically thinks of something to comfort him. “I don’t think you’re evil.”

He smirks at her to the side. “It has its perks. Like having a nice, abandoned park all to yourself.” He leads her over a bridge and pass a small stream.

A mile away, he finally leads her to the wide-open field. A view of the horizon. The trees reach miles and miles. Nothing but the sound of birds crowing and the wind howling. She thought the hidden view of Lover’s Lake was stunning. This, however, takes the cake. Growing up, her family took her to many beautiful places, but nothing that amazed Chrissy. Yes, she went to Colorado for a winter vacation three years ago, and she saw the beautiful snowy mountains, but it was too cold, and had too many terrible memories of her and her mother. Most of her winter clothes were too tight because of her mother.

But this…this is perfect for Chrissy. Getting away from everyone, not hearing the traffic or car honking. Nothing but Mother Nature. Jason never treated her with trips like this.

“I-I hope this place is okay for you. I know you’ve probably been to nice fancy places, but—”

“It’s perfect,” She interrupts him, smiling at him.

He nervously smiles back. He leads her to a place-level spot. Chrissy lays out the towel out that is big enough to fit the two of them and the picnic basket. Eddie places the radio outside of the towel, but close to him. They sit down together. Chrissy watches Eddie open the basket and pull out two sandwich bags.

Her stomach cringles at the sight of the sandwich. She was never allowed to have one growing up. She would get yelled at and told it would make her fat and go straight to her thighs. She tries to put on a brave face when Eddie looks back at her. I can do this; she thinks to herself. Just take some small bites and say you’re full after a big breakfast.

“I hope you don’t mind,” He says as he hands her the sandwich. She gently takes it, smiling big. “I figure something simple will be perfect for a peaceful Wednesday afternoon.” He wrinkles his nose. He looks back to his basket and pulls out two Coca-Colas. He hands one to Chrissy.

She thanks him and takes it. She heard about sodas having calories. She keeps the bottle close to her. She begins to hear her mother’s judgmental tone. “Christina, don’t you dare take a sip of that nasty drink. It will give you carbs! It’s bad enough I’m having trouble keeping your perfect body figure ready before the family reunion on Sunday. Everyone will be there.”

Eddie notices Chrissy looking a bit distant. He leans down, getting a better view of her face. “Chrissy?” He says in a gentle voice, “Are you okay?”

The question snaps Chrissy from her thoughts. “Huh? Oh, sorry, what was the question?”

“I was just wondering if you were okay?” He studies her face.

“I’m fine. Just, a little nervous,” She chuckles, looking down at her bottle. She wasn’t lying. She really is nervous about being on a first date with him. Not only because it’s Eddie, but because she has never been on a real date. Her first date was organized by her mother and Jason’s mom.

Eddie blurts out a laugh. It’s enough to make Chrissy look up at him. “You’re nervous? I’m sorry for laughing, but you should’ve seen me hours ago. Hell, you should’ve seen me last night when I was coming up with ideas on where to take you.”

She laughs along with him. She covers her mouth with her free hand, “No, really?”

“Yeah. Hell, I was so nervous on the way up to get you, that I almost pulled over and munch on my sandwich.” They laugh together.

“Why should you be nervous? I’m the one that’s nervous. I’ve never been on a real date in years.”

He raises an eyebrow. He should be surprised by what she said. Maybe he will ask her about it some other time. Right now, he wants to continue laughing with Chrissy and have her show her perfect teeth to him.

“Come on, Chrissy. It’s you. It’s like having the town fool go after the most beautiful and pixie-size princess, only he’s does something to win her heart. Perhaps it was his silliness? His weirdness? Oh, I know, it has to be my dark magic charming you.” He spiders his hands over to her. She laughs, playfully screaming when he is inches away from her. She leans back, showing her crooked teeth to him.

He pulls back, enjoying this moment with Chrissy. Just the two of them.

She sits straight up once Eddie pulls back. “You’re silly.”

“Oh, I got it!” He playfully yelps, snapping his fingers. He reaches over to his radio and turns it on. “It has to be my choice of music to listen to.” The station picks up on a song. A Billy Joel song, “For the Longest Time.”

He frowns at the song, turns to Chrissy to ask if he can change it, but instead sees her lip singing to the song. She’s smiling, looking at the radio. “You like this song?”

Chrissy looks up at him, “I love Billy Joel. It’s the only musician my mom allows me to listen to.”

Eddie turns back to the radio. He’s heard of Billy Joel after Gareth’s mom was heard jamming to one of his albums while the band was practicing in the garage one afternoon. Gareth’s parents’ room was close to the garage so whenever the boys would appear, Gareth’s mom, Linda would go to her room and jam to Billy Joel or any other musician. So, hearing a song or two by Billy Joel from out of the blue wasn’t a stranger to Eddie.

So, when the second course is about to hit, Eddie doesn’t hesitate to jump up, face Chrissy, and sing his heart out. He dramatically sings along with the song. He waves his hands around and even points at her.

“Whoa-oh-oh-oh, for the longest time

Whoa-oh-oh, for the longest

I’m that voice you’re hearing in the hall,

And the greatest miracle of all

Is how I need you

And how you needed me too

That hasn’t happened for the longest time.”

He sings as he begins to sway from side to side. Chrissy laughs, watching him being goofy. She sets down her drink and puts her hands over her stomach. She’s laughing so much and so hard, it starts to hurt.

“You’re such a dork!” She says while gasping for air. She now has her arms wrap around her stomach. She has tears coming down her face. Only this time, it was from happiness, not pain.

Eddie finally stops and sits back down next to her. His dimples from earlier never go away. He embraces her laughter. Still not believing that she is here with him. Talking to him, going on a nice picnic with him, having a good laugh with him. Not once calling him a freak or judging him.

“A dork huh? Wow, didn’t think I would be called that by the princess of Hawkins High.”

She stops laughing, staring at him. She warms her smile, showing a real one. “I think it's cruel what people are calling you. Hypocritical in fact. Almost everyone in town goes to church and are all about love thy neighbor, and to not judge others by their looks. It sickens me.”

He scoffs at her remark. “As someone who grew up with a name like Munson, you’re pretty much already chosen by society on who you are going to be. I’m just trying to break the cycle.” He looks away, glaring at the distance.

Never, never in a million years, he would be like his father. Not a vicious drunk gambler who would rather sell his own son for money. He still doesn’t understand why he came back into their lives when he was 3 and destroyed their happiness.

Just then, a hand awakens Eddie from his dark cloud. He looks down at his hand resting on the towel. A small hand with painted pink nail polish touches his rusty big hands. He looks up at Chrissy. She never takes her hand off of his.

She stares into his dark brown eyes. She senses vulnerability in him, deep inside. She leans close to him. Her eyes soften. “I know you’re just out there being yourself. Loud and Harmless…and that’s one of the things I like about you.”  

They stare at each other for a good time.

“Y-you mean it?” He finally asks her.

She nods her head. “I think that’s one of the reasons why Jason doesn’t like you.” She playfully leans away, taking her hand off of his. She keeps smiling at him, easing his concern. She begins to blush, wondering if she should tell him. No, he’d love to hear it. It’s not like…it not like it means anything…right?

She looks down, pressing her lips together. She giggles, thinking how silly she sounds. She looks back up at him, grinning. “Every time we would walk down the hallways and catch a glimpse of you either protecting one of your club members against the jocks or act silly, I-I couldn’t help but try to see you. I wanted to see you be loud and vocal but for the right reasons. For standing up against people who judge others or try to make the day interesting for us. After a class or two of the meanest and grumpiest teachers, it’s nice to hear someone from down the halls do a show or entertain us. Whenever I try to see you, Jason would pull me away, telling me that I don’t need to see—” She stops, looks down, clears her throat, and rethinks what she’s about to say next. She looks up at him. Her look turns serious. “He just didn’t want me to see…you.”

He raises his brows. It sounds like Chrissy is saying she likes to see him act crazy or protect an outsider from the jocks, but the way she worded it scares him a bit. He’s worried she wants to be with him, because of his bad behavior and not him, as him. He hates to ask it, but he has to. “You…you wanted…to see me as the town fool?”

“Not a fool, but you. Just you.”

They reconnect their hands. None taking their eyes off of each other.

Two songs later, one particular song plays that makes the two love birds turn their attention to the portable radio.

“Leather and Lace,” by Don Henley and Stevie Nicks.

With no hesitation, Eddie asks Chrissy, “What do you say, Cunningham? Would you do me the honors and dance with me?”

“Really?” She asks, almost as if it was a plea if he means it.

He nods his head, holding out his hand to her. “Just you and me. No one else.”

Shivering from his words, she grabs his offering hand and is helped up.

When Eddie was 5 years old, his mother was the first one who taught him how to dance. She would put on her favorite blues song in the background. She mostly had on Muddy Waters. She danced with Eddie, smiling, and guiding him through everything. He never liked any music that wasn’t metal, but with Muddy Waters, he has a special place for it in his heart.

Being careful with his shaky hands, he guides one hand around her waist and the other holding onto her right hand. She senses his nervousness and slowly guides her free hand to his waist. She presses her body close to his.

Eddie brushed his teeth before he left the trailer. Another thing Wayne was impressed with.

Wayne may have met Chrissy for a short time a couple of days ago, but he loves how she’s made his messy nephew clean up, do the laundry, and make lunch for them.

Eddie keeps his mouth closed, too nervous to open his mouth partly. With little memory he had of his mother teaching him how to dance, he sways from left to right. He detects the rhythm of the song and goes with the beat. Something that amazes Chrissy.

She leans her head to the side and against his chest. He gulps from the action but tries to keep his step in motion. Breathe Eddie, Breathe, he thinks to himself. Everything’s fine. You’re dancing fine. You’re not making a fool out of yourself. You’re remembering what mom taught you. One…two…one…two….one…two, You got this.

“You’re a great dancer,” Chrissy says, breaking the silence.

Eddie smiles, “Thanks. You’re not so bad yourself.”

She giggles.

Eddie is relieved she laughed at it. That was probably one of the most dumbest remarks he had ever said.

“Where did you learn how to dance?” She asks.

“My mom taught me. Of course, it was Tennessee blue songs, but it was good enough for us. It was the only thing that made us happy. Just the two of us. Sometimes, we would go to the park and enjoy the weather. Mom always brought her guitar with her wherever we went. Whether it was at the grocery store, or to the bank, Mom never left her guitar at home.”

Turns out, his mother was holding on tight to her guitar because they were living in a rough neighborhood where many houses had been broken into while the owner was out. She didn’t have enough money at home or jewelry, but her guitar was valuable. So, she took it with her everywhere. Eddie learned the truth from Wayne when she called him a couple of times after his father came back.

“Your mother taught you well. You’re dancing wonderfully.” Chrissy says. She looks up at him. He looks down at her. They smile at each other. “I mean it.”

He scoffs, “Nah, I’m just remembering little bits of it. It was a long time ago.”

“You remembered and dancing with me,” she reminds him. “That’s something.”

She’s right. He gazes at her blue eyes. He slows the dancing. She doesn’t seem to mind. They stare into one another. None blinking or turning away when the music changes. They stop dancing. Standing there and never letting go.

They slowly lean close to each other. Eddie wet his lips while Chrissy bites her lower lip. She wonders what his lips will feel like against hers. Eddie wonders if he’s dreaming or not. The two lower their lingering hands.

An inch away, Eddie moves his other hand from Chrissy’s waist and guides it over to her chin, cradling it gently. Her heartbeat races at the feeling of Eddie’s hand on her face. The warmth of it makes her legs shake. He’s holding her with grace. Not by force, not by fear, nothing that will leave a painful mark. She gasps, leaning into his hand. Eddie sighs at the touch of her chin rubbing soft against his rough and scratched hand. He gently rubs his thumb against her cheek, making her deepen her head against his hand.

She closes her eyes. Embracing the gentle soft touch. When she opens them, her eyes get watery. Eddie’s immediate reaction, it’s his fault. “Are you okay?”

Chrissy moves her hand from his waist and grabs a good grip of his denim jacket. “I’m okay, I promise.” She sniffles.

Eddie uses his thumb to wipe the tears off of her face when they fall down. “You sure?”

She nods her head. “Yes.”

“Good,” He takes a deep breath, “Because I got one very important question to ask you.”

“Oh?”

He nods his head. “Yes.” He squeezes her hand, but not too tight. Almost as if it’s a reassuring squeeze. “I was wondering if…I can kiss you.”

She smiles, “I was wondering when you were going to ask me that. Yes.”

He smiles at her as he leans in and meets his lips with her. They linger, embracing their soft lips. When they separate, Eddie chases after her lips. She giggles, making him smile. Their lips collide again, only this time, they last longer. Eddie craves Chrissy's soft lips tasting like vanilla. The scent on her body, strawberry.

The song playing while they kiss is “Sunday Bloody Sunday” by U2.

Chrissy holds on tight to his jacket. She releases her hand away from Eddie’s hand and cups his jaw. She hears him moan in her mouth, leaning her body against his. She then moves her hand from his jaw to the back of his head and grabs a hold of his hair.

This drives Eddie crazy, rubbing his body against hers. He separates his lips from hers, but only so he can use his tongue to open her mouth. She gaps but opens her mouth. She lets his tongue in, introducing her tongue. It’s sloppy, but none of them seem to mind. They gasp into each other’s mouths when they separate to get some air. It’s only a few seconds of a break before they go back to kissing.

Finally, after maybe seven minutes, Chrissy breaks away for real. She looks down, taking a moment to catch her breath. Eddie leans his forehead against hers, also taking the time to breathe.

5 minutes later, Chrissy lifts her head up. Eddie follows, looking at her.

She smiles, tasting her bottom lip. “Wow,” she giggles.

“Wow indeed.” He giggles back.

10 minutes later, the two settle back down on the towel and talk some more. Chrissy took a couple of small bites. Luckily, she distracted Eddie about his music and his band for her to hide the rest of her half-eaten sandwich back in the basket. She takes some sips of her drink before placing it down.

After the picnic, Eddie packs things up and insists on walking around some more. They do so and spot some wilderness creatures walking by. They come across a lake. Chrissy looks over at it. Eddie smiles at her.

They reach a hill and decide to stop. They lay the towel out and place the basket and radio to the side. Eddie holds his hands out to Chrissy, helping her sit down on the towel. She thanks him and watches him sit down behind her. He leans his head over her shoulder. She giggles, leaning back. She rests her body against his chest. Her head on his shoulder. She hears him chuckle under his breath. She closes her eyes, putting her trust in him.

Seeing her with her eyes closed, Eddie leans closer to her head. He gently sniffs her hair, detecting strawberry. He looks up at the open field.

For two hours, the couple stays on the spot, admiring the view. At one point, they lie down together for a nap. Eddie holds Chrissy close to him. She snuggles on his chest, getting every whiff of cigarette and weed smell on him. She loves it, the smell. They later wake up around the same time from their nap. Both are happy to see each other. They kiss each other ‘hello’ and snuggle some more. They look up at the sky. They gaze at the clouds, asking if they see an animal or person from the cloud shape.

After some more gazing, the two decide to pack everything up and head back to the van. On the way back, they hold hands.

At the van, Eddie puts everything in the back while Chrissy goes to the passenger side. Eddie hops in once he’s done. He turns on the engine. He looks up at the time. It reads 3:20 pm.

Chrissy sees the clock, happy to see she has some time left before her parents and brother come home. Maybe, just maybe.

“So, do you have anywhere else to be later on, or do you have time to go for a round of ice cream?” Eddie asks her.

“Actually, do you mind coming over to my house? I fake being ill and my Mom said they will be home around five.”

Eddie nods his head. Go to Chrissy’s home, metal. “Sure, I don’t see why not.” He drives her back home. He parks at his spot and walks with Chrissy to the back side of the house.

She unlocks the door, leading Eddie inside.

He looks around, amazed by how big, nicely organized, and decorative everything is. They have vases, cups, and everything shiny hung up. He scoffs, not believing his eyes. He knew the Cunninghams were wealthy but didn’t think they had multi-million dollar random items lying around.

Chrissy takes off her shoes. She looks over at Eddie and his dirty shoes. “Um, Eddie.” He turns to face her. “Do you mind, if…” she gestures with her hand to his dirty shoes.

Taking the hint, Eddie takes his shoes off. He carries them as Chrissy leads him upstairs and to her room.

“Wow, Cunningham, are you sure you don’t have any maids or butlers.” He jokes.

She playfully rolls her eyes at him. “Yes, I promise you we don’t have any. Not that I would be a fan of,” she mumbles at the end.

She leads him to her room and opens the door. She steps inside, leaning her back against the wall. Eddie walks in. He looks around, spotting some pink around. He smiles, not surprised this is what her bedroom looks like. He turns to her bed, admiring the stuffed bunny resting on her pillows.

“Whose this little guy?” He asks, walking over to the bed.

“Oh,” she chuckles. Her face turns red, embarrassed by her child-like toy. “That’s something Grandma Emily gave me. I know it looks silly to hold onto a stuffed animal at my age, but it was given to me by her…I can’t help it.”

“Hey, hey, there’s nothing wrong with having a stuffed animal. Especially when it was given to by a loved one. I think it’s pretty cool. Kind of metal.”

“You’re just saying that,” she blushes, not wanting to believe him. She lays her shoes beside her.

Eddie sets his shoes next to the bed. He sits down on the edge of the bed. “I’m not.” He whispers.

She looks at him. He gives her a warm smile, holding his hand out to her. She walks to him, taking his hand. She meets him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

His warm dark eyes calm her nerves. He places both hands on her waist. “You know, I’m having a fun time with you.” He whispers to her.

She smiles, getting closer to him. “Yeah? I’m having fun too. I just hate how it has to end soon.” She doesn’t want him to go. Leaving her to protect herself against her mother.

Seeing her change her mood, he raised one hand, moving a piece of loose hair from her face. He places it behind her ear. “Who says it has to end soon?”

She stares at him, not understanding his words. She tilts her head in confusion.

Eddie smiles at it, thinking it’s the cutest thing ever. “What time do they go to bed?”

It now hits her. She laughs, feeling silly. Is he suggesting I sneak out tonight to see him again? Can I do it? I did it before, can I do it again? Another secret night with Eddie? Just him and me. No one else. She straightens her head, pressing her lips together.

He waits patiently for her answer. He rubs his other hand on her waist up and down. God, I can’t believe I’m doing this. Touching Chrissy like this. God, what have I done to deserve this?

“They go to bed around 10 pm. I can call you as soon as they turn off the bedroom light.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

She giggles at him. She leans in, meeting her lips with his. He kisses her back, never wanting to let go of her or her lips.

After some time, their kiss becomes more passionate. More needy. They grip on each other’s clothing. Eddie moves back a little, bringing Chrissy to bed. She climbs on him. She sits on his lap. Embracing the smell of peanut butter and smoke in his mouth.

Eddie moves his lips to her cheek, then her jaw. Pretty soon, he kisses down to her neck, pressing hard. Chrissy moans from the touch, moving one hand to the back of his head, gripping on tight. The other hand grabs onto his jacket. She moves her hips against his legs. Her heart skips a beat. She leans her head back, giving Eddie more neck room.

Hearing her moan, Eddie drives his head deep into her neck, opening his mouth wider for her. He bites gently but sucks hard on her skin. Chrissy cries out his name, digging her nails at his jacket and hair. The more she tugs, the harder he sucks.

Eddie moves his hand down to the bottom of her shirt. He places one hand under her shirt while the other goes to her thighs, rubbing upward. Wait, no wait, the bruises. I don’t want him to see the bruises. She pulls away, barely speaking for Eddie to stop.

“Wait, wait, please. Eddie, wait.” She gasps.

Immediately, Eddie pulls back, searching for her face. He’s worried that he overstepped her comfort zone or is rushing too fast for this…if this is even the start of a relationship. Oh, no, Chrissy, are you okay? Did I scare you? Did I push you? I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.

His dark cloudy eyes find her dazed blue eyes. Both are breathing heavy. Their lips swollen. He cups her face, checking for any sign of fear or regret. “Chrissy, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to rush you into this.” He gestures the bed.

“What? Oh, no, no.” She shakes her head, not wanting him to think of that. “No, it’s not that…it’s just…” How does she explain about the bruise on her arm? Her issues with her body. Her and food? Does she even want to tell him about her personal problems? Things that don’t involve him.

She sighs at the thought. She looks down, keeping her hands on him. Not wanting to let go of him. She’s having trouble finding the words.

Eddie moves his head, touching her forehead with his. He doesn’t say anything but be there for her.

This makes her break down and cry. She whimpers, trying not to cry out loud.

Eddie moves his hands to her arms, rubbing them up and down. He lifts his head to kiss her forehead. He lingers for a while. Chrissy leans into his lips. “It’s okay. If it’s too much to explain, you don’t have to say anything. You’re okay. You’re okay.”

She moves her head, kissing his lips again. He kisses back, going slow this time. They kiss for about ten minutes before they stop and lay in bed. They hold onto each other.

4:45 pm hits.

Eddie puts his shoes on. He hates getting ready to leave her, and she shows it too. Chrissy looks out the door before she leads Eddie out. She walks him to the backyard. She kisses him ‘goodbye,’ but she has a hard time letting go. Neither wants to leave, despite how close 5 pm is getting.

“Okay…you…really…need…to…go…before…my,” She giggles as she tries to break away the kiss, but only to have Eddie chase her. He finally settles by kissing her neck. She shivers, groaning from the pleasure. “Oh, that’s not fair.” She whines.

“I’m…sorry.” He mumbles between each kiss. “Maybe you need to teach me a lesson.” He giggles under her skin.

She playfully pushes him away. He stops, but grabs her hands, pulling her with him. She giggles, not believing him. “Go, please. I’ll call you around 10 pm.”

He smirks at her. “You promise?”

“I promise. Now you got to go, silly.”

He leans in for one quick kiss. “Okay, fine. I’ll leave.” He gives her big sad puppy eyes. She laughs at him. “I’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too. But we’ll see each other again soon.” She kisses his hands. She lets go, waving ‘bye’ to him.

He playfully whines, walking backwards. He puts both hands on his chest. “My heart, it beats only for you. Until we meet again.” He bows down to her. She laughs when he straightens up, winks at her, and runs off.

The second he disappears, her heart breaks. Missing him already. She has never felt this way with Jason before. Not even the kiss. She touches her lips, thinking how seconds ago, Eddie was touching them with his.

“Oh, Eddie,” she mumbles to herself.

***

At dinner, the whole family is surprisingly quiet. When the family came home around 5 pm, Laura told Chrissy that the show was great, but nothing else. Her father barely said anything, but Ben said a couple of things. But by dinner, he was quiet.

After Eddie left, she checked her neck in the mirror where Eddie kissed her and spotted a big red spot on the bottom of her neck. Oh no, she thought. Eddie. She blushes seeing it but knows she has to hide it from her parents. She changes shirts and chooses a thick blue shirt that has a turtleneck. She changes her bottom, going to blue sweatpants to match her top. Her mother thought it was strange, but Chrissy lies, telling her that she was feeling cold. Thankfully, Laura didn’t ask any more questions.

For dinner, Chrissy is given a small amount of food. Small rice, four cut-up pieces of chicken, and five pieces of broccoli. A normal meal for her. Throughout the whole day, Chrissy has tried her best to keep her food down from lunch in her system. When Eddie left, she took it easy. Kept part of the sandwich deep down. But when her family came home, her stomach started to get upset. 30 minutes later, her mother said something, causing Chrissy to throw up in the bathroom. With the thick shirt on, her mother accused her of looking bloated from the mysterious illness. She kept herself locked in her bedroom until she was called for dinner around 6 pm.

While everyone is finishing up with dinner, Chrissy eats her entire plate, hungry for some more. It won’t be that long until I see Eddie again, she reminds herself. Just a little longer. You can do this. Just a couple more hours then you will be with him. He’ll take you somewhere safe.

“Mom, can I be excused?” She asks her. “I finished my plate, see?” She shows her the empty plate.

Laura looks over at it. She sneers at her plate. Like she disapproves of finishing her small meal. “Hmm, I supposed it should be fine. But before you go, clean up your plate in the sink.”

Chrissy nods her head and rushes up to the kitchen. She rinses her plate out and dries her hands. She runs upstairs, skipping a step or two. Eddie.

She reaches her bedroom door. She goes to open it when suddenly it turns on its own. She stops and gasps. The door opens, revealing on the other side, Laura. She backs away, stunned to see her. She drops her mouth, trembling to her knees.

“M-mom, what are you doing? Why were you in my bedroom?” She looks down, noticing her mother holding onto something pink. It’s her phone. Her plugged-in phone. She even has the pink cords wrapped around it.

Laura keeps calm, raising her eyebrows while looking down at her. She perch her lips together. “Christina,” she says as she steps out of the way. She holds on tight to the phone.

Chrissy runs into her room. It’s just as she feared. Her mother ripped the cord out of the wall. She won’t be able to call Eddie up here. She turns back to her mother. She’s standing in front of the door. “Why did you do that?” Her heart begins to race. Her fingers sweat on the tip.

“Honestly Chrissy, did you think I wouldn’t notice?” Laura asks in a calming tone. She steps inside the room, closing the door behind her. She stares at Chrissy, never blinking.

Chrissy steps back, alarmed by what she said. “W-wh-what… what are you talking about?”

Laura takes a step forward. “Monday night, thirty minutes before midnight, I went in to see if you were sleeping. Turns out, you were out!” Her voice gets loud at the end. She takes another step forward, making Chrissy nervous, and steps back. “Where were you? Out strutting around like a little whore?!”

“No, Mother! That’s not it!” She yells back, pressing her hands together and against her chest.

“Then where the hell were you? And last night? I had a friend of mine go to the mall where you and April said you would be. An hour later, he called me and said he never found you girls anywhere.”

She frowns at her mother, “Wait, you had someone check up on me? As in snooping?”

“Don’t change the subject on me, young lady!” Laura roars at her. “Answer the question! Where were you sneaking off to?”

No, don’t tell her about Eddie. She’ll forbid me from seeing him. “I-I…I was out.”

Laura squints her eyes. “With someone?”

She shakes her head, “No, no. I was out.. all alone. Getting some time to myself…at night.”

Laura scoffs, shaking her head. “You are pathetic at lying.” She says under her breath.

Chrissy steps back but is stopped when Laura snatches her arm. She yanks Chrissy closer to her. Her arm swallowed by the strength of her mother’s grip. She presses hard against her skin, forming another bruise. She squirms as Laura’s sharp nails begin to stab through her thick shirt.

Laura is an inch away from her face. “Were you with that criminal Munson boy? Is that why you broke up with Jason today?”

How…how did she—

“Were you!” Laura yells, yanking her to the side. “Answer me!”

Chrissy yelps, looking down at the ground. “He’s not a criminal!” She screams.

Laura lets go of her but pushes her down to the ground.

Chrissy falls to the floor, landing on her stomach. She whimpers, not knowing what to do next.

“What did you say?” Laura hisses.

A part of Chrissy wants to take it back. Save Eddie from her. But another part of her wants to speak her mind and tell her everything. A sort of bravery she doesn’t know where it came from.

She lifts her head, facing her mother. “Yes, I was with Eddie Munson last night and the night before. And no, he’s not a criminal. He’s not what people say he is.”

“What has gotten into you?” Laura shouts, nearly spitting at her. “That trailer trash is nothing but his father. I think it’s a disgrace that the school continues to let him walk the hallways. He should’ve dropped out after the second time. He has no purpose to be with our children at his age.”

She scoffs at her mother. “He’s just trying to graduate high school. Any other student would’ve done the same thing. The fact that he’s still reaching for that diploma is impressive.”

“Oh, please. What does that boy need with a diploma? He’s just going to roam around town and steal from people, like his father.”

“He wouldn’t do that. You don’t even know him!”

“And you do? Chrissy, this boy is a liar and a criminal. He will do and say anything to get you to trust him. And you’re dumb enough to fall for it.”

She slowly gets up. Her eyes get watery. “I’m not dumb. And neither is he. Mom, I’ve talked to him and hung out with him. He’s not dangerous. He’s sweet, funny, talented on the guitar—”

“Is that why you took poor April to that dangerous bar near the end of Hawkins? You dressing like a slut and hanging around with a bunch of mean and drunk idiots? You went to go see him play that satanic music, did you?”

“You sent someone to spy on me, didn’t you? Who was it? A friend of yours from the Country club? One of their husbands who's a cop?” A hand hits her across the face. The force makes her turn to the other side. A little sting forms on her upper cheek. She turns her head to face her mother. Tears fall down her face, but she continues to be strong.

“Don’t get smart with me, young lady! I’m not the one who's running around town late at night with that trailer trash junkie!”

“He’s not a trailer trash junkie!” Another slap hits her face. The same spot. She whimpers from the pain. She slowly touches her cheek; she winces from the harsh sting. “Ouch,” she whispers.

“Don’t talk back to me! I don’t care what you say, my daughter will not go out with that Munson criminal. I forbid it.”

“You can’t do that! I’m eighteen years old. I can do whatever I want!”

“Not in this house!” She snaps. “As long as you live under my roof, you will obey my rules! I don’t ever want to see you with him ever! Do you understand?”

Not wanting to see Eddie? No, no, no. I can’t. I won’t. I can’t bear to never see him again. She shakes her head, “No, please.”

The room becomes quiet. Not one breathes or says anything. The two women stare at each other for a long time.

Just then, Laura snatches Chrissy’s hair from the back. She drags her out of the room. Chrissy cries in pain, grabbing her mother’s hand. She pleads with her and begs her to let go, but Laura doesn’t listen. She drags Chrissy downstairs and all the way to the basement.

There, Laura opens the door and throws her inside. Chrissy skips five steps and lands on the floor.

The basement is small. It can fit a small room with the laundry located off to the far right side. Chrissy is no stranger to the downstairs basement. When she was 6 years old, her mother started using the basement as a punishment room. A small, cold, dark room that makes scary noises in the middle of the night. The sound came from old plumbing. There are no windows in the basement. All that’s there is a small pull-out bed with an itchy thick bed cover, torn-up sheets, and a worn-out pillow. The only thing hanging against the wall is a single cross. She would get thrown in here as punishment for talking back, failing to lose weight, or messing up multiple times on a dance step or grade. Laura would sometimes lock her in here for nights, even weeks in the basement. She wasn’t even allowed to bring her stuffed bunny. She would always cry herself to sleep, praying and dreaming that someone to come save her.

Chrissy looks up at her mother, pleading. “Mom, please don’t do this. Please, don’t lock me in here.”

Laura stares down at Chrissy. She puts one hand on the door. “You’re going to spend the rest of the night here. Tomorrow, we will talk some more.”

“No, wait, don’t! Please!” She runs to the door, but Laura closes it and locks it before she can reach it. Chrissy grabs onto the doorknob, pulling and yanking with all her might, and crying for help. She at one point bangs on the door, calling for her father or little brother to help her. More tears roll down her face. Five minutes into screaming, she calls for Eddie.

She cries harder, knowing she can’t reach him or escape. If he comes over, he wouldn’t know that she’s locked in here. She’s trapped, like a prisoner in her own home. A princess, locked up in the dungeon.

“Eddie, Eddie! Eddie, please help me!”

Chapter Text

10:07 pm.

Eddie looks at the clock in the living room. He takes another cigarette and lights it up. He doesn’t act too nervous about it. He thinks of things that will keep Chrissy distracted from the phone. The dishes, homework, prayer after eating, anything he can think of.

Be cool, Munson. Be cool. She said she would call. He takes in a big puff of his cigarette.

10:25 pm.

He starts pacing back and forth in the living room. He’s on his fourth cigarette. He keeps telling himself to stop worrying, but each minute of waiting for Chrissy to call was overwhelming. He needs something to calm the nerves. Usually, he would drink a beer or two, but he didn’t want to drink before driving to see Chrissy.

Should I call her? Is she busy? What if I pick up the phone at the same time she picks up? Is the number she gave me her number or her home phone number? What if I dialed and her mother answered? What do I say then? He stops in his tracks, thinking back to Chrissy’s mother. Did she upset Chrissy again? Did she decide to call it for tonight and forget to call me? He spots his car keys lying on the counter. Give her some time. Wait for her, he thinks. He sighs, walking to his room, and turns on some music.

10:45 pm.

Now he’s starting to get worried.

Something is not right, he thinks to himself. Something’s definitely not right. I don’t know why but something’s wrong. I-I think she’s in trouble. He gets up from his bed. He was playing notes on his acoustic guitar. He runs out, reaching for his car keys on the counter table.

He grabs the doorknob when he thinks about how it will go when he reaches the house. What am I going to do? Sneak into Chrissy’s room and possibly wake her up just to see if she’s okay. What if it turns out she was just tired from today and wanted to get some sleep? Oh god, what if she thinks I’m a stalker? He hesitates at the door.

He always makes terrible choices and bad decisions. Hence why he failed his senior year twice and had some arrests. Believes there’s no harm in doing something for him, no matter who's around. He fucks up a lot, and most of the time he doesn’t know how much he fucked up until the consequences bite him in the ass.

He doesn’t want to mess anything up with Chrissy. That’s the one thing he promised himself last night before he went to bed. He doesn’t want to hurt her, lie to her, or take advantage of her trust. Never. Never with Chrissy.

No, I don’t want to fuck this up, he thinks to himself. He sighs, wanting to go back to the bedroom, but still can’t shake the feeling that Chrissy’s in trouble. He stops midway, grunting at the thought. Damn it. What do I do? What do I do?

He turns back to the front door. It’s almost 11 pm, and she hasn’t called. Chrissy.

***

7:25 am.

Chrissy didn’t sleep at all. Not too much. Last night, she blindly found her way to the bed and curled up in the ball. She cried a lot into her pillow that it got cold and wet. When she finally got some sleep it was 5:45 am, but it was a nightmare.

She dreamt she was being taken to a giant building where soulless male nurses dressed in all white grabbed her roughly on both arms, dragged her away, shaved her head, and gave her a white hospital gown to change into. She was introduced to a tall man with white hair perfectly combed out and dressed in a gray business suit. He gave her a creepy smile and disturbing attitude.

He called himself Dr. Martin Brenner. “Don’t worry my dear. I will take good care of you.”

Chrissy begged him to take her back home, but he didn’t listen. In the blink of an eye, she’s dragged once again by two big male nurses. They lock her in a small dark room. She wakes up screaming, crying from the terrible nightmare.

“Christina,” shouts Laura, shaking her awake.

 “Huh? What? What’s going on?” She ask in a dazed. She looks around, remembering from the bitter cold air that she’s in the basement. She’s covered in thin blankets. She looks up, seeing her mother all dressed in her fancy church clothes.

She glares down at Chrissy. Her bright red lipstick nearly showing a reflection. Her nostrils are flaring. “Come, I want you up and ready in 15 minutes. The Father is waiting for you upstairs.”

“The Father? Father Adams?” Chrissy asks, wondering why the town's church father is in their house.

“No, not Father Adams. This one is from my old town. I called him last night. He made the 5-hour journey so he can see you.” She drops a see-through bag on the bed and leaves as Chrissy asks more questions about the father. She doesn’t answer when she closes the door.

***

Chrissy uses her hands to brush out the tangles in her hair. Her mother dropped off a bag of fresh clothes for her to change into. She walks into the living room when she’s ready. Putting on a brave face and acting like nothing is wrong.

She meets a middle-aged man with gray hair and dressed in his priest outfit. He stands up from the couch the moment he sees her coming in. He has on big glasses, showing off his duel blue eyes. His hair is combed nicely and pushed to the side. She stops and turns around. Her mother is right behind her.

“M-mom?” Chrissy whispers.

Laura orders Chrisy to sit down on the other couch facing the father. She does as she’s told. She sits on the couch and the father sits back down. Laura leaves to go to the kitchen. The sound of the grandfather's clock ticks, making the uncomfortable silence between the two intense.

Laura comes back with a silver plate of three small cups and the coffee picture. She sets them on the coffee table in the middle of the room.  

Chrissy sits on the edge of the couch. She keeps her hands together, fidgeting. Her lower lips tremble, “W-where’s Dad and Ben?”

“Philip took Ben out for some breakfast,” Laura replies without looking at her. She leaves to go back to the kitchen. She comes back, carrying a small white hand towel and placing it on the table. She walks around and sits down on a chair next to Chrissy. She crosses her legs and places her hands on her lap. She keeps her head up.

Chrissy turns back to the father. He looks back at her, a little nervous perhaps. “What’s going on?” She finally asks.

“Father Jefferson has been serving my community for almost 30 years. He’s seen it all. Rebellious teenagers, unexpected teenage pregnancy, pure children tricked by a cult—”

“What is this?” She asks her mom, sounding angry. She immediately thinks it’s because of what her mother said about Eddie last night.

“The awful things you said to defend that Munson boy was enough for me to call Father Jefferson and beg him to come down here and help you,” Laura shouts, not listening to Chrissy’s tone.

Chrissy gasp. No matter what she said, her mother still refused to listen. She gets up, wanting to get out of the house and go to Eddie. Laura and Father Jefferson get up too, blocking Chrissy from leaving the living room. “Please let me go.” She wines, waving her hand at them. She doesn’t look at them as she guides herself out of the room.

“Christina, please understand your mother is simply worried about you,” Father Jefferson says.

“No, no.” She shakes her head. “I don’t want to hear anything.”

“Christina, stop this at once!” Commands Laura. “You’re not well.”

“No!” Chrissy screams. Eddie, Eddie. I’ve got to get to Eddie.

“Please young lady, it will only take 5 minutes,” says Father Jefferson. It’s enough to let Chrissy stop.

She looks up at the father. “5 minutes?” She asks him.

He nods his head. “5 minutes. I promise.”

It’s not enough. She turns to her mother. “5 minutes, and then you will let me go?” She raises her eyebrows, wanting to get the truth from her.

Laura nods once. She keeps a stern face. “You have my word. 5 minutes and I can let you go out. I won’t ground you if you listen to what Father Jefferson has to say.”

S-should I trust her? Will she let me go? Chrissy frowns. She hesitates, not sure if she believes her. But still, she’s given no choice but to comply. She sighs in defeat and agrees to listen. She doesn’t say anything else as she walks back to the couch. Everyone goes back to their seat. She crosses her arms, unhappy to hear what the father has to say.

She thinks the father will talk to her about how evil lies to you about everything and that absence is still pure. Say no to drugs.

“Chrissy, right?” asks Father Jefferson. He sounds high-pitched.

She hesitates but nods her head. Her lower lips tremble more. She continues to twist her fingers.

Father Jefferson smiles at her. “Chrissy. I can understand how confusing and terrifying this is but let me assure you that we are here to help you.” He sounds sympathetic but with Laura in the room, she finds it hard to believe the father.

She looks down, unwilling to look at anyone in the eyes.

“Being 18 and a couple of weeks away from graduation may sound exciting and you feel like you can do anything but believe me when I say it can be frightening. Especially for a young girl like you. Your mother told me you had broken up with a pure and committed relationship with a young man who has a bright future.”

Chrissy holds her breath, fearing he is going to talk about Eddie next.

Father Jefferson clears his throat. “Everyone makes changes. It’s perfectly normal. But there are some changes…that don’t…need to…happen.” He winces at the last remark. Chrissy stays still. “Temptation can find its way to us at an early age. Usually around the age that…it’s… legal to…you know…for man to—”

“If you’re saying what I think you’re saying, Eddie wouldn’t do that to me!” She screams at him. She stands up, facing the father and Laura. She has no idea where this bravery is coming from. Could it be because she’s defending Eddie from people speaking ill about him when he’s not in the room? Or could it be because she was tired of hearing people she knew talking bad about someone and giving out nothing but false information?

“Christina.” Laura snarls at her.

Father Jefferson chuckles nervously. He waves his hand at Laura. “It’s alright there Laura. It’s normal for them to lash out. Either that or their companion has given them a tremendous amount of poison to hang on to. Keeping the dealer in contact. What is the thing called? That green stuff?” He asks, turning to Laura.

Laura clears her throat. She looks disgusted by the thought of it. “They call it ‘weed’ or something like that.” She shakes her head at the word, sounding like a bitter taste. “Either way, it is a dangerous drug.” She turns to Chrissy. She gives out the fakest concern look on her face. Laura places one hand on her chest. “Oh Chrissy,” She fake whimpers. “If only you know what it is doing to your father and little brother. Little Benjamin who looks up to you. Sweetheart, I’m only doing this because I love you and I want what’s best for you.”

Chrissy wants to roll her eyes at her mother’s saying. How dare you say those words. How dare you say you love me when all you do is starve me and judge me. You tell us not to lie, yet you’re lying in front of the father.

“Chrissy, please listen to what we have to say.” The Father begs. He looks up at Chrissy, giving her a reassuring smile.

She sighs at him and sits down. It doesn’t matter what you say, she thinks to herself. You won’t let me change my mind about Eddie. He’s not a monster.

“I know being young and changing things may seem thrilling but there are also consequences for some of those actions. In church, we are believed to see the best in other people and to open our arms to them in need. Lost and broken souls…they can be both. Some can really mean they are lost in the world and others try to look pathetic and want help and use it as a disguise. Like a wolf in sheep's clothing. You see, demons are like wolves. And the sheep are lost and troubled souls. Eddie Munson…this young man you’re mother told me about last night, is one of those wolves.”

She rolls her eyes.

