What's in your pencil case? (Patrick Hockstetter)

Devil's Circle (Part 25)

Girl I was it, look past the sweat, a better love deserving of exchanging body heat in the passenger seat?(Lying ...)

Self-consciously straightening her skirt, she tried to avoid eye contact with the man while simultaneously assessing the stranger just turning towards her for introductions - or so she thought. "Why didn't you tell me about your lovely friend Reg -"

"Belch?", she  blurted out, the moment she looked into the familiar face. She had never seen him without his hat before. Not that this mattered now. What really occupied her mind was what exactly he was doing in her kitchen! Piqued her mother shot her an incredulous look. Belch Huggins himself -standing right here in her kitchen!- stifled his laughter behind his hand.

"Oh I'm so sorry for her manners, she must still be dizzy from sleep.", her  mother immediately slipped back into the role of a presentable housewife, "Anyway, off you go. And thank you again Reginald, for bringing my girl to school!" What? An endless cycle of  questions clogged up her mind. She didn't get a chance to ask them. With a shooing motion, the older lady led both of them outside. Neglecting the fact that her daughter hadn't even eaten yet. Clearly the excitement of having someone else in their small household clouded her mind. "Have a nice day, Miss!", Belch bid her goodbye. Causing the older woman to beam at his impeccable manners. "Bye, Mum", she could only weakly add. It was too early for these kind of things.

As soon as her mother was out of earshot, she propped her heads up on her hips and hissed: "Whatever this was about, leave my mother out of it!"  Belch embarrassedly scratched his head, while shooting her a guilty look. When she looked behind him, she realized why. Leaning against the blue Trans AM she unfortunately knew all too well by know, stood Henry Bowers, flashing her a cocky smirk, before he focused on the boy on her side.

"Thank you very f*cking much, Belch. Did you also want to bring her Mom flowers or what were you doing in there so damn long?", he hissed at his supposed friend. Save to say that Henry Bowers was in an awful mood. Still, she would take her chance at escaping. To say that she wasn't fond of being stuck in a small vehicle with the angry bully would be a vast understatement. Her eyes quickly roaming around, she assessed her situation. Belch to her left. Bowers and the car she'd be trapped in right in front of her. Not losing any more time she darted to the right. If she reached Richie's house, his mother would take care of her. Maggie Tozier had always had a soft spot for "her little girl"  -not even by blood- and would not let herself by fooled by Bowers. Or rather Belch. Bower's little goon. She kept her eyes trained forward during these seconds that lasted an eternity to her. Just about 10 more steps, then...

She had just reached the Toziers' driveway, when a big palm grabbed her shoulder. Swiftly, Belch yanked her back, sending her crashing into his  chest. "Don't be difficult", she could have sworn she heard him whisper before he pulled her in his car. The front passenger seat to be exact. Right  onto Henry Bowers' lap. F*ck.

They hadn't even put their seatbelts on -well, Belch had, but she couldn't see that from her position, so tightly pressed against the other bully- when the car's engine revved to life. The way Bowers clutched her was more restraining than any seatbelt anyway. "What's your problem?", she spat, when he dug his fingers into her waist after she attempted to lean just an inch away from him.

"Good that you address that, b*tch!",  Bowers voice resonated venomously. The sharp and threatening edge in his tone hadn't only caught her off guard. She could almost feel Belch flinching behind the steering wheel at the just barely repressed anger his friend -she still wondered if that title was appropriate- displayed. "You've gotten me into a lot of trouble. And now you gotta take care of that." Belch who had been listening just as intensely as she had, abruptly yanked the steering wheel around, as he had almost missed a turn. She would have almost lost her balance and crashed into the window. Almost. But Bowers' grip on her never loosened.