Eddie Munson - A Collection of One-Shots!

011. A Letter to Elise.

She was skating around the roller rink, agile and like she simply floated on air.

The sounds of Smalltown Boy by Bronski Beat played loudly over the speakers and she was both skating and dancing completely in sync to the beat.

She didn't seem to be with anyone, and as the chorus kicked in, she suddenly turned and was skating backwards delicately around the rink, as I stared at her, completely captivated.

I was here for Dustin Henderson's birthday party, though for the moment it had escaped my attention.

She had my attention, now.

I watched her as she closed her eyes sporadically, feeling the rhythm of the song, completely lost in her own little world.

Whilst she was oblivious, my eyes took her in.

Long, flowing straight copper hair with a delicate fringe, red lips and slightly tanned skin.

She was wearing a fitted, cropped black T-shirt with pale blue boyfriend jeans, rolled up to her ankles.

As she turned I noticed that it was a Dio T-shirt, and I found my heart suddenly fluttering.

The song changed to Theme for Great Cities by Simple Minds and I saw a small, satisfied smile creep across her lips as she continued to skate, her eyes closing.

Before long, there was only two other people on the rink besides her and she continued to glide around effortlessly, skilled as her eyes opened and she familiarised herself with the space she now suddenly had.

"You want some cake Eddie?" I heard someone ask, but it sounded distant in my head, as I leaned on the barrier of the rink, itching to be closer so I could see her.

I didn't answer, as my eyes remained fixed on her.

And at the crucendo of the song, she suddenly started to spin around, becoming a blur of arms and copper hair before my eyes.

And I was brought back to reality with a harsh thud as I watched her suddenly fall and land on her back, splayed out on the rinks floor.

Without thinking and without hesitation I ran across the rink, ignoring the shouts of my friends, and ran over to her as she lay on the floor, staring up at the ceiling.

"Hey.... You okay?" I asked her, breathless.

Her eyes slowly moved over to me, and she smiled broadly.

"I'm good, thanks. Just watching the disco lights, I uhm... I can't seem to land a turn these days." She said, with a beautiful smile.

"It was still pretty impressive." I said, smiling.

"You skate a lot?" I added.

"Used to. Ankle injury though, so I don't skate on ice anymore these days, I can't. So this place well, it'll have to do." She said.

"You used to ice skate? That explains it." I said, as she laughed.

"Yeah, I did. But I don't anymore, and my weak ankle means I can't land turns like I used to. Doesn't stop me trying though." She said.

"Can I uhm, can I help you up?" I asked, as she smiled and nodded.

"Thanks." She said, taking my hand.

I gently lifted her up onto her skates, and she smiled.

"You think you'll be okay?" I asked her, as she chuckled softly.

"Not the first time I've landed on my ass. I'll be fine. Thanks for helping me up." She said, before giving me a small wave as she skated away from me.

Dustin appeared behind me, as I watched her skate off the rink and over to one of the benches, where she drank some water and removed her skates.

She sank her dainty feet into a pair of cherry red doc martens, picked up her bag and walked through the exit doors.

"Do you want some cake?" Dustin asked, as I shook my head, my eyes on the doors as they swung closed.

"No Henderson, I want her." I replied.

**********************************
Who was she?

I definitely hadn't seen her around school; I was sure of it.

Unless she did go to Hawkins High, and we'd just never walked the school halls at the same time.

Either way, it was driving me mad.

I hadn't managed to ask Dustin or the other little sheep if they knew her, I'd been too lost in my own head trying to figure out, to ask them.

I was in the mall, trying to walk her out of my head as I occupied myself in the music store.

Gareth and Jeff were with me, and were in the food court waiting for me, whilst I browsed.

I looked through the recently added tapes on the shelf, and as I turned around, she was suddenly there behind me.

I jumped, a little startled and she gasped loudly.

"I'm so sorry, I was just going to grab one of the Dio tapes." She said, a little sheepishly.

"That's okay." I said, laughing softly.

I grabbed two of the tapes, and handed her one, my hands a little shaky.

Why did this chick make me so nervous?

"You like Dio too?" She asked, surprised.

"Yeah, I'm a huge fan." I answered, as she smiled broadly.

"I don't know many people who like them." She said, still a little surprised.

"They have a reasonably small following, I guess." I said, as she chuckled softly.

"You were the guy at the rink last night? Helped me up." She said, finally recognising me.

"Yeah that was me." I said, with a smile.

"I'm Eddie, Eddie Munson." I added, holding my hand out.

"I'm Elise. Elise Grange." She said, taking it.

We shook hands and she held up the tape in her hands.

"I'd better go and pay for this." She said, as I nodded.

"See you." She said, as I waved and watched her walk away from me.

For the love of God, just ask her Eddie.

"Hey, do you go to school around here?" I called to her.

She turned around at the cashiers desk and smiled.

"I will do, on Monday. I just moved here." She said.

She walked back over to me, and sighed softly.

"We moved here, yesterday. I'm from California originally." She added.

That would explain the light tan she had.

"And you moved here?" I asked, as she laughed.

"It's not so bad." She said, with a shrug.

"It's literally an armpit." I replied, as she laughed again.

"You're not selling it to me, I just have to tell you that." She said.

"I'm not trying to." I admitted, smirking.

"What school will you be going?" I added.

"Hawkins High." She said.

"I go there." I said, with a smile.

"I'd have put you down as going to college." She said, sounding surprised.

"Which is quite generous, so thank you. I flunked senior year, so I'm still there." I said.

"But I think that this year is finally my year. 86, baby." I said, as she chuckled softly.

"Well, here's hoping it is." She said.

She was holding her hand out to me again, for me to shake it.

I put my hand in hers again and felt the chemistry soar through our hands as we shook.

"I guess I'll probably see you Monday?" She asked, as she released my hand.

"I guess you probably will." I answered, as she waved again.

"See you. For real this time." She said, chuckling nervously.

"Yeah, see you, for real this time." I repeated, returning the same small, nervous wave.

She was beautiful.

I browsed the aisles again, before coming across the tape I was looking for.

The cure.
A Letter to Elise.

I paid for both, and headed back out to Gareth and Jeff who were waiting for me.

"Saw you talking to the red head from the rink." Gareth said.

"Oh you did?" I asked, trying to be casual.

"Yeah, it was fun watching you." Jeff said, smiling.

"Why?" I asked, suddenly conscious of myself.

"We expected you to crumble, but you turned on the Munson charm." Gareth said, grinning.

"Okay, shut up." I said, rolling my eyes.

"You like her, don't you?" Jeff asked.

"She seems cool." I said, with a shrug.

"Okay, keep your secrets." Jeff said.

"Can we go now?" Gareth asked.

"Yeah, let's roll." I said, glad the conversation was over.

*****************************************
Monday came around and I was nervous for my first day of school.

The reality was, we couldn't afford to live in California anymore. After my skating injury and countless medical bills, my parents had reviewed their finances and found that the lifestyle we had, wasn't viable anymore.

And so we'd sold the five bedroom, four bathroom house my competitions had contributed to along with my parents jobs and had moved to Hawkins, Indiana, to a modest three bed house.

My father had found work at the hospital and my mom had successfully secured work at the orthodontists.

When the ankle injury happened, and the competitions stopped, so did the award money.

I tried to tell myself that the move wasn't my fault, that my earnings would have covered my medical bills, and that it wasn't as my parents' behaviour towards me often suggested it was, but I had days where I considered that there was slight resentment towards me.

The cash cow was no longer bringing the cash home.

They were both often fairly regimental and cold, my dad was a doctor with a cool, professional bedside manner that missed the personal touch sometimes and my mom worked with teeth, braces and so on, but I'd always felt love from them.

Their jobs were cold, much like they both were to me now, lately.

Perhaps I was cold too like them, as my favourite place had always been on the ice.

A place I'd no longer be able to skate on.

I was a little relieved when we'd arrived and I'd seen the mall, and the roller rink.

The rink had been the first place I'd gone to, the moment I'd placed the last box down in my room.

And because of that, I'd been up late unpacking.

I stood in my closet, wondering what to wear and sighed softly.

We'd had a dream home, lived in a beautiful place and I felt that it was my fault we were now here.

In an armpit, as Eddie had called it.

And as I slipped a jade green cropped hoodie off a hanger and pulled it over my head, I found myself sighing again.

I pulled on my pair of pale blue boyfriend jeans, and looped a belt through, before pulling my hair from out of the hoodie.

It fell around my face, pin straight and I adjusted my fringe slightly.

I checked my contoured face in the mirror, my perfectly lined eyes and ran a spool brush through my homemade lash extensions and sighed again softly.

I slipped on my black Dr Martens and took a final look in the mirror, noticing something.

The last two sighs, hadn't been sad ones.

They'd been over the guy I'd met on the rink and in the music store.

He'd seemed kind, pleasant and funny.
Redoing his senior year.

Maybe he'd had the same bad luck last year that I'd had.

I walked out of the house, foregoing breakfast and any pleasantries with my parents and climbed into my Chevy.

I set my back down on the passenger seat and started the car, turning my stereo on.

And as Holy Diver started to play, I drove off the drive and made my way to Hawkins High.

********************************************
When I arrived, I sat in the car for a moment, breathing myself into a calm state.

Slowly but surely, I climbed out of my car with my bag and slung it over my shoulder, just as someone gruffly bumped into me.

"Watch it." He snarled, turning towards me.

"I'm sorry? Did you not see the space I was taking up here before you walked past?" I asked him, sarcastically.

He stopped, apparently suddenly amused and I inspected his double denim attire.

"That went out in 83." I said, as he leaned against my car.

"Whereas this old thing is timeless." He noted.

"You new here?" He asked.

"Have you seen me here before?" I asked, folding my arms across my chest.

"Are you always this sarcastic?" He asked.

"What can I say, it keeps me going." I answered, sarcastic again.

"What's your name?" He asked.

"Elise." I answered, flatly.

"I'm Billy, Billy Hargrove. And I am very pleased to meet you." He said, smirking.

"I'm sure you are. Unfortunately, I can't say the same. Now get the fuck off my timeless, old car." I said.

"And watch where you're walking next time." I added.

"Fiesty. I like that." He said, unphased.

But he leaned up off my car at my request, all the same.

"I can tell you take care of it. It's a good car." He said, running his hand along the bonnet as he walked around it.

"Yeah well it's the only thing we didn't sell." I said, rolling my eyes.

"Chevys are good cars. Robust, reliable." He said, although I wasn't sure he was talking to me anymore.

Deciding to leave him there, I started to walk away.

I heard him catch up to me a moment later and I groaned, wanting him to leave me alone.

"So you're new here. I am too. But I started last term." He said.

"Well, good for you." I said, bored.

"Yeah, fit right in. But of course I was going to." He said, sounding proud.

"Is there a reason you're following me?" I asked, irritated.

"Yeah, we're going to the same place." He said.

"I'd like to walk in there alone, if it's all the same with you." I answered.

"You're not like the other girls here. My charms normally worked by now." He said.

"You're observant as well as obnoxious. And for the record, it will never work." I said.

"Why's that?" He asked.

"You're really not my type." I said.

"I can be anything you want." He said, with a shrug.

I spun around then, suddenly incensed.

"My god, you just don't know when to stop, do you? Maybe I wasn't clear enough, so this is me officially turning you down. I'm not interested in you, in your outdated double denim and I never will be." I snapped.

He took a step back in surprise, and as I turned to leave, I bumped straight into someone else.

I grumbled out loud, incredibly annoyed before meeting the familiar eyes of the guy from the music store.

"Hey... you okay?" He asked.

"She's fine, Munson." Billy snapped, puffing out his chest.

"Answering for me now too, Jesus H Christ." I hissed, as Eddie stared at him.

"Back off Hargrove, the lady said no." He said, pushing me behind him, protectively.

"Oh she already made it clear." Billy said.

"Well then, do her the courtesy of doing exactly what she said. Leave her alone." Eddie said, as though it was obvious.

Because it was obvious.
It was acutely obvious to Eddie.

Why wasn't it obvious to this guy?

"I know you're not used to rejection Hargrove, but even for you it's gonna happen from time to time. Maybe this is the first time, the first time someone has actually said no. Said no without you ignoring it, too maybe. So I'm telling you, leave her alone. She said no loud enough for even me to hear from all the way over there. Move along." Eddie said.

"You know, you're not the hero she's gonna think you are now, Munson. She's gonna realise real soon that you're nothing." Billy snarled.

"I'll tell you what I think. You're a pushy little creep who's used to getting what he wants by force. It's not attractive at all." I said.

"We done here?" Eddie asked him.

"For now, loser." Billy replied, before slamming his shoulder into Eddie as he walked past.

Eddie didn't bite and he didn't look phased.
He just listened to his footsteps as they grew quieter, before turning to me.

"That wasn't the introduction to Hawkins High, you had in mind, I'm sure." He said, sighing.

"Not really." I answered.

"You okay?" He asked.

"I'm fine, thanks for helping." I said.

"He's a royal prick, throws his weight around like a few of them do around here." Eddie said.

"How did he even start talking to you, anyway?" He asked.

"Barged right into me, as I was getting out of my car." I said.

"Jesus." Eddie said, as I shrugged.

"We should probably go." I said, hearing the bell ring.

"I'll walk you to reception, so you can sign in." Eddie said, as I smiled.

"That would be great, thank you." I said.

We walked casually into school, making small talk until I reached the desk to sign in and get my timetable, and he left me there with a small wave.

"If you're struggling for company at lunch, me and my friends will be in the dining hall." He called, before disappearing around the corner.

****************************************
I arrived in English lit, and sat down near the back.

I noticed Billy a few desks away from me, chatting to a girl opposite him, and she was smiling and giggling.

Playing with her hair, as he flirted with her.

I rolled my eyes, just as his eyes fell on me.

"Your knight in shining armour barely turns up to this class." He remarked, with a pointed look.

"Usually, but he's here today, bright and early too." A voice said.

My head snapped around to see Eddie sitting down at the desk behind me.

I turned in my seat and raised an eyebrow.

"Are you here to keep an eye on me?" I asked him.

"No sweetheart, I'm here to keep an eye on him." He corrected.

"You never come to this class?" I asked.

"Not always, no." He answered, with a shrug.

"If you want to graduate, you need to be in the class for all the times your schedule states." I said, in a motherly tone.

"I will be, from now on." He said, smiling.

"You have to be here because you want to be." I said, knowing what he was getting at.

"I can't do both?" He asked.

"Knuckle down, seriously." I said, laughing softly.

"Yes, ma'am." Eddie replied, saluting me as he grinned.

I heard the teacher come in at that moment, and the class fell silent as the lesson began.

When I turned to brave a glance towards Eddie, he had his head down, making notes.

I turned back, laughing to myself in disbelief.

He'd actually listened to me.

*****************************************
At lunch, I walked with Eddie to the dining hall and he introduced me to everyone sitting at the table.

Their names were Dustin, Mike, Gareth, Jeff and Grant.

"So you're originally from Cali?" Dustin asked.

"Born and bred, yeah." I said.

"And you moved here." Grant said, grimacing.

"We didn't really have much choice." I said, sighing.

"I sense there's a sad story." Dustin said, with a sad expression.

"Not really.... I used to professionally skate, learned from probably the age of three onwards. I was in a lot of state and world competitions, and when you win, it pays well. It pays a lot. I'm sure I helped to buy the five bedroom house we moved out of. And when I had the ankle injury last year, finances changed." I said.

"And you had to move here." Eddie deduced.

"I feel as though there's a little resentment from my parents for it too." I said.

"How so?" Mike asked, confused.

"The cash cow isn't bringing the cash home anymore." Eddie said, with a deep sigh.

He chucked his sandwich down into his lunchbox, apparently unable to believe it.

"That's pretty much how it feels, yeah." I said, with the same disdain.

"How is that your fault?" Dustin asked.

"It's not. Potentially her parents relied on the winning. But everybody wins some and loses some." Eddie said.

"How did the injury happen?" Gareth asked.

"Hit a turn wrong during a competition in Louisiana." I said.

"Fell and it was a pretty bad break. I can roller skate, but I'll never skate on the ice again. My ankle can't take the weight from my body, on a single blade. Roller skating kind of evens that weight out on four wheels so it's easier." I said.

And I watched as they all looked at me in disbelief.

"Sorry, that was the skater talking." I said, chuckling nervously.

"I don't think I've ever thought that much into it." Mike said, clearing his throat.

"No it does make sense, scientifically speaking." Dustin said, impressed.

"Well, even though you can't land a spin much these days, your skating was still pretty impressive." Eddie said, as Gareth smirked.

"And you were there to peel me off the floor." I said, chuckling softly.

"Couldn't have you staring at the disco lights all day." Eddie said, smiling.

"They were pretty." I said, with a shrug.

"So what do you like to do for fun?" Mike asked, with a smile.

"Apart from skate." He added.

"I'm pretty boring really, I like to read, listen to music, love going to the movies, the usual stuff." I said.

"What do you guys like to do?" I asked.

"We play D&D every Thursday, we have a club." Dustin said eagerly.

"Oh really?" I asked, curiously.

"Yeah, it's called Hellfire." Mike said.

"That explains the T-shirts." I said, eyeing them all, Eddie included.

"Eddie here is our most revered Dungeon Master." Jeff said, as Eddie smiled broadly.

"And don't you forget it, man." He said.

"Wait, isn't D&D supposedly killing the kids? Or causing kids to kill other kids?" I asked.

"No sweetheart, that's forced conformity." Eddie chimed in.

"Ah that's it yeah." I answered, as he smiled.

"But seriously though, it's had a bad rep just lately." I added.

"Yes, we sacrifice virginal highschool students every Thursday, to appease our only Lord and master, Satan himself." Eddie said, in a dramatic voice.

"Sounds fun." I said, laughing.

"It's hard work, the devils work." Gareth said, as we all laughed.

"You must be avid players to have a club." I mused.

"Oh we take it very seriously." Eddie said.

"Is it members only or can anyone come along?" I asked, as they all gasped, loudly.

"Did I say something wrong?" I asked, a little concerned.

"You want to come along to Hellfire?" Dustin asked.

"No one ever wants to come along and watch." Mike added.

"Is it bad that I asked?" I asked.

Eddie smiled broadly then, and I felt my heart flutter slightly.

"I'm just curious, that's all. If you have a club, you've got to be good." I said.

"You should know Elise, flattery works with me." Eddie said.

"Good to know." 'I said, with a smirk.

"Just like she should know that you bought a second tape last week at the music store. What was it called again Gareth?" Jeff asked.

"I remember it was by The Cure." Gareth said, narrowing his eyes.

"You didn't?" I asked a newly blushing Eddie.

"I may have." He said, swallowing awkwardly.

"A Letter to Elise?" I asked him.

"Possibly....?" He said, trying to gauge my reaction.

"That's one of my favourite songs." I said.

"It is?" He asked me, his eyes now almost doe like.

"Yeah, I love the Cure." I said.

"He bought it because it has your name in." Gareth said.

"I figured, thank you." I said, laughing.

"So, this Thursday, you'll join us at Hellfire?" He asked me, changing the subject not so subtly.

"I'm there with bells on." I answered.

"But you should probably know something too." I said to Eddie, who cleared his throat.

He was awkward and was still blushing, but he tried to disguise it with a smile.

"What's that then sweetheart?" He asked, as I leaned forward across the table, towards him.

"Flattery works with me, too." I answered.

*****************************************
Throughout the course of the day, there were invites to several extra curricular clubs, an invite from a guy called Jason Carver to join the cheer squad and I was invited to a Math club, all of which I politely and vehemently turned down.

