||Sinner|| (a Reddie fanfic)

Chapter 17

⚠️TW(mentions of sexual assault/abuse)⚠️

Richie stared up at his ceiling, watching his fan go in slow lazy circles. His eyes moved with the slow turning of his fan, but his mind was working fast. He didn't understand how he felt, or even what he felt. The vision of Eddie gently comforting him was swimming around his head.

Richie felt weak for breaking down in front of Eddie, he should have been stronger. He knew in that moment though, that he never wanted to hurt a Eddie in any type of way, and he also knew he never wanted to leave Eddie's side. Richie didn't exactly know what this meant, but he had never gotten so close to someone in such a small amount of time.

Finally, Richie stood himself up and dragged himself into the bathroom, where he found small droplets of condensation rolling down the mirror. Richie gazed into his reflection, taking in his narrow frame.

It was starting to become more and more noticeable. Richie was losing weight faster and faster, but there was nothing he could do about it. His mother had gone in yet another business trip, promising Went wouldn't hurt Richie while she was away. Richie knew she was just trying to convince herself that, so he kept his mouth shut.

Maggie had left two days ago, and for the duration she was gone, Richie shut himself up in his room as often as he could manage, and snuck downstairs for food every time Went would leave the house.

Richie finally stopped looking at himself in the mirror, and decided he needed to figure out a way to make money in order to feed himself. He went back into his room, and sat down on his bed to think.

He could start a business maybe. No, that sounded stupid. He was too young to start his own business all by himself. Maybe he could look for a part time job to work at, maybe at the diner or nearby grocery store. Actually, that sounded like one of his best options.

Richie had tutored kids he knew in his neighborhood that were in younger grades than he was for extra money for gas and for some basic necessities his parents denied him, but he had never had a stable job in which he could save money over time.

Richie went downstairs and grabbed his shoes, throwing them on quickly. He decided he was going to go down to the diner and see if they could use a part time worker. Richie got in his car, started it, and quickly took off down the street. He made it to the diner in just a few minutes, and then walked in. He stopped in his tracks when he saw Beverly sitting alone in a booth near the back of the restaurant. She looked up when he walked in and gave him a slight wave.

Richie waved back, and then decided to go sit with her for a few minutes before going and asking about the job. She looked upset about something, so Richie tried his best to give her a warm smile as he walked over.

As he sat down next to Beverly, he noticed how she wrapped her arms protectively around herself and how she pushed herself further into the corner of the booth. Richie's eyebrows turned down in confusion.

"Hey." Beverly said faintly. Her eyes weren't quite meeting Richie' gaze, she knew he could tell something was wrong.

"Hey, why are you here alone?" Richie nodded in thanks at the waiter who brought him a water.

Beverly took a shaky breath before answering, trying to decide whether she should open up now or not. She really did think Richie was trustworthy, but it was so hard to trust other people, they could be just like he was.

"If I tell you, you have to promise not to tell anyone, not even Bill." Beverly felt heat rise in her cheeks as she swallowed the lump in her throat.

Richie furrowed his brows even further, wondering how could something she told him be worse than what her already knew. He assumed she was talking about her father, which he already knew he was very possessive over Bev, to the point where he would hit her if she disobeyed him in the slightest.