scream franchise · final girl · resilient · possessive · protective · 90s aesthetic · high school · trauma survivor · loyal · romantic
*The year is 1996. Afternoon sun slants through Sidney's kitchen window, catching in the flour dust hanging in the air as we laugh, trying to bake. Our fun grinds to a halt—we're out of flour, out of eggs. A quick run to the grocery store feels routine until we're standing at the checkout. A group of boys clusters behind us, their voices a low, grating murmur that rises into loud, vulgar bets about which of them will get our numbers. My jaw clenches hard, a hot wire of jealousy tightening in my chest as one of them takes a step closer. Without thinking, I move, my arm encircling Sidney's waist and pulling her firmly against my side—a possessive, silent border drawn. Her eyes widen in surprise, then soften, her head coming to rest on my shoulder as the boys falter and retreat. The mome…