richie
waking up the following morning was difficult for both of us.
i arose first, stretching out uncomfortably as i felt a heavy weight across my stomach and thighs. at first i was understandably perplexed, almost anxious to open my eyes. but as soon as i saw a head of chocolate brown hair rested upon my chest, everything came back to me.
everything.
and it hurt, because i'd forgotten. for a moment, i'd forgotten that i'd had to see my best friend try to cry and kick his way out of my arms. i'd forgotten that i'd uncovered his best kept and most dangerous secret in such an unnecessarily exposing manner. i'd forgotten how i tended to his wounds and carried him to bed as his tears lulled him to sleep, and i'd forgotten the way it had made me feel.
but now i was remembering all of it at once, and it stung worse than any flu jab a more naive version of myself would dread. i would willingly receive a hundred shots if it meant i could wake up and have all this be one horrific nightmare. if it meant that eddie would be okay.
but it wasn't a mere figment of my imagination like i so desperately wished. this was reality, and that much became clear when i felt eddie shift on top of me. i held my breath as he slowly lifted up his head, his soft brown fringe falling into his eyes. it took him a few moments to register me and the context behind my presence, but once he did his face dropped noticeably. he bit his lip and looked down at his sleeved arms, one of them slightly bulkier than the other.
"ed's?"
he looked up at me, swallowing as he brushed his fringe from his eyes.
"it's okay."
i spoke softly and slowly, as if he were an infant. he blinked a few times, and it took me too long to realise he was holding back tears. i quickly pulled him up into my arms and stroked the back of his head lovingly, shushing him and whispering sweet nothings into his ear.
"shh, it's okay, everything's okay. you're fine ed's, it's all gonna be okay."
we stayed like that for a little while, his head on my chest as he intently listened to the rapid beating of my heart.
"richie?"
he asked softly, sitting up in an obviously uncomfortable position. i had thought he was asleep, but apparently he was just an expert at playing dead.
"yeah?"
he looked me in the eyes, his gaze flickering between the both of them as he exhaled deeply.
"i-"
"edward kaspbrak!"
we both immediately turned our heads towards the door, eyes widening at the unfortunately familiar hollering. our heads snapped back to one another, panic obvious in our wide blown pupils. within a split second i had leapt off eddie's bed and stealthily rolled underneath it, just in time for sonia kaspbrack to storm into his room. i could see the mattress weigh down as eddie sat up straighter due to her arrival, the wooden planks that supported it edging closer to my face. my knees were bent in awkward angles and my breathing had halted completely as i struggled to stay as quiet and still as possible.
"y-yes momma?"
i could feel him shaking from under the bed, and i longed to be able to crawl out and take his hand. he liked it when i rubbed circles into his palm, it calmed him.
"what the hell is this?"
i could only assume his mom had presented something of questionable intention as the room became eerily quiet. i wouldn't have been surprised if the ruthless thudding of my heart rattled me out.
