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The second Juliet had enrolled at Hawkins High School she had done everything in her power to ensure her popularity.
The morning before school started, she had woken up two hours earlier than usual to make certain her hair, her makeup, and her outfit were perfect. Even on the bus journey there she was analysing everyone, seeing what they looked liked, what they were doing, what social circle they were in, and debating who to befriend.
When she entered the cafeteria and spotted a group of preppy girls who seemed to have known each other since middle school, she knew she had her targets.
And it had worked.
Within weeks she was one of the most popular girls in her year. Trying out for the cheer team and forming a particularly special friendship with a certain blonde sweetheart. Now in her senior year, she was at the top of both the cheer and the social pyramid.
So for someone who tried so hard and seemed to care so much, it was surprising that actually, Juliet didn't give a damn about who liked what, stupid basketball games, or what parties were the best ones to attend. She didn't care that some people were in band, others in cheer, others doing whatever nerdy shit they tended to do.
All she cared about was never being bullied again and if that meant existing with a constant facade and pretending to care, then so be it.
So when Friday morning finally came around, all she could think about was one day. One day left of school until Spring Break began and she could have a week of pure bliss.
Whilst her mother cooked a breakfast of scrambled eggs and toast, Juliet sat at the kitchen island finishing off her geometry homework. The kitchen door open and Juliet's suit-wearing father walked into the room, clearing his throat to gain his daughter's attention. "Juliet, can I speak to you in private please?"
She knew what this was about and willingly followed him out of the room into his private office. As he walked his expensive work shoes tapped against the laminate flooring before from a locked drawer at his desk, he pulled out two crisp $100 dollar bills.
"$200 dollars." He declared, extending the notes towards her before hesitating. "And this will keep you silent?"
"Sure," Juliet shrugged, taking the cash from her father's grasp and into her own. She checked the money, making sure it was correct and when she was satisfied she looked back to her father. "Until the next time."
Sometimes Juliet would feel a spot of guilt about blackmailing her father, but then she would remember he was a liar and a cheat. That money was no object to him, and she'd quickly get over it. It was two months ago now since she had walked in on her father banging his twenty-five-year-old secretary. Zipper undone as he pounded into the girl whose skirt was hitched up to her chest.
"Good luck at the pep rally, darling." He said, affectionally placing a hand on Juliet's shoulder. "Thanks, Dad."
It was hard loving a man you knew was no good.
After the death of her brother, both of her parents lost themselves. Her mom, never truly happy ever again and her dad turning to drink in secret and having many affairs.
Juliet didn't keep her dad's affair from her mom to spite her, instead it was at her dad's request. He had cried, pleaded, begged, Juliet not to say anything. Had told her it was a one time thing, a mistake, that it would never happen again. Assured her how heartbroken her mom would be if she found out, that it was better off she didn't know.
The only thing Juliet knew was that she didn't want her mom to hurt more than she already had and so she didn't tell her.
Though she loved her dad, she still despised him for what he had done. Life had already been difficult enough, did he really have to do this? Risk breaking up their family. Sure, they were already a pretty broken family with one of them missing, but at least it was a family. Some people weren't so lucky.
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"There you are!" Chrissy exclaimed as Juliet approached the doors to the gymnasium. "I thought you were going to be late. Coach is waiting for us in the changing rooms."
"Sorry," Juliet apologised, taking the pom poms that Chrissy was offering to her. "I got held up with my dad at home."
"You okay?" Chrissy asked, looking over her friend in concern. She knew all about her dad's affair and the blackmailing. "I'm okay." Juliet answered with a reassuring smile. She supposed the hurt had just become second nature to her now.
"Good. Maybe this time we could use the money to go on a trip over Spring Break? Somewhere near the beach where we can go swimming?"
She lopped her arm through Chrissy's. "Sounds great."
If there was one thing about Hawkins High School, it was that it certainly had school spirit. Almost every pupil had flooded into the brightly decorated gym to watch the morning's pep rally.
As the school band played their instruments, Juliet performed alongside the rest of her team. As cliche as it sounded, she genuinely loved cheerleading. The camaraderie, the teamwork, the athleticism. She loved her uniform that made her feel a part of something and important, she loved the gruelling hours of practice to perfect a particular difficult move and the pride that came with finally pulling it off.
And she was good at it too. Not just in that cute way of throwing her pom poms in the air and shaking her hips, but seriously good where performing round offs and high kicks was nothing. So good she had been accepted into Stanford early admissions on a cheer scholarship.
She was thrown into the air moving into a flawless toe touch then landing gracefully into the arms of the two male cheerleaders. It was an adrenaline rush being so high in the air, contorting your body into faultless shapes and only hoping your team were there to catch you when you came back down to earth.
