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11 July 1985 Hawkins, Indiana
They got about a third of the way through the piano keys before Joan had to stop the adventure earlier than she admittedly want to. Her mom would be home before her book club and she needed to go pick up Dustin which meant she needed to clear the house of the town's pariah asap.
She had thanked Eddie multiple times, making a date to continue on Friday, and Eddie just shrugged the thanks off.
"I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?" "R-right. I have no idea what you want me for but-." "Like I said, lady bits and vocals. Drunks from all over will wanna hear you." "...Thanks?"
The day of practice, Joan watched the neighborhood go by her slowly with butterflies rioting in her stomach and the sound of her brownies rustling next to her. Couldn't show up empty handed, right? She had arrived just in time to watch Gareth open up the garage door and she parked behind the familiar van, blocking the mail box.
"Prissy pants!" Eddie exclaimed happily from inside the garage, watching with excitement as the girl walked up the driveway nervously holding onto a Tupperware full of brownies in between both hands. Joan smiled nervously back as Eddie ran over towards her.
He shoved an arm around her shoulders, nearly dragging her towards the unfamiliar teens who eyed her equally as wearily as she did them. The only person who seemed okay with everything was the crazy super-senior holding her from running away. They were a familiar crowd to Joan, but over the past few months they had become an outlier in her life.
For the first time that summer Joan felt out of place, as if she was the freak of the town. She wore pristine denim shorts with a tucked in button-down and a clean denim jacket over her blouse. Compared to the leather, chains, and ripped jeans in front of her Joan felt simultaneously under and over dressed.
"U-uh, hello." Joan swallowed with a wave and smile to match. When the band only gave small head nods back to acknowledge her existence, she sighed and thrusted out the plastic in front of her. "I made brownies."
Immediately there was a change in personality. Not a complete 180, but enough to where the three boys were willing to come near her for a piece of chocolate goodness while mumbling out a quiet thanks when Eddie narrowed his eyes. Eddie cleared his throat and waved his free hand over to each of the boys in front of him in introduction.
"Prissy pants, this is Gareth, Jeff, and Mike." Joan scowled at the nickname, but smiled at each of the boys if not a little weakly. "Freaks, this is Joan. I've successfully blackmailed her into singing for us."
"Is that the only way you can get girls to hang out with you, Ed's?" Gareth snorted and Eddie mocked his words, sending over a middle finger in response with a fake smile.
