Smooth Criminal // Ryden

Isolated

"well Ryan, thanks again for another great wednesday." Brendon said after our meet, sarcasm hinting in his voice.

i gave a little chuckle and nodded, "sorry you have to deal with me." i say apologetically.

he looked confused, "wow ryan, never seen this side of you before. you just seem so bland and emotionless." brendon explains, his bright smile catching my attention. "and to be fair, you're not the worst person i could have gotten stuck with."

"thanks." i say sarcastically.

"oh! i meant to give this to you last week." he rips a piece of paper out of his binder scribbling something down. "here, it's my number, so you can call me if you have any questions about the trial or.. you just want to talk." he has a blush rising up his cheeks, sliding the slip of paper in the tiny slot under the window.

"come visit me saturday." i blurt out.

"i'm sorry?" he asks, obviously confused.

"visit me saturday. not as my lawyer but, as my.. friend." i say using the word friend loosely.

brendon gives a smirk, "alright. i'll see you Saturday Ryan."

i nod and we go our separate ways.

~

"i did it." i tell Spencer as we're in the rec room playing cards.

"drop 2," he mumbles referring to the card game. we made this game up when he first got here, it's one of the first ways we bonded. "and what did you do?" he asks taking his attention away from his cards.

"i asked brendon to visit Saturday, and he said he would." i say trying to hide my smile.

Spencer gives me a little smirk, "wow, you really like this kid don't you?" he asks. "you've never been excited to see anybody as long as i've known you." and he's right.

i felt the blush creeping against my cheeks, and i just nodded as a response.

"so, when you see him Saturday.. open up to him. don't act like a cinder block. be the ryan you are deep down inside. don't be depressed ry-"

"i'm not depressed! just isolated.." i hate it when people just assume i'm depressed because i don't talk and always look sad. i just don't want to associate myself with anyone. anyone. i'll just get hurt easier that way. and i don't want that.

"okay.. okay. you're an isolated person. that's fine." Spencer says holding his hands up in defense, his cards still taking over his right hand.

in one of my hands, is my cards and in the left is the number Brendon gave me. i haven't let go of it since he talked to me. i was fumbling with it in my fist while talking to Spencer.

"yeah. exactly." i look down.

"so what if you do end up with hi-" i cut spencer off

"woah woah, i never said i wanted to date him. it's just a crush. i admire him from afar." and what i say is true.

i tighten my grip on the cards and piece of paper. the sound of the paper crinkling against my skin.

"alright, you've been fumbling with that piece of paper for over an hour. let me see it."

i sigh and reluctantly hand him the slip. i look at the number and the ink is smudged from the sweat in my hands.

"he gave you his number?"

"yeah.. it's just to talk about business and stuff you know." i shrug. that is what he said so i'm not bullshitting.

"oh bullshit he wants you to call him." Spencer says tossing the paper back towards me, but i catch it before it can land on the ground.

i groan, "fine.. i'll go call him." i say getting up and walking to the phone booths which is down the hall from visitation.

there's a line. one person is ahead of me and all 3 phone booths are full.

great.

i look at my slip of paper and examine the 10 digits.

what am i gonna say? was my biggest concern. are we going to talk about trial? are we gonna have personal chats? who knows...

{A/N: hello it me

ye cliff hanger ig. i probably won't put the phone call in the next chapter bc it's not that important?

eh i'll figure it out.

don't forget to smile :D

~L <3 }