the freak (eddie munson)

23

Rose Vila Wheeler
(Flashback)

"Well what happened?" I question awaiting for Steve's response as I lay on my bed staring at my ceiling.

He's playing with one of my stuffed animals.

He's fidgeting.

"I don't know, she just dumped me." He says.

"She just said that it was bullshit and that's it?" I question.
He nods his head.

Ever since I've been stuck in the upside down, I've missed a few things.

Apparently Nancy and Steve are no longer together.
Which is surprising to me because I thought they were crazy in love.
I guess not.

"She just lost feelings I guess." He says setting the stuffed animal down lying down on my bed next to me staring at the ceiling with me.

"I'm sure she'll come around." I reassure. But he shakes his head.

"No, I think she likes Jonathan."
"Byers?" I furrow my brows.
"Yeah."
"You think so?"

He nods his head and I take a moment to think about what that means for him.
It means that he lost his first love.

"Sometimes people fall out of love with each other Steve, and sometimes that's the right thing."

He turns to me and I turn to him to meet his eyes, "Maybe."

His eyes linger on mine before I turn away back at the ceiling.

"Hey you didn't want to go to the dance?" He changes the subject.

I scoff, "Are you kidding? I wouldn't be caught dead at one of those."
I see him smile from the corner of my eye.
"And besides I have to pack, my flight leaves tomorrow."

He sighs, "Do you really have to go all the way to New York?"
I nod my head, "I know it's sucks. But it's a good school and a good opportunity for me."

It'll be my first year of college, I'm not exactly excited to leave Hawkins behind, but I'm also not that sad either. Maybe when I come back shit will be back to normal now that El closed the gates.

"I'll be back next summer for the fourth and we can do that big bash party you do."

"You'll call though right?" He questions me making sure we'll keep in touch.

"Of course Steve, I'm always here when you need me."
"Promise?" He raises his pinky up.
"Promise."

I interlock my finger with his and we both kiss our thumbs to lock in the promise.

He then stares at me before asking, "Is it okay if I stay here tonight?"

I take a minute to process that. I'm being a supportive friend to him.
I would do this for any other friend and not just him.
I think it's okay that I let him stay.

"Yeah okay."

And so he falls asleep in my arms.
I don't know if he realizes the fact that he's allowing me to hold him like this.
But I'm taking in every passing second before he's back to sleeping around with other people.
I wish he could've seen that I was right here all along.
I wish he didn't have to be asleep.

(Present)

I wake up to another empty bed.
I don't feel anyone next to me.
The spot that Eddie would normally be at is empty and he's absent.

I rub my eyes sitting up throwing the covers off of me, I turn to the clock to see that it's 7:40 am.

I get up and I throw on the pair of sweats that I was supposed to wear last night.