Shot in the Dark (An Eddie x Y/N Story)

Home Sweet Home

The move has been for the most part, uneventful. Dad had been so upset from our disagreement that he could barely stand the sight of me and honestly I much preferred his quiet disdain over the possibility of him yelling the entire ride to mom's house. When he dropped me off, I took the three large containers of my stuff and my duffel full of clothes out of the back of his truck and he pulled away without even saying goodbye. He didn't even stick around to wait to say hi to mom or Dustin. I sighed heavily and shrugged. I left my stuff in the grass and knocked on the door.

"Y/N!" Mom cheered as she swung the door open, her face lighting up. She held her arms open and I stepped into her embrace. She held me tightly for a long time and I didn't try to pull away, not knowing how much I needed a hug until I was wrapped up in her arms. She pulled away after a while and took my face in her hands, looking down at me softly.

"How are you, sweetheart?" She asks. Mom has always worried about me. When my parents got their divorce dad had threatened to take mom to court for custody of both Dustin and I. At the time, mom was going through a lot with her mental health and he felt the courts would give him custody if he told them she was an unfit mother. Dustin was only three.

As a solution, I offered to live with dad and to have Dustin stay with mom. Mom protested heavily, but dad seemed to be appeased by the idea. Eventually, mom caved and I know that the guilt over the situation eats her alive every single day, but I wouldn't change my decision. I've lived with my dad long enough to know I did the right thing for Dustin and that is all that matters.

"I'm good, mom. Glad to be back."

She nods, sadly and looks behind me. Her eyebrows furrow as she sees my stuff sitting out in the yard.

"Where is your father?" She asks, agitated.

"He had to go," I shrug as she steps around me and grabs my duffel and one of my containers. She shakes her head, annoyed.

"That man," she grumbles as she starts to bring my things inside. "Dustin, your sister is here!"

I hear his footsteps thundering through the house before his head peeks around the corner and he comes running up to me, a huge grin on his face. God, he has grown so much! I of course get to see him during the summers that dad will let me visit, but it honestly isn't enough and I'm still struck by how much time I have missed. He's definitely not a baby anymore.

"Y/n!" He says cheerfully and reaches out to hug me around my middle. I throw my arms around his shoulders and squeeze him tight. He's tall enough to reach my neck now. Granted, I've always been short, but it still throws me for a loop. "I'm so excited you're home."

"Me too," I say into his thick curly brown hair. He pulls away and moves to help me and mom move my stuff into my new room. All that's in there so far is a full sized bed on a black metal frame, a black dresser with silver knobs and a television with a VCR sitting on top of it, and a desk with a matching chair. I smile at my mom's furniture choices, glad she remembered I don't like prissy colors and pastels and set about opening up my containers. Mom goes to her room and comes back with some bags from Walmart. She opens them to reveal black curtain rods with deep blue black out curtains. She also takes out soft blue jersey sheets and a fleece blue blanket to go on my bed.

We put up the curtains and make the bed together before she leaves me to unpack, letting me know there are hangers already in the closet for me to use. Dustin lingers in the doorway asking if I need anything and I ask if he could bring me a record player or a stereo, hating to have to do any sort of chores in silence. He nods happily and comes back with the record player from his room. I open one of my containers and it contains almost nothing but records and Dustin chuckles.

"Figures," he huffs, looking down at all the vinyls I've got stashed away.

"What?" I ask begrudgingly and he just shakes his head declining to answer.

Music has been my one true passion for as long as I could remember. I had a friend named Sammy growing up and I spent a lot of time at her house, especially since dad was on the road a lot for work. Sammy's dad worked in the music industry and he took us to a lot of shows. One of my earliest memories is going to a Fleetwood Mac concert with Sammy and her parents when I was small, smiling in the crowd as the band played song after song. I had never felt happier then when I was listening to music or when I was watching musicians perform.

Sammy eventually moved to Europe and my heart had broken. I missed her dearly, but the end of our friendship had also cut off my connection to the musical world. So I started saving my allowances to buy records. I bought any vinyl that I could get my hands on, whether I knew the band or not. When I was old enough to start babysitting, I did and I would save the money so I could get concert tickets, seeing small bands and performances locally, just hungry to be a part of that atmosphere again.

In school, I joined choir and my previous choir instructor would give me singing lessons after school. She always seemed impressed with my progress and encouraged me to continue to give it my all. I even took up learning the guitar and the bass. I'm now able to play both fairly well. In my argument with dad though, my instruments were damaged. I have a little money saved and plan on at least getting a new guitar once I'm settled. I'll have to find a job soon so I can replace my bass.

I put on the newest Metallica and set about taking out my clothes and lining them up on my bed. Dustin says he has a shelf in his room I can have for my vinyls and he gets it and hurries back, shuffling slightly as he sets it on the ground and starts taking out each one of my records and putting them away.

"I think my friends will really like you," he says suddenly. He's bobbing his head to the music and I'm surprised he knows some of the words. I didn't know he listens to Metallica.

"Yea?" I ask, raising my eyebrows.

He nods, his eyes lighting up. "The guys from the hellfire club especially. Some of them are in this band called, Corroded Coffin and they listen to heavy metal too. You should sit with us at lunch. I'm sure Eddie wouldn't mind."

"Hellfire club?" I ask him as I carry my clothes into the closet and start hanging them up, organizing them.

"It's my dungeons and dragons club."

"I didn't realize you still played."

"Of course," Dustin murmurs as though what I said was offensive.

"And there is a whole group of you weirdos willing to play and meet at the school?" I ask skeptically, sticking my head out of the closet to regarding him. He rolls his eyes at me and I stick my tongue out at him before going back to what I was doing.

"The guys really helped me out at the beginning of the year." His tone had gotten quiet and serious and I strained slightly to hear him. "I was worried I wouldn't have many friends when high school started and I was bullied constantly, but once Eddie and the guys took me under their wings I felt like I belonged."

I stepped out of the closet and looked at him sadly, clutching a tshirt in my hands.

"Oh, Dusty," I said sadly and he stood abruptly and dusted off his pants with his hands.

"Just sit with us if you want," he grumbles and moves to the door. "And try not to embarrass me."

He walks out of my room and I'm left standing alone, trying to imagine these friends of his. I tell myself I won't sit with them tomorrow, even if I'm bullied awfully and I wind up sitting alone in the woods behind the school. I'd rather do that then worry my brother or intrude on his happiness.

I finish unpacking most of my things. I still need some more shelves and organizational things to put away the rest so I'll have to go with mom to Walmart soon and I want to wait until the layout is done before I put up my posters. I shower and get changed into my pajamas. I set my alarm for tomorrow and crawl into bed, pulling a spare pillow close to my chest as my eyes grow heavy. I tell myself I'll be alright, but I'm a little nervous for my first day. I tell myself Hawkins High School can't be any worse then my last school as I drift off to sleep.