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𝙑𝙊𝙇𝙐𝙈𝙀 𝑰𝑰. ── CASUALTY OF YOUR DREAMS!

❛ 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒐 𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕 ❜
─── chapter ten! ❫

❪ 𝙰/𝙽 ⠀ : ⠀ 𝙸𝚃 𝙶𝙴𝚃𝚂 𝙰 𝙻𝙸𝚃𝚃𝙻𝙴 𝚂𝙼𝚄𝚃𝚃𝚈. ❫

010. ╱ ✹ ⠀⠀ ❝ dug yourself a grave,
no surprise. . . should've known better,
so now, it's time that you die in it. ❞

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

     A HALLOWEEN PARTY WAS THE PERFECT DISTRACTION KYNLEE COULD HAVE ASKED FOR. At least when it came to the nightmare she had last night. Everything else in her life was fine except for her lack of healthy sleep and budding insomnia.

     Halloween was Kynlee's second favorite holiday of the year. The first was Día de Muertos, which was celebrated directly after October thirty-first. This would be her first year celebrating it without Pa, Malik, and Ibrahim in person, though. They were planning on FaceTiming both days and celebrating with Sam and Tara to make up for it. Chad, Mindy, and Anika were going to join in some of the celebrations too.

     With a lopsided grin on her lips and a bottle of Victory Golden Monkey in hand, Kynlee was reaching the brink of being wasted. She and Tara decided earlier, during last-minute costume shopping with everyone, that they were going to get wasted and watch cheesy telenovelas after the party. And even though Chad wouldn't understand much of what would be said, he wanted to be part of the silliness. Kynlee vowed to do her best to translate for him while drunk. No promises, obviously.

     Swaying to the beat of the shitty music taste the frat boys of Omega Kappa Beta had, Kynlee laughed at Mindy's breakdancing skills. Anika was off to the side, filming on her phone and wearing an adoring smile. Tara's arms were wrapped around Kynlee's waist, and she was giggling uncontrollably.

     "Do the sprinkler! Do the sprinkler!" Tara shouted, adjusting her falling bandana.

     Bending her elbow and placing a hand on the back of her head, Mindy held out her other arm. She looked ridiculous as hell, but she couldn't care less. Half of the people in the house wouldn't remember tonight anyway.

     "Looking great, babe!" Anika cheered, blowing her girlfriend a kiss.

     Kynlee raised the bottle of beer to her mouth and pouted when not a single drop came out. "Chingada," she cursed.

     At the word, Tara peered up at her. "¿Qué?"

     Meeting the questioning stare, the tattooed girl's pout didn't waver when she answered. "I'm out," she waved the empty Victory Golden Monkey in the air.

     "No," Tara whined, dragging out the 'o' and frowning.

     "I know," she replied sadly. "I'm gonna go get some more—"

     Mindy abruptly cut in. "Don't say you'll be right back, and don't ditch us to have sex somewhere with my brother," she ordered, pointing an accusatory finger at her friend. "You're already wasted and high as a kite. That's already one rule broken tonight."

    The mention of the historic and infamous three rules to surviving a horror movie, Kynlee and Tara glared at her. Ever since the murders last year, the curly-haired girl had been on top of her horror movie knowledge and rules than ever before. She didn't care if it annoyed her friends; she'd rather remind them than feel guilty if something were to ever happen and she didn't do anything to prevent it.

     Flashing a middle finger in Mindy's direction, Kynlee narrowed her eyes. "Fuck you. I'd never have sex with Chad in this STD-infested house. Give me some credit here," she protested, ignoring how her words slurred together.

     Simply rolling her eyes, Mindy gestured for her to skedaddle.

     Tara let go of Kynlee and smacked her on the ass as she began to walk away. A flirtatious smirk lined her face when she received a sly wink.

     Kynlee shook her head, laughing to herself and disappearing into the masses.

     The kitchen was on the opposite side of the living room and it was packed with dozens of underage college students. The air smelled of cheap booze and sweat, and if she wasn't so intoxicated, she would have cringed at the smell. The shitty music was still blasting throughout the space and Kynlee wished she knew what fucker's phone was connected to the Bluetooth so she could change it.

