after richie had left, eddie decided to sleep. sleeping made him feel better when he was upset. he could wake up, and feel energized. energy could inspire him to do something. go on a walk or read, maybe reorganize his bedroom. doing anything productive made him feel better.
but he was awoken to the sound of his phone ringing. it was late, he had slept through the evening, it being pure nighttime when he awoke. he got up, thinking that it was richie, and answered it. henry's loud voice rung in his ears, the boy sounding close to tears.
"eddie? eddie, i've been thinking. i'm sorry. i wasn't doing right by you. i'll do anything. i'm willing to do that for you. i'm going to do better, please. please come back." eddie felt his heart sink. he loved henry. he truly did. but it wasn't the same thing that he felt for richie. he felt awful. eddie had felt awful since he broke things off. but it wasn't fair.
it wasn't fair to continue things with henry when his heart was somewhere else. that would've made things worse. it wouldn't have been fair to richie either.
"henry, i'm sorry. i wish things could've been different, and if i could change it, i would."
"you could've left me for anyone else, and you chose him? what is it about him? you know i've always been afraid of him." eddie felt his skin heat up.
"did you really see us lasting throughout college? getting married? did you see us having a happy little family? living on a cul de sac in the suburbs? did you?"
the line was silent, and eddie thought that henry had hung up. right before he took the phone away from his ear, henry sighed. it was a loud, obnoxious noise, and made eddie scrunch his nose.
"i love you, eddie." henry's voice sounded hard, hostile. henry's voice never faltered, it stayed a constant monotone. no emotions behind the words, which scared eddie endlessly. he felt small and powerless.
"i told you that i'll always love you, henry. but you cant-" eddie started, only to be interrupted.
not by henry's voice, but the distinct sound of four knocks on his window. the sound of knuckles hitting glass was something that eddie had become used to. eddie turned to see richie crouching on the roof outside of the window.
"you can't what, eddie? what can you not do? tell me that you love me? you were in love with me until you started hanging out with that loser! what happened?" again, four knocks. richies eyebrows were fused together, and he shook his head at eddie.
"it's locked" eddie heard, muffled through the glass.
"he didn't tell me anything, this isn't about him, henry. it's about us. we are the reason that we broke up, not him."
"bullshit, eddie. i know you slept with him. when you told me you didn't want him like that. i know you did. the next day you broke up with me." eddies eyes widened. he stayed silent, his eyes squeezing shut. his heart was beating faster than it had been all day.
"henry, i'm sorry. okay? that was wrong of me, and i shouldn't have done it. if i could take that back i would. but we're not talking about that right now."
four more knocks.
"why? because you don't want to feel the consequences of your actions? you cheated on me, eddie. i know that you don't want to be with me, but there was a time when you did. don't forget everything i did for you."
eddie felt himself getting light headed as henry rambled on. he pulled the phone from his ear and ended the call, letting his phone fall to the floor, before walking mindlessly towards the window where richie was waiting
