Deadlock || ᴠᴍɪɴ

Chapter 6

After lunch, they went through a lock-up and roll call. When the cell doors were opened again, the block resumed its usual chatter. Countless voices, footsteps, music, and sounds from the television melded together into one familiar din that filled the whole building.

Jimin was washing his hands at the sink. While he was at it, he looked into the mirror and casually swept his hair back. His overgrown hair and beard were, admittedly, starting to look unattractive.

“Lennix, no use in preening and getting your hopes up. Tonya’s a faithful one. Not gonna happen.”

Jimin looked blankly at V’s reflection behind him in the mirror.

“What’s not gonna happen?”

“I understand. You’re starting to miss women. I know how you feel, but I wouldn’t go near her if I were you. She’s not someone you can handle.”

V appeared to be under the mistaken impression that Jimin was visiting Tonya out of some ulterior motive. It offended Jimin enough to make his temper rise.

“Stop being an idiot,” he snapped. “That’s not why I’m going to see her.”

V ignored his protests and nodded sagely. “No need to get defensive,” he said. “I won’t deny it – Tonya’s beautiful. No one’s to blame for feeling that way. She pulls it off so perfectly looks-wise, you couldn’t tell her from any other woman.”

“I told you it’s not like that,” Jimin said shortly. “―What, are you jealous? Because a newcomer like me got invited?”

“No, unfortunately, because I’ve also been invited to Tonya’s cell. So we might as well go together. You don’t need to ask Micky. I’ll escort you to Block C instead.”

Jimin hastily trailed after V as the man strode swiftly out of the cell. He had no idea what was happening.

“So you’re going to visit Tonya, too? Are you friends with her?”

“Close enough to get invited to the occasional tea party. I hardly go, but this time Tonya asked me to come with you.”

Jimin could see why the sisters would be all over a handsome guy like V, but what surprised him more was that V had agreed to the invitation. When Jimin told him so, V gave a wan smile.

“I just thought it’d be a pity to let an ignorant little boy like you go all by yourself. The sisters’ tea party is more horrifying than you can imagine.”

Jimin felt a sudden creeping fear at V’s threatening remark. What if he were to get attacked by the sisters and stripped naked the moment he set foot inside Tonya’s cell? No, that was going too far, even for them, he told himself.

Matthew came running up to them when they descended onto the ground floor.

“Jimin, V! Where’re you guys going? Tonya’s place? Can I come? Take me with you!”

“No,” V said flatly. “No uninvited guests allowed.”

Matthew pouted.

“I’ll ask if you can come next time,” Jimin reassured him. With that, he and V left Block A together.

“I don’t know if the kid is starting to get used to prison, but he’s starting to let his guard down too much. I saw him walking with a chicano inmate the other day.”

“What’s wrong with that? Can’t he talk to a chicano?”

“I didn’t say that. But the whole group is restless and irritated lately because Libera hasn’t been released from solitary.”