Months

10

"I need to know your name."

Lavender stops chewing her pasta and looks up from her plate. Kenton hasn't touched his food. He's just fiddling with the spoon in his hand. He gives a shake of the head, but the blindfold stays put.

"Thought you'd be keen on eating, now that you're being fed on the regular," Lavender murmurs, picking her fork back up.

"Your name," he reiterates, more forceful this time. Lavender ignores him. Kenton's knuckles whiten.

"I'm not going to let this go. I'm stuck with you for two weeks, right? So I-"

"It's one week at this point."

"So I have to know who you are!" Kenton sits up as best he can with rope strung over his chest and around the back of the chair. Lavender bobs her head.

"Yeah? So when did Mateo tell you his name?"

"Right when I met him."

Lavender grumbles. "That's definitely a smart move. You know that doesn't spell out a good ending for you, right?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, the guy doesn't care about you knowing his identity. He's not worried about you pointing him out to the cops. He said he's..." Lavender trails off. Kenton doesn't seem to realize.

"I'm getting out of this, I swear to God. I'm not staying here forever."

"And how do you plan on getting away?"

"Don't change the subject! Your name!"

Lavender groans. Again with his priorities being out of alignment.

"Why would you even want to know? What possible enrichment could it bring to your life?" She rolls her eyes.

Kenton sort of grins. It's a very impish smile. "For one, I could yell at you to feed me when you oversleep."

"You aren't convincing me."

He breathes out softly and leans back. "Can I get real with you?"

"No." God, that's the last thing she needs.

"Fuck you. Too bad. You can't just tell me you go to my school, then expect me to leave it alone."

Lavender goes back to eating her pasta. As soon as she finishes, she's going to find a gag for him. Just as soon as she finishes.

Kenton's not finished. "Were you the girl at the dispensary? Angela?"

"No."

"The bitch from the car park! Um- oh! Jackie!"

"No. Are these just blind shots in the dark?"

"Daniella! You sold me acid once!"

"No. You don't know me. I don't know you. I only heard about your disappearance a few weeks ago."

"Oh." Kenton settles back down into his chair.

"Why would you think we know each other?"

"You know Mateo."

"So?" Lavender shovels the last bite of pasta into her mouth. Now to grab a gag.

"I thought Mateo was a dealer."

Lavender sneers. She spots a roll of duct tape across the room.

"Look, I'm just trying to make sense of everything here. Now, who the fuck are you?"

She rips the tape off the roll, and Kenton jumps.

"Wait, wait, no, don't! Don't- I swear, I'll shut up!"