Chapter Text
Chapter 9
The humidity of late summer traded itself in for the coolness of fall slowly as the leaves on the trees began to change color. Jo had always loved fall–the excuse to wear layers, drink hot cider, watch scary movies with her mom when her dad wasn’t home.
Some of that she wouldn’t get this year, but she had other things to make her smile. One thing in particular, who hadn’t let up since the day she met him.
She’d finally convinced Eddie to go to whatever class he’d been missing to see her, but he frequented her thoughts during her free period. During class. During lunch, which she wished she didn’t have to spend alone.
But to sit with Eddie and the guys was to expose them. And that was the last thing Jo wanted.
She’d read well into Return of the King by the time the homecoming pep rally came along. She stood when she had to and clapped when the others clapped, but these events were never her thing. She didn’t see any of the guys–they called themselves the Hellfire Club, which had made Jo laugh. She didn’t get to see them nearly as often as she’d like, but during free period two days ago, they’d all hung out together. She’d started to notice the differences between them: Gareth was the quietest, Dougie always had something blunt to say, and Greg was pure sunshine. She wished they were here now, but as she scanned the football field and the stands around, she didn’t see them.
Not that she expected to. They disliked this kind of thing just as much as she did, so why would they be here?
Jo would return to the stands later tonight to watch the game with her father. She’d rather watch paint dry than sit through guys in spandex running down other guys in spandex, but she had no choice.
The pep rally let out, and the rest of the school day passed by slowly. Art and music class weren’t so painful; they never were. She liked her teachers and enjoyed what she was learning. She’d been working on several drawings of things from home and even a painting of the stars outside her house at night, one of the things about Hawkins that she’d loved immediately. She’d been working on her voice and refining her piano skills in music. It was an apt description from Eddie–playing really did feel like flying, once you got the hang of it. She didn’t think she was anything special at either skill, but she loved it so much she didn’t care. Her mom had taught her to play, so she played on.
The bell rang, and Jo picked up her backpack. As she wound through the hallway, she hummed the piano piece she’d been working on.
“Oh my God, look who it is!”
Oh shit .
Carol Perkins emerged seemingly out of thin air, keeping her stride even with Jo’s. Was she always chewing gum?
“Haven’t seen you in a while, Walker. You still reading that lame book?” She batted at Jo’s bun at the back of her neck. “Still not using any conditioner, I see. God, you’re pathetic–”
“And if you don’t back off, Perkins,” someone called. It took her a second to see that it was Gareth. “He’s gonna end your ass.”
Eddie appeared behind him, shooting Perkins a grin full of venom. She scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Hanging with the freaks now, huh Walker? Be careful.” She spun on her heel and said over her shoulder, “They might put a curse on you or some shit.”
Jo only glared at her in response. She turned to Eddie, who had come to stand behind her. Kids scattered in all directions, eyes wide with fear.
“What was that about?” Jo said. “Carver said something too the night I came to see you guys play. The hell?”
“They think I sold my soul to Satan,” Eddie deadpanned.
“ What? ”
“Yup.”
“That’s ridiculous. You’re the nicest person I’ve ever met.”
Eddie grinned, genuinely this time. “Thanks, sweetheart.”
“Why don’t you tell them the truth?”
“It’s a pretty good weapon.” Dougie said.
“Yeah, nobody likes to mess with you too much if you’re packing that kind of a punch.” Eddie sounded distant. “Besides, even when I did–and I tried when I was younger–no one believed me. So… we all decided to run with it.”
Jo started to smile. “Hence Hellfire.”
“Hence Hellfire.”
“Use it like armor and no one can touch you,” Gareth said.
Jo had never thought of it like that before.
“Josephine!” The voice flew around the corner at them. The owner wasn’t far behind.
Jo’s heart froze over. “You guys need to go.”
“What?” Gareth said. “Why?”
Eddie’s eyes had gone wide. “Yup, great idea Walker. Guys. Now.”
He shepherded the confused group around the corner like he was herding cats. And just in time.
“Get to my office, Jo,” her father said. “Finish your homework. Then you can come watch the game.”
She didn’t know which would be worse–trigonometry or football.
She gave up on trig after the first fifteen tries, slamming the book shut with a groan. She thought she’d been able to work one problem, but none of it made sense, and she figured it would be better to be bored than frustrated.
But leaving the office meant she had to deal with him .
Her heart started to race as she left her dad’s office and headed for the football field. She followed the noise of the crowd that had gathered for the game. Jo looked up at the scoreboard as she rounded the corner to the bleachers, wondering who was ahead, but there was no score.
God, the game hadn’t even started yet?
This was going to be a long night.
She spied her father, a big smile on his face as he talked the ear off of one of Jo’s teachers. She laughed at something he said, and he puffed with pride. A soft gaze fit him horribly, and that look in his eyes only meant one thing. Jo’s shoulders slumped.
An arm reached out and grabbed hers, yanking her under the bleachers. She squealed and her limbs froze, but the arms wound up wrapped around her gently, rocking her a little bit.
“Sorry, sweetheart,” Eddie said in her ear. “Didn’t see any other way to get your attention without bringing the wrath of God down on us both.”
He pointed up through the slits in the bleachers overhead, right to her father. Jo heard Ms. O’Donnell laugh again… and then her father put his arm around her.
Tears swarmed Jo’s eyes. He really was going to forget her mother that fast.
Eddie rubbed her back. “I’m sorry, Jo.”
