Paper crown ~ Eddie Munson ~

Prologue - a introduction

MacKenzie Draven, she was almost the classic popular cheerleader, almost. Yes she had looks, a great body and a wonderful, popular boyfriend but unlike the others she wasn't rich, she worked hard for what she had and she lived in a bad part of town, so she always got a ride home but she never walked sometimes it was to dangerous for that. Her clothes were bought by Jason however, they were the style he thought his girl should wear so it wasn't fitting to her but she never complained once, always greatful that he was willing to help her out in such a way even if it was slightly controlling to make sure she looked worthy to be his girlfriend. She was sitting in the cafeteria by her boyfriend, Jason Carver, his arm wrapped around her shoulders. She was smiling and laughing with the basketball team, the young girl didn't know yet what was going on between Chrissy and Jason. She didn't grab anything to eat today as she just relaxed back in her chair. She was definitely more of a oddity then people realized, in middle school she was in no means even close to popular. Her best friend back then was Johnathan Byers but the two drifted a part after a while but she still remembered hanging out all those years, seeing Will, mike, Lucas and Dustin growing up. But she wasn't part of that group anymore. She was friends with Lucas mainly because he was on the basketball team but he was cool and sweet. 

Chrissy Cunningham, MacKenzie's best friend and head cheerleader. It did make sense that her and Jason should be together, both gorgeous, popular and the captain of whatever team they were on, but the thing with Chrissy is that she didn't know that Jason was cheating on MacKenzie with her. She didn't have the same lunch period as them so she didn't see them together all that much when she did it always looked like they were just friends or that they didn't want to be anywhere near each other, on those times she saw them after a fight.

MacKenzie and Jason got into fights a lot but MacKenzie never got physical with it unlike Jason. He didn't hurt her often but when he did its like he didn't realize he did it, instantly apologizing and giving her gentle kisses even if she was crying and shaking. Sometimes she wondered why she was still with him but he's all she really had. He made her who she was today, without him she wouldn't be on the cheer team, have the friends she did, she wouldn't be popular, she wouldn't be thin, she just wouldn't exist in the social food chain at all.

Her life was about to take a hard turn when Chrissy asked her to meet her in the bathrooms, wanting her advice on something but she wouldn't elaborate on what exactly. MacKenzie stood up. "I'll be right back." She told Jason with a gentle smile. He looked up at her, nodding. "Okay my girl, I'll be here," He told her, gently giving her hand a squeeze.

Eddie Munson, the school's very own freak was watching the girl. He didn't care much for the basketball team or any of the populars in honesty but she was diffrent from them. She never joined Jason and his marry bunch of assholes in teasing him and his group and even if she did tease, her tone was always light and airy like that of a friend playfully joking about another to where it wasn't as bad. But he had started to notice she would disappear after lunch around the same time, he's followed her once and saw she went to the restroom,  but going there everyday near the same time and barely eating seemed suspicion to him. That's when one day he ran into Max Mayfield, he inquired about what was going on with MacKenzie and he was persistent until she caved, telling him that MacKenzie made herself sick so she could stay thin and be on the cheer team as well as be with Jason, that pissed Eddie off but he pushed it to the side. He wouldn't interfere with the girls life.

"Chrissy?" MacKenzie asked softly as she pushed the door open and walked in. Chrissy turned and grinned at her when she saw her, moving forward to hug her. MacKenzie laughed softly as she hugged back, Chrissy was one of the few she was okay with touching her. "So what did you need my advice on?" She asked as she broke from the hug. Chrissy dug in her bag pulling out two beautiful dresses. "I have a date after school, which do you think I should wear?" She asked. MacKenzie looked at them before pointing at the blue sundress like one. "This will make your eyes pop." She said with a nod, the bell ringing to signal it was time for class. Chrissy made a happy noise, hugging her again. "Oh I hope Jason will like it! I'll show him after basketball practice!" She gushed before rushing out.

Chrissy left fast enough to miss the look of pain and shock that flashed across MacKenzie's face. She was trying to calm down but these two meant everything to her and both have hurt her in one fel swoop, in a combined effort. She pressed her hand to her stomach like that would stop the pain like wrapping a bandage around your arm will slow the blood from leaving your body. MacKenzie didn't care about school at the moment, she rushed out and down the hall, ignoring the teacher calling after her. She just had to be out of there, she couldn't be trapped in a classroom ,she had to be free, out there.

MacKenzie was still in her cheer uniform as she walked the edge of the woods, unsure about going into the darkness but the branches of the trees twisted like arms welcoming her in even if that was the last place she would ever go. She finally decided to take a chance of the forests embrace. She was just walking aimlessly, sticking close the edge so she wouldn't have to worry about getting lost out here. "Now what are you doing out here?" A voice asked making her jump, quickly turning around to face them. She was met with the grinning face of Eddie Munson.  "I'm so sorry, didn't mean to scare you." He said in a light tone, making sure she knew that was the honest truth. He didn't know what sort of things she went thoug, since he know knew about her disorder, he wasn't sure what else this clever girl could be hiding  so he was being cautious about how he approached and talked to her.

His smile fell when he saw the redness of her eyes and the pain she was trying to hide. "What's wrong?" He asked as he took a step forward but stopped as she took one back. "Hey, you're okay no one's going to hurt you, I wouldn't hurt you," He promised as he moved away from her, giving her space to relax. MacKenzie's stormy sea eyes following his movements. "So MacKenzie right? What brings you out here?" He asked her again.

MacKenzie was looking anywhere but at him now, her mind churning for a answer but her bitterness and how upset she was got the better of her. "My boyfriend is a cheating asshole." She said in a sharp, biting voice. Eddie's eyes widened some at that. "He's cheating on you?" He asked making sure he heard her right, she just nodded. "Well how about we get even with him huh? He's a stuck up asshole anyway so why not make his life hell without anything to prove it?" He offered her.

That's how it started, the two acting like they were sneaking around, Jason just barely catching glimpses of them so he couldn't argue with her. He could only assume she was 'cheating' it was driving him crazy and the cheerleader and the freak loved it. Not even Eddie's friends knew what was happening.