"So uh-" the curly haired boy just down from Eddie started to speak with as much confidence as he could muster, "speaking of monsters, uh" he paused again when the long haired boy at the end of the table looked up to meet his eyes, "Lucas has to do his uh, balls in laundry baskets game so" Dustin tried to smile and ease the fury he'd imagined he'd get in return, Eddie sat eating his lunch patiently waiting for the boy to continue, which he did, "he's not gonna be able to make it to hellfire tonight" the boy laughed and dragged out his words as he spoke. Eddies face immediately fell straight. Dustin went on to explain that they couldn't beat his campaign without him and how he and Mike had been talking, all was calm until Mike jumped in.

"Postpone"

Everyone around the table bar the two boys and Eddie yelled the word back at him as if it was a crazy idea. Chatter and yelling escalated from Mikes suggestion until Eddie grew tired of it, yelling "shut up!" He threw one more nut in his mouth, "you say Sinclair's been taken over by the dark side?"

Mike took this as a literal question, "something like that" it was not in fact a literal question.

"Something like that?" Eddies voice raised as he repeated the boys words throwing a nut at him. he took a breath, "and rather than find a sub for him, you want to postpone the cult of vecna?" His voice emphasising one specific word, Mikes word.

Mike began stuttering to answer "I don't want to postpone it, we don't want to postpone it, it's just that you know must of the subs-" Eddie stood walking around the table as Mike spoke, "will be at the championship game"

"Oh is it the championship game?"

"Yea?"

"Can I level with you?" Eddie began to speak facing the two. He continued to explain that a lot of the club were leaving this year, himself included because this year's different. "This year, is my year, I can feel it" he started up again as he turned staring down to the 'popular' table where she sat, giggling at something someone had said, "86 baby," he smiled widely, knowing she could hear him and watching as her head turned to watch him, "you know what that means? It means you boys are the future of Hellfire, I knew it the moment I saw you" he'd now stopped between the two younger boys, Margaret's eyes still following him, listening intently to what he was saying, something that proved more difficult by the basketball teams yelling.

Only now he was whispering ever so slightly meaning she couldn't pick up on his words, not even a little bit, she heard the table howl with laughter.

She watched as Eddie yanked Dustin and Mike up from their seats, she felt the urge to walk over there and tell him to let them go, something that would only end in a fight, so she stayed seated, she still couldn't hear him until he whisper yelled what she thought was "find one" and pushed them away from him.

Dustin and Mike had been frantically calling or asking anyone to sub in for that night, Nancy, Max, Steve, everyone they could think of.

"I know who to ask" Dustin stood up excitedly, Mike gave a worrying look, "trust me, come on!" He grabbed him, pulling him along toward the music block of the school.

Chrissy had stood outside the hall, foot tapping on the floor waiting for Margaret, meanwhile she was in the music block getting grilled; "come on please I need you!" Dustin begged.

"No Dustin! 1: I have to cheer, Chrissy would kill me if I didn't show" she spoke as the held out one finger on her left hand tapping it, then doing the same with a second finger as she said "2: why the hell would I help out that asshole"

"Eddie said he's sorry for the past!" He paused as she gave him the usual don't bullshit me look she did so well, "seriously he did!" Mike even started giving him a questioning look from Margaret's side.

"What exactly is he sorry for?" She probed knowing she had never told Dustin why they disliked each other and certain Eddie wouldn't have either, his ego couldn't take the admission.

"Okay okay that was a lie, but I need you" he put his hands together pleading with her, "you're one of the best players I know" she shook her head as he tried to bargain with her, "come on please! You promised you'd be there for me in case of emergencies"

Margaret stood up from the desk she'd been perched on, did he really pull that card?

"This is not an emergency Dustin Henderson!" She defended.

"Please, I'll never ask for anything like this again" he tried, huffing as she shook her head, he took a deep breath dropping to his knees dramatically.

"Get up"

"Not until you agree" he had now started a one man protest, "you're my only hope Margaret, please" she wanted to say no, knew she should, considering Eddie would hate her there as much as she'd hate to better him, but, on the other hand, proving to him how great she was at another one of his hobbies would be delicious.

"Okay I'll do it" she smiled hoisting Dustin from the floor.

"What?" The two boys said in unison.

"I said I'd do it, just let me change out of my uniform and explain to Chrissy that I've had a babysitting emergency, she loves kids she will totally understand" Margaret made her way to the music room door grabbing her guitar which was snug in its case, "but, you owe me, big time"

She had snuck into one of the girls changing rooms, with tight blue jeans and a pink T-shirt, how fitting for their cult like club, she'd smiled at the thought. The little pink top hugged her in all the right places, two little strings tied around her neck to hold it up.

Pretty. She'd thought.

She let her hair down from that excruciatingly tight ponytail. Letting out a sigh of relief as she did. She looked at herself in the mirror, was this really a good idea? No. But had she promised Dustin she would? Yes.

She'd gathered her things to toss into the car before meeting up with Chrissy, who, as expected, totally understood and wished the 'baby' well.

She hadn't realised this baby was Dustin Henderson.

