"It's for you, Willow."

Willow looks up from her plate of eggs and toast to see her mom holding out their phone, a peculiar look on her face. It was a rare morning in which they were able to have breakfast together, Anna working a mid shift rather than her regular graveyard. Willow always loved these mornings - catching her mother up on what used to be her fairly boring life over sunny side up eggs and orange juice. Today, she had been more quiet than normal, not knowing how to even begin to broach the topic of her week with her mother.

"What?" Willow questions, her chair squeaking as she stands up, "Is it Rob?"

Her mom immediately shakes her head. "No, he says he's your partner from school. His name is Eddie?"

Oh.

Oh.

It was Sunday, and Willow hadn't heard from Eddie since he dropped her off Saturday night. As a matter of fact, this was the first time he had ever called her since she had taken a sharpie to his arm when they first made their deal.

"Oh, thank you! Sorry," she rushes to take the phone from her mom, and she's sure she'll be interrogated later, but she's too busy pressing the receiver up to her cheek, "Hey, Eddie?"

"Red," his familiar voice drawls out over the line.

"Why are you calling? What's up?" Willow's eyes flicker to where her mom is now seated back at their small dining table, trying to seem preoccupied with her food even though she's clearly eavesdropping. Willow turns her back to her.

"Well, good morning to you too, sunshine," Eddie jokes, "It's Sunday."

"Yes, I'm aware what day it is. Did you just call to be my own personal calendar or..." Willow trails off questioningly, finger twirling the phone chord by habit.

"No, Red, it's Sunday . Have you really managed to forget our contract-binded love in under forty-eight hours away from me?" Willow imagines the smirk on Eddie's face, the feigned offense as he mimicked being stabbed in the chest. She had seen him do it a few times now.

Willow thinks over it for a second before it clicks. Of course . It was Sunday, the day Eddie had agreed to have their study dates. "Oh my gosh, I really did forget - I'm sorry."

"It's fine," Eddie assures her, but she can hear his tone drop, "If you already made plans, we can always-"

"I didn't. I'm free," Willow interrupts him, finally turning to face her mom once again. Anna is sitting with a surprised face, no longer even attempting to hide her intrigue in her daughter's conversation. Willow decides to mouth the word 'studying' as she watches a million questions pop up onto the tip of her mother's tongue.

"Oh! Awesome! So where do we wanna do this thing?" His enthusiasm warms her bones, his voice uncharacteristically high.

"I was thinking neutral ground, like the library? That way neither of us can get distracted," Willow leans against the wall, hand still twirling the chord.

She didn't want to admit to Eddie that she also wasn't ready to have him back in her house, even if her mom wouldn't be home the entire time.

Her mom .

That was an entirely different obstacle, considering Willow hadn't even introduced the idea of her fake boyfriend to her mother. She hadn't even considered being in a fake relationship would mean she had to lie to her own mother.

"The library?" she can hear the wrinkle of Eddie's nose, "I mean, I guess. Want me to pick you up?"

"Please," she breathes out, hand finally releasing the chord, realizing she needed to start getting ready.

"Okay, cool, see you in ten?" Eddie asks, and she can hear shuffling on his end. She thinks she can hear the jingling of keys, even.

"See you in ten," Willow confirms. It takes her a moment of hesitation before she hangs up, unsure where her reluctance came from.

The moment the phone is hung back up on their wall, her mom breaks out in a smile.

"You're going to spend time with a boy today? That isn't Steve? Who are you and what have you done with my daughter?" She teases her lightly as she stands and takes their dirty dishes to the sink.

Willow's cheeks color at the joke, "I hang out with boys besides Steve."

"Yeah, today you are. I don't think I've even heard you say a boy's name besides his in the last year, though," Anna continues as she mindlessly scrubs the dishes. Her back is to her daughter and she doesn't see the tormenting blush taking over her face.

Willow racked her brain. She definitely had talked about other guys, right? She goes over every interaction she's had in the last year (or at least, the ones she can remember), but comes up with mostly only memories with Robin and Steve. Telling her mother about the new flavors at Scoops that were Steve's favorite, telling her mother about the cheesy joke Steve told her during a lull in her visit, telling her mother how cute Steve looked in his uniform that day.

