Chapter 7

Blockbuster

Stacey enters Blockbuster and notices it is crowded, something a bit unusual. She searches for her friend Randy and finds him stocking the shelves. "Hey Randy!" She smiles.

Randy drops a couple of videos. "Fuck, Stacey! You almost gave me a heart attack." He picks the videos up and continues to stock them.

"Jesus, this place is packed." Stacey comments.

"We had a run in the mass murder section." Randy states.

Stacey grabs a video and checks the box. It's The Fog. "Can you help me find some cool movies for the party?" She asks with a huge grin.

"Sure." Randy smiles and hands Stacey a copy of Halloween. "This should be a big crowd pleaser."

Stu makes his way to Stacey and drapes his arm over her shoulders. He notices Randy and knocks the videos he has in his hands. "Oops!" He laughs.

Stacey punches Stu's arm and helps Randy pick up the videos from the floor. "I'm sorry, Rand."

Randy glares at Stu but says nothing. "You coming tonight?" Stu asks the boy.

"Yeah, I'm off early." Randy replies. "Curfew you know." He looks around and makes a face. "Now that's poor taste."

"What?" Stu asks oblivious while Stacey looks at what Randy is talking about.

Randy points to Billy who is talking to two girls down the aisle. "If you were the only suspect in a senseless bloodbath would you be standing in the horror section?" He asks incredulous.

"It was all a misunderstanding. He didn't do anything." Stu defends his friend.

"You're such a little lap dog." Randy rolls his eyes. "He's got killer printed all over his forehead."

Stacey chuckles and Stu widens his blue eyes. "Then why'd the police let him go?" The taller boy asks.

"Because obviously they don't watch enough movies." Randy puts the videos down and looks at the couple. "This is standard horror movie stuff."

"Prom Night revisited." Stacey confirms.

Stu leans on a shelf. "Why would he want to kill his own girlfriend?"

"There's always some bullshit reason to kill your girlfriend." Randy replies. "That's the beauty of it all. Simplicity." Stacey listens intently. "Besides, if it's too complicated you lose your target audience."

"So what's his reason?" Stu asks in defiance.

Randy pauses for a second. "Maybe Sidney wouldn't have sex with him."

Stacey nods. "Well, that's a good reason."

"She's saving herself for you." Stu chuckles.

"Could be." Randy answers. "Now that Billy's tried to mutilate her, you think Sid would go out with me?"

Stacey pats her friend in the back. "Sure, buddy. I know I would."

Stu stares at Stacey and rolls his blue eyes. "I think her father did it. How come they can't find his ass?"

"Mr. Prescott would never hurt Sidney." Stacey defends him. "She's his only child."

"And he's probably dead." Randy blurts out. "His body will come popping out in the last reel somewhere... eyes gauged. See, the police are always off track with this shit. If they'd watch Prom Night they'd save time. There's a formula to it. A very simple one."

"Everyone's always a suspect." Stacey states with a grin.

"The father, the principal, the town derelict..." Randy continues.

"Which is you." Stu points at Randy.

Randy nods in agreement. "So while they're off investigating a dead end, Billy, who's been written off as a suspect, is busy planning his next hunting expedition."

"You're forgetting one thing." Stacey says. "Billy was in jail when I got a call from the killer and he saved me when the killer attacked me in the bathroom." She explains.

"How do we know you're not the killer?" Billy's voice is heard.

Randy spins around and sees Billy right behind him. Of course he overheard everything. "Uh, hi Billy!"

"Maybe your movie freaked mind lost its reality button." Billy grins.

Randy shrugs and laughs nervously. "If Randy is a suspect because of his fascination with movies, so am I." Stacey points out.

Stu kisses the top of her head. "You're too pure to kill someone, angel." He states.

Billy looks at the blonde and smiles. "Looks are deceitful." He replies and Stacey gets the creeps.

"You're absolutely right." Stacey confirms.

Randy notices the tension and starts talking. "I'm the first to admit it. If this were a scary movie, I'd be the prime suspect." He states.

"And what would be your motive?" Stu questions.

"It's the millennium. Motives are incidental." Randy concludes.

Stu laughs and claps. "I like that. The millennium..."

Stacey checks out a few videos at the counter and turns to Randy. "I guess I'll see you later." She smiles and kisses his cheek, making him blush.

Stu holds his girlfriend by her waist and leans closer. "Why do you have to be so nice to that guy?"

They leave Blockbuster with Billy right behind them. "Randy is my best friend. Kinda like Sidney and Tatum." She explains.

"But Sidney and Tatum don't have a thing for you." Billy intervenes.

"Randy has a thing for your girlfriend, Billy boy." Stacey wiggles her eyebrows.

"As if he stands a chance." Stu laughs and Billy rolls his eyes. "Look Stace, I don't want you hanging out with that doofus alone." The tall boy stares at Stacey with a menacing expression. "Now, let's go set up for the bash." He grins and hugs Stacey, while Billy leaves the couple.

