Welcome To The: BUNK

56

            "Tip! Over here!" i looked towards the voice. I saw the dark skin being of Mickey waving me over from his seat on the bleacher seats. I pushed thru a clump coming in, towards Mickey. I wanted to scream at my close friend for yelling, wa ting to warm him to shut up for drawing attention to him self for just trying to get my attention, I was also great ful for that. I was greatful that Mickey wasnt as brainwashed as I was, bunk rules still controlling my every action unlike him.

       "Tip." someone gradded my arm. i turned my head towards the new voice, my gaze torn off of Mickey, and to the speaker beside me, ready to throw a good blow, or scream in defence to a potectional guards, the surge of adrenaline still battling in my body. The warm feeling pulling at my lips slowly drew away as the memeories of Mickey soon forgotten. The body I was wasnt the one of s guard or threat, Instead the dark almost black gaze of none other than Bruce met with mime, as I turned my head up following the limbs still enclosed around my arm. We slowed and stopped in the middle of the clumps, inmates streaming around us like a shiled. i pulled my arm from his grasp, afraid a guard would come screaming marching towards us from out of somewhere in the gyms shadows, from the public show of friendly affection and very close proximity.

       "Whear where you this morning? Are you alright, Clare? Did a adult take you?" his ramblings of urgent questions caught me off guard for a moment as he nearly had to shout over marching steps of whispering, tried inmates. I opened my mouth, and felt my breath leave me, but the uproar of inmates in chatter was much to loud, echoing in the large gymnasium. Bruce leaned forward, hunching his tall frame, turning his head to the side to show me his ear. His hair falling past the barrier of his ear to tickle my nose, I wanted to show his hairy head away, and wipe my nose as the ich turned into a burn.

     "I'm fine, i couldn't sleep last night. I went and got lost, im fine, really Bruce. I'm fine." i answered quickly turning away from him and towards the bleachers. Mickey, I had to talk to mickey. . .Drake. I could feel Bruce's heavy gaze on me as i moved away, away from him, I didn't dare look back afraid to see his expression. I marched up the steps towards Mickey, stepping over a thin inmate that fell into the aisle after another inmate pushed him, with a sickening laugh. I made my way forward and sat besides Mickey. He moved his feet as I took my seat, getting a few heated glares from surrounding iinmates.

"No saving seats, dork!" A inmate shouted from a few rows behind us. Mickey turned his head and shouted something back in replie, I didn't care to know. He then turned back, his arm rapped over my shoulders in a type of side hug, I returned the gesture of friendly comfort before Mickey pulled away, a smirk on his dark face.

"Hey Mike,"

"What up, Nick. You okay, you look'in kinda pale?" I turned my head away from looking out, searching the crowd before us, before meeting his sparkling gaze behind glass rims. We both shared a laugh at the joke, well i released a smile listening to the deep rum le of his snorty laugh. Everyone was pale at the compound at any level, even the adults, everyone was pale here in one way or another.

"Funny Mike, you still know how to make a dork laugh. I cant remeber that last time I laughed?"

"Its been to long then Nick," He smiled, welcoming the praise. Mickey took pride in his jokes and knowledge of extreme mathematics. But the sad truth was, I felt as if i didn't deserve to laugh. I didnt allow my self that joyful freedom. . .not after everything I've done. . . A hand on my lower arm, pulled my from my thoughts as I relized I was staring at the back of the inmates head before me.

"Nick?"

"Im okay, Mike. . ."

"Okay, if you say so, but i dont believe it not for a single second Nick, you cant fool me like a drag."