Chapter Text
Chrissy didn’t mean to stare; in fact, she knew better than to, but Heather was something else. She appeared as if some sort of goddess or queen overlooking her subjects sitting up on her lifeguard chair watching the kids splash and play with a critical eye.
So while she watched the kids, Chrissy watched her. Her golden skin, the curls of her mocha hair across her shoulder, and the smirk that never seemed to leave her lips. The way she huffed out sighs when she leaned back after shouting at a kid not to run around the edge of the pool, or to watch where their inflatable donuts (usually brightly colored and designed to look like the morning treat) were flying always made Chrissy smile. She found herself back at the pool day after day all summer as soon as she could escape her mom’s lectures under the guise of needing to exercise before cheer practices.
“Hey, earth to Chrissy!” Jason’s voice snapped her out of her daze. She glanced over to where he was standing at the edge of her lounge chair with a bored look on his face. “Where was your head at?”
“Nowhere. I was thinking how nice it is.”
He didn’t look impressed by her answer but he didn’t press further. “Are you just going to lay in the sun all day or are you coming in?”
“Um,” her eyes darted back to Heather, then the pool where some of the other basketball players and cheerleaders were lazing in the deep end before she returned Jason’s gaze, “I don’t really want to get my hair wet today.”
Jason rolled his eyes. It was obvious he thought the excuse was ridiculously ‘girlie’, but he wasn’t going to push it. “Fine, I’m going in though.”
“Okay.” She gave him a little wave as he joined his friends in the water before she laid back. Chrissy positioned her head so she could surreptitiously watch Heather in her lifeguard chair again, only to find that the brunette had disappeared from it while she had been talking with Jason.
Chrissy groaned quietly. She must’ve missed that Heather’s shift was ending because Billy was starting to climb up the steps to the chair.
“What’s got you so frustrated?” Chrissy nearly startled out of her chair in surprise as Heather’s voice came from directly behind her head. “Jeez Cunningham, what’s in your head to have you jumping like that? It’s summer, you should be relaxing.”
Heather’s judgement (and Chrissy’s obvious overreaction) had Chrissy blushing as she looked over at Heather. She was making herself comfortable on the chair next to Chrissy’s, evidently not caring that Carol had previously set her towel and bag there. They were now in a pile on the wet concrete and Heather looked as satisfied as a cat that caught the canary.
“I am relaxing.”
“Right, and I’m goddamn Mother Teresa,” Heather snorted, rolling her eyes.
“I am!” Chrissy insisted. Her voice turned slightly too whiny for her liking, but she didn’t want Heather to think she wasn’t having fun at the place she worked. “I like the pool!”
Heather slipped a pair of sunglasses over her eyes and linked her fingers behind her head before leaning back on the chair. They looked suspiciously like Carol’s sunglasses… “That makes one of us.”
Chrissy rolled onto her side to look at Heather better. “If you don’t like the pool then why do you work here? Or didn’t leave when your shift ended?”
“Better than working at Melvald’s, which is the only other place in town currently hiring until they get the new mall finished.” Heather’s toes curled as she stretched slightly, and Chrissy felt guilty as her eyes drifted down to Heather’s thighs. “And I get to work on my tan too.”
Nodding subconsciously, Chrissy forced her gaze back to Heather’s face. “That doesn’t sound too bad. I wish I tanned; I just turn red.”
Heather gave Chrissy a pointed look that had a shiver running down her spine and butterflies in her stomach. “Yeah, I can see that. Need me to do your back and shoulders?”
With her mouth dry, Chrissy blankly nodded. Heather swung back upright and held her hand out for the bottle of sunscreen expectedly.
Chrissy inched closer to Heather. She slowly turned her back once Heather had taken the bottle despite how much she wanted to keep watching Heather. Instead she tried to focus on where her fellow cheerleaders, their boyfriends, and Jason were splashing about in the pool. It didn’t work.
Heather’s fingers were teasing along Chrissy’s shoulders as she applied the cream, barely there one minute and then nails gently scratching before a new swipe of sunscreen covered the goosebumps she’d just raised. Chrissy was hard-pressed not to move as Heather’s hands curled around her shoulder blades and the back of her neck. She wanted to arch into Heather’s touch but knew it would give herself and her desires away.
