𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 | 𝕣𝕖𝕕𝕕𝕚𝕖

chapter eleven: stand by me

The sun began to set, which caused the remaining hippies to gather around a fire and sing 'Stand By Me' with about as much joy as any child who realised they hadn't received coal as a Christmas present and instead received a lovely little train set or something else of the sort.

But it wasn't December. It was October of course!

While the joyous activists harmoniously sung like how sirens would be imagined to sing, Eddie sat in his and Richie's tent, contemplating, well... just about his whole life.

Who was Eddie Kaspbrak? Was he a boy who likes boys? Would he have to start actually going by 'Edward' when he reaches the age of 30? With all these questions on his mind, there wasn't much room at all for rationality. He didn't stop to think, 'hey, maybe being in love with a boy isn't unnatural at all!'. Instead, he thought, 'what would Richie think of me if he knew?'

Whilst Eddie was have a nervous breakdown in the small yellow tent, Richie was deep in an interrogation from Stan.

"We took you in even though we know that you're basically fugitives!" Stan whisper-yelled at Richie, where they were hiding behind a tree, out of sight.

"I don't even know what you're accusing me of." Richie told him.

"I think you know what I'm accusing you of."

Richie shrugged, his face showing nothing but harmless stupidity.

"Ugh! You're in love with Eddie and you won't do shit about it!" Stan began to ramble, "all I've been seeing today is flirting, flirting, flirting! He probably doesn't even know what romance is, you nutsack! You need to grab his little face and admit that you want to be with him! Mike and I hate bullshit like this. In fact, when we met, we just got straight to it! We started dating right then and there 'cause we don't fuck around! I honestly thought that you were a couple!"

Richie was speechless.

"Well, there you have it." Stan breathed a relaxed breath. "That's the truth. You need to get your act together. Life is short."

Richie knew there was no point in arguing against him, "Eddie and I haven't even known each other for that long." He sighed.

"When you know, you know." Stan said smartly, "the future is on its way and it's lookin' good to me." He couldn't help but chuckle, "it's looking good for us."

Richie smiled, "I wish that the future was today."

"It's all about the anticipation, friend."

★

"Eddie? You alright in there?" Mike asked through Eddie's tent with worry.

"I'm okay." Eddie answered in his muffled, meek voice. He opened up the tent, displaying his bloodshot eyes and cute sniffling nose.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't really know for sure."

Eddie sniffled quietly, causing Mike's protective instincts to kick in, "tell me what you're thinking right now."

"I feel scared." Eddie admitted.

"Of what?"

"Being rejected." Eddie's sniffles didn't falter, and Mike almost related to the small new-found friend.

"You're in love with that goofy bug-eyed doofus, huh?" Mike smirked.

"W-what? No, I l-love women!" Eddie lied like an idiot.