Rom-coms and cigarettes - Reddie

-2-

*homophobia and slurs*

High school for Richie was easy. He understood the work good and he was well known. Not well liked but well known. Everyone thought he was annoying because of his constant unwanted and unneeded jokes. He was very much the class clown.

Eddie on the other hand, it wasn't so easy. Like Richie he was well known, but really not liked by his peers. Everyday people would call him names like 'fag' and 'queer' which made everyone think he was gay. He's tried to deny it in the past which didn't work out very well. The boy wore pastel 24/7 and his appearance had to be precise and clean. He cared too much about personal hygiene and his voice was still kind of higher pitched. It's deepened since he was 12 but not as much as he'd like. Not to mention he's never had a girlfriend or been attracted to a girl in that way and that's obviously a huge red flag in Derry.

Eddie was at his locker when Richie walked up beside him. "Hey Eds" Richie said. "Don't call me that Richie." Eddie said getting his books. "Oh but Eddie you love it!" He said in fake whiny voice. "Whatever helps you sleep at night." Eddie smiled. "Oh you wound me Eds. Right here." He groaned as he dramatically tapped his chest. Eddie pushed him playfully and started walking to his first class. Him and Richie had only two classes together. And one of them was first period.

They made their way to their English class and joked along the way. As they walked they heard a voice say "Hey faggots!" Eddie was used to this. Richie still wasn't about to let Bowers say some shit like that. "The only faggot here is you Henry." Richie said. Henry angrily stood straight and puffed out his chest as an attempt of intimidation. "What'd you call me?" Henry asked. "Oh I'm sorry did you not hear me? I said you're the only faggot here." Richie smirked. Henry went up to Richie and pinned him against a locker. "Take it back faggot!" He yelled. "Oh chill out Henry, you're gonna give yourself a complex." Richie laughed. "You think this is fucking funny?" Henry growled. "Yes I do actually." Richie smiled. Henry cocked his hand back to punch Richie but was quickly interrupted. "Henry what is it that you think you are doing?" Miss Green said. Henry looked at Richie who wore a smirk on his face. Henry huffed and let go of Richie. "Nothing." Henry said as he pushed past Eddie and went to class. "Are you okay Richie?" Miss Green asked. "Yes ma'am I'm just dandy." Richie said in a ridiculously horrible western accent. "Head on to class boys." Miss Green laughed.

Richie and Eddie made their way to class as Eddie jumped onto Richie for pissing off Bowers. "He's a fucking pussy Eds he isn't gonna do shit." Richie said as he sat down."Richie he is a fucking psycho! Do you not remember what he did to Ben? He literally tried to carve his goddamn name into Ben's stomach!" Eddie stated. "Eds I remember, I was there. And that was three years ago. Ben isn't the scared little fat kid anymore. He could kick Henry's ass in a heartbeat." Richie said. "Still Richie, Henry is still very capable of hurting you." Eddie replied as he finally got seated. The bell soon rang and class began.

Ninth grade English wasn't as hard as Eddie and Richie had anticipated. Eddie mainly did his work and Richie copied it even though he knew every answer. It always gave him a reason to talk to Eddie during class even though they were best friends and hung out almost every single day after school.

"So you wanna go to the quarry after school?" Richie asked Eddie. "Richie it's September." Eddie said. "Which means it is getting cold and today may be the last day that we get to swim without getting pneumonia." Richie begged. "Are the others coming?" Eddie asked. "If we ask I'm sure they will." Richie said with a smile. Eddie rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the teacher.

When the class ended Richie walked Eddie to his next class. Richie was never asked to do this but he does it anyway. Eddie had journalism while Richie had art. Both of which were in the same hall so it worked out. Richie dropped off Eddie and went to the end of hall into the art room. This class he had with Beverly. Bev was better with a paintbrush than she was with a pencil while Richie was the total opposite. That's what made them such good partners in art. Bev was good with a brush and Richie was good with a pencil.

Their assignment for the next 3 days was to draw something that brings you happiness. They of course chose the quarry. Richie went at the paper with pencil, drawing the details for Beverly to trace over later with paint. "So Beverly," Richie said. "Yes Richie?" Bev replied. "Are you down to go to the quarry with the ol' chaps at our amazing swimming hole?" Richie said with an awful English accent. "God Rich that voice is putrid!" Bev laughed. "Yay or nay?" Richie asked. "Yes duh. It's the last warm day before fall comes to kick us in the ass." The red head said. Richie gave a smile and continued on their assignment.

Lunch rolled around pretty quickly where of which all the losers said yes to the quarry. Third period was boring as always and last period was as quiet as normal. As soon as school was over the losers were on their bikes peddling down the road to the quarry.
They laughed and talked on their way there.

When they got to the quarry they all quickly stripped and jumped. Beverly went first of course. Then Ben, Bill, Stan, Mike, and that only left Richie and Eddie at the top. "Whoever lands last is a shithead!" Richie yelled as he ran to the edge of the cliff. "Oh no you don't trashmouth!" Eddie said as he ran after Richie. They both jumped off and Richie landed last. "Aha! Fuck you shitmouth!" Eddie laughed. "Shitmouth? Where the fuck did that come from?" Richie laughed rubbing his eyes. "You said whoever landed last was a shithead. Your nickname is trashmouth. So shithead and trashmouth together makes shitmouth." Eddie explained. Richie fake gasped. "Eds you...you've wounded me." Richie said. Eddie rolled his eyes and punched Richie in the shoulder and swam off as Richie swam after him.

The losers swam, played, and splashed. When they were done they dried off on the cliff as the sun went down. Richie continuously looked over at Eddie. He observed his lightly tanned freckled skin in the dim sunlight of the sunset. Richie always admired Eddie. Over time admiration turned into attraction. Richie was attracted to Eddie in a way that he wasn't supposed to. A way that a guy was supposed to look at a girl. Eddie definitely wasn't a girl. This always scared Richie when he would feel this way. Not only was Eddie a boy but he was Richie's best friend. He sometimes wished that he could see someone like Bev like that because she was a girl. But he couldn't. Eddie was always on his mind. "What you looking at trashmouth?" Eddie said. Richie snapped out of it.
"Just at your beautiful face Eds. Each time I see it I think of your mother. Whom I have a date with tonight in her bedroom after you go to sleep. Make sure to put earplugs in." Richie joked. "Oh my god fuck you Richie!" Eddie said as he threw a pebble at Richie. Richie laughs and the two boys wrestle.

The losers got dressed and biked their ways back home. Eddie and Richie lived on the same block so they went together. Eddie's house was first. Richie rode his bike in order to not get his car wet. "Thanks for tonight Richie. I really enjoyed it." Eddie said. "Really?" Richie replied. "Yes. I didn't think I'd miss the quarry so much. I hate when it gets cold." Eddie said. "Hey that just means we get to skate in the quarry instead of swim in it." Richie said optimistically. "I enjoy swimming in it more." Eddie said."Goodnight spaghetti man." Richie said. "Goodnight shitmouth." Eddie said with an eye roll. Richie then peddled home with the short freckled boy on his mind.