GIRLS LIKE GIRLS

chapter eleven.

january 18, 1989

"CASS, I NEED TO TELL YOU  something." eddie whispered.

"can't it wait until after the movie?" she answered, turning to face him. she immediately noticed a hand on eddies thigh, and when she looked closer she saw that it belonged to richie. eddie looked up at her with pleading eyes, and she furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

were richie and eddie dating?

"fine." she turned and looked towards bev, tapping her shoulder. "eddie needs me for a couple moments. don't eat all of the popcorn." she winked, before grabbing eddie by the hand and dragging him out of the theater.

in the darkness, you couldn't see the look of hurt, confusion, and jealousy covering beverly marsh, and richie toziers faces.

"ARE YOU AND RICHIE DATING?" cass asked, as two sat on the floor outside of the theater their friends were in.

"thats what i'm confused about." eddie sighed, and looked over at cass. "he acts like he likes me, he calls me cute, hugs me, and you saw him in there. he had his hand on my leg. what does that mean?" cass giggled to herself, and eddie scoffed. "how is my confusion funny? whatever, forget it."

"no, eds-"

"don't call me that!"

"eddie." she corrected, stifling another laugh. "its just that boys are so blind and stubborn. its obvious you and richie like each other. i could tell from the first day i met you two idiots. just tell him how you feel."

"i can't just do that! cass, i don't know if i'm gay!"

"you may not, but its easy for us to tell." eddie lowered his eyebrows and sighed, looking down at his lap. "invite him over tonight."

"w-what?"

"invite him over and tell him how you feel. then kiss him, and live happily
ever after!" cass tried to smile, but winced.

"are you okay! i mean, the wound looked covered but it could be getting infected! did you clean it the right way? shit! shit shit!" eddie started, trying to change the subject.

"eddie i'm fine, its cleaned. its just bruised. come on, idiot. lets go finish the movie." the two stood up and entered the movie theater again, going back to their seats. richie and eddie began to whisper to each other, and cass smiled. it hurt her face, but she did her best to hide it.

but bev noticed, and she put a hand on cassandras shoulder.

"you okay?" she whispered, and the brunette turned to meet bevs eyes.

"peachy." she turned back towards the screen, closing her eyes for a moment before opening them back up.

beverly didn't turn away, though. she looked down at cassandras hand, and began to reach over towards it. she laced her fingers with cassandras. cass smiled and squeezed beverlys hand slightly, and as always, the two girls felt content with each other.

"TH-THAT MUH-MOVIE WAS GREAT!" bill exclaimed, as the six walked out of the movie theater. bill walked by ben, cass by bev, and richie and eddie walked ahead of the group, lost in conversation.

cass nodded at bill, agreeing. "i loved it. the savage brothers are my favorite!"

"and they're cute." bev added, and cass looked down at her feet.

jealousy was a feeling felt quite often, today.

"i really liked it too. thank you for inviting me cass. i had fun. i'll see you guys, my mom probably wants me home." ben waved at the group and walked away, a smile on his face the entire time.

"i-i gotta guh-get going too. s-see ya at s-s-school tomorrow." bill pulled cass
in for a hug, waved at beverly, and yelled out a goodbye to richie and eddie, before walking away.

"i'm gonna stay at eddies house tonight guys, and eddies mom wants him home. we'll see you guys." richie said, and eddie nodded.

"have fun you two." cass smirked, and sent eddie a wink once richie had turned away.

"we will, thank you. make sure you clean your wound again cass. it will get infected, then you'll get aids, and them you'll die." eddie added, and cassandra laughed.

"goodbye! leave!" she shooed. the boys laughed at her, before walking away, shoving each other and laughing loudly.

"i definitely see something. they're cute." bev smiled, brushing hair out of her face.

"yeah, they are."

"hey, cass, i just wanted to thank you. for showing me what its like to have friends." cass smiled widely, before
wincing.

"anytime, thank you for being my first girl friend in this town." cass felt her eyes widen as she spoke, and beverlys cheeks turned red. "th-thats not what i meant, i-"

"no, no i get it, you mean like a girl thats your friend."

"yeah. yeah! because like you were the first girl i talked to, in social studies class!" cass coughed, and looked down.

"yeah."

"because, you're not gay." cass added, and beverly blushed even redder. (if that was possible.)

"yeah, yeah i'm not." cass felt her heart drop, but she hid it with a smile.

"i should get going, want me to walk you home?" cass offered, but bev shook her head no.

"i'll be okay, but what about you? shit, you can't walk alone!"

"i'm okay, bev. i walked here by my self." bev sighed, and looked down.

"i'm going to hate myself if anything happens to you."

"nothing is going to happen. i promise. see you later. i'll call after dinner?"

bev nodded, and pulled the slightly shorter girl in for a hug. "sounds great, see you!"

with that the two girls parted ways, both with smiles on their faces, but sadness in their hearts.

ONCE CASS GOT HOME SHE RAN upstairs and laid on her un made bed and sighed.

'shes not gay. you don't have a chance.'

ONCE BEVERLY GOT HOME, SHE walked to her room, careful not to wake her dad who was sleeping on the couch. she locked her bedroom door, and laid on her bed, sighing and pulling her hair out of its ponytail.

'god i am such a liar.'

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