Day Dream Screamer | Hiatus

Chapter 4

❃𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 4❃

"𝐵𝑜𝓁𝒹𝓁𝓎 𝓋𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓊𝓇𝑒𝒹, 𝒾𝓈 𝒽𝒶𝓁𝒻 𝓌𝑜𝓃."

― 𝐵𝓇𝑜𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇𝓈 𝒢𝓇𝒾𝓂𝓂

❃ ゜゜・。。・⊰❀⊱・ 。。・゜゜❃

About to continue, Randy had his mouth open to speak some other quick-witted reply, though instinct seemed to interrupt him as his head calmly turned around to greet a tall, blonde man that Becca had only just felt the presence of behind her. "Hello, Derek."

A tremor ran up her body that she steeled herself to conceal. Her mask donning once again to pretend that the past did not follow her around like her own shadow. In laboured breath, her chest rose and fell more deeply than before. Some small slip that was only noticed by those who often found themselves doing the same thing amongst strangers.

Quickly, Becca turned around to face the new person, cowering back next to Cindy. A known element from whom she could seek the comfort of familiarity. It was nothing against someone who she was sure was a perfectly charming man; her recoiling was a force of habit not so easily broken by a friendly face.

Friendly for now, at least.

His eyes stared at Sidney with that familiarity born of many late nights and amorous talks, of undying affection so quickly gained and so easily lost. Fresh and unlikely to last, but completely what Sidney needed at this point. Becca felt that it would be a while before the girl didn't have one foot out of the door in any relationship she was in. It would be hypocritical of Becca to call it out, though, and completely unnecessary.

Derek appeared to be the kind of man who exuded strength over intellect, most likely here because of some sporting agenda and definitely part of a fraternity. He seemed normal. But perhaps normal was what they all needed.

Becca averted her eyes slightly when the man leaned in to peck Sidney on the lips, murmuring a "Hey, Sid." to his partner.

Ever so slightly, his eyes flickered up at Cindy, her face, her outfit, her reproachful look, and her best friend. Eyes met, grey to golden brown, friendly confusion to guarded apprehension. The perfect contrast between those who were there and those who weren't. An open display of hidden wounds.

Why would he have any reason not to trust her? Why would she him? Unbidden thoughts, though, swirled, comparing those aliens to friendly smiles that concealed cruel twists. If one could hide malice behind mildness, who's to say he wasn't? Who's to say anybody wasn't? That gnawing doubt would overstay its welcome for longer than the Stab film would.

"Derek, is it?" Becca plastered on a synthetic smile, showing every ounce of kind warmth that her cold soul could not feel.

"Yes." He reached out to shake her hand, which she did reluctantly. "And you are?"

Her eyes briefly flitted over to Randy, a silent question in them that Randy imperceptibly nodded at. He was to be trusted, then. "Rebecca."

The tension screamed, so much so that Cindy wrapped her hand around the crook of Becca's arm. Becca's free hand clasped onto Cindy's as well. While Derek's unassuming and unaware eyes continued to stare at his girlfriend's old friend, everybody else was a lot more cautious there. Becca regarded him as she would another stranger, Sidney gnawed at her lip over the anxiety that her lover and friend wouldn't get along, Cindy was cautious of the other three people there—as much as she wanted Becca's friends to like her, she knew what Becca had been through, was going through, and was far more protective than wishful at present, and Randy... Well, he was perplexed. Randy had never minded Derek, much like he never minded any other stranger that he had met at the college, but to him, Becca used to be and probably still was one of the most discerning people he knew. Her analytical eye could have someone figured out faster than it took for them to say hello, even when she didn't know it. Hell, she'd done it unwittingly for Stu and Billy. So one word from Becca, despite the long time of their estrangement, and Derek would not be viewed so favourably by the movie buff. The same could be said for the reverse, though Randy had not connected the dots; after all, she had asked for his approval of Derek's character before continuing.