XIII - Sacrificial Maiden

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"Beverly. What are the bruises on your neck and wrists from?"

You asked as if you hadn't heard the rumors. While it's true that you had no idea who she was a week ago, small memories started coming to you - Beverly avoiding Gretta and her friends, Beverly being teased by classmates, Beverly keeping her spunk no matter how badly she was broken inside.

You knew who she was, deep in your mind, and you'd heard the rumors where the person that should have looked out for her the most was in fact the one that did not have her best interests in mind.

Her green eyes were a bit glassy but when she blinked they glimmered almost defiantly. "Nothing." Her words wavered with a coat of shame, contradicting the rebellion in her eyes. It was disgusting that the defiance in her green irises was actually guilt. As if everything was her fault.

"Beverly, you know none of us asked for anyone to ruin our lives. It's not our fault and we sure as hell don't deserve it."

Her eyes became glassy once again and she simply nodded, fiddling with the charm of her necklace.

"You're always welcome at my house." You continued. To your surprise that was what made the tears roll down her milky skin. It had only just been noticed by you, that her eyes were lined with red from sleepless nights.

"(Y/N). I have to tell you something." Her voice a low whisper.

"Why didn't you tell me yesterday when we were all together? I saw something was bothering you but you didn't-"

"Listen (Y/N). The boys could never understand, but I think I do."

"Understand what?" You angled your head at her curiously.

Beverly's face was dead serious. The green of her eyes a dead forest, and you weren't sure you wanted to get lost amongst the flora scattered through it. For the cold in her eyes nipped at your heart like fire, you could feel pain and fury.

She leaned into your ear like she was about to tell a secret. Her whisper on your neck chilled you, but your body felt like it had been set on flames.

"Henry likes you."

It was like someone had punched you in the stomach and the air escaped from your lips in a harsh whisp.

One of her tears landed on your shoulder.

Beverly left your side and instead sat across from you again. She took your hands in hers and leaned her forehead against yours.

"What do you mean?" You didn't want to acknowledge the nudging feeling in your chest. You had known for a long time now, but felt that ignoring it would mean it wasn't true.

The girl in front of you told you otherwise.

"(Y/N). It's obvious!"

You scrunched your eyebrows at her, lips pouted.

"Henry Bowers doesn't like anyone."

"He likes you."

"No he doesn't!"

"He's never bullied you before."

"Yeah but you saw him drowning me the other day in the stream!"

"Not everyone loves with flowers and chocolates."

"He just doesn't like that I'm weird. Like you guys. No offense."

She rolled her eyes.

"Yes, but he's always bullied us. He would never even talk to you before."

"He just didn't know I existed."

"Then why would he always look at you?"

"I don't know." You went to stand up and leave, but she pulled you back down onto your porch.

"Listen (Y/N). Henry LIKES you. He's like obsessed with you and I-"

"Why now? No one has EVER paid any attention to me. And when I wished for a bit of company this whole thing was not what I had in mind." You waved around frantically, making sure to emphasize the rest of the Losers playing some sort of strange game on your front lawn.

"Well one thing leads to another... maybe it's because of us. He doesn't like you with us." She was genuinely working out the why's and how's - you could almost see the steam rolling out through her ears.

"Well even if he did like me, what? What am I supposed to do? I don't want a serial killer showing me his love by cutting me into pieces with his stupid sidekicks."

Beverly's mouth quirked up at the side, humored.

But bitter.

"With the stuff that has happened to me, I've learned people liking you can have benefits if you work it out."

"...what are you-"

"When I first heard about you defending Bill I knew there was something special about you. We literally see you as our protector (Y/N)."

"Yeah, and I'd like to say once again - LOOK where that's gotten me."

"You see it too. If you can distract Henry from us then we can figure out what's happening and save Derry."

"What does that monster have to do with saving Derry?" You shivered, remembering your last vision of him.

"We think he has something to do with the children disappearing."

"But it's the Bower's Gang that-"

"They weren't around years ago though. How do you explain those disappearances?"

"Maybe there's a cult."

"Well whatever is going on, it has something to do with it. We've been trying to investigate but Henry and his idiot friends always come along to make it harder."

"So I've seen."

"Then please take him off our backs."

You really hoped she was joking, but her grim expression simply clarified that she was indeed offering a problematic suggestion to all of your new friend group's problems.

"You're pimping me out?!?" Her hand covered your mouth so that you wouldn't make a scene, looking over at the boys to see if they had taken notice. They hadn't.

"No, I'm not pimping you out." She assured calmly. It didn't look like she was sure of herself though. "I just. I think you could really help us with him."

"Maybe if it was some nice guy wanting to take me out to the movies, but you're literally asking me to seduce the guy that kills animals for FUN. He'll KILL me."

She smiled at you sadly.

"Men, they use our bodies against us, but it's up to us to take back control."

She left you at a loss for words.

Her short red hair glinted like fire.

"Beverly you must want me dead."

"Aren't you already dead inside? Make yourself live again." 



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