Joel POV It's two o’clock am and I am still tossing and turning. It isn't anything that is really bothering me, it is just sometimes my mind will not silence itself. Am thinking of Miranda a bit too. Honestly, I am simply intrigued at her openness and intelligence. I sent her letter off about a week ago and she has yet to respond. I wonder how long it takes for mail to get to Alaska. I am a little worried that maybe she will lose interest in writing when truthfully, it's so nice to have someone to talk to besides my mom and the fools in here. I don't know what I’m even saying. I know thinking about whether or not she wants to continue as my penpal is not going to change the outcome but it still isn't hard to think about either, especially at two in the morning when my mind won't stop racing. I smile, remembering things she talked about in her last letter. I could imagine her blushing at what she felt was an over share. Yet she doesn't realize, in here there are no real boundar

Joel POV I tapped the bottom of the bunk and handed Miranda’s pic reluctantly up to Shotgun. I've shared so much with him over the years and this should be no exception. ‘I can give him a moment to live vicariously through me,’ I snickered to myself; but for that first moment, I felt selfish and greedy. I didn't want to share this hottie with Shotgun. I know it sounds crazy, but I didn't want to share her with anyone. It fucked with my head because Shotgun is like a brother to me, but for once, I just wanted something for myself."Sorry man. Didn't mean to come off like that." I told him."It's all good brother," Shotgun responded. "I kinda get it and after all she wrote you man, not us.""She is pretty, man." Shotgun said as he handed back the pic and crawled off of the bed. "You’re fucked brother. She is smart and pretty.""Yeah." Joel said, just looking at the picture in his hand and letting his thoughts drift to some of the things she said in the letter.The doors opened and Sh

Joel POV I stared at the email. They had moved the date up on Miranda's conference and she was going to be here in two days. I felt his heart pounding in his chest, from excitement and nervousness. Showing any emotion here was a weakness, especially emotions attached to a woman, so I tried not to let it show in my face or body language. I have recently started communicating with Miranda via emails, which is so much faster than that of the postal service. Although, I do like getting handwritten letters as I can read them at any time and not just when I am at the computer. They had recently brought the email function to the institutions, expediting communication but there was a catch. The emails do not work exactly like regular ones on the outside. Our emails go through like a filter. If certain trigger words or phrases are used, then the email gets held up and reviewed versus perused. Also, if any pictures are attached, then the email is held up so the picture can be reviewed for

Josh POV I slept like shit and was dragging ass all morning. "What's up man?" Shotgun inquired as soon as we woke up. "You were kinda quiet last night." I don't tell Shotgun, the last thing I need is his razzing. But yeah, I tossed and turned all night. "Just thinking about this visit with Miranda. Worried she won't like me."Shotgun kinda chuckled but gave me a look like he knew the reality of that statement. I can say now that I’m basically a good guy. Minimally, too good for prison but it hadn't always been like that. Presenting yourself in person is so different from doing it in an email or phone call. The years inside also put a type of edge on you. You can see it in someone's eyes who has done any lengthy amount of time. Someone once noted that they were like a cake in the oven. Needing and ready to come out. If they stayed in any longer they would burn and would be no good. That is kinda the worry. Not to mention, it's hard to impress a girl when you have nothing to impress

Miranda POV My visit with Joel can be described as nothing more than confusing. I knew that I liked him. Hell, I even caught myself calling him my prison boyfriend sometimes. Still, in the back of my mind, I kept telling myself that this visit may in fact, put things into perspective for me. I could finally quit feeling like a highschool girl crushing on the bad boy who keeps getting suspended so you can't even stare at him in world history class. I’ll end up forming a whole relationship in my head, based on limited contact and then get frustrated when it doesn't work out the way I want it to. Because that is exactly what is happening here, I'm starting to fall for a man I can never have because he is locked up in prison for an undetermined amount of time and there is absolutely nothing I can do about that fact. Everything is limited and under the control of others, including our phone calls. However, after seeing him, it only made my high school girl crush problems worse. Not