I just wanted to finish senior year, turn 18 and potentially request emancipation.

Once I turned 18, I'd have access to whatever money was left from the competitions, which I suspected wasn't a lot, as well as my trust fund, which I didn't want my parents to be able to get their hands on.

Neither had spoken to me really since we'd moved here, neither had wished me a good first day, and when I got home later that evening, neither were home at first.

And when they were, we sat at the table and ate dinner in a cold, silence.

"I had a good first day, if you were wondering." I said, pushing pasta around my plate with my fork.

"Oh that's great, Elise." My father said, not moving his eyes from his dinner plate.

"Yeah, that's really good." My mom added.

"And you guys?" I asked.

"Oh you know, works work." My father said, nonchalant.

I rolled my eyes, and rose to my feet as my fork clattered down onto my plate.

"I'm gonna go for a walk." I said, not sure if they were even listening to me anymore.

I grabbed my beige duster coat, slipped on my black docs and headed out of the front door.

And almost as if fate knew I needed someone to lend an ear in that moment, I saw a familiar face walking to a beat up van.

He turned almost immediately and greeted me with a breathtaking smile, and I sighed with relief.

"Elise, hey." He said, as I reached him.

"Hey." I said, stuffing my hands into my pockets.

"What are you doing here?" I added, as he smiled.

"Wheeler lives just down there. I was dropping his campaign book off, he left it at Hellfire last week and he'll need it for Thursday, it's his turn." Eddie said with a smile.

"Ah that makes sense." I said, sighing.

"You okay?" He asked, his smile immediately replaced with a concerned look.

"I just need a walk, I think." I said.

"Want some company?" He offered.

"I'd love some." I said, sighing.

"Where were you gonna walk to?" He asked.

"I haven't really had a chance to explore, other than the rink." I said.

"Ah, so you were just going to wander aimlessly for a while then?" He asked.

"Yeah, I was." I said, chuckling nervously.

"I know a good thinking place we can walk around. I'll drive us there though, it's a little far." He said.

"Thanks Eddie." I said, with a sincere smile.

"No problem. Parents man, who'd have 'em?" He asked, playfully.

It was an attempt to cheer me up, and it was working a little, I had to give him that.

He opened the passenger door of his van and stood aside to let me in, which I thought was very chivalrous.

I climbed in and he ran around to the drivers side, clambering in.

"Excuse the mess." He said, hurriedly as I fastened my seatbelt.

"I'm still living out of some boxes, don't even worry about that." I said, chuckling.

He pulled off from the curb, and the sounds of the Cure filled the van, and I noticed his eyes widened as he blushed.

"It's okay." I said, smiling.

"You inspired me to find it, in the music store." He admitted.

"I'm glad I inspired something in someone at least. I can't inspire a real conversation with my own parents at the moment, but I inspired you to find a tape you liked so, there's balance in the force again." I said, jokingly.

"You're a Star Wars fan?!" He asked me, surprised.

"Yeah, are you?" I asked.

"Absolutely. Dark side or light?" He asked.

"Dark side. I love a good villain." I said.

"Wow. I'm shocked." He said.

"And you?" I asked.

"Totally dark side. Vader man, he's the ultimate bad guy." Eddie said, laughing.

And I watched his confidence grow slightly as he slowly became accustomed to my sudden company, asking me more questions.

"Legend or Willow?" He asked.

"Legend. Ridley Scott is a genius." I said.

"Alien or Aliens?" I asked.

"Aliens. It's that one classic line for me." He said.

"Get away from her, you bitch!" I declared, as he laughed.

"I do prefer Alien though." I added.

"You do?" He asked.

"I'm a fan of John Hurt. Although he dies rather early on." I said, laughing.

"Lord of the Rings or the Hobbit?" He asked me.

"Lord of the Rings, hands down." I answered.

"I actually thought you were going to say neither. In my head I was thinking that if you picked one or the other you have to be too good to be true." He said.

"Why?" I asked, chuckling.

"This is new for me, to have this much in common with someone.....well, a girl at least." He said.

"Okay, answer me this then. This is crucial. At night, feet under the covers or out?" I asked.

"Are you crazy? Under the covers." He said.

"Ain't no demons getting my feet in the middle of the night." We both suddenly said in unison.

"What the fuck? This is crazy!" He cried, as we both laughed loudly.

"It's the only choice really. You've got to be a certain kind of person to dangle them over the side of the bed. Anyone who does, clearly hasn't seen the Conjuring." I said.

"I loved that film." He added.

"Is that why you keep your feet under the covers?!" I asked, excitedly.

"Yeah, I used to be one of those certain kind of people that would dangle their feet over the side of the bed. I saw that movie once, and never did it again." Eddie said.

"Makes sense. You do practice devil worship every Thursday." I said, playfully.

"This is true. It was one of his conditions. But I told our Lord and Master that it wasn't happening anymore." He said, playing along.

"Serving one demon at a time, am I right?" I asked, as he grinned.

"Absolutely." He said, as the van came to a stop.

I peered through his windshield and gasped.

"It's so pretty here. Where are we?" I asked.

"Dustin and the other sheep call this place Mirkwood. Harrington comes to skull rock here, it's his make out spot. But don't worry, I won't take you there." Eddie said, chuckling.

"Mirkwood, interesting name. Does it look like it?" I asked.

"You can see for yourself, let's go." He said, as he climbed out of his side.

Before I could reach the door handle, he had run around to my side of the van and opened it.

"M'lady." He said, bowing slightly.

"Thank you, kind Sir." I answered, climbing down.

He held his hand out for me, and I took it as I stepped down onto the ground, and he shut the door behind me.

And as we started to walk, I braved the chance to really look at him, whilst he was oblivious.

He had soft, curly brown hair that framed his face; I could see that he took pride in it, and had probably based it off one of the bands he listened to.

My money was on Dio, but also potentially Metallica.

He was wearing a leather jacket, with a denim waistcoat over the top, and there was a large patch on the back, and I could see it was Dio.

Holy Diver.

He was wearing tight black jeans, with ripped knees, and a chain hung from one of the front and back loops.

He was wearing a pair of white Reeboks, a black patterned bandana in the back pocket of his jeans and I could see several skull rings on his fingers.

I could see we had similar tastes dress wise, and it had become clear rather quickly that we also had the same interests in music and film, that for a moment I toyed with the idea of if we would be a good match.

Romantically speaking.

I brushed the thought off, thinking that he probably wasn't even remotely thinking of me like that, and then asked myself one question.

Why was I?

And as he turned to me with a broad smile and lit up eyes, gesturing to the clearing in front of us, it confirmed it.

I was starting to like Eddie Munson.
Romantically speaking.

"This is Mirkwood." He declared.

"Straight out of Tolkien..... wow." I said, in awe.

"It's good for a walk, and for thinking. I come here a lot." He said.

"You do?" I asked.

"Yeah, I need to clear my head sometimes. This place is good for that." He confirmed.

"That would be nice." I said, my voice sounding distant.

"Shall we?" He asked, as I nodded.

"Yeah, sure." I said, and we began to walk.

******************************************
Eddies POV.

I had subtly pinched myself three times now, still unable to believe that I was walking through this beautiful forest, with a beautiful girl next to me.

She'd captured me without any doubt, that evening at the roller rink, and I was still unable to believe that we had so much in common.

This never happened for me.
Girls often wanted two things from me, and not always combined.

Drugs, or sex.

Girls used me for whatever means to an end they had.
And I had often obliged; stupidly.

So much so, that I only did one of those things now.

You wanted weed? You got weed.
You wanted sex? Shop was closed, indefinitely.

I didn't want meaningless one night stands, to satiate whatever weird fantasy they had, hooking up in secret with the school freak.

I knew deep down that I was worth more than that.

I knew deep down that there was a nice girl for me somewhere, and I was toying with the idea that the girl I was looking for was walking beside me.

Romantically speaking.

I doubted she was thinking of me in that way, but there wasn't a doubt in my mind, that I was thinking that way about her, already.

I already liked her.
Romantically speaking.

"So where exactly is the precise spot you sit and have a good old think?" She asked, breaking me from my thoughts.

"Just a little further." I said, with a smile.

And when we finally reached it, she sat down almost immediately, and patted the space next to her.

"So do we just think or is there room to upgrade this to a talking spot?" She asked, as we sat close together, shoulders touching as we leaned up against a tree.

"It can be whatever you want it to be." I said, with a smile.

"I was liking finding out what we had in common. So I figured we could do that and share the joint in your pocket?" She asked, as my jaw dropped.

"How did you know?" I asked, pulling it out of my pocket.

"I'd know the devil's lettuce anywhere, Munson." She said, with a devilish grin.

"I'm impressed, new girl." I said, shaking my head in disbelief.

I did as the fine lady instructed, and lit the joint, taking a small toke before passing it to her.

"Have as much as you want." I invited, blowing the smoke from my mouth.

And with surprisingly expert hands, she took it from me and took an expertly long drag, even going as far as to hold it in for a few seconds before exhaling softly.

"You're full of surprises." I noted, as she chuckled softly.

She had another toke before passing it back to me, and as I took it from her, our hands brushed together softly and I couldn't deny the jolt of exquisite electricity that ran from my fingers and up my spine.

A small, subtle shudder from her confirmed that she'd felt it too.

"Wanna tell me what prompted the spontaneous walk this evening?" I asked, as she sighed softly.

"My parents just behave like I'm not there lately. They've always been regimental, especially when I was skating.... But lately? It's literally like I could be anywhere and they wouldn't even notice." She said.

"Man, that's rough." I said, sympathetically.

"It is what it is, I guess." She said, bowing her head slightly.

"My mom dumped me on my uncle and left. My dad's incarcerated." I said, as her expression turned sad and sympathetic.

"I'm so sorry.... Here's me complaining about my parents who might ignore me lately but they're still present and yours aren't in your life." She said.

"Don't be. My Uncle is a good guy. He's grumpy, but he raised me. That's enough for me." I explained.

"And for the record?" I added, passing the joint back to her.

"Yeah?" She inquired, curiously.

"I see you." I said, seizing the opportunity.

"You sure you don't just feel sorry for me and you're just humouring me right now?" She asked, as I shook my head.

"No, Elise. I see you." I confirmed.

And upon that brave declaration, I heard the breath catch in her chest.

"I appreciate that. More than you realise." She said.

"How about we finish this and go for a skate at the rink, to finish off the evening?" I asked.

"I don't think I've ever skated on a high." She said, chuckling softly.

"I've never been on the rink." I admitted, as she beamed.

"Count me in. This will be fun." She said, completely in.

*******************************************
We walked to the roller rink, whilst the high was in full swing and it was an interesting two hours.

In addition to being a little giddy and giggly, the disco lights were even more appealing to Elise, than they had been the previous weekend.

And as I clumsily stepped onto the rink, she glided effortlessly, as normal.

Her eyes when they weren't on me, and when she wasn't guiding me around, were fixed on the ceiling above us.

And as the soft sounds of Kate Bush faded, a familiar song suddenly played over the speakers.

I smiled broadly and she laughed as she suddenly relaxed, loosened up and let herself go.

"Is this a sign?" She asked me, pointing to the music around us.

"That your song is playing and we're here, high and skating? That you've actually gotten me onto the rink, which is no easy feat and has never actually been done before?" I asked.

"That you happened to be outside my house today, and I happened to bump into you? To go onto have a lovely night?" She asked.

"You're having a good time?" I asked her, beaming.

"Yeah, I really am. Are you?" She asked, and I noticed that she looked both nervous and hopeful.

"Sweetheart, I'm having the best night." I said, wobbling slightly on my skates.

I steadied myself, laughing nervously.

"Okay, I'm coming over there, I don't want you to fall over." She said, as she started to skate towards me.

"Don't you worry about me, you go ahead and skate, and look at the pretty lights." I said, as she smiled.

"Why don't we skate and look at the lights together?" She suggested, outstretching her hand towards me.

I took it without hesitation, and we skated together until the rink closed.

And after deciding I was okay enough to drive, we walked back to the van, laughing and joking together like we'd known each other for years.

"Okay, I got you home in one piece. Counts for something right?" I asked, as she nodded.

"It does. They won't have noticed that I aren't home yet." She said, looking down at her hands.

Instinctively, I leaned forward and reached for her clasped hands, squeezing them gently.

"You're a tough girl. I've seen it. This won't last forever. They will see you." I reassured her.

"You promise?" She asked.

I knew I couldn't exactly promise it, but I found myself longing to do whatever I could for her.

And so, I nodded with the utmost confidence, and flashed her a reassuring smile.

"I promise." I said.

*******************************************
Thursday soon came, and there was an unfamiliar buzz around the lunch table today.

Eddie for one was very revved up, I noticed.

I sat down with my lunch tray, and jumped as he brought his fist down onto the table, almost sending the contents over my white T-shirt.

I quickly sat and waved at everyone, not wanting to interrupt Eddie's conversation with a nervous Mike and Dustin.

"Sinclair has gone to the dark side, and you want to postpone the campaign of Vecna?" He asked.

"I thought it was Mikes campaign this week?" Jeff asked.

"It's uhm, not ready." Mike said, sheepishly.

"We just thought that we could postpone." Dustin said, equally sheepish.

"You didn't consider finding a sub?" Eddie asked, tossing a pretzel at him.

"Oh shit." Dustin commented, his voice a little high pitched.

"Okay, uhm.... If you need a sub and if someone could potentially teach me the basics super quickly today, couldn't I potentially sub for Sinclair?" I asked.

Eddie stared at me in total surprise as the entire table fell silent.

"You'd do that?" He asked, shocked.

"I've never played, and I guarantee you I'll likely be terrible. But if someone could just teach me the basics before the end of school, I'd sub." I said.

"I can teach you." Dustin said, hurriedly.

"Me too." Mike chimed in.

"Wait, wait. Seriously, you'd do that?" Eddie asked me again.

"Listen, I've been in Hawkins for what, 6 days now? And you guys have done nothing but make me feel welcome since I got here. You've helped me get to classes, shown me where things are, so if you need a sub, I'm happy to be. I can't promise that I will be any good because it's likely I won't be. But if I can help, I'll try." I said.

"Sinclair is gonna get his game time after all." Eddie said with a smirk.

"He is?" Dustin asked, gauging Eddie's reaction.

"He sure is." He said, before turning to me, with his hand out for me to shake.

And with the same smirk that tugged at the corner of his mouth, I shook his hand.

"Welcome to Hellfire." He said, proudly.

******************************************
After a quick change into a spare Hellfire T-shirt, loaned to me by Eddie, I was putting my bag and jacket in my locker.

I reached for the notebook I had jotted the play rules and notes down in, before feeling a presence behind me.

"You've joined the geek club, I see?"

I closed my locker, and turned around to see Billy, with a smug grin on his face.

"I'm sorry, did I need to run it past you first?" I asked, with a raised eyebrow.

"You're ruining what little reputation you have here, already. I've seen you hanging around with the freak." He said.

"He's not a freak, he's my friend." I argued.

"They're all my friends." I added.

"It's funny, but that shirt actually looks good on you. Even if it is for a geek club." He said, his eyes scanning my body.

I eyed him with a raised eyebrow, already annoyed.

"Okay, when you've quite finished gawking at me, im already late so I'm gonna go." I said, as he leaned on the lockers behind me, pushing me against them.

"I like you. I like you a lot. Go out with me tonight, it'll be fun." He said, running his tongue along his bottom lip.

"I'm good, thanks." I said, scoffing slightly.

"Come on, it'll be worth your while." He pressed.

"I said no. It's called consent. Something you're evidently unfamiliar with." I said, as he frowned.

"Are redheads all fiesty like you?" He asked.

"It has nothing to do with my hair colour, I can assure you. It's more about the fact that I've said no several times and you just have to keep trying. I'll make it easy for you, I would never put myself anywhere near you." I hissed, trying to move past him.

And in a swift movement, his hand gripped my throat and he slammed me into my locker.

I cried out, struggling against him.

"Let me go." I choked.

"No one says no to me." He hissed, his face inches from mine.

"Hey, dickhead. She just did."

I felt his hand leave my throat roughly and as my hand instinctively clutched my throat, I heard a loud crack and a thud.

I breathed heavily, trying to catch my breath.

I then looked down at my feet, to find Billy splayed on the floor, completely out cold.

Eddie was in front of me, breathless and clutching his hand.

"Are you okay?!" He asked me, hurriedly.

We found our way into each other's arms and for a moment the two of us said nothing, simply catching our breath and taking in what had happened.

"I'm okay. Are you okay?" I asked after a short while.

"Sore knuckles, I'll be fine. Did he hurt you?" Eddie asked, inspecting my neck.

"A little. Thank you...." I said, gratefully.

"I thought you might have gotten lost on your way to the AV club room, so I thought I'd head here and see if I met up with you. Didn't expect to see this." He said.

"He just won't give up. That's the second time." I said, just as Billy groaned.

I stared at Eddie for a moment as we both tensed.

"We should probably go." He whispered, as I nodded.

"I'd rather not be here when he wakes up." I whispered back.

"We'll grab the others, grab our stuff and we'll head to Wheelers house. He'll only go to AV club to find us." Eddie whispered.

"Let's go." I said, hurriedly as I saw Billy's leg move.

He took my hand and we raced to AV club, hastily telling the others the plan, and we clambered into Eddie's van.

And just as Eddie was pulling off the parking lot of the school, the rest of us sitting on the floor in the back, I heard Billy shout from somewhere outside.

"I'M NOT DONE WITH YOU, BITCH!"

"YOU TOO MUNSON!!"

"Please drive, Eddie." I whispered, horrified.

He slammed his foot on the accelerator and quickly turned to me, his eyes fixing onto mine.

"It's going to be okay, princess." He said, with certainty.

My heart fluttered slightly at the term of endearment from him, not expecting it and I found myself wholeheartedly believing and trusting him.

He turned his attention back to the road, and we raced all the way to Mikes house, before parking around the back, incase Billy had followed us.

When we were safely hidden away in Mikes basement, I sat down and the questions immediately came at me.

"Hey, hey, just give Elise a minute." Eddie barked, protectively.

"Sorry, we just wanted to know what happened and if you're okay." Dustin said, sadly.

"I'm alright, I'm okay. Billy just attempted to forcefully ask me out again and I said no." I said, waving him off.

I put my head in my hands, and sighed with frustration.

"Why does he want me to go out with him so much?" I asked no one in particular.

"Do I really need to answer that question?"

My eyes snapped up at the sound of Eddie's voice and I looked up to see him leaning casually on the table, directly opposite me.

"Please do." Dustin said, with a grin.

"Yeah, go right ahead." Jeff said, equally as amused.

"Because you're really pretty." Mike said, answering for him.

"And you have a girlfriend." Dustin remarked.

"El would just say the same." Mike said, with a shrug.

"I'm allowed to say what I see, but she's way older than me." Mike added, as though it was obvious he wasn't interested.

"I'm not that much older than you, but thank you." I said, with a smile.

"Was that what you were going to say Ed?" Gareth asked, grinning.

Eddie narrowed his eyes at me for a moment, clearly trying to figure out whether to answer or not.

After all, we had a rather eager audience and I'd anticipated that a compliment was surely coming; he just wasn't sure how it would be received.

By me, or by the guys who potentially would rib him for being honest.

"I'll start with the most obvious things first, I think." He said, like he was inspecting me.

"You're incredibly interesting, you're talented, you're funny, kind and you're nice." He said.

"Not things that I think someone like Billy values, but okay." I said, as Eddie huffed slightly.

