Chapter Text
You noticed him at the beginning of the school year.
Well, not exactly. Eddie Munson is hard to miss. He almost demands attention. He’s loud, and tall, and constantly always seems to be moving, but you really only took notice of him a few weeks ago.
It made sense since you were a Freshman when he was a Junior, so you only just knew of him from those around you. You heard the rumors and the whispers throughout the hall from other people about Eddie ‘The Freak’ Munson was apparently a sexual deviant, a devil worshipper, drug dealer, and all around trouble. All of this combined became the reason why he was repeating his Senior year for the third time. You heard people snort and laugh, and say something along the lines of, ‘What a loser,’ or ‘It’s Munson, what else did you expect from him?’ and had to restrain yourself from physically doing something.
You weren’t popular, you knew you were somewhat of an outcast due to the fact that you weren't preppy and liked alternative things. You did sometimes get occasionally hounded by the popular clique and they would mock your hair, or outfit, or make up, but overall, you were someone that the popular crowd wouldn’t waste too many thoughts on, but to hear him get shit on almost constantly really bothered you.
Who the hell were they to judge?
You didn’t even know why until your best friend had to point it out for you.
“It’s because you have a little crush on him,” Lena stated so casually as she switched some things out from her bag into her locker.
From her left, you let out a little scoff and double checked your eyeliner from the mirror hanging in you locker, “No, I don’t.”
Lena let out a small laugh, and continued, “Yeah, you do.” She quickly applied another coat of mascara on her eyes and added on, “You’ve had a little thing for him ever since he said he liked your shirt a few weeks back.”
You finished grabbing your books and for your next two periods and frowned because you knew exactly what she was talking about, and hated that she was right.
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First lunch of the new year, you and Lena had stopped into the girls bathroom to double check your hair and makeup, and while walking out you practically ran straight into Eddie Munson.
You felt his hands settle just under your ribcage, which led to your hands come up, and steady yourself on his leather cladded forearms. You quickly noticed how sturdy he felt under your fingers and let out a small gasp at what you felt.
Eddie let out an 'oomph,' a short laugh, and with a small smile said, “Whoa, where’s the fire?”
You looked up into his dark eyes, let out a nervous laugh and side stepped around him, both of you letting your hands fall to your sides. You forcibly ignored your hands and how they flexed wanting to touch him just once more.
“Oh, my god! Sorry, sorry, so sorry,” you said quickly.
Eddie said softly with a smirk, and a shake of his head, "It's no problem, really.” He then brought up his two hands and placed them on his chest, brushing over the small pins on his vest. "I wasnt really looking, so do forgive me," he said and gave you a small bow.
You felt yourself nervous laugh again, brought your hands up to smooth out your shirt, and said quickly, "Oh, yeah, forgiven." You also noticed him give you a once over and saw how his eyes lingered a bit longer on your shirt.
Seeing Led Zeppelin’s 1977 Angel logo decorated over a dark grey, soft tee. “Nice shirt,” he said as your eyes met again. “Very nice,” he said lowly, as he brushed past you towards the cafeteria doors.
Before you had a chance to respond, you heard Lena clear her throat and give you a ‘what the hell was that?’ look.
You gave a slight shrug, let out a sigh, and quickly ran a hand through your dark, curly hair. “Let’s just eat,” you said lamely, and motioned her to follow you to the cafeteria.
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Lena closing her locker brought you back to the present and you said, very unconvincing, “I do not have a crush on him.”
Lena laughed, a little too loudly you thought, and added, “Aww, it’s cute you think don’t.” She crossed her arms and leaned up against her closed locker. "Remeber, I was there," she said with a pointed look.
You rolled your eyes and gave her a small laugh. “I bet if you flirted with him, he’d definitely be up for it,” Lena said with sly, but encouraging smile.
You grabbed your eyeshadow compact from your locker and heaved what felt like the eighth sigh you’ve sighed in the last two minutes and couldn’t believe she was right. I can’t believe this.
It’s not that you liking, or even possibly dating Eddie Munson would be a problem, or that you even cared what the greater population of Hawkins High School would think about you or him, or their general consensus of you two together. You gave a little snort at the absurd idea of even caring about your social standing at Hawkins.
Lena gave you a curious look.
You finished touching up on your eye shadow, closed your locker, and explained, “Okay so, maybe it is a crush,” and gave her a pointed look when she opened her mouth, so you quickly continued, “I mean, you’ve seen him. He has no trouble being the center of attention, and the very idea of public speaking makes me wanna throw up, run, and shit myself all at the same time,” you said with snort while shaking your head.
You leaned your back up against your locker, fiddled with the strap of your bag, and continued, “I don’t know if I could keep up with that.” You gave a half shrug and just mumbled, “I mean, you know me, I like being invisible.”
Lena gave a slight nod, softened her eyes and said with clear sincerity, “That is such a bullshit excuse.”
You let out an offended scoff and laughed lightly at your best friend, “Lena!”
She shrugged, pushed off from the lockers and started walking down the hall.
