Scarequel (Scream)

3. Sequels Suck

I move down the hallway of the Film Department and I come across an open door and peer in. Class is in progress so I slip in quietly. 

Taking a seat at the back of the room. The class sits at desks in a big group near the front in a heavy debate. So far I am unnoticed. Some snotty dude is trying to make a point.

"Sequels are too handicapped. By definition alone, they're inferior films."

Hallie is sitting next to our friend Mickey, a twenty-one-year-old, with an athletic build, cool, and rowdy.

"Bullshit generalization. Many sequels have surpassed their original," Mickey retorts.

"Name one."

"Aliens far better than the original."

"Subjective," some random interjects.

"Life's subjective. I much prefer Ridley Scott," another person inputs.

Everyone begins to argue, trying to make their point about Aliens VS. Alien. 

"No way. Aliens rocked. "Stay away from her, you bitch," Hallie says.

"Alright, I'll give you that. Can you name another one?" the snotty dude asks. I can. 

"T2," Mickey said.

"You've got a hard-on for Cameron," says CiCi Cooper. A Greek girl that Hallie knows. 

"A bigger budget does not make a better movie. Terminator 1 is historical," the snotty guy rebuttaled. 

"How about The Godfather Part 2?" I ask.

The whole room goes silent and everyone turns around.

"The almighty exception. Name another," Snotty says.

A young man, handsome, and smooth, jumps in. My boyfriend, Derek.

"Empire Strikes Back. Better story. Better effects." 

I watch him from the back, fixated. 

"I liked Jedi. With the furry things," Hallie inputs. I roll my eyes, they're called Ewoks. 

"Lucas and his Romper Room stage," Mickey comments.

"Alright, I got it," I say again, "Friday The 13th, Part 20." 

"Case in point. The entire horror genre was destroyed by sequels," Snotty pointed out.

"Really? Why do you think so?" I ask with my arms crossed.

"Sequels suck. Hello. It becomes about money and no one is interested in quality," he states as if it's obvious. 

"It's much more than that. Horror films are only as good as their villains. How can Freddy and Jason even be scary after they've been water-downed for five or six sequels?" I clap back. Billy taught me well. 

"Then what's the solution? If you were making a sequel today what would you do differently?" the teacher asks. 

As the class ponders, Derek makes his way to the back of the room towards me. 

"The point is- I've made my point. Sequels suck," Snotty ends the conversation altogether. 

Derek and I move out into the hall. He wraps me up in his arms protectively. 

"How are you? You weren't in class. I called as soon as I heard..."

"I skipped. I couldn't handle the "that's her" looks," I say.

"I'm sorry baby. What can I do?" 

"Nothing. No coddling. No hiding. Life rolls on status quo," I respond. 

Derek looks at me with bedroom eyes.

"I can do that. And I can also do this." 

He dips his head down and kisses me passionately. After a short time, I break away laughing. 

"No PDA." 

Objection: DENIED. He kisses me again and it gets fierce, like two people in love. Right in the middle of the hallway. An intimate moment. 

We break apart to look for everyone else who is probably in the quad. 

As we get there students and faculty stand concerned and scared. We head to Hallie, Mickey, and Joel- who is another friend of ours. 

"But, what are they doing? He's talking but he's not saying anything," Derek complained.

"Sounds like they don't know anything," Joel comments.

"Do you think they'll cancel Hell Week?" Hallie asks, freaking out since she has not studied one bit. 

"You're getting nailed- you're not getting out of it," Mickey laughs. Hallie flips him off. 

Across from us are two sorority girls, gorgeous sorority girls Lois and Murphy. They are with their fraternity boyfriends. All with looks and the attitude that comes with being Greek. I can feel their eyes trained on me as they huddle conspiringly. 

"Have they questioned you yet, Kat?" Joel asks innocently. 

I narrow my eyes at him, "this has nothing to do with me, Joel. There's an estimated 270 serial killers currently active in the United States at any given time. I can't control that. Who's hungry?" 

"I have rehearsal," Hallie says.

"I have to watch rehearsal," Mickey wiggles his eyebrows at Hallie. 

Hallie hits him in the arm.

"I'm going down to get a better look," Joel says, he reaches forwards and squeezes my arm in comfort then makes his way through the crowd. 

"I gotta hit the library. Anatomy. Some of us have real majors. You gonna be okay, Kat?" Derek asks me. 

"You're not allowed to ask that," I say.

"I'll stop by the Deltas tonight," Derek says as he kisses my forehead. 

"Thanks, Derek," I reply.

He smiles and heads out as Lois and Murphy bound over. 

"Hello pledges. Enjoying yourselves?" Lois' shill voice asks.

Instantly, Hallie stands tall and attentive. I sadly join also. 

"Yes, Sister Lois. Very much so. Thank you for asking," Hallie says speaking for the both of us.

"Good. We need your help, pledges. Are you familiar with the Deltas TP fundraiser?" Murphy poutes. 

We shake our heads in suspicion. Lois takes out two rolls of toilet paper from her book bag and tosses one to each of us. 

"In our efforts to raise money for our favorite cause..." Lois starts.

"This week's TKE kegger," Murphy continues.

"We ask that you sell individual squares of toilet paper for a mere nickel a piece," Lois explains.'

"We've set you each at a five-dollar quota," Murphy smiles.

"Come on, guys. Not cool," Mickey speaks up. 

"Am I getting fraternity interference, Mickey?" Murphy looks around us at Mickey pointedly. 

"It's okay. I can peddle toilet paper," I say.

"Kat, you don't have to."

I take my toilet paper. 

"No special treatment. I can do this. C'mon Hallie," I say. 

I throw Mickey a comforting glance as I head off with Hallie. 

As we walk off I hear Mickey mumble about how he "puts up with Greek shit," and that, "Hallie is into it, he's into Hallie."