latent love [eddie munson]

044

Eddie's POV

Lunch time rolls around, I find my way to same table I've sat at for the last five years. Slowly the entirety of Hellfire shows up. They all sit and talk about meaningless shit. I keep scanning the cafeteria for Emily. I can't believe she'd want to sit with Jason and his friends instead of me. Maybe I can believe it actually. The caption of the football team vs the school freak.

Dustin and Mike sit down last. The sound of loud laughter echos in the background causing everyone to look up from their plates. It's Jason and his meathead friends, walking past our table.

"Look it's the freaks." One of the blockhead laughs, pointing to our table.

"Fuck off." I say back, flipping them off without turning to face them.

"It's the cult of losers and their stupid leader, Munson." Jason laughs. It's the first day of school so I decide against starting a fight, ignoring him.

A few minutes pass and I finally see Emily enter the cafeteria with her lunch, she's looking around unsure of where to sit. After this morning part of me doesn't want to invite her to sit with us but I know I should. Fuck.

I go to wave her down, until she makes eye contact with Jason. She smiles and walks over to sit with him. I am completely and totally in shock. I can't believe she'd actually go sit with him. Whatever.

-

A couples days pass and it keeps happening. Emily ignores any attempt I make at interacting with her. I watch her go sit with Jason and his stupid fucking friends. They continue to talk shit at us, I don't know how much longer I can put up with this.

Emily and I share most classes, so that's great. Walking into class and seeing her avoid eye contact with me. She usually sits towards the front, I sit way in the back, distracted.

The bell for lunch goes off and all the students shuffle out of the classroom. Emily is one of the last people to leave, sitting in her chair still messing with something in her backpack. The perfect opportunity to approach her, I decide against it walking right pass her, sad as fuck.

I sit down at our lunch table, empty handed. I'm not hungry. The guys slowly show up one by one. Eventually Jason and his crew appear like they normal do, you can hear them before you see them.

"Y'all heard about that murder that happened last week?" Jason says loudly like he wants everyone to hear what he's about to say.

"No I didn't, please enlighten us." Jock #1 says.

"Some girl murdered is a cult sacrificial murder."

"Who did it?" Jock #2 asks. People are started to pay attention.

"I dunno. It's probably the cult that infects Hawkins High."

"Cult?" Another jock asks Jason. I have a feeling I know exactly where this is going. Almost everyone in the cafeteria has their eyes on Jason, waiting for him to speak.

"Look at those freaks, they did it. Hell fire club." Jason says motion at our table.

Standing up I spit, "Shut the fuck up."

"Ahh Eddie Munson the leader of the cult!" They all laugh, like Jason just said the funniest thing they've ever heard.

"Do you have a problem with us?" I say raising my voice.

"Yeah I do, a bunch of freaks stinking up this school, murdering innocent people for their sacrifices."

"We're the freaks because we play a fantasy game." I scoff, rolling my eyes.

"Exactly." Jason laughs, his walks off to go sit down. His whole gang follows.

I sit back down and sigh, irritated.

"I can't stand them." Dustin's speaks up.

"I'm so fucking tired of him. Someone needs to teach him a lesson." I say, feeling my self getting physically angry.

"Dude just ignore him." Gareth suggests. That's when I notice Emily walk in and sit with him, cherry on top of shit sundae. He throws his arm around her shoulders and I can feel myself absolutely fuming.

"Usually you just tell him to fuck off and we all move on. I've never seen you this upset before at his comments. Is this because of Emily?" I snap to where that question came from, Jeff.

"No." I say obviously lying, that's part of it. The biggest part of it. "I'm sick and tired of being treated like some freak because we play a stupid fantasy game."

"Because she chose Jason?" Jeff asks, I shoot him a look that says he needs to shut the fuck up or he'll be the one I'm about to hit.

"Fuck this," I say standing on my chair and jumping onto the table. Kicking shit in my way on the floor. Jason wants to make a scene I'll make one too.

"What're you doing?" Dustin asks shocked.

Stomping down the table as louse as possible I start yelling, "As long as your into band or science or parrrrties," I make it to the end of our table, everyone is staring at me. Emily is look directly at me startled. "Or game where you toss balls into laundry baskets." That's when Jason stands up.

"You want something freak?" Jason says, he sounds pissed. Exactly what I wanted. I use my fingers to give my self devil horns and do best demon impression, finishing it off with a laugh jumping off the table towards Jason.

"You think your so fucking cool because you're the captain of the football team." I scoff only a few feet away from Jason.

"And you're a fucking freak."

"I may be a freak but at least I'm not an asshole."

"Do you want to fight freak?" He laughs.

"If it gets you off my back then fucking hit me. Get it over with." I say leaning into Jason, giving him full access to my face cause apparently he wants to fight.

"Go sit at the table of losers." Jason says.

"But I thought you wanted to fight?" I pout, pretending like upset he don't wanna fight me.

"Why the fuck would I waste my time fighting such a fucking loser? Go sit with your freaks." The most unexpected thing happens next, Emily stands up.

"Both of you stop it." She demands. Jason shushes her and I see the fire light in her eyes, this could not have ended any better. "Don't shush me."

Laughing Jason says, "I'll do whatever I want."

"Fuck you." She says angrily grabbing her bag to leave.

"Why do you even care?" Jason laughs.

"One of those freaks is my brother and apparently you're actually a giant asshole." Emily turns her back, ready to leave until Jason speaks again.

"You're brother's a Hellfire member? That shits pathetic. I saw you at the party with Eddie, you must have some real daddy issues to be attracted to that." Jason laughs, Emily turns back to Jason. She looks so angry, angrier then I've ever seen her before. She approaches Jason. "Why do you think I invited you to sit with us? Just to piss him off. What the fuck are you gonna do?" Jason laughs in Emily's face, a grin slapped across his face. Just as I'm about to step in the way Emily does the unbelievable, her arm pulls back and she punches the fuck out of him. I watch in awe and amazement. I think I'm in love.

Everyone gasps collectively, people starting to gather around. Emily looks like she's in shock, just staring at her fist. Teachers showing up suddenly a little to late. Jason holds his jaw in one hand and uses the other to lunge at Emily. Fuck that, I get in the way and he hits me finally. I take that as the opportunity I've been waiting years for. Quickly I swing, punching him in the eye. I watch as he stumbles backwards, falling on his back.