CHAPTER 5
ooov.
TREATING A WOUNDED BOY

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I STROLLED TROUGH the town of Derry, eyes littering across the wanders of people that crossed by. Glances were sent my way as the eyes of people landed on the smudges of fresh dirt on the tinted white shirt. But I didn't bother to care, only looking for the group of boys I saw before. Just as I rode across the street, three boys running into a local pharmacy caught my eyes. That must be them.

Peddling over, I stood in front of the store while looking though the window. Stan, Eddie, and Bill. Where's the rest? As I searched for a wounded Ben, and the sarcastic Richie, I didn't seem to catch the attention. Looking around, I hopped off my bike, walking around while searching for the two boys. Sudden murmurs made my head snap down an alleyway, seeing the two boys from before.

Quickly heading down, their attention soon gazed over to me as I got closer and closer. "Where the hell were you? What happened to your shirt? Decide to go rolling in shit with your cat?"

I rolled my eyes at Richie, leaning down to Ben. "How you feeling?" As my eyes searched the tattered and bloodied shirt, Ben still seemed to smile through it all. It was as if his smile was contagious, the boys face flushed under the attention.

"I think I'm doing better," he nearly squeaked out.

I patted his shoulder, heading towards Richie. "I saw where Bill and the rest are. Are they getting-"

"Is he dead yet?"

I quickly turned around to be met with the three boys, panting while holding boxes of medical supplies. Eddie had paced himself over to Ben, slightly shaking in the process as he tried peeling off the tape on the gauze. My eyes lingered over to Bill, his gaze already set on me. As if caught, he darted his attention to Ben.

I could feel the slight jump in the pit of my stomach as I, too, looked back to Ben. Eddie had pulled his shirt up, revealing a gash that marked a capitalized 'H'. I nearly rolled my eyes as I finally caught the evidence for my answer before. It was Bowers. I knew it. How much of an asshole could a boy be?

"What the hell took you guys so long?" Richie questioned.

"It was only a couple minutes, Richie," Stan stated, his voice small and silent.

"Who d-did this t-to you?" Bill asked Ben, a heavy sigh escaping my lips.

"It was Henry and his band of douches,' I stated, beating Ben to the punch. "I encountered one of them. Patrick Hockstetter, to be exact. Explains the smudges on my shirt." I pointed out the stains from before, remembering his presence on top of me as I shuttered in disgust. Thank god Frankie was there. I could've ended up like Ben.

"What did h-he do t-to you?"

I lightly smiled at Bill's words, playfully pushing his shoulder. "Nothing that I couldn't handle."

I watched as Eddie shakily bandaged the injured wound, Richie adding sly comments here and there, again, bickering towards each other.

"Richie, hand me my bifocals. I stored them into my second fanny pack." Eddie seemed to be concentrated on his work that he didn't respond to the remark Richie made.

"Who the fuck even keeps two fanny packs on them?" Although complaining, he obliged while searching through the boys things.

"And to think you were lying," a voice said behind us, everyones attention turning towards the newcomer. Beverly Marsh walked over to Ben, everyone watching her every move. "You okay? It looks like it hurts."

Bens face instantly became flushed with a deepened red as he nodded his head. "Yeah, I-I'm fine. Just fell, that's all."

"Yeah, right into Henry Bowers, that is."

Everyone sent a scowling look towards Richie, his hands going up into a 'surrender' mode. "You know me! I'm all about being truthfully honest."

I rolled my eyes, stepping over to my bike as I kept a hand on Frankie. Ben smiled up at the girl, a small smile only lips as I watched the way he looked at her. Beverly Marsh. Rumor has her caught in the middle of the school. She was the center of conversations. From being the schools weirdo, to sleeping with every guy she laid eyes on.

Did I believe? No, of course not. I felt as if I could relate to her in some way. Not with the same rumors to be exact, but the way people reacted when I was around. No one talked, nor spoke to me. I would guess the same would go to her. As I think back to days as where I spent lunch alone, I regret the times that I didn't go up to her. To finally have a friend and introduce myself.

"You sure you have the right supplies? You know, to fix you up?" A small wink was sent Ben's way, his face reddening even more.

"W-W-We'll take care of h-him," Bill stated.

Beverly smiled, nodding her head as she lightly patted Ben's shoulder. "Good, thats good. And I'm looking forward to seeing you around, Ben Hanscom."

