'39 [Stanley Uris]

7: Play The Game

As the day went by, the time had come for everyone to go home.

Eddie's mom picked him up, and Andi did her best to impress. Even though Mrs. Kaspbrak kept a polite smile and never said anything too rude, she could tell that she was not liked.

There was something off about that woman that she couldn't quite place.

Richie went home after him, luckily not being locked out of his house this time.

In his time over, Richie explained why he never returned her blanket and why he's always locked outside.

Turns out, Richie's folks weren't what you'd deem as the 'classic suburban family'. His mom was currently going through divorce, and every time his Dad went over to pick up more of his stuff, his mom would become out raged and drink till she couldn't see her own hand in front of her face.

She locks him out every single time.

Richie says that he knows his dad is purposely taking a long time to collect his belongings, and he hopes he rots in hell for it.

Anyway, he keeps the blanket Andi gave him on his porch. It gives him comfort in his times of need, and reminds him that not every person in the world is the same.

"You're a good person, Andi," he told her before he left.

That really hit home for her.

Because she wasn't, and she knew it.

Now, she's walking along side Stan. She insisted on walking him and his bike home, playing it off as wanting to spend more time with him— which was true, but also because she wants to be sure the damn clown won't get him.

She takes this opportunity to bring up earlier incidents.

"So," she begins, "You don't trust me..."

Stan turns to her with a surprised expression, becoming slightly flustered.

"Oh..." he trails, "you heard that?"

She nods her head.

"Well, I can't take it back," Stan frowns, "it's the truth. I don't know hardly anything about you, but you seem to think you know every little thing about me. Except you don't. Our friendship could never work out."

Andi falters in surprise, throwing him a confused look.

"What do you mean? We seem to get along just fine?"

Stan swallows the lump building in his throat and stops walking. Andi stops too, feeling a little afraid of what he might say next.

"I'm just being polite. Richie seriously is the only reason we went over today," he lies. "I'm sorry, but I could never introduce someone like you to my parents, anyway. And they expect to meet everyone I hang around."

"Why couldn't you introduce me to your parents?" She glares.

"Same reason I can't introduce Richie," he hums, not realizing just how rude he sounds. "You aren't really cut out to meet someone like my parents."

"Wow," she sarcastically chuckles. "You are so easily controlled."

Stan, now noticing her upset demeanor, frowns deeply.

"What?" He quietly mumbles.

"You think you're in control when you throw people like Richie and I away," she laughs sarcastically, "but you're not in control at all! You're afraid of change, and you think that getting away from people that bring it is something you want, but it's not! It's what your parents want. They want you to stay weak— easy to control. Which is why they make you afraid of people like me. People who know better."

Stan doesn't say anything, mostly because he has nothing to retaliate. He knows she's right, even if he doesn't want to believe it.

"Well?" She asks, looking at him expectingly.

Stan turns his soft eyes to a hard gaze, and decides to cower into his usual safety.

"You can say whatever you want to me," he scoffs, "insulting my parents just proves my point. You aren't as good of a person as you think you are."

Andi blinks at how much it hurts to be told that even by a complete stranger.

She didn't think she was a good person to begin with.

"You know, why even offer to come over more often if you clearly don't want to? You aren't fooling me, Stan," she whispers in a hurt tone, Come find me when your less of an idiot."

He watches her turn around and stomp back towards her home, and even though he's taught that what he just did is right, it feels so very wrong.

And although he told her that they'd never be friends, when he gets home he goes straight to his garage and digs through old cassette tapes. He pulls out a Queen one, and he listens to it until he falls asleep.

And that feels right.