The Town of Derry

Missing Daddy

As Ben said those words, I saw the concerned and sorrow looks grow on everyone's faces. "That's gotta suck" mike said, I looked at Ben who was struggling to get his headphones untangled.

I walked over to him and grabbed his arms to stop him from untangling the cords.
"Ben, does she need space or comfort, and also, how are you feeling?" I asked.

"I'm good, I wasn't close to my dad, I really miss him, but she was such a daddies girl, it's probably why she's so respectful to everyone's dad she meets" Ben explained, I knew what had to be done.

"I'm going to your house, Stan I'll call you later if we need you, but I'm gonna have a girls night with her, to see if she will open up a bit" I picked up my bike, and Stanley passed me a note "give it to Laura" he smiled. "This better not be a break up note, or like that one Bowers left her" I took it from him and shoved it into my back pocket.

"No no, it's just where to meet me on her birthday in the morning, incase I don't see her these next couple days" he sat back down and opened up his book.

I don't know how Laura and her dad got along so well, I've never experienced a healthy father daughter relationship.

But I do need to be a supportive best friend and give her the love she needs.

I dropped my bike in their driveway and walked up the steps. The front door was open, leaving the screen door closed, "Laura?" I yelled into the house, "oh hi Beverly, go on in, shes upstairs" her mom said as she peeked out from her garden.

"Hey" I said opening her door, she was sitting at her desk with a shoe box.
"What's up?" She asked as she closed the box and shoved it onto a shelf.

"Girls night" I smiled and sat onto her bed, she didn't deny the sleep over.

I saw in her face that she was upset.
I took the crumpled note Stan gave me and handed it to her, "Where are you to meet him?" I asked as she smiled at the note.

"At the Library at 10am" she smiled and sat into her bed. She played with her hair, then moved to picking at her nails.

"What's up Laura, something's not right with you" I asked, Laura looked up and me and scratched her arm.

"Do you think ITs gone gone"

Stanley's pov:

I scribbled down a note while beverly was gathering her stuff up. I had a huge plan for Laura's and Bens birthday; except I forgot to tell Laura, and I know when she's upset she won't hangout for a few days.

𝙱𝚞𝚋𝚋𝚒𝚎, 𝚖𝚎𝚎𝚝 𝚖𝚎 𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙻𝚒𝚋𝚛𝚊𝚛𝚢 10𝚊𝚖 𝚘𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚋𝚒𝚛𝚝𝚑𝚍𝚊𝚢. 𝚆𝚎𝚊𝚛 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚌𝚞𝚝𝚎, 𝚠𝚎𝚕𝚕 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚎𝚊𝚛 𝚒𝚜 𝚌𝚞𝚝𝚎.. 𝙳𝚘𝚗𝚝 𝚎𝚊𝚝 𝚋𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚔𝚏𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚠𝚊𝚕𝚔, 𝚍𝚘𝚗𝚝 𝚜𝚔𝚊𝚝𝚎 :)  𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞!!

"Here give this to Laura" I said to Beverly as she stood at her bike, "this better not be a Break-Up note, or one like the one bowers gave her" Bev said as she took it and crumbled it into her back pocket.

Does she really think that I'd write her an awful note like that. I shook my head no "no it's where she has to meet me on her birthday, incase I don't see her till then" I explained, I sat back down and opened my book back up flipping to the page of her favourite bird.

We watched as Beverly left to head to Laura's and Bens.

"Do you think she will be okay?" I asked putting my book into my bag. Bill shrugged and Richie stayed silent, I looked at Ben "first birthday without your dads gotta be tough" mike was sitting on a tree branch, "yeah well, as I said, it's hard and I miss him.. it just doesn't bother me as much, since i wasn't his favourite kid"

That's tough, I'm sure their dad loved them equally. I'm not good with feelings, like giving friends advice or comforting. Not sure why, but Bens one of my best friends. And it sucks that he's thinking this.

"Lauras more effected because our dad did everything for her, she only talked to my dad about almost everything. Like she talked to me, but she never told my mom anything from school, or personal life stuff. Ya know?" Ben picked out grass from the lawn, I shrugged.

"Well Were gonna make this the best birthday yet" Richie was laying on the grass most likely breaking my binoculars.

"I hope she's okay" I mumbled quietly, Mike climbed down from the tree and sat on the grass with us. "I'm sure she will be just fine, she has all of us, and she's got you" Mike said.

Laura's pov:

"Do you think ITs gone gone?" I asked Beverly, I kept playing with my hair, and picking my nails.

"For now, like your brother said, every 27 years" Bev always knew what I needed to hear, we drifted apart during the month or so when we all weren't hanging out.

"Now let's forget IT, and anything else that may be bothering us, and pick out your outfit for your birthday!" Bev smiled at me while opening my closet.

I had a huge variety of clothes, if I liked something I bought it, well my dad bought it.

"How many outfit changes?" She asked as she looked through my closet.

"Not sure yet, I want to wear the yellow floral dress for sure in the morning for when I meet Stan, he loves that dress" I said as I stood up and dig through with her.

I watched as she pulled out my navy/black floral print dress "this is cute" she said and put it against me. "You wear it!" I smiled as I pushed it against her instead, "really? Are you sure?!" She asked as she slipped it over her current outfit to see how it looked. "Yeah for sure, anything you like, you can have" i went back into the closet and dug out my yellow dress.

"Stanley's favourite" I placed it onto my bed and pulled out my shoe bucket.

"Holy shoes, how come we've never seen any of these outfits, you only wear the same like 10 outfits" she said lifting up my purple vans.

"Honestly I'm not sure, but I feel a new me coming"