Hopeless Romantic - Eddie Munson

The Hellfire Club

I usually spent most of my days with the Hellfire Club. The kids were a few years younger than us, in their freshmen year, but I didn't mind because they're pretty cool. There was Dustin, Mike, and Lucas. they were new like me.

Lucas didn't show up a lot because he was busy with basketball.

The guys he hung out with were jerks. I was on the basketball team with them in my junior year and they spent their time in the locker room calling me gay, and whatever derogatory words you could possibly even think of that follow that.

Lucas was and still is pretty cool though. I enjoyed his presence whenever he did join the campaigns.

The guys in Eddie's band, Corroded Coffin, also spent campaign nights and lunch periods with the Hellfire Club.

The people in the club felt like family, and I honestly wouldn't have traded it for anything else. The last night we had a campaign, Erica Sinclair, Lucas' 11 year old sister, filled in for him. One thing I learned from that night is to not underestimate the people closest to your shins. We did beat Vecna though, not even knowing the shit coming for us in the future. Damn.

"Alex! Show them the sick tattoo I gave you!"
The guys shared some collective exclaims and laughter as I slightly pulled down the collar of the oversized shirt of some band I didn't really know that Eddie let me borrow to reveal the big, bold words going across the very top of my chest.

"You're insane man, I'd have to be dead to let Eddie kneel over me with a moving needle in his hand." Dustin stated as he looked closer, as if he didn't believe I'd actually let him do something that crazy.
"Trust me, it was a rough decision."
"What's up with you guys not trusting me?"
I made eye contact with him as I sat down next to him at the lunch table. His eyes were so beautiful. They always pierced right through me when we locked eyes, as if he was trying to get a closer look at my very soul. If that was truly what he was trying to do, he wouldn't have been very pleased with what he found.
"Yeah, whatever, I already know your answer, shithead." He laughed, taking me away from my thoughts to let out a chuckle at his insult.

I didn't really find it funny, though, because he was wrong. He didn't know my answer. If he'd asked me that while we were drunk.. or high, I probably would have immediately answered in a desperate tone that I would trust him with my life and that I would follow him blindly into anything if he just asked. He would never have seen me the same again after that, I thought, because he would know that I didn't feel that way platonically.

"Hello? Earth to Alex!" Mike's voice cut through my thoughts.
These guys definitely thought I was a little weird with how much time I spent zoning off to think instead of listen.
"You coming to the campaign tonight?"
"Yeah, of course." I forced a smile before I got up to head off somewhere alone. I felt uncomfortable thinking those things around all of them. What if they somehow found out what I was thinking about? Especially Eddie, he could just tell when something was up.

I was psyched for that night's campaign though.