Previously…
– While waiting for Landon and Lucy to arrive at the Halloween party, Tori had the sense that someone was watching her. Unbeknownst to her, the man tailing her was Lucy’s ex, Bryce.
– Jason was shocked to discover a red pen — possibly the one used to deface the photo that was left for them — in Sabrina’s drawer.
– At the party, Sophie used latex gloves to dispose of the packaging for a red pen and addressed herself as “Shannon” in the mirror.

The thudding bass from the cover band’s performance vibrates faintly through the bathroom floor. In the women’s restroom of Bill’s on the Pier, Sophie Fisher grips the edge of the vanity, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Her pupils look too wide. Her bright makeup and red lipstick pop against her short red dress. The palette and brush she planned to use to apply her zombie makeup — to complete her “zombie influencer” Halloween costume — sit untouched on the countertop.

“You look better this way,” she says to herself in the mirror.

Sophie inhales, trying to steady herself. It feels as if a war is being fought inside her body, inside her mind.

They’re gonna think it’s weird if you aren’t a zombie, she thinks.

Again she studies her own reflection. She does look good. Adult. Daring. The way she is supposed to look.

She stuffs the gray-and-green makeup set, which she picked up at the Halloween store, back into her purse and returns to the party. A man in an Elvis costume and a woman dressed as a Starbucks barista are taking up an obnoxious amount of space as they dance to the band, and Sophie has to sidestep them deftly in order to return to her friends. She finds Bree Halston, Marcus Gray, and her cousin, Christian Taylor, gathered around one of the high-top tables that has been brought in especially for tonight’s party. The college students are all laughing about a video they are watching on Marcus’s phone.

“There you are,” Bree says. “What happened to the zombie makeup?”

Sophie shrugs, doing her best to ignore the lump rising in her throat. “The line was too long. I decided I can live with ‘influencer’ instead of ‘zombie influencer.'”

Christian scoffs. “You? Passing up the chance to be creepy?”

“It’s Halloween,” the teen replies. “The night to be anything but yourself. Right?”

“She’s got a point,” Marcus says. He cranes his neck around the space. “Anyone seen Tori yet?”

Christian shakes his head. “No… but she said she was here. Should we look for her?”

“Yeah, let’s do that,” Sophie says, eager to take the attention off herself. The quartet begins to move through the crowd, and Sophie relishes in the looks she receives.

You’ve still got it, Shannon, she thinks to herself as a grin curls her crimson lips.

—–

Meanwhile, Tori Gray pushes open the restaurant’s front door, and the night air rushes at her like relief. The muffled sounds of the band fade behind her, replaced by the soft, rhythmic sloshing of the bay below. Strands of orange and purple lights stretch along the railing, their reflections trembling on the dark water.

She wraps her arms around herself. Her lightweight mermaid costume is not exactly made to keep a person warm, but the quiet and the fresh, briny air are enough to offset the temperature, at least for now.

She glances up the pier, toward the parking lot, where a pair of headlights are cutting through the dark. Her hopes surge, but she almost immediately recognizes that they do not belong to Landon‘s car.

Suddenly the sounds of the party rage up behind her. Tori turns with a start and sees the man in the skull mask — the one she kept seeing inside — emerging from the restaurant. The door swings closed behind him, again sealing the party inside.

“Tori,” he says.

She tenses. The wood of the pier shifts under his footsteps.

—–

Meanwhile, the headlights of Landon Esco‘s car sweep over a downtown street, cutting through the gauzy patches of fog that have started to creep in off the water. Lucy Champlain stares out the passenger window as Landon drives. “Heads Will Roll” by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs plays faintly through the stereo.

“You sure you’re in a party mood?” Landon asks after several seconds of observing her pensiveness.

Lucy’s superhero cape crinkles as she shifts in her seat. “Yeah. Totally. I’m looking forward to it.”

“But…”

“But I can’t stop thinking about what Travis is going through,” she explains. “I can’t imagine him… doing that to someone.”

“Neither can I,” Landon agrees. “That’s why his aunt and I are gonna help clear his name.”

She turns toward him with a smile. “You’re a really good friend, Landon.”

He shrugs. “I do what I can.”

“No, I mean it. Travis is lucky to have you. So is Tori.”

Landon feels his cheeks growing hot. “I don’t know about that.”

“They are! Don’t be silly.” She faces forward again, watching as Landon steers the car through a curve.

—–

Jason Fisher paces back and forth over the blue-and-white area rug in his family room. One of the Friday the 13th films plays, as part of a marathon running on TV, although Jason has hardly paid enough attention know that the movie is on, let alone which installment it is.

He cannot get that image of the red pen out of his mind. Normally, he wouldn’t have thought twice about finding a stray pen in a bathroom drawer — other than to wonder for half-a-second how it got there — but given recent events, his mind immediately went to the most chilling possible place. Seeing the globs of red ink pooled on the pen’s exposed tip only made him think of that defaced photo, with Sabrina‘s face violently scratched out, and now a single thought dominates his mind:

Is Sabrina doing this to herself?

