chapter one
i have a date

Madelyn Riley stood in her bedroom of her trailer. It wasn't very large, it had a single bed in the corner next to her window, dark brown sheets on them already with white pillows and a white blanket. She had a bed side table next to it and a wardrobe on the other side of her room, a full-length mirror next to it to which she stood in front of it. It was 6:50 in the evening, and she was getting ready for a date with one of the boys from her school. She had a pair of blue denim jeans on and a pink corset with flowers on.

Madelyn made her way out of her bedroom and into her living room, spinning in front of the tv, in front of her dad, who was waiting for her new outfit. Madelyn had been trying on clothes for the last thirty-five minutes, this being her fourth outfit of the night and Dewey was happy watching his daughter so excited about this date she had.

"Okay, what about this?" Madelyn asked her dad with a smile.

"Hmm, where are you doing again?" Dewey questioned.

"The movies." Madelyn shrugged.

"I'll let the bad date idea slide, what you watching?" He then asked.

Madelyn made a sheepish face, "Uh, Stab, it's rerunning at the theatre."

"Stab." Her dad stated. "You're watching Stab. You're not going."

"What do you mean I'm not going?" Madelyn's mouth dropped in shock.

"Mads, he is taking you to the movies to see one of the worst movies to exist." Dewey raised his eyebrows at her. "You're not going, he isn't worth it. Also, that outfit is too much for the movies."

"Look, I'll just message him and ask him to do something else." Madelyn suggested, grabbing her phone. She opened it up before typing a message out to Alex who was the boy she was going on a date with.

"What did you say?"

"I said, 'hey we still on for tonight? I don't really feel like the movies, can we do something else?'" Madelyn read out. Her phone then buzzed, Madelyn looked down before a smile spread across her face. "He said 'of course we're still on, I can't wait, why don't we just do dinner?' See."

She looked up at her dad with a smile as he nodded in approval with narrowed eyes. "I approve... for now. Now go put on a dinner appropriate outfit because I don't like this one. Maybe try a skirt."

"Dad, you don't like anything that was made after 2010, you wanna stay in the old age." Madelyn commented.

"Says the person who tells me every other day about how much she wants to be in an 80s movie." Dewey called after her, Madelyn laughing in response as she walked into her bedroom.

"I wouldn't survive though; I only know my phone number off by heart so god knows what I would do without my contacts." Madelyn stated with a small shrug before closing her bedroom door to change once more.

Madelyn looked around her room, thinking for a moment about what she could wear. After letting out a sigh of thought, the brunette suddenly got an idea. She made her way over to her wardrobe, opening it again before grabbing the box from the bottom. It was a box of clothes that her mum had sent her from New York a few weeks ago because they hadn't spoken in a while — her mum was busy, with her new talk show and everything, so sometimes Madelyn went weeks without hearing anything from her mother and then she'd receive some sort of apology present — the last time Madelyn visited her mum was on her 17th birthday when she begged her dad to let her go to New York for the weekend.

Madelyn placed the box on her bed, opening it up and pulling some on the clothes out. She eyes them carefully before grabbing light yellow top and a red plaid skirt and putting them on. Madelyn then put her converse on and decided to pair it with a cropped denim jacket. She smiled at her appearance, feeling lucky about the outfit for some reason. She once again spun out of her room, however her dad was now stood in the kitchen getting a snack from the fridge.

"What about this one?" She asked happily. Her dad turned around with a smile that immediately dropped when he looked over her outfit. "What? Is it that bad?"

"No, uh, where did you get these clothes?" He asked.

"Mum sent them from New York, they were from one of her brand deals." Madelyn explained. "The note said something about her being sorry for not speaking to me for three weeks because of her busy schedule and that if I posted myself wearing these clothes and tagged her, I could get myself a brand deal. Why?"

"Oh, uh, you just—" Dewey cleared his throat. "You look like your aunt."

"Aunt Sid? I didn't think this was something she would—" Madelyn cut herself when she noticed the look ok her father's face. "Oh! Tatum. I'll go change."

"No." Dewey disagreed quickly. "I think this is the one, you look great. Your aunt would be proud."

Madelyn let out a soft laugh, from what she had heard about her aunt Tatum she was awesome, and Madelyn wished she could meet her. The girl shook her hands out, bouncing on her heels slightly.

"I'm nervous, is that normal?" She wondered.

"I don't know, your mother and I never really had a first date." Her dad stated.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, I mean our first kiss was in a ditch while we were searching for the original ghost face so..." Her dad trailed off while Madelyn nodded in understanding. Dewey walked back over to the kitchen, grabbing two shot glasses and his alcohol from the cabinet. "Shot to ease the nerves?"

"Yes please." Madelyn walked over to stand next to him as he poured the drinks. "You know, normal dads don't encourage their daughters to drink."

