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I realize this is kind of going scene by scene, but just enjoy it and let me know what you guys think about this chapter in a review! :)
The boys had just stopped and parked their bikes beside the Deli. Next door was a Pharmacy.
Bill and Richie had sat Ben down on one of the concrete steps. He moaned, Eddie winced, looking at the bloody 'H' near the bottom of his stomach.
As Stan parked his bike he waited for Nora to get off to put the peg down. She recognized this building and the door; this is where she had met Mike. She mentally kicked herself for not asking him what he thought he saw. He looked scared... what could he have seen? Her thoughts were broken when Eddie kept going on about whatever he was babbling about.
"I mean, he's bleeding all over, and you guys know there's an AIDS epidemic happening right now as we speak! I mean my mom's friend in New York City got it just by touching a dirty pole in the subway, and she got AIDS blood into her system through a hangnail, a hangnail!", exclaimed Eddie. "And they can amputate legs and arms", he hesitated. "But how do you amputate waist?!"
"Good God, enough already! You're driving us insane, Eddie Spaghetti! Besides I call bullshit on that! I got tons of scrapes and none of them have killed me yet!", yelled Richie.
Eddie rolled his eyes as he threw his bike next to Bill's. "I told you to stop calling me that, Trashmouth! And it's not bullshit! It's all true!"
Richie scoffed. He had always sworn Ms. Kaspbrak's overprotective and demanding nature would be the death of Eddie.
"Richie, w-wait here", said Bill. "C-c-come on", he said to Eddie and Stan, who followed him down the alley and to the right. A little ding from the bell on top of a door was heard as the boys entered the drug store.
Sitting next to Ben, Nora wasn't at all offended that Bill hadn't addressed her. She'd be pissed off too if she was reminded that she stuttered. "Thank God I don't", she thought as she picked at some dried up grass.
"Glad I got to meet you before you died", said Richie as he stared down at Ben.
The two Toziers weren't surprised when Richie's attempt at a good first impression turned to shit. Nora extended both her arms in the air as if the say, "Really?"
Richie did the same, mocking her. "What?"
She ignored her cousin. "Don't mind him", she informed Ben. "He's been an idiot since birth." Still no response from the new kid. "I think he's adopted", she whispered the last part. Ben kind of smirked, but dropped it. Nora guessed it was because he might be intimidated by Richie's extroverted personality.
"I always thought Uncle John and Aunt Jenny adopted you from an insane asylum. That would explain all that crazy shit you do. Seriously what was that in the bathroom this morning?", asked Richie.
Ben chuckled.
Nora glared at them both. "That's not funny."
"I thought it was", stated Ben, staring at Nora in a way that made her uncomfortable. So he did have a mind of his own. She could respect that.
"So you can talk?", asked Richie.
"Yeah. You wouldn't know since you guys never talk to me. I know, I know, nobody ever talks to new kids", said Ben, still holding the spot on his stomach that was bleeding.
"I wish this one didn't talk to me", said Nora pointing at Richie. "But hey, we know you now."
"I guess", muttered Ben. "And hey, thanks for getting me out of there", he said looking up at Richie, who had begun kicking rocks around.
"Yeah, no problem Bub. Losers like us have to stick together."
"Losers?", asked Ben.
"Yeah. That's what Bill, Eds, Stanny Boy, and I call ourselves. We're kind of a club, basically outcasts. And no offense my friend, but you are on the flabby side. That's not a bad thing. But hey, that's the only reason Bowers would want to kill you", said Richie. "He's a real dick. Broke my glasses a couple times. Almost cracked Eddie's arm in half..." He cursed under his breath.
This 'shockingly' didn't make Ben feel any better.
"Anyway, you can hang with us. It's better than being a lone target", said Richie, placing a hand on Ben's shoulder.
"That's really comforting, Richard", said Nora sarcastically.
He ignored her, as he was for sure he had made up for his earlier comment.
Ben smiled as he looked back and forth at the Toziers. "So you two aren't brother and sister?"
"No!", yelled Richie.
"Gross", said Nora, shuddering at the thought.
"I wish I had a sibling. It would be nice to have an older brother looking out for me."
"Hey! I just said you're one of us now!", exclaimed Richie, trying his best to impersonate Batman.
Ben and Nora laughed.
The boys had come back. Eddie collapsed in front of Ben with quite the load of supplies. He just opened a small pack of cotton balls apart as Ben lifted his shirt. The majority of the blood had dried; he had to swat away some flies from landing on him.
"Just suck the wound", announced Richie as he tried to make light of the situation. He shoved Eddie forward a bit, dabbing the cotton on the blood.
"I need to focus right now", spat Eddie.
Nora was too busy watching this procedure to notice someone tapping on her shoulder. She looked up to see Stan next to her. She too stood up, lifting her elbow to reveal her bloody cut as well. It wasn't as bad as Ben's but it still needed covering up. Stan had opened the small tube of Neosporin, squirted a little on his finger and gently spread it around her small injury. With one hand he held her arm as he placed the bandaid over the cut. He was blushing slightly.
