Beyond What We Know [COMPLETED]

CHAPTER 12 - Confide

Dinner went... smoothly.

"Whoever finishes first gets to go on the next market trip!"

"Ohhh, it's on, bitch! Get ready to stay home!"

Rico and Lee waited for everyone else to finish their meals to have a competition with the next trip as the prize. As they very frequently do.

"Lee! Rico!" Diego and Locke uttered their names like two disapproving parents.

The competitors halted their forks midway to their mouths as they heard their names be yelled at them. CK and I exchanged looks, well aware that wouldn't be enough to stop them, and kept watching in amusement as Erica stepped in. She placed each hand on one of their shoulders, startling them, and inched her face between theirs, looking slightly down. Their eyes were open so wide that, for a moment, I actually thought a single threat from Erica would put an end to the unbegun game; until the corners of her mouth turned into a mischievous smile.

"Whatever mess you two make, you'll be the ones cleaning it."

That was it. That was the spark they needed to ignite the rivalry. Lee and Rico grinned at each other and began devouring their food.

"Enabler", I threw the accusation at Erica, who simply shrugged as she turned away and left the dining room.

Diego just shook his head, accepting the fact there was nothing he could do, and just smiled as he watched them. Locke, on the other hand, remained irked by their playful quarrel.

He stood up and turned to Lee, "If you get your awful stomach pains and indigestion again, don't come crying to me for help." Before leaving, he announced, "I'm going to check our inventory. It's been a while."

Lee paused for a moment to watch Locke leave, but quickly returned to their plate. "Hey, you kept eating! That's not fair, I was distracted!"

"That ain't my fault", Rico smiled victorious as he placed his fork and knife on the plate.

About half an hour later, I found Locke sitting on the bench in the porch outside. He was holding the small notebook we designated to bear our inventory and scavenge lists, flipping page after page and muttering every bullet point and verifying every checkmark to make sure he didn't miss anything. After what happened during dinner, I figured I should keep him company for a little bit, so I sat beside him.

"Don't you think it's chilly out here?"

"That doesn't bother me", he didn't even take his eyes off the paper.

Summer was coming to a close. We couldn't even see the sun anymore at that time of the day, only a few slashes of orange and red near the horizon line; the rest of the sky was an ever darkening blue, dotted by scattered tiny little specks of light surrounding a bright, full moon.

"Are you alright?"

"I am. Why do you ask?"

"Well, what happened back there... Maybe you're taking it a little too seriously, no?"

"What happened back there was a display of childishness, Ella. They're both so careless, and I can't stand it because--"

"Because you're afraid of losing Lee like you lost your sister?"

His head perked up at my question, and he turned his gaze to me, surprised by my words. "How do you know about that?"

"Lee mentioned it the other day, and... I'm sorry."

Locke sighed, "You don't have to be. It's not your fault."

"How... How did she..." I gulped and stopped myself from finishing that question. I felt awful bringing up that kind of topic, but curiosity got the best of me. Locke put the notebook down by his left side and placed both forearms on top of his legs, slowly leaning forward, dropping his gaze to the wooden board floor beneath our feet.

"Trinitee used to race. As in: street racing. She'd won a race where the prize was the loser's car. She tuned it, gave it a new paintjob, and was so happy with it and so proud", a soft smiled appeared on his lips for a moment before vanishing. "I was too, in a way, but I was much more worried about her safety. She was known among the other racers as "The Reckless Queen."

"Did she... die in a crash?" I was honestly expecting him to stand up and storm inside without saying a word, but... he didn't. And he answered me again after shaking his head.

"The guy she was racing against was intoxicated and lost control of his car, which caused him to crash into Trinitee's car. The car caught fire, the tank blew up, and he died on the spot. My sister, however, was taken to the hospital still alive."

Locke stopped talking for a few minutes, and I let him be. I didn't try to hug him, didn't even touch him, and didn't encourage him to keep going. It was his call, and I had to respect that. I wanted to let him know that if he wanted to leave, he had the right to do so. So I sat in silence with him until he felt like talking again.

"I texted her that day, urging her to be safe. It was my day off, and I know I was supposed to enjoy it, but she was all I could think of. She texted back saying everything was under control, and that the race was about to start. Just like I did all the other times, I just waited and hoped things didn't go south. But they did", his voice broke with those three words, but he continued. "I got a call from the hospital a few hours later, letting me know my sister had been in a car crash and was in the ER. I grabbed the first jacket I laid eyes on and rushed to the hospital."

Tears streamed incessantly down his face, and I could swear I could feel a knot in my own throat. He wept, but he never bawled. He lived alone with his sister, she meant everything to him; so he probably never actually opened up about her death to anyone. I wonder if Lee had ever seen him like this. He, who is so serious and collected, but sat so vulnerable next to me. To tell you the truth, I had no idea what to do. I had never thought I'd see this side of Locke.

"She died two days later from severe brain injury."

I inhaled, preparing myself to speak and comfort him, but all I could muster was a sigh and an apology. "Locke, I... I'm very sorry."

Locke shook his head once again. "Don't be. I did become a little overprotective towards Lee... even more so after the outbreak. Even knowing they're alive and well, and can take care of themselves. I just don't want what happened to my sister happen again, you know? I guess I'm letting my selfishness damage my relationship with Lee..."

"It's good that you can see that, Locke, and you haven't damaged anything yet. Lee's very kind and understanding; I'm sure you can make it up to them by loosening up a little from time to time", I smiled at him.

"Loosen up, huh?" He looked at me with pensive eyes, and wiped his tears away.

"Yes! Try playing along, for example. Or, maybe don't reprehend them. You know, like a dad."

"Hey! I'm not like a dad!" Oh is that so? "Okay, maybe I am just a bit..." That's more like it. I couldn't hold it in anymore, and laughed at his reaction.

"We're probably gonna be here for a lot longer, so don't be too hard on us. Or on yourself."

Locke nodded and got up. "Where's Lee?"

"Cleaning with Rico", once again I laughed. Locke seemed to feel better, because I'm 100% sure I saw him smile.

"I'm gonna go talk to them, then." Locke was about to leave, but turned to me one last time, "Thank you, Ella."

"Any time, dad."

He squinted at me and walked back inside. I picked up the notebook he left behind and walked in myself to leave it on the coffee table in the living room.

Hours later, I was comfortably asleep when all of a sudden I felt a hand grasp my arm and another cover my mouth. I woke up startled out of my own body, only to see Lee drenched in sweat, kneeling next to me. They removed their hand from my mouth and made a "Shh" motion and sound, to which I nodded. "Come to the living room with me for a minute, okay?"

I nodded again, stood up carefully so as not to wake CK and followed Lee downstairs. We entered the living room and the look Lee gave me had my concern levels shoot up.

"Ella, I... I think I just might believe you."

//Hello, everyone! I just wanted to say thank you so, so much for reading! And please don't forget to vote if you like what you've been reading, and share around! Kisses~