Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Woodsboro, California. 1990. Billy Loomis, age 12. Junior High School, 6th grade.

To Billy Loomis, Woodsboro had never been the little town the rest of the world saw in newspaper headlines, postcards, or on TV. Billy constantly imagined what it would be like to live in a big city, how much more interesting life could be. Even though he was still just a kid, his days already felt monotonous.

It was strange to say about a child that his life was monotonous. But that’s exactly how Billy lived.

In the Loomis house, silence was the norm. Billy was only twelve, yet a coldness already ran through him. What he saw on television — in family comedies and fast-food commercials — was a world that didn’t exist behind his own front door. His parents, Hank and Nancy Loomis, were ghosts. They shared a roof but not a life. Their marriage was a dull sham to both of them, they probably hadn’t touched each other in years. The only conversations were about the next bill to pay or why the lawnmower wouldn’t start.

Billy wasn’t hugged. He received almost no affection from his family. They never asked about school, but his grades were perfect, his behavior flawless. He never caused trouble, and his parents were never called in — except for parent-teacher nights or celebrations like Father’s Day or Mother’s Day.

They never showed up.

He was fed, clothed, and occasionally scolded for leaving the fridge door open. He lived in the same house as his parents but he wasn’t really there.

No friends, Billy had always struggled to make any and with absent parents, his childhood was lonely.

One ordinary night, his father was watching a horror movie in the living room, not caring that his son was in the same room. It was the first time Billy had ever been exposed to violent films… and the first time something sparked real curiosity in him.

''What useless screaming.'' Hank muttered without taking his eyes off the screen.

But to Billy it wasn’t useless. On the contrary, it was strangely fascinating. He wasn’t scared. He was curious.

As the victim tripped and fell, Billy analyzed:

She looked behind her.

''Idiot. Why didn’t she just grab the truck keys? They were right there.'' Hank gave a dry, humorless laugh.

Billy glanced at his father. Hank was annoyed by the character’s stupidity.

A tingling feeling stirred in Billy’s stomach, the feeling that he had finally found something interesting.

''I’m going to my room.'' Billy said, getting up from the floor.

''Whatever, kid.'' Hank replied, waving a hand dismissively.

From that night on, Billy spent most evenings watching horror movies on VHS. His parents owned a small collection of classic slashers from the ’70s and ’80s. His interest only grew.

He studied the killers’ motives (revenge, trauma, boredom) and their killing techniques. For a child, it was more than a little disturbing, but there wasn’t a single adult around to pull him away from that content.

It quickly became an addiction.

Woodsboro, California. 1990. Stuart Macher, age 12. Junior High School, 6th grade.

If Billy Loomis was Woodsboro’s shadow, Stu Macher was its light, a bright, loud, desperately attention-seeking kid.

Life in the Macher house was the opposite of the Loomis silence. At Stu’s place the lights were always on. His parents weren’t exactly present either, every now and then they were busy and left his older sister Leslie in charge.

The Machers were obsessed with projecting the image of the ''perfect family in the perfect neighborhood.'' That meant Stu had been monitored and encouraged to be a ''good boy'' since he was tiny.

He took high-performance sports lessons and had over-the-top birthday parties that were more public status displays than actual celebrations.

He fed on approval. Every forced laugh, every rapid-fire joke, every compliment from adults or classmates made him feel good.

Stu was hyperactive. He moved fast, gestured wildly, and words and jokes spilled out of his mouth nonstop. He laughed too loud, just to make sure everyone noticed he was having fun.

He loved being the center of attention.

Stu liked movies, but only the ones that guaranteed fun: colorful adventures, harmless comedies, happy endings. He avoided anything complicated, sad, or violent, partly because his sister kept him far away from it.

He had plenty of friends at school. Randy Meeks was one of them, Stu genuinely liked hanging out and cracking jokes with him.

Stu’s life was busy and loud, the total opposite of Billy Loomis.

One random afternoon, Stu was flipping through TV channels, speeding past a trailer for a new horror thriller.

''Come on! I can’t even watch the trailer properly… Did Mom put the parental lock on again?!'' Stu grimaced.

Leslie, leaning against the couch with one eyebrow raised, watched her little brother with dry amusement.

''You’re way too young for horror movies, dude.''

''No way! It’s just fun. Randy watches tons of them…''

''And do his parents know?'' She asked, already knowing the answer.

Stu didn’t reply, just shrugged and kept channel-surfing.

...

The hallway was packed with noisy kids, recess, the moment everyone lived for.

Lockers slamming, laughter, the chaotic sprint toward the courtyard.

Stu was in the middle of his group, gesturing wildly while telling an over-the-top story about his new video game. His smile was huge and radiant.

''So there we were on the final stage! Obviously I pulled off the perfect fatality, but then my controller froze! Like, completely locked up! And the worst part, Randy started screaming that I cheated!'' Stu’s eyes were wide with excitement.

Randy Meeks, the kid who knew way too much about movies, stood beside him rolling his eyes.

''I screamed you cheated because you actually cheated, moron.''

Stu playfully shoved Randy’s shoulder, laughing even louder.

''Oh, come on, Randy!''

Across the hall, leaning against the wall near the stairs to the science rooms, was Billy Loomis.

Alone, as always. Shoulders slumped, radiating disinterest in recess. He’d rather be watching horror movies.

The dark-haired boy observed his classmates, most in groups or pairs. He was the only one by himself.

He was used to it.

When Billy’s gaze landed on Stu’s group because of all the shouting and laughing, he saw the exaggerated smile, the contagious energy…

''Why so loud…'' He whispered to himself.

It didn’t take long for Billy to forget about Stu. He started walking toward the bathroom, cutting straight through Stu’s group since they were in his way.

Billy passed right by Stu without blinking, without changing course, without eye contact, like they weren’t even there. But Stu and Randy noticed and followed him with their eyes.

''What’s Loomis’s deal? Does he think he’s Batman or something?'' Stu joked.

''He looks like he watches too many movies and sleeps too little.''

''For real. I talked to him the other day to copy homework, and he just stared at me… weird.''

''Billy’s super creepy. He scares me! He has no friends… he just sits in class drawing weird stuff.''

''What kind of stuff? Aliens?''

''Horror movie stuff… He seems to know everything about Halloween, the one with the guy in the mask!''

Stu felt a bitter taste at that. So the weirdo wasn’t just quiet, he had access to the exact kind of thing his family banned.

''Gross. That’s so creepy!'' Stu glanced down the hall.

''Better stay away from him. Anyway, back to what I was saying… you owe me a rematch with no cheating! Haha!''

''You got it, Randy!'' Stu laughed, quickly forgetting the topic.

The next morning. Inside the Woodsboro school bus.

