✓ | BETTER WITH YOU → richie tozier ³

seven

ASH SLOWLY opened her eyes, and then froze.

Michael Wheeler's arms were wrapped around her, his head resting on her's, and she slowly looked up to see him grinning down at her, his eyes twinkling.

"Well. Look who's awake." He said, and despite herself, Ash felt a smile twitch on her face.

"Shut up." She mumbled, and freed herself from his grasp to stretch, yawning.

"Are you okay? Last night. . ." Mike trailed off, watching her, and Ash anxiously rubbed her arms.

"I-I don't know. . .it really scared me." She said softly, and then looked up at him, her eyes wide. "Wh-what if that actually happens!? What if Richie dies- and it would be all my fault-"

"Hey." Mike said, and Ash looked back down, trying to calm her pounding heart and pressed her shaking fingers together.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Mike said again, and lifted her chin up to look at him, staring into her eyes. "It's going to be alright, okay? That's not going to happen."

Her lower lip trembled, and she whispered, "Promise?"

He nodded firmly, his hand still cupped around her face. "Promise."

She gave a shaky nod, and he pulled her into him, his arms tightening around her as he rested his head on top of her's.

And then, her eyebrows drew together as she slowly pulled away, and he looked down at her, the tips of his fingers brushing her's.

They stared at each other, and Mike slowly drew closer to her, his face inches away, and Ash pulled her hand from his, shakily standing from the couch and wiping her hands on her sweatpants.

She had felt something. She didn't know what, but. . .it was something.

"I have to go get dressed. School." She said, forcing a smile, and recognition flashed on his expression.

"Right. That hellhole."

Ash laughed, and he shot her a grin before she turned and headed into her bedroom, her heart racing with every step.

~

Ash rode to school with Mike, both of them not mentioning the moment that had happened between them.

As they put their bikes into the rack, she heard someone call, "Beautiful!"

Ash turned and saw Richie bounding towards her, coming to a stop in front of her. "Hey!"

"Hey, Rich!" She answered, and his eyes fell on Mike, his forehead wrinkling.

"Did you guys. . .bike together?" He asked, and Ash nodded.

"I, uh," She hesitated, shooting a glance at Mike, and then continued, "I wanted to make sure he knew the way to school. Y'know, new to the neighborhood and everything."

She grinned nervously, and Richie's eyes flicked between the two of them suspiciously before he nodded.

"Oh, uh, yeah." He answered, and then slipped his fingers in her's. "You wanna head to first period?"

"Yeah, sure." She replied, and then asked, "Hey, where are the other Losers?"

Richie stiffened before saying, "Oh, they're. . .already inside. They didn't really feel like waiting."

"Oh." Ash said, frowning, and then Richie abruptly said, "Hey, why don't you go on inside? I'll meet you in there."

Her gaze went to Mike again, and Richie saw him nod slightly before Ash said, "Okay. Hurry up though, Tozier."

He softly kissed her cheek, shaking his head. "Who do you take me for, gorgeous?"

She grinned, and with one last look at Mike, took off in the direction of the school, her long red hair swinging behind her.

Richie turned to Mike, who had folded his arms.

"Yeah?" He asked, and Richie said, "So, why did she really bike with you? You seemed to know your way around yesterday."

Mike squinted at him. "What are you saying?"

Richie held up his hands. "Look, I'm not trying to say anything. It's just, she's my girlfriend, okay?"

Mike snorted. "God, Richie, you don't think I don't know that? All of us know she's your girlfriend, and honestly it's starting to get a little bit annoying. She isn't your property, even though you are dating."

"I never said she was-"

But Mike wasn't listening, cutting across him. "You know what your problem is, Rich? You act like you two are Romeo and Juliet or some shit. But wake the hell up, man. You guys aren't going to be together forever. I know it, the party knows it, all your friends know it, so stop acting like you're the only guy for her just because you turned into a total- I don't know, freak the last three years!"

"Hey!" Richie said angrily. "I don't know what your problem is, but I'm in love with her. I've been in love with her since the second freaking week of school when I ran into her in the fucking hallway. And she loves me. You don't know jack shit about that other part of my life, so don't act like you do."

Mike rolled his eyes, and leaned in close to his cousin who was glaring at him. "And have you really told Ash what happened? Because if you're so in love with her, like you claim to be, you should tell her. She deserves to know, Tozier. And the fact that you think it's just fine to keep stuff like that from her kind of makes me worried."

"Yeah, well it's not your fucking job to worry about her, Mike. It's mine." Richie spat, and Mike backed away from him, shrugging his shoulders.

"Whatever, Richie. But when this all comes back to slap you in your fucking face, you only have yourself to blame." He shot at him.

Richie narrowed his eyes at Mike, scanning every inch of his expression before snapping, "Just stay away from her. She's mine."

"I'm sure she'd love to hear it." Mike said sarcastically, and Richie glared at him before spinning on his heel and storming into the school, his blood boiling.

Mike leaned back against the rack and watched him, shaking his head. "You just wait, Tozier. She's not only going to ever like you. And when she doesn't, don't come crying to me."

And with those last words, he had jerked away from the rack and headed into the school also.