princess [rt]

xv. milkshakes and heartaches

After searching for Richie...

Mallory's POV

If I were Richie, where would I be? We arcade of course. I bike to the arcade, put my bike on the bike rack, and look at the other bikes. There over to the left, was Richie's bike. I knew it. I put my bike up and walk inside. Right away, I could spot the boy.

I walk up to him and place my hand on his shoulder. "Richie?"

"What do you want?" He doesn't look away from the screen.

"First of all, I want you to stop being an asshole right now, and second of all, I had nowhere else to go so again you better stop being so damn rude." I snap back.

"What about Stanley? You know, your TWIN? Go home?"

"I can't go home. Stanley ditched me, twice. He didn't care when I almost died from a fucking clown, so I'm not going home."

Richie finally looks away from Street Fighter. "I'm sorry," He mumbles.

"It's fine, I guess." I look down toward the colorful carpet and close my eyes tight. I feel a hand fall into mine. Opening my eyes, Richie gives me a weak smile.

"Let's go somewhere."

"Where?"

"I don't know, where do you want to go, sweetheart?" There was the annoying Richie Tozier I know.

We ended up going to this diner down the road. As we walk in, a bell rings. We choose a table and the waitress comes up to us, bringing menus.

"Just you two? Where are your parents?" I shrug and Richie shakes his head. The waitress drops the menus and says she'll give us time to look through it. As I look at the menu, I realize how nothing looks appetizing. After everything that has happened, eating was out of the question.

"What are you going to get?" Richie asks, noticing my worried look.

"I'm not really hungry..." I mumble.

"Yeah, me neither... I have no idea why we actually went here then." he laughs.

"Me neither, but I do want water." I laugh, "being terrified really leaves you dehydrated."

"That's probably smart, plus I don't have a lot of money either way. I spent most of them on tokens." Richie nervously chuckles. He pulls out two dollars and places it onto the table. Searching through my pockets, I find a dollar and a quarter.

The waitress comes back and I order water. I turn to Richie, signaling that it was his turn to order.

"Yeah, hi, I'll take the biggest chocolate shake you have here." He smirks. I roll my eyes but laugh at the boy.

The waitress leaves again and we both burst out in laughter. Once we both calm down, I sigh.

"What? It won't be that expensive, and if I use your money, I promise I'll pay you back... in 3 years."

I smile and shake my head, "No, you're fine. It's just..." I trail off. I want to talk about earlier. The kiss, the hand holding, the "Are you okay?!" but I couldn't bring myself to it. What if it was just the heat of the moment, he didn't actually care for me. What if my feelings are in the wrong place.

"What is it, Mallory?" Richie leans closer to me, and I could feel my cheeks burn.

"So... about e-e-earlier..." I stutter like Bill.

"Which part? A lot happened." He adjusts his glasses.

"The part when you... kissed me?" My voice changes into a whisper. The waitress brings us our drinks quietly as quickly disappears.