"hey rich, you know what day it is, right?"
richie jumped up in fright as he heard the voice of his best friend. "jesus, eddie! don't scare me like that."
eddie laughed and sat down next to his friend, who was sitting on the grass. "come on, you knew i was here, i do that to you every time you visit me." he laughed.
richie didn't laugh with him. he sighed before speaking."i missed you. we haven't spoke in forever."
"yeah well i've been a little busy." eddie explained, scratching the back of his neck.
"i seriously doubt it." richie laughed.
"whatever! it doesn't matter. what matters right now is that it's your birthday, you bastard." eddie laughed, getting up off the grass. he shook the dirt off of his trousers.
"please don't remind me." richie rolled his eyes.
"come on rich, you're finally twenty one! what are your plans? going to a bar or something cool like that?" eddie's eyes lit up with excitement as he spoke to the boy.
"no! all i had planned was coming to see you, loser." richie said.
eddie smiled at him. "happy birthday to you..."
"please don't-"
"happy birthday to you..."
"eddie stop-"
"happy birthday, dear richie! happy birthday to you!" eddie danced around richie as he sang.
richie sighed as he looked up at the boy, watching as he twirled around and sang. once eddie finished the song, he plopped back down right next to richie.
"thank you for that, now i hate you more than i did before."
"lighten up, loser. you always get so cranky on your birthdays for no reason." eddie said. "hey remember your thirteenth birthday?"
richie suddenly burst into laughter. "we went to see nightmare on elm street and you threw up on the girl next to you!"
eddie laughed along. "i felt so bad! but it was scary!"
richie giggled. "we got kicked out and we had to walk to seven eleven just to clean you up in their restroom."
~
eddie stood in front of the mirror, crying. he wiped his mouth with a paper towell and turned on the water focet. he put his mouth next to it and let water fill his mouth.
he heard a knock on the door. "eddie? please let me in. are you okay? it's okay. hey im pretty sure i saw someone else hurl at the back of the-"
the locks clicked and the door opened. richie looked at eddie with a sad expression. he opened his arms for a hug but eddie shook his head. "i smell like puke, rich."
richie shook his head before embracing the boy. "i don't care. come here."
eddie cried into richie's shoulder. "that was so humiliating. i wish i could die."
"hey! don't say that!" richie pulled away.
"that girl got what she deserved any way, she called me short!" richie joked. eddie giggled.
"you're right. it wasn't that bad." eddie smiled.
"come on, it's almost my bedtime." richie laughed, turning around.
~
"not my proudest moment." eddie sighed before speaking again. "or remember your eleventh when we went swimming?"
