affection || reddie 💫

Chapter 25

*time skip*
(8:30pm)

It had been almost two hours since the ball had started, and there was still no sign of Richie, Mike had showed up within that time and had jokingly offered to be Eddies date instead, but Eddie just wanted to sit and wait for his boyfriend. He sighed, slumped over in his chair as he stared at his watch, keeping track of the minutes that went by. The other losers continued to try and get him to come dance or get a drink with them but he refused to do anything without Richie, which was starting to look like a mistake.

Eddie put his head in his hands and rubbed his eyes, looking up at the other losers who were laughing and having fun on the other side of the room, he then moved his eyes to the door and suddenly jumped out of his chair when he saw Richie cautiously walking through it. Eddie should've been happy to see him, and he was for a second, until he remembered how late that asshole was.

Eddie made his way over to his boyfriend, both of them meeting halfway, "hey Ed's—"

"You idiot..!" Eddie spat, cutting him off, "do you know how long i've been waiting?? Almost two hours Rich, TWO HOURS! Could you have seriously taken any longer..? I cant believe I was so stupid as to think you'd actually care about this.. but no, of course you don't take it seriously just like everything else, cause you never ever take anything seriously..!"

Richie just stared down at him blankly, not knowing what to say, Eddie raised an eyebrow, frowning up at him, "uhh.. well at least I actually showed up—"

"Just shut up Richie! Shut up!" Eddie yelled, storming off back to where he was before, "Ed's wait!" Richie called as he went after his boyfriend, "I'm sorry—"

"I don't need your stupid apology! Just go home.."

"No Ed's- really, I'm sorry, I'm stupid I know, I'm the worst boyfriend ever, I'm really sorr—"

"Stop calling me Ed's..! Just piss off!" Eddie spat before Stanley and Bill suddenly came over to them, "oh hey Richie, didn't think you were gonna show," Stanley huffed, glancing at the couple, "Staniel and William! My two best buds!" Richie put on a fake smile, patting Bills shoulder, "of course I came! I wouldn't miss this for the world, not when I have a hot date like Eddies mom—"

Richie was suddenly cut off when Eddie barged past him, pushing him with his shoulder as he walked off angrily, Richie stepped forward to say something to him but stopped himself, "i-is h-he okay..?" Bill asked, a look of concern on his face, Richie shook his head and turned back around, "fuck.. why do I keep doing this?" he sighed, rubbing his eyes from under his glasses.

They were all silent for a moment when Stanleys eyes suddenly widened in shock, "g-guys- no one said HE was gonna be here.."

Richie and Bill turned around to see who he was looking at, their eyes widening too when they saw it. There he was, Henry Bowers and his goons coming through the doors. "Move faggot!" Henry yelled, pushing Eddie who was just about to leave through the same entrance, Eddie stumbled back a few steps, finding his balance before quickly running past him and pushing open the doors.

Eddie ran out into the empty, semi-dark hallway, the colourful lights from the other room being the only thing illuminating it. It was silent. The song "every breath you take" could be heard playing through the walls, muffled as the door clicked and fully shut. Eddie wiped the tears forming in his eyes and sat down on the floor, his back against the rusty dark-green lockers. The silence was nice but deafening, it left Eddie alone with his own thoughts, so many things racing through his mind that he couldn't quite yet understand, even though he wished he could.