Warning: Descriptions of violence and blood.
"Girl… Come on. Fill us in on the deets. I'm going crazy over here."
"Okay, okay! Just give me a second." Two pairs of eyes are trained on her and it's a little nerve-wracking. Would Eddie mind if she talks to them about it? Some things should clearly stay private—like his monster porn collection—but what about the rest? Does he have similar conversations with his friends? Is she brought up? Are they going to know what happened earlier?
'Uh-oh. I feel like I'm going to burst. Can't think about that… And it's too late to back out now on this end. They're both invested already.'
"I'm not really sure what this is. We're technically not dating. He hasn't asked me out or anything… Actually, we haven't even talked about it. Who knows if he's even into any of that? Relationship stuff, I mean." She says pensively, ignoring how Charlotte gasps and clutches her chest.
"So, you're not going out, haven't talked about going out, and have no clue if he would even want to go out. Maybe you two are just friends?"
"Nat! She said they're technically not dating. That's like dating without putting labels on anything. Read between the lines."
"No, 'not dating' means not dating. If there's no actual date, then it's just hanging out with someone."
"That's the thing…" Chrissy pulls her knees up, wrapping both arms around them. Thankfully the rug is extra fluffy with some cushion to it. That spanking from earlier left her backside a little sore, so moving around gives a not-so-subtle reminder that they're not just friends. "I just don't know anymore. It's confusing sometimes. Like, we're definitely more than that. I'm really nervous about all of this."
"Hold up! If you're more than friends, but not going out, does that mean you're fun buddies?"
"No!" The captain turns a bright shade of red, waving her hands frantically. Of course this would go in that direction. She's been vague about what's going on, so it's not too hard to see how Charlotte got there. "It's not like that."
'Wait… Are we? I'm not sure what counts.'
"Maybe? We're into each other. That's obvious. I like him a lot." There. That's finally out in the open. No more keeping it under wraps. "I guess you could say we're just seeing where things go? It's sort of similar to what Charlotte said. The whole 'not putting labels on it' thing."
"And you're okay with that?" Natalie arches a brow, tilting her head to the side. It's clear she's not the biggest fan of these recent developments. Particularly because of who it's with.
'I can tell she doesn't like him. This isn't going to be easy. It'd be nice if everyone could get along, but that'll take time.'
"For now, I suppose. It's just… when we hangout, I'm happy and we always fun. He makes me feel good. It's so different from being with Jason. There's no rules or pressure or having to worry about making him mad. It's nice. Eddie's been a great friend, but now things are… changing. Stuff happened and I'm all mixed up about it. I don't think we can go back to the way it was anymore."
Charlotte's eyes go wide and dart over toward the junior to confirm if she also heard that. "Chris… Did you… Did you guys get it on? Is that what you're saying?"
Chrissy grabs onto the strings of her sweatpants to play with. Anything to use as a distraction from the pounding in her chest. She's overly aware of both girls giving their full attention to this lame attempt at an explanation. "N–No, not yet. It didn't go that far."
"It didn't go that far? Then how far did it go?" The curiosity laced in the redhead's whisper makes this a bit more tantalizing to drag out. They're dying to know. Did the 'prude' do something scandalous for once?
Letting out a shaky breath, she steels any resolve left to bare part of her soul in front of them. This is going to cause a complete meltdown. "Well, we kind of made out earlier… and he… spanked me." She bites down on her bottom lip and slowly looks up from the strings, almost afraid of their reactions.
Natalie sticks a pinky in her ear and twists it around before yanking it out. "Sorry. Didn't hear that last part. Now, what did you say?"
"He, um… spanked me."
"Come again?" The fellow senior leans in close, staring at her with the fiery intensity of a hundred suns.
'Are they really going to make me do this?'
"You heard me the first time! I said he spanked me. Hand on my butt. Slap, slap. Spank. There's no other way to explain it." Chrissy is on the verge of having a meltdown of her own. Face red, heart going into overdrive, and brain on the fritz. It was bad enough just getting it out once. Even thinking about that turns her into a pile of mush.
The room erupts in the most embarrassing way. With the two squealing and knocking over the stacks of magazines, causing them to spill over the carpet. Charlotte drags herself over to the large Madonna poster on the wall and slaps her hands against it. "Thank you, Mother Superior. It's finally happening. I knew this day would come."
"Really?!" They didn't even get to the advice part. This was just laying the groundwork so they're all on the same page. "Jeez. You guys act like I've never done anything before…"
"Oh, I know you've made out with Ken plenty of times, Barbie. That's baby stuff. Spanking is a whole different ballgame. I should've known he was into some freaky deaky things. Any guy who walks around with chains and hair like that isn't a vanilla kind of person." Crawling back to her previous spot, the brunette sits down and leans back on her palms, eyeing the captain with renewed interest. "I have a few questions."
That was an understatement. Chrissy found that out real quick. Is he a good kisser? Did they use tongue? Does he have bad breath? What's he like when they're together? How did it all go down? Did any clothes come off? Where were his hands? What did they say? Are there plans to meet up again? And Charlotte's favorite, how big is he?
'My face hurts. It's so hot! I need some water to cool down.'
"What do you mean you didn't check? Couldn't you… you know, feel it?"
"I didn't touch him there. Look, I was kind of nervous and not thinking straight, okay? That wasn't exactly on my mind." She shrugs, hoping the outside doesn't match the inside. Her face probably looks like it was covered in rouge.
They don't need to know all of it. Some things should stay between them. If she found out Eddie went to his friends and told them extremely intimate details about her body… Well, trusting him again would take a miracle. Maybe it's because she's overly sensitive when it comes to that. He might not care but still. It feels like an invasion of privacy.
"Chris, are you sure about this guy? How do you know he's not using you or something?" Natalie pipes up, cutting right through their teammate's invasive line of questioning. "What if he just has a thing for cheerleaders? He mentioned not bringing us up in his 'rants', but isn't that kind of weird? We're right in there with the jocks. What makes us any different? That most of us are girls in short skirts?"
'Using me?'
"What's your damage, dweeb?" The giddy, lighthearted mood in the room took a sudden downturn. That doesn't please their host, who was enjoying the discussion up to this point. "You're being a real wet blanket."
"Look who's talking! First you threatened to cut his Johnson off, and now you're trying to find out how big it is. That's a total one-eighty! What changed?"
The small argument breaking out causes the captain's smile to fade. It was bound to happen. If not now, then during the sleepover at some point. She's not completely oblivious. To everyone else, this is all coming out of nowhere. Literally a week ago, they were all sitting in the Carver's parlor room while Jason made a show of giving her a bracelet. No one had a clue what was going on behind the scenes.
"You know what? Since we're getting down to the nitty-gritty of it all, I'll be upfront. Chrissy—" Hearing Charlotte throw out her full first name signifies how serious she's trying to be. "Yeah, I was pretty gagged to find out you were meeting up with Munson. It also sucked that you didn't clue any of us in on it, but I don't blame you because I'm a blabbermouth and probably would've spilled the beans by accident. So is most of the team."
'She really is being upfront.'
"For real, I can come up with a ton of reasons why you shouldn't mess around with that guy. And when I say a ton, I mean a ton.. . But we've been friends for a while. We get each other. I might not understand this relationship between you two. All I know is that—for whatever reason—he makes you happy. As someone who loves love, how could I possibly be against that?"
'Don't bring the l-word into this.'
"Nice speech, narbo. I want her to be happy, too! I'm just having a hard time trusting him. Chris… You're so nice and it blows my mind thinking about you hooking up with 'the freak' who's also my cousin's drug dealer. It's crazy. I'm glad you're happy and all, I just want you to be careful." Natalie relents, looking away from the other two. She seems a little deflated after what was said.
"Listen, I get where you're both coming from. I do. Eddie messes around all the time. It's not a big secret and that's okay with me. I'm not exactly a perfect little angel, either. Actually, in a lot of ways, I think he's a much better person than I'll ever be." She ignores the protests from the cheerleaders and stares down at the hands resting in her lap, slowly rubbing them together. "This might be a huge mistake I'll end up regretting… Still, for once in my life, I want it to be my choice. I understand you guys being iffy about all of this, but as my friends, can you just… I don't know, give him a chance?"
Chrissy doesn't have to say everything for them to get it. She has no intention of answering Natalie's question about him possibly using her for anything, let alone telling them what's really been going on. Heck, he doesn't even know the entire truth. No one does, except for her.
