Summer of 86’ Baby!
Part 3- (posted 5/25)
Summary: Your car breaks down, and you’re in major need of a summer job.
Authors Notes: sorry I’m a certified Billy hater! 😡 this one doesn’t have quite so much happening but I hope you enjoy these idiots getting closer and closer. When I said slow burn I MEANT THAT SHIT.
Pairing: Eddie Munson x female! y/n reader (Reefer Rick’s daughter)
Warnings: drug use (smoking), and cursing.
Billy Hargrove took a step towards Eddie. “Come again?? I’ll tell you what I told that goth weirdo inside. I want my weed or my money but either way I’m not leaving empty handed Munson.”
Eddie knew as much as he could take a beating, he couldn’t hold his own with Billy. Billy always fought dirty, he’d seen it once or twice at The Hideout. One too many drinks had Billy fist fighting in the parking lot, breaking bottles off for an impromptu weapon, or even tossing a cigarette in someone’s face once, nearly blinding them when it hit their eye. Choosing the path of least resistance, he went to the passenger side of his van and pulled out his metal lunch box.
Setting it on the hood of the van he waved Billy over. “How much did you want?”
Billy blinked at Eddie in disbelief. “I paid $50 he told me he’d score me an ounce.”
Eddie rustled around in his lunch box a bit. He managed to pull up a quarter for him and tossed it to him in a sandwich bag. “Here’s all I have, it’s a quarter and $25 back for your trouble. Now Get. Lost.”
He said that last part so coldly it actually sent a shiver down Billy’s spine. He’d heard the rumors of the notorious Hellfire Club, and although he figured it was mostly bullshit, a part of him in that moment feared that if he didn’t leave Eddie might snap and sacrifice him to the devil.
“Yeah yeah whatever you freak. I’m gone. And tell Rick I’m not buying from him anymore. Fucking loser cant just run off with my money and think I’ll just walk away.” Billy cursed under his breath as he got back into his car and tore out of your dirt driveway, almost crashing into a pine tree when his tires spun out.
Eddie walked up to the front door and gently rapped on it with the back of his knuckle. “Hey sweetheart he’s gone you’re safe.”
You’d watched the whole exchange from peeking through the tiny, curtained window in the heavy wooden front door. Not entirely sure what words they exchanged, just elated that lame mullet having asshole was gone. Your heart and adrenaline were dialed up to a 20, your hands were shaking and if it were any other time you’d probably be shaking from Eddie calling you “sweetheart.” Cracking open the door to see Eddie with a soft smile on his face. You opened the door a bit more to welcome him inside.
“Come in. Thanks for helping with that uh, situation. I didn’t know what else to do. I told him my dad was gone but that didn’t seem like a good enough answer.” You lead Eddie to sit on the lumpy old couch in the den with you.
“Don’t even sweat it. Billy’s an asshole, he’s always been one and I doubt seeing your pretty face would change that.” He slightly blushed when he complimented you.
“Thanks for my mix tape by the way.” You tried to change the subject, “It had some great songs on there. If it’s not too much trouble I would love to listen to more if you’ve got them!”
Eddie’s face lit up. “Great! I tried to give you songs that were a little bit more main stream with my favorite metal bands on that one but I’ve got more with a lot of underground stuff too.”
You saw another pair of headlights flash across your windows as Hopper finally pulled into your dirt driveway. Both you and Eddie whipped your heads around to make sure Billy hadn’t changed his mind and come back.
“I think it’s Hopper, I called the cops when he wouldn’t leave.” You nervously picked at the skin around your thumbnail. “I’m going to go tell him we’re okay.”
Getting up off the couch and opening the heavy wooden door, you saw Hopper climb down out of his police bronco. He looked completely different from the last time you saw him, when he was calm and sitting behind a desk. Now he was alert and ready for anything.
Meeting him at the edge of the porch you gave him a small wave. “Hey Hopper. Sorry to make you come all the way out here. Some guy who had business with my dad wouldn’t leave but we got it figured out. Eddie helped.”
Relaxing his shoulders a bit he motioned behind him towards Eddie’s van. “That’s good. I know sometimes Rick had some sketchy people around so I’m glad nothing happened. I know that van anywhere, pulled that Munson kid over plenty of times for disturbing the peace with his loud music. You sure you don’t want me to take a quick look around the place to make sure?”
It was sweet he wanted to look out for you still. Made you miss your dad even more. Eddie finally emerged from inside and poked his head from behind the door. “Hey Hopper!”
“I don’t want to waste my breath but stay out of trouble Munson, or at least keep her out of your trouble.” Hopper waved back as he got back into his truck and took off into town again. Which left you all alone with Eddie again.
