ATELOPHOBIA

Chapter 3 (December 1988)

It was a bunny, light brown in color-almost beige, and it had only had one eye; the other being replaced by a big embroidered X.

She reached out to touch the glass, but then a very familiar voice had snapped her out of her trance. "Goodwill?"

Cameron flinched, feeling startled. She spun around quickly, eyes wide like a deer caught in the headlights, and met the gaze of a boy she knew to be Richie Tozier.

"H-hi, Richie." She squeaked out, still in shock.

The boy looked a bit dumbfounded, but he quickly replaced his confused expression with something Cameron could only guess was a "seductive" smile.

"So what's a..." He crossed his arms, but quickly changed his mind and put his hands in his pockets, taking them out a second later. It was almost as if he was trying to pose for her. "What's a doll like you doin' in a place like this at this time of night?" He asked, finally deciding to lean on one of the machines, running a hand through his hair, attempting to be suave.

"I was just... looking around." She said meekly, fiddling with her fingers.

"No need to be nervous, sweet cheeks." He left his position and moved closer to the shorter girl, making her feel a tad bit uncomfortable.

Now, Richie was a good-looking character.

She admitted that.

He could be cute when he wanted to be; with his slightly wavy black hair, and the glasses which made his eyes appear bigger than they actually were, even to the out of season Hawaiian shirts he wore.

The problem was his filter- or lack thereof.

The boy didn't have the ability to be subtle. Cameron doubted he even knew the meaning of the word.

He swore like a sailor, made inappropriate comments, and spouted innuendos like it was the only language he knew how to speak.

And naturally, people didn't like that- especially her mother.

Mrs. Goodwill didn't really like anyone in the small town, but she made her distaste for the young lad- and the others he spends time with- as obvious as the sun is on a clear day. She told Cameron to steer clear of him, telling her that he was crass and brutish and too different; going as far as warning her that if she associates herself with Richie, she might turn out like him.

Her mother spoke of the boy as if he was some sort of disease, and it was one of the many things the older woman did that Cameron didn't agree with.

Cameron knew that Richie was a good kid, he just didn't show it.

However, his forwardness was something the girl wasn't very used to, which would explain her tenseness toward him.

"You okay? You look like you could use a distraction, if you know what I mean." The somewhat taller boy slung his arm over Camie's shoulder, being a little too close for her liking.

"Wh-what?" She felt heat crawl up her cheeks. Richie smirked smugly and pulled her closer, making the lass stumble a little.

Cameron pulled away from him hastily, feeling her anxiety act up. "I-if you're implying... what I think you're implying..." She said slowly, pursing her lips, feeling embarrassed.

"Then... I-I'm sorry but I'm not t-that kind of person. I'm... I'm not a har... I'm not a harlot." She finished, closing her eyes as her heart continued to beat erratically.

"What the fuck is a harlot?" Richie asked her cluelessly, eyebrows furrowing.

Cam shifted awkwardly. "Y-You know..." she trailed off. "a harlot... a-a call girl... a prostitute?" Her voice got fainter with with every definition she supplied.