Rich Goranski - The Aftermath Of It All

Chapter 8- Best Buds

I'll be taking a slightly different route with this chapter. It's going to be about Brooke and Rich's friendship, as a fill in/back story type thing.
TW- mention of abuse and drinking
-bullying
- Super flashback to first day of 7th grade woah -
- 3rd person POV -

It was the first day of school and Rich could not be more excited! He'd spent his summer in a sleep away camp with his older brother as a councilor and it was complete torture. Ugh he was so ready for this. A new school, a new beginning, and hopefully, new friends.

You see Rich had moved from Queens, NY, to Jersey right after 6th grade ended. He was sad to leave his friends and sad that he would have to be the 'new kid', but after being stuck with his brother, he became more optimistic about it.

He wore a Supernatural t-shirt that had the Impala and said "Saving people, hunting things. The family business" on it and a pair of grey jeans. He also wore some random converse and a plaid blue shirt over the other. Here goes nothing. He pushed open the doors to see a lot of awkward preteens scattered around a hallway. They were supposed to go to the cafeteria, so that's where he tried to go. The problem was, he had no clue where it was.

"Hey there! Are-a you lost?" Asked a girl wearing a pink shirt, jeans, and a yellow knitted sweater. Her hair was a pretty shade of blonde. "As a matter of fact I am." Rich said to her laughing. "No problem I'll take you to the cafeteria!" She grabbed his arm and ran to it. They sat down and began to chat.

"I'm guessing you're new here?" She asked smiling. "Oh uh yeah. I just moved here. I-I'm Rich, Rich Goranthki. Damn I'm thorry I have a lisp." He looked away ashamed. "Well Richie, I think it's cool. And I'm Brooke, Brooke Lohst."

And that's how it started, a friendship that would last. Rich had an amazing 7th grade, it truly was a great year for him. Oof me too Rich.

- Time skip to the end of 8th grade -
- still 3rd person -

As 8th grade had started to come to a close, Brooke drifted from Rich. They were still friends of course, and they still hung out, but she had become more popular and found some new friends. Their names were Chloe and Jenna. Brooke spent almost all of her school time with them, and hung out with Rich outside of school. No one really knew they were friends as Rich had come to be a 'loser'. All at once things started to fall apart for Rich.

Rich's mom had just left, leaving him and his brother with his father. He didn't know where she went. One day she was telling him how 'amazing the day would be', they next she was... gone. His brother who was a senior in high school at the time was rarely ever home, which meant it was usually just Rich and his dad. His dad has also started drinking, a lot. He would randomly yell harsh things to Rich, but it eventually escalated to abuse. And on top of everything, Rich didn't know how to tell Brooke.

One day he was at Brooke's house, and out of no where he started to cry. "Rich? What's wrong? Are you that upset you lost at Mario Kart?" Rich decided to tell Brooke everything. When he finished telling her she hugged him tight. "So I'm guessing those bruises on your arm haven't been from you repeatedly failing at climbing a tree?" He shook his head. "Rich, we have to tell someone." She took his hand. "No! I can't I can't no no no." She hesitated. "Fine but if something happens to you, I don't know what I'd do."

They'd spent the rest of that day together. A lot of days he would sleep over. No one from school knew either, but he practically spent that whole summer with Brooke. But then came freshman year, and everything changed.

- First day of freshman year -

For the first time in a long time, Rich was actually excited to go to school. He may not have a lot-or any-friends, but he had Brooke. He walked into the arena that is high school confidently. He might have looked super dorky and he was very short but he didn't care. Just then he was pushed into a wall. "Out of my way dork!" Some jock yelled. A crowd had started to form. Brooke was there. "I'm thorry I just-". The jock stepped toward him. "No way! This dork's got a lisp!" Everyone started laughing at him. "Brooke!" Rich yelled getting her attention. "You know this dork?" The jock asked her. "Never seen him."

In that moment, as everyone left, Rich began to cry. As he walked to the bathroom he knew his only friend had chosen popularity over him.

After the whole squipcident Brooke had apologized to Rich. She felt guilty for him getting a squip in the first place. Rich forgave her because he understood, she was doing what was necessary to become popular. He had been there too.
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I hope you enjoyed my backstory chapter! I took me a while because I forgot where I was going with it half way thru. Also, what do you think of the new layout? Should I keep it like this from now on or go back to the old one? Let me know!!
- Katie