Eddie having a thing specifically for cheerleaders? So what? If that's the case, then he just nabbed the squad captain. Good for him. On the other hand, it could be said she snagged the lead guitarist of a metal band. Stellar. They both are getting some excitement out of this.
"Got you, girl. I'm already down. I know what it's like to have everyone running their mouths over a choice I made. It sucks. You were one of the few people that backed me up then, so yeah. However, if Munson does anything messed up, I will follow through with that threat. No future kids for him." The brunette nods, smacking her lips at the end. "Besides, if I'm being honest, the whole 'opposites attract' thing kind of interests me. Might get the creative juices flowing."
'Well, at least my messy situation can be good for something… I didn't want to bring up any bad memories for her, though.'
"I'll… I'll try to give him a chance. For you. The next couple of weeks at school are going to be annoying, but we can manage it."
Chrissy's brows pinch together as she sucks in her quivering bottom lip. This point in her life might be the closest she'll ever get to being a 'normal teenager'. Sitting around with friends, talking about boys, and having a heart–to–heart with a million magazines strewn across the carpet. For so long, she always kept others at arm's length, assuming the worst and never reaching out. Treating connections as a commodity to be used for more beneficial purposes. Like her parents did.
Perhaps she didn't have to be alone. There were good people around from the start. It just took someone accidentally worming their way in and scaling the walls for her to truly recognize that.
"Good luck with that. I'm telling you, it doesn't feel like an even 5/8 pattern. The rhythm is off just enough that playing strict eighth notes will cause you to fall out of step with the band. And yeah, it can be a real bitch. Try pulling off seven downstrokes every second and see how long it takes for your forearms to go numb." Eddie explains, narrowing his eyes on the target. The dart flies through the air and lands right outside of the triple ring.
'Goddammit. I still suck. Just wanna hit that bullseye once before I die.'
"Oh, c'mon. It can't be that bad."
Is this chick for real? He stares at her in disbelief before shaking his head and grabbing another dart out of the lineup on the pool table. What a load of bullshit. It's easy for someone who doesn't play guitar to say that.
"Maybe not for me, but it's still a pain in the ass. I'd suggest going way smaller." The hubris… Jokingly strumming along for laughs and pulling off a Metallica cover are two completely different things. Anyone can pick at random chords while having no idea what they're doing. If she wants to actually take this on, there's no choice but to learn the basics. Not just grab Davie's Les Paul to make everyone's ears bleed.
'I'd like to see a newbie play Puppets with less than two weeks to practice and it actually sound good. Unless they're some kind of prodigy, there's no friggin' way that's happening. This is why I should keep my mouth shut.'
"Smaller?" Chloe tsks and takes another drag of her cigarette, visibly annoyed that the impossible is… well, impossible. She taps the heel of her boot against the floor, running a hand through her short bleached blonde hair. Being impatient won't change anything. And she's not doing it out of genuine interest. No, the chick's mad after having another row with Jax, who made a comment that as a singer, she's not a 'real musician'.
"Yeah. If you're serious about playing guitar, you gotta start at the beginning like everyone else. There's no way around it." The next dart ends up right outside of the outer bullseye. His lips pull back with a sharp breath at how close he finally got. But no dice. Whatever. He grabs the beer bottle on the railing and chugs it down.
He gets it. Making someone eat their words can feel so damn good. It doesn't always work out that way, even with bull-headed determination. Just figuring out how to do simple songs properly in that short of time would be impressive, but 'Master of Puppets'? All the downstrokes and changing meter would be hard enough for a person with some experience.
"Well, then…" The blonde saunters over to where he's sitting on the side of the pool table, sliding up right next to him. "Maybe you can help me with the basics? Hm? We could even start tonight after the bar closes. Whaddya say? You give me guitar lessons and I'll make it worth your time." She smiles and waggles her brows, getting a little too close. Close enough for him to get a big whiff of alcohol and hairspray.
Eddie jerks his head back and looks at Chloe like she's lost it. "Huge pass. You're cool and all, but I don't dig you like that. Not game with being used to make Jax jealous, either." That's what this is all about. They're having another one of their stupid spats. The two fight, pull some petty shit, cause trouble, then get back together. Again and again. Nothing but a bunch of drama. What makes it worse is that they're in the same band.
"Ugh. I don't even want to hear that name!" Her cigarette butt is angrily stamped out in an ashtray before another one is quickly lit up. "This has nothing to do with him."
'My ass! This is all about that shit-for-brains. She's just butthurt and wants to use me to get back at him. Screw that. I'm no one's pawn.'
"Yeah, sure. Look, if you really wanna learn to play, ask Davie or someone else who has extra time on their hands. I don't. Besides, you're not my type anyways… And I'm seeing someone." Nope. Hell no. Ain't no way he's getting dragged into that mess. Anyone with two working brain cells to rub together could figure out how this would turn out badly for him.
The Hideout is his home away from home. A place to go to where he can express himself freely around folks with the same interests. All he wants is to have fun, chill, drink, and jam. Not get caught up in some wild shit that'd make coming here suck. Jax would try to fight him every time he walked through the door. It's happened before with other dudes and that drove Dom nuts having to break it up constantly.
More importantly… there's Chrissy.
None of this is worth fucking things up with her. Absolutely not. It'll all go up in smoke and for what? Someone he's not even interested in? He might be a dumbass, but not to that degree. His dick doesn't run the show. Even if it did, the answer would still be the same. It'd choose the option that involves Chrissy and her coming to the bar to watch him play without stupid crap going down.
"You asswipe! Just say you don't want to smash instead of lyin' to me."
"I'm being straight up with you, but fine. I don't wanna smash. 'Kay?"
"No one's smashing anything while they're on the clock." Donna comes out from behind the bar, eyeing the two while shrugging off her jacket. She must've just got back from 'running errands'. "Where'd Dom sneak off to? Doors open in a half hour. We got work to do."
"Don't know. Maybe he's blowing up the bathroom. He was chillin' on his chair like ten minutes ago." Chloe lazily taps the long ash at the end of her cigarette onto the tray before taking another drag.
"Well, better now than later." The big boss lady walks around the counter and over to the pool table. "I take it everything's good to go if you're both taking a break. How's my temp employee, huh? You knock everything off on your to-do list?" She smirks, taking out her own pack of smokes to light one up.
"Yeah, yeah. Got that done a while ago." It was easy stuff. Nothing crazy. More time-consuming than anything.
Bringing in the delivery from out back, putting stuff away, checking dates and inventory, washing glasses, drying them… Taking out trash, sweeping and mopping the floor, wiping down tables, and making sure their equipment is working properly. All while Chloe's been sitting around smacking gum and Dom does who knows what. He swears all three left the bulk of the crap for him to do today.
"Good." Donna slowly nods, crossing her arms before arching a brow at him. "What the hell happened to your face? Did your girlfriend's boyfriend find out about you or somethin'?"
"His what?!" The blonde whips her head in his direction. "Your girlfriend's boyfriend? Oh, snap. So you weren't bullshitting me after all... Wow. I'm impressed, dude. Get it."
'Why couldn't she ask earlier in the back? Nope. Just has to do it in front of a big mouth.'
"Don't be. It's not that wild." He scoffs, turning back to the older woman. This blows. If he says nothing now, she'll press the guys until they break and spill everything they know. Either that, or she'll do it to Chrissy next time she comes. Both scenarios suck. "She kicked her boyfriend to the curb, there was a fight, and now we're seeing each other. Bam. That's my entire statement and I won't be taking any further questions."
Eddie isn't crazy about this. He doesn't like talking about his personal personal life. Different parts are kept separate for a reason. Donna loves buzz, though. Don't get him wrong. Certain info can be really useful, especially with what they do. Just with organizing acts, gossip can give her an idea of who to keep separate, which people work well together, etc. That doesn't even go into the 'other stuff'.
"Consider my mind blown… Who's this broad, anyway?"
"She was here that Tuesday Dom dumped a bucket of water on Jax. You would've noticed her right away. Stuck out like a turd in a punchbowl. Little blonde preppy girl."
"Okay, yeah… I remember. I saw her out front. So that's what all the hubbub was about. I thought he was just screwin' around about Munson having a girl."