The bus was loud and stuffy. Stu climbed aboard, dragging his bright-green rolling backpack. He greeted the driver and started down the aisle looking for Randy.

His eyes scanned the seats, then he froze mid-step.

There he was. Billy Loomis.

Billy sat alone in one of the back double seats, pressed against the window, staring at the bland Woodsboro scenery rolling by.

Stu felt the air grow heavy. He swallowed hard. The gossip with Randy had made the blond curious enough to actually consider sitting there. The seat next to Billy was empty.

Normally Stu would crack a loud joke and head to the back where the chaos with Randy was guaranteed. But today Billy’s presence pulled at him.

Randy was already a few rows farther back with other kids, waving for Stu to join.

Stu hesitated, then ignored him.

Heart beating faster than usual, Stu did the riskiest thing he could imagine: he walked straight to Billy’s seat.

He stopped beside it, forcing Billy to notice him.

''Hey, Billy! Mind if I sit here?'' Stu asked, voice lower than usual.

Billy didn’t react right away. Slowly he turned his gaze from the window and locked eyes with Stu’s blue ones.

His face stayed blank, as always.

''Whatever.'' He answered in a flat, bored tone.

Billy didn’t move to make room, didn’t smile, just looked back out the window.

Stu felt a wave of weird anxiety and almost backed out.

''Stupid idea, Stu! You idiot!'' He thought.

But he sat anyway. Billy kept staring outside.

Stu glanced over his shoulder. Randy and the others were watching, clearly confused why the loudest, most popular sixth-grader was sitting with the school weirdo. They whispered and pointed.

Stu felt the judgment, turned back, and forced a smile.

He suddenly wanted to stand up, say ''Oops, wrong seat!'' and bolt to Randy. But he was frozen. He was afraid Billy would hate him if he bailed.

Stu cleared his throat. He had to break the silence now.

''Do you live far from school?'' He asked quietly. ''You’re always already here when I get on, and you’re still here when I get off.''

Billy took a moment, then looked at him.

''No.''

''Oh. You must live near Steven, the who’s always shoving people in the hall.''

Billy just watched.

''He got a new bike. It’s red.''

''Yeah? I didn’t see it. Is it cool?''

''It’s shiny. He really cares about it.''

Billy turned fully toward Stu, his eyes sharpened.

''Your hair’s blond.'' Billy stated.

''Yeah.'' Stu grinned.

''You laugh a lot.''

''Yeah, I… I’m funny!'' The grin faltered.

''No. You’re loud.''

Stu’s cheeks burned.

''You just sit there staring out the window like… like a ghost!'' Stu shot back, he wasn’t going to let a shorter kid talk to him like that.

''If Steven doesn’t have his bike anymore, he’ll be sad. Imagine if it got completely wrecked. Twisted metal. Really destroyed. I want to see his face when he finds it.'' Billy said, a little louder, completely ignoring the insult.

The word ''wrecked'' echoed in Stu’s head.

''Wrecked?'' Stu swallowed. ''Like… a flat tire?''

''No. Actually broken. Make it look like a pile of twisted scrap. Destroy it for real. I want to see his face.''

Stu froze. This wasn’t playground pranks, this was mean.

It was the exact kind of violent thing he avoided, coming from the creepiest kid at Woodsboro Junior High, after everything Randy had said…

''Wow.'' Stu whispered, eyes wide. ''That’s… kinda dangerous, Billy. Why would you do that?''

Billy shrugged and looked back out the window, as if he’d already grown bored of Stu.

''I’ve got nothing else to do, and he’s a bullying jerk…''

''Still, I don’t think — ''

''Wanna do it with me?'' Billy cut him off, suddenly staring straight at him again.

Billy’s dark eyes hit Stu like knives. The attention was intense, almost suffocating.

''I…I don’t know…'' Stu mumbled. ''That’s wrong! If we get caught, my parents will kill me!''

Billy tilted his head, mildly annoyed.

''You’re always laughing, Stu. Are you scared?''

''No! Of course not! I’m Stuart Macher! I’m not afraid of anything!'' He blurted.

''Then it’s no big deal.'' Billy said with another shrug. ''And he deserves it.''

The idea of doing something bad, something that would shatter his perfect image, hit Stu hard.

''How… how would we even do it?'' Stu asked, lowering his voice.

The corner of Billy’s mouth lifted, barely a smile, but one of satisfaction.

''During recess… meet me by the back fence near the trash cans where they park the bikes. Nobody looks over there during break. Don’t be late.''

Just then the bus brakes hissed, they’d arrived at Woodsboro Junior High. The doors opened.

Stu, still reeling from his decision, stood automatically. He glanced at Billy, who grabbed his backpack and walked off the bus without looking back, calm as if destroying a bike was just another math assignment.

Stu hurried out. Randy caught up on the sidewalk.

''Stu, what the hell was that?!'' Randy asked, totally baffled. ''Loomis looks like he walked out of a ’70s slasher! Don’t hang out with him, man!''

''Relax, Randy. We were just… talking about science homework. Super boring.'' Stu forced a nervous laugh.

He walked away fast, Randy looked completely unconvinced.

Stu Macher, the kid who lived to be noticed, now had a dangerous secret with the weirdest boy in school. For the first time, he was genuinely excited for the recess bell.

But something was bugging him…

Stu could barely focus on math. The teacher’s voice about square roots was drowned out by Billy’s words echoing in his head: ''Wanna do it with me?''

He kept glancing at Billy’s desk three rows ahead. Billy sat motionless, head slightly tilted over his notebook, but this time he wasn’t drawing, he was just copying what was on the board.

Why had Billy asked him, of all people?

Billy was weird. Billy didn’t need anyone.

If he really wanted to trash Steven Orth’s bike, he could do it alone in the shadows and no one would ever know. Billy was perfectly capable of pulling it off without an accomplice.

''Is it because he’s bored?'' Stu wondered. ''Or does he want to set me up?''

Stu bit his lip and doodled randomly in the corner of his notebook without realizing it.

Billy had insulted him on the bus, called him loud and said his laughing was fake. Stu was Billy’s opposite: the popular kid who was never alone, the walking advertisement for the perfect Macher family.

''He hates me.'' Stu muttered. The girl next to him coughed, annoyed.

If Billy hated him, why invite him into something this big?

Then it clicked.

Billy had called him loud. Billy needed someone loud, someone to be the distraction.

He’s using me?!

Stu was the kid who drew every eye. If something went wrong, Stu would be the first one questioned. No one would ever suspect the quiet loner.

That thought should have terrified him, but it didn’t. Instead of anger, Stu felt… validated.

Being useful to someone, even if it was just to take the fall, felt more real than all the empty laughter he forced every day. It was the kind of attention he’d never actually gotten.

