Maybe, Probably. // A Ryers story

Chapter 8: Out//Richie

He chuckled to himself a little.
"What Rich?"
"Your cheeks are red, it's cute." Richie smiled at him.
"Shut up." Will muttered and looked away, putting some of the medical supplies away, leaving Richie sitting in the counter.
"You okay Willy Will?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." Will said blankly
Richie frowned, "didn't sound too sure to me. What's up?" He looked at him with concern.
"Nothing, just- Nothing. Nevermind."
"Will?"

Will just stayed silent, Richie sitting there, umsure what to do about this boy that he had feelings for. Yeah, he likes him, big shock.
"He called you a fag."
Richie looked up slightly confused and shocked,
"Y-Yeah..? So?"
"Why?"

It felt like his heart was in his throat, he'd never tell, what if the others knew?

Fag

Queer

Get away from him

Don't touch the other boys Richie

R+ -

"Richie? Are you okay?" Will stood in front of him now, staring deep in his eyes.

"I-I'm gay!" He blurted out, blood rushing to his cheeks, anxiety crawling up his back.

Will looked at him, not with shock, just worry.

"It's oka-"

"I-m sorry-" Richie teared up and ran out of the bathroom.

"Richie wait!"

He was too caught up with running and his sudden tears to hear. He ran and ran, far from Will's house, occasionally tripping over rocks. He ran out to the woods by the kissing bridge and sat by a post, curling up, sitting there. Angry at himself. Scared of himself. He sat there crying, seeing a blur of his slightly scraped and bruised knees in front of him. He took off his glasses setting them next to him in the dirt. I'm stupid, so fucking stupid. I ruined it. I'm too messed up for this place, I can't believe I said that, it's too awkward now. Nothing's the same. You're such a fucking idiot Richard. I hate you. I hate you, I HAT-

"Richie-?" A female voice.

He looked up from his soaken hands, too blurry to see, but he knew who it was.

"B-Bev..."

"Oh my god, what happened?" She kneeled in front of him.

"I'm so stupid Bev." He choked out with tears.

"Richie..." she got closer and pulled him into a hug.

Richie wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face in in her neck, crying harshly.

"Wanna tell me what's going on?" She said calmly.

He couldn't get words out properly, be coughed and choked.

"Calm down first.."

Richie gripped onto the back of her shirt, "b-bev...you can't tell a-anyone..."

"Okay?" Bev rubbed his back gently laying her cheek against his curly hair.

"I-I'm gay, I like W-Will...I panicked, I-I don't know what to do," he mummered out loud enough for her to hear.

Beverly chuckled

"What?" Richie pulled from the hug and looked at her with a look of confusion. His eyes puffy and red.

"I kinda suspected, you're always hanging with him," she smiled softly, "I'd be surprised if he didn't like you back."

Richie looked down sniffling, Bev cupped his cheeks and wiped his tears with her thumbs. He hugged her once more tightly. "You can get him, I know you can."
Richie sighed shakily.

Will stood by a tree, listening, he chased after Richie, but stopped when Beverly showed up. His heart was racing as his cheeks burned red. A small smile across his lips.

A/N: Thank you to all who keep reading this book, I really hope you like this story, I know I'm not the best writer or good at updating but I still hope you enjoyed it, have a good day/night!