This story came to me in the middle of the night and wouldn't leave me alone until I sat down to type this chapter. It will take place before the storyline of the film and may or may not include the Emerson family. While I love reading stories about the boys being extremely dark and sadistic killers, I wanted to try something a tad lighter because that's just what my mind desired apparently.

Rated T for now but may be bumped up to M in future chapters. We're just going to have to see! I truly hope you enjoy reading this first chapter and a review is always appreciated.


It wasn't often that a new establishment opened up in Santa Carla.

Most of the bars and restaurants that lined the boardwalk and spanned across the small city were old and decrepit; dingy little places where the newest addition to the layout was usually a jukebox from the 1950's. The people who seemed to permanently occupy these places were also not what one would call hip per se, with the average age of the common patron being around 65 years old. Their unfriendly demeanor came off as though they had never left their bar stool for the past three decades and definitely weren't about to make room for newcomers anytime soon.

This probably explained why teens and young adults alike were drawn to the the boardwalk like moths to the flame, regardless of whether you were a Surf Nazi or a Goody Two Shoes. The bright lights paired with the whimsical melody playing along as the merry go round spun endlessly and the sweet aroma of funnel cakes positively screamed youthfulness in every sense of the word. It was the place to be on a Friday night, frankly because it was the only place to be for the young, lost souls who had no other place to go.

That was until St. Mary's opened up, at least.

A simple dwelling that comprised of a small bar, a huge dance floor, and a few pool tables quickly grew to be the hottest joint in town. While it wasn't anything too fancy, it was like an oasis for those who were sick of walking the boardwalk countless times, surrounded by screaming kids and their exasperated parents. St. Mary's marked the only place for people above the legal drinking age to claim as their own before it was littered with old drunks or taken over by pre-teens who couldn't hold their liquor.

Now, the cool thing to do on the weekends involved walking down the boardwalk to grab a bite to eat, then subsequently heading to St. Mary's to dance and drink and completely let loose of all life's troubles. It didn't matter if you were a punk, goth, prep, or if you looked like a member of Flock of Seagulls. Anyone was welcomed at St. Mary's, so long as you didn't purposefully try to rustle any feathers. Of course there was conflict at times, with animosity between gangs boiling over into physical violence during a game of pool or the rare catfight on the dance floor, but none of that stopped people from coming every weekend. It was simply the only place that belonged to them.

This was precisely where Regine found herself driving to with her roommate on Saturday night, March 10th 1987.

Usually, she worked nights and was never able to make it to St. Mary's and experience it in all it's filthy glory. Fortunately for her and unfortunately for her coworker, a shift change made it possible for Regine to have the night off, which was somewhat of a rarity and she was determined to make the most of it. Jane, her best friend and roommate, was seated next to her on the passenger side which obviously deemed her "Car DJ" for the duration of the ride.

The Bangles blasted from their stereo system as they drove down the coast with the windows rolled all the way down. Their small apartment was only a few blocks away but it was chillier than usual in Santa Carla that night, and Regine had already promised to be the designated driver for their night out.

The cold beach air sent tingles up and down her bare arms as she drove, but she didn't care in the slightest. There was something magical about this night and Regine was going to savor it until reality bit her in the ass tomorrow morning.

At a stop light, she glanced in the rearview mirror to check for any smudging of her lipstick. Her eyes remained on her reflection as she adjusted her long blonde tresses that were looking a little too windswept from the short drive. She had taken additional time to do her hair and makeup perfectly that evening, attempting to look her best on her extremely uncommon night off. She was wearing a single earring in her left ear, a silver arrow that swayed in the wind when she walked. She looked over at Jane and saw that she was also wearing her earring that night, somewhat hidden amidst her heavy brown locks. They were sort of like friendship bracelets, but decidedly more chic according to Jane when she had surprised Regine with her earring on her 19th birthday. They had lived with each other for two years, but had been best friends long before that after meeting in middle school. Regine loved Jane like a sister, and their bond was so strong that no one could ever come between them, although a few past boyfriends had tried.

"Oh my god, what time is it?" Jane questioned as she sat forward to turn down the music and peered down at her watch.

