Wisteria

by LChan3706

"Sure you are, Cunningham." He said with that knowing look. They told her to stay away from Eddie Munson. That he was nothing but trouble and would ruin everything. Unfortunately for them, that's exactly what she needed. Especially when strange occurrences start happening around their small town.

16. Roll

Warning: mentions of ED.

---

'Knew it… People are too predictable.'

Dark eyes gloss over the scribbles in marker across the metal surface. From the looks of it, specifically permanent marker. The letters are small and sloppy. Almost as if the perp either wasn't very confident pulling off the act or others were around and they were trying to be sneaky.

Eddie exhales sharply, shaking his head. Of all the bullying tactics he's seen over the years, writing on someone's locker has to be one of the lamest. There are two types of worms that pull this off. Those who don't have the balls to say crap to the target's face and mean-spirited jerks that get off on making a person's life miserable.

This isn't anything new. Everyone in the Hellfire Club's had their fair share of experiences with it. He's been left 'messages' countless times in the past. No one really bothers with that anymore since it only gets a laugh from him and a quick cleanup job. Takes the fun out of bullying when the supposed victim gets a kick out of it.

But this? Not cool.

Turning away, he strides down the hall with one place in mind. The janitor's closet. And there's a bobby pin in his pocket for stuff like this. Chrissy was more than willing to let him take some the other day. They're useful. It doesn't take long to unlock the door to nab a can of WD-40 and a rag. This isn't his first rodeo, but hopefully the last.

'Assholes…'

They walked into school today holding hands. That was barely fifteen minutes ago and the place has been noisy as hell. Still, it's unlikely the normies did this. The timing doesn't make much sense. No, he'd bet money it was one of the jocks that were hanging around in the lobby on Wednesday. Those dopes have more reason to be upset about the recent developments and had plenty of opportunities to get it done between yesterday and this morning.

"Tch." How annoying. Seeing the words again hits a nerve. It's fine if they do it to him. No biggie. It's when it happens to his little sheep or someone he cares about that it's a problem.

Cheater.

Skank.

Freak fucker.

At least it's small, so people passing by wouldn't notice right away. Not like how it's normally done. Usually, it's large words scrawled all over in spray paint or permanent marker. This isn't bad and should only take a couple of minutes to clean up. Long before the owner can catch a glimpse of it.

Shaking the can, Eddie tuts and starts spraying the insults. WD-40 works for so much shit. The janitor has a stockpile of it he helps himself to from time to time. Might as well. It won't be too surprising to find more sweet nothings on the club members' lockers too. Or this one again later on.

"What did you do?"

He knows that voice. It's yelled at him before for doing stupid things. Like tricking her so he can run away and almost knocking Chrissy over. Dragging his gaze over to the figures standing there, he internally sighs. Great. Just from that accusatory tone, it's obvious she has the wrong impression.

The red-haired chihuahua and the one who insisted her stick figure have tits. Natalie and Charlotte, or whatever. Chrissy's cheerleader friends.

'Don't be an ass. Don't be an ass. They're chicks and her buddies.'

"Ah!" The redhead's eyes fly open after landing on the nasty words left for their captain. It's visible once again now that the foam is running down the front. "You jerk! Did you do that?"

The Hellfire leader gawks at her for a moment, almost mystified at how she came to that conclusion. Does it make any sense? Nope. That came entirely from bias. "Yep. You got me. Felt so bad about vandalizing her locker that I came back to the scene of the crime just to clean it up."

Natalie's mouth opens and closes a few times until a tinge of pink dusts across her freckled cheeks. She must've realized how bonkers the allegation sounds after thinking about it for more than two seconds. The brunette beside her stays quiet, just staring while keeping her arms crossed.

'This is friggin' awkward.'

Well, whatever. He brushes it off and twirls the rag, getting back to the task at hand. If they want to stand there and watch, then be his guest. Honestly, it's pretty insulting she automatically pointed a finger at him right from the jump. Throughout his lengthy time at school, he's never pulled crap like this or singled out girls to go after.

Sure, there are wild rumors about him and his band that have floated around for a while, but c'mon. Sacrificing virgins to Satan for fame is totally different from this shit. Even he has his limits.

Eddie quietly chuckles to himself, ignoring the looks of the cheerleaders nearby. The two are staying at a safe distance. That's fine with him. It seems like they're just observing anyway… or standing guard. He's not entirely sure. But it's good that she has friends trying to look out for her.

"Why are you doing that?" The silent one finally speaks. Glancing over, she's got a hand on her hip and the other playing with the charm on her necklace. Gazing at him with a strange intensity, as if trying to take a peek into his soul. It's a little off-putting. Same as when the chihuahua was sizing him up on the way to the nurse's office.

"Why? 'Cause Chrissy shouldn't have to see this garbage." He says firmly, scrubbing the ink off the locker. This is partly on him. It was his idea for them to walk through the school holding hands after cheer practice in clear view of a bunch of jocks.

'This will just hurt her feelings.'

"Are you two going out now or what?" This Charlotte girl doesn't mince words, huh? Straight to the point. That's something he can appreciate.

"If you want to know anything, you're gonna have to ask her. My lips are sealed." Who knows what she might've told them so far? Maybe nothing at all. Either way, he's not playing the 'he said, she said' game. That's just asking for trouble and not the fun kind.

"Hmm." Both of their eyes are burning a hole through him. He can feel it. "Doing this is… awfully nice of you." The skepticism is apparent. It's understandable for them to be wary of a guy like him, so he's not gonna get bent out of shape over it. That's the smart thing to do.

Wiping off the last smudges, the job is now finished. The perp better stay anonymous and never do it again. If he figures out who it is, they might just find their tires slashed in the parking lot. One underhanded move for another. Unfortunately for them, he's not above being petty.

Standing up and straightening his back, Eddie turns to the two cheerleaders. Yep. They're on guard and seem uncomfortable. So is he. Getting closer to their captain means everyone will bump into each other along the way. Dealing with ladies isn't his specialty. Neither is putting them at ease, but he's gotta make it so they at least don't hate him.

"I'm not a complete jerk, you know." Dark eyes shift from one face to the next and back, trying to get a read on them. They don't have to trust him. It's too early for any of that. Hell, it might never happen. Whatever. As long as they don't try to tear her away or ruin what's going on, then it's all cool.

'I don't want to put a wedge between her and her friends. She needs 'em.'

"Pssht! Sure you aren't. All you do is insult everyone at lunch and we're supposed to believe you're not a jerk? Give me a break. And don't think I forgot the other stuff you did." Natalie huffs, scowling at him.

"Hey, now… I've never included cheerleaders in my rants. Not once. So, no. It's not everyone. Only the groups who deserve it." It's the little things that say so much about a person. From what he can tell so far, the angry one mostly has her mind made up, while the other seems more on the fence. "Look, I know I'm a big ol' pain in the ass. You don't gotta like me. 'Kay? All I'm tryin' to do is get to know your friend better."

The redhead purses her lips at that, appearing to be mulling his words over. It's not bullshit. The cheer squad is probably the only team or club he hasn't publicly slammed. Chrissy being part of it plays a huge factor, but he's got no beef with them.

"Well, that certainly helps your case." Charlotte lets go of the charm and to his surprise, comes closer to him. He cranes his neck back when the brunette stops just inches away, lowering her voice. "She just got out of a relationship and has a lot going on, so you better not do anything terrible to her. If you do, I'll cut it off and make sure there's no way the doctors can ever reattach it. Got that? Chris is a little too nice sometimes and lets a lot of things slide. I don't. She doesn't need another ass messing with her."

Eddie stares down at the woman blankly, letting the threat sink in. And people think he's the scary one… Cheerleaders have him beaten by a landslide. The urge to crack a joke is so tempting, but doing it in front of a chick who's close enough to knee the boys up into his stomach isn't such a good idea. "Gotcha… If I ever do something that bad, then I probably deserve it."

She takes a step back and eyes the Hellfire leader suspiciously, curling her upper lip. "Good. Then I guess we have an understanding." The cheerleader whips around, almost smacking him in the face with her long, dark hair. She walks off down the hall with Natalie right on her heels. The latter throws a strange look his way before rushing to keep up with her friend.

'What the hell?'

That sure was… something. Their captain is definitely the nice one in the group. Still, that could've gone much worse. It doesn't seem like they totally despise him and that's a lot more than he expected. At the end of the day, they're still the popular kids and aside from his connection to Chrissy, none of them have a reason to talk to the 'freak'.

'These chicks are ferocious. Might actually try to kill me if I screw up.'

---

The school is buzzing up a storm. Like a bunch of worker bees going crazy after their hive gets shaken up just for shits and giggles. None of them were expecting it. Couldn't even fathom such horror occurring right under their noses. Now that it's out in the open, there's no going back to the way things were.

'Suck it the hell up, chumps.'

