A/N: to everyone who left reviews , thank you so much ! I really enjoy reading your comments , and thank you for supporting me / the story (: and I know the chapters are really short now but I swear I will do my absolute best to make them longer in the future. thanks again , and my tumblr is littlemissdoggett if anyone wants to ask me questions or anything !
"I know your trouble
girl don't be afraid
let me help."
-Ne-Yo / Let Me Love You
chapter 7: frustration
"Lorna." Red said, gesturing for the younger girl to join her. Morello was sitting down in her bunk immersed in a book, but you don't disobey Red if you know what's good for you, so she followed obediently, shutting her book and tucking it underneath her arm.
"I was going to throw Nicky a party to celebrate her coming back, but she keeps avoiding me. Has she spoken to you?" The Russian woman asked in an urgent whisper.
"No, no she hasn't. She's been avoidin' me too." Morello frowned. "Nicky wouldn't avoid you. Why's she doing it now?" She continued questioningly.
"Something's happened to my daughter. I don't know what it is, but you have to help her." Red gripped her shoulders tightly. Morello winced from the pain of Red's fingers digging into her flesh.
"Wh-why me? I thought she cared about you the most." Morello whimpered softly. "Oh, Lorna, don't be stupid. You know she loved you." Red sighed, releasing her.
"Look, I got no time to take care of Nicky. I love her, but I really can't. I have the kitchen and everything. I'm sorry. But I think it's up to you." The redhead said. She grabbed Morello's delicate wrists.
"Take care of her." She said fiercely. "I will-" Morello began, stumbling over her words, but Red cut her off, her fingers tightening around her wrists.
"Promise me!" Red snarled. "I-I promise, Red." Morello pleaded earnestly, trying to pull her wrists from Red's ironclad grip.
"Good." Red released her. She placed a gentle hand on Morello's shoulder. She smiled, and Morello couldn't fully return the gesture.
Morello paced around the bunks, looking for Nicky. Even though she knew what Nicky had gone through, she still didn't know what to do. She had to try, though. She found her in one of the bunks, hanging out with the last person she thought she'd speak to.
"Damn, you're good at this." Pennsatucky sighed, tossing her cards onto the bed and running her fingers through her short hair. Nicky grinned and shuffled the cards, dealing them swiftly, her foot tapping against the floor.
"At least Boo isn't here anymore. She was kickin' our asses earlier." She continued, scooping up her cards. "Yeah. She cheats, you know?" Nicky said, sorting through her hand.
"What? How?" Pennsatucky frowned. "You know how these cards all have dents and scratches and shit? Boo memorized them, and can tell which is which." Nicky said.
"That ain't fuckin' fair!" Pennsatucky exclaimed, her eyes meeting Nicky's. "Yeah, well, maybe she taught me her ways, maybe she didn't." Nicky grinned crookedly, and Pennsatucky laughed and shoved her.
Morello burned with anger, and also jealousy. Why would she hang out with Pennsatucky of all people? She sidled into the bunk, fingers curled around the edge of her shirt.
"Hey." Morello said. "Hey." Pennsatucky greeted her with a smile and a wave, while Nicky muttered a noncommittal "hi". Morello sat and watched the other two while they played, Pennsatucky getting increasingly frustrated at Nicky's constant victories, while Nicky's light cheerfulness earlier evaporated slowly.
"Fucking hell, I'm sure you're cheatin' too. I'm out." Pennsatucky threw down her remaining cards, and stood up.
"I'm gonna beat ya one day, Nichols." She said, jabbing a finger at Nicky, tossing a grin at her, and stumbling off. "I'll be waiting, Penn." Nicky retorted, smiling.
"Nicky." Morello said, climbing onto the bed, where Nicky was putting the cards away. "What?" She said, all the friendliness melting out of her voice.
"Look, Nicky, I know what happened to you in there. I just wanna help." Morello pleaded. "What?" Nicky answered, eyes widening. "I talked to Johnson, who told me she knew you?" She said.
Nicky's eyes darkened. "Look. What happened in there doesn't matter. The important thing is I'm back from that shithole to this other shithole, and that the whole family's okay, alright?" She said.
Morello got up. Nicky was in one of her moods again, and Morello knew better than to press further. "You should talk to Red, you know. She says you've been avoiding her."
Nicky gave a shrug, put away her cards, and turned away. Morello took this as her cue to leave.
"Fine. I'll go. But I won't give up on you, okay?" Morello said to Nicky's back, before walking away with her hands in her pockets.
Morello walked into dinner later than usual, as she'd misplaced her lipstick, and needed to hunt for it in case she got in trouble for owning contraband. She paused to peek into the kitchen, and saw Red and Nicky talking.
She couldn't hear what they said, but she saw Red pull Nicky into a hug, and Nicky's arms tentatively snaked around the other woman too. Nicky's eyes were closed, her fingers clenching the fabric of Red's shirt as though her life depended on it, while Red stroked her back soothingly, whispering words only Nicky could hear.
"Well at least she's talking to Red now." Morello mumbled to no one in particular, lining up for her food. "She's still not talking to you?" Chapman said in surprise. Morello jumped.
"Jesus, Chapman." Morello breathed, her heart rate increasing. "Sorry." Chapman offered her a sheepish smile.
"What were you sayin' about Nicky?" Morello asked as Maritza handed her a tray. "I was asking if she's still not talking to you, because she seems fine with me." Chapman said, taking her own tray.
"She's also talking to Vause and Boo and even Pennsatucky, but she seems to hate me." Morello said miserably, following Chapman to where Vause sat.
"You know, Morello, I don't think she hates you." Chapman said thoughtfully. "When I was angry with something Larry did, I'd freeze him out till he figured it out. I think Nicky wants you to figure it out."
"But I didn't do anything!" Morello protested. Chapman just gave her a look as she began shovelling food into her mouth.
"Are you sure?" Vause asked. "Yes!" Morello said angrily, waving her fork in the air. "Why don't you ask her, then?" Chapman asked.
"I will, then!" Morello said, slamming her cutlery onto the table and stalking off to find Nicky.
In the deepest, darkest part of her heart, Morello was angry at Nicky, for finally returning as this pale, broken shell of who she once was. Morello didn't want this sad Nicky, she wanted her Nicky, the one who smiled and laughed and made her feel safe.
And she was willing to do whatever it took to get her Nicky back.
