Crush Culture -E. Munson

TWO.

To say Nick Henderson was a morning person would be a complete overstatement . The first period was the vein of the boy's existence, and it was a miracle he could even properly drive that early.

And to further annoy him , Dustin had always been the rise and shine kind of boy, and while Nick was questioning his existence, he was already rambling about whatever was on his mind at that particular moment, literally chewing on his brother's nerves ,and if it wasn't him, Nick would throw him out of the car immediately. The only thing making things a little more endurable this year was since Dustin was also at high school, Nick could at least spare himself the stop at middle school where he had to compete for the parking space with the all the frustrated mothers that threw kisses in his way or threated to kill him. He definetel didn't miss that.

And overall , he enjoyed being able to see his little brother around school and not having to worry about him and his friends, who tended to get themselves into serious trouble and drag him right along. Now he could just stop him from that. Life was good this way, and without the constant worry his brother would disappear, Nick finally had the high-school experience everybody always talked about.

He hadn't had that much fun fooling around in years, maybe ever, and every visit at Lover's Lake was only adding to it.

Thinking about his dates was what made the class go by in a hurry, and while he slowly adjusted himself to time and place, it was lunch break already, the perfect opportunity for an extended smoke in his car. At the time he had reached the parking lot, the basketball game had ended, and the students were leaving the gymnasium to enter the cafeteria. Nick watched the crowd passing by as he leaned against the hood of his car once again, a reoccurring pattern in his life.

He always seemed to be waiting for something. As he put his pack of cigarettes back into the dashboard, he spotted a book that had slid under the passenger seat. He pulled it out, identifying it as Dustin's Physic book he needed for the next class. With a sigh, he put it under his arm and smashed the door shut. He hated the cafeteria.

To him, it was the most awkward place where all grades got to mingle together, and too many sets of eyes immediately glued themselves to his back in an afford to inconspicuously catch his attention. He had a history with many students his age and of course, that needed to stay secret. So he kept his pace quick and hands in the pockets of his jeans as he approached the backside of the room where the Hellfire club was seated.

With an eye roll, he had to notice Eddie Munson strutting over the table while loudly complaining about the upcoming exams. He had failed to graduate twice, was already in his early twenties and this time would be his last chance to finally gain a high school diploma. Maybe if it wasn't for the boy's unhealthy obsession with metal music, Hellfire Club and his side hustle seeling weed, he would pass with flying colors. But Eddie was Eddie and his priorities had never laid on schoolwork. Nick wasn't exactly friends with the strange but on somewhat friendly terms with him due to the quality of his products. They had met a few times by the bench in the woods for a deal and Eddie had always given him gratious discounts on everything while looking at him with his big, expressive eyes as if Nick was the most beautiful thing in the world.

And Nick had really thought about it, imagined how it would be to drive up to his favorite spot in the back of Eddie Munson's black van. People say, the freaks are always the best you'll ever have and Nick had no doubt that Eddie would do his best. But he was a no no, a boy way to dangerous to fool around with, to sticky sweet for a someone who didn't like to be glued down. Nick would have already thrown him out of his mind If it wasn't for that damn black handkerchief that was way too obviously hanging out Eddie's left back pocket just to provoke and of which he knew it was a hint just for him. That boy was trouble, and trouble was just Nick's jam.