A/N: Long chapter. The longest one yet :p
Once again, reporters line the street attacking students as they make their way to school, asking questions, hungry for that teenage insight. Dewey's patrol jeep cruises by. You watch from the passenger window. Dewey pulls up in front of the school. Tatum hops out with Sidney while you linger, suddenly unsure. Dewey takes immediate notice. "Hey, it's school. You'll be safe here."
You force yourself out of the jeep as a microphone is shoved in your face. Next to you, you see Sidney with the same problem. "How does it feel to be nearly brutally murdered?" a reported asks you and Sidney. Dewey leaps from the jeep, intercepting the reporter. "Leave the girls alone, would ya? They just want to go to school."
Sidney eyes the news van that pulls up behind her. The side door slides open and Gale Weathers steps out. "Come on, Sid. Come on, Y/N," Tatum says.
"Just a sec, I need to talk to someone," Sidney said. She heads over to Gale. "This isn't necessarily going to go good, is it?" you say to Tatum.
You follow her. Sidney puts her head down, hiding her face. She avoids other reporters as she makes her way to Gale who sits in the open door, checking her face in the mirror. Makeup tries hard to hide Sidney's handwork - a swollen blue and black right cheek. Gale spots Sidney immediately and leaps to her feet. "Stop right there." Sidney throws up her hands in surrender. "I'm not here to fight." "Hey, Sid!" you catch up to her, out of breath.
"Just stay back."
"I want to talk to you," Sidney said.
"Kenny, camera! Now." Kenny's head darts out from the van.
"Off the record. No cameras."
"Forget it," Gale says and Sidney contains herself. You give Gale a death glare. "Please. You owe me."
"I owe you shit." Gale moves inside the van but Sidney is relentless. "You owe my mother!"
"Sid..." you say but she ignores.
"Your mother's murder was last year's hottest court case. Somebody was gonna write a book about it," Gale said.
"Oh and it had to be you with all your lies and bullshit theories."
You spoke up. "Gale, just stay away from us, got it?"
"What is your problem? You got what you wanted. Cotton Weary is in jail. They're gonna gas him. A book is not gonna change that."
"Shut up about your book for once, Gale," you fired.
"Do you still think he's innocent?" Sidney asks. Gale's interest is peaked. She eyes Sidney suspiciously. "He was convicted in the court of law. Your testimony put him away. It doesn't matter what I think."
"During the trial, you did all those stories about me. You called me a liar," Sidney said.
"I think you falsely identified him. Yes."
"Have you talked to Cotton?"
"Many times," Gale replies confidently.
"Has his story changed?"
"Not one word. He admits to having sex with your mother but that's all."
"He's lying. She wouldn't have touched him. He raped her, then butchered her. Her blood was all over his coat," Sidney says, tears in her eyes. You put your hand on her shoulder. "He was drunk that night. He left his coat at your house, after your mother seduced him.."
"I saw him leave wearing it."
"But couldn't it have been someone else you saw wearing that coat? The same person who planted it in Cotton's car, framing him? The same person who really killed your mother." Sidney considers this for the millionth time.
"No, Cotton murdered my mother." But, you hear doubt in her voice. Gale's face lights up.
"You're not so sure anymore, are you?" Sidney clams up. "No, it was Cotton. Cotton killed my mom."
Suddenly, Tatum waltzes up. "Nice welt, sweetie," Tatum says to Gale. Gale ignores her. "The killers still on the loose, isn't he? These murders are related."
"Yo, let's rock!" Tatum says. Sidney starts to fidget. "I'm sorry I mangled your face." She takes off with Tatum, you following behind. Gale calls after her. "Wait, Sidney, don't go!" But Tatum and Sidney and you have already disappeared in the crowd of students moving across campus. Gale looks at Kenny.
"Jesus Christ! An innocent man on death row. A killer still on the loose. Kenny, tell me I'm dreaming."
"You want to go live?" Gale's mind races with possibilities.
"No, not so fast. We have nothing concrete."
"When did that ever stop you? You can't sit on this. This is huge," Kenny said.
"If I'm gonna blow this up - I need hard proof!"
"But it's so much easier when we make it up."
"Not this time. I owe Cotton that much. Hell, even I thought the man was guilty."
~
You, Tatum and Sidney make your way across campus. "Just relax. You're at school now. No one can get you here," Tatum said.
"But if it wasn't Billy it could be anybody, right, Sid?" you said and Sidney agrees. "The killer could be here at the school right now." You all move up the walk as a Ghostface falls in step behind you.
"Serial killers are smart by definition. They minimise their risk. They plan and pre-calculate everything. Showing up here would be the most lame-brain move he could make, " Tatum said smartly.
"He promised me and Sid that he'd be back," you said. As easy as Ghostface appeared, it disappears, falling out of site, unseen by neither of you.
"I wouldn't put too much stock in a psycho's promise," Tatum replied. You all move up the front steps toward the main doors of the school as the Ghostface masked figure reappears, standing at the top of the steps. You see it first and stop dead in your tracks. You step back, spinning around to find a Ghostface behind you as well, both of them approaching, closing in on you. You start to scream when the two Ghostface's bust up. They laugh and run off. In front of the school, a reporter is doing a live. He holds a mask in his hand.
