𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 | 𝕣𝕖𝕕𝕕𝕚𝕖

chapter thirty: yesterday

Considering the fact that 'Seascape Motel' (which was near no water) was so unpopular, any room was available to the teen boys.

There wasn't anything necessarily weird about the motel. It just seemed that one day everyone became sick of it.

In some ways, Richie felt like the motel.

"It's a good thing everyone hates this motel," Eddie commented as they entered the room, "otherwise we wouldn't have been able to afford two beds."

"Wait- two beds?" Richie spoke from behind Eddie and Hector.

"Mhmm." Eddie nonchalantly hummed, opening his bag to glance at his small amount of belongings.

"Eddie, I'm not judging or anything," Richie said, "but have you ever been to a math class?"

Eddie didn't respond but looked at Richie.

"There's three people here, Eds." Richie added.

"I know, Rich, but they don't have rooms with three beds."

"Can't we just take a bed from another room?"

"That would be stealing and there's no room anyway."

"Eddie, seriously," Richie spoke. "Did you forget about the time we've spent with each other? The things we said?" He was frantic, pacing around the room. "When I say something, I mean it! I have no filter, Eddie!"

"Richie, now's not the time. Hector doesn't need to hear-"

"I don't give a shit about Hector." Richie responded, then looked to Hector. "Sorry 'bout it. Actually, I'm not sorry, you're a dickhead, Hector."

"Richie!" Eddie was aghast, but all Richie could think about was the fact that Eddie was defending Hector, a random dude they'd just met. "Hector didn't do anything wrong!"

"He smells like a fucking rodeo, Eddie! I've got two words for you!" Richie held up two fingers at a time as he said, "cow. Shit."

"I'm literally right here-" Hector spoke.

"I'm so stressed out that I have hives shaped like a triangle on my arm! If I have to yell anymore, my head will actually explode." Richie spoke with a face as red as a tomato.

"Promises, promises." Hector mumbled.

"See? That shit right there!" Richie pointed at Hector. "You just ignore it, Eds!"

It was true. Eddie did ignore things that he shouldn't have. But naïveté was something he was born with; and he'd never let go.

"Richie, maybe it would be better if you just get a separate room." Hector suggested, his eyes burning holes into Richie's.

"What are you even like? We don't know anything about you!"

"My name is Hector Malvado. I'm seventeen years old, and you need to watch your mouth."

It was at that point that Richie realised how upset he'd made Eddie.

Eddie was covering his mouth, a technique that Richie had learnt was his way of containing sobs.

Eddie couldn't help his emotions. Growing up, his mother said that tears were his way of expelling the evil from inside of him. After she said that, Eddie always made sure to get every tear out possible.

"I-I hurt you." Richie thought out loud. His words brought him to tears. "I'm so sorry, Eds." Richie felt like crying, but there stood a smug Hector, comforting a very upset Eddie. "I only meant to- shit, what have I done?"