𝐃𝐈𝐅𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 ➵ 𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐃𝐈𝐄

vii. seven

DIFFERENCE!

eddie kaspbrak

richie parked his car in the driveway of the two-story suburban house, where bill lived.

richie got out of the car and so did eddie. but before eddie could go to the back seat, where his bag was, richie was already grabbing it for him.

"you didn't have to grab my bag, richie." eddie said.

"it's no trouble, eds." richie said, giving eddie a toothy grin. eddie rolled his eyes in response. the two boys walked up to the front door. it swung open, winding richie and eddie. it revealed bill, who was smiling.

"h-hey guys, we're starting k-karaoke in the b-basement.". bill said before running into the kitchen to grab a couple bottles of water, before heading down to the basement.

richie walked in the house, eddie following after him. eddie didn't text or message his mom that he was coming over to bill's. he left a note for her that he was staying the night with one of his nice new friends he had made.

the two boys and went down to where bill was and saw all of their friends, setting up to do karaoke. beverly was looking through the song options, ben was reading a book over something historical, mike was on his phone and stan and bill were chatting with one another, giggling over something.

"hey losers!" richie called out, dropping off eddie and his things by the stairs.

beverly ran over to eddie and gave him a hug.

"come help me pick a song." beverly said, pulling eddie away from richie. richie waved slightly before walking over to stan and bill.

eddie felt almost lost but he knew beverly was there for him.

"i need you to sing with me." beverly said, flipping through the song selection.

eddie shook his head very heavily, like he was almost afraid of singing. he had these people to make him feel happy but they made him nervous.

"you have to!" beverly suggested.

eddie rolled his eyes. "fine. one song." eddie said. he took the book of songs from beverly and searched through until he found the perfect song.

"this is the one." eddie said, giving beverly a smile.

time skip

richie just got done singing some really dumb song eddie didn't know.

and that meant it was beverly and eddie's turn.

they picked 'Say It Ain't So' by Weezer.

beverly and eddie stood up and went up in front of everybody on the karaoke machine. they grabbed the microphones and held them with a tight grasp like it was someone's hand when you get a shot at the doctors office.

"you ready?" beverly nudged eddie.

eddie nodded his head. the music cued just a second after. here goes nothing

richie tozier

the chords to the familiar song started. it was a weezer song.

"somebody's heine', is crowding my icebox, somebody's cold one, is giving me chills, guess i'll just close my eyes." eddie sang softly into the microphone.

richie immediately fell in a daze of eddie's singing voice, it was perfect. extraordinary.

but before richie knew it, he zoned out. he realized he was zoned out when nobody was singing and eddie and beverly we're finished.

everyone was clapping for them. richie was still in awe.

richie phone started to go off the hook. he was getting messages from greta bowie.

messages

greta bowie: heard ur interested in me 😋

greta bowie: wanna get some food at the diner now? i'm free right now 😉

richie was a little hesitant on answering her texts. but, this was greta, the girl he was dying to hang around and be with.

richie tozier: yeah, i'll meet you in about ten minutes

he shut off his phone off and hopped up off the floor. he grabbed his shoes and slipped them on.

"w-where are y-you going?" bill asked. the rest of group were confused to why richie was about to leave their sleepover, something normal that they always did.

richie played with the tips of his curly, black hair. "i'm gonna go get some more cigarettes at the gas station. i'll be back soon." richie said. "see you virgins later!" he joked, running up the basement stairs with his car keys.

eddie kaspbrak

"see you virgins later!" richie called out before running out of bill's basement and leaving. nobody really minded him leaving, except for me.

beverly turned to all of the boys.

"where do you think he's really going?" she asked, getting opinions from the rest of the losers.

"probably to hook up with some chick." mike said, being for sure on his answer.

i gulped hard. i fishes out my inhaler and pumped out the battery acid tasting air into my throat, being able to not panic over wherever richie was going.

"you okay eddie?" ben asked, turning to me.

my eyes moved over to where ben was.

"yeah, just a little on edge is all." i said, trying not to worry anyone.

it was only my first day hanging with my new friends and i was already petrified of what they did around here.