The alarm clock going off felt like someone taking a sledgehammer to Kat's brain. She groaned as she rolled over, hitting her bedside table multiple times until she finally hit the off button. Even with her room silent her head felt like it was splitting in two. She knew she had to make it through lunch at least, because she had a test in English. Kat was the kind of student that didn't have to really try. As long as she paid attention in class, she could easily pass any test. Learning and absorbing information just came naturally to her. She knew missing the test would only give her more of a headache. Cursing her teacher under her breath for the cruelty to put a test the day after Halloween, she reluctantly got out of bed.
"Jesus Christ..." She mumbled when she walked past her mirror seeing herself in last night's outfit and her makeup completely smudged. Fashion was not on today's top priority. When she peeled off her Halloween outfit, she grabbed a simple pair of black leggings, a Siouxsie and the Banshees tank top, and an oversized gray crewneck Champion sweatshirt. Once she put on slouch socks that matched her sweatshirt and threw on her Reeboks, she went to wash the makeup off her face.
After she gathered her things for school, she popped a couple of Eggos in the toaster, knowing if she didn't eat something, she would never make it through school. After she forced those down, along with some water and Tylenol, she brushed her teeth and headed out.
For her ride to school, she opted to have the radio playing softly. It wasn't until "Take On Me" started did the memories of the night before come flooding back to her. Her comments to Steve, her performance of that song, the girls by the bathroom, her crying to Eddie, the jock "falling" into the bushes, their kiss... "Oh fuck." Kat felt her stomach drop. Dread crept through her entire body as her grip on the steering wheel turned her knuckles white. Of course, of course, she would get drunk and ruin everything good that's happened to her in as long as she could remember.
The only thing going through her mind on loop was why Eddie broke the kiss. Why did he say they couldn't? Or did he say they shouldn't? Kat was too out of it at that point to realize he only did that because she was drunk and not because he didn't have any kind of feelings for her. She immediately assumed it was because she was initially right in not seeing how he felt about her, because they were, in fact, strictly friends. Taking a deep breath, she tried to keep her mind at bay from the self-deprecating assumption a guy like Eddie would be interested in her as more than a friend. How could she have been so foolish to think someone who was actually good for her would want her as anything more? She finished her drive to school in a daze, not even prepared for what she was about to walk into.
Heads turned when she walked through the doors to Hawkins High. Immediately people turned to whisper about her as she passed by. Her grip tightened on her backpack as she realized it wasn't just her that was the focus of everyone. It was her and Eddie.
"Can you believe she's sleeping with that cult leader freak?"
"I heard she slept her way through LA trying to get famous."
"I heard she did so many drugs she got sent here to get clean."
"She does look like a freak. They're probably going to start their own cult together."
The students weren't even trying to be discreet as she walked to her locker. Despite hearing so many different things, she did her best to not give them the satisfaction of getting a rise out of her. That was until she got to her locker. PSYCHO SLUT was written down the length of her locker in marker. She shrugged at the vandalism, giving it a "not bad" look of mild approval. She opened her locker and pieces of paper just fell out around her feet. Freak fucker, slut, groupie, druggie whore, whore, cult queen, and satanist were just some of the things the were written.
Kat closed her eyes, nodding to herself, trying to take deep breaths to stay calm. Outwardly she appeared so, but there was a storm brewing on the inside. She was using all her strength to keep it at bay. The thing she struggled to understand was why would these people go through this much effort. She actually laughed to herself as she went to pick up the fallen notes. They cared enough to get to school early the day after Halloween to do this. If she wasn't so hungover and worried about her relationship with Eddie, whatever that was now, she absolutely would have made a theatrical scene praising their efforts.
Scooping up the insults, she saw some girl with a curly mid-length bob and a preppy, striped collared shirt, pencil skirt, and a cardigan draped over her shoulders drop to help her. "Those stupid jocks can be so cruel. I'm so sorry they did this to you. You're Robin's friend, right?"
"Uh, yeah. You don't have to...I got this, it's fine." Kat said tiredly. The girl flashed a warm, sympathetic smile at her.
"It's not fine. Believe me, something like this happened to me a couple years ago. Only my name was not-so-nicely plastered across the movie theater marquee in town. So I get it. I'm Nancy, by the way. Nancy Wheeler."
"Kat. Thanks, I, uh, appreciate it. I've just learned not to give them a reaction. Let them talk it out until something new happens."
"This is Hawkins. It might not be for a while." She said wearily.
"Maybe if I wasn't so hungover I'd be able to say something, but... today's not the day. Just gonna let them have their fun." Kat sighed.
"Hey, if you ever need to talk about it, let me know. You're in that Hellfire Club with my brother, right? Sometimes I give him a ride home. Just if you ever need to..."
"Oh," Kat exclaimed as she realized who Nancy was. "Wheeler. You're Mike's sister. No, I'm definitely not in that club. I just sit with them at lunch. I mean Dustin convinced me to stay one time, but I don't... No, I'm not in that."
"Still, offer still stands if you need it." Nancy gave Kat a reassuring touch on her shoulder and another smile. She took all the papers Kat had and combined them with her own, crumpling them up, before tossing them in a nearby trash can. She checked her watch on her way back to Kat. "I gotta run, but it was nice to finally meet you, Kat!"
"Yeah, you too. Thanks, Nancy."
