𝐈𝐓 𝐅𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐒

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝙴𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝

(Bill's POV)

Had I heard that correctly? The love of my adolescent life - had just called me buddy. Of course, I wasn't offended by it. We had been best friends since diapers. But I've had a crush on her since, what, second grade? Only back then, I showed my undying love by making her mudpies and splattering them across her fancy church shoes.

I frowned and continued to walk down the steep incline towards the Barrens where we would soon be planning our attack on the killer clown that called himself Pennywise. We had told Ben and Mike to meet us here at 3 but according to Eddie's wristwatch, it was only 2:30.

Everyone sat on rocks and fallen logs in a wide circle surrounding a map of the Derry sewage system. The water in the creek behind us made rippling noises as it crashed into the mossy stones that lined the shore, calming me slightly. I had placed the final rock on the upper corner of the map when I heard a conversation begin behind me. 

 "Sorry about your arm, Eds. Can I sign your cast?" It was (Y/N) speaking. I didn't dare turn around and draw attention to his cast, knowing that he was already insecure about it. I inwardly winced when she mentioned it.

"Ah- Someone already signed it, sorry." He covered the cast with his other hand, a failed attempt to hide the LOSER  written in all caps across his forearm in black sharpie. Eventually (Y/N) got ahold of it. Her face fell upon seeing the crude word. "Who did this do you?" She demanded. He could almost see her expression in his mind's eye. Eddie sighed and looked down at his shoes. "Gretta. Gretta Bowie." 

 "God, who let her near you? Don't you know what happens to people who hang out with her too long?" She laughed, trying to lighten the mood. Eddie looked down at his arm, then back up. "This, I'm guessing."

 You smiled and reached into your pocket to pull out a red sharpie. You uncapped it with your teeth and Eddie instinctively shielded himself. You shook your head and gently took hold of his arm, bringing it into your lap. You hummed bits and pieces of Come on Eileen by Dexy's Midnight Runners. Once you were finished the once painful to look at status propaganda had shifted into a beautiful- grungey rebellion. LOSER had become LOVER. Eddie smiled as you finished your masterpiece with a few pointed hearts in the corners of the boxy letters. 

 You instructed him to blow on it for a few minutes until it completely dried. By then, I and just about everyone else in the Barrens were watching your little interaction. "What?" You asked, gesturing towards my awkward stare. I turned back around and pretended to fuss over the map once more, making random footnotes in the margins. Oh jeez, I blushed, shading in the circle I had made around the Neibolt House. I'm so in love with (Y/N) (Y/L/N).

 (A/N: Sorry this is kinda rushed! I really wanted to finish before tomorrow because somebody was really excited about the next chapter...you know who you are. I'll edit this later and PLEASE tell me if you see any mistakes. Thanks and goodnight. BTW, congrats on winning the heart of Derry's sweetheart. /Second AN: Who allowed me to write such short chapters?? Someone charge me with war crimes.)