(Eddie)Chapter 2- Nicotine

I ride my bike down the street, breathing in the crisp fall air. The trees have just started to turn, making the ride down to Richie's house a nice view. I'm excited to see Richie and Bev. I've been needing a break from my Mom. She's gotten even crazier over the years. After I confronted her about my placebo's she's tried forcing even more meds onto me. I take them from her, but end up flushing them down the toilet. 

I pull up to Richie's house into his driveway. His garage is open and inside sits his 1965 blue Corvette. His dad had a client who was looking to get rid of the thing but said it was busted up so much from his younger years it wasn't worth anything. Richie saw that as a challenge and has been winning so far. He was able to basically reinstall the guts with old junkyard material and reassemble it to resemble an actual car. The only thing out of place is the lack of a radio, a paint job and a small dent on the passenger side door. 

Richie sits inside the car, the driver's door open. Bev stands outside it, a toolbox in her arms. They look my way as I set my bike down on the lawn, walking into the garage.

"Hey, there Eds!" Richie calls from inside the car.

"Hey. How's the radio doing?" I ask, turning to Bev.

"Good so far, Richie already shocked himself three times though." She tells me, a grin on her grease smudged face.

"Of course," I mutter, shaking my head. 

"Shit!" Richie yelps, jumping.

"Four now." Bev corrects herself.

I roll my eyes, knowing I'll have to clean his burnt fingers. 

"I think I got it," Richie calls.

He shifts around in the car, and loud banging sounds from inside. It stops, and then the crackle of radio plays from the car. Richie shuffles around and the sound of jazz music booms. Richie gets out of the car, dancing around. He takes the toolbox from Beverly and puts it down on a shelf. Richie grabs Bev and me by the arms and drags us out into the driveway.  He does a little waltz with Bev, the two giggling at themselves. 

I stare at Richie. He has a small smudge of grease on his nose. His hairs' messier than usual and the old t-shirt he's wearing looks nice tucked into his jeans. He locks eyes with me, grinning. My heart twists as he grabs me by a hand and my waist, pulling me into a waltz. Were so close our noses basically touch. I can smell his faint cigarette breath, and feel his rough calloused handhold my small soft one. 

We spin around, Bev dancing on her own, snapping her fingers to the music. Richie sways offbeat, humming the tune of the song in my ear. He's such an idiot. 

The song ends, and Richie spins me around and dips me. I panic, thinking I'm falling and grab him by his shirt. He holds me for a few seconds, our eyes still locked as the next song plays. I want to grab his stupid face and kiss him. It would be so easy. But he would shove me away. Scream at me. And I would cry and run back home to my mom. And I would lie and say it's just my allergies and she would force medicine down my throat.

"Do you really think I'd drop you Eds?" Richie questions, helping me stand straight.

"It wouldn't surprise me." I huff at him, trying to hide the color in my cheeks.

"Aw, I'd never drop my Eddie Spaghetti!" Richie pinches my cheeks.

I shove his arm away.

"We should wash up, and then take this thing for a spin!" Bev says, walking back towards the house. We nod and head inside, Richie turning the car radio off. I take a washcloth and scrub the grim off of Bev and Richie's faces. Richie squirms around, whining that I'm scrubbing too hard.

The phone rings and Richie pops up from the stool he sits on and rushes to the living room. 

"Yellow?" He answers the phone. A few seconds pass of a voice on the other line

"Bev, your grandma wants you back home for lunch!" Richie calls.

Bev and I exchanged uneasy glances. Beverly enjoys living with her grandmother much more then her shitty dad. But after all the court stuff when her dad died, she just wanted to relax. But as soon as she moved in with her grandmother she started to have health problems. And Bev's been caught in a cycle of stress these past few years. I'm surprised she hasn't started turning grey.

"Well, I better go," She says, trying to hide the disappointment in her eyes," Thanks for having me over Rich. Bye Eddie!" She says, patting my arm goodbye. 

"Bye," I tell her, watching her walk out of the kitchen. I hear Richie say bye to her and the front door open and close. 

