Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Shadows of the Past
The days following Lina's visit passed slowly, but Cole found himself feeling more grounded, more focused. Seeing her had reminded him of the world outside, the life they still had to fight for. It wasn't over. Not by a long shot.
One afternoon, as Cole sat in the yard during recreation time, his thoughts drifting, a shadow fell over him. He looked up to see a boy standing in front of him—a tall, wiry kid with sharp features and dark, watchful eyes.
"Matthews, right?" the kid said, his tone casual but with an edge of curiosity.
Cole narrowed his eyes. He didn't know the kid, but there was something about him that set off warning bells in his mind. "Who's asking?"
The kid smirked, crossing his arms over his chest. "Name's Jayden. I've heard about you. Word is, you took down Crenshaw."
Cole's muscles tensed. He hadn't spoken much about what had happened with Crenshaw, especially not here. The last thing he needed was to get dragged into more trouble.
"What's it to you?" Cole asked, keeping his voice steady.
Jayden shrugged, still smirking. "Just curious. Not every day a kid from the slums takes out one of the biggest names in the game. That's… impressive."
Cole didn't respond. He didn't like the way Jayden was looking at him, like he was trying to size him up, figure out his angle.
"You don't have to play tough," Jayden continued, his tone casual. "We're all stuck in the same place here. Just thought maybe we could help each other out."
Cole raised an eyebrow. "Help each other out?"
Jayden nodded, his smirk widening. "Yeah. You've got a rep, Matthews. A big one. And in here, that means something. You keep your head down, you'll make it out in one piece. But if you want to make sure no one comes after you, well… it helps to have friends."
Cole leaned back against the wall, studying Jayden carefully. He had spent years surviving in the slums, learning who to trust and who to keep at arm's length. And right now, Jayden was setting off all kinds of alarms in his head.
"I'm fine on my own," Cole said flatly, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Jayden's smirk faltered for a moment, but he quickly recovered, chuckling softly. "Suit yourself, Matthews. Just don't say I didn't offer."
With that, Jayden turned and walked away, leaving Cole alone with his thoughts.
Cole's mind raced, trying to figure out what Jayden's angle was. He hadn't been in juvenile detention long, but he knew enough to understand that everything was a game in here. Everyone had a motive, a plan, and no one made offers like that out of the goodness of their heart.
Cole would have to keep his guard up. He had made it this far by trusting his instincts, and right now, his instincts were telling him to stay away from Jayden.
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