Delilah Henderson was throwing yet another party. Any chance she got to, she would have her friends over and watch them lose their minds. Teenagers away from their parents were like other animals. If the drinking didn't get them, then what Delilah sold always did. She was known as the best drug dealer in town, though she hated that label. She only dealt marijuana and never planned on selling other things. Not to say, she didn't partake in the occasional recreational drug, but she didn't want that kind of responsibility on her hands. As she finished doing her makeup for the party, she took the last hit off of a joint that she had rolled herself. She had prerolled at least ten to prepare herself for dealing with Jason and his basketball team's antics. Despite her being associated with the popular kids, she had really distanced herself from most of her friends since freshman year.
She heard a fierce knock on her door as she turned and perked a brow. Once she stood and made her way to the front door, she opened it to see her younger brother dressed in his Hellfire Club shirt. "Oh cute, where do I get one?" She asked, semi-sarcastically as she pinched the corner of her brother's shoulder.
"Goddamnit Delilah! You said this wasn't going to be a rager," It dawned on her he must have seen the punch and kegs and she rolled her eyes and tried to push past him in the hall. She was quickly grabbed by her wrist though and was forced to turn back to her younger sibling.
Delilah tried to calm him down, but to no avail. The conversation ended in him storming off and dragging his friends with him. All but one followed him into his bedroom. "Hey Delilah!" She recognized Eddie Munson with ease. He was her age, the two had come into contact with one another a few times before. Most of them for Hellfire Club at the house, but the two rarely ever spoke. She remembered him being kind of obnoxious when they were in senior year together. From what she had heard, he was still going through senior year. Or going through it again rather. Delilah raised her brows slightly and offered a small wave before he started talking about the weather.
The brunette took this opportunity to observe the guy in front of her. He was wearing a Hellfire Club t-shirt himself and the sleeves revealed some of his tattoos. The rings on his fingers drew her attention as she took a couple steps towards the messy haired rocker. "Yeah, perfect pool party weather," She spoke softly before sliding past him, "You and your friends should come take a dip." She added a sultry tone, but she wasn't sure why it came out like that. It didn't bother her any though, she was known for being kind of flirty. That was until Billy passed away. She managed to shove the thought of Hargrove away as she walked back to her friends. Right now it was just some of the cheerleading team who began clapping and cheering once Delilah entered the deck area. She unzipped the fanny pack on her waist and pulled out a couple of joints.
"Delilah always coming through!" Chrissy Cunningham cheered and clapped, making her way towards her friend.
The party started to pick up within another half hour. The boys had arrived, distracting all of the girls with the exception of Delilah. Patrick had come and tried to flirt with her, but she just wasn't interested. Most of the basketball team had been trying to get a chance with Delilah ever since Billy had. Billy was different though. She couldn't help but miss the asshole. Luckily for her, her attention was drawn by the Hellfire Club entering the deck area. Everyone stared at them, especially Eddie Munson. Delilah would have been lying if she said she hadn't been staring to.
"Who the fuck invited dungeons and douchebags?" Jason laughed out and called at them.
Delilah saw the look on Mike's face first, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms, already uncomfortable. She shot a glare Jason's way before responding. "I did. The curly haired mini me is my brother and these are his friends. They're going to join us this evening," She said, matter of factly. If there was one thing Delilah wasn't afraid of, it was sticking up for people. She had done it for herself for so many years, it came naturally to her. "You boys need a drink?" She asked, walking over to them, her bare feet clapping against the wooden deck.
"Already taken care of," Eddie spoke up and waved his beer at her.
"Good deal," She said, eyeing the solo cup filled with punch in Dustin's hand, "Go easy on that stuff, it'll sneak up on ya," She noted towards her little brother. She excused herself past Eddie, before getting to the speaker. She turned it up almost as high as it would go before playing one of her mixed tapes she had made specifically for the party. One of her many quirks was making playlists for whatever event she was going to. Motley Crue started playing first as Chrissy cheered, trying to break up the silence that had drifted in the party. Delilah flopped down in one of the pool chairs and removed another joint from her fanny pack. She ignited the end and took a long drag off of it. The smoke filled her lungs as she held it there momentarily before slowly exhaling. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Eddie's eyes on what she could assume was the joint. But for some reason, he almost looked like he was scanning her like a robot would.
"You in on this, Munson?" She asked, extending her hand out towards him.
She watched him wrap his arms around a couple of the boys and mumble something before making his way towards her. She could only imagine how the group was reacting to their first big party, or at least she could assume as much. She knew for a fact Dustin wasn't really the party type and Mike was so wrapped up in everything he had going on with Jane that he didn't strike her as the party type himself. The others all seemed too 'punk rock' for her crowd. Most anything different was too punk rock for her crowd though. They all had the same boring haircuts and the same boring personalities. Then again, since Delilah belonged to their social status as well, did that make her boring? She was just a pot head that worked at a record shop, who was she really to judge? At least most of these kids wouldn't be college drop outs like herself.
