NNY arrived at Jenny's shop the next morning.
He'd been up all night arguing with the voices inside his head. The Reverend admonished him for chasing after the young, pink-haired woman, calling him a fool and whatnot, but NNY didn't care.
Jenny was going to be his...
They were meant to be together, after all, so he had to win her back.
He'd already messed up at one chance of love in the past. He would not mess up again.
Besides, the Reverend had changed his tune. Normally, he told NNY to pursue frivolous things such as love, laughter, and friendship. But now he was telling him to remain cold? To encase himself inside a shell of ice so thick that not even a pickaxe could break through?
Nonsense.
Whatever was going on with him, it didn't matter. NNY knew this was the right path. Even if he got hurt, so be it.
Jenny was worth every drop of blood, sweat, and tears.
He had to make her see that they were meant to be together. He'd been such an idiot, but NNY would make it right again; he would not break her heart a second time.
The streets were empty as he watched Jenny's shop from behind the streetlight. She should be getting up pretty soon.
Shadows lingered on the pavement, making him shiver. NNY normally welcomed the morning chill, but it appeared Jenny was warming up his cold, dead corpse.
She had brought him back from the dead.
A figure emerged inside the window of the shop, and he ducked behind the narrow streetlight, watching her from afar.
His heart skipped a beat as he recalled the moment they kissed.
Have to kiss her again... have to taste her sweet strawberry lips...
She flipped the closed sign to "open", and it was time for NNY to make his move. It was an awful lot like the first time he sought her out. Only now he was asking her to go on a second date.
He walked across the street, pressing his nose to the glass when he arrived. She was nowhere in sight, and his left eye twitched. He craved her like a drug, and if he didn't get his fix soon, then he may kill someone...
She reappeared from the back of the store, and he ducked out of view.
Shit. She saw him. She had to.
NNY wasn't exactly hard to miss. Also, he'd fogged the glass.
He was definitely exhibiting stalkerish traits right now, but he had to show her how much he cared about her.
Grand gestures and all that shit.
Speaking of grand gestures, should he get her a human heart? This end of town had its fair share of hobos...
It would be NNY's metaphorical heart, so to speak. The red, bleeding organ would represent his love for Jenny as he placed it in her eager palm.
No. No killing hobos for Jenny. He had to do this the right way. She was a sweet girl and a model citizen; she wasn't ready for gouged hearts yet.
A few moments passed, and when it seemed like all was clear, he approached the door. He would handle this with care. Her feelings were fragile, and the last thing he wanted to do was traumatize the poor thing.
NNY finally entered the store, and the little bell alerted his arrival again. A strong scent of flowers hit him like a wave, but it didn't bother him so much this time.
It was exactly how Jenny's hair smelled. Sweet and pleasant.
The saloon doors opened behind the counter, and there she was—Jenny.
The one who broke the curse...
NNY was the figurative beast in this story, and the literal one too at that. He had never been much to look at.
Quite frankly, he was ugly.
Inside and outside.
Jenny, on the other hand. She was beautiful. Her insides matched her outside, and he didn't even have to cut her open to confirm. He just knew it by looking at her.
This cruel world didn't deserve her.
Her bright blue eyes widened the moment she spotted him, and then she backed away, reaching for the door. "J-Johnny..."
His heart dipped to the darkest depths of his soul. Just as he feared; she was scared of him.
NNY raised his hands in peace. "Please... don't run away. I... about last night. I can explain..."
Her large doe eyes filled with water, and NNY noticed how red and swollen they were. It appeared she had been up all night crying, and he only had himself to blame.
He was the one who made her look like that, and he was his own worst enemy right now. Anyone who made Jenny cry deserved to die, but it's not like he could kill himself.
He'd rejected her and kissed her in the same night, and he truly was a villain. No wonder she got all weepy and sad.
NNY's mixed signals were enough to give anyone a headache.
He had to make her understand that he was just conflicted. He had been so set in his ways for so long that he failed to see a good thing when he finally had it.
Well, not anymore. NNY would never let her go ever again.
He closed his eyes, trying to find the right words. "I never should have declined a second date with you. I see that now, and... I'm sorry."
His cheeks flamed, and he wished to melt into the floorboards. He felt so embarrassed, but he was prepared to make a fool of himself.
NNY had never apologised like this to anyone.
Normally, he just left long-winded messages via a recorder.
