Bear's POV

20 years old...

I wake up to my gate being opened. "You have a new roomie, Bear," Officer Trent says. I sit up and watch as Trent pushes him in.

The boy was scrawny. His blonde hair swept over his eyes and he wouldn't make eye contact with me. Trent shuts the gate and I watch as the new boy sets up on the bottom bunk.

"What's your name?" He asks me.

"Bear," I grunt.

"That's your actual name?" He questions

"No," I answer.

"I'm Joey," he says. "Y-you aren't a murderer are you?"

Joey squeals, as I jump off the top bunk. "Don't ever ask what people are in here for," I say. "You'll get stabbed."

He nods. "Okay."

"I stole cars," i say. "So don't worry about me lurking over you at night."

"Thanks," he whispers.

He reminds me a lot of my brother, Jay. I haven't seen my family in two weeks. It's a long drive here, so they come like once a month.

I got to meet my niece last month. She's absolutely beautiful.

"Your staring at me," Joey murmurs.

"You remind me of my brother," I state.

"Oh," he says.

The gates open and I walk out of the cell. Joey follows me. Now was shower time.

I normally get last in line, so not many people were left in the showers. Joey tries to go ahead, but I grab his wrist. "No," I say.

He frowns, but does as I say.

It takes about six minutes for us to finally get a shower. Joey was very surprised about the cold showers.

Not in the Hamptons now, buddy.

Joey and I were the only ones left when we heard a commotion outside.

We walk out and find Officer Trent pushing Officer Amy. She wasn't too bad. I've always respected her, cause my mum always raised me to use my manners with ladies.

The other officers got annoyed with her, cause I only listened to her.

"Get off me, Trent," she snaps.

"Stop playing hard to get," Trent says. "I see the way you look at me Amy."

"I'm disgust," she spits.

"Stop being a bitch," he growls. I see him try to take off her pants and quickly step up. I tap his shoulder and as he turns around, I sock him in the jaw.

"Bear," Joey hisses.

Trent chuckles and spits the blood out of his mouth. "You've just made a big mistake inmate."

"She's not some slut," I snap. "Treat her like an equal."

"You wanna piece?" Trent questions. "I mean she normally only sucks off the officers, but I'll see if she's down to suck a prisoner."

I lost control.

Two punches became three. Then I was on top of him beating his face to a pulp.

Other officers heard the commotion and pulled me off him. "To the hole, Bear," Officer Garry growls.

*

I got sent to the hole for two weeks. The worse thing about it, is you don't know how long it's gonna last. Time goes very slow down here.

I've been here once. My first day here. My roommate tried to make me his bitch. I showed him. They don't supply my medication here for my depression and ADHD.

It's why no one messes with me. Apparently he was the scariest guy here.

Ah well.

The door to my hole opens and Officer Amy walks in. "Standard check up," she says. "Up you get." I stand up and hold my arms out. She walks over in front of me, but doesn't touch me. "Thank you," she says.

"What?"

"For sticking up for me," she says.

"I was raised to treat women with respect," I mutter.

She hums. "I made sure no years were added to your sentence," she states. "But it will show on your record that you assaulted a cop."

I quirk an eyebrow. "You did that for me?"

"We are even now inmate," she says. "How long you got?"

"Uh four years," I say. "I can appeal in two, for good behaviour."

"I'll put in a good word," she says. "I'll get you out in two."

"Why?" I ask.

She sighs. "I've worked here for four years," she says. "Every day Trent and all the other officers looked down at me, because I am a women. You were the first person to stick up for me," she says. "Helped our case that Trent's a fucking dumbass and forgot to turn off the cameras."

"Ah," I say. "Well thanks, you didn't really have to do that."

"You kidding," she scoffs. "The officers are so scared of you, they are staying away from me," she says. "And Trent got fired."

"So can I come out of the hole?" I ask.

She chuckles. "Yeah, no," she answers. "I don't have that much pull."

"So you've got a bit of pull around here?" I question.

"My partner is the warden," she says. "What Trent said is somewhat true, but I only get on my knees for one man."

I smile, watching her walk out the door.