[ god i worked so hard to get this out before halloween ended in america. but HAPPY HALLOWEEN — if you wore a costume, what was it?

and sorry this took so long. I'm having such bad writers block for this and I fear I'm just gonna jump into the movie next chapter because I can't keep this up ]

☆︎

MURDER BAD, RANDY.

"Hey, Sweetheart—"

"Shut up, Mickey," Adeline said while shoving Mickey's face back.

"Well, fuck me then, I guess," he muttered, an amused smile on his face as he sat on the grass.

"She does that too much as is," Cici mumbled under her breath.

All of the friend group was gathered aside from Sidney on the main quad. Mickey was the last to join them, coming from a class that must've let out early. He sat next to Adeline, who was eagerly scanning the area, looking for someone. But when he saw her shiver, he slipped off his hoodie and covered her shoulders, making her smile at him adoringly, forgetting her mission for a moment.

"Thank you," she cooed, leaning up to kiss him quickly.

"So, do I still have to shut up?" he asked her, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes," Randy said, not looking away from his textbook. "We're waiting for Sidney. They're posting the cast list for the "Agamemnon' show. Sid is gonna find out if she got Cassandra or not."

"Of course, she did," Adeline gushed. "She's been practicing for weeks for the audition. And Derek was at the audition. He said she was amazing, right, Der?"

"She killed it," Derek assured them. "If she doesn't get it, the casting director is insane."

"If the casting director doesn't pick her, I say we riot," Hallie declared.

"Or like, commit murder," Randy added, always one to ride or die for Sidney.

"No, murder bad, Randy," Adeline said, reaching over to flick his nose. "You know more than anyone."

Randy sighed exasperatedly and put his hands up innocently. "Yeah, yeah, I guess I won't turn into Billy and Stu two-point-oh until I know for certain that Sidney hasn't gotten the role."

"See, you shouldn't even be putting the idea into the universe. She's totally getting it," Adeline insisted. "No murdering or rioting necessary."

"No whating necessary?"

Everyone turned when they heard Sidney, who came up behind them all. And she had a very confused look on her face because Adeline didn't make a habit of talking about murder.

"Oh, my god!" Adeline exclaimed, standing quickly. She grabbed Sidney's hands tightly. "Did you get it? You got it? Of course, you got it. You got it?"

As Adeline fell silent, Sidney grimaced, and that made everyone frown.

"Oh, god," Adeline sighed, a pout forming. "You didn't get it?"

But then Sidney smiled quickly and perked up. "I got it!"

In sync, Adeline, Hallie, and Cici all squealed and practically tackled Sidney in a group hug, who laughed and hugged them back. Once they parted, Derek got up and pulled his girlfriend into a kiss, which she smiled into.

"I'm so proud of you," Derek told her, wrapping her in his arms. "How do you feel?"

"It feels amazing," Sidney gushed as he helped her sit on the grass. "I - I can't believe I got the lead role as a freshman."

"Of course, you got it," Adeline told her. "And I'm gonna make a costume you look perfect in — not that you don't always look perfect. We're having the first fitting ASAP."

"Maybe I should get my hands on a script first," she laughed, shaking her head. "But I know whatever you make will be beautiful. Just like you."

"Awe," Adeline cooed. "I love you so much, Sid."

"More than that one?" she asked teasingly while pointing to Mickey.

"Oh, immensely more," she assured her, leaning away from Mickey to kiss Sidney's cheek.

Sidney smirked at Mickey, who was just looking at her with narrowed eyes. "Ha. You'll always be second best."

With a huff, Mickey wrapped an arm around Adeline's waist and pulled her back against his chest. She was all too happy to lean back against him as he swooped down, placing a quick kiss to her neck. He then narrowed his eyes at Sidney, who was still smirking.

"Don't I know it," he muttered, sounding a bit bitter than usual — not that anyone noticed.

☆︎

A week later, Mickey was still smiling at the ground as he let himself into his empty dorm room. He'd just gotten back from dropping Adeline off at her room after a date. He'd taken her to the ice skating rink just thirty minutes away from the college.

It had been a mistake on his part, as he'd never been, and of course, Adeline was a pro. She'd skated circles around him literally at one point, laughing beautifully at his lack of coordination on the ice. But then she'd taken pity on him and skated while holding his hands and guiding him — her being able to skate backward while doing so made him seem even more inexperienced.

