Learn To Lie (BOOK TWO)

CHAPTER THIRTEEN- ...What. (MIC'S PERSPECTIVE)

I stared at Knife, stunned. I started to laugh. "Good joke, man. What's the real reason?"
He looked at me in silence. My laugh died down, I was left quiet.
"I'd stay in the house. He'd want to go after you," Knife continued hoarsely. I nodded and started to shake, fear starting to settle as I stared at the floor. Taco was also in shock, as she was shaking too. I pulled her into a protective hug and tried to murmur words of comfort, but I couldn't think of anything to say that'd console her. Soon enough, the news sunk in and I started to panic.
Knife sat in our living room, just being there to be there. I looked at him.
"We need to get out of here," I murmured, pulling Taco closer. "He knows where we live. We have to leave."
Knife stared at me for a moment before sighing. "You know, you have a whole hotel of people to protect y-"
I cut him off. "They shouldn't need to protect us. We should be able to take care of ourselves."
Knife clearly wouldn't budge, his eyes showing a fighting light I'd never seen before.
"You have to stay. You're just as important as everyone else here, we'll help you!"
"We don't need help!" I countered, raising my voice a little. "We're just fine. We'll come back when he's detained again, but for now, it's not safe!"
Knife stared furiously at me, and for a moment I swear I saw a look of loss in his eyes. He sighed.
"Mic, you don't have to do this. We can help you. You don't need to be so uptight-"
"I don't need to be 'uptight'?!" I yelled. "There is a murderer on the loose and you're telling me I don't need to be uptight?!"
Taco began to shake from my yelling, but I didn't notice. "If you had a lover and a life that was actually going how you wanted it to, wouldn't you run from any problem that might destroy that?! I'm not going to risk my life just because some people said I'd be safe when I don't even trust them all that much!"
"Please just trust me," Knife begged. "I know you'll be safe here, and who knows where you'll go if you run! Do you even have a plan?"
"I'm working on it! I'm trying to keep the person that I love safe, Knife. You don't understand because you're a loner!"
He looked stricken for a moment. "I..."
I glared at him. "What?"
"I wasn't always a loner! Pickle was my best friend! Fan was my lover! They're in jail and dead now! Do you know how it feels to have those things ripped away from you?"
"I'm trying not to!" I cried. "I'm trying to not lose people!"
He stared at me, pleading fear in his eyes. "Then stay."
I looked back at him levelly. "You know I can't. Please, let us go."
"I'm not going to let you go into a world you don't even know!"
"Well, it's not really your choice, is it?"
"I'm your friend and I know what's best for you!"
"I-"
"Could you both just shut up!?" Taco shouted. I looked down at her in surprise.
"I've been listening to you two arguing for about ten minutes now! Could I get a say in any of this?"
I looked away guiltily. "Taco, I'm sorry. I didn't know."
She sighed. "It's fine. I just wish I got a say in some of our decisions." She faked a laugh and sighed.
"Look, Mic. I know Pickle's on the loose. And I know it's tough, wanting to protect me. But I can assure you, I am fully capable of protecting myself. And if you want us to run, I'll follow you to the edges of the earth, no matter what." She put her hand on mine. "I promise you, it'll be okay."
I stared at her, stricken. "Do you really want to run away?"
She looked away. "...It depends. I'll think about it."
She kissed me on the cheek and went to our room, closing the door behind her.
I stared after her, wishing there was something I could say to console her, but I couldn't think of anything.
I turned my gaze to Knife, who seemed guiltily fine. I sighed and pointed towards the door.
"Please leave."
He started to speak. "But-"
"Now."
He got up and gave me one last look of guilt before he left.
"....."
The silence was so loud. I got up and headed to our bedroom, hesitating as I put my hand on the doorknob.
Should I go in? I asked myself. I shook my head and entered the room.
Taco was... packing bags?
I looked at her in confusion. She jolted and looked back at me. Then her eyes flooded with relief.
"I said I'd follow you to the edges of the earth. Where are we goin'?"