teenage dirtbag

IV: eddie

Dear diary: I like Richie Tozier. Why do I like him? He's so goddamn stupid. But he's cute... And nice... And he listened to me and didn't treat me like a fucking weirdo for once.

But, at the same time... He's my only friend or at least the only person that's genuinely interested in me. I can't risk it...

God, my mom would SO not approve of this.

Eddie was not sure what were the people next to him talking about. He couldn't listen a word, he just saw their mouths moving, so far away from that place.

Driving back in style in my saloon will do quite nicely... just take me back to yours that will be fine.

"Since when you like Queen, you dickwad?" Henry asked Eddie, as he slapped the back of his head, took his headphones and sat next to him.

"None of your fucking business," Eddie replied, rolling his eyes and putting his new cassette into his backpack. He took his headphones off Henry's hand.

He couldn't lie, he was trying to listen to Queen, The Cure, The Clash, Bowie, and all those bands Richie used to wear t-shirts from... Yeah, at this point, Eddie was just being ridiculous.

"What did you just say, asshole?" Henry asked, sitting slightly straighter, ready to attack.

"Leave him alone, Henry," Said Harriet, crossing her arm over Eddie's shoulders, he tried to shrug her off. "He can be a weirdo and listen to whatever he wants, as long as you are as cute as my Eddie-boo you have certain privileges."

"I'd be worried if I were you..." Said Harriet's friend, Margaret, getting a death look from Eddie. "Your boyfriend likes Queen and Bowie, faggot one oh one."

"Shut up Margaret, shouldn't you be sucking Mr. Keating dry to try and get an A or something? Maybe if you keep yourself busy you'll stop nosing into people's lives!" Eddie answered, spitting venom with his words.

Eddie took his few cassettes and put them into his Jansport backpack, closing it violently. Margaret looked at him with hate on her eyes, Harriet was trying to calm her down and the rest of the table were laughing their asses off. Eddie kept walking when he heard a voice, coming from behind him.

"EDUARDO!" It was Richie, of fucking course it was him, who else?

Eddie turned to test his theory, he was right. Richie was waving at him from his table, inviting him to come over and sit with his friends, his gang. Of course, Eddie didn't think about it twice when he turned around and walked up to them.

"Hey!" Said the only girl in the group. "I'm Beverly, these are Bill, Stan, Ben, Mike, and, as you may already know, Richie," She said, pointing at each one as she said their names.

"I-I'm Eddie..." He introduced himself to the group, everyone was smiling at him. Like... genuinely smiling, not that smile that Harriet and her friends have when they are about to talk shit about someone, or how Henry smiled at the teachers after doing something bad. It was... Nice.

Eddie smiled at Richie. He was not going to thank him in front of all the people, but when Richie looked at him back, Eddie knew he understood perfectly.

"So, Eds, what the fuck just happened there?" Richie asked, sharing some of his fries with Eddie.

"Not much, just people being dicks."

"Listen, that's not necessarily a bad thing." Said Stan. Everyone laughed. "But, for real... Are you okay?" He asked after, looking at Eddie.

"I'm fine, I'm used to it." Eddie shrugged.

"W-Why?" Billie asked. "N-No one should t-treat you like t-that."

"I don't mind, they are my friends..."

"AND your girlfriend," Richie added.

Eddie moved a bit on his sit, clearly uncomfortable for the comment.

"BEEP BEEP RICHIE," Beverly jumped to shut him up.

"I didn't even get to say 'fuck' for fuck's sake Bev, you are fucking killing me," Richie complained, crossing his arms over his chest.

"And those are three in a row," added Mike.

"Beep beep?" Eddie asked, clearly confused.

While the others were talking to Tozier and telling him he's an idiot, Ben leaned to explain to Eddie "Sometimes, Richie does not control what comes out of his mouth and trashmouth possesses him. So... That's how we stop him. He has to stop, no questions asked."

"And it works?"

"Better than you'd imagine!" Ben said with a big, shiny smile on his lips.

Eddie looked at them, all laughing, having fun. He used to watch Richie's table from afar, who would've believed he'd be there one day... It was amazing, Eddie didn't recall having so much fun ever, and he wasn't even talking yet!

But sooner than later, he joined them, and they welcomed him as if he has always been there, it was great. Eddie never felt comfortable anywhere, he was always so out of place, but he felt like he fit there, with the "losers"... What a silly name, they didn't lose anything by not hanging with any other crew, they fucking won.

"Eddie my love," Richie called him, snapping his fingers in front of Eddie's face. "Whatcha say?"

"Huh?" Eddie asked, he was not paying attention.

"W-Wanna come with u-us to P-Prom?" Billie offered.

"It'll be fun, yeah? I promise to keep these jerks in line." Mike said, smiling at Eddie.

"Eddie will go with his little girlfriend," Said Richie as he rolled his eyes, earning an elbow hit from Beverly.

"S-Sure!" Eddie said, finally.

"Huh!?" Richie asked, surprised.

"The less time I get to spend with them the better, really... Besides, they were gonna ditch prom and go to drink somewhere, probably kick some homeless people, so..."

Everyone laughed. Eddie. Made. Them. Laugh. Even Richie was laughing! And they were laughing hard! Stan almost spits his juice.

"I like this one," Stan said.

"We gotta adopt him!" Suggested Beverly.

"Welcome to the losers club, asshole!" Richie said, excitedly, taking Eddie's hand.

Damn, that was electrical.

"We suck!" Stan added.

"You're gonna love it!" Mike said, smiling at Eddie again.

Eddie smiled at them, looking at each one, memorizing the faces of his future family.