"There's not one time that she didn't know what to do," Alissa's father, Bobby, tells a fellow professor as they eat together in one table inside a fancy restaurant. Alissa sheepishly smiles at her father's remark as they talk about how she was in high school.
She was going to join community college, and she knew what to take. Her parents were excited for her. So was she, but there was something bothering her. The clown. How she couldn't get the stupid clown out of her mind.
How was she going to college if a clown kept creeping around? Or will it still be around after summer? These were her questions. She didn't pay attention to Bobby's fellow professors' advice. She just smiled at them lightly as she rehearsed what she'd tell Pennywise.
She remembers the last time he visited her in her room...
The clown came by like he always did. Asking for a name, complaining that he's starving. But everytime he went by, she neglected him. She stood her ground, she didn't give It a name. There was one time that he almost killed her, she knew it. She was walking home after applying for community college, and it was night time.
He followed her home, called her through the drainage. She stopped by and left, ignoring him. This angered the demon clown even more that he jumped on her in the middle of the street. It started to rain.
Alissa didn't shout, didn't ask for help, but she fought his might.
He had his hands on her face, clutching her, reminding her that he could hurt her. He showed his claws to her but this did not shake her. Pennywise hated her guts, but he secretly fed off her curiosity on why Pennywise didn't hurt her even if she denied him.
And secretly, Alissa loved every second of Pennywise forcing her to give him what he wanted. He enjoyed the clown needing her. She loved the feeling of being needed again.
Pennywise secretly feeds on millions of questions forming inside Alissa's head. It didn't know specifically, but It knew that everyday and everytime It returned to her, she'd wonder greatly why It never hurt her. It fed off this curiosity and it pleased him. How he could not wait for the day that he could finally eat her and rest. Pennywise loved that he made her think that he could not eat her alive. He started to make himself excited as he imagined how she'd act when she finds out that he could eat her up in one bite all this time.
But time is going quick for the demon clown. He watches her from afar outside the restaurant.
She was going to college tomorrow. Summer is over in a few hours. He did not know if he'll still exist in the next twenty seven years. He wanted to kill more children tonight, he thought, before he could eat his real meal. But he dismissed it as his eyes set on that one tasty meal he's reserved himself. His demonic desires overcame his passion for Alissa.
He needed Alissa now before she could get away with it.
"So, creatives, huh?" One of Bobby's colleague says,
I nod with a smile but before I can say anything, my dad speaks to him about how it's embedded in my blood or something. This gives me time to excuse myself from all this grown up talk.
"Excuse me," I tell my mom and everyone else as I stand up to head over to the restroom.
I stare at myself in the mirror and can't help but cry. I start crying, sniffing. I feel...scared. I don't want to disappoint them. All this grown up bullshit is scaring the hell out of me. I'm moving out to my own fucking apartment because they thought I could do it already. I can. But the thought of disappointing them, packing again, and heading back home scares me.
Fuck, I don't know why I'm crying about this.
Pennywise would probably mock me for crying like a baby. For fearing nonesense.
I have a good cry in the bathroom for a quick while and head to the sink outside the stall, then I head out the restroom. I peek and see that my parents are still discussing whatever with my dad's colleagues. I feel like crying again. I can't take the pressure. They're smiling at me and all but I know they're trying not to let me know that somewhere in their heads, they think I'll fail.
A tear escapes my eye again. I try not to sob as I hide near the restroom. I turn around, take a deep breath, and hear a voice behind me. I turn to see that I was startled by a nice guy. He's wearing a white long sleeved polo. "You alright?" he asks me and I snap back to reality,
"Sorry?" I shake my head at the stranger, "Oh, I'm okay. I'm fine."
The stranger grimaces and offers a tissue, "Here." he offers but I decline politely, but he insists. "It's alright," he says, "A pretty girl like ya shouldn't be crying."
I awkwardly try to laugh as a response and just take the tissue to make him go. I wipe the tear from my cheek,
He looks at me for a few seconds and I immediately clear my throat, "I have to go." I say. I glance and see my parents are looking around, wondering where I am probably,
I look at the guy and awkwardly excuse myself as I rush back to the table.
Mom spots me and she sighs in relief, "There you are. We were gonna ask if you wanted any dessert?"
I sit back on my seat, "Oh, no, I'm okay."
My mom looks at me for a few seconds, "You sure, hon?"
I nod in response. She nods and starts to call for the waiter to order the others for dessert. I start fixing my purse and when I look up at the waiter, I realize it's the stranger...or should I say...Paul. I read his name tag and he notices. He smiles warmly at me, agrees politely to my mom and leaves the table.
"That was weird." My mom whispers at me,
I look at her with wide eyes, "Why?"
"The way he's looking at you." She chuckles subtly, making sure my Dad doesn't notice.
"He's probably just being...friendly."
She shrugs and other waiters start clearing our table. From afar, I notice a reflection at the restaurant's window. I see a familiar clown, waving at me, a red balloon in his hand. But someone suddenly passes by and Pennywise is gone, but the balloon stays there floating.
"Mom?" I excuse myself trying not to stare at the window a lot in excitement, but my voice sounds nervous,
"What? Why? What's wrong?" This alarms everyone on the table, making them all look at me,
I initially take my phone and make it light up, "Oh, I have to take this call. It's my friends. They wanna ask me...stuff."
My Dad quickly acknowledges it and glances beside him, "They probably want to ask her about the college and all that." He shrugs,
I try not roll my eyes and excuse myself. I leave the restaurant and head outside.