Your little sister (Max) and mom have been having a hard time. You decide to move to Hawkins to help out, and while giving up California and your senior year might be hard, there is a boy across the trailer park who just might make it worth it...
Thnx PeyPeyLing for the idea of making a eddie munson fanfiction story
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The call came from your mom several days after July fourth. Max had almost been killed. Billy was killed. Billy's dad was officially leaving. Your dad had flown you out to Indiana to check in on everyone and help as needed. It had turned out that you'd helped your mom and Max to pack up and get out of the house. Billy's death had quickly ended the relationship between your mom and his dad, and while you felt bad for your mom, getting away from that man could only be a good thing in the long run.
Max had been glad to see you, but clearly watching her stepbrother die in a mall fire had deeply impacted the kid, and you wouldn't hold that against her. You couldn't imagine watching anybody die in front of you, let alone a sibling. She was surrounded by a good group of friends, and while the trailer park wasn't glamorous, it would be just fine. The residents seemed to keep to themselves, but a really nice guy had helped you when you were unloading a particularly awkward dresser and had promised to look out for them when you went back to California.
But then in October, you noticed a dramatic change in Max's voice in your weekly phone calls. The shit-eating joy and spark that fired her was gone. Your mom didn't sound much better. In fact, she seemed pretty shit faced most of the times you heard her voice. Max would try to pick up the phone first on Mondays, but occasionally your mom would get there first.
When you brought up your concerns to your dad, he shrugged them off. As far as he knew, the reason you stayed in California instead of moving to Indiana last year was because of your boyfriend and the fact that you only had two years left. But, by that fall, he was off at college, and you were in your senior year trying to focus on college and your studies while worrying about your little sister and mother 2500 miles away.
You brought up the idea to Max first. How would she feel if you moved back there? At first, she seemed confused. Why would you leave the sunshine and your friends and your dad to move to dreary Indiana? Not wanting her to know that it was because of your concern for her and your mom, you made up the excuse that you missed them. While not untrue, it was more because you wanted to make sure she was safe and that she got to have a childhood. You had been forced to grow up pretty quick in the last year, and you didn't want Max to have to do that.
It was a phone call with your mom that made the decision simple. You had needed some basic documents and information from her for an application, so you called her early before school one morning. When she had answered the phone, it was far too early in the day, even with the time difference, for her to be that intoxicated. After failing to get the information you needed, you quickly hung up and made your plans.
Even though you didn't want to leave your friends and start at a brand-new school in your last year, it was still better than the anxious thoughts and worries which plagued you in wondering if Max and your mom were alright. At least if you weren't happy, you could feel at ease in knowing that you could help and protect them as needed. When you told your mom, she didn't quite seem to register what you were saying. When you told Max, her voice became more animated than you'd heard in a long time. She said that she and the company would pick you up from the airport and that she would get the spare room ready for you. Walking off the plane with your Walkman blaring, you knew that this was the right decision when you saw her waiting at the end of the terminal.
