Pete Kowalski always thought of prison visits as the things you saw in movies. Looking at your loved one across a thick glass screen, talking to them through a phone in your cubicle. He wasn't expecting such an open area, what looked like his school cafeteria. He scanned from seat to seat looking for Gary, not noticing the grabbing hand of the security guard to his left.
"Kid, I need your security pass. Kid."
And there he was, the table at the far side of the room. Gary Smith, the boy who deceived an entire faculty; Gary Smith, the boy who turned a school into a civil war; Gary Smith, the boy with the scar. Now as Pete looked at him, he was none of those things. He was actually kind of... sad. It was obvious whatever food they served here, Gary didn't eat it. On top of being-
i need that pass kid, that pass
-so thin, patches of his hair looked like they'd been pulled out.
It's certain Gary wouldn't succumb to being anyone's bitch, so suffice to say he pulled that out. Jesus, Gary. You're really not-
"Dammit, man, I need your pass!"
The ferocity of this statement tripped Pete from his thoughts. The look he was given was one of great impatience, and Pete dug the pass out of his pocket and gave it to the guard without hesitation. The guard gave him a slight push along, getting to the next person in line.
Pete crept his way past crying mothers and spouses, making his way to that sad boy on the far side of the room. And when that same boy noticed Pete coming his way, Pete stopped. Gary rolled his eyes, and Pete walked the rest of the way over and sat down across from him.
"Didn't think you really had the nads to come in here, femme boy. You know, you might fit in pretty well with my this crowd. They're gay, you're gay." Gary marveled at his own wit, letting out a chuckle. Normally this was common conversation between the two, but this seemed forced and awkward. There was a hint of pain beneath the surface of Gary's speech.
"Come on, Petey. You came here to talk, right? Or did you just miss my smiling face?"
"Sorry Gary. I'm not really.. used to this kind of thing."
"Well you could start out by asking how I'm doing."
"Sorry. How are you?"
Gary laughed again. "Thanks Petey. Oh, I'm super. The bed's are comfy, the food is immaculate, room service twenty-four seven. Great, great, great."
Pete couldn't help but smile a little. It never ceased to amaze him how Gary can keep his sarcasm through any situation. It's probably the only thing tying him to his sanity, at least Gary's version of sanity.
Truth is, Pete's been feeling a little crazy himself. Gary was his only friend, though a bad friend, and since he had crashed through that skylight, Pete hasn't been happy. He wanted the name calling, he wanted the constant beating, the constant homosexual innuendos. At least it was something. Gary had never called he and Pete friends, but it was something whispered under every insult.
Pete found himself hating Jimmy Hopkins. He took his only friend from Pete, and it made Pete angry, which was very uncommon. Maybe having Gary around caused Pete's good nature as well. But he hated Jimmy with everything that was left of him. Maybe as much as Gary. And isn't that why he was here, in this prison? Because he hated Jimmy Hopkins and he wanted him gone? Then it was time to move past the small talk.
"Gary."
"Yes femme boy?"
"About Jimmy..."