Hours flew by, the group of males chatting amongst each other, eating food, and laughing. The sky outside grew gloomy, and soon there were drops of rain pattering against pipes and windows. Y/n checked his phone.
11:13 pm.
It was long past curfew, and his mother still hadn't shown up. She had said she would come home late, but it was now nearing the wee hours of the following morning. The boy started biting his nails in antipaction. "Are you okay, Y/n? Nova asked, and Y/n glanced at the ash blond.
"Yeah, I'm just a bit worried for my mother, she said she would come home late due to an emergency at work, but it's getting pretty late." The h/c haired explained. "Ah, I see." Nova sounded out.
"I wouldn't worry and fret too much, she probably just has a lot of work that needs to be finished" Elio reassured.
Y/n pulled his lips into a tight line "Yeah, perhaps you're right." The boy remarked and put his phone down, letting a deep sigh out.
'I'm beginning to regret keeping the package from Mom. She is now working on a case involving an active serial killer who sent a dead animal right to our door.'
The boy cast a weary glance outside, propping his head up by his palm. The more he thought about it the more guilt began eating away at his consciousness.
"Y/n, just like Elio said, I'm sure your mom is just busy," Ezra voiced with assurance. Y/n picked up the remote and switched to the local news channel. A man was sitting behind a desk holding a stack of papers.
"The serial killer is still running rabid around Runswick. This morning, two teenagers were murdered in broad daylight, this has planted new fear in the townsfolk since the killer has never appeared over the day before."
The man on the television shuffled his papers before continuing.
"Mayor Charlotte Pierce responded to the outbursts of fear and anger this evening."
A woman with ash blond hair and blue eyes showed up on the screen dressed in formal wear. Her stance was confident and reflected authority as her stern expression faced the camera.
"I am working with Sheriff Whitelock and Detective Evans to find the culprit. I will not put up with this obvious act of violence and depravity; it has continued for far too long, The killer will be brought to justice, this I vow. I'm sending out my sincerest thoughts and prayers to everyone impacted by this evil."
The screen flicked back to the news reporter.
"Detective Evans and Sheriff Whitelock are advising everyone to stay indoors after sundown, and be extra alert when going outside in the daytime."
"Now for the weather."
Y/n switched off the television and looked back at the brothers "It looks like your mom is very pissed and unpleased with this new revelation of the killer," he said. Nova shrugged. "Believe me, me and Ezra have noticed that, when we visit her, she...she has been very distant, to put it lightly." Nova sulked.
"What?" Y/n raised a brow 'Visit her? do they not live in the same house?'
Ezra spoke up, leaning his head against his palm as he propped his elbow on the dinner table. "What my brother is trying to say is that this whole thing has really been creeping under her skin."
"Much like your mom, Y/n," Roy added
Y/n tightened his lips into a line and took up the remote again "Wanna watch a movie?" The boys nodded and Y/n started booting up the television again.
Someone knocked at the front door.
Everyone's eyes shifted to the dark hallway where the front door was.
"Who the fuck?" Y/n mumbled to himself. He glanced back at the four males, and they too seemed to have no clue who the person was. Y/n sighed and hazily glanced back into the dimlit hall.
"I feel like if I go and open that door, I'll meet the saddest untimely demise known to man," Y/n said with a juxtaposing seriousness
The others gave him blank stares. "I'm kidding." Y/n shrugged and put down the remote. "Be right back." The male walked out to the hallway and closed the door to the living room. He went up to the front door and peered through the hole in the door, There stood Clark and Kiara. 'What are they doing here so late?' in his curiosity, he opened the door. "Hey guys, what's up?"
Kiara waved friendly at the h/c, and Clark gave him a small curt nod. "Can we come in? We need to discuss something with you." Clark asked, Y/n warily glancing back into the house. "Um, I kind of have company over right now," he mumbled "Do not tell me it's them." Clark spat the last word out.
Y/n awkwardly shuffled, "Oh my god, it is them, isn't it." The brunette said in dire disbelief. "Clark.." Kiara warned, Clark disregarded the girl "I'm serious, Y/n." He grabbed the h/c haired by the shoulders "You. need. to. stay away. from. them. They're bad news." Clark punctuated.
