The first week of school was, well.. the first week of school. I didn't really meet anyone exciting, though I did get to remeet Mike and Will.

To think of them as actual teenagers and not babies is something my brain just cannot comprehend. They must have been five when I last saw them, around that age at least. Now they were full fledged teenagers and creepy up to my age?

Yeah, can't deal with that. It's weird. I understand when older generations say kids grow up to fast now. Even Dustin has grown up quick, to think next year him and his friends will be seniors then soon graduating.. it's insane.

After seeing Eddie with that girl at the store, I kinda spent the rest of the week avoiding him. I'm not gonna lie, it stung.. again not exactly sure why as there are literally no strings attached and I've tried to push it out of my mind.. it just isn't working.

Today, Friday.. seemed like the perfect day to get back in action with our little bet or challenge, if you will. I've kind of figured out our schedules, we are in two classes together which gives me ample time to plot and avoid him,

It also gives me two periods where I can mess with him, really get him going. I have three free periods a week so that's kind of lost time right now. Soon to be determined, maybe.

One of the classes is physical education, which is perfect if you ask me and that's our next class, so let's hope everything goes to plan.

I change into my white and navy blue striped T-shirt and matching navy blue shorts, what the school considered uniform and dress code. Bleh.

Of course I had to add my own little spin on it so it had Bon Jovi, Journey, Boston, Kiss and those type of bands patches on the backs. What could they really do, right? It was still the uniform.

Oh and did I forget to mention the schools logo was on the shorts? As if they couldn't get more lame.

"Hey," I bump my arm into Steve intentionally, slicking my hair back with a hair tie in my mouth, taking it out of my mouth and wrapping my hair in it "I see you've altered all looks," Steve chuckles, pointing back to the back of my shirt

"It's better than boring," I say as I look at the teens in the gym, it kind of being a free for all area until the teacher came in. All of them wearing the same uniform except for.. Eddie.

I spot him in the corner of the room, sitting down on one of the many benches. He did have the navy blue shirt on like all the guys were to wear but still had his Jean jacket draped over it. Instead of wearing the cotton short shorts that the guys were intended to wear, he was rocking jeans cut off at the knees.

Well surely if he wasn't getting in trouble for not following school dress code than I wasn't either. I hope, I was one grilling away by my dad to be shipped off to planet flaflooga.

"I'll be right back, got to fix my shoe." I use a lame excuse, hoping it was somewhat believable as Steve gives a small nod and equally small smile.

I walk over to where Eddie is seated on the benches, sitting down beside him as I stretch my legs out.. moving my feet up and down absentmindedly.

I watch as his eyes watch my legs move, lingering. Making a sudden B-Line to my eyes as he must have noticed he was staring a little too long. Giving himself and his desires away.

"Harrington. Huh?" Eddie directed his gaze at Steve, giving a little head bob as he spoke Steve's last name "So a Stella huh?" I question back with the same attitude.

An instant grin curled up on Eddie's face, his laugh hard and abrupt. Not expecting my response. His dark reddish brown hair (which I could see was not actually jet black in the gyms lighting) bounced back and forth as he swayed his head side to side,

His hands clasped together under his chin as his elbows rested on his knees "Guess I deserve that one." He chuckles, "Was she that obvious?" Eddie turns his head to look at me as I begin fiddling with my shoe

"Please she has Kool and the Gang written all over her," I bite down on my lip "actually it was the village people," Eddie stifles a laugh, now leaning back himself. I gasp in horror "Oh that's so much worse and here I thought you had SOME taste,"

I shake my head, pretending to be disappointed. "We didn't do anything," Eddie quickly spits it out as my eyes widen momentarily. Why was he telling me? He didn't owe me that.

"Yeah well I've totally banged Steve like ten times now.." I fake gloat, tone dripping in sarcasm and a teasing grin plastered on my face. Eddie nudges my side gently, joining in on the laughter.

The gym teacher enters the room and blows his whistle for everyone's attention "I better go," I whisper to Eddie, standing up and straightening out my shorts. "Might want to pull your hair in front," Eddie says as he stands up, adjusting my cinnamon brown hair so it drapes over my shoulders,

I look down in confusion, body stiffening as Eddie places his hands on my hips and leans down into my ear "You got some marks showing," he whispers, god damn him and his bite marks. They still weren't even close to being gone.

