Troublemaker

4. SELF-MANAGEMENT

There are times in life when you just ponder what the hell is going on and when you find out what the hell is actually going on, you close your eyes upon it 'cause it's a replica of hell itself.

Jayce furrowed at the words. She had mixed feelings: between the want of her being on top and making Ashton her full-time academic enemy for pressure on him, and the want of stopping this mother from doing anymore physical and mental harm, like how she was treated.

"Your father has been dead for years, and I've told you that he died of lung cancer when you were 7, why are you bringing this stupid topic up?" Kimberly scolded him.

Ashton sighed an exasperated breath, "He wasn't my birth father, right?" he asked casually, slyly, cunningly, in a desperate need, hoping for an answer.

Jayce picked up a random brick in the archway near the open areas, just opposite of her, and took out her favorite pen from her pocket.

"Is this why you've not been so diligent lately? Because of these thoughts?" Kimberly increased her tone and was about to strike his red cheek again when something held her hand down. A girl with brunette hair in a half-up-half-down who was wearing a checkered brown skirt with a matching blouse on top: Jayce.

Jayce grabbed her wrist and squeezed it.

"What is this?!" Kimberly shouted, scolding Jayce.

Jayce took the brick from her other hand and put it on Kimberly's hand. Ashton furrowed at the sight of her. She turned around to Ashton and gave an emotionless face, taking his hand and putting the pen on his palm.

"I made it easier," Jayce smiled, stepping back, "To kill each other,"

"What the hell?" Ashton cursed, wincing.

"Come on, it'll be fun. Blood and war, stabbing and hitting, or maybe like death," she confidently said, "You want me to get some popcorn too? I can do that," she said as if it was her usual routine of seeing people die.

Kimberly and Ashton furrowed at her, "Young girl, this is completely absurd,"

"You find it hard to raise a child, then you shouldn't have gotten a child. And you also hate the lies and pressure from your mother, so I've given you everything to unleash your anger on each other," she said innocently.

Ashton gave her a warning look, "Stay the hell out of my family business,"

"You both don't even act like family," Jayce stated, "Come on, use the brick to hit him and use the pen to stab her. Is it really that hard to do?" she lifted one side of her lip in a mocking manner.

"Who in the world are you? WHO ARE YOU TO ENTER OUR FAMILY BUSINESS?" Kimberly yelled.

"Jayce Brooks, pleasure," Jayce forcefully smiled in front of her.

"The scholar?"

"That isn't really the best first impression to your son's rival isn't it?" she acted pitifully, then she scowled, "Or is it?" Ashton glared at her sharply, in a way he was going to kill her soon.

Kimberly knitted her brows together and held up her fury. She had the feeling of wanting to scream that everyone in the town would hear. Her reputation could be ruined by her.

Reputations, reputations, Jayce thought, figuring all the ways she could destroy her and make it a fair play without having to destroy Ashton's mentality itself.

Kimberly glared at the two, and with the brick in her hand, she tossed it to where Jayce was standing, hoping it would scrape her knee or her leg, when Ashton pulled her wrist roughly, making her stumble beside him. The brick broke thumped loudly against the floor and some dust flowed around.