Okay. Maybe her mom had a point.

"What's his name?" Anna hums over her shoulder, glancing back to see her daughter clearly frustrated.

Had she really let Steve Harrington become her entire personality this last year?

"Who?"

"The boy you're seeing. Is it really Eddie or did you tell him to lie to your poor old mom?" Anna has a clear teasing tone, finally turning and leaning back on the seat, small crinkles form beside her eyes as she smiles.

"It's really Eddie, Eddie Munson. I got paired with him in my English class," Willow explains, crossing her arms and leaning back against the wall to mirror her mother from across the room.

"Munson? Isn't he the boy who's repeated his senior year twice now?"

"Yeah, he's a super, super senior. That's why miss O'Donnell partnered me with him," Willow is staring off into the distance as she says this, trying to avoid overanalyzing her mother's reaction to this. She doesn't know why, but she wants her mom to approve of Eddie, and not just for the sake of their fake relationship. If disgust or judgment of any kind had graced her mother's face, Willow couldn't handle it. "How do you know who he is?"

"The other nurses love to gossip, and if I'm thinking of the same Eddie Munson, he's quite the troublemaker," Willow finally looks at her mom as she says this, and Anna is smiling softly. Willow almost jumps from excitement - there's no judgment in her eyes.

Willow's shoulders sag, not in disappointment but relief, "Yeah, you're definitely thinking of the same Eddie Munson."

"He's a bad boy?"

"I mean, not really. Sort of? Define bad boy," Willow rambles, thinking about just how many layers there were to this idiot. Yes, he listens to metal and smokes cigarettes, he wears leather and has wild hair. But he also plays D&D, and reads J.R.R. Tolkien.

"Define bad boy? Oh sweetheart," Willow stiffens at her mother's affectionate nickname, the name now sounding wrong any time it didn't come from Eddie's lips, "You've got it bad."

"What? I don't-" Willow starts to deny her crush, but then remembers it might be in her best interest to plant that seed, "I just barely met him this week, mom! We're just studying today and doing our project. It's nothing."

"Mhm, just studying," her mom pushes off the counter and walks past her. Willow only shakes out of her shock once her mom is halfway down the hallway.

"God, you're just as bad as Robin!" she yells down the hallway, and her mom's laugh echoes in return.

Fuckers.

---

"This is so boring ," Eddie whines, leaning across the table dramatically with his arms outstretched towards Willow. She's unfazed, continuing to scribble down the answers to her math homework.

"What page are you on?" she questions, still not looking up as she refers to her copy of Little Women he's been scanning over the last thirty minutes.

Eddie hums and dramatically drags his finger over the page, and it catches her eye. She already knows the answer before he sarcastically replies, "Let's see... page... one! Same as thirty minutes ago, would you look at that?"

"Eddie," Willow sighs and puts down her pencil, finally giving him her attention for the first time since they'd arrived at the library, "You have to read it. Even if just a chapter."

"Wasn't the point that you would make sure I graduate by doing my homework?"

"There is only so much magic I can work, Munson."

"So you've said before," he hums. He's completely shoved the book off to the side, now completely focused on her with his head propped up by his left hand.

"What do you want me to do? Read to you?" The moment the words have left her mouth and she sees Eddie light up with delight, she's already shaking her head and taking them back, "No, no, no. I am not reading to you. You're a senior in high school, not a five year old in kindergarten."

"Oh, come on , Red," she thinks she's going to get a headache by how whiney he's keeping his tone, "You have a pretty voice. It'd be fun."

"And what about me having to read your book?"

"I can read to you, too. We'll take turns," he's got a boyish grin spreading from ear-to-ear, clearly completely sold on the idea.

Willow takes him in for a second, trying to see if he was just faking excitement to annoy her. But when his grin doesn't falter under her hard stare, she realizes it's genuine. "Next time. If you can read one chapter on your own-"

"Nope. No negotiations. Don't even try and tell me you don't want this sultry, velvety, outright seductive voice reading to-"

"I don't want that."

"Oh, come on. Let me finish."

"Nope, I still don't want that. Do your work, Munson."

