Learn To Lie (BOOK TWO)

CHAPTER TWO- Prison Visits (MIC'S PERSPECTIVE)

Taco looked at me, concerned, before smiling softly and giving me...
A purple flower.
I smiled back and she reached her hand out to help me up. I tucked the flower behind my ear and took her hand. She pulled me up and picked the leaves out of my hair. "And what possessed you to sleep in leaves? We're going to visit Pickle soon, remember?"
I scoffed. "I don't get how you forgave him so easily. He broke your leg. I hate him."
Taco looked away guiltily. "I know, I know, but.. I used to be something to him. It's a season one thing, okay?"
I nodded. "I get that. But he hurt you."
"I know. He's changing, alright? I'm helping him."
I sighed and grabbed my jacket from the ground, brushing it off. "Well, firstly, it's cold. Here."
I slipped my jacket around her shoulders and she smiled. "Thanks, Mic."
I took her hand and we entered the hotel to get my car keys.
Paper was at the front desk, doing something under the counter before noticing me and Taco standing there. He went to raise his head but hit it on the counter. "Ow!-"
Taco quietly laughed while I asked, "You good, Paper?"
He sighed and muttered something under his breath before smiling. "Yeah, I'm fine! What brings you here?"
"Just came to get my car keys. Do you have them?"
"Because you always lose them? Yeah, they're here. Let me get them."
Taco was still snickering when Paper popped his head up with my car keys in hand. "Here you g- hey, what're you laughing about?"
Taco burst out into a fit of laughter. "When you hit your head, it made a sound that- HAHA-"
Paper looked unamused but eventually started quietly laughing under his breath. "O-okay, shut up..."
He handed me my keys and I thanked him. I quickly ushered Taco out, but not before hearing OJ ask Paper, "What's so funny?"
I popped open the car door and Taco slipped into the passenger's seat beside me. I buckled myself and looked at Taco. "Ready?"
She nodded, and I put my key into the ignition.

*AT THE PRISON*

The recipient for the prison smiled as we walked in. "And who are you seeing?"
Unamused, I rolled my eyes. "Pickle."
She nodded and told us to go ahead.
I gripped Taco's hand tighter as we walked through the prison, cell after cell of thugs. It's what we usually saw, but it still made me uneasy.
Taco shot me a reassuring glance before stopping at cell 2763, his cell.
When Pickle saw us, his eyes brightened and he jumped off his bed and ran to the bars.
"Taco! Mic!" he called out. "Its so good to see you again! How are you both?"
I glared at him and Taco said happily, "We're fine. We're helping out around the hotel."
"How generous!" Pickle smiled. "Can I talk to Mic alone, Taco?"
That got my attention, and I looked up in surprise. Taco looked a little uneasy too.
"I- uh.. I don't think she'd want to-"
"Come on," Pickle wailed like a child. "Just like, one minute!"
I glared at him. "Fine. But if you get weird or something, I will call Taco back." I turned to Taco. "I'll be fine, hon. You know I can hold my own if anything happens."
She pulled me down by my arm and kissed me, her worries seemingly melting away as she did so. She pulled away and smiled. "I'll wait at the front desk."
I nodded and smiled warmly at her as she left. Once she was gone, I turned to Pickle, glaring. "What do you want?"
His child-like demeanor seemed to evaporate. "I can still get you out of this, Microphone. You didn't listen to me the first time, but I understand that. I was really trying to save you, but she has you wrapped around her finger and in infuriates me. Let me help you," he said, reaching out of the bars for my hand. I smacked it away.
"Leave me alone, Pickle! We both know I love Taco, and I love her alone. I'm not being forced to love her."
He stayed silent before saying, "Why do you not like me?"
I looked at him as if he'd said he had three heads. "Are you joking? You tried to kill me when my mind was at it's weakest, you broke my lover's leg, and you almost killed her! You manipulated everyone and just somehow thought people would think of you as a 'hero' for killing innocent people! You took Apple, Marsh, Paintbrush, and Fan's lives! They had nothing to do with Taco and I! If I could, I'd reach through those bars and strangle you. I hate you. No, I don't just hate you. I despise you. I mean that in the most vile, awful way imaginable. I thought I could become your friend again. But after what you did, I don't think of you as much more than a slime found on the bottom of a shoe. I hope you rot in this prison until your decaying corpse gets overcome by maggots, you groveling sewer rat."
Even the guards stood in stunned silence. I glared at Pickle, honestly relieved to have gotten it all out.
"I'm getting Taco, and we're not coming back for a long time," I finished, turning to walk away.
Pickle stopped me. "Wait."
I turned to him and glared. "What?"
"If you tell her about this, I will have one of my allies find you and kill you."
I started shaking. "N-no you won't. You'd never..!"
He smiled at me, a cold smile. "Okay."
I tried to yank away from his grip, but it was strong. Suddenly, one of the guards came up and smacked his hand away with a nightstick.
Relieved, I turned to them. "I-I'm gonna go. Make sure he rots in here," I spat, glancing at him ruefully.
As I walked away, I thought of him. And what he could do.
He couldn't hurt us, surely?