It's only fourth period. Halfway through the school day. The entire time, eyes have been following him everywhere. Giving all kinds of looks, from confusion, doubt, surprise, outrage, and to his distaste, even admiration from certain dweebs. The rumors have gone off the deep end. It should've been simple. Chrissy broke up with Carver, then she showed up with him. That's what happened. Nope. Some truly wild shit is swirling through the halls of Hawkins High.

The most prevalent one: Carver dumped Cunningham for a teammate, so Munson used that opportunity to take advantage of the poor girl.

Reality is taking the backseat, apparently. A huge chunk of the retellings involves Golden Boy kicking her to the curb for a 'new option'. The guy didn't even show up today. Someone is spinning things in his favor and dumbasses are buying it. Probably the basketball team.

In this entire mess, Chrissy's being painted in various ways depending on who's asked. A good girl gone bad, secret femme fatale, or as an innocent girl who tragically got left behind by the love of her life and is having a rough time picking up the pieces—hence making the blatant mistake of getting with his weird ass. That last one's the most common.

Even he's getting a better deal out of it than anticipated. No one brought out the pitchforks and torches yet. Quite a few are impressed someone like him was able to nab the head cheerleader, despite being a total dirtbag and deadbeat. After all, she's pretty, popular, and comes from a wealthy family. Plenty of dudes would want to hop into Carver's empty seat if given the chance. Obviously, he must've barged in at her lowest point and worked some cult magic to seduce the sweet 'Queen of Hawkins High'.

There's still an overwhelming state of shock that's taken hold over the student body. Even the science geeks are chirping in with their little hypotheses. Some flat out don't believe any of it and others just don't give a damn, as they shouldn't.

This entire thing really irritates him. Especially when some asshole actually tried high-fiving him earlier for scoring the most unattainable chick in school. That didn't go well. After telling the guy to piss right off, he went to the stairwell for a much-needed smoke.

Grabbing a handful of trail mix from the snack bag on the table, Eddie shoves it all in his mouth and chomps on them. Bunch of idiots. Still… Looking over at the jock table, Chrissy's sitting there with her little cheerleader friends. The group is huddled together, pouring over some magazine while chatting and giggling. At first glance, she's taking it really well. Much better than he expected.

'Hmm…'

Sharp eyes narrow in on their target, trying to sift through potential bullshittery. The captain's all smiles and more bubbly than ever. The looks, rumors, and people coming up to their table don't seem to bother her either. That's what worries him. He's not sure if this is going as imagined, or it's getting buried so deeply that she might implode. They'll have to talk later. It's unlikely he'll get her real feelings about it until the two of them are alone.

'She said everything was okay in Ms. O's, but I'm not buying it.'

"So, are you going to finally tell me what happened?" Henderson leans over the edge of the table to get his attention, pointing to his own cheek.

"Oh, you know… Got in a fight with a level 10 lawful stupid paladin." He snorts, grabbing more trail mix. The members of his band laugh at that, knowing exactly who it's referring to without having to say a name. They were there when the spark was lit, yet missed the coming explosion.

"I… still don't know what you're talking about."

"Thank God." A tray smacks down on the table as the last member of their group joins them. "I never thought Kennedy would let me leave! Those stupid equations are not more important than lunch. That's got to be illegal somehow." Wheeler flops down into his chair and runs a hand through the dark hair he's been trying to grow out.

"Probably is. If it's not, it should be." Gareth adds in between mouthfuls of cole slaw. Henderson and Grant grimace while watching small bits fall back onto his tray.

Now that he's settled in, Wheeler makes a face and hesitantly glances around their area. "Uh… Hey, guys? Why are people staring at us? Did you do something?" His eyes land right on their leader. No one pays the group any mind until he acts out. Aside from that, they're mostly invisible.

"You totally missed out, bud." A wide smile spreads across Jeff's face as he laughs, drumming on the surface of the table. "Everyone's traumatized after bearing witness to our own Eddie 'the freak' strolling into school with Chrissy 'the cheerleader' this morning. It's a hierarchical catastrophe. One for the history books."

"Wait, what?"

"Yep. They're all in a tizzy, alright. Anyway, none of that matters. We have more important business to tend to." Eddie puts both elbows on the table and presses his fingertips together, looking pointedly at the members gathered around. "Everyone can make it to Hellfire this time, right?" His gaze focuses on the fresh meat and they both glance at each other. What he really means doesn't need to be said. They understand well enough.

"Don't worry. Lucas said he'll be there. They don't have a game and practice is canceled because their captain is sick or something."

'He better. That'd be two misses in the last month. Not cool.'

"...Or something." Grant snickers, taking another bite of his hotdog. The guys give each other knowing looks and the younger two still seem lost in the sauce, picking up there's some kind of inside joke they're not in on.

Sweet. They're going to have all their members for the campaign after school. There's only a few weeks left until spring break. He planned for the party to have their grand finale on the last day before it starts, which is a Friday. It's perfect. Some leeway was added in just in case—player agency and all—but not enough for a single member to skip out on a bunch of sessions.

Shit like that can derail a campaign… If it wasn't for subs being brought in, that might've happened. They could always just pick up where they left off after the break, but still. The point was to leave on a high note, regardless if the party succeeds or fails. A climactic and memorable ending to an adventure they spent most of the school year working towards.

'I get why he's doing it, but that doesn't mean I like it. The other guys might not be crazy about him being there after showing up with the Douche Brigade during practice and acting like we're not chums.'

"Good job, freak. Didn't know you had it in you. Pulled off snaggin' the impossible. Who'da thunk it?" A hand slaps his back as raucous laughter assaults the group's ears. Goddammit. These bastards today… Twisting in the chair, his face scrunches up seeing the retreating back of Johnson. A cocky football player who still wears his varsity jacket even though the season ended months ago.

'I'm gonna burst and take this whole damn building with me.'

Dumbasses making snarky remarks about him is fine. Whatever. Nothing new or interesting. It's always the same garbage, anyway. None of them are creative with it, either. What chaps his ass are the allusions to Chrissy they keep sprinkling in today. Just to get a reaction out of him. If that's what they want, then who is he to deny the masses?

"Uh–oh." Mike breathes out when he notices their club leader pushing his chair back and hopping onto it.

Eddie looks out across the cafeteria at all the sheep grazing and flocking around tables. Some glance over at him and roll their eyes, or just stare, possibly hoping to get something juicy with what's going on. His gaze roams over to the jock table again. The ladies over there keep having their lunch and conversations interrupted by weirdos who don't sit there, likely prodding for anything they can get out of them.

"What, you vultures haven't had your fill yet?" He holds both hands up in annoyance, making sure his voice is loud enough for the entire room to hear. This could even carry down the hall. Oh, well. "Keep going. There might be a little meat left on the bone. Go on! Fill your bellies with every morsel you can scrounge up. Waste not, want not."

'Damn voyeurs.'

"Eddie! What do you think you're doing?"

The Hellfire leader sighs and drops his arms at the voice, knowing exactly who it is. So the King of Squares wants to make a cameo during the show, huh? The boxy older man ambles across the cafeteria towards their table, looking as boorish as ever. This guy has a thing for the dullest gray suits with every button fastened and those shiny, clunky dress shoes.

Principal Higgins. The only person besides Golden Boy he's had a longtime feud with.

"What's it look like? I'm doing the usual. You know, addressing my subjects, making decrees, giving out words of wisdom… Yada, yada."

The principal stops a table away from theirs and pinches the bridge of his nose, letting out an exasperated breath. "You mean acting like a clown? This is completely inappropriate and you know it. Now get off that chair."

"Right away, sir!" Eddie stretches his leg out to the edge of the table and hops onto it, turning back to Higgins with a shit-eating grin. The order was to get off the chair. Didn't mention anything about this. The smile widens seeing those familiar veins in the man's forehead pop out as his blood pressure rises.

'Too easy.'

"Why can't you behave for even five minutes?" He bites out quietly, trying not to lose his temper with so many watching. It'll be let loose the moment they're behind closed doors. They've done this song and dance a million times over the last six years.

"I always do. Right, boys? Don't I behave?" Glancing down at the members sitting around him, they're attempting to hold in their laughter and not get into trouble along with him. Jeff's hand shoots up into the air with his index and pinky out, making the Devil's horns sign. As the leader and supposed devil worshipper himself, he does the same. Throwing up the sign to everyone watching and banging his head while his tongue rolls out.

"Enough of that! It's disrespectful!" The principal's face is red with anger when he finally stops.

"Listen up, Higgins. There are only two people I sorta behave for. Last time I checked, you're not an Amazon warrior or a pretty chick, so guess what? It ain't you. So no dice, my man."

'Three if I include my uncle. Too late.'

"O–Office! Now!" His arm whips towards the exit, pointing at the door. "And detention for you, Jeff, for encouraging him."

Jeers, whispers, and snickering come from the worker bees all around at the display. Many enjoy watching him get yelled at by teachers or the principal. Good for them. But they don't matter.