"I'm waiting!" She waved the joint in the boys direction yet again, carefully eyeing her brother take a fierce swig of whatever he had in the solo cup and immediately making a regretful face. This made her crack a smile, but before she realized it, Eddie was smiling back down at her. "You wanna spark this up or what? You know it's rude to keep a lady waiting," She joked, passing off the joint in between her two fingers to his.
"My sincerest apologies," He started, clearing his throat, "Just giving the boys a pep talk to get them through your little soiree," He noted, taking out his own zippo lighter and igniting the tip of the joint.
"So tell me something, Munson," She started and watched him slowly drag on the joint in between his two fingers, one of which had a skull ring on it, "How's it feel to be the second best drug dealer in Hawkins?" She chuckled, taking the joint in between her own index finger and thumb.
"I think you might have some unfair advantages," He spoke, crossing his arms across his chest.
"And what's that? Because I know how to throw a rad party?" She asked, deeply inhaling on the smoke, allowing it to fill her lungs before slowly exhaling right in Eddie's face.
"Sure, amongst other things," He retorted, taking the joint back for his hits.
"You're just jealous," She smiled genuinely back at him before glancing over at her brother and his friends. They were all hanging out near the snack table, laughing amongst one another. More of them had red solo cups, all except for Mike and the grumpy blonde kid who obviously didn't want to be there.
"So, does Dustin drive you crazy all the time?" He asked, clearing his throat as he extended the joint towards her.
"Nah, unfortunately now a days, there's not much that does drive me crazy," She spoke, almost a little dejected at the idea that she had trouble feeling lately. Ever since the night at the Starcourt Mall.
"You must smoke a lot of green to not let things get to you," He chuckled, obviously reflecting on his own crazy thoughts.
"I mean, sometimes you just have to let go," She took a long, hard drag on the joint before trying to finish her thought, throat still filled with smoke, "Or else it'll eat you alive."
As she slowly exhaled, she couldn't help but let out a small cough, smoke puffing out each time she did so. "I'm a dungeon master, I think I know a little bit about things eating you alive."
"Woaaaah, my apologies sir master of dungeons," She raised her hands up in fake defense before cracking another wicked smile, "You're such a dork." She chuckled before handing the joint off.
"Are you a dork about anything, Henderson?" He asked before quickly raising a hand, "I'm sorry, I can't call you /and/ your brother the same name."
"Uhhh . . . let's see," She brought her fingers to her chin and acted as if she was in deep thought, "Probably music."
"Let me guess, big Madonna fan?" He asked, a little on the condescending side.
"Well duh, who isn't?" She started off, pushing back some of her blue hair behind her ear, "But no, I like all kinds of music. I'm a pretty eclectic gal, ya know?"
"You know um . . . I don't mean to brag," He pushed his messy, chocolate brown waves out of his face before finishing his thought, "I"m actually in a pretty sick metal band."
"Oh yeah? What instrument do you play? The triangle?" She nudged his knee jokingly before setting her hand on it, looking up to see his face in a kind of shocked manner. She quickly removed her hand from his knee to not make him uncomfortable.
"Actually I sing and play lead guitar," He said, giving her a half hearted smile.
"No shit, really? Munson sings huh? You wanna sing me a lullaby sometimes? I have been getting terrible sleep," She half joked. She was going to blame already diving into two or three beers and three or four joints on her flirtatious behavior. With Eddie Munson no less. The freak of Hawkins High from what she heard. She never took kindly to nicknames though, herself acquiring quite a few during her stint at Hawkins and her even shorter stint at college.
"I don't think the music I sing would make very good lullabies." He said, a light shade of pink dousing his cheeks. Was she making him blush? This unfortunately only fueled her slightly inebriated self on even more.
"Enter the Sandman by Metallica is kind of a lullaby, right?" She asked, winking at him.
"Yo Henderson, are you done playing with ouija boards with Munson or what?" Patrick called over to her, interrupting her conversation. "Bring some of that grass over here!"
Delilah's eyes flickered over to Eddie to see a major embarrassed look on his face. He didn't seem like the kind of guy to let shit like that bother him, but for some reason, he just looked sad. "Yeah, sure! Just one second we're trying to find your sense of tact, Patrick!" Munson responded, kicking that sad demeanor to the curb.
"What'd you say, freak?" Jason stood up out of the pool and glared down at Eddie.
"Back the fuck up, Jason," Delilah stood to her feet, towering over him, looking displeased with him, "Look Eds, you finish that. Maybe um . . ." She bit her bottom lip, trying to find the next words she wanted to say, "Maybe next time you smoke me out, yeah?" She asked, perking her brows up at him, corner of her bottom lip still snagged by her teeth.
"Uh . . . Yeah, of course," He responded, stuttering just a little, "It's a uh . . . It's a date," He pushed his hair back once again before Delilah turned to face the rest of her friends. Chrissy immediately grabbed her by the arm and looked back at Eddie one last time, the only audible words out of her mouth were 'Oh my god, D! What are you doing?'