𝓭𝓪𝓶𝓪𝓰𝓮𝓭 {𝓻𝓮𝓭𝓭𝓲𝓮}

𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓯𝓸𝓾𝓻

Richie's pov:

It was the next day. School had ended at 3 pm and I was heading to the Marshes. Beverly's classes wouldn't be over for another 2 hours so I decided to just catch up with Al. I went along the street until I suddenly heard a noise from behind. I turned around abruptly. Nothing. When I turned back I almost had a heart attack. Henry Bowers was standing in front of me. He pulled out a knife.

«Okay faggot..»

I blushed.

«You have two options: either way you'll leave this town. Or I'll kill you right. now. I don't need fucking fairies in here.»

I was too shocked to say anything. How would he know when no one else did? I made a step backwards.

«WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO, HUH?»

I turned away from him and tried to run away but he took my hair from behind and pulled me backwards causing me to fall onto my back.

He kicked me into my side. I groaned in pain and I felt tears in the back of my eyes. Suddenly Belch and Victor pulled me up onto my feet. I haven't even noticed they were there what made me so surprised.

«You are fucking worthless, fag» Henry said punching my glasses away like the day before. I sobbed. I was scared. I admitted it. I was fucking scared. I couldn't see properly without them so I just stared off into space. I was shaking. I felt someone kicking against my leg and I fell down onto the ground. I was crying.

«P-Please Henry... p-please..» but that didn't stop his friends from pushing my arms onto the ground. I was too weak to move. I couldn't see what but I felt Henry carving something into the inside of my right arm. I couldn't help but scream. I thought it was over in that moment. After those 10 minutes of torture the boys walked off leaving me on the floor crying. My shaking hand went over the floor looking for my glasses. I put them onto my face and looked down at my bleeding arm. „fag“

That's what I read on it. fag. I would have had this word on my arm for ages now. I carefully hugged my arm and put my head back onto the floor where I continued to cry. I never cried harder in my whole life. I'm disgusting. I'm annoying. I'm stupid. Everyone hates me. I am a fucking fag! Yes, I knew I was gay. I've known since I was thirteen. That was one of the reasons I never told anyone. I knew they would judge me. Think I'm disgusting. My friends wouldn't look at me the same again. My biggest fear was losing my friends. If they knew I was gay I would lose them. For sure. I stayed on the ground crying for a goddamn long time.

Get up asshole. You just give Henry Bowers what he wants! I thought to myself. My whole body was shaking as I stood up. My shirt was soaked of my arm's blood. I could barely move it. I stumbled a little. I went further but I didn't go to Bev's. I went to the clubhouse. I knew I'd be the only one there. Bev still had classes, same with Ben and Bill. Stan was grounded and Eddie never went into the clubhouse alone because of the spiders. I opened the hatch and crawled into the losers secret spot. Blood was dripping from my arm and I felt dizzy. I sat down in the corner. I pressed my arm against my chest and shut out a few tears. I didn't know what to do. I knew it would keep bleeding but I wasn't a doctor. I was overwhelmed with such situation. I did what was the only clever thing to do. I called Eddie.

Eddie's pov:

Since I've seen Richie's drawing of me I couldn't think of something else. I was in my bed staring onto the ceiling. If I only could draw Richie to see him all the time...

I took my phone and opened my camera roll. I had so many stupid pictures of Richie. I even have some from when we were 13. In this moment I realized how much I admired his smile. It was adorable in every way. It wasn't perfect because his teeth were kinda crooked but I loved that about his smile. It wasn't perfect what made it even more beautiful to me. I never liked those perfect boys with abs and their straight A's. In my eyes Richie was the most beautiful person I've ever seen. Not perfect but beautiful. Richie was exactly my type. I was too blind to admit it to myself sooner. I swiped along my camera roll and a video came on. It was a video of Richie and me. Bev recorded it. I was trying to teach him how to skateboard and he terrible failed and fell onto his back. Bev and I were laughing so hard at that. Suddenly Richie's number popped up on my screen what slightly surprised me cuz usually I was the one calling.

«Rich?» I asked confused thinking it may be Bev or Stan on the other end trying to prank me.

«Hey um.. c-can you come to the club-h-house I need your help..»

I could hear his voice trembling.

«Richie what's wrong?» I asked worried standing up and walking down the stairs.

«Nothing.. I just.. Um.. Well I..»

«You don't sound well Richie are you okay?»

«just a lil.. Dizzy that's all.. B-but can y-you like.. come..?»

«I'll be right there» I said. «Don't you dare hang up, I need to know you are alive» I said jokingly getting a small giggle from Richie.

I made my way to the clubhouse noticing that Richie went more and more quiet. After he didn't answer for 20 seconds I started running. I didn't know what was wrong or why he was sounding so damn sick but it was worrying me.

«Richie are you— Oh my GOD!» I said jumping into the clubhouse. Richie was in the corner holding his arm which was bleeding like really bad. He was conscious but didn't seem to be able to talk. «Rich, Richie?!» I softly took his face into both of my hands trying to get an answer of him. He just looked at me with pain in his eyes. I took his arm carefully and I saw him wincing in pain. I looked at his arm and my eyes almost popped out as I read „fag“.

«Oh my God!» I quickly took out some bandages out of my bag and started wrapping his arm. I knew it would be the best to make a tourniquet. I've always knew how to just for safety reasons.

«Richie can you hear me??» he nodded a little. «okay.. hold on a second» I got my water bottle out of my bag and helped Richie drink who managed a thanking smile.

«Richie are you okay?» he nodded a little.

«Yeah... thanks Eds..»

I wanted to say that he should stop calling me that but I was way too worried about him to say anything else than: «Are you sure..?»

«Eddie I'm okay.. Thank you..»

I smiled a little but I couldn't bring myself to ask him what happened. I just stared onto the floor.

«Eddie?»

I looked up and noticed a tear flowing down his face. I've never seen him cry before.

«Hey... Richie what's wrong..?» he couldn't answer before suddenly Bev entered the clubhouse...