“We just want to let you know that you are loved outside of this home, and you don’t need anyone to tell you anything you wish to hear.”

No, no. you’re wrong. I can tell Eddie anything and he won’t take advantage of it.

“Chrissy,” says Laura. She creeps over and sits next to Chrissy. She lightly touches her shoulders. The unfamiliar touch makes Chrissy jump. “Jason’s a good boy with a bright future, but Munson, he’s…. something.” She raises her eyebrows. She clicks her tongue, shaking her head at the thought.

Chrissy sighs, not wanting to listen to her mother.

“Chrissy, choosing an older delinquent junkie may sound thrilling, but is it really? What will happen when you graduate and…God in Heaven…he graduates too? What will happen then? You want to be with a man who goes to college and has a future, don’t you? Have someone that will take care of you, and make sure you don’t have to work again in your entire life? Don’t you want to be set for life?”

‘Set for life?’ she questions her mother’s saying. She scoffs, shaking her head. Last semester while all the teachers were telling the senior classmates about college, Laura told Chrissy she was too pretty and dumb to go to college. Chrissy never knew what she wanted to be growing up, because her mother never asked or encouraged her on what she wanted to be.

In Chrissy’s mind, she always wanted to be a nurse or a school counselor for students like Miss. Kelly. Even though it’s been a short visit with her, she feels like she could truly trust her with her problems.

“Unfortunately, you haven’t been the only vulnerable girl in a small town who has been tricked into the devil’s charm.” Father Jefferson continues. “Two years ago, in a small town in Washington, a 17-year-old girl by the name of Ashley Perkins ran away from home after supposedly falling in love with a drug dealer of hers from school. Five months later, she was found 30 miles from her home—dead. Police said the poor young woman was rapped, and had her throat slit open. She was lying on a crucified symbol. She was naked and bound to a rope. 5 years ago, an 18-year-old woman in California got pregnant by her rockstar 25-year-old boyfriend. A week after she gave birth, her boyfriend accused her of sleeping around and saying the baby wasn’t his. A month later, the poor girl committed suicide. Just last week, a 16-year-old girl dropped out of high school to be with her drug-dealing boyfriend, and within 3 days, murdered her entire family and then herself while claiming Satan. Those beautiful young women have one thing in common, and that’s they were all tricked by an older gentleman who promised the world to them. This Edward Munson is just like the other wolves. You don’t want to be like the other poor souls, do you?”

No, I won’t because Eddie would never do that to me. He won’t hurt me. He told me himself. He cares about me more than you.

“Chrissy, do you understand what we are saying?” Laura asks, sounding like she cares.

She hesitates, not wanting to look up at her mother. She nods her head, her heart breaking.

“Good,” Laura mumbles. “Because I don’t want you to get high on drugs and wind up like his mother. Overdose in the kitchen. Some say that boyfriend of hers, Robert Munson drove her into drugs. He wouldn’t help at all with their son, Edward, growing up. Which explains why he acts like a wild boy. After his mother left, his father abandoned him and left him with his youngest brother, Wayne to take care of him. Apparently, that Wayne fellow doesn’t know how to raise a child.” She sneers at the thought.

This time, Chrissy looks up at her. She’s blown by what her mother said about Eddie’s mom. Eddie.

Laura sees this getting Chrissy’s attention. She chuckles under her breath. She leans to the edge of her seat. “He didn’t tell you about his mother, did he? Hmm, I guess he doesn’t care that much to tell you about his past. Figures.” She scoffs.

Chrissy keeps quiet, not knowing what to say.

“Well, be that as it may, you have to right to know what you’re dealing with. This Munson boy is not what he’s telling you. Edward Munson was born out of wedlock. His father wanted nothing to do with them. For 3 years, it was just him and his mother. When his father did decide to come back, he did nothing but abuse the poor woman and made Edward his little helper in stealing. Junior. After his mother died, they moved to Hawkins, and pretty much caused more trouble. His father robbed people, bringing his son into it. It wasn’t until 5 years ago, that his father finally got put into jail after robbing a store and attempted murder on one of our Hawkins police officers. Officer Moore. You remember him, sweetheart. You babysat his daughter 3 years ago.”

She remembers the night Officer Moore got shot. She was awoken by her parent's friends who showed up at the house, freaking out over their pal, Officer Moore getting shot. She snuck out to eavesdrop on the grown-ups. She doesn’t remember all of what the grown-ups said, only that the shooter ran away. She went back to bed when the grown-ups talked about going to the hospital to support Moore’s wife, Janet. A week later, she heard her mother talking to Philip about the unknown shooter caught after he was found in Washington.

“Do you know who shot at Officer Moore, Chrissy?” Laura asks, not sounding sympathetic.

She shakes her head. No, not Eddie.

“It was his no-good drunk gambling father of his.” She snaps at her. “He’s in jail for the next 20 years. He had no remorse and at one point tried to blame his son for shooting the officer. I actually heard he’s in jail with his father. Randy Munson was sent to jail for robbing and holding the convenience store hostage for almost 10 hours. The Munson boys are to be never trusted.”

Chrissy turns to Father Jefferson for his look. She wants to ask him for some advice. She wants to tell him that Eddie isn’t like his father. But how can she talk to him with Laura hovering over them?

Father Jefferson leaves two minutes later. Laura escorts him out. Chrissy is left alone in the living room.

She twists her fingers as she sits on the couch, wondering what her mother will do to her next. Her heart begins to race. Her temperature rises up. She’s having to take short breaths as her mind races to all the possibilities her mother will do to her with no witnesses. One main fear, never seeing Eddie again.

The front door closes. Footsteps are heard next. Chrissy gasps when she sees Laura come back in. She leans back on her seat.

Laura stares at her daughter. She sighs, not sounding thrilled about the situation. “Well, that was unsettling. Something I didn’t want to do during the Spring Break.” She walks over to Chrissy. Her demeanor never changes. “Chris, what do you have to say for yourself now?”

She doesn’t answer. She doesn’t want to say anything to Laura. She doesn’t even want to look back at her.

The silence makes Laura angry, and fast. “Chrissy.” She says shortly.

She doesn’t reply.

“Chrissy?” Laura asks, sounding irritated.

She still doesn’t reply.

A strong palm-sized force hits Chrissy on the cheek, making her turn to the other side. “You bitch. Answer me!” Laura roars. She grabs Chrissy’s arm and pulls her up to face her.

The force scares Chrissy. She turns to face Laura. Her big blue eyes tearing up. Already there’s a red mark on the cheek from where Laura slapped her.

“Answer me now!” Laura shouts, getting close to her face.

Too scared to say anything, Chrissy doesn’t answer. This really upsets Laura. She slaps Chrissy again but on the other cheek. It makes Chrissy yelp. “You ungrateful bitch. You better be thinking to yourself how dumb you were for trusting a trailer trash junkie!”

Don’t say anything, don’t say anything, don’t say anything, she thinks in her mind. She opens her mouth but doesn’t have the words to say.

Laura shakes Chrissy around. “Say you won’t see this Munson boy ever again! Say it!” She commands as she stops shaking her.

No, I don’t want to. I can’t. She stumbles on the word. Wanting to lie so she can leave and see Eddie. But if she lies, Laura will pick up on it and have one of her friends follow her. She would never forgive herself if she got Eddie in trouble because of her actions.

Laura glares at her. “Say it or you will go back to the basement and stay there the rest of Spring Break.”

“Okay, okay,” Chrissy says, giving in to her words. She sighs, and a tear rolls down her cheek. She looks down, defeated. “I-I won’t see him…anymore.”

Laura loosens her grip but still holds on to her arm. “Good. Finally, you said something smart. Now that the main problem is taken care of, we can focus on getting you and Jason back together.”

“B-but what if—”

“But nothing. Jason is a wonderful man. Someone who would never hurt you.”

He does. He does hurt me. Almost the same as you.

Laura throws Chrissy on the couch. “No more of this talk. Go upstairs and change before I change my mind. Today, you won’t go out to be with your friends. Instead, you will stay in your bedroom and think about what you will say on Saturday when we go to the Country Club for some brunch. Hopefully, by then, you will come to your senses and forget all about the trailer trash freak.”

Chrissy whimpers as she looks up at Laura. “I’m sorry.” That’s all she can say.

Laura rolls her eyes, “Of course you are sorry. Dumb girls like you listen to your heart instead of your brain when it comes to boys. Especially bad boys. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure that devil child never gets his hands on you.”

***

That afternoon, Eddie went straight to the phone and dialed Chrissy's number. Fuck it, I don’t care what she says, something’s not right. He tells himself that as he hits the numbers. But when he places the phone against his ear, he gets alarmed by hearing the dial tone. That’s weird, he shakes his head. He hangs up but tries again.

Five times into it, the same dial tone rings again. In frustration, Eddie slams the phone back against the handle.

Just then, a snore comes from the living room. Eddie forgot that Wayne was resting. Thankfully, he doesn’t wake up, just rolls to the other side of his folded-up bed.

Eddie sighs in relief. He goes to the kitchen counter and snatches the keys to his van. He’s destination, Chrissy. I got to see her. I got to see if she’s okay. He leaves the trailer and heads to his van. He hops in and drives off.

In Chrissy’s neighborhood, Eddie goes to the same speed limit in order to not draw too much attention to himself. Be cool, be cool, he tells himself. He drives towards Chrissy’s house. He slows down and looks at every single corner of the house to find any sign of Chrissy.

He doesn’t see any sign of Chrissy, or anyone in the house. He wants to park his van and go in, but it’s too bright outside. Someone could see him and call the police thinking he was sneaking into people’s houses. As much as he hates it, he has no choice but to drive back home. He’ll try again tonight when everyone’s in bed.

“I’m coming back for you Chrissy, I promise,” he says out loud. Chrissy wouldn’t have promised to see him again and not say anything. This wasn’t her. She wouldn’t do anything like this. Not to him. No, it had to be her mother. Maybe she grounded her for the night. But why? Was it because of him? Did someone in town see them together and told her mother? Is…is she getting punished because of him? For whom he is? He knows people in town don’t like him, but he was never told to never see their friends or daughters. At least, not to his face.

“Chrissy,” he mumbles as he drives off. If that’s true, then he needs to hear it from Chrissy. From her mouth. It may be painful, but if she doesn’t want to see him anymore, let her say it. By her own free will.

***

9:58 pm.

Eddie parks at his spot. He sneaks out and goes to Chrissy’s house. When he reaches the house, he sees all the lights out. He frowns in confusion. Even the front porch light was off. Feeling more nervous for Chrissy, he runs to the backside of the house.

He makes his way to the backyard and by luck sees the second-story room light on. He prays it’s Chrissy as he runs through the backyard. He reaches the house and finds a lattice against the house. It reaches the second floor where he can carefully walk on the balcony and reach the lighted room. The curtains are moved to the side so he can peek his head out to see whose room it is.

Eddie takes a deep breath as he climbs on the lattice. He tries not to look down when he reaches the second-floor balcony. He quietly walks to the lighted room. He stops when he’s an inch away from the window.

He leans his head to the window, looking for any sign of Chrissy.

Inside the room, he’s relieved to see Chrissy sitting on a chair, facing her desk. Her back is facing the window, but Eddie can detect her wearing a long-sleeved shirt and dark pants. Her hair is down and messy. Something he’s never seen before.

He looks around, noticing she’s alone. He takes the chance and gently knocks on the window three times.

Chrissy looks up, confused by the sound. She looks around her room until her eyes catch the sight of Eddie on the other side of her window. On the second fucking floor. She gasps as she runs over and opens the window.

Part of her is happy to see Eddie, but another part fears her mother will barge in and see them. She doesn’t want to see Eddie in trouble, and her mother calling the cops. She has to think of something to get Eddie out of here, but how? Right now, she wants to jump into Eddie’s arms and hold on tight, never letting him go.

Eddie smiles at Chrissy, happy to see her.

“Eddie,” Chrissy whispers. Her eyes are big.

He’s about to say something when he notices how Chrisy keeps moving part of her hair to her right cheek. She also keeps looking back at her closed door.

“What are you doing here?” She whispers loudly.

“I came to see you again,” Eddie smiles. “I hope you don’t mind.”

Chrissy steps back, grabbing a hold of Eddie’s hand. Both of her hands pressed tight against his giant hand. “Get in here before you hurt yourself.”

Eddie hides a smirk as he climbs in. He closes the window and turns to Chrissy. She’s still pulling her hair in front of her right cheek, covering it more. He frowns at her acting strange. She hasn’t looked at him directly in the eyes yet. She even acts small, hiding under her heavy sweater and looking down at her feet with high white socks.

Chrissy puts a hand on her chest. “Why did you come?” She whispers. Her voice sounds distant.

That question makes Eddie extremely nervous. He shakes his head at her question. “What do you mean ‘why did you come?’ I came to see if you’re okay. You didn’t call last night. I was getting worried. I tried calling you today, but I keep getting an unavailable message. I just wanted to check up on you.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t call yesterday. I-I just got tired and needed to rest.” She lies. She still doesn’t look at him.

“Okay, but how come when I tried to—”

“I just needed some time to myself,” she shivers. Her voice breaking. “I’m sorry that I made you worry, but you need to leave now.”

Eddie’s heart begins to race. He panics more. Chrissy. He takes a step forward but stops when Chrissy takes one step back. This breaks his heart. She looks like she’s scared of him. Just like back in the forest. “Chrissy, w-what are you saying?”

A tear rolls down her face. She quickly wipes the tears away. “I-I just need some time to myself before I-I…” She sighs in frustration. “I-I just need you to leave.”

“Chrissy—”

“Christina!” Shouts Laura from the other side of the door.

Both gasp. Eddie scurries around her bedroom to find a place to hide.

“Just a minute Mom!” Chrissy shouts. She thinks of a plan and guides Eddie to her closet. She closes the closet door. She takes one last look at her room before she opens the door.

She opens the door and Laura is waiting impatiently, crossing her arms.

“Hi, I was just getting ready to go to sleep.”

Laura steps into the room, uninvited. “Chrissy, I wish you would stop slouching like that. It doesn’t suit you.”

Chrissy eyes the closet door, hoping Eddie will remain quiet. The closet door has a little vent so Eddie can see some parts of her bedroom, but not a lot. She keeps calm and walks over to her bed where more and likely Eddie won’t see them.

“I’m sorry mother. I’ll do better.”

“You better! I need you to get it together on Saturday when we see the Carvers. It may be painful in the beginning with all those rumors about you and that Munson trash, but once they see you and Jason getting back together, everything will be fine.”

No, Chrissy, Eddie thinks to himself. He stays quiet as he continues to listen in.

Chrissy looks at the closet door and then back at her mother. “D-do I have to? I never said anything about getting back together with him.”

A slap hits her right cheek. It stuns Eddie when he sees it. All of the energy in him to protect Chrissy has to be sealed shut. It won’t help anyone if he jumps out and acts up.

“You little whore,” Laura hisses. “I don’t want to hear any more of this. You will take Jason back, and you will forget all about that Munson freak.” She turns and marches out of the room. “You’re lucky I haven’t taken you back to the basement. I will go to bed, and tomorrow I expect a different attitude from you young lady.” She slams the door behind her.

Chrissy trembles as she gets up and makes her way to the closet door. Before she could open it, Eddie opens the door. He looks horrified by what he just saw.

“Are you okay?” He asks in a gentle voice. He looks at her, now noticing a red mark on her right cheek. He carefully touches her right jaw, lifting it up so he can see it better.

But Chrissy moves her head away from his touch. She looks down. More tears run down. She sniffles, wishing Eddie didn’t see her like this.

“D-did she do that to you?” Eddie asks. This time, he sounds stern and low. He never takes his eyes off Chrissy.

She keeps her head down.

He presses his lips together. He keeps himself maintain from doing something he might regret. Growing up, he witnessed his mother being abused by his father. He tried to stop his father one night but got hit so hard, he passed out and woke up the next morning in the living room.

“Chrissy, did she do this to you?” He asks again. His voice stern but not too loud or scary.

I have to get him out of here. I have to protect him. She looks up, staring into his warm dark eyes. “Yes okay, she does this to me.” She snaps at him, wanting to get him to leave. She steps back. “And you know what, she does more than hit me. She expects perfection from me. Good grades, best boyfriend, team captain, everything. She even expects my body to be skinny and perfect. That’s why I’m queen of Hawkins High. Because of her, and the way she raised me. So, you see? I may be perfect at school, but behind closed doors, I’m nothing. I can never seem to make her proud. Which is why I think it’s best you leave.” Her heart breaks when she says it.

“Is that you talking, or your mother?” He calmly asks.

Chrissy scoffs, “Does it matter? If I continue to see you, something terrible will happen…and I can’t forgive myself if you get hurt.”

Eddie slowly takes one step forward. He focuses on Chrissy. “Who says I will get hurt?”

“I just think you will be better off with someone else. Someone who can handle themselves when times get bad. Like Jessica. I’m sure she has a backbone and can stand up to people.”

Eddie wants to tell her she’s wrong. That no one else can be as amazing as her. Tell her that he thought about her ever since the talent show. But instead, he sits and listens.

“It seems no matter what I do, I’m never good enough for anyone. I…I know that I will disappoint you in the future, and I can’t bear to see that. I don’t want to see it crumble in front of me. Because of me.”

His heart drops. He begins to feel numb. He knows he’s not hearing her say these things. He tells himself this isn’t Chrissy. Not the same Chrissy that laughed, danced, and ate with him. Not the same Chrissy who asked him not to leave her alone back in the forest. Then again, he noticed Chrissy didn’t eat much of the sandwich the other day. Come to think of it, he recalls carrying the basket back to the van with something light still in it. They finished their drinks and placed them in an abandoned trash that Eddie dumps every month into the recyclable trash bend. That day when they went back to the van, Eddie put the picnic basket in the back and secretly opened it. He was shocked to see the sandwich for her had only 3 small bites. He didn’t want to ask, but looking and seeing her act like this gives him a point on what’s going on. At least, that’s all he can place together.

Seeing her like this only makes him want to stay and help her with whatever she needs. He takes a deep breath. He focuses on her eyes. Nothing but her enchanting blue eyes. He wants to stay calm for her. To show he is listening to her, just like what Wayne does.

“First of all, I told you Jessica was a mistake. I don’t ever want her back. And secondly, who says you will disappoint me? Chrissy, what’s going on with you?”

“Nothing,” she lies still looking down. Her lips tremble. Her heart breaks on trying to say the words. She doesn’t want him to leave her. She wants to protect Eddie but at the same time still be with him. She thinks of the words to say. Just then a hand gently touches her arm. She looks up, alarmed to see Eddie standing in front of her. “Eddie…I—”

Without giving it a second thought, Eddie leans in and kisses Chrissy on the lips. Overwhelmed by his lips, Chrissy kisses him back. They collide their bodies with each other. She swings her arms around his neck, lifting her toes high up to get closer to his lips. Eddie leans close to her level and wraps one arm around her waist and the other on the back of her neck. A tear falls down her face. Their tongues intertwine. Chrissy moans in his mouth, driving Eddie insane.

They hesitantly break away, but they lean their foreheads to each other. Both gasping for air.

“Chrissy, remember what I said to you back in the forest? ‘Give me the word and I’ll walk away.’ Do you remember that?”

“I do.” She whispers, wanting to hold him. Torn by two things. Her mother and her heart.

“Okay, good. Good girl,” he murmurs. “Now, I’m going to ask you again, and whatever you say next, I will do what your answer is. Okay?”

“Okay,” she shudders.

Eddie moves his hand from her arm to her cheek that wasn’t slapped and gently rubs his rough thumb against it, removing her new and dry tears. He moves her head to look directly at him in the eyes. “Just give me the word and I’ll walk away. I’ll leave you alone and never bother you ever. Okay?”

She wants to say, ‘Go,’ but instead, her mouth says, “I-I want you to stay…stay with me. Please.”

He brings her into his arms. He hugs her, holding her close to his chest. He feels her shake and collapse. She moves her head deep into him and cries. He shushes and rubs her back with his hand.

Seeing Chrissy like this and how her mother treats her, Eddie vows to himself to keep her safe and take her away from her family as much as possible. He thinks of someday taking her far away from them. Away from this shitty town. Away from all the poison. They can leave Hawkins together. Out of her mother’s touch and cruel words. The same promise he made to his mother years ago, but this time, things will be different. He’s older, stronger, and can drive.

20 minutes later, Chrissy calms down and brings him to the bed. They sit down.

“I missed you,” she whispers.

“I missed you more. I wish I would’ve listened to my heart and raced over here 30 minutes passed ten yesterday.” He grows mad at himself for not rescuing her earlier. “I’m sorry I didn’t come get you. I should’ve known something was wrong.”

“Even if you did, I wouldn’t have been in my bedroom. I was locked in the basement.” She looks down, ashamed of what she said.

He frowns at her remark. “Locked you up? As in, like if you were in jail?”

She nods her head but doesn’t look back at him. “I feel like jail might have some light in the stalls than the basement.”

What does she mean? He thinks back to when he hid in the closet and overheard the two women talking. “You’re lucky I haven’t taken you back to the basement.” Those words echo in his brain. His heart drops and his mind rages in anger at her mother treating her like that. A sweet and enchanting smile on a beautiful young woman. He holds on to her tight. “Come with me.”

It was low, but it was loud enough that Chrissy stops crying and looks up at him. He looks at her, wiping away her tears with one hand. “What?” She whimpers. She didn’t know if she heard it right.

“Come with me, tonight. I can take you wherever you want to go whether it’s my trailer, the quarry, anywhere. I’ll happily take you anywhere. I’ll make sure she won’t ever hurt you. I’ll keep you safe. I promise.”

“No, no,” she shakes her head in fear of her mother coming back and finding her missing, again. She tells Eddie about her mother’s spies. He listens, hating the woman even more.

She begins to hyperventilate as she talks about the spies. It crumbles Eddie and he immediately brings her back to his chest. He rubs her back while he shushes. “Okay, okay, it’s okay. We’ll think of something.”

She sighs, deepening into him. With one breath, her whole anxiety and fear drain out. She is finding comfort in Eddie's arms. His smell reeked of cigarette and weed. A calming and fresh smell to her. Almost as if it’s her calming scent. The more she hung on to him, the calmer she became. She stops crying and breathes in and out with Eddie.

When Eddie feels her at ease, he leads her to lie down on the bed. He continues rubbing her back and says soothing words against her ear.

“I’m going to see April and her family tomorrow for brunch. I don’t think my mom knows that April helped me Tuesday night to see you. Maybe I can talk to her and ask if she can help us.” Chrissy says, clutching on tight to his Black Sabbath shirt. 

Eddie says nothing but nods his head.

“Maybe I can convince my mother to let me go for a sleepover. Find a way to hide from her spies. Go somewhere hidden. Just the two of us. No one else. Safe. Happy.” She sniffles. Eddie presses her tight.

He kisses her head. “I know a place we can go to. My friend has a house by the lake. He lets me crash there sometimes. Right now, he’s…he won’t be in town for a couple of months. We can use that spot as our hiding spot. Unknown to anyone in Hawkins.”

Three days after Eddie got bailed out of jail back in January, Reefer Rick called him from jail. He never got bailed out. His bail money was too expensive because of the large amount of drugs they found in his house. He called Eddie and told him he cleared his name from any possession of drugs found. He convinced the Judge that Eddie had just arrived at the house by the time the police came in to raid the place. The Judge agreed that Eddie was an innocent bystander. Reefer Rick agreed to plead guilty to possession of drugs and firearms not registered to him and was sentenced to 7-14 months in prison outside of Hawkins.

A low shuffle echoes out in the hallway. It makes the two jump and look at the door. Chrissy sits up and Eddie keeps close. He never takes his hands off Chrissy. The noise goes away. They sigh in relief.

Chrissy turns to Eddie. Pain is visible in her eyes. “Y-you have to leave. I don’t want my mom to barge in and see you.”

Eddie presses her forehead against hers. His breathing is shaky. He knows he needs to but doesn’t want to. His stomach drops, having no choice. “I don’t want to break my promise and let you get hurt.” A tear falls.

“I know, but you have to. Okay? This isn’t breaking a promise. This is only temporary. I’ll talk to April tomorrow. I’ll think of something.” They kiss, unwilling to break apart, but they do.

Eddie climbs out of the house and makes his way back to the van. He drives home, thinking about Chrissy. He presses his hands hard against the steering wheel. He makes it home but doesn’t bother going to sleep. He stays up drinking and smoking. He runs around the trailer, thinking about Chrissy and the slap echoing in his head.

It isn’t until 4 am that he finally grows tired and collapses in his bedroom. Although, he didn’t have any good dreams. He dreamt of getting separated from Chrissy and seeing her mother putting her monstrous claws around her. He woke up screaming, sweating everywhere. “Chrissy.”

Chapter Text

Chrissy is awakened by her alarm clock set to 7:15 am. She looks around and her first thought is Eddie. Where’s Eddie? She gets flashbacks to what happened last night.

Eddie. Her mother. Promising to see each other again. April.

“Come with me. I’ll happily take you anywhere. I’ll make sure she won’t ever hurt you. I’ll keep you safe. I promise.”

The words of Eddie immediately warm her heart and her anxiety. She thinks back to Eddie being in her room and staying after witnessing her mother being horrible to her. The kiss he gave her when she tried to turn him away. Her heart skips a beat reminiscing the kiss on her lips and his touch. The way he held her. The way he wrapped his arms around her. She never wanted him to let her go. Eddie. She then feels something else inside of her that she never experienced before. A warm feeling coming from between her thighs. Her spot. She went to sleep thinking what he would do with his hands to her and her body. She gets up, unable to stop thinking all of these dirty thoughts with Eddie.

Just then, a door outside the hallway opens and closes. It snaps her back to reality. She then thinks back to April and what she told Eddie yesterday.

“April.” She thinks of what to say to her as she continues to get dressed.

***

Brunch at a restaurant.

Chrissy and her family arrive at a 5-star restaurant around 11 am. Everyone is dressed nicely. They are guided to the back of the restaurant where they have more privacy. Chrissy constantly looks at the front door, waiting for April to come up.

It isn’t long until Chrissy sees April and her family coming in. She smiles, happy as hell to see her. The Winters greet the Cunninghams and sit down with them. Chrissy has April sit next to her. Laura sits with April’s mother while their Dads chat. Ben sits close to Chrissy. Once and a while, he will look at his sister, looking guilty.

Perhaps because of what he had heard the other night. Chrissy begging to get out of the basement. She smiles when he looks back at her. She’s not mad at him. Could never be mad at him for not helping her. If he did and Laura saw it, she would punish him too and the last thing Chrissy wants to see or hear is Ben getting the same punishment as her. She would do anything to make sure he doesn’t get hurt. She would take her mother's ring hand for him.

After the families order food and drinks, Chrissy leans over to April while her mother is distracted. “Come to the restroom with me.” She whispers to April’s ear.

April turns to Chrissy. She frowns in confusion. “O-okay.”

The two girls get up. Chrissy announces they are going to the bathroom. Laura nods at her, not saying anything. The girls leave.

In the bathroom, Chrissy checks on all the stalls for any other women. Great, no one’s here, she thinks to herself. She sighs in relief. But before she could speak, she rush to the door. She opens it, peeking her head out. She looks for any sign of her mother or anyone else following them. No one. She pulls her head back into the bathroom and closes the door in relief.

“Chrissy? What’s going on?” April asks.

“I’ve got to tell you something.” She gently grabs April's hand and leads her to the middle stall. The bathroom stalls in the restaurant are a little bigger than the regular stalls.

April is more confused about her friend and how she’s acting. Hiding in the bathroom stalls. “What’s going on?”

Chrissy takes a breather. She’s nervous about asking April this important and possibly dangerous favor. The last couple of days, she’s asked her friend to cover for her, and took her to an unknown scary bar at night. Now the next favor she will ask her will test how loyal and a true friend April is.

April studies Chrissy, becoming more worried about her. She leans in close to Chrissy. “Hey,” she whispers to her. She puts a hand on her shoulder, and gently rubs it. “Chrissy, are you okay?”

Tell her. Do it now. Chrissy looks directly into April's dark warm eyes. She takes a deep breath, “Okay, um, I-I need something…”

April waits for her to finish, understanding this must be very important.

“Um, it’s about…me a-and…”

“Eddie?” April whispers.

Chrissy nods her head.

“Did he do anything to you?” She asks, sounding very protective over her.

“No, no. The exact opposite. He’s…he’s everything I could ever ask for.”

“Really?” She asks, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes, in fact, that’s the problem. Mom knows about him.” She doesn’t have to say much for April to understand. “My mom took my phone connected to the bedroom wall and forbade me from seeing him again. She even had her childhood priest come in to tell me how temptation can be dangerous and lead me to either die on the side of the road or end up pregnant and abandoned. April, I know this sounds insane and feels fast but I know deep in my heart that Eddie wouldn’t do this to me. H-he wouldn’t hurt or steal from me. He cares about me and I care about him.”

April sighs, “Chrissy, that is insane. You’ve barely spent a whole week with this man! How do you know he won’t hurt you?”

“Because…I-I just know it.” Okay, April does have a point. Yes, she doesn’t know him that well, and it’s only been a couple of days, but something inside of her is telling her that Eddie’s a good guy. A misunderstood young man in a small town. And yes, there are some things that she needs to discuss with Eddie like his parents and if he really is going to get out of this state after high school, but right now, she wants to see Eddie and spend the entire day with him.

April shakes her head, not believing what her friend is saying.

“April, please help me. I know this is all too much for me to ask you, but I don’t know who else to turn to. You’re the only true friend I have. You know how insane my mother is. Please April. My mom won’t let me go anywhere. She’ll send her friends to track me down.”

“What do you mean?”

“Mom sent someone to watch over us Tuesday night. They…they know we were at the Hideout.”

April gasps. “Are you serious?”

“I wish I was.” She’s about to say something else when she notices a disturbed look on her friend's face. Oh no. What if that was too much for April? What if that was the final straw? “April…I-I’m sorry for…”

“Your mother’s crazy.” April spits out.

“I know, I know. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked—”

“Do you think she knows about me and Jeff?”

Chrissy stops mid-sentence. She looks at April, doing her best to not show a little grin on her face. “J-Jeff? A-are you seeing Jeff Robinson from Eddie’s club and band?”

“Well, if you must know, we’ve been…you know…talking…”

She leans in close to April. Her eyebrows rise with interest. “Since?”

April mumbles something low and undetected.

“What?”

She mumbles it again, but still cannot hear her.

“What was that?”

April grunts, rolling her eyes. “Yesterday all right!”

Chrissy holds it together. “Oh, really?” A chuckle escapes her. She covers her mouth.

April frowns at her, but when another chuckle comes out of her, she can’t help but laugh back. The two girls giggle.

“Okay, okay,” April smiles. “Back at the Hideout, when I left you alone with Eddie, I did go to use the bathroom, and when I came back out…he came out from the men’s bathroom as well.” She begins to blush as she thinks back to Jeff. “We started talking about the performance and music, then next thing I know, I was asking him about Hellfire and what it really was. He told me about all these mythical characters and the storylines…” She sighs heavenly at the thought.

Chrissy smiles at her, knowing the feeling.

“He’s sweet. Comes from a big family, is the middle child, lost his dad when he was 7, and will be the first to graduate in his family.”

She raises her brow, impressed April has been this vocal about a boy. Throughout the years, April has gotten on dates but hasn’t had any boy who would make her head over heels. She was always a shy girl growing up. Quiet, and good-natured, but can turn scary if someone she loves is in trouble. Which is why Chrissy loves her.

So, hearing about how Jeff makes April feel more at life and open makes her proud and happy for her.

“So, does that mean you’re willing to help me? I want to see him tonight, but I need to come up with a lie.”

April waves her hand at Chrissy. “I’m already ahead of you. My parents will be going out tonight. We can ask if I can have you over for a sleepover. Once they say ‘yes’, we can tell your parents about the sleepover. We can borrow my parents' exercise bicycles and sneak off to be with Eddie and Jeff. I have Jeff’s number. I can tell him about the plan. I’m assuming you have Eddie’s number.”

Chrissy nods her head. “I do. Oh, this is wonderful. I can’t wait to tell him.”

“I’ll give you a pager for tonight in case one of us is being followed. We can meet up back at my home before tomorrow 7 am. Don’t forget tomorrow our families go to the Country Club party to celebrate the end of Spring Break.”

“You’re right about that. Oh god, Jason will be there.” She whines at the thought of Jason probably going to make a big show to win her back. She shakes her head, disgusted by the idea.

April shakes her head too. “I’ll be there for you the entire time. I’ll make sure you’re never left alone with him.” She says in dedication.

Chrissy smiles at her friend. Not believing April is this amazing. She runs over and hugs her tight. April hugs her back, a little curious about why Chrissy is giving her a bear hug.

Chrissy lets go and steps back.

“W-what was that for?” April laughs.

“That was for being an amazing friend. You didn’t have to do any of this. I still feel bad for dragging you into this—”

“Chrissy, this is the most exciting and funniest Spring Break that I have ever had. Jeff took me to some places around Hawkins, and introduced me to D&D… He helped me open my eyes.” She covers her face with her hands blushing.

Chrissy smiles relieved she will get the chance to see Eddie again.

After brunch, the girls convinced each parent about the ‘sleepover’ tonight. The parents agreed but it took Laura some more convincing. She finally says ‘yes’. When Chrissy arrives home, she calls Eddie from downstairs while Laura is doing the laundry. She tells Eddie about the plan for tonight. He agrees she will come over to the trailer park later on tonight.

***

Tonight around 5 pm, Laura drops off Chrissy at April’s house. She’s welcomed in and spends some time with April as her parents get ready to head out. It isn’t until 6 pm that April’s parents finally go out the front door. The girls watch the Winters get into their car and drive off. They wait for half an hour before they borrow the bicycles and sneak out through the back way of the neighborhood.

The girls rode off to the dirt-long road to meet up with the boys. Along the way, the girls constantly look over their shoulders for any sign of anyone following them. So far, the coast is clear. They reach a road leading to the trailer park. The two girls stop for a moment.

April gives Chrissy a gray pager. She shows her a second pager, but darker. “If any of us feels unsafe or notices something off, we’ll page each other, warning us to go back. We’ll rush back home and hope that no one sees us sneaking back in. I will be at Jeff’s place. You said you will be where again?”

All Chrissy remembered from Eddie was that it was around the boat houses. Nothing else. No description of the house. “Um, a house down by Lover’s Lake. He’s going to drive me there when I meet up with him at the trailer.”

April nods, wanting to ask, but knows the time they are on is precious. They could still be watched by one of Luara’s spies or at the least, hunted down. They can’t stay in one spot forever. “Our number for each other will be 411.”

“Okay,” Chrissy whispers.

The two girls hug each other tight. “Be safe.” They say before they separate.

***

Chrissy rides to Eddie’s trailer, instantly spotting him outside sitting on the couch on the patio. He looks directly at Chrissy, smiling so big that she can see it from far away. He stands up, holding on to something dark in his arms. It’s Midnight.  

Eddie walks out of the patio and towards Chrissy as she gets closer. They meet up by Eddie’s van. Chrissy hops off her bike and drops it close by.

Eddie, still holding onto Midnight leans down close to Chrissy. He kisses her lips, lingering for a good time.

Chrissy giggles in his mouth as she tip-toes up closer to him. She basically forgets about Midnight being in the middle as she wraps one arm around his shoulder.

Midnight groans as he jumps down, retreating to somewhere far away from all the mushy stuff. Something that Eddie nor Chrissy seem to mind. The second the cat leaves, the two lovebirds press their bodies against one another.

Eddie has one arm around Chrissy’s waste and the other around her shoulders. Chrissy embraces Eddie’s mouth and has both arms wrapped around his neck. Eddie leans deeper, at one point lifting her up and making her squeal. He smiles while kissing her lips. He loves hearing her make cute little noises.

He finally stops kissing her and carefully puts her down. But he doesn’t let her go. Instead, he wraps his arms around her waist and leans his head close to hers. He’s unwilling to let her go even for one second. “Chrissy, oh Chrissy,” he whispers under his breath.

Chrissy smiles and presses her lips together. She loves hearing him say her name.

“I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I was so worried you wouldn’t come.” He presses his lips to her forehead.

“I couldn’t bear to spend one more night without you,” she trembles in a low voice. She tightens her grip around his neck.

He pulls her to his chest. He kisses the top of her head. “I’m right here baby.”

Chrissy leans into his words. She sighs, feeling exhausted but safe in his arms. Something she hasn’t had since her grandmother.

After some more kisses, the couple hops into the van with the bicycle. Eddie drives them to Reefer Rick's house. He parks, gets out, runs over to Chrissy’s side, and opens the door for her. He holds out his arm for her to grasp onto as she exits out of the vehicle.

Chrissy blushes as he stares at her, smiling at her sparkling blue eyes. She ducks down as he closes the car door and leads her to the front porch.

“Stay still for one second,” he quietly says to her. He gently takes his arm away from Chrissy as he leans down to a small flower plant beside the front door. Eddie lifts the pot and sees a single silver key underneath. He places the pot to the side and picks up the key. He stands up and unlocks the door. He opens it and stands beside the open door for Chrissy to step in first. She smiles and walks in but stops after the fourth step.

She keeps her hands close together as she turns and waits for Eddie. He steps in and closes the door behind him. He turns to Chrissy and smiles. His dimples shine from the moonlight reflected from the windows, making Chrissy smile back. She shows her crooked teeth to him, not ashamed of them this time. Was it because she had come to realize that whenever she shows her teeth to him, he never said anything about them being unperfected or how ugly they were? Or was it because she was starting to feel more at ease whenever she was around him?

Eddie goes to the nearest wall and finds the switch to the living room. He turns it on, along with the front porch light on. He takes off his two-lined jacket and gently places it on a big rocking chair. He’s wearing a dark metal shirt with his dark pants. He watches Chrissy as she looks around the living room. He runs over to her, his hands shaking a bit. “Um, w-would you like a tour of the place?”

Chrissy smiles, nodding her head. “I would love that.”

Eddie chuckles nervously, “Okay then. Um, shall we start in the living room?”

He graciously showed Chrissy the living room, kitchen, two bedrooms—one upstairs—and the backyard with a boat shed. Reefer Rick owns a small boat he uses whenever he wants to go fishing. After the police raided the house, and Rick pleaded guilty, Eddie swung by and cleaned up. He threw away expired and left-out food from the morning of the raid.

This morning, Eddie got up and went out the door at the crack of dawn, drove to the house, and cleaned like hell. He wanted everything to look nice for Chrissy. He even changed the sheets and pillows. After the cleaning, he went to the grocery store and bought some things. Light food things that Chrissy might try or enjoy.

Eddie used part of his savings money to buy the things. It’s for Chrissy. This is for her, that’s what he kept telling himself in his head when he went up to the front counter. He admits it was a bit blindsided when Joyce Wheeler, mother of one of his youngest and newest hellfire members complimented on his groceries. He stumbled, telling her he was going to enjoy the rest of Spring Break at a friend’s house. He left like hell the second Joyce gave him back his change.

Eddie and Chrissy arrive back inside the house after visiting the boat. He opens the door for her and lets her in first. He closes it behind him once he steps in next. “So, uh, that, uh, was the entire, uh, tour…” he chuckles nervously at the end.

Chrissy turns, smiling at him. “Thank you so much for the wonderful tour.” She giggles at the end. She spins around and faces him again. He grins at her, thinking she’s the cutest thing ever. “So, what does Mr. Eddie have in plans for tonight? April and I set our alarm to meet back at the house before 7 am. Until then, you have me.” She teases, opening her arms open to him. She shows her crooked teeth.

Eddie smiles back. He calmly walks to her, casually placing one hand on her waist and smoothly moving it to her lower back. “Well, it’s almost 7:30 pm, I’d figured I could start us off with some dinner that I can famously make for us, along with some drinks, and maybe some front-row seats at a nice and toasty fireplace.” He gazes into her blue eyes as he raises his other hand and gently moves a loose hair from her face and tucks it behind her ear.

Chrissy looks up directly into his mellow deep eyes, unwilling to look away. Her heart skips a beat when he kisses her temples. He leans down, getting into her eye level. She bashfully looks down, her cheeks glowing red.

“Hey, how have you been? How is your face? Did she hurt you again?” He looks down, attempting to gently grab her arms to check up on them, but the second he touches them, she moves them close to her chest. She’s wearing a long-sleeved pink jacket over her white top and has blue capris. Her hair is half up, half down with a pink bow holding it together.

Alarm by her immediate change in wanting to touch her arms, he leans back. Giving her some space. His heart aches from her rejecting his touch. “Chrissy? Hey, sweetheart, are you okay?”

Before Chrissy left to go to brunch earlier today, she looked at her arms in the mirror. Horrified, she still sees the small handprint bruise left by Jason on one arm, and her mother’s hand grip bruise on the other freshly printed. She checked her upper thighs, relieved to see the bruises her mother made two months ago finally disappearing. But she still worries that Eddie will be like the other teenage boys her cheerleader friends gossip about who try to go all the way with their girlfriends in the first week or two. Horned dogs. Especially since she knows that Eddie is a freak in the bed.

After her mother and Father Jefferson gave her a talk about boys not wanting anything but sex from a young woman, she can’t help but rethink it. But when she does, she tries to shake it off. She doesn’t want to think about it. She doesn’t want to believe he would do that and have her mother be right.

