BRUISED ➝ reddie | ✓

4

It was now Monday morning and Eddie felt his numb fingertips jitter at the seams of his jumper, feeling the weaves under his senseless skin without his pulse guiding him.

The pills were messing him up. Bad.

His doctor had prescribed the soft pink and white capsules in order to stop being gay, as if what he had was some sick mental illness. Eddie's mother thought he was twisted, that the rumours weren't true and that people were lying about her pride and joy. Several days later she realised that Eddie was in fact a homosexual boy. However, she refused to believe it and dragged him to every therapist and doctor in order to 'save' him.

He didn't need saving, he was gay and that was that. He had only told Bill, Ben, Mike and Stan but somehow the word got around school, eventually a teacher had confronted his mother about the matter. He didn't mean for everyone to know, but now that everyone did- the reaction he got towards his sexuality choice was repulsive.

Eddie flinched as shame flooded his system once again, pulling his collar higher and walking through the school halls with his backpack settled on him tightly. His eyes held dark bags under them, causing his face to droop down more than the usual. Eddie not only was deprived, he was also pumped up with caffeine from drinking one too many mugs of steaming coffee in under one hour before school.

He was a mess.

He blinked, quickly falling into his own locker and opening it with ease, grabbing certain books that he needed with his head low to distract others anywhere else but from him. He didn't want any attention at all, he just wanted to be seen as normal. Anything but that 'girly boy' who was attracted to men. Anything but that 'small, weak boy' that was a wallflower in the halls.

He wasn't weak. he was strong in more ways than one. People just saw past that because of his physical strength and how it wasn't at the average strength. But Eddie was in fact very mentally strong and brave despite those who said different. He had to put up with the same homophobic shit every single day and somehow he still managed to crawl out of bed each given morning.

"Eds."

Eddie jumped, feeling his hand grip at one of his books tightly- turning to look to his left, to his surprise was Richie.

"R-..Richie, hey." Eddie cleared his throat to prevent any voice cracks, batting his eyelashes to wake himself up further. "How are you?"

Richie snickered, raising his palm and messing up Eddie's perfectly neatened strands, causing Eddie to grumble. "I'm fine Eds, I just wanted to check up on you."

Eddie quickly lifted his clammed palms, flatting down his chocolate locks and sighing awkwardly. "I don't need to be checked up on, Richie. I'm fine." Eddie shut his locker over, raising an eyebrow at Richie.

Eddie was mostly telling himself that he was fine, rather than Richie for emotional support for himself.

Richie pouted, feeling a frown tug at the corners of his lips as he lifted his thumb up, taking Eddie's cheek in his and gently stroking his thumb across Eddie's under eye bags, causing the smaller boy to flush up.

"You have bags."

"And you are in my personal bubble, fuck off Richie!" Eddie snapped, pushing Richie's hand away.

Richie retreated his hand to his side, leaning into a navy locker as his lanky form look down on Eddie's figure.

"Alright, alright. Don't get your panties in a twist Eds." Richie almost felt offended at the boys tone, tilting his head. "I was just concerned after what happened on-"