Second Denbrough //IT

Chapter 1

"So there's this church full of Jews, right?" Eddie starts as the bell rings and we walk into the hallway,
"And Stan has to take this super Jewy test-"
"Eddie.." I interrupt, shaking my head, but with a smile on my face.
"What, it's true!"

"H- How does it work?" Bill asks, just as believing as Richie is, stood next to him. Eddie sighs,
"They chop the tip of his.."
"Okayy!" I hurriedly shout, trying to change the subject before Richie pipes up, face a sheen of shock,
"But then Stanley will have nothing left!"

As the boys argue, Stan himself comes up behind us, joining the line,
"Guys!"
"Hey Stan, what happens anyways?" Bill inquires, turning to the boy,
"Eds says they slice your d-d-dick off."
To enforce the point, Richie cuts in, adjusting his glasses,
"Yeah, and I think the Rabi Master's going to pull down your pants, turn to the crowd and say 'Where's the beef?!'"

I laugh, despite myself,
"Don't worry Stan, they're only kidding."
He smiles, "I know Aidan, I've been hanging around with these guys for long enough. Besides, it's nothing like that." He gives a slight eye roll at Eddie,
"All I have to do is read from the Torah, make a speech, and suddenly, I become a man."

Richie is about to say something sarcastic, before his voice trails off. We all walk in silence past a leering Patrick Hocksetter, and a glaring Henry Bowers. Both of them say nothing, yet I shake with fear right until we're past them.
"Think they'll sign my yearbook?" the boy with the glasses jokes, but there is still an undertone of worry there.

As the others walk out of the doors, I stop, seeing Greta; one of the most popular girls in school; storm towards the female toilets, some of her goons in tow. Curious, I follow them, staying just behind the wall to listen to what they were saying. It seems wrong, but somebody might need help, so I stay.

The ponytailed mean girl lunges herself at one of the cubicle doors, pounding her foot against it,
"Are you in there by yourself Beaverly?! Or do you have half the guys in the school with you, huh slut?!"
Beverly Marsh.
The girl in my Social Studies class.
Anger boils up inside me, yet I don't move. Not yet.

"I know you're in there, little shit, I can smell you!! No wonder you don't have any friends!" Greta taunts, her followers laughing in the background. I hear a sigh, probably from Beverly, and a voice, sharp and simple, stating,
"Which is it Greta? Am I a slut, or a little shit? Make up your mind.."

I crack a smile at the sarcastic comeback, but it vanishes when I realise what's going to happen in the blonde's next words,
"You're trash." I hear a pulling, a scrape across the floor, then something lifts into the air.
"We just wanted to remind you.."

I run into the room just as the bag of rubbish spills over the cubicle door and straight onto Beverly. The girls laugh, clearly not noticing I'm here.
"At least now you'll smell better-" Greta shouts before the insult dies in her throat. Everyone looks towards me in the silence, then the girl's face contorts into a smirk,

"You want some too, Denbrough? Or are you just going to stand there and wait for your stuttering freak of a twin brother to save you?!"
Saying nothing, I shove past her as she struts out, her company following, throwing insults as she left,
"Have a nice day Beaverly! And you too Aids!"

When their catcalls and laughs have diminished, Beverly tentatively steps out of the cubicle, bag completely covered in wet rubbish. Her blue eyes lock with my hazel ones, and she asks, not an ounce of emotion on her face, "Why did you do that?" She walks to the sink, rinsing her bag thoroughly under the tap, as if she'd done it a million times,
"Greta will be out for you now."

"I know," I say,
"But I couldn't just leave when someone needed help."
Nervously, I tug down my woollen jumper,
"You.. You shouldn't listen to them, you know. They're wrong, and frankly the stupidest people to ever live."
The redheaded girl turns away from the sinks, face a little brighter,
"Thanks."

After a short silence, she takes a deep breath and introduces herself,
"I'm Beverly Marsh."
I smile,
"I- I know, we're in the same class. Social studies. I'm Aidan. Aidan Denbrough."
God, that was so awkward, I think, blushing slightly as I looked down at my feet.

Beverly's own smile is warm, and she nods towards my bag, yearbook sticking right out of it. I must have forgotten to close the zip earlier.
"Here, I'll sign this." she says, taking it out and flipping to the first page.
There is only a few signatures: from Richie, Eddie, Stan and Bill: but when she gives it back to me, hers is the one that stands out.
"Thank you." I quietly say.

However, before I could speak again, a pebble hits the window. Looking outside, I see Richie waving, and the others, telling me to come outside.
"I- I have to go, um, bye!" I hurriedly tell Beverly, jogging towards the door. As I leave, a voice echoes from behind me,
"Stay cool Aidan from Social class."

Even after the incident with Greta, I laugh, and run out the school doors..