You and Billy sit in the large, master bedroom with glass doors that lead out onto a balcony. You and Billy stare at each other for a long, awkward moment. "So?" you said, absentmindedly fiddling with your fingers.
"So... I'm sorry. I've been a selfish shit and I'm sorry," Billy said.
"No, Billy. I'm the one who's been selfish and self-absorbed with all my post traumatic stress."
"Your dad left you and your friend's have died..." Billy says guiltily but you don't seem to notice.
"But you're right, enough is enough. I can't keep lying to myself that I'm gonna be murdered next. I've got to stay positive and that's not me right now.. I'm thinking negatively and getting stressed out which results in me snapping at people unintentionally. I've been acting like a selfish bitch. And I never apologised properly of accusing you of being the killer. It was wrong of me."
"I think in some weird analytical, psychological bullshit way," you continue, "I'm gonna turn out to be like this psychopathic killer, you know? With all the stress overload. Like the bad, slutty girl, the accuser.."
"Oh, Y/N. You know that's not true.."
"Everytime I get close to you, I feel nervous but also safe. I know it doesn't make sense on why I feel nervous. It's a weird feeling, like I sense something bad. It's the same with Sidney. Everytime she got close to you, she'd see her mom. It didn't and still doesn't make sense."
"Sure it does. It's like Jodie Foster in Silence Of The Lambs when she kept having flashbacks of her dead father."
"But this is life. This isn't a movie, Billy. It's life with my subconscious fear and stress and my unnecessary selfishness."
"Sure it is, Y/N. It's all a movie. Life's one great big movie. Only you can't pick you genre." Billy had a point. Billy moves to you. You embrace, tenderly.
"I wanna let it go. I do. I wanna feel happy for even just a day without a worry."
"Shhh, everything's going to be okay. I promise," he whispers comfortingly. You take the initiative, acting on impulse, kissing Billy long and hard. You break away passionately, out of breath.
"Why can't I be a Meg Ryan or Reese Witherspoon movie?" you ask silently. Billy nibbles your neck. "Shh, it's okay."
"Or even a good porno.."
Billy stops, shocked with what you just said. "What?"
You stare at him, your eyes sexually charged.
"You heard me."
Billy looks at you incredulously. "Are you serious?"
You surprise yourself with your words. You was not expecting this to happen tonight but it was. "Yeah, I think so," you said and you both smile at each other.
~
In the living room, the camera sits on the bookshelf lodged between two knickknacks, completely inconspicuous. The camera widens to reveal several teens watching TV - the horror diehards. "Look, here it comes! SPLAT!" one teen says.
"The blood's not the right colour. Why do they do that? It's too red," another teen complained.
"Here comes another.." Randy says.
"Predictable. Knew he was gonna bite it," your brother, Hayden, says.
"Ugh, how can you watch this shit over and over?" a bored teenage girl asks.
Randy shushes her up. "Shhhh!" The girl scowls at him. "I wanna see Jamie Lee's breasts. When do we see Jamie Lee's breasts?" Stu asks in a whiny voice.
"Not until Trading Places, 1983. Jamie Lee was always the virgin in horror movies. She didn't show her tits until she went legit," Randy replied.
"No way," a teenage boy said, gaping.
"That's why she always lived. Only virgins can outsmart the killer in the big chase scene in the end. Don't you know the rules?" Randy said plausibly. He really was a horror nerd/geek.
"What rules?" Stu asks, raising an eyebrow. Randy hits the pause button on the remote and stands in front of the television, explaining the rules carefully.
"There are certain rules one must abide in order to successfully survive a horror movie. For instance: 1, you can never have sex. The minute you get a little nookie - you're as good as gone. Sex always equals death. 2, never drink or do drugs. The sin factor. It's an extension of number one. And 3, never, ever, ever under any circumstances, say "I'll be right back," Randy explains.
"Wanna another beer?" Stu asks, bored.
"Yeah, sure."
"I'll be right back!" Stu says and everybody 'ooh's.'
"There he goes, folks - a dead man. Wave bye-bye," Randy says with a serious look on his face.
~
Gale and Kenny watch the monitor. The party is clearing now. Suddenly, there's a rap at the van door. Gale pulls it open to see Deputy Dewey Riley standing, his face beaming with smiles. "The Sheriff just radioed me. I'm gonna check out a possible lead. Thought you might like to join me."
"What kind of lead?" Gale asks,
"A car was spotted in the bushes a little way up the road."
"I'd love to. If you're sure it's alright?"
"Ma'am, I am the Deputy of this town," Dewey said, smiling brightly.
"Can I bring Kenny?"
"NO!" Dewey says a bit too quickly. "I mean, I should probably just take you." Gale steps out of the van, turning back to Kenny.
"I'll be back." She slides the van door closed. Gale heads for Dewey's patrol jeep.
"Actually, I thought we could walk. It's not to far," Dewey says, hopeful. Gale appears sceptical, but smiles anyway. She's genuinely smitten by Dewey.
~
Back in the living room, scary music fills the room. The party is reduced to the diehards in front of the television, including Hayden. "Look, here comes the obligatory tit shot!" Randy exclaims, pointing to the TV.
"Finally!" Hayden squeals.
"Beautiful!" some teens say and drool in unison.
~
You and Billy are going at it, passionately. He has his head buried in your neck. To yourself, you sing the song that Tatum told you to sing. "Eight is enough to fill our lives with love.." It's working. You push Billy off of you as you pull your shirt over your head. You fumble with the clasp of your F/C bra and it eventually comes off. Just as the straps slide off you shoulders, Billy pulls his jeans off, blocking you from view.
Back in the living room, the horror fest continues when the phone rings. Everyone ignores it but it rings again. "Turn the damn phone off!" Hayden says. Finally, Randy grabs the receiver from the side table.
"Hello? Yeah... mhm... HOLY SHIT!"
Randy, freaked, drops the phone. He finds the TV remote and pauses the movie. Everyone protests but Hayden quietens everyone, trying to listen to Randy. "Listen up. They found Principal Himbry dead. He was gutted and hung from the post on the football field.."
This stills the room. On different faces, there's a moment of devastation, disbelief. But, other teens, not so much.
"So what are waiting for?"
"Let's get over there before they pry him down!"
And in seconds the room is empty as everyone bolts for the door, hooting and hollering, leaving Randy and Hayden, near drunk, alone in the messy living room. Hayden and Randy return to the movie. "We were just getting to the good part," Randy said and Hayden says something incomprehensible before falling back in the armchair, falling fast asleep, empty beer bottle in hand.
~
Kenny is barely watching the monitor, he reached boredom ages ago. He finds a bag of Cheetos and chows down when he hears kids screaming from outside. He peers out the window to see the last of the party kids pile into two cars and race off down the road. He chews a Cheeto slowly, his interest piqued.