a little bits of rights ig
Carn's heart skips a beat. After communion, as she walks to her pew in the back, she passes her mother, who is hunched over in prayer. Jan makes eye contact with her daughter for a millisecond, then averts her gaze as quickly as possible, her face cold as stone.
Reserving her pain, Carn gets to her pew, where Bill is waiting for her. After mass, they wait until her mother clears out to leave themselves.
Right as they reach the door, however, there's a tap on Carn's shoulder.
"Carnation?"
They both turned to see the youth minister, holding out a letter.
"This came in the church's mail yesterday. It's addressed to you."
She hands it to Carn, who checks the return address.
"It's from Catholic Youth Leaders of America- I forgot I applied for their big retreat!"
"Op-open it!"
She rips open the letter, dying to know it's contents.
"Dear Miss Holland.... As you know, we receive thousands of applicants every year for our annual teen retreat. It is a very difficult selection process, especially since we can only choose one hundred exceptional high school seniors. After reviewing your application, we are pleased to inform you-"
The youth minister, Beth, shrieks.
"Yes, Holland!!" Bill picks her up and twirls her around (which probably isn't the best idea, but the baby is unharmed).
Carn continues reading it to herself, eyes moving across the page like lightning. But then her face falls.
"It's next week... and it lasts a month..."
"No, that's okay!" the youth leader says. "What happens is your teachers mail your schoolwork. You're going to have time every day to work on it."
"I'm sorry, I can't do this. Especially with the baby... I don't even have the money for this, too..."
"The church would be more than happy to cover the cost for you."
She shakes her head. "I couldn't ask that."
"Yes you can, I'm more than happy to help."
"The b-b-baby is guh-going to be j-just fine. You just n-n-need to take y-your vi-vitamins and n-not do anythuh-thing ph-ph-physically da-dangerous."
"And getting you there wouldn't be a problem. I'll drive you to the airport, and you'll take a plane to Texas."
"This is an ah-amazing op-opportunity, C-Carn."
"Yeah. Yeah, it is," she looks at the ground.
"So...?" Beth asks.
Carn hesitates. "I- I think I want to go."
"You think?"
"I really, really wanna go."
"Then you're going."
"Yeah! I'm going!"
****************************
"Can you believe that I beat Greta's ass?" Clara asks proudly, sitting on Carn's floor.
"The fact that you didn't get in trouble is what I can't believe," Carn laughs.
"And what I can't believe is that we broke into Carn's house without her mother knowing," Beverly adds.
The three girls are all in Carn's room, getting together everything that she missed or might need for the retreat.
"She doesn't come home until four, and Dan even later. We still have twenty minutes."
"What did you end up doing with all of the permission forms?"
Carn looks around, as if anyone could overhear. "Bill forged my mom's signature," she whispers.
Beverly and Clara fall over laughing.
"Damn, Carn. We never thought you had it in you!"
"Stooop!" she blushes. "I already feel bad enough. Someone change the subject."
"So, uh.... what did you guys think of the environmental science test?"
Carn smiles to herself. She loves spending time with her friends, and wants to really live up their last week together before she left. Because she doesn't know how she'll spend a month without them, especially Bill.
*******************************
The night before Carn leaves, the Losers all pack into Mike's living room. Camila joins them, bringing tubs of ice cream from the diner. Carn shares one with Bill, her legs stretched out on his lap.
"Let's play a game!" Richie suggests.
"Truth or Dare?"
"You always want to play Truth or Dare," Stan groans, letting Eddie play with his curls.
"Skeletons in the Closet?" Bev suggests.
Everyone agrees, nominating Carn to go first, as she's the most innocent.
"How many times have you and Bill done it?"
"Um... three and a half."
"Three and half? How is that possible?"
"We did like. Hand stuff," she giggles.
"Okay then," Stan chuckles. "Did you consider getting an abortion?"
She shakes her head.
"What's Bill like in bed?" Richie asks.
Everyone's really curious about this one, but partly expects Carn to get all shy and chicken out.
But they can underestimate Carn sometimes.
"All I'm going to say is... they don't call him Big Bill for nothing."
Every single person in the room screams. Bill chokes on his ice cream, turning crimson.
"I KNEW IT!!" Richie yells.
"We all knew it!!"
They go on like this for hours. It's the perfect end to Carn's time with them (until a month later). The Losers don't have a care in the world in this moment. And it's bliss.
YOU ARE READING
Yellow Dress//Bill Denbrough
Fanfiction"Shut up and love me." As if Bill hasn't already had to grow up too fast, Carnation has some news that will forever alter their lives and test their relationship. Sequel to Catholic Girl//Bill Denbrough
