Page 33 of The Freshman

“I don’t thinkso.”

“You’re in your freshmanyear. It’s all about having fun and not thinking of theconsequences. Stop being a do-gooder.”

Alfie narrowed his eyes and pulledback his lip. “I hate you.”

Nate sighed and pinched the brow ofhis nose. “No, you don’t. That’s the problem…”

Alfie shook his head.

Nate laughed, lifted his chin, andremoved his gaze from Alfie and attached it to the gate. It wasdismissive, and he strolled forward, knocking Alfie to theside.

Alfie balled his hand into a fist andlashed out, faster than his brain could process and when it did, itwas too late. He knew how to punch, had needed to in some of thefoster homes, but he had never hit anyone as hard as he hit Nate.It was one punch, and his fist rebounded back stinging.

Nate didn’t stumble back. His facedidn’t even jolt at the contact. He stayed statue still, and theonly evidence of the punch was Nate’s lip. A red line grew, seeped,and then leaked droplets from Nate’s chin.

Time moved in slow motion as Alfiewatched Nate bleed in front of him. The wound he had caused on thecocky man’s face dribbled, leaving a trail of red dots on Nate’st-shirt.

Both gates clanged open, and Alfieheard footsteps rushing to him. Even with them running, he doubtedthey were going to get to him in time.

Alfie scrunched his face and raisedhis hands to cover himself. Nate was going to kill him anddefending himself was futile, but he didn’t want to die lookinglike he accepted it.

No punch came at him, and the nexttime Alfie opened his eyes, Nate was pinned to the wall by the twoofficers. He didn’t look at Alfie. Even when they dragged him awayhe didn’t shoot back a venomous glare.

Alfie clutched his hair and gasped. Helooked down at the red on the floor, and wiped his shoes againstthe splodges, wanting them to be gone, wanting the moment to havenever happened. He hit Nate. He lashed out and lost it because hecouldn’t control the swirl of confusion in his head.

The door to Ryan’s office swung open,and Alfie flashed a look at his senior officer.

“What justhappened?”

Alfie couldn’t speak, only just hadenough power over himself to reclaim his jaw and shut it. He hadfucked up big time.

Chapter Nine

Alfie took a tentative step into theoffice. His legs felt weak, and he grabbed for the back of thechair to keep him up. “I just punched Nate Mathews in theface.”

Ryan widened his eyes and opened andcloser his mouth a few times before recovering. “That—that is aserious breach of protocol.”

Alfie shook his head and stared at thescuffed carpet. “I know. I—I don’t know what to say. I can’tbelieve I did it.”

Ryan frowned. “Neither can I. Are yousure?”

“I punched him in theface.”

Ryan flicked his chin at the chair andcircled behind the desk. “Was it self-defense?”

Alfie managed to move one foot infront of the other and sunk down on the wooden chair. He stared atthe etchings in the desk. The word ‘Wanker’ was carved in the top.Henry had told Alfie a prisoner had done it, but Alfie thought itwas more likely a colleague.

“Alfie!”

“No, I just... I lostit.”

He dragged his eyes off the worn deskand looked at Ryan. He expected to see disgust and disappointment,but instead Ryan wore an expression of curiosity. He rubbed at thestrip of hair on his chin, staring into space.

“You hit Nate Mathews andhe didn’t hit you back.”

“No, the two guys on thegates got there first.”

Ryan nodded. “You’ll have to thankthem. If Dave and Mike weren’t there I doubt you’d still bebreathing.”

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