We walk- well he leads me through the woods in silence. I look over on my left to study him. His hair kinda bounces as we walk and he has this small metal lunchbox in his hands. Adorable.
"Alright it's just over here. C'mon." He takes my hand again while we start running.
"Are we heading to the benches?"
"Yeah," He slows down, "How'd you know?"
"Maybe because I've been going to this school for 4 years? Didn't we have geometry class together at one point?"
"Oh you're right." We spot the benches and make our way over. He sits dramatically, "Not sure why that never hit me till now." I giggle at him and he flashes a smile. Ew, gross. I quickly fade my smile. He sets his little lunchbox down and rests his head on his right hand. "Sooo."
"What do you have in there?" I point to his box. "Do you always have it with you?" I start to pick at my black nail polish.
"Uhm, kind of?" He goes to open it before looking back up at me and smirking. "Ready to see what's in my box of magic?"
"Yeah." I sit up intently. Then the stupid question pops up at my head. "Uhm.. you're not going to kill me.. right?"
The box lid slams wide open, revealing some weed and white powders in different little baggies, on the sides there were crumpled up little white and yellow pieces of papers; notes I assume. Or they could be used to make blunts. "I mean as long as you don't overdose on something, I don't think anyone's dying today." My eyes lit up at how many drugs this guy had- I mean he's gotta be a dealer. I wonder if he knows Rick too. He sees I'm just looking at his box in silence and gets worried.
"Look, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought this or you out here-" He goes to close his lunchbox, but my hand stops him before he can.
"No. It's fine." I gave him a small smile while picking up a bag of weed and take one of his little papers on the side, rolling it all up and licking it close. "Light me up?"
"Y-Yeah. Sure." I quickly digs his hands in his back pockets, pulling out a lighter and lighting the blunt that's already on my lips. I look up at him, making eye contact as he does. As I inhale he starts talking, "I never thought I'd be out here, smoking with a cheerleader." He smiles and shakes his head and takes off his jackets.
"Yeah well I never thought I'd be out hanging out with Eddie Munson. I'd be dead if anyone caught me out here. Then again, I'm not devoting my life to cheer or this shitty school so if I end up getting kicked off the team, it wouldn't be the end of the world." I offer him my blunt, which he gladly accepts.
"Why are you even in that shit. You look miserable being around all those chicks." He takes a few hits before passing it back.
"Well I actually liked doing it when I was younger, but I guess I just.. slowly started losing interest so I just stopped after eighth grade. Mom ended up gaslighting me into getting in to do it again last year. Plus it got people to stop throwing shit at me and pushing me around." I inhale again before adding, "I'm kind of a social reject to most people incase you couldn't tell. Guess you got some competition Munson." I let out a small giggle.
"You know this isn't the first time we've uh.. hung out." I look furrow my eyebrows at him. "Yeah, you don't remember?"
"No," I start digging through all my past memories trying to find him in one. "Yeah, no. I'm sorry."
"That's ok." He stares at me before hitting his chest and falling back, making me gasp loudly. He gets up and starts walking to a tree behind him. "I wouldn't remember me either, Roxanne." I start laughing at him. Honestly. Uh, do I have stuff in my hair?" He starts messily shaking leaves out of his hair as I laugh harder. He crosses his arms arms walking closer to me while smiling. "You don't remember me?"
"No I'm sorry!" I chuckle.
"Middle school, talent show. You were doing this cheer thing. You know," He starts shaking his hands above his head, mimicking me shaking my pom poms, "The thing.. you do." I laugh at his actions. "And I," He starts shuffling around, "I was with my band-"
"CORRODED COFFIN!" I gasp as I remember that afternoon.
"Corroded- Yes! You do remember!" He does a little turn while lapping his hands.
"Of course! With a name like that- How could I forget!" I look down smiling.
"I dunno. You're a freak." He starts walking closer again and I look up at him. I try to form words but all that comes out is a sigh.
"No you just- You looked so-
" Different? Yeah. Well, uh, my hair was buzzed and I didn't have these sweet old tatties yet." He pulls down the collar of his shirt to reveal a nice demon head sticking its' tongue out.
"You played guitar, right?" I make eye contact with him before he looks down.
"Uh-huh. Still do. Still do." He starts to make his way by the tree. "You should come see us. Uh, We play at the hideout on Tuesdays." He crosses his arms on his chest. "It's pretty cool. We actually get a crowd of about five.. drunks." He smiles and I laugh. "It's not exactly the garden, but we all gotta start somewhere, right? So.." He goes to the tree and starts punching it.