The performance came to an end with a loud cheers and even Juliet had a beaming smile on her face.
"Let's hear it for your Tigers!" The announcer shouted and the cheer team ran over to take a seat at the bottom of the bleachers whilst the basketball team came rushing in.
"Good morning, Hawkins High!" Jason, the Captain, shouted into the microphone causing the crowd to go even wilder than they had before. "First off, I'd like to thank each and everyone of you. Without your support, we wouldn't be here. Give yourselves a big hand."
They all cheered and applauded, the microphone feedback whining. "And of course, I have to give a special shout-out to the best and the prettiest fans of all time, the Tiger Cheer Squad... Chrissy... I love you, babe."
They all awed whilst Juliet rolled her eyes at the cheesiness but teasingly nudged her best friend after anyway. She wasn't the biggest fan of Jason, but he sincerely loved Chrissy and that was all that mattered.
"You know, I think I can speak for all of us when I say it's been a tough year for Hawkins. So much loss. And sometimes I wonder how much loss can one community take? In dark days like this, we need something to believe in."
"Told ya so." Juliet whispered into Chrissy's ear with a smug smirk, satisfied that she was right about the speech Jason was going to make. But she was barely heard, the whole of the gymnasium holding on to every word Jason was saying. "So, last night, when we were down by ten points at half to Christian Academy, I looked at my team and I said, think of Jack, think of Melissa, think of Heather, think of Billy. Think about our heroic police chief, Jim Hopper. Think about everyone of our friends who perished in that fire. What did they die for? For us to lose some crap school? No!"
"No!" The crowd repeated back.
"For us to return home with our heads hung low in defeat?"
"No!"
"Let's win this game for them and that's exactly what we did! We embarrassed those candy-asses in their own house, and now tonight, tonight, we're gonna bring home the championship trophy!"
The crowd went mental and though Juliet didn't really care for Jason or his speech the feeling of triumph and determination was infectious.
They poured out the gym, Chrissy and Juliet stopping just outside of the exit. "You have your session with Ms. Kelly now, right?" Juliet asked Chrissy who nodded. "Okay. I'll meet you at lunch, yeah?"
Inside the girl's locker room showers, Juliet locked the door to her stall and stripped out of her clothes. She stepped under the stream of water and let the heat cascade over her. Steam filled the enclosed space and the sensation of hot boiling water on her skin was enough to ease her aching muscles and let calmness instil.
When she was finished, clean and dry, she changed into a fresh set of her cheer uniform and left the locker room. She only made it a couple metres down the corridor before the voice she hated more than anything in the world interrupted her.
"Hey, Princess."
She ignored him, continuing to stride down the corridor with the feeling of her blood boiling the second his presence was near.
"Yoo-hoo, Juliet. Can you hear me?"
She spun round quickly on her heel, staring daggers so hard it was a surprise he didn't turn to dust. "What do you want?"
There he was.
Eddie Munson.
His tattoos peaked out from the collar and sleeves of the hideous Hellfire top he always wore. His hair was a curly, untameable mess and his fingers were laced with thick metal rings. He also wore a shit-eating cocky grin that Juliet wanted to slap right off of him.
"There's something on your shoe."
Juliet looked down to her white Reebok trainers to see nothing there.
"Ha! Made you look!"
"Ugh, you're such a weirdo." She spat then began to march away, but relentlessly, Eddie and his loud laughter followed. "Damn, are you that upright you can't even enjoy the most classic of practical jokes?"
She stopped mid-stride once again to send daggers Eddie's way. "Munson, if you ever try and talk to me again I'm going to march down to the police station and tell them all about your little drug hustle, get it shut down, and you arrested."
He chuckled in amusement, head thrown back. "Yeah? You gonna go down there and flutter those pretty eyelashes with daddy's money and get me thrown in jail? I'd like to see that."
No one was able to rile Juliet up. No one other than Eddie Munson. He made her blood boil more than anyone or anything else. She despised him and all the annoying and weird things he did. The way he always seemed to be there, ready to tease or irritate her like it was his favourite form of entertainment. With even a look he was able to break her cold and frosty exterior for an angry reaction that he always got.
Juliet had a million insults on the tip of her tongue ready to throw at him but she didn't want to let her composure slip more than it already had. Instead, she flipped her middle finger at him before storming away.
Behind her, Eddie mimicked her walk and the way her ponytail swung in the air.
"Stop following me." She ordered, not even daring to look round but being able to sense he was doing something equally annoying as usual. "Can't a guy go eat in his own school cafeteria? This place really is a dictatorship." He sighed dramatically.
"Leave then and return to whatever insane asylum you managed to escape from."
They entered the cafeteria, going to their separate tables. Juliet joining the basketball team and rest of the cheerleaders, Eddie whatever freaks and satanic cult members he hung out with.
