GHOST - IT [1]

THREE.

Jaime ignored the boys loquacious chatter the entire time they were taking Ben back into town. It drowned out in her mind, even if at some points it felt natural for her to interject. She had no place to, therefore kept her mouth glued shut. After what seemed like forever, they crossed the street to the RiteAid and lead Ben to the alleyway next to the pharmacy. They sat him down on an old crate carefully. Thankfully he was still conscious, but he had complained about getting dizzy on the trip there. Jaime prayed he wouldn't bleed out.

"Richie, Jaime, wait here." Bill instructed once Eddie finished his rant about the possibility of Ben miraculously getting AIDS.

"Seriously? I have to wait with her?" Richie blurted, his eyebrows furrowed. Jaime didn't even spare him a glance, though she sighed in distress. The other boys dropped their bikes and ran down the alley.

"Glad I got to meet you before you died." He said to Ben, who looked at him quizzically.

"Beep beep, Richie." Jaime murmured quietly. 'Beep beep, Richie' had been a phrase she invented in the first grade when he opened his mouth at inappropriate times, like silent reading time or while the teacher was giving instructions. The phrase always shut him up, presumably because he feared clowns and a clown in a cartoon show always used the term 'beep beep'.

"Oh, beep beep my ass, Jaime!" He retorted. She crossed her arms and sat on the other crate next to Ben. She pretended like acting like Richie wasn't there would make him disappear. But she still felt his presence radiating in anger.

It wasn't that she hated Richie. In fact, she missed him with every fiber of her being. But he was in no place to be treating her like garbage after he was the one who shunned her from the group years back.

Years back. Jaime realized it was years ago. Over four. So why did she hold so much anger in her heart for Richie, and vice versa? The other guys seemed to be fine with her being around. It was a moment of negativity locked deep in the past, only existing in memories and emotions. Sure, the boys had so easily thrown away three years of friendship- but they were so much younger then. She realized she would probably react similar to how they did, merely due to being so young and naive.

"Are you doing okay?" She asked Ben after a moment of silence. He looked up at her.

"I guess..." His shirt was completely soaked in blood. Jaime bit her lip and shrugged off her bookbag. Unzipping it, she rummaged through until she found a piece of cloth. Her grandma, before she passed, had taught her to sew and therefore she kept cloth with her at all times, in case she ever encountered a sewing machine.

She gently lifted Ben's shirt and placed the soft fabric on his wound. He sighed in slight relief.

"Oh, great, why the fuck didn't you think of that a mile ago?" Richie asked.

"For the same reason you haven't thought about closing your mouth." She snapped back. That shut everyone up instantly. Jaime felt her face flush red and she avoided eye contact with either of the boys.

Finally, the three boys returned, Eddie carrying an armful of medical items. They jogged forward, all out of breath.

"Jesus," Eddie panted, dropping the supplies onto the ground. "We're going to jail."

"We're not g-g-going to jail." Bill reasoned. "We're in the clear."

"How about we just focus on fixing up this kid first, then we can focus on the rules of the law." Stan said. Everyone nodded.

"Alright." Eddie leaned down to Ben's height. Jaime stood so she wouldn't be in the way. "I think I know what to do."

"Suck the wound!" Richie prompted. Everyone sighed.