Lean Into Me { scream fanfic }

✮ - i want you to love me

Back in my dorm room, the silence was deafening. The events of the night played over and over in my mind like a broken record. The festive atmosphere of Hallie's party, the discovery of Casey's body, and the police questioning—it all felt like a surreal nightmare. I sat on my bed, staring at the window, the moonlight casting eerie shadows across the room. Sleep felt like an impossibility. I wrapped my arms around my knees, trying to make sense of the chaos that had unfolded. Every creak of the old building made me jump, my nerves frayed to their limit. Just as I was beginning to think that sleep would forever evade me, a soft knock on the window broke the silence.

         My heart leapt into my throat. I hesitated, my mind racing. Slowly, I approached the window and peered through the glass. There, illuminated by the moonlight, stood Billy. His expression was calm, almost unreadable. I unlocked the window and slid it open.

           "Billy?" I whispered, my voice barely audible.

          "Hey," he replied, his tone casual. "Can I come in?"

          I nodded, stepping aside to let him climb through the window. He moved with a quiet grace, landing softly on the floor of my room. Once inside, he straightened and looked around, his eyes briefly scanning the room before settling on me.

          "What are you doing here?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

        I heard about what happened at Hallie's party," he said simply. "I wanted to check on you."

        I bit my lip, a mix of relief and confusion washing over me. "I'm... I'm okay, I guess. Just shaken up."

          Billy nodded, his expression still neutral. He walked over to the bed and sat down, gesturing for me to join him. I hesitated for a moment before sitting beside him, the familiar warmth of his presence both comforting and unnerving. "How did you know?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me. "Word travels fast," he replied with a shrug. "Especially when something like this happens." We sat in silence for a moment, the weight of unspoken words hanging between us. I glanced at him, searching for any hint of emotion, but his face remained impassive.

          "Casey cooper," I murmured, more to myself than to him.

          Billy's expression didn't change. "Yeah, I heard."

            There was no trace of concern or sadness in his voice, just a flat acknowledgment. It reminded me of the darkness that lurked beneath his charming facade, the part of him that had once been a murderer. "Why did you come here, Billy?" I asked, needing to understand. "I told you, I wanted to check on you. Make sure you're okay." "But why?" I pressed, needing more than just his casual words. "After everything, why do you still care?" He shrugged, his eyes flickering with a brief, unreadable emotion. "I just do." Frustration bubbled up inside me. "That's not an answer, Billy. I need to know why you still care. Why you came here tonight." He looked at me, his gaze intense. "Natalie, I came because... despite everything, you're still important. I can't just turn that off." Tears welled up in my eyes, the mixture of relief and confusion overwhelming me. "I don't understand you, Billy. One moment, you act like you don't care, and the next, you're here, checking on me." He sighed again, running a hand through his hair. "It's complicated, Natalie. But just know that I'm here, even if I can't always show it." We lapsed into silence once more, the weight of his words settling over us. Despite his detached demeanor, there was a sincerity in his voice that I couldn't ignore. I reached out, tentatively placing my hand on his.

         "Billy," I whispered, my voice shaking, "I still care about you. I don't know why, but I do." He looked down at our hands, his expression softening ever so slightly. "I know, Natalie."