The bell rang out to signal the end of the day. Since her public encounter with Bear, the students seemed to notice her more. Whether that was good or bad, she couldn't say.

Charlie jogged up to her and locked her arm in hers. "Ready to try on some outfits?" she asked giddily.

Skylar was relieved to find Charlie in high spirits. A part of her was worried that the rumors would reach her by the end of last period and place a wedge between their new friendship. "Yeah, I just need to grab my bag and I'll come find you guys in the parking lot."

"Okay, sounds good. I'm going to go find my friend, Teresa, she's coming with us." She danced away down the hall.

Anxiety built up a bit while she searched her locker for her bag. She had never been invited to someone's house, let alone with another person there. Her hands shook a bit as she gathered her belongings and walked down the hall to the doors. She could feel her chest starting to tighten as anxiety settled in.

Like she was famous, there were students moving out of her way to let her pass by while they whispered about her. She wasn't blind to it, but she didn't want to find out what they were saying so she picked up her pace.

It was easy to spot Charlie in the parking lot. She was bubbly and charismatic with platinum blonde hair in two low pigtail buns and brightly colored clothing. She stood out amongst the depressing neutral tones that most of the student body chose to wear. Her stomach was put on display beneath a hot pink crop top that she had noticeably cut herself. A pair of black skinny jeans were the only absence of color as she wore matching pink sneakers that were remarkably clean considering she'd worn them all day and there was no lack for dirt in Roman Ridge.

"Skylar!" She waved and bounced up and down when she saw her approach. A second girl stood next to her. She was less friendly looking, with short cropped black hair and heavy makeup.

"Hey," Skylar greeted them both with forced enthusiasm.

"This is my best friend, Teresa," she introduced the girl that was her polar opposite. "T, this is Skylar. She's going to hang out with us for a few and try on some costumes for the dance."

Teresa scrutinized her up and down. "Who are you going to the dance with?" It rubbed her the wrong way the tone she used to ask.

"Jake asked me," Skylar answered, tossing her bag in the back of the car.

Teresa hummed to herself in thought. "You aren't going with the prince of gore?" She arched a drawn on pink brow. No, not drawn on--dyed pink.

"Who?" Skylar gave her a bemused look.

Teresa slapped her arm and shot her a look that told her to hold her tongue. "Berach Cruor? The guy you were flirting with in front of the whole school." She crossed her arms and stared her down.

"Oh." An awkward, uncomfortable feeling rose in her core. "I just met him a few days ago and saw him at the juice bar in town on my lunch so he gave me a ride back," she blurted defensively.

Charlie shook her head. "It's fine, T is just being overprotective of Jake. You're single!" She bumped her hip into hers and smiled. "You don't have to feel guilty about flirting with someone. Especially someone that looks like Bear." She wagged her brows at Skylar suggestively.

"Wow," Skylar blushed and looked at the sidewalk, "I wasn't really flirting either way, but just wow." She laughed at the situation, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear as it grew hot.

Teresa seemed to lighten up and cracked a smile. "Well, if I find a guy attractive then you know he is."

The girls all laughed together and shimmied into the backseat of the car. Jake came waltzing out a few minutes later with his phone in his hand. "Hey, sorry it took me so long. I have to work the evening shift tonight so I can only drop you guys off and then I have to go."

"It's a girl's night anyways, Jakie. You weren't invited." Charlie pursed her lips at her brother.

Jake rubbed the bridge of his nose in annoyance. "I was just letting you know!" He started the car and took off.

Skylar glanced between the two siblings. It was kind of nice to see what a normal family dynamic looked like. The way they could joke with each other. She longed for that. The whole car ride they just spent time bickering and giving occasional fist bumps when they'd agree on something. Just as a familiar song came over the radio, they arrived at the house.

Their home was a lot more inviting than the apartment complex that she lived at. "So," Jake started as Charlie and Teresa shuffled out of the car, "given any thought to this Saturday?"

Skylar smiled, "Yes, I'll go. It'll be fun," she answered sincerely.

Jake beamed, "Really? Cool!" he gushed and cleared his throat to hide his eagerness. "Sorry, I really have to go so I can be on time. I'll-I'll see you, though." He ended their interaction with a dismal wave and smile.

"Okay, sounds good. Have fun at work." Skylar slipped out and caught up to the two girls that were fumbling with the lock on the front door. The house was blue with white shutters and a porch swing. She cringed at the thought of them ever seeing the inside of her apartment with the faded paint and rotten baseboards.

"Don't look at the mess. My parents work a lot and we're a bunch of slobs." Charlie prepared her. Skylar had a hard time believing it was any worse than her own home, but let her eyes rest on the ground.

The door opened and she was met with an overwhelming cinnamon smell. An oil plug-in near the door was letting out small clouds of scented vapor every few seconds. "Charlie your house is always a thousand times better than everyone else's." Teresa rolled her eyes and walked inside first.

