lost at home // reddie

TEN: LOVELY

richie turns the volume on his walkman up a bit louder, tapping his foot against the wall lightly. there's an argument of some sorts going on downstairs, and that makes him remember why it's a good thing his parents are out all the time. it feels like the louder his music gets, the louder the argument downstairs gets, and hearing the words "our son has a fucking name, you know" doesn't exactly help the situation. it does confirm the suspicion richie had that they were talking about him though.

it's draining listening to the arguments whenever his parents are home at the same time. usually it's one or the other that's home, but when they're in the same room it's catastrophic. either they're at each other's throats or they're head over heels in love, seems like more and more it's the first option, at least in richie's head. something in him just wants to step in and make them shut up, but the last time he did that he needed stitches.

wednesday afternoons aren't all that great, and they're fucking boring. everyone's always busy on wednesdays, everyone except for richie of course. it's one of the few days he doesn't need to go to work, and he always wishes he could come in and take up more hours, but he can't. all he really wants is a walk, but leaving the house right now seems impossible. absolutely no options until the yelling gets a bit more persistent.

"kid! get the fucking phone!" his father calls up the stairs. kid. that's always what his father calls him, not richie, not even a richard. it's always just 'kid'.

"i'll be down in a minute!" richie calls back down the stairs, picking himself up to get to the phone quickly, just before it stops ringing.

"richie tozier speaking." he says, in his overly expressive phone voice. his father gives him a sour look, knowing full well he's being mocked.

"hey, richie? it's stan. i was wondering if you wanted to come over or something." the voice on the other line says. richie sighs in relief, stanley uris really is a lifesaver.

"yeah, i'll be over in a bit. need anything on the way?" he replies, his eyes scanning the open-plan house. his dad is sat in a recliner with a beer bottle in his hand, and he rolls his eyes at the round of richie's voice.

"don't think so. i'll see you in a few then." stan says. even though richie can't see him, he can still see the kid smiling. stan always smiles like an idiot while he's on the phone, apparently it's a bit of an anxious quirk, but it's still funny.

"alrighty. bye." richie says, hanging up the phone as soon as stan says goodbye. he heads for the stairs, doing his best to avoid eye contact with his parents.

"richie, can you please tell us where you're going." his mother says, stopping him as soon as he reaches the first step.

"yeah sure i'll tell you, not like pops over there's gonna listen to me." he snaps, turning around and crossing his arms. "i'm going to stan's place, i'll be back by nine or so." he explains, watching his parents carefully. he leans against the railing and it creaks under his weight.

"that's the jewish kid, isn't it?" his father asks. richie doesn't say anything in reply, but his mother nods. "well then go on, it's better than you hanging out with that marsh girl. i've heard about her, whoring about with boys in town." he adds.

something in richie's head snaps as he steps back onto the main floor, standing right in front of his father. his fists are clenched, but there won't be any punches thrown. he's angry, even though the same conversation happens every single time he goes out. his father doesn't approve of beverly marsh. even though he doesn't approve of his own son he still feels the need to inject his opinions.

always his father has something bad to say about the girl that saved richie's life a few too many times he did something stupid. she's either a whore, a bad influence, a lost cause, or whatever else his father can think up. funny how it's the same shit he says about his son. whenever it happens, richie always goes in to protect who he cares for. he tries to protect his mother, tries to protect beverly, tries to protect all the friends his father insults. this is where he stands.