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Grace Harrington

"I think I'm doing everything right," Steve says loudly over the blaring volume of his car radio.
"maybe it's just the girls in Hawkins."

"Definitely, because none of the girls liking you means there's something wrong with them" Robin states jokingly as she fixes her eye makeup.
"Gray, tell him he's full of shit" she says with an excited tone.

She always gets giddy when Steve and I argue.

I look up ahead of me from the back seat, tune into the conversation and look into the front view mirror. "There is no point in telling him that Rob, you know him. He will always be full of shit" I state with a grin.

"Very funny Graceland" He spits and locks eye contact through the mirror. I roll my eyes and smirk as I sit back into my seat.

While we drive I play with the strings attached to my leather boots. Something that I've always done.

We finally pull up to school and I quickly make my way out of the car. Pulling my bag over my shoulder right before I shut my door I hear Robin speak to Steve.

"Is she any better?" Robin whispers.

I roll my eyes fully shutting the door and make my way towards the front of the school.

The air is chilled today. A light breeze flows across my face as I pass the other students. I was always told being a senior was like being royalty. Anyone who ever said that, anyone being my brother, is full of- well shit.

While walking into school I scan the hallways. I see people standing with friends and hugging each other. I see people from student council hanging up banners for the upcoming championship game. I see the jocks passing back and forth a basketball.

Everything seems perfectly normal, like nothing terrible had just happened.

While walking up to my locker I spot Max. My eyes read over all of her. Her tired eyes, red cheeks, messy hair, pale skin...she looks exhausted.

Thank god I'm not the only one.

A large group of cheerleaders rush past me almost throwing me into my locker. Right todays the pep rally.

I place my bag into the locker, shut it and head to the gym with the rest of the school.

I glance over the students and my eyes meet Max's. She lightly smiles in my direction. I make my way over to her, Dustin and Mike.

"Look, I'm not comparing girlfriends or anything but Suize is a genius who can do anything you could only imagine" Dustin says to Mike.
"Have I mentioned that El has saved the world...twice...with her hands, Dustin"

"And yet you still have a C in Spanish" Dustin says with his head titled. Mike and I furrow our brows.
"Do you really use your girlfriend to change your grades Dustin?" I ask.

He turns to me "when did you get here?"
"A second ago"

"And to answer your question, I don't use her...she...offers and I don't refuse" He speaks with a large smile. "Shit, maybe she could help my grades" I say and cross my arms.
"I would ask, but she hasn't been answering" He says with a sad tone.

My face scrunches into a saddened look. "Sorry Dustin" I say and pat his shoulder.

"Hey Max" I say and lean over to see her. She lightly smiles again and nods her head. My lips form a tight smile and I lean back to face the basketball court in the gym.

The band starts playing and the cheerleaders start their dance. Everyone around us is jumping up and down and cheering them on.

While I stand still refusing to move in this moment. Every second I'm here is another reminder that innocent people aren't.
   Why do we get to relish in this moment while they lay still in a coffin only a few block away? Who decided their fate for them...

I've tuned in and out to whatever Jason Carver is saying. His speech ran a little long, full of meaningless words and fake forgiveness.

"This guy is so full of shit" Mike spits. I silently nod in agreement.

"We won this game for those we lost. That terrible fire took the lives of our family, friends, neighbors...during the last minute of that game. I looked at my team and I said. We. Will. Win. For. Them." Jason states causing everyone to cheer.

I furrow my brows. "Did he just-" I say and pause. Dustin and Mike nod. I look over at Max again and she places her headphones over her ears.

How fucking stupid. Winning a game for people who have died. Ridiculous.

The first half of the day went by quickly. Thankfully. I didn't pay attention in any of my first few classes. I tried to keep my head down most of the time. I couldn't handle another sympathy stare.
No one hates meaningless sympathy more then I do.

As I sit in my last class before lunch, I read the book given to us by our english teacher. I skim through the pages not having a single care for this piece of literature. I've never been much of a reader.

