Authors note: Hey guys, I'm trying a new story line that I just thought up the other day. I hope everyone likes it and please leave reviews (good and bad) because I'd like to improve my writing in anyway possible. Smooches and have an awesome day guys!

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Stand By Me or the Body.

Everything Changes Eventually

Chapter one: Freshmen

Why does it have to be so hot? I thought to myself as I sat slowly up in my bed. Hair was sticking to my forehead and sleep was pressed against my face. Turning my head I looked at the clock on the wall, it was seven thirty-seven in the morning. It took a moment to register in my brain, but I was already late for the bus.

"Crap!" I yelled throwing myself from my bed and tossing on an old pair of shorts. "Not on my first day! Dad, hey, Dad!" I called out into the hall hoping to hear his voice. I had no such luck.

While putting on my shoes I ran towards the bathroom and slipped on the rug by the counter. Once again, Dad had left the water from his shower all over the floor. Grunting, I stood up and threw the medicine cabinet open and hastily squeezed toothpaste over my very warn toothbrush. In the morning multitasking was my forte, I was brushing my hair, washing my face, and brushing my hair all at once. Two minutes later I was crashing down the stairs in a rush and jumped at the last four steps. At the door laid my bag, a banana, and a note from Dad. "Don't be late, have a good day."

"If you only new Daddio." I said flinging the door open and locking the door with much haste. Down the street I was able to see Teddy entering the bus and I yelled for him to make it wait but he was unable to hear me. The bus drove away and was out of sight around the corner. Strapping my bag over my shoulders and gripping the banana for dear life, I bolted down the sidewalk and crossed a few yards to catch up with the bus. If I didn't catch it then it was a twenty minute walk into town, which was twenty minutes I'd be late on my first day of high school.

Finally the bus was in sight again and I yelled as three more students filed into the bus. "Wait! Hold the bus!" A girl turned and smiled at me as I quickly approached. I was still far enough to see the look on her face as she stepped into the bus and the driver closed the door. The bus hissed and moaned as it took off down the road. Sliding to a stop, I panted and held my knees while leaning over the sidewalk.

"Bitch." I whispered through breathes. A car to my left approached slowly and loud chuckles broke through the air. Turning my head, I glared through my hair and was face to face with Eyeball Chambers.

"Looks like ya missed the bus, Legs." he snickered along with Ace Merrill as he honked the horn.

Ace yelled through the car at me. "Those legs of yours can't catch up to everything I guess."

"I would of made it if that bitch would of held the bus for me." I stated while standing straight up, still out of breath. I leaned against the window and pressed my body against the door. "You going that way?"

"I'll give ya ride, kid, I always show up the first day." Ace stated waving me to get in the back. I smirked as Billy Tessio stepped out from the car to let me in. Sliding into the middle, I sat between him and Charlie Hogan. Ace drove off like a bat out of hell and the three of us were thrown forward in our seats. I've know these guys for as long as I can remember. All of them were born and raised here in Castle Rock. I don't particularly like them but they've always been pretty good friends with my cousin, so we get along alright. Most people would think I'm crazy to get in a car with any of them, but they are okay on a good day. They look out for me because Skyler looks out for them and that's alright with me.

Peeling my banana, I ripped a piece off and popped in my mouth. "How was California, Legs?" Ace asked moving the rearview mirror to look at me. I shrugged taking another bite of banana.

"Same old, same old." My mother had moved out to California when I was about eight and every summer I visit her a few weeks before school starts. She ran away there to get away from my Dad, who apparently is the most horrible person on the planet. I hate to say it but I would rather live here with my father than stay even a few days at my mother's play family's house.

"How's your mother?" once again I shrugged.

"Doing alright, having fun with the second family I guess." she remarried and I've got two step siblings that are basically around my age, one older and one younger. The three of us don't get along so well but I could care less about them. I was replaced a long time ago and I've come to terms with that. My mother tries to make up for it by sending me money, her husband's money, along with several gifts that I don't really care for. The money she sends I usually will spend on a night out with my friends or give it to my dad. She thinks I buy make up and other girly items with it, which is what she would prefer, but I'm just not that kind of girl. I like dirt and I like to run. Boys are less drama and not so hard to please, so I'd rather hang out with them.

Ace didn't ask me anymore about it, I wasn't sure if it was because I wasn't going into detail or because we arrived at school. The five of us parked and filed from the vehicle. "Thanks for the ride buddy boy." I called trotting towards the building. The four of them waved at me as they all leaned against his car to smoke before they arrived into school late. I never understood why they would arrive just in time for school but would never be on time to class, guess that's just their gang.

The huge group of teenagers filed into the building as the bell rang furiously for school to start. All the freshman, including myself, were pushed from side to side as we searched for any types of signs to let us know were to go. I dropped my banana peel in the fight to just get in the door when I felt a tug on my back pack. Looking to my left, a very large hand had grabbed me from the crowd. Chris Chambers towered over me like a skyscraper in the hallway full of students. We shuffled over to the most vacant hallway and he grabbed me up into a big bear hug.

