Emmaline's POV:
I sighed as I drove into the school parking lot. I felt sick. I hadn't talked or seen Peter since the party. I knew he'd be here and would be trying to talk to me. I closed my eyes as I took a deep breath. A knock on my window made me jump. My eyes slightly widened as I saw Jason Carver standing outside my car. I reached for the door handle, opening the door. "Emmaline." He said. I furrowed my eyebrows and said "what do you want?" "Hi, Emmaline." The cheery voice of Chrissy Cunningham said. I half smiled at her and said "hi, Chrissy." She smiled at me and Jason said "Chris, go get Andy." Chrissy nodded and then walked to the group of boys, tapping on Andy's shoulder. Andy looked mortified when he saw me standing next to Jason. I gulped and looked down. "Listen, I'm not going to put up with what he did at the party. He's going to apologize to you. We've got a reputation to uphold and I can't have that kind of stuff getting out." I scoffed and said "so, it's to save your ass? Not because you're actually upset that your friend could've assaulted me?" "Munson better not put his hands on Andy again." My lips parted and Andy said "Em, I'm really sorry. Honest. I drank too much. I shouldn't of done that. I know I can come off as an asshole. I'm sorry. It's on me." "Munson shoved you." Jason said. Andy looked at Jason and said "I don't care about that. I would've hurt Em. Would you have rather me hurt her? I don't like that freak but for once in his life he did something good." "Think about if someone did that to Chrissy. She's drunk out of her mind and someone sees that they can take advantage of her." I said to Jason. Jason looked at Chrissy who was standing with Lucas Sinclair, laughing as he talked with his hands. "I'd kick their ass. Chris is too good for that." Jason mumbled. I nodded and said "exactly. I accept your apology, Andy." The curly headed boy rushed away and I looked back at Jason. "Next time, don't protect your friend out of your interest because if someone tried to do that to Chrissy it'd be over for them. I'd even kick their ass if they did that to Chrissy. So, just leave me alone. And don't ever say that Eddie was the problem when he wasn't." I grabbed my stuff and closed my car door, locking it. I started to walk away. "Em!" Jason said. I looked over my shoulder and he said "I'm sorry. You're right." I nodded and walked away from him. My heart was beating out of my chest and my eyes scanned the parking lot for Eddie's van. It was parked at the edge of the lot, away from everyone. I pulled on the door and Eddie was sitting in the back. "What the hell?!" He screeched. I jumped and said "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scare you." Eddie held his heart and his face softened and he reached for my wrist. "Princess Emmaline." He pulled me inside the van, closing the door. "What can I do for you on this fine day?" I dropped my books and threw my arms around his neck. Eddie responded with an 'oof' sound as I hugged him. His arms slowly wrapped around me. "What happened?" He asked softly. "Jason made Andy apologize to me. And he was trying to excuse what he did. Andy almost did a horrible thing. And Jason was excusing it like it was nothing. And he was mad you pushed him." Eddie scoffed. "He's lucky all I did was push him. I wanted to pound his face in." I squeezed him and Eddie said "you ok?" "Yeah, I just...I need...I needed to be safe. For a minute." "Em, I won't let him touch you. I don't think he will after this but I'll kick his ass." I leaned my head on his shoulder and sighed. "You don't have to, Eddie." "I do. You're my friend, Emmaline. I don't put up with shit like that." I half smiled and slowly pulled away from him. "Sorry for being like this." "No, you're ok. It's fine. It makes sense why you'd be like this, Em. It's not a big deal." I nodded at him and said "I think I'm gonna sit with you at lunch today." Eddie quirked an eyebrow and said "yeah?" "Yeah. I don't think I can sit with Peter. I still haven't talked to him." "It's probably better off that way, Em. What can he do? Apologize for kissing a girl that wasn't you? Nothing can save him from that." "Yeah. You're right. Gareth won't be upset that I'm sitting with you, will he?" "If he is I'll shut him down. As a matter of fact, I'll explain the whole situation during Hellfire." I smiled and said "thanks, Eddie." "We'd better get going. As much as I dislike school, I'm actually trying to pass this year and don't want too many tardies." I giggled softly and said "Eddie Munson actually trying to pass? I'm shocked." "I'm telling you. I've only got one more class to pass. I'm on my way to a D in Mrs. O'Donnell's." The two of us got out of his van and walked into school. I left him as we didn't have the same first class. Rosalie immediately rushed over to him and he waved his hand, telling her to calm down as she talked about an idea for their D&D campaign. I grabbed some things out of my locker and felt the presence of my boyfriend standing behind me. I gulped as I turned around to face him. "Emmaline." He said. I bit my lip to keep myself from crying. "What do you want?" I asked barely audible. A shaky breath left Peter's