It was true. The interior of the home was perfect like the outside. The walls had immaculate coats of white paint without the slightest trace of smudges or dirt. Nothing looked out of place, save for a few magazines unevenly stacked out on the coffee table. "Or maybe my mom cleaned up before work this morning." Charlie shrugged and lead the girls to the stairs. "My room is up here," she announced and took them into a neon purple room with brightly colored bedding and chairs. Everything was neon or black. Skylar had pictured pink and frilly, but this represented her eccentric self just the same.

"So Skylar, I'm giving you first pick since this is your first dance here. Don't worry about finding a warm outfit, or anything like that, because it always gets so hot with all the bodies around each other. I end up sweating even if I'm wearing something revealing."

"Revealing?" Teresa piped up with a sarcastic smile. "Are you referring to when you wore straight up lingerie and cat ears?"

Charlie and Skylar burst into laughter. "Your school let's you wear lingerie to dances?" Skylar asked between giggles.

Charlie bit her lip and shook her head. "Our school is very laid back in the sense that they don't want to pay teachers extra to chaperone dances so they rent out a space and let us loose. This year it's at Romulus and I'll be damned if I don't get someone to buy me a drink." She winked at the group.

"I wouldn't have the confidence to go out in just underwear." Skylar's eyes widened at the thought of being so scandalous.

"Are you serious?" Teresa sat upright on the bed. "You of all people shouldn't be scared to show your body." She nodded to her slim physique.

"Thanks, but I don't know about that." Skylar ran her hands over the dozens of costumes that Charlie had brought out of the closet and tossed on the chest below her bed.

"What are you talking about? You're hot as fuck Skylar! You got my brother's attention and Bear Cruor's. And I've been dying to ask you what foundation you use to make your skin look so glowy and smooth."

Skylar turned bright red, "I'm not wearing any." Both girls gawked at her. "My skin is really sensitive."

Charlie and Teresa traded shocked glances before looking back at her. "Wow. Fuck you for being insecure. You're fucking beautiful!" Teresa shook her shoulders roughly.

"Please don't try to give me lingerie to wear." She sighed and looked at the pile of clothes.

Charlie smiled and started to hold the costumes up. "So I have your generic nurse, cop, and maid costumes."

Skylar slapped a hand over her face. "My vagina will literally be on display in all of those," she mumbled into her palm.

"It'll be fine!" Charlie assured her.

Teresa shook her head, clearly enjoying the show. "Let's make this easier. What are you comfortable wearing? Because, let's be honest, everything in that stack is intended to get you laid so it's pretty slim pickings."

Skylar groaned. "Something that doesn't leave absolutely nothing to the imagination."

"How about this one?" Charlie held up a small, very short, black flapper girl dress. It had a deep cut that would undoubtedly rest below her cleavage, and the back was so short that it had a built in bottom so she wasn't flashing everyone behind her. A Ziploc bag on the hanger held a string of pearls and a classic beaded headband.

"I'll try it on, thanks." Skylar took the outfit into the bathroom next to the left side of the bed. he figured that was as good as it was going to get, given the look of Charlie's collection.

She closed the door behind her and began to strip off her entire wardrobe. She didn't even think she'd be able to wear a bra under the dress. She let her hair down and slipped the little number on. She turned from side to side, taking in the view. She couldn't even remember the last time she wore a Halloween costume but she knew it was more than likely a Tinker Bell outfit for toddlers that her mom used to make her rewear all the time.

However skimpy the dress was,it wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. Sure it rode up and exposed the sides of her ass a little more than she wanted, but the girls were right. She didn't have any reason to feel insecure. She looked damn good in the twenties dress. It accentuated all of her natural curves. The plunging neckline rested just below to start of her breasts, but was close enough together that she didn't expose more than she was comfortable with.

-------

The building was black with smoke. Four stories of fiery windows was all she could see from across the lawn. Red and blue flashing lights were on all sides but they didn't seem to see her as she crept through the darkness towards whatever was calling to her so loudly.

Couldn't they hear it to? The screams that sent her name floating into the air like the wind knew how to say it all along. She had woken up to it and crept out of her house barefoot, and wearing a pair of joggers and a tank top. She couldn't explain why she needed to be closer to the sound, only that it was like a beacon to her.

"Skylar." Her brain buzzed as she heard it again. A whisper, but a scream. She looked around at all the spectators, watching the building burn with a mixture of disappointment and excitement. "Skylar."

The calling had lead her to the building. The closer she got, the louder it grew. As she stood on the lawn amidst chaos, it was deafening. Her instinct told her to go inside and it would stop, but she was hesitant. She took one small step back from the building and froze. An ear piercing screech invaded her senses and sent her tripping over nothing. She held her head as it continued, it didn't stop or show signs of ceasing anytime. It was as if someone had found a million chalkboards and scraped their nails against every single one at the same time.