"Excuse me, am I interrupting something?" A voice spoke, and the three of them turned to face the speaker., Ezra stood behind them; he walked up to them and shot a blank expression when he noticed Clark's hands on Y/n. For a small second, it was almost like Ezra was glaring with how intense his stare was. An eerie feeling started forming, raising the hairs of the trio.
Clark connected the dots to Ezra's freakish reaction and quickly took his hands off Y/n.
Ezra pulled his lips into a sweetened smile, and Y/n stared at him in suspicion while Kiara and Clark looked uncomfortable, almost scared. The air around them felt warm, and the two friends stared at the ash blond like a bomb waiting to be defused, but with no knowledge of which wires to cut.
"Is there a reason you're at Y/n's house so late?" Ezra's tone was honeyed "None of your business, Pierce." Clark sneered. Ezra's smile didn't waver, but something in his eyes glinted. Y/n narrowed his eyes at the male before sternly regarding the duo. "We can talk tomorrow at school but right now it's late." Kiara and Clark nodded and darted away without a word.
Y/n closed the door and faced Ezra with a scowl "What was that about?" Ezra merely grinned, closed his eyes, and cocked his head, letting his hair fall across his face. "What do you mean?" Ezra's insistence on brushing off his uncanny behavior only agitated the h/c haired male more. "You practically scared off Clark and Kiara!" He lowly exclaimed.
Ezra looked at Y/n as if he were a child who just told him he had seen a fantasy animal. "I just don't get why you hang out around them, you don't know them," Y/n grumbled at the subject change. "I'm acquainted with them, we sometimes hang out, is there something wrong with that?" Y/n folded his arms "No, not necessarily." Ezra whispered as he started slowly moving toward the h/c haired. Y/n let his arms drop to his sides.
Ezra was so close that Y/n could feel the ash blond's breath against his face. Ezra stepped to the side, preparing himself to walk back into the living space. Not before he brushed his arm against Y/n's, his fingers moved toward the h/c haired's hand and began softly massaging his fingers in circles around Y/n's palm in an odd comforting attempt. Y/n widened his eyes slightly and glanced down at the gentle, endearing touch.
"I just want what's best for you." Ezra's breath fanned at Y/n's ear, causing the male to lightly lean away, but Ezra gripped his hand in a secure hold, softly digging his black polished nails into the boy's skin, preventing him from leaning away further "And I don't think being friends with those two is good for you. None of us do." Y/n frowned at the comment, "Well, I don't think it's up to you guys to decide what's good for me, is it?" Y/n retaliated.
Ezra hummed. " suppose you are right..." Ezra let go of Y/n's hand and reached his hand up to twirl with the boy's hair. "I just thought we meant more to you." Y/n let out a low growl "What's that supposed to mean?" He hissed, slapping Ezra's hand away. Ezra's hand hovered in the air for a bit and the ash blond grinned but it seemed to be more forced if anything.
But just like it came, Ezra's strained smile vanished, and back was his usual warm smile "Just joking." Ezra chuckled and flicked Y/n's cheek. Y/n eyed him with an expressionless look "Your humor is something else..." he blankly commented.
Ezra spun around "That's what I aim for." He teased and opened the door to the living room, went in, and closed it again, leaving Y/n to mull over his comment, 'How much of that was actually a joke, Ezra?'
After a few minutes of standing in the dim hallway, the boy walked back to the living area, keeping the hallway door open in case his mother came home. not bothering to spare Ezra a glance He sat down on the floor and grasped the remote.
"I have no idea what to watch.."Y/n muttered, "Any wishes or any recommendations?"
"Let's watch a horror movie!" Nova beamed.
"No." Y/n blurted out immediately. Nova gave the h/c haired boy a dejected look. "But you asked-"
"I know, and no, you know damn well, I can't stomach blood and gorey stuff like that." Y/n pointed the remote towards Nova. Elio butted in "Didn't we just play a horror game?" He pointed out. Y/n rolled his eyes "That's different."
But is it?" Roy cut him off.
Y/n stared out with a detached expression before making a conflicted face. "What's your guy's persistence with watching horror movies?" He probed. Y/n chewed on his lower lip "...Fine." Nova and Roy exchanged a look of triumph "But, we're not watching a slasher film, if we're going to watch horror, we're watching something paranormal." Y/n demanded
"Deal," Roy and Nova said in unison.
