Lollipop // Richie Tozier x OC ( IT 2017 )

Thanks, Ben (16)

Henry Bowers took a gentle finger and hooked a strand of chocolate brown hair behind Lolly's right ear, "They don't really like you, you know that?", his breath was hot on her face, "those boys just think you're an easy little slu-"

Armed with anger and a little too much confidence, Beverly Marsh strutted toward the dancing pair. Her lips were firmly pressed together in a flat line. Her pointy pointer finger planted itself in the middle of Henry Bowers' back. 

The boys held their breath as Henry, with one hand on Lolly's hip and the other balled into a fist turned to face Beverly.

"She's done dancing, let's go, Lolly," Beverly stated, she looked deep into Henry's eyes as she spoke to emphasize that she was directing her words more at him than anyone else.

A few feet away the boys of The Losers' Club were exchanging looks of panic, especially Bill because he figured it was going to be him who would have to confront Henry after he threatened Beverly; which Bill was sure Henry was going to do. 

"We're going to have to save ole' firecrotch over there, aren't we?" Richie sighed,
"More like fire head," Stanley said, "Get it? Like hothead,"
"Guh-guh-guys, this isn't the time," Bill glared at them both

Henry's entire body was pointed at Beverly, and his shoulders were square, his chest was puffed full. Beverly was standing on the front of her feet in an attempt to look as tall as possible, with a chin tilted up to meet Henry's gaze. Lolly had slid out of Henry's hands as soon as he was distracted, but she didn't dare leave his side. If anything happened to Beverly, she needed to be there to protect Beverly; like Beverly protected her.

"You think you can talk to me like that?" Henry laughed, "Didn't your Daddy ever teach you that women are to be seen and not heard?" 

Beverly scoffed but she drew her breath in at the mention of her father. A strict parental figure her father had taught her a lot of things about womanhood, cleaning, cooking, and knowing when to speak when spoken to. However, Henry wasn't her father and in comparison, Henry wasn't scary at all. 

"My Daddy taught me to respect a man, but you're no man Henry Bowers. You're just a scared little boy," 

"Beverly's going to be the death of me," Ben thought to himself, as Henry brought an arm back to strike her, Ben let out a warrior's screech, "YAAAAAH," and barrelled into the bully at full speed. Henry was strong, and not small for his age, but  Ben was near 180 pounds of boy. Henry toppled over like a tree in the wind.  

Richie's head bobbed up and down like a chicken's as he gawked around the dance floor, "Did anyone just see that shit? Did that just happen?"

 A few passing by classmates stopped to look at Henry on the ground but for the most part, Henry's tumble to the ground was masked by loud music and hormones. 


"Wow," Lolly was glassy-eyed and it clicked in her head that Beverly's poem must've been written by Ben. The act of selflessness was the type of thing you see in movies, and she was in absolute awe over him. 

Ben crawled off of Bowers lap, and shakily raised himself from the ground. Henry stayed on the ground, his eyes closed unnaturally, full of creases and an uneasy look on his face. 

"That must hurt, Ben's a BIG boy," Richie laughed
"Shut up Richie," Lolly hushed him, "That was amazing. Thanks, Ben." 

Ben blushed a rosy pink and he thanked her quickly, but his eyes stayed fixated on Beverly who was in her same spot with her brow furrowed.

"We should guh-guh-get out of here be-fuh-fuh-fore he gets uh-uh-up," Bill said, 

Bill's word was like that of a commander; a hush fell over the group before stiff nods and slim legs carried them in the opposite direction. Lolly reached for the hand of Beverly and pulled her along, she whispered a quiet, "Thank-you Beverly," into her ear as they walked. Beverly didn't say a word but she gave Lolly's hand a firm squeeze in response.

A few minutes, and a few blocks later, The Losers' Club gathered at the local park to discuss what had just taken place. The moon was getting higher in the sky as the night continued, it shone a dull light over the entire town of Derry.

"What happened before we- uh- Beverly intervened?" Stanley asked Lolly
"Nothing too exciting," Lolly said, but in her mind, all she could hear was Henry's voice echoing the words, They don't really like you, you know that?  She continued, "he was upset I didn't ask him to the dance,"
"That's it? He was upset? He almost turned Beverly into a pile of jello," Richie retorted
"He was very upset. I don't know! You say that like you expect me to understand Henry Bowers,"

Her tone was harsh and Lolly was slightly agitated, but it wasn't her friend's fault.  The whole situation with Henry, not just the situation tonight but the build-up had been adding stress to her plate for the past little while. As little as she thought of Henry, his words stuck in her brain. Lolly had been so happy to make new friends, and she was scared it was going to be taken away. It was a constant worry.

"Are you on your period or something because you're being a real-"
"Shut up Richie,"  

Usually, in their trash mouth sessions, the tone was lighthearted and there were giggles thrown in between insults. Tonight Lolly's voice carried her stress, and it came out very bitter and impatient.

"I should go home, my parents were expecting me home after the dance," Lolly said with an attempted smile
"Let me walk you home," Richie offered, regardless of his reputation he cared deeply for his friends and the quarrel with Lolly rubbed him the wrong way.
"I don't want you to walk me home, I'll be fine," She let out a deep breath,  and walked off toward the exit, "Bye guys,"

Beverly's eyes followed Lolly until her figure turned to a shadow and her shadow into a blur and her blur into absolutely nothing. The boys talked around her about jibberish. Hours before, Lolly had confessed to her crush on Richie and now she didn't even want him to walk her home? Especially after Beverly had talked to her about confessing her feelings to Richie? It didn't make sense.

"Somethings wrong," Beverly said, usually the boys would discuss these types of things before agreeing but Beverly's serious tone and her two eyebrows which were pressed together in thought grabbed their attention, "Go after her Richie, now,"

"You're being like this too? Is every girl on their period I've heard of them syncing or whatever but this is getting ridiculous," Richie said
"GO," Bill said, he didn't stutter.

"Gang up on the funny man, yeah whatever that's fine," Richie mumbled variations of this line as he got up from his place sitting on a rusty swingset and set off in the direction Lolly had gone.