"Cesar..Huh. Reminds me of someone."
"Really?"
"Yeah but..I just..I don't wanna think right now."
"..Would you mind elaborating?"
"You know Noah, right?"
Cesar froze. He had to keep playing a character or he'd be found out.
"No?"
"Oh. Well, Noah was..Well, Is one of my best friends. I've known him for years."
"Mhm?"
"It..Just- Blew up when I turned seventeen. The Lieutenant found out his 'secret' and started blaming me for wanting to help him out."
"Oh."
"We got into an argument."
"Ah..I see."
Kaiden laughed softly at Cesars reaction.
"..My..That's horrible. The Lieutenant?"
"The one and only, Thatcher Davis."
Something must've clicked in Cesar at that point.
Thatcher? He thought he was the good guy..The one trying to stop him..
"I never knew he was like that."
"Him and his fuckin friend. No good assholes."
He mumbled.
In the building, Mark was confused while Thatcher was slowly getting up off of the floor.
"What was that- What did you do?!"
"Kid- I don't know what you want from me but I have no idea what I've done."
"There's no way he'd just do that! Did you say something- Did you do anything to provoke him?!"
"..I've told you once and I'll tell you again. That kid is no good."
"Wh- He's my friend!"
Mark looked a little offended at Thatchers comment about Kaiden. He nervously tugged at his hoodie strings.
"He wouldn't just-..Do that."
"Yeah? Wanna bet?"
He looked away, he felt like he was being backed into a corner here.
"L-Look I just- I don't think Kaiden would just do that! He's a nice person!"
"He's always been a troublemaker. You know how we was with Noah? Gettin into trouble everyday.."
"Thatcher, you-"
"Listen Mark. I don't know if you'd like to hang out with a guy like him. Who knows..He might just be another Cesar."
Something just completely snapped in Mark once he heard Thatcher say that.
"S-Shut up! Don't you DARE say that about him!"
Thatcher got confused at the brunettes sudden burst of anger.
"He's nothing like him! Nothing amounts to the type of torture I went through while he was still there- YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT HAPPENED THERE!"
"Mark, I obviously didn't mean it that way."
"But it sure sounded like it! Now do me a favor and stay the fuck away from him if you continue to think like that."
As Mark walked away, Thatcher couldn't help but see a glimpse of Kaiden in him.
It pissed him off.
"Kaiden?! Kaiden, are you there?"
Mark yelled out Kaidens name, getting closer to the back of the building.
Cesar seemed to hear this.
He got up, and brushed himself off.
"Ah, I'm afraid I forgot I was in a rush. I'll see you later, then?"
"Yeah, sure."
Cesar ran off as Mark reached the back of the building.
"Kaiden! Ooohh my god I was so scared..What happened in there?"
"..I..Dunno. I'll just- okay, I'll tell you later."
"Yeah..I think doing it later is for the best..After all."
Mark smiled.
"We gotta go see my sister! She's probably worried sick about me.
Kaiden couldn't help but smile.
"Alright..Yeah, that sounds nice."
They both walked to Sarah's house with all their bags, knocking on the door.
"How do you think she'll react?"
"Five dollars she'll hug you."
"Your just trying to scam me at this point.
They both laughed as they waited for someone to answer.
Eventually, somebody did answer the door.
"..Hello?"
It was Sarah.
"Heeeeyyyy, Sarah."
"Whuh—"
She was confused, but when she realized tears were visible in her eyes.
"Mark! Where have you been-?!"
They both hugged each other as Kaiden smiled bigger.
"I'm here too, y'know.
As soon as Sarah saw Kaiden, he swore he could see some tears running down her face as she quickly hugged him.
"God- It's been so long.."
"Yeah..Maybe moving to France wasn't the best idea.."
"You think?!" She yelled in a joking manner.
"But hey, I can speak fluent French now."
"Pfft, you can show me when we get inside."