lips and he said "I wanted to apologize. I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry. I was drunk. I didn't mean to kiss her. I was set up." I scoffed and said "set up? That's a stupid excuse even for you, Peter." Eyes of kids walking by looked us up and down, whispers entering the hall. Lucas Sinclair looked at me with a frown and I looked back at my boyfriend. "I was set up, Em. It was Lorna! It was all her!" He whisper yelled the last part. I shook my head and said "why would she do that?" "You know why! She doesn't like you. She's never liked us. And she's always liked me. You know that." Peter said. I looked down at my shoes. He was right. Lorna had been after my boyfriend for about a year now. And I'd only been with him eight months. I looked back up at Peter and said "you know I can't be with you. Not after..." I wasn't even sure who he kissed. I didn't care. I just wanted to forget about it. "Em, please. I love you. That kiss meant nothing. As soon as I realized it wasn't you I freaked out. I tried to find you and you were gone." "Yeah, Andy almost had fun with me. He was as drunk as you and could tell who I was. Andy almost took me upstairs and took advantage of me. And where were you?" Peter stared at me in shock. He shook his head and said "I'm sorry. I was..." "With her. Or were you with Lorna?" I said. Peter didn't answer as he looked down. "Thank god for Eddie Munson. Cause if it wasn't for him, this would be a totally different situation right now." I said as I slammed my locker. Peter's head snapped up to look at me. "Eddie Munson? The freak?" "He saved me on Saturday. Everything would've went south." Peter grabbed my hand and said "please, give me another chance, Em. I love you. More than anything." "You lost me." I whispered. Peter's eyes widened and I left him standing in the hall. "Peter, what's going on?" Jack's happy voice said. I didn't dare look over my shoulder. Jason Carver stood with Chrissy, shoving Patrick McKinney away from him as he told a stupid joke. Andy snorted and Jason said "you're an idiot." "It's true, Jason!" Andy made eye contact with me, his face softening and Patrick seemed to notice as he looked at his friend. I continued to walk to my class, trying my best to ignore everyone's looks. "Emmy!" Milo said. I looked at him with a quirked eyebrow at the new nickname. "What? I wanted to call you something that nobody else calls you." I half smiled at him and said "cool." "We're sitting with Eddie today?" "Yeah. Jason made Andy apologize to me today." I said. Milo's eyes widened and he said "you got an apology from the basketball team?! You?! They must fucking think you're royalty, Em." "I highly doubt that." I replied.

-

Lunch would've been great if the basketball team wasn't staring at me the entire time. Eddie raved on about the newest horror movie he saw. Jason Carver looked at me with disgust and Andy looked at Eddie with disdain. Jack nudged Peter and then seemed to ask him a question, pointing at me. "It's all Andy's fault." Peter said. Andy looked at Peter and said "you're the one who kissed a girl that wasn't your girlfriend, asshole." Peter rolled his eyes and glared at him. "Fuck off." My ex boyfriend said. Milo took a bite out of his sandwich, agreeing with Eddie on how The Mutilator was an underrated slasher movie. Alyssa pulled her hair up into a ponytail, telling Eddie she'd never seen the movie. He was quick to wave his hand at her, dismissing the fact that she didn't watch horror movies often. The stares from the previous table I used to sit at during lunch was making me uneasy. I wished they'd just leave me alone or not care. The only person I wished I could be somewhat friends with is Chrissy because she was so sweet. I could do without Jason and his goons. Peter had broken my heart and Jack was becoming an asshole. "Em." Eddie said. I looked at him and he waved his hand in front of my face. "Where'd you go? You were staring off into space." I shook my head and said "sorry. Was thinking. Did you ask me something?" Eddie nodded. "Did you see The Mutilator?" "Yeah. I've only seen it once though." Eddie reached into his bag and said "well, I rented it. Wanna come over and watch it?" "We have school tomorrow. It'll be late." I said. Jeff, one of Eddie's friends, furrowed his eyebrows. Gareth sat up from his slouching position and said "so? Can't watch a movie on a school night, Miss Popular?" Eddie's head snapped in his direction and I said "no, that's not it. I was just...saying. I never do anything on a Monday night. I was thinking aloud." I never did anything during school nights just because my mom was slightly strict and I never wanted to be tired at school. Not because I didn't want to or was too scared. "Are you sure? Maybe you just don't want to hang out with us freaks? I mean, why are you?" Gareth quirked an eyebrow and I went to open my mouth when Eddie said "I already told you. Em's not like those assholes. And if you all have a problem with it, take it up with me. Not Emmaline." Gareth looked at Eddie and said "understood. Did you finally realize they're assholes?" "I always knew they were. I was only in their clique because I was Peter's girlfriend. It