The day my life changed forever; August 16th.

Let's start with the basics; I'm Alex Vause, born and raised in a small town right outside of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. After my dad skipped out before I was born, my mom moved here to get away from New York and the "bullshit of the city" as she called it. She grew up here, left after high school to pursue her career as an actress, met my sperm donor, "fell in love and got her heart broken", and came back here to raise me right. At least that's the story I've always been told. Mom's parents passed when I was young; too young to remember them but they sure left us a hell of a farm. Open land, barn, horses, and pond. Heaven on Earth, that's what it has always been to me.

I spent the majority of my time on the farm or on the water; fishing and bullshitting with my two best friends; Nicky and John. The three of us did practically everything together.

I hadn't gotten but one boot off from being out cleaning the horse stalls before I heard a yell from the kitchen; "Alex! I need you to run into town for some bread and milk."

"Do we really need it tonight, Mom?" I retorted, already putting my boot back on.

"Do you want breakfast in the morning?" Asked and emerging voice.

"Yes ma'am." I smiled and grabbed the truck keys. "I'll be back soon. Love ya."

"Thank you sweet pea. Love you back." Mom blew me a kiss as I hustled out the door.

The drive to town wasn't far and I certainly didn't mind the drive. To me, nothing beats a back road and some good country music.

In town, there isn't much. A gas station, a few stores, a diner, hardware store, and "Ma's Groceries".

"Ma's" is where I was headed. I pulled into a diagonal spot in front of the small store. Nodded to a few locals and carried on. I knew the store like the back of my hand, I could be in and out of there in less than five minutes with the two items I was sent to get and any other day, that's exactly how it would have been. But not this day, not August 16th.

"I can't fuck believe this shit hole doesn't have brown rice!" I heard a loud, foreign, extremely annoyed voice in the next isle; "No, I can't find a God Damn thing in this place!" … "I am calm, I just don't know why you sent me out here to Mayberry alone!"

I muffled a laugh. Mayberry? I thought. Oh, I've gotta see this character. I rounded the isle and froze. Before me was someone beyond words, a being I had never seen in this small town. She was running a frantic hand through her long blond hair, tapping her foot and staring at the same spot on the shelf as she hung up her phone and let out a growling sigh. She turned towards me and the blue orbs that met my eyes burned into my soul.

I gave her a small smile; "I couldn't help but overhearing your conversation, brown rice is in isle 4."

She looked at me as if she was saying something along the lines of "Well where the hell is that?"

I smiled again; pointed up, "See this is isle 6. You need to go two isles..." I pointed right, "that way."

Her eyes followed my finger; "I wouldn't suppose peppers and ice cream are also in isle 4, are they?"

I laughed, "No, I don't think any of those things are relatively close to one another."

She rolled her eyes, "great, I'm going to be here all night."

I looked at her, looked at my watch, then back to the Blonde, "well, Ma's closes in thirty minutes, all night might not be an option. I could help you out."

She looked around, as if she had options to weigh out and sighed. "Yeah, that would be a big help."

I smiled and nodded for her to follow me. She complied.

"So I'm assuming you're new in town?" I sparked a small conversation.

"What would give you that idea?"

"Oh I don't know; the lack of ability to find your way around a ten isle grocery store."

She let out a huff. "Yeah, I guess that would be a good indicator." Her phone buzzed. She answered, "Hey Mom, yeah, I figured it out. Got a little help from…" She looked at me, waiting.

"Alex," I said softly.

"From Alex…" She tapped her foot, "yeah, I know. I'll be back soon." She then hung up. "Sorry, Mother is needy."

I nodded and help up my bread and milk, "they all are."

She laughed.

I helped the newcomer with the odd list of things she was sent for and we were both rung out.

Once outside she turned to me, "hey, thanks again, Alex, I would probably still be standing there looking around aimlessly if it weren't for you."

"It was my pleasure, Kid."

She looked at me, up and down, "kid? Unless you're a vampire, I can't image you're any older than me."

"Well first of all, it's kinda my thing, I call people "kid" a lot and secondly, I never got your name." I shrugged.

"Oh my gosh, how rude of me, I'm Piper. Piper Chapman." She extended a hand.

"Alex, as you already know, Alex Vause." I shook her hand.

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you Alex Vause." She gave the biggest grin I'd ever seen. "I better get going. Mother doesn't like to wait on her ice cream." She laughed as she held up one of her bags.

"Yeah, no one wants to wait on ice cream." I smiled. "See ya around Kid."

She shook her head and smiled as she turned the corner to the small parking lot as I headed the opposite direction.

I got into my truck and breathed out. I had to know her, I had to be a part of this Piper Chapman's life.

And little did I know, I would be, way more than I ever expected.