chapter 1 - chapter 2 - chapter 3 - chapter 4 - chapter 5 (not out yet)
age of the main characters: 17-18
warnings: smoking, cursing, sexual harassment, irresponsible driving
abbreviations: y/n : your name
prompts: 97: ā Donāt touch me. ā
music recommendations: goodbye (karaoke) by donāt hug me iām scared, sweet dreams (are made of this) by emily browning, midnight in the garden by atli ƶrvarsson
a/n: so many words wow hope you enjoy this long ass chapter! (i couldāve split it into at least two parts but itās all for you š)
(goodbye (karaoke) by donāt hug me iām scared LOOP ON)
I got through the already broken fence and stepped into the woods with ease. I could see the bloody balloon very well, surrounded by the fields of various trees and bushes, it was almost screaming to get my attention. I heard a subtle crack behind me, but couldnāt dare to get my focus off the flying object. Right away I noticed a big tree that no longer had the feeling of an unkept jungle. Inside the tree was a huge hole, pitch black inside, where probably five grown men could fit. The balloon suddenly stopped and levitated in place. Before I could proceed to overthink anything, a white gloved hand appeared from the tree hole. I watched as it clutched on the dirt, crawling out. When a red pompommed wrist showed, my nerves went loose and made me scream for my life.
I closed my mouth when the light caressing my closed eyes disappeared, and darkness surrounded me. I opened my eyes and just then felt the overwhelmingly intense cologne irritating my nostrils. Sound not hitting me yet, I tilted my head back and looked around. No longer was there a big tree nor the tree hole. Not even the bloody red balloon, but a bushy and disgustingly moist forest again. Looking up, I saw the face of Lucifer himself, Richard Tozier, gazing down at me, saying something in my direction. My hands were on his chest, while his on my shoulders, shaking me subtly. Just then, when all senses hit me, I heard his voice.
ā(y/n), (y/n), jesus, do you hear me?ā His tone was annoyed but also a bit worried, I guessed. I opened my mouth, trying to spit something out as well as going through everything that had happened. His hands were still clutched on my thin sleeves.
āI, uh, the tree, balloon...ā I muttered. Richardās brows furrowed, as he penetrated my eyes with his gaze, seeking an explanation. āWait, you followed me here?ā
He scoffed. āI found you screaming in the woods, talking about balloons, and youāre asking me about following you?ā Heās avoiding the question. His hands finally left my shoulders and I took mine off his chest as well, missing the feel of a leather jacket on my fingertips left behind. I stumbled back and reflected on what had happened again.
āLetās go back.ā He pushed me in the right direction extremely cautiously and began to walk behind me, leading and watching my step.
A minute has passed, and I couldnāt gather my thoughts. The fact that Richard Tozier followed me to the woods hasnāt hit me yet, as the bushy forest disappeared and I was once again at the school backyard.
āTry not to die when Iām gone, okay?ā And with that, Richard has passed me from behind, hands in his pockets, with no intention of going back to biology class. His head down and back arched, somehow with grace, he disappeared, once again, leaving me trembling.
(goodbye (karaoke) by donāt hug me iām scared OFF)
āAnyway, weāre going to the shopping center in Augusta, you should come with us, (y/n).ā Jane awakes my consciousness once again.
āHuh? Sorry, what for?ā Her stare deepens as she raises her eyebrows at me.
āTo try on prom gowns.ā Jane repeats slowly, visibly not concealing her annoyance with me. ā(y/n), you didnāt forget, did you? Prom is in three weeks.ā She scoffed. I did forget.
āNo, of course not.ā I tried laughing it off, but my acting skills werenāt top notch. āYeah, sure, Iāll go with you. I have something to get in Augusta anyway.ā
āGreat, so itās settled.ā Emma speaks up. āWednesday after school, weāll go by a bus.ā
Itāll be good to take my thoughts off Richard for a while. Or so I thought, but didnāt realize how far away it would be from Derry. By the time we got there, I was already exhausted. Augusta, being the capital of Maine, population 18,594 as of 2017, has still been nothing compared to Phoenix. I glanced at the flashy, yellow sticky note once again, memorizing the address written down on it. Jane and Emma found themselves trying on the fifth dress since they got in the mall.
