That Life

29 - Everybody has two sides

"Have you heard from Gunner?" Paxton asked when Gunner stood from his table. Shaking my head, I watched closely as he his body was weaving through tables, and pivoting around people. It was clear that he had his mind set on coming to this table, and I can't help but let fear seep into my body. The look he has in his eyes just makes me want to crawl under the table, and hide.

"I have a feeling I'm going to." I mumbled, stuffing food into my mouth so it could delay speaking.

"Timothy. . ." Gunner stretched out the vowel in my name as he sat down in front of me.

"Gunner," I replied awkwardly, coughing into my shoulder.

"Blue really isn't your color."

I bit my lip when he said that. Memories of when Xavier saw me at the coffee shop after meeting with one of my customers. I can still remember it, because when he told me that it really hurt. It hit me hard. One of Xavier's nicely shaped brows rose right before he mumbled. "Well blue isn't really your color."

"So I've been told." I mumbled.

"If you are going to act like a child when I come and talk to you, I'll stop."

Brows furrowing in confusion, I blurted a laugh. "You think I care about you talking to me?"

"Whatever. I just came over here to ask you about Rachelle. Where did he go?"

"None of your business," I told him with a sigh. "If Rachelle didn't tell you, then it is none of your concern."

Gunner's shoulders slumped. "It is my concern, though, if it involves him. And right now he is in the STU, and I have no clue why."

I kept quiet at that, keeping my head down. I guess he was right about that. It did involve him. . . Or whoever his other cellie was.

Grunting from beside me, Paxton's head instantly snapped up from his sandwich. "Can you shut the fuck up? Or is that too much for you to handle? If you really want to know what happened to your Rachelle, your boyfriend is pregnant. And if I was you, I'd cut the bullshit act, and sit the fuck down, and think of ways to apologize to him from all the times you weren't there in that cell to help protect him."

Gunner's eyes filled with hatred, and he stood up abruptly. "You need to learn how to shut the hell up until someone is talking to you. Last time I checked your name is not Timothy, and you don't have a strong relationship with Rachelle."

"But, last time I check I am his cellmate, and for all the times you weren't there, I was. And who do you think was the first person he told. Who do you think was the person that had to hold his hair back, and rub his back while he puked into the toilet. Who was the one that had to get a guard to bring him some water and a Tylenol because of all the nausea and pain he was feeling. Who was the one that had to pull him out from under our other cellmate when he was taking advantage of your boyfriend. Who was the one that got punched in the fucking face for your boyfriend. Who was the one that had their shoulder open for Rachelle to cry on because he felt used, hurt, and alone. Tell me who Rachelle cuddled up to at night? Tell me? Because I'm sure as hell it wasn't you. Rachelle even told me he wished it would be more between you too, but he knew it never would be because you only see him as a sex toy. So if you claim that you have feelings for Rachelle you better start fucking showing it before someone else does, because if I am not mistaken he gets out before you, and if you think he won't forget about you when another man sweeps him off his feet, you damn well get out of the dream land you are sleeping in right now."

Paxton paused to breath, his whole face red.

"You don't kno--"

"And so help me God, if that baby comes out yours, and you are not there for it. I will personally find you, and beat you so bad that I will receive a couple more years."

Gunner then went quiet, his shoulders drooped, and his mouth set in a frown. "I don't know how though. How do I get into the STU unit with him?"

"Go tell a guard your the father of the baby."

Gunner scoffed. "They will probably think I raped him."

Paxton just shrugged. "Just a suggestion."

I slowly allowed my eyes to travel to Paxton as we all went quiet. It's weird to see Paxton like that. I didn't know he had that amount of feelings. Reaching up, I placed my hand on Paxton's shoulder. "Are you OK?"

This whole prison thing is opening me up to a completely different Paxton. Like I said, I didn't think Paxton was capable of caring for people, other than his girlfriend. But hearing him snap at Gunner really. . . Changed my view on him. I mean of course he stood up for me as well but, this was something much more bigger.

I guess everybody has two sides.