Chapter 2
Nicky Nichols held the basketball in her hands at the front of the court. Watson was in front of her, apparently agreeing with Cindy that she would be guarding Nichols for the game. The rules they agreed on were very simple.
First one to ten points wins.
Tossing the ball back and forth in her hand, Nicky allowed her hands to get comfortable touching a ball again. It had been years since she had played, and in the back of her mind she couldn't help but worry that she had somehow forgot how to play.
"You wanna start the game Nichols or have you already chickened out?"
Nicky was pulled from her mind at Watson's goading question as she looked up to meet Watson's gaze.
"Nah," said Nicky smirking before passing the ball to Watson.
"Check."
Watson seemed surprise by the action but nodded and threw the ball back at Nicky.
"Okay white girl, show me what you got."
Nicky smiled bringing her body into position and began dribbling. Watson was giving her space, watching her closely, probably trying to just get a feel for what kind of offensive player Nicky would be.
Nicky was grateful, the space allowed her time to get comfortable as the ball bounced up and down in her dominant right hand. Nicky looked to her right to see Alex out on the right wing, Cindy guarding her too closely. Alex had an annoyed look on her face, and clearly sent Nicky a look that said, "Let's get this over with."
Nicky smirked and gave Alex a nod, and then a subtle tilt of the head that she knew Alex would understand.
Without warning, Nicky quickly crossed over and moved to her left, using her speed to her advantage. She barely heard the subtle "shit" from Watson as she moved. She knew Watson would have to run to block her from going to the hoop, and as soon as she saw Watson sprinting forward, Nicky moved again. She directed the ball between her legs in another quick cross over that had Watson's stuck in place, unable to follow.
Nicky drove to the hoop, drawing Cindy away from Alex. She continued going to the hoop, until she was right in front of Cindy.
Cindy was staring at her with wide eyes, almost as if she couldn't quite believe what she was seeing.
Nicky stopped in front of her, throwing her a smirk just as she looped the ball behind her back to sail to her right, just where Alex was coming forward to catch the ball and lay it in the hoop for an easy 2 points.
The silence that followed the points seemed to echo through the yard. Alex had grabbed the ball after it came down from the rim and threw it back at Nicky who was already moving to the center point for another go.
"What in the hell just happened?!" exclaimed Taystee at the side of the court, verbalizing what seemed to be everyone's thought process as the entire yard, even the guards were now staring at the game in shock.
Watson seemed to be the first one to recover as she stepped forward, eyes still wide with disbelief before hardening in anger.
"Again," she demanded, not one to be bested at anything, especially a sport.
Nicky nodded, and threw the ball back at her, only for Watson to chuck it back at her with enough force that it hurt Nicky's hands.
Nicky smirked at the action but started dribbling immediately. Looking up she saw Alex in the box, a spot in which Nicky knew was the woman's comfort zone. Alex was tall, strong and her arms were long, making her the ultimate post player.
Alex was giving her another look, and Nicky nodded and moved to her right.
Watson, obviously learning from her screw up was guarding Nicky like she should have in the beginning. She wasn't giving Nicky any room to move, but was also giving her enough space to recover if Nicky tries to get past her again.
Nicky looked up, and saw Alex make her move, posting up against Cindy who was clearly struggling with the girl.
Giving a subtle fake like she was going to throw it over Watson gave Nicky just the opening she needed in order to bounce the ball passed Watson to land in Alex's hands.
Once Alex had the ball, she backed Cindy up until the two were directly under the net. Alex faked to the left, which Cindy instantly bought, and then she easily slipped to the right for another easy layup, resulting in another 2 points.
A cheer went up in the air as the yard celebrated the points, the loudest of the cheering coming from her families section where 3 voices could be easily heard above the rest.
"Way to go Alex!" from Piper
"Get it Nichols!" from Lorna
"That's my girls!" from Red.
