Willow is exhausted when she walks into school the next day, feet dragging as she walks into O'Donnell's room.

Everything is too loud, too bright, too much. There's a migraine pounding behind her eyes, and Willow is well aware it's from her lack of sleep from the night before. She simply hadn't been able to rest - she spent her entire time tossing and turning, mind ping-ponging from Steve to Eddie, back to Steve, and then to random thoughts of what kind of math homework Burley would assign by the end of the week, before going back to Eddie.

She had hoped spilling her guts to Robin the day before in Denny's would soothe any anxieties she had from the situation, but it had been to no avail.

"So, you're telling me he just... agreed? Just like that?" Robin questioned, face scrunched up in confusion.

"Yeah," Willow shrugged, "Just like that."

"There's gotta be a catch."

"No catch, except I'll be doing his homework for the next month or so probably."

"No, mark my words, there's going to be a catch," Robin sighed, leaning her head onto Willow's shoulder, "It's never this easy in the movies."

Willow wasn't sure how to respond for a moment until she settled on, "Good thing this isn't the movies then, yeah?"

Her and Steve hadn't spoken since their fight. And as for Eddie, he was nowhere to be seen as Willow plopped down into her assigned seat. She watches the minutes tick down as she bounces her foot, the sole of her Converse producing a muted tapping, and picks at her nail beds as her eyes narrow at the class doorway. A couple peers look uncomfortable at her hard gaze, but all she can think about is how pissed she'll be if Eddie misses on just the second day of school.

All it takes is for her to look down into her own bag, pulling out her copy of Little Women, for the man of the hour to appear beside her.

"Good morning, Red," he greets her, beaming, as he tosses a book onto her desk. It narrowly misses her own novel.

"Morning?" she returns his greeting questioningly, looking up and meeting his shining and excited eyes. She feels guilty for her lack of enthusiasm as she gingerly picks up the book he's so gracefully thrown on her desk, "What's this?"

"My annotated copy of Fellowship of the Ring," he replies as if it were obvious, reaching down and snatching her copy of Little Women, "I'm assuming this is your annotated book?"

She reaches out to stop him, but it's too late. He has the book in his possession and takes his seat behind her, forcing her to twist in her seat to face him. "Yes, it is."

She once again starts to grab the book to take it back, but he immediately holds it out and away from the two of them, "Nuh uh, finder's keepers. That's the point of the project, right, sweetheart?"

"Give me back my book, that's not funny," she complains, lifting up out of seat a bit in an attempt to snatch it back. Eddie's arms are too long for her, and once she feels the cool breeze of the classroom's AC on her lower back that's now exposed from her reach, she settles back down with a pout.

"Red, we're supposed to exchange books. You were going to have to give it to me at some point."

"Yeah, but..." Willow trails off, knowing she has no real excuse, "It's still my book. What if I'm not finished with it?"

"Are you not finished with it?" Eddie asks knowingly, smirking at her.

"I- No. Well, yes," she fumbles over her words, frustrated with how entertaining this was to Eddie.

"Well what is it? Yes or no?"

"I'm finished with it, it's just common manners to ask before you take someone's stuff," Willow finally mutters, turning away from Eddie's now softening gaze and grabbing the book he deposited in exchange for her book.

"Jesus, who put that stick up your ass this morning?" Eddie asks, keeping his voice low. She can hear movement of pages and knows he's probably mindlessly flipping through the pages of her book.

She freezes. She isn't sure what upsets her more - the fact that that's his reaction, or that he's right. The lingering effects of her fight with Steve had soured her mood.

"I don't have a stick up my ass," Willow is just arguing for the sake of arguing now. She knows she does have an attitude this morning. But for some reason, she wants to make it Eddie's problem as well.

"Yes, you do," Eddie is playing right along as she twists back around to face him. There's still a ghost of a grin on the corners of his mouth.

"I don't."

"You do."

"Fuck off."

"You first."

Neither turn away from each other. In fact, Willow has comfortably adjusted herself to simply sit facing Eddie rather than pretzel her back just to face him. She grabs his book from behind her on her desk and brings it to her lap.

"I'm surprised you remembered to bring it," she mumbles, fingertips trailing over the spine of the book. It was a paperback, unlike Willow's hardcover, yet clearly well loved.

"Why else would I almost be late to my favorite class?" Eddie's voice drips with sarcasm as he nods towards O'Donnell, who has taken her place at the front of the class right in time with the bell. "Can't you just see the way that hag is the light of my life right now?"

Willow is snickering, mostly unaware of the fact her and Eddie were amongst the last few distracted students as Ms. O'Donnell clears her throat.

"Alright, settle class," she doesn't name drop, but she does send a hard stare Eddie's way as Willow forces herself to face her teacher, "Welcome back. Today, we'll be jumping back into working on our projects. I'll be coming around with packets of questionnaires you'll be completing as you approach each time milestone for this project, as outlined with the instruction sheet I handed out yesterday."

Willow can hear a chorus of groans from under the breaths of just the students surrounding her, the entire mood of the classroom dampening. She didn't mind the homework, personally. She'd glanced over the sheet and nothing seemed outrageous in her opinion. They'd have a month to read each other's books, answer some questions to prove that they'd done exactly that, and it would earn them an easy A (hopefully).

"By the end of today, you should have exchanged novels with your partner and answer the first three questions, simply stating the book your partner chose, why, et cetera," O'Donnell continues to explain as she walks to her desk and picks up a thick stack of packets, "Please begin, and remember to keep the volume low as to not disturb fellow classmates."

With that, she's off. Instead of individually dropping off the packets, she hands stacks at the head of each row to be passed back. It doesn't take long for the final two packets of their row to reach Willow, and she doesn't hesitate to return to facing Eddie and handing him his packet.

"So, Munson, why'd you pick the Fellowship of the Ring as your summer reading book?" Willow asks as she pulls out a pencil.

Eddie doesn't answer her, distracted with his nose in her book. He's not reading it, not properly at least. He's clearly squinting and judging one of her annotations. "I think the real question is why did you choose this book?"

"What do you mean?"

Eddie flips the book shut and turns it over in his hands, reading the synopsis on the back cover, "It's just- it's just a romance novel? What?"

"I mean, not really. But I guess if you want to dumb down the creative genius that is Louisa May Alcott, then yes - it is just a romance novel."

Eddie glances up at her over the book, "I can't believe I've graced you with an epic adventure story that's sure to keep you on the edge of your seat, and you've given me a bedtime story at best."

"It's not a bedtime story!" Willow defends, itching to snatch her book back, "It's just... so what if it doesn't have the kind of adventure you're looking for? That doesn't make it boring ."

Eddie scoffs, putting down the book, "I have bad news for you, sweetheart. If a book doesn't catch my attention, then I don't read it."

"Now who has a stick up their ass?" Willow swallows down her offense; she's taken back by Eddie's reaction, scrunching up her nose and eyebrows. Really, she should have expected this. But out of all the worries that had popped into her head upon being paired with Eddie for this project, him not liking her choice of novel hadn't even made the list.

"Still you," Eddie smiles, tilting his head as Willow rolls her eyes, "Speaking of your ass stick-"

"For the love of God-" Willow starts to interrupt him, but he ignores her, continuing on his sentence.

"We need to work out our terms and conditions for the whole fake-dating proposition. Make it official."

"Keep your voice down, yeah?" Willow whispers, not wanting anyone to overhear them and catch on. What would be the point of fake-dating Eddie if they had a rumor of it all being fake hovering over their head? Even if Steve is no longer in high school, he'd be sure to catch wind of a rumor that is as monumental as that.

"Sorry, sweetheart. Is the mystery guy you still haven't told me the name of yet in this class?"

Willow had hoped after yesterday, Eddie would give up trying to figure out who it was that Willow had her eye on. She'd successfully redirected his attention at the time, but clearly, he was going to be persistent on the topic.

"No, but word travels fast if someone overhears us," Willow explains, mindlessly twirling a piece of her hair around her right middle finger. She doesn't fail to notice the way Eddie's eyes immediately zone in on it, watching her hair as if he's been hypnotized by the shades of crimson.

"So what I'm hearing is we need to meet up somewhere super private after school again, right?" Eddie questions, seeming eager at the idea.

The prospect of spending more alone time with Eddie is daunting. Willow gets nervous just thinking of it, despite remembering the way it had been so easy yesterday. He never once made her feel uncomfortable. There was no reason for her to panic at the thought of returning to the clearing with Eddie.

"I don't know what excuse I'd use for Robin and Steve," Willow says softly, more for herself than for Eddie. She's thinking through the motions she'd have to take to meet up with him, and the first roadblock would immediately be her friends. However, after her fight with Steve, it might be ideal to give him time to cool down. She'd already given him this morning, having Robin pass along the message that she wanted to walk to school today. It really wasn't that bad, but if Willow could avoid it, she would. "Plus, I'd have to walk home."

Eddie immediately shakes his head, "No, you wouldn't."

"Yes, I would. Steve is my ride home," Willow explains.

"I can give you a ride home," Eddie says it so casually, Willow almost doesn't catch what he's offering. He's saying it as if he's telling her what the weather is like outside, or that it's a Tuesday.

It's Willow's turn to shake her head, "No, you don't need to do that. I don't mind walking."

"Red, I'm insisting. If you agree to meet me after school, there's no way in Hell I'm letting you walk home," Eddie's voice is surprisingly stern as he looks into Willow's eyes, contact unwavering. She realizes this isn't an argument she can win with Eddie.

"Fine, okay. That takes care of that problem. Any genius ideas for what excuse I should tell Robin?" Willow mutters, fingers back to tracing Eddie's book. She's shockingly okay with the fact that they're not discussing the project at this moment.

"Easy, the truth," Eddie shrugs, once again holding a tone far too casual for what he was suggesting, "Just tell her you're working on a project with me. It's not technically a lie."

That's when it hits Willow. She doesn't have to lie - she just has to come up with a lie for Robin to convince Steve of. And Steve already knew that Willow was partnered with Eddie, meaning his idea of saying it's a project was perfect .

"Eddie, have I ever told you that you're a genius?" Willow asks, leaning forward towards him with a grin.

"You've actually said quite the opposite, making fun of me for being a super senior," Eddie reminds her, but his smiling face tells her there's no hard feelings.

It doesn't stop Willow from feeling a tug of guilt, "I'm sorry for that. It was a low blow."

"Nah," Eddie leans forward, and Willow is surprised by how minty his breath is. She's surprised how okay she is being close enough to smell his breath, period, "It was funny as Hell. You should be mean more often, Red. Especially with me."

"What? No, I'm not going to be mean to you on purpose," Willow says, scrunching her face but making no move to put space between herself and Eddie.

"I know you are to Harrington. And I've overheard the shit you've said to Buckley in the halls. I think as your fake boyfriend, I might get a little offended if you don't get tough with me. Seems like your love language."

Willow doesn't have a smart ass remark ready to fireback because her brain short-circuits at a sudden realization.

If Eddie overheard her in the halls with Robin, it meant she was on his radar before this entire situation. It had never occurred to her that while she was judging Eddie in the years before based off of the reputation he had earned, that he might be perceiving her in the same way.

"Am I wrong?" Eddie asks, suddenly waving a hand in front of Willow's blank face. She jerks back to life, pushing the thought to the back of her mind. She could overthink on it after school, after her meeting with Eddie.

"I guess not. I'd just never seen it that way," Willow explains.

Eddie is obviously satisfied with her answer with the way that he finally leans back, smirking. "I guess I know you better than you know yourself, huh?"

In a repeat from the day before, Willow opens her mouth to answer him only to be interrupted with the ringing of the bell. Eddie is patiently awaiting her answer, but Willow opts to start packing up slowly instead.

She doesn't see the way Eddie's face falls once he realizes that she isn't going to indulge him any longer.

It's only once she's safely tucked the packet they were given today into her English folder, which in turn is safely tucked under her arm, that she finally turns her attention back to Eddie. She's standing over his desk, looking down at him messily shoving his papers into his backpack.

