The Stranger -Sequal To Vienna-

Chapter 8

Eddie's POV

Finally, a sense of normal. After weeks of chaos and fighting, everything feels as if it is back to normal. Yes, Billy is still around but after Stevie and I fought and ever so nicely made up, I think we have come to some common ground. If he were to show up to her work again, she would call me, Steve, or Hopper, I made the suggestion that she would call me first. I hate that she has to live like this but it doesn't seem to be bothering her. She a fucking rock.

Now, to really drive home the normal feelings around us, we decided to ensure some of our normal chaos and load all the kids into my van and take them all to see Stand By Me at the theater. I enjoyed the book so when Dustin brought it up to Stevie last week, I was gonna make sure it happened. It feels good to be out of the house. Since ShitHead showed up, we haven't been able to do anything really. Today we take back our normal, our lives.

"Dustin, I swear to GOD if you don't move your leg out of my area, Imma rip it off and throw it out of the window!" Mike hisses, kicking Dustin's leg away.

"Who says that it's your area?! It's not my fault you have the longest legs in existence! Whose to say YOUR legs aren't in MY space?" Dustin replies kicking Mike's leg.

"Jesus Christ, Guys! Five Minutes of Peace Please!" Max groans. I look over at Stevie and she is smiling. It feels good to see her smile like this. My thought of Stevie quickly gets pushed away by arguments exploding in the back. All the kids, except El, who is quickly becoming and STAYING my favorite, are screaming at each other. Mike and Dustin are still arguing about leg space. Max is yelling at the two of them, and I have no idea what Will, Lucas, and Erica are fighting about, but they are!

"HEY!" I yell out and look in the rearview mirror. The car instantly goes silent, "We are NOT fighting today."

"But he-" Dustin starts but Stevie spins around in her seat and interrupts him.

"But Nothing! We aren't fighting today! We are going to have a nice time at the movies! And if that is too hard for you guys to do, We will just turn around and go right back to the house." Stevie looks at the kids in the back, "Now is this something we can do?" I see the kids nod in the mirror, "I need verbal confirmation. Is this something we can do, Yes or No because I know Eddie would love to see you all tossed around in the back because he popped a U-Turn. Now Yes or No." I laugh a little bit.

"Yes!" All the kids shout in unison.

"Good." Stevie turns back around in her seat. I give her a smile and extend my hand for a fist bump.

"That was awesome," I say and she bumps my fist with hers.

"It felt awesome." She smiles and looks out her window. The rest of the ride to the cinema was uneventful. Besides the occasional conversation about school or the movie we were seeing, it was quiet. When we pulled into the parking lot, I did a quick scan of the parking lot, looking out for that familiar blue douche mobile. When I didn't see it I threw the van into park and climb out. I walked to the back of the van to let the kids out. Stevie and I accidentally broke the inside handle of the door during a rather fun night out back of the Hideout, so the door can only be opened from the outside. Stevie meets me at the back of the car. The boys start pounding on the door for us to let them out.

"We could leave them in there" I shrug and she hits my arm.

"In the heat with no windows down?" I shrug again, "You would leave the poor girls in the van with the teenage boys who might not have put deodorant on this morning?"

"Max, No, Erica maybe, She told me to cut my hair the other day, El absolutely not." I sigh as the banging continues.

"Release the horde," Stevie says grabbing the other door handle and we pull the doors open at once. Lucas, who I can only assume was pushing on the door trying to get it to open, comes tumbling out, and would have hit the ground if not for my absolutely amazing reflexes, catching him.

"Did you see that? I got those Spider-Man Reflexes" I exclaim as I stand Lucas to his feet

"Yeah Yeah Yeah, you're an insect alright." Dustin huffs jumping out of the van. I smack him in the back of the head and shut the van doors. I hear Stevie and the rest of the kids laugh.

"You're just mad I'd let you hit the ground," I say, shutting the van doors.

"Ouch! I thought you said no fighting." Dustin says, rubbing the back of his head and looking at Stevie

"No No, little brother, I said no fighting between you guys. Eddie was not included" She smiles.

"Well, he probably should have been." Dustin mumbles.

"Probably." Stevie laughs, intertwining our hands, and motioning for the kids to walk towards the theater.

After the movie, Stevie decides to take the kids to the arcade attached to the theater. We give the kids money to have fun, and then Stevie and I step outside to have a cigarette. "So what did you think about the movie? I know you said you really liked the book." Stevie asks, leaning up against the wall.

"I liked it! They changed some of the details from the book, but all and all it's really good!" I say, taking a drag of my cigarette, "Have you ever read the book?"

Stevie shakes her head, "Surprisingly no, I think I've ever read a Stephan King book."

"What!" I exclaim, putting my hands on my hips, "How did I not know this?! We've been together almost a year and you've never read any books from one of my favorite authors!"

"Have you ever read Gone With The Wind?" Stevie cocks her head and smiles at me.

I smile back at her and I press my tongue to my cheek, "Well No-"

"We have been together almost a year and you've never read my all-time favorite book!" Stevie says mockingly, even putting her hands on her hips.

"Tóuche, Stevie." I nod my head, flicking the cigarette away, "I'll make you a deal."

"I'm listening."

"You read a Stephan King book, novel, short story, whatever, your choice or I'll pick if you really want me to," I wrap my arms around her waist, "And I will read Gone With The Wind, okay?"

"Okay!" She flicks her cigarette away and wraps her arms around my neck, "I want you to know once you pick that book up you won't be able to put it down."
"And I want you to know that if you get scared by King's stories you can always come cuddle with me anytime you want."

"Says the one who made me kill the spider that was in the trailer last night," Stevie smirks.

"Hey! You said that you wouldn't mention that again!" I gasp which makes Stevie laugh. She gives me a quick kiss before intertwining our fingers and leading me back inside to the arcade.