Nicky threw her family a smile, making sure to add a wink just for Lorna before moving to the front of the court to start another round.
"Are you going to play any defense today Watson?!" demanded Cindy throwing the ball at Watson.
Watson easily snatched the ball out of the air and glared at Cindy.
"All the points have been scored on you, you idiot! How about you play some defense!"
Watson didn't wait for Cindy's response as she turned to Nichols and threw her the ball.
"Again."
Nicky gave her a nod and squared off with Watson once more.
Already seeing a weakness in Watson's defense, Nicky drove forward – hard. Watson moved to recover, and Nicky used the opportunity to back step, pushing the ball between her legs to step back behind the three point line.
Righting her position, Nicky bent at the knees and let the ball sail towards the hoop. As soon as it left her hand, she knew it was a perfect shot. The spin was just right, the arch was perfect, and the resounding swish as the ball sailed through the net was music to her ears.
"Dammmmnnnn!" yelled out Taystee and Poussey from the sidelines, laughing in disbelief at the 3 point shot they just witnessed.
The yard let out another cheer, drowning out Taystee and Poussey's cackles.
Alex retrieved the ball and threw it up to Nicky who was still at the front of the arch. Snatching the ball in the air, Nicky moved back into the ready position looking at Watson, whom was staring at her with a look of complete disbelief.
"Again?" goaded Nicky.
Watson let out a growl and nodded, coming forward and guarding Nicky so close that Nicky could feel Watson's angry breaths on her face.
Nicky smirked, but moved again. Watson was a good defensive player, and Nicky was extra careful this time when she began to move. Watson's hands were everywhere, and Nicky had to place some extra between the legs and behind the back moves just to avoid Watson's hands from smacking the ball away.
The two battled for quite some time at the front of the court, Nicky moving back and forth, and Watson blocking her from going anywhere.
Watson started letting out ragged breaths, clearly struggling to keep up with Nicky but refusing to yield to the woman.
Looking up, Alex was back in the post position, but now Cindy was all over her, refusing to let the woman get in front of her. Alex gave her a subtle nod to the corner 3 point position just over Cindy's shoulder, and Nicky nodded.
Driving to her left, Watson followed and Nicky tried the same move as before, dribbling between her legs in a quick cross over but Watson was all over it. However, Watson over compensated the defense and Nicky used it to her advantage, as she quickly curled the ball behind her back to side step Watson and move towards the hoop.
Cindy saw the move, and had no choice but to move forward and block Nicky's access to the rim.
As soon as Cindy committed, Nicky passed the ball to Alex who was standing just at the spot she indicated prior, right on the corner 3 point line.
Alex caught the ball, squared up and let it sail. Just as Nicky's shot before, the ball was a perfect arch and sailed in the hoop for the game ending shot.
The yard erupted in cheers, louder than before.
Nicky threw Alex a smirk, a silent "nice shot," before turning and walking towards her family at their bench.
Lorna was already on her feet, cheering and as soon as Nicky reached her she jumped into her arms.
Nicky smiled at the action, and wrapped her arms around Lorna's middle, being extra cautious of the woman's ribs.
"That was amazing Nicky!"
Nicky buried her head into Lorna's neck, breathing in the woman's scent for just a second before pulling back and meeting her gaze.
"Thanks kid," murmured Nicky softly, reaching up and tucking that piece of hair behind Lorna's ear once more.
Only this time, Lorna clearly leaned into the touch and Nicky got to see the most delightful shade of pink adorn Lorna's cheek as the woman blushed under the attention.
"Not bad Nichols," said the raspy voice of Alex Vause behind her, as Nicky turned to see Alex smirking behind her with an enamored Piper tucked into her side.
"For a second there, I was worried you forgot how to play," teased Alex, tightening her hold on Piper.
Nicky let out a dark chuckle at that.
"Trust me, so was I!"
The two laughed a little at that but they were quickly interrupted by voices behind them arguing.
