The Sun is Shining

005

Bill Denbrough sat in his car, wondering if coming back here was even worth it. He finally gave up the debate in his head and exited the car. The Jade of the Orient neon sign was lit up, making him feel a little safer underneath the bright lights. He walked into the Chinese restaurant, taking in the sight. This restaurant hadn't been here when he was a kid. The hostess at the counter looked up as he entered.

"How many today?" she asked him, prepping menus. Bill put his hands in his pockets and let out a breath of relief.

"Uh, I'm with the Hanlon party," he followed the hostess to one of their areas for bigger parties. He gave the woman a smile when he got there and she left. His mind went haywire. This was a reunion with people he didn't really remember. Before he could get over this fear, he noticed a man off to the side.

Mike was rather surprised to see Bill being the first one to join him. He smiled and went over for a hug. Bill had to catch his breath from receiving the long awaited hug.

"Hey. How you doing?" Bill asked, confused at Mike's behavior. As Mike released the hug, he began to let loose.

"I didn't know if any of you would... I mean, after all this time- But of course you came," Mike pointed at Bill, who started to feel slightly uncomfortable.

"Well, you know, an oath is an oath. Losers..." Bill caught himself as he said it, "gotta stick together, right?" Mike smiled at the memory.

"The Losers. You remember that?" Bill nodded, uncertainly, "That's good. What else do you remember?"

Before Bill could answer that, another voice came around the corner. Both gentlemen looked to see, who they assumed to be, a grown up Eddie Kaspbrak. Eddie hadn't noticed them yet, as he rattled off a lot of information to the hostess.

"I am allergic to soy, anything that has egg in it, gluten... and if I eat a cashew, I could realistically die," he slowed down as he took in Bill and Mike standing there. "Holy shit."

Outside, Beverly Marsh walked her way to the restaurant, stilled concerned as to why she even decided to do this. This was the whole group coming back together over countless years of not remembering squat. When she reached the door, she hesitated.

"Is there a password or something?" Beverly turned around to see a very good-looking man with his hands in his pockets. 

"I'm sorry," she said, brushing some of her red hair away from her face. The man smiled at her kindly.

"The new kid," he stated, making a reference that only he and his two favorite girls understood. Beverly looked surprised as she answered, "Ben?"

"Yeah, it's me," Ben responded, as Beverly gave him the brightest smile.

"Oh, my God," she wrapped him up in a hug, feeling something flutter in her stomach. She pushed it aside, just to enjoy seeing her friend again.

"It's been so long," Ben said with happy tears in his eyes. The memory of when they first met filtered into his head. The pretty redhead from his childhood had grown into a beautiful woman.

"Wow," a new voice exclaimed, Ben and Beverly both letting go of each other, "You two look amazing. What the fuck happened to me?" Ben and Beverly marveled for a second, racking their brains remembering their favorite Trashmouth.

"What's going on, man?" Richie asked, a smile on his face. He reached Ben first for a hug.

"Hey, man," the two men shared a hug.

"It's Richie. Hi," Richie began to remember when he met Ben. Out at the Barrens, Ben panicking past them. It was all coming back to him.

"Yeah. It's Ben," the other man suddenly remembered what Richie had said to him and his friend Violet in the ally behind Keene's Pharmacy. Glad I got to meet your friend before she died.