Chapter Text
Richie tozier was a simple kid. He liked arcade games, comic books, Eddie, and the losers club. But there were some things he couldn't say.
It hadn't been long since the gang drove IT away, only one short year. Time that seemed to pass so fast now that they didn't have to worry about an evil cannibalistic clown. The only issues they found were the occasional Nightmare and snide comment that was said just loud enough to reach their ears. But those were easy to deal with...
It was their sophomore year of high school when the group began to disband. Richie went first... two days before summer break the losers club got together like usual, except trash mouth didn't show. This happened occasionally where Rich would forget to meet so they went to his house to remind him.
Moving trucks where the give away that he was leaving Derry. With little more than three minutes to process what was going on the gang was, upset, to say the least.
Richie exits his house, hopping down the steps like he didn't withhold the biggest secret from his friends. And was his hair straightened???
"Richie, what's going on?" Stanley asked somewhat distracted by Richie's hair fail.
"Yeah- Rich, are you moving!?" Eddie persisted stepping closer to the fast approaching trash mouth. "Why didn't you tell us!?" Eddie was getting increasingly frustrated and puffed his inhaler.
"I forgot to tell you guys-my bad." Richie adjusted his glasses, failing to make eye contact with the group.
"Yeah it's your bad!" Eddie yelled tears gathered at the edge of his eyes.
"Dude." Mike placed a reassuring hand on Eddie's shoulder. "This isn't the end of the world. Well see him again."
Eddie nodded taking the chance to wipe his eyes. He didn't know why Richie hadn't said anything to him. Their best friends for God's sake!
"Y-you could've said something though..." Bill muttered. "Yeah we might not have gotten along all the time but we are still close friends." Bill thought.
"I'm sorry, really. I meant to tell you sooner..." Richie confessed.
It was true, he was going to tell them. He had a whole week of preparation but he couldn't actually bring himself to do it. He was hoping that he could slip away unseen so he wouldn't have to face them himself...
--Two hours ago--
Richie and Nancy are arguing, again. They have been arguing a lot more lately. They pace the upstairs hallway as Nancy finishes up her last minute packing. This time Richie insisted on yelling about how unfair it was to leave so suddenly.
"I told you a week ago!" Nancy shouted in response to Richie's whinging
"You couldn't have stalled or something!?" Richie complained
"Stalled!? Them!?? Oh my GOD.. You are such a brat!" Nancy tried walking away.
"Ugh! You don't get it!-" Richie began only to be cut off by his irritated sister.
"You know what? No." Nancy stopped dead in the upstairs hallway.
"No..?" Richie thought, stopping with her.
"Yeah- I do get it. I get that you're a psycho who can't handle the past. And has to make up different people to be when he's upset! Am I wrong, Mike!?" Nancy towered over him. That didn't help him though. It made him angrier...
"Fuck you, Nancy..." Richie stomped back to his room, slamming the door behind him
Richie just stood there in the center of his empty room. The silence only made him angrier. Why was he so mad? Richie screamed as he pushed over the neatly stacked boxes, watching with heavy breaths as they fell. Their contents spilling all over the hardwood floor.
"Fine." Richie thought.
"It's not like I got much of a choice..."
Richie dug threw the few remaining items in his desk. A scrapbook... baby book? Whatever, he slams it down on his desk and opens the thick book to the first page about Richie Tozier. Poping open a red sharpie, Richie drew a large X over the page. Because he wasn't Richie anymore... he was Mike Wheeler.
Mike flipped back a few pages and read about who he is. It was hard remembering which traits belonged to who. That's why he kept this book! Mike got up to rummage threw his boxes finding his hair straightener and plugging it into the yellowed outlet, straightening his hair as he read.
After about ten minutes of reading he finished straightening his hair and started running boxes out to the moving truck. He took his time packing his bag though. Filling it with different Mike Wheeler related things. He carefully made room for the journal, zipping up his bag before making his way out of the house for the final time.
--current time--
Mike said his goodbyes to his now old friends and climbed into the backseat of his mom's car. Nancy spared him a sympathetic glance. The loser club waved and cried as they watched the car drive away. Just like that Richie Tozier left Derry without any warnings or any way to contact him...
End of chapter one. <33