Secret - Reddie

-five-

This chapter involves abuse and homophobic slurs. If you don't really like that you can just scroll down until you see 'SKIP TO THIS PART'. Thanks.

"Eddie, baby, you need to be cured. So that-" "From what, Ma? Tell me. What do I need to be cured of? Loving the person I want to be with?!" Eddie cried. "I love him. You can't stop me from loving him.

"You are not a fag, you are not gay. You don't love him, because you can't love him. Do you hear me, Edward?" Sonia shouted.

"Why can't I love him?" Eddie asked. "Because you don't know what love is!" Sonia screamed, at the top of her lungs. Eddie kept a straight face, but tears still coming down his cheeks. "The real question is, Mom, do you?!" Eddie asked. Sonia raised her eyebrows. "I do know what love is." Sonia said, licking her lips.

"Then show it." Eddie whispered.

Sonia turned red. The anger inside was bursting to get out.

Sonia punched Eddie square in the face. Eddie didn't looked like he cared. He kept a straight face. But in the inside, it hurt. It really, really hurt. Getting punched by a Bully is bad. But getting punched by your own mother. That's worse. Way, way worse.

Eddie started to feel the warm blood flowing down his chapped lips. He wiped it off with his sleeve, and walked up the stairs.

* SKIP TO THIS PART

"Eddie. Are you okay?" Richie asked. "Yeah. I'm good." Eddie stared at Richie, and Richie stared back. Eddie saw Richie's red cheeks, his fogged up glasses. He gave Richie a faint smile.

Richie saw Eddie's bloody nose, and the blood all over his mouth. Richie wiped some of the blood off with his thumb, and held his face. "I don't care what the others think. I love you, Eddie." Richie whispered, and kissed Eddie. He tasted the metallic taste of the blood on Eddie's lips, making a tear roll down his face. "Aw, don't cry." Eddie whispered, wiping it off. Richie kissed his tear-stained cheek, and held him tight for a few seconds. "C'mon. We have to get out of this house." Eddie said, and put his clothes in his bag.

"Where are we off to?" Richie said, putting his heavy bag on his shoulder. "Bev's or your house?" Eddie asked. "Probably Bev's." Richie said. Eddie looked at his Mom, who was still red from rage. "Bye, Mommy. I love you. I really do." Eddie said, and Sonia looked at him. A tear ran down her cheek.

They both left the house and walked to Bev's. "Sorry." Richie said nervously. "About what? Telling my Mom I'm gay?" Richie nodded. "Rich, I don't care. I can't live without telling my Mom I'm gay. I just had to. I can't just lose the person I love." Eddie said. "You mean your Mom?" Richie said, looking down. "No, you, dumb dumb. You." Richie smiled and took Eddie's hand. Eddie smiled and pressed a kiss to Richie's cheek.

*

They arrived at Bev's, and knocked on the door. Bev opened the door. "Hey, B-" Richie and Eddie looked at each other. Bev had blood and tears on her cheeks. "What happened, Bev?" Eddie asked nervously. She waved her hands towards her and nodded.

They followed Bev up the stairs and Bev pointed into the bathroom. Eddie and Richie opened the door and saw Mr. Marsh, lying on the ground in a pool of his own blood. Eddie and Richie looked at each other. "D-do we dispose the body?" Richie asked, nervously. Beverly nodded. "Holy shit." Eddie whispered, and gagged. He left the bathroom. "What do we have to do?" Richie asked. "Uh, you and me, we get the body into his room, and Eddie, you clean the floor." Beverly said, tucking her hair behind her ear. Eddie rummaged through his fanny pack and got his inhaler, and pulled the trigger. "Holy shit. This is happening." Eddie said. He walked downstairs and got the mop and bucket. He put it in the bathroom, and started cleaning around Mr. Marsh. Richie and Bev pulled Mr. Marsh into his room, and cleaned off the blood off of his head. They carefully picked the bloody mirror shards one by one. "Look, we can't just do this by ourselves. Let's call Bill and Stan. Okay?" Richie said, looking at Bev. Bev nodded, and so did Eddie. Richie went into Bev's room and got the phone on her bedside table. He rang Bill.

"Hello, Denborough Residence, who is this?"
"Hi, Mrs. Denborough. It's Richie. May I speak to Bill please?"
"He's at Stan's house, sorry. Bye."

Richie hung the phone up. He called Stan.

"Hello, Stanley Residence, who is this?"
"Hey, Mr. Uris, it's Richie. Can I speak to Stan?"
"Sure. Stan!!! Someone is calling you!"
"Hello? Who is this?"
"Uh, hey Stan. Come to Bev's now. Bring Bill with you."
"Richie? Okay. Bye."

"Great. They're coming." Richie shouted.

*

The doorbell rang. "I'll get it!!!" Richie shouted, and opened the door. "Hey." It was Bill and Stan. "Come in. Who's this?" Richie asked. "Uh, Ben. Haystack. Hanscom." Stan said. "Hey, Haystack. We need you to help us. Richie ran up the stairs, and the other boys followed. They ran up the stairs and saw Eddie cleaning blood off the floor. "What the fuck." Stan whispered. They followed Richie into the room, and saw Bev cleaning the blood off of Mr. Marsh's head. "Hey, Haystack." Bev said. Ben waved at Bev, slightly blushing. Bill and Stan looked at each other. "We need to dispose a body." Richie said. "And we need your help." Beverly said. "No." Everybody looked at Stan. "Was it self defense?" Stan asked. Beverly looked down and nodded. "Yeah, then, you'll be fine." Bill said. Bev gave Bill a confused face. "Your stutter is gone." Bev said, smiling. "Yeah. Ever since Sta-" Bill immediately stopped. Stan smiled faintly.

"Guys, can I tell you guys something?" Eddie said, dumping the bloody water into the bath. "Yeah, sure." Bev said. Everybody looks at Eddie. Richie smiles and nods. Eddie smiles back.