𝓣𝓻𝓾𝓮 𝓟𝓻𝓸𝓶𝓲𝓼𝓮𝓼 𝓞𝓯 𝓛𝓸𝓿𝓮 {Eddie Munson}

70) 𝓰𝓮𝓽𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓻𝓲𝓭 𝓸𝓯 𝓙𝓔

{about a week and a half later, July 29, 1985}

-Ariella POV-
" I can't believe the school readiness date is next week!" Chrissy exclaimed, " I know summer went by so fast! I'm so excited for football season though."

" I'm excited for you to start dating Eddie. I've been waiting since you told me last April that you liked him. I know he's liked you since before you met him. " Chrissy said with a smirk, laying on her stomach beside me as we tanned by the pool.

" I want to date him, I really do. It's like we're already sorta dating, but it's just Jess." I told my best friend and she playfully rolled her eyes.

" Girl, come on! That's ridiculous. He obviously likes you. You told me that he would never go to somewhere like the carnival, but he took you to the Fun Fair for a date, Ariel! A date! You know he wants to date you, nothing happened after that, right? Maybe he's waiting for you to make the next move! So you have to make it!"

I rolled onto my back and shaded my eyes with my hand. " Yeah that's what Steve told me when he taught me how to play basketball when I was like 9, 'make the shot Ariel! when you have the shot you have to shoot it!' And I still missed it." Chrissy groaned, " But you're not missing this. You didn't miss your shot yet. You told him you love him, he said it back. Eddie seems very genuine. The way he stares at you, the stuff he says to you. You've done all there is to do together. All you need now is a title."

Chrissy sat up and pulled her hair up, " You don't understand, Chris. He didn't say a word to me the whole time he was with Jess, only when Jess mentioned me. He was doing it on purpose. I know he doesn't like me hanging out with Billy, but he has to get over it. I don't tell him to stop hanging out with Jess. Right after Jess got out of the car he was like ' oh sweetheart, oh baby, what's wrong? I don't know what you're talking about and I'm not gonna admit I was being a fucking asshole, yeah I don't know, love.' He was obviously playing it up! He's trying to make me jealous isn't he? He's trying to—"

Chrissy grabbed my shoulders softly to ground me, " Woah, woah! Cool it." She laughed at my words and shook her head. " Boys are stupid. You know this. He's just being stupid, watch he'll be crawling back after he sees you with someone else. Trust me."

" You're right, and I know exactly who's willing to do it for me." I smiled thinking of my other best friend, Billy Hargrove. " That's not what I meant, I-"

" Come one we're going to Hawkins Pool." I pulled Chrissy arm and we jumped into my car and drove to Billy's work.

{10 minutes later, Hawkins Community Pool}

"Billy!" I shouted as I saw him getting out of the tall lifeguard chair. He turned his head, his eyes quickly looked down at my bikini that I was still wearing from earlier.

" Hey Ariel." He walked over to Chrissy and I and he winked at her, typical Billy, " Need me to do something else to get rid of JE?" Billy smirked with that dumb look on his face, " No, stupid! Let me tell you what happened last time."

" JE?" Chrissy chimes in, a look of confusion on her face. " Jess and Eddie, JE. It's our code name." She nodded as I explained it to her. We followed him to his locker inside of the small office. He pulled out some sunscreen along with the rest of his stuff. " You need this." He chuckled as he handed me the bottle of Baby Sunscreen.

"Hey,Ariel?" Billy said, I turned around, he leaned closer to my ear, whispering, " Do you mind if I crash at yours tonight? My dad was really mad at me this morning. I d-" I stopped him, " You don't have to explain to me, Billy. I understand what that asshole does to you. You can always stay." He cracked a smile and nodded before slamming shut his locker.

We walked back out of the office and to the pool, You know who was there? You guessed it, Eddie and band.

" Shit." I stared at Eddie, he was laying on his stomach shirtless with just a pair of jeans on, reading a fantasy novel that I've never heard of.

"Hey Ariel!" Gareth greeted me, Eddie looked up and his face lit up. " You know that kid?" Billy looked down towards the water at Gareth. " He's Eddie's band mate." I explained, " You wanna fuck with him a little?" Billy again smirked with that goofy look on his face.

" Ew is that Ariel Harrington?" Another familiar voice called, Billy threw his arm around my shoulder, I turned to see Mike with his mom behind him, they were just leaving. "Ew is that Micheal Wheeler?" I teased back, Mike looked at Billy and then his mom.

I suddenly felt Billy pull me towards him and began to walk. Why did Eddie look so good today? Eddie set his book down, and Billy let go. I was fighting the urge to go up to him and hug him, except he already did it first.

" Hey sweetheart," Eddie says loudly, I know he planned for Billy to hear. I leaned into his touch as his hands land on my bare waist. His hands were so warm.

I wanted to kiss his cheek before I saw her. Jess. She was on the other side of the pool, with one of the lifeguards. "Jess came with you guys too?" I ask Eddie and he shook his head, " No, why?" He smiled at me, moving my hair from my face.

" She's over there." I pointed to the swim lessons going on, " Oh, cool." He shrugged and then moved me closer towards him. " I was really being an asshole last time I saw you, baby. I'm sorry. I love you." He whispered into my ear, before booping my nose.

" I missed you, my darling." Eddie kissed just below my ear, making sure Billy saw it, even if it was just out of the corner on his eye. Chrissy and Billy were sitting on the pool chairs.

" Oh my god! Eddie I didn't know you were here!" Jess called out, throwing her arms around Eddie while pushing me out of the way. I stumbled backwards but Billy was suddenly behind my again, he stood behind me placing his hands on my shoulders. " That's her, huh?" I nodded.

" Sorry about that-" Eddie stopped talking when he saw Billy behind me, " Oh sorry. Don't let me interrupt you." He said sarcastically.

" Billy, move." I mumbled and he let go. I went to go sit by Eddie as he lazily sat band down on the pool chairs, Jess was about to sit before I sat beside Eddie. Moving as close at humanly possible to him. "I missed you too Eddie." He relaxed, but still stayed idle.

" Come on, don't be like that, love."