In a lifetime

Chapter 22: Joseph Flores

Staring at my ceiling, I can't help but think that the next time Laurel comes by will be worse than what happened at the school and I was confident that nothing would happen.

It hurts to get out of bed, actually, it hurts to do anything. Laurel did a number on me. It takes me a while to make it downstairs but everyone is waiting for me. 

"Jesus, you look worse than you did yesterday," Eli says as I make it towards the couch. Veronica hits him in the stomach to knock it off but we need to lighten the mood before I go insane.

"Ah well I can say the same about you but you always look like that," I say in remarks to Eli's comment. He finds it funny and lets out a laugh that doesn't last long due to Veronica's stare.

Nessa looks even more conflicted than she did before which thank god because if she was mad I think I might just move to pass out from the pain. 

Before Nessa can get a word out everyone jumps to the sound of knocking on the door, suspense fills the air as no one moves a muscle until we hear "you didn't answer my text you bitch now open up"

I let out a loud sigh of relief, it's Natalie. I guess we're all on edge from last night......SHIT, Natalie's here?! I was to busy trying to get downstairs that I didn't check my phone, if she sees us, me! Then she'll start asking questions. 

Before I can tell Veronica not to open the door, she does and Natalie is surprised to see her and looks around the room. "I see you found it important to- shit what the fuck happened to you?" She questioned walking towards me, I tried to come up with a story but there's no way she'll believe anything that'll come out of my mouth. 

"If I tell you then you'll be put into danger," I say worriedly but she looks at everyone and says with an agitated tone "what about them?" 

I shake my head, she shouldn't be here, why is she here. I can feel tears form and fall as I try to stand to face her.

"We're involved in something that's out of our control and if you get involved then I don't think you'll be safe" I can tell everyone is in an awkward position because it feels like we are the only two in the room.

"You can tell me you're in a gang or dealing drugs I actually won't judge," she says lifting her tone but honestly doesn't she get the hint, "we're not even normal anymore!" I yell and in doing so I cause the lamps to short-circuit and Natalie steps back. 

I continue with an apologetic tone, "on our eighteenth birthday we turned into supernaturals and there's a psychopathic manic after us, happy"  seeing the disbelief on her face, she sits down still starring at me, "that's why we're best friends, we tell each other everything even if it's putting one another in danger cause we are in it together" she's right but I was doing it to ensure she doesn't get hurt. 

"So which one are you?" She asks and I give her a straight answer "I'm a witch" and the shock on her face is almost telling me that she would've liked to know that specific thing a lot earlier.

"That would've helped during our last year, you could've like placed a spell on the teachers to make us pass" she goes on making jokes to make light of the situation which I'm thankful for but then again this is a stressful matter. "Thank you for telling me now though," she says as she hugs me, and another wave of relief washes over me until another knocking is heard from the door.

"Are you kidding!? What else is it" I say irritated and walk over to the door with a bad feeling which is true when I see a police officer standing there when I open the door.

"Which ones are Joseph Flores and Elias Bennet?" The officer asks looking into the house in search of something. I can't think of why a police officer would show up at this moment but I tell him that I am one of the people he is looking for and Eli does the same. As soon we do he grabs my hand and places me in cuffs while his partner rushes towards Eli doing the same.

"You two are under arrest for the murder of Gabriel Fritz," the officer says while shoving me and Eli in the back of his police cruiser but right before he did he said to me "if you had stayed in your country you wouldn't have to deal with us" 

The fucking audacity and we didn't even hurt Mr. Fritz but it also makes me feel uncomfortable with the fact that we're dealing with racist cops now. 

I turn to face Eli who is scared as hell and I tell him "look all we have to do is comply, especially with people like them, having brown colored skin is reason enough to abuse us" I know I should've reassured him or make him feel better but knowing what we're dealing with is better than having a lie said to you. 

We both take a deep breath while they drive us away to the nearest prison which is a few miles out. At first, I thought we would get interrogated but thinking back, me and Eli were the only two that touched Mr. Fritz's body so our fingerprints were left behind making us look bad. 

When we arrived at the prison, we walked to the inmate's entry hall where we were told to strip and change into the orange suits, always thought I was one to pull it off if I did end up in prison.

We do so and thank god the cops who arrested us didn't talk or hurt us too bad just unnecessary shoves and tight holdings. We get our mug shots taken and get blankets and are placed in a cell together with two other inmates, one has tattoos on his neck and arms and the other looks normal but doubt that's how they actually are. 

I get the lower bed while Eli gets the upper on the other side. I almost forgot all about my pain while getting here. 

As the bars of the cell close and lock, we are left with two inmates whom I'll try to make conversation with but they don't respond and I respect that. 

Well it's lights out and tomorrow will start me and Eli's life in prison, I do hope the others try and visit if they can.