Bookview Valley 3

Chapter Six: Are You Ready For It?

Friday, August 27th

Dean

-I'm ready to talk now. Meet at the cafeteria.

I stare at the message. Relief, fear, all of it rushes through me. What does he have to say? Are we over even though we've just begun? I mean it's been seven months, but that's barely anything. Most of it was school and research for colleges; even though I knew I wanted to come here. Still though, I don't know how to feel.

"You good?" Lexi asks, glancing up from her laptop, as she lays on her stomach on the bed.

"Yeah, Dean's ready to talk," I reply, glancing up at her.

"That's good," Lexi says, "I'm sure it'll be fine."

"I don't know..." I trail off.

"Just go," Lexi urges me, with a flick of her wrist.

"Okay, okay," I sigh, sending a quick text to Dean to tell him okay. I change quickly before rushing over to the cafeteria. When I get there he's not there yet. Did he mean inside the cafeteria? What if he's inside and thinking I'm not going to show? My head begins to fill with unwanted thoughts, but they stop when I spot him walking over, his blue head bent down against the wind. 

He reaches me and looks up, "Hey."

There's not a glimmer of a smile on his face, "Dean, hey." I try to give him a smile, but I'm sure it comes out more like a grimace. Why am I having boy problems while there's a killer? This is ridiculous.

"Want to go in?" He asks, as I shiver against the wind.

"Yes," I nod. He opens the door for me, allowing me to go in first. We find a table quickly and sit down.

"Do you want to get food?" He asks, not making direct eye contact with me.

"Not really," I answer honestly.

"Me neither," He mutters, wrapping his arms around himself.

"So, you wanted to talk?" I ask.

"Right, I wanted to apologize about how I acted earlier," He says, no inflection in his tone, "It was cruel and I'm sorry."

"Dean, you don't have to be sorry for how you feel," I reach out to touch his arm, but he flinches away, "I'm sorry I made you feel that way."

"I just..I don't know why I get that way with Nick around. It's...weird," Dean sighs, finally meeting my eyes. His grey eyes seem even stormier than usual as they search mine.

"Is there anything I can do? To make it less...weird?" I ask, my hands nearly wringing themselves to death under the table.

"I don't know," Dean mutters, "But, maybe don't go to the party? I really don't think it's a good idea, and you could get hurt. There are other ways to catch this killer. Hell, we could even just leave it to the cops this time."

"The cops haven't helped before. It's always been us, or me who's brought them down. Why would this time be different? Also, what other ways are there, Dean?" I ask, but part of me knows he's right.

"It doesn't have to be you who stops this killer," Dean pleads. 

"Dean," I sigh, "I have to do something." 

"Fine, I get it," His eyes avoid mine, "Just don't go to the party. You're one of the survivors, Morgan. There's no way they're not targeting you."

"I know there's no way I'm not a target," I agree, "But I can't stand around and watch other people die."

"How are you going to help them?!" Dean lowers his voice realizing that he said that in more of a shout, "Sorry, but what do you think you can do that they can't?"