Chapter Text
Stunned awake by the agonizing sound of your phone's alarm, you felt the vibration rattle your pillow and disrupt your peaceful sleep. Quickly halting the dream, you were already forgetting. You silenced the alarm before you could reach for the snooze button, hoping that with your discipline, you would get out of bed quicker than usual. The comforting aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, giving your body a gentle caffeine boost without even drinking it. As you rolled onto your back, the cheerful chirping of birds greeted the cloudless morning. The sunrays peeking through your sheer curtains cast an angelic light into the bedroom. Shining amongst your towering bookshelves that held various genres. You weren’t picky about what kind of reading you consumed, but lately, Randy, the horror enthusiast of the group, had you immersed in the world of horror. With that, you started dipping into a world of fiction and fright. Another alarm rang out in the distance, breaking you from the steady gaze of your array of books, but also making you wonder who else was starting their day early.
You shared a place with Sidney and Tatum, the friendly pair who warmly welcomed you to Woodsboro. The memory replayed in your mind like a nostalgic family video. Eager for a change, you had gone hunting for a room to rent, and with a newly accepted job as a librarian in Woodsboro, you were desperate to find a place that wouldn’t make your commute a hassle. When you arrived for your scheduled tour of a place you liked, you found out you had been double-booked with the amicable pair. Entering the space, you were greeted by a woman with rich, cacao-brown hair. Her bangs stopped right above her thinly arched eyebrows. Her freckled face studied yours as she knew you looked nothing like the realtor she spoke to originally, but she figured maybe there was a change in plans. She seemed gentle, yet reserved at first, but as she drew closer, her almond-shaped brown eyes warmed, and she flashed her bright smile, offering her hand, assuming you were the realtor.
Just as you were about to speak up and introduce yourself, another breathtakingly beautiful woman with golden blonde hair entered. Her eyelids fluttered open, revealing her espresso-brown eyes, which carried the same scent as the espresso beans you smelled while lying in bed, bringing back the memory. The closer the woman got, the more you felt yourself drawn in by the richness of her deep-brown, liquid gaze, waiting for you to give in to its sweetness. You even noticed the tiny mole on her face as her cheeks rose into a wide smile, showing the small pinpoint of the beauty mark on the apple of her right cheek.
“This natural lighting is incredible, Sid.” The blonde-haired woman said as she walked in from another room. Her blood-red pants added a bold splash of color to the space. “Hi, I'm Tatum, and this is Sidney for 1 o'clock,” she added, reaching out to introduce herself.
“Oh. OH…I’m not the realtor. I’m actually here for the tour at one as well.” You stammered.
“I’m so sorry.” Sidney pressed her hand to her forehead, feeling embarrassed about the interaction. “I thought you were.”
“It’s fine. I guess they accidentally double-booked.” You responded.
As soon as it was clear you weren’t the realtor, everyone stood there awkwardly for a moment in silence. Unsure of what to do next, Tatum quickly broke the silence. Shifting her weight to one foot, she tucked her hands into her back pockets. "Since we’re all here, let's take a look."
“Why not?” You shrugged, noting that this arrangement might work because there were two of them and only one of you. Perfect for the cozy, three-bedroom home.
That day was filled with laughter, which turned into a brunch date and blossomed into a loving friendship. The three of you became inseparable; it was a bond you could not imagine being broken.
Finally feeling energized, you get out of bed and head into the hallway, spotting Sidney as she emerges from her bedroom adjacent to yours.
“Morning.” She flashed her radiant smile. Her dark brown hair cascaded down to her shoulders, blending seamlessly with the rich coffee scent in the air. “Tatum’s up?”
“I guess so.” You stretched, and both you and Sidney were amazed that Tatum was up so early. Especially since it was a day she didn’t need to. You continued. “Unless we’re being robbed of our coffee, and they couldn’t wait to make a cup.”
Sidney burst into laughter, and the two of you took off down the stairs like kids on Christmas morning, chasing the trail of the coffee aroma to where Tatum was waiting at the end.