Tearing his gaze off the fuming kettle about to go off, it trails over to the jock table again. Landing right on the little cheer captain staring at him. They make eye contact and she blushes, twirling a lock of strawberry blonde hair around. So cute… If the small smile on her lips tells him anything, it's that Chrissy at least found this amusing. He waggles his brows and she giggles, covering it up with the back of her hand.

'Okay. I'm satisfied now.'

Jumping down off the table, Eddie marches past Higgins with a wide grin on his face. He didn't get to tell off the lunchroom as planned, but whatever. Entertaining the princess of the realm is worth the yelling and detention he's gonna be hit with. That reaction was enough to calm his growing irritation with the herd for now. They should be grateful to her for the temporary reprieve.

---

"What shade is that?"

Chrissy pauses while staring in the mirror. The tube of lipstick is still between her fingers after applying a fresh coat. "Oh, it's from that kit you gave me for my birthday. Let's see…" Turning it over, she squints at the small label on the bottom. "Dread." The two girls glance at each other before laughing. Of course it is.

"It looks great on you, especially with that eyeshadow," Charlotte says smugly, relishing the fact that she has a knack for picking makeup that suits her friends well.

"Thanks!" Warmth spreads across her cheeks at the compliment. It's nice to wear whatever lipstick or gloss she wants without getting scolded for it. This shade was the top pick from the bunch, but there was some hesitation over wearing it. A medium taupe brown with warm undertones and a semi-matte finish. At least, that's what the kit guide said.

'I can do what I want now.'

The cheer captain goes back to looking at her reflection, making little faces in the mirror. The lipstick is surprisingly lightweight and comfortable. Maybe this will be her new go-to for cheerleading, like with the sky-blue eyeshadow she's been wearing most of senior year.

Hanging out in the girls' bathroom with some friends is a welcome reprieve from the mess going on outside. There was going to be a ruckus just showing up at school in Eddie's van. But walking around with him holding hands? Mayhem. It wasn't planned. Just an urge she had once they actually got there.

After everything that happened on top of the growing anxiety about what will follow, he helped give her the confidence to try facing it head-on. Having all those eyes on them was terrifying. That made it hard to breathe, and her heart raced like crazy the entire time. Whenever it got to be too much, she just gripped his hand to remember there was someone else right there with her. It was comforting.

And what she said was true. This whole 'secret friendship' created more unnecessary stress. Why go through that? It felt so liberating to walk right up to his desk in Ms. O'Donnell's to talk to him. That didn't stop people from staring at them or going on about it.

"It must be pretty bad if Jason didn't show up today. He always comes in." The brunette cuts through the musings while leaning over the sink to touch up her mascara. Now that Val, Kimmy, and Sandy went back to the cafeteria, they can talk more openly. "What a cocky idiot."

"Mmm…" Chrissy turns her gaze towards the tiled floor at that. Jason… She only confided in Charlotte and Natalie about what really happened last night. There's a very different story floating around to explain his absence. Eventually, he has to come back. It's impossible for him to be completely healed by then, so people will notice. This is all a bunch of setup to cover his bases before that.

'I guess he couldn't handle the thought of anyone finding out Eddie got the best of him. Even though he was drunk, so it's understandable that made it harder to fight.'

That was terrifying. Last night and this morning, she didn't give herself the chance to process any of it. Throughout the day, it finally kicked in while trying to ignore the stares and whispers going on all around her. Maybe being overwhelmed made it easier to push it aside, but that's no longer the case. She saw a very different side to both men yesterday. Her bad habit of trying to move on far too quickly is what started this in the first place.

There are so many conflicting emotions over it. Still, it genuinely scared her to see those two acting like bloodthirsty animals trying to beat each other to death. Especially Eddie. That doesn't fit the image of the man she's been getting to know this last month. That's where the conflict comes in. He probably thought of it as protecting her while dealing out some punishment to a person he can't stand. Two birds with one stone.

'I wonder if he didn't trust me to handle it on my own… Jason only started getting physically aggressive when he came out. I don't know… Maybe we should talk about it later.'

"I can't believe anyone would buy into that story about him fighting some guys over that dummy. That's ridiculous." Natalie scoffs, scooting back on the bathroom counter. "It's just to make himself sound cooler than he really is."

"Well, what do you think makes him look better? Getting beat up by Eddie 'the freak' or going at it with a group of older guys who dared to smack your new girlfriend's ass? The answer's pretty clear." Charlotte explains as she inspects herself in the mirror. With them knowing the truth, it's only made for some great material for the two to joke about when they're not ranting.

"I'm still having a hard time wrapping my head around that." The brunette already told her all about what happened at the party last night. How Amber was practically drooling over Jason and kissed him. Also, what she said about her. This is going to make practice extremely awkward.

"You should kick her off the team. She's obviously the one spreading rumors that Jason dumped you for her, too. Screw that little backstabber. Ms. Tina wouldn't care. Just say she's sabotaging the team and causing drama. Those are the facts."

Staring at the junior, the cheer captain can feel more conflicting emotions piling on to the already present ones. What's the right thing to do in this situation? There are only a few weeks left of cheerleading at most. She doesn't like dragging personal issues into it. The team would also have to reorganize their routines and fill that position, which will take time they just don't have. Making a hasty choice based on hurt feelings isn't smart.

"I need to think about it. The team has to come before my silly relationship problems."

"It's not silly relationship problems. She's undermining you as a person. This is straight-up disrespect. And that girl is next in line for your position? That's a terrible idea. No one on the team can trust her anymore." Charlotte's getting heated again. "Why aren't you telling people the truth that you broke up with him? Those two are making you look bad. Everyone feels sorry for you and it's really annoying."

"I'm not upset about it. Well, not anymore." Both girls gawk at her like she has three heads. When the rumors first reached her, it was really distressing. The plan had mostly gone down the drain and a different narrative formed in its place. However, this one might be more useful, despite the originator's intent.

"You're not upset that people think Jason kicked you aside for that floozy?" The prospect seems to outrage Natalie, who's butted heads with Amber in the past. It was never really serious. Mostly just barbs here and there.

"No. That might be for the best. Just hear me out… If everyone thinks Jason called it off for another girl, then no one can entirely blame me for the relationship ending. You know, like my dad? He's the person I'm most worried about having a conniption over this. I can't stop people from talking and coming up with all these crazy ideas around me, either."

Chrissy heard it all. So many rumors. Like how she was distraught over the breakup and Eddie used that opportunity to bewitch her. Or that she paid him to help her get back at Jason since the guy's a dealer and will obviously do anything for money.

The brunette's quiet for a moment, stroking her chin. "...I think I get it. Not a fan of the outcome, but I see where you're coming from. It's the classic story of a man leaving his woman for a younger one. A home wrecker. No one will really give Jason a hard time since he's a guy. People will sympathize with you and anyone invested will see Amber as the problem for inserting herself where she didn't belong."

"Um, that's not exactly what I had in mind…"

"That's perfect! She can take the heat for causing the breakup! Instead of walking around all smug, like her shit doesn't stink."

"Look… I'm not interested in painting any single person as the sole bad guy. It's better to let this all blow over without getting too involved." The cheer captain sighs, needing to reel the two back in. They'll start spinning a huge web if she says nothing. "People can say whatever. It doesn't matter. I just want to focus on getting through these next few months and moving on."

Something's clearly going on. Amber was always a pretty sweet girl and super dedicated to cheerleading. There are a lot of things worrying her. The change in personality, recent animosity, and now this odd 'relationship' with Jason suddenly came out of nowhere. This isn't like either of them.

'Despite everything, I don't want her to get hurt. She might not realize what she's really getting into. Aside from him being demanding, there's a lot of social pressure and scrutiny from the people surrounding him.''

"Okay, okay. Then let's talk about something more fun. How about a certain someone threatening to cut off Munson's junk?" A wide smile spreads across Natalie's lips at the look of horror on both her friends' faces.

"W–What?!" Please say she didn't… But from the way her eyes quickly trail away, there's no doubt it's true. "Really?"

"It was a joke. I wouldn't actually do that. It was after he cleaned your locker. Just a little halfhearted warning not to be a jerk. That's all." Charlotte huffs, eyeing the one who ratted her out. "To be honest, I thought it was kind of sweet he did that. I still think the guy's a total weirdo… No offense. Obviously, you must see something in him if you're willing to be seen in public together."

It didn't take long for them to tell her about that this morning. How someone wrote some mean things on her locker and Eddie got rid of it. That was kind of him. She never would've known. He clearly didn't want her to see it and hadn't mentioned it when they spoke earlier.

'I wonder who did that? These two have been trying to figure it out. It isn't nice, but not everyone is.'

"Can't say I get it. All that guy does is mess around and act like a fool. Look what he just did in front of the principal." The redhead remarks dismissively. That's sadly expected. She normally goes off first impressions and their initial interaction wasn't great.

