Edwina wasn't normally this late. She made it a point to be one of the first cars to pull into the parking lot. But after staying up all night with Steve, she didn't wake up to her many alarms.
As a precaution, Edwina had at the age of twelve, insisted on buying five alarm clocks so she wouldn't be late. Her mother said that she would be fine, but Edwina insisted. She was always so worried about everything. She had to be perfect. She was just like her father in that way.
Steve had climbed through her window at nine pm and left at three am. He was persistent that she help him come up with a way to impress Nancy, his reasoning apparently being that after so many years of competing with her, she would know what she didn't like, and he could use that as a start. Edwina was definitely confused by his logic, but she helped Steve nonetheless. She had never really enjoyed Nancy, and Nancy had never enjoyed her. Their families were friends because of Mike and Dustin, but she guessed you could say they had a good old-fashioned rivalry, all based on old grudges and academic validation. But regardless, Edwina said yes.
Steve was her best friend.
And Edwina could never say no to her best friend. Steven took advantage of that often.
Right now, she was really regretting that weakness. She rolled out of her bed, quickly shoving on her mom jeans, black pullover, and red converses, before running out of the house.
"Winnie hun, pick up Dusty after school!"
"'Kay, bye!"
Getting in her mum's old car, she turned on the radio and sped down the road, her long strawberry blonde hair flying out the window. She reached for her water bottle, only to find that she had forgotten it.
And if she turned around now, she would be late. Hawkins High came into view, and Edwina swerved into her usual parking spot, slammed the door, and ran inside.
People were still sitting in their cars, but not Edwina. She sped down the hall, stopped at her locker and caught her breath. Well, tried to catch her breath.
She really hated being late. Rushing was her least favorite thing ever.
She pulled her binder out of lesson plans, and headed to her first hour class, teachers assistant to Mrs.Clicks.
She walked into the partially full classroom and fully expected Steve to be nowhere in sight. Her eyes were amazed and shocked when she saw that he was in fact sitting in his seat, staring at her. His eyes lit up as she sat down and organized her desk.
"Where were you, Wilkins? You're never this late."
"I slept in after I spent virtually all night helping you. Remember?"
He laughed. "Oh yeah. I- I didn't use any of our ideas."
"So I could have gotten a proper night of sleep?"
"That sums it up. Yeah."
"Sometimes I can't stand you, Steven."
"Aww, you know you lo-"
Mrs.Click cleared her throat and looked pointedly at Edwina. "Are you going to be able to pay attention today Ms. Wilkins? Or do I need to move Mr. Harrington?"
"Nope. We're good."
"Great even."
Mrs.Click rolled her eyes. "Perfect. I would hate to have my assistant reassigned. Now today we're going to be-"
...
Edwina walked out of class, but not fast enough to abandon Steve. He slung his arm around her shoulder, which she quickly moved out of.
"Will you ever stop doing that, Steve?"
He scoffed but smiled sweetly at her. "You're my best friend."
"What do you need?"
He scoffed. "What makes you think I need something?" Edwina looked pointedly at the obviously scheming boy. "Fine. I'm throwing this party tonight..."
"I have a test I have to study for."
"That's funny because Nancy said the same thing, and she's still going."
"Well, Nancy has an obligation to go. She's your girlfriend."
"Well, some could argue that since you are my best friend, you have an obligation to go."
Edwina rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'll go. But I'm studying first. I'll show up later."
He grinned, and she shoved him off. "I'll take it as a victory."
"Of course, you would." The one-minute bell rang. "Now get out of here dingus. I have band."
He walked away but yelled back. "I'm the dingus?"
She flipped him off, walked into the band room, unlocked her band locker, and sat down in the best section.
Flutes.
"I don't know why you're still friends with him. He's an idiot."
"Yeah, but he's my idiot."
"Well, you know you have other friends right? Friends that you haven't hung out with in a while."
"I get it! I get it, Robin."
She rolled her eyes and started warming up. Edwina laughed to herself. Robin was so bossy. Well not bossy. More like assertive.
And she had every right to. First chair as a sophomore. One of the smartest people in Hawkins at 16. It was a big feat. Edwina had never really tried that hard in band, and gladly gave up first chair when Robin had come along. No more embarrassingly bad solos in front of bored parents and crying babies. And not surprisingly, Robin and Edwina became really good friends. If she wasn't hanging out with Steve, then she was with Robin. Dustin was never really home, and never went into her room when she had friends over, so they had never had the pleasure of meeting. Dustin liked to tell himself that his cousin had no friends and that he was her only source of entertainment. It made him feel like he was important. And Edwina couldn't bring down his ego.
Not yet anyway.
"Hello? Earth to Eddie?" Robin waved her hands in front of her friend's spaced-out face.
"Wha- oh. Just daydreaming."
"Obviously. Dreaming about Harrington? Again?"
Edwina's face flushed. "I do not dream about Steve."