Watson, Cindy, Taystee and Pousseey were all in a heated debate just a few feet behind them before finally the 4 broke away and started walking towards them.
The silences between the two groups of women were uncomfortable for a few moments before finally it was broken by Taystee.
"Damn Nichols, Vause, we didn't know you had those kinds of skills!"
Nicky let out a chuckle at that and nodded.
"Well people don't really know me around here for my skills with balls," she joked, pulling Lorna into her side and placing a chaste kiss to the side of her head.
Taystee laughed at that, and stepped even closer now.
"Ya I guess, but seriously though, where did you two learn to play like that?"
Alex stepped forward now, joining the conversation.
"I had a full ride basketball scholarship in College but I quit my Junior year," said Alex, not elaborating further on why she quit, but they all knew it probably had to do with why she was in prison.
Nicky seeing that Alex was uncomfortable with this part of her past stepped forward and took the spotlight off her friend and back on her.
"My drug dealer taught me how to play," she said with a laugh, earning looks of disbelief from everyone around her.
Nicky laughed at all their faces but nodded, trying to convey how truthful she was honestly being.
"I mean I played in High School but I got kicked off the team because I broke my coach's toe. I didn't play for a few years after that, but then I got caught up in the drug scene and my main drug dealer was always dealing down at the courts by my apartment. When I told him that I used to play, he laughed at me and told me that if I ever beat him I would get my next supply for free. My mom had cut me off by then, so I was all for the opportunity to get free drugs."
"I played him a couple times a week for like two years before I finally beat the bastard," said Nicky with a laugh. "Too bad that was the night that I got arrested for drug possession. I worked my ass off for 2 years to get those drugs and I didn't even get to enjoy them!"
The resounding silence that followed was thankfully short as Alex busted out laughing at the story.
"That story still gets me every time! What was his name again?"
Nicky chuckled and threw Alex a playful glare.
"His name was Theodore, but I called him Teddy."
Alex let out a laugh.
"Ohh…ya! Teddy the basketball guru slash heroin dealer!"
Nicky stepped forward and playfully socked Alex in the arm.
"Hey Vause you know Teddy was my Miyagi! Don't knock my karate kid moment!"
Alex laughed and pulled Nicky into a hug and the two walked into the building together, hands over each other's shoulder's which was quite comical due to the height difference.
Lorna and Piper watched them go.
"Those two are something else," said Piper, throwing her arms around Lorna and pulling her into her side, matching Alex and Nicky.
"Yes they are," nodded Lorna smiling as her head came to rest on Piper's shoulder.
"I have known Nicky for a year and half, and I still learn something new about her every day," said Lorna fondly.
"Maybe that's what being in love is all about," shrugged Piper.
Lorna pulled her head off Piper's shoulder, and looked at her at her in confusion.
"When Alex first told me she loved me, we were in her bed after a night of the best sex of my life, and I just remember looking at her thinking that "I don't think I could ever love her anymore then in this moment."
A wistful look took over Piper's face as she continued.
"But then she took me to Barbados, and we had a candle light dinner on the beach and I thought for sure, that I could never love her more than that moment. But then I followed her to the basketball courts in Spain and watched her play, and then she got drunk in Germany and sang karaoke, "I Love Rock 'n' Roll," in fluent German, and then yesterday she had an entire conversation with me during lunch with jelly on her chin."
Lorna was staring at her with a look of confusion and adoration, mixed into one and Piper just gave her a shoulder a squeeze.
"I guess what I am trying to say is that I fall in love with Alex a little more every day. Everything she does, no matter how big or small, good or bad, it is all just Alex. "
Lorna smiled at that, "I know what you mean. I find myself loving Nicky more and more every day."
Walking forward the two followed their two counterparts into the building smiling fondly at the two idiots laughing at some joke Nicki said.
"Except for yesterday," added Lorna to Piper, smiling wickedly. "Yesterday she was pretty fucking annoying.