now or never [reddie au]

14

Connor knocks on Henry's bedroom door. Henry opens it and sees Connor, who looked like he had been crying. "What the fuck happened?," Henry asks him. Connor enters Henry's room and Henry shuts the door.

"Long story short, um... just forget what I said about Richie.," Connor sighs, "He just broke up with me."

Henry crosses his arms, "That asshole. Why?"

"I don't know! I mean, he hangs out with this one guy a lot. I don't know if-"

"Who is it?," Henry asks, "I'll kill both of them."

"No, Henry, don't hurt anyone. It's no big deal! It might not even be why he-"

"Who is it?"

"I forgot his name-"

"Is it Stanley?"

"I don't fucking know, maybe! Just don't worry about it, okay?"

The rest of the losers continue talking amongst themselves, not knowing that Stan and Bill had decided to ditch school. Beverly could see that Eddie's cheeks were pink and he hadn't stopped smiling since he and Richie got back to the table. "Hey, Tozier!," the losers hear Henry call Richie. Richie froze, avoiding looking at Henry.

Henry was accompanied by his friend, Patrick Hockstetter. The two approached the losers' table, standing right behind Richie. Richie, Eddie, and Beverly had an idea of what this was about.

"Where'd your other boyfriend go?," Henry asks Richie. Richie and Eddie look at each other, remembering what they saw in the bathroom.

"Did he tell you I cheated on him?," Richie asks Henry, "Because I would never do that, and I don't know where he would even get the idea that I would cheat on him. I told him that I just needed a break to work on myself but we could still go to prom together. So, before you kill me, just know that I've apologized for the way I broke up with him and that I didn't mean to come off as rude."

Henry leans in and whispers in Richie's ear, "You're lucky we're at school right now, but let me find out you did anything to him and you're done for. Got it?"

Richie nods and Henry and Patrick walk away. Everyone at the table was confused. Eddie and Beverly didn't know that Richie told Connor they'd be going to prom together. As for Ben, he didn't even know they broke up in the first place.

"Richie, you dumbass! You told Connor you're going to prom with him?," Beverly asks. "Not like that!," Richie tells her, "I specifically told him that we'd go as friends." Beverly rolls her eyes before looking over at Eddie, whose smile had faded away.

"There aren't many birds out right now.," Stan says to Bill. "Y-Yeah.," Bill agrees, halfway not paying attention. He had been thinking about earlier in the library, how Stan was sleeping peacefully next to him. How it felt as if it was just the two of them there, and nothing else mattered to him but Stan. It was a weird feeling. It wasn't weird because he hadn't felt it before, but because he had, and he only ever felt it with Beverly.

"The clouds are nice today, though.," Stan says to Bill. Bill looks up at the clouds and nods, "Yeah, th-they are." Bill looks down and sees Stan's hand next to his. He wanted to hold it. He wanted to feel that feeling again. He wanted to know if Stan felt it, too.

Bill looks back up at the clouds as he slowly rests his pinky finger on top of Stan's. Stan blushes and looks down at their hands. He then looks up at Bill, who was obviously avoiding eye contact.

Stan was a little confused about what was going on. He was almost certain that Bill liked Beverly. In the moment, Stan didn't think anything of it, but deep down, he was hoping that Bill wasn't trying to lead him on. Stan looks up at Bill as he wraps his pinky around Bill's.

The bell for fifth period rings and the losers get ready to go to class. They still hadn't heard anything from Stan or Bill. Richie would usually walk witch Stan and Bill because their classes were close. However, since they weren't there, Richie just walked by himself.

Eddie walks with Beverly and Ben. Beverly looks at Eddie and asks, "So, what was that thing you were going to tell me?" Eddie smiles again and looks at Beverly, "You're not going to believe this, but he held my hand."

"What?," Beverly's eyes widen, "No, he didn't."

"Yep! Earlier while we were in the bathroom."

Of course, Beverly already knew about Richie's feelings for Eddie, but she didn't tell him. She would if it weren't for the fact that they've liked each other for a while, and Richie was getting closer and closer to telling Eddie himself. That is, if he doesn't get back together with Connor.

As they were walking through the halls, they heard an announcement about prom tickets finally being on sale. Ben, who was silently walking next to Beverly and Eddie, looks at Beverly. "Hey, Bev, do you have a date to prom?," he asks her.

"No, I don't.," Beverly answers, looking at Ben.

"Well, I was wondering if you wanted to go with me? I mean, as my date, of course. Obviously, we'll all be there together-"

"Yeah, I'll go with you.," Beverly blushes, looking over at Eddie.

"Oh, okay.," Ben smiles, also blushing.

Eddie smiles at Beverly before looking ahead at Richie, who was walking alone. He thought about approaching Richie and asking him, but after finding out he told Connor he could join them at prom, he felt that Richie and Connor wouldn't stay away from each other much longer.

In the time that Eddie had zoned out thinking about Richie, Ben had already made it to his class and he and Beverly had gotten to their class.

As soon as they sit down in their seats, Beverly takes her phone out of her pocket to text Bill.

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hi here's some more benverly content plus i hope the bathroom thing makes more sense now lmaooo 💀 anyways i'll try to update again asap :))