just a bet | reddie

part iii

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summary: beverly bets richie he can't get with the new kid, eddie, in under three months. richie disagrees

pairing: richie and eddie

words: 2,097

2 months and 19 days remaining

For the past week, Eddie had been uncharacteristically giddy about going to school every day. There were days he even debating on saying he was sick to get out of going, but recently, something changed. He didn't want to think Richie was the cause even if in the back of his mind he knew it was. Eddie swung his backpack over one of his shoulders, stopping in the hallway to check his hair in the mirror. He had even started to care about what he looked like. Eddie tried to wear cooler clothes, style his hair in the way he knew Richie liked (he told Eddie about ten times when he first saw it) and even wore cologne.

Eddie ran his hand through his hair one more time, attempting to make it look messily cute. He nodded, satisfied, and ran down the stairs. He grabbed an apple off the counter, opening the front door and hopping onto his bike. Taking a bite of his apple, he used his foot to kick the kickstand off and started to peddle down the street. He arrived at school minutes later, hooking his bike up to the bike rack to ensure no one stole it. He was about to go inside when he heard someone yelp and then someone else laugh. Eddie walked to where he heard the noise, instantly becoming mad at the sight before him. Ben stood against the wall as Henry Bowers taunted him, holding his phone higher than Ben could reach. Eddie had befriended Ben in his first and third period. He was a nice guy who Eddie wanted to get to know better.

"Henry, leave him alone," Eddie said in an attempt to be authoritative. Henry stopped, turning to look at Eddie with a smirk on his face.

"Well, well, well... if it isn't Richie's new boy-toy. You know, just because you think you're with him, doesn't make you unstoppable." He said, walking up to Eddie just to tower over him. "Or is he?" A voice questioned, that Eddie immediately recognized to be Richie. He walked up behind Eddie, sliding his sunglasses off his face and hooking them in the neck of his shirt. Richie threw an arm over Eddie's shoulders. "Knock it off, Bowers, before I knock you on your ass."

"Wow, Eds, you can't even defend yourself?" Henry chuckled. Eddie felt Richie's body tense against him at the use of that nickname.

Richie let his arm slide off of Eddie, walking up to Henry. "Leave it. You don't want to pick a fight with me."

Henry chuckled, pushing Richie back from him. "Chill out, fag. I'm leaving."

Richie's grin faded for a second before it came right back. Eddie could tell that insult bothered him more than any other. Henry tossed Ben's phone onto the concrete, the sound of it hitting the ground enough to make anyone audible cringe. It was definitely cracked. Henry walked past Richie, intentionally hitting him with his shoulder. Eddie bent down and picked up the phone, seeing a couple hairline cracks across the screen. They weren't too noticeable.

"You're in luck, Ben, it doesn't look too bad." Eddie smiled a bit, handing over his phone. Ben smiled back.

"Thanks for trying to stand up for me, Eddie." He said, putting the phone in his pocket.

"Yeah, I guess Richie helped too."

Richie grinned, throwing his arm around Eddie again. "I did all of the work, thank you very much." Eddie pushed his arm off, rolling his eyes.