“Chrissy?” Eddie says, snapping her out of her thought bubble.

She jolts back, giving Eddie a wide and confused look, making him more concerned about her. “Sorry, what did you say?”

His heart sinks. He sees a beautiful and sweet young woman with a bright smile and a contagious laugh, but all her mother sees is a little victim she can starve and proudly expose and call a slut if she decides to follow her own path. “Chrissy, honey, it’s okay. It’s me. Just me. I’m right here. You can tell me anything. Did your mother touch you today? Did she hurt you?” His eyes intensely stared back into hers.

He wants to hold her. Make her safe, but he knows he can’t rush her into it. He patiently waits for her to say something next. His face softens.

She stares at his broken face. She hates seeing him like that. Oh, Eddie. She never loses eye contact with him as she walks forward and grabs his hands, lingering between fingers. He squeezes her hand but not too firm. He sighs in relief. He’s happy to see her make the first move. “No, she didn’t. She didn’t touch me. I made sure she wouldn’t.” It wasn’t that hard to dodge Lauras’ touch, concerting she rarely gave it. “I’m okay, really.” She whispers.

He sighs, his eyes getting glossy. “Okay, I believe you. I’m sorry about the questions. I didn’t mean to make you upset. I-I was just worried about you.”

“It’s okay,” she trembles. Her heart grows and skips a beat. “You didn’t do anything. I-I was just thinking back on something earlier, and it got me distracted. I’m sorry I scared you.”

He chuckles, showing his teeth to her. “I guess I was right back in the forest.”

She tilts her head and frowns at him like a confused puppy. Something Eddie loves seeing again. “What do you mean?”

He leans down and kisses the top of her nose, loving how small she is. “What I said about you—or what I’d thought you might be—you know, being mean and scary.”

She laughs, thinking back to that moment. When they were starting to get to know each other. The time she felt depressed, tired, and desperate to get help. The time when she wasn’t getting any help or acknowledgment from anyone she loved or who supposedly loved her back. Well, everyone, except April, whom she needs to thank tomorrow. If it wasn’t for her giving information about Eddie, she probably would have never reunited with him. She never would’ve thought that Eddie Munson, talent show kid and named freak in school would help her and open her eyes to the other side of town.

“I still can’t believe you thought I was mean and scary,” Chrissy smiles bashfully. “Did you really?”

“Yep. I was terrified of meeting you alone in the forest where there were no witnesses.” He jokes, making Chrissy laugh harder.

“Why? Why did you ever think I was mean and scary?” She calms down her laugh.

He shrugs his head. “You’re the queen of Hawkins High. The head cheerleader, the popular girl, dated the star of balls in a laundry basket team. I figured you were too perfect and were like the other queens before you. The ones that made me and my hellfire club members' life a living hell.” He clears his throat, not knowing if that was the right thing to tell her, or if it was too much or insulting to her.

But to his amazement, Chrissy never gave off a rebel look or attitude back after his answer. She leans in.

She wants to hear more about his point of view of cheerleaders and popular people. “Y-you thought I was like my friends?”

“Not anymore that’s for damn sure.” He states. He moves Chrissy’s hands to his lips. He kisses her hands, keeping them close. He keeps his eyes on her.

She gazes into his warm brown eyes, loving the way he touches, kisses, and holds her compare to her mother and Jason. Her legs shake, not knowing if she will collapse in front of him. If I do, I’m sure Eddie will catch me, she thinks to herself.

They gaze into each other eyes, for what felt like hours, but it is only a couple of minutes before Eddie cautiously moves one hand and places it on Chrissy’s cheek. She leans in against his hand, embracing his gentle touch and comfort. She closes her eyes. A low hum escapes her mouth. It makes Eddie chuckle, calming his fear of losing her for a moment.

He kisses her forehead. “Are you okay, baby?” Eddie whispers to her.

Chrissy opens her eyes and looks directly into his eyes. “I am now.” She goes on her tippy toes and meets her lips with his.

The sweet cherry flavor of her soft lips erases Eddie’s thought of dinner. He would prefer this over food anytime, but he thinks about Chrissy and how to make her happy. The first thing on his list, feed her. Give her whatever she needs but also take it easy. After what she said about her mother wanting her body to be skinny and perfect, Eddie will do anything it takes to make sure Chrissy has a healthy relationship with food. But for now, all he wants to do is eat the inside out of her mouth, and other places if she lets him. On her own pace of course.

Eddie keeps one hand on her cheek and the other moving to her waste. He grips on tight, never wanting to let her go. They start tongue-kissing, getting close to each other. He leans in closer to her. His hand moves up to the back of her head. Goosebumps run through the back of her head, making her entire body tremble. She shivers under the kiss.

He relentlessly pulls away, leaning his forehead against hers. Both gasping for air. “D-do you want to get started on dinner?” He asks after cooling down.

Chrissy looks up at him, smiling. “I would love that.” She presses her lips. She worries about what all Eddie knows about her situation with food after yesterday’s little spill. She didn’t have time or the heart yet to tell him everything. She wants to be brave and strong for him but is too scared she will mess it up. What if she can’t help it and immediately has to empty the food out, disturbing their night? What if she stays in the bathroom too long and it weirds out Eddie? What if Eddie gets to know everything and bails out? Not wanting any part of it. Those what-ifs scare her.

She doesn’t say much. This gets Eddie’s attention. He smiles and kisses her on the top of her head. “It’s okay, I think you will like it. It’s made by the one and only, Eddie Munson.” He teases as he lingers his hands on hers. She giggles at him.

He giggles back. He walks backward with his eyes glued to Chrissy’s eyes, leading her to the kitchen with him.

He shows her the things he got from the store. Ingredients to make spaghetti and meatballs. Something not too hard for him to fuck up. A perfect dinner for the two of them. “Ta-da!” he sings when showing her. “What do you think?”

She smiles at the sight of it. She’s never had spaghetti before. Ever since she was little, she was always curious about the food. Especially after seeing one of her favorite Disney movies, Lady, and the Tramp dining scene. She asks her mother to make it one day, but she kept it away from her, saying the carbs will fatten the crap out of her. So, seeing this as dinner, Chrissy blushes thinking of Eddie cooking this.

“Perfect,” she whispers before she kisses him on the lips.

Eddie makes the spaghetti and heats the meatballs. Along the way, he asks Chrissy questions about middle school. They talked about their favorite and least memories about it, teachers they liked or disliked, and if they ever came across each other before the talent show.

All leads up to something Chrissy always wanted to get off her chest ever since reunited with Eddie after so many years. As the noodles boil in the water and the meats and sauces are heated in a pot, Chrissy thinks of the things to say next to Eddie. A timer is set for the noodles before it is time to eat. She’s leaning against the counter as Eddie looks over by the stove on the other side. He turns around back and forth between Chrissy and the food.  

Chrissy crosses her arms, keeping her jacket closed. “After the talent show in middle school, I…I couldn’t stop thinking about you.” She blushes, never thinking she would be standing here talking to the same kid she met and thought of for a couple of years.

Eddie keeps an alert on the boiled water while studying her face and body.

“I know it sounds ridiculous, and I’m probably dumb to say this, but it's all I could think about. On the night we separated, I couldn’t stop thinking back to you running around and playing your heart out. You were unlike anything I have ever seen before. Probably the best performance out there.”

Eddie smirks, playing with the loose lock of his curly hair.

“When I reached high school, I really did try searching for you. I guess I was still looking for a small, shaved head with dark makeup.” The two giggle at the sentence. “I’m sorry I forgot about you.” She finally whispers.

He stops and focuses on her.

She takes a deep breath, “I’m truly sorry I forgot about you and gave up. I didn’t try harder.” She looks up at Eddie with guilt all over her face. Her eyes get teary.

He leans forward, wrapping his arms around her. He draws her head against his chest. “Don’t apologize. You have nothing to be sorry for.”

She shivers under his arms. She presses against his chest, embracing the cigarette and beer smell. Oh, Eddie. Never let me go. “I remembered my mother didn’t want me anywhere near you after the talent show. She didn’t mention too much about you back then other than you were a Munson and to never be trusted. I didn’t believe her. I still don’t.”

Eddie turns to her. She looks back at him, her tone sounds strong.

“Even after what she said about you yesterday morning, I didn’t believe her.”

Chrissy.

“I don’t care what happened or what they told me. They aren’t you. They don’t speak for you. And I’m not in a hurry of wanting to know everything. I can wait. I won’t pressure you into telling me.”

She needs to know about my past. About my family. She’s defending me, I can’t let her keep doing that without knowing my true past. It was going to come out. If not now, then probably in a couple of months or years if we are still together and my father’s parole hearing comes up.

He clears his throat. “Chrissy, there’s something I need to—”

The timer rings for the noodles. Eddie reluctantly stops and goes to dump out the boiling water. Minutes later, Eddie mixes the sauce and noodles. He dumps the meatballs in, scooping them around. He pours them in two bowls and places them on the dinner table. He gets the silverware, drinks, and napkins. The drink for tonight is two Coca-Colas.

Once everything is set, Eddie pulls the chair out for Chrissy. She takes a seat. He sits down next to her and offers her the first bite. She takes a small bite and immediately melts inside of it. She takes more bites, making Eddie smile. Halfway through dinner, Eddie decides now is the chance to tell Chrissy everything.

“Chrissy?”

She looks up at him. Her eyes are big and full of love.

He gets nervous when she stares back at him. He’s afraid she will be too scared or overwhelmed by his past, but if she really does care about him, she will stay and listen to the end. He clears his throat. “So, um, you may have been told about my past, but there’s more about me than you think.”

She gulps on her food from Eddie. “Oh? Are you sure you want to tell me? We don’t have to. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bring this up. I should’ve said—”

“Chrissy, hey, it’s okay.” He says, grabbing a hold of her free hand that’s lying on her lap. He covers it up with both hands. His eyes sparkle back from the reflection in the window of the stars. It nearly hypnotizes her. He kisses her hand, never blinking. “I want to do this. I don’t want to hide anything from you.” He kisses her hand again.

She melts into it. Nodding her head. “Okay, I trust you. Whatever happened, I’m here for you. I won’t run away.”

He smiles at her. He rubs his thumb on her hands, making little circles. “I believe you.” He takes a deep breath. “Come on.” He leads her to the couch. They sit together, staying close and holding onto each other’s hands.

“My Dad and uncle didn’t have the best father growing up. His birth Dad ran out, so his stepfather raised him and my father. Or he did a shitty job at it. Half of the time, he was barely at home. Wayne was the only one who didn’t love his stepfather or try to be like him. He took the high road but stayed in Hawkins. My dad, Robert Edward Munson, ran like hell when he dropped out of high school. He didn’t feel like finishing school, so he packed up and left. Wayne didn’t hear anything from him for months until he got a phone call from him one afternoon. He was in Tennessee where he met a young woman.” He stops for a moment, his eyes staring off in the distance. “My mother.”

Chrissy sees how much this hurts him to talk about her. She squeezes his hand.

“He stayed with her for six months. When she announced she was pregnant with me, he accused her of sleeping with another man and that he wasn’t the father. Mom wasn’t. He left us and went to another state. Mom gave birth to me and took care of me all by herself. When I turned three years old, Dad came back and promised to make a difference in the family. Mom believed him and welcomed him back in. The worst thing he could ever do. All he did was drink, gamble, steal money from my mother, and bitched when he couldn’t hold down a job. He was making our lives miserable. Mom did everything to get him to step up. She didn’t want him to leave again. She didn’t want a broken family. Even when the bills were piled up. She later on talked to Wayne for some advice when she finally got his number from Dad. Then one night, while Mom was working a double shift at the diner, Dad came home with some friends of his. They brought over some beers and drugs. They were using it in front of me for two hours until Mom came home. She was upset and sent me to my room while she and Dad were arguing. I changed into my pjs and waited for her to come sing to me to sleep like she always does until it was nearly midnight. I snuck into the living room and saw her snorting cocaine with a black eye. The first of many bruises I will see on her from Dad. She was guided to snort cocaine by one of Dad’s friends. He was watching the entire time, smiling. Since then, she started using, becoming too dependent on it. She lost her job and barely took care of herself or me. I tried, even begged her to stop for me, but she wouldn’t listen. All she said was that she wanted to ‘go away from the world.’ Dad was no help. He didn’t come home for days. And when he did, he said he was looking for jobs.”

A tear rolls down Chrissy’s eye.

Eddie thinks back to the last night he was with his mother. His breathing is shaky. Anger and sadness rain on him the more he thinks back. “A little bit before my eleventh birthday, I woke up one morning and went to the kitchen for some breakfast. That was the day I saw my mother’s lifeless body in the middle of the kitchen. There was a needle hanging from her arm. I called 911, the paramedics came in but there was nothing they could do. She was pronounced dead. Doctors believed she died overnight. Police took me to child protective service where I waited for Dad to come pick me up. I wasn’t told too much or comfort after the ordeal. Hours later, Dad came to get me and moved in with some of his friends. The same ones that introduced Mom to drugs. Dad said he would take care of me, but he never did. He showed me how to steal cars and to be his little lookout on some of his attempts. He threw out most of Mom's stuff, saying it was too painful to hold onto. I tried to keep my first guitar that was sent to me by Wayne, for my ninth birthday, but he was stronger than me. Sold it and drove us to Hawkins where he pretty much left me with Wayne. Abandoned me. He signed the papers at the courthouse for Wayne to watch over me. Didn’t even say ‘goodbye.’ The last thing I heard from him, he was in jail after an attempted murder of a Hawkins police officer. He was robbing a store, Officer Moore arrived first on the scene, Dad had a gun, and tried to scare him with it, but ended up accidentally shooting the officer. He ran away but was caught later. He’s damned lucky the officer survived. He’s in jail for a long time. He rarely calls me and when he does, it would always be if I could do something for him. Like sneaking in a cigarette, or something ridiculous for him in prison. I don’t answer when he calls now. And that’s once every five months.”

“Eddie, I’m so sorry about that,” Chrissy whispers to him. She moves in and hugs him. She holds on tight to him. She feels him shaking. She hugs him tighter, “I’m so sorry about that.”

He hugs her back. The feeling of someone hugging him is strange and good at the same time. Strange because he rarely is touched or held, and good because he feels someone embracing him. Comforting him. The love and gentle touch he desperately craved ever since his mother chose drugs over him.

They release each other. Chrissy places one hand on his knee and the other on his hand. Eddie rubs his hand up and down on her shoulder and the other on his lap. They look into each other’s eyes. Nothing but the sound of their breathing is heard.

Chrissy looks at Eddie, admiring him. Despite everything that has happened to him, he has not once felt truly mean and scary to her or in her darkest moments. She gazes at his lips, then back at his eyes.

Eddie moves a hand and places it on her cheek. The same cheek he saw slapped by a horrible woman. “I’m sorry about telling you all of that,” he whispers to her. “I didn’t mean to make you sad.”

“No, no. I’m glad you told me.” She snuffles, putting on a brave face. She covers her hand over his. She leans in and kisses the other side of his hand. “I feel like I’ve got to know the real you. And I’m happy.”

He smiles back at her. “Chrissy.”

“I think it’s sweet that Wayne took you in and raised you. I noticed back at the trailer that there is only one bedroom and a pull-out bed in the living room. He gave you his bedroom, didn’t he?”

He nods his head. “He really didn’t have to, but he insisted. He’s done everything he can for me. Try to keep me out of trouble or be there whenever I do get myself into trouble. He wants me to graduate and follow my dreams. Be who I want to be. So, whenever I do graduate, I’m getting the hell out of here and make a name for myself. Follow my dreams. Be a metal rock star in my band. Perform at a sold-out Moody Gardens one night. Play a song I dedicated to my mother, Wayne, and myself. I owe everything to him.” And you. I actually wrote a song about you. Someday, I’ll show it to you.

“I know what you mean. He loves you. I can see it. Even if I have seen him for a minute last Saturday.” She giggles. “I’ve only seen love through family members like that and it was with my grandma. You two have that connection.”

“Do you think about her?”

She nods her head gracefully. “Every day. Grandma Emily was my person. She was my Wayne.”

“I know you probably don’t want to hear this, but did she…um, know about—”

“When she passed away, Mom’s need for having me be skinny grew more. Grandma Emily knew something was off, with how I was dressed and the way I would look at food, but it was too late for me to talk to her about it. She was the only person in the family who looked at me as someone other than a little Barbie doll for my mother. There were times in my life I wanted to run away and be with her, but I could never. I was too scared to leave the house. I was scared of what my mother would say or do if she learned I ran away to Grandma Emily’s house. She never liked grandma. Maybe because she knew Grandma Emily could take me away from her.”

Eddie keeps his eyes on her. Checking to see if she’s okay to continue to talk about it. He keeps his guard up. Ready to draw her out of the conversation if she needed it.

“There were days where I wanted to tell her everything about Mom,” she sighs in sadness. “All those days when I was locked in the basement. The days she would starve me. The days she would yell at me for messing up a step on a cheer routine, or if I have a low grade, or gained even one pound, or if I’m feeling sick.” She rolls her eyes and shoves it off. “It’s really nothing. No matter what I do, she’s not happy for me. Not even when I dated Jason. She would say I need to dress prettier or wear make-up, do this and that.”

“What does your father do or think about all of it?” He asks.

She sighs. She loves her father. She does. But there are days when she wishes he would step up or say something to Laura. Be a father. She looks at Eddie with sorrow in her eyes. “He doesn’t do or say anything to protect me from her. Nor did Jason. Throughout my life, I’ve been living and acting like the person everyone expects from me. You are probably the first person to see me as an actual human being. You and April.”

He moves his hand and rubs her arm. He rubs too hard that Chrissy winces. “Oww,” she whispers.

Eddie immediately pulls his hands back from her. His heart sinks into his stomach. “Oh god, Chrissy, I’m so sorry.”

She draws her arm close to her. She wants to pull the sleeve up but not in front of Eddie. “No, no. It’s not you. Trust me. I just need to—” She’s about to get up to go to the bathroom until Eddie gets up at the same time and hovers over her. He moves his hands close to her arms but doesn’t touch her.

“Hold on, let me take a look at it. I can—”

“No, no! Please. I-I just need to—” It’s too late. Eddie gently grabs her sleeves and pulls them up, revealing in both arms her bruises. She gasps, holding her breath.

Eddie freezes in motion. He doesn’t know what to do or say. Fearing it’s too much for Eddie, Chrissy moves her arms away from his grasp. She trembles. She bows her head down in defeat. God, I wish he would say something. She moves her sleeve down. She turns and walks away. Her direction, the front door.

Just then, Eddie chases after her. “Woah, woah, woah, Chrissy, wait. Please don’t go. Please—” he begs. He gently places one hand on her shoulder to stop her and turn her around to face him. She follows but doesn’t look up.

Flashes of his mother getting hit or yelled at by his father when he was drunk on occasion ring in his head and ears. All he could do was hide in the bedroom and come out whenever his mother said it was safe. He couldn’t do anything. She even said she needed him to be a good boy and stay hidden from the scary moments. “Chrissy, please don’t go.” He whispers.

She whimpers.

Eddie cups her face, “Hey, hey, hey, hey. Look at me. Look at me. Look at me. Hey. It’s okay, it’s okay.” He leans his forehead against hers. He feels her shivering, making him want to keep her close to him. All this time, he thought Chrissy was living the perfect life. Perfect Chrissy getting whatever she wants. Now seeing her like this, he is mistaken and acted like the other students who judge him by his reputation. He judged Chrissy before getting to know her.

He rubs his thumbs against her cold cheekbone. She continues to whimper but deepens into his touch. They breathe into each other’s breath. Gasping for more. “Chrissy, baby, it’s okay. It’s okay, baby. You’re okay.”

“Eddie,” She cries. She closes her eyes.

“I’m right here. I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.”

She moves her head to face Eddie. This time, she looks deep into his eyes. “You don’t know what you’re dealing with if my mother finds out about us. Are you sure you want to stay?”

“Yes. From the moment I saw you at the talent show, I wanted to get to know you more and be with you. An enchanting and brave little girl coming up to talk to the scariest-looking eighth-grader, I knew you were something special. Hell, still something special. You’re someone who I’d never thought would acknowledge my existence. You’re unlike any other young woman. Especially throughout high school. The fact after all of the bullshit you went through that you don’t deserve, you are still the sweetest person out there. Chrissy, no matter what you’re going through, I’m right here and I’m never going to go away. I’m not going to leave you. I’m not my father or his. Please believe that. I won’t run away.”

They gaze into their eyes.

“Don’t leave,” she whispers.

“Never,” he says.

Within seconds, Chrissy ludges her entire body into Eddie’s. She wraps her arms around his neck. He wraps his arms around her waist. They kiss, which immediately turns into passion. They cling on, never wanting to let go. They breathe heavily and into each other’s mouths.

Chrissy moves both hands to Eddie’s cheek. Her heart races, aching for more of Eddie. She wants nothing more than his mouth on hers. She nearly climbs on him, something he has no problem with aiding. Eddie hoists Chrissy, her instinct, wrapping her legs around Eddie’s waist. Chrissy gasps from the lift, but she never takes her mouth out of Eddie’s. She instead clings on tighter to him.

Reluctantly, Eddie separates and looks at Chrissy with his foggy eyes. Their lips are swollen. “Wait, a-are you sure about this? I don’t want to pressure you into it.”

Premarital sex is wrong but for Chrissy, she doesn’t see anything sinful about it. Ever since she kissed him on their first date, and even before that, Chrissy has always felt something special and unique with Eddie. With him, she’s not afraid to be herself, especially now that he said he won’t ever leave her after she revealed her bruises. Yes, he’s likely to see her shirtless, but with him, she doesn’t sense any fear of judgment or lack of knowledge. So, when he asks that question, she looks at him, her confidence and voice stern. “Yes, I’m sure. I know it’s early, but I’m sure. Take me to the bedroom.”

He kisses her back.

Eddie, holding on tight to Chrissy wabbles his way to the bedroom not too far away. He kicks the door open with his feet and goes in. He pushes the door close and makes it over to the bedroom. He gently places her on the bed and joins in. They continue to tongue kiss. Chrissy moans in his mouth. She keeps her legs wrapped around his waist. Her heart is racing, excited but nervous about her first time. She hadn’t had this feeling when she was with Jason.

“Chrissy,” he whispers. He can’t believe he’s about to do this with her. Never in his entire life would he ever see himself in bed with her, nevertheless, in Rick's house. He has to remind himself to change the sheets again before Ricky comes back.

He grabs her legs and pulls them away from him. If he wants to do this with Chrissy, he will do it right and at a slow pace. He doesn’t want to fuck this up. He places one hand on her cheek and mouths at her neck. Chrissy leans her head against the pillow. She moans, moving one hand to the back of his hair and the other pressing on tight to his upper back. She soon clutches onto his shirt. Eddie grinds his pelvis against hers. He moves one hand up and down on her leg.

Eddie pulls down her shirt so we can get a better angel on her shoulder. He takes a bite and sucks hard. She moans louder, sinking into his passionate bite. She closes her eyes, giving in to whatever Eddie is going to do to her. His touch, even though it’s a bit rough, isn’t scary for her. She trusts him. She knows he won’t hurt her. Deep inside, she knows.

“Eddie,” she cries out when he leans deeper into her shoulder. She moves her pelvis up toward Eddie’s. He moans back, his voice shaky. She moves one hand down to his shirt and slides it underneath, feeling his smooth skin.

He stops and leans his forehead against hers. He shivers under his breath. “A-are, uh, are you starting to get eager about seeing my sweet old tatties?”

Chrissy opens her eyes and laughs at him. “Please?”

Eddie chuckles, meeting her eyes. He gazes into them, leaning in for a kiss. He rubs his thumb against her cheek. “As you wish.” He whispers an inch away from her lips. He kisses her again, lingering.

He moves his body and sits on his knees. Chrissy sits up, watching Eddie take off his shirt. The moonlight from the window hits down at him, showing off his bare chest. It’s not buff, but the tattoos make up for it. He has two tattoos on his right chest. There’s a dark spider on his left peck and a demonic monster head with razor-sharp teeth underneath. She looks at it in awe. Her eyes sparkle, softening at him. She looks down and sees on his left arm two tattoos. One she saw earlier in the forest. The demonic hand with a scary demon puppet. The other is on his side forearm. It has a couple of bats.

“Wow,” she whispers. “I didn’t think you had that many.” She giggles.

He smirks at her. He moves his right arm, showing off another tattoo on his backside upper arm. It looks like a dragon or a serpent. “Yeah?”

She nods her head.

He crawls forward, meeting her lips. Chrissy places one hand on his cheek. He moves his mouth to her cheek, then toward her ear. “Can I see you, princess? I want to kiss away the bruises.”

She hesitates, still nervous about him seeing her naked body. “Are you sure?”

“I’ve never been so sure of anything in my entire life,” he whispers back, meeting her eyes again.

She looks at his lips, then back at his eyes. She presses her lips together. She keeps her hand on his cheek, moving her thumb. He leans into her touch. She nods her head. “Okay.”

Hearing the word, Eddie draws away watching her slowly taking her jacket off. She places her jacket against them, shivering. He sees more clearly the small bruise on one arm and another on the other arm. She’s wearing a white shirt.

Chrissy goes to the bottom of her shirt next and slowly takes it off. She throws it on the floor, looking back at Eddie. Her mouth is partly open. She sees him staring at her half-naked body. He looks at her small pink bra. He looks down at her stomach, then back into her eyes. He smiles at her, showing his dimples and wrinkled eyes.

“God, you’re so beautiful.” He says as he leans back to her. “Lay back down for me.”

She follows and lays down. He hovers on top of her. He leans on his elbows on each side. He places a hand against her cheek. She breathes in relief when he leans in for another kiss. They use their tongues and deepen.

He moves his mouth to her cheek, neck, and down to her shoulder. Chrissy closes her eyes and lets Eddie kiss her everywhere. He lingers a kiss on the bruises on her arms. She embraces his kisses, letting out a loud moan or cry of pleasure. All the nerves in her rise, making her feel more alive.

Eddie moves his mouth in between her breasts. He cups a hand over one of her breasts and firmly massages it. He hears Chrissy gasp. He lifts his head, relieved to see her enjoying the touch instead. He smirks and goes back to her bra. He kisses around it. “Can I please kiss your enchanting breasts, baby?” He hisses under his breath.

The need for his touch overpowers her, wanting more. She eagerly says, ‘yes.’ It doesn’t take long until he moves a hand behind her back and within seconds unhooked her bra. He grabs the bra and pulls it down. He goes down and covers her nipple with his entire mouth. He sucks hard, circling his tongue on the tip. She opens her mouth and leans her head deeper into the pillow. She moves her hand on the back of his head. She tangles her fingers in his curly hair. She moves her other hand over his shoulder blade, pressing hard against it. “Oh, Eddie.”

He moans, re-cupping her other exposed breast. He grins against her thighs, his member growing hard by the minute. He wants to feel inside of her but knows he’s got to be patient. This is probably her first time, so he has to make it memorable. He moves his mouth down, kissing her stomach. Chrissy keeps her eyes closed. Her breathing is low.

Eddie reaches down to her pants and stops. He looks up, Chrissy lifts her head and looks back at him. She looks worried. Her eyes are big and nearly bulging out of her eye sockets. She leans up on her elbows. He moves his hand from her breast to her stomach.

“Eddie.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay,” he whispers. “It’s alright sweetheart. I can stop if you want me to. I was gonna ask if I can pull these pants off of you.”

“What were you going to do next?” She asks, blushing.

He brushes his thumb against her skin. “Well, princess, I was going to kiss your stomach, then between your thighs, and if you will let me kiss you down there.”

“‘Down there?’ As in w-where my…opening is at?”

He nods his head. “If that will be alright with you. I wanted to give you something. A little treat for you. I think you might like it.”

She gulps, “But I-I haven’t heard about this. What if I don’t like it?”

“Impossible. Let me show you.” He stares into her eyes. His confident dark eyes comforted her.

Chrissy nods her head and lays her head back down. A tear rolls down her face. Her heart begins racing, afraid it will hurt or make her feel uncomfortable and not ready. She feels Eddie unbuckle her pants. She keeps her eyes on the ceiling when he gently pulls them down and out. She closes her eyes when he begins to kiss her. He moves his mouth to her waist, then between her thighs and the next thing she knows, he tugs on her pink wet underwear and kisses them. He gets them off and starts kissing near her spot. “It’s okay, Chrissy. Just breathe.” He mumbles as he goes down. He looks at her spot and begins to feast.

Her life flashes as she opens her eyes and lets out a loud gasp. Eddie kisses her clit, then around it. He flicks, licks, and sucks with his tongue, making all the nerves in her body explode. She grabs on tight to his hair, never wanting to let go anytime soon. She jolts her upper body up, her hips pushing up into his face. She spreads her legs wider, giving him more and easier access. She keeps one hand on his hair and the other on top of the headboard. She grips on tight, causing her nails to scratch the surface. “Oh, god. Oh, god!” She cries out. “Oh my god, Eddie!”

And with that one tug on his hair, he licks her clit one last time before he moves his entire tongue inside of her opening. Her hips buck forward, gasping for air. She lets go of the headboard and lets it fall beside her. She lays down and lets Eddie feast inside of her. Her body high on ecstasy. Eddie twists his tongue inside of her, moaning and drooling. More tears roll down her face.

She gasps, moaning into the sensation. “Don’t stop. Don’t ever stop.”

He feasts deeper in her. He grips on tight to her waist. He then moves one hand down to his pants and unbuckles it. He shimmies his pants down. His member hard and grinding against his blue boxers.

Just then, Chrissy feels something inside of her ready to come out. “Eddie, I-I think…I think I’m going to…” she cries as she explodes inside of his mouth. He swallows all he can, and moan at the sweet, delicious flavor. When she finishes, she looks back at Eddie.

He pulls away, wiping off something on the corner of his mouth. He grins, showing off a devilish smile and lustful eyes. He hovers back at Chrissy, leaning in for a kiss.

He wipes tears from her cheek, studying her. Her face is hot and blushed. She’s breathing heavily. “Are you okay?”

She nods her head while still catching her breath.

He smiles and kisses her again. When he stops, he doesn’t move his head that far away. “Chrissy, God, you’re amazing.”

She chuckles, leaning up for another kiss. “I’m pretty sure that’s my line.”

He laughs, “You were going to call me ‘Chrissy’?”

The lovebirds laugh together. They press their foreheads against each other.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Eddie whispers to her. “We don’t have to. We can stop right now and go to sleep.”

“No, I want this.” They look at each other. “I want you…to be my first. I trust you, Eddie.”

He kisses her temple. “Okay, I’ll be right back.” He hoists himself up and goes to his jacket back in the living room. He digs inside the pocket and finds two condoms. While he was at the store, he got a small pack of condoms. Not like he thought anything would happen tonight, but just in case. He walks back into the bedroom with the condoms and places one on the nightstand.

He sits back down next to Chrissy who is still lying on the bed naked. He leans in to kiss her then goes back to the condom on his hand. He opens the wrapper and pulls down his boxers. He holds out his member and rolls the condom on. He turns back to Chrissy, admiring her body. She smiles back at him.

“You ready?” He asks as he climbs back and hovers over her.

She readjusts herself, “Yes.”

Eddie nods his head. “Okay, just let me know if it gets too much for you. I’ll go slow.”

She nods as he kisses her around her face. She keeps her eyes on him, hoping his confidence and smile eases her.

Eddie stares into her eyes as he grabs his member and nudges it on the tip of her opening. Both gasp when Eddie slowly guides his member inside. Chrissy opens her mouth wide when she feels him stretching her insides. It hurts, making her wrap her hands over his shoulder blade and grip on tight against his skin. She leans her head against the pillow, she shuts her eyes tight.

He stops midway, fearing he’s hurting her. “Chrissy, are you okay?”

She looks back at him and nods. “Yes. P-please don’t stop.”

He kisses her lips as he follows and pushes deep inside. He grips her waist and spreads her legs further. Once his entire member is deep inside, he groans, gasping for air. He fits perfectly right in. Her tight little wet pussy. He leans his forehead against hers. “Oh, god.” He cries.

Both need a minute to get their breathing under control. But when they do, they find their lips again.

“I’m going to start moving,” he whispers in her ear. “Is that okay?”

“Please,” she answers. “Please, Eddie.”

He doesn’t hesitate and begins to move his hips. Both groan into each other’s mouths. Chrissy eases her grip on Eddie’s back but keeps him close to her naked chest. It still hurts, but not too terrible. Eddie moves his mouth to her shoulder, kissing and breathing against her skin. Chrissy’s moan becomes joyful when the feeling inside of her eases. The more he moved, the more amazing it began to feel. He picks up his pace, angling Chrissy so he can get every spot. His grunts soon become animalistic. He moves one hand to the back of her throat. Chrissy wraps her legs around his waist, moaning louder. The feeling inside of her melts into the sensation of Eddie and his member. She was getting a high vibe but from him, not the weed. She enjoys the feeling, wondering if this is what love is supposed to be like.

The faster Eddie thrusts, the louder his grunts went. Just then, Eddie moves his forehead back to Chrissy’s. “Oh, god. I think I’m…I’m…I’m gonna…” he whimpers as he trusts deeper inside Chrissy. With one more trust, he unloads everything out of him and into the condom. Around the same time, he comes, Chrissy gets another feeling and explodes again. Both collide, moaning for air. Eddie rests his head on her shoulder. He whines as he catches his breath.

About a minute later, Chrissy looks at him when he moves his head. They look into each other's eyes.

“Are you okay?” He whispers, still breathing heavily. His hair is damp, and his skin is wet from the sweat.

She nods her head. Her cheeks are red hot, and her forehead is sweating.

He leans down and tenderly kisses her lips. He lingers, unwilling to move. “Beautiful.” Minutes later, he moves and pulls out. Chrissy winces from the removal. Eddie apologizes and kisses her. He pulls the condom off, ties it up, and throws it in the trashcan. He goes to the bathroom and retrieves a washcloth. He gets it wet and comes back to wipe Chrissy clean. He finishes and throws the washcloth to the side.

He lies on the bed and pulls Chrissy close to him. She leans in, placing her head on his sweaty chest. She hears his heartbeat racing, making her giggle. She idly draws on his chest, smiling big. Eddie kisses the top of her head and runs his fingers down her long strawberry-blonde hair. This is the first time Eddie has held someone after sex. He loves it, never wanting it to end. He stares at the ceiling, thinking back to what Chrissy said about her family. How the only person who could’ve helped her is dead and she has no one. No one until now.

That night, as Chrissy falls asleep in his arms, Eddie swears to himself that after Spring Break, he will work his ass off to graduate high school and move out of this shitty small town with Chrissy. He wasn’t going to leave without her. He’ll take her far away from her parents and Jason. No matter where she wanted to go, he would take her there. He closes his eyes, drifting into a future where he and Chrissy drive off and never look back.

Around 6 am, the couple woke up from the alarm clock in the bedroom. They get dressed. Eddie drives her back to April’s house. Both didn’t want to but knew they had to. They reach a spot a couple of miles away from April's house. She kisses him ‘goodbye’ and steps out with her bicycle from the van. He watches her ride off. He takes off soon, smiling all the way back home. Both are on Cloud 9.

Little do they know, someone else is up around that time. Jason parked his vehicle facing them and saw everything. His eyes are blazing red furious with dark circles underneath. He watches Eddie drive off and Chrissy go to April’s house. He grabs his phone connected to his car and dials a number. He holds the phone against his ear. The line begins to ring. It’s picked up on the third ring.

“Hey, it’s me…Yeah, I just saw her being dropped off by him…the freak…. Yes, she’s going back to her friend's house…what do you want me to do?…Are you sure?... Okay.” he hangs up and follows Eddie.

***

At 7 am on the dot, the plant work bell rings to switch shifts. The overnights leave and the morning workers come in. Wanye clocks out and is about to go outside with some of his coworker buddies when another coworker stops him.

“Wayne! Boss wants to talk to you,” the coworker says.

Wanye sighs, wondering which boss and for what. If anything, it’s probably about changing his work shift again. He grunts and walks upstairs to the head office. He asks the secretary who called for him.

“Mr. Cunningham. Waiting for you in the room.”

His heart drops down to his stomach. What? What would Mr. Cunningham have to see me for? He rarely talks to us. Oh no, is it about Eddie and Chrissy? He reaches the door and knocks on it.

“Come in!” Shouts a voice.

He opens it and steps in. Inside, it’s worse. It’s Laura Cunningham. She’s sitting in her husband’s chair. She’s writing something on a piece of paper. Her hair is pampered and she’s wearing her finest church clothes. She looks up, her eyebrows rising at the sight of him. “Ah, Mr. Munson. Come in, please.” Her voice is loud and stern.

Wayne leaves the door open and walks to the empty chair across the desk. He takes off his baseball cap and grips it tightly. He sits down, his heart racing. “Um, you…wanted to see me?”

Laura sets her pencil down and looks directly into his eyes. “I do, yes. Mr. Munson, it has come to my attention that your nephew and my precious daughter go to school together and are in the same grade. Correct?” Her lips are pressed.

Wayne gulps but keeps his composure. “Y-yes ma’am. I-it appears they are in the same grade.”

“And that your nephew is on his third attempt to graduate high school, is that correct?”

He nods his head. “Yes ma’am. I-I’m sorry but is that the reason why you called me in? Because if that’s it—”

“Actually, it is more than just that. You see, it appears our children seem to have spent a lot of time together during the Spring Break and it’s none of my business to tell your delinquent nephew to stay away from my daughter. But it is my business to make sure my daughter graduates and gets a good education when she leaves this place and goes to college. A fine college. A college where she will go with her longtime boyfriend who is captain of the basketball team and won the championship. A future that was guaranteed months ago.”

“If you’re here to threaten me into having my nephew stop seeing your daughter then you need to talk to him about it, not me. I’m sorry Mrs. Cunningham, but if we are here to not talk about my job, I need to leave.”

“Hold it right there, Mr. Munson!” She roars, stopping Wayne from getting up. “Now I know you love your nephew, and you think he’s a good kid, but this little friendship or God forbid ‘romance’ situation going on here is something that affects everyone in town. You see Mr. Munson, I live and thrive on a plan. A plan that is set for every one of my gifted children for a better future. And when I see that plan of mine going wrong, I tend to get angry and do everything in my power to make sure my plan goes back on track,” she gets up and calmly walks across the room and to the open door. “Right now, your nephew is ruining my plans for my baby girl. What I want to talk to you about Mr. Munson is how loyal you are to your job compared to your only family member in town. Think very carefully about the next thing that comes out of your mouth. We don’t want to make things ugly than they already are. Don’t we?” Wayne turns around, fearing for his job and nephew when she closes the door.

Chapter Text

It’s Saturday morning. 7:30 am.

Chrissy is ‘awakened’ by April’s parents, telling the girls they need to get dressed and ready to go to the Country Club for breakfast. She had a hard time going back to sleep after Eddie dropped her off hours ago. All she wanted was to be with him. Whole day and night. Just them. April told Chrissy what she and Jeff did that night. Watch TV, listen to music, and had ramen. They slept together but nothing else. She tried to ask Chrissy what she and Eddie did, but she didn’t tell that much. She was too blushed even to tell her that all they did was eat, talk, and learn more about each other. The only thing she could tell April was, ‘It was a memorable night.’

*

At the trailer park.

Eddie is fast asleep after debating on whether to go back to sleep or not. His alarm wakes him up. He turns it off. He groans and rolls to his stomach. His eyes are closed. “Ahh, fuck.”

He opens his eyes, almost blindsided by the sunlight beaming down on him through the cracks of his dark curtain on the window. He hears fainted birds singing. A low gust of wind hits his room. Goosebumps run down his back. He’s wearing nothing but his blue boxers. He rubs his head, wondering why he is up.

Oh shit! It’s Saturday, he thought to himself. Every Saturday he has band practice in Garrett’s house garage. He digs for a shirt and a clean pair of pants. Once he’s dressed, he gathers his electric guitar and amp for practice.

Usually, practice is held in the afternoon and lasts for two hours, but Eddie asked in advance to schedule today’s practice to be held in the morning. He figured spend some time with his band and then afterward, swing by Chrissy's place and sneak her out. She told him yesterday she would be at the Country Club until the afternoon.

He packs his equipment in the van and goes back for one last thing before he drives off. As he walks back to the trailer, Wayne drives up and parks next to his van. He turns off the truck and steps outside.

Eddie turns around, and waves. His dimples brightened his face.

The second he looks at his nephew up in the morning all happy breaks his heart. He hasn’t seen his nephew this happy in years. And with those big eyes and dimples, he can see his mother in him. He sighs, not liking this part of being a guardian to the young kid. But then again, no one said it would be easy. He has always thought of Eddie as his own son than Robert did. He tries to give him the love and attention he desperately wanted from his father. 

He clears his throat and walks over to Eddie, “So, uh, whatcha doing son?”

Eddie stops, browsing his eyebrows. “It’s Saturday, I gotta go to band practice. Usually, it’s held in the afternoon, but, uh, you know, I figured have practice early and then see Chrissy.” He grins, thinking about her. The night they had together. The kisses and touches. The way she looked up at him.

