It:Throughout The Years (Reddie, Hanbrough, Beneverly, Statty)

Chapter Ten

1

Age 18

Richie just moved to California when he met Maxine. Richie walked inside the bar and sat down knowing he legally couldn't get a drink but he still was going to try.

"You look a little young to be here," Maxine said.

Richie's anxiety made his heartbeat speed up and a feeling of dread washed over him.

"Can I please get a drink?" Richie whispered, "just anything strong."

"Can I see some ID?" Maxine asked.

"Nevermind," Richie started to get up and walk away.

"Wait, what's your name boy?" she asked.

"Uh, Richie," he said.

"What brings you in here?" Maxine asked.

"I just thought there'd be no pain in trying," Richie answered.

"What makes you want a drink?" Maxine asked.

Tears started escaping from Richie, "Everything just hurts."

"I'm not going to serve any underage people," Maxine started, "but stay here please, we got a comedy show every night and I don't want you alone and here have a soda on the house."

"Why are you doing this for me?" Richie asked.

"Because I've been in dark places myself and I know it's hard to see the light again and that sometimes you need someone to help you see that light and I'm here for anyone that needs help, I'm here for you Richie," Maxine said.

"Tell me your story, I'll tell you mine?" Richie asked.

"Well I'm a male to female transgender everyone in my family hates me, I get threats everyday and I'm sometimes afraid of being out but at the end of the day I'm proud of who I am and where I am and that's what helps me get through the day and see the light," Maxine said, "you?"

"When I was ten I realized I fell in love with my best friend it was fourteen when I realized completely I was 100% gay, my parents don't give a fuck about me cause they are alcoholics and they would hit me sometimes they hurt me bad when I came out to them, a year before that me and a group of my friends (we called ourselves the losers) were traumatized and almost died all of us fighting for our lives. There were murders of kids going around the city, we fought It, the thing that killed all of those kids. We ended up killing her. I still have nightmares about It until this day," Richie said.

"That's alot to unpack," Maxine said, "what about the friend you were in love with, what's his name?"

"I'm still in love with him," Richie started, "His names Eddie, Eddie Kaspbrak. He was so beautiful, so cute. I'd call him by nicknames, he said he hated them but I knew he loved them. I always loved him and I always will."

"What did he think about you?" Maxine asked.

"He told me his feelings for me, he kissed me but ran off before I could say I loved him too but he ended up moving away after that and I didn't even know until school started back up," Richie said. Richie smiled thinking about his and Eddie's kiss.

"What about your group of friends? The ones that survived the serial killer," Maxine asked.

"We called ourselves the losers, there was me Richie Trashmouth Tozier and I was a loser because I have glasses that make my eyes bug out. There was Eddie he was a loser because he was a hypochondriac and had asthma. There was Bill, Big Bill he was a loser because of his stutter. There was Ben, Haystack we called him he was a loser because he was fat. Then there was Stan, Stan the Man he was a loser because he's a Jew. There was Mike he was a loser because he was homeschooled and black. Then there was Beverly she was a loser because she was a poor girl that all the other girls called a slut," Richie explained.