sunshine. // it 2017

xvii.

It was strange to see two well dressed kids sitting at street fighter. The arcade was run-down yet busy with the bored local kids, so the sight of two well dressed kids was shocking for most. Her hands slammed against the machine with another lose to Lola, whose smile was yet to return. Richie looked from her to his bruised and cut hands holding onto the control stick.

"Do you wanna go somewhere else sunshine?" she didn't use words, only nodded her head.

They began to stand off the wooden stools that were soon to break. The owners couldn't care if they did or not. The jingle of the bell a top of the door caused both of their heads to rise to the sight of the boy they only saw a few hours ago. Bill Denbrough.

"What is it Bill? And make it quick," Richie's words were harsh, like they didn't even like the sight of the boy. He really didn't at the time.

"It's B-Beverly," his breathing was unsteady from running, "IT got her."

"What the hell are you talking about?" the first time Lola had spoken in a few hours.

"IT Lola! It got Beverly."

~

"No! No way Richard!" Richie was preparing to face that clown once and for all.

"Lola we have to," Lola stood at the bottom of her staircase. She hadn't been here without her dad in the house in a while. And even worse that Richie wanted to leave as well. They both changed, the only reason they went back there in the first place.

"No! You listen to me!" her voice was held worry and fear, "every time that you walk out that door," the tears were streaming down her face as she stood in front of Richie and pointed to the front door behind him, "every time I call you and you don't pick up the phone," her bottom lip quivered as his dark brown eyes glossed over, "my heart stops," his glasses covered with finger prints and marks covered the tears in his water line that threatened to drop, "because I don't know if you will walk back through that door and if I will have my Richard Tozier anymore," his tears finally dropped and he let out a shaky breath, "and I don't want to have my future to be taken away from me."

He grabbed hold of her harshly and pulled her into a hug, gripping onto the back of her dressy shirt and dipping his head into the crook of her neck. He sobbed and sobbed while she silently cried, running her hands gently through his hair.

"I'm so scared L," he whispered through a cry.

Yet another cry for help. He's cried for her help many times that he was becoming everything his father said he was, weak.

"I know baby boy. I am too. It's gonna be okay. We'll be okay," Lola pulled his head away with both hands on either side of his face, his hands still tight on her blouse. The tears caused his face to turn slightly red and for expression to be full of fear and sadness, "We'll be okay Richard I swear."

His lip stopped quivering and his sobs stopped too, "I love you Lola Duffey."

Her eyes widened slightly but then softened with a smile pulling on her lips, "I love you Richard Tozier."

"Can I kiss you?"

She only nodded. His lips slipped onto hers, a kiss full of love and passion, with a small dose of fear. A simple and sweet kiss, but one of many to follow. Richie Tozier was falling, and hard. Maybe it lasted a few seconds, or a few minutes, but he could taste the cherry cola Chapstick she applied an hour before. Pulling away he was hesitant, he wanted to have those lips against his forever.