Chapter 10

Gordie,

Meet me at the rock after class…something's been bothering you, I know it. Please don't skip out, ok?

Sara

The letter that was passed to him was short and to the point, much like Sara herself. He turned his head, giving her a quick glance. She grinned at him, mouthing the word 'Smile!' and he couldn't help but oblige, pasting an equally goofy grin on his face.

"Gordie, is there something you find amusing about Shakespeare?" Mrs. Hadley looked up from her cat-eyed reading glasses, a small smile tugging at her lips even though she was trying her hardest to play the authoritative role.

"Oh…no, not really," he murmured, sinking in to his chair, burying himself in to the textbook so his classmates couldn't see the tops of his blushing crimson cheeks.

The rock wasn't a rock as much as it was boulder, a giant beast of a monument planted near the flagpole. It was meant to 'symbolize Castle Rock's history', the mayor of their town liked to boast, an altar to the first settlers that had traveled through the Oregon plains in search of a new place to call their home.

Gordie knew that was a crock of shit, though. Teddy's dad had told them about how he'd delivered the rock himself with three other men, poor freelance workers looking to make a quick buck. The rock had probably come from the Home and Gardens depot downtown…either that or Teddy's dad had made up yet another story fabricated from his loony mind.

He was leaning against that very rock now, non-conspicuously trying to eye the crowd of students coming out of the school. Not only was he looking for Sara, but for any sign of his gang as well; usually they'd wait for him near the stairs so they could all walk home together, but today they weren't there.

'Chris probably led them out the back door so he didn't have to see me,' he thought bitterly. Gordie hadn't heard a peep out of any of his friends since Saturday (he was running late this morning, so his Mom had to drive him to school in their clunker of a station wagon, much to his embarrassment). He now wondered if he'd been out of line with Chris…in his own way, he really was just looking out for Gordie like he always did.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

He broke out of his daze and saw Sara trotting up to him. Her auburn hair, which swished around behind her in a ponytail as she jogged, complimented the iridescent white rays of the late September sun. The air was noticeably chilly now and both of them wore sweaters to ease the bite of the wind.

"You seem deep in thought," she observed. "So, how about you tell me why you've been acting so weird lately."

He shook his head, avoiding her eyes. "It's nothing…I guess I'm just not feeling like myself lately."

She brushed passed him, hoisting one leg up on to the rock so she could get better leverage and pulled herself up to a sitting position. He couldn't help but catch a peek up her skirt as she crossed her legs in front of her. "Come on up!" she exclaimed with a giggle. "It's really not as intimidating as it looks…I swear, this thing looks like it may have been plastic at one point."

He laughed and joined her up there, brushing the dust off his arms once he was settled next to her. They both watched the activity of Castle Rock Junior High in comfortable silence, watching the school buses push their doors open to let in hyperactive kids that were ready to get the hell out of there. Some straggled home in groups, tattered books in hand, while others lingered behind on the grass, stealing a quick smoke before getting on home. A couple of rowdy jocks were doing just that as they jabbed each other playfully with their baseball bats, cigarettes tucked in the corner of their mouths as the curse words tumbled out on the other side.

"God, I hate this place," Sara suddenly murmured. He was surprised to hear those words from her. She always seemed so bubbly and determined, like she knew that one day she'd get out of there but was content to have fun anyway while she was stuck. He guessed people will always find new ways to surprise him.

"You sound like my friend Chris…he can't wait to get out of here."

"Why, does he come from a lousy family or something?"

Normally Gordie would be uncomfortable sharing such private information with anyone outside of their circle, but he somehow felt at ease with Sara, like she'd never rat on him or betray his trust. "Yeah, he's a Chambers…your cousin hangs out with his brother Eyeball. Anyway, the Chambers name is far from good here."

"Oh, I see…well, I guess I can see why Chris would want to get away. Maybe he feels he'd could start fresh somewhere else, somewhere where nobody knows him."

Gordie nodded; he could almost feel the bark from an old oak tree in Back Harlow Woods scratching against the thin fabric on his back and the snot from Chris' nose dribbling on to the cuff of his shirt as he poured out his heart the night before they'd discovered Ray Brower. Chris had told him things he hadn't told anyone else, how he'd just wanted to disappear and leave this old town and his old man behind. Gordie had never felt as close to another human being before or felt so needed, and for once, just for that very instant…Gordie had no longer become the invisible boy to anyone.

