𝙱𝚛𝚞𝚒𝚜𝚎𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙷𝚒𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚢𝚜 | Reddie AU

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"Richard." 

"Edward." 

The silence was deafening, almost scary. 

"Miss, can I get a new partner?" Eddie questioned turning his head away from the other boy. She sighed shaking her head. "Partners have already been decided." Richie sighed opening his book in the dimly lit classroom. "So...guess you're stuck with me. Try not to fall in love with me or something." 

Eddie nodded. "Trust me, I won't." He places his pen in between his lips chewing lightly adding along with the old and new bite marks. "So...All we have to do is write about Richard III?" Richie nodded already circling notes. "Mhmm." Eddie sighed. "Nerd." Barely even turning his head Richie retorted. "Your mum wasn't complaining last night."

Eddie snapped. "The fuck did you say about my mother?!" "Language Edward!" Richie sighed dropping his pen, lightly turning his head to the boy with a soft smile. "I was joking, Eds." Eddie groaned hitting the desk. "I don't want your fucking jokes!" 

"Edward! One more outburst and I will send you to the principles office!" The teacher threatened causing Eddie to slump back in his seat, letting out a sigh of defeat. "Fine." The bell went off as Eddie stood up to leave, Richie grabbed the boys wrist shutting his book. "Uh, we haven't finished? It's due next week." Eddie nodded tugging his hand out of the boys' grasp. "Next week, we can finish it next lesson." 

Richie shook his head quickly. "I don't want to fail this class, we could meet up tomorrow?" Eddie dropped his head, he has three choices here.

1. Fail the class, get detention and probably get a call.
2. Go to Richies and have to awkwardly spend time with him and maybe even his family.
3. Come to his place and have him spill everything. 

Eddie sighed. "Do we have to?" Richie groaned chucking his back bag on his back, the back had a bunch of pins on them of rock bands, and random quotes but none too eyecatching. "Yes Eds, we have to." 

Eddie tugged on his straps as a form to try and relieve that panic already growing. "Fine! But, my place." Richie nodded. "Whatever you say, prince." Richie sighed handing him a piece of paper. "Here, it's my number." 

"Why would I want your number?" Eddie scoffed stuffing it in his back pocket. "It's not like we're friends." Richie sighed. "To set up the time and to give me your address." Eddie nodded quickly going red in the face. "Right, sorry." 

The long walk home through the silent streets and alleyways that were dimly lit and had funny smells, but that was the way home. Eddie got used to it with the four years of having to walk through it, hell he even became friends with a couple of the workers that would have to take out rubbish from the restaurants, casinos and service stations.

He finally reached his building quickly making his way in. "Eddie, how was school?" An older lady, her hair was white with one strand of blue, she had saggy skin and had a very frail frame, she would've been about 70-80, she questioned about to enter her apartment, Eddie gave her a soft but caring smile. "It was alright, how was bingo? Did you win anything?" The lady flashed him an envelope full of cash. "Always, Eddie. Did you work hard or hardly worked?" 

Eddie let out a peal of small laughter. "Good job! But, sadly I didn't finish this stupid paper on Shakespear and now I have to work with this annoying kid tomorrow." The older woman gave him a sigh. "You'll get through it, you're a strong kid."

Eddie nodded giving her a final hug, she pulled back giving him a wink slipping a twenty-dollar bill in his hand. "Get yourself something nice, god knows you deserve it." Eddie stammered. "I can't take your money.-" "Eddie, just take it, say thanks and have a nice time, ok?" 

Eddie let out a sigh of defeat nodding. "Thank you, Hazel, really." She gave him another smile scruffing his hair. "Love you kiddo." He laughed. "Love you too." Eddie made his way through the building reading the "OUT OF ORDER" sign that was hung over the busted elevator door, it was half open with one door about to slip down. 

The asthmatic boy made his way up the five flights of stairs, he took in a deep breath causing his chest to rise and fall trying to catch his breath, he made his way down the hall turning to the blue chipped door with a rusty "5E", he grabbed his key from his back pocket unlocking the breaking door. 

He entered plopping his bag straight by the door humming. "I'm home!" Loud footsteps came sprinting in the room as Eddie grinned dropping to his knees. "Buds!" The old Staffy came running into the boys' arms jumping up, placing his paws on his shoulders licking all over his cheek. "Not the face! Not the face! Gross!" Eddie groaned standing up as the dog jumped around him excited, low barks as the boy groaned falling back on the onto the white, ripped couch. "Alright, alright. Hey. Did someone miss me?" 

A louder bark came from the excited dog jumping onto his lap as if he completely understood the question. Eddie leaned back eyes wandering around his beat-up apartment, it was a pretty empty living room with only a couch, coffee table and a couple of boxes pushed against the wall with a couple of silver and copper vases placed upon them. 

Why not sell the vases? Silver and copper have to go for some money? Well, you don't sell the ashes of your dead relatives. 

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A/N: HOPE YOU ENJOYED! Bye!