quiet | stenbrough ✔️

i think i can

CH. 29 | I THINK I CAN
"when i'm around slow dancing in the dark,
don't follow me, you'll end up in my arms."
- slow dancing in the dark by joji

★ 彡 THE CITY was beautiful, something bill had never seen before, considering the furthest he'd ever travelled was his move from indiana to maine. he couldn't stop looking out the school bus window, and didn't stop until the bus went down into a parking garage below what he imagined was the hotel they would stay in.

he practically begged his mom to let him go, and it took a whole two weeks of convincing for her to finally say yes, although he had to pay her back in the future, which he was fine with. he would find a job somewhere, which would be challenging since he didn't speak, but he wasn't to worried at the moment.

bill looked down at his phone to see "6:38" planted on the screen, and sighed in relief that they arrived, an 8 hour drive was enough to make bill motion sick. he looked to his left and found mike and beverly both sleeping, their heads both rocking back and forth with the bus.

his phone dinged.

stan: how's the bus ride going? and can we talk later...?

he didn't respond. he couldn't. it was so confusing. stan kissed him, bill kissed stan, they went on a date, they said they loved each other, then stan made it clear after he wanted to be friends by not letting him hold his hand or kiss him, and then today he was all flirty? but all because he wanted bill to talk? bill was confused, and until he got to the bottom about what they were, bill didn't want to suffer any longer. it made sense in his head at least, but he would have to ask mike for advice later.

the bus stopped harshly, making both beverly and mike swing forward and hit their heads on the seat in front of theirs. "ouch." beverly said angrily, rubbing her forehead. bill laughed at the two of them, and bev immediately smiled, loving to hear his laugh.

"can you guys shut up? some people are trying to listen to the teacher." snobby myra winters scoffed, standing up in the seat in front of the three losers, staring down at them with confidence. beverly rolled her eyes, while bill just scooted further down in his seat and towards the window more trying to ignore the conversation.

"you're blocking my view," beverly answered, and myra rolled her eyes, sitting back down. mike gave bev a fist bump as everyone on the bus started to stand up and get off.

"i can't believe i have to room with that bitch. why can't i room with carol? she's so much better." beverly sighed, and mike nodded in agreement. they all stood up and grabbed their bags. bill caught a glimpse of stan getting off of the other bus next to them and wanted to turn away but ended up staring as stan grabbed his luggage and used his other hand to hold his phone tightly. bill noticed him staring at the screen for an extended period of time, maybe hoping bill would answer his text from before. bill felt guilty when he grabbed his luggage and got off the bus after bev and mike.

"bill!" bill heard my his being called as he walked out of the lobby of the hotel and towards room 112. he turned to his side to see eddie kaspbrak holding two suitcases and a backpack, way too much for him to be carrying on his own. bill had only brought a small backpack for the weekend trip. bill smiled at him as they continued walking, ignoring a new text message he had received on his phone.

"my mom made me pack so much stuff! i didn't know you needed to bring 4 bottles of sunscreen to new york city, where it's literally below freezing weather!" eddie grunted, and bill looked his way in agreement.

"oh, eddie, eddie, eddie," richie chuckled, emerging from behind them, wearing his white hawaiian shirt and sunglasses placing on top of his black curls, perfect for new york weather. "you don't want to get skin cancer," richie added, mimicking mrs. kaspbrak's controlling tone. eddie rolled his eyes, shaking his head a bit as bill looked for the correct room.