Be More Chill, Hamilton, and Dear Even Hansen x Reader

~Don't tell a soul-Popular ! Rich x Bookworm! Reader~

My spine hurts soooo bad cuz of therapy. I was boldly reading a Michael Mell x Reader in the clinic. I don't know if I should be proud or disappointed in myself. Oh well, on to the fic! 

~Rich's POV~ 

I took a deep breath as I stepped into my favorite bookstore, TeaBooks. (I had to make up a name, okay?) I couldn't stand there forever, though, because if anyone from my high school saw me, my reputation would be ruined. I can't go back to be bullied, sad, and lonely. I would go back to being suicidal and cutting. I can't go back. 

Of course, if my Squip found out I was going to a bookstore while he was powered off "charging," (as he puts it) he would shock me until I couldn't walk for weeks. Luckily, I disabled the feature where he could see what I was doing while he was gone.

I quickly slid behind a bookshelf and began to scan the colorful spines. I thought back to when I was a total loser my freshman year. I used to come here all the time. I've always have loved books. They're my escape from the real world, ya' know? Of course, my Squip took every book I owned and sold them. I was devastated to learn that he took my one joy away from me and forced me to buy an Xbox with the money. 

Unfortunately, since I can't keep any books in the house, I have come here and read. Don't get me wrong, this is a lovely bookstore, but if anybody sees me....my reputation is ruined. Squip will get furious with me and—

I don't want to think about that part.

I recollect myself as I pulled out a white book with a blue tree on the front. In bold, black letters on the front it said, "Dear Evan Hansen." I looked at the back to see a summary of the book. I frowned at the thought of a kid dying, and someone lying about being his best friend. But it did seem interesting, so maybe I'd pick it— 

"Dear Evan Hansen? I love that book! There's a musical based off of it, you know."

I froze. I could barely process the words that came from behind me. How did someone find me? I went to the very back of the store. Now what do I do? 

I slowly turned around, turning as white as a sheet when I saw who it was. 

A nerdy, bookish girl from my school. 

A girl who is so smart she has a 4.0 GPA. 

A girl who loves books so much she visits TeaBooks every weekend. 

I am talking about y/n l/n, the biggest, oddly cutest, bookish nerd in the whole school. She was a loser, like me in freshman year. The only difference is that I'm now popular and she's still on the lower tier of the social status. She usually is at the front of the store. Why is she here? 

"....Wait a second, I know you! Your...um...Richard Gor—" 

I reached up to her mouth on my tippy toes and put my hand over it. "SHHHHH! Your going to ruin my reputation, nerd!" 

She shook of my hand and rolled her eyes. "Rich, I know your popular and all, but is it really that embarrassing to be seen with a smart girl?" 

I sighed and looked up at her intense e/c eyes staring bullets at me. "It's just...it's complicated, but if anybody found out that the fierce, popular Rich Gorinski is a book nerd, I'll become an outcast again. And I just can't go back to that! I can't—" 

I realized tears were streaming down my face. I dropped the book and covered my puffy red eyes. I expected y/n to laugh at me. To publicly shame me and tell the whole world what a pathetic, weird nerd Rich Gorinski is. 

But she did something completely different.

She hugged me. 

I felt her soft, inviting embrace wrap around me. It wasn't super tight like Chloe's hugs or a super hard slap on the back from Jake, but a genuine, caring hug. I melted into it as I cried. 

"Shhhh, there there Rich. If those popular jerks think your uncool for being a bookworm, their dumb and don't deserve to be your friend. Even though we're not really close...we could be, ya' know, friends?" She asked. 

I sadly sighed. The truth is, as much of a nerd y/n is, she is genuinely one of the nicest, sweetest girls in our school. I would love to be her friend, (and maybe something more) but people would judge me—us, but I couldn't risk my reputation. "Y/n, I would love to, but people would judge us—" 

"Is that all you care about?" she snapped. 

I felt my feelings sink. "N-no, not at all! It's just..." I trailed off as I saw Jenna Roland stroll into the store, texting someone—probably Chloe—on her phone. I wiped my tears quickly and urgently looked at Y/n, who didn't seem to notice the Jenna dilemma. 

"You know, sometimes it's best not to worry about what other people think, Ri—" 

I nervously wrote my number down on a convenient piece of scrap paper and hastily handed it to the curious e/c-eyed girl. "I'm sorry, it's just—I need to go, okay? That's my number," I said, hurriedly pointing to the piece of crumpled paper, "Oh, and, don't tell a soul about this, okay?"

Her shocked expression slowly turned into a satisfied smile. "My lips are sealed," she said softly while chuckling a small bit. She then took out a f/c notebook, scribbled down her number, and dropped it delicately in my hands. 

I quickly darted out of the store, not even saying goodbye. I dashed all the way home until I came to the window and quietly crawled through. I would never go through the door because my dad is a...well...alcoholic. He may be passed out on the couch or looking for something or someone to beat up. That's another reason I go to the bookstore. 

I smiled to myself as I sat on my bed and quietly grabbed the crumpled piece of paper with y/n's number on it. I know for sure that this may just be a piece of paper with y/n's number scribbled on it, but it's a treasure to me. 

I'm watching some Hallmark movie right now so you know the inspiration for this. I'm excited for my next book I'm writing! This book won't be ending for a while, so don't worry about that. Aight, have a good day/night❤️🦙❤️