The "Game-plan trope" was not one I expected to be researching. 

Well, researching isn't the right word since I am genuinely living it. This is my life: sitting in my study with Henry, Desi, Drew, and Robin around a whiteboard that used to hold research ideas. If only we knew all that those little ideas would lead too... Including the crude drawing of me in a football helmet, holding a chainsaw, and stepping on Maizy's crying, severed, head.

Robin, who summoned our friends for an emergency meeting immediately after I spilled my guts, had a veritable passion for our new trope. Such a meeting "required visuals," as he said, but all of us felt he got a bit carried away with them... and that they were a little too artistic.

Apparently, there's a theme in many horror movies that aligns with a theme in Romance books. Robin was eager to draw the parallels: revenge romances or enemies to lovers stories usually have some kind of scheme in the works. The center of these novels usually revolves around a game, a scheme, or competition.

"It's like Horror movies," Robin smiles to himself as he adds in more details to his whiteboard art. I can see the corner of his lips turn up as his hand feverishly moves the marker.

When he turns to face me and caps the marker, I find the drawing of me now also has a giant glowing book, and a fleet of what look like trees... or bats?  They might be ghosts...

I turn my head and narrow my eyes to make it out. 

Robin continues his explanation, "Except that the enemy wants to violently murder you, not kiss you, in the end. In both, however, the competition is who is smarter, who is better at surviving the game. In this case, Maizy is the spook, we're your survival team, and you, Leah, are the Final Girl."

"Is that a Katana?" Drew chimes in, eyes narrowed. 

All of us turn to look at who he's talking to. The four of us find that Henry is also drawing himself, very enthusiastically, into the picture Robin has made. 

"Mmhm," Henry hummed proudly as he stood beside Robin with red marker, "Leah defeats her but I'm the one who beheads her. Older brother privileges."

"But" Drew eyes me, "You aren't siblings?" 

"Were all brothers in war," Henry folds his arms stubbornly. 

There isn't anything to say to that, so we all sit in worried silence. Well... all of us except Robin who looks approvingly at Henry for his spirit.

Seeing that he's successfully made his point, Henry cocks his eyebrow once more at Drew as a dare then turns back around to finish his drawing. Adding a pool of blood to Robin's sketch of Maizy's head, Henry grunted at an unintended scribble before correcting it. Drew put his hands over his face, shaking his head at his new work friends. Meanwhile, Desi looked amazed that Henry could draw and horrified by his attention to detail.

"Basically, if you can't get away," Robin smirked deviously, tapping the dry erase marker to his temple, "Then you get creative. You get even."

"That's great, Robin..." Desi starts, hesitating to say anything that isn't inherently grotesque or praising, "But, what exactly does that mean? For Leah, I mean. Don't get the wrong idea, I would love to see Maizy's head on a spike as much as anyone--" 

Her eyes dart to Henry, and she adjusts, "Well, almost anyone." 

Drew drops his head and snickers at her tone while Henry looks smug. He winks at her, which sends a flush to her cheeks. It makes her stutter the next few words, but it doesn't stop her stream of thought. 

"It's not like we haven't tried going against Maizy before. She's aggressive, calculating, and ingenious at manipulating public opinion. Leah might be as brave as the final girl, but she's not a match for Maizy. Nor is she survivalist material... She'll only get hurt. Again. You of all people should know what Maizy can do to a career. A person. I'm tired of Leah being the one who takes the brunt." 

There's no denying it from anyone, not even me. Maizy has made me cry multiple times, made me question all sense of reality, and manipulated me into thinking giving up everything and breaking Robin's heart was the only answer more than once. I'm tough, in my own way, but I don't have that grit. 

I expect Robin to look sobered by this speech, for him to see Desi's point and deflate, but he doesn't look daunted in the least. Instead, his eyes glance over at me, and they soften into that gorgeous, daring expression. The exact same look he gets when he's about to stun me. It's the look he gave me in the breakroom that day I fell over the barricade. The day we first started working together.  Seeing it now, I admit, I'm happy to witness it one more time. Just in case this plan fails like the others and it's the last time I'll ever see it. 

It won't be.  My heart insists, full of hope. 

There's a bright twinkle in his eyes now. I feel myself start to smile for some reason. He flashes a grin at me and lifts his eyebrow as if we're in on the same joke. 

"Take a look at Leah, what do you see? What are her strengths." 

Henry snorts, "A dork who can ingest coffee at inhuman rates." 

"Thanks, Hen." I was deadpan, glaring at him. He only grins and continues to draw. 

"Someone kind." Desi adds, but her brow furrows in worry, "She's sincere and resilient, but sensitive." 

"You're... kind of a dork," Drew laughs as he adds in his observation, smiling good-naturedly, "But yeah, you've got a sharp wit. People like you." 

My face is red hot with embarrassment, and I give an awkward smile, "Why are we doing this?" 

"Do you know why the final girl always survives?" Robin suddenly asks, still looking at me, but talking to everyone else. "Why, of all people, she somehow makes it out alive despite being outmatched in every way?" 

Desi's eyebrows come fully together, and we exchange shrugs, before she says, "Because she's got to choose between staying alive or being gruesomely murdered?"

"Because it makes for an exciting story," Drew notes. 

"Because horror films could be considered a social commentary on the constant battle between women and the underlying threat of violence they internalize, and face, on a daily basis and it's nice to see a girl give it back sometimes." 

We all turn to look at Henry, who is still casually doodling on the whiteboard. When he hears our silence, he looks over his shoulder at us in confusion. "What?"

"Uh..." Desi lifts her eyebrow, "Where did that come from?" 

"I read all kinds of an essay's focusing on the genre when this--" He gestures to Robin and me "--started to be a thing. You know, in case Robin was really a creep and enjoying horror movies was a red flag we were overlooking." 

Robin grins at Henry, chuckling at his protectiveness, while Desi's eyes are melting faster than blocks of ice in July. Drew, understandably, still looks puzzled. 

Henry glares at all of us when we stay silent, "You all realize I'm very good at my job, right? That I research for any situation and strategize about what to do if someone like that should happen to her... I have background checks on all of you." 

Well... that's kind of sweet, actually. 

Robin meets my eyes again, and this time, they're full of confidence as well as amusement, "All good answers, but not the one I was going for." 

And even though he's saying it to the room... I know this time he's really saying it to me. 

 "The final girl always survives, because, from the beginning, she's underestimated." 

-------

Helloooo Lovelieeesss!!!

Who is it? Do you remember me? Look me in the eyes-----guys, its me! 

I know, this is coming as a shock, because I have been AWOL lately. No one has heard from me except the void. BUT I'M BACK! 

Genuinely, I am so sincerely sorry for not updating like I used to. There are new readers who have joined the fun with Leah and Robin, and I am so grateful to you all! I can't wait to see how you like the book and am eager to hear your comments! PLUS----OH MY GOODNESS---- 10K READS!! 

Thank you all so so so much!! 

I am so happy that Leah and Robin's story is one that people want to share in and laugh with! They have a truly special place in my heart. <3 So, that being said, I hope you all, old and new, readers are looking forward to the close of their story! It's coming soon! 

I will be vigilant in writing !

Happy Holidays and see you soon :) 

with abundant, glowing, warmest love, 

e.g.