Summer in Hawkins

Chapter 3

Chrissy drove all the way home on a cloud. She was going on a date with Eddie Munson. The very thought of that made her laugh in disbelief, but it was happening. He was so different than anyone else she'd ever met. She felt like he actually saw her, rather than just seeing her as an accessory.

And just as she pulled into her driveway, all the air was sucked out of her lungs. Jason's car was parked in the driveway. She pulled in next to him, and considered for a moment what to do. She knew her parents would probably have something to say about her breaking up with him. But right now, the feeling of Eddie's skin still on her lips, she wasn't willing to let that be it for them. No way was Jason Carver worming his way back in to her life.

When she came inside, she saw Jason sitting on the living room couch with her mom and dad. A beat of silence passed between the four of them. Jason finally stood, and Melinda, her mother, followed after him.

"Young lady, Jason has been waiting here for over an hour to speak with you. Where have you been?"

"Out with Tiffany and Cheryl," she said. She looked at her watch. "It's still before curfew."

"We'll just leave you two to talk," Gerald, her father said, lightly touching his wife's elbow, bidding her to leave the two teenagers alone to talk.

"Wha—" Melinda objected, but Gerald shot her a knowing look. For it, Chrissy was grateful. The last thing she wanted was for her mother and father to witness this.

When her parents had left her, Jason unfroze, and started walking towards Chrissy, his hand extended.

"Chrissy, please—" he started.

Chrissy stepped backward, out of Jason's reach. She put her hand up to indicate she wanted him to come no further.

"Don't," she said.

"Chrissy," Jason said, struggling to respect her wishes, but wanting to be heard all the same. "What you heard... that's just the guys, and how they talk."

"Jason, if you don't see a problem with how they talk, then..."

"You're right. You're absolutely right. And I'm sorry. I'll talk to them and tell them it's not ok."

Chrissy wished she could believe that would be the end of it. But she knew better. And she didn't want Jason to fix this. She had a few hours there where she was free of him, and it was the best two hours she had had in four years. And then there was Eddie. The feeling of his hand in hers, calloused in places, but soft in others. Hard where his rings met her fingers, but gentle in the way he touched her. The thought was enough to send electricity through her center.

"It's too late, Jason," Chrissy said.

"What do you mean? What does that mean?" Jason looked frightened, like he saw this going another way, but now it was slipping through his fingers. Chrissy knew how he could be. She saw how he treated the nerds and "freaks" at school... could he be that way with her?

"I mean it's over, Jason, just like I said."

"Why? You have to give me more than that, Chrissy, you owe me that," he said, raising his voice again.

She startled. There was that word again. Owe. First she owed him sex, and now she owed him an explanation. She wouldn't give him the first, but if she didn't give him more explanation, he was likely to not stop bothering her.

"Jason," she started, holding her arms in close to her body. "I just don't think this was ever going to work. Something never felt right."

Jason's internal struggle was clear on his face. Chrissy could see that he was trying to make sense of it, replaying scenarios in his head.