Chapter Text
Gina Porter reporting from Woodsboro, Massachusetts where two teenagers’ murderous rampage has finally been put to an end. After three days and five murders, local high schoolers EJ Caswell and Emily Pratt were unmasked and subsequently killed in one last attempt to terrorize fellow students. It seems that the teens were seeking revenge on anyone who they felt wronged them. I am haunted to be the first to report that EJ Caswell and Emily Pratt confessed to the murder of Maureen Riley a year ago today. And this time around, their main target was her daughter and Emily Pratt's girlfriend, Maddox Riley. Maddox is reported to be alive, but has sustained several injuries and is currently on her way to Woodsboro Hospital. Two others were carted off to the hospital as well, Ricky Bowen, a local security guard, and Nini Salazar-Roberts, another Woodsboro teen. Nini is expected to have a full recovery from her gunshot wound, while Ricky Bowen is said to be in much more serious condition after being stabbed along his spine.
With five dead and four injured, myself included, Caswell and Pratt definitely left a mark on the town of Woodsboro. A small town like this is not going to forget this horrible tragedy any time soon. And I'm here to make sure you don't forget about it either.
It’s been four months since the Woodsboro Murders. Four months since Emily Pratt and EJ Caswell went on a killing spree with the goal of killing Maddox Riley. Instead, they killed six people before being killed by Maddox herself, with the help of B-list news reporter, Gina Porter. Four months of therapy and becoming a recluse for Maddox. Four months of intense physical therapy for Ricky. And four months of recounting the traumatic events in book-form for Gina. The latter is a secret, of course. Gina’s agent wants her to start hinting about her upcoming book to get buzz going, but she’s managed to convince him that it’s too soon.
“Six people died, Benjamin, we have to be careful about this rollout or people will turn on me.” Gina had argued.
“The news cycle is almost done with Woodsboro, Gina. The story that you broke. The story that you’re the hero in. If you let this buzz die, nobody will buy the book. Which I’m supposed to have a first draft of, by the way.”
“I know, I know. I’m tying up loose ends.”
Loose ends is an easier excuse than the truth. The truth is that she’s kind-of-but-not-really-dating Ricky Bowen, the small town security guard who somehow survived the Woodsboro murders. And somehow caught Gina’s eye in the process.
Nothing about Gina and Ricky makes sense, they both know it. He’s dorky and awkward and wouldn’t survive ten minutes out of his small town. And she’s a cutthroat journalist who would rather die than have to spend any more time in a town like Woodsboro. But he’s sweet, thoughtful, and handsome. And he always knows what to say to make Gina smile, even though he’s not great with words. It’s embarrassing. She’s never had such a lame crush on anyone before and she hates that he knows it.
“You don’t actually think the rumors are true, do you?” Gina laughs, glancing toward her phone as she prepares dinner. She can see Ricky’s smile on her phone screen from across the kitchen island and hopes to God he can’t see hers.
“ Gina Porter spends promotion money on calf implants! It sounds pretty legit to me,” Ricky teases, presenting the headline in a dorky newscaster voice. He’s sitting up in bed, like he always is when they talk. His injuries from the final Ghostface attack left him with some hefty nerve damage, limiting some of mobility on his right side. He won’t admit it, but he’s insecure about it, so he spends most of his time at home. But even in the last few weeks, Gina’s noticed a lot of improvement during their FaceTime calls.
Gina grabs her phone and makes sure Ricky sees her roll her eyes. “You’re ridiculous. Calf implants cost more than what my silly little promotion got me.”
“First of all, it’s not silly. It’s your dream job. Second of all, you’ve actually looked into calf implants?” Ricky is a man who can go from honestly sincere right back to sarcasm in seconds. Gina is annoyed at how touched she is. She's famously unfazed by flirtatious flattery, but god, she's a sucker for sincerity/ It's not something she sees a lot of while working in Hollywood.
