UNMASKED.

chapter 9.

it was late now and elena was staying over at tara's place for the night. she had just finished getting ready for bed when she got a notification, a text from carter. excited, she quickly checked her phone.

elena sat on the couch with anika, watching television together.

tara and chad were in the kitchen, chatting quietly. meanwhile, mindy was setting up the table. suddenly, mindy gagged aloud, "will you two just make out already?!" chad turned and gave her a glare as anika and elena shared a quiet chuckle.

sam walked in and placed some pillows and blankets onto the single chair, saying "here you go." to anika.

elena got up, following sam into the kitchen.

"we do have to stay here." mindy stated, leaning on the counter. "we're safer in big numbers." sam remarked as elena hopped onto the counter next to chad, "this will be so fun, a little slumber party with the core 5!"

chad nodded, "core 5?" sam asked.

"yeah." chad answered, making elena chuckle. "did you just give us a nickname?"

"that's debatable." sam replied, looking down.

"agreed." elena chimed in, looking at chad. "you can't just give yourself a nickname, dingus." mindy smiled.

chad raised his arm towards mindy, "well, of course i can, because i just did."

mindy rolled her eyes, responding, "no."

chad then lowered his arm towards tara, "get that away from me."

he turned towards elena, raising his arm to her, "down low."

elena laughed, "you know water is going to be your enemy." she joked.

chad quickly pulled his arm away from her, muttering, "please for the love of god."

he then raised his arm towards sam. "don't." elena chuckled.

chad said, "i actually would like a little more respect and support from my fellow members of the core five."

elena shook her head, smiling, "shut up."

"guys, what the hell?" anika interrupts them, getting their attention. she increases the volume on the television.

elena looked at the television and saw an older man's face.

the news was discussing the fact that a therapist had been murdered the night before, and sam was considered the primary suspect in the investigation.

elena's smile faded, replaced by a concerned expression.

annoyed, sam snatched the remote, changing the channel and leading the others into the living room. they quickly shifted their discussion, now focused on the rumors and slander that was going on towards sam online.

once their conversation ended, mindy raised her hand and said, "we are the core fucking five."

chad smiled at his sister and said, "thank you very much."

mindy grabbed chad's hand and they shook.

chad then said, "core five, bring it in."

all of them placed their hands in the center, especially elena.

sam announced, "i've been sleeping with cute boy  from across the hall." silence fell over the room as everyone turned to her.

mindy looked at sam and smirked, "i knew it from the day you had that hickey."

elena smiled widely. she looked at sam and said, "you fuck. i knew you were hiding something."

elena's phone suddenly buzzed, a notification showing up on the screen. she picked it up and saw it was a text from carter, stating he was in 'econ' but what she didn't know was that he was actually talking with quinn, and planning.