✓ 𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐲 ━━ 𝗋𝖾𝖽𝖽𝗂𝖾.

x

eddie got home around six at night, due to school and going to the quarry with stanley. he snuck in at his bedroom window and saw richie sitting on the chair next to his desk. he paused and just kept his window open. "what are you doing here?" he asked carefully, folding his arms. "i didn't think you were one to sneak out." richie stated, looking at him.

eddie turned away and set his backpack on the bed before sitting down. "i thought you weren't able to come here until twelve." he remembered, wanting to know how he all of us sudden came here at six.

"you keep thinking about me." richie suddenly said, making eddie flush. "what?" he asked slowly. richie rolled his eyes and began looking around the room. "if you're thinking about me, i can just appear. uh, which is kinda annoying." he mumbled, picking up a framed picture of eddie as a kid. he was holding a soccer ball and wore a uniform with a big smile.

"you played soccer?" richie cackled, showing him the picture. eddie rolled his eyes and took it from him, putting it back. "you don't seem like the type to be into sports." he noted, watching him put it back. "i'm not...anymore." eddie had trailed off.

richie just hummed, sitting back down. "where were you today?" he questioned. eddie looked at him with a weird expression. "you're nosy." he said, taking his shoes off and setting them next to his backpack. "i'm interested." richie corrected. "i wanna know more about you." he said, now going through his dresser. "can't you sit still for one second?" eddie scolded. "no, sir'ee." richie said.

"why are you really here?" eddie finally asked. the raven haired boy paused, closing the dresser. he turned around and looked at him. "you know, you met me at a very strange time in your life." richie ignored the question, continuing to walk around the room. "you have no idea how bad it gets." he said low. eddie stared at him, a bit concerned.

eddie began to pick up the fact that out of nowhere, richie said some random things sometimes. "how bad what gets?" he asked curiously, keeping his eyes on him. "this. being stuck here. not being able to go anywhere else." he rambled on stressfully. he pulled at his hair as he sighed, shaking his head.

"richie?" eddie stood up slowly, going over to him. he watched as richie shook his hands at his sides as if he had touched something extremely hot. "if this is about the ring, then i'm sorry. it was an a-" richie laughed without humor. "it's not about the ring." he informed angrily, taking his glasses off.

eddie watched him quietly, not understanding what was going on. it was like something happened to him, but he wasn't able to find out what it was. he was beginning to get worried. "are you okay?" eddie asked. richie shook his head, stopping suddenly as his hands were still. eddie watched, horrified.

"i'm fine." richie muttered, putting his glasses on. he was hardly fine. "...are you sure?" eddie asked very quietly, remembering his mom was still in the house with him. "i said i'm fucking fine." he harshly said. "what makes you think i wanna be here? i don't wanna sit in this stupid room all day and do nothing when i can just leave and explore and do other things besides this." richie rambled, glaring around the room. eddie fell silent, slightly hurt.

"get out." eddie managed to say, staring down at his lap. "what?" richie asked, brows raised. "get out." he repeated aloud, glaring at his legs, because he couldn't bring himself to look at richie right now. it hurt him to even think about what he said.

"fine." richie muttered. as eddie looked up, the boy was gone. eddie stared at where he stood before and felt tears form in his eyes. he was glad richie left so soon, because he didn't want to see him cry. his bottom lip quivered and he put his hands in front of his eyes. maybe richie wasn't that good for eddie after all. in fact, maybe he was the worst.

URIS HOUSE HOLD

stanley got home and shut the door, setting his bag down. "mom?" he called out. the house was silent, making him confused. "dad?" he called out more quietly. he didn't want to see his dad. he was a man of business and people like him have hard heads and short tempers. stanley was nothing like him.

up from the stairs appeared his dad. he was in his usual black sleek suit with his fine hair gelled back. "where have you been?" he asked from the top of the staircase. stanley stayed still, looking up. "uh, out. with a friend." he truthfully answered. his dad kept his glare as he hummed. "go to your room." he said lastly, making stanley look down. "will do..."

"what was that?" he asked quickly. stanley felt his hands shake. "yes, sir." he corrected himself before quickly going to his room and shutting the door softly so it wouldn't slam. he kept his bedroom light off so he was in the dark all by himself.

he fiddled around in his pockets for his phone, now pulling it out so there was at least some light. he knew that if he turned his bedroom light on at this time, his mom would come in and lecture him about bills and how hard working they are to get such a house like this so he kept them off most of the time. stanley clicked contacts and scrolled.

the phone rang and the other line answered. "stanley?" a groggy voice answered. "mike...hey." he greeted, fiddling with the end of his cardigan.

he remembered mikes words perfectly the night of the concert. "that's my number, in case you need someone to talk to." and right now he really needed someone to talk to. they ended up talking all night.

i didn't go to school for three days this week and it probably shows 😔