I took the steps two at a time to reach my cell. I figured that the sooner I started my little task, the sooner I could get it done. I walked down the aisle and stopped when I saw Tweener sitting in his cell. I leaned against the railing watching him. I had completely forgotten what I was supposed to do, and was focused on Tweener.
Two hands wrapped themselves around my waist and yanked me backwards. I let out a small squeal and was pulled into the cell. I was flung onto my bunk and I landed hard on my back. When I tried to sit up Abruzzi pushed me back down and was on top of me. He leaned in close to my face and held his knife inches from my cheek. He gently brushed it along the side of my face. For a while he didn't say anything and was just watching me breath heavily.
"What are you doing?" I said between breaths.
He cocked his head to the side and was just watching me for a little while. He was still brushing the knife back and forth along the side of my face.
"I was just curious Bella, when did you decide that you were going to backstab me?"
I shook my head back and forth like I didn't know what he was talking about. He drug the blade quickly across my face and it left a small scrape. I whimpered, but he returned the blade right under my eye.
"You knew for how long that there wasn't enough time for all of us, and you kept it from me. I can't help but think that you were plotting against me."
"John I swear I wasn't plotting against you. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I didn't think it would matter. Please don't do this."
He cocked his head to the side as if contemplating whether or not I was telling the truth, but then he slowly removed the blade from my skin. I exhaled an enormous breath and he got up off of me. I sat myself up towards the edge of the bed, and Abruzzi sat down next to me. He ran his hands over his face and the stubbles from where he shaved were starting to grow back.
"What's really bothering you?" I asked.
"One of us has to go Bella, and there is already four seats filled. That has me a little stressed out."
I reached my hand out and put it on his shoulder. I don't know why I was being so nice to a guy that probably would have killed me a few minutes ago.
"You don't have anything to worry about you know. Michael needs you for after the escape. I think it is a pretty safe bet that you are in on the escape."
He looked at me and gave me a brief smile. I could still tell though that something was bothering him. He reached over and picked up his knife sticking it in his shirt.
"What are you going to do with that?" I asked worried.
"Tbag is a problem," was all he said.
Speaking about the devil himself, I could hear his voice bellowing out below us. No matter how much I didn't want to, I needed to speak with him. I left the cell and was watching Tbag. He was talking to Westmoreland, but it clearly looked like Charles didn't want to talk. It was when Westmoreland shoved Tbag that I decided to step in.
"Hey cut it out," I said stepping in between the two guys.
Westmoreland quickly backed off, but Tbag stepped forward again. I put my hands on his chest to keep him from moving. He looked down at me and bit his lip. Westmoreland had already started walking away.
"Bow out old man," Tbag called after him.
"Why are you always making trouble?" I teased.
He smiled and lifted his hand in the air. He brushed his fingers along the scrape on my cheek. I shrugged my shoulders like it was nothing.
"Why did you do that today?" I asked.
He looked at me like he didn't understand, but I knew that he did. I hit him on the chest to show him that I was serious.
"I knew that I would be the one that everyone would want to boot, so I needed to get some leverage," he answered.
I raised my eyebrows at him to let him know that wasn't the answer I wanted. I folded my hands across my chest and stuck my hip out. He decided to answer once I started to tap my foot.
"Oh are referring to me throwing you under the bus earlier, Laneykins?"
"Why yes I would be. Do you want everyone in Fox River to hate me?"
He titled his head back and let out a laugh. I switched hips and was still waiting for some sort of explanation.
"Don't worry gorgeous, I could never hate you," he said.
Tbag then brushed he hair off of my shoulder and I flinched away. He cocked his head to the side and laughed at me again. I sucked in my cheeks and moved passed him. I shivered when I still heard him laughing. I stopped right in front of Tweener's cell.
He was writing in his notebook, but he looked up at me. I was looking back at him with an apologetic look. He sighed and signaled for me to come in the cell.
"Hi," I muttered.
He stood up and walked over to where I was standing. He didn't say anything, but place both of his hands on the sides of my face.
"I'm sorry I've been acting like a real jerk lately," he said.
I looked up at him and shook my head like he didn't need to apologize for anything. He just smiled like he was glad that I forgave him so easily.
"To be honest Laney you are the closet friend I have in this place," he admitted.
I rested my head on his chest for a few moments and was listening to his heartbeat. For a moment, I thought our heartbeats were beating to the same rhythm and it made me smile.
"Well to be honest, you are the closest person I have had in a long time."
I immediately felt guilty when those words came out of my mouth. I thought of Melanie and my father, but it didn't change how I felt about Tweener. It was just something I couldn't explain. I looked back up at Tweener and he was brushing my cheeks with his thumbs. It didn't really surprise me when he bent down to kiss me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and eagerly kissed him back. He moved his hands down to around my waist and we rocked from side to side. Our lips were still touching, but we were smiling at each other. It was moments like these that made me forget everything I was doing in Fox River.
