' 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐲 '

eddie hit the call button, and it only took at least three seconds for richie to answer. "hey rich, can you bring an extra coat with you? it's fucking freezing out there and i'm gonna get sick. i really can't get sick, my mom gonna flip and-,"

"i got it, eds. i'll be there in five. oh, you want the navy one right?"

"yeah." eddie answered shyly, and richie blushed through the phone, glad his crush couldn't see his face turn red.

eddie shivered by the quarry, knowing he was early, but it was the easiest time to sneak out his window. unfortunately, he didn't have time to grab a coat, and he only wore a white, long sleeve shirt.

he heard a bike hit the ground, and a pair of feet walking towards him, but didn't look up, knowing it was richie tozier.

"you came early." eddie said, standing up and putting on the navy sweatshirt that richie held, not caring if it smelt like smoke, because it was richie's.

get a grip, eddie. you have a girlfriend.

his mind wrapped around myra winter, his girlfriend of six months, and he felt a heavy bump in his chest, but ignored it.

"you good, eddie spaghetti?" he asked, obviously catching onto eddie's profound expressions.

"only if you don't call me that dickhead." eddie laughed it off, moving away from richie's and towards the edge.

"i'm here bitches!" he heard bev's voice echo, and another breath of smoke went into his lungs.

soon everyone except bill and stan had arrived, and everyone waited around for them, making conversation on the rocks by the edge.

"we're here!" they heard, and watched as stan came over, bill not far behind him. bill's eyes seemed puffy and red, but no one questioned it, not even richie, would was having a hard time holding back the question, but shut up when eddie hit the back of his head, knowing he was about to speak.

bill sat down on the ground, and soon everyone sat in a tight circle, bev's head laying on ben's right leg, as he lightly placed his hand through his hair, brushing through it.

eddie and richie were close as well, eddie's head leaning against richie, and richie held eddie against him tightly, as if someone was going to grab him and take him away from him at any moment.

"dare." bev answered mike, and mike thought for a moment, before smirking at the girl.

"i dare you to kiss the hottest boy here. this includes all gays and taken boys." he finished, and all eyes were on her, before she laid her lips onto ben, who was in shock at first, but melted into the kiss. everyone cheered.

"yes, benverly for life!" richie cried, and eddie giggled, causing richie's face to blush, and bill almost laughed, wishing they would just date already.

"ok..." she thought, swinging her feet in a new position. "bill, truth or dare?"

bill froze and gulped, hoping he chose the right choice. he wrote a 't' in the dirt in front of him, and bev nodded, thinking for only a few seconds before speaking.

"how long have you been... you know... silent?" she asked, and suddenly, it was like a block was hit over everyone's head as the conversation and environment grew serious.

bill nodded, not hesitating before writing a number in the dirt.

five.

"five months? that's a while." richie huffed, but bill shook his head, writing another word in the dirt.

years.

"well shit. what happened, big bill?" richie asked, but bill only shook his head, picking up and opening his notebook to the same page he had been using before, scribbled with all the things he had told people through the notebook.

"one question. that's how the game works richie rich." it read, and eddie snorted at the comment, causing richie to nudge him in the shoulder, but not too hard, knowing how fragile the boy was, even if he was sixteen.

"ben, truth or dare?" the notebook read next, and ben thought for a quick moment.

"truth."

richie groaned. "pussy."

ben only rolled his eyes as bill wrote his question. "who would you fuck here? (only guys ;))"

ben gaped at the question, mike raised his eyebrows, bev laughed, richie snorted, eddie rolled his eyes at the dumb question, and stan didn't move.

"uh... um..." ben tried to make out, only making bev laugh harder. "i'd... choose... mike." he answered, and mike's eyes widened before he laughed harder than he ever had before, along with everyone in the circle, including bill.

"are you guys going to betty's party on friday?" richie asked after a moment, and everyone seemed to nod, except for eddie and bill.

"billy willy, eddie the eagle, you have to." bev begged, and bill shrugged, giving in easily.

"i'm good. i've retired from my position of dd." eddie let out, leaning his hand against richie again, who pulled him close like before, sending confused looks all around the circle.

"please, eddie? i'm sure myra wants to go." mike huffed, and eddie shrugged. bill saw richie's face go slightly pale hearing the name, and bill assumed it had to be eddie's girlfriend.

"fine, i'll go. only because it's a friday and not a school night."

"that's the spirit, eds!" richie howled.

"don't call me that."

"oh, you love it."

and soon everyone had left the circle after a few more rounds of truth or dare, and everyone had the party to look forward to, only four days away.

☼ ☼ ☼