He continued. "I hope you can find it in yourself to forgive me. I don't do this very often, so I'm not sure how best to phrase this, but... you're beautiful, and I wish to see you again."
His heart thumped hard against his chest as he finally said what he had to say. It was like someone had sucked the air from his lungs.
Jenny was unnaturally quiet, and he was desperate to hear her speak.
He glanced her way, and the floor seemed to cave beneath him. Tears poured from her vivid blue eyes, and he stepped towards her.
"Hey, don't cry. I promise I won't disappoint you again. I see it whenever I look at you, Jenny. You're not ephemeral. With you... I'll always have the beauty of the start."
She spluttered, slapping a hand over her mouth.
NNY froze. Was it something he said?
"That's... just the thing, NNY. I don't see it quite the same way. All I see is the grief. And it's for that reason that I cannot see you anymore. I'm sorry. I... don't want to hurt you..."
NNY raised a brow. Hurt him? What the hell was she talking about? As if she could ever hurt him, the sweet, delicate thing she was.
Unless she meant physically...
A flash of memory returned. He saw himself with Devi again, observing the moment he was about to kill her with his knives.
NNY had been so justified in his decision that night. In his deranged state of mind, he genuinely believed that killing Devi was the best cause of action. That way, he would never have to feel sad when their blossoming romance faded into oblivion.
It didn't help that Mr. Eff egged him on either, but that was beside the point. If Devi had not kicked the shit out of him that night, then NNY would have killed her.
She would have become yet another victim, and he squirmed just thinking about it. He was so confused and lost back then, yet not anymore.
NNY was evolving.
He truly meant what he said; he did not have those same kinds of fears with Jenny. But it appeared she had them about him.
Fuck.
What cruel irony...
Well, he just had to show her that she could be happy with him.
NNY chuckled. "I'm far from worried about you ever hurting me, Jenny. Besides, you don't have it in you. You're a good person. I feel it deep in my black heart."
She shook her head. "You're wrong. I'm not a good person. I'm a monster, and you should stay away from me, NNY!"
A monster? Now she was just being ridiculous!
He grinned from ear to ear. "Well, you're the prettiest monster I've ever seen..."
NNY jumped across the counter, backing her to a corner. She fretted. "No, this is wrong. Stay away... I could hurt you!"
He pulled out a curved knife from his back pocket, her eyes swelling the moment he placed it in her hand.
Jenny gazed down at the blade in horror. "A knife?"
NNY barked a laugh. "If you're such a monster, Jenny, then do it. Stab me! I won't mind."
It was the ultimate show of trust on NNY's part, yet he honestly believed with all his soul that Jenny wouldn't stab him.
If she did, well... NNY would die. Simple. He guessed this was the grand gesture he was looking for, risking his goddamn life for a second date of all things.
Yet Jenny was worth bleeding for.
A girl like her only comes around once in a lifetime.
Her eyes shot up to his. "W-why are you doing this?"
He sniggered. "Because I just want you to see how much you mean to me. Now go on. Stab me in the heart."
NNY directed the blade in her hand. The tip pierced through his shirt, and he flinched.
Shit. That hurt!
She gasped. "NNY..."
He spoke through gritted teeth. "If I'm wrong about you, and you do kill me... well, I guess we won't go on that second date. However, if you don't kill me... can I pick you up at seven?"
He left the question hanging. Jenny watched him in total disbelief. Her bottom lip shook. "You... really trust me not to hurt you?"
NNY grinned like a Cheshire Cat, leaning closer until their faces were inches apart. The knife wedged in deeper, yet NNY no longer felt the pain.
"Yes," he rasped, his voice ominous. "After all... you're not the monster, Jenny. I am..."
Another crazed laugh escaped him. Jenny never took her beautiful eyes off him.
NNY continued. "I like you a lot, Jenny, and I would like to take things further. So, what do you say? Seven? I know the perfect place. It... has a wonderful view..."
Another bout of awkward silence. She kept her fingers around the blade, studying him carefully. A storm of emotions flitted through her big eyes, and NNY thought she was going to cry again.
But then she smiled, dropping the knife, and it clattered between their feet. Then she threw her arms around him, and NNY's heart soared.
"I'll see you at seven," she said.
A/N: I had to envision what it would be like if a serial killer fell in love, and this is what I came up with.
NNY is even more insane.
The song inspired for this chapter is Every Breath you Take by The Police. It's another song about stalking. There are quite a few.
