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𝙑𝙊𝙇𝙐𝙈𝙀 𝑰. ── CASUALTY OF YOUR DREAMS!

❛ 𝒊'𝒎 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒆 ❜
─── chapter four! ❫

004. ╱ ✹ ⠀⠀ ❝ green flags turned red
from all my bleeding. . . i fell quickly
for words, misleading. ❞

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     FINGERS INTERLACED TOGETHER TIGHTLY, KYNLEE MANRAL AND WES HICKS SAT IN AMICABLE SILENCE. Much of the time, their car rides were filled with songs from Talking Heads— Wes' favorite band. Although their music tastes were drastically different, Kynlee didn't mind. However, right now, no music was playing.

     Currently, they were taking the extra long way to Chad and Mindy's house. After being stuck at the Sheriff's station for nearly two hours and interrogated, they needed a few minutes to decompress before returning to their regular lives. Today had been a whirlwind of emotions and not everybody was processing it as quickly as others.

     Kynlee was still incredibly worried about Tara. Even though they had continued texting since the friend group left the hospital, she couldn't shake the feeling that the Carpenter girl remained in danger. It didn't matter if the police were protecting her. If Tara's assailant came back, who was to say that they wouldn't take out the cops before attacking Tara, or worse— kill her?

    Meanwhile, Wes was hung up on a nagging feeling in his gut. It'd been bugging him nearly all day and he was on the verge of losing it.

     "I have a crazy theory that might send me to Hell for even considering," Wes blurted, glancing at the girl in his passenger seat.

     At the ominous confession, Kynlee's ears perked. "Which is?" she asked, meeting his apprehensive stance.

     "It has to do with Tara's attacker," he added, and she gave him a blank stare. No shit. "I think Liv or Amber or both of them could be involved."

     Blinking, Kynlee's mind went blank and she froze. The bouncing of the knee stopped. "Wait, what?" she deadpanned, unsure if she heard him correctly. That was not what she was expecting him to say. To be fair, she wasn't sure what she was expecting, but it wasn't that.

     "Liv doesn't have an alibi for last night and skipped out on visiting Tara today without an explanation. She's been acting weird and so has Amber," he explained, shrugging.

     Kynlee gave him an 'are-you-serious' expression. "Liv only makes sense because of what you just said, but what's her motive? And Amber? Wes, she's been acting off for a minute now. That's not enough to insinuate that she would attack T. She's one of her best friends. One of our friends," she argued, ignoring the fact that part of her agreed with him.

     Wes picked up on the lack of conviction in her tone and rolled his eyes. "You don't even believe what you're saying, Kyn," he pointed out, bringing the car to a halt at the stoplight. "I can't think of a motive for either of them yet. I just have a gut feeling and I can't shake it. You can't tell me you don't feel it either. I know you do."

     Narrowing her gaze on him, she held back a sigh. "Look, I didn't start suspecting Liv until I was being interrogated by your mom. There are gaps of time where nobody knows where she was and it looks suspicious. Especially last night. For Amber, all I know is that she's been a bitch since we broke up and her attitude needs to be put in check."

     "You mean since she dumped you," he corrected, turning left when the light turned green.

     "Yes. Since she dumped me. Thank you," she said bitterly, shooting him a sarcastic smile. In response, he squeezed her hand.

     A beat of silence passed before it was broken again.

     "What was Amber's comment about at Sunrise Sunset?" Wes was unsure if he would be given a straightforward answer. The reason behind Kynlee and Amber's breakup had yet to be shared, but he had an inkling that the comment made today was a jab at whatever happened.

     Luckily, the blonde didn't need to elaborate further. Kynlee knew exactly what was being referenced.

     Although the real reason behind Kynlee and Amber's breakup wasn't one neither of them had shared with anyone, it wasn't something they agreed to keep secret. She was allowed to tell someone if she chose to, she just hadn't. It wasn't something she was proud of or thrilled to discuss.

