Eddie's My Boo

4. Sneak

His mother wrapped a layer of his curly mop of hair around her finger. "Of course you are" she giggled manically. Richie bit his lip. His mother's grip tensed. "Oh sweetie, you know how much I dislike it when you bite your lips," she touched them delicately dabbing at the blood. "So can I?" He persisted with the question.
Her smile turned into a sinister frown. "Who else you meeting? It can't just be Stan" She breathed in uncomfortably.
"Dunno. Maybe Bill and a couple of kids from school" he said, nonchalantly.
"Hmm, right. I'll drive you. Want some cookies?"
"Mum you're drunk!" He cried, "I'll walk!"
"Oh don't worry", she said with a swish of the hand. She was acting like drunk-driving wasn't illegal.
"Mum! The kids only live down the road, I'll be fine", he wasn't sure his long he could keep this lie up. Hey, his mother was drunk anyway. She wouldn't know a gummy worm from a hamburger.
He suddenly devised a plan in a split second. "Umm...don't you have some dishes to do?"
"Oh yeah. Thanks Richie" she retreated back into the kitchen, sandals smacking against the linoleum floor. She half-heartedly grabbed the sponge and scrubbed, the alcohol's powers still wearing off.
Richie inhaled deeply, and held the breath. He let it out. He picked up the keys and played with the small, intricate bumps of it. Then he slipped it into the lock, taking care to be as discreet as possible. As he stepped onto the front porch, he wiped droplets of sweat that had formed on his forehead. The wind roared in his face. He peered up at the sky, and had noticed that it was grumbling. It had turned black, and the clouds created shadows on the ground. The shadows twisted and turned like an evil creature, lurking, ready to pounce. They bulged and warped until they were close enough to-

Richie broke out of the thought stream. He shook his head in the disbelief of his imagination. He began to walk. This walk gradually turned into a stride, this stride transformed into a proud strut. He felt like a rebel!

(Now reader, if you're thinking 'if Richie feels good being a rebel then I want to do it'. Please don't. Anyway, on to the story...)

He whooped and stared upwards, his arms stretched out. He was free, free from the grasp of his mother. You could never be sure what she was going to do, and that was the scary thing.
Richie watched children passing by, having fun and laughing together. They held hands and were playing childish games of Tag. He suddenly felt a longing to be a child again. In those days, his mother was sober. She seemingly turned...evil as soon as Richie's dad left. One night, his mother and father had an argument. Richie was around nine or ten years old, but he could still comprehend how they felt. His father had stormed out, swearing. His mother was left in the kitchen, sobbing and muttering 'please don't leave me'. Richie had felt guilty that it was about him, but that can never be confirmed.

I spot of rain hit his hand. He sighed and hastily put his hood up. His hands slipped into his pockets and he walked robotically. The rain slashed against his hood, creating a crinkly sound.
"Rawr..ra..rawr" a dog growled at him. He jumped and swallowed his terror. "Hey doggie" he said and apprehensively walked on. Eddie's house was a couple of blocks away, and his fake destination was just down the street.

He turned a corner and took out his phone.
Hey Eds.  Guess who's coming to yours?😁
Who?
Me doofus. I snuck out :)
Netflix and chill?
Bet! See you later

He smiled deeply, and put his phone away. He grinned at the thought of seeing Eddie. He really was the best.