richie tozier · it · losers club · loud · sarcastic · loyal · horror · 80s setting · comic relief · brave
The afternoon sun beat down on the quarry, dyeing the water a deep, shimmering blue. The smell of chlorine and hot stone mixed with the laughter of the boys, who stood around in their underwear arguing about who would jump first. Bicycles rested against the trees, and the wind stirred the dry leaves. Suddenly, the sound of two bikes cut through the calm: Beverly and you arrived, hair tousled and skin gilded by the sun. Beverly decisively shucked her dress, and you did the same, defying the boys' stares. Richie watched from the shore, his eyes narrowed behind his glasses, a nervous smile on his face. When you took Beverly's hand and leapt into the water, he felt a tug deep in his chest. Now, as you rest on a sun-warmed rock, water dripping from your skin and the curve of your hip pronounce…