Lovers. // It (2017) // Eddie Kaspbrak

Fourteen - "Eddie Spaghetti!"

Noiselessly, Lyds walked down the street and towards Eddie's house. Mrs Kaspbrak's car was no longer outside of their home, so the young girl knew it was safe to go inside. Either way, she would have gone inside with or without Mrs Kaspbrak there, nothing could stop her.

"Open up, Eddie Spaghetti!" She knocked on the door.

It was silent for a moment as Lyds listened for any signs of life on the other side of the door. Just when she thought nobody was home and she was about to give up and walk away, a pale looking Eddie finally answered.

"Lyds?" He asked

"Eddie." She smiled, and his heart swelled with joy.

Immediately the two friends pulled each other into a tight hug. Lyds backpack slipped from her shoulders and cluttered loudly onto the porch but neither one of them moved, the only thing that mattered in that moment was each other.

"My Mom is going to be so mad if she finds out you were here."

"No offence Eds, but I don't care what your mother thinks. She's not going to drag me away from you." She told him, as she made her way into his home, "Not again..."

(ITS GONNA TAKE A LOT TO DRAG ME AWAY FROM YOUUU)

Eventually Lyds and Eddie settled down in his bedroom, the two of them sat cross legged side by side on his bed. The atmosphere around them was filled with tension, they could both feel it and it was almost driving them crazy.

Eddie needed to ask her about that kiss, what it meant for them, or if she thought it was all one big mistake.

And Lyds had to tell Eddie the truth, from the very beginning. How that 'nightmare' she'd had was actually about him. How the clown made her see a dying Eddie and not a zombie. How she realised her worst fear was losing him. How her aunt beat her and how she'd developed feelings for her best friend. It all had to come out.

"Lyds?" Eddie mumbled

"Yes?"

"Why did you come over here?"

"Because you told me to." She paused, "And because I decided that there can't be any more secrets between us.

"What do you mean?"

"There's a lot I haven't told you Eddie, and I should've. I shouldn't have kept this all from you..."

Tears began to brim the young girl's eyes and despite the entire situation, despite that she was keeping secrets from him, Eddie walked across his room, retrieved a box of tissues and he placed them between them.

"Here." He whispered and wiped the tears away, "Now you can tell me..."

"Where do I start?"

"Start with the bruises."

Softly, Eddie reached out and touched the Greystone girl's cheek, his hand brushed over the newly bruised skin, and in that one gesture he told her everything.

Lyds' heart practically stopped, "Okay." She let out a shaky breath, "They're from my Aunt."

Eddie's heart stopped too, how could someone ever hurt someone so kind? So precious? So caring and loving? To him it was inexplicable. It made him sad and it made him angry all at once, the poor boy had no idea how he felt. He wanted to yell at Lyds for not telling him sooner, after all he could've helped her. He wanted to hurt her Aunt the way she'd hurt Lyds. And he wanted to cry for all of the pain he'd unknowingly watched his crush go through. It was physically heartbreaking.

"S-She hurt you?"

"Yes." Tears finally began to fall down Lyds' round cheeks, and Eds frantically began to wipe them away, more desperate than before.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"It would've only hurt you more to know. No one would've believed you even if you tried to help me Eds."

"But I still could've tried. Wouldn't that have made a difference?"

"No, because Bill knew since before Georgie died, and Richie has known since the beginning of summer."

"You told them before me?"

"Richie only knew because Bill slipped up, and Bill only knew because I wanted to tell you and you weren't there Eds, I had to tell someone or I was going to break."

"It's Okay." He choked out

Silently Eddie lay down on his bed and he pulled Lyds to lay beside him, the two weren't touching or hugging, all they could do was admire the others soft features.

"There's more." Lyds told him, "I lied about my fear too, about what the clown makes me see."

"I'm gonna take a wild guess and say it's your Aunt."

"Wrong." She shook her head, "It's you Eddie."

"I'm your worst fear?"

In confusion he sat up and stared down at his friend who still lay on her side, her eyes not meeting his. Mutedly, she shook her head.

"No." She rolled over so she was staring up into his brown eyes, "Losing you is."

He stayed silent.

"When the clown came after us on Neibolt street, I didn't see a zombie. I saw a dying version of you.

When I was trapped in that room back at the house on Neibolt, I saw a dead version of you on the ground.

That night I called you telling you about that dream I had, it wasn't a dream Eds. The clown made me watch you die. My worst fear is you dying, it always has been."

Eddie had no words left to say, he only had his actions. And so shaking hands and tears stinging his eyes, Eddie hesitantly leaned down and pressed his lips against hers.

And to his shock, she kissed him back.

"You know how many germs are involved in this, right?" Lyds mumbled against him

Eddie smiled into the kiss, "I guess that shows you how much I like you."