Innocent

Chapter 5: Confession

“We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.”

-Kurt Vonnegut

     Four Years Later:

          I stayed completely still, as I waited for my opponents to make their next move. Nate, the man to my left, I knew was bluffing. Amari, the man to right, had folded. So that left only one option, Sean. Sean looked at me, his old eyes filled with mad delight. He thought he was going to win. Oh, how wrong he was. I fiddled with the key on my necklace, as I waited, for the old man to make the next move. The prison lunchroom was silent, guards and prisoners alike, they were all waiting to see who would win. "You know, Isabelle, you play a good game of poker, but even you can't beat a four of a kind." He smiled at me superiorly, Nate folded instantly and Sean went in to take his money that was laid out on the table. I stopped him. "Na-uh, old man. I haven't folded yet." I put down my cards. Royal Flush. A truly unbeatable hand. The crowd gasped. Sean, the unbeatable King of Poker had finally been beaten. I snatched my prize money. It was five hundred dollars in cash. But all prisoners knew that in each bill there is a secret bank account written that usually holds about five million dollars. Surprising, I know, but this was maximum security prison, and all the people played for big money. I had gotten five hundred dollar bills, all with a bank account, meaning I had about twenty-five million dollars in some off-shore bank account.

        I smiled at the look of shock on Sean's face. Lunch had just finished and the guards were calling everyone to the yard, where we would spend our two hours outside. Everyone knew that in the sixteen years, Sean had been in this prison, he had never been beaten. No one had ever come close, until now. I walked to the edge of the fence, where I looked around to make sure no one saw me. I flipped the latch on my pearl ring, and felt the familiar vibrating on my arm, as I waited for Thomas to pick up. I heard slight static over the call, and then heard the familiar,

"Hello?" I grinned as I heard my friend over the line.

"Hey, Thomas." I replied, speaking into my arm, which was by far the oddest sensation ever.

"Izzy, I have been expecting you." He said jokingly.

"Of course, you have been expecting me, I call you everyday at the same time!" I exclaim, laughing at our little prison inside joke.

"Really?! I had no idea!" Thomas said, sarcastically.

"So has anyone visited you?" Thomas said casually through the transmitter.

I could feel the smile fall off my face. "No, Thomas my parents have not visited me."

"Have you sent them anymore letters?" Thomas questioned.

"No I told you. I wrote them a letter every single day for a year. They never once responded, or visited me. Thomas, they left me here to rot and you know it." I said in a sour tone. After all these years, my parents were still a sore subject.

"I know. Izzy. It's hard." Thomas replied back in a pitiful tone.

I stiffened, I didn't want his pity. I was perfectly fine, I told myself.

"Guess what, Thomas?! Guess What?!" I said excited, desperate to change the subject.

"What?" He gave in, probably sensing my discomfort.

"I won a poker game! I beat Sean!" I replied happily.

        I was suddenly interrupted by Emilia one of my prison friends. "Hey Isabelle, there is a man who looks like an FBI Agent is here to see you. He's checking in right now, with Sally at reception. What do you want me to do?" Emilia said in a hushed tone, clenching her fists and preparing herself for a fight. I smiled lazily at her, and grinned. "What do you want to do?" I questioned. Emilia smiled at me slightly and asked politely, "Can I beat an FBI Agent up? Please. I won't kill him." Emilia begged, her brown eyes pouting madly. I couldn't help but smile at her. "No Emilia you cannot beat up a FBI Agent when you're in prison." I scolded her. "Can you distract him, Emmy? Just for a few more minutes?" She nodded and headed towards reception.

"Thomas you can speak now." I whispered, looking around to make sure no one was listening.

"Izzy, what's going on?" Thomas spoke through the receiver.

"There is an FBI Agent here to see me. I don't know what he wants, I have one of my friends distracting him..." I looked over to see a prison guard coming my way. "I have to go, I will call you. Bye."

        "Izzy! Wait be careful..." I quickly pressed the button, to cut the line off. Then I flipped the pearl. The prison guard came my way, he motioned for me to stand up. He ran a hand for his tousled brown hair and cuffed me. "What's going on, Lucas?" I whispered, to the guard as he walked me through the prison and into the reception area."I don't know, Izzy. This FBI Agent is here and he is fighting with the warden over custody of you. Trust me Izzy, the warden is not giving in." I couldn't help but smile. Everyone knew that the warden was like a father-figure to me.

        "Do we know what he wants?" I asked.

        "No. But Emilia is distracting him." Lucas grinned and pressed the button on the elevator. The elevator, clicked open it's squeaky hinges hesitant to let me in. Lucas and I both entered the building. "How exactly is she doing that?" I questioned. 

        Lucas laughed a little, "Apparently, Emilia claims to have known him in a past life, and they were lovers." I burst out laughing. I could already imagine it. The elevator door opened. It was time to see what this FBI Agent wanted.