Chrissy could’ve sworn that was Heather’s intention though as she heard a little chuckle behind her.
Was it a game that Heather liked to play? Figuring out which girls watched her with a bit too much interest and then playing with them, teasing them until they admitted what they wanted?
She knew she should put a stop to it… Then Heather’s fingers dug into a knot in her shoulder that she hadn’t known she had and Chrissy melted. Her usual near-perfect posture vanished as she pressed back into Heather’s hands. Chrissy’s eyes slipped closed and she relaxed with a little sigh.
Of course, it couldn’t last at a public pool.
“Heather, put some of that on Munson before he lights on fire!” Billy shouted from the lifeguard chair, snapping Chrissy out of her dreamy moment. She glanced over to where Billy was pointing and couldn’t help laughing - Eddie really did look like he was burning to a crisp. He was going to be hurting even if Heather did apply some sunscreen to him too, but hopefully he wouldn’t blister too badly.
“The freak looks like he’s been hanging out in Hell with his master!” Jason crowed from the water. Chrissy turned to glare at him before remembering herself. That was her boyfriend, even if he was being an asshole.
“Shut it, Carver. I will ban your ass for the summer.” Heather shot back, her fingers not stopping on Chrissy’s skin until she had finished her thorough application. “All done. Mind if I steal some of this for Munson?”
“Sure.”
“Munson, get over here!”
He looked spooked at being directly addressed but one no-nonsense look from Heather had him scurrying over to them.
“No running Munson!” Billy shouted.
Eddie awkwardly stepped from foot to foot so Chrissy patted the seat on the pool chair beside her. Jason glared from the pool but apparently didn’t want to lose access to the pool since it was really the only thing to do in town.
“Jesus, Munson, ever heard of sunscreen?” Heather scoffed as she started in on him next.
“Ouch!” He pulled away but Heather was insistent.
“If you’re hurting already, just wait til tomorrow Munson.” There wasn’t any place Heather could touch that wasn’t quickly turning cherry red and Chrissy winced.
“Maybe it’d be best to go home, or at least sit in the shade?” Chrissy suggested. She had thought she burned but compared to Eddie, she barely got any color. “Maybe an umbrella?”
Eddie shifted as Heather hit a particularly tender spot but he still had a grin on his face. “And miss one of the only days of sun this year?”
Heather snorted, slapping on another palmful of cream to make Eddie yelp. “You’re a dumbass. Go sit under the goddamn umbrella by Billy if you’re too stupid to go home.”
It looked like Eddie might argue but then he glanced over at Billy and his expression changed. Chrissy knew that look; he recognized the opportunity to spend a bit of time near someone he was interested in. “Yeah, alright. Thanks for the sunscreen.”
Heather and Chrissy shared a smile as he popped over to sit on the cement at the base of Billy’s lifeguard chair before the two of them burst out laughing.
“Billy’s gonna eat him alive,” Heather snickered, “but I think that’s exactly what Munson’s hoping for.”
Chrissy couldn’t help thinking the same of Heather with her, but despite how Heather didn’t seem to have issue with Munson watching Billy with big puppy eyes, Chrissy wasn’t willing to test the waters with her quite yet. Instead she gave Heather another smile before laying down on the pool chair, her head turned towards Heather as kids and her friends splashed around in the pool.
*****
She hadn’t realized she had been pulling away from Jason throughout the summer until it came to a head in late July at the pool itself. He’d invited Chrissy to a party at Lover’s Lake, but Chrissy had barely even considered it before saying no. Thursdays were when Heather had the afternoon shift at the pool, and Chrissy was hoping to chat with her, maybe even see if Heather was up for catching a movie afterwards.
“Are you my girlfriend or not, Chrissy?” Jason challenged, stepping into her space and forcing her to step back.
She blinked up at him, startled. Where had that question come from? Chrissy had been doing her best to be the dutiful girlfriend, showing her face “Jason, it’s just a party-”
“You haven’t wanted to spend time with me all summer! Every time we go to the pool, you just hang out with the other girls. And when we aren’t there, you’re too busy or a million miles away if you even agree to go out with me.”
