Us Against the World ★ Eddie Munson

Chapter 28

The alarm blared loudly into my ear as I rolled over on my bed. I smacked the off button, and hugged my blanket to me for a moment. A knock came to my door and I let out a sigh. I stood up and opened it to see my mother. She gave me a small smile. 

"I don't want to talk about last night." I told her, "It's your life, and if you want your heart broken again when he decides to leave, then fine. I don't want to fight about it." 

"Julie, he's changed." Mom told me and I let out a sigh. Did he really change? Or did she just want to believe that he did? I didn't know. In most cases, the man won't change unless he actually wants to. As for my father, I highly doubted he wanted to. 

"If you say so, Mom." I told her, "Now I have to get ready for today. Steve has offered to teach Robin and I how to drive."

"Okay." Mom told me, "When you're done, come to the kitchen for breakfast."  

I nodded my head and closed my door. I grabbed my outfit, which was a Hellfire shirt, a blue jean jacket, and a pair of shorts. I knew it was probably a bad idea to wear the Hellfire shirt around town, since the whole town thought we were a cult, but I wanted to wear it as a big fuck you to them all. I would not stand down because they fear us for being in a club. For liking D&D. I will not bow down to their expectations. 

I went to the bathroom and took a quick shower. I got dressed, and fixed my hair. I sprayed some hairspray into my hair and fixed my make-up a bit. It wasn't much, just some eye shadow, and eye liner. 

I walked out of the bathroom and met Dustin on the way to the kitchen. He looked at my shirt and got a worried look on his face. "I don't think you should wear that, Julie." Dustin told me. 

"Fuck the town." I told him, and buttoned up my jacket so mom wouldn't see the shirt. She would most likely try to get me to change out of it. Dustin and I ate our breakfast. I sat in the living room with Dustin watching cartoons while Dad searched the news paper for a job. Since he was moving back into the house, and Hawkins, I still couldn't believe it. 

Around one in the afternoon, Steve drove by with Robin. My mom made them come in, and gushed over Steve. How handsome and tall he was. My dad stood up and shook his hand. "It's good to finally meet you, son. Heard good things about you from Dustin and Julie." Dad told Steve, "Treat my daughter right. If you break her heart, I won't be afraid to break your legs." 

Steve's eyes went wide and he looked over at me, while Robin held back the laughter wanting to escape. "Dad! He's not my boyfriend. He's just a friend." I told him as my face grew red from embarrassment. 

"Still, Julie. You're a grown woman, and I respect that you may..." Dad began to tell me and I felt like I wanted to die. I could see Steve was wanting to die as well. Why didn't the demobats just kill me? 

"Let's go." I said, cutting him off . I rushed Robin and Steve out of the house. I closed the front door behind me and let out a sigh. "I am so sorry about that Steve. My dad is insane." I told Steve. 

Robin busted out laughing, and Steve just shook his head. "Wait till they meet your real boyfriend." Steve told me and I nodded my head. They would be even worse.

"They got it in their head, that we are dating or whatever." I told Steve as we got into his car, "They smelled your cologne on me last night, and Mom saw this hickey that Eddie left on my neck. And oh my god, kill me." 

"Oh man, that was too good." Robin laughed. 

"Yeah, I'm so laughing." Steve commented sarcastically towards Robin and turned the radio on. "It's not your fault, Julie." Steve added, and I nodded my head.

Steve drove us to where the old Starcourt mall was. It was now just a barren parking lot. The Russian elevator and secret base were now covered in thick concrete. It was the perfect place to learn how to drive. 

Steve parked his car, and let out a nervous sigh. He went over what we had to do. Where the brakes were, and which pedal we should use. Steve got out of the car and let Robin try it out first. I sat in the back seat and buckled up. Robin began to drive. 

"Woah woah, slow down!" Steve shouted at her as she began to drive fast, "You got a lead foot or something!?" 

"I don't know! I'm nervous!" Robin told him as she slammed on the brakes. I bounced in the back, but thankfully the seat belt kept me in place. 

"Try again, but this time, less pressure on the brake." Steve told her, and she nodded her head. Robin tried again, but more slowly this time. Steve told her to turn left, and to use her blinker. She had trouble at first, but managed to get it. She turned it off after making the turn. 

"Good, Robin." Steve told her and pointed to an empty parking spot, "Now put the car into reverse, and try to back up into that spot there."