The following Monday at school, Piper skipped history lunch period and went to the sixth floor where the pool for the swimming team was. She figured after their hot n' steamy kiss Saturday night, she's the last person Alex would want to see and Piper understood more than anything about needing space.
And damn if she didn't spend the rest of her weekend thinking about what that kiss meant. She could still smell Alex's sweet honey scent if she allowed herself to remember. When she closed her eyes, it's like she was right back at that bar and she could taste those luscious lips against hers again.
After Alex abruptly left, Piper didn't even text her and do that thing people do when they didn't want things to get awkward. She didn't send Alex one of those apologetic texts that say, "I'm so sorry. That was so out line and we should just forget it happened," because it happened and she didn't regret it and she most certainly didn't want to fucking forget it happened.
She didn't even have a guilty conscience like she did about that time Mendez kissed her during his drunken haze. In fact she didn't even give Larry a second thought.
Her mind was all Alex and that kiss. And all she wanted to do was kiss her again over and over.
So does avoiding each other solve anything? Probably not. But Piper understood the meaning of "needing space." And space was exactly what she was going to give Alex until the end of the day because she wasn't going to let Alex overanalyze anything or let anything change between them.
She's not stupid. She knows the kind of trouble Alex could get into for that kiss. And if it was any indication after that kiss that Alex lusted after her, well, she certainly didn't want that chance blown.
Fuck to the no. She has a plan and somehow, Piper knows that everything will fall together exactly how they're supposed to be soon enough.
...
Piper barely made it to art class on time. Art class was a close second to history when it comes to her favorite class. Her teacher adored her because she had a creative mind and she's one of the few students Ms. Cambria lets reach deep in their soul and allow to paint anything that speaks volume.
Piper did the usual routine. Signed in, put on an apron, picked up a canvas board, watercolors and her brushes, then got to work. As an artist, her inspiration comes in rare forms and since that kiss was all she could think of, she painted a face to it.
By the time the hour and half period was over, she had a woman painted with a lustful look on her face, lips swollen from a helluva kiss, her body striking a half naked pose that showed her desire and vulnerability at first glance. She was a goddess with sensuality written all over her like a billboard. And she owned that feeling without shame in her express and body language.
Was it appropriate for a school assessment? Abso-fucking-lutely not. But it was art and good art is fucking appreciated by those who see its value.
Piper had spent the whole day Sunday lusting after Alex and trying to put a face to that kiss. She's pretty sure nothing really compared to the original if there was one, but putting it into painting and feeling remotely satisfied with the figure was relief enough.
As the painting dried and her teacher praised the goodness of the image, it's subtle colors and broke down every aspect of it, Piper decided then that she was taking the painting home, add a few finishing touches to it and plaster it on a wall in her living room. It belonged somewhere with someone who understood the meaning of it. With someone who