Home of the Witches.

The last thing Benji ever thought he'd be doing was helping Miss Sunnyvale break into Shadyside High School. He had no idea what she was looking for, and he didn't care. Instead, Benji was more intrigued by the fiery redhead. So he'd happily go along with Heather's shenanigans until he got too weirded out. Benji believed in the history of Sarah Fier and knew something was going on in their small town of Shadyside. Was it supernatural, though? Benji didn't know.

Luckily, high-tech cameras weren't in the school's budget, and neither was fixing broken locks. So it was much easier than Heather anticipated, and her reaction was priceless. Despite the poverty, Shadyside High School was like any other high school in America when it came to its athletic programs. "All the money goes to the football team," Benji commented with a shrug. "Which doesn't matter because we still lose every fucking game," he scoffed and rolled his eyes. "It's pathetic."

"So, what are we looking for?" He couldn't see the high school having any valuable information regarding Sarah Fier unless Heather wanted to rummage through the library. "Do you think the witch possessed them?" He questioned, following behind her. "Do you even know where you're going?" He didn't mean to ask too many questions at once, but he couldn't help but notice they'd already been down this hallway.

Pre-tunnels Heather would have been a bit more cautious about breaking into a high school with some random Shadysider that she barely knew, but post-tunnels Heather knew that there were worse things out there to fear. She was the one that dragged her friends to the tunnels and now it was her responsibility to do whatever she could to help stop the witch before she struck again. Right now, that meant rummaging through files and records and whatever else they could find that might help. She was determined to leave no stones unturned.

Heather briskly strolled the halls completely focused on trying to find any rooms that had file cabinets that might hold information. Or maybe a basement entrance somewhere. They'd probably need a way to hack into the computers to get Mitchie or even Ryan's files but maybe the school still kept the old records of the other Shadysiders that 'snapped' somewhere. She didn't know but she just had to try. Her eyes darted around as her heart raced slightly and she tried her best to navigate these unfamiliar hallways with a nearly stranger rambling on behind her.

Eventually she stopped abruptly, did a quick one-eighty, and held out her hand to stop him from running into her. Choosing to ignore the comment about the football team - she knew all too well how terrible their team was, that wasn't what was important to her right now - she finally rapid fire answered his questions instead. "I'm not exactly sure yet, I believe that is possible, and no, I don't. Who's playing twenty-one questions now?" She pulled her hand back from his chest and winked at him. "I know this is going to probably sound a little crazy, but my friends and I found a creepy ass tunnel that led us to this weird cave like thing. And well, there was these... carvings. Well, names, actually. Mitchie's name was on there. And Ryan Torres. And Tommy Slater. Ruby Lane. All of them, Benji, they were all there."

Heather stared up at him in silence just long enough to let what she'd just said really sink in. Who could have added Mitchie's name in there? The graveyard entrance had been covered in plants when they were there exploring, and they don't grow that fast. She hadn't had the courage to go back in to explore the other tunnels they'd seen in the cave, but she really couldn't fathom why anyone would go in there just to carve the name of a bunch of killers on the wall. It just didn't make sense to her. "There's more but we'll worry about that later, I was just hoping we could find something. Anything. I don't know but I have to try. Do you know if your school has any old records or secret doors that might lead to mysterious tunnels?" Heather let out a half-laugh.

Benji rolled his eyes at her 21 questions comment but continued to listen to everything she had to say. "What fucking tunnels are you talking about?" Benji had lived in Shadyside and had never heard of such a thing. "And how did you find out about these so-called tunnels?" He needed the information and proof if Heather wanted him to believe her. Benji had connections around town. He just needed to know which ones he needed to contact.

When Heather brought up Mitchie, his heart sank. They'd been friends, and it was the first time someone said his name aloud. It caught Benji off guard. "It's hard enough to believe there are tunnels in the cemetery, but now you're saying a friend of mine, his name, is chiseled into a stone wall in a tunnel?" It was a complex concept to grasp. Benji mostly wanted nothing to do with Sarah Fier and the conspiracy theories. Still, he was perplexed by this particular Sunnyvalers dedication to the so-called curse that plagued a town that wasn't hers.

"Turn left," he abruptly instructed. "The administrator's office is that way," Benji added with a grin. He often put up a tough front, but deep down, he was a cinnamon roll. Heather strongly believed she was onto something. So Benji would help her to the best of his ability. But he also didn't want her roaming around Shadyside by herself. Unfournlety, Benji couldn't speak highly of his town. There were creeps waiting to take advantage of someone like Heather, and he couldn't morally leave her side.

Benji stayed a few steps behind Heather. He was lost in his thoughts, trying to think of everything he's heard about the witch over the years. He knew he could reach out to his friend if he had to, but he wasn't trying to piss off Eli for getting Max involved because of someone else's conspiracy theories. "Fuck," he muttered when the lightbulb finally went off. "I got it. I fucking got it," Benji called out as he sped up his pace to be next to Heather while pulling out his phone. He quickly googled Max's blog. After finding what he wanted, Benji summarized a few paragraphs. "In 1994, Deena Johnson and Samatha Fraser came out of Sheriff Goode's house. They got inside from tunnels under his house that connected to Shadyside Mall." He looked over at her, "They killed Sheriff Goode in those tunnels. Because of the allegations against Sheriff Goode, the Goode name became tainted, and Mayor Goode lost the next election."