Richie pops his head into the kitchen, a grin on his face, "What do you say Eds? Wanna grab lunch in my baby?"

"I already told you, I'm never getting in that thing," I tell him, crossing my arms.

"Oh, come on Eds! I'll even pay!" He says, walking into the kitchen.

I think for a second, and then roll my eyes at him," Fine," I scoff.

"Great! It's a date!" Richie exclaims, ruffling my hair. 

I shove him off of me. He walks back out into the garage, and I follow behind. He gets into the car, and I get in next to him. It's not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. The seats are worn, white leather that matches the rest of the interior. The radio is black and sticks out along with the wide steering wheel that brandishes a pink, fuzzy cover. 

Richie starts the car once more, and jazz plays through the car. The windows are cranked down, and the late morning air cools the car. Richie pulls out of the garage and out onto the street. We start to move and soon enough leave the neighborhood. I turn and look at Richie.

He has a proud smile on his face as he looks at the road ahead. I then realize something.

"Richie, do you even have your license?!" I exclaim, now terrified.

"Uh, no of course not. I'm only fifteen and three-quarters. I'm getting it in a few months though." Richie tells me as if we're having a casual conversation.

"Rich!" I scream.

"We'll be fine, Eds! Calm down. Were just taking a little drive through town. No one's gonna die." He talks with his hands which sets me even more on edge.

"Richie, I swear to God if you don't put your hands at ten and two-"

"Okay, okay!"

He puts his hands on the wheel and looks at the road, his smile gone. I keep my eyes on him. I can tell he's thinking about something. And it bothers him. I wish I could tell what's going on in his mind, maybe then I'd be able to know whether he actually likes me or if it's all a joke. It drives me insane how he calls me Eds and pinches my cheeks and calls me cute. I can never tell if it's a joke or not. And so I'm left guessing.

"Is Burger King okay?" Richie asks.

"Hm?" I snap out of my thoughts," Oh, yeah, Burger King is fine.

He pulls into the parking lot and parks the car. We go inside and get in line. There's a bunch of office people on their lunch break, which is good because it gives me time to think. 

"What's good here?" I ask Richie, sticking my hands in my jacket.

"It's burgers, Edwardo, you can't go wrong." He tells me.

"Well, what are you getting?" I ask.

"A Whopper, it's what I usually get." 

"I'll get that too."

"Uh, maybe you should get a Jr," Richie says, side-eyeing me.

"Why, because I'm short? Haha, Richie!" I shove my shoulder into him.

"No," he laughs," though you are short. I just know your not a big eater. You wouldn't be able to finish it, that's all." 

"Fine, whatever Trashmouth." I huff.

We wait in line a bit longer. Richie orders his meal and then a large vanilla shake. I order my meal, we get our drinks, and then sit down at a booth together. Richie fiddles with the table number, twirling it around. I watch him as he does so.

"Hey, what do you think the others are doing right now?" I ask.

"I don't know. Bill and Stan are probably do'in it underneath a birdhouse or something," Richie says, not looking up from his twirling number.

"Beep beep, Richie." 

"It's true."

"Beep beep, Richie" 

"Your no fun Eddio Spaghettio!" He sighs.

I roll my eyes and look out the window. I watch as cars pass by and pull into the restaurant. A waitress comes over with our food.

"Thank you miss," Richie says seductively. 

"Your welcome," She replies, unbothered by Richie's attempt at flirting.

I look up to lock eyes with the waitress. And I find that she's really pretty. Her long blonde hair is pulled back into a braid, and her bangs fall just above her twinkling brown eyes. She smiles at me, a kind genuine smile. And I go slightly brain dead.

"Hi," She says.

"Uh, hi!" I reply.

"I'm Betty Jabsen. I go to high school here in Derry. Um, I'm a sophomore. Have-"

"We don't need your life story, Betty." Richie chimes in.

"Shut up Richie!" I tell him, slapping his arm. I turn back to Betty.

"Well, um- I-I just thought you were cute. And if-sorry this is probably weird and you probably think I'm weird and-"

"No." I stop her," Thank you. Uh, I think you're really cute too. Um, I'm a freshman at Derry high school."

