Learn To Lie (BOOK TWO)

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO- (TACO'S PERSPECTIVE)

I tell OJ about the body in the lobby.
"Oh my God... I'll call the police and say he's been dealt with," he says. "I... didn't know you had the strength to do that, Taco."
I look down. I feel ashamed, I feel terrible for what I did. "It had to be done," I decided to whisper. OJ nods and leaves me and Mic to our lonesome.
We sit in silence until Mic says, "It did have to be done. He... he'd never leave us alone."
I nod. "Yeah... I get it."
She pulls me close and kisses me. When I pull away, she has tears in her eyes.
"I know it's hard. You... I... I don't know what to say. All I know is that no matter what, I won't leave you."
I look at her, amazement striking me. "You'll stay?"
"I would never leave. You need me right now." She smiles at me.
Tears fill my eyes. "I love you."
Mic smiles, although I can see there's fear in her eyes as she stares into mine. I look away.
"I... I feel awful. Like I just..."
"Committed a crime?" Mic finishes. "Yeah, I know. You kinda did. But it had to be done, and you know that."
I look into her eyes, a desperate plea. "But I didn't want it to turn out this way! Every crime I commit, every manipulative thing I say, every time I'm bad, reminds me of how I used to be. I don't want to be her anymore!" I yell, stepping away and letting go of her hand. "I never wanted to be her! I hate me!"
I don't realize it, but I'm screwing my eyes shut. I continue to yell, careless now of who can hear.
I want them to hear.
"I hate how I was before! I hate that I used you, I hate that I used Pickle! I hate that I can't do anything about it! But that's just how I am, poor little Taco! Never does anything right! Always has to be the little screw-up that ruins chances at happiness, chances at anything! I hate being me so badly. You wouldn't know. You never loved me. You knew that I loved you, and you used that!"
I snap out of it and open my eyes, guilt tugging at my stomach. Mic's face looks hurt. I step towards her, but I hesitate. What if I hurt her?
"No, no, no..." I murmur, backing into the wall.
"Taco, I know what you're going through is bad, but I know what it's like-" Mic starts.
"Oh, don't do that!" I interrupt, starting to cry. "Don't do that, you don't know what it's like! You have no idea what it's like! You- you got a chance to do everything right! You were older! I was young and dumb and... And just an idiot."
"Taco-"
"It hurts! I can't do this... I can't hurt you anymore!"
"Taco-"
"All I can do is hurt people! Oh... and I wish I couldn't!"
"TACO!" Mic screams.
I fall silent.
"Taco, I know it's rough. But you know as well as I that it had to be done." She walks over to me.
"No matter what. I'll stick by you. You were never hurting me. You had to kill him."
She pulls me close to her. I stare into her deep ocean eyes.
"He was going to hurt you; you were going to let him. You had no choice but to defend yourself... to defend me."
She smiles softly.
"You think that hurt me? No, no... you saved me, Taco. You saved me at my worst from the moment I met you."
She wipes a tear from my eye.
"I love you."
She kisses me, and even with my guilt telling me I don't deserve this, I kiss back.
I do deserve this.
Mic pulls away and hugs me. I could smell the perfume on her neck and savor it, knowing that this may as well be the last time we get a moment such as this.
"I love you, Taco," she whispers, kissing my hand. "I love you."
I remember the time we watched the meteor shower. I remember all the times before we were traumatized, relishing those memories.
I hear sirens.
"We should go see that... nuisance carried off. Maybe it'll give you closure," Mic murmurs.
We walk out of the room and get in the elevator.
When we reach the main floor, I see OJ talking to a policeman. We walk up to them.
"Hey, OJ," Mic says. "Can we... see him, one last time?"
OJ starts to shake. "...I..."
The policeman finishes for him, the sentence he utters changing my mood entirely.
"The body wasn't there when we go here. It's been stolen."

—END OF BOOK TWO—

book 3 chapter one release date— feb. 25, 2023. im taking an official writing break to focus on more important things in my life for now.. like my health. im going to the er in like 20 minutes because i feel like im having a heart attack. (and i need to think about the plot for book 3 lmfao)