WHEEZY // an IT story

e p i l o u g e

AUGUST 13th, 1994

bill watched as the black vehicle pulled up into his driveway. from his house, he could hear heavy metal music blasting from the inside. the car sputtered to a stop, and moment later, a ruggedly handsome, much older richie stepped out of the vehicle. richie had grown quite tall since the last time bill had seen him, and he had also lost the dorky glasses. bill looked more or less the same, a bit more aged but not much else. he opened his front door and walked towards this new version of richie.
"hey rich!" he called. the new richie gave a side smile, and tilted down his round sunglasses, so bill could see his large brown eyes.
"what's up, bill?" richie said, in a voice as smooth as chocolate. he was like a punk rock heart throb. bill nodded his head vigorously while richie pulled out a pack of cigarettes.
"got a lighter?"
"oh i-i don't-"
richie laughed.
"there's the stutter i missed," he said, as he ran his hands through his large mop of fluffy black hair. richie's jacket sleeve moved up an inch to reveal his wrists, which had fresh scars. bill grabbed richie's arm and rolled up his sleeve, his eyes widening with shock.
"richie!"
"fuck off!" richie yelled, a bit of his trashmouth origins showing.
"why? it happened years ago!" bill shouted.
"oh, you know it was never that simple!"
"it was! you hate him!"
"but that's the thing, love. i hate him, but i miss him like hell." richie said. he turned away from bill to wipe his tears away.
"richie.." bill quietly said.
"i hate him. i can't love him after he did that," richie muttered, looking away.
"oh, but you created a band because he told you to?" bill shouted. richie rolled his eyes.
"that wasn't the only reason, dumbass," he snarled.
"uh, last time i checked, you hate your singing voice! eddie liked it, and you wouldn't be as successful as you are without him!" bill cried, throwing his hands up in the air.
"yeah, well i did it for reasons you wouldn't understand!" richie scoffed, crossing his arms.
"i would thank eddie for all your success. you wouldn't have five best-selling albums and millions of fans without him," bill scolded. richie sighed.
"i don't even understand why i came back to derry. it's the same argument with you and the others every time. i would've died for him if he'd fucking let me," richie growled.
"i know, but maybe you should be grateful instead of hating yourself and him for all these years," bill said.
"fuck you. fuck the others. fuck this stupid town. i'm going back to l.a.," richie snarled, turning on his heel and getting into his van. bill's face twisted into anger.
"we don't need you here," bill said, knowing richie wouldn't hear it.
richie did hear it, however, and speeding down the highway later that night, he could only hear those words.

richie scoffed and rolled his eyes.

hey eds, i know you're watching me, and i know you're mad that i yelled at bill. but don't be sad that we're fighting over you. it's just how things are now. i wrote a song about you last month and it's going on my band's new album. i know you'd love the tour life. maybe, if you were around, i could've taken you with me. but, it's okay. i'll talk to you soon.

richie knew eddie was listening, and the smallest smile spread across his face.
he wasn't alone.

the end