song: leave the city, top 

the night things turned to shit. 

ashley was out at the ballet. all you could hear in the room was the taps of pointe shoes, classical music, and the teacher shouting. 

"emily! you have a brain right?" the teacher shouted. "yes..." 

"well, it doesn't look like you have one. how many times do i have to say! DONT SICKLE YOUR FOOT!" 

the dancers jump at the teacher's change of tone. "alright class, see you tomorrow." she said and did a quick curtsy. 

"thanks miss mellisa" the class huffed, also doing a curtsy. they ran out, sweat dripping off their red faces. 

"ah shit, its pouring" ash complains as she unties her ribbons. "i have to bike" 

"well, at least you don't live too far right?" betty smiles. betty ripsom was a girl in ashleys grade. she was very kind, and a close friend to ashleys. "yeah, i guess you're right" ash scoffs.

she rips her pointe shoe off her foot and sighs in relief, "freedom!" she chuckles and some girls in the room laugh. she eventually gets her other shoe off and throws them in her backpack. she pulls some shorts over her leotard and whips on a raincoat. betty follows her down the stairs and ash reaches her bike.

"see you tomorrow!" betty calls out, waving. "see you!" ash smiles. she walks over to her bike and grabs the handles. she was going to have to go home and deal with her twin brother, richie. their father left home a while ago, and their mom is never home. but her irritating twin brother was. 

sometimes, she would have to witness richie and his whole friend group crowd into their shared bedroom, ash awkwardly tucked in the corner keeping herself entertained. richie's friend group had some nice people, she occasionally talked to bill and eddie, as they were in her social studies and maths class. they seemed like nice kids, she felt bad that trash mouth richie was in with them though. 

she straddles her bike and starts to pedal away. some hair at the front of her face falls out of her bun, resting on her face. she turns a corner and starts to bike down the street bill lived on. something seemed very wrong.

she came up to bills house and noticed police cars swarmed around the denbroughs home. she stopped and noticed bill, standing alone. with tears streaming down his face. she drops her bike on the lawn and runs up to him.

"bill! what happened!" she says as she approaches. he looks at her and pulls her into a hug. crying hysterically into her shoulder. 

"bill-"

"g-g-georgie's gone."

georgie's gone?

georgie is gone.