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Why was he so unlucky?
Mike glared, his eyes low, at his chained up bike with its flat tires. Both tires were flat when earlier, they were perfectly fine. Since it was getting colder, his mom started to remind him every morning to make sure he was bundled up and was he sure he didn’t want a ride to school?
He didn’t.
Dustin’s mom started to insist on driving Dustin to school when it gets colder, plus Science Club was beginning to ramp up with competitions and projects, so he needed more than his bike. Lucas wasn’t in the starting lineup on the basketball team to be picked up by any of the upperclassmen so he still either rode his bike in the morning with Mike or his parents dropped him off. Mike wasn’t so lucky. His dad bought a new car over the summer since Nancy was working for the newspaper so having one car wasn’t going to work anymore. And now that Nancy was the editor of the newspaper, she sometimes stayed after school much later than him and he didn’t want to wait around for her just for a ride home every day so he still rode his bike.
But it looked like he was unlucky today.
With a heavy sigh, he knelt down to unlock his bike chain and prepare himself for a long walk home. Walking a flat tire bike home was the worst and he’s only had to do it once or twice but it was usually just one tire.
“Damn Freshman,” someone said, knocking into him, their elbow catching him in his side. “That sucks!” Mike cut his eyes at the douchebag and his friends who walked away, laughing and pointing.
“It’s not that funny!” He called after them. Every kind of bullying he’s experienced, this was light work unless someone did it, which honestly, since it was both tires, it probably was done by someone. “Assholes,” he mumbled under his breath.
He watched his classmates cram into each other’s cars, skateboard away, hop on their bikes or file onto the yellow school buses. But here he was, alone without his two friends to at least not make him look as pitiful as he did. They didn’t have Hellfire on Thursdays, so there was no chance he’d get a ride from Eddie, he was probably already gone. The other Hellfire members didn’t have cars, they rode the bus, so did Max so he couldn’t hitch a ride with her and her mom.
“What happened to your bike?”
Speak of the devil, he thought.
“I don’t know,” he said with a sigh. “I just found it like this.”
“Damn, that sucks,” she said, her tone casual. Max was his friend, he considered her to be a close friend even though they tended to be at odds more often than not. She was always pretty fiery and intense in her own way but lately, he’d noticed she’d been distracted and sad. Lucas said they and by extension Max, were fine the last time Mike happened to ask out of curiosity. “So what’re you gonna do?”
“Just walk home I guess,” he mumbled, irritation lacing his voice. Max stared at him for a moment, her blue eyes filled with an emotion he didn’t really know how to name. “It’s not like I have much choice.”
“I guess give me a call when you get home.”
“Really?” He asked, his eyebrows shooting up as she stepped off the curb towards her bus. She turned, her red pigtails swinging and lips pursed. “You mean that?”
“Really, why wouldn’t I mean that?” Mike blinked, embarrassed at his question. He supposed it was stupid but it was sometimes hard to tell with Max. He felt like he could read people pretty well but she was always kind of hard for him to read.
“I, I don’t know, sorry. Yeah, yeah I’ll call when I get home.” She narrowed her eyes at him, her head tilted to the side as she regarded him. “What?”
She shrugged. “Nothing, Lucas and Dustin are busy and you’re not, so I get to be worried I guess.”
“You worry about me?” Mike joked, a smirk appearing on his face. Max rolled her eyes, a small smile breaking across her face.
“No,” she snapped but there was no bite in her voice. She turned to leave again and Mike weighed his options, he may not get another chance like this for a while. So, he ran to catch up with her, his bike dragging him down.
“I worry about you,” he said, matching her shorter stride to her bus. Immediately, he felt the wall that they worked together to break holes into, start to seal back up. Max looked at her tall friend with narrowed eyes. Mike was always the one she got along with the least, except lately, probably because they both missed El but she didn’t like how he always seemed to be watching her these days.
“Don’t.”
“Max, is something going on?” They reached her bus and she, still ignoring him, moved to climb the steps only for Mike to stop her with a hand on her arm. “Max.”
She sighed, annoyed and made sure to put it in her facial expression.
