The Party
It was strange how life continued after an attack—like the world just kept spinning, indifferent to the terror that had visited Karina in the dark of her room. Everyone at school, everyone in Woodsboro, was still talking about the masked killer, still watching their backs, still pretending that everything was normal. The very idea that Karina had been a target—the thought that someone had watched her, had touched her in the dark—hung over her like a thick, suffocating cloud. But as much as her mind screamed at her to stay hidden, to lock herself away from the world, there was an odd pull to return to her friends.
And so, when Giselle suggested they throw a party to take their minds off the chaos, Karina found herself agreeing. She didn’t want to, not really, but she felt this unspoken need to be with her friends, to feel normal again. The idea of being alone in the quiet of her house felt too heavy.
The party was packed with people, the loud music pounding in the background, glasses of alcohol passed around like nothing was wrong. It was as if the entire town was trying to outrun the fear that had settled in their bones. Karina felt out of place, like an outsider in a crowd of people pretending that nothing had changed. But she still went, still forced herself to smile, to act like nothing had happened.
Winter was with her, as always. Her presence was constant, unshakable. Karina didn’t know if it was because Winter was genuinely concerned for her—or if it was something darker, something possessive—but Winter didn’t leave her side. She followed Karina’s every move, her eyes always watching, always scanning the room like a silent, predatory presence.
As Karina danced, tried to lose herself in the rhythm of the music, Winter stood off to the side, her arms crossed, her gaze never wavering. It was unsettling, how closely she watched her. Every time Karina turned her head, Winter was there, like a shadow, watching with a look Karina couldn’t quite place.
At one point, Karina couldn’t take it anymore. She stopped in the middle of the dance floor, turning sharply toward Winter, her eyes narrowed.
"Why are you doing this?" Karina’s voice was low, almost pleading. "You’re… you’re acting weird. Like you’re following me around. Like I’m some kind of prisoner."
Winter didn’t flinch at the accusation. She merely shrugged, the same unreadable expression on her face. "I’m just keeping you safe, Karina. You should be thanking me."
"Safe?" Karina repeated, her voice rising, frustrated. "I don’t feel safe. Not with you watching me all the time. Not with this… this thing going on!"
Winter didn’t respond right away. Instead, she tilted her head slightly, her eyes flickering past Karina toward the crowd of people in the room. Karina followed her gaze, and her stomach tightened when she saw Ningning in the crowd. Ningning’s eyes locked onto hers for a brief moment, before flicking to Winter.
Winter’s eyes darkened. She tilted her head again, a subtle, almost imperceptible gesture. Karina didn’t notice the tension building between them—didn’t see the unspoken communication pass between Winter and Ningning—but something about the way Winter moved, the way she stood so still, made Karina uneasy.
Ningning took a step toward them, but Winter’s gaze intensified. She leaned in closer to Karina, her voice a whisper, but it was sharp with something Karina couldn’t quite identify. "Stay close to me," Winter warned, "I don’t want you near her."
Karina was too distracted by the music, the noise, the chaos around her to fully understand Winter’s words, but she nodded anyway, her unease simmering under her skin. She couldn’t explain it—couldn’t explain why she felt like she was standing on the edge of something dangerous—but there was a lingering tension that she couldn’t shake.
Winter’s eyes lingered on Ningning for a moment longer, before she turned back to Karina. Her voice was quiet, but it carried a note of finality. "I’ll be right back. Stay here."
Before Karina could protest, Winter was gone, disappearing into the crowd. Karina’s eyes followed her for a moment, but she quickly got distracted by the familiar faces around her. Giselle, Yeji, Lia, Chaeryeong—all were busy chatting, dancing, pretending that things weren’t wrong.
She didn’t notice Winter’s absence. Didn’t notice that she had slipped away.
Meanwhile, Winter and Ningning had retreated into a quieter corner of the house, away from the raucous music and the thumping bass. The room was dimly lit, shadows stretching across the walls as the two of them stood facing each other. Ningning leaned against the wall, her arms crossed, a playful smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
"You’re really obsessed with her, aren’t you?" Ningning teased, her voice laced with amusement. "I didn’t think I’d see the day where you’d care this much about anyone."
Winter’s expression remained hard, but her jaw tightened slightly, a subtle sign of irritation. "It’s not like that," she muttered, her voice low and controlled. "I just don’t want her to be hurt."
Ningning raised an eyebrow, pushing herself off the wall. "Uh-huh. Sure, you don’t want her to be hurt." Her smile turned mischievous. "Is that really all it is, Winter? Or is it that you’ve got a soft spot for her?"
Winter’s eyes flickered with something cold, something sharp, but she didn’t argue. Ningning’s teasing never seemed to end, and it was starting to wear on her. But there was nothing she could do to stop it.
"You’re ridiculous," Winter muttered. "But fine. I’ll admit it." She looked away, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don’t want her to get hurt. Not while I’m here."
Ningning chuckled, her tone light, but there was something dark hiding underneath. "Oh, I know. You’ve made that pretty obvious."
Winter clenched her fists, but Ningning wasn’t finished. She stepped forward, lowering her voice as she leaned in. "But you know what, Winter? It’s not like I’m going to hurt her, either. She’s too important to you, huh?"
Winter didn’t respond, but the tension in the air was palpable. She stared down at Ningning, her emotions swirling, her mind spinning with conflicting thoughts.
After a long pause, Winter’s gaze hardened again. "Giselle’s too close to Karina. She’s the next target."
Ningning immediately stiffened, her expression shifting from playful to serious in an instant. "No." She shook her head firmly. "She’s mine. I won’t let you do that."
Winter’s eyes narrowed. "You can’t protect her forever."
Ningning stepped closer, her face mere inches from Winter’s. "Don’t touch her. She’s not part of your game. You want to target someone else? Fine. But not Giselle."
Winter smirked, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes. "Fine. We’ll pick someone else. But it’ll be soon, Ningning. Don’t think you can keep me from doing what I need to do."
Ningning took a step back, her eyes flashing with a warning. "We’ll see, Winter. We’ll see."
Winter turned away, but before she did, she looked over her shoulder at Ningning, a glint of cold determination in her eyes. "You stay away from Karina. Or I’ll make sure you regret it."
With that, Winter disappeared into the crowd, leaving Ningning standing in the shadows, her gaze lingering on Karina.
The night carried on, the music pulsing through the house like an insistent heartbeat. Karina, unaware of the conversations happening in the dark corners of the party, continued to blend in with her friends. But somewhere deep inside, the growing tension and danger in the air wrapped itself around her, tightening slowly.
She had no idea that the people closest to her, the ones she trusted, were the ones pulling her deeper into a nightmare she wasn’t yet ready to face.