History Must Repeat Itself

Chapter 24

One week later...

        Standing in front of my floor length mirror, I smoothed the wrinkles in my dress. Today was Billy's funeral. A part of me didn't want to go. I wanted to crawl back into bed, the place I'd been for a week, and stare at the wall. I was content to let my brain scream and cry inside my body, my face expressionless.

But Max stopped by yesterday. Madison had gone the Hargrove/Mayfield house every day, with trips to the Byers. I didn't have the courage to see Billy's father. He may be the worst human being on the planet, but Billy was still his son. He cared about him to some degree. 

Max laid in bed beside me and we stayed silently. I know we missed Billy in two different ways, but she was the only person I didn't need to explain anything to.

"Please come tomorrow. I can't be stuck with all the kids from your school who knew Billy as a tough guy or a sex king. I don't want to listen alone."

My gaze rested on the gold chain around her neck. Billy's necklace. I nodded, Max didn't need to ask twice. She laid with me for another hour.

         The door of my bedroom opened, revealing Steve Harrington in dress pants and a collared shirt. His hair was tamed for the first time all summer. Has it only been a month?

"You look nice," I said, smoothing his tie.

"So do you. I'm sure Hargrove would've had some pretty raunchy things to say and make you blush a lot," Steve joked. I smiled towards the floor, knowing he was right. Steve began to say something, but I cut him off.

"Billy," I said. Steve's eyebrows scrunched, "could you call him Billy? Just for today."

Steve put his hands on my shoulders, rubbing them, "sure, Jess. I can do that."

I told him "thank you" silently.

"Eddie is here and Madison is ready. We should go if you want to get in without a crowd."

I nodded and after grabbing my small clutch to hold my freshly cut keys, Steve led me down the stairs. Madison stood in a similar dress, by the front door, talking to Eddie. They both turned as we stopped in front of them. I stepped away from Steve, and into Eddie's waiting arms. Peace slid through my body. Eddie's smell did that.

"Hi doll," he quietly said into my ear, "are you ready to go?"

I pulled back, but let Eddie take my hand in both of his, "no."

Eddie stopped by the night of the Starcourt "fire". He had been frantic and worried. He explained he'd been at the next plaza over, selling weed to a couple teenagers. He saw the flames and then fire trucks go by. Eddie had pulled into the parking lot to see what was going on. That's when he noticed us being escorted out of the mall. Eddie saw me on a stretcher, unconscious and he began freaking out. The police were vigilant not to let anyone get too close, even threatening to arrest him. 

Steve didn't let Eddie see me that night. I was unconscious on pain killers and from exhaustion. He did see Madison, who'd explained that Billy died in the fire. Eddie had come by every day. We didn't talk much. I didn't have much to say to anyone. Mostly he laid in bed with me, bringing new music. He'd brought his guitar twice. One day, I was overwhelmed with guilt and couldn't stop crying. I'd tried to apologize for being rude to Eddie the days before, but he wouldn't hear it.

"We'll talk about it later, but you never have to be sorry as long as you come back."

It was easier to be around Eddie because he didn't know anything. He didn't know a giant monster made of melted people and rats killed thirty people in Hawkins and tried to kill Eleven. Eleven, who had superpowers and closed a portal to an alternate dimension filled with monsters that wanted to kill us. He lived in the normal, blissful reality the rest of Hawkins did. It's what I yearned for right now.