Richie's been struggling with his sexuality for years, unsure of what everyone would think of him when they found out his secret. After defeating Pennywise with the other losers, he's clueless as to where his life is leading him.
Little does Richie...
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Eddie was stressed out of his mind (as per usual). Not only was his bike in the vicinity of a group of teenage hooligans, but he was missing school! And he was inside of Mike Hanlon's farm house, sipping from the straw of a glass of strawberry milk whilst Richie cleaned his grazes.
"Those guys really messed you up, huh?" Mike said, holding onto the straps of his overalls. He had a sentimental and pitiful look on his face because he knew exactly how it felt to be discriminated against. The prejudice in the town was ridiculous, people really couldn't accept the future.
"Yeah, I was so confused and wacky. I barely remember what happened." Eddie said as Richie carefully placed a yellow bandaid on Eddie's knee. Eddie finished his milk and placed it back on the counter.
There was a comfortable silence which was replaced by the sound of Richie opening another bandaid to put on Eddie's arm.
"I think I'm gonna ask my grandpa about going to school."
"Wait, really?" Richie paused fixing Eddie and looked to Mike.
"I can't guarantee that he'll say yes, but seeing you guys again makes me remember how complete I felt to have a group of people who love me by my side."
Richie smiled a big smile, which caused Eddie to smile, which caused Mike's grin to expand.
"You're all patched up, Eds." Richie finished up, throwing the rubbish into the trash.
"You gotta stop calling me that, Rich."
"I'll stop calling you Eds when I stop fucking your mother."
Mike sighed, shaking his head, "your jokes are still terrible."
Eddie giggled at Mike's comment which made Richie's heart flutter.
'Fuck, I'm in love with him' Richie thought to himself. He looked like a deer caught in headlights. His eyes were wide and you could almost see his whole body perk up at the thought that Eddie was his soulmate.
"You okay, Richie?" Mike said.
"I'm fine." Richie said, nodding. Eddie was his fucking soulmate.
Mike cleared his throat, "Well, how's the housing situation?"
"I've just been hanging with Eddie."
Mike smirked. He looked into Richie's eyes and knew exactly how he was feeling about Eddie. "That's good to hear." He said in a knowing voice. Mike truly was just a sweetheart. A halo could be practically seen balanced on his adorable head.
"I don't know what I'm gonna do when the police remember that Maggie and Wentworth Tozier have a son. Going to an orphanage would be shit." Richie admitted, thinking about his fate.
"Well, they haven't noticed yet so I think we're good." Eddie spoke up in his tiny voice, lying to himself and to Richie. Perhaps it was just the delusion and shock from being attacked by those bullies.
"So no education today?" Mike smiled cheekily, flashing his pearly white chompers (that's what he liked to call them.)
"After what we just went though? No fucking way." Richie chuckled, patting Eddie's knees.
Greta Bowie strutted down the hallway, towards the group of bullies who attacked Richie and Eddie. Smashing Xavier against a locker, she spoke up in her aggressive voice, "is it true, punk?"
"I-is what t-true?" Xavier whimpered unexpectedly.
"You went after those boys?" A crowd began to form, watching in shock as Greta Bowie held her arm against Xavier's throat.
He swallowed hard, breathing heavily through his nostrils.
"Answer me!"
"Y-yeah, but it won't happen again."
"Damn right it won't." She spoke, removing her arm from Xavier's throat and walking off to her next class.
Richie and Mike went off for a moment to discuss something that Eddie was unsure of. Eddie glanced at his backpack, thinking about what he was doing. He grasped his Walkman in one hand, and in the other he held Richie's mixtape. He took a deep breath and placed the tape into the Walkman. He placed the headphones onto his small ears, shaking in anticipation.
He pressed play and his ears were filled with the song by the name of "Eddie My Love" by the Chordettes. He gasped. Was this a prank set up by Richie? Why was he playing with his feelings?
He immediately took the Walkman off, stopped the music, and shoved it back into his bag.
If it was a tape for Eddie, then why was the first song about love? Could Richie like him?
