Ripped Away

Chapter 7

Mom answered the door when Richie knocked on it.  The first thing he did was throw his arms around her and thank her for accepting me.  She just smiled and laughed as he squeezed her.  I watched from the top of the stairs as they talked for a few minutes.  She asked him how long we'd been together.  He lied and said it had been a month, which I was very thankful for.  She would think I was crazy if she knew we met yesterday.

"You can go see what Noah's up to." Mom told Richie. "I'll be ready to go in a little while."

"You trust me in his room?" Richie asked, sounding extremely surprised.

"You seem like a nice boy.  Just keep the door open."

I slipped into my bedroom as he came up the stairs, and acted like I couldn't decide which shoes to put on.  He came in and sat down next to me on the floor.

"I say you wear those." he said, pointing to a pair of beat up black Vans.

I slipped on the shoes, then turned to kiss him on the cheek.  Richie stood up, then sat so that he could wrap his legs around my waist.

"I'm so happy this went well for you."  he whispered, kissing my lips then resting his head on my shoulder.

"I'm just happy I didn't get hit with a chair."

"I still have a mark from that."

He sat up and lifted his sweater, revealing a long, faded bruise across his torso.  I ran my fingers along it.  How anyone could bare to hurt him was beyond me.  He was so perfect.  I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I did any damage to his body, or his soul.

We sat quietly, wrapped up in each other's arms, until Mom called for us.  Then we went to join her and Bryce in the car.  Mom had a bunch of bags piled in the front seat.  So Bryce, Richie, and I all had to sit in the back.  I sat in the middle, with Richie leaning against my shoulder.  He seemed so tired.  I thought it was adorable.

When we were in the restaurant, my mom noticed too.

"Richie, are you alright?" She asked as he struggled to pick up the spoon for his soup.

"Yeah, I'm fine.  I just didn't sleep much last night." he smiled.

"Insomnia?" she asked, "Because if so,  then I have a ton of herbal teas that may help you."

"No." he shrugged. "I was just doing a lot of thinking."

"About what?" Bryce asked.

I shot him a look to say that it was none of his business,  but Richie had no problem telling him.

"Mostly about your brother." he said, laying his head against my shoulder. "I really like your brother."

He then looked over at my mom and apologized in case he was making her feel awkward.  She just smiled and said that she liked seeing me so happy.  I was still shocked by how she was reacting to this entire situation.

After we ate, Mom decided she wanted to go to the mall.  So she and Bryce went to go buy whatever it was that she needed, and left Richie and I alone for a while.  We didn't go into any stores.  We just sat on a bench next to the big fountain in the middle of the mall.  Richie sat with his legs over mine and his head against my shoulder.  This boy was at least an inch taller than me, but managed to make himself seem so small.

"I'm sorry if I made you sleep so badly." I said, running my fingers along the inside of his thigh.

"It's not your fault." he yawned. "I mean, you were the subject of my thoughts.  But you weren't forcing me to think."