It's been a while since I last talked with Harrington. It almost felt like he wasn't there. Whenever class would end Steve wouldn't be in sight for the rest of the day. It's like he was avoiding me.
After what had happened at the picnic table in the woods, I should have been upset and not wanting to talk with him, but instead I was just left with more questions.
Did he forget?
Did he hate me?
My brain filled with these questions as almost a whole month went by since the picnic table incident. As much as I wanted to confront him, I wanted him to talk with me...and confrontation isn't the best conversation starter.
All I've been getting from him is a hi or a hello... I don't know what I was expecting, but it definitely wasn't this.
But... I've had enough. I'll talk with him today. Halloween is around the corner. We'll... talk about that? Clear the air of all that went wrong.
There was the sound of footsteps while I got my books out of my bag. As I looked up, I saw Steve sighing as he took his seat next to mine.
"Harrington."
"Yeah, Munson?"
"What are you going to be for Halloween? I mean it's a few days out. Probably something cool like a... werewolf or something, huh? Gotta impress the ladies."
Steve laughed and ran his fingers through his hair causing my heart to skip a beat. Jesus... play it cool... you barely even know the man.
"I don't know, I might just end up watching movies and not dressing up this year."
I perked up at the opening of a conversation. i wasn't entirely sure if he enjoyed movies as much as I did, but I knew many off the back of my hand that would be perfect for the occasion. "Yeah? Well uh... any ideas what you'd wanna be watching?"
Steve shook his head lightly before looking back over at me. "I'm sure I'll find something. I mean I'm at Family Video all the time...I'll find something that catches my eye."
Family Video... that's not too far from where I live. I could even walk there. "I have some suggestions if you're ever interested. I could meet you there."
Steve's face turned a light pink on his cheeks. Is... he mad? Maybe he really does hate me...
"Or whatever man don't worry about it" I awkwardly lifted my pen to ready myself for notes.
"No! No!" Steve cut in "That'd be fun I just... I just work there so I'm there like all the time" he laughed awkwardly "but uh yeah if you wanted to stop by it could be a nice break while I'm working."
I felt the outer corners of my mouth raising by themselves. If I didn't know any better, it sounded like he actually wanted me there. Not out of pity. "Cool... uh... I'll stop by sometime"
As silence hit the two of us, I started to lightly tap the pen in my hand onto the desk. Did he just talk with me to be polite? Would he really want to talk with me outside of class?
"So..." I felt a small tap on my shoulder, causing me to look towards a nervous Harrington. "What type of movies would you recommend?"
My heart jumped. He initiated to continue the conversation... "Idk maybe horror or uh comedy?" I start to nervously fiddle with my rings "I don't know if you're the horror type so probably comedy"
Steve looked around and whispered "I've lived through enough Horror, thank you. So uh... yeah please think of some comedies."
What... what did he mean by that? I mean, we live in Hawkins. Nothing happens here. At least nothing of importance.
The closest I could think of is Barb going missing, that kid "coming back from the dead" and the mall fire...yes, he worked at scoops, but I seriously doubt he had that much of an emotional connection to a job where he had to wear a sailor costume all day.
I shook my head to regain focus. "You should tell me about it sometime."
Steve awkwardly laughed "yeah... maybe sometime." I could tell that he was just dismissing me, but at least he was talking...which is as better than what I've been getting.
-A FEW HOURS LATER-
It had only been a few hours since that conversation, but I couldn't help but feel like this was my opportunity to strike...
Would it be weird to stop by the video store the same day that I put my offer out? I mean...it's possible that he won't even be there. I mean... they take shifts right? It could be on his off shift...or his break. But he did say he was there all the time... so maybe he spends some of his free time there as well?
I looked myself up and down in the mirror. Do I... look decent?
God... why do I care? It's just talking to someone about movies...
Well...were they just someone? Am I dismissing how I feel again or was it just a one time thing with the radio and the classroom? Ugh... I have no clue.
I lifted my hair up to look like it was in a ponytail. Would it look better like that? No no that's my night hair what are you thinking Eddie... No one wants to see you in your night hair. Not even you would want to see you in your night hair.
Okay... should I change? Maybe look a little bit nicer than my current t shirt and jeans? No... it would look weird if I changed just to go to the video store. It was would be totally obvious. He saw me only a few hours ago.
I shifted my feet towards the door. Looking back at my night stand, I hurry and grab a hair tie. Just in case I change my mind.
Ugh...I...I'll go before I change my mind.
-A change to Steve's perspective-
It was a normal day at family video. Quiet as usual. It was a normal Tuesday night. No one really wanted to rent out movies on a Tuesday. It was a day that no one really wanted to do more than just get home after their jobs. Not rent a movie at a run down video store.
After dead silence for god knows how long, the costumer bell finally rang to let me know that someone was finally here.
