Ok guys. Here is chapter 2 for you. Again I apologise for any spelling/punctuation mistakes.

I don't own Stand By Me.

I do own the DVD though. And Flick, Auntie M and Barb.

The sky was finally getting dark as the last few customers left. We weren't closing just yet though. I knew for a fact that the Cobras were coming back. They couldn't resist Auntie M's Apple Pie. No one could. As I was wiping down a table, three boys walked in, all chatting loudly. And judging by the way Teddy Duchamp was holding his hands out in front of his chest; they were once again discussing Annette's tits. I couldn't help but smile as he led Vern Tessio and Chris Chambers over to a table.

"You boys want anything?" I asked walking over to them. Teddy raised his eyebrows suggestively.

"I wouldn't mind a piece of you babe." He replied winking.

"Three chocolate sundaes?" I rolled my eyes ignoring Teddy.

"With extra sprinkles" Vern asked excitedly.

"If you want." I smiled

"Sincerely?" It wasn't often we were allowed to put extra sprinkles on top of our sundaes. But for a few our favorite customers we made an exception. Providing the Diner wasn't packed.

"Sincerely." I nodded. "Hey where's Gordie?"

"Haven't seen him all day." A bad feeling had been niggling away at me all day, but I hadn't really paid any attention to it. But at Chris's reply, it came back full force. And about a hundred times worse.

"Let me get your sundaes and I'll be back." I decided to ignore it and hope that everything would be ok.

"I only want one if you're covered in it." Teddy shouted to me. That boys mind got dirtier by the day.

Auntie M came out from the back room as I was adding the sprinkles. Placing her hand on my waist. "Come on baby. It's time to start getting ready."

"But it's only Seven Thirty." I looked at the clock, raising my eyebrow.

"Yes, but looking nice takes time. I'll be out back." With that she disappeared again. Grabbing three spoons, I took the ice cream over to the boys and sat down for a moment to tell them what was happening. With what looked like half of his sundae down his face already, Vern spoke up.

"But you always look nice."

"Vern did I give you a spoon?" I asked sarcastically.

"Yeah. It's right here." He held it up for me to see. "These things are too small though. Sincerely." I chuckled as he dug back in. Teddy pushed his towards me, offering me some. I took a spoonful using the spoon I had hidden in my pinny for such occasions as these.

"For once, Vern's right." He added as I swallowed the ice cream.

"Yeah, you always look pretty." Chris nodded.

"I would have said beautiful." Teddy mumbled, not taking his eyes from his ice cream.

"Flick come on honey. If you want my help it has to be now." I nodded, realising she was right.

"Will you guys stay? I need an outside opinion on what to wear."

"Isn't that what Auntie M is f-"Vern was cut off by Teddy placing his hand over his mouth.

"Sure we'll stay."

"Thanks guys." I smiled as I got up and headed to the back room. Teddy wiping his now ice cream covered hand on Vern's shirt.

The first dress was blue and strapless. (Auntie M had made me discard my bra as soon as I'd set foot in the room.) That ended just below my knees. It was also a little on the tight side where my chest was concerned. This did not go unnoticed by the boys. I couldn't tell if Vern was shocked by the fact that my cleavage was showing or if he just has brain freeze.

"Don't breathe in too much. It looks like you're going to pop out any second." Chris said as he spun me. Barb, who was wiping down tables, nodded vigorously.

The second was a purple number that I desperately hoped the boys would like. Purple was my favorite colour. It also matched my ribbon. As Vern spun me round, they noticed what I was hoping they wouldn't. The shoulder straps were a little big. Causing more of my chest to be revealed than was necessary. Thankfully not all of it. "Next." Teddy said dismissively.

The final dress, and my last hope, was red, with the strap round the neck. It cut off just above my knees. The bell tinkled as I was slipping into it.

"I'll be right back sugar. Don't forget to spray some perfume." Auntie M told me as she closed the door behind her. "Boys." I heard her shout in gleeful greeting as she reached the counter. It was the Cobras for sure. There was no mirror in here; I don't think she actually thought someone would wear them in here, so I had to trust the boys. It felt comfortable. It also didn't show off too much cleavage. There was however, one problem.

"Auntie M, can you zip me up?" I shouted through the door.

"Sure thing. Come on out Baby." She could not be serious. Go into the Diner with half my back showing? The Cobras would have a field day. But what choice did I have? So spraying myself with the perfume Auntie M had left for me, I took a deep breath and pushed through the doors.

As I turned my back towards Auntie M, I noticed that everything had gone quiet. You could have heard a pin drop. I turned back around as someone dropped their fork on the floor, to find that all the Cobras were staring at me. As were the other three boys.

"I think this is the one." Auntie M said over my shoulder.

"That's definitely the one." Teddy shouted. To my surprise, no one looked over at him, or told him to shut up.