     As she weaved her way in between people, she gave friendly smiles and waves. Some of them she recognized from classes or campus.

     Once she broke free from the crowd and went toward the kitchen, she was yanked to the right. An involuntary yelp escaped her and her feet flew beneath her. She struck her elbow into the person's chest and felt them release her.

     "Jesus, Kynz!" A familiar voice exclaimed.

     Blinking, it was then that the black-haired girl saw that it'd been Chad who tugged her away. They stood in a small hallway underneath the stairs and the LED lights were gone. The space was spinning a little, but it was slowing down the longer she stood in one place.

     "Chad? Shit, I'm sorry," she quickly apologized, grimacing at the pained expression on her boyfriend's face.

     Waving a dismissive hand, he stopped rubbing the spot he'd been hit in. "No, it's good to know that you'll defend yourself if someone sneaks up on you. Women can never be too safe nowadays."

    Kynlee's eyes swept up and down, taking in his appearance. God, he looked so good. The cowboy costume she'd picked out that afternoon when he insisted that they wear matching/coinciding outfits, was a Godsend. He'd probably never wear it after the party, so she was memorizing every detail she could.

     The best part of the costume was the fact that it came with no shirt. Yes, she'd seen him shirtless countless times since they were babies and children, but it wasn't until high school that she paid attention and began to appreciate it more. In the past, she was discreet about the admiring and created a habit of mentally scolding herself for even staring. Now, however, she was more than welcome to admire and stare all she wanted. Especially since Chad made it clear months ago that he didn't mind because he did the same with her.

     Aside from the outfit requiring no shirt, all he wore was a straw cowboy hat, an ocean blue bandana Kynlee tied around his neck, dark-wash jeans, and a silver-buckled, western-styled belt. He had attached a portable drink holder to one of the side pockets on the jeans, too.

     Without thinking her actions through, Kynlee grabbed Chad by his bandana and walked backward. She pressed her back against the wall and pulled him in, connecting their lips. Immediately, his hands were on her and he stepped closer until there was nowhere else to go.

     It was a messy kiss. They were both intoxicated, Kynlee more than him. He didn't want to get too drunk, that way he could take care of her and look out for their friends. Frat parties weren't known for always being friendly.

     Throwing an arm over his neck, Kynlee arched her back when she felt Chad's hands travel down it. With her free hand, she ran her fingernails along his chest.

    "Fuck," Chad groaned, lost in the moment. He could feel her breath on his skin and hear how they were both running out of air to breathe. "You're so stunning," he muttered, reluctantly pulling away to catch his breath.

     In response, Kynlee rested a hand on his neck and positioned her thumb under his jaw, making him look at her. "I know," she whispered, drawing him in. "So are you." At that, she dropped her head and kissed down the opposite side of his neck. Every other second, she lightly nipped at his skin.

     "Fuck," Chad swore again, holding himself upright by resting a hand on the wall next to her head. The bandana shifted up and he felt her teeth graze his skin. Not a second later, she was biting and sucking at the crevice in his neck. He squeezed his eyes shut and gripped her hip tightly, moaning. His head rolled back as he felt her tongue brush against the raw hickey.

     Kynlee kissed the red and purple spots and slid the fabric of the bandana around to cover them. Resting her head on the wall, her heart skipped a beat when she saw how breathless her boyfriend was. She placed both palms on his bare chest.

     Nothing was said when their eyes met. Nothing needed to be said. It was clear how badly they wanted the other right now, but neither was going to commit to doing anything serious in the frat house. However, that didn't mean they were going to stop just yet.

     Chad leaned in and kissed her roughly, cradling her face. Tilting his head to the side, he deepened the kiss and traced her bottom lip with his tongue.

     Immediately, Kynlee let his tongue slip into her mouth, exploring her as he'd done a million times before. She let out a sigh of contentment and savored his taste. The heat in her stomach intensified and she could feel tension building.

