A Thing Called Love || Richie Tozier [2]

03 - 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚃𝚛𝚞𝚝𝚑 𝚒𝚜 𝙾𝚞𝚝

[Light fluff]
3𝕣𝕕 ℙ𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕠𝕟 ℙ𝕆𝕍:

No!

Ashley Walker was fast asleep in her room, except she was having a reoccurring nightmare that's been happening ever since the night of the party at Thomas Barley's house. She has always tried to forget it, but it's never been possible. All she wants is for Richie to be able to take her pain away, instead he causes more of it.

Let me go! Get off of me!

She was squirming around in bed, flinching every so often as she began kicking and hitting in her sleep. The dream felt so real as if she was actually reliving the moment over again. This happened every so often once she's been reminded of it constantly.

Please, stop! Thomas! Stop!

On the other hand, Richie Tozier laid wide awake in his bed as he couldn't shake away the thoughts about the day the Losers got back together again. It's been three days since his trip to the quarry and he hasn't spoken to Ashley since she left that day. He felt guilty because she hadn't been hanging around them, but only separately when he wasn't with them. It had got so bad between them that she couldn't even stand to look at him. He thought that maybe he was too harsh on her and that he never even gave her time to talk.

He shot up out of bed with only one idea coursing through his mind. It may have been a stupid one, but he knew for sure that he had to go through with it so that he could finally get some rest. He opened his window and climbed out of it before climbing down the ladder he had set up beside the roof for nights he snuck out. His parents never cared, giving that he'd find a way to do it anyways, but they just wanted him back before morning. But for the days he'd be at Ashley's awhile back, they'd want him back atleast by lunch time.

He walked down the sidewalk until he reached the house that was three houses down from his; Ashley Walker's house. It brought back so many memories, which brought a slight smile to his face. His eyes darted towards the tree that stood tall right beside her bedroom window, and without double thinking, he began to climb it up until he was now crouched down onto the roof. He kneeled down in front of the window, seeing that it was dark in her room.

"Shit.", He cursed under his breath, placing his hands on the window sill and pushing it up. Thank God she keeps her window unlocked. He believed she didn't want to see him, which he couldn't really blame her. After all I've said to her, I'd distance myself as well. That's exactly what she was doing. Distancing.

No...

Richie's head snapped towards the sleeping girl whom he couldn't see yet, but he knew she looked beautiful as she slept peacefully throughout the night. He slowly slid himself into her room, carefully closing the window back behind him before making his way towards her lamp. Without tripping over anything – which the only thing he'd trip over is air because Ashley Walker always kept a tidied up room – he flipped the switch and watched as the light shone on her.

Something was wrong this time, though. She wasn't peacefully sleeping like she always used to do, instead she was shaking lightly, her eyebrows scrunched up together, and her hands clenched the bed sheets. She's having a nightmare. He slowly kneeled down in front of the bed, gently placing his hand over her own as he rubbed circles with his thumb on her soft, fragile skin.

Her eyes fluttered open with the contact, jumping up once she saw him sitting there. She didn't focus her eyes on him to see who it was, instead she moved away as she shut her eyes harshly together. "No! Leave me alone!"

Richie darted up on the bed, covering her mouth so she wouldn't wake up her mother. That made her scream from under his hand, tears streaming down her cheeks. Richie sighed softly, furrowing his eyebrows as he stared at the one girl he wish he never lost, but he always felt like they'd never get back together. He cares for her, but he wasn't sure he'd be able to get past the problems that were caused when she left him for Thomas. He whispered, "Ashley, it's me. It's Richie."