In the two hours since she's last seen Eddie, Willow has survived Spanish and most of her Chemistry class. It's all been a blur of ice-breakers, really, keeping Willow entertained but not forcing her to do any critical thinking.

It's nice.

Or at least, it was nice. Mr. Edwards, Willow's chemistry teacher, was droning on about some story from his summer vacation to pass the final ten minutes of class when suddenly, the door to the classroom bursts open.

"Eddie Munson," Mr. Edwards' face twitches, on the verge of cringing at the sight of Eddie, "How nice of you to join us."

"The honor's all mine," Eddie unabashedly replies, closing the door behind him. His eyes rake over the room, and when his eyes find Willow immediately, a mischievous smile takes over his face. She catches the falter in it when his eyes find the seats beside her already taken.

"Please, take a seat."

The seating arrangement in this class was different from O'Donnell's classroom. Instead of individual seats, students were automatically paired as they sat at long black tables large enough for two students to sit. Willow was currently sitting at the table in the center of the front row with Chrissy Cunningham sitting to her left. The only free seat wasn't in any of the corners like Willow assumes Eddie would prefer, but one row back from her and off to her right. It was beside a quiet kid that Willow had never spoken to before. The open seat was the left one, the one closest to Willow, the one that would place Eddie Munson directly diagonal from her.

Eddie takes his time walking to the seat, gaze never leaving Willow as he brushes past her. She almost considers sticking a foot out and tripping him in retaliation for the embarrassment he's indirectly causing her; his attention on her has whispers piping up behind her, and she thinks she can hear her name being mentioned.

The students of Hawkins High were not subtle.

"Why'd he look at you like that?" Chrissy leans over to whisper, no malicious intent in her voice. When Willow meets her wide eyes, all she sees is genuine curiosity.

Willow shrugs. "No clue."

"Have you ever talked to him before?" Chrissy means no harm still, but Willow wishes she would drop it.

"Once or twice, yeah," Willow stares straight ahead as she replies, and Chrissy is kind enough to pick up on the message she's sending. The whispers don't stop from behind them, but Willow can tune those out.

She can't tune out the wad of paper that flies over her right shoulder once Mr. Edwards launches back into his story.

She stares at it for a moment, confused. But then she glances behind her in the general direction she'd assumed that the paper came from, and finds Eddie Munson gleaming at her with an open notebook in front of him, the top corner clearly torn out. Her curious look quickly hardens into a glare, mouth agape as she looks back to the paper ball. She still doesn't touch it. When she looks back at Eddie, trying to stay subtle considering she was in the front row, he's resting his chin on his right hand, knuckles covering his mouth as he waves his left hand to encourage her to open what clearly must be a note.

She pulls the ball closer, hoping Chrissy doesn't notice as she smooths it out.

Eddie's handwriting is boyish, messy and almost illegible as Willow squints to read over it several times to decipher it. When she glances back at him, his eyes are wide and eager.

She simply shakes her head.

No, she wasn't telling Eddie. Sometime during last period, it occurred to her that this might be a secret she'd take to the grave. Of course, Robin knew, but she could trust Robin. She could handle any teasing that Robin did because at the end of the day, the power dynamic between her and Robin in that ridiculous situation was equal. Robin had suggested the stupid idea, so any time Willow caught shit from her for it, she could easily remind her of that.

But Eddie? If Eddie found out, the teasing that follows could be detrimental for Willow.

She knows he's not the bullying type, clearly , but she also can tell through their short conversations thus far that he'd never let her live it down. It would plague any resemblance of a friendship they might have a chance at.

It occurred to Willow that this also meant she wanted to be friends with Eddie Munson. A tough pill to swallow. But he had been kind to her, and with the excuse of O'Donnell's project, it gave her a chance to get closer to him. It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world for her to have a friend beyond Steve and Robin.

Willow is trying to focus back on the class discussion when another note lands in front of her. This one flies a bit farther, and lands more in Chrissy's sight.

"What's that?" she inquires, and is reaching out for her but Willow's hands are too fast. Within a second, Willow has the new note secure in her fist and tucked against her body.

