Saturday, May 26, 1992
Derry, Maine

"So everyone comes home today?" Bev asked Bill. He nodded, but then realized she obviously couldn't see him and said,

"Yeah. I got in late last night, which is why I didn't call. I'm s-sorry."

"It's okay." He could hear the smile in her voice.

"Uh, I'm actually at the airport now, waiting in my car. Mike is meeting me here. I haven't seen or talked to Richie yet."

"I figured he'd be there, trash talking random people while he waits for his beloved Spaghetti Man." Bill chuckled.

"I know. I'm surprised I haven't seen him cursing someone out yet. But hey, he might be around here somewhere. Then again, I haven't really talked to him much in the last two years, so maybe he doesn't do that anymore." They were both silent for a few seconds and then they both laughed.

"Sure, I'll believe that when pigs fly." She said and he laughed. He looked up and saw Mike walking towards his car, so he said, "Hey, Mike is here, so I'll call you back later, okay?"

"Okay. Bye Bill."

"Bye Bev." He hung up the phone and got out to greet Mike. They hugged.

"How you doing, man?" Mike asked.

"I'm good! I just got off the phone with Bev, actually." He said, grinning. "How about you?"

"I'm good too, it's pretty boring without everyone here."

"Yeah, school is pretty boring too. I have friends there, but no one will compare to you guys." Mike grinned at him and clapped him on the back.

"So, where's Trashmouth, huh?"

"Right here mutha fuckas!" They turned around just as the tall, curly haired potty mouth walked up to them. "Sorry I took so long, I was out doing Eddie's mom if you know what I mean-"

"Beep beep Richie." Bill said, chuckling. Richie glared at him for a second, but his grin returned as he gave them each a one armed hug.

"Nah, I was practicing with my band at the park for our last show tonight." He told them as they began to walk into the airport.

"Your last show?" Mike asked as Bill asked,

"Your band? Since when did you have a band?"

"Are you guys breaking up or something?" Mike continued. Richie shook his head.

"Fuck no, they're like the family that actually gives a shit." He replied, looking around. He was nervous. He hadn't seen Eddie in a year, although they talked on the phone all the time, seeing and speaking to each other in person was so much better. "It's our last one until fall." He explained. "They're all going to visit family and stuff over the summer, or go on road trips or some shit." He shrugged and looked at Bill. "I've actually been with them for a little over four years now."

"How the hell do I not know about it then?" Richie just shrugged. "Well, which park is it at? I'm gonna come watch it tonight."

"It's at the one closest to the square." He answered.

"Sweet. What's the name of the band?" Bill asked.

"Take one guess." Mike said, chuckling.

"Hm...Trashmouth?"

"Ding ding ding, we have a winner, my good fellows!" He exclaimed, high fiving him. Richie looked behind the two, having been standing in front of them, and grinned, pushing past them to greet the next two losers.

"Stan the man and Haystack!" He exclaimed loudly, hugging the two.

"Richie Tozier, your hair is longer than Bev's used to be." Stan said, immediately. Richie rolled his eyes.

"Nice to see you too, Stanley." Stan narrowed his eyes, but then grinned.

"Hold up, where's the glasses?" Ben asked.

"Fuck if I know." He said, shrugging. "Somewhere in my appartment I guess. I finally got contacts."

"No offense, but you look weird without the glasses." Ben said. "I guess it's just because I'm used to your big ass eyes and you wearing them when we were younger."

"He looked like a fucking cartoon character." A familiar voice said, "A fucking cute one, at that." Richie grinned widely, all nerves gone, when he saw Eddie. He'd let his hair go, it was longer and wavy, almost like it wanted to curl, and it was all over the place, instead of combed back like usual.

"Spaghetti Man!" Richie exclaimed, rushing to him and almost picking him up in a hug tightly.

"Don't call me that!" Eddie exclaimed, but hugged him back just as tightly. Richie is a head taller than Eddie now, so Eddie's face was in his chest, where he could smell the cologne he's had to learn to love. "I missed you." He mumbled.

