The Thief

17. Holding

Asher

I am mourning pizza. And all normal food. Apparently the "chef" here has never heard of it. They must have gotten a degree in making pb and j's because that's what we have for lunch and dinner. For breakfast we get cereal. A slight improvement.

I sit at a table alone and force myself to eat the sandwich. I've been here three days. I'm supposed to have a trial soon, but according to my lawyer that could be a month from now.

I don't want to be here for a month.

No one pays attention to me and that's okay. Everyone else here looks like they murdered someone. A boy younger than me sits at the far end of my table. He has a picture of a lion shaved into the side of his head.

I quickly turn away as he glances at me. He sees me anyway and slides so he's across from me.

"Were you looking at something?" He takes a bite of his sandwich.

"I was just going to compliment your hair."

He doesn't catch my sarcasm. "Thanks. I got it done just before I came here. I hope it lasts till I'm out of here, I don't want a grown out lion on the side of my head if you know what I mean."

"I can't say I do."

"Yeah, your hair is pretty... boring."

I nod and focus on my sandwich, I don't really care what this kid thinks of my hair.

"Why are you here? You seem different than these..." he glances around, "other people."

I scoff, like this guy isn't one of them. "Does it really matter?"

He shrugs. "I suppose not. The only thing that really matters is getting out. Anyway, I stole a car, my dad's car actually."

"Your dad had you arrested?"

"Well boarding school didn't work, so I guess he figured this might." He shrugs.

"What your name?" I ask, finishing my sandwich.

"August. And you?"

"I'm Asher. Tell me August, what kind of car did you steal?"

A grin spreads across his face. "A mustang. I didn't dare try any of the other cars."

"Other cars?"

"Yeah, we have a Porsche and a Tesla, but my dad would have killed me if I'd taken those. We just got the Tesla."

"Wow." A bell rings signaling that lunch is over. Just like school.

I nod to him and leave before I do something I might regret. I make my way toward my cell along with the other prisoners. We're technically not prisoners, everyone here is waiting for trial. But they do keep us here so we might as well be.

When I walk through the door out of the lunchroom a guard flanks the side of me and takes me the rest of the way to my cell. Locking the door behind me.

My cell is small, all white, and surprisingly clean. It has a bed that's smaller than a twin, a crude toilet, and a desk with a metal chair. I sit on the bed because it's more comfortable than the chair, but only slightly.

I asked for a piece of paper and pencil yesterday, but now that I have them I don't know what to do with them. I tried to write something, but I couldn't conjure up any words.

I hope Will and Katie are okay. Maybe Emily is spending more time at home because she doesn't want them to be like me. I hope they're not alone with Todd. Knowing him, he'd punish them for me getting arrested. I sigh and lay back on the bed, shaking my head.

It's pathetic that there are people in here like August. He obviously comes from a wealthy family and yet he steals from those who gave that to him. He's been handed everything in life and he rebels. But why? What could he possibly need, what could he want?

I on the other have nothing. I've come from nowhere and I have nowhere to go. I stole to help people, but it's only going to do me harm.

I shouldn't compare myself to August though. I don't know him. I don't know his situation, maybe his dad is a jerk.

I get up and go to the desk. The pencil feels weird in my hand, but I use it anyway. I need to get these words out.

Hey everyone! What'd you think of this chapter? Do you like this new character August? What about Asher's situation? Let me know what you think in the comments and please give this chapter a vote if you  liked it! Thanks for reading!