Eddie's POV:
"Jason hasn't been able to go to football practice, so how has he been communicating with the team?" I ask Lucas once he is settled in on my couch. He gives me a pained expression and looks at Max for a moment who pats his hand, reassuringly.
"Coach Martens has been letting him come to practice and at least sit on the sidelines and hang out with the team," Lucas says and I clench my jaw, frustrated. I knew I never liked that asshole, but this just takes the cake. I rub a hand down my face, frustrated and Lucas fidgets in his seat, obviously nervous. I don't mean to make him anxious, but I can't calm down, not when Ripley is involved.
"How long has this been going on?"
"About a week after the principal made the decision to cut him. Coach waited just long enough to go undetected and then invited him back."
"Would you be willing to talk to Hopper about all of this?" I ask Lucas, hopefully and he glances at Max. She nods slowly, encouraging him and he sighs, closing his eyes for a moment.
"Yea, I can, but I want to remain anonymous," he says and I nod.
"I can talk to him about it," I tell him, appreciatively. "What all have you heard?"
"Jason has been saying that he wants to get payback on Ripley for making him an outcast and basically getting him kicked out of school and dumped by Chrissy. He has said some pretty nasty things."
Lucas hesitates. He gulps, his Adam's apple bobbing and he looks down at his hands. I try to be patient, but I want to get up and shake him, desperate to know what was said.
"Jason has said that her 'itty bitty titties' weren't worth all the trouble and if he knew all of this was going to happen he would have at least gotten his dick wet," Lucas says in a rushed voice and I feel like I've been gutted.
"He says he wants her to suffer more then he has ever wanted anyone to suffer before. He wants to make her leave school or even to leave Hawkins. He isn't above hurting her and he has made it sound like he would really enjoy it." Lucas keeps talking, but his voice sounds far away, as if he is talking at the end of a tunnel. I lean back in my chair and stare down at the carpet, unable to process everything. My heart roars in my chest and I can feel my blood gushing through my veins.
"Lucas, stop," I hear Max scold sternly and it snaps both of us out of it. We both turn to look at the red head, but her eyes are not on us. Her eyes are down the hall and I turn quickly in my chair.
Ripley stands at the end of the hallway, her messy bun slightly slanted from her sleep. Tears flow freely down her face and she is clutching her hands to her chest, but I can still see the tremble in her fingers. Her bottom lip quivers as well and her eyes dart from mine to Lucas, hurt written across her face.
"What the hell have I ever done to deserve this?" she whispers, her voice breaking and my heart sinks. I stand from my seat and take a step towards her, but she steps away, shaking her head.
"Don't Eds," she pleads, holding her hand up. "I can't do this right now."
Ripley turns on her heels and walks back to my room and closes the door behind her. I stay frozen for a moment before I sink back into my chair, dropping my head in my hands.
"Aren't you going to go after her?" Max asks and I shake my head, knowing she needs space.
The small girl huffs and stands. Lucas looks up at her confused as she shoves passed both of us towards the back of the trailer, her stride determined.
"Red," I call, trying to stop her. "When she gets like this, she usually just needs space."
Max turns to glare at me and I blanch at her expression.
"Men," she groans before pushing open my bedroom door and stepping inside. She closes it quietly behind her and I roll my eyes. Fine, let her get yelled at. At least it's her and not me.
I lean forward, placing my elbows on my knees and look over at Lucas who raises his eyebrows at me.
"Sorry, man," he says, sheepishly. "She can be pretty stubborn." I shrug him off, not too concerned.
"I'm convinced that's all women, Sinclair," I tell him honestly and he sighs.
"Do you think she will be alright?" He asks, motioning towards my bedroom with his chin.
"Ripley?" I ask and he nods. "Yeah, I think she will be alright. She's been through some shitty stuff before and has always come out on top. In cases like this, you have to hope that everything will be fine otherwise you'll wind up wallowing."
"It isn't fair," Lucas sighs. "She's so nice."
I chuckle ironically, shaking my head at him.
"Even if she wasn't nice, no one deserves this, dude."
A crash sounds from my bedroom followed by Max and Ripley's raised voices and Lucas and I jump to our feet, looking first at one another before charging down the hall. When we push open the door, Max is standing up on my mattress with a pillow clutched between her hands and an apologetic expression on her face. Ripley is crouched beside the bed, righting a bong that she knocked over and checking to see if it is broken. Another pillow is discarded beside her and as Lucas and I survey the situation we grow more confused.
"What the hell is going on?" I ask loudly, making Max roll her eyes at me.
"Ripley was upset and obviously extremely frustrated, so I offered for her to hit me," Max says plainly and I look between them as if they have gone insane. "Now, I love her, but not enough for her to punch me outright, so I offered for her to beat me with a pillow. You know, just swing out some of the rage. Well, she missed and hit your bong off the end table."
"If it's any consolation, the bong is at least alright," Ripley says, straightening up and placing it back on the end table. I shake my head in disbelief and Sinclair chuckles softly from beside me, looking between both girls.
