ANDROPHOBIA II : TEN LONG YEARS TO WAIT |RICHIE TOZIER 2017 FANFICTION|

Him | Playground | Letter

|FEB|

"Um t-thank you for saving me."

I stuttered still looking at his eyes as he gazed on mine too. His warm hands was still holding my hand and his arm is still on my waist. His smile grew wider but what I saw in his eyes is not happiness, it was pure sadness. Like he was lonely.

I suddenly had the urge to hug him. And I did. But immediately pulled back my arms, and saw how surprised he is from what I just did.

"I....I'm sorry. I just felt like embracing you. I'm so sorry"

I bowed politely and heard him chuckle. Looking up to him I saw him laughing earnestly with just amusement and happiness in his eyes. I don't know but that made me so happy at the moment.

"Hey Ylliza, mind if I take her somewhere?"

He asked and held my hand once again. I stared at our fingers intertwined and smiled subconsciously. I gripped his hand harder making him look at me and I just smiled shyly in return.

"Sure. Just don't do anything stupid Richie."

My eyes widened hearing what Ylliza just called him. He's Richie. He's the guy I kept seeing in my dreams. He was the one I kept remembering. Yet I still don't know who he was in my life. He lead me outside, my hand still on his. It's cold but all I can feel is the warm sensation his touch gave me.

I shouldn't be doing this. I still have to make up with France, but I don't know why this feels so right. He suddenly stopped in his tracks which made me bump my face to his broad back.

"Pfft what are you spacing around for? You even bumped your nose"

Richie laughed and faced me. He pinched my nose playfully and pointed to the playground a few steps ahead of us.

"Looking at this place when it's snowing makes it kinda lonely, don't you think?"

I asked. He sighed and let go of my hand before walking forward.

"It is lonely, Rory"

He said and looked at me like he was telling me a story behind those eyes of his.

"Um can we go to the swing? I kind of want to ride it"

"Haha seriously?"

He chuckled and I frowned jokingly as we made our way to the swing. I sat down and was startled when Richie pushed my swing lightly.

"Can I be honest with you Richie?"

"If and only if you let me be honest with you too"

He smiled cheekily. I chuckled and unconsciously held his cheeks. I was stunned when I did that. Even Richie was surprised. His dark brown eyes shook sadly as he stared on mine. Richie sat down on the other swing slowly.

As the swing stopped we were both in our little world. It was like we owned each other and that we loved each other. This isn't right.

I knew in my mind that it was wrong. France, I still have France. But why am I not stopping? I thought to myself, asking questions inside, until his lips met mine. We pulled away almost as sudden as our lips collided. 

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't know what I was doing"

I apologized as my cheeks burned bright pink. He looked away and scratched his head.

"I should be the one saying sorry, I mean, you just met me and all. I shouldn't have kissed you."

He said still looking away from me. Silence, it was the only thing between us. Richie suddenly stood up. 

"I should leave, you know your way home right? I'm going—"

I held the ends of his shirt with something inside me telling him not to leave. I gulped and spoke.

"This isn't the first time I saw you."

I said and he suddenly looked at me and got back to his seat. 

"Wait what do you mean by that Rory?"

He asked me and stared intensely into my eyes. I know it wasn't me imagining things but his eyes spoke sadness with a glint of hope to mine.

"I—"

"Baby, what are you doing here?"

I was cut off when someone spoke behind us. It was a girl and did she just call Richie, baby?

"Courtney? What are you doing here?"

Richie asked the girl with furrowed eyebrows. He stood up and intertwined his hands with mine. I got worried that the girl he called Courtney is his girlfriend and that she'll get mad seeing us, but I was kinda happy.

"Who is she babe? Why are you holding her hand?"

The girl asked and I started getting nervous again. What is Richie gonna say to her? I'm no one to him, just a friend's friend.

"She's.... she's my girlfriend. Now leave us alone." He answered which made my heart flutter when I heard it. "Let's go Rory"

He pulled me and we walked back home. We reached the gate and Richie suddenly stopped and faced me. He held my face and tucked my hair behind my ears.

"Can you really not remember me? Creep?"

That word rang a bell in my head. But I didn't know why.

"Richie, we ordered food. Good thing I didn't have to get you two"

We turned our heads to Eddie. Richie suddenly let go of my hands and faced Eddie before walking up to the door.

"Let's go inside Febby"

Richie called me, it was the same nickname I had for a long time but for the first time in my life, it sounded wrong.

"Oh sure"

I just answered and walked behind him. Suddenly a letter dropped from his coat's  pocket. I quickly grabbed it and was about to give it back when I saw the letter it was of course dedicated to him and it was from...me.

"I'll go ahead Febby, I don't want your stay to be awkward. Just come to me if you want someone to talk to, well I'm probably not an option. We aren't even friends yet "

Said Richie. I hid the letter in my pockets and shook my head before smiling at him.

"We're already friends dickhead—Oh I'm sorry I didn't mean to curse!"

I said feeling nervous that I offended him in some way.

But instead he smiled.

"Creep"

End of Chapter 4