Billy immediately spun you around to face him. He stared down at you with the most intense glare you've ever seen. His dark brown eyes reached into your soul, scouring the depth of your inner being as you trembled underneath his firm grip, utterly speechless as he stood before you.
It had been so long since you'd seen him. Since you've felt him. It couldn't possibly be real.
But you needed it to be.
On a senseless impulse, you lifted your hand to touch him, the need for a reality check too strong to ignore. Your knuckles had barely grazed Billy's cheek before he caught your wrist, startling a gasp from you. Your eyes snapped back to his, noticing how his gaze softened before pulling you against him.
Your arms wrapped around his neck as if it were instinctual. You thought your heart was about to burst any minute with how fast it was beating. Unfortunately, you could only recall the last time you were in Billy's arms like this. The night of Stu's party, when he tried to kill Sidney and her father... and successfully killed Tatum...
Instantly, you ripped yourself away from him, eyes flickering back to the door. Regardless of the past, if you had to choose between going back out there with a killer after you or staying in here with a killer who would never hurt you—you knew which one you were going to choose.
"Billy, the killer–" You stammered, looking back at him. "And you–what are you doing here? How did you even–"
"You and me," His chilling voice created goosebumps that spanned across your arms. "We have some unfinished business."
"Unfinished business?" You blinked slowly as if you heard incorrectly. Your focus was suddenly drawn from the masked murdered outside, fully training onto Billy as every negative emotion you experienced in the past year came bubbling to the surface in the form of wrath. "You killed Sidney's mother, our friends, and so many others! All because of a stupid plan you and Stu made up to punish Sidney for something that wasn't her fault! You and your fucking mommy issues can just leave because nothing you say will change that."
Despite the well-deserved rebuking you gave him, Billy's expression never once shifted. Although his eyes were like staring into a void, his face held a tenacious look.
"I'm here to help you, Orth."
"I don't want your help, Loomis." You spat coldly, turning away from him.
"Yes, you do." Billy bit out forcefully, grabbing your forearm to prevent you from moving any further. "You could've snitched on Stu this morning, but you didn't. You know you need our help. We're the only ones that can protect you."
"I can handle myself perfectly fine, thank you." You spoke through gritted teeth as you tried worming out from his grasp. His grip only tightened at your retaliation.
"Really?" He scoffed. "'Cause it looks to me like you've been cornered inside a bedroom with no escape. A perfect place to get yourself killed."
Your brows pressed together in frustration as you gave one final tug of your arm before Billy finally decided to let go.
"Then how did you wind up in here?" You asked.
"It's a frat party. They're not that hard to get into," He stated as if it were a facile victory. "Especially with a face like this."
You wanted to roll your eyes at his smugness. It was a fleeting reminder of the boy you once knew in high school, a fragment of his former self. You missed that side of him.
"If that's the case, why didn't you bring Stu along? I'm sure he would've flourished in a fraternity if he wasn't such a psycho."
At least, that's how you envisioned college in the previous years. Stu the frat-boy and Tatum the sorority sister. Sid and Billy were still together while you and Randy continued to fawn over the two in secret, never escaping the crush stage. You would've been happier in that reality.
You caught how Billy's lips curved upwards slightly, the ghost of a smile etched onto his face at your remark.
"Stu was busy tracking the killer. He followed them from that other sorority house to here. That's why I'm here," Billy revealed. "To protect you."
"So, you're telling me that this copycat killer could be any of the several hundred people that attended this party tonight?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying," He confirmed. "And if I know a thing about movies, it's that the killer is someone you know."
Billy's words made you think back to what Dewey told you and Sid. The possibility of it being just anyone was too far-fetched. It had to be someone close to you... someone in your inner circle.
"Stu thinks it's Sid's new boytoy," Billy let out a dry laugh, the thought quite amusing.
You lifted a brow at the accusation. You didn't want to believe it for Sidney's sake. The odds of her only two boyfriends both turning out to be killers were unfathomable, but still possible.
"And you?" You asked, crossing your arms. "Who do you think it is?"
"My bets on that guy who's annoyingly obsessed with you." Billy sneered, though, you shook your head to showcase your confusion. "The one you're always with—other than Meeks."
"You can't mean Mickey," You uttered in disbelief after Billy's clarification.
"Come on, Orth. The guy even looks like a killer... and you know, history always repeats itself." You grimaced at the smirk tugging on his lips as he stepped closer to you.
"What is that supposed to mean?" You frowned.
"You gotta thing for killers." He stated like it was a mere fact.
You didn't back away this time, ignoring the close proximity as you clenched your jaw, "Go to hell, Billy."
"Only if you promise to be there, too." He quipped, tilting his head playfully.
There was storm brewing in your eyes, fueled by anger, yet hazed with desire. You couldn't ignore the way your body felt by being this close to him. You wanted nothing more than to push him away but after all this time, he still wanted you, and that triggered something in your brain.
Billy had grown quite different in your time apart—physically, especially—but it'd be a lie to say you weren't still attracted to him. A small part of you wanted him to close the distance between you, to touch you in ways you used to dream about. Your body yearned for it.
But your brain knew better. It wouldn't allow you to give in to those temptations. You will never let love cloud your judgment ever again.
"Let's say I make it out of this alive—"
"You will." Billy interrupted, the entertainment in his voice long gone. You gave him a pointed look before continuing, "What do you think's gonna happen? You think me, you, and Stu are just gonna live happily ever after?"
"I don't know about the Stu part—"
"I'm not joking around, Billy!" You exclaimed angrily.
"...You love me..." He muttered with an unreadable expression, one that made your brows furrow. "You said it yourself, Y/n. You can try all you want to push me away but as long as you love me, I'll never leave you."
You wanted to deny the things you previously said to him, but when he stared at you so expectantly like this, you felt weak in the knees.
"Do you still love me?" He questioned slowly. In a way, it almost seemed like he was giving you an out.
"I..." As your lips parted to speak, your brain felt all jumbled. You couldn't think at all.
"Y/n?! Y/n, where are you?!"
You heard shouting from outside the room that sounded an awful lot like Dewey. Your eyes widened as you glanced back at the door, feeling somewhat relieved to not have to answer Billy.
"If you really are here to help, then you won't follow me out." You stated, meeting Billy's gaze once again. "You won't be of much use if Woodsboro's finest deputy catches you and throws you behind bars."
"Deputy Doofus, you mean?" Billy scoffed out a laugh. "Thought I took care of him by stabbing him in the back... guess he's a lot stronger than he looks."
"Billy, please shut the fuck up. You're not helping your case." You scowled while backing away from him. "Now, when you have some real evidence on who the killer is, you two stalkers know where to find me."
Without another word, you quickly exited the bedroom to find Dewey. Although Billy was at the forefront of your mind, you were still worried that Sid or someone else had gotten hurt.
After observing the knocked-over furniture while passing the living room, you finally found Dewey in the hallway, wrapping up Derek's arm which seemed to be bleeding profusely. The sight was truly unsettling as you thought about what Billy said.
What if Derek was the killer? Or Mickey? Or even Hallie?
You spotted Sidney standing near the sliding doors that led to the backyard. Tears built in her eyes as she watched Dewey help her boyfriend stand. You couldn't help but wonder if she was thinking the same.
After everything you both have been through, it wasn't a stretch to assume the worst.