After everything he heard about Kirsten’s techno wizardry, Jason expected more than a simple apartment building when he arrived at her address. Kirsten was only in high school and obviously had to focus on graduating first so it wasn’t really a fair expectation for Jason to have. Sometimes he took for granted just how much money his aunt made from her position. Jason paused right in front of Kirsten’s building and sent her a text to let her know he was here. The sun had set over the distant horizon but that did little to dampen the bright city lights all around him.

“I’m sorry!” A breathless Kirsten called out when she sprinted out of the front door a few moments later. “I j-j-just saw your message.”

“That’s all ri-” Jason felt himself stop short as he got a good look at Kirsten for the first time this evening.

She looked breathtaking. Kirsten’s long, dark hair had been washed, straightened, and brushed to perfection. Her oversized button up school uniform had been replaced by a tight turtleneck sweater that hugged her small frame. Her legs were tucked into black stockings that led up to a navy blue short skirt which cut off just above her knees. Kirsten hugged her arms behind her back and blushed, eyes dropping to the ground in front of Jason.

“D-do I look okay?” She asked shyly.

“Uh.” Jason had to untwist his tongue and learn how to speak again. “Y-yeah. You look stunning, actually.”

Her smile could melt an iceberg.

“Thanks! You t-too.” She brought her hands up to her cheeks to hide her embarrassment.

Jason looked down at himself for the first time that night. He had at least changed out of his school uniform but Jason couldn’t honestly say he gave his outfit more than a moment’s thought. He wore a nice pair of jeans and a clean, non-graphic long sleeve t-shirt. He brought a small backpack with him to carry the hard drive with him. Jason didn’t think he looked shabby, but he certainly felt that way next to Kirsten tonight.

“So.” Jason cleared his throat and glanced at the city around them. “Was there anything you were particularly hungry for?”

Kirsten smiled and gave a small shrug. “I’m f-fine with anything.”

Jason thought over the nearby options he had looked over earlier. 

There were quite a few cheap options a few blocks from here, but… Jason glanced up at Kirsten’s apartment building.

It was a rickety place that had certainly seen better days.

Maybe somewhere she normally doesn’t have the chance to eat at. Jason nodded as he made his decision.

“Are you okay with Korean barbeque?” Jason asked, a little hesitant.

Despite being the object of obsessive love for most of his teenage life, Jason hadn’t really been on any dates. He wasn’t blind to what tonight was for Kirsten and despite his reservations about inflaming her potential violent or aggressive behaviors, he did want to make the date nice for her. Kirsten nodded eagerly in response to his question.

“Okay then.” Jason turned and pointed down the street behind him. “It’s a bit of a walk but there’s a nice Korean barbeque place down this way.”

With another sign of approval from the shy girl beside him, the pair set off down the street. Jason did most of the talking, which he didn’t mind. It was more work than his conversations with Jessica, as she had much more to say and wasn’t shy about anything, but Jason found he had much more in common with Kirsten than he thought he ever would. She was a big time gamer, spending most of her free time playing or developing her own games. Kirsten was too shy to ever post anything she worked on though, which Jason felt was a real shame. The long walk proved beneficial for both parties, as Kirsten slowly grew more accustomed to talking to Jason. Kirsten’s stutter was no longer present for every sentence she uttered. Given enough time with him, Jason was confident she would be able to talk stutter free and with much greater confidence.

Do I want that? Jason thought to himself as they were seated inside the restaurant. 

Jason was reminded of similar feelings he had when he went to the cafe with Jessica. Times like this were so easy to fall into and grow complacent. He had to remember the danger he posed to this sweet girl looking over the menu next to him. As he was lost in a sea of troubling thoughts, a waitress stopped by their table.

“Any drinks I can get started for you two?” The girl flashed them a wide smile and pulled out a small notebook from her apron.

She looks vaguely familiar. Jason thought as he looked at their server for the first time.

She was around his own height but looked like she might be a bit older than him. Jason couldn't quite place her face but felt she might have graduated from his current high school the year prior.

“Would you like more time to think it over?” The waitress clicked her pen shut.

“Oh.” Jason realized he hadn’t answered her question. “I’ll just have water.”

They both glanced at Kirsten who was busy staring daggers at Jason.

“Everything okay?” Jason asked her, confused by her sudden hostile change.

The dark haired girl shook her head angrily and directed her hot gaze to their waitress.

“I’ll get that water out for you.” Their server stated with a nervous smile before retreating back to the kitchen.

Kirsten muttered something too quiet for Jason to hear. He was about to question her one hundred degree turn in attitude when he was struck with realization.

“Does that waitress look familiar?” Jason asked. “I think she might have gone to school with us. That’s all I was trying to figure out earlier.”

Kirsten fixed him with death stare.

“Y-you agreed to take me on a date.” She grabbed his arm and shook it. “You have eyes for o-only me. I w-won’t let you cheat on me.”

Ah. Jason felt those words cut through his heart like knives through butter.

It wasn’t the first time he had heard that sentiment.

“I promise you Kirsten.” Jason felt his hands begin to shake. “I just thought I recognized her.”

He tucked his hands into his lap beneath the table as Kirsten continued to stare daggers into the side of his face. After a few tense seconds, Kirsten sighed and pulled out her phone. Jason glanced to the side but all he could see was her typing out a message. She caught him looking and turned her back to him, blocking her phone from view.

