CHAPTER 8 #2
“It makes sense why you desperately didn't want me to tell people what I saw. You'd think it made you look weak.”
“And you still won't.” Her glare burned towards me with a silent warning.
Leaning back, I glanced her way as I pulled on my shoe. “I'm not gonna say anything.”
She retreated, pulling her legs tighter into herself, realising I'd brushed too close to something painful.
“How'd you end up homeless?”
“I don't want to talk about me anymore.” She snapped, as an uncomfortable silence set in.
Breaking it first, I slung my towel around my neck, “Intent to supply, that’s what got me.” Her eyes raised as she looked to me through her lashes. If she didn’t want to talk about her, then it was only fair that I shared a part of myself as well.
“No thanks to my dick of a stepdad.”
She remained quietly listening as I continued.
“Fucker set me up for sure.” My voice now mocking as I repeated the last words he said to me.
“Get it done, Screech. I’m trusting you with this.
Fucking asshole.” Yanking on my laces as his smug face re-entered my mind.
“You know, he could have got any one of his loser lackeys to do the drop, but no.” I paused, replaying how the cops smashed me to the floor.
“Probably thought I wouldn’t last two minutes in a place like this. Easier for him to worm his way to my sister if I'm out of the picture.” My jaw tensed, my leg now restlessly fidgeting as Misfits' brows furrowed at me.
“If you haven’t guessed already, I ain’t exactly living in a fairytale dreamland either. More like a nightmare.”
“Is that who I bumped into?”
I scoffed, “Oh, you mean the brick? Nah, that’s Chester, he’s just some weirdo who oddly cares about the well-being of my sister and me.
He let us crash there when things weren’t safe for my sister.
” Raising to my feet I shot her a pressed smile, “But that’s enough about my shit show.
We should probably get out of here, unless you wanna drool over more naked guys. ”
Her smile returned as she pulled herself from the bench, “I didn’t know you were in here.” Turning on me as she headed for the door.
“Uh-huh, sure. That’s what they all say, you little creeper.” Before she had the chance to turn on me, I pulled my towel from around my neck, whipping her in the leg. The crack that followed left us both shocked as it made contact.
“You little fucker.”
“That’s payback for not grassing you up to your officer.”
Glancing back over my shoulder, I watched her disappear back into the communal area, the smile on my face remaining as I wandered back towards my cell. My towel hung loosely around my neck as I stepped inside. Malik rushed to his feet, closing the door behind me.
My brows creased as I turned to face him, “What’s up with you?”
He closed the space between us quicker than I expected, “Come on then, spill the tea.” Shifting on the spot in a state of anticipation.
I paused, narrowing my eyes at him as I placed my things down onto my bunk, “What tea? There is no tea. Malik, what the fuck are you on?”
“I saw you.”
“Saw what?”
“You and the chick, leaving the showers together. Did you hook up? Is that why you waited behind, quickie in the cubicle is that it?” His smile grew as he crossed his arms.
I scoffed, holding my hands up in astonishment, “I think you got your wires crossed mate. And anyway, even if it was a thing, which it’s not, you think I’d spill the tea with you?”
His face fell flat, glaring at me, “I thought we were mates.”
“We are. And from what I’ve learnt from you, you’re a bit of a fucking gossip. I wouldn’t tell you shit.”
His smile soon returned, nudging his hand to my shoulder, “So something is going on between you guys. I knew it.”
My eyes rolled as my body slumped onto the bunk, “No, there isn’t. We were just talking.”
“In the showers?”
“Yeah.”
“In just a towel?”
“Ok, when you put it like that, it doesn’t sound convincing. But trust me, nothing is going on.” I lowered my tone, muttering to myself, “That is not a rabbit hole I wanna jump down.”
He shifted, sitting himself down on my bunk, “Then what is it with you two? She’s always around, or I’m finding you sniffing her out.”
I chuckled, playfully nudging him with my leg, “I don’t go sniffing her out, you cheeky fuck.”
He scoffed, throwing my discarded towel towards me, “There’s something you ain’t telling me. And I’m gonna find out one way or another.”
The other lads taunted her for being the only girl on the block, and I couldn’t help but smirk when she would effortlessly put them in their place.
I started feeling an odd sense of protectiveness toward her, especially when others pushed her too far or made derogatory comments.
Not an inch of fear on her face as she retaliated, threatening to cut off their dicks in their sleep.
She could handle herself; that’s for sure, but being in here instantly put a target on her back.
And there was something about one of the new entrants, some kid called Nate, that changed something.
Drooling over her at any given opportunity, not even trying to hide it, which ignited that feeling even more within me.
So I’d started waiting for her after lunch, walking to the yard together, even if it only gave her moments of relief before she would retreat to her normal hangout.
But something about that day had her spooked in a way I hadn’t seen before. Playing with her food instead of eating, and looking like she wanted to just disappear. When she refused to tell me what was bothering her, I left her to her own thoughts.
I’d perched myself next to the gym equipment beside Malik, while some of the other lads rambled on about the new female guard who had been transferred here for Misfit’s sentence.
I found myself glancing in her direction as she stormed into the yard, noticing how Nate's eyes found her immediately.
He surrounded himself with his chummy little mates, ones he must have known from previous visits to this shit hole.
His cocky swagger enraged me, thinking he was the dogs' bollocks, making her feel like that.
He continued watching her as if she were prey, following her every movement. The way she stiffened when she passed them, shoulders up, jaw tight. She didn’t flinch, but she felt it—the weight of their attention. Muttering between themselves, laughing.
Before I knew it, I was standing and walking towards them. Malik called to me, but his voice just faded into the annoyance pinching in my chest. I stopped in front of them, slamming my hands upon the table.
“Something funny?” My brow furrowed as my eyes flicked between their dirty grins. Nate leaned forward, cocking his chin.
“What's it to you?”
“Because you can't seem to keep your eyes off the lady over there.” He scoffed, leaning back, lowering his tone to the scabby junkie sitting next to him.
“Won’t be a lady after I’m finished with her.”
The pair chuckled as I looked at him, taking in his fake bravado. Then I leaned in, close enough so he could smell the lingering cigarette smoke on my breath.
“You look at her again,” I said, low and slow, “And I’ll make sure you’re pissin’ blood for a month.
” He opened his mouth, as if he might laugh, but his gaze fell to his friend as the smile faltered from their face.
His expression turned to one of confusion, as if he thought I was bluffing, talking to him in a way no one had before.
He caught my eyes and shut it as I continued.
“You don’t talk to her. You don’t touch her.
You don’t even breathe near her unless you want to see what I’m really like.
” They didn’t speak. Just felt the tension, shifting in the air when someone draws a line and dares you to cross it.
Pulling myself from the table, her eyes met mine.
Part of me hoping she would understand why I did what I did.
Intervening when it was obvious that he was making her so uncomfortable.
Maybe that’s why she didn’t tell me. Didn’t want to admit someone had finally gotten to her.