“So how’d the visit go with Rick?” Eddie asked you as he took a step out onto the porch with you. There were some poorly made wooden chairs and a swing, so you sat down on the swing while Eddie chose the chair closest to you.
You sighed, “it went alright, unfortunately he’ll be locked up for like 10 years at least. But he offered me the cabin and said I could stay here if I wanted to. Forever. For now, I think I’ll hang around for the summer but after that I don’t know what I’ll do. I never made plans for college or anything spectacular like that. What about you? Any big plans now that you’re free from the public educational system?”
Eddie leaned back in the chair making himself comfortable, “ouch 10 years, that bites the big one. As far as furthering my education hard PASS. I have other skills I can make some cash off of this summer while I really grind at my music career.” He made the air guitar motion while going into an elaborate plan of how him and the band were hoping to play some shows in the big city over the summer. And of course, the big 4th of July bash Hawkins put on every year too.
As the sun set more and more, cooling off the wooded area around your dad’s cabin you and Eddie kept talking about anything and everything. Finally, around midnight after many shared cigarettes and a few joints, he packed up and went on his way home.
“Sleep tight sweetheart, don’t let the bed bugs bite.” Eddie winked as he started up his van. Rolling your eyes at him, he definitely got bolder and more flirtatious after the substances were flowing.
-
The following morning you woke with one mission only. FIND A JOB. Sure, your dad left you with some money, but it wasn’t nearly enough for more than a month of keeping the lights on and maybe food. Not to mention you’d need some cash for gas to get up to Indianapolis to even see your dad for weekly visits. You’d floated the idea of picking up some of his less threatening clients, aka not Billy, but you had no idea how to own and operate a criminal enterprise, so you just went straight to the wanted ads in the morning paper.
You’d found 3 possible places.
The big mega mall they just built had a few postings, the public pool as a lifeguard, and a hair salon.
You got ready for the day and tried to look as presentable as possible for a minimum wage summer job. A light wash pair of jeans, your docs, and a simple black shirt with a flannel tied around your waist. Your makeup was done a lot tamer today, opting for tiny eye liner wings and you had even found time last night to touch up your chipping nail polish. Going out to the front yard you went to start your car, but were only met with a *tick tick tick* noise that meant your car wasn’t about to go anywhere today.
“Great! Just fucking GREAT!” You let out a loud yell and slapped the steering wheel with both of your hands before getting out and slamming the car door. Stomping back up the front steps and into the house you pulled out the phone book. Slightly smaller than the enormous one you were used to having in Arizona, this one was only about as thick as a Life magazine. Flipping until you found ‘Mechanic’ and dialed up the first shops phone number to see if they had a tow available to get your car back up and running.
The person on the other line answered after the second ring, “Hawkins Auto how can we help you?” The persons voice sounded very familiar, but you couldn’t place it.
“Yes hi my car won’t start and I need a tow. It’s stuck at my place out here by the lake if you guys would be able to help me today?” You held your breath as you heard the person on the other line flip through a calendar.
“Well that distance for a tow will cost you an extra $50 if you don’t mind, but I can send one of the guys out in a few hours. Name and address?” The person clicked their pen open to take down your info.
“Oh absolutely that’s not a problem! My names Y/N Lipton and my address is—.” You got cut off.
“Oh shit Y/N??! It’s me Eddie! If you wanted to see me so damn badly you just had to ask, didn’t need to go breaking your car.” Eddie laughed his typical cocky way.
“I swear this was totally coincidence. Small town perks or whatever. Is there anything you don’t do??” You could feel your face flushing and was glad it was only a phone conversation instead of face to face.
“Like I said I have a budding music career and that doesn’t come cheap! Hold on a bit and I’ll see if my boss will let me come and tow your car right now.” He set the phone down and came back a moment later. You could feel your heartbeat in your throat. “Alright boss said I’m good to come scoop you up. See you soon sweetheart.” And with that Eddie hung up.
What was with that stupid pet name??? Did he call everyone that or just you?? It made you so unbelievably happy yet anxious your head was spinning, and your heart was beating so hard you could feel it in every single part of your body, even the tip of your nose.
About half an hour later Eddie pulled into your driveway in a rusted, once blue, tow truck. You two drove to the mechanic shop in together and the single cab of the tow truck had you being rocked towards him with every bump and pothole on the unmanaged roads of Hawkins.
“Thank you again for this Eddie. At this rate I owe you a million favors. You’ve been my knight in a battle vest all week long. It just wouldn’t start when I went to leave today, I’m hoping it’s something easy like the battery.” If he could flirt and call you pet names, you figured two can play at these games.
“Funny you mention that, it was actually my nickname in high school.. Eddie “the knight” Munson.” He smiled so wide it showed a dimple in his cheek.