“Is it Bil-”
“Mike,” she snapped, her blue eyes suddenly cold. “I’m fine. I gotta go.” She pulled her arm away and made it on the bus before the driver closed the doors and left her behind. As the bus pulled off, Mike let out a heavy sigh and watched the bus drive away.
Damn, I messed up, he thought. Now she’ll never talk to me again.
*********************
Mike made his slow trek to his house. Since it was Thursday not many cars were on the road. Small mercies he supposed. He could hear the van before it pulled up next to him. Music came blaring around the corner, Mike made sure to move even further away from the road, he didn’t forget how Billy tried to chase him and his friends down a couple of years ago.
“Wheeler!” Eddie Munson with his loud metal music and van with screeching wheels pulled up next to him. Mike waved sheepishly with a small smile.
“Hey Eddie,” he said. Eddie leaned out the window, his eyes landing on the sad state of Mike’s bike.
“What the hell happened to your bike? Did you wipe out?” He asked, a smirk appearing on his lips, amused. Mike rolled his eyes.
“No, I didn’t wipe out, someone,” he sighed, annoyed. “Someone definitely thought they were being funny.”
“Did you check for nails or anything that could make a hole?”
“No,” Mike said dumbly. He didn’t even think to check, just seeing the flat tires, BOTH OF THEM, he assumed it was foul play. Now, maybe he was upset for nothing and he was reckless without realizing. The van was put in park and Eddie hopped out, the music still blaring as a backdrop.
“Always check,” he squatted next to Mike’s bike, his fingers running across the tires. “I mean, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone did it, our classmates are assholes but it’s always good to check. See what you’re working with.”
“I guess, but they’re both flat and the tops are still on the air tubes-”
“Easy, they could have taken the tops off, popped the seal and put the tops back on,” Eddie muttered. Mike rolled his eyes at that thought. “But that’s also too much work and some of these losers are too dumb to pull something like that off.” Eddie added, his tone thoughtful. Mike agreed. Eddie hummed aloud when he was done exploring the tires.
“Looks like a couple of tiny puncture holes,” he shook his head, pushing his long curls back over his shoulder. “I can fix it if you want.”
“Oh,” Mike chuckled awkwardly. “You don’t have to do that, I can do it later when I get home…” It’d be more like asking his dad to take his bike to a shop.
“Wheeler,” Eddie started, walking to his van and opening the back door. “Get in the damn van.”
*********************
Mike was glad that it wasn’t a Hellfire night because then his curfew was 9:00PM at the latest and he didn’t have to worry about being chewed out by his mom or stared at boringly by his dad. Because here he was, in the junkyard helping Eddie search for disposed bikes.
“Eddie?” Mike called, kicking a cardboard box out of his way.
“Yo,” he called back.
“Why are we here?”
“Looking for some new wheels.”
"But if they’re in a junkyard, wouldn’t they-”
“Sometimes a person throws out a bike for other reasons than busted tires,” Mike trotted over to where Eddie was searching, tired and ready to go home. It may not be late but he was actually kind of tired. The bike could wait. “If I eyeballed your tires right, I think these should fit.”
Eddie made quick work of replacing Mike’s busted tires with some perfectly good used ones. Mike was actually impressed that Eddie had such a talent. Eddie laughed at his incredulous expression.
“Don’t look so surprised, I might get a little offended.”
“Sorry, you’re just… you can just do everything.”
Eddie shrugged, tossing his tools back in the box and heading back to his van, a starry eyed Mike trailing behind him with his newly improved bike.
“Not really, it’s just a survival skill. Plus, my dad and Uncle taught me how to do a lot of shit. This is just a drop in the bucket.”
“I wish my dad taught me how to do stuff like that,” Mike muttered, putting his bike in the back next to the toolbox. He remembered their conversation they had the last time about Eddie’s dad, he supposed that even if the guy was an asshole, he still did something right for Eddie.
“Maybe you should ask, see what he says.”
“Hm, maybe.”
*********************
Once again, Mike was along for the ride as Eddie drove through Hawkins, speeding with his music at a reasonable warble. Eddie asked if he was hungry and Mike wondered why Eddie never seemed to eat at school but two of the times Mike was with him, he wanted to eat and feed Mike. They ended up at Leo’s, the burger joint downtown. It had the best burgers in Hawkins, not that there were many places that people called “the burger joint”. Mike stayed in the front seat, at the command of Eddie, who went inside to place their order and pay or flirt.
