cliché || reddie ✔️

twenty eight

Then it clicks. It's Eddie's backpack.

But what would Eddie be doing here? A place like this doesn't come even close to what Eddie would like to be in. He takes the same foot he was going to leave with and takes a more confident step forward. He has to know for sure.

Clear enough, the boy Richie expected to be there was leaning against the passenger door. He has a book set between his hands, a finger lightly tapping the side rhythmically. He truly doesn't seem like the type to be in a place as disgusting and unlike him in all ways, yet there he is, sitting in a disintegrating car completely unaware.

Yet Eddie's unawareness doesn't stay for long, because Richie's shoe crunches over dirt and snow, loud enough to reach Eddie's ears and make his head snap over.

The two meet eyes and to seems less creepy, Richie put a small, hesitant smile on his face and raises his hand in a wave. Eddie lowers the book and reaches over to open the car door, climbing out until his feet are planted on the ground.

"Hi," Richie says.

"Hi," Eddie replies, his eyes still staring into Richie's. "What are you- what are you doing here?"

Richie glances around the train yard and says, "Just exploring. I don't think I've been to this part of Derry yet.. what about you? I didn't think I'd ever see you in a shit hole like this." He chuckles lightly and looks back at Eddie, who's looking at the ground.

"Um.. I didn't want to go home," Eddie says softly. "And I come here to read because it's quiet. No ones ever here.. well, until you had to show up." His words may seem harsh, but the smile that tugs at his lips tells Richie otherwise.

"Well," Richie says, a smile dancing on his own face, "Sorry to crash your one person party. Seemed pretty lame anyway."

Eddie's cheeks grow warm as he laughs, an arm hooking around his stomach as he does. "Its you that would make it lame," he shoots back.

"Bullshit," Richie says. "I'm the life of the party. Your group with Bill and Stanley was probably boring as hell before I forced myself in."

Eddie's laugh fizzles out and a confused expression falls over his face. "You didn't force yourself. We welcomed you, didn't we? Same with Beverly."

Beverly's voice echoes in the back of Richie's mind, saying the same message. God, he wants to believe it. He really does. But the idea of so easily being accepted, especially by the boy he's been wanting to get to know since he entered Richie's life, doesn't stick. It falls and clatters to the floors of Richie's brain to be forgotten.

"Yeah, alright," Richie replies, the toe of his shoe digging a dent in the dirt. He knows he sounds unbelieving, and he also knows that Eddie doesn't take any of his bullshit.

A few seconds of silence pass and Richie can feel Eddie's stars burning into him, yet he doesn't look up. It's been so, so long since the two have gotten a chance to talk. Everything felt so normal when they were joking around and now, when it conversation dies and the mood breaks, it's back to heavy awkwardness.

Eddie shifts his weight. "Hey, Richie," he says.

"Yeah?"

He looks away and rubs his lips together, as if he's trying to summon the courage. His eyes search the distance and he opens his mouth to speak again. "I'm sorry for randomly leaving you and Beverly during lunch. Bill's sorry too."