Bloody Noses & Crack'd Crowns

Chapter 2

I DO NOT OWN THIS STORY. All credit goes to TheWeaverofWorlds on ao3.

It was the last day of summer vacation and Beverly rushed to meet her friends at the clubhouse. She had news. By the time she got to the Barrens and climbed down into the underground clubhouse, Stan, Richie, and Ben were already there. As usual, Richie was talking Stan's ear off. Ben brightened upon his girlfriend's arrival and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Hi, Bev."

"Hey, love. I've got news if the old married couple would give the bickering a rest." There was a mischievous smile on her lips.

Stan rolled his eyes. "we weren't bickering. Richie was just running his mouth as usual."

"I take offence to that, Stannabelle."

"You two really are like an old married couple." Ben said.

Richie leaned in trying to plant a wet kiss on Stan's cheek. Stan shoved Richie's head away.

"What's your news?" Stan asked desperate to change the subject.

"There are some new kids coming to Derry High!"

"How do you know? Did you meet them?" Ben asked.

Bev shook her head. "No, but yesterday my dad and I went over to help Sheriff Bowers. He was overseeing some movers move boxes into the empty house on Neibolt Street and needed some help. My dad and him moved some of the boxes into the rooms. They had me make up some beds, and make the rooms feel homey."

"How do you know the kids are our age?" asked Richie.

"I asked Sheriff Bowers if he knew how old they were. He said that Mr. Gray has four boys, three of them are in High School, and the last one will be going to the middle school."

"I wonder what they're like," Richie said.

"I bet they'll need some friends," Ben said.

Beverly looked over at her boyfriend and took his hand. A few years back, Ben had been the new kid. He had moved with his mother to live with his aunt and cousin. She figured if anyone knew what it was like to be an outsider in a small town it was Ben.

"Don't you think it's odd that Mr. Gray has three kids all in high school?" Stan asked, a frown tugging at his face.

"Stanabelle Lee you worry too much."

"Shut up, Richie."

"Sheriff Bowers said that Mr. Gray adopted them," Beverly said breaking up the imminent fight.

Even so Stan still looked uneasy. "Beverly, you said Sheriff Bowers is friends with Mr. Gray?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Well if that's the case we better hope the kids aren't like Henry. God knows we don't need any more tormentors."

"Don't be so sour, Stan the Man. We haven't even met these guys yet." Richie said.

"They didn't seem like Henry," Beverly said.

"What do you mean?" Ben asked.

"When I was unpacking their stuff it was normal, a little beaten up... but it was nice. They seemed nice." Beverly didn't know how to explain how the possessions seemed to hold such love and care in them. How even though they were battered and old they were still important. She had known it the instant she had picked up the first book. She was sure that the new kids were good people, but her comprehension was something beyond what she could explain.

Stan looked at her curiously.

"Everything just had this sense of being beloved by its owners. I don't know how to explain it."