✓Hanahaki Diease [ Reddie ]

VII. Operation Sneak In

TW: F-slur

Richie's clothes still dripping from the lake, as well as Eddie's hair and face.

"Alright ándale ándale let's go." Richie pulled his bike up off the ground as did Eddie. They ran off from the rocky roads to the main trail. The paved road guided itself,

Familiar houses flew past till they stopped to Eddie's. Eddie quietly parked his bike in the garage before running back out. Richie signaled him to go climb as he ran the door bell.

In a few minutes a woman would answer,

"Oh my goodness Richie, Do you know where my Eddie baby is?" Richie awkwardly looked to the side.

"Isn't he home, Mrs K?" Richie peered around her into their house.

"He's been gone all day!" She crossed her arms. An interruption came from behind her.

"Ma? What is Richie doing here?" She stared in disbelief.

"I- Eddie bear when did you come in?" She asked.

"I was here about 40 minutes ago." He replied, Mrs K shut the door in Richie's face.

"Welp." Richie thought, he jumped back onto his bike. Biking away as the sun whisked  softly. Soon only leaving darkness.

When he reached his house he slid his bike bad into the garage. Climbed up into his roof and back into his window,

Where he was greeted with his mother.

"Richie. Where were you." She demanded, the frustration in her eyes was clear.

"I was at Eddie's, I lost track of time." He lied.

"Why did I just get a phone call from Mrs K, saying you showed up to her house like a sewage rat." Richie went quiet.

"You're grounded till further notice. No leaving the house." She slammed the door behind her as she left.

Richie changed out of his wet clothes, flopping backwards onto his bed. He placed his glasses on his nightstand. Staring at the ceiling his eyes felt heavy,

The only thing he could think about was Eddie.

"What did it all mean?" He thought to himself. Darkness soon crept over, he was fast asleep.

Breakfast was worrying to say the least.

With the combination of his mother's frustrated eyes and his father's distant glares he was put in a awkward position.

"So Rich, wanna tell me and your mother where you actually were last night." Richie was quiet.

"You're going to tell us one way or another boy." His father spat.

"I was at the quarry." Richie blurted out, feeling his stomach turn.

His parents sat silently for a few minutes,

"With who?"

He looked over at them, "Eddie."

His father's face was red with anger. His mother looked away shamefully, grabbing her cross necklace.

"Maggie, leave the room." His father said.

She quickly left the room.

"I will not be raising no faggot, in this house. From now on you will go to church with your mother." His father demanded.

"No." Richie blurted out.

"What the hell did you say to me boy?"

"Wentworth, calm down." Maggie ran to try to calm his frustration.

"I want him out of my house by tomorrow. That'll teach him." Richie ran off to his room.

He quickly began packing few belongings, along with some water and crackers. He swung the bag over his shoulders and went to the only place he knew.

The club hangout.

He quickly biked away when he reached the forest, he pulled the bike down the trap door to where nobody could find him.

He threw his stuff down and laid on the hammock. He was alone, sure somebody would be there soon. Right?

Silence. He realized his whole life was at stake, if he didn't do something soon he'd likely starve.

----

word count: 615