Don't You Dare || Richie Tozier

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sunlight flooded the hospital room as richie and addison slept peacefully on the small bed.  richie's eyes fluttered open and he looked down at addison.  her head rested on his chest and he smiled.

addison could feel the boy's chest rise and fall with every breath he took.  she shifted slightly and suddenly her chest was on fire, the girl to gasp for air. richie realized what was happening and quickly sat her up her, slowly easing the pain.  addison's breathing slowed down and richie sighed in relief.

"are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine," she responded instantaneously.

 "addison you say that every time!" richie exclaimed.

"because i am!"

"no, addison, you aren't.  you were coughing up blood four days ago, please just tell be the truth!"

addison stared at the boy.

"they don't know what is wrong with me! okay? they don't!  they don't fucking know!  i don't know! stop asking because i don't know! stop pestering and asking me! leave me the fuck alone!" the girl yelled.  

she was at her breaking point.  everything suddenly hit her like a truck.  the tumor.  IT.  everything.  she snapped.  everything was too much but she couldn't bring herself to tell him the truth.

richie stared at her backed away. 

"okay," he said in a shocked state.  he slowly grabbed his bag and left without saying goodbye.  addison sat in silence before realizing what she had done.

"FUCK!" she screamed as she slammed her fist into the bed.  the girl started to sob uncontrollably and seconds later three nurses ran into the room.  they spent half an hour trying to calm her down as she cried out every ounce of stress she had accumulated.

her breathing eventually slowed down enough for her to speak.

"shower," she started," i want to shower."  the nurses agreed and they helped her to the bathroom.

richie got on his bike and started to pedal away.  the boy didn't know where he was going but his feet kept pedaling, trying to get away.  his vision became blurred by tears and he pedaled for what felt like hours before he stopped.in front of him, henry bowers and one of his friends where sitting in his car.  richie's brakes squeaked slightly, causing bowers to jump up.  he turned and saw richie trying to walk in the other direction.

"well, well,well.  if it isn't four eyes, the tiny bitch," bowers said as he got out of the car and threw his cigarette on the ground.

richie stopped, dropped his bike on the grass, and turned to face the boys.  he stretched his arms out.

"just get it over with, bowers!" he had given up.  bowers and his friend walked towards the boy with menacing looks on their faces and clenched fists.

addison's hair dried as she sat by the window.  her mind felt numb once more and her chest dully pounded.  the door of the room opened and her mom walked in.  the girl quickly wiped her tears away and turned to face her mom.

"hey, addison!" her mom said, hugging the girl.  addison greeted her mom and laid down, again.  they talked about meaningless fluff to pass the time until there was a knock at the door.

"come in," addison called.  the door opened and dr. wesley walked in.  the girls heart rate increased slightly and her mom sat up.

"what's up, doc?" addison asked, trying to lighten up the mood.  no one laughed.

"your test results are back," she started.  addison's mom took a big breath and held it.

"you have large cell carcinoma, stage three.  it's a fairly advanced stage but the good news is that it hasn't spread to other parts of the body, and it's operable."

"what are the chances that i actually live?" addison asked, holding back tears.  dr. wesley shifted slightly.

"there's a 10-15% chance for you to live for five more years."

addison slummed into her bed and started to cry.

"we're going to schedule a meeting with the oncologists for tomorrow so we can formulate a treatment plan.  if there's anything i can do for you while you wait, let me know."

"go," was all addison could say.  dr. wesley walked out of the room, leaving the two of them to cry together.

hours had gone by and still, richie's limp body was lying in the street.  covered in blood.

song of the chapter: cancer by twenty one pilots