The Hellfire leader goes back to throwing darts at the board, trying to ignore the conversation. And failing spectacularly. His ears can't help themselves from hanging on every word leaving their lips, almost waiting for one of them to start shit-talking his… girl? Friend? Girlfriend? Whatever. Donna said it, not him. He just didn't correct her this time. If that's what they wanna go with, then cool. Let 'em.
'Jesus Christ. Do they think I'm that much of a loser? That just having a girlfriend is big news?'
"If she's gonna come here, she could at least try to look the part. I wonder if she'd let me give her a makeover? That'd be fun. Steph looked smokin' hot by the time I was done with her." The excitement in Chloe's voice instantly puts him on red alert. There's no point in her even asking. Throwing the idea out there means she's gonna go for it.
"Hell no." The game is quickly abandoned for something far more important. No friggin' way. Over his dead body. He knows how this will turn out. The singer pushes and pushes until her victim is worn down and finally gives in. "You leave Chrissy alone about that. There's nothin' wrong with the way she looks."
Everyone at the bar remembers when Chloe gave Davie's girlfriend, Steph, a 'makeover'. Taking a little bookworm and turning her into a Nancy Spungen look–alike. If there's one thing he can't stand, it's phonies. He sees it all the time. People changing everything about themselves to fit in with others.
If those two hung out and the princess suddenly came in with bleached blonde hair, fishnet stockings, leather threads, and started headbanging, he might throw up on himself. It'd be different if she showed an interest in any of that before, but that's not the case.
Chrissy being Chrissy is what makes her so endearing. He likes all of it. Her strawberry blonde hair. Her dos. Makeup. Those bright girly outfits. That she's passionate about cheerleading and listens to pop music. How she sleeps with more pillows than a single person would ever need and a big, poofy blanket on that cozy ass bed. The way she bounces around whenever she's happy or excited, even just looking at overpriced clothes through a window…
All the little things make up who she is as a person and he adores her for it. That's genuine. Real. Eddie will take that every day of the week and twice on Sundays over some poser bullshit.
"C'mon, it'd be rad. Donna just said she's a cheerleader. That's too perfect. I could be like Frenchy helping Sandy do her thing. Little miss goody-goody has the hair for it, too."
"Hell. No. Sandy's a fraud who only did that to impress a dude and his crew. That's so damn lame. If I wanted to get with a chick version of myself, I'd sniff around here. You keep your claws off of her."
"Those are fightin' words, Munson! Don't you dare talk trash about my girl. Sandy did that to show her—"
"Shut up!" Donna cuts in between, looking from one to the other. "Both of you shut it. You're giving me a headache. Chloe, go stack the glasses before I stack you. Eddie…" She sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Just… I don't know. Keep yourself busy without making a mess until we open."
The blonde sucks in her lips while scowling at him, no doubt holding back a string of curses. Reluctantly, she stomps away to the counter to do exactly as the boss lady said. He can't resist grinning just to irritate her even more.
"Oh, give it a break already." The tatted woman steps closer and gives him a nudge. "I saw your guitar case in the back. Are you planning on crashing someone's set? Is that why you got all that work done so fast?"
"Puhh. I wouldn't do that. What do you take me for? " Eddie snorts, picking up a dart to roll between his fingers. Stealing the stage during a set is just asking for a band war. Then it'll be one act of sabotage after the next. "That asshole Neil wanted to run his mouth, so we're gonna have a showdown to see who the better guitarist is."
"You serious? That's not even fair. Well, guess I have no choice then… We'll set up a betting pool. Dom can handle that. Might as well make some moolah out of it. Oh, and just so we're clear… If anything gets broken this time, I'm holding you responsible for it."
'That's horseshit!'
"The blonde waitresses take their trays. They spin around and they cross the floor. They've got the moves (oh way oh). You drop your drink then they bring you more…"
"Oh way oh!"
The girls sitting on the floor throughout the large family room sing along while watching the two dancing in front of the screen. Chrissy and Val, bending their arms and legs, and shuffling around like the people in the music video currently playing on MTV. Even throwing in some exaggerated moves to get more laughter from the rest of the cheer team.
"All the school kids so sick of books. They like the punk and the metal band. When the buzzer rings (oh way oh). They're walking like an Egyptian…"
"Chris! It's your turn." Kimmy yells over the song and chorus of voices, patting the now empty spot on the carpet in front of her.
'Yes!'
A sophomore, Brittney, hops up and smacks hands with the captain to switch places, keeping the dance going with Val. They all know the deal. She would've felt bad to leave a friend hanging like that. It's just that everyone's eager for their turn, so making them wait longer wouldn't be nice.
Chrissy wipes the sweat from her brow as she pads over to the corner of the room where the little makeshift station is set up. Carefully stepping around the bowls of snacks and red cups. The smell of nail polish is strong. Thankfully Charlotte cracked a window or it'd be a lot worse. Of course, the host goes first. The brunette's sitting off to the side, wiggling her freshly painted red nails in excitement. As head cheerleader, she's up next. That's just how it goes.
"Okay, so what are you in the mood for?" The dark messy bun on the top of her head flops around with each little movement while she clears the tiny work table. Kimmy's 'thing' is doing nails. Filing, shaping, painting them, creating designs, gluing on small gems, diving into acrylics… The senior loves it all.
"Hmm." A few of the other girls are planning on having their nails painted green or a mix of the team's colors for the tournament. The championship game is less than three weeks away if the Tigers don't lose. This whole month will be centered around that. They'll have another pep rally coming up too, if all goes well. But there are other things to take into account when making this decision. "I'm thinking a French manicure."
'I can't go wrong with that. It matches everything.'
"Alrighty. Give me like two minutes." The senior hops up to refill the bowl of water and clean her tools before they begin.
This is the first time during tournament season that Chrissy isn't going with something Tigers-related. The previous year, she had green nails and the one before that was an alternating array of the team's colors. It's always been about showing school spirit. If anything, this is the month to do it. Once it's over… so is cheerleading.
No more being captain or on the squad. No more practices throughout the year or pep rallies or events. No more coming up with routines, shaking pompoms, or trying to outdo another school's team. No more smiles, cheers, and applause from a crowd.
She won't be 'Chrissy the cheerleader' anymore… Just Chrissy.
"Hey, hey." Someone sits down behind her and she sees it's Natalie. "Can I braid your hair?"
"Sure! I can do yours, but we might have to wait a bit." The small scrunchie is pulled out before fingers start running through her hair, beginning to separate it into sections. Usually it'd be a large band that goes with whatever outfit she's wearing, except that one got lost in the mayhem at Eddie's.
"That's okay. Don't worry about it." The redhead hums along with the next song playing as she gets to work. "Your hair is getting long. It's so pretty."
"Thanks. I'd still trade with you if I could. Mine looks like it couldn't decide whether to be blonde or red and settled somewhere in the middle." The two chuckle while Natalie puts a clip in to make the job a little easier. Her hair is beautiful, similar to Molly Ringwald's. Kids used to make jokes about it. After 'Sixteen Candles' and 'The Breakfast Club' came out, there's definitely been more of an appreciation for the shade.
"You don't want red hair, trust me. All it does is make you stick out even more. I'm the only redhead on the team and we have maybe four in the whole school. And I swear, if someone calls me Claire one more time, I'm going to stomp their foot."
"Speaking of Claire," Charlotte swoops in to sit beside them on the carpet. "Chris, you have to go see 'Pretty in Pink'. I went with John to see it at the theater before, well, you know. It came out like last week… Nat, you saw it, right? Joey said your family—"
"Ew, yeah. My mom dragged me and doofus along because she didn't want to go alone. I can't stand going anywhere with him. He's always sitting there laughing like a moron and eating everything. Gross. I still can't believe you flirted with him. Real or not, that really makes me question your taste."
'It's because he smokes Eddie's weed…'
Everyone knows the 'King of the Party Kids' really loves to enjoy himself. Doesn't matter where, when, or how. Joey's been living with Nat and her mom for years, so their relationship is more like annoyed siblings than cousins.
"You only say that because he's family. Anyway… Both of us have already seen it so that just leaves you. I'm serious, that movie was so good! It's a rom-com with Ringwald that I think you would really like. Maybe you could ask Munson to go with you as a date. Chick flicks are a litmus test to tell if a guy's worth your time. If he's won't set aside his machismo to sit through one, then kick him to the curb." She says the last few words darkly, narrowing her eyes at them.
