freaks ✾ eddie munson

8

I let Dustin sit in the front with Steve while Lucas and I sat with Max in the backseat.

"Alright, Max." Steve said. "Where are we going?"

"My house." She said blankly and Steve nodded.

"You okay?" I said to Max, grabbing her hand.

"Mhm." She said, nodding and I gave her a smile.

"Though..." She started and I gave her a look so she knew I was listening.

"What happened to not liking Eddie?" She nudged my arm as she spoke quietly to not alert the others.

A smile escaped onto my lips.

"You were right." I said.

"I know."

The rest of the drive was silent. We were all so worried about Max. Nancy and Robin's plan better work.

I looked over at Lucas to see him fiddling with his letter and staring at Max, as if he had something to say to her.

A song played on the radio as we pulled into the trailer park.

Steve pulled into Max's driveway. "This better be fast, Mayfield."

"Twenty seconds." She said.

Max hopped out of the car and started to run towards her house as we watched her.

"That things got batteries in it, right?" Steve asked Dustin.

He sighed and shook his head. I knew he was referencing what had happened last year, when Dustin's walkie died and left us with no way of contacting the others.

"I'm not answering that question."

"Yes, it has batteries."

"Yeah, I got it."

It had been a little while of us waiting in the car and the guys started to get impatient. Steve let out a loud, dramatic, sigh as all of us got out of the car.

"Give her time." I said.

"Yeah, yeah."

After a few minutes, Max started to jog towards the car. "Are you okay, Max?"

"That was longer than 20 seconds." Steve said and I nudged him. Something wasn't right.

"Hey, woah! Woah, you alright?"

I could tell she was panicking as she quickly got into the car. "I'm fine, just drive." We all got back into the car.

"Did something happen?" Lucas asked.

"Can we please just go?" She said and Steve quickly pulled out of the driveway.

Max still wouldn't talk to us, but she gave Steve directions as he drove.

"Turn here."

"Here?" Dustin asked and she nodded.

We turned into Roane Hill Cemetery, and it all made sense. This is where Billy was buried. Max got out of the car without speaking to us. I tried to stop Lucas as he got out to follow her, but he wouldn't listen.

"Max?"

"Lucas, please, just wait in the car!" She yelled back.

"Max, just wait!" He started running after her and their talking sounded muffled. They were talking to each other and I tried my best not to watch them.

"I'm really worried about her." I said to Steve and Dustin.

"Don't worry, Sage, I'm sure Nance has got this all figured out." Steve said and I nodded. I looked up as I saw Max walking away from Lucas, and he got back into the car.