Summer of '93 - Stozier

51

um so i made some More fan art
i know im annoying but its based of the short
film In a Heartbeat and um i will perhaps
put it at the bottom of this chapter 👉👈😳

•*•*•*•*•*•*•

Richie and Bev walked into Bandler's Record and Music Barn, fully not expecting to see Bill behind the counter, talking to Eddie, who was sitting on the counter, swinging his legs.

"Well well well! This is something you don't see everyday!" Richie chuckled. "Bill? Working? Since when?"

Bill and Eddie turned their heads in the direction of the trashmouth, Bill waving a little.

"You work here, Billy?" Bev asked, quirking an eyebrow as she scanned over some of the Van Halen records.

"Apparently so." Bill shrugged. "Hey, Rich, have you s-seen Stan today?"

"No, why'd you ask?" Richie replied, now wandering over to look at the Queen and Nirvana records.

"Uh.. he was supposed to uh.. st-stop by this morning, but i ha-haven't seen him." Bill said carefully.

Richie picked up what he meant, glancing up from the Live At Wembly '86 vinyl. "Nope. Haven't seen him. Did you ask Mike?"

"Mikes with Ben at the Library." Eddie interjected.

"Right." Richie nodded. "Have you checked the Memorial Park? or the Quarry? He goes there sometimes, to be alone, i guess."

"Nope." Bill shrugged again. "Could you cheh-heck for me? Just to make sure he's okay. I would do it myself b-but.. work and.. stuff.."

"Sure, why not." Richie nodded, a little hesitant to though.

"Thanks."

Richie placed the Queen record he was holding earlier down on the counter, along with a Led Zeppelin vinyl and tapped his fingers on the cracked marble.

"$27.98" Bill said after a few seconds, Bev now having a conversation with Eddie about some indie artist.

"How 'bout I give you twenty and pay the rest some other way, if ya know what i'm sayin'." Richie winked jokingly, sliding a $20 onto the counter.

"In your dreams, four eyes." Bill chuckled, holding his hand out for the rest of the cash.

"In yours, ya mean." Richie laughed, handing Bill the rest of the money.

"Full offence, Rich, but Bill has standards." Bev giggled a little, Eddie too.

"Well, he went for you a while back so I highly doubt he does." Richie joked, earning a slap upside the head from both Bill and Bev and a kick to the knee from Eddie. "Abuse! This is bullying!"

"Piss off, Richie." Eddie chuckled.

"Fine, fine! Bye bye, ladies." He bowed after putting the records into his black backpack, the bell above the door chiming as he left, signalling his exit.

He walked up West Broadway towards the Memorial Park, hoping thats were Stan was, most likely watching the birds, as he really did not want to walk all the way to the Quarry in this heat.

The sun was right overhead, beating down onto the top of his head, and causing beads of sweat to form on his face and the back of his neck.

Derry summers were scorching most of the time, which was why most people decided to go on vacation. Richie hadn't been on a vacation since the time he and Bill went to Derry Summer Camp, what was it? Five, maybe six years ago? His parents would much rather just stay in Derry, it was too much of a hassle to try and get Richie to pack on time for things as little as sleepovers, never mind vacations.
He supposed he'd rather have the summer heat than the winder cold. Derry winters were brutal. It snowed a lot, and the towns heating stopped working most of the time during the winter, due to the cold. Last year, Richie remembered that it had snowed so much one night, there was at least three feet of snow when he woke, making it a pain in the ass to get to school that morning, since he'd have to walk, soaking his jeans, socks and sneakers, its a wonder he didn't get hypothermia!