Take Me Home Again (Eddie Munson X OC)

Chapter 10 - Noble Defeat

The leaves crunched beneath Eddie Munson's feet as he walked through the treeline just opposite of the soccer field. There was an old picnic table that sat in the midst of a clearing a ways behind the trees. He and Phoenix would often come out here to spend their free periods together, talking and smoking. He walked, unfocused on his direction since he knew the path so well, and bumped right into the Queen herself, Chrissy Cunningham looking frightened. Chrissy jumped and screamed at the collision. "Woah, hey, didn't mean to scare you." He put his hands up in surrender.

Phoenix waved goodbye to their art teacher, having turned in their canvas and returned the oil pastels. "Have a good break, Mr. Wilson." They called before skipping out of the open door. They glanced around at the empty hallway, pulling their headphones on. They knew it would be a short walk to the table, but they hadn't listened to anything all day and were craving the noise of Witchy Woman by Eagles. They started up the track, seeing the walkman covered in painted vines and flowers. Eddie always complimented it whenever he saw them with it, remembering how he bought it for them for their birthday earlier that year. 

They hummed along to the melody as they made their way out of the school building, stepping as close to the beat as they could. The music faded into the background as they allowed their mind to wander. They felt excited, nervous even, at the idea of seeing Eddie again. They felt that way anytime before they hung out. It was odd, but the feeling usually dissipated when they laid eyes on each other. Phoenix, at first, chalked it up to getting back into the rhythm of things, but now they weren't so sure. 

"Guys will you just tell me what's so funny?" Phoenix huffed as Robin and Nancy giggled away. 

"Don't worry, you'll figure it out soon enough." Nancy winked at them, Phoenix rolling their eyes.

They shrugged off the pestering questions as they approached the tree line, pulling their headphones off and pausing their music. 

Just as they were going to turn the corner to the clearing, they heard voices. This wasn't uncommon, Eddie coming out here to do deals, using the cover of the trees for privacy. Phoenix usually hung back and waited for them to end if they were already dealing. They leaned back against a large oak tree nearby, listening and waiting for the conversation to end. The voice sounded familiar, high pitched and effeminate, it sounded familiar. Phoenix could feel the name on the tip of their tongue.

 "Uh, ya know, just on a daily basis. I mean I feel like I'm losing my mind right now, doing a drug deal with Chrissy Cunningham. The queen of Hawkins High."

That's who it was, the queen, obviously. The two had a class or two together, though Phoenix didn't expect Chrissy to know that. She was so popular and well-liked by pretty much everyone, even Eddie, so it would seem. Phoenix made the decision to sit this one out, hearing the edge in Chrissy's voice. They wouldn't want to freak the poor girl out more than she already sounded to be. Eddie mentioned that the two had hung out before, Chrissy apologizing for not remembering. A crash of crunching leaves pulled Phoenix to peek around the tree, seeing Eddie pulling himself off the floor. "I wouldn't remember me either, Chrissy. Honestly," He smiled over at the cheerleader, causing her to laugh. "Um, do I have stuff in my hair?" 

She laughed again. "You don't remember me?"

 "I'm sorry."

 "Middle school, talent show, you were doing this cheer thing. Ya know the," He paused to show off his cheer talent, waving his arms on either side of his head. Phoenix watched, a smile on their face.

The smile soon twisted into confusion, a new and dark emotion swirling in their gut. The longer the two talked, no flirted, the bigger the emotion became. They had never felt something like this. Phoenix had their fair share of bad emotions, but none stung like this. It felt like someone was squeezing their heart, tighter and tighter the more happy the two seemed around each other. They tried to push the emotion away, but watching the two smile and laugh together made them angry, irrationally so. Watching Eddie sit across from her in their spot, they couldn't stand it any longer. They pushed off of the tree and stormed back to the soccer field. Having replaced their headphones over their ears, they pulled their skateboard out and started riding around, but it didn't help. Knowing that just twenty feet away, Eddie was flirting with Chrissy Cunningham. It made their blood boil, they had to leave. They didn't know where they'd go, but they just had to get away from it all. They pushed themself up to the main road and just let the wind take them any direction it felt like.