IT [2017] Richie Tozier

t w o

the boys and Delilah rode their bikes to the local pharmacy. ben was on the back of bill's. Eddie was going on about how may people get AIDS from blood or something but Delilah wasn't listening, she was too busy enjoying the wind in her hair. Richie and Delilah were staying with Ben wile the other three boys went into Keene's pharmacy to help clean the poor kid up. what Delilah didn't know was how much Richie was glad he got to be around her alone, even with a beaten Ben there. he'd always had a thing for her, it was no secret to anyone, except delilah herself, who had no idea. "glad I got to meet you before you died" Richie said, trying to clear the awkward silence. "Yeah me too" Delilah added. "I'm uh- my names Delilah Matthews" she held her hand out for him to shake. "Ben-""Hanscom, I know, I think we have a class together""you're bev's best friend right?" he asked and she nodded. "mine too, ain't that right?" Richie added. "in your dreams tozier" Delilah rolled her eyes. "oh honey, do you really wanna know what happens when I dream about you?" he flirted back. his flirting was something she certainly didn't miss. there were times where she missed the attention as she didn't get much of that. before she could reply the boys made their way around the corner, minus bill, holding multiple medical supplies. Eddie set them down in front of Ben and began sorting everything out. bill was talking with Beverly at the end of the alley way. "pip pip and talley-o my good fellows, i do believe her requires our utmost attention" richie said in his british accent. "why don't you shut the fuck up because i know what i'm doing and i don't need you-" eddie started."you're meant to suck the wound before you apply the band-aid. it's 101!" Richie insisted. "no you are not, I need my bi-focals, they're in my second funny pack" Eddie said. "you have a second funny pack?" Delilah asked, looking confused. Eddie didn't respond as bev joined us. "are you sure they got the right stuff to fix you up? that looks like it hurts" she stated, looking at Ben. Ben looked beyond infatuated by the redhead. "yeah, well take care of him don't worry" stan assured. Delilah moved and stood by bev, not listening too much to their conversion. she heard Richie mention bowers. bev began to leave but not before bill asked her to meet them tomorrow. "you too Delilah" Richie added. "thanks..." bev smiled, "oh here Delilah, I grabbed a pack for you too" she handed me a pack of cigarettes and a small yellow lighter. "I didn't know you smoked" Stan said. "I don't really, just helps relieve stress" Delilah shrugged. "way to go bringing up bowers in front of her" Eddie snapped at Richie. "you know what she did" Delilah began getting angry as she knew they were rumours. but she kept her mouth shut. Eddie handed her a cotton ball to hold temporarily as he fixed ben's face a little. "what'd she do?""more like who'd she do, from what I hear the list is longer than my wang" Richie joked, grabbing his crotch. "that's not saying much" stan muttered under his breath."shut the fuck up Richie-" Delilah stated but was cut off by Bill. "t-t-t-there just rumours" he said looking down. "exactly, just rumours," she scoffed. "come on doctor K, fix him up" richie egged on eddie. "get in there! suck the wound!"the next day Delilah and Beverley cautiously rode their bikes to the top of the quarry. she had recently cut her hair and Delilah couldn't understand why, her hair was so beautiful and long. she figured it had something to do with her father. they saw the five boys stood looking over the edge, debating whether to jump or not, in their tighty whities. Delilah giggled to herself. she was wearing a cropped, long sleeved shirt as usual, and some high waisted denim shorts. the shorts covered her stomach. "so who goes first?" Ben asked. "I'll go" bev interrupted, pulling her dress down, revealing herself in her underwear. wow Delilah thought I wish I was that confident. Beverly walked at some speed and jumped straight in. "what the fuck!" Richie exclaimed. "we just got showed up by a girl we have to go now" he moaned. Ben. Bill. Stan.Eddie. that just left Richie and Delilah. she was now standing by Richie, still fully clothed."are you going in?" he asked her. "I-I-I can't" the young girl looked down. "why not?" Richie asked worried. Delilah lifted one of her sleeves to reveal the bruises, courtesy of her father. then her shirt to reveal the bruises on her upper back. "oh Delilah, I thought he stopped" Richie grabbed her hand and held it tightly. Delilah always told Richie about her father and everything. he was crude and innapropraite, but easy to talk to and trustworthy. "he never stopped, I just stopped telling you." she looked down. "I don't have any on my legs anymore, just mainly places that won't be seen, upper arms, stomach, back" she continued to stare at the ground. he gently grabbed her wrist and lifted both her sleeves. "okay, these are quite high up... same with your back, how about you just wear my shirt? it'll cover your back and arms and you can still join us""then your shirt would get wet" Delilah stated. "it'd be worth it" Richie smiled. "okay then" she shrugged. Richie walked over to his bag and grabbed a grey shirt with the 'freese's department store' logo on it. she removed her shoes and socks, then her shorts, leaving her in her cropped top and underwear. she then took off her shirt and placed Richie's on. the entire time, Richie didn't know where to look, he knew where he wanted to look but he refrained himself. "we'll jump together" Richie smiled. Delilah grabbed his hand which took him by surprise. "1...2...3" on three the pair jumped together, their hands never let go of each other. the seven teens had fun for the rest of the day splashing about in the water, no one questioned why del was wearing a shirt which she was happy about. after a while they left back to the top of the quarry to dry off. bev and Delilah sunbathed, their eyes close, totally oblivious to the five boys staring at their bodies. Richie only stared at Delilah. he didn't know what it was about her, he was completely head over heels for her. he didn't know why or how she had this effect on him. even after a year of minimal speaking. he had missed her a lot while she was gone. when bev began to stir the boys shifted their focus as fast as they could to try and act natural. Richie took this opportunity to search through bens bag. "news flash Ben, schools out for summer!" he exclaimed in his British news reporter voice. "that's not school stuff" Ben replied. Richie then pulled out a postcard of a Derry landmark. "who sent you this?" he smirked. "no one give it back!" Ben said, snatching it back from Richie. "what's with the history project?" Eddie asked, curiously. Ben went on to tell the group how when he first moved here, he had no one to hang out with so he began spending in the library."you went to library? on purpose?" Richie asked, confused. "yeah you wouldn't know much about the library, Richie" Delilah sassed. bev moved to beside bill to look at ben's work. Bill made a comment on bev's hair. Delilah moved to sit beside Richie. normally he would've been nervous she was sat by him but he was too focused on ben's work. "whys it all murders and missing kids?" Richie questioned. "derry's not like any town I've been in before, they did a study once and turns out people die or disappear six times the national average here" Ben explained "you read that?" Delilah asked."yeah that's just the adults, kids are way worse" the shift in conversation made everyone grow uncomfortable. Richie noticed the change in Delilah's manor. Richie and Delilah have always been close due to living next door to each other. their windows even face each other. he had always been there for her, even if he did make some wrongly-timed jokes in the process. he saw the numb look on her face and put his arm around her reassuringly, she gladly accepted and cuddled into his arm. "I've got more stuff if you want to see it".

word count ~ 1448