“Hello!” Tatum sang, and another voice emerged from her speakerphone, which lay on the kitchen counter.
“Is that the roomies?” Randy shouted, sounding like he was rummaging through a bunch of supplies.
“What the hell are you two doing up?” Sidney said, walking over to a cabinet to grab her college mug. And you followed behind her, sitting on one of the high chairs that were stationed at the kitchen island.
“Randy couldn’t wait to share some interesting news on this glorious morning.” Tatum gave both you and Sid a sly smirk, which meant she had some great details on an intriguing topic.
Randy, whom you met through Tatum and Sidney, was charismatic and a horror fanatic. He had chestnut brown hair that stayed perfectly quaffed on the sides of his head, leaving a mountain of chocolate strands at the top. His personality was as warm and inviting as the sweet seed. With his azure, blue gaze, which became especially noticeable whenever horror was discussed, Randy could stop anyone in their tracks with a single ice-cold stare. Forcing anyone to listen to his passion for his latest obsession. Whenever he was around, he made sure to share a wide range of facts about horror movies. It was no surprise he landed a job at a video store, as his mind was packed with endless movie trivia. He’d host a movie night a few times a month; however, you, Tatum, and Sidney were all tired of watching only scary films. One time, you all agreed to put your names in a bowl to decide who would host, only to find Randy had replaced all the names with his own. He was quite the character, but one you were always glad to have in your life.
You glanced at Sidney, noticing her eyes were already watching you. “What news? Another remake of a horror film that doesn’t need one?”
“It’s probably the anniversary of some horror movie he’s obsessed with.” You chuckled, catching Sidney’s attention before she could close the cabinet, and you pointed to your mug. Pouring coffee for both her and you, you both waited for the intense rummaging on Randy’s end to stop so he could finally announce the news. However, Tatum could no longer tolerate the aggravating sounds and chimed in, appearing excited, which made you think there wasn’t any bad news.
Tatum clasped her hands together. Every single one of her pearly white teeth shone as a wide smile spread across her face. “He’s throwing a party, and it’s themed…”
“Halloween costumes.” You all said in unison.
“Am I that predictable?” Randy asked, finally realizing that he was still on the phone.
“It’s not even spooky season yet.” Sidney handed you your cup of coffee, then reached into the fridge to grab the creamer, soon joining you at the kitchen island, sitting diagonally across from you.
“Every season is spooky season for him. Anyway, he invited…” Tatum paused, now relaxing her overly excited face, which made an unsettling sense of anxiety wash over you. She leaned her elbows on the counter, resting her fists on her cheeks as she prepared to deliver what you assumed could be bad news. She continued, “Stu and Billy.”
Tatum blurted out the names and hid her face, unprepared to face the expression in Sidney’s eyes.
“What the hell, Randy?” Sidney groaned. “Now I’m not going.”
“Oh, come on, Sid.” Randy moped, the tone in his voice sounding a bit melancholic. “We’ve invited them countless times before. They might not even show... again."
“You don’t know that, Randy. Shit, I wish you had told me before you went ahead and kept inviting them to things. Even if you expect them not to show.” Sid rolled her eyes, taking a sip of her coffee that probably contributed to the heat she was starting to feel within her body. Had it been possible, you were sure both you and Tatum would see steam bursting from her ears.
"Sid, it’s been years. I think we all can handle being in a room together." Tatum sighed, and now the once glorious morning felt as if clouds were beginning to gather and rain on Randy’s Halloween parade.
You sat quietly, unsure of whose side to take, and so you prolonged your silence with a sip of your coffee. Sid’s reaction was justifiable. You glanced at her, seeing that her attention had shifted to the pool of caffeinated drink that warmed her face as the inviting steam rose from her mug. Billy and Stu were two names that felt like a curse on the house. At least, that’s how Sid and Tatum made it seem. They were barely mentioned, and you'd never seen what they looked like as of today. Only in old pictures shown to you during the early stages of the friendship, which were their freshman year of college. However, you'd never met them, but you knew the history between all of them. Back in college, Tatum was great friends with Stu, and Sidney dated Billy. At the same time, Randy was the single friend who didn’t mind being a bit of a third wheel. From what you knew about Tatum and Stu, they were saddened by how it ended, but if they ran into each other, they didn’t mind catching up for a moment.
