You Only Get What You Give
Disclaimer: I don't own Stand By Me...etc, etc, etc
"Gordie," Randi called, outstretching her arms, "Ahhhh! I haven't seen you in like..."
"Forever?" Gordie finished with a grin. She ran to him and gave him a huge hug. "Ooof," Gordie grunted. "That's okay, I don't need breathing room or anything."
"Sorry," she said, pulling back. "Boy Gord-o, you sure grew!" She looked him up and down.
"I don't look at all different, you're the one who's changed!" Gordie challenged. She blushed. Then it was Gordie's turn to examine her. He hadn't seen Randi Riverton since the summer after Denny's death, before he and his friends looked for the body of Ray Brower. His parents sent him to camp to get him out of the way. That was about three years ago. Three years is a long time when you're 15, as both of them were now. Back then, Randi had long brown hair and glasses. Now, she was more sophisticated, though still a tomboy, and her hair was much shorter. She still had the same deep green eyes that seemed to look right through you. She smiled cockily at him.
"Gordie, I'm so glad my parents decided to move up to Castle Rock," she said happily. She had lived in Astoria, Oregon when she met Gordie at a summer camp. Her parents had sent her because her brother was going off to college, and they wanted to get him ready without Randi interfering. She befriended Gordie, and really identified with him. They found out that they both had a passion for writing, even though Randi was always saying how much better Gordie was. That's one of the main reasons they were able to keep in touch the past few years. A couple of weeks ago, Randi's parents wanted to move closer to their son's college, so he could live at home during the summer, but they still wanted to live in a small, more intimate town. Randi suggested Castle Rock, since she knew that's where Gordie lived. She had just arrived, and ran the few streets down to Gordie's house as soon as she was out of the car.
"I'm glad too," Gordie said.
"It's so exciting, we have the whole summer to bond again, before school starts!" she smiled brightly. "So, what do you do around here for fun?"
"Well, you could meet my friends, if you want," Gordie suggested.
"Man, I would love to meet the people that have molded my Gordie into the well adjusted boy he is today," she grinned. Gordie laughed. He had forgotten how whacked out her sense of humor was.
"I'll take you to the tree house," Gordie said, and he and Randi walked over to the tree house in the field around the corner. When they approached it, Gordie held up his hand. "Let me go up first, and uh...let them know you're a...um..."
"Girl?" Randi supplied.
"Um...yeah," Gordie said sheepishly.
"Be my guest," Randi said, waving her hand. Gordie climbed up the tree and knocked on the door.
"Hey Gordie," called a voice from inside. Gordie climbed up and smiled at his friend Chris Chambers, who had spoken.
"Hey Chris, hey guys," Gordie said, referring to his other two friends, Vern Tessio, and Teddy Duchamp. Vern smiled, and Teddy nodded a hello, still engrossed in his card game with Chris.
"I knock," Teddy said.
"Shit," Chris mumbled.
"Sweet deal, I win for once!" Teddy cried happily. Chris grinned and laid his cards on the table, proving otherwise. "Damn you Chris....damn you to hell and back, man," Teddy mumbled angrily, grabbing the cards and shuffling again.
"Uh guys?" Gordie spoke up. "Remember I told you about my friend, Randi?"
"Oh yeah, I forgot your buddy was moving here today," Chris said.
"Well, she's here, and-"
"She?" Teddy asked incredulously. "I thought it was a guy!"
"Since when is Randy a girl's name?" Vern asked curiously.
"Since now!" a voice called from the ground. The guys scrambled to open the door, and Randi climbed up.
"Sorry, but it was getting seriously boring standing out there." The boys watched as she sat down, in her blue jeans and army green button down shirt. She settled down next to Gordie, and ran a hand through her hair. It was silent for a moment, until Randi poked Gordie and whispered, "Um, they're staring at me...and it's making me feel all uncomfortable-like."
"We don't get a lot of girls," Gordie whispered back.
"I'm Chris," Chris said, extending his hand. Randi shook it and grinned.
"I've heard about you. So the other two are Vern and Teddy. Teddy's the one with the glasses and the dog tags...Vern's the one without the pennies."
Gordie, Chris, and Teddy laughed, while Vern muttered something about needing more time to look.
"Guys, this is Randi Riverton, my friend from camp," Gordie introduced.
"Randi Riverton? Nice name," Teddy laughed.
"My dad's an English teacher, he's all about alliteration," Randi joked. Gordie laughed, but Teddy, Vern and Chris looked confused.
"Alliteration...ya know...words with the same sound at the front..." Randi floundered. The guys looked at her oddly. "This is gonna be a long rest-of-my-life," she sighed.
"So, Teddy..." she said, trying to make conversation, "Gordie told me that you wanna be in the army?"
"Definitely," Teddy said automatically.
"I wanted to, but I'm gonna be a writer," Randi said.
"Girls can't be in the army!" Teddy said.
"They should be allowed to," Randi huffed. "I'm as strong as any guy I know."
"Well maybe that's 'cause you're friends with Gordie!" Chris joked.
"Piss up a rope!" Gordie shot back.
"No way man! Girls aren't stronger than guys!" Teddy exclaimed.
"Not all girls, just some," Randi argued.
"No way," Teddy said simply.
"Do I need to kick your ass?" Randi asked.
"I don't fight girls," Teddy scoffed.
"Come on, outside, let's go," Randi called, dragging Teddy to his feet. They both went outside, and Gordie, Chris, and Vern scrambled after them.
"Are they really gonna fight?" Vern asked.
"I think so," Gordie said.