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Dealing with comments and jabs from her classmates was something Kat was used to, albeit maybe not to this extent. Nonetheless, it wasn't completely unfamiliar territory. As the day went on, she was able to tune it out more and more, using her Walkman in between classes to drown out the noise. What she was in no shape to deal with was seeing Eddie. Today was the first day she successfully avoided him. Then again, it was only successful, because the seat next to her in math class was empty.
The pounding in Kat's head barely lessened. She went through the motions of the school day. Somehow, she managed to get through her English test. Kat went to lunch and grabbed something light to eat. Of course, when she stole a glance over at Hellfire's table, she spotted the mop of curly brown hair she thought she got away without seeing for the day. Her breathing quickened and nerves rattled her body. Her eyes darted between her usual table and Robin's. She knew there would be at least a conversation if she went and sat there. On the other hand, she wasn't sure if she could fake business as usual if she sat at the other table. Amidst all the uncertainties, Kat tossed what she could in her backpack, holding the rest of her lunch, and snuck out through the cafeteria doors, escaping to her car for a few moments of quiet.
Eddie was lost in his own world. He didn't even see Kat dart out of the lunchroom. Naturally, he had slept in, only waking when his uncle went into his room, forcing him to get up and go to whatever was left of the school day. All he could do was stare off into space and fiddle with his rings.
"Dude, what's up with you, man?" Jeff asked as he lightly nudged Eddie's shoulder to get his attention.
"Some shit happened after we got back from the party and... I honestly don't know what Kat remembers and what she doesn't. I don't know if she's avoiding me for that reason. Or she doesn't remember and doesn't want to be reminded of what happened. I just... ughhhh." Eddie groaned, putting his head in his hands and rubbing his face.
"Whoa. You really got it bad for her, don't you?" Gareth chimed in. "If you don't know if she got blackout or not, she probably isn't here because she's hungover as hell."
"Wait, did you guys, actually, ya know...like everyone's saying?" Jeff started to ask, wiggling his eyebrows at Eddie, who threw a pretzel at him in response.
"No." He said sternly. "I respect women. Don't ever think I would have used last night as a way to sleep with her." He hissed through gritted teeth, desperately trying to keep his composure.
"No, man, that– That's not what I was–" Jeff tried to sputter out in his own defense.
"She was the one that kissed me and I stopped her, because she was so drunk I didn't know if she knew what she was doing and I was not about to take advantage of that." Enunciating every word, again through gritted teeth, he added, "being the gentleman that I am." He squinted his eyes glaring at Jeff, almost challenging him to say something else. The others exchanged looks with each other, knowing Eddie was getting more and more worked up.
"Okay," Dustin began in the calmest voice he could muster, "no one said you weren't a gentleman, Eddie. I think Jeff just didn't understand how you're feeling." He tried to console him whilst giving Jeff an encouraging look, hopeful he'd get what Dustin was hinting at.
"Yeah! Yeah, man. I'm sorry. That wasn't...I shouldn't have asked that. Wasn't cool."
Taking a deep breath, Eddie balled up his elevated fist, still attempting to stay calm. "It's fine."
"Maybe she's just scared and needs the weekend to think about things." Mike offered innocently and hesitantly. Everyone then followed suit, trying to come up with theories to sooth Eddie, nervously talking all at once.
"Shut up!" He yipped. He wasn't paying attention to them at all, because it was the word's of two preppy girls walking behind him that he zeroed in on.
"Look, she's not even sitting with them. She must be so embarrassed."
"Right? I would be if I were her. She probably left, because she regrets it so much." The girls laughed.
Eddie cocked his head to the side, pursed his lips, slammed his hands on the table, and pushed his chair back heatedly with so much force, it fell over.
"Oh no..." Dustin sighed, wincing as he braced himself for whatever Eddie was about to do.
"If anyone wants an interview with yours truly about last night, my schedule is wide open!" He cupped his hands on the sides of his mouth so his voice filled the cafeteria. "Any takers? How 'bout you, Wheeler?" He asked, pointing at Nancy. Mike gave him a "what the hell" look and tried to mouth sorry to his sister. "Need a cover story, huh? Give the people what they want to hear! Since they have...absolutely...nothing...else to talk about!" His voice crescendoed. All the while Eddie was walking backwards towards the doors, so he could look at everyone in the lunchroom. A hush fell over everyone as his voice echoed off the walls. "Yeah, that's what I thought." He said, his voice falling to a normal volume, as he turned to furiously exit the room.
Steadily he walked out of the school's main entrance and lit a cigarette he desperately needed. His eyes scanned the senior parking lot in search of the only black Mustang that frequents it. When he noticed it, he also found Kat.
Feeling like someone was watching her, she looked up and noticed she was directly in Eddie's gaze. She knew he saw her, especially since he started to walk towards the parking lot. Her heart felt like it was going to beat out of her chest. In a panic, she fished out her keys and quickly started the car. She threw it in reverse, and floored it as she sped out of the parking lot. There was no way she was ready to face him. Not yet.
Her hasty exit caused Eddie to stop dead in his tracks. All he could do was watch her drive like a bat out of hell away from him, leaving him in an even greater state of confusion while he felt his heart sinking. He thought about running to his van and going on a high speed chase after her. Quickly he decided against that, because he knew that would only make matters worse. The only thing he knew for sure was that she was, without a doubt, avoiding him.