Hello, thank you so much for clicking on this story! When I stumbled upon Stand By Me I was fascinated with Eyeball's character, and I saw potential for him to have complexity and heart. I hope you enjoy this story from my heart.

The rating may change from T to M for future chapters, but I'll be sure to make a note when that decision has been made.

I own nothing, but my own characters.

Please review, it really helps! Now enjoy and stay safe!


"The most important things lie to close to wherever your secret heart is buried, like landmarks to a treasure your enemies would love to steal away." – Stephen King, The Body


"Do you think Billy would like it if I had this hairstyle?" Connie Palermo wondered aloud, pointing to the model in the glossy pages of a magazine.

Kneeling on the grass a few feet away from her, Penelope Summers furiously dug holes into her flowerbed, preparing a home for her seedlings. "However you decide to style your hair will be lovely," she said distractedly, ignoring the headshot of model Suzy Parker.

Connie lifted her sunglasses to observe her friend from the lawn chair. "Why don't we do something to your hair? I think you'd look real smokin' with some bangs."

Penelope shook her head self-consciously. "No, I'm perfectly content with how I look. Plus, I'm not crazy enough to let you anywhere near my hair with scissors."

Connie pushed her lips into a petulant pout, "Have it your way."

Penelope had moved to the tiny town of Castle Rock seven months ago, beginning of last February, when her father ran off with his younger secret girlfriend. After a night of too much wine her mother, hiding her heartbreak with outlandish behavior, threw a dart at a map, landing on Oregon. After days of bickering and driving, their van broke down in Castle Rock, and Ms. Summers declared it home. Penelope and Connie became friends only a month ago after being paired together for a science project. After Penelope accidentally added too many chemicals and caused their work to explode all over the teacher, Connie announced the beginning of their friendship.

"Why don't you plant flowers that are already bloomed?" Connie asked, eying the dirt caking Penelope's skirt hem.

"Because it's rewarding to help them grow," Penelope laughed, pushing the soil around the seedlings.

Connie just snorted and continued her flipping through the magazine.

Penelope did not mind hanging around Connie. They were not particularly close, and that's how Penelope preferred it. Distance was safe, secure. Besides, most of Connie's time revolved around her boyfriend, Billy Tessio. Billy was seventeen, a year older than Penelope and Connie. Oh, how proudly Connie strutted through the school's hallways the day she started dating a junior. Billy, Billy, Billy was all that passed through her lips. The relationship between Connie and Billy was as tempestuous as a high school love affair could get. But Penelope knew Connie lived for the drama. Their relationship did not bother her much. She wanted to be happy for her friend's happiness, but Penelope maintained her distance whenever Billy was near. Most of her discomfort towards the boy stemmed from his friends.

A roaring in the distance ceased the girls' hangout.

"I know that sound!" Connie squealed excitedly, leaping from her chair.

Smoothing out her skirt, Penelope tried to determine the sound's location while Connie fluffed her hair and poured tanning oil on her shoulders, causing the sun's rays to glisten off her smooth skin.

A 1949 Ford Convertible Coupe hurtled down the road. The car swerved from side to side like a spiraling toy thrown by a rambunctious child. A boy leaned out with a baseball bat in his hands. Penelope gasped as his bat sent her neighbor's mailbox flying off its post.

The display of vandalism didn't shock Connie. "Woohoo, Billy! Baby! Hey!"

As the car neared them, Penelope recognized the black hair of Connie's boyfriend sitting behind the wheel. They didn't appear to be stopping anytime soon, and they were heading for her mailbox! Penelope ran out to her mailbox, feet firmly planted with her hands on her hips. The young girl glared defiantly at the vehicle, silently daring the bat boy to swing at her.

The earsplitting screeching of car wheels pierced the air followed by angry curses at the disruption and insulting taunts concerning Billy's driving.

From behind dark sunglasses, Billy's annoyed scowl held all the macho bravado only a cocky high school boy could own. In the car with him sat the people Penelope dreaded the most, the notorious Cobras gang.

"Wow, Billy, you stopped so fast," Connie praised him as if he didn't almost run over her friend like roadkill.

