Your dirty little secret - Reddie

-11-

By dinner, Eddie had cooled off and put down the book he was reading. Sonia called them down to eat, and Eddie had just began to talk to Richie again. He was mad for a few hours.

Before walking down the stairs, Eddie walked over to his dresser and grabbed a different shirt. He took off the one he had on with his back facing Richie. Richie looked away trying not to be weird. Eddie walked over to the door, "You coming or not?"

~~~

Eddie felt bad for yelling at Richie and saying there was something wrong with him. They went back up to his room, "You spending the night or do you just want a few more minutes with me?" He said poking Richie's stomach.

"My dad would kill me if I did two sleepovers in a row!" Richie laughed and laid back on Eddie's bed. Eddie sighed, "Yeah so would my mom. If I, did I mean." He replied. They talked for a whole other hour before checking the clock.

"Shit! I have to go home! I totally forgot to kiss your mom goodbye!" Richie shot up off of Eddie's bed. Eddie felt a bit sad that Richie was leaving again. His heart started to beat slower and his hands felt more shaky than before.

He couldn't ever tell why his hands got so sweaty. Why he cared so much what Richie thought. Why his every opinion got under Eddie's skin or why it bugged him when he made his 'your mom' jokes. Eddie thought he was Richie's best friend. That's how best friends are. You care what they think.

Eddie walked Richie out the front door. He punched him in the shoulder lightly, "By idiot." Richie rolled his eyes, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth, "Yeah goodnight momma's boy~"

~~~

After Richie left, Eddie sighed softly. Did I want him to stay the night? Richie biked home. His worst nightmare came true when he realized he was out later than he said he would be, and his dad's car was in the driveway. He did his own walk of shame into the house.

"You've seen what time it is?" Maggie said, standing at the door. Richie looked up at her, "Why do you care? You haven't drank anything yet?" Just then Richie's dad turned the corner and dragged him into the kitchen.

Eddie laid down in his bed staring at the ceiling. Why do I feel so...weird? Richie and Eddie had been close friends since they met in kindergarten, but last summer something changed all of them. Richie was different. Still a dick, but he looked different? He'd aged?

Eddie turned out his light and went to bed trying not to think too much about it. Sonia called goodnight to him the all of the lights in the house went out. Eddie tried to focus con sleep as he laid motionless for the next hour.

"You said you'd be back by 7:00! Did you even pay attention? Or are you a fucking retard?" Wentworth pushed Richie against the wall, holding his still as he screamed. Richie reached for his glasses trying to take them off his face for the next hit, but he was unsuccessful.

"His glasses! Take off your glasses, Rich!" Maggie yelled as she tried to pry her husbands arms of their boy. Wentworth grabbed Richie's glasses and through them across the room, causing them to shatter on the kitchen floor. Richie's eyes began to tear up.

"When you tell your mom you're going to be back at 7:00, you come home at 7 fucking o'clock!" Wentworth beat him up a minute longer, then through him to the floor like he always did.

A purple ring formed around his eye. He walked over to the other side of the room, patting the floor a bit for the shattered glasses. They were the kind of shattered that needed to be swept up. Richie held back a new set of fresh tears. Maggie grabbed the broom and swept it up for him.

"Honey, I'll pick up the new ones tomorrow, okay? You just try to keep you eyes closed as much as possible so you don't get a headache, okay?" Maggie put her hand on Richie's shoulder. Richie felt broken. He didn't want to stand up, or walk up the stairs, or walk anywhere at all.

He could feel how swollen his face was, meaning it was noticeable and he Couldn't go out without getting questions for his friends. Richie covered his eyes for a moment then stood up, his balance wonky, head pounding, face burning, his hands hurt, everything hurt. Wentworth had go back to the couch.

Richie had told his parents that he would be home by 7:00. He was home by 7:20. It was still bright outside, it was still day and he wasn't late by much, but the way his father acted made him regret going out at all.

He laid down in bed, trying not to move because his whole body was sore. His head pounded every time he opened his eyes and he didn't want anyone to see him in his state. He felt like more of a loser. A freak.