adjectives | reddie

six - enamored

bill and stanley haven't talked since sunday. it was thursday, and we were sitting at our usually spot in the lunchroom. stanley stabbed his food with a fork with a bored expression slapped across his face while bill examined the lunchroom, not daring to look at stanley. my shoulders were hunched more than usual as looked across from them. their shoulders never touched.

i felt my throat close up, so i searched through my fanny pack. my hands felt around the fanny pack as my breaths became shorter and shorter. "eddie?" stanley's eyes hit mine. stanley and bill both looked up at me, their adjectives both changing.

worried

i felt my fingers finally touch the metal inhaler and grip it tightly. i shook it violently before breathing in a huff. "i'm fine," i finally explained. their shoulders dropped, and all three of us laughed lightly.

"guys," i looked between them, "i'm tired of sitting here silently. just talk it out or something." they both locked eyes for a second. stanley flashed the most subtle smile.

infatuated

bill looked right back with no smile; he just held the widest, most dilated eyes.

enamored

"holy shit," i breathed out. i pushed myself out of the table quickly, causing them both to look at me. all blood rushed from my face as i looked back and forth between the two of them. "uh, i have to go talk to richie."

i quickly paced out of the lunchroom and to my locker, ignoring their calls of worry and confusion. as my fingers twisted the lock back and forth, i felt every memory in my head finally click. that's why stanley was angry at bill whenever he went back and forth. that's why bill was always unsure. that's why bill caught up with stan instead of staying with me.

i slammed my head against the locker with a groan.

"jesus," a red blur appeared next to me, "what happened to you?" beverly flashed a humorous smile.

"oh," i looked at her and then down to the cigarette in her hand, "i got tired of sitting in silence." i let out a laugh.

"i'll trade," she let out a chuckle, "richie won't stop talking."

"aren't you guys-"

"yeah he's my best friend. i'm just joking, eds."

"please don't call me that," i cringed at the nickname. she gave me a confused expression in response.

"that's what richie calls you," she shrugged. i looked down in embarrassment. the thought of richie using the nickname outside of our conversations sparked something; i assumed it was just embarrassment. my thoughts drifted to the thought of the way he laughed when i told him not to call me that. he would shake his head, which would cause his hair to sway back and forth.

she took another hit of her cigarette and then let the smoke come out of her nose as she tilted her head towards the ceiling. the smoke alarm had been broken the whole time i had been at the high school, which had been over a year. the sophomore hall had always been the most run down. its insulated ceiling tiles drooped from flooding, making it occasionally leak. the floor tiles were cracked every so often, and the ugly blue color of the lockers were severely chipped, revealing a beige color that they had previously been.

"this school looks pathetic," she laughed dryly. i nodded in agreement, yanking my locker open. i put my lunchbox in and pulled out a binder, hardcover book, and a pencil case. everything balanced perfectly in my arms as i used my foot to close my locker.

"if i never come back to this town after i leave," i sighed, "it'll be too soon."

she held a hand up and put it on my shoulder, "i feel you."

"that's not the only thing she's feeling," i heard a girl whisper from behind. a band of snickers cane right after that. i glanced over to see greta, the stereotypical mean girl of the school; a real classic case of betty rizzo, without any redemption arch. i looked back over at beverly as her hand fell from my shoulder.

sad

"shut the fuck up, greta," i felt myself say. i quickly slapped a hand over my mouth right after, though. she scoffed as her hands pulled two parts of her ponytail, tightening it.

"beat it, girly boy."

i felt my face heat up from embarrassment. i heard her group giggle an unnecessary amount.

"you're so bad," one laughed. beverly rolled her eyes before taking a final drag of her cigarette. she let the small tube of cancer drop to the floor and then started stepping on it.

"does richie.." i started to ask, staring at the beat cigarette. i pointed down at it and looked back up at beverly.

"he doesn't smoke cigs, eddie," she laughed, shaking her head. i wondered where he was. i've never seen beverly and richie without each other on school grounds except for when we have classes. i was surprised they're not dating. they seem so comfortable with each other. always making fun of each other and letting each other know when they don't care. beverly could let richie babble on for hours without saying a single word. she wouldn't even have to listen. she would stare off, and richie was okay with that.

they even did couple things. they would hold hands and lean on each other all the time.

"you sure worry about richie a lot," beverly smirked.

playful

that was quick.

i snapped my eyes back to beverly to stare at her beaming blue eyes. they seemed to have sparks in them, like she was constantly determined to do something.

"well," i shrugged, "what else is there to talk about? we have basically nothing in common."

"first of all," beverly laughed, "ouch. second of all, we have more than one friend in common now, eddie. well, i'm not sure about stan, but-"

"stan is just slow to warm up to someone," i assured. she shook her head, not wanting to further the conversation. her leg kicked mine lightly before she walked away. her boots made the most quiet thumping as she turned the corner to go into the commons.