teenage dirtbag

IX: richie

"I have two questions." Beverly asked, sitting next to Richie.
"Shoot it."
"Why do you smoke marlboros now?"
"Eddie gave this to me. He doesn't fancy smoking... You want one?"
"Yes. And two, why didn't you gave him the mixtape yet?"
"I'm going to soon. I promise Bevs."
"Stop being a coward, trashmouth."

"Agh..." That was the first thing that came out of Richie's mouth as soon as his alarm rang. He got up and walked up to the mirror he had in his room and looked at his face... He couldn't see shit until he put his glasses on. "Last day of seventeen..." He said, watching his reflection, blue eyebags, his har had no chance to be tamed... Luckily his teeth were more than fine... Perfect, actually... Wait, was he gaining weight? His face looked... Squishable... Was that even a word?

He ignored it, of course. It was not the day to get himself stressed over dumb things. He could still pull almost everyone he wanted, so... His magic was there, chubbier or not.

Over the bedside table, Richie saw the mixtape he made for Eddie a few days ago, he didn't bring himself to give it to him yet, that'd be awkward, it was just too soon for them. God, he just woke up and Eddie is already on his mind, that bastard...

He couldn't help but smile the whole time while he was getting ready for school, he even put the mixtape on, skipping the first song.

"I made it through the wilderness, somehow I made it through..." He started singing while he picked up his clothes... A Led Zeppelin t-shirt and his red Hawaiian shirt. "Didn't know how lost I was until I-found-you," he continued. "I was beat, incomplete. I'd been had... I WAS SAD AND BLUE! But you made me feel... Yeah, you maade me feel, SHINY AND NEEEEEW!" He laughed while he tried to put on his vans. "Like a virgin, touched for the very first time!" He looked at himself in the mirror again, maybe today was a good day to put on a bit of eyeshadow... Or eyeliner. So he did. "Like a viiiirgiiin, when your heart beats next to miiiiine! Oh!"

Richie took the cassette and put it on his backpack. "Gonna give you all my love, boy. My fear is fading faaast," he kept singing acapella while he went downstairs to have breakfast. "Been saving it all for you 'cause only love can last!"

"Richie, good morning!" Maggie greeted him. "What has you so happy?" She asked, curious.

Richie's father, Wentworth, greeted him too and moved his attention back to the newspaper in his hands.

"Tomorrow's my birthday, of course I'm gonna be excited!" He lied a bit.

"Eighteen is a very important age, son," Wentworth said. "You can't drink but you can vote and go to jail!" He joked.

Of course, Richie had got drunk many times already, he wouldn't wait until he turned 21 to have fun...

"You will always be my little Rich-Rich," said his mother, pinching his cheek.

"Mom!" He laughed. "Yeah, I'm excited..."

He ate his toast and drank his coffee, still humming to Madonna. Maggie knew it was love, mothers know that, but she won't invade his son's mind like that. If Richie felt like telling her, he would.

Richie had a tough time coming out to his parents, he wasn't going to do it, but when he was talking with Stan, they accidentally heard him. It was all shouting, his mother was crying... It took them a year, but they accepted and were pretty chill with it now. He couldn't tell the rest of his family, but he could live his life in his own house and that was what really mattered.

"Have fun at school today, and don't forget to wear sunscreen!"

Richie got in his car and turned on the radio, it was carpool time.

Beverly got in first, followed by Bill and... Weirdly, Stan and Eddie got in together, they both met before school... Nobody thought much of it, since they knew that Stan and Bill were dating, it just looked like Eddie and Stan got along together and decided to hang out. Still, Richie felt a bit hurt, but he'll just ask Stan about it later, just to ease his mind.

He tapped the cassette on his shirt, maybe that would be the day he finally gives it to Eddie.

"Last day with seventeen, Rich!" Mike greeted him as soon as they got to school. "How does it feel?"

"Not very different," Richie shrugged it off. "Kind of excited about my party tho," he admitted, "will you come, Eddie baby?" He asked, looking directly at him.

"Y-Yeah, I promised you, remember? I have to give you your present too," Eddie answered, acting as if he was annoyed by Richie's question.

"YOU GOT ME A PRESENT? I'M THE LUCKIEST BOY ON EARTH," Richie shouted.

"Shut up, you fucking idiot," Eddie complained.

Soon enough, they were left behind by the rest of the group, everyone seemed too caught up on prom that night... Or they just really wanted to leave them alone.

This was Richie's moment. He HAD to give Eddie his mixtape.

Richie's cursing himself for not giving it to him when they were alone at his house, but he was -and is- so, so scared to ruin this. Eddie is one of his friends now, he really enjoys his company. Eddie is funny, witty, adorable, handsome, he always talks so fast, and always has a band-aid in that horrendous fanny pack... Who was he kidding? That fanny pack was the sweetest part.

"Eds..." Richie interrupted Eddie, he was rambling on about something, probably homework or his favorite tv shop.

"Don't call me that... What?" He asked.

"Take this," Richie said, as he took the mixtape out of his pocket and handed it to Eddie.

Eddie turned red just to see it. "Is-is it for me?" He asked, looking at it with shiny eyes.

"Yeah... I thought you may like a personal selection from DJ Tozier..." He winked at him.

"Just like heaven..." Eddie read on the cassette.

"A personal selection by Trashmouth to teach eds about GOOD music," Richie presented his list proudly.

"It even has a Madonna song!" Eddie exclaimed.

"Yeah, because you make me feel shiny and new," Richie joked, getting Eddie to elbow him. "Ouch, I made you this masterpiece and that's how you repay for mi kindness?"

"Shut up, asshole," Eddie said with a smile on his lips. "I'll listen to it and tell you what I think of each song, how does that sound?" He asked, moving his eyes from Richie to the mixtape, he looked like a child with a popsicle.

"Of course, Eddie baby. I wanna know what do you think about it," Richie looked at his classroom, a few steps away from them. He didn't wanted to end the conversation, but he didn't know what else to say.

"I guess I'll drop you here..." Eddie said sadly. "Thank you again for this, it's so sweet from you."

"It's nothing..." Richie smiled at him and waved his hand while Eds walked the other way. "Oh, Eds!" The other boy turned around to look at him. "Pay attention, yeah? It may be a little deeper than just good music!" He said.

Eddie nodded at him and, biting his lip with a very, very lovely smile, he started to walk again, leaving Richie with the face of an idiot in love, hearts coming out of him and his own heart beating faster than ever.

"I really hope he likes it..." Richie whispered to Stan as he sat next to him. "I really hope he likes... Me."