"God dammit. Elise, you're incredibly attractive. You're fiesty, you're strong and you're beautiful. That's why he's interested." Eddie said, before tensing.

"Are you waiting for us to make fun of you?" Jeff asked.

"Possibly." Eddie said, grimacing slightly.

I, on the other hand, couldn't speak.

All I could do was stare at him, mouth agape in total disbelief.

"He's also interested because you've said no. That guy? Loves a chase. He thinks he's close to the finishing line and the prize." Eddie added.

Nope, no words came.
Nothing.

"You just became all the more appealing to him." Mike said, in agreement.

"He put his hands on me, if I'd even been stupid enough to be interested before today, I wouldn't be now." I said, finally remembering how to form words.

My eyes never left Eddie's though.

"He's a scary guy." I added.

"He's a bully. He used to bully his sister, Max." Mike said.

"He doesn't anymore. Not after she swung a bat between his legs." Dustin added.

"She stood up to him, he literally leaves her alone now." Mike said.

"I've stood up to him twice, it's not worked." I said.

"I might have something to do with all of this though. He's seen me intervene twice, now. We're making this fun for him." Eddie said.

"You knocked him out." I argued.

"Which just means he'll be on my case too." Eddie argued back.

"So maybe you should stay out of it then, he's only on one of our cases then." I said, as everyone else watched us suddenly become heated.

"If you think I'll stand by for him to ever put his hands on you like that again, you're wrong." Eddie said.

"Protecting me is only spurring him on." I argued.

"Let it." Eddie said, with a shrug.

"You want him on your back?" I asked, with a raised eyebrow.

"If it means he doesn't hurt you? Sure, why not." Eddie said, casually.

"Guys..." Dustin said, trying to break it up.

I realised I was on my feet, inches away from him and I was standing in quite a defensive stance, which had been noted by all of them, including Eddie.

"So this carries on then. What do I do?" I asked, exasperated.

"We make sure he knows that you're never going out with him." Eddie said.

"Uhm, have I not tried that twice?" I asked.

"Guys, please...." Dustin said, pleadingly.

"Just because I said that it now involves me, doesn't mean that I'm just gonna stop protecting you. If I can be there in time or if I'm around and he approaches you, you can be sure I'd step in every single time you needed me to." Eddie continued.

"Guys!" Dustin cried, but we continued to ignore him.

To us, we were the only two currently present in the room.

"It isn't going to work." I argued.

"Dammit Elise, I'd still do it, okay?!" Eddie cried, exasperated.

The entire room fell silent, which broke my gaze from him for a moment, and as I looked around the room, we were suddenly alone.

The guys had gone.

"I think I'm just gonna go..." I said, swallowing hard.

"Elise, wait..." Eddie said, as I gathered my things.

"This will not stop. I'm not arguing with you about this anymore. I'm going home." I continued, adamantly.

"Please, please wait." He begged.

"For what?" I asked, as I reached the stairs.

"I just think we'd be better together. You know, like a team? That's all I meant." Eddie said, his shoulders sagging slightly.

He sounded calmer, and he was pleading with his eyes.

I was still pretty revved up and unrelenting.

Grange stubbornness, in its full form.

"We'd be an ineffective team." I said, sighing softly.

"We'd still be a team." He argued.

"And why do you want that so much, Ed?" I asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" He asked me, the desperation evident in his voice.

"Should it be?" I asked, with wide eyes.

"Did you not hear me?" He asked, a little annoyed again.

"Which part?" I asked, sarcastically.

"Don't be a dick." He said, flatly.

"And don't push me away because I've basically admitted I like you." He added, folding his arms across his chest.

I hung awkwardly on the stairs, knowing he was right.

I chewed the inside of my lip nervously, as he slowly approached me.

"Am I not allowed to like you?" He asked, stepping even closer to me.

"I didn't say that." I answered, trying to keep my voice even.

"Okay, am I not allowed to want to protect you?" He continued, still stepping closer.

He reached the bottom stair, myself on the third stair and he gripped either bannister in his strong hands, and gazed up at me, his eyes completely trained one me, staring at me with a look I'd never seen before.

"That's a fairly useless question when you already have, twice." I said, stubbornly.

"Okay, so I'm allowed to like you and I'm allowed to protect you seeing as I clearly have already. So answer me this instead." He declared.

I swallowed nervously and a shiver ran up my spine.

I shamefully shuddered and he noticed.

I mentally cursed myself, and pressed my lips together, trying to stay calm.

"Okay?" I offered, clearing my throat.

"Do you like me?" He asked, unabashedly.

"Well I don't like Hargrove, so does that narrow it down?" I asked him, skirting around the answer.

"Oh I know you don't like Hargrove, sweetheart." He said, with certainty as he stepped up onto the next step up towards me.

He was slowly closing the gap between us and I was growing all the more nervous.

"I'm gonna ask you again. And I want you to do something for me." He said, his voice low.

"What?" I asked.

"Do you like me?" He asked.

And then he raised his finger to silence me as I parted my lips to speak.

"And I want to hear you answer me, loud and clear." He added, as I gulped slightly.

And by the time he reached the next step, I found the courage within myself to be honest with him.

"Yes." I said, clearly.

"Since when did you get so confident?" I asked him.

"I feel I can be with you." He explained.

"Why?" I asked.

And he finally stepped up onto the same step as me, careful to put his feet either side of mine as he steadied himself on the hand rail.

He leaned forward and pursed his lips at my ear.

"If you stop asking questions, I'll show you." He purred softly.

I confirmed my silence, and he confirmed his intentions a mere moment later.

His plump pink lips formed a devilish smirk before they drew back together to press softly against my own.

His hands left the bannister and I steadied him by gripping his arms, as his hands snaked around my shoulders, moving upwards to weave deftly into my hair, holding me to him.

He kissed me so softly and so slowly that my heart pounded in my chest, as I accustomed myself with the way his lips felt against mine.

And as they rocked expertly over mine, I realised that I could easily have his lips against mine all the time.

I wanted them there, all the time.

We broke apart a few moments later and he smiled at me broadly.

"They're spying on us." He whispered, as I blushed madly.

"Shit..." I whispered, grimacing.

He laughed and pecked me on the cheek, before rolling his eyes.

"Alright guys, show's over. Come down, so we can start the game." He said, chuckling softly.

"Well that was interesting, I have to say." Dustin said, with a wide smile.

"Mommy and Daddy have made up."' gareth said, as I rolled my eyes.

"We made up faster than my parents ever do." I said, as we all laughed.

"Hey, maybe they could learn something from us." Eddie said, with a casual shrug.

He might have been playing it cool for the sake of his ego, and his friends. And I may have only known him for a number of days.

But I sure noticed that sudden spring in his step.

The boy was happy.

*********************************************
Eddie's POV.

I watched happily and animatedly as the training she'd received from my eager little sheep, made me proud.

She'd picked up the basics extremely well and had even helped to make some hard but strategic decisions.

And she was impressing the sheep immensely.

I had to give Dustin and Mike credit, in addition to the fact that Elise was clearly a natural.

And even when I announced that there was no shame in running, she was still rooting for herself and for them.

She encouraged Dustin to roll during their final turn, and victory was theirs in the form of a dice roll equating to a perfect twenty.

And she smiled sweetly as I bowed in a dramatic fashion and smiled.

"Vecna is defeated. Victory, is yours." I said.

*****************************************
"Well, you're clearly a natural at D&D. Not something I was expecting." Eddie said, later that evening.

We were sitting on the roof of his van, our legs dangling over the edge, as we sat together just down from my house.

"I wasn't expecting it either." I said, as we laughed.

"Did you have fun?" He asked.

"Yeah I really enjoyed it." I answered, sincerely.

"Sinclair had better watch himself." Eddie said, as I giggled softly.

"I'm sure he's a lot better than me." I argued.

"Okay he might just be better than you. But you're far prettier, sweetheart." He said, with a smile.

"And I'd sooner look at you across the game table, than him." He added.

"Yeah, but I'm sure he'll be back next week. Why wasn't he here tonight?" I asked.

"Sinclair is on the basketball team. Turns out he was tired of being made fun of. So he tried out and got himself a spot on the team. So far, he's only got a spot on the bench but it clearly means something to him." Eddie explained.

"Who's likely to pick on him?" I asked.

"Someone you've not met yet." Eddie said, sighing softly.

"Oh god. Who?" I asked.

"His name is Jason Carver." Eddie said.

"He's the basketball captain. Sinclair has been clever, he's kept a potential enemy close. Admirable, really." He added.

"And I'm assuming that's someone else you don't get along with?" I asked.

"Not one bit. He's also friends with Hargrove." Eddie said.

"There's two of them then, Jesus." I said, sighing.

"If Jason wasn't head over heels for Chrissy Cunningham, he's just someone else who'd likely be interested in you. And between him and Hargrove, that ain't a fight I'd wanna see." He said.

"Or for you to be in the middle of." He added.

"I don't plan to be." I said.

"I know it's been a number of days, but I feel that we've really connected." He said.

"I think we have too. Over our shitty parents." I said, laughing.

"I saw you at the rink, and there were quite a few people skating around you too. But I only saw you." He said.

"And you even helped me up when I fell on my ass." I said, giggling.

"I did." He declared happily.

"Thank you for being kind to me. I haven't found this move easy, in all honesty." I said, bowing my head slightly.

"I'm actually nice you know, not mean and scary like everyone thinks I am." He said.

"You're not mean and scary. You just have a mean right hook." I said, laughing.

"You know, I feel like I've known you for years." He said.

"Maybe we have, in another life." I suggested.

"That's an interesting answer." He said, laughing.

But he'd moved closer to me, closing the small gap between us.

"This world is but a version of another, somewhere." I said.

"Quite philosophical." He said, with a raised eyebrow.

"That's because it is. It's Plato." I said, chuckling.

"You read philosophy?" He asked.

"Bits yeah." I answered.

"You're pretty smart, aren't you?" He asked, smirking.

"When I want to be." I said, smirking back.

"I wish I was smart." He mused, more to himself.

"I've seen you play D&D. Even as a newbie I could see the brain power and the strategy involved. You are smart." I corrected.

"I play guitar too." He added.

"See? I can't play guitar." I said, with a smile.

Me, Jeff, Grant and Gareth are in a band. We're called Corroded Coffin." He said, proudly.

"Wow! I'd love to see you play sometime." I said.

"We play at the Hideout every Tuesday." He said.

"Are you playing next Tuesday?" I asked.

"We are." Eddie said, with a grin.

"Would you mind if I came to watch?" I asked.

"Darlin' I was already picking you up." He said, with a grin.

"I'll be travelling with the band, I'm honoured." I said, excited.

"Don't be too excited. We play to a crowd of five drunks and it sure ain't the garden." He said, laughing softly.

"We all have to start somewhere." I said, giving him a gentle, playful nudge.

"No, you're totally right." He said, rubbing the back of his neck, as he laughed nervously.

He was humble, and he was modest.
I could see that a mile off.

"Is that the dream then? Become a rockstar?" I asked him as he grinned.

"You'd think so wouldn't you? But no, it's a dream sure, but one I'm happy to just treat as a hobby, as something I enjoy, something I like doing." He said, pursing his lips slightly.

"No, the dream I have, is to be happy in life and that whenever I look back at certain points of my time, I'm truly satisfied with the life I've had. I want to be able to say I have had a full, happy and wholesome life. A life I won't regret." He said.

Even his dream was modest.
His dream was as humble as he was.

He just wanted a good life and happiness.

"What's your dream?" He asked, when he found me smiling proudly at him.

"What?" He asked, suddenly conscious of himself.

"That's the nicest dream I've ever heard." I said, unapologetically.

"It's a tame one, come on. It's corny too." He argued, playfully.

"It's not corny." I said, firmly.

"What's your dream?" He asked me, again.

To find someone who makes me feel as happy as skating used to make me feel." I said, honestly.

"To live a good life, with a good, wholesome guy, have a couple of kids. The stereotypical American dream." I confirmed.

"That's a good dream." He said, impressed.

"It's crap, isn't it? You think my dream is crap really don't you?" I asked, as he grinned broadly.

I started to tickle his ribs and he jerked away from me, laughing uncontrollably.

"No.... No I swear.... I don't!" He said, inbetween fits of laughter.

He managed to grab my hands and the tickling ceased from the strong grip his hands had on mine and we both simply stared at each other, breathless.

"The dream right now, for me.... Is pretty simple really." He whispered, as I stared into his deep brown eyes.

"Tell me." I begged, my voice hushed.

"It would be to have the chance to kiss you again." He whispered, already leaning in.

He nuzzled his nose against mine and I caught his lips, confirming that it was too my dream, to kiss him again.

It was a more urgent kiss this time, it was about proving how much we wanted it.

I cupped his face, feeling his chiselled jaw under my fingertips as his hands moved to grip my neck through a gentle fistful of my hair.

He secured me there, not wanting me to get away and I didn't try to.

He had me.

We broke apart but remained together, with our heads touching, our eyes closed as we took the moment in.

I felt him snake an arm around my shoulders, pulling me towards him and I rested my head against his shoulder. He rested his chin on top of my head and I snaked an arm around his waist.

He absentmindedly stared down the street as his hand rubbed my arm softly, the two of us sinking into a comfortable silence.

Which he broke a short while later, to pose a single question that appeared to have been burning brightly in his mind.

"Would you be my girl, Elise?"

"I am your girl, Eddie." I replied, with certainty.

***************************************
One month later.

4 happy weeks flew by, and Eddie and I were closer than I ever could have imagined, already.

We were at the roller rink tonight, as we had been for the last four Mondays, since we'd officially started dating.

It was slowly and surely becoming a Munson - Grange tradition, and I liked it a whole lot already.

Eddie was getting better on the rink, now confidently skating around without assistance from me.

He never strayed too far though.

I'd not had the chance to see him or his band play, their gig had been cancelled last minute, so I was eagerly awaiting the reschedule.

Tonight, he was leaning on the rail, watching me skate around. I could see him but I was lost in the song playing softly over the speakers.

Island, by Miley Cyrus.

Mama told me girl smoke 'em if you got 'em,
Left my lighter back at home with all my problems
Now I'm sitting here wondering all day long....

And when the chorus hit, I was suddenly lost in the beat.

Am I stranded, on an island,
Or have I landed, in paradise....

Am I stranded, on an island......
Or have I landed, in paradise....

But no matter how lost I was, I could still feel his eyes on me.

His beautiful, brown eyes.

********************************************
Eddie's POV.

I didn't recognise the song, but Elise most definitely did.

It was fascinating, watching her roller skate around the rink, losing herself within certain songs.

It was a slow beat song, and when the chorus hit, she sped up and raised her arms as she skated around in a full circle of the rink, her eyes closed, her head tilted back, the momentum of her movements sending a gentle breeze through her fire red hair.

She was feeling the song, and it was a pleasure to watch.

Am I stranded, on an island......
Or have I landed, in paradise.......

Am I stranded, on an island,
Or have I landed in paradise....

It had a beachy, slightly casual reggae rhythm to it; it was the kind of song that I could see her driving along route 47 to, on a warm summer's day.

It sounded like summer.

Her crimson red lips formed into a wide smile as she opened her eyes, and skated over to me.

She reached the barrier of the rink and her arms wrapped around me tightly.

"Hey sweetheart, having fun?" I asked her, my lips at her ear.

"I always do here." She purred, dreamily.

"Are you hungry? I ordered some burgers and fries for us." I said.

"I am starved." She said, as her stomach rumbled.

I chuckled softly and kissed the top of her head.

"Come on, let's go eat." I said, smiling fondly at her, as I released her.

Her eyes met mine and she smiled happily, before slowly skating to the exit gate of the rink.

And as I turned back, she was blocked by someone standing by the gate, their hand firmly on the latch.

"I told you I wasn't done with you. On a nice little date with Munson I see."

Hargrove.

"This will be interesting." He said, as she stared at him, with a stony expression.

"I'd like to get past, please." She ordered, calmly.

He opened the gate for her with a smug look on his face as I stood by, waiting.

Waiting for him to reveal his evident game plan.

And she anticipated it too, because she didn't move.

"Come on out." He said, invitingly.

"You're not going to let me past you, Billy." She said, as he smirked.

"Course I'm not. Not without a dance anyway, you and me." He said, stepping onto the roller rink.

"Let her past man." I ordered, less calm and less polite.

He pushed her back and slammed the gate closed behind him.

"Can't do that man. I picked a special song for this." He said, waving at the DJ.

Only it wasn't the usual DJ.

It was Jason Carver.

He grinned from the booth and Wipeout suddenly started to play, and Hargrove started to skate in circles around her.

I could see she was watching him and his feet, and her face was unnervingly calm.

Until it suddenly dawned on me.

He was about to try and challenge a former state and world ice skating champion.

I wished him the best of luck, but remained firmly by the barrier of the rink, moving slowly to the gate.

My eyes met hers and she briefly glanced between me and the gate.

"When you say, I'll open it." I mouthed.

And she nodded once.

The plan was set.

****************************************
He tried to get to me several times, but I just kept on out manoeuvring him.

"Come on baby, don't be like that." He said, with a crooked smile.

Not answering him, he made a desperate grab for me, unsteady on his skates and I slapped his hand away, unfaltering on mine.

He went to reach for me again and I ducked, skating past him in a crouched position.

I rose back upright, now behind him, skating backwards away from him.

He turned clumsily, and I could see the sweat forming on his brow.

"I just wanna dance." He said, as I shrugged.

"I don't want to dance with you. Besides, I'm sure you said you weren't done with me yet. Sounded more like a threat than an invitation to dance." I said, calmly.

He started to skate towards me and I weaved in and out of his way every time he reached for me.

"Why are you so good at this?" He asked, frustrated.

"I come here a lot." I said, casually as I leaned into the upcoming corner.

"You're skating fucking backwards." He said, flustered.

"You're observant." I said, with a raised eyebrow.

"Yo Billy! What's taking so long dude? Grab her!" Jason cried over the mic.

I braved a glance over to the DJ booth, just to see Eddie wrench the mic from Jason's grip and throw him from the booth by the scruff of his neck.

I turned my attention back to Billy who was having trouble keeping up with me.

He tried to grab me with both arms, as I tucked myself down and skidded past him across the rink on my knees to the opposite side, before spinning and climbing deftly back onto my feet.

As I approached the gate, Eddie was there again, his eyes trained on me.

"What the fuck?!" Billy cried, angrily.

Eddie flung the gate open and I sailed through it and we closed the gate behind us.

Billy reached us just as we slid the lock shut, our faces close to his.

"You just tried to take on a former state and world ice skating champion. And you lost... miserably. My girl isn't interested in you, nor will she ever be. So take you bruised little ego and your shitty little jock friends, and run along home now." Eddie said.

"Oh Munson, the things I'm gonna do to you, and your girl." Billy threatened.

Whilst he was making threats, I had subtly tugged my foot out of one of the skates, and seized the opportunity to kneel down for it, when he grabbed a fistful of Eddie's T-shirt.

Confident that Eddie had it under control, I tightened my grip on the skate in my hand and carefully leaned forward to slowly slide the lock on the gate, open.

And in perfect timing and sync, Eddie shoved Billy back and he rolled onto the rink again.

He bumped into another skater and was momentarily distracted and I decided this was my chance.

This was my moment to stand up to him once and for all. This would be the last time he'd make an unwanted advance towards me.

"Hey Billy!" I shouted, skating into the rink, the skate firmly in my raised hand.

He turned and I clipped him hard on the side of his head.

And instead of falling, he grabbed me and pulled me to him with a strength I'd never felt and pushed his face against mine.