"The morning several students, in what appears to be a prank, have been spotted wearing masks. School officials have yet to comment but this is the same type of mask worn by the killer."
Just before the bell rings, the hallway is congested with students heading to class. Tatum is at her locker with you and Sidney. "This is a mistake.. I shouldn't be here," you say. "I want you to meet me here right after class, okay?" Tatum says. Suddenly, Billy appears in the crowd, with Stu tagging behind. Tatum spots him first.
"Shit, what is he doing here?" she asks.
"I bet he's pissed at me," you said guiltily.
"Just ignore him. You had a good reason to think what you did," Sidney said. Billy and Stu approach. Billy's face is solemn. "Hi, Y/N. Can we talk?" You say nothing. You can barely look back at him. Tatum decides to intervene.
"You know if I were accused of carving up two people, I'd take the opportunity to skip school."
"Hey, go easy, Tatum. He didn't do it," Stu said.
"Talk to me, Y/N. Or Sid, at least.." Billy said. Suddenly, a scream erupts. All eyes go to a Ghosface masked student running down the hall, screaming wildly, running amuck.
"Why are they doing this?" Sidney asks.
"Are you kidding? This place is like Christmas," Stu said jokingly. Billy punches Stu in the side. "Owww!" Stu complains.
"You open your mouth and stupidity pours out," Billy says, shooting daggers at Stu.
"Sorry.."
You are way too upset to see anybody right now so you take off down the hall. Billy runs after you. "Stay away from her, Billy!" Tatum says angrily and she slams her locker shut, the metal clanging loudly.
With first period underway, the halls have cleared. One or two struggling students can be seen rushing to class. You and Sidney move quickly down the hall, rounding a corner, running smack into Billy. You and Billy collide hard, along with Sidney. You stand up and Sidney is caught by Billy before she can fall. "Jesus, shit!" Sidney exclaims. You awkwardly clear your throat and look away. "Hey, hey. It's just me.."
Sidney pulls away quickly while you stare at him. "What? You both don't still think it's me?" Sidney catches her breath while Billy admires you. You look away. "No.... I-we don't... Oh God, Billy. Someone was there, someone tried to kill me and Y/N."
"I know, the police say I scared the killer out of Y/N's house. It wasn't me, guys.."
"I know. He called Y/N and me again at Tatum's house."
"See, it couldn't have been me. I was in jail, remember?"
You finally speak up. "I'm sorry for accusing you..."
"It's okay but we'll speak about this later," Billy said and turns his attention back on Sidney. "I'm so sorry.. please understand," Sidney said.
"Understand what? That I got a girlfriend who would rather accuse me or being a psychopathic killer than touch me."
"You know that's not true, Billy."
"Then what is it? Is there somebody else?"
"No.."
You didn't really want to listen to them arguing but you had no choice. You wanted Billy to know that you were terribly sorry. You also stayed because Billy was meant to break up with Sidney today and this could be the moment. "Is it the sex thing? Am I being too pushy?"
Your heart shattered at those words. Billy wanted to have sex with Sidney, not you. But Billy didn't love Sidney anymore. He loved you. He even admitted it.
"No, it's me, Billy. I need time. I'm still adjusting to my mom."
"It's been a year."
"Tomorrow. One year tomorrow," Sidney corrected.
"When are you gonna let that go, Sid? When my mom left my dad, I accepted it. That's the way it is. She's not coming back." As much as you loved Billy, you thought he was being selfish and he was incorrect.
"Your parents split up. It's not the same thing. Your mom left town, she's not lying in a coffin somewhere!" Sidney said sharply. You stood there awkwardly.
"You have to move on, Sidney."
"You know what? I think it's time we break up. It's just not working out anymore since my mom died and it's too much. I'm sorry. We can still be friends but, nothing more. I'm sorry," Sidney said. You stood there, eyes widened and your mouth on the ground.
"Fine by me," Billy said and he turned to you, giving you a wink.
Sidney starts to walk away but turns back. "I'm glad to know you're coping so well with life, Billy. But some of us aren't perfect and some of us aren't meant for each other. Some of us are just trying to hold on." Sidney disappears through the girls bathroom. He smacks himself in the forehead, pissed at himself. "Stupid..."
"Well, that went well," you said.
"It sure did. I was going to be the one to end it but obviously she did it. So, will you date me now?" Billy asks, walking closer to you.
"I-I'm not sure, Billy. Give me time, okay? You and Sidney have just broken up," you said and you follow Sidney into the bathroom.
The bathroom is large and spacious. Closed bathroom stalls line one wall facing a row of sinks and a huge mirror. You enter and realise that Sidney is not in any of the stalls. How did she slip out of the bathroom without you noticing? Suddenly, two girls are in the bathroom stalls, talking. "She was never attacked! I think she made it all up. Sidney and Y/N, I'm talking about bust mostly Sidney," a girl says. You instantly recognise them as the rude, bitchy, popular girls.
