hard times// eddie + richie // IT

coffee and tea

crash!
i tumble out of bed as richie rolls onto my side of the mattress. i groan.
the autumn derry air rushes in through an open window, chilling my legs and arms. the sun flows loosely through our bedroom window as i stretch, and then get up. my socked feet pad across the wood tile floor of richie's hallway, as i walk to the kitchen.

i slide open all of the windows and open the front door. the weather is so mildly beautiful, and it makes the house feel nice. it's saturday, so stan is going to come over for breakfast this morning. the cool air makes my lungs feel invigorated, as if there's a new adventure just waiting to begin. i put on a pot of coffee for stan, because that kid can't get enough caffeine. i start to boil water for tea, because richie and i prefer it.
the smell of tea comforts me, and i finally feel like i'm at peace.

as i'm pulling on a sweater, i hear footsteps in the doorway.
"stan?"  i call from the kitchen.
"good morning, eddie!" he answers cheerfully. i pull the sweater over my head and see stan and bill in the doorway.
"oh. hey bill!" i greet, and bill gives a warm smile.
"where's richie?" stan asks me. i laugh.
"still asleep." stan and bill laugh in reply. stan tilts his head up and sniffs the air.
"is that.. coffee i smell?" he asks, before smirking at me.
"you know it."
i give stan and bill mugs, and stan beelines to the coffee. bill stands in between, torn between both drinks. i pour myself a mug of tea when he smirks.
"you two are gonna hate me for this," he joked. so, bill proceeded to pour half a mug of coffee into his mug, and then half a mug of tea. i gag, but he takes a sip.
"pretty good," he tells us. stan scrunches up his nose.  i run my hand through my unkempt, somewhat curly hair.
"you've got to cut that mop," bill says.
"i like it. me and richie kind of match," i answer. stan laughs and flips his hands in a girly way.
"twinsies!" he exclaims, laughing.

"how's beverly?" i ask bill. from the corner of my eye, i can see stan unfocus from the cartoon we were watching, and listen to the conversation.
we all sit in richie's living room, watching cartoons and drinking our drinks, while the autumn air keeps the house cool.
"she's great. i think i love her," bill declares. i smile, genuinely. it's time they got together. stan winces, but pulls himself together.
"what should i do?" bill asks us.
"buy her some flowers, bitches love flowers," says a voice from the hallway. i smile.
"richie!" stan exclaims. richie smiles and walks over with a mug of tea. he sits down next to me.
"i heard the word 'love' and i had to intervene," richie says in a mock british accent. bill laughs.
"yeah. beverly, she's really something," he tells richie.
"i think you should ask her out on a date," i tell him. richie grabs my hand.
"yeah! dating is fun! then we can go on double dates!" he cheers.
"i think i'm gonna take her to the movies," he states. richie and i both look at eachother and smile.
"that was our first date!" i tell him.
"i'm really happy for you guys," stan tells us, the slightest twinge of bitterness in his voice.
i looked at the time. it was nearly 10:00.
"i better get going," stan tells us.
"me too," bill says.
they leave their mugs in the sink and walk out the open front door.
"i love you," richie tells me, after they had left and said goodbye.

later that afternoon, it rained. but it was a very cold rain. richie and i went outside, and we sat on his porch. i had my hands inside my sweater sleeves so i could hold my steaming mug of tea. richie laid his head on my shoulder. sometimes, i still think back to summer. when things were different and no one was broken.
but, we all break sometimes.
and that's how we find our salvations.

the cold rain hit my bare toes, sending shockwaves through my body. i shivered.
"are you cold?" richie asked me. i nodded.
he took off his jacket and put it around me, and then draped his arm around my shoulder. he sniffled.
"thank you," he whispered into my hair.
"why?" i asked.
"you saved me."
i blushed. i'm no savior. i'm just me.
but maybe to richie, i'm his world.
i kissed his nose, while a clap of thunder shook the earth around us.
"maybe we should go inside?" i ask him.
"no, i like the rain." he tells me.

so, that's how we stayed for a very long time. together.

SORRY THIS ONE WAS SUPER BORING!! I LOVE WRITING WEATHER AESTHETICS.

sadly, this story is coming to a close very soon. not yet, i may release a few happy ending chapters, but then i'll end this story. maybe a bit of drama, but not too much that can't be solved in a chapter or two.

i love you all,
laurenwrrites