"Are we sure we like this outfit?" I glance back at Max, who lounged on her bed, bored.
In her defense, she'd been watching me pick out clothes for a good two hours now. I couldn't help it. My nerves were out of control. Eddie was picking me up for a date in like ten minutes and I was freaking out.
Now, I know, I know, we'd went out a million times before. But this was a date. Like two people on a romantic outing. And I had nothing but band shirts and flannels in my closet. Besides, Eddie wouldn't even tell me where we were going, so it's not like I had something to go off of.
Max sat up and examined my denim skirt and the black, button-down silk shirt I had tucked into it loosely, both courtesy of her mom. "Hel, you look hot. He's gonna be drooling before you even leave the house."
"What about the hair? Should I straighten it? And should I go with Doc Martens or my converse? Is the make up alright?" I was pacing circles around our shared bedroom.
"Leave the hair wavy, wear the Docs, and your makeup looks fine. Chill out, dude." Max rolled her eyes and grabbed a comic book off her nightstand to read.
"Don't act like you weren't the same way when you and Lucas went to that movie on Friday!" I pointed at her accusingly.
She immediately put the book down and scoffed. "I was not! Sinclair's just some stupid boy, nothing to get worked up over!"
The blush covering her cheeks betrayed her and I started laughing as she began sputtering. "But you likeee him, so I don't want to hear it!" I giggled maniacally and ruffled her hair.
I might have teased her a little bit about Lucas, but I was incredibly grateful to the boy. He'd saved Max. Vecna had come seconds from ending her life, but the boy had managed to step in just in time. He definitely had my blessing.
Max made to lunge for me, but a knock on the door made us freeze in our tracks. Eddie was here.
I hurried over to the mirror to give myself one last once over. My wavy hair was relatively controlled, makeup looked decent, outfit was in place. Deciding I was good to go, I jogged out to the front door, Max on my heels.
Eddie stood on the front porch with some flowers in hand. The Eddie Munson had went and bought me flowers. What I would have given to see him out at the flower shop picking these out.
"Sweetheart, you look absolutely gorgeous. In fact, I might go so far as to say perfect." Eddie gaped at you before grinning and handing you the flowers.
"Why thank you, Ed. You don't look so bad yourself." I took the flowers, cheeks flushed, and admired his outfit.
His mane of hair was pretty much the same, since it didn't like to be tamed, but I could tell he cleaned up. Instead of a Hellfire or band shirt, he'd went with a plain white shirt, his black jeans, and his usual assortment of jewelry. Well, save for the ring he gave me that pretty much stayed on my thumb at all times. It seemed like it got too hot for his leather jacket and denim vest at some point after all.
Max took my flowers for me to put in a vase of water and Eddie led me outside. Always the gentleman, he even held the door for me to climb inside the van. He went around and climbed in the driver's seat and shot me another smile.
"What?" I chuckled nervously as his eyes roved over me.
"You just look so beautiful, princess. And, I also happen to be very excited for the evening's events." He shrugged and started up the engine, cheesy grin still plastered on his face.
"So, will you finally tell me what the plan is?"
"Nope. You'll know once we get there."
His stubbornness was frustrating, but I could tell he wouldn't budge on this. All week long he'd refused to let loose a single detail. Though I'd never admit it, I kind of liked the surprise. It was nice to have something that was a good surprise and not more other-dimensional monster surprises.
"Fine, then. Keep your secrets." I rolled my eyes playfully.
And he did. He took me out to dinner at the diner we loved downtown, not telling me until I got a simple, "We're here" from him as we pulled in. We ate and left, but he did inform me there were two more planned stops. The next one happened to be getting shakes to take on the go to stop number three.
"Okay, so I'm not actually sure about this last part, to be completely honest. Like the fact that you might not love it." Eddie blurts, keeping his eyes on the road.
I stop sipping my milkshake for a second. "Why's that?"
He glances over at me briefly. "Well, let's just say we've been here before."
He pulls over into a little gravel lot along the side of the road. All that's here is woods. He rushes over to open the door for me for the third time this evening, and I can't help but laugh a little at his efforts.
"Thanks, Munson." I took his outstretched hand as he escorted me out of the van.
He kept hold of my hand as he led me through the woods. A few minutes in, he puts his free hand over my eyes.
"You gotta keep 'em closed, okay? I'm going to take my hand off though." Eddie leaned down and whispered in my ear.
"They're closed, I promise." I squeezed my eyes shut and he removed his hand.
I heard footsteps crunch through the woods as he walked away. His footsteps faded in the distance, and he didn't return for a couple minutes. All of the sudden, the footsteps came rushing back, though.
"Still keep them closed, but I'm gonna lead you there." Eddie grabbed my hand again and led me forward a decent ways, weaving slightly around what I'll assume were trees. "Now, open."
We were back here. Skull Rock. Just like a few weeks ago. This time was different, though. The last time, Eddie and I were soaked with lake water and thoroughly traumatized. Now, we were just regular first-date awkward and Eddie had outdone himself. There was a picnic blanket laid out on the flatter part of the rock and a lantern set out.
"Eddie..." I gaped at the set up and how he stood off to the side, fidgeting with his hands behind his back.
"I know, I know, we were going through some really bad shit last time we were here, but I had always wanted to take you here. Like before everything happened. And not with the rest of the guys like the first time we came. Just me and you. If you don't want to be here, though, I definitely get it." Eddie started rambling, but I stepped closer to cut him off.
I pressed a quick kiss to his lips. "I love it. I do. Especially now that we don't have a drunk Gareth to deal with."
"Oh thank Jesus," he let out a relieved sigh and pumped his fist victoriously.
The two of us migrated over to the blanket and laid down. Eddie pointed out constellations to me and explained some of the stories behind them. We laughed as he definitely bullshitted some them blatantly obviously.
"Eddie, there's no way that's real!" I poke his arm.
"You tell it then, princess!"
I pointed up toward a lumpy cluster of stars. "Okay, so that's Bruce the bat. His parents died when he was little and it turned him into a vengeful super bat that wanted to fight crime against all the evil bats."
Eddie rolled onto his side and stared at me skeptically. "Okay, you just described Batman, so I think my story gets a pass."
"It's not fair! You're great at telling stories, Mister Dungeon Master of Hellfire. My creativity is pathetic and sad." I scoffed, rolling onto my side to face him.
"Nothing about you, Helena Mayfield, is pathetic or sad. You're incredible and badass. Henderson and I saw you literally beat the shit out of a swarm of demon bats. Metal as fuck."
Eddie's eyes drifted down to my lips, and I could feel myself starting to do the same. The scene almost reminded me of our first kiss, laying facing each other on Eddie's bedroom floor.
"Can I?" His big, brown eyes drifted back up to meet mine.
"Please?" I nodded, and he immediately smashed my lips against his.
He pulled me closer, and I practically felt myself melting into the kiss. Every time it happened it still felt as electric as the first, even though I'd kissed Eddie several times. He wasn't even my official boyfriend, and yet we kissed a decent amount. Was that weird? Oh, who cared if it was weird. Eddie made me happy, so I didn't particularly care.
Turns out those doubts would be pretty irrelevant soon enough. Spoiler alert, Eddie asked me to be his girlfriend after the second date.