Chapter 25: Colossal Implosion
A/N and Responses to Reviews
Softski: That's okay if you don't know the stories very well, I'm glad you still love the story.
Age of X: Thank you for keeping the reviews going. I do hope to have Mike and Richie interact more. While I appreciate your suggestion, and I know it's predictable, I've got a whole thing planned for Mia and Steve already. Thank you for the suggestion though.
Guest: More interactions are coming.
Bev rides up to the arcade to see Bill and Stan already waiting out front. The leader of the Loser's Club had left messages on all his friends' phones telling them to meet at the Palace Arcade. He'd left different ones for Richie and Eddie, making them think that the other would not be there, hoping that the two best friends could meet and talk out their differences. If they were honest with each other, the fight was relatively minor and over something stupid, stupid enough that it didn't justify them not speaking at all. Whenever the group tried to hang out, it was either with Richie or with Eddie, not together. If the other approach, they'd turn and leave immediately without saying a word.
It worried Bill that the group would never be able to go back to normal with two key members hating each other. Sure he and Richie had fought last summer about facing Pennywise but they came together when IT had grabbed Beverly. It was together as a group that they were able to defeat the demon of Derry, but now, in a different town and different circumstances, their group seemed to fall apart.
"I don't think this is going to work," Stan mutters, always the pessimist of the group.
"W-We have to try," Bill says. "It's b-been over a w-week, they need to start talking again."
"What if they don't want to talk? What if they just don't want to be friends anymore?" Stan asks. "These things happen Bill… it's part of growing up."
"Why do you feel the need to be so negative?" Bev inquires. She takes out some cigarettes and her lighter. While her foster family was trying to discourage her from continuing this habit, the redhead still smoked when she was stressed out, and she did not doubt that this would be stressful.
"Because not everything is going to end happily as you want it to. Not everything is like a story Bill."
"L-Look, I know you hated m-moving, but don't take it out on us-s," Bill glares.
Stan rolls his eyes and looks away. He hadn't admitted to anyone that he hated that they'd all moved, despite getting out of that hellhole of the town and away from…IT. What sucked was that all this had happened and he wouldn't admit it, but he did want them to be friends again, he just hated the conflict.
Ben rides up, with his backpack stuffed to the brim with books.
"Another library trip?" Bev asks.
The scholar of the group nods, trying not to blush. "I figure if things go south, I need something to do afterwards."
"It won't go south," Bill says firmly.
"Whatever... the library here in town is just as good as the one in Derry, there's a whole history section. Did you know about the lab outside of Hawkins was built after World War II… it has government connections to…"
"H-Here comes Richie," Bill says, swallowing a lump in his throat.
The trash-mouth rides up, grinning and relieved that Eddie was nowhere in sight. He was glad that they'd chosen his friendship over the germaphobe.
"Hey guys," Richie says.
"Long time no see," Bev says sarcastically, blowing out smoke.
"Don't give me that, I've been busy this past week."
"Hiding in shame," Stan mutters under his breath.
"Anyways, I'm ready to hit the arcade, did you guys bring money?"
"Did you?" Ben asks.
Richie's face goes red. "I was kind of hoping you guys could spot me this time…"
The group glare at him; it certainly wasn't the first time Richie had attempted to mooch cash off of them. He usually ended up blowing his allowance on junk candy, comic books, or Playboys, until his parents did the now weekly search of his room and confiscated them.
"What was it this w-week?" Bill rolls his eyes.
"Hey don't blame me, that asshole in the blue Camero, the one who tried to mow us down last time we were here ran me off the road and my chain broke. I had to spend my money to get it fixed. He nearly dented my frame and…"
The group stares at Richie's bike and it did have a brand-new chain on it, so he wasn't bullshitting like he usually was.
Just then Eddie rides up but freezes when he sees who's already there.
Richie turns and his voice trails off. He shoots daggers at Eddie before turning back to Bill, knowing what had happened.
"You fucking lied…" he barks.
"It…It was the only w-way to get you both h-here."