“After I saw the rumors, I got curious.” Gina puts her phone down and goes back to chopping vegetables nonchalantly. Distance. Keep your distance, Gina. He’s a character in your goddamn book.
“Gina Porter, curious? Doesn’t sound like her at all.” Gina hates how easily she recognizes the admiration in his voice. Without realizing it, she's gotten to know Ricky's mannerisms quite well during their late night calls.
“And you know everything about me, right, Ricky?” Gina teases easily.
There’s a short pause and just as Gina’s about to check her phone, Ricky’s soft voice makes her freeze completely. “I’d like to.”
No matter how many times Gina tries to tell herself to keep Ricky at an arm’s length, he calls and she folds. Or she thinks of something she wants to tell him and doesn’t hesitate to call him. It’s a vicious cycle of knowing what’s best for both of them, talking to him anyway, and then immediately feeling guilty for lying to him about her book.
The guilt hits a boiling point a month later during one of their late night calls.
“My dad left,” Ricky spits out, breaking a comfortable silence that had fallen over them.
They’ve been talking for hours, both cuddled up in their beds on opposite sides of the country. Lately, they’ve been talking every night before bed, and long silences weren’t unusual. Neither was Ricky talking about his hectic home life. Gina lifts her head up to get a better look at her phone screen. In his dimly lit bedroom, Ricky is looking off to the side.
“Really?"
“I know I kept saying he was going to, and it’s probably for the best, but he actually did it. He left.” Ricky’s voice sounds off and Gina doesn’t know what to think.
“What did he say?”
Ricky lets out a sad laugh. “Nothing to me. He and my mom had been arguing all day and then he was just gone.”
He still won’t look at her, his gaze is locked at something past his phone. Gina studies his expression for too long and fails to respond, so Ricky just keeps going.
“I get it, y’know, he misses Avery. We all show it differently, that’s all.”
And just like that, the guilt rushes over Gina relentlessly. Avery . The one person they never talk about. Ricky’s younger sister, Maddox’s best friend, and the fourth victim of the Woodsboro Murders last September.
Ricky continues. “He needs someone to blame. It’s fine. He can’t really get closure from EJ or Emily any time soon. So it’s on me. And that’s fine.”
“No, it’s not fine.” Gina interrupts abruptly. Ricky’s eyes finally meet hers through the phone. It makes Gina feel both better and worse at the same time. “What happened to Avery isn’t your fault. It’s not fair of him to blame you.”
Ricky sighs, averting his eyes away from her again. “Thanks.”
The way Ricky can’t even look at her is what really stays with her when the conversation is over. After they say goodnight and hang up, Gina can’t erase the image of Ricky shying away from her gaze. He’s never done that before. Ricky’s always the one trying to connect with her. She’s always the one breaking up a moment, always holding something back. But never Ricky. Not until he was faced with the notion that he isn’t the only person who blames him for the death of his sister.
This shouldn’t motivate Gina to write. It really shouldn’t. Her phone calls with Ricky never do, she’s done a good job at keeping her relationship separate from the book. But right now, it feels impossible. Because when this book comes out, no one will ever blame Ricky again. They’ll see that the only people to blame are EJ Caswell and Emily Pratt. No protective older brother could have stop them from what they had planned. And if that isn’t a good enough reason for Ricky, maybe he’ll just blame Gina instead. She’s the one who asked him to go on a walk in the woods that night. She took him away from the house party that his sister was murdered at. Maybe if she hadn’t, he would’ve gone to check on her and prevented her from ending up alone in that garage with Emily.
Not a lot of things haunt Gina about that night. The past is the past. Nothing to do now but move forward. That’s how she usually feels when it comes to moving past an old story. But not this one, not when it comes to Avery. Not when she knows Ricky blames himself for her dying. She can’t play with Ricky’s emotions any more than she already has.