     Kynlee couldn't tell Chad without potentially making things between them weird and exposing how she felt for him. She didn't feel comfortable telling Mindy or Tara since they were close with Amber and didn't want unnecessary drama to occur. She wasn't going to tell Liv, absolutely not, for obvious reasons. But with Wes, things were a little different.

     He and Amber weren't particularly close and Kynlee knew that anything she shared with him wouldn't leave them. She trusted Wes with her life and vice versa. Furthermore, she didn't believe he was capable of attacking Tara, the girl he'd had a crush on for the longest time, and didn't suspect him in the slightest.

     Glancing out of the car window, the black-haired girl wet her lips. "I'm the reason why Amber and I's relationship ended. I'm the reason why she dumped me," she admitted, swallowing harshly.

     Creases of confusion broke across Wes's forehead. "How do you mean?"

     "Anyone with fucking eyes and a goddamn brain can tell that I like Chad, except for him. I'm very much aware of that," she began, unable to look him in the eye. "Nothing has ever happened between us and never will. Chad doesn't look at me in that way. So I've never made a move and neither has he. That hasn't changed how I feel about him, obviously. I'm still in love with his stupid ass and probably will be for the rest of my life.

     "But I've dated other people, you know? There was Cynthia Price freshman year. Last year, I dated Bryce—" They both cringed at the mention of the football player. "—and then Amber this year. I've had genuine feelings for all three of them. Especially Amber..." Kynlee inhaled sharply, slightly uncomfortable by how vulnerable she was being with Wes. This was the first time she'd properly talked about her feelings and the breakup.

     "I know that being with Chad is a fantasy that will never become a reality. Regardless of what anyone tells me, I'm a firm believer in that. So, I've done my best not to let my feelings for Chad get in the way of my past relationships. I've been able to genuinely like people other than him and prioritize them. I go out of my way to do that so it's not unfair to anyone I date. I did that with Amber and I thought she knew how much I liked her... I told her all the time when she would get insecure about our relationship. I did my best to give her reassurance, but it didn't matter. She would listen, but I don't think she ever heard me.

     "And look, I get it. Dating one of your closest friends while they have had a long-term crush on your other friend, but also likes you is messy and not smart. Which was why I was so hesitant to say yes when she initially asked me out. Pa told me it was a bad idea and he was right. I knew it had the potential to end badly, but I caved and said yes. I was transparent with Amber from the jump, but she wasn't with me.

     "I don't believe she was or is ever capable of trusting my word when I would say that I wanted to be with her and really liked her. There was always a sliver of doubt in her mind and she didn't hide it. Eventually, the doubt and skepticism built so sky-high that she reached a breaking point and ended things. She didn't trust that my feelings for Chad wouldn't one day overshadow how I felt for her. She hates how I like him and doesn't get it.

     "Basically, me and my feelings for Chad ruined one of the best things to happen to me, and it..." Kynlee paused, blinking rapidly. In less than twenty-four hours, she'd already cried to Wes once. She refused to do it a second time. "It really sucks, but I respect it. I get it." In the distance, she could see that they were approaching the Meeks-Martin household. "But yeah, that's what Amber's comment was about today. She was referring to my feelings and loyalty toward Chad and my friendship with him."

     Wes frowned, conflicted in his thoughts on what his friend just shared. Slowly, he pulled into the driveway of Chad and Mindy's house and parked the car. "You have a good heart, Kyn," he spoke, grabbing her attention. "If Amber couldn't trust you and your word, that's on her. You haven't and hadn't done anything to show her you aren't worth trusting to my knowledge. Don't allow her insecurities to get to you. Your loyalty to Chad isn't reserved for solely him. You're loyal to all of your friends and relationships, and she's dumb if she doesn't see that. In my opinion, you deserve more than what you had with her."

     A soft expression fell onto Kynlee's face, and she squeezed his hand. "Gracias, te lo agradezco," she murmured.

