Sh(IT) starts getting real soon...

And yes, I'm aware that Richie is talked (and written) about a lot in this but there's a good reason. He's got a huge part in this story and is definitely one of the MAIN characters.

Also, I ATTEMPTED some Billverly, Phieilly, so you're welcome lmao, but there'll be more next chapter so... it wasn't THAT bad I hope XD

A while after Richie started playing the guitar, Will left, telling them he had to go talk to his mom at work and then go change into his swim trunks, in which Richie yelled after him,

"Excuses, excuses!" Will tried to keep from laughing when he heard a loud slap and then Richie scream like a girl.

Will did, in fact, have to go talk to his mom, and once he did, he drove back home. He still had about an hour until everyone was going to meet at the quarry, so he decided to draw and listen to music for a while. He still plays the mixed tapes Jonathan had made him years ago, and sang along absentmindedly to Should I Stay or Should I Go.

By the time five fort-five rolled around, he'd completed his picture, which didn't sit well with him. Not because it was bad, but because it was creepy as hell. It was a clown, bright red hair, a creepy smile, with it's hands behind his back with a balloon floating behind him. Will made a face, biting his lip and putting the picture it a folder and changing into his swim trunks. He as going to ride his bike to the quarry since he didn't live far from it.

He left as soon as he changed and was riding down the trail when he heard a giggle, and a creepy voice say,

"Will the Wise, would you like a prize?" He looked around but didn't see anyone.

"Who's there?" He called, stopping. It was silent for a moment, and there was another giggle, this time from behind him. His breath caught in his throat and he turned around and saw a red balloon, just floating in the middle of the trail, a couple feet away from. Another giggle, and the balloon popped. He started moving again, faster than before, and was met with everyone except for Richie, and Eddie.

"Hey Will!" Dustin yelled, jumping in the water from one of the smaller cliffs. He shook his head.

"Mike, can I talk to you for a second?" Will asked. Mike nodded and jogged over to him.

"What's up?"

"Something weird-no, creepy weird just happened." Mike raised an eyebrow and Will explained to him what happened.

"Are you sure it wasn't just Richie being a creep?" Speaking of the devil and he shall appear, Richie walked up behind him and put an arm around his shoulders.

"My, my, my, how can you call me a creep, when you've only known me a couple of hours? Aye, twinnie boy?"

"Richie, you're a creep. I think it's established in the first five minutes of talking to you." Stan said, walking past him.

"Fuck you Stan!" Richie then followed Stan, poking at his sides.

Mike looked at Will, who rolled his eyes.

"But I'm sure it wasn't him. It sounded nothing like him."

"Well..." Mike bit his lip, debating on whether or not telling him about the clown from a couple weeks ago.

"What?"

"Richie! Stop or I'm gonna kil-" Eddie's voice was cut abruptly when Richie threw Eddie into the water. Eddie reemerged, coughing and glaring at Richie. "I fucking hate you, Richie."

"I'll uh, I'll tell you later. We should probably make sure Richie doesn't get murdered." Richie was currently being held under the water by, not surprisingly, Eddie and Stan, but Lucas and Max as well. "Hey! I don't want to arrest anyone for murder so let him back up!" He yelled, jogging over to them. Richie popped up, coughing and throwing up his hands, flipping the four off.

"I hate you guys so fucking much it's ridiculous." Richie said, glaring at them.

"Oh come on, Richie, you know we were just messing with you." Eddie said, rolling his eyes.

"Y'all play to fucking much." He grumbled, swimming back to shore. He rubbed his eye. "Got my fucking contact all outta wack."

"Oh shit, does this mean you're pulling out the glasses?" Ben asked, hopeful.

"Hell no, not while we're swimming at least. " Richie said, taking his contacts our and squinting at everyone. "You guys are just gonna be blobs for now." Everyone chuckled at that. "And I'ma get all y'all back for that shit. Coulda killed me."

"You're welcome for saving your ass." Mike said, walking past him and wrapping his arms around El. "Told 'em I didn't want to arrest anyone for murder so they let you go."

"Wow, I feel loved." He deadpanned. "Anyways, fuck this pissed off shit, I'ma go cliff diving." He ran off towards the smaller cliff where Dustin jumped, Ben, Mike H, Max, and Stan following him.

"I can't with this dude." Max said, floating around in the water, watching Richie pretend to run and jump but then stop, multiple times. Everyone was in the water now, just watching them.

"Is he on crack?" El asked. Eddie snorted.

"No, but I wonder that too sometimes."

Bill and Bev were off in the middle of the water, floating on their backs, hands intertwined. They were just listening to everyone laugh and joke around, splashing each other or attempt to play chicken.

"I missed this." Bev said, quietly.

"Me too." He replied.

"I can't believe that I haven't seen you guys in seven fucking years."

"I know, it's crazy. We haven't changed all that much, just a little more mature. I can't say that for Richie though." She snorted.

"I love Richie. You know, if he and Eddie ever get married and have kids I'm gonna be their surrogate." She said, randomly. He looked over at her, an eyebrow raised.

"Really?" He asked, surprised.

"Why do you sound so surprised?"

"I j-just d-d-did-shit! I didn't t-think you ever wanted to have kids." He bit his lip nervously.

"No I do, I've changed a lot too, Bill. When Mike's sister, Nancy, had his niece, I had baby fever for months. I want that." She sighed. "And I want Richie and Eddie to be happy, you know? After all the shit they dealt with with their parents, and all the negativity in Derry for them being together."

"I understand. I want it too." He nodded and she smiled. "Wait, how did you know about all that?"

"Don't tell him I told you this, but Richie used to, well, he still did up until the other day, he'd call me all the time, especially during high school, and rant over his parents or the assholes at school. We'd have these cheesy conversations about Eddie for hours. He told me he wants to marry him. And guess what?"

"What?"

"It's legal here." She said, smiling. He smiled.

"Well, one of them better hurry up and grow a pair and propose." Bev grinned and looked away from him.

"I know something you don't know!" She sing songed. His eyes widened.

"Is Richie-?" She just shook her head and put a finger to her lips. His jaw dropped and he looked at the couple. Eddie was sitting on Richie's shoulders, playing chicken against Mike and El and the latter were winning. "Say a word and you're dead, understand, Denbrough?" He snorted and nodded.

"I shant say a word to no one." She laughed at that. He swam closer to her, having drifted apart, and hugged her to him. "I love you, Bev." She looked up at him, surprised that he just came right out and said it. The two had kinda sorta been dating long-distance for a while and no one knew about it. She smiled and kissed him gently,

"I love you too, Bill."