"There's a lot more to him than that." Seeing their dubious expressions, she sighs and tries to figure out a way to best explain it. Maybe there isn't one. "He… Eddie isn't just the guy ranting in the cafeteria or skipping class. And definitely isn't some wacky cult leader. He's been there for me since this all started. Not many people go out of their way for someone the way he has these past few weeks."

"That's because he's got a big ass crush on you." Chrissy goes beet red at her friend's words, quickly spinning away. Hearing it out loud is too much. From the school's own 'Goddess of Love', at that. "Oh, come on! Why else would a guy do all that?"

"...He's just a nice person." She can't even say that confidently. They're definitely going to pick up on it.

"Give me a break! I know you're not that naïve. You didn't hear how he said, 'All I'm tryin' to do is get to know your friend better'. Okay?" Charlotte says, doing a fantastic job of mimicking the way Eddie speaks. "I can read between the lines. What he really meant is 'please let me date your super pretty friend, even though she's wayyy out of my league'. It was clear as day."

'I'm not way out of his league… Eddie's good-looking and really talented. He might have a bad reputation at school, but I bet he could get much hotter women at shows and bars. Ones that actually have boobs…'

"Listen, Chris. I'm a man connoisseur. I know how they work and what makes them tick. From what you've told me so far, what I've seen and heard, and my own innate ability for picking up this kind of stuff, I'm telling you... That man's got a thing for you. I'd bet money on it. He even fought your jock ex. Under normal circumstances, Jason should've trounced him. Only someone who has it bad would do that to themselves. Also, he was staring at you while we were at lunch. I was keeping an eye on him out of curiosity."

"Okay! I… I got it."

---

The irony isn't lost on her. To be standing outside of the drama room of all places… How fitting.

The cheer captain sighs, getting ready to knock on the door when it suddenly swings open. She jolts and hops back. The person in the doorway looks surprised to see her. "Oh! Hey, Chrissy. I didn't know you were coming." It's one of the freshmen. Henderson, with a toothy grin and the 'thinking cap' he seems to wear often.

"Sorry, I wasn't expecting to show up until later. Practice kind of ended early and your, um… DM is my ride home." She says, feeling a little strange calling him that. It only worsens with Dustin's amused expression.

'Why is he making that face? Did I mix the letters up or something?'

"The DM, huh? Actually, we're taking a break right now. Eddie ran out to his van to get more snacks since we went a little overboard in the first half." He chuckles and steps out into the hallway, clearly intending to run somewhere. "No one would mind you waiting in there. The guys are just prepping. Or, our DM could always use a hand bringing in the chips and soda."

Dustin winks and gives her a thumbs up before taking off, rushing down the hall to God knows where. She just stands there, watching the back of his multi-colored shirt swaying until he's out of sight. That hint wasn't subtle at all…

Still, a hint's a hint. There's no telling what's being said in their circle, but the freshman added that for a reason. That puts a small smile on her face. Turning away from the door, the cheerleader heads towards the lobby to go to the parking lot. Maybe they'll run into each other along the way.

'I wonder if they talk about me?'

Getting that little nudge hopefully means there's no opposition to her getting closer to their DM, right? At least from Henderson's end… He seems like a good kid.

Passing through the front doors of the school, Chrissy walks through the parking lot to the spot she remembers Eddie parking in this morning. Sure enough, the van's right where it was earlier. With the backdoors open and its owner messing with something. Relief floods through her at the sight of him. Seeing that large Dio patch on the back of his vest has practically become a symbol of comfort anymore.

"Eddie!" Throwing caution to the wind, she shouts and runs the rest of the way, not wanting to waste any time. Or accidentally startling him. The guy can be dangerous when he's taken off guard. Sneaking up might not be such a good idea. That could end with her getting whacked with one of the many items from the back.

The Hellfire leader freezes for a moment, before straightening up and whipping around. The confusion on his face turns to surprise seeing her hurtling towards the van. "Hey, look what the cat—" That sentence gets cut off as she rushes right to him. Arms quickly wrap around his waist while burying her face into the club shirt, trying to be mindful of the bruises.

He tenses up, keeping his hands raised. Just like the first time this happened in the stairwell. Granted, that was a lot less aggressive. Small hands grab onto the shirt, trying to be careful not to stretch it out. "Sorry…" Maybe this was a bit much. She just couldn't help herself. Glancing up, he's staring down at her wide-eyed with a startled expression. His neck and cheeks are completely flushed, burning bright red. "What's wrong? Did I hurt you?"

'Hehe. Shy boy. I bet his ears are hot, too.'

"No, no… My bad." Eddie shakes it off and grins, reaching up to pat the top of her head. "I, uh… I'm not used to someone being so thrilled to see me. That's one way to make a guy feel special." He chuckles, draping his arms across her shoulders to return the hug. "What happened with practice? You end it early?"

Chrissy sticks out her bottom lip in a pout, getting annoyed all over again. "There wasn't much of a choice. It was a mess! Most of the team was sidetracked, and Amber didn't even bother showing up. I just ended up calling it a day... Anyway, how are things on your end?"

That's an understatement. Since becoming captain, she's always been the last to leave. Not today. The other cheerleaders were more interested in gossiping and trash–talking Amber. When they finally started their routines, mistakes that normally wouldn't happen kept occurring. It's because their heads weren't in the game. That can lead to accidents and even injuries at the wrong moments.

After several warnings and pauses, that was enough. She threw down her pompoms, then told everyone they were done for today and to get it together for the game on Monday. That was totally uncharacteristic of her… It definitely shocked the team, but there's only so much a person can put up with before needing a break.

'Maybe that was a little dramatic. I kind of feel bad.'

"Christ." He sighs, drawing the cheerleader in closer. It feels nice. Being surrounded by his warmth and scent is relaxing. That helps the stress melt away. "Sounds like you got your hands full. Running a club sure can be a pain in the ass sometimes, huh? I have my own problem player. Not nearly as bad as yours, but yeah…"

"Oh? Were they there when I came?"

"Nah. You probably know him, though. Kid's on the basketball team and usually prioritizes that over D&D. It's blasphemy." That gets a giggle out of her, but she's not sure who he's talking about. Jason would never allow someone in Hellfire to join the team. "You gonna sit in on our session again?"

The cheer captain breaks the hug and moves to sit on the van's bumper, tugging on her sleeve. "If you don't mind…" She doesn't want to be an inconvenience. It seemed like Grant was becoming annoyed with her getting dragged into their game.

"Do you really have to ask?" The tone makes it sound as if that's the most ridiculous thing in the world. Maybe it is. The guy never turns down an opportunity for them to spend time together. "Just give me a minute to grab some shit, then we can head in."

"Mhm." Chrissy swings her legs back and forth while watching him gather a couple of bags, including one from the front. They must eat a lot during their meetings. Dustin mentioned the group went overboard earlier.

It only takes him a few moments to get everything together and lock the van up. Walking through the parking lot side by side, she eyes the plastic bags he's carrying. This guy and his darn junk food. Chips, candy, soda cans… But that's nice of him to bring goodies to his club meeting for the members.

"Oh, um… This time, can I not be co-DM or anything?" He raises a brow at that while holding the door for her as they go into the school. "I just want to watch how you guys normally play."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. I'd rather not make the guys upset from all the stopping and whatnot. I'm not sure how the meetings usually go, but some of their reactions gave me the feeling it's not like that." It'd be interesting to experience what the group is really like. They were initially all thrown off by her sudden appearance, so hopefully it'll be more comfortable for them now.

"Not really… It was your first time seeing D&D, and I didn't want you gettin' bored. One crappy session is all it takes to turn someone off. Kinda hoped it might get you interested in playing or something." He keeps his gaze straight ahead as they reach the drama room.

"Well, I'd like to see what I'm actually getting into."

Eddie stops just short before grabbing the handle. Pausing for a moment, he turns to her with a curious expression. "You still wanna play?" When she nods, the corner of his mouth curls up. "Heh. Wasn't sure if you changed your mind since then. I can cook up a one-shot or small campaign once this one is done, so you can get your toes wet. But just a heads up, I take D&D very seriously."

"O–Okay…" That gleam in his eyes is a little worrying. Grant mentioned their leader was ruthless and a cutthroat at The Hideout. Maybe she's getting in over her head? Hopefully mercy will be shown to a beginner like her. Like when they talked about this in the van, he seems excited about the idea.

The door's held open for her again as they head into the dimly lit room. Most of the members are around the table. Kicking back, chatting, or going through the papers in their binders. Perhaps those are the stat sheets he mentioned previously?

"Chrissy!" Jeff spins in his chair and smiles at her. That draws the attention of the others, who greet the cheerleader in a similar way. So different from the last meeting, when she awkwardly walked through this door and had no clue what to expect. The change warms her up inside.

"Hi, guys!" She waves, a little taken aback by the reception. One member doesn't share in their reactions, though. It's apparent why. Her eyes widen at the familiar face at the end of the table and he has the same bewildered look.

'Lucas?!'

