CHAPTER ONE
the one where it begins
warnings: lesbo/homophobic slurs

ASHLEY HARP DRUMMED her fingers on her desk, staring at the clock, waiting for last five minutes of school to go by. Summer was so close and Ashley felt like she could taste it.

Her mind was wandering and she'd tuned out her teacher and everyone else in the classroom. Five minutes and she would be released from this hellhole! She absolutely couldn't wait. Sure, she didn't have any plans for summer or many friends to hang out with, but she did have her dad. Exciting, wasn't it?

Ash snorted self deprecatingly and she looked back at the clock. Just two more minutes. Her left foot bounced up and down and she glanced around the room. Everyone else seemed to have their eyes on the clock as well, which didn't surprise Ashley.

And then the bell went off, and in a matter of seconds, everyone in the room was rushing out of their seats, Ash included, most of them ignoring whatever their teacher was saying. Something about summer reading.

Swinging her bag over left shoulder, Ashley Harp exited the classroom, a smile on her face that disappeared as fast as it had arrived. Her eyes scanned over the crowd of people leaving their classes and she grimaced. Actually, she could stand to wait a few minutes. Just until the crowd dies down.

It took a good more five minutes of waiting, but Ash was finally able to shuffle her way through the crowd. She let out a sigh of relief, but while passing the bathroom, a certain voice rang in her ears.

"Are you in there by yourself, Beaverly? Or do you have half the guys in the school with you, huh, slut?" The words were slightly muffled, but Ashley recognized the voice and froze. Greta fucking Keene.

She despised Greta. She despised her for the rumors that she started. She hated Greta Keene more than she had ever hated anyone else. But to be fair, Ashley hadn't really hated anyone else before Greta.

Shaking her hatred for Greta out of her mind, she then wondered who 'Beaverly' was, though that wasn't hard to figure out. Who else could it be other than Beverly Marsh? Beverly Marsh, the schools proclaimed slut.

"I know you're in there, little shit, I can smell you." Greta snapped angrily, "No wonder you don't have any friends."

Silence came after that, or what Ash assumed was silence. She wasn't able to hear the words that left Beverly Marsh's lips that fell like bricks.

"You're trash," Greta hissed out, "We just wanted to remind you."

Something hit the floor, and then laughter came from Greta's friends. Ashley raised her eyebrow at this, confused as to what had fallen and why they found it so amusing. Had they pushed Beverly? A look of concern washed over her face, before it was replaced with fear for a split second as the sounds of feet coming out the bathroom and towards her.

She froze for a split second, before she was being pushed onto the floor and out of the way of the bathroom door by Greta.

"Move, dyke." Greta spat, rolling her eyes. Ashley huffed and scrambled to her feet as Greta and her friends left the school building.

Her eyes wandered, and she quickly noticed that most everyone had left by now. She nodded to herself, before walking inside the bathroom.

She assumed Beverly must have heard her footsteps, because not too long after she entered, a voice from inside the stall spoke, "Screw off, Greta."

Ashley grimaced as she noticed the thing that she had heard fallen was the trash can, "Not Greta." Ashley said as she shuffled her way over to the trashcan, sitting it up right.

The sound of the bathroom stall unlocking caught Ash's attention, and she glanced over to where the noise had came from. The stall slowly opened, and Ashley was met face to face with none other than Beverly Marsh, who's backpack was soaked and trash was at he feet.

Ashley shook her head pitifully and mumbled quietly, "Greta's a bitch, huh?"

A weak grin broke onto Bev's face as she carefully moved her backpack, making sure to not get any of whatever the hell was on it on herself, "She really is."

"Lets get you cleaned up, yeah?" Ashley suggested, and Beverly nodded, exiting the stall, "My names Ashley, but Ash works. You're Beverly, right?" Ashley hummed out.

"That's me." Beverly spoke as she sat her backpack against the stall.

Ashley nodded and grinned at Bev, picking up the bag, "I'd suggest rinsing your hair using the sink, I'm gonna wipe down your bag with some towels, if that's okay with you."
She glanced at the slightly smaller female, who gave a nod in response and made her way over to the sink.

Ashley herself walked over to the paper towel dispenser and was quick to grab a few, still holding the backpack in her hand. She shook the backpack a bit, before getting to work with wiping it down.

It took some time, around several minutes, but soon enough, Beverly's bag was dry and her hair wasn't covered in trash.

Ashley grinned at her work, handing the bag to Beverly, who smiled softly in return.

