Kids in the Dark--Richie Tozier AU

CHAPTER TWO

"Why do you call me princess? I am a very manly man."

Richie Tozier approached the school  building in his slightly run down Oldsmobile. He had gotten into a bit of an argument with his cruel father and his drunk mother was absolutely no help in the situations.

"Why can't you just get your shit together?" Richie's father, Wentworth, sneered. His father was wearing a face that didn't suit his features. His leathery skin was beat red and his eyes appeared to be glowing with pure rage as he observed his only son.
"Why can't you?"  Richie's snarl was met with a strong slap to the face.

Richie sighed loudly, trying to get his flirty, trashy personality to at least be faked. He never liked for his friends to see him sad, though they all knew what his family was like. Richie shook his head, his glasses sliding down his face. He didn't have the time to put his contacts in or begin to look slightly ready. He was wearing a white tee that was a tad bit smaller than his normal shirts with black jeans accenting his very long legs and his dirty converse.

Richie tried to shake the creeping thoughts of self loathing that approached his head as he ran a shaking hand through his messy hair. Richie was like this sometimes, every since he was younger and discovered that the treatment he received from his parents wasn't normal. He desperately tried to gain his parents attention and love, but eventually, he stopped caring. The name calling, the slaps, the loneliness became too much and he stopped waiting on his family to get themselves together. He made a family within his friend group and that is all he needed.

A slight tap on the window made Richie jump and he turned and saw the small figure of Lennon. She waved at him from outside his window. Richie quickly rolled it down, throwing on a fake smirk.
"Ah, gorgeous, I knew you couldn't stay away from me." Richie exclaimed cockily towards the girl. Lennon's slight frown didn't waiver as she examined Richie's face.
"Princess, what's wrong?" Richie almost froze, almost.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Lennon extended her hand towards Richie's face, right below his eye. Richie pushed her hands away, not wanting her to touch the slightly red and puffy spot on his face.
"Richard, what's wrong?" the way his name rolled off Lennon's tongue made Richie's heart stop.
"I'm fine, gorgeous, it takes a lot more than that to knock me down." Richie said, giving a small smirk in her direction, "I promise." Lennon's mouth tilted into a small smile and Richie felt pleased with himself.
"I have to go to class, Princess, but I can still sit with you at lunch?" Lennon questioned, uncertain if he was still okay with the idea of it.
"Absolutely, gorgeous. It wouldn't be much fun without you." Richie stepped out of his face finally and slammed the door slightly, just to make the piece of shit shut.

Richie's morning seemed to be going fine. The Losers were happily joking and Richie made sure to include his completely over the top and disgusting jokes, in hopes to hide his misery. Lennon, he discovered now that he knew she attended school here, was a very hidden body. He never really saw her except this morning. It was like she vanished.
"Trashmouth, who're you looking for?" Stan practically demanded towards the shaggy hair boy after seeing his eyes flit across the hallway for the 7th time since class ended.
"Lennon." The boy replied with a simple shrug, not even glancing at Stan.
"Awe, you do have a crush!" Beverly's exclamation caused Richie to wince, ducking his head slightly at the sound.
"Jeez Bev, I don't think they heard you in the land down under, maybe scream a little louder next time." Richie said, rolling his eyes at the loud girl.

It was lunchtime when Richie finally got to see Lennon again. She gracefully walked towards the table, coming through one of the side doors, a blank look on her face and the smell of smoke reeking off of her. Richie couldn't help but glance down at her exposed hand, seeing a new circular burn on the inner part of her wrist.
"Hey, Princess, you miss me?" Richie's eyes gazed up, seeing a pleasant smirk on her face.
"Awe, Gorgeous, obviously I want you to meet Beverly." Richie smiled towards Beverly as the red head glared at him.
"Beverly, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Lennon Duncan." The blonde girls voice seemed to ease the glare on Beverly's face, as she turned and shook the small girls hand. Lennon took a small seat beside Richie and across from Beverly. The girl smelled of honey and lavender with a strong menthol sent trying to mask it, which Richie found weird but also pleasant.

"Lennon, it would be my honor to introduce you to the self proclaimed Losers Club. This is Bevvy, Stan the man, Big Ben, Billiam, Tough Guy Mike, and Eddie Spaghetti." Every loser simultaneously groaned, causing Lennon to grin.
"It is a pleasure. As you heard, my name is Lennon." Lennon seemed similar to Richie, Stan has to admit. The girl reeked of a more joking attitude and held herself in a manner of confidence that Richie also seemed to hold. But Stan could see both of them had underlying issues they just weren't willing to talk about and covered everything with jokes. Stan was observant, though he didn't know what the issues were. He just saw how Richie tended to behave. Fidgeting, avoiding certain things, hiding any sort of emotion behind a big pile of terrible jokes and accents.

"So, you're insanely good at music." Bill's stutter had disappeared slowly, after a lot of working and practicing in speech therapy. Occasionally, stuttering occurred, but for the most part he had a normal speech pattern.
"Oh thank you, Bill, I've been doing it since I was small." Lennon said, slightly tipping an imaginary hat. Richie listened so intently that Stan was slightly worried he'd fall out of his seat with how pushed forward in his chair he was.

Lunch continued on, the group sharing jokes and giggling at one another. Everything was grand, Richie and Lennon seemed content and happy communicating together.
"Well, look who we have here, boys." Henry Bowers' voice pierced the laughter and conversation, causing a silence to settle within the group. "Ah, I see you've found song bird over here." Richie watched as Patrick reached out a hand to stroke Lennon's hair. Lennon flinched causing Richie to grind his teeth in anger at her discomfort.
"Fuck off, Bowers, I'm in no mood." Lennon's voice was steady and sharp. All Henry did was laugh. "I'm serious, you daft cunt. You're such a damn nuisance." Henry, though probably did not understand the insult due to his tiny pea brain, knew to get angry. Henry grabber her long curls before anyone could react. Richie went to stand to her defense, ready to take an ass beating to protect her. But she didn't need it.

Lennon's fist snapped back instantly, and before the losers could process what was happening, Lennon's fist connected with Henry's nose. There was a sickening crunch under her fist. Patrick and Belch went to grab the girl, but she was quicker and dodge the arms reaching towards her.
"I warned you last time, Bowers, that I'm not the same little weak girl you fucked with. Touch me again and you're as good as forgotten, sweetie." Lennon's voice was deadly calm and, as she crouched in front of Bowers, Richie could see a mix of fear and pure rage in those eyes.
"You'll pay, you bitch. Just watch. You thought you had it bad before. I'm coming for you." Henry seethed, standing and holding his nose. Lennon rolled her eyes with a heavy sigh.

"Well, I'm ditching guys. I don't really want to be here anymore." Lennon smiler, wiping some blood from her fist against her pants. The losers looked at each other, each showing goofy grins.
"My lady, if you'd be so kind, we would be honored to join." Richie said, bowing slightly with a terrible accent. Lennon smirked.
"Sure thing, Princess." Lennon turned to leave.
"Hey!" Lennon turned back, looking at Richie confused, "Why do you call me Princess? I am a manly man." Lennon's smirk returned and she rolled her mouth.
"Would you rather me call you a daft cunt?" Lennon questioned.
"Point taken, hot stuff." Richie murmured as he adored Lennon. The group laughed at the exchange.