cliché || reddie ✔️

one

"Yes?"

"Is there a way I could change partners?"

Mr. Martinez grabs a stack of ungraded tests and stands them upright on the desk, a hand still holding onto them. "What's wrong with.... Who do you have?"

"Richie."

He nods and tucks the stack under his arm. "Yes. What's wrong with having him?" He asks. Eddie looks away and a fingernail starts to pick at the fabric of his backpack strap. He doesn't want to delve into the distaste he holds for Richie and instead thinks of another reasonable excuse.

"I want someone who'll do their part.. for the project. And no offense to him but he doesn't seem like the type to," Eddie explains. His hand has dropped from his strap and was now waving around in the air as he talked.

Mr. Martinez nods understandingly. "Well, I can't change partners now," he says and Eddie's shoulders fall. "But, if it makes you feel any better, I won't be grading on the partnership. Only the project itself."

'but that involves the partnership!' Eddie thinks.

Frustration bubbles up inside of him and he looks to the clock only to realize he's missing time to eat, which makes his frustration grow.

"I'll cut you a deal," Mr. Martinez says, snapping Eddie back to reality. "If someone else comes to me asking to switch partners, I'll allow you. How does that sound?"

Eddie lifts his gaze and excitedly asks, "Really?" Mr. Martinez nods and hope sparks in Eddie's chest, a thankful smile appearing on his face as he nods. "Deal!"

~~~

Richie straddles the cafeteria bench and shrugs off his backpack. Beverly glances over at him and finishes up her text before shutting her phone off. "Bev," he says, his foot bouncing with excitement. She jerks her head to the side, her hair jumping out of her eyes.

"Yeah?"

"Guess who I got for the World History project!"

She looks up in thought, a fingernail dragging up and down her phone case. It's a bad habit she's picked up to busy her hands, making the edge of her gel phone case peel. "Well, it has to be someone good if you're this excited," she notes and Richie nods, hurrying up her guessing. "Who'd you get, Rich?"

A smile glides up on his face and he dips closer. "I got Eddie!" He whispers. "I got Eddie." She gasps lightly and her smile grows to match Richie's, yet it doesn't hold the same amount of excitement as his.

"Richie!" She says and lightly slaps his arm. "This is perfect! Now you have an excuse to talk to him more." Richie brings a hand to the back of his neck and looks away sheepishly, saying, "yeah, yeah."

Eddie Kaspbrak has been a classmate of Richie's since he moved to Derry at the end of 8th grade. Usually, when the small town gets new residence (which isn't often), excitement at the possibility of gaining a new kid is sparked in the already residing kids minds'. Then, years passed and Eddie got situated in Derry, finding his group of friends and blending in the halls of school. The excitement died down and everyone eventually went back to their daily lives.

Everyone, but Richie.

When Eddie first moved in, Richie desperately tried to befriend the new kid. He rode his bike past his house almost everyday on his way to Beverly's apartments, hoping he would see Eddie outside.