Chrissy sat on her knees bent over the toilet. Acid burning her throat and tears burning her cheeks as another round of vomiting hit her. Her eyes remained closed as she sat up from the toilet. She heard another girl walk into the bathroom, Chrissy tried to stay still and silent, but much to her dismay she felt the urge to vomit once again, leaning over the toilet she let out a sob. She heard footsteps walk closer to her stall.
"Hey, uh, are you okay?", The girl asked on the other side of the door.
"Yes, I- I'm fine.", She weakly responded.
"Okay, uhm. You sure?", The girl asked concerned.
"Please, just go away.", She rasped out beggingly.
Chrissy heard the girl's footsteps walk away and out of the bathroom, the door making a soft thud. She lifted her head, finally feeling the nausea spell waring off. She pulled down the handle of the toilet down, causing the water and vomit to swirl out of sight as she heard a hand pound on the stall door.
"Are you deaf? I said go away!", Chrissy said, annoyed, looking over her shoulder slightly as if to make sure the unknown girl heard her words.
"Chrissy?", A woman's voice spoke out clearly.
"Mom?", The girl recognized, confusion wrapped in her voice.
"Are you ready to try on the dress again? I loosened the back a little for you.", Her mother's voice said. The girl looked up as the florescent lights above her began to flicker. She turned around slowly, her eyes widening, seeing the melted fleshy legs of something the was most certainly not her mother.
"Chrissy! Did you hear me? Open the goddamn door! Chrissy! Open the door or Ill gut you like the fat pig that you are!", Her mother's voice angrily said out, beginning to pound on the door, causing the girl's fear to increase.
"Did you hear me? Open the door Chrissy!", The voice continued to repeat, sounding more like a growl each time it repeated.
Chrissy sobbed scooting into the corner beside the toilet, pulling her knees to her chest and slapping her hands over her ears. Tears streaked her face as she screamed for it to go away over and over. She closed her eyes tightly as she screamed at the demonic voice.
The banging on the door stopped abruptly. The room went silent. She sat there with her eyes closed and her hands over her ears, sobbing on the floor beside the toilet. She slowly opened her eyes, confused and concerned that she truly was going insane. Chrissy uncovered her ears and pushed herself off of the disgusting bathroom floor. She opened the door to the bathroom and poked her head out, thankful that no one had been there to witness her outburst. She sheepishly walked out of the stall to the sink where she cleaned herself up. She fixed the mascara smudges on her face and took a deep breath.
Chrissy stared in the mirror for a while, practicing her fake smile and cheerful voice, knowing that she couldn't tell anyone completely certain that if she did, she'd be sent straight to Pennhurst Mental Facility. Once she decided she was ready, she forced herself to heighten her posture to make her seem as though she feels bigger than she does and headed out into the hall full of bustling and chatting teens. She walked down the hall, her head held high entering her next class, plopping down in the seat beside her 'bestfriend' Maggy who was, as always, chatting with two other airheaded cheerleaders.
°•○•°
Chrissy's blue eyes scanned the cafeteria, landing on the table where the rest of the cheer squad sat. One table over sat her boyfriend, Jason, and the rest of the basketball team. She walked over and took a seat beside Maggy, who was talking about a date she had with one of the basketball players, the other cheerleaders listened intently. Chrissy's eyes drifted, bored of the conversation at her table.
Her eyes land on none other than Eddie Munson, a newspaper clutched in his hand reading aloud the words to those at his table. Two younger boys take a seat at the table as he threw the newspaper to the table, conversing with his friends. He then jumped up from his seat raising his voice for the rest of the cafeteria to hear. Everyone turned their attention to the scene he's making. He climbed onto the table gracefully, and swaggered down the table theatrically looking at each table. Chrissy stared, unable to remove her gaze.
"As long as you're into band... or science... or parties,", He began to shout, drawing out the last word in a mocking tone, earning a middle finger from a guy at the table he was looking at.
"A game where you toss balls into laundry baskets!", He yelled louder in the direction of Jason's table, earning a angry rumble from the crowd. Jason stands, Chrissy's eyes widen.
"You want something freak?", Jason yelled back at the man standing on the table.
