𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧 | ͏reddie

10

Sorry in advance...🤧

Beverly feels the cold air run through her auburn curls, a comfortable silence as she slowly inhales the hot fumes from her cigarette. Often she came to the quarry alone, just to smoke, or when she was younger to get away from her abusive father. There's a sense of freedom here, and each of the losers find comfort in its aurora, whether that be to get away from the world or just to enjoy the endless view of glistening water from the cliff edge. Last time she came with Richie.

Richie.

She sighs heavily at the reminder of her best-friends name. They never usually fight as often as they have been, and quickly the guilt feels overwhelming on the fiery girl's shoulders. She didn't mean to shout at him about Eddie. Maybe she looks jealous now. But she knows that Richie will never understand where she's coming from, the reasoning behind it all. She just can't bare to see Eddie break his heart.

"Bev? Is that you?"

The girl quickly whips her head around to the voice, only to see a mere outline of a familiar figure casted by the blazed orange sunlight behind. She squints whilst raising her jewelled hand to shield her eyes from the intense sunlight, still unable to make out the face of the person.

"Wow, is that a peacock over there?"

This is all the girl needs to quickly realise that the person is none other than Stanley Uris.

She sighs heavily, turning back to the water and beautiful view. "Why are you here?" She asks, unbothered.

"Nice to see you too," Stanley neatly sits beside her, wiping some dust from his jacket. "You left alone after you and Richie... you know. I guessed you'd be here."

"You guessed right." She finally turns to him, pulling the cigarette from her mouth and staring intently. She can trust Stanley not to tell anyone what she's been hiding all these weeks. He's probably the most mature of all of their friends, besides Mike, and seeing him sat so close makes her want to tell him even more.

"Penny for your thoughts?" He smiles just as the wind blows again, brushing a few blonde curls over his forehead. Beverly sighs, adjusting herself on the grassy terrain.

"Richie can't fall in love with Eddie, it's too dangerous."

"Wow, sounds mean when you say it so bluntly." Stanley smiles teasingly. This is all Beverly needs to become more relaxed, releasing a small laugh before continuing her point.

"My aunt knows Sonia, she came over one day after they first moved here and they were having a conversation. Sonia said that Eddie takes all these pills for his 'problems'. He's suffered bullying most of his life, never had a real group of friends, always at hospital appointments... Do you get where I'm going with this?"

Stanley just stares at her, eyebrows newly knitted into a confused frown. "Um, not exactly...?"

"There's just so much that can go wrong, Stan." Beverly releases a long sigh, flicking her cigarette into the shrubs and crossing her legs. Stanley watches her, slightly confused as to what she's getting at. "Eddie is so different to Richie, there's no way it'll last."

"Bev, I really don't–"

"Just wait," She quickly hushes the boy. "That means that we'll just be watching Richie fall in love with Eddie. What will Henry think? He'll probably beat the shit out of Richie - you know how Henry is. He'll think it's hilarious that Richie is dating a deaf kid. And what about his dad? He'll kill Richie if he finds out that he's even seeing a boy."

"I can imagine the scene, now you've said it." Stanley adds with a mumble. They both sit in silence for a few moments, allowing Stanley to register what has just been said. It makes sense now. Most of it. Now he knows why Beverly has been trying to make them go slow. It's all to protect him.