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[Y/N] never had many friends. Her unusual morbidly beautiful fashion scared others. She ignores their stunned gaping stares. Cruel (but equally silly) rumors spill from their mouths and withstand like the stench of death. People think [Y/N]’s a witch. They believe that she had poisoned or cursed a classmate who had been absent for a week, only for them to return healthy as before.
If it weren’t for her best friends Billy and Stu, [Y/N] would be sadder by how mean her bullies are.
At her tenth birthday no one had showed up after handing out invitations. Except them. Instead of pink decorations, sparkles, and posters of boy band idols, it was a vampire’s paradise. Red velvet cake, blood-red drinks with floating pastry eyeballs, origami bats, and a black-and-white movie marathon.
The newest rumor is that [Y/N] is Ghostface. So what if she likes wandering in graveyards at night? Or loves horror movies? Wouldn’t that be too obvious if she was Ghostface? No matter how much she disagrees her classmates still glare and whisper. Jerks.
People hover in the halls. Their conversations are a hum, like wasps. [Y/N] walked to her locker and found it stuck. She cursed and yanked the door handle and it shrieked as it flung open.
A pungent, revolting, venomous scent hit her senses and burned her eyes. A bitter-sour taste coats her throat and her body’s response was to retch. She jumped away and screamed at the bloodshed. Dead mice and snakes fall from her locker in a pile of soil. Like some awful science project they’re gutted and their lifeless eyes are terrifying.
Billy loves three things: horror movies, gutting overconfident and heartless people, and [Y/N]. She’s a gothic goddess. He’s spellbound by her personality. Billy loves her rare smile and those [color] eyes when she talks about [hobby]. He still had an origami bat they all made years ago –the initials “[Y/N], S, B” are worn but the ink is still there.
Stu and him are late. Macher nonchalantly walks but freezes. Billy eyes his friend sharply when Stu elbowed him. Stu doesn’t look at him. He stares at the crowd and Billy’s gaze follows. Loomis suddenly realizes how quiet it is. The two push their way to the front.
A group of popular classmates say, “I knew she was a psycho.”
“Stop faking! You put those in your locker.”
“I bet she has a crush on Ghostface and this is her funny idea of getting noticed.”
“Or she is Ghostface.”
Billy’s heart broke when he heard [Y/N] cry. How her voice cracked somberly.
“I wouldn’t do that! Somebody put them in my locker!”
“What’s going on here?!”
Students parted as teachers appeared. Their stern voice silenced any complaints. Judgmental glares swerved from the dead animals to [Y/N]. “[L/N], did you do this?”
“No! I-”
Angry shouts drowned out her words. [Y/N] hugged the wall fearfully shrinking as her classmates seemed to effervesce violently.
Billy and Stu walked up –the crowd immediately falls silent. Loomis is very intimidating, his gaze alluring but also as sharp as a blade. Stu is prankster but also a partier. But when he stands next to Billy they make a frightening pair.
“Macher? Loomis?”
“[Y/N] didn’t do it,” Stu said. “But these guys sure think it’s funny…”
“It has to be another Ghostface prank.” Billy catches a brief flash of movement. One person left the crowd. He knows how to be flawlessly stealthy and he also knows when someone is bad at it. Will they be laughing when the real Ghostface shows up?
A teacher rubbed his face and sighed. All his patience is gone. “Everyone get to class. I don’t want to see anyone in the halls!”
[Y/N] cried and hugged her friends. “Thank you. It makes me so angry! Why would anyone do that to those cute animals?”
Billy quickly looked at Stu. Was it you?
Hell no dude! Stu shook his head. He raised his eyebrows. Are we going as Ghostface?
Resting his chin on a head of [color] hair Billy wrapped his arms round [Y/N]. We are.
After school [Y/N] waited for Billy. He said that he had to talk to Sidney and Randy and that Stu was with Tatum. Macher wanted to host another party this week and asked Billy and [Y/N] to pick out a theme.
A shadow loomed by the rows of vending machines, trash bins, and cropped trees. The school was a big campus and [Y/N] avoided her bullies when she can. Startled, she spun around and sees Peace. [Y/N] took a step back.
Peace’s hair is tucked under a knit cap. He’s tall, thin, and pale. His eyes are unnerving. Darker than Death’s fabric. Peace smiled but it seemed a subpar facsimile. Intangible. “That was a pretty good act…”
“What?” [Y/N]’s brows furrowed.
“I was watching you from the crowd. To see your reaction.” He stared at [Y/N] expectantly.