"Why would she lie about it?" the other girl asks.
"For attention! That girl has some serious issues," girl 1 said. You lock yourself into one of the other stalls quietly and you listen intently. "What if she did it? What if Sidney - or Y/N, killed Casey and Steve?"
"And why would they do that?"
"Maybe they were both hot for Steve and killed them both in a jealous rage," girl 1 said. You couldn't believe your ears.
"Why would Sidney want to be with Steve? She has her own bubble butt boyfriend, Billy Loomis."
"Maybe she's a slut just like her mother." You listen carefully, your face weakening.
"You're evil," girl 2 says.
"Please, it's common knowledge. Her mother was a trollop."
They both stare into the mirror, applying makeup to their snotty and twit faces. "Cut some slack. She watched her mom get butchered. Anyone would be mortified by that," girl 2 said.
"And it fucked her up royally. Think about it. It makes perfect sense. Her mom's death leaves her distraught and hostile at a cruel and inhumane world, she's disillusioned, where's God, etc. Completely suicidal. And one day she snaps. She wants to kill herself but realises teen suicide is out this year. And homicide is a much healthier, therapeutic expression," girl 1 explains. You clench your fists, trying so hard not to run out there and give them a fist. Your heart pounds, your jaw quivering.
"Where do you get this shit?" girl 2 asks.
"Ricki Lake."
"Hmm, okay. What about your Y/N theory?"
"Ah, well, Casey dated her best friend, Stuart Macher. When they broke up, Y/N wanted revenge for Casey hurting Stu so she went and killed Casey and Steve. Simple as that."
This set you off. You took deep breaths and you reluctantly opened the bathroom stall. You stepped out and the two snobby girls eyed you disgustedly. You tightened the straps on your backpack before confronting them. "It's funny how you think I'd be jealous of a rude, inappropriate jock who only cared about himself. Funny, how you also think I'd kill Casey because she broke up with Stu. She was my good friend so why an earth would I do that? Hm? They weren't made for each other so she made the right choice, to be honest. Also, never, ever, make fun and insult Sidney again, sweeties. You're mom isn't dead so you wouldn't know the pain. It's unimaginable and I couldn't imagine the pain Sidney is going through." The girls looked at each other, glancing at you ever so often. "Now, get outta here," you said sharply, cracking your knuckles. They exited the bathroom and you shook your head in disbelief. "Pathetic. Unbelievable."
Water drips somewhere from an indistinguishable leaky pipe as wind whistles in from the cracked transom above the bathroom door. It sounded almost like a whisper. "Y/NNNNN." You spin around in alarm. "What the.." You check out the bathroom. The doors to the stalls are closed. You bend down and scan beneath them, looking for feet. You see nothing.
You turn back to the bathroom mirror when suddenly, another whisper echoes throughout the bathroom. "Y/N." It's unmistakable this time. The voice strikes you like a nail through the eye. I comes from one of the stalls. "But, it's impossible.." you whisper to yourself. You stand thunderstruck, eyeing the stalls through the cracked and vandalised mirror. "Is someone there?" you call out.
"It's me, Y/N," a soft voice whispers.
You spin around. Terror floods through your face and adrenaline pumps around your body. He's here. Ghostface. You eye the exit door, then the row of stalls that you must pass to get to it. You check under the stalls again but nothing is there. Where the hell is he? you thought. You take a step back when two feet step down from a toilet onto the floor in the last stall. Your face draws tight as the stall door opens, creaking. You bolt forward, making a break for it. But, you slip on the wet floor. You reach out, grabbing hold of a rusty sink, saving yourself from falling. You glimpse at Ghostface that comes for you in the mirror. A hand grabs a hold of your shoulder as you slam your body through the exit door, narrowly escaping a gruesome death.
You fly out the bathroom door, screaming. You don't look back. A teacher hears you scream and peers out of a classroom as you sprint by him, not stopping. You run madly.
~
In Principal Himbry's office, his face is reddened with anger. "I'm sickened. Your whole havoc inducing, thieving, whoring generation disgusts me."
Two students stand in his office in a Ghostface mask. Mr. Himbry rips the masks off of one student. "Two students have been savagely murdered. And this is how we express our compassion and sensitivity?" He rips a mask off of the last student. "We throw on a mask and dance around compass just hoping someone else gets butchered before we get bored again. You're both expelled!" The two male students both protest.
"Aw, come on, Mr. Himbry! It was a joke."
"Yeah, that's not fair!"
A deep rooted hostility has taken over Mr. Himbry's face. Neither student budges, scared to even breathe. "No, it's not fair. Fairness would be to rip your insides out and hang you from a tree so you can be exposed for the desensitised, heartless little shits that you are." Suddenly, the door bursts open. You come in, hysterical. Mr. Himbry rushes to you, arms outstretched. "He's here... I saw him... he's here..." you sob.
"Easy child," Mr. Himbry says and you collapse into his arms, crying endlessly.