"So, what's she like? The sister?" Liv asked the group.
"Sam? Sam is so cool," Chad replied with enthusiasm.
"You only say that because she let Y/N stay over," Mindy teased as she lined up a shot on the pool table.
"That's true. That's a true statement," Chad laughed in agreement.
"No, trust me, Sam is not cool," Amber said, her tone serious. "Her dad left her mom, walked right out when Tara was eight, and Sam was 13. Sam started acting out, getting in trouble with the cops. And then, on Sam's 18th birthday, she left. Ghosted them all. Maybe Sam's changed. I just don't want to see Tara hurt again."
"So, what, you're protecting Tara from her own sister now?" Wes asked.
"Well, someone has to," Amber smartly replied.
"Okay, so Y/N isn't good enough for her, and now her family's off-limits too?" Wes questioned.
"Mm, motive. 'If I can't have her, no one can,'" Mindy chimed in.
"What?" Wes seemed confused.
"We all know you have a crush on Tara," Mindy replied. "You even try to steal her from Y/N."
"Okay, come on, Mindy. Y/N's my friend, I would never..." Wes began.
"But we're all suspects except maybe Liv," Mindy told the group.
"Thank you," Liv responded.
"You're way too boring to be a psycho," Mindy joked. "Plus, I have my money on someone else."
"Who?" Liv asked.
"I think it's Y/N. I mean, he hardly fought the intruder off," Amber spoke up. Everyone looked at her, confused. "Tara even told me she turned the knife at him. Even she thought he was helping."
Everyone's faces turned to shock. Tara hadn't told anyone this except Sam and Amber. Could Y/N have helped?
"Yo, Liv. You want a real drink? Or are you happy sitting at this kids' table?" a guy the group recognized as Vince asked.
"Listen up, Uglier Michael Myers, it was a summer fling. It meant nothing," Chad got up in the guy's face. "Don't you remember last year? My bro Y/N beat your ass for trying it on his girl."
"Was I talking to you? Plus, look where that got him," Vince replied.
"I don't care who you're talking to," Chad retorted.
"Get out of here, or I'm calling the cops," the bartender shouted.
"I'll see you soon, sweetheart," Vince blew Liv a kiss before leaving.
"Hey, man, fuck you," Chad shouted back. The group was kicked out of the bar and went home.
Back at the hospital
Y/N had stayed in Tara's room the whole day. Despite attempts from the staff to move him back, he stayed put. Eventually, they moved his bed into the room with Tara, yet Y/N remained rooted to his chair. Richie had been sitting just outside, watching "Stab" on Netflix. Y/N had slept the entire day, waking only once to check on Tara.
"I've got to go find something to eat," Sam told Richie as she walked out of the room. Y/N lay still until, like a light, his eyes flicked open.
"They're here," he said, standing up. He was weak, his body leaning one way. Yet, he stood in front of Tara's bed, staring at the door.
"Y/N... What's happening?" Tara groggily asked.
"Nothing. You can sleep," he replied, still staring at the door. Suddenly, on the counter, there was a phone call. Y/N hobbled over to it, saw the number was Amber's.
"Hello, Tara..." the person on the other end said when Y/N picked up the phone.
"It's not Tara," Y/N replied.
"Oh, even better... Prince Charming. How is your body feeling? I got quite unlucky that night." The voice didn't sound like the voice he'd heard before; it wasn't as deep.
"Good. Could beat your ass still," Y/N replied, though in reality, he was struggling to walk.
"You see, I know that's a lie. Look outside..." Y/N's head spun; he saw Ghostface standing there, knife in hand, waving. Y/N braced for an attack.
"You won't get to her. I'll kill you before you harm her again," Y/N spoke into the phone. His voice held conviction; he stood tall and waited. But the figure merely stood there before speaking into the phone.
"I'd hold her close... I know why you are here. It is my job to ensure you fail," the voice spoke before running down the hallway. Y/N was surprised by what the figure had said. What was he here to do? Sam rushed into the room, saw Y/N standing at the foot of Tara's bed, staring at her.
"It came back... It was out there... It left," Y/N spoke before retreating to his chair. He fell into a deep sleep again.
"I've got a body outside a bar on Main, and then you get attacked here," Sheriff Hicks had arrived at the hospital after the attack, "You said the call came from Amber's number?"
"So? We know he called on my phone before when he attacked Tara," Amber replied.
"Or, and I'm just spit-balling here... you're the killer," Richie accused.
"And where were you when all this happened?" The sheriff turned to Richie.
"I ran to help Sam when I heard screaming," Richie responded, looking defeated.
