Math Tutor 🥀 Reddie

Part 9

When the sun goes down, peoples' filters start to fall away. They'll say more. At night, you learn things about your friends that you never would've known.

Richie Tozier barely had a filter as it was but, like filters did for many people, his seemed to dissipate at night. He never would've said what he said that night if it hadn't been three am.

Beverly and Richie both stared at the dark ceiling, feeling the soft carpet under them. It was pitch black. They were the last Losers awake. Bev held out her own hand in front of her face and noticed that she could barely make out the shape.

"Man, it's so dark in here." she remarked.

"Mhm," Richie half replied, struggling to keep his eyes open.

"You better not fall asleep on me, Rich."

"No promises."

Bev wasn't ready to hit the hay just yet.  At sleepovers, she never was.

"How's your tutoring thing going?" She asked, trying to make conversation.

"It's alright.  I tutor Eddie.  We were both so confused when we found out." 

"Oh.  Kinda sounds like it'd be the other way around." Joked Beverly.  She playfully elbowed him in the shoulder.

"Bev," he blurted out suddenly.

"Yeah?"

His heart started to race. He knew what he was about to say, but for some reason it felt as if his mouth just couldn't form the words.  After a few seconds of silence, he finally managed to find his voice.  He kept his voice way down, fearing that he might wake somebody up.

"I think I like Eddie...like like him.  Not just as a friend."

Bev turned to face him in the dark, resting her head on her hands.

"You do?"

"Yeah.  I think I'm probably bi.  Just...don't tell anyone though.  Please."

Richie started to feel a lump form in his throat.  The words were out there.  For a second Bev was quiet and Richie wished that he could just reach out and take them back.

Please say something.

Even though she could barely see him, Beverly could feel how nervous he was.

"Richie, that's okay.  I won't tell anybody.  I promise."

"Okay.  Thanks."  He said as he let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding, "I mean, there's already some rumors.  Mostly just Bowers being Bowers though."

"There are?"

"Yup.  He's said some really messed up stuff to me about it."

Beverly knew how Henry was and suspected that "saying some really messed up stuff" was an understatement. If he found out, he'd give Richie even more hell.

"Y'know, just saying, if you wanna get them off your back we could like, fake date.  Just to stop the rumors."

"Wait, actually?"

"Yeah.  Why not?" She said with a laugh.

"Beverly Marsh, you're a genius!"
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Bright sunlight peeked through the blinds, falling over Richie's closed eyes.

"Richie," said Bev, nudging him with her hand, her fingers coated with chipped white nail polish, "Wake up."

He yawned as his eyelids fluttered open.  They were on the floor of Beverly's living room, the same place where they'd sat and played Truth or Dare hours before.

Richie sat up and stretched, looking around the room.  Bill was staring at his phone, sitting on the soft white rug, leaning up against the couch.  Stan laid sprawled across an armchair, also scrolling through his phone.

Eddie and Mike had already gone home.  About thirty minutes earlier, Mike had headed off on his old bicycle with the rusted metal handlebars.  Eddie's mom picked him up at the crack of dawn.

Finally, Ben stood by the front door, duffel bag in hand.

"Bye guys!" He said as he started to turn the doorknob.

"See you, dude." Richie said groggily.

The door's hinges squeaked as Ben opened and then closed it. Now it was just the four of them.

"Hey Bev, what time is it?" asked Richie.

She picked up her phone, which was lying facedown in the floor, and turned it on.

"Eleven thirteen." she said.

"Oh shit," Richie muttered, "I should probably get going. My parents might have a freakout."

He reached for his overnight bag, which was laying on the floor, unopened. The fabric of the black drawstring bag crinkled as he slung it over his shoulder and got to his feet.

"See ya." He said, waving an exhausted goodbye as he made his way to the front door.

The others said their farewells and Richie set out, still wearing his clothes from the previous day.

It wasn't as cold as usual.  Lately, the air had been frigid enough to give a person serious goosebumps.  This day felt nice though, almost like spring, which gave Richie a strange feeling since it was the middle of Autumn.

He strolled down the sidewalk, his house only a few blocks away.  In the distance, he could see the Derry public library. 

I bet Ben's gonna be there later.

The library was to Ben what the arcade was to Richie.  It was where you could always find him if he wasn't with The Losers.

By this point, he'd strayed a bit from the sidewalk and was now on the grass, still following his path. He looked down at his shoes as they moved in quick strides.

What a night.

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