It sounds insane, but the situation is insane. He didn’t want to touch the pen, for fear of disturbing possible evidence, yet he also has no idea how to proceed.

He is still contemplating what to do, if anything, when soft footsteps sound on the stairs. Moments later, Sabrina shuffles into the family room.

“You’re up?” he asks.

“I needed some water,” she says. She crosses into the kitchen and retrieves a plastic cup from one of the upper cabinets. To Jason, the quiet feels thick, as if it is pressing in from all sides.

He joins her in the kitchen, pressing his palms onto the granite island. “How are you feeling?”

“Better. Not great, but better.” She uses the spout on the front of the refrigerator to fill her water glass. “I can’t really sleep.”

“You need your rest, though.”

Sabrina takes a sip of the water and nods. “I guess so.”

“We’ll figure all of this out,” he promises her, though he feels something catching in his throat as he speaks.

She forces what looks like a smile. “I know. I’m sorry we aren’t having a more exciting Halloween.”

“You don’t need to apologize. Just rest. I’ll come check on you in a little bit.”

“Thank you.” Water in hand, she makes her way back upstairs. Jason listens to her footsteps ascending the stairs. She looked so small, so fragile. He feels a flicker of guilt for doubting her, for suspecting her of… whatever this could be.

It’s only a pen, he tells himself. But somehow, that is not very reassuring.

—–

The night feels heavier now, as the masked man approaches Tori. She swivels her head to look around. Though the party is in full swing just beyond the restaurant’s doors, they are alone on the pier.

“I was hoping you’d be out here,” the man says.

Tori’s hand grips the railing. Suddenly the cold hits her, harsh and unforgiving. She doesn’t respond.

“Don’t be so nervous,” he says, reaching up to pull off the mask, revealing Lucy’s ex-boyfriend, Bryce, underneath. Confirmation of his identity doesn’t calm Tori’s nerves one bit, though.

“I need to get back to the party,” she says.

“Hold up a minute. I need to talk to you.”

“I don’t have anything to say to you, Bryce.”

“Well, I got things to say to you. Where is Lucy? Is she coming?”

Tori remains purposely tight-lipped, in hopes that he will go away if she doesn’t have anything to offer him. Bryce steps closer to her, squaring his imposing frame. Tori realizes that she is essentially backed into the railing.

“Or is she with that goofy guy?” Bryce’s eyes glimmer with fury in the glow of the string lights. “Are they together?”

“Landon?” Tori asks in disbelief. “Lucy and Landon aren’t–“

“Bullshit,” Bryce says dismissively. There is something so certain about the way he delivers the accusation that Tori feels her own stomach flip for a moment:

Are they?? l

“Why would she go for him when she could have me?” Bryce demands.

Because Landon isn’t an abusive psycho? she responds inside her own head, but she knows better than to antagonize a person like this, especially after her own experience with Zane.

“I really don’t think there’s anything other than friendship between them,” Tori says. “Like, at all.”

“Be honest with me, Tori.”

The air between them is electric: fear, anger, and defiance all buzz. A blast of cold wind whips in off the bay. Tori’s teeth chatter.

“I need to go inside. My cousins are in there,” she says, pushing past him.

But Bryce stops her by grabbing her arm. Hard. In the distance, she sees headlights pulling into the parking lot, and she can only hope that whoever it is hurries.

“Let me go,” she says.

“Then let me talk to Lucy,” he says, eyes blazing.

—–

“I don’t see Tori anywhere,” Christian says as he rejoins Bree, Marcus, and Sophie at a table inside the restaurant. “And I texted her, but no response.”

Sophie can feel his gaze upon her, awaiting some kind of response, and although she can hardly bring herself to care about Tori’s whereabouts, she knows what she has to do.

“That’s weird,” she says. “I can do a lap and look.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Christian replies.

“I don’t mind. I’ll be back.” Sophie sweeps away from the table, leaving the trio behind. Truthfully, it is a relief to be away from them, to be able to take a break from acting like Sophie. She circulates through the party, enjoying the stairs from guys who must be in college, or even a little older. She feels liberated, free, being able to be out in public this way.

It should be Halloween every day, she thinks. In a way, though… it is.

—–

Gravel crunches under Landon’s feet as he steps out of the car. The pier is dark, other than the light from the restaurant at its end. An eerie wind whistles around him.

“I hope Tori isn’t upset that we kept her waiting,” Lucy says as she emerges from the passenger side of the vehicle, smoothing her cape.

“She seemed totally fine when she texted me,” Landon replies, but before either can say more, they hear a woman’s voice shout:

“Let me go!”

Landon’s eyes whips toward Lucy. “Was that…”

“…Tori?” Lucy finishes for him.

An instant later, they hear a scream, followed by a loud splash.

“Tori!” Landon shouts, slamming the car door closed as he begins running down the pier.