He looked at Billy one more time as the recess bell rang loud enough to make everyone jump.

Stu waited for Billy to leave the classroom first. The dark-haired boy slipped out the door silently, as always. Stu shoved his books under his desk at lightning speed, waved off Randy calling from the hallway, and hurried out.

He had a meeting.

With Billy Loomis.

Chapter Text

Stu hurried his pace toward the back courtyard, where the fence stood near the trash cans. His heart pounded with fear.

How would they do it? He hadn’t thought about tools. He only had his green rolling backpack and a case of colored pencils. Would they hit it with their hands? They wouldn't have the strength for that. Bite it? Ridiculous.

Steven Orth’s bike was parked exactly where Billy had predicted: leaning against the chain-link fence. Stu felt a pang of envy, it was so shiny, so new, while his parents only noticed if his sneakers were dirty or clean.

Stu stopped near the bike, breathing hard. He was standing there alone, feeling like the accomplice to a crime that hadn’t happened yet.

He was early. Billy wasn’t there.

"Great, Stu!" He whispered to himself. "Now you’re alone waiting for the school weirdo to break a bike that did nothing to you, just because you’re bored."

Boredom seemed like a strong enough justification.

Stu turned his gaze back to the bike. Perfect.

He imagined Steven, the bully, at dismissal time, finding his beloved bicycle destroyed.

The image brought a thin smile to Stu’s face.

Suddenly, he heard a dry sound.

Billy Loomis came walking from the same direction as Stuart.

"I thought you weren’t coming." Stu gasped, slightly relieved.

Billy ignored the comment. His dark eyes didn’t blink.

"You’re loud." Billy said, as if Stu’s main function was to make noise.

Billy approached the bike, inspecting it. He wasn't agitated. He was focused.

Only then did Stu notice what Billy was carrying under his shirt. He pulled out an object, which was revealed to be a large, heavy metal hammer with a rusted head.

"What is that?" Stu asked.

"Hammer." Billy replied, weighing the tool in his hand. "Took it from the janitor’s closet. The noise will be loud, so we have to be quick!"

Billy looked at Stu with the hammer in his hand. Billy looked like a leader.

Stu Macher was famous for being a clown. Billy Loomis, for being a cold kid. And now, they were together.

"I'll start." Billy instructed, pointing with the tool.

Stu felt his legs tremble, but he couldn't back out. The desire to belong to that secret was stronger than running.

"I... I don’t have a hammer." Stu managed to say, his voice failing a little. "I only have my plastic ruler."

"You don’t need a hammer for what you have to do, Macher!" Billy replied. He was examining the bike, tracing the weak spots with his eyes. "Use what you have. Use your strength."

"My strength? Like... kicking?" Stu blinked.

"Yes." Billy said and raised the hammer. "I'll take care of the hard parts. You take care of the rest."

Billy positioned himself beside the red bicycle. The object Steven treated as a treasure was now between the two boys. Billy didn’t grimace, or sigh. The hammer came down with surprising force, hitting the aluminum frame near the seat.

The sound was deafening.

The bike shuddered violently, falling onto the grass. Stu jumped at the sound, looking around frantically to make sure no one was watching, but the back courtyard remained empty.

The impact was a shock to Stu, but seeing the first crack released something inside him.

Billy hit the bike again, striking the same spot until the metal yielded with a wet crunch.

"Now, Stu." Billy said, without raising his voice. "The chain. The handlebars. We can’t leave anything whole."

Stu looked at the fallen bike. Adrenaline made him act without thinking. He raised his leg and kicked the front wheel with all his strength.

The kick didn’t make the dry sound of breaking metal. The spokes bent inward, and the wheel immediately lost its circular shape. Kicking Steven’s bike was infinitely more gratifying than any laugh he had ever given Randy.

He attacked the handlebars with a side kick. The thin metal of the handlebars bent.

The two worked in silence: Billy with the hammer's precision, attacking the main structure, and Stu with the brute, disorganized force of his kicks, destroying the components. Stu was sweating, breathless, but he didn't stop.

In less than five minutes, the red bicycle no longer existed. In its place was just a pile of twisted metal, punctured tires, and the loose chain.

Billy stopped. He lowered the hammer, observing the destruction with calm satisfaction. Stu stood still, breathing deeply.

"Perfect, I like it." Billy whispered.

For a pair of kids just twelve years old, they managed to destroy a bike easily. Stuart was a little stronger than Billy.

Stu was breathless, his hands resting on his knees. He looked at the now unrecognizable pile of red scrap.

"Okay. Okay. It’s... destroyed. Totally destroyed." He said. "I guess he won't be riding it anymore." He laughed, but it was a genuine laugh.

Billy Loomis tucked the hammer under his shirt again. He turned to Stu.

"You really do make a lot of noise." Billy pointed out, repeating the observation, but this time it didn't sound like an insult. It was just a fact. "And you’re not fake smiling."

Stu touched his face, surprised. It was true. The advertisement smile was gone. For the first time, he was just being.

"Yeah... and I'm sweaty." Stu tried to fix it, reverting to his goofy mode.

Billy ignored him.

"The bell will ring."

Stu felt the panic return.

"My God, it’s true! We have to get out of here! What about the hammer? The janitor will notice it's missing!"

"He notices everything missing." Billy replied calmly. "We’ll drop it in the storm drain near the emergency exit. If we get caught with this, it'll be worse!"

Billy walked toward the storm drain near the emergency exit and Stu followed him, stumbling slightly in his haste. The difference in their reactions was stark: Stu was scared, and Billy was finishing a task.

They reached the drain. Billy and Stu lifted the heavy iron grate together with some difficulty and threw the rusted hammer inside. The sound of the metal falling into the dark bottom was muffled.

"It’s over." Billy said, replacing the drain cover with Stu’s help.

"It's over..." Stu repeated, breathing hard, exhausted. "Now what?"

"Now we go to math class and pretend we don't know each other." Billy looked directly at Stu. "No one can know."

"Sure! Obviously! I barely know you! I’m the popular guy, you’re... you’re the weird guy." Stu joked.

"You like to laugh, Stu..." Billy corrected him.

"I already got that..." Stuart scratched his head, and an idea popped into his mind. "Hey... If things work out, do you want to come over after school with my friend? We’re going to play video games."

Billy didn't immediately react to Stu's invitation. He looked at the blonde, who was trying to appear casual but was showing anxiety.

"Play video games?" Billy repeated, his tone as if it were something boring.

"Yeah! Randy, you know him, right?" Stu spoke loudly, returning to his noisy persona, as if the destruction of a bicycle hadn't happened five minutes ago. "It'll be cool! We'll eat pizza!"