"I like it rough." He sneered, as I raised my hand again.

He grabbed my hand and twisted it back, causing me to cry out.

"Elise!" Eddie cried, from somewhere behind me.

I saw Eddie's ringed fingers grab a fistful of Billy's collar, trying to prise him off me just as I decided enough was enough.

"How's this for you then huh?" I hissed before head butting him clean between his eyes.

And he sank like a rock at my feet.

I stood over him as he writhed on the floor, dazed and disoriented.

"You stay away from me, you hear?" I shouted, as Eddie came to stand by my side, holding me by the shoulders.

"Say you'll stay away from me, from us." I demanded.

Billy's eyes met mine and he suddenly seemed unnerved.

"SAY IT!" I roared angrily.

"Yes! Yes I'll stay away from you.... I got it." He said.

"No one saw nothing! You hear?" Jason cried, as he and his other goons peeled Billy off the rink floor and carried him out.

"The cops come knocking, no one saw shit!" He yelled, and when I was sure they were gone, Eddie immediately turned to me, as I crumbled and clutched my head.

"I thought they'd never leave." I groaned, doubled over.

"Jesus Elise, that was some head butt." Eddie said, his hand rubbing my back softly.

"Let me see." He urged, softly as I straightened up and turned to face him.

"It looks a little red." He noted as I sighed softly.

"I wonder if that was enough...." I said, more to myself.

"Listen Van Damme, if you'd have asked him to say Mité, he would have done." Eddie said, playfully.

"Shut up..." I groaned as he wrapped his arms around me, moving me off the rink.

He closed the gate behind us and he sat me down at a booth.

"We should get out of here though, in case anyone did call the cops." He said.

"Little late for that." Someone said from behind us.

Eddie's eyes widened and he cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Hopper, hey." Eddie said, trying to be calm.

"Did either of you see anything?" He asked.

"No." I said, gulping slightly.

"So everyone in here is suddenly blind and can't tell us why Billy Hargrove has a pretty nasty busted nose?" Hopper asked.

"With him there's always a reason, it's just never good." Eddie remarked.

"You'd know that huh?" Hopper asked him, with a raised eyebrow.

"Everyone knows that." Eddie argued.

"Okay, I'm gonna just come right out with it. I don't know what's happened, but you've got a pretty red forehead so I'm gonna go out on a limb and say you head butted him." Hopper said, turning to me.

"We didn't see anything." Eddie argued as I cast him a knowing glance.

"Would it help to jog your memory if I said I wasn't going to arrest anyone for it?" Hopper said, rolling his eyes.

"Why wouldn't you be arresting anyone, it would be assault?" Eddie asked.

"Because he's the biggest troublemaker in Hawkins. He's got a rap sheet as long as his arm." Hopper said.

"What are you saying exactly?" I asked, frowning.

"That this wasn't an unprovoked attack. Whatever he did, I'm pretty sure he instigated it." Hopper explained.

"That's a little biased." I remarked, in disbelief.

"I'm the chief of police." He replied, flippantly.

"Okay, it was me." I answered, with a shrug.

"That's fine." He said, before looking at Eddie.

"You still sticking with not seeing anything?" He asked.

"With these cynical eyes, are you kidding me?" Eddie asked, dramatically and sarcastically.

"That's what I thought." He said, with a deep sigh before turning back to me.

"Wanna tell me why you planted your forehead on Hargrove?" He asked.

"It's like you said, he's trouble." I said, with a shrug.

"Has he been harassing you?" Hopper asked.

"This isn't your first rodeo with Hawkins' brutal lothario is it?" Eddie asked.

"I'd be lying if I said it was." Hopper said, sighing.

"He's an animal." I said.

"That he is. Considering I'm not arresting you tonight I'm just gonna ask that you do one thing." Hopper said.

"What?" I asked.

"Keep out of his way." Hopper said.

"I don't think he's bothering her again, anytime soon." Eddie said, with a grin.

"And get that checked out." Hopper grumbled, pointing casually to my forehead.

"Always good to see you, Hop." Eddie called after him as he walked off.

"Keep your head down, Munson." He called back.

******************************************
An hour later I found myself perched on top of Eddie's trailer kitchen counter, whilst he held a towel filled with ice to my head.

"Okay, how did you learn to headbutt like that?" He asked me, as I groaned slightly.

"I've watched far too many Van Damme movies." I said.

"So was I right then?" He asked, excitedly.

"I like an action movie, what can I say?" I said, airily.

"Honestly?" He asked, as I shook my head.

"Yes, and no. I like Van Damme movies, any other action movie I'm not fussed about." I said.

"It's hard to do that and not hurt yourself." Eddie mused.

"I did hurt myself." I pointed out.

"And almost knocked him out. Princess, he was down. He was on the floor." Eddie said, laughing softly.

"I just wanted him to leave me alone, to leave us alone." I said.

"That was on parr with his sister. I think he got the message." He said, smiling.

"Jason's not totally off the table though." He added.

"Yeah, he seems like someone we could handle though. He's a sheep." I said.

"The bad kind." Eddie said, in agreement.

"Not like your little sheep." I said.

"How's that feeling now, kick-boxer?" He asked.

"You can't headbutt in kickboxing." I said.

"How do you know all of this?" He asked, in disbelief.

"I wanted to do it when I was a kid." I said, with a shrug.

"Wanted to? You never did?" He asked.

"My mom felt that ice skating was more feminine." I said.

"Oh." Eddie said.

"I wanted to skate too, I wanted to do both." I explained.

"But my mom kinda had the dream of me skating so doing both wasn't really an option at the time. But that never stopped my interest in it, for a long while. I read things, watched movies, etc." I continued.

"You've really not been on the ice for over a year?" He asked.

"No. It was a bad fall. It was a bad injury. My ankle won't take it." I said, sadly.

"Roller skating makes up for it a little, at least?" He asked.

"I love our roller rink Mondays." I said, as he smiled.

"I do too." He said.

"We never got to eat." He added, remembering.

"Still hungry?" He asked, as I nodded.

"I'll see what I can rustle up here then. Why don't you pick a movie, sit down on the sofa and just hang out with me whilst I cook?" He suggested.

"I'd love to." I said, smiling.

He helped me down from the kitchen counter and I replaced his hand with mine, holding the ice towel in place on my head.

There was a lingering moment between us, and he smirked.

"What is it?" I asked.

"I was just remembering how you said we'd be an ineffective team. After tonight, I'm thinking that's not so true anymore." He said.

"I'd be inclined to agree." I said, with a grin.

"Just please never headbutt me." He said, jokingly.

"What if you deserve it?" I asked, just as playfully.

"Just shout at me instead." He bargained.

"Okay, I can do that." I said, chuckling softly.

He leaned forward, and pressed his soft lips on mine.

He pulled away, and his thumb caressed my chin softly for a moment.

"You truly are full of surprises. You're gonna keep me on my toes, aren't you?" He asked, as his lustful eyes narrowed softly.

"I'm gonna try my best." I said, removing the ice pack from my head. I set it down on the counter behind me and he took the opportunity to snake his arms around me.

He stared hard into my eyes, searching my gaze, his expression one of intensity.

I'd never been looked at this way.
Ever.

And like gravity pressed us together, the next moment we were in each other's arms, kissing each other deeply and meaningfully.

As he had done before, he gently gripped my neck through a fistful of my hair, and his body pressed against mine. I could feel his racing heart against my own, and I could hear our heavy breathing in between kisses.

He broke from me, and our foreheads touched gently together, as we breathed heavily, the two of us a little worked up.

"If I kiss you again, I'm not sure I'll stop." He whispered, as I laughed, breathlessly.

"I wouldn't stop you." I whispered back, teasingly.

"Why?" He asked, as I ran my hands down his forearms, his hand still holding my neck, through my hair.

"Surely this chemistry and attraction is acutely obvious to you too?" I asked, as his eyes watched my mouth for a moment.

"I may have noticed." He said, playfully.

"What were you thinking of cooking?" I asked him.

"Why would that matter?" He asked, a little distracted as one of his hands came to rest over my heart.

He listened to it pound, as I smiled.

"Just answer the question." I said, laughing softly.

"Grilled cheeses." He said.

"They don't take long to make." I deduced as he shook his head.

"What's the plan then?" He asked, witn a seductive tone.

And without a word, I turned and his hand slid down to cup one of my breasts and a low sigh of satisfaction left his mouth so sweetly, I felt my knees buckle slightly.

He noticed, and held me upright, squeezing my breast softly.

"Talk to me. What's the plan?" He asked.

"When does your Uncle get home?" I asked, as he kissed my neck softly.

"Tomorrow morning." He said, against my skin.

And upon that declaration, my hands fumbled with the belt on his jeans in a hurried fashion, and his hands followed suit, working on my own.

In unison, we pushed our jeans off each other's hips and he knelt down in front of me, pulling them down my legs and off my feet, slipping his own off before sliding his hands up my legs softly. His fingers traced my black panties, his head tilted back as his eyes stared into mine.

I leaned back against the kitchen counter on my elbows, as his fingers reached out to trace the hem and I pushed my hips forward, towards him.

He took the invitation immediately and pressed a soft kiss against the fabric of my underwear, before he slid his fingers underneath either side and slid them down my legs.

He leaned down, manoeuvring my feet out and tossed them delicately to one side.

He leaned back upright, and lifted himself off his knees, and when one hand reached the inside of my thigh, he gently pushed my legs apart, his lips kissing my skin.

My head tilted back and my eyes closed, a soft moan of satisfaction escaping my lips.

That very same moan turned into a strangled gasp, as his mouth kissed the rosebud mound in between my legs.

I felt him part his lips and his tongue stroked me gently, as he silently gauged my reaction.

I bowed my head to suddenly meet his eyes, as he stared up at me.

His tongue began to dance and I gripped the kitchen counter, the moans falling from my lips like liquid.

He encouraged me to lift a leg and I propped myself up with my foot on his shoulder, pressed shamelessly against the kitchen counter, my chest heaving.

I bit down hard on my bottom lip, fighting with myself, and he stopped to look at me with a lustful gaze.

"Don't keep them from me. I want to hear them. All of them, princess." He whispered.

I nodded hurriedly, a furrow of pleasure forming in my brow.

"Open your legs wider for me." He instructed softly as he moved upwards, lifting me onto the counter.

He encouraged me to lie down, and he pressed a palm flat down onto my stomach, continuing the delicious assault on my core.

My legs fell open then and as my head tilted back against the counter, the pleasure was blinding and I knew he could tell.

He was listening to every sound I made.

"I just want these exquisitely athletic legs wrapped around me, whilst I'm inside you baby girl...." He said, his breath hot against me.

"I want to see all of you...." He continued as he gripped my hips, holding me against his mouth.

He placed a deep kiss onto me and my back arched painfully, as I let out a strangled cry.

"Oh god....." I choked out.

His tongue traced a number of fast circles and I felt myself shudder, as my breathing quickened.

It was happening.

Oh this was happening, and I was powerless to stop it.

I didn't want to stop it.

He removed his mouth and came to arch over me, replacing his tongue with a single finger and I was overcome.

He watched me unravel before him, in a series of shaky, shamefully loud cries.

"You're beautiful, baby." He said, his expression full of desire and arousal, as he pushed his boxers down off his hips and they fell to the floor.

He stepped out of them and pulled his T-shirt roughly over his head, as I shuffled to the end of the counter.

"Here?" He asked, as I pulled him to me by my legs as they snaked around his waist.

"For now." I said, biting down on my bottom lip.

I raised my arms either side of my head and he pulled my T-shirt over my head, gasping at the sight of my breasts as they sat snugly in the marching black bralet I was wearing.

It didn't take him long to unhook it single handedly, as his mouth kissed mine, my hands weaving into his hair.

He leaned me back slightly, discarding my bra before pulling me further to the edge by my hips.

I held onto the edge of the counter and felt him slide into me, and we came together in a mass of limbs.

He thrusted against me and I dug my nails into his back as he picked up the pace almost immediately.

It was hurried, and it was passionate.
It was sloppy at times, but I enjoyed every minute of it.

And when my back started to slam against the edge of the counter, I didn't care.

I wanted this, I wanted this all of the time.

His hands touched differently to anyone else who's ever touched me; they touched me with care, with kindness and with feeling.

During our first month together, we'd been on some lovely dates, we'd spent time together, we'd laughed, we'd joked, we'd gotten to know each other, we'd opened up to each other, just not in this way.

Until now.

Now I was completely naked, in every sense of the word.

And he was listening to not only every sound I made, but he was listening to what my body was telling him. And as the sweat started to inch from the top of my head and down to my toes, he was learning everything about me.

He was learning what I liked, from the urgency of my touch, from my breathing, from the difference in pitch of the moans that I couldn't stop from tumbling out of my mouth and his eyes rarely left mine for the entire duration.

Eddie Munson, was beautiful.
He was painfully attractive; even more so now, as we had passionate, spontaneous, heat of the moment sex in the middle of his uncle's kitchen.

And when we climaxed together, myself for the second time, we slid down the counter onto the kitchen floor into a heap of sweating, trembling limbs.

He insisted on being a gentleman and he guided me into his room, the two of us still naked, and we lay on his bed together, facing each other.

"Was that okay for you?" He asked me, toying with a strand of my hair.

"It was amazing.... Was it okay for you?" I asked.

"Everything I hoped for." He admitted, with a crooked smile.

"Can I ask you something?" I asked suddenly.

"Of course." He said.

"It might kill the mood though." I said.

"Elise, what do you wanna know?" He asked, chuckling softly.

I held his chin softly, stroking his bottom lip with my thumb and sighed.

"Why didn't Hopper like, caution me or take me down to the station? Technically it was assault." I said.

"Billy has a reputation, for being a bully. He's always causing trouble. His dad is abusive too. His sister Max, is Sinclair's girlfriend and even she had to stand up to him for him to leave her alone.... Hopper knows what he's like. Someone likely squeaked as soon as he arrived, he probably already knew what had happened. Hop appreciates when someone stands up to someone else, he doesn't like bullies either. If anything, you could have Billy arrested for harassment." Eddie said.

"You defended yourself. Hopper knew that." He added.

"He's not gonna change his mind and turn up at my house to arrest me?" I asked.

"No. Besides, I was going to ask you to stay over tonight, here with me." He said, as I smiled broadly.

"Really?" I asked, a little excitedly.

"I mean it's not the Hilton so don't get too excited. But I do owe you dinner and I'd really love it if you stayed with me tonight. I can drive you to school tomorrow." He said.

"I have no clothes for school." I said, grimacing slightly.

"Well we could get up early and take you home to change and then go to school. Or...... I can loan you a band tshirt and some boxers, you could wear your jeans that are still on the kitchen floor, and you could shower here?" He asked, giving me options.

"I'll take the second option please. I have a brush and make up in my school bag and that's in your van." I said.

"No problem at all, princess." He said, with a refreshing smile.

"You wanna take a shower now? I'll fetch your bag for when you get out and I'll make us those grilled cheeses I promised?" He offered.

"Can you just lie with me here for five more minutes?" I asked, shuffling to be closer to him.

"How about I lie here for ten?" He offered, as I cuddled up to him, craving the closeness.

"Yeah, that sounds good." I mused, with a satisfied smile.

He welcomed me in his arms, and his fingers traced circles into my naked back as his eyes stared into mine, the both of us in a comfortable silence.

"I could get awfully used to you being my girl, Elise." He whispered, as my hands toyed with one of his curly locks.

"You'd better, because I am." I said, giggling softly.

*******************************************
Eddies POV

Whilst Elise was in the shower, I picked up our clothes, folding her jeans and placing them on the ottoman at the foot of my bed. I rummaged through my drawers and pulled out one of my old Dio T-shirts, remembering the first time I'd ever seen her, wearing a Dio T-shirt of her own.

It'd be a little big on her, but I knew she'd look perfect in it. I folded it and placed it on top of her jeans along with a pair of black boxers.

I rummaged again, pulling out a faded Metallica T-shirt and another pair of boxers, for her to wear to bed.

I placed them outside of the bathroom door, knocking on and letting her know they were there, before heading out to fetch her bag from my van.

Choosing politely not to look into her bag to retrieve her brush, I set her back down next to her clothes by the bathroom door and wandered into the kitchen to make the grilled cheeses.

A little while later, she wandered into the kitchen to me, dressed in the T-shirt and boxers I'd laid out for jee, absentmindedly brushing her wet hair, humming a familiar song.

"You're a fan of the Smashing Pumpkins too?" I asked her, as she smiled and nodded.

"I am." She said, leaning on the counter.

I placed a plate down in front of her with a grilled cheese toastie in the centre and she sighed softly.

"That smells good." She said.

"Bon appetit, princess." I replied, with a grin.

"Thank you." She said, smiling.

And as she wandered over to the sofa with me, she was singing softly, to my amusement.

"Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage...."

"You know, not all Billy's are bad." She mused.

"Billy Corgan is an underrated genius." I said, in agreement.

"You wanna watch a movie?" I asked, as she shook her head.

"I was hoping you'd maybe play me a song?" She asked.

"You saw the guitar." I said, hesitantly.

"I did. She's a beauty." She remarked.

"And I haven't heard you play yet." She added.

"No that's fair." I said, laughing.

"And then maybe read to me?" She asked, as I raised an eyebrow.

"What would you like me to read?" I asked as she smiled innocently.

"You saw the Hobbit on my nightstand too, didn't you?" I asked her as she bounced on the sofa excitedly.

"I did." She said, as I couldn't help but chuckle at her.

"Absolutely princess." I said, as she beamed.

And so when we'd finished eating, we wandered into my bedroom after we'd tidied up and I closed the door behind us, securing us in our own little safe haven.

She sat opposite me cross legged as I played her a song, one of her choosing.

Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd.

And then she burrowed under my bed covers, and curled up to me, secured by my arm and I read her a few chapters of the Hobbit.

She stopped asking questions after a while, which I expected as she was more of a fan of Lord of the Rings but I realised it was because she'd fallen asleep.

She was beautiful, even when she slept.

I closed the book and placed it on my night stand before turning off my bedside lamp.

I burrowed under the covers with her and wrapped my arms around her, pulling her sleeping frame to me.

She murmured softly, responding to me in sleep and nestled herself into me.

I fell asleep to the sounds of her breathing, contentment and tiredness washing over me.

She was rapidly becoming everything I wanted.
And I was going to work hard and do everything I could, to keep her.

I'd be a fool to let her go.

********************************************
The walk into school the next day was a little daunting and I could tell Eddie had sensed my nervousness.

I wasn't looking forward to seeing Billy Hargrove or Jason Carver.

Or any of his goons.

"It's gonna be okay either way." Eddie had said to me, as he snaked an arm across my shoulders, kissing the side of my head softly.

I believed him but it still didn't make me feel any less uneasy.

"And you look real pretty today." He whispered in my ear, as I relaxed a little, giggling softly.

I knew he was happy to see me wearing his Dio T-shirt to school. It was a little oversized and I'd tucked it into my jeans. My hair was tied up in a messy bun with my bangs and a few side pieces loose around my face.

"Thank you baby...." I said, as he beamed at me.

"Oh I like that..." he said, a little excitedly.

A blush crept across the bridge of his nose and I smiled broadly.

"You do?" I asked.

"No one's ever called me that." He said, as I brought us both to a stop outside the entrance doors.

"And that's a real fucking shame, Eddie Munson."'I said, before wrapping my arms around his neck.

He held me to him, smiling down at me.

"We're in everyone's way." He said, chuckling softly.

"Do you care?" I asked, as his smile widened into a broad grin.

