Ghostface Corruption

Breaking Point

Amber spent the next week forcing Sam and Richie to the back of her mind.

It wasn't easy.

Richie wouldn't shut the fuck up about it.

Every few hours, another text. Another fucking idea.

Richie: Imagine a Loomis Ghostface... in Woodsboro again!!!
Richie: The victims all being connected to the OG!
Richie: Hell, didn't you say Dewey still lives there? BAM! Legacy character!
Richie: It's like the perfect requel formula!

Amber gritted her teeth as she typed.

Amber: The 'victims' you're referring to? Those are my friends.

Richie: Friends come and go, sweetie.

Her stomach twisted.

Fucking lunatic.

Maybe she shouldn't have told him at all. He wasn't helping her with the actual problem—whether or not she should tell Tara the truth.

Tara.

Right now, Amber needed to focus on her.

She smirked as she tapped out a text, stretching out across her bed.

Messages with Tara

Amber: I'm all alone in this big house ☹️
Tara: Poor babyyyy
Amber: You should come save me
Tara: You just want to use my body 😂
Amber: False! I want your company!
Tara: 🤔
Amber: And if... fun stuff happens, that's an added bonus 🤭
Tara: Yeah yeah. I'll be over in 30, baby 😂😘

Amber grinned, rolling onto her back.

But thirty minutes passed.

Then forty.

Then a full hour.

Her smirk faded.

She called Tara's phone—straight to voicemail.

What the hell?

Amber sat up, heartbeat kicking up a notch.

Something wasn't right.

She grabbed her keys, ready to drive to Tara's house, but before she could, a knock rattled the front door.

She yanked it open.

Tara stood there, eyes red and puffy, her face blotchy from crying.

Amber barely had time to react before Tara collapsed against her.

"What happened?" Amber asked, panic clawing up her throat. She wrapped Tara up, holding her close, hands running up and down her back.

Tara choked on a breath. "Mom... came home completely wasted."

Amber sighed, tightening her grip. "Oh, baby..."

She pulled Tara inside, guiding her to the couch. She sat down and immediately pulled Tara onto her lap, arms locking around her small frame like a shield.

She knew it was only a matter of time before Cristina Carpenter started the cycle all over again.

Tara sniffled, voice barely above a whisper. "She was just mumbling about... how she shouldn't have had kids."

Amber's chest ached at the sound of Tara's voice breaking like that.

She clenched her jaw. "She didn't mean that, baby."

Tara let the tears fall, her fingers curling into Amber's hoodie. "I just don't understand what's so horrible about me to her."

Amber snapped.

She grabbed Tara's hands, holding them firmly. "Absolutely nothing. She's not talking about you, Tara. If anything, she's talking about Sam."

Tara let out a slow breath. "What could Sam have done to make her act this way though? She was going off the deep end even before Sam left."

Amber bit the inside of her cheek so hard she tasted blood.

She knew.
She fucking knew.

And she wanted so badly to tell Tara.

To let her see the truth.
To make her stop longing for someone who didn't deserve her love.

But she couldn't.

She was too scared.
Scared that Tara would forgive Sam.

And Sam didn't deserve a fucking ounce of forgiveness.

Amber exhaled, reaching up to brush away the wet trails on Tara's cheeks. "I don't know, baby... I just know you don't deserve to carry all of it on your shoulders."

Tara clenched her jaw, wiping at her nose. "It's not fucking fair. I can't handle this cycle anymore."

Amber's heart broke for her.

"I know," Amber whispered. "But you know I'll always be here for you. I'll always love you. I'll never leave you."

Tara gave a sad, watery smile, curling against Amber's chest. "I know. I just wish my sister extended the same love and support as you do for me."

Amber kissed the top of Tara's head, voice soft. "That might be a little weird, don't you think?"

Tara let out a weak, tired giggle. "Yeah..."

Then her breath hitched again. "God... fuck her for leaving me. I wish she could see how it's affected me... and Mom."

Amber's hands curled into fists behind Tara's back.

That was it.

She couldn't take this anymore.

Tara suffering like this.
Sam walking free, no consequences, no guilt, no nothing.

Amber pressed her lips to Tara's hair, closing her eyes.

She made a decision.

Sam was going to pay.