He's the problem player? The freshman who joined the basketball team a few months ago? Jason took a liking to the kid, even taking him under his wing. That wouldn't happen in a million years if he knew Lucas was also in the Hellfire Club. Absolutely not. As far as he's concerned, they're all cult members and losers that strayed from God's love and the natural order.

'Wow… This kid is pretty gutsy to be involved in two clubs that butt heads. I wonder why he's doing that.'

"Chill, Sinclair. She won't tell anyone." Eddie shakes his head and dumps the bags on one of the desks off to the side. Right away, a few of the guys slide up next to him to start riffling through the snacks. "Hey, hey, hey! Chrissy gets first pick. You all stuffed your faces already."

"I'll take some Doritos if you have them… If not, that's okay." It's kind of weird to be doing this, but he'll insist on her at least eating a little something. And she is hungry. Lunch was hours ago.

"I gotcha. You got two kinds to choose from. These bad boys just came out." He holds up a white and blue chip bag. "Cool Ranch. I wanna try 'em. Heard they're pretty good… Okay, guys. These are ours and the rest can be divvied up. Anyone who tries snagging stuff from our pile loses a hand and four experience points. DM's rules."

'Ours… Me and him?'

Chrissy grabs onto the bottom of her sleeve at the thought. That fluttering sensation is back again. How silly… But it's really there. Looking up at the Hellfire leader, her gaze softens while watching him separating the snacks to make sure his members all get a fair share after Gareth tried walking off with half the haul. What she said to Natalie wasn't a lie. There's definitely more to this guy than just making a scene in front of people or acting out.

"That's because he's got a big ass crush on you."

She takes a deep breath, attempting to ignore the way her heart is beating faster after replaying Charlotte's words. It's not like that isn't obvious, but hearing someone actually say it adds more weight that wasn't there before. They haven't talked about it. Just kind of danced around the topic without saying the quiet part out loud.

'What happens now? We both like each other. That's clear. I'm not sure how to handle this. Should I just blurt it out when we're alone or something? Or wait to see what he does?'

With Jason, it was so simple. Maybe too simple. There was no magical moment where everything just clicked. Or a steady build-up that finally burst after holding it back for a while. Nope. People kept nagging them about getting together for the longest time since it 'made sense'. After a few failed attempts, she said 'fine' at the beginning of the school year and that was it. Nothing romantic or really exciting. Not at all like what's happening currently.

"Hey, Chrissy. Come hither. I got something for you." The cheer captain looks up to see him motioning for her to follow him to the back with a different bag in his hand. That's the one he grabbed from the front seat. Without hesitation, she quickly heads over, excited to see what it is.

Passing the other members and going towards the far end of the large room, her heart's full-on racing this time. Why do this away from everyone else? Different scenarios start forming. With each step closer, the fluttering becomes more intense.

"You did?" Chrissy whispers meekly as she stops a foot away, leaving a space between them. The bag isn't see-through, so there's no telling what it is.

"Yep." The Hellfire leader gazes down at her warmly with a grin on his face. A ringed hand reaches down into the bag to pull out the item. "As requested, princess."

"Ah!" Her eyes widen as he holds out the gift by the top, letting it unfold. It's exactly what she asked for Wednesday night. A Hellfire Club shirt with pastel pink sleeves. The cheerleader looks at him in disbelief. That was barely two days ago… When did he possibly find the time to do this? "You really got it!"

He exhales sharply, crossing his arms and leaning back after she takes it from him. The guy seems incredibly pleased with the reaction. "Hell yeah. I said I'll see what I can do. The, uh… others might not be too happy about it, but whatever. Figured I might as well give it to you while we're here."

'He's the best…'

"Thank you!" She beams, still surprised that he managed to pull it off in such a short time. That's really impressive. A lot happened on both days, too. A big chunk was spent at school or hanging out together.

Doing this now must mean he intends for her to wear it during the meeting, right? Hopefully putting it over the uniform won't look too bulky. If it's the same as the other, this will be a nice fit. Reaching down, she pulls on the bottom of her uniform top, straightening it out to avoid the layers bunching up.

"Woah, woah!" Eddie's hands fly up as his eyes widen incredulously. "Right here?!"

"...Huh?" Right here, what? She raises a brow, puzzled over why he's so startled and going red. Then it hits her. Now this man isn't the only one who's shocked. "Eddie! Do you really think I would take my shirt off out in the open like this with a bunch of teenage boys around? I was going to put it on over my uniform top."

"Oh." Dark eyes shift away to focus on something off in the distance and the color in his face deepens. What a treat. Getting a shirt and seeing him becoming a little flustered twice in the last twenty minutes. "Well… Good. They probably wouldn't be able to focus for shit on the campaign if you did."

If the shoe was on the other foot, this is the moment she'd get teased like no tomorrow. This is the perfect opportunity to assert herself and mess around with him.

"Neither would their DM." A slim finger lightly taps against his chest and stays there until the attention is back on her. "The game might be in big trouble after that." Chrissy smiles up at him coyly, watching the different emotions flicker across his face. Just through the pad of her finger, she can feel how warm he is. Hot, even. Far more than usual. And his heart's pounding.

"...You're not wrong about that." He admits sheepishly.

They stare at each other for a long moment, not saying anything. There's no better time to gather her courage and be a little daring. Brigitte Bardot wouldn't hesitate. Sexy, confident women are willing to take chances. It might not always work out, but at least they try. She always hoped to embody some of those traits. To have the guts to go after what she really wants… and he's standing right here.

The finger pressed against the club shirt trails up to its collar and slides across until reaching the messy hair hanging over his denim vest. Eyeing one of the dark curls, she twirls it around her tip and gives the lightest tug. This is the most forward the cheerleader's ever been. It's terrifying and exciting all at once.

Eddie lets out a shaky breath, still a dangerous shade of red. That only makes it more enticing. Getting to see such a different side to him that's rarely on display for others. He swallows hard, his gaze slowly traveling down to her lips.

'Do I have to drag him down to me or get on my tippy toes?'

"Eddie!" an annoyed voice yells. Chrissy jolts, letting go of his hair and whirling around. A curly head pokes out from behind one of the larger props. "Why does Grant get the only can of Pringles when they're my fav—" Gareth stops in his tracks seeing the two of them. "Oh, shit. My bad…" He stammers, keeping his gaze on their leader.

The cheer captain runs a hand over her face, feeling frustrated and a little embarrassed. It's not like they were doing anything bad, but still. A few more seconds and perhaps he might've finally kissed her. Or the other way around. Either is fine. Then again, it seemed like there was some hesitation on his end. That isn't good. Unless he's expecting her to make the first move?

'I don't know… Now I'm unsure about this.'

She glances over at him and quickly sucks in air through her teeth. Uh–oh… He's beyond irritated, giving Gareth a pointed look with his lips pressed together tightly. The warmth in his cheeks is all but gone.

"Told you not to go over there!" Dustin shouts from somewhere nearby.

"Dammit, man." The Hellfire leader sighs, rubbing his forehead roughly. Whatever might've happened is over and they both know it. The mood is thoroughly killed. He isn't the only one not happy with the interruption. So is she.

"Sorry, dude. Wasn't trying to cockblock."

"That's not—" Cutting himself off, Eddie's eyes dart from his friend over to the startled cheerleader, seeing how flushed that made her. "Just give me a friggin' minute and then we'll get back to the campaign."

Gareth nods and is out of sight within seconds. The damage is already done, though. Was it on purpose? She can't help wondering, especially if Dustin warned him not to come here. It should've been obvious that Eddie called her over to a spot out of their direct view for a reason. They didn't know it was to hand over a new club shirt. Maybe this was taking too long and the group wanted to get back to D&D?

"I, um… I guess I'll go put this on." Chrissy says awkwardly and takes a step back, a little thrown off by what just happened. That more confident exterior she was trying out now has cracks throughout it. He arches a brow at this, looking down at the shirt held firmly in her grip. "I mean, I'm going behind that castle to change. It's too warm in here to have this on over my uniform top."

"...Gotcha."

The room was at a cozy temperature when they came in. Currently, everything's hot. It's her, not this place. But wearing two layers will be too much. The cheer top is on the thicker side, even if it's useless against the chilly Indiana weather during football and basketball season.

Heading towards the large prop close by, the cheerleader keeps stealing glances at him along the way. His mood totally shifted after that. Not even mentioning taking off her shirt got a rise out of him like it accidentally had a few minutes ago. He's standing there with his arms crossed tightly, apparently sulking.

"No peeking!" She calls out playfully from behind the castle. The top is quickly switched out for the new one. As expected, it's comfortable and a nice fit. No wonder the guys like wearing these even on days when the club's not meeting.

'Wait… Why did he say they wouldn't be happy about me getting this? Is it because I'm not an actual member?'

"So, what do you think?" Stepping out into the open, small hands tug on the bottom of the raglan tee to smooth it down. That grabs Eddie's attention. The mopey expression melts away when his gaze lands on the white and pink club shirt. Like flipping a switch and turning the lights on. "How does it look?" Hoping to keep this going, she twirls around and holds her arms out, waiting for a response.