He has never been anyone’s boyfriend. Just lots of hookups. He thought he had something with Jessica two years ago but turns out she just wanted a side boyfriend. She never wanted to settle down with just one guy. He was heartbroken when he found her kissing some random guy one night. He locked himself in his room for three days. Wayne tried to help him, but he never opened up or talked about the girl. He one time saw a cute girl at the Hideout and tried to make it work, but in the end, she wanted his music and used him to bounce her music career. Girls don’t see Eddie the way Chrissy sees him. With her, she admires everything about him. Never wanted him to change. When they made love, it was way different than any other girl he was with.

While other girls see Eddie as a big scary man, Chrissy sees her as her protector. A man who can shield her from her mother and anyone who sees and treats her like trash and a showgirl. Chrissy went to him for help. She showed up to see him perform and even defended him from her cruel mother. She listened to him explaining the real story of his family. He never thought Chrisy Cunningham would be there for him and trusts him.

Wayne sighs, seeing the love look in his eyes. “Yeah, uh, about that. Don’t uh, don’t you think you’ve been spending too much time with her?”

Eddie frowns, “W-what do you mean? It’s Spring Break, Wayne. What, did you expect I’d do the same crap I’d always do each Spring Break? Get into trouble, go to jail, have you bail me out, get drunk? Come on, Wayne. Have some faith in me. I’ve grown up since then.”

“You mean since I’d bailed you out in January?”

Eddie rolls his eyes. “Either way, I’ve changed. Honest! Are we done, cause I got to meet up with the guys.” He turns away and walks back into the trailer.

Wayne follows him. “Actually, no, there is more.” Wayne closes the door behind him. He places his lunchbox down on the coffee table.

Eddie stops and turns back around. He’s never had this sort of conversation with his uncle before. Not since his father left him.

“Edward, how much do you know about this girl?”

He scoffs, raising his eyebrows. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, how much do you know about this girl, Edward? She’s from a wealthy family, goes to country clubs, and vacations on the weekends. They probably live in a mansion and have a butler or two. Now that’s not me saying I didn’t like her in the beginning, but I am worried about you. Are you sure she’s not…using you or something? She isn’t with you to get back at her supposed boyfriend or pissing off her parents?”

Rage boils over Eddie. He controls every part of him to shout and threatens his uncle to never say anything like that about Chrissy. He doesn’t know, he thinks in his head. He doesn’t know. He doesn't know about her. He glares at his uncle. “She’s not that type of girl, Wayne. Don’t worry about me. I know what I’m doing.”

“I still don’t like this Eddie. There have been some remarks at work lately about the two of you being spotted at the Hideout.”

Eddie shakes his head in disbelief. “Yeah, well, I don’t care what they say. So what? It’s none of their damn business. Your coworkers say shit about me all the time! Why does it seem to bother you now?”

“It bothers me because it’s about your safety. If Mr. Cunningham hears about you fooling around with his daughter, he will make my work life a living hell.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

Wayne sighs, fighting the urge to tell Eddie the truth. “Just that…it’s close to the end of the school year, and she’s promised to a couple of colleges…how are we sure she’s not going to dump you the second she graduates?”

Eddie shakes his head. “No, Chrissy wouldn’t do that to me. She—she won’t hurt me. She’s not like the other girls in high school, Wayne. Honest. She likes me and I-I-I.” He hesitates on telling his uncle about Chrissy, or what led to her meeting up with him. He sighs in frustration. “If you just get to know her, you will like her. Trust me.”

“Trust you?” Wayne repeats. “I do trust you, Eddie. It’s the Cunningham girl I’m concerned about.”

“Her name is Chrissy and she’s someone who I deeply care about,” he growls. “I’m gonna keep on seeing her. No matter who tells me otherwise.”

“I just don’t want you to spend the rest of the school year with her instead of focusing on your classes. Remember what you told me back in January? You still planning on graduating?”

“Of course I am, Wayne! God, after spending some time with her, I know for damn sure I need to graduate. And when I do, I’m taking her with me to wherever we want to go. Chicago, California, New York. Anywhere but here.”

Wayne looks at his nephew. For years, Eddie has always talked about how he wanted to get out of Hawkins. Him. Only him. Even when he thought he would graduate two years ago, he’d always mentioned himself.  “Eddie, I know you care about her, but—”

“There is no ‘but.’ Okay, you wanna know about us, fine. We’re seeing each other and yes, I kissed her. Yes, she’s been sneaking around to see me, and yes, her goddamn mother doesn’t like me, but I sure as hell know that I ain’t no idiot. And you know what? I-I’m in love with her.” He gulps, wondering if he should’ve taken the last sentence back. He stands there, eyes wide open looking back at his uncle. He tries to remain calm but gets more nervous when Wayne just stands there and says nothing—staring at him.

You have got to be shitting me, Wayne thought in his head. He doesn’t know what to say. He doesn’t know what to do. Should he slap the back of his nephew's head or should he strangle him? What the hell should he do? He doesn’t want to yell at him. He’s twenty years old. He doesn’t want to kick him out, either. He drifts away from Eddie. He’s staring at the floor. What the hell should I do? He looks back at Eddie.

For 9 years, Wayne has watched over and protected Eddie from the townspeople who didn’t like him for who he was and how he dressed. They call him ‘dangerous’ and a devil worshipper. He’s never seen him with anyone who is the complete opposite. When he saw Eddie talking to Chrissy at the talent show years ago, he’d thought Eddie would never see her again. And if he did, she would’ve changed. Listen to what her mother said about him. But when he saw her with Eddie last Saturday and the past couple of days, things with Eddie changed. He was happier and doing things outside. He wasn’t getting into trouble or shutting down every time he came home.

But still, this morning's visit with Laura Cunningham at his workplace is fresh in his memory, and is frightened for his nephew. He has to do everything in his power to protect Eddie, even if it means being the bad guy.

“I don’t like this Edward. I don’t want you to spend any more time with this young lady. You need to stop…seeing her.” His heart crumbled when he said it. He wasn’t surprised to see fire red in his nephew's eyes.

“The fuck I will,” he hiss.

“You need to stop seeing this girl. She’s going to bring you down a path that you don’t want to be in. She’s going to hurt you one day.”

He scoffs, not believing his uncle. For years his uncle has been an amazing father figure. The father he wished he had with his own. He never doubted him and loved him for who he was. He was amazed when one day, his uncle said to him, ‘Son, I will forever love you, even if you like boys.’ He of course told him that he likes girls. “She won’t hurt me. I know her. She’s not like the other uptown girls. I won’t do it, Wayne. I won’t stop seeing her. I refused. I won’t leave her unless she tells me.”

Wayne sighs, “You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into. The Cunninghams are people that don’t need to be messed with or involved. I’m sorry for saying this, but this is for the best. You can stop this and focus on graduating from school. You’re on your third attempt to graduate. Don’t let this girl distract you and drive you down a horrible path.”

Eddie shakes his head. “No, no. Forget it. I’m not going to stop seeing her. I love her, Wayne.”

“Do you? Does she love you back? Did you already tell her? You can’t possibly be in love with someone after a week! Christ's sake, Eddie, you haven’t even brought a girl to our trailer in years! Even if she does love you back, you two come from different worlds. It will never work.”

Okay, now he was getting pissed. “Since when do you care about my love life? I haven’t seen you with a woman since I’ve been here. Besides, it’s my damn life. I’m twenty years old. I can do whatever I want.”

“Eddie—”

“No!” He shouts. “I’m not going to leave her. I’m not going to do that. She needs me and I’m the only one she trusts.”

Wayne frowns at his nephew's words. He lets him continue.

“I-I know it sounds weird, but she has no one else she can count on. She…she isn’t what people say she is. She…she’s going through something, and she trusts me to take care of her. Be there for her. I promised I would. And today, I’m going to promise her that one day I will take her out of Hawkins with me. We’ll go together. She’s amazing. She really is. If you just get to know her, you’ll love her. I’m sorry but I won’t do it. I love her way too much to leave her. You can threaten me, sell my guitar, or kick me out, but I’m going to keep on seeing her.”

The dedicated look on Eddie’s face is enough to make Wayne go back on his words and tell him about Laura. With one last chance, he tries his best to get him to listen to him. “Edward, you’re a shy away from graduating. Don’t ruin this because of a girl you met years ago and think you’re fulfilling your childhood fantasy.”

“Her name is Chrissy and it’s not that. Screw you if you think that’s what it is.”

“Eddie stop!” He yells at the top of his lungs. His heart breaks for doing this to Eddie. “Damn it, son, I’m doing this to protect you.”

“Yeah, well who’s protecting her?” He screams back at him.

Wayne drops his mouth, stunned by what he said. He leans his head toward Eddie. “W-what did you say?”

Eddie stares at his uncle. Unable to take back what he just said. He loves Chrissy enough to protect her and tell his only loving family member the true side of her. Only, he will tell him bits about her life. “Chrissy…she isn’t like the other rich pampered girls. She…she gets judged, badly by her mother. Her crazy mom hits her. Calls her horrible names. She treats her like a Barbie doll but isn’t given the love and attention she wants or deserves. I saw her family photo and noticed she has a little brother. I don’t know if he gets hit but I know he’s not safe in there. What’s worse is that her father doesn’t do shit. He’s not there for her like mine was.” His face begins to soften.

Wayne looks deep into his eyes. Immediately, he looks back at young Eddie. Nine-year-old frightened Eddie who was small, frail, and jumpy about everything. Other times, Eddie was afraid to be left alone. Fearing that Wayne would leave him, like his parents. He remembered hearing him cry at night the first couple of weeks in the trailer. It took a while, but when he gave him a new acoustic guitar for his tenth birthday, he began to start talking and walking around. He sighs, rubbing his rough eyebrows. He groans, frustrated, exhausted, and split on what to do.

“Look, you can kick me out, I don’t care. I’m not going to stop seeing her. I love her.”

Wayne looks back at Eddie. He focuses on his expression. Holy shit, I’ve seen that look before. He sighs low, “You really love her don’t you?”

He nods his head. “I haven’t loved anyone this much since… Mom.”

Wayne clicks his tongue. “Ah, shit son,” he says under his breath. He looks down and places one hand in his back pocket. He walks toward Eddie. He grabs his nephew's back neck and pulls him close. He hugs him, patting his back. Eddie hugs him back, confused by his action. Wayne pulls away, his eyes all teary. “Laura Cunningham came to my workplace and wanted to see me just as I getting ready to leave. She gave me an offer. Give me a $10 raise, work in the daytime, and a $1,000 bonus if I convince you to stop seeing her daughter. She doesn’t like that you are with her.”

Eddie scoffs, not surprised Laura is behind this. That fucking bitch, he thought in his head. She would do anything to tear us apart. She can do whatever she wants with me but she’s gonna regret the day she messes with my uncle and his job. I have to see Chrissy after practice as soon as possible. I’ll wait for her to come home.   

“Eddie, this woman is crazy, and I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“She doesn’t scare me. None of them do. Trust me, I know what I am doing. I won’t be a victim to them. They can throw me in a pack of rabid dogs or bats, and I won’t stop running towards Chrissy. Well obviously without the rabid animals but still!”

“What if they frame you for something? What if they made sure you stay far away from Chrissy? I love you. I love you like you were my own son. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

Eddie appreciates his uncle and will make it up to him one day. He feels guilty of having his uncle dragged into Laura’s madness. He smiles at Wayne. “I love you too. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.” He pats Wayne’s back and walks back to his bedroom. “I gotta go,” he hollers back. “I’m gonna be late for band practice.”

Wayne watches when Eddie remerges with some notes. He has his two-layered jacket over his Black Sabbath shirt and blue jean pants. “I’ll catch you later. I’m gonna stop by the store after practice. Don’t expect me to be back in time before you leave for work tonight.”

“Let me guess, you’re gonna see Chrissy?”

Eddie stops by the front door. He turns to him with a confident grin. “Gotta go see my princess.” He winks and steps out.

Wayne groans as he gets ready to go to sleep. Usually, he would make breakfast and have some coffee before he went to bed, but after this morning, all he could think about was to collapse in the pull-out bed.

Eddie hops in his van and drives off. Leaving Wayne alone in the trailer. Or so they thought…

*

At the Country Club.

Chrissy stays close to April for a good half hour. She noticed her father and brother made it to the Country Club around the time they arrived, but her mother wasn’t there. When she asked her father where she was, her father answered she had to make a quick errand and took her own car. She felt relief her mother wasn’t there and continued to remain hidden with April. They kept an eye on Jason or any of his family members. Surprisingly, they weren’t at the Country Club either.

When Laura arrives 30 minutes later, she searches for Chrissy.

*

Chrissy and April are lying at a shady spot in the garden maze outside the Country Club building. It’s one of their favorite spots growing up. They always try to find a place to hide from the grown-ups and Jason. Before, it was hiding in closets.

“So, are you still planning on going to New York after high school?” Chrissy asks April out of the blue.

April looks at Chrissy. She wonders why she asked her that question. She barely talks about her future. And when she is asked in school, she only says, ‘It’s all planned for me.’ She tried asking what that meant, but she always changed the subject.

“Of course,” April answers. Was Chrissy finally gonna talk to her about life after high school? Is she ready to talk about it? “What about…you?” She asks, trying not to sound pushy.

Chrissy turns to her friend with big eyes. “Can I tell you something?”

April nods her head. “Of course. We’re sisters.”

She smiles at her friend. “Well, ever since I dated Jason, my mother suggested I go to college with him. However, she went back and forth on me going to college. She told me I was too pretty to go to college, or too dumb. A few months ago, she came up with a solid plan for me. Go to college and get a realtor degree. Once Jason proposes, we get married, I work as a realtor for a year, get pregnant, leave the job, and stay a housewife while Jason makes the big money. Apparently, Jason thought the same thing. Either that or had a talk with my mom about my future…without including me. I wanted to talk to them about it and look over at some other colleges, but they wouldn’t listen to me. No one did or wanted to. Over time, I learned to accept it. That was until I met Eddie.”

April leans in close, “W-what are saying?”

Chrissy presses her lips together. She thinks back to the night with Eddie. How amazing he was touching and admiring her body. He was gentle with her. Kissed her everywhere. Even though they hadn’t talked about it, she could see herself leaving Hawkins with him. They could go wherever they want to go. She will follow Eddie and run off to California, New York, or anywhere. As long as it’s far away from Hawkins. She can go to a community college, study what she wants to study, and be who she wants to be. Be with the man who loves her for who she is. Love. Loving her and her body. After last night, her feelings for Eddie have grown stronger. More into love. Wanting to be with him forever. Eddie.

“I’m saying that I…I…I want to—if…if we make it out of high school…I could…possibly follow him…uh…out of Hawkins.” She looks down. Waiting for April to yell at her.

Instead, “Chrissy, do you…love him?” She asks in a soft voice.

She looks up at April. She lets out a giggle, thinking back to the kiss. The look in his eyes. “I…I don’t know how to explain it, but when I was with Eddie last night, something inside of me…felt free. Like I could be myself and he wouldn’t judge me. We looked into each other eyes and felt whole. Like…we were meant to be.” She thinks back to the lovemaking. Even though they never said it, she thinks the way they touched and kissed each other was their way of saying it. A chill runs down her shoulder.

April can’t help but smile at her friend. She definitely notices something completely different about Chrissy since early this morning. She looks happier. More alive than she has ever been. “Wow, after a week, you’ve fallen in love with Eddie Munson.”

Chrissy raises her eyebrows in amazement. “Hey, you didn’t say ‘the freak’ when pronouncing his name.”

April shrugs. “Eh, he doesn’t seem that bad. Plus, Jeff said that he is just a misunderstood idiot who doesn’t have the heart to lay a punch on someone.”

“Oh yeah,” Chrissy giggles. “I remember Jason laughing with his friends about Eddie getting beat up by Tommy or Billy last year. He admired Tommy but was intimidated by Billy Hargrove. But he loved the way Billy hurt Eddie. More so than Tommy.”

“Speaking of Jason, after what happened last Tuesday, how do you think he would react when he finds out?”

Chrissy hadn’t thought about that. Mostly because she doesn’t want to think about it. She hates seeing people, including people she knows and loves fighting each other. At basketball games, it can be fun and exciting, but it can also be scary when Jason gets easily mad at the opposing team. He doesn’t throw punches, but he can get the other team to hit him first. She would clean up a bruise on his face and it would break her heart. She hated violence and begged Jason to stop bullying or taunting other people. Especially when it came to the poor young hellfire kids who just wanted to fit in.

Another thing she hadn’t thought about was her and Eddie and their relationship. Do they want to hide it from their town? Do they want to keep their relationship a secret until they graduate, or let it come out? So many things run through her head. It’s Saturday and they go back to school on Monday. She needs to see Eddie and ask about their future. Maybe it was premature of her to say she wanted to go wherever Eddie wanted to go. No, no. Not after last night, she thought to herself. I know he loves me and wants to take me out of Hawkins. I felt it with him. I saw it in his eyes. I-I have to see him after this. We need to talk.

“When I get back home, I’ll find a way to talk to Eddie. I’ll make up something to see him again. Even if it’s tonight. I’ll find a way. We’ll make things work.”

“Chrissy!” calls out her little brother, Ben from a far distance. He knows his sister and friend's hiding spot is in the garden maze somewhere, but they are always two steps ahead of Ben. “Chrissy!”

The two meet up with Ben. Unwilling to let him anywhere near their hiding spot.

“What is it?” She asks him.

“Mom’s here and she’s looking for you. She said she has something for you.”

“For me?” She asks, not believing her mother has something for her. “Are you sure about that?”

Ben nods his head. “Yeah.”

The girls shrug it off and follow Ben back inside the building.

Inside, the girls find Laura standing next to a wall close to the hallway. She’s holding on tight to her little red purse against her side. Chrissy is familiar with that purse. It’s her church purse. But she only wears it when they go to church. Why would she wear it now? Laura smiles at the girls, keeping direct eye contact with Chrissy. She notices her mother’s smile and can’t help but feel extremely uncomfortable. She blindly gathers Aprils' hand and squeezes it. April squeezes back.

“Hi, mother,” Chrissy whispers.

“Good morning Mrs. Cunningham.” April smiles at her. She keeps her breathing slow and deep.

Laura turns to April. “Good morning to you too. I hope you don’t mind but I need to borrow my daughter for a couple of minutes.”

Chrissy’s heart skips a beat. Fear runs down her face. She begins to shake, scared of what her mother will do to her. Oh god, why does she want to see me? Does she know? Did she send another one of her spies after me? Her heartbeat races the more she thinks about the ‘what ifs’ and all the worst possible things popping into her head. Just then, her hand is squeezed twice. She turns to see April giving her a reassuring smile.

She mouths, ‘it’s okay.’ To her before she lets go.

Chrissy hesitates but nods her head. She turns back to her mother and puts on a brave face. She doesn’t try to show that she’s afraid or hiding something. “Okay, let’s go.”

Laura smiles at Chrissy, a dry and fake smile that Chrissy knows all too well. She leads Chrissy out of the large ballroom and down a hallway. They turn left and walk further away from the crowd. Chrissy puts her hands together and against her chest. She thinks of Eddie. Hoping that memories of him and his smile will calm her down. Eddie, I need you.

Laura finally leads Chrissy to a dead-end room. They go in. Laura locks the door behind her. They are in a small study room. The lights are on, but the windows are covered and closed. Chrissy turns to her mother, confused about why they are here.

“Y-you, uh, you wanted to talk to me?” Chrissy asks innocently.

“I do,” Laura answers, looking down at her. She clears her throat and keeps holding on tight to her red purse. “Despite this terrible Spring Break,” she sighs in disgust, “I have decided to be the bigger person and turn the other cheek. I will look at this week as your little retaliation over Jason and your senior year ending. I just hope you got it out of your system in time for school to start back up. I would hate for your reputation to be ruined over some lowlife.”

Chrissy holds it together. She waits to hear what her mother has to say.

“Either way, I have something to give you. It’s something that I have been saving for you for years. I wanted to wait and give this to you on your graduation day, but after this week, I’ve decided now is the right time.” She goes to her purse and digs for something. She suddenly pulls out a small golden box with red ribbons. She hands it to Chrissy.

In awe, she takes the box. She admires it before she rips it open.

“It was given to me after Grandma Cunningham passed away,” Laura speaks while Chrissy opens it. “She wanted to give this to you on your high school graduation.”

She opens the box and is speechless when she sees her grandmother's giant birthstone aquamarine ring wrapped in a silver band. She has always loved this ring whenever her grandmother wore it outside. It was the only jewelry she wanted from her. Whenever Chrissy visited her Grandma Emily, she would always ask to see the ring and wear it. Pretend she was a grown woman.

Grandma Emily knew Chrissy admired the ring and promised her when she was getting ill that the ring would go directly to her. In her will, Grandma Emily wrote down that the ring would be given directly to Chrissy. Laura learned about the will and thought she would keep the ring in her room until she was ready to give it to Chrissy. She lied to Chrissy and said the ring would be given to her when she graduated high school. Holding the ring hostage. On a special night out, Laura will even wear the ring, hiding it from Chrissy.

With shaky hands, Chrissy takes the ring out of the box and stares at it. Her jaw falls. The ring, she thinks in her head. I believe I’m holding the ring. Her eyes get watery. She looks back at her mother with a lost look instead of happiness or gratitude. “W-what does this mean?”

Laura stares down at her daughter. She raises an eyebrow. “It’s a reminder of who you are and where you will succeed if you stay in your line and listen to Mommy.” She takes a step forward. “Your grandma wanted you to have that ring so you can get married, have kids, and give it to your daughter. She wanted the Cunningham blood to live on and have a reputation. Marrying Carver will help make your future children succeed in life. He can take care of you and give you a big house. Imagine living in the best neighborhood where the fences are high, and the streets are safe to walk around. Especially at night. A place where you can live a happy life. A life with Jason. Follow your bloodline, because if you leave all of that behind for some…musician, then you will spend the rest of your life regretting it. You will live in a trailer park and raise three kids all by yourself while your ‘music’ husband goes to bars and sings for tips. Probably sneaks out the back with an older woman and have a little rockstar fling. He’ll leave you for someone bigger and better. Abandon you like his father did to him and his crackhead mother. That’s their Munson trait. Their bloodline. You don’t want that life, don’t you, sweetheart?” She asks in a fake sympathetic tone.

Chrissy keeps her mouth shut. I knew it. I knew she would turn this around. She looks down at the ring. Over the years she remembered her grandmother, not once did she ever tell her to marry a handsome and successful man. All she wanted was for her to be happy and follow her heart. Well now her heart is beating ten times bigger. Eddie raced through her mind. She would’ve loved him. I know that. Grandma would have loved Eddie. She would’ve never judged him by his looks or who he was. She closes her palm, keeping the ring safe and secured from Laura.

Chrissy looks back at Laura. This time, she puts on her brave face and gets ready to defend Eddie. “What is this mother? A bargain? If I take it, are you going to make me stop seeing Eddie? Because if so, that’s not going to happen. I won’t take it.”

“It’s not a bargain,” Laura says. “It’s more of a cautious reminder.” She stands still, placing her hands behind her. “No, I have realized you are 18 years old, and you are allowed to make decisions. No matter how stupid they are. I won’t tell you to stop seeing that Munson boy, but I will continue my disappointment in your choices. School is coming back on Monday, and I need you to focus on finishing up the senior year. You don’t need your life in a mess than it already is. Finish school. Do it for Grandma Cunnigham.”

Chrissy frowns, not wanting to give it a second thought. “Don’t worry about me. Eddie will stay with me no matter what. He won’t leave me.”

Laura scoffs, “Please. What does that boy know about staying when it gets difficult?”

She wants to say it. She really wants to. She wants to see her mother's reaction after she says it. I love him. I love him, and we are going to leave Hawkins together. “I know more about him than you could ever imagine. He’s not bad, and he won’t abandon me.” He loves me. Just say it. He loves me and I love him. I know he does.

“Well, for whatever dumb reason, I know it won’t last.” She smirks at Chrissy. “Boys like him don’t change. Not even for a girl.” She walks off before Chrissy can say another word.

She’s alone. Speechless. She keeps hold of the ring.

Eddie.

She wants to see Eddie. Tell him everything. The ring, her mother’s words, and her feelings towards him. But a voice in the back of her head echoes. If you tell him you love him, he will freak out and say something heartbreaking. Like how he only used you so he could sleep with you or say he’s not boyfriend material or lied about everything. She shakes it off. She ignores the negative and rushes back to the bathroom. She cools herself off and places the ring on her finger. Surprisingly, it fits her perfectly. Especially on the ring finger.

Minutes later, she steps out to look for April. She stays with her throughout the entire Country Club brunch. When it’s time to part, Chrissy says her goodbyes and promises to call her tomorrow. She leaves with her family and heads back home. She clutches her grandmother's ring and thinks about what her mother said.                                          

At home, Chrissy rushes to her bedroom. She wants to put the ring in her jewelry box and hide it from her mother. She steps in and with a shock, finds Eddie lying on her bed, grinning from cheek to cheek. Chrissy gasps and closes the door behind her.

“Eddie, what are you doing here?” She asks in a whisper. She rushes to him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Eddie sits up and gathers Chrissy in his arms. “I’m sorry. I didn’t plan it like this, but I couldn’t wait any longer. I had to see you.”

Chrissy smiles and kisses him. She hugs him, pressing her whole body against his. “I appreciate you doing that for me, but you’re going to get caught. My parents are downstairs.” She can’t help but smile at the thought. Eddie is in her room while her family is downstairs. The risk of hiding a boy in her room makes her seem bad. But in a good way. She’s never done anything like this before and it feels all too right. But, as she thinks about it, there’s one thing that makes her scared. Is Eddie her boyfriend now? Are they dating? What will they do in school? The same thought from earlier.

A light touch on her arm wakes her up. She gasps as she turns to Eddie. He looks worried.

“Hey, you okay?” He asks in a soft voice.

She smiles at him and nods her head. “I am now that you are here. I was just going to put my ring up and go downstairs to call you.”

“Oh, is this new?” he asks, eyeing the ring on her right hand.

She shows him the ring. Eddie stares at it, gently grabbing her hand. He brings it closer to him, mesmerized by how big the ring is. “Mom gave me my graduation present early. It belonged to Grandma Emily. When I was little, I would always ask for the ring and wear it on my small finger. Grandma knew I loved this ring. She promised me the ring before she died, but it was instead written on her will to go directly to my mom and will be given to me on my graduation day.” She frowns from earlier. Eddie sees this and gently cups her face.

“Why did she give it to you now?”

She wants to tell him everything but not right now. Not here. She turns to her door, then back at him. “I can’t tell you now. We need a place to talk.”

Eddie nods his head. “Where do you want me to take you?”

She hums at the thought. “Surprise me?” She tilts her head, smiling big at him.

He chuckles at her. His dimples show, making Chrissy’s heart soar big. “No problem, princess.” He kisses her again. They stay together, growing passionate.

They lose track of where they are and who is nearby. They hold each other, never wanting to let go. Just then, three knocks wake them up.

“Christina, I’m coming in.” Laura opens the door and walks in. She looks forward and gasps. “Christina! How many times do I have to tell you to keep the window closed? Did you have that open the entire time we were out?!” She clicks her tongue as she marches through the room and closes the window.

Chrissy remains calm as she sits on her bed. Eddie hides underneath her bed. “I’m sorry mother. I promise not to do it again.”

Laura rolls her eyes. “Whatever. One stupid thing on your list. What is your plan today?”

“Uh, well, I was going to go to the park and…rethink some things…that you’ve said earlier.” She will have to explain that to Eddie later on.

Thankfully, Laura falls for it. She walks back to the door. “About time you’ve come to your senses. Take as much time as you need.” She exits the room.

Chrissy sighs in relief. Eddie crawls out and hops next to Chrissy. He grins at her, looking like a sly fox. “That was a close one.”

Chrissy giggles at him. She gently pushes him off the bed. “Go, go. Give me 20 minutes and I’ll meet you outside. I gotta change.”

She follows Eddie when they reach the windows. He never takes his eyes off of hers. “Are you going to be okay?”

She nods her head. “Yeah. I’ll be fine.” She gives him a quick kiss on his lips. “Now please be careful.”

He scoffs, “How can I be careful when I’m blinded by your beauty?”

She blushes.

Eddie turns away to open the window. He hopes one leg over before turning back to Chrissy. “I’ll be waiting for you. But if you’re not out in half an hour, I’m coming for you.”

She gives him another kiss before he leaves. She closes the window and watches Eddie run out of the backyard and hop the fence. She changes and places her new ring in her box. She looks at the mirror before she heads out. For years, she hated looking at herself in the mirror. But now, with Eddie, something inside of her has opened up. She looks at the mirror and doesn’t see a small, scared little girl, but a beautiful, blossoming young woman. She is glowing with joy and love. Something she has always wanted.

Chapter Text

Chrissy looks at her ring the entire time Eddie drives. He looks over at her once in a while, worried about her. He sees her looking closely at her ring. He has his left hand on the wheel and the other reaching for Chrissy’s leg. He gently squeezes his hand, not hurting her.

The squeeze gets her attention. She turns to Eddie. Her big blue eyes shimmer at him. Her mouth is partly open. She looks lost, something that unsettles him. His heart begins to race. His palms sweat.

“C-Chrissy?” He says to her, trying not to sound frightened.

She drops her hand to her lap. “Eddie.”

“Are you okay? You’ve been staring at the ring ever since you got in.”  

Chrissy nods her head. “Yeah. I’m sorry. I-I didn’t expe—It’s just…weird to see this ring after many years of dreaming of it. I-It feels weird.”

Eddie rubs her leg. “Hey, hey, no need to apologize. I just want to be sure you’re okay. That ring looks beautiful on you by the way. And enchanting. It matches your eyes.”

She smiles at him, hiding her blushed face. “Thank you. This ring is the closest thing to my grandma. I adore this jewelry. More than the ’86 necklace mom gave me on the first day of Senior year.”

“Oh,” he raises his eyebrows.

Chrissy nods her head. “I know what you’re thinking of. Mom hurts me but treasures me with gold, I must be insane. Gold over pain. Gold over matter.” She looks down, feeling small, and tenses up.

Eddie moves his hand from her leg to her hand. “There’s nothing in the world that could let me think less of you. I like who you are and the things you like and dislike.”

“Oh, like what?” She asks, sounding skeptical but in a playful way. But the tone of it is enough to make Eddie nervous. “What do you know about me that you like?”

He rubs his thumb up and down on her hand. He tries to soothe her with his touch. Doing whatever he can to bring her back to him. “I like how you like Billy Joel, which reminds me, I need to start introducing you to real music.” He chuckles nervously.

She laughs back at him. He’s relieved to get a glimpse of her. “And by that, you mean you’re metal music?” She jokes.

He smirks, laughing while keeping his mouth shut. He starts to calm down, having the courage to bring her hand up to his mouth and kiss it. He never takes his eyes off the road. He keeps her hand close to his lips. He smells her hand, embracing the vanilla scent. “I mean, I would introduce you to other music—others that aren’t Madonna.” He chuckles.

Chrissy laughs back. She lingers her hand to his. Embracing his touch. She even leans her head to his hand and hums as she looks ahead. “What else?” She whispers. “What else do you like about me?”

“Your bravery,” he responds, keeping control on his voice and the road. “I am beyond amazed by how brave you are for going home where you are being held prisoner by the giant fire-breathing dragon.”

She doesn’t say anything but stares off. She keeps her head to his hand.

“The fact you remembered my band from the middle school talent show,” he continues, trying to change the subject about her mother.

She giggles, making Eddie calm down, fearing he upset her. He smirks, thinking back to the talent show. Everything about her was unforgettable. The way she was dressed, her makeup, the way she acted around him. Everything.

“You’re head cheerleader in your squad, meaning the girls look up to you.” Like how he is in D&D. “You’re smart, caring, and can do anything.”

She looks up at him. Her big eyes were drawn to his face, looking to see if he meant it. He looks at her, giving a confident smile. He turns back to the front view, rubbing her hand with his thumb. God, I want to graduate for you. Leave this place with you. Make sure no one will ever hurt you. He wants to tell her now but waits. He still senses something off with Chrissy. He feels it’s more than just the ring her mother gave her as an early graduation present. He stays quiet when Chrissy doesn’t ask him any other reasons why he likes her. He figures she needs some time to think. He holds on tight to her hand, letting her know he is there for her.

He drives forward, heading to the spot where he took her the first night he took her out. The spot where they have a view of Lovers Lake. He keeps his hands on hers as he drives and parks at the spot. He turns off the engine and turns to her.

“Chrissy, baby, what’s going on?” He asks her.

Chrissy faces him, witnessing the boy who students call the freak and dangerous delicately looking at her. He never pushes or yells at her to tell. Something Chrissy finds amazing. She sighs, looking back at her ring.

She looks at Eddie, “It’s my mom.” She unbuckles her seatbelt.

Eddie unbuckles his and opens the door, “Hold that thought!” He gets out and walks over to the back. He opens the back, showing Chrissy the view of Lovers Lake. She gasp at it, not knowing Eddie had already parked and set it at a good view. She smiles, crawling to the back.

She looks down, noticing Eddie rolled out some old rugs and blankets on the back of the van. She reaches the edge and dangles her legs out of the van. Eddie sits beside her, studying her face.

“Chrissy?”

She turns to him. She nearly jumps when she sees his face all concerned. She completely forgot why she was here and Eddie giving her that look. She smiles at him, moving her right hand to his. “Hi.” She whispers.

This makes Eddie confused more than ever. “Hey,” he whispers back. “You, uh, you doing okay? What did she do?”

She nods her head. “Nothing. Just thinking.”

“Thinking, huh?” He asks, raising a brow at her. He laughs nervously, leaning in close to her. He doesn’t move his hand, keeping her right hand on him. “May I ask what’s on your mind?” He prayed the question was okay to ask.

She nods her head again. “Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just that…” She sighs in frustration. It makes Eddie terrified for her. He moves his hand, wrapping it around her shoulder. He rubs her shoulder, comforting her.

“Hey, hey, look at me.” He says in a soothing tone.

She doesn’t, not wanting to look at him like this.

“Please?” He begs, not wanting to push her. He waits patiently for her. Please, sweetheart. I need to see your eyes. I want you to know I’m right here.

She finally turns but continues to look down. He leans his forehead against hers. She sighs, relived to feel Eddie against her. She holds back her tears, embracing him. She nearly loses it when he cups her cheek with one hand. He rubs her thumbs against her skin, easing the anxiety in her. She wishes she could stay like this forever with Eddie. Everything she is with him, she always feels safe and happy.

He leans up and kisses her forehead. One big fear runs through his head. Does Chrissy regret losing her virginity to him? Does she think this was a huge mistake? Please, please don’t doubt us, he prays.

“My mom gave me the ring early because she wanted me to remind myself where my blood lies and who I am.” She finally answers, crying. She makes eye contact with him. Tears run down, unable to control her fear of losing Eddie for what she’s about to say next. I don’t want you to leave me, Eddie. Please tell me you will take me away from here. Please tell me you love me. Please, please, Eddie.

Eddie is stunned but relieved as hell that she is talking and looking at him. His heart crumbles however from seeing her hurt and shrinking. She looks lost and scared. A broken girl who has no one to support her or pick her up. She was afraid to speak her mind and was told to be someone else. Be the person she is told to be. Something he struggled with when he was 18 years old, and ended up failing his senior year—the first time.

“Hey, hey,” he shushes her. He keeps rubbing his thumb on her cheek. He leans close to her, nearly touching his nose with hers. “It’s okay. You’re okay. Just breathe for me okay? You’re okay.”

She shivers under her breath. She closes her eyes. She focuses on nothing but his touch. He guides her in breathing techniques he said he remembered from his mother. Five minutes later, Chrissy is calmed. She melts into his hand, making Eddie happy.

She looks at him, her eyes no longer big and in fear. She smiles at him. He pulls away.

“Feel better?” He asks.

She nods her head. She moves her head and kisses his hand. “Thanks to you.”

He leans and kisses her forehead, lingering for a while. He looks back at her. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to. I’m sorry I asked.”

“No, no,” she pleads with him. “It’s not that. It’s what scares me about what she said.”

He frowns at her. “Pardon?”

She squeezes his hand still resting on her cheek. She tells him everything. She tells her what her mother said, what she said about him, and believes she will do the right thing. “She wants me to be someone who I refused. Be with someone who I don’t love anymore. I broke up with him. I don’t understand why she doesn’t back off. She says she wants a better future for me but never asks what I want to do.”

“Okay, and what do you want to do?” He asks, curious to know what she wants to do when she graduates. Inside, he’s terrified more to ask her to leave this place with him. But he has to wait for the right time. He needed to hear what she had to say before he could ask.

“Well…” she thought for a while, “I…don’t know. I’ve always felt like traveling around the world. I…I never thought of what I wanted to be or what college I want to go to. All I know is that I…I don’t want to be what my mother wants me to be. I don’t want to follow Jason to college, marry him, settle down, and have a family with him. I don’t want to live close to our parents and meet up every Sunday for mass and Country Clubs. I-I don’t want to be told how to live my life anymore.” Saying those words out loud makes something inside of her feel empowering. She feels more alive after saying the words. She feels strong saying it in front of someone—not just anyone, but Eddie.

Ever since she met and hung out with him, she’s been braver and standing up for herself and Eddie. She’s been hit and bruised more, but this time, it’s from something else. It’s from having a voice and using it against them. She’s speaking for herself for the first time. She smiles at the feeling, crying this time with tears of joy.

Eddie wipes the tears off her face. He breathes in relief, proud of her saying she doesn’t want to be with Jason and live a fake life. He thinks now is the time to ask. He clears his throat, nervous to ask her. I gotta do it. I gotta ask her.

“Eddie?” She asks.

“Y-yeah?” His voice sounds a bit shaky.

She breaks away from him. She looks serious. Eddie keeps his gaze on her. “I-I have a question to ask you.”

“Go ahead.”

She bites her bottom lip. “Today is Saturday, meaning Spring Break will be over tomorrow night. This week, we’ve been spending a lot of time together—the best week of my life—and yesterday was amazing.” She grabs his free hand and rubs her thumb on his. She smiles at Eddie, giving him an almost easy feeling. He presses his hand tight in hers.

Chrissy.

She takes a deep breath, “Eddie, these past couple of days have been the best days of my life. I’ve experienced more than I’d thought, and I learned something more about you. I-I know this sounds crazy, and you have every right to freak out, but I-I have to know…Eddie…I-I like you. I feel happy when I’m with you. The things you have shown me, I want more of it. I want to be with Eddie Munson who is more than what people say. You’re not scary or dangerous. You’re an amazing guy and will do anything to protect the people you care about. Like at school when you have hellfire members, you protect them. You give them a place to be themselves and have fun. You are someone I admire. More caring than Jason or anyone I know.”

He keeps himself from breaking down and asking Chrissy the question now. Chrissy.

“I want to be with you, more than just a friend or someone to…hook up with.” She looks down, her face getting red. “I like you, Eddie Munson.” She looks back up at Eddie. She holds her breath.

His eyes get watery. His face looks like he’s about to break down. He puts his chin on Chrissys' hand. He kisses her hand. “Oh, Chrissy.” His voice croaks. “You have no idea how much I’ve wanted to hear that.” A single tear runs down his cheek.

Chrissy’s heart lifts, skipping a beat. The nerves in her tummy go away the second Eddie said those words.

“This week has too been the best day of my life. More than the time I saw you at the talent show.” He leans his forehead to hers. Both start shaking under their breaths. “I haven’t had this special feeling with anyone else. God, I want to do everything to make you happy and to be with you. I want to take you to places, go somewhere, anywhere but here.”

Chrissy looks up. She looks directly at him. He appears to be serious about going away together. “W-wh-what?”

He cups both cheeks with his hands. “Chrissy, I know this is all happening too fast, and what I’m about to say may sound crazy, but this is how I truly feel. I-I love you. I loved you since the talent show. I never stop thinking about you, and by the time you were in high school, I was heartbroken when I found you dating that Carver douchebag. I thought for sure I would never stand a chance with you, but I never gave up hope that one day we would meet again. I may not have money, a good reputation, and my dream is to be a rock star, but I do promise one thing. I promise to be there for you and be supportive no matter what you do. I promise to cherish you and treat you like an actual princess. I promise to stay with you and never leave unless you tell me to. I will make sure you’re happy and do whatever it takes to make you smile. Be with me, come with me. Choose me. Pick me. I-I love you, Chrissy.” Tears fall down his face.

Chrissy tearfully laughs, smiling at him. “Eddie—”

“I love you, and I don’t ever want to let you go,” He cries.

Chrissy lifts a hand and places it on his cheek. He leans into her palm, sighing in huge relief to have her touch him. She leans in and kisses his lips. She kisses him with hunger and passion. He kisses her back, giving her the same energy. They open their mouths, letting their tongues explore their mouths.

She finally pulls away and takes a couple of deep breaths. She moves her hand from his cheek to his chest where his heart is and the other hand to the corner of his jean vest, gripping tight on it. She leans her head to his chest, resting. Eddie kisses the top of her head. “I love you too,” she whispers.

Eddie looks down and gently lifts her chin up to face him.

She smiles at him, “I love you too.”

“Really?”

She nods her head.

He kisses her on the lips again. A tear rolls down. He pulls back and smiles at her. He gazes at her, not believing what she just said to him. “You love me?”

“I love you and I want to be with you too.”

He sniffles, gathering her in his chest.

