float | it

iii. loser

Chapter 3
"Loser"

"Come on you little ASSHOLES!"
Henry screeched at us as me and Richie flew out of the school, hand in hand.

It was like Richie really didn't want me to get hurt. He really cared. If he didn't, why would he have saved me?

I got out of my own head as I came back to reality.
Richie was pulling me along side him as we ran across the rubbly stream.

Great. Now my socks are wet.

I looked back at Henry and tried to imagine why Richie was so scared. I watched him as he grabbed a small object from his pocket, and revealed a knife.

Oh.

That's why.

My heart began to beat faster as I shielded my face from the leaves of short trees as Richie stopped abruptly, almost throwing me off a hill.

As my foot slipped, he grasped onto my hand tighter and pulled me forward, leading me to awkwardly land on top of him.

Shit.

He looked surprisedly up at me as I began to blush. We remembered Henry and got up once again.

We slid down the hill, (leaving me covered in dirt) and crawled thru a bush, leading us to a closed off-ish area, where Henry was no where to be seen. I turned around to see 6 other kids sitting uncomfortably in a circle. They all sighed simultaneously as they smiled at Richie, and slowly got up to hug him one by one. I inched backwards, cause clearly I was intruding on their reunion.(didn't they see each other earlier today??)

"Richie! We all thought you were a goner!"
Eddie yelled happily as he shook him by the shoulders.

They all turned and stared at me.

"Why's Piano girl here?"
Ben whispered to Richie as he nudged him.

"Hi.... I'm S-Sarah."
I said as I grabbed my own hand out of anxiousness.

There was an awkward silence.

"I better get going.."
I said as I turned around to the bush.

"No!"
Richie yelled as he grabbed my wrist.

I turned around again and stared into his eyes. He was deeply worried about me. I could see it.

I smiled softly and nodded.
He looked down at my hand as he curled his around it.
He turned around to talk to the others, but everyone went blurry. I was talking to myself again.

Oh my god oh my god oh my god he's holding you hand what do you do what do you do holy shit

I blinked as if to tell myself to shut up.
Everyone was staring at our intertwined hands, as Richie projected to the group.

"...She's one of us now. She's a loser."
He said as he squeezed my hand harder.

"But she hasn't seen... ya know.... it?"
Mike said, clearly confused.

Richie gave him a look to shut him up as I began to think of scenarios in my mind of me and Richie getting married.

I do-

"Sarah?"
I looked up, alarmed.

"Have you.... you know.. seen it... The clown."
Bill asked me.

I looked confusedly at them all.
"What clown?"

"The one that took my brother...Georgie."
He said as he looked sadly at the ground.

"Oh my god... Bill... I'm so sorry. What happened?"

"I don't know. All I know is that he was found without an arm, and that that stupid fucking clown killed him. Now I have to kill It."

Everyone went silent as Bill finished his sentence angrily, clearly annoyed at me.

Was it bad I hadn't seen this clown? I don't think so from that story, but I mean, does it mean I'm not a Loser?

I sighed and let go of Richie's hand.
"Listen... seriously. My mom wanted me to be home right after school, and if I don't then I'm gonna get killed. I gotta go. Nice talking to you-"

I took a pause as if to see if I could say it s without being rude.

"Losers."