     Moving his hand to the back of her head, Chad tangled his fingers in her long, curly hair. A whimper escaped her when he began tugging on it. If he wasn't pressing her as hard to the wall as he was, Kynlee would've crumbled under her weak knees.

     Somehow aware of where she was physically, Chad nudged his knee between her thighs. "Are you comfortable with this?" he murmured against her lips, smiling when she kissed him.

    Quickly scanning the small hallway they were stowed away in, Kynlee found that the couple was surprisingly alone. "Yes, but not for too long," she muttered, feeling his touch travel to her hips. "We should..." The words disappeared from her mind when he lifted and placed her on his thigh. The black metallic shorts she wore slid up. "We should get back to the party soon. Maybe find Ethan and make sure he's... okay. Check in with the girls," she rushed out the sentences, feeling him pull her toward him.

     Nodding, his nose brushed against hers and Chad cracked a smile. "I can be quick," he spoke lowly, pressed a chaste kiss on her lips. "I just want to make you feel good."

     Swallowing harshly, Kynlee wet her lips. "Then do it." The alcohol in her system was making her bolder in her decision-making, but she didn't care. No one was around and she trusted herself and Chad.

     A determined grin broke onto his face and Chad guided her across his thigh, pushing hard. His mouth attached to her throat and he nipped and licked the skin. He knew that she didn't like receiving hickeys on her neck and made sure not to leave any.

     The back of her head hit the wall and she gasped, feeling his thumbs drive into her hip bones. He was moving her on his thigh, applying more and more pressure as she ground against him. "Fuck, Chad," she choked out, wishing that they were at either of their dorms right now.

     Chad left a trail of kisses from her neck to her chest, outlining the crevice of her breasts that was visible in the cropped three-button vest she wore with his lips and tongue. "Feeling good?" he asked, not meeting her incredulous gaze.

     "I know you can hear me," she breathed, gripping onto his biceps.

     Chuckling, he brought them to a gradual stop. "Tomorrow?" He hadn't forgotten about him, Kynlee, and Tara's plans for later that night.

     Kynlee was out of breath and a little annoyed with him for stopping, but deep down, she knew it was for the best. Any more and she would have lost it. "Tomorrow," she agreed, kissing him one last time as he put her back on the ground.

     Before she could lead them out of the hallway and begin searching for their friends, Chad cradled her face in his hands again. Eyes darting between hers', a sense of peace washed over him and he subconsciously smiled. This, right here, was everything he ever wanted, and every time he looked at her, he was reminded of how lucky he was.

     "I love you," he told her, meaning each individual letter that made up those three words.

     Blushing, Kynlee didn't glance away as shivers ran down her spine. Her heart raced and she inhaled deeply. "I love you." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.

     When she drew away, he etched this moment into his brain before moving on with their night. "Want me to give you a piggyback ride while we look for our band of idiots?" Chad wiggled his eyebrows, causing her to laugh.

     "Yeah, sure. Fuck it."

     Once she was situated comfortably on his back, he led them out of the hallway and into the crowd of college students. The music was still blaring and the LED lights were on.

     The first person the pair recognized and found was Chad's roommate, Ethan. He stood in the doorframe of a game room, looking out of his element. It was obvious that he'd rather be anywhere but there.

     After getting two shots and letting Kynlee hold them, Chad made his way to his roommate. "Hey, dude," he greeted, smiling widely.

     At the sight of the jock approaching, Ethan visibly relaxed. Thank God. "Chad, hey," he said, grateful for his presence. His shoulders dropped in relief when he saw Kynlee with him, too.

     "Hey, E!" Kynlee grinned, resting the bottom of her chin on Chad's shoulder. There was a slight slur to her words, but it wasn't as noticeable as before.

     Ethan waved awkwardly, cheeks flushing pink. "Hey, Kyn."

     "Talk to anyone yet?" she asked, raising a curious brow and passing the two shot glasses to Chad. For the last month, she and Chad had been trying to help him make friends or meet someone he liked. So far, it hasn't gone well. Ethan had a habit of sabotaging himself and making things awkward or uncomfortable when he met new people, and he tended to disappear a lot.

