San Leone wasn't just a prison. It was a world with its own laws, its own rulers, and its own invisible currency. Money doesn't mean much behind these walls - power did.
There were three main factors.
The Old Guard - The lifers. These men had spent decades inside and controlled the flow of contrabands - cigarettes, drugs, alcohol, even cell phones smuggled in by dirty guards. If you wanted something you had to pay them.
The Soldiers - Younger inmates, mostly gang affiliated, enforcing rules set by their bosses on the outside. They handled debts, intimidation and sometimes, execution.
The Floaters - Guys like me. Rich enough to buy protection, smart enough to stay neutral. We didn't belong to any faction, but we weren't easy target either.
Zack had spent months trying to rise in the ranks. He had been working under Bruno Cavalli, one of the top dogs in the prison. But after today, things will shift. Zack had lost to me in front of everyone. That meant he lost respect. And in a place like this respect was everything.
I know what would come next.
Zack wouldn't let this go.
***
Later that night, i sat in Rio's cell as be prepped the tattoo gun.
"This is the fifteenth time you are getting this name tattooed, and you still won't tell me the story behind it."
I said nothing, just watched as he pressed the needle to my skin.
"Fuck it" i muttered.
The buzzing filled the small space. The pain was familiar. So was the anger.
I hate her.
And yet, still love her like no one else.
"Some things are better left buried," i said leaning my back against the wall. "Some pain is easier when we don't speak it into existence"
How was I supposed to explain to him that the person i loved the most was also the one who caused me the most pain? She was the one who made me question myself, the same person who led me down a path i never saw coming. She pulled me with sweet words and empty promises, only to leave me stranded in the wreckage of my own feelings. She betrayed me. She played me. And worst of all i let her.
Rio didn't push. He never did. I often wondered how someone as innocent and kind as him ended up in prison. I never asked, and he never told me. All i knew was that he was serving seven years, just like me. He had been here since he was nineteen, and in a few months, he would turn twenty- six.
"You never told me how you actually ended up here," i finally asked.
He smiled, but it was a painful smile - the kind that hid a thousand of things. "Finally, you asked. I thought you weren't interested"
"I thought asking might trigger some unwanted memories… just like it does for me. And may be you wanted to keep it a secret"
"It does trigger bad memories," he admitted "but I have to learn to live with it. Things happen - things we have no control over. Painful things. And we just have to accept them"
He was right. Bad things might happen. And we have to accept them. Whether we liked it or not.
"I was framed" he continued. "I used to work at Ava's house. Eventually, we fell in love. Her family was rich, so her father refused to accept it. She threatened to elope with me. And then ...the next day, i was arrested, Ava claimed I tried to rape her, she said a maid saw me, and in my struggle to escape, I supposedly pushed him down the stairs, he hit his head hard and fell into a coma" he laughed
"Hell no! This ain't funny dude." He is nuts.
"It isn't," he admitted with a shrug. "But should i cry? I've done enough of that " The pain in his voice was evident.
"What happened next?"
"You can guess. I was speechless - and poor. The case went to court. They had evidence against me, all carefully planned. I had no money to hire a lawyer. They won and I was sent here."
He laughed again.
Okay, now I was sure - Rio was crazy. Who laughs about something like this?
"How will you get revenge for what they did" i asked. He should. The family ruined his life. Destroyed the life of a nineteen-year-old boy just because he loved their daughter and she played a part in it too. Is loving someone a crime? But then again love is just talk. Just garbage.
"I ain't taking revenge on her"
"You can't be serious," i said, disbelief clear in my voice. His entire life was ruined, and he wasn't going to do anything.
"I just want to know why she did it. That's all. Once I get my answers, I'll move on." He shrugged, tracing the letter N onto my arm with his tattoo gun.
"You've gotta be kidding me"
"I'm serious," he shrugged.
"Enough about me," focusing back on his work. "When are you leaving."
"Friday" I answered.
"Two days from now?"
"Yeah. Everything's set."
I reached for the can of Coke beside me. The one Kendrick had helped me smuggle in this morning. Taking a sip, I wondered how addicted i'd become. Coke was never my thing. But her - she made me loved it. She had a way of making me do things I would've never done on my own.
"You know, it's good to be rich," Rio said.
"You've said that a thousand times since we met."
He chuckled. "Hard to believe we met seven months ago. And now, you're walking free. Leaving me behind."
"You'll be out in a month. We'll meet again"
"Still. It's crazy. You could've rotted here for seven years if not for your money and connections. Just a few months, and now you're done."
I exhaled, watching as he wiped the fresh ink and applied the finishing cream.
"Seven years? I don't have that kind of time to waste." I said.
I had unfinished businesses.
And most importantly-
There was someone I needed to deal with.
I closed my eyes, picturing her face.
She owed me a debt she could never repay.
And in a few days, I'd make sure she did.
That too in the worst of ways.