"Wait right there." She rushed back to the dress room, to return moments later with a white cardigan and a red pair of heels. "Don't put the cardigan on just yet, wait till you get outside or you won't feel the benefits. And put these on. They're not too high, so you should be just fine." She told me as I slipped the shoes on. Taking my hand, she helped me walk around the counter towards the boys, where Teddy took my hand to spin me. The three of them had smiles on their faces.

"Just one thing though." Chris said scrutinizing me. "Something's missing."

"What's that?" I asked looking down. Should I have worn tights?

"I got it." Teddy reached up and untied the ribbon, allowing my hair to once again fall free. He took my hand and tied the ribbon round my wrist making sure it was secure without it cutting off my circulation. He spun me again. The room blurred once more before I came to a stop. "Perfect."

"Sincerely." Vern added.

"Denny isn't going to know what hit him." I giggled at Chris's comment as Teddy pulled me back into the booth next to him.

"And now we wait." I said looking up at the clock. It was only Quarter past Eight. Had it really taken that long to try on three dresses? "What time do you guys have to be home?"

"In Fifteen minutes." "Nine." "Whenever. My Dad doesn't care." They all answered together.

"I'm worried about Gordie." I asked, abruptly changing the subject. It wasn't like him to not be with his friends. Or for his friends to have not have heard from him.

"He's probably just helping Denny get ready." The mere mention of Denny gave me butterflies. "Don't worry about him." Chris added.

Half past Eight was finally here. But Denny was not. I wasn't too worried though. Denny was never always on time. Hell, who was? But the feeling was getting worse. Teddy took hold of my hand to stop me drumming my fingers on the table as I looked out the window. I smiled my appreciation at his as he continued talking to the guys.

"Boys." Auntie M made her way over. "I think it's time you headed home."

"But we want to see Denny's face when he sees how pretty she looks." Vern voiced.

"But I don't want your mother's worried about you." Playing the worried mother card never failed. The three of them all had respect for their mothers and didn't want that either. Grudgingly, they all got up, kissed me on the cheek or hugged my goodbye, wishing me Happy Birthday as they did so, and made their way to the door.

"Memorise his face and tell me all about it in the morning." Teddy said turning to wink at me, then ducking as Auntie M threw a balled up napkin at him. I laughed as they left, missing them already.

By Quarter to Nine, I fully felt the impact of the boys not being here. There was no one to distract me and the seconds were ticking by agonizingly slowly. In the reflection of the glass, I could see the Cobras clearly. They kept throwing glances my way. But I did not look back, or acknowledge the fact that they were there. Every time they laughed, I felt it was at me and the fact that I was apparently dateless.

My eyes were beginning to droop. Shutting them for a while, with my head in my arms, I suddenly remembered the present Denny had given me. I had not opened it. Instead of getting up to retrieve it, I made a deal with myself. If Denny Showed up at some point tonight, no matter how late it was, I would open it at his arrival. If he did not and I was left to the walk of shame, I would give it back at the first opportunity and end it with him. Please show up. I chanted over and over again in my mind

I heard the phone ring when the bad feeling was at its worst. At this point I just wanted the ground to open up and swallow me whole.

"Flick." Oh God, I thought as Auntie M called to me from the counter. Opening my eyes and raising my head slowly, I couldn't help but hope she was going to tell me she could see Denny, looking handsome and ready to go. But her face told me otherwise. She too was worried. "It's for you baby." Slipping off the heels, I made my way past the Cobras, behind the counter and up to Auntie M. I could feel everyone's eyes on me as I attempted to find my voice.

"Who is it?" I asked, hope filling my voice.

"I don't know baby." In other words, it was not Denny. She squeezed my hand as I walked through the door towards the phone. I picked it up from its resting place and held it to my ear. I could once again feel Ace's eyes burn into me as the door slowly swung shut. But I did not turn to meet his stare.

"Hello." I whispered nervously with my back against the wall.

"Flick? It's Gordie."

"Hi Gordie." A smile, albeit a small, one broke out on my face. "What's up?"

"Denny isn't coming."

"What do you mean?" My voice sounded dead. Gordie's voice sounded dead, void of all emotion.

"There's been an accident. Denny isn't coming."

"Will he be ok?" I asked. The bad feeling had suddenly lifted. It had been waiting all day for this moment to do so.

"No. He's never coming." He paused. "Denny's dead." I had known Gordie a long time. Long enough to know that he would never play a cruel joke like this. It took me a moment to find my voice, but when I did, I could only muster a whisper.

"Thanks for calling." I let go of the phone, not bothering to replace it. The tears falling as I slid down the wall.

Denny's dead.

I could feel my heart shattering as my body began to shake with sobs.

Denny's dead.

A song started up on the jukebox as I lay down on the floor and curled myself up into a ball.

Denny's dead.

The door squeaked open, but I did not look up. By this point my nose had started to bleed I was crying so hard. I heard a gasp as footsteps rushed over to me.

"EYEBALL!" Auntie M shouted as she gently placed a hand on my back.

Denny Lachance, the reason I looked forward to a new day, the reason I smiled, the reason I was finally happy in life, was dead.

And he was never coming back.

A/N: LOVE YOU!