problematic ➳ reddie

41

november   ❀ age 13   

monday came. a weeked of richie staring at the phone, waiting for eddie to call. but he didn't get a call and he was too scared to call him, scared to get lied by sonia kaspbrak.

richie pulled on the baseball jacket what eddie had given him when they were little. it still fit to him, according to the fact that it was huge. that's exactly why eddie had gotten XL so that it'd fit richie when they were in high school.

"richie" maggie tozier yelled from downstairs. "you and riley are going to your dad's for this afternoon"

richie rolled his eyes as he grabbed his backpack and walked downstairs. "okay mom"

"is everything okay?" she asked as she saw richie slouch down the stairs.

"i think eddie is mad at me" richie frowned and put on his sneakers.

"it's not a real friendship if you never get mad at each other" maggie stood next to richie and held his jacket up, so that richie could slip his arms in, which he did.

"but i'm scared he won't forgive me"

"he will" maggie said and planted a kiss on richie's soft hair. "trust me"

richie smiled and hugged his mother. "thanks mom"

"have a fun day"

"i'll try" richie said and ran out of the door, grabbed his bike and walked it in front of bill's house, the other boy almost immediately walking out.

"morning, billy boy" richie smiled.

"h-hey ruh-rich" bill nodded and grabbed his own bike, hopping on it, richie doing the same. and so they began cycling towards the school.

"do you think eddie's still mad at me?" richie asked.

"yes" bill said bluntly.

"do you think he'll forgive me?"

"yes" bill repeated his answer.

"have you talked with him?"

"yes" bill said for the third time.

"what'd he say?" richie asked scared.

"h-he said he duh-doesn't get you suh-sometimes" bill told richie. "nuh-neither do I or stuh-stan"

"i don't get myself either sometimes...i don't know what got into me when I punched stan..." richie grimaced in disgust. "i don't know how they'll forgive me"

"muh-maybe try a-apologizing" bill suggested smiling.

"and if they don't?"

"give them time" bill replied.

soon the two arrived at school, putting their bikes on the rack, noticing stan's bike already locked and secured on the rack.

"bill i'm scared" richie said truthfully.

"you'll buh-be fuh-fine" bill reassured as they pushed open the derry school doors. dusty air filled their nostrils while they walked through the hallways to their usual spot near the bathrooms. and indeed, there stood eddie and stanley, smiling and talking at each other.