25

"Where the hell did Richie go?" Beverly says her voice waking Eddie up, he let's out a groan pushing himself to sit up rubbing his eyes tiredly. "No clue, Mike you sure you didn't hear anything last night?" Stanley's voice joins the others "Sorry no, I was out cold last night"

"Where the hell would he have gone?" Beverly groans loudly, "M-maybe he just went to use the w-washroom" Bill adds clearly trying to calm the group down. Knowing that he wasn't going to be able to go back to bed Eddie sighs and pushes the door open in front of him closing his eyes as they adjust to the bright sun light, he pokes out of the van glaring at the group "Why the fuck are you guy's so damn loud this early?"

"We can't find Richie" Beverly sigh's her pale arms crossed over one another her face showing clear signs of worry, Eddie glances around the group he was seriously woken up because of this? he let's out a sigh before pushing the other van door open letting the group see Richie's figure passed out next to him his messy hair covering his face. Once the sun hits him he let's out a groan throwing his arm over his face "What the fuck" his tired self mange's to say peeling his eye's open, "Seriously.. He was there all night!" Beverly groans suddenly feeling stupid for worrying so much. She should have known her best friend wouldn't have gone far, 

"That's not fair! How come he got to crash with you!" Stanley gasp crossing his arm's now. "Because I'm better than you" Richie chuckles moving into a sitting up position rubbing a hand down his face tiredly, "Why the hell are you guy's being so loud?" he adds before a yawn escapes him god he just wanted to go back to bed.

"Because I thought you disappeared dick!" Beverly huff's making Richie chuckle "Where would I even disappear to Bev"

"Oh shut up" She roll's her eyes before the group break's into small chuckles, once everyone was up they pick everything up packing it back into the van. This time Stanley offered to drive Bill choosing the passenger's seat saying it was because he wanted to read his comic book comfortably but Richie didn't believe it for a second, the group sadly had to start driving back towards Darry since they had promised their parents to be home by Friday so their trip had to come to an end. Eddie and Richie were the last two to climb into the van once they were settled Stanley starts driving hitting the highway in a few minutes, Richie lean's back against the wall his eyes scanning the comic paper in front of him while snacking at the trail mix Bill had packed the stutter teen sat in front in the passenger's seat was also reading his comic the two both silent and busy reading their beloved comics. Eddie and Ben were sat on the same side, Ben had been reading through one of history book's like he always does so Eddie leans over scanning one of the pages "Do you ever read a normal book?" He teases him making Ben chuckle and roll his eyes "Of course I do, but I just find history cool"

Eddie lays against one of the pillow's staring up at the roof with a bored look on his face, the van was quiet nobody really speaking they were just busy with their own thing. Looking over at the other side of him Eddie see's Bev her headphones on playing music on her walk man her green eyes meeting his, she gives him a smile removing the head phones letting the rest on her shoulders "What's up?"

"I am so bored, I feel like I'm going crazy" Eddie groans dropping his head onto her shoulder his brown hair tickling the side of her pale neck, "Here listen to music with me" She says offering him one of the ear bud out to him. With a smile he takes it planted it in his ear hearing 'Gypsy' by Fleetwood mac playing, now that he wasn't stuck in a silence hearing Bill and Stanley talking to one another while the other's just focused on their own thing he let's out a sigh enjoying the song his eye's fluttering shut keeping his head rested on Beverly's shoulder. Richie look's up from his comic spotting the scene in front of him, Eddie seemed to be on the verge of falling asleep Beverly kept her eye's open looking out the window as the trees fly passed them. She turns her head her green eyes meeting Richie's dark brown ones she could tell he was looking at Eddie a smirk growing on her face, "Tell him" she mouth making Richie's eyes widened quickly shaking his head there was no way he was going to tell Eddie anything about this weird crush.. He look's back down at his comic ignoring Beverly for the time being, well that was until they had to stop for gas forcing him to get out of the car and stretch. Eddie let's out a groan sliding out of the van standing next to Richie "My back is going to break I swear to god" 

"We only have like three hour's left Ed's you'll be fine"

"Three hours.. I wish we didn't have to go back to Darry" He sighs leaning against the van glancing over at Stanley and Mike the two standing by the gas pump talking about something, Bev and the other's headed inside the minute the van was parked leaving the two to chat. "Me too.. Having to deal with bower's and the empty house again just.. This has been fun"

"Well we still have a lot of the summer left, we'll make plans" Eddie smiles looking up at Richie, he didn't want to over react but something had changed between the two Richie could feel it.. Eddie was different with him but not a bad different, he felt that maybe just maybe there could be a small chance of him feeling the same.. With all the eye contact and random smiles and staring at each other, they had held hands only breaking apart when they had to leave.. Eddie didn't rip his hand away the minute he could, it felt nice between them.. Beverly's words replayed in his mind while looking down at Eddie seeing him staring off at the gas station his perfect side profile one that he was so weirdly jealous of. 

Richie had that weird puberty stage when he was breaking out and got weirdly tall out of nowhere, but Eddie maybe got one or two break outs but other then that he stayed the same his perfect face, his perfect brown hair well he did grow a few inches but that's it. After a few more minutes the group all come's back to the van talking for a few more minutes before climbing back inside and hitting the road, The three hour's seem the fly by the whole time Richie couldn't shake his best friends word.. She always seemed to know everything so maybe she was right about this too? But a choice like this could ruin everything between him and Eddie who was at the moment stealing some of Beverly's snacks when she looked away. He couldn't keep this hidden thought it wasn't right lying straight to his face..

He had to do something..