'I doubt Eddie would give me a hard time over a rom-com. I'm not asking him out on a date, though. No way.'
"...I'll think about it."
'Damn, that's loud.'
Shutting the door as quietly as humanly possible, he turns to see the figure laying out across the folding bed set up in the middle of their living room. His uncle… Snoring away on that uncomfortable piece of crap he's resigned himself to. The weekends are the only time the old man gets to sleep during the night. Other days, he'd be at the plant, working his ass off to keep them afloat.
Pursing his lips, Eddie heads straight for the bedroom. One day. One day, he's going to make it up to Wayne. For everything. If the band takes off and money starts rolling in, his uncle can permanently retire. Just kick back with a beer and enjoy those sports games he likes. No more putting his body through the wringer to take care of a good-for-nothing nephew who only causes him trouble.
Stepping into the dark room, he groans and begins turning on the lamps around the place. There's a little routine. Take shit off, put shit away, and show some love to his Warlock as he hangs her up above the desk. They had one hell of a battle earlier and came out on top. Of course they would. The two of them together are an unstoppable force.
"You did great, sweetheart. Really showed 'em who's the baddest around." Kissing his fingers, they caress the strings of the guitar before moving on.
'Let's see how I did…'
It was surprising when Donna handed over a wad of cash while getting ready to close up. He wasn't expecting to leave with anything. Not even the tips from playing the role of bartender off and on. The whole point of doing a shift was to make up for being a huge jerk on Tuesday. Yet she insisted on him accepting the money, giving him two options to choose from: take it and say thanks or have a boot shoved up his ass. That wasn't a hard choice.
"Nice." The side of the Hellfire leader's mouth quirks up from seeing the bills in his wallet. A quick glance shows there's at least a few Jacksons and Hamiltons. They can be counted and separated into the budget tins later. Right now, he's still wound up from the bar. Nothing a doob won't fix.
'Guess I'll just take it outside.'
Wayne can't stand the smell of weed and with his luck, the old guy will get up to take a piss at the wrong time.
Eddie plops down on the side of his bed and grabs his personal stash from the nightstand to roll a fat one up for himself. What a friggin' day… It might've been one of the best he's had in a while. Hanging out with Chrissy, racing around in a sports car, making money, showing up a dumbass, and getting cheered on stage. Great all around. Can't really complain.
Something catches his eye while getting out the rolling papers. Glancing over, they narrow on the brightly colored tie laying on top of the tan blanket. It's hard to miss in this room. Chrissy's light blue scrunchie. The one he pulled out of her hair earlier when they were smoochin'.
A hand shoots out to snatch the hair tie up, as if it might disappear if he's not quick enough. His fingers pinch the bunched-up fabric covering the elastic band, giving it a few tugs before curiously bringing it up to his nose.
'Smells like her.'
It took a couple of weeks, but he finally figured it out. The word for the sweet fragrance that's been eluding him. Actually, that's bullshit since he kinda cheated. She let him use the shower and there were almost a dozen bottles of stuff in there. That really helped in the search.
Plums.
Chrissy smells like a mix of plums and her own unique scent.
"Mine, now." Eddie snorts, twirling it around his finger. If she asks for it back, then fine. What he does next is the first thing that comes to mind. Gathering up his hair and using her scrunchie to tie it all back.
Dark eyes tear themselves from the broken-up buds on top of the nightstand to the other edge of the mattress. Christ. That shit really happened. What he wouldn't do to see that cute little ass bent over the side of the bed again… Yeah, one fatty isn't gonna cut it. That's not nearly enough to wind him down.
'I should use that money to get some new sheets. Maybe a few more pillows. There's gotta be somewhere in this shitty town that sells 'em for cheap besides the thrift store.'
While rolling up a few joints, his brow furrows from looking down beside him. This bed is old. It was Wayne's until he moved in and belonged to someone else before that. There's no telling how used it actually is. Same with the sheets. They were bought from a secondhand shop right after he came to live with him.
At least the blanket was already laid out when she came over this time. He didn't have to rush around to hide anything. But if they're going to be hangin' in here more now that Mr. C's back, it's in his best interest to deal with this. Everything is dingy as hell and covered in stains. Just the sheet alone is so worn, the faded butterflies and ferns could pass for more grimy splotches.
What a great way to kill the mood. Eddie can see it now. They start makin' out on the bed, maybe move under the covers to get a little hot and heavy, then Chrissy notices how grody his shit is. Most chicks would dry up like the Sahara the moment their eyes landed on that. She might even think he's a pisspot.
'No fucking way… I'd rather die.'
There's nothing much to do about that eyesore of a mattress, but he can try to make it less noticeable. Yep. That'll be his next mission. Find a new sheet set and get a couple extra pillows. The little cheerleader sleeps with a hundred of them, so if she decides to stay over some time, that should make her comfier.
'...Or she can use me as a pillow instead.'
"Done." Slipping one of the joints behind his ear, the rest are stuffed into a cigarette container as he gets ready to drag himself back outside. Eddie pauses for a moment when going past the desk. Stopping to stare at the Epiphone Olympic Double next to his Peavy amp. The first electric guitar he ever got. The same one that was used for the band's 'debut performance' at the middle school talent show. This did him well before getting his hands on the BC Rich Warlock.
It's a little disappointing, but Chrissy didn't have much of a reaction to seeing it. Same as when he tugged the front of his shirt down in the forest. A sliver of him was waiting for that moment of sudden realization. Hoping for it, even. Nope. She just gazed at them curiously and that's all.
Expecting her to remember stuff from six years ago is stupid. She's made comments before about his memory being really good compared to hers. Maybe that's true. It might be for the best… Not all of it was great. He made an ass out of himself a few times, during and after the show.
Still, Eddie can't help thinking that perhaps it just didn't matter as much to her. That he might be the only one who walked away with something back then.
...
May 1980.
"I don't think they loved it…" Gareth breathes out, wiping the sweat from his brow as they finish helping him pack up the drum set. There's no attempt to hide his disappointment. Same with Jeff and Grant. They were all so excited to go out there and show off their hard work.
Truth be told, so was he. That was the first time they played in front of a crowd and it was terrifying. Totally different from having some of the guys' parents or Wayne watch them.
Signing up for the talent show seemed really lame. Still, he figured this was the perfect chance to get some experience performing and get their name out there. Any exposure is better than no exposure. This is just another step on their long journey to the top.
"Forget them. Those squares wouldn't know good music if it walked right up and kicked 'em in the teeth." He tsks, squeezing the guitar strap across his chest. "We kicked ass out there."
"Hell yeah, we did!" Jeff nudges Grant in the side, getting a small grin out of him.
It's not their fault the stuffy people in the auditorium have no taste. The lights over the seats were dimmed down, but he can still see the faces in the crowd. All the parents, family members, friends, teachers… The reaction wasn't that bad. They weren't booed or had stuff thrown at them, which is what he was kinda expecting.
"Did you see Coleman's face? He looked ready to go ballistic when you slid across the stage and sprayed out water." Gareth adds enthusiastically, slipping his drumsticks into their bag. The disappointment from the lukewarm reaction melts away as the group jumps into recanting their favorite moments out there.
Eddie can't resist smirking deviously. Yeah, that sure took people off guard. It wasn't planned. His inner showman couldn't resist after a teacher handed out water bottles earlier. Another already chewed him out the moment they finished. He'll probably get slapped with a detention slip again Monday morning.
'There's still a few more acts left before the show's over. Gives me some time to enjoy this before they really lay into me. If I'm lucky, it'll blow over.'
The backstage area isn't nearly as crowded as it was before. Some of the kids that already performed are hanging out in the hallway or snuck off out of boredom now that they're done. Along the row of chairs against the back wall, there's over a handful of students left waiting for their turn with a couple of teachers watching over everything.
"Oh, sweetheart!" A woman in an orange shift dress bounds up the steps and rushes over to them, overflowing with joy. "You did such a great job!" Her arms wrap around Grant's neck and yank him in for a big hug, turning his face a bright shade of red.
"Mom!" He's completely embarrassed now and the rest can't help snickering at his dilemma. The two look so similar, it's almost uncanny. Like seeing an older Grant in a dress and wig hugging himself.
"Hush now. Let your momma be proud of her son." She says warmly before glancing over at the other three getting a kick out of the affectionate display. "You boys, too. All of you really knocked it out of the park."