Stu felt his cheeks heat up, expecting a probable rejection. Billy was the opposite of "eating pizza and playing video games with friends."

Billy tilted his head.

"Are your parents going to be home?" Billy asked.

"No... I mean, they're always around. Mom... Mom is always busy." Stu shrugged. "Leslie, my older sister, will be there. But she doesn't care, she just stays on the phone."

Billy considered the information. Stu's house was noisy, the opposite of the Loomis house. But, more importantly, it was a place where no one really paid attention.

"Whatever." Billy finally said. "I don’t really like video games."

"Oh, come on! There are some really cool ones..."

"I’m only going because I’m bored." Billy interrupted. "And to talk to Randy, his dad owns a rental store, doesn’t he?"

Stu agreed, the satisfaction of having the weirdest kid in school at his house was funnier.

"It’s a deal! It'll be fun!" Stu smiled. "We'll meet at the exit, we can take the bus together anyway."

"Fine. Now, goodbye Stuart. Let's go back." Billy returned to reality.

Stu and Billy entered the classroom separately, minutes before the bell rang again. Stu made sure to greet Randy and the others loudly. He was agitated, his cheeks flushed, but he covered it with an exaggerated laugh.

"You won’t believe it! I almost fell face first in the mud!" Stu said to Randy.

Randy looked at him, suspicious.

"Why are you so sweaty?"

"I... I went to look for a basketball that rolled to the back." Stu lied hastily and threw himself into his chair, trying to look normal.

Randy didn't quite believe the story but decided not to bother too much with the arrival of the math teacher in the classroom.

In math class, the teacher was still talking about square roots. Stu didn't hear a word. He was trying to figure out what had happened.

Is Billy using me? Yes. But I used Billy too. He gave me the opportunity to explode. To break the rule. To break something.

Stu looked at his own notebook, which was open to the math lesson he hadn't done. He caught himself doodling in the corner. They weren't monsters or aliens. He drew Steven's bicycle and a small hammer in the corner.

He looked at the back of Billy's head.

Why did Billy Loomis choose me?

It wasn't just because Stu was loud. Billy had looked at him and seen something. Stu was no longer just the attention-seeking clown. He was an accomplice. He was useful.

The final afternoon bell rang, liberating the children from school.

Stu and Billy again left at different times, keeping the necessary distance so they would appear to be strangers, a charade they would maintain until Steven discovered what happened to his bike.

"Come on, Stu! I want to catch the first bus." Randy said, pulling his friend's arm.

They were walking down the school's main corridor to reach the exit.

But as they left the school, they heard a scream. It wasn't a scream of fun on the playground. It was a furious scream, followed by loud, uncontrolled crying.

The two stopped.

"What was that?!" Randy asked, scared.

They squeezed through the crowd of curious students forming near the back fence.

There was Steven Orth, twelve years old, standing near what used to be his red bicycle. His face was red, distorted by crying and rage. The bully was helpless.

"MY BIKE! WHO DID THIS?! I'M GOING TO BEAT UP WHOEVER DID THIS!" Steven screamed, holding a piece of bent handlebar.

The principal and another teacher were trying to calm Steven, who was crying with anger.

Stu felt an electricity run up his spine. He had gotten the reaction he wanted. The attention was total, but it was directed at Steven, the victim.

He quickly looked for Billy, who was on the other side of the crowd, watching everything calmly.

Their eyes met quickly over the heads of a group of children and some parents.

Billy winked at Stu and then, a slight smile appeared at the corner of Billy's mouth.

Stu couldn't help it. He laughed. It was a laugh he swallowed quickly.

"What is it, Stu? Why are you laughing?" Randy looked at him, suspicious.

"I'm not laughing!" Stu replied, coughing to cover up. "It’s just... it's just that... Steven looks like a crying baby! Oh, come on, Randy! This isn't the time to cry over a bike!"

Randy kept looking at him, still not understanding his friend's sudden change in behavior.

Stu continued laughing, now a little louder to mask what he was really feeling.

While they were talking about the incident, Billy appeared near the two, making Randy jump at the sudden approach.

"Oh! Damn, Billy! You scared me!" Randy put his hand to his chest, catching his breath. "You have to stop walking like that! You look like... a ghost!"

Billy didn't answer, just fixed his dark eyes on Randy. The intensity of Billy's gaze was usually enough to make people move away, but Stu quickly intervened, patting Randy on the back with his hand.

"Relax, Randy! Leave the guy alone, he didn't do anything. And he’s not a ghost, he’s just quiet, unlike you, who talks all the time!" Stu had to normalize the situation, after all, Billy was now his accomplice.

Randy narrowed his eyes, alternating his gaze between the motionless Billy and the strangely animated Stu.

"Wait, why is he here? Why are you two together?"

"Oh, come on, Randy! I invited Billy over. We're going to play some video games." Stu shrugged, acting with his usual charm. "I thought, 'Gee, Loomis is always alone, let’s hang out with him!'"

"Billy? Play video games?" Randy asked, incredulously. "He looks like he plays boring chess or whatever, or someone who stares at the wall all day. Or worse, watches those horror movies you can't watch." Randy emphasized the last part, looking at Stu with a raised eyebrow.

"Don't be silly, Randy!" Stu gave Randy another light elbow, forcing him to divert his attention from Billy. "It’s just a game, man! He said he’s in, and he is, right, Billy?" Stu looked at Billy, seeking confirmation.

Billy just nodded, the acceptance was clear.

"I'm only going because I'm bored." Billy repeated the phrase, this time to Randy, as if to make it clear that friendship was not the motivation.

Then, his eyes returned to the drama of Steven and his bike.

"We need to get on the bus soon, you guys! Or we'll have to walk, my sister will freak out." Stu sped up the conversation, forcing them to leave the crowd.

He gave Billy a quick pat on the back. It made the dark-haired boy’s body tremble.

"Let's go, Billy! Don't worry, we have lots of pizza and soda at my place!"

On the bus, Stu made a point of calling Billy to the back seats, sitting between him and Randy. Stu chattered, describing the fighting game he had for Billy, his voice overly loud to prove his point that it was fun.

"And my special move is the best! It delivers a blow that freezes the opponent!" Stu gesticulated excitedly.

Billy, on the other hand, was focused on Randy.

"Your dad owns a rental store, doesn’t he?" Billy asked Randy, ignoring Stu.

Randy, used to being the center of attention when it came to movies, listened carefully to Billy.

"Yes! And we have everything, Billy! The classics and the new ones, even some obscure horror movies that only I know about but my dad won't let me watch, I watch them in secret."

"The horror shelves! Do you know where they are?" Billy grew more curious.

"Of course I do!" Randy laughed. "Why? Do you want to go there? They won't give movies like that to kids!" Randy warned.