Eddie turns Chrissy around and gathers her in his arms. Her back is against his chest. She leans further back as he presses his chin on her shoulder. He wraps his arms around her waist. She presses her hands on top of his. They don’t say anything but enjoy the moment and admire the view. They watch some birds fly or go to the lake to swim. Eddie kisses her neck and her head, often whispering against her ear, ‘I love you.’

She either whispers it back or turn her head around and kisses his lips.

An hour later, Chrissy looks at Eddie. Now that she knows Eddie likes her, what does that mean when school starts on Monday? Will they come out to their classmates? Will Jason say something? Should they risk getting bullied and judged if they show their relationship? She also wants to double-check with Eddie that what he meant earlier was true. Does he want to take Chrissy away the minute they graduate high school?

“Eddie?” She asks.

“Hmm?” He replies with his lips against her skin.

She turns her entire body to face him. He looks at her, curious of what she will say. “Did you really mean it when you said you would take me anywhere? ‘anywhere but here,’ D-did you mean that?”

Eddie gazes into her eyes. His face softens. He pulls a loose hair out of her face and places it behind her ear. “The second we go back to school, I’m gonna work my ass off to graduate and get you the hell out of here with me. We’ll go wherever you’d like. Chicago, California, anywhere. I want you to come with me. Leave Hawkins with me. I want you to be with me when we follow our dreams.”

“But what about school? What do you want to do when we go back to school? Jason has probably told some of his friends about the break-up…that is if he has finally come to terms with it.” She looks down, nervous about what Jason will do if he finds out about them.

Eddie frowns, noticing Chrissy’s sudden change in her position. “Hey, is everything okay? I’d assumed the breakup was mutual. Although, part of me pictured Carver crying and making a baby-fit.” He laughs sheepishly.

Chrissy laughs but doesn’t smile. She doesn’t look back at him. “I wished that happened. You remember the bruise you saw on my arm back at your friends house?”

He nods his head. Anger immediately builds in. His heart starts racing. He thinks back to his mother getting beaten or slapped by his father in front of him. All those nights his mother would whimper and try to hide the marks on her face or arms.

“All I can say is if I didn’t call for April to meet us at the park, he would have…” She sighs.

Eddie gently moves one hand up to the back of her neck. His eyes hardened from the thought of Chrissy getting hurt no matter where she went. He presses his lips together. “I’ll make sure he stays away from you from now on.”

“No,” she whimpers as she looks back at him. She shakes her head constantly, pleading for Eddie with her big blue eyes to not challenge Jason. “No, no, no, no, no. Please Eddie don’t confront him. He loves fighting, especially if it’s a challenge. He said to me he would make the guy who took me away from him pay. He didn’t want to let me go. If or when he finds out it’s you, he won’t hesitate to fight you. He hates you so much that I’m sure once he learns about us, it will drive him off the edge. I don’t want him to hurt you.”

Eddie shushes her and kisses every inch of her face. He kisses her until she stops shaking her head. She finally calms under his touch. He’s not going to do anything to that Carver kid physically. He’s not going to risk anything that could cost him his chance of graduating. “It’s okay, baby. I’m not going to fight him. I’m just going to scare the daylights out of that preppy douche.”

 “Eddie, I still don’t want him to hurt you, or make the bullying worse for you and your young club members. He would do whatever it takes to ruin you. I don’t want him to make the last weeks of school miserable for you.”

Eddie scoffs, “This school has done enough damage for me than you know, sweetheart. I can take Jason and his friends. So, they know I’m with you, what’s the worst thing they could do?”

Chrissy looks away. She’s unsure what will happen, and it scares her to think what the school would do to poor Eddie. She wants to protect him.

“Hey, look at me?” Eddie whispers.

She shakes her head.

“Please, baby.”

She looks at him.

He kisses her temple. “If you’re asking me to keep our relationship a secret until we graduate, then that’s fine by me. I don’t want any of the preppy kids to hurt or harass you. I told you I’ll do whatever it takes to make you happy and safe. If this is one of those things, then so be it.”

“Really?”

He nods his head. “Anything for you my princess. I’ll make sure you’re safe. You don’t need Carver. He’s nothing but a coward.”

She kisses his lips and hugs him. He hugs her tight, inhaling the vanilla scent on her body.

He pulls back. “Can I ask you something, princess?”

She nods her head. “Ask anything.”

He clears his throat. “When I was at your house the other day and we went upstairs to your room, I couldn’t help but notice a giant family group photo. In it, I saw a little boy. Chrissy, does your mother ever…hurt him?”

She nods her head. “No, actually. She, uh, she adores him. His name is Ben, and he’s eight years old. I don’t worry about him and how Mom treats him. She treats him like she really loves him. Gives him whatever he wants. He’s the golden child to her. Ever since I could remember, she would give Ben extra meals, more free time, see his friends, do whatever a regular kid should get and ask for. With me, I don’t know. The only time she ever laid a hand on him was one night when he defended me from a messed up cheer routine. I never understood why she treated me differently than Ben.” She looks away and thinks back to a time when her mother told her an awful thing. Something that still stings her heart.

“Chrissy, honey,” Eddie says as he gently shakes her shoulder.

Chrissy snaps out of it and turns back to Eddie. “Huh?”

He leans in all worried. “Baby, are you okay? Do you want to talk about it?”

She shakes her head. “No, sorry. I-I was just thinking back to something my mother said after my baby brother was born.”

“What? What was it?”

She hesitates about wanting to tell him. She wants to change her mind and tell him it was nothing and move on, but something about those dark eyes and that caring look, yet a protective side of Eddie eases her guard and opens up. “Well, one day, after she fed Ben lunch, she went to put him to bed and I swore I remembered she told me something as she walked away, ‘You know Chrissy, I can see your brother going to a Magnificat college and become a lawyer. Maybe a future Harvard student. Either way, this child is two months old and already he’s a better newborn than you were. Always crying. I swear Chrissy, when I found out I was pregnant again, I dreamt it was another girl so that it could be a better daughter than you. But for now, I will settle with this young man. At least the Cunningham name will carry on.’”

That bitch, Eddie thought in his head. I’ll fucking ring her neck. He keeps calm for Chrissy. He wipes her cheek with his rough thumb. He knows his skin is rough and crusty, but he is dumbfounded that Chrissy seems to love his rough touch but keeps it up to do whatever it takes to make Chrissy feel at ease or relaxed. Having someone lean into him and go to him is strange in the beginning, but soon rest into motion. With Chrissy, he feels like he is destined to find her again and protect her.

Just then, he thinks back to his mother. How he could have saved her or protected her better? How he could’ve done something different like call the police the second his father laid hands on them, or when he first brought drugs into the apartment. He failed at protecting his mother, but he won’t fail Chrissy. He would rather sacrifice himself than let Chrissy fall back into the toxic trap of a miserable housewife in a high American society. His worst fear, she falls back into it, and it kills her both inside and outside. Starving, never appreciated, treated like garbage, and made to punch around.

“I know I’d said this earlier, but I want to properly ask you, will you come with me to wherever we want to go after high school?”

Chrissy gazes into his eyes. “Eddie.”

“I love you Chrissy Cunningham, and I want to take you away from Hawkins. Away from your parents. I want to get to know more about you. What you love, your favorite color, animal, your middle name. Whatever you like and dislike, I want to know.” He kisses her face everywhere gently.

Chrissy closes her eyes and sighs. Eddie.

“Please, Chrissy. Leave Hawkins with me. Come with me.” He begs. “My original plan was to go to New York with Jeff. We were going to find some new recruits for our band and try to make a name for ourselves, but we can go wherever you want to go. I don’t care, as long as I’m with you.”

She opens her eyes and looks at him. “I’ll go wherever you go,” she whispers.

Eddie gasp, turning his head to study her face better. She looks back at him, looking more serious than ever. He chuckles, “Y-you will?”

She tearfully nods her head. “I will,” she croaks. “I will follow you wherever you go.”

He leans in and kisses her lips. He nearly swallows her mouth. She kisses him back, moaning inside of his mouth. The sound she makes drives Eddie over the edge, he’s so close to taking Chrissy right now in the back of his van. To be honest, he doesn’t want to. He’s had many girls from the bar pull him to the back and have their way with him. He always treats it as meaningless sex. All no names to the faces. All one girl after the other. But with Chrissy, she’s more than just another girl. She deserves to be loved in an actual bed. Not here. Not in this place. She deserves better. Better than this. But the more he kisses her, the more urging he wants to take her.

They kiss with tongues. Chrissy moans more and louder. She moves her hand to the back of his hair. She grips a hold of his hair, pulling it. And just like that, Eddie leans deeper in the kiss. He moves one hand around her waist and the other on the back of her neck. Without giving it a second thought, he moans and squeezes her waist. Eddie is relieved when she doesn’t move away or stop. Instead, she moves her other hand to Eddie’s waist, tugging on his shirt. She moves closer to him.

More moans come out of them. Pretty soon, it’s enough to bring the two to start teasing their shirts. Eddie slowly lays Chrissy on the floor. She keeps her hands on him, pulling him closer to her. She gasps when he starts kissing her neck. She grips harder on his hair, turning him on and sucking the hell out of her neck. Chrissy moans louder and bends her body against his, leaning her pelvis to his. They breathe heavily.

Fuck, Eddie thinks to himself. He moves a hand down her leg and rubs it up and down. He kisses down to her chest. He stops at her breasts, wanting to grab and squeeze them. He looks up at her, gasping for air.

Chrissy looks back at him. She feels strong and dazed by Eddie’s touch and presence. The way he looks at her, kisses her, holds her, touches her. She can’t stop thinking about last night. How magical it was. How amazing he was and how delicate he treated her first time. She wanted it again and soon. She doesn’t care where just as long as it’s with him. She wants sex with him now.

With a shaky breath and hand, she gazes at him while she unbuttons her pants. “Please,” she whispers.

“Ch-Chrissy, I-I don’t…have a condom with me, sweetheart.”

“I don’t care. I-I need you.”

“I’m right here baby.” He goes up and kisses her face.

“Then please, make love to me…right here, right now. I want to feel everything.” She places her hand on his cheek. He leans into it. She mouths ‘please,’ and that’s enough for him to continue.

He gently grabs her hand, moves his head, and kisses her hand. He smiles at her. “Okay,” he whispers to her. He kisses her before he goes back to her breasts. He squeezes and kisses them. Chrissy moans and closes her eyes, enjoying the moment of Eddie kissing down to her pelvis.

Eddie helps Chrissy pull down her pants and underwear. He spreads her legs and eats inside and outside of her. Chrissy moans in satisfaction. She grabs his hair, tugging and pulling. She jerks her pelvis forward when he hits a G-spot. She basically screams from the pleasure. She gasps as she opens her eyes. She keeps her mouth open, embracing his long and active tongue inside of her.

She stares at the van ceiling. “Oh,” she whines. A minute later, happy tears fall out of her eyes as she climaxes, filling his hunger with parts of her. She slowly moves her free hand to her open mouth. She feels dazed. “So, this is what love feels like.” She croaks.

“You okay, sweetheart?” Eddie asks. He looks at her with a worried brow.

Chrissy turns to him, smiling. “Never better.” She giggles.

Eddie laughs with her. He goes in for another kiss. It lasts longer. The kiss works heavy again. They clutch onto each other as if they were afraid to let each other go forever. Their tongues meet each other. As Chrissy moans, Eddie unbuttons his pants and pulls them down. His member is hard. He pulls down his boxers. He pulls away, gazing directly into her eyes.

“Chrissy,” he whispers.

“Eddie,” she says back.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

He stares as he angels himself on her entrance. He grabs his member, strokes and aims it into her entrance. He gulps as he moves his hips forward and enters inside. Both shudder from the contact. Chrissy wraps her arm around his shoulder. She clutches tight against his skin. She jolts forward and leans her forehead against his. She can feel his sweat. She wraps her legs around his waist. Eddie props one hand up and the other pressing on her thigh. He angels himself on Chrissy, thrusting gently. He opens his mouth, gasping with every thrust. He never takes his eyes off Chrissy. She does the same.

They moan loudly, not caring who will listen. Eddie thrusts harder and faster. He bends down and kisses her. He eventually goes to her neck. He stops kissing her and breathes under each breath.

Chrissy holds tight to Eddie, never wanting to let go. She is high once again from him. She begins to chant his name. This makes Eddie lose absolute control of himself. It isn’t long until he feels something. “I-I’m almost there…I’m almost…” He pulls out and rubs his member. He moves away and comes in his hands. He grunts and twitches from the spill.

Eddie finds a spare band shirt next to him and wraps his hands on it.  He tosses it away and turns to Chrissy. She’s still lying down, looking sated. He smiles, moving back to her. “Hi,” he says.

“Hi,” she giggles.

They kiss.

**

The entire afternoon, the two cuddle and watch the view. Chrissy lies against his chest. He wraps his arms around her. He kisses her head and whispers, ‘I love you’ over and over again. Chrissy kisses his arm, smiling at him.

They watch the sun go down. Chrissy sighs, not wanting it to end just yet.

“Hey, what’s on your mind?”

“Nothing,” she answers, sounding a bit distant.

Eddie frowns at the response. He moves his head from her head and looks down to study Chrissy's face in a better view. “Hey, what’s on your mind, baby?”

She sighs again, too scared to think about school on Monday. She leans closer to his chest. She nuzzles her face, inhaling his smoke scent. “I’m just nervous about Monday.”

“Hey, hey, listen to me. Okay?” He nudges her arm, waiting patiently for her to respond.

She nods her head and looks at him.

Eddie cups her right cheek. “I love you Chrissy Cunningham, and I will make sure nothing bad happens to you. I’ll protect you from the entire student body. I won’t let them lay a hand on you. I love you, baby and I don’t care what they do to me. They can hurt me, but I won’t let them hurt you. I don’t care what they call me or do to me. Love over all of that. Love over them. Love over your mother’s grip. Love over—”

“Love over matter,” Chrissy speaks.

Eddie chuckles at the thought. He places his head on top of hers. “Yeah, I guess you can say that. Love over matter.” He looks down at her hand with the ring still on it. He gently grabs her hand and looks closely at it. “Love over matter.” He murmurs to himself.

Chapter Text

Sunday. One more day until Spring Break is over and school resumes. Chrissy and Eddie agreed to keep their relationship a secret. Both hide their true love from a town that would be in an uproar if they discovered them. Chrissy was worried not for Eddie’s safety but for Jason's. What if he found out about them? What if he runs into them one day as they make out? What if he shows up to try to win her back? All those questions run through her head during Sunday morning church.

She barely paid any attention to what her pastor said that day. This is probably good for her because the pastor was talking about the future and who to trust and who not to trust. Her friend April was disturbed by his speech but thought about what she was going to do when she graduated. Will she continue seeing Jeff? Will she go to New York? Will she have a long-distance relationship? And if she did, how long will that last?

After church, the Cunninghams drove back home. Chrissy wanted to see Eddie again, but as her father went up the driveway, she was blindsided by the sight of Jason’s truck parked in front of the house and Jason standing right on the front door steps with a huge vase of red roses. He saw the car and let out the biggest smirk on his face. The minute she saw his devilish smile, her stomach dropped.

Oh shit. What’s Jason doing here?

“Oh, look who it is, honey?” Said Laura with huge excitement in her tone. As if she was trying to hide the surprise visit from Chrissy. “I wonder what’s Jason doing here?”

Chrissy rolls her eyes at her mother.

Ben looks over to get a better view of Jason. He nearly hovers in front of Chrissy to see. He squints his eyes and has a focused look. “Wonder how long he’s been standing there?”

“Well, we shouldn’t keep him waiting any longer. Let’s invite him inside.” Laura is out of the car before Chrissy can argue back. She’s the last one to get out of the car.

She slowly walks forward and looks at Jason. He’s shaking hands with her father, patting Ben's back, and calling him ‘Sport. ' Her mother rubs his back while giving him the most desired smile—the smile that Chrissy was never given. It breaks her heart to see her mother giving her ex more love and affection than she does to her. But what she was more concerned about was the fact Jason was here. She had to act calm on the outside, but on the inside, she was screaming in terror. She wanted to run and go to Eddie. But she couldn’t. So, she marches forward with her head held high.

Jason looks at Chrissy and smiles. A smile she knew all too well was fake and for show. He mostly pulls that off when they go out in public. Just looking at him like that is enough for Chrissy’s skin to crawl. How do I make him leave without my mother asking questions?

“Chrissy!” Jason blurts out.

She snaps out of her thought bubble and turns to Jason. She plays it cool and acts along. Surely, she can handle fake smiling with him for hopefully an hour or two. “Jason, what are you doing here?”

“I figured I’d come and see how you were doing. Since today is the last day of Spring Break, I wanted to check up on you. See how you were doing.”

“I’m fine,” she said as she tries to keep her voice down from her family. “You don’t need to come to check up on me.” I don’t want you here. Please go away.

Jason clicks his tongue. “Oh, come on, Chrissy. Don’t be like that. Look, I’m sorry for how I reacted, but I’m okay now. Honest. You just caught me off guard. I actually came here to ask if I could take you out for lunch—just a peaceful lunch. Please, Chris, let me treat you to lunch. It’s the least I can do. We can get lunch, and I won’t bother you. Especially at school.” He gives her his big eyes and pouts his lower lips as if begging Chrissy to agree.

Chrissy really wants to say ‘no’ to him, but she can’t. Not when Jason drove here and waited for her to come home. She prays that if she agrees, he will go on his word, not do anything, and leave her alone.

Before she says anything, Laura barges in and interrupts them. She stands beside Jason and says, “Did I just hear that you are asking Chrissy for lunch? Oh, that sounds wonderful.” Her voice chirps, and she turns her head to her daughter. She looks like she, too, is putting on a show. “I think that’s a sweet offer. Don’t you?”

She frowns at her mother. Part of her thinks her mother had something to do with Jason showing up at their front door.

“Just one lunch. An hour.” Jason said, snapping Chrissy away from her mother. He speaks softly, something Chrissy rarely received from him. It got her so nervous that she rubs her shoulders like she was freezing. “Please, Chrissy.”

She sighs at him. She really doesn’t want to, but she goes ahead and nods her head. “If you promise me this will only be a friendly lunch.”

Jason nods his head. “I promise.”

She exhales, feeling defeated by his plea. “Okay, I will go to lunch with you.” She says in a small voice. Her heart breaks as she is guided to Jason’s jeep. She gets in but keeps her legs closed and her hands tucked between her legs. She keeps her eyes out the window and wonders how she’s going to get to Eddie after this. Her heart is racing the whole ride, nearly coming out of her chest. She doesn’t have April to help her escape, which terrifies her the most. What if Jason lied to her and is actually taking her somewhere else where he could yell and put his hands on her?

“I hope you don’t mind this restaurant downtown,” Jason said as he turns on the radio and has it on the Christin channel. “I was going to take you there for our High School graduation, but I figured I'd go ahead and do it now.”

She hummed at his word. They reached the restaurant. Jason put the car in park and turned off the engine. “Jason, this is only lunch, " she reminded him as they left and walked in.

He smiles at her and opens the door, letting her in first. They sat at a table and were given lunch menus.

Chrissy nervously taps her fingers on her menu. She could barely look at it, fearing she made a mistake. She doesn’t look at him, but she could feel his blue eyes locked onto hers. It really makes her nervous. Sweat is formed on the tips of her fingers. She looks down at the table, unwilling to give him the satisfaction of looking at him.

“God, when’s the last time we’ve been out?” Jason said, shaking his head in disappointment. Not at Chrissy but himself. His voice sounds like he’s mad at himself for not treating her to fine restaurants like this—something Chrissy always hated and had to fake everything for him. “Or given you something, like jewelry?”

She looks up at him. Her heart stops at the sight of Jason's cynical face. He is smiling at her, but she sees it’s still fake. He’s putting on a show for her again. He did this whenever she was upset with him or strongly thought about breaking up with him. He would act like he’s changed, tell her he loves her, give her jewelry, and a week later, go back on his words.

“Chrissy, I know I haven’t been the best boyfriend recently, but these past couple of days have gotten me thinking.” He leans in close to the table. He places the menu down. “Chrissy, I’m so sorry for how I reacted, but I’m not sorry for being stupidly in love with you.” He reaches his hand over to Chrissy’s hand resting on the table.

She places the menu down and moves both hands down to her legs. She leans back into her chair. “Jason, I don’t want to—”

“Just listen to what I have to say,” he interrupts her. His voice is still low and soft. Something that makes Chrissy more scared of him.

She sighs at him and rolls her eyes. Part of her wants to get up and leave the restaurant, but where would she go if she did? She came in with no cash, so she can’t go to a pay phone and call for Eddie. She can’t walk back home on foot. Nope. Of course, she thought to herself. This was what Jason secretly wanted. Where it would be impossible for me to leave him. With nowhere to go, she’s stuck with him. One of her worst nightmares.

“Jason, I told—”

“Good evening,” says a male waiter. He comes in out of nowhere. “I am sorry to keep you both waiting. Is there anything I can get you guys?”

Chrissy looks down at her menu again. She’s embarrassed already by her sudden interruption. She shrinks down to her chair.

Jason looks up at the waiter with a smile that shows flashes of his canine. “Two waters will be fine. We are still deciding, so maybe give us a couple more minutes.” The waiter nods his head and leaves. He slowly turns his attention back to Chrissy.

She shudders under her breath as she gets the courage to look back at him.

“Chrissy, the real reason I brought you up here is because I want to sincerely apologize for how I reacted. I-I should’ve known better. That wasn’t gentleman of me. And definitely not how I was raised.”

“Jason, I appreciate your apology, and I forgive you, but—”

“I want to give you this.” He blurts out. He digs something from inside his jacket pocket. It’s like he wasn’t listening to her. He soon pulls out a small box. He shows it to her.

This was it, another piece of jewelry, she thought in her head. She shook at him. “I-I don’t want—”

“Please, Chris,” he begs. He places the box in front of her.

She looks at the box. It’s a small dark blue box with a gold line around it. She thinks it could be a ring or a medallion for one of her necklaces. She looks back at him. “Jason, I don’t know if I can—”

“I think you will like it.” Jason insisted.

She huffs and finally opens the box. Inside, she sees a bird medallion. It has its wings up as if it’s flying. She gasps at it. “W-where did you—” She loves blue jays and always wanted a necklace of one. She searched high and low for one, even a ring, but she had no luck. That was until now.

“I found it in Indianapolis yesterday. After the breakup, I drove out of town, went to Indianapolis, and walked around. I ran across a little store, and load and behold, I found this. I thought about you and brought it. I want you to have it.”

She smiles at it, picks it up, and adores it. It’s the most beautiful and thoughtful gift she has ever gotten from anyone. Despite it coming from Jason, she doesn’t want to lose it. “I don’t know what to say. Th-this is beautiful. Thank you.” She gives him a light smile, puts it back in the box, and closes it.

“I bet it would look good with the ’86 necklace.” He points out. “Then again, you look beautiful on anything.” He smiles at her.

“Thank you,” she whispers.

When the waiter returned with drinks, Jason ordered a sandwich with fries while Chrissy ordered the house salad. She tried to hold down the salad while Jason changed the subject and talked about what he would do after high school. He told Chrissy he had been helping his brothers and planned on helping them when they went to high school. He didn’t want to leave this state and considered returning to Hawkins after college. The whole time he talked, she waited for him to ask if she’d been seeing anyone, but to her surprise, he never brought it up. She wondered why but didn’t bother to ask why he hadn’t asked her yet. It took exactly an hour until they left the restaurant. He kept quiet the whole ride back to Chrissy’s house.

When Jason pulls up on the driveway, he turns off the engine. “Thank you for letting me take you out for lunch, Chrissy. I know I can never get you back, but I hope that this means we can be civil and move on. Still be friends?”

She kept hold of the box. As much as part of her in the back of her head still thinks there’s something off, she can’t get over how breathtaking the bird medallion is. Maybe it’s silly to think of that. Maybe this present is a way of asking for forgiveness and a peace offering. Maybe Jason has finally changed. She smiles back at Jason. She feels a little bit as eased with him. “Of course. I would love that. Thank you so much for this, Jason. I love the bird medallion, and lunch was good. I’m happy we can be friends.”

“Me, too. Oh, um, this may be embarrassing, but will it be okay if I go in to use the bathroom?” He asks sheepishly, “I shouldn’t have ordered that third Pepsi.” He laughs nervously.

Chrissy laughs with him. “I’m sure that will be fine.” She invites him in to use the downstairs bathroom. She sees her father and Ben watching a sitcom on the TV in the living room. Chrissy waits for Jason to finish up in the bathroom until her mother comes in from the kitchen and is dressed in her garden outfit with a large hat and yard gloves.

“Oh, Chrissy, just in time, I need your help outside the garden.”

“Okay, but, um, should I wait until Jason is done? I was going to escort him out once he finished.” She darts back and forth between her mother and the bathroom door.

“Nonsense, he knows the way out and is welcome back anytime.” Laura takes Chrissy’s hand and leads her to the backyard. There’s a small garden in the corner. Laura plants tomatoes, carrots, and spinach. Some things that Laura gives to Chrissy instead of full meals like meat and mashed potatoes. “So, how was your lunch date with Jason?”

Chrissy groans at her mother. “It wasn’t a date. It was just a peaceful friend afterward lunch. Nothing else.”

Laura scoffs and bends down next to her garden. She checks the tomatoes. She looks back at Chrissy and notices something in her hands. “Oh, well, what’s that you got there?”

Chrissy looks down. She forgot for a moment she was holding onto the box. “Oh, it’s nothing.”

“Don’t be silly, sweetheart. That looks like a ring box if I’ve ever seen one.”

“It’s not a ring. I-it’s something nice.” How can she try to tell her mom that Jason's present is beautiful, but she still doesn’t want to get back together with him? “I should get back inside and see if Jason is done.” She takes a step back.

“Wait, Chrissy!” Laura shouts, leaping up and towards her. “Can I see the thing?” She asks in a pleading tone.

She hesitates, not wanting her mom to see it and compare Eddie to Jason. But when Laura pleads with her again, she can’t help but let her see it. She gives her the box and lets her marble it.

Laura’s eyes are so glued to the bird medallion that it gives her this sinister grin. She slowly moves her hand towards the medallion but stops by an inch. “My, my, my. Such a beautiful gift.” She hands it back to Chrissy as she clicks her tongue. “Such a shame you’re throwing it all away for that trailer trash.”

“Okay, that’s it,” Chrissy says as she turns around and heads back to the house. The whole time, she hears her mother screaming back at her to reconsider going back to Jason. She returns inside and spots Jason in the living room, talking to her father and brother.

Jason turns to Chrissy, happy to see her. He then claps his hands and shakes hands with her father. “Philip, always been a pleasure meeting you.”

“Likewise,” Philip says with a smile. He turns to Chrissy and smiles at her. She smiles back but doesn’t get two words out of him. He turns his attention back to the TV.

Jason goes to Ben and gives Ben a big hug. “I’m gonna miss you, buddy. You watch out for your sister and mother.”

Ben nods his head. “Okay. When are you coming back?”

“Oh, it might be a long time. With school coming back tomorrow, I gotta focus on finishing if I want to get a good grade.” He messes Ben’s top head and tells him, bye. He follows Chrissy as she leads him out of the door. She chooses not to follow him to his truck. She tells him goodbye and wishes him luck in the future. Jason says the same thing back. She closes the door and is relieved that it is over.

She rushes upstairs and goes to her room. She takes out the bird medallion from the box and looks at it again. She’s conflicted with how beautiful it is, knowing it came from Jason. He thought about her and brought it. But what does it mean? What does it truly mean? Has he really meant it when he says he wants to move on and still be friends? And why did he never ask her if she was dating anyone? Usually, that’s the first thing on his list.

“What is your plan, Jason?” She asks herself. She soon puts the medallion away in one of her drawers. She covers it with some socks in case her mother comes snooping to take another look at her present. She closes it and runs downstairs to call for Eddie. She doesn’t tell him about Jason or the present. At least not yet.  

Chapter Text

A week after Spring Break, Chrissy and Eddie returned to school and acted like everything was normal. As much as it pained them, they stayed distant from each other. Chrissy stayed with her friends while Eddie was with his. But during lunch and after school, they went out to the forest and met at the picnic table, where they would touch, kiss, hold hands, and cuddle whenever they felt like it.

*

“Eddie,” Chrissy giggles as she tries to eat her bag of carrots and half of a sandwich Eddie made for her this morning. It’s a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. She at first denies it, but Eddie gently convinces her to eat it with him. All it took was one bite, and she fell in love with it.

She giggles again when Eddie kisses her neck down. She closes her eyes and squirms away from him, but Eddie gently pulls her back by the waist with his right hand. His other hand rests on her upper thigh.

He chuckles against her skin, and the vibration of his laughter on his lips makes her giggle and squirm even more. “I’ve missed you,” he mumbles to her. He moves his lips up to her ear. He kisses her and even sucks. He embraces her scent. Vanilla Strawberry. He knows she did this on purpose after the night before the first day back to school when he told her in bed that he loves the smell of strawberries on her.

***

“God, you know I’m gonna have a hard time being away from you for a few hours. Especially with Carver in some classes with you.” He says to Chrissy as he strokes her hair and kisses her head then and now.

After Wayne left for work, Eddie called Chrissy to come over. Chrissy made up a lie to her mother that she and April were going to see a movie. Laura warned her to be home before 10 pm. After they drove around town, April dropped Chrissy off to the trailer park after feeling they weren’t being followed. Eddie made them sandwiches and explained Dudgens and Dragons to her. She asked him some questions and seemed to enjoy learning about it. After dinner, the two went to Eddie’s bedroom and had sex.

Chrissy puts on one of Eddie’s shirts (Black Sabbath) and cuddles with him in bed. She idly draws on his chest and tattoos with her fingers. He has on nothing but his boxers. While stroking her hair, he uses his other hand to hold his lighted joint. They have two hours left before April comes to pick Chrissy up. “I’ll be fine,” she said to him.

“I know you will be amazing. It’s Carver I don’t trust. What if he tries something to win you back?”

She bites her lip and finally tells him what Jason did earlier.

“I don’t like it,” Eddie said, unimpressed with Jason and his gift to her. “Did you really keep the gift?”

She sighs, feeling guilty about it, “Yes.” Her heart stops when he quits stroking her hair and says nothing. Worrying she made him mad, she looks up to see his face. She stops idly drawing on him. She gets more worried when he stares at her with a blank look. “A-are you mad at me for wanting to keep the gift? Eddie, it doesn’t mean that I want him back. I-I’ll keep it locked in my bedroom if you want.” She’s willing to do anything to let Eddie know she wants him and not Jason despite the gift.

Eddie shakes his head, she calms down a bit. He gently grabs her hand and puts the joint on top of his night drawer. “I’m not going to tell you what you should or shouldn’t do or wear, but something doesn’t seem right. First, your mother gives you an early graduation gift from your grandmother, and now Jason, who claims he has changed, suddenly gives you a medallion with your favorite animal on it. Something’s off.” He doesn’t want to say it, but he thinks her mother and Jason are up to something.

Chrissy knows he isn’t wrong about it. It does seem pretty odd that the two went from going bad shit crazy to suddenly changing a new leaf and giving her gifts. Deep inside, she knows Eddie is right but doesn’t want to think about it. She doesn’t want to think or talk about them anymore. Tomorrow’s the first day back; she only has two hours left until April comes to get her, and all she wants to do is be with Eddie and embrace their touch and love. She sighs and moves away from him. She sits up, staring at Eddie. She notices his eyes are big, and he looks worried.

And he is. He hates seeing Chrissy move away from him and having this sad look on her face. His heart breaks at the thought of upsetting Chrissy, and he wants to do everything he can to take it back. He shouldn’t have said anything. He should’ve just shut his dumb mouth and continued kissing her. Minutes ago, he was kissing and sucking her body everywhere and making her come on his hands as she moaned his name. Now she’s sitting up, possibly deciding if she should get dressed and call for April or give him the silent treatment the whole visit.

He moves his body up. He goes forward, no more than five inches away from Chrissy. He moves his hand to her cheek and rubs his dry thumb against her. He relaxes when she leans against his palm. He hasn’t upset her too much. “Hey, I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Chrissy. I didn’t mean to bring it up like that and upset you. I’m so sorry.”

She closes her eyes for a moment. She loves the warmth of Eddie’s touch. Yes, his hands feel rough and big, but she can feel the love in his touch, making her feel more alive. She shivers in fear, but his hands help calm her down and bring her back to earth. “Eddie…I don’t want to think about them. I don’t want to talk about them anymore. Let’s just forget them and stay in this moment. Please,” she says in a low voice as she opens her eyes and looks at him.

Eddie nods his head and leans his forehead against hers. They close their eyes and stay there for a good while. “Okay, okay,” he whispers to her repeatedly. “You know, I love the smell of strawberries on you.”

She giggles at him. She snuggles deeper into his skin.

They stayed in bed for the rest of the visit, clinging to each other.

***

“I’ve missed you more,” Chrissy smiles under her breath as Eddie keeps kissing down her neck. She takes small bites of her sandwich. “So, have you been behaving yourself in class?” She teases him, knowing what he does.

Eddie stops and giggles under her skin. “Maybe. Maybe not.” He leans back to see Chrissy’s face as she laughs again. He loves seeing her nose squint and her bucked teeth showing. He laughs with her, loving every single moment of it.

“Eddie,” she says as she leans against his shoulder. “Promise me you will behave in class and pay attention? I know you want to graduate this year.”

“Oh, I will make Goddamn sure I graduate with you.” He said with a serious tone. He kisses the top of her head. “I’m leaving this place and taking you with me. I’m not leaving you behind.”

Chrissy melts in him. “I can help you with Mrs. O’Donnell’s test if you want. We can do study dates.”

“Oh, hell yeah. I would love that.” He nuzzles his nose against her neck, making her giggle louder. The happiest she’s been in a long time. “Miss Chrissy Cunningham, you’re given a special assignment to be one-on-one with a certain student, Eddie Munson.” He goes back to kissing down her neck.

She loves the feeling but knows she’s got to put it on hold. Especially when they are talking about stuff like this. A goal for Eddie to graduate and leave Hawkins together. Part of her still thinks this is all a dream and she’s about to wake up. She wants to believe Eddie, and she does—mostly—but part of her fear that this is all for show. That Eddie will turn and leave her to the dust.

Was it because of what her mother’s childhood priest said? Was it because she had been gifted with nice jewelry? Was it because, deep inside, she fears one day her mother will be right, and call her stupid? She wants to push it to the side and lock it away, but it lingers deep.

Ring!

Lunch is over for the two love birds. They groan, not wanting to go back to their harsh reality. But at last, they get up, gather their things, and run back to school, but at different times.

For the next month, they keep their relationship a secret. It’s been rough at times when they were separated. Especially at night when they try to go to sleep. Chrissy is still nervous when she goes to bed alone. She hasn’t had a nightmare since seeing Eddie, but it’s the darkness and the feeling of being alone that still makes her uneasy. She clings tight to her stuffed bunny, wishing Eddie was with her. Eddie hates the thought of Chrissy being held hostage in her own home, and he can’t do anything about it. Yes, he could sneak out to see her, but not when it’s a school night. He won’t be able to get up early, drive back home, change, and go to school. Hell, he barely makes it to school in time, as it is. Sometimes, Chrissy gets out of the house on Saturday nights and sleeps over at Eddie’s place while Wayne takes the night shift. It’s the only night they have together.

Eddie made a deal with his band and the owner of The Hideout that they would only perform twice in April and one more in May. He was serious about his studies and had Chrissy come to see the two shows. He kept an eye on Jessica Wilson and many drunk men who eyed Chrissy. Luckily, Jessica or the drunks stayed away from her. He was relieved he hadn’t seen her since the incident and prayed she stayed away from them. 

Chrissy started staying after school and joined Eddie at the picnic area. He helped him with his homework and prepared him for Mrs. O’Donnell’s test in mid-April. A week before the tests, Chrissy managed to sneak into Eddie’s trailer, telling her parents she was helping a classmate study. Laura believed her and told her to be home before dark. Again, Chrissy had April help her get to Eddie’s home. Wayne had picked up an extra shift at the plant after Midnight knocked over Eddie’s picture frame and wanted a little bit of extra money for a surprise. He noticed Eddie was spending more time on his studies and was surprised when Eddie told him that Chrissy had been helping him. Seeing Eddie glued to his school book gave Wayne hope, and if all goes well, he wants to repay Chrissy for her help. So before Wayne left for work that day, he told Eddie he loved him and told him he would be out for the night.

Of course, he also pleaded with Eddie that if Chrissy came over, they would be smart and use the time to study and focus on graduating. Eddie rolled his eyes and waved bye. As soon as he left, Chrissy came in and wrapped herself in Eddie’s arms. They kiss passionately, and the next thing they know, they are naked in Eddie’s bed.

Of course, after sex, Chrissy reminds Eddie that they need to start studying. She puts on her underwear and Eddie’s hellfire shirt grabs her backpack and pulls out some flashcards. She uses them to help Eddie with his studies. She lays back on the bed and covers her chest with his sheets. She smiles as Eddie—who is still naked—gently grabs one of Chrissy’s legs from under the sheets and massages it. He rubs the back of her leg and gives little sweet kisses on her legs and feet. She begins to quiz him.

Twenty minutes later, they finish with Eddie getting some answers right. Eddie massages Chrissy’s other leg and finally puts on his boxers. Eddie groans and rests his whole back on the bed. Chrissy giggles at him as she looks back at the flashcards.

“God, that was exhausting.” He says in a dramatic tone. “I don’t remember the finals being this intense last year.”

“Or maybe it’s different this time because you are actually studying.” Chrissy teases him.

He winces and lifts his head. “Ouch, get me while I’m beaten down, princess.” They laugh. “What do you want from me? I’m trying my hardest.”

Chrissy drops her flashcards and crawls to him. She kisses his chest and his tattoos. Eddie giggles at her and lets her kiss him everywhere. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding. You’re doing better than the first day we started. I swear.”

“Hmm, if you say so,” he sings.

Chrissy looks at him and gasps. “I do say so.” She moves closer to him and sits on his waste. Her legs wrap around him. She gets goosebumps when Eddie places both hands on each leg and rubs them up and down. She smiles at him.

Eddie stares at her chest, admiring her wearing his hellfire shirt. This, he thought, was a one-in-a-million view. Something he doesn’t ever want to forget. She puts her hands on his chest. “Hey,”

“Hey,” she whispers. She leans down and kisses him lightly on the lips. She moves her head but by only an inch. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” He kisses her, lasting longer on her lips. He finally draws away but doesn’t let her move away. He chases after her lips and brings her back to his.

Chrissy moans inside but pulls away. “Eddie…are you nervous?”

He frowns at her. He studies her face and notices she looks nervous about something. Was it her mother? Jason? “Nervous about what? The finals next week?” He raise an eyebrow, hoping that was it.

She looks down. She nods her head.

He sighs, understanding she has a right to be. This will be his final time passing his classes with the other students. If he doesn’t, he will have to take night school. But he won’t let that happen. Not without a final fight. He places one hand on her chin and gently moves her head to face him. “Yes, I’m nervous, but not as much as before. I’ve got you helping me.”

She smiles at him with her soft eyes. “Really?”

“Of course, sweetheart. You’ve been amazing in helping me these past weeks. Something I will never forget. You’re smart, Chrissy. You’ve helped me a lot, and I know I will pass this year because of you. You’re helping me make this my year…our year.”

She leans in, and they kiss again. They go tongue within seconds and are soon breathing heavily. Chrissy grabs hold of Eddie’s hair as he readjusts himself into letting Chrissy be on top and ride him…if she wants to.

Just then, something bangs constantly on Eddie’s window—where his furry little friend comes in. Meows are soon heard, forcing Eddie and Chrissy to stop and look in the direction. Chrissy laughs and feels bad about the little black cat begging to come in. The window’s closed. Midnight claws at the glass and rubs his head against it. She climbs off of Eddie and whines at the cat for being locked out.

Eddie groans as he rolls out of bed. “That little shit,” he mumbles as he walks over to the window. “I shouldn’t even let you back in after what you’ve done.” He opens the window and watches as Midnight meows his way in. He jumps on the bed and bobs his head out of curiosity at Chrissy.

She smiles at him and holds her hand out to him. He sniffs it and immediately rubs his head against it. She pets him, and he moves in and purrs his heart out. Chrissy settles back into bed under the sheets, with Midnight following her touch and laying on top of her. She giggles, happy that the cat seems to like her.

Eddie stares, not helping but smiling at the two. As much as he should be angry with the cat, he loves that he seems to approve of Chrissy. Then again, Chrissy is an angel. Any animal would fall in love with her down-to-earth personality. It’s amazing that she shows and gives out love and hope despite being raised by her horrible mother and useless father.

“Was it because he broke one of your frames?” Chrissy asks as she pets the cat.

Eddie laughs and makes his way back onto the bed. “Two days ago, while I was at school, Uncle Wayne was awakened from his sleep by a troublemaker who decided to go bad shit crazy in my room and ruin some of my things, including my favorite frame.” He sounds mad at the cat but can’t seem to make it last that long.

“Awe, I’m sorry about that. What was inside the frame?” Chrissy asks.

