"Uh huh," he replied, "Puh-puh-promise." Equally, Bev had always been important to Bill. Sure, he'd had a crush on her, and there was the play, but she'd always been there, been more real than the other girls in their year. Even as kids, he'd known that. So even though it would probably have taken him until dawn to explain things, he would have. But it was just a case of not-sleeping.
And then Bev said the words he knew she'd say, and he pulled her into a hug. "I'm suh-sorry," he said into her hair, and squeezed tighter for a moment. "W-wuh-wanna t-t-t-t-talk?" he offered.