After a few steps she walked away, Bill had called out to her. "Thank y-you, for what you d-did."

"No problem. I'm hoping I'll see you around, too." She sent a smile my way, something inside slightly pinging in the bottom of my stomach.

"We were actually th-th-thinking of heading d-d-down to the Quarry, tomorrow. M-Maybe you'll like to come w-with?" The Quarry? What was th-

"I'll keep the offer on the table." She sends everyone a light smile, me slightly doing the same as she walked off, her fiery red hair bouncing within her ponytail as she disappeared behind the buildings again. I seemed to be watching the whole time, noticing that Bill had copied my actions. He watched Beverly walk off, also.

"You know, Bill, a picture may last longer. If she caught you staring she would've thought you were a creep." Stan snapped me out of my gaze, as well as Bill. Bill seemed to flush under the attention, scratching the back of his head.  "And it's a good thing you brought up Bowers to her, Richie."

"Have you heard what she's done?" Eddie questioned.

Ben shook his head in confusion, furrowing his brows. "What did she do?"

Nothing. She's done nothing.

"More along the lines of 'who she did.'  Apparently, the list is longer than my wang." He grabbed his crotch, making me turn away in disgust.

"Real mature," I muttered.

"That's not saying much," Stan admitted, a light giggle escaping my lips.

"They're j-just ruh-rumors," Bill defended.

I nodded my head, walking over to Bill's side. "Bill's right. You can't just assume what she's done. Or, who'd she done. It can't be real."

Richie shrugged his shoulders, smirking brightly as he punched Bill into the shoulder. "Let's not forget the time where young Billy boy, back in the third grade, kissed this particular girl in the schools play. The review said it itself. Can't fake that kind of passion."

My stomach nearly churned as I felt the weight of my heart slowly sink into a deep abyss. It can't mean anything. It was only the third grade, right? But as I slowly trained my eyes to Bill, I could see the light in his eyes spark when Richie mentioned Beverly. Or the pink tinted cheeks when they mentioned about the kiss in the play. I never seemed to take interest into it until now. Until I realized the small feelings that grew of him. Even if I haven't talked to him since forever.

"Sh-Shut-up, Richie," Bill stuttered.

As I felt the burden on my shoulders, I walked away from Bill's side, heading over to my bike once again as I was about to hope on and ride off. My eyes were glued to the seat as I thought back to the events today. Today is enough. The most active I've been since.. forever, really.

"Where you heading off to, ghost girl?" I snapped my head to Richie, the boys attention now on me as their eyes pasted to over to me.

"I-I just thought I should bring Frankie home. I-I think he's had enough for today." Yeah, me too. "I should get home, too. My father might be home. He really isn't used to me going out." I could feel the beat of my heart in my ears as I nearly smacked myself for sounding like such a loser.

"I can w-walk you ho-me, I-if you w-want," Bill offered. As if the events from earlier didn't happen, I could feel my heart flutter against my ribcage. With a small smile breaking onto my lips, I checked to see Frankie sleeping peacefully within the basket on my bike.

"M-Meet me at m-my yard. I'll be there in a f-f-few," Bill told the boys, each of them nodding their head. Eddie had already finished disinfecting and cleaning the wound, knowing that Ben was in good hands. Smiling at the boy, I waved to him, bidding the rest a small goodbye as we made our way up through the alleyway.

...

WITH THE SMALL walk ahead of us, both Bill and I had decided to walk the rest of the way. With a slight awkward aroma that filled the silence and tension between us, a sharp knife was able to cut through the thick and heavy air. Our steps hit up against the cemented road, our bikes tires rolling up against the pebbled ground. With my eyes lingering over to Frankie, his small body still laid asleep, small breaths heaving in and out.

Knowing that I was able to walk home, and this time with a cat, sent a sigh of relief out. I could sense the thick tension between us, the sweat that formed on my palms as I gripped the handles harder. My feet, now dry from the sewers water, were dirty and tattered. Not to mention, the dirt on my white shirt. How was I going to explain this to my father?

"I'm gl-glad you found y-your cat," Bill intervened, trying to start up a conversation into the awkward tension.

"I am, too. I actually thought I wouldn't. I wouldn't know what to do," I said, my voice slowly starting to get softer within the last sentence. It was true, after all. Frankie was my friend. One of the only ones who's been there for me for that past years. Even if he is just a cat.

