I feel like there are two types of people in the world. Those who take responsibility and those who run from it. All my life, I have tried to be a person my family can be proud of, to be the best. So why? “I told you, Marven and I were having a nice, normal conversation,” “And?” “…And then, boom.” I made little waving motions with my hands. “The warehouse somehow caught on fire. Marven was closer than I was; if anyone did something it was him.” “Wouldn’t Marven have to be here to be involved?” “You’d think so.” There I was, alone in detention. Again. Marven causes a problem, or we cause a problem, and when the adults show up, guess who’s the only one there. “Aw, did you get in trouble again?” The devil himself. “Hey Mary, how’s your face. Don’t want to make your make-up smear with all that turn-tail running.” “Yes, how does it feel to be left in the dust by a merchant, Mr. Assassin?” Our “friend” Roxie quietly put a tally under Marven’s name. “…why did you blow up the warehouse anyway?” “I didn’t, the staff has been lax on storing gas for years. It was a coincidence for once.” He shrugged, taking a seat next to me while waving at the teacher on duty with a harmless, kind smile that had them all fooled. She smiled back, headphones in and ignoring us. Teacher of the Year. “You sure ran fast for it to be a coincidence.” “What can I say, my survival instinct is stronger than yours, errand boy.” “Black Merchant.” “Decent Citizen” “You take that back.” “Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot, your family specializes in assassinations, but…when was the last time you guys had a commission? I mean, right now, you haven’t broken a single major law…what else can you be but a good citizen.” “And when was the last time someone saw your bare face without screaming?” Roxie gently added a tally. Marven adjusted his glasses as he glared, finally dropping that salesmen perfect smile. He hadn’t noticed, but his foundation really was starting to run a bit, which unfortunately added some evidence to the idea that the explosion was an accident. “…Well at least I don’t spray paint my skin black.” “At least I look normal without covering my skin, you look like an undead ghoul that’s been roaming for 10 years.” “Ghouls never last longer than a week.” “Shows what kind of a miracle you are.” “You realize I could bankrupt your entire clan.” Marven’s cousin popped his head in, “And you realize he could kill you by sneezing right? You’ve got like, two HP and zero defense.” “That’s not the point.” We both spoke at the same time. Exchanging a quick glare, Marven smirked. “Well, if he did. That would mean I’ve won.” Roxie and Fordy, the cousin, exchanged a glance. “Yeah,” they said in unison, “but you’d be dead, so…” “So… don’t make the idea of losing more tempting than your absence.” I grinned. “…Point taken.” “What are you guys ‘fighting’, for lack of a better word, for anyway?” Roxie sighed, as if she wasn’t fueling it from the sidelines with her book of tallies. “Don’t remember.” I shrugged. “Don’t care.” Dark eyes curled back into his trademark perfect smile. But I did remember. All my life, I’ve tried. I’ve tried to be the person who runs from responsibility and dumps it on someone else. Yet, this jerk is even better than me. From the day we met (I think) he’s used me as a scapegoat. I will win against him someday. …as long as I don’t kill him first. @Silver Snake