Eddie struggled to open his eyes when he felt himself jolt awake from his deep slumber, they were heavier than usual. He looked around and squinted as he recognised his desk and set of draws.
Along with his window, and his beige curtains that were slightly drawn so a beam of sunlight hit his face, making his little brown freckles very visible.
He wondered to himself if everything that he thought had happened was a dream, until he threw his quilt off of him and saw he was wearing the clothes he distinctly remembered putting on this morning whilst drinking some orange juice.
"Mommy?" Eddie called out in a confused tone.
How did he get here? The last thing he remembered was just darkness, and hearing slight distinct chatter between two voices he was sure he recognised.
He couldn't seem to wake up, no matter how hard he tried, it was like being stuck in a coma, or a really shitty dream. At some point, Eddie felt something or someone play with his hair and draw little patterns on his face, which very quickly calmed him down.
Who the fuck was that... Eddie thought. Maybe I fainted.
He sat up properly and smacked his lips, scrunching his face up when he tasted sweat and slight morning breath. He looked at his small black watch- 15:17, it read. School had ended and Mrs Kaspbrak was normally running errands at work by now, so Eddie felt pressure lift off his shoulders.
He looked hopelessly around his room, bored. Maybe he could sneak out and meet up with his friends. Half of Eddie's face screwed up, he hesitated. They might not even be out. They might have gone straight home.
Eddie bit his lip and slid on his shoes, and ruffled his slightly messy but still glossy hair whilst looking at himself in his little mirror. He sighed and turned to the side, squishing his thighs and stomach fat.
Eddie felt a deep hatred for his body and he fully blamed his mother for his fatty genes. He wasn't quite sure if his father was skinny or fat like his mother, but the thought of Sonia Kaspbrak and her little skinny husband standing next to her large figure made Eddie cringe.
He hopped down the creaky stairs, not caring he made loud stomping noises until, "Eddie?" a shrill voice came from the front room.
Eddie stopped in his tracks and squeezed the banister, and watched his mother slowly emerge out of the dark room- she looked quite horrified.
"Eddie, you look white as a sheet," she exclaimed unbelievably. Eddie felt the uncontrollable need to roll his eyes but he tried his best to keep them on his aggravating mother. "I knew I should've taken you to the hospital as soon as I got you out of that horrible and rude boys arms." Sonia carried on.
Eddie's furrowed eyebrows quickly raised from curiosity as he croaked, "Who?"
Sonia slid on her little shoes with her weird little foot funnel thing and shoved her car keys in her stupid little handbag. "That Richie Tozier kid," she said, almost like she was taking about some food that disgusted her to the core.
Normally, Eddie would become very offended by his mother's harsh words about his best friend but he was too distracted by the thought that Richie was the one who traced patterns on his face and cheeks and played with his hair. Eddie smiled half-heartedly.
Richie can be such a sweetheart if he really tried.
"It's not funny, Edward. I thought you were really hurt!" his mother said. "Now hurry, get in the car. We'll still be able to miss the rush hour at the hospital if you hurry up."
Eddie's happy facial expression quickly melted into a frown. "No, please Mama there's really no need," he said very quickly making Sonia stop in the door way, looking very taken back. "I'm alright. I feel fine, I just need some water-"
"Eddie, you're not fine. You simply cannot be bothered to leave the house, it's laziness, sweetie," Eddie's mother said gently. Sonia Kaspbrak said the most hurtful and awful things, but in such a sweet and gentle tone it hurt even more.
Eddie became more angry now. "No mom, I'm serious, I'm fine," he said, slowly making his way back up the stairs. "We don't need to go to the hospital for absolutely nothing."
Sonia started making her way towards her son very slowly, like she was approaching a dangerous animal.
"Don't fight with me, Eddie bear," Sonia said in a low tone. Eddie still reversed up the stairs and remained eye contact with his mother. "Don't make this difficult. Just get into the car, now." Sonia raised her voice and made Eddie jump.
Sonia reached out and grabbed Eddie's wrist, digging her long manicured nails in his skin, making the small boy wince. "Get off me," Eddie whispered, trying to discretely wiggle out of Sonia's wrist as she slowly dragged her son down the stairs.
"Now you're going to get in the car and do exactly as I say, do you understand me?" Sonia got to the bottom of the stairs and pulled Eddie closer to her by his wrist, and shook the boy thoroughly and pulled him closer to her face.
Eddie closed his eyes as his mother's spit sprayed his face. He nodded. Sonia slowly let go of Eddie's wrist and swiped her keys from out of her pocket.
Eddie irritably and sadly followed his mother out of the house and stomped his way to the car, leaving his mother behind. He watched as Sonia lock the front door, looking incredibly angry.
This made Eddie relax his face into a more worried expression.
Sonia turned on her heel and said through gritted teeth, "Get in the car." Eddie gulped and opened the car door quickly, and slid in. He swiftly buckled his seat belt and set his shaky and cold hands onto his thighs.
He watched his mother waddle to the other car door and dramatically fall into her seat. She started the car and zoomed off immediately, with a disgusted look still plastered across her face.
Eddie decided not to look in her direction- he didn't want to anger her anymore. He laid his arms on the car door, set his chin on his arms and let a tear roll down his cheek.