"Nothing," she doesn't even try to come up with a lie. Chrissy doesn't know the note came from Eddie. It's fine.

Besides, according to Eddie, I'm a shit liar.

Willow has to be more careful this time as she unfolds Eddie's note, keeping the paper close to her chest as she struggles to read it.

Willow doesn't even know how to respond. Carefully, she leans down and grabs a pencil from her backpack on the ground.

She takes a moment to consider her response, before flattening the paper on the desk before her and scribbling, .

She quickly scrunches the paper back into a ball similarly to the way Eddie had, pressing her chin to her right shoulder as she looks at him. He's already staring at her, knuckles still pressed to his lips, clearly not planning on giving Mr. Edwards the time of day. She takes the paper ball in her write hand, slowly moving it to behind her seat, and barely opening up her fist to show Eddie the paper. His eyebrows shoot up into his bangs briefly, the corners of his lips clearly curling up behind his knuckles. He puts out his free hand, palm up, and nods in encouragement.

She doesn't even notice she's holding her breath until she tosses it, and watches it land perfectly in Eddie's hand. Her shoulders go slack in relief. She faces forward again, just in time to catch the trail end of Mr. Edwards' rant.

"-which is why I've decided this year, no seating chart! Hopefully you folks don't take advantage of that."

Mr. Edwards carries the tone of a teacher trying to be cool, taking the kind and relatable approach over the strict dictatorship like Ms. O'Donnell supposedly runs.

Cheers erupt from a few students, mostly jocks and populars.

"So, with that in mind, we only have about... two minutes left. I don't think I need to bore you any further, so do with that time what you will," Mr. Edwards says as he takes a few steps back and returns to his desk. Plenty of students get up and walk around the room, including Chrissy Cunningham, in order to cluster into groups with their friends.

Willow jumps when Eddie suddenly slams into the seat that was once Chrissy's. " Fuck off ? Seriously? That's the best you could come up with? You went through all that trouble to give me back this piece of paper just to tell me to fuck off ?"

"What did you expect? Besides, I didn't go through that much trouble. I just threw it at you, Munson."

"You looked like you were about to pass out when you threw it at me. Scared to get caught passing notes with the school freak?" Eddie tilts his head, situating himself to be fully facing Willow as his arm rests over the back of the chair.

"Getting caught? Yes. Terrified. It's rude to pass notes in class. But it could have been anyone and I'd be freaked out," she doesn't know why she feels the need to reassure him she's not ashamed to be interacting, but she does, "Besides, I think is everyone is occupied enough talking about the way you made eyes at me during your dramatic entrance."

"I did not make eyes at you."

"Okay, the way you stared at me then. Is that better?" Willow teases, turning her body to mirror Eddie's and bumping knees with him.

Neither of them bother to move so they aren't touching.

"Much," Eddie nods, satisfied with her change of vocabulary, "I was just shocked to see you and that bright ass hair, front row and shit."

Willow plays with her once again, as she does any time Eddie references it. "It's not that bright anymore."

"Right, and I didn't make eyes at you when I walked in," Eddie drawls, leaning back. For a moment, his knees separate from Willow's and she immediately notices the chill on her legs as his warmth retreats, "Anyways, Red, back to the important topic at hand."

"There's something more important than my hair?" she teases. It's effortless. The joking dynamic between her and Eddie came to her easier than breathing. The last time someone had taken to her so well in this way was Robin, even Steve having struggled to manage banter with her when they first met at the beginning of the summer.

"Absolutely. What did you want this morning?"

His question makes her deflate immediately. She's sinking into her seat, smile fading. "I already told you, it doesn't matter."

"Secrets don't make friends, Red."

There it is again. The nickname that shoots straight to her heart, no longer racing but simply skipping a beat over it. "Fine, tell me what your summer reading book was-"

"Fellowship of the Ring," Eddie doesn't hesitate, interrupting her before she could finish. Willow clearly wasn't expecting a fast response, stunned into silence now. "Alright, I told you mine, now you tell me yours."

"No," Willow persists, eyebrows furrowed, "I'm not telling you, Eddie."

