"I don't remember much of my childhood, and quite frankly, I don't want to remember it." Rayan said, his normally soft expression now cold and melancholic as he stared out at the forest before him, the setting sun casting dark shadows onto the rough, leaf-coated ground.
Zaden cast him a worried look, leaning back in his chair. "Why not? You always said you had a good childhood."
"It's not because of that, it's because of August and Maclin," he spat, his knuckles turning a pale white as he gripped his coffee tighter in his hand.
"They're both assholes, which is one of the reasons why I killed them both, but.. something in me keeps repeating that murdering them was the wrong decision. I don't even want to remember their names." Rayan sighed, leaning back in his own chair, sparing a quick glance at Zaden. "But I guess it's too late now."
Rayan and Zaden sat in silence for a while, the latter casting concerned glances at the other every so often. The cool autumn breeze swept past the duo, dragging with it red, orange and brown leaves fallen from the trees surrounding them.
After a while of uncomfortable silence, Zaden spoke up, shifting in his seat.
"You said you had more than one reason to kill those two," he began, Rayan looking blankly in his direction, raising an eyebrow. "So what was the other reason?"
Rayan sighed again, averting his gaze back to the forest, his voice barely audible through the roaring of the wind.
"I was jealous of them. I know it's stupid to kill someone because of jealousy, but I was a stupid kid back then, I just... I dunno.
"I killed August first 'cause, despite me being friends with them first, I hated them the most. I.. can't remember why, though. I know I killed Maclin because I was jealous of him, though."
Zaden hummed in acknowledgement, a slight shiver slithering down his spine as Rayan shifted his gaze and locked eyes with him.
"..You okay, Zaden?"
"Hm? Yeah, yeah I'm fine, mhm."
Rayan sighed, setting down his coffee, turning to face Zaden, his expression now blank and unreadable. "I know you're scared that I'm gonna kill you next, Zaden. I'm not, I swear I'm not. You, Kade, Clyde, Madison and Vivian are the only people who have stuck with me, that didn't have a problem with the fact I used to kill people, although I couldn't really say that for Kade. I promise, I won't hurt you."
Zaden sighed, leaning back in his chair.
"Are you sure you promise, Rayan?"
Rayan nodded. "Of course. Of course I promise, Zaden."