They were parked on the side street next to the diner and Mike felt a little weird. He wasn’t sure if people knew what Eddie’s van looked like but he was sure that someone who knew his parents walked by and saw him… he wouldn’t be surprised if he was grilled when he got home.
“Hey.”
Mike jumped at Eddie’s sudden appearance at the window. “Shit! Don’t do that.”
“You scare too easily,” Eddie commented with a shrug, passing the bags of food through the window.
“No I don’t,” he said defensively. “You startled me, there’s a difference.”
“Yeah, sure,” Eddie laughed, popping a tater tot in his mouth.
“You Munson?”
Eddie tensed hearing the greeting. Whenever people walked up to him without an actual greeting, he knew what they were here for. He glanced at the Freshman in his car and he hated the idea of dealing with Mike here. He actually hoped the kid didn’t even hear anything but of course Mike heard them. He also noticed how Eddie’s jaw tensed and eyes turned serious before he spun to face the two men sauntering up to them.
“Who wants to know?” Eddie asked, his head blocking most of Mike’s view of their guests.
“Someone who has some cash to spare,” one of the men said, stepping forward. He was tall and stocky, buzzed hair and dark eyes that Mike found unsettling. His companion was shorter and skinnier with bright blue eyes that stared unblinking at Eddie. Mike’s eyes moved from the men to the back of Eddie’s head and he noticed Eddie’s shoulders tense. The energy around him was completely different than what Mike was used to. The senior was usually so casual, the way he moved, the way he talked, sometimes there was an air of grandeur about him due to his personality, but that was different here. He was on edge.
“Now’s not a good time,” Eddie said, slightly turning away to end the conversation but to also keep them in his eyeline.
“Now’s the only time,” the tall man said, his tone demanding and hard. “We heard you got the good stuff and we’re looking to buy.”
“I said now’s not the time.”
“The kid must think I’m joking or somethin’,” the tall one said to his friend who laughed. Eddie had an unreadable expression on his face but he seemed determined to keep Mike out of their sight. If only Mike could read minds, but he assumed Eddie was thinking over what to do. He clearly didn’t want to go through with the deal but the men were adamant. Eddie rolled his eyes and sighed loudly and dramatically as he was prone to do.
“Alright fine, come ‘round the back,” he motioned with hand for them to follow. “You stay,” he mouthed to Mike as he disappeared around the back. Mike could hear the back doors of the van open and Eddie rustling through that familiar metal lunchbox.
“All I got is weed, if you want anything stronger, you’ll have to come back another time.”
Silence.
Mike turned as quiet as he could in his seat to watch, he could see the outline of Eddie’s hair and the two looking like shadowy figures hovering around him.
Eddie didn’t tend to carry around anything “harder” or more advanced than weed on him. If he was ever picked up by police, he’d be in so much more trouble if he had something like Special K on him. He wasn’t stupid. Eddie could tell the men wanted something more than weed and that they might not be willing to come back another time and once again, he hated the idea that Mike was here to see him dealing.
“Look harder,” the shorter man said, stepping closer.
“I can’t look for something that’s not there man,” Eddie drawled.
“You don’t want our business or somethin?” The tall one asked, his voice dangerous and low. Eddie chuckled humorously.
“Listen man, it’s not that I’m not willing, I just don’t have what you want right now.”
The tall man’s eyes cut to their young audience member in the front seat. Eddie watched the eye shift and once again stepped in his view, to take Mike out of it.
“Like I said, it’s not a good time, you clearly had a problem with that so, your only options are to buy some weed or we can meet another time for something else,” Eddie’s tone held finality in it. The tall man crowded into Eddie and gripped the lapels of his jean vest, yanking Eddie to him.
