The Fence

Chapter 39: Story

"What are you doing up?" Donte yawns when I unlock his room door with my key card. This might have been weird a few weeks ago, but now it seemed completely normal.

"I could ask you the same question," I murmur. He looks up from his book and pushes his glasses up further on his nose. He folds his page and shuts the book, smirking slightly.

"Okay, what are you doing up in my room at this hour?"

I think he was hoping for me to blush, but I've had enough of that lately. I was tired of my skin turning red. I probably look like a tomato when I do it, and ketchup is made from tomatoes. Off topic. I'm pretty sure tomatoes aren't very attractive though, so let's leave it at that.

Donte frowns a bit. "You okay?"

I plop down on his couch, facing him in his chair. He looked funny right now. I've never seen him in slippers and a robe before; only a doctor's coat or a plaid shirt and jeans. His hair was in a disheveled mess, and his eyes were red from being tired.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I sigh. "But I think you should know...I told Ky about Nixon."

Donte's eyes widen. "You told him the truth? Why?"

"We were fighting, and I got angry." I pause, smiling a bit. "That's right, you didn't know me when I first got here. Hi. I'm Kirbena, and I have no filter."

"Really?" Donte bursts out laughing. "The military has changed you!"

"Most of the time, when I speak out now, it's because of Grey."

"What does Grey do?" Donte chuckles.

"He keeps on saying 'the yukos are a joke'. I don't why that makes my blood boil, but whenever he says it, it just makes me so mad."

"He's been saying that?" Donte asks, his voice suddenly oddly quiet. "Still?"

"Yeah."

Donte clears his throat. "Well, I don't think he'll be saying that anymore."

I cock my head to the side. "Why not?"

"Because they shot you. That's no joke."

I suppose that was true. I know Grey cares for me, but enough to change his views just because a measely bullet almost killed me? I need to be stronger than that. I can't almost die so easily.

"Thanks," I exhale.

"For what?"

"For caring about me."

"I don't really need to try," Donte beams. "It's easy to care for you, Kirbena."

I smile too, his contagious.

"Do you think Ky will tell anyone?" Donte asks, all fun draining from the room.

"I don't think so," I murmur. "But I actually wanted to talk to you about that." I play with my feet on the floor, nerves suddenly taking over me. "I think we should tell the squad about what happened to me."

"What? Kirbena, you know-"

"I do know. I know that the entire squad will have to be trusted with the secret of outside. I know that the entire squad deserves to know what happened to me, if you guys do care for me as much as you say you do. I think the squad should be able to prepare themsleves for a war I'm sure is happening. I also think that the entire squad should know about how no yukos are to be trusted."