inmate 080898

Prologue

Willow's POV:

It was exactly three years ago, December 3rd, when my father received his 21 year sentence at the Northbranch Correctional Institution for aggravated assault and murder. I understand that he's still my dad, but what he did caused me to see him the way society sees him- a criminal.

My parents were never married and I've always lived with my mom. All my life, my family has been broken. My dad verbally abused my mom when I was young. While pregnant, she brought me and my brother, Luka, who was 8 months old at the time, to my Nanna's house. I was ecstatic when I found out my mom was having a baby, but became devastated when we found out she had a miscarriage. However, my mom stayed strong for me and Luka. There was a time when my parents were happy. My mind wanders to my parents' past relationship, but my thoughts are quickly interrupted by my younger brother Luka opening my bedroom door.

"Mom said be downstairs in 5 minutes or we're leaving without you."

I don't want to go, but I know my mom would drag me out of the house if I was ready or not. It's my second time and Luka's first time visiting our dad since he's been locked up. Personally, if I were my mom, I wouldn't have brought Luka. I personally don't think it's a good idea for Luka to be in that environment since he is only 9, but it's not my decision. I go downstairs and grab a bottle of water for the car ride, not knowing how long it will be and jog outside to the passengers side of the 2008 Kia Sedona. I put my headphones in my ears to block out any questions my mom or Luka could ask me, but it doesn't work.

"How's Peter doing?" my mom asks. I try ignoring her question, but she snatched the headphone out of my left ear.

"He's good" I say without emotion.

In all of my 17 years of life I have had one boyfriend. I never really cared to date until freshman year of high school when most of my friends started dating. His name was Peter and we 'dated' for two weeks. We figured out that dating was not for us and we would be better as friends. Ever since then, we've been inseparable and dating never crossed my mind.

"You know the new family that moved in down the street has a 17 year-old son. His name is Pablo and he looked pretty cute!" my mom rushes out of her mouth.

I appreciate that she cares, but I just don't want to be in a relationship. The gears in my brain freeze as we pull in to the visitors parking lot of the state penitentiary. I suddenly want to cry out of fear from the prisoners in this building and from seeing my dad on the other side of the glass, but I choose otherwise so Luka doesn't see how I really feel.

As I unbuckle my seatbelt and get out of the car, I think about my relationship with my father. When we all lived together, my dad and I were close. That's why seeing him will break my heart. I push my thoughts to the side as we walk in the visitors building and up to the front desk.

The receptionist is wearing a long sleeve navy colored dress with her hair pinned back in curls. Her wrinkly hands push the sign in sheet towards us and my mom grabs the pen to sign us in. Luka and I wait anxiously behind her as the receptionist stands up to lead us to the dreaded glass window. She leaves and I assume calls the guards to let my father know that he has visitors.

My knee is shaking and I can see my mom picking at her nails, a nervous habit of hers that Luka picked up.

I feel my eyes swell with tears as my father sits in the chair on the other side and grabs the phone. He starts to cry which causes tears to fall from my moms eyes as well. They still love each other, but their relationship was not healthy.

"Yolanda", he cries. "I've missed you so much! Why haven't you visited me?"

She presses her small hand against the glass and my fathers' soon follows after.

"You don't know how hard it is to see you and not be able to run into your arms that have protected me through all those years, but also hurt me."

I'm trying my hardest to hold back my tears, but nothing can distract from the view of my parents sobbing uncontrollably right in front of me.

As I reach below my chair to grab my purse, I can't stop the tears that begin to stream down my face. I quickly grab my purse and speed walk to the closest restroom. As I walk past the visitors on the way to the restroom, my eyes lock on a pair of amber colored ones. It feels as if time freezes. I'm startled by an older man asking for me to move out of way from the middle of the aisle. It's now that I realize the beautiful eyes that caused me to forget what I was crying about are on the other side of the glass.

"What kind of prisoner looks like THAT?" I ask myself.

I continue to the restroom with the image of the curly-haired prisoner in my head. After closing the door, I stare at my reflection and decide a little touch up of my cherry colored lipstick wouldn't hurt. I dry the remainder of my tears and restyle my curly brown hair.

I start walking towards where my family is and pass the man that I can't get my mind off of. Maybe visiting my dad won't be as bad as I thought.

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Hello readers! This is the end of the first chapter of inmate 080898. I hope you enjoy and I will try my best to upload as often as possible

x Carina