Chapter Text
He looked at his watch. 5:59 AM.
The sun crept into the corner of the horizon, painting the sky scarlet and pushing the moon back into the night, waiting to re-emerge for the events of the next.
The morning was brisk, a chill sliding against his cheeks, but the warmth of the start of summer kissed his nose, and he knew today was going to be one for the books.
Mike expected to be the first one there, even though the clear instructions were to meet at Richie’s at precisely and no later than six am, because he was used to getting up at this time for chores at the farm. He had no idea how he was going to get Richie up, who was never less than five minutes late to school, but he was determined to get to the lakehouse by eight, to everyone else’s protests.
As soon as Mike began to ponder how he would get himself inside and get that boy out of bed as he walked up the porch stairs, the door shot open.
“Mike Wazoski!” Richie beamed, throwing his arm around Mike’s shoulder and pulling him in. “I knew you’d get here first. Those other lazy asses probably won’t roll in until ten. God bless your soul.”
“Wow,” Mike smiled, “You sure are up this morning.”
“I sure am, Mikey boy!” Richie replied, “This is going to be the best weekend of our entire lives, can you believe that? It’s something I’d like to be awake for.”
Mike sat himself on the couch while Richie scrambled to the kitchen, pouring more Lucky Charms down his throat straight from the box.
“We’re stopping at that diner on the way there, aren’t we?” Mike asked.
“Hell yeah we are. Choice Burgers is fucking bomb, you all haven’t lived yet until you’ve had their pancakes. But what’s wrong with a little pre-game?” Richie responded, his voice muffled by the dry cereal still sitting in his mouth.
“Okay, Richie,” Mike laughed and shook his head, allowing his vision to drift to the window. A figure was walking up the steps, a firm knock on the door.
“Wow, wonder who that could be,” Richie said, gliding in his socks across the floor and swinging the door open. “Big Bill! A new flannel, I see?”
“Yeah,” he smiled, “I g-got it as a gra-graduation present.”
“It looks good, Bill!” Mike said, getting off the couch to hug him.
Ben and Beverly arrived next, hand and hand as they approached the door, Bev’s knock so delicate compared to Bill’s.
“Richie!” Bev exclaimed as soon as she got in the door, “Why are you still in pajamas? You made me wake up at four thirty in the morning to get myself pretty to be here this early and you’ve just rolled out of bed?”
“Excuse me? These are cookie monster pajamas! They don’t come off earlier than ten am, no matter where I am! Where were you first period, like, all year?” he responded.
“Okay, okay. To be fair, I never actually showed up to first period. It’s a miracle I graduated,” she surrendered.
“So, are Eddie and Stan coming, or what?” Ben asked, all of them looking at each other.
“For real! It’s ten minutes after we said we were gonna leave, ten for God’s sake! They’re going to give me a heart attack. I’ll die at eighteen, I just know it,” Richie said.
At that, the door opened, not even bothering to knock. Stan and Eddie stepped in, eagerness in Stan’s eyes while Eddie’s were locked on the ground.
“Well, well, well, look who decided to come stumbling in ten minutes late,” Richie said, stepping closer and placing his finger under Eddie’s chin to lift it up, “Why the long face, Eddie Spaghetti?”
“No,” Eddie mumbled, “Not talking. Not alive. Too early.”
“Sorry we were late. Some people refuse to get out of bed,” Stan said.
“Fuck you, Stan. Too early,” Eddie said, his eyes drifting closed.
“Well, now that the gang’s all here,” Richie said, taking Eddie’s hand. Eddie was too tired to push it away. “Let’s get the van loaded, shall we?”
“Was renting that van really necessary? We could’ve just taken two cars and you’d be like 100 dollars richer,” Stan said.
“Come on, Stan! What fun is a road trip if we’re all separated?” Bev replied.
“Thank you, Bevvie, the light of my life. I always knew you were the smartest of the group,” Richie said, “You better watch out, Benny boy. I’m coming for your woman.”
“Psh, like Eddie would ever allow that to happen,” Ben said.
“Fuck you, don’t know what you’re talking about,” Eddie slurred, nearly falling asleep as he stood.
“We’ve got Eds telling everyone to fuck off on this fine morning! I think today will be a good day,” Richie said, and Eddie tried to hide the sleepy smile on his face as Richie took his hand and led him outside.
The others shortly followed, they loaded the van, and they went.
Bill was going to drive first, Stan in the front seat, Mike, Richie and Eddie in the middle and Bev and Ben in the back. Almost as soon as the car started moving, Eddie fell back asleep, his head leaning against Richie’s shoulder. Bev had her legs kicked over Ben’s lap, and she couldn’t help but smile at the way Richie was looking at Eddie’s sleeping face. Like no one else was there to see him. Richie had made a CD for the ride over and back, but he didn’t want to play it until Eddie woke up. So they drove in silence.
