Hold Me (Reddie)

The Moon To My Tide

Eddie placed a stamp delicately on the envelope, then wrote Richie's address in big bubbly letters. He didn't want Richie to see the handwriting and know that his best friend of what seemed like forever had written him a romantic poem. God, that kind of thing would kill Eddie. Oh hey Eddie, how's it going? Also, by any chance, did you write me some gay ass poem and put it in the mail? An obnoxiously large handwriting would prevent any of...that kind of thing from happening. So once Eddie was done staring at the envelope like there was a bomb inside, he ran outside and plopped it in the mailbox. It would take less than a day to deliver. It was still around ten in the morning and Eddie's street was before Richie's on the route. Eddie was thankful for that. He trudged back inside, looking at his mom in her pajamas on the couch. God, she was disgusting.

"Eddie dear, what was that?" Mama asked, her eyes piercing her son behind her spectacles. She shut off the television with her big fat fingers.

"Just a letter," Eddie explained. "You know my friend Richie, of course. It's a...a pen pal project for school. We have to exchange letters for school." Mama seemed to believe well enough, because she nodded and that was that. At least, Eddie thought that was that. But for some reason Mama always had to push the limits of her son's sanity. She just couldn't leave him alone.

"Eddie dear, how come you haven't been talking to your mama about things anymore?"

Of course he didn't talk to her! She was crazy! All she wanted was to make sure that by the time Eddie was an adult he was as crazy, if not crazier! And what was he supposed to do? What did mama want? Did she want him to say that he has a crush on his friend or that he was almost killed by some monster in the summer. "I don't know, I guess I just don't have much to talk about. You don't like my friends, why would you want to hear about them?"

"Don't give me attitude, I just want to be a part of my child's life. How about this...why don't you tell me how you got that bandaid on your forehead?"

"It's nothing mama I swear," Eddie pleaded. He wanted to get away from his mother's nagging. He wanted to run out on the street and stop that damn mail truck before it destroyed his friendship with Richie. Because lord that Richie was incredible. "You don't need to worry, I fell off my bike."

"You shouldn't be biking in this weather in the first place. It's very cold, and the streets are covered in ice. No wonder you fell. But maybe you shouldn't be hanging out with those friends in the first place. They're no good, especially that Rich kid. It's like he can't ever shut his mouth."

Eddie was getting upset now. His mother shouldn't be talking like that. Of course Richie was annoying. Everyone knew that, especially Eddie. But Eddie didn't care if his friend was annoying or not because in ways he could never explain that kid was perfect, and Eddie would never stop thinking about him. He knew he couldn't ever be honest (he didn't want to be shamed in the whole town as a queer), but sometimes he wished he could just kiss the stupid black haired kid. He had never kissed anyone. Not even pecked. But he knew it would be monumental to kiss Richie, he just knew it. "Don't be mean, Richie's a good kid."

"He's a troublemaker, that's what he is. Comes into this house, spreads his filthy hands all over, cursing like there's no tomorrow, and making my little Eddie a troublemaker too!"

"I'm no troublemaker, ma," Eddie yelled back.

"Don't disrespect me, I'm just saying that a queer kid like that isn't what I want my boy hanging around. The black boy from the outskirts of town, the fat kid, the Jew, and that slut Ms. Marsh. You should be hanging out with good kids, Eddie, not freaks."

Eddie was getting really mad. Mama was disrespectful to his friends, and for no exact reason in particular. What did they do? Those kids were the only ones who would ever want to hang out with an asthmatic germaphobe like Eddie Kaspbrak. A stutterer, a loudmouth, a Jew, a slut, a fat kid, an outcast, and Eddie. Why else would they call it the losers club? They were a bunch of rejects, all of them. Some of them were okay with that. Most of them were. Stan seemed to be the least okay with that, he was always the most sensitive about the bullying in school. Even more sensitive than Eddie. "Ma you know most kids don't wanna hang out with boys like me," Eddie sighed. "Can I use the phone? I want to go over to Richie's."

Eddie was surprised when his mother agreed to him going. Maybe she was just sick of her son, or maybe she could finally see how much he needed his friends. Maybe he could get to Richie's and find the letter before Richie could. Maybe he could stop the letter from getting there. He put Richie's number in.

"Hello, Richie Tozier speaking," Richie said on the phone. His voice sounded drained.

"Hey Richie, it's Eddie. I was wondering if I could hang out with you. Mama said I could, so I wanna. We can go out if you want, out to the Barrens to skate."

"We haven't gone to the Barrens since before Halloween," Richie informed him, as if he already didn't know. "You've been acting weird, Eds, did something happen?"

"Maybe. I don't know," Eddie said honestly. "I just want to hang out with you. We can meet at the Barrens if you'd like. Bring the size seven skates, you know I have small feet. Maybe you can ask the others to come along. I don't think Bill or Bev will want to though. Do you know how long she's in town?"

"All fucking week," Richie whined. "She's staying at Bill's house." Eddie didn't know why Richie seemed to hate Beverly all of a sudden. Did he have a crush? Was he annoyed? Eddie had no clue. "I'll meet you at the Barrens. Later."

"Bye."