problematic ➳ reddie

111

January ❀ age 20      

Eddie sat quietly in the car, as he and richie were driving back home from the New York airport. They had flown back from Derry, since they were only the New Years there. They missed their friends but it was nice to get home.

But Eddie's mind was too caught up with Stan.

"Is everything okay? You've been quiet the whole trip from Derry" Richie asked carefully, glancing at Eddie who was looking out of the window into the snowy streets.

The smaller boy flinched a bit and turned to Richie. "Uhm...yeah, I'm...fine...Have you seen any uh...off from Stan?"

Richie furrowed his brows. "Still the old jew to me. Why? Did he say something?"

"No...not exactly" Eddie shifted. "I'd like to believe it's nothing...We didn't even talk about it with him"

"Talk about what? You need to be a little bit more specific"

Eddie grew frustrated. "Richie, I don't know am I supposed to be talking about this with you"

"Why not? You're worrying me, Eds" Richie laughed nervously.

"I saw scars on Stan's wrist" Eddie exhaled quietly.

This made Richie go quiet. He looked ahead on the road and gripped the steering wheel. Eddie could see the muscles of his arms tighten and his jaw clenching.

Richie always did that when he was worried or stressed.

"What uh...what kind of scars?"

"Like...when a person is really....sad" Eddie mumbled.

"Are you sure they weren't like..accidental? Like accidentally cutting himself when he's cooking or-"

"Yeah, I'm sure. There were a straight line of them. At least four. They weren't bloody. I guess he's done them a while back since they had healed-"

"Stan...he couldn't" Richie denied while laughing. "He couldn't do that. He's happy"

Eddie looked down at his hands. "We don't know what's going on inside his head"

"Do you think Bill did something?" Richie asked.

"Bill? Richie, look at him...He couldn't hurt a fly. Besides, he loves Stan. He wouldn't ever hurt him" Eddie said sympathetically.

"You're right.."Richie sighed. "Well did you say anything to him? Bill, I mean"

"No...I figured maybe it'd be Stan's place to tell him" Eddie said. "But...what if...what if Stan..."

"No" Richie said sternly. "No what if's. He's okay. He's not gonna do anything"

Eddie hesitated. "But...But there's a chance that he could-"

"Don't say it, Eddie" Richie warned Eddie, who gulped.

"Kill himself..." the smaller one finished his sentence, making Richie hit his hands against the wheel, causing it to honk.