He pulled up into the shop and unhooked your car into the bay at the end of the building. You could tell that it must’ve been Eddies work area because he had a Black Sabbath poster on the wall right next to a poster of that actress who played in Dukes of Hazzard.
“You can hangout here while I work on your car if you want to. But if you have plans or something I can get you one of our junkers to ride around in. They aren’t fancy rentals, but it’ll get you where you need.” Eddie leaned into your car to pop up the hood.
“I was actually going to go job hunting today so that sounds great. I can come back in a few hours if that’s okay?” You kicked at an old oil spill on the garage floor.
Eddie went and grabbed you the keys and off you went. First stop, Star Court, the mega mall. It was the talk of the town, everyone either loved it or hated it because of how it was putting the locals out of business. The shops that had wanted ads consisted of a chain jewelry/clothing store for teenagers, a shop that sold electronics and a 2 story department store.
The jewelry stores manager was super cool and laid back, someone who also was new to town and someone you probably could’ve easily been friends with. But unfortunately, they had already hired someone, and the ad just hadn’t been taken down yet. The electronics store didn’t want to hire anyone who didn’t have extensive knowledge of electronics, and you barely knew how to work your land line, so they passed. And lastly the department stores manager took one up and down glance and you and held back a laugh. She said that they were looking for someone more fit for customer view, so basically you were ‘too alternative’ and they didn’t want you to scare the grandmas away from the perfume counter.
Next stop was the hair salon. The ladies in the shop consisted of 2 middle aged women with big blown out bleach blonde identical hair, long acrylic nails and chunky gold jewelry. When you told them you had done your own hair, they we’re impressed but the only job they had was for sweeping up for a few dollars twice a week and it definitely wasn’t enough to pay your looming bills. They’d encouraged you to come back around the holidays when they were busier so you might have a chance to work your way up to a stylist's chair and help them with color appointments, so you said you’ll see. Their younger coworker came from the back room and took down your info just in case.
Defeated you went to your final stop. The public pool. Honestly it wasn’t your first choice of the places you’d found because you didn’t like the sun or the heat, but the Hawkins heat was so much easier to handle then the dry and miserable 100+ heat of Arizona. So maybe it wouldn’t be too bad. You went to the front office and met with a tall and gorgeous brunette girl about your age. She was super friendly and liked your style too, she was desperate for another lifeguard after 2 girls had quit. Apparently, their other guard was hard to get along with and had caused some weird love triangle with the two girls.
“I’ll hire you for the whole summer full time if you promise me, you won’t date anybody here. That includes if your boyfriend shows up here as a customer you have to put the safety of the swimmers before anything else.” She looked at you with a very serious look on her face.
“Oh yes of course! I don’t know what I’d do if someone got hurt while I was supposed to be watching them!” You meant it too. Especially knowing so many kids came to swim during the summer.
You signed some paperwork, and she gave you a bright red one-piece bathing suit along with a whistle and fanny pack that was a first aid kit. Your first official day would be that following week on a Monday, it was a slower day for them, so you’d be able to train and get your CPR certification completed.
It was around 1pm now and your stomach screamed in hunger. So, you figured it was a good idea to grab something from that diner by the video store, maybe get something for Eddie too as a thank you. Pulling back up to the mechanic shop you spotted Eddie still working away on your car.
“Did you take a lunch break yet? I’ve got burgers.”
Eddie wiped his hands down the front of his stained wife beater tank top, his coveralls long since shed and tied around his waist in the added heat of the garage. "Thank GOD I'm starving. We're totally even now."
"Well I'm afraid to ask but what's the damage?" You handed him a burger, fries and a bottled coke.
"Easy peasy fix. Just needed a new starter. I love these newer models it's so easy getting parts. You can take it now if you want to. I checked your oil and other fluids while I was waiting for you too. Should be good for the rest of the summer." Eddie tore the wrapper off his burger and ate half the burger in a single bite.
"OH before you ride off into the sunset I thought of a way you can repay me."
You raised an eyebrow at him, "Oh? lunch didn't quite get me off the hook."
Eddie laughed at you but then got serious for a minute before finding his words again. it was weird seeing his cocky facade slip for a second. "Well my bands playing tonight and I was wondering if you would want to come? You'll know some people there, Harrington always shows. Whadda ya say??" he flashed you a pathetic puppy dog look. "I don't like to beg but I'm also not above it."
"Why the hell not, I ended up finding a job so let's celebrate!" You smiled.
"Fuck yeah lets rock! See you at the Hideout tonight 7pm then!" Eddie handed your keys over and you headed back towards Lovers Lake.
Dividers by @cafekitsune