"Oh yeah, I'd love for you to take your shirt off. Let everyone see the damage done there.." I bite my tongue, trying to get in a quick remark to hide how much he was getting to me.

"Did you just admit you want to see me with out my shirt?" One of his dark brow arches as I shake my head "Oh come on," I groan at how ridiculous he is. "Already have," I whisper to him again, flashing him a smile before rejoining the group of teens.

I shut my locker to see Dustin walking up to me "Hey, do you got anything going on tonight? I need a ride home but it'll be at like.." Dustin looks down at his black watch "Four thirty maybe," he guesses.

"Yeah I don't mind, did you get in trouble or something?" I ask confused, not being able to imagine Dustin ever getting in trouble, he was but a pure and gentle soul. "Oh no, I got this D campaign thing going on.. starts right after school."

He rocks back and forth on his heels "And what would that be?" I am even more confused now, was this Hawkins code for drugs or something?

"It's a game, a fantasy game.. sort of. It's hard to explain," Dustin's expression looks like he's in pain, quickly changing back to his child like smile "You can come watch if you want." He offers excitedly.

It didn't sound like my thing in the slightest but I really didn't have anything else going on and if I was giving him a ride home anyways, it made sense to stick around until he was done with his.. D .

I nod in agreement, "Okay, yeah. I'll come check it out." Dustin readjusts his baseball cap in excitement "Theatre at 3:30," he points to me sternly like we are on a time crunch before he's off on his merry way.

So everything didn't go according to plan but it didn't go totally off course either. It was half a win.

I stood outside of the school in the designated smoking zone, lighting a cigarette as I leaned back against the tree. Watching most classmates leave as the bell went off for schools end, the weekend now commencing.

I would be excited about the weekend but I still didn't really have any friends outside of Dustin who is my family but also friend and Steve. I didn't want to be hanging on to their sides twenty four seven, but really had no where to go and nothing to do.

"Penny for your thoughts?" I hear Eddie's voice creep up from behind me, his hand near my face with a penny in between his fingers. "Nah," I wave it off, looking back at him as he's now in a baseball type shirt, having black sleeves and the rest of it being white. The words hellfire club across it.

My interest was piqued but I was not biting, "You need it more than me," I tease, flicking the end of my cigarette as the ashes fell to the ground. "I forgot, you're making good money from your night job," he poked back

"And yet you didn't pay me," I fake a gasp, going along with his joke. "I just tried to," he counters with a grin, a gasp of disbelief this time escaping my lips "I'm worth more than a penny," I swat at him.

"Okay maybe a solid hundred.." Eddie flicks his zippo open and shut repeatedly before lighting his own smoke "Aren't you just the funniest?" I narrow my eyes with a stupid little smirk on my face.

"So are you stalking the school or something?" I look over at Eddie in question, wondering why he was still here. "No, I got.. something going on." He pauses, not letting himself say what he was actually up to

"Oh I know, you're waiting on a girl belting out the Bees Gees," I can't hide my laughter as he lets out a huge cloud of smoke, mildly choking from laughter and inhalation. "Sorry," I pat his back lightly, still laughing myself.

"You're not going to let me live that down are you?" His brow raises in question as I shake my head left and right "What about you? Waiting for Harrington?" Eddie's smile contorts into a look of displeasure "He's not my keeper," I state

"I got something going on too," I merely say, letting his imagination run wild. "Soo mysterious," Eddie says sarcastically, putting his hands up and making an 'ooo' like a ghost.

"Mysterious enough to keep you guessing," I say, proving my point. Watching as he flicks his cigarette across the parking lot "You're still going to cave first," he grins, heading back towards the school.

I refuse to cave first. Do I want to? Hell yes. Am I going to? I hope not.

The problem I was having now.. was that I was seeing Eddie as an actual person and not just some random metalhead I hooked up with that I didn't give two thoughts about after.

No, now he has personality and so far.. it's a pretty great personality. He has this weird charm and allure around him, as much as I try to fight it I just keep getting drawn in more and more.

He was actually becoming.. likeable.

I grimace at that thought.

I walk around the school halls aimlessly, mainly trying to feel it out when it's empty. Actually look around instead of letting everything blur by. Hawkins was strange, it was typical but strange.

