It was family day at the highschool. A whole family event, including pre-schoolers. Living in such a small community, Derry was trying to get kids to mix with those outside their grades. It was supposed to foster communication or something. This was also known as the only day that the Bowers Gang couldn’t push around kids, as parents and teachers alike were watching attentively. Usually they would skip, but this year there was security. Due to the whole missing kid thing. Last time you saw them they were sulking in a corner.

You didn’t pay much attention, you were busy introducing teachers to your parents. It wasn’t until you parents took their leave and you were left sitting with a friend, who was doing the same.

Their little sister, only three, was using a banana like a phone. Little Dalia had only a few words in her arsenal and most of them came from listening her mother on the phone at home. You smiled and laughed as she handed it to you, pretending to have an in depth conversation with a salesman. Dalia watched you, giggling along. Dalia had a real problem eating her food, she would be content to make up games for ages. Her parents told her all sorts of white lies to get her to eat it, including the age old ‘You’ll stay this tall if you don’t eat your veggies!’

After you handed it back, you got distracted with a scuffle involving the youngest Denbrough. You watched as he detached his prosthetic arm and .. threw it? At one of his friends. You laughed, and turned back to Dalia. Except . . . she wasn’t there?

Dread filled your chest but you spotted her pink shirt quickly, she had only moved a little bit. A few people across was Belch.You wondered when he and his friends had moved. Dalia was standing in front of him, arm outstretched. The panic had ebbed for a moment, but it came back full force. He wasn’t known for being gentle. Hell, he was a bully. You had never seen him around very young kids, and he always seemed to follow his friends lead. You held your breath for moment while Dalia said “It’s for you”

You watched him intently, as he blinked down at the little girl in front of him. He seemed to pause as well, before she held the phone up a little higher.  He lifted his hand and took the banana from her and you noticed a blush on his cheeks as he lifted it to his ear. Quietly, almost shyly he said “Hello?” Dalia giggled delightedly, and you noticed Belch’s friends were looking at him.

Henry looked angry, however he always looked kind of angry. Maybe that was just his default expression? Vic looked amused, sort of like you felt. It was such a sight to see.  Patrick looked annoyed. It was better than the creepy grin.

Belch waited a moment before continuing the fake conversation. He seemed to get a little shy, because he ended ‘the call’ quickly and handed it back to Dalia. You were about to call out to her, when she turned to Vic, who was sitting next to Belch and held the fruit out. This kid wasn’t even yours and she was gonna give you heart problems

Vic grinned down at her, and took it as well. He pretended to to ordering a pizza, and you laughed a little, quietly of course. He seemed to mind kids the least. Or at least eb the best with them.

Once he handed it back, she turned to Henry. He paused the longest “Go away.” he finally muttered and Dalia, she rolled her eyes and stepped forward “Well tell them that!” she announced, still holding out the yellow fruit. He sighed and took it, muttering into it for the person to “Fuck off”

Dalia gasped, paused and then cracked up laughing. Henry seemed shocked to be honest, but a little pleased. You watched in almost awe as he continued to argue with the ‘person on the phone’ , making Dalia giggle and gasp loudly, until he too got shy and thursted it back at the little girl. You wondered if real small children were a definitive line for the group. You also wondered where that line ended.

Then Dalia held the banana out to Patrick and you wished you had run over earlier. He looked down at her, annoyed expression more pronounced than before. You knew he wouldn’t pretend, even if he friends had. He reached out and took it, but instead of putting it up to his ear, he started to peel it. Dalia’s expression fell. You could almost sense the tears. Once he took a bite, she did burst into tears and you rushed over, Finally unfreezing, pulling her into your arms. She sobbed on your shoulder, hands wrapping around your neck, meanwhile the asshole smirked and kept eating the damn thing.

“He’s gonna be radioactive!” Dalia cried and you blinked. You glanced over at the boys and they all wore varying expression of panic and confusion

“What do you mean, Lia?” you asked her, frowning.

“He ate a phone! Daddy always tells me if I use a banana as a phone, then eat it I’ll radioactive and-” she paused to take a breath in between her sobbed words “He’ll glow in the dark and his farts will be poisonous!” Ah, another one of her parents attempts to get her to eat her food. You guessed this one was pretty successful if her crying was anything to go by.

You weren't even sure what to say, to be honest. You knew her parents told her that, and that it was a white lie but . . .  how did one respond to that? Would her parents be upset if you told ehr the truth?

“Dontcha know?” Someone started, and you looked up to see Belch. He was trying to be comforting but he looked uncomfortable. Had he ever been around kids before? It was out of character, but you supposed bullying a toddler as opposed to a kid his age crossed a line. You knew adults would care more. “If you eat a banana phone all that happens is ya grow real tall?” he finished.

It was good improvisation, Lia wanted to be taller than her dad one day. She paused her sobbing, sniffing and asked “Really?” One of her chubby hands curled into a fist and she rubbed at her eyes.

