I have half a mind to run after him.If not because I’d like to one day—after all this—have the opportunity of a do-over for whatever was about to start before Stu reentered the chat with his stupid, heavy footsteps, then because there is no way in hell I’m going to survive this night withStu, of all people.I’ve given up following most of the rules of surviving a slasher on Wes’s advice and I’m still alive, but teaming up with the Jerk Jock is where I draw the line.
A few breath-holding moments later, Wes comes back into the room with Dani and Jennifer at his heels, and when I shoot a glance across at Stu, I can see the relief settle into his shoulders the same time as mine.I assume I’m not the only one who wasn’t happy with potentially being the last ones on each other’s dance cards.
Stu pushes off the wall as I swap “I’m happy you’re not dead” looks with Dani and Jennifer.“You’re okay?”he asks, looking down at them with concern.
It’s the same question he asked us, but this time he’s inquiring about their well-being rather than inferring they should be deceased by now.I think we can all agree, none of us are okay at this point in the night.The three of them look just as ragged and on edge as Wes and me; there’s blood on Stu’s hands, bruises on Dani’s legs, and Jennifer’s knuckles are white around the handle of the first aid kit.It survived the escape from Heart Eyes and I wish it wasn’t the only thing that had.
“Is John—”
Jennifer starts the question but doesn’t finish it when our eyes meet.I know she already suspected the answer, but her face pales at the unspoken confirmation.She and Dani got away while he stood his ground and bought them time.Exactly what he did for me and Wes.
“What about Laurie?”Jennifer says, and for a second I want to ask Stu whyheisn’t the one posing that question.Then I see the wayhe’s standing closer to Dani, the way she looks up at him with glassy eyes and pink-cheeked gratitude.I guess she doesn’t hold the “sending her off into the basement” thing against him despite it ending with the role of her best friend being recast for the rest of the night due to disembowelment.
“Laurie ran away,” I say automatically, and that pulls Stu’s attention from rubbing the goose bumps on Dani’s arms.
His eyes narrow at me when he says, “Sheranaway?”
“We were attacked in the bathroom.She managed to get out while I locked myself in a stall.”
I mean, technically, I’m not lying.And if I keep reminding myself that shedidget out, that all I have to do is keep myself, Wes, and anyone else alive until she sees the plan to the end, then I can see some version of a happy ending to all of this.I can see myself getting to call her an elitist piece of shit again.
“And here I thought you were against splitting up,” Stu sneers.
Asshole.
Wes tenses beside me, takes a breath like he’s going to shoot a retort that might warrant the same peacocking performance that Stu displayed when we first came upstairs from the basement, but I don’t need him to jump to my defense.I may not have what it takes to be a Final Girl, but I am a big girl.And Stu is just a small man.
“You know what?Fuck you, Stu, I—”
“You’resuchgood friends and you’re not looking for her?”
“In the time it took for me and Wes to escape a killer who just ran John through with a machete?”
The words are harsher than I mean them to be, and if my hands weren’t covered in blood I’d clap them over my mouth, especially since the statement causes Jennifer and Dani to flinch, letting out matching gasps.
“No, I haven’t had the chance,” I say.I’m trying to use a calmvoice, but Stu rubs me the wrong way.He was hot and cold with my best friend, antagonistic toward Wes, he left his group alone, and I still get the feeling he’d be rude to hospitality staff.“But I know Laurie—better than you.She’ll hide.She won’t do anything stupid.”
When Stu walks toward me, I notice his knife looks more foreboding in his hand than the one resting against Wes’s thigh, but maybe that’s just because of the person holding it.It’s probably due to the way his voice drops low and abrasive when he says, “It’s probably good she got as far away from you as she could when you’re the one the fucking psycho wants.Isn’t that right, Jamie?”
It’s clear he’s seen my name in the middle of the dance floor at some point, and he doesn’t share the same sentiments as my admirer.Even though he said it to try to hurt me, I don’t take the bait.If I get out of here tonight there’s probably going to be a lot of things I’ve said or done or didn’t do that I’ll regret.But doing whatever I can to get my best friend away from danger?Yeah, I’m not going to lose sleep over that.
Although I restrain myself from snapping back, Wes can’t stop himself this time.His dark gaze is cold, and the rasp of his voice is sharper than I’ve heard it all night.
“Keep saying dumb shit, Stu.I dare you.”
“Like I’m not saying what we’re all thinking.”
“What the fuck haveyoudone tonight other than put people in danger and then fucking disappear?”
“She’sthe girl who—”
“Woman,” Jennifer says.I’m not the only one who is shocked that she’s jumped to my defense.“She’s the woman who’s saved multiple people’s asses tonight.Including mine.Right?”
She directs that at Dani.Her tone leaves no room for disagreement, and I look at the woman across from me and see a completely different person from the one we found hidden behind a curtain andshaking from fear.Jennifer has gone through some kind of character arc tonight.She seems more akin to a Final Girl than I could be, and it makes me think maybe Heart Eyes should’ve gotten to know us all a little better before making me the lead of the night.
“Right,” Dani agrees, sending an apologetic smile my way, but not making any moves to shift away when Stu retreats to her side.I guess the lumberjack effect hits some people in full force.
“Well, you’re reallysomething, aren’t you?”Stu mutters, and I think we can safely determine he has not been pining over me for the last few hours.
