𝑺𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌 . . . original character

011. 𝓣renches

[chapter 11]

as the week continues, the group's energy is a mix of exhaustion and guarded determination, each still reeling from the horrors of jasper's death. tensions are high, and they're beginning to unravel in ways that feel irreversible. school feels off-limits in a way it never has before, and every hallway brings whispers about the previous night's events.

they all decide to meet at clara's house after school to regroup and figure out their next move. the air is thick with unspoken fears, and it's clear that the trauma has taken its toll. as they sit around clara's living room, the group is quiet, each person lost in thought until noah, in his usual way, tries to lighten the mood with a joke.

"okay, so... maybe we should just hire a private detective? i mean, if anyone knows how to hunt down a psycho, it's got to be sherlock holmes, right?" he grins, but no one laughs. clara gives him a small, sad smile, and lottie just sighs, slouching further into the armchair.

kai's voice breaks the silence. "we need to stay serious, noah. this isn't just about making jokes anymore. someone killed jasper."

carlos looks around, his usual humor dimmed. "yeah, but what do we do? the police are treating us like suspects at this point."

selena, who's been quiet until now, leans forward. "maybe we should split up for a while, gather information separately. if we keep sticking together, ghostface will just target us all at once. but if we're spread out..." she trails off, her eyes intense.

bridget's jaw clenches. "great. more separation. let's just make it easier for the killer, why don't we?" her sarcasm is biting, and her frustration ignites an argument that has been simmering beneath the surface for days.

the group erupts into accusations and raised voices, secrets slipping out in the heat of the moment. clara's eyes widen when lottie, defensive of her brother, snaps that clara has been obsessed with finding clues "like it's some kind of game." meanwhile, carlos turns on selena, accusing her of being too eager to leave them all behind.

amidst the shouting, noah finally speaks up, his voice breaking through the chaos. "enough! jasper wouldn't want us tearing each other apart like this. if we're going to do this, we have to do it together."

the room falls silent, and after a beat, clara nods. she takes a deep breath, attempting to re-center herself, and finally, a quiet resolve settles over them all.

later that night, lottie and noah have a rare heart-to-heart as they walk home together, sharing stories from their childhood and confessing fears that they've never voiced aloud. their sibling bond feels like a small source of stability, a fragile but comforting thread holding them together in a world that seems to be unraveling at the seams.

but as they reach their door, an ominous feeling settles over them. noah watches his sister disappear into the house, a chill creeping down his spine as he glances back at the street, scanning for any sign of movement.