Emmaline's POV:
"Wait, so you got paired with Munson?" Peter asked me. I nodded and said "I didn't exactly have a choice. But it's just a project." Peter's eyes flickered over to Eddie's table and Milo said "I got paired with Lorna." Peter sniggered and said "that's a shame." "That's just awful." The smooth voice of Jack Castello said. Peter looked up at Jack and greeted him. Jack sat down and said "how are we all feeling about spring break? And the fact that Lorna is throwing her party before spring break and not during?" I furrowed my eyebrows and said "she is?" "She didn't tell you?" I held back a scoff. "Lorna and I aren't exactly friends, Jack." "Yeah. Lorna is kind of a bitch." Peter chimed in. Jack laughed and said "you're right. Emmaline hangs with us and she's too sweet." Peter grabbed me by my chin, making me look at him. I looked into his soft green eyes that stared at me as if I was a goddess. "Emmaline's the sweetest." Peter whispered. He pressed a kiss to my lips and I immediately wrapped his arms around his middle. Milo grimaced and said "gross." Jack started talking about the next school play which gained Milo and Alyssa's attention. "So, what're you doing tonight?" Peter asked. I sighed and said "Eddie and I were going to start on our project." Peter frowned and said "oh." I watched his face fall and his eyes filled with sadness. "I wanted to go for ice cream." "Oh, Petey..." I hugged him again and wanted nothing more than to be with my boyfriend but school was getting in the way. I kissed his cheek sweetly and said "how about tomorrow?" Peter nodded and said "ok." He pouted and I shook my head at him.

-

"Home sweet home." Eddie said. I followed him up the stairs and into his trailer. The living room was well kept along with the kitchen and I followed Eddie into his bedroom. He scratched the back of his head and said "sorry about the mess." "It's fine." I mumbled. I figured a guy like Eddie would have a messy bedroom. I sat on the edge of his bed and he said "so, I went to the library and got a copy of Frankenstein." "Have you read any of it?" I asked. Eddie sniggered while shaking his head. "No." I rolled my eyes and said "well, you're going to read it for the sake of your grade. And this project. Since you suggested it, I figured you'd read it." Eddie shrugged and said "I mean, I've read a small part of it. I've seen the movie though." "So have I." "Didn't peg you for a girl who likes horror movies." I narrowed my eyes and said "and what kind of movies do I like, Eddie?" "Rom coms. Or dramas. I bet your favorite movie is Sixteen Candles or something. The Breakfast Club." Eddie visibly gagged. I chuckled softly and said "actually, my favorite movie is The Thing." "Kurt Russell. Nice." I nodded and said "how about you?" "I dunno. The Howling. Or An American Werewolf in London." I smirked and said "werewolves. I like werewolves too." "Ohhh. Pretty Princess Emmaline likes werewolves." I rolled my eyes and said "whatever. Let's just get started on this." Eddie nodded and walked over to his radio, putting in a tape. Metallica started playing. My eyes widened and I said "no." "What?" "Turn it off." I covered my ears and Eddie laughed. He started to imitate the guitar rift and I said "Eddie!" "It's Metallica!" "Turn it off!" Eddie huffed. "Ugh, fine!" The loud guitar stopped and he went to put in another tape. I slowly removed my hands from my ears. I looked down at the instructions for the project. The Cramps started to play. My head snapped in Eddie's direction. "You don't like The Cramps?" Eddie asked. I shook my head and said "me and Peter listen to them." Eddie grimaced and said "you and your boyfriend? Gross." I scoffed and said "shut up. Just come over here so we can do this." Eddie sat down next to me on his bed. "Now you read while I figure out how we're going to do this." "I don't wanna read." "Eddie." I told him. He opened the book and started to read. The Cramps played softly as the room was silent. I pushed my hair behind my shoulder as I looked down at the paperwork. I pulled some paper out of my binder and started writing down how the book made me feel. "You've read this book?" Eddie said. I sighed and said "I have." "So the project is basically done? For you, I mean." "Technically. I'll probably reread it though just so my statement about the book is more accurate." Eddie leaned against the wall and said "well, I need the grade so I'm going to make sure I read the book so my grade is good. I'm graduating this year." "Finally?" I asked. Eddie rolled his eyes and said "shut up, Brooks." "You're the one who failed twice, Munson." I retorted. "This is my year. 86' baby." I chuckled softly and said "I'm also graduating this year. But, I was meant to." "I'm not stupid. I just don't do the work." "I never said you were stupid." "Most people think I am. I didn't want you to think that." I looked at Eddie and furrowed my eyebrows. "I'm not a bitch." I said almost inaudible. Eddie nodded and said "I know. You're not a grade A bitch like Lorna. Why do you even hang around that crowd? You're too nice for them." I quickly looked down at my paper. I had never been popular before. I only had some sort of status because I was dating Peter who was friends with Jack Castello. The two of them weren't close or anything but both had a reputation. "I just happen to be dating a popular guy. That's it." I replied. Eddie nodded and I checked the time. I looked at my wrist and said "I gotta go. We can work on this Monday." Eddie threw his hands in the air and said "why not tomorrow?" "I'm seeing Peter tomorrow and I'll be busy during the weekend. But, you'll have plenty of time to read the book." I started gathering my things together and Eddie said "want me to drive you home?" I shrugged and said "I don't know. I could walk-" "Brooks, you're not walking. Give me your address and we'll be on our way." Eddie and I walked to his van and I gave him my address. Eddie drummed his hands on the steering wheel as we drove. I shook my head at him as he belted the lyrics to a Motley Crue song. "STARRY EYES! WHOA!" I giggled at him. I started to sing along with him, forgetting that we barely knew each other and we hardly spoke in school. As Eddie pulled into my neighborhood he looked at the houses. "This one is yours?" I nodded and he said "you live across the street from Henderson!" "Oh yeah. I babysat Dustin a little bit. I can't believe he's in highschool now." "Henderson's my boy. I'd do anything for that kid." Eddie said. I smiled and said "well, I'll see you at school, Eddie." "When's our next study session?" Eddie leaned back in his seat. He chewed on a toothpick and exhaled. My eyes went to his hair and his lips as they wrapped around a cigarette he placed in between his lips. "Uh, why don't you pick? And actually why don't you give me your number? I'll call ya." I shrugged and said "sure." I grabbed a piece of notebook paper out of my backpack and a pen. I quickly wrote my number down and handed it to Eddie who said "thanks, sweetheart." I got out of his van and he winked at me before pulling away. I shook my head in disbelief as he peeled out of the neighborhood.