You followed knowing that the bell would ring soon and you both had your next classes in the same hall on the west side of the building. Lena sighed, and continued, “I just don’t want you to miss out on something fun because you’re thinking too hard about it.”
Lena gestured with her hands towards the people in the hallways, “Look around us, we’re probably never going to see half of these people again come next fall.”
Your eyes did a quick sweep of the people around you and again, realized she had a point. “Who cares if they talk or gossip, they’re insignificant,” she concluded.
You let yourself fully absorb Lena's words for about 15 seconds before the bell rang, signaling your next class was about to begin, Senior Composition with Mrs. Adams, who after being in her class these last three weeks knew she hated tardiness and students barging in after her lesson has already started.
You threw a quick, ‘Later!’ at Lena and quickly ran into class before the door shut and made your way to seat.
Half listening to Adams go on with her lecture of foreshadowing and all the elements great writers use to leave hints and clues as to what’s coming next, you thought over Lena’s words and know that she's completely and totally right.
You're weren't going to let these people make you feel like you shouldn’t have something you want.
And oh man, you wanted Eddie Munson.
You had become more aware of him since that day and just tried to ignore your body’s responses to the hormones, or whatever sort of adolescent terror your body was going through, but you weren’t going to ignore it anymore.
After hearing the bell ring, you gathered all your things, and this time took your time, because you noticed last week that Eddie has Adams this next period, and if you timed yourself just right, maybe you could catch a glimpse of him before lunch.
Getting up and making sure the faux leather cords used to close up your drawstring backpack were good and tied, you tossed it over your shoulder and made your way into the hall.
Taking three steps, you see Eddie turn the corner and hope like hell your steps don’t falter as you walk down this dumb high school hallway.
You take a deep breath, and hold your head up high as you keep walking.
You take a moment look at Eddie; really look at him and just, wow.
His hair falls in dark waves past his shoulders, a Black Sabbath concert tee sits under his denim-vested, leather jacket. There’s a chain hanging from his belt loops, rips in his blue jeans, and white, scuffed hi-top sneakers. Your eyes sweep back up and notice his left hand is adorned with silver rings, you couldn’t quite make out what they’re in the shape of, but you do linger on his hands, and take note of how long his fingers are.
You subconsciously lick your lips and your eyes travel back up to Eddie’s face and see that his eyes are looking directly at you.
Your breath catches in your throat and you’d bet everything you have that a blush has settled upon your cheeks.
There's what looks to be intrigue in his eyes, and you feel like your heart is about to beat out of your chest. You hear Lena’s words in the back of your mind and try to give Eddie an opening, a green light, or something that lets him know that you’re definitely interested.
You hold his eye contact for a few more minutes before your eyes settle on his full lips, and see a smirk form into a full smile, and yours eyes travel back up to his and give him a smile of your own as you two now fully pass each other in the hall.
Your eyes now focus straight ahead as you keep walking down the hallway.
Holy shit.
You can feel your heart pounding in your chest, and butterflies in your stomach. You can’t remember the last time you felt this surge of adrenaline in your system, and you almost can’t believe you were willing to not feel these feelings at all.
Your next class was just in the next hall over, and before you disappeared fully into the next hall, and before you could think too much about it, you decide to look back at Eddie only to see that he full on stopped and is now facing you in the middle of the hall with a big, dumb grin on his face.
You give him another smile as he leaves your field of vision and your gaze drops to the floor and it takes all of your willpower to not jump up and down and squeal with excitement.
Holy. Shit.
You make into your next class just as the bell rings and it feels like maybe 10 minutes have passed before the bell rings dismissing everyone for lunch.
Is it possible to black out from happiness?
It must be because the next thing you know you're in the cafeteria and you’re giving Lena the full detailed, run down of what happened earlier.
You’re sure you must look insane to the small group of students sitting at the end of your lunch table, but finally being able to share this with your best friend and with her encouraging words and smiles, you feel like nothing can bring you down now.
You see Lena’s eyes shift as she looks past you and her eyebrows raise. She opens her mouth to say something, which makes whatever you were about to say die upon your lips.
A lunch tray is placed down next to you, which makes you jump a bit in your seat. A metal lunch box set in front of it. The chair next to you is now occupied with Eddie Munson and you hope and pray that you don't look as shell-shocked as you feel.
You feel your palms start to sweat and quickly bring them down to rest upon your dark acid washed jeans.
Eddie settles himself and then shifts himself and his chair so his whole torso is turned in your direction, gives you a smile and says, “Hi, I’m Eddie.”
"Yeah, I know," you say with a smile, as you take in a deep breath.
You inhale what could only be Eddie. There’s no way to describe it, he just smells manly; like pine or grass, and then something musky that's either just his natural scent or possibly his cologne. Either way, it's driving you crazy and you feel your thighs clench.
You realize you’ve been quite for a little too long and clear your throat. “Hey,” you hear yourself say in a sultry tinge, and quickly realize that you’re in the school’s cafeteria and clear your throat once more before you say normally, “I’m Alexandra, but uh, call me Lex.”