Please Notice. {Chad Meeks-Martin}

he wants us

PLEASE NOTICE— CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE.

"Hey. Hey. I got here as fast as I could." Danny pants, rushing up the stairs of the bottom floor of Gale's apartment building as he tries to steady his breathing.

"Did you?" Tara scrutinizes, accusation in her face as she searches Danny for any signs.

Violet rakes her eyes over the man, watching the way he stands, the manor in which he moves, his mannerisms when he speaks. She even catches the way he grabs his chest— the same way she does after a panic attack or physical activity.

"I'm scared you guys, I really don't want to get hurt again." Mindy admits, her voice small as she rests— broken and depleted.

"Neither do I." Chad admits, his voice catching slightly.

"I don't want you getting hurt again, either." Mindy adds, reminiscent of the way she'd almost lost her twin the year before.

"I know. I know." Chad urges, cuddling into his twin sister as a comfort for both of them.

Pain wrecks in Violet's chest as she watches her friends, Tara falling into the embrace of the siblings. She'd almost lost them and she can't let that happen again. They've already lost too much.

Violet's eyes filter up, feeling the gaze of someone else upon her. When her eyes lock on Sam's, they share the same sentiment. There is grief in their gaze— but also persistence.

"So what do we do now?" Chad ponders, waiting for a response as everyone tries to find one themself.

"There's only one thing to do." Violet admits, her voice grim as she breaks through the silence.

Unlike everyone else, she hadn't huddled into her friends like she normally would. In fact, the only comfort she offered was the clutch she had on her boyfriend's hand. Beyond that, she had already begun to detach.

"Maybe he gets to win this time." Sam adds, the two girls lock into a gaze of understanding.

Everyone in the groups gazes lock onto the two older sisters as a mournful sorrow filters their expressions.

Chad's gaze bears into Violet's skin, burning at her to turn to him— to not do what he's thinking she will. But when Violet ignores it— despite every atom in her body telling her not to— he understands that she's already made her decision.

Violet squeezes Chad's hand one last time, unable to look him in the eyes as she stands.

"He wants to punish us. Me. Sam." Violet admits, her voice shaky as she tries to control the emotions inside. She has to be strong—even if she's saying goodbye.

"So, maybe, we let him. We'll just give ourselves up." Sam joins Violet, standing to address the group as tears fall down her face.

"If this is what we have to do to keep you safe." Violet's gaze filters across her three seated friends, finally locking onto her boyfriend's as tears consume them both, "it's worth it."

"No. We're not doing that, Sam, Vi." Tara raises to look the girls in the eyes. "Alright, Sam, you went back to Woodsboro to protect me. Violet, you have protected me our entire lives. Every single day, you both make the decision to protect me. None of us would even be alive if it weren't for you. You have to let us protect you this time."