Autophobia ♡ r.t

Chapter Twenty

"Carrie I wish I could say that's the craziest thing that's happened this summer" Richie sighed, smiling softly as he failed yet again to skim a stone across the quarry.

"I know right?" Caroline laughed weakly, having explained the events of the previous night to the best of her ability to the boy. That part had been fine, discussing it had created a distraction for them both.

That way neither of them had to face the bubbling feeling of guilt that was brewing in their stomachs.

Richie felt awful still about all the things he had said to Caroline after Neibolt. He felt like the stuff he had said resonated with a part of Caroline he didn't even know about. She just seemed so genuinely enraged.

Caroline however just felt dirty. She felt gross and disgusting for not defending someone she really cared about. Richie was right. As horrible as it sounded, Georgie was dead and Bill was ready to let the same thing happen to all of them.

The only sound now was the rushing of the water and the occasional chirping bird or rustling bush. Neither quite knew where they were supposed to start.

"I'm sorry" Richie said suddenly, maybe slightly louder than he had anticipated. Caroline looked up sharply, her thought process of how she was going to apologise now completely disrupted.

"Huh?"

That was the only response Caroline could manage to formulate. She didn't understand why he was apologising. She did the wrong thing. Right?

"It's just-I said some mean shit and I-" Richie let out a small laugh, well it was less of a laugh and more of an awkward exhalation of air "I know I shouldn't have said and-and I don't know why it hit you so like-hard but I'm sorry"

Richie stood there, scratching the back of his neck gently and starting at the floor. Caroline hadn't reacted. She hadn't moved. She hadn't made a sound.

"And-and I don't think any of that stuff by the way! I was just like-god I was just so angry. I'm sorry that I took it out on you I know that's not ok!" He continued to spiral, extremely intimidated by the short girls silence.

Still nothing. Caroline wasn't even looking at him. She was just blankly staring at the ground in front of her.

"And another thing I-I definitely don't think you're selfish or-or attention seeking. Or a bitch! I think you're like, the coolest girl I've ever met and I-I-" Richie could've kept going. He could've listing off all the reasons he thought she was amazing. He could've ranted nonsense about the girl for hours, but she cut him off.

"My parents" she interrupted, quietly, but not too quietly. She was still looking at the ground, she knew if she moved her gaze away she'd burst into tears "it's because of my parents rich"

"I don't understand-" Richie began, only to be cut off again.

"Are you seriously gonna sit here and tell me Eddie never mentioned anything about them?" Caroline asked, laughing gently as she finally found the courage to pull her eyes towards him, taking in the soft features of his face.

"Well-he mentioned you lived with your aunt and that your parents-Uh-"

"That they didn't want me?"

"Yeah. That."

"I'm sorry too. I was just-gosh I was just so desperate for everyone to stay friends so I didn't-I didn't wanna take sides?" Caroline stated unsurely, tears welling up in her eyes.

Caroline let her leg bounce up and down gently, staring at the floor still, sat stiffly on the nearby rock. Richie wasn't sure what he was supposed to do. She was about to cry and he could tell and he hated the fact that he didn't know how to make her happy again.

"I just-" Caroline paused, her voice cracking as she hesitantly continued, her voice considerably quieter "I don't wanna be left again"

That was all it took for the floodgates to open. She sat there, trying to keep her crying as quiet as possible, hoping against hope that Richie wouldn't notice.

Before Caroline could even process what was happening, Richie had lowered himself down next to her, wrapping his arms tightly around her.

"I'm so sorry Carrie I-I never meant to to hurt you like that I just-god I feel so stupid!" Richie exclaimed, clearly extremely annoyed at himself for unintentionally striking such a sensitive subject.

"No it's fine you-you didn't know it's fine" Caroline assured, gingerly resting her head on top of the boys shoulder.

"Don't make excuses. I should have said it anyway. I care about you carrie, I don't want you to feel that way coz of me." Richie muttered, his face similarly buried in her shoulder.

The two felt once again as if they could stay in this position forever. It just felt like the place they were supposed to be. Like something that had been missing for so long had finally clicked into place.

"God this is getting super mushy isn't it?" Richie sighed, laughing a little as he pulled back nervously.

"Immensely so" Caroline chuckled, wiping any remaining tears away with her sleeve.

"So....are we gonna let bygones be bygones and go get some ice cream?" Richie asked in his normal demeanour as he leaped up, holding out a hand to help Caroline up.

"Oh not a chance Tozier! I'm holding this over your head for the rest of time" Caroline joked, as she pulled herself up with the help of Richie, looking at the boy happily "but I'll certainly take you up on that ice cream offer."

"Well I hope your brought money doll face, coz I'm as broke as they come!"

"Richie-"

"I kid, I kid! I'll be paying, in exchange for your forgiveness?"

"That's what I thought"

And with that, the two teens hopped on their bikes and rode away from the quarry and towards the main town of Derry.

Everything felt normal for once.

Well, as normal as things could feel when you're being terrorised by a crazy killer clown.