Yours Truly | B. Hargrove

05

The next morning Eden showed up to school a lot more presentable than the previous day. Her hair was straightened and freshly washed, she had a light face of makeup done and her outfit was a lot more put together. She was back to looking like she walked amongst the living. After school yesterday she went and pulled her car from the shop, remembering Billy told her he could take a look at it and hitched a ride with Eddie this morning once again. She bid a quick goodbye and hopped out of the van, heading toward Billy's car. She noticed he had his arm sling around some girls shoulder, a foreign feeling filling the pit of her stomach.

"Uh, hey Billy. I pulled my car from the shop if you still wanted to stop by and take a look." She spoke up as she approached the group of boys and girls.

"Get lost, freak." The girl spoke rolling her eyes and placing her hand on Billy's abs. Eden found her eyes trailing to the girls hand and up to Billy's, then back to the stupid blond in front of her.

"I'm sorry- who are you?" She began to glare as she crossed her arms.

"Her names Natalie. She's got a point, keep it moving. Freak." Billy said with spite dripping off every word.

Eden was taken aback, he was so nice not even two days ago and now he wants to be a total douche? "Fuck you."

With that Eden stomped off, tears stinging her eyes for some reason which only pissed her off more. Her walk suddenly turned into a power walk, which then turned into a jog, until she was full on sprinting for the girls bathroom. Once she entered she slammed herself into a stall and sobbed. Eden figured that finally there was going to be one person who wouldn't treat her like trash in this small town. At least aside from Steve. She was so tired of being walked all over by everyone for absolutely no reason. In all honesty the only reason she was crying because she was so filled with rage she didn't know what to do. She tried wiping off her face as best as possible, streaks of mascara in various places but she couldn't care less. She was glad she wore a hooded jacket to school today, pulling the hood up as she exited the stall.

Billy was sitting in English class and as the bell rang in came Eden. Only this time a lot less confident, and a lot more sulking. He noticed black marks all over her face and her cheeks and above her eyebrows were bright red. She had made eye contact for a quick second but quickly looked down until she reached her desk. Students continued to file in for the next 30 seconds until the bell rang for class to begin. There's no way his comment had actually gotten to her. He's watched others call her a freak before and honestly, he was still upset over the whole "just a ride" situation. She's probably on her period, he thought. The teacher finally got in the class room and began to call roll.

"Eden Munson." The teacher called.

"Here." Eden mumbled, the teacher almost missing it because she spoke so low.

"Eden, i'm glad you're with us this morning but you know the dress code. No hoods on during class." Ms. Smith reminded her.

"Oh, bite me." Eden scoffed which landed her getting told to go to the principals office.

Eden ended up picking an attitude with the principal which got her sent home for the day. Her uncle ended up having to come get her and not knowing how to genuinely discipline a kid, and needing to get back to work, he just told her to control her temper better next time. Eden sat in her bedroom over the next few hours rage cleaning and listening to music until she decided her car wasn't going to fix itself. First the shop wanted to con her out of money and her second option turned out to be a total douche wad so she was left to figure it out on her own. She popped the hood as her brother rolled up in his van.

"There you are! I could not find you don't give me a heart attack again." Eddie exclaimed.

"Sorry. I got sent home." She shrugged as she leaned in the engine bay, trying to look for abnormalities.

"What'd you do?" He asked.

"Ms. Smith got pissy because i wouldn't follow dress code and told her to bite me." Eden scoffed remembering the encounter.

"Listen I know you dislike Granny Smith but you never act like this. What's really up?" Eddie pried.

"Nothing, Eddie. Just living up to the Munson name I guess. Now can I fix my damn car?" Eden had finally got Eddie to leave her be and she thought she was finally at peace.

That is, until about 15 minutes later music playing at an obnoxious level started to get closer. Eden popped her head out of the hood of her car, grease all over her hands from trying to find the issue when she saw the familiar blue Camaro speeding down the trailer park. Just great she thought as she rolled her eyes, sticking her head back under the hood. The music finally stopped as a car door opened and closed, and footsteps began their walk toward her. She saw a familiar pair of boots stop beside her but she refused to look up. 

"What are you doing?" Billy finally spoke.

"Do your eyes suddenly not work? What does it look like I'm doing shit stick?" Eden scoffed.

"It looks like you don't know what your doing, move." Billy began to try and take her place.

"No, I'm fine. I've got it." Eden shoved her body into his, the two getting into a shoving war.

"I said I got it!" Eden finally broke and shoved him with her hands this time.

Billy stood there, taken aback. Eden stood there looking lost. That is, until she shoved him again.  And again, and again. She continued to shove him until he grabbed her wrists; Eden tried to twist her wrists out of his grip as tears clouded her vision. His voice ran through her head like a broken record. Freak repeating over, and over. Billy stood there quiet as he watched the girls struggling come to an end and she began whimpering. He slowly loosened his grip on her wrists, pulling her into his body by her shoulders. Eden plopped her head onto his chest in defeat as he wrapped his arms around her small frame. She began to sob as Billy cradled her body.

"W-what did i even d-do to you." She questioned through broken cries.

"You told everybody all I was to you was a ride to a party. I wanted to get back at you but I- I didn't know it would affect you like this."  Billy explained.

"S-so you humiliate me?" Eden wiped her face on Billy's shirt, Billy slightly grimacing.

"Look. I didn't mean to. I honestly just thought you'd tell me to fuck off and we could call it good. I didn't know you would be so sensitive." He rolled his eyes, his grip loosening on her.

"Well maybe I am fucking sensitive Billy. Just like maybe you should think before you say stupid stuff." Eden looked up and glared at him.

"To be fair I don't know shit about you." He slightly smirked.

"Maybe it should stay that way." Eden mumbled as she pulled herself away.