nightshift //minizerk//

22

Simon's POV:

Hours begin to feel like days, waiting for Josh to come back. Tobi told me about how he had a complete meltdown the previous night, and all I really want is to see him, to make sure he's alright. Especially since I'll never get that chance again.

It's around lunch time when he finally shows up. I make my way down the hall to the cafeteria, a guard either side of me. I hate being constantly accompanied by these guys. It makes showering and pissing all the more awkward. As soon as the handcuffs are removed from my bandaged wrists, I rush to the table where all my friends are. Including Josh.

I settle down beside the raven-haired boy and throw my arms around him. He doesn't say anything, but I feel his weight resting against me and his arms around me. I can see Vik grinning out the corner of my eye, and I roll my eyes. After a short while, I pull away from Josh. He gives a small smile and rests his head on my shoulder as I turn to face the others, ignoring the prying eyes and hateful stares from various inmates. I stopped caring ages ago.

I let out a short sigh. Vik is still grinning. So is Josh. And Ethan. And Lux. And Rita. And Callum? I frown as the guard sits down beside Lux. ''What?'' I ask, beyond confused. Vik giggles quietly, and Callum looks around before locking eyes with me. ''You're not leaving,'' he says in a hushed voice. I frown. ''W- how come?'' I ask, also lowering my voice. Josh speaks up this time. ''Cal and I were looking up the laws surrounding this kind of thing. They aren't allowed to move you until you've passed a sort of evaluation thing that says you're fit to do so. In his case, they have to prove you're mental enough to be sent there. So you just have to prove that you're sane,'' Josh speaks rapidly, but I take every word in.

''But I'm not sane, am I?'' I say, not even bothering to lower my voice this time. I feel like I've said the wrong thing as the table falls silent. Come to think of it, if I'm addressing the fact that I'm insane, am I really insane? Hell if I know. ''I hope that's not news to anyone...'' I mumble, resting my elbows on the table and resting my head in my hands. ''You are sane. Or... you're close. This is our only chance to stop you from being sent away...'' Vik says quietly. I shrug. He doesn't know the things I've done. The staff here do. I glance to Josh, but he's already left. I rest my head on the cold table, waiting. For what, I have no idea.

Somehow, I've wound up back in my cell. But it doesn't feel the same. It is the same, though. I look up as I hear the key shifting in the lock, and smile slightly as Josh slips in, closing the metal door behind him. ''You all good?'' he asks quietly, slumping down against the wall beside me. I shrug vaguely. ''I'm as bad as it gets. What about you?'' I say bluntly, and I can see Josh rolling his eyes. ''Shit, but that doesn't matter,'' he says, in an offhand manner. ''Wrists,'' he mutters, and I hesitate before rolling up his sleeves and offering him my wrists. I sit in silence as he takes out the stitching, only breaking to let out a yelp when he pulls out the knotted end. I study my two wrists, both with thin scars around them and bright red dots of blood either side where the stitches were. He mumbles something under his breath as he re-bandages my wrists, and then settles back down. We spend hours just sitting silently, thinking.

I frown as I hear the cell opening again. ''W-'' I sit upright as I see who it is. Ethan and Vik, accompanied by Harry and Tobi. My frown turns into a grin and I turn to shake Josh awake. He slowly comes to, and soon enough he also has a small smile etched onto his face. ''To what do we owe the pleasure?'' I ask as the four close the cell door behind them. Harry sits down beside me. ''Gunpowder, treason and plot,'' he says with a snicker, and I see Tobi roll his eyes. ''We have a plan. To stop you being sent away,'' the chocolate skinned boy explains. Josh seems to come to attention at this. ''Explain.''

''Basically, they have to do a sort of test before you leave, to find out if you even need to be sent away. If you prove you're sane enough to stay, then you'll stay. Simple as,'' Tobi says, smiling slightly. Vik and Ethan have fallen asleep beside Josh, who is sat in silence, grinning. So is Harry. I nod slowly as Tobi runs me through everything. ''What will it be like?'' I ask, and he shrugs. ''All I know is you have to be evaluated by someone who works here, someone who works in the place you're going to, someone with a medical degree and one of the officals. I guess Harry fills two of those positions, and my boss will be present, but I have no idea who else will be there, or what you'll have to do,'' he says. I frown. ''Yikes. And what happens if I fail?'' I ask cautiously. Tobi looks grim. ''They'll send you away just like that. So do try your best, for everyone's sake. You've been so close for so long, to being passed as sane. It's about time you proved it to people who can actually give you your freedom.'' I fold my arms around me knees, glancing at the two sleeping boys. ''They're close too, Simon. Loads of you are. If you just try, you'll be out in no time...'' Harry speaks up. I glance to him and he gives me a reassuring smile. Which is all I need at the moment, really.

I notice that we've been awake way into the night, plotting and planning. I guess it makes sense, since we can't afford to be caught. And that's why we all panic when we hear footsteps drawing closer and closer. Shit.

a/n: gonna stop putting speech in italics because its fucking annoying. love yall c: