mixtape (reddie)

Chapter 12

Beverly Marsh is the one person in the entire world that will not take any of Richie's Tozier's bullshit. Richie thought that she was the only one, and for the longest time he had assumed she was the only person with the patience to handle him, but he is proven wrong by a boy shorter than most girls their age.

That doesn't stop Bev from being the first to slap Richie upside the head anytime that he does something stupid.

Richie is brushing his teeth when he hears her voice, calling to him like an angry mob, loud footsteps stomping up the stairs as if she's wearing the combat boots she will one day kick his ass in. He's peeled all of the bandaids off because he refuses to go to school plastered in teddy bears and flowers, much to Eddie's displeasure.

Richie feels his blood run cold, and then immediately panics when he realizes the scene that Beverly is about to walk in on.

"Rich? I know you're fucking home, stop ignoring me!" Her voice comes from down the hall. Judging by the distance, she must have checked his room first and found it empty. Richie listens for a moment, but then hears her boots walking down the hall towards the bathroom him and Eddie are in.

"Fuck," Richie whispers, spitting toothpaste out and reaching for the doorknob. Before he can lock it, Beverly is barging in and nearly colliding with Richie's chin.

"There you are," she frowns, pulling him in for a brief hug. It doesn't last long, she quickly pushes back and slaps Richie upside the head. "What is your problem? Getting into fights again? Are you serious?"

Richie looks down in shame as if he's been scolded by his mother. He doesn't know what to say, but then again, he doesn't think anything could be said to justify his actions. Bev hates when he fights, he knows better than to start them. He should have just walked away.

"Is..." Bev trails off, her tone quiet and curious. "Is... someone... in here?"

Richie looks over his shoulder, praying to god that Eddie can stay quiet until Beverly is gone. "No, I just got out, guess I forgot to turn the water off."

"Your hair is dry," Bev narrows her eyes.

"Did I say get out? I meant I was about to hop in," Richie shakes his head, putting both hands on her shoulders and trying to push the teenage girl back.

As if he has only just heard the voices for the first time, Eddie pokes his head out from behind the curtain, his hair flattened and a bit of soap foaming up on his cheek. "Richie? Who is it? Is someone there?"

"N-Nobody!" Richie calls back, giving Beverly one last shove before shutting the door behind them.

Richie looks at Bev, internally cringing at her agape mouth and amused eyes.

"Eddie?" She asks, her voice holding more than a hint of humor. "Eddie Kaspbrak is showering? Did he spend the night? Were you... were you going to join him?"

"What? No! Don't be fucking sick," Richie scoffs, pushing her back with no real force. "The kid crashed here last night and then insisted on taking a shower, whatever. It's not a big deal."

In reality, Eddie had shuffled in very quietly while Richie was combing his hair, and with his puppy dog eyes, he asked if he could shower. Richie figured it was a germaphobe thing, so he agreed, but he told Eddie that he still needed to get ready for school in the bathroom. Eddie nodded, and Richie did everything he could to avoid watching the boy's reflection in the bathroom mirror as he stripped the clothes from his body. Richie and Eddie both know that there is a fully functioning bathroom downstairs, but neither of the two mentioned it.

"Why are you here anyway?" Richie asks, desperate to change the subject.

Bev reaches out and touches Richie's cheek, her fingers brushing against the black eye that seems to be improving. "Bill told me that you got into a fight and your parents weren't home. I wanted to stop by before school to make sure you were doing okay."