𝖧𝖤𝖫𝖫𝖥𝖨𝖱𝖤 ☠︎ 𝖾𝖽𝖽𝗂𝖾 𝗆𝗎𝗇𝗌𝗈𝗇

𝟢𝟢𝟣

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volume 1 | episode 1
HAWKINS HIGH
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'okay, but no cheer films. I mean it, it brings back too much trauma'
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MAEVE GRABBED HER HEADPHONES and instantly headed straight for the door as the bell rang. the sooner she can get her school year over and done with, the better. she shouldn't even be here, if the school hadn't held her back due to missing too much school time, maeve would've graduated by now. apparently mourning over a dead father isn't a good enough excuse to missing 'valuable school time'. maeve put her headphones on in an attempt to ignore her banging headache from all the school work and walked down the hallway, looking straight ahead.

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a couple of girls side eyed maeve as she walked past. last year, before the starcourt fire, she was popular. cheer had really boosted her popularity, and gave her access to the big tables and the side glances of boys. none of that actually mattered, it was just a nice bonus. now, the whispers in the corridors call her 'weird', 'depressed', and the most infamous of all, 'freak.' she didn't care at this point. her 'friends' were becoming toxic anyways. all of them, except chrissy cunningham. the pair were practically sisters. maeve still loves chrissy, and chrissy loves her. they've both been there for each other, through everything. maeve scoffed as brian 'accidentally' bumped into her shoulder, knocking her stuff onto the floor.
"whoops, sorry." he said sarcastically, making his friends laugh. maeve just rolled her eyes and started picking up her stuff. she saw movement in the corner of her eye, and saw a guy picking up her stuff with her. she frowned, not recognising him. he handed maeve's belongings back to her, gave a smile and backed up into a classroom. maeve looked around. he wasn't with anyone. not knowing why, she took off her headphones and followed him into the classroom.

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MAEVE SHUT THE DOOR BEHIND HER and walked towards the guy, admiring the art on his jacket as she does so. she tapped him on the shoulder, making him jump.
"sorry! sorry. didn't mean to scare you." maeve apologised. he put his hand on his heart, and looked at maeve.
"it's okay. I thought you were ms. o'donnell." he looked behind her and made sure the door was still shut. maeve decided to do the same to him and looked behind him, seeing test papers in a pile.
"yeah, I bet you're glad i'm not her. cheating?" maeve smirked slightly, unsure as to why she was enjoying this strangers company this much.
"and if I was?" he joked back. "i'm just using my initiative. i'm crawling towards a d in this class, and then, then I graduate." he looked off into the distance dramatically as he finished his sentence, making maeve chuckle slightly. "eddie munson," he stood his hand out to maeve. "and, you are?"
"maeve." she shook his hand, attempting to avoid the whole realisation people usually have once they hear her last name, which usually goes along the lines of 'oh my god, your dad was mr cooper? as in our basketball coach? so sorry for your loss! he deserved better!' and maeve honestly could not care less for their fake pity.
"well, maeve, are you gonna go get ms. o'donnell or am I in the clear?" eddie asked.
"you're in the clear, for now. be more careful. I mean, I could always tutor you, if you want one. we could study together." maeve realised she was offering to teach a guy she only just met, and instantly slightly regretted everything.
"well, if you're offering. here, i'll give you my address and phone number. I live with my uncle, so if I don't answer the phone, he'll probably take a message if he's awake." maeve slightly frowned in confusion. "he works night shifts." eddie automatically explained. he gently took maeve's hand in one hand, and handed her the piece of paper with his address and phone number with the other. "well, better get back to spy work." eddie looked at maeve. the door opened quickly, scaring the pair. they both turned to face the door, seeing a blonde ponytail and a cheer uniform.
"chris?" maeve said. chrissy looked slightly off. almost scared.
"hey, ev, can I have a minute with... eddie?" she asked, sheepishly. maeve looked between the two, and hesitantly left the room.

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AFTER WAITING FOR A FEW MINUTES, chrissy finally walked out, followed by eddie, who had a paper in his hand. he quickly gave maeve a smile as he practically ran off through the hallway.
"what was that about, then?" maeve asked chrissy.
"huh?" chrissy looked at maeve, confused.
"the whole eddie thing." they walked through the hallway together, subconsciously heading to their next classes out of routine.
"oh, nothing. I was just asking him about a class." chrissy stared at the floor.
"cool." maeve could tell counselling put chrissy in a bad mood. "so, I was thinking, tomorrow i'll go to family video, rent a movie, get some popcorn. wanna come over?" this put a smile on chrissy's face.
"sure. can it not be horror though? something fun." she asked.
"okay, but no cheer films. I mean it, it brings back too much trauma." maeve joked as they continued down the hallway. even though maeve should technically be in the year above chrissy, the pair find a comfort in each other. cheer brought them together, and although maeve despises it now, they continued to find that comfort.
"mae, do you ever think you're going insane?" chrissy asked suddenly. maeve attempted to keep her reaction minimal to not worry chrissy, but chrissy has been weird all week.
"insane? hey, being normal's boring. being insane, though? spices things up a bit, don't you think?" maeve attempted to answer. chrissy once again found herself staring at the floor.

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