problematic ➳ reddie

78

july ❀ age 16-17

"how are you coming along?" ms davis asked from richie who had just sat down on the cushioned chair.

"fine" richie shrugged.

"any mood swings?"

"no"

"that's really good" ms davis smiled. "you're making an amazing progress"

richie smiled a little. "does that mean I can get home soon?"

"maybe" ms davis wrote something on her notepad. "do you miss your friends and family?"

"yeah, obviously. I missed them since I separated from them" richie let out a breathy laugh. "is that even a question?"

ms davis chuckled a little bit. "what are your plans when you get back?"

"spending time with my friends" richie stated. "making up the time we were separated"

"that sounds like a nice plan"

"but I am gonna miss my friends in here" richie sighed. "max and alex"

"alex? I don't remember that he'd be in this department"

"he's not. he's on the mental side" richie said, regretting it a bit. maybe he shouldn't have said that he's bond with alex.

"i'm glad you've made friends"

huh, maybe she doesn't mind

"yeah, it's...nice..." richie coughed and scratched his neck. "so let's say I could get home soon...what happens then?"

"well, your mother will keep an eye on you and you should keep doing those exercises we have taught you. also, it'd be good if you'd stay away from intense situations...you know, near fight scenes or when the feelings are really up high"

"what feelings?" richie tensed up.

"angry feelings" ms davis said. "what'd you think?"

"i don't know...like...touchy touchy feelings" richie blushed a little. "but it's not even a hard thing for me, cause I never talk about feelings"

"you're talking about them with me right now"

"ha ha" richie said seriously. "not but for real, I never was serious with my ma"

"then who was the person you told about how you feel?" ms davis tilted her head a bit.

"eddie, i suppose...and my sister once. but it was only like one time..."

"so it was eddie?"

"well...I mean...I don't think...." richie rambled until he got a questioning look from ms davis. "yeah, it was eddie"

"do you think when you get home you're going to talk with him about this place or your feelings at all?"

"probably...not" richie said. "it's always been so chill with eddie...I don't want to talk to him about me because I know he'd worry about me and it makes me feel weak. he doesn't have to worry about me, I can handle myself. I don't want him to treat me differently because he knows how sensitive I really am"

richie felt like a huge bandage had been ripped off of him. he felt so good saying that aloud.

"so you don't want eddie to care about you?"

"No, I do, it's just...he doesn't have to care about me too much. just enough. the regular amount. he can ask am I feeling okay, but when I say I'm fine, he won't ask anything anymore. I don't want him to get stuck up too far in my life"

"richie, he's been friends with you over ten years, I think he senses when you're not feeling good and that he's already so deep and far in your life, that there's nothing you can really do about it."

richie looked down and didn't reply.

"let's put it this way. you ask how's eddie doing and he looks upset and maybe in the verge of tears and he says, 'i'm fine'. do you buy it?" ms davis asked.

"of course not" richie laughed like it was obvious.

"and what do you do then?"

"I'd hug him and say that he's not okay and that it's fine to feel like that"

"and then he says that you shouldn't care about him. what do you do then?"

"I say that of course i'm gonna care about him, like it or....not...." richie sighed. "yeah I get your point"

"exactly. I'm sure eddie really cares about you and doesn't want you to build up those emotions inside you. you should keep on telling about your feelings to someone. wether is it your mom, your sister or eddie, I want you to do that"

richie nodded. "i can try"

"if that's the closest I can get" ms davis smiled a little. "i'm very proud of you, richie"

"thanks, can we skip the corny stuff now and hit me with the analysis?" richie groaned a little.

ms davis gave richie a smirk and scribbled something on her notepad. "well said..."

-

"i'm gonna be out in a month" richie spread his arms proudly as he walked towards alex and max who were once again playing cards in the lounge.

"really? dude, that's awesome" max highfived richie who sat next to the redhaired girl.

"yeah, ms davis said that I'll be fine...the lowered my therapy sessions to once a week and i'm pretty much done with this place" richie smiled so brightly it could shoot electricity.

"and then you're gonna leave?" alex asked sadly. "leaving us here?"

"if I could take you two with me, I would" richie put a hand on alex's shoulder. "but it's not that simple, buddy"

"no, my therapist said my time here is nearing it's end. maybe two more months and we're done" max smiled.

"and you, alex, you could just lie and say you like girls to get out" richie suggested.

"anything to get out of here...even though I am proud to be what I am...I can't be locked in here anymore" alex looked around disgusted.

"i really am gonna miss you two monkeys" richie leaned on the backrest. "but we got a whole month ahead of us. I say we take the fun out of it. who's with me?"

"oh hell yes" max cheered and stuck her hand out. richie put his hand on top of max's and the two turned to alex who smirked. "you know I like group projects"
and so he placed his hand on top of richie's and looked at him and max, awe in his eyes.

a/n

i'm dreaming of a white christmas
just like the ones I used to know
where the treetops glisten
and children listen
to hear
sleighbells in the snow
the snow
said I'm dreaming of a white
christmas
with every christmas card I write
may your days
be merry and bright
and may all your chirstmas' be white

now that's a racist christmas song