AT ANOTHER PLACE IN TIME (YOU WERE INFINITELY MINE) ~ r e d d i e

chapter six • VI

chapter six

richie waits outside eddies dorm in his own car. he rarely drove it but today bev was using the van. he tapped his fingers against the steering wheel to 'The 1975' as he waited for the short, blonde haired boy to appear.

finally the passenger door opened and eddie sat. he buckled up and richie looked at eddie , noticing how he was wearing richies gray hoodie paired with black shorts.

"evening edward" he greeted as he pulled into the street. eddie rolled his eyes with a contradicting fond smile.

"evening trashmouth" eddie said back. he and richie were going to get dinner at the diner. it shocked eddie at first when richie asked to hang out outside of the group and outside of school work. but he was excited nonetheless.

"i see your enjoying my hoodie" richie commented as he turned.

eddie looked down as if he hadn't realized he was wearing it, "it's comfy"

richie chuckled. he remembered the night eddie refused to let go of him because his lap was just too damn 'comfy'.

"do you want it back?" eddie asked next looking at richie.

richie shook his head, "you can borrow it longer, i was just making an observation"

eddie chose not to respond to that. the butterflies in his stomach were flapping wildly. it was stupid really, he didn't even know if richie liked boys. he probably didn't. he probably just wanted to be friends with eddie. that was okay too. eddie preferred the other way though.

they stopped in front of the diner mike works at. eddies smile bloomed and richie couldn't help but smile too.

"my favorite!" he was impossibly too cute.

"i know, i remembered" richie said pointing to his head. eddie looked at him with amusement.

—

eddie and richie looked at the menu still deciding what to get. they had their drinks already but couldn't decide on a meal.

mike came over with a kitchen rag thrown on his shoulder, "no losers today?"

"just us" richie shrugged trying to make it not seem like a big deal. he didn't notice the faint smile on mike's lips or the blush on the tip of eddies ears.

"it's slow today. but one of our waitresses just quit. we'll have to replace her fast." mike looked around the empty shop. it was never really busy on sunday nights.

"your hiring?" eddie asked with a glimmer of hope in his eyes. he needed to get a job. he wanted some spending money every now and then.

mike smiled warmly at him, "we are. want an application?". eddie nodded quickly and mike jogged back to the counter.

"i can see you as a waiter. you'll probably get a lot of tips" richie commented without looking away from the menu. he was stuck on chicken strips or a steak burger.

"why's that?" eddie asked as he decided on a junior burger and fries. their burgers were always too big for eddie. for anyone really.