Grant's mom isn't the only parent coming to the backstage area to see their kid instead of watching the rest of the show. Jeff's are standing at the bottom of the steps, waving him over. And just like that, he takes off. Then the big guy with his mom eventually heads the same way, leaving only him with Gareth. That doesn't last long until he suggests sneaking out to go to the corner store for snacks.
"Nah, man. I'm good. Still gotta get my stuff together. I'll catch you later." He points to the guitar hanging down his back and shrugs.
"Okay. Suit yourself."
Tearing his gaze away from Gareth's retreating back, it slowly drifts across the wide open space that was once full. There's no one left back here that he'd actually talk to or who'd want to chat with him. Just a couple of younger kids and a few from his grade. Good. That's perfect right now.
He sighs and finds the chair his case is hidden under. Not very well, but whatever. No reason to make it easier for the jerks hanging around to mess with it. He gently props the guitar up against the wall beside him and flops down on the seat with a huff.
'Dammit…'
Everyone's parents are here to show support and cheer them on, except for his. There's no mom or dad waiting at the bottom of the stairs for him or in the audience. No grandparents to pinch his cheeks or siblings to joke around with or snotty cousins to pretend they have way better stuff to do than this. It's just him. His uncle might be here but this is when he'd usually be sleeping for work. He told him not to bother. This would only be an extra pain.
'Wayne always tries to act like he's my dad anyways. I got an old man and it's not him.'
"Hi!" Eddie jolts in his seat when a small figure bounces over and hops in the chair beside him. Turning slowly, he notices the uniform first. White, blue, and yellow. Their school's colors. Then the large bow set neatly on top of a nest of loose curls. His brows shoot up when he finally looks at the girl's face.
'Chrissy?!'
Right away, he glances around to see if there's anyone close by she might've been talking to instead. There isn't. Over half a dozen seats on either side are empty. Nope, it's just the two of them here.
"H-Hey…" It comes out so awkwardly that he wants to fling himself right off the stage onto the hard-tiled floor. In front of everyone.
"I saw you guys play out there. It was really cool! Especially the part where it was just you doing your, um… thing with the guitar. Like, by yourself. That was so fast! Oh, and when you spit water everywhere. And—" She has such a huge smile that it leaves him stunned. He's a few paces behind, still trying to figure out why this girl is even sitting here, let alone talking to him.
'Does she mean my solo? She thinks it was cool?'
"Yeah?" There's not much else to do at the moment other than gawk at the cheerleader carrying on excitedly about his performance. It's throwing him through a loop. The sudden praise is making his ears and neck burn something fierce. He's not sure what to do, but that doesn't stop him from being suspicious. Every few seconds, his eyes shift away from her to scan the area, almost waiting to find a group of preps peering around a corner, cackling like a bunch of hyenas.
"Totally! By the way, I'm Chrissy C—"
"I know who you are." Eddie jumps in, effectively cutting her off. Everyone in school knows who Chrissy Cunningham is. The bubbly sixth grader that joined the cheerleading team. Rich, sweet, and a real girly girl. Quickly became part of the popular crowd. Yada yada. The whole shebang. He's only seen her in passing since eighth-grade classes are on the other side of the building, but…
'She's wicked cute.'
That was also his first thought when seeing Chrissy during the year's first pep rally. And the one after that. The one they just had a couple of weeks ago, too. Also when a few members of the cheer team did a special routine earlier in the talent show. Honestly, it was pretty sick. Watching this chick doing flips before landing into a complete split caused the band to wince in pain. Gnarly stuff, for sure.
"Oh. That makes things easier then. So, what's your name?" The interruption didn't seem to put her off. She just leans forward, staring at him with those big blue eyes while swinging her feet back and forth.
"Eddie… Van Halen." He inwardly cringes at the lie that just slipped out. Well, what are the chances she'd actually know who that is? None of the preps probably do.
"Van Halen? That's neat. Mine's kind of boring."
"Cunningham? Boring? No way. Sounds fancy, like you live in a castle or manor." The kind that has candelabras, endless halls, secret rooms, and servants. That's how it is in some of his books. The royalty and aristocrats always have richie–type names similar to hers. Wouldn't be too surprising if that was true. Most of the popular kids have parents who bring in major dough.
"Mm… I guess." She tilts her head to look past him, noticing the guitar leaning up against the wall. "You're really good at that. Did it take long to learn? Is it hard?"
"Nah. Picked it up maybe two months ago. I was bored and figured it might be fun." More lies. Big ol' fat lies. His uncle gave him that guitar two years ago and he's barely put it down since.
"Seriously?! Only two months? Wow! You must be super talented. One of those natural born geniuses." Those ridiculously big eyes somehow get even wider and Eddie's sure they're gonna pop out of their sockets any second now. Looking at them makes him feel a little guilty. She's eating up his bogus story. There isn't a hint of doubt in sight. "Do you play anything else? I wanted to take piano lessons before, but never went through with it."
"Haven't tried to." This girl's making his palms sweat. Wiping them on his pant leg, he watches as she suddenly hops off the chair and walks over to his guitar. The pint-sized cheerleader crouches down, staring at it curiously. That really puts him on edge. Then a small hand reaches out toward it. "Hold up! Don't touch that."
Chrissy gasps, yanking the hand back and clutching it against her chest. Totally startled, like a deer caught in the headlights. A fawn might be a better description. "Sorry. Right. I'm not supposed to touch things that aren't mine."
"I just… I don't like people messing with my things. They end up getting broken." Jumping to his feet, he drags out the case from under the chair to put his guitar away. There was a little more bite than intended. "No offense."
"It's okay. I should've asked first." Instead of running off or getting upset, she just sits back on the seat next to his. Quietly playing with the hem of the blue and white skirt the cheer team wears.
'What the hell… I'm not wrong, but this is making me feel bad. I don't like it.'
Eddie nips at the inside of his lip while snapping the latches shut, glancing from the case to the girl a few feet away. That bummed her out a bit. It's just that he doesn't trust preps. Most of them are cruel and rotten. Spoiled. Nasty. Get their kicks from picking on the underdogs and losers. Nothing but a bunch of bullies with inflated egos thanks to their snobby–ass parents.
But Chrissy isn't the same as them. She's not the witch in homeroom who stole his sketchbook and gave it to the teacher, getting him in trouble. Or the asshole in social studies that slapped a huge wad of gum in his hair after trying to grow it out. That caused a fistfight he got suspended for and to top it all off, Wayne had to buzz his head.
No, this chick is nice. He already knew that, though. It's just better to be safe than sorry.
"In that cheer thing you did earlier… doesn't it hurt to do a split like that? I would've died." To his relief, her face lights up at the question. She quickly dives into a lengthy explanation of their routines, practice, stretching, and whatnot. Chattering on enthusiastically before asking about his band. Have they been doing it long? Why Corroded Coffin? Where did that come from?
"I, uh, don't remember. We probably just thought sounded cool." He looks away, rubbing the back of his neck. Nope. Not going there. This will come up again, so they're gonna need an interesting story to tell. "Well, it is what it is. That's what we're goin' with."
"Huh. I guess that part isn't too important. Still, with a name like that, people will definitely remember you guys. It's different and kind of catchy."
"You think?"
The longer they talk, the more relaxed he finds himself becoming. This isn't a prank or some elaborate scheme to make a fool out of him. That was a dumb thought. It's the only thing that seemed to make sense. Why would a preppy girl go out of her way to shoot the shit with some loser? They're not even in the same grade or share any classes.
"I'll get to see you on the Tonight Show or Ed Sullivan. Oh! There's also Bandstand, Good Morning America, and Night Tracks. Or, um…. I can't remember what the other shows are called." She giggles and shrugs, pulling a Marathon bar out of her skirt pocket. The teachers let everyone taking part in the talent show pick out one earlier from a large box. "You'll be the first person from Hawkins to become famous. How awesome is that?"
He's taken aback by that response. Telling people his plans for the future is usually met with the same kind of reaction. A whole bunch of doubt and attempts to change his mind. To pick a more 'realistic' path. Being a trashman or joining a chain gang, something along those lines. Wayne's supportive, but there was still that skeptical look he's gotten used to. Sure, his band making it big is a long shot. Who cares? That's his dream. End of story.
