Page 69 of The Freshman

“No, stay out,” Natesnapped. “Stay out if you know what’s good for you.”

There were red lines in the whites ofhis eyes, and his nose twitched erratically. It wasn’t the Nate ofa week ago, but the one in the file, the one Alfie had always beentoo scared to know. This version of Nate looked like he could killand enjoy himself while he did it.

“Behave,” Mike saidfirmly. “Otherwise we won’t be going anywhere.”

Nate fixed his gaze forward, but hisbody stayed tense, and he flared his nostrils as hebreathed.

Alfie slid in beside him, wishing hecould be anywhere but in a car with Nate. This wasn’t the Nate thathad panicked and shown concern. He blazed with anger.

In the space of a week, something hadchanged. Alfie had ignored his calls and avoided work to get hishead together. It seemed in that week Nate had also sorted his headout and decided he didn’t want Alfie anymore.

“I don’t want this screwnext to me.”

Alfie stared at the side of Nate’sface, then dropped his gaze to his lap. In the ‘us and them’ Natehad put him on the opposing side, separated them from each other.Alfie’s gut sloshed with unease, and his eyes felt hot andstinging. He had taken too long stalling, too long thinking aboutwhat was right and wrong, and Nate didn’t want himanymore.

“Erm, Alfie door…” Davesaid.

“Yeah, throw yourselfthrough it, knock yourself out on the pavement.”

Alfie swallowed uncomfortably and shutthe door.

“What the hell have yougot against Alfie?” Mike asked. “Is it the humiliation at havinghim punch you?”

Nate rolled his shoulders, thencracked his neck left to right. “Two filthy screws are enough. Idon’t need a third. He should’ve got out of the car like I toldhim.”

Mike laughed. “Prison officers don’tdo what the inmates tell ‘em.”

Nate snorted and shook his head. “Badthings wouldn’t happen if they did.”

“Greenbrook cemetery,forty-minute drive,” Dave said. “Nice little plot.”

The car grumbled to life, and theywere on the road moving away from the prison. Nate continued hisangry pants and tightened and released his hands.

Each time Alfie feared his skin wouldsplit.

His and Nate’s shoulders were pressedtogether, and he could feel Nate shaking.

Alfie pushed himself as close to thedoor as he could, but he could still sense the rage rolling fromNate. His jaw vibrated, and Alfie imagined him crushing his teethtogether, gritted so hard they were in danger ofcrumbling.

Dave took a sharp bend, and Alfiecouldn’t stop his knee knocking Nate’s. His was shoved aside, andNate huffed extra hard through his nose.

“Hope Dave’s drivingdoesn’t have you hurling,” Mike mumbled.

“Nah, its fine.” He wantedto speak clearly and with confidence, but it came out soft andshaky.

Mike leaned forward to see aroundNate. “You still look a bit pale. You sure you’re up forthis?”

“Why not pull up and lethim out,” Nate growled.

“He doesn’t want to getout,” Mike muttered.

Nate turned his head, focus so intenseit made Alfie feel like he was shrinking. “You want to get out ofthis car, don’t you?”

His words were accompanied by a subtlenod, and Alfie frowned. A part of him wanted to get out. Hesuspected Mike and Dave would let him, but if Nate really hadseparated them, he needed to prove himself as an officer, not foldunder an inmate’s anger.

“I want to stay actually,”Alfie said, challenging Nate with his stare.

The creases of anger vanished aroundNate’s eyes, and his lips parted.

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