Page 26 of The Freshman

“Why’d you wannaknow?”

Nate hummed into the gap of the door.“Want to see if you’ve got a type.”

Alfie closed his eyes and created anopposite of Nate in his mind. “Black hair, brown eyes, slimbuild...”

“Both of them?”

“Yeah, they’re both mytype. That’s what I’m into.”

Nate laughed. “You’re trying too hard,Freshman. We both know there are no boyfriends, and if there were,they should be worried. You flirt with me like you’resingle.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Maybe it’s ‘cause youknow I can give you what your imaginary boyfriendscan’t.”

Alfie scrunched his face and took astep back from Nate’s cell.

Nate laughed into the door, and achill wrapped around Alfie’s neck. A scarf of cold that left himfeeling exposed and vulnerable. He was the one with the keys on hiship, the one who would leave the prison in a few hours, but Nate’ssmug voice told him otherwise. Even with him blinded by the celldoor, Nate could see straight through him.

He distanced himself from thesmirking, but still felt the prickle of unease at home hours later.He stared through his living room window at the sign for Larkwood,forever reminding him of Nate, of the prison, and the caged feelingthat had infused to his bones. He growled, staggered up from thesofa and tugged the curtains shut.

“Damn you!” he hissed,then trundled up the stairs for sleep.

****

It didn’t just rain but poured down onAlfie as he walked toward the prison. Thunder rumbled in thedistance, and occasional flashes lit up the sky. The day had been ahot one, but Alfie had missed it. Like some nocturnal creature herarely saw the sun. The air smelled of hot pavement, and the dropshissed as they struck the concrete. The drains couldn’t cope withthe onslaught. Water bubbled from them, making channels along theedges of the road. The humidity left him feeling sticky and itchy,and he longed to be in the forever cool prison interior.

Alfie recognized Marie’s car, but shedidn’t pull up and offer him a ride. She splashed through a puddlethat narrowly avoided him. He didn’t know if that was herintention, but he stared bitterly at her fading car, hoping hisevil stare would ignite it.

By the time he reached the prison, histrousers were soaked and his coat was damp around the collar. Heshook his hair like a wet dog and shivered his way toward theradiator.

“It’s raining,” Henrysaid.

Alfie gestured to himself. “You don’tsay.”

He shrugged his jacket off and floppedit on the back of a chair. The collar of his shirt was damp, butapart from that, his top half had avoided the rain. His legs on theother hand were drenched. He pinched the material away from his legwith a grimace.

“There are some spares inthe lockers. Get some now before Ryan briefs us.”

Alfie huffed, then nodded and walkedthrough the several gates to get to reception. A rumble of thundergrowled overhead, and he watched as the lights twinkled thenrecovered.

He grabbed the first pair of trousersin his size and gave them a sniff. They smelled stale, but notunclean. He turned at the tap to his shoulder.

Marie stood smiling brightly. “Iwould’ve given you a lift if I saw you.”

Alfie smiled tightly. “Next timemaybe.”

She nodded. “Come on, Ryan will chewyou out for being late.”

Alfie sighed and followed her with thetrousers flung over his shoulder. Ryan droned on longer thannormal, as if he knew that Alfie was desperate to change. None ofhis words sunk in. Alfie was too preoccupied with his uncomfortableclothing. The trousers were heavy against his skin, and a deep achesettled in his limbs, adding to his misery.

“You listening,Rookie?”

Alfie snapped his eyes to Ryan andnodded. He inwardly prayed Ryan wouldn’t ask him to repeat his lastwords like a child.

“Yes, I’mlistening.”

Ryan narrowed his eyes.“Good.”

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