“So… what is this?” Asked Steve “Fight Club but I’m self-aware?”

“Exactly.” Stephen said, pointing the piece of chalk at Steve. “Now that we can meet-”

“Civilly.” Steve added. He stared up at his opposite. Stephen was wearing a shirt and tie. Sunday dress, as they recalled it. Why did he have to be so formal about this?

“Civilly.” Stephen agreed, tapping his foot. “We can decide how to divvy up our time.”

Steve looked outside the window, at the three wooden crosses in front of the building. “Could we have met somewhere else? Somewhere where we didn’t have to explain our situation to the pastor?”

“Probably. But anywhere else someone would’ve called the police.” Stephen said. He drew a tally under his name. “Pastor likes us. Heh, or at least me. One point for me.”

Steve growled. “Give me a point. I think I deserve one for self-awareness.”

Stephen chuckled as he added a tally under Steve’s name, and then to his. “As do I.”

“Can we just decide on half-and-half?” Steve said. “I don’t know why you have to be the dominant split!”

“Keep your voice down.” Stephen instructed. “They are studying in the other room.”

Steve glared at him.

“Bad idea altogether. Last time we did that, you tricked me to taking the side of when we needed to sleep.” Stephan explained. “My lethargy only fuels your impulsiveness. The more tired I am, the more irrational you’ll be.” 

Steve chuckled. “Heh, still cleaning up my mess?”

Stephen shook his head. He pointed to his black eye and then took the liberty of placing another tally under his name.

Steve surged up from the metal folding chair. “Give me that.”

Stephen again gave himself a frown and split the chalk in half. He handed the other half to Steve. 

Steve smirked. “I kept my voice down, so that is a point for me.” He scratched a line under his name.

“And I gave you power, you abused it.” Stephen said as he copied his other half.

Both of them stood silent, staring down at each other like an old western, seeing who will draw first.

“What are we? A married couple?” Steve asked.

“No, just childhood friends.” Stephen said, just as Steve predicted.

“Look, man. As much as you gotta say you love yourself, I need the time.” Steve said. “I need to be free of you for a while.”

“So you can screw up everything I built?” Stephen folded his arms. “Sounds jolly to me.”

“I promise I won’t mess anything up. This time… it’s different. If you give me the time-”

“No. Stop there.” Stephen held out his hand. “You can’t keep promises; I know that.”

Stephen sighed as he took a seat on the folding chair. “Ugh, thanks. My legs were killing me.”

“So, we are back where we started?” Steve scoffed. He threw his hands in the air. “Teacher to stubborn student? One works while the other loafs around and drags the other down? Great! Why can’t we just be whole?”

“Still figuring that one out.” Stephen said, tossing the piece of chalk back onto the top of the chalkboard. It hit the top just right. “Yessss.” Stephen celebrated, pumping out a fist.

Steve took a seat on the floor next to Stephen. “Got any answers?”

“One.” Stephen said. “But you won’t like it.”

“Well, we don’t have any other options, do we?” Steve said. “Shoot.”

“We go to a psychiatrist. We both need help. I’d admit I’m not perfect, and neither are you.”

Steve laughed as he played with his piece of chalk. He put a tally under both names. “Self-awareness.”

“My only problem is what it would do to you. I'm personally fine with it if they decide to throw us in a padded room” Stephen asked.

Steve knew what he was doing. He knew it to be his fear- to be contained- to be controlled. He answered carefully. “Well, more time for you to talk to me, and less time for me to find trouble.”

“Self-awareness.” Stephen pointed to the board.

Steve erased both scores and put two sideways tallies between the names.

“So, we’re done now?” Steve slapped the chalk dust off his hands.

Stephen smiled. “Nope. Just one step forwards.”