"Not one fucking bit." He whispered before his mouth covered mine. I stood on my tiptoes, crushing him against me and pushed him against the school door.

"Morning guys!"

We broke apart to see Dustin, with a crooked, goofy grin on his face.

"Hey you." I said, releasing Eddie from my embrace.

"Henderson, my favourite little butthead." Eddie greeted him, pulling him into a one armed bone crushing hug.

"Eddie, you know I haven't got the best or the most bones, so could you possibly go easy on the ones I do have?" Dustin asked, as I ruffled his hair softly.

"Let him go, Munson." I ordered.

Eddie released him and mumbled a quick apology.

"You wanna tell me what happened yesterday?" He asked, as I groaned, regretfully.

"My brother is what happened."

A red haired girl appeared at Dustin's side, and eyed me with fierce green eyes and I gulped loudly.

"Oh don't worry, I'm not mad. Shit head always asks for it." She added, hurriedly.

Her eyes had immediately softened and I realised that her anger wasn't towards me, it was towards Billy.

"I wanted to see for myself." She added.

"See what?" I asked, hearing Eddie chuckle behind me.

"She wanted to see the girl who busted her brother's nose." Eddie said, from behind me.

"Precisely. You did a good job." She said, smiling broadly.

"Sorry, what's your name?" I asked, a little embarrassed.

"Max Mayfield." She said.

"Sinclair's girlfriend, I remember. So you have the misfortune of Billy Hargrove as your brother?" I asked her, relaxing a little.

"I do. I think you're safe, I can't say that he'll be bothering you again. He's pretty sheepish right now, he didn't get up for school this morning." She said.

"Think you busted more than just his nose." Dustin said, beaming.

"Oh yeah you definitely obliterated his ego, that's for sure." Max said.

"I'm lucky I didn't get arrested." I said.

"By Hopper? Pfft, please." Dustin said, waving me off casually.

I glanced over at Eddie, who raised an eyebrow at Dustin, as surprised at his casual attitude as I was.

"Oh no I don't mean that he isn't capable of arresting you, because he absolutely is. I just mean that if Billy is involved, he usually knows who the instigator is." Dustin added.

"He's just a bully." Max said.

"Ain't that the truth." I said, with a sigh.

"Well, it was nice to meet you, and finally put a face to the name." Max said, smiling.

"You too. I heard you stood up to him quite effectively yourself." I said, smiling broadly.

"You have to. But he steers real clear of me now." She said, before throwing us a wave.

"Well see ya!" She called, as we waved back.

"Hey didn't she say he hadn't gotten up for school today?" Dustin asked, looking over my shoulder.

"Yeah, why?" Eddie asked as I followed Dustin's gaze to see Billy charging down the parking lot towards us.

When he reached us and met my gaze, he gave me a look I hadn't seen from him yet.

He might have been walking aggressively, but when his gaze fell on me, his expression turned to an almost sheepish, regretful one.

His under eyes were purple and he had a splint across his nose.

He avoided my gaze as he walked past me but managed a cold stare towards Eddie.

"I wasn't expecting that." I said, as Eddie hummed slightly.

"Hmmm.... See I was." He said.

"You were?" I asked, surprised.

"You put him on his ass. In his mind, a girl put him down. He's embarrassed." Eddie said.

"Still has a problem with you though." Dustin remarked.

"He's always had a problem with me. Services to resume as normal." Eddie answered.

"Apparently so." I said, frowning slightly.

"We should go, we're gonna be late." I added, as Eddie snaked his arm around my shoulders again, and encouraged me inside.

"The worst of it is over. And you've seen him now. Everything will be okay." He said to me, in a low voice.

"I sure hope so." I answered, with a sigh.

******************************************
By lunchtime, Billy was practically incensed with all the stares and all the questions.

I braved a glance his way to see that he was sitting at Jason's table, with his fists balled tight in front of him, his jaw clenched together.

And when he met my eyes, he looked away almost immediately.

I don't know why, but I was starting to feel guilty.
I knew I didn't need to; I felt it said a lot about my character if anything.

I wasn't a bad person, I didn't make a habit of hurting people.

But I'd hurt anyone who threatened me or made me feel threatened. He had tried to come onto me several times and despite me saying no each time, he had persisted regardless.

He had disregarded my right to choose and my right to consent and had harassed me for days.

Ultimately, he was lucky I hadn't asked to press charges for harassment.

But it was a little hard to see him having such a hard time with a girl both rejecting him and hitting him.

I felt remorse for having to resort to such a drastic action but I hadn't done it lightly.

"The guilt is normal, Elise." Eddie said to me, breaking both my gaze and my thoughts.

"Huh?" I asked, a little confused.

"I said, the guilt you're feeling is normal, sweetheart." He said, his voice soft and sympathetic.

"I shouldn't feel bad. He didn't when he put his hands on me. I'm trying to remember that." I said.

"You feel guilty because you're not a bad person." He corrected.

"It should never have gone that far. But he's an extreme person." Jeff said, in agreement.

"He's a mess." Gareth said, as I bowed my head slightly.

"He's a mess because of what he did. Anyone else would have just done the same." He added, sounding apologetic.

"He's pissed because it's all anyone's been talking about today." Dustin said, reassuringly.

"Whatever is up with him, is his problem." Grant added.

They were being so painfully kind, that I believed the reality of what I'd actually done, finally hit me like a ten ton truck and tears began to fall down my face.

"Hey... hey sweetheart... it's okay." Eddie said, realising.

He pulled me to him, holding me gently, a look of concern and worry flashing across his face.

"You guys are really sweet..... and I know I did what I had to.... But I guess I feel shitty about it." I said.

"He only feels shitty because he can't say a guy did it." Eddie said.

"Exactly, that's all his problem is. He was bested by a girl. In front of his friends. And now everyone's asking him questions." Dustin said.

"Don't feel bad for having to do what you did. He wasn't going to leave you alone. Not even when he knows you're with Eddie." Jeff said.

"He's a world class asshole." Mike interjected.

I tried to listen, but I felt ultimately like I'd done wrong.

And when I cast a glance over at Billy, he was looking straight back at me.

And the expression on his face, wasn't what I expected.

Remorse.

Remorse, mixed with anger.

*******************************************
After school, I told Eddie that I had to go home to sort a few things but that I'd see him later on.

It wasn't a complete lie; I just wasn't going home.
Not immediately anyway.

I drove through the neighbourhood, nervous and anxious but wanting to do the right thing.

And as I walked up the driveway and knocked on the door, I felt alittle nauseous.

I could hear loud music and I had to generously knock on the door, but he soon answered, and was surprised to see me.

He stared hard at me for a few seconds before donning his usual persona, and sighed.

"Max isn't home." He said, sounding bored.

He was leaning casually on the doorframe and he couldn't meet my eyes.

"I'm actually here to see you." I said.

"Is that right? Can't see that we'd have anything to talk about." He said, laughing in disbelief.

"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for head-butting you." I said.

And that's when his head turned sharply towards me, a look of surprise etched across his face.

"The guilt.... It's eating away at you isn't it?" He asked, his tone soft with shock.

"I don't make a habit out of hurting people. I did what I felt I had to, in the moment. What you did, pushed me to fight you." I said.

And never being one to accept his involvement in anything, he was quick to change both demeanour and body language.

"You think this will ease your conscience?" He asked.

His tone had also changed now. He was taunting me.

"I'm doing what needs to be done." I said.

He leaned up off the doorframe, and I could see tears in his eyes. He was angry, and I wanted to say, offended.

But my apology had had some effect on him and I knew that he had heard it, but his defence mechanism was to be a brute, a bully and a hard ass. His defence mechanism was to generally be mean.

And when he was feeling vulnerable, it was obvious that this was how he often dealt with it.

"And I see you, I see what you're doing." I added.

"Oh you do?" He asked, cockily.

"This is how you fight, when you're vulnerable." I said.

"Don't pretend you know me." He snapped, as a tear rolled down his face.

"I know people like you. I can tell that you haven't had it easy with your dad. I think you've waited a number of years for a sorry from him that never came. People have never apologised to you, for anything they've done to you. That's why you act the way you do. It's all you've ever been shown. My parents? They're cold, regimental and I'm invisible to them. I was like that for a while myself, but I'm learning that I don't have to be." I said.

"You don't have to be like your father. You can be a nicer brother. You can be a nicer guy. And you can take it when a girl says no. Because there will be girls who say no. Whether you like it or not." I added.

His facial expression suddenly softened and I could see a glimmer of the boy who had gone years just wanting someone to show him something other than hate and abuse. To show him love, care and kindness.

He was hesitant, and seemed a little sad.

"And you? You're still one of those girls?" He asked, sniffing back tears. A small smile crept across his lips fleetingly, as I relaxed a little.

I'd gotten through to him.

"I am. I'm sorry but I am. But that doesn't mean the next girl will be." I said, reassuringly.

"You don't need to feel any guilt. I deserved it." He said, clearing his throat.

He wiped his face free of the tears that had fallen and I sighed sadly.

"You deserve better. And you'll get better, when you don't close yourself off to it. Just stop bullying people into doing what you want. Your friends are scared of you, they're only loyal to you because of that. Don't you want friends who like you because they want to?" I asked.

"You'd already got me listening." He said, which was his way of telling me to drop it.

It was his way of saying he'd heard enough.
I accepted that and outstretched my hand to him, as a peace offering, hoping that he'd accept it and we could just draw a line.

Call a truce.

"I just wanna graduate, enjoy the rest of highschool with my new friends before I do, file for emancipation and then get the hell out of here." I said, hoping he'd heed the pleading in my voice.

My hand still outstretched for him to take.

"Emancipation?" He asked.

"You're not the only one with asshole parents." I said, chuckling nervously.

"I have an asshole dad. And a mom who abandoned me because of my asshole dad." He said, chuckling just as nervously.

"You're not him. And you don't have to be." I reminded him.

"Understood." He said, taking my hand.

He shook it firmly before giving me a hard stare.

"Just don't tell anyone about this whole conversation." He added.

"Wouldn't dream of it." I said.

"I'll leave you be, from now. Can't promise anything with Carver. And for the record? Uhm, you and Munson.... You seem good together." He said, as I noticed that it pained him still, to be this honest.

"He's a good guy... the best. He's not as mean and scary as people think. He's painfully kind and sweet." I said.

"Alright Grange, I don't need you to convince me to date him." Billy said, sarcastically.

"If you try to, we'll have an even bigger problem than the last one." I said, jokingly.

"Get the fuck out of here now, I have better things to do than to stand here and be all sappy with you." He said, gruffly.

I took it as the peace treaty having been verbally signed and agreed and took that as my cue to leave.

"See you around." I said.

"Yeah, I'm praying that I don't." He said, before kicking the door shut behind him.

And as I walked back to my car, I smiled to myself and felt the weight leave my shoulders.

It was freeing, accepting the responsibility that I'd had to resort to such measures in order for him to leave me alone.

I'd done it for all the right reasons, even if it didn't make my actions right.

But I felt better. And I had a feeling that the remainder of our highschool year would be Billy free.

Jason on the other hand, was a different story.

I'd cross that bridge when I came to it.

*********************************************
"You went there and you went alone? Are you out of your mind?"

Yeah, I'd been expecting this.

"I'm fine, Eddie." I said, insistent.

"Oh well that's okay then. I could have at least come with you. I'd have parked down the street so he didn't see me. What if he hadn't accepted your apology?" He asked.

"I wasn't planning on leaving his doorstep until he had." I said, not wanting to outwardly admit that I hadn't quite thought that far ahead.

"You didn't need to apologise to him, for anything you did. If anyone needed to be sorry, it was him. For putting his hands on you, twice." Eddie said, pacing his living room.

"I felt that I did." I argued back.

"Has it eased your conscience?" He asked, a little sarcastic.

"Quite." I snapped.

"Good, something good did come of it then. That's a relief." He snapped back.

"I did what I felt I needed to. And that's it." I said, with a shrug.

"He's a fucking maniac. He's a dangerous guy." Eddie argued.

"You went to his house, alone. I admire the thought process and I admire the fact that you wanted to put your part in this right, but what if he'd hurt you again?" He asked me.

"I have mace in my bag." I said.

"What if you didn't get the chance to grab it?" He argued.

"You owed him nothing." He added.

"I owed it to myself." I argued.

"My god you're fucking stubborn." He snarled, exasperated.

"And you don't have to be my knight in shining armour every single time Eddie." I shot back.

"I don't have to be, you're right about that. But damn Elise, I want to be! I always want to be!" He cried.

"And you are that to me. But sometimes I can handle myself." I said.

"Are you my girl Elise?" He asked me suddenly.

"Why are you even asking me that?" I asked, confused.

"Just fucking answer me." He snapped, angrily.

"Hey! Hey.... Don't talk to me like that." I said.

"Are you my girl, Elise?" He asked me again, through gritted teeth.

"Unconditionally, yes." I answered, confidently.

"I'm your guy, Elise! And with that, comes certain things. Like the fact that I will always want to protect you, and save you. I want to care for you, look after you, and support you!" He said.

"I want to be your knight in shining armour, I want to be your boyfriend! I want to be the person you turn to, the shoulder you cry on, the ear you bend when you have a problem, the embrace you need after a long day, the lips you kiss each morning and each night. All I ask is that you don't put yourself in danger like that. All I ask is that you let me know if you ever decide to do anything like that again." He added, breathing heavily.

"I will...." I said, relenting.

He sighed loudly, and placed his hands on his hips, falling still on his feet.

"You're too nice for your own good. You know that?" He asked.

"If I hadn't done it, I wouldn't have been true to myself." I argued.

"I wasn't disputing that. I was disputing the fact that you went alone." He said.

"Which I heard, loud and clear." I said.

"I've lowered my sword, sweetheart. I'm not arguing with you, anymore." He said, raising his hands in surrender.

"You can lower yours now." He continued, taking a step towards me.

I tensed, still being a little stubborn which he noticed.

"You wanna take a walk with me?" He asked.

"No." I answered.

"What dya wanna do?" He asked.

"I don't know. But I don't want to go for a walk." I said.

"Okay, we won't go for a walk." He said, simply.

"How about we watch a movie, calm down?" He asked.

"No, I don't want to do that either." I said.

"Still not done being mad at me?" He asked.

"Not quite." I answered.

"Okay, how about we smoke this, on the trailer roof?" He asked, producing a joint from his back pocket.

I rolled my eyes, knowing he wasn't going to give up and also because that was actually appealing to me.

I just didn't want him to know.

"I'll get my jacket." I said, rolling my eyes.

It was as close to a yes as he was going to get.

******************************************
Eddie's POV.

She sat next to me on the roof, and we sat in silence watching the sun go down, sharing the joint between us.

I'd brought a blanket up too, as it had gone a little chilly and I draped it across our shoulders.

"I'm sorry that I communicated to you back there, in that way. I didn't mean to get angry or shout." I said, finally.

"I'm sorry that I worried you." She said, passing me the joint.

"How did he take it?" I asked.

"At first? He was rude, distant, bordering on aggressive, typical Billy. But I think I got through to him in the end and he said that he'd deserved what I'd done. He accepted my apology in his own way. Told me never to tell anyone about the conversation, doesn't want anyone to know that he's secretly capable of a normal conversation." She said.

"I know you can stand up for yourself, shit, I've seen you do it. But I'm still protective of you." I said.

"Fiesty too." She noted, with a raised eyebrow.

"I can be." I said, chuckling nervously.

I toked on the joint and passed it back to her, sighing softly.

"I don't have many things in my life, don't have a great deal to my name. You might just be the best thing I have." I admitted.

"You mean alot to me." I added.

"I do?" She asked.

"Of course, princess." I said, as she finally looked me in my eyes.

"You mean a lot to me too. I know you think I didn't owe him anything, but to me, I did." She said.

"You're such a good person, you're wonderfully kind. And in your eyes, you wanted to apologise. Personally, no I don't think you owed him one, and by the sound of it neither did he, deep down. This was more than being the bigger person because you already were. This was about showing kindness and you did that. But whatever debt you think you owed, it's paid now." I said.

"Are you still mad at me?" I asked her.

"Are you still mad at me?" She asked.

"I wasn't mad at you, sweetheart. I wasn't even mad really, I was just worried." I said.

"I wasn't mad at you either." She said.

"So we're good?" I asked, as she laughed nervously.

"I think we survived our first fight." She said.

I snaked an arm around her under the blanket and tugged her closer to me, night now upon us.

"I wouldn't say it was a fight, my parents had plenty of those from what I hear. I think this was more our first disagreement." I said, as she tucked herself into me.

Her arm snaked around my waist in return and we nestled together.

"You wanna go inside?" I asked her, and she nodded.

I stared into her weed red eyes, and her free hand reached for my face, her thumb running along my bottom lip.

"Have you ever had sex on a high?" She asked me, her tone a little seductive.

"I have, just not with someone I care about as much as you." I said.

"Have you?" I asked her, as she turned under my arm to press herself against my chest.

Her lips found mine for a second and she kissed me softly.

"No." She answered, clearly aroused.

"Do you want to?" I asked her, as I felt myself harden.

"Yeah...." She said, her voice husky.

And without further hesitation, we clambered hastily down off the roof and rushed inside.

I kissed her blindly to the bedroom, as we moved slowly and I walked her to the edge of my bed.

She fell back onto the bed, and I gently climbed ontop of her, kissing her deeply.

We slowly removed each other's clothes, and her hand slid down in between our bodies and her fingers curled around my shaft, working me gently and slowly.

"Oh fuck...." I whispered, as the pleasure built through me.

Not wanting to waste anymore time, I gently guided her hands away and pinned them above her head, sliding into her effortlessly and she gasped slightly, her neck arching.

Our first encounter had been spur of the moment, it had been rough, passionate, full of need.

This encounter, officially our second, was different.

And I knew she could tell it was.

The desire and lust we were feeling was the same, but neither had the urge for rough, or hard.

I leaned over her, holding my weight evenly on my hands either side of her head, as I ground my hips into hers gently, my eyes staring directly into hers.

Her arms moved from above her head, and her hands explored my chest and my arms, her lips parted, delivering a series of soft moans of pleasure.

Her body was responsive to me, in the best way.
In a way I'd never experienced before.

I knew that things would be heightened for her, and that this would feel good for her in a different way; the weed would do that.

Her hands gripped my shoulders and she pulled me down to her, her mouth covering mine.

I picked up the pace slightly, her legs wrapping around my waist and she held me to her, our lips rocking together deeply.

"Eddie... Eddie I'm...." She whispered hirriedly against my parted lips.

"I know baby girl... I can feel it...." I whispered back.

"Eddie..." she whispered again as she writhed underneath me, her chest heaving.

And I watched her climax, as I thrusted against her, heightening the pleasure for her, helping to ride her over that edge. Her back arched and her body shuddered twice, her breath expelling in short bursts.

She had the prettiest, most delicious cum face I think I'd ever seen.

Especially when high.

I followed her a few moments later and she held me to her as my movements became sloppy and my breathing quickened.

"Give it to me...." She purred, her lips at my ear.

She nipped my ear lobe softly and planted a soft kiss on my neck, as I shuddered and my own pleasure washed over me.

I sighed deeply and climaxed, riding it out with a final few quickened thrusts.

My hips fell still, and I collapsed against her.
She held me to her, as we breathed heavily, and her hands stroked my hair.

I turned slightly, moving off her and she rolled onto her side to face me.

I gripped her neck softly, my thumb stroking her chin as she stared into my eyes.

"You're beautiful..." I whispered.

"Every inch of you feels perfect against me." I continued, as she blushed slightly.

