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It's been six months, and nineteen days since Eddie Kaspbrak had died. It took a whole month to plan the funeral services, as breaking the news to Myra wasn't easy. Ever since he died, his friends had been preaching about moving on, as that is what Eddie would of wanted.
However, life wasn't that easy.
The death of his best friend and first love had affected him in a way he didn't know it could. The guilt of being under him as it happened, not being able to prevent it.. and not telling Eddie how he truly felt.. It was like a storm with no end. Richie had felt like he let down his best friend for the very last time.
When the funeral finally happened, the glares of the new widow stabbed through Richie. His friends reassured him, but he knew he deserved it. Nothing would change his mind. It was during the funeral that Richie made a promise.
He would visit Eddie every day, right before sunset, for the rest of his miserable life.
Three months had past since the promise, and Richie had kept his word. When the grave looked dirty, Richie made sure to clean it, as he knew Eddie wouldn't of liked it. And when the world around him dulled, he'd bring some Lilies to brighten up his grave.
On the fourth month, Richie started finding himself there before sunset. Rain would start to flood the graveyard, but nothing would move him. He would sit there, and cry. Thoughts that reminded him of losing Stanley and Eddie would destroy him, which felt like boulders holding him down. On the bad days, Richie wouldn't leave until Beverly came to get him. Even then, it was still difficult for her to make him leave.
Therapy never helped. It only made him more guilty. Richie saw it happen before it even began. He remembered the blinding light, the screams of Beverly, and hearing the whimpers of Eddie. The deadlights showed him Pennywise's last trick, but when Eddie brought Richie back, the warnings left his head, and just like that, Eddie Kaspbrak was gone.
Around the end of the fifth month, Beverly had started to set up dates for Richie in order to help him move on. All the guys he met were great, and as soon as he felt like maybe he could let go... Eddie's hand would drag him away. None of the dates ever went past a decent dinner. So he gave up.
His schedule remained steady until one day, he ran into someone. Richie met a man who reminded him so much of Eddie, that his time management started to shift. See, this man smiled the same way Eddie did, and talking to him sent butterflies down into Richie's stomach. The bounds of guilt were starting to fade, as his mind became distracted.
It wasn't until the alarm on his phone went off, that he panicked. Once again, another great night melted away as he sped his way to the cemetery.
As soon as Richie got there, he shoved his hands in his pocket, looking down in defeat. He had been late. The sun was already past sunset. He broke his promise. Within all the guilt flooding him, the only thing Richie was able to choke out was: "I'm late."
The rain seemed to pick up shortly after he got there, pouring down harder than usual. Richie brought a hand up to his face to wipe his tears, but deemed it useless as the rain mixed with them. Even though he broke his promise.. he'll find a way to make it up to Eddie.
But if only Richie knew... Eddie didn't care about him being late, nor his dirty grave or the lack of colors... He just wanted Richie to move on, like all of the others did.
The shadow of Eddie that Richie had created, however, didn't plan to let him go that easily. Guilt always won.
Richie would never break his promise again.