impulses | reddie

ch 4

"Hey Eds." Richie smirked as Eddie shut the door to his house behind him.

"Don't fucking call me that." Eddie rolled his eyes. Richie let out a small laugh at Eddie's stern tone and the way it contradicted the soft "I love you mommy." That he'd chirped out a few seconds earlier.

"Damn, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed."

"Shut it."

"Fine." Richie looked down with a sigh and rested his hands in his pockets. They began their walk to school, side by side, there was a bit more of a distance between them than usual. The air was laced with tension and fog. It was like they were walking around in the clouds. Auburn leaves danced by their sneakers.

"Why are you being weird?" Eddie asked suddenly, causing Richie to nearly jump.

"I'm not being weird, you are!" Richie accused.

"What the fuck, I am not!" Eddie shot back, this erupted into one of their usual bickering sessions where they would talk over one another. Caring too much about proving their points that they wouldn't even make an effort to listen to the other one.

"You are too! You're being all snappy and shit, more than usual."

"Oh wow, You're being a real dick." Eddie crossed his arms.

"You are what you ea-"

"Shut the fuck up." Eddie interrupted "You really get on my nerves, you know that right? You never shut the fuck up...ever."

"Harsh."

"It's just the truth." Eddie shrugged.

"Seriously Eds, just tell me, who pissed in your cornflakes this morning?"

"Stop calling me that! Stop! I don't like it, okay?"

"Oh come on Eds-"

"Shut the fuck up!" Eddie's voice was louder than it had been in that entire conversation. He stormed off as they approached the school, walking past their friends that stood by the front steps. Bill questioned him as he passed by Eddie seemed to have no interest in talking to anyone at the moment.

"Fuck." Richie muttered. A mix of hurt and embarrassment ran through his body. Watching Eddie's skinny, slightly hunched over figure, stomp into the school. Why couldn't he just shut up?

Waves of fog fell over Richie (physically and mentally) as he walked towards his friends.

Bev was perched on the railing of the stairs, a lit cigarette in between her fingers, she would hide it behind her back anytime an authority figure passed by. Laughter would flood from her mouth. Bill was next to her, also laughing and smiling. Stan and Ben sat on the steps, speaking in quiet murmurs.

"Is Eddie okay?" Bev asked, looking Richie up and down.

"I don't know." Richie looked away guiltily, he didn't really know what he did, but Eddie seemed to be mad at him personally.

"H-he said he wuh-w-wanted to be a-a-alone." Bill added.

"He's just been weird since yesterday.."

"What happened?" Bev asked

"Nothing! Nothing happened! That's the thing! I don't know what I did wrong!" Richie burst out, maybe louder than he should have.

"Woah, calm down," Bev chuckled with amusement. "He's probably just on his man period." she shrugged

"Got any more of those?" he asked, referring to Bev's cigarette.

"Yeah." she dug into her pocket and pulled out a box. "Last one." she held it in the air for a second, making Richie question if she was going to give it to him but she did, a lighter alongside it.