Convict

15.

We laid side by side for the rest of the afternoon/evening. We didn't speak much, he draped his arm over me and pulled me into his chest. I couldn't stop the helpless feeling, the tightness in my chest as we laid there. I had failed him, I had failed. I had broken the promise I made him. Not only had I failed to get him his freedom but his life had once again been cut shorter, his date was set a month earlier and if that wasn't bad enough he would only be celebrating his thirtieth birthday the day before he was due to be executed. Life really could be cruel, it opened my eyes to how wrong the system really was. They were allowing an innocent man to be put to death.

The lock on the door beeped and the pair of us sat straight up, I moved to the end of the bed and rest with my back against the wall while he sat crossed legged with the covers over his legs. I looked at the door and saw Henry walking in, he looked at me and gestured that I leave the cell. I looked at Oliver and told him that I would see him tomorrow, he nodded and I left. Henry closed the door as I did leaving them both in there.

I walked towards my office and unlocked it, I closed the door behind me and slumped to the floor. I stared ahead of me, I couldn't force myself to move, I wanted so desperately to leave this place. I wished that I had gone ahead with my plan and decided to move away, I wished I had saved myself the heart ache I was feeling now. I had failed so immensely, not only at what I promised but I had failed myself in letting myself slowly fall for him. I was stupid enough once again to let my heart take the reins, Oliver was right. We really were living our own Romeo and Juliet; only our version had a such a different ending, one of us die while the other lived on. Trying to put the pieces back together from her failure.

I wished mom was here, I wished I could go to her. I wished I could hug her and cry whilst she ran her hand over my back soothing me, telling me that everything was going to be okay as long as we had each other. I needed her more than anything, I needed my mom. Instead I had a Dad who was becoming more twisted than half the inmates here and my Brother who was distancing himself more from me every day. If she was here would this be happening? Would I be working here? Would Ashton and I still be together? Would he have cheated on me? Would Dad treat Oliver with the same disrespect now? Would he be so evil?

"Everything happens for a reason" I whispered to myself "I am supposed to work with him for a reason"

I thought that reason was to free him, to prove his innocence. Clearly that wasn't the reason fate had sent me to him. Then why? What was my reason for being with him? To know that I was going to fall hopelessly in love with him, that I was going to break my own heart once again? Did I deserve this?

How could I deserve this?

I stood then and walked over to my desk, I pulled my phone out of my bag and gasped at the time. It was past nine, Oliver hadn't been pulled away for dinner or any of his usual routine. I put my phone back in my bag and sat down in my chair, I stared at my desk. Dad knew that the feelings between Oliver and I were less than plutonic, but how could he know that?

I sat there consumed in my own thoughts before Henry stepped into the office, he gave me a small smile and stood on the other side of the desk. He looked down at the broken memory stick and sighed before speaking to me "What's going on Chloe? Why did you really want to prove his innocence"?

"What do you mean?" My voice came our hoarse from the crying

"I came in" He said quietly whilst looking at the door, I felt my heart sink before he carried on "You were both asleep, laid together on the bed"

I swallowed hard "Henry noth-"

He cut me off "I'm not going to run off and tell Dad, I can't stand what he is doing to- never mind, just don't let dad catch you"