Resentment seeped into her voice. “Were you the one who put those dead animals in my locker?!”
Peace chuckled. “Everyone says you’re Ghostface. Ghostface is so cool! I want them to notice me,” he giggled. “So I dumped all those animals in your locker. You have to be Ghostface. We could be legendary!”
This guy is crazy!
“Y-You killed all those animals?! That’s horrible! And I’m not Ghostface!”
This isn’t a movie. There’s no main character. No witty words said before a fight. No way to foresee an attack from a psycho.
Peace frowned. “You’re not?” A knife blade glimmered as he waved his hand. “Then if I sacrifice you to Ghostface they’ll have to let me join them!”
[Y/N] raised her arms to her face and hears the knife ring –but she feels no pain. The knife clatters to the ground and Peace falls. His face is like a water color painting. Peace’s jaw and eye absorb most of a hasty punch.
“Billy?”
“Stay away from her you sick piece of shit.” Billy is shaking. He wants to beat up this guy. Payback is guaranteed. Billy can’t wait to see Peace’s face as Ghostface buries the knife in his heart.
Teachers run towards them and tackle Peace. Police quickly arrest him and Dewey asked questions. “Since we still can’t find Ghostface we’ll detain Peace until then.” He worriedly looked at Billy and [Y/N]. “I hope this shit ends soon. Would you like a ride back home?”
“I’ll stay with her,” Billy said.
Dwight nodded. He sees that Loomis really cares about her, so he knew that if they did run into the killer, they’d be okay.
[Y/N] and Billy drove to the graveyard. It wasn’t their destination but it’s a good place to let the soundlessness sink in. Lying on a hill surrounded by leafless trees, Billy propped his head up with an elbow. He isn’t used to giving someone comfort. And he wishes he had Stu’s humor because Stu could always cheer [Y/N] up.
“This is all so crazy, Billy. Peace. Ghostface. Casey is dead. I don’t want to die. What if Ghostface kills me?”
He won’t. He’d never.
[Color] eyes are fixed despondently to the contrasting cheerful blue sky. She turned her head to look at him –and in that moment he knew she was the most beautiful person in the world. Huh. Maybe that’s what it felt like when a heart stumbled out of a body.
“I don’t want to lose you or Stu.”
“Hey,” Billy gave his best grin. “Remember when we were kids? We dressed like monsters and pranked the others?”
[Y/N] laughed. “Yeah. That was fun. The fake blood really sold it. Tatum was really mad. I never saw Stu run so fast! Oh, and then we went to a shop and bought jelly-filled doughnuts.” She hummed and closed her eyes. “I miss those.”
“Then let’s go get some. We gotta buy some decorations too. Stu’s party is in a few days.”
Loud music roared from Stu’s house. The strong scent of beer floated past along with fast food. Macher pulled his friend into a hug, offering his best showman smile. “Heeeyyy [Y/N]. How’s our local vampire?”
“Bloodthirsty. I brought a playlist too.”
“Awesome. Food’s that way.”
“Do you see Sidney and Randy? I think they’re cute together.”
Stu’s jealous gaze latched onto the couple from afar. They’re dancing and Sidney’s laughing at Randy’s jokes. “She could do so much better than him.”
“Stu…”
Macher looked back at [Y/N] and said, “Billy is looking for you.”
“He is?”
“Yeah,” he nodded. “Just outside.”
Loomis is leaning against the house. He looked bored until he saw [Y/N].
“What’s up?”
“Remember these? I got you a pair too.” He held up fake vampire fangs. Wearing them Billy gave his best vampire act. His arm lifts up to his face as he swings a gothic-looking cape. Billy’s eyebrows lowered to his gleaming eyes ominously. Or maybe charmingly?
[Y/N] laughed.
“I command you to –turn around!”
She did. Billy flourished flowers from the cape and quickly created a flower crown.
Eyeing the black [flowers] she smiled. “These are beautiful!” She faced Billy and froze. He’s holding a black [flower] like a gift. “I really like you, [Y/N].”
“You…what?” All comprehension promptly left her brain and she’s shocked.
“I’m lucky to find someone like you,” Billy said. “I…I love you. I don’t think anyone else in the world would get me like you do.”
Recovering from surprise, [Y/N] smiled and took the flower. Her heart is racing, her words are stuck in her throat, and her whole body is trembling.
Billy leaned in about to kiss her when a crowd of partiers ran outside and left.