She sat next to another member of the cheer team, Rachel, of whom Chrissy and Juliet were both friends with. "You coming to Andy's party tonight?" She asked.
"Of course, wouldn't miss it." Juliet answered with a smile. The perfect it girl response.
As she began to eat the chicken salad sandwich she had packed for lunch, she was again interrupted by a loud bang that was Eddie Munson jumping on top of the table he had been sitting on.
"But as long as you're into band or science," He yelled at the top of his lungs, gaining the attention of everyone in the cafeteria as he mocked them all. "Or parties," He sneered. "Or a game where you toss balls into laundry baskets!"
"You want something, freak?" Jason asked, standing up defensively whilst they all booed Eddie, who just pulled a face, making a weird demonic noise and sticking out his tongue and making devil horns with his hands.
"Prick." Jason muttered, the whole table murmuring in agreement.
Eddie angered Juliet, but bewildered her too. She couldn't understand him. It was like he didn't care that he was a social outcast, considered a freak by the entire school. It was almost as if he asked to be bullied. He never made things any easier for himself with his snide remarks and weird outbursts.
When he slumped back into his seat and leaned in to speak intently to his friends, Juliet drew her gaze away and it was then she realised Chrissy was not at the table with them. "Jason?" She called over. "Where's Chrissy?"
He shrugged. "I don't know. I figured you two were off somewhere together."
Juliet frowned. Chrissy should've been back from her counselling session by now and Juliet feared the girl was off somewhere upset. "I'm going to go and find her."
She packed up her half eaten lunch and rushed out the cafeteria.
It was only after she had searched the whole of the school, that she finally found Chrissy on the sports field, lingering on the edge of the woods.
"Chrissy!" She shouted causing the girl to turn round at the sound of her name being called. Juliet ran over to her. "I've been looking for you." She panted. "What are you doing?"
Chrissy looked between Juliet and the woods, a guilty and sullen expression on her face. It told Juliet everything she needed to know. "You can't be serious!?" She exclaimed.
"Jules, please don't be angry." She pleaded, the saddest look on her face. "I need this, I really do."
"No, you don't! Who are you even meeting to buy from?" Juliet asked, still as confused to how this situation had managed to occur.
Chrissy froze, her face even more guilty than before. "Eddie Munson."
"You've got to be kidding me."
"I know you hate him and you don't agree with this, but I'm doing it whether you like it or not."
Juliet looked between Chrissy and the school, wishing she could just drag her back, but she knew it would be useless. When Chrissy had her mind set on something, she did it and if it wasn't now, it would just be later.
"Okay then," Juliet gave in causing Chrissy to frown in confusion. "If you're going to do this, then I am too. Let's go." She went to move into the woods, but Chrissy grabbed her hand. "No, Jules. I don't want to drag you into this too."
"We've done everything together since we were thirteen years old, if you think something this serious is going to be any different then you're sorely mistaken." She took Chrissy's hand and together they went into the woods.
Spring had yet to blossom in Hawkins, the landscape of fall still very present. Some trees had turned vivid and green but many were still the same shades of red and oranges. The woods were awash with multiple colours and leaves laid like a blanket on the dry floor. One single brown leaf pirouetted down an invisible spiral of breeze in front of them, spinning through the air as it went.
The air itself was crisp, the kind of chill that was harsh when you breathed in. The cold nipped at the parts of Juliet's skin that were exposed and she pulled her personalised cheer hoodie tighter around her.
Up ahead a bench came into view and it was clear they were the first to arrive.
"Can't even be on time to his own drug deal." Juliet muttered under her breath, her hand dropping from Chrissy's as the other girl drifted away.
She looked around the location, in the middle of the woods a solid ten minute walk away from the school. It was littered with rubbish, old cans and chip packets joining the blanket of leaves.
"He could have at least chosen somewhere a bit nicer." She remarked, turning to Chrissy who seemed lost in her own world. She was staring up at a single tree, a look of worry on her face.
"Chrissy?" Juliet questioned, edging nearer to see the look on her face wasn't just worry, but absolute fear.
She placed her hand on her shoulder causing the girl to jump out of the trance she had been in and stumble backwards into Juliet who consequently fell into the chest of Eddie Munson who had appeared out of nowhere and caused both girls to scream.
"Stupid idiot." Juliet groaned, shoving Eddie away from her.
"Whoa, hey, hey, hey. Sorry didn't mean to scare you." Eddie apologised, holding his hands up defensively. "You okay?"
They both watched as Chrissy looked back to the tree, still as petrified. "Yes, yeah, I'm sorry." She then said, giving them both a small smile that was obviously fake but done to reassure them.
It was then Eddie seemed to actually realise it was more than just the two of them. "What is she doing here?" He demanded, gesturing towards Juliet. "This was meant to be a one person deal."