As I looked up from my current magazine, I made eye contact with Eddie. My heart felt like it rose to my throat even seeing him.
I've been trying so hard to avoid him. After what I did, I didn't feel like I deserved to even be around him. Thinking about him all alone...because of me being a coward.
Eddie smiled widely at me "Harrington! Did you not expect me to take you up on the offer?"
I sent him a smile back, trying to play it cool to the best of my abilities. "Yeah... well not the same day to be honest"
His head slowly hit to the side, almost as if he was a confused "Why wouldn't I come today? There's so many Halloween movies you could watch and so little time!"
I shook my head slowly. "not really any that aren't horror."
Eddie gasped, covering his mouth in the process. "I am offended. Of course there's a bunch that aren't horror...which you should know since you literally work in a video store."
I scrunched up my face before slapping a dollar bill onto the counter. "I bet you can't name 5."
"Clue, Goonies, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Ghostbusters, Arsenic and Old Lace. Pay up, Harrington." Eddie blurted out as if he had been planning this response for a minute.
I was honestly shocked, but yanked the dollar out of his reach. "Dude Ghostbusters is kind of scary, sooooo..."
"Aw dude! Whatever!" Eddie leaned over the counter to hit me on the shoulder "There's no way you're scared of a little ghost. You're King Steve man. That and it's a comedy....you lived through enough horror, remember?"
I felt my cheeks start to feel warm at the slight compliment. Damn it. I shouldn't be blushing at someone I met not even that long ago. I shouldn't be anxious around Eddie Munson of all people...
I quickly turned around to look over at the shelves in the back. "yeah you uh got me dude take the dollar"
Eddie grabbed my shoulder lightly and brought his face close enough to my ear that I could feel his warm breath. "Is Harrington sad he lost?"
I nervously chuckled as I tried to contain my heart rate at what he had just did...did he not realize that could be taken the wrong way? "N-not at all Munson. I'll beat you next time. Just wait and see"
I heard a quick "oh." Before a laugh followed "you want there to be a next time, Stevie?"
Cute... wait. Stop. You can't do this. You can't just let this consume you like how it did with the last one.
Due to not being able to turn back after my mistake without a hurt feeling or two, I turned around to face him again with a smile. "of course"
"Yes! I swear I have a lot more recommendations." Eddie smiled as his finger circled his wrist around a brown like string. I couldn't help but be distracted by it because... what the hell is it? Eddie laughed again at my sudden curiosity. "It's uh... a hair tie if you were wondering."
I felt my stomach drop. "Oh your girlfriend's?" Of course it was. Eddie's a handsome guy. I mean he has to be taken. It adds up. It's not like it even mattered...
"What?" Eddie laughed louder. "I don't have a girlfriend it's mine..." Eddie quickly put his hair in a messy pony tail "see?"
I felt my heart racing out of my chest and my face start to turn red. I hated how it made me feel. Like a combination of excitement with something new...yet a familiar place like home. I "accidentally" dropped one of the VHSs so he didn't have to see me being a blubbering mess.
I took a deep breath before looking up to see Eddie leaning over the counter, trying to catch a glimpse of me. "Hey man... if I make you mad... that's not my intention. I know I can come off a bit strong sometimes...at least that's what people tell me."
"What?" I couldn't help but be alarmed. "Dude I'm not mad at you...I don't know why I would be. You didn't do anything wrong. If anything I'm mad at-" I caught myself before taking a sigh like laugh "at myself for dropping this tape. It's a classic. It shouldn't be damaged due to me being clumsy."
Eddie tilted his head slightly and smiled "alrighty then. Good to know. Don't mess with classic VHS tapes or Steve will get mad at me"
I let out a small laugh before shaking my head "I take my job very seriously, mind you."
"Oh I know you do, Harrington...so much that you've been avoiding your coworker behind you."
I gasped before turning around to look at an annoyed Robin. "Steve...there's a lot of shelving to do. Not that I don't like you making friends...but I don't want to get in trouble if I can't do this alone."
I mouthed the words "sorry" as I headed over to the cart. I genuinely felt bad that I let our responsibilities slip through my fingers over some boy.
Some boy. Eddie. I turned around to meet eyes with him once more, as much as I expected to see some annoyance in them, there was nothing sinister at all. "Eddie...I uh...have to get back to work."
"Okay" Eddie's smile growing as I don't remove my eyes from staring into his. "You go do that then"
"I will" I took a step backwards, still looking into his. "Keep those suggestions in mind just in case I forget?"
"Of course. I have them engraved up here" Eddie pointed to his head before letting out a laugh. "You try your best to remember them though."
"I'll remember them" I felt my face start to warm up at his sudden confidence.
"You better" being the words that stuck with me for the rest of the shift, like the engravings Eddie said but on mine.
(A/N: Question of the day: What's your favorite non scary Halloween movie?)