“It was…” He hesitates, saying the last word from his mouth. His mother. He’s kept a picture of her for years but hasn’t let anyone or told anyone about the picture. Only he and Wayne know about it. He rarely takes it out of the room. He always kept the picture on his desk, which is underneath the window where Midnight usually comes in. He was furious at the cat when he first learned about what happened. He wanted to ban Midnight from ever stepping foot in his bedroom, but after a day, he knew it wasn’t the cat's fault. It just happened. He forgave Midnight and kept the picture safe in his drawers. But he still gave him a little punishment. Keeping him outside until he was home. “Something that I loved. I’ll show it to you someday.”

Chrissy wants to ask him more, but she knows Eddie will tell her when he is ready. After a few minutes, Chrissy continues helping him with his studies.

The next week, the two were so focused on their finals that they didn’t talk for almost two days—the longest they’ve ever been that far apart. Eddie told Chrissy he felt confident about his classes, including Ms. O’Donnell’s. It wasn’t until a week later that the senior students got the results of their finals. Chrissy passed with some As and Bs. As for Eddie, he got all high Cs. Including in Ms. O’Donnell’s class. He finally did it. He didn’t blow her final. His grade in her class is now at a low C. That was it. He was going to pass. During lunch, Eddie cried into Chrissy's arms. She also cried and whispered how proud she was of him.

*Saturday afternoon*

Laura Cunningham, April's mother, and Jason’s mother had planned reservations at the finest restaurant in Indianapolis, which is almost a two-hour drive away. The three families were going to leave around 4 p.m., stay to visit, and then go to a five-star restaurant at 7 p.m. Everyone was ready except for Chrissy.

*

“Honestly, Christine, do you have no control over your health?” Laura asks as she draws out her mouth temperature. She doesn’t sound sympathetic about her daughter's ‘sick’ symptoms.

Chrissy is burning up and bundling up in her sheets. Her hair is a mess everywhere, and her eyelids are heavy. It’s noon.

Laura looks at the temperature. She frowns at the result: “Too high.” She mumbles, displeased. She places the temperature to the side. She rolls her eyes. “There’s no point in canceling. It’s non-refundable. So, it looks like you will have to stay in bed for a couple of hours. Will you be alright with that?”

“Y-yes,” Chrissy says faintly.

Laura moves some loose clothes from the floor to the dirty laundry basket. “I will just have to tell the others that you are down with the flu. Not like it was an important celebration dinner. Wish your health went down after dinner.” She sounds upset with her daughter. Like her getting sick was her fault. “We won’t be back until 10 pm. Think you can handle it?”

She slowly nods her head.

Laura scoffs and makes her way out of the room. “I will go downstairs and break the news to April’s mother.” She slams the door behind her. Not so much giving Chrissy a kiss or wishing her well.

*4:30 pm.

The Cunninghams left, and in 15 minutes, Eddie came strolling in. This time, he knocked on the door and was happy to see Chrissy dressed and wearing makeup, smiling back at him. The couple watched a movie, had dinner, danced, and went upstairs to Chrissy's room.

They are lying on the bed, listening to Johnny Cash, whom Eddie brought with him. He’s lying on the bed with his feet facing the headboard. He took his shoes off the minute he came inside the house and placed them next to the front door. Chrissy sits next to him but has her head against the headboard. She doesn’t mind the smell, mostly because his socks are freshly clean, and he, himself, smells good. Like he took a shower and washed with soap. She smiles, thinking she’s making a difference out of him. But just as she thought of it, the haunting words of Jessica Wilson and what she said to her back at the Hideout echoed in her ears.

“Oh, and if you’re here thinking to yourself of being in a relationship with Munson, stop. You’re wasting your time. He doesn’t tend to stick with one person for too long.”

She messes with her grandmother's ring. Eddie had told her that Jessica said that crap because she was angry after Eddie left her. She knows Eddie won’t ever do that to her, but she still can’t shake this fear.

A light shove awakens her from her thought bubble. She looks to see what touched her. It’s Eddie. He moves his feet back to his spot. He stares at her. He looks at her with soft brown eyes. She thinks she might have worried him with that off-distant look who she thought she hid. She smiles at him with a confident look. “Hey, what’s up?”

Eddie moves his body to face her up close. “I don’t know, what’s up with you? I’d thought me graduating this year would keep you smiling for a bit longer.”

“No, no,” she moves her hands to his cheek. “It’s not that. Trust me, I’m so happy for you. We get to graduate together.”

Eddie places his hands over hers. “But?” He whispers.

She bites her lips. She wonders if she can tell him. But she knows that if she doesn’t, they won’t have a plan the second they graduate. She gently moves her hands away. “H-have you thought about h-how w-we should get out of here?” She goes back to twisting her grandmother's ring nervously.

Eddie tries not to laugh in front of her, not out of her being silly but because she is nervous about asking about their future. “I’ve actually been talking to Jeff these past couple of days. He’s graduating this year, and we discussed what we should do, and he’s thought about going to New York. Next weekend, he’s going to look up some apartments. Now, I don’t know what Jeff and your friend, April, are really doing, but he still wants to go to New York and continue being a rockstar. I want to do that, too, but I want to know what you want to do after high school. What do you want to do?”

She sighs, “I-I don’t know. I’m sorry. April has been a little bit too busy with the finals to get a word in with me. I do remember her saying she wanted to go to New York after high school after going there for the summer a couple of years ago, but I didn’t think she meant it. She said she always wanted to be a writer.”

He kisses her on the forehead. “In that case, do you want to go to New York with me? We’ll share an apartment with Jeff and April or get one of our own. We can leave as soon as we can after graduation. If you want, we can leave right after we get upstage and get our diplomas.”

She chuckles at the thought of leaving right after graduation. What would her family think if she left them in the unknown? How would Eddie’s uncle react? “Eddie, I can’t ask you to do that.”

He smirks at her. “I’m willing to leave this town with you whenever you’re ready. We can pact the night before, and I can have the van ready and filled with gas. I’ll just have to warn my uncle or say my goodbyes to him before we leave the trailer.” He gently grabs her hands and holds them close to his mouth. “My future begins with you the second we drive off of Hawkins. I made some sales in the past week and reached $500.”

She raises her brows. “Wow, that’s a lot. How did you do that in such little time?”

He shrugs his shoulders. “Just lucky, I guess.”

She laughs at him. “Well, I’ve done some savings too. I’ve got almost the same amount. Possibly enough to start or share the first rent in a double or one-bedroom apartment.”

“Sounds perfect.”

“Y-you really mean it? You want to move and live with me?”

“Of course I do. Chrissy, I love you. I studied my ass off so I can walk out of the school with you. Once we leave, it’s just you and me.”

She leans in and kisses him on the lips. “Still proud of you.”

“Still God damn lucky to have you.” He kisses her again. “Speaking of finally graduating, I want to ask you something.” He says, regretting to take his lips away from hers to ask her a serious question.

“Oh, what is it?” Chrissy asks, tilting her head in curiosity.

He takes a shaky, deep breath. “So, I don’t know how to tell you this, but I was wondering if instead of going to prom and hiding and going separately, I-I was wondering if maybe, possibly, you’re willing to…” The words aren’t matching his mind and timing. He’s losing it. Come on, Munson, don’t screw this up. Ask her. Just ask her. What’s the worst she could do? Say no. He clears his throat. He shakes his hands to wig out the nerves in him.

Thankfully, Chrissy thinks he’s cute, acting nervous, and stays patient with him. She bites her lower lip as she admires him. Her eyes sparkle. She feels happy the longer she’s with him. Like he was her light through the darkness she was in for so long. Something she never wants to go back to. Eddie.

He clears his throat again and takes in a deep breath. “I’m not that much into proms…or after parties…and I know you said over and over again that you’re not going despite your mother threatening you, but I…was wondering if you would like to go…on a special dinner night with me…and, uh, my uncle.” He winces at the last part.

Chrissy leans forward. “I’m sorry?” She kindly asks him to repeat the question.

Eddie gives her a brave smile. “I, uh, was wondering if you want to have…dinner with us on prom night…my uncle…he really wants to treat you to a great meal.” Ever since he was young, his uncle loved to garden. Had a green thumb. Growing up with him, Eddie was always given vegetables. He used to have a little plant outside his yard. That was until raccoons found it and snacked out.

“H-have dinner with you and your uncle?” She blinks a few times. She hasn’t done something like this in a long time. She went through hell just to hide her food disorder in front of his whole family. Holidays with them were the worst. She looks down and messes with her fingers. She thinks back to when she first met Wayne Munson. She was embarrassed to meet him like that. What if he thought she was some girl who wanted to get something from his nephew?

“Hey,” says Eddie. He puts a hand over hers. She instantly stops fidgeting. She looks up at him. Again, she’s calm by his sincere, smooth, dark eyes. “Don’t worry about it. He loves you.”

She frowns at him in utter disbelief. “Really?”

He nods his head with a big grin on his face. “Hell, yes. He said so himself when I told him I am graduating this year.”

Chrissy scoffs and rolls her eyes. “You’re lying.” She teases.

“No, it’s true. He said he’s been noticing me studying, and when I told him you’ve been helping me, he nearly fell out of his chair. He was shocked and promised to find a way to thank you or repay you for helping me graduate.” He chuckles nervously, “He, uh, he’d probably kill me for saying this, but he said you talking to me was the best thing that could ever happen to me.” His face turns red, and he looks away to laugh out his nerves.

Chrissy smiles at him, blushing like crazy. “I would love to.”

He looks back at her. He drops his mouth and looks in awe over Chrissy and her words. “R-really?” He asks in a hoarse tone.

She laughs and shakes her head, not believing that Eddie is this silly and cute. “I’d love to.” She leans towards him and kisses him on the lips. They soon move their tongues into each other and are clinging onto each other. Suddenly, the phone from downstairs rings. It stops the couple. Her mother hasn’t given her back her own phone. Chrissy regrettably gets up from the bed and apologizes to Eddie for having to leave. “If it’s my mother and I don’t answer, she’s going to suspect something.”

Eddie laughs and waves it off. “Go, go. I’ll be okay.”

She blows him a kiss and leaves the bedroom. She runs downstairs to answer the phone. “Hello?”

“Ha, there you are. I wanted to let you know we just ordered dinner. How are you doing?” Laura asks.

“I’m fine mother. Thank you for checking up. Tell everyone I’m sorry I couldn’t make it.”

“Already did that for you. They all forgive you and wish you the best. Anyway, glad to hear you’re okay. Love you.”

Chrissy frowns at how her mother is talking like that. “Um, love you too. Tell the others I love them too.”

“I will. See you later on tonight.” She hangs up the phone before Chrissy could let another word out. Still, she doesn’t think much about it and shrugs it off. She runs back upstairs and is greeted by Eddie with a kiss tackle.

***Two days later, as Chrissy is getting ready for school, her mother stops her upstairs in the hallway.

“Chrissy!” she hollers. “Can I see you for a moment?”

She complies. “Yes?”

Laura has a couple of earrings in her hands. She looks lost and is darting everywhere. “Have you seen my Hanging Cross Earrings?”

She shakes her head, wondering why she would ask her that. She knows her mother has always kept her jewelry safe and sound in her master bedroom.

Laura frowns at her reply. “Strange. I can’t seem to find them or my red diamond necklace your father gave me for Christmas two years ago.”

“That’s odd.”

“Yes, indeed. Well, if you come across them, let me know. I want to wear the Hanging Cross for this Sunday’s event.”

“Okay,” she runs off to continue getting ready for school.

Throughout the week, Chrissy and Eddie continue to sneak around. The following weekend, her whole family goes out for Ben’s closing school event, and Chrissy asks to stay home. She does and invites Eddie over. They spend no more than an hour or two before Laura calls to inform Chrissy that they are heading home.

Over the next couple of days, Chrissy noticed a necklace or two missing from her drawer. She’d never let anyone know where she kept her jewelry in case they tried to steal it, and she thought she was smart. Laura soon grows frustrated when she notices that her $100 cash and two more pieces of jewelry have disappeared.  

That morning, Laura asks Chrissy if she invited Eddie Munson over while they were gone. She lies and says that Eddie isn’t a thief. “Mom, come on. Why would Eddie steal your jewelry?” 

“I don’t know, Chrissy. Why are you still deciding not to go to prom this Thursday, where all of your friends are going? Why would a lowlife be interested in you? Why are you still with that Munson boy? Why is it that I can’t find any of my damn jewelry or cash all of a sudden?” Laura roars at her. “You’re going to graduate next month, what are you still doing with that trailer trash?!”

Chrissy’s heart is racing. Both in anger and in fear. She wasn’t given much eggs for breakfast and just jogged around the neighborhood. “I thought you said you would back off my personal life from now on. You gave me grandma’s ring, and I made a choice. I’m going to graduate and start the next chapter of my life.”

Laura scoffs, “With that lowlife?”

“I don’t want to talk about this,” she runs upstairs to her room.

She hears her mother ranting, “You’ll regret it, Christine! He’s no good for you! He’ll hurt you one day!”

*** Thursday. Prom day.

Chrissy is having a horrible day. She can’t find her grandmother's ring, she has no idea what to wear tonight for the family date, and at school, she hears rumors of Eddie getting together with a chick from the Hideout. She didn’t hear the name Jessica, but she knew what chick was rumored to be with him. Of course, they were rumors, and Eddie told her that it was nothing but bullshit. Everyone was bugging Chrissy, asking why she wasn’t going to prom and with Jason. Well, everyone but April. Luckily, Jason told people that he wasn’t going to prom either. In fact, he said he was going out of town with his family. They wanted to celebrate one of his youngest brothers' birthday early.

After school, Chrissy went home and basically ripped her bedroom upside down to find her grandmother's ring. The ring she wanted to wear tonight. She cried the longer she kept searching. By the time it was 4:30 pm, she tearfully gave up for the night to find an outfit for her. She tried on five outfits until she found the perfect one. Dark slacks with dress shoes to match and a pink blouse. She also had a pink scrunchy. She put on some makeup and bright red gloss she brought last weekend at the mall with April.

*6:30 pm.

Chrissy is getting one last look in the mirror before she heads out. She turns around and sees every inch of her in the clothing. “Hmm, looks good.” She mumbles to herself. She sighs, wishing she had the ring. She swore she placed it back in her safe spot couple of days ago. She doesn’t know how it could be here one day, then gone the next. She hasn’t told her mother yet, mostly because she’s afraid her mother will punish her for losing it or, worse, call the police on Eddie, thinking he took it.

She shakes the dumb thought that Eddie took it and race downstairs. She goes to the hallway and sees, through the living room, her father watching something on TV. He looks up at her briefly but goes back to his show.

“You’re going somewhere?” Asks Laura as she comes out of the kitchen. She is drying her hands with a yellow counter towel. She looks surprised by Chrissy’s outfit.

Chrissy grabs her small pink purse from the coat hanger. “I’m, uh, going to see a movie. I won’t be home until maybe 10 pm. Is that okay?”

“I suppose,” she huffs. “Are you going by yourself? I just got off the phone with April’s mother. She’s getting ready for one of her classmates to pick her up and take her to prom.”

Yes, April is going to prom. No, it is not with Jeff. She is going to prom with some classmates in her history class. They are all single girls, so there will be no male dates. She will only spend an hour and leave to go see Jeff at his house.

“Um, no. I’m actually going to meet with a boy from class. He didn’t want to go to prom and wanted to see this movie with me. His name is Marty.” Chrissy squeezes her purse, praying her mother will believe her.

“Oh really?” Laura stares at her daughter with a skeptical look. “You’re going to see a movie instead of going to prom?”

She nods her nods her head, “Yes.”

“And it’s not Munson?”

She nods her head again.

“Well, I should be disappointed in you for doing that, but at least it’s not with that boy. Maybe being with some other boy will be just what you need.” She walks away.

Chrissy goes outside and down a block. She spots Eddie’s van and rushes to it. She opens the passenger door and is greeted by his kisses the second she enters. He later drives off and heads back to the trailer park.

Eddie is dressed in all black. His shirt is plain. There are no letters or pictures of a Rock Star or band. And it smells like Eddie showered before he left his trailer. It’s the first time Chrissy has seen Eddie without his jacket for dinner. Throughout the ride, he nervously taps his fingers on the wheel. At the same time, Chrissy’s right leg is tapping like crazy. Both stay quiet for a while. Eddie is driving the exact speed limit on the road after Chrissy warned him not once but twice about getting a speeding ticket.  

A mile until they reach the trailer park, Eddie finally gets the nerve to say something.

“So…how have you been?” Eddie asks in a shaky tone.

Chrissy looks at him. “Good. Same old. You?”

Eddie lets out a huge chuckle. He doesn’t take his eyes off the road. He squeezes his steering wheel so hard that his knuckles slowly turn white. “Oh, you know, losing my mind still.”

She frowns at him. “What do you mean?”

“You kidding? Every morning, I wake up wondering if I’m still dreaming. You and me. Defying the odds. It still doesn’t seem all that real to me.”

Chrissy smiles and blushes at him. She looks down, moving a loose hair out of her face. “To be honest, I still can’t believe it, either. I’ve never thought I’d feel this happy again…or loved.”

Eddie blindly reaches for her hand. He does and gives it a little squeeze. “You look beautiful, by the way. I forgot to tell you that back in your neighborhood. My uncle has been excited all day.”

Her smile slowly fades. Her heart still aches for her missing grandmother’s ring. Her mind still can’t seem to let it go. She wanted that ring throughout her entire life. Now that she has it, she lost it. After no more than a month. “I would be better if I had the perfect ring for it. I don’t know how, but I can’t seem to find my grandmother’s ring. It’s like it disappeared.” She looks back at him. “Do you remember the last time I had my ring?”

“Uh, uh.” He acts odd about the question. Barely looking at her. Just as he pulls into the trailer park. “I, uh, don’t recall.”

She finds it odd that Eddie acts like it, but she doesn’t think too much of it. She figures he’s acting weird because of the dinner date with him, his uncle, and herself. She leaves it in the back of her mind as she sees them pulling up to Eddie’s trailer.

He lets go of her hand, puts the van in park, and turns off the engine. He takes his hands off the wheel but doesn’t move. Both haven’t moved a single muscle.

“Eddie?” Chrissy whispers.

He turns to her. Eager to know what she is going to say. “Yes?”

She bites her lower lip. She’s looking down. Her right leg stopped, but she fiddles with her fingers constantly. “Do you think he will like…me?”

He smiles at her, loving how she acts, nervous about meeting new people. “Trust me, he will love you. Come on.” He opens the door and walks over to the passenger side. He opens the door and helps her climb out of the van with a hand. He closes the door when she’s all the way out.

Chrissy takes one late moment to smooth out her blouse. Eddie sees this, walks to her, and gently puts both hands on hers. A touch instantly stops her, and she looks up at him. She sighs, seeing him looking concerned. “I’m sorry. I’m still nervous.”

“Shh, shh, there’s nothing to apologize.” He gives her a quick kiss on the forehead. “You’re going to do great. I know it. Wayne will fall in love with you instantly.”

“I guess, but what if—”

“Hush,” he whispers. He puts a finger against her lips. She stops talking. “You know, you’re cute when you’re nervous.” He chuckles at her. She laughs back. He playfully pokes her nose. “You ready?”

She nods her head.

Eddie leads her inside the trailer.

Inside, Wayne has just finished making roasted turkey that was on sale at the market, mashed potatoes, canned beans and corn, freshly baked rolls, and Coke and water beverages. The kitchen is a mess, but Wayne has just put an extra folded table next to the small dinner table. He turns on his radio, which plays old country music as background noise. The trailer has been cleaned, and the dirty laundry basket filled with dirty clothes has disappeared.

“Oh, good. Just in time,” Wayne cheers. He’s running back and forth from the kitchen to the table with plates and silverware. “Welcome back, Miss Chrissy. Good to see you again.”

“It’s good to see you too, Mr. Munson. Do you need any help with anything?”

“Oh, no, no. Thank you, but I got this. Call me Wayne.”

Oh, good. He still remembers the first time we met, Chrissy thought, embarrassment runs down her face. Luckily, Eddie is there to comfort and tell her it is not what she thinks.

Minutes later, Wanye announces that dinner is ready. The three sit down and have a feast. Chrissy eats small bites of the food in the beginning, but the second she touches the potatoes, she loses her will and dives into everything. She loves the meal. As she takes a bite of everything, she can feel her stomach, which was used to small meals in her system, filling with warm food, giving her strength and the ability to live on, making her heart grow.

During dinner, Wayne tells Chrissy embarrassing and cute stories about Eddie when he was young. Eddie tried to tell Wayne to stop, but Chrissy wanted to hear more. She looks over at Eddie, loving the way he tries to hide his red face from her.

“Wayne, I don’t think Chrissy wants to hear stories about me getting into trouble or accidentally lit part of the trailer on fire.” Eddie pleads with him. He chows on his mashed potatoes.

“Oh, come on, Ed.” Wayne teases. “It’s not every day I get to tell someone that story. You see, he really wanted some mac and cheese, but I was getting something from the store in town, and he didn’t want to wait any longer. So, he decided to do it himself an—”

“Oh, my god, Wayne!” Eddie exclaims, standing up from his seat. “I am this close to running out here, go to the middle of the street, lie down, and wait for an incoming car or truck to finish me off.”

Chrissy and Wayne laugh at his dramatic outburst.

Chrissy gently grabs his hand and squeezes it. “Eddie, you know I will miss you if you do that.”

Eddie smiles at her and sits back down. He kisses her hand locked to his. “I’ll never leave you, baby. I can’t imagine my life without you.” He keeps his lips close to her hands. His dark eyes sparkle at her. It makes her happy. She smiles at him.

Wayne watches as the two gaze into each other's eyes. He notices Eddie having this look that he hasn’t seen in years—the look of being in love, like he would move heaven and earth to be with this young girl. He sees his nephew looking happier. He’s smiling and singing in the trailer. He’s looking like he’s finally happy and feels loved by someone. Another person who sees Eddie as a sweet young man instead of the nasty rumors. Not only that, he’s actually going to graduate this year. He finally did it. If his mother saw him now.

And the girl. He sees true love and admiration on her face. She always laughs at his jokes and silly remarks. She sits closer to Eddie and, once in a while, rubs her hand on his shoulder. Wayne sees that Chrissy isn’t faking this relationship and loves Eddie with all her heart.

After dinner, everyone clears their plates and puts them in the sink. Wayne is getting the table clean until Chrissy comes in. “Can I help you?”

Wanye takes a double look at Chrissy. He notices she’s serious about helping. “No, no. I got it, Miss Chrissy. Thank you, though, for asking. Very sweet of you.” He continues to clean up.

“I told you, she’s amazing,” Eddie said as he comes up from behind her and wraps his arms around her. Chrissy leans into his touch. He leads her to the living room. Both of them sit on the couch. Wayne looks at the couple and continues putting extra food in containers.

“You having fun so far?”

Chrissy nods her head. She wraps her hand on his and rests on his knee. She leans in closer to him. “I’m really happy.”

Eddie kisses her on the top of her head. “Good.”

“So, I saw some pictures of you and your uncle. Do you have any of your mother?” She lifts her head to meet his eyes.

Eddie drums his free hand on their jointed hands. “Uh, yeah.” He looks past her, seeing if Wayne is overhearing their conversation. He’s not. He looks back at Chrissy. “Wait right here.” He gets up, goes to his bedroom, and returns with a photo. He sits back down and holds on tight to the picture. Almost as if he’s hesitating to show Chrissy. “This is the only picture I have of her. She was eighteen years old in this one.” He gives her the picture.

Chrissy gently takes it and looks. She sees a young woman with dark eyes and long, curly dark hair. Just like Eddies. She’s smiling at the camera. She can see dimples, just like Eddie’s. She’s wearing a gray tank top with a plaided shirt over it. She is wearing blue jeans and dark boots. The young woman is leaning against a red truck. There’s a windmill in the background. It looks like the shot was taken outside at a farm. Chrissy is in awe over how beautiful this young woman is. “She…she looks just like you.”

“Better than my old man,” he mumbles. “That was taken by a childhood friend of hers before she left home. She kept this picture with her at all times. Even when things were at their worst, she kept the picture close. It, uh, it was with her when she…you know.” He looks a bit painful as he thinks back to the night.

“Oh, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay. I don’t mind.”

She kisses his lips. “Thank you for showing me this. It means a lot. She really is beautiful.” She gives him the picture back.

“Thank you. I try to take care of it. Of course, Midnight attacks this one out of everything I had in my bedroom.”

“Oh, right. The broken frame. I’m sure it was an accident.”

“I know it was. It’s just kind of odd.”

“At least it still looks good. She would’ve appreciated you taking good care of it.”

“Yeah, I know she will. She would’ve also loved you. I just know it.”

“Eddie.”

“I’m serious. She would’ve loved you. Thank you for coming over for dinner. I know you would’ve loved to go to prom, but—”

“But nothing. I’m happy with where I am. I already told you I don’t care about prom. It’s nothing but another show for the students and expensive dresses. Plus, I want to save the money for when we leave.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes. I can’t wait until we leave.”

“Me too. Jeff said he thinks he found an apartment in New York.”

“Exciting. Won’t be long until we are out of here.”

“Hmm.” He looks distracted now. An odd behavior after seconds ago, he was happy as a claim. He lets go of her hand and rubs the side of his pants. Chrissy frowns at his sudden change. Eddie bites his lips.

“Eddie, are you okay?”

He nods his head. “Yeah, sorry. Just um,” he pauses for a moment. Something that makes Chrissy really nervous.

“Eddie?”

“Sorry, just…” He stares at her, looking like he’s debating about something. “Chrissy, there’s something that I have to ask you.”

Just then, three knocks interrupt them. Everyone turns to the door.

“I got it,” Wayne said. He walks to the door and opens it.

On the other side of the door, Wayne is stunned to see Chief Hopper, Officer Powell, and two more officers behind him. Wayne sees police lights, but the siren is off. There’s an unsettling number of five police cars parked in front of his trailer. “Chief Hopper, this is a surprise.”

Chief Hopper looks uncomfortable as well. “Wayne.” He clears his throat.

“Is there something I can help you with?” He tries not to think too much about the police's sudden appearance.

“Actually, yes. Is your nephew here with you?”

Wayne frowns at his question. “Yes, but can I ask why you are asking for him?”

“Because,” Chief Hopper pulls out a folded-up paper and shows it to him. “We have a warrant to search the trailer.”

“A warrant? For what?” he asks, not realizing he has raised his voice high enough for Chrissy and Eddie to overhear.

”Suspect of missing jewelry and cash from a family. The Cunninghams.”

Chapter Text

“Wayne, what’s going on?” Eddie asks as he gets up. He turns to Chrissy, who also rises. She looks gravely worried about what’s happening. Without giving it a second thought, he gives her a reassuring smile and reaches for her hand. She instinctively goes after his hand and squeezes tight. He brings her close to his side and calmly rubs her arm up and down with his other hand as if trying to warm her. When she leans her head against his chest, he gives her a hard kiss on the top of the head. “It’s okay. It’s okay.” He whispers to her.

Chrissy holds on tight to him as he leads them to the front door.

Wayne takes the folded-up paper. He turns to the young couple, wishing Chief Hopper would not try to make it a big deal. He’s terrified of how people would react if they saw the two together. He knows Chief Hopper, even before he became chief, and he’s always tried to look the best for his nephew, but he can’t help but fear Eddie will change his mind and be like his old man: hurt women, use them, abandon them, and steal money. He held his breath as he turned back to Chief Hopper and immediately caught Hopper’s eyes rising.

Chief Hopper has seen some things in the Munson’s trailer a couple of times that he found odd or interesting, but nothing like this. He’s seen Eddie with older or dumb young girls from high school who acted like they liked Eddie, but only because he either gave them drugs or sex. The next day, the girls go back to treating Eddie like a disease or an unwanted pet. He’s seen Eddie with a broken heart a couple of times but never hurt himself or anyone. Deep inside, Hopper knows there’s some good in Eddie, but it’s been kind of hard to see it through the troublemaking or trespassing incidents in his ‘little’ file back at the police station.

He clears his throat. He tries to remain calm about the situation. He takes his hat off. “I’m very sorry to do this and ruin your night, but this warrant couldn’t come in at a bad time.”

Wayne opens the paper and reads it.

“Warrant?” Eddie frowns.

Chief Hopper eyes Chrissy. Eddie sees this and turns to Chrissy in confusion.

She frowns at the Chief, who looks at her like that. She turns to Eddie, who looks at her, all lost. She gives him a confused look, hoping Eddie will read her face and know that she is also in the dark. Luckily, it seems to work. Eddie softens his face and keeps her close.

Eddie turns to Chief Hopper, but only this time, he gives him a cold, stern look. “Whatever the warrant says is bullshit.”

“Edward!” Wayne snaps at him. “Hush!” He just finished reading half of the warrant. He frowns at Chief Hopper. “The Cunninghams? What makes you think my nephew is a suspect of some missing jewelry and cash from them?”

“A family member complained of missing jewelry around the time Eddie was spotted inside the Cunningham house.”

“What?” Shouts Eddie and Chrissy.

Hopper steps inside but only lets Officer Powell and Officer Callahan enter. They put on their white gloves. They don’t look at the young couple as they walk around them. They begin to look around. Hopper stays with them.

“You can’t be serious.” Wayne scoffs and folds the paper.

“Not only that, but we have a witness that said she was part of this plan to…” he clears his throat when he turns to Chrissy. He looks away. “…this plan…to…win his uncle’s boss's daughter from the plant and steal her money and pawn the pieces of jewelry for drug money.”

Eddie.

“That’s a load of bullshit!” Roars Eddie. He steps forward, almost as if he is challenging Chief Hopper with his statement.

Chrissy stands still. She limps on Eddie’s arms. Her heart begins to race. She lifts her right hand and puts it to her rising chest. Her other hand wraps around her stomach as if guarding herself from everyone. No, no. That can’t be, Chrissy thinks in her head. That’s not true. Not Eddie. What is Chief Hopper talking about? Please, Eddie, tell me it’s not true. You didn’t plan anything behind my back, did you? What witness? Her eyes grow big on Eddie when he turns back to her. Probably cause of the loss of her touch when he stepped forward in anger.

His big brown eyes stare at her. His face goes soft and full of guilt. Was it because the cops were raiding his trailer during their family dinner or the fact that his bad reputation was bound to come back and bite him in the ass. “Chrissy.” He whispered to her. When she doesn’t move or say anything, he gets worried and returns to her. “Hey, hey, hey, it’s not true. It’s not true. Okay? It’s not true.” He whispers to her. Only for her to hear.

She still doesn’t do or say anything.

Begging for her to say something, he slowly and gently placed one hand on her cheek and the other on her arm. “There’s no witness because it never happened. Trust me. It’s all a big misunderstanding. Hopper and his pigs are not going to find anything.”

“Ouch,” Officer Callahan sarcastically said from the kitchen. He’s checking the food that was cooked.

“We heard that, Munson,” hollered Officer Powell. He makes his way to Eddie’s room. “Chief Hopper, I’m going to the room now.”

“Officer Callahan, go with him.” Chief Hopper commands as he keeps his eyes on Chrissy and Eddie.

“Roger that.” He runs right behind his partner. Another officer comes in with gloves and continues searching the living room.

“Look, I don’t like this anymore than you, but I’m just doing my job.”

“Yeah, well, you’re going to look mighty stupid when you and your little friends find nothing in my room. The only thing I have is $500 cash, which I have been saving up for years.” Eddie snarls at Hopper as he slightly turns to him. For once, he doesn’t have any drugs in his room. It’s all in Reefers Rick's house in case something like this were to happen. Not to mention, he just finished his small little joint last night.

Chief Hopper rolls his eyes at him.

*

Officer Powell starts opening drawers. Officer Callahan gasps in horror over Eddie’s hand-drawn pictures of demons and dragons hung up against the wall.

“Wow, this kid needs some mad therapy. Maybe an exorcist.”

Office Powell turns to his partner and scoffs, “Come on, man. We are here to look for evidence.” He goes back to checking each drawer. He opens a drawer full of socks when he spots something. He digs deep inside the drawer. “Woah, woah, I think I got something.”

Officer Callahan turns to his partner. He walks over to him. “What’s up?”

“Look.” He pulls out some expensive jewelry. “Go check the closet.”

“You got it.” He rushes over and checks every corner. “I got a box!” he shouts. Officer Callahan opens a small white shoebox and out comes the jackpot. “Oh, mama.”

*

Wayne takes a step toward everyone. He crosses his arms. He sees Eddie still trying to comfort Chrissy. He focuses on Chrissy's look and notices how sad and betrayed she looks. His heart breaks for her. He hates seeing this on an innocent person. He’s seen that look all too well from his brother—growing up—hurting girls and leaving them in the dust with his destruction. No, not Eddie. Not him, too. Wayne knows Eddie is better than that. He knows not to be like his father. “My nephew would never do something like that, Hopper. You know I am right.”

Chief Hopper turns to him. “I do know that, Wayne, but I have to do what I am assigned to. And if that means I have to check for every room and corner of this place, then so be it.”

Eddie snaps his head to Chief Hopper. His eyes blazing mad. “I didn’t do anything! Whoever this witness is, it’s all lies. I’ve never done anything bad to Chrissy or her family. I would never hurt her. You got nothing.”

“Chief, we got something!” Shouts Officer Powell when he and Callahan return with some things in their hands.

Everyone turns to them. Including Chrissy.

“We found some jewelry, cash, and something else.” Officer Callahan slowly pulls out a small pistol from the shoebox.

Chrissy gasps at it. She knows that pistol. It’s her father's. It’s a 1763 Charleville Pistol. It has been in the family for generations. Chrissy knows the pistol has always been carefully locked in her father's gun lock.

“What the hell?” Eddie hisses.

“What the hell indeed.” Chief Hopper grunts as he walks over to his partners. He puts on gloves and picks one or two pieces of jewelry from the box. He turns to Chrissy and Eddie. “Miss Cunningham, does this look familiar to you?” He shows her the jewelries.

Chrissy looks at the objects, and just like that, her heart breaks at seeing them. Her mother’s missing pearls and a diamond ring, which she usually shows off at Christmas parties and charity events. Each of them is worth three thousand dollars. She closes her eyes and lets out a shaky sigh. She slowly nods her head. “Y-yes…sir,” she whispers.

“Chrissy,” Eddie says with his voice breaking. He puts both hands on her shoulders. He gently shakes her to face him again. His heart sinks down to his stomach when she doesn’t look back at him immediately. “Chrissy? Chrissy, Chrissy, please look at me. Please, baby, look at me. Chrissy, please.” He sniffles at the end, begging with all his heart for Chrissy to look at him.

She tearfully turns to him after hearing how badly he wants her attention. She keeps her faith in him, believing that he is a good guy and that this is all a mistake. She glues her eyes to him, seeing the heartbreak and sorrow on his face. Eddie?

He lets out a shaky sigh of relief when she finally looks at him. He moves his shaky hand to her cheek. He wipes away a lone tear falling. “Chrissy, I swear to you, I don’t know how those things got in here. Please believe me. I don’t know what’s going on.”

She can hear the truth in his voice but still doesn’t know why some of her parents' valuable belongings are in his trailer. “E-Eddie, I’m lost.”

Chief Hopper looks inside the box and exchanges one jewelry for a pack of cash. “Oh, my god.” He mumbles in disappointment.

“It’s okay. Everything will be okay.”

Chief Hopper drops all the evidence in the box, nods at his partners, and turns to the others. He looks hardened and hurt. “I’m sorry for what I have to do next.”

Eddie turns to him. His eyes grow big. “Sorry for what?”

Wayne closes his eyes. He knows what’s going to happen next. Oh, Edward.

Chief Hopper marches to Eddie. “Edward Munson, you have the right to remain silent.”

“Wait? What?” Eddie gasps. His nightmare came true right in front of Chrissy. He begs Chief Hopper to stop, but he keeps on going as he pulls out his handcuffs, gently pulls Eddie away from Chrissy, and handcuffs him.

“Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you.”

Chrissy remains still but moves her hands to her mouth. Eddie. More tears run down her face.

Chief Hopper escorts Eddie out of the trailer. Eddie grunts and struggles against Hopper the whole time. “Do you understand the rights I have just read to you?”

“Yes!”

“With these rights in mind, do you wish to speak to me?”

“Yes, yes! Hopper, I’m telling you, this is all a big mistake!”

Once the two disappear in sight, Chrissy snaps out of her trance and runs out. “Wait, wait!” She screams at Chief Hopper.

Wayne remains still. The third officer leaves the trailer.

Chrissy runs out and sees all the cop cars surrounding the trailer. She gasps and is nearly blind by the lights.

“Chrissy? Chrissy!” Shouts a familiar voice.

Chrissy looks around, adjusting the light. She sees two familiar shadows running towards her.

“Christine? What on earth are you doing here?” Asks Laura.

Shit. “Mother? I-I can explain—” She is nearly aired out when her mother slams into her and gathers her in a great big hug. A hug she was unfamiliar with. “M-mother?” She grunts, trying to get some air. Her face is pressed hard against her stone chest and hands.

“Oh, honey. None of that matters now. As long as you are safe. Oh, sweetheart, I’m so sorry you have to find out like this.” Laura releases her daughter and faces her. “Did he hurt you?”

Philip is right behind Laura. He looks lost as well as he sees his surroundings.

Chrissy shakes her head in disbelief. “What, no. Mom? Dad? W-what are you doing here? What do you mean you’re sorry I have to find out like this?”

Just then, Eddie is slammed against the cop car. He grunts from the impact.

Chrissy jumps from the sound and turns to Eddie. It kills her to see him like that. She knows deep down that Eddie wouldn’t do this. She overhears Chief Hopper asking him if he has anything on him. Eddie. She turns back to her parents.

Laura looks stunned but not surprised by seeing Eddie in handcuffs.

“Mother, please. Please, this has to be a mistake. Please tell Chief Hopper to drop the charges. Eddie couldn’t have done this.” Chrissy tearfully pleads.

Sadly, her mother doesn’t seem phased by her. Philip looks back and forth at his daughter and the two cops coming out of the trailer with some evidence. When he sees Officer Callahan putting the pistol in the box, he frowns and stutters, “I-Is…is that my pistol?”

“Daddy,” Chrissy runs to him. She grabs his hands. “Daddy, please let him go. Please, please. Please stop this.” Chrissy knows it’s pointless to plead with him, but she does it anyway. She tries with all her might. She’s always begged her father to stop and listen to her, but he never does. No matter how much she cried. But for tonight, she begs with every inch she has in her. “Please let him go. Please, Daddy.” She sniffles, gripping hard on his hands.

Philip looks into her eyes, but it doesn’t take long for him to get interrupted by Laura.

“He won’t listen to you! Not after seeing this! We won’t even dare to drop the charges. That young man is just like his no-good father. Munsons will always be the same. Nothing but lying little rats.” Laura shouts. She moves Chrissy close to her.

Chrissy frowns at her mother, not believing her. She looks back at Eddie. Chief Hopper begins to check his back pockets. She doesn’t know how, but she somehow finds herself an inch away from the boys. Another officer restrains her. She hears her mother calling her to come back, but she simply ignores it. All she cares about is Eddie.

“Hopper, I didn’t do this!” Eddie shouts.

Chief Hopper grunts at him, and he goes for his front pocket. “Quiet, Munson.” He digs in the pockets until he remains still. Chrissy frowns at his sudden reaction. Chief Hopper groans in defeat as he slowly pulls out something small. Eddie and Chrissy stop to stare at the thing Hopper is holding. He shows it to Chrissy. “Does, uh, does this look familiar to you, Miss Cunningham?”

Flashes of her and Eddie run through her head from when they first met in the middle school talent show to now. She remembers them kissing and touching each other, glimpsing images of her smiling with Eddie or from something he said, the embrace of her wrapping herself in his arms, the smell of his smoke and beer, and the fact that she was safer with him than she was with anyone else since her grandmother.

Grandma.

Right in front of her, in Chief Hoppers' hand, is her grandmother's ring—the ring she looked everywhere for. The ring she always wanted and was finally given that chance by her mother. The ring she promised she would keep safe from anyone.

And just like that, all the hope drained out of her. She feels like she just got slapped in the face with the ring finger. She stares at the ring, unwilling to break contact.

Eddie sees the ring. He shudders at the sight of it. He lowers his head, ashamed of what is happening.

“My grandmother's ring.” She slowly turns to Eddie. She thinks back to when they were driving here for dinner.

“I would be better if I had the perfect ring for it. I don’t know how, but I can’t seem to find my grandmother’s ring. It’s like it disappeared. Do you remember the last time I had my ring?”

“Uh, uh. I, uh, don’t recall.”

The moment he acted strange. He barely looked at her in the eyes. And a few minutes ago, they were chatting about the future. He acted a bit odd near the end before Chief Hopper interrupted them. She at first thought he was just being silly and cute as usual. Never did she think she would see Eddie in this position.  

Eddie…h-how could…why was my grandmother’s ring in your front pocket?

She wants to ask him that question, but something inside her won’t. Like the words won’t come out of her mouth. Instead, she’s dragged away from her mother.

“Christine, honey, come to mommy,” Laura said.

Eddie draws his eyes on Chrissy. The way she’s looking at him like that. It’s the same look many girls get when they are hurt or disappointed when their boyfriends are caught in a horrible lie or crime and are being taken away from them. Looking at how hurt she is, Eddie’s heart is torn into pieces. This was something that he never wanted Chrissy to see. Something he promised himself not to be like his old man. And now he’s being pulled away from her. Worse, she’s in the hands of her mother. The same woman who abuses and starves her.