He nodded, his cheeks red, and he glanced at you then at the ground, and back to Dalia “Mhm, my Ma said so and she doesn’t lie.” he confirmed. You smiled at him, and when he noticed he beamed back.

Dalia nodded and then looked at Patrick “You have gotta stop eating banana phones. You’ll get so tall you won’t fit through doors.”

You repressed a laugh and knew it was time to go. Their patience was wearing out at this point, you could tell. You excused yourself and Lia and went back to your friend’s parents, who had been watching, but politely engaged in conversation.

~~~~~~~~~~

Lia had refused to let you put her down, or hand her over to her parents. She’d soon decided it was naptime and had fallen asleep in your arms. Her mother advised they’d arrived late and had quite a few people to talk too yet, so you told her you’d wait outside the Gym, where it was quieter.

You sat against a wall, the little girl in your lap, her head resting in the crook of your neck. She slept soundly, and you had closed your eyes as well. You opened them however, when you heard footsteps.

The last heart attack of the day happened when you saw Belch, by himself, walking towards you. He had Lia’s blanket in his hands and you suspected that he had swiped it, but you appreciated the sentiment. It was kind of chilly outside.

You smiled at him and he returned it “I thought… she could be cold.” he offered, coming to a stop in front of you. You smile grew and you patted the ground next to you.

He did move to sit next to you, and he helped you place the blanket around the sleeping toddler, and it was quiet for a few moments.

“Before,” Belch started “You seemed surprised we were . . . okay with her.. . ‘cept Patrick.”

You felt a little guilty, but you knew it was somewhat justified. So you nodded “You have a reputation…” you explained, looking a little apologetic.

He nodded and paused for a moment before saying “Not saying we’ve changed, because we haven’t, really, but. . . something happened last summer that made us a little more aware of .. stuff.” He explained, and you wondered what possibly could have happened to make Henry Bowers decide to back off a little. There had been that whole accused of the murder of his father thing, but it turns out that the same psycho that had attacked the youngest Denbrough kid had done it. It had been pretty weird, some team from Hawkins in . . . Indiana? Had come in and detained him. Belch shrugged a little “We decided there was a line.” You nodded, looking up at him.

He kept talking, stuff you were surprise he would tell anyone “Henry is getting better now. I don’t think he’ll ever be sunshine and rainbows but he’s . . . less angry. The Ripsom’s treat him better.” You nodded along, wondering why you were being told.

“I’m . . I’m glad. You were good with her, you know.” you offered.

He smiled a little “I felt like i was going to make it worse.” he admitted, eyes flickering down to Lia “Kids her age, they’re so small.” he added. He looked worried, maybe  a little scared. You wondered what he had seen. What had happened.

You laughed a little though, and nodded “Yeah, Lia is tiny. She wants to be taller than her dad one day.” you confessed and he smiled at you, a little.

You fell into a comfortable silence before you blurted out “Why are you telling me all this?”

You blushed, but you took comfort in the fact he was too “Um, well you were always nice to me.” he said. It was true, you’d been nicer than some, smiles in the hall every now and then, laughing when he made stupid jokes in class  “I kind of have liked ya for a while now.” He admitted.

You could see where this was going “And whatever you saw this summer made you want to say something?” you asked and he nodded a little.

He paused “Did ya ever see something . . . weird that summer?”

You paused to think. Your memory was a little off, but it’d been a busy summer. You’d been to your aunts. . . and had nightmares. Of a clown . . . and dead bodies? You’d gone to your grandparents after one of the attacks and they’d stopped. You remembered being spooked because a week later you had found out that the kid in your dream had actually died. You nodded “Creepy dreams.” you told him “Kids dying, getting eaten.”

He nodded “There was some freaky shit, y/n.” he shivered “Patrick went missing and for some reason we all decided to go looking. Found ‘im too. Whatever had him… it tried to deter us. Turned into you, and you just . . . decayed. Freaked me right out.”

You weren’t sure if you believed him. Maybe he had just had a nightmare? It still touched you a little and you smiled up at him. You wanted to grab his hand or something but both of your hands were keeping Lia wrapped up. You leant on him, head on his shoulder instead. One of his arms moved around you

“I’m sorry.” you said and he shook his head

“Nah. Not ya fault.” he said back, leaning his head on yours “You..” he started and then paused “You like me though? Your not just being nice?”

You laughed a little, not meanly and nodded against his shoulder. You did, if only a little. He was cute, and he’d never bothered you. If anything he’d been sweet. You didn’t… not like him. You’d not be opposed to a date. Or a relationship. His arm around you gave you butterflies. You bet he gave good hugs “Sure do, Belch.”

He cringed a little and said, in a quiet tone “Call me Reggie?”

You smiled “Well, Reggie, I sure wouldn’t mind a date?”