Converse | Eddie Munson x OC x Billy Hargrove

Chapter 13

The school year went by fast. Eddie was over every weekend- Steve had gotten used to him slowly. He was still annoyed, but honestly in my experience, annoyance seemed to be his love language. I couldn't recall time in which he wasn't slightly perturbed with me at least once in the day. Eddie and I were practically inseparable- attached at the hip, an odd looking pair. I hadn't exactly had a best friend like this for a while. I may have been latching a little too hard. I'd begun to sit at his table every so often, days where Steve left me on my own. It was only a couple of times, but each time I'd been bombarded with questions from a faint acquaintance wondering if I was a "Hellfire Loser" or something. It wasn't that awful, considering I didn't particularly care anymore about what anyone said to me- but it still was jarring, knowing what they said about me. Gareth, though from the opposite end of the social spectrum, was cold to me, still. The rest of the group didn't really seem to care one way or the other what I was doing there when I showed up.

Eddie had invited me to his table today- as he always did, every day- and I decided it was time to join again. It had been a few days, it was fine. As soon as I'd agreed he'd cheered, wildly, circling me in a little dance. I could only laugh at him, shaking my head. There was still some part of me keeping our friendship under wraps, and it was times like this I knew it was affecting him. Hanging out at lunch had  been treated like a treat. But I just wasn't ready to let the whole school know we were more than acquaintances- that we were pretty much best friends. Mostly for my benefit- but I also didn't want Eddie to get more shit than he usually did.

I selected my lunch, wandering through the cafeteria, my feet pulling me automatically- like I'd belonged at that table the whole time. Eddie was slung back in his throne, feet resting on the table. Most everyone was already there, some in a heated debate. I greeted him quietly, tearing my salad dressing open with my teeth.

"Hey, there, princess." He waved a french fry at me in greeting, eyes sparkling. "How've you been?"

I groaned, sucking the dressing that escaped onto the outside of the pouch. "Mr. Johnson's being a major dillweed."

He nodded. "Again. When you gonna tell him off?"

I scoffed tossing my salad frustratedly. "I'm not like you, I can't just tell him off. I tried to reason-"

"Uh-huh," He hummed, as if he knew everything I was gonna say next. He'd rested his chin onto the palm of his hand, pretty eyes watching me intently.

"-and he just doesn't listen. And the pop quizzes-" I growled in frustration, tossing my fork into the bowl.

"Take a breath, sweetheart." He patted me on the back, a little hesitant. Though we spoke our minds, touch was always hesitant between us. There was an unspoken rule there.

I shook my head, "I'm just getting stressed, finals are coming- there's less time to fix my grades-"

"Dude, you're a 3.8." Eddie flicked a piece of fry at me.

"Yeah, I know, I know." I mumbled, brushing it out of my shirt with a light frown, breaking from my internal trance. "What are you at? You're a senior, you stressed?"

He glanced around, then got closer. He swallowed the food he'd been chewing, cupping a hand to whisper right into my ear. "I don't know."

"You don't know what?" I hissed back.

"I don't know what my GPA is." He shrugged. "I've ignored it all year."

"Are you not worried?" I raised my brows. "I mean, like- isn't this your second senior year?"

"Yes, and so, I know all the test material and I'll definitely get it this time." He shrugged. 

"But what if you don't?" I blinked.