They arrived at Choice Burgers about an hour into the drive.
“Al-Alright guys. We’re he-here,” Bill announced as he put the van in park.
Eddie stirred awake, slowly opening his eyes and quickly moving his head off of Richie.
“Good morning, sleeping beauty,” Richie told him, “Feeling any better?”
“Shut up,” Eddie said, rubbing his eyes and opening the car door.
“Wow, I got a ‘shut up’ instead of a ‘fuck you’! He must be feeling better,” Richie smiled, sliding out of the car.
“You’re both insufferable,” Stan said, and Mike laughed to himself. A stranger would think they all hated each other. But they loved each other more than a family possibly could.
“So, these pancakes really are that good, huh?” Ben asked, helping Bev out of the car.
“They’re to die for, truly,” Richie said, “Everytime my parents and I come up to the lakehouse, we stop here for pancakes on the way and burgers on the way back. It’s tradition.”
“Table for, um, seven?” the host asked.
“Ye-Yes, sev-seven would be great,” Bill told her, and she led them to a circular table.
“What are you kids doing up here so early? You’re not runaways, are you?” she asked.
“I’m sad to say we’re not that cool,” Ben told her.
“We graduated high school last week,” Beverly smiled, “We’re out on a trip to celebrate.”
“Oh! That’s nice, dears,” she said, “Can I get you started with something to drink?”
“Seven hot chocolates and seven pancake plates, please,” Richie said.
Eddie put his hand over Richie’s mouth. “Make that six hot chocolates and one coffee, please.”
“Of course,” she smiled, walking away.
“Aw, come on Eds, you’ve got to have hot chocolate with it or it’s not the same!” Richie protested.
“Yeah? Maybe you should have thought of that before you made me get up so goddamn early. I need coffee and I need it now ,” Eddie replied.
“But they don’t even put whipped cream on it,” Richie pouted.
“And why does it matter to you about whether I have whipped cream?” Eddie asked.
“Because then it gets on your nose when you drink it, and whipped cream on your nose would be super fucking cute,” Richie answered.
“Jesus fucking Christ guys, the rest of us are sitting right here too!” Stan facepalmed, “Get a room!”
“What are you implying, Stanley?” Eddie raised an eyebrow.
“Oh wa-wait guys. They di-did get a room. To-Tonight,” Bill started to laugh.
“Right,” Stan shook his head, “Then those walls better be fucking sound proof. I’m not looking to get traumatized tonight.”
All of them burst into laughter, Eddie’s cheeks beet red as he turned his gaze to the side. Richie made himself laugh lightly, but there was a hint of insecurity in his eyes.
His pinky finger brushed over Eddie’s under the table in an attempt to comfort him. Eddie locked it with his own. No one noticed.
The waitress arrived shortly, bringing the hot chocolates and Eddie’s sad looking coffee and pushing them along the table.She was different from the friendly host they had a few minutes ago. She had a scowl on her face, and she left without a word.
“Nice lady,” Mike commented, taking a sip of his hot chocolate, the whipped cream lingering over his lip.
“She’s jealous,” Bev took a sip of hers.
“She’s homophobic, that’s the word,” Richie said, taking a gulp of his rather than a sip. It was a miracle he didn’t burn his throat. “It’d be a shame if someone didn’t get a tip!”
“Hey, Rich, you’re right,” Eddie said.
“I’m right?” he asked.
“The whipped cream does sound good,” he said.
“Oh yeah?” Richie smirked, and he put his finger in the whipped cream and then booped it on Eddie’s nose. “Here you go, then!”
He waited for Eddie to smack his hand away and go off about how absolutely disgusting that was, but it doesn’t come. Instead, Eddie laughed.
“You two are sickening,” Stan said, “But that does look kind of fun.” He flicked some of his own whipped cream at Mike’s face.
“Hey!” Mike laughed, wiping it from his cheek and flicking some of his back at Stan.
“So what are doing now? Whipped creaming ourselves?” Bev smirked, and booped some onto Ben.
“Excuse me!” the scowling waitress returned, “What on Earth are you doing?”
“Wh-Whipped creaming ou-ourselves. Want some?” Bill told her.
“This behavior must end at once. You’re making a mess,” the waitress said, “Continue, and I’ll have to ask you to leave.”
“Deepest apologies lady, but don’t kick us out before the pancakes!” Richie pleaded.
