𝐎𝐏𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐒 - 𝐄𝐃𝐃𝐈𝐄 𝐌𝐔𝐍𝐒𝐎𝐍

𝐒𝐇𝐄'𝐒 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊

𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚: 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘 𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗨𝗔𝗚𝗘, 𝗦𝗘𝗫𝗨𝗔𝗟 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗧

𝙺𝙸𝙼𝙱𝙴𝚁𝙻𝚈 𝙲𝙰𝚂𝚂𝙸𝙳𝚈

The group of however many had just gotten bigger as Paige decided she actually liked us. After Robin had proudly come out to us all, she decided to see what all the fuss with us was about and actually found that she liked us.

I did tell her.

So now that our family was stronger than ever, it was time to fix other aspects of my life.

It was the last week of February and It was also the last week of my meetings, which meant I was definitely doing better. I never really got the shakes anymore and it was easier to concentrate on everything else now that my body had kind of gotten the jist that it would never have what it craved so badly, ever again.

Today, I had decided to try and get myself back on the cheer squad, courtesy of my father.

"They'll understand, pumpkin." My father never took his eyes off his paper as we sat and ate our breakfast together. "You were their best." He added on.

"I was third row. That isn't considered best, dad." I said in response, mixing my cereal around in the bowl with the spoon.

"It's considered impressive, Kim." He shoved the newspaper down and looked at me through the top of his glasses. "You've been there all of three years now. Who else can say they got moved to third row that quickly?. Nobody. They need you." He picked his cup of coffee up as he finished.

"So when I said I didn't want to do it anymore, that didn't register in your mind, did it?." I asked with a quiet scoff.

"You don't get to decide what you do from now on, Kim." My dads tone of voice was sterner than usual. "Your decisions only seem to lead you to trouble now a days." His eyes were immediately back on the Hawkins post.

So, trying not to cause anymore fuss in that household, I was doing as he asked by making my way to the gym where I knew either Ms' O'Donnell or Mrs Kirkland would be. I actually didn't know where their offices were considering I never spoke to them enough to care.

"You don't have to do this." Eddie said from besides me as we walked side by side out of the school parking lot.

"As you've said three times this morning." I reminded him of his words.

"Because I'm being serious, Kim." He said back.

"For once." I snickered at the thought of his usual child like behaviour.

"You gotta start standing up for yourself, Princess." Eddie squeezed my hand a little as the worry covered his tone of voice.

"They're not bullies in the school play ground, Ed. They're my parents. I gotta start doing as I'm told." I said and looked up to him with a weak smile, hating the amount of responsibility I was having to take on.

"Doing as your told?." He asked rather than stated with a dry laugh, opening the gym door for me. "You sound like your mom." Eddie added on.

"I'd rather sound like her than be like her." I mumbled as I approached Ms O'Donnell. "Miss." I smiled politely at her.

"Oh, Kim!. You look well." The gym teacher said kindly as she sipped on her coffee. "Is everything okay?." She asked me.

"Yeah." I nodded. "Uh, quick question." I said.

She hummed and watched me.

"Is there any possibility of me maybe coming back to the team?. I know it's a big ask, all things considered, but I'm back on track now and I miss it. It was the only thing I was actually good at." I lied about missing it, not wanting to say about my father forcing me into the sport.