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Snap: done or taken on the spur of the moment, unexpectedly, or without notice.
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Sunday.

Sunday's are the perfect days for sitting around, usually no plans; the day where occasionally, things feel completely calm. Richie read that people tend to do homework on Sunday's, or chores that they didn't do it the day before. Usually on Sunday's in the palace, Richie would relax and watch a few DVDs. Completely calm.

But not today.

Currently, Richie was running around his bedroom frantically like a headless chicken. His hair was still wet from his shower, and he was busy trying to wash and style his hair, put on his clothes, brush his teeth and clean up his room a little bit all at the same time. He was late by ten minutes, and that wasn't good, especially as he only got out of bed twenty minutes ago.

Yesterday he'd spent the day with Eddie, Bill, Stan, Beverley and Ben. Everything was absolutely fine, they were flying ahead with their project and having a good time doing it. When all of a sudden, Stan almost seemed to snap at Bill.

Stan screamed, "You're unbelievable! I hate you so damn much it hurts! Won't you ever leave me alone, you just, just - ugh! I hate you! Don't speak to me ever again!"

When Richie had tried to text him later on, he got a very blank response of, "I'm fine, just need some time alone."

Bill was confused to say the least, Stan had been fine with him for ages and then suddenly, he just, snapped. Just like that.

The rest of the losers (which Beverley had suggested they'd call themselves after they met up on a Saturday to do homework) had all agreed to meet up at a cafè the next day after Stan's sudden outburst. Maybe try and figure out some answers, and see what caused that overblown reaction to Bill asking if Stan wanted to come round for tea in the week.

"I swear that's all I asked! If he wanted to come round for dinner so we could hang out!" Bill had exclaimed when Eddie pressured him for answers. "Maybe he just wasn't hungry?"

"Are you saying he already knew he wouldn't be hungry in the middle of the week? What? Even I'm not that stupid to make up an excuse like that."

"Maybe he doesn't like your mums cooking?"

"Shut up."

They invited Bill, but he just stated that he couldn't make it, with some obviously fake excuse why. But he didn't need to, everybody already understood.

They agreed to meet at the café for 12:30, but now it was 12:40 and Richie was horrified, he'd never been late to something in his whole entire life.

Okay, another lie, he's always late. It's his thing.

"Goodbye Eleanor!" He shouted out, grabbing his wallet and shoving it in his pocket along with his phone before running out of the door.

Luckily, him and Eddie voted not to bother going into town. Instead, Eddie told him of a delicate cafè a few blocks away.

Richie slowed down and speed walked instead, resisting the urge to run as he knew if he did he'd be sweaty and out of breath in a few minutes.

He finally reached the café where he saw Eddie and Ben sat at a table with a mug of hot chocolate wrapped in their hands, coupled with bored expressions on their faces, as they watched some boy awkwardly try and flirt with Beverley.

"I'm so sorry I'm late," Richie apologised. "I woke up late and time slipped away completely and I feel horrible that I kept you all waiting for so long." He rubbed his forehead with his hand, and looked up to see Eddie now looking quite amused.

"Dude it's been like ten minutes. You're more dramatic than me." Beverley told him, now completely ignoring the skinny boy trying to flirt with her as she twirled with her red hair. He soon got the hint and left.

Eddie shook his head and let out a small laugh, "Rich, it's okay don't panic, I was five minutes late too. Go grab a drink." Eddie told him gently, making Richie's heart leap at the friendliness.

Richie walked up to the counter and ordered a coffee, before making his way back to the others. He pulled out a chair and sat down next to Beverley, "Sleep well?" He asked the group.

Eddie took a sip of his hot chocolate, "Yeah, I guess. But I'm real worried about Stan, like what was that?"

Beverley hummed in agreement, "They were just quietly chatting and bam!" She exclaimed. "Why wouldn't he want to go round to Bill's for dinner? Not like that's unusual, right?"

"Should we, uh, text Stan or something?" Ben questioned.

Richie took a sip of his coffee, marvelling in the taste, "Yeah, I tried that. But maybe he did not open up because he didn't know me as well as he knows you guys."

"You did what?" Eddie glowered. "You've only been here five minutes." He said with his jaw clenched.

Ben gave Eddie an odd look.

Before Richie could process what had just happened, Eddie quickly spat out an apology, "Sorry, that came our harsher than I meant it to."

Everybody seemed be on edge recently. Richie wondered if it was his fault.

Richie only smiled back in response and shoved it off, but he couldn't help but feel a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. Eddie acted differently around him. Like when he froze up in English when Richie winked at Stan - or now when Richie said he'd messaged Stan to see if he was okay.

Did Eddie not want him around? Or did he not want him getting close to his friends? That must be it, he concluded. But what could he have done that would've made Eddie so upset?

There was definitely something going on with Eddie and there was something going on with Bill and Stan; and Richie doesn't know which one to worry about the most.

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