"Perfect."

Seeing the grin and look of satisfaction on the Hellfire leader's face as he eyes her up is more than enough to make everything seem brighter. She smiles and glances down at the design on the front. Before, it would've been hard to imagine her wearing clothing with monsters or weapons on it. Not even for Halloween. Some things really do change.

"Looks good on you." He strides over and drops both hands onto the cheerleader's shoulders, letting the pads of his thumbs graze along the cotton fabric. "So does that lipstick."

"Thanks." Chrissy blushes at that, becoming a little bashful. He actually noticed… Maybe that should be expected from someone so observant. Jason would only pick up on it because having anything on her lips was a no-no, regardless of how it looked. "I still can't believe you got this done so fast."

"Oh, that's nothing. Only took me a few minutes." Eddie waves it off nonchalantly. Seeing her bewildered expression, he chuckles and gives a small squeeze. "All I gotta do is iron on the decal. No one's spendin' hundreds of dollars on a heat press machine, so we do it that way. Finding that specific color took longer than putting this on."

"Sorry if it was a p—" She abruptly stops when his brow quirks up, knowing a pinch might be coming if it's finished. "I take it back! I'm not sorry, just extremely grateful. It was sweet of you to do this for me…" Looking back down at the front, she imagines him ironing a bunch of these and finds it amusing for some reason. "The design is definitely interesting."

"Hope so. I'm the one that drew it."

"Really?!" That probably also should've been expected. He's the founder of the club and is a creative person in general. Anytime she's seen his homework or worksheets they're doing in Ms. O's, they're almost always littered with doodles and strange things. Even if it gets him in trouble, they're still well done. "That's pretty neat. You're so talented."

'So I've been going to sleep wearing some of his artwork…'

Eddie stares at her for a moment, then reaches up to scratch the corner of his mouth, turning away. "It's nothing special. Made that back in freshman year. I could do a lot better now. It kinda grew on me and is the original, so I left it."

"I'm not sure if you're being humble or bragging…"

"Bit of both. Now that you're suited up for battle, we should probably get back to the campaign before another stooge barges in on us." He smirks, pointing a thumb over his shoulder toward where the rest are. "If we leave 'em alone too long, they might start digging into our pile."

'Oh, right. The snacks. Of course he wouldn't forget about those.'

Following him back with her cheer top in hand, it doesn't take long for those sitting around the table to notice the difference. After all, the light pink shade sticks out like a sore thumb, especially in this room.

"Hey, what gives?" Grant raises his hands in the air, glancing at the other guys to make sure they see what he's seeing.

"What?" Their leader asks innocently, craning his neck back in faux surprise at the reactions coming from the group. As if he has no clue what they could possibly be irritated about.

Gareth shakes his head and taps the Pringle can he's eating out of against the edge of the table. "Don't 'what' us. You know exactly what this is about. How many times did we ask to switch up the colors? And what did you say? 'That's sacrilege' or 'blasphemous'. Then you turn around and do it for someone else."

"I don't mind." Jeff chimes in. "It's cute on her."

"Right?" Eddie quickly agrees, turning towards the cheer captain with a smug look. He's beyond pleased with how it turned out and has no qualms being open about that.

"That's beside the point!"

She didn't know this was an issue. Asking him for something is causing issues in his club again. That's not supposed to happen. First, it was coming to the meetings, which threw everyone off. And now there's a t-shirt debacle. It's just one thing after the other today.

"Well, I'm not an official member, so this isn't a legit club shirt. Just a variation. More like a fan tee, I suppose. Please don't be too mad at him… I'm the one who pushed for it." She offers up in hopes of shifting the blame. It's become more apparent recently that Eddie hardly tells her no. Charlotte's explanation makes it clear why that might be the case.

"Nope. I did it and I'd do it again too. You guys can be mad if you feel like it. Won't change my ruling. Regular club shirts stay black and white, and Chrissy gets whatever she wants. You know, as an honorary member."

'Eddie!'

"Honorary member my foot. This is blatant DM favoritism, plain and simple."

"You're damn right it is. And I recall a certain Gareth the Great pulling some shit during a one-shot last year. Remember? When he brought a 'companion' along and got to try his hand at being DM?" The reactions around the table are fast and quite telling. Grant visibly shudders and Jeff covers his face with both hands. All three freshmen seem just as confused as she is. The person in question quickly purses his lips instead of continuing to argue. "So I don't wanna hear it. This is nothing compared to that. Now suck it up and let's get back to the campaign."

'...Whatever happened must've been terrible. It's probably a good story. I wonder if he'd tell me about it later.'

"I'll grab you a chair, then we can get started. 'Kay, milady?" He smirks, leaning in close to whisper in her ear. Paying no mind to anyone that might be watching.

"S–Sounds good."

---

A few things became evident once the ball got rolling. The last session is not how these meetings usually go. Without her being dragged in to essentially interrupt the story, it flowed much better and is far more interesting. No wonder Grant was irritated then. The next point is glaringly obvious.

Eddie was actually behaving before.

After telling the guy to act as if she's a specter of sorts, there's nothing holding him back. And the ruthlessness that was mentioned before was on full display. Especially during their combat sequences. He's loud, laughs with and at the players, uses side characters to taunt them, whacks the figurines off the table with absolute glee, and needs to switch sitting positions almost every ten to fifteen minutes. From being upright on the throne to laying across the arms or standing to shake it out, he's constantly moving around.

The Hellfire leader has done a good job of doing as Chrissy asked. Just allowing her to haunt the smaller throne beside him without taking his attention away from the game. Not only did she want to see how they really play but also to avoid causing negative feelings to develop with the members. If showing up means their sessions won't be as fun, it'd be understandable for them to not like it when she's there.

Despite the request and him mostly focusing on his role as DM, that didn't stop Eddie from throwing her side glances every so often. Not to mention the hand that would sneak under the table to either rest on the cheer captain's knee or hold her hand. Whichever was closer at the time. It didn't last long, yet still felt nice. That gives her the best of both worlds. Getting to experience what Hellfire is all about while receiving little gestures from a crush, letting her know he hasn't forgotten she's there.

"The figure dashes through the brush when he notices the party catching up. You're right on his heels. After following him all this time, you're not letting this lead escape. Once you get past the low-hanging branches and thorny bushes, you find an opening. Rushing out, you all notice it's a dead end. There's nothing but a cliff. The man realizes this too. His options are limited. Either jump or allow himself to be captured." Eddie says in a low voice, slowly dragging his gaze over everyone around the table. It's even dimmer in the room than before. The light from the flickering candles nearby only adds to the scene, drawing her into his form of storytelling.

"He grips the clothed item in his hand tightly and glares at your approaching group. You recognize the pattern on the fabric. It's the same as the one the priest showed you in the temple. That changes things. This person cannot be allowed to escape. The man panics, seeing no other choice in the matter. Taking another step back means falling to his death. He reaches into his sleeve and pulls out a dagger. You ready your weapons, thinking he's foolishly preparing for combat despite being outnumbered."

'The guy's a dumdum.'

"The blade plunges into his socket and a shrill scream fills the air. Blood pours down his face as he removes his own left eye." He says menacingly, balling up his left hand into a fist. "He throws it onto the grass, no longer having any use for it. Before the group can come any closer, a shaky hand starts to unfold the cloth and you feel an intense dark aura seeping out from inside. Pure evil in nature. Powerful. Familiar. The seal was already weakened from the earlier ritual and now it's completely broken. All those lives were sacrificed for this very moment."

"It… It can't be, right?" Grant whispers to himself with a panicked expression.

Chrissy's gaze jumps from one face to the next to take in their reactions. It's kind of amazing how absorbed they all get into the game. As if it's actually happening and they're the ones whose lives are on the line in this adventure instead of their characters. The hands in the cheer captain's lap keep busy with the strange dice that are used for D&D. Rolling them between her fingers and trying to count how many sides there are without looking. An extra set the DM said she can mess around with.

'I wonder what colors they come in. It'd be pretty neat to have a pink set. Or maybe baby blue.'

"The man sneers while looking at the object in his hand. 'You fools should've killed me when you had the chance. A single naïve, benevolent act will cause the deaths of thousands of innocents, including your own. Now it's too late. But I must thank you. Without your help, I never would've gotten my hands on this artifact. The Eye of Vecna!' He jams the orb into his empty socket and a strong wind whips around him, almost knocking you off your feet."

'I hope no one dies.'

"The artifact allows the renegade cultist to tap into a small portion of Vecna's evil power, but at a great cost. You feel the dark magic flowing through him. Your chances of success are slim at best. Doing nothing will result in untold tragedy for the surrounding towns and villages. Countless lives are at stake. What do you do? Will the group stay and fight until the very end? Or run and try to find another way to combat this foe?"

The club comprises experienced players who have been at this for years. For someone who barely understands what's going on half the time, it can seem a little intimidating. She's not sure if this is how most campaigns are, but hopefully he'll take it easy on her if they give it a go.

