the losers aren't really losers.

2 - 😕🫂

Richie sat on his bed in tears, unknowing of what to do next. His phone vibrated, and he immediately picked it up.

Incoming Call
Bevvie 😈💗

He shut his eyes tightly and sucked in a breath, answering.

"Hey," he said, voice trembling. He cleared his throat and took a deep breath.

"Hi!" she said. "I'm glad you answered, where have you been?!"

"Home," Richie answered simply, tearing apart the skin on his finger.

"Why? Are you sick?"

"No."

"Then what? And are you okay? You sound off.." she took notice, and a tear rolled down Richie's cheek. He muted himself, sniffed, and unmuted once again.

"Yeah I'm fine, I've uh.. been on a vacation. We left Saturday and I didn't have any internet, so that's why I haven't responded to you guys. I just got back home like, ten minute ago," he lied easily, his voice cracking and shaking every now and then.

Beverly sat in silence and sighed. "Okay, and in those ten minutes you were home, did something happen? You sound like you're gonna cry."

Richie nearly burst into tears at the reminder of what had just happened. It terrified him, and he didn't feel safe. At all.

"No yeah I'm perfectly fine, just kinda tired. Lost my voice a couple times this week, hah." Richie did his best to force a realistic laugh, but this didn't work as planned.

"Well, since it's Friday and you're finally back, do you want to hang out with me and the others maybe?"

"Umm.." Richie looked towards his door, terrified that if he left, his father would find him and kill him. "Maybe."

"Why the hesitation? Don't ya miss us?"

"Yeah, I miss you guys so much, I just.." Richie hesitated once again. "I don't know if I'm aloud to leave."

"What do you mean?" Beverly asked, sitting uncomfortably. "Are you safe right now?" When Richie didn't answer, her face dropped. "Richie. Are. You. Safe."

"Yeah," he said. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"You're making it sound like someone's keeping you trapped at your own house! You can't blame me!"

"I'm not, I'm not." Richie sighed and rubbed his face. "Just.. When and where?"

She let out a breath and smiled slightly. "Stan's house. Be there in ten."

(ok dont ask me why all of the sleepovers in my stories are at stan's 💀)

"Whatever," he said, and hung up the phone. He continued to cry, for it hurt to just stuff down and talk like nothing happened. He was too terrified to even attempt leaving, not knowing what to do. Especially when he got home.

Richie stood and crept downstairs, finding his mother in the kitchen with a bottle of wine. He walked over to her and swallowed.

"Yes?" she asked, not making eye contact as she chugged the bottle.

"Mom.. how am I supposed to leave..?" Richie asked in a whisper. She set down the bottle and looked at him with sorrow in her eyes.

"Sneak out your window, baby. Be safe, please. I'll make sure he doesn't go in there."

"Really?" Maggie nodded and Richie smiled, fresh tears still running down his face. "Thank you so much, Maggie," he cried.

"Yeah, baby," she said, hugging him.

"Please don't get hurt by him," Richie whined, looking up at her.

"I'll try not to," she whispered with a smile, in which he exchanged. She patted his back and he left, making his way to his room to escape out his window.

He slipped out and landed on his side, blowing out in pain as he squeezed his eyes shut. Richie sat up and shook his head a bit. He felt his phone ring in his pocket, and he groaned. He picked it up and answered.

"What?"

"Where are you? I said ten. minutes," Beverly spoke from the other side of the line strictly.

"Sorry? I'm just gonna be a bit late, leaving now."

"Good." Beverly hung up the phone and Richie rubbed his face stressfully.

He ran to his front yard, careful of any windows, grabbed his bike and biked away at a quick pace.

Richie dropped his bike in front of Stanley's house after a good five minutes and huffed. He wiped his eyes and took deep breaths the whole way towards the front door. He did his best to prevent himself from crying as he knocked on the door lightly. His hands were shaking along with him as he stared with heavy eyes at the door.

It swung open to Beverly who stared at him for a second. She shoved her phone in her pocket and immediately hugged him and tight as she could. Richie jumped hard, only causing her to hug him more. He hugged back and held his breath, biting down on his tongue to prevent his tears.

"Where have you been?" she asked, pulling out of the hug and holding his shoulders. She stared into his eyes with concern, and his lip slightly quivered as he smiled falsely.

"Sorry," he replied, "I was talking to my mom."

She sighed and hugged him again. "I missed you so much!"

"I missed you way more," Richie answered, and glanced up at the sky. "And you," he mumbled quietly under his breath.

"Okay," Beverly said with a sigh as she pulled out of the hug once again. "Let's go inside."

Richie nodded and followed her inside without a smile. Everyone looked up and immediately stopped what they were doing, moving towards the two.

"R-Richie!" Bill announced excitedly, walking over to him and bringing him into a hug. "We m-missed you."

Richie nodded and took in the embrace, hugging him back and nodding. Bill was a bit confused as to why he wouldn't let go, but didn't let it bother him.

Richie took turns hugging people or getting pats on the back until Eddie stood in front of him, not having said or done anything yet.

"Hey," Richie greeted softly, and Eddie stormed over to him abruptly and punched him in the shoulder, causing him to wince.

"You idiot!" he exclaimed until he ran into Richie's arms for a hug. "You scared me so bad!"

"Sorry."

"Like, you didn't even tell us where you were! You can't not show up to school or respond to any of our texts without letting us know! You could've been kidnapped! Or even worse, killed!" Eddie yelped.

'I wish I was.' Richie thought to himself as he looked at the ground.

When Richie didn't respond, Eddie pulled out of the hug and stared at him. He patted Richie's shoulder and rubbed it, pulling off of him.

"C'mon," Stanley invited Richie, and he distantly joined in on what they were previously doing.

As each hour at Stan's place passed, Richie wished to be alone to cry. Though, he knew that wasn't want Mike would want for him. He was only alive to make the boy above the clouds proud.