The group eventually opted for a generic movie. The movie lasted about an hour, but Y/n didn't pay attention; he was simply staring at the screen, not really taking in what he was watching. His thoughts focused on Mayor Charlotte's statement.
The rattling of keys from the front door jolted Y/n up from his trance. He paused the movie and looked into the dark hallway, where a woman emerged from the rainy weather. Y/n's mother peeled off her soaked jacket and started making her way to the second floor without saying anything.
Hey, Mom, how was work? Y/n called out for his mother. The woman raised her head to face her son with a blank expression, her hair was wet, making raindrops drip down her face and landing on the ground with a tip tap. She stood staring at Y/n before diverting her eyes to his companions, who politely waved back. She didn't respond and instead stomped upstairs to her quarters without looking back.
Sensing the strangeness in the woman's demeanor, Ezra rose up and stretched his limbs. "Well, we'll get going; we don't want to stay much longer." Ezra glanced at Nova, "I'm driving." He spoke spontaneously and walked out into the corridor.
"Come on, Why?" Nova protested, slightly slurring the final syllable. Elio gave him a shoulder push as he passed the ash blonde. "Because you just drank almost 3 bottles of liquor, you dimwit." He scolded, pushing up his glasses. "I did not-!"
"You did, N" Roy confirmed standing up from the couch. Nova frowned in the scarlet's haired direction "Whose side are you on here?" Roy shrugged and began walking to the front door, where Ezra and Elio were preparing to take their leave "I'm on the side that won't get us crashed into a ditch." Roy declared. Nova rolled his eyes before waving toward Y/n and following his friends to the exit.
The four grabbed their belongings. "Goodbye, Y/n, thank you for hosting us; see you tomorrow!' Roy thanked. Nova gave him a high five, Ezra and Elio merely said farewell, and Y/n nodded as the quartet walked into Ezra's car and drove away.
The boy closed the door and walked back to the living room to clean up the aftermath of the hangout. 'They're a particular group.' The boy took the dishes to the kitchen and began washing them off. 'I wonder what they have been up to for the last six years.' He narrowed his eyes. 'Ezra was creeping me out, What's his deal?' The boy placed the bowls back in their signature spot.
He walked back into the room, turned off the television, and glanced at the cradles of booze sitting on the dinner table. The boy pulled out his phone to check the time.
12:23 pm.
Y/n let out an irritated sigh and scratched his head. He eventually came to a decision and took up the cradles. He walked into the hall, opened the front door, and walked out.
He reached the wooden shed where he had previously kept the dead animal and opened the creaky door. He put down the alcohol, closed the door, and walked off without another thought.
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Y/n did his nightly routine and went to bed.
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His father blamed Y/n for Lucia's death; Y/n blamed himself. He kept telling himself that he should have known better. Exploring abandoned buildings posed millions of dangers. Fire hazards were one of them.
A bottle crashed against the wall next to the young boy, He trembled as he stared at the older man who was towering over him. His father was drunk. yet again. When Y/n was younger, every time his father got drunk, he used to beat the young boy and curse hurtful words under his intoxicated breath.
"I wish it was you who died." His father sneered once again, lifting his leg to kick Y/n's ribcage. Y/n was already bruised, he had been living with his father for two years, and the beating never got easier or less painful.
"I'm sorry, dad." Y/n began fighting tears as pain shot through his ribcage as his father kicked him. "Shut your disgusting mouth." The older man slurred. "I don't wanna hear your voice."
The beatings continued until Y/n was around fourteen, he still got punched sometimes, bottles were hurled against him, and he was verbally abused, but at least the heavy beatings stopped.
Y/n heard his father say it so often that he started believing he indeed should've died that day instead of his sister.
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Y/n woke up from the slumber. 'Damn it. what's up with these forsaken dreams?' The boy sat up in his bed and threw off his blankets. He peered at the clock.
5:51 am.
The boy didn't feel like continuing to sleep, but he also didn't want to get ready for school. So he remained in his stance for a few minutes till a thought occurred to him. "There was a cafe downtown when I was younger that opened around six a.m. I wonder if it is still open. Y/n considered his options before standing up and heading to the bathroom for a short shower.