Gina Porter can live with being the villain, she’s gotten used to it during her career in journalism. But Ricky isn’t thick-skinned like she is. He’s sensitive and always has pure intentions, it’s all so exhausting to her. She doesn’t understand how he gets anything done being so emotional all the time. But she admires him for it, even though it breaks her heart. His sister’s death is going to haunt him for the rest of his life. Gina can’t change that, but she can make sure the world sees the psychopaths who killed her for what they truly were. Even if it means losing Ricky. Yes, Gina can handle being the villain as long as Ricky knows he isn't one.
That night, Gina sends her first draft to her editor. She wishes she could feel proud. Instead she cries herself to sleep, letting out all the shit she’s let build up these past five months. It’s horrible. And the next morning, Gina Porter does what she does best: pretend that she’s completely fine.
Six Months after the Woodsboro Murders
[Gina]: Hey, I know today is a tough one. I’m here if you need anything.
[Ricky]: thanks gi
[Ricky]: gina
[Ricky]: sorry. typo.
[Gina]: It’s okay, I kind of like it ❤️
Ricky paints on his best smile as the door in front of him opens. He can tell Maddox is doing the same thing for his sake from the moment he sees her. It breaks his heart.
Her eyes fall on the container balancing dangerously in his unsteady hands. “I made cupcakes.”
Maddox’s smile softens a little and Ricky hopes it’s real this time. “Of course you did. Chocolate with vanilla frosting?”
“Avery’s favorite.” Ricky’s smile turns a bit sour but he fights it. You did not come here to cry and make it Maddox’s problem.
“Nice touch, Rick,” Maddox all but whispers as she takes the container from Ricky and moves aside so he can enter her house.
Ricky walks inside, cursing the pain that's still present in his right leg. He hears Maddox secure about five different types of locks on the front door before turning on the security alarm beside the door. He's never been in the Riley household before, only ever dropped Avery off in the driveway. He's sure the locks and security system are a new addition though.
Gina’s text is what gets him through the awkward small talk with Maddox. It's not that they don't get along, they're actually pretty close. But dancing around the elephant in the room is proving quite difficult. Ricky's been dreading this day for months but remembers that when this is all over, Gina will be waiting for him on the other end of his phone. Like she always is nowadays. It's just another kind of crutch, he knows that, but god he doesn't know where he'd be without her.
“Thanks again for coming.” Maddox trails her fingers along the rim of her tea mug.
Ricky shrugs, sitting across from Maddox at her crowded kitchen table. The house is eerily quiet and he’s sure her dad is upstairs somewhere, giving her space. He remembers Maddox mentioning his new tendency to hover. It’s understandable. Two psychopaths went on a killing spree with the goal of killing his daughter on the anniversary of the day they killed his wife… It’s more than enough reason to become a helicopter parent.
“It’s nice getting out of the house,” Ricky admits. “Would’ve felt wrong treating today like any other day. Avery was always so big on being the center of attention on her birthday.”
Maddox’s hollow smile is back and Ricky is starting to think that’s just how she smiles now. Never fully genuine after what she’s seen. He can’t blame her, especially not today. “Remember the year she went on strike because your parents wouldn’t let her get a cat?"
Ricky lets out a quiet laugh. “Oh my god. They literally had one picked out for her, but it was a surprise."
“She was so mad that she ruined her own birthday for nothing.” Maddox covers her face in amusement and Ricky wipes a tear off his face while she isn’t looking.
She must catch it though because the next thing Maddox says to quell the silence breaks his heart. “I know Avery used to give you shit all the time, but she really did love you.”
Suddenly Ricky’s eyes are glued to a small scratch in the wooden table in front of him. He traces his fingers over it slowly.
“She always said she’d go crazy if she had to deal with your parents alone. Said she was lucky to have you.” Maddox means well, Ricky knows that. And maybe one day these words will comfort him, but right now they hurt. He feels discomfort running down his right leg and through his cramped up fingers. It’s a sensation reserved for this kind of talk.