Stu frowned, realizing that the 'video game afternoon' was probably just a reason for Billy to get to Randy and the rental store.

"Then how do you watch them in secret?"

Randy smiled, flattered to have the attention of the weirdest kid in school.

"Alright! If you want it that badly... We'll figure out a way to go there later. My dad isn't there after six, so we can take a look at the adult shelves. I know where the forbidden tapes are."

The word forbidden sparked something in Stu, a crazy curiosity. He didn't want to admit it, but he felt somewhat left out for never watching a horror movie.

Chapter Text

Stu Macher's house.

As soon as Stu opened the front door, he heard a tremendous noise. Loud pop music was blaring from the kitchen, mixed with the sound of a vacuum cleaner in some distant room. Leslie Macher was sitting on the living room couch, cross-legged, with the house's landline phone firmly pressed between her shoulder and ear. She was flipping through a teen magazine with her free hand and seemed completely oblivious to the world.

"We’re home, sis! We have visitors!" Stu shouted over the noise, pushing Billy and Randy inside.

Leslie looked up from the magazine for a brief second, just enough to cast a bored glance at the trio. She saw Billy, a kid who had never been there before.

"Uh-huh. Hi, Randy. Who is that?" Leslie asked into the phone but with her mouth turned toward Stu, before returning to gossiping on the line. "No, no, no! I’ll call you back, he interrupted me." Leslie covered the phone mouthpiece with her hand. "Don’t make a mess, okay."

She took her hand off the mouthpiece and went back to her conversation, ignoring them completely.

"See? I told you she doesn't care, Billy. Let's go up! Leslie lives on her own planet." Stu shrugged, looking at Billy and Randy.

The relief was noticeable on Stu's face. Leslie's indifference was exactly what he needed. In the Macher house, you were only noticed if you were causing a public problem, and Leslie was too busy with her own life to notice three boys going upstairs.

Stu's room represented him well: bright colors, a messy bed, some toys, and most importantly, a television with a pile of video game cartridges next to it.

"We're here! Game room!" Stu exclaimed, tossing his green rolling backpack onto the floor.

"I'll grab this one!" Randy went straight for the pile of games.

Stu quickly turned on the video game console.

Almost two hours later.

Stu's bedroom floor was covered in crumpled soda wrappers and a strong smell of pepperoni pizza hung in the air. The television emitted a bluish glow, showing the final screen of the game.

Stu was lying on his back, breathing heavily, with the video game controller tossed beside him. Randy was sitting up, rubbing his eyes, grumpy but respectful.

Billy was sitting on the floor, still holding the controller.

"I can't believe it! You're a demon at this game, Billy!" Stu said more perplexed than annoyed. "Didn't you say you were 'bored'?"

"I was." Billy replied. "But if you learn the rules... You master the game."

"The guy is an evil genius. No way. He mastered the game faster than I did!" Randy shook his head.

"Observation and practice." Billy smiled, a small smile. "The pizza was great, Stu. But I have to go..."

Stu looked at the clock on the counter next to his bed. It was almost seven o'clock. The sky was dark.

"Already? Will your parents mind if you stay a little longer?" Stu asked, feeling a hint of anxiety. He didn't want Billy to leave, he was having fun.

"My parents don't care." Billy said, standing up. "They probably didn't even notice I left, but it's better to avoid them."

He looked at Randy, who was still gathering pizza crumbs in the box.

"Randy..." Billy called and the boy turned around. "Rental store. Don't forget. I need to check out some movies..."

"You got it, Billy! We'll stop by anytime! You'll love the adult section! There are some really sinister movies." Randy liked the attention. "Bye!"

Billy walked toward the bedroom door and Stu followed him. He stopped Billy in the dark hallway, away from the light of his room and Randy's hearing.

"Hey..." Stu whispered, looking at the floor. "It was... it was cool, Billy. Breaking the bike. It was... cooler than I thought."

Billy stopped and leaned forward, closing the distance between them, and the closeness made Stu's heart race in a strange way.

"I liked it too..." Billy agreed.

He reached out his hand, not for a friendly pat on the back but to wipe a small spot of tomato sauce from the corner of Stu's mouth. It was a quick and intimate gesture.

"You're a good partner, Stu."

He pulled his hand away, leaving Stu paralyzed.

"See you tomorrow, we'll have a good laugh when Steven is without his bike." Billy joked. "One day we can watch a horror movie at my place. What do you think?"

"Deal!" Stuart didn't think twice, showing his teeth. "Bye, Billy!"

Billy went downstairs. Stu stood at the top, watching him leave through the front door and returned to the room.

"He’s gone." Stu said, throwing himself onto the bed.

"Billy seems like a nice guy after all." Randy said.

He touched the corner of his mouth where Billy had touched him.

"Yeah..."

Stu's boredom was over. He now had a partner. And he had liked it.

...

The squeal of the bus brakes echoed on the sidewalk as Stu, Billy, and Randy descended the steps together. The morning at Woodsboro Junior High was buzzing with the recent incident involving Steven's bike.

"I can't believe Steven had to get a ride with his mom!" Randy chattered. "And she was mad! He almost cried again in front of the school, Stu! That's pure malice, who would do such a thing?"

"Oh, really? That's too bad..." He tried to sound disinterested.

"You're laughing inside, I know it!" Randy accused him and turned to Billy, seeking support. "Do you agree, Billy? It's an act of pure malice! Who would have the time or reason for that?"

Billy walked between the two, with his red backpack slung on. His body was tense but his lips moved in a cold response to end the conversation.

"It must have been someone he was bullying..." Billy said. "Steven isn't very nice."

Randy suddenly stopped, forcing Stu to stop too.

"It's a destroyed bike, Billy!" He paused, his eyes fixed on Billy. "Only someone really strong could do that. We are kids..."

Stu was ready to intervene, to crack a loud joke and divert attention, but Billy was faster, turning slowly to Randy, staring at him with his dark, penetrating gaze.

"You have science class today, and the teacher is going to scold you for forgetting your homework." Billy said, completely ignoring the subject of the bicycle.

"What? How do you know about my homework?!" Randy stammered, completely forgetting the previous topic.

Stu relaxed, letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"I know you didn't do it because you spent the night with Stu..." Billy replied, resuming his walk toward the school door.

Stu gave Randy a friendly elbow, forcing an exaggerated laugh.

"See, Randy? I told you the guy is a genius! He reads minds! Now come on, you goofball. You're going to be late for the teacher's scolding!"

"As if you weren't going to get scolded too!"

Billy Loomis was enjoying everything. The experience of destroying the bicycle, an important item for Steven, was intriguing.