āDoes it make my boobs look bigger? I think it does.ā Jane fixed the corset. ā(y/n), what do you think?ā
I looked up from the note and murmured. āItās nice.ā
āThatās what you said about the other three.ā She sighed.
āIt looks very good on you.ā Emma helped me out, clearly satisfying Jane with that. I glanced at the hung up clock and cautiously stood up from my spot by the window.
āHey guys, Iām gonna go grab something from the library real quick. Iāll see you at the restaurant.ā Jane let out a silent āoh, okayā and I left.
Leaving the mall, it was no surprise to notice raindrops falling down onto the uneven pavement. Asking around, I got to the destination on my sticky note. The library was extremely cozy. All woody and traditional. It reminded me of my favorite Hollister store in Phoenix.
āAre you looking for something?ā An old lady sitting behind the desk uttered in a raspy voice.
āYes, um, Iām looking for āThe History of Derryā. Is there a chance I could get it?ā I smiled lightly and found myself caressing my unpainted fingernails.
āJust a minute.ā She stood up and walked to the nearest wooden shelf. After fixing her glasses and running her finger through the book spines, she grabbed one by itās headband and handed it over to me. The book was a square covered in brown leather, with black painted words on top. I payed for it and left.
(sweet dreams (are made of this) by emily browning ON)
āHave a good night.ā I exclaimed as I walked out, and concluded with surprise that it was already dark outside. The air was humid and the street lights were dimmed. I hid the book inside my messenger bag, and trying to recall the directions to the mall, I entered the dark maze of grey buildings and narrow alleys. The claustrophobic street opened as I found myself in a dimmed and moist crossroad between abandoned buildings, looking scarier than I recalled. A band of men standing next to their rusting cars, noticed an intruder, being me.
āHey, where ya goinā, sweet cheeks?ā One of them exclaimed as I fastened my pace. They laughed and walked towards me. A four pack of beer flew from behind me, landing in the menās in front of me hands. I acknowledged that Iām being circled.
āWhat are you up to so late at night, huh?ā He caressed my chin as I turned my head in the other direction, almost tripping over. My brain was frozen in place like a wheel that could no longer turn. I was paralyzed by my own fear. I knew exactly what was about to happen but I could do nothing to stop it. Soon, I would be nothing more than a news story of a young, innocent girl found dead on the streets of Augusta. There was no one here to save me.
āDonāt touch me.ā I muttered through clenched teeth. They continued to laugh and circle me tighter, from time to time whispering something to me. Trying to get a glimpse of my predators, I felt dizziness hitting me. They were close enough now that I could see the sick, twisted grins of the two men in front of me. I spun on my heel, only to see that the others had expressions that matched. They would enjoy this. I could see it on their faces.
"I want her first this time Jared," the man closest to me said to one of his companions.
"No fair! You got the last one first!" he replied, outraged.
"Boys, since you can't seem to stop fighting, I'm going to get her all to myself." The oldest looking one said. Tears filled my eyes, blurring my vision.
"Aw, come on!" the other man said. He came over to me and wrapped around the middle of my body. That one griped me so tightly he was going to leave bruises, not that it would really matter in the long run. "Such a pretty thing," he continued, stroking my face with his fingertips.
"Mmm..." his breathing began to speed up. Quick gusts of hot air were being blown onto my exposed skin. "Now where shall we begin?"
As I was about to shout for help, a violent tyre squeal made everyone jump away from the sound. As the men rushed back, I turned face to face with the familiar, matte black Toyota MR2. As I stared into the blinding lights of the car, the driver doors opened rapidly and a black figure walked out. In the dimmed light, his skin looked paler than ever, his eyes darker than in the sunlight.
