GIRLS LIKE GIRLS

chapter three.

january 16, 1989. friday

  IT HAD BEEN FOUR DAYS SINCE cassandra had moved to a new school, four days since she made the friends that loved her, and the friends she loved.

although, with them, it seemed like she had been in derry forever.

cass sat on her bed, in the room her aunt had set up for her only days before cass showed up. she was reading, her glasses resting on the bridge of her nose.

  she glanced out the window, watching the snow fall to the ground. to her, it was mesmerizing. she had lived in california her entire life, and had never seen snow before. it took some getting used to, but she loved it.

unlike others, she loved change. especially the kind that's good.

a knock on her door pushed her out of her out of her daze. "can i come in sweetie?" her aunt called.

"yeah come on in." she closed her book and put it on her nightstand.

"could you run to the store for me? danny isn't feeling well and your uncle is at work. i have to make dinner and i don't have any milk."

cassandra nodded, before smiling. "of course i will." her aunt smiled and sat down on her bed. she grabbed cassandras hand within her own and smiled softly.

"i know this must be different. a new town, having to make new friends. i just want you to know i'm here if you need to talk darling." her aunt reached out and ruffled her hair and cass smiled.

"thank you, aunt nat. it means a lot." she leaned over to hug her aunt, and she kissed her cheek. her aunt handed her a ten dollar bill.

"buy yourself a soda sweetie." cass smiled and slipped on her boots and a sweatshirt.

"i'll be home soon!" she called, walking out of her room, down the stairs, and out the front door, glasses still resting on the bridge of her nose.

  AS CASS WALKED DOWN  THE snowy sidewalk, she felt at peace. nature had always been something she loved, something she felt safe with. snowflakes fell from the darkening afternoon sky and landed in her brown hair. her cheeks and nose were rosy from the cold air, and her lips were red and dry. she shivered slightly, and begun to walk faster towards the grocery store.

she arrived quickly, given her aunt and uncle lived closer to town, in a small rich neighborhood only a few blocks from the nearest store. she was met with warm air, and relief struck her body. no matter how long she lived in derry, she didn't think she would ever get used to snow and cold weather.
  she wandered around the aisles, trying to find where the milk was located. she had never been here before, given she was new to the town. she found herself in the clothing section, and her eyes wandered as she looked at the clothes around her.

little did she know, someone else who she had grown somewhat close to was not paying attention either, and they walked straight into each other.
  her glasses fell from her face and onto the floor. she immediately bent down to pick them up, but the person did, too. their heads hit each other and cass let out a small giggle. she lifted her head, and her eyes met a pair of bright blue ones. red hair shone from the lights hanging from the ceiling.

beverly.

  beverly grabbed the glasses from the floor, handing them to the brunette in front of her.

"sorry!" they both said, causing each of them to giggle. they stood up, and cassandra slid the glasses back onto her face.

"i'm so glad you're here! do you know where the milk is?"

  THE TWO GIRLS WALKED BACK TO cassandras house, giggling and talking like they had been friends forever, not since monday.

after beverly had shown her where the milk was, cassandra offered for bev to come stay the night. beverly agreed, calling her father off of a pay phone outside of the store.

"what am i going to do about clothes?" she questioned, and cassandra answered quickly.

"you can just borrow mine, i have plenty."

now, they walked towards cassandras home, arms linked together.

"any boys that you're interested in, cass?" bev asked, nudging her.

'please say no..' bev thought, before quickly shaking off the thought. 'no. you like boys. you don't like cass.' beverly had been experiencing weird things lately. her thoughts were plagued with the brunette beside her. thoughts that a girl shouldn't have about another girl. thoughts her father would flip his lid about.

"no, not really." cass muttered. the question caught her off guard. in her old school, everyone knew that cassandra didn't like boys. cassandra liked girls. that was the reason she hadn't had a sleepover in a very long time. the girls in her old school hated her. "how about you?"

'please say no.'

"no, the boys think i'm a slut here, all thanks to henry bowers." beverly sighed. shaking her head.

"bowers is an idiot, you aren't a slut bev. besides, who cares what they think?" cass smiled at beverly, and beverly smiled back.

"we don't need them. you're the closest girl friend i've ever had, cass."

"well i'm honored." she joked, and beverly laughed. a real, genuine laugh. she had done that a lot lately, cassandra had a good effect on her. she looked forward to school nowadays, and she tried her best to look presentable.

they arrived at the frayser residence and cassandra ran towards the kitchen quickly.

"hey aunt nat. is it okay if my friend beverly stays the night?" her aunt looked towards the girl in the doorway and smiled.

"of course!" natalie frayser had heard things about the girl, but she never believed rumors. she believed that everyone is equal, and everyone has their own story. she didn't judge anyone. "dinner will be done soon girls."

cassandra nodded and led beverly towards the stairs. "come on, lets go up to my room."

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