"If you think I'd let my best friend go to a drug deal in the middle of nowhere with you, then you're even stupider than I thought you were."
"Jules, be nice please." Chrissy pleaded sending her a warning look.
"Yeah, Jules. Be nice." Eddie mocked and Juliet had to resist the urge to hit him. "Let's just get this over with."
Eddie and Chrissy sat down opposite one another on the bench, Juliet hoovering behind like a bodyguard.
Still, Chrissy's legs shock up and down as her whole body trembled and she looked around nervously.
"There's uh, there's nothing to worry about. Okay? No one ever comes out here. We're safe. I promise." Eddie placed down a black tin on the bench, whipping open its lid to reveal an assortment of marijuana.
"So, how does this work exactly?" Chrissy asked.
"Oh, just like any other old sale, except, uh, cash only, and uh, for obvious reasons, no receipts. I'll do you a half ounce for, uh... twenty. What do you say? It's plenty of bang for your buck. Should last a while."
Behind them a squirrel scurried up a tree causing Chrissy to gasp. The sound made Juliet's stomach flip and Eddie closed the lid of his drug box. "Hey, uh, we don't need to do this. Just give me the word and I'll walk away. Okay?"
"Fabulous, let's go." Juliet said, but Chrissy stopped her. "No, it's not that. It's just... Do you ever feel like you're losing your mind?"
"Chris," Juliet said softly, finally sitting down on the bench so she could take Chrissy's hands into her own to stop them from shaking.
"Um, you know, just on a daily basis. I feel like I'm losing my mind right now doing a drug deal with Chrissy Cunningham and Juliet Matthews, the Queen's of Hawkins High." He chuckled.
"Yeah, and if you tell anyone about this I will make your life a living hell." Juliet threatened, causing Eddie to simply roll his eyes. "You know, this isn't the first time we've, um, hung out."
Chrissy looked back at Eddie in confusion, Juliet's own expression reflecting that. When had they ever spent time together?
"You don't remember me?" He asked in shock horror.
"I'm sorry. I-"
"That's okay." He shrugged and then out of nowhere clutched the left side of his chest as if he had been stabbed in the heart and threw himself to the floor which caused both girls to jump.
"I wouldn't remember me either, Chrissy. Honestly, do I have stuff in my hair?"
He picked at his manic hair that was in fact now tangled with leaves and bits of twigs. Chrissy chuckled.
"You don't remember me?" He teased and again Chrissy erupted into giggles. "I'm sorry." She laughed.
"Middle school, talent show. You weren't there." He pointed to Juliet, who had gone to a different school at that point. "But you," He said focused again on Chrissy. "You were doing this cheer thing. You know..." He did his best impression, which was pretty rubbish, of twirling pom poms around. "It was pretty cool actually. And I was with my band-"
"Corroded Coffin!" Chrissy yelled suddenly, again taking Juliet by surprise. She felt like she had been kidnapped and taken to some other alternate reality were her best friend and Eddie Munson were somehow friends.
"You do remember!" He exclaimed happily, practically punching the air.
"Oh my God! Yes, of course. With a name like that, how could I forget?" She laughed.
"I dunno. You're a freak." He teased and Chrissy shook her head in amusement. "No, you just. You looked so-"
"Different?" He cut in. "Yeah. Well, my hair was buzzed and I didn't have these sweet old tatties yet." He pulled down the collar of his shirt to show off the tattoo on his chest and Juliet rolled her eyes. 'Sweet' wasn't the exact word she'd use to describe them.
"You played guitar, right?" Chrissy asked, entirely enthralled by the conversation.
"Uh-huh." Eddie answered. "Still do. You should come see us. We play at the The Hideout on Tuesdays. It's pretty cool. We actually get a crowd... of about five drunks. Even you can come." He laughed, looking towards Juliet who scoffed. "No thanks."
"You know, you're not what I thought you'd be like." Chrissy remarked and Eddie smiled bashfully. "Mean and scary? Yeah, well, I actually kinda thought you'd be kinda mean and scary too."
"Me?" Chrissy laughed. "Terrifying." Eddie confirmed. "I mean she," He pointed to Juliet. "she is mean and scary, but you know? No way."
"Oh, that's just an act." Chrissy shrugged playfully. "She's actually the biggest softie deep down."
"Is that so?" Eddie questioned raising an eyebrow at Juliet in intrigue, who dismissed him with a glare.
"So, in good news, flattery works with me." He sat back down at the table, reopening the lid to the box. "Twenty-five percent discount for the half. Fifteen bucks. You're robbing me blind here, you know."
Chrissy didn't answer, instead looked up at Eddie with doleful eyes. "Do you have anything stronger?"
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