Lollipop // Richie Tozier x OC ( IT 2017 )

You Big Chicken (Chapter 8)

"Do you know what you're going to do about the Henry ordeal?" Stan asked Lolly, she was picking at the hem on her denim shorts; trying to look busy.
Stanley's curls bounced a little with each step he took down Prescott street, "I feel really awful about this whole thing, it's my fault this happened." He continued

Lolly tore her gaze from her shorts and looked directly into Stan's face.
"It's nobody's fault that Henry's a psychopath,"
"If Richie and I hadn't asked for your help that day," He subconsciously gazed at the bruising on her neck, "None of this would have happened."
"No really, don't feel bad. Apart from the whole attracting a psychopath thing. I am really happy I helped you guys out. I feel like we're all going to be good friends. And I'm really thankful I met Bill, too." She twirled a piece of hair around her pointer finger. 
Lolly's mind lingered back to the eerie phone call she'd received earlier in the day. She wasn't sure what would've happened if Bill hadn't shown up. 
"You and Bill are becoming really good friends,"
"He's probably my best friend, which is a little embarrassing considering I just met him. My best friend moved away after B-Bill's brother disappeared, her parents didn't think Derry was safe anymore." She sighed, "I-I think they were right, Stan. I don't think Derry is safe anymore."
"How do you mean?" Stan said. In his mind, he knew exactly what Lolly meant. A portrait in the office of his father's office had come to life before his eyes earlier in the week. A dreadful looking woman with a flute that came right out of the painting. Stan played it off as a dream, or a hallucination maybe. 
"Things just don't seem right," She continued to twirl her hair, "The things that have been happening, they aren't normal and nobody seems to c-care."
"I think you've been spending too much time with Bill."
"W-what?" 

Have weird things been happening to Bill too?

"You're stuttering." Stan laughed, hopeful to change the subject.
"O-oh. OH. You're right." She joined in the laughter, "It must be like when you spend a lot of time around someone with an accent."

Lolly stopped walking in front of a cream-colored split-entry home. A small garden of daisies and marigolds littered the dirt leading up the walkway, and the further-most window on the bottom floor was open.

"Well, this is it." She smiled, "thanks for walking with me Stanley,"
"Before you go, I wanted to ask you something."
"Sure, what's on your mind?"
A lump formed in Stan's throat, "I was just wondering if you'd... want to hang out with everyone again?"
"Oh, yeah! You don't even have to ask, I love hanging out with you guys." 

She beamed a toothy smile up at Stanley who hovered a few inches taller than her, "I should be going, don't want to miss dinner. Thanks again!" She waved as she continued up the walkway to her house.

"It's better to wait, you big chicken," Stanley whispered under his breath. He looked over his shoulder and saw Bill's house in the distance. He changed his path and stepped in that direction.

"I think she has a crush on you," those were the first words that came out of Stan's mouth when he saw his friend. He had caught up to Bill before he'd made it home, Bill had stopped to pick up a milkshake from the corner store on his way home. 
"It's nuh-nice to see yuh-you too Stan."
"She said you're her best friend,"
A smile crept over Bill's face, "Suh-sounds like she thinks I'm her best friend then," he felt the same way.
"We huh-had a moment earlier, she guh-got a weird prank call when I wuh-went to pick her uh-uh-up. Nuh-not that it matters, I-I tuh-think you're getting tuh-too serious about this. You barely know her."
"I know you're right, but I can't help it. I think she's really pretty, and it's really cute when she gets nervous and hides behind you. I really think she's smart too, smarter than she lets on. Last year I'd always see her name on the honors list, and I'd always see her in the courtyard during lunch writing-"
"Wuh-wait, last year? Duh-didn't you juh-just meet?"
Stan cringed.  He'd ratted himself out.
"I may have known who she was before we officially met. Guys can think girls are pretty without talking to them, Bill."
"Suh-sounds like you thought more than she was puh-pretty, Stan."
"Maybe she has a crush on Richie."
"Stuh-stuh-Stan, the sooner yuh-you stop buh-being a weirdo, the sooner something will happen. Stuh-standing here being cruh-creepy isn't guh-going to help. Juh-just get to know her like yuh-you would any other girl, pruh-pretend she's Bev, or Greta."
"You're right. I know you're right. I just can't help being worried about that stupid dance, or Henry, or Richie, or y-"
Bill cut him off, "Yuh-you're doing it again."
Stan shook his head and let out a loud sigh, "Feelings aside, I'm interested to see who she and Beverly ask. And less interested to see what Henry does when Lolly doesn't ask him."
"I-I duh-don't know if Lolly will even guh-go. She duh-duh-definitely scared of Henry."
"I hope she asks you. If she does ask Richie I feel like he'll run away if Henry shows up. I don't want her to get stuck alone with Henry again."

Bill shrugged. He really wouldn't mind going to the dance with Lolly, they were friends after all. He hated to admit it, but he was a little scared of Henry too. While he was sure Henry didn't have an actual crush on Lolly, based on how he shoved her around like anyone else, he didn't really want to cross him. Bill was a man of honor and knew however, he would protect his friend. Even if it meant getting more rocks in his mouth. Or worse.