Chapter One

The morning autumn air was crisp against the thin windows of the trailer. I pulled open one of my eyes against the heavy sleep and glanced at the clock on the side table; 5:48 am. I groaned, putting the pillow back above my head and turning over, I still had a few minutes to spare. I could feel the cold air coming in from under the bedroom door against my legs, I shivered and tried to cocoon myself under the blankets. It was no use, I was already too awake to lull myself back into sleep.

I threw the pillow off onto the floor and sat up, pushing my black curly bangs back out of my face to rub the sand from my eyes. I stood up, kicked on my house shoes and grabbed my pack of cigarettes from the dresser.

Dragging my feet, I slid open the door to the rear patio. My brother was seated at the table on the porch. "'Morning, kid." Seth tossed me his zippo as I took the seat opposite him.

I took a long draw of smoke. "It's too early."

Seth chuckled, a bright white smile breaking across his deep tan skin, two dimples appearing on his cheeks. "It's your last year of this bullshit, Wyatt. You need to get pumped!"

I mocked up some enthusiasm. "Yayy!! Senior year!!"

New year. New school. New everything. I've spent every year since 7th grade in a different school thanks to my brother. I haven't gotten excited about my first day of school since mom died. I was tired of trying to fit in somewhere only to pack the trailer up and move yet again.

Seth could read my face. "This year is going to be different..."

"We're here to stay" I said that last part with him, "I know, I know."

"Smile!" Seth whipped out the polaroid and snapped a pic, not before I could flip him the bird. Seth laughed and ruffled up my hair. "I think this one's a keeper." Seth opened the patio door and stepped inside the kitchen, sticking it to the fridge.

"I'll alert the yearbook committee."

Seth stuck his dark locks back out the door. "That's the spirit!"

I couldn't help but smile. Seth always had a way of cheering me up. I snuffed out what was left of my cigarette and headed inside to throw on some clothes. Our trailer was a one bedroom, Seth being the gentleman let me have the bedroom while he slept on the pullout sofa.

There wasn't much to my room. Just a full sized bed pushed up against the corner covered in whatever mismatched blankets and sheets that we could find at thrift stores. On my nightstand sat a small lamp, my alarm clock, and a photo of Seth, my mother, and myself years before she passed away.

I had my dresser w/ mirror that was covered in random band stickers that I had gotten from all the concerts Seth had taken me to over the years. That's one thing awesome about traveling so much, I have been blessed to see so many amazing bands live.

Across the room was my entertainment stand record player and sound system that I had paid for after an entire summer of work at a gas station last year in Wisconsin. The shelves were overflowing with records and cassette tapes that were spilling out in piles onto the shaggy gold carpet.

I snatched up some torn up jeans, a Led Zeppelin t-shirt, and a gray and black flannel from the clean pile on the floor and tossed it on. I went to the bathroom and brushed my teeth and ran a comb through my curly black hair and tossed some cold water on my tan skin.

On the way out the door I grabbed the remaining toaster strudel from the toaster and slipped on my biker boots and my jean jacket, grabbing my backpack and keys. "I'll see you later! Have a good day at work!" I called over my shoulder to Seth as I strode out to the tan Bronco.

"Love you, kid!" Seth yelled after me. "Good luck!"

The drive from the trailer park to the high school campus was fairly short, all winding backroads. I had to say, that was something I loved about this town. Everything is out of the way. Away from the noise and away from the stress. I tossed in some Black Sabbath into the cassette player and turned the speakers all the way up.

I was going way over the speed limit, but I was enjoying the morning breeze and the last smoke of the day. I pulled into the parking lot of the school with Ozzy blaring his vocals a little too loudly. A few kids turned to stare. Oops.

I switched off the bronco, threw my cigarette out the window and cranked up the glass as I gathered my things and stepped out. The parking lot was full of the basketball team and their little preppy cheerleaders. Some blonde boy was staring at me and whispering over to one of his teammates. I rolled my eyes.

I started my way towards the office and as I strode past them I could hear their snickering getting a little louder. One of the boys stuck his foot out in a feeble attempt to trip me. In one swift move I jumped over his leg and shoulder checked him back into the door of the white Impala he was leaning against.

"Watch where you're walking, freak." I heard one of the girls say.

I faked tripping towards her and spilt my coffee all over her white tennis shoes, "Whoops. Clumsy me."

The girl shrieked in horror. "What is your fucking problem?!"

