CHAPTER SIX.

YOU BEST BELIEVE IT, BABY

THE next morning, the girls sat at the kitchen table, eating breakfast. A news report played on the TV about Sidney, her mother and her mother's murderer, Cotton Weary. The screen showed a clip of the man and Sidney grimaced. Cynthia sighed and shoved a piece of bacon into her mouth as the screen suddenly turned off. Dewey looked down at them as Sidney stated, "It's never gonna stop is it?"

"Billy was released. His cellular bill was clean. He didn't make those calls. We're checking every cellular account in the county. Any calls made to you or Casey Becker are being cross-referenced. It's gonna take some time, but we'll find him," Dewey said as he sat. He then looked to Cynthia, "He's waiting on you, by the way."

Cynthia frowned, before her eyes widened in remembrance, "Shit! I gotta go. I'll see you at school."

She scrambled up and exited the house, taking the short walk to her own home. The reporters had left, now all no doubt crowded around the school and Sidney's house. She hopped into her Chevrolet and sped off to the station. 

When she pulled up outside, Billy sat on a bench in the sun, his jacket clasped in his hands. Cynthia honked and looked out the passenger side window, "How was your night in the slammer?"

Billy rolled his eyes and got in, "Awful. The cell was cold."

"Be glad you never have to be in one again," Cynthia chuckled as she pulled off. Billy gazed at her side profile, taking her in. He'd planned to see her after he talked to Sidney. Tell her they broke up. But that obviously did not happen.

"I broke up with Sid. Or well I tried to... before you know."

"I know, Stu told me," Cynthia stated as she turned a corner.

Billy seemed confused as he replayed his afternoon in his head, "Stu? But I only told Stu just before I went and you were with Tatum..." Cynthia made a face, "He came to see you didn't he?"

"Maybe."

"And what happened?"

"Nothing," Cynthia lied as she shook her head. She was hyper-aware of Billy's piercing gaze on her back as she pulled into the parking lot, "Okay, chill. I'll tell you later." 

She got out and they walked separate ways. Cynthia went to her locker, finding that Sidney and Tatum were already there, with Stu leaning against the lockers next to Tatum's. She stepped in between the two girls to open her own. Stu glanced at her, his eyes fixating on the faint dark spot at the base of her neck. She had covered it well with makeup, but he knew it was there. She turned as if feeling his gaze on her and he gave her a suggestive smile. She pouted and turned away. 

"I shouldn't be here," Sidney spoke up. 

"I want you to meet me right here, after class, okay, Sid?" Tatum pulled the sucker out of her mouth to talk to the brunette. Behind her, Stu picked up a mirror from her locker and began to look at his hair. Cynthia chuckled as she rounded Tatum to step into his hold. 

Sidney turned to look at them as Stu's arms snaked around Cynthia's waist, "I haven't seen Billy around. Is he really pissed?"

"You mean after he tried to break up with you and you branded him the Candyman? No, his heart is broken," Stu responded sarcastically. Cynthia stood on his foot, "Ow!"

"He was gonna break up with me?" Sidney asked. Stu made a guilty face but before any of them could say anything, a loud shrieking came from down the corridor. The students parted as a student ran down, wearing the Ghostface costume. They hollered in Sidney's face causing her to step back into the lockers. Cynthia could feel Stu's body shaking with laughter, "Why are they doing this?" 

"Are you kidding me? Look at this place. It's like Christmas," Stu laughed. 

Cynthia stood on his foot once more as Tatum hit him in the nose with her sucker, "Stupidity leak."

"Ow! Easy," Stu stated. His head dipped into Cynthia's neck and Tatum eyed them suspiciously, causing Cynthia to elbow him lightly. The bell rang and she turned to push him as Tatum walked off, "What?"

"Really?"

"I thought we were a thing now," Stu shrugged. He pulled her back toward him, "Don't you want to be a thing?" He whispered against her lips as his head dipped to kiss her. Cynthia melted into the kiss, forgetting entirely where they were. It was a delicate kiss as Stu cupped her face. She savoured the warmth of his palm against her face and the heat his body radiated. She felt adored as his lips caressed hers gently. 

She pulled back reluctantly and he gave her a goofy smile, "We will talk about this later. I have to get to class." He nodded, pressing a final kiss to her lips before sauntering down the corridor. Cynthia watched him go, shaking her head. She was trying and failing to cool her face from the blush that was spreading across it.

She moved down the empty corridor but paused when she heard a conversation between Sidney and Billy. She caught Billy's sentence, "... That I have a girlfriend who would rather accuse me of being a psychopathic killer than touch me?"

"You know that's not true. And besides you were breaking up with me anyway."

Cynthia made a face. Curse Stu and his big ass mouth. Billy responded, "Yeah, that doesn't matter. What is it?"

"What... is it? Billy I was attacked and nearly filleted last night!"

"I mean between us. You haven't been the same since—" he trailed off, "Since your mother died."

Sidney scoffed, "Is your brain leaking? My mom was killed. I can't believe you're bringing this up!"

"It's been a year."

"Tomorrow! One year, tomorrow. Whatever, it doesn't matter. We're done anyway," she moved past him before whirling around, "It's Cynthia isn't it?" Cynthia frowned, wondering why she was getting brought into the conversation.

"What?"

"Don't play stupid, Billy, I see the way you look at her. Hell, the way Stu looks at her!"

"This has nothing to do with Cynthia," Billy objected. Cynthia peeked her head out and saw the girl give him a pointed look, "Okay, maybe it has a little to do with Cynthia." Cynthia frowned at his response. 

"You love her," Sidney nodded solemnly. 

Billy simply shook his head with an exasperated look. Cynthia was gobsmacked at the silent revelation and shuffled away from the arguing couple, or ex-couple, and toward her classroom. 

Later that day, Principal Himbry had stated that the school was being closed for a few days until the killer was caught. Cynthia later learned that this was because of Sidney, who had an encounter with a Ghostface. Whether it was really him or if it was Ryan Carpenter, who was the perpetrator of the hallway Ghostface, Cynthia didn't know, but she was beyond glad. 

She shifted her books in her hand to open her locker but was stopped as Jesse Duncan leaned against the one beside her, "Hey."

"What do you want?"

"Since school's out, you wanna, swing by my place? We could watch a movie, have some popcorn, maybe a little fun?" His face screamed insinuation and Cynthia rolled her eyes. 

She scoffed, "Most definitely not."

He tugged at her, "Come on, baby. It'll be fun."

Cynthia looked down at his hand and then at his face and scowled, "If you don't remove your grimy hands from my skin, I'll hit you so hard, you'll be shitting out your own teeth."

His hands moved, but not from her body. They slithered from her wrist to her waist and finally down to her butt. Cynthia couldn't believe it. She was being objectified in a hallway with a bunch of other people.

 And no one did anything. But she wasn't having it. She plastered on a sweet smile and raised her hand to caress Jesse's face. Her smile dropped and she gripped his head smacking it into the locker. 

Jesse gave a cry of pain as the hallway quietened. Cynthia leaned in closely, "You ever, and I mean ever, touch me again I'll slit your fucking throat."

She stood upright and stalked away. He called out to her, "You're a psycho bitch!"

"You best believe it, baby!" Cynthia yelled back, without turning.