     "Por supuesto," Wes gave her a small smile.

     Kynlee ruffled his hair with her free hand before grabbing her things. "Also, gracias for dropping me off here. I'll probably see you sometime tomorrow," she said, untangling their fingers.

     "Sounds good," he saluted her while she climbed out of the vehicle. "Tell the twins I said hey."

     "Will do, apuesto," she returned the salute and shut the car door.

────

     AN HOUR AND ONE AND A HALF BOXES OF MEAT LOVERS PIZZA LATER, KYNLEE AND CHAD WERE SPRAWLED OUT ON BLACK BEAN BAGS. Pokémon HeartGold was displayed on the TV, but the music theme was muted. Off to the side, on Kynlee's laptop, a random episode of SpongeBob was on.

     A lot of their nights together ended up this way— playing their favorite video game while watching their shared favorite cartoon. It was comforting and something they cherished.

     So far, not much conversation had taken place. It'd mainly been them joking around and acting like idiotic teenagers. All was normal and right with the world until Chad brought up their current reality.

     "Have you heard from Tara?"

     Glancing away from the TV, Kynlee met her best friend's curious stare. "Yeah, I've been texting her periodically since we left the hospital. Why?" As always, her foot and knee were bouncing up and down.

     Chad shrugged innocently, returning to the game. "I was just wondering. I'm hoping she's safe tonight and that psycho doesn't try anything else."

     "Yeah, you and me both," the black-haired girl muttered, leaning her cheek against her left hand. "Sam and Sam's weird boyfriend Richie are with her. Not to mention, cops are stationed outside her room at all times. Hopefully, she's safe and it stays that way."

     "Are you going to be able to sleep tonight?" Chad knew what she was like. Whenever Kynlee was stressed or worried, it would naw at her insides and make her restless. Sleep became to enemy and she lost the ability to focus on any and everything.

     Sighing, she sunk into the cushioning of the bean bag. "Probably not. It's fine, though. I'll just watch Garo: Crimson Moon until I either pass out or the sun starts rising."

     A frown appeared on the jock's lips and he kept moving his character around on the TV. "If you want, you can stay the night," he suggested, fixating his attention on the game. "It's getting late, anyway. I know Mom and Dad don't mind."

     It didn't need to be said that Kynlee slept better whenever Chad was nearby. The same applied to him with her. Since they were kids, they always slept better when they were near each other. It was an unexplainable fact they found comfort in.

     "Sure. I'll text Pa off your phone and let him know. Besides, I'm in need of some one-on-one cuddle time with Mindy. So, that works out great." At this, Chad's face fell and his head reeled back an inch, insulted. Kynlee laughed, grabbing his phone off the floor and typing in the passcode. "I'd love to cuddle with you, C, but I'm not going to break any boundaries and be on the receiving end of Liv's wrath."

     Rolling his eyes jokingly, he shook his head. "Valid. Still offended, though," he replied, moving his character into a library. "Wanna play until we pass out? We can do multiplayer on Left 4 Dead later."

     She knew that his asking was an attempt to keep her around for as long as possible and stall until she had to leave or go somewhere. This was a tactic he used on a weekly basis. It never failed to make her smile. He never failed to make her smile.

     Sending her dad a quick text, informing him that she'd be staying the night at the Meeks-Martin household, Kynlee nodded. "Fuck yeah."

     For the next forty-five minutes, Chad continued to play HeartGold while Kynlee simultaneously watched him and SpongeBob. Here and there she would talk along to the episode, doing her best impersonations of SpongeBob, Patrick, Mr. Crabs, and Squidward, which resulted in Chad breaking into laughter. The impressions were bad, but that was the point. It was also a way for her to release all the random pent-up energy she had.

     Despite her goofing around and temporarily residing in silence at times, her mind was anything but quiet. The talk she and Wes had in the car was replaying on a perpetual loop. Not the discussion regarding her ex-girlfriend, but the one about Tara's attacker and their identity.