     The couple did their best not to push him into being social too much. They didn't want to cross any boundaries and put him in a situation he would detest them for.

     "Uh, some guys from my Econ class. That's it," Ethan shrugged, taking the shot Chad held out to him.

     "You gotta get out there, bud," Chad encouraged him, downing his glasses. His lips curled a bit at the taste. Ethan mimicked his actions and his face twisted at the taste of the alcohol. He discreetly spit it back into the shot glass. "Time to start making moves. Introduce you to some girls," his eyes trailed around the room until he spotted a girl dressed in a Gryffindor uniform and robe from Harry Potter. She was waving a wand in the air and dancing with her friends. Jutting his chin in her direction, he asked, "What about her?"

     Directing his line of sight to the girl in question, his eyebrows raised. An uneasy smile spread across his face and Ethan let out a breathy laugh. "She's gorgeous—"

     "Great. Ask her out."

     "—But I, no, I can't do it." Ethan adamantly shook his head despite wearing a small smile.

     Kynlee cut in with a grin, "Ask her out!"

     Briefly meeting her light red eyes, a sign of her being high, he blushed again. Neither she nor Chad noticed. "No, I—"

     "Ask her out! Ask her out!" Chad chimed in, releasing one of his hands from holding Kynlee's thigh and hitting him on the chest.

     "Shut up!" Ethan laughed, adjusting his cardboard helmet. Tonight, he was dressed as the knight from Murder Party.

     Tilting her head to the side, the black-haired girl gave the boy a look. "E, you need to work on your confidence. You're a good-looking guy! You could totally ask her out," she reasoned, readjusting her arms on Chad's shoulders. A thought came to mind. "Unless you're more into guys..."

     Quickly, he addressed her insinuation. "I mean I, I am interested in guys, too. That's beside the point! I'm not... No, no."

     "Girls, guys, theys— I support it! Fucking get it. Like my girl said, you just got to have confidence. Plus, look at you, man!" Chad exclaimed, checking his roommate out. "You're a snack!"

     Eyes widening, Ethan blinked. "What?"

     "Practically an entire meal all on your own."

     This time his face was bright red. "Really?"

     "Fuck yeah!" Kynlee nodded in agreement, still grinning.

     "Yeah. You're Ethan Landry." Chad reminded him before turning his focus to the girl he'd pointed out. "Hey, excuse me!" At the sound of someone potentially addressing her, the brown-haired girl glanced to the left. "Howdy. How you doing?" Chad tipped his cowboy hat in her direction and Kynlee gave her a wink. "My friend here, he's a snack, right?"

     Darting her gaze to the brown-haired boy dressed in what she assumed was a cardboard knight costume, the girl checked him out. She tilted her head to the side a bit and shrugged before resuming hanging out with her friends.

     Yikes.

     Kynlee cringed at the response, but quickly covered it up with a crooked smile and thumbs up when Ethan looked at her.

     "W-What did that mean?"

     Chad didn't meet his gaze. "No, it's good. It's good."

     "What?"

     "Well, it's not bad." Chad rephrased, feeling his girlfriend fiddle with his bandana. "There's room for improvement!"

     Suddenly, their conversation was interrupted when Anika popped into the room. "Hey, big guy," she greeted, speaking specifically to the jock. "You're needed."

     Instantly, Chad and Kynlee's faces fell. That was never a good sign. If Chad was ever needed at a party, it was usually because one of them was in trouble or required help.

     Planting a kiss on his neck, Kynlee motioned for him to let her down. He complied and interlaced their fingers once she was back on her feet. In silent unison, they allowed Anika to guide them through the house to an unknown destination. Ethan followed.

     Rounding a corner, Chad, Kynlee, and Ethan reached the bottom of the stairs. Anika shuffled to the side to stand with Mindy. A guy Kynlee recognized as Frankie from her Biology class was hand-in-hand with a wasted Tara Carpenter. They were headed upstairs, likely going to do something sober Tara wouldn't like. At least not with Frankie.

     "Hey, partner," Chad called, grabbing their attention. He let go of Kynlee and took a step forward. "Tara's good down here."