Billy and Sidney, on the other hand, were different. A painful, almost unbearable hurt hung over Sidney whenever his name was mentioned. Even uttering the familiar syllables seemed to suffocate her. She looked as if she might faint, her angelic face twisted like a plastic bag was being pressed tightly against it.
She never once went into detail about what happened between them, but Tatum described it as a very rough breakup. Heartbreaking. You couldn’t imagine anyone hurting Sidney.
“Sid, come on. Just do this for me.” Randy begged. “I’m pulling out all these cool ass decorations…this is gonna be a great time!”
“That’s what all that noise is.” Tatum scrunched her face down at her phone, still annoyed by the constant ear-splitting rustling that echoed from her phone into the kitchen.
“Y…yeah. Look, that’s not important. What’s important is they might not show. I’ve invited them to like every single one of my parties.” Randy grunts like he’s lifting a heavy object. “I wouldn’t sweat it, Sid.”
“I just really don’t want to see him.” Sidney dropped her back against the chair, making her hair move with her as she exhaled a heavy sigh.
You looked back and forth between Sidney and Tatum like a two-way street, unsure which direction to choose. The empathy you felt for Sid deepened, as a fresh wound remained despite the years that had passed and should have allowed it to heal. Tatum, however, made it clear that her scar was healed and almost invisible, showing that she was somewhat excited to be reunited.
“We don’t have to go.” You spoke softly to Sid once her gaze met yours.
“Um…yes, you do!” Randy shouted, and despite all the noise from decorating, he still could hear your soft-spoken voice.
Tatum sat up from her resting position and threw her hands up. "I’m going. I need a break from all this work and preparing for this freaking major conference."
“Sure, Tatum. That’s why you’re going.” Sidney shot Tatum a stern glance. Her lips pressed tightly together, not even allowing a breath of annoyance to escape. As her dark eyebrows scowled at the look of Tatum’s amused grin, it was clear to everyone in the kitchen and Randy that Tatum was so determined to attend the party, regardless of whether there was a reunion or not.
“While you guys figure out a plan, I’m going to figure out a costume.” Tatum picked up her phone and left the kitchen. Her and Randy’s voices began to fade as their conversation about snacks and alcohol drifted out of the room.
Sitting close to Sid, you kept watching her serious expression. Her eyes avoided your empathetic gaze as she stared intently at her mug, which probably now held a cold cup of coffee. Still, she lifted the mug to her lips and took another sip. You sensed she was likely upset with Tatum, as she hadn’t left her any space to process who was coming to the party. While you guessed that Sid was sitting with Randy’s constant words, saying that Billy and Stu ignored all his invites and might not show up. Sid’s eyes still looked as if she were running through every possible scenario that could happen at the party.
“Sidney?” You said, breaking her out of her dissociative trance. “You okay?”
“I don’t want to miss Randy’s party.” Sidney groaned. “He’ll be disappointed.”
“Just slap him for inviting your ex and then leave.” You winked at her, brightening her gloomy mood. “Technically, you’d be showing up, saying your hellos, and then leaving.”
“I’ll think about that.” Sidney said, shooting you a smile before taking her mug and her apprehensive thoughts with her as she left the kitchen. As everyone experienced a mix of emotions, from excitement to irritation, your own feelings were a jumble of uncertainty. What were you going to wear to the party? And would the two guests of honor show up? And if so, what did that mean for everyone around you, including yourself?
All you knew was that, with Sid suddenly feeling uneasy about the possibility of them showing up, you didn’t want her to get hurt again. Despite not knowing all the details about this Billy guy, you knew enough to understand he had hurt Sid, and that meant he was already on your bad side.