He decided that he would visit the cafe to see if it was still open and in business; if it was, he would order something and spend his time there until school started; if it was gone, he would simply take a walk around town until school began.
after his shower, he went back to his room to put on his uniform and pack his bag, his eyes caught on to the cassette recorder on his desk. 'Perhaps I could see if I can ask Alex if he would allow me to do a questioning with him.'
Y/n grabbed the cassette and packed it up. He slung his bag over his shoulder and descended to the first floor. Before he went out the front door he pulled out his phone and tapped the restaurant's name and stepped out to the porch.
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The male walked to the streets of the town ever so often focusing his gaze on his phone to make sure he was going to right way, after around fifteen minutes, he reached the restaurant. He looked up at the big sign as light nostalgia hit him 'Well looks like it's still operating.' he walked into the building a bell clanking as the door moved. He looked around the restaurant.
It was empty, almost. except for one worker standing behind the counter, There was one customer sitting by a window drinking his beverage, Y/n narrowed his eyes lightly 'That's...That's Alex!' Alex was indeed sitting by a table in his lonesomeness. 'Talk about coincidence. Perhaps I could see if I could ask him a few questions.' Y/n strode up to the counter.
"Hello, what can I get for you?" the worker asked with a smile. "I'll get (favorite drink), please" Y/n replied. The worker walked away to make his drink. after five minutes the worker came back holding (Favorite drink) "Here you go sir." Y/n paid, thanked the worker, and turned around to walk up to Alex's table.
"Hey Alex."' Y/n greeted. Alex's head snapped towards Y/n when his eyes landed on the h/c haired, he smiled "Hey Y/n. How are you?" He questioned and Y/n sat down on the chair opposite Alex "I'm good, you?" Alex sheepishly grinned 'I'm well, so what are you doing here?"
"I needed some piece of mind and I happened to remember this place so I decided to get a drink before school." Y/n explained "You?" the green eyed boy looked down at his drink "Well, I come here every week before school, i used to come here with my sister but after she...Well, the habit kinda stuck." Alex stirred his drink.
"...I see. Well, I wanted to ask you if I could perhaps..ask you some questions about Avery?" Y/n mumbled. Alex raised a brow "Yeah, Sure why not." Y/n nodded and took out the cassette recorder from his bag "Do you mind if I record this conversation?" Y/n inquired to which Alex shook his head.
"Okay." Y/n put the cassette recorder on the table and hit play "So just a disclaimer, if you don't wanna answer any of these questions you have every right to refuse." Y/n added
"I understand," Alex said.
Y/n cleared his throat and took a sip of his drink. "Who was the last person to see Avery except for her supposed friend she hung out with?"
"I was, I was the last to see her, i was sitting on the couch reading when Avery came down and told me she was going out for a bit" Y/n hummed.
"And did Avery exhibit any signs of nervousness or fear when she left?" Y/n inquired
Alex stayed quiet for a second in thought "No, Not what i noticed, she was just her normal happy, self, i didn't get any sign that she was scared." Y/n nodded understandably, a ping was heard from his phone but he chose to ignore it.
"Was there anyone to could have had any type of grudge against Avery that would want her to for example disappear?" Alex shook his head "No, not Avery, Avery was the type of person everyone got along with, she never had enemies and was a social butterfly, constantly surrounding herself with friends."
"I see, my last question, she didn't have any problems at home did she?" Y/n questioned.
Alex once more shook his head and let out a small chuckle, "No, not anything apart from the normal teenager and parents quarrels."
Y/n stopped the recording. A notification was once more heard from his phone. "Thank you for your time, Alex." Y/n smiled. "No problem, if it's for Avery I'll do anything. Even if she really is dead, I just want her to rest." Alex sadly mumered. "I get that" Y/n put his cassette recorder back into his bag and took a sip of his drink once more.
"Do you wanna walk to school together?" The blond asked. Y/n thought about the offer for a moment before nodding "Sure" the h/c haired agreed. Alex gave him an appreciative smile.
Y/n took out his phone to check on the notifications he had gotten. It was two messages. The boy unlocked his phone.
It was the same unknown number that had messaged him on the night he buried Bella with Clark and Kiara.
His hands began trembling.
It was a picture of Him and Alex sitting in the restaurant, not even five minutes ago. It was taken from outside the Restaurant.
Under the photo, a message that made his blood run cold.
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Unknown: [Photo]
Unknown: Keeping an eye on you. :)
Author note: hope you enjoyed this chapter!