Page 27 of Burn for Me

“That explains your foul mood.” I stiffen as Sharkie mutters and hit the top right of the paper. “You two are so odd. It's like you hate each other, but then there's moments where–”

I pull the trigger, cutting off her words with the loud pop it makes, and hit the bottom left of the paper.

“What?” I bite out and turn to look at her while unloading the clip to put a new one in. I don't understand why she's talking about it now when she probably could have pulled more from me while I was drunk.

“I think your bun is too tight again.” She murmurs, forcing me to breathe and calm my misguided anger. Her head tilts, looking over my target, and she sucks the back of her teeth before speaking again. “Funny how you can make a perfect square but can't hit the center.”

I glance at the target and then at Moe's. All his holes are beautiful, grouped in the center.

“Dumb luck,” I mutter under my breath.

“I guess that's why we’re friends.”

I huff; if she had said that a few months ago, I would've been convinced she was getting ready to kill me, but I guess we have come a pretty good way together. We both deserve a friend–I want to be a real one for her.

Keeping my line of sight on hers, I fire four bullets one after another.

“Fucking faker! Why couldn't you have done that in the first place? I would’ve called us best friends instead!” Sharkie exclaims, and I don't have to look at the paper to know my aim is perfect. Sam was the one who taught me when I first joined. I already knew the basics and didn't plan to take his lessons seriously. That changed one late night when he found me training on my own. With his chest pressed against my back and his hand wrapped around mine, he whispered in my ear,"Breathe."

From that moment on, I had one goal:to perfect it.

It took plenty more nights sneaking out of my quarters to hit the firing range, occasionally lingering around the workout room to watch Sam get lost in the motion of his fists connecting with a bag, but it was worth the lack of sleep.

“I wouldn't say that,” I grumble as I hand her back the pistol. I don't deserve her friendship. Just because I'm willing to give her mine doesn't mean I'm willing to accept the loyalty she can provide.

She takes the gun and fires her shots at the same target, hitting each mark beside my own.

“Why not?”

Because you don't know me.

“I think I still owe you a few apologies.” It’s a short answer, doing little to give away what is going through my head, but I need to get through my assignment and prove myself before I can lay my sins out for everyone to see.

“We all do.” She shrugs and presses the button for the pulley to bring our piece of paper back. “Besides, I've always heard the best friendships begin with two people hating each other.”

“Oh, come on, we didn't hate each other!”

“Well, you did act like an ass when we first met and threw a gnarly punch into my cheek.” She glances at me out of the corner of her eye with a slight grin.

“I neverhatedyou. If I did, I would've never gotten Sam that day.” I tiptoe around my words, trying to lighten the tension.

“I knew you were standing up there watching. When everything ended, it just proved that you aren't as bad and out of place as you make yourself to be. Your timing could have been a little better, though.” She laughs, and I laugh in return.

“Sorry. Kinda hard to judge the situation when you don't know what's going on.” I mutter. Her features soften, and she pushes my shoulder.

“Start demanding answers. You’re stronger than you act and–”

“What's next? This is getting boring; give me a challenge.” Moe cuts Sharkie off as he steps around the corner with a fake yawn. Her lips part to answer him, but she turns her attention to me instead and puts the target in my hand.

“We’re friends now. So, I have the right to say this: stop putting yourself down. You belong with us.”

“Hell yeah, you do.” Moe laughs, not picking up on the intensity of the topic.

“Whatever you say, Shark.” I force a grin and clear my throat, “Is it okay if I shoot for a while?”

“Do it while you can. The other soldiers will take all this down tonight.” She nods and places the pistol on the makeshift table as I fold the paper and put it in my pocket.

I just needed some space to think alone, but I lost time. I don't know how long I went through the steady motions of putting up a new target, pushing it out, shooting, and pulling it back in just to repeat the steps, but throughout it all, I continued to rationalize my thoughts.Nothing will likely happen while we're there. I'm under an alias; my face will be covered, and if things go south, Sam is big enough that I can hide in his shirt if I have to.

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