Billy realized that Stu's popularity and noise were his power. Stu was the smoke screen, the boy no one would suspect of planning anything. What Stu called "making noise," Billy called distraction. Stu's exaggerated laughter, which was once just annoying, was now an essential part of the plan.

That touch on the corner of Stu's mouth, although intimate, did not make Stu shrink back in fear or pull away. Stu wasn't looking for friendship; he was looking to be useful. Billy offered that. He used Stu, and Stu, knowing it, liked being used without even realizing it.

Woodsboro was monotonous. By breaking the bike, they were creating a little chaos. The reaction of others — Steven's crying and Randy's fear — cured their boredom.

Billy didn't feel guilty, but Stu felt a little. After all, Steven really wasn't a nice kid.

The school bell marking the end of classes rang, releasing the students. Stu, Billy, and Randy walked out together to the exit.

"I can't believe the teacher gave my parents a warning!" Randy grumbled, adjusting his backpack. "And you, you weirdo, got a perfect score as always." He looked at Billy.

"The homework was easy!" Billy said without being affected.

"Yeah, yeah. Now, let's go! Rental store, right?" Stu intervened, trying not to dwell on the fact that he also received a warning.

"Yeah, about that..." Randy shook his head, somewhat frustrated. "It’s not going to happen today, guys. My dad warned me that a huge shipment of new tape boxes seems to have arrived, and he needs me to help open everything and put the tapes on the shelves, and he said he has to close earlier today." Randy continued. "Like, at five in the afternoon. And I have to be home soon. Sorry, Stu and Billy. Rental store will have to be tomorrow."

"That’s alright, Randy!" Stu said. "Family business, we understand. See you tomorrow?"

"Deal! Bye, Billy! Bye, Stu!" Randy quickly walked away, disappearing into the crowd of children and parents.

Stu and Billy were left alone.

"My parents left. They're spending the night in the next town. The house is empty." Billy announced. "Do you want to go there today?"

Stu felt his heart race. The Loomis house.

"We can watch A Nightmare on Elm Street, do you know it?"

Stu swallowed hard. The idea was strange, forbidden, and the solitude of Billy's house attracted the blonde's curiosity.

"Your house? Your parents won't mind? Wouldn't it be better to tell them?"

"They don't care." Billy repeated. "We can watch the movie. And then, we can think about a next mission! What do you think?" He said in a playful tone.

Stu hesitated for a second. Billy's proposal was irresistible.

A Nightmare on Elm Street. He had heard of it — Freddy Krueger, the claws, and the dreams — but had never seen it. His mother would freak out if she knew. His sister would say it was "the kind of thing disturbed people watch."

But there was Billy with that calm, almost bored expression, as if watching a horror movie was as normal as watching cartoons.

"Okay!" Stu answered too quickly. "I’m in, but... like, your house is really quiet, right? It doesn't have that vacuum cleaner noise or pop music like mine?"

Billy gave a half-smile and started walking toward the bus stop.

"It's very quiet there. You'll see."

...

The ride was short. Stu chattered about anything — the new move he had learned in the game, the face Steven made when he saw the destroyed bike, any nonsense — but Billy only replied with monosyllables. When the bus stopped in the Loomis neighborhood, Stu felt a chill.

The houses there were large, there were some children playing in the street and dogs barking.

Billy's house was the last one on the street.

Billy opened the door without a key. It was just ajar.

Inside the house, the silence was heavy. Not the normal silence of an empty house.

"Mom and Dad have already left..." Billy murmured, throwing his backpack on the floor in the hall. "You can take off your sneakers if you want, Stu."

Stu took off his sneakers and left his backpack next to Billy's. The wooden floor was cold on his feet.

Billy went straight to the living room and Stu followed cautiously, admiring the interior of his friend's house. The TV was old, one of those with a tube, and next to it was a shelf full of VHS tapes. Stu had never seen so many movie tapes together, Billy only lost to Randy.

"You... you've already seen all of this!?" Stu asked incredulously.

"Almost everything." Billy picked up the A Nightmare on Elm Street tape. "This one's good. Freddy doesn't chase you. He gets you when you sleep. It's cooler!"

Stu swallowed hard.

"Cool."

Billy stood there, the movie tape in his left hand.

"Oh..." He spoke softly. "I don't have pizza like at your house, but I have cereal and milk."

"Cereal? Seriously? Like... for lunch?" Stu sat on the couch. "You're really weird, you know?"

"It's what we have at home for now..." Billy shrugged, already heading to the kitchen without waiting for an answer.

Stu followed him. The Loomis kitchen was large but seemed like no one really used it.

Billy climbed onto a stool and opened a tall cabinet, grabbing an almost full box of Frosted Flakes. Then he went to the fridge and took out the milk, leaving everything on the counter, and grabbed two plastic bowls to serve the 'lunch.'

Stu leaned against the counter, watching.

"Do you always eat cereal when you get home from school?"

"When I eat." Billy filled both bowls to the brim without asking if Stu wanted a lot or a little. "Mom and Dad don't cook... Sometimes they bring Chinese food or there are leftovers from yesterday, but not today."

He pushed a bowl toward Stu and took two spoons from the drawer.

Stu took the bowl with both hands and took a huge spoonful.

"It’s... tasty." He lied. In fact, it tasted like sweet cardboard, but he wasn't going to complain. Not at Billy's house.

"Let's go, I want to see your face watching this movie!" Billy smiled, holding the bowl and walking to the living room, accompanied by Stu.

Billy turned on the TV and inserted the tape. Stu sat on the couch with his legs crossed, trying to look relaxed. Billy sat on the other side, but closer than usual.

The first scene already came with the weird music. Those piano notes that sound like they're going to make your ears bleed. Stu gave a nervous little laugh.

"That's Freddy making his claws, right? I think I saw a picture in a magazine..."

Billy didn't answer. He just stared at the screen with eyes wide in concentration.

The blonde girl appeared in the dream, running through the steam-filled boiler room. Freddy suddenly emerged, scratching the walls with his claws. The sound was horrible. It was like someone was scratching metal right next to Stu's ear.

He jumped on the couch. Luckily, there was no more cereal with milk in his bowl.

"Jeez!" It escaped quietly.

Billy turned his head slowly and looked at him. He didn't laugh. He just said:

"Quiet! It's just starting."

Stu swallowed hard. He felt a chill in his stomach, but it wasn't exactly fear. It was... different. His heart was pounding, but he didn't want to turn it off. He wanted more.

When Freddy cut his own finger and green blood came out, Stu's eyes widened.

"It's gross... but it's so... cool!" He thought without saying it out loud.

He glanced sideways at Billy. His friend's face was illuminated by the TV's glow. Billy didn't blink. His mouth was slightly open, as if he were breathing through his mouth. His eyes shone.

