Hai doods, it's Orchid! I wrote this a while ago, but you see, I have a test coming to a theater near me, so I have to prepare for that. I am so so so so so sorrryyyyy for not updating sooner, I just have been really busy lately… big test next week. Huge. Test. Blehhhh.

If you have checked out my poem called All Alone, I am going to post another poem sometime sooner or later! Yes, All Alone was depressing-ish, but the next one is happier, confident!

QOTC: What is one of your weird habits? Mine is probably I always click pens closed or push back the lead on a mechanical pencil when I am done using them.

On to chappie vingt-neuf (20)!

Cynthia's POV

I pulled on a pair of skinny jeans and picked out a light blue shirt, then grabbed some floral converse. Finally I put on the fake glasses, hoping they would help hide me. My brother's surgery is tonight, and I promised him I'd be there, but now cops are after me.

But I promised Nick, I promised.

I went over to the closet and pulled out a small jar filled with coins and dollars. I had been saving all this up since I was 7. I dumped it onto the floor and frantically started counting.

The surgery costs 10,000 dollars.

I counted 2, 342.

I quickly gathered it all up and ran over to Nick's room and dumped out his blue piggy bank. 347 dollars.

That's a totally of 2,989 bucks. I have money in the bank, but only enough to pay for bills, Nick's school, and life needs. However, money seems to be less of a problem to the one I face tonight.

Visit Nick like I promised and risk being caught or run away so I won't go to jail. The choice is tearing me apart, piece by piece, minute by minute.

I promised Nick.

And I don't break promises.

I grabbed the jar of money and headed out to the car. If I am caught, I will pay what I can now, then I will go to jail, and when I get out, I will pay the hospital debt. I started the car and drove towards the hospital, sweating from the stress. What if they catch me, how long will I be in jail? What will happen to Nick?

I ignored the questions pondering my mind and kept going. When I got there, I checked in as fast as I could, worrying that he nurse would recognize me in some way. Luckily she didn't, so I headed down the hall looking down at my phone trying to divert attention, but I bumped into someone.

I looked up to see a man, my age, in jeans and a red flannel shirt.

Mitch.

"Ah! Sorry, my bad, I should have been watching where I was going- hey, do I know you?" He peered closer, studying my face.

"Um, no, I don't think you do, um bye!" I rushed speed walking down the hallway. But I think he did, because he came after me. He grabbed my elbow and I stopped, fear crawling up my spine.

"Cynthia." He growled. I yanked away from him and sprinted towards the door. I flew inside and slammed the door shut behind me. He will call the cops, he will, he willl, I know it.

"Cynthia!" A familiar giggled sounded. I looked up to see Nick sitting in the bed with his crazy curly read hair staring back at me. I smiled and walked over to the bedside.

"Why are you wearing glasses?" He asked.

"To make you laugh!" And he did. He had on oxygen and some other things, and the nurses were preparing to wheel him down to the surgery room.

"Hey, so after you're surgery, you are gonna stay with Rachel for a while, because I have to…go on a business trip, ok? Rachel will love to play with you!" I tried to sound positive, but the choking feeling in my throat rose.

"But I wanna be with you…"

"You know, I hear that her friends like super heroes, and video games!" A warm tear rolled.

"Really!? I like super heroes too!" He perked up, and a new interest shone in his green eyes. I nodded my head and smiled, more silent tears falling. I took his small hand in mine, and I looked up at him.

"Be brave." I whispered. Distant sirens wailed outside.

"Like Superman?" Footsteps pounding in the hallway. Closer, closer.

"Like Superman." The door swung open, revealing 4 police. Shock spread across the nurses' faces.

"Cynthia Ashton!" One shouted.

"Please, don't scare him, you can take me, but please don't tell him, please, he is just gonna stay with Rachel, hi cousin. Please, please…" I sobbed. They looked uneasily at each other, then shrugged their shoulders.

"Are those real police officers?" Nick gaped. The cops tried to stifle their laughs, and I couldn't help but smile. I stepped hesitantly towards Nick, and the cops tensed up, ready to fire if they had to. But they wouldn't have to.

I bent down and gently kissed Nick's forehead. The nurses had injected him with the sleeping shot, and his eyes were slowly closing.

"I love you, Nick."

"I'll be brave, Cynthia, I'll be brave, like Superman." He murmured sleepily before his eyes fully closed. The police stepped forward and grabbed me by the elbows and pulled my hands behind my back, but I didn't resist. I only sat there staring numbly at my brother.

I walked with me head down out the door, the police guarding me on all sides. We walked outside, and they shoved me into the back of the car.

How long will I be in jail?

What will Rachel say when she finds out she's taking care of Nick?

Will Nick ever forgive me when he's older?

I pushed the worries away and stared out the barred window. The other police car was driving behind us, but they soon pulled up next to us. For 10 minutes I watched the landscape go by, and then it disappeared as we went through a large stone wall.

I strained my neck to see the top, and I could barely see the bottom of barbed wire. Shivers ran down my spine. Once we were through the gates, which were very well guarded, we stopped at a parking place where we got out and headed into the large, stone building.

The inside was just as intimidating as the outside. There was a scary man at a wooden desk staring at a computer screen, and behind him there were hallways, filled with cells and shouts of prisoners.

"Name?" The man asked. His voice was gruff.

"Ashton, Cynthia." One police identified. The man clicked some things on his computer before speaking again.

"Ah. Charged with kidnapping, punishment, 7 years in prison. Cell 126." He finished.

7 years.

Not seeing anyone for 7 years.

I'm 19 now, when I come back, I'll be 26, when I see Nick again, he'll be 13…

A sob escaped my mouth, and the cops took the keys and led me to an elevator. We went up to floor 4, and there were 6 levels. I walked sullenly to cell 126, and they opened the metal bars and pushed me in. They closed it with a clang. I looked around.

Cell 126 was small, made of stone, with one little bed, but it had a tiny barred window on the back wall, giving me a view of the city. I was just tall enough to see out of it.

Cars ran around, I could see the Starbucks and Barnes and Noble, and I could see the trail that I liked to walk on. I watched life hurrying on around me until a familiar voice sounded across the hallway. I turned around to see who it was.

He had dark brown hair and dark green eyes. Loving, dark green eyes.

"Jay?" I gaped.

"Yeah, it's me. I got caught too, at the store. Josh isn't here though." He replied. I just stared, completely dumbfounded at him.

"How's Nick?" His words brought me back. I shook my head and walked over to the bars that separated us.

"He's in his surgery right now… I'm in debt, Jay, a huge debt of 7,011 dollars." I covered my face in my hands and sat down on the cold cement floor.

"Hey… it's ok. When we both get out of here in 7 years, I'll help you as much as I can pay off the debt." He murmured lovingly. I looked up at him, then stood up and banged my forehead on the wall.

"I wish I could kiss you, Jay, I really do, but I don't think we'll be able to for a while." I whispered.

"I wish I could hold you, comfort you, kiss you, be with you." He said back. Shiny tears shone in my eyes, but they did not fall.

"Jay?"

"Yes Cyn?"

"I…I love you."

"I love you too."

He went back to his small bed and lay down. I stumbled over numbly to my small window and watched as stars appeared. After about an hour of standing there, I moseyed on over to my bed and collapsed on the gray sheet. Only one thought ran through my head. His excited face. Beautiful red curls. Stunning peridot green eyes. Over and over and over again.

I'll be brave, Cynthia, I'll be brave, like Superman.