The radio was low but she could still hear Rock Star by Post Malone causing base to tremble mirrors. Junia wasn't surprised by Dimi's choice of rap or hip hop genre, they grew up in a slightly ghetto area and he got quite intergraded into her island culture.
"Earth to Junia." Called Dimi for the girl's attention that seemed to be drifting elsewhere. Who could blame her? Realizing that you possibly have feelings for a creature who likes to dress up as a clown to lure children and eat them, wouldn't you be in a dazed panic too?
She sighs out the internal aches, this is no time to be caught up with emotions. "Sorry, my mind was somewhere else."
"Yeah I noticed." Tone board line agitated or indifferent, she couldn't tell nor cared.
It was a good drive to the McLevan's estate, located in the wealthy area of Neo-Derry on top a hill no surprise. Junia appreciated the high-end vehicle her date chauffeured them in; a red corvette, though she prefers them in cobalt blue. Each acceleration sparked a pleasurable sickly drop in her stomach, this is why her father never allowed a vehicle no more than 200 horse power, she likes them fast.
"I was asking," The man began again, tone hinted with annoyance of her not paying attention. "How you know the McLevans."
Junia shrugged. "Nothing special really, I just did some work for them here and there. Plus I'm kinda close with their youngest son, Luke."
Dimi made a sound of understanding. "He's a good kid."
The girl breathed deeply and mentally cursed before blurting out a question she longed to ask since his arrival. "Why?"
"Why he's a good kid? I guess because he's nothing like the other two?" Brows wrinkled at the outburst.
"No, I mean..." Junia fidgeted the studs on her wrist-let, swallowing. "Talking to me, being nice, why? Let's be honest, I was far from everyone's favourite person throughout school. So why?" Asked the girl in strategic mentality.
The daunting past and memories that came along with Dimi's appearance were too powerful for her to fight back. Although she seemed calm on the surface, Junia was constantly tortured. Remembering all the cruelty and childish hazing peers inflicted on her. It is no wonder she's so fucked up enough to go seeking a murderous clown. The girl blames people who encouraged her already poison emotions. She vowed when moving to Derry, that whenever a being from the past is encountered, it will be dealt with. No more running, crying, hiding, taking it. No. She is no longer that quiet, scared, little girl. Pennywise is an entirely different situation though, not the same category.
The song finished and Desiigner's Panda started.
Dimi briefly side glanced at the girl, who awaited an answer. "Honestly?" his voice changed, softer and without that cockiness it usually carried. Junia held a breath, feeling the sensation of his hand land on her exposed knee, the Rolex around his wrist was cold. A familiar heated rush flared her body but the intensity was absent. "I wanted to make amends. As a kid, you don't think of others and their feelings. I shouldn't have treated you the way I did but to be fair, I really was the nicest to you."
That much Junia couldn't deny. Dimi was the kinder boy she crushed on out of the lot. The others, let's just say, are one or two steps under good ol' Pennywise. Yeah, not fun times. However, his statement didn't settle well.
"So, this is for your own gratification?" she asked, skeptical to his motives and hates falsehood.
Dimi nodded, surprising her greatly. "Yes, I won't lie. I felt so awful, I wanted to make things right. So when your mother told me where you lived, made plans and moved out here with my mom."
Junia looked to the driver, expression mixed with. "She lives here too?"
He chuckled, knowing she didn't have knowledge of Derry's future like him. "She's the new appointed State Attorney."
Boy, did she feel stupid. "Fabulous, you're staying."
"Oh yeah. I'm not disappearing anytime soon." Dimi teased with a friendly grin.
Junia found no comfort in those words, any words from him. Just empty, fake and intangible letters pieces together without meaning. Only encouraged more anguish and depressing memories. She prayed he was speaking truth. That change was not just in his appearance. Regret of attending this party began to surface in her but it was better than curling up in bed. Alone with deathly thoughts.
◊ ◊◊◊◊ ◊◊◊
Pennywise paced around his mountain of trophies and new victims who drifted afloat. Restlessness heightened as he couldn't stop replaying Junia's saddened expression in his malicious mind. Unable to erase the moment and conversation they had before she went on this so-called 'date'. Even the simple thought left a bitter taste in his mouth, like he eat another smoker, just awful.