"Yeah…yeah, he does feel that way," Gordie whispered.

"It seems like you guys are pretty close friends," she said, not without a trace of envy. "I never really had friends, to be honest."

"What? Why?" he asked quizzically. Sara was so refreshingly open and friendly that it was hard to imagine her without friends.

She shrugged. "I was too smart, I guess. Not trying to be mean, but all the girls who went to Westchester were too dumb and lazy. They hated me because I didn't kiss their ass or give them the answers on tests." She frowned, picking a leaf off of her sock and continued, "The kids are a lot nicer here, but I guess I just never really had time for anything but studying and trying to keep my parents happy."

"Wow, I never would've thought you to be that way…I always thought you were pretty friendly, perhaps too friendly." He grinned impishly at her, provoking a poke in the ribs.

She laughed. "I saw a similar soul in you, Gordie…don't be creeped out, but I've watched you in the hallways and just saw that same sad look that I felt so familiar with." Sara became unusually quiet, her eyes glazing over as she experienced an inner pain Gordie wasn't privy to. He watched her for a minute, then opened his mouth to speak.

"You don't seem so sad," Gordie remarked softly.

She chewed on her bottom lip thoughtfully and finally brought her eyes up to meet his. "Sometimes it's just easier to act tough and let the world think you're dealing with it than to let them know you're suffering. You know what I mean, Gordie?"

And the truth was, he did. He knew it from Chris and he even knew it from dealing with the loss of his brother Denny. All those nights spent locked in his room, trying to pen his thoughts on to paper, only to crumple the damned thing up and bury his tears in to his pillow, away from the prying eyes of his parents.

Gordie felt Sara's hand clasp in to his own, shy and self-conscious at first, but it gradually began to feel natural. He ran his thumb softly over the pale flesh on her hand and decided to take a chance. Leaning over, he tried to brush a kiss over her lips, but she moved and it ended up landing on her chin. She giggled, in fact they both did, their cheeks flushing, partly in embarrassment, but mostly in excitement.

"I suck at this," he admitted.

"So do I," she divulged with a shy chuckle. "Let's be awkward idiots together."

"I can do that," he said with a grin, putting a hand on her back to steady himself.

This time, his kiss was successful; their lips met gently and he lingered there for a moment, loving how silky smooth her mouth was. He could faintly taste strawberry gum on her lips. He also couldn't help but imagine Teddy cheering him on ('Go get her, tiger! Make a move further south!') so he broke away before he started laughing.

"Aw, now I've gotten a smile out of you," she teased. "You know, you still didn't tell me what was bugging you, but now that I see I've brightened your day, I shall forget all about it."

"You're too kind," he said playfully. He felt like he was on top of the world at that very instant and he only wished he had his friends there to share in his joy.

"Well, I better get going…Dad wants me at the shop by 3:30 and it looks like I'm already running late." She leaned over and gave him a shy peck on the cheek, a soft smile playing on her lips. "See you soon, Gordie."

"See you," he echoed, watching her walk off. His eyes trailed her as she snatched her bike up from the rack near the front entrance of the school and followed her as she turned down the corner and out of sight. Flutters of giddiness still danced around in his stomach as he replayed their kiss over and over again in his mind. He sat there on the boulder for what seemed like a long time, lost in his reverie, until he finally started to head home as the white afternoon sunlight blazed in to an orangey-red evening fire.

Chris trudged home, Teddy and Vern flanked on both sides, their backpacks becoming heavier by the minute.

"I wonder where Gordie went," Vern mused. "I swear I saw him in the hall ways today…didn't you see him, Chris?"

"No, I didn't see him, Vern," Chris said pointedly. The truth was, Chris had seen Gordie on top of the ol' Castle Rock monument after school. He'd been with that girl again, sitting awfully close together on top of the rock.

"He's probably with that Sara girl," Vern went on.

Teddy groaned loudly. "Man, he's always with her…he better not forget our 6th grade pact—friends always come before pussy, no matter how hot that pussy may be." Chris just stared at his friend, shaking his head incredulously. "What? It's just a fact, Chris!" Teddy exclaimed.

"I know it's a fact, but Gordie's gonna do his own thing any way. And I can't really do anything about that and neither can you."

"You're just jealous because you don't have a girl…admit it, Chris."

