Page 53 of Freshman

“Not really into the whole pizzeria restaurant. I like my pizza greasy and delivered to my door, so no. It doesn’t do it for me. Thanks, but no thanks.”

Alfie ticked Nate off the list, then turned to leave before he said anything else sexual. He heard Nate growling words at Queenie and Queenie’s higher tone arguing back. Alfie had won that game, and it was another twenty-four hours before they had another sparring session of words.

Alfie couldn’t wait.

The next night, Alfie straightened, lifted his chin, and stepped up to Nate’s cell. “Prisoner 150.”

“Tsch, that’s a bit harsh, Freshman.”

Alfie shrugged. “You’ve got a nickname for me, I’ve got one for you.”

“How original, my cell number, like no one’s ever called me that before. You, on the other hand, bet no one else calls you Freshman.”

“I could ask my boyfriends to start using it while we’re in the bedroom.”

“Ohhh, you didn’t,” Queenie said, slapping the wall.

“Only I get to call you that,” Nate said, up close to the door. His tone was blunt, and Alfie felt the anger behind it. He retreated, and the next time he stepped up to Nate’s cell the following morning, he asked for Nate, not his cell number.

“Hello, Freshman.”

Alfie turned to leave but stopped at Nate’s sudden question.

“So, was it your dad that taught you to punch?”

Nate sounded normal, not the prowling sex pest that lurked in the shadows.

“Nope,” Alfie said.

“Stepdad? Foster dad?”

Alfie clutched the clipboard to his chest. “Some girl in the care home.”

Nate hummed at the information. “No mum or dad figure then.”

“Nope, I could walk past them in the street and wouldn’t know.”

“That bothers you?” Nate asked.

Alfie rocked on his heels. “It did, but not so much now.”

“Now you pretend you’re a hard nut that doesn’t care, but really you crave someone to take care of you.”

Alfie hugged the clipboard harder. “You know nothing about me. I’m not some kid still crying that mummy and daddy didn’t want me.”

“No, you’re eighteen, never had a family. I doubt you’ve had a boyfriend either. You act older than you are, but that’s all it is, an act.”

“Whatever,” Alfie growled.

“Most of the guys in here grew up in care. They went down a different route than you. Bet you wouldn’t be surprised if someone you knew walked in, huh?”

“No, I wouldn’t,” Alfie muttered.

Nate hummed as if considering. “Those rough kids give you a hard time in the home?”

Alfie shifted from foot to foot. They gave him a hard time, but it wasn’t the only reason Alfie hated the other kids in care. They scared away anyone genuinely interested in fostering, gave the good kids a bad name that wasn’t deserved.

Made them lose out on a chance of a family.

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