My Girlfriends Brother || Reddie

Chapter Twenty One

By the following Monday, Eddie and Luke's relationship had found a rhythm that felt effortless, like a song they both knew by heart. Eddie wasn't used to this—having someone who looked at him like he was something special—but Luke made it all feel easy. The two moved through the school day like a well-rehearsed duet, and for the first time in what felt like forever, Eddie didn't feel invisible.

As the first bell rang, Eddie arrived at his locker to find Luke already there, leaning casually against the row of metal doors. His green eyes lit up the moment he saw Eddie.

"Hey, you," Luke said, his voice warm. Without hesitation, he reached out, brushing a stray curl from Eddie's forehead. "You sleep okay?"

Eddie blinked, his heart skipping a beat at the casual intimacy. "Y-yeah," he stammered, glancing around the hallway. A few students were already starting to stare.

Luke seemed unfazed. "Good," he said, leaning in just enough to make Eddie's pulse race. "Because I missed you."

Eddie blushed furiously, slamming his locker shut. "Luke, we're at school," he whispered urgently.

"So?" Luke grinned, slipping an arm around Eddie's waist as they started walking. "Let them look. They're probably just jealous."

Eddie shook his head, half exasperated and half charmed. He was still getting used to Luke's boldness, his unapologetic way of moving through the world. It was so different from Eddie's own instinct to keep his head down and avoid attention. But despite his protests, a small part of him couldn't help but feel a little thrill at being the center of Luke's world.

By lunchtime, word had spread that Eddie Kaspbrak had a boyfriend. It was hard to ignore the way Luke was constantly touching him—a hand on his arm, a playful nudge, and then, by Eddie's locker before fifth period, a quick, stolen kiss.

"Luke!" Eddie hissed, his cheeks blazing as they pulled apart. He glanced around, horrified to see a few students staring at them with wide eyes. "We're at school!"

"And?" Luke said, utterly unbothered. He tucked his hands into his pockets, his lopsided grin as infuriating as it was charming. "What's the point of having an amazing boyfriend if I can't show him off?"

Eddie opened his mouth to argue but quickly closed it again. He knew there was no winning against Luke's confidence, and the truth was, he didn't really want to. He found himself smiling despite himself.

Luke slipped his arm around Eddie's shoulders, steering him toward the cafeteria. "Come on. Let's grab lunch. I'm starving."

In the cafeteria, the rest of the Losers' Club were already gathered at their usual table, their trays piled high with questionable school food. Richie was sitting at the far end, his feet propped up on the chair next to him as he laughed loudly at something Stan had said.

When Eddie and Luke walked in, Luke still had his arm slung casually over Eddie's shoulders. The table went quiet for a beat, and then Beverly grinned.

"Well, look who decided to join us," she teased, raising an eyebrow. "You two are attached at the hip now, huh?"

Eddie's face turned crimson, but Luke just laughed. "What can I say? I've got good taste."

Richie's eyes flicked up from his tray, narrowing slightly as he took in the scene. He leaned back in his chair, his smirk fading as he watched Luke pull out a chair for Eddie before sitting down beside him.

"So, Eddie," Luke said, leaning closer. "What's the deal with the mystery meat today? Think it's safe to eat?"

Eddie snorted, grateful for the change in subject. "Not a chance. Stick to the fries."