The Bath || Stenbrough

1952

"You have something..." Mrs. Uris picked his thumb and rubbed it against the side of Stan's cheek harshly. "Righttttt..there!"

Stan groaned, trying to escape his mother's loving grasp. "Mooooom let me goooo!!" 

Mrs. Uris rolled her eyes, partially because she was annoyed and partially because she didn't want to cry in front of the other parents who stood outside Derry Elementary, " Alright go on then...have fun!"

Stan ran through the double doors, his eyes widening as he saw just how many kids were in the hallway. He remembered what his mother kept repeating to him all through the car ride there. "Look for the rainbow doors, Stanley."

Stan's gaze traveled through every crevice of the hallway, every door, ever water machine. It was almost overwhelming to be in such a big, new environment. He spotted a goofy looking boy with hideous glasses and a flowery shirt. He looked about the same age as him, so Stan followed a few feet behind him in hopes to find the classroom. The boy walked across the hall into a room, one with rainbow doors! 

In the classroom there were many tables, and the teacher told Stan he could choose which one he'd sit at. Stan wasn't dumb, he knew how to tell which kids were the bad ones, but he sat next to the silly looking glasses boy nonetheless.

"Hi." Stan the boy, who was making ridiculous faces with pencils in his nostrils and mouth. "I'm Stanley, but you can call me Stan."

"Richie." The boy held put a grubby hand, of which Stan refused to shake. "But you can call me dick."

"W-What..?" Stan asked confused. 

"What?! It's short for Richard, plus..it's what I'm known for." 

"My father tells me not to associate with people like this.." Stan shuddered, grabbing a crayon to color with.

An auburn haired boy, who had a shorter one clinging onto him for dear life sat next to Stan. "H-Hi, I'm B-B-Bill. This is E-Eddie. He's s-scared of s-school." 

"Hi." Stan smiled, his mood immediately brightened by Bill's presence. "I'm Stan, this is Richie. He's inappropriate." 

Richie made a goofy smile at Eddie. "Why do you have a man purse?" 

"It's a fanny pack." Eddie crossed his arms.

"A-Anyway Stan, w-w-wanna be friends. Y-Y-You have c-cool hair." Bill remarked gently patting Stan's curls.

"Sure." Stan's lips curved into a shy smile. Usually he'd hate for a stranger to touch him, but this felt different. He liked Bill already. 

"W-Wanna g-go on the swings t-t-together later?"

"Sure!" 

 ---

Bills warm hands pushed against the back of Stan's blue button up. "I'm g-gonna send you t-t-too the moon."

"No!!" Stan giggled. "This is too high!"

Bill stopped pushing when he heard a shrill scream coming from Eddie, but resumed when he realized it was just because Richie had thrown sand at the boy. He pushed Stan higher and higher enjoying the sound of his frightened giggles.

"Bill, I'm gonna fall!" Stan shrieked, still giggling like an idiot. 

"I-I-I'll catch you if you do." Bill promised. 

"Let me down." Stan pouted, making Bill slow the swing down until it was safe to get off. "That was too high."

"S-Sorry, a-a-are you okay?" Bill asked guiltily. 

Stan nodded, giving Bill a hug. Bill blushed ferociously, not expecting the sudden affectionate gesture. 

"W-W-Wanna play again t-t-tommorow?" Bill suggested, grinning. Stan nodded in response. 

Ever since then the two boys had been attached at the hip, along with Richie and Eddie. They even made a name for themselves, "The Losers Club."