CHAPTER SIX
the one at two houses
warnings: mentions of blood
quick a/n: this chapter is shorter than the rest but i really liked it sooo!! here take some girls bonding

IN CASE IT wasn't obvious yet, the group of kids had decided to go to Ben's house to see whatever other stuff he had on Derry's history, despite Eddie's protests. Ashley was interested in it at this point, and most of the others seemed to be too, so why the hell not?

As of currently, Ashley stood in the hallway of Ben Hanscom's house, next to Beverly and Bill. Ben and just ran off somewhere, and the six other kids could only assume they should follow him, considering they had no tour guide or anything.

When they entered his room, Ben was leaning with one arm against the closet door. Ash had no idea why he was doing that, none at all, but she smiled anyways, looking around the room.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa...Wow.." Richie spoke as he walked in, and Ashley could see Ben smile from the corner of her eye.

"Cool, huh?" Ben replied, while Ashley walked over to the wall Bev stood in front of, eyes scanning the papers up and down.

"No...nothing cool." Richie muttered. Ashley rolled her eyes at that remark.

"Bag your face, Richie. Yes, Ben, it's pretty cool." Ash said with a shake of her head.

"There's nothing cool..." Richie muttered, probably to Eddie and Stan, and when Eddie replied to him, Ashley took it as a sign to tune out their conversation.

She read over the papers that were on the wall, while Beverly walked over somewhere else.

"Oh that? That's the charter for Derry township." Ben. Ashley's eyes darted toward him, before she walked over to the four, leaving Beverly on her own. She stood behind Richie, reading over some of the papers on the wall.

"Nerd alert." Richie commented, fixing his glasses. Ashley almost punched him in the shoulder for that.

Almost.

"No, actually, it's really interesting." Ben defended, "Derry started as a beaver trapping camp."

"Still is, am I right, boys?" Richie joked, holding his hand up for a high five, but only got a headshake from Stan and a light push from Ashley.

"Ninety one people signed the charter that made Derry," Ben continued, ignoring Richie's comment, "But later that winter, they all disappeared without a trace."

"The whole camp?" Eddie asked.

"There were rumors of Indians, but no sign of an attack," Ben informed, "Everybody just thought it was the plague or something. But it's like... one day everybody just woke up and left. The only clue was a trail of bloody clothes leading to the wellhouse."

"Mental." Ashley whispered to herself, moving slightly closer to the wall. She ran her finger against one of the papers and clicked her tongue, while the boys talked about something that had to do with Unsolved Mysteries.

"Where was the wellhouse?" Bill asked after minute or two, and Ashley looked over at him.

"I don't know, somewhere in town I guess." Ben replied, "Why?"

"Nothing." Bill mumbled.

The several of them stays another few more minutes, ten at the most, before they parted ways. Eddie left first, and eventually it was just Bev and Ash standing outside the Hanscom household, holding their bikes.

"I think I should go. Bye, Beve-" Ashley began, but Beverly interrupted her.

"Do you wanna come over? To my place? If you've gotta go, that's fine too. But my dad is at work for a bit or something so you could probably stay over for an hour or so," Bev said, "We could talk a bit."

Ashley smiled, thought for a second, and then nodded, "Sure. I can only stay for an hour or less, depending on what time we get there. Told my dad I would be home by six." She told her.

Beverly grinned, "Okay. We should probably go then."

"You're right about that," Ashley hummed, swinging her leg over her bike, "I'd say race you there, but I also have no idea where you live."

Beverly let out a laugh at that, getting on her own bike, "Follow me, Ash."

"Gladly, Just Bev."

♡

IT TOOK FIFTEEN minutes or something similar to arrive at Beverly's apartment. They did make it though, after a not so silent bike ride.

A smile rested on Ashley's face as Beverly stopped her bike.

"Dad isn't home, I don't think. We should be fine. Come on," Beverly told her as she hopped off of her bike, leaning it against the wall. Ashley copied her, before the two walked up a staircase that Ashley assumed would lead her to Bev's apartment.

