timing : stozier

1

may

age 13-14

richie tozier and stanley uris had known each other for what seemed like their entire life. and it almost had been. they did everything that stereotypical best friends did, they even happened to be next-door neighbours. 

they hopped balconies, hung out constantly, went to the same school, were always in the same class, everything. the two of them were basically inseparable. even though richie always seemed to be getting on stan's nerves, and even though stan talked about birds for longer than richie thought was humanly possible, they got along perfectly. richie was a dreamer, stan a realist. stan kept richie grounded, richie kept stan afloat. they were almost what one would call soulmates.

almost.

richie hopped on his bike and pedalled, going as fast as he could so as to escape from his house. it was how he woke up every morning except sunday. he got up at six am, got ready as quietly as possible (he took showers at night for this reason), snuck downstairs, got on his bike, and left at seven. of course, he rode to school with stanley, but stanley did not leave the house until seven fifty, giving richie time to go down to the bridge. 

richie and stanley lived near a forest of sorts. it wasn't quite big, but there were lots of trees. within the thickest parts of the woods lay a bridge with a small stream of water flowing beneath it. 

richie loved the place. he had even carved his name into the underside of the wooden bridge. when him and stanley were small, they would explore the woods. one day they came across said bridge, and richie (who always carried a pocket knife to defend himself) carved the words richie tozier & stanley uris into the underside of the bridge when stanley wasn't watching. at the time he meant it as a friendship thing, after all, he was seven. but now, it was just as meaningful to richie, but in a different way. richie didn't actually know whether stanley had ever seen the words or whether he had gone back to the bridge ever, but he almost hoped stanley hadn't. the bridge was a special place for richie.

stanley made his bed neatly before making his way over to his dresser. he tried to be as quiet as possible, his parents were still asleep, but that all went to waste when he took his shower. stanley had a very precise schedule that he followed, unlike richie who had simply a basic outline. stanley woke up to his alarm at seven. five after, he got out of bed. he made his bed and then went to get breakfast. he ate his breakfast at seven-ten, took a five minute shower at seven-twenty, brushed his teeth and did other acts of hygiene afterwards. at seven-fourty, he would put his backpack together and make sure everything was good, and sit outside his house at seven-fifty on the dot. stanley had always been like that, precise. it was just the way he did things. as per usual, today was no different. 

he sat on his step, waiting for richie. as he waited for him, he texted bill.

stan: Why is Richie always late? He's never here on time.

bill: lol, eddie is always on time, and we get to school earlier than you

stan: Okay but seriously, how long must he sleep in?

bill: idk man, anyway, are you excited for that test we have in math?

stan: Haha, I took it on Wednesday so I don't have to take it today.

bill: you suck. you're so smart. like, you are in honours but STILL

stan: is that a compliment or an insult?

bill: holy shit!!! alert the authorities!!!

stan: what?

bill: you... yOU'RE USING LOWERCASE ONLY