▌Chapter 1 ─ Summer ▌

━━━━━ THE BELL RANG indicating that school was officially out for the summer, Holly Stark climbed out of her seat grabbing her backpack. Prudence Chase, her best friend, walked with her as the two met up with Bill, Richie, and Eddie.

They made it to their classroom waiting outside it for their friends to come out. They finally came out of the classroom and the two continued to walk with them joining into the conversation they were having about Stanley's bar mitzvah.

"So, there's this church full of Jews, right? And Stan has to make this super Jewy test." Eddie told his friends.

Holly stood between Bill and Richie, while Prudence stood next to Richie meanwhile Eddie continued to explain everything to them.

"But how's it work?" Bill asked him, turning his head slightly looking at Eddie.

"They slice the tip of his dick off." Eddie responded, causing Holly to place a nasty look on her face.

She briefly looked over at Prudence seeing the same look of disgust resting on her face as well. But clearly none of the guys in the group were disgusted by Eddie's response. She wondered why her and Prudence had even become friends with them in the first place.

"I don't think they do that Eddie?" Holly said, glancing at him.

"But then Stan will have nothing left!" Richie said, lifting his arms in the air.

"That's true."

"Wait up, you guys!" Stanley called out.

"Hey, Stan what happens at the Bar Mitzvah, anyways? Ed says they slice the tip of your d-d-dick off." Bill said, stuttering the last little but, as they walked around the corner and continued to head down the hallway.

"Yeah, and I think the rabbi's gonna pull down your pants, turn to the ground and say, "Where's the beef?" Richie said, causing the group to laugh at him.

"At the Bar Mitzvah, I read from the Torah, and then I make a speech and suddenly, I become a man." Stanley explained to them.

"I could think of funner ways to become a man."

Holly lifted her gaze from her feet, looking over at Richie. Taking her eyes off of Richie she looked to see Bowers and his friends as they moved closer towards the doors. They were standing in the hallway, clearly waiting to pick their target for the day.

"Oh, shit." She heard Richie say.

Holly moved slightly closer to Bill, who knew that Holly wasn't a fan of the group, given that they mostly made fun of her because of what had happened to her mother. She looked over at Richie as he pushed his glasses up his nose.

"Think they'll sign my yearbook?" Richie asked his friends, but his eyes were trained on Bill and Holly. "Dear Richie, sorry for taking a hot, steaming dump in your backpack last March."

Holly's eyes landed on Gretta, another bully that she knew very well, she knew that Prudence didn't like her either. But, Gretta stopped messing with her after Holly had beaten her up. Luckily for Holly she had her father to thank for the training. Gretta had picked on her all the time about her mother's passing, and one day she had enough of it and just snapped.

She started punching her until Richie, Bill, and Prudence pulled her off the girl. After that day Gretta refused to step foot near Holly and her friends. She only wished the same would happen to Bowers and his goons. They moved down the steps exiting out of the school, they continued to walk towards the trash cans that rested on campus.

Both Holly and Prudence pulled their backpacks off and made it to the trash can first before the others got there. Soon enough the others followed behind Holly and Prudence, removing their backpacks as well. Holly watched as everything fell out of her backpack, once it was empty she turned it around and zipped it back up, placing it on her back.

"Best feeling ever." Stanley announced a smile resting on his face.

"Yeah?" Eddie asked, looking down at his backpack.

"Try tickling your pickle for the first time." Richie said, looking over at Stanley.

"Ew, Richie." Holly said, looking over at him.

"Hey, what do you guys wanna do tomorrow?" Eddie asked his friends.

"Well, my dad will be at work, so I want to do something fun." Holly mentioned, sending her friends a bright smile, Prudence nodded in agreement.

"I start my training." Richie replied, adjusting his glasses.

"Wait, what training?" Eddie asked, looking at Richie.

"Street Fighter."

"Is that how you wanna spend your summer? Inside of an arcade?" Eddie asked him.

"Beats spending inside of your mother. Oh!"

Richie lifted his hand up towards Stanley. He grabbed Richie's wrist stopping him from doing anything.

"What if we go to the quarry?"

Holly raised her eyebrows, indicating that she was okay with the idea. Prudence also seemed to agree on the idea as well.

"Guys, we have the B-Barrens." Bill reminded them.

"Right."

Holly looked down at the ground as silence filled the air. "Betty Ripsom's mom." Eddie called out. Holly picked her head up from the ground looking towards the older woman that stood with the police officers searching the crowd of students for her missing daughter.

"Is she really expecting to see her come out of that school?" Stanley asked them.

"I don't know. As if Betty Ripsom's been hiding in Home Ec. for the last few weeks." Eddie answered.

Holly looked over at him, sadness washing onto her features. She didn't know what was going on but a part of her hoped that they would find Betty Ripsom and Bill's brother. Holly knew that he was still upset about what had happened to Georgie.

And he had reason to believe that his brother was in fact still alive. In the same respect she could see that Betty's mother felt the same thing, they both felt some kind of hope, it rested inside both of them.

"You think they'll actually find her?" Stanley questioned his friends.

"I hope so." Holly breathed out.

"Yeah, me too." Prudence said, looking over at Holly.

"Sure. In a ditch. All decomposed, covered in worms and maggots. Smelling like Eddie's mom's underwear." Richie said, looking over at Eddie, while Holly rolled her eyes.

"Shut up! That's freaking disgusting." Eddie replied.

"He's not wrong, Rich." Holly said, turning slightly to look at Richie.

"She's not dead. She's m-m-missing." Bill said, Richie adjusted his glasses looking back at Bill.

"Sorry, Bill. She's missing." Richie said.

Bill turned around and walked away. Holly caught up to Bill walking by his side, while Prudence walked with Richie.

"You know the Barrens aren't that bad. Who doesn't love splashing around in shitty water?" Richie asked them.

Holly turned around watching Bowers grab a hold of Richie's backpack, pulling him back into Stanley causing the two to fall to the ground. He then proceeded to push Prudence to the ground.

Holly closed her hands looking at Bowers, anger caking her face. She tended not to be a violent person but after her mother passed away her behavior had changed a lot. Holly hated bullies, especially the ones that messed with her friends.

One of Bowser's minions came up behind Eddie burping in his ears. The burp caused Eddie to gag at the noise. Eddie walked in front of Holly and Bill, then moved behind them feeling protected. Bowers pushed past Bill pushing him into Holly, causing her to move slightly.

"Losers." He called out, Holly turned on her heels attempting to go after Bowers, however Eddie moved towards her pushing her back slightly stopping her from punching him. Bill on the other hand had enough.

"You s-s-s-suck, Bowers." Bill yelled, gaining his attention.

"Shut up, Bill." Eddie commented, staring at the bullies that stood in front of them.

"You s-s-say something, Billy?" Bowers asked, mocking him. Holly looked at Bill seeing the anger that coated his face. "You got a free ride this year cause of your little brother. Ride's over, Denbrough."

Bowers walked away from his spot, walking towards Bill. Holly looked at Eddie who still stood in front of her. All she wanted to do was punch Bowers in the face for being a jerk to her friends.

"This summer's gonna be a hurt training for you and your fagot friends." Bowers said, as he lifted his hand, licking it, then moving his hand towards Bill's face and dragging it down. Holly continued to watch Bowers and his friends walk over to their car.

"Dicks." She breathed out, while Eddie let go of her.

"I wish he'd go missing." Richie said, while they stared at the bullies.

"He's probably the one doing it." Eddie said, looking at his friends, while Holly nodded in agreement.