Chaos and Corruption (Jeff the Killer Fanfic)

18. Bully

Nina

I stripped out of pajamas once I got back to my room and pulled my new pants on, tugging my mesh shirt out of the closet before layering my new shirt on over it. The holster wrapped around my hips and my thigh, the hem of the shirt just barely long enough to hide it as I slipped my knife in for the perfect fit. My boots fit like a charm and before I grabbed for my longboard I swapped everything over into my new backpack, the black denim covered in decorative holes and patches. The final touch was my signature red bow, scooping my hair up into my high ponytail as I looked myself over in the mirror. This was how I'd always wanted to look. Tanis's words echoed in my head and I couldn't help but hug myself a little more tightly, my smile big and warm as I walked out onto the balcony.

"Now that's what I'm talkin' about!" Jeff laughed as I reached the bottom of the steps, slapping my hand before bumping the knuckles and pulling me into a hug, "I dig the mask, keeping the smile under wraps these days?"

"Just when I go into stores to shoplift," I chirped devilishly as I pulled it down to grin at him, "all my friends think I'm a badass because I took down a mugger right in front of them."

"That's my Nina," he said warmly and my heart soared, "how many friends have you made while I've been away, huh?"

"Just three, they're all Juniors at Hollowfield: Pierce, Vlad and Tanis. Tanny's family's from Mexico and Vlad's got this cool 80's goth thing going on, and he's tall as shit, almost as tall as you—"

His expression remained warm while he listened to me babble on about my friends, gushing and giving him as many details as he'd let me dump. Finally I checked the time though and cursed, throwing my bag over my shoulders and moving to give him another tight embrace, getting swung around like a ragdoll and laughing the whole time.

"Heading over to check on Pierce?"

"Yeah, I'll see if he wants to come over for dinner so he can get to see, y'know," I laughed to myself, "what the family's really like."

"Alright, be safe, remember what I told you?"

"Of course, it's my life motto!" I scoffed at him.

"Good girl, now get your butt out of here and have some fun. I'll see you later."

I was about to dash for the door but I stopped myself, wrapping my arms around his chest one more time and taking a deep breath while he squeezed me back. I hated, absolutely loathed the fact he had to leave already after just getting here, but he always had something up his sleeve so I know this wouldn't be the last time I saw him.

"Thank you for what you did to her," I whispered suddenly, digging my hands into his back, "for what she did to me."

"You said it yourself last night," he whispered, a great care in his voice I hadn't heard before, "we might not be blood but you're the little sister I never had. Nina the Killer, I think it has a nice ring."

I pulled back and gave him the biggest smile I could before finally escaping out into the snow, glad to find the roads clear and the sidewalks mostly shoveled. I'd shot Pierce a text I was on my way before I left and plugged my earbuds in as I kicked the ground, picking up speed and getting used to skating in something other than sneakers. There were a lot of eyes on me as I dodged pedestrians and sped over crosswalks and I knew it was because of my splash of darkness against the white background. All eyes were on me for all the right reasons and I absolutely adored it.

When I rounded the corner to the skate park I looked to find yellow tape around the fire escape across the street, the cops already having come and gone and Pierce's window blocked up with a sheet of plywood. A whistle caught my attention and I found him sitting on one of the concrete blocks at the park so I leaned back, turning to approach before I finally came to a stop.