Lady in Red [Max Mayfield]

[6]

"Beep, Beep, Beep, BEEP, BEEP!" My alarm clock screams out, forcing me to open my eyes for another day. I groan and pull my covers over my face. Do I really have to go back to school?

Before I can think any longer, I hear footsteps coming dangerously close to my bed. My blanket is grabbed by two, large hands, and thrown off of my body. I shiver as the cold air hits my spine. "Alex. Get up. You need to get to school!" I look up to see my dad looking down at me, dressed and ready for work. He probably doesn't even remember what happened last night. Or he doesn't care.

"I know" I manage to squeak out "just give me a second. I'm so tired" I can see my dad roll his eyes as he walks out of my room.

"Oh and Alex, I need you to unpack the rest of the boxes in your room. Make it look more homey. This is our new house, you know" I nod, but inside I want to scream no. This can't be our forever home. Our forever home is in Derry, with my friends. My best friends.

I get out of bed, following the same routine I did yesterday. Brush my teeth and hair, and get dressed. Today I pick out a green striped tank top and white shorts. I decide against putting my hair up, because my forehead looks bigger than usual. I look at my clock to see I got ready pretty quickly, so I have a couple extra minutes to spare. I grab a random mixtape without looking at it, and slip it in my stereo. It starts to play "Africa" by Toto. I laugh to myself and start to sing along. This is Richie's favorite song. He would constantly play it whenever all the losers would hang out.

••••••••••

"Good morning my fine lads!" Richie says as he steps down the ladder to our club house. Today he's carrying a radio in one hand, and a mixtape in the other.

"Rich, what do you got there?" Ben asks.

Richie grins a big stupid grin before setting the radio on the small table in the middle of the club house. It's a small room, with a tiny hammock, two bean bags, and a few lights that Bev put up to make it look a little more upbeat. It's trash, but it's out trash.

"Only the greatest thing of all time!" Richie yells "well, not as great as fucking Ed's mom but-"

"Beep, beep, Richie!!" Eddie yelps. Richie smirks at him before putting his mixtape high in the air for everyone to see.

"I stole my old mans radio, and made us a mixtape!" Richie states proudly.

"Wow, that's actually really nice of you, Richie" Stan says with a shocked tone.

"Well wait till you hear this, Stan. I didn't actually make the mixtape! I found it too!" Richie says with a big grin. He starts to laugh as Stan rolls his eyes and continues reading his comic. I can see Eddie biting his lip, trying not to laugh. They are so hopelessly in love and they don't even know.

"Well, can we at least hear it?" I ask

"I'm glad someone is interested!" Richie reaches down and puts in the mixtape. A song starts that no one recognizes.

"It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you?" Eddie questions "What does that even mean?"

"Well, it's like saying that it'll take a lot to drag me away from fucking your mom, Ed's!" Richie spits out, laughing.

"Beep, beep, asshole!" Eddie screams "can you go one minute without making a your mom joke?"

"You know you love it, Ed's" Richie smirks at him