...

Macher Residence

Stacey is rinsing the shampoo off her blonde locks when Stu hops in the shower. "What are you doing, Stu?" She asks, surprised.

"I need a shower." Stu explains as his fingers trace Stacey's body. "And it's a good way to save water." He grins and starts kissing her neck.

Stacey turns to her boyfriend and wraps her hands around his neck. "Who am I to say no to saving our planet?" She smirks and kisses his lips in hunger.

Stu deepens the kiss and pushes her gently against the wall, holding both her hands to gain control. "You're mine, angel." He kisses her passionately as he caresses her lower back, sending shivers down her spine. There was nothing in the world that could compare to the electricity she felt whenever she was with that beautiful boy. Stu and Stacey were definitely soulmates.

After the unexpected steamy shower, Stacey decides to get ready. She puts on some tight jeans that flatter her curves and a baby blue buttoned sweater that showed her pierced belly button. Stacey brushes her blonde hair and decides to leave it down and puts on a bit of makeup, making sure her green eyes pop. Stu walks into his room and stares at her with loving eyes. She notices he's wearing a red satin robe and laughs. "Who are you? Hugh Heffner?"

"That means you're my playmate." Stu wraps his arms around her waist and kisses the tip of her nose. "Don't you look like a bombshell..." Stacey smiles and he twirls her around. "You know you make me the happiest man alive, right?"

Stacey pretends to think for a second and then nods. "Only the best for my perfect boyfriend." She looks deeply into his blue eyes. "Words cannot describe my love for you, Stuey."

Stu kisses her soft lips gently. "I would do anything for you, angel."

"Would you kill for me?" She asks jokingly.

"I would die for you, Stace." He answers, dead serious. Stacey knew he would anything to protect her, especially with a killer on the loose. But she didn't want Stu to die for her. She would feel all alone without him. He brightened her darkest days with his stupid jokes and childish demeanor.He was the reason she smiled everyday. Without Stu, Stacey would be lost.

...

Stu's Living Room

The party is in full swing. Kids fill every corner of the house drinking, smoking and dancing. The TV is on, news of the murders spread across the screen while music blasts from the stereo. Tatum and Sidney enter the house, carrying grocery bags, while everyone greets them. "You made it!" Stacey hugs her friends.

"Caterer's here." Tatum announces as the girls put the bags in the kitchen while Stu and some other guys drink beer through a funnel.

Tatum rolls her eyes as Stacey just laughs. "That's mature." Sidney smirks.

Stu drops the funnel and goes through the bags, looking for chips. "Where you guys been?" He asks while grabbing what he was looking for. ""We had to start without you." He says while munching on the chips.

"That's code for he didn't feel like waiting." Stacey explains as she takes a chip into her mouth.

While Tatum and Sidney prepare the junk food feast, Stu and Stacey move to the living room when Randy appears near them carrying a bag full of movies. "I thought we'd make it a Blockbuster night." He grins while dropping the videos at the coffee table.

The sound of popcorn in the microwave is heard as Stacey and Stu look at the videos. "I thought everything was checked out." Stu exclaimed.

"I didn't even get any good movies aside from Halloween." Stacey says in awe.

"I had 'em hid in the foreign section." Randy explains.

"Clever." Stacey nods as she peruses the videos in excitement. "The Fog, Terror Train, Prom Night..." She looks at Randy and sighs. "How come Jamie Lee Curtis is in all these movies?"

"She's the Scream Queen." Randy looks at Stacey with a dumbfounded expression.

"With that set of lungs, she should be." Stu chuckles and Stacey hits in the head.

"Tits..." Stacey rolls her eyes. "That's all you see."

A bunch of kids stand in the living room taking a vote on the movie they should watch. "How many for Evil Dead?" Randy asks and a few hands go up. "How many for Hellraiser?" More hands go up and everyone starts to bicker while the door bell rings.

Stu stand up smiling at Stacey. "I got it. Tatum get me a beer." He demands. "They're in the fridge in the garage."

"What am I? The beer wench?" Tatum asks offended.

"Hey, guess who's here?" Stu smiles from ear to ear. "It's that chick from Inside Story." He informs.

They look at the hallway and see Gale and Dewey in the foyer. "Shit, Dewey!" Tatum looks at her brother in utter embarrassment.

"What is she doing here?" Stacey points at Gale.

"She's with me." Dewey replies. "I just wanted to check on things."

The guys stare at Gale, nearly drooling over her, including Stu. Stacey pinches his arm and looks angry. "So you did, now leave." Tatum growls.

"And take your media muff with you." Stacey demands with furrowed eyebrows.

Tatum leaves for the kitchen and more teens start surrounding Gale. "I watch your show regularly." Someone says.

