the kissing bridge [reddie+stenbrough]

1

"Bye, I love you, Mommy!"

Eddie kisses his mom's cheek before leaving her to go to the quarry with his friends.

He gets on his bike and takes his usual route, by the kissing bridge. Today, however, he sees a big, new carving on the bridge.

R+E.

Eddie stops his bike and examines the carving.

Could it..., he thinks, be about me? No, I don't know any girls whose names start with R... it could just be some couple anyways.

He gets back on his bike and leaves for the quarry.

"Finally, you're here! Where's Richie?" Ben says as Eddie approaches the group. "Richie's not here? Where is he?" Eddie asks.

"We don't know," Stan sighs, " Ben literally just asked you that, Eddie." "M-Maybe he j-j-just got sick o-or something," Bill suggests.  "Oh, well, are you guys ready?" Beverly smirks.

The losers jump in the quarry. They swim for about an hour, Mike, Ben, Stan, and Bill are playing chicken, and Eddie is next to Beverly.

"I saw a new carving on the kissing bridge today." Eddie says to Beverly. She looks at him. "It said 'R plus E'."

"Hey, maybe you have a secret admirer," Beverly says jokingly. "I was kind of thinking that but, I don't know any girls whose names start with an R. So, it's probably not about me."

"Well, you know someone whose name starts with an R... but you're probably right."

What is she talking about?, Eddie thought.

They all get out of the quarry and ride their bikes home.

///

"Hello?," Stan answers his home phone.

"Can you meet me at the clubhouse?," Richie asks, his voice shaking.

"Oh my god, Richie, what's wrong? Why weren't you at the quarry today?" Stan asks.

"I'll tell you at the clubhouse," Richie sniffles.

"Okay, see you there," Stan says before hanging up.