I chuckled a little bit, giving them two little birdies before I spun around on my heels and I continued my walk towards the office. A little red-haired freshman girl w/ skateboard stuck her hand out for a high five as I walked past. Clearly someone admired my social skills.

Not even here five minutes, Wyatt and you're already making friends swimmingly.

The office was quiet. The lady with the big glasses and puffy white hair behind the desk was on the phone when I opened the door; she held up a single finger letting me know she'd be of assistance in a moment. I tossed my backpack down on the bench and plopped myself down next to it with a sigh.

I could hear someone in the office next door getting scolded. It wasn't even 7:30 on day 1.

"Eddie," the adult male sighed heavily, "We can't do another year of this. I really don't want to see you again next year."

"Oof." a younger male voice answered. I could hear the sarcasm dripping. "And here I am thinking you missed me over the summer."

"This is your 3rd senior year." Wow. Overachiever.

"'86 Baby!" The young one cheered. "Whoo!"

I let out a little laugh under my breath. I liked this guy's attitude.

"Can I help you?" The puffy haired lady asked and she hung up the phone.

I stood up and headed towards her desk. "Yes, I'm new here. I –uh– was told to stop in here and get my schedule and locker."

"Yes," The lady was ruffling through some drawers before she pulled out a green and yellow folder with an H on it. I was assuming that it stood for "Hawkins". Opening it she pulled out a schedule form and a ticket with a locker combination on it. "You're Miss Stephens."

I smiled, "Call me Wyatt."

The lady slid the schedule across the counter and pulled out a map from another drawer. I noticed her chipped bright pink nail polish. "You're going to start out in Room 118, Biology with Mr. Thomas." The lady put an X over a room on the map.

"Thanks," I gathered up the folder and everything she had put together for me and tucked it under my arm.

"I can escort you." The young male voice called over from the principal's doorway.

"No-"

"How sweet of you, Eddie!" The old lady cooed before I could fully turn down his offer.

"You know me, Mrs. Reynolds." Eddie answered, un leaning himself from the edge of the doorway.

Eddie was tall and muscular under his D "Hellfire Club" baseball shirt that I could clearly see was handmade. Eddie had a red flannel tied around his waist and a denim jacket slung casually over his shoulder. Eddie was pale, and I could see he had a few tattoos. His dark hair was wild much like my own, and his large, round brown eyes were dancing with some emotion that I couldn't quite put my finger on. Almost like he was in on some private joke. When our eyes met he was toying with a guitar pick between his teeth casually. For some reason I couldn't keep eye contact without my stomach doing a summersault.

"I'm always the gentleman." Eddie gave her a wink and I could see the older woman turn a deep shade of scarlet.

The middle aged man behind eyed sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Eddie, can we at least wait a week before we have to speak again. Please."

Eddie chuckled and gave the man a half salute as he headed to pick up my backpack from the bench. "Of course, sir. It's a date."

I tried to grab my bag before Eddie got to it, "You don't have to-"

"Nay, fair maiden," Eddie pulled the back over his shoulder and away from my grip, taking the door handle and gesturing for me to proceed out. "I have to."

"Make good choices, Eddie!" The lady called after him. I could hear him let out a laugh as the door closed.

"As if." He muttered darkly. Eddie looked over at me and smiled. The smile was wide and bright, reminding me a lot of Seth's smiles. "Where's the fun in that, huh?"

Eddie reached his hand out for the folder that was still tucked away under my arm, "May I?"

"Have at it. It's not like I know what I'm looking at." I handed it over to him.

Eddie opened it and pulled me to sit down on a bench near the bathrooms. "Let's see what the damage is here... Biology, English, Statistics, P.E , Calculus, Spanish, Study hall. Did you pick any of these?"

I scoffed. "No. I've learned to not be picky. I won't be here long anyways."

"You're a traveler then?" Eddie asked.

"I've gotten around." I shrugged.

Eddie glanced up at the clock on the wall behind me. "We've only got 30 min of first period left."

"Oh wow. Three senior years and you can tell time?" I retorted teasingly.

Eddie's cheeks went a shade of pink and he fidgeted with his hands. "You heard all that, huh?"

"I can't imagine loving school so much that you'd keep coming back like that." I smiled, bumping his shoulder with mine. I didn't want him to think I was laughing at him.

"Do you smoke?" Eddie asked with a sly smile. "We could always ditch the rest, you know getting lost being new and all."

I flashed him a grin, "Lead the way!"

I followed Eddie as he led me to the rear parking lot, he led me to the side door of a gray van. "After you, milady." Eddie tossed my stuff inside first, and gently grabbed my elbow. "Watch your step."

