𝐌𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐋𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐒 [R.Tozier]

II. Bye, Beautiful

A few weeks later

Alisa exits the class as the bell rings. Finally, the end of the school year. She casually walks behind Bill Denbrough and his friends, listening in out of boredom.

"So, there's this church full of Jews, right? And Stan has to take this super Jewy test." Eddie begins speaking to his two best friends. "But how's it work?" Bill asks curiously. "They slice the tip of his dick off." Eddie says, taking the other two by surprise, along with Alisa.

"But then Stan will have nothing left!" Richie exclaims, causing the other two to laugh. "That's true." Eddie agrees as another boy shoves past Alisa, causing her to fall over. "Wait up, you guys!" He grabs onto their shoulders, noticing that she had fallen in the process.

They all turn around for a moment, looking down at her as she awkwardly picks up her stuff. "You okay?" Bill asks, holding out his hand. "Seems like someone's fallen for me." Richie jokes, yet no one laughs. "Thanks." Alisa mutters before shoving past the boys and heading off.

The red head passes by the creepy Bowers gang, making sure not to make eye contact. She then walks into the girls' bathroom to check if she had gotten any bruises on her face from the fall. The bathroom smells like smoke, which Alisa lets out a couch to.

Right at that moment, entered Greta Keene, one of the many bullies in Derry. "Oh look, it's Alisa." She sneers looking to the girl with a menacing expression. "Oh look, it's Greta." Alisa replies, before shoving past Greta and out of the bathroom.

"You in there by yourself, beaverly?" She hears Greta kick a stall and shout, probably some other girl she wants to bully.

After a while of shoving past a ton of kids, Alisa finds herself outside at once, watching as Bill, Richie, Stanley, and Eddie empty out their bags. "Best feeling ever." She hears as she walks over to Bill.

Since her and Bill both lost their siblings on the same night, and they're neighbors of course, they began to talk a little bit over time. They'd have sleepovers sometimes and would always bike home together.

"Yeah? Try tickling your pickle for the first time." Richie says, earning no reaction. "Hey Bill." Alisa smiles, unzipping her bag and emptying it out as well. "Hey Ally." Bill replies.

"Hey, what do you guys wanna do tomorrow?" Eddie asks, looking around to his friends. "I start my training." Richie replies. "Wait, what training?" Eddie asks as Alisa stands beside Richie and Bill awkwardly, waiting for Bill to be ready to leave.

"Street fighter." Says Richie. "Is that how you wanna spend your summer? Inside of an arcade?" The short boy asks, clearly judgmental. "Beats spending it inside of your mother." The four eyed boy jokes, causing a small chuckle from Alisa, but no high five from Stanley.

"What if we go to the quarry?" Stanley grabs Richie's hand, putting it back down. "Guys, we have the B-B-Barrens. Ally's coming too." Bill says, taking Alisa's hand. "Ooh a girl! Maybe Eddie could bring his mom." Richie laughs, now earning an eye roll from everyone around.

"Right." Stanley replies to bill. It goes silent for a moment until Eddie speaks up. "Betty ripsom's mom." Eddie says, causing the kids to turn their attention towards a sleep deprived woman. "Is she really expecting to see her come out of that school?" Asks Stanley.

"I don't know. As if Betty Ripsom's been hiding in Home Ec. For the last few weeks." They all continue to stare, although Alisa notices how it's slightly rude. "You think they'll actually find her?"

"Sure. In a ditch. All decomposed, covered in worms and maggots. Smelling like Eddie's mom's underwear." Richies says, forgetting the fact that it's a sensitive subject for Bill and Alisa. "Shut up! That's freaking disgusting." Eddie replies.

"She's not dead." Alisa argues. "She's m-m-missing." Bill adds. "Sorry, bill. She's missing." Richie adjusts his glasses, quickly glancing over at the red head before turning back to look at bill, who begins heading towards the bikes.

Alisa follows behind, glad that she can finally head off. It was awkward just standing around all of bill's friends, who she never took the time to get to know. "You know the Barrens aren't that bad." Richie begins as Stanley picks up a blue piece of trash and places it in the bin.

"Who doesn't love splashing around in shitty water?" Right then, Richie's bag is pulled back by none other than Henry Bowers. He is thrown back into Stanley and they both fall over onto the grass.

"Nice Frisbee, flamer." Patrick laughs, grasping Stanley's kippah as the curly headed boy yells for him to give it back. "Give it back Patrick!" Alisa walks over, trying to look tough although the boy was much taller than her and much stronger. Patrick turns to her, raising his eyebrows with a menacing smirk. He throws the kippah into a passing school bus, then walks over to Alisa. "You probably shouldn't hang around these losers, you could catch a disease." He bumps her shoulder on his way back towards Henry.

Belch burps in Eddie's face, causing him to gag. "Loser." Henry says, bumping bill's shoulder. As Bill yells out something, Alisa walks over to Richie and Stanley, putting out her hand to help them up.

Stanley gets up on his own, but Richie makes sure to take her hand, staring straight into her eyes. The three walk up to the scene, staying behind a bit. "You s-s-s-say something, B-B-B-B-Billy?" Henry mocks, walking over closer to Bill.

"You got a free ride this year 'cause of your little brother. Ride's over, Denbrough." He is now towering over him, intimating the group.

"Leave him alone, Asshole!" Alisa shouts, earning an eye roll from Stanley. No one stands up to Henry, it never ends well. "Well look who it is? Little Ally, standing up for her little boyfriend." Henry smirks, looking over bill's shoulder.

"He's not my b-" Alisa begins but is cut off by Henry once again. "Well..This summer's gonna be a hurt train for you and your faggot friends." Henry looks back to Bill then licks his hand, smearing it all over his cheek.

"Call me for a good time!" He looks to the red head, winking and walking off, laughing along with his friends. Stanley, Richie, and Alisa step forward, joining Bill and Eddie, watching as the bullies get into the blue car.

"I wish he'd go missing." Richie says, a look of anger on his face. "He's probably the one doing it." Eddie replies. The boys and Alisa get their bikes and prepare to head off.

Eddie and Stanley make their way out of school grounds first, leaving Richie, Bill, and Alisa. "Hey, Bill? Can I sleepover?" Alisa asks.

"Not today, Richie's sleeping over." Bill shrugs, looking towards Richie. "I mean, we'd be happy to welcome such a lovely lady to join." Richie smirks. It goes silent for a moment as Alisa's not quite so sure what to reply. "I'll pass." Alisa says nonchalantly, getting on her bike and heading home with a head start.

"Bye, Beautiful!" Richie calls out, chuckling. "Bye, Richard!" She yells back. "What the fuck? Richard?" Richie asks bill.