Eddie, in response, raises his hands to his head sticking his index fingers up and his tongue out. He made a gremlin like sound, staring at Jason. Chrissy stiffled a laugh, but didn't do it well, causing Eddie to give her an odd look as he takes his hands down, luckily Jason didn't notice. Her cheeks flush pink and a small wave of fear washed through her when she sees his eyes looking in her direction. Quickly he turns around to walk back down the table quietly continuing his speech.
"That's what's killing the kids!!!", He yells dropping down from the table jumping towards a teacher, startling her half to death. She rushed away and he stood there proud of himself, backing up to allow a couple of cheerleaders walk passed him. He takes a seat and Chrissy finally finds a way to move her gaze to her tray. She wrinkles her nose in disgust at what had been served that day, deciding against eating it. Soon enough, the bell rings, her 'friends' exit the cafeteria.
Jason walks off with his friends, not even sparing her a glance causing Chrissy to frown. She slowly stood up, the was cafeteria nearly empty besides her and a certain long haired guy on the other side of the cafeteria. She rushed to dump her tray. She bit her cheek as she speed walked over to the only other person in the room. Eddie noticed the girl walking towards him, and decided to meet her in the middle and walked to her.
"Eddie?", She timidly said, her eyes not yet meeting his face.
"Chrissy?", He said confidently, staring down at her nervous state.
"I heard you, uh, sell, uh, drugs.", She started, looking up at him. She curled her arms around her waist. He cocked a brow at her.
"Did someone send you-", Eddie begins but, is cut off by Chrissy.
"No. I just need something to-", She started but cut herself off.
"Meet me at the picnic in the clearing in the woods by the track after school, if that works with you?", He said quickly, knowing they didn't have much time until they were caught. She nodded in agreement. He begins to walk backwards.
"Don't be late.", He said as he walked away.
"Okay.", She said, softly.
°•○•°
Her strawberry blonde hair blew in the chilling breeze as she walked across the track with her head down. She looked around to make sure nobody saw her walk into the woods. Anxiety pressed in her chest with each step she took. It was a short walk to the clearing.
"Hello?", Chrissy called out anxiously. No response.
A distorted clock chime rang out. She began to panic as she turned around. An old grandfather clock was sticking out of a tree, ticking.
Tick tock tick tock tick tick
She stepped closer, though all her senses told her not to. It continued to tick and chime as she stared up at it in fear. A crack began to form across the glass, her heart beat faster and her breathing became more shallow. A shard of glass popped out, and tens of spiders crawled out of the glass. She fearfully stumbled backwards, she let out a slight scream as she collided with a hard surface. She turned around quickly, a horrified expression on her face.
"Woah, woah. Hey, hey, hey, hey. Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you.", Eddie said, letting out a light chuckle before noticing the horror on her face.
"You okay?", He asked concerned. Chrissy turned to look at the clock again but it was gone. She looked back at Eddie.
"Uh, yeah.", She says unconvincingly.
"Okay, uh, wanna sit down?", He asked, deciding it wasn't his place to press. He motioned to the picnic table and she nods.
Chrissy takes a seat, fear still consumed every inch of her body, but knowing Eddie was there somewhat soothed her. Eddie threw his lunchbox on the table with a clank and pulled off his jacket and vest, staring at her. She flinched at every sound around her, obviously on edge.
"Hey, uh, you don't have to worry. Nobody comes out here. You're safe. I promise.", Eddie said, trying to calm her a little, in which he succeeded.
"H-how does this worked exactly?", Chrissy asked taking a deep breath as Eddie flicked open the lunchbox. He looked up at her.
"Uhh, just like any old sale. Except cash only... and for obvious reasons, no receipts.", He explains, looking at her softly. His mind secretly filled with the question of what must have happened to make her come to him and why she was so scared. She looked down at the table nervously then looked back up at him.
"I'll give you a half ounce for, uh, 20. What do you say? It's plenty of bang for your buck, it should last you awhile.", He said. A squirrel scurried a tree creating a crunching noise behind the girl. She flicked her head around, to find the cause of the noise in her paranoia. She looked back at him when she heard him close the lunchbox.
