latent love [eddie munson]

043

Emily's POV

School starts tomorrow. I'm as ready as I can be, I guess. I've spent the last week barley responding to Eddie's messages. After thinking about it for a whole day I decided to take a step back. I can't be his friend anymore when I know I want more than that. It hurts too much.

He's messaged me nearly everyday since, asking me to hang out most days. I always come up with some excuse not too.

I was already freaking about school starting now I'm stressing out about having to see Eddie after i embarrassed my self so terribly.

-

It's morning of my first day at Hawkins High. I woke up extra early to get ready, wanting to look my absolute best. I put on brown corduroy pants, white long sleeve cropped top and accessorize with gold jewelry. I straighten my hair and put on light make up. I do not want to stand out at all.

When I'm done I go downstairs, Dustin waiting for me.

"You finally ready?" Dustin groans.

"Yes." My phone dings, checking it and it's mom.

Mom: sorry I couldn't be there this morning, good luck baby you're gonna be amazing, I know it

Emily: thank you love you

"Let's go." Dustin sighs, already outside on his way to the bus.

"Okay." I follow and shut the door behind me. I walk behind Dustin, trying to keep up.

"I've never ridden the bus before." I speak up trying to spark conversation with Dustin.

"Ain't nothing to look forward too." He says flatly.

"Are you excited for today?" I ask.

"Not really, it's school."

"Same." He stops so I stop.

"This is where the bus stops to pick us up everyday at 7:35."

"Okay." We sit in silence, looking down at the time on my phone it's 7:34. I look up when I hear the bus coming. The nerves kick in almost immediately. As soon as the bus opens the doors swing open, Dustin goes in so I follow. I smile at the bus driver, she doesn't even look at me.

He walks all the way to the back leaving me. Unsure where to sit I scan all the kids sitting in the seat. My eyes meet Robin, she's sitting in the middle waving at me. I smile and quickly sit next to her.

"How've you been?" She asks as soon as I sit down.

"Okay, you?"

"Only okay why?" She asks ignoring how I asked her how she's been.

"Nervous for today, I guess." The bus starts driving again.

"It's gonna be okay, you got me." She smiles, reassuringly.

"Thanks. I didn't know you ride the bus."

"Can't drive, too poor." She laughs.

"Oh." I say unsure of how to respond to that.

"What's your schedule?" Robin asks. I open the front pocket and pull out my folded class schedule and pass it too her.

"We have first period together, I can show you where it's at."

"That would be perfect. I was so scared at the thought of having to navigate the school." I smile, my nerves calmed a little bit. Robin spends the next few minutes, going through my schedule. We have a couple classes together, I'm so thankful for that.

Twenty minutes later, the bus stops at Hawkins High. I stand up look back at Robin, she gives me a reassuring smile and mouth, "It's gonna be okay."

Once off the bus, Robin grabs my hand and takes me to front office to get our locker numbers. I am assigned locker number B111. I smile because my birthday falls on 11/11, my lucky numbers.

"That's a bummer you're down the way from me." She motions me to follow her. She helps me find my locker, shows me how to use the lock. It makes no sense to me, I decide in that moment I'm not bringing anything of value to school and leaving it unlocked. "You practice, I'll be right back gonna go put some crap in mine." I nod and watch her walk off, suddenly feeling exposed.

I sigh opening my locker.

"You never told me your name." Startled I shut it again, the blonde hair blue eyed boy from the party is leaning against the locker next to mine.

"Emily." I say, smiling.

"I'm Jason."

"Sorry about completely ditching you at that party, my friend was ready to leave." I apologize, again unsure why I'm apologizing. I don't owe this man anything.

"It's all good. I've been thinking about you since." Funny cause I haven't thought of you once.

"Really?" I half smile, looking around him for any sign of Robin.

"Yeah, you should sit with my friends at lunch. I'm the caption of the football team." He smiles proudly. Why should I care?

"Maybe." I say, just trying to get him to go away.

"At least tell me you'll think about it." He smiles again. He smiles a lot, it's kinda creepy.

"I will." I smile reassuringly.

"Cool," He walks off, "Hope to see you around Emily." He hollers before turning down a hallway, where I can't see him anymore.

Just when I can feel like I can breathe as sigh of relief, Eddie shows up out of nowhere. Leans up against my locker, he looks annoyed.

"What did he want?" He sounds annoyed too, great.

"Who?" I ask playing dumb.

"Jason."

"You know that party we went to that was the guy who took my drink to find me a better one." I explain, smile on my face.

"We'll then I'm glad I got you out of there when I did." He huffs.

"He invited me to sit with his friends at lunch."

"Nope." Eddie says.

"What do you mean no?" Now I'm annoyed. How does he think he can tell me what to do? Only makes me want to sit with Jason.

"You can't sit with him. You gotta sit with us, duh." He laughs.

"What if I want to sit with him?" I ask, looking for a reaction in Eddie's face.

"Do you?" He asks.

"I dunno," I look over his shoulder and see Robin watching, "Maybe I should make friends that aren't my brothers." I walk off before Eddie can respond, not wanting to continue the conversation.