Wide Eyes (Jeff the Killer Romance)

Chapter 11

"What's your favorite fairy tale?" my English teacher asked.

My head stayed down on the desk, but I listened intently for my peers answers. I heard the usual Cinderella and red riding hood. I couldn't help thinking of Jeff; but he wasn't a fairy tale, he was a nightmare. I felt tears well in my eyes when the new boy spoke up.

"My favorite tale is of Eyeless Jack."

No one had heard of that one but my head immediately left the desk. I'd met Eyeless Jack once, about a month ago. Apparently he took people's kidneys when they were sleeping and ate them; thank god he hasn't eaten mine.

The new boy explained the organ eating, then said no one knew why he wore his mask. The other students were disgusted, but this boy had caught my attention. I wonder if he knew how real they were.

The teacher dismissed the questions and explained the assignment that went with it, telling us to find partners. I smiled apologetically at my friend Hazel and went to sit by the new boy.

"Need a partner?" I smiled.

He checked me out before accepting.

"My name's Gabriel, and you must be Miranda."

I nodded hesitantly, asking how he knew my name.

"Jack told me everything. He put me in charge of taking care of you, so I'm here to do that."

"Why would Jack want me safe? He practically hates me."

Gabriel nodded, agreeing with this.

"But Jeff loves you, and Jack figured it might help him to know you're still alive. And that you stay alive."

I looked down at my fingers and imagined them running through his hair. Jeff loved me too?

"Why would Jack care," I asked, "when he doesn't care about anything?"

Gabriel shrugged and started on the assignment. I tried to focus but only got done with three questions before I had to ask him more.

"Who are you anyway? Why did he ask you to take care of me?"

"I'm Gabriel. I'm not a pasta, I'm just a friend of Jack. I owed him something and this is it. But I'm actually a student so I'd like to get to work now."

"One more thing? Why did he send you now when Jeff left a month ago?"

"Jeff's been getting bad. He's depressed I guess. I don't know."

I stopped asking questions and got to work.

~~~

I sat in bed listening to music. Jeff's depressed about me? It's impossible, he doesn't care about anything.

I tried to convince myself of that for an hour, but bored myself instead. I got up and went downstairs to check on my mom; she was making dinner.

"Hey Mandy, are you hungry?"

My stomach growled an affirmative and she chuckled.

"Well I invited that guy down the street and his son over for dinner. I thought you wouldn't mind since you could hang out with Dustin."

"Isn't that kinda gross? You're interested in the guy, I can't like his son."

She shrugged and stirred whatever she was making.

"Just trying to make an effort. You seem sad lately."

I shrugged even though she couldn't see it.

"When are they coming?"

"Half an hour, go make yourself pretty," she winked.

I did as she said and shuffled my way to the bathroom. I didn't bother with fancy stuff, just eyeliner and mascara. It was feeling stuffy in the bathroom so I pushed open the window, then the storm window underneath. I thought I saw a shadow hiding in the bushes, but shrugged it off as my hopes being too high.

I went back up to my room to smoke before the guests came. Today was a sad day and I didn't want to be in a mood for moms crush; she deserved to be happy too.

I was half done with my cigarette when I heard noises against my window. I ran over to see what it was. Directly below me was a boy with a blue mask. He stared up at me until I blinked, then he turned away. I pushed my window up and called to him.

"What are you doing here? Jeff wanted you to stay away too, remember?"

"Figured since you're doing so well I should check it out for myself. Also he's been getting bad. Thought you should know."

"Bad how?"

He sighed and gestured for me to back up. I did and he jumped into my window. He landed with a thump and I heard my mom yell from downstairs. Jack plucked the cigarette from my fingers and claimed it as his own.

"Thanks, sweet cheeks."

I offered him a new one but he declined. I sighed and sat down on my bed, waiting for him to talk. He finished smoking first, dropping the butt into an old soda can. He put his mask back on before I could see his face.

"You're all he talks about," he sighed, flopping onto my bed next to me.

"He's the one that abandoned me!"

"Don't think of it as abandoning. Think of it as saving your life. Or feelings or whatever."

I rolled my eyes and Jack smacked my arm.

"I'm serious. Jeff knew he could never have a future with you. He'd only end up hurting you in some way."

"So he planned to avoid hurting me by hurting me? Genius plan."

"Don't ask me, he's fucking crazy. I might eat kidneys and all, but Jeff's got a lifetime pass for the crazy train."

Jack put his elbows on his knees and buried his head in his hands. I sat there staring at his head.

"Why do you both wear hoodies?"

"Because we're skaters. Why else, because we like it. Why do you wear so much eye makeup."

"Because I like it."

We sat in silence for a few minutes. It was horrible to be sitting next to Jeff's best friend with out him. I missed him so much, and apparently he missed me too.

"What do you look like underneath that mask?"

"Death."

"Seriously."

He sighed and pushed the hood back; his mask stayed on. He had shaggy brown hair and his bangs came just above the masks eyes. He didn't take the mask off but his hair made him look more like a person than a monster.

"Do you have a face?"

"Not anymore," he said sadly.

We sat there in silence until I heard the doorbell ring.

"That would be our guests. I have to go down there so you should go."

He didn't say anything as he jumped out the window.