"I don't want to see Sir Wheezy and you know it…"
"Shut up Richie, I don't want to see you either. I can't believe I bought your bullshit Bill!" Eddie shouts, his face becoming red with anger.
"Bill was only trying to get you together to talk it out. You guys are best friends and you shouldn't fight like this," Beverly says, coming to Bill's defence.
"Were." Eddie corrects her. "We were best friends, and as far as I'm concerned, he's dead to me!"
"You going to go home and cry to Mommy, maybe change your diaper and give you a bottle," Richie smirks cruelly.
"Fuck you. Fuck all of you!" Eddie says before turning to bike away.
"EDDIE WAIT!" Bev calls.
Instead, she gets the finger as a response.
"Why can't you guys j-just let it go?" Bill demands.
"Because he's fat-mouthed, wheezing loser and as far as I'm concerned, you are too!" Richie barks.
"T-take that b-back!" Bill stutters.
"Make me a-B-B-Billy boy!" he mocks.
"Cut it out, guys!" Bev says. She has flashbacks to the summer when they were all being torn apart by their fear. She doesn't want to lose her friends like this.
"Y-you're an a-asshole!"
"Takes one to know one!"
"He was just trying to help!" she says.
"Well don't, just leave me alone and keep your noses out of my life!"
"It's not our fault you have no self-control," Stan cuts in.
Beverly groans, wishing Stan would stay out of it.
"Up yours Stanley,"
"Shut up and fuck off. We don't need you around anyways, running your mouth until we get kicked out of places," Stan snaps. "Without you, we'd have more fun."
"Guys stop!" Bev says, not wanting things to get worse. She was close to being in tears from this.
"Like you'd ever go any place that was actually fun!" the trash-mouth retorts. "Go and play chicken on a highway, it'll be the most fun you'll ever have!"
"I told you so. There was no way he'd change at all. Why are you such an idiot?" Stan asks Bill.
"I'm n-not an idiot!" the leader protests.
"You are and I can't believe we ever tried to fix things; it just made it worse. Maybe it's time for all of us to go our separate ways. We're all just too different."
"Shut up Stanley. Just shut up and go home!" Bill barks.
"Fuck you!" Stan snarls.
"F-F-Fu…"
"He can't even get out the word!" Richie taunts. "Go jump in a lake all of you…"
The bespectacled loser gets on his bike and begins to ride away. No one makes the move to follow him Bill and Stan are fuming with so much anger that they also ride off in different directions.
"Guys!" Bev says. She gets on her bike and decides to chase after Richie. "Richie! Richie! Wait!"
Meanwhile, Ben has sequestered himself against the windows of the arcade, reading a book. He was relieved that he had not gotten involved, and with good reason as Richie probably would have made cracks about his weight and been cruel in other ways. He figured that everyone just needed to cool off and he'd just wait out the storm. He should go and help Beverly but decides not to. She was better at persuading than he was anyway; it was part of her charm and none of the boys could say no to her…
He bites his lip to numb away the pain of knowing how the other guys like Bev, especially Bill. He knew she wouldn't go for a guy like him…
Suddenly, the door opens and a tall guy with long hair and acne on his face walks out carrying a bag of Doritos.
"That was awesome," he says.
While he worked at Family Video now, Keith still hung around the arcade, knowing all the tricks and secrets to play the games for free.
Ben looks up at him with a glare and confusion.
"And here I thought the homeless guy who ate his shoe because he was high was the most interesting thing to happen here."
"Were you listening?" Ben asks.
"What do you think? A bunch of lanky Derry kids meet outside and start screaming, it was kind of hard not to listen. That chick there, she is cool."
"The coolest," Ben says, having to agree with this creepy guy.
"So, has she dated all of you?"
Ben is becoming a little uncomfortable with the guy's questions, and shoves his book back in his bag, preparing to leave.
"Oh come on, you guys hang out with her all day, how has she not kissed a couple of you."
Ben goes for his bike, this guy was like Richie, with no filter and even more on the creepy side.
"You have a long road ahead of you my rotunded friend. Just like acne, it can scare away the girls. Don't become a douchebag though… it will not satisfy your empty soul."