“Chrissy, wait. Chrissy, please, I can explain.” He begs her.

“I think you’ve explained enough,” Laura huffs at him. “How dare you come into our lives and steal it.”

Eddie ignores her outburst and focuses on Chrissy. He leans his body towards her, but Hopper holds him back. “Chrissy, please, listen to me. It’s not what you think. I swear! I only took your ring for a reason—”

“Oh, for once, the man has honesty in him,” Laura scoffs at him. “I want him far away from my beloved daughter.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Chief Hopper grunts as he struggles to pull Eddie away from them. “Come on, Munson.”

“Chrissy, you know me,” Eddie shouts, not wanting to leave. He keeps his eyes on Chrissy as she begins to look past time. That part hurt him the most. The fact that she seems to have given up on him. “No, Chrissy!”

“Come along, Munson!” 

“Chrissy, please, don’t listen to them! You know me, Chrissy! You know me! Chrissy!” He is finally taken away and put into the back of a police car.

Before Chrissy could do anything, her mother swept her out of the area and into the back seat of their car. They head home while Eddie heads to the police station.

*At the station, Eddie is taken to a small interview room. He is still handcuffed, but the chains are connected to the table. He waits there for almost thirty minutes. He thinks of Chrissy and how he can get to her.

Chief Hopper finally comes in but with a small box in his hands. He puts the box on the table and sits across from Eddie. He grunts as he rubs his temple. “Oh, Edward. What have you done this time.” He digs inside the box and pulls out a medium-sized folder. He opens it and looks over it.

“Chief, I promise you, I didn’t do this,” Eddie says. He leans in close to the table. “I’m being set up.”

“According to our witness, you and her have been planning this for months.” Chief Hopper blankly says. He sets the paper down. “Says you wanted to leave a mark on this town after you hope to graduate this time and leave to wherever you want to go.”

“Witness? What witness? The hell you talking about?” He asks in frustration.

Chief Hopper raises his eyebrows. “Do you know a Jessica Wilson?”

All the blood drains out of his face. Time goes slow. He can hear nothing but his heartbeat in slow motion. That fucking bitch. He snaps out of it and answers, “Yeah, I know her. She’s nothing but trouble. I dated her once, but I ended things with her soon after. She tried to mess with Chrissy and her friend at the Hideout during Spring Break. She starts horrible rumors about me. What did she tell you? It’s all a fucking lie.”

Chief Hopper clears his throat. “A friend of the Cunninghams saw Miss. Wilson wearing one of the jewelries that was reported missing five days after. We met with her, asked questions, and saw the jewelry; she handed it to us. Told us that you—in person—gave it to her one night.”

Eddie shakes his head, unwilling to hear anymore. “No! No, she’s lying. I’ve never done that or will ever do something like that.”

Chief Hopper pulls out a see-through bag of a piece of jewelry. He shows it to him while frowning. “You mean to tell me that you’ve never seen or come across this while you were in the Cunningham residence?” He slams it on the table in front of him. “Eddie, we found a pistol in your trailer! Do you realize how serious this is? Stolen weapon is a serious crime. You could go to prison for a good while.”

Eddie scoffs and moves the evidence away from him. “And I’ll tell you in court, I didn’t steal this!”

“Then why was there a ring in your person?”

For once, Eddie remains silent. He wasn’t going to explain himself to Chief Hopper. He would rather talk to Chrissy about it.

“Alright,” huffed Chief Hopper as he slams his hands on the table. “Don’t tell me. Like I care.” He gets up, “Unfortunately, you won’t be heading out anytime soon. Due to the stolen weapon, we are gonna have to keep you here overnight.” He heads to the door. He stops and turns to Eddie one last time, “Do you want to make a quick phone call to someone?”

Eddie turns to Chief Hopper.

“I highly doubt she would want to talk to you.” He sighs. It’s as if Hopper read Eddie’s thoughts.

Eddie nods his head. He knows Hopper is right. At least not right now. He hopes maybe she’ll come to see him tomorrow. He also prays the bail won’t be too much for Wayne. If what Chief Hopper said is right about the stolen weapon, then he fears he will be in jail until the hearing. Chrissy. I’m so sorry.

Chapter Text

Neither Chrissy nor Eddie slept that night. Eddie stared at the moon and stars in his cell while Chrissy sobbed into her pillow. Chief Hopper gave Eddie his own cell for the night. He felt bad for him and honestly thought he was innocent. Eddie called Wayne to warn him not to come bail him out tonight, but tomorrow. Wayne promised him he would try, but feared the money might be expensive due to the stolen weapon. Eddie had hoped that everything would be okay, and it wouldn’t be too much for Wayne. During the night, Eddie wondered how to reach Chrissy and explain why he had taken her grandmother's ring.

The next morning, Wayne went to the bank to withdraw cash before going to the police station. The same front desk lady who knows the Munson boys gives him a smirking look. She wasn’t surprised to see him early in the morning.

“I’ve come for Eddie. How much money this time?”

The lady, Verine McDaniels, huffs at Wayne. She adjusts her big library glasses. “Unfortunately, Chief Hopper would like to have a word with you. Should I go ahead and let him know you are here?”

“Yes, ma’am.” He grunts. He knows this isn’t good.

Verine pages Chief Hopper and soon sends Wayne to his office. Wayne closes the door behind him and sits down, rubbing his hands on his jeans out of nervousness.

Chief Hopper looks at him with seriousness in his eyes. “Wayne, you and I have known each other for a long time. Hell, we even attended the same high school. I was a classmate of your brother, Robert.”

“What’s going on, Chief? Just tell me how bad this is?”

Chief Hopper sighs. “Wayne, this kills me to say this, but Laura Cunningham and her lawyer called me as soon as we opened and threatened a restraining order for Eddie. They want him to stay far away from Chrissy and her family if he is ever released on bail. Even more troubling, the judge just called, saying he has rescheduled the hearing and already approved $5,000 for bail. My guess is Laura knows Judge Marshall and had a little discussion overnight.”

Wayne nearly falls off his chair from the news. “$5,000…Sir, you know that’s ridiculous. That’s outrageous. Chief, you got to do something. Deny the bail money, say something to Judge Marshall.”

“There’s no point. Judge Marshall is also good friends with the mayor, and frankly, he doesn’t like me that much.” He tends to disagree strongly with Mayor Kline about how he handles business.

Wayne sighs, frustrated and gutted by what’s happening to his nephew. He isn’t mad at Eddie but at himself. Laura Cunningham warned him in person about how much she dislikes her daughter's relationship with his nephew. He understood, but didn’t protect him enough. He wasn’t too hard on Eddie. Now, he has broken the girl's heart and his future.

Through the arrest and the ensuing gossip surrounding Hawkins, everyone soon learns about Munson and Cunningham's forbidden love and betrayal. The biggest scandal in Hawkins since two years ago, when there were reports of a secret lab doing illegal experiments and killings on crops and cattle.

He groans and places his hands on his head. He’s slumped on his chair. He doesn’t know what to do. He wants to scream and blame himself, but it won’t do any good. Eddie is in jail and might spend some time, like his father. The one thing he promised Eddie’s mother on the phone one night.

After all these years of hiding, now is the time to tell Eddie the truth. He asks Hopper if he could see his nephew. He agrees. He takes the cell keys and leads Wayne to the cell rooms.

In another room, there are several cell blocks. There are perhaps two grown men, looking rough and mean, in one cell. Wayne is worried for Eddie but relieved when Chief Hopper tells him he put Eddie in his own cell. At the end of the hall lies Eddie.

Eddie is sleeping on the bench. He wakes up when Chief Hopper alerts him, “Edward, your uncle is here for a visit.” He gives the two some space. He hasn’t broken the news to Eddie yet, but he feels his uncle should inform him.

Eddie runs to the bars and is happy to see his uncle. “Man, I’m so glad to see you. Have you made the bail yet?”

Wayne stares at his nephew with a broken look. He’s trying his best not to show how sad he is about it. He doesn’t look him in the eyes but around him. He clears his throat. “Son.”

Eddie frowns, seeing the discomfort in his uncle's face. He knows that look. He’s seen it whenever Eddie is in deep shit. Like he is right now. His heart drops to his stomach, not loving the tension in Wayne. He slumps against the bars. “What’s going on? What did the Chief say?”

Wayne finally looks him in the eyes. His dual eyes shook Eddie’s confidence in possibly leaving the station soon. “Son, the family is taking this stealing thing seriously. They…they know some people.”

Eddie sighs and lands his forehead on the cold bars. He closes his eyes. He thinks back to Chrissy and how hurt she looked when Chief Hopper took him away. “How bad?” He sniffs.

“The Judge already signed off on having a $5,000 bail bond on you, and Mrs. Cunningham threatened that if you bail out, she will have a restraining order on you to stay away from her family—including the girl. Edward, they are not letting this go. You do realize you might actually go to jail for a long time, right?”

Eddie snaps his head directly at Wayne. He’s glaring at him, “No, tell me? If it’s long, I’ll sit down on the stone-cold bench that my back has been lying on all freaking night!”

“Easy, son,” Wayne warns him about lowering his voice, especially in front of the Chief.

Eddie slams on the bars, rubs his wild, curly hair with his hands, and walks around in circles to help calm himself down. He’s frustrated with everything. He didn’t steal from the Cunninghams. Not even the pistol. He hates guns. He saw them around the apartment when his father returned to his life, and hated it. His father and so-called friends waved their weapons around, scaring him and his mother. He promised himself he would never own a gun or have it anywhere near him. So, he doesn’t know how police found a pistol in his room. It’s small, and he’s a messy boy. He keeps his clothes lying everywhere. He knows he’s being set up. He’s got to tell Wayne everything.

He runs back to him with both hands on the bars. He lowers his volume so Chief Hopper doesn’t overhear. “Uncle, you know I didn’t do this. You know I didn’t steal any of that crap.”

Wayne leans close to him. “Edward, I love you, and I trust you. I know you didn’t do this, but I must ask you three questions. Three questions, and that’s all I need. And I need you to be truthful with me.”

Eddie nods his head. “Anything.”

“Have you recently returned, or have you always been doing those…deals?”

He nods his head slowly. “That’s how I met Chrissy. The day before Spring Break. She wanted some bud to help her get some sleep and calm her anxiety. Wayne, when I first saw her, she looked terrified. She looked like she hadn’t slept in days. She was on edge. She jumped when a squirrel went up a tree. I at first thought it was because of me. I backed off and offered to leave, but she pleaded for me to stay. She didn’t want me to leave her. I could see in her eyes that she looked scared and lost.” He holds back, rethinking what she looked like last night. Damn it, he did that to her. He hurt her because he fell in love with her. “Like she did last night.”

Wayne wants to wrap Eddie in his arms, but the reality of bars stops him. Oh, Eddie. “Okay. My second question is, do you love her? Like, still love her?”

Eddie gulps, trying to find the words to say it without breaking down. “I think I fell in love with her the minute I laid eyes on her in the middle school talent show. And yes, I do and still love her. I know this is all a mistake, and I will prove to her I’m not my dad.”

Which brings up Wayne’s last question. He takes a moment and asks, “That night, I went outside and saw Chief Hopper pull out a ring from your front pocket. It seemed to have meant a lot to Miss Chrissy. You said you took that for a reason. Why did you take it?”

He thought he was smart—very smart—with the whole plan. He thought he was two steps ahead of Laura Cunningham and Carver. He took a deep breath: “I…I, I took that ring a couple of days ago because I wanted to find the perfect size for an…engagement ring.”

Wayne nearly falls back. He holds on tight to the bars. “Edward…how…how could you—”

“I made some good sales a few days before the finals,” Eddie explains. “Many seniors were freaking out about the finals, so I made a good profit. I know it sounds stupid, but something in me told me that Chrissy was the one. I went with my gut, and after I learned I would finally graduate high school, I counted the money I made from the sales—a shit ton. I went to a mall outside of Hawkins and checked some jewelry stores. I found one that looked perfect, but I had to check to see if they had one that was her size. I remembered that Chrissy had a ring that looked like it would fit her finger—her grandmother's ring. One night, I cautiously took the ring and returned to the store. They had the size, and I paid for it. Wayne, I paid for that ring five days ago, and I was trying to find a way to sneak it back to her room, but I was always one step short. I kept hold of the ring tonight so I wouldn’t lose it. I swear, I was going to return it before graduation. Wayne, I swear.”

“I told you, I believe you, son.” He turns to see if Chief Hopper is listening. He’s not. He turns back to Eddie, “Son, I don’t have enough to bail you out, but I can get you a lawyer. We can find a way to get you out of here. Maybe we can make a deal or something.”

He frowns at him, “A deal? Wh-what do you mean like give up?”

“No, no. No one is saying they are giving up—”

“But you just did!” He shouts. “What are you saying? That we let them win? I’ll never see Chrissy again!”

“Well, I’m sorry, Eddie, but I don’t see us winning a case like this. Not with this place being in a small town. Everyone will say that you tricked that girl—”

“CHRISSY!” Eddie slams hard on the bar with his fist. He pierces his dark eyes at him, showing his angry side—the side he uses on jocks who bully him in school.

The slam is so loud that Wayne is startled and backs away. Chief Hopper steps in to see Eddie but says nothing.

“Eddie, you have to calm down,” Wayne whispers.

“Never call her ‘that girl’ or ‘the girl.’ Her name is Chrissy, and I love her. Okay? I love her, and she loves me. I know she still does.”

“Eddie—”

“She’s just…confused over what happened last night. I know Chrissy. She needs to get away from her family. They’re feeding her nothing but lies. If she—”

“Eddie—”

“I’m not going to give up now or stop loving her. No matter what you or their high-priced lawyer tells me.”

Wayne studies his face. He takes a moment. He sees the look in his nephew's eyes. He sees the dedication and will to survive on his face. He has seen this look before. From someone else. Someone he knew and loved. Someone…who wasn’t related to him. “Edward, I…I have something to tell you.”

Eddie sighs. “What?”

Wayne takes a deep breath. “Your love for Chrissy, I can see it. I can see how strong love is. You act silly. You do whatever you can to make her smile. Right?”

He nods his head. Not believing he understands his love for Chrissy. “Y-yeah.”

“Well, you may not believe it, but this old mutt used to be in love with someone.”

“You?” He asks, surprised by him. “Y-you fell in love?”

“Don’t you go saying something smart to me, bud. I may be on the other side of the bars, but I’m pretty sure Chief Hopper won’t hesitate to lock me up right beside you for beating your ass.”

Eddie smirks but holds in his laugh.

“Look, I know it’s hard to believe it, but your old man used to be a charmer around the ladies. In high school, your father was the troubled boy, and I was the charming farmer boy. Anyway, the point is, yes, I dated some girls, and I had feelings for them, but nothing too serious. That was until I met the love of my life. I never told you this because I didn’t think you would understand.”

“Understand what?”

This is it. I have to tell him. He looks over and sees Chief Hopper giving them some space again. “After your father dropped out of high school, he ran away from home, but he did write to me in postcards. For three months, your father drove around the country. He was having fun, living life freely. When he went to Tennessee, that’s when everything changed. He told me he met the girl of his life on the first night in Tennessee. He mailed me a picture of her days later.”

Eddie stiffens at him. “I thought—”

“I lied,” Wayne says. “We thought it would be best like this. The truth is, your parents met, and after six weeks, your father announced he was coming back, but only to see me. He wanted me to meet your mother. He was head over heels with her. He asked me not to tell our mother and stepfather. I met him one night at a bar and saw the two. He was telling me everything about her and how amazing she was. He couldn’t stop touching her. For me, I could understand why he was smitten with her. She was beautiful. Breathtaking even. Whenever she spoke, I felt as though I was lost in her voice and that we were the only two people in the world. It did kill me when I saw your father with her. They stayed for the week, secretly inviting me to events. Over time, it was fun. Mostly, because I got to spend time with her. Whenever we got the chance to talk or hang out, we would chat for a long time. Turns out, she was way out of my brother's league. She loves country music, painting, fishing, playing her guitar, and writing her own songs. She wanted to go to California and be a singer. She was smart, loved camping, and was a true sweetheart. She and I had loved the same things. Nothing my brother would do or support.”

Eddie sighs, not believing a word. He leans his head against the bars.

“They didn’t stay that long,” Wayne continues. “I gave your mother my number and mailing address if she ever wanted to talk or write to me. She smiled and thanked me. On the day they left, part of me was heartbroken. I wanted to tell her not to go with my brother, but I was too afraid to say anything to her. We’ve only known each other for a few days, and I was afraid she would be scared if I told her…”

Eddie looks at his uncle. He’s never seen him with this constipated look on his face. He usually does his best to conceal his weaknesses. “Uncle Wayne?”

He takes a deep breath as he thinks of how to come out to his nephew, something that he has always regretted. “…if I told her that I fell in love with her from the moment I saw her.” He sighs deeply. “I don’t know if it was true love or maybe I saw something that my brother saw, but he was brave enough to go after her. Every day, I always regretted not telling her how I felt. After months, she finally wrote to me. I was surprised at first, but I didn’t want to linger and remain dumbfounded for a long time. We wrote back to each other for almost three months. She was telling me how she and my brother were doing, and I told her what I was doing in Hawkins. Writing to each other was the best thing that could ever happen. She was asking me things that she could never ask my brother, and I gave her advice on how to fix things inside the house while she was alone at the apartment. Even though it was written on paper, I could tell that something inside her words made her feel happier and freer to tell me anything than anyone. When she wrote to me that she was pregnant, she actually sent me a monograph of you and wrote that she was happy as ever to become a mother.”

Oh, Mom.

“When my brother acted stupid and left you guys, she immediately called me, panicking over becoming an unmarried single mother. At that moment, we began talking on the phone. We spoke for hours, the whole time she was pregnant with you. I thought about driving up to see her, but I didn’t want to step into something that my brother could possibly come back. One day, I mailed her some cash to help buy your first teddy bear. She at first didn’t want it, but after an hour on the phone with her, I finally convinced her to take it. She thanked me and said something that I would never forget. She told me she wished I were with her. At that time, I didn’t know what to do. I debated about packing and moving up there, but I never did. Never got the guts to do it. Something I regret. Shortly after you were born, I sent your mother more money that I earned from a second job I was working.”

That’s how mother was able to feed me and give me clothes, Eddie thought in his head.

“When it came to your birthday, I gave her a little bit of extra so she could take you to the zoo or buy you some ice cream. When you were about three years old, she asked me to visit her and see you. She begged. I agreed, but the next day, my brother stopped by. He told me he was having a blast traveling around cities, seeing lots of women, and scamming many people. I kept silent until he asked how I was doing. I wanted to lie and have him stay away from you and your mother, but I think he saw right through me. I finally told him about helping your mother for the past three years. I gave him a picture of you that your mother sent me a year before, and something inside of him finally clicked that you were his son. He thanked me and said he was going to go back and take over. I didn’t like it. Something inside me took over and told him that if he wanted to be a great father, he would have to take responsibility. He somehow took offense at it and warned me to stay away from both of you. He took off, and the next thing I knew, all the writing and phone calls stopped. I haven’t heard anything for a long time. That was, until I heard about the death of Elizabeth. After that, I tried to get in contact with my brother about you, but he wasn’t answering. A month later, I get a call from him, saying he wants to move back home with you. I was happy to hear that, and on the day you two arrived…he…left you by the front door.”

“And the rest is history,” Eddie whispers.

Wayne nods his head. “I kept it a secret for so long. Never told anyone.”

“Why?”

“Because I was ashamed of myself. I should have been there for her. I should’ve driven to Tennessee a long time ago. I should’ve fought against your father. I should have told her how I felt while she was still here. I should have done more. Told her how I felt. Maybe, maybe things would’ve been different.” He sighs. Many things could’ve changed. Hell, Elizabeth would’ve still be alive today if he had stepped up. He blames himself.

“I’m sorry that happened to you. I…I didn’t know. You’ve been in love with Mom for a long time?”

“I fell in love, and I should’ve told her a long time ago. And so, when I saw you and Chrissy at dinner, it reminded of me and your mother. That was true love. So, I’ll do everything I can to get you the best lawyer. If Chrissy truly loves you, she will wait for you. Just give her some time. She’ll come around.”

“Thanks, Uncle.”

“Yeah, well, let’s just hope God is on our side. I know you haven’t prayed in a long time, but if it helps, I talk to your mother almost every night about you. Maybe you can talk to her. Ask for her guidance. Don’t worry, son, I’ll handle it.” He says his goodbyes and leaves.

At the same time, Chrissy comes out of her bedroom after a tearful night. She wraps the bed cover over her as she slowly walks down the stairs and to the kitchen. She goes to get a small red apple from the counter when Laura comes in.

“Oh, Christine, look at yourself,” she scoffs. “Honey, that Munson boy stole our jewelry and money, not your sense of style.”

Chrissy doesn’t say anything. Too hurt to defend herself.

Laura sees this, but doesn’t comfort her daughter. Instead, she clicks her tongue. “Stop acting like this. I tried to warn you. You had a perfect life before him, but you gave it away. All because you might possibly love him. Well, do you? Do you still love him? Do you still love that criminal?”

Chrissy sighs in frustration and turns back to the stairs. Laura follows her.

“Don’t ignore the obvious question! Answer me! Do you still love that—”

“Stop! Just stop!” Chrissy screams. She stops and turns around. She drops her bed cover. Her hands are in a fist. Her lower lips wobble, and her face slowly turns red. “Stop asking me that question! You already know the answer.”

“You can’t be serious. After last night? God, Chrissy, you really are stupid. You can’t possibly still be in love with him. He stole from us! He and that tramp of his planned this a long time ago! You saw our things in his room. What more do you want? He even admitted he took your grandmother’s ring.”

“Something doesn’t make sense. Eddie couldn’t have done it. Something is telling me that Eddie didn’t do this.”

“Open your eyes, child! That man took your father’s pistol! It was kept in a locked safe. How the hell did it end up in that boy's room?”

“I don’t know! I don’t know. It’s just…something’s off.”

“You’re so stupid and blinded by love, you don’t want to accept the reality when it’s right in front of you.”

“I want to see him.”

“Like hell I’m letting you anywhere near that police station. He’s right where he needs to be, and you have no right to be in the mix of it. For the rest of the school semester, you stay steer clear from that man. He took advantage of you, and he needs to be held accountable.”

“You can’t stop me.”

Laura glares at Chrissy, but before she could do or say anything, the doorbell rings. The two stay still, unable to break eye contact. The doorbell rings again.

“Aren’t you going to get the doorbell, honey? You are closest to the door.” Laura says in a calming voice.

After the third ring, Chrissy finally goes to the front door. She has on nothing but her pink pajamas. She opens the door, shocked to see Jason.

He’s dressed in a suit and his hair is neatly combed. He’s smiling brightly, showing a vase of a dozen roses. “Chrissy.”

“J-Jason, what are you doing here?”

“I heard about what happened last night and thought I’d stop by and see if you are okay. I also got these for you.”

Chrissy rolls her eyes. Great, does that mean everyone from school knows? “Jas—”

“I’m sorry about what happened. You don’t deserve that.”

“Thanks, Jason, but—”

“May I come in?” He interrupts.

“Don’t be rude, Chrissy, let him come in.” Laura hollers.

Giving no choice, Chrissy lets him in. She takes the flowers and sets them on the dining room table. She hears her mother and Jason talking. She sighs to herself and puts on a brave face. She goes back to the others in the living room.

Both of them are sitting on the couch. Chrissy sits in the rocking chair.

“Such a horrible event,” says Laura.

“I’m so sorry you and the family are going through this. Have the police retrieve all the missing items?”

“Most, but there are two jewels that are still missing. Right now, they are being held at the police station for evidence.”

“So, what’s next for the police?”

“Right now, the police will hold the criminal in jail until we get a trial date, hopefully in a month or two. I just got off the phone with the principal. He’s going to discuss with the school board on what to do with that Munson boy. More likely, he won’t walk down to receive his diploma with my little Chrissy.”

“That’s good to hear. He doesn’t deserve to be anywhere near the school. I hope he leaves Hawkins once he’s released for his crime.”

“How about I’ll go make us some tea,” Laura smiles as she leaves the room.

Chrissy crosses her legs and looks down, avoiding Jason. He, however, is scanning Chrissy. He focuses more on her legs and stomach. Did he do things to you? Did he make your legs weak? How bad did he ruin you? He clears his throat so loudly that it forces Chrissy to look up at him. “So, how are you doing? Really. Are you okay?”

She doesn’t want to answer him. She doesn’t want to tell him what she truly feels. She knows in her heart that Jason will call her stupid like her mother. “I’m fine. Thank you for the flowers and for visiting me.”

“Of course. Chrissy, I know you’re going through a lot, and the last thing you need to worry about is school, but I have an idea.”

Chrissy frowns at him, “Oh?”

“Yes. I can tell my friends that the Munson ‘freak’ tricked you. I can even say I came in on the night he was arrested after he threatened to put a spell on you and your entire family.”

“But, he didn’t do that, and you weren’t with us last night. Jason, I don’t need your help at school. I can take care of myself.”

“So, you don’t know yet.” He shakes his head.

“Know what?” She snaps.

“Some of your classmates are already calling you a dumb slut. Half think you wanted to lose your virginity to him as a joke, but fell in love and became a game to the freak. They are laughing at you and believe you’re already knocked up with his child. Chrissy, I can help you. I can save your reputation. I can convince people that I tried to bring you back to reality, and I was keeping an eye on him, noticing that he and that woman from the Hideout were holding and trading expensive jewelry. I made the call and saved you from being completely heartbroken before Munson and that woman gloat about their scam in front of you, and run away together. I can convince them that you were under a spell and demonstrate the danger this man poses. Chris, don’t let him ruin your last moments in high school.”

She rolls her eyes at him. She doesn’t want to think about her reputation in school when there are only a few weeks left. What’s happening right now is that everything she has ever believed and loved has been twisted around. Truthfully, she did knew her things were missing, but doesn’t understand why or how they would end up in Eddie’s place. She still loves him and thinks deep inside that he’s innocent. “Jason, I don’t want to do this right now.”

“On Monday, school will be brutal to you,” Jason begs. “What are you going to do when some of those classmates follow you to college?”

Chrissy frowns at him. “What are you talking about? I haven’t gotten anything from any colleges.”

Laura comes in with a plate of tea and cups. “I’m back.”

The kids turn to Laura. Both show discomfort and confusion. She lets out a loud gasp.

“Mom, what is going on?”

“You didn’t tell her?” Jason asks.

Laura gently places the plate down on the coffee table. “Oh, I’m sorry, but after last night, I figured today wasn’t a good time.” She walks away but returns after a few seconds with an envelope in her hands. She goes to Chrissy with a nervous look on her face. “You got this Wednesday morning.” She hands her the envelope. “It’s from Purdue University.”

Purdue? She registered for college at that university last month. She didn’t really want it, but applied after her mother said she knew the dean at the place. She knew that most of the seniors had applied to that school and had been approved last week. Chrissy only applied to a couple of colleges, but most of them were located around the United States, and half were rejected. Not that it mattered. She had Eddie, and that’s all that mattered. Chrissy looks at the envelope and takes it.

It's still sealed, prompting her to wonder why Jason seems to know about this. “What is this?”

Laura pours the tea into three small cups. “Why don’t you open it, sweetie?” She says in a fake voice.

She sighs as she opens the envelope. Inside, it’s a letter from Purdue. She reads it. She’s stunned by the time she’s done reading it. She looks up at them, “I…I got approved by Purdue.”

The two cheer.

“Fantastic. I got an approved letter from them this morning.” Jason said.

“Oh, how lovely. Now it looks like you two will go to the same college.” Laura hands Jason a cup. Jason thanks him and grabs it.

Chrissy looks over and notices a white bandage wrap on his right arm, visible through his dark jacket sleeve. “What happened?” She asks him.

Jason looks at his right arm and laughs. “Oh, this happened two weeks ago. I was climbing trees with my youngest brother when I fell, leaving me with a couple of good scratches. The doctor said I can take the bandage off today, but I just wanted to make sure it heals 100%.”

“How scary. Glad to hear you are okay.” Laura says. “Well, nonetheless, today may be a good sign. A sign that things are and should be going back the way they were.”

“I think so. Heck, here’s to a fresh start.”

“Here, here.”

The two cheer while Chrissy stares off into space. She stays silent for almost the whole day. She never gave Jason an answer on what to do at school. Laura made Chrissy stay at home until School starts again on Monday.

*Monday morning. Three more weeks of school are left.

Chrissy makes the best and goes to school. Of course, Jason was right as soon as she walked up to the front doors of school. Almost everyone in school had their eyes on her, whispering rumors and about her as she passes, and cruel jokes. Some of her cheerleaders mocked her and called her names. Everyone teased and bullied Chrissy as the dumb rich girl who slept with the freak of Hawkins. She kept her head down, skipped lunch, and ignored most of her friends. Well, all except for April.

After hearing what happened, April tried to get into contact with her at home, but Chrissy ignored every phone call directed to her. She goes to Chrissy to try to talk to her, but Chrissy wasn’t having it. She didn’t want to talk about that night.

“Chrissy, Chrissy, please, talk to me,” April begs.

“I’m sorry, but I have to get to next class,” Chrissy responds as she darts across the hallway.

Halfway through school, Chrissy saw Jason but ignored him as well. She just wanted to get school over with and go back home.

When school ends, Chrissy is more than relieved to head home. Her father will pick her up from school today while Laura talks to the lawyer. Chrissy goes to her locker to drop off some things before heading to the front door to wait for her father. Suddenly, she is stopped by a young, curly-haired brunette senior girl named Nancy Wheeler. She is featured in the school newsletter and has just been accepted to New York. She has a freshman brother, Mike Wheeler. She thinks she might’ve seen her brother with her whenever they come to school or are leaving.  

Chrissy stops in front of her, concerned about why she is stopping her.

Nancy’s eyes are wide and alert. Her hair is bouncing everywhere. Her blue eyes are glossy. She looks like she just saw a ghost.

Chrissy steps back, fearing what she will do next. “Nancy…what…what is it?”

“Chrissy, I need you for a second. Can we talk?”

Her immediate thought is that Nancy wants a story to write about in the school news. She’s a reporter and is taking the opportunity to secure the big story that will enhance her reputation as a reporter. She frowns and looks past her. “I’m sorry, but I have nothing to say. Goodbye.”

“Chrissy, wait!” Nancy hollers at her.

She ignores and continues walking. She is close to the front door.

Nancy rushes to her and gently puts her hand on her shoulder. “Chrissy! I have witnesses who say Eddie is innocent, and they believe they know who’s really behind the stolen items.” She says it low but clear enough for Chrissy to pause in place.

She turns to Nancy, looking to see if she’s telling the truth. She is. Dead serious. Chrissy looks around and notices she and Nancy are almost the only students in school. She looks back at the pickup area to see if her father is here yet. Luckily, he’s not. She’s got some time. With a sigh, Chrissy agrees to listen to Nancy and lets her lead her down a hallway.

They reach a science lab room, which is dark. They enter, and Nancy turns on the light. Out of the light, three figures pop. One on the left is April. The middle is a young freshman girl with tomboy clothes and red hair. She has her arms crossed and is leaning against the table. On the right is another young freshman with curly brown hair, big brown eyes, and an alert look on her face. Nancy closes the door behind them.

Chrissy looks at everyone in confusion. She doesn’t know why her good friend, a classmate, and two freshmen are standing in one room to talk to her. “What’s going on?”

“It’s okay, everything is alright,” April says in a soft voice. “This is Max Mayfield and Jane Hopper. Max lives in the same trailer park as Eddie. Jane is the daughter of Chief Hopper and has a boyfriend—Nancy’s brother—Mike Wheeler, who is in the Hellfire Club.”

Chrissy looks back at the two young girls. Jane leans close to Max as a protective shield. She wonders if Jane is nervous because she’s the head cheerleader and still holds a lot of power. Either way, Chrissy doesn’t have enough time to get to know everyone. She’s on a time clock. “I don’t mean to be rude, but I have only a few minutes before my Dad comes to pick me up. Why am I here?”

Max clears her throat, “I’ve noticed something was off the minute we went to Spring Break. You and Munson. I ignored most of it until something happened two weeks ago.”

Chrissy waits for her to continue.

“It…was…Jason.”

Chapter Text

“What? What do you mean it was Jason?”

“About two weeks ago, I was sick and stayed at home. I was alone while my mom was working on her second job. I went to get a glass of water from the kitchen sink and looked out my window facing Munson’s trailer. I saw Jason drive up and park. He got out and snuck to the back of the trailer. I thought it was weird, and I was getting ready to call Mr. Munson to see if he was okay when I heard a cat screaming inside. Jason came out holding onto his right arm, a minute later, and returned to his jeep. He sped off not too long.”

That would explain why he had a bandage the other day, Chrissy thought in her head. Two weeks ago, that was around the same time Eddie said his cat, Midnight, knocked over a portal of his late mother. That had to be related.

“I didn’t think anything of it until that night when I saw Eddie being taken away by Chief Hopper. Jane was with me, too.”

Jane nods her head but doesn’t say anything. She keeps her hands behind her back.

“One Tuesday night, while Munson was off to his night gig and his uncle was working the night shift, Jane spent the night over while her father went on a date with Will’s mother. She went to the kitchen to make a sandwich when she saw Jason return and sneak through the back way. Again, he was there no longer than five minutes before he left.”

“That’s not all,” Nancy adds. “One night, when Johnathon and I went to town to see a movie, we saw Jason walking and talking to an older woman across the street. She had long dark hair, wore dark clothes, and smoked. We thought it was unusual to see them together, so I went with my journalist instinct and followed them to a supposedly closed real estate building, where they went in, and Mrs. Cunningham walked inside a minute later. The three stayed in the building for nearly fifteen minutes until they came out at separate times. Something is going on with those three.”

“It was Jessica Wilson,” April says in an angry tone. “Nancy described her to me and instantly, I knew it was that bitch.”

Nancy turns to April and raises her brows. She’s trying to warn April with her look to watch what she’s saying in front of the freshmen, but she doesn’t care. Deep down in her heart, she knew something wasn’t right with that woman from the bar. “Chrissy, the point is, we think Jason, Jessica, and your mother orchestrated a plan to frame Eddie and make sure he stays away from you.”

Could her mother really have helped? Could she have done something so selfish to hurt her daughter just to get Eddie away? What kind of mother is she? Who does that to their own child? Why would she do that? Many questions run again in Chrissy’s head, but nothing more than betrayal. In a few minutes, her father will arrive to pick her up. She’ll see her mother coming home from the lawyer's office. The same one who will do everything he can to lock up Eddie for a long time. If it’s true, then her mother is one sick and vile woman. Thanks to her and Jason, Chrissy is forced to return to before she met Eddie. Oh my God. She’s trying to erase Eddie from me.

“Chrissy?” April asks, looking concerned. She doesn’t like seeing her friend being quiet and staring off into space after the news.

She looks up at the girls, all waiting anxiously for her to say something back. “So you all witnessed this, but did you see Jason with the jewelry?”

The girls shook their heads.

“Then, unless we have proof or a confession from one of them with the jewelry, Chief Hopper won’t believe us. Even if one of ya’ll is the daughter,” she whispers as she turns to Jane.

Jane is surprised to see Chrissy look directly at her and then down. “She’s right,” she barely says in a low voice.

Nancy and Max turn to Jane. They are stunned by her talking. When they first met Jane, she was a little distant and didn’t look them directly in the eyes. After a month with them, she would finally talk, but it was low initially. She soon opened up and became a normal girl to them. So, when Jane spoke after only a few minutes with Chrissy, they were right to be surprised by her.

Jane gets the courage, and her eyes connect with Chrissy. Her mellow, big, brown eyes smiling back at her. “She’s…right. My father is someone who finds things hard to believe unless he sees it himself. When someone warned him about a possible bad lab experience happening close to home, my father thought the guy was full of…shit. It took almost three years for him to give my father proof of the bad things happening, finally. Munson will be in big trouble if we don’t have proof soon.”

“We at least need to try and tell Chief Hopper about this,” Max yells. A little frustrated by the confusing situation.

“I can’t go today. My dad will be here any minute to take me home. Even if I could go to the police station, some of the cops know and are friends with my mother. If they saw me in the building, they would notify her immediately. If she really is behind this, then she has eyes everywhere.”

Max and Jane sigh.

“Well, what if we found a way where you can go to the police station without any watchdogs?” Nancy blurts out.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Do you happen to know which officer might be friends with your mother?”

She thinks of all the officers in town. “Um, maybe Officer Bernard, Lupo, Benson, and Stabler. I’ve seen them at the country club events and my parents' wedding anniversary party. I think they are the only ones my mother would go to because she knows they are loyal to the law.”

“Wouldn’t hold my breath,” Max scoffs. “I’ve seen those four give people unfair speeding tickets and unnecessary stop and search. My brother has even seen them abuse their power.”

Jane nods her head. “I’ve heard about them from Papa during dinner. He makes the schedules. I can get a good look at it when he comes to pick me up.” She gives Chrissy a little smile. “I can tell you guys when it will be a great time to visit.” 

Chrissy can’t help but smile and be grateful to April, her only friend, and a group of strangers to her, coming together to help her and Eddie. The three girls did not ask about him the whole day or join the other classmates, who had made fun of her. But then again, if it was her mother and Jason who planned it, they did a hell of a job. They pulled it off and made Chrissy second-guess Eddie for a minute. She cried from when she was taken home to 3 am when she grew tired. It only took her 23 minutes to realize Eddie didn’t do it. She cried for Eddie being falsely arrested and taken away from her. “That’s awfully kind of you all, but I don’t think it’s that easy. After what happened, I don’t think my mother will risk any chances with me disobeying orders. I’m sorry, but I can’t talk about this anymore.”

“Chrissy, I love you, but you need to break away from her. She’s no good for you,” April says sternly. “I know she’s your mother, but what she participated in is downright wrong. She took Eddie away from you. He’s in jail. He’s probably terrified and worried about you. How do you think he feels right now?”   

Eddie. April is right. How selfish can she be? She’s got April, and Eddie has no one in jail to watch over him. The thought kills her. She wants to see Eddie so bad. She needs to see him. Love over Matter. She loves him, and he loves her. Without hesitation, she would rather choose true love over money. Love over threats. She’ll fight hard for Eddie to get him out. Her mother can threaten her all she wants, but she won’t stop. “Okay. I’m in. What do we do first?”

Five minutes later, Chrissy steps back out and sees her father coming in the nick of time. She rushes into the passenger seat and hops in. Chrissy thinks about how she would tell her father on the way home. She plays with her fingers and presses her lips together. She thinks about how to bring up the conversation.

“So, how was school, sweetheart?” Philip asks, shocking Chrissy. He’s rarely asked her how her day at school was.

Was he only asking this because of what happened days ago? Did he feel guilty for her? Since that night, he has never looked her in the eyes, nor asked how she was doing. It was mainly Laura yelling and blaming Eddie for the stolen jewelry.

“Um, a little rough, but I made it through. April was a true friend and watched over me,” she answers, trying to keep calm. She waits for the right time to bring up what Nancy coached her to say.

“That’s good.” He doesn’t say anything else.

Come on, Chrissy. You can do this. She clears her throat as she gets ready to bring it up. It’s now or never. For Eddie. “So, daddy, something else happened at school today.”

“Oh?” He asks while keeping his eyes on the road.

“Yeah. A classmate of mine, Nancy Wheeler, invited me over, along with April and Robin Buckley, to a sleepover this weekend. Just a girls' night. Plus, if it’s okay with you and Mother, Nancy wants to drive me to school until the end of the semester. Her brother is a freshman in school, and it turns out Nancy is going to Purdue. So, you know, I figured we can get to know each other.” Nancy is not going to Purdue. She will be going to the California college with her boyfriend, Jonathon Byers, whose little brother is also friends with Mike and is in the Hellfire Club. (Eddie’s club). She keeps it quiet about the brothers in the club and prays her father will fall for it.

“Well, I will have to talk to your mother, but I don’t see the problem. Just don’t tell anything else about what happened the other night. Your mother’s lawyer said it’s best not to mention anything to anyone until everything gets solved.”

Chrissy holds her breath and prays to God that her mother will agree to let Nancy take her to and from school. Laura initially argues that Nancy could be trying to be friends with Chrissy so she can get a huge scoop about the scandal, but for a miracle sent by the man himself, Philip talks her down and convinces her to let Nancy take her.

Over the next three days, the girls slowly built a plan. Jane saw that the bad cops patrol the town from lunch to nighttime on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday. Nancy promised Chrissy that she would drive her to the police station right after school so she could visit Eddie while she was on the lookout. Max, Jane, and Nancy wrote letters for Chrissy to give to Chief Hopper, hoping it would at least help Eddie.

Thursday—lunchtime

Chrissy walks with Nancy to her table outside on one of the student tables when suddenly, Jason stops them in their tracks. He doesn’t have his friends with him. With no hesitation, Nancy glares at Jason and steps in front of Chrissy, basically blocking her from Jason’s view. But somehow, it doesn’t seem to have any effect on Jason as he stares right into Chrissy’s soul. Chrissy looks down, grateful that Nancy is protecting her.

