Page 64 of Trig

“You have three minutes before I pick this gun up and end you. How do you know her name?”

“Five minutes...and I’ll tell you everything, Trig.”

There’s the confirmation I needed. He knows me. Everyone eyes each other.

“Asshole. Did you use me to get to my parents?” Mya cuts in.

“Mya, no.” He pauses. “Jesus Christ. Look. I like you...so far. I mean, as much as I’m capable of liking someone, which…by first impression probably in your family, will never be enough. Mya, I woke up to five grand of damage in my dining room and all I could think of is seeing you again. I’m not using you. I want to get to know you.”

“No, you don’t,” Cisco scoffs.

“Shut up!” Oscar and Mya both say to Cisco.

Mya shakes her head.

“I’ll break your heart,” she says.

“Mm-hmm. I’m okay with that.”

They stare at each other in some weird way that I’m not even sure of.

“If you two wouldn’t mind,” I snap. “Can we get back to the important questions?”

Mya pushes her chair away from the table, stands up and rushes off outside to the patio. Oscar jolts up and follows after her. He leaves the patio door wide open as they bicker.

“This can’t be the new generation of criminals. This is not the interrogation I planned. What the hell is happening?” I ask.

“Feelings. Feelings are happening,” Nine says, as she staggers off into the kitchen.

She returns with the wine bottle.

I quickly grab the bottle from her. Momma is cut off.

“Mya has feelings? That’s news to me,” Cisco adds.

We both look at him, annoyed. Their voices get louder as they argue. Loud enough to wake the dead. They’re pacing back and forth, and at some point, stop right outside in our line of sight.

“You said it yourself. I’m difficult, defiant, and what else did you say…erratic.”

“You don’t scare me.”

“Well, I should.”

“Okay. Go ahead. Give me your worst. Scare me.”

“You want it? Fine! I destroy everything. I sabotage everything. I ruin everything. I break everything,” she yells.

“Really? What exactly have you broken, with me?”

“Plates. I broke your plates. Lots!”

“Mm-hmm.” He pauses. “And if you were mine, I’d let you break a thousand more.”

They stare at each other in silence.

“You have to admit, my man out there don’t miss.” Cisco grins.

I ignore him and look down to notice both Mya and Oscar left their guns on the table. I stare at Nine and nod to the weapons. Cisco watches our faces.

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