"What else do you like about me?" She asked, smiling.

My hand moved from her neck to her breast and I cupped it softly.

"I love your breasts...." I whispered, before my hand moved to her thigh.

"I love your legs...." I said, as my hand snaked to her bum.

"I love your petite little butt..." I continued, the two of us chuckling.

My fingers slid deftly down to her folds and she let out a small moan.

"I like this perfect little sweet spot too." I said, stroking her and she bit her lip, another small moan escaping her mouth.

"You like that?" I asked her, as she nodded.

I moved my hand, to slide it down inbetween us and stroked her again.

"You think you'd be able to cum for me again?" I asked her, slightly surprised.

She nodded, clearly able to provide me with a second viewing of that exquisitely beautiful cum face she had and I softly slid a finger inside her.

I held her to me, and she wrapped a leg around me, as I worked her with my finger, sliding a second inside.

"Fuck...." She whispered, a furrow of pleasure in her brow.

I took it slow, building the pace to match the pleasure as it built for her, our faces close, her eyes locked with mine.

I peppered kisses onto her mouth and onto her forehead as she ground against my fingers, and I could feel myself become aroused too.

Something I hadn't expected, so soon.

"I reckon I could too." I whispered, replacing my fingers with my newfound erection.

"Oh god....." she whispered, her head tilting back.

Suddenly I found myself rolled underneath her, as she adjusted herself, straddling me.

Her fire red hair fell around her face and it was like a goddess was staring down at me from above.

"You look beautiful up there, baby girl...." I said, breathless.

She started to ride me in an exquisite fashion, and I wasn't sure I could take it.

"Oh Jesus.... Jesus that feels good...." I said, unable to keep still.

From her expression, she felt the same.

"It only ever feels this good with you...." She whispered as I smiled broadly.

"I'm honoured..." I whispered, as she leaned back on her hands and her hips ground generously against me, her legs opening wider.

She was showing me what she was doing and I liked it.

I liked it a lot.

"You're a minx." I commented, my voice husky with arousal.

And when she bounced on me a little, I lost my damn mind.

"Oh shit...." I whispered as she moved forward to lean over me, her hair falling around my face like a fiery halo.

I took the opportunity then to seize a little dominance over her, and wrapped my arms around her back, holding her to me.

I bucked my hips upwards, pounding into her and her cries grew in both pitch and volume.

It wasn't long before we climaxed again, and we collapsed together, breathless and exhausted.

"I'd say we definitely made up." She said.

"Is that what it was?" I asked her, playfully.

"No, because we never had a fight." She said, giggling softly.

"Ah yes, we had a disagreement." I said, as she nodded.

"Uhm, can I just ask something?" I asked her as she suddenly blushed.

"Oh god...." She said, hiding her face.

I laughed softly and removed her hands, holding them in mine, as we lay facing each other.

"It's gonna be a compliment I swear. Where did you learn to ride someone like that?" I asked her.

"I haven't done that with anyone before. Not like that anyway." She said.

"You haven't?" I asked, surprised.

"I'm only a minx when I'm with you." She said, giggling.

"Sweetheart, you made it look like you'd been doing it for years." I said, laughing.

"Kid, you home?"

"Oh shit that's my uncle." I said, as we both stared at each other. Her eyes widened and for a moment neither of us moved.

"You in here kid?"

"Yeah, just a second I'll be right out. Just getting changed." I called, before we both sprang off the bed and quickly got dressed.

"Should I hide?" She whispered hurriedly as I smiled.

"No." I said, as she awkwardly hung by the bed.

"What do I do then?" She asked.

"Meet my Uncle. Say hi." I said, as I cracked open my window.

"Someone in there with you boy?"

"Yeah, hang on." I called, as she quickly made the bed and jumped onto it again.

She tried to lie casually and grabbed my copy of the Hobbit off the nightstand, opening it at a random page as though she'd been reading for hours.

I took a deep breath and a quick look around the room, now dressed myself before opening my bedroom door.

"Uncle Wayne." I said, as he stared at me suspiciously.

He peered around the door and his eyes fell on Elise.

"I wasn't expecting a girl." He said, with a raised eyebrow.

"This is Elise." I said, as she waved shyly.

"Hi." She said, in a small voice.

"Hey there." Wayne said, waving back.

Moving so he was out of her eye line, he looked at me and smirked.

"She's pretty." He whispered as I stared at him incredulously.

"She has ears." I said, as he chuckled softly.

"Are you staying for dinner Elise?" He asked, peering around the doorframe again.

"Uhm... am I?" She asked me.

"Do you want to?" I asked her, as she blushed slightly.

"I mean I'm not a gourmet chef or anything, and it'll only be something small, but happy to make you something with us?" Wayne said.

"Okay, yeah sure. I'd love to." She said, as I felt myself relax.

"You two mind giving me a hand?" He asked, as she rose to her feet.

"Yeah, of course." She said, as accommodating as ever.

The kitchen bustled with chatter between Wayne and Elise, and I let them get to know each other as I wordlessly stirred the bolognese sauce in the pan.

They busied themselves with the spaghetti and I marvelled at her ability to actually make my Uncle chuckle, not once, but several times.

"Well I'll be damned. That's a good looking bolognese, I have to say." He said, as we sat down to eat.

"Sterling effort." I said, in agreement.

"Has Eddie had the honour of meeting your parents yet Elise?" Wayne asked and I watched her pause.

"He hasn't, no." She said, before meeting my eyes.

"And it's not that I don't want him to, I absolutely want him to meet them. More than anything. They're just not.... They're not just great right now.... To me." She said.

"Well, that's a shame. That's a real damn shame." Wayne said, sympathetically.

"Not sure they've even noticed I'm not home." She said.

"It's that bad?" He asked.

"Do you notice when I'm not home?" I asked him.

"Course I do. Gets real quiet when you're not here bouncing around the place or playing that infernal guitar." Wayne said, but he was smiling.

"Would you miss it?" I asked as he chuckled softly.

"Absolutely, boy." He said, with a grin.

"This is the most conversation I've had with a parental figure in a long while." Elise said, as I eyed her carefully.

She had watched us both with a fondness and I could see that she was touched by our interaction.

That's when I felt a sudden, deep sadness for her.

"They'll see you Elise." I said.

"They don't have long." She said.

"That's quite a statement." Wayne said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I'm considering filing for emancipation, as soon as I graduate." She said, as Wayne dropped his fork in shock.

"You are?" I asked, almost choking.

"I am." She said.

"Thinking of going it alone, huh? You're ballsy, and I like that." Wayne said, amused.

"You'd be okay with that if it was me?" I asked him.

"That's when it would be different. I mean, it would be ultimately your choice but I'd be asking myself real hard why you'd make that choice. I'd be asking myself for a long time." Wayne said.

"You're sure about this?" I asked her.

"I am." She answered.

"What will you do? Where will you go?" I asked her.

"You're against the idea." She noted.

"It's a bold move. I'm not against it, I'm all for freedom, and you know my feelings on forced conformity..... but what will you do? Where will you go?" I asked.

"First? The bank. Access my trust fund and whatever's left from all the competitions I bust my ass and ankle for." She said.

"I'm gonna take a year out, and travel." She added.

"I'm hoping it'll be as liberating as it sounds." She continued.

"You'll at least tell them that's what you're thinking of doing?" Wayne asked.

"Your parents do love you, Elise." I said.

"I will tell them." She said to Wayne, before turning her gaze to me.

"I don't doubt that they do. But I've had to fend for myself for a number of years, from an age where I don't think I should have been expected to. They've never been overly affectionate; I was cared for and cared about, but through strict routine and car trips to various states, through nutrition diets and medicals. I took it because they still saw me. This last year? I could have moved out and I don't think they'd have noticed. They're very wrapped up in themselves; so much so, that they never asked how my first day had gone." She said.

"They never asked?" I asked, surprised.

The idea of potential emancipation was now appealing very much to me, for her.

My parents were absent in every sense of the word; I'd never see them again. But these were two present parents, just clearly ignoring their daughter for something else. Something that was evidently going on between them both.

It was overshadowing their only child.

And their only child, was hurting quite badly.

"No. And when I said I'd had a good day, they barely looked up from their dinner plates." She said.

"That's not good enough." Wayne said, sighing.

He was a little surprised and I noted a tone of disappointment. There was nothing worse than disappointing Wayne; I'd learned that enough times.

"Well kid, you ever want to stay here, you're welcome to. Although I suspect you already have, whilst I've been at work." He said, with a small grin.

"I have, sorry..." she said, with a sheepish smile.

"I'm comfortable here though. I do like being here." She added, as he grinned.

"My boy have something to do with that?" He asked her.

"Mostly, yes." She said, blushing slightly.

"Our home is yours too." He confirmed, as I found myself smiling broadly.

"Thank you, that's really kind of you." She said.

"And the most important rule in this house?" He asked, turning to me to answer.

"Everyone under this roof is heard and seen." I confirmed.

"Atta boy." He said, proudly.

*****************************************
Eddie's POV.

After we'd cleaned up for Wayne, and he'd headed out to work, I drove to Mirkwood with Elise, and as we walked, there was a burning question in my mind.

Which she'd noticed.

"Spit it out Munson." She said.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked her.

"It hadn't ever really come up. Besides, I was a little preoccupied by the unwanted advances from Billy." She said.

"No that's fair. Did you think you couldn't tell me though?" I asked, wanting to be sure.

"Oh I knew I could tell you, over everyone. You don't think like anyone else. You believe in freedom, freedom of speech, choice, the right to be who you want to be, and so on. I'm still toying with the idea. I think it's what I need to do, for myself. It'll be scary, but I can do it." She said.

"I've looked after myself for a long time Eddie." She added.

"Oh trust me I've seen that. I suppose it just leaves one final question." I said.

"And what's that?" She asked.

"If I was to seriously knuckle down and graduate this year, do you see a passenger in your Chevy with you, on the open road?" I asked her.

"Are you saying you'd come with me?" She asked, shocked.

I'd shocked her so much, she'd stopped walking to process it.

"I know how it sounds. And I know it's probably too early for me to even ask, we've been dating for just over a month. I guess what I'm asking is, maybe get to graduation and see if you can easily visualise me in the car with you?" I asked.

"See if when you do think about leaving, you see me leaving with you. See if I'm right there with you, buckled up, with a map in my hands." I added.

"And if you see it, and you want that.... The answer for me is already an easy one. If you asked, I'd say yes." I continued, watching her mouth form a broad smile.

"You and me? A year long road trip?" She asked.

"That's my proposal, yes, but I want you to be able to see it. I want you to be able to picture the passenger side and see me there." I said.

"Then I accept your proposal." She said.

"You do?" I asked, gleeful.

"I do." She said, with certainty.

"And if you do go, and I go with you..... I'd look after you. You wouldn't have to look after yourself, alone. I'd take care of you." I said.

"You said that like you don't think I'd believe you." She said, her eyes narrowed slightly.

"Come on, look at me. Who's mother would look at me and think oh he'd surely look after my daughter. I can trust him." I said, trying to joke.

But it wasn't a joke.
It was how I often felt.

"The way you dress, the music you like, is pretty much exactly the same as mine. Wayne didn't look at my choice of clothes and think oh she's no good for my Eddie. I'm not boasting but I got the impression that he likes me, he didn't give me any indication that he didn't. It's not about what you look like, Munson." She said, as she placed her hand on my chest.

Over my heart.

"It's what's in here. And you've got a good one. A wonderful one, even." She said.

"And if my mother didn't accept you, then fuck her." She added, chuckling softly.

"You can't say that, I'd like to meet your parents. But I wouldn't meet them unless you were okay with it." I said, but I was laughing too.

"It's not you I'm worried about." She said.

"I know." I answered.

"I'm not always this disrespectful about my mother either. I was just trying to make you feel better." She explained.

"I know, sweetheart. It worked." I said.

"Good." She replied, with a grin.

"And for the record? He loves you." I said.

"Who?" She asked.

"Wayne." I answered.

"He's nice, I really like him. He's a little serious, and a little grumpy too I'd wager." She said.

"God, he's so grumpy. But he's also a massive softie. Just doesn't like most people seeing that side." I said.

"Is he soft with you?" She asked.

"He is at times, when he's tried to get through to me to knuckle down and take school seriously. He's tried being hard, stern, soft, tactical, you name it. Just to get me to graduate. It hasn't worked so far." I said, chuckling softly.

"You took notes that day, in English when I told you to knuckle down." She noted, with a casual shrug.

"I did. What wizardry was that?" I asked.

"It wasn't. It was just firm advice." She said.

"Which brings me, to my proposal." She added.

"You have a proposal?" I asked, surprised.

"I'll consider you being in the passenger side with a map, if you get your head down and get serious. I'll consider it, if you push yourself towards graduation. Get a tutor if you need one, put the time in, actually do the homework. You consider my proposal, and I'll consider yours." She said.

"You're quite the effective negotiator." I said, impressed.

"I'm being serious." She argued.

"Oh I know you were princess. It's a deal." I said.

"It's a deal." She repeated, with a smile.

This had given me something to aim for, to work towards. And I suddenly had a newfound want to graduate and finally walk out of Hawkins High, a free man.

To walk to her car, and drive away somewhere, far away.

I don't think she'd know the gravity of what she'd said; Wayne had been trying for years to get me to be serious.

But she'd dangled the one carrot that was wholeheartedly too tempting to resist.

And so, I chose graduation.
For the first time, ever.

*****************************************
Two months later.

I couldn't deny it, he was seriously knuckling down.

He had been going to the library every Saturday, to meet his tutor and had been doing his homework.

He was even handing it in on time.
He was attending all of his classes and I couldn't help but smile to myself.

Offering to consider his proposal, had been all it had taken between him flunking senior year again and actually heading towards graduation.

He'd really changed academically; some nights he wanted to talk about homework with me or what we'd studied that day. It was like he had a newfound thirst for school.

Mr Glenn had nearly fell over when Eddie had appeared at this desk this week with a completed essay, a day early than any of us.

So much so, that his only comment, albeit slightly unprofessional had been:

"Who are you, and what have you done with Eddie Munson?"

Eddie was a changed man.

"So, you're actually studying now? Doing homework?" Jeff asked him, as I sat in Jeff's garage.

I was finally going to see them play as Corroded Coffin.

Granted it wasn't at the Hideout, but I was still excited.

"You're studying?" Steve asked.

"Hey, I can study." Eddie said, pouting.

"And this has nothing to do with you?" Gareth asked me, as I grinned.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." I said, airily.

"What have you promised him?" Jeff asked, suspiciously.

"Or is he on a promise?" Grant asked, as I rolled my eyes.

"That ship has most definitely, sailed." I said.

"Okay, that was probably a little too much information for these freshman ears." Dustin said.

"You're hanging with a bunch of seniors, and an ex senior. What do you expect?" Eddie asked.

"He has a point." Steve said, with a shrug.

"And you don't say that when you ask me about the girls I'm dating." Steve added.

"I feel I have to ask, you're my best friend." Dustin said, as my little heart fluttered.

Their friendship, was adorable.

"Excuse me, Henderson?" Eddie asked.

"Chopped liver, sweetheart." I said, with a grin.

"Aren't I just?" He asked, unable to believe it.

"Come on, you're my best friend too." Dustin argued, torn.

"It's okay, I have a best friend already, anyway." Eddie said, waving him off.

"Oh yeah, who?" Dustin asked.

"Gee, I'm chopped liver too." I said, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, sorry Elise." Dustin said, as I laughed.

"You're an idiot." Steve said to him.

"You're the prettiest chopped liver I've ever seen." Eddie said to me, with a smile.

"Thanks, I guess." I said, as we all laughed.

"Can you guys play already?" Max whined, impatiently.

"Yeah I wanna hear." Robin whined, much in the same way.

"I have a musician's ear, I'll tell you if you suck." She added, as if that would help her cause.

"Everyone's being so honest tonight, is there something in the water?" I asked.

"Or the beer." Steve said, raising his can.

"Henderson isn't drinking beer, and neither is Robin." I noted.

"I'm hyperactive enough." She said.

"Ain't that the truth." Steve said, laughing.

"Right morons, shut up." Eddie declared.

"Oh, are you ready now?" I asked, innocently.

He raised an eyebrow at me and I grinned broadly.

"Sorry." I mouthed.

He shook his head, chuckling softly.

And with that, they began to play.

********************************************

I couldn't take my eyes off him.
I couldn't tear my eyes away from his fingers as they practically danced along the chords.

He was magical when he played.
And for a middle school talent show band, they were really good.

I was exclusively dating a rock god metal head.
And boy could he play.

After they'd finished and they were putting the drums and guitars away, I was sitting talking with Steve.

"You can tell he already thinks the world of you." He said.

"You think so?" I asked.

"Dustin had to convince him to go to the roller rink for his birthday party, which was for two hours. You guys have roller rink Monday's. Every week. He goes there because you like to go. He's not that accommodating with just anyone." Steve said.

"No, that's true. That's where I first met him, actually." I said, smiling.

"I can tell by how he looks at you too." Steve said.

"How so?" I asked, curiously.

"He looks at you, like you light up the night sky for him. He really likes you. He cares about you. It's obvious." Steve said, as I smiled.

"I care about him a lot, he's really great. He's kind, he's funny.... He's amazing." I said, dreamily.

"He's a big character and he has alot to say. But when it comes down to it, Dustin has had a better time of highschool because of him." Steve said.

"He took him in, so he wouldn't get bullied. Did the same with Wheeler and Sinclair. Sinclair is on the team so he's not susceptible to it, but Eddie made sure Dustin and Mike were okay. They'd be having a far worse time if he hadn't." Steve said.

"He values Henderson's opinion, that's for sure." I said.

"So do I. And he's a kid. But he is my best friend." Steve said.

"And Eddie's." I said, chuckling softly.

"You're his best friend." Steve said.

"You think so?" I asked.

"I told you. You mean the world to him. Jesus Elise, he's studying. He's trying to graduate. What did you promise him?" Steve asked.

"Not much, really." I said.

"Or you don't want to tell me?" Steve asked, as I sighed softly.

"Okay, you'll find out soon enough. When I graduate, I'm filing for emancipation, I'm cashing out my trust fund and I'm gonna have a gap year before I look into colleges." I said, as everyone suddenly fell quiet.

"Emancipation?" Max asked.

"Filing for divorce from your parents, effectively." Dustin explained, all too easily.

"Thank you, Henderson." Eddie said, rubbing his face in frustration.

"You're gonna do that?" Robin asked.

"Potentially, yeah." I said.

And so, I explained why and was met with a stunned and prolonged silence.

It was making me uncomfortable.

"I wish I knew that sooner." Steve said.

"This isn't a joke, Harrington." Eddie remarked.

"I wasn't joking." Steve said, with a shrug.

"It's not gonna be an easy decision. They're my parents. But I can't live like I am around them for much longer." I said.

"I'm gonna be honest." Eddie said.

"You weren't before?" I questioned.

"No, no I was. Just wasn't quite ready to say the next part. But seeing as we're having a sharing and honesty evening, now is probably a good time." He said.

"Okay?" I asked, folding my arms across my chest.

"Sword down, Grange." Eddie said.

"It's up for now." I remarked, with a frown.

"I think there's something going on with them. Something has happened, that just doesn't involve you. But it's overshadowing you. Whatever it is, it's taken over." He added.

"Like what?" I asked.

"Baby, I'm saying this from a good place." He said.

"Like what?" I pressed.

"I don't know. There's something else in the mix here, and I think that's what they're so preoccupied with." He said.

"Well, it had better be good and it had better be worth it." She said, raising her can as a toast.

