being super ain't easy | the losers club

round two, baby

The seven members of the Losers club sit in the bed of Mike's parked truck. Each of them holds a can of Coke in their hand and Eddie has a straw in his. The Barrens around them is drenched in gold autumn sunlight, giving the changing trees a highlight.

Richie, Mike, and Beverly sit on one side of the truck bed with their legs tangled up with Ben's and Eddie's who sit on the other side. Bill and Stanley, who sit at the back of the truck bed, have their legs crossed and their elbows on their knees.

They all hit a lull in their conversation about the most recent Mighty Ducks movie and sipped from their Coke cans.

Stanley looks down at his lap. The question had been flying through his head the entire two hours the seven of them have been sitting here. He is practically sure that Bill has picked up on his thoughts too, but he just hadn't made a point of it.

Richie smacks his lips together and sets his can down. He throws his arms around the side of the truck bed and kicks his head back.

"Oh!" Beverly exclaims, setting down her can as well. She reaches into her back pocket and produces a pack of cigarettes. "Anyone want one?"

Mike, Richie, and Ben lean forward for one, but the others shake their heads.

"Line up," Bev says, tucking the pack away, but not before sticking one between her own lips and snapping her fingers, lighting it immediately.

The three boys lean forward with their heads in a line.

"Hey, let's not burn our eyelashes off this time, yeah?" Richie mutters around the stick in his mouth. Beverly rolls her eyes.

She leans back and lets her eyes fall on the three cigarette butts.

The others watch with interest. It's always fun seeing Bev pull flames out of nowhere.

Beverly places her hand under the three cigarettes, stretching her palm out as far as it can go.

She pulls her fingers together in a quick snap, then all three cigarettes are ignited.

They lean back into their respective spots and enjoy the smoke.

Stan clears his throat and everyone looks at him. He has had a serious look painted across his face the entire day, even throughout his classes and walking the halls and the others can tell by the look on his face that he is about to tell them why.

Bill props his chin up on his hand turns it toward Stanley. The others sip or smoke.

No one hurries him along, they just wait.

Stan licks his lips once, then flicks his eyes up to his friends. He won't deny it, he's nervous.

"Remember when we were all in middle school and everything started changing?"

Richie laughs and leans back, "Woah, woah, woah, Stanley the Manley, no one wants to hear about your fickle little pickle-"

"Beep beep, Ruh-Richie," Bill warns. Richie backs off and fiddles with his glasses.

Stan takes in another breath. Everyone re-focuses on him. Beverly notices the way the golden sunlight graces his hair, bringing out colors she didn't even know were there.

"Like, how Ben would just start fading in and out in the middle of class and we would all have to cover for him? Or that one time Mike fell off his bike and when he yelled, lightning hit that big oak tree?"

Everyone nods, remembering these days from a few years ago. It felt like the slightest obstacles could throw them off their balance and control over their abilities. Bev starts chewing on her fingernails.