High School Sweethearts Aren't Real (Bill x Beverly)

Everything's Not Alright

A/N: Holy shit, I updated? Really? Never thought, I'd get around to doing it, but I'm finally back into the mood of doing it. This story should be updated a lot more now. So I hope you all enjoy this for now! Please give feedback in the comments!

BILL'S POV:

My finger nails dug into the wet soil as I struggled to regain my breath. The clenching of my lungs were slowly easing and I tried to raise myself from the ground only to fail.
It wasn't the physical pain that was stopping me, it was the recurring pain of memories. The ones with Henry.
I felt a hand on my shoulder and then another around my waist as someone lifted me up. The smeared image that was before me began to clear and when my vision was whole, I saw Richie just as he patted my back.
"You good, Bill? Keith hits like a truck." I just nodded and slipped my helmet off. My football coach jogged over to check on me. I just kept reassuring him that 'I'm fine' until he finally went back and we ran the play again.
As soon as it started, time immediately slowed. I kept an eye on Keith as he was pushing past Ben to get to me. Richie was running up behind me and I slipped the football to him.
Just as the ball left my hands, I felt the shoulder pad collide with my side. Another rush of wind escaping me and total darkness surrounded me.
"Fuck, Bill!" Stan yelled at me, shaking at me. He wrapped each arm under mine and started dragging me away. I just held the shirt tight to me, stopping as much blood as I could.
       Henry was bleeding down his face from a rock Eddie threw and he was still crawling after us, determined.
      Mike put a foot down on one of Henry's hands. Stopping him as Eddie held the other down. A noise escaped Henry like none I have ever heard before. Like a monster who has had it's long, long rest, just now waking...
      "Bill!" Richie was calling to me, but he felt so far away. Only, I could see him. Right here. "Bill! Stay awake! C'mon Bill, we're getting out of here! Bill..."
      "Bill!" My eyes shot open and met Richie's. I gasped for air and crawled onto my front. Removing my helmet, I slowly stood up. Sweat and mud covering every inch of me, I slicked my hair back with my hand and looked around. See, Bill? You're fine. Just practice.
     I looked around and saw everyone staring at me. "Bill, let someone else run some plays. You need a breather." I turned and saw my coach and just nodded. I began walking back to the bench and noticed someone in the stands, all alone.
     She waved at me, her red hair swaying with her body and a wide grin on her face. Just as my hand was about to raise, Ben ran past me. I stood there for a second, dumbfounded. Ben said a few words to the coach and ran up the stands to sit with Beverly.
They are good friends, Bill. You'll get there too. Just... time. That's all. I stepped over to the bench, throwing my helmet to the ground and putting my head in my hands.
      "You're doing good, kid. I have to admit it. True progress." I just laughed into my hands at the sick idea of a joke my coach has. I get the crap knocked out of me and he thinks it's progress. He must've known what I was thinking, "You took those hits like a champ. It's not your fault you get hit. Keith will ram through anyone and Ben... Ben's not holding his own against him."
      "You always say I have 'true progress' coach. There's no way I haven't hit some limit." I began to stand up and trade with whoever was running for me when my coach stopped me. "I want you to start next game, Bill. Show me something. Who knows, Patrick may have to step down from his 1st string position."
      A grin immediately grew on me and I slipped my helmet on, running out onto the field and kicking the 3rd string off. I let Richie know what was going on and saw Ben run back in to take his position again. If there was anyway for me not to get hit, I'd have to do something about Ben.
     I told the Louis, the player next to Ben, to ram himself into Ben and Keith. Stopping both but also saving myself. Sorry, Ben. I have plans to get to 1st string.
    The play worked exactly as I had hoped and I saw the coaches approving look.
     After a hard day of practice, I packed all my things up and began walking back, not before seeing Ben and Beverly say their farewells to each other and them both going their separate ways.
     "Hey Bill, wait up!" I heard a voice behind me call. Beverly ran up and stopped when she reached me. "Rough day out there, huh? You looked like you might puke." I just laughed and began walking. "Yeah, well, why were you there to watch?" She tucked her hair behind her ear and I could see a bit of red rising in her face.
      "Ben... he likes me to come and watch him play."
"Ben's kind of the reason I got hit."
"Oh, believe me, I know. I liked what you did with Louis at the end though." She gave a little wink. "I had to do it. I can't die before the season." She just laughed and we walked in silence for a minute.
"You and Ben seem to spend a lot of time together. Did you two stay friends when you left?" She kept walking, facing forward, but I could see it in her face. She was thinking over what I had said and hesitated to reply. "We did, keep in touch. And when I came back, he was the first to know and we hung out. He said he doesn't really hangout with you guys anymore so I didn't either really. Eventually... he... he asked me out."
That didn't come as a shock to me. Everyone knew Ben liked her, what came as a shock was how she said it. And how her thumbs twirled together nervously. How she looked at me with her sad blue eyes.
I pulled out a cigarette and lit it. Taking a drag and passing it off to Beverly. "W-wuh-what... uh... what d-did you say? To him?" Beverly stopped, my cigarette in her mouth. She puffed out some smoke and handed it back.
"Bill..." Again her eyes looked right at me and I just turned away. Feeling tears swelling my eyes but I blinked them away. "Beverly, what did you say to him?" She reached out and grabbed my hand. "I think you know." I took my hand out from hers. I can't have that touch right now. "Just... just tell me. What's going on? I want to hear it."
"We're dating Bill. Ben and I." I looked over and she was staring at the ground. I heard her sniffle and I walked over, bringing her into a hug. The hug hurt me but I think it helped her. "Hey, no need to be sad. I'm fine. No big deal. Just wanted to hear it." That's a lie.
Beverly looked up at me, "Really?" I just nodded and threw a fake smile on. "Of course, Bev." She smiled a little and eventually we continued walking until she split off and walked down her own street.
I stood there feeling a bit empty. Like something fell off back where we had our little talk. I was still smiling though. Even when the tears rushed down my cheeks. Even was my fist was connecting with a concrete wall. Even when the blood ran through my fingers from the broken skin on my knuckles. The entire time, I had that fake smile. But, Everything's Not Alright.