Page 8 of The Freshman

In fact, out of all of them, Nate wasthe only one that hadn’t threatened him. Alfie didn’t know why, butit scared him more than the promises of violence.

Chapter Three

The roll calls that followed wereeasier to bear. Alfie strolled the last stretch of cells on thesecond landing. Gruff voices called out their names, all untilQueenie’s softer tone gave Alfie whiplash.

After his brief conversation withNate, Alfie looked up the photographs of the inmates. Some of themost masculine voices had skinny faces and frail bodies. Or atleast that was the way they entered the prison. The scariest faceshad the scariest voices, but Queenie’s appearance stuck in Alfie’smind. The voice of Queenie didn’t suit the photograph on thesystem. A round body type with a chubby face and cracked lips. Hehad dark skin and dark eyes. Alfie wondered if the voice was aguise to get him to check the cell, but on the rare occasions heheard Queenie speaking to the men in the neighboring cells, hestill sounded feminine.

“Freshman…”

Alfie glared at the Nate’s cell door,then tutted.

“It’s prison officerAlfie.”

Nate hummed in amusement, and thehairs of Alfie’s nape stood up. He smacked the back of his necklike it was the prickle of an insect.

“I prefer Freshman. Howyou liking your first week on H-wing?”

Alfie shrugged, rubbing the place hehad struck. “Quieter than expected.”

“You have me to thank forthat.”

Alfie shifted from foot to foot. Hehad suspected as much but didn’t wish to draw attention toit.

“I don’t need any favors.”Alfie mumbled.

“I’m looking out for youFreshman.”

“I don’t need youto.”

Nate tutted. “Don’t get defensive. Ican’t have the meaner ones throwing insults at you.”

“I can handle mean insultsfine.”

“But you don’t have to.I’ve got your back. So how you gonna thank me? I was thinkingopening the hatch and letting me see that smile ofyours.”

“Not on your life. Name,”Alfie said, tapping his pen to the board.

“You know who I am, noneed to ask, but you still do. You like our little chats just as Ido.”

Alfie narrowed his eyes, then pressedthe pen hard enough to spear through the paper. He walked away butstill caught Nate’s chuckle. He shivered, then tightened his facein anger. Nate toyed with him like a cat with a mouse. A cat thatwas muzzled and chained, but still managed to make the mouse squeakand scuttle away.

****

The first few weeks passed withoutincident. As soon as he heard the word freshman he ticked Nate fromthe list and walked back down the stairs, but his eyes stayed onNate’s cell door.

The word freshman stirred something inAlfie’s chest, but he quickly fled the cell door before his cheekspulsed red and his body got jittery. Marie always noticed hischange in skin tone and offered him a sympathetic smile.

“Just ignore Nate and bethankful we don’t work days.”

She thought the redness to his facewas out of fear, and she was half right.

Nate terrified him, but not for theobvious reason. After a week, he trusted the door not to fall underNate’s whisper. He was safe from the triple murderer, but his heartstill jumped into his throat, and his skin still tingled at thesound of his voice. That was the effect of his alluring speechpattern. The soft wisp of ‘Freshman’ through the seams of thedoor.

Alfie scrolled through every inmate onthe computer, and although Queenie’s appearance surprised him, itwas Nate that made the biggest impression. Alfie found himselfstaring at the front page of his file at least once a night, butnever clicked down for the next page.

Nate looked younger in the photo, byten years to be exact, but age hadn’t depleted his good looks, ithad enhanced them. It was the most uncomfortable realization, butAlfie found Nate attractive.

If Nate weren’t a criminal and they’dmet in a bar, Alfie would’ve relished in the attention. He would’vesalivated at the crotch and offered himself up for the taking. Hewould’ve gone home with him and stayed for the breakfast like Natehad joked about.

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