Hell Has A New Name

18

Amber rapped on the door connecting their rooms softly, before peaking her head in. "Can I come in?"

Juice turned in the bed and nodded at her, sitting his phone on the end table.

"Everything okay?" Her voice skeptical.

He nodded again and then sniggered at her. She was in small pajama shorts, a tank top and her hair was twisted up in a towel that reminded him of some sort yoga guru.
"You look ridiculous." He scoffed playfully.

She squinted at him and smiled. "Shut up dork. Scoot!" She shoved him playfully so she could sit beside him on the bed.
They sat silently for a little bit, she slid down getting comfortable on the bed, resting against the headboard, knees bent. He sat across from her, legs crossed, leaning over picking at something on the quilt.
Finally she sighed.
"So what's the deal Micheal? What's going on?"

He shrugged. "What do you mean?"

Amber looked at him unamused. "With this trip, where we are going... -she hesitated.- Your boyfriend."
He tensed which confirmed her suspicions, something wasn't quite right about their relationship.

"We're going to Nebraska, to find someone. A friends daughter, that doesn't really want to see my friend. I don't really know why, it's probably a waste of time but I have to try. I owe him one." He shrugged again.

"Is anything you told me before true? Like before the hotel incident?"  She looked sad instead of the fear Juice had expected to see.

"Yeah, parts of it. 'Cept why I was going. Why I'm here, or why I was there... in Miami I mean. I don't want to lie Amber, I really don't, but I can't be honest about parts of it. I've never been good making friends, but I like you. I don't want to lose you, but I don't want you to be in danger either."

Now she looked scared.
"Why would I be in danger?"

He smiled manically. "I can't tell you. I just need you to trust that I'll keep you safe on this trip and if you want to tap out I'll buy your ticket back home. I've done things I'm not proud of, but I'm not a bad guy. The things I've done were a means of survival, they still are."

She patted his arm, it was very unlike her but something about him made her trust him. Which set off every danger button she had in her mind. She watched too many serial killer documentaries to be dumb, yet here she was.

"If I ask questions, will you answer them with yes or no. Honestly. You don't have to give details about anything you don't want too. I just need to ease myself, and I don't want to leave you alone."
Her eyes were pleading, he couldn't figure out why she cared so much. No one else had ever cared about him, other than what his value was, now he had no value, save to the shot caller.

"Okay, we can try it. If I don't want to answer can I skip?"

She nodded, holding out her hand for him to shake. "Deal."

"Did you really wreck your bike?"
He relaxed, starting out easy.

"No."

"Did you really need my help?"

"Yes."

She nodded accepting the answer. "Okay. Is your name really Micheal?"

He stiffened, and avoided her eyes. "No."

She sighed. "Can you tell me your real name?"

"I'm sorry, not really. On paper it is Roberto Miguel Ramirez. That is my legal name, just not my birth name."

She looked confused but accepted it. "Are you in the witness protection program?" She kind of laughed it off but Juice thought about it quickly. Technically that would save him a lot of trouble if he said yes.

"Something like that. But no."

She looked even more confused. She untwisted the towel in her hair and casually began drying it, scrunching it over the side before pulling it into a hair tie. She leaned back again.

"Have you ever killed someone?"

He looked her straight in the eye this time, praying she could see his soul. He didn't want to be a horrible person, he felt dirty all the time, tainted. He needed to get all this shit off of him. This game they were playing was his chance at redemption, or he hoped at least.

"Yes. But to survive, like I said earlier."

"You said I'd be in danger. Is someone after you?"

He wasn't really sure how to answer that. Technically no, no one was after him. His brothers turned enemies thought he was dead and Tully could find him anywhere.
"No.  That one is complicated. I might could answer if more another time?" He looked at her questioning, relaxing again when she nodded.

"You need to know if you can trust me?"
He nodded.
"I'm sorry Amber. It's that and I don't want you having the weight of my shit. I honestly didn't expect you to come with me. I expected you... I didn't really expect anything. You were so nice though and you were helpful and I thought hey. You could be a friend I have for a few days. Someone to keep in my memories and then never see again. Not because I don't like seeing you, but I try not to get too close to people. So my brokenness doesn't rub off on them."

She didn't look angry or hurt. Everything about her confused him, and it made him wonder what kind of life she had that made her so comfortable around him. He really didn't know anything about her.

"Can I ask any questions?" He picked at the quilt again, not looking at her.

She closed her eyes leaning against the headboard, humming. "I suppose."