Beverly opened a door, before stepping inside. She motioned for Ashley to follow her, and that's exactly what the taller female did.

"C'mon. We can hang out in my room. It's kinda small but we can talk for a bit. What do other girls usually do when they're home alone? Gossip n shit?" Beverly raised an eyebrow and Ashley grinned.

"Something like that, Beverly." Ashley replied, while Bev turned back to look at her with a smile, before taking her hand and dragging her towards a room.

Beverly opened the door, and sure enough, there was a bedroom Ashley assumed was Bev's, "Small, like I said. Kinda messy too, sorry about that." Beverly mumbled as she walked inside the room. In complete honesty, it wasn't that messy. A few clothes sat on the bed unfolded and some other items were scattered across the floor, but it wasn't that messy.

"It's fine, don't worry." Ashley replied with a wave of her hand. Bev smiled at her, walking over to her bed and sitting on the edge of it, while Ashley let her eyes wander around the room. Beverly hadn't been wrong on it being small. A bed was in one corner, and a piano opposite of that.

"You play?" Ashley questioned softly, gesturing at the piano that sat in the bedroom.

"Oh. Yeah, sometimes." Beverly answered with a shrug, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear, "I'm not the best, but it's fun. I enjoy playing."

"Huh." Ashley murmured, "That's cool. I've never played an instrument before." She added, walking over to the piano with a hum.

"Oh? I could teach you sometime." Beverly offered, smiling a bit. Ashley just shook her head.

"No, no. I'm not really interested in musical instrument stuff. I can do ballet though. My mom, uh, she used to make me go to classes, but I stopped after..." Ashley trailed off, running her fingers across the piano. There was a silence.

"I- I lost my mom, too, you know?" Beverly said quietly. "I was really young. I don't remember her very much."

Ashley didn't know how to respond, so she didn't. She was never good at talking about her mom.

"You said you danced? On that note, I got an offer, what if I played you a mediocre song and you danced to it. Huh?" Beverly grinned widely, and Ashley almost laughed at that, "Atta way you can hear me play and I can see you dance."

"Never gonna happen, Just Bev. I haven't danced since I was seven, I'm lucky I can still remember a few moves." Ash replied, shaking her head.

"Aw, damn. I was hoping I could see you dancing around in a tutu." Beverly joked, her grin not fading.

"Definitely not gonna happen." Ashley said with a laugh and an eyeroll, before walking towards where Beverly sat.

Beverly fake pouted, which seemed to be hard as she held back her smile, "That's too bad. I'm sure you'd look great in one."

"You're a nerd."

♡

ASHLEY STAYED FOR another hour. The two talked about random things, made shitty jokes, and laughed a lot. Ashley enjoyed it, and was kinda disappointed when she realized it was nearing five. She needed to get going if she wanted to be home on time.

"I've gotta go," Ash told her, "Gotta be home by six."

Beverly nodded a bit. As of currently, the two hadn't really left Bev's bedroom. They were sitting on the piano bench, and Bev had been showing Ashley some of the ropes when Ashley said she had to leave.

"Yeah, okay." Beverly muttered, "I think my dad will be home soon anyways. I'll walk you out?" Bev offered, and Ashley gave a smile and a nod.

"Good with me." Ashley replied, standing up. Bev did the same, before waving for her to follow her.

The two walked over to the door in a comforting silence.

Beverly opened the door, before leading Ashley downstairs. Their bikes were still leaning against the brick wall, and Ashley walked over to hers.

Beverly watched her, standing at the edge of the staircase. Ashley moved her bike, turning it around, and then slinging her leg over it.

"See you, Just Bev."

"Bye, Ashley." Beverly said with a smile, "See you later. Tomorrow maybe?"

"Possibly." Ashley replied, "I'll ask my Dad. Au revior."

"Sayanora."

Ashley then began pedalling her bike, and gave a wave at Beverly as she left. She didn't see it, but Beverly waved back with an ear to ear grin.