Your dirty little secret - Reddie

-14-

The group met up at Bills house. His parents were still out and he was the only one whose house would be quiet. No one mentioned Richie's face, a rule that Eddie had been placing since they met.

Richie had a loud mouth. He didn't know when to be quiet and stop digging holes for himself so he always ended up with a bruise somewhere on his face. It was an unspoken rule by now. Bill and Beverly went upstairs while everyone else sat on the couch and talked.

"So what do you guys want to do?" Mike said, walking back into the living room from the kitchen with a glass of water. Ben looked towards him, "You guys want to go to the store?"

The groups walked to the pharmacy near by to get some snacks. Bowers and his friends were going up and down the aisles taking things out of the shoppers hands. The loser's hesitated before entering. They grabbed their bags of chips and candy, then made their ways to the counter to buy their things.

"Look it's the losers!" Bowers walked over to them as they were leaving. They walked out faster, "What's wrong? Aren't you gonna say something B-b-b-b-bill?" The losers walked faster. They didn't bring their bikes since the store wasn't far and they didn't want to carry bags while biking.

Bowers and his friends walked up behind Richie and pushed him forward, "What about you faggot?" Richie and Stan both froze. They losers turned back to face bowers. Stanley's expression changed from anger to sympathy. Well are they true or not? "Yes"

Stan walked forward, "Oh he's the Faggot? Says the guy whose fanboys follow him around all day! You guys make out a little before you got here?"
The losers stayed quiet. They were shock that Stan would stand up for Richie at all.

Eddie stepped forward, "Go fuck yourself Bowers! I hope your dad shoots your fucking head off!" Richie's face never changed. His shock was enough to prove Bowers right. He knew it would happen.

Beverly called out, "Yeah! Kill yourself!" Bowers and his friends began to yell and threatened to kill them. They ran all the way to Bills house. Both of his parents cars were in the driveway so the boys cussed them out then ran off.

Normally after winning, they would laugh. Richie would joke and everyone would punch him for being dumb. But this time wasn't like it normally was. Richie was quiet.

"It's not true...It was a misunderstanding but he didn't let me explain...I-" Richie tried to justify what had happened. Beverly smiled kindly, "We know, Rich. No worries! But...do you want to tell us what happened?"

Richie looked at her with shock, "What the dick do you mean? I told you! It was a misunderstanding! I'm not Gay, alright? Fuck!" Richie stood up and walked into the kitchen. Stanley got up and followed, "Rich! Richie! Wait, hold on." Stan said walking behind him, "Richie, can we talk outside?"

The group sat in the living room dumbfounded. They were shocked that it was Stan of all people who got up to talk to him. Normally it'd be Bev or Eddie, but Stan? Eddie sighed, "Do you think Stan knows something we don't?"

On the porch, Stanley looked at Richie with pity. Richie looked like his worst nightmare came true. Stan sighed, "They believe you, ya know? But you have to explain this to me now. You said you would."

"Yeah? Okay, Fine!" He changed his tone into a whisper, "It's true, okay. I told you that..."
Stanley slapped his palm to his forehead, "Yeah I know loser, how does he know that?" Richie sighed,  "I really don't want to talk about-"

"No! You said you would explain it if it came to that! I stood up for you so you owe me!" Richie's eyes began to water and he looked at the floor, "I don't know. I wanted to play an arcade game with his cousin, they called me a fag, no big deal..."

"Okay so why did you say it's true then? How do you know that?" Stan replied. Richie closed his eyes and the tears fell onto the lenses of his glasses. He took them off, the places them on the table next to the benches they sat on. He wiped his eyes, "I just know! Okay?...fuck..."

Stan stood up and walked back into the house. Richie dried his eyes on his shirt, then wiped off his glasses as well.  Back inside they were talking about anything but what just happened. Stan walked back into the living room at sat next to Bill on the couch.

"Is R-R-Richie ok-okay?" Bill asked. Richie walked back into the room. Everyone was quiet for a moment before Ben started to talks about the book he was reading to brake the tension.

Eddie scooted over on the carpet, giving Richie a place to sit. Neither looked at each other after that. You could clearly see through the magnifying glasses that rested on his face, that his eyes had been watering.