She rolled her eyes, bringing the tray with the pancake platters. “Now, I expect no more shenanigans out of you lot.” She left again.
“Does anyone else really wanna piss off that lady even more now?” Bev said.
“Obviously. But we’ve got to try these babies first,” Richie said, drenching his with syrup.
They prepare their pancakes and all take a bite at around the same time.
“Wow,” Bill said, “Th-these are pr-pretty good.”
“They are,” Ben said, “I don’t know if they’re as good as Bev’s aunt’s though.”
“Shut up and eat them, Ben,” Richie said.
“Can you not talk with food in your mouth? You’re disgusting,” Stan said.
“What? I’ve got to defend these pancakes from the show off boyfriend,” Richie said.
“So, the coffee worked and now I’m ready to start shit with this lady,” Eddie said, “What are we doing?”
“She didn’t like food fights, right?” Richie said, “Well, I never really liked scrambled eggs.” He threw a piece at Stan.
“Hey!” Stan said, “What the fuck man?”
“Sorry, your face is very eggable,” Richie said, and Stan threw a slice of pancake at him.
“And now your cheek has syrup on it,” Stan smiled in pride.
“I hope there are wipes in the van,” Bev said, and threw a piece at Bill.
“Oh my Lord!” the woman exclaimed, running over. “You delinquent fools! I demand you leave at once!”
“Sure thing ma’am, but I’m not going anywhere without your number,” Richie winked.
The woman scoffed, and Richie pulled out a pile of cash and placed it on the table, and they quickly left.
“Young man!” she said, “I don’t know if this is enough money for these expenses!”
“Have a nice day miss! Thanks for the pancakes!” Bev told her, and they quickly left.
“I’m assuming we won’t be welcomed back for burgers when we head home,” Mike said.
“Eh, she’ll be off shift,” Richie said, “I’ve got some wipes stored in the glove department. I knew Eds would need them somehow.”
“Me?” Eddie asked, “This is Stan’s fault!”
“Well maybe some of us don’t want egg on our face!” Stan said, and they stepped back in the car, wiped their faces off, and began to drive.
“Alright gang, we’ve got another hour of driving left,” Richie said, “Time to put the mixed tape on.”
“I don’t think any of us want to hear the bullshit you listen to,” Stan said.
“No, I’ve got some classics!” he said, pushing it into the player. “Hey Eds, you watched Hannah Montana growing up, right?”
“Hey! I confessed that to you once! Once!” he covered his eyes.
“Well, this one’s just for you Spaghetti my love,” he said, and Party in the USA began to play.
“Okay, this is a good one,” Ben said, and turned out that everyone in the van knew every single word.
So they sang every 2000s song that came on the radio, and before they knew it, the hour had passed.
“Here it is!” Richie cheered as they approached his family’s lakehouse, practically jumping out of his seat. Eddie looked at him fondly. Again, Bev didn’t miss it.
The van was parked and they pulled their bags out of the trunk, quickly heading to the door.
“Wow, this place is nice,” Mike said, admiring the view of the lake and the stone walls.
“Pretty cool, yeah?” Richie said, “We come here every summer.”
“Can I go back to sleep?” Eddie asked, “At least until ten.”
“And miss the tour? You’ve had your coffee!” Richie pouted.
“Alright, fine,” Eddie said, “Let’s see the tour.”
Richie skipped around and showed them each room, the back, the front, and the fireplace. Each window had a view of the lake, the sun reflecting against the still water and the trees shadowing the corners. They each settled into their shared rooms, ended up in a pillow fight or two, and soon enough it was time to swim.
They swam together often in the summer, at the quarry, but this was different than the quarry. This was a place of their own, not a single other person in sight, and they were together. This was theirs.
“I think I’m gonna go sun tan by the trees,” Bev said, “Richie, care to join me?”
“Sure,” he said, and soon they were laying beside each other, facing the sun that crept a little past the branches that sheltered them.
“So,” Bev turned her head to them, “I’ve been observing some things.”
“Is that so?” he replied.
“I know how you feel about Eddie,” she said, her voice low so the others wouldn’t hear, “But I’m thinking now he feels that way about you too.”
Richie’s eyes widened. “Whoa, where are you getting this from Bevvie?”
“Psh,” she giggled, “Richie, you’re my best friend. So is Eddie. Even besides that, I know heart eyes when I see them. And you having them for Eddie is common knowledge, but I’ve been watching him today. He has them for you too.”
Richie sighed in defeat. “You really think so?”
“I do,” she smiled, “He’s trying to be slick about it, but I see right through it. The boy’s got it bad.”
“I don’t know,” he said, “I mean, I never thought-”
“It’s okay, honey,” she said, “You deserve this, okay? But it’s not going to happen unless you let it.”
