"What's your hot water with Henry Bowers?" asked Will to Ben. "On the last day of school, he asked me if he could copy off my Biology test, I said no, and ever since, he's been hunting me down to beat the crap outta me," said Ben. "Damn, Henry sure has a grudge against smartasses," said Richie. "Beep Beep, Richie," snapped Will, adjusting his glasses. Bill, Stanley, and Eddie emerged hastily from the pharmacy, their breaths coming in quick gasps as they reached the dimly lit alleyway. "You guys stole from the pharmacy?!" Will shouted. "It wasn't our idea! Blame the person who gave us the idea!" Stanley groaned. "Is she Beverly Marsh?" Will snapped. "We don't have time for this," scoffed Eddie, grabbing the supplies as he tried his best to fix Ben's scar on his stomach. "Can't we just suck it?" Richie said, annoyed. "Shut up, I'm trying to focus here," snapped Eddie. Bill disregarded the escalating argument and focused on finding Beverly. Finally, he spotted her leisurely walking towards him, wearing a serene expression. Bill's gaze lingered on Beverly, taking in her long, exquisite ginger hair, her gentle mint-green eyes, and her luminous, pale snow-white skin. His heart swelled with affection for her, and he couldn't help blushing as she drew nearer. "O-oh, her-here, for he-helping us," said Bill, handing Beverly the five dollars. "Don't worry about it, you've already paid the favor," said Beverly, holding up a box of Winston Cigarettes. "Hold still, Ben," groaned Eddie, not being able to clean the scar on Ben's stomach. "Ben Hanscom?" Beverly said, her tone now being concerned. "Oh! Hi, Bev!" Ben said, his voice full of nervousness and shyness. "What happened? Are you alright?" asked Beverly. "Does it look like he's 'alright', bitch?" Will snapped, sounding annoyed that Beverly didn't see that Ben wasn't alright. "D-don't tu-talk to he-her lu-like that," said Bill, sounding defensive of Beverly. "Are you sure that they have the 'right stuff' to fix you up?" asked Beverly, winking while smiling. "What the fuck?" muttered Will, disgusted by Beverly's sexual joke (even though it isn't a sexual joke, more like a New Kids joke). As Beverly cracked her joke, Ben sat there with a goofy grin on his face, failing to respond. The awkward silence hung in the air as everyone exchanged uncertain glances. Suddenly, Richie broke the tension by playfully planting a kiss on Eddie's forehead, eliciting a mix of surprise and amusement from the group. "Asshole, what the hell?!" Eddie shouted, slapping Richie when he did that. "Get married already," snickered Will. "Anyway, th-thank yo-you for yo-your help, Bev-Beverly," Bill said, his stutter sounding more nervous than ever. "Yeah, no problemo," said Beverly, while smiling at him. "If y-you wu-want, yo-you ca-can come wi-with us to-to the Qu-Quarry tomorrow," said Bill. "Yeah, you can count on it," said Beverly, before walking away and smiling brightly. "Don't fall for that ho, you didn't hear what she's done?" said Richie. "What do you mean? What did she do?" Ben asked, concerned. "You mean 'who'd she do?' From all the shit that's going around, it's longer than my wang~" said Richie, winking at Eddie who'd made a disgusted expression. "Bill and Beverly first met in elementary school, which I think Bill must have forgotten about and the two kissed in the play," said Will, in a nonchalant tone. "And it was real because the reviews said that you can't fake that sort of passion!" Richie chuckled.
As Beverly made her way up the stairs to her apartment, she clutched onto the strap of her bag with the tips of her fingers, carefully ensuring that no sound would escape as she opened the door. Stepping inside, she closed it with precision, wincing at the creak of the hinges. Her heart sank as she saw her father slumped and unconscious on the couch, the faint glow of the TV casting a muted light across the room. Beverly took off her boots to see that her father was right in front of her. "Oh, Daddy, you scared me half to death!" Beverly exclaimed, putting her hand over her heart to calm it down. "I didn't mean to," said Alvin Marsh, his voice being weird and disgusting. "Well, I just went out to walk, that's all, Daddy," said Beverly, reassuring him, knowing that he would go nuts if he found out she talked to boys. "You know I worry about you, Bevvie," said Alvin. "I know," said Beverly, walking slowly backwards to her bedroom. "Get some rest, Bevvie, because tomorrow is another day," said Alvin, closing the door for Beverly. Beverly let out a quiet sigh of relief as she heard her dad settle back onto the couch and drift off to sleep. Her hand absentmindedly brushed the tips of her hair as she recalled the unsettling memory of Henry Bowers grabbing a fistful of her hair and inhaling its scent as if it were a fragrant candle, sending a shiver down her spine. Feeling the need for some fresh air, Beverly ventured outside to check the mail. Among the letters and bills, she discovered a postcard. At first, she couldn't help but feel a flutter of flattery, but then a wave of concern washed over her. She knew she had to keep it hidden. The last thing she wanted was for her dad to discover that she had a secret admirer or a crush, or whoever this mysterious sender might be.
Beverly retreated to the bathroom, seeking solace from the chaos of her thoughts. As she closed the door and turned the lock, she clutched a pair of scissors and a water sprayer, her fingers trembling with emotion. In her other hand, she held a postcard, its cheerful image clashing with the storm in her mind. In front of the mirror, Beverly's reflection stared back at her, a poignant reminder of the changes that had unsettled her. The onset of puberty had brought with it a myriad of unwelcome transformations - her evolving body shape, the arrival of her period, and the unwanted attention from boys at school, who seemed to find her beautiful in ways she was not ready to comprehend. To make matters worse, Gretta's relentless bullying only added to Beverly's distress, fueled by the envy stemming from the unwanted admiration she received. It was in this private sanctuary that Beverly grappled with the overwhelming weight of her emotions, struggling to find a sense of acceptance and peace within herself. "It's for the greater good," mused Beverly, her fingers trembling as she reached for the elastic band holding her chestnut hair in a ponytail. Taking a deep breath, she released the band and felt the weight of her hair cascaded down around her shoulders. With a shaky hand, she picked up the scissors and began to cut, each snip accompanied by a soft, heartbreaking sob. As the last strand of hair fell to the floor, Beverly dropped the scissors into the sink and hesitantly touched the back of her ear, feeling the short, masculine cut. She gazed at her reflection in the mirror, trying to find a balance between embracing her true self and retaining elements of femininity in her appearance, unlike the stark masculinity of Will's own haircut when he transitioned.
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We'll Always Be Losers, No Matter What (IT Rewrite)
FanfictionDerry, Maine. From The Outside, It Looks Like Your Typical Small Cul-De-Sac Neighborhood. With Faded Painted Houses, Tiny Schools, Old Fashioned Ice Cream Shops, & Withered Hospital, It Is A Town That Is Always Overlooked And Not All That Interestin...
