timing : stozier

8

july 13/14

there was one day, when stan was coming home from bill's house, that it was just his mother home. his dad had been out on some kind of work-related shopping trip, and so his mother had taken it upon himself to interrogate stan.

"stan! we have a date and a possible boyfriend to talk about!" she called as stanley tried to sneak up the stairs. he sighed, caving immediately. he peeked his head into the living room, his mom motioning for him to sit down.

"what?" stan said, already exasperated. his mother laughed at his attitude.

"first off, are you and bill together now?" his mother inquired, stan already cringing from the situation.

"yeah..." stan admitted, scratching the back of his neck.

"so what happened with richie?" this comment took stan by surprise. he hadn't really thought about richie in a while. he'd been so preoccupied with the joy of a relationship that he'd sorta forgot about richie.

"what? that wasn't..." stanley hesitated, but chose not to say more. he didn't really know what he would say, but he felt like there was more to be said. his mom raised an eyebrow.

"you mean him coming over every day after school and you two spending hours in your room with the door 'accidentally locked' was nothing?" she asked accusatorially, and stan looked to the ground.

stan was shocked. he hadn't had to worry about richie since he started to date bill. he hadn't had to worry about the pit in his stomach, which was still there but now it was more of a dull ache. he hadn't had to picture richie's endearing smile and laugh, and the way he messed with his hair so much.

"no... it wasn't anything..." stan rubbed his temple, standing up, "mom, i'm going upstairs." before she could stop him, stan ran from the living room up the stairs to his room. his mom didn't press further, knowing she had stumbled upon something.

stan sat down on his bed, thoroughly confused. he didn't like richie. richie had good qualities, sure, he was endearing, surprisingly thoughtful, very caring, and extremely understanding. but that didn't mean stan liked him. for god's sake, he had a fucking boyfriend! and a really good one, too. stan didn't like richie like that. he'd kissed him because... well... he'd needed to. richie had bad qualities, too! he probably wasn't even stable enough for a relationship. and bill! god, bill. and richie didn't even like stan like that anymore, so it didn't matter.

right?

fuck.

stanley decided, no, he did not like richie. he liked bill, his boyfriend. why would he like richie? because his mother had assumed? because he'd been stanley's first kiss?

"psshh" stanley exhaled, lying down flat on his back.

-

"it's summah' time bev! lie to your dad, just say i'm betty! i'm basically betty." richie whined into his phone, attempting to convince her to come over. he heard beverly sigh, a sign of her caving.

"fine. but if you just talk about stan the entire time, i'll leave! don't doubt me!" she joked, only half serious. richie hadn't truly complained about stan to beverly, as he knew she was one who accidentally got bill and stan dating in the first place. but she knew. of course she knew.

"i won't, i promise. bitches be bitching, but i am no bitch." richie spoke as if he was reciting poetry, beverly laughing on the other side of the phone.

"shakespearian, good sir. truly shakespearian." beverly responded, rustling through her room to find a bag to put her things in.

"okay, well, i better see you soon m'lady" richie hung up the phone immediately, knowing beverly would be offended.