-

"He's such a creep." "Not even. He's a freak." "You're such a freak, Munson!" Kids in the hallway seemed to say all kinds of things within ear shot. Eddie pretended to gouge his eyes out which made the girls scream in disgust. Peter had his arm draped over my shoulder as we stood at his locker. "So, Lorna's party. We're going right?" Jack asked. I looked at him and said "she doesn't exactly want me there." "Why wouldn't she?" Peter said. I scoffed and said "I don't know. She doesn't like me. She never has. I don't know how you guys can't see it." "It's really obvious." Alyssa retorted. Jack shrugged and said "I wanna party so I think we should go." I crossed my arms over my chest and Peter said "babe, we don't have to go. We could blow it off." I shook my head and said "no because then I won't hear the end of it. I'm just going to go and hope for the best." "We won't stay for the whole time. We'll go for a couple of hours, have some drinks, and then we'll go home. And I'll give you the best sex you've ever had to get your mind off the party." Peter whispered the last part as he kissed my neck up and down. I felt my cheeks heating up and I pushed him. "Stop." I giggled. Peter cupped my cheek and kissed my lips. "Let's go to class before we're late." Alyssa said. I walked into class and sat down next to Milo. He yawned and I said "long night?" "I was up all night editing my film stuff. And some pictures I took. Ugh, I should've went to bed but I'm too busy trying to be Steven Spielberg." Milo replied as he rubbed his eyes. I shook my head at him, my attention going to our teacher.

-

Eddie and I sat in his bedroom. I laid on my stomach as I worked on the project. Eddie propped his head up with his hand, sighing deeply and I quirked an eyebrow. "Bored?" I teased. He shook his head and said "I feel like Frankenstein sometimes. Everyone in this town hates me. They all think I'm a freak and I didn't ask to be one. I'm just who I am and it's not accepted." My lips parted as Eddie slightly poured his heart out to me. "I don't hate you." I said softly. Eddie looked up at me and said "you might be the only one. The popular kids give me so much shit. Most of the time I don't let it bother me but today was pretty bad. Your boyfriend was there." I sat up and said "Peter was there?" Worry spread across my face as I thought about my boyfriend saying harsh words to Eddie. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't grown fond of the boy in front of me. He made me laugh and I genuinely enjoyed his company. This project wasn't so bad. Eddie nodded and said "he definitely had a few words in. He's not too happy about us being paired up. Neither is Jack Castello." Eddie looked up at me and I must've had a look on my face because he said "don't freak out. Your friends are assholes." I gulped and said "I know. There's no excuse for them to treat you that way. I can't believe they did that." "Oh, sweetheart. They're so obsessed with you being around me it drives them nuts. They're probably thinking about it right now and it's eating at them. Their pretty princess is with Eddie 'the freak' Munson." I rolled my eyes and said "I only like my boyfriend. The rest of them are jerks. Jack is ok but I know how he is. And you know I despise Jason Carver and his friends. They're complete assholes. And Lorna Phillips..." I looked down and hated how she treated me. I didn't know if it was because I was with Peter or she simply didn't like me. It didn't make sense. "Lorna Phillips is someone who deserves anything coming to her. I remember her picking on you in middle school. And I've seen some stuff in high school." I nodded and said "she really makes my life hell. And I don't know why." Eddie chuckled and I furrowed my eyebrows. "Do you remember when that bucket of mud was dumped on Lorna? During gym class? Her white gym uniform was drenched in the stuff." I nodded at him, not knowing why he was bringing it up. "They never found out who did it." Eddie smirked and said "it was yours truly." I gasped and said "you?!" "Yeah. It gave me great joy." "Why'd you do it?" "Cause she's a bitch!" The both of us laughed and it was the first genuine laugh I had in a while. I'd been spending so much time with my boyfriend who didn't have a funny bone in his body but was very sweet. "God, I needed that." I fell back onto Eddie's bed, looking at the Iron Maiden posters that covered his ceiling. Eddie laid down next to me and said "you need better friends." "I know." "I could be your friend, you know." I turned my head to look at him and said "yeah?" "Yeah. As long as you don't ditch me after this project." I shook my head and said "no. I won't." Eddie's eyes scanned over my face, lingering on my lips. I looked back up at the ceiling and said "thanks for being so nice to me." "Of course, sweetheart." I smiled and Eddie did the same as he laughed. "Hang out with me this weekend." He said. I sighed and said "I have to go to Lorna's party." "That's even better. I'll crash it!" Eddie jumped up onto his bed. I laughed in disbelief and said "you're going to crash it?" "I'm going to ruin Lorna's little party. I'll probably get thrown out of there." I laughed and said "do it. Make her life a living hell." Eddie chuckled and said "I will. But you can't reveal my secret, Brooks." "I won't tell, Munson."

This chapter is basically character/relationship building. My Stranger Things era is returning and I missed it!! I also hope you're all being patient with these rewrites. And I hope it's better this time around.
~skylar🖤🫧🖤🫧