Learn To Lie (BOOK TWO)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN- Rather Melodramatic, Aren't You? (MIC'S PERSPECTIVE)

I covered my mouth to block a surprised gasp. He... he's here.
He took a step forward toward Taco, and I resisted the urge to jump out and attack him.
"It's a shame she "fell" for you, you know," he said, a hint of menace creeping into his voice. "You don't change; you never did. It's time I accomplished what I wish I did a long time ago."
He pulled out a knife, which had a strange dark glow to it, I couldn't fight it anymore. I jumped out and ran toward Taco, pulling her into a protective hug and glaring at Pickle. "What do you want from us?!" I shouted, gripping Taco's shirt. He stared at me, dumbfounded, before laughing at me and saying, "I really thought you were going to betray me for a minute! Ha!"
I looked at him, panic and confusion mixing my gaze. "W-What?"
He glared at me. "You know. You made a deal with me. Come on, let's do this together."
He took another step towards me. I pulled Taco further back while she asked, "What deal?! Mic, what're you?!-"
"You're lying straight through your teeth!" I screamed, finally letting go of her and walking towards him, a threat in my step. He laughed again and I wanted to choke him.
"You know the deal you made at the prison!" he yelled, anger seeping into his voice. "You said you'd help me!"
I wanted to break his neck. Instead, I yelled back, "No I didn't! You're delusional!"
I thought that after that he'd be fuming. But, to my surprise, he actually started to smile.
"You know, we're not so different, Mic. You're... still captivated, by her charms. I get it. I was too. But I know better! I'm only trying to look out for you. She's gonna drag you along for her own benefit, then, inevitably, drop you." His face slowly fell as he said this, and he continued. "I know she does this because I was there! I was the one who got played by her, and now, people call me crazy because I'm just trying to protect you from making the same mistake that I did, all those years ago. I'm trying to help, but I can't help if you don't let me."
He started to sob, and I genuinely didn't know what to say. He fell to his knees and put his hands on his face in despair. I won't say it wasn't enjoyable to watch him cry for once, after everything he did to Taco and I, but another part of me wanted to comfort him for an odd reason.
Taco stepped up by me and looked at me, wondering probably the same thing- what to do about this. I just looked back at her and whispered, "Back away. Get back to the hotel."
"I'm not leaving you with this," she murmured sharply, gesturing to the crying mess on the floor that was Pickle. I shrugged it off.
"Please. He doesn't want to kill me. He wants to kill you."
She sighed and looked away. "If something happens to you while I'm gone, I... I'd never forgive myself."
I put my hand on her shoulder and smiled. "You can come back once you've warned people that he's in the area. That sounds good?"
After a moment of thought, she sighed and beamed softly at me. "Yeah. Just... don't die," she joked. I giggled and put my hand on her face. She was so...
"I'm gonna go and get back as soon as possible, my love," she murmured, putting her hand on mine and leaning into me. "Please, for God's sake, be safe. Okay?"
I nodded. "I will."
I watched as she waved and started down the path, longingly wanting to go with her. I knew I couldn't, though. I sighed and turned to the man who singlehandedly ruined me, sobbing quietly on the floor, curled up in a ball. I wanted to ridicule him so badly, but I knew he might do something to Taco if I did, so I just walked over and sat by him. He raised his head and glanced at me before breaking down all over again.
"I- I'm just trying to help! All I want is to help..." he choked out through sobs. I was at a loss for words; there wasn't much to say, really.
"She deserved what she got, but you didn't. I... I know that now," he continued.
I froze. "She deserved what she got." I looked at him, almost in disbelief. "What did you just say?" I murmured, anger hardening in my stomach. He looked at me and said simply, "She deserved it. You didn't."
I glared at him and stood up. "No matter how badly someone treated you, that in any way does not give you the right to... to shoot them in the leg! To- to traumatize them! She betrayed you, sure, but you killed innocent people because you wanted 'revenge' when they did nothing wrong! It was just a game, Pickle!"
"It wasn't 'just a game'!" he shouted, standing up to face me. "It was so much more than that! I thought she was my friend! How would it feel to be betrayed by Soap, or... or Test Tube?! Huh?! How do you think I feel, all these years later? I'm still bitter about it because I loved her!"
I froze in shock as he continued.
"I loved her so much! I didn't know she was just... pretending! After she won, and- and after she got the money, I was going to finally tell her how I felt! But she dropped the act and legitimately told me that she was using me. And at first, I didn't believe her. I didn't want to. But as time went on, I started to slowly accept it. And now... now I don't want revenge. I want her back, I want her to come back to me and I want her to stay with me. I want her back."
His voice faltered as he said that. I was about to speak when another voice startled me.
"You what?"

tense chapter tense chapter
i love leaving y'all on cliffhangers