Stars (Reddie fanfic)

Chapter 21: Delirious

Eddie continues to stare out the window for a few seconds before moving the curtains entirely.

The sun fills his dark room and I could see his face. It broke my heart.

His perfect cheeks had huge dark bags under his eyes. His smiley face was held in a permanent frown due to exhaustion. And his gorgeous eyes were completely glassed over. I couldn't drown in the eyes the pills created, Eddie looks like he was the one drowning, but not in the loving way I do. He looks cold and lifeless.

He continues to stare out the window. He didn't talk or move to open the window. He looks really confused by what's happening.

"Eddie!" I put my hand flat on the window, trying to feel him through the glass.

He moves his attention to my hand and then back to my eyes, even more confused.

"Eds, baby, can you let me in?"

I had no idea if he heard me or not, he didn't even try to answer.

"Eddie?! Can you hear me? Can you let me in?"

"What are you doing on the roof?" He spoke really slow, and his speech had no sense of anything that was happening.

"Eds, I come on the roof everyday. Don't you remember?" I said consolingly

"Why... why would you climb on the roof? That's really dangerous."

"Because I wanted to see you. I wanted to make sure you're okay. Can you please let me in, baby?"

He stares at my for a few seconds. "Why wouldn't I be okay?"

Seeing him like this was breaking my heart more and more by the second. "Because... because Eds, your mom gave you pills. She made you sick."

"My mom didn't make me get sick..." he still looks confused, but slightly mad now.

"You told me that your mom gives you special pills if you break a rule. Do you remember telling me that?"

He scrunches his eyebrows together, focusing really hard on remembering. His tongue slightly sticking out.

Realization slowly dawned on him which broke my heart even more. His eyes well up with tears and he took a step back away from the window.

"Eds, will you please let me in?" I put both my hands on the window. I wanted to hold him and make him feel better. I hated to see him cry.

He shook his head, "I don't want you to see me like this." Tears were streaming down his cheeks. He step up to the window and start to pull the curtains closed again.

"No, no wait! Please, Eddie! Just let me in, I won't leave you this time." I was getting panicky

He put his head in his hands, sobbing. He was still shaking his head. "No. No. No, I didn't want you to come. I'm too ashamed of you to see me like this." He stopped shaking his head, but he was still holding his head, looking down.

"Ashamed? Eds, you saw my drunk dad punch me and you're ashamed." I had a slight laugh in my voice, but it was out of surprise.

He chokes on his sobs, trying to control them, but that only made them worse. He starts crying even harder, I press myself closer to the window, willing it to be possible for me to pass through.

"Eddie. Please let me in." I say, pressing my forehead against the window.

He walks over to the window, unlocks it and pushing it open. He then grabs my hands and drags me into the room. I almost fall on top of him because of the force he pulls me with, but only stumble a few steps before catching my feet.

Eddie buries his face in my chest and sobs. I wrap my arms around him protectively.

"Shh, Eds you're okay. I've got you."

He was shaking from crying so hard. I start humming 'Here Come the Sun' by The Beatles. And still holding him, I start swaying us both.

He finally calms down. He was still sniffling, but wasn't crying anymore.

He put his hands on my chest and pushes me away just enough to look up at me. He was back to looking confused.

"When did you get here?"

I giggle sadly out of how delirious he was, "I've been here for a little while, Eds." I say quietly stroking his hair.

"How did you get in? My mom locked the window."

"Yeah, but you let me in." I move my arms to hold his hand, I lead him to his bed. "Come on, you need to rest."

He follows me, but still doesn't have any idea what's happening. "Why do I need to rest?"

"Because you said you're tired, right?" He obviously didn't, but believes me none the less because he let me lay him down on his bed.

I pull the blanket up over him and kiss his forehead. I stroke his soft hair until he falls asleep.

"Richie!" I heard from out the window.

Shit, I forgot Stanley was still waiting for me. I walk to the window, climb out, and walk to the ledge. Stan is in the backyard.

"Is it his mom?"

"No, she's still in the living room. Is Eddie okay?" He sounded worried

"He was upset, but he's asleep now... he's really out of it."

Stan looks down at the ground for a few seconds and I notice his shoulders shaking. He looks back up and now he's the one crying, he wasn't making a sound though.

"I hate his mom for doing this to Eddie! I can't stand knowing that she drugs him and makes him take all those placebos!"

I felt bad for him. He's Eddie's best friend and he's known about this way longer than I have and kept the secret.

"I know... I hate it too."

Stanley composes himself and looks back up to me. "Are you gonna stay?"

"Yeah, I wanna be with him when he wakes up... actually wakes up."

"Okay, just make sure to listen out for his mom."

"I will. Thanks, Stanley."

We smile at each other for a second before he walks away. I stay on the roof and watch him walk down the street. Then I hear Eddie again.

I go back inside. He's still asleep, but he thrashing around. He was kicking around the bed and muttering in his sleep, his face was scrunching up like he was in pain. Pain of whatever those damn pills were doing to him.

I agree with Stanley. I hate his mom for doing this to Eddie. He's drugged and delirious and she stays downstairs and what? Ignoring him or listening to his drugged induced outbursts? Does she even care that this is happening to him? How could she possible think those pills help anything?

I sat down on the bed and try to make him stop kicking. I lay down next to him and wrap my arms around him again to hold him still. Eddie tenses at first with my touch and his breathing had a slight whistle to it because of his asthma, but he eventually relaxes and melts into my arms. He snuggles his face into my chest again.

He was still talking in his sleep, I couldn't make it out at first, but finally heard him say, "I just want Richie." I don't know what he was dreaming about, but I felt overly protective now.

"I don't care if that woman does discover I'm here. I'm not leaving Eddie alone with her!"