“Chris!” Jason smiles. He has his hands in his letterman pocket. “I was looking for you all morning. I’m hosting a graduation party for all the seniors tomorrow night. Everyone is going to be there. And…I know we’ve had our outing…but I was wondering if you,” He pauses and turns to Nancy. His smile immediately disappears at the sight of her, but he looks back at Chrissy, and all smiles. “If you and Wheeler would join us at our party?”

Chrissy’s first response is to say no and call him a liar about everything, but she knows that with some eyes still on her, she would make a bigger fool of herself with absolutely no proof. Jason will call her outburst part of Eddie’s evil spell, still bound to her. Why can’t you just leave me alone and let me be happy with Eddie?

“Actually, that sounds like a great idea!” Nancy perks up. Chrissy turns to her in confusion, but Nancy doesn’t look back at her. “Chrissy and I will be there. She’s spending the night at our house anyway.”

“She is?”

I am?

“Yep. You can count on us. What time is the party?”

Not believing at first, Jason sighs and takes his hands out of his pockets. “It starts at 7 pm.”

“Great! Will it be okay if a friend of mine comes along? I think you know him. Steve Harrington. He’s in town the next few days after finishing his first college year early.”

And just like that, Jason’s whole demeanor changes. His eyes are big and his mouth drops. “A-are you serious?”

Nancy nods her head. “Talked with him last weekend. He should be coming tomorrow morning.”

“Well, of course. He’s welcome to come!” He stammers near the end.

Nancy brings Chrissy with her while Jason looks starstruck.

“Why did you say that to him?” Chrissy whispers once they are outside.

“Because,” Nancy whispers back. “I've got a plan on how to free Eddie. Trust me, I think it will give us our only chance if we play our cards right.”

After school, Nancy drives to the police station with Chrissy in the passenger seat. Mike will get a ride from Will’s brother after a meeting with the Hellfire Club led by Jeff about how they should continue with the club and who will be the Master next semester. Eddie’s friends visit him almost daily and believe he is innocent. At first, they couldn’t believe that he was dating Chrissy, and they thought it was the greatest thing ever. Falling in love, of course. Not the thrown in jail for no reason. Eddie was happy he had some true friends, but hoped that Chrissy would come see him.

Nancy parks a little farther away from the station parking lot, in high alert for Mrs. Cunningham or any of the bad cops. She lowers the front windows and looks out at the front door. She turns to Chrissy, who is holding on tight to her seatbelt. She’s biting her lower lip. Her eyes are big and glossy. Nancy unbuckles her seatbelt. “Okay, I will go in first just in case. If the coast is clear, I’ll come back and wave at you to come in. Okay?”

Chrissy is worried. What if they changed shifts? What if my mother shows up when I exit? What if—no, no. No. I have to see Eddie. He’s the love of my life, and he needs me. Nancy tells Chrissy not to mention anything about Friday night. It’s best he’s in the dark. Chrissy agrees. Nancy opens the door and steps out until something catches her attention. She scurries back into the car, closes it, and leans down into her seat. In confusion, Chrissy asks her what’s wrong.

Not taking her eyes off the thing, she slowly leans toward her. “Look who's coming out of the building.”

Chrissy looks over and nearly screams as she too scurries down into her seat. “Shit, shit, shit. It’s my mom with Jessica.”

With big smiles, both women are shaking hands.

Holy shit, the girls were right. My mom is behind this.

The girls wait as Laura and Jessica talk some more. Nancy scrambles to her backseat, where her backpack is. She digs in, grabs the school camera, and takes as many pictures of the two as she can. Just then, both nearly lose it when Laura hands Jessica a big load of money. Nancy takes a photo when she puts the money in her giant dark purse. Five minutes later, the two women depart separately. They wait a minute before Nancy gets out. Chrissy almost exits the car but remembers that her mother could still be nearby and hides back in.

It feels like forever, but another minute passes until Nancy comes out and waves at her—the best sign she could ever ask for. Her heart skips a beat as she gets out and dashes inside the station. Nancy calms her down as she meets her.

“I need to see him,” Chrissy whispers, nearly choking on her own tears.

“Shh, shh. Calm down, Chrissy. You can’t let Eddie see you like this. You need to be brave for him.”

Chrissy nods her head. “O-okay.”

“Just tell how much you miss him and anything that could make him happy. Oh, and Chrissy, the cop watching over Eddie is Powell.”

He’s not a bad cop like the others. He is a little like Chief Hopper. Listens to both sides when it really matters and follows what’s truly right in the system.

“That’s okay. I’m all right with that.”

Nancy smiles at her. She gently rubs her shoulders in a comforting motion. “I’ll be out here and watch over for any of the others. They say it’s a 20-minute visit.” She leads Chrissy to the front desk and writes a fake name in the sign-in sheet.

Two minutes later, Officer Powell comes in through a door. He immediately drops his mouth when he sees Chrissy Cunningham in the police station. “Um, um, Miss Cunningham.” He clears his throat.

Chrissy looks away, not liking the long look at her. It’s clear he remembers her from the night of the incident. Nancy sees this and grabs her hand to squeeze it.

“Forgive me, it’s, uh, it’s been a long day.” He opens the door wide. “Do…do you want to step inside?”

Chrissy looks back up, facing the open door. Eddie.

“It’s okay,” Nancy whispers to her. She gives her another comforting squeeze.

She takes a breather. “Okay. Here I go.” She lets go of Nancy’s hand and walks forward.

Inside, darkness settled through the cold hallways. She stops in place, afraid of how scary this place is. A door slams behind her. She makes a small, high-pitched squeal and turns around. Officer Powell is standing, shocked by her reaction. He holds his hands up, “Woah, woah. It’s okay. I was just closing the door. The jail is down at the end and make a right.”

“Oh, okay.” She turns around and walks ahead. On the right side, Chrissy stops at a closed, dark door. Officer Powell steps beside her and pulls out a chain of many keys. He goes to unlock the door. He opens it and looks back at Chrissy. “Before we go in, there are a couple of rules. No kissing, 20 minutes to speak to him, and I will be watching over you two the whole time.”

Chrissy gulps. She is going to see Eddie, but she can’t kiss him? “What about touching him? Can we at least touch hands on the bars?”

Officer Powell thinks for a minute. “That should be fine. You ready?”

She nods her head. She goes in. Because it’s a small town, they don’t have that many people in jail. But if they do, it’s only three or five people from public intoxication, a fight, or some unpaid ticket holders. Today, there are four grown men and a few older prostitutes staring directly at her when she passes. She gets several cat calls from the men, but Officer Powell shouts at them to shut up. She doesn’t give the attention and prays that Eddie is not locked up with them. They reach the end and see Eddie in his own cell.

After not seeing him in a few days, she cries out his name the second she sees him. He is sitting on the edge of his bed/seat with his hands on his head and looking down. He’s wearing the same clothes he wore the night Chief Hopper took him away. “Eddie!”

His heart stops as he lifts his head up in the nick of a dime. His eyes widen. He drops his hands. “C-chrissy?” He bolts from his seat and puts both hands on the bars. He leans his entire body against the bars. “Chrissy.”

Tears roll down her face as she runs and places her hands over his. His heat immediately warmed her cold hands. She wants to kiss him, but stops midway when they hear Officer Powell clearing his throat.

Eddie snarls at him. He wants to tell him to fuck off, but not when he finally sees Chrissy. He keeps his mouth shut and turns to her.

Since the last time they were together, he has never felt happier than having Chrissy come see him with those big eyes looking back at him. “Baby.”

“Eddie,” she squeezes his hands tightly. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry I didn’t come to see you the next day. I wanted to, but my mother kept me locked in the house. I tried to come see you after school, but I was told that my mother had people to guard me from you.”

“Shh, shh. It’s okay.” Eddie whispers to her as he rubs her fingers. “It’s okay. I’m not mad. I’m not mad, baby. It’s just…it’s just that I’m so sorry you have to see me like this.” He whines, leaning his head against the rail. Chrissy does the same. She sniffles, knowing what he is trying to say. Eddie lets out a loud sigh. A lone tear falls down his cheek. He immediately wipes it away from his free hand. He doesn’t want Chrissy to see him like this. Hell, he never wanted Chrissy, the love of his life, seeing him behind bars. The one thing he feared the most was becoming like his deadbeat father.

“Eddie, I love you, and I’m sorry I—”

“Don’t you dare apologize for how you feel,” he gently interrupts. “It’s okay. It’s okay. You never have to explain yourself. You didn’t do anything to put me in here.”

She scoffs, “Eddie, look at where you’re at!” She shreds more tears, “You’re in jail because of me, and I’m so sorry.”

“Hey, hey, I will never regret that Friday before Spring Break. If I went back in time, I would do it all over again, happily. I love you, Chrissy.”

“And I love you, Eddie,” she sobs.

Their heads linger on the same bar between them. They stand there for a while, not saying anything. It becomes too much for Officer Powell, that he turns his head slightly away, respecting their privacy.

“I’ll find a way to get you out of here,” Chrissy whispers. “I promise. I know you didn’t do any of that.”

But the ring, Eddie thinks, I have to explain to Chrissy about her grandmother’s ring. He looks up, nearly blindsided by her blue, glossy eyes with red puffs around. “Chrissy, I—”

“I know who's really behind the stolen jewelry,” Chrissy interrupts. “Nancy Wheeler, Mike’s older sister, saw my mother, Jason, and Jessica together in a building for a long time. I even saw my mother giving something to Jessica.”

“What?”

“That’s not all, apparently, there are other witnesses in your neighborhood who saw Jason sneak in and out of your trailer while you were gone.”

Never has he hated a woman any more than today. Laura Cunningham and Jessica Winters are the worst human beings to have ever lived. Sure, he could understand Jessica being a total bitch and fucking up his love life, but for Laura, that’s a huge blow. Maybe it’s a good thing he is in jail now, or else he would’ve hunted down those two women and burned them at the stake like people did in Salem. “Chrissy, you need to get out of that house right now,” Eddie says, pressing hard on her fingers. “She’s a dangerous woman. I don’t trust her with you in that hellhole! Not while I am here.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay. Everything is going to be okay. Nancy is having me stay over at her house as often as possible. In fact, I’m going to spend the night over there tomorrow.”

“That’s great. You will be safe there.”

“Yes,” she hesitates, not sure if she wants to tell him. She wants to tell him everything, but he doesn’t know how he’s going to react when she says that she might have to be in the same room with Jason at his house for a party. Not after she just told him that Jason is one of the real suspects.

Seeing this, Eddie loosens his hand and rubs her fingers up and down. “Hey, sweetheart, are you okay?”

“Mm-hm,” she answers with a closed mouth. She barely looks at him.

“Then will you please look at me? I hate seeing you like this.”

She looks at him. “I…I don’t want you to worry. I can’t tell you other than we think we might have a plan to get Jason to tell the truth.” She looks over at Officer Powell to see if he is overhearing their conversation. Luckily, he seems to be distracted by a small commotion from one of the other prisoners further down. She turns back to Eddie, “I trust you, do you trust me?”

“Of course, I trust you. But like your mother, I don’t trust Carver. Especially when there’s alcohol in the room. I’ve seen him once or twice at a party and he’s a huge douche when he’s drunk. I don’t want him to hurt you.”

“I’ve got backup with me. Nancy is still friends with Steve Harrington, and he’s going to be there to help us.”

Eddie scoffs, “Pretty boy Harrington? Now him, I do not trust.”

Chrissy frowns at him, “I know you don’t like it, but this could be our only shot. Jason loves Steve and idolized him last year. I'm sure Jason will crack if we can get those two together. He loves to brag.”

“That, I believe.”

She sighs, “So, can you trust me? Have faith in our plan?”

He studies her face. He knows she’s right, as much as he hates to admit it. Chrissy believes him, and now some witnesses say they side with her. Whoever thought that would happen to Eddie? People believe and defend his innocence. He thought he was a sure dead cause in this small town. Yes, he has some new club members who love him, but he never thought any of them would stop believing in his true loyalty. What’s more amazing, but even better, is that the love of his life is part of the group to help him out. He truly doesn’t deserve her.

“Okay, time’s up,” says Officer Powell.

No, no, not yet. Another tear falls as he admires Chrissy. He doesn’t move his hands but knows one of them has to. “Chrissy.”

“I love you. I’ll come back as soon as possible Saturday morning and hope to get you out of here.” Knowing she isn’t allowed to do it, she says fuck it and kisses his fingers before she lets go. She walks off, not looking back at Officer Powell.

Eddie watches as he sees Chrissy going farther and farther away from him. “Chrissy, please be careful.”

*The next day after school, Nancy takes her and Mike to the Wheeler house. Chrissy stayed quiet the whole day at school. She was nervous as hell over the party, but mostly how she was going to be safe from Jason’s drunken ass. For dinner, she barely ate. An hour before the party starts, Nancy and Chrissy get dressed and ready. Nancy helped Chrissy with her makeup, and Chrissy helped Nancy with her hair.

On time, their ride arrived. It’s Steve Harrington and his partner in crime, Robin Buckley. She was invited to the party, but only because she’s a senior, and Jason was only inviting seniors, no matter how much of a geek they are. Jonathan is the last stop before they head to Jason’s house. Along the way to the party, Nancy informs everyone of the plan.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Steve waves as they park close to the party. “Are you sure this will work? Not to say your plan may backfire, but how are we sure Jason will cave?”

“It will, trust me. You should’ve seen how he reacted when I mentioned your name,” Nancy says confidently. “He thinks of you as a celebrity. Just go with it and find a way to get him to spill the beans.”

“Nancy’s right, when you ruled the hallways, every jock wanted to be like you,” Robin snorts as she messes with her tie that Steve warned her not to. “You were king of Hawkins, abuse that power while you still have that one-year ticket. After that, you’re just a sad man who won’t let go of the past and is not achieving their dreams.”

Steve clears his throat at her, “The hell does that supposed to mean?”

“Not to say you would. You’ve got me to guide you away from that road.” She gives him a light shove.

“Yeah, I feel super lucky to have you to help me,” he says sarcastically.

Nancy rolls her eyes at them and turns to Chrissy. She hands her a Sony Walkman Stereo Cassette Corder WM-W800 that Jonathan gave her as a Christmas present. It’s never been used. Nancy wanted to save this thing for a perfect story. In this case, saving Eddie and proving his innocence is a great story to tell. She taught Chrissy how to use it before Steve arrived. “Remember the buttons?”

“Yes.”

“Good, if everything goes well, Eddie might be free tomorrow afternoon.”

Steve takes off his seatbelt. “Let’s do this.”

“For Eddie,” Chrissy whispers as she takes off her seatbelt and exits the car. This is for you.

Chapter Text

The five walk to the house where many seniors are already half drunk. Chrissy stays close to Nancy.

Inside, the house is nearly packed, partying and drinking everywhere. Once some of them see Steve Harrington, they gasp and whisper to each other. Steve blushes as he waves and smiles at them. A girl or two squeals loudly. Robin rolls her eyes and shoves Steve to follow the others to the living room. They don’t see Jason or any of his annoying, dumb friends.

“He could show up anywhere,” Nancy whispers to Chrissy.

Steve and Robin eye the kitchen where the booze and food are located. “Maybe we should split up. Find him faster.”

Robin nods her head.

Before Nancy could say anything, he and Robin sprint to the kitchen. She sighs at them. Jonathan stays with the girls. “I still don’t see him.”

“Chrissy!” Shouts a voice. The three turn around and see Jason coming to them with a red solo cup in one hand. He has a big smile on his face. “Thank God you are here!”

Chrissy doesn’t move a muscle other than smiling tightly, putting on a brave face. “Hi, Jason.” You can do this. For Eddie. For Eddie.

Jason stands not too far from the three. They can smell the strong alcohol on his breath. He is moving side to side. He must be a bit tipsy. “Chris, it’s good to see you. I’m so glad you made it.”

She nods her head. “Well, here I am.”

“And we brought Steve,” Nancy blurts out.

Jason turns his attention to Nancy in the blink of an eye. His eyes, wide open. “Really?”

“Yep. He’s in the kitchen getting some drinks.”

He smirks at her. “Excellent.” He turns back to Chrissy with a smile, “Do you wish to join me in the kitchen?” He holds a hand out to her.

It takes every bone in Chrissy’s body not to slap Jason’s smile off his face. But with a tight lip, she nods her head and takes the offering hand. Jason leads her to the kitchen. She looks back at Nancy and Jonathan, giving them a worried look, but Nancy smiles back at her, encouraging her to go on.

Chrissy sighs as she turns around and goes to the kitchen. In there, she sees some slightly drunk seniors and couples making out hardcore. But the minute she sees Steve and Robin chuckling and giving each other cheers, all the anxiety drains out of her. She breathes a sigh of relief as she and Jason join Steve and Robin.

Besides the drinks, the two jab their mouths with little snacks and giggle at each other, but when they spot Chrissy and Jason, they gather themselves.

The minute Jason meets with Steve, he looks and acts all starstruck. He nervously laughs and smiles at him. Without thinking, he lets go of Chrissy and nearly hovers over to Steve. “I-I just want to say again, thank you so much for coming to my party. It really means a lot that you’re here.”

Steve clears his throat, puts on a fake smile, and nods. “I appreciate that, but honestly, you should thank Nancy Wheeler. She wanted me to return home instead of sitting at my apartment after the semester.”

That’s not true. Steve came back because Robin Buckley, a senior, and Dustin, a freshman, had begged him to return for the summer. He kept getting phone calls from Dustin, bragging about how awesome Eddie Munson was to him and his friends in school. Don’t get him wrong, Steve was happy that someone was watching over Dustin, but he did have a slight concern that it was Eddie ‘the freak’ Munson taking him under his wings. During high school, he heard and learned about Eddie being a total loser who loved D&D, along with rumors about his father. He stayed clear of him. Occasionally, he would see Eddie getting punched and bullied by the jocks, but that was the extent of it. He mostly saw him ditching class or in the principal's office with a black eye. He never bullied Munson, but he did roll his eyes whenever he saw him being loud and obnoxious.

On the day everyone in school learned about Eddie and Chrissy, Dustin was the one who called Steve, telling him that Eddie was innocent and that he wouldn’t do anything to hurt a sweet girl like Chrissy. Dustin said that he had met with Chrissy a couple of times and that she was the nicest cheerleader, unlike the other girls who judged and laughed at him and his friends. Steve tried to think differently, but after hearing Dustin’s voice breaking, he knew that something was off. If Eddie Munson were to hurt anyone, he wouldn’t be that smart to do it. He wasn’t dumb, but he wasn’t smart when it came to talking to women. One time, when Steve was in a class with Eddie and they were assigned partners, he saw Eddie with a girl, but he barely made eye contact with her. Tammy Thompson was her name. She was popular and well-loved. When she was partnered with Eddie, he didn’t say or act much around her. Some people thought that Eddie had a crush on her, but honestly, from Eddie’s point of view, he was afraid that she would be mean to him and make his life a living hell, worse than it already was. Tammy didn’t like him and ended up asking for a new partner. She got someone else, and Eddie got Fred Benson, a nerdy kid, and earned a B+ on the project. Mostly because Fred did most of the work. So, when Dustin and Nancy called Steve to help them prove Eddie's innocence, he eventually agreed to help.

“Anyway, I will be here for a while,” Steve chuckles. He tries to remember the things Nancy rehearsed him to say. “I’ve heard you guys won the championship. Congrats.” He holds his hand out to him.

Jason immediately shakes his hand. “T-thank you, man. W-we’ve worked our asses off. It wasn’t easy, but we did it. I-I know you played that school last year and lost, so we did it for you.” That’s a Goddamn lie.

“Aw, thanks. Yeah, that school was a pain-in-the-ass. I don’t know how you did it, but you did it!”

 Actually, it was freshman Lucas Sinclair who made a successful 3-point throw within 3 seconds before the final buzzer.

“Thanks, man.” He goes to grab two red plastic cups and pours some alcohol into them. He gives one to Chrissy and chugs on the other. “So, how has college been?”

“Oh, not too bad. Tough classes, but nothing to expect. How were your finals?”

“Easy,” Jason scoffs. “Nothing was too complicated for me. Anyway, enjoy yourself tonight. Drink, eat. I’m going to go to the living room.” He turns to Chrissy, “Chris, do you want to come with me?”

She nods. “S-sure.” She sighs and walks with Jason while the music blasts at full volume. Many people are dancing and having a blast. As she’s walking through the crowd, she notices her hand is being squeezed tightly, nearly making her hand red. She looks down and sees her hand covered by Jason's. His grip was unnecessary. She remembers the years when he would take her hand and literally drag her everywhere, making her feel small and weak. It’s nothing like when Eddie gently grabs her hand and walks slowly with her. Even though Eddie is big, he takes small steps, matching her pace. The love and caring he showed her were unlike Jason's. She misses Eddie and holds onto the thought that one day she will be able to hold him and have him wrap his arms around her, keeping her safe and close.

“So, Chris,” Jason says, waking Chrissy up with his loud and obnoxious voice. “I’m glad you came.” He leans close to her. She can still smell the hard-core alcohol on him. She bets that Jason is drinking vodka. Maybe it won’t be too hard to get him to spill the beans, she thinks to herself. She thinks back to the Walkman hiding in her back jeans pocket. She leans back a bit from Jason, not liking the smell of strong alcohol. “I missed you. I mean it.” He doesn’t blink as he stares directly at Chrissy.

“Oh?” She asks, trying to act like she cares about his needs.

He lets go of her hand but only to place it over her shoulder, nearly dragging her down. “Yeah. Look, I know we’ve had a rough patch, and you decided to have some fun with that freak, but I’m glad you’re back here with people who really care about you.” Lies. “I know it was hard to see what that freak truly was, but I’m glad you finally came to your senses.”

She wants to lead him to a quiet place and get him to talk more about Eddie, tricking him into revealing what really happened. “Jas, why don’t we go somewhere quiet and talk about…us.”

“Oh,” he leans closer to her face. He moves his head to her ear, his lips almost touching it. “Or we can do something other than talking. I think we know what will happen by the end of the night.”

“And what’s that?”

“We’ll be back together and continue our future.” He sounds drunk from his words.

“Why don’t we just talk, Jason?” Chrissy pleads. She begins to panic, unsure of how to get him to a quiet place without him trying anything on her.

Jason rolls his eyes. “Honey, we don’t need to talk about how stupid you were. What’s done is done! That freak is where he needs to be.”

Just then, as if it were a prayer sent from her, Robin comes stumbling in and knocks her drink into Jason. “Aw, I’m s-so s-sorry about t-that.” She sounds drunk.

Jason growls, not too happy about the spill all over his white shirt. He looks up with his cold blue eyes and is about to say something until Steve comes in.

He holds onto Robin as she leans back, almost as if she’s losing her balance. “Dear God, I’m so sorry about that, bro.” He clicks his tongue. “Robin said she could handle her alcohol, but I guess she overdid it. Here, let me help you clean that up.” He turns to the girls, “Excuse us, ladies.” He gently gives drunk Robin to Chrissy as he helps lead Jason out of the room.

The minute the two are out of sight, Robin stands straight up. She was pretending to be drunk. “Hey, you okay? I saw that he was acting a bit too aggressively toward you.”

Chrissy smiles and breathes in a sigh of relief. “You have no idea how much you have just saved me. I tried to convince him to go somewhere quiet and talk, but he suggested something…else.” The girls shiver, disgusted by the thought.

Nancy comes out of nowhere, looking anxious. “Well? Did anything happen?”

Chrissy shakes her head. “Sorry, but I think it might be harder than I thought.”

“I think I've got another idea. Come on.” She grabs the girl's hands and leads them out of the room and down the hallway. They pass the bathroom and can clearly hear Jason and Steve talking.

Nancy turns to Chrissy, “Does Jason have a study room or even a library room?” She whispers.

“Down at the end of the hallway.”

Once they reach the last room, Nancy opens the door and turns on the light. She sees two couches, a coffee table in between, and a small world globe next to the giant window blocked by a dark green curtain. Nancy smiles when she sees the room. She turns to Chrissy and asks for the Walkman back.

Chrissy complies but looks confused. “What are you thinking of? Jason barely comes in here.”

Nancy takes the Walkman and goes to the couch on the left, where there’s a dark red pillow. “True, but maybe with the help of you and Steve, we can get him to spill the beans.” She removes the pillow, turns on the Walkman, places it on the couch, and hides it with the pillow. She goes back to the girls and whispers, “Once Jason appears relaxed, leave the room, but ensure Steve continues to talk to him. Maybe he can get Jason to tell him everything.”

“Not a bad plan,” Robin whispers back.

Nancy and Robin return to the living room, while Chrissy keeps an eye on the bathroom door from the library room.  

A few minutes later, Nancy comes back with two red plastic cups. She tells Chrissy it’s for Jason and her. She takes it and sees Nancy run off before the bathroom door opens.

The boys come out, and Jason still looks irritated, but not too much. Steve must’ve said some words to help calm him down. Chrissy smiles and gets the boy's attention. “I’d figured we could hang in here for a while. I think Nancy is taking Robin somewhere to cool down.”

Steve raises his eyebrows, probably shaken up by the change of plan, but Jason simply rolls his eyes and stomps over to Chrissy. Steve follows behind. “That’s the last time I invite everyone from school.” He mumbles to himself.

The three go into the library room and close the door. Chrissy leans to Steve when Jason isn’t looking and quickly whispers to him in the ear, “The Walkman is hidden under the pillow. I’m going to sit next to it.” Steve presses his lips together and makes a quick nod in understanding. They chat and joke around. As much as Chrissy hates it, she keeps an eye on Jason as he slowly begins to calm down and smiles. After five minutes, Chrissy announces that she needs to use the bathroom. This is what she hopes is the perfect timing for Steve to talk to Jason. Maybe he can easily open up to him now that he has some alcohol in him.

She closes the door behind her, but instead of going to the bathroom, she looks for Nancy and Robin, who are not too far away from the hallway. They hope and pray that Steve can work his magic.

*

Steve takes a deep breath and leans further into the soft couch. He casually takes a small sip of his drink. “So, anything else going on while I was gone?” He tries to play it cool, making sure that Jason doesn’t suspect anything.

He takes two big gulps of his drink. He shrugs it off, not looking at him directly. “Nothing different than any other day.”

“Hmm, nothing?”

Jason shakes his head. “Nope.” He takes another sip of alcohol.

Think of something, Steve. Think of something. He clears his throat. “Uh, ok. How are things between you and Chrissy?”

This time, Jason looks at Steve. He frowns a little. “Good. Why do you ask?”

Oh shit, “Oh, um, nothing. It’s just that…Nancy said you two were in a rough patch a couple of months ago. I figured it was because of finals or college.”

He scoffs again. “Well, I don’t like to talk about it, but um, something did happen, but that problem was resolved.” He sounds distant in his voice. He takes another sip of his drink.

“Ah, let me guess, she wanted to go to one college and you wanted to go to another college far away? I get that. Sometimes, approaching graduation can be a challenge to long-term relationships. Ya’ll didn’t want to do a long-distance relationship?”

Jason looks at the door, then back at Steve. “Look, uh, I shouldn’t say this, but can you keep a secret, man? You know, one jock to another?”

Steve nods his head. This could be it.

Jason places his drink on the coffee table and leans toward the edge of the couch. He gives Steve a smirk on his face. “Do you remember Eddie ‘the freak’ Munson?”

“Of course. He was always about his hellfire club and jumping onto tables.”

“Yeah. Well, during spring break, that guy decided to be ballsy and went after my girl. The nerve on that guy, right? What’s worse, Chrissy fell for his demotic charm and broke up with me.”

“Aw, man. That sucks. What did her parents think about that?”

“Mr. Cunningham didn’t know about it, but Mrs. Cunningham was vivid. She was upset with her daughter. Did everything she could to get Chrissy to open her eyes and dump his ass.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Jason grabs his drink and nearly finishes it in one gulp. Steve offered him his, saying he’s not thirsty anymore, and by a miracle, Jason takes it. Was it because he’s talking and thinking back to the event? Either way, Steve is relieved it seems to be helping. “Brought her priest to have a word with her, had some of her cop friends follow her around town, even asked me to see how she was doing. She wanted to see if Chrissy was in a trance with that freak or was in any sort of danger.”

“Was she? In a trance or something?”

“Mrs. Cunningham believed so. She wanted, like me, for Chrissy to have a better life than what that freak could give her. Our biggest fear was that Chrissy would run away with him and be damaged. Whether it was by drugs or abandonment, we didn’t want to let Chrissy go through that. So, we came up with a plan.”

“A plan?”

He nods his head. Before he says anything, he gets up and opens the door. He looks over in the direction of the bathroom door and then closes it. “Damn, girls take forever in the bathroom. Anyway, Mrs. Cunningham gave me directions on what to do to get the freak taken care of. Firstly, she wanted me to go to the Hideout, a notorious bar, to see if there was anyone who could help us. That’s when I met Jessica Wilson. She told me she didn’t like seeing the freak with Chrissy and said she would love to help. So, one night, we gathered together at a building and discussed what we should do. Mrs. Cunningham suggested we frame the freak for stealing her and Chrissy’s jewelry.”

Steve gasps at him. Damn, Carver sure does spill easily. He lets him continue.

“So, a few weeks back, maybe a week after Spring Break, Mrs. Cunningham stopped by my house before school and handed me some of her jewelry, and ordered me to sneak into the Munsons’ trashy trailer and place them in Freak's bedroom. She wanted me to do that a couple of times. One time, while he was at the Hideout. Jessica called me from the bar and I rushed over there as fast as I could. Mrs. Cunningham later handed me some of Chrissy’s. Everything was going great, until she handed me.” Jason stops and places the cup down. He makes gestures with his hands, symbolizing a gun. It’s like he was still aware of Chrissy coming in at any minute. Pretty soon, if Chrissy doesn’t come back, Jason might start to get suspicious and want to go check on her.

“You mean—”

“I was initially scared to hold that thing because it's so heavy. She said this was Phillips' family weapon and that it would be the mother load into putting the Freak behind bars for good. I didn’t want to do it, but Laura said this would bring Chrissy back to me. So, I did it. I went in one morning during first period and snuck the thing in there. However, just as I was about to leave, a demotic cat came in through the gaping window, growled at me, and then attacked. He got my right arm and just went crazy. I fought it off and managed to free my arm. I might’ve wrecked the Freaks’ room a bit, but come on, it looked like shit before I got there.” He lets out a loud laugh.

Steve laughs nervously with him.

“But anyway, Laura called the police about her missing jewelry, and we watched them lead the stolen stuff to the Freak. Jessica was questioned by police about the Freak, and she lied about planning with him to hurt Chrissy and steal.”

“Damn, man. That sounds crazy. Cheers to you and that wicked plan.”

“Yeah, just don’t say this to anyone.” He checks his wristwatch and sighs at the door. He begins to look more impatient. He gets up and marches to the door. Fearing being caught, he rushes over and tries to convince Jason that Chrissy is okay and probably redoing her makeup.

Jason ignores him and opens the door when, suddenly, Chrissy comes in, surprised to see the two boys up. “Oh, I’m sorry,” she giggles at Jason. She blinks her eyelashes a couple of times and puts on her innocent tone, “I didn’t mean to take forever. Were you worried about me?”

He scoffs, “Of course I was.” While he was talking to her, Steve takes the opportunity to grab the Walkman, stop it, turn it off, and place it in his back pocket.

Chrissy insists they go back to the party, to which Jason replies that he can get another drink. Steve whispers to her that he’s got the Walkman and they need to head out soon. Chrissy nods, and within five minutes, she tells Jason that she’s not feeling well and that Nancy insists on driving her back home. Jason didn’t want to at first and insisted on staying the night, but Nancy said she would watch over her. Jason finally agrees with a disappointing sigh.

Chrissy, Nancy, Robin, Jonathan, and Steve leave the party and rush back to the Wheeler house. Steve tells the girls Jason said everything, and asks if they want to hear it. Chrissy shakes her head and doesn’t say anything. Robin begs her to listen to it, but Nancy stops her, saying it’s Chrissy’s choice. Robin gives in and changes the subject. Chrissy mouths ‘thank you’ to Nancy, who responds with a nod.

Steve stops at the Wheeler house and hands the Walkman to Nancy.

“Thank you so much for helping us,” Nancy smiles at him.

“Yes, thank you so much, all of you, for everything,” Chrissy says, leaning over. “You have no idea how much this means to me.”

Steve nods his head, but not before he looks away due to embarrassment. Robin climbs to the passenger seat. “Ah, no problem. It was pretty fun going to a high school party when the entire class was invited.”

“I think you girls will get everything on that tape. Hope it helps.”

“I’m sure we will. Bye.”

Steve drives off as Nancy and Chrissy walk into the house.

*11: 23 P.M.

The girls change clothes and get settled in Nancy’s room. Chrissy is on a firm air mattress, Mr. Wheeler blew it up, and stares at the Walkman. She has her hair down and is wearing all pink. Nancy comes out of the bathroom after brushing her teeth and notices Chrissy.

“Hey, are you okay?”

Chrissy jumps when she hears Nancy’s voice. She’s so glued to the Walkman that everything else doesn’t matter. She clutches the Walkman tightly against her chest as she looks back at Nancy with her big blue eyes. “Huh? What?”

Nancy stops in place. She darts her eyes back at Chrissy and the Walkman. “What are you doing with the thing?”

“O-oh, sorry.” She shakes her head as she loosens her grip on the Walkman. “I…I was just…”

Nancy lightly chuckles and walks over to the bed, side by side with Chrissy, and lies on her stomach, facing her. She smiles at her, “Hey, hey. It’s okay. I listened to it while you were with my little sister, who was drawing and coloring in the kitchen. I wrote it all down and it’s safe in my purse, ready to take with us to the police station. This will prove Eddie is innocent. You don’t have to listen to it if you don’t want to, but if everything goes well tomorrow, pretty soon everyone will know the truth.”

“I know that, but,” she sighs as she looks down. “I don’t know. I…I just…I guess I feel that everything that’s on this tape will open everything up. Our relationship, their horrible plot, whose side are they going to pick? I guess I’m just terrified. Of everything. When I met Eddie, I didn’t expect any of this. I didn’t think…I didn’t think our love would drive people crazy and tear us apart.” She begins to tear up when she looks up at her. “I feel like all of this is my fault.”

Nancy rushes over to her and gives her a big hug as she crumbles on her shoulder. Nancy stays with Chrissy as she sobs and cries out, ‘Why?’ over and over again for almost an hour. Chrissy finally settles in bed as Nancy carefully lets go of her, puts the Walkman in her bag, turns off the light, and goes to her bed, but on the edge close to Chrissy.

*1:38 A.M.

Chrissy wakes up from a nightmare where she is in a dark and scary mansion and can’t find Eddie despite hearing him calling her name. She looks around, remembering she’s in Nancy Wheeler's room for the night. She tries to go back to sleep, but nothing seems to work within 2 and a half hours. By that time, only one thing kept her awake: the Walkman. She sees the bag Nancy said was hanging on the doorknob. Literally staring at her.

Eddie.

After fifteen minutes of debating and seeing if Nancy is truly asleep, she goes to the bag, digs up the Walkman with the tape still inside, and creeps over to the bathroom. She locks it and walks over to the tub. She sits on the side. Her hands are shaky from staring at the Walkman. She nearly drops it due to her sweaty hands.

Come on, Chrissy. You can do this. She takes a deep breath and hits play. She listens to the entire tape.

In the end, she doesn’t say anything as she quietly makes her way back to the bed. She clutches on tight to her sheets. She still doesn’t go back to sleep.

By the time the alarm clock rings, Nancy wakes up and turns off the alarm. “Morning, Chrissy. How did you sleep?” She barely finishes the sentence before she is shaken by Chrissy, who is dressed and ready to go. “C-chrissy?”

She’s standing by the edge of Nancy’s bed. “Before we go to the police station, can we stop by my father’s work plant?”

Nancy slowly nods her head. “Y-yes. We can do that. May I ask why?”

“I want my father to hear this before we send it to Chief Hopper. I want him to hear how horrid my mother has been. He needs to know first, no lawyers, no hiding or ignoring this.”

*Twenty minutes later*

Nancy is driving to the plant. She parks on the side where workers and staffers park. She unlocks the passenger door. She looks up and glares at some middle-aged men staring at them, trying to get a better view of the girls. “Chrissy, are you sure you don’t want me to come with you? I won’t say anything, I just want to be sure you are going to be okay.”

Chrissy shakes her head. “No, thank you. I appreciate it, but I don’t think I will be here that long.” Nancy hands Chrissy the Walkman. “Okay, wish me luck.” She opens the door and exits.

“Good luck,” Nancy whispers back as she watches Chrissy march inside the building.

*Philip’s office.

He’s staring at the lawyer's papers, which his wife gave him in a blue folder before he left for work. He didn’t open it until now. He sighs, not wanting to believe this. He didn’t know his only daughter was dating the Munsons’ kid, and he was stealing from them. He broke his daughter's heart. He didn’t know, and he’s too stunned to say anything to her that would make her cry. What can he do? He suggested to his wife that he should go up and talk to her, but Laura tells him to leave her be, and he won’t do any good. He was told that anything he would say or do would be meaningless to his teenage daughter. So, he backs off. But now, he’s unsure if he can do this one. Now that their business is out in the open for everyone in Hawkins, they're facing scrutiny. He rubs his temples with his hands as he lifts the morning newspaper, which features a high school picture of his daughter and a mugshot of Eddie Munson looking miserable. The big letters read, ‘High School Sweetheart Scandal?’

He grunts and crumbles the newspaper. He hears a knock on his front door. He looks up, “Yes?”

A tiny desk lady opens the door slightly and whispers, “I’m sorry to interrupt, but your daughter is here to see you.”

Philip frowns at the lady in confusion. “M-my daughter?”

She nods her head. “She’s adamant about seeing you. Said she doesn’t have enough time.”

“No, no. Go ahead and send her in.” He grabs the papers and moves them to his drawer. He clears his throat as he tries to remain calm. He’s curious why Chrissy is here at this time, but also wondering if he should take the chance and ask how she’s doing.

Chrissy comes in. She looks extremely nervous and is holding on tight to the Walkman, just like last night. “Hi,” she whispers.

Philip blinks a couple of times, still not believing that his daughter is here with him. “H-hi, sweetheart. H-how, uh, why…Um, is everything okay? Does your mother and the Wheelers know that you are here?”

She nods her head. “Nancy drove me. She’s actually waiting in the car for me.”

“W-why?”

“Because,” she takes a deep breath, “She and I are going to prove to Chief Hopper that Eddie is innocent.”

He gasps at her remark. He stutters, trying to find the words to say.

Chrissy runs up to the chair across from his desk, “Daddy, I know what you are going to say, but I’m here to talk to you about this.”

“Um, isn’t it something you should have a conversation with your mother about?”

“No!” she nearly screams. “I’m sorry, but no. I don’t want to have this talk with my mother, because she’s part of the reason why he’s in jail.”

Philip shakes his head. “W-what are you talking about? What’s going on?”

Chrissy says nothing as she brings up the Walkman and slams it onto the desk. She presses play and keeps an eye on her father. Philip listens to it, unsure of what to say next.

After the talk was done, Chrissy turns off the Walkman. She looks back at her father, holding her breath. After years of Philip not being able to speak his mind in front of Chrissy, this was the most intense moment of silence for both of them in that room. A distant horn from outside awakens them both.

“H-how did you—”

“My friends said they saw Mother with Jason and an older woman in town. You know how Mother reacted when I ended things with Jason. Daddy, please. Eddie was with me most of the time, and it wasn’t anywhere near your bedroom. You’ve only shown the pistol to family, and that one time last Thanksgiving. It was Jason. You showed him the weapon, and he said it was good-looking.”

“Yes, I guess you’re right, dear, but…how are you sure this isn’t something that Jason is making up?”

“Daddy, Jason did this. He and Mother did this because they didn’t want me to be happy.”

Philip frowns at her, “What do you mean? Y-you’re telling me you weren’t happy before?”

Chrissy really wants to scream at him about the abuse he ignores at home, but right now, it looks like she’s finally getting him to open his eyes. She lets out a frustrating sigh, “I-I wasn’t happy with my life. I was no longer happy being a cheerleader. I hated it when I was with Jason. I’ve always hated it. I was miserable. Ever since Grandma died, I’ve always felt alone. I couldn’t talk to anyone. I tried talking with Jason, but he kept blowing it off. I felt like a Barbie doll and was nothing special to anyone until I met Eddie. With him, I could be myself and not have to worry about my body shape. He’s patient and willing to act all goofy just to make me smile. He may look intimidating, but he has a genuine heart and really listens. He’s a sweetheart. Daddy, I think if you get to know him, you will love him.”

Philip studies Chrissy’s face. “You really care for this young man?”

“I do, because I’m in love with him. Daddy, I can’t eat, sleep, or be happy without him. It hurts to breathe without him. He’s the love of my life. I’ve never been this happy with someone else, not since Grandma. He’s my rock. He’s the reason why I get up and smile. Before him, it was all dark, and I did put on a smile, but it was all fake. It was a mask underneath the hellish life I’m living in. I’ve woken up crying before, but when I started seeing Eddie, my cries changed to a smile. That was, until Mother and Jason worked together and took him away from me. You have to believe me. These past couple of days have been hell without him. Please, Daddy, come with us. Come with me and Nancy as we find justice for Eddie. Please, for me.”