"Hopefully late enough to skip the boardwalk?" Regine responded optimistically, pressing a little harder on the gas.

"I thought we'd have time for both!" Jane retorted sadly. "We haven't been there together in so long. Think about it, when was the last time you had a triple decker fudge sundae from Joe's?"

Regine smirked and looked over to her best friend and sighed. "I think we've both had enough triple decker sundaes to last us two lifetimes," she quipped, turning her attention toward the road again.

"Plus, we've been going to the boardwalk since we were kids," Regine continued. "We know exactly what to expect there. Getting hit on by Surf Nazis and eating so much we want to puke is starting to get old." She glanced back at her friend with a pleading look in her eye. "I need something new."

Jane's face fell for just a brief second and her body slumped back against the passenger seat. "Fine, just go straight to St. Mary's then," her voice tinged with disappointment, "but just know that the next time I drag you to the boardwalk, you are buying us two sundaes each," she smirked wickedly, "and I don't want to hear any complaints from you about it."

Regine couldn't help but smile. "Deal."

As they neared the parking lot to the bar, Regine could feel the butterflies fluttering in her stomach. She knew she wasn't nervous, but her excitement was causing her hands to shake and her heart to beat faster. She wanted to laugh with her friend and maybe even play a few games of pool with the locals. One thing she knew she absolutely had to do above everything else though: she needed to dance. Regine completely and utterly loved to dance. She could already feel her body buzzing with the need to be on the dance floor and she was not going to deny that need for much longer. She quickly found a parking spot and the two girls checked their reflection one more time before stepping out into the cold ocean air.

Swinging her jacket over her shoulders, she grabbed Jane's hand and headed to the line of people waiting to get into the bar.

"Tony said just to head to the front and he'd be there," Jane said confidently.

"I always feel bad doing this," Regine remarked. "I can feel everyone in line staring daggers at us."

"Who cares?" Jane snorted. "They would be doing the same exact thing if they had connections."

Regine rolled her eyes as they made their way to the front to meet Jane's cousin, Tony, who was the doorman at St. Mary's. He always got them in somehow, no matter how crowded it was inside and Regine was thankful for it. She didn't want to waste the entire night waiting in line when she could be on the dance floor.

"Tony!" Jane cried as she rushed to embrace her burly cousin.

"Hey girls, I was beginning to think you weren't gonna show," he said warmly, releasing himself from Jane's grasp and throwing an arm around Regine's shoulders. "No work tonight?"

"Nope. I got the night off!" Regine all but squealed.

"Well get in there, I can't have my two favorite girls waiting outside in the cold," he replied while ushering them in quickly to avoid getting in trouble.

"Thanks Tony, you're the best," Regine said, kissing him briskly on the cheek.

"Come in after your shift and I'll buy you a drink," Jane called over her shoulder before heading inside. Tony nodded and waved then went back to work. Regine could hear a few people in line groan and mutter complaints over being cut by two girls but she did her best to ignore them.

When they finally stepped foot into St. Mary's, it was already in full swing. The place was packed like a sardine can with every type of person you could imagine. Most were by the bar, hopelessly trying to catch the attention of the pretty bartender who was growing more overwhelmed by the second. A few were scattered over by the pool area, mostly Surf Nazis who were looking to make a few bucks by swindling unsuspecting tourists. Red-tinted lights that hung from the ceiling danced over the crowd of Santa Carla's eclectic youth, casting them all in the same glow and almost completely eliminating their stark differences, bringing them together as one single entity.

Regine didn't seem to care about any of that, however, because her eyes immediately found the dance floor. It was positively electric, with the DJ bumping songs that were the perfect tempo and a sea of bodies that all seemed to be moving together with synchronized perfection.

She could faintly hear Jane shouting over the thumping music that she was going to get a drink, but Regine was already intoxicated, finding herself being pulled to the dancing bodies, barely nodding in Jane's direction before being swallowed by the crowd.

