latent love [eddie munson]

06

Eddies POV

A look of panic spread across Henderson's face. Before he can respond Mike chimes in. "Wait, Emily is in town?"

So, her name is Emily. A pretty name for an even prettier girl.

Dustin hesitates, "She's gonna be living with us for now. She just got in town yesterday."

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Mike asks looking intrigued.

"It was all very last minute. I rather not talk about it." He looks very uncomfortable right now.

"Is she going to go to Hawkins Highschool?" Mike asks.

"Yeah, she is. She'll be a senior this year."

"Perfect," I speak up.

"Immediately no," Henderson says with sternness.

"What do you mean no?" I ask, who does Henderson think he is saying no to me?

"Well, for one Emily would never. Secondly, my mom would probably drop dead before she let you anywhere near Emily."

I completely disregard the second half of that statement and rebuttal with, "You don't know if Emily would be interested in me."

"Third I know how you treat women and Emily does not need that right now." How do I treat women? What could he possibly mean by that?

"How do I treat women?" I stand up frustrated.

"Yes, you go through them like there is nothing to you. You've been with several girls since I met you. I don't think you've ever been in a relationship." Henderson seemed annoyed now.

"You don't know anything." I notice everyone staring at me. I quickly decide it's best if we don't further this conversation, "Whatever." I mutter sitting back down in my chair.

There's a bit of awkward silence until Mike finally decides to speak, "Well Eddie's got one thing right, she is hot." He uncomfortably laughs trying to break the tension. Henderson furrows his brows and playfully slaps Mike.

"Dude shut up." Everyone starts laughing at Mike and things become less tense, thankfully.

"Ok, now I gotta see her." Garth laughs.

"We are not doing this," Henderson says getting more frustrated by the second. 

"We so are," Mike says pulling out his phone and scrolling for a few moments before showing a photo of Emily. Looks like a photo that must be from a couple of years ago. Her hair was just as long, not much had changed. "See." He passes the phone around to the group.

"Damn Henderson, how could she possibly be related to you?" Jeff asks as soon as he sees the photo.

"I know right." Mike laughs.

"He's got a point a point dude she's really pretty." Lucas chimes in leaning towards Jeff to get a better view of the photo.

"Where did you even get that photo?" Dustin questions snatching the phone from Jeff.

"Your mom's Facebook," Mike admits.

"That's creepy, dude."

"Oh, whale." Mike laughs at how uncomfortable this is making Dustin.

"Can we please just play D&D and stop talking about my sister? She can probably hear everything you are saying." Dustin pleads with the group. I realize he's probably right and she most likely can hear us.

"I guess but I can assure you think not the end of it," I smirk in Dustin's direction but he doesn't look away and ignores me. That's when I realized we must of upset Henderson.

-

"Okay, guys it's nearly midnight. We need to wrap this up before my parents get home." As Henderson says that his phone beeps and it's a text from his mom. It says they'll be home soon.

"Fuck we gotta go like now!" I hurry to put everything away so we can leave before Henderson gets in trouble for having unwanted guests over.

Everyone scatters out of the house as I'm leaving I approach Dustin. "Henderson I don't say this a lot but I'm sorry if I upset you talking about your sister."

"Really?" He looks genuinely shocked that I would apologize.

"Yes, I hope you're not too mad at me," I admit, I would hate to lose Henderson as a friend. Especially considering he will be my brother-in-law one day. I'm just joking, well kinda.

I can see Henderson thinking of what to say before he speaks. "It's just Emily's been through a lot and I'd hate for you to make it worse."

"I promise I would never make it worse." I wonder what has happened to Emily for her to have not lived with them for so long and just move in super late in her childhood.

"I wish I could believe that but you don't have the greatest track history." He says and I agree. Maybe I should just drop this whole thing. Anyways I don't do relationships. After I got my heart broken a few years ago I vowed to never get in a monogamous relationship again. I have to keep that mindset if I don't want to get hurt again. I never want to feel like that.

"Maybe you're right." I let out a defeated sigh and leave his house.

-

I dropped Jeff and Garth off at their houses. I start the longish drive home. I live in a mobile home park across town in the not-so-safe part of town.

As I'm driving I think about Emily. How beautiful she was and how I couldn't stop thinking about this girl I only had a short conversation with. I shake the thoughts out of my head trying to think of anything else.

I can't think of anything else. I keep repeating the words Henderson spoke, over and over again in my head.