"Well, we had a pedestrian on the field," he glared pointedly at Penelope, not bothering to greet his girlfriend.

"What are you fellas doing?" Connie asked, twirling a lock of hair around her finger and batting her eyelashes adoringly.

"Trying to settle a tied game," Charlie Hogan, a skinny blonde, huffed from the backseat before inhaling deeply from his cigarette.

Connie giggled, completely enraptured with their carefree, cocky attitude. She gestured to Penelope who still stood defiantly in front of her mailbox.

"Have you guys met my friend, Penelope Summers? We two girls were just hanging out until you hotheads joined us."

They didn't know her, but Penelope knew them. Everyone in town knew of the Cobras. The gang compiled only the most foul-mouthed, salacious, troublemaking boys in all of Castle Rock into its ranks. They flaunted their status as a Cobra member by brandishing a crude tattoo on their bicep carved by another member.

At the introduction, all eyes fell on her. She cursed her blushing cheeks, totally uncomfortable with attention. Their probing gazes took in the simple white button up and flowy tan skirt that hid her figure. The interest instantly turned to boredom.

"Can you move? You're interrupting our game," the denim clad boy with the bat snapped. Penelope met his glare evenly.

Castle Rock's local menace, Eyeball Chambers was a storm of boy who cruised through town for the sole purpose of rousing trouble with a reputation as dangerous and infamous as the scar above his right eye. Every girl at school lusted after him, so intrigued by his rough and tough persona, a total babe with his tan and dark brunette curls that he often slicked down. Penelope had never been unfortunate enough to meet him, though she had seen him often entering the local bar, but today her luck had run out.

"Please just go," she growled. The Cobras chuckled like she told a hilarious joke. "My mom will kill me if I let you damage our mailbox. So, will you kindly piss off?"

He pointed the bat at her face, the wood brushing against her nose. "You do everything your mommy tells you?"

"Aw, she's adorable," Charlie taunted from the backseat.

Eyeball smirked down at Penelope, slowing sizing her up. "I think she needs to remove that pole shoved up her ass."

Penelope smacked the bat away, "Eat shit, you good for nothing hood."

The boy just grinned, eyes burning with wickedness. "Oh, darlin', you better watch that mouth."

The Cobras cackled, raring for a fight, except one.

Her eyes swiveled to the blonde guy decked head to toe in black sitting quietly in the passenger seat. His relaxed, unassuming posture didn't fool her. He was the most dangerous one of all them. His calculating blue eyes observing her sent icy fear crawling down her spine.

The other boys were nothing but ravenous dogs following whoever would feed them, but not Ace Merrill. He was a spider spinning his web around Castle Rock and watched everyone else fly around like little bugs. He played with them until he was ready to sink his teeth into his victims to watch the life slowly drain from their bodies. The all-mighty Cobra King, Ace Merrill, now knew her name, and that fact alone caused dread to weigh heavy in her stomach.

"Ok, haha, let's all calm down," Connie teetered awkwardly, grabbing Penelope's shoulders and tried to pull her away. "Penelope's just been in the hot sun all morning gardening. How about we all hang out another time?"

Billy shook his head. "Sorry, babe, no can do, but I'll see you at school."

Penelope glanced back and met Eyeball's burning gaze. His lips returned to a lazy smirk. "See ya," he murmured ominously.

Before she could make a snarky comment, Billy slammed on the gas pedal, and the car catapulted forward. The car swerved around towards the girls, leaving angry skid marks on the road. Penelope flung herself back on the lawn to avoid being run down.

With raucous laughter, the Chambers boy leaned out the car and swung his wooden bat, soundly connecting with her mailbox, and sent it soaring.

"Asshole!" Penelope shouted after him.

Connie offered an uneasy smile, "Don't be so wound up, it's just Eyeball being Eyeball. Here, I'll help you put it back."

As the girl retrieved the mailbox, Penelope watched the car disappear, the storm that was Eyeball Chambers leaving a trail of battered mailboxes in his wake. She could still hear his taunting laugh.

"He better hope he never sees me again."