Really? // Stenbrough

Chapter 43

Stan's PoV

"He said what?" Richie roared angrily.

I had just told him what Bill had told me in the hallway after our fight. We were sitting in his room, me on his bed Indian style and him at his desk chair, or was, Richie had jumped up after I explained everything.

I wiped my nose for what felt like the hundredth time. After he had said those things to me, I had just left the building. I walked out and to Richie's place. Luckily his mom was home and she let me in. She obviously asked what I was doing there and I told her my class had been let out early. She didn't entirely believe me, but let it slide.

I waited in Richie's room for him to come home, mostly consisted of my crying quietly as I replayed Bill's words in my head.

"Maybe he's right though." I told him.

I looked up at Richie and watched his face change from completely angered, to complete sadness. He rushed over to me and placed his hands on my shoulders and looked at me.

"He isn't right ok."

"But maybe he is. I mean, I did come out over a letter. I'm weak."

My voice broke and tears appeared in my eyes again, I lowered my head. But I didn't let them fall, I've been crying way to much lately.

"You are not weak Stan. You came out to your father who is an extremely homophobic person. That took guts to do."

A couple tears fell into my lap. I don't deserve Richie as my friend. He's been nothing but nice and caring to me since Bill and I broke up; and I've been nothing but a whiney, crying baby.

"Look at me."

I shook my head.

"Look at me Stan." He said firmer.

I slowly lifted my head and looked at Richie.

"Bill just isn't himself. I know it, you know it, and he probably knows it too. He's just very confused and broken but doesn't know how to fix himself."

That made my tears fall.

I'm so sick of crying over Bill. I just want him back already, or out of my head. But every time I see him, I just cry. I know he isn't himself, he's saying mean things and Bill is not a mean person. I remember when Richie told me how at the beginning off the summer, Bill wanted to hate me but couldn't because he didn't have a single hate bone in his body. He still doesn't, somethings just off.

Richie pulled me into a hug and let me cry onto his shoulder, for like the billionth time. God it feels like that's all I'm going recently. Shouldn't I have run out of tears by now?

"I'm so sick and tired of feeling this way." I told Richie as I wiped my cheeks and eyes.

"It'll get better."

I looked up at him. "Will it though? I mean people say it'll get worse before it gets better, and it's got really fucking worse, but what if it doesn't get better and I feel this way forever?"

"Stan, that will not happen. I'll make sure of it." He firmly told me.

I nodded my head. "Fine. But if someone asks we how I'm feeling in a couple of years and I answer sad, I'm blaming you." I smiled.

Richie grinned and patted me on the back. "I'm ok with that, as long as you're smiling now."

"Thanks rich."

"No problem Staniel."

I laughed.

~~~
Bill❤️: do you want to work on the project? I just want to get it done.

Me: uh yeah sure.

Bill❤️: come over then.

Me: ok

I sighed and closed my English book. I grabbed my jacket and Georgie's birthday present from my room. I ordered it online so it didn't come in time for his birthday, and I haven't been wanting to go over to Bill's so I never gave it to him. I put some shoes on and started walking to Bill's.

His mom answered the door.

"Hi Stan."

"Hello."

"Bill's up in his room."

"Thanks, and where's Georgie? I have his present." I held up the gift to show her.

She smiled. "He's in the living room."

I nodded my head and took off my shoes before going to the living room.

"Hey there Georgie."

His head snapped up and he smiled. "Stan!"

He ran over and hugged me and I hugged him back. "Look what I got." I handed him his gift after he let go of me. "You said you like hockey and these are my favorite movies."

He ripped off the wrapping paper and smiled. I had gotten him the Mighty Ducks movie. Adam Banks is a hottie.

"Thanks Stan! I'll make sure to watch these."

"No problem kid. Now I gotta go work on a project with Bill. Bye bud."

"See you later."

I walked up the stairs and to Bill's room. I knocked on the door and he opened it. He looked at me and walked back into his room. I followed and sat down at his desk since he sat on his bed.

"So what do we have to do?" I asked after some awkward silence.

He looked throw his folder and handed me a sheet. The rubric. I read it over and we basically had to do a project about an important person during the revolutionary war. Seems easy enough.

"I was thinking we could do Molly Pitcher." He said.

I nodded my head. "Ok."

He looked at me.

"What?" I asked.

"You aren't gonna argue with me?"

"No," I whispered. "I don't like arguing with you."

He just nodded his head. "Ok, so I'll start the power point on my laptop and share it with you."

"Ok."

I sat there as he opened his laptop and created the power point. His phone rang, and he answered it.

"Hey babe." He said into the phone.

I looked down and played with my hands.

"Not right now, I'm working on a project. But come over at your normal time, I have something special planned for tonight." He spoke sexually.

I felt hurt. I know we aren't dating anymore, but how could he have moved on so fast?

"See you tonight babe." He hung up his phone.

He cleared his throat causing me to look up at him.

"Ok so I shared it and now we can work on it individually."

"Great." I stood up and started to his bedroom door.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"Home."

I opened his door and walked out of it.

"Don't you think we should talk?" He asked pleadingly.

Does he want me here? No.

"Maybe sometime, but I'm still hurt after what you told me yesterday." I said turning to look at him.

He sighed. "I'm sorry, I was just mad."

"I could tell." I said quietly.

Bill sighed. "Whenever you're ready I wanna talk."

"Ok. Bye."

I walked downstairs and out of his house and to my own.