Stu had never seen Billy like this. It wasn't the weird Billy from school. It was as if Billy was truly alive there in front of that screen.

The scene of Tina being dragged up onto the ceiling came on. Blood dripping on the ceiling, her body spinning. Stu squeezed his knees tightly. He felt a shiver but didn't look away for a second.

When she screamed — that long, tearing scream — Stu felt a strange thing. He laughed. He laughed softly, unintentionally.

Billy turned to him again.

"Are you laughing?" He asked curiously.

"Yeah... I don't know. It’s crazy. It's like... we know it's fake, but it seems like it's really happening." Stu scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed. "I thought I would be scared. But... I'm actually finding it cool..."

Billy smiled. The first genuine smile Stu had seen on him all day.

"I told you. It's better than video games."

The movie continued. There was the part where Glen was sucked into the bed and exploded in blood. Stu gave a muffled yelp and covered his mouth with his hand. Then he laughed again, louder.

Chapter Text

Stu stood still, staring at the turned-off TV. The movie was over.

"Dude..." He said softly. "That was... insane."

Billy stood up, carefully took out the tape, and put it back in the case.

"You felt it, right?" He asked without looking at Stu.

"Felt what?"

"That. When she screams and there’s no way to help. When Freddy laughs. It’s real. Even though it's fake." Billy turned to him. "It's better than anything."

Billy came close to Stu's face. So close that Stu could smell cereal on his breath. He was surprised by the sudden approach, remembering the brief intimate contact they had the day before, which made his face heat up.

"Do you want to watch another one?" Billy asked in a whisper.

Stu looked at the clock on the wall. A good few hours had passed.

"I... I think I should go or Leslie will freak out."

Billy shrugged, as if he didn't really care. They stepped away from each other and Billy took the two bowls, nesting one inside the other. Deep down, Billy liked having company to watch a movie besides his own thoughts.

He realized that maybe Stu really could be a friend after all, not just someone to help him do wrong things.

"Okay, next time we'll watch Halloween. Michael Myers doesn't say anything. It's funny..."

Stu stood up from the couch. His legs felt a little shaky from the tension during the movie.

"Thanks a lot, Billy. It was different."

Billy stood in the middle of the room, holding the empty, dirty bowls.

"You liked it. I saw it in your eyes!"

Stu opened his mouth to deny it, but nothing came out. Because it was true. He had enjoyed it too much. The movie. The scream. The blood. The way Billy looked at the screen.

And that was giving him a weird fear.

It wasn't fear of Freddy Krueger. Fear of his family finding out. Fear of what was happening inside himself. In just two days of talking more with Billy, Stu had done two very wrong things.

He left quickly, as if running away from someone, almost stumbling at the door.

"I'm going to catch a bus. Bye, Billy! See you tomorrow!"

He ran down the street, looking for the nearest bus stop. He could have called Leslie from Billy's house to pick him up, but he didn't want to cause trouble.

The cold wind hit his face, and he felt his heart still racing, as if Freddy were about to appear from behind a parked car.

He reached the bus stop out of breath. He leaned against the metal bench and squeezed his eyes shut.

"Why am I agreeing to all of this?"

He liked breaking his schoolmate's bike. He liked seeing how sad Steven was. He liked seeing people die in a horrible way. He laughed when the girl was sliced on the ceiling. He wanted to see more.

And the worst part: he wanted to stay there. In the Loomis house. Sitting near Billy. Smelling that cereal smell and seeing those dark eyes shining in the TV light.

Stu swallowed hard. It was as if he had done something wrong, but at the same time... something right. Something that finally made sense.

"Am I turning into him?" He thought, and the thought came so quickly that it scared him.

The bus had arrived, snapping him out of the trance. Stuart got on, sat in the back, and rested his forehead against the cold window glass. In his head, Tina's scream and the low laugh he himself had given still echoed.

When he got home, Leslie didn't even look at him.

"It's late, Stuart. Go take a shower." She spoke dryly, planning to talk to him later.

"Okay." He replied in the same manner. He wasn't going to take a shower.

Stuart ran upstairs. He locked the bedroom door. He threw his backpack on the floor and lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

His heart was still beating fast.

He grabbed the pillow and pressed it against his face.

"I liked it... I liked it a lot... and that's wrong... right?"

But the more he tried to accept that it was wrong, the more it felt right. Stuart turned onto his side, hugging the pillow as if it were someone.

He imagined Billy sitting next to him again. Close. Almost touching. Talking softly.

"You're my partner, Stu."

Stu's blue eyes widened.

"No... no... stop it, you idiot..."

Meanwhile, Billy in his house...

The front door slammed shut with a loud sound when Stu ran out. Silence swallowed the house again, as always. The sound of that "Bye, Billy!" still lingered.

Billy stood in the middle of the living room, holding the two dirty cereal bowls. He hadn't had time to answer Stuart. He looked at the bowls thoughtfully and only then carried them to the kitchen sink. He turned on the faucet just a tiny bit.

He didn't wash them properly. He just wiped them once with the sponge and left the bowls to dry in the rack. It didn't matter. No one would notice.

He went back to the living room. The TV was still on the blue screen, but he quickly turned it off. Billy ran his finger along the spines of the other tapes on the shelf. Halloween. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Psycho. His fingers stopped on Halloween.

"That one's next!" He said to himself, excited.

He sat on the floor, leaning against the couch and pulling his knees to his chest. The house was so quiet that he could hear the kitchen clock ticking.

Billy closed his eyes and saw everything again, repeating the scenes in his head.

Stu's face when Freddy first appeared. The way he jumped on the couch. The scream. And then... the laugh.

Billy slowly got up and went upstairs without turning on the light. The upstairs hallway was dark. He entered his room and didn't turn on the light either, throwing himself onto the bed still dressed.

"Stu liked it." He whispered in the dark. "He really laughed!"

Stu was loud. Stu was silly. Stu was everything Billy wasn't.

But Stu had stayed. He had kicked the bike. He had looked at the blood on the ceiling and laughed.

Billy turned on his side, hugging his own pillow tightly.

"Is he my friend?"

In his head, a next plan was already taking shape. It was no longer just about destroying things but about destroying them together. It was about having someone who understood him. Someone who wouldn't run away.

Someone who would laugh along...

Billy showed a big, open smile that no one ever saw.

"Stu, you're going to see Michael Myers and then... we're going to make more trouble!"

For the first time in twelve years, he didn't feel alone.

...

The next day, Woodsboro dawned gray. A fine drizzle wet the school bus windows, fogging the glass. Stu rushed in, shaking his blonde hair like a wet dog.

"It's cold as hell today!" He shouted to the driver, already looking for Randy and especially Billy.

