Jail Birds

Zero in a Dress

**Dylans POV

I walk back into my second home. Dreading it. My feet drag along with my body and it feels like I weigh over a thousand pounds. My stomach growls loudly.

"Hey kid. Quite an entrance am I right?" His voice echos from his stall and I freeze up in embarrassment. Was my stomach that loud?

Finnaly making my way up to his cell I say "Hey Zero."

He licks his lips to moisturize them. "Yo."

I take a deep breath. "I am so sorry for the other day."

"The whole liking me thing?" His words dance around my head. Going round and round playfully.

"Yea- I wasn't really in a good place. I met this dude and he wasn't too nice." I say as quiet as a mouse.

"What happened?" His tone changes and he has a more serious expression on his face.

"This guy. Jake Sprik." Saying his name makes me shutter and makes the back of my eyes sting. "He-" I turn away. "He kissed me." I say. The words barely making it out of my mouth before they float up into Zeros ears.

I turn to look back and I see a peircing knife through his chest. The look on his face tells a story. "You let him kiss you?"

"No. I tried to get him off of me-" the dam on my eyes break and tears start to flood out. My breaths are winning a running race and I cover my mouth. My eyes, squinted shut.

Zero is silent for a second. "What was his name again?" He grits out through his teeth.

"Jake Sprik." I whisper.

"Ok." He says colder than any night in my house.

-.-

After I finnaly calm down. He tells jokes. Knock knock joke after knock knock joke. All equally as bad but some make me laugh. His words dance around like hippies at a bin fire. They fill my ears with sweet nothings. Stress relievers and anxiety reducers.

"So you've lived in the same house your whole life?" He asks.

"Yep. Live on cherry street road. The only house that has two doors up front and a massive window in between. Maybe when you get out, you could come over." I laugh at that statement. It's an amazing thought but I think my dad would put a knife in my neck if I ever brought a boy over.

"Oh kid. I don't think I'm getting out for a long time. They didn't just accuse me of trashing a corner store. They brought up all my other crimes too. I'm I'll probably be in here til im thirty." He laughs.

I pause for a second. I never actully thought of the crimes he did. My face goes white. "Y-you didn't kill anyone did you?"

He looks at me with a blank expression. Suddenly, he busts out laughing, holding his stomach and kicking his legs. He laughs and laughs and laughs.

"Kid I'm a convict! Not a murderer! I've stolen, caused many public disturbances, and beaten some kids up who have hurt me or my friends. I'm not a goddam murderer." He heaves his last laugh and I just stand they're awkwardly. It kind of feels like deja vu.

"Hey kid, is it still cold outside?" He asks.

"Yea.. it's winter. Almost Christmas time. Why?"

"It's almost Christmas! What're you getting me?" He asks, his ears perked up like he's got my full attention.

"I wasn't going to get you anything!" I say. Obviously lying.

"Mmmmhm. And I'm a free blondie."

I laugh. "I think you would look absolutely stunning with long blonde hair."

"Yea! I think I'll get a perm too! Get a face full of makeup and a long summer dress!" He busts up laughing. Kicking his legs up in the air.

I let out a good laugh too. I don't think I could imagine Zero in a full face of makeup and long blonde permed hair and a dress... he might actually look good in a dress. I start to blush  at the idea. The image fits nicely in my brain. "I-I think you might actually look good in a dress." I mumble.

"You- I- what?" He asks. His face flushing red.

"Oh god! Did I say that out loud?!"  I sudder. 

"Yea I think you did." He strainly says. We both look away in embarrassment.

"Oh god. I'm so sorry." I say, petrified.

"Yea, me too."

"I think I'll just go-"

"Uhmm Uhh. Yea, i-if you want."

"Y-Yea. Bye!" I race out of there as fast as I can, hoping to god someone doesn't see me.

I run and suddenly I stop, I feels like a ran into a wall. I stumble back to reveal the same officer who took Zero into his cell the other day.

"Hello son. I'm officer Derrel." He helps me up from the ground.  "Say, aren't you the deputy's son?"

"Uhh yea I am. Why?"

"Well you looked sort of familiar." He lets out a laugh. "We're you just in the juivinal hall talking to Ma-"

"No! No. I wasn't talking to Zero at all! I mean-"

"Is there something going on between you two? Becuase if you think that you're sneaky, slipping into the hall almost every day. You're not. I leave it unlocked becuase ever since you've came, the delinquent has been higher in spirits. And hell, when hes in good spirits, he's so much eiser to take care of."

"Uhhh." I have nothing to say. "Yea I have to go." I dart out the door.

-.-

I get home, sighing in relief that my dads black truck isn't here.

"Hey mom, I'm home!"

I walk into the kitchen to see Karen passed out on the table. An empty wine bottle tipped over, a few stains surround it. I look down to her and it seems that she's out cold. I jog to the living room and get the blanket floded neatly on the couch. I bring it back to the passed out mother figure and wrap a blanket around her. Making sure it's secure before I go to the fridge and pull out some cold pizza from the other night.

After microwaving it. I pull the two slices out and head to the dining room table, across from Karen.

I think about the day I had today and how funny Zero was today. How he made me feel better with jokes. Suddenly, another though weaves itself into my brain.

Zero in a dress.