ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀɢʟᴏᴡ || ʀɪᴄʜɪᴇ ᴛᴏᴢɪᴇʀ

~ Take me to church ~

Elaine and Richie sat quietly beside each other, the two listening to Stanley's voice as it echoed through the large church. It was full of people, mainly with Stan's endless line of Jewish relatives. Richie nudged Elaine's shoulder, snapping her out of her trance. She was focusing on the enormous windows, the sunlight peeking through its stained glass portraits.

The bright coloured rays gleamed onto Elaine's pale face, making her squint at the light. Richie smirked at her, repeating something Stanley had said, "That's what she said," He snorted, Elaine rolled her eyes and turned away. "Seriously, Rich? Not right now," She sighed, sounding like his mother. Though he listened and stopped.

Settling down was really hard for Richie, since he always found himself doing something. Whether that was fooling around, biking around, or walking around, it usually ended with some form of dialogue. Richie's favourite thing to do, talking. He just couldn't help it. Richie soughed, starting to kick his feet against the wooden pew in front of him. He was bored out of his mind.

Of course, he didn't regret showing up for Stan, but he wasn't exactly expecting to sit quietly in a hot room for two hours. His kicking resonated through the church and many people shot Richie and Elaine dirty looks. Elaine finally tapped his leg, signalling for him to stop as he was being loud and distracting everyone around him. He threw his head back, annoyed that she was constantly nagging at him.

He whisper-yelled in response, "You're not my mom!" A few more people looked back, the loud voice preoccupying them. Elaine blushed, mortified everyone's eyes were now on her and not on Stanley. "Sorry," She giggled uneasily. Richie scoffed as she turned back to him, "Try to listen," She soothed, giving the bored boy her hand. He began to play with it, tracing shapes onto her cold skin and instantly warming it.

Meanwhile, Elaine listened closely, interested in the whole ceremony Stanley had spent weeks studying for. She wanted to take it all in. The losers had all been invited to attend Stanley's Bar Mitzvah but only Elaine and Richie had been able to make it. Stan had been disappointed by their answers but let it go, understanding they likely had better things to fo.

It wasn't a big deal, anyways. He'd just spent months stressing over this day and only two people out of his friend group had shown up. No big deal. "Reflecting on the meaning of what I just read, the word niphal comes up a lot. It means to change and to transform," Stanley embellished, tightening his grip on the microphone by the altar.

He had a small case of stage fright, feeling like he couldn't shake everyone's eyes on him. "Which makes sense I-I guess because today I'm supposed to become a man." His voice sounded shakier than usual, developing a small stutter while speaking. He smiled softly as he noticed both Elaine and Richie smiling at him, supporting him as proud parents would.

Elaine shyly waved at him as Richie blew Stan a small kiss, snickering. "It's funny though. Everyone, I think, has some memory's their prouder of than others right?" The crowd looked at each other, not sure where this was going. "Maybe that's why change is so scary?" Richie looked at Elaine, confused. He thought since she'd been listening earlier, she might've understood what he'd meant.

"Lainey, do you-" He started but was cut off by her hand making its way onto his shoulder, leaning onto him slightly. "I have no clue, Rich," Richie pursed his lips, "Well, that isn't a good sign," Elaine's heart swelled as he spoke, "Because the things we wish we could leave behind, the whispers we wish we could silence, the nightmares we most want to wake up from," He continued, standing tall as he spoke firmly, "The memories we wish we could change,"

He turned, trying to find Elaine in the crowd. "The people we wish we didn't lose," Elaine's eyes swelled with tears, touched that her friend had made a reference to her and her deceased brother. She finally began to understand what he'd meant, "The secrets we feel like we have to keep are always the hardest to walk away from." Stan chortled into the mic, "But, the good stuff," He beamed at his friends, implying that this part was dedicated to them.

"The pictures in our minds that fade away the fastest, those pieces of you are the ones that feel like they're the easiest to lose." Elaine sniffled, wiping her nose on her cardigan sleeve. "Maybe I don't want to forget," His tone changed, his father reaching for the mic. "Maybe, if that's what t-today is all about, forget it right?" He spoke faster, beginning to stutter on his words again.

"Thank you, Stanley," His father tried, attempting to snatch the mic away. Richie furrowed his eyebrows at the sight, "What's happening?" "I don't know," Elaine sighed, equally confused. "I- today, I'm supposed to become a man but I don't f-feel any different, I-" Stanley was interrupted by the mic screeching as he came too close to the speaker.

He mumbled a quick apology and continued. He looked to his father, the man reaching for the microphone, "Look, I know I'm a loser, and no matter what, I always fucking will be." The crowd gasped, watching Stanley as he waltzed away, practically hopping. "Atta boy!" Richie yelled loudly, standing up and beginning to clap. Elaine didn't pay much attention to him, still flabbergasted by what Stan had told his father.

She was too caught up in her own mind to tell the boy beside her to stop. Everyone turned to look at Richie, annoyed for the hundredth time. Elaine hurried, putting her head in her hands at all the angry people looking at them. Richie's mother yanked him to sit back down, scolding him for his bad behaviour. "Rich, you can't be doing that!" She spoke, her voice stern but also gentle at the same time.

Everyone shushed him, turning back to the front. Everyone watched Stanley's gob-struck father still processing what had just happened. Richie chuckled sarcastically, snorting at the altar where his friend once walked. "Thanks for showing up Stanley." Elaine rested her head against her husband's shoulder, a tear dripping down her cheek. She cried for many reasons, mostly because Stanley Uris, her friend had died, but also because Elaine knew this meant she and Richie needed to stay in Derry.

They needed to take part in killing this clown once and for all. For Stanley. Elaine cursed looking at Richie torn, "Why the fuck did we decide to come here?" Richie moaned, his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose, "I don't fucking know," Let's just say that Elaine would do some pretty god-awful things to get out of the position she was in right now. God, awful things.