"I can get one any time I want," he defended. "I just don't want one, is all. Besides, the only girls around me are Eyeball's girls and I don't want no cheap whore."

"What?" sputtered Teddy. "Cheap whores are the best! Older, cheap whores are even better!"

"Then how come you don't have one, Teddy?" Vern asked innocently.

"Because your Mom's married, remember?" he shot back.

Vern made a face at him; the Mom jokes never ceased to put one on the defensive. "I really have to get you back one day…I'm just too damned tired to fight right now."

"Excuses!" Teddy jeered. "You will never get me back, just face it. Besides, nothing you can do will beat your Mom in bed. She's just that good." He smiled innocently.

"Whatever…see you guys later." Vern waved at his friends and they split their own ways. He walked up the gravel path that led to his house, whistling to himself. The scent of baking bread wafted from the open kitchen window, as well as a Bobby Darin tune from the radio his Mom kept blaring on the counter as she cooked. Mrs. Tessio was a teacher at the elementary school but always found time after her long hours at work to cook an elaborate meal, much to the chagrin of Vern's waistline.

"Hey, Mom!" he called as he walked passed her. Her head was buried in the stove as she splashed some seasoning over her roast beef. She straightened herself and looked at her son, pushing a sweaty strand of her chestnut hair out of her face.

"Hey, sweetie…how was school?"

"Fine…what's for dinner?" he asked eagerly, trying to peer over her to get a better look at the delicious food cooking on the stove.

"Roast beef, potatoes, string beans in garlic sauce, and plenty of biscuits," she said cheerily. "I cooked your favorites tonight!"

He beamed, knowing very well he was a Momma's boy but not caring at that moment. "All right, I'm gonna go do some homework before dinner," he lied, ready to dig in to the Playboy magazine Teddy had let him borrow.

"Okay…oh, Vern, let Billy know it's his turn to set the table today," she reminded him.

"Ok," he agreed, bounding up the stairs. He was about to pound on Billy's door when he heard two voices arguing in hushed tones. His notorious curiosity got the best of him, and even though the door was slightly ajar, he managed to flatten himself against it, his ear pressed gently near the crack.

"Ace is gonna kill 'em," one of the voices warned. It sounded like Eyeball Chambers. "He's biding time, but I really think he's serious."

"Fuck," Billy moaned, "now I gotta worried about Vern getting hurt. This is way out of control, man."

"What are you telling me for? I know. Ace has it in his head that he's gonna be stalking around the school soon…trying to find out where they are."

Vern paled and started to shake. This was even more serious than he'd thought. Frankly, he thought Ace just needed to blow steam and had forgotten about the whole mess on the first day of school, but apparently he was wrong.

"He knows there's that dance coming up," Eyeball went on. "If I were you, I'd tell Vern not to go. Tell him to lay low for a while."

"Shit, if Ace finds out I did that I'll be fucked!" exclaimed Billy.

"Don't pussy out, Tessio," Eyeball snapped. "You think I like doing this any more than you do? I don't want to be my brother's keeper and look like a damned idiot. But, man, you gotta…Ace means serious business."

There was a bit of silence for a moment and he strained his ear to hear the next words that came out of his brother's mouth.

"Ok, ok…I'll have to tell him in a way that won't look weird, you know? Make him think something better is going on the night of the dance, maybe bribe him somehow. I can't make him think Ace is gonna knife him."

'Oh man, oh man, oh man,' Vern thought frantically. He thought he might shit himself at the thought of Ace running at him when he least expected it, switchblade in hand. He was so consumed by his own fear that he didn't realize just how close to the door he was. His ear leaned in a little further, just enough to send the door back and expose him. Eyeball, who was pacing in the room, stopped talking to gape at Vern in surprise.

Billy jumped up from the bed, an angry glint in his eye. "What are you doing there? I told you not to be snooping around."

"I-I wasn't…I swear! I-I just wanted to tell you Mom said it was your turn to set the table…that's all!" he fumbled. He felt like he was going to hurl, but tried to play it cool for his brother.

Billy looked at Eyeball and they both seemed to be relieved. "Alright, I'll do it in a few…can you get out now?"

"Yeah, yeah sure," he agreed. His arm trembling, he quickly closed the door and ran to the bathroom, emptying the contents of his nervous stomach. He didn't feel so hungry now.