CAN'T REMEMBER TO FORGET YOU // REDDIE

o n e

note: eddie and richie are in their first year of high school in this, and the encounter with pennywise took place the summer before eighth grade.

enjoy :)

【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】    

[September 1989]

BRRRING.

The sound of the first morning bell rang through the halls of Derry High. It was the first day of his freshman year in high school, and Eddie already couldn't wait for it to end. He anxiously walked through the halls, meekly hugging his notebooks to his chest as he tried to find his two friends among the crowd. Where the hell were they? Class was about to start.

He looked around uncomfortably, avoiding making eye contact with the other kids pointing out his height and outfit, which consisted of a pink polo and short red shorts.

"He hasn't grown a bit."

"Has he hit puberty yet?"

"He dresses like a queer. I bet he is."

Eddie Kaspbrak wasn't like the other boys, and he knew it. His voice hadn't quite dropped, he was an asthmatic and a germaphobe, he was fairly short, and he dressed in clothing that would be considered childish by others. In other words, an easy target.

He bit his lip and tried to block the voices out, already thinking to himself that his high school experience wouldn't be any better than middle school.

He sighed, growing impatient. Where were Bill and Stan when he needed them?

Eddie stopped to glance down at his schedule, reading that he would have English first with Mrs. Byers. Just then, he heard a commotion coming from a few lockers down than the one he leaned against and immediately looked up.

"You know what, fuck you Bowers! Get a damn life!" a boy shouted.

Henry Bowers. The name sent shivers through the boy, bringing back memories of times he and his gang would bully him and his friends in middle school and around town. It seemed like times hadn't changed, except for the fact that the friends that stuck with him from childhood through the summer before eighth grade - the self-proclaimed "Losers Club" - no longer were the close-knit group they once were.

Eddie took Bill and Stan, while Richie took Beverly, Ben, and Mike after the group fell apart. He wished he could go back in time and prevent what had happened, but it was too late. God, he missed them.

Eddie was brought back into reality by the loud yells of "fight!" and "get him!" by the teenage crowd. He stood on his tiptoes and caught a glimpse of the blond muscular boy, Henry, tackling a dark-haired boy. They were going at each other violently, grunting while smashing each other against the lockers and then the tiled floor.

Eddie gasped and was eager to escape the scene, but couldn't due to the crowd that was developing around him.

Oh my god, oh god, get me the hell out of here. Eddie panicked, feeling at a loss for air.

A burly man with graying hair burst suddenly burst through the crowd, whom Eddie recognized as the principal.

"Hey! Break it up!" Principal Winston shouted, breaking through the swarm and forcefully pulling the two boys off of each other.

"Did this one start this?" He asked the students, pointing angrily at the dark haired boy who was now panting.

A jumble of yeses and nods emerged from the crowd. "You. In my office, now! I'll deal with you later, Mister Bowers." Principal Winston announced harshly, shooing away the blond boy and tugging at the dark haired boy's sleeve.