chapter three | there must be something in the water
5
LOSERS asleep and the house silent, the sun rose slowly up into the sky as the clocks struck nine twenty in the morning. bill and stanley and eddie had been stuffed in beside eachother in winonas mothers bed, ben got the three seater in the basement, richie rather uncomfortably on his armchair too and bev and mike were on the livingroom couches. upstairs, in winona's room, she was sprawled out on her bed in comfort, snoozing in peace. richie was the first to wake up, his back bothering him, "fuck sake," he muttered to himself.
cold and sore as he lifted his glasses off his stomach, rubbing his hands on his face before placing back the thick rims, yawning. he was well aware no one would be waking up for another few hours, first offical lie in of summer, so he lifted himself up himself and looked to ben, the chances of fitting onto that couch beside him? slim to none. scratching his head, he brought his tired body up the flight of stairs, ignoring the idea of trying beside beverly, knowing fully bill would be mad at him for the rest of the week. richie dragged himself up yet another flight of stairs and slumped down the hallway making a beeline for winonas room, instantly swinging the door open, and, in complete silence, walked to her bed, pulled the sheets off winona, causing her to curl up, and crawled in beside her, squishing due to in being a single bed, "move." he grunted to her, winona stirring a bit, just stretching out again to lie her leg across richie as he attempted to fall back asleep.
"your couchs so fucking uncomfortable." he mumbled as winona yawned and buried her face in his neck, "it's not meant for sleeping on." she replied, before richie covered her mouth, "shut the fuck up," he hummed, eyes closed as he tried to get back to sleep, holding onto winona. they lay in silence as they both tried to go to bed, before richies eyes opened, looking up to the ceiling, his hand rubbing winonas back, "um... win?" he spoke up quietly, just getting a grunt in response. the boy sighed, looking to winona then back to the ceiling as he thought about how to phrase it.
richie was trying his best to explain how much he thought about winona, and how much last night meant to him and how he wished something happened. he really liked her, but it always came out as dumb jokes and teased and idiot stuff. richie sighed, kissing winonas head before closing his eyes again, "go the fuck to sleep." he just sighed, winona smiling slightly before doing just that.
6
winona eventually began to stir around twelve, to the sound of talking downstairs as she looked around, blinking and adjusting her eyes, before registering richies body wrapped around her, her legs tangled up in his as he snored, arms holding one another as they were squished together, eachothers body heat keeping eachother warm. winona yawned, shifting and rubbling her eye as she attempted to sit up, failing as richie had captured her and seemed to not want to let go, drew smiling a little before planting her hands on his and prying him off of her, earning a little groan, "what are you doing?" he almost whined, stretching his body out as his eyes stayed closed. winona sighed, "getting up, you're too fucking warm," she insisted, climbing past him on the bed and getting on her too feet, stretching herself. "it's nearly twelve, get up," she nudged him, moving to her wardrobe and lifting out a sweater, "rich?"
"what." he snapped, rolling onto his side to face the wall. "you can't just stay in bed all day." she insisted, smiling at his stretched out body. "beg to differ." he grunted, turning back around, looking up at her, "i'm sure we could find a thing or two to keep us in bed all day." he lazily smirked, eyes drooping as winona rolled her eyes and pulled a pillow out from under his head, throwing it at him, richie grunting once more, now muffled, and unbothered to move, "didn't hear a no."
the two both got up an at least half awake, winona walking into her mothers room to see the room empty. she sighed and headed downstairs, richie following, and as she had thought, the group, bar ben who was still passed out, were awake and lounging around in the livingroom. "morning, fuckheads," richie yawned, scratching the back of his head before dropping beside eddie on an armchair, and instantly starting to cuddle him, eddie whining, "get the fuck off me." he whacked richie away. beverly sat up, "so.. how'd you sleep?" she asked, looking for winona for a response to which she shrugged, "was okay until richie burst in in the middle of the night and woke me up-"
"shut the fuck up, it was nine," he shook his head, "and it's not my fault? yeah let's stick richie on the smallest fucking seat possible, that's fair. real nice, guys, thanks." he shook his head.
bev looked to winona and rose a brow, it was as if she was trying to communicate with her through morse code, winona understanding and shaking her head, nothing happened. bill rubbed his eyes before looking outside to the sunny day and thinking, "good day, wanna t-take the bikes out and g-go to the jumping pier?"
winona looked up to the window before smiling a little, "go for a dive?" she suggested, before eddie scoffed, "not again,"
"again?" winona rose a brow.
bill looked up, "when we were like t-thirteen.. we all went diving in t-the lake, when we first kind of m-met bev.." he smiled shyly towards bev, who tilted her head with a chuckle, "i remember."
"well no." eddie interrupted. richie rolled his eyes, lying back, "if winona wants to go pier jumping, we'll go pier jumping," he flicked eddies ear, making him yelp, "fuck you, i'm not going then,"
"why?" winona laughed,
"because he's scared of heights." stanley rolled his eyes, "i am not!"
"he is." bill nodded, shrugging, "but we can go anyway, and eddie c-can just w-watch,"
it took a while, but eventually everyone was up and dressed again. "y'know.. if you wanted to see me in the nip you could have just asked without making up this whole plan," richie rose a brow, looking up at winona as she packed snacks into her backpack, to which she rolled her eyes, "yeah that was exactly why bill suggested going to the lake?" she looked up at him before shaking her head, "and i've never been before, just figured it'd be a fun day out? paddling about? doing small dives and all that?"
