𝙳𝚘𝚗'𝚝 𝙱𝚕𝚊𝚖𝚎 𝙼𝚎 ||𝙴𝚍𝚍𝚒𝚎 𝙼𝚞𝚗𝚜𝚘𝚗

005

I got home and hopped in the shower. The warm water felt good as I cleaned off the sweat and dirt from the day. After my shower, I threw on ripped high-waisted jeans, and a cropped light blue sweater. I threw my wet hair into a messy bun with my matching blue scrunchie. I went downstairs and started cleaning up the empty beer cans in the living room and kitchen. I saw lights turn into the driveway and tried to rush to clean things up. I heard a knock on the door and ran to it. I opened it and Eddie was standing there, twiddling his thumbs.

"Hi there," I greeted. He looked up and we both smiled. "Come in. I was just cleaning up, then we can head over." I ran into the kitchen and started pushing the beer cans into the trash can.

"Did you have a rager here in the thirty minutes you were here?" He asked as I shut the trash can.

"Oh yea, it was a real turnout. Seven minutes in heaven and all that good stuff." I grabbed the dishes from the kitchen table and put them in the sink.

"Who'd you kiss?" He asked as he sat at the kitchen bar.

"Oh, you know who stopped by? Motley Crue! Isn't that wild? Tommy Lee is a great kisser." I grabbed my purse out of the closet and turned toward Eddie.

"Wow, a drummer. I'm hurt. Not even Mick or Nikki? Tommy Lee?"

"I don't know, you tell me. Are guitar players any good?" At this point, I knew I couldn't take back what I started.

"Is that a challenge?" He asked. I looked up into his eyes which were searching my face for an answer.

"If you think guitar players are better, let's put it to the test." Now we were inches away. I could smell the weed on his clothes. I put my hand on his shoulder and he moved pieces of my hair that had fallen out of my bun out of my face. His lips were warm as they brushed against mine. His hands cupped my cheek while the other rested on my hip. We both pulled back and surprise crossed both of our faces.

"Alright, I will have to say, you give Tommy a run for his money." He chuckled which made me giddy inside. "We should get going before everyone thinks we died or something."

A grabbed my purse off the counter and Eddie got up from the stool. I locked the door behind us and we got into Eddie's van. The radio was playing Metallica and I began drumming my hands on my legs.

"You like Metallica?" Eddie asked purely shocked.

"Yea, my dad and I listen to it."

"That's something new. Considering Dustin's mom being overprotective, I wouldn't think Metallica would be allowed." I giggled at his statement.

"Well, maybe that's why they split up." I looked out the window at the passing trees as the moon was full and bright.

"When did your parents split?"

"Four and a half years ago I think." I looked down at my wrist, the number 020, and began rubbing it.

"You know, sometimes people aren't meant for each other. I'm sure they will both find someone great." I gave a little smile. It's not like he knows it's really my fault they split.

We quietly listened to the music he had playing for the rest of the ride. The kiss was completely behind us. We pulled into the pub's parking lot and saw Dustin and Mike messing around outside.

"What are you guys doing?" I asked as I hoped out of Eddie's van.

"Well you guys took your good old time, and the other three went to the bar with their fake IDs and they didn't want us to ruin it for them," Dustin said.

We all walked in and the other three spotted us. They walked over to us as the host came to seat us.

"Hey man, what took you guys so long?" Garret asked. Eddie looked over at me and gave a small smirk.

"Sorry guys, my bad. I took too long to get ready," I lied and I gave Eddie a mischievous smile.

"Oh my gosh, is that true. She takes forever to get ready in the morning," Dustin added. We all were seated. Jeff, Garret, and Simon had a beer and the waitress came over to take our drink orders, the rest of us ordered water.

"Eddie, no beer tonight? What?!" Simon asked.

"Yea, I've got precious cargo to drive around tonight." His eyes met mine from across the table. The boys talked about their D&D victory for a while, as I just sat and watched their conversations. It hurt me a little seeing Mike and Dustin without Lucas, not knowing he also had a victory tonight. We all had been through so much together, we were like a family until the Byers moved.

"Dani, how was the basketball game?" Dustin asked breaking me out of my thought.

"Oh yea, it was good." I gave a short response.

"I'm guessing that means they won?"Simon asked.

"Yea, actually it was L-..." I got cut off by the waitress bringing over the guys more beer and cheese fries. They dug in while and began talking about D&D again. I slide out of the booth and walked out to the phone booth outside. I dialed Benny's Burgers hoping I could reach Chrissy.

"Hello?" A voice answered.

"Hey, Is Chrissy Cunningham there?" I asked.

"Hold on..." I could hear the music and people talking while they looked for Chrissy. "She's with Jason. Do you want me to give her a message?"

"No, it's fine. Thanks." I hung up the phone and just stood there looking at the phone. I heard a familiar voice call my name.

"Danielle... Danielle... Dani... Dani!" I turned around to see him standing there. The man I had lost last summer.

"Billy? How are you here?" I asked.

"Dani... Dani..." He kept calling my name.

"Hey, Dani, are you okay?" I heard Eddie calling for me and turned from the phone.

"Hey, yea. I'm fine, I was just calling Chrissy to see how things were going at the party."

"Are they totally boring you in there?" He asked. I shook my head.

"No, they seem great."

"Is it about earlier? I am so sorry, I thought you wanted..."

"No, Eddie. It's not that, it was great," I grabbed his nervous hands to reassure him. "None of this is because of you. I just get this way sometimes. Especially after days like today."

"Do you want to go home?" He asked.

"Not right now, I just think I need a drink or something." He smiled and pulled me inside to the bar.

"What can I get you?" He asked me. I giggled and pulled my fake ID out of my wallet.

"I can get my own." I stepped up to the bar and ordered myself a beer. A hand next to me slipped five dollars onto the bar. I looked over to see Eddie. "I told you, I've got it." I pushed it back into his hand.

"I insist." He handed it to the bartender.

"Uh... I.."

"Speechless now, huh?" The bartender handed me my beer and we headed back to the table.

"Dani, are you drinking?" Dustin asked.

"Well, what would I be doing if I went to the basketball party tonight?"

"True." Dustin got quiet.

We sat there chatting for what felt like twenty minutes but was an hour and a half.

"Well, I have to get home before my parents realize I stayed out past curfew," Mike stated.

Jeff and Simon were nearly passed out drunk, and Garret was who knows where.

"I'll take you guys home, it's on the way anyway."