     Wes's theory wasn't that crazy and she was beginning to seriously consider it. Mainly when it came to Liv, but she didn't think it was smart to mention that to Chad. Not unless it became pertinent.

     Something she did want to mention, though, was the possibility of Ghostface returning. Out of everyone, the only opinion she cared to hear on the matter was his.

     Yeah, she declared that Ghostface was definitely back and that their town was cursed this morning, but she hadn't meant it. Well, not fully. Woodsboro was definitely cursed, there was no doubt about that. Teenagers turned into killers there more often than anywhere she'd heard of. But what she said earlier that day was just a flippant statement. Other than that, she hadn't fully engaged in conversation about the masked killer returning.

     "Do you think Ghostface could actually be back?" Kynlee finally asked, curious to hear her best friend's honest thoughts.

     Chad loosely shrugged. "Maybe," he answered, glancing back at her. "Honestly, I'm not sure what to think."

     "Quiero saber más," she urged, signaling for him to keep going.

     "I mean..." Chad paused the game and repositioned himself on the bean bag, angling his body toward her. The mood in the room shifted. "If it is Ghostface and if history has taught us anything, then that means any one of us could be next. You could be next." They locked eyes and her gaze on him softened. Time seemed to stop for a few seconds before he continued. "Mindy could be. Liv, too. Tara's lucky to be alive, thank God. I don't want what happened to her to happen to the rest of our friends. Besides, my family already lost Uncle Randy to one Ghostface. I don't want that to happen again."

     If she were to act on instinct, the black-haired girl would have grabbed his hand, but she didn't. Instead, she restrained herself and shook her head. "No. God, no. I don't want that to happen either. We'll get through whatever the fuck this is. We all got each other's back."

     "Yeah..." Chad replied, trailing off while he got lost in thought.

     Kynlee noticed his prolonged stare on her and raised an eyebrow. "¿Qué?"

     Blinking, he cleared his throat. "Nothing, nothing."

     Rather than pointing out his blatant lying, she pressed her lips together. Nobody in her family had been killed at the hands of Ghostface. Both of her parents grew up in Woodsboro, California, and attended Woodsboro Middle when the first string of murders took place. They weren't old enough to be part of the OG friend group or know them. All sides of the Manral family had no ties to Ghostface. So, she'd never been related to anyone who'd been affected or hurt.

     However, Chad and Mindy were. They lost a beloved family member that they never got to meet. Their mother lost her older brother and Kynlee couldn't even attempt to imagine how all of this was affecting Martha or the family.

     News of Tara's attack brought more than stress and concern for a friend. It was dredging up blood-stained facts of the past that were still healing from the initial wound. It was creating a fear similar to the one felt all those years ago. That much was evident by the mixed emotions shining in Chad's eyes.

     "I got your back," Kynlee said gently, hoping her words of reassurance would ease the tension in his shoulders. His posture was stiff and tight, both signs that he was either stressed or unable to relax. Either was likely due to their conversation.

     Inhaling deeply, he nodded. "I got yours too." Once the sentence left his mouth, Chad had to force himself to look away. What he was feeling in that moment for his best friend wasn't okay. Sure, he'd been feeling a certain type of way for years now, but he had a girlfriend and liked her. He needed to snap out of it and get his shit together.

     Before either teen could say anything else, the door to the room swung open and Mindy walked in. The sound of the door hitting the wall and the curly-haired girl's sudden presence caused them to jump.

     Kynlee let out a breath, rubbing her temple. "Fucking shit, Minds."

     "Mindy, dude, you need to start knocking. Barging in is so inappropriate." Chad exclaimed, throwing a hand out to the side.

