𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 - 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐎 𝐂.

𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 8

This time when i park outside the prison i stumble towards the main entrance, and the security guard doesn't stop me.

Death sentence 

Im hysterical, but i don't allow myself to cry. I run in the building and storm up to the front desk. "Back for Castano so soon?" the same man behind the desk glances back at the clock, bewildered. Its like 7 in the morning.

I ignore him and head straight to the elevator.

'Death Sentence '

Why did he not tell.

The correctional officer jolts up from his nap when i grab him by his meaty arm. " I need to see Mariano Castano, now."

𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐎'𝐒 𝐏𝐎𝐕

Z comes in with full force and barges my cell door open with a big crack.

I try to get myself all situated and stand up but she hurls herself into my arm, almost knocking the wind out of me as she buries her head into my chest and starts to cry.

I lean back into my bed and kiss the crown of her head, trying to suppress her cries. "shhh." i murmur rubbing her back slowly, in circles. She's still wearing my shirt. i breath deeply, drowning in her scent.

Im going to miss her when I'm gone.

Zara pushes away, i let my hands frame her face. her eyes are tired and red. She swallows and starts to speak, her tears covering her words with such thickness.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

𝐙𝐀𝐑𝐀'𝐒 𝐏𝐎𝐕

Silence rises over us.

"I don't want you to be sad Z." Mar finally says.

"no." choke out, i wish this was a joke. I just want him to burst out of laughter and say it was a prank. That he was just joking. But his eyes lower there gaze. "tell me this is a joke, please say this is a fucking joke." i choke out.

He pulls me in for a hug again , i turn my face into his chest, around his sternum. My tears soaking in his shirt.

"I killed people." i glance up at him as he begins to speak. he stares at me with such glassy eyes.

"7 months ago i was admitted into this facility to wait out my trial for manslaughter. The court sent me a death sentence a couple weeks ago," he says emotionless, "They called you in to council me because the thought i wouldn't be able to dealt with it. Im charged with murder on 5 accounts ." Mariano states.

I swallow,Hard.

"Her name was Cleo, she was the captain of the cheer team. We were  going two years strong. i loved her."

My heart picks up speed.

"i had a best friend, he and i when way back, around pre-school years. His name was Sammy. He was the closest friend i had other than my brother. We played on the schools soccer team. We planned on getting into the same university by replying on on scholarships,"

"Cleo and i, we talked a lot about the future. We were serious as a couple. I never could imagine loving someone as much as her, it was impossible. But she fucked Samy. She fucked him behind my back. She fucked my best friend," 

Mar's voice breaks.

" The next day, I found them in the schools science lab, fooling around. I straight up confronted Sammy , he fought back, hard. i was injured and he had the upper hand, i got so mad that i-"

he stops with a brief pause, and continues.

"My hands found there way to a staple and i stabbed him, multiple time. Blood was everywhere all over the floor, on my hands ,"

i glance over to him, and interlock my hands with his and signal for him to continue.

"Cleo was screaming, she brought a gun from out of her bag in her hands. It was a glock, like an actual glock. Her dad was a cop and he always told her to carry it around wherever she went. She threatened to shoot me if i moved,"

"I lunged forward and tried to stop her, we struggled and fumbled. The trigger went off once and her body fumbled to the ground. Cleo was screaming and crying, blood seeping from the corners of her lips,"

"she forced terrible noises from her mouth, from the back of her throat she was choking on her own blood. She cried for me to help her, so i gave her what she needed at the moment."

Mariano's hand  slides from my thigh, i watch him curl his fingers and points to his temple. He presses the tip of his index finger to his temple, imitating a gun.

"i shot her," he smiles with a somewhat pained smile, his voice altering as his eyelashes flow with tears, "I shot her here."

I close my eyes and my head stops spinning, I imagine him shooting the one and only girl he loved.

I imagine him stabbing his friend in spite, but his arms are around me. I shiver.

"i ran home scared and delirious, my mama saw my clothes were all bloody  and the glock in my hand. She called the police," he says squeezes his eyes shut and gasps for leisure to breathe. "I shot all of them, my mother, my father, my brother, and my sister."

there was a pause, long and silent.

" but a family friend was living with us at the time, Mattia. He escaped, but I've haven't seen him in months, till a few a few weeks ago in court. The trial where they passed my death sentence. I assume that will be my last time seeing him before it all happens."

Mariano pulls away from me and rubs his hand along the concrete walls. I squint, my eyes adjust to the darkness and then i see them.  

Tally marks. The whole wall is lined with them.

"i have one month and  a couple of days left, the next inmate to come in here is gonna think 'man, this dude was counting the days of freedom.' but really I'm counting 7 months to my death,"

"If you still love me, i want you to forget abut my last month," he says tucking a strand of hair behind my ear and attempting to crack a small smile, "We can make everyday count, I understand if you don't anymore," he blinks.

"its never too late to leave me," he whispers.

"i didn't even want a fucking councilor in the first place, we shouldn't have met," Mariano slams his fist into the wall, i jump. " Honestly, Zara, i don't know why i love you so much. Before i had met you i was perfectly fine with dying, nothing to worry about, and then you walked right into my life and-,"

i had nothing to say, in all i was just shocked.

"You changed me Z, you really did. I find myself doing anything to spend free time with you, to express how i feel. I find myself changing for you,"

"And now that i met you, i don't wanna die.." Tears streak down his face, "I'm scared of dying Z, i don't wanna lose this."

Mar slides his hands over to mine, just like i did his during the first session. and intertwined them. "Im scared," he heaves  and sobs.

"every single day passing means one less day I get to spend with you," he coughs ," and I'm scared of that."

mar ducks his head, "i think its better you leave me , than i leave you."

i bolted from his cell and bite my cries away.

I left him.