Athazagoraphobia [Richie Tozier]

4

"What?"
Richie asked as if she had just spoken a foreign language to him.
"A coping mechanism? something that helps you. like um, a comfort almost?"
the soft spoken lady replied.

Richie couldn't quite process what Ms.Mann just said, as simple as it was. Coping mechanism? comfort? those basic terms he somehow couldn't wrap around his brain.

"Are you alright hun?"
She said as the dark haired boy seemed to have zoned out.

"yeah, yeah. fine."
richie said nodding into awareness.

-

Eddie Kaspbrak walked with poise to the small corner store on Barden St. not far from his humble home. He fashioned his red polo with some basic khaki pants as it had began to get colder and colder with the passing weeks. in the distance he saw a familiar lanky frame with dark, crazy hair, and a  familiar tee shirt. it was Richie Tozier.

"Richie!"
eddie called out to his friend.

richie noticed the small boy and immediately caught attention. he jogged over to the corner where he was standing.

"what are you doing out?"
eddie asked.

"i could ask the same thing y'know."
richie smirked.

"i'm getting milk...?"
eddie replied slowly.

"oh i just don't really feel like being home right now it's a lovely day out, smell the flowers ed!"
richie said as he inhaled deeply through his nose, trying to get his point across.

"right."
eddie said.

"slurpee?"
richie asked hopingly.

"slurpee."
eddie replied cracking a small grin.

the pair walked into Al's Convenience and filled their probably too large cups up with icy liquid to their hearts content. Eddie got grape (the usual, as consistency was important) and Richie got a messy combination of lime, cherry, cola, blue raspberry and something of an odd pink colour.

after they went for a nice walk around the neighbourhood and finished their drinks the sun had started to set on a perfect saturday night.

"You know they should really sanitize those machines in that store, it's so gross all the shit dried up on those counters."
eddie said rubbing his hands together violently with hand sanitizer.

"Lubing up those hands hey eds?"
the trash mouth joked.

"oh fuck off, at least i use some."
eddie fired back.

richie just shrugged his shoulders.

"wanna go to my place? i'm sure my mom won't mind."
eddie asked.

richie thought for a moment. he desperately wanted to spend the night with his best friend! but his own mother might think differently at such short notice.

"Sounds fun but i'd have to call my mom."
richie said trying to get the last bit of slush out from the bottom of his cup with his straw.

They eventually arrived at the Kaspbrak household. richie began to dial his home number slowly, hesitantly. The phone rang and rang for what seemed like ages.

The phone stopped ringing and the tall boy was greeted with a voice mail. his mom wasn't home. (per usual.)

"Sure eds i'll stay the night."
richie finally decided, figuring that his mother once she finally returned home she would be far too intoxicated to even remember he was gone.

Eddie just stared blankly at the wall.
"Shit! I forgot the milk!"