"Blue Monday" by New Order was now being transitioned by the DJ and Regine could barely hold in her excitement as she finally made it to the dance floor and began to move instantly to the music. She effortlessly moved to the beat of one of her favorite songs and felt completely free for the first time in months. She looked around at the other dancers surrounding her, and smiled at the familiar looks on their faces that could only be described as wild abandon. Swaying her hips and rolling her shoulders to the glorious synth melody and punching drum beat, she could feel the stress and fatigue from the week slowly seep out of her body. She felt lighter and renewed as she quickened her pace and moved more forcefully to the music, not caring if anyone was watching her or not.

With that passing thought, Regine turned her head in the direction of the bar to see if Jane was doing okay without her. With her body still swaying endlessly, her eyes scanned the length of the bar and finally located her friend's billowing brown mane as it was turned toward a boy that looked to be buying her a drink.

Smiling to herself, Regine scanned the rest of the area until her eyes settled on a pair of icy blue's, which seemed to be staring straight at her in the middle of the dance floor. Feeling caught, she immediately turned away and continued dancing while trying to hide the blush she knew was creeping onto her cheeks. Those eyes had been watching her so intently from the back of the bar at a small table near the pool tables, and Regine was sure that whoever they belonged to had noticed her eyes meet his.

Mustering up some bravery, Regine slowly made her way deeper into the pool of gyrating bodies and cast her eyes to the corner of the bar again, only to find those same eyes gazing at her with unwavering force. This time, she was able to see more of his appearance. She figured that she didn't need to feel embarrassed looking at him when the boy clearly wasn't ashamed to be staring so unabashedly at her, never looking away for a second.

Her eyes roamed over his prominent, slightly disheveled, platinum blond hair and his curled lips, smiling in her direction. Those blue eyes were undeniably beautiful, but there was an intensity to them that made his stare even more penetrating. Traveling down his form, she noted the broadness of his shoulders and the effortless way he reclined in his seat, arms crossed over his chest, commanding attention like a king on his throne. From what she could see at such a distance, he was wearing all black and possibly two jackets layered over each other. She did not ignore the fact that he was also wearing a single earring in his left ear, just like her. While that was a common trend among kids in their early twenties at the time, something about his piercing made it stand out and make him all the more attractive to Regine.

He was seated next to two other males who looked to be around his age, one with curly blond hair and the other with dark brown hair that seemed to shine under the crimson lighting above them. The blond was wearing the most ridiculous leather jacket Regine had ever seen, with almost the entire exterior covered with brightly covered patches. The dark haired boy didn't even seem to be wearing a shirt, just a heavy leather jacket with leopard detailing and various pins. Regine appreciated their style immediately and fought the urge to go up and ask them where they bought their clothes. They also seemed to have a single earring on their left ear, although Regine doubted they all wore them for the same sappy reasons Regine and Jane wore theirs.

With her curiosity quenched, she tore her eyes from the group even though she could still feel the icy stare of the blonde boy ironically burning a hole in her back as she continued to move. Suddenly, two arms snaked around her middle and pulled her close, causing her to jump and instinctively jerk backwards. Surprise and fear flooded her system as she turned to see Jane looking playfully guilty, trying not to chuckle at Regine's shocked expression. Relief instantly washed over her features as she lightly punched her friend on the shoulder before noticing the blond stranger standing next to her.

Jane motioned to the boy towering over her. "This is Paul!" she yelled a little too loudly in Regine's ear.

Paul threw her a cool wave which Regine returned before looking him over. He was wearing a black mesh shirt under a leather jacket and of course, an earring was dangling from his left ear.

That seemed to be all of the introductions Jane was interested in making, because she swiftly turned to Paul and they began to move together. The DJ then slowly began transitioning from "Blue Monday" to "Obsession" by Animotion, and Regine could feel her excitement start to boil over. This was her song! With the unmistakable keyboard sounds creating pulsating waves that engulfed the entire place, Regine lost herself to the beat once again, forgetting about the strange boy staring at her from across the room. She wasn't really looking for any male attention that night, and she was right where she wanted to be. Her rhythm matched the movements of the other dancers around her as she turned her back on him and faced the DJ instead. Her hands moved over her hips then slid up into her hair as she danced.

She remained blissfully unaware of anything and everything until she felt a gentle tap on her shoulder from behind. She didn't realize her eyes were closed until they flew open and she turned around, only to be faced with the curly haired blond boy she had seen with the others earlier.

