Fridays were always one of the busiest days at work - though once the schools kicked out for summer next week, everyday will be swamped. After a rough shift Robin, Steve and I fell into Steve's car all groaning. "Still up for Hellraiser tonight?" Steve asked us both. "Are you kidding, if we cancelled i think the kids would mob us" I told him, they had wanted to see it so badly in the movies but Dustin never would've passed as old enough to get in. The gang arrived at Steve's house an hour later, except for Dustin, which was weird. Mike, Max, and Lucas piled into Steve's kitchen and began rooting through his cupboards. "Where's Henderson?" Steve asked, looking for his favourite kid. "He's on his way, got held up at home i think" Max said. She gave me a hug and i squeezed her tight, I loved her like a little sister. Truth be told, if Robin and I left for college I would be more worried about leaving her here with just her mom, now she was drinking again. Max and I had an ubreakable bond - shared trauma.
Steve frowned and started lightly smacking Mike and Lucas away from the cupboards, "jeez guys just wait till Henderson gets here and we'll order pizza". It was nice to see Lucas again; he looked a little awkward around Max still but things between him, Mike and Dustin had gotten much better since Jason graduated with me and Robin last year. I think Lucas realised being popular and on the basketball team meant nothing in the real world - but his friends meant everything. We'd been waiting for about half an hour, all of us were starving and itching to watch the movie, but Dustin still hadn't arrived. "Where IS he? Should two of us go to his house or something, make sure he's okay?" I looked round at everyone as they glanced at one another. They did this sometimes - shared glances and looks with each other that certainly said more than they were saying to me. I swear it's like they all had their own sub-group without me, sharing things with each other that I wasn't allowed to be part of. It had been that way with everyone except Robin, since Barb died in the summer before junior year started - after the chemical leak from Hawkins lab, two months after I came back to Hawkins. "Nah, i'm sure he's okay. I mean if something was wrong, one of us would've heard something". Mike said, waving a walkie in the air.
When Dustin finally arrived 15 minutes later, he wasn't alone. I was in the hallway carrying a beer when he knocked. "Hendersooo- oh you brought him? uh hey, what's up" Steve had gone in for a bear hug but stopped when he saw who was with Dustin. The gang heard the strange change in Steve's voice and came into the hallway too; in walked Dustin with Eddie Munson. "Eddie! what are you doing here man!" Mike hopped over to him to high five, it was quite cute how much Mike clearly idolised Eddie still, since he took the boys under his wing when they started highschool. Steve was still looking confused, just like the rest of us felt. "Uh, hey... I needed to speak with Dustin about Hellfire tomorrow night, he mentioned you guys were watching Hellraiser at chez Harrington. it's uh, a cool movie. Mind if i join?" Eddie Munson asked the hallway of people staring at him. Everyone gave a shrug and Mike excitedly yelled "yeah sure of course dude". The gang started moving out of the hallway, Steve and Eddie just stood there kind of awkwardly. I swear I thought I saw them looking each other up and down? did i?
Eddie Munson was wearing his usual; battle jacket over leather jacket, ink stained Hellfire club shirt, dark jeans, and messy long hair the colour of dark chocolate. He mostly chatted to Mike, Lucas, and Dustin. Meanwhile Robin was giving me side glances, dying to laugh and make a joke, knowing i'd flick her in the throat if she did. Robin was my best friend, but telling her that i had a crush on Eddie Munson in Middle school was a mistake. I was over it, had been for a long long time, but Robin loved to rip me about it anytime we saw Eddie. I put my arm round Steve's shoulder, i could tell he was disappointed Munson was here; since Dustin became close to Eddie I think he's felt a little left out. Steve loves Dustin like a brother, but Eddie is the one who looked out for Dustin and Mike when they started school, he gave them the confidence to be themselves - be freaks - even after we graduated.
So; Movie night with the gang and Eddie Munson, this should be fun.