Tear You Apart || Billy Loomis & Stu Macher ✓

𝟷𝟻| 𝐈 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐇𝐢𝐦, 𝐌𝐨𝐦

After your short trip to the video store, you had asked Stu to drop you off at your house so you could have some time to yourself before getting ready for his party. You were still hesitant about going, but you thought it'd be safer around a big group of friends rather than being home alone.

The Foo Fighters were playing on the radio when Stu pulled up beside your house, parking by the curb. You were spacing out until he flicked the music off. You glanced at him before grabbing your bag to leave.

"You got a ride to my place tonight?" He asked just as you opened the door.

With one foot out the vehicle, you stopped mid-way, slightly turning your body to face him as you flashed a compelling smile. "Why? You willing to give me one?"

"Actually, I was gonna say that Billy could take you," he admitted, seeing as Billy's house is only two blocks down from yours. Though, there was a microscopic shift in your expression at the mention of his name, one Stu caught. "But... I can come back to get you if that's what you want." He offered.

Your grip on the door handle tightened as you stared at the boy. You expected him to object to your request as his house resided on the other side of town, but he didn't.

Stu's steel blue irises flickered as he awaited your response. You gazed at him, eyebrows momentarily furrowing. For some odd reason, your heart lurched, leaving you quite puzzled.

"That's okay. I don't want to be an inconvenience." You declined, quickly sweeping the strange feeling under the rug before it made things awkward. "I can see if Dewey'll pick me up on his way to drop Sid and Tatum off."

"You sure?"

You gave a disingenuous smile to mask your sudden nervousness. "Yeah," You said, readjusting your bag's strap over your shoulder as you turned to exit the car. "Thanks for the ride home."

He mindlessly nodded at you, his thoughts somewhere else as something about your response felt off to him.

With nothing left to say, you stepped out of the car, waving at Stu as you shut the door behind you. He waited until you were safe inside the house before speeding off.

You entered the kitchen with a sigh, plopping your backpack down on the table as you waltzed over to the refrigerator for a drink. You pulled out a jug of lemonade your mother made the week prior, and poured yourself some in a glass with multicolored palm trees on it.

Just as you placed the jug back in the fridge, the house phone began to ring. You took a quick sip of your lemonade, wincing at the sourness before scurrying into the living room.

You lifted the phone off its hook. "Hello?"

"Hey, sweetie, it's mom."

"Hi, mom," You smiled. "Where are you and dad?"

You assumed they'd be home by now until you glanced at the giant grandfather clock beside the wall. You remembered school let out early as it was only one in the afternoon.

"I just got off work, so I'll be home in thirty minutes or so," she replied, sounding fairly exhausted. "As for your father, he's working overtime and won't be home until late tonight."

You couldn't help but feel your nerves flare up at the thought of being alone in the house. It wasn't just the killer that frightened you, but the fact that you've rarely ever been physically alone like this.

You've always had someone by your side, whether it was your friends, your parents, or your brother. You dreaded loneliness, and now that Steve was gone... his was eternal.

"Oh, well, that's all right." You said, unable to mask the gloom in your voice. Your mother sighed into the phone after recognizing the tone shift.

"I know it may be unseemly to work after what happened with Steven... but it is the only way we can afford his funeral expenses. I hope you can understand." She explained, and you nodded though she couldn't see.

"I do," You bit your lower lip, forcing back the emotions that have been begging to be released since the night he died. "It just doesn't feel real. I keep expecting Steve to come home and hug me like he does—like he did before. I miss him, Mom."

"I know, sweetie. So do I." There was a brief pause, and you heard faint sniffling. She was holding back tears too. "I'll be home soon, all right?"

"Okay. Be quick." You whispered before placing the phone back on its hook.

You exhaled deeply as your eyed locked onto the picture frame across the wall — your family photo, taken last year. You fought to regain control of the sorrow that threatened to betray you. You couldn't cry now. If you did, you wouldn't be able to stop.

A blaring ring kicked you from the hypnotic spiral you were in. You looked at the white telephone, moving to pick it up, thinking your mother forgot something. "Hello?"

"Hey, it's me." The voice belonged Tatum, you recognized.

"Oh, hey, Tate," Your mood slightly lifted. "What's up?"

"What happened today?" She asked, sounding as if she was with someone else. "Me and Sid looked for you at school, but you were gone. We were afraid something might've happened."

"Shit, I forgot. Stu had dragged me to the video store with him," You revealed, rolling your eyes at the memory.

"You were with Stu?" The uncertainty in her voice was evident.

"Yeah, he needed help picking out some movies for tonight. Though Randy did most of the suggesting, being a geek and all." You explained with a smile. "Stu just dropped me off at home."

"Oooh, maybe I should bring the Tom Cruise movie. We never got the chance to watch it." Tatum suggested.

"The boys are gonna be in for a big surprise." You laughed, and you could hear snickering in the background.

"Yeah well, Sid and I are just grabbing some food for the party. We'll come and get you after, okay?" She said, and you felt relieved that you didn't have to ask. Steve was the sibling with his driver's license. He took you to school and drove you almost anywhere you asked. Now, it was weird having to catch spare rides from your friends. You hated feeling like a nuisance.

"Okay, I'll see you in a bit."

"Ciao, babe."

When Tatum hung up, you set the phone down with a lighter feeling in your chest as you wouldn't be alone for too long.

Reentering the kitchen to grab your lemonade, you took another sip and started pulling the giant economics book out of your backpack. You jolted when the resounding ring of the telephone echoed across the house for a third time.

"I sure am popular today," You mumbled to yourself before going to answer it.

"Orth Residency, how can I help you?" You spoke playfully this time, setting your glass on the console table.

There was a brief silence which you frowned at. Just as you were about to speak again, a familiar, gruff voice cut you off.

"𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨, 𝐝𝐨𝐥𝐥."