malnutrition - IT reddie

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chapter 1

"and hurry up before your dad gets back please!" ms. tozier howls from the kitchen as richie was walking out the door, "no promises!" he shouted back slamming the door with no malicious intent. he shrugs and begins to walk and sing a few songs he was trying to vocally perfect. richie wanted to be a singer in a band or even better be the guitarist, which his mom supported 100% it seemed. richie had a pretty decent relationship with his mom. the fact that she's rarely sober ruins their chances of strengthening their relationship but richie knows it's just how she copes.

i wish i could say the same about his relationship with his dad. his dad doesn't acknowledge or talk to richie unless he needs something.

it wasnt always like this. richie had a generic good life in the past. he was 10 when it all fell apart. his house burnt down and his birth dad died in the fire causing them to lose their home and only worker in the small family.

little richie expected everything to go back to normal a month or two after the funeral of his birth father but it only got worse. his mother started drinking to forget about her widowed husband and prostituted herself to earn enough money to feed richie. she decided this wasn't the life she wanted for richie and found someone she fell in love with and married. he wasn't a bad guy before the marriage which is why she married him.

putting aside the fact she is still somewhat in love with this man, she needs to stay with him for the money he earns. she only earns a little money with her own small job she refuses to open up about and because of her criminal record she cant get a better job.

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AND THEN ~ NARRATOR
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after 20 minutes of walking richie makes it to the small market. as richie is jogging to the back of the store he accidentally crashes into someone making them fall. "woah i didn't even see you there." richie speaks awkwardly bending down and helping him pick up his items. they were in a small hand market basket seconds before.

richie stands up and then helps the boy up, "fuck that's why i didnt see you."

the boy looks up at richie confused.

"sorry you're just so short." richie snorts.

he takes a deep breath in and gets ready to walk away after richie's insult.

"eds? is that you?"

"dont call me that.." he whispers

"oh fuck it really is you." richie pulls him in for a tight hug that eddie pushes out of somehow.

"so what's with the baby snacks you got?" richie questions referencing the items he was helping pick up off the ground just a few seconds ago.

"well—"

"he speaks!" richie cuts him off  "sorry go on spaghetti man."

eddie stares at richie blankly with his mouth open but no words coming out. "you look a little young to be having a baby now." richie speaks with a old country man voice impression.

"mind your buisness.." the boy quietly snapped back.

"hey..." richie notices eddie's figure.

the boy looked as if he was revived from the dead.

"are you one of those vegans?"

"vegans...?"

"shoot it's almost 11:30pm!" richie panics after checking his phone. he dashes off to the alcohol section, grabs what he needs pays, and starts to walk back home forgetting about the boy he was just reunited with.

"weirdo" huffed eddie.

-

"oh great it's locked." richie mumbled annoyed. he sat down and began dialing his mom's number stopping midway when he heard a glass break. richie's dad was usually the glass breaker but his car wasn't even in the drive way. richie stood up off the porch as soon as a door bursted open with a man coming out.

"oh, hello young man" the stranger looked richie up and down, "what's you—"

"this is my son richie! hes only 17. go to your room richie, please." she pleaded

this isnt the first time she's brought other men home while being married to 'mr tozier'. richie suspected she was prostituting herself again.
when mr tozier found out he laughed out loud "i cant believe you tried hiding this shit from me" he paused "why would i give a fuck about you or what you do? i already knew you were a whore when i first laid my eyes on you and that's how you're mine now."

richie shivered remembering what he overheard that day.

"seems like he wants to hang—"

"nope" richie quickly steps up to his room.

richie thought about that boy at the market. particularly why he was so skinny. "pfft vegans." richie chuckled to himself.

richie stood up from his bed, turned off the light, laid back down and started to scroll through grindr but got bored quick. "why... do..... people.. become...... vegan?" he spoke to himself as he typed on google. "mhm.. mhm... mhm— yeah none of this shit makes sense"

richie closed his phone and went on netflix to find something to watch but fell asleep as soon as neflix loaded up.