cliché || reddie ✔️

ten

Beverly says her hello's and sets her backpack down, something crinkling inside when she does. She zips it open, casts a glance to any watching librarians, and slowly pulls out the brown bag. The familiar smell of processed McDonald's and salty fries escapes from her backpack as she drops the bag onto the table.

"Food isn't allowed inside," Eddie says, his back straightening to watch a librarian working on logging books.

"That's why we snuck it in, Eds," Richie says as he pulls out the fries. Beverly ate half of them on the way over and left only a few handfuls. Thankfully, she didn't touch the chicken nuggets.

"You two can have some if you want. I don't plan on eating all of this in front of you." Eddie looks at her as if to ask, "Really? Are you sure?" and she only nudges the bag closer to him.

"Thanks, Bev," Stanley says and leans over to peer inside the bag before grabbing a chicken nugget.

The two settle into chairs across from Stanley and Eddie. Beverly props up her backpack and laptop in a way where if anyone looks at them, they won't be able to spot the McDonald's. Richie pops another few fries into his mouth and waits for his laptop to power up.

"Did you get the books you were looking for?" Beverly asks as she types in her password.

Stanley reaches down, a hand feeling for something before a hardcover book appears. The cover is light blue and it's filled with small and large sketches of all types of birds. Beverly peers at it with some interest before saying, "Well that's pretty cool."

"Since all the birds in Derry flew down south for the winter, this is the best I can do until spring," Stanley explains, his own eyes studying the cover. Eddie glances at his friend before breathing in deeply and going back to his laptop.

"What about you, Eds?" Richie asks, noticing how quiet he's been. "Do you like what Bird Boy here likes?"

Stanley's eyes dart over to him. "Bird Boy?" He repeats, gaining Richie's attention again.

"Do I hear judgement of your nickname?" He asks and Stanley shakes his head.

"If you can even call that a nickname."

"Wow! Staniel coming for my specialty! I'd like to remind you that I've had the pleasure of giving each and every one of you nicknames," he says, a smug smile on his face.

"Birds are cool and all," Eddie starts, getting back to the original topic, "but do you know how many diseases they can carry? A lot. Just be careful with your bird watching in the spring, Stan." The boy nods as if he's heard this rundown a million times before. He flips the book around in his hands and slides it back into his backpack.

Beverly never really paid much attention to the conversation in the first place, instead munching on the fries and scrolling through websites. They have most of their powerpoint together, only three slides away from being finished according to her. "Take a look at this, Stan," she says and flips her laptop around. "Is this too gruesome of a fact for the project or what?"

Richie places his elbows on the table to lean over and look at the screen himself. When he does, his arm nudges the red cardboard cup of fries. They topple over too quickly for Richie to react, let alone save them. The cardboard hits the table and fries go flying over Eddie and his laptop.