Why Is It Him?

Part 7

"Can only virgins see this stuff? Is that why I'm not seeing this shit?"

"Shut up Richie," Taylor snapped.

"Woah," Richie put his hands up in fake defense, "Who pooped in your cereal?"

"Taylor's having relationship issues," Ruby whispered to her brother as they continued walking on.

"I can hear you," she replied. She was tired and wasn't in the mood for anything that day.

"Tay, you never told us you were with someone," Stanley walked beside her.

"That's because I'm not," she replied, nicer this time since Stan had done nothing to push her buttons.

"May...Maybe it ww-wouldn't be too bad i..if you found some...someone your.... your age," Bill commented.

"Why?" Taylor replied, "I like you guys."

"I think what Bill means is that you need someone to snap at whenever you don't get enough sleep at night," Richie chimed in.

"Yeah, well one more word out of you and I'll shove your glasses so far up your ass they'll come out your eyes."

"Hey, isn't that... the homeschooled kids bike?" Bill pointed over to a silver bike with a basket attached to the front.

"Yeah, that's Mike's."

Taylor shared a worried look with Ruby.

"Oh shit, that's Belch Huggins' car," Eddie pointed out.

"We need to help," Ruby declared already dropping her bike.

"We should?"

"Yes!"

Taylor and the Losers followed Ruby into the bushes and to the Barrens where across the stream Bowers was on top of Mike with a rock ready to bash his head in.

She moved fast and picked up a rock, throwing it overhand hitting Bowers right in the head, knocking him off of Mike. Taylor and Ruby played baseball in an empty field they found to have a good pitch.

Mike crossed over the stream Ruby helped him over while Bowers stood up.

"Nice to see you too, Taylor," he taunted, "What, are you the sworn protector of The Losers Club now?"

"Something like that," the blonde tied her hair up with a ribbon she wore along her belt.

"That's cute," he replied. Ruby picked up a jagged rock and tossed it with her good arm. It struck his m right on the head. Taylor followed suit, then Ben, then Stan.

"Rock war!" Richie shouted before getting struck in the forehead. Everyone jumped into action; rocks flying back and forth; blood and scratches being drawn.

Victor Criss did the most damage; while being slower on the number of throws, he carefully chose his rocks, which aided his already impressive fastball ability. He found a rock that fit snugly in his hand and tossed it at an angle that ended up hitting Ruby in the knee so hard that it caused her to drop. Taylor moved down in front of her, standing in the water, and fired rocks at a speed not giving him a chance to fire back without nearly getting hit.

By the end, Victor and Belch retreated and Bowers was on the ground. The Losers retreated not without Richie flipping him off with both hands shouting, "Go blow your dad you mullet-wearing asshole!" Mike assisted Ruby through the bushes and back to the road. Taylor paused before she left and nearly went back if not for Mike calling to her.

She ended up giving Ruby a ride on her back, back to her house.