Love at First Dare // Stenbrough

Fifty-One

"I know he still loves you..."

That sentence sticks in Bill's brain. Keeping him distracted throughout the day.

The reason being there's a fifty-fifty chance Georgie might be right.

"Billy? Come on. The cars are honking." Georgie pulls the boy's arm whilst giggling loudly.

The two had stopped in the middle of the road as Bill zoned out.

"S-sorry." He chuckles as his younger brother smiles at him sweetly.

—

"Here we are Georgie... b-be good for-" "Uncle Richie!" Georgie runs past the person who opened the door. Richie picks the boy up quickly, squeezing him tightly.

"I uh...I'll b-b-be back l-later." "Okay." They whisper, going to close the door softly.

"Stanley? C-C-Can we t-talk?" "No..." he whispers before closing the door.

Bill walks away slowly, suppressing a small sob.

"Bill? Hey man...wait are you okay?" "Hey, M-Mike...yeah...just allergies. I uh...I'll see you later. Georgie is over by the way."

Mike can tell when Bill is holding back a stutter. At the moment. He's trying his hardest.

—

Over time the losers club had figured out how Georgie fell from the window. He had been climbing while Richie had his back towards the window. Once hearing a loud scream Richie's heart stopped.

—

"Hi, Eds!" "Did Uncle Richie tell you to call me that?" "Sure did! Hi Mike! And Ben and and Beverly. Hi Stan!" He hugs each and every one of them, soon stopping at Stanley.

"I have a question." Stanley kneels down slowly. "Go ahead." "Do you love Billy still?" Stanley furrows his brows at the boy.

"What do you mean?" "You two are best friends still...right? I saw you two kiss" The boy giggles, Stanley's cheeks flash a bright red. Soon going back to his normal complexion.

"Not really...did...did he ask you to ask me this?"

"Nope." The boy's voice still as happy as ever. "Are you bestest friends with him? Did he do something wrong?" "So...when he moved down here...he didn't tell me. He left a note, didn't really explain why he wanted to move." "I'm sorry."

He hugs Stanley tightly.

In a non-weird way, Georgie smells like Bill. Like his cologne.

"Let's go play...do you wanna go get ice cream?" Richie pulls the boy away, Eddie following behind.

When the door clicks closed everyone stares at Stanley. Expecting him to cry. He thought by now he would. But he's not.

"That was weird...." Ben furrows his brows gently. "Shit man..." Stanley rubs his forehead. Sitting beside Beverly.

"When Bill was leaving...he was....I'm not sure how to phrase this." Everyone's attention turns to Mike.

"You know how he tries to suppress his stutter....I'm pretty sure he was-" "Crying?"

Stanley takes a sharp inhale. "I gotta go to work...I'll see you guys later."