The two of us - Nichorello

11. Truth

<Nicky's POV>

<still flashback> 

Determined I knocked on the wooden door, expecting for the tiny brunette to appear. Instead my eyes met his. 

"Hello, what can I do for you?" he said grinning. All my facial expressions dropped as my gaze fell on the white towel wrapped around his torso. My conscious told me to breathe, not jump to immediate conclusions I would later regret. I inhaled slowly trying to recollect myself. Maybe he was just a friend, or the boyfriend of her roommate. He looked gay anyway, he could be her gay best friend. Angry at my own thoughts I clenched my fists. 

"I'm looking for Lorna. Lorna Morello," I exclaimed monotonously, trying to look at his eyes. 

"She's in the shower right now," he smirked devilishly, the way I smirked when I just laid a chick. My eyes began to water as I realised that he was no imaginary projection of my mind but her actual- 

"Who are you anyways?" He asked, pulling me out of my thoughts. As I realised that I was still in the middle of an conversation, I suppressed my tears and swallowed the lump in my scratching throat. 

"I'm an old friend. Who are you?" I encountered hoping that he wouldn't notice my shivering hands and my loud heartbeat that was escalating inside my chest. 

"I'm Lorna's" he grinned before saying:" boyfriend". His cocky yet shy smile would have upset me if the "Who is it honey?" that emerged from the bathroom hadn't already completely broke me. 

<flashback ends> 

The same dark brown eyes were now looking at Lorna who was embracing the childish man with a hug. "Vinnie," she whispered laying her head on his shoulder. The gesture almost looked silly since he wasn't much taller. All eyes were laying on the couple as Lorna turned around once again and said to Caleb: "Caleb, this is Vinnie my fiancé." Caleb smiled awkwardly, shaking Vinnies hand, remorse printed all over his face. After a few moments Lorna realised the rest of us sitting at the table and slowly introduced everyone to him. I couldn't help but relive that moment, exactly like I did every night for the past five years. 

Lorna hesitated a moment, debating whether to introduce the two of us as Vinnie said: "Hey, I know you!" My heart skipped a beat as I realised in what a dangerous situation I was in right now, so I immediately said: "We haven't met yet." 

"Yes, of course. You are the old friend of Lorna that just disappeared suddenly, remember it was five years ago? At Lorna's dorm?" He asked as if I couldn't remember the worst day of my life.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Vause gasp as she realised that Vinnie was the guy. I remember the look in Vause's eyes as we drove home in the car. The whole way she had held my hand that was shivering whilst the life in my eyes slowly disappeared. 

"You're mystery girl?" Lorna's eyes widened. 

"No, I don't know what this guy is talking about. I've never seen him before. Who the fuck are you?" I exclaimed angrily, Logan and Caleb sensing my discomfort. As my palms where becoming sweaty and I was intensely thinking about an excuse to return to prison (who would've thought I'd say that) Logan got up and started yelling like a mentally crazy person.

"If my friend here says she doesn't know you, then she doesn't, pimp! Do you understand?" He looked down on Vinnie who instinctively ducked. The guards immediately pushed the two guys out of the room and handcuffed both Vause and me whilst Caleb and Lorna were standing there frozen and oblivious to the whole situation. Vause, Morello and I were all pushed back into the cells without being able to say goodbye to any of our visitors. 

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"It's him, isn't it?" She asked and her green puppy eyes stared at me intensly. How could you lie to such a face? 

I nodded in agreement unable to gather my thoughts into a complete sentence. A while she held my hand just the way she did on our way back that day. As my neck stiffened from the uncomfortable position, laying on her shoulder, I got up. 

"I don't really wanna talk about it. Can we just forget about this bullshit? I'm outta here in a month anyway," I scoffed, trying to overplay the incident. Luckily, Vause nodded in agreement, leaving me alone with my thoughts. 

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"Hey," her soft hands nudged me as she took a seat beside me, keeping a safe distance between us. The dark clouds and pouring rain were so depressing that almost everyone was sitting in their bunks voluntarily, leaving me and Lorna alone in the dark. The fresh breeze was so cold, making me shiver a bit. Still, I enjoyed the quiet calmness out here, where only in moments like these, the rain slowly soaking my uniform, my skin covered in goosebumps, I actually felt a sense of freedom in prison. 

"The only place where one can feel free isn't it?" she mumbled softly, clearly preparing herself for a question. I nodded, avoiding eye contact and stared into the black woods, so dark that you couldn't even see the fence from here. 

"What do you want?" I asked, trying not to sound too rude. 

"What happened in there earlier?" She gestured towards the prison complex, referring to the incident in visitation room. 

"I don't know. Logan and Caleb came to visit and suddenly everyone started yelling." I hated lying to Lorna, but I couldn't tell her the truth. She wouldn't understand. 

"But-" I interrupted her: "I should go inside, it's getting really cold." 

In a quick movement a got up and rushed inside, feeling the stare of Lorna's disappointed look stinging in my back.