He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not (Reddie)

30

3rd Person POV

It was raining in Derry, which really wasn't uncommon.

Bill hated rainy days, and so all of the losers had made a pact to all go over to Bill's house and hang out on rainy days.

On this particular day, the losers had brought over different ingredients for a game they liked to call 'The Ultimate Loser Baking Challenge.'

The game was created when they were in the eighth grade and Richie developed another game show host voice he liked to call 'Jimbo Johnson.' Of course the rest of the losers found him ridiculous but played along anyway. Soon the kitchen was a mess and some sort of food was cooking.

The game was tweaked over the years and now it was an actual baking challenge. You had to make something delicious from weird ingredients while 'Jimbo Johnson' stood over your shoulder and narrated everything.

"I'm herreeee!" Richie said in the dynamic voice of the game show host Jimbo Johnson.

Ben, who had arrived at the same time as Richie, laughed and nearly dropped his can of olives and cinnamon shaker.

However Stan, who had answered the door--he had been over at Bill's house since he heard about the forecast--was not amused and blankly looked at Richie.

"And in this corner, weighing at a meek 90 pounds, STAN THE MAN!"

Stan rolled his eyes but side stepped so that he could at least let Ben take shelter from the pounding rain.

"Richie's being a little bitch!" Stan called up to Bill, who was sitting on his bed and looking miserably out the window.

Bill's parents weren't home, they were over at his grandparents for a visit. Bill had opted to stay home and mope.

"Where's Big Bill?" Richie was back to his own persona, "I wanna go bear hug that man, cheer him right up."

Ben had already headed awkwardly to the kitchen while Richie stayed by Stan.

There was another eye roll from Stan before he pointed up motioning that Bill was upstairs. Richie charged up the stairs just as the doorbell rang again.

"Hey Stan," Bev greeted, "am I the last to arrive?" Her hair was wet from the rain and would surely get all frizzy and curly as it dried again.

Stan shook his head, "still waiting on Eddie and Mike."

She had a big bowl of powdered sugar in one braceleted arm and a tub of yogurt in the other. When she stepped into Bill's house she shook off her raincoat and took off her boots. Stan followed her to the kitchen, something was on his mind.

Bev could tell too, so she said, "Just spill whatever you're thinking Stan, you're gonna get wrinkles before your twenty if you keep scrunching your face like that."

Stan sighed and looked hesitantly at Ben, who was still in the kitchen.

"Do you..." Stan was stressed, "do you still like Bill?"

Beverly blushed lightly. Her and Bill....that was just something she didn't really think about much. Her crush that she had had on him stemmed purely out of the fact that he was the most mature of their grade. She had felt obligated to like Bill.

Once she got to know him...she realized that they weren't really meant to be. He seemed distracted by someone else too.

"No."

Stan released a breath and muttered 'thank god' to himself. Ben, who had heard the exchange, muttered the same thing with a small smile on his face.

"It's a championship to champion all of the championships!" Richie was making his way downstairs with an arm around Bill. He was using his 'Jimbo Johnson' voice again and Bill only looked half amused. He was mostly just grateful for Richie's distraction.

"That doesn't even fucking make sense," Stan muttered.

The doorbell rang again.

"It's o-open!" Bill called.

In stormed Eddie and Mike, both with very different foods. Eddie had peanut butter and pecans, Mike had blueberry jam and cream cheese.

Eddie was soaked and he looked angry at the world, Mike just looked content. He liked rain, the smell and the sound, it was peaceful.

"You fucking told me you would pick me up dickwad," Everyone knew Eddie was referring to Richie as he marched his way into the kitchen where the rest of the losers were.

Richie smiled, "sorry cutie," he pinched Eddie's cheek.

Eddie smacked his arm, "shut up asshat."

"Hey looks like everyone's here," Bev proceeded, ignoring the playful bickering like always.

Richie snapped back to attention.

"Let's get baked!" he exclaimed.

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I promise I'm going somewhere with this.