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"Psst, Eddie" Richie whispers as the history teacher turns her back to begin writing on the board.

"Shh," Eddie whispers back, taking notes on what the teacher was saying.

"Eddie, are you really paying attention?" Richie asks, "This is so boring."

"Yeah, but it's gonna be on the exam," Eddie replies, finally looking up at him.

"So?" Richie asks, "When are we ever gonna need to know what a bunch of old dudes did 100 years ago?"

"For the exam, Richie," Eddie replies as if it were obvious.

"Ugh," Richie sighs, "I fucking hate exa—"

"Boys!" The teacher says, glaring at them. The boys shyly look back at her. "Do you have something you want to share with the class?" she asks, crossing her arms. Eddie turns red as the entire class stares at them.

"No ma'am," Richie replies in his awful British accent, "We are so terribly sorry for interrupting the lecture. Wasn't bloody proper of us, was it?"

The teacher sighs and goes back to her lecture, already having enough of Richie's shit, and much to Richie's dismay, Eddie stops talking to him and resumes taking notes.

"Alright class," Mrs. Anderson says after a few more minutes of lecturing, "You have the rest of the period to work on your projects. Use this time wisely."

Richie instantly scoots his desk over by Eddie. Eddie quickly slams the notebook he's writing in closed.

"What's that?" Richie asks, curiosity piqued.

"Nothing," Eddie says quickly fighting a blush from forming.

"Mhm," Richie says, not believing him.

"So do you want to go to my place to work on the project after school?" Eddie asks.

"Is your mom gonna be there?" Richie asks, grinning.

"You're a dipshit, you know that?" Eddie replies, rolling his eyes.

Once the school day ends, the boys meet at the bike racks per usual and Richie rides around on his skateboard while the other three talk.

"How did you know you...weren't straight?" Eddie asks Stan after making sure no one was within earshot.

"H-Huh?" Bill asks, shocked at the question and turning to face him. Eddie was staring longingly at Richie, admiring the way he rode around so effortlessly. How his hair lightly blew back with the wind and speed of his board. A slight smile on his face as he enjoyed doing something he loved.

"I don't know," Eddie says, dropping the subject as he realizes the implications of his question. But his friends don't laugh at him like he thinks will.

"That's okay, Eddie," Stan says soothingly.

Truthfully, Eddie doesn't know if he's gay. He just knows he likes the way Richie makes him feel. But he doesn't think he should. Maybe he really is sick like his mom says.

"We've got a project to do, Richie," Eddie states as Richie approaches them on his skateboard and begins circling around them.

"Ugh," Richie groans, "Don't remind me."

Eddie grabs his bike, and they wave goodbye to their friends. He pedals away with Richie following closely behind.

Sonia is waiting on the porch for her Eddie Bear to get home safely when they arrive.

"Hi, momma," Eddie says, propping his bike up by the garage. "Richie and I have a school project to do. Is it okay if he comes over?"

"Well, seeing as he's already here and it's for school, fine. But stay off that death trap of his," she adds, glaring disapprovingly.