"They're just tunnels. I don't know why they are there or anything, but they're just fucking there and they're creepy. I'll show you the entrance at the graveyard but I'm not planning on going back in anytime soon. Once was enough." It might have just been because they were in a dark school in the middle of winter but she could feel the chills run all over her body as she thought about the last time in the tunnels. 'What had those voices said? Where had they come from?' "Introduce me to your sources and maybe I'll introduce you to mine." she bluffed. Heather had tried to find the person who gave the map, but they'd done a good job of dodging her. That and Heather was still trying to teach herself how to do all this investigating stuff on her own - on top of school, cheer, and homework.

As she often did, Heather turned back around and continued walking, figuring he would follow behind. Her pace briefly slowed down when he mentioned knowing Mitchie but she quickly returned to her normal pace. 'Friend?' It hadn't occurred to Heather that he might have actually known one of the killers. They all felt like urban legend or myths to her. She needed to remind herself that they were actual human beings with actual friends and family still living here. Rather than talking, Heather followed his directions and left him to let things sink in.

Heather could see the "ADMINISTRATOR" in white lettering a couple doors away when she heard Benji swearing then footsteps getting closer. While he searched up Max's blog, she caught a whiff of him. She'd already been smelling the cigarette and leather smell but suddenly, now that she was closer to him, she picked up on the softest hint of vanilla. It was sweet and it oddly suited him well. Heather couldn't help but to look up at him smugly after he mentioned the bit about the tunnels. "Wait a minute, Deena and Samantha. What do you think the odds are that they are still in Shadyside?"

“Fuck that!” Benji exclaimed. “I’m good. I don’t need to see no fucking tunnels,” he added and shivered while still thinking about them. It wasn't the witch stuff that freaked him out. It was the fact that random tunnels were underneath Shadyside. “I don’t even fully believe in this Hocus Pocus shit. I only came because I thought you were hot,” he purposely admitted. Benji wanted to see if he could get a reaction and also, maybe, plant the seed. Most Sunnyvale girls wouldn't even think about touching him, but Heather seemed different. So, he decided to shoot his shot.

He scoffed at her comment about meeting each other’s sources. “My source has a very overprotective boyfriend, so, unfortunately, that won’t do,” Benji shrugged his shoulders. Eli had his reasons, and Benji didn't fault his buddy for that. Max had been researching and collecting articles about the witch for as long as he could remember. It just so happened she's been dealing with her demons too.

“It’s a possibility,” Benji shrugged his shoulders. “I mean, if all that bullshit happened to me, I don't know if I’d stick around, though,” Benji pointed out. “They were both students. Maybe the school still has their files,” he said, fumbling with the doorknob. “They don't lock any other fucking door, but this one?” He muttered under his breath. Turning slightly and smiling graciously at Heather. “May I borrow one of your bobby pins?”

Heather did her best to keep her composure when Benji mentioned that he only came because he thought she was hot. A smile instantly graced her face and her eyes widened but only briefly before disappearing just as quickly. She knew that she shouldn't be attracted to him; he was from Shadyside after all. She already had to keep her "weird" interests a secret from her classmates, if any of them knew she liked a Shadysider, she'd never hear the end of it. "I guess we'll just have to trust each other then."

"Maybe they couldn't leave? Maybe they're at like a mental hospital or psych ward? Do we even have anything like that?" Heather asked aloud, more so making a mental note to herself to search that up later rather than actually asking him. She'd take an answer if he had one though. "We've got to at least check." While he fumbled with the door, Heather looked down the hallway and tried her best not to get too freaked out by their dark surroundings. 'Why is everything so extra creepy in this town? Bobby pin?' "Yeah, here you go." she pulled one out from her hair and handed it to over him before going back to playing look out while he worked on the lock.

Once inside, Heather wasted no time opening up the cabinets and searching through the files for any familiar names. "So, uh, did you really do all this because you think I'm hot?" Heather asked unable to stop herself. Lots of guys in Sunnyvale thought she was hot, but that was it - they just liked looking at her. They didn't care about her, nor could she ever imagine any of them willingly doing this kind of crazy stuff with her. Caleb was proof that they could potentially be tamed into not being total cavemen but none of them really caught her eye the way Benji had. Yeah, he was rough around the edges but there was something kind of endearing about that. She didn't feel like she had to try hard around him; she could simply be herself and he'd still like her.

“You can trust me. Look, I played down my knowledge a bit,” he admitted. Benji didn't know why he did what he did, but he did, and now he was coming clean. “I've lived in Shadyside my entire life. I've heard about this witch and this curse for as long as I can remember. The Sarah Fier nursery rhyme is going to be embedded in my brain until the day I die,” Benji informed her. “I may not know as much as Max, but I can assure you I got you in whatever scheme you got brewing in that gorgeous head of yours, okay?”

