Under One Condition || Eddie Munson

chapter nine

TW// hints about ED's

It had been a couple days since Hopper told us that Tommy and Carol were let go. Tommy hadn't showed up for school the rest of the week but Carol gladly bullied me extra in his absence.

I couldn't bring myself to tell Steve what Carol was doing. She would always wait until I was alone, it almost felt like she was stalking me.

"Sweetheart, are you hungry?" My mom asked as she poked her head into my room. She has been keeping an extra eye on me since I told her everything when she got home Wednesday night. "Dinner's ready."

I rolled out of my bed, nearly falling as my feet hit the ground. I heard my mom giggle as she quickly ducked out of the room.

It was Sunday evening, the weekend went by way too fast for my liking. I stood with a huff and lazily walked out of my room.

As I walked into the dinning room I see that my mother is already sat at the table. "Your brother will be a little late joining us, if he joins at all." I nodded my head in response, I figured Steve was still talking to Nancy about their relationship.

He left earlier today and has yet to return. I really hope everything is okay, I know he loves her.

I sat across from my mom and stared at the plate in front of me. She made chicken salad again, it's all she ever makes anymore.

"I noticed you putting on a couple pounds, I wanted to have a healthy dinner," my mom stated, not looking at me. Truthfully, I hadn't gained any weight; I checked every morning to be sure.

My mom's words stung, I wondered if anyone else saw me and thought the same thing. My stomach felt like it was eating itself but I pushed my plate away.

"I'm actually not that hungry, I just came to keep you company," I half smiled at her. She paused for a moment before looking me in the eye. I don't think she could tell I was lying.

"That's sweet of you, Honey," was her only response. I bit down on my lip, unsure of what to say to her. She's the reason I struggle with eating. Before I was homeschooled, I rarely saw her so I could eat whatever I wanted without the comments. Now it seems I can't escape them.

I remember when she took me school clothes shopping 2 weeks before school started. She was so excited that I dropped from a size 18 to a size 8 in the span of a couple months. She gushed over how good I looked in my new clothing, saying that once I lost some more weight they'd look even better on me.

I tried to not let her comments effect me in anyway, but it was difficult. She always came up with new ways to give me backhanded compliments that involved my looks.

Steve helped a lot, to the point where she won't make comments in front of him.

"I'm proud of you for controlling yourself," my mom said, breaking my thoughts. "I really don't want my beautiful daughter to get big again," she finished. There it is, a insult inside of a compliment. I nodded thoughtfully and pushed my plate even further from me.

"Can I be excused?" I finally asked, we had been sitting in silence for awhile. My mother shooed her hand and nodded. I quickly got up and ran to my room. I needed to get out of here.

I grabbed my shoes and car keys, deciding to go for a drive.

My mom didn't say anything as I made my way out the front door, I didn't expect her to. I slipped into my car and started it, smiling to myself.

Rolling the windows down, I pulled out of my driveway already knowing where I was going.

Steve and I found a spot a couple years ago; it overlooked Hawkins. I use to go there to clear my mind after I'd get into a fight with my mom.