"Uh, we don't need to do this. Just give me the word and I'll walk away-", He starts, feeling slightly as though he's being set up.
"No! It's not that, I don't want you to go.", Chrissy cuts in getting his attention. He looks at her.
"It's just... Do you ever feel like you're loosing your mind?", She asks, her eyes fixated on the table. He leans in slightly.
"Uhhh, yuh know, just, on a daily basis.", He said, his coy smile breaking through. She finally looked at him, her ocean eyes meeting his chocolate ones.
"I mean, I feel like I'm loosing my mind right now, doing a drug deal with Chrissy Cunningham, the Queen of Hawkins High.", Eddie continued, a small smile was on his plump lips as Chrissy furrowed her brow at him.
"Yuh know? This isn't the first time we've hung out.", He said, a memory from middle school floating into his head.
"No?", She was confused.
"You don't remember?", He asked softly in fake disappointment.
"I'm sorry, I-", She said apologetically.
"It's okay.", He interrupted. He sat there for a moment.
Then he swung his arms into his chest as if to act out being stabbed, falling backwards onto the ground. Chrissy let out a light scream and leaned over the table to see if he was alright.
"I wouldn't remember me either Chrissy.", He exclaimed, clumsily getting up from the ground. She let out a breathy laugh.
"Honestly, do I have stuff in my hair?", Eddie asked goofily, making Chrissy giggle in return. A wide grin was spread across both of their faces.
"You really don't remember me?", He crossed his arms over his chest. She giggled.
"I'm sorry!", Chrissy exclaimed.
"Middle school talent show. You were doing this thing. Yuh know, the thing that you do.", He mimicked having pom poms and doing one of her routines, she giggled in response while wrackingher brain to remember.
"It was pretty cool actually. And I was with my band-", He stated.
"Corroded Coffin!", She excitedly exclaimed. Eddie jumped in happiness.
"Cor- You do remember!", He clapped his hands and pointed at her.
"Yeah, of course! With a name like that, how could I forget!?", She said happily.
"I dunno. You're a freak.", He teased. She looked up him shocked and flustered.
"No, you just- you looked so-"
"Different? Well, yeah. My hair was buzzed and I didn't have these sweet ol' tatties yet.", He says pacing, pulling the collar of his shirt down to reveal his guitar pick necklace and a small part of a tattoo on his chest.
"You played guitar right?", Chrissy tried to put the pieces together in her head.
"Mhmm, still do. Still do. You should come see us. We playat the hideout on Tuesdays. It's pretty cool, we actually got a crowd of about five... drunks.", He said pacing slightly, not taking his eyes off of her. She giggled. In the moment both of them had forgotten what made them come out there, they were having so much fun and Chrissy felt, well, safe.
"It's not exactly The Garden but uh, you gotta start somewhere.", Eddie said turning around to start softly punching the tree.
"You know, you're not what I'd though you'd be like.", Chrissy stated, a big smile on her face.
"Mean and scary?", He asked pulling a peice of hair in front of his face in mock shyness. She nodded.
"Yeah well, I actually kinda thought you'd be kinda mean and scary too.", He leaned over the table as if he were talking to a small child, a small smile on his lips.
"Me?", She asked in disbelief.
"Terrifying. So, in other good news, flattery works with me. So, twenty-five percent discount for the half. Fifteen bucks. You're robbing me blind here, you know.", He said, making her smile at the first part and pulling out his lunchbox again. She thought for a moment, remembering how the last time she smoked weed she was more anxious than ever.
"Do you have anything, maybe, stronger?", She looked at him. He looked back at her, shocked to say the least.
"Uh, yeah. Not with me. Back at my house. We can go there if you want.", He said unsurely, playing with his rings.
"Can we go tonight after the game? I kinda gotta do the thing I do. And I heard that you have something to do at that time too.", She says, following his gaze to his hands.
"Oh yeah.", Eddie looked back up at her.
"Can you pick me up at my house? Jason's gonna want to drive me home.", Chrissy said, causing Eddie to scrunch his face at the mention of her boyfriend.
"Yeah. I can do that.", He said.