“What’s going on?” [Y/N] asked.
They walked back to Stu’s house, Billy leading [Y/N] away from the garage –and Tatum.
Randy is passed out drunk. Sidney, Stu, and Tatum are missing. Billy conceals his smile coolly as they looked for their friends in the kitchen. The movie’s music cacophonously encompassed the rooms. It’s even more terrifying when the phone rings. Billy picked up and faked fear and surprise when he heard Ghostface. The phone dangled from the cord as the killer laughed.
“Scared? I’m mad I wasn’t invited. Good news though. You’ll all probably star in a movie –thanks to me!”
Billy hung up. He heard [Y/N] rattling through the drawers. “What’re you doing?”
“Getting a knife.” Terror and half-hearted confidence flickered in her eyes. “I’m gonna Michael Myers Ghostface.”
He stifled a laugh. Stu’s gonna have a hard time.
“Let’s go find our friends.”
“We’ll be stronger as a group,” [Y/N] agreed. They warily climbed the stairs. Billy and [Y/N] see Ghostface stabbing one of the guests. Blood saturated the carpet, walls, and doors. The killer stood up and wiped blood from the knife tauntingly. Ghostface lunged and [Y/N] did too. Billy pushed her aside and the killer’s blade sank into his shoulder. “Go! Find Stu!” Wrenching himself free he runs down the corridor.
“Sidney? Stu?!” [Y/N] whispered as she warily checked the last closet. None of her friends were in the house. Where are they? Outside? There is a forest on the other side of the road. Maybe they’re hiding until the police show up.
Running, [Y/N] sees a police car recklessly parked on the road. Tire tracks are in the mud and the windows are broken. She enters the forest and looks around. A human-shaped shadow startles her and [Y/N] jumps away, flourishing a knife. ”Peace?! How’d you escape?!”
“Wasn’t hard. They don’t have great security. I overheard the police radios say Ghostface is here.” He grinned and swung his knife. “I’m going to sacrifice you for Ghostface. Maybe then they’ll see my potential! You’ll be my greatest work!”
Panic and rage flickered through [Y/N]’s body. She screamed and stabbed Peace’s side. In return he slashed her face a hair’s length beneath her eye. They rolled in a tangle of thrashing limbs. [Y/N] desperately tried to attack but Peace tossed her knife away. He endured every punch and drew the knife blade over [Y/N]’s neck. “How should you die? What do you think Ghostface would like?”
Gasping for air [Y/N] got up. Peace was hurled away from her and he hit one of the trees. She freezes and her mind is screaming at her to run. Standing before them is Ghostface. I’ve never seen the mask this close. Sinister and sadistic. Moonlight reflected off of the mask, making Ghostface seem illusory.
The killer tackled Peace and the knife split him in half. The blade flashes through the air –shiny crescents that tear flesh apart like a guillotine to a neck. Blood pools beneath Peace as Ghostface tears his heart from his ribs. Hearing a sickening snap [Y/N] flinched. Ghostface’s breathing is ragged, their body heaving from the attack.
Billy’s arm shook from the fresh wound. Shit, Stu. Why’d you have to stab me so hard?
Tears fall down [Y/N]’s eyes. Her legs are wobbly as she stands. She collapses by a tree, using it to steady herself. What’re they waiting for?! Why’re they just standing there?!
Ghostface removes their mask.
“Billy?! Y-You’re-”
He smiled. The fake vampire fangs are visible.
“No. No! Why?!”
Words are lost in Billy’s throat. He wants to tell her why he’s Ghostface but that would have to wait. My life would’ve been so horrible without you and Stu.
Macher, dressed like Ghostface, appeared from the darkness and wrapped an arm around [Y/N]’s mouth. A needle sinks into her neck. The ominous night shrouds her eyes.
A vehicle hums as Stu drives down a dark road. “Do you know how hard it was to lose Sidney and Dewey? She almost shot me, man!”
“Sorry. I didn’t think Peace would show up.”
Macher wiped blood from his face. “What do we do now? They’ll suspect us if we don’t go back.”
Billy turned in his seat and looked at [Y/N] who was tied up and knocked out. He brushed [short/long] hair from her face. “That’s why I had you buy that small cabin in the woods just out of town. There’s some fake blood we can use.”
“Oh,” Stu grinned. “We can stash our weapons and costumes there too. And your darling –ow!” He glared at Billy who hit him in his arm.
“We’ll wreck the car and run back to Sidney and Dewey. Tell them that Ghostface attacked us.”