-Kat's pov-
Stan and I were on good terms again, and this weekend he was driving me to Indiana. If there's anything unbelievable here, it's how fast you can switch up with people. I was planning on telling Stan about my encounter with the weird Clown, but couldn't find the right time I just knew I didn't want to tell him on the car ride to Indiana, getting us stuck in an awkward situation for a long and uncomfortable time.
A knock came from the door to the Marsh apartment. I quickly grabbed it as Beverly was in her room, doing God knows what. I opened the door to reveal the curly headed boy dressed neatly as he possibly could be.
"Hey." I said, leaving the door open for him to walk through. He did and shut it after.
"Were you expecting someone else?" he asked and I shrugged.
"Still no sign of Mary." I replied. "It's been nearly 5 days."
"She'll show up." Stan assured. "She wouldn't leave the house to Bev for that long."
"You're right." I nodded, scanning the boy's now pinched face. "What?"
"You stink." he half smirked. I pushed his arm and he held his hands up defensively. "Hey, when was the last time you showered?"
Eyebrow raising, my smile disappeared. "Are you serious?"
"I know it's harder to find motivation to when you're de-" he stopped himself, biting his lip. "Just make sure to get a shower in, okay?"
I nodded and shut the door as he left.
—
I laid in my bed. It was Friday and I couldn't make myself get up. Stan and I were leaving this afternoon for Indiana so he'd be here any minute to realize I hadn't...
"Did you shower?" Asked a voice from the door to my small closet room. I didn't respond and tucked myself more in the bedsheets.
"Kat? I know you're awake." He said. Minutes passed and he moved towards my mattress, sitting down on it.
"Do you, um, want help?"
"Showering?" I asked quietly, almost scoffing.
"Yeah. I'll turn around if you want." He crossed his arms. I thought for a second before deciding. A bath would feel good but, I didn't want to put in the effort...
—
I gently slid my clothes off of my body as Stan turned around and faced the mirror, pretending not to notice me. I lifted my long legs into the tub and shook my head.
"I can't Stan. I'm too tir-"
Stan turned around and avoided looking at me, heading straight for the faucet. He plugged the drain and let the water fill up the tub.
"You're always going to be too tired." He said, looking at the wall.
I nodded and slid further into the tub until my eyes met with the water. Stan turned off the faucet and walked behind me, sitting behind the tub and watching my back. I sat up slouched and he poured water on my hair before holding his hand out for me to put mine in. I did so and he put shampoo on it and made me scrub it in. Then he did the same with conditioner.
After rinsing that out he held a cloth and wiped my back and neck. It felt relieving and relaxing but also nerve racking that he'd see my naked body any second. He handed me the wash cloth and I finished the job before turning my attention back to sinking into the water.
"Okay, come on." He said, and I opened my eyes above water to see him holding a towel.
"I'm too tire-" I started to say before he shook his head. He held out his hand, dragging the towel over to me and helping me out of the tub. He wrapped it around me gently and tucked it in tight. For a second his eyes paused on my face, like they didn't know where to rest. He moved some of my wet hair away from my eyes and looked around.
"Okay, um, do you want me to pick out some clothes for you?" He asked, his hand holding the towel together around me. I gave a soft nod and he nodded back, walking out of the bathroom and into my closet room. Minutes later came back with sport shorts, underwear, and a shirt I got from some burger place. I quickly slipped on the underwear under my towel and then attempted to put on my shirt. But it was all too much. Why couldn't I be normal and take baths by myself, and get dressed without having a crisis? I already felt my eyes sag and tears burn. Stan noticed my painful silence and turned around.
"Hey, hey, it's okay." He assured me, but I wouldn't believe him. How would he know? He didn't have to deal with this.
"It's okay." He repeated, but it wasn't. A hot tear strolled down my cheek and I shook my head.
"You don't understand." I mumbled. That was all that would come out of my mouth, because what else would I say to him?
He nodded and leaned down, helping me get my shorts on; one leg at a time. He purpled them up to my waist and then looked me in the eyes.
"We don't have to go." He said, standing back up. "To Indiana."
I shook my head. "I need a distraction. It'll be good."
He stood straight and nodded again, looking down on me. Then he cupped my face and placed a kiss on my head.
"I'm..sorry." He said, looking back at me and backing up.
"It's...it's okay." I replied, biting my cheek. And then I remembered. "Um, Stan?"
"Yeah?"
"I need to tell you something."
The boy tilted his head slightly, motioning for me to go on.
"A few weeks ago, i um...I had this encounter."
Stan nodded slowly.
"I had this encounter with this...um, don't call me crazy, but it was you. And then...it was this, um..." I shook my head and flicked my wrist. "clown."
Stan nodded again, so one for later his head would fall off.
"Do you think I'm weird now?" I asked.
"Um, no." He chuckled. "Um, sorry, clown?"
I shrugged.
"Yeah, that um, that makes sense actually...but, I'll have to talk to Ben."
"Ben? Why?" I asked defensively.
"Because, well, we actually, us losers, we dealt with a clown like, 3 years ago, but this was recent, right?"
"Yes?"
"Wow, um..."
I shook my head and grabbed his arms. "It's okay if you're just trying to make me feel better. Maybe I was just loopey or some-"
"I believe you Kat. And I'm not trying to make you feel better, we losers have dealt with a clown. It sounds insane, yes."
We both stood in silence after I let of of his arms.
"Well, let's get the hell out of here."
