Confident

Bets Over Friends

Song: Thank You For Being a Friend by Andrew Gold

October 25, 1993

A lot has passed in the last few days. The concert, the It incident, and also the fact that Eddie and Richie are finally official.

The basement sounds of laughter and cheer due to Richie's story about getting Eddie high, which at first resulted in tons of gasps. They had never been able to get Eddie to smoke anything, so the fact that Richie could convince him so easily was a little shocking. They eventually settled down and tuned back into the story. It's then that Beverly interjects.

"How could you not teach him how to properly smoke before handing over the joint?"

Richie purses his lips. "No one ever taught me. I didn't know that was a thing."

Beverly stubs the end of her cigarette out on an ashtray that Bill had bought for the basement. "Poor kid, probably almost killed him."

Eddie huffs. "I'm not a baby. I can smoke just fine."

"Yeah, but he could've at least gone easy on you." Stanley gives a pointed glare in Richie's direction, which only makes the tall one chuckle. Stanley just rolls his eyes.

"Well I'm fine, aren't I?" Eddie leans back into the couch, making sure to sit a little closer to Richie than before.

"So what was he like?" Greta is obviously amused. She can't imagine the small boy blazed, eyes red and laughter endless.

Hot, is what Richie wants to answer. However, he's not too sure if that's appropriate, so he settles for something less. "He wouldn't stop laughing. I'd point to a plastic hanger and he'd double over again."

The group laughs and Eddie grunts in embarrassment. Bill sits up, and Stanley does as well. Their shoulders rest against one another. "H-how did you fuh-feel?" An obvious smirk plays at his lips. Every other Loser had smoked at least a few times.

Eddie shrugs, not knowing how to answer that. "I wasn't sure if I was exactly high or not. I kept asking Richie, who would just burst out laughing at me, which then would make me laugh all over again. I was so confused by everything. And I was so hungry."

Everyone bursts out laughing again. "Okay we have got to all get high together soon." Beverly's smile is large and glowing. The entire group nods and agrees, even Eddie, which catches them off guard.

"What did you guys do while smoking?" Mike turns his attention back to everyone. He had been playing some stupid patty cake type game with Greta, who would laugh and punch his arm every single time he messed up.

Richie and Eddie stay quiet at this question. For the most part, their hands never left each other. How were they going to say that to their friends, though? Each look to each other for help, and everyone around them gives each other knowing glances.

"Uh we just kind of laid there and talked. Nothing crazy." Richie begins.

The Loser's all purse their lips, not buying it for a second. They don't say anything, though. It's none of their concern. Eddie simply gives Richie a look of some sort, which Richie tries hard to read.

Eddie sighs and turns back to the crowd before them. "We made out."

Richie's eyes widen. "Eddie!"

"A lot." Eddie finally finishes, his bottom lip curled in between his teeth.

All of the teenager's cough and choke with wide eyes. All except Beverly and Ben, who give each other smiles before congratulating their best friends. Then Beverly pipes up, quite loudly. "Mike hand over the cash!"

Mike gives Richie and Eddie a glare. "God dammit, could you have not waited until the Halloween party?"

"What?" Eddie says, honestly shocked.

"You see, my dear best friend, I told Mike that you guys would be together soon. He told me not until the Halloween dance. So I said okay let's fucking bet on it."

"Beaverly, what the fuck." Richie tries to hold back his laughter, as does Eddie.

"Be mad all you want, but I just got ten bucks!"

"Anyways! Moving on from this mess. Stan the man and big Bill, how was the concert." Richie turns his chin to the two.

They both finally perk up and smile. "Holy shit it was incredible."

"In f-fucking credible."

"I brought pictures if you guys want to see?"

Everyone nods, happily listening along to their stories. The pictures get passed around, which are all just of them smiling up at the stage. There's also some from the hotel room and car ride. One is Stanley passed out against the car window with Bill poking his left cheek. Another is Bill on top of a bed with his shirt half off, and he seems to be screaming. Richie can't help but ask for context.

"So Bill was being a stupid, tired mess after the concert. He started undressing on the way to the shower, but then got stuck? Next thing I knew he was running back into the room, face planting straight into a wall. I went to help him up, but instead he crawled up the side of the bed and just stood there screaming."

Everyone looks curiously at Bill. "Yeah I d-don't really know either."

This is how the rest of the evening is spent. There's never a moment of silence or awkwardness between them. Only laughter and smiles and stories to be told.

And everyone noticed the way Bill and Stanley never left each other's side.

Beverly proceeds to stand, motioning Mike to do the same. They continue up the basement stairs to go and get some 'snacks.' As soon as they've finally reached the top, Beverly turns to Mike with a sort of sparkle in her eyes. "Ten buck that Stan and Bill will be together in two weeks?"

"Oh you are so on."