āGet in the car.ā He spit out as he pushed me towards the vehicle. I followed his command numb headed. Inside the car, I felt a gust of cologne hitting my nostrils. The upholstery was nice in touch and warm. I thrilled to the sensation as I observed a peculiar scene. Richard appeared to be having a staring contest with my predators. As they backed out, he slowly spun on his heel and got inside the car. Trembling, he did an irresponsible maneuver, almost hitting the men, then spun the car around and drove off violently. Holding onto the cup holder as much as I could, I heard a small āwhat the fuckā coming out of his mouth. I glanced at his tense face.
āYou followed me. Again.ā I spoke numbly. Richard inhaled sharply.
āI was driving by.ā I gaped unimpressed and observed his maneuver.
āYou should put your seatbelt on.ā He laughed at my nervousness, revealing his teeth.
āYou put your seatbelt on.ā He scoffed, fixing his grip on the steering wheel. I pushed my back against the passenger seat and stared at the road with no expression, as Richard drove dangerously, earning honks from the cars he has passed.
(sweet dreams (are made of this) by emily browning OFF)
āWhere in the world have you been?ā Jane exclaimed as I got out of the black matte car in front of the restaurant we were supposed to meet at. āWeāve waited for you over 3 hours! What the hell, (y/n)?ā As I was about to apologize to Jane and Emma, a voice interrupted me.
āSorry, itās my fault.ā Richard came out of his matte black car and smiled lightly at the girls, pushing his hair back, and making them gape uncontrollably. āWe ran into each other and started talking. I lost the track of time.ā He sure knew how to charm anyone. Jane tucked her hair behind her ear and exchanged the smile. āI thought (y/n) would be hungry, so I offered her a meal before a ride home, since itās already dark outside.ā
Jane and Emma looked at each other knowingly and grinned widely.
āNo, I mean, of course. We were already leaving anyway, right, Jane?ā Emma spit out, to which Jane nodded energetically.
āYeah, so have a safe ride home, (y/n). See you at school.ā She gave me a smile and passed me, giggling with Emma. I glanced at Richard, he seemed to be staring at me this whole time.
āWhat? If youād rather stay with your best guy friends back there, you shouldāve said so.ā He spit out. āThey sure seemed nice to me.ā I rolled my eyes in annoyance as I followed him inside the restaurant. We sat down by the empty table with two seats. He handed me the menu. I glanced briefly at it, feeling his gaze on me.
āYou know, Iām not that hungry.ā
āStill, you should eat.ā He didnāt move his stare off me.
āWhy would you care?ā I put the menu down. He thrilled to the sentence for a while. Before he could answer, a waitress with a punk hairstyle and heavy makeup approached our table.
āHi there, how could I help you?ā She says, swaying her hips and checking out Richard, as if I didnāt exist. He took a look at the menu for the first time and turned to the waitress.
āCheese ravioli for this lady.ā I looked away as he used his most seductive voice. She wrote something down.
āAnd something for you?ā
āA glass of water would be great.ā He smiled stunningly, making her blush.
āItās on me.ā The waitress winked at him and left, swaying her hips once again. He concentrated on me at last.
āWhat if I was lactose intolerant?ā Richard laughed at my seriousness.
āThen Iād be in trouble.ā He flashed his pearly white teeth at me and I looked away once more. I bit my lip awkwardly. I had so many questions buzzing in my head, none of them escaping my mouth. The feeling of confusion made me scream for a rest. I shouldnāt be afraid of him, definitely shouldnāt show him that. Who is he to me? No one, right. Heās no one.
āWhy did you follow me?ā A question rolled out of my mouth. His face was expressionless, making it even harder for me to read him.
āI already told you. I was driving by.ā Does he take me for a dumbass? His eyes showed no emotions, yet lips formed into a thin line.
āYeah, sure. Just like that time in the woods, right? You were just...ā I crossed my arms. āPassing by.ā Whatever he was doing, was not working on me. All of his lies and explanations. Richard smirked, looking down at his hands.