"Ooh, yeah. Super-solid alibi, bro. Where was he?" Amber asked, pointing at a passed-out Y/N.
"Once again, he saved me," Tara responded, "He stood up after Sam left the room. It's like he had a sensor for when it appeared. He answered the phone and began talking to them. I didn't hear much, but he told them he wouldn't let them hurt me. I think it was out there as he was staring at something."
"So he knows when it turns up and it doesn't attack him? Seems weird to me," Amber told them.
"You're gonna put more cops on her room, right?" Sam asked.
"Yes. And I can move you to a private floor. We also suggest you remove him from the room. He's still a suspect," the Sheriff pointed at Y/N.
"No. He is the only thing protecting my sister so far. He nearly died for her. He's no suspect," Sam replied.
"Alright, Deputy Vinson knows what he's doing, you'll be safe," the sheriff told her before turning to leave.
"Like we've been so far?" Sam made a snide comment.
"Step outside with me please," the sheriff asked Sam. This left Amber, Richie, Tara, and Y/N in the room alone.
"I still don't trust him, Tara. You said you were scared it was him yourself," Amber instantly piped up.
"You never have. Drop it. He nearly died to keep me alive. That is more than anyone else has done," Tara replied, looking over at a sleeping Y/N. "I love him, Amber. So much... He's amazing."
Amber scoffed. Sam re-entered the room.
"Can I have a moment with Tara? I need to tell her something," she asked.
"Sure. Come on, Netflix," Amber told Richie.
"What with him?" Richie pointed at Y/N.
"Leave him. He should hear what I have to say as well." She showed Richie. After she closed the door, she began, "Do you remember when Dad left?"
"Parts, sure. I was eight. What does that have to do with anything?" Tara responded, surprised.
"It has to do with it. Do you remember how... Mom used to keep those boxes up in the attic? Well, I was up there once... When I was 13, looking for Christmas presents. And I found these old diaries that she kept from high school. And I knew it was wrong, but I read some anyway because Mom got pregnant with me in high school, and I thought it could be cool to find out how she and Dad got together. How romantic it must have been. So I read some. Only it wasn't romantic. Mom was dating Dad, but... she was in love with this other guy... and he got her pregnant. She told Dad it was his, and that's why he proposed senior year."
"Sam, what are you talking about?" Tara was shocked.
"And I'm sitting there, in this attic... and I'm 13... and I just found out my dad isn't my dad. So I go find Mom in her bedroom, and I'm screaming at her and shoving this diary in her face, and I didn't even realize... that Dad was standing right behind me. He didn't know. He found out right then from me. He left that night. I'm the reason he left. Mom never forgave me. Then she made me promise never to tell you because you were so young. And that's why I changed and I got distant and weird with you. And I went out and I started doing every drug that I could get my hands on until I couldn't take it anymore and I left town. I just couldn't be around you anymore, Tara. Not only because I destroyed our family that night, but because... those diaries told me who my real father was. It was Billy Loomis. And somebody knows, and I think that's why you got hurt. And I'm so fucking sorry that I never told you and then I ran away. I'm so sorry."
"Get out. You're gone for five years... Five whole years. And then I get stabbed and you want to come back and drop all this shit on me?" Tara's anger began to build.
"I thought I was protecting you." Sam replied.
"Protecting me from what?" Tara shouted back, "The truth?"
"No. No, I... Please, Tara."
"Sam. Sam, I need you to get the fuck out." Sam left, leaving Tara alone. She began to cry.
"Tara." Y/N spoke up.
"You heard that?" Tara asked.
"Yes. Most of it." Y/N replied, "Sorry I didn't say anything."
"It's okay if you want to leave. I'll understand." Tara was shaking, tears flowing.
Y/N shakily stood up. He began to walk towards the door. Tara's tears picked up. Once Y/N reached the door, he locked it. Turning to Tara.
"I'd never leave you." He walked slowly to her bedside. He kissed her head, "I'm sorry I haven't been the best boyfriend as of recent."
"No, you've been amazing. You saved my life." Tara replied, causing Y/N to smile. He moved down to her lips, kissing her. It lasted for a few seconds.
"Lie with me?" Tara asked.
"Sure. Let me just go unlock the door. I didn't want anyone coming in while we had a heart-to-heart." He walked over to the window. Outside, he saw a hooded figure, sitting on a chair, looking up, it looked up revealing Ghostface. Then, It took off it's mask. A boy with brown hair was there, The same boy he'd seen kiss Tara. He just waved before disappearing into thin air. Y/N unlocked the door and got into bed with Tara. He was visibly shaken.
"What was it?" Tara asked.
"Nothing, babe," he replied.