.𖥔 ݁ ˖ִ ࣪⚝₊ ⊹˚

The school bus stopped at the foot of a hill, its engine humming softly as Sidney and Adora stepped off. Sidney glanced up at the big house perched on the hilltop with a sigh.

"See you tomorrow, Sidney! See you, Adora!" A girl called from the open window of the bus, her voice cheerful but distant for the two girls.

Sidney and Adora waved half-heartedly in response, their minds already drifting to other things. Sidney glanced down at the letters she had just retrieved from the mailbox, her fingers brushing over the envelopes absentmindedly, before heading up the steps on the side of the house with Adora.

"You're sure I can stay over? 'Cause my dad won't be back till Sunday." Sidney asked her friend as the two walked inside the house.

"Of course, I'm sure. Tatum will pick up us after she is done with practice." Adora answered.

Sidney gave a small smile, setting the mail down on the counter. "Thanks, Adora. You're a lifesaver."

Adora shrugged, her lips curling into a reassuring grin. "That's what friends are for." Adora turned to face her, smiling warmly. "Anytime, Sid. You know you can always stay with us if you need to, but are you okay, you seem off."

Sidney hesitated, glancing at the photo of her and her mother on the mantle. "It's just all the police and reporters—it feels like déjà vu. Like everything's happening all over again."

Adora grabbed Sidney's hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. "Tate will be here at 7:00. We'll hang out, watch a movie, and forget about all of this for a few days, okay?" Adora said firmly, her eyes meeting Sidney's.

Sidney nodded slowly, her shoulders relaxing a bit. "Yeah, okay. Thanks."

Sidney released her hand and walked to the fridge. "You want a soda or something? We've got Coke, Sprite, and—oh, great—Diet Root Beer." She grimaced, holding up the can.

Adora chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Coke's fine. And thanks."

Sidney tossed her the can, then popped one open for herself. "I'm gonna get my stuff from my room, okay?"

"Yes." Adora nodded as she settled down on the cough and after a few minutes and when Sidney returned back downstairs, Adora put on the TV, but immediately regretted it when she heard the news on it.

"The bodies of 17 year old Casey Becker and her 18 year old boyfriend Steve Orith were discovered late last nightby her parents." Adora switched channels, but again she was not in any luck. "The Woodsboro double murder case. Authorities are baffled by the lack of clues savaged" 

And again she skipped, but this time she didn't skip as quick as she did with the other two. "The town's in shock and nobody can quite believe what has happened here although this is not the first time this small community of Woodsboro has endured such tragedy. Only a year ago Maureen Prescott, wife and mother-" Adora immediatley pressed the TV off when she heard her best friend's mother's name. 

Adora turned to Sidney, her heart sinking. Sidney stood frozen in place, her face pale as though the mention of her mother's name had knocked the wind out of her.

"I'm so sorry, Sid. I didn't mean—" Adora began, but Sidney quickly shook her head, forcing a small, unconvincing smile.

"It's fine. I knew they'd bring her up eventually. They always do." Sidney's voice was quiet, but there was an edge of bitterness beneath it. She crossed her arms, staring at the blank television screen as if willing it to erase what they had just heard, before turning to her stuff, that was lying on the coffee table in front of them and putting them in her backpack.

"Hey, can I ask you something?" Sidney asked, changing the conversation.

"Anything." Adora looked over to her, a curious look overtook her expression.

"Do you think it would be wrong of me to break up with Billy?" Sidney questioned, her back towards Adora.

Adora blinked, caught off guard by the question. Her fingers curled slightly against the fabric of her jeans as she studied Sidney's posture—tense, uncertain, like she was afraid of what the answer might be.

"Wrong?" Adora echoed, tilting her head. "I mean... that depends."

Sidney sighed, still not looking at her. "It's just—I don't know, lately, something feels... off. Like he's keeping things from me."

Adora's brows furrowed. She chewed on the inside of her cheek, considering her next words carefully. "If that's how you feel, then no, it's not wrong." She finally said. "You don't owe him anything, Sid. If you're not happy, you shouldn't have to stay."

Sidney exhaled, the tension in her shoulders loosening just slightly. "Yeah." She murmured. "That's what I keep telling myself, but..."

"But?" Adora prompted, shifting to face her fully.

"But he gets in my head." Sidney admitted, turning around at last. Her eyes met Adora's, a storm of emotions swirling within them. "Every time I think I've made up my mind, he says something, does something, and suddenly, I feel guilty because I feel like I'm gonna hurt him and I don't want that."

Adora frowned. She knew Billy could be charming when he wanted to be, knew he had a way of making people feel like they needed him. Like they were the problem if something wasn't right.

"Sid." She said gently, reaching out to touch her arm. "You're not responsible for him. If you're unhappy, if you don't trust him, you don't need a bigger reason than that. You don't have to justify it to anyone."

Sidney swallowed hard, her gaze flickering down to where Adora's hand rested on her arm.

"I just... I need to be sure," Sidney whispered. "And I don't know how to be."

Adora hesitated before giving her arm a small squeeze. "Then take your time. But don't let him decide for you."

Sidney gave a small, shaky nod, her lips pressing into a thin line. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right."

Adora wasn't sure if Sidney believed it yet. But she hoped she would soon.

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ִ ࣪⚝₊ ⊹˚

The phone rang, and both Adora and Sidney shot awake. They hadn't even realized they had dozed off while waiting for Tatum. Sidney groggily reached for it, her fingers brushing over the receiver as she sighed. "Hello?" She answered, her voice tired. Adora shifted slightly on the couch, mumbling in her sleep but didn't wake fully. She looked peaceful for the first time since it happened and Sidney couldn't bring herself to disturb that.

"Practice ran late. I'm on my way, okay?" Tatum's familiar voice crackled through the line, cheerful and unapologetic.

Sidney glanced at the clock on the wall, the red digits glaring back at her. "It's past seven, Tatum. You were supposed to be here hours ago." She grumbled, rubbing her eyes.

"Don't worry! Casey and Steve didn't bite it until way past ten." Tatum teased, her lighthearted tone almost startling in the midst of the recent horrors.

Sidney frowned, moving toward the window to peer out at the darkened street below. "Oh, that's comforting, Tatum." She replied sarcastically, squinting into the night. The streetlights flickered faintly, casting long shadows across the quiet neighborhood.

Tatum laughed on the other end of the line. "Hey, lighten up. I'm swinging by the video store before I come over. I was thinking we could watch All the Right Moves. If you pause it just right, you can see Tom Cruise's penis."

Sidney couldn't help but let out a small chuckle, shaking her head. "You're ridiculous. Whatever, just hurry up."

"Ta-ta, Sid." Tatum chirped, her tone carefree as always.

Sidney hung up and dropped the phone and laid back down onto the couch, letting out a tired breath. She looked over at Adora, who had again shifted slightly, her head now resting against the armrest, hair spilling over her face. She looked peaceful, but Sidney knew better. Adora had been running on empty for days, her worry and guilt about Casey and Steve weighing on her. Sidney's fingers twitched, tempted to reach out and wake her up, but she stopped herself.

Adora had always been the strong one, the one who took care of everyone else, but ever since Casey's death, Sidney could see the cracks. Her friend was breaking, little by little. Taking a deep breath, Sidney sat up, her gaze never leaving Adora. Maybe it was time she took care of her for a change.

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Words: 1426

Posted: November 29, 2024

Re-written: Wednesday March 26, 2025

Re-posted: Wednesday March 26, 2025

Thank you so much for reading again! Be sure to comment and vote! Love you guys!!

Mwah Katherine