Eddie Munson: The Deal

Chapter Nine: Eddie

   I can't deny the growing attraction that I have for Amanda, just when I think I'm getting over the stupid crush she somehow pops back into my life. What the fuck feelings?

   Last night we went to the fair together, acting like we were on a fake date in front of Jeremy "the asshole" Nolan. This deal of ours seems to be working out pretty well, although basically everyone knows that we hated each other's guts once.

   I thought about calling Mandy, would she think I'm weird? And I don't want to come off as clingy.

   In the end I decided not to call her, seems safer overall.

   As the day progressed I started to grow bored, and there was only one thing occupying my thoughts, Amanda.

   The past couple of weeks I've been neglecting smoking, drinking, doing drugs. I never really figured out why, just hasn't really seemed so nice anymore.

   But in the boredom of a hot summer day, I lit a joint and smoked it, and another, and one more after that. It's not like I'm going to be doing anything today, might as well get high.

   Later that evening I heard a knock at my door, who's knocking this late?

   I open my door to see Robert, Mike, and Dustin.

   I inhaled some more of the joint, "Did you guys need something?"

   "Where the fuck have you been the past few weeks?" Dustin says, walking into my trailer.

   Mike seems to not like the smell of weed, but he doesn't say anything about it. "Yeah it's like you've disappeared ever since you've been going out with that Amanda girl."

   "I've had other plans occupying my time." And it's the truth.

   Robert scoffs, "Well now you have no time to finish the campaign, too cool for it now?"

   "Uh it's not that I'm too cool, I've been playing Dungeons and Dragons for years." I stare at Robert, "Hellfire Club is doing perfectly fine, don't question it."

   "You're right, it is doing perfectly fine. Without your help." Robert says.

   I look at the three of them, "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

   Mike and Dustin don't make eye contact with me, almost ashamed. Robert laughs. "You've been voted out Eddie, replaced by me."

   "You can't fucking replace me, I own Hellfire."

   Mike finally looks at me, "We took a vote."

   Robert smiles at the kid. I look at Dustin and Mike, livid. "I took you guys in when you guys had no friends, I was there for you guys when nobody else was."

   I walk across my apartment, trying to calm down. "I was there for you guys, I took all of you in when nobody else wanted to hang out with you," I look out the window, not able to meet their eyes, "this only shows how shit friends you guys are."

   Robert looks annoyed, "At least I won't abandon Hellfire." He signals for the boys to leave, they walk out with their heads down.

   Before Robert stepped out the door, he turned around to look at me, "You're welcome back to Hellfire whenever you want, but you've rejected the role as leader when you stopped showing up." He said and shut the door behind him.

   Once they left, I felt like a piece of me was taken with. For years Hellfire Club was something I knew I had, I owned it. Apparently not anymore.

   I grabbed a bottle of Vodka from my kitchen, back to boredom.