"Well, normal dads haven't been stabbed multiple times while wishing they had a dad to give them a shot before they went out." Dewey commented making Madelyn let out a soft laugh. The two took their glasses, clinking them together before downing the shots. Madelyn made a face, placing her cup down and pointing to it.

"New?" Her dad nodded. Madelyn opened her mouth to reply to her dad when a knock at the door cut her off.

"Is that him?" Her father asked.

"It shouldn't be, I told him I'd meet him up the street." Madelyn stated without thinking.

"Do you tell everyone to meet you up the street?" Dewey wondered, a sad yet confused look crossing his face for a fleeting moment.

"Yeah, but it's not like because I'm embarrassed of here or anything, I love our home. And it's just dates, all my friends come here it's just... people at school know where we live, right? They know I'm your daughter and this is where we live because you're not exactly unpopular or unknown in Woodsboro." Madelyn licked her lips as she spoke, trying her hardest to explain without upsetting her dad. "But if they actually come to this side of town, actually see it, I'm scared they'll treat me different, you know? Like right now I'm daughter of famous Gale Weathers and old Sheriff Dewey Riley. Popular, straight A Madelyn Riley."

Her dad nodded as she let out a breath. "But if they see all of this, they might think of me as daughter of beat-up Dewey and Gale Weathers, who left them to be in New York, trailer trash. A—And I wanna be known as Madelyn Riley, just Madelyn Riley and no one will know me as that if they have preconceived expectations."

"I get it." Dewey nodded. "I'm not offended or anything. I like just Madelyn Riley by the way."

"Thanks Dad, I like Dwight." She joked letting out a laugh. Her dad stared at her with a deadpan expression before pushing her towards the door. "Okay, I'll get the door."

Madelyn turned around, opening the door to come face to face with one of her best friends Nick St James. Nick and Madelyn had been friends since they were kids, the two becoming friends because they were partnered up in arts and crafts way back when. They never really hung out outside of school though — much to Nicks disappointment considering he has, er... had a huge crush on her — they only started hanging out in high school when Nick joined the football team and became friends with Chad Meeks-Martin, who introduced him to their group of friends.

"Hey Nick." Madelyn smiled. "What's up?"

"I was just wondering if you wanted to have a movie night." Nick shrugged before looking over her outfit. "But you look like you're about to go out."

"Yeah, I have a date. Did we plan to have movie night because I—"

"No, we didn't plan this. I just wanted to get out of the house." Nick told her.

"I'm sorry, my dad's here, you can have movie night with him." Madelyn teased, laughing at the slightly scared look that passed over Nicks expression.

Nick and Dewey never really got along. Nick was from a rich background, but the boy never liked the money and so rebelled... a lot. This included breaking the law, which meant Nick spent a lot of time in a police car with Dewey. It wasn't that Dewey disliked Nick, no he was sure he was a fine kid that was simply acting out to get some attention at home, for everyone knew how the St James parents were rarely at home to give attention in the first place, it was just that he thought Nick could possibly be a bad influence on his daughter.

Nick, however, was sure Dewey hated him. And so was very scared of the man, when really in fact Dewey Riley was one of Nick's idols. The man had survived so much and came out with a beautiful daughter and a famous ex-wife, who Nick was sure was still in love with him and that was something Nick could look up to.  A strong man who'd protect everyone he cared for. That is who Nick wanted to be when he was older, so much in fact that Nick had decided from the second time he was arrested by Dewey that he wanted to be a detective when he grew up.

"Hello Nicholas." Dewey greeted from the kitchen.

"Hi sir." Nick smiled awkwardly. "You meeting your date at the usual spot."

"Yes."

"Let me walk you." Nick offered.

"Sure." Madelyn smiled, moving to grab her bag. She picked it up off the counter, once again stood by her dad who offered her another shot, which she took happily. The brunette then hugged her father before making her way back to the door, waving goodbye. "Bye Dad, I'll be back later."

"Curfew at 11:30. Be safe." He called after her.

"Bye Mr Riley." Nick waved as Madelyn closed the door. "So, who's tonight victim?"

"Victim." Madelyn repeated with a shake of her head. "They're not victims and I don't go out with that many people."

"Hmm." Nick hummed; his eyebrows raised. "You need to stop hanging out with Chad, you two are too alike."

Madelyn laughed softly. "I don't even hang out with Chad that much, unlike you, I prefer his sister. And anyway, this is only my second this month, they have to pass the Wesley Hicks test before I'm even allowed to speak to them."

"So, who is it?" Nick asked once more. "The lucky guy who passed the Hicks test."

"Alex."

"From AP calc?"

"Yes."

"The nerd?"

"He's not a nerd." Madelyn turned to Nick with her mouth dropped.