Benji raised an eyebrow after Heather suggested they got locked up in a mental ward after everything happened. He shook his head in disagreement, “I don't think so. They spun everything to pin it all on Sheriff Goode. They got off scot-free and cleared their friends’ names.” The more he talked about Deena Johnson and Samantha Fraser, the more memories he unlocked. “And we do, Penhurst is about an hour away from us,” he said just as he heard the lock click. “Got it,” he announced, rising to his feet before opening the door for Heather. When he followed in after her, he quickly got a whiff of what she smelled like and instantly wanted more.

He was rummaging through the principal’s desk when Heather’s question caught him off guard. He sat back in his chair, a smile crept onto his lips, staring at her from across the room. Benji didn’t usually get nervous when put on the spot, but he had difficulty finding his words. He didn’t want to fuck this up if the feeling happened to be mutual. “Are you fucking kidding? Anyone attracted to women would follow your red hot ass into hell,” he finally responded with a typical Benji compliment. “Not only that, though,” he pursed his lips together, his head rocking from side to side, thinking about what to say next as nicely as possible. “See, me,” he started to get up from the chair, abandoning the drawer he’d been going through. “I’m a nice Shadysider, a respectful Shadysider,” he also wasn’t going to miss an opportunity to talk himself up. Benji made his way around the desk before leaning back against the front and crossing his arms over his chest. “But they all aren’t like me, and a pretty thing like you, walking naively around this town is not the smartest thing to do,” he added. “I couldn't morally let you walk into the lion's den alone,” he shrugged his shoulders as if it wasn't a big deal. “Does that answer your question?”

Heather wasn't sure what it was about Benji that made him feel so safe and trustworthy, but she believed everything he was saying. And it was not just because he was attractive. There were plenty of hot guys at Sunnyvale and she didn't trust majority of them. Plus, all the true crime that she absorbed, she often tended to be more cautious when it came to people but not him. "Okay. I trust you," she replied, "and not just because you keep complimenting me." She paused, thinking she was done, when another thought popped up. "Although, you're more than welcome to keep doing that."

"Yeah, you're probably right. As someone who's last name is Goodwin, even I got bullied about it. Some asshole started a rumor that our family changed our last name from Goode to Goodwin. Which is totally untrue, by the way." Heather quickly slipped in as they'd entered the room and she added 'Penhurst' to her mental notes. She attempted to continue looking at the name as she somewhat nervously awaited his response to her last question but gave up when she heard him start speaking; her eyes darted over to him as he flattered her some more, a smile spreading across her rosy cheeks.

As she continued to watch and listen to him, Heather found herself wanting to smile more and more until that smile faded as quickly as it had appeared. He hadn't necessarily said or done anything wrong other than remind of her of just how some Shadysiders really did live up to their town's name by being shady. Heather had lived such a blessed life up growing up in Sunnyvale that she didn't really have the natural sort of defenses or street smarts that he did; she needed him more than she'd even realized initially. That was, if actually was the good guy he was claiming to be.

"Yes, that definitely answers that question. Now... for my follow-up questions." Heather replied, her smile returning yet again. She couldn't help herself; she was a very inquisitive girl. She was also strategic: if he was sincere, she didn't want to mess it up completely but if he was a creep, she had to play her cards right. "How is that a handsome guy... a nice, respectful Shadysider - as you said so yourself - doesn't have a girlfriend that he should be saying these sweet things to?" She hated being this guarded, especially when they'd been having so much fun up until this point, but he was right, she been focused on solving the mystery that she hadn't been paying enough attention to the seriousness of the situation.

Benji was pleased with how their conversations had been going and the outcomes. He’d been anxious before all this, thinking there would be an awkward silence between them.

“Me? Handsome?” Benji gasped dramatically, “Oh, Miss Sunnyvale, don’t make me blush,” he continued to joke, covering his cheeks with his hands before gathering his composure to answer the question. It started with a shrug because he honestly had no idea why he didn’t have a girlfriend. “I have had girlfriends and been in relationships. They’ve just never worked out,” he added, wanting to give her his most genuine answer.

Benji let out a heavy sigh, his arms falling to his sides. “My last girlfriend broke up with me because I wasn’t emotionally invested, and while that’s probably true, it’s because she wasn’t the right one. I shouldn’t date someone just to date them.” Benji smiled, “At least, that’s what she told me. So, I haven’t.” He knew Heather didn’t ask for the last bit, but he figured he’d throw it out there. It would’ve come up eventually.

“What about you? Miss Sunnyvale dating the quarterback?” He knew that it was stereotypical, but he had a feeling it was going to turn out to be true. “Brown hair, blue eyes? Or maybe it’s blonde with the classic sweep bangs?” He chuckled to himself, watching as the expressions on her face changed. “Your mama ever tell ya your face will get stuck like that?” Benji clearly hit a nerve. He rolled his eyes before starting to make his way over to her. “You’re clearly into the alternative rock scene if you think this is handsome,” he said, glancing down at himself.