GIRLS LIKE GIRLS

chapter twenty-one.

july 4, friday. 1989.

   "BILL! YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS about going in there!" cass called, chasing after the stuttering boy. her and the other losers and dropped their bikes near his, and were now standing behind him as he stared up at the abandoned house.

"this is crazy!" bev added, intertwining her pinky with her girlfriends.

"you don't have to come in with me. but what happens when another georgie goes missing? or another betty, or another ed corcoran, or one of us? are you just going to pretend it isn't happening like every one else in this town? cause i can't. i go home, and all i see is that georgie isn't there. his clothes, his toys, his stupid
stuffed animals, but hes-" bill stopped, unable to add on the fact that georgie isn't there. "so walking into this house," he continued, "for me, is easier than walking into my own."

"wow," richie breathed.

"what?" eddie asked.

"he didn't stutter once." with that richie, bev, and cass started behind him.

"wait!" stan called. "um, shouldn't we have some people keep watch. ya know, just in case something bad happens?"

cass scoffed and turned towards him.

"we're all scared, stanny. but we're doing this for bill. and georgie, and betty. i didn't even know them, but. i want justice. you all should too." cass turned on her heel and walked up the steps.

"who wants to stay out here?" bill asked. everyones hands shot up besides cass and bevs.

richie sighed. "fuck."

"I CAN'T BELIEVE I PULLED THE short straw. you guys are so lucky we're not measuring dicks," richie complained.

"i don't have a dick, you moron," cass shot back.

"shut up, both of you." eddie took a puff of his aspirator and coughed.

"god what is that smell?" cass groaned, holding her nose.

"don't breathe through your mouth," richie ordered.

"why- why not?" eddie rasped.

"because then you're eating it."

eddie gagged.

cass ignored the two and walked in the other direction, into a room with an old couch. she looked towards the ground and something shimmery caught her eye. she bent down, running her fingers over it. something seemed oddly familiar. when she realized what it was she gasped, and backed away.

her necklace.

"THERES JUST ONE THING I HAVE to do before we go," cass told izzy, brushing her bangs away from her face. her nurse nodded and ruffled the girls hair. she climbed into the car and watched cass walk towards the edge of the water. she looked back at the car, then at her house, and played with a small emerald green pendant that was attached to a gold chain and rested on her neck. she turned back to the water, and ripped it clean off.

she stared down at the necklace her mother had given her and pushed back tears that had welled in her eyes.

"goodbye, mommy." with that, cass threw the necklace into the ocean. she waited a few minutes before turning and walking away, while her necklace sunk to the sand beneath the salty water.