Beauty and the Dork

Who Cares?

"I'm going to kill him," Margot seethed, pacing around her room. I was laid back on her bed, my legs akimbo and propped up on my elbows. I watched her, bemused by her rage.

"You're not going to kill him," I replied. She shook her head.

"No – I am. I'm going to run him over with Shelob," she sniped. I smiled.

"Please leave her out of your murderous machinations," I teased. She snapped her head to me, her eyes wild and furious.

"He called my parents. They were at a conference in Chicago, and he called them," she hissed. She started pacing again. "Who does that?"

"He's just doing what he thinks is right – he thinks you've suddenly changed," I offered, my tone kind and patient. She turned slowly, her face turning red from rage.

"How does this not bother you?" she snapped. She crossed to me, gesturing wildly. "He's doing this because he doesn't like you – he thinks you're a bad influence on me."

"You told me today how I'm a bad influence on you," I joked. Her glared deepened.

"Eddie, why isn't this bothering you as much as it should?" she asked, her tone desperate. I held my hand out to her and she sighed, annoyed with me. She still took it, and I sat up on the bed, pulling her closer to the bed.

"Because, princess," I started, tracing her fingers. "It doesn't. Maybe if we were sneaking around still, it would bother me."

"But not now?" she questioned, still incredulous. I smiled at her.

"I've got the girl," I explained simply. Her face twisted into a smile, even though I could tell she didn't want to. My grin grew and I pulled her closer to me, setting my face close to hers. "I've got the prettiest, coolest, dorkiest girl in the world. Why would anything that Jason Carver says bother me?"

She smiled wider and I pulled her to my lips, kissing her softly. She dropped my hand and wrapped her arms around my neck, pressing her forehead to mine.

"You and your lines," she whispered.

I grinned and kissed her again. She finally released the tension in her shoulders and crawled onto the bed with me. I laid back with her in my arms, kissing her temple as we settled in together. She nestled her head under my chin and took in a shuddering breath.

"I'm still going to kill him," she announced. I groaned and pulled her tighter in my arms.

"You need to relax – if I don't care, you shouldn't."

"We were supposed to have one more night of playing house – his meddling ruined that," she insisted. I paused for a beat, tracing her thigh.

"Fair enough," I replied before kissing the top of her head. She wrapped her arms around me tighter and sighed.

"I just don't understand why he has such an issue," she said quietly. I felt my heart sink and squeezed her.

"Go, he probably thinks that you were body snatched. You're a goddess, who's too good for anyone at Hawkins. Now you're slumming it with the stray puppy, and he's freaked out," I explained gently. She scoffed.

"I'm not slumming it with you," she insisted. I smiled.

"You don't need to kill him – he thinks he is doing what he needs to do for his best friend. He thinks you are under the influence of some handsome, evil demon worshipper," I continued. She pulled back and grinned.

"Oh, yeah?" she asked. I smiled back at her.

"Oh, I know that you are mostly with me just for my dashing good looks, princess," I teased. She giggled and kissed me quickly.