Kamari Loomis doesn't like parties, but she goes anyway-usually with a plan, and always with a secret. Quietly clever, darkly whimsical, and never quite what she seems, Kamari plays the safe friend while stirring shadows in the background. But when...
KAMARI LOOMIS had her arms lazily looped around Ethan's back, smiling the kind of smile that said I know something you don't, soft enough that no one else could see.
"I'm standing in front of the apartment building..." came the voice from the TV, ominous and casual—like a ghost trying to make small talk.
The door opened and in swept Sam, her presence cutting through the room like a gust of reality. "What's going on?" she asked.
Quinn's eyes flicked to the guy trailing behind Sam and lit up. "Cute boy!" she declared, like she was awarding him a medal. "Nice."
But the mood shifted faster than a horror movie score. The voice on the TV returned:
"We're discovered... their names have just been released by police. Jason Carvey, and Greg Bruckner."
Mindy's eyes widened like cartoon saucers. "Holy shit, that's that code dude from our film studies class!" she gasped, prompting Kamari to glance toward Ethan.
"The one obsessed with Argento," Kamari muttered, as if horror nerds falling into murder plots was just another Tuesday.
"Also found at the scene..." the reporter continued ominously.
Tara's face folded into a scowl.
Kamari slowly unwrapped her arms from Ethan and, ever so casually, threw a leg over his knee like a lazy cat curling up on a windowsill. Both of them perched on the couch like mischief in human form.
"We're various Ghostface costumes, a character popularized by the Stab movie franchise..." the reporter droned on, and the whole room suddenly felt colder.
Sam glanced at everyone, visibly rattled. "Pack a bag. We leave in ten."
Kamari raised a brow like she'd just been invited to prom by a raccoon. "Ten?" Tara rolled her eyes. "Sam!"
"Wait—Sam!" Tara tried again.
"We're getting out of the city," Sam said firmly, already moving like a woman with a mission.
"What?" said her confused, suddenly less-cute boyfriend.
Kamari hummed thoughtfully. Ethan rested his hand on her leg, and they exchanged a smile—subtle, sly, just loud enough for the room to notice. The plan was working.
"Thank you, suspicious new guy, but we got it from here," Chad chimed in heroically, ushering the boyfriend out like he was the closing act. "Have a good night! Get home safe! Go, go, go!"
"Sam!" Tara cried again, and Kamari glanced up from the couch like she was watching an opera unfold.
"No, wait! Let's talk about this for a second!" Tara pleaded, chasing after her sister. "'Cause this might not even have anything to do with us!"
Sam turned, scandalized. "Are you serious?!"
Kamari watched in silence, utterly entertained. It was like a drama playing out in surround sound, and she was the only one holding popcorn.
Except she didn't care about the movie. She cared about finishingthe story her and Sam's father had started. And Sam didn't know that. Not yet.
"It's a big city!" Tara insisted. "It's Halloween! Everybody's wearing masks!"
"You don't know, Tara," Sam hissed. "This isn't a coincidence."
"You knew him!" Sam yelled.
"Barely!" Tara retorted.
Sam turned to their friends, desperate. "Chad? Mindy? Kam?! Back me up!"
"It is a little bit... close to home," Chad offered diplomatically.
"I agree," Kamari added with a shrug, trying her best impression of concerned. Ethan's tiny smirk betrayed them, just for a second, before vanishing like fog.
"See?" Sam said, triumphant.
Tara sighed and turned to Quinn. "Quinn, your dad's a cop, right?"
Quinn looked from Ethan, to Kamari, to Tara—like she was weighing worlds.
"Can you call him? Find out what's going on before Sam makes the unilateral decision to abandon my college education and flee the fucking state?!"
Kamari offered Quinn a soft, faux-sympathetic smile. It was almost sweet—if you didn't know what she was up to.
"I'm calling him now," Quinn said, already dialing.
"Thank you," Tara sighed.
But before the call even had a chance to connect—ring ring—Sam's phone lit up.
Kamari and Ethan exchanged a look. Showtime.
Sam picked up, nearly dropping the knife in the process.
"Who is it?" Tara asked, voice suddenly small.
The phone screen glowed ominously.
Everyone looked.
Gale Weathers.
Sam stared at the name, then declined the call.
Ethan blinked. "Why did everyone just freak out when her phone rang?"
"Yeah," Kamari said innocently, voice like sugar over poison.
Anika shook her head. "You gotta keep up, my dudes," she sighed like a camp counselor who's seen too much.
Quinn stood up, phone still in hand. "Sam? My dad wants to talk to you."
Sam took it, cautious. "Mr. Bailey?"
Kamari's smirk grew as she heard the voice on the other end.
"Hey, Sam!" chirped Bailey, far too cheerful.
"I was actually just about to call you," she said carefully.
"Well," Bailey replied, "my sister thinks I'm probably overreacting."
"No. Unfortunately... you're not."
That sentence made the air in the room go very still.
Kamari, Ethan, and Quinn shared a loaded look.
The kind of look that screamed: everything is going exactly as planned.
"What do you mean?" Sam asked, her voice suddenly hollow. "What's going on?"
"I'm afraid I need you to come down to the station."
Kamari exhaled slowly.
Plans are set.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Word count: 935 !
Vera speaks !
╰┈➤ I'm actually so excited about this book! Thanks again for reading! And I do need a ship name :) hopefully I come up with one, feel free to make some up!. Love you all!. Let the games begin.
- - -
hi guys!! it's vera in 2025! thank you guys for literally all of this support, it means so much to me and i'm so happy to be re writing this fanfiction. love you all lots xx
