It's not as bad as we thought it would be. At first, I was expecting half-naked fat guys with tattoos around their bodies, girls with their hair bleached in a black and white-stripe shirt, and prisoners massaging each other's backs or worse, a prisoner abusing another prisoner. Like in the documentaries.
But instead, it was just the three of us sitting all alone in between peace and darkness in a cubicle. With light coming from the window above and the railings in front of us.
I wish we had a door instead. I can see the old man and I want to punch him in his face so bad. If my Grandmother is here, I know she wouldn't be proud of what I'm thinking. Before my mom did, she taught me to be nice to people older than me. And I imparted myself to be mean to people that are mean to me. Sorry, not sorry.
"I thought it would just be community service," I broke the silence. None of us had the urge to speak an hour after we got in here.
"Looks like he has a deep connection with the officers, paid them or something," Sofia sounds bitter. Obviously with her arms crossed as she was rolling her eyes. I chuckled.
"At least we found out Ven had been there," Taylor kicked in.
We all agreed and for no reason, randomly giggled. "Gosh, I'm so excited for tomorrow. Another page in the notebook," I yawned and leaned my back at the wall behind me. "Good night girls," Sofia whispered.
It was another moment of silence, all three of us trying to sleep with our eyes closed. It wasn't just the noise from the outside made by the officers talking, and inmates being sent in. The walls were quite hard and my mind was filled with all these thoughts mostly about Ven, the notebook, and why he used a blue pen in those two records.
I opened my eyes. Sofia, who I expected to be snoring at this hour was just looking at me with a sad smile plastered on her face. And I can tell Taylor too, despite having her eyes shut, was bothered by random feelings. "Have you guys noticed?"
They both began paying attention to me. "I don't think it's a coincidence. Ven used a blue pen when he checked in and out of SRY Hotel and Vista del Mar. While the others used black ink."
"Maybe he just wanted his name to stand out among the rest so we could easily see it?" Sofia moved forward to me
"No, I'm sure that means something," Taylor replied, keeping her eyes shut.
"Why would he use a blue pen, all of a sudden?" My question was left unanswered until the morning came.
Now, I can say that Jax's hotel is really better. I might have spent two or three hours there, but here, in this stupid little jail, I think I only spent thirty minutes sleeping. The rest, I was drowning in questions I'd been asking myself.
For that entire day, we did nothing but wander around the small cubicle, try our best to sleep though we couldn't, and talk about our past. Frequently about Taylor's.
And I learned from her how Ven really changed after last summer. He became more energetic than he used to be, and from being forced to get out of his room when they're going on a trip or somewhere special, he'll be the one to suggest the places or even volunteer to drive. Very unusual.
I remember the first time I met Ven, he was the grumpiest person I've ever encountered. But that made me like him more. It urged me to follow him around and become friends with him. But then this summer happened. He... changed. And I did too.
Everything has changed.
Who knew we would end up in jail for twenty-four hours? I thought this would be like the other ones where Ven would drive me to summer class and pick me up then proceed to a café for a cup of milk tea. Then a movie for the evening and a bit of a karaoke experience with the girls.
But now, here I am. Searching for the one I'm supposed to be spending these times with.
"1 more hour to go," Taylor glanced at her wristwatch and celebrated a little. That felt like a year of being here.
Wow. So spent an entire day without our phones? That's a record for me.
The hour passed by like a sloth making its way down from a tree. The same officer who drove us here last night opened the rails and let us out after keying the lock. "Thanks, Sofia smiled at him." I frowned when I saw him smile back at her.
There goes my bestie charming an officer again. As if this was the first time he flirted with a community worker close to our age. I rolled my eyes while slightly giggling at the thought. She should have used that earlier so we wouldn't spend an entire diurnal in a small cube.
Then the one who knocked on our window that very same nocturnal handed me our stuff placed on a plastic board. Our phones and the folder we stole. The reason why we couldn't sleep well. I frowned, looking at him. "That's... not ours."
"The old man wants you to have it."
"He sent us here to stay for a day then he would give this back to us? Isn't this what he was complaining about?" He just raised his shoulders without responding.
I turned my back to him, "I know him," I frowned.
"Then give it to him and tell him that I already found what I was looking for so, I don't need it anymore. Thank you." I faked my smile.
"No, not that man." Taylor was already starting the car, and Sofia was too busy flirting with the other officer. "Ven Botcher, you're looking for him, right?" I nodded slowly. Scanning this blonde guy from head to toe. "What do you know about him?" I asked.
"Come with me," he began walking out the door and I followed him. The moment Taylor and Selena looked at us, I showed them a hand sign to wait and they agreed. He stopped beside a tall tree and sat on the bench, I took the seat opposite him, still having the folder between my arms.