Jo didn’t know what to say.
“Would it help to get away from them?”
She nodded.
Eddie held out an arm like he was welcoming her into a mansion. “After you, milady.”
She followed his outturned palm deeper into the shadows. Slits of light poured in between people’s feet, making a basket weave of sorts on the grass under their feet. She chose a patch of grass that was close to the bottom of the bleachers, where they could hide in the shadows a little easier. She lowered herself to the ground, Eddie flopping unceremoniously next to her.
The bleachers above them were empty, she noticed. People must’ve still been coming in.
“You good, sweetheart?”
Jo turned to him, smiled, and nodded. “I’m glad you’re here, Eddie.”
“Me, too. How’d you get past your dad?”
“He thinks I’m in his office doing homework. And he’s… distracted.”
“Right. We’re not thinking about that.”
“No we are not.”
“It’s just you and me. That’s all that matters right now. Yeah?”
Jo nodded.
“Good.”
He put his arm around her, and she gladly put her head on his shoulder. Leaning against him, smelling his scent–the leather that had mixed into it in recent months to shut out the cold, the faint hint of cigarette smoke, and just him –was all she needed right now. Her heartbeat slowed to a happily excited patter from the racing panic that nearly always was there. Slowly she found herself reaching for his hand, and the moment their fingers brushed, he guided her hand out in front of them both and laced his fingers slowly through her own. The cool of his rings against her skin sent shivers down her spine.
There was clattering from above, but that hardly mattered. All that mattered was him, and how safe she knew she was, how close he was now to her. His gaze flicked down to her lips, his own parting slightly in want, his eyes asking the question.
Oh my God .
She couldn’t have stopped the smile coming across her face if she’d tried. It was just them in the world now, just her and Eddie, as he cupped the back of her head gently with his hand, moved in, and–
THRUUUUUUUUM
Eddie jumped and banged his head hard into the bleachers above him. “Gah, shit!”
It wasn’t just anyone who was above them. It was the band, The brass section and drums. Jo covered her ears they were so loud, but she laughed all the same.
“Damn it!” Eddie groaned, rubbing his head. “I hate football. I hate football. I hate football.”
“Why don’t we just get out of here?” Jo said, still smiling. Something had shifted inside of her. Heat burned under her skin. “You know, pick up where we left off.”
Eddie raised his eyebrows at her. “Well then, by all means, milady, lead on.”
Jo flashed him an excited grin, grabbed his hand, and moved towards the end ot the bleachers. Her father was far at the other end, and distracted, so he wouldn’t see them. Nobody in band cared. So as far as she was concerned, they had cover.
She looked at him, laughed, and took off running for the nearest door, which was darkened by shadows. No lights were on inside. They both plowed through the entrance and ran to the nearest classroom. Eddie tried the door.
“Dammit, locked!”
Jo was still giggling. She tried the next one. “Shit!”
Eddie wound around her, pulled something lean and sharp out of his pocket, and picked the lock. “Go, go go go!”
The door swung open, and Eddie yanked it shut behind them. Kickoff must have just happened, because the crowd was going nuts.
“You sure he didn’t see?”
Jo grinned triumphantly. “He thinks I’m in his office doing homework. He’s probably not expecting me until at least halftime.”
“Guessing that homework isn’t done, is it?”
“Nope.” She took a step closer to Eddie. “I got better things to do.”
Eddie put his hands on her hips and drew her close. “That you do, sweetheart.”
Her hands landed on his chest, chills flying down her spine as he tilted her chin up so she was looking him in the eyes.
“Eddie?”
“Mmmmhm.”
“Is… is this a bad time to mention I’ve never done this before?”
“Nope. Shit. You trust me that much?”
Jo nodded, smiling. “Show me what to do.”
He nuzzled his nose against hers, earning him another giggle, before he closed the gap between them and kissed her. Electricity flew through Jo’s body as he drew her closer and deepened the kiss. She all but melted into him. She felt him smiling. She couldn’t stop smiling herself.
So this was what it was supposed to be like. She’d never let herself imagine it. Other girls dreamed of this moment. She’d never had the courage to.
But here the moment was, with her standing in it with the sweetest guy she could imagine spending it with, him wanting her as badly as she wanted him.
FInally they pulled apart, Eddie resting his forehead on hers, breathing hard.
“Damn, Jo,” his voice low as he wound his fingers through her hair and took it down. “You sure you’ve never done that before?”
A smile burst across Jo’s face. She nodded.
“Really?”
Now she was laughing.
“You’re a natural.”
Now she was blushing. Furiously.
“Buuuuuut a little extra practice never hurt anybody.”
He closed the gap between them again, and Jo lost herself, the world condensing itself to just the two of them again. She knew she wasn’t, but how on Earth could he make her feel like she was the only girl he’d ever held this way?
Time ceased to exist. Everything–her homework, her father and Ms. O’Donnell–melted away in Eddie’s embrace. All she needed was him. All she wanted was him. The need was exploding inside of her, the need to be close to him. She deepened the kiss herself, and he laughed against her mouth.
“That’s it, sweetheart,” he murmured, and went back in.
When they finally parted, he just held her, and held her. It had to be past halftime, but she didn’t care. She snuggled closer to him, wanting the memorize the feeling of his body against hers. Nestled in his arms, she knew nothing could touch her–
The door banged open. The lights flew on, blinding them both.
“What the hell?!”
It was her father.