Sweetspot - Reddie

21

The rest of the morning was vacant for Eddie. He ran his mother a warm, soapy bath, and even set out a new dress for her to wear. He hated how she clung to him like a barnacle, but he loved her too. He didn't want to hurt her again. Not after she had given in to him. Now, his mother sat back in her chair, freshened up and clean, watching "Wheel Of Fortune" intently. Eddie had sat by her side all day, holding her hand, making sure she knew he was still there. After all this time, of course he came running back to her. Of fucking course.

It was late afternoon, 4:34pm, and Eddie sat at his desk, sketching a drawing of a pair of deep, black-brown sparkling eyes, magnified by tortoise-shell glasses, and a bundle of messy, black hair. A small smile played on his lips as he drew Richie, taking extra-special care when sketching his lips, wanting to make all his grooves perfect. So far...things were slowly grinding back into normality. Eddie and Sonia had argued, Sonia had unleashed the monstrous side of herself, and Eddie had cried. Then Eddie had rebelled, then his mother had been scared. Then he made up to her. How it went everyyyy time. Maybe that wasn't a bad thing. Eddie could still see his friends and still kiss those lips...

*Ring! Ring!*

Eddie turned and shifted in his chair as the phone rang from the hallway. Pulling himself up from his desk and leaving his pencil resting on his sketch carefully, he walked into the hallway, pausing slightly before he gripped the phone and brought it too his ear.

"Hello?"

"Eds! Sweetlips! Sugar! Honey-bun!"

Eddie's stomach erupted into butterflies as he felt his smile stretch.

"I'll stick with Ed's, thanks, Rich."

"Whatever you say, Eddie. Your the boss."

Eddie didn't quite know why, but those words sent tingles up his spine.

"Sure, Rich." He could feel Richie's smile through the telephone. Eddie gripped it tighter.

"I had fun last night, Eds. Honest I did." Eddie's smile faltered as last night popped into his mind. Sonia screaming, cries of anger...

"Richie?"

"What's up, Spaghetti?"

"She found out." Eddie felt his voice crack, suddenly, the colour in his cheeks rising. Static crackled, announcing Richie's silence.

"How are you?" He said this softly, causing tears to sting Eddie's eyes. The first thing he asks. "How are you?" Not "How'd it go?" But simply "How are you?" Eddie shook his head and took in a deep, trembling breath.

"She yelled. She cried a bit as well. She called you horrible things..."

"Eddie." Eddie looked up from the ground, clutching the telephone, which was slowly being wetted with tears.

"How are you?" Eddie smiled through his tears.

"Better than yesterday. I...I told her if she didn't let me see you...I would run away."

Static silence. Eddie could hear Richie's shaky breaths, through the phone.

"You said that? You would do that?"

"I love you, you dumb fuck. Of course." Eddie choked out, tears mixing with laughter.

"Well I love you more. You wheezy bastard."

"Okay, we can stop with the insults now, Richard."

"Getting touchy now are we Ed's?"

"You need to learn to shut the fuck up."

"Not really my thing, sugar." Eddie sighed.

"You allowed to come over?" Eddie's body tingled with excitement.

"Will the Losers be there?"

"Maybe. I reckon we deserve some time to ourselves...don't you think?" His voice was soft, sexy...but Eddie pushed those thoughts away. After all, he was still that not-so-innocent mommy's boy. Eddie wanted to say so much more but instead he said:

"Is kissing me all you ever think about?"

"Duh. Oh but not just kissing...you wanna hear what else Ed's?" Eddie's heart thumped in his chest, his hands reaching down to clutch at the side table, ferociously.

"You need to calm down Richard Tozier."

"I need to calm down? You should have seen yourself last night! You could barely keep your fucking head on your shoulders, Eds! Ohhh, not to mention the "ah" and the "ohs"."

"Richie my moms downstairs!"

"Just come over for fucks sake, Eds."

"Fine. I'll see."

"We shall see." Eddie rolled his eyes and hugh up the phone, placing it back on its rack. His heart beat heavily in his chest and his stomach curled and fluttered. Of course he was gonna see. He wouldn't miss this opportunity for a lifetime, baby. Eddie slipped downstairs, his eyes glancing to his mom who sat back in her armchair, a dazed look on her face.

"Umm, mom?" Sonia flickered back to life, her eyes reaching her sons. The look wasn't the same as before.

"Yes, Eddie-Bear?"

"I was wondering...would it be okay if went over to Bills house?" Shit. He hated lying to his mom, but there was no way she would be okay with him going over to Richie's.

Sonia's eyes glazed over, her eyebrows furrowing.

"He's the stuttering boy?"

"Yes, mom. Stuttering boy."

"Who else will be there, Eddie?"

"Oh...oh just Stan...Stan and...and Mike."

"The Jew and the black boy?" Sonia asked. Eddie's jaw clenched.

"Hm." Sonia stared forward, her the cogs in her brain clicking.

"I don't know if I want you going out today, Eddie." She declared, her eyes flickering back to the glaring television. Eddie's heart twinged slightly.

"Please, ma, I haven't seen them in two days."

"Two days won't hurt you Eddie-Bear." Sonia muttered, reaching for her nail file. Eddie gritted his teeth and snatched up his mother's nail file, a angry expression brewing in his eyes.

"I'm going, okay? I'll be careful! Okay? But I'm going to see my friends." Sonia stared at him, her expression unreadable. After a short while she sighed and threw Eddie a "you made me do this" look.

"Fine. Bring your pills, sweetie. Be back before six." Eddie's shoulders relaxed.

"Yes mom."