Chris chambers once upon a body

Secrets, ponytails, and Chopper

As we were walking, Teddy and Vern were talking about some guy we know from school. Since Gordie, Chris, and I don't really have much to say in that conversation we hung back a bit. I realized this might be the perfect time to give Gordie back his hat. I put my hand into my bag and gripped the hat, careful not to pull it out. 

"Hey Gordie, I have something for you," I said walking a bit slower. 

Gordie and Chris turned to look at me curiously. I pulled the hat out and handed it to him. Both looked at me in shock. They stopped walking, neither of them knowing what to say.

Eventually, Chris broke the silence as Gordie stared at the hat. 

"When did you get it back?" he asked looking at me with concern. 

"Don't worry about it," I said smiling slightly

Gordie looked up at me and asked, "How did you get it back?"

I knew I had to be careful with my next answer because Chris and Gordie obviously knew that Ace and Eyeball were the last ones to have it. 

"That's not important," I said, "the only thing it did was make me late but what matters is that you have it back" I finished.

Gordie gave me a thankful look and started walking ahead in deep thought. He had been doing that a lot lately. More often than he usually did and it was starting to concern me a bit more. 

I turned to look at Chris who was glued to his spot, not taking his eyes off mine. 

"Rosie, how did you get it back?" he asked very seriously. I don't think I had ever seen Chris look this serious unless one of us was in danger. I motioned for him to walk while we talked and we stayed behind Gordie, but far enough so he wouldn't hear our whispers. 

"Chris, you know how I told you that I wanted to work on myself. Well, after you and Gordie had your run-in with Ace and Eyeball, I had my own." 

I turned to look at him and he was already facing me, with even more concern seeping through his eyes. 

"Chris can you keep a secret," I asked him quietly.

A soft "yeah" was all that was heard. 

"Well,  that's how I've been getting my booze and money, Through Ace and your brother, so this time when I ran into them, I asked them to replace my booze with the hat."

Chris looked at me pensively. Like he was trying to piece together pieces of a puzzle that didn't fit. It worried me a bit that he stayed so quiet until he spoke. 

"First off, I'm glad you threw out your liquor. But why do they give you liquor or anything in general?" 

I knew that he had heard some of the rumors that I had been sleeping with them, or that I was working with them doing who knows what.  This is my chance to clear the air with him. 

"Do you remember that time I caught your brother and the rest of their gang boosting some cars?" I asked him. He simply nodded."Well when they saw me all of them ran to me with their switchblades out ready to threaten me and shut me up, I guess I showed all my fear on my face because Ace was actually the one who stopped them from even touching me" I continued.

He gave me a confused look so I went on. 

"When Ace Merril moved to Castle Rock he had just lost his sister, I guess me and her look-alike enough for him to see me like her, so in a way, he takes care of me by getting me things I need or ask for. Of course, like every brother he won't do everything I ask. I've asked him countless times to leave you and the guys alone but he chooses to ignore that part. I don't see him like a brother but it's nice that someone cares enough to actually provide for me since my parents don't but it's also just for benefit because where else am I supposed to get things if I can't even get a job yet." I finished