Pale | HIATUS

chapter two

❝ Sunday, September 27 -9:11PM ❝

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 I remember I hugged Harry for the last time ever just moments before he was shoved out of my grip by a possessive officer. I wanted to capture his essence in a bottle, to cage his aura so that I could keep it forever. This is kind of sudden, but I feel so attatched to him, and he's anything but a sweetheart. He's a cold blooded, ruthless reptile who depended upon the rush of breaking the law.

They decided to have him stay until tonight. Nobody was available to pick him up, so he allowed Harry the rest of the night behind bars. It was second handedly the best night of my life. I'm not so sure why I was obsessed with his security, but it felt right. I never wanted to let him go, and now it was happening all too soon.

"Wait! Please, please don't take him away from me!" I screamed until my lungs were out of air, but there was nothing left that I could do. Trying to wrap my head around the whole situation, I leaned up aganist the wall. 

I didn't want to believe that he was gone. 

As crazy as it may sound, it only took a couple of hours for me to crave his touch. The feeling of his fingers fumbling through my hair was addictive. His watchful eyes were the color of evergreens, they were so beautiful. And the thought of all of him being ripped away from me? It just wasn't an easy one to swallow.

I knew that deep down inside, Harry had come on too strong. His flirting was apparent, and the way that he spoke was enough to alarm any sane person.

I just wasn't too sure where my sanity was resting.

The jail cell felt really empty with only one person in it. I didnt particularly want Harry to get thrown back in here, because for all I know, he was trying to be nice just to manipulate me into some stuid scheme of his. Possibly, he was planning to murder me. The ideas of such malicious things floated around my mind for a while, but the metallic noise of jangling keys caught my attention.

"Get in there!" 

I looked up to see a black woman, about my age, maybe younger, being forcefully handled into the space with me. The bars were pushed closed, and the only noise at all was the ringing in my ears from the sudden rupture in sound.

She was quiet, and didn't even dare to interact with me in any way. She just kept to herself, much like Harry did, and never said a word. She had a big reputation in this place, apparently. Whenever the inmates set out to the cafateria, peole knew who she was and greeted her with a high-five or a slap on the back. 

She didn't sit with me, either. 

In the lunch room, there were six tables, which were self-ruled as the six cliques. The first table was full of the drug-dealers, following close behind were the theft convicts; a third table sheltered those who were days away from being sent to prison upstate; next, the breaking-and-entering criminals, which included myself; the fifth and sixth tables sort of ran together: the gangs and alcoholics.

This girl sat at the sixth table. 

I couldn't see her being in a gang, much less being locked up anywhere, but then again I could say the same for myself and look where I'm at. 

Exactly.

 I wasn't comfortable sharing a room with her; she kept too many secrets. Very quickly, I learned that her name was Margo. She didn't seem to want to open up to me, and the only people who actually talked to her were the ones she associated with during lunch hour.

On a shorter note, Margo was strange. Secretive, but strange. 

I let the feeling of having to stay here for a few more days sink into my mind; the thought itself was trying so hard to swim into belief, but was drowning in the vast sea of my own doubt. Wanting to forget it all, I climbed into the flat bed and closed my eyes, hoping to dream my way into a new reality: a better one. 

❝ Monday, September 28 - 12:07PM ❝

I woke up to the sound of pouring rain, throwing itself against the shingles; it was a noise that echoed in my mind like a backwards sort of melody. I had no idea I'd slept for so long, but Margo didn't seem to mind. 

Looking around, she wasn't in the cell, which probably meant she had trekked down to the lunch hall. I didn't want to eat, my soul only hungered for freedom and for Harry. I longed to feel his lanky fingers in my hair once more, to see his gentle smile and warming, yet muscular arms wrappped around my frame in a sort of hold I'd never want to get released from.

"Ms. Johanson!" 

The firm voice shook me from my distant dream land. Glancing over, I saw the head officer, Mr. Stone, marching towards me. I reformed my posture and sat up against the brick wall, swinging my legs over the edge of the bed to meet him halfway.

"Yes, sir?" 

"You're free to go. Some kid's out here to get you." 

I didn't let that phrase enter my brain, it was too unrealistic for me. 

"You've got to be kidding, right? Who is this 'kid,' anyways?" 

I smugly grinned at Officer Stone, and as much as he intimidated me, I wanted to get out of this place so badly, yet couldn't help but stop and ask him questions. 

Freedom is a gift, not something one deserves. 

Here I am taking it for granted. 

He shrugged. "I don't know, he asked us not to give his name out. His car's out front. Return your uniform to the guards at the main desk and you can leave."

After he ambled swiftly in the opposite direction, I couldn't stop my mouth from falling agape at the sudden news. I also didn't stop to wonder who had come to collect me. I'd simply changed back into my regular clothes, dropped my jail outfit off, and pushed open the heavy, oak doors to freedom.

Only, when I got outside, my elation was soon dropped into the pit of my stomach, and every muscle of my body twitched with a chilly fear. 

I flinched as his car door slammed shut, leaving me breathless as he swaggered up to me, his jeans hanging just below his hips and his torso sheathed in a tank top that was cut low enough to show the muscles in his chest.

"Get in, doll. We've got some stuff we need to take care of."

His voice, like that of a rattlesnake, blew past me like a stampede of cows. It shook the earth beneath my toes and shook every bone in between. 

It was Dante, and he had a car full of men with him.

And he was forcing me to go along. 

The only thing crossing my mind? 

Where the hell is Harry now? 

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sorry it took me sooo long to update, i wasn't able to access my account for the last week or so. my login button was out of use or something. i just threw this chapter together and i am terribly sorry if you don't like it. i tried my best. i'll update at 150 reads and 10 votes. x thanks for reading, lovies. the comments im getting are great, keep them coming! im also sorry this chapter is much shorter, i'll make up for it next chapter :(( 

-mckenna x