Wrecked (Dirty Air 3)

“I can’t quit. That’s embarrassing.” Her cheeks turn pink at the thought.

“No one will give a shit. We can go do something else and explore Austin.”

Her eyes slide from her blindfold to mine, betraying her fear. “You’ll be in my group?”

“Sure.”

Elena sighs as she places the blindfold over her eyes. She clutches onto my hand, seeking comfort. Before Elena, I’ve never been that for someone. More importantly, I’ve never wanted to be that for someone. But with Elena, these moments fill me with a sensation I’ve never experienced before. It should frighten me, yet I feel invigorated to have her trust. Our relationship has been growing slowly and I can’t say I’m sorry about it.

I give her hand a squeeze as the attendants guide us into our prison cells. They ask us to place our hands on the cell bars, but I clutch onto Elena’s hand instead. It shakes and her breathing becomes more audible as Liam, Maya, Santiago, and Elías are set up in the other cell.

“You’ve got this,” I whisper in the general direction I assume is her ear.

The sound of the other cell door closing gives me hope this will all end soon for Elena. Once the alarm rings, I rip off my blindfold. Elena does the same.

“I did it.” She offers me a timid smile.

“I knew you could. Now go put your skills to the test. You’re our saving grace.” I tug on the sleeve of her orange jumpsuit.

We spend the better part of ten minutes scouring the small cell for clues.

My jaw drops as Elena kneels on the cement floor. “You did not stick your hand in a toilet.”

Elena glares at me, her arm half immersed in the empty bowl. “There might be something in there.”

“I’m disgusted yet slightly impressed by your commitment.”

“Care to stop flirting with your girlfriend and search for clues? You’ve barely helped.” Noah paces the five-by-eight prison cell, searching for anything to help us escape. Sophie attempts to lift the mattress off the bed but fails. I move to help her, lifting it with one arm while she searches the seams.

This is who I’ve become, hanging out with my friends, doing normal shit without a pending panic attack holding me back. The group didn’t have a problem accepting Elena and Elías. Albeit, they already hit it off during their Cards Against Humanity night that I ruined after one too many pills. But we all choose to ignore that night.

“Earth to Jax, can you pass me the spoon?” Elena snaps at me from her spot in front of the toilet.

“I don’t want your dirty hands on our only clue.”

She waves her clean hand in front of me before offering me a vulgar gesture.

“You’ve been hanging around Jax too much.” Noah laughs.

“More like I’ve been hanging out in her too much.”

“Jax! Cállate.” Elena’s eyes narrow at me.

“Yes, please, Elena is like a sister to me and I could do without hearing those details.” Elías groans from the other cell.

Laughter fills the two cell blocks. I don’t resent it. Instead, I welcome it, knowing I’m on a path to healing, one day at a time. With Elena by my side, I have hope I can recover from the mistakes I’ve made and the people I’ve pushed away.

I want to be different, but there’s still one thing holding me back. And for the first time in a long time, I’m considering the impossible. The one thing Mum has begged me year after year to do.

And damn, it’s scary as fuck.

“The party bus picked us up from the hospital and drove us around for an hour before dropping us off at the club you rented out. It was dope, looking like something straight out of the roaring twenties,” Caleb yells into the phone.

“Did you ask Francesca to dance?” I place him on speaker while I tie the laces of my race sneakers. After our Make-A-Wish week, Caleb wanted to start a tradition of calling me before qually rounds, claiming he can be my good luck charm.

Have you ever tried denying an adolescent? They’re tenacious and fucking stubborn. So, naturally to avoid his whining and nonstop messages, I obliged and accepted my new tradition.

“Of course. With the dance moves Elena taught me, I was the most popular guy there.”