PAIN KILLER [DISCONTINUED]

011. HEAD OVER HEELS

011.

――― CHAPTER ELEVEN ―――

HEAD OVER HEELS 

FEBRUARY 15TH, 1986

📍HAWKINS HIGH SCHOOL

4:08 PM

IT HAD BEEN ONE WEEK SINCE I stopped talking to Eddie. And now, I was only eight minutes into my stupid detention session I'd originally agreed to do with him.

Why did I ever agree to this? Did I never think of the fact that our relationship was nothing but harmful for both of us? 

"I think we both know, that all this bullshit doesn't affect me. I think we both know that all of this is just another way to look out for yourself."

I blink hard, as if that is going to stop the sequence of words from entering my head again. I've thought about them far too much lately. 

I stare at Eddie, who is doodling something that I can't see on the paper. We were farther apart than ever, easily five feet apart. I hadn't looked at him once. If he didn't understand a question, he would push the paper over to me and I would write the steps down and he would solve it. Easy-Peasy Lemon Squeezy.

We'd developed a good rhythm— a good dance. I'm about to pull out a book before I hear the familiar sound of clip-clop heels on the tiled floor. Both our heads snap up.

I see the familiar face of Ms. Kelley. She smiles directly down at me, flickers her eyes to Eddie for a moment.

"Dahlia!" She says. "Just who I was looking for. You didn't show up today at lunch. What happened?"

I purse my lips. Perfect timing, Ms. Kelley.

"I—I had to finish a lot of work. I didn't have time. I'm sorry." To be fair, I was working, but that's as truthful as it gets. Because I don't have an abundance of work, and I was doing the work I have just so I had an excuse to skip eating— which worked pretty conveniently, actually.

She narrows her eyes at me for a flicker of a moment, and then she relaxes. "Okay," she says. "Can you stop by tomorrow, then, instead?"

"I could— I could go now, if you'd like!" I exclaim giddily. Through the corner of my eye, I can see Eddie furrowing his brows and glaring at me as he eavesdrops on our conversation.

Ms. Kelley clicks her tongue. "Are you sure? I mean— you do have Mr. Munson to tend to. But of course, by all means, Eddie— if you're okay with her leaving for 15 minutes, that'll be great."

My heart sinks. I see Eddie open his mouth to talk but I don't let him in fear of what he's going to say. "Uh— I think I can leave! He's— He's doing fine." 

"I was asking Eddie," she says shortly, her eyes flickering from mine to his. My breath hitches in my throat, because I know he's not going to give me the opportunity to get out of here— even if it's only for 15 minutes." 

I turn back to Eddie for the first time this day. "Alright," he says coolly, doodling once more in his notebook. "She can do whatever she wants." 

"Are you— are you sure?" I ask him. I'm surprised my voice hasn't wavered as I'm talking to him. 

He stops drawing. "Well, looks like you have more important things to tend to, hm?" He turns his head in the direction of Ms. Kelley. "I'll be fine. Go."