cliché || reddie ✔️

thirty five

Eddie also gets up off the floor, taking a second to stretch out his legs before walking to the kitchen. Moments later Richie hears cabinets opening and the rush of water.

"Can't you get.. I don't know, a restraining order?" Richie tries.

Beverly breaths in and rubs at her nose once more. "I'd have to go through court," she says slowly, as if she's explaining it to herself instead of Richie. "I'd have to fill out paperwork and- and go to a hearing."

"It sounds like you've already thought about this before, Bev," Eddie says as he enters the living room again. He has a glass of water clutched in both hands as he carefully hands it to the girl.

She silently thanks him and takes a sip, then holds it to her chest. Her breathing has slowed, becoming deep and even. "Back when he first went to prison, yes. But.. my aunt said there was no reason to go through it all if he's not even in Derry."

"And he's coming back," Eddie says. His eyes are studying the ground, seemingly putting the pieces together himself. Beverly nods, her own eyes casted downwards.

Richie, on the other hand, is not having it with the depressing mood of the living room. He's heard about Alvin Marsh since the third year he's known Beverly, listening to her rants and her excuses, her fears molded by her own father. It sickened him.

"This is bullshit," Richie says sharply. "Fucking bullshit. He's scum of the earth, absolute trash. He doesn't deserve to be let out a year early on good behavior," he mocks. His eyes dart from Eddie to Beverly, spiked with anger.

"Richie, calm down," Eddie says softly.

"No, Eds, I'm not going to calm down. Beverly's dad did fucking disgusting things to her! Do the police know that?" He asks Beverly, only to continue on without waiting for a response. "Do they know what he did to you? What he tried?"

"Richie, please," Beverly says. She reaches out to grab his arm, giving it a squeeze. Just then does the boy notices the flush of her cheeks and the shine of tears. "Please," she tries again.

Richie breaths in and feels as the anger coursing through his body simmers. It feels as if every single adult in Derry has turned against them, doing everything they could to make their lives much harder than needed be. First Sonia and her ignorance towards Eddie, and now Alvin. It's never ending, huh?

"I'm still mad," Richie says.

Beverly nods her head, looking up at her best friend with eyes so full of fondness. "I know," she says. "I am too. More scared than angry, if I'm being honest."

Eddie's eyes drop from Beverly and to the floor, searching it as he thinks. "Hey, Bev," he says, his words there but his voice sounding empty and distracted. He pauses for a second longer, Beverly taking another sip as she and Richie patiently wait.

"Your dad isn't getting out until... wait, when does your dad get out?"

"Sometime this summer," Beverly responds.

Eddie nods and jumps back into his spiel. "Mid-summer, okay. We won't be graduates by then, but that will give us less than a year to save up.."

"What are you getting at, Eds?" Richie asks, genuinely confused.

"Yeah," Beverly joins in. "I'm a little lost, too."