“The whole thing is just a little scary, you know?” he said, “I’ve loved Eddie since the day I met him practically, yeah, but it’s been different. A different love. Was it scary for you? With Ben?”
“It was,” she answered, “But I knew one thing. The one thing was that it felt right. He made me feel warm, and I saw him look at me, so I knew he felt the same about me. So I just put my fears aside, bit the bullet, and let it happen.”
“And you guys are still going good?” Richie asked.
“Yeah, we’re going great,” she said, “There’s just one thing.”
“One thing?” he asked.
“There’s a step I want to take with him, and I’m a little scared to bring it up,” she answered.
“Wait, it’s been two years and you haven’t done it yet?” Richie asked.
“No, not that,” she laughed, “That would be a lot easier than this.”
“Then, what is it?” he asked her.
“I’m taking a gap year from college, but after that I’d like to study fashion design. And he’s going to school for architecture in Chicago. And it turns out that there’s this really cool fashion school just ten minutes away. I want to ask if he wants me to go with him. Move in with him,” she explained.
“I see,” he answered, “Well, I’ve got to tell you Bev, there’s no way that he’d say no to that. He’s head over heels for you. Of course he’d want you to come with him.”
“I just hope I don’t scare him away. We’re only eighteen,” she said, “But do you see what I mean, now? You can see when someone else has that look in their eye for someone, that they’d do anything for them. I see that in Eddie for you too.”
“But what if you’re wrong? And I try to make a move and he calls me gross and pushes me away and everything’s ruined?” he asked, and for once, he looked a bit small.
“Then I guess that’s the risk you’ve got to take, for the chance of love. The chance of happiness,” she told him, “Besides, when have I ever been wrong about things like this?”
“I guess you’re right,” he said.
“Tell you what,” she said, turning her body to face him entirely. “We’re on vacation right now. One that we’ve planned for years and years. We’ve just graduated, and now we have room for new things. To be new people. People with confidence . And this is the perfect place to get everything out. So tonight, you tell Eddie your feelings. I tell Ben I’d like to live with him. We just jump right in and do it. Together.”
“I don’t know, Bev,” he said, “I’m so scared of losing him.”
“You have to let yourself feel, Richie. You deserve to let yourself feel.”
“Alright,” he said, “You’re right. This trip is supposed to be one we’ll never forget, and if I don’t do it now, I probably never will. I’m in.”
“We got this,” she gave him a smile of encouragement, and they wrapped their pinkies together.
“We got this,” he repeated.
The day continued, a lot of swimming and volleyball and everything in between, and then dusk began to fall.
“Fuck! It’s getting cold,” Eddie complained.
“Well, you’re in luck,” Richie said, “Because we’ve got a whole ass lakehouse to hang out in, and I brought a couple of joints. You guys in?”
“Hell yeah,” Bev said, “I could go for that right now.”
They went inside as the sun fell, and circled around the fireplace.
Mike let his eyes wander around his friends, talking and laughing and passing a joint. A fond smile grew on his face, and his heart erupted in happiness. He didn’t know how he could ever live without them.
He wanted to tell them. He wanted to spill about how happy each of them made him, how they were his family. How he would die for them. But he didn’t.
“I’m going to go to the kitchen and get more soda,” Ben announced.
“I’ll go with you,” Bev piped, and began to follow him to the kitchen. He saw her turn back to Richie, who gave her a wink.
“What was that about?” he asked her as she left the group.
“Oh, nothing,” she said, “Are you having fun?”
“I am,” he grinned, “It’s so nice to be here with everyone. Like a little escape.”
“Exactly,” she smiled, “It kind of makes you feel like you could do anything while you’re out here. Say anything. Take risks.”
“Risks, huh? Like what?” Ben poured the strawberry soda into his plastic cup.
“I don’t know, it’s just like, we’re not in high school anymore, and that’s really setting in. We have a whole new chapter ahead of us now, a whole new life to look forward to. We could be whole new people, and the same people all at once. Tonight, that begins,” she said.
“Anything you’re thinking of in particular?” he asked.
“Ben, um, there’s something I want to discuss with you when we go to bed tonight. It’s something that I’ve been thinking about for a long time, but now that we’re here I finally have the confidence to say it. To plan our next chapter,” she said.
Ben froze. His eyes widened, and his lip began to quiver.
“Beverly,” he said, “You don’t mean-”
“I know it’s going to be a big thing to talk about, but I feel like now is finally the time. We’ll talk about it when we go to bed tonight, okay?” she said, and she forgot to kiss his cheek as she went back to the living room.