"Ripley and I were talking though, before you both so rudely interrupted us," Max says, gesturing to Lucas and I in the doorway. "And we both think it would be a good idea for her to confront Jason."
"No, Nope, No way," I say fiercely, shaking my head and waving my hand in front of my face. "Like hell, that's going to happen."
"Eds," Ripley says in a pleading voice and I cut her off, frustrated.
"No, Ripley. You are not confronting him when we both know he wants nothing more then to hurt you. It's a disaster waiting to happen. You know I'm not usually one to let law enforcement handle things, but my vote is sitting this one out."
"Come on, Eddie," Max says, slightly annoyed. "You act like we all wouldn't help you keep her safe."
"We don't gamble with her, Maxine! I snap, looking harshly down at the girl before me and she stumbles back, startled. "Not her!"
The room is quiet as I work to control my temper. I take a few deep breaths and I allow my eyes to wander over to Ripley. Her eyes search my face, for what I don't know and her sapphire gaze helps calm my nerves. She steps forward, dropping her pillow on my mattress and she takes my hand in hers, giving it a squeeze.
"Alright, Eds," she says softly, soothing me. "We won't confront Jason, but I won't live in fear either. He can't control what we do or how we live. He is just one person and I refuse to be afraid of him."
I stare down at her determined face and relax slightly. After a moment, I nod, letting my forehead come down and rest against hers. She grins softly up at me and I can't help but smile back.
"When did you get so wise?" I tease and she laughs, pulling away to give me a wary look.
"Right around when you got so cautious," she offers and I snort. I lean down and kiss her gingerly, my lips caressing hers and she sighs against my lips. A chill runs down my spine and I move my arm around her, using my hand to flatten on the small of her back. I run my tongue along her bottom lip and she happily opens her mouth for me, letting me dive in. I kiss her passionately, my head spinning as her hands come up to tangle in my hair.
"Um, we are still here you know," Max calls and I pull away from Ripley by only a fraction, my lips a whisper away from hers. I can see the delicate blush creeping up on her cheeks from kissing so passionately in front of our friends and I grin in triumph. Ripley lays a hand against my chest and shoves away from me, bringing her free hand up to cover her face. I snatch the hand still on my chest and give it a reassuring squeeze, chuckling quietly as we turn back to Lucas and Max.
Max has jumped down and off of my bed and has placed my pillows back up against the wall and Lucas stands awkwardly beside her, obviously unsure of what to do with himself.
"Why are you guys still here?" I ask bluntly and Ripley elbows me in the ribs, making me grunt. Max rolls her eyes and grabs Lucas' hand, pulling him towards the door.
"You are the worst, Munson. You know that right?" Max calls as she leads Lucas to the front door.
"Really?" I ask in fake glee, placing my hand over my heart. "I can't believe you think so. It means so much to me."
Max glares at me and flips me off before stepping out of the trailer with Lucas on her heels. He waves at us, a small smile on his lips as he pulls the door closed behind them. I sigh happily as the door clicks closed and turn to Ripley. She reaches up and pulls her hair from her hair tie, finally giving up on the bun as it slowly made its way down her neck. She runs her fingers through the blonde curls and I watch them catch the dim light and dance in her touch, mesmerized.
"Now what?" I ask her.
"Well," she drags out. "I was promised pajamas and then I thought maybe I could enjoy a quiet and pleasant evening with my boyfriend. Free of psychotic jocks and assault threats."
"That sounds like heaven," I murmur, moving forward to kiss her head and she breaths deeply, her eyes closing. I step away from her and move towards my room, determined to find her some night clothes.
"Ozzy or Motley Crue?" I yell over my shoulder.
"Ozzy," Ripley whispers, throwing herself against my back and wrapping her arms around my shoulders. I grin widely as I snatch up the band tee and stand with her still wrapped around me, lifting her off of her feet. She wraps her legs around my waist and I carry her, piggyback, around my room.
"Good answer," I mumble. "I just might have to marry you some day if you keep that shit up."
"You'd get tired of me if you married me," she says sadly and I stop what I am doing. I toss the clothes in my hand on the bed and I reach around my body, pulling her so she is wrapped around my front rather then my back. She looks down at me confused at my serious expression.
"Who says that?" I ask incredulously. "Who could ever get tired of you?"
She worries at her bottom lip and I reach up and pull it from between her teeth, shaking my head.
"Don't you ever say that," I tell her seriously. "You are my favorite person in the entire world. It would be a dream come true if I got to spend every day with you."
She nods slowly and I cup her chin in my hand, pulling her lips down to meet mine. I kiss her with all the love I feel, wanting her to know just how much she means to me. I'm gentle as I move my tongue against hers, making her shiver slightly against me. I try my best to control my natural bodily reaction to her, not wanting to take things too far tonight, just wanting to hold her close. She whimpers against me though and I find it difficult, my fingers biting into her back as I hold her against me. She pulls away first, possessing more willpower then me and smiles.
"Pajamas and a movie?" she asks and I nod, happy to spend some much need quality time.