"small dives?" richie asked, to which winona nodded with a shrug, only making richie grin, "win, sweetheart?" he leaned on the kitchen counter, tilting his head. "yes?" she chuckled a little.
"how high do you think the pier is?" he asked innocently, trying to hold back a laugh as winona furrowed her brows, "i don't know.. a couple feet? why.. is it big?" she asked.
7
"oh fuck no!" winona shouted, retreating away from the cliff edge, "you idiots want to jump?!"
"my point exactly!" eddie snapped, crossing his arms, "let's just fucking go home, this is pointless!" he said, richie rolling his eyes, "not even stanleys being this much of a pussy as you two!" he shoved stanley, making him shove rich back, "fuck you," he muttered, looking up at winona, "it's not as scary after the first time." he reassured her, shrugging, "you won't die."
"wow, thanks," winona laughed nervously, stanley smiling, about to speak before richie butted in, "if you're afraid of jumping you can always parasail down the cliff using my massive di-"
"richie, shut the fuck up," bev rolled her eyes, unbuttoning her dress, "c'mon, winnie." she smiled, as the boys began to to remove their shirts, winona sighing, "fine," she shrugged, tugging her shorts off and t-shirt. she looked over the edge of the cliff once more, chewing on her lip before turning around, managing to catch richie staring at her. "damn, win" he grinned, "you're one hot mama,"
"shut up, rich,"
"yeah rich, shut up," stanley rolled his eyes, bill joining winona at the edge of the ledge, "r-ready to ju-ju-jump?" he asked her. winona shaking her head. "don't be a baby," beverly laughed, from the back of the group, gaining everyones attention before getting a running start and jumping off of the cliffs edge, somewhat gracefully, before eventually splashing down into the lake. ben grunting, "god damnit.." he muttered, throwing his shirt to the ground before following beverlys fall. shortly followed by bill, then mike, who grabbed eddie by the arm and dragged him down with him, mike grinning wide whilst eddie screamed.
winona rubbed the back of her neck, "i-i don't know.." she said nervously, only to have stanley turn to her, "winnie, you'll be fine, really. if you want we can jump tog-" before he could finish, richie pushed stanleys chest, causing him to lose his balance and tumble over the cliff, "fuck!" he screamed, before falling down with the rest of the gang with a loud splash. "richie!" she gasped, richie raising a brow, "what? he just needed a lil' push." he grinned, shrugging and tugging off his polo shirt, "so what'd you say? how about you just grip onto me real tight and i jump?" he smiled, winona shaking her head, "that's way more dangerous!"
"fine! gimme your hand then!" richie reached out to her, winona hesitantly accepting as richie pulled her in closer with a little smile, "are you scared, babydoll?" he rose a brow, winona smiling nervously, "well yeah.. a little.." she nodded, watching as richie shrugged, "don't be a bitch." he grinned, making her laugh, "wow, really good motivational spee-"
richie kissed her.
winonas eyes still open as she processed the moment before slowly closing her eyes, butterflies flying around her stomach manically as her hands moved to his face, cupping his cheeks as richie held onto her waist, kissing her deeply before he pulled away, looking into her eyes, raising a brow, "better?" he asked curiously, winona trying to form a word but simply couldn't, she tried to think, but before she could respond, richie laughed, "good." he nodded, and like that, richie had yanked winona off the cliffs edge, causing the two to fall towards the water, richies cheers being heard and winonas very, very loud screams as she gripped his hand, "i'm gonna fucking die!" she howled, richie laughing, and like that, the two hit the waters surface, plummeting to the bottom of the lake before swimming back up, winona desperately paddling up and gasping for breath, "jesus christ," she winced, bev looking over to her and grinning, "you did it!" she laughed, swimming over to her and hugging her as winona panted, "yeah.. yeah i did.. never again.." she chuckled, shaking her head as the rest began paddling deeper into the lake.
richie swam towards winona, grinning, "you okay?" he asked, wiping his hair out of his face before coming face to face with her, winona chuckling and shoving him playfully, "yes, no thanks to you!" she shook her head, starting to catch up with the rest of the gang as richie followed, "y'know, win, you just got to make out with the hottest guy in derry, could be more greatful, babe," he said as winona smiled, "well jeez, yeah, suppose you've got a point, rich, thanks," she laughed, before diving under the water, swimming faster.
"this waters fucking disgusting." eddie snapped, shaking his head as richie rolled his eyes, grabbing eddies head and dunking him under water briefly, causing eddie to desperately splash and hit him, "dickhead!"
"love you too, eddie asscrack!"
"kaspbrak!" he corrected, shoving him away and spitting out the water in his mouth. mike getting splashed with his backwashed water, "gross, eddie!" he groaned, splashing the boy back, only hitting bill in the crossfire, "m-mike!" he whined, beverly laughing, "yeah mike!" she grinned, splashing water back at mike with bills help, earning a laugh from mike as he shielded himself, "assholes!" he shouted over, as stanley and ben took his side, splashing bill, bev and eddie playfully as they laughed and tackled one another through fits of giggles and shrieks like children, much younger children.
richie laughed, watching his friends before turning to winona, "wanna make out again?" he asked casually, winona started laughing, "idiot." she grinned, shaking her head before richie rose a brow, "i wasn't joking?"
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