Eddie huffs defiantly but doesn't say another word as he digs into his backpack for his binder. She's surprised to see him actually pull out a notebook and what seems to be an assignment sheet.

They work in silence, Eddie clearly quiet in his pouting while Willow is too focused to speak, for another thirty minutes. Willow considers it a phenomenon; Eddie Munson was seemingly doing his homework in front of her, completing not only the front side of the sheet but the back side as well. She doesn't care if it's out of spite or pouting or a tantrum - he's doing it. She might as well take a photo to put in the history books. The world will probably never witness this again.

Their combined focus is only broken when they hear a ruckus occur from behind them. Or at least, behind Willow. Eddie's head immediately whips up and Willow understands why when a moment later, she recognizes one of the voices.

"Quiet down now, boys! Don't get into too much trouble. Find the books you need and we'll meet up at one of these tables to study ."

Jason Carver. Jason Carver, and most likely his entire group of goons, were here.

There's a murmur of what must be most of the jocks she's seen tag along with Jason agreeing, walking away, but Willow also recognizes a distinct giggle one the group has seemingly left Jason.

" Jason !" the voice all but screams, keeping at a reasonable volume but high-pitched nonetheless.

Chrissy Cunningham.

Eddie's eyes are glued to whatever scene is playing out behind Willow's back, and although she's dying to turn and witness whatever has his attention so drawn in, she decides to be the responsible one.

"Eddie," she whispers, tapping the table.

No response.

" Eddie ," she tries again, this time reaching her pencil out to poke his arm, he shifts it some, but his eyes are still glued to the scene.

"Munson!" she whisper-shouts, finally throwing out her foot beneath the table until it connects sharply with his shin.

"Ow!" he's loud, and a student from a nearby table sushes them, "Fuck, that hurt."

"Good. Focus," she taps his homework in front of him, trying to muster her most maternal voice. His eyes only meet her for a few seconds in an angry squint before they focus back in behind her head. He leans down slowly, seeming to be rubbing out his leg she most likely just bruised. "Seriously? What the hell could possibly be so-"

She whips herself around, and immediately gets it. Eddie is staring at Jason Carver sucking the face off of Chrissy Cunningham against the nonfiction section.

She can't look away, blushing profusely as she can't see where Jason's mouth begins and Chrissy's mouth ends. He's got his hands gripping her thighs, her skirt riding up. The entire sight is flustering and mesmerizing.

Eddie kicks her this time, albeit far more gentle than she had been with him. "Now who needs to focus?"

"Still you," Willow turns back to him, looking down at the table and not meeting his smirk, "You're the super, super senior. Do your homework, old man."

"Old man? That's a new one."

"I mean it. Do your homework."

"If I recall, you're the one who's supposed to do it for me."

She has half the mind to not kick him again, this time in his right shin to leave a matching set of bruises.

"Seriously, stop changing the subject, being a pervert, whatever and just do your homework," Willow is whispering again, and with her voice low, she can hear Jason and Chrissy making out.

Eddie's eyes are still locked in on them as he scoffs, "Me, the pervert? You were watching them too, Red."

"Jesus Christ," she huffs, waving a hand in front of Eddie's eyes. He easily dodges her attempts at distraction, a smile playing up his lips. She realizes he's just doing it to annoy her now, so she immediately ignores the part of her that had been against kicking him, "Are you serious? I'm not joking, Munson, fo-"

It happens impossibly quick. Willow kicks once more with better aim, expecting easy impact with where she knows Eddie's right shin should be, when he suddenly leans down and grabs her ankle.

" Stop, " his grip tightens as he looks at her finally, "kicking me."

Willow can't breathe for a second, the feeling of his cold rings impossible to ignore against her bare ankle. He's no longer smiling, but his eyes are still sparkling. The longer he holds onto her, the faster her heart beats.

She knows she's staring for too long when his thumb starts to caress the inside of her ankle softly.

"Let go of me," she whines, squirming. It tickles, but she'd rather die than admit to Eddie that she's ticklish. She has a feeling that would end particularly badly for her, especially in this compromising situation they're in.

"Are you going to try to kick me again?"

