learning // reddie

chapter six: the joke's on me.

Hey guys! I've decided that I'll try to update at least three times a week, maybe more if I can. No official update dates yet, though.

Song for this chapter; She (*He (;) Will Be Loved by Maroon 5.

Fuck , fuck, fuck-

"Eds? I asked what that blue one was for," Richie's voice pierced my internal screaming. I looked at him, and I realized that I shouldn't be afraid. I barely knew this kid, and if he did have a problem, maybe I could just forget about him.

Yeah, that wasn't going to happen.

"Can I trust you?" I asked softly, tentatively. He looked hurt before he quickly recovered. "Of course you can trust me, Eds. I'm not here to judge you," he said to me, equally as gentle. I sighed, before picking up the pill bottle and handing it to him.

"These pills are most likely gazebos. My mother has an.. Issue, with me being gay. She believes these will- fix me?" I tried, not really knowing how to explain. I shook my head slightly, feeling tears fill into my waterline. I felt a big hand on my shoulder, and when I glanced up, Rich was staring into my eyes.

"Eds, you're not sick. You're you, and you're beautiful. If your mother can't see that, I'll just have to try extra hard to show you," he said to me, fierce and determined.

"..Rich, thank you," I breathed, my heart full.

"You said gazebos."

"What-?"

"You said.. Gazebos," and Richie began to break into a smile, ear to ear. I was confused. "What do you mean?" I asked, still not aware.

"It's placebos, Eddie Spaghetti. Placebos," Richie was now laughing, and I began to laugh too. His smile was contagious, his laugh infectious. I wanted to hear it all the time, everyday. I kept giggling, my back on the floor and my hands covering my stomach. Once we started, we couldn't stop; we were a duo of laughing crazies, probably seeming insane if we were to be seen by someone else.

It seemed as though I completely forgot about my troubles, only relishing in the moments I shared with Richie Tozier; the boy of my dreams.

Holy fuck, did I just think that?

—————
RICHIES POV:

As of right now, Eddie Spaghetti was rolling on my carpet floor, both of us laughing our asses off. I couldn't believe how bad my stomach hurt. Once our laughter died down, I looked at my Eds, his cheeks a bright pink. His eyes twinkled and his lips were upturned in a smile. My heart warmed at the sight; I had made him laugh and smile. His giggles were music to my ears, like heaven's symphonies from above.

Suddenly, I got an idea.

Music.

I got up fast, dashing to my record player and removing my Beatles album, switching it out for my record playlist of mushy love songs. Flipping it to the B side, I let them play through, until the song i needed came on. With or Without You by U2 came on, and I watched as Eds' face brightened. "You know this song, too?" I asked excitedly, getting up and holding out my hand. He grabbed it, and I set my hands onto his hips.

"Let's dance," I whispered.

And so we did, slowly dancing in time with the music.

And you give yourself away...

I smiled softly as Eds put his head on my shoulder.

I can't live...

Eds pulled his head away, exposing his bright eyes to me.

With or without you.

Eddie smiled softly and looked into my eyes, my heart melting. How did I end up dancing with such a beautiful boy? I asked myself, and looked at my feet, which were constantly stepping on his. I was a horrible dancer. I sighed when the song was over, for that meant the moment was over.

As Eds began to sit down again, I silently pondered something.

Maybe Eddie was the exception to my denial of attraction to boys.

Jesus Christ, the joke really was on me. Who was I kidding? "I'm not attracted to boys," I remembered thinking, and almost laughed.

God, how wrong I was.