"Thanks for the help, Ash." Beverly spoke, sliding her bag back on, to which Ashley waved her hand.

"It was no problem, but we should probably get going. I'll walk you out?" Ashley responded, her smile not fading.

Beverly nodded, and Ashley turned on her heels and began to walk out of the bathroom, Bev following behind her.

"So, Beverly-" Ashley started as the two walked down the stairs.

"Just Bev works."

A smile fell on Ashley's lips, "Okay, Just Bev."

Beverly snorted and gently shoved Ashley with her shoulder, making Ashley's smile grow brighter. That's what friends do.

"You have any plans for the summer?" Ash questioned, and Beverly shook her head, "You don't? Neither do I, honestly. I mean, I don't really have any friends but- I'm still excited though! I mean, who wouldn't be? We're finally out of school and-"

Ashley stumbled a bit as Beverly came to a stop, the steps blocked by a kid with headphones on, "Will you let me go by? Or is there a secret password or something?"

Ashley blinked, eyes landing on the boy she only recognized as the new kid. She furrowed her eyebrows as his project fell, clicking her tongue as thoughts ran through her mind. Beverly and the new kid spoke, but she wasn't looking at them anymore. Instead, her attention was on a few kids who were wandering around.

She shook her head, before she felt something being nudged against her shoulder. She looked back over at Beverly, who held a yearbook and a pen.

"Sign it for good 'ol Ben over here?" Bev asked, handing her the book. A smile fell on Ash's face as she glanced at Ben, before nodding and taking the yearbook and pen.

She quickly signed her name a bit further away from where Beverly signed hers. The letters were in cursive, and she drew a smiley face next to her name.

"There ya go, Ben." Ashley spoke, before closing the yearbook and handing it back to him.

"Stay cool, Ben from sosh class." Beverly smiled and began walking away, Ashley following closely behind like some sorta puppy.

"You too, Beverly." Ben responded, watching the two girls go.

"Hang tough, new kid on the block!" Beverly shouted, though it wasn't that loud. Loud enough for Ben to hear.

New kid on the block. That was a band, wasn't it? It sounded like one. Was it that or new kids on the block?

Ashley was pretty sure Ben had said something else, but they were out of earshot at this point.

"Well, Ashley," Beverly started, turning to face her new found friend, "I'm gonna be heading off. I'll see you later, yeah?"

Ashley doubted that, but she kept her mouth shut. She was good at that.

"Yeah, Just Bev. I'll see you later. Have a good summer."

A smile fell onto Beverly's lips, and she turned and walked away.

Ashely watched her walk with a grin. She'd made a friend! Sure, she told her father she'd make one in the beginning of the year, but a friend, none the less! And she was proud of herself!

Her grin didn't fade, and she turned to walk in the opposite direction, having to walk to the other side of the building to get to her house. She regretted not riding her bike to school already.

Ash hummed slightly to herself as she walked, swinging her backpack from shoulder to shoulder to give herself something to do. She looked around the school yard, which was still pretty full of kids.

Her eyes landed on a small group of boys who were talking. One she recognized as Trashmouth Tozier and another as Bill Denbrough, but she had no clue who the others were. One of them had an annoyed expression and was being lightly shoved by Tozier, who was grinning.

She shook her head, looking foward again, not noticing the boy who was being pushed by Tozier walking towards her. Instead, her thoughts were on her plans for the summer. She never did much, and knowing all the kids that have gone missing, there's a low chance her dad would let her stay out past six. She couldn't even stay out past seven due to curfew already.

Her train of thought was interrupted by someone tapping her on the shoulder. She blinked, before glancing down, where the kid she'd been looking at not to long ago was standing.

"Hi?" Ashley said, though it was more in a questioning tone, considering she had no idea who the fuck this kid was. People didn't usually approach her.

She glanced down at the boy, who had just put something away in his back pocket.

"Hi, I know we don't know eachother, but my name's Eddie, only Eddie, and my friends think I'm- well, you would know- and I'm trying to prove them wrong. Because they are wrong, so don't try any shit with me. Will you pretend to be my girlfriend?"

Ashley was confused for a moment. What did he mean by she would know? Why did he say it like that?

Oh.

Oh.

After she finally got it, a grin laced Ashley Harp's lips, one that could only give off the feeling of mischief and light exitement. This could help her end rumors, right? Plus, a chance to make more friends, and Ashley could never say no to that.

"Okay, Shortstack."