Mike gasped at the sight and prepared himself to jump in, and do what, he had no idea but he couldn’t just sit here and watch as these men did whatever they wanted because they were unhappy with Eddie’s drug merchandise. Eddie, however, was prepared for something like this, it wouldn’t be the first time someone gripped him up over drugs. This is why he tended to only sell to teens who just wanted to party a little extra hard. He also didn’t tend to carry weapons but he could fight if necessary. The man gripping his jacket glared harder as Eddie’s expression never shifted to fear or worry.
Eddie knew how to handle shit like this.
“I can’t do business with you like this, now can I?” His voice turned soft and was unthreatening. “Like I said, I don’t have anything but weed on me right now and since that’s not good enough for you, how about we meet back here at 7:00 and I’ll have more variety, I’ll even throw in an eighth for half off.”
The men looked at each other, the shorter one twisting his lips in thought. Eddie watched them silently communicate and he knew he had them, it took everything in him not to smile in triumph.
“And what do we get for our troubles?” The smaller one demanded. Now, Eddie wasn’t particularly expecting them to want more. He was already going out of his way to deal with them AND half off? It was honestly a steal.
“The reassurance that you’re dealing with the best and someone who stays true to their word,” Eddie hoped that was enough.
Both men laughed, the taller’s grip loosening before stepping away from the teen in front of them. Mike watched with bated breath. Eddie was handling them well but Mike’s heart pounded in his chest. He couldn’t drive, at least not well, and he didn’t want to have to drive Eddie somewhere in case… in case something happened. But he would.
“Fine. Deal.” He held his large hand out towards Eddie, who looked at it for a second before reaching out to shake it. The man gripped it tight and yanked him forward, so he was in Eddie’s face. Eddie’s eyes widened slightly at being pulled off kilter.
“Don’t be late… or we’ll just have to find you, and you don’t want that."
He pushed Eddie away from him, who stumbled back into his van into a seated position. The shorter man laughed and followed his tall companion away. Eddie didn’t move until they were out of view before locking his pail back up and slamming the doors closed. Mike watched him walk around to the driver’s side and hop in, his hands gripping the steering wheel. Mike stared at the older teen who closed his eyes and inhaled sharply.
“Eddie…?”
“I hate that you saw that Mike,” he said quietly. That was probably the first time he said Mike’s name.
“It’s okay, there’s nothing you could have done.”
“Obviously,” Eddie started, turning towards his young friend. “You can’t tell anyone about this. The rumors are enough-”
“I would never tell anyone!” Mike exclaimed quickly. After a quiet moment passed, Eddie gave him a close lipped smile, one that wasn’t very happy.
“I know,” he said simply. He started the van and reached for the now watered down soda. “Eat.”
Here Mike was again, in Eddie’s van, with food, but instead of inhaling it like last time, he was picking at it. It wasn’t that it wasn’t good, Leo’s food was always good, it was just that he had so many questions. He wanted to ask Eddie why he dealt. He wanted to ask if that happened often. How did he get into it? Does he do the drugs he sells? How does he get more? Wasn’t that dangerous in the long run?
Light music played on the radio as Eddie just drove, Mike could have been home 3 times over by now but he supposed Eddie just needed a moment. After all, it was his car. It’s not like Mike had anything important to do. He actually wouldn’t even be surprised if Eddie forgot he was even in the passenger seat.
“Um, Eddie, I gotta ask a question,” Mike started. Eddie didn’t say anything, he barely even seemed to acknowledge the statement. So, Mike just decided to ask anyway. “So, why- why do you… um? Sell?”
“Deal,” Eddie corrected. “Why do you want to know?”
“I just, I mean, it seems dangerous.”
Though Mike had been in way more dangerous situations.
“It can be,” Eddie answered honestly, because it could. “But not usually.” But since he usually only sold to high schoolers or those on break from college, he didn’t worry too much about physical harm over drugs. Some of them were too scared to do anything to him and those who may bully him at school, don’t mess with him while he’s dealing with the chance that he either stops selling to them or he snitches… though who would believe him? Who would believe Eddie “the Freak” Munson over a Basketball star? Or the Valedictorian? Or the Class President? No one.
“Do you, do you do them yourself?”
Eddie laughed, boisterously. “No, well, I smoke weed but that’s it. A good dealer shouldn’t dip into their own supply.” He glanced over at Mike, the first time in a few minutes that he seemed alert. “Disappointed?”
