Medusa

Eddie's POV:

"She hasn't been to school for a week, Robin," I say, my voice strained. "What am I supposed to do?" I had grabbed the curly-haired girl on her way to third period and pulled her off to the side of the hall.

"I don't know, Eddie. Maybe don't kiss random women in alleyways?" she says bitterly and I flinch.

"If I could go back and take it back I would," I say and she rolls her eyes, fidgeting with the books in her arms. "I just want to know she is alright and try to find a way to speak to her. Her phone isn't working and I don't have the number for the main line in her house."

"And I'm not going to give it to you," Robin says harshly, her eyes are cold when she looks up at me.

"Steve said you would help me," I plea and she sighs.

"Harrington isn't here everyday. He has already graduated and shouldn't meddle in high school bullshit."

"Robin, I just want to make things right."

"Then you are going to have to figure it out on your own," she sighs, pushing her hair from her face. "I'm not going to risk helping you and making this worse for her. You aren't the one trying to help her pick up the pieces you shattered. If you can't fix this on your own then you need to leave well enough alone and let her move on."

The idea makes my stomach lurch and my breath catches in my throat. How could I have been so blind? Why was I buried so deeply in doubt that I couldn't see she is the girl of my dreams? Why did it take losing her to realize that I love her too?

"Is she alright at least? Is she eating? Is she sleeping?" I choke out and Robin regards me sadly.

"She's managing," she sighs. "Just like I can imagine you are."

With that she turns and walks away. I stand there, unsure what to do. I have been showing up to school every day in the hopes that she would walk through those doors and I could try to talk to her. I go to class just for a distraction, but it never works. I close my eyes at night and I see her face. I wake up crying, clinging to my sheets and shaking. I try to call her almost every half hour that I am home. I keep getting the same disconnected sound on the other line, but I try over and over anyway hoping eventually she will plug the phone back in.

I leave the school and get into my van, deciding I'll just have to go to her. I drive to her house and as I'm pulling onto her street I see her walk down her driveway and head down the road in the opposite direction, her hands in the pockets of her pink coat. I stop the van and debate on what to do before I follow at a distance, making sure I stay far enough so she can't hear or see me, but I can still see her. She walks out of her development and heads down the street to the local convenience store. I park a distance away and wait until she comes out.

Ripley walks out several minutes later, but she isn't alone. Beside her, Patrick McKinney is grinning down at her, dangling a bag from his fingertips. She looks down at her shoes as they talk and walk, heading back in the direction of her house and my chest clenches. I turn around and follow them back. Ripley leads Patrick inside of her house and then closes the door behind them and my head spins. I rest it against the steering wheel and I try to remember how to breath. She looks fine, in fact she looks more then fine. She isn't wearing any makeup and she's in casual clothes, but she still looks gorgeous and now she's alone in her house with a guy. A guy that has admitted he likes her. I punch the dashboard as hard as I can and I split my knuckle open in the process, blood gushing everywhere.

"Fuck!" I scream as I grab a spare t-shirt from the passenger seat and wrap it around my hand. I pull away from her house and head to my trailer. A million thoughts are racing through my head. What is Patrick doing skipping school? Why hasn't Ripley been showing to school? Are they dating? How long have they been meeting like that? I step inside and yell loudly, all my frustration cascading through me and I go to my room. I pull out a joint from my tin box and light it, taking a drag and flopping back on my bed. I continue to take hit after hit until the joint is spent and I discard it. It isn't enough. I trudge to the fridge and open a beer, chugging it and tossing the can over my shoulder before pulling the entire pack out. I just don't want to think anymore. I don't want to feel anymore. I go back to my room and crack open another can and pull out another joint, settling in. .

***********************************************************************************************

The knocking grows louder and more insistent and I groan, rolling over on my bed and getting up. I drag myself to the front door and open it. It's dark out and I blink slightly, my eyes focusing. Dustin and Steve stand in the doorway, their smiles fading at the sight of me.

"What the hell dude?" Steve asks, pushing his way into the trailer and crinkling his nose. Dustin steps inside behind him and looks up at me with a worried expression.