"Super, super senior," she says plainly.

Eddie glances up, face relaxed but intrigued. "What?"

"I made fun of you for being a super, super senior. Two supers."

"Ah, so if I had managed to catch your attention last year, you wouldn't have made fun of me?" Eddie catches on quickly, corners of his mouth rising into a teasing smile that matches Willow's currently.

She shrugs in response, "Maybe. Or maybe I would have just had to have found something else to make fun of you for."

"Hit me with your best shot, Red. I'll be waiting."

---

Eddie didn't show up for chemistry. And if he did make an appearance at lunch, Willow didn't catch sight of him considering she kept her back in the direction of his table the entire period. She focused all her attention on Robin and one of the other band kids, the two co-narrating a story of what had gone down in the band room before practice that morning. Something about two seniors getting caught making out, shirts off. Willow didn't catch the names of the two students, but felt the second-hand embarrassment all the same.

It's only as gym class finishes for the day that she lets Eddie Munson take over her thoughts once more.

She and Robin exit the building with bulkier backpacks than before, now fitting their gym uniforms into their bags.

"Hey, so, I'm not getting a ride home from Steve today," Willow announces as they begin to walk the same route they had just the day before. This time, Willow plans to be shameless. She has nothing to hide from Robin.

"Oh, c'mon, Willow. How long are you going to let your pride walk you to and from school?" Robin whines, "Besides, Steve was almost unbearable because of his sulking over you. When are you two going to make up?"

"First of all, he was the one acting like a jerk. We'll make up when he swallows his pride," Willow defends herself, "Second of all, I'm not walking home. I'm meeting up with Eddie."

"What? Again?"

"Yes, again. We have some details to work out. But if Steve asks you, we're working on O'Donnell's project, got it?" Willow stops walking and Robin does the same, looking into her friend's eyes. She wasn't sure if she would have better luck using a 'mom voice' on Robin, or pulling out her puppy dog eyes.

"You want me to lie for you."

"You're not lying. We are meeting for a project, just... just a project that happens to be extracurricular."

"And you want me to cover for your ass?"

"This was your idea," Willow reminds her, finally choosing puppy dog eyes as her final method.

It only takes a moment of staring before Robin snaps her eyes shut, shaking her head away from Willow as the girl begins to grin widely. "Oh, stop with the puppy dog eyes, Jesus christ! Fine, fine. I'll cover for you. Just this once, though. I do really expect you and Steve to make up, even if I have to trick you guys and lock you into a room together to force it to happen."

"I will, I promise. I'm just giving him space, Rob. You know me, I can't go more than two days without the idiot," Willow laughs, slipping the second strap of her backpack over her other shoulder to prepare herself to walk across the football field.

"Yeah, yeah. And soon we're going to be saying that about Munson," Robin mutters, face scrunching as she shoos Willow away, "Go see your loverboy. I'm sure he's waiting for you."

"He's not my loverboy!" Willow calls over her shoulder as she's started speed walking across the field.

"Whatever!" Robin replies, and Willow flips her the finger without sparing her a second glance.

It takes her longer to cross the field today considering she isn't running. This time, she has the opportunity to smell the freshly cut grass and glance over the rusting bleachers on either side. She can even pinpoint the exact section she used to sit at to watch Robin during band practice, and eventually watch Steve during track. It makes her heart ache in the slightest to remember those chilly mornings, when the grass would still be dewy and the sun wouldn't have found its warmth quite yet. She missed it. She missed when everything was seemingly simple, and she just had the beginnings of a silly crush on a dumb boy.

She'd do anything to bring her monster of feelings back down several notches, back down to what it once was.

Once Willow makes it to the woods, she tries to retrace her steps from yesterday. Eddie had let her lead, sure, but something about his presence had reassured her that she was heading the right way. She knew if she took a misstep in the slightest that he was there, ready to steer her back on track. Today, she was missing that safety net. Even so, though, she miraculously finds herself approaching the clearing after a few careful minutes with her eyes glued to the ground in order to continue to follow the makeshift trail in place.

She was expecting to have to wait around for Eddie, but he beat her to the clearing.