I Know || Reddie FanFic

XX

"Eddie! I am so angry with you right now, do you have any idea how worried I was?!" Sonia screamed at him outside of the Tozier residence, while Eddie just looked at Richie with fear. "You are grounded, do you hear me? Grounded."

"Mommy, please." Eddie finally started to argue back. "I got lost and cold when I was walking and Richie found me on his way home. He was just letting me warm up so I could go home." Eddie explained. "I was gonna go home I swear."

"Do you have any idea how late it is, Eddie? It's almost midnight. You could catch a cold or pneumonia. Are you stupid, Edward?" His mom continued to yell and both Richie and Eddie flinched at the insult. They had gotten lost in conversation and didn't realize how late it was until the phone had started ringing, an angry mom on the other end demanding to know if Eddie was there.

"Mrs. Kaspbrak, please I-" Eddie shot Richie a warning glance, telling him to shut up before it gets worse.

"Jamie is going to be here tomorrow. I have a lot to do and you're off running around. You are grounded end of discussion, get in the car." She said angrily. Eddie stood still.

"Mom, can I still go to prom?" He asks suddenly, making eye contact with Richie again. His mom falters. Richie is more focused on what she just said. Jamie is going to be here tomorrow? Whose Jamie? Is that- Richies thought cuts off, suddenly alarmed as he walks towards Eddie, longing to touch him.

"Eddie.." he whispers, panic evident as he approaches.

"Get in the car, Eddie." His mom warns again, grabbing his arm roughly. Eddie still remains unmoving, begging for Richie to hold him and take him back inside his house. The grip on his arm tightened and a whimper sounded from Eddies mouth. "Get in the car... GET IN THE CAR!" She screamed at him. Richie watched in horror as Eddies whole composition changed. He grew small and docile, like an eight year old boy, not a seventeen year old. His mom dragged him away, shoving him in the car, while Richie looked on helplessly. Eddie mouthed the words 'it's gonna be okay' to Richie as they drove away. However, Richie doesn't believe that he will be.

As the car drove away, Richie felt dread fill his stomach, nausea took over as he watched the lights disappear. He's not going to be okay... he's not, I need to help him.

~

"Go to your room, Eddie." His mom demanded as soon as they got into the house. Without argument, Eddie went up the stairs and straight to his room. Shutting the door politely behind him and laying on his bed.

Five years... he thought to himself. Its been five years since I've seen him. He thinks back to that day, his twelfth birthday. Mr. James was staying at their house for a few days for some business. It was his last night there. Eddie wanted to have a sleepover with his friends, Richie included. His mom agreed, but said that Mr. James wanted him to go do something with him. 'Won't take long, Sonia'. The two hours that followed leaving with the man, were the longest two hours of Eddies life.

After it was over, Mr. James decided to stay in a hotel his last night there. Eddie felt sore and confused, he was having a hard time remembering. When his friends all showed up with their gifts and things, Eddie didn't know who any of them were for the first couple hours, he didn't really care either. He sat and stared into space while his friends all played games around him. All of them except Richie. Richie sat next to him, telling him stories and talking to him, keeping him into reality. He knew something was wrong with the birthday boy, but every time he asked, the boy would just whisper 'I don't remember' and start to hyperventilate.

"I still don't remember..." he muttered to himself. He doesn't know if he'll ever remember what happened to him on his twelfth birthday. He can remember every detail leading up to his twelfth birthday now. The semi annual business trips to Derry, ever since he was eight. The brain tries its best to protect the psyche, he supposes that is why he couldn't remember anything... until now.

Sleep didn't come that night, not to either boys. Eddie laid awake in his bed, staring at the door that his mother had just removed the lock from as punishment. Knowing that lock was the only barrier between him and the man that had hurt him so continuously.

~

Richie paced back and forth in his room, contemplating how to handle the new villain added into the mix. Connor had threatened him as well as Eddie, but he wasn't worried about himself. All he could think about was Eddie, it's always Eddie. The boy just poured his heart out to him and then got ripped away from him.

Jamie, he assumed that was the guy Eddie was telling him about. He comes today. Richie glanced at the time, three in the morning. Jamie? Prom is in five days. Will Eddie even get to go? Richie shakes this thought away. Of course he will. He'll figure out a way to convince his mom. He's a good liar.

Little slow taps begun to fill his ears and as he slowed his pacing to listen, the taps grew louder and more rapid.

Tap-tap.
Tap-tap.
Tap-tap.
Tap-tap-Tap-tap-tap

Richies gaze dragged to the open window and watched the rain drops fall in panic, before exploding on his windowsill, watching the drops bounce back up in a short dance. Rain.