Two Faced Killer

Chapter 6: Insensitive Jerk

Present day

Len ended his shift at the store and walked back home, observing the people out on the streets, most of which were students that he had seen in school.

"Hey," he felt a hand push him forward as Rin appeared from behind. He scowled.

"Leave me alone," he said.

"So I heard you're going out with Neru," she smirked, "I know, I know. News travels fast."

"I am doing no such thing," Len mumbled, "Go away."

"Really, why'd you write my name at the bottom of your list?"

"Can you forget the damn list already?" Len rose his voice, "I was bored."

"Weren't you paying attention to the lesson?"

Len sighed. "I don't need to," he was right in front of his house now, "Now leave."

"I don't think so," Rin crossed her arms over her chest, "Not until you give me your homework."

"What?"

"Neru told me to make sure that you had done your homework," Rin shrugged, "As strange as that seems, she wants to make sure that you don't get in trouble with the teacher tomorrow."

Len sighed. K had left him with completed homework for all the classes that he was to attend, but he couldn't just give it to her.

"You probably want to...copy it or something," Len tried putting himself in the shoes of a dopey teenager.

"Nope," Rin shook her head, "I just want to take a look. I'm done mine, you know."

Len watched as she threw her backpack off of her shoulder and pulled out a wad of note paper. It was covered in scribbles and equations.

"Fine," Len spat, rolling his eyes, "I'll go get it."

He disappeared into the house and let the door swing almost shut, to a crack, behind himself. Rin started up the steps nimbly.

"Aren't you going to let me in?" She called before opening the door. Len wasn't in the hallway, and so she stepped into the home.

"Len, where are you?" She called, dragging her scarlet flats across the grey carpet and peering into a lonely kitchen. Droplets of water plinked from the sink tap and the refrigerator hummed.

"I didn't say that you could come in," Rin jumped at the sound of a voice behind her. Len stared at her, wearing a deadpan expression.

"Dammit, you!" She smacked his arm forcefully, "Why'd you have to scare me like that?"

"Here," Len held up a bunch of sheets, "Take a look. Hurry up."

"Hmph," Rin snatched the sheets from him and skimmed through them, her eyes widening every time she flipped a page over, "You're...really done all of it. And it looks right, too..."

"I told you," Len pulled the sheets away, "Now go."

"You're always in such a hurry to make me leave!" She huffed, "I don't get it!"

"It's none of your business, okay?" Len grabbed her sleeve and hauled her out onto the porch.

"Stupid," she mumbled, pulling away and stomping down the porch steps, "I hate you."

Len shrugged.

"I hope Neru hates you," she spat, "You're just so uptight!"

"Look, maybe I shouldn't have touched you," Len muttered, "Maybe I was a bit too rash."

"Damn right," Rin glared at him with grit teeth.

"But I like being alone," Len finished.

"Then be alone!" Rin yelled, "Why're you going out with my friend anyway, huh?"

"I told you, we're not going out! We're just..."

"Having dinner, isn't that right?" Rin shook her head, "If you do anything to her...you won't live to romance another girl."

Len frowned. The girl sounded pretty serious, but he shrugged it off. She was a small, scrawny thing with nothing really going for her. Her hair was dull and short, her eyes, flat and a drab shade of blue. Her chest was flat, and she resembled a stick. He chuckled at the thought.

"You think it's funny," Rin felt tears threatening to spill, and she fought them back, "You spend one day in this little town and you've got a date with a girl who just so happens to be one of my closest friends...and then you be a jerk to me."

"That was never my intention," Len defended himself, "I'm sorry if I made you feel that way..."

Rin swallowed slowly. The tears were receding. She didn't want anything to do with this insensitive jerk, but she didn't want him hurting her friend, either. She turned and bolted down the street, shoes grating against the sidewalk.

Len scratched at the nape of his neck and headed back inside. The stupid girl just wouldn't leave him alone; she was even worse than K, with his smiling-all-the-time attitude.

He headed up to his room and changed out of his work clothes: a drab, bleak, pale blue uniform consisting of a simple t-shirt and pants, into something more casual. Or at least, that was his intention. He pulled open the closet and looked through the wardrobe that he had been given.

Len picked out a black t-shirt with a large collar that hung loosely on his frame. He pulled out a blue jacket and put it on as well. Its sleeves clung to Len's arms and were adorned with zippers.

Great, I look like an idiot.

Sighing, Len dug through the pants and pulled on some black ones. They were scrawled with odd white patterns of incomplete checkerboards near the top.

He sidestepped a bit to face the full length mirror beside him. His hair was even more of a mess than usual, so he tousled it quickly and pulled on a pair of black gloves.

He always kept a weapon with him, even when at the school, so after putting his shoes on, he pocketed a knife and small gun. It would be enough, in case anything happened.

The sky was darkening quickly, Len noticed as he left the house. He walked down the porch steps and turned a corner when he noticed a shadow from the corner of his eye, watching him. He turned suddenly sprinted down the street as the shadow turned and disappeared.

It knows where I live.