Everything I ever knew about Chris Chambers

Chapter 1

Gordie

Everyone was looking forward to senior year. Everyone, it seemed, except Gordie. Life was moving too fast and Gordie spent most of his time dwelling on the past rather than concerned with the future, which all of his friends seemed to be. He rested his elbows on the door of Chris's car, bracing his chin with an open palm. The September wind rustled through his hair and he tried to be excited like everyone else.

Teddy and Vern, to whom they were merely acquaintances, sat in the back. Gordie found it odd that Chris agreed to drive them given that they'd barely said a word to each other since seventh grade, but it didn't bother him enough to ask. Chris was always too generous for his own good, always stopping to pick up dropped papers on the floor, always the one apologizing when someone ran into him. As stubborn as he was he sure gave in quickly.

Chris turned, but only momentarily before glancing back at the road, "What?"

Gordie hadn't even realized he was staring at his side profile until Chris had said anything, and looked back at the small cigarette burns in the car door. Chris's car was a hand me down, a sky blue roadmaster that had been abused more by Eyeball Chambers than anyone's father ever could. Still it ran, and as annoying as it was that Gordie would have to haul his legs over the door because it wouldn't open, he still enjoyed the way the wind felt on his face. Chris was the only one out of the four of them to have a car. Gordie's parents were sure he would end up dead if he drove, Teddy wouldn't dare ask his father, and Vern had failed his driver's test more times than half girls' in his grades abortion attempts. Okay, that was uncalled for, and he knew that. But still.

They turned in front of a large brick building. Castle rock highschool was nothing extraordinary, in fact it was the complete opposite. It was almost as predictable as Vern playing chess, and did not help with the boring small town impression. The football team was terrible, and hadn't gone to state since Denny was alive, and half the students were either on drugs, selling them, or being relentlessly bullied. Well, that wasn't exactly true, Gordie had never done drugs in his life, but he hadn't been what one would define bullied. Sure, he was picked on here and there but it wasn't as intense that he would call it bullying. Besides, with Chris by his side no one dared mess with any of them. Which thinking about it now might have been why Vern and Teddy stuck around them again. Even though we were supposed to be at the top of the food chain, no one was safe. Besides, it seems, Chris Chambers.

Gordie hauled himself over the jammed door, which had failed to open for as long as he'd ridden in it. Chris took the key out of the ignition, and the car still gave a low rumble as he stepped out. He gave it a hard punch on the hood and it quieted, "Damn thing." He mumbled.

Vern and Teddy climbed out of the backseat, Exclaiming a quick, "Thanks, Chris." Before strutting to the entrance.

Gordie and Chris however, walked as slow as possible. Gordie wasn't sure if Chris didn't want to go either or he was simply following him, but either way he appreciated it. Chis turned to him, his hands buried deep in the pockets of his jeans. "Are you excited?"

Gordie shrugged, part of him was excited. Or, part of him knew he should be excited. He wasn't sure if it was real or the fact that everyone else was excited. Sure, it was their last year, but it was still school. There was still an uncertain future ahead of all of them. Where everyone splits up and forgets everyone and everything. Until ten years later when you gather again and find out half the class of 1964 died of overdoses a year later or were too far away from butt-fuck oregon to care. Gordie was not prepared, whatsoever. Still, Gordie felt bad he hadn't given a decent reply so he grabbed Chris's arm as they stepped onto the sidewalk. A couple sophomore girls gave them dirty looks as they had stepped right in front of them, but Gordie was too busy forming his words in his mind to care. "Can you promise me something?" He asked.