The New Group // Fem Losers Club

Chapter 6

"Susie!"

The door to Susie's bedroom door suddenly bust open, and in walked a young woman with curly brown hair, who resembled the girl in question quite a bit. She was followed by a shaggy haired boy who looked like he was stoned out of his mind.

"Kathy!!" The girls all said.

"Hey guys, I think your little friend here has my pack of smokes," Kathy said.

"Who is that?" Beverly whispered to Kay.

"That Susie's sister, Kathy, and that's her boyfriend, Nathan."

"Oh, come on, I didn't even get a chance to smoke any of them," Susie said, reaching into her bag.

"Maybe you could've if you'd just asked," Kathy responded.

Susie walked over to the two elder kids and handed her sister the cigarettes.

"Hey Susie," Nathan said, smiling.

"Hello, Nate," replied the girl.

"What are you guys asshats looking at anyways," Kathy said, walking over to the computer.

"None of your business," Susie said.

"Susie here was just up to more of her nerd shit," Leslie said.

"Oh really? Since when were all of you nerds?"

"Since forever," Kay said.

"Who is this, by the way?" Kathy asked, gesturing towards Beverly.

"Oh, I'm Beverly Marsh, I'm new to Portland."

"I like your hair," Kathy said.

"Thanks, I cut it myself."

"But really, what are you losers up to?" Kathy said, looking at the computer.

"Missing kids, huh. Becoming detectives now, are you?"

"Why do you care all of a sudden?"

"Just curious. You said you were new to Portland, right, Beverly? Where are you from?"

"Maine."

"Derry, Maine? So all this weird shit happened in your hometown?"

"Yeah."

"You must've had a hell of a time over there. Well, that was about as much as I could bring myself to care, so we'll be going now. Don't be stupid, Susie."

"Why don't you listen to your own advice!"

"I forgot how much of a hottie Nathan is," Audra said, once they had left.

"Ewww, that's my sister's boyfriend, you perv," Susie said.

"Doesn't make him any less hot," Audra replied.

"You're disgusting."

"Okay, Beverly, so that clown thing that you said you killed, you're saying it's actually alive?" Kay changed the subject.

"Yeah, somehow I know. I could feel it, back at the boardwalk. Sorry about that, by the way."

"As if it's your fault," Kay responded.

"I know, but it must've been pretty scary. It was for me," Beverly said.

"It was, but we're just glad you're okay," Kay assured.

"Yeah, I'm glad you didn't die," Leslie added.

"Wait, so when IT was alive, a bunch of kids were going missing and you guys were seeing things, right?" Susie said, not paying attention to their conversation.

"Yes," Beverly replied, confused.

"And now you think it's alive again, correct?"

"Correct, although I don't think it ever died. I feel like we wounded IT just enough to make it stop for a little bit," Beverly said.

"Oh that's not good," Leslie claimed.

"Why?"

"Because if what you're saying is true, then you fucked up It's cycle. Dude is probably pissed."

"True, you said It feeds off kids' fear, so that means It didn't get enough... food this time around," Susie said.

"Which means that sooner or later, It's going to come back for more," Beverly finished in realization.

"Well shit," Leslie said. "Luckily for you, Bev, you're long gone and won't even know when it happens."

"That's not true," Beverly said.

"How so?" Susie asked.

"They'd let me know."

"Your boyfriends back in Derry?" Kay asked.

"Yeah... you see, I- we made a pact, that if It ever came back, we'd all come back with It."

"So you don't have a choice..." Audra said.

"Basically."

"Well, good luck with that," Leslie said. "In the meantime, try to enjoy the time you have left, and stop worrying about some stupid clown."

"I'll try, Les."

~~~

The next day at school was a difficult one. The other girls were going about their days like normal, but all Beverly could think about was some stupid clown. She found that the more she thought about it, the more she forgot about it. As for the time being, it was only small details, such as what Greta had written on Eds' cast, what Bill's dead brother's name was, and who had written the January Embers poem. But it frightened Beverly that she could forget so much about the most memorable time in her life in only a few days.

After school, she went to hang out at Kay's for a bit. After giving each other answers to the English homework and eating some pringles, the conversation shifted.

"Okay, Beverly, you need to tell me. Who is Ben from soc class?"

"He's one of my friends back in Derry."

"Well, duh. But what went on between you two?"

"He had a crush on me, I think. I think he might've written me this real sweet poem, but I'm not sure who it was."

"What was the poem? Can you remember it?"

"I left it back in Derry, so I'm not certain that this will be accurate, but I think it's

Your hair is winter fire
January Embers
My heart burns there, too."

"It sounds pretty solid, I mean twelve words is pretty hard to forget."

"Yeah, I guess."

"You said you think he might've had a crush on you, but I saw that letter, Bev. He was full-on declaring his love for you."

"He definitely had a crush on me, then."

"I think it's a bit more than that," Kay said, both of them giggling.

"So?"

"So what?" Bev asked.

"So, did you like him back?"

"I'm going to be honest and admit that I didn't. I mean, he kissed me and everything and it was real nice but that doesn't mean I liked it."

"Amen. Did you like any of the boys?"

"I mean, I kinda liked this dude named Bill. He was the leader, so I guess I thought that I had to. I kissed him too, though, and it was like, only mildly enjoyable," she said, causing them both to laugh again.

"Well have you ever really liked any guy?" Kay asked.

"I don't know. I guess that means an automatic no."

"Yeah, I guess it does. Me neither, though."

"Really?"

"Really. I guess that makes us both kinda crazy, huh?"

"Well at least we're both crazy together, right?"

"Crazy together."