Rich Goranski - The Aftermath Of It All

Chapter One- The First Day Back

Rich's thoughts will be italicized and for now it will be written in 3rd person point of view / with a narrator.
TW- mention of suicide
Update (5/20/20) I apologize for the weird format used for some of this book. It was my first fic and I didn't know what I was doing. I eventually switch to the proper way of formatting so stick around! There's only 11 chapters anyway. So yeah sorry about that.

BEEP BEEP BEEP
Rich woke up to the sound of his alarm clock. He reached over and smacked it so it would shut up. He saw the time: 7:00 am. "Ugh" he groaned as he got out of bed and grabbed the clothes he left on his dresser the night before. He changed from his sweats and T-shirt to a white 'Blink 182' hehe T-shirt that he threw a red flannel over, and a pair of khaki pants. He grabbed some random pair of socks and threw on his converse. They were black high tops with red rims that matched the patch in his hair. He didn't bother putting a bandanna on like he used too, or should I to hide the burn scars on my forehead? With that thought he grabbed the bandanna and put it on after he styled his hair. He left his room and went to the bathroom to use it and brush his teeth. After he washed his hands and brushed his teeth he went back to his room to grab his phone and saw that is was almost 7:20. Perfect timing! Now I can eat something before I go. He grabbed his phone and his school bag and went to the kitchen. There he made himself a bowl of cereal and he drank some orange juice with it. When he was done he checked his phone: 7:30. Alright time to get going. He threw on his bag and put in his earbuds. He put on his classic and punk rock playlist as he walked outside. He then threw his phone in his pocket, got on his bike, and started the relatively short trip to school.
-time skip-
Rich locked up his bike on a rack and headed toward the main entrance. It was now 7:55 so he had gotten to school just in time. He stood in front of the doors looking in the building. He used to walk into the school like he owned the place, but no, not anymore. Everything was different now. He was the was the insane kid who burned down his best friend's house trying to kill himself. At the time he wasn't, but now he was glad he wasn't successful, because now the squip was gone for good and he would have never discovered that he was bisexual-the only good thing that came out of the tragedy. He took a deep breath and walked into the building knowing everyone was going to stare, and he didn't blame them. He hid most of his scars, but the one on his cheek was extremely visible, making him feel insecure about it. He swiftly goes to his locker and sees all of the 'get well' cards attached. He takes them off and puts them in his bag to read later, opens the locker and sees the shoebox that used to have the squips in them. He thinks back and gets freaked out so he takes the box and throws it out quickly. He takes another deep breath and gets his math book. As he closes his locker he hears a familiar voice. "Ay yo Rich!" Rich turns to see Dustin coming towards him with a smile on his face. Play it cool. He seems to actually want to talk to you. Don't be a dork. "Ay Duthtin!" Oh no oh god my LISP! "Thoot" (Shoot) "Woah woah hold up. Was that a lisp I heard? Haha! You're not Rich Goranski, no no you're just a dork with a lisp now. So Goranthki," he said mocking Rich's lisp. "Would you like to be thrown into the lockers or into the wall? Actually no, I'll decide." He said as he rammed Rich into the wall next to the lockers. "Please," Rich tried to say more but he was cut off by the punch to his stomach. Right where he had a burn scar. Oh did it hurt. Rich collapsed to the floor and started to cry as Dustin repeatedly kicked Rich in the leg-another burn spot. Rich was crying so much he couldn't see through the tears. The worst part was no one even bothered to say anything. The other students just walked by like nothing was happening. Finally he heard someone. " Hey! That's enough Dustin!" That voice sounds familiar. "Oh yeah! What are you gonna do?" Dustin snapped as he continued kicking. "I will not hesitate to get the principal. Don't want to be suspended again do we now?" the voice said knowing he had the higher ground. "Fine! Whatever! I'm not done with you Goranski!" Dustin walked away after kicking Rich one last time.
- Switching to Rich's POV -
