Shy Love | Stanley Uris

NINE.

NINE.
( THE BLOOD OATH )

❛ WE'LL COME BACK TOO. ❜

VERA NOLES—

It was now September. School was starting back up again and Vera still didn't have a permanent home. She'd thanked Stanley for allowing her to stay with him until she found somewhere but since school was about to begin, she had no choice but to leave.

The losers met down by the river in a field. The sat in a circle talking about what they'd experienced over the summer. "I only remember parts, but I thought I was dead," Beverly told the kids, not making eye contact with any of them.

"That's what it felt like. I saw us, all of us back in the cistern. We were older, like our parent's ages." She finished.

"W-w-what were we all doing there?" Bill asked the girl. She shook her head. "I just remember how we felt. How scared we were." She paused still averting eye contact with anyone. "I don't think I can ever forget that."

Vera itched her leg from the grass poking into her skin. She noticed how enticed everyone was to what Bev was saying.

The group stayed quiet until Bill stood up abruptly holding a piece of glass. "Swear it."

The group looked at him confused.

"Swear, if IT isn't dead, if it ever comes back, we'll come back too."

The losers looked at each other waiting to see who was going to be the first to join Bill. Beverly stood which caused a domino effect of members standing up. Richie and Eddie, then Mike and Ben, lastly Stan and Vera.

Bill held out his hand, slicing his palm with the glass. He winced as he pierced his skin with the material.

He began his way around the circle, slicing into everyone's palms so that they dripped with blood. He came to Vera who looked directly into his eyes. She flinched as she felt the sting of her skin tearing. Bill gave her a shy smile before finishing the rest off.

They all joined hands in a circle. Vera grabbed onto Mike and Stan's hand, the blood connecting their oath to return if IT did. Vera could feel her non-injured hand being coated with a layer of blood.

The losers all smiled at each other before letting go of their hands.

"I gotta go." Stan was the first to speak. He looked directly at Bill, "I hate you," He tried but failed to hold back his smile which caused the group to break into smiles as well.

Vera watched as he walked away looking around the group. Her gaze met with Bill's who smiled at her. "Go with him."

She returned the smile and walked over to give him a hug. She looked at the rest of her friends and said, "I'll see you losers later."

As she jogged away she heard the faint yell of Richie, "Go get your man Vera!" She shook her head laughing as she tried to catch up with the boy.

"Stanley! Stan!" Vera called out causing the boy to stop and face her. "Vera? What's wrong?" He asked examining her to make sure she was okay.

"Nothing, I'm fine... I just- I wanted to tell you that I uh..." Vera couldn't find the words to say what she wanted. Her eyes flickered meeting his gaze, down to her feet.

She hesitated at first but then leaned in fully connecting her lips to his. She put her left hand on the bandage that was wrapped around the boys head from the time the woman tried to eat him, and her right hand in his curls.

His eyes widened at the sudden connection. Vera pulled back looking to see the boys reaction. A smile broke out onto his face as he pulled her into a hug.

They were interrupted by the idiot that is Richie Toizer, "Look who's finally a man Stanny, WOOHOO!!" He yelled out running towards the two. He patted Stanley on the back which made you and the boy blush.

"Oh, fuck off Richie." Vera laughed out at the boy. His hands shot up in defence, "Guess I'm not wanted here... See you fuckers tomorrow." Richie biked off into the distance making the two chuckle.

"Richie's something special huh?" Vera joked to Stanley who chuckled nodding.

"Do you, uh, maybe wanna go to homecoming with me?" Stanley asked rubbing the back of his neck and looking at his shoes.

Vera smiled holding his face up so he was looking at her. "I would love to Stanley." She placed a sweet little peck on his lips again leaving him in shock.

"See you later, Stanley." Vera smiled before walking off.

—

Vera walked down the streets of Derry alone. She held a vanilla ice cream cone in her hand, enjoying her last couple days of freedom.

She was upset that Beverly would be leaving. She was her only female friend unless you count Richie who they always teased about liking Eddie.

She walked in silence thinking to herself. She pondered over life and things like who'd she is staying with now that she can't secretly live with Stanley anymore.

"Vera! W-wait up!" She heard a boy call her. She turned around to see the Denborough boy running towards her. She smiled waiting for him to catch up to her.

"Hey Bill, what can I do for you?" He laughed before stopping his movements. This caused Vera to turn and face him. "What is it?" She asked seeming more concerned.

"M-my, mom. She was talking to your Gran, C-Carol. She said y-you can go back home." Bill smiled with his eyes to the girl.

Vera felt her heart flutter with happiness. "W-what? She's letting me back in?" Vera asked confused at what the boy was saying. He just nodded at the girl.

"Thank you, Bill thank you so much." Vera hugged the boy and ran off down the street.

"Where are you going?" He yelled at the girl. "Home." She replied before taking off.

Stanley was right... All she had to do was hope that things would turn out okay in the end, and all the bad would be wash away. Even if she never found her parents, she knew that she was loved and cared for...

And that's all that mattered.