The creature huffed, arms crossed over ruffles and plopped on the cement circular opening that funneled sewage water. He is not jealous. No ounce of that nonsense exists in his extraterrestrial system. He is a creature of consumption, only takes what is desired and craved. No remorse, no sorrow, no jealousy. That is just the way it is.
But yet...
It was irritating! Infuriating! She even concealed all the small scraps and his bite marks on her exotic skin so fucking well. Sharpened teeth grinded down in pressured tension, eyes sighted a dusty, shredded black suit from a past victim. An idea, a very risky one, conjured in his wicked mind.
◊◊◊◊ ◊◊◊◊
They arrive and it's not hard to notice. An enormous mansion rested on the very top of a hill, typical white and modern fashion with a hint of Greek columns, Corinthian styled of course, nothing but the finest. Junia had been to the estate once and it was more than enough.
Dimi slowed his speed, the car rolled up, following a path and stopped just before a man dressed in a red suit, Valet. Junia exited, not paying attention to the stare of desire and envy. She exhaled noticeably loud, Dimi took his place beside and offered her an elbow, gesture for superficial escorting. "Ready?" a brow raised, seeing the anxiousness just oozing out.
"I need some rum, dark rum." the girl joked about her level of nerves while graciously slipping a hand through the loop of his crock.
He chuckled as they took unison steps inside, heels clicked along. "You read my mind, straight to the bar it is."
The interior remained exactly to how Junia recalled; scary clean and blindingly white, modernized furniture that lacked fabric and only added more colour, marble everything, cherry wood floors and steps that lead to other floors. Music played that Junia remembers during attempts to learn the old fashion ball-room dances; waltzes and such. She is very untalented in that department.
Eyes from all directions peered to the pair, hearing all the little whispers and hush-hush conversations, she smirked, feeling like a princess. Junia ignored anxiety that screamed of negatives and blankly focused on her prime objective, political revenge and to remind this town who she is.
Dimi sneaked glanced at the girl from time to time and was astonished by how her nervousness faded and replaced by this superiority. Expression no longer ridged but strong and relaxed, like she was made for this, no, born is the right word. Confidence radiated so vibrantly, it inflected him as well.
Brown eyes zeroed in on her target, Conor and Lori McLevan, she resisted the urge to smirk, trying to keep an angelic persona. "Screw the bar." she whispered to Dimi who followed her stare and understood.
As they approached, the couple's expression brightened, especially Lori's. It surprised Dimi to his core the level of enthusiasm shown upon his date's rare appearance.
"Good Evening Mr and Mrs McLevan." Junia greeted purposely with the upmost politeness as she was grown to have, leaning towards each one and gave them cheek-to-cheek kisses. While Dimi and Conor did the typical manly shake in acknowledgement.
"Oh stop it with the formalities, you're partially family." Lori explained, smile shined freshly polished whites.
"She's right, we've known you since you were this tall." added Conor, expressing the height with a hand that position just at his knees. "Speaking of little, where is Jaison?"
"With my mom back in Toronto for the summer, she wanted to give me a break and keep him." Junia half lied in a picture-ready grin.
Lori pressed hands together, finger tips just touching her thin peach coloured lips. "That's so nice. We're so happy you could make it."
Dimi, who simply kept silent during the exchange, was taken aback. "I had no clue you guys knew each other that well but I shouldn't be surprise." he turned to Junia. "she is Kissue and Augustus, a double threat and great catch."
"Yes." Lori confirmed. "We've known the two families for years."
"Long before Norman's passing." Conor gave the girl a nod of condolences. "Such a tragic time."
Guesses watched in awestruck witness of conversation between the hosts and a girl they opinion to be worth nothing. Brittney stood there in utter shock and frustration at the friendly exchange between her parents at Junia. Mouth dropped, wide open.
A girl with a shade darker skin tone than Junia, black course curly hair and denies her culture, giggled at her friend's bewildered expression. "You're totally drooling Brit."
"Shut up Angel." the brat snarled, furious her plan obvious did not fall through with success for reasons unknown. "I have other ways to get back at that slut."
Angel flipped back wild hair. "Why don't you call, ah what's their names? Dimi's friends? You know they all went to school with Junia like a hundred years ago, maybe find them."
Brittney hummed in devilish thought. "You're totally genius level Angel." smirked the brat as she reached out a hand to engage in the Popular Crew signature 'hand-shake'.