"Wanna dance?" he asked, leaning forward to meet her ear.

His eyes held a mischievous gleam but Regine could not detect any cause for wariness in the boy's expression. She looked over at Jane who looked to be having the time of her life dancing sensuously with Paul and she reasoned that this song was just too good to dance to alone. She smiled at the boy with the outrageous jacket and nodded, just as the vocals of the song began to permeate through the room.

As the music continued to play, Regine rolled her shoulders and moved her feet to the beat, matching the tempo of the boy's movements. They soon fell into a comfortable rhythm, moving their bodies to the music but not touching each other just yet. Regine remarked to herself that for someone who looked so tough and edgy, the boy could move and he seemed to be having a blast dancing along with her. Their eyes never left the other's face and Regine realized that she had grabbed onto his shoulder as they inched closer and closer. There was something so innocent about dancing with the boy that never made her feel like he was trying to cop a feel or be inappropriate in any way. He genuinely seemed to be enjoying just dancing with her, with his hand lightly placed on her hip as they swayed together. She could see the look in his eye that she knew matched her feeling of complete liberation on the dance floor, and she considered herself lucky to have found someone to share this experience with who also knew what it felt like.

One look over her shoulder at Jane proved that her and Paul were doing less dancing and instead were making out ferociously with one another in the middle of the floor, which only made Regine laugh hysterically.

She couldn't remember the last time she had felt this amazing and carefree as she danced with the blond stranger. The song had now changed to "When Doves Cry" by Prince and Regine didn't mind dancing with the boy for another song.

"What's your name?" The boy hollered in her ear, their bodies never stopping for a second.

"It's Regine!" She called back in his ear, being careful not to damage his eardrum.

He nodded with a smile and turned his head towards where he had been sitting with the other two boys earlier.

"I think my friend likes you," he said, his grin growing wider.

"Oh?" Regine cast her glance over to the small table where the boys had been, only to find it empty. "And why isn't he here dancing with me instead of you?" She cocked her brow confidently.

"He hates this kind of music, and he does not dance," the boy said with a laugh.

"Too bad," she replied in mock disappointment. "I'm afraid it'd never work out between us," she added, playing along even though it was killing her to know which boy he was referring to. The dark haired one was extremely attractive, sure, but Regine couldn't deny that she was drawn to the boy with the alluring gaze and electric blond hair.

"I don't know," the boy shook his head, eyes darkening somewhat, catching Regine off guard. "He can be pretty persuasive when he wants to be."

Regine smirked and flipped her hair over her shoulder, unperturbed. "Well, we'll just have to see about that."

The boy shrugged like he knew he was right then grabbed her hand and extended his arm so she could twirl into him. Regine threw her head back and laughed, putting an end to the conversation.

They continued to dance for a little while longer before Jane grabbed Regine's hand and began to lead her off the dance floor. Regine let herself be taken by the tiny brunette, but made sure to wave at her dance partner before abandoning him.

"I forgot to ask, what's your name?" She shouted to him as she was pulled farther and farther away from him.

"Marko!" He called back, cupping his hands around his mouth in an attempt to amplify his voice.

With his blond curls almost completely disappearing from her view, Regine jumped over the crowd to meet his eyes once more. "Bye Marko!" She waved enthusiastically then turned on her heel to follow Jane.

It was now around 10:30 p.m. and St. Mary's was exploding with people. Regine knew she would have completely lost sight of Jane if they hadn't been holding hands, forming a chain link in an attempt to get to the women's restroom, fighting through bodies covered in sweat and sea salt.

Finally making their way to the back corner where the restroom was located, Regine took note of her appearance. She looked slightly flushed and her hair had a bit more body to it from dancing so passionately. She looked over at Jane who was applying her lipstick in the mirror under the pink florescent lights of the restroom. Regine wondered just how much of that lipstick was now all over Paul's face and she giggled quietly at the thought.

"I can't believe you," she smiled at her friend, who didn't even have the decency to look ashamed.

"What? Did you see how hot he was?" Jane reasoned as she threw her lipstick in her clutch and walked over to her.

"Of course but I looked over after thirty seconds and you were suffocating the poor guy!" Regine teased.