'Maybe I should try praising him beforehand to get more of that DM favoritism Gareth was talking about earlier.'

---

Staring out the window, Chrissy watches the streetlights and houses flying by. It's already dark out. The club's meetings last longer than most others, including the sports teams. Not that she minds. There's no rush to get home. After all, her dad might be back by now and God knows what he's found out already.

A lot of things are weighing heavily on her. If only the advice to not care was easier to put into practice. Steps have been made in the right direction, but there's still a long way to go. Pulling both legs up onto the bench seat, she quietly sighs while leaning on her elbow against the passenger side door.

Music is blasting throughout the van, with Eddie banging his head along to it. He's been in a great mood most of the evening. It's a wonder how this guy can remain in good spirits regardless of what's going on. Even the fight with Jason didn't stop him from grinning and cracking jokes afterward.

'I don't know how he does it.'

Blue eyes trail over to steal another glance at the wild man carrying on in the driver's seat. Bopping around with a cigarette hanging between his lips. Almost like nothing troubling happened these last few days. Aside from the minor bruise on his cheek, no one would probably think he'd been in a nasty fight the night before, just from outward appearances. His clothes and hair conceal the rest.

The cheer captain is often ready to crumble under pressure. There were a few close calls at school, but she stuck to her guns and tried to stay strong. Having all those eyes constantly staring and people gossiping about the situation was overwhelming. It was a different experience from the usual nonsense. The tone and intent were not the same. She got an extremely small taste of what it's like to be on the other side.

Eddie's had to deal with much worse for years. Six just from high school alone. Granted, he plays into it and purposefully draws attention to himself, but it probably didn't start that way. Does it really not bother him? Or is he that much better than her at hiding things from others?

"What's wrong, princess?" Turning the music off, he tears his gaze off the road to look over at her for a moment.

"...Nothing." Chrissy chews on the inside of her cheek, unhappy with what came out. Lying is a bad habit that's still proving hard to break. There's no point doing it to him. Not only will it probably be obvious she's full of crap, but he's someone special. "I just have a lot on my mind. It's no big deal."

She shouts when he jerks the steering wheel to the side, causing the van to suddenly veer right off the road. "What are you doing?!" Her hands grab onto the back of the seat for dear life. Driving through some grass and over a large bump, they finally stop near a row of trees. A spot that won't be easily noticed by those just passing through.

"Eddie! You scared the crap out of me!" Letting out a deep breath, the cheerleader lets go of the seat to press a hand against her chest. It's pounding and not from anything good. Does this guy want to give her a heart attack?

"Whoops. My bad." He ashes his cigarette out the window and takes another drag. The headlights are turned off, cutting down the chances of getting seen from the nearby road. "Since we ended up here… Might as well spill it. Go ahead. Now you have my undivided attention."

'This guy! He doesn't sound sorry at all…'

Sucking in her bottom lip, she focuses on the trees in front of the van. Thinking. This really isn't a great time. And where to start, anyway? Some of it is probably better off left unsaid.

"Is this about the bullshit at school?"

"Not entirely… I mean, it certainly doesn't help." Chrissy shifts uncomfortably against the seat. The pristine white sneakers slide back onto the floor as she straightens up. Letting it out is still difficult sometimes, even to a person who's gotten so close. A lot of this involves him, though.

'Part of the reason things didn't work out with Jason from my end was that I always kept quiet. I hardly ever spoke up when something bothered me or set any firm boundaries. We might not be going out, but I don't want this to fall into a similar trap.'

"I'm just stressing… Like over my dad coming home. Or when Jason gets back to school. And I'm still upset over last night. We haven't really talked about it." She says quietly, wrapping her arms around herself. "I… usually pretend things didn't happen. You already know that. Sometimes, I think that's the only way to keep myself together, especially with the… really bad stuff. It's just not working out so well for me."

Eddie sighs, blowing out a large puff of smoke she catches out of the corner of her eye. "Everyone tries to deal in different ways. Drugs, alcohol, sex, or just pretending shit didn't happen. Might not be good, but it keeps you truckin' along for now. That means there's still a chance to change it if you're not happy doing that."

"I'm not. So much has been ruined thanks to that, like my last relationship. It's figuring out how to deal with this that's super hard for me. I usually just let it sit there and eat me up inside without saying anything. That's kind of going on now. I'm not sure what to do, but don't want to ignore it and repeat the same pattern again."

'This probably isn't making any sense.'

"Hm. 'Kay… How about this? Just say what's really bothering you. This 'it'. Level with me. No fluff or trying to avoid hurting anyone's feelings. Then—if you want—maybe we can sort it out. A list, bullet points, ranting, whatever. Hit me with it." Flicking the butt out onto the grass, he scoots across the seat until the sides of their legs are touching. Having him so close is reassuring and makes her a little nervous at the same time.

Chrissy lets out a deep breath and reaches down to grab the hem of her skirt, needing something to hold on to. She's quiet for a moment while trying to organize the mess going on upstairs. It'd be so simple if there was a way to just rip herself open and show him what's inside. But no… Words are the only option.

A hand slides over to cover hers, completely enveloping it. That's what she really needed. Some human warmth and comfort. "Knowing you heard everything Jason said really upsets me. All that awful stuff… Certain parts were super personal. Things I never even wanted him to hear about. I can't help but wonder how that might've changed your opinion of me…"

"So it's true… Amber wasn't lying about you making yourself throw up. I didn't want to believe it... Why? That makes no sense. You've always been skinny. It can't be good for your body. Knock that off."

'My chest feels heavy. No one was ever supposed to know about my eating disorder. And to go into detail… Jason has no clue what he's talking about. None of it is that simple or I would've stopped years ago. I wish Eddie didn't know. It's so humiliating and makes me feel weak. As if I have no self-control.'

"Then there's the fight itself. I'm conflicted over it because I understand why you did that and appreciate the sentiment. Still, it's not worth it. If Jason wasn't so arrogant and didn't lie, his parents would've fought tooth–and–nail for you to be behind bars. Your plans of getting a diploma and going on tour could have gone up in smoke. There's only so much I can do since my dad's the one with the money and influence. Not me. And… I know you were angry, but seeing you both like that was really scary. I wanted to try handling that on my own. It always seems as if no one trusts me to do anything. I'm… I'm just rambling. Forget it. This sounds stupid."

"No, it doesn't. I hear you loud and clear." Eddie gives her hand a firm squeeze. "You might've accepted my help, but that doesn't mean I get to cross lines. We just gotta draw 'em bolder so this shit doesn't happen again. Also, if I'm making you scared and not in a fun way, then I screwed up. It's that simple. Doesn't matter if I meant well. I got heated and let it get to my head. Sorry for that."

'That's where I went wrong before. My boundaries need to be made clear so the other person doesn't unintentionally cross them and vice versa. Jason might not have cared about that, but Eddie does.'

"The garbage Golden Boy said about you? Yeah, it's not changing crap for me. I get not wanting personal problems tossed out in the open. No one does. Can't unhear it, though. This might not make you feel better, but there's nothing Carver or anyone else can say that'll mess with my opinion of you. Not a fan of just going off people's word. I like to find out for myself. Would've missed out on a lot over the years if I did."

It's nice to be heard and actually listened to. Many often think those mean the same thing. They don't. Her words don't just go in one ear and out the other with him. What a difference.

A huge weight is lifted. There's not much that can be done about her dad, Jason, and the atmosphere at school, except waiting and seeing what happens next. This is good enough for now. She's already said sorry multiple times for the bruises he got while asking about the pain. The response is usually the same. A pinch, a 'don't apologize', then getting teased. Maybe soon, they can both eventually put this past them.

The cheer captain shifts closer to him, leaning her head against his upper arm. "I know nothing can be done about it, but it's still kind of embarrassing you heard all that. I, um… I'm relieved you don't think less of me for it."

"Hell no. Unless I find out you're doing stuff like kicking puppies and eating babies on your off time, there's almost nothing that could do that. But if you wanna hear embarrassing crap about me to start balancing things out, then let's do this." Eddie chuckles and smacks on the interior light above. "I've been tryin' to grow out my chest hair since freshman year. Full–on shag rug style because I was told chicks dig that." Grabbing the front of his club shirt, he yanks it down to show off his sternum. "Look at this shit. Almost as bald as Wheeler's face. Pathetic."

Despite the somber mood that was present barely two minutes ago, Chrissy can't resist laughing. She tried and like usual, failed miserably around him. And he's not wrong. There's only the smallest patch of thin hairs in the middle of his chest. Hardly enough to notice unless he points them out.

"I'm not sure if this helps any, but I personally don't dig chest hair like that on guys. It's just not my thing. If I wanted to cuddle with a rug, I have a perfectly good one in my bedroom."

"Wish I could've known that before. It'd save me a lot of time, heartache, and razor burn." Eddie snorts while readjusting his top. "This is all I managed after six years. Don't worry. I got a lot more tidbits to throw your way. Might totally ruin me."

