GIRLS LIKE GIRLS

chapter ten.

january 18, 1989

"PATRICK HOCKSTETTER HAPPENED." cassandra stated brushing a piece of fallen hair from her face. "can i come in?" bill nodded and cassandra walked throught the doors, slipping off her shoes.

"m-may i ask wh-why he duh-did this? a-and wh-when?"

"he did it because i kicked him in the balls, and because i was alone. he did it yesterday, he took me from the arcade when i separated from you guys." bill felt a wave of guilt wash over him,
mentally slapping himself for thinking cass ditched them.

"d-did he duh-do anything e-else?"

"he did but i'd rather not talk about it, it's disturbing and i don't want to think about it." cassandra began to wander around bills house, looking at picture frames. "this your brother?"

"yuh-yeah." bill smiled softly, before
looking down. "he d-disappeared l-last april." cassandra looked up at
him, a look of pity on her face.

"im sorry bill." she whispered, pulling him into a hug. he was about two inches taller than her, so she wrapped his arms around his waist.

"i-its okay. we're tr-trying to fuh-find him." doubt washed over her with his words, knowing that bill wasn't going to find georgie.

but she didn't say anything, knowing that he was sensitive about it.

"and i'll be there to help every step of the way." she grinned pulling away.

"lets go see a movie. its too cold to go anywhere else." bill nodded in agreement, leading cass to the living room.

"wuh-wanna invite th-the other luh-losers?" cass nodded.

"can i invite bev and ben too?"

"s-sure." bill nodded. he was friends with bev and ben, but unlike what everyone says, he didn't have a crush on bev.

"okay, i'll have to run home to grab money and call them. is that okay?" bill nodded.

"b-before you guh-go, can i a-ask you suh-something?"

"of course big bill. what is it?"

"h-how did you kn-know you were g-gay?" his cheeks blushed crimson, and he looked down.

"well, i never really liked boys. i was friends with them, sure, but i didnt like-like them. then i met this one girl, and i felt more, more than i'd ever felt for a boy. that was in fifth grade." cass explained, grabbing bills hand. "billy, do you want to tell me something?"

"i thu-think i like st-stan. when its juh-just me and h-him, i don't st-stutter as muh-much. i f-feel safe and r-relaxed. i've f-felt that w-way since i was y-younger." bill blushed even darker, this had been the first time he had ever shared that with someone, and it had been with the girl he had met only days ago.

"well, if you really like him, and he's a good friend, he will accept you. i wouldn't tell him you like him right away, just tell him you think that you're gay." bill nodded, and cass pulled him in for another hug. "i'll be back soon, see ya."

"HEY, BEN. ITS CASS. HOW ARE you?" cass smiled, although the action made her face ache in pain. she quickly stopped, and winced.

"hey cass, I'm good. what about you?"

"just peachy. but on this fine sunday morning, would you like to come to the movies with me and some losers?" ben smiled and nodded, although she couldn't see him through the phone.

"i'd love to! are we going to the aladdin?"

"yes sir, at about two."

"wait, i spent all of my allowance." ben had spent his money on some candy throughout the week, and had left him with not even a dollar in his pocket. 

"don't worry about it. i've got plenty to spare." cass had always been a money saver, on birthdays and christmas she would put it all away, knowing that she (or someone else) may need it in the future.

"are you sure about that? i don't want to trouble you."

"it's no trouble at all, i'll see you at two, alright?" she hung up the phone, and looked down at her paper for beverlys number.

it rang a couple times before someone picked up.

"al marsh speaking. who is this?"

"hi i'm cassandra. a friend of beverlys. is she home?"

"yeah." the sound of yelling was muffled for moment, before beverlys voice filled her ears.

"hey cass!" cass smiled at the sound of beverlys voice, and winced once again.

"hey bev. wanna come to the movies with me, ben, bill, and probably stan richie and eddie?"

"what movie?" bev asked, twiddling with the ends of her sweater.

"i decided on little monsters. i haven't seen it yet."

"yeah sure, let me ask my dad." bev covered the phone with her hand, but cassandra could still hear clearly. "hey dad, can i go to the movies?"

his voice was muffled, but cass could make out the words. "are there any boys going?"

"no, dad. just me and cass." cass stayed silent, a bad feeling washing over her. the fear shone clearly through beverlys voice, and cassandra felt herself grow angry.

"you're not turning into a queer, are you bevvy?"

"n-no, dad. she's my friend."

   'thats why bev didn't like me calling her bevvy.' cass thought.

"go ahead. d'you need money?"

"yes please." bevs voice was shaking, and cass felt terrible for her. she uncovered the phone and spoke before hanging up. "i'll see you then." the line clicked and cass sighed.

one million thoughts swam through cassandras brain, the main one being,
'what is al marsh doing to bev?'

   AT ONE-FORTY FIVE CASSANDRA started down town towards 'the aladdin.' she didn't exactly know where it was, but she assumed it was somewhere near the arcade, and if it wasn't, she could always ask.

her hands felt numb in the air, and she pulled her sweatshirt sleeves over them to block off the cold.

she still wasn't accustomed to wearing coats, given it was rarely cold enough in california for them.

hell, she didn't even own one, her aunt had given her one of her old ones.

as she walked down the streets, she finally spotted the big sign that indicated she was at the movies. she ran across the street, and noticed a few of her friends already there, bev, bill, and richie.

"hey guys!" cass smiled, shivering.

"cass what have i told you about coats! you're going to get sick!" bev exclaimed, pulling cass towards her. warmth filled cassandras body, bev was slightly taller, so cass wrapped her arms around bevs waist.

"are eddie and stan coming?"

"st-stan c-can't, and e-e-" bill began, but richie finished for him.

"eddie will be here soon. what about that ben kid?" his question was answered when he came around the corner.

"hey guys." he smiled, and cass waved.

"hey, bev." his cheeks turned red, and beverly smiled and waved at him.

"hey new kid on the block." cass smiled, winking. bev felt something burn in her stomach, but she quickly pushed it down.

beverly marsh was jealous.

•••

HA HA HEY GUYS IM IN A GOOD MOOD SO SOMEONE TEXT ME
this isn't edited lol sorry just
tell me if theres any typos