"Miss Harrington, you've been called to the counseling office" Mrs Higgens states from her desk. I look up and nod, grab my bag and head to office.

"Look, Grace...I know last summer was hard for you. Someone close to you passed away. And I know it's hard to deal with all the emotions you're feeling, but keeping it all inside won't help any."

All Ms. Kelly knows is that Billy ran into the mall to save people, and never made it out. She doesn't know what really happened. And she never will. So talking with her is pointless. Meaningless. And all I get from her is sympathy. And I don't want that.

She will never know what we all did...and she will never know what things Billy did. And what he tried not to do.

"I will level with you Grace. I get it, you don't want to talk to me. I'm old to you, right? I wouldn't get it...but trust me sweetie. I do. And I'm on your side. Always."

  "You saw things Grace, things that anyone on the edge of seventeen would have a hard time getting through" She whispers in a soft tone.

"Trauma is something you can either bottle up or work on getting through...you choose Grace" Her words a true and from the heart though. But still not enough reason for me to say a word.

"I will let you go for now, but just know. I want to see you again, and next time I do...I hope you're willing to speak"

She finally lets me leave and I do so with a spring in my heel. While leaving her office, a curtain blonde cheerleader who I know to be Jason's girlfriend. Chrissy? Walks past me. Her head down, painted nails chipped, hair, that always seems to be in a ponytail, ruffled, walks past me into the same office I was just in moments ago. She looks like a mess.

   Lunch finally starts and I happily take this opportunity to take time alone. The small stage that is in the cafeteria has a backstage room that allows the loud voices to be barley heard while the door is closed.

Before this year I never spent lunch alone. It was always with others. My friends, well I guess they aren't my friends anymore. I haven't talked to them in two years.

My life has gone up to flames since the night Will Byers went missing. Then it got worse when my brother found out I knew what was happening before him. Then, Billy...died. In front of me. And I froze and couldn't save him. He dropped dead in front of my eyes...I couldn't touch him, I couldn't look at him, I couldn't even go to his funeral. I was disgusted with myself.

I am disgusted with myself.

But with everything, I just haven't had time or the energy to make up for lost time with my old friends.

I finish up my lunch and head back out into the main cafeteria.

"You want something freak" I hear Jason yell. I roll my eyes. "Already picking fights with people Jason?" I spit. "It's not even one yet" I've known Jason a long time. He was friends with my brother. Once my brother graduated Jason tried to be Steve. Oh did he try.

"That freak started it" Jason spits.

I look over to the table Jason is pointing at and see Eddie Munson standing on the table. He lifts his hands to his head in the form of devil horns and sticks his tongue out.

Eddie looks down at me, winks and sits back in his seat.

"Grace" Mike yells from the same table. I give him and nod and sit next to him. "What's up little wheeler" I say and pat his head. "I was wondering if you could help me out-" Eddie cuts him off.

"Nope, Nope, Nope" They all turn their heads towards Eddie causing me to do the same. As I look at Eddie I see he's already staring at me.

"I said find a replacement, not damaged goods" He states. I furrow my brows. "What did you call me?" I spit. He raises his brows and sends me a smug look.

"Mike what's going on?" I ask and slowly look away from Eddie and back at Mike.

"Well, you see...Lucas has a game tonight...So he  can't make it to a little thing we are doing tonight..." He says slowly.

"Oh just get on with it Mike" I spit and sit back into my chair. Mike huffs and looks over at Eddie then back at me. "I- We- need you to stand in for him. For our...D&D...game?...Night?" He states questionably as if he's not sure he explained it well enough to me.

I furrow my brows. "Does it look like I know how to play D&D?" I state. Mike looks at me with a blank look. "No?"

"Told you, not the person we need. Find someone else guys. Or you'll be on my shit list. Now I have pressing matters to attend. I will be back, at some point" he speaks and hold his hands on his hips, just before the hem of his dark jeans.