Eddie secured the door behind him and reached behind the rear passenger seat for a bong. "You know, I don't think you should be so easily influenced into skipping class by strange boys in vans." Eddie pulled a baggie from his lunch box and began preparing.

"Don't flatter yourself," I rested the side of my head on the headrest of the red cloth bucket seat, my legs nearly touching his chair. "I don't think you could influence me to do anything I didn't already think of doing first."

Eddie laughed darkly. "You planned on skipping your first class at your new school to smoke weed in a stranger's van? Was that the idea when you woke up this morning?"

"Do I not seem like the type?" I asked teasingly. Eddie passed me the bong first and I took the first hit.

"I don't like to judge." Eddie stated, taking a hit of his own. "But I have to point out, you're on your own way to a phone call to your parents, and I don't think they'd be too pleased."

"Joke's on you," I laughed. "My parents are dead."

Eddie had a minor panic flash in his eyes. "Oops. I'm so sorry, I didn't–"

I held my hand up, "It's fine." I took another hit, "I've dealt with it."

"Are you adopted or–" Eddie pressed.

"No." I sighed. "My brother, Seth. He just stepped up and took care of me. It's been just me and him for a while now."

Eddie was quiet.

"We've moved around, like A LOT." I continued. "But Seth does his best, and I love the hell out of him for it. He was 18 when my mother died. He was a kid basically and he took on raising me without even hesitating. He didn't have to do that."

Eddie was just listening quietly. "Your brother sounds like a good man."

"He is." I agreed. "The very best. We just got settled in here two nights ago at the trailer park on Hickory. Seth took a job at the steel factory."

"So you're the new ones in the park?" Eddie asked, mostly to himself. Eddie looked over at me briefly, "I also live there with my uncle. We saw someone moving in and we were curious about it. Hawkins doesn't get many new people. What made him choose here of all places?"

I shook my head. "I don't know. We've been to lots of places. Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania. There doesn't really seem to be a method to his madness I guess. He's just always trying to stay one step ahead."

Eddie sighed, just being comfortable in the silence for a moment. Eddie reached into the cooler and grabbed a can of Dr. Pepper and tossed it at me with a small bag of chips. "Here."

"Thanks." I noticed from the corner of my eye something in the back seat of the van. An acoustic guitar. "Is that yours?" I asked, tilting my head back that direction.

Eddie's brown eyes lit up immediately. "Yes, that's my lady. Well, my mistress, my main lady is at home on my dresser." I reached back for it. "Do you want to hear some?"

"I'd love to."

Eddie grinned another million dollar grin at me, and pulled the guitar pic from the chain around his neck. He didn't play anything in particular, just let his fingers dance on the strings and lead him wherever they wanted. The sound was beautiful.

Eddie abruptly stopped after a few moments, "Come on, we've got to get you to English class."

I frowned, "But I don't wanna."

Eddie laughed, it was like music. "I know, believe me. But I made a promise to escort you to class today. And, Dammit you will get to one of those. I'm a man of my word, after all." Eddie held the van door open for me, helped me out and grabbed my things just as the bell rang and other students began shuffling between the halls.

People were staring at me as I walked through the halls. I could feel their gazes on my back as I walked past. It was making me extremely uncomfortable and I think Eddie could feel the tension radiating from me.

"Hey." Eddie whispered, leaning in, he smelt of cedar. "Don't worry about it. Their fascination will fade, I promise. Eddie stopped, panic crossing his eyes. "N-not that you're not–fascinating, you're great. I-uh." Eddie stammered over his words, cheeks turning pink as he scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

I laughed and he seemed relieved. "Thanks, Eddie." I squeezed the inside of his arm a little tighter, I had forgotten that he was still holding onto me.

"Well-uh," Eddie continued, still pink as we came to a halt in front of a door. "This is you." I could tell he was hesitating at letting me go into the door. For some reason I felt so drawn to just being there with him. I didn't want to part ways either.

"I'll see you around?" I asked, my green eyes getting lost in his brown ones for a moment.

Eddie smiled, and squeezed my shoulders between his hands, "I'm a man of my word remember?"

"That you are." I agreed. I started to turn and walk in. Eddie still hadn't moved. I turned back around. "Hey, Eddie?"

His face lit up when I said his name. "Yes," Eddie breathed.

"Don't get into too much trouble?"

Eddie smiled another wide smile. "Now that, princess. I cannot promise you." Eddie winked and turned on his heels for the other direction.

I could feel my heart spinning around as he left.