𝐏𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐨́𝐧 𝐈𝐯𝐲

𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟑𝟗

Armani's Pov
"Don't forget about me, man. Stay safe out there in the real world. We both know how cruel it can be," Carlo said, his voice dry but laden with meaning. My heart sank slowly, a heavy weight settling in my chest, as I paused my steps towards the door where the police officers were waiting. I turned around to face him, taking in the full depth of his expression, realizing the gravity of the moment and the bond we unexpectedly shared.

The room seemed to grow colder, the reality of our separation hitting me harder than I had anticipated.

"I- I won't. I'll make sure to visit you as often as I can, I promise. You need to take care of yourself, Carlo. I won't be here to lend a hand anymore," I said, reflecting on how young he still was and the reasons he ended up here. At first, I made light of his self-harm, not fully grasping the depth of his struggles. But as time passed, I realized he needed someone to support him. It hurt to think about leaving him behind, knowing how much he relied on me. The thought of him facing everything alone weighed heavily on my mind, making the moment even more difficult.

"I will."

"It's time to go," the officer's voice came, but I ignored him and quickly pulled Carlo into a long hug. He rested his head on my shoulder for a few seconds. I ruffled his hair before gently lifting him off my shoulder as we pulled back from the embrace. He waved at me with a small smile on his face, and I waved back before turning around, pushing past the officer, hearing him close the door to our room again. I closed my eyes for a moment, feeling a sudden urge to cry, but I held it back.

The officer escorted me further into the lobby, guiding me to the front desk. I quickly spotted my box with my name on it and grabbed it, but not before noticing Joy sitting there with a sly smirk on her face. "Finally getting that breath of fresh air you've desperately wanted, huh?" she taunted, tilting her head at me.

"Seeing you alive makes me want to go for a second round here, but I've got other shit to handle," I said, watching her face drop. Before she could say anything, I turned on my heel and shook my head, striding purposefully toward the exit. I didn't bother waiting for the policeman to escort me out; he felt like a leech anyway.

Immediately after I opened the door, the cool air hit me, lifting my grown-out hair lightly into the sky. Golden leaves lay peacefully on the ground. Although I had been allowed outside for a few minutes each day, nothing felt more peaceful than stepping outside of my own free will.

Nothing was better than Freedom.

Well, there was one thing...

Ivy.