"richie rich" / richie tozier (fwolfhard)

chapter thirty six (spice it up)

   "she's waking up!" richie yelled excitedly, he hadn't seen movement from her in almost a year. "back up, let me see!" max said, pushing the boy aside.

  "well?" will questioned, "hold on!" dustin tried calming the crowd around the poor girl.

    kimmie's eyes shot open, she looked around and smiled once she made eye contact with the four eyed boy. she slowly sat up and took in her surroundings.

   "did you like it?" richie took a seat next to her. "like, what?" kimmie's voice was still small. "the story! i mean, i would've taken a nicer approach rather than a thrill. but richie insisted." she rolled her eyes.

   "story?" she glanced around the room. "will? you're out!" she stood up and took the boy in her arms.

    "are you okay?" he pulled back and laughed, "what do you mean? i'm fine? um, i never left? but i should probably be asking how you are." he laughed.

   "you were in the upside down." kimmie stated, her 'wtf' look upon her face. "shit kimmie, you didn't think that was real right?" richie grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze.

   once the room the still, richie waved them all off to have some time alone with her. "i'ved missed you!" she pulled him in for a kiss after hugging him nearly to death. richie stood there shocked, his eyes almsot bulging out of their sockets.

  "um," he stepped back, "well, that's a nice greeting and all kim. but my girlfriend would not be very happy." he itched his neck and gave a small awkward laugh.

  "what?" she scoffed, "you were just-" she paused, her eyes started to water. "oh, yeah, not real." richie looked around confusedly, he stepped outside for ten minutes, but it felt like forever.

   he stepped inside with dustin, he had a fistful of his shirt, and basically tossed him over to her. "explain." his dark eyes darted over to the fragile girl and immediately softened.

   "regina's a bitch richie, everyone knows it except you! i was just trying to let her know, plus i wanted to spice it up a bit." he smiled giddily over at kimmie and raised his eyebrows.

   "say that once more and i literally just might think about drowning you in the quarry." richie paced around anxiously, running a hand through his hair.

  "what happened to me?" kimmie whispered to dustin, "you have been in a coma kim, you had a really rough summer, let's just say that." a sad smile played on his lips.

  "so, will's here, richie is dating regina, and you aren't gay?" dustin laughed, "no hon that's real, me and ed have been dating for seven months." he grinned his toothless grin.

  "like i said, spice it up." he winked, and with that he left. "i'm so sorry kimmie." richie sat next to her again, wrapping an arm around her. she pushed it off lightly, "it's fine, i need sleep." she nodded towards the door.

   "i'm not going." he stated, flashbacks surrounded her thoughts, she grabbed his arm as soon as she got dizzy. "kimmie?" he pulled her into a hug, immediately soothing her.

   "please don't." her quiet sobs filled the silence. he slightly rocked her until she had stopped and fallen asleep. some had come in to check on her but richie waved them off and said she was fine.

  he placed her on the bed, tugging the blanket over her. mike walked in, but stopped in the doorway as he saw richie's doings.

   "she loves you." he stated bluntly, richie scoffed, "no she doesn't. dustin played with her mind while she was asleep." mike closed the door behind him.

  "look brother, you should know this by now. she obviously has feelings for you, if she didn't she would've changed her own dream. dustin didn't have full control over her you dumbass."

  he paused, "it took something to get her to cooperate." richie looked him in the eyes, he wasn't lying. "i know you love her too." once again, richie scoffed.

   "just shut up dude, she was messed up." but after a minute, tears slipped down richie's eyes too. mike pulled him into a hug and patted his back. "i'll be with mom and dad. figure this out rich."

   he closed the door, leaving richie alone with his thoughts. "it's true." richie looked up to see regina. he was at a loss for words. "i understand."

   with that, regina left too. he was unbothered, which confused him, but he didn't want to question it.