"Oh please, he was loving every second of it. He wants us to come over to his table and hang out," her eyes were bright with excitement, hoping her friend would share in her enthusiasm. "Only if you want to though."

Regine sighed and looked at her reflection in the mirror once more. This was a pattern whenever she went out with Jane. She would always meet someone early on in the night, and Regine would be stuck with his leftover friends for the remainder of the evening while the two lovers would suck face in a dark corner until it was time to leave. She pretended like it didn't bother her, but going over to Paul's table was definitely not her first choice for the night's itinerary. Deciding that she could always escape to the dance floor if she was feeling lonesome, she looked over to her best friend with reassurance in her eyes.

"Who am I to deny my best friend a good time?" She asked while attempting to summon as much excitement as she could muster.

Jane's grin almost blinded her as she grabbed Regine's hand and dragged her out of the restroom. "Let's go!"

As they made their way to Paul's table, Regine couldn't help but scan the room in search of him. It wasn't like she was planning on approaching him, but she was curious to know where he was in case she was blindsided by that gaze again. When she failed to locate that shock of blond hair, she accepted defeat and focused on helping Jane find Paul.

To say she was pleasantly surprised would be an understatement when she realized that Paul's table was the same table she had spotted Marko and the others occupying earlier. Marko caught her eye immediately, waving them over like a maniac. There was something about Marko's easy demeanor that Regine liked instantly, and she eagerly smiled and waved back at him, ignoring that small look of wickedness in his eye she had witnessed on the dance floor earlier.

Her eyes quickly found the dark haired boy, although he wasn't facing her. She then felt her stomach drop to her knees when she realized who else had been sitting at the table earlier. While she didn't see him there presently, she knew he would most likely be there at some point. That thought almost caused Regine to turn around and run the other way, but Jane's firm grip on her hand proved that to be impossible.

Swallowing her fear and struggling to keep her expression neutral, she stood before the three boys for a few seconds before Marko almost fell out of his seat and motioned for her to sit down in the chair he offered to her.

"Such a gentleman," she said sweetly as he stole another chair for himself from a different table and positioned it on her right side to sit down. Regine noticed Paul follow Marko's lead and signaled for Jane to sit in his seat while he retrieved another.

"I try," he quipped while motioning to the dark haired boy across from them. "This is Dwayne."

Dwayne reached from across the table to grab Regine's hand and gave it a soft squeeze. "Hey," his voice was so deep that Regine wasn't even sure he had said anything at all amidst the buzzing chatter of the fellow patrons surrounding them and the bumping music.

She nodded at him while withdrawing her hand. "Hi, I'm Regine." He seemed so gentle and reserved, she wondered what he could be doing with these rambunctious blond boys.

As for Paul, he was already occupied with Jane as the two slightly distanced their chairs away from the others to get a shred of privacy while they talked amongst themselves.

Regine then thought back to what Marko had said on the dance floor and felt her face instantly get hot when she realized the friend who "liked" her might actually be Dwayne. After a second of sheer panic, Regine glanced over at him and his apathetic demeanor relaxed her somewhat. She would never have guessed that he held any interest in her by observing him in that moment, and she began to relax into her chair again as she looked at Marko.

"Are you from around here?" he asked, trying to keep the mood light now that it was just the three of them.

"Born and raised," she answered with a slight nod.

"Funny," he mused aloud, "I don't think I've ever seen you around before. We're usually here or on the boardwalk most nights."

"Oh, I work pretty much every night so that might explain it," Regine responded without thinking and immediately regretted opening her big mouth. Marko's easy manner had made her too comfortable and she was getting into something that she definitely did not want to talk about with boys she had just met.

Right when he was about to reply, she quickly cut him off.

"I'm going outside for a smoke. Be back in a bit," she made sure to smile so she didn't come off as too rude and quickly excused herself, leaving a slightly confused Marko and an indifferent Dwayne in her wake. She knew Jane would be able to take care of herself for a while, concluding that she needed some fresh air anyway.

Throwing her blazer around her shoulders and fishing for her cigarettes from her bag, she slowly maneuvered past the crowd and headed towards the front of St. Mary's. It was darker than she expected it to be outside of the bar, with only a few streetlights above illuminating her surroundings. There were still plenty of people outside, all smoking like chimneys, but nowhere near the amount from inside and Regine was grateful for the few moments of peace.

