Chapter 2:
*bzzzz*
"Nickels, Carlin, up and at em!" one of the female guards hollers.
I wake up and rub my eyes. Nicky and I are the only two in the room. Our other temporary bunk mates are gone. Last night was weird. The bunkies are named Sarah and Heather. They look like two straight preppy girls. The type of girls who picked on me in high school and called me "mangirl" or "dyke bitch".
I get up and hop down off the top bunk. I playfully punch Nicky in the arm. She groans and sits up. Her hair is as wild as ever. We both stand up and stretch. We walk to the cafeteria. It's fuller than before.
"I heard they brought in a ton of chicks from that Heather chick." Nicky says.
"Yeah, I can see that." I say.
I stand in line with Nicky and scan the room. I see Vause sitting with Chang and Morello. I grab the tray from the line. It looks like Nutraloaf but more liquid-like. Nicky and I walk over and sit by Vause. She sits by Morello. Morello gets shocked and grabs her, crying and hugging her so tight she looks like she might pop. We all laugh.
"Vause, what the fuck is this?" I say, pointing to this slop on my tray.
"Um, it's like creamy beef with fruit and corn?" she answers, laughing.
"So liquid Nutraloaf. We're literally eating fucking liquid Nutraloaf. Where the fuck is Red? She'd never allow this." I ask.
"She quit after Judy King got in stomping her big uptight feet over everyone. Now they won't let her, Judy, or even Gloria in the kitchen. It's all their handymen." Alex explains.
"And all the new girls?"
"You get used to them. If you're asking about Piper I don't talk to her so I don't know what she's up to." Alex says, sadly.
"Alex, I just want to apologize for everything that happened with Piper. You were actually the first girl I noticed when I got in and I'd really like to get to know you better." I say.
"Well why don't we just set up a fucking speed dating game? We're in prison, Stella. We met because we're both criminals. We didn't accidentally touch hands reaching for the creamer at a coffee shop. Ha. I mean, what the fuck is wrong with you? You go after my girlfriend, split us up, fuck her over, go to max, come back, and your first thing you want to do is try and get with me?" she says.
"I'm sorry. I just thought we'd be great friends. If it led to something more, fine. If not, fine. Can I at least offer you a free tattoo once I find my gun?" I ask, practically begging for this girl to give me a shot.
"Come on Vause. Give the girl a fuckin' break. You think this is Hell? We were in Satan's hairy asshole for the past few months." Nicky says.
"Fine. One tattoo. Something small. A quote I love." Vause says.
"Done. What's the quote?" I ask.
"With pain comes strength." she answers.
"Love it. Meet me in the chapel tonight." I say.
She nods. We all try scarfing down the Nutraloaf and laugh over how terrible it is. I notice out the corner of my eye Chapman glaring at me again. I finish my food and put the tray away.
"You're not even going to say anything to me?" I hear a familiar voice say. It's Chapman.
"I want nothing to do with you." I say and walk away.
That night, I walk to the chapel and see Alex waiting. She's sitting on the stage. I laugh and walk to the wall. I open the fake wall and the gun is right there. Except now there's black ink along with the white. Chapman must have worked her way into some black ink. Alex walks towards me and takes her shirt off.
"Whoa! I know we agreed if anything happened we'd let it but a little pushy there Vause." I say, laughing.
"Shut up. I want the quote on my side." She laughs.
She sits beside me and I get the gun and ink ready. I turn towards her and grab her side. I start the tattoo. She hardly even flinches. She knows how to honor the pain. My kinda girl. We finish the tattoo and I put some vaseline on her side. She puts her shirt back on.
"So, why did you notice me?" she asks.
"Um... Well, you were gorgeous for starters. Killer tits. Great eyeliner even though we all know its that cheap crap from commissary. I appreciate the person you are."
"Wow, no ones ever analyzed me like that. It's nice. I like it."
We smile at each other for a while. We both get up and walk back to our bunks. I get into the dorm and sit on my bunk above Nicky's.
"Carlin, Nickels, you're getting moved. You're gonna be bunking with each other." A female guard hollers.
We walk with her and get changed into the usual tan outfits. More fingerprints, squats, and we're finally to our actual dorms. A lot has changed. Everyone hates the squirrel looking guard, Poussey and Soso are actually one of the cutest couples I've ever seen, Crazy Eyes found some mate who looks ten times crazier, and Chapman is still screwing over these poor girls.
I lay down in the first bed in a long time that doesn't reek of piss and nearly instantly fall asleep.