     "Sorry, bro. I didn't catch that," Frankie scoffed, descending down two stairs. A fake smile mixed with a smirk was painted on his lips.

     Chuckling, Chad darted his stare between the dude and his friend. "Yeah," he trailed off, taking in the glazed look in Tara's eyes. She was out of it. "You did."

     "No, Chad." Tara stumbled toward him and caught herself by placing her forearms against his chest. Chad steadied her by holding her shoulders. Behind him, Kynlee inched closer in case the Carpenter girl fell. "It's fine. I want to."

     Mindy and Anika exchanged weary glances.

     Frankie moved down and secured a hand around Tara's upper left arm. "Yeah, see, Chad?" He shoved the guy back a little, glaring.

     "It's okay," Tara slurred, blinking heavily.

     "She wants to," Frankie echoed, shooting Kynlee a wink when he saw her. Then, he gripped the girl in his hand harder and yanked her up the stairs. "Come on."

     With how roughly he pulled her, Tara tripped over her feet and slid against the carpeted staircase, falling. She winced and ground her teeth together, hissing at the burn running up her backside. "Ow!"

     At the sight of her in pain, Chad snapped. "How about you get your fucking hands off her?!" He curled his fists around Frankie's shirt and brought him to the first floor.

     Kynlee rushed forward and helped Tara sit up. "¿Estás bien?" She adjusted the silk bandana wrapped around Tara's hair and brushed her bangs out of her vision.

     "I-I'm fine, K," she sighed, head pounding. A flash of movement made her glance up and she saw the two guys shoving each other back and forth. "Guys!"

     "I hope C beats the shit out of him," Kynlee grumbled, glowering at Frankie. Part of her was inclined to step in and throw a punch.

     Ignoring her best friend's comment, Tara began moving. "Guys, stop," she shouted, rising from the staircase with Kynlee supporting her. She had a palm placed on her forehead as the room was spinning a little.

     "Fuck it. Let's go!"

     "Who the fuck are you, Risky Business?"

     Right when Chad readied himself to throw a punch, someone nobody expected to show up wedged their way between him and Frankie.

     "Hi, yeah! Hey," Sam Carpenter breathed, nodding at Chad. "Sorry to interrupt," she moved toward Frankie and reached into the pocket of her jeans. "I'm just gonna tase you in the balls real quick." Before anyone had time to stop her or realize she was going to deliver on her word, Sam put one hand on Frankie's arm and tased him with the other.

     Collapsing to the floor, everyone watched as he curled in on himself, writhing in agony. A wave of laughter and gasps spread across the house. A few people pulled out their phones to record the moment.

     Kynlee's mouth fell open in shock and admiration. That was hot.

     "Don't ever lay hands on my sister," Sam ordered, jaw clenched.

     "You fucking bitch! Fuck you!" Frankie screamed, slamming a fist on the hardwood.

     Chad, Mindy, and Anika looked with satisfied smiles. Ethan stood off to the side with a taken-aback expression and raised eyebrows.

     Leaning her body against Kynlee's, Tara scowled. "Sam!" Her stare hardened when she locked eyes with her sister. "Are you fucking kidding me? You're stalking me now?"

     There was a tone of bitter astonishment in her voice and Sam frowned. "I—"

     Not bothering to let her continue or finish, Tara detached from the tattooed girl and stormed off. A jumble of curse words was muttered under her breath as she pushed through the crowd.

     "Shit..." Mindy mumbled, being the first one to follow after her. Being angry and drunk were two things that didn't mix well, and she wanted to make sure the small girl was okay and safe. Especially considering what just happened.

     Next to go was Kynlee and Anika. Sam and Chad mimicked their movements, and Chad had to drag Ethan with them.

     The group trailed behind one another out of the frat house, down the street, and through a shortcut on Blackmore's campus. All of them assumed they were headed to Sam, Tara, and Quinn's apartment since Tara was leading them.

     Throughout the journey, small conversations had begun while the eldest tried to talk to her sister. So far, she'd been unsuccessful and was getting annoyed.

     Sam inhaled sharply. "Tara," she said loudly, attempting to get her attention for the seventh time. "Will you stop?"