"I missed you too, Eds." Eddie bit his tongue at the nickname and just enjoyed the hug while it lasted. Someone behind them coughed and Richie flipped them off before finally letting Eddie go so he could greet the others.

"Anyone up for some lunch?" Mike asked, and they all agreed. They all got in Bill's car, Eddie having to sit in Richie's lap, which they were both fine with.

"I'm hungry as shit." Richie said randomly. "I haven't eaten anything yet today."

"Why? You've usually eaten like two full meals by now." Mike joked and Richie rolled his eyes.

"True, but we were up early writing and rehearsing today, so I didn't really get a chance too." He replied, wrapping his arms around Eddie's stomach.

"Rehearse for what?" Ben asked. Richie rolled his eyes and bit his tongue to keep from saying anything he'd regret.

"I'm in a band, have been for four years. Tonight's the last show until fall."

"They're so damn good it's ridiculous." Mike said. "I didn't even know Richie could play guitar, let alone sing."

"You sing?" Stan asked, surprised.

"Damn right I do."

"He's amazing." Eddie told them. "He used to sing to me all the time when we'd go to the-" Richie put a hand over his mouth.

"Shush your face, Spaghetti Man." Eddie licked Richie's hand and Richie grimaced, removing his hand and wiping it on Eddie's shorts. "That's fucking disgusting, Eds."

"I will fucking murder you, stop calling me Eds." He glared at Richie, who just grinned up at him cutely.

"You never know where his hand has been, Eddie." Bill joked.

"Fuck off mother fucker." Richie mumbled, making Bill laugh. When they got to the restaurant, they ordered their food and sat at a table, Mike, Bill and Ben on one side, and Stan, Eddie, and Richie on the other. They joked around for a while until their food came, and Bill finally said,

"So, um, I was wondering... Do you guys have any specific plans for the summer? I mean, I know you'll visit your parents and all but... Yeah." He scratched the back of his neck.

"Well I, for one, will not be spending much time with my mom." Eddie said before putting a forkful of salad in his mouth. Richie made a face, he hated salad. "So I'll probably just be with Richie or you guys." He said once he swallowed.

"I don't work on the farm much, just at the library so I won't really do much either." Mike said.

"Same." Ben added.

"I'll be alone in my parents house, probably cleaning and moving stuff around." Stanley said. His parents had left him their house and moved to the city.

"I'll be doing a shit ton of nothing." Richie said, flicking his balled up straw wrapper at Ben. "Since we're not doing anymore shows this summer, I'll probably just stay in my apartment like usual, but with Eds this time." Eddie elbowed him in the side and Stanley cringed at the implied thought.

"What about your parents?"

"Those mother fuckers? Yeah, not a chance. I haven't spent a full summer with them since I was 16 so that's not happening. They don't know anything about me, or care to, so fuck 'em. Anyways, Billiam, why do you ask?"

"Well, Bev and her Aunt have invited us to go out to Hawkins for the summer." He said, looking at them, waiting for them to react. "Her Aunt is apparently rich and wants to meet us, because Bev's told her all about us, so all expenses will be paid."

"I'm game." Mike said. "It'd be nice to get out of town for a bit, wouldn't you say, Richie?"

"Fuck yeah. I'd do anything to get out of this hell hole."

"That would mean I wouldn't have to run from my mom." Eddie said, his eyes widening, filling with wonder. "She wouldn't try to cut my hair." He seemed awestruck, so Richie grabbed his earlobe and tugged on it, causing Eddie to smack his hand away.

"You'd be completely free of your mom all summer." Bill said.

"I'm in." Richie held up a hand to high five him, but Eddie just ignored him. Richie snickered.

"Me too, I want to go somewhere other than college and Derry." Stanley said.

"What about you, Ben?" Mike asked. Ben shrugged.

"I'm all for it."