School hadn't changed a bit and you realized everything would just carry on whether you were present or not. Not like you had expected anything else but a change would have been nice.
As you sat in class, you couldn't stop thinking about Jeff. You had gotten involved with him and your life felt even less normal than ever. If you were still normal, you would have panicked and ran to the police but now... it was almost like he had somehow become part of your life. Deep inside, you were hoping you would see him again tonight, despite all the odds.
The bell rang, signifying the end of the class. You hadn't learned anything. You grabbed your (favorite sandwich) and rushed out of the room to the school grounds. Unforgotten, Marie and her friends approached you, their faces taunting as usual.
"Got scared of us and skipped class, didn't you?" Marie's haughty voice cackled.
"Fuck off."
You were surprised at your own words. Usually, you were the shy and timid type and you didn't always have the guts to talk back at someone. Maybe you were just grumpy from the lack of sleep lately. No... there was more to that. You felt a stream of confidence flow through you. Might as well use the chance.
"Watch who you are talking to!' Marie retorted.
"Watch who you are talking to, Marie. You don't want to get kicked again, do you?"
"Don't get cocky with me, you monster!"
"Your'e right; I am a monster. And you don't wanna know what this monster will do to you if you push it too far." Your voice was low but threatening.
Marie glared at you but took a step back. Something was burning inside you and it made you feel so invulnerable.
"Shut up! I have my friends. You can't beat me!" She shouted.
"Ah, bitches are only brave enough in a pack to face a bear."
Marie had enough and pulled out the same pocket knife she used two days ago and slashed it against you.
"Who the hell do you think you are, you stupid whore!"
Blood slashed from your collar bone but the wound had healed itself already. Marie lounged herself once more but you grabbed her wrist and dug your nails into her skin. She screamed and pulled your hair.
"Let go of me, you hellish thing!"
"I am so sick of your bullshit. Leave me the fuck alone, you cunt!" You let go of her wrist and pushed her away from you.
As much as you hated her, you didn't want to get in trouble again. Marie is popular so her friends could easily lie to the teacher, hence it was wiser not to start a fight right now. You furiously glared at her and turned to leave. You decided to stay near a teacher who was taking watch and sat in the shade.
Jeff's POV
It wasn't really easy to sneak around unnoticed on broad daylight and slendy wouldn't be too pleased but I would do anything for her. I wondered how she was doing. I lurked in the shadows of the school and looked for her. She wasn't that hard to miss.
Her (h/l) (h/c) swayed from side to side as she moved through the school grounds. She sat down in one of the corners by herself. She didn't seem to have any friends. Suddenly a group of students came up to her. She must have disliked them because as soon as her eyes met them, she grimaced.
I couldn't hear their conversations but the gestures implied that it was a fight. Then the girl she was talking to pulled out a knife and slashed it across her collarbone. How dare she touch (n)! That disposable little whore! I felt anger flush through my body.
Of course her scratch healed immediately but that didn't give anyone the right to hurt (n). I watched her. Her (e/c) eyes. Even as she was bullied she showed no sign of fear. She was truly amazing.
Then as the bully tried to attack her again, she caught her wrist. I saw her right arm twitch. I knew what that meant: She was holding back.
I remembered the time I met Randy and his friends. It was like that too. Only that I didn't hold back and fought them because I could. But there was also this feeling where my body felt so flawless and flexible, it was like I was invulnerable.
I could tell the same thing was happening to her. The way she caught the girl's wrist so easily...
She was just like me.
She turned away from the bullies and moved near a teacher as she bit her poker face into her sandwich. Unlike her, I had my brother but she was all alone. There wasn't much I could do for her while she was in school but maybe a little gift would cheer her up...
Your POV
The teacher wrote endless notes on the board and the atmosphere in the classroom was dim. As you were copying, you heard your classmates talk in the back.
"Where did Marie go? Break was long over."
"No idea. Before going back to class she went to the CR."
You turned the page of your notebook to continue copying when a small piece of paper flew from it to your lap. You turned the paper to see what it was-
'Go to the bathroom'
That was clearly not your handwriting, but who tucked this in your notebook? You looked around the class to figure out who might have given you this piece but no one seemed suspicious. That only left Marie's empty seat. Eventually, your curiosity go the better of you and you excused yourself to go to the bathroom.
As you entered the girl's bathroom you froze in place. At the end of the room was Marie, her eyes wide in shock, lying beside the wall. Her body was bloody and blood tickled out of her mouth. And above her on the wall, written in blood:
'S-M-I-L-E :)"
The blood of the letters slowly dropped down on Marie's broken body. You had an idea who's work this could have been.
Later the police arrived to investigate the situation. They found out that she had been murdered right at the start of class after break. They surveyed you, Marie's friends and a couple of teachers. You told them you felt like taking a leak and found her body there. You left out the part where you got a note. The policemen asked you if you had a fight with Marie and you admitted you were bullied by her. Did they suspect it was you? They also asked your teachers but they saw you before break end and class start, which ruled you out as a suspect and you were allowed to leave.
As you passed by the police car you overheard a conversation between two policemen.
"Do you think it was Jeff the Killer?"
"In school at this time? Probably not."
Unfortunate for them, you knew more than they did.
It was already evening and the news about the murder at your school spread on TV. You decided to take a shower.
As the water poured on you, you remembered Marie's dead body. Unlike yesterday, it did not scare you. You didn't even feel anything about her death, except relief that she was gone. Did that make you a bad person? And how did Jeff know she was bullying you?
You remembered the bloody writing. He killed Marie to make you smile. It was odd to think about it that way but you found it a little... romantic. You grinned. You were getting weird as well but it felt good. You hadn't been smiling for a while now.
Your eyes went wide as you felt cold steel of a blade softly pressed against your throat as the water washed down the blood on it. Was that Marie's blood? Long black hair tangled themselves on your shoulders and leathered skin touched your bare back. You could feel his breath on your nape. Something was touching your buttocks but you refused to think about what that was.
You couldn't see him but you could feel him smile widen as he kissed your nape.
"Turn around. I wanna see you."
