"You wanna get out of here?" I ask Eddie, standing at the table where the Hellfire Club members were eating.

Mike looked up at me in confusion, half surprised and half disgusted that I actually wanted to talk to Eddie.

The other guys were glancing between me and Eddie in excitement. Despite the fact I was at their previous club meeting, it was like they'd never seen a woman before in their life, it was also like they thought Eddie had never spoken to one.

"Gross." Mike shuddered, "Guys, stop, she's my sister. Ew."

"Let's go." Eddie nods.

"Mike, you're gonna cover for me if anyone finds out I'm gone or I'll tell Mom you've been sneaking El over." I tell Mike, it's a handy piece of information I like to blackmail him with.

I took a quick look around the cafeteria, people were whispering to their friends while looking at me and Eddie standing together. I knew gossip would spread like wildfire.

"Run to the forest with me in..." he grabs my hand, "3... 2... 1..."

Eddie and I began to sprint towards the cafeteria door, slamming our way past them. I knew people were watching, I didn't care.

It was weird, I'd completely changed. I wasn't so focused on school, I didn't care about popularity, I didn't care about Jason. I'd realised what was more important, meaningful friendships, like me and Eddie.

"You're fucking crazy." I laugh, struggling to keep up with him as we run down the hallways together.

"So I've been told." he replies, already losing his breath.

We scattered down the twists and turns of Hawkins High's numerous hallways, continually making wrong turns due to the maze-like structure of the building.

"I never thought I'd be running out of school with the princess of Hawkins High, yet here we are."

"And I never thought I'd actually enjoy your company, but things change I guess." I laugh.

We finally reached the door that led outside but we had to cross the field to reach the forest, I'd never been there before but people clearly used it, there was a clear entry point.

We began to walk towards the forest so we could catch our breath. And although we weren't running anymore, he still held onto my hand.

I had this odd feeling, something I'd never really felt before as his thumb gently swiped over mine. He squeezed my hand before smiling down at me as we were at the entrance of the forest, I could've sworn my heart skipped a beat.

There was a little log we had to step over to get onto the main path

"After you, Miss Hellfire." he says dramatically, leading me up the log.

"You're such a dork." I laugh at the new nickname as he follows after me.

He caught up to me and led me towards an abandoned looking picnic table in the middle of a clearing, I sat down on one side and he sat on the other.

"I think it's cool what you did back there, no one else is brave enough to stand up to Jason like that." I tell Eddie, "What dirt do you have on him? He looked terrified."

"I have a lot on him. I have a lot on everyone."

"Even me?" I ask.

"No, actually. You're somehow perfect, never found anything that could be used against you." he laughs, "Except for the fact you have a Matt Dillon poster above your bed."

"And you did kinda tell me something when we were high in my trailer." he adds.

Oh god.

"What? What did I tell you?" I ask, concerned.

"Calm down, it's just a cute little secret, nothing major." he tells me, raising his eyebrows with a smile.

I don't know what I could've told him but as long as it's not something huge then I'm fine. I don't think I even have any big secrets.

"Please, I'm curious now." I pout, I was desperate to know what I'd said.

"You told me..." he begins to laugh a little, "that you had a huge crush on me when we were in middle school."

Oh god.

"I'm not quite sure why you did, I was a weird little freak in middle school." he shrugs, laughing.

"Nothing's changed then, clearly." I joke, "Are you sure I said that?"

I don't remember much of middle school but I do remember Eddie always getting into trouble, he was an annoying little shit but I did think he was kinda cool.

"One hundred percent. I don't remember much from middle school but I remember punching someone because he stole your colouring book." he smiles to himself, looking down at his rings.

"You were the one who got my colouring book back for me?" I ask, huge smile.

I remembered my colouring book being stolen and someone gave it back to me, I just couldn't remember who. Knowing it was Eddie made my heart warm a little, and that's probably why I liked him in middle school.

"Yup, I've been your knight in shining armour since day one, princess." he exaggerates, flipping his hair.

"That nickname isn't fitting, I'm not the princess of Hawkins High anymore. I'm more like the peasant under this bullshit school hierarchy."

"Doesn't matter. You're the princess of Hellfire Club, in my eyes, at least."

☆ ☆ ☆

i can't wait for volume 2 of season 4 AAAAAAHHH

thank u all for 10k reads the fact that i only started writing this a few days ago and we're already at 10k?? literally insane ty all sm

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