     "I cannot believe you did that! You embarrassed me!" Tara finally shouted, shaking her head. Her fingers were balled into fists and her cheeks were burning pink.

     The chatter amongst the others died down.

     "That guy was a dick," Sam argued, throwing her hands out to her sides. "He was gonna take advantage of you!"

     Something inside of her clicked and Tara spun on her heels. "So?!" she yelled, marching toward the woman. "If I want to hook up with an asshole, that's my decision! It's my decision."

     The rest of the group slowed down, catching up with the Carpenter sisters.

     Sam sighed, readying herself for an argument. "Okay."

     "It's not about you!" Tara continued on, exasperated. "I-I mean, you're out of my life for five years, and then you can't leave me alone for five minutes." There was a slur between her words, giving away that she hadn't sobered up much.

     "Because you're not dealing with what happened to us. Have you even gone to see the counselor once?" Sam questioned.

     Mindy rolled her eyes and came to a stop next to Anika and Ethan. The two had switched their hats with Anika now wearing Ethan's cardboard knight helmet and he sporting her fuzzy orange bucket hat with a handmade bloodied paper knife glued to the side of it.

     "See why I don't live with them?" Mindy whispered to Anika, nudging her. "I love 'em, but my God the drama. Living with Kynz is so much easier."

     Having heard her, Sam didn't turn around but stuck her middle finger out at the curly-haired twin.

     "No, I'm not going to."

     "Why not?"

     Massaging her temple, Kynlee knew where this was headed— where Tara was headed. This was a discussion she'd had with her on numerous occasions.

     "Because I'm uninterested in living in the past like you are!"

     Yup. There it is.

     "What's that supposed to mean?" Sam challenged, head reeling back an inch.

     Not wanting this to spiral into something much deeper, at least not in public, and while most of them were intoxicated, Chad tried to step in. "Hey, guys. Come on—"

     Tara threw a hand out at him, waving for the jock to shut up. "It means I'm not gonna let what happened to us for three days define the rest of my life," she told her sister, not understanding why Sam didn't get where she was coming from.

     "So you're just gonna pretend it never happened?"

     A beat of silence passed and Kynlee moved closer. Out of their entire friend group, Tara was always the most inclined to listen to her or Wes. Since Wes was no longer there to step in like he used to, it was time for Kynlee to.

     "T..."

     "What are you doing here, Sam?" Tara ignored Kynlee and kept her gaze locked on Sam. "In New York. You're working two shitty jobs to help with rent, whatever, but what's your plan?" At this, Sam didn't have an answer. This wasn't how she pictured the night going. "I know what I'm gonna do. Okay? Because I'm gonna keep going to college, I'm gonna get my degree, and I'm gonna live my life. My life."

     A palm was placed on her heart and she stared pointedly at the latter. "Okay? I know." Reluctantly, Sam nodded once. "You just followed me here, and you won't let me out of your sight."

     It was quiet for a second as Sam struggled to conjure up a reply that didn't result in her becoming emotional. "I'm just trying to look out for you," she eventually said.

     Sighing heavily, Tara struggled to mask her frustration. "I—" She ran her hands down her face and tried to collect herself. "I know. I know you are," she returned her focus to Sam. "You can't do it for the rest of my life, though. You have to let me go."

     The solemn moment and dying argument were abruptly cut short when a group of four girls walked past them. "Hey!" Everyone glanced in their direction. Three of them were filming on their phones while the other threw her soda-filled styrofoam cup at Sam. "Murderer!"

     Bystanders gasped and stopped what they were doing to watch chaos break out.

     Sam reacted without thinking and pushed the girl's chest. "What the fuck is wrong with you, bitch?" she shouted, diving in to hit her again when Chad swept in.

     He wrapped his arms around her waist and dragged her back. "Woah, woah, woah," he breathed, shooting the random girl a glare. Who the hell does she think she is?

     "Sam! Sam, stop!" Tara yelled, scrambling to insert herself in between her sister and the stranger.

     "You got a problem with me?" Sam retorted, shoving Chad and Tara away.