I could hear the sound of excited voices coming from the auditorium, having to figure out my way around the school to get into the stage entrance, instead of the gyms entrance.

I open the door slowly, peering inside and not seeing anybody. It was very incredibly dark but I could still hear voices in the distance.

I round the many props blocking my way to see a table set up in the middle of the stage, six people seated. Dustin, Mike.. three other guys I hadn't seen before and

Oh my god

Is that Eddie?

I blink repeatedly, dumbfounded. As if I'd clear my vision and find out I was hallucinating seeing Eddie sit at the head of the table in a throne like chair.

What a dork.

I take a seat in the corner, out of sight and as quiet as a mouse. No one had seen me enter or knew I was among them and I was intending to keep it that way.

Whatever this game was, they all seemed super into it and I can't lie, it was fascinating. Of course I had no idea what was going on but it was.. fun to watch them play, in a weird sense.

I still couldn't believe Eddie was into it, Dustin and Mike made sense but Eddie.. I wouldn't have pegged it as his thing. He was truly full of surprises, especially as he seemed to be the leader of the group.. whatever that meant in this scenario.

I wait until the six boys start packing up, waltzing out of the shadows as I give a low round of applause "Wow," I state in a breath, all eyes darting towards me. Eddie looking like he saw a ghost.

"That was good, cousin. I think." I knit my brows as I give Dustin a small squeeze on the shoulders. Not exactly sure who won or lost, if that's how it works.

"Wait you two are cousins?" Eddie points from Dustin to I as we nod in sync, "You're a Henderson?" Eddie's eyes widen in disbelief "Clark, actually." I correct, "Henderson is my dads last name, my moms married last name." Dustin clears up.

"Weird," Eddie mutters, stuffing the rest of his things into a black bag with a multitude of pins and patches on it, much like his jean jacket.

The rest of the group or club- whatever - leaving, I let Dustin know I'll meet him at the car.

Slowly I approach him, inches from his body as I look up into his amber brown eyes, "let's not," Eddie merely says. Not wanting to get into the topic of being the leader of a fantasy game.

"Not what I was going to say," I tap my finger against his chest, his eyes peering so deeply into my emerald green eyes that I thought I was going to combust.

Eddies head cocking to the side as his long hair followed with, tongue trailing over his lower lip painfully slow. "What then?" He asks in reference to what I was going to say,

Having to nonchalantly clear my throat so I could confidently get any words out "you're such a.." I lean into him, his hand swiftly grabbing my wrist and pushing me backwards into the stages back wall "Such a…" Eddie repeats, holding my wrist above my head.. waiting for me to finish my sentence.

I can't help but break from his intense gaze, starting to lose my cool and feeling this challenge is worth losing in this moment alone.

"Dork," I breathe out, emphasis on the word as it rolled off my tongue. I can feel his warmth against me, his body pressing into mine.

Eddies lips glide against mine teasingly, the tension only growing stronger between us. An untameable grin curling up on his face "Yet you want me," he taunts.

Eddie let's go of my wrist as my arm drops to my side, my legs so weak I can't bring myself to move. Oh, he's good.

"Want you? noo.." I scoff weakly, my voice barely audible. Eddie laughs to himself in amusement, backing up as he grabs his bag "Right," he raises his brows quickly "I give you a week," he shakes his head to himself,

"I give you half that," I'm now more confident as there's more space between us, standing up straight myself. "We'll see," he rifles through his bag for something, pulling out a flyer and handing it to me.

"If you want to have fun - not that kind," Eddie quickly puts a finger up to stop me from my dirty thoughts. Looking at the flyer for some band playing at a place called The Hideout, "Unless I'm too much of a dork for you, that is." Eddie smirks to himself, satisfied by how this exchange went.

"Oh yeah, I'll bring my boyfriend." I tease, folding the flyer up and putting it in my pocket "And I didn't even have to beg you to come," He winks at me before walking to the door.

I wait for him to exit, using the table to hold me up as my legs still felt like jello. I was in way over my head and I was drowning, fast.

Ugh. I sorta like Eddie Munson.

Writers note: the word Stella was used predominately in the 70s/80s to make fun of a girl into disco/disco dancers. Just in case anyone was confused.