Using every ounce of strength she had in her, she crawled forward towards the building. The screeching subsided and was replaced with a more urgent, "Skylar!".

She widened her eyes at the physical pull that came over her body, forcing her to move farther past the slew of cops and bystanders. No one paid her any mind as she broke into a full sprint and made it to the broken down doors.

Flames licked at her skin when she stepped inside. An overwhelming heat blazed around her and beads of sweat tickled her neck, but she remained unscathed as she walked through the flames.

She had never been in the CDC building before, and now it was crumbling around her and unrecognizable. "Skylar!" It was all around her, booming in her head. She was coherent enough to realize the voice was only in her head and not being shouted from somewhere around her. She closed her eyes, flames danced around her bare feet.

"Skylar." It was more gentle this time and she knew she was near the source.

"The lower level!" Her eyes flew open and she hurdled over the fallen beams and furniture to the stairwell. The doorknob was scalding hot to the touch when she reached out to open it, but she ignored the pain and ripped it open. The stairs seemed to be only smoke damaged while the rest of the building burned. She raced down and kicked open the door to the basement.

Cold air kissed her flesh. The basement was untouched by anything. She turned around to the stairs that had been black and ashy, they were white and pristine once more. She looked wildly about for an explanation, but there was nothing. No fire, no smoke, no heat, just an intense cold that chilled her to the bone. "Skylar?" This time the voice was behind her.

She spun around and gasped when she ran into a hard chest. "Bear?"

"What are you doing down here? You shouldn't be here." He pulled her hand to lead her back to the stairs.

"No! The fire!" she cried out, wrenching her hand away from his grip.

"The fire?" He dropped his hands and looked up the stairs briefly. "You feel it too?" He furrowed his brows in confusion. She backed up as he stalked towards her and clamped his hands down on her shoulders. "Skylar! Do you feel the fire!" he screamed in her face.

Panic overtook her and she began to cry. "Let go of me!" She pushed him away and ran back to the far corner of the basement. Cages upon cages of monkeys and dogs of all ages littered a locked glass room, making her stop in her tracks. "Why did you bring me here?" She looked for an exit, but saw none.

"I didn't mean to!" he shouted from somewhere far back.

"I needed you." The voice in her head rang out making her shake it away.

"I don't want to be here!" she cried out and backed away from the animals that were undoubtedly being experimented on. "I need to get out of here," she muttered to herself and bolted for the nearest exit.

She knocked over a handful of beakers and test tubes as she ran as fast as she could to the exit before Bear came back. Only a few feet away from the emergency exit that would take her back to ground level.

Too quickly for her to register what was happening, her head felt like it was splitting open as the same shrieking from before overtook her. Her knees buckled and she fell to the ground clutching her ears as if that would stop the internal sound.

"Make it stop!" she sobbed on the concrete floor.

"Do you really want me to?" Bear's voice pierced the barrier of the noise.

"Please," Skylar cried in anguish. She slammed her hands repeatedly over her ears.

Bear reached down cautiously with his lengthy hand. "Skylar, stand up."

"I can't, it hurts," she wailed, tears staining the floor.

Bear sighed and placed his hand on her shoulder. Immediately the noise stopped. Skylar turned her head to face his and gaped at him in shock. "How did you do that?" she asked shakily as she took his hand and got up.

"It doesn't always hurt so bad." His words confused her. Always? She'd never felt it before. Did he feel it all the time? "Let me take it away." He brushed his fingers over her cheeks, eliciting a warmth that lit up her body. She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch, despite her inner turmoil at the thought of getting close to him.

He lifted her gaze to meet his own, his bright green eyes were vibrant against his pinpoint pupils. They quivered as they took in her helpless figure. Almost vibrating the way they shook within the whites. She opened her mouth to say something, she wasn't sure what, but she stopped short when he pulled her to him. His plump lips covered her own and she melted in his kiss.

The pain and voice left her body instantaneously. All her mind could comprehend was him. His touch, his kiss, the sparks that surged through her body when he held her, or consumed her like a fire.

"Bear, wait," she pulled back to catch her breath and screamed when she saw him.

"What is it, Skylar?" He asked, oblivious to his sudden change in appearance. Her mind must have played tricks on her. His lips were the same shape and fullness, but there was a sinister curl to them. His eyes were bloodshot and a crimson band appeared around the green irises, contrasting to make the colors pop out more. An almost blackening blue shade of veins pulsed around his eyes, giving a bruising look to his sockets.

He glared at her with a hunger that even she could feel. "Y-your eyes, w-what-" she stumbled back, and bumped into a stainless steel table.

"If you don't wake up you'll die," he growled and threw the table beside him to the wall.

Skylar couldn't catch her breath. Wake up? "What?" She gasped for air.

"Wake up. Wake up or you're going to die!" He lunged at her and she fell back into a black abyss.

She bolted upright in a cold sweat. Her alarm blared on the nightstand.