𝐏𝐔𝐑𝐏𝐋𝐄 *.☽ .* 𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐃𝐈𝐄 𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐀𝐔

5

Richie was sent to his assigned seat after his short introduction to the class, which to his dismay, was on the other side of the classroom to the little boy who couldn't take his eyes off him, as if they were magnetised. Richie was the positive to his negative, the boy figured.

As Eddie stared at him with his large honey eyes, he knew Richie and him were supposed to be friends. And he just knew the other losers would adore him and his little quirks.

Throughout the lesson, Eddie felt the feeling of Richie's dark, rich chocolate irises staring at him. He didn't know what he could possibly be staring at. Eddie was just like everyone else, in his opinion, nothing special.

But to the boy across the classroom, Eddie was intoxicating.

And when the bell rang, like a green go light, signifying the end of the lesson, Richie swiftly started his engine and knew exactly where his first stop would be.

***

Tozier Residence, Derry, Maine
Sunday 17th July 1992
8:50 am

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The sun had slowly crept out of hiding like a hedgehog coming out of a long winter's hibernation. Dissimilarly, Richie had woken with a huge thud as he rolled out of his small cosy single bed and onto the cold, hard wooden floor boards that moaned and groaned with age every time someone set foot on them.

He adjusted his glasses and picked himself up groggily.

After a tasty breakfast of burnt toast (cooked to perfection in Richie's opinion) and a glass of orange juice alone at his kitchen table, he raced upstairs to get dressed, hoping to meet up with his friends today. They hadn't planned anything, but he figured if he just knocked on their front doors, at least one of them had to be free.

But he didn't need to race, since as soon as he had climbed the tediously long staircase to his attic bedroom, he heard a knock on his door. Not just any knock. A knock that was playful and had a sort-of rhythm to it.

He knew who it was. It was the same person who always found it impossible to knock normally.

He sprinted to the door even quicker than he had pelted upstairs, tripping on a few steps in the process, and opened the door excitedly.

"Eddie my best chap!" he exclaimed joyfully in a British accent before he even saw the boy standing outside.

"Hey Rich," Eddie beamed, as he stepped forward, embracing the taller boy with a friendly hug. Richie held the back of Eddie's head while they cuddled, his fingers getting lost in Eddie's forest-like head of curls.

The hug, much to Richie's annoyance, ended almost as quickly as it had begun.

Eddie had pulled away, the thoughts about his sexuality swimming around his mind as though his brain was caught up in the middle of a sea current; there was no escape from them and they seemed to be pulling him in all directions, confusing him.

He'd had many more thoughts similar to the one in the blossom tree since, mostly about Richie, and he wasn't prepared to accept his possible new revelation.

"I was just about to get dressed and go over to yours and see if you wanted to maybe hang out today?" Richie pondered, hoping desperately that Eddie would accept his offer.

"Actually I can't," Eddie began, and as he saw Richie's smile falter and his eyebrows furrow slightly as though he were hurt, he quickly added, "but I'm here now to ask if you want to come over tonight."

"Oh you want me to come over tonight, do you?" Richie raised an eyebrow suggestively.

"Ew no you dork, just a sleepover since my mom is out all night and i'm visiting my aunt all day with her so we can't hang out in the day, that's all," Eddie punched Richie's shoulder in disgust. Richie was so dirty sometimes, but Eddie loved it deep down. He loved that Richie wasn't afraid to be himself and that he had his own sense of humour. He wasn't like anyone else Eddie had ever met in his life, and that's why he loved him.

Richie didn't say anything for a moment, processing this new information. Eddie Kaspbrak had just invited him to a sleepover at his. Was anyone else coming, or was it just him? If it was just him, did Eddie really enjoy his company? Did he potentially feel the same way about Richie as he felt about Eddie?

"Well? Is that a yes or a no dipshit? Or are you just gonna keep staring at me like I've got something on my face?" Eddie teased, "Wait, do I have something on my face? Oh shit, it's this mornings raspberry jam on toast isn't it?" Eddie began rubbing his face vigorously, feeling self conscious all of a sudden.

Richie grabbed Eddie's small, olive hands and pulled them down, constricting them to his sides. He stared into the small boy's beautiful eyes and calmly said, "No Eds, there's nothing on your face. Except for those cute freckles aaaaannnndddddd the immense joy that Richie Tozier is sleeping over at your house tonight!"

"Awh really? Thanks Chee, you're the best!" Eddie was overcome with joy as he wrapped his arms around Richie's neck, catching him off guard.

Chee. That was a new one. Richie quickly decided he adored it.

"So I'll see you around 8 ish tonight, be there or be square Tozier," Eddie warned playfully, unlocking his fingers and freeing Richie from his warmth. Richie wanted to bathe in the warm energy Eddie Kaspbrak radiated; he made him feel appreciated and accepted, something he wasn't used to.

Richie leaned over to rustle Eddie's messy curls as he slipped out of the front door, skipping down Richie's porch steps as he went, looking and feeling like the happiest boy alive.

He picked up his bike and fumbled with the gears before hopping on and waving good bye to his best friend, Richie waving back. He had been stood there watching Eddie leave, making sure he was safe, even though the distance from his house to Eddie's bike was minuscule.

Soon enough, Eddie was just another speck on the horizon of the glowing highlighter-yellow sun as he rode into the distance back to his home, while Richie felt like he was the sun in the sky that Eddie was currently getting lost in, hoping Eddie felt the same.

***

Stanley anxiously picked up his red telephone and punched the numbers of a phone number he'd had memorised since he was six years old into it. It rang three times, before it stopped.

"H-hello?" the voice answered.

"Hey Bill, I was uh- I was wondering if you're free this evening? I'm going bird watching and I wanted to know whether you'd be interested in joining me?" Stan was nervous and Bill could tell.

"Stan is that e-even a qu-qu-question? of course, i'd l-love to j-join you!" Bill exclaimed, his voice laced with joy.

The two chatted for a few more minutes before reluctantly hanging up, counting down the hours until the pair would see each other for their date. if that's what it even was.