"I Don't Need Help" //Reddie AU

8). 3 am Embarrassment

*Richies POV
We swam for hours, having fun and talking. Now I have 5 friends, I don't know if I should count Bill but I do.

"It's 10 I gotta be home." Stanley patted my still bare back. "Bye S-Stanley." Bill smiled. "Bye babe." Bill kissed Stanley and Stanley left. "I need to go home too." Ben stood up. "I'll walk with you I'm tired already." Mike stood up beside Ben. "Bye guys." "Bye Micycle and Ben". Beverly left early because she decided to work on homework and she needed to go home anyways.

"I'm leaving." I stood up. "I'll walk with y-you." Bill smiled and grabbed all of his stuff. I waited because it's dark. "Okay I'm h-here, let's g-go."

We soon got onto our road. I rode skateboard as he walked beside me. "Hey Rich?" "Don't call me that, but what?" "I'm really sorry, I mean it." "Okay..." my eyes watered, he was serious. I could tell because he didn't stutter. "Here." He handed me a piece of paper. "I'll see you t-tomorrow Trashmouth." I could hear his voice lighten up, meaning he was smiling. "Bye Billiam." An old nickname I gave him in fourth grade.

*That Morning*
Waking up is dumb. "Richie, hey man come on." "Stanley how the hell did you get into my home?!" I laugh a bit. Sitting up and grabbing my glasses. "Oh your window was cracked a bit." "Question, why did you wake me up at 3am?" "Oh sorry I wanted to hang out, and um...thank you for sticking up for me the other day." Stanley sat at the edge of the bed, his shirt wrinkless, and his hair perfectly unkept.

"You're welcome." Standing up and wobbling down the stairs." "Richie no-". To late, I stretch as I find the rest of my friends sitting in the living room. My face burns a bright red. I'm stuck in place. "Uh, hi guys." I laugh. As I'm only wearing boxers and a t-shirt. Beverly starts to laugh which makes everyone else laugh. "Leave me alone." I laugh with them.

A couple hours of hanging out we finally decide to leave. "Richie?" "Yes?" "I have a personal question...of you're okay with answering." "Go ahead Staniel." Stanley walks beside me. His light blue button up tucked into his khaki knee length shorts. And once again his clean but worn out white shoes. A grey book bag on his shoulders, tight enough where it won't hang low like my book bag.

"How come you don't like us calling you Rich?" "Before my mom left, she called me that. That was the nickname she always called me since I was a baby." "Oh, I'm sorry Richie." He gave a slight smile with a nod and walked to Bill.

Walking into school with a cluster of kids around me felt different. Bill and Stanley to my left and Beverly, Mike and Ben to my right. "Thank you guys, for being my friends." I say loud enough for my 5 friends to hear but to soft for other ears the catch it.

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Word Count:521
The next part might be the 'climax' 😂