—–

From the kitchen window, Matt Gray surveys the bustling dining room, where the Halloween party is taking place. He watches as servers thread between tables, balancing trays of sliders and pumpkin cocktails. The cover band is deep into an ironic, guitar-laden rendition of “Maneater” by Hall & Oates. Matt exhales, wipes his hands on a towel, and steps out of the kitchen, pleased by the energy of the crowd and the strong turnout.

He spots his nephews dancing in a small circle with Bree and approaches them.

“Hey, you guys,” Matt says. “Enjoying yourselves?”

“It’s a great party,” Bree answers happily.

“I’m glad,” Matt responds with a smile. “You all seen Tori?”

They shake their heads.

“She said she was here, but we haven’t seen her yet,” Marcus says.

“Sophie’s looking for her,” Christian adds.

Matt quickly scans the room. “Guess I’ll do the same. I need a break from that kitchen. You guys have fun, okay?”

He tosses the towel over his shoulder and begins making his way through the party.

—–

Landon’s shoes pound against the weathered planks of Pier 22. The orange and purple lights stringing the railing blur in the distant. Sharp, cold wind slaps his face.

“Tori!” he calls out.

He can hear Lucy, hurrying behind him.

“Landon,” a voice cries, and he instantly recognizes it as Tori’s. And she doesn’t sound…

A second later, she comes into view, in her glittery mermaid costume, standing at the end of the pier. Alone.

“Are you okay?” Landon asks urgently.

Her head bobs up and down feverishly. “Yeah. I’m fine. I’m–” She looks to the water, where something is thrashing.

“Get me outta here!” a man yells.

“It’s Bryce,” Tori says, as a breathless Lucy catches up to Landon. “He grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. So I–“

“You threw me in the fucking water, you bitch!” Bryce continues.

“He tried to hurt you?” Lucy asks shakily.

Tori nods as she folds her arms to protect herself from the cold. Landon spots a nearby life preserver, hanging on a post, and tosses it into the water. It hits the surface with a hollow smack.

“There you go,” he says before removing the hoodie that he has worn over his costume and draping it over Tori’s shoulders.

“Thanks,” she says.

“You should go inside,” Landon tells Lucy, as Bryce holds onto the life preserver with one arm and navigates clumsily toward the ladder on the side of the pier.

Lucy watches Bryce struggling up the ladder.

“I’m okay,” she says, though she does take several steps toward the restaurant’s entrance.

“You think this is funny?” Bryce sputters as he pulls himself onto the pier. His wet clothes cling to his body.

Landon glowers at him. “I don’t think any of this is funny. You need to get out of here.”

“You don’t get to tell me what to do,” Bryce says, his voice crackling with rage. “You think you can move in on my girl and get away with it?”

“Move in on what now?” Landon replies, stunned.

Bryce shakes, causing droplets of frigid water to fly every which way. Lucy takes another step backward.

“Don’t play dumb with me,” he threatens. “I know what you’re up to–“

“There’s nothing going on between Lucy and me, besides me trying to keep you away from her,” Landon insists.

“I don’t believe you,” Bryce snaps.

“Then believe this,” Tori says, and she grabs Landon’s face and plants a kiss on him. It is only intended to last for an instant, but between his utter surprise and the fact that she has been thinking about this moment for a long time, it stretches on, their lips softly pressing against one another. When they pull back, they both might as well have stars in their eyes. The sea air and adrenaline linger between them even as they part.

“I’m who Landon has something going on with, you jackass,” Tori says.

Dazed, Landon manages to add, “Yeah. What she said.” He can hardly stop staring at Tori in amazement.

The door to the restaurant opens, and Matt emerges. He first notices Lucy, then sees his daughter, Landon, and the soaking-wet Bryce.

“What’s going on out here?” Matt asks.

“Nothing,” Bryce says, and he hurries back up the pier, but not without a final, ominous look at Lucy.

“Is everyone okay?” Matt questions.

“We’re fine,” Tori says.

“More than fine,” Landon says, his voice still floating.

“I’m going to get inside and warm up,” Lucy says. “I’ll give you guys a minute.”

She disappears inside the restaurant. Matt looks to Tori and Landon.

“Why don’t you guys come inside, too?” he suggests. “And Lucy needs to let the cops know that Bryce broke the restraining order.”

“We’ll be in in a second,” Tori tells her dad. “Everything’s fine, I promise.”

With a hint of reluctance, Matt also returns to the restaurant. The sounds of the party leap out of the building when he opens the door, then fade back down as it closes behind him.

“So, um, what was that?” Landon asks, unable to keep a grin off his face.

Tori shivers. “I had to, you know, throw Bryce off the scent.”

“It was just a tactic, then? A decoy?”

“I mean…” She stares into his eyes and bites her lower lip. “I think it was a little more than that.”

“I think so, too. Only one way to find out, though,” Landon says, and before she knows it, he is kissing her again, their hearts thudding as their chests press together.

END OF EPISODE 1278

Are you excited about Tori and Landon?
What is truly going on with Sophie?
And what can be done about Bryce?
Discuss it all in the comments below!

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