Sweetspot - Reddie

5

The day was long and warm-hearted, although Eddie felt it hard to add any passion to the activities that Billy had organised (such as cliff-jumping, dam-building and a series of acrobats, which Eddie refused to take part in). He just couldn't get what happened earlier out of his head. He had felt something. He swore it! Something deep, sweet, gentle but so frightening at the same time. He knew Rich had felt it too. He could read it in his eyes.

Is this what love feels like Eddie? Are you falling in love? With Trashmouth?

Eddie battled with his thoughts all day, trying his hardest not to make any sort of eye contact with Richie or talk to him anyhow. He knew Beverly had noticed something wrong, she had been shooting him and Rich strange looks all day, after all she payed close attention to all the Losers. She couldn't know what happened earlier and he couldn't pretend nothing had happened-

But he could try.

The Losers bathed in the late-afternoon sun, soaking it up like sponges to water. Beverly lay on the front of her flat stomach, just in her white laced underwear in which she had cliff-dived in but Eddie didn't feel himself stealing awed looks at her like he used to when he was a young boy. Not like Bill was. Laying against a hand-shaped rock, again just in his boxer shorts, his broad chest facing the sun, his blue eyes smiling softly at the dozing Beverly. His look showed nothing strange, just pure affection and love.

Love.

Ben sat on a rock, gazing at Beverlys glinting fire hair. Stan layed on his back, holding his bird book to the sky and reading it carefully. Mike sat next to the staring Bill, his dark eyes twinkling as he invited the warmth of the sun.

Then there was....Richie.

He sat up against the tree staring into space, barely cracking a joke, which might had scared Eddie more than the feeling. His dark brown hair shone in the sunlight and his glasses glinted like his eyes often did.

He was... he was beautiful.

Eddie scolded himself on thinking those thoughts.

It was getting later, and Eddie needed to be back for supper, he knew he did. Breaking the precious silence with this statement which was accompanied with a disappointed glance from Richie which made Eddie's heart pummel and his cheeks blush, the Losers stirred sleepily and pulled back on their varied items of clothing. A neat polo for Stan, a pair of worn denim shorts for Billy, a delicately embroidered summer dress for Beverly, a light blue t-shirt for Ben, a washy white vest-top for Mike- He's just trying to show off his new muscle, Eddie- and an oddly attractive salmon Hawaiian shirt for Richie.

The Losers sat in a friendly circle, re-capping the events of the day however neither Richie or Eddie contributed much too this conversation- both boys seemed too become with another's lovesick stares. As Eddie zoned out of the conversation something familiar glinted in the corner of his eye.

He turned his head slightly and he felt like his heart would very almost stop. His throat tightened significantly and he reached for his pump with shaking hands, taking a good puff, his chocolate eyes bulging. If you were anyone else, not a Loser, than an old discarded Coke bottle wouldn't mean shit to you.

But to the Losers it was almost a symbol.

A symbol of what had happened last summer.