With slightly shaking hands, she placed her Marlboro between her lips and lit the end. She hadn't had a cigarette since that morning and she could feel her body rejoice at having its fix of nicotine. She had meant to quit when she moved out with Jane, but having her own place seemed to make it even harder now that she didn't have to sneak quick smokes in the backyard behind her mother's back.

Regine breathed in the smoke as she looked up at the sky and felt her eyes close. She didn't want to go to work tomorrow. This stupid job was supposed to be temporary until she was able to keep up with her side of the rent. Unfortunately, now it seemed to consume her entire life. Sleeping all day and working all night sure did do a number on her social life, and also her romantic life now that she thought about it.

"You got a light?" A voice from directly behind her asked, its tone smooth and confident.

Regine's eyes flew open as she was taken out of her train of thought. She whirled around a little too quickly and found herself face to face with the boy with the striking blue eyes that seemed even more powerful up close.

Regine was proud of herself when her response came out sounding like she wasn't having a heart attack.

"Sure," she said as pulled her black sparkly lighter from her bag and stepped closer to him.

He leaned his head lower to meet her hand so she could light his cigarette. Regine was not expecting his leather-clad hands to wrap around hers, holding them still while she flicked the flame that ignited the cigarette between his smirking lips. He glanced at her as she did her best to keep the flame alive while it lit completely, then released her hand and raised his head to stand at his full height, almost a whole foot taller than her.

"You like Reds, huh?" he asked, motioning to her pack hanging loosely from her bag.

Regine nodded. "I refuse to smoke anything else," she responded, trying to sound as cool and collected as he did.

He breathed a laugh then opened his black trench to reveal the inner pocket, a beat up pack of Marlboro Reds perfectly nestled there for safe keeping.

"I guess that makes two of us."

Regine felt herself smile then looked down at her boots. She could hear the words to "Safety Dance" being blasted from inside and laughed quietly to herself. That was Jane's favorite song to dance to, and there was no doubt she had dragged Paul onto the dance floor for another go.

"What's funny?" The boy asked, noticing her slight snicker.

"I think my friend and your friend are losing their minds inside to this song," Regine laughed again just picturing the two.

While he didn't laugh, his smirk grew into a smile as he turned his head to the door while scratching the back of his neck.

"They say they want to come here for a beer and a game of pool," he took a drag of his cigarette before continuing, "but I secretly think they only like this place because of all the pretty girls to dance with."

Regine rolled her eyes and exhaled the smoke from her lungs. "I'm guessing you don't partake in such things?"

His eyebrow shot up instantly but the rest of his expression remained nonchalant.

"Dancing? I don't think so." His eyes found hers as all of the smoke was starting to make her feel dizzy. "Pretty girls on the other hand..."

Regine was not going to let this boy get the best of her. His shameless flirting was fun for the moment but she wanted him to know that it wasn't going to get him anywhere.

"Well it seems like your friends have the right idea. They're inside right now surrounded by every pretty girl in Santa Carla," she asserted, feeling like she was standing her ground.

"All but one," he shot back almost instantly, like he knew exactly what she was going to say before she said it.

Regine let herself sigh dramatically. "I bet that charm works on almost every one of them, too."

"You're right, it usually does," he didn't stop staring at her, smoke escaping his mouth with every word, "but I imagine I'd have better luck with you if I was in there dancing. You seemed to warm up to Marko pretty fast."

Unaffected by his obvious attempts to gauge whether or not she was interested in Marko, she lifted her boot and stubbed her cigarette out on her heal before looking back at him.

"Nah, he's cute but I don't usually go for blonds."

She knew that one would surprise him and she saw a slight flicker of something in his eye as he continued to smirk back at her. He hid his incredulousness instantly and followed her lead by also putting his cigarette out on the bottom of his worn boot.

"Now that is a shame," his said as his eyes scanned her face only to pause on her lips for a fraction of a second before meeting her gaze once again, "because I do."

With that, he turned around and strutted back into St. Mary's, leaving a smirking Regine in his wake.


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