Well this date turned sour quickly. Jason fiddled with the soy sauce container on the table.

“S-sorry.” Kirsten apologized, put her phone away, and turned back to Jason with a sad expression. “I didn’t m-mean to ruin things.”

“No, it’s okay.” Jason sighed with relief. “I’m sorry I made you feel less important. Let’s just have a good meal and make the most of the time we have left tonight.”

The pair smiled. The dinner remained pleasant for the rest of the evening. The food was excellent and Kirsten no longer gave the server hostile glances whenever she came to the table. Jason did his part to not make eye contact with their waitress longer than absolutely necessary. By the time Jason paid their bill and exited the restaurant, Kirsten was back to her shy cheerful self.

“T-thank you for the meal, Jason.” Kirsten’s cheeks burned brightly as they stepped out onto the sidewalk. “It was the most delicious thing I’ve ever had.”

Jason felt his heart warm at her words. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

As they turned to start their journey back to Kirsten’s apartment a trio of police cars pulled around a nearby corner, lights and sirens blaring. Jason paused and watched the cruisers screech to a halt directly in front of him. Kirsten grabbed Jason’s arm and pulled him to the side as six officers exited their vehicles and stormed into the restaurant.

“C-come on Jason.” Kirsten fought to pull him further down the street. “We should keep walking.”

Jason allowed himself to be slowly dragged away but not fast enough to see the officers exiting with a girl in tow.

“Isn’t that…” Jason’s eyes went wide at the sight of their waitress being stuffed into the back of the nearest police car.

“Jason.”

Jason looked in response to Kirsten’s firm speech. Blood drained from his face as he witnessed the dark soulless look in her eyes.

“This d-doesn’t concern you Jason. Let’s go.”

Jason felt his stomach twist into a knot, the delicious barbeque threatening to make a reappearance if he wasn’t careful. Jason turned and began to walk Kirsten home.

He knew.

There was no proof. No solid evidence to even indicate that Kirsten had anything to do with that girl being arrested. No teenager could possibly possess that kind of power.

But he knew.

Kirsten had eliminated someone she considered to be a threat. That thought weighed Jason down as the pair returned to Kirsten’s apartment. The walk felt infinitely longer on the way back than it did earlier. Jason was afraid Kirsten would ask him to stay. He knew he couldn’t, but he was afraid of what she would do if he said as much. To his surprise, however, Kirsten simply asked for the hard drive when they arrived at her front steps. Jason handed it over numbly.

“I’ll have this done by tomorrow. I-I’ll give it back at school.” Kirsten hugged the drive to her chest and gave Jason a small bow of her head. “Thank you for the night Jason.”

She turned to walk back inside but paused with her hand on the door.

“C-c-c-c-can…” She blushed fiercely. “Can we d-d-do it again?”

Jason’s stomach felt like a brick. He forced himself to smile.

“Yeah.” He said carefully. “We’ll have to go again someday.”

Kirsten smiled and her body shuddered slightly.

“S-sleep well.” Kirsten said quickly before disappearing inside.

Jason let the smile fall from his face and he began to walk to the nearest train station. He hoped whatever on the hard drive proved useful.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Who is she?”

Courtney frowned at the first sentence she heard after answering her phone.

“Who is who daddy?” Courtney responded sweetly to her father as she carefully slid the scissors in her left hand through a small picture in her other hand.

“The girl you called the cleaners about. The two men Harris sent her way had the tables turned and their job done for them.” Courtney could hear the anger in her father’s voice. “Just who is this girl?”

“Well obviously someone that needs to be taken seriously, daddy.” Courtney shrugged. “She’s a nuisance that I want removed. I told Harris that she was skilled with that sword of hers. I didn’t expect anyone associated with our family to be so incompetent.”

Courtney heard her father grunt but knew he felt the same.

“So she’s not the daughter of any of our… competitors?” Her father asked, cautious of his word usage. “We may be the biggest fish in these waters, sweetie, but we only made it this far by picking our fights carefully and-”

“I want her gone.” Courtney set aside her scissors and focused on her conversation fully. “This is important to me, daddy. If you don’t have this taken care of I will take matters into my own hands. Is that what you want? Blood on your own daughter’s hands?”

“No, of course not-”

“Then I trust you’ll make sure this matter is handled properly this time.” Courtney picked back up her scissors and resumed cutting out pictures.

Her father was quiet for several seconds.

“Are you doing okay sweetie? This kind of thing… it doesn’t really seem like you’d normally do.”

“I’m fine.” Courtney rolled her eyes. “Just make it happen daddy.”

Her father grumbled but agreed. Courtney hung up the phone and let out a happy sigh. Normally, the news that Jessica had lived to see another day might be cause for alarm or frustration, but her current hobby had proved quite an effective form of meditation. Courtney glanced up to her bedroom wall and took in the small ocean of Jason that greeted her eyes. She only managed to snap a few dozen photos over the past two days but Courtney didn’t mind a few repeats here and there. Being able to look at nothing but Jason from the comfort of her bed filled her with an excitement that warmed her entire body.

I’ll have to take more tomorrow. Courtney thought with glee as she stapled another photo to the wall. I’ll keep going until my room is one complete testament for my love of Jason.