Calculator (Reddie)

-3-

Class had just ended and the group of four boys were packing everything up. Richie was the first to finish, and he spoke up.

"Text me tonight, okay Eddie?" He stood next to Eddie's desk, waiting for a response.

"Yeah, I'll text you later. Bye Rich." Eddie finished packing his things away as Richie nodded and walked out of the classroom in long strides.

Bill and Stan shared glances before smirking and looking to Eddie. Eddie stopped all movements and stared at the two in return.

"Don't look at me like that." Eddie huffed, zipping up his book bag and leading the two boys behind him out of the classroom.

"Like what?" Bill and Stan answered in almost perfect synchronization as they got to the lockers.

"Like you think I'm gonna fall for him, or vice versa. I'm literally just his tutor, so spend your time making out instead of fantasizing about me and Richie. I know how you two can get." Eddie slammed his locker as the taller two boys blushed as they realized that they got caught.

"Shut up." Stan said, but Bill stayed silent as the three boys split up to make their ways home.

Eddie's trip home was uneventful, except for the time a bird flew so close to him that it almost hit him. When Eddie arrived home he realized it was to an empty house. He prepared a snack for himself and went up to his room to work on his homework.

It didn't take Eddie long to finish his homework; it never did. He had the ability to just soak up information, a trait that both Bill and Stan were jealous of. After Eddie finished his homework, he had two options. He could continue reading his current book, "Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda". He had already cried watching the movie, and decided to give the book a try. Or, he could text Richie and sort out the tutoring details. He decided texting Richie now would be in his best interest, so he wouldn't have to deal with the idiot later in the evening. Picking up his phone, Eddie didn't have second thoughts about what he was going to say to Richie.

"Hey idiot it's me"

Eddie didn't know how long it would take Richie to answer his phone so he picked up his book. Just as he opened to the right page his phone went off.

"Hey Eddie"

Eddie scrunched his eyebrows together.

"How did u know it was me?"

"You're the only one who calls me idiot"

Eddie couldn't help but smile. A name that only Eddie called him sounded kinda nice. Of course he could think of a few good ones but idiot had a nice ring to it. So, he changed the contact name on his phone from "Richie" to "Idiot".

"Okay, idiot, how does tmrw sound for tutoring?"

"4:00 sounds good to me. Are u just gonna walk with me from school?"

Eddie thought for a moment. He had never seen what the boy was like outside of school, but surely it couldn't be the worst thing in the world.

"Sure. I gotta go now though. My mom'll be home soon and I gotta get reading. My book is better than u btw"

Eddie couldn't help but throw in the small insult at the end.

"Ouch, jeez, that hurt Eds. I guess I'll just annoy you tmrw instead😈"

Eddie rolled his eyes.

"Great, I'll look forward to it shithead"

Eddie didn't think there was anything wrong with his message, but clearly Richie did.

"Oh Eds, you have a dirty mouth. Maybe someone has to teach you a lesson😏"

Eddie's eyes widened. Was this still the same Richie? The Richie he knew made crude jokes, but this was just...different.

"Shut the fuck up and fuck off. Let me read my book. I'll talk to u tmrw"

"Oh so u don't mind me calling u Eds?"

"No don't call me that"

"Too late, it's your contact name."

Eddie groaned and threw his phone to the other side of his room. Richie would be the death of him, and not in a good way. Eddie picked up his book and read until he heard the front door open, meaning his mom was home. He put his book back in the correct spot and went downstairs to see her.

"Hi Eddie. Can you help me with the groceries please?" Eddie heard his mother's voice as soon as he got to the bottom of the staircase.

"Sure." He got to work helping his mother put the groceries away. As the two finished up, Eddie sat at the island to talk to his mother. "Mom?"

The mother looked to her son, "Yes?"

"Mr. Wallace paired me up to tutor someone, so if you ever come home and I'm not here, that's where I am unless I text you otherwise." Eddie said.

"Aw that's nice, Eddie. Who do you have to tutor?" Sonia asked him.

"You don't know him." Eddie replied, "His name's Richie."

"Well, that's good that he's getting help. Lord knows you're smart enough to do it." Sonia laughed from the corner of the room.

"Mom." Eddie groaned, rolling his eyes.

"You know I'm right, Eddie. How about we go out to eat to celebrate?" Sonia brought up the idea.

Of course, Eddie wasn't opposed, he was just confused, "What are we celebrating, exactly?"

Sonia paused for a moment and thought about it. "Okay, there's nothing to celebrate. I just want to go out to eat." Sonia let out a light laugh while the boy in her life laughed with her.

"Okay, let me get my phone and I'll be ready to go." Eddie went upstairs to grab his phone then got in the vehicle with his mother.

A short drive later, the mother and son arrived at their favourite restaurant, a small Italian place. Eddie was walking behind his mother up the sidewalk when all of a sudden he was hit by someone going around the corner on a skateboard.

"What the-" Eddie let out in anger. He was knocked to the ground but quickly looked to see who had knocked him over. "Richie." Eddie seethed. Richie looked to Eddie with colour rising to his cheeks.

"Uh, whoops. Sorry Eddie." Richie put out a hand and Eddie reluctantly took his hand, Richie helping him up.

"It's fine." Eddie said with only a small bit of annoyance in his voice. "I gotta go, I'm eating with my mom." He continued awkwardly. He made eye contact with Richie for the first time that night and was a little stricken. They were extremely close together. It was getting dark, but Eddie could still see every freckle on Richie's face. Richie's hair was messy as usual but somehow looked good. Eddie could feel his cheeks heating up so he let go of Richie's hand and took a step back, looking down. He'd always disliked Richie too much to realize just how good looking he was. "I'll see you tomorrow." He mumbled before turning to see his mom had seen the whole ordeal. Eddie ignored her and walked past her and as he walked into the restaurant, he heard Richie skate away.

"Who was that?" His mom asked as they sat at a table.

"That was Richie." Eddie said with no emotion.

"That was Richie? You totally like him." Sonia said with excitement.

"What?" Eddie asked shocked, looking from the menu to his mother with wide eyes. "No I don't!"

"We'll see if you're still saying that after a week of tutoring." Sonia smirked, picking up her own menu.

"Mom. It's not like that." Eddie said with finality.

"Okay honey. Let's just eat." And the two went back to reading the menus.

But, Sonia knew her son better than he did, and she could tell that her son was gonna fall for this boy, whether he wanted to or not.

See you next chapter Snowflakes!!