“That’s not true-”
“Then come to the party with me.” He folded his arms across his chest. “Or we’re done.”
She hesitated. Did she want to still be with Jason? Or was she just trying to keep up pretenses to keep her mom happy? The way her heartbeat quickened at the ultimatum, was it because she didn’t want to lose him?
When he’d first asked her out on a date, she’d agreed because that was what she was supposed to do as a cheerleader when a basketball player asked her out.
It’d been easy to fall into the role of Jason’s girlfriend and it kept her mom off her back.
Chrissy had to admit to herself that she’d never felt as elated talking with Jason as she had with Heather. Even just their little chats at the pool gave her butterflies and had her smiling well into the night as she replayed their conversations in her head. Had she ever done that after spending time with Jason? She couldn’t remember such a time.
“Then I guess we’re done.”
She wasn’t sure who was more shocked, her or Jason. Chrissy had expected to feel something - she was breaking up with her boyfriend after all - but it felt more similar to choosing between skirts than what she had imagined ending a romantic relationship would feel like. After a moment his shocked expression turned to hurt, and then shifted to practiced indifference.
“Fine, see what I care. You’re just a cheerleader. You’re a dime a dozen.”
Chrissy was surprised by how angry the comment made her; she didn’t consider herself an angry person. How dare he? “At least I’m not some jock who’s peaking his sophomore year of high school.”
Maybe she’d been hanging around Heather too much - that sounded more like something she’d say than Chrissy normally would.
The way Jason’s mask broke was only satisfying for a second before he was in her space again, his face flushed. “What did you say?”
She tried to think of how Heather would act if Jason had gotten in her face; Heather wouldn’t stand for it. Chrissy swallowed hard and clenched her fists, trying hard not to let her fear show. It wasn’t like her to talk back but she wasn’t going to be bullied into staying with Jason. “We’re done Jason. Leave me alone.”
“You want to be a social outcast next year, fine. I’m sure Jessica will jump at the chance to go to homecoming with me in the fall.” Jason’s mention of the other cheerleader hurt but Chrissy knew that was why he’d said it. He’d never shown any interest in Jessica before, despite her fawning over him.
Chrissy struggled to keep her voice steady but she thought she did a pretty good job of it. “I hope you two have a fun time.”
She took the opportunity Jason’s gaping provided to make her escape, even though it meant dashing her plans to hopefully speak with and do something with Heather. Chrissy headed for home on foot and prepared for the hour-long walk in the humid summer air by tying her hair up in her scrunchie. It certainly wasn’t refreshing but there was a sense of freedom walking through the edge of the forest and the streets of Hawkins knowing that she and Jason were over.
The fallout didn’t hit her until she saw her house though. Her mom would be furious that Chrissy had broken up with Jason; he was the captain of the basketball team now. She was supposed to date him despite her own feelings on the matter.
Chrissy’s steps faltered a half-dozen houses from home. Suddenly she didn’t want to go home - she didn’t want to face her mom or the inevitable screaming. So instead of taking those last steps down the street, Chrisssy turned on her heel and headed for the wood behind the high school. There was a picnic table there where she knew Eddie dealt or simply hung out and she could use some easy company.
He was there, smoking a joint and lazing in the sun on the table. “Well well well, what are you doing out here, Chrissy? I’d’ve thought you’d be at the party with Carver by now.”
“Ugh,” Chrissy groaned, flopping down on the bench and laying back to look up at the trees. “Don’t mention him. Why aren’t you there? Surely you could be making some money.”
Eddie rolled onto his side and gave her a weird look. They weren’t exactly friends, but there had never been any animosity between them either, so Chrissy had thought Eddie would just continue his smoking and let her lie there in peace. “Now that’s not what I would expect from you, Princess. Aren’t you and Carver attached at the hip?”
“Not anymore.” The joint was offered before Chrissy could redirect the conversation, and she carefully took it. She didn’t inhale though, just holding it off to the side. She had only smoked once before and made a bit of a fool of herself hacking afterwards. “We broke up.”
“His loss.”
