The Fence

Chapter 23: Confessions

"Yes!" I exclaim, slamming my cards down on the table in front of me. I earn confused and startled glances from the people in the room around me. I ignore them. "I win!"

Luci stares at my cards in shock. "Did I deal you that hand? Man, I'm losing my game!"

I let out an amused giggle, feeling myself brimming with pride at something as simple as winning a card game. Luci grunts in annoyance.

"Well, whatever," he sighs. "You won thanks to me." He reaches to the side and hands me a bag of potato chips.

I saw Luci before our game at the vending machine when he was getting the chips. I had called him over, coming up with the excuse that I was too lazy to walk all the way over there to him. He offered to get me my own bag, but I yanked him down into the seat across from me before he had the chance to walk away. We decided to play cards for the chips, but really, I just wanted to sit down with him and chat.

Unfortunately, my plan didn't work out too well. We ended up sitting in silence while flipping through our cards.

I decide I can't take the silence anymore. "Luci Ryan Connor!"

Luci looks unsurprised by my outburst and instead raises a thick, blonde eyebrow. "You know my middle name?"

"You forget there's a roster of everyone's names on an app on our screens," I retort, leaning back in my chair with a plop. "But that's beside the point, anyway." My tone changes from annoyed to concerned. "Are you okay?"

Luci starts to pick up the scattered cards and places them in their box. "I'm fine, and if I weren't, I wouldn't trouble you with it."

"Why not!" I whine. "Clearly, I want you to trouble me with it."

"You think I haven't noticed you trying to fish this out of me so delicately?" Luci mutters. "It's really starting to bug me. You didn't have to trick me into playing cards with you if this is all you wanted."

"I just want to make sure you're all right," I breathe. "I know I haven't been the most attentive lately, but I have noticed something's up. It will feel better once you let it out."

"It's personal, Kirbena," he replies. "It's none of your business."

"You pretty much admitted that there's something to fish out," I respond. "It's affecting how I think!" I respond.

Luci's sea blue eyes harden across the table, and he leans back in his chair as well. "I didn't ask you to worry about me."

"You're right, I offered." I let out an audible sigh. We're both too stubborn to back down at this point, and I know that reason is out of the question. I was never good at rationalization anyway. I fold my hands to keep myself from crushing the bag of chips in my lap. "I know you still feel guilty for attacking me. I know you're still afraid of hurting me." I'm surprised that I can feel the prickle of tears in my eyes.

You're getting emotional right now, Bena?

"You're only hurting me more by not trusting me. Jeez, do I have to add you to the list of people who can't talk to me? I told you I would help you, but you won't let me."

Luci runs his fingers through his short, golden hair and then over his tired eyes. "Kirby...it's personal."

"Yeah, you already said that."

He lets out a breath. "Look, it's just something that's hard to share."

I shrug, feeling my bottom lip turn into a pout. "I already know about your LCSD." I dig my heel into the carpeted floor, trying to keep myself from fidgeting. "What could be worse than that?"