It had only been a month since I had seen my best friend but a lot can change in a month, my very tall friend was an example of that. "Tara!" he yelled loudly.

He set me down and I looked up at him with astonishment. Only a month and this kid was almost a foot taller than what I remember. I couldn't wait to see the rest of them. "God Chris, you eat another person?"

Chris chuckled and slung his arm around me. "Shut up." we made our way to the cafeteria where all freshman were told to go. "You look different too."

I smiled up at him and noticed how prominent his chin was becoming. "Not as much as you, you look like a fucking man!"

"I've always been a man." he stated proudly but I shoved him knowing him much better than that. "Wait until you see Vern though! Dude is like a brick house." he stated showing me the width of Vern's shoulders with his hands.

"No way!" I called looking around for him. Vern Tessio had left at the beginning of the summer to visit his grandparents with his family. I haven't seen him in over two months, this was going to be awesome. "Where is he?"

"I don't know, probably still making his way inside." Chris shrugged as we walked over to the middle of the room where Gordie Lachance was sitting, reading a book. I slapped the book from his hands as he glared up at me. His look of anger disappeared as soon as he noticed it was me. The kid practically jumped over the table to scoop me up in his arms.

"Gordo!" I yelled hugging him back. He was just as tall as Chris and his hair was longer like Chris's too. Time is a funny thing, it changes all. We all sat down at a table while the teachers filed the rest of the students into the room. I vigorously searched for the rest of my friends, barely listening to the principal greeting the large group of freshman.

"It's a new year, here at Castle High. Lets make it count." he ended his speech allowing teachers to hand out Id cards and class schedules.

From behind I was placed in a choke hold and lifted from my seat. I panicked and thrashed around like crazy, until an evil laugh erupted into my ear drums. "Let her go Teddy." Gordie pleaded without much effort. Teddy Duchamp let me go and I turned around quickly to be face to face with him. My friend had grown taller but still looked like himself, crazy. Nothing ever changed with Teddy, that's why I loved him so much. No matter what he would always be Teddy, my insanely amazing best friend.

"Tara! You gots some titties now!" he stated forming two O shapes with his fingers over his chest. I rolled my eyes and waved him away.

"She does not." Vern stated coming from behind Teddy. My very short friend was still very short, but Chris was right, his shoulders made him look like a brick house. His neck was meaty but he had slimmed up a little. Everyone chuckled as I sat down again, covering my chest with my arms.

"Cool it guys." Chris defended also rolling his eyes. We all chatted about our summer vacation while waiting for our class schedules to compare with each other. Since my first name was Tara, it took them forever to get to me. But even longer to get to Teddy and Vern, but we didn't mind, it had been a while since we had all been together.

Vern said that at his grandparents his Pa made him work out ever day and eat right, something he had never done at his grandparents house before. Every break his family goes down there, they all eat until their stomachs get sore; but not this year. Vern said since his Pa had a heart attack this past spring, he's a health nut and everyone got in shape while they were there. I'm so proud of him, I've never seen him look and feel so good.

Chris said his summer was boring and he couldn't wait until everyone came home from their trips because he was in hell. He sadly continued stating that he hates when we go away and that we should never leave again.

"Chris, you know I didn't want to leave either. My summer consisted of the second family." that's all I had to say before the four of my friends knew the type of torture I had to go through over the summer. I go every year to spend time with my mom but only get to see her maybe ten minutes a day before she leaves me at home with the maids and my horrible siblings. I saw her husband twice out of a month, the two of them are just way too busy to spend time with any of their children. That's probably why the two of my step siblings are super brats from the pits of hell.

"That's too bad." Teddy stated, who had been sent to two different military camps over the summer. His mother couldn't handle his behavior so she shipped him off, not knowing that he would get kicked out of both camps for his attitude and physical deformities. He told us they let him stay but wouldn't let him do a lot of the physical activities that everyone else were doing so he acted out. Teddy shrugged it off but we all know how much the military means to him. Even if it was a way for his mom to have a break from him, he was in love with the idea of going. Unfortunately things don't always go the way we want.

Gordie said he read most of the summer until his trip to Portland interrupted his summer reading list. He said he had some really cool friend there, but couldn't wait to come home because he was stuck in a hotel room with his parents a lot of the time.

Soon all freshmen were told to leave to class and by the time everyone was settled into their lockers, desks, and classes; the day was already over. Out of five classes I only had two with Teddy and Vern. The other three I had with Chris and Gordie who were all in higher level classes. I had studied very hard last year because I knew that Chris was going to try too. I wasn't smart enough to get into their math class but it wasn't that bad, at least I could be with Teddy and Vern for the first semester.

I couldn't believed that the day had gone by so quickly and how much everyone had changed over the summer. It was a new school year, it was my year. Freshman year was all about me and my boys and nothing would ever get in the way of that.