"Before entering this room, you must leave all bags, foods, drinks, metals, and electronics here in this box. That means cell phones too." The whines of teenagers filled the room. "Relax, you'll get them back at the end of your visit," a small, plump woman in a guard uniform spoke. Her badge read 'Officer Willis' and she didn't look too hyped up about all the visiting teens.
Darla Brooks High School's new Peer Visionary Program was visiting Plymouth Juvenile center as there first task. The Peer Visionary Program was founded to reach out to struggling teens through teens. Whether it be by visiting prisons, orphanages, homes for the homeless, rehab centers, or hospitals. And I just happened to be put into the group that goes to the juvy center about every other day.
It's not that I didn't want to help. I wouldn't have helped start the program if I didn't want to help. I just wasn't expecting to be talking to juvenile delinquents.
"Once you have your visitors tags you may enter the room. Do not lose them or you will be asked to leave. Do not be afraid because the only kids you are about to see are ones that are about to get out for good behavior. None of them will hurt you." Ha. I'm pretty sure that everyone was scared out of their pants for the most part. I sighed and put on the visitor's tag. As walked into the room I saw multiple tables with delinquents. All of them boys. Well, duh... we were in the boy's wing of the prison. The boys looked rough but normal like any other boy. I counted seven of them. There were ten of us. I searched for a table that didn't already have several kids from my school at it. There was only one. It was toward the back and it only had one person sitting at it alone. He looked about seventeen or eighteen and was slumping carelessly in the chair. I reluctantly made my way over to the table.
"Hey," I smiled, "I'm Raegon." I introduced myself to him as I took a seat in the cold metal chair across the table from him. I reached out to shake his hand. I didn't want to be rude. He looked at me like I was stupid and plopped his hand-cuffed hands onto the table. I felt my face flush with embarrassment.
"Sorry... I..." I started to talk but my sentence seemed to drift off.
"Don't worry 'bout it." The delinquent spoke. "I'm Jason." He gave me a mocking grin. I took note of his tattoos going up and down his arms. He had quite the collection. We sat there in awkward silence for a few seconds. I mean, what exactly were you supposed to talk about with some one who is in prison?
"Sooo, Jason, what exactly are you in for?" I asked. Jason knew exaclty what I meant.
"When I was fourteen, I assissted in a murder." I nearly choked. My eyes felt like they would pop out of the sockets.
"You've been here since you were... fourteen?" I couldn't quite grasp the idea. He nodded non-chalantly. "When do you get out?"
"In a month. I've been a good boy." He mocked. "How 'bout you? Why would a pretty girl like you come visit some juvy prison? Needed another extra ciricular activity for your college res?"
"No." I glowered at him. "I actually wanted to do this, in hopes of helping some one or making their day by giving them a friend." I as seething. How dare he judge me? He's the one in prison!
He rolled his eyes.
"Look, sweetheart, I don't need your pity, your 'friendship'. I am perfectly fine on my own." He was leaning forward now and no longer slouching carelessly. Aggrivation in his eyes.
"Well sucks for you, 'cause you're stuck with me. You officially have a friend. Deal with it." I shot back. No one would speak to me like that and get away with it. Jason went back to slouching again and shrugged.
"Fine. But you're only wasting your time." He sighed.
We would just see about that.
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