But the date was perfect because it'd put a smile on her perfect face for the whole night. He'd have taken her ice skating every weekend if it put that smile on her face—

Very suddenly, the door that he'd forgotten about slammed shut. He whirled around with a frown, only to freeze when he saw his mirror image standing with his back against the closed door, a smirk on his face. Mickey's mouth parted in shock, his eyes wide and feet feeling like they were nailed to the ground.

"Don't look so damned surprised to see me, Mickey Boy," his twin said, his Kentucky accent thicker than Mickey's own, who actively worked to hide it.

"Raylan?" he choked out, his limbs tingling as his pulse picked up speed. "What are you..."

"Doing here?" Raylan Altieri finished for him. There was a twisted grin on his face as he stepped closer to his brother. "Thought I'd finally see what the big fuss about this place was. Must be great since you didn't come home for Christmas."

"It's not home," he said stiffly. "You made sure of that."

Raylan narrowed his eyes. "You say that like you weren't right by my side, helping me that night. You're as guilty as I am."

"I didn't kill our parents!" he snapped. "That was you, you sick freak."

"And you helped this sick freak cover it up," he reminded him. "So, don't go throwing stones, brother."

"Why are you here? Why now?"

"Not now. No, weeks," Raylan said with a little laugh.  "Your friends really don't know you at all if they can't tell the difference between us — or maybe they just don't give two shits about you to notice."

"What?" Mickey asked, his voice hollow as he processed the fact that his brother had been infiltrating his life. "The hell are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about helping Randy edit videos. I'm talking about listening to Derek go on and on about how hard his classes are. I'm talking about the way Adeline bites her lip and holds back a moan when you kiss underneath her jaw," he said in a taunting tone, coming closer slowly.

Rage flashed across Mickey's face as he rushed forward, shoving his brother up against the wall hard, beginning to tremble angrily. But before he could do any damage, he caught sight of the light reflecting off metal.

Mickey froze, seeing the knife that Raylan was holding between them, the sharp tip pressed to Mickey's chest.

"Calm down, Mickey, before I do anything I'd really regret," he said in a calm voice.

Swallowing thickly, Mickey released Raylan and took a step back. "Just leave Addy alone."

"Oh, relax. She's not part of the plan," he told him.

"What plan?" he asked, his chest heaving. "What are you really doing here?"

Raylan tilted his head and twirled the knife between his fingers. "I'm just visiting. Might catch a movie. Go for a walk on the quad. See Sidney's big break," he said coyly, not giving anything away. "You know, you make it so easy to be you. It's sad, almost. You rotate out the same five, plain t-shirts every week. I just watch you and wear what you wear and waltz up to our friends when you aren't around."

"They aren't your friends!" he snapped, hating that his friends had been exposed to Raylan.

"But they are," he said with a seriousness. "They're my best friends. And Adeline. Well, she's just as much mine as she is yours."

Again, Mickey stormed toward him, but Raylan stopped him with the knife at his neck. "Oh, no," Raylan said, shaking his head. "We do this my way."

"Or mine. I'll tell them all you're here and to stay away," Mickey said, seething.

Raylan just smiled. "You'd love to ruin my fun, wouldn't you? So, if you so much as utter the first syllable of my name to any of your friends, well, it won't turn out well for them."

"And what if I just kill you now?" Mickey threatened.

It made his twin laugh. "You wouldn't."

"For you daring to touch Adeline, I would," he said darkly.

"Hmm, but see, I'm not alone in town, Mickey," he revealed. "And a lot of things will be set in motion if I'm not back to meet with them. Would you really want all that blood on your hands? Want Adeline's blood on your hands?"

"You son of a—"

"She was a bitch, wasn't she?" he asked with a laugh, thinking of their mother. "Dad too. Glad they're dead, if we're being honest. But unfortunately for you, if I die, my partner has all the evidence that points toward you being their murderer. I don't think Addy would like dates through four inches of bullet-proof glass while talking through a phone."

"Goodman it," Mickey swore, backing away and shaking his head. "Just - just please, please, Raylan. Don't hurt Adeline. I can't let you."

"Oh, she's the only one I don't want to hurt," he said in a softer tone. "Not at first, of course. God, she was number one on my list when I saw how happy she made you."

