DAMSEL IN DISTRESS [SCREAM 1996]

5. Basic Instinct

Again, Cassandra loved attention.

But, right now, she hated it.

Forcing herself through the cameras and news reporters was hard enough. They all wanted the 'big scoop' on Casey and Steve's deaths. 

Then, she had to deal with her schoolmates.

While they usually gawked at her as she walked by, it was clearly different today.

The guys that wanted to hit on her were instead avoiding eye contact and whispering to their buddies. The girls that wanted to be her scurried away and thanked heavens that they weren't Cassandra, after all.

Billy Loomis was already at his locker. Usually, Cassandra was first and he'd take the chance to give her a scare. But, she was still dragging through the halls like a lifeless corpse.

She opens unlocks her locker but pauses before opening it. She thinks about all the photos of Casey inside the door. Could she face those right now?

"Rough night, huh?" Billy asks.

Cassandra's eyes cut up to look at him. He quirks an eyebrow at her.

"You have no idea," she decides, clutching the latch to her locker, still unable to open it. 

"I can imagine. It's all anyone is talking about," he notes.

He steps closer, his tone almost sympathetic but with an undercurrent of something she can't quite place. Cassandra feels a chill run down her spine as he moves into her personal space.

Cassandra hesitates, her hand still on the locker handle. 

"Watch out," Billy says, stepping closer.

Cassandra takes a cautious step back, eyeing him carefully. 

Before she can protest, Billy reaches past her and opens her locker. Cassandra tenses, but he moves swiftly, blocking her view of the photos.

"Mr. Peele's class, right?" he asks.

"Yeah.." she mutters.

 He pulls out her books and closes the locker. Then, he turns and hands the books to her. "There you go."

Cassandra takes the books, her eyes narrowing. "Thanks, I guess."

"Anything to help."

"Right," she retorts, sliding her books under her arm.

"If you need anything.. you don't have to be a stranger. Sid, me, the rest of us.. we're around."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Billy nods. His eyes still as unreadable as ever. But, that's the thing about Billy Loomis. No one really knew what was going on in his head.

"We used to be friends," he recalls. "What changed?"

"Middle school was a long time ago," Cassandra replies. "People change."

"You started cheerleading. Never had free time. You weren't really the same after that."

"Yeah. I guess you weren't the same after.." she hesitates.

Billy's eyes darken. But, he doesn't say anything.

"Sorry," she says. "I didn't mean to bring that up."

"My mom left," he finishes her comment. "Maternal abandonment.. really changes a person."

"It does.."

"Yours didn't leave."

"She did," Cassandra argues. "She was just a little less selfish than your mom."