Lying Exercise

It was well after 2 am when Hector finished telling me about his plans for the robbery.  We were sitting on the futon and Hector was flipping channels.

"So, what do you think Jorge?"

"I... I don't know, Hector."  I straightened the magazines strewn on the coffee table into two equal piles.  "It sounds risky."  

Hector put his arm around me and drew me close to him.  "It will be fine, hombre."

"How do you know?  Have you done something like this before?"

"Hell yeah!"  He slapped me on the back and then picked up his gun again.  "See this baby here? It's been in fifteen robberies and has never gotten caught."

"Fifteen?"

"Yeah, fifteen."  He held up one left finger and five right fingers.  He was grinning from ear to ear. 

"Have you ever, you know - " I swallowed hard. Did I even want to know the answer?

Hector finished the thought for me:  "Killed someone?"

"Well, um, yeah."

Hector chuckled.  Twirling the gun in his hands, he said, "Only once.  I broke into this nigger's house one night.  I was walking down the hall and was just about to go into the master bedroom when I heard a door open behind me."  He paused and pointed the gun at the television set. "This gringo comes walking up behind me holding an AK-47.  I thought he was gonna blow my fuckin' head off, so I blew his off first!  It was righteous!"

"Jesus, Hector.  You could've been killed."  Of course, he had been killed, we never would've met and I wouldn't be considering the idea of robbing a store.

Hector was rolling on the couch laughing hysterically.

"What?" I asked.

He managed to get out "Nothing" between fits of laughter.

"What?"

"Oh Jorge," he sighed.  "That's why I love you." He pulled me to him, but I turned my head and he ended up kissing my cheek instead of my lips.

"What the fuck Hector?" Something was nagging at me, like Hector was mocking me. Like he thought I was stupid or something even though I'm the one with the college degree.  Or was I just being paranoid?  I turned my body away from Hector.

"Geez Jorge.  Lighten up."  I stood up and walked to the window, not saying anything.  "It was just a joke Jorge."  His tone softened.  "I never killed no one, I swear."

"How do I know that?  How do I know you're not lying right now?"  

"C'mon man.  An AK-47 versus a pistol?"  I stared out the window into the darkness. When I didn't say anything for a few minutes, Hector got off the couch and stood next to me.  He put his arm around me and I let my head fall against his shoulder.  "I love you, Jorge.  You love me too, right?"

"Yeah."

"So, you still up for robbing the gun store with me?"

"Sure Hector," I said.  "Whatever you want.  Right now, I'm tired and just want to go to bed."