wasn't by choice. I hate the way they treat everyone else. Especially you guys. You guys aren't freaks. Eddie didn't have to help me that night. He could've just...let it happen. I still don't understand why you did what you did. I mean, I understand it but at the same time I don't." "Like I said before, I wasn't going to let that happen to you." I half smiled at Eddie and Jeff looked over at the table of popular kids. "They're such assholes." Gareth looked at me and then look down at them. "And you're not like them? Supposedly?" "What did I say?" Eddie said to him with a sneer. Gareth gulped and looked back down at his tray. "It's cool that you're hanging out with Hellfire now." Dustin said to me. I looked at him and said "Hellfire?" "Yeah. Eddie's club. It's for D&D." "Let me just apologize for saying that I know absolutely nothing about D&D. I mean very little." "I can teach ya." Eddie smirked. I quirked an eyebrow and said "yeah?" "Yeah." Eddie's smirk grew even bigger and I smiled. "This is Mike by the way." Dustin said. I looked at Nancy's younger brother who waved. "I remember you riding your bike to Dustin's. Like all the time." Mike nodded and said "yeah. I didn't know you lived near Dustin." "She lives across the street. She even used to babysit for me. But didn't need to as I got older." "And when you became friends with Steve Harrington." I replied. Eddie grimaced at the mention of Steve and said "not pretty boy." "Eddie, just like Steve, you're both my friends. Even though I spend a lot more time with you." Dustin told Eddie. Eddie shrugged and said "maybe I'm just better." Dustin laughed and Eddie said "you're not denying it." "I didn't say it either." Dustin said as he immediately stopped laughing. Mike rolled his eyes at their bickering and Eddie looked at me. I shook my head and said "don't look at me. I barely know Steve Harrington. I might have exchanged a few words with him but other than that, I don't know him." Gareth joined the conversation by saying Steve was vain and Dustin was quick to defend him. My mind started to wander again. I was nervous about what Lorna and Peter would say about me. Along with Jason who defended his friend who knew who he was in the wrong. Andy looked like as if he wanted the world to swallow him. Chrissy didn't know about the whole exchange as she listened to her boyfriend talk bad about Eddie. She nudged him, shaking her head. "Don't be so mean." Chrissy said. Jason looked at her and said "I'm not being mean, Chris. I'm just saying the truth." Peter looked heartbroken and I was glad. I hoped he was hurting. But at the same time, I so desperately missed him. I wished he hadn't of done what he did. "So, you wanna come over?" Eddie's voice once again broke me out of my thoughts. I looked at him and said "sure. As long as it's cool with everyone." Eddie leaned closer to me and said "that doesn't matter. I want you there. Is that so bad?" I shook my head and said "no. It's not bad at all. I'm glad." Eddie nodded with a smile and said "how's your tattoo?" I lifted my sweater up and Eddie looked at my hip. "It looks badass!" I blushed and said "really?" "Hell yeah!" "What're you guys looking at?" Dustin asked. Eddie nodded to Dustin and said "show them." I stood up, lifting my sweater. "Cool!" Dustin said. Eddie then stood up and revealed his shoulder. "No way! No way!" Dustin yelled. That earned a few looks in the cafeteria. Gareth's eyes widened and he said "matching tattoos?!" Eddie nodded proudly and Jeff said "that's super cool." I did everything I could to hide the blush appearing on my cheeks as Eddie said how proud he was to have a matching tattoo with him. Mike nodded in approval and I felt the glares of my former friends. Peter's eyes almost bulged out of his head and Jason scowled. Jack looked at us in disgust and Lorna refused to even look over. The both of us sat down and Eddie said "so, I'll pick you up from your place at like 7:00." "Are you sure it's ok for me to go?" I said. Eddie rolled his eyes and shook his head, his curls shaking. "Em, I want you there. Fuck what they think. Ok? Act like it's just me and you." I nodded and said "could I just come to your house after school? And stay there all day? Until the movie?" Eddie quirked an eyebrow and said "sure. Is mommy and daddy gonna be ok with that?" I nodded again. "You sure?" Eddie quipped. I pushed him playfully and said "stop. It'll be fine. I can call her and let her know that I'll be at your house for movie night." "You're gonna tell your mom you're coming to the freak's house?" "No, I'm going to tell her I'm going to my friend Eddie's. She also knows about you already. She knows we were study partners." Eddie chuckled and said "does she now?" He moved closer to me, his big brown eyes sparkling. His lips curled up into a smirk and my eyes seemed to take in his appearance. His lips were pink and plump, his Adam's Apple bobbed as he spoke. His hair was curly and unruly at times. "So, can you just follow me home and I'll ride over in your van? I wanna leave my car at home." Eddie nodded and said "sure. You could always drive over." My eyes went to Peter's stare and I quickly looked away. Eddie looked over