Lover | Richie Tozier

Chapter 34.

The black watch around Eddie's small wrist began beeping intrusively, interrupting the wave of laughter the others were riding on.

"I need to get home," he pressed a small button on the side, silencing it. "My mom will kill me if I'm not back on time."

"Come on Germie, can't you just stay a little longer? We were about to go down to the Kenduskeag," Richie pleaded, licking at his ice cream cone.

They had furthered their way deeper into town and found an ice cream parlor after the movie, and now they sat around a diner table, listening as Richie ran his roadrunner mouth at miraculous speeds. Elle only had to beep him once, and Eddie talked just as fast.

He shook his head. "Can't. I can't break the rules. Should've seen what it took for me to get of the house in the first place." He shifted with unease recalling the conversation between him and his mother. "But hey," he smiled a little. "I look foreword to doing this again."

The pink glow from the parlors neon sign kissed the side of his face, giving him an artificial blush.

"Thanks for coming with, Eddie." Stan beamed, spooning a mouthful of strawberry ice cream between his lips.

Elle smiled to herself, thinking about the first day she sat with Eddie and how the juice from the bright red berry stuck around his mouth. Richie caught this smile and found himself wondering what she was thinking about.

Eddie pushed through the doors of the parlor with a smile stuck on his face like it'd be impossible to wipe off. God, he loved his friends.

"I need to get home, too," Mike stood up. "Riding back to the farm in the dark is not fun," he shuddered. "Makes me feel like there's a clown with glowing orange eyes watching me in the woods or something."

"A clown?" Richie laughed. "A fucking clown? The only clown here is Stan," he pointed in his direction.

Stan glared, raising his middle finger. "Fuck you, Richie."

Richie leaned over the table. "Fuck me yourself, you coward!"

"St-Stan and I are leaving too," Bill imposed. "I promised I'd h-help his dad with something."

"Are you gonna cut the tip of Stans dick off?" Richie asked.

Elle cringed. "Beep beep,"

He looked over at the girl. Her brown hair fell over her shoulder and caught momentary glimpses of the florescent blue and pink lights as she moved. They haloed around her eyes and brought them to life, sparkling with every ultraviolet ray.

Richie thinks he can finally answer Bills question — Was she pretty?

"Bill's right. We're heading out." Stan stood up and put his jacket over his dress shirt. He always went everywhere looking like a little accountant, and while everybody laughed at him for it, Eddie admired it. He appreciated Stan's cleanliness and mature ways.

Stan and Bill made their paired exit, and then there were two.

"Are you going home also?" Richie asked.

Elle shrugged. "Probably should. Are you?"

Richie mimicked her shoulder movements. "I guess so. You gonna be alright walking home by yourself?"

"I think I'll be fine. What about you?"

Richie stuttered on his thoughts. He didn't want to lie to her; he likely would be fine walking home alone this time of night, but that didn't mean he wanted to. "Yeah. I guess so."

"Or," she stood up out of the corner-booth. "You can walk me home. Company for both of us."

The blood flowing through his brain awoke vibrantly despite the fact he had been awake since that morning, and his heart picked up on its own accord, leaving his hands trembling in excited elation. He settled himself before looking up at her. "Yeah? You want to?"

She grinned, taking one last sip of her rootbeer float. "Wouldn't have asked if I didn't want to, Trashmouth."