Smoke And Smiles (A 2020 Jeff The Killer Story)

4

"Jeffrey."
Principal Starkey called out from inside her office as Randy walked out and passed him, giving him a harsh stare which he didn't respond to.
Jeff tiredly sauntered into the room and sat in the wooden chair in front of her desk.
He looked downward and held an ice pack onto his face.

"Now that I've heard Randall's perspective, I want to hear yours. What happened and why did it turn violent?
I could have security look back at the cameras so I wouldn't attempt to lie."
She stated as he struggled to recall how it exactly happened.
"Randy, Troy and Keith came up to me and Melanie at our lockers and starting picking a fight, he threw the first punch.. and that's all I remember."
He confessed, annoyed that he had to explain this. He knew Randy deserved some kind of punishment.
"That's all you remember? You don't recall why you were bashing his head against the floor? You could've killed him Jeffrey."
She scolded with agitation clear in her voice.
Those words made his body tremble with a feeling of both victory and fear. He was only thinking of how Liu would respond to this, not knowing the full story.
"I know, I just blacked out and I was just.. angry."
He explained opening up just a little bit.
"I understand that Randy has caused fights, him and Troy are always getting in trouble for something and you wanted to "teach" them a lesson maybe.
I also know moving to a new place is hard, but I will not tolerate this kind of behavior, is that understood?"
She asked, her tone becoming a little softer.
He sighed a little and nodded in agreement.
"I better not hear about this again. I'm not asking you to be best friends but I am asking you to be civil. Walk by him, smile, and move on with your day."
She explained once more.
Those words made his body turn cold, he's conditioned himself to have to smile in order to lie to everyone and pretend everything is fine. Now he had to fake his demeanor for some shitty kid.
"Okay."
He answered in defeat.
"Your parents already know what happened, I told them that you and Randy both have detention Monday from 10 to 2. They said that you're going to some party Friday? So we moved it."
She explained, making him already feel defensive.
He nodded, expecting to get scolded by their parents.
"They also said that they will be picking you up, I will tell your brother as well... you're dismissed."
She stated before he got up and walked out of the room.

As he was walking down the hall, he was stopped by a girl who was wearing a Hello Kitty choker that matched her red bow she was wearing in her light chestnut hair.
"Hi um... Jeff? Is it?"
She asked, her cheeks glowing light pink with a shy smile.
"Yeah."
He answered quietly, observing her soft and sparkly clothing.
"I just wanted to tell you, that was crazy what you did to Randy. I... wouldn't have gone that far but.. you really taught him a lesson!"
She softly cheered as he began to smirk feeling proud of himself despite the circumstance.
"Eh.. thanks but it was just something that happened out of nowhere."
He shrugged, soaking in the idea that he stood up to someone that others were too afraid to do.
He had the burning urge to do it again.
"He had it coming."
She giggled softly before the sound of heeled shoes and buckles neared the corner.
"Nina! Come on, Erickson's gonna lose it if we're late again."
A soft but commanding voice echoed through the hallway.
The voice came from a girl with porcelain white skin and raven black hair, wearing all trad goth style clothing and makeup.
"I have to go, see you around!"
Nina beamed as she walked away with her best friend who looked like the total opposite of her.
He stood there and watched them leave, feeling like he was finally being praised for something he was scolded for.

Jeff got into his parents' car reluctantly.
Noticing his brother wasn't there, he cautiously sat down in the seat behind Margret.
"Where's Liu?"
He asked curiously, not wanting to deal with their upset mother alone.
"I insisted on him driving himself to get some groceries on the way home before your dad gets off work. Plus, I want to talk to you alone without him distracting you."
She explained as an odd silence surrounded the vehicle like there was no one else around in the school parking lot.
He sighed shakily as Margret began to lecture,
"We moved here to start a new life in a new state. Dave and I have been working on our marriage as well to try and make a little better. But this is how you respond to that? I thought we agreed to have no more fights-"
He interjected with his voice breaking a bit,
"I didn't start th-"
She interrupted him with a harsh demand,
"Shut up Jeffrey, I'm not going to listen to any of your excuses.
This shit is exactly why our house is rarely peaceful, there's always SOMETHING going on with you or your brother.
But this ends now, this better be the last time we get a call saying you did something to get us in trouble."
She snapped at him, blaming him and his brother as though they were the cause of everything.
His body grew cold again, mostly out of irritation that she refused to let him speak.
"I didn't want to fight him..."
He admitted, his tone still shaky.
"Well you didn't fight him, you probably gave him a concussion. What did you think would happen if you kept going?"
She asked sharply.
"I wasn't thinking-"
He began to explain,
"I know, you don't do much of that."
She snapped back, making his heart drop into his stomach.
"Now Friday, there is a block party near us and we are going to join everyone there.
I know you must not want to go but it would do you some good to socialize.
I better not here about you starting anything. You're going to go into that party with a smile on your face, no matter if you're in a pissy mood."
She stated. His shakiness started die down as Margret started the car and they went home.

Jeff lied on his bed feeling a multitude of emotions spiral inside of him.
The anger towards his parents, Randy and his little puppets, the school, and just the world in general.
That hatred seemed to consistently plague his mind but moments like these made it so much stronger.
He dreamt of the day he and Liu would finally be free and good make their lives better.
He stared at the wooden chest in the corner of the room.
He got up and went to open it, he picked up the blade that was much longer than the others in the box.
A chill ran down his spine as he recalled seeing the dagger in that strange dream.
He held the knife close and caressed the blade with his fingers, feeling his engraving of his and Liu's initials.
It was as though he slipped into a trance, holding and glancing at the blade.
It felt comforting yet powerful, knives have always made him feel a bit better.

"Jeffrey!"
He jumped out of his trance hearing Dave called out sharply as he heard his father's heavy footsteps come up the stairs.
"No dad, leave him alone! Let me talk to him!"
He heard Liu shout, trying to decrease the tension.
Adrenaline started pumping through his veins, preparing to fight once more.
His mind raced as he grabbed his hoodie and pulled it over his shirt, putting the dagger in his pocket.

Through the cacophony of yelling and his thoughts clouding his mind, Liu knocked on the door.
"Come on brother, we're gonna take a walk outside. We don't have to talk about today if ya don't want."
Liu stated softly outside the door.
Feeling a bit better hearing his brother's voice, he eventually opened the door and agreed to going with him