"Cool...cool. Um, could I give you my number?" She asks.

I think for a moment. This girls' really pretty and nice and is into me. But Richie. I-I like Richie. I have for a long time. But I can't sit and wait around just playing this guessing game with him anymore. I should move on. And if he's happy for me, he sees me as a friend. And if not, I guess he doesn't.

''Uh, yeah, I'd like that," I say, giving her a smile. 

She smiles and takes out a pen. She scribbles it down on a napkin.

"Well, call me!" She giggles before walking away. 

I turn to Richie who has a strange look on his face. But then he bursts into a smile.

"Wow, Eddie Spaghetti a ladies man!" He exclaims, munching on a curly fry.

"Oh, shut up." I chuckle, still feeling unsure about all of this.

"I guess you don't have to worry about a homecoming date.

"Oh shit, that's in like two weeks isn't it?"

"Yeah, Eds."

"But we were all planning to go together."

"It's fine, we'll be fine. Wait till Bev hears about this." Richie laughs.

"I'm more worried about suit shopping with my mom," I admit.

"Don't worry, Ed's, I'll be there," Richie tells me.

"I don't think she'll let you come, Rich," I say, eating a fry.

"No, It'll work out. I mean I'm coming over the night before to fuck so-"

"You're a pig!" I exclaim, throwing a fry at him. He smiles, catching it in his mouth.

"Oh come on, you love me Eds." He laughs.

The sad part is that I think I do.

***

I walk into the house, feeling the weight hit my shoulders again.

"Eddie Bear, I'm in here!" My mom calls from the living room.

I walk into the living room where she sits in her recliner, watching TV. I plop down on the couch.

"Where did you go off to this morning?" She asks.

"Uh, Richie's house. He wanted some company while he worked on his car." I tell her.

"You didn't get in that thing did you, sweetheart?" She asks, worry in her voice.

"No,mom," I answer.

"Good."

We sit there a few seconds in silence before I get up and walk into the kitchen. I stare at the phone and take out the napkin with Betty's number on it. I debate with myself; Call Betty and ask her to Homecoming. Or don't call her and keep being confused over Richie.

I pick up the phone and dial the number. It rings three times.

"Hello?" Betty's voice sounds from the other line.

"Hey, it's Eddie, from Burger King," I say.

"Oh, hey! Um, hi! Sorry again. It's just that you're really cute and seem really nice and yeah..." She trails off.

"It's fine. I'm glad you talked to me. I was actually wondering something," I say.

"Mhm?" She hums, probably already knowing what I'm about to say.

"What lunch period do you have?" I ask. I was going to ask her to homecoming but I can't. Not yet.

"Oh, um I have B lunch." She replies, trying to hide the disappointment in her voice.

"Cool, I have B lunch too. Do you wanna sit together Monday? Uh, we could sit with your friends or-"

"We should sit with your friends. I really only hang out with Carrie, but she's out of town for the week." She cuts in.

"Oh, okay. I guess I'll see you Monday then." I tell her.

"Yeah, see you Monday." She repeats.

"Bye"

"Bye"

I hang up and stand there for a moment. I stuff the napkin into my jacket pocket. I look down and realize it's Richie's jacket from yesterday. I haven't taken it off. And I don't want to. 

I make my way up to my room, and collapse down on my bed. I take deep breaths, my thoughts becoming even more overwhelming; Richie's jacket smells like him. His stupid shampoo. His stupid cigarettes. Stupid, stupid cigarettes. I'm asthmatic and yet I want to be with a smoker. But in a way, I am a smoker. I'm addicted just like they are. Except Richie is my nicotine. And Betty will be my patch.

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Hey guys, gals, and non-binary pals! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. And yes I did research for the end of this. Nicotine patches first hit the shelves in 1992 and this book takes approximately three years after the 2017 film adaption which is 1989. I know these chapters aren't very long but It helps me keep my flow going by writing shorter, and it most likely keeps your attention longer. Anyways, thanks for reading and stay tuned for more! Bye!