"I've got a quarter on Teddy," Chris whispered, as Teddy and Randi stood facing each other, ready to pounce.
"You're on," Gordie said. "I hope you've got a quarter to pay me."
"Come on Duchamp," Randi teased, "You scared?"
Teddy scowled, and they leapt at each other, and wrestled. They rolled around until Teddy had pinned Randi.
"Gotcha," he smiled. She pushed him and they continued to wrestle, until Randi had pinned Teddy.
"Got YOU," she grinned. Teddy tried to get up, but she held him down. "Say mercy," she taunted.
"Mrrrrsss," Teddy mumbled.
"What? I can't hear you!" Randi laughed.
"Mercy," Teddy said louder. Having felt that she embarrassed him enough, Randi let Teddy up. Chris diligently searched his pocket for a quarter and handed it to Gordie.
"Are you making money off me Goorrr-donnnn?" Randi asked.
"Just a quarter," Gordie said.
"Shouldn't I get a cut of that?"
"Sure thing," said Gordie, handing her the quarter.
"Man, you're not keeping any of it?" Teddy asked, laughing. "You really are a wet end, Lachance."
"Didn't you just get beat by a girl?" Chris reminded him.
"Shut up," Teddy growled.
"I'm gonna go look for my pennies," Vern said. "I'll see you guys later."
"See ya Vern," Chris said, and Vern waved as he walked off.
"Yeah, I should probably go too," Teddy said, and he ran off to catch up with Vern.
"My parents might need help unpacking," Randi said.
"I'll walk you home. You coming Chris?" Gordie asked.
"Nah, I'll probably hang around here for awhile," Chris mumbled. Gordie instantly understood, Chris' dad was most likely home.
"I'll come back after I take her home," Gordie said quietly.
"No, it's okay," Chris smiled faintly.
"You sure?" Gordie asked.
Chris nodded.
"Well...bye Chris," Randi said.
"Bye Randi, it was...interesting meeting you," Chris smiled.
"See you later," Gordie said.
"Not if I see you first," Chris winked, and walked back to the tree house.
"He seems nice," Randi said, as she and Gordie walked to her house.
"He is," Gordie replied.
"I like your friends," Randi said.
"They seem to like you," Gordie said.
"I hope I didn't scare 'em," Randi said.
"I don't think you did," Gordie told her.
"That Teddy's kinda cute..." Randi thought aloud.
"Huh?" Gordie asked, stopping.
"Gordie's lost his hearing!" Randi cried, grabbing Gordie by the shoulders and shaking him. "CAN YOU HEAR ME GORDIEEEEE?" she yelled, still shaking him. He squirmed from her grip.
"I heard you, it was more of a 'I do believe my ears doth deceive me' kind of 'huh'," Gordie clarified.
"Ooh good, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to talk to you anymore because you were deaf."
"So wait, you like Teddy?"
"I don't know. He's kinda cute. Why, do you not like him or something?"
"I like him, I just...keep forgetting you're gonna be liking...my friends...and guys...and stuff...." Gordie mumbled.
"Would you rather me like girls and stuff?" Randi asked.
"No, thanks, more competition is all I need," Gordie rolled his eyes.
Randi shook her head and laughed.
"I wonder if Teddy likes you," Gordie mused.
"Well he did just meet me," Randi said, "And considering we fought, it was a bit of an odd meeting at that, so I don't think he's going to propose just yet."
"Oh he'll wait until at least the second date for that," Gordie joked.
"But seriously, I don't know what you're all worried about...guys don't LIKE me," Randi said, kicking a stone.
"Oh shut up Randi. What about Stevie at camp?"
"He collected bugs and picked his nose," Randi said simply. "He doesn't count."
"They were really nice bugs," Gordie pointed out. Randi laughed and smacked him.
Randi sighed. "I don't know, I mean, no guys back at my old school ever showed any interest in me. Unless it was to arm wrestle. And that was for money," Randi said.
"That's the one way to get to a girl's heart! Arm-wrestling!" Gordie cried.
"Oh yes, and it melted me into a puddle-o-Randi," she joked.
"I bet you'd like a guy who tried to fight you on a date," Gordie laughed.
"Only if he bought me dinner first," Randi smirked.
"Man, it's great having you back," Gordie said with a grin.
"I missed you a lot Gordie. The only friend I had back at home was my cousin," Randi admitted.
"Well, that's on account of the fat that you're so damn unlikable," Gordie joked.
"Gordie Lachance!" Randi chastised, "Watch your damn mouth."
"So is this your new house?" Gordie asked, pointing to the house with the moving van in front of it.
"No, that family must have got a new car," Randi quipped.
"It's the Peterson's old house," Gordie remarked, ignoring Randi's comment.
"Any ghosts or other such shit I should be aware of?"
"What happened to watching your mouth?" Gordie asked, grinning.
"I watched it," Randi said.
"Yeah, watched it say 'shit'," Gordie laughed.
"Oh screw you Lachance," Randi laughed.
"I'm gonna let you go. Me and the guys will have to show you around or something tomorrow."
"Or something," Randi rolled her eyes.
"Shut up, you'll love this town."
"I'll love it 'cause you're here," Randi hugged Gordie, and walked to her porch.
"Bye Randi," Gordie called. Randi waved goodbye and went inside.
Gordie walked home as the sun set. When he got there, he turned and started walking in the opposite direction. Gordie went back to the tree house, and stayed with Chris.
A/N : Please review, I really appreciate it :) Also, did you catch that she used to live in Astoria, Oregon? Prepare for an eventual Goonies cameo! Hee hee.