Rolling Around The Smoke

two

They slowly drove down their new street, taking in their new neighbours' houses. They are nice, clean, white houses. Just like Sonia wanted. Convinced no dirty boys or girls would be near Eddie here. Whilst Eddie was trying to catch glimpses of their new neighbours, seeing if there were any nice-looking people, cute people. Boys. Cute boys. He caught glimpses of a lot of pretty girls as they drove, approaching the end where their new house would be.

He is excited. Really excited. He finally got out of that toxic place, regrettably, still with his mother. but maybe it will be different now. Maybe it was Derry that made her crazy. He could only hope. The pick-up truck was outside their house, waiting for Sonia to unlock the door so they could start unloading. His new house is one of the largest on the street and has a big tree curling around the side. He stepped out of the car in awe. Excited. Scared. Happy. He did not know. He did not care.

The men had started unloading the furniture into the house, placing it exactly where Mrs. Kaspbrak ordered. Eddie did not care; he wouldn't have a say in it anyway. Walking cautiously along the freshly cut grass, as if something were about to jump out and grab him. It was green grass. A proper green. Not the dark, mouldy green of the grass in Derry. It was fresh. This was his favourite colour. The sky was blue, bright blue. Not a cloud in sight. he couldn't help the smile that etched its way onto his face and for the first time in years, reached his eyes. He could be happy here.

It was perfect.

Then the smell of cigarette smoke hit his nose. He looked around for the source of the smell and after a quick 180-degree turn, he saw a tall, gangly, curly-haired boy, with a cigarette, settled between his fingers. "New here?" The stranger spoke. He wore a Beatles shirt with a leather jacket and high waisted skinny jeans with chains on them. He smiled. Bright, white teeth almost glistening in the sun

"How'd you guess?" Eddie replied, returning a quick smile. "Can you like, put it out?" He asks. The stranger complies, offering another smile as he drops his cigarette and uses his doc martens to put it out.

"Where you from, poppet?" The stranger asked, curious.

"That's not my name, dickhead." Eddie snaps. The taller guy chuckles, if he smokes, how are his teeth so white? Eddie wonders. "Derry, Maine, it's such a shithole."

"Yeah? I've never been, so poppet, what's your name?"

"Eddie, you?"

"Eddie? Eddie. Eds, spaghetti, spageds. So many quality nicknames" The stranger retorts, chuckling to himself.

"What's your name then?"

"Richie. Richie Tozier." Eddie repeats the name to himself in his head, trying to come up with nicknames like the stranger, Richie, did for him. But none came to mind.

He looked Richie in the eye and said, "that's a boring name." Richie pretended to look offended, but there was no real heat to it. Before Richie could reply, Mrs. Kaspbrak came trudging out of the house looking for Eddie. "That's my cue, nice meeting you Rich." to which the stranger replied, "you too poppet."