Chrissy’s head shot up and she nearly rolled off the bench trying to turn and crane her neck to look at Eddie. There was definitely joint ash on her shirt but she couldn’t care less. What the hell was Eddie talking about? “What?”
“His loss.” Eddie shrugged as he reached over to pluck the joint from Chrissy’s failing grip and take another drag. “What, did you expect me to think Carver was some sort of catch?”
Yes, she actually had. Even if Eddie was a bit out there, she still expected him to realize that she’d just tanked her high school social status and lost the homecoming king and queen lottery. Her mom was going to blow a gasket!
Eddie chuckled at the look on her face. “Sorry Princess, but your taste in guys sucks.”
Chrissy opened her mouth to refute it, but she wasn’t sure Eddie was actually wrong… Carver hadn’t exactly been a gem of a boyfriend, but he hadn’t been a bad one either. Just human, right?
“Want a hit?” He offered her the joint again, and this time Chrissy took it. The moment she inhaled, she started hacking, and Eddie reached over to pat her on the back as she tried to breathe.
Her lungs were on fire when she finally managed to choke out a “what the hell!”
Eddie was howling with laughter as he watched her struggle through the burn. “Your first rodeo?”
“Almost,” she gasped. “I don't remember it hurting that much last time!”
“You probably didn't breathe in all the way before. It'll go away soon enough.”
Chrissy wasn't sure she believed him as she handed back the joint and settled back down on the bench. It shifted from a sharp hurt to more of a lingering uncomfortableness when she breathed too deeply and a little bit of heaviness settled over her. It was weird but she couldn't say she disliked it.
“So what are you doing today if you're not going to the party?” Eddie asked, watching the white clouds.
“Pining over Heather.”
Chrissy didn't realize what she'd said until Eddie snickered. “I'm not sure your taste in girls is much better…”
She turned to him with wide eyes. Sure, Eddie was the high school weirdo, but weirdo didn't mean accepting necessarily. Chrissy hadn't meant to say anything about Heather to anyone, ever!
“But at least it's Heather and not someone like Tammy or Perkins.” Eddie faked a shudder. “I'd almost say Carver was a good choice versus them.”
“You… aren't weirded out? About me?”
“Pot, kettle. Seems we both have a thing for lifeguards.”
Chrissy felt herself doing the little “ohhhh” as she nodded slowly. “Billy is… something…”
Eddie chuckled, nodding. “Something's a good way to put it.”
“Does he, you know, like boys?” She couldn’t help thinking about the comment Heather had made, that Billy would eat Eddie alive. Did that mean Billy was interested in Eddie? Or did she mean that Eddie would be rejected and heartbroken if he acted on his interest in Billy?
He shrugged, twisting the joint between his fingers. Chrissy rolled onto her side to look at him better. “If he doesn't, he sure acts like he does. But he's from Cali so who knows. They’re different out there.”
“So why don't you go for it?” Chrissy almost added on what she’d heard from Heather, but since she didn’t know how to interpret it herself, she couldn’t imagine that it would help Eddie one way or another.
“Why don't you ‘go for it’ with Heather?” he shot back.
Chrissy bit her lower lip, taking care not to break the skin. Her mom would get irritated if she came back home even with a small mark like that, and she'd already be inconsolably irate over the Jason thing. “Cause it's Heather! She's probably not like us.”
“Won't know until you try.”
“And you won't know about Billy either.”
They fell silent, both musing over their crushes.
“What if you asked him out?” Eddie suddenly asked.
“What?”
“Billy. What if you asked him out? If he says no, then he's gotta be gay, right? Cause no one would say no to you, Princess; not if they like girls.”
Eddie's logic didn't make the most sense. Even if Billy liked girls, there was no telling Chrissy was his type. He seemed to watch the older women at the pool but that may have been because they were staring at him like a piece of meat his whole shift. Still, Chrissy found herself agreeing… “And you'll ask out Heather?”
“You know she'll shoot down a freak like me even if she is interested in guys, right?”
Chrissy sat up at that and reached over to poke Eddie roughly in the side. “That's not nice! You're not a freak!”
“You’re in the minority there,” Eddie scooted out of Chrissy’s reach as she went to jab him again, “but thanks.”