     Scoffing, Mindy approached the pair. "Oh, please. It's not like you two are doing anything that warrants the door being closed," she motioned to how Kynlee and Chad were sitting together on separate bean bags with pizza boxes and Root Beer on the floor. Meanwhile, SpongeBob played on a laptop and some game was on the TV. "I mean, maybe if Liv wasn't your girlfriend..." she trailed off, darting a finger between them before forming a circle with one hand and poking through it with her right pointer finger.

     "Seriously?!" Kynlee said exasperatedly, not at all amused by the innuendo. This was not the time.

     Jaw slackening, Chad sat up. "Are you fucking kidding me?! Mindy!" he immediately called his twin out, giving her a 'what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-you' expression.

     Rolling her eyes into the back of her head, Mindy sighed. "Whatever. Keep lying to yourselves."

     Kynlee pinched the bridge of her nose. "Is there a reason why you're here?" she questioned, wanting to ignore everything that just transpired.

     "Yes, actually!" Mindy clasped her hands together and grinned. "We're having a Stab-a-Thon."

     In unplanned unison, her brother and Kynlee's faces dropped. Fuck, no.

     "No. We're," Chad gestured between him and his best friend, "playing HeartGold."

     At the same time he was objecting, Kynlee asked, "Didn't we just watch all of those movies last month?"

     Flickering her line of sight between them, Mindy placed her hands on her hips. "We did, but now we're watching them again, so get up."

     "¡Ay, Dios mío!" the Manral girl grumbled, throwing her head back.

     Mindy snapped her fingers and pointed at the black-haired girl. "Heard that, Kynzie." The two locked eyes and exchanged playful smirks. "All right, let's go! Chop chop!"

     "It's hot when you're bossy, but I also detest it," Kynlee commented, begrudgingly removing herself from the very comfortable bean bag.

     In response to the compliment, Mindy winked.

     Chad groaned, cringing at the interaction. "Gross. Kynz, please don't flirt with my sister in front of me." It always made him uncomfortable seeing and hearing his sister and best friend flirt, whether it was jokingly or not. He knew why that was, but he refused to acknowledge it.

     "It's true!" Kynlee protested, tossing her hands out to her sides. "Besides, who else am I supposed to flirt with?!"

     "Exactly," Mindy agreed, grabbing her by the hand and heading toward the hallway. "We'll be setting up downstairs. Join us when you're done sulking!"

     As they disappeared from view, he ran a hand over his face. "We're having a Stab-a-Thon," he mimicked his sister in a low, but high-pitched voice. "We're having a Stab-a-Thon!"

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❝ you were on my 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅 all the 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆. . .
𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 out a 𝒇𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 for 𝒕𝒘𝒐. . .

what i'd 𝒅𝒐 in a room 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒆, only 𝒎𝒆 and 𝒚𝒐𝒖! ❞

╭⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀╮

Gracias, te lo agradezco ━━ Thank
you, I appreciate it
Por supuesto ━━ Of course
Apuesto ━━ Handsome
Quiero saber más ━━ I want to
know more
¡Ay, Dios mío! ━━ Oh, my God

╰⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀╯

     kynlee + chad are my favorite ship. i love them with everything i have <3

     i hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! the next one is going to be a lil rough considering what's coming with wes + judy (rip to my favs, i'm so sorry. i'm unfortunately sticking to the canon). however, we are halfway done with VOLUME ONE which means scream vi is coming very soon. i'm so excited!

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˒⠀𝑹𝑬𝑴𝑰𝑵𝑫𝑬𝑹. . . ▬⠀⤸

Thank you all for taking the time out of your day to comment on this story. It means a lot and helps the story be spread to a broader audience &&& allows me to grow as an author. All I ask is that people vote on each chapter, please. As a creator, it takes time to write and develop stories. So please, vote on every chapter. It means a lot more than I could ever express.

Don't forget to vote & comment!

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˒⠀𝑪𝑶𝑷𝒀𝑹𝑰𝑮𝑯𝑻. . . ▬⠀⤸

❝ All Rights Reserved.
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