"Why not?" he whines, slumping his shoulders and leaning himself in closer to her.

"I...I just...I don't want to tell you, okay? Especially not in the middle of a classroom. It's just embarrassing , and something I know I could never live down. It was bad enough that I somehow thought that I should originally ask you outside the gym this morning, given how busy it was, but here? In a classroom? No, I'm sorry. Not happening," Willow stresses, and she notices that during her small speech, Eddie's eyes don't leave hers once.

He takes his time answering her, painstakingly so. She watches the way he's carefully considering his response, contrasting the whiny attitude he had adopted previously. He was now dead serious. He had taken her concern with embarrassment to heart.

"What if... and just throwing this out there, you met me somewhere after school, privately, to ask?"

She's stunned by his offer. "What?"

"There's this place out in the woods, out by the football field. It's where I normally meet people to do deals. There's a clearing with this bench, it's nice and secluded..." he trails off, eyes no longer meeting hers, rubbing his chin in thought, "I know it probably sounds like I'm going to murder you so, as I'm saying this outloud, I realize it's completely fine if you tell me to piss off now."

Willow can't help but laugh, "Oh, so now that you're plotting my murder, I can tell you to fuck off?"

"Yes ma'am."

"I..." Willow trails off, trying to rack her brain for a reason to decline his offer. In all fairness, he had just made it clear to her that she didn't need a proper reason now. And she almost declines, politely, telling him that they'll just see each other tomorrow in English and that it'll be fine. But then she remembers the clench of Steve Harrington's jaw when he thought she was making eyes at Eddie, the way he'd been so pissed off at her at the bar when she came back in with the jacket. Not only does Steve's reactions begin to flash in the back of her mind, but something that Robin had originally said to her when she brought up the idea.

"There's really no other guy in town you'd love to play make-believe with until you get Harrington's attention?"

At the time, Willow had scoffed and been offended. Because no, there was no other guy in her line of sights beside Steve Harrington.

Until now.

Suddenly, in front of her, there was a long-haired metalhead who could probably banter with her in his sleep. And he had been dropped into her lap with the best possible circumstances for this scenario: Steve was convinced she was already into him, she had classes that forced her to see him daily (if he showed up to school), and most importantly, he seemed keen on being as friendly with her as she had been with him. Even if he had gotten under her skin too many times to count in their short time of acknowledging each other's existence, Willow enjoyed Eddie's presence more than she did most people's. Willow wanted to be Eddie's friend. Fuck.

"Okay."

She's said it, it's out in the world. She doesn't give herself a chance to overthink it.

"Okay? As in, okay, you're not going to risk me murdering you? Or okay, you're down to meet me there after school?" Eddie asks, eyes wide and mouth slightly open in shock. The bell rings, signifying the end of chemistry class.

Willow grabs her pencil she'd used to write back her note to Eddie as her other hand leaned down to grab her actual backpack. She's up and out of her chair before she responds to a still-seated Eddie, "Okay, I'll meet you after school."

She doesn't wait for him as she makes a beeline towards the door, starting towards the cafeteria to meet Robin. Though, she's only made it a few strides before Eddie Munson is nipping at her heels.

"Hey! Hold on!"

She slows herself down, but refuses to come to a complete stop as she's aware everyone in the hallway is currently staring at her. They were probably staring in class, too, once Eddie had taken the seat beside her, but she had been too occupied with the man of the hour to take notice.

Eddie is slightly out of breath by the time his stride matches hers. "What if you get lost in the woods? We should probably meet up at the edge of the football field, yeah?"

"If that's what you want," Willow replies casually, not even turning to look at him. Her heart was still thrumming from her leap of courage she had just taken in agreeing to meet with Eddie, period.

"No, no, no. This is all about you, Red. Is that what you want? Are you even sure you want to meet?" Eddie grabs her shoulders as he questions her, swerving her off to the side of the busy hallway. His touch is gentle and he immediately towers over her, face splayed with concern.