The remaining member of the Loser's Club gets on his bike and speeds off, trying to ignore the weirdo's words.
When he's alone, Keith takes another chip from the bag and munches on it.
"They never listen… they never listen…"
"RICHIE WAIT!" Bev shouts. She's pedalling as fast as she can, trying to catch up with the trash-mouth. She pants and pushes herself to keep going. Maybe cigarettes are not the best idea, especially when you're racing to bring your friend group back together.
The kid in the glasses rolls his eyes and keeps going. He's hoping that she'll give up and leave, mostly because he's pissed off at all of them for lying to him, but also he wants to sulk and maybe cry in private.
Unfortunately, he gets stuck at an intersection, allowing the female of the club to catch up.
He sighs in frustration and turns to face her.
"What?!" he snaps.
"Please, let's just talk."
"You have 15 seconds before the light changes, better make it quick."
"I know our plan didn't work."
"You think?"
"Bill was just trying to bring us together again."
"He still lied, and that's a pretty shitty thing to do," Richie says
"I know we shouldn't have lied to you, but you and Eddie are best friends and you needed to talk instead of avoiding each other."
"Were"
"ARE!" she snaps. "And Bill was trying to get you guys to own up. You can't run away from your problems."
"Says who?"
"Says, everyone. Why couldn't you have grown a pair and talked like a normal human being?"
"Well, we talked and shit hit the fan unless you were somehow not there…"
"Stop being a smart-ass. You know that the fight wasn't a big deal, and you didn't mean any of that…"
"Who says I didn't…"
"I do! You know it's better when we're all together, or have you forgotten what happened last summer."
"Yeah, back when we were facing a fucking clown with an appetite for human flesh and shape-shifting abilities. But that's over and this is real life, Bev. And you have to realize that not everything lasts forever. The power of love isn't going to save us."
The light changes and Richie begins to pedal across the street, forcing Beverly to follow him, still wanting to talk.
"God, you sound like Stan."
"Don't compare me to that dweeb."
"Stop it! And you wonder why Eddie hates you now? You don't think. You NEVER think about if your words will hurt someone."
"Yeah? Well, that's my problem, not yours. Just leave me alone. Go back to Bill, we know he's your favourite. Go play kissy-face with him and bite me!"
He rides off, leaving Bev defeated and on the brink of tears. She's also fuming. How could all boys be such idiots?! Why couldn't they be mature and own their mistakes?
She turns around and bikes through town, until she finds a random street and rides along with it, not caring where she ends up. She wants to be alone.
Her journey carries her into the wooded areas of Hawkins, far away from the busy streets and the mall. It's what she needed, for the time being.
Eventually, she can't hold the tears back any longer and she stops. She throws her bike on the grass in frustration and sits on the curb. She cries with her head resting against her arms cradled over her knees. All these emotions wash over her to the point where she wants to scream. She bites her lip hard enough to bleed and prevent this.
Why is this all falling apart? Why was it so damn difficult? Why couldn't they keep their friendship…? Back in Derry, it was all she had. Everyone else called her a slut, her dad was more of a monster than the clown… the boys were the only people she felt safe around and could actually talk to. While she had feelings towards Bill and Ben, the guys made her laugh, they all had fun together, they were allowed to forget their troubles and just be kids. It was their courage that literally defeated an otherworldly creature… if that didn't mean something, how did the world turn? How could something so stupid and meaningless tear her world apart?
Eventually, she takes out a cigarette and lights up, breathing smoke into the air to soothe her nerves and emotions. She's so caught up in her thoughts that she doesn't see someone approaching her.
"Are you okay?"
Bev looks up to see the girl from the mall, the one with brown hair and who was as shy as she'd ever seen. She couldn't remember her name.
"Not really. Sorry if I…"
"Why are you sad?" the girl interrupts.
"It's a long story. I remember you though. We met at the mall. Uh…"
"El."
A/N: Here's another chapter. Special thanks to Age of X, Softski, and Guest for their reviews. Please follow and review.