I heard Dustin walk away and saw the person who helped me rush over to me. "Rich oh my god Rich are you okay?" I look up at the person who's holding me and finally realize who it is: Michael Mell. "Mikey?" I asked clutching my stomach. "Yeah Richie? He asked, concerned. "I-I can't f-feel my leg." I said looking at my hurt leg. "Oh my god, ok let's get you up." He put his arm under my shoulder and I used my other leg to try to stand up. It was difficult but we managed to get me standing. Now came the real test: how am I gonna walk? "Mikey, how the hell am I gonna walk?" I asked him giving him a worrisome look. "Oh um I'll help you for now. Maybe we can get crutches or something at the nurse." He said to me hopefully. "Do you think you could uh check to see if there'th a thcar?" (There's a scar?) "Oh um sure." He bends down and lifts the material revealing my shin. I knew it already looked bad because of the burn scar but it must look really bad because Michael screamed he freaking screamed. "Rich it's like every color of the freaking rainbow." He said in complete shock. "Maybe we thould thtart moving tho people don't get thuthpithiouth. (Maybe we should start moving so people don't get suspicious) It's 8:20 already." Michael nodded and put his arm under my shoulder again. I limped all the way to class-thank god Michael and I both had math-and when we entered the classroom everybody stared at us. The teacher came over and asked "Rich are you okay? What happened?" I gave Michael a look, he nodded. "He got beat up in the hallway and he can't really walk." Michael said to the teacher. "Okay you two go to the nurse I'll write you a hall pass." She walks away and I thank Michael. It's bad enough Dustin knows I have a lisp. Imagine if Jenna Rollan knew? I'd be done for. The teacher comes back over and gives us the pass. We limp out the room and when we get into the hallway Michael asks " uh Rich do you want me to carry you? You seem like you're struggling and the nurse is at the other end of the hall." I look at him and say "Do you think you could carry me? I mean I know I'm short but I don't weight 3lbs." He smiled at me, "I took MMA for 7 years. I think I can carry you across the hall." With that I agreed and he picked me up. Oh I might have forgot to mention that I have HUGE crush on Michael. And he just PICKED ME UP. I could feel my face turning bright red. "What's wrong Richie?" We started to walk down the hall. "Uh nothing." I was able to spat out. We approached the nurse's office and Michael plopped me down in a chair. We sat there and waited for the nurse to come. She finally came and asked me to get up and come into another room. I get up and Michael comes over to help, and as I step forward I fall right over. Michael and the nurse help me up and bring me into another room. She examines my shin and says I should go to an actual doctor after school, gives me a pair of crutches and I'm free to go. I flash the nurse a fake smile but as soon as we get in the hallway I let my smile fade and look at the floor. "Richie what's wrong?" I look at Michael and can't help but smile. I can tell him, I trust Michael more then anyone else. "Well I- I don't have anyone to go to the doctor with. No one is my family can take me. And I don't even know how I'm getting home because I rode my bike to school today." Without being able to do anything I start sobbing uncontrollably. Michael sits me down next to him on one of the benches in the hallway and sets the crutches aside. I start to ramble "I mean it's not like anyone cares about me. I'm the psycho that burned down my friends house. Half of me is filled with burn scars. Without the squip I'm the same dorky loser with a lisp that I was in freshman year. I don't even know if any of the gang still considers me their friend. And to put the cherry on top I can't come out to anyone and tell them that I'm bi because no one cares!" (Pretend the lisp was there the whole time. Also it's meant to be spoken through sobs if the sentences seem irrelevant to each other.) I continued to cry and Michael pulled me to him in a hug. My head was on his shoulder and for some reason I just couldn't stop crying. "You know if you want, I can take you to the doctor. We can put your bike in the back and I'll take you home." The water works had finally stopped and I took my head off his shoulder. "You'd do that for me?" I look at him halfheartedly. "Of course man, you're one of my best friends!" My heart sunk. "Thankth (Thanks) Mikey. I really appreciate it." I look at my phone 8:59. A second later I hear the bell ring. "Well we better get going. Thee (See) ya at lunch Mike!" I get up and grab the crutches. "See ya Rich!"

I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! I might be able to publish chapter 2 today but if not then tomorrow. Yay!
- Katie