"Is this where you have been for the last four days?" Dustin asks and I nod, moving to plop down on the couch. My head is throbbing and I feel disgusting. Steve puts his hands on his hips and shakes his head, looking around.

"That bad of a breakup, huh?" he asks and Dustin smacks him on the arm.

"We weren't even dating," I grumble and Steve sighs.

"The one that got away," he says mournfully and I look up at him, annoyed. "That's even worse."

"Why the hell are you two here?" I ask, massaging my eyes.

"There's a party at Steve's tonight so we came to get you," Dustin says excitedly and I shake my head, waving my hands in front of me.

"I'm not going."

"Of course you are," Steve says cheerfully, plopping down on the couch beside me and smacking me on the back. "You just pre-gamed a little too hard, but we can help with that."

He motions to Dustin and he produced a large brown paper bag I hadn't noticed before. Steve digs out some whiskey, a water, and a greasy double cheeseburger and fries.

"Ugh, my liver," I groan and Steve laughs patting my back again. He hands me the items and I chug the water first before I down the burger and fries, shoveling them into my mouth. Once everything is down and I feel full, I swig the whiskey and stand.

"Hit the shower, Munson," Steve says and I sigh. I go to protest and he leans in so he can whisper in my ear. "We aren't leaving without you. I've already got Tom at my house ready to run the party if I don't show so don't try me."

Resigned I go shower and get changed in a long sleeve shirt, dark jeans, and a few rings. I brush my hair and let it lie, heading out into the living room. Dustin bounced on the ball of his feet at the sight of me and Steve grins.

"Let's go," he cheers and despite myself, I smile slightly.

Steve and Dustin bicker back and forth in the front seat the entire way to Steve's and I sprawl out in the backseat, resting one of my legs on the seats beside me. I look out the windows, enjoying their company more then I thought I would. The house is already bursting with people when we get there and Steve looks back at me in the rearview mirror, a gleam in his eye. So he wasn't kidding about the party starting without him if need be. Good to know.

Dustin runs off to find the rest of our friends and Steve and I fall into step beside one another. People stop Steve along the way to comment on the party and say hey and he smiles and nods along. I keep my hands in my pockets and my head down, content to be ignored. We make our way to the kitchen and Steve gets us drinks. I down mine and refill immediately making Steve look at me with his eyebrows raised.

"I'm not holding your hair for you while you throw up," he warns and I smile. I pull down my sleeve slightly to reveal a hair tie on my wrist and he rolls his eyes, a grin on his face. I reach up and tie my hair up in a low bun, giving him a smug look before drowning myself in my drink again.

"You liked her that bad, huh?"

"I didn't realize until I fucked up, but yea I do," I sigh, looking down at the table.

"Isn't it funny how that's typically how it works out," Steve says and I look up at him, surprised. His eyes aren't on me though and I follow his stare across the room.

Nancy Wheeler is dancing with a drink raised over her head and her cheeks slightly flushed. It's the first time I've seen her let loose. Beside her, Jonathan Byers has got his hands on her waist and he smiles down at her, love so obvious on his face. He ducks down and kisses her cheek, making her smile up at him and Steve looks away, pain in his eyes. He takes a large swig of his drink and slams the cup back down on the table, grabbing a bottle to refill it.

"God, we are pathetic," I chuckle and his eyes meet mine. We stare at each other for a moment before we break out into uncontrollable laughter. I grab my sides as I laugh loudly and Steve rubs at the corners of his eyes.

"Two sorry saps, if I've ever seen them," he chuckles and I nod, catching my breath.

"So where is your girl tonight?" He asks and I shrug, taking a drink.

"She hasn't spoken to be for the last week and a half. I'm pretty sure she has moved on to Patrick McKinney. She looks better beside a jock anyway." His name drips from my mouth with all the malice I can muster and Steve's eyebrows shoot up.

"Is she a tiny little blonde girl? Cute little face? Nice body?" Steve asks and I smack him, annoyed.

"Hey," I complain but he shakes his head, pointing across the room towards the back porch and I peer outside.

