“Nah,” he says.
"What do you do?" I ask, casually. Still trying to go for 'normal'. Still thinking about Ethan’s hand on my back.
“I hit the gym,” he says. “Hate sports, honestly. There are no chicks around to impress. So, yeah, don’t care much. By the way, rookie, if you want, I can hook you up with more of what Ethan confiscated,” he whispers, winking. “That’s my real sport of choice.”
Jack frowns but keeps quiet, and I just grin.
“Cool, thanks, man.” I’d love a smoke now. Like, right fucking now, please. I’m still feeling everything in a kind of surreal mist, and my head is floating a little, the same way it’d be if I smoked. I’m even glad for that: in the end, I didn’t even need my weed.
They give us a snack: cookies and juice. The cookies are those cheap, chalky ones that come in clear plastic wrap. Sugar wafers that dissolve into paste on your tongue. The juice is warm Sunny Delight, sickly sweet, but I gulp it down anyway. Still better than my house. Way better. I'd go days without eating anything, just because I couldn't be bothered to find food.
Here, it seems you get fed. Like, regularly. It's wild.
When sports time comes, we file out to the gym rooms. I'm standing there, still tasting that fake orange sugar on my teeth, when Jack pulls my arm. He seems serious, which doesn’t look like him. I barely know the guy, but even I can tell that him frowning like that isn’t normal.
"Don't get caught up in Harry's stuff," Jack warns. "I'm not uptight like Ethan, but seriously, Harry could wreck your life here."
"What do you mean?" I ask, because Harry seems chill enough.
"He deals weed and other stuff, makes big money, and doesn't care if you get caught. Happened to our old roommate before you, Jerry."
"What happened to him?"
"Harry got him some pills, and he got busted. Got transferred to a real prison." Jack lets that sink in for a second. "And Harry's still here. Got some time in the hole, but he bought off the guards and convinced everyone he didn't do it."
"Damn," I say. "How does he pull it off?"
"His buddies bring stuff on visitor days, and his parents are rich. He even bribes some guards. He'll try to give you some freebies to get you hooked, that's how he gets everyone." Jack shrugs. "Aside from that, he's a cool guy, just don't let your guard down around him."
“Got it. Thanks for the heads up,” I say, giving Jack a grateful smile. He’s a good guy. I immediately know when people are good or not. It’s a superpower that I’ve developed dealing with all sorts of crazy fucks in the streets. “I’m not that into it. But it's nice to chill sometimes, so I'd do it in a heartbeat,” I shrug. No use in lying.
“Don’t let Ethan hear that, or he’ll want to spank you again,” Jack jokes, and we both laugh, even though I’m still feeling every lash Ethan has given me. Just thinking about it, I tense up, my cock twitching uncomfortably again.
“Ethan hates that Harry’s like the drug kingpin here, and that we're all in the same cell, but he keeps quiet becausethere’s no point in snitching without a good reason. It’d take something major for Ethan to rat out Harry, but he’d enjoy doing it. He just couldn’t stand seeing you bring in weed, too. It’s nothing personal. You're just his responsibility, and he won't have you become a mini-Harry. He's had to be the leader to some bad kids in the past, so he's kinda traumatized. Ethan’s cool once you know him better.”
“Yeah,” I say, mulling it over. There isn't much to say. The hottest guy around is my kinky leader. What can I possibly do?
Chapter 5. Liam
Jack and I walk to our cell to change into workout shorts, then go into one of the buildings, passing through the gated door watched by a guard, but he says nothing. We keep walking to where the exercise rooms are, including a room with blue padded mats where we’ll train MMA. Griff is already there with some other kids.
“Jack, Liam, good you're here,” he greets us with a smile. “Come in and start warming up.”
Jack removes his shoes and socks, placing them neatly alongside the others off the mat, and I do the same, following him onto the padded area. I start mimicking him in the warm-up, jogging the perimeter, then sit-ups, jumping jacks, push-ups, stretches. I really like working out. At least it shuts my brain off for a while, and it doesn’t make me want to vomit. Well. I still want it, but just a little bit. Now, even though my ass is still warm as fuck, and every movement makes me remember Ethan, I start getting into the flow.
Just when we’re finishing up our warm-up, Ethan arrives.
Griff gives him a smile and nods for him to join us. He doesn’t look at me or Jack, but Jack doesn’t seem to mind. Me, though, my heart speeds up.
I want him to do much more than only notice me.
He’s got me addicted to him in less than three hours. Just fucking great. He has no idea what he’s done. Well, good for him, he’s all aboutconsequences, it seems. Now he’ll have to deal with the consequence of having me so into him.
Griff lines us all up in front and says, “I want a serious and intense session today, guys. Let’s start with jabs. Grab your gloves and pair up.”
We start to move, and I think I’ll pair up with Jack, but Ethan steps up to him first, and then gives me a quick once-over, daring me to say something. Jack gives me a sorry look. I’ll have to find someone else. My heart breaks a little, like when you realize you’re about to fall and there’s nothing you can do.
"Usually, Ethan's my training buddy," Jack explains, apologetic, even though he doesn't need to.
