Teaching | Eddie Munson

The Campaign

Victoria glanced at the clock on the cafe wall. Only ten more minutes until she could flip the sign and close for the night. The cafe wasn't particularly busy at the moment, but it had been a long day. During the peak hours, she'd been left to handle everything alone, and now, all she wanted was to lock the doors and disappear into the quiet. Almost alone, anyway. She was waiting for Dustin to show up.

Normally, she hated closing the cafe by herself, especially as night fell and the dark outside seemed to press in on the windows. Dustin's company, even if brief, would make the end of her shift more bearable. The dream she had last night—a vague, unsettling thing—had only made her feel more uneasy about being out alone in the dark. She shuddered at the memory of it, though she couldn't quite remember the details.

"Goodnight!" she called after the last customers, smiling as they left. As soon as the door closed behind them, she flipped the sign to "Closed" but left the door unlocked for Dustin. He was late, as usual, and her patience was wearing thin. She'd stayed longer just for him, and now, he wasn't even showing up on time. Typical.

While wiping down a table, the bell above the door jingled, signaling someone's arrival. She turned with a small smile, expecting to see Dustin and ready to give him a piece of her mind. But instead of her curly-haired friend, a tall young man stood in the doorway. Her smile faded instantly.

"Can't you read? We're closed." she said flatly, brushing past him to dump the plates onto the counter.

"Good evening to you, too." Eddie said, leaning against the doorway with a smirk. "I didn't know this place was known for such warm service. So polite!" His voice dripped with sarcasm, clearly amused.

"Maybe if you showed up during actual business hours, you'd get a warmer welcome." she shot back. "But I'm done for the day, Munson, so that's all you get." She glanced over her shoulder at him before continuing to wipe the counters.

Eddie raised an eyebrow. "But I thought we were welcome here." he teased, looking around as if expecting someone else.

"We?" Victoria echoed, her irritation growing. But before she could continue, Dustin burst through the door, looking flustered.

"Man, I couldn't find it!" Dustin exclaimed, shaking his head as he handed Eddie his keys. "I was sure it was in your van, but maybe I left it at Mike's. Vicks! Sorry we're late—Eddie had some... business to take care of."

Victoria's eyes narrowed. "Oh, I'm sure he had business to take care of." She shot a look at Eddie, who had made himself comfortable at one of the tables. Her temper simmered. Dustin had conveniently failed to mention that he wasn't coming alone. He was clever like that.

"Dustin. A word." she said through gritted teeth, motioning to the back of the cafe. Dustin's face fell. He recognized that smile—it was the fakest one in her arsenal. Not good.

Following her into the back, Dustin braced himself for the inevitable scolding. As soon as she closed the door, her expression hardened.

"Vicks, I—"

"Don't 'Vicks' me." she interrupted, her voice a low, harsh whisper. "You told me you needed peace and quiet to work on your stupid campaign, not that you were bringing him."

Dustin scratched the back of his head. "You didn't think he'd let me do this alone, did you? Eddie's the Dungeon Master. He wouldn't let me prepare a campaign without his input."

She threw her hands up in exasperation. "How the hell was I supposed to know that, Dustin? You know I don't know shit about your nerd game!"

Dustin bit his lip, avoiding her gaze. "I knew if I told you Eddie was coming, you'd say no."