Billy was in the same spot as always: back, window, alone.

Randy wasn't on the bus, had he been late?

When Stu got close to Billy, he looked up before Stu even spoke. It made Stu's stomach do a strange flip.

"Hey..." Stu sat down next to him. "Did you see Randy?"

Billy shrugged in negation.

"I dreamed about Freddy." Stu had to lean in to hear. "He was chasing Steven. But Steven was on his bike, and it broke during the chase."

"Whoa, Billy... that's... kind of crazy!" Stu's eyes widened.

"It was funny." Billy completed, looking back out the window.

"I... I dreamed about the movie too. Like, Tina was screaming, but then... then I was Freddy." Stu said, a little unsure.

Billy slowly turned his head toward Stu, staring at him.

"That's funny, we dreamed about the same movie!" Billy joked.

Billy's dark eyes looked like black holes but they were beautiful. Stu felt a shiver, but it wasn't from the cold, it was from the way Billy looked.

Stu blinked quickly, trying to play it cool. The bus rocked slightly on the wet road, and the noise of the other children yelling muffled their conversation. Stu leaned closer to Billy.

"Yeah... like, in the dream I had the claws and everything. And Tina was running, screaming, and I... I laughed while..." Stu stopped, swallowing his words. His heart was pounding, and he didn't know if it was excitement or fear. "It was weird, man."

Billy listened slowly, as if approving. The bus braked slightly and their knees brushed again. Stu didn't pull away, and neither did Billy. They remained silent for a minute, hearing only the noise inside the vehicle.

Stu shifted his legs restlessly; he was too anxious. The dream was still spinning in his head, but he didn't want to dwell on it. He looked out the window and tried to start a random topic, something silly, normal, like the other boys did.

"Hey, Billy..." Stu began and scratched the back of his neck, feeling his cheeks still warm. "Do you think any girl at school is cute? Like, we have a lot of girls in the sixth grade. Tatum is cool, right? Or Sidney, who is quiet but has a pretty smile."

Billy blinked slowly, as if the question had come from another planet. He turned his face forward, looking at the seat back in front of him, expressionless. The bus rocked again, and his hand brushed Stu's leg by accident.

"I don't know." Billy answered dryly. "They're... I don't know. They just gossip. I don't care about that."

"Oh, come on, Billy! Everyone finds someone cute. Me, for example..." Stu lowered his voice even more, as if it were a big secret, leaning closer. "I think Casey Becker is pretty cute. You know, the blonde one? Yesterday during recess she was telling a joke to her friends, and I watched from afar. Like, she's... nice."

Billy shrugged again, but this time he looked at Stu out of the corner of his eye.

"Casey?" Billy repeated, as if storing the name.

Stu nodded, excited that Billy had responded.

"Yeah! Sometimes she walks with Steven, but she's cooler than him! And if we..." Stu stopped, feeling a chill in his stomach.

He was going to say "if we broke something of hers too" but thought better of it. Instead, he laughed again.

"Ah, forget it. It's just silly."

Billy didn't respond. He just kept looking straight ahead, but Stu saw the corner of his mouth move a little, as if he was thinking of something funny just for himself.

Stu swallowed hard, a silly topic unintentionally turning into something weirder. The bus stopped at the school, and they got off in silence, but together this time.

...

It was break time. Stu found Billy leaning against the water fountain, arms crossed with his black hair falling over his forehead.

"BILLYYYYY!" Stu shouted, sliding until he stopped in front of him and almost falling flat on his face.

Billy only raised one eyebrow, but the corner of his mouth was already trembling with the desire to laugh.

"Where’s Randy, huh?" Stu opened his arms. "I bet ten dollars he’s hiding under the bed with the blanket over his head, crying: 'Freddy's gonna get me if I open the rental store door!'"

Billy let out a short "hmm" that turned into a laugh through his nose.

"He must have dreamed his dad turned into Jason and is waiting with a machete behind the horror shelf!"

"Nooooo, Daddy! I just wanted to show The Exorcist to my friends, I swear!" Stu imitated Randy's voice, putting his hands on his cheeks like a scared child.

They both burst into laughter, leaning against the wall, laughing so loudly that some fifth-grade girls gave them dirty looks. It didn't last five seconds, and Billy returned to his "normal," having never laughed that way in public.

Stu wiped a tear from the corner of his eye and lightly punched Billy's shoulder.

"Without Randy at school, things get boring."

That's when Billy's face changed. The laughter died at once, but his eyes shone brighter. He moved so close that Stu could smell his childish cologne.

"We don't need Randy." He whispered. "We can do another prank... bigger than the bike."

Stu felt his stomach churn.

"Bigger... how?"

"With Casey Becker."

The name hit Stu's chest like a punch. His eyes widened.

"C... Casey? The blonde with the noisy backpack? The one I... I said it was cute?"

"Exactly her." Billy replied. "Just imagine... she arrives all happy at the end of the day, sees her pink backpack... and all the keychains are gone. Or maybe... we put mud inside. Really stinky mud from the courtyard. Or cut the straps. Or fill it with wet shredded paper. She'll open it and... boom!"

Stu swallowed hard. He tried to imagine Casey crying. First came the "aw, poor thing"... but soon after came the image of her pouting, her eyes full of tears, her voice trembling: "Who did this to my backpack!?"

And suddenly the image became... funny. Very funny.

"She's gonna go 'boo-hoo-hoo' just like Steven!" It slipped out, and he was startled by how much he laughed afterwards.

Billy broke into the widest smile Stu had ever seen in his life.

"That's it. We just need to figure out how and when to do it."

Stu bit his lip so hard it almost bled. There was still a little bit of "can't do it" fighting inside.

"But... she's nice, Billy. She never messed with us."

"So what?" Billy tilted his head. "We didn't mess with Steven either. We just... played a prank. And it was fun, right?"

Stu opened his mouth to deny it, but nothing came out.

Because it was true.

His heart pounding, the sound of the hammer, Steven's scream, the laughter he and Billy shared afterward. All of it had been... perfect.

"Okay..." He agreed. "All right. But promise we'll laugh together afterward? Like last time?"

Billy immediately stuck out his pinky finger.

"I promise. Partners in mischief forever. No one will ever know it was us."

Stu hooked his pinky into Billy's and they shook three times.

"Partners forever!" Stu shouted, laughing loudly again and jumping in place. "Tomorrow, Friday, do you think we can do it?"

"Yes, during break time, when we all leave and leave our bags in the classroom." Billy confirmed. "We'll have to act fast, grab her bag, and bring it to the back of the school!"

Stu just agreed with the plan, without offering any more ideas. He wasn't capable of it, yet.

It was just one more little secret that no one would ever discover.