Partners in Crime-Eddie Munson x OC

Chapter 2

Fall break for Hawkins lasted until Monday, and seeing as it was only Wednesday, I figured now was a good time to look for a part-time job. Aunt Susan could use the help, and I was told repeatedly by my father to earn my keep while I'm here, even though I planned on doing that regardless.

I offered to take Max with me and take her to get ice cream somewhere, but she declined. I guessed spending time with a Walkman alone in your bedroom was more fun than talking to your wonderful cousin. I vowed that I'd get her to hang out soon. She may have scared off the groups of guys she hung around with, but I was more stubborn than them.

With that mission in mind, I whipped into the parking lot of the Family Video. I was going to pick out a movie to rent and me and Max we're going to watch it. It was going to be great. Ultimate cousin-bonding.

Grabbing my purse, I headed toward the building, contemplating what kind of movie to get for Max. Probably not a rom-com. Horror seemed too intense. Action? I pushed the internal debate aside as I noticed a sign in the window that said the store was hiring. It looked like maybe I was going to kill two birds with one stone.

A teenage girl stood at the counter talking to a guy putting movies back on the shelf. Both of them looked around my age, and they seemed friendly enough.

"Hi, I saw your sign, are you still hiring?" I stepped up to the counter and put on my best 'I would make a great employee face.'

The guy looked over at me and gave me a cheesy smile. "Ahoy there! How can I —"

His sentence ended in a choking sounds as the short-haired girl next to him elbowed his side. "Steve, you dingus! We don't work there anymore, cut the 'ahoy' shit!"

"What the hell, Robin!" Steve shot her a look, then regained his composure. "Why yes, we are hiring. Could I interest you in an application?"

Robin rolled her eyes as Steve added a wink. "Ignore him, and yeah we're hiring." She reached under the counter and pulled out a job application. "Please fill it out, I need a coworker that isn't this guy."

I took the paper with a chuckle. "Thanks, and will do."

It wasn't until I was back outside in my car that I remembered I was supposed to rent a movie. Rather than go back in and look like an idiot, a backup plan formed in my mind. I passed a record store on the way in town, and Max seemed to love music. Maybe this was a better plan.

The record store was only a couple miles down the road, and it was near a pizza place. After ordering dinner for Max, Susan, and I, I went to kill time at the record store. I was fully prepared to win my cousin of the year award for this one.

The store had a great vibe to it. Posters decorated the walls and there were countless shelves containing records and cassettes. I decided to pick up a cassette for Max, but for fun I wanted to see if they had the Back In Black album by AC/DC. My dad had dropped my copy when I was packing and I might have stepped on it. Needless to say, it was toast.

I thanked my lucky stars that the albums were sorted in alphabetical order as I started to flip through the shelf. Sure enough, one copy of the album was still in stock. My eyes lit up joyfully until a ring-covered hand snatched the glorious black vinyl from the shelf.

"Oh hell no, that's mine you son of a-"

"Jesus, neighbor, I don't see your name on it."

My growing anger at being robbed and then cut off stopped abruptly as I turned to face none other than Eddie Munson.

"Hey, Eddie, um my bad," I chuckled nervously. "I wasn't trying to be bitchy or anything, you just kind of stole my record."

Eddie gave me a look of mock hurt and put a hand on his chest. "I can't believe you were gonna call me a son of a bitch! And here I thought you were alright, Helga."

"It's Helena, and I won't call you any names if you hand me that." I smiled with feigned sweetness.

He held up a finger dramatically. "First, I know." He put up another finger. "Second, not a chance, I've been looking for Back in Black for weeks."

"I definitely saw it first, and you could definitely tell I was going for it."

"Well maybe you should've went for it faster." He shrugged.

Before I could object to his stupid, and flawed I might add, argument, he made the situation worse.

"Maybe I'd consider letting you have it if you ask nicely."

My mouth fell open. "You're joking, right? You want me to get on my knees and beg for it?"

"The 'on the knees' and begging does sound like something I'd like to see." Eddie gave me a sly look that made my cheeks flare slightly at the insinuation.

"Not a chance, Munson. I'll find my own copy."

"Damn, you're no fun. No point now." Eddie put the record back on the shelf and held his hands up in surrender. "I guess you win this one."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Really? Now I can just have it?"

"Call it a welcome gift to this shit hole town," He flashed a mischievous grin.

He whirled around and left the store. Just as his van pulled out of the lot, one of the workers came up to me holding a record.

"Hey, I kind of overheard whatever that was," the guy shrugged his shoulders. "Anyway, we had another one of these in the back, so you and your friend can chill out."

Embarrassment heated my cheeks. Not only had I, an 18-year-old, just had an argument over a record, but someone had heard all of it. I muttered a quick apology and took the vinyl.

Eddie was already gone, so it was too late to tell him about the extra. I checked the price and then the cash in my pocket. I had enough to get both. Even though the record was technically rightfully mine, I guessed I could buy Eddie a copy since he let me have one.

After getting Max a cassette tape and buying the records, I picked up dinner and went back home. It turned out Susan wasn't getting home until later, so Max and I were alone for dinner. I attempted to get her to listen to my new vinyl with me, but apparently AC/DC was not her thing. I gave up and let her listen to her cassette instead.

Max sat on her bed with a magazine, while I filled out my Family Video application. I managed to coax some conversation out of her. I learned that Neil, her stepdad, was pretty awful. She told me a little about her group of friends, which I made a mental note to try and get her to start talking to them again later. I even gathered, from what little information I got, that she definitely had something with Lucas, something which I was going to confirm at a later time.

"Thanks for this." Max held up her cassette.

"Don't mention it. And next time you should definitely come with me. I look like a loser walking around alone, you know?" I gave her a playful smile.

"Yeah, maybe." She returned the grin. "Maybe next time we should get a movie."

I chose to ignore that.