Nora couldn't help but stare at Stan too much to watch what he was doing; she counted the limited freckles on his face. She smiled. His eyes were beautiful; the minute his met hers, he smiled sheepishly as well. "There you go", he said, satisfied with the job he had done, once again, rubbing the bandaged area to make sure it would stay put.
In his mind she was a bit odd, not as big as a talker as Richie, but she seemed insecure. He remembered that her hair was much longer than it was now. It looked... pretty. Her skin was soft; he wasn't sure his blistered palms felt right on her smooth ones. Those hazel eyes seemed to stare into his soul. But the fact is, well, he didn't mind.
"Thanks", she said gratefully. Nora mentally kicked herself again. Why was she acting so helpless when Ben was the one with the real injury? Pathetic. Their eye contact was broken from the obnoxious continuation of Eddie and Richie bickering.
"Yeah, can you go get me something?", asked Eddie. He had just administered the biggest bandage he could to Ben's stomach.
"Oh, what do you need?", asked Richie.
"Go get my bifocals, they're in my second fanny pack. It's hanging on my bike."
The group chuckled.
"Why do you have two fanny packs?", asked Stan.
Eddie became irritated as he dropped the alcoholic swaps. "I need to focus right now, it's a long story. Just get it!"
"I don't want to hear it."
"Ben from Soc?", came a voice from down the alley.
"You have to suck the wound before you apply the bandage. It's basic!", said Richie enthusiastically.
"You dont know what you're talking about", said Eddie, scratching his head.
"Are you okay, that looks like it hurts", said the voice. It was a girl. Once she approached the group, everyone except Bill looked awkward in her presence.
Nora immediately felt uneasy as she stood behind Stan. Just from this girl's appearance alone made her feel self conscious. From her red hair to her clothes, she made Nora look like she was basically trash. She recognized her from school. What was her name? Greta Keane always called her something... Beaverly? No, it couldn't be that. Aside from the fact she smelled like an ashtray, she was decent looking.
"No, I'm good", said Ben, shoving Eddie's hands away, covering the cuts with his already bloody shirt. Trying to hide it was useless. "I just fell."
"Yeah, right into Henry Bowers", piped up Richie.
Bill stepped forward. "Shut it, R-R-Richie!", he stammered. Why did he look so flustered? None of his friends had ever seen him like this.
"Why? It's the truth."
Beverly Marsh smiled as her expression turned giddy. "You sure they got the right stuff to fix you up?", she said, not so subtly winking at Ben.
"You know w-w-w-w-we'll take care of him. Thanks again, Beverly", stuttered Bill.
As the Toziers, Eddie, and Stan glanced at each other, Nora tried to suppress a laugh; between Bill stuttering and Richie's confusion, it was all too much for her to hold in. She snickered, not even caring that Beverly saw her.
"Sure, maybe I'll see you around", said Beverly, appearing to have ignored Nora. She turned her attention back to Bill.
Bill smiled. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. "Yeah, we were maybe thinking about going to the q-q-q-quarry later, if you wanna... come?"
"Good to know. Thanks", said Beverly Marsh. Taking one last look at the gang, she turned looking flawless nonetheless and waved behind her shoulder before walking the rest of the way down the alley and disappearing into the streets.
Once she was gone, Bill glared at Nora, for she had finally let out the laugh she was holding in. Under Bill's cold manner she faked it out as a cough. She was saved by Stan.
"Nice going, bringing up Bowers in front of her", he reprimanded Richie.
"Yeah, you heard what she did", said Eddie, letting out a breath of relief.
"What'd she do?", asked Ben.
"More like who'd she do. From what I hear, the list is longer than my wang!", exclaimed Richie, touching the front of his pants.
"That's not saying much", murmured Stan.
Nora stuffed her hands in her pockets. "She's said to be the biggest slut in Derry. I heard she had a threesome with Bowers and that crackhead from Biology, in her own house. I guess her dad didn't give a shit."
"They're j-j-just rumors", said Bill, coming to the defense.
"She did help us out in there, though", said Eddie. "I would have had the money. But my mom kept my allowance to buy me a new inhaler."
"How did she help you?", asked Nora.
"She messed up that pervert of a drug dealer", informed Stan. "We could've taken more than our fair share had Eddie not knocked over those stamps."
Richie scoffed. "Anyway, Bill had her back in third grade. They kissed in the school play! The reviews said that you can't fake that kind of passion", he informed Ben, who looked put out. "Now, pip pip and tally-ho my good fellows, I do believe this chap requires our utmost attention!" What was with Richie and all these fucking impressions? "Now get in there Dr. K and fix him up!"
Eddie was once again thrown to the ground. He picked up the swabs and had returned to what he was doing. "Why don't you shut the fuck up, Einstein, because I know what I'm doing and I don't need you doing the British guy routine!"
"Suck the wound. Get in there!", said Richie.
"God Richard! Quit being disgusting!" complained Nora.