Ashleigh and Low

[low, Color me crazy...]

When they entered, Richie collapsed on Poppy's bed. "What's the problem? Dr. Me is here to help."

[low, Color me crazy...]

"Hand it over! Let Dr. Me fix it," Richie said, laughing.

[low, Color me crazy...]

Richie looked over the work and snorted. "Your answers are far from correct. How'd you come up with this stuff?!"

[low, Color me crazy...]

"You need to fix this. All of this," Richie said. "Now."

[low, Color me crazy...]

Richie snickered. "Yeah right! What's in it for me?"

[low, Color me crazy...]

"And how in the world does that benefit moi?" Richie asked with a raised brow.

[low, Color me crazy...]

"I suppose," Richie grumbled.

[low, Color me crazy...]

Richie stared at Poppy. He sighed. "Where's your pencil?"

[low, Color me crazy...]

((No… I'm cool with kissing and flirting and hugging, etc, but nothing beyond that.))

"And you're gonna make me get up and go all the way to the desk to find it?!" Richie whined.

[low, Color me crazy...]

((Phew!!))

Richie groaned but got up nonetheless. He picked up a dull pencil and sat down on the bed, scribbling in the correct answers.

[low, Color me crazy...]

"Done!" Richie said happily. ((No… I'm cool with kissing and flirting and hugging, etc, but nothing beyond that.))

[low, Color me crazy...]

((Huh… that's weird. That wasn't supposed to be there xD. Oh well))

"You do indeed," Richie said, smirking.

[low, Color me crazy...]

"Lots of things," Richie said simply. He spun a globe on Poppy's table.

[low, Color me crazy...]

"You'll hate me if I said it," Richie mumbled in an un-Richie like way.

[low, Color me crazy...]

"It's bad," Richie muttered.

[low, Color me crazy...]

"Just to…" Richie began.

[low, Color me crazy...]

"Be my friend forever, yeah?" Richie said. He couldn't bear to tell her what he really wanted to tell her.

[low, Color me crazy...]

"Why are you going out with Tom?" Richie blurted.

[low, Color me crazy...]

"You love him?" Richie said flatly.

[low, Color me crazy...]

"Nothing," Richie said, sinking into a chair.

[low, Color me crazy...]

"Does he love you?" Richie demanded.

[low, Color me crazy...]

"It doesn't matter," Richie said, standing.

[low, Color me crazy...]

"Answer me this: does he love you? I'm not saying anything else until I get that answer," Richie said.

[low, Color me crazy...]

"I don't want to talk to him!" Richie said. "You talk to him. Call me tomorrow morning. We'll go out for bagels or something. Unless Tom's monopolizing you again."

[low, Color me crazy...]

"Royals," Richie said. "See you later." And with that, he left.

[low, Color me crazy...]

Richie got home and collapsed in his bed, avoiding questions from his parents. Soon, he fell into a deep sleep.

[low, Color me crazy...]

The next morning, Richie woke up feeling grumpy. He cleaned up and left for Royals, getting a table.

[low, Color me crazy...]

Richie hasn't noticed Poppy and was fiddling with a napkin.

[low, Color me crazy...]

Richie looked startled. "Yeah, go ahead."

[low, Color me crazy...]

"So," Richie said bluntly.

[low, Color me crazy...]

Richie exhaled slowly. "Last night I was just making sure that he loved you, alright? I swear." Richie felt like such an idiot, for thinking that Poppy liked him like that. He needed to get over her. He needed a girlfriend. "I just didn't want you guys to get too serious without making sure, y'know? I'm happy for you."

[low, Color me crazy...]

Richie exhaled slowly. "Last night I was just making sure that he loved you, alright? I swear." Richie felt like such an idiot, for thinking that Poppy liked him like that. He needed to get over her. He needed a girlfriend. "I just didn't want you guys to get too serious without making sure, y'know? I'm happy for you."

[low, Color me crazy...]

"Why can't you just accept that, Poppy?!" Richie exclaimed. "I just want to look out for you."

[low, Color me crazy...]

"Wait--Poppy!" Richie threw a bill on the table and ran out after Poppy. "Poppy, please."

[low, Color me crazy...]

"I'm… I'm sorry," Richie said, catching up to Poppy. When he stopped running, he realized it was raining.

[low, Color me crazy...]

"I'm not-I'm not angry," Richie said, pushing his hair out of his face.

[low, Color me crazy...]

Richie gazed at Poppy. "I… What do you do when you want something you can't have?"

[low, Color me crazy...]

"But what happens if someone else already has what I want?" Richie asked.

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Richie groaned. "You can't borrow a person, Poppy."

[low, Color me crazy...]

"You," Richie said hesitantly. "It's crazy, right?"

[low, Color me crazy...]

"It's you, Poppy," Richie said.

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Richie's hands moved to Poppy's waist as they kissed. And then, he remembered. He pulled away gently. "You have a boyfriend… who you love... And who loves you."

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Richie nodded, folding up inside. "Yeah, of course. It was a… spur of the moment thing, right? That's… I won't say anything."

[low, Color me crazy...]

Richie wrapped his arms around Poppy, knowing he'd lost. Then he saw someone approaching them. "Uh, Tom's here," Richie said.

[low, Color me crazy...]

"I don't know," Richie said, pulling back. "Hello, Tom."

[low, Color me crazy...]

Richie watched the couple.

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"I'll see you guys later," Richie said coolly.

[low, Color me crazy...]

Richie watched for a moment, then walked back to his car.

[low, Color me crazy...]

Richie gazed at Poppy for a moment, but drove off.

[low, Color me crazy...]

Richie drove home and then sprawled out on the sofa in the living room. It was Saturday: his parents were at a country club and his sister was at a friend's house. He had the house to himself. Richie cranked up the volume of the TV.