For once, that finally didn't happen. This girl is acting as if it's written in the stars. Like Corroded Coffin will shoot to the top. Her face and voice… Same as with his lies. There's no sign of disbelief. Just a ridiculous amount of optimism while saying things so confidently. Perhaps she's naive? Or an overly hopeful person trying to be encouraging.
"Yeah, crazy awesome." He stares at the cheerleader, unable to take his eyes off her. So it's true… She actually is sweet. Gossip and reps can be a load of crap. There's plenty of assholes that folks say are nice kids or some shit, meanwhile, they're giving nerds swirlies in the bathroom and stuffing geeks into lockers. When someone is one of the many flavors of 'loser', they get to see what others are really like.
'Hmm…'
That's it. Eddie gets it now. What draws people to this chick. Why even kids in his grade want to kick it with a sixth grader. And it's more than the surface-level stuff that caught his attention when the school year started.
Chrissy is a little ball of sunshine. Just bopping around and coming in to brighten the place up whether someone likes it or not. He was sulking over not having parents that could come to the talent show. Once they started chatting, that was quickly shoved into the background of his mind. Perhaps she saw him sitting by himself and did this out of pity. Or his guitar skills legit impressed her, and she just had to let him know. Both could be true. Either way, the result is still the same.
'I hope she stays here with me for a bit longer.'
…..
The second door to the trailer is just as rickety as the main one. He closes it carefully to not wake Wayne up as he steps out onto the little porch. It's late as hell. Already after two in the morning. Nothing out of the ordinary for him on a weekend.
'Pretty quiet out… Except for that goddamn buzzing noise.'
Jumping off the side of the porch, Eddie trudges across the dirt and grass to the back of their place. It's an open area with a few other trailers nearby. This way, the chances of running into drunks, mooches, or a bored cop that decides to drive through the park drop considerably. Doesn't seem like anyone else is taking a midnight stroll. Sweet. He grabs the joint tucked behind his ear and slides on his headphones, ready for some relief.
Grass and music always do the trick.
The early hours suck the most. While others would normally be sleeping, his mind and body usually have very different plans. It's always been this way. Even as a brat, his old man would say he was full of piss and vinegar. After a long day, sleep should come easy. Nope. Still wide awake on top of everything aching from the abuse he's put himself through. Getting a boot to the ribs from Donna, duking it out with Carver, then constantly hopping around like he's not hurt at all. A vic with some tramadol here and there helps but makes him more careless.
"Fuck, man." Letting the joint dangle from the corner of his lips, one hand lights it while the other fumbles with a lawn chair folded up on the ground. Who knows who this belongs to. It's property of his ass for the time being. Kicking back on the flimsy seat, he presses the play button on the old walkman and takes a big hit as the music starts.
'Wish we were having a sleepover instead.'
Smoke pours into the chilly night air as Eddie drops his head back, looking up at the dark sky. Doesn't matter if it's here or at Cunningham Castle. He's been spoiled recently. Getting to sleep in that huge bed with her... Now he just wants more like a greedy boy. If they did it in his, there'd be less room to roll around. That's cool with him since they'd probably spoon, anyway.
'I wanna see her in one of those nightgowns.'
"Heh." A big, stupid grin spreads across his face at the thought. Yeah. The light pink one with the flowers on it. Of all the sexy pieces in the bag, that just screams 'Chrissy' to him the most. There's also a sheer slip. It's hard imagining her walking out in that anytime soon. Not unless she gets real ballsy real fast. The thin fabric literally leaves nothing to the imagination. He'd see everything.
Chrissy is a bit of a freak, though... A freaky little cheerleader that likes being spanked. This chick might be wilder than he originally assumed. And the way she was eyeing up his handcuffs and erotica said a lot, too. Seeing them was definitely a shocker for her, but there was that unmistakable look of intrigue.
Honestly, it didn't surprise him that she's never done that and got all embarrassed over cuffs. That group isn't very discreet. The jocks talk a lot. Very loudly. Unfortunately for them, speakers haven't blown out his eardrums yet. These bad boys have picked up so much dirt over the years… And plenty of shit he never wanted to know about people.
Those dudes are a herd of assholes when it comes to the nasty. Selfish, boring, lazy, always ready to pat themselves on the back for the bare minimum, and hypocritical as hell. Like how many of them want hummers all the time, but won't go down on their girls because 'that's gross'. What a bunch of fucking cowards.
Eddie takes a few more hits while laying back, waiting for the familiar fog to envelop his mind. He wonders about it sometimes… What Chrissy's into. She probably hasn't had many chances to dabble in much. Even with how predictable the jocks are, Golden Boy is the most strait-laced square of them all. That dude couldn't have been much fun.
'Now that Douchebag's out of the picture, she can start having real fun. I'd be down to help her with that.'
"Stop!" she screams at the top of her lungs. They won't. One fist just keeps flying after the other. The wooden boards of the porch are littered with dark droplets and more keep raining down with each strike. "I said stop! You idiots!"
Nothing is working. Not yelling, threatening to call the cops, or trying to break it up. Chrissy is hollered at and pushed back with each futile attempt. They want to do this. These two are intent on beating each other to death. Only one of them can be left standing.
"Please…" The cheerleader covers her mouth and shakes, tearing up from the sense of helplessness taking over. She glances from Jason to Eddie and back, barely recognizing either person anymore. Eyes wide and angry, lips pulled back over their bared teeth, blood running down their faces and dripping everywhere… They're closer to wild animals than men. Mean, snarling animals eager to rip each other's throats out.
'What should I do?! I can't… I can't think straight.'
A better question is what can she do? Any plans to call the cops or get her dad's gun from the safe to scare them apart have gone nowhere. The front door won't open, no matter how hard she tries. Getting off the porch is impossible too. The moment her feet touch the steps, she somehow ends up right in the same spot. This must be some kind of punishment. Being forced to stand here and watch while they beat each other to a pulp.
'This is your fault.'
"You ruined everything, you trailer trash piece of shit!" A fist crashes into Eddie's face, causing him to stumble backward. Another gets him right on the side of his jaw and she shrieks at the cracking noise it makes. That did it. The shot that finally turned the tide. His back smacks against the front door and he falls over, dropping to the porch floor.
"Eddie!" As soon as she tries to run to him, she's shoved away before even getting within feet of him by the blond-haired man now scowling at her. "Jason, please... I'm begging you. I'll do anything you want! Just… Just stop hurting him."
Useless. Weak. These skinny arms and legs… This short body… What good is it?
"Not everything is about you, babe. Vanity is a sin." He stares at Chrissy hard before shifting those daggers to the guy lying on his back, gasping for air. "This was inevitable." Stepping closer to Eddie, he looks down at him with utter disdain. "Turn my eyes away from worthless things; revive me with Your word."
Jason's foot comes up and smashes down onto his face. Stomping Eddie's head into the wood panels over and over again. Everything becomes a blur. It doesn't matter what happens to her now. She's screaming and hitting and clawing at him. Too blinded by rage to realize what's going on anymore.
"Knock it off!" He grabs at her hair, seizing a messy handful of it to regain control of the situation. Chrissy yelps, scratching furiously at the captain's wrist to ease the pressure on her scalp. His fingers have an iron-tight grip on the roots. A single tug is all it takes to prove he can move her head any which way he pleases. "Do you think that's doing anything? You're just getting on my nerves."
"I… hate… you." Venom seeps through her tightly clenched teeth as she slowly cranes her head back to throw him a murderous glare. For the first time, the urge to hurt someone is overwhelming. To cause another person so much pain, they would regret ever crossing paths with her.
"Don't blame me. You caused this. There are consequences for being a deceitful little harlot." Jason clicks his tongue at the way she's staring at him. "How did you think this would end? Honestly… Go on. Take a look. That's what you wanted, right?" He jerks her head towards the man that was just pummeled into the porch, but she can't. "I said 'look', Chris. Open your eyes."
Chrissy squeezes them shut, too afraid to see it. She knows. The wheezing and rattling sounds coming from Eddie struggling to get air already stopped.
…
"Wake up… Hey. Oh, this sucks… Come on! Fine. You leave me no other choice." A hushed voice carries on insistently as two hands keep shaking her. "Uh-oh! Kimmy's getting ready to shave your head. Better get up now to stop her or you'll be bald."