Mickey narrowed his eyes at his brother suspiciously. "What changed your mind?" he asked, not trusting him.

"She did," he said simply. "Her cute little smile and the way she held my hand and when she kisses me goodbye."

"Don't tell me a thing like you thinks you're in love with her," Mickey laughed, shaking his head.

Raylan just glared at him fiercely, tightening his hold on the knife. "You don't know a damn thing about what I feel."

"I know you're not capable of caring about her like that," he shook his head. "And she'd abhor a monster like you."

"If that's true, she probably wouldn't be too fond of the one that helped bury the bodies either," he shot back smugly. "So, here's what we're gonna do."

"You're insaner than I thought if you think I'll listen to a damn word you have to say."

"Oh, but I think you will," he said. "Else you'd have already tried to kill me — and lost that fight, by the way. I think we both know who'd come out breathing."

Mickey clenched his jaw tightly, his jaw nearly aching from the pressure. He hated how powerless he felt — and he hated how much control his older brother still had over him even after he'd tried so hard to leave that life behind.

"There's one way you're gonna make it out of this alive with Adeline by your side," Raylan said in a low tone, a smirk on his face. "You're gonna play along. Keep your mouth shut about my arrival. And when the bodies start dropping, you play as dumb as you have been these last few weeks for not noticing me around."

"What bodies?" Mickey asked in alarm. "What are you planning?"

"Oh, don't worry your little head about it," he waved him off. "But I'll give you a warning."

"What kind of warning?"

"Enjoy your time with Adeline," Raylan said while walking over to a framed picture of Addy and his brother, hugging in the coffee shop. "Because a girl like that? I don't plan to leave this town without her."

"Then I guess you will have to kill me," Mickey muttered, his fist clenched. "Because you're not going near her like that again. I'll break up with her if I have to if it keeps you away from her."

"No, you won't," he said, shaking his head. "No, when I'm done here, I'll let her know just who I really am. And I won't have to hear her moaning your name — it'll be mine just like it should be. She'll leave you in the dust. I won't be second best anymore."

Mickey studied his delusional brother as he studied the picture of Adeline. He couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe that Raylan was so goddamn jealous that he'd convinced himself Adeline would ever love a killer like him. He couldn't believe his brother was in town with plans to add to his body count. He couldn't believe Raylan was threatening him to go along with it to keep himself and Adeline safe.

And Mickey couldn't believe that he was actually going to listen.

☆︎

"Baby, are you okay?" Adeline asked Mickey softly as they hung out in her dorm room. She and Mickey were lying on her bed, limbs intertwined with the TV playing cartoons in the background.

Mickey just hummed in response, still staring deeply at the ceiling, which made Adeline frown. He'd been like that for the last two days — distant and silent.

"Mickey," she tried again in a soft tone, resting her chin on his chest. "What are you thinking so hard about?"

Slowly, Mickey looked at her face and traced her features with his pretty brown eyes. The frown on his face worried Adeline.

"Mick? What's wrong?" she asked a third time.

"Nothing," Mickey said softly while cupping her cheek. "Just kind of lost in thought."

"Are you sure?" she questioned. "You look really bothered. Did something happen? Or did - did I do something?"

"Oh, god, no," he assured her. "I've just got some stuff on my mind. Nothing for you to worry about, Princess."

"If you say so," she whispered. "But you know you can tell me anything."

"I know," he said with a forced smile. "But I could use a distraction. What do you say we go out?"

"Out where? It's closet to midnight," she said, scrunching her face up.

"I don't know," he said with a little laugh. "Anywhere as long as you're with me. I could leave town today as long as you came along."

"Well, wherever you go, you have to drive," Adeline decided.

Mickey snorted and tucked some of her hair behind her ear. "That was never in question." Then his smile faded into a more serious expression that worried her. "We could just drive and not stop. Run away."

"I think Der would miss me," she said, not realizing how honest he was being. "But I'll run away for a little while with you."

The corners of his mouth turned up in a sad smile. "A little while's better than nothing at all." Mickey then pulled her forehead to hers. "You know I love you, right? More than I've ever loved anything and anyone."

Adeline practically melted against him. "I love you too, Mickey. I always will no matter what."

God, Mickey thought, he really, really hoped she meant that.