all hers | tara carpenter x fem!reader

part 14

The morning passes in a blur.

Tara is glued to your side throughout, scouring the hallways and the backs of classrooms like Ghostface might pop out at any second.

In a combination of her morning vigilance and lack of sleep, her eyes are red and watery by lunchtime.

You sit together in the cafeteria, her head resting against your shoulder, her eyes drooping slightly. Her food is left untouched.

"What's wrong with her?" Liv asks as she settles down into the seat opposite you.

You press a protective hand to the top of Tara's head, thread your fingers through her dark hair.

"She didn't sleep well, that's all." You say.

"I wouldn't sleep well either if my girlfriend was being hunted by Ghostface," Chad says without thinking, his mouth full.

Liv smacks him. If Tara hears his comment, she doesn't react, just nestles in a little closer, determined to use your shoulder as a pillow.

"Why don't we go home?" You say, rubbing her back, "My parents will be out, they'll never know we skipped."

"No." Tara says, sleepy voice roused suddenly, "Us home alone in the middle of the day? That's the perfect time for Ghostface to attack."

"It is." Mindy agrees, scooting into the spot next to Chad, "Although, I wouldn't get too comfortable here, either." She gestures behind her, "Ghostface attacked Sidney Prescott in the middle of the day in that bathroom like twenty-something years ago."

You glare as Tara sits up, suddenly wide awake.

"Can you not say things like that?" You hiss, "She's already freaked out enough."

"She should be." Mindy says, "And so should you. This isn't the time to get comfortable. We need to figure out who Ghostface is and what they want with you."

"I know who it is," Tara says, "It's Richie, my sister's freak of a boyfriend."

"We don't know that," You say. You glare at Mindy, a little. Now she'd set Tara off there was no hearing the end of it.

Mindy ignores you, her interest piqued.

"Tell me more about him."

"He's a deadbeat," Tara says, a little too enthusiastically, "Went to college but he works at a bowling alley. Plays video-games all day in his tighty-whities."

Mindy scrunches her nose, "A little too much information, Tara."

"None of this started until he moved in with us," Tara insists.

"What about motive?" Mindy asks, eyebrows scrunched like she's trying to solve a particularly difficult math problem.

"I've not exactly been the most... welcoming host," Tara says with a shrug, "Maybe he's got thin skin."

This is a pointless exercise. You know the motive, and so does Tara. Mindy is quite literally taking a stab in the dark. You touch Tara's face, just under her tired eyes.

"We'll call the Sheriff after school. See if Richie's story about driving to the restaurant is true," You say, hoping it'll be enough to satiate her, "But can we not rule out other people? It could be anyone, babe."

"She's right," Mindy says, taking a bite of her salad, "It could be anyone. That's the only rule in Woodsboro."

Tara purses her lips, but she doesn't argue. Leaning back into you, like she's just remembered her fatigue. You press your lips to her forehead.