9

It takes Bev about twenty minutes to bike over to Richie's house since her aunt lived a bit far compared to when she lived with her dad, she parks her bike next to Eddie's walking up to the front door landing a few loud knocks against the door. Inside Richie and Eddie were in the kitchen looking for snacks, "coming" Richie shouts, pushing himself off the table walking over to the door.

"Oh, hey Bev"

"Where is he?" She says, not wasting a second pushing herself into the house not even removing her boots before following the sounds coming from the kitchen, Eddie looks up from the chip bag with a confused look. "Everything okay?"

"I should be asking you! Did something happen with your mom?" She sighs walking over to him, Richie walking into the kitchen a few seconds later still confused, Eddie's face drops slightly letting out an "Oh..." Before he could say anything, else Bev wraps her arms arm him making him pause, "Bev I'm fine"

"What happened?"

"She just... Well, flipped out it's no big deal"

"Eddie come on, I've had my share of shitty parents... What happened?" Bev sighs now staring down at him with a gaze so intense he cracks, "She went crazy... She wasn't even acting like my mom anymore she just... Fuck it was just scary"

"She freaked out over you asking?"

"Yes! I don't even know how it got so bad, but she started insulting you guys then I lost it and called her out for lying to me!" Bev's hug becomes comforting as Eddie rests his head on her shoulder wrapping his arms around her his brown eyes watering, He hated crying it always made him feel like a baby... He was sixteen why was he crying out a stupid fight with his mom when his friends have gone through so much worse? He was such a crybaby...

"I'm sorry Eddie... I know how scary it can be, but she'll calm down I promise they always do"

"What if she doesn't! What if she kicks me out or hates me for the rest of my life!?"

"Eddie breath, parent's get like this sometimes, but she won't hate you... You're her only son"

"I feel so shitty" He sighs hiding his face using his thumb to wipe a stray tear that had rolled down his cheek, God what kind of son was he? Running away without a word? Leaving her all alone... He was such an asshole to everyone...

"Well, what did you say to her? I doubt it's any worse than the shit I said to my dad" Bev chuckles trying to cheer him up, but Eddie doesn't laugh just gives out a small 'hm' sound, Bev got the hint... It's too fresh to joke about right now.

"When I first brought it up, she started acting like I was joking... Or sick or something, she was so sure you guys were feeding into this like forcing me or something, but I kept telling her I was the one that said yes... Then she told me I didn't have to listen to your lies anymore and everything spilled out, I yelled at her calling her insane for making me believe I was sick..."

Richie shakes his head his arm's crossed tightly against his chest, he hated this woman who the fuck could do that to their own kid? "She is insane, she gave you pills that did nothing for your entire life Eddie!" He groans fidgeting with a shaggy part of his hair. Eddie raises his eyes looking over at Richie Bev does the same, it was rare he ever got worked up but when it came to people, he cared about... Someone he cared about so much like Eddie, he hated it, he hated that he was trying not to cry, he hated that he was still blaming himself when he had done nothing wrong! "But she cares about... Me she takes care of me"

"Eddie you're allowed to be mad at her, I know it's not the same, but my dad took care of me, but he was still a monster..."

"I- I just feel bad"

"That's okay" Bev gives him a small smile before squeezing him gently the smaller boy finally letting out a small laugh, she pulls away from him letting Eddie use the back of his hands wiping the tears from his eyes "Asshole, you made me cry" Eddie says with a small laugh looking up to meet the eyes of his two friends, Richie stays silent not pealing his eye's away from him.. He had a feel Eddie was still holding something in he could just see it in his eyes. "Hey there's nothing wrong with crying!" Bev laughs messing up his hair lightly "Better than being happy go lucky over there, happiness being his only emotion" She adds wiggling her finger at Richie making him roll his eyes.

"Well at least now I'll be able to go with you guys" Eddie shrugs backing Beverly smile brightly once again "I promise it's going to be so fun you'll forget all about this drama"

"I highly doubt that being stuck in a van with the seven of you does not seem like a situation I would call fun"

"I'm going to change your mind Ed's, being stuck with me is soon going to sound like heaven to your ears" Richie grins making Eddie roll his eyes with a scoff, "Only in your dreams"

"Okay you two, I'll see you both Wednesday?" Bev chuckles making her way back to the front door, turning seeing the two still playfully glaring at each other before pealing their eyes away looking at her now "Yeah see you later Bev" Richie nods while Eddie waves a small goodbye. With a small smile on her face, she turns around leaving the family house, it was funny watching the two pretend like they didn't have feelings for one another... It was now so clear to her to why Richie acted the way he did, he liked Eddie's attention while Eddie liked his...

The next few hours the boys spend sitting on the couch watching a movie that Richie forced Eddie to watch, the sun soon set leaving the house dark the tv lighting up the living room. The front door open's Wentworth walking inside with a low groan rubbing his tired eyes, "Hey guys" He says once seeing the two teens sat on the couch "Hey dad"

"You two eat?"

"Yeah, we had some leftovers"

"Okay good, well I'm going to hit the stack early, okay? Try to keep it down please"

"Roger that sir" Richie grins his dad smiling back, it was nice to see how close the two were since Eddie had never met his dad and well his mother would never understand the type of humor Richie and his dad used together. "Oh, dad do you know when mom's coming home?"

"Oh uhm... She's staying at your grandparents tonight she's been wanting to visit them"

"Grandma and Grandpa don't live in Darry, she's not even in town?"

"Sorry kid, it was last minute news for me too"

"Oh... It's fine" Richie shrugs watching his dad turn the corner heading up the stairs, once he was gone his shoulder's drop the expression on his face changing not a lot, but it was enough that Eddie noticed it... "Are you okay?"

"Yeah of course, why?"

"You just seem down, not that it's a bad thing it sucks that your mom didn't let you know"

"Eh it's whatever, I'm not dumb I've known what's going on between them for a while now"

"What do you mean?" Eddie now pushes himself into a sitting position holding eye contact with Richie before Richie breaks it looking down at his lap, how could a guy be so pretty? He knew he couldn't hold eye contact because he wouldn't listen to a word that would have come out of Eddie's mouth... the way his brown hair could swoop perfectly even without him trying and his big brown eyes that could stare into his soul, he was too pretty. "Richie?"

"Hm?"

"Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?"

"There's nothing to talk about" Richie shrugs again Eddie wanted to speak up again until a beeping on his watch caught his tongue, when he looks down his stomach sinks seeing the alarm to take his nighttime pills going off... "It's okay to take them Eddie"

"It's not that, I don't even have them there all over the floor in my living room" He chuckles a bit remembering the thought of his throwing them to the ground he looks back up when Richie laughs too, "Damn Ed's you making a mess? Are you feeling okay"

"Oh, fuck off!"

"What it's true you're such a neat freak most of the time!"

"I am not, a neat freak!"

"You so are" Richie teases pressing his fingertip against his forehead pushing him back gently making the other boy glare "Am not!" Eddie teases back raising his socked foot pushing his shoulders. The two stares at each other before breaking out into a fit of giggles smiling at one another, "You are such an asshole Rich"

"You love it Ed's"