Richie is Eddie's best friend, so when Stan came to him and asked why Richie thought he hated him, Eddie was confused. He'd started thinking back to the last few days, trying to think of what he might've said to Richie to hurt him (if that's the case)

He didn't realize it until after lunch, when he was sitting in his class and Richie was nowhere to be found … annoying ass… Leave me the fuck alone. Fuck. He'd never told Richie to leave him alone, well, he had one time many years ago, and the reaction from Richie even had Eddie in tears. The other students were talking, loudly, so Eddie turned in his seat and looked at Bill.

"I fucked up."

"What'd you do?"

"I told Richie to leave me alone." He nearly whispered. Bill's eyes widened a bit.

"Eddie, what the hell?" He exclaimed. "Y-you know how he feels w-when you say that! When anyone does! When?"

"I know! I said it Friday, that's why he left. God, I didn't even realize what I was saying, I was just so mad." Bill sighed.

"First, you n-need to t-talk to Richie. Go over t-to his h-house and-"

"I'm grounded. I have to go straight home."

"What the h-hell d-did you even do? Is that why you w-were so mad Friday?" Eddie nodded.

"I came out to my mom." He said. Bill's eyes grew as wide as saucers this time. "And you can see that she didn't take it well. The thing is, she was trying to blame Richie for me being gay, but he's straight . I was defending him and then I go and fucking talk down to him. God, I'm such an idiot."

"I'm glad you defended him." Bill said, finally. "But you are a goddamn idiot. We always talk about how Richie doesn't think before he speaks but you do it too, when you're mad. You don't think, you just do, like when you pushed him off the couch, that wasn't your intention, was it?" Eddie shook his head. "When you're mad, you'll say and do shit just to hurt the other person, it doesn't matter who it is. You need to apologize today, I don't care if you have to sneak out-" The bell rang, "Or if you just call or text him. You better do it, Eddie." Eddie swallowed and nodded.

"I'm sorry." He mumbled. Bill patted his shoulder and left the room.

Richie wasn't in the next class either, so he knew he left instead of just skipping the one period.

Eddie waited anxiously for the last bell to ring, tapping his pencil on the desk so much Stan nearly smacked him. He definitely wasn't gonna tell Stan about what he did, because he'd probably get slapped. Eddie was out of his seat and half way out of the room the second the bell rang. He didn't even wait for his friends, he got on his bike and made his way towards Richie's house. Fuck what his mom says. He was going to check on his best friend.


Richie couldn't remember the last time he'd cried so hard, he sat in his truck in the parking lot for a while, silent tears running down his face. He'd continued listening to the playlist, and it was as though each song got sadder , and he ugly cried. God awful, hiccuping sobs racking his body as he punched the seat next to him. He'd barely calmed himself down by the time he made it home, but he was thankful that neither parent was there. He did not need for them to see him like this. He dropped his bag on the floor and kicked his shoes off, leaning back on the door and pressing the heel of his hands to his eyes. He let out a huff of breath, stood there for a second or two, and then plugged his phone into their stereo and pressed play on the sad playlist, turning the volume all the way up. He laid on the couch for two hours, just listening as the songs played and replayed a couple times.

He didn't hear the banging on the door, he didn't notice Eddie walking in, holding the spare key, nor did he hear Eddie yelling at him. When he finally looked somewhere other than the wall, he let out a yelp and nearly fell off the couch. He slapped his hand around for his phone until he grabbed it and turned the music off.

"Jesus Christ, Eds-Eddie! You almost gave me a heart attack!"

"How do you think I felt, Rich? You could have been in here dead or something and no one would know it. That shit was too loud." He grumbled, plopping down next to Richie.

"Sorry." He mumbled back. Eddie raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry? Did you just apologize to me?" He asked. Richie nodded. "Wha-Who are you and what have you done with Richie?" Richie smirked a little at that but shrugged. "You never apologize. What's wrong?" Richie snorted.

"Why'd you assume something's wrong? I mean, apologizing for doing something wrong is what you're supposed to do, Eddie. Common sense, my friend." He tapped his own head.

"Yeah, I'm aware. But why are you apologizing?"

"Because I know I shouldn't have my music that loud, especially when I'm alone." He shrugged innocently. Eddie crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyes slightly when he got a good look at him.

"Richie." Richie looked at him.

"What?"

"Have you been crying?" Richie made a face and chuckled.

"No. I don't cry. Why?"

"You're eyes are red and puffy, so's your cheeks. Or have you been smoking? I don't smell anything on you-"

"Your eyes don't get puffy when you smoke, Eddie, just red. But to answer your question, no, I haven't been."

"So you have been crying? What's wrong? Is it because of what I said Friday because I didn't mean it," Richie went to say something but Eddie didn't give him a chance to, "I know you don't like being told that and I did it anyways and I'm a horrible best friend. I was just in a bad mood because I came out to my mom and she tried to lock me in my room but I climbed out of my window like you do and-"

"Eddie, breathe! Breathe, okay?" Richie put a hand on Eddie's shoulder and took the spare inhaler out, putting it up to his lips for him. He'd hardly taken a breath during his speech. He took a puff and,

"Thanks, Chee." He choked, taking another puff. "Sorry, I got carried away." Richie chuckled.

"I see that. And I know you didn't mean it, Eddie… I shouldn't have been bothering you like that to start with, so I'm sorry about that too."

"What? No, stop apologizing. You were just being you and I was being a dick to you, to everyone, but you more, so I'm sorry. And… why do you keep saying my name?"

"Would you rather me call you something else…?"

"You just… you keep calling me Eddie. You called me Eds to start with but then corrected yourself."

"Oh."

"And you haven't been calling anyone else their nicknames." Richie bit his lip and shrugged.

"You guys don't like them so… I'm just not gonna call you that anymore."

"But-" He couldn't finish the sentence, as someone else began banging on the door as if their life depended on it. "COME IN!" Eddie yelled, and soon, the rest of the Losers were in Richie's living room, arms crossed over their chests and staring at him.

"Richard Tozier, what in God's name is wrong?" Stan asked.

"Nothing?"

"Bullshit, Richie." Ben rolled his eyes.

"Have you been smoking without me?" Bev asked. "Or crying?"

"Neither." Richie said.

"Crying. But he won't tell me why." Eddie said over him. Richie started grumbling under his breath and brought his knees up to his chest. Everyone sat around the living room, on the floor or the two arm chairs, and Bev sat on the other side of Richie.

"What is this, an intervention or something?" He asked.

"We don't know what's wrong, so no." Eddie shrugged. Richie chuckled at that, but then shrugged himself.

"I don't know what's wrong, guys." He said.

Liar.

"I'm just having an off day, I guess." He gave them a big grin, and they relaxed a little at the sight.

Liar.

"Are you sure, Chee?" Eddie asked. Richie smiled at him and nodded.

"I'm sure."

Liar.