"Ah!" Blue eyes crack open to see a face hovering only inches away. It takes a moment to calm down and realize who it is. Natalie. A friend. Not some grotesque creature trying to cause a heart attack. She sucks in a sharp breath, feeling the lump in her throat and wetness across her face. That was terrible. So awful. Enough to carry on into the real world.
'It was a dream… Just another bad dream. Thank God.'
"Are you alright?"
"Y-Yeah." Chrissy struggles to sit up, still not all there and having a hard time gathering her bearings. That's right... They were having girl's night. She glances around as the surroundings come into focus. The TV was left on after watching a cable movie, lighting up the large family room. Across the carpet is most of the cheer team sleeping soundly. Loud snoring from the left draws her attention. It's Charlotte with those huge curlers in her hair.
'Everything's okay. None of that happened. Eddie's fine. He's good. What a relief…'
"Your nose!" Natalie lets out a low gasp. Despite being startled, she's trying not to wake the others.
"Oh." Great. Another nosebleed. That totally slipped her mind when agreeing to a sleepover. It would've been smart to bring along a pack of tissues for this. What a dumdum. The covers fall to the floor as the captain gets to her feet and staggers through the family room. All while attempting to not leave any evidence behind. Natalie hops up too, walking alongside her as they maneuver around the bodies and snack bowls in their path.
Thankfully, the Amatos have a bathroom right down the hall. The two quickly head to it and close the door behind them, locking it. She rushes over to the sink to wash the mess away. That horrifying dream still has her shaken up. It felt so real… They all do. But Eddie's okay. He's probably zonked out at home or having a good time at the bar. Not lying in a puddle of blood on her porch.
'I'm so upset… I wish I could see him right now or just talk for a few minutes. That would make me feel a lot better. It's way too late. I don't have his number memorized, either.'
"Hey, Chris? Are you… Are you okay?" The redhead leans back against the bathroom wall, staring at her in the mirror.
No. Not at all. Chrissy's known that for a long time now, despite never really vocalizing it. Gazing up at her own reflection makes that clear, too. On top of looking pale, her eyes are all pink and puffy from crying, and there's a small bit of blood still leaking from her nose.
"Sorry if I woke you up." Sighing, she sits down on the toilet, grabbing some tissue to take care of this little dilemma. It just had to happen tonight, huh? What luck. Nat was sleeping right next to her. This really sucks. She feels awful for waking her up. "I was having a bad dream…"
"I could tell. You were making weird noises and like… shaking? Shivering? I don't know. It freaked me out, though." That's news. A person usually doesn't know if they do anything unusual in their sleep unless someone else tells them. Has this happened before? "By the way, you should lean forward when you have a nosebleed. My mom said tilting your head back will make the blood go down into your stomach. Also, don't pack it. Just hold the tissue under it and maybe pinch the bottom, but not the bridge. Don't blow it, either."
"Got it."Darn. That's what people always say to do. Natalie's mom works in the medical field, so it's better to listen to her. She's been doing it wrong this whole time. "Thanks. I didn't know any of that."
'I wonder how much blood has gone into my stomach? Can you get sick from that?'
"You never answered my question. And does this happen a lot? You didn't seem surprised at all when I told you."
The two stare at each other and the room goes quiet. Only the sounds from the TV down the hall can be heard in the background. Chrissy isn't sure how to answer. This is going beyond the barriers she set up to keep herself safe. Out of her regular group of friends, Nat and Charlotte have gone the furthest. Way ahead of everyone else is Eddie and even he doesn't know about the nosebleeds, nightmares, and terrible things that have tormented her.
And hopefully, he never will.
The cheer captain lets out an even longer sigh than before, finally breaking eye contact with her. Today was so much fun… Did it have to end on a bad note? It doesn't seem like Nat intends on dropping this either. Not from that look on her face. Why is it now that people start to notice things?
'I told myself I was going to stop lying all the time. I can't tell her everything, but she's my friend and I don't want her worrying about me.'
"I'm pretty sure I am. It happened a few times recently. That's why it wasn't really surprising. I have a doctor's appointment Monday for it, so I guess we'll see." She shrugs and pulls the tissue away to see if the bleeding stopped. So far, so good. Nothing new. "It's probably something silly like I'm laying in bed the wrong way or accidentally whacking myself in my sleep."
"Mm." Staring down at her socks on the tiled floor, the redhead slowly nods, taking the information in. "Okay. I hope nothing's wrong. If there is, you'd tell me… right?"
'Something's wrong. Something's wrong. Something's wrong.'
"Of course." The junior is given a warm smile as reassurance. "Can this just stay between us? No one else knows. I don't want the others worrying over nothing."
"I won't. What happens in a girl's bathroom, stays in a girl's bathroom."
Spring is almost here. Buds are sprouting. The grass is greener. Even the air smells different. The season of new beginnings never sounded better.
Moving through the last row of trees, Chrissy steps out into the open area. What a sight. A small smile passes over her lips before sucking in a big gulp of fresh air. That's more like it. Once again, she understands why Eddie likes coming to this place. It's quiet. Peaceful. Somewhere a person can relax and unwind.
'He has good taste.'
There are plenty of spots near Lover's Lake to hangout at. This one seems like the best. A perfect view of the water that's further away from the nearby houses and boats. It takes a bit of walking to get to but is totally worth it.
Her eyes dance along the sea of trees across the way and over the water's surface. The noon sun high above shines brightly above it all. She tilts her head back, letting the warm rays wash over her. So nice. This needs to happen more often.
It's such a beautiful day out. A thick patch of grass is chosen as the final destination for this little excursion. The cheerleader sets her bag down and unzips it, pulling out the items she brought along. Drinks, a few light snacks, pepper spray for any creeps that wander too close, and an anthology of super steamy romance stories courtesy of Charlotte.
'I can't believe I'm going to read this…'
Honestly, she'd take this over the other suggestions to sate her growing curiosity. It doesn't hurt anyone and can be done privately. The conversation yesterday that resulted in the book being lent out began innocent enough and quickly went down a very different path.
….
"Weren't we supposed to be giving advice on something?" The three look at each other, trying to remember where this even started. "That's right. You were saying something about Munson bending you over and giving you a good one. Yep, and how you were too shy to check out his equipment."
"Oh my God. I didn't say it like that!" The captain's face heats up for the hundredth time today. Charlotte just can't help herself, can she? At least the upbeat mood's back. "Well, um, maybe that's true. This probably sounds silly, but I'm a little scared to go any further."
"Is it like with Jason or different?" Natalie quirks a brow, crossing her legs. She might've been filled in last out of their little group, though still got the same information.
"No. Totally different. I'm actually kind of… excited? But also afraid? Like, there's a part of me that's super curious and wants to see what the big deal is. Then the other is full of guilt and shame and these things I wish would go away. It's dumb... I sort of feel like a hypocrite for telling Jason we had to wait to get married, yet here I am thinking about this stuff with someone I haven't even had a single date with."
"Chris," Crawling over, the brunette slaps her hands onto Chrissy's shoulders and leans in close. "It's okay to change your mind. That doesn't make you a hypocrite. You don't owe anyone anything. Some of us were majorly harsh about it before. Forget all that. It was stupid. There's nothing wrong with doing things at your own pace."
"Someone's been reading their dad's books again..."
"Yeah, and? They've come in handy plenty of times. Where's your advice, oh helpful one?"
"Okay, fine." Natalie lays down on her side to look around Charlotte's back, who's blocking her view, getting comfy. "So unlike with Jason, you're kind of excited to take a bite of the forbidden fruit with the, uh… Munson. What are you actually afraid of? Rolling around with someone you're not going out with? The 'waiting until marriage' guilt trap? People finding out? What is it?"
'I appreciate that they're trying not to call him a freak or weirdo anymore. That's a step in the right direction.'
"I guess a little of everything? It's also that Eddie's an older guy. He knows a lot about 'things', like traffic lights. I have no idea what I'm doing." There is some shame and guilt lingering from all the years at church. That's only a small portion, though. Most of it comes down to insecurity. "And I'm worried about him being let down. I doubt he'd say anything, but—"
"Traffic lights?"
"I don't know. Must be code for something."
"That's… That's not the important part, guys." Chrissy breathes out, running her fingers through the ponytail hanging over her shoulder. "I'm not sure what to do. I keep thinking he's just going to be disappointed. Like, with me not knowing much, and I'm practically flat and—"
"Let me stop you right there, missy. He's not going to get your shirt off and then be like 'oh, damn… I was really hoping she was hiding double D's in there somewhere', okay? Guys aren't completely dumb. What he sees is what he gets. Also, everyone has to start somewhere, right? If you're that worried about impressing him with some sexy skills, we have options."
