Page 30 of From Best To Bested

“You look amazing!” Ezra insisted, commanded, his voice booming and drawing the attention of those nearby.

Roman ignored the snickers as he took in his appearance. His ruffled brown hair had been slightly trimmed to help frame his face, but it was no longer a dark brown. Instead, Ezra had dyed Roman’s hair a bright bubblegum pink.

“You like it, right?” Ezra asked.

Roman stared at two men in the doorway, not even hiding their laughter at this point, and the words Roman considered failed him.

“Is there a fucking comedy show I missed?” Ezra turned quickly, finally acknowledging the pair. “Please, share the joke with me.”

One of the men swallowed hard as Ezra approached.

“I would like to laugh.” Ezra shrugged. “I love a strong laugh. Does the body good. Please, share your joke with me.”

“It’s nothing,” one man said.

“Then you should take your nothing and go somewhere else.” Ezra glared, using his eyes to direct their exit. “Before I leave you with nothing.”

Without missing a beat, he then turned and smiled at Roman, unfazed by the exchange a moment ago.

“Do you like it?”

Roman didn’t respond.

“I do hope you like it.” Ezra made a pouty face.

“It wouldn’t be my first choice,” Roman admitted, handing the mirror off to the hairstylist. “But if it makes you happy, then I’m happy.”

“Because my happiness is all you care about, right?” Ezra asked.

Roman didn’t know what to say. Agreeing felt like admitting he’d fully surrendered, and he wasn’t certain he was ready for that. Disagreeing felt like he opened himself up to more horrors, more tests of submission meant to break his spirits. Silence would fail him, though. Ezra’s sweet expression had already begun to twist into something angry.

“What are best friends for, right?” Roman finally said, breathing easy when Ezra’s green eyes lit up at the question and a half smile.

When they reached the cafeteria, Roman took his tray of food. Not that the champion title came with too many perks on the cheap food here, but he did notice the freshest fruit and extra candy snacks on Ezra’s plate.

Roman stared at the mashed potatoes that were somehow flaky and soupy all at once. They tasted worse than they looked, but Roman’s stomach begged for sustenance. All the time he’dspent in isolation taught him to stop looking down on the gross trays in favor of the expensive commissary snacks he no longer had access to anyway.

“Here.” Ezra set his candy bar on Roman’s tray.

“What?” Roman didn’t know how to react.

“Something almost as sweet as you.”

That made Roman’s face twist with annoyance.

“No thanks.” He slid the bar back.

“Take it,” Ezra insisted. “We both know you’re gonna earn it later. Might as well enjoy one thing today.”

Roman’s stomach sank, and he accepted the candy bar.

“Levi!” Ezra called out, and Roman’s entire body trembled.

He turned to find Levi standing a few feet away, frozen as a group of guys continued, and gave a sheepish smile. Roman wanted to smile back, wanted to compliment the new haircut he sported. It framed his face well, unlike the longer, grungy style he’d committed to for far too long. Roman’s face burned when he realized Levi could see his new hairstyle too, a style that screamed pet.

“How they treating you over at cellblock D?” Ezra asked. “No one hassling you about their D, right?”

Levi coughed, an uncomfortable thing he’d do when he wanted to laugh, but he knew he shouldn’t. That almost brought a smile to Roman’s face. He understood Levi’s need to hide his happiness at the sight of his fallen friend, but it sent a thrill through Roman to know Levi had happiness to hide.

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