Ben did not follow her. He stood there, gripping his cup, his hand slightly quaking.
She couldn’t be breaking up with him. Not here. Not while they’re with all of their friends, two hours away from home. Why now? Because this place was giving her ‘confidence’? Bullshit!
Ben frowned, and made his way outside for some fresh air. He needed a second to breathe.
He walked a little past the pavement, venturing past the lake and into the trees. The lake which had been so alive a few hours ago, full of splashing and laughter, now so still and serene under the shadows, the reflection of the moon against the water being the only source of light. He decided it was nice out here. It was calming. It was what he needed.
He leaned against a tree, sipping his soda cup. He felt sick to his stomach. How could she do this? How could she do this now ?
“I know one thing,” he muttered to himself, “I’d rather die than get in that bed.”
He spent a few moments longer, wondering what possessed Beverly to do something like this when they’re supposed to be having fun. When they’re supposed to be on a trip that they planned for years. Richie winked at her; did he know? Did he encourage this? He was supposed to be his friend too.
Alright, that’s it . He was going to march in there right now and see what Beverly had to say. There’s no way to prolong this, no way to escape it. If she wanted to have this conversation now, then they were going to have it now.
He began to walk. But as soon as his footsteps began, he heard the crunching of leaves behind him.
He paused. His vision turned from side to side, and no figure was in sight. He was in no company other than the lake and the shadows of the trees. He must have been hearing things.
He started to walk again. As soon as he moved his legs, the crunching of the leaves returned.
“Beverly?” he asked, turning around. No one. “Anybody there?”
Silence.
It must have been a raccoon. But he didn’t check behind the tree.
He walked for the third time, and the leaf crunching increased, this time loud and fast, and he was about to turn just as fast when he felt it.
A sharp pain through his back, piercing and digging and sending him forward. He lets out a scream that he didn’t know he was holding, but it was muffled as his face dug into the dirt, the sand filling his mouth. He tried to move when a hand pressed against the back of his head, pinning him into the dirt, and he felt warm liquid ooze out of his back and down his t-shirt, and then the piercing returned. Again, and again, and again he was stabbed, all of his screams muffled by the sand pressed against his teeth, and after a few more, the distorted screaming stopped.
His breathing did too.
Thirty minutes had passed since Ben had walked outside. Bev had noticed him head out the side door through the side of her eye, but she had let him go. Ben was the type of guy to need his space sometimes when he needed to think. She had given him a heads up that something new was about to happen between them, and that must have provoked some thinking. Maybe she shouldn’t have warned him. But it was too late now to take it back. She only hoped she hadn’t said something wrong.
But he never stood out by himself this long. It was dark outside, and cold, and he wasn’t wearing a jacket. She began to grow worried.
“Guys,” she said, “I’m worried about Ben. He’s been out there for a while.”
“Why i-is he ou-outside anyway?” Bill asked.
“I just told him that I want to talk about something tonight, and then he left. He likes to be alone sometimes, so I let him. But it’s been a while, and he wasn’t wearing a jacket. I don’t want him to get sick,” she said.
“Alright,” Mike said, “We’ll go find him.”
“I brought some instant hot chocolate along too. He can have some to warm up when we find him,” Eddie said.
“So now you’re suddenly into hot chocolate,” Richie teased.
“Yeah, because now the sun has set rather than rising and I don’t need coffee to be alive! Shut up now and let us find Ben,” he responded.
“Okay, okay,” Richie said, “I’m sure he’s just outside the door.”
They stepped out of the door together, but Ben was not directly outside.
“He pro-probably went off in-into the wo-woods,” Bill said.
They walked past the trees calling Ben’s name, traveling far past the lakehouse. They had left the door open.
“He’s not out here,” Bev said, worry in her voice.
“Don’t worry Bevvie, he probably snuck back into the house and went to bed while we were out here,” Richie said, “Benny boy is safe and sound, didn’t even bother telling us, that fucker.”
“You must be right,” she said, “He probably thought I was gonna say something bad. I’ll go talk to him now, and he’ll be alright.”
They walk back into the lakehouse, shivering a little from the chill of the breeze. Bev leads the group, determination in her eyes. She was going to set things right.
“Hey,” Richie told her and she began to head towards the room she and Ben were sharing, “Good luck. We got this.”
“We do,” she winked to him, and she squeezed his hand and went towards the room.
“Ben?” she called out as she opened the door, “I need to talk to you honey-”
Ben was there. He was there, laying on his back, the sheet drenched in blood. He was there, no shirt on, with words carved along his chest.
Time to play , it said.
He was there, but he was so completely and undeniably dead.
Beverly screamed.