"I've realized that..." he started, then took a shaky breath. "Earlier today, when Stanley pulled you aside... seeing you two so close and secretive, I hated it." The words tumbled out in a rush. "I don't like how others make you smile..." He traile...
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*•°Vanessa's POV°•*
Some upbeat song was blasting from the radio Beverly had brought, its cheerful melody a stark contrast to the dark undercurrents we all felt but never spoke of. Beverly and I were stretched out on the warm, flat rocks, soaking up the sun. I could feel the weight of several pairs of eyes on us. They were so obvious, so painfully innocent in their attempts to be subtle.
"Eddie is checking you out," Beverly whispered, her voice a low hum meant only for me.
I subtly tilted my head, peering over the rim of my sunglasses. She was right. His gaze was fixed, a soft, unguarded look on his face before he realized he’d been caught. The moment Beverly and I shifted our positions, all the boys—Eddie, Richie, Bill, Stan—snapped their heads away, suddenly fascinated by the sky, their shoes, anything but us. The synchronized awkwardness was so comical I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing out loud.
"News flash, Ben! School's out for summa!" Richie yelled into an invisible microphone, rummaging through Ben's bag with his typical lack of boundaries.
"Oh, that? That's not school stuff," Ben said, his voice tight with a mix of embarrassment and defiance.
Curious, I pushed myself up from the rock. The sun felt good on my skin as I walked over and took a seat on a lower rock next to Eddie. The moment I settled, he fumbled for his inhaler, taking a quick, nervous puff. My presence always seemed to short-circuit him a little, and part of me, a part I tried to ignore, loved it.
"Who sent you this?" Richie asked, pulling a postcard from the bag.
"No one. Give it... no one," Ben insisted, his cheeks flushing.
"What's with the history project?" Richie pressed, flipping open a well-worn folder.
Ben shrugged, a little self-conscious. "Oh... When I first moved here, I didn't have anyone to hang out with, so I just started spending time in the library."
"You went to the library? On purpose?" Richie asked, his tone implying Ben had just confessed to vacationing on the moon.
"Rich, people go to the library to learn," I said, my voice dripping with sweet, feigned patience. "You should go sometime. You might learn something." Eddie let out a soft, choked chuckle beside me, and a small thrill went through me.
"Oh, I wanna see," Beverly said, getting up and moving to sit next to Bill, peering at the folder.
Eddie, however, seemed to grow more tense. He was practically vibrating with a nervous energy that had nothing to do with Richie's antics.
"What is the Black Spot?" Stanley asked, leaning over to look at a page.
"The Black Spot was a nightclub that was burned down years ago by that racist cult," Eddie answered automatically, his voice a little tight. He knew his facts.
"The what?"
"Haven't you watched Geraldo?" I asked Stan, raising an eyebrow.
Then Eddie leaned closer to me, his shoulder brushing mine. The contact sent a jolt through me. I looked at him curiously, my heart giving a hopeful little stutter.
"Before the day is over," he whispered, his voice low and hesitant as he nervously twisted his inhaler in his hands, "I'd like to talk to you about something, if that's okay?"
My breath caught. I gave him a small, reassuring nod, hoping my face didn't betray the sudden swarm of butterflies in my stomach. "Sure."
"Here, pass it," Richie said, his hand held out to Bill. He took the folder back and started flipping through it again. "Why is it all murders and missing kids?"
The question hung in the air, sucking the lightheartedness out of the moment. Without really thinking, I let my head rest gently on Eddie's shoulder, seeking comfort. I felt him stiffen for a second, then slowly relax.
"Derry's not like any town I've ever been in before," Ben explained, his voice solemn. "They did a study once, and it turns out people die or disappear here at six times the national average."
A cold shiver ran down my spine, raising goosebumps on my sun-warmed arms. The cheerful radio music suddenly felt mocking.
"You read that?" Beverly asked, her voice hushed.
"And that's just grown-ups," Ben continued, his eyes serious. "Kids are worse. Way worse. I've got more stuff if you wanna see it."
"No, no," Eddie said immediately, shaking his head. The fear in his voice was palpable.
I moved my hand from my lap and placed it gently on his leg, a gesture of comfort. His head snapped toward me, his eyes wide behind his glasses.
"Don't worry, Eds," I said softly, offering him a small, brave smile I didn't entirely feel. "I'll protect you."
The words were meant to be a light joke, but as I said them, looking into his scared eyes, I knew I meant them with every fiber of my being.
