𝐄𝐘𝐄𝐒 | Tara Carpenter SCREAM VI/VII

•TEN

It's been ten days since the Ghostface attack and my conversation with Tara... and the things with my leg and with the brunette couldn't be better. Our bond has strengthened and during the first three days after my attack she often came to my dorm to play PlayStation. It was fun, I thought, especially because she would furrow her brow while clicking the joystick buttons. I found myself with butterflies in my stomach several times watching her pout her lips, only to change her expression immediately after when I let her win.

My heart skipped a beat.

Two fingers snap in front of my face bringing me back to reality from my thoughts. Tara's brown eyes look at me with an amused expression while my cheeks flush red. "Everything okay?" she asks with a small smile, the sound of the TV in the background.

I nod. "I was just thinking," I say, scratching my neck in embarrassment. my cheeks reddening even more from being caught off guard.

"Mmmh," she responds, amused.

"Aren't you eating?" she asks, raising an eyebrow as she gently pushes her pizza plate towards me. I look at the steaming pizza and my mouth waters. Tara watches me with an amused smile.

I take a slice and bite into it.

We're at Tara and Sam's place, taking advantage of a calm moment without any psychopaths (or two) to worry about. Chad, Anika, and Mindy are chatting among themselves while Sam is seated on a chair and Quinn has retreated to her room with yet another guy.

My best friend sits on the couch while Mindy, Chad, and Sam join me and Tara around the kitchen table.

"Damn, Y/N... When was the last time you ate?" exclaims Mindy, her eyes wide. My cheeks flush red and I swallow loudly.

"Sorry," I quickly say, embarrassed.

"Mindy..." Tara scolds her, raising an eyebrow.

"I was joking!" Mindy defends herself, raising her hands in a peace gesture.

"Guys," Chad says, with the air of someone who just had an idea. "Since we're the survivors of Woodsboro, why don't we call ourselves the core Four?" he suggests looking at his sister, Tara, and Sam.

I find myself frowning in confusion. It was a strange proposal.

"Oh please, Chad, what nonsense," Mindy replies rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, it's not that great," comments Tara chuckling.

"It's not that bad!" Chad protests, looking at us with a hurt expression.

"Alright," Sam intervenes, visibly tired of the discussion.

"Yes!" Chad exclaims, showing a big grin.

"Idiot," mutters Mindy, still unconvinced.

"Guys!" Anika shouts from the living room.

We all turn towards her, curious and move into the living room where she points at the TV. A picture of Sam next to a journalist appears on the screen.

"Welcome to the 8 PM edition of NBC 4 New York. Tonight's news is that Sam Carpenter, a survivor of the Woodsboro massacre in 2022, is the prime suspect in the recent murders happening in New York. As this video shows, she appears potentially aggressive..."

The video shows Sam, visibly agitated, shouting at a girl while Chad and Tara struggle to hold her back. Of course they don't show the part where the drink was thrown on her, completely distorting the context.

Stupid news report.

Sam grabs the remote and switches off the TV with a decisive gesture, cutting off the report. We sit around the living room table, the silence that falls over us is heavy and awkward. Sam lowers her gaze, resting her head in her hands with a clearly dejected expression.