"Hurry!" Dustin yelled down the hall to the girl as she slowly made her way toward them. Walking even slower after his call. Dustin stood impatiently tapping his food with a hand on his hip.

Little drama queen.

They started walking in a row toward the D&D room, when they walked in Margaret entered last, behind the two boys, a few boys had gasped at their choice of sub knowing Eddie was not keen on the girl at all. She stood down the middle of the room, staring straight into the eyes of Eddie Munson who sat on his throne looking her up and down.

He took in everything, the jeans that stuck to her like glue, the pretty little top, the loose hair, she looked good, attractive good, not good at D&D.

She did similar taking in his appearance, his club T-shirt, leather jacket and denim vest. His hands were linked together in front of him as he looked at his sub. Rings scattered his fingers as always. She found herself staring at his hands a little longer than she should've been.

A smirk spread across his face.

His brow raised.

"Absolutely not" Margaret's eyes rolled as soon as Eddie had opened his mouth.

"You asked for a sub" Dustin stuck his hand out in her direction, "we delivered" he gave a smile, hoping Eddie would just accept it and play. He did not.

"This is Hellfire club, not cheer club" Eddie leaned forward staring directly at her, "speaking of such, should you not be at the precious championship game" sarcasm laced his every word.

Margaret stepped forward, Dustin and Mike following worried that she'd flip, she didn't, she stopped in front of his table, hands lay over it and she leaned down ever so slightly.

"I'm the best player here Munson, take it or leave it" an innocent smile graced her pink plump lips.

He stood thumping his hand on the table as he did, walking around to face her, she stood straight and turned toward him, not backing down from his tactic of attempting to make her nervous.

"You think you're the best player here?" He laughed as he spoke, no belief in her claims whatsoever.

She stood tall, tilting her head up to meet his eyes and hold his gaze, "you think Dustins good?" His confusion showed on his face as he nodded, "guess who taught him" a smirk now covering her face instead of his. Dustin swallowed hard, as she continued, "last chance".

Eddie knew he should say no, hell he should've called the whole thing off as soon as she stepped through the door.

Yet, she intrigued him, massively.

Was she as good as she says?

If not he could hold this over her for the rest of her life, but, if she was it be the opposite.

His lips quirked up into a smile and he stood back so he could hold his hand out for her to shake. "Welcome to Hellfire" She did accept his offer, with a smile covering her own face too. He didn't push about the game she should be attending he simply wanted to see where this lead. He'd hoped it be somewhere good.

It had been intense, Margaret now stood behind Dustin who held the D20.

He rolled.

11.

"Shit!" Margaret cursed without realising. Eddie took notice of miss goodies slip up.

That left it up to her, she stood, dice in hand and smile on her face. Again, she should've been stressed, but all she felt was exhilarated. She shook it rapidly before letting it roll onto the table before Eddie.

Eddie leaned over the table, he felt himself wanting her to roll well, he wanted her to succeed.

It felt like hours waiting for the damned dice to stop, until it did.

20.

"Yea!"
"Let's go!"
Yells came from around her as she jumped and smiled at her win.

"That's why we play!" Eddie had a similar grin spread over his face watching her joy. She looked happy, not popular girl happy, genuinely happy. This is where she should be and he knew it. He just couldn't bring himself to admit to that.

She stood still at the end of the table directly opposite to Eddie who bowed down to her, sticking his arms out as he did.

She enjoyed this, far more than she'd admit, but more so, she enjoyed Eddies recognition of her.

She gave him a look, a look he'd seen before. The look she'd given the examiners when they'd praised her, except this time she'd looked at him that way.

Everyone else had left, Dustin and Mike had to be home for 9 and the other guys left pretty quickly after. Margaret stood at the door ready to leave when she heard "hey, hold up" usually she'd tell him off, tell him he can't demand that she wait for him, but this time, she didn't. She turned and walked back into the room waiting while he packed up.

"What?"

He looked up at her and her impatient stare. It made him feel sort of fuzzy. Sure he'd liked that happy side, but her bitchy side, he liked more, even if he'd never give that away.

"I'm surprised" he smirked up at her as he sat at the edge of the stage like area with her standing over him.

"I'm full of surprises" she smiled back placing a hand on her hip.

He watched her chest rise and fall for a moment, for some reason he hadn't wanted this moment to end. She looked different, sure she was in her little pretty posh girl outfit and yes, she was back to her obnoxious self but, she had played a game her friends had thought only freaks had played. Not only had she played but she was incredible.

He stood, hanging over her by a good few inches, she stood at roughly 5 foot 7 while he stood at 6 foot. Her eyes followed his body from his chest up to his face, he enjoyed watching her taking him in, "I bet you are" the words came out his mouth in a flirtatious way, a way he knew would get to her, would freak her out.

To his surprise it didn't, "maybe I'll let you in on some more, eventually" she pushed him back with her pointer finger to his chest, he felt a fire roar inside of him, "need a ride?" She offered without a clue where he lived.

"No" his answer was quick, urgent, taking her back a little.

"Wow okay, no need to be rude" she flipped her hair over her shoulder walking out the room and away from him.