A Year in Juvenile Detention : Carl Gallagher

The storage room

It was late afternoon, and most of the inmates were either in the common area or outside for recreation. Carl, however, had managed to find a rare moment of solitude in one of the storage rooms. He needed a break from the constant tension and pranks, a moment to himself to "relieve" some of the stress and frustration ;)

As he leaned against the wall, eyes closed, trying to lose himself in the moment, he didn't hear the door creak open. Areum, looking for some cleaning supplies as part of her punishment for their last fight, walked in and froze at the sight of Carl.

For a moment, neither of them moved. Carl's eyes snapped open, meeting Areum's wide-eyed stare. The realization of what she had walked in on hit them both simultaneously.

"What the hell, Carl?" Areum exclaimed, her voice a mix of shock and disgust.

Carl scrambled to adjust his clothes, his face turning bright red. "Do you ever knock, Areum? Get out!"

Areum quickly backed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. She stood in the hallway, her heart pounding, trying to process what she had just seen. She had been ready to unleash her anger at him again, but this... this was different.

Carl, still flustered, leaned against the wall and took a deep breath. He had never felt more embarrassed in his life. His mind raced, trying to figure out how to face Areum after this.

The next day, the detention center buzzed with the usual activity, but Carl and Areum's interactions had taken a new turn. There was a palpable awkwardness between them, an unspoken understanding of what had happened.

During breakfast, Carl caught Areum glancing at him from across the room. He quickly looked away, feeling his face heat up. Areum did the same, focusing intently on her tray of food.

Their usual pranks and jabs were absent that day, replaced by an uncomfortable silence. The other inmates noticed the shift and whispered among themselves, speculating about what had happened.

In the common area, Carl tried to avoid Areum, but it was impossible. They were constantly thrown together by the routines of the detention center. When they did cross paths, there was a tension in the air that hadn't been there before.

At lunch, Carl sat as far from Areum as possible, but the room was small, and the tension was palpable. Areum kept her head down, avoiding his gaze. The usual bickering and snide comments were conspicuously absent, replaced by an awkward silence that the other inmates couldn't help but notice.

"Did something happen between those two?" one inmate whispered to another.

"Feels like it," the other replied. "They're acting weird."

That afternoon, during a group therapy session, the tension was almost unbearable. The counselor was trying to get everyone to share their feelings, but Carl and Areum were too busy avoiding each other's gaze to participate.

"So, Carl, how are you feeling today?" the counselor asked, bringing him out of his thoughts.

"Uh, fine," Carl mumbled, not meeting anyone's eyes. "Just... trying to get through the day."

Areum bit her lip, fighting back a smirk. Despite the awkwardness, she found a bit of humor in Carl's obvious discomfort. It was a far cry from their usual confrontations, but it was a change she could work with.