Eddie (self-insert x character)

Chapter 2

As I began looping my way through the neighborhood, I began thinking that maybe I needed a bit more to go off of in order to find Eddie. After all, I hadn't known the guy since middle school when he tried to convince me to join his band Corroded Coffin.
That connection was history now, but I happened to know that the band had all the same members. Hoping that they still practiced at the same house every Sunday, I sped up and began pedaling towards the house I used to know fondly.
***
Upon wheeling up to the house, I could tell something was wrong. The garage door was open but none of the guys were playing. Instead they stood huddled together in the back of the garage, their voices raised and frantic.
Hopping off my bike, I let it rest on the lawn and ran up the driveway to investigate. Upon hearing me approaching, the guys flinched and looked incredibly tense even after they recognized me.
Gareth, the guy who had once been opposed to "outsiders" like middle-school me joining Hellfire Club, stepped forward with his hands up defensively.
"We don't want any more trouble. We already told the guys everything we knew about Eddie, swear."
Confused, I tilted my head and crossed my arms.
"What guys?"
Looking around as if they expected to see someone hiding in a bush or something, the remaining members slowly emerged from behind the drums and stood next to Gareth. The other guy I remembered, Jeff, spoke up.
"Goddamn jocks. Hawkins' finest my ass! You know they just beat him up,"
He huffed, gesturing at Gareth. Gareth grunted and Jeff looked down shamefully.
"Okay okay they beat us up. They think Eddie killed Chrissy. Especially her boyfriend."
Seeing the shoe marks on Gareth's hand, I nodded knowingly.
Even in middle school Jason was a hothead.
As if finally registering the situation, Gareth looked me up and down and took a defensive step back.
"We should ask what YOU think about Eddie. That's why you're here, right?"
The other boys nodded in agreement. Obviously Gareth had taken the leader role in Eddie's absence.
"I think he's innocent."
The boys sighed collectively and relaxed their tense stance. Jeff beckoned me further into the garage and reached up, grabbing the handle to the garage door and tugging it shut.
Collapsing onto the deflated beanbags they had laying around near the equipment, the boys assembled in a circle and listened.
"I can't imagine him getting violent with anyone to tell the truth. I'm surprised anyone could. Yeah he antagonized Jason occasionally but he's never been threatening."
The boys nodded again collectively, looking at Gareth for a reply.
He grunted approvingly and sat up straighter, looking at me intently.
"You know you're the only person outside of the Hellfire Club that thinks he's innocent?"
I sighed and gave a half smile.
"I figured I might be. He's never been the most popular guy to begin with. This whole rumor is just running his name into the ground even deeper, ya know?"
Jeff piped up, no longer able to contain his enthusiasm.
"That's what we've been saying! They think just cuz we're metalheads that we're dangerous or something. It's just ignorance! They don't understand metal or the magical world of DnD. I mean christ they're calling Hellfire Club satanic."

I shook my head in disbelief and sighed. The club had never interested me much but I'd experienced it enough to know it was literally just a game for nerds with big imaginations. I couldn't believe the public had taken something so corny and turned it into something malicious.
The jocks taking such an interest in Eddie's whereabouts set alarm bells off in my head and brought me back to the present.
"Wait so what exactly did you tell Jason and the guys when they showed up? How far behind am I?"
Looking at one another with concern, they all turned to Gareth again.
"They wanted to know where he was. We told them we didn't know, that he has a dealer he might be holed up with."
My heart began beating a little faster at the thought of being so close to finding Eddie.
"But do you know where he is for sure?"
Shrugging, Gareth stood up and grabbed a soda from the cooler they had near the back. Settling back into the beanbag, he popped the can open and took a swig before answering.
"Nope. He could be with his dealer, could be anywhere else, really. Eddie's smart though, he'll survive."
Taking another gulp of soda, he set the can down and sat up straight again, his hands clasped in his lap. He looked me in the eyes searchingly and raised a questioning brow.
"Why do you wanna know?"
I pressed my tongue to the roof of my mouth to prevent myself from blushing at the real reason I wanted to see Eddie.
Composing myself, I answered somewhat truthfully.
"I wanted to check on him once I heard the rumors going around. I mean no one would be okay with all this going on but I wanted to see if I could do anything for him. As an old friend."

Gareth stared at me for a long moment before shrugging and picking up his soda again.
Unsatisfied with my answer, Jeff piped up again.
"Why check on him now though? You could have come by all these years."
Trailing off, Jeff added, "I'm sure he would have liked that."
I felt my heart flutter hearing that last bit. Would he be happy to see me now?
Swallowing the lump forming in my throat, I resisted the urge to blush and slapped a serious look on my face.
"I didn't feel like it was my place. But now I'm worried about him as much as any old friend might reasonably be. I'm sure he's innocent and the whole town's looking for him. That's gotta be terrifying to go through alone I bet."
The guys all nodded and Jeff sat back, seeming satisfied with my answer now. I pressed for more information in the hopes of narrowing down where I might find Eddie.
"So uh, who is this dealer you guys mentioned? Is he local?"
Most of the band had zoned out or gotten up to tune their instruments but Gareth remained seated and answered almost immediately.
"Couldn't pin him down by name but he lives in the woods near Lover's Lake. You could check it out if you think Eddie might be there."
Nodding, I stood up and slid the garage door up to take my leave. The other guys waved and Gareth stood, walking me back to my bike. As he watched me fasten my helmet, he leaned in and dropped his voice to a whisper.
"He would kick me for saying this but...Eddie missed you. Like, you know our song 'Sweet Baby Metalhead'?"
I felt my heart pounding inside my chest.
"Yeah. It's pretty soulful compared to the other songs y'all have written."
Gareth snorted.
"Yeah cuz it's about you. All of us agreed the first time we heard it. He denies it of course but hey," he said, leaning back and returning his voice to normal volume, "find him and maybe you'll get your answer."
Smiling, I thanked him for the help and turned my bike around in the driveway. As I hopped on, I heard Jeff calling out to me and turned to see him striding towards me.
"You better find him before Jason does if you wanna see his face still in one piece!"
Shuddering at the thought of what Jason might do if he got his hands on the guy he was convinced had murdered his girlfriend, I let myself coast down the driveway and turned sharply towards the exit to the complex.
Willing my legs to pump as quickly as possible, I began my journey to Lover's Lake.