"Yes, ten times harder this time, asshole."

"Then no, " she can feel his hand tighten as if for emphasis, and he yanks softly on her, causing her to slide down her chair.

"You know what? I still have another leg," she grits out, gripping the edge of the table roughly to stop him from dragging her.

"And I have another hand," he lifts his free hand and wiggles his fingers for emphasis.

She doesn't know why she's blushing so hard. But his fingers are still on her bare skin, and she's now cursing for wearing her pair of pants that were cuffed at the ankles, exposing the skin now on fire. It was ridiculous - Eddie's touch shouldn't have so much affect on her.

She's gone quiet, and she's stopped struggling against him. He clearly notices as he eggs her on, "Go ahead, Red. Try to kick me with the other leg."

"You're a grade A asshole," she mutters, crossing her arms over her chest.

They had both become so wrapped up in each other, they didn't notice that the sounds of Jason and Chrissy making out had ceased until Jason's dreadful voice was right beside them: "You're at my table, freak."

Eddie drops her ankle immediately, "Carver, how nice of you to join us."

Willow is frozen, unsure of what to do as she's suddenly looking up at the blonde prick. Chrissy is quiet at his side until she makes eye contact with Willow.

"Willow?" she gasps, stepping out from behind Jason some. Both boys look between the girls curiously as Chrissy is looking wildly between Willow and Eddie, "I... I thought you said you didn't know Eddie."

"Oh, well, I-" Willow cuts herself off, realizing she had no idea how to lie out of this one. Fuck it . She was going to regret this, but Eddie's lie he told his friends was already going to reach Steve through Dustin, so why not make everyone believe his story? "I lied."

Eddie and Chrissy look shocked. Jason, however, just looks almost disgusted. He's holding back, as if giving in and fully wearing a mask of disgust would be showing he cared too much.

"You lied?" Chrissy's voice is small, but she doesn't seem nearly as cruel as Jason does at this moment.

Willow nods, "I lied. We just kind of wanted to keep it a secret."

She looks at Eddie, but he's already staring at her. She wishes he were easier to read, that she knew exactly what message he was trying to convey at that moment with his wide, brown eyes, but she's left clueless. At best, she still only sees the shock that's settled across his cheeks and forehead.

"Keep what a secret?" Willow feels bad as Chrissy keeps up her kindness, being completely oblivious.

She's going to make me say it. In front of Jason. She's going to make me damn myself.

"That we're a thing," Eddie finally jumps in to help Willow, gesturing wildly between them before smiling boyishly, "She's my girl."

Jason finally speaks up, making a noise of disgust, "Whatever. This is still our table. Go find another one, freaks."

Freaks. Plural. Eddie is no longer the lonesome freak - I'm officially there.

Willow's head is reeling but she doesn't waste a second packing her bag up and standing. Eddie takes his sweet time, smirking at Jason as he does it. Chrissy seems just as uncomfortable as Willow is, shifting from foot to foot with her hands wrapped around Jason's bicep.

"Did I stutter? Hurry up," Jason finally snaps when Eddie keeps up his dramatic act of packing up at the slowest pace possible, grabbing Eddie's binder and tossing it roughly into his chest.

Eddie's playful smile fades immediately. "Don't touch my shit, Carver."

Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

"Then fucking move ."

Eddie immediately stands up, having a few inches over Jason, glaring at him. He's abandoned his binder back on the table, not packing it away likely out of spite now.

"There's plenty of tables around here. Pick another one, yeah?" As Eddie says this, Willow watches Chrissy's grip on Jason's bicep tighten. It doesn't take a genius to sense what is about to happen as Jason makes a fist at each side.

Willow immediately remembers the fact that Jason has the rest of the jocks here; if he starts a fight with Eddie, they're sure to help him finish it.

She doesn't hesitate to make her way around Chrissy and Jason, immediately taking her place at Eddie's side. She keeps her back to them, focusing on Eddie and Eddie only. "Let's just go, okay? They're not worth it."

Eddie's gaze finally flickers to her. Being this close to him almost takes her breath away, remembering the way he gripped her ankle, smelling not only cigarette ash but his cheap cologne clearly.