I hate loving you - Eddie Munson

"she IS pretty"

The next day at lunch I sit at the table and say hey to everyone - like usual. Eddie looks over to me.
"Are you not going to eat anything" he looks down at the empty space on the table in front of me. I haven't eaten once at lunch In front of them, I don't remember the last time I ate anything in a school setting. Jason used to make comments so I just stopped.
"Oh I am not hungry today" I say trying to divert everyone's stares.
"So you're not hungry any day?" I look at him, why did he notice that about me, no one's ever noticed. He slides across some of his food in front of me and smiles as he takes a grape and pops it into his mouth, still looking at me.
"It's okay, we can share"
I smile at him, picking up a grape and putting it into my mouth. Everyone else begins talking between to each other, I tap eddies leg.
"Thank you" I say quietly
"No problem" he holds my hand under the table looking into my eyes.

I smile looking down at my lap, "eat another" I look up at him holding a grape out, no one has ever seemed to care, until now.
"Oh no, I don't want to eat all your food"
"I insist" he smiles at me "try and catch it in your mouth" he scoots back a little and throws a grape at me it hits my nose, we laugh looking at each other I grab a grape and throw it at him. He catches it and chews it slowly still looking at me.
He drops a grape into my mouth and I eat it.

"Look guys Freak has gotten himself a FREAK girlfriend" I hear Jason laughing with my old friends from across the cafeteria.
"HAVE YOU GOT A PROBLEM JASON?" I shout over at him.
He stands up walking over to me, Chrissy on his arm.
"What happened to you Jess?" He looks me up and down "you used to be so pretty"
I'm speechless, I don't know what to say.
"Used to be Jason?" Eddie says from behind me. I turn and look at him "she IS pretty"
My heart warms in my chest and I turn back to Jason.

"She's a whole of a lot prettier than you'll ever be, and I'll tell you why" he grabs my arm and pulls me back so he can get a clear view of Jason "she isn't only pretty on the outside"
Jason scoffs
"But you wouldn't know that would you? Because you never actually got to know her. You just wanted her for her looks"
I am still stood speechless, Chrissy stands behind Jason, she looks embarrassed to be with him.
Jason says nothing "come on Chrissy let's got" he says pulling her away, but Eddie stands up and taps Jason on the shoulder.

He swings his arm and punches him right in the face, Jason let's go of Chrissy's arm and swings at Eddie, he hits his chest causing Eddie to stumble back a little.

"Stop" I scream trying to grab Jason away from Eddie, but he pushes me back causing me to crash into the table behind. This causes Eddie to get even angrier before, I have never seen him like this, he's gone feral. His eyes are practically red with rage as he punches the shit out of Jason. His rings are now red with blood and his knuckles sore, he stands up and picks Jason off the ground.

"Now leave her the fuck alone", Chrissy is stood with her hand over her mouth just staring at the paint of them. Jason spins her around and drags her back to there seats, everyone is staring over.

I sit back in my seat, and don't say anything, Dustin, Mike and the others are all just staring at Eddie.
"What?" Eddie throws another grape into his mouth and carries on acting as though nothing had just happened. Dustin raises his eyebrows and grins at me.

I get up to leave, "I've got to go" I walk out not even realising Eddie had followed me.
He grabs my arm, "oh Eddie I didn't know you followed me." I smile at him and laugh a little "so you Do think I'm pretty" he laughs.
"Hellfire look after each other"
I look to my feet and back up to him "thank you, for everything. You didn't have to stick up for me like that, especially like that"
"I wanted to" I once again look into his eyes "you really aren't as bad as I thought you were freak" he says to me quietly. I hug him.

He walks back to the cafeteria and I carry on into the bathroom. That's when I hear someone in the bathroom stall.
"Are you okay" I say, she sounds almost scared.
"Leave me alone" I hear someone cry.
I look at myself in the mirror, adjusting a stray piece of hair. The crying continues, I'm shocked to see Chrissy  leaving the stall. She is pale as a ghost,
"Chrissy? you look like you've seen a ghost" I say quietly
"I'm fine just leave me the fuck alone Jess"
"I am just trying to-"
"I don't need help, especially not from you"
"I'm sorr-"
"JUST SHUT UP YOU BITCH" I look at her confused where this aggression has come from
"What have I done?" I ask looking at her. She laughs "you are always miss perfect, perfect hair perfect face perfect body perfect life. The world doesn't revolve around you you know"
"None of this is perfect Chrissy" she furrows her eyebrows at me putting her hands over her ears. She looks distraught.
"Where are those chimes coming from?!" She seems almost psychotic.
"Hey-" I put my hand on her shoulder trying to reassure her.
"Where's Eddie?" She asks looking at me, grabbing my shoulders when I don't respond straight away "WHERE IS HE" she screams.
"I-I don't know" I say, she huffs, turns around and storms out of the bathroom.

I stand in the same position for a few moments thinking about what the hell just happened, and that's when I put two and two together. Clearly she is having withdrawals from drugs. I only know she takes them due to the fact I caught her buying them a few weeks ago. I sigh thinking about it and walk to my next lesson, english.

When I get there eddie is already sat looking at me as I walk through the door. I smile over to him and walk over.
"Hey" I say to him sitting in the seat next to his.
He looks at me and smirks "can I borrow a pen?" He asks, I hand him one but keep hold of it when he goes to grab it "don't you dare loose it, it's my favourite"
He laughs taking the pen "I'll protect it with my life"

Eddie doesn't focus the whole lesson, even after his "this is my year" speech a few days ago.
"You know you're never going to graduate if you don't concentrate munson" he looks over at me.
"I will, you'll see"
I roll my eyes at him and begin writing, he slides a note under my pen. "Come help me study tonight?" Is written on the crumpled piece of paper.
I look over and nod at him.
"You know where my van is" he says staring at the front of the class.