“No!” Mike answered automatically. There was hardly anything Eddie could do at this point that would make him disappointed. At least not yet. He wasn’t like Steve who continually disappointed Mike, because just when he started thinking he was kind of cool, he’d do or say something lame. “You didn’t answer my question though.”
Eddie sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.
“Uh, well, it’s easy and I can get a lot of cash. Our Hawkins classmates have a lot of cash to spend, so I’m glad to be the receiver of them wanting to blow through their weekly allowance. It’s even worse on holidays, they throw parties while their mommies and daddies are away and they want to spice up their experiences which is great for business. I’m happy to provide.”
“But what about those men?”
“Adult assholes,” Eddie said with a scowl. “No idea how they knew who I was and if they didn’t have shit for brains, then maybe I could have referred them to someone else but whatever.”
Finally, they pulled on Maple Street, and he parked in front of Mike’s seemingly empty house. Both cars were gone, maybe his luck was turning around, and he was going to avoid hearing an earful from his mom about being dropped off by Eddie Munson again. That was until he saw his dad walk out of the backdoor into the carport, Mike watched as he cranked up the lawn mower and got to work on their front yard. He didn’t even glance up to the van in front of their house once, and Mike found himself a little annoyed at how clueless his dad could be. Not that he wanted him to dig into him about his company but it would show that he has basic awareness and maybe it would show that he cared?
“Listen Wheeler, don’t go thinking the worst of me, okay?” Mike turned back to Eddie and shook his head, eyes wide. He would never. “Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do, except for you.”
“Why?”
“You, Henderson and Sinclair have a good future ahead of you. Get actual jobs. Sinclair can, well he can do whatever he wants as long as it’s not Basketball,” they both laughed a little. “Henderson will be a science nerd or a Politician based on how much he talks.”
Mike had ideas about his friends’ futures. Lucas always had a thing for planes and history, but maybe Basketball has made a place for itself in his future. Dustin was definitely going to be a Scientist, he was going to be a power couple with Suzie. He didn’t know what Max wanted to do, she never really said nor did she outwardly express interest in many things. Will was going to be an artist, that was obvious. He wasn’t sure if El had any ideas of what she wanted to do when she grew up but he knew he’d support her no matter what. As for him, well, he still didn’t know what he wanted to do. Just like before, he only had Hellfire.
“Yeah, maybe so,” Mike said thoughtfully. “What about me?”
“You? Don’t you know?”
“Um, not really.” Eddie was quiet and looked thoughtful. He supposed he still didn’t know this Freshman all that well. It’s only been about three months since he helped him that second week of school and invited him, and his friends, to Hellfire. Lucas Sinclair and Dustin Henderson were a bit easier to understand and read but Mike Wheeler, not so much.
“You got time,” he decided to say instead. “Looks like you got your mom to stop cutting your hair,” he added.
Mike scratched the back of his head, yeah, mom gave him some pushback but he refused to talk to her for days until she caved. He wasn’t going to cave first after all. So, no more haircuts, just trims, those were important, she insisted. As for the clothes, well, he was still working on those.
“Yeah,” he mumbled. “She wanted to know why.”
“You told her?”
“I just said that I wanted to try something different.”
“Well, that’s true right?”
Mike nodded because it was true. He did want to try something new but he didn’t want to say out loud that it was because of Eddie. His mom would say something about idolizing the wrong people, his dad would agree from a distance and if Nancy was there, she’d probably be an annoying big sister and give her opinion that no one asked for. Speaking of his dad, the man did happen to glance up at the van sitting in front of their house. He could just make out the dark hair of his son.
“Then you’re golden kid, it’s not like you’re being corrupted by me,” Eddie laughed. Mike wouldn’t say ‘corrupted’ but he would never admit it, besides it was the same as when Dustin wore his hair like Steve’s to the Snow Ball. Except Eddie is much cooler than Steve.
“Thanks,” Mike said hopping out of the car. The lawnmower sound kept going but he made eye contact with his dad, who just so happened to be looking up at him. Mike froze for a second, wondering if he would turn off the mower, come over and say anything, like his mom did. But of course, he didn’t.