"Munson, I'm positive. Just... promise you're not gonna make a laughing stock out of me once you finally find out my stupid secret, okay?" she's finally making eye contact, admitting her fear to him in the most joking way possible. She can't imagine who Eddie would run to tell if he did reject her, even after bugging her this much to know what proposition she had for him, but it still made her heart clench to think about it.

"Scout's honor," he breathes out, holding one hand over his heart and the other up, palm facing her.

"Good," Willow smiles, soft as she tilts her head up to get a better view of those big, brown eyes, "Now, if you don't mind, I have a lunch date with Buckley. See you after school, boy scout."

Willow squeezes herself out of Eddie's caging, not giving a second glance as she continues on her way.

She can feel his eyes on her fleeing figure the entire way down the hall, and once more when she sits down at the lunch table beside Robin. She doesn't have to look to know that he keeps glancing at her from his spot at the head of the lunch table where his 'Hellfire Club' sits together, just a few tables behind where she's seated with the band kids.

His gaze isn't the only thing new that lunch period. The silence, the lack of his booming voice entertaining his friends as he eggs on bullies and puts on theatrics, is new too.

"Hey there, stranger!" Robin exclaims the moment Willow is sitting beside her, "You're never going to guess who I have in my math class."

"Vickie?" Willow questions with a knowing smile, leaning and bumping shoulders with her friends.

Robin blushes immediately, going bright red as she looks around for her.

"Where?"

"No, Rob, I didn't see her. I was guessing she was in your math class."

"Oh, well, sort of. I do have a few classes with her! Besides the band, obviously," Robin rambles, pushing around a fry from her tray into ketchup, "But no, someone much more exciting was in my math class."

"What hour do you even have math?" Willow asks, picking up one of her own fries.

She can still feel Eddie staring at her.

"Second, what about you?" Robin pauses for a sip of juice, barely swallowing before continuing, "And are you seriously not curious?"

"Mine is next hour," Willow doesn't answer Robin's second question. She's too focused on not turning her head to face Eddie, to just catch a glimpse of him and confirm her foolish belief that his eyes are already on her.

"Eddie Munson."

Willow's heart stops, starting to look around the moment Robin says his name. She twists herself all the way around without thinking.

"Willow?" Robin's voice sounds far away the moment Willow catches Eddie. Just as she was suspecting, he was staring. The moment they meet each other's gazes, they mirror in blushes before both harshly looking away.

"Willow?" Robin repeats, "Earth to Willow?"

"Huh? Sorry, just, you said...y-you said Eddie so I-" Willow is a stuttering mess, the realization of what she just did settling in. The corners of Robin's mouth are twitching already. "Fuck off. Did you just say his name to get a rise out of me? Because of this morning?"

"No, actually. He's in my math class."

"Eddie. Eddie Munson. He's in your math class?"

"Yep! He left class early, claiming he was going to the nurse. He seemed like he was thinking about something pretty hard."

"Well that's dangerous."

"What?"

"Eddie Munson thinking," Willow murmurs, shamelessly twisting once more to get a good look at him. This time, he's occupied with his group. Palms flat against the cafeteria table as he leans in close, eyes wild and grin wide.

Robin is snickering, turning and watching Eddie with her. "Yeah? I think it might be more dangerous that you're thinking."

"He asked to meet me after school," Willow blurts out.

"What?"

"Yeah, we have homeroom and chemistry together."

"Why does he want to meet after school?"

"To talk about the deal," Willow explains, "Apparently, the fact that it isn't about drugs intrigues him."

Robin nods, looking between Willow and Eddie, "You told him, no, right? Because we have that interview at Family Video after school."

Willow had honestly forgotten about the interview. Her mind had been so wrapped up in the mess that was Eddie Munson all morning that she'd forgotten her potential job she'd be working with Robin and Steve.

"No, yeah, I mean," Willow hates that Eddie pointed out what a terrible liar she was, the ridicule plaguing her mind every time she lied now, "Obviously I said no. Like we said, fake-dating is ridiculous. Never going to happen."

Robin doesn't look convinced.

" Okay ," she sing-songs out, "So, was O'Donnell really the bitch Steve painted her out to be?"