Chapter eighteen
Ghostface Strikes Back
Lacey's POV:
Jenny screamed as Ghostface came crashing through the window. "Oh my god!" Kurt said as he shoved me away from the couch. I landed on the ground and watched Ghostface come into the apartment. I backed away from the couch and watched Ghostface tackle Kurt. Kurt wasn't going to go down without a fight. He punched at Ghostface's shoulder and head, trying to knock him down. "Lacey!" Jenny grabbed her hand and pulled her into Jenny's bedroom. "Fucker!" Kurt was pushed into the bookshelf as Jenny closed the door. "My phone! It's in the living room!" Jenny said as tears filled her eyes. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and went to dial the police but Ethan's name flashed across my screen. I answered it and said "Eth, I need your help!" "Is that Ethan?! Call the cops!" Jenny yelled. "Lace, what's wrong? Are you ok?" Ethan's voice was full of worry. Kurt's screams entered the air and Jenny gasped. "It's Ghostface. He's here." Ethan's breath hitched and he said "I'm on my way. Call the cops as well but I'm coming. Stay away from him, Lacey." A bang on the door signaled Ghostface was trying to break into the bedroom. "Ok. Please hurry, Ethan. Please." I begged as sobs escaped my lips. I hung up the phone and Jenny was trying to barricade the door and figure out a plan. Ghostface swung his knife around as he could only fit his arm through. Jenny looked to her window and pulled me over towards it. "We need to get into your bedroom. Can you do it?" I nodded at her and then said "you go first." Jenny shook her head and said "no. You go. I'll hold him off if I need to." Jenny opened her window and I looked at the very tiny ledge, climbing out onto it. I slowly shimmied her way over to her bedroom, the bangs from the door getting louder. I opened her window, desperately trying not to fall. I looked over at Jenny who was climbing out of the window. Jenny looked at me and said "go!" Ghostface grabbed Jenny and pulled her back into her bedroom. She screamed as she tried to get away. "Jenny!" I said. Her screams along with stabbing sounds entered the air. I quickly closed my window and locked it. Tears streamed down my face as I realized that Jenny was probably dead. I quietly locked the door and tried to barricade it. Just as I went to grab a chair, Ghostface pounded on the door. I jumped at the banging and he was quick to get in the room with me. "Lacey!" Ethan yelled. My eyes widened and went to rush over to him, getting stabbed in the side. Ghostface twisted the knife in my side. I yelped in pain and tried to rush over to the doe eyed boy in front of me. He reached for me, pulling me out of the way. I felt the knife leave my side, blood going all over the floor. Ethan tried to put pressure on my side but Ghostface was already bringing the knife back towards me, trying to stab me in the back. Ethan was quick to shield me from the knife making it's way towards my back. Ethan turned around, the knife coming down on Ethan's back. My eyes widened and I gasped. "Ethan!" Ethan shook his head and said "Lacey, run!" "I can't!" I said. "Go!" He shoved me roughly and I sobbed as I left Ethan there. I stumbled onto the floor and desperately made it to my feet. I panted and continued to sob, wanting nothing more than to get away. I ran out into the hallway, running into Chad. "Lacey, what's-" "Ghostface! He's with Ethan!" "What?!" Chad said as he rushed towards the apartment. "Chad, no!" I watched him run inside and I whispered. "Chad, please." I said softly. I wiped my face and slowly approached the apartment. I peeked around the doorway to see Chad holding Ethan. "Ethan.." Ethan looked up at me while holding his arm. Chad looked around the apartment and said "oh fuck." I slowly made my way inside, sirens entering the air. "Ethan." Ethan gulped and said "I'm ok." Chad was staring ahead of us and I looked over to see Kurt laying in the hallway. "Jenny." I said as I stood up. "Lacey, don't!" Ethan warned. My feet carried me to Jenny's bedroom and I saw her laying in a pool of her own blood. My lip quivered and I said "Jenny!" I felt someone pulling on me and I shook my head. "She's gone, Lace. She's gone." Chad said. The paramedics were rushing in. I looked to the ground in the hallway to see Kurt laying there. He was barely alive, choking on his own blood. He gasped for air and Chad said "fuck." I cried and was then handed off to the paramedics for my side. I stared blankly as my side was being bandaged. I sat in an ambulance outside of my apartment building. Ethan was in the one adjacent from me. "I need to get by." I could hear the voice of Kai. "Get out of the way." Tara said. I knew the both of them were making their way towards me. "Move!" Tara yelled as she pushed a group of people out of her way. "Bitch." Someone mumbled. "Fuck you!" Tara replied. Kai rushed over to me and said "oh my god, Lace." "What happened?" Tara said. I shook my head and said "he came. I only survived because.." My eyes went to Ethan. Tara and Kai looked over at him and Tara said "did he save you?" I nodded. Kurt and Jenny's bodies were being rolled out, hidden by the body bags. "Jenny?" Tara said. "Mmm-hmm." I hummed. Kai said "shit. Kurt too?" "They're gone." I looked down and Tara hugged me, along with Kai. "We're going to spend the night at Chad's. He's pretty adamant about it. Kirby will have something figured out in the morning. Since today's plan was kind of a bust." Mindy's voice said. Tara pulled away from me, Kai doing the same. Mindy threw her arms around me and I was shocked a bit. I slowly hugged her back and Mindy said "I thought he got you." I squeezed her and said "he almost did." Mindy looked at my now bandaged side and said "maybe we'll have matching scars." I half smiled and Tara said "I'm so glad you're ok." "Me too. We were going to meet up with you guys once Ethan got back. Jenny called me and wanted me to come back to the apartment so Ethan and I headed over. But, he left his phone so he went back to get it and Ghostface showed up. Then Ethan ended up getting hurt. It's all my fault. I should've never called him." Chad walked over and said "hey, Ethan's fine. It's not your fault." Ethan stood next to him and said "that's not your fault, Spacey. I didn't want him to get you again. It looks like he did." I stood up and wobbled on my feet a bit. Ethan was quick to hold me up and give me a hug. I held him tightly and Mindy said "let's go. Before Gale shows up." Iz looked around at the scene and said "I hate every minute of this." Tara looked up at the building and said "do you have fresh clothes?" I shook my head and Ethan said "I'll go grab you some." He went to walk away. "N-No." I said as I grabbed his arm. "Hey, I'll be right back. You can't stay in those bloody clothes. Stay here with Chad." Chad put his arm around me and I watched Kai go with Ethan. I leaned my head on Chad's shoulder and he said "you're ok, Lace. Ethan and I won't let him hurt you again." I looked up at Chad who gave me a half smile. "Promise?" I whispered. Chad nodded and said "I promise." Tara inched her way over and attached herself to me. She held my arm and leaned her head on my shoulder. I was quick to wrap my arm around her, pulling her closer to me. "We'll stay at Chad's. It'll be safe. We'll make sure." Sam said to the group. Mindy nodded and said "yeah. We can do that."

Kai's POV:
The dorm looked like a train wreck. I quickly went into my room and got some fresh clothes and Ethan stared at a spot in the hallway. I went to stand next to him and he said "Kurt." I grimaced and said "shit." Ethan went to Lacey's room and sighed as he looked around for some clothes. "There." I pointed to her dresser, telling him what jeans she'd want. I also told him to get her another long sleeve crop top. Ethan then went into her panty drawer and sock drawer, getting her a fresh pair of each. I chuckled softly and Ethan said "what?" "Nothing it's just...you really care for her. It's kind of cute." Ethan blushed and said "I do care for her. I love her, Kai. I know it seems like I'm Ghostface and everything but why would I hurt Lacey? Why?" I shook my head and said "listen, I don't think you're Ghostface fully. I just have my suspicions and am being cautious. That's all." Ethan nodded and threw Lacey's clothes into his backpack. He walked ahead of me and I said "whoa. What happened to your bag?" Ethan took off his backpack and saw the hole in it. "Oh. Ghostface. He tried to stab Lace and I shielded her. The knife must've went through my bag. I don't remember it hitting me." My eyes widened and I said "he could've gotten you. Worse than he did." Ethan nodded and said "I know. But I couldn't let him get Lacey. And he has. Twice. That's my fault. I wasn't there." "You were this time." I told him. Ethan half smiled and the two of us walked out of the apartment and walked back downstairs. We noticed Tara, Chad and Lacey were gone. "Where's Lacey?" Ethan said, his voice full of worry. "Ethan, it's ok. Tara wanted to get Lacey settled in. So they went ahead to your dorm. She cussed me out and was really giving it to me but she cares about Lacey." Mindy crossed her arms over her chest and said "I think in the morning I'm gonna go see Anika. And check on her." Sam nodded and said "that sounds good." Ethan ran a hand through his curls and said "did she seem ok?" "Lacey?" Ethan nodded. Sam shrugged and said "yeah. Chad was keeping her calm. And Tara was just talking to her. Tara's overprotective of her." I held back the scoff that wanted to leave my lips. I liked Tara. She was cool. But Lacey was my best friend. I'd known Lacey since she was fifteen. I'd been the only friend who stayed and witnessed her low points in her life. Lacey meant the world to me and I loved her so much. "Let's just go. I've already been away from her too long." Ethan said. Mindy patted his back and said "she's fine. I promise." Ethan didn't answer as Sam and Mindy began to lead the way. Iz walked alongside me as Ethan was on the opposite side. I looked at him and saw the worry etched onto his face. "Ethan." His head snapped in my direction to look at me. "Lacey's fine." He took a shaky breath and said "Kai, the thought of something happening to her...I can't imagine it." I reached for his arm and held it in mine. "Ethan, she has both of us. Between the both of us, nothing will happen to her. We'll protect her." Iz had ahold of my hand and Ethan nodded, going silent again. I turned to my girlfriend and said "how're you holding up?" "I'm stressed. My cousins are being hunted by a psychopath once again and I'm not sure I know how to handle it. I'm scared for all of us. Now Kurt and Jenny are gone...I loved Jenny. She was so sweet." I sighed and said "me too. Neither of them deserved to die. Iz, I'm going to protect you with my life. Do you understand? I love you. I won't let anything happen to you." Iz half smiled and said "I know. I'll do the same for you." "Guys, I gotta go to the corner. I'll be back." Ethan said as he went off towards a bodega. "Ethan!" I called out. Sam and Mindy had already gone inside the building. "Should we wait out here?" Iz asked. I shook my head and said "let's at least go inside the building. That way we're not out in the open. I don't understand what he's doing." "Maybe he went to go grab something for Lacey. Or he needed a snack." Iz said as she shrugged her shoulders. I looked at her with a quirked eyebrow and she said "what? Is that stupid?" "No. It's not stupid. It's just incredibly dumb on Ethan's part." "Yeah, that was a dumbass decision isn't it?"