A little while later, I was sharing a cigarette with Eddie outside of the garage and we were side by side in a silence that made me feel slightly wary.

"Listen, what I said came from a good place." He said.

"I know, Eddie." I said, sighing softly.

"Are you mad?" He asked.

"Why would I be mad?" I asked.

"You're mad." He said, panicking.

"My parents make me mad." I explained.

"I just think that's what it is. Something is going on between them." He said.

"And I think you're right." I said.

"You do?" He asked.

"I've been thinking this whole time that this has been about me. If it was though, they wouldn't treat me like I wasn't around. But they're wrapped up in their own world, they're wrapped up in something." I said.

"Just know that it's not you." He said.

"I believe you." I said.

"Are you sure you're not mad at me?" He asked.

"For being honest with me?" I asked.

"I probably shouldn't have said what I was thinking in front of everyone." He said.

"I made it their business." I said, with a shrug.

"I care about you." He said.

"I care about you too." I answered.

He snaked an arm around me and I leaned into him, smoking the last of his cigarette.

"I just want you to be okay." He whispered.

"Enough about me. You're so good, you were amazing tonight." I said, softening.

"You really think so?" He asked, rubbing the back of his neck nervously, as he laughed.

"I couldn't take my eyes off you, or your hands." I said, as he grinned.

"I did notice." He said, as I turned to face him.

He wrapped his free arm around me and nestled me close to his chest.

"Listen, I'm a jerk. I'm sorry. You were only trying to help me." I said.

"As much as it's not the greatest, in a way I'm glad my parents aren't around. It's easier, I guess." He said.

"But you have me." He added.

"I know. I'm glad I do." I said, as he leaned down and kissed me softly.

"Can we go home?" I asked.

"Mine?" He asked.

"Home, yeah." I said, smiling.

He chuckled and he caressed my cheek softly.

"To the Munson mansion it is." He said, with a smile.

********************************************
"We're not going to the rink tonight?" I asked, two weeks later.

Eddie had driven past the rink and it was Monday.

Mondays were roller rink tradition.

"Not tonight sweetheart." He said, as I stared at him suspiciously.

"So where are we going?" I asked.

"I'm taking you somewhere. I want to do something special for you." He said.

"Roller rink Mondays are special to me. It's our tradition, together." I argued.

"This is even more special. Or at least I hope it will be." He said.

"Should I be worried?" I asked.

"No princess, I just really hope you like it." He said, giving me a longing look.

He was talking with his eyes.
I just didn't know what that meant, just yet.

Something told me I was going to find out though.

*******************************************
I pulled up on the parking lot and I heard the breath catch in her chest.

"Is this what I think it is?" She asked, as I turned the ignition off.

I turned to her, and she was already nervous.

"Please don't be scared or nervous. We're just here to check it out. You don't have to do anything you don't want to. I'm only asking that you come in with me, just for a little while." I said.

"Okay..." She said, with a nod.

I led her inside, and she walked slower than usual, clearly hesitant.

I led her through the double doors ahead and she gasped as her eyes scanned the ice rink infront of her.

I walked her down the steps and she stopped suddenly, not wanting to walk another step.

"You're okay, princess." I reassured her.

She looked at me and suddenly seemed small, almost childlike.

"Eddie, I can't go on there." She said, shaking her head.

"There's a good chance you might be able to."

I turned to the man standing on the ice, and stepped aside to introduce them.

"Elise, this is Ray. Ray works with skaters with injuries." I explained.

"Hi Elise." Ray said, smiling.

"He's right, I work with anyone who's suffered an injury on the ice. There's a good chance I can get you back on there, doing what you love." He said, producing a pair of skates from behind his back.

"I can't bear weight on an ice skate. I can only really roller skate." She said, seeming a little nervous.

"Come take a look at this." He invited, encouragingly.

She moved closer, hesitant and perhaps a little overwhelmed as he turned one of the skates over in his hand.

I rubbed her back softly, pouring all the reassurance I had, into my touch.

She turned into me, a little unsure still.

"Eddie called me and told me how you can skate on a boot with four wheels. So I modified this skate. See how there's two blades? Notice they're a little thicker too than the standard blade. They are in the same placement that the rollers usually are too." Ray said.

"This way, this boot here will be able to hold your weight and with the right support wrap on your ankle, you should be able to get out there. Would you want to try it?" He asked.

"I'm going to be out there with you, until you're comfortable." He added.

"Okay." She said, looking at me for reassurance.

"You can do this." I reassured her.

She sat down on the bench, and Ray showed her how to bind her ankle with the support brace he'd brought with him, and he helped her to ease her foot into the modified shoe. She slipped her foot into the other shoe and once she'd walked to the gate, she slipped the blade covers off.

Ray stepped onto the ice first, and once she'd tied her long hair back into a ponytail, she stepped onto the ice, following Ray slowly and tentatively.

She wobbled slightly and Ray turned to her with an encouraging smile.

"Athletes have accidents, they have injuries, and they have wobbles when getting back to what they used to do. No one here is asking you to be on top form the minute you step on here. You need a little time to just trust yourself, trust the skates and trust the ice. That's why I'm here." He said to her, as I watched from the barrier.

"With the right training, you could compete again, in time. Obviously with a modified skate, which means that you would be able to compete as a para athlete, if that would ever be of any interest to you?" He added.

"I think I'll see how I go on first, I might fall on my ass." She said, with a hint of humour.

And for the next hour or so, she simply skated around the rink in its entire circle, Ray in the middle of the ice, watching her closely.

"Alright, good job!" He called to her, when she began to slowly but surely pick up her speed.

"Good job Elise!" He called, and as she skated past me, I saw her smile at me.

It was clear to see she was trusting the modified skate, and the ice, and she was slowly starting to trust herself the more she skated around.

She came to a stop a further hour later and she advised Ray that she wanted to try and skate around to some music, to get used to moving on the ice in rhythm again.

He happily obliged, trusting her judgement and a moment later, she was skating around the ice to Wishing Well, by Terence Trent D'Arby.

And my eyes almost fell out of my head the moment I noticed her body starting to move.

She wasn't just skating on the ice, she was dancing too.

Kissing like a bandit stealing time, underneath the sycamore tree,

Cupid by the hour sends valentines, to my sweet lover and me,

Slowly but surely, your appetite is more than I knew,
Sweetly, softly, I'm falling in love with you.....

Wish me love a wishing well, kiss and tell,
A wishing well of butterfly tears....

Her hips and legs were moving, as she fell into a nicely timed spin at the chorus.

"YES! YES Elise! fantastic!" Ray cried, as she continued to command the ice.

A number of spins later, and she was more confident than I'd never seen her.

She was feeling the music though, and she was enjoying herself.

Wish me love a wishing well, kiss and tell,
A wishing well of crocodile tears,
Get up!

"Go on Elise!" I cried, giddy with excitement.

And she started to skate as though she was heading for something and I held my breath as she tested herself, with a single spin in the air.

She landed a little shakily and she fell forward, steadying herself with one hand on the ice, pushing herself back upright but judging by the look on her face, she was undeterred.

If anything, she seemed more determined.

"You want to try again?" Ray called, as she nodded.

He skated close to her, and assisted her as a spot, similar to being in the gym.

Wish me love a wishing well, kiss and tell,
A wishing well with butterfly tears....

She tried again, with a single spin and landed confidently on the modified skate and she let out a cry of triumph, fist pumping the air.

"YES!!" I cried, clapping loudly.

And I felt my breath leave my chest the moment she left the ice for a third time and span not one, but three times and landed effortlessly.

"HOLY SHIT!" I cried, overjoyed.

The song ended and she sank to her knees on the ice, a look of relief and pride on her face and her second surprise burst through the doors, running down the steps to me.

"Oh my god Elise!!!" Dustin yelled, jumping up and down.

Surprised, she looked up to see everyone around me, cheering and clapping. She realised that our friends were here with me, showing their unwavering support.

"Alright Elise, that was brilliant!!!" Jeff cried.

"Amazing!" Dustin shouted, giddy with excitement.

She leaned forward suddenly on the ice and I saw her shoulders start to shake slightly.

"Ed, she okay man?" Steve asked, worried.

"She's overwhelmed, excited, happy and a lot of other emotions. She didn't think she'd be able to do this again." I said.

And not wanting to leave her a moment longer, I walked onto the ice, and rushed over to her, trying not to slip.

"Baby girl....." I whispered, rubbing her back softly.

She leaned up and her face became level with mine and she was smiling and crying.

"I'm happy, I promise these are happy tears. I can't thank you enough for this." She said.

"Thank you for bringing our friends here." She added.

"They were adamant they wanted to be here to show you their support. They just didn't want to put you off whilst you were skating and they were also another surprise for you, but Dustin got a little excited when you finally landed the spin and I guess that's when you realised they were here." I said, as she laughed.

"Why did you do this for me?" She asked, as I sighed softly.

"You deserve to be shown love and care. That's what I'm trying to show you. That's what this is today." I said.

"What are you saying?" She asked me, as I swallowed hard, nervously.

"I did this for you, because.... Because, I love you." I admitted.

It was finally out there, the words hanging in the air.

For everyone to hear.

"Alright Munson." I heard Steve say, happily.

"You love me?" She asked, blinking back fresh tears.

"I love you, princess." I confirmed.

"I love you." She said, shuffling across the ice to embrace me, and she wrapped her arms around me tightly.

We broke apart when Ray reached us, with a broad smile on his face.

"You did amazingly! You think you'd want to come back next week?" He asked her.

"Yeah I'd love to." She said, and then she frowned.

"How am I going to pay for it?" She asked.

"I paid for six sessions." I admitted.

"What?" She asked, in disbelief.

"We all did." Steve said, smiling.

"We all chipped in. Eddie paid for most of it, but we wanted to as well." Grant said.

"Are you guys serious?" She asked.

"Very." Ray said.

"You have good friends." He added.

"I don't know what to say." She said.

"You don't have to say anything. Seeing you out there, was enough." Jeff said, smiling.

"That's the only thank you we need." Robin said.

"You'll make me cry again, Jesus." She said, laughing as she wiped her eyes delicately.

"How?" She asked me.

"Yeah let's not talk about that here." I said, as Ray laughed.

"I don't want to know. I won't ask questions." He said.

"The skates and the support brace are yours." He added.

"Thank you." She said, sincerely.

"I'll see you next week. You did brilliantly." He said, just as sincere.

I helped her up and we walked towards our friends and one by one they embraced her, talking excitedly about her skating and I could see that she was happy.

The happiest I'd seen her.

And she stole a glance my way, for just a moment.

Her eyes met mine and she smiled lovingly at me.

I gazed back at her in the same way, but proudly too.
I wasn't sure how I'd gotten so lucky.

"I love you, Munson." She mouthed.

****************************************
On the way home, I decided that I wanted him to stay at my house for the night; I wanted him to see my haven, my room.

I wanted him to lie in my bed with me.
I wanted him to stay the night with me, in my room.

And so, I asked him as he drove and aside from his genuine surprise, he advised that he was honoured I'd asked and would love to.

My parents were in the kitchen, and we slipped past them and went upstairs, neither acknowledging that I was even home, and Eddie watched them from the stair.

"It's like this every day?" He whispered.

"It is." I answered, at the top of the stairs.

He hesitated a little, and I shook my head.

"If they don't notice you're home, they won't notice me?" He asked, with a shrug.

"What are you going to do?" I asked.

He answered by continuing up the stairs.

"I was going to be mischievous, but it's your home. I'm not going to do anything." He said, with a smile.

I led him into my bedroom, and he stood in the centre of the room, moving around full circle.

"This is what a girls room looks like then huh?" He asked, as I tilted my head to one side in question.

"Have you never been in a girls bedroom before?" I asked him.

"No." He said.

I felt saddened then, and sighed softly.

"Have a look around. I don't mind." I offered, invitingly.

"Can I?" He asked, timidly.

"Go for it, honestly." I said, encouragingly.

I walked over to the stereo and pressed play and the sounds of Dio started to fill the room and I watched him as his curiosity piqued, whilst he looked around.

I watched him carefully touch the photographs on the wall of my friends from my previous school, and the ice skating team I used to compete with.

His finger traced over me when he saw me and he smiled to himself.

"You looked happy out there, tonight." He said, more to himself.

"I was happy." I said.

"I am happy." I added.

"Thank you for making that call." I continued.

"Do I make you happy?" He asked, as he picked up a few trinkets from off my vanity.

He turned a bracelet over in his hands, inspecting it.

"The happiest I think I've ever been." I said.

"You make me the happiest I've ever been too, Elise." He said, turning to glance at me for a moment.

He gave me a fond look and smiled before setting the bracelet back down where he found it.

He wandered over to my closet and his hands touched the odd jumper, short and he smiled when he noticed a beat up pair of Reeboks, similar to his.

"I haven't seen you wear these." He said, as I laughed.

"Wasn't wanting to cramp your style." I said.

"You'd look better in them than me, that wouldn't be a problem." He said, chuckling softly.

His eyes fell on one of my competition costumes and his eyes widened.

"Wow." He said, as I approached him from behind.

"The last one I wore. I wore that the day I broke my ankle." I said, sighing.

"It's pretty." He said.

"Ironic really." I replied.

It was jade green in colour, the bodice of the leotard covered in sequins, with a tasseled skirt.

"Want to see?" I offering to try it on.

"I'd like that, yeah." He said.

I wandered into my walk in closet and he continued to look around until I'd changed.

I peered around the door of my closet as he was looking through my collection of tapes and I stepped out, so he could see me.

He turned and his breath caught in his chest.

"You're stunning. You look beautiful." He said, his voice hushed with surprise.

His eyes drank me in, and I turned so he could see the back, spinning full circle for him, as he admired me.

"You're beautiful, Elise." He said, wide eyed.

"It's the only one I kept." I said, approaching him.

"And you make me feel beautiful." I added, wrapping my arms around him.

He embraced me in return, holding me close to him.

He kissed my shoulder softly, his hands playing with the ends of my hair.

"I'll just get changed." I whispered.

"Do you have to?" He asked, chuckling.

"They're not the most comfortable. Purely for cosmetic purposes." I said, as he admired me a final time and smiled.

"You were amazing out there. You doubt yourself, and you have no need to. You have such an amazing resilience. You didn't give up tonight, you were determined. You were apprehensive at first but you trusted me, you trusted Ray and you trusted yourself. You trusted the ice. And you skated so beautifully. Thank you for letting me be a part of that. Thank you for trusting me." He said.

"I trust you implicitly. You've only ever been kind to me. You treat me with care, you're generous, you're open minded, you're selfless and you're fun. You're so fun to be around and I feel like I can be myself, whatever shape or form that is." I answered.

I leaned up on my tiptoes and he bundled me up in his arms, our mouths suddenly rocking together.

"I need to get out of this, it's itchy." I said, in between kisses.

He laughed against my lips and slipped the straps off my shoulders, and the leotard fell to the floor, pooling at my feet.

"Problem solved." He said, as I stood, naked in his arms.

I backed towards my bed and we fell onto it, a mess of limbs entwined together, as he kissed me deeply.

"There's another problem though." I said, breathless.

"Not for much longer." He said.

I laughed loudly as he hurriedly removed his own clothes and lay along the length of my body.

"I love you." He said, nuzzling his nose against mine.

"I love you." I replied, with certainty.

******************************************
We were lying together, breathless, sweating, our faces close as we slowly recovered from our previous exertion.

I doubted I'd ever had sex like that.
It has always been meaningful with Eddie, he always made sure it was. And he was gentle, even when he asserted himself.

Tonight though, tonight was different.
We'd confirmed our love for each other and I think that poured out of us both, through our touch, our kisses and our movements.

It was slow, it was intense and it was as intimate as I thought we'd ever get.

Feeling him so close, had felt so intense and my mind had washed away, like the tide on a beach.

I had been momentarily lost.
Lost with him.

I was snapped out of my thoughts at the sound of the front door slamming and my moms raised voice.

"What's going on?" He asked, leaning up on an elbow.

He arched himself over me protectively, and I leaned up on my own elbows, straining my ears to listen.

"I think they had an argument. I think my dad just left." I said, quietly.

"I should go see if my mom is okay." I added.

"Of course yeah, I'll just wait here." He said.

"If you need me, call me." He added.

He tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear lovingly, and gripped my neck for a moment, staring into my eyes.

"I'm here, okay?" He asked, as I nodded.

"I know." I said.

I clambered out of bed and quickly dressed in joggers and my Dio T-shirt before heading downstairs.

I walked into the kitchen, and my mum was sitting at the table, with her head in her hands.

"What's going on?" I asked her.

"Oh I didn't know you were home." She said, startled at my presence.

"I've been home for around two hours." I said, flatly.

"What happened?" I asked her.

"Your father and I had a minor disagreement." She said, waving me off.

"About what?" I asked, undeterred.

"Oh, it was nothing." She said, dismissively.

"Okay, enough. I'm a little tired of being an afterthought, let alone adding this to the mix because you think I don't need to know." I said, rolling my eyes.

"It was just over adult things Elise." She said.

"I'm almost an adult." I pointed out.

"Exactly. Almost." She continued.

"Okay, I'm almost an adult who's noticed that her parents clearly aren't okay, and they're ignoring me." I said, taking her head on.

"We're not ignoring you, Elise." She argued.

"You didn't even realise I was home. You never notice when I am, and you never notice when I'm not." I said.

"Of course we do." She said.

"Jesus, I know that we had to move because of my injury but fuck me, I didn't fall on the ice and break my ankle on purpose." I said, exasperated.

"Please don't curse." She said.

"That's all you took from that, really?" I asked her.

She sighed loudly and shook her head.

"Elise, we didn't move here because of your injury, or because there weren't going to be any more competitions." My mother said, finally showing some emotion for the first time in months.

"So why did we move then? Why have you both been so cold towards me?" I asked.

"And don't you dare say adult things again." I added, visibly vexed.

"Your father.... Your father had an affair. Squandered most of yours and our earnings on hotel rooms, at fictional hospital conventions.... He spent so much, we couldn't afford the house. Your injury was around the time I found out." She said, reluctantly.

There was no hiding place for her now.
I'd made sure of that.

"What?!" I asked, in disbelief.

"He's the man of the house, he's always overseen the finances. But I suspected for a good while, and I figured there were only so many conventions he'd need to go to, he's a doctor not a businessman. And that's when I saw the bank statements and there were so many hotel charges. I called the hotels and he was checking in as himself and me. Only I was never there." She continued.

"And you've both been distant with me because of this?" I asked, shrugging.

"I guess we tried to continue our lives so you didn't suspect. But I could see that we'd become almost robotic, cold and distant, that it was only a matter of time before you asked questions. I'm still trying to figure out what we're going to do. The first thing was to move him away from California." She said.

"Did my winnings pay towards the house we used to have?" I asked.

"No. We never used your winnings. But your father spent most of it. I'm so sorry, Elise. Your trust fund is intact though, he wouldn't ever be able to get to that. When I found out what he'd done, what he'd been doing, I made sure that there was extra security on it in case he attempted to access it, before I told him I knew." She said.

"I have even requested that I have no access to it. The access is solely yours." She added.

"I felt like you both resented me for landing wrong on the ice that day. I felt like you resented me for the amount of medical bills we had because of it. I resented myself too, but I realised that it was an accident and I accepted that I'll never skate again." I said.

"And that last part? Actually not so true anymore. Tonight, I went to an ice rink and I skated on that ice. I'm having sessions with a rehabilitation specialist. He's modified a skate for me and he's said that I could potentially skate again as a para athlete." I added.

