Last Kiss Goodbye • Teenage Juice Ortiz

52 - Solace

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THE PAST

Nervously, Juan intertwined his fingers as he sat down at the table. He swallowed, his throat felt dry and was aching. Something to drink he hadn't taken with him. As discreetly as he could he looked around, to the three detainees that were already talking to their visitors. A short, shaved man with muscular arms. A scrawny guy with owl glasses, and an old geezer who would probably never leave prison again. All much older than his brother. 

Nineteen years old, and he had already spent his first week in jail. Just too old for juvie. His brother had always known how to handle himself, but could he do that in such a place too, where he had to be the youngest?

A buzzing sound startled him, where after a door opened. A guard entered the room, holding Mateo's upper arm. His hands were cuffed in front of his waist, and when Juan looked at his face he flinched. 

His right eye was swollen, his lip busted; clearly new injuries contrasting the bruises his mother had left.

Feeling powerless, Juan clenched his fists, his nails cutting the flesh of his palms. This was his fault. If he hadn't taken June home, this never would have happened. Then his brother would have been home right now. He thought back to what his mother had said about prisons. Would he now be a victim of the crime his mother had accused him of? Juan didn't dare to ask, he didn't even dare to look his brother in the eye, afraid to see a lost look; proof of the most horrible thing he could think of. Instead, he stared at his cuffed hands.

"Hey."

Mateo's voice sounded hoarse. When Juan's glance glided upwards, he noticed bruises on his arms as well. His bottom lip started to tremble and briefly he wiped his eyes. 

"Hey," Mateo repeated, more determined this time. "Don't cry man. That's not gonna do anyone good. Ya better tell me somethin' nice. How are you and your girl?"

Juan took a deep breath and nodded. "We're fine." His voice sounded shaky, but he had his emotions under control. "She's very sweet and understanding."

A little insecure he looked at Mateo, finding it hard to see his shiner. His brother showed him a brief smile. "Good."

In the past a snark might have followed; that those weren't the qualities he should look for in a girl, but as it seemed Mateo understood that he needed characteristics like that right now. 

"She did well, that night. How she dealt with ma. How she took care of you. To be honest I always thought she was a wimpy girl, but I think she's good to you. Someone who can calm you down, who's showing strength in her own way."

Overwhelmed, Juan stared at his brother. His approval meant so much to him that he didn't even know how to respond. 

"I told her. That I love her." He didn't know why he told him that. Maybe because it meant so much to the both of them, and he wanted to share it with his brother. "The night after the fight... she said such sweet things. I wanted to break up with her because the fight was causing her nightmares, but then she told me the goal of a relationship was going through things together. Good things and bad things." He blushed a bit, but there was a softened look on Mateo's face.

"And she didn't run to the hills?" he winked. 

"No. She told me that she loves me too."

Now his smile did turn into a smirk. "That lil brotha of mine. That's some serious shit between the two of ya, huh? Who would have guessed, of all people it's my baby brother who hooks his dream girl at 16." He leaned forward a little. "You already did somethin'?"