Through Good & Bad (Reddie)

Chapter I- The Wheelers

Richie turns around, and holds on to his backpack. His head's going crazy. He can't stop thinking, not for a second.

"Your new family's here" Ms Sullivan says, a very gentle yet fake smile "Are you ready?"
"Yes, Miss. I'll be right there"

She heads out of the room, and Richard sighs in relief. His fingers playing around with an old trinket.
These last two years have been a torture, but it's finally over.

'Is it tho? No, I know better than that. I can't afford being so hopeful. Not after all that happened.
Ms Sullivan's probably trying to find a way to stop the adoption right now' Richie thinks

She doesn't like when the kids leave the house. She doesn't enjoy the fact that they're getting adopted to live a better life.

It's not like she's nice with them, and don't want them to leave because she'll miss them.
Not at all. In fact, she's the exact opposite. She's completely terrible.
It gets worse whenever someone leaves. Every single time. It's like she gets crazier and crazier.

Or maybe she just has less people to vent her anger to, so that's why she seems worse
But she has an special affection for Richie, she seems to enjoy torturing him the most. Maybe because she knows how fucked up he is, how defenseless he is. She probably sees him as a prey.

Richard gives one last look to the room he's learnt to love, his safe-place.
It's hideous, but ever since Finn left, it's been his, and only his.
He doesn't have anyone here. The boys are just too interested in sneaking into the girls dormitories, and the girls... they're mostly annoying.
They're teenagers, after all.
"Richard Tozier, don't make me walk there again"

'Shit. I got drifted away again' he thinks

"I'm going, Ms Sullivan" he screams
Finally, he walks out, and gives a tiny smile to his future parents.
"Sorry to keep you waiting"
The news about his adoption were given to him a little over a month ago, two days after his fifteenth birthday.
By that time, he had already accepted the fact that he was gonna be in the orphanage until his eighteenth birthday, when he'd be old enough to leave by himself.

"These are Ms and Mr Wheeler" Sullivan says
Even then, Richie could feel the rage in her voice.
It's not very perceptible, but he's learnt to get it in this years; so have all the other kids.
She's mad. Absolutely angry at both Richie and the couple.

"Hi, Ms and Mr Wheeler, my name is Richard" he shakes their hands
"Oh, please. Call me Adelaide" the woman says.
She's gorgeous.
Blonde, green eyes, just perfectly tall, thin, and curvy.
"No need to be so polite. I'm Harry- short of Harrison"
He's as perfect as she is. They both could perfectly be movie stars

"No need to be polite?" Ms Sullivan asks, her hands getting tighter "Excuse me, Mr. Wheeler, but if you're going to be his father, he better treat you with respect. We teach kids to be polite here and..."

"There's no need to keep on trying to convince us your orphanage is the best. We've already signed all the papers" Harry says "And thanks a lot, but I'm gonna decide wether I want him to call me Mr Wheeler, Harry, or even dad"

"Harry, sweetie" Adelaide holds his hand
"Is everything ready?" Richie asks, a little afraid of what can happen next, his anxiety consuming him.
"It is" Harrison brings Richie close to him, and surrounds him with his right arm "In fact, we can get going"

They both shake Ms. Sullivan's hand, but Richie doesn't. He just stays there, next to the door, ready to run away from her as soon as something happens.
"Goodbye, Richard"
Goosebumps tour all over his thin body. He holds onto his little trinket, and fakes a smile
"Bye" he says, a little too nervous