"Yes, he is, Mads." Nick nodded.

"A hot nerd."

"He's not that hot." Nick grumbled. "He's also a dick, you're gonna hate it."

"Whatever." Madelyn shook her head, a smile on her face. "But I'm reminding you of this when you go out with someone who I don't approve on, which is mainly because you're an asshole and they deserve better."

Nick rolled his eyes at the girl, holding his hand up in surrender as they approached the street where Madelyn would be meeting Alex. Nick slowed his walking, standing in front of the brunette with his hands in his pockets. Madelyn opened her mouth to say something when a car pulled up next to them.

"Hey Madelyn." Alex got out of the car, smiling at the girl.

"Hi." She greeted.

"Hey Nick." Alex nodded towards the boy, who was now leaning against the wall with a cigarette in his mouth.

"Alex." Nick sent him a sarcastic smile before turning to Madelyn, a soft smile gracing his lips. "Have fun sunshine."

"Bye Nicholas." Madelyn called with a wave as she got into the car next to Alex.

The boy turned to her. "He calls you sunshine."

"Uh, yeah, it's something stupid he started calling me when we first met because I had an obsession with the sun and making all of the pictures, I drew had the most yellow sunshine ever. Nick said it reflected what I was like. Sunshine." Madelyn explained.

"Cute." Alex commented. 

"Just how it's always been." Madelyn stated with an awkward face, playing with the rings on her fingers. "Sorry about not being up for the movies. I know you like love Stab."

"Do you not?"

"I don't really watch horrors in general, and Stab brings up unwanted conversations which brings up unnecessary memories." Madelyn shrugged with a small sigh. "I prefer like an eighties romcom or something. I only ever really watch horrors when I'm hanging out with my best friend Mindy."

"Right." Alex nodded, driving down the road. "Well, I thought we could go for dinner at the restaurant down the street and then we can see where the night takes us."

"Sounds great." Madelyn smiled. The two drove down the street in silence, the only sound being whatever song was playing on the radio. When they approached the restaurant, Alex drove into the parking lot, parking the car. Madelyn took a deep breath, trying to ease her nerves, praying that the dinner conversation was better than the car conversation.

She got out of the car, waiting for Alex to round the car before they walked into the restaurant. The waitress showed them to their table, handing them both menus before leaving for a few minutes so they could decide what they were going to have.

"What are you thinking?" Madelyn asked, looking up at the boy opposite her.

"The burgers are really good here, oh and the milkshakes." He then looked up at her. "And, the salads are really good too."

Madelyn forced a smile onto her face. "Salads aren't really my thing."

"Really." Alex raised an eyebrow. "I guess you're full of surprises."

"Not really." Madelyn made a face before the waitress walked back over. Madelyn looked up at the young girl. "Can I—"

"We'll have two cokes please." Alex cut her off. The waitress glanced towards Madelyn, silently checking if that was what she wanted, only leaving when she received a firm nod.

"You know, I can order for myself, I'm not a child." Madelyn stated with a tilt of her head.

"I know, it's just, I'm the—"

"If you finish that sentence with the man, I will walk out of here and never speak to you again." Madelyn cut him off with a scoff. "Little tip, women don't like when men try and do what you just did, it makes us feel insignificant and we live in a world where women are anything but insignificant."

"Okay." Alex held his hands up in surrender. "That's the Gale Weathers in you, I like it."

"You like me being like my mother?" The brunette asked, watching Alex squirm slightly. "If you like my mother, go to New York and date my mother. Alex, please do not waste my time."

"I'm not wasting your time, I promise. I really want to be here. With you, Madelyn, only you." Alex told her sincerely. The waitress returned with their drinks, stating she'd be back in a few to take their food orders.

Madelyn's eyebrows knit in confusion when she heard her phone start to ring in her pocket. She pulled it out to see Wes' contact flash across the screen. Wes knew she was on a date tonight so Madelyn knew that it was an emergency, not that she'd ever ignore her best friend's phone call anyway.

"Um, I have to take this." Madelyn apologised to the boy as she stood up. "Sorry, I'll be back."

Madelyn walked towards the door, answering the phone and greeting Wes, who immediately burst out into indistinguishable rambles. "Woah, Wes, slow down. What's going on?"

The girl's face then dropped as she stepped into the cold outside air, a sudden chill running down her back when he explained what had happened. Madelyn didn't know who had hurt her friend but she had a sudden gut instinct that it was the same person who had haunted her dreams for years.

( 💌 ) isobel's notes
hello lovers 🫶🏻
first chapter and we got some of
my fav father-daughter duo and
my babies nick and mads
i hope you like madelyn as much as
i do, she goes through a lot so she
might seem like she's crying all the time
but she is a badass i promise