Title//Reddie

Part 3

Stan looked at his watch.
"I don't think she's coming" He told the rest of the losers.
"She'll come" Eddie reassured.
"Eddie she's a hour late, let's be realistic" Said Stanley.
Almost if on cue, Bev dropped her bike on a nearby tree.
"Sorry I'm late" She apologized, her dad almost didn't let her leave. She cleverly convinced him it was going to be all girls, and he finally budged.
"Oh it's f-f-fine. We wuh-were just about to s-s-swim" Bill informed her.
"I see that" Said Beverly, noticing the lack of their clothes. "Well if we're gonna swim..."
She quickly unbuttoned the front of her dress, letting it fall to the ground with a soft thud. She thought she would feel exposed, half naked in front of a bunch of teenage boys. But they seemed too interested in each other to care about her. Richie's eyes were on Eddie, and Eddies eyes on him. Stanley's gaze fell upon Bill and Bill well..... Bill was looking at Beverly. But Bill didn't make Bev feel exposed, not at all. Bev gave him a slight smile, which he quickly returned. Bev felt her heart flutter when Bill looked at her, what could that be? She hadn't a clue.
While Beverly and Bill were smiling, Stanley definitely was not. It killed him to see them smiling at each other, looking all lovey dovey. He couldn't explain it to himself, why did it make him feel bad? Maybe he had a crush on Beverly. Yeah Beverly. That must be it, He thought, Beverly. Whatever the case, it made him feel horrible. Looking at him-her made his heart pound out of his chest, but when he-she smiled at bever-Bill, he felt his heart shrivel up and die like a old rose. Why am I getting pronouns wrong? It's she, it has to be she. She is normal.
"Let's swim!" Beverly exclaimed with excitement. She pushed aside the boys gathered by the cliff and jumped off, no fear. Just excitement. She rejoiced when she hit the water, the impact stung her skin but the water was refreshing. Just the right amount of cold. Soon she was joined by Stanley, Bill, Richie, and after a lot of convincing, Eddie.
Splashing around with them in the water was probably the happiest she had ever been. Although all the losers were fun to be around, she probably spent the most time talking with Bill. He had interesting stories and he could make her laugh.
"Ayo! Lovebirds!" Richie yelled at them "When's the wedding? I want to set it aside on my calendar".
Everyone chuckled, well except Stan, they all could see the chemistry between Beverly and Bill. Plain as day.
"Why set it aside? You won't be invited." Beverly joked.
"Because of that red, I'll be bringing 12 plus ones to the wedding." Richie more or less threatened.
"Oh n-n-no. I don't want all your s-s-s-stupid boyfriends at my w-w-wedding." Bill complained.
Richie froze.
"Boyfriends?" He questioned.
"Yeah, your b-b-boyfriends are gonna s-suck." Said Bill, still thinking they were joking.
Richies mind raced, the word replaying in his head.
Boyfriend. Boyfriend. The word sounded foreign when applying to him, a boy. Richie was a boy, he could never have a boyfriend. Boys don't have boyfriends, boys have girlfriends. Girlfriends.
"Bill what do you mean? I don't like boys." Richie spoke.
He didn't like boys, he couldn't like boys. It was out of his hands, it was just something you couldn't do.
"W-w-What? I thought you d-d-did. Everyone said you d-did." Bill let the words escape from his lips, forgetting that he wasn't supposed to say.
"Do you guys think I'm g.... you know." Richie asked, terrified of the possible answer.
"Well yeah." Eddie admitted.
It wasn't the answer that was worst for Richie, it was the person who said it. Eddie. He could never explain why but Eddies opinion meant a lot to him. Did his friends really think that low of him? It was an awful thing to think. But he thought it wasn't true.
They're wrong. I'm not a f*g. He thought, unwilling to accept the truth. He thought it was wrong, disgusting even. He hated himself, he hated the very thought that he might be...... he couldn't even say it. So he locked it away and never let it out. But now with the losers, they were prying open that box. And he was scared to death of the contents.
It took him a moment to realize he was crying. Eddies words, his own hatred, others hatred. All of it overwhelmed him and next think he knew he had tears streaming down his face. He quickly wiped them away, boys don't cry. He sure as hell wouldn't let the losers see him cry.
"Rich, why are you crying?" Eddie asked timidly.
"I-I'm not." He stuttered.
"Um yeah you are" Eddie said realistically.
"It's just, you guys think I like boys? Just because of the stupid rumours? They're rumours and nothing more, Okay? I'm not... like that. I like girls." The words felt strange in his mouth, they felt true but to be even truer, they didn't.
"Okay Rich. We're sorry" Stanley lied, he was sorry for making his best friend cry but he honestly didn't believe Richie. But he knew it was none of his business.
So they went back to splashing and swimming. But that night when they all returned back to their own homes, they all had one common thought on their minds.

Could Richie Tozier possibly be gay?