     Tara stumbled into Chad, causing him to do the same and for his cowboy hat to fall off.

     "Fuck you, you fucking bitch!" Mindy screamed, lunging for the group of girls. Luckily, Anika managed to swoop in and tug her back.

     At the same time, Kynlee scoffed in disbelief and ran over. She stood in front of Sam protectively, about to throw a punch. "Start counting your goddamn seconds, bitch!" she yelled, fuming.

     Jaw-dropping, the girl let out a breathy laugh. "Was that a threat?!"

     "No, but it sure as hell can be," Kynlee growled, tossing her hair over her shoulders. With her fingers formed into fists, she charged forward with every intention to knock the girl out cold.

     Eyes widening, Chad quickly jumped over and held his arm in front of his girlfriend. "Hey hey hey, let's take it down a notch. Yeah?" he asked, raising an eyebrow and giving her a 'calm-the-fuck-down' expression.

     "Fuck you!"

     "Fuck you!" Kynlee shouted, throwing both middle fingers in the air.

     Pointing at each of them, the girl shook her head. "You guys should stay away from her. She knows what she did." One of her friends was trying to pry her away from the brewing fight while the other two were still recording.

     "I didn't fucking do anything!" Sam screamed, moving to go after them.

     Ethan finally joined the commotion and helped Tara hold the older woman back since Chad was trying to keep Kynlee from assaulting somebody.

     "Sure, bitch."

     Anika shooed them off, glaring harshly. "Just walk away," she advised, tempted to let Mindy go.

     Letting out a shuddering breath as the girls walked away, Sam shrugged off Ethan and Tara. "I'm so sick of this shit," she grumbled, angrily fixing her now-soaked long-sleeve top.

     Kynlee's chest was rising up and down rapidly and she was struggling to contain her irritation. The absolute nerve and audacity of some people pissed her off. "I want to fucking kill her," she seethed, not meeting Chad's stare.

     "I know, but you won't," he told her firmly, kissing her forehead gently. It contradicted the finality in his tone, but she knew he was doing his best to keep her from losing it.

     "Can't you let me throw at least one right hook," she grumbled, unable to look away from the four girls.

     Letting out a soft laugh, Chad used his index finger to turn her chin and head toward him. She relaxed a bit under his stare. "As hot as it would be to see you do that, no," he answered, heart melting at the adorable pout that appeared on her face. "Come on. Let's go, gamer."

     "Fine. Nerd."

━━━━━━━━┛ ✶ ┗━━━━━━━━

❝ you know i'm 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 at 𝒌𝒆𝒆𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒔,
you know that you're my 𝒘𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔. . .

and i'll 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 repeat 𝒊𝒕! ❞

╭⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀╮

Día de Muertos ━━ Day of the Dead
Chingada ━━ Fuck
¿Qué? ━━ What?
¿Estás bien? ━━ Are you okay?

╰⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀╯

     kynlee + chad = best hype squad &&& ethan landry is bisexual in this story, bite me.

     i'm so sorry this took a little longer than usual to update! this last week has been insane with work, so i haven't taken the time to properly write. hopefully, the next chapter will be published much sooner!

     thank you to everyone who's reading! it's very much appreciated, ily <3

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˒⠀𝑹𝑬𝑴𝑰𝑵𝑫𝑬𝑹. . . ▬⠀⤸

Thank you all for taking the time out of your day to comment on this story. It means a lot and helps the story be spread to a broader audience &&& allows me to grow as an author. All I ask is that people vote on each chapter, please. As a creator, it takes time to write and develop stories. So please, vote on every chapter. It means a lot more than I could ever express.

Don't forget to vote & comment!

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˒⠀𝑪𝑶𝑷𝒀𝑹𝑰𝑮𝑯𝑻. . . ▬⠀⤸

❝ All Rights Reserved.
No part of this publication may be
reproduced, distributed, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, including
photocopying, recording, or other
electronic or mechanical methods,
without prior permission of the author,
except in the case of brief quotations
embodied in critical reviews and
other noncommercial uses permitted
by copyright law. ❞

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