𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐓𝐎𝐎 𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐋 - IT. (2017)

Chapter 21. Beep Beep Richie

Last Chapter ||
————Date: February 13th, 2016. 8:32 P.M.
~Richie Tozier~

It had been 22 years since Richie and Eddie had broken up. Naturally. Teen romances usually dont last. It was only because Richie had lied to Eddie about not smoking anymore.

The Losers had all moved away from each other and grown apart. They'd all lost contact with one another. Rockie and Richie had gotten into a big fight when Richie was 20 and the two hadnt talked since. Maple and Stan were still relatively close, but not nearly as close as they were when they were teenagers.

Bev moved to Chicago, Illinois, and met some girl named Laken, where the two got married. Bill and Stan got married and moved to Atlanta, Ben married some woman in Paris and moved to Nebraska with her, Mike stayed single and never left Derry, Rockie and Maple got married and moved to Nevada, and Eddie married Myra Kaspbrak in New York.

The thought of Eddie made Richie's stomach tense up. He didn't need anymore anxiety than the initial nervousness of going on stage in front of all those people, so he tried to push the thoughts of his ex-boyfriend away.

"Rich! You're on in five." one of the backstage crew yelled from across the floor.

"Dude, are you okay? Don't tell me you're sick." the producer snapped in Richie's pale face.

"Yeah yeah, I'm fine.." Richie responded, waving his hand in the producers face dismissively.

"Do you need water? or Sprite?" He asked.

"How about tequila?" Richie sighed, rubbing his eyes.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Richie Tozier!" The man over the microphone yelled, dragging out his name.

Richie jogged out on stage, waving to the screaming audience.

And minutes passed, Richie made his usual crude jokes, got some laughs, the usual outcome of his shows.

"Y'know, back in the 80's or 90's, I used to be a pretty big nerd. A loser you could say. In fact, there was a whole group of us! The Unbreakable 9 is what we called ourselves, or even The Losers Club! And two of them had this stutter and God, it was horrible! And one was the school slut according to all the jackasses that went to Derry Middle School. And i was the hot one. Yeah, we were definitely the popular kids." He joked sarcastically, making the crowd erupt in laughter.

"Oh jeez, and I used to have this friend named Stanley, god he was such a nerd. He used to bird watch! I mean, who does that?! And I used to go up to him and say— actually, wait, can someone come up here and be my 'Stanley'?" Richie asked, looking among the audience who all had their hands eagerly raised to come up on stage.

"Uhh, you! Yeah— yeah you. Come up here!" He called to a man in the audience.

He walked up stairs shyly, not really wanting to on stage, but he went up anyways.

The man was about 5'9, not to short, not to tall, had neatly combed over brown hair, soft brown eyes, and wore a red jacket over a light blue polo shirt.

"Alrighhhht! So, you're gonna be my Stan the Man for a bit. So kindly take a step on that X over there!" Richie said enthusiastically, motioning over to the X made out of tape on the floor. He nodded a bit and smiled, walking across the stage.

"Alright, sir! Richie Tozier's the name, and doing voices is my game!" Richie exclaimed in his false accent, holding out a hand for the man to shake.

"Beep beep, Richie." The man scoffed. Richie froze where he stood.

"How'd you know about that? No one's said that to me in almost-"

"27 years." The man finished, a smile playing at his lips.

"Who-... Who are you?" Richie asked, he wasn't talking into his microphone anymore, just to this mysterious man that somehow knew things about him that no one else did.

Richie examined his features, trying to take a guess at who he could possibly be.

"..... Eddie?" Richie asked, visible shock on his face.

The man nodded softly, making Richie run over to him, tackling him in a hug.

"My god, Eddie, i've missed you so fucking much you dont even know." Richie whispered into his ear, making Eddie smile.

"Uh, we're experiencing some.. technical difficulties! We'll be back!" Richie said into his mic, grabbing Eddie's wrist and pulling him offstage.

When the two were backstage, they wrapped their arms around each other again, refusing to let go. Eddie started to tear up, burying his head into the crook of Richie's neck.

"Jesus fuck, Richie. I've thought about you every day, i just didn't know how to get to you." He cried out softly.

Richie wasn't listening to the stage crew and producers shoving questions in his face left and right. Right now, it was just him and Eddie.

"Just.. Just stop the show. This is more important." Richie said, silencing all the crew's questioning.

"Richie, I can't just-"

"Then find a way." Richie snapped, still holding to Eddie as if he might run away the second he lets go.

"Richie, I need to talk to you outside." Eddie whispered, Richie nodding without hesitation and pulling him towards the back door.

"How are you even here right now?" Richie asked, shutting the heavy door.

"I left my wife in New York, I couldnt take her anymore, and came here out of instinct, I knew you did your show here and.." Eddie trailed off, assuming that Richie understood. He always did.

"You came to Beverly Hills? All the way from New York?... Eddie, I need to apologise, for- for everything. For moving away so subtly, and for telling you I quit smoking even though i didnt. For all of it." Richie rambled, biting his nails.

"It-It's okay, thats actually what I wanted to talk.. to you about- uh.." Eddie looked down towards the floor.

"Richie Tozier, will you be my boyfriend..? Again?" Eddie asked, grabbing one of Richie's hands.

"Wait, really? HELL YEAH I WOULD, EDS!" Richie exclaimed.

"I thought you gave up on the nicknames." Eddie sighed, rubbing his temples.

"Never, Spaghetti Man. Let's go home." Richie smiled, draping an arm over his shoulder and leading him to the car.

Eddie sighed. "I missed you."

"I missed you too, Eds."

"Seriously, QUIT CALLING ME THAT!"

"NEVER—"

"I WILL NOT HESITATE TO BREAK UP WITH YOU RIGHT NOW!"

"BITCH— I FUCKED YOUR MOM"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP, DIPSHIT!"

The argument was interrupted by Richie's phone ringing. He picked his phone from his pocket and answered.

"Hey, it's Mike. Mike Hanlon."

The End.

(A/N: I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS BOOK ITS BEEN SO FUN TO WRITE FOR ME AND I REALLY HOPE YOU LIKED IT, TELL ME IF I SHOULD WRITE ANOTHER BOOK <3)

~Your Favourite Depressed Bisexual