She stares at him blankly for a moment. Maybe letting that go in one ear and out the other might be best. At least to not draw any wild conclusions. "You don't have to tell me!"

"Nuh-uh. You were the one going on about balance in Ms. O's, so now you gotta listen to my humiliating exploits."

---

Whipping down Rosaline, the van slows down as they near their destination. Such a shame. Time always seems to fly when they're together. There's just never enough of it. It's bull, but more will come his way in the very near future.

Letting his eyes wander over to the cheerleader staring out the window, he's glad to see she's more upbeat compared to earlier. Seeing her upset is like watching a kitten crying. Gives him the urge to do something to change that. No matter how dumb as hell it is. If it can get a smile or laugh, all is good.

'Damn. There's her house.'

"Keep going! Keep going!" Chrissy shoots up in the seat, totally panicked. He arches a brow and leans forward to get a look. There's a black Benz in the driveway. Yep. That can only mean one thing. Daddy big bucks is back from fucking right off. It's his first time going past the place with the guy at home. Before, he didn't know which one was Cunningham Castle and always dropped her off around the corner, but it was daytime then.

"What do you want me to do?" Glancing between the street ahead and her, an uneasy sensation creeps through him. She looks a little pale and the hands in her lap keep fidgeting. It's giving off bad vibes. "Just let me know."

None of this feels right. He doesn't like it. There's not much that can be done from his end. Not without stepping on her toes or pushing boundaries, which is exactly what they were just talking about earlier.

"Um… Can we go around the block so I can get a minute to calm down? I think it should be okay to park a few houses down from mine. It's not like the neighbors haven't seen your van already. I'm screwed either way." She tries to take even breaths as her legs begin to bounce, making the anxiety she's experiencing all the more apparent.

"Sure thing."

'What's her dad's deal?'

As they turn the corner onto Douglas, Eddie steals another peek at the cheer captain. He wouldn't be opposed to letting her crash at his place if things are bad at home. His uncle isn't the type of person who'd turn someone away that needs help.

"I feel bad…" she says quietly, hanging her head. "Part of me is disappointed my dad came home. That's not supposed to happen. I should be thrilled he's back and safe. Maybe that makes me a bad person? I mean, it was lonely a lot, like when you weren't over… but I think I prefer loneliness to walking on eggshells. There's no way he's not going to find out a lot of what went on these last two weeks. He's going to lose it."

Christ. It seems like just about everyone in Chrissy's life really sucks ass. Except maybe some of her cheerleader friends.

"Ah, yeah… So, she was really mad about that and I got grounded for a while... And lost some dinner privileges."

Like any of that shit's normal… She said it so nonchalantly as if getting grounded and being denied food are things that 'just happen'. Maybe in that household, it is. If only he could take her away from it all. Give the chick a chance to heal and find some peace.

'I'd just make her life harder.'

It's a sobering thought, but a true one. He has nothing to offer. Not now anyway. That might change someday…

"Try not to beat yourself up over it. Your dad shouldn't be making you feel like that in the first place. Folks always act like parents deserved to be worshiped no matter what and that's total bullshit. Some really friggin' suck. Like I said before, you have options, though it might be rough for a while. If it gets nasty or you don't feel safe, you can come chill at my place. It's not much, but there's a roof and no one that'll make you walk on eggshells."

"Thanks. I appreciate that…" Chrissy says warmly and moves across the seat to lean up against him. He purses his lips, trying to focus on not sideswiping any of the pricey cars parked along the street.

'Dammit.'

Finding a spot that is close enough for him to make sure she gets in fine while not getting her dad's attention isn't too hard. Most of the richies keep their cars in the driveway or garage. The ballsier ones don't. The street's a mixed bag.

Pulling up alongside the curb, Eddie lets out a long, drawn-out sigh. A bit exaggerated, but so is his disappointment. Well, he already ate up plenty of her time with the session. On a normal day, she would've been home probably a few hours ago when cheer practice ends.

"Well, I guess it's time to face the music." She sighs almost as loudly as he did, reluctantly sitting up.

"If you wanna talk or he's being a pain in the ass and you need to vent, just ring me. Doesn't matter how late it is. 'Kay?"

"Mhm…" She seems totally bummed out. Slowly pulling up the pink bookbag that was almost left behind at school earlier.

Before grabbing the door handle, Chrissy stops and turns back around. That's right. Leaving without giving him a hug or anything is strange now. But her mind seems preoccupied with other crap. Crawling over the bench seat, she plants her knees into the cushion and pushes up to wrap her arms around his neck.

Eddie returns the hug eagerly, pulling the cheerleader closer. He buries his face into the crook of her neck, enjoying the sweet scent surrounding him. This is the best and worst part. They get to be closer than usual for a short amount of time, only to go their separate ways afterward.

This became a routine of sorts recently. One he finds himself always looking forward to when they hangout. It's usually the same. A long hug and reluctant goodbyes. When he feels a pair of soft lips against his cheek and hears that 'muah' sound close to his ear, it's very apparent their little ritual has taken a sharp turn in a different direction.

'...Holy shit.'

Chrissy Cunningham just kissed him.

Instead of being the cool almost twenty–year–old dude who rolls with the punches, the Hellfire leader's more like the wannabe hardass that was taken off guard by a pretty girl with a bright smile in middle school. He stares wide-eyed, nearly in shock at what just happened. Everything in the van is spinning, creating a twisting wheel of dark colors. It's making him dizzy and she might be yelling, but he could be having a stroke.

"Eddie! The van's rolling!"

'Oh.'

That snaps him out of it. "Shit, shit, shit!" Slamming his foot back down onto the break, he looks around wildly and lets out a relieved breath. What a moron. Straight ahead is one of her neighbor's cars. In a stupor, his sneaker must've let up on the pedal. A few more feet and he would have rear-ended a vehicle that probably cost more than his van and his uncle's trailer put together.

"You're reckless! And dangerous! And…" Chrissy looks like she's on the brink of crying. That probably freaked her out. As if any more trouble needs to be added to the pile they've already created. That also wasn't a great reaction to get after kissing someone. She grabs her bookbag and moves to get out.

'I'm such a fucking idiot.

"Woah, wait a second!" Leaving on that note is a bad idea. And it's not like he can blame her for thinking that. "C'mon, Chrissy… Hold on!"

The cheer captain pauses with one leg outside of the van. She whips her head back in his direction, visibly upset with the entire mess. Once again making that little pouty face that gets this chick whatever she wants from him. After a few seconds, the passenger side door closes and he gets to plead his case.

"Listen," Eddie says softly, leaning over to grab her hand. Chrissy just stares at him. Thankfully, she doesn't rip it away. "I'm so sorry you have a thing for a complete dumbass. Honestly. Total dumpster fire mess of a guy. One real sorry son of a bitch. But if you give me another chance, I promise I'll try not to kill us next time. Again." He leans down and plants a kiss on her fingers.

The change in demeanor is instant. Quickly becoming as red as a tomato. "Well… Fine. It's not like I wasn't going to call you later or anything." She says shyly, looking away. "I'm not mad, okay? I really need to get going, though."

"Guess I'll catch you later, then." Watching as the princess of the realm hops out to return to her imprisonment in the tower, he's relieved when she gives him a little smile before leaving. His eyes stay on her until she makes it safely to the front door.

'Damn… That could've gone better. Good job, you goddamn fool.'

Hitting the interior light, Eddie sits up to inspect his face in the rear-view mirror. Yep. There it is. A kiss mark with the new lipstick she's wearing. Right beneath the bruise on his cheek. The only physical proof of what just occurred. And it's staying there for the rest of the night until he eventually has to take a shower.

Still, at least she's not angry and might call him later. From that reaction earlier, he's worried about what could happen with her dad. They sure made a big ol' mess while the guy was out of town. His daughter dumped the wealthy jock he apparently intended her to marry and become a breeding mare for. Now she's kinda seeing a dirtbag guitarist with long hair, tattoos, and no job who's on his third round of being a high school senior.

Fun stuff.

Lighting up a cigarette, the Hellfire leader pulls away from the curb and takes off down Roseline. This is probably gonna be a real pain. There's no way an upper-class stick in the mud like Mr. C will be okay with him lurking around. Oh, well. No one ever said this would be easy.

There is one thing that's for certain. Eddie's not goin' anywhere unless the same lips that left this mark on his cheek specifically tell him to. Everyone else can piss off and deal with it.

---

A/N: Thank you all so much for the lovely reviews and kind words! I appreciate it! Don't worry, though. I'm not going on a hiatus or anything like that. Writing this fic is very therapeutic and comforting for me, and I want to see it through to the end.

lay1999Mster: I gotcha and already had something like that in mind. I swear Hellcheer has its own wavelength. I'm totally cool with some messiness as long as it's not cheating. Can't see either of them doing that anyway tbh.

AlphaMercury and XD: I got you, too lol.