Rehabilitation

Jailhouse Talk

"Hey, watch what you're- whoa. Hold on. Heather Chandler?!"

"...She must have been the one they were talking about earlier."

Chandler looked up from her seat in the holding cell, surprised to see two of her classmates on the other side of the door.

A policeman Chandler hadn't seen before unlocked the door, and urges Rich and Jake in. Jake is leaning on Rich, wincing whenever his leg has to hit the ground. Right, he was the one in the wheelchair.

"What are you two doing here?" Chandler hissed, making sure to keep her tongue out of sight.

"Caught on the scene of crime," the policeman answered. "Same as you."

"I called the crime in!" Chandler argued.

"So did I!" Jake added.

"You can't serious think we're murders," Rich scoffed. The policeman rolled his eyes and left without saying anything. Chandler watched as Rich gently set Jake on the bench beside Chandler. Chandler stood up.

"What a-."

"Rich," Jake hissed. "We really should piss them off."

"Why not?!" Rich cried. "They arrested us without proper evidence-."

"They wouldn't give me a lawyer," Chandler added quietly. Rich waved his hand in her direction to acknowledge her.

"-And they roughed you up for practically no reason!" Rich finished.

"Yeah, but-."

"Don't tell me you agree with them-."

"I don't," Jake said, firmly. "But the police probably don't like teenagers in the first place, and once they realize where we're from they'll like us a lot less. Just go along with what they say, and everything will mostly be alright."

Chandler scoffed. "Well, it's not like we actually did anything. They have no right to do this!"

"They won't stop them from doing it," Jake sighed. "Just... do as they say. Don't make this any worse."

Chandler and Rich opened their mouths simultaneously, probably to argue more, but the look on Jake's face shut them up. Chandler didn't know him too well, but she had heard that his parents were in trouble with the law. He probably knew what he was talking about.

So Chandler swallowed her complaints and arguments and sat down again, beside Jake. Rich seemed to have the same idea as her, and sat down on the other side of Jake. It was a tight squeeze.

It was funny, Chandler thought. Two months ago she would have been complaining and whining and would have not, in ANY circumstances, let herself be arrested. Maybe that dumb school was doing something to her.

Chandler sighed as she turned to look out at the police walking in front of the cell. It was a shame that no one else could see that change.