𝗖𝗥𝗨𝗘𝗟 𝗦𝗨𝗠𝗠𝗘𝗥

⁀➷ CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

BLOOD OATH'S

"I CAN ONLY REMEMBER parts, but, I thought I was dead. That's what it felt like." Beverly stared at her feet, hand interlocked loosely with Annabeths, "I saw us, all of us together back in the cistern, but we were older, like, our parents' ages."

The wind picked up, blowing the anxious feeling from one person to another. Elaine couldn't help but shiver, blinking away the cool air "what were we doing there?"

She knew what the answer would be, but the girl couldn't help but pray that what she was thinking was wrong. That they had killed the...thing...and they could go on their merry ways. But Elaine knew that that was too good to be true and was just a false reality she had made up in her head.

But how she wished that false reality was real.

"I can't be sure," Beverly continued, "but I just remember how we felt. How scared we were. I don't think I can ever forget that."

Annabeth sent her a reassuring smile, placing a small delicate kiss on her hand. They had been stuck to the hip since they had all watched Pennywise drop back down into the well. But then again, most of them had thought that Beverly was dead.

A rustle beside her made Elaine watch curiously as Bill reached down and picked something up from the dry grass, his hands latching onto a shard of broken glass. He stood up and held it up for the group to see "Swear it. Swear if It isn't dead, if It ever comes back, we'll come back, too."

Breathing in a deep sigh, Elaine was the first to stand up.

The others, noticing the fearless look on her face, nodded and stood up to join her. Bill gratefully glanced over to her, moving to stand in front of the girl with a hesitant grab of her outheld hand.

It seemed like Bill was more scared of hurting Elaine than Elaine was of the glass as he slowly dragged the shard across her palm making her wince almost unnoticeably. He went to check if she was ok after taking it back, but she laughed.

"I'm fine Bill, didn't feel a thing."

He gave one more glance towards her dripping hand before cutting Richie's causing him to let out a string of curses "that hurt like a fucking kick to the balls."

"Shut up Ri-OW!" Eddie was cut off by the glass sliding across his left hand, and similar to Richie, he cursed at the pain. 

Richie snorted, turning his attention from Eddie to Elaine "why couldn't you go easy on us like little Lanny. What? She sucks your dick once and suddenly our years of friendship never happened."

"Beep beep, R-Richie!" Bill called out over his shoulder as he did the same thing he had done to them to both Beverly and Annabeth. Elaine laughed at the phrase, remembering the numerous times that even teachers had yelled that to the boy.

"Don't you ever learn to butt out of people's personal lives?" Elaine rolled her eyes dramatically "Besides, if we had sex, you'd be the last to know." 

Bill choked on air, coughing violently into the crook of his elbow. He turned to look back at the girl who was grinning innocently, rocking on the back of her heels.

"Is that a confirmation? 'Cause I'm up for threesomes." Richie raised his hand up, ignoring two's harsh glares. "That is...unless Eddie wants to join or even Beverly and Annabeth, 'cause that girl-on-girl action back in the sewers was hot as fuck."

"Shut up, Richie!" They all yelled simultaneously as Bill cut into his own palm, slightly unnerved at the sight of his own blood running down his fingers. He held out his left hand to Elaine who took it hesitantly, still feeling disgusted about touching someone else's blood.

But she brushed it off, giving her own left hand to Stan and he gave his to Mike. They all stood together, holding each other's hands while watching the blood drip to the grass below.

"I gotta go." Stan was the first to speak up after they had sat back down, the bandages wrapped around his head restricting his facial movement "I hate you." he glared at Bill causing them all to nervously stare at him, but then his glare softened and he cracked a smile "I'll see you later."

They watched him walk off, Bill calling out "Bye, Stan."

Eddie was the next to stand up, patting Richie on the shoulder "Bye, guys."

Elaine smiled over at the anxious boy, giving him a small wave as he walked off. Then Mike stood up and they all sighed, watching as almost everyone left the group "see you later, losers."

At the feeling of a hand slapping her shoulder, Elaine looked up at the towering Richie, a grin on his face as he ruffled her hair "bye, short stack."

She quickly smoothed down her messy hair, glaring over at him jokingly "bye, dickwad. Hope you choke on a fork before school starts."

He rolled his eyes, flicking her forehead "will do. Bye guys."

"See you later guys," Ben sighed, waving to them as he got up and left.

And then Beverly stood up, Elaine joining her as they hugged tightly, a few tears threatening to fall from their eyes as they pulled apart "you all packed for Portland?"

"Mostly," she shrugged, "just a few more things and I'm all set. But I'll see you in a few months hopefully."

Elaine pulled her back in for another hug "hopefully."

And then, just like that, another person left.

Annabeth watched her go before turning back to the others. Before she could say anything, Elaine nodded "go after her."

"Thanks" she quickly hugged her and rushed off after the redhead.

"See you at school!" Elaine yelled after her, watching as the two shared a brief kiss before swinging their interlocked hands back and forth happily.

"T-They're perfect for each other" Bill shuffled to stand beside her, throwing an arm around her shoulder.

Elaine huffed before giggling slightly "I had to watch the flirt and basically make me the third wheel for 3 years. Trust me, it was more frustrating than my summer homework."

"I can i-imagine," he smiled down at her as she rested her head on his shoulder "Beverly and I h-had to kiss in our third-grade play...I could feel the g-glares all the way from the s-stage."

She muffled her laugh into his shirt before wrapping her hands around his waist to rest her head on his chest "I remember that, I had to listen to her ramble on about how you got a C- on your English test and that Beverly needed a smart boyfriend."

Bill raised an eyebrow and she rolled her eyes "deeply closeted at the time."

"Ah, got i-it." he sighed before quickly kissing the tip of her nose "so, do you k-know what you're doing for the rest of t-the day?"

Elaine looked off to the side, a grin breaking onto her face "I don't know, what am I doing?"

"I have a few r-responses to that," she pulled back from Bill to slap him on the shoulder, "but, I was t-thinking of going on our first date? How d-does that sound?"

"That sounds perfect."

authors note!

Now, we've just got the epilogue and Cruel Summer will come to a close as I begin to write IT: Chapter Two! Agh, I'm so excited!