"What d-d-do you plan on doing th-this summer?"

I shrugged my shoulders at the question, shaking my head. "Nothing much. During the summer, I usually take photos. But, it's been the same every year. Pretty uneventful, if to think about." Every year was the same. Take photos of the yard, listen to music, play with Frankie, hangout with my dad after work. The same cycle over and over. No friends to hangout with, and no family to meet up with.

"Y-You know that if you want, you c-can th-think about hanging out with us. Richie, Eddie, S-S-Stan and I. Th-They won't mind. Beats s-s-spening it alone. Not that I-I think y-"

I laughed at the boys awkwardness, pursing my lips as I nodded my head. "I know what you mean. And you're right. It does. I'll take you up on that offer." My house soon came into view as we stopped right in front of it. I could already hear the worry and questions upon questions that jumbled out of my fathers mouth. Heading up the small driveway, I place my bike into the garage.

"Thanks, Bill. For, you know, walking me home. It was sweet." I take Frankie out the basket, walking up the pathway to my porch. As I would've thought, I would think that Bill would already be riding down the streets.

"M-M-Monet?" I turned to see Bill near the sidewalk, his hands fidgeting against the bar handles as I waited for him to speak on. "Tomorrow w-were all heading t-to the-"

"The Quarry. Yeah, I heard. I'll meet you there early?"

He nodded his head, sending a small smile my way. "Yeah, th-that'll be g-good."

Smiling, I sent him a wave before heading onto my porch, opening the door slowly before taking one glance back. He seemed to snap out of his daze, nervously chuckling before riding off. With my heart beating rapidly, and my face heating up, I headed inside the house. As soon as the door clicked into place, my fathers footsteps were heard from the hallway in front. Walking into the living room, I nearly crashed into the man himself.

I held Frankenstein tight as he closed his eyes, bending down to my level before opening them back up. A sigh of relief was heard from him, his hands on my arms. "Jesus, Monet. Don't do that again. I come home to an unlocked door and you not here." His brows furrowed as his eyes lingered to smudges on my shirt, his nose crinkling. He stood up, examining my dirty figure.

"What happened? You're covered in dirt and- what is the god awful smell?" My eyes slightly widened as I looked down to my dirtied shoes.

"Nothing, happened? I-"

"No, no. Something happened. I'd like to know as to why you come home filthy and smelly. Why are you holding him, too?" He motioned towards an awoken Frankie, the smelling of dirt and outside too.

"W-When I got home from the store, Frankenstein wasn't here. I had to search around, dad. I didn't want to wait for you because I know you would be back later. I couldn't wait that long. Of course, I found him. But, not in the cleanest spot. I-I accidentally fell.. into a pile of dirt. See, I scratched myself, kind of."

I pointed towards the dried up gash on my ankle, dried out blood surrounding the cut. My father let out a heavy sigh, a hand rubbing against his temple. "Go clean yourself up. Bring him, too. When you're done, I want you to meet me at the dining room table. I'll fix your cut, but don't think that you got away with this. We need to talk."

I nodded my head approvingly, heading towards the hallway as I headed into the bathrooms. Looking into the reflection of the mirror, I didn't even notice how dirty I actually was. Little specks of grass were near the tips of my hair. Slightly frizzy from the collision with Patrick, my face had a small smudge of dirt on my cheek. Sighing loudly, I looked towards Frankie.

He sat on the hamper of clothes, his gaze on me as he just stared. Looking back into my reflection, I gazed at him for one more time.

"The things I do for you."

IT FEELS LIKE IT'S BEEN FOREVER, BUT HERE I AM!!

Yay, a chapter published! I feel so accomplished.

Anyway, how'd you guys like the chapter? Those very small Monet and Bill moments, huh?

I want to take everything slow with them, but now too slow. I hate when things are so rushed. But, with that said, I hoped you guys liked the chapter!

I would have updated earlier but my computer crashed, and Wattpad was being rude. But, here I am! Also, I wanted you guys to know that I am following the movie, but I will be slightly switching the dialogue around.

I may have a few things that they actually say from the movie, but for the most part, I try to add a bit of something of my own. I will be updating either later today or tomorrow of another chapter of this book, so stay tuned!

Also, do you guys like the new cover? I'm really sorry about changing it AGAIN, LMAO, but that's just me :)

Don't forget to leave a comment of what you thought about the chapter and vote!