“Well, uh, thanks,” Ricky mumbles, ignoring the tears that slide down his face. He can feel Maddox’s eyes on him, so he sits up, sniffles, and forces a smile. “I know she told you this all the time, but Avery was lucky to have you. You meant a lot to her, Mads.”
Yet another hollow smile. “Thanks, Ricky. I was lucky to have her too. I never would’ve gotten through losing my mom without her.”
Ricky nods slowly, unable to imagine how Maddox could possibly be so strong. After everything she’s been through, to even fake a smile must be so much work. He reaches across the table and takes her hand, squeezing it gently. Now Maddox is crying too and for a while, the two of them just cry together. They talk about Avery, and what they miss most about her. They talk about the worst part about being National news (it’s the memes people make online for sure). They talk about suffocating parents and the urge to run away and never speak to anyone in Woodsboro ever again.
Ricky thinks about running away all the time. Leaving this town that has done nothing but laugh at him always sounded great. But now, being the dead girl’s older (and broken) brother? It’s awful. It doesn’t hurt that he knows exactly where he’d run. To Gina. Always to Gina.
“Hey Maddox, before I get going there’s something I wanted to talk to you about.” Ricky didn’t come into this day with the intention of telling Maddox about him and Gina, but all this emotional talk has really lit something in him. He feels raw and vulnerable, like if he wastes another second hiding Gina, she'll disappear.
“What’s up, Bowie?”
Ricky rolls his eyes at the old nickname, he hasn’t heard it in years. But it just adds more fuel to the fire. “It’s about Gina. Gina Porter.”
Maddox’s body language immediately changes. But not in a way Ricky expects. She looks uncomfortable all of a sudden. “Oh.”
“I know you got off to a bad start with Gina, but I do think there’s more to her than meets the eye. I’ve actually really gotten to know her these past few months and-“
“Wait, what?” Maddox interrupts Ricky, her brow furrowed deeply. Again, not what Ricky’s expecting. “You’ve talked to Gina since September?”
“Yeah.” He can feel his bravery slipping away by the second. Because something about Maddox’s reaction isn’t right. This isn’t about being rubbed the wrong way back in September. She looks absolutely sick over this. Something else is going on. “Why?”
“Did she tell you about the book?”
There are moments that immediately feel like the end of something. This is one of those moments. One question absolutely destroys Ricky's entire illusion before he evenknows what it fully means.
“Book?” Ricky asks dumbly.
Maddox chews on her lip nervously, clearly trying to read Ricky’s anxiety-ridden expression. “Gina’s writing a book about the Woodsboro murders. She sent me and Nini an email about it last night. I assumed you got one too. But if you’ve been in touch with her all along… She didn’t tell you?”
There’s a strange ringing in Ricky’s ears. He actually looks around the room to try and see where it’s coming from. Anything to distract him from what Maddox’s words are implying. Gina can’t be writing a book. She just can’t be. She’d never do that. And she would’ve told him. Wouldn’t she?
“No, she already broke the story that night. She got her big promotion…” Ricky trails off, hearing his own words. The Gina he met in September would sell her first born child to further her career. No matter the lengths, she'd always take them. Maybe the Gina he knows now would do the same.
Maddox gets up and disappears for a moment before returning with a laptop. She sets it in front of Ricky and hits a few keys while he stares off into space, considering all this. “It’s her official email address, Rick.”
Ricky’s eyes adjust to the long winded email in front of his eyes and certain sentences jump out at him.
…I hope this email finds you well and that you’ve had time to heal after the atrocities we faced in September…
…Something I learned about myself through all of this is that diving into my work is the best way for me to fully heal…
…After months of writing it has become clear that the world needs to know what we went through…
…For all the victims of this tragedy, I’ve decided to publish my debut novel, “The Woodsboro Murders.”
