The Phone Calls ☏ || reddie

Tom Jeffrys

Pace University, New York New York
September 6th 1994
9:41 am

Eddie and Skylar sat on the sofa eating breakfast and watching the news. So far all they've seen was animals, an import mishap, and the celebration of someone's important birthday. Eddie sat in his pyjamas, eating Fruit Loops, Skylar sat beside him fully dressed, eating Eggo's.

"Now to Julie with some important new down by the sewer entrance." The screen now showed an old women, wearing a garbage bag as she stood in front of a crime scene.

"Thank you, Becky. I'm at the scene where a young man has been found. Two children were out here playing in the sewer, when they noticed a man, probably around his twenties, floating dead inside. The investigators say it looks like he's been impaled." Eddie set his bowl on the table. "We will keep everyone updated on this case, finding how this boy ended up here in these conditions."

-
Pace University, New York New York
September 7th 1994
10:22am

Eddie's first class of the day started in 10 minutes, he sat on the couch fully dressed, his phone in hand, too occupied to pay attention to the time, he turned on the news.

"Yeah, I'm gonna check it out this weekend. Who knows maybe when you're done school you could live with me." Eddie could hear Richie's wink through the other end. Eddie smiled.

"Maybe, what makes you think I'd want to live with you, Trashmouth."

"My charming good looks?" Eddie let out a sarcastic laugh. "You wound me."

"Today the owner of the body that was floating around the New York sewers has been named. Tom Jefferys, a twenty year old boy, he attended the Pace University for his first year." Eddie's eyes were glued to the TV, he jaw hung open.

"Tom's dead?" He whispered to himself.

"What?"

"Tom's dead..." Richie stayed silent on the other line as Eddie's eyes began to tear up watching the news. "Oh my god... Issac's gonna be heartbroken..."

"Damn. How'd you find this out?"

"It's on the news... his body was found in the sewers. Issac's gonna be pissed at Skylar."

"I bet. Do you know who did it?"

"No. This case has been going on for only two days. They say he looks like he's been impaled." Eddie whipped a tear that was gently rolling across his cheek.

"I'm sorry, Ed's..."

"It's not your fault..."

-

Pace University, New York New York
September 8th 1994
6:34 pm

TUESDAY

Eddie sat at his desk doing some homework and talking to Richie. Since the news, no one has really been speaking to each other. Issac calls once in a while to talk to Eddie, he hasn't said a word to Skylar since hearing about his best friend. Lucas comes over sometimes, but that's it. Skylar's either always gone, or always in his room. Eddie feels bad for him. He wants to go to talk to him. But he knows it's not right.

As much as he hates to admit it, this is Skylar's fault. Skylar left him, Skylar never helped look, Skylar never went back for him, Skylar said searching was bull shit, Skylar didn't care. Eddie had no reason to feel sorrow for Skylar. His daily routine now, was walk up, eat, watch the news, go to class, come home, talk to Issac, do homework, and the talk to Richie at any time of the day.

Now, he sat doing some work he had over from physics, and listen to Richie rant about having to help his brother and his best friend move in together. He also listens to Richie trying to convince Eddie to move in with him when schools over. They only just became friends again, sure Richie flirts with him non stop, but that doesn't mean Eddie wants to live with him yet.

"It's so fucking ridiculous. Ugh, I remember first meeting Jane and being like 'Wow can't believe a friend I don't have to share with my emo brother' well how did that work out?!" Eddie laughed. "This is so not funny. Why would I want to help them move in together? I don't want to help sent up a room for them to get hot and frisky in." Just the thought made Richie want to puke.

"You're so dramatic. They're cute together."

"No. No they're not. That's like saying me and a toilet are the perfect couple." Eddie rolled his eyes. "I don't want to be an uncle yet, or at least not to them."

"Oh my god, Richie, I'm loading brain cells from you." Eddie write down some answer to his long, confusing equation. "It's gonna happen someday, you should at least be prepared."

"I don't want to!" He whined.

"You sound like a baby. Stop this." Eddie laughed.

"I bet he won't help me move, so why should I help him?"

"Because he's your brother, and you're a nice person?"

"Oh, please." He scoffed. Eddie rolled his eyes again, the amount of times he rolls his eyes at this boy, you'd think he wouldn't have eyes left to roll. "Wasting my Wednesday to help this dickwad."

"What else would you be doing tomorrow?"

"Talking to the most beautiful person in the world." Eddie shook his head. "I'm talking about you by the way." Eddie laughed.

"I know." Eddie was smiling like a crazy person now. If someone could see him through his window, he's definitely look crazy, shaking his head, rolling his eyes, his cheeks pink, and smiling like an idiot. "You can talk to me after."

"Mmm, no." Eddie wrote a tiny a heart in the corner of his paper, writing R + E in the centre. "What if I just ship myself to you?"

"What?" Eddie scribbled over the heart.

"Like in a box?" Richie spoke like it was obvious. "I'll do it tonight so Mike won't need me tomorrow because I'll be gone!"

"You're ridiculous."

"What can I say? I'm head over heels for you."