Never Even Knew | Eddie Munson

Chapter One

𝒀𝒐𝒖'𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒆

Eddie Munson and Juliette Hopper weren't friends, they didn't know each other. They knew of each other but only ever passed by in the halls of Hawkins high. No words ever spoken. Both loners, always doing their own thing, not caring what others were doing or thinking. Eddie was in trouble a lot. Always ending up in a fist fight, or some how blamed for things that he could care less about. But trouble in Hawkins meant Hopper would be around. Juliette's dad being the sheriff meant that she saw Eddie in the station all the time. They shared quite a few passing glances, but again never any words, just stares.
Juliette was an observer, she knew things about people that they probably didn't even know about themselves. She could see things through the lens of her camera. She could see Eddie wasn't bad, he was always just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Once you have a title in Hawkins it becomes you even when it isn't true. People liked to believe in the worst in others instead of actually looking for their hearts. Eddie Munson was the bad boy druggie that everyone thought was a loser, a screw up. But Juliette saw deeper, she knew he was lost like her. She knew he wasn't a loser, a freak, a dumbass, and defiantly not a screw up. Just lost, simply lost. Juliette was the Sheriff's daughter who liked her camera more than people, hoppers daughter, that's what she was afraid she'd only ever be, just hopper's daughter.
Arcade, rollar skating, movie nights, and late night bike rides was Juliette and her friends escape. When Nancy was too occupied with the school newspaper or with Steve Harrington, Jonathan and Juliette would spend time together, mostly taking pictures.
She loved her friends, she loved her dad, she loved her photos, but Juliette couldn't figure out how to love herself the same. Not until Eddie showed her exactly how.

𝑻𝒉𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒅𝒂𝒚
   " Oh Eddie, what did you do now?"
I spin around in the chair in my dads office, I hear him walk into the station and I peek out the slightly open door to see him walking towards the black leather jacket and vest wearing boy.
" Nothing I swear. I swear!"
Eddie Munson says surrendering with bloody hands in the air.
" Then how come there is blood all over your knuckles? Huh?"
My dad sits in the chair next to Eddie pointing to his hands with an annoyed expression.
" Nothing Hop, really. It was just a small... itty bitty little fight, thats all. No biggie, I promise!"
I tilt back in the chair to get a better look at Eddie and his feeble attempt at persuading my dad. But I know my dad will let him leave with just a small warning, like he always does.
My dad squeezes the bridge of his nose and takes a deep breath.
" Look kid, you gotta stop all these fights. You keep beating people up, you keep ending up here, and I keep having to call your uncle."
" Don't call my uncle, he isn't home."
Eddie says as he fiddles with the rings on his long fingers.
" He's never home."
My dad sighs looking up at Eddie.
Eddie shrugs his shoulders with a blank face.
" Ok. I'm going to go try to call your uncle, I have to try. I'll be back, just wait here kid."
" I know the drill Hopper, I'm not going anywhere."
Eddie says mildly.

My dad stands up and walks towards me in his office. As he walks through the door he raises his eyebrow and I wave my hand.
" Hey kid. Why are you here so early?"
" Early release at school. Need the phone?"
I gesture to the phone on the desk as I start to stand up.
" So you heard? I swear this is like the third time the kid has been in here in the past two weeks."
My dad stalks to his desk and picks up the phone.
" Well the last two times were just about him pranking our math teacher and being an idiot. At least not every time he comes in it's about him beating people up. Right?"
I mumble as I look out the cracked door towards the sad faced boy who was now running his finger over the dried blood on his fist.
‟ Yeah, I guess. I know he's a good kid, he just needs to start staying out of trouble. And that wasn't just a prank, that was full on Vandalism."