Welcome To Hawkins

12

"There's nothing else we need? No last-minute buys?" Eddie maneuvers the cart towards the checkout lanes.

I shake my head, "No! Unless you want something."

Eddie taps his fingers on the cart handle, "Nope."

"(y/n), I didn't know you were back in town," the cashier, Mrs. Smith, smiles at me as we enter the checkout lane.

"I'm surprised you didn't hear from my mom or Gam Gam," I grin back, placing some of the groceries on the counter.

"Oh, I forgot! It's your family reunion today! How exciting!" Mrs. Smith scans the first few items, bagging them neatly, "(y/mn) did mention the party last week."

"Yeah! She sent us out to get some last-minute groceries Auntie Debbie forgot."

Mrs. Smith's eyes glance up at the word 'us.' Eddie chooses that moment to wrap his arms around me from behind, settling his chin on the top of my head. I can only imagine the grin he's wearing as he pulls me tight against his chest.

"And who is this, dear?" She skillfully types in the code for coffee filters placing the item in the brown paper bag, her eyes glued on Eddie the entire time before she picks up the next item.

"This is my boyfriend, Eddie," I say, reaching for my purse at my hip.

"Nice to meet you," Eddie reaches around me to shake Mrs. Smith's hand.

"It's a pleasure," Mrs. Smith smiles politely as she scans the final items, "$11.40 is the total, dear."

Eddie stops me from riffling around in my purse for my wallet, his large hand squeezing at my hip for a second.

"I got it, babe." Grabbing his wallet from his back pocket, he hands Mrs. Smith a twenty-dollar bill. I slip away from his grip to reload the grocery cart with the paper bags as Mrs. Smith hands Eddie his change.

"Say hi to Ben for me," I wave at Mrs. Smith as we exit Bradley's.

"Will do, dear," she waves back.

We walk towards the parked car quietly.

Eddie helps me load the back of the Cadillac before climbing into the car.

"Eddie?" I ask after a beat of silence.

He turns towards me, "Yeah?"

"You've done that... hug from behind thing like twice now." I don't know why I'm bringing this up. Maybe I want him to say something, reveal something. Maybe I'm being delusional over this, and he's just a very convincing fake boyfriend.

He turns towards the window, hiding whatever he's feeling from my view,

"You've been--" I struggle to find words that won't cause any more turmoil, "touchy. Like very touchy."

Eddie turns back towards me, "I'm supposed to be your boyfriend! That's what couples do."

I turn away from him, "I know, but isn't it a lot?"

"I don't know. I just hate how..." he pulls a face, "Well, it's pretty obvious that people here don't react well to me. They're a bit-- you know..."

And I do know. They're stereotypical in their judgemental attitudes towards people they perceive as different.

"I know that," I turn the key, and the engine hums to life, "But you don't have to like prove anything to these people. And I'm not just saying it because this isn't a real relationship. Just in general, you don't have to prove anything to them."