No Surrender | Eddie Munson

Chapter Fourteen: Newbies

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: NEWBIES

DANCING IN THE DARK — BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN

Man, I ain't gettin' nowhere
I'm just livin' in a dump like this
There's somethin' happenin' somewhere
Baby, I just know that there is

——————

The woods grow thick and green once more. Then backlit by summer days. Finally, back to the ambers of autumn.

Senior year picks up quicker than I had expected. On top of the usual assignments and home-schooling El, there always seems to be something new to worry about.

A faint honk sounds over my music as I skate down the road. Frowning, I lower my headphones. The blood red hood of a car comes into sight, then a face leaning out of the window.

"Steve?"

"Hey, Beth. You heading to school? 'Cause you can take a ride with me, I'm picking up Nance on the way."

I hesitate. It would be a monumentally stupid idea to get into a car with someone I barely know. But it's Steve. He knows what happened last November, he fought the demogorgon with Nancy and Jonathan. He's been much less unpleasant too, ever since he dropped Tommy and Carol.

Offering an awkward smile, I get into the back seat and take off my skates. "Thanks. You have no idea how much this road sucks. Some jerk keeps speeding down here, almost got hit the other day."

We drive in silence for a while. Desperate for a distraction, I fumble through my bag.

"I'm sorry about your mom, by the way."

My movements stop. Our eyes meet in the rear view mirror. "Thanks."

"You're living with the Chief now, right? Must be weird. I mean, probably a total buzzkill sometimes."

I let out a quiet laugh, "Sometimes, yeah. Not like I do a lot of buzzy stuff." The second that word comes out of my mouth, I wince. "God, that sounded stupid. I just meant— I meant... you know, I don't have a... social... life." Another wince. So much for making a good impression. I try to ease my own nerves with a joke, "That party was the most interesting thing I've ever done."

That hasn't traumatised me, I'd like to add. It's still too soon for that.

His eyes narrow. "Hey," he says after a pause, "Nancy mentioned you might have powers. Isn't that kinda fun or interesting or whatever?"

"If I knew what they were, yeah. Just get nosebleeds when I feel... feelings. It sucks."

A thoughtful frown weighs on his features. "Hey, you ever heard of Jean Grey?"

I shake my head.

"Totally cool superhero, you'd love her. But, uh, she's got powers, one being that she can feel other people's emotions. I've got some comics if you wanna check them out."

By now, we have reached Elm Street. Nancy climbs in, awkwardly greeting the two of us. "Didn't know you lived up here, Beth."

"I don't. Moved out near Loch Nora a while back." It takes me a moment to catch onto how dismissive that must have sounded. It's too late to salvage it now without making myself look like an idiot.

The journey is even more awkward than before. I'm out of the car the second we park, tripping over my own feet as I struggle to gather everything. I keep the door open long enough to call back, "I'll definitely check out those comics, yeah?"