✓ | TEENS AND THINGS → richie tozier ²

seventeen

THE DOOR to Ms. Lance's class burst open and the whole class jumped as a boy with curly dark hair, lopsided glasses, purple bags underneath his eyes that had a dark red tinged about them, and smelled vaguely of cigarette smoke tumbled into the room.

"Excuse me!" The teacher shrieked, but Richie paid her no attention, his eyes scanning the room until they landed on Stan, Bill, Ben, and Eddie who slunk down into their seats at the sight of him.

Richie strode towards them, ignoring the protests of the teacher, and said, "Get the hell up because we're leaving. Right now."

The boys looked at him, and then at each other, and Richie turned and started walking back towards the door.

When he didn't hear anyone following him, he whirled around, glaring at them. "Are you deaf!? This is an emergency, dipshits, and I said right fucking now!"

"There will be no need for that language in my classroom, young man!" Ms. Lance said shrilly, and Richie rolled his eyes as his friends shoved their books into their bags and stood.

"We won't be back today so please, carry on." Richie said graciously, and then pushed his friends out the door and slammed it behind him, right in the disbelieving teacher's face.

"Richie! What the hell!?" Stan asked, but Richie didn't answer, grabbing his arm and dragging him towards the doors.

"We have to talk somewhere private because if he's listening-" He didn't finish, casting another worried glance around before kicking open the doors and shoving Stan and the others outside, letting them close with a bang behind him.

"Richie, wu-what's going on?" Bill asked worriedly, but Richie shook his head again, leading them towards their bikes and grabbing his from the rack.

"Come on, we have to go to my house." He said, and Stanley held up his hands, an expression of bewilderment on his expression.

"No! Not until you tell us what's-"

"We don't have time!" Richie exclaimed. "We do not have fucking time, so get on your damn bike Uris, and I'll explain when we get there!"

Stan shut up at Richie's tone of voice and shot a worried look at Bill before they all pushed their own bikes out of the rack and got on, following Richie who had begun to pedal in the direction of his house.

When they arrived, he dropped his bike carelessly in the driveway and bolted up to his house as the Losers deposited of their own bikes.

Richie unlocked the door and ushered them all inside before slamming it shut behind him, his chest heaving and his heart pounding.

"Okay, we're here Rich. Now do you mind telling us what the fuck is going on?" Eddie asked, and Richie nodded.

"Before I do though, did any of you happen to hear what Spencer was doing after school?"

All the boys exchanged looks before Ben said hesitantly, "Spencer Allen?"

"Yes, Ben, Spencer Allen!" Richie answered. "How many other Spencers do we know?"

"I heard him." Eddie spoke up, and Richie turned in his direction. "He, uh, was talking to Ash and said he wanted to meet her after school."

Richie flinched at the name but asked urgently, "Did he say where?"

"Behind Mr. Keene's store. Y'know, how no one is usually there after school is out and it's all quiet and deserted and stuff-" He was cut off as Richie's face whitened and he groaned, sinking to the floor and burying his face in his hands.

"What?" Stan asked, crouching down beside him as the other boys did the same. "What's going on, Richie?"

"I ditched fifth period to smoke and he caught me." Richie mumbled, and Bill said slowly, "Spuh-Spencer?"

Richie nodded, raising his head. "He said he wanted to talk to me and he said that he was going to hurt Ash. Kill her."

He paused, looking at his friends' faces, which were frozen.

"He said if I told you or her, he would-" He swallowed hard before continuing. "He would, 'Snap her neck so fast she wouldn't even have time to scream.'"

Eddie looked sickened, and the others the same, horror mixed into their expressions.

"So," Richie said, twisting his fingers together determinedly. "We have to do something, and we have to do it now."

He rose to his feet and started pacing. "We have to go to Mr. Keene's after school and stop him."

"Richie, are you crazy?" Ben asked, and Stan slowly nodded in agreement.

Richie spun to face them, his face contorted. "Am I crazy? Yes. Because the girl I love is in danger, and it's my fucking fault. So I don't give a damn if you come or not, but I'm going."

It was quiet for a couple of seconds as Richie looked at them, his chest heaving, and then Eddie stepped forward.

"I'll go."

Richie looked at him, and apprehension crossed over his expression. "Are you sure, Eds?"

Eddie nodded. "What do you want me to do?"

Richie looked as though he was thinking, and then abruptly answered, "Be a distraction. Stall him or something. Most likely Ash is going to meet him there, so if you stall him long enough I can get to her before he-"

"We."

Richie glanced up, and saw Stan, Bill, and Ben with grim looks on their faces. "Before we can get to her."

He smiled gratefully at them before saying, "Okay, you guys. You need to keep watch for me. Like in the front of the store if Spencer shows up, by the street corners- anywhere. I have to be the one to get Ash. I think it has to be me."

They all once again exchanged glances, and Eddie reached out and intertwined his fingers into Richie's, looking at him nervously.

"Richie, Spencer is-"

Richie pulled him in and hugged him tightly, saying softly, "I know, Eds. But I have to go. I have to make this right, and this is the only way to do it."

He paused and drew back from Eddie, his hands still in his, and said, "Are you sure you want to be the person who stalls him? You can pick something else, you know, it doesn't have to be-"

"I'm sure." Eddie interrupted lightly. "If you're sure about Ash, Rich, I'm sure about this."

Richie looked like he was going to say something more before Eddie leaned in and softly kissed his cheek.

"Everything is going to be fine, Tozier, so stop worrying.." He reassured him, and Richie gave in, giving Eddie's hands a soft squeeze before dropping them by his sides and turning to the rest of the group.

"Alright! Pip pip and tallio, my good fellows! I have a feeling this bullshit won't be contained for long, and Dr. K is going to need his strength-"

"Shut the fuck up, shithead." Eddie retorted, grabbing Richie by the wrist and pulling him towards the door. "You just focus on Ash, got it?"

Richie nodded firmly as they all filed out the door and he locked it behind them, turning to his bike with his fists clenched and his heart feeling like it was going to beat out of his chest.

"Got it." He answered, before slinging his leg over bike, and starting his descent down his driveway.

heyyy you guys, new update for you! the next couple of chapters are going to be pretty crazy, so just a heads up! hope you all liked this, vote and comment for me, i'll see you chapter 18!