"Uh-huh."
...
Edwina hadn't really done anything special for the party, partially because she forgot about it, and partially because she forgot to do laundry. She put on chapstick in her car's mirror and walked up Steve's driveway. She noticed that Tommy and Carol were also there by the other car parked further up. She stopped at the door and knocked. She didn't really know why she was knocking, but she still stood there for a bit longer before walking in.
Tommy and Carol were nowhere to be seen, and Edwina did not under any circumstances want to find them. She didn't need to be scarred for life. Steve wasn't by the pool, in the kitchen, or in the dining room. The living room was empty too, so she walked upstairs. Edwina thought it would be smarter to check Steve's room first, since that's where he spent most of his time. She didn't hear anything, so she opened the door.
Steve and Nancy were under his comforter. And Steve was over Nancy- Oh god.
Edwina turned bright red and immediately shielded her eyes.
Steve fell off the side and Nancy pulled the covers over her. Edwina backed out of the room, and Steve pulled a shirt on, stumbling after her.
"Eddie- wait. I-"
She teared up and walked further back.
"I- sorry. I have to go."
She ran down the stairs, Steve racing after her. Edwina opened the front door, and as fast as it had opened, it slammed shut. She turned around, Steve's hand still on the door. He ran a hand through his hair, breathing hard.
"I'm sorry."
She smiled slightly, trying to look like she was laughing it off. "Why would you be sorry? You have nothing to be sorry for."
She looked up at the top of the stairs, and Nancy was looking down, wrapped in- in Steve's robe. The one she had worn over her pajamas since they were kids. Why was she getting possessive? Edwina's mind was running a million miles an hour. She thought that Nancy would have some smug look on her face, but she almost looked sad. No. No way. That couldn't have been right. Edwina tried to smile through her tears, and pat Steve on the arm.
"Have fun, Harrington. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Ed, wait!"
But Edwina was already halfway down the driveway.
Nancy Wheeler stood at the top of the stairway, her eyes watering ever so slightly. She couldn't help but wish that she had realized something earlier, before that night had even happened. Her boyfriend was in love with his best friend.
And Wilkins was so painfully and obviously in love with him.
But neither of them knew it. And as Steve got back into bed with her, she played into her fantasy a little while longer before it would all wash away.
...
The night had gone by too fast, and Edwina was dreading seeing Steve again. She knew she had no right to be upset, Steve was dating Nancy, and they were going to be together eventually, Edwina just felt... betrayed in some ways. She couldn't count how many times she had complained about Nancy to Steve since they became friends nearly seven years ago, and she only stopped recently because, well, because he was in love with her. And Edwina couldn't ruin that for him. It's not like she would ever admit that she was in love with him, but it was obvious to those who looked closer than the surface. Robin figured it out just from Edwina talking about him.
Edwina's morning had been a blur, her hair ratted from tossing and turning all night, and her eyes slightly darkened from the very little amount of sleep she got. Her outfit was whatever she had on the floor, and she didn't even listen to her mixtape of romantic ballads on the way to school. Edwina drifted away during all of her classes, and when lunch came, she walked into the cafeteria and made a beeline for Robin. Usually, she sat with Steve, but she didn't feel like addressing what happened yesterday. And Robin understood completely. That didn't mean she wasn't going to tease the absolute shit out of her.
"Lover's quarrel?"
Edwina looked over at Steve, who was joking around with the two biggest assholes in school, Tommy and Carol.
"Seriously, I don't understand what you see in him."
"He's like a puppy most of the time. Except for when he's around those-" she took a very violent bite out of her sandwich. "Jack asses."
Robin rolled her eyes. "You care too much about him. He's only going to hurt you in the end. Like what happened yesterday, but worse."
"It's not like I have any right to be mad, Robin. It's not like I'm his-"
"His girlfriend? You basically are. You take care of him, you help him with school, you pick him up when he's too drunk to drive, you let him rant about his parents. You go on late-night drives together. Shall I go on?"
"Okay, I see your point. And I raise you another. We've been best friends since we were in 4th grade. We've grown up together. He's the closest thing I have to family, besides my aunt and cousin. He's been there for me. You know... after my mom died."
Robin hugged her best friend with one arm, and Edwina leaned into her. Robin squeezed her tighter. "I'm sorry Ed. I just mean-"
"I know what you meant."
Robin nodded. "Am I wrong though?"
"No. I am attached."
Robin stabbed her lump of mashed school lunch potatoes with a celery stick and grimaced. "I'm just saying. When you realize that I'm right, I'm telling you I told you so. Like immediately."
Edwina laughed. "You just used like unironically. Are you okay?"
"Don't change the subject." Robin looked over at Steve's table and leaned back, muttering to Edwina. "He's looking at you."
"I know. I can feel his stare burning into my back. It's annoying." She went back to her food. "He'll be fine. We'll act as if it never happened tomorrow.