Sure enough, Ripley is outside but she isn't with Patrick. Jason Carver is beside her instead. She backs away from him slightly and I can tell that they are arguing. My shoulders tense and I go to move forward but just as I am about to step around the counter, Patrick approaches the group. He places his hand on Jason's shoulder and Jason relaxes noticeably. He moves away from Ripley and almost seems to apologize. They talk for a few more minutes and then Jason moves over to the drink table on the porch, grabbing drinks for the three of them. Ripley takes her drink with a stiff smile, but she at least doesn't seem to have anymore problems with him before he leaves her alone with Patrick. She eventually calms down and starts to sip from her cup, her typical happy demeanor returning. I slump back slightly and Steve places a reassuring hand on my shoulder, holding my cup up for me to take and I snatch it from him, turning away from Ripley and heading towards the front of the house.

I'm sitting out in the front room smoking a blunt when Gareth comes to find me out of breath with Jeff hot on his heels. Quite some time has passed and I'm several drinks in, feeling light headed.

"Eddie, you have to hurry," he huffs and I look up at him, completely buzzed.

"Why are you so sweaty?" I ask and he groans, grabbing a fist full of my shirt and hoisting me to my feet making the world spin for a moment. I look down at him with wide eyes.

"I just saw Patrick McKinney and Jason Carver carrying Ripley upstairs. She looked heavily intoxicated, if not drugged. You have to go up there, now." He barks and that breaks the fuzz around my brain. I turn and see Steve at the other end of the room and lurch forward. I press close to him and explain the situation and he puts his drink down, following me upstairs and we split up. We bust open door after door, uncovering couples in different stages of undress and my heart contracts on itself. I feel like I'm going to be sick, but I continue to move forward. We get to Steve's parents room and we kick open the double doors. Ripley is laying sprawled across the bed, her shirt cut open and her chest bare. Her skirt is hiked up, but her underwear are still on. Patrick stands over her, his dick out and hard. Jason isn't in the room. Ripley's face is lifeless the only sign that she's still there is the pain and fear in her eyes, the tears streaming from their corners. I see red and scream, lunging forward. I tackle Patrick to the ground and pull back and hit him over and over, my fists crunching against bone and flesh. I hit anywhere I can reach. I can hear Steve talking softly to Ripley as he rolls her to her side and she starts to vomit. Her anguished gasps fuel my anger and push me forward. Patrick is no longer moving below me, but I can still hear his gargled breathing and the idea that he is still living unsettles me.

"Eddie," Steve calls urgently and I turn to see worry color his face. "You need to stop. You need to stop and call 911 right now. Lock us in here and call 911. The phone is on the nightstand."

He's covered Ripley with a blanket and she is still limp and staring off into the distance. There is vomit on the floor and he pushes her hair over her shoulder as her shallow breaths escape her lips.

I lock the door and dial 911 and hand the phone to Steve, trading him spots and I pull Ripley into my lap. I wrap my arms around her and rock softly, a soft whimper leaves her mouth.

The doorknob jangles and Steve and I look at each other and then back at the door.

"Patrick," Jason calls from the other side and I hold Ripley tighter to my body to keep myself from getting up, burying my face in her neck. She whimpers again obviously scared and the sound fills me further with hatred. Steve moves quietly towards the door, the phone still up to his ear and grabs a baseball bat his dad keeps hidden there.

"Are you finished with that mouthy little slut yet? I want to get out of here. Chrissy said her parents aren't home tonight." He pulls on the knob again and Steve reaches over and unlocks the door. Jason moves inside, a smile on his face. His face falls when he sees me on the floor, cradling Ripley and Patrick bloody and beaten a foot away from me. He turns to leave but Steve swings the bat and strikes him once on the head, making him hit the ground like a sack of bricks. Steve drags him by his ankles further into the room and then locks the door again, letting the dispatcher know what happened. I can hear sirens in the distance and I whisper all the reassuring things I can think of in Ripley's ears. She groans a little and I clutch her so close to my person I can feel each breath she takes, assuring me she is still alive. A tear drops from the corner of my eye and I wipe it away with a shaky hand, refusing to lose it here and now. I won't lose it until she's safe. I can't.