Daughter of Pennywise

Patrick

"Shit." Niki breathed when I finished telling her.

I'd left out that I had laughed like a mad woman or that I was sad to leave.

We were sitting on the floor of her room, a big bag of candy and a bottle of coke sitting between us. "What are you going to do now?"

I let my head fall back against the wall. My eyes closing. "I don't know."

Niki nibbled on a Bit-O-Honey. "Well that explains why greaseball showed up."

"Huh?" I cracked one eyelid.

"He runs with the Bowers gang. Tall. Black greasy hair. Looks like a beanpole." As an afterthought she added. "Likes fire."

"I told you his name's Patrick." I reached for a caramel.

Niki held up her thumb and forefinger, not quite touching. "I care this much."

"What'd he want anyways?" I asked.

Niki shrugged. "Seemed anxious, nervous. Um... he asked where you were. Mom told him you were sick and... he left."

"Weird." I fiddled with a wrapper.

"Maybe he's decided to be a decent human being." She turned the collar up on her plaid shirt and slouched purposely, making her voice deep. "Hey clown girl. Thanks for saving my life bro."

I couldn't help the laugh that burst out of me, as I threw the balled up wrapper at her. I preferred the laughs I shared with Niki. They sounded carefree and easy. Nothing like the crazed, maniacal sounds that bubbled up inside me around Pennywise.

"Maybe he'll go up to you tomorrow for whatever it was he wanted to talk about." Niki offered.

"Maybe."

🤡

The Bowers gang glared at us as Niki and I went to our lockers. She left me to get my things as she went farther done the hall to her own locker. 

I had barely put the combination in when I felt his breath against my ear. I swung around to face Patrick, banging my shoulder into the dull metal door loudly.

"Easy!" He held up his hands in surrender.

The other three were no where to be seen, but other students in the hallway were giving us sidelong glances. It probably didn't help that he was standing incredibly close to me.

Craning my neck to look him in eye I asked "Could you back up a couple steps?"

Exactly two steps. "I need to talk to you."

"You sure you don't want to just set me or Ben on fire first?" I snapped, thinking of the fear on the younger boy's face.

Patrick's lips widened in a smirk. "Maybe later. But for now..." He looked down the hallway. "Thank you."

I turned my back to him and grabbed my math book. "For what?"

His voice was harsh. "You know what."

"Afraid I don't." I smirked without turning around.

I heard Patrick huff in frustration, before spinning me around roughly and  slamming me against the lockers. "Thank you for saving my life."

He flicked his lighter and held it dangerously close to me cheek. "But keep your trap shut about it. Got it?"

I met his eyes. "Sure."