āI guess you could say so.ā I scoffed in disbelieve. At this moment, the waitress trespassed our bubble of awkwardness and placed a glass of water in front of him. I gave her a death stare as she left. āYou know...ā He brought my attention back to him. āYouāre so stubborn, why canāt you just thank me and forget all of this ever happened?ā
āListen.ā I raised my voice, stern as ever. āI donāt know what it is that youāre doing, but I want you to tell me about Neibolt.ā Richard stiffened. āI saw the way you reacted at the party when I said itās name. I know you can tell me what it is.ā His stare was no longer relaxed, brows furrowed and lips still formed into a thin line. āPlease.ā
He looked away for the first time. āI donāt know what youāre talking about.ā I scoffed at his response.
āYouāre kidding me, right? Of course you know what Iām talking about.ā I exclaimed, but quickly hushed myself. āI want to know. I want to know what the Neibolt house is and why Iām having these god awful nightmares. I know it sounds crazy... but thereās something that pulls me towards it.ā He sighed, as his gaze softened.
(midnight in the garden by atli ƶrvarsson LOOP ON)
āSee? Why are you like this?ā My eyes widened, brows furrowed. āI tried avoiding you, keeping my cool, but you pulled me inside your world and now, itās too late.ā His tone was soft and vulnerable. Richard looked around as if someone was overhearing. āI want to know you. You seem like someone worth knowing. Every day, I feel like Iām surrounded by people with hard edges and sour faces, but I get the sense that youāre different. Too often people seem to think that they have the answers to everything. Their faces are trapped in permascowls and they canāt be bothered with anything besides their own narcissism. You arenāt like that. You still ask questions. Youāre still looking for the answers...ā The waitress cut him off, as she placed a plate before me. She smiled once again at Richard, but he didnāt exchange it, still tense. He sighed as she left.
āWerenāt you the one who told me to stay away from you?ā I huffed, clenching my fists.
āI meant it would be better if we werenāt friends, not that I didnāt want to.ā
I tried gathering my thoughts. Frustrated at not being able to answer him, I looked down at my plate and began to eat the already cold pasta. Did he just open up to me? I couldnāt believe he was the same Richard from school, cold and calm. I heard a chair squeak against the wooden floor as Richard stood up from his seat, hands in pockets.
āI need to go for a smoke.ā He murmured and left. I noticed he left money to pay.
After a few minutes I couldnāt stand the tension and left a half full plate. As I walked out, I saw him leaned against his car, a cigarette in his mouth. He threw it out and crushed with his heel. We got in the car and he started the engine. His quietness was intimidating.
āRichard..ā I broke the silence. āPlease, I need you to tell me about Neibolt.ā He fixed his grip on the steering wheel. I noticed he does that when heās nervous. After a moment of silence, he spoke.
āBack there, in the woods, did you see a clown?ā I wasnāt ready for such a question.
āI, uh, I guess. Yes? I think I did. I donāt remember much. I just know I saw a balloon, and when I followed it, it lead me to an old tree with a tree hole in it... Then something started coming out of it.ā Richard fixed his grip again.
āAre you doing something tomorrow after school?ā His voice was serious.
āNo, I donāt think so.ā Richard nodded to himself.
āAlright, Iāll show you something tomorrow.ā As he said that, the car stopped. He got out the car and walked over to the passenger door, opening them. He leaned over to take my seatbelt off.
āI can do it myself.ā I murmured coldly. I pressed my back against the seat, watching as he freezes before me. His side profile was right before my eyes, and I could smell his perfume very well. His jaw clenched as he took a deep breath. Richard backed out, almost embarrassed, and I got out of the car. We were outside my house. He closed the car doors behind me and once again glared at me. I exchanged the look, admiring his beauty. He truly is charming.
āThanks.ā I spit out looking down. I threw him an awkward half smile and proceeded to head home. I turned around at the doorstep and saw him leaning against his car, watching me. āIāll see you tomorrow.ā I spoke up once again, seeing his dark as night eyes and a hand raised goodbye last time, before closing front doors behind me.
(midnight in the garden by atli ƶrvarsson OFF)