perfect | it 2017

ii. THE DISAPPEARANCE OF GEORGE DENBROUGH

That evening, Elena regretted everything she told her mother. Because when they got home, her mother lost it. She made sure to leave many bruises on her daughter. She made sure to torture her daughter as much as she could..

But Elena knew it was coming. Elena didn't even cry, nor flinch. The relationship between Ella and Elena changed forever on that night.

One winter's night, Elena walked into the sitting room. The fire was lit and so were the surrounding candles. The TV was on but her mother wasn't watching it. Ella was in her dressing gown, sat on the couch with her hand over her mouth in shock. The telephone sat next to her.

"Mother? What's wrong?" Elena whispered, almost scared to even open her mouth around her mother anymore. The young girl sat next to her mother, waiting for a reply.

"Do you remember Sharon and Bill Denbrough?" Her mother replied reluctantly, staring into the fire. "Last month at Derry's Banquet?".

"Yes..I haven't spoken to Bill in a while," Elena realized. She should probably try talking to him again sometime in school.

"Sharon just called me and told me that G-Georgie might be dead.." Tears formed in her mothers eyes and for the first time in forever, Ella hugged Elena. A true genuine hug.

Ella always had a soft spot for Sharon and her husband, Zack. Bill and Georgie too. This news also shocked Elena, for that night in the gardens, her and Georgie made a special sort of bond.

"I must go..I'll be back soon," Elena broke apart from her mother. Ella was weeping so loud, she didn't even hear her daughter.

The blonde ran outside and grabbed her bike. She had been to the Denbrough's once for dinner almost a week after the banquet, so Elena knew the way to Bill's house.

She cycled there and once she reached it, she threw her bike on the grass and knocked loudly on the door. Bill opened the door. He looked a mess, his eyes were red from crying. And as he looked Elena up and down, he started crying again from memories the girl had with Georgie.

"I'm so sorry," The blonde started crying from just watching her friend weep. Elena hugged him and Bill hugged back immediately. They both dropped to their knees but didn't break away.

Bill cried into her shoulder while tears formed in Elena's eyes. They stayed there for what seemed like hours. Bill didn't even know the girl that well, they had only met twice but when they hugged it felt like they knew each other for years.

★ ★ ★

"Bill..are you okay?" One of Bill's closest friends, Eddie asked him. Elena had just closed her locker and was ready to go home when 4 boys caught her eye. They were all grouped up next to Bill's locker which was right across the room from Elena's. It had been 2 days since Georgie went missing and Bill rarely spoke.

"I'm f-fine," Bill gulped, not taking his eyes off the floor. Elena noticed the tears welling in his eyes again as Stan put his hand on Bill's shoulder for comfort. "I-I just w-w-want to kn-kn-know if h-h-h-he's okay!" Bill sobbed, loudly.

The blonde walked over to them. Eddie and a boy with thick rimmed glasses looked up at her in confusion.

"Can you help him..?" Stan asked the girl. She shrugged, frowning at him.

"Um..How do you, uh..know her?" Eddie nudged Stanley. Richie smirked, not caring if his friend was pouring his heart out.

"Who cares? She's hot!" He winked at her. Elena had never been complimented like this before, so it took her by surprise. 

"Uhm..thanks?" She replied in a questioning tone. Eddie glared at him.

"Not now, trashmouth!" Eddie rolled his eyes. "Can't you see we have a problem here..?" Eddie pointed to Bill who continued to sob.

"Right," Richie swallowed. 

"Elena," Stan said firmly, his hand still resting on Bill's shoulder. "Help?".

The blonde sighed and nodded. She got closer to him.

"Bill, look at me," Elena lifted his chin, awkwardly. "Listen, everything is horrible. Your life is horrible, everything is just plain horrible,".

"The fuck? How's that supposed to help?" Richie squinted at the blonde. She flicked him off silently.

"But..don't worry," She smiled at him. Bill stared at her in confusion. "I speak from experience, it will get better. It might not get better today, maybe not tomorrow. Hell, it might not get better until another 10 years! Maybe even 20! But, it will get better eventually. It always does,".

"It w-w-won't get b-b-better until G-G-Georgie comes b-back," Bill wiped a tear off his face. 

"Maybe so," Elena took her hand away from under his chin. "But what happens if he doesn't come back?".

"Elena.." Eddie warned. The small boy knew that she shouldn't have said that, it would've just made Bill even more upset.

"Can you all just shut up for a second?" The girl turned around to face all 3 of the boys. "Please?" She raised her eyebrows in annoyance. They all nodded, quietly.

"I-I-If he doesn't c-c-c-c-come back then I-I-it will never g-get b-b-b-better," He sniffed. "And he will come back! I don't care what you say! He is alive, I know he is. I will find him!" And with that, Bill pushed Elena out of his way and stormed into the bathroom.

"Wow, he must be pretty serious," Eddie breathed out in amazement. 

"Why do you say that?" Elena asked him, staring at the bathroom door.

"He didn't stutter once," Richie answered for him. "Thanks for that great help, by the way," The boy with the glasses glared at her.

"Shut up, Richie," Stan and Elena said in unison. "He just needs time," Elena sighed. 

"Shit, I have to go," Eddie glanced at his watch as it beeped. "Call me if Bill gets a grip!" Eddie said a little too loudly and ran off out the school.

"Why did you ask Miss. Perfect to help?" Richie turned to Stan as if Elena wasn't there. 

"I swear to God," Elena tried to keep calm and not punch Richie in the throat. "If I had a dollar every time someone called me that-"

"You'd be on a yacht," Richie smirked. "You'd be crazy rich, you'd be shopping for the most expensive underwear. I'd like to see that, actually," He winked.

"Y'know, I still can't understand if you love me or hate me," Elena glared at the boy.

"Me neither," Stan agreed. Richie shrugged.

"I don't know," He replied. "Wait..does that mean I can see you in expensive underwear sometime?".

"What!? No!" Elena crossed her arms, uncomfortably. "I have to get home.." She turned on her heel and left the two boys standing alone in the middle of the hallway.