richie
it'd been five days since i'd seen or even heard from eddie, and as much as i hated admitting it it was killing me.
school had been shit, the days dragged on so fucking bad, and everything just seemed to go in slow motion when he wasn't around. i hated it. i hated that he wasn't with me and i hated that that was such a big issue. i just missed him so, so much. i didn't care if that made me weird or gay or anything, i just wanted him.
i rolled over on my bed and stared out the window, only just being able to make out the trees swaying gently through the dark sky. i couldn't take this any longer. i got up and put my shoes and jacket on, not bothering to change out of my pyjamas. i'd snuck out before, despite it being a rare occurrence, so i wasn't greatly concerned about my parents realising i was gone. it was nearly eleven now anyway, they'd be asleep and wouldn't bother to check on me the next day.
i tiptoed down the stairs, cringing every time i felt the floorboards creak beneath my feet. i held my breath as i heard shuffling from above me, only to breathe a sigh of relief as snores began to echo off the walls. the chances of them waking up were minute, it was okay.
i silently opened the door and pulled it ajar, stepping outside and cautiously closing it all the way before running down the steps of my front porch. having succeeded in sneaking out had given me a sudden adrenaline rush that made me smile widely as i grabbed my bike and peddled my way to eddies house, arriving there in under five minutes. i made sure to hide my bike behind a bush incase of his mother seeing before ducking and making my way round to the back of the house where i knew his window was. my teeth chattered as the cold air breezed past my legs, small droplets of rain falling onto my face every few seconds.
eddies window was closed, which was expected. i smiled at his blue and green chequered curtains, resembling that of a six year olds. i silently thanked his mom for being such a paranoid health freak as if she hadn't been then there would be no need for eddie to live in a bungalow in fear that one day he might fall down the stairs and break something. i struggled against the wind as i walked to his window, tapping on it lightly. a few seconds passed, i knocked on the glass harder, desperate to wake him up.
i nearly fell over when the curtains were pulled back almost immediately after my second knock, revealing eddie's shocked expression. he didn't hesitate to open his window, allowing me to step onto his ledge as he helped me inside his room. i grabbed onto his forearms as he put his hands around my waist so i wouldn't tumble in, i frowned at the way he winced and shrugged his sleeve up.
once i was fully inside and the window had been shut, i turned to face him, taking in his appearance. his hair was curly and messy in a way that i'd never seen before, and his eyes were droopy and accompanied by dark bags. his skin was paler than usual and he just looked so tired. he was wearing a jumper and boxer shorts, his legs looking tiny in them. i looked back up to his face to see his bottom lip trembling ever so slightly as his eyes scanned my face. i felt my heart twist.
"oh, eddie."
i stepped closer and hugged him tighter than i'd ever hugged anyone. it was like my body had suddenly caught up with how much i'd missed him and now it was showing it by the way my arms wrapped themselves impossibly tighter around his small frame. he buried his head in my shoulder, hugging me back almost as desperately. it felt warm, i was so happy to be with him. i wanted to stay like this forever, i just wanted to be able to take the feeling of his arms around my waist and his chest against mine wherever i went.
i didn't even let go of him as i slowly guided us over to his bed, laying down on it as he crawled ontop of me, burying his head in my chest and sniffling softly. i allowed my hand to trail up the nape of his neck and to his hair, stroking it comfortingly. i didn't care if this was weird or seen as wrong, i couldn't have cared less. i'd missed him, and there was nothing weird about comforting a friend, even if it was a boy. he didn't seem to be uncomfortable by our closeness, and i assumed if he was then he would move, but he didn't. he stayed like that for several minutes, breathing in sync with the movements of my chest.
