'86, Baby 〡Eddie Munson

o n e

"Oh come on, Chrissy." Juliet began. "People use what happened last year as a reason for everything. I just went two rounds with the girl I've been trying to bang since sophomore year inspired and spurred on by the tragic deaths of our dear friends."  She mocked.

"Like yes, I'm sure Chief Jim Hopper heroically gave his life so you could have the inspiration to win some useless high school basketball game. He can definitely rest easy now... You know, if people were really that upset they would do something to help. Sue Starcourt Industries for building a mall so flammable or help out the families of the victims. Did you know they got basically no settlement money? Billy Hargrove's little sister now lives in a rundown trailer on the dodgy side of town. That's the real tragedy and you know I'm right."

Chrissy could only stare agape back at Juliet, agreeing with what she was saying but mind racing trying to take in the ramblings. She then burst out into a smile. "Yes, yes, Juliet, you're right about everything as usual. You are the voice of wisdom in this town and we would all be lost without you." She teased, lightly shoving Juliet so she too fell back against the bed. "But maybe we can do something to help. A bake sale to raise money for the families of the victims?"

Juliet's heart swelled at her friend's kindness. "That's a good idea, Chris. We'll do it after Spring Break."

"Okay, fun. I haven't baked in ages!" She beamed then jumped off the bed. "Anyway, what film do you want to watch tonight?"

"Anything other than The Breakfast Club!" Juliet ordered, noticing the way Chrissy's hands were instinctively reaching out for that box on her shelf. "We've watched it almost every night ever since you got it on tape."

"But it's just so good!" Chrissy exclaimed. "The way one single event brings five completely different people together, all from different social circles. And Judd Nelson is just so... sexy."

"Don't let Jason hear you say that." Juliet teased causing Chrissy to whack her with a pillow. "Shut up! We're definitely watching it now." She slid the tape into the VHS player whilst Juliet leaned off the side of the bed to reach into her rucksack and pull out a sharing bag of popcorn. She always came prepared.

As the opening credits began to play, Chrissy settled next to Juliet on the bed, watching her shove a large handful of sweet popcorn into her mouth. "Want some?" Juliet offered, extending the bag to Chrissy, who shook her head. "No thanks. I'm not hungry, I had a big lunch."

"You sure?"

She nodded politely again.

They never directly spoke about Chrissy's issues with eating, but both girls knew it existed. Juliet would always find a way to subtly ask what Chrissy had eaten that day and then make sure it was at least something. She would also always make sure Chrissy never missed a session with the school counsellor.

She knew telling Chrissy's parents was out of the picture, but she had debated telling Jason. Though came to the conclusion he wouldn't understand and she didn't want to make things worse.

"Well I for one am starving, so I'm going to scoff this delicious popcorn in my face and feel very guilty and selfish for not sharing it."

Juliet smirked before shoving another handful of the snack into her mouth. Chrissy rolled her eyes. "Fine." She relented and took a few pieces then popped them in her mouth.

Satisfied, Juliet finally settled in to watch the film.

     Only half an hour in a knock came from the bedroom door and it opened to revealed Chrissy's mom. "Hey, girls. I didn't know you were in."

"We got back from cheer practice a while ago and now we're watching a film." Chrissy smiled.

The older woman's eyes fell down upon the bag of popcorn and her face turned into a frown. "You shouldn't eat that stuff, it's full of sugar and calories. Just because it's corn doesn't mean it won't make you put on weight."

Juliet could sense Chrissy deflate next to her and see her hesitantly move the bag away. If Juliet didn't have such respect for Chrissy and the hospitality her family had shown Juliet over the years, she would've stood right up and given Chrissy's mom a piece of her mind.

Instead, she took the high road.

"We just had two hours of gruelling cheer practice, I'm sure we've done enough to earn ourselves a little treat."

Mrs Cunningham smiled tightlipped and it's insincerity was clear. "Of course, but remember, self-discipline is a sign of good character."

As soon as she left the room, Juliet placed a supportive hand on Chrissy's shoulder then quickly pressed play, hoping the movie would be enough of a distraction from the words of her mother.

As the ending scene rolled in and Bender raised his fist into the air and Simple Mind's Don't You began to play, Juliet turned to Chrissy expecting to see her either crying or ready to gush about how amazing the film was. Instead, she was barely looking at the screen, a faraway look in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" Juliet asked gently and Chrissy turned to look with her with such dejection that Juliet's stomach dropped.

"Do you ever wish you could just disappear?" Chrissy asked. Her voice was low and sorrowful. "Or just be numb and unafraid."

Juliet had felt like that and often still did. The period after her brother died there had many times she wished she could skip days or weeks, sometimes even life itself. There was a constant dull pain inside her that never went away and she couldn't help but feel like she was living her life on auto-pilot. As if everything was happening but she wasn't really there.

She knew about Chrissy's nightmares and her constant anxiety. Things had been bad recently.

"Of course," Juliet answered, thinking of the best way to console her friend. "Especially on bad days, but they pass. Sometimes life is just about having to persist on until things get better."

"But what if there was a way to make things easier in the meantime?"

Juliet frowned at Chrissy in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Do you remember Chance's party at Christmas? Some of the guys there they were doing, um," She paused, twirling a strand of her hair round her finger nervously. "they were doing drugs and they seemed so relaxed and calm, like they were in a dream world and -"

"Are you telling me you want to do drugs!?" Juliet interrupted, unable to stop the shock or anger in her voice and face.

Chrissy shushed her, not wanting her parents to hear the exclamation, but Juliet was unable to hold herself back. "That's ridiculous, Chrissy! How you could even consider the idea is beyond me."

"I just think they could help me, you know? I feel like I'm losing my mind and I just want, even for a second, to feel normal. To not be afraid or insane."

"I understand, you know I do, but there are other ways to feel better, Chris." She rested her hand on top of Chrissy's so that she looked up at her. "Drugs are not the answer."

Chrissy looked back down to the hands in her lap sheepishly, but she nodded anyway. "I know, I'm sorry. It was just an idea, but you're right, it's stupid. I'm not going to do it."

"Thank you."

And though she moved her hand away, Juliet had the most horrible of feelings that this wasn't over.