Don't Fall In Love: REDDIE (COMPLETED ✔️)

Chapter Three

authors note: I AM SO SORRY THIS CHAPTER IS LIKE INSANELY LONG OMG most chapters are 400-600 words and this one is pushing 3k so lock in people 🙏

I felt people crowding around me and laughing. I immediately got up and weaved my way through the crowd and to the door. I never should have come here. It was a big mistake and I need to just go back to my dorm and watch movies all night. Right as I was about to turn the corner to leave the building, I felt someone grab my arm. Unfortunately I'm so clumsy one of my two left feet blocked the other and I found myself falling, again, this time onto the owner of the hand on my arm.

Eddie

I heard a groan underneath me and I jumped off of them. I looked down and saw that it was Richie. Great.

"I-I'm so sorry." I helped him up and went to keep walking but he pulled me back again.

"Yes?" I muttered, refusing to look into his huge eyes.

"Don't go." He whispered. His eyes softened when I met them and I almost agreed just because he looked so genuine about me staying.

"I just ran into a wall, Richie. It's so embarrassing. I don't want to stay here any longer." I mumbled. I opened the door to the cold crisp air sucking all the color out of my skin. I shivered and started walking towards my dorm.

Then I felt a hand on my shoulder. At this point I was exhausted. Why can't I just go home? I clearly don't want to be here, why can't he understand that? I want to be alone and shove my face with cheesecake ice cream and rewatch New Girl or something. I slowly turned around and felt my teeth chatter

"Oh, Eddie are you cold?" He asked, immediately starting to take off his own jacket.

I looked down and closed my eyes for a minute before looking back up at him. "Can you please....please just let me go home? I'm just tired." I choked out, trying to smile so he wouldn't be concerned.

He frowned and looked at me as if he could see straight through me. "What?" I asked, panic flooding through. What was he seeing?

"I'm sorry." He said, taking my hand in his. I could tell he wasn't just apologizing for this moment. I eyed our hands and he noticed and quickly dropped my hand and looked away.

"It's okay." I muttered. He's not the one that needs to apologize and I know that but I'm not sure I'm fully sorry for what I did yet.

I began to walk away again. I froze when I felt arms wrap around my torso and a head on my shoulder. I instantly relaxed and turned around to hug him back. We held each other for a moment before he pulled away and put his jacket around me.

"For your walk back." He shoved his hands in his pockets.

"I guess I can stay for a little bit longer." I jokingly rolled my eyes. He grinned like a little boy that just got the golden ticket in his chocolate bar and led me back up to the party. I wandered around for a bit while he went around getting drinks and talking to his frat brothers and friends.

. . . .

After about two hours, it was clear he was wasted. He got on top of a table (which really worried me, because he could barely stand) and he yelled 'party over, everyone get the fuck out' then tossed back another drink. People started stumbling out. When everyone left, I looked around his house and saw cups all over the floor and beer stains on the wall and clothes everywhere. Richie stumbled over to me and grinned.

"You stayed. Did you have a good time?"

"I did."

He started laughing and I sighed, "You need to go to bed."