Ethan's POV:
I broke off from the group, going to the alley where Quinn wanted to meet. Fuck her. Fuck her for doing what she did. "Hey, baby bro." Her voice said. It was smooth as silk as she leaned against the wall. I stormed towards her, shoving her against the wall. Quinn gasped in surprise and then laughed. "Awe, are you mad cause I tried to cut up your little girlfriend?" I reached for the knife in her hand, putting it to her throat. "Don't you fucking dare." I said. Quinn looked at the knife then at me. "You won't kill me. I know you won't. You're too much of a pussy to do it." I pressed the knife farther onto her throat, watching the tip of the blade break her skin. Quinn winced and I pressed harder. "Ethan, quit." She managed to knee me in the gut and shoved me away. I aimed the knife at her while holding my stomach. "I told you not to fucking touch her. I asked for one thing. One thing. Don't hurt Lacey. And what do you do? Try and fucking kill her?!" I questioned. Quinn pushed her red hair out of her face and said "dad wants her off the board. I was following orders." "Orders?" I scoffed. Quinn snatched her knife from me and said "remember who's fucking side you're on. Ours. Not theirs." I took a breath and said "Quinn, if you try to hurt Lacey again, I'll fucking kill you. And I mean it." I left her in the alley and walked to the bodega, grabbing some candy for Lacey. I walked back to the apartment building and Kai said "Jesus, where were you?" "There was a bunch of people in there. I just wanted to get Lacey some candy." Iz nudged Kai and said "told you." Her girlfriend scoffed and said "let's go." We went up to my dorm. Kai and Iz went to settle on the couch and Chad had given up his bed for Tara but she was in my room with Lacey. Chad was as well. I walked in and Tara looked at me. Lacey smiled when she saw me. "Hi, Eth." I smiled really big and said "hey, Spacey. I got you some candy. Gummy bears, air heads and your favorite chocolate." "Awe, thank you!" She gushed. Chad patted Lacey's shoulder and said "we'll be right out here. Your big strong man is here to protect you though." Chad ruffled my hair and I said "fuck you." Tara kissed Lacey's cheek and said "text me if you need anything." Kai stood at the doorway and I could feel the glare she was giving Tara. Tara didn't notice it of course. Kai came in and said "are you ok?" "Yeah. I'm fine. I just wanted you guys to get here. I'm so much better now that you guys are here." Lacey said. She was doing a lot better. I was just glad she wasn't freaking out. She was calming down and going back to her normal self. Kai gave her best friend a hug and said "I love you, Lace. If you need anything I'm in the living room. I'm sure Ethan's got you covered though. Also, please don't have sex in here the walls are thin." My cheeks turned red and I avoided eye contact with Kai. Lacey cleared her throat and said "Kai, stop. We're not going to do that." "Seems like you already have from those hickeys on his neck." Lacey sighed and said "leave him alone." "I'm just saying. You two are like rabbits." I shook my head and said "what? No, we're not." Kai laughed and said "Ethan, that's the funniest thing you've ever said. You're in denial. You wish you could fuck my best friend at any time you pleased." "Wow, Kai. Uhm, you can go now. Ethan and I are actually going to sleep like normal people." Lacey began pushing her best friend out of the room as she closed my bedroom door. Lacey shook her head and said "I don't know where she got that idea." "I guess cause it's so obvious that we can't keep our hands off each other." I replied. Lacey rolled her eyes playfully and said "I guess so." She laid down on my bed softly and looked at me. I quirked an eyebrow and she said "cuddle with me?" "Your wish shall be granted." I said as I winked. Lacey giggled and said "you're such a dork." "I'm your dork." "That you are, Eth. That you are."

Ok the end is cheesy as fuck but it made my heart swell. Also 3k?! Wowowowow. You guys are too nice!! And yes I haven't wrote the whole Kirby tracing Ghostface on the phone scene. That will most likely be the next chapter. I didn't want anyone to be confused. And I'm stretching this book out as long as I can.
~skylar🔪🖤🔪🖤