“Is that your dad?”
“Yeah,” Mike said, his voice low.
“Hey Mr. Wheeler!” He called out, Mike stifled a laugh, Eddie cackling loudly as his dad cut off the mower and faced them. All he did was take his glasses off and wipe them with a cloth from his back pocket.
Lame. Mike thought with a dejected sigh.
“Looks like you were wrong about him,” Eddie started. Mike furrowed his brow, confused. Eddie pointed at his dad. “You said he’d come over and shake my hand. He doesn’t look interested in shaking my anything.”
“I said he’d probably do that, I also said that he’d rather be watching tv,” Mike sighed again. “I better go before he actually does something interesting.”
Eddie laughed and Mike went to retrieve his bike from the back.
“And Eddie?” He turned back, Eddie stared at him through the rolled down window, eyebrow cocked curiously. “Be careful out there.”
“Hah,” Eddie chuckled. “Always am. You too, kid.”
Eddie shouted to Mike’s dad again with a dramatic wave then sped off down the street. Mike watched until the van was out of sight. No matter how cool he thought Eddie was, no matter how untouchable, Mike wasn’t stupid. What Eddie was doing was dangerous. Mike knew about danger, he’d been through a lot in a short period of time. He and his friends experienced so much together, their lives on the line and some even lost their lives (some have come back). At least Eddie seemed to realize that he was in a dangerous business. If he refused to admit that, then Mike would be more uneasy than he already was.
“Michael.” Mike clenched his teeth and inhaled sharply at the use of his full name. He turned and walked his bike towards the carport.
“Hi dad,” he muttered as he walked by. His dad didn’t move from his position so Mike kept walking, slowly. The mower didn’t turn back on so Mike assumed he either was still watching him or he followed him into the carport.
“Michael, your mother is concerned-” Mike leaned his bike against the wall, sighed loudly, his face turned towards the ceiling, annoyed, and turned to face his dad.
“Mom is always concerned.”
Ted Wheeler took in a deep breath as he took in his ever growing son. They were the same height now and while he knew that his son was a teenager which meant even more attitude, he always hoped that whenever he spoke to his children, that they would be reasonable. Holly was the most reasonable one and she was almost 6 years old.
“She doesn’t want you spending your extra time with that, Edward Munson.”
“Eddie,” Mike interjected. Ted tilted his head the way he does without actually asking a question. “His name’s Eddie.”
“Sure,” Ted simply said.
“He’s my friend.” Ted’s eyes continued to bore into Mike, who wished he’d roll them or something more interesting than a plain ole stare.
“He’s not your friend Michael, he’s a criminal.”
“He’s never been arrested!”
“Yet.”
It was Mike’s turn to roll his eyes. His parents were being dramatic about this. Eddie was fine. Sure, he had his baggage but so did most people. Eleven had so much baggage and he would never throw her away, he loved her. Eddie was his friend… at least he thinks.
“Can I go now? I need to make a phone call.”
Mike stood there, his dark eyes staring at his dad’s bespectacled face. His dad, who stood there with pursed lips and eyes that burrowed through Mike, like he was looking past him instead of at him.
“You can go,” Ted said, pointing to the house. Mike nodded slowly and pressed his lips together and turned on his heel to go inside. “No sweetie pie until you complete your homework.”
He hated when his dad called her that. He didn’t even refer to her by that horrible nickname. Instead of fighting back, he clenched his fists and stomped inside. He tossed his book bag on the dining room table, grabbed the phone and punched in Max’s number.
“Hello?”
“Hey, it’s me.” Silence. “It’s Mike…”
She laughed and Mike rolled his eyes and pushed an amused breath out his nose.
“Glad you made it home, two hours later.”
“Yeah, it’s been an eventful afternoon.”
“Wanna tell me about it?”
“Really?”
“Are you gonna say ‘really’ everytime?”
He really was surprised that she asked. Not that he thought Max didn’t care about him but… maybe he should put more faith in their friendship.
“Sorry, no I won’t,” he said with a small laugh. He couldn’t actually tell her everything because he already told Eddie he wouldn’t but talking to Max on the phone, even if it was only for 5 minutes, was kind of nice.