"should we go over there?" richie asks, and his voice is eager, but also hesitant.
stanley's eyes had locked on bill, and bill is smiling, and the smile is a peace offering that stanley isn't accepting. stan moves forward slightly, and he says something.
"yeah, maybe," el says, but then she pauses. then stan's face drops even more so, if possible. "no, probably not."
"you're probably right," eddie is saying, but he's so nervous that his foot is tapping, and he's kind of bouncing back and forth, and richie has to put an arm around him to calm him down. "fuck, what do we do?"
"there's..." el's eyes don't move from where stanley stands, still in his tracks. "there's nothing we can do at this point. just hope...it isn't as messy as last time."
"i thought max said we wouldn't know anyone else here," richie says, and he doesn't mean for it to, but it sounds quite accusatory. "why would she lie to us?"
"i don't know," el bites her lip, but she's only half in the conversation. she really can't take her attention off of the situation unfolding in front of them. "what is bill doing? did he just-"
"he just grabbed stanley's arm," eddie observes.
"wrong move," this is from richie.
he's right, and stan flinches away, pulling his arm back. he's saying something too quiet for them to hear. he doesn't look too happy.
"oh god, i can't watch," el mumbles, covering her eyes, but then she ends up looking again anyway.
"i think...it's going fine," richie says. "they seem to be having a civil conversation."
jinx.
it's obvious to bystanders that they're yelling, but due to their distance, el, richie, and eddie can't hear, so, in their nosey and over-protective endeavours, they push closer to their friend and his ex.
"no, you know what?" stanley's voice comes loud above the music, and eddie is the one that flinches this time. the two boys are turning heads - making a scene.
"fuck."
"stan, come on, please-" bill's statement is loud enough to be heard, but it's soft, pleading. he reaches out again, but his hand is whacked away.
"don't you dare fucking touch me."
"stanley, please, just talk to me."
"no," stanley looks disgusted, or upset, or both, but he pushes past bill, hitting him on the shoulder as he passes. as he leaves, he shouts, "go fuck yourself, william."
bill tries to go after him, but stan is moving too fast, and a crowd of people block bill's way. more specifically, el, eddie, and richie.
"guys-"
"don't you fucking dare," eddie spits out, and his eyes are narrowed. and then he storms off, after his friend, dragging richie behind him as they had been holding hands.
bill gives up. it's obvious in his eyes.
"el, i just," bill says, and she isn't as vindictive as eddie had been, allowing him to speak. "i just wanted to talk to him."
"give him a break," el says, and her voice is quiet, nervous. she shakes her head. "just...give him a break."