Ricky starts to push himself away from the table, shaking his head. “No, I can’t-“
“I’m sorry, Ricky. I had no idea,” Maddox’s hands are out in front of her as Ricky stands up quickly. Too quickly, he falters for a moment before catching himself on the table. Maddox steps toward him to help.
“I have to call her.”
“Call her?”
“This can’t be right. That can’t be from her.” Ricky pushes past Maddox carefully toward the front door.
Maddox follows him. “Is your ride here?”
“I’ll walk.”
“Ricky…”
“I’ll walk, Maddox.” Ricky storms out of the house, the pain in his right leg burning with every step. But he doesn’t care. It doesn’t matter. Because all he can think about is the most traumatic three days of his life being sold to the masses in book form. And the fact that Gina has been writing about it all along. The Gina he thought he knew wassitting down at her computer everyday to immortalize the biggest mistake he's ever made.
He’s only a few houses away when he hears Gina’s voice on the other end of his cell. “Hey.”
The softness in her voice hits him immediately. Tears cloud his vision. His words come out quickly, hushed as if it’s a secret. “Are you writing a fucking book?”
He hears a sharp breath and some mumbled words through the phone. She's excusing herself. And then, “Ricky, I-“
“Yes or no.” He can't take any of her sly wordplay. He just needs to know.
There’s a long pause. And then, “I was going to tell you.”
Ricky doesn’t care that he lets a sob slip out, right into the phone for Gina to hear. And he doesn’t care when his voice cracks either. He wants Gina to know how disappointed he is. “You can’t be serious. You can’t actually think this is a good idea. After everything I’ve told you.”
“Ricky, please. None of our conversations were ever about my book.” While Ricky’s voice is dripping with emotion and desperation, Gina’s is cold and straightforward. She’s presenting him with facts and nothing more. It hurts more than anything she could ever say to him. “This is real.”
“No, it isn’t.”
A pause. “Then what is it, Ricky?”
Ricky finally raises his voice. “It’s bullshit! Everything I thought about you has been a lie. I thought everyone was wrong about you. I thought you were better than this.”
“This is my job, Ricky. What do you want me to do?!” Gina yells back.
Ricky stops in the middle of the sidewalk, shocked that she has the nerve to yell at him right now. “I want you to think about something other than your stupid job for two seconds! I want you to spare Maddox of more unwanted attention. I want you to spare everyone in this town from having to relive this all over again.”
“This is just as much my story, Ricky. I was there. I’ve had to relive it every time I sit down to write.”
“That doesn’t mean you have to publish it for all the world to see!”
“I’m a journalist, not a middle schooler writing in her fucking diary.”
“Do you really have nothing to say for yourself? No apology? No remorse?” Ricky starts angrily pacing around the sidewalk, needing the pain in his leg to distract him from the empty pit opening up in his chest.
“I should’ve told you, I know that. But I won’t apologize for doing my job. Nothing we ever talked about is in this book. It’s the facts. It’s what happened and nothing else.”
His next words are quiet. He attempts to sound as stoic as Gina has this whole time. “We talked about my sister.”
Gina takes a sharp breath. “Ricky-“
“Is my sister in your fucking book?”
“Of course she is.”
Ricky's entire right side is wracked with pain now, but it's not enough to distract from Gina breaking his heart in two. “Then we’re done.”
“What?”
“I don’t want to hear from you ever again.”
“Seriously, Ricky? I didn’t write anything that isn’t true. I’m setting the record straight! For Maddox, for you, for Avery.”
“Fuck you, Gina.” Ricky spits out before ending the call.
Gina stands in her dressing room across the country in Los Angeles. The line goes dead and she throws her phone across the room as hard as she can. “Fuck!”
She knew this was going to happen. She knew he’d never understand. Ricky Bowen is led by emotion, first and foremost. And that’s something Gina will never be able to understand. She was fooling herself all along. This never could’ve worked.
So why does it hurt so much?