𝐮𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 : 𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐞

morning sickness.

nov. fourteenth, friday

richie spent the entire night staring at his ceiling, tears threatening to spill for such unknown reasons.

he couldn't sleep and his mind raced at lightning speed the whole night.

' what's wrong with me ? ' he asked several times, teeth gritted and fists balled.

he screamed into his pillow and threw glass at the walls.

he felt as if he was losing it.

maybe he was.

it's friday morning and eddie is ecstatic.

richie, on the other hand, feels emotionally drained from the night he had.

" hey, ed-ds. you loo-ok happy. " bill states with a bright, toothy smile.

" perhaps. last night was just, interesting, to say the least. " eddie quips back with a gentle giggle.

richie scowls and takes another swig of his water. stan notices his demeanor almost immediately and taps his shoulder.

" rich, come with me to the bathroom. " the irked boy shrugs and follows his friend towards the boys bathroom.

" is something up ? you seem kinda off. " stan says, crossing his arms over his chest like a dad.

" no. just– i'm exhausted. i'm not sure. i do feel off. i've been having strange feelings, and i can't really put my finger on what it is. " richie responds honestly, running a hand slowly through his mangled, curly, black hair.

" what do you mean ? has something happened ? "

richie ponders on the question. was something wrong ? not to his knowledge, no. nothing has happened, nothing drastic.

" no. i think . . . " he trails on, twiddling with his thumbs now.

" i think i might be crushing on someone ? " he questions, not too sure if that is what's really going on.

why did he say that, though ? he doesn't like anyone.

stan's pupils blow with wonderment and he walks closer to richie.

" you haven't mentioned liking someone since maybe the sixth grade ! and, after that person found out, you vowed on your life you'd never ' like like ' anyone ever again. " stan chuckles out, patting his frowning friend on the back.

richie hates thinking about his first year of middle school. that year was the absolute worst for him.

" yeah, yeah. shut it. i'm older now and perhaps willing to give it a try again. " he retorts with an eye roll.

stan smiles at his friend and feels a bit of pride.

" good. it's about time you put yourself out there for more than just pity sex. you deserve so much better, rich. i've been waiting for this day ever since you made that stupid vow. "

richie gives a slight smile to his friend.

" yeah, we're going out tonight. i'm hoping to get something out of it. " a deeper voice booms, walking in with a few other guys.

" ah, have you seen the way he looks at you ? i'm sure you can get him to do whatever you want. " another voice says, causing all of them to chuckle devilishly.

richie and stan turn their head to see braxton come in, his other senior friends following him shortly.

the two of them head out and back to the cafeteria to get their belongings.

' i wonder who they're talking about. ' richie thinks to himself.

' probably just another bland hookup for him or something. ' he thinks again, shrugging it off before walking off to his first period.

it would be much more than that for small eddie.