"You know, you're not exactly what I thought you'd be like."
"Mean and creepy?" He plays with some of his hair by his mouth.
"Mm, yea something like that." I let out a short chuckle.
"Yeah, well, I actually thought you'd be kinda mean and creepy too." He scrunches up his face and walks back to the benches.
I gasp. "Me?" He nods his head and smiles.
"Yeah; Terrifying." I shake my head and look around, observing the trees around us. We just kind of sit in silence before he speaks up again. "So, uh, what are you doing after school?"
His question brings me back to reality. I realizing what has been going on, my eyes go wide for a second. "Oh, uhm, I have a shift with Steve and Robin at Family Video in like an hour." I accept that I'm going to get interrogated by Robin and Dustin later and lay down on the bench.
"I didn't know you worked there. Have you been working with them for a while?" He does the same thing and starts playing with his rings.
"Yeah, I've actually been working with them since Summer started. We all worked at Scoops Ahoy before all that.. shit happened. And then Robin managed to get us jobs at Family Video." I look over at him. "What about you?"
"What about me?"
"Like do you work anywhere or?"
"Oh! Yeah, work part time at that record shop, Funk Freaks-" I giggle at the name, making him laugh too. "Fitting, I know. And uh, I make a little dealing money, too. Incase you haven't noticed."
"Might have to start buying from you instead of big ol' Ricky. He's bound to get caught soon again." He smiles and looks over at me.
"What?" I give him a weird look.
"Just sucks that Dustin wants to keep us apart You seem like a chill person to have around." I sit up and look down at him.
"He gave you that 'I don't you near my sister and if I catch you I'll end you' speech too?" He chuckles and nods before sitting up too.
"I'm guessing he gives a lotta guys that speech, huh?"
"Nah. He's only ever given it to Steve, but we made it clear that me and him are just friends." He slowly nods his head and I notice the watch on his wrist. "Hey, what time is it?"
"It is.. 1:34!" He guesses before looking at his watch. "Dang it. 1:37." I groan before standing up and getting my things. "What? You have to go again?"
"Yeah. I gotta go get ready for work."
"I could give you a ride, if you want?"
(not the kinda ride we want big boy)
"No it's fine. I'll catch you later?" He shakes his head before I walk away.
"Yeah, see ya..."
*TIME SKIP BABIESS*
I walk through the doors just to see Robin and Steve impatiently waiting for me. I sigh annoyed, knowing Robin most likely saw me skipping and tattled to Steve. "Look I'll explain later. Just Let me clock in before it marks me late." I pick up the little paper, put it through the machine and back in its' place. "How did you even see me?"
"I saw you two leaving hand in hand after I came out of the restroom." She starts playing with her ball. "Dustin's gunna be pissed when he finds out."
"Dustin isn't gunna find out, Robin. And if you tell him, I'll tell Vickie."
"Hey! That is totally not on the same level!" She points her finger at me and Steve puts it down.
"Forget about Vickie and Dustin, why were you with the town freak?" He puts his hands on his hips. God, he is such a mom.
I roll my eyes and answer. "He isn't a freak, ok. He's actually nice and chill. He's kinda like me." Robin laughs at the words taht fell out of my mouth. "What's so funny, ma'am?"
"The fact that you think Eddie Munson is like you."
"Well he is."
"Roxy, you're still socially relevant. Eddie is the school's biggest outcast. Plus isn't he like 20 and still in his senior year?" I roll my eyes at him.
"You guys just need to get to know him."
"Oh. My. God. You like him!" Robin exclaims.
"I do not! I just befriended him, don't get ahead of yourself Robin."
"Then why are you defending him so much."
"I JUST SAID HE'S MY FRIEND."
"Friend or not, I don't want you near him. He could be dangerous."
"The only thing dangerous here, Steven, is your bitchless ass having NO TASTE IN MUSIC OR MOVIES." I carry a box from the back out and start restocking them on the shelves.
"HEY DEXYS ISN'T THAT BAD. AND AT LEAST I DIDN'T CRY DURING-" I put my headphones on to block him out and continue restocking.
A/N:
man that took longer than expected anyways hopefully you guys like this chapter i have to rewrite chapter 7 because it didn't fucken save last night 🧍♀️