'Maybe Charlotte's right. It'd be odd if Eddie was shocked I'm not curvy. He already knows. There's no hiding it, especially in my cheer uniform.'
"Um, what do you mean we have options?"
"Well, we're both eighteen—sorry Nat—with licenses and a car. We could always go to one of those nightclubs outside of town so you can meet people and get a little practice. Maybe in Indianapolis or another town away from here to keep this hush-hush. It doesn't have to be anything crazy. You can start out small until you get your footing. Flirt with some guys, find one that's not a total slimeball, have some kind of no-strings-attached arrangement. That happened in one of my books and it was spicy."
"Are you nuts? That's a terrible idea!" Smacking a hand on the floor, the redhead sits up and glares at Charlotte, not liking the suggestion at all. "I don't mean to sound like a spoilsport, but I'd rather not see either of you on the evening news."
The captain rubs her temples as the two begin bickering again. Natalie's right, though. A lot could go wrong with that suggestion. And she's not exactly sure what she even wants yet. This is just a little curiosity. That's all. There are other ways of figuring stuff out that don't involve meeting up with strangers.
"I, uh… I'd rather it just be with me."
While they were talking about her plan to start up a spanking enterprise on the nicer side of town, Eddie said some things that she couldn't ignore. He'd rather her do it just with him. Even if a bunch of women were outside of the trailer, he doesn't want them. And she's his first 'victim'. That would be weird to lie about, so there's no reason to doubt it.
"Good. That's the most important part. If both sides don't trust each other, things can go to shit real fast."
'He trusts me… and I trust him.'
"I was being a butthurt, jealous asshole."
"Mmm. I don't think Eddie would appreciate that." Would a person who admitted to all of the above be okay with her messing around with other guys, even if it was to gain experience for him? If the situation was flipped, she'd be pretty unhappy to find out he was using girls as practice to impress her. That's not cool.
"If he's not going to ask you out, then he can't get upset if you start talking to people. That's how this works."
"Well, that could change. There's no telling what'll happen tomorrow or in a week." Chrissy says softly, glancing down at her nails. Look at all that went on just since her party last Saturday. "Besides, if I'm going to do anything, I'd rather it be with someone I feel comfortable around. I appreciate the gesture and all, it's just not for me."
Charlotte regards her for a moment before smirking. "It's alright. I didn't think you would, but figured I'd throw that idea out there anyway… Okay, we have plenty of options left. I have some hot romance novels I, um, borrowed from my mom. She has lots of them. There's also that adult shop on Prospect I've seen a few times. They probably have some interesting stuff for research purposes… Oh! I'm such an idiot! I could just show you. Why didn't I think of that before!"
"W-What?!" The captain gawks at her before turning to Natalie, who's just as alarmed.
"Yeah! Like, no duh! I fooled around with a few guys, so I've got plenty of expert advice to give. Jesus, how could I be so narrow-minded? The answer was here all along. Me! Listen Chris, between the two of us—" She points to the horrified junior inching towards Chrissy for safety "—we can teach you all the tips and tricks we know. Munson will be so blown away, he'll fall to his knees in worship every time his eyes land on you."
"Exactly how are you planning on pulling that off?"
"Easy, Nat. Through the power of words, diagrams, and a demonstration. We have a bundle of bananas in the kitchen and they're not ripe yet… Don't give me that look! I don't mean doing anything nasty with them. I'm saying I can use them to point things out since they kind of look similar to… you know. Dicks." Hopping to her feet, Charlotte rushes to the bedroom door before pausing to glance back at them. "One minute. I'll be quick, then we can get started."
…
Just thinking about what followed is making her face red again. Apart from the endless laughter and jokes, Charlotte actually had a lot of interesting tidbits to share. Far more informative than any sex-ed class at school. There's so much to learn aside from the obvious, especially when it comes to a man's body.
Where they like to be touched. How. What parts are more sensitive. Different things to expect.
"The first time always sucks. It hurts and is really messy. If you go into this thinking it'll be some beautiful experience, you're just going to be disappointed."
It's not like she's completely ignorant. Plenty of girls talk about messing around. They usually say something similar to Charlotte about the first time. That sounds awful. Kind of scary, actually. From what she's gathered, it seems like sex is geared more toward guys. The act only lasts as long as they do. If their partner doesn't 'get off' in the meantime, that's on them to deal with afterward.
Chrissy sighs while staring out at the lake. There was plenty of chances to think about things since yesterday. During the sleepover, after getting up, when they went shopping earlier... All these feelings are totally normal. They're part of growing up and nothing to be ashamed of.
If things end up going further with Eddie at some point, she won't regret it. Even if they never become anything more than 'fun buddies', that's okay. A person doesn't have to be in a relationship or love someone to explore that side of themselves. She was close to just doing it with Jason. Yikes. Big mistake. This won't be. He's a good guy who actually listens, and wouldn't hold it over her head. Isn't that enough?
'I'd rather it be with him than anyone else I know.'
It's time to do things for herself. Enjoy life. Experiment. Screw up a bit. Have fun. Make plans. All the bad and scary stuff just reinforces the need to cling to the good with everything she has.
This is where it begins. Forget attending IU Bloomington in the fall. Not happening. It's decided. No one can make her go. The dream of opening up a dance studio someday isn't dead. If anything, it's revived. Now she has a car and can start taking lessons again. There's a lot to talk to Ms. Kelly about on Tuesday. Also, her dad... He'll be livid. Oh, well. If he's not okay with it, she'll get a job and save up to move out.
"You don't have to do anything you don't want. There's always a way out. Other options. Even if it means having it rough for a while. Whether it's being with Douchebag or staying in Hawkins at all, you have a choice."
His words from that day make a lot more sense now. She's beginning to understand what he meant. There is a way out. It's not the end of the world. None of this will be easy, but it's worth a shot.
Stretching her legs out across the soft blades of grass, Chrissy leans back to bask in the sunlight. The birds chirping and rhythmic sounds of water gently lapping against the shoreline are calming. How serene. Is this what it feels like to be content? No, it's more than that… There's a genuine sense of excitement for the next stage of her life and moving forward.
"Okay!" The captain glosses over the book in her hands. A beautiful woman in a billowy dress graces the cover. Of course in the embrace of a large, muscular man with a flowing dark mane riding a horse. The hero in the throes of a daring rescue to save his lady from whatever dared to separate them.
'Hehe. So cheesy.'
This is a collection of historical romance short stories. Or 'a trashy romance novel bored housewives read', according to many people. Very different from her usual picks. It's the sexy scenes and details of romance she's really interested in. These are known for characters falling desperately in love before eventually getting their happy ending.
'Let's see if these are any good…'
A/N: Thank you all for hanging in there with me and leaving reviews! They really meant a lot to me. I finally made a new tumblr account too, for anyone who sends asks/DMs. It's at Lucysinatizzy.
Eddiesnotded: No, not at all! I think one of the interesting parts of fanfic is getting to explore different sides of a character and watch how they develop in ways the original media can't exactly offer. Besides, I'm right there with you. And she definitely has some good friends.
Kinkkitty: You're right on the money for all of the above. I didn't know who Penny was (or that show) but I looked it up and that really fits. Also, I got you! Chrissy has a thing for his hands/fingers anyway and, um… so do I lol.
Jadivibe: I totally feel you. Poor guy. The thing is, Chrissy was being honest. She really wasn't crushing on him since middle school. Our girl didn't even realize he was the same kid from the talent show. Two years passed between them entering HS. I imagine he likely had a growth spurt and grew his hair out during that time (also becoming a more confident 'freak' compared to MS), so she didn't recognize him or connect the dots.
Eddie on the other hand… He's been dropping hints that she either waves off or misunderstands. If she was actually talking about him and not Steve, he probably would've spilled his guts. He was also a little embarrassed for even thinking Chrissy could have possibly meant him and getting so worked up about it for nothing. Dude's got some issues/doubts to work out and is pretty hesitant to tell her. It's been a secret for years.
STAR8LIGHT: There will definitely be more Eddie POV coming up! I'm also super happy you enjoyed that! You might overheat in future chapters though lol. He's a dirty boy.