ʟᴜɴᴀ ᴍᴏᴛʜ ☆ ᴇᴛʜᴀɴ ʟᴀɴᴅʀʏ

009

    𝐀𝐔𝐆𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝐉𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐒 was sat in the back of an ambulance outside the apartment. She had one of those shock blankets on, something she'd seen in movies and still didn't quite understand why. August, however, found comfort in the blanket, using it as a layer of protection.

      Chad was sat beside the girl, arm around her as he rubbed her shoulder. The blonde was quiet. She hadn't spoken a word since the police first arrived.

     Her dad was one the first ones there, horrified at the sight inside the apartment. He immediately found his daughter, hugging her tight, scared the second he let go his little girl would disappear.

     The group was scared, paranoid, glum. Mindy had lost her girlfriend. She didn't know how to fully process what happened. None of them really did. They were still so young, trying to figuring out life, their lives. And now, they have to once again prepare for the possibility of not making it to see tomorrow's sunrise.

     August kept picking at her palms, rubbing at the dried scarlet. When the paramedic tried to help, she immediately flinched back, breathing quicker, heavier, like she was about to have a panic attack. Since then, Chad hadn't left her side, and the blood still stained.

The blonde was in a world of her own. She drowned out the sirens, the stares and the cops. However, her hazel eyes locked on a familiar curly haired boy straight away.

August let the blanket fall from her shoulders, scurrying to stand before rushing over to Ethan, arms instantly wrapping his neck. She buried her face in the crook of his neck, finally able to relax. She could already feel the tears stinging her eyes.

She hadn't been able to contact Ethan and it caused a growing fear that he was dead, like Quinn and Anika.

"Oh, God." The blonde exhaled, Ethan wrapping his arms around her waist. "I was so scared you were hurt too."

Reluctantly, Ethan pulled away, just enough to check that she wasn't hurt. He noticed the stained scarlet on her palms and the red bruising on the side of her face instantly. The boy grabbed her hands in his, looking at the blood with concern.

August sighed, heavily, before mumbling. "I'm fine. It's not my blood." Ethan didn't get a chance to ask further, as he was pushed back into the car beside them. August gasped as she saw Chad holding onto the boy, seeping anger.

"Chad!"

The Meeks boy ignored her, darken eyes locked on Ethan. August may have been fearful that Ethan was dead, but the others thought he was Ghostface.

She didn't know what one would be scarier.

"Where were you?"

     Ethan looked just as confused at August. "What? When?" His brown eyes gazed past Chad to the blonde. The girl had her arms wrapped around herself, bitting the end fabric of sleeve with creeping anxiety.

     "Last night!"

     "What?"

     The Landry boy furrowed his eyebrows. "I had Econ. You know this."

     "Bullshit, man!" Chad pushed again. "You disappear, and my sister almost gets killed!"

     "Dude, I was in a study hall with a hundred other people. You can ask any of them."

     August stepped towards them, tugging Chad back. She linked her hand with Ethan's worried eyes on his before turning to Chad, disappointed. "He's telling the truth. I got a text from him the same time Ghostface attacked us."

     Chad looked between them, his heart dropping further as he saw their hands interlinked. The Meeks boy shook his head, stepping back.

     The Jones girl closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. She felt like she could finally breath, knowing Ethan was okay. But she was still terrified.

     "Oh, God..." Ethan's gaze fell on the alley, police surrounded by a body bag. His face fell. "Who...?"

     "Uh...A-Anika and Quinn." August sniffled, moving to stand before the curly haired boy. She scanned his face, a hint of a smile as her hazel orbs traced his freckles, though, it fell as she noticed a slight cut on his hairline.

     Standing on the tip of her toes, she pushed back his hair to see how bad it was. It didn't need immediate medical attention, probably just an accident. Ethan grabbed her wrist, taking her by surprise. Instantly, the boy dropped his hand, puppy eyes on her.

     "Sorry." He winced, noting her widened eyes, panicked, alarmed. "I, uh, accidentally banged my head on the corner of the cabinet this morning." He chucked, August grew less tense, relaxing in Ethan's touch as his hand fell to her waist. "Clumsy, I guess."

     August smiled up to him like a dummy. "I'm glad your okay. And I'm especially glad you had Econ." She giggled, quietly.

     The two walked back over to the others, Ethan wanted to apologise for Mindy's loss, knowing the two really did love one another.

     "Mindy, I am so sorry-"

     "Step the fuck back."

     Augusts' mouth went dry. Mindy can't have thought he was really Ghostface. "Come on. Really?" August questioned.

     Mindy raised her eyebrows, cold look at the blonde. "Really? I saw what happened. They didn't attack you. Kill you. What happened in there when it was just you and the killer? Hmm? Planning the next move?"

     August went quiet, tears threatening to spill. "I-I don't know what happened to me, Mindy. I woke up and I was outside."

     The Meeks girl stood, staring at her with rage, resentment, betrayal. "Bullshit!"
Ethan tugged the blonde back, Chad carefully pulling back his twin.

They all had a prick of fear that August was apart of this. But Sam trusted her. Chad had seen August, during the attack, relief in her eyes as she saw him but went just as quickly when she was pulled back, unable to flee. "You two are at the top of my list." She seethed.

     "Mindy..." August sighed. She knitted her eyebrows together, guilt eating at her for something she didn't do. Hurt that someone she would consider a friend, didn't trust her. The Meeks girl looked away, sitting back down, not wanting to fight anymore. The blonde looked to Chad, heart braking more as he didn't try and defend her. "Chad?"

      Ethan, hand still linked with August, tugged her back. "Let's go." August wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt, following the boy off to the side.

     The duo took seat on the side of the curb, the blonde resting her head on his shoulder, fidgeting with his hand. "I don't understand it."

     Ethan looked down to her, humming. "What?"

     "Why Ghostface didn't kill me. They had the chance, a lot. I really thought i was gonna die." She sniffled. "Why couldn't they have just let Anika live."

      Ethan wrapped his arms around her, August beginning to cry, tears staining his shirt but he didn't care. He wanted to make her pain go away, but there wasn't a way. There would never be a way to make August feel better again.