The Phone Calls ☏ || reddie

Fourteen

2530 Maple Street, Hawkins, Indiana
Wednesday April 17th 1990
4:18 pm

"Eddie, I think we should see each other soon. I have my learners, that's close enough, we've been friends since... we were seven which is... seven years!" Richie exclaimed.

"I don't know, Richie. You know how my mom is. There's no way I could get to you." Eddie sighed.

"I'll come to you. My sister can drive me! Or i'll take the train."

"And where will you stay?"

"Um... a motel?" Eddie laughed.

"If you're mom and Ted are okay with that then go ahead."

"Wait... actually?" Richie asked, excitement in his voice.

They were now fourteen and fifteen years old. Richie got a new stepdad, Ted, who has his own daughter, Holly. He discovered his style more and made another new friend known by Max Mayfield. He changed his last name from Tozier to Wheeler, not wanting to remember anything about the monster you helped create him. He became a little bit more confident, not afraid to beat a kid, he'd skip school every once and awhile to smoke, a habit he couldn't quit and would never tell Eddie.

Richie's anxiety wasn't as bad, same with his ADHD.

"Yeah." Eddie smiled.

Eddie's life also changed. His mother got more bizarre, his dad left and his mom was now feeding him placebo's. The only thing that didn't change, was talking with Richie at four and Henry Bowers being a bitch to him and the losers.

"I could bring Jane and Max!"

"Yeah, go for it. You guys can meet Stan, Ben, Bill, Beverly and Mike!"

"Ooooh, you've still never even told me how you look, so I still imagine the boy with pale skin and dark hair."

"I still imagine the boy with brown hair and medium skin."

"Wait till you see how smokin I am."

"Doubt it."

"Rude. Anyway, i'm gonna go talk with my mom and Ted and i'll call you back."

"Okay, good luck."

Richie smiled, he was so excited to meet his best friend. He hung up the phone before swinging his brown door open and running down the steps. His hand spun gently on the white nob as he swung himself around the railing. He ran into the living room where Ted and his mom were, watching TV.

"Mom, Ted," Richie took a deep breath, keeping his excitement in. Then he realized... How was he going to tell his mom and stepdad that for seven years he's been talking on the phone to someone they don't know?

"Richie? Is something wrong?" Karen asked, turing to her son.

"I-" He paused, if he told her the whole story, she'd get mad for sure. She'd take away his calling privileges and wouldn't let him go see Eddie. "Nevermind." He quickly said before running back up the stairs. He knew Mike would help, but asking him would of course somehow would have something get ruined.

He knocked gently on the door. "Mike?"

"Yeah?" He asked, his voice a bit muffled.

"I have a question."

Mike stood up from his bed and walked over to the door. "Yeah?" He repeated.

"Can I come in?" Mike moved out of the way, letting Richie into his room. "So, Eddie and I have been friends for seven years... we want to meet up."