his shoulder at Peter who glared at the metalhead. "You worried about him?" Eddie asked me. I sighed and looked down at my lap. "I'm not not worried about him. I don't want him to get the wrong idea. I don't like that he isn't nice to you." "Em, you don't need to worry about him when there's nothing going on. We're friends. I'm a friend who saved you from the demons that are the Hawkins basketball team." I laughed softly as I looked back up at him. Eddie said "and about him not being nice to me, I don't care. He can think and say whatever he wants." "He shouldn't. It isn't nice." I dusted the non existent dirt off my lap and Eddie said "I don't care. Once we graduate, I'll never have to be in the same room as those assholes ever again. Maybe my band will take off and I'll be out of Hawkins." "Corroded Coffin." I said as I had known of his infamous band. Eddie clapped his hands loudly which made me jump slightly. "You actually know my band! That's fucking amazing, Em." "How could I not? I remember you promoting it in middle school and obviously freshman year. We had like four classes together. Even though you were a year older." "I remember that! I think that was when you started to hate me." I shook my head and said "no, I didn't hate you. You just teased me. Made fun of me. I didn't like it. In freshman year, I wasn't as confident as I was now and you made me feel a certain way. I never knew if you were being mean." Eddie clicked his tongue and said "no. I wasn't being mean. I was just teasing you. The way you reacted was so fucking cute. Your cheeks would turn pink or red, depending on what I said. I never meant to hurt your feelings. If I did, I'm so sorry. Honest. I just wanted to tease you." Eddie's smirk spread across his face and I said "well, I'm glad you weren't being mean. And sorry if I came off as a bitch in our later years of high school. Especially this year." "You weren't a bitch. I probably annoyed the shit out of you." I nodded shamelessly while giggling. "I did! The freak annoyed Princess Emmaline for her entire high school career! Now she's friends with the freaks. If you would've told me three years ago that I'd be sitting with Emmaline Brooks at lunch, I would've laughed in your face." I propped my head up with my hand on the table, moving closer to Eddie. "I would've been disgusted because I thought you picked on me to be an asshole." "No, sweetheart. Only to make you blush. Because it was the cutest thing I had ever seen." I couldn't help the blush that started to appear on my cheeks. "Like that!" Eddie pointed at me. I covered my cheeks and said "stop, Eddie!" Dustin looked between Eddie and I, staring at the both of us. The bell rang which signaled lunch was over. "We could skip." Eddie suggested as the crowd started to move out of the cafeteria. Skipping the rest of the day honestly felt amazing. I nodded and Eddie said "really?" I nodded again and the tall boy grabbed my wrist. He pulled me through the crowd of kids in the hallways. I dodged books, band instruments and lockers as the metal head in front of me seemed to glide through the hallway on his long legs. His hand slipped into mine instead of staying on my wrist as he dodged a group of girls. "Sorry!" I said as I bumped into one by accident. I grabbed onto his hand with the hand he wasn't holding, wanting to be closer to him. Even when we went through the double doors, he still had his hand in mine, leading me to his van. "E-Eddie. My car. I can't leave it here." I said. Eddie stopped which caused me to bump into him. I squealed softly and Eddie looked down at me. "Sorry." I quickly said, not looking at him. "You're fine, sweetheart. I'll just follow you back to your place. And grab anything you need. If you wanted to change clothes or be more comfortable." I looked up at him and furrowed my eyebrows and said "what's wrong with my outfit?" I looked at the skirt and sweater that rested on my body. Eddie shook his head and said "nothing. Nothing at all. I just wanted you to be comfortable and stuff." His eyes darted around and I said "oh. Thanks. Just follow me to mine." Eddie saluted me and I looked down at our hands that were still interlocked. We seemed to retract from one another at the same time. Eddie chuckled nervously and said "sorry." "No, it's ok. It's fine." I quickly said. Eddie scratched the back of his head and I looked down at his shoes that had become really interesting. I then took the opportunity to dig through my backpack for my keys. "I'll follow you." Eddie said. I nodded and looked back up at him. "Ok." Eddie spun on his heel and started walking to his van. I got in my car and felt my cheeks heating up. I shook my head, as if to rid the thought of Eddie Munson making me blush or have butterflies in my stomach. I had just broken up with Peter and was still mourning the relationship. But at the same time, Eddie Munson came to my rescue at Lorna's party.

Yes this chapter is long asf and I hope y'all like long chapters because this is how I've been writing lately. And I hope this isn't going too fast but I'm trying to make Emmaline and Eddie start to have a friendship which will eventually lead to a relationship.
~skylar🖤🦇🖤🦇