"Of course I am, student body president here." Angel snobbishly indicated back, completing her end of the gesture. "Let's get this bitch."
"You mean me?" a voice interrupted the not-so victorious moment.
The two friends flinched in frightened jolts, Junia was smirking before them, obviously able to catch the last bit of their wicked plans.
Brittney made no effort to hide the wrathful emotions she carried towards the older female. "What are you doing here whore?"
Junia, like a proper adult, kept composure at the slurs thrown, with a smile. "I was invited, naturally."
"Bull-fucking-shit you were invited." the brat fired back, steam pumped from ears.
She snickered, this was just too easy. "I'm twenty-four Brittney, not fourteen. I have a Bachelor's, work as a freelance artist and your own parents are my patrons. My family is elite just like yours, I know many people, so I would appreciate you tone down this little attitude you have with me before I get serious." Junia was about finished with this over privileged girl and her snobby attitude. "Mommy and Daddy can't protect you from everything."
"At least I have one! Just face it, you're all alone and not even the Devil would fuck you!" Brittney shot, in the lowest of blows as all other bullets that could potentially harm her were undone.
Brown eyes rolled in their sockets much to the brat's dismay of being unable to affect Junia, that isn't the first time a last like that was aimed. The recent events and actions of Pennywise—aside from earlier—ignited a sense of superiority. Bravery she came to this town with, to Neibolt, against that creature, returned in vengeance.
"Grow up little girl and quickly. Or life is going to end very, very badly. Oh and if you want to really fuck me up, get an adult." Junia threatened in a low tone only the two could catch, no more playing around. Aura intimating enough, Angel began to quiver in actual, raw fear.
The blonde trembled as well, not in fear but in anger, vision coloured by red. "A skank like you? Threatening me? So what? My brother wasn't enough for you? You want to kill me too?" Brittney's volume increased with each word and sanity faded away. "You hear that everyone? Junia Kissue killed John and now she wants to kill me! Who's next? Luke? Angel? The entire town?"
Junia internally was caught off guard but stayed grounded. She had to because Brittney didn't stop. She could going, shouting, screaming in hysterics, in bloody murder. The girl did nothing but watch as Conor, Lori and other adults attempted to calm the brat down without success.
Before Junia realized, a strong hand, gentle in its touch, ushered her away from the scene. Calm eyes looked to see Dimi was leading them towards his vehicle, she felt slightly disappointed something else hadn't been the one to save her from scrutiny.
Little had she known, a stranger with a common face and hypnotic blue eyes was the cause of Brittney's drift to insanity, who laughed like the chaos was a merry carnival to be had.
◊ ◊◊◊◊ ◊◊◊◊
"I'm sorry about how things turned out." Junia falsely apologized as being a catalyst for Brittney's meltdown as they walked towards the front door of her home.
Dimi waved a hand in dismissal. "No worries, teenage girls are over-dramatic. There is no way you're that fucked up."
The girl giggled but his words caused guilt she believed to have faded, twinkled ever so slightly. "Right? I can barely manage to cook chicken as it is." voice joked in playful sarcasm. While unlocking the door, she hopped he wouldn't pick up.
He laughed shortly at the underlined dark remark, voice died and cleared. "Junia."
She froze, not at Dimi's uncharacteristic soft tone, but at Pennywise who sat ever so patiently on the kitchen counter. Alarm sparked slight cold sweat to dampen her nap. The girl slowly and cautiously turned while entering her home, trying to act as if there wasn't a psycho killing machine just lounging in her kitchen. "What is it?"
Dimi thrust hands deep into pockets. "I'm opening a new club, here in Derry."
"And?" she asked impatiently.
"I want you to help me, it'll be fun." he offered with the utmost sincerity than Junia heard from this man that she knew for a third of her life. It wouldn't be why she accepted the invitation. In fact, he is just a pond to her own selfish motives. To see just how the clown behind her truly felt, to play with fire and reality she may very well get burned alive for.
Dimi's eyes widened upon feeling soft lips brush against his cheek, leaving a hint of lipstick. "I forgive you, for the past but that's all." She pulled back with a devious smile. "Have a good night Dimi."
"Yeah... You too Junia." he bid farewell as Junia closed the door, in a slow creak, to face her fears.