"This must be big news to be on Inside Story." Stu mumbles.

"Huge." Gale grins.

"Wanna interview us?" A girl asks the reporter.

Randy jumps in. "We could be like two grief stricken students and we'll say really nice things about our good friends who were slaughtered senselessly."

"Now Casey and Steve were your friends?" Stacey crosses her arms in disbelief.

"I can cry on cue." Stu comments.

Stacey shakes her head and notices Gale looking at the bookshelf. "Maybe later?" Gale gives them a fake smile. She starts coughing and Stacey sits on the couch. "Can I trouble you for some water?" She asks politely.

"How about a beer?" Stu suggests. "Randy, get the lady a beer."

"You got it." Randy runs straight to the kitchen and Stacey just stares at her friends who are acting like two starstruck girls, including her boyfriend.

...

Randy appears in the living room and sits next to Stacey. "What's Leatherface doing here?"

Stacey looks behind and sees Billy and Sidney going upstairs. "I don't know." She shrugs.

Stu sits near Stacey and puts his arm around her. "He came to make up."

"There goes my chance with Sidney." Randy says with a sigh.

"Like you had one." Stu chimes in and Stacey hits him in the arm.

"Be nice." Stacey scolds him.

The teens are all sitting in the living room, watching the movie Randy picked out. Stacey leans close to Stu while he eats chips and drinks beer. "Look, here it comes!" Some guy says while making scary noises.

"The blood's not the right color." Another guy states. "Why do they do that? It's too red."

"Have you ever seen a pool of blood?" Stacey asks in a monotone. "Cause I have... and you're right. It's too red." She forces a smile while Stu holds her tighter.

"Here comes another..." Randy says, taking a sip of his beer.

"Predictable..." Stacey grabs some chips. "Knew he was going to bite it."

"How can you watch this shit over and over?" A girl asks which annoys both Stacey and Randy.

"Shhhh..." Randy shushes her.

Stu takes a big gulp of his beer and smirks. "I wanna see Jamie Lee's breasts. When do we see Jamie Lee's breasts?" He asks excited and Stacey elbows him in the chest.

"Not until Trading Places in 83." Randy answers. "Jamie Lee was always the virgin in horror movies. She didn't show her tits until she went legit."

"No way." A boy says in annoyance.

Stacey rolls her green eyes. "That's why she always lived. Only virgins can outsmart the killer in the big chase in the end." She grins. "Don't you know the rules?"

Stu finishes his beer. "What rules?"

Randy hits the pause button on the remote and stands in front of the TV, starting his rant, much to Stacey's amusement. "There are certain rules that one must abide to in order to successfully survive a horror movie." He starts explaining. "For instance, number 1, you can never have sex." Everyone starts booing. "It's a big no no. The minute you get a little nookie, you're as good as gone."

"I guess Stacey and I are dead then." Stu chuckles and Stacey laughs at her boyfriend's remark. He wasn't wrong.

"Sex always equals death." Stacey agrees.

"Number 2, never drink or do drugs. The sin factor. It's an extension of number 1." Randy continues and everyone starts drinking. "And number 3, never, ever, ever, any under circumstances, say 'I'll be right back'. Cause you won't be back." Randy finishes his rant.

"Want another beer?" Stu asks.

"Yeah, sure." Randy replies.

Stu gets and heads to the kitchen but turns around. "I'll be right back." He says in a goofy manner and Stacey rolls her eyes.

"There he goes folks." Randy points to where Stu was. "A dead man. Wave goodbye." He sits next to Stacey with his legs spread and she hits him with a pillow.

Everyone is still hanging around the living room, watching the movie. Stacey points at the TV. "Look, here comes the obligatory tit shot." She scoffs.

"Beautiful. Finally!" A guy says excited.

The phone rings but everyone ignores it. It rings again and Stacey nudges Randy, who answers the call. "Hello?" He says. "Yeah... Holy shit!" His face turns white. Randy drops the phone and pauses the movie while everyone complains. "Listen up. They found Principal Himbry dead." He announces. "He was gutted and hung from the goal post on the football field."

"What?" Stacey is freaking out.

There's total silence in the room, everyone shocked by the news. Until part of the football team stands up. "So what are we waiting for?" One guy asks with a grin.

"Let's get over there before they pry him down." Another guy says.

Everyone bolts out the door, leaving Randy and Stacey alone in the living room, still reeling from the news. "They are so tactless." Stacey comments feeling sick by the lack of empathy from her peers. "Principal Himbry was a person and they act like it's some fucking movie." She stands up and Randy envelops her in his arms.

"Let's just watch the movie." Randy sits on the couch, holding his friend's hand. "We were just getting to the good part." He smiles softly at Stacey and she leans on his shoulder, still feeling sick. She liked Principal Himbry and felt like something bad was going to happen at this party. Maybe she should go home... But Stu was right, there was safety in numbers.