Entanglement of Time

Chapter 3: Wish You Were Here

Summary: Tara misses Amber during the last few days of Fall Break. Tara really wants Amber to hang out with her instead of watching movies with her online friend, I think we all know who the online friend is, unfortunately. (Eat, my children, eat. Finna make Tara wear some white shoes and Amber wear some damn boots for whenever the hell I write a smut chapter, might be next chapter, might not *wink wink*).

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Wednesday, September 7th, 2022.

Tara glances at her phone, her thoughts swarming like restless bees. The screen is blank, just as it has been for days. She lets out a frustrated sigh, sitting up in bed and stretching her arms over her head, feeling the tension in her muscles ease slightly as she releases a soft yawn. Despite her hopes, she hasn't heard from Amber since the party. Each passing day has been filled with anticipation, her heart skipping a beat at every notification, only to be let down by the silence that follows. The quiet has settled in, much to Tara's growing disappointment.

Tara gingerly slips out of bed, careful not to disturb her mother, who is sound asleep on the sofa downstairs in a drunken slumber. The house is eerily quiet, with only the faint hum of the refrigerator breaking the stillness, accompanied by the occasional creak of the old wooden floorboards. She tiptoes to the bathroom, her bare feet cool against the tiles, seeking solace in a warm shower to calm her racing thoughts. The steam envelops her, the hot water cascading over her skin as she stands there for a good fifty minutes, her mind fixated on the one person who has occupied her worries for far too long.

She has no idea what Amber is up to, but she's been plagued by the nagging fear that Richie and Amber might have already started talking. The thought gnaws at her, an unwelcome guest that refuses to leave. Tara hopes with every fiber of her being that they haven't, though deep down, she knows it's unlikely they haven't connected yet. If they have, her time to steer Amber away from the darkness is slipping away faster than she can grasp.

After the shower, she carefully steps out, the mirror fogged up, obscuring her reflection. She wraps a soft towel around her petite frame, the fabric clinging to her damp skin. The chill in the hallway hits her immediately as she opens the bathroom door, causing her to shiver slightly. It's only nineteen days until the attacks are set to begin, yet the looming dread makes it feel like the threat is already here, as if the shadow of Ghostface has already descended upon them, lurking in the corners of her mind.

Tara retreats to her room, her fingers brushing against the cool metal of the closet handle as she selects her clothes for the day. She hesitates for a moment, her eyes scanning the familiar array of shirts and sweaters before settling on something simple and casual. She slips into a familiar pink sweater, the one she wore that fateful night.

As she pulls it over her head, she pauses, looking down at the fabric as it settles around her. It's the same one she wore the night she was attacked. The fabric is still soft, still warm, and, to her relief, still whole. No holes, no tears from the knife that hasn't yet struck. But a dark thought lingers in the back of her mind, whispering that it's only a matter of time. She knows that if she doesn't find a way to keep Amber from spiraling into madness, the sweater will eventually bear the scars of that night, a haunting reminder of what's to come.

She sits down on her bed, the soft mattress sinking slightly under her weight as she carefully cradles her phone in her hands. Her heart races as she listens for any sounds from downstairs, hoping her mother doesn't stir. Tara lets out a sigh of relief when the silence remains unbroken, a clear sign that her mother is still lost in her drunken slumber on the sofa. The weight of what she's about to do presses on her, but she knows she can't wait any longer. She turns her phone on, the screen glowing dimly in the dark room, and steels herself to take a step toward her plan to prevent Amber from spiraling into pure madness.