IT Imagines

shining stars

"Are you serious?" You asked Richie, turning to face him in the booth, laughing as you held onto the straw of your milkshake while Bill and Beverly stared over at you two.

"Only the real shit, doll."

You laughed, leaning in towards Richie as you rested your head on his shoulder as you continued to laugh.

"I can't believe that." You said, sitting up and continuing to laugh, looking up at Richie who stared down at you with a smirk and raised eyebrows.

You finished laughing, smiling as you turned to your milkshake and took a sip of it, glancing up at Beverly before looking back down at the shake.

Bill looked over at you while you finished sipping on your milkshake and leaned over to lean on Richie who gratefully wrapped you up in his arms.

"So, uh, can I talk to you for a second, ____?" Beverly asked, standing up and grabbing your hand, pulling you out of Richie's arms.

"Sure." You nodded, following her out of the restaurant and out onto the sidewalk. You wrapped Richie's sweatshirt tighter around yourself.

"What's up?"

She sighed, looking down.

"Look, ____, I know that you like Richie but..." Beverly paused, watching as you stared up at her, crossing your arms.

"But?" You urged.

"Just be careful. You know he really wants to have sex with someone." Beverly said.

You sighed. "I know, but I like him, Bev. Are you even happy for me suddenly finding my happiness?"

"No, believe me. I am, I'm so happy for you. But I'm just saying to be careful." Beverly explained, watching as you nodded.

Beverly started her way back inside, seeing that you weren't following her. "You coming?"

"Tell Richie I'm outside." You muttered.

She only nodded, walking back inside while you stood outside the place with people from Derry, Maine passing by you.

"Well who do we have here!" You heard someone say.

You turned towards the sound of the voice, seeing three guys approaching you slowly and drunkenly. There was a bar very close to where you all were but you usually tended to stay inside.

You stayed stiff as they approached you slowly.

"Well, aren't you a hot one." One of the guys said, grabbing you and pulling you towards him.

"Get off of me." You muttered angrily, pushing him away from you but it only made him and his buddies angrier.

"Why won't you just let me touch you, girl?" The man angrily snarled in your direction, the smell of beer wafting in your face.

"Hey, assholes!" You heard Richie yell. "Get off of her!"

The guys turned towards Richie as you shoved the guys away, hitting one of them with a swing of your fist, throwing a quick punch to his face.

The guy backed up- reaching a hand to his face as you threatened to throw another punch. "I suggest you leave."

The guy smirked. "Fine, sweetheart. But I'll find you one day."

The guy and his friends left, leaving you to stand with your back to Richie.

You had never kissed him.

Tonight was different.

You turned around to look at Richie, with blood still on your knuckles.

"Damn, hotstuff. That was-"

Your lips were suddenly on his and your hand in his hair before he could react.

He didn't react negatively.

In fact, it was the exact opposite.

When you let go, you smiled. "I need to fix this." You told him, holding up your knuckles for him to see.

Richie pulled you close to him, smiling down at you before muttering softly under his breath, "I could give you a hickey that color, ____."

You raised your eyebrows. "Richie?"

He shrugged. "I mean, I'm just stating the facts, sweetheart."

"I didn't say it bothered me."

You could feel Richie's hold tighten. "What is it?"

He didn't say anything but kept you close to him.

"Nothing, doll. It's nothing."

You frowned. "Richie, it's something."

"I just really like you, that's all sweetheart."

You smiled at the name calling, nuzzling your head further into his chest as you sighed contently, holding onto Richie with both of your arms tightly.

He continued to hold you, too.

"If I ever find those guys." He mumbled, shaking his head while you shut your eyes, allowing yourself to listen to the sounds around you.

"I will kill them, because you aren't supposed to touch my baby in any way possible- except me." Richie continued to say.

Your breathing started to morph into a pattern as you fell asleep against Richie's chest out in the middle of the Derry sidewalk- holding onto him tightly.

-
helloooooooo.

-katherine