The Aftermath (Reddie)

6

Richie's POV

The first thing I noticed in the English class room was that there was hardly anyone in the class. The second thing I noticed was the small boy with a fanny back sitting in the back.

Eddie.

He was the last person I wanted to see, we were so close before. We were best friends.

I wanted to turn around and leave the room as soon as I entered it but Mr. Johnson walked to the front of the room and told us to take our seats. I sat in the front, I didn't have to look at Eddie.

Or think about him. I shouldn't have to think about him. Out of sight out of mind.

But that's all I did. I thought and thought over how much he had changed. Even from just a glimpse I could tell he had changed. His arm was out of the cast. His hair was still short and cut clean, but it held some curls now.

And he grew.

Not a lot, not as much as I had, but he wasn't the same boy who kicked a clown's ass with me.

But it didn't matter that he had changed, I still felt the same. And I hated myself for it.

"Mr. Tozier I'm gonna have to move you to the back if that's alright, you're simply too tall to sit this far forward," Mr. Johnson was practical.

Which royally sucked. If he was going to move me back because I was too tall could he at least move Eddie up because he was too small?

"Of course," I said and took my stuff to the back. Most of the kids had chosen to sit in the back, so I had to sit right next to Eddie.

Of fucking course.

I didn't say anything to him as I sat down, he didn't even look at me.

"Perfect," Mr. Johnson grinned, "lets get started then."

But I had already drowned out his voice, how the fuck was I supposed o concentrate now? So many thoughts and memories were soaring through my head.

Eddie breaking his arm in the Wells House, Eddie almost dying. The rock fight against Bowers and his goonies. The club house Ben had built. The stupid hammock Eddie and I somehow always ended up being crammed in.

The clown. Eddie's asthma. My missing poster. The lumberjack. The arcade.

The kissing bridge.

"Richie!"

Someone was calling my name, but I couldn't see. I was hyperventilating again. Someone was shaking me, but I could hardly feel them.

"Richie!" They called again and then I was stood up and walked somewhere. But I couldn't see a thing even though my glasses were still on.

Soon I was lying down, I could smell antiseptic. I was in the nurses station.

"He just started breathing hard and he wasn't responding, and he was shaking and rocking-" their voice was fast, chaotic. Familiar.

"Thank you Eddie, you can go back to class, I got it from here."

Eddie.

I kept my eyes closed while he left.

I was such a mess. I had a panic attack in the middle of class....how fucking embarrassing.

And Eddie saw, hell Eddie helped me. I was pathetic, how could I have fought a killer clown three months prior when I couldn't even sit next to my best friend in high school for five minutes?

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Oof

The angst.

My heart.

There is gonna be lots of teasing and drama and slow burning relationships so I hope you are ready.

I have big plans for this book...