sharpememory | [45]

I can't tell if you're insulting me or just being a dick for old time's sake.

Old time's sake. In all seriousness, I reckon that you've probably got yourself up to your neck in trouble.

I can't take you seriously when you say you're being serious, big brother.

You're right, though. I bet if you look back far enough you can even find out what it was.

Probably for the best.

I could, but I'd rather hear it from you. [And then cross-check everything you say against the journal system. c:]

Why? You know you can't trust me anyway.

Let's just say that Prefect asked me to try. Besides, it's not like you've ever seriously tried to stab me in the back or anything.

No, never.

[Ahahahahahaha.]

Let's see.

I let a guy beat me up, conned another guy into falling off the wagon for no reason other than I could, killed a lot of zombies, and decided I'm never going home.

So basically it was, respectively: bad, working, awesome and what-the-fuck. Why don't you want to go home?

Lots of reasons.

And you're wrong about one of those. Guess which one?

I'm still stuck on the fact that you're totally okay with never seeing mom, gramps, Lila or anyone else ever again. You don't even want to see your stupid friends? [Or me?]

Did I say totally okay?

Oh, man. Are you going through that 'I'll never get home' inmate stage?

You used to be way better at reading me, Barron.

Yeah, well. There were extenuating circumstances back then. [i.e. Barron making up your memories. c:]

Sure were.

No, I'm pretty sure I'm going to graduate. I'm just never going back somewhere I'll be a commodity again. I'm done being your knife.

So you're going to just abandon everyone you know for the sake of that? Even your family?

Is this a hard concept for you? Should I speak slower? Write it down, maybe, so you don't forget?

Look, I don't give a shit if you're done with me. That's outside of my control, so I'm not going to worry about it. But you'd seriously just leave mom to the wolves?

Sure you don't, Barron. You don't give a shit. I believe that. I really do, despite the fact that your warden's done pretty much everything in his power to convince me otherwise. I know.

But you know what, you're right, I'm not in your control anymore. Quit covering ground I've already covered and acting like it's going to make a difference.

Yeah, because Prefect and I are psychically connected and he knows everything that happens in my head.

Grow up, Cassel. Getting pissed off at me isn't going to change the fact that you've planning to abandon your family. And what about Lila?

I know exactly what I've decided to do and exactly what it means. Shockingly, I can think for myself.

Do you seriously think I'm about to talk to you about Lila?

Yeah, right. How do you know that someone else on this boat didn't put the idea into your head? How can you be sure?

Did I hit a sore spot? Something you're not thinking about, maybe?

[There's a moment, just a moment of doubt when he realizes people have been talking about this for - a long time, so long, since he got here. But he got to this decision on his own, he thinks. So there's hesitation, but when he speaks his voice is steel.]

I'm sure.

And I talked to Lila. I told her what she needed to know. You don't need to know any of it.

Either you've been brainwashed or you're pulling a hell of a con to graduate.

[He laughs, derisive.]

You got me.

[Private]

[Private]

[Private]

[Private]

[Private]

Re: [Private]

[Private]

[Private]

[Private]

[Private]

[Private]

[Private]

[Private]

[Private]

[Private]

[Private]

[Private]

[Private]

[Private]

[Private]

[Private]

[Private]

[Private]

[Private]

[Private]