"Oh my, really? That's wonderful! Sweetheart, neither of us resent you, we never have. Elise, your father and I resent each other. Him, because I found out and instigated the move here, me, because in the twenty five years we've been married, I never anticipated that a young bit of tail would turn his head. But she did, and this is the life he's now presented us with. This is the fallout, and you're our collateral." She said.

"I'm your collateral?" I asked, in disbelief.

"You've been caught up in our crossfire for months now." She said, as though I should have understood.

"I'm your daughter." I corrected, as she bowed her head slightly.

"You know something? If I was only considering it before, I think my minds made up now. I'm gonna file for emancipation from my father, and from you. He cheated on you? You should have dumped his ass. You don't move him and me to another state to get away from the woman he was seeing and think that solves anything. You just brought the resentment with you and that bled into my relationships with you both. I've been invisible to you for a while now." I snapped.

"Emancipation?" She asked, horrified.

"I'm eighteen soon and I graduate this year. And the moment I do, I'm out of this town, and away from you both." I said, with certainty.

"But what will you do out there on your own?" She asked me.

"She won't be alone, Mrs Grange."

I turned to the sound of the voice and found Eddie, in the doorway of our living room.

"She'll have me." He added.

"You said you'd stay upstairs, Eddie." I said as he stepped into the room.

"You did, but I told you that if there was ever a time you needed me to, I'd protect you. And I'm telling you and your mother that you won't be alone." He said.

"You might not have called me like I asked, but I'm here all the same." He added.

Secretly, I was relieved and grateful.
Having him by my side, made me feel stronger.

"This is really a family matter, son." My mother said, sighing.

"He is my family, ma. He's my boyfriend." I said.

"Since when?" She asked, shocked.

"See this is what I'm talking about. I've been going out with Eddie for months. We have roller rink Mondays, we have movie Tuesdays, I've been staying over at his most nights. He's paid for the rehabilitation sessions with the specialist. He took me to the rink tonight! But you never noticed that I haven't been home at all lately..... you didn't even realise I came home tonight and brought him with me, and you wonder why I'm strongly considering emancipation? You don't even show that you care for me anymore!!" I cried.

"You didn't even realise he was upstairs with me!" I added, exasperated.

"I'm sorry okay?!" She cried.

"It's not good enough." I said, solemnly.

"How can I fix this?" She asked, desperately.

"Fix what dad broke. For yourself. It's not working, and I know you know it's not. You moved us here because of him, and it's been pure misery ever since." I said.

"How can I fix things with you?" She asked me, her bottom lip trembling.

And my mind was made up.
One hundred percent.

"Let me go." I answered, as Eddie gasped slightly, from behind me.

"What?" She stammered.

"Let me go, Ma." I repeated.

"That isn't fair." She said, her eyes welling up.

"I won't file for emancipation. You don't deserve that, now I know what's really been going on. I'm asking that you let me go, just for a while. You and dad need space to sort this out. And I need space too." I said.

"Where will you be staying?" She asked, seemingly relieved that emancipation was firmly off the table.

"At my Uncles." Eddie chimed in, softly.

"With me." He added.

"Since when would you put up with this, ma?" I asked her.

"You needed us together." She argued.

"I needed you both to see me. I needed you to be present. If that had been separate, it would have been enough. But being invisible to you, just made things worse. I didn't need the robotic, absent versions of you. I just needed both of you, whether that was together or apart. Together isn't working for either of you. You don't trust him, he's pissed we moved away from his mistress. Come on ma, why take that from him? He spent your hard earned money on hotel rooms with another woman." I argued.

"Since when were you so grown up?" She asked, seemingly proud.

"When you stopped noticing me." I answered.

"I'm sorry, Elise." She said.

"I believe you. But I can't stay here." I said.

"Can I atleast help you pack?" She asked, knowing this wasn't the time to fight for me to stay.

She had other things to attend to, and she knew it.

Loose ends needed to be tied, and they didn't involve me.

"I got it." I said.

"When will you be back?" She asked, reaching for my hand.

I let her take it, and she squoze it softly.

"I'm not sure, yet." I said.

"I'll find the person that I was Elise. I will sort this and this will be the home you deserve again." She said.

I gently wrenched my hand from her grip, and nodded curtly.

"Stop taking it, ma. He's made a mockery of you and your marriage. He betrayed you and his only punishment so far has been to move to another state. There's consequences he hasn't had to face and it's time he did." I said, unforgiving.

And with that, I let Eddie lead me upstairs and he helped me pack my things.

I was relieved and saddened, but this house didn't feel like a home for me. They had things to hash out and I didn't feel I could be here for that whilst it went on.

I didn't want to be in the crossfire, for a moment longer.

"Will Wayne mind?" I asked, breaking our silence.

"Not one bit. He said you could stay. And I want you to stay. You don't need to be here whilst the arguing ensues. Which it absolutely will." He said, softly.

"I've thought about it. I've considered it." I said, as he zipped the duffel bag infront of him.

"Considered what?" He asked.

"The deal." I answered, as he stopped in his tracks.

He turned to me, and stared at me expectantly.

"You have?" He asked.

"I pictured you there. You're there, Eddie. But you're in the driver's seat and I'm holding the map. We're taking it in turns to drive, we're on the open road, we're laughing and joking, and we're happy. I see it." I said, as his face broke into a wide smile.

"I'm coming with you?" He asked.

"We're going together." I confirmed.

*****************************************
Eddie's POV.

"You're staying with us for a while then kid?" Wayne asked her with a smile, the following morning.

"As long as I'm not imposing." She said, sipping a mug of tea.

"Absolutely not. Stay as long as you want. Although, we may have to go to the store and get some girl friendly things around here." He said, chuckling softly.

"I can get those." She said, as he grinned.

"You're our guest." He argued.

"We're not going to agree on this are we?" She asked him.

"So, I'll get them then." I interjected as they both sighed softly.

"I think you've done more than enough. Guest or not, please let me get what I need. I insist." She said.

"Please." She added.

"Alright, I give in." I said, as she smiled.

"You have enough until tomorrow? We can go to the store after school?" I suggested.

"Yeah I'm good. Tomorrow sounds good." She said.

"Make yourself at home, kid. Right, I'm off to work." Wayne said, grabbing his keys.

He bade us goodbye, leaving us in the living room together.

"Thank you for this." She said.

"You don't need to thank me." I said.

"No, I do." She said.

"Then you're welcome." I said, relenting.

"You gonna tell me how you managed to pay for six rehab sessions?" She asked.

"I think it's obvious to you how much weed I have around here, that I have my own supply and also a supply that I sell. I sold a good bunch of it to one of the jocks for a party. Made enough to put towards most of your sessions. Everyone else chipped in afterwards." I said.

"I may have upped my rates slightly to cater for it, but there were no arguments about it." I added.

"I'm not judging, if you were wondering." She said.

"It did cross my mind." I admitted.

"I'm more focused on the gesture, Eddie. I can't even tell you what it meant to me, actually being able to do that again." She said.

"I saw how happy it made you. That is enough for me." I replied.

"Thank you." She said.

"We've been through this already, princess." I said, chuckling softly.

"We have." She said.

"I think Target is 24 hour you know. Fancy a little night trip there? I think my room needs to be girl proofed sooner rather than later." I said, as she smiled broadly.

"Yeah, I'd love to." She answered.

********************************************
Eddie's POV.

Girls and shopping man, what a mix.

I lost her the moment we walked through the doors.

Like a supercharged whippet, she was gone.

I lost her to her apparent shopping paradise.
And so I casually browsed each aisle with the shopping cart, waiting for her to magically appear again.

And when she did, she had an armful of things she'd picked up and she was giggling like a naughty kid.

"Okay, what have we got?" I asked her, amused.

"Oh my god.... Just wait." She said, overjoyed.

And she started to empty her arms, an item at a time and I marvelled at how many things kept on appearing in the cart.

"Okay, so I got these fluffy bed socks, I like my feet to be warm at night, I got this pillow because it's pink and shaped like a cloud and it even has a face on it, look." She said, gleefully.

She tossed it in and continued.

"I got an extra toothbrush, I picked this storage box up for all of my make up and hair stuff, because I won't have a vanity at yours to store it all and I don't want to impose on your drawer space." She said.

"Wait, hold on a second. Put that back, I can give you a drawer. In fact I insist upon it. You're staying in my room, you get a drawer and wardrobe space. And you wouldn't be imposing." I said.

"Okay, so not this then." She said, placing it at her feet.

"Never think you're imposing." I said, firmly.

"Duly noted Sir." She said, as I smiled.

"What else did you find?" I asked her.

"I picked this up for when you read to me." She said, chuckling a soft, fleece blanket in.

"That looks really soft. I like it." I said, as she squealed excitedly.

"And then I just got some spare hair ties, a couple of claw clips, an extension cable for my straighteners and hair dryer, these slippers and two towels." She said, dropping them into the cart.

"I'm surprised they're not matching." I said, noting that most things were of a pastel pink, girly colour.

One towel was pink, the other was a dark red.

"Uhm, yeah there's a reason for that." She said, shifting awkwardly.

"Oh." I said, cottoning on.

"That's okay." I added, reassuringly.

The idea of the darker towel was for when she was on her cycle and it made perfect sense.

"Do you need or want anything else?" I asked her, as she shook her head.

"No, I think that's everything." She said.

"Aw isn't this touching. The two freaks are shacking up together."

I turned to see Jason, and immediately clenched my jaw.

"Either way, it's none of your business." I remarked.

"You think you're so brave. How I saw it, she's the brave one. She's the one who butted Billy." Jason said, his attention now on Elise.

Who I noticed wasn't the slightest bit phased by his presence.

"You're still salty about that." She observed.

"He's my friend." Jason said, shrugging.

"No he's really not. That guy has no friends. He doesn't want any friends. He wants admirers, he wants lackies." She said.

"And that's what you are, nothing more." She added.

"I'm nobody's lackie." He said, as she laughed softly.

"Oh but you are, Carver." She argued.

"Think he'd have come to your rescue?" She asked.

"He would have." Jason argued.

"That's where you're wrong again. You say he's your friend but you have no idea what he's like, and you know nothing about him." She said.

"And you do?" He asked, cockily.

"I do." She said, confidently.

"She gonna do all the talking for you?" Jason asked me, as I shrugged.

"I'm not gonna argue when she's right. I'll step in if I need to, but right now she's handling you and your inflated, egotistical comments just fine." I said.

"You think you're above me, freak?" He asked.

"I am above no one." I answered.

"That's right, because you're beneath every single one of us." Jason sneered.

"That's the thing about opinions, everyone has one and that's all they are." She said.

"Mine matter around here." He said, taking a step closer to her.

"Your daddy's money stretches just that little bit further, though." She said, tackling him head on.

"What did you say to me?" He asked her, incensed.

"The truth." She answered, flatly.

"Put your bitch back on her leash, freak." Jason warned me.

Immediately aggravated, I reached for him and grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, pinning him to the shelving behind him.

"You have this uncanny knack of sticking your nose where it's really not wanted, Carver. Everything has to be your business all the time and it's getting old." I snarled, as he fought against me.

"Get your freak hands off me!" He spat, as I tightened my grip on him, my face so close to his, that our noses were touching.

"Keep talking about my girl like that, and see what happens. You can say whatever the fuck you want to me, I can shoulder it just fine. Water off a damn ducks back, I promise you. But you talk about her like that, and we're gonna have a serious problem, you and me." I continued, unrelenting.

"You'll do nothing. Just like you did nothing on the rink that day, with Hargrove." He sneered.

My hands swiftly left the collar of his jacket, and my fingers curled around his throat and I began to grip it slowly, and tightly.

And when I could hear him choking and rendered speechless, I gave him my final pitch.

"I did what I needed to and so did she. Because there is nothing worse to me than a guy who forgoes a woman's right to consent and thinks it means nothing, when it frankly means everything. We don't get the right to get what we want every single time. And there's gonna be times where you don't get what you want. Billy thought the same way as you and got headbutted between the eyes for it, and you know something? They hashed it out, and they're actually okay now. They settled the score and they're good. But you? You and your tiny little mind still have an issue when the aggrieved party involved, no longer has one. So take that shitty little mouth, and get the fuck out of here." I spat.

And I felt her presence behind me, and her hand clasped my shoulder gently.

"Let's go." She whispered.

And then another presence and I felt her tense beside me.

I was waiting for another fight.

A fight that never came.

"I got this from here Munson."

Billy Hargrove.

He came into my view and I refused to let go of Jason.

"I told you to leave them alone, Carver." Billy said, sounding bored.

Billy's hand squoze my other shoulder, Elise's hand still gripping me and he gently encouraged me to move away.

"You're seriously letting this go?" Jason asked, surprised.

"I'm so over this." Billy said, before releasing me from his grip.

"She made a fool out of you." Jason argued.

"Okay, you and I are gonna have a little chat outside." Billy said with a clenched jaw.

He grabbed Jason by the collar of his jacket and as he dragged him away, we watched him squirm in his grip.

Billy turned back to us, and with a stern stare, he nodded to Elise.

"Now, we're even." He said.

We watched them until they disappeared around the aisle and I turned to Elise, as she took a deep breath.

She sighed with relief and immediately hurried her way into my arms.

I welcomed her, equally relieved and sighed softly.

"Always has to ruin things." I said, a little vexed.

"I was a little shocked that Hargrove was on our side though." I added.

"I told you I'd gotten through to him didn't I." She said, her voice muffled.

"You did, and you were right. Come on, let's not let that dick ruin our night. Still wanna go and girlify my room?" I asked, smiling down at her.

She returned the smile and chuckled softly.

"Yes please." She said, as I kissed her nose.

*******************************************
It was official; my room was now Elise friendly.

And she was liking it a lot.
Her favourite thing was the drawer that her make up and her hair stuff now occupied.

The small things.

She'd wrapped us up in the new fleece blanket and we were huddled together, as she listened to me read more of the Hobbit.

She was sitting in between my legs and the blanket was draped around my shoulders and encased her as she rested her head against my chest.

"I meant to say, I'm really proud of you for knuckling down and making your way to graduation." She said, her voice soft with tiredness.

I paused reading, touched my her sudden admission and kissed the top of her head softly.

"I have you encouraging me every step of the way." I said.

"You absolutely do." She said, a small yawn following.

"Someone's a tired princess." I said, closing the hobbit and placing it on my bedside table.

"Wanna turn in?" I asked her.

"Are you tired?" She asked, as I smiled.

"I think I'll watch you sleep for a while and then I'll likely fall asleep after you." I said, as she sighed.

"Sounds weird." She said, playfully.

But she burrowed under my bed covers all the same and waited patiently as I did the same.

I lay my head on my pillow and stared into her eyes, with a soft smile on my face.

"I am weird, Grange." I said, as she giggled.

"You're my weirdo." She said.

"You bet." I answered.

Her eyelids grew heavy and I reached a hand out to gently stroke her cheek and I watched as she slowly but surely fell asleep.

And true to my word, I watched her sleep for a while before growing tired myself.

And as I slowly fell asleep, I knew one thing for certain.

I couldn't wait for graduation.
I couldn't wait for a year of travelling to begin, where we both went out to explore the world, together.

As a team.

********************************************
Eight months later.

Eddie actually did it.

Eddie Munson, graduated highschool.

I hadn't been able to contain him in the days after our graduation ceremony; hell I hadn't been able to get him to stop wearing his graduation cap around the house.

He was driving his Uncle insane with how happy he was, and he was hard to bring down off the ceiling right now.

I'd been to see my mom after graduation, and there had been a hard conversation that followed.

I wasn't coming home.
I was leaving Hawkins, to take a year out to travel all of the places I wanted to see, with Eddie by my side.

Whilst he'd been ensuring that the van was road worthy enough for all the driving that was fast approaching, I'd had a meeting at the bank.

I'd finally been granted the required access to my trust fund, having recently turned 18.

We'd celebrated with a party at the ice rink, and I'd skated all afternoon.

There had been food, and cake and a lot of laughter with my friends and my wonderful, caring, loving boyfriend.

And here we were now, getting the final bits together for the start of our road trip.

"I think that's everything princess, all packed in the van and ready to go. All that's missing, is you." Eddie said, as I zipped my duffle bag.

"Did you get snacks?" He asked.

"You were on snack duty." I argued.

"No, I was charged with getting gas and plenty of tapes." He said, as I smiled broadly.

"I'm teasing. Yes I got snacks." I said, as he rolled his eyes.

"And cigarettes." I added.

"The heroine in my story, as always." He said, with a cheeky glint in his eye.

"Don't you forget it." I said, with a smile.

"You say goodbye to your mom?" He asked, as I sighed.

"I did. She's sad, but happy too." I answered.

"Understandable. Have you spoken to your dad?" He asked.

"He's moved out, not sure where he is and I'm not sure I care. Not right now, anyway." I said.

"You will, when you're ready." Eddie said, sympathetically.

"Okay, so this is everything, right?" I asked, changing the subject.

He knew, but he let it slide and he inspected the two bags infront of us and the cash in the zip lock bag, before nodding.

"This is everything." He said, before bouncing on his heels slightly.

"Excited?" I asked.

"Oh boy I cannot wait." He said, gleefully.

"Shall we go?" I asked as he laughed manically.

"Absolutely." He said, before rushing to the van with the two bags.

Wayne was outside, waiting to see us off on our grand adventure, and he pulled me into a fatherly bear hug.

"It's gonna take me a while to get used to you two not being around. It's gonna get real quiet, real fast." He said, releasing me.

"That your way of saying you're gonna miss us?" Eddie asked, skipping over to him.

"Of course it is." Wayne said, laughing.

"I'm gonna miss you, Uncle Wayne." Eddie said, before they hugged tightly.

"Take care of each other and call me every week or so, you hear?" He asked.

"Every week." I confirmed.

"Have fun, kids. I'll miss you." He said, before clearing this throat.

His eyes were slightly glassy and he wasn't keen on either of us seeing.

Still just as stubborn as always.

"I'm gonna miss you a whole lot. Thank you for taking me in, when I needed it." I said, sincerely.

"Was no trouble at all. Now go on, get going." He said, waving me off.

We clambered into the van and I hung out of the window as Eddie drove away from the trailer, waving to Wayne until he was out of my sight.

He waved back until we were away into the distance.

I settled into the passenger seat and Eddie reached blindly into the compartment in his driver door, reaching for the map.

He handed it to me, his eyes still on the road.

"Open it, tell me where you want to go." He said.

The choice was mine, where did I want to go?

He cast a quick glance my way and it was filled with love for me, and I smiled.

I tossed the map behind me, and shrugged.

"Just drive." I said, with a satisfied grin.

"As you wish." He replied, chuckling softly.

"Wherever we end up, I just want to sleep under the stars with you." I said.

"Under the stars it is, princess. Under the stars, it is." He replied, reaching across to take my hand in his.

"I love you, baby girl." He said, fondly.

"I love you." I replied.

I held onto his hand as we drove into the beginning of our adventure together, and I took a moment to understand that this was the most content I'd felt in a long time. Eddie was my contentment. He was my person, there was no doubt about that.

He was the guy I'd always dreamed of, and as I slipped a tape into the tape player, he smiled at the sounds of a familiar song, as it started to play.

A Letter to Elise.

"This all started with The Cure." I said.

"And it'll only continue with The Cure, baby." He answered, sounding satisfied.

"Ready to make some forever memories with me?" He asked, as I squealed with excitement.

"You bet your ass I am, my favourite little metal head." I said, with certainty as he laughed loudly.

"I am so ready." I said.

THE END.