Ma Chérie (Beverly Marsh x Fem!Reader) (On Hold)

Chapter 21: I guess we're official?

Tw: talking about toxic/ab*sive relationships

February 18th, 1989

Your P.O.V.

It's been one day since the dance, and the voice. Instead of finding out what the voice was, I fidget with the ring Addison gave me, and think about his offer. If I'm his girlfriend, then I can forget about liking Beverly. He is nice and conventionally attractive, but what about Beverly? Beverly is amazing, but she likes Bill. It's probably better if I accept.

"You need to get Beverly before you both are late!" I hear Mom shout for me. She thinks that I stayed at Beverly's house yesterday, and Beverly thinks I was at Mike's, so they weren't worried.

"Okay, Mom!" I get dressed at lightning speed and do a look-over to make sure everything is neat. Then I go pick Beverly up like I always do.

"Have you thought about what Addison asked you?" Beverly sounds hopeful, for some reason.

"Yeah, I think I'll say yes since he is kinda cute." (And you don't want to get shot again. *awkwardly orange justices in front of you*)

"Oh," She looks disappointed. "That's nice. Anyways, let's go."

We start to leave, but her dad stops us. "Where do you think you're going?"

Beverly grabs my hand and squeezes it so tightly, that she might cut off my circulation. "Hi Mr. Marsh, we were just going to take a walk outside, and get some food."

"Make sure to keep Bevvie away from boys. She's still my little girl."

"I will Mr. Marsh." He nods, and we actually get to leave this time.

Once we're out of the building, Beverly turns to me, and asks: "How did you stay calm when you lied to my dad?"

"The secret is to have a relationship that's really toxic and they're always invading your privacy, so you have to learn how to lie." Oh shit, did I say that out loud? Oh shit, oh god, oh fuck, now she won't want to be my friend.

"What are you talking about? Are you okay?" She has concern in her voice, and she hugs me.

"I'm going to therapy, so I'm doing better." Which is why I can think about being Addison's girlfriend without panicking.

"Is that why you leave during lunch on Wednesdays?"

"Yep, and you are the second friend I've told."

"Who was the first friend?"

"He's not really a friend, more of an acquaintance I accidentally told that I went to therapy." I wave my hands around while I explain. "But... it was Tozier," I mumble.

"Wait-wait-wait you told Tozier before me?"

"We were talking about stuff, and it just slipped out. Otherwise, you probably would have been the first one." We link arms and walk to Mike's farm. I promised I would take her to see Étoile after she saw me riding her.

Mike's waiting outside for us. "So, you wanted to see Étoile? Right this way then."

"I'm gonna look at your research Mike, be right back!" I leave Beverly with Mike and go to the 'Research Room' to look at what he has been researching about Derry.

The room is covered in papers, photos, and strings. I look at one of the ones that are closest to me, and it's the news article about that Easter explosion that happened in 1908. It was at someplace called the Derry Ironworks. The building looks familiar, a bit like the factory Addison showed me. I take a closer look and realize that it is the factory that he showed me.