I watch as Eddie reaches into his jacket pocket while he heads out of the cafeteria. He flashes his eyes towards the cheerleader dating Jason. Once she meets his eyes she grabs her things and walks towards him.

They head out of the cafeteria and disappear.
"Hey that cheerleader dating Jason, her name is Chrissy right?" I ask Mike and Dustin.

"I think so" Mike says with a shrug and drinks his soda.

I say bye to the guys and quickly try and catch up with him and Chrissy, I'm hoping that's her name because that's what I will be referring to her as.

I watch as Eddie and Chrissy walk down different hallways. Chrissy's hallways heads towards the outdoor field. Eddie's goes towards the lockers.

My instincts are telling me to go follow Chrissy. So I do. I quickly, but quietly follow her outside. She's walking towards the woods behind the school.

I find a place behind a few trees to watch as she slowly walks towards a single table with a few crushed beer cans on top.

She looks scared. Her movements still as she looks ahead of her, at a large tree. She steps back slightly.  The wind picks up and runs past her skirt, causing it to lift a little. Out of no where Eddie walks towards her.

Glad he didn't see me.

Chrissy gasps and walks backwards into Eddie's chest causing her to scream. "Hey, Hey, you're alright. Just me" he says with a soft smile.

My brows furrow as I watch the scene in front of me unfold.

"You good?" He asks and moves towards the table. She silently nods and sits across from where he's standing. He set down a metal box in the middle of the table then takes a seat.

He looks down at her shaky hands and sighs. "No one will know we're here, I promise. If that's what your worried about. I won't tell a soul" he says with a bright grin.

I can tell he means what he says while he tries to comfort her.

Are they like...secretly together, I'm so confused. Why is he so...kind to her? I mean I have only ever heard he's rude. I guess I've never talked to him enough to find that out. But the little conversation we had in the lunch room with Dustin and Mike he definitely seemed a lot like how everyone described him to be.

He opens the box and waits for her to say something.

After a few seconds she finally lifts her head up. "So...how is this going to work, I- I have never done this before"

Am I really watching a drug deal right now? This is what I stalked them for.

"Well, just like any other sale you might partake in...cash only of course, for obvious reasons my return policy is a no..." He states and rests his chin in his palm.

He has a childish smile a lot I've noticed. Something I wouldn't have expected from a satin loving child befriender. The children being Little Wheeler and Dustikins of course.

As I watch them I feel a sneeze coming on. The wind of spring has always made my allergies hectic.  I try and hold it in the best of my ability and as I do. I step back causing a branch under my feet to break.

A sitting Chrissy can be heard gasping again form the noise I had caused.
Thankfully she doesn't see me and I quickly go back to hiding behind these trees.

"Ok, look we don't have to do this. Just let me know and I'll walk away...won't say a thing...and we will never speak of this again"  Eddie says to her.

"N-no please, it's not that I don't want it...I- I- just-..." she pauses for awhile. Obviously trying to make sense of her own words.

"Do you ever feel like, you're going crazy?" She mumbles unsure of how he will take her statement.

He breathlessly laughs and leans forward a little "you know, all the time" he states with a light smile.
  "I mean I feel like I'm loosing it right, selling drugs to Chrissy Cunningham, the queen of Hawkins High" he states jokingly lighting the mood.

Chrissy laughs and they stay silent for a moment.

Eddie looks down and plays with a few of the rings on his hand. "Y-you know this isn't the first time we- uhh- hung out Chris-Chrissy" He says and corrects the nickname he was about to call her.

I can tell she's confused by her head tilt. "It isn't?"
Eddie shakes his head and looks down with a light grin forming in his lips.

"You don't remember?"

"I-I'm sorry" She says and shakes her head.

"It's alright"

I feel, sad for him. I don't know why. I don't know him. I know nothing about him. But something about seeing the way he acts around this girl who obviously is going through things. Just the fact she doesn't remember him makes me...sad for him.

Somehow between thinking in my head and now Eddie ended up on the ground? His hair is full of leaves and Chrissy is laughing.

"I wouldn't remember me either Chris" he laughs
   "Do I have stuff in my hair?" He states and dances around as he pulls the leaves from his long curled hair.

"Just washed these locks too" he says in a serious tone.

Chrissy laughs again. He's making her feel a lot better then she looked. I don't know why I followed them. I'm an idiot for thinking he was a bad guy before even getting to know him.

"You really don't remember me?" He says with a smile on his face while his arms are crossed over his chest.

"I'm sorry" she mumbles with a smile.

"Well I certainly remember it, middle school, talent show...you were doing a little Pom Pom action dance. You-" he pauses and tries to do the dance she probably did as a young cheerleader. "Know the cheer- thing- thing that you- do...yea"

I remember this talent show. She had her older sisters cheer uniform on. I can't believe I forgot about that.
I don't remember Eddie though, he must have been held back a few years because he wasn't in my grade while in middle school.

"I thought it was pretty cool actually"

"And I- I was with my band-" Chrissy cuts off Eddie with an excited tone.

"Corroded Coffin"

Eddie claps happily and jumps in the air. "You do remember"
  "Of course, how could I forget with a name like that?"

Their conversation didn't last long after this. Chrissy asked for something strong, Eddie told her to meet at his place later.

Now I'm just waiting for Eddie to leave so I can. He's just been sitting in the same spot for the past few minutes just staring up at the sky.

"You really going to make me wait here for you to just come out Graceland?" Eddie calls.

My eyes go wide and my jaw slightly drops. I sigh and walk out into the open. "How'd you know?" I state.

"I saw you follow Chrissy out here and I knew once the twig broke it was you..."
  "So did you get what you came for?" He spits.

"And what do you think I came out here for?" I wonder and move towards him. He stands up and walks towards me.

He looks down at me and smirks. "You tell me Gracie" he whispers. I furrow my brows. "You can call me Grace. That's what everyone else does." I state.

"Just tell me what you were doing spying on Chrissy" he warns. "Technically I was spying on you. And only to make sure she was safe while talking with you" I firmly state and place a finger on his chest.

He lightly laughs. "And was she...safe?" He asks.

I take my finger away and sigh. "You're definitely not what I expected Eddie Munson."

"Is that a good or bad thing Grac- ie Harrington?"
  "For now...it's a good thing. But I don't know, I change my mind a lot. So better be careful..." I say and start to walk out of the woods leaving a smirking Eddie Munson behind me.

~~~~~~~

It's now eight o'clock. I'm on my way back to Max's. I drove her home using Steve's car, which he surprisingly let me use, but she left one of her keys in my car and I'm not sure which one it is but it's best I give it back to her.

I pull into trailer park, and drive down towards her place. I notice an extra car is here that wasn't when I dropped her off earth. I look into the trailer across from Max's and see Chrissy Cunningham standing in the living room.

That must be Eddie's place.

I sigh in relief knowing that Eddie will be there to take care of her. I don't know why but after today...I just know I can trust him.

I open the door and grab the key. I close the door behind me and start walking towards Max's front door.

I knock and max opens it "Grace?" She says with furrowed brows. "You left this in my car" I state. She looks at the key and nods. "Thanks, have a good night, drive safe" he words have no emotion to them. But I know she means it.

I nod and wish her goodnight as I head back to my car I see Eddies blinds are closed.

Something...feels off...something-

My thoughts are cut off by a scream. A scream that came Eddies trailer. I quickly walk towards Eddie's place. Before I can even see what's happened his doors is swung open.

He sprints out for there not even seeing me. He jumps in his van leaving his front door wide open and frantically drives away. 

He really is a shit driver...

I slowly make my way to his door. As I get closer my heart drops. I see a bone crushed Chrissy lying in his floor. The roof of his trailer cracked. As though she had been thrown upwards into it.

I drop the me knees and my eyes start to swell with tears. The sight before me makes me sick to my stomach. I turn into the dirt and throw up anything and everything inside me.