eddie woke to the same thing everyday, continuous placebos, continuous reassurance from the doctor and his mother on how he'll 'get better' soon. there was no getting better, eddie wasn't sick. the only sick thing was how they thought loving someone was a sickness, there ignorance was sick.
sonia truly believed her son was not only sick but also crazy. she was afraid, afraid of the things she couldn't control. her son was developing into his own individual. he thought for himself, had his own opinions, and took care of himself and sonia saw it as rebellion.
eddie has been there for around 2 or 3 days. he rarely spoke, it was mostly richie initiating conversations with the young boy.
"so eddie," he spoke out of nowhere as they were watching a movie on the small tv.
"yes?" he responded shyly as he usually does, he wasn't good with meeting new people or people in general.
"are ya new to derry? i haven't seen ya around, i know i would remember that spaghettie hair, haha— eddie spaghetti," richie giggles realizing he just made up a nickname for the young boy. he was somewhat upset he didn't know eddie, he felt like they were meant to meet.
"oh- uh, no. i've lived her my whole life," eddie says as he slightly lowers his head in embarrassment, eddie was a no one and he knew it.
"really? all your life you say? how come i've never seen you around school, you look about my age. how old are you?" richie says adjusting his large glasses and staring at eddie. eddie would be lying if he said he didn't find his glasses adorable, especially the way they make his eyes pop.
"i-i'm homeschooled, i always have been. i've never been to a real school. and i'm 14," he said slightly blushing, he couldn't help the butterflies fluttering inside.
"ahhh, explains that. how come i've never seen you outside?" richie asked truly intrigued in the young boy, he saw him as a new friend—a possible member of his group.
"my ma, she doesn't let me go out on my own. she's really overprotective, so i just stay inside all the time," eddie responded quitely, truly embarrassed about his mother's behavior.
"what street do you live on?" richie realized derry is not the biggest city out there, not even close. he knew every inch of derry so he most likely knew what street eddie was from.
"uh- i-i'm not sure? i think something called mercury street, i live in a greenish house." eddie said now turning his attention to richie and watched as his eyes widen.
"MERCURY STREET? that's where me and my friends live! and the greenish house?? i see that house all the time, that's the spot we usually hang out! they are stopping by in a couple minutes, you'll love them!" richie spoke quickly due to his excitement, it sounded as if he was speaking gibberish.
eddie's heart began to race. he was worried at the thought of meeting more people, he could barely meet one without fainting. the kids he had always been jealous, of because they could go outside and he couldn't, we're coming to his room—room 143.
after a couple minutes of pointless conversation and multiple jokes, mainly from richie, there was a knock on the door. eddies heart was racing, his palms were clammy, and he was overall truly afraid of being judged.
after multiple 'hey's' were exchanged among the group their attention shifted to the young boy sitting up in bed starring at them with big brown eyes.
"hi!" a girl with ginger hair said first waving at him, she began to walk over to him so she could properly introduce herself, "i'm beverly, beverly marsh. and that's stan, mike, ben, bill, and i'm guessing you've already meet richie. what's you're name?" she said giving him a heart-warming smile.
"e-e-eddie kas-" eddie was cut short due to richie cutting him off.
"his name is eddie spaghetti, now we don't we give him some room shall we," he said as he stood infront of him as if he was his bodyguard. richie noticed the shyness of the boy as soon as they met, he realized this many people could be too much for eddie.
the rest of the group shuffled back awkwardly and ignored the weird action, they walked over to the lounging area and took a seat.
richie's group asked eddie the same questions richie asked him, they were all shocked that they had been playing right outside his front door. after the interrogation on eddie ended, they were met with awkward silence that was soon ended by the boy he knew as ben, "i told you richie, i told you if you tried that trick you would end up here," ben said laughing followed by multiple laughters.
"i know, i know benny boy. i was just trying to show off my new skateboard but we all know how that ended," richie laughed with the group as he walked over to eddies bed and sat on it placing his hand on his leg in a comforting manner.
eddie zoned out and wasn't paying much attention to their conversation, richie realized this so he purposely began to talk about the young boy—not in a bad manner. richie was asking the group if they should let the young boy in.
after basically having a team huddle they all decide eddie could be the perfect 7th member, they accepted anyone no matter how different. little did they know eddie was one of the most different and most damaged.
eddie was snapped out his trance when richie got an inch away from his face to get his attention, even with richie right infront of him it still took eddie a few seconds to snap out of it. when eddie finally realized he jumped out of shock. richie and the group giggled at him but richie gently squeezed leg to let him know they were laughing with him, not at him. although they just met richie had already realized eddie needed the reassurance constantly, he could see the young boy was damaged like the rest of the group, he would do anything to let the young boy know he was wanted.
"we got a question ed's," richie spoke softly staring directly into eddies eyes, not thinking to break eye contact with the young blushing boy.
"y-yes?" he responded in his usual shy manner.
"how would you like to be apart of us?" richie stared as he glanced back to the rest of his friends.
eddies heart was doing backflips at this point, the butterflies in his stomach were beginning to gain energy with each beat of his heart. eddie had already knew the answer before they even asked him.
"sure... i would- i would love to. but i have to talk to ma about it..," eddie said continuing his blushing looking down again.
"i'm sure she'll say yes eddie! she can meet us if she wants it wouldn't be a problem," beverley said reassuringly of course shooting eddie a pearly white smile.
"o-ok then," eddie said with a small smile followed by cheers from the rest of the group.
eddie was finally apart of something, he had always wanted that. this may have been one of the best days in his life and he had no idea how much more his body could take, until the unexpected happened.
"welcome, spaghetti head!" richie said as he hugged the young boy, he held him close and tight.
eddie nearly fainted and was a blushing mess, but he was numb with happiness and wished richie would never let go.
