𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞 // 𝐞𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐱 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

6

I quickly run to the gym to let Chrissy know that I'll miss the start of practice.
I run into her in the halls leaving the bathroom on main hall. She's cradling herself and it looks like she'd seen a ghost.

"Chrissy-" I said trying to get her attention. She looks up at me. I can tell she's frightened.
"Hey, is everything okay?" I said trying to get her to talk to me.
"Y-yeah, I'm fine." She said wiping her face.
"Chrissy, please talk to me. You're always here for me. I'm here for you too." I say reassuring her that she can trust me. She just looks down at her feet.
"Okay Chrissy, I'm not gonna be able to make it to the start of practice I have to go meet max, but I will be there hopefully before y'all dismiss." I tell her. She is still quiet.
"And then when I get there we can talk about whatever is going on and hang out." I said patting her on the arm.
"That's fine y/n." She said in a mellow tone and slowly moved in the direction of the gym.

After what felt like forever, the counselor finally stopped interrogating us about how we felt and I was able to go to practice. It's only 3:30 so they should still be practicing. I burst through the doors of the gym only to see an empty room. Practice must've let out early.

I am fixing to walk into the parking lot, when I see a blonde cheerleader heading towards the woods. I know it's Chrissy.
I wonder if I should follow after her, but decide against it.
I don't want to bombard her.

I start heading for my car when Dustin runs up to me.
"Hey, y/n." He said kind of quietly.
"Are you doing anything tonight?" He said putting his hands on his hips.
"Um, not that I know of. What's up?" I said, trying to figure out why he was talking to me.
"Well, Hellfire is having a meeting tonight. Have you heard of Dungeons and Dragons? Okay well basically we'll be playing that game and I need to find somebody to play." He said kind of rambling.
"Did you ask max?" I said knowing that he probably went to her first.
"Um, yeah. She's um, busy." The way he said it, I could tell she said something snarky.
"Well I don't know how to play but I'd love to just hang out with somebody." I said knowing I really didn't want to deal with other people, but I'm trying to talk more.
"Oh okay, well you're welcome to come. We're meeting tonight at 9:00." He said giving me a little piece of paper with the time and the place on it.
"Okay, thanks Dustin!" I said giving him a smile.
He gave me a wave and left.

It's almost 8:30. I'm putting on a comfy outfit to sit in. I know we'll probably be there for a few hours. I grab my book, my glasses, and a flashlight. Even if I don't play the game, just being in other peoples company counts as socializing.

I start heading towards the place that Dustin had told me. It's not far from my house. I quickly get there and take a seat. And honestly I'm thinking they gave me the wrong place because I'm the first one here. I find a couch on the side wall that looks pretty comfy. So I sit there and wait on the other people.

Right at 9:00 an entire group of people burst through the door.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing getting comfy on our couch?"
One of the boys snatches my book from my hands.
"I-I'm sorry, I was told to be here at 9:00, I just got here early."
I said scrambling to my feet.

"Who told you about this place?" One of the boys raised their voice at me.
I froze. I don't know what to say. Is this the club that Dustin had talked about?
I start grabbing my things to leave but when I turn around the boys are being pushed to the side.

"I did." He steps through giving the boys a harsh slap on each of their backs.
He snatches the book away from one of them and gently hands it back to me.
He takes his arm and gently sets me back down on the couch.
"Thank you, uh.."
"Eddie." He says offering his hand.
"Guys, this is my partner for O'Donnells class. Let's make her feel welcome you dip-shits." He says while he took turns slapping each one of them in the back of the head.
He laughs and twists the rings on his finger.

Just as they had taken their seats. Dustin, Mike, and Erica bust through the door. All eyes turn to them. I could see the expression on Eddie's face drop.

"Absolutely not." Eddie says.
"You asked for a sub. We delivered." Said the boys proudly.
"This is Hellfire Club. Not Babysitting Club." Eddie said making the boys around him chuckle.

"I'm 11, you long-haired freak." Erica yells in response. I let out a light giggle. His hair is pretty long..
"My, my, the child speaks..." He says giving her a scowl.
"...So, what's your name, child?"
"Erica Sinclair." Erica proudly puts her hands on her hips. Once again, the boys around the room laugh.
"So this is Sinclair's infamous sister." Eddie says now approaching Erica.
"He's sharp." Erica whispers back to the boys.
I sit quietly trying not to interrupt their encounter.
Eddies friends start to laugh but he shoots them a glare and they quickly stop.
"What's your class and level? Level one dwarf?" Eddie stooped himself to Erica's level.
"My name is Lady Applejack. And I'm a chaotic good half-elf rogue, level 14. I will sneak behind any monster you throw my way and stab them in the back with my poison-soaked kukri. And I'll smile as I watch them die a slow, agonizing death..." everyone stops laughing and I can tell Eddie is honestly impressed by her knowledge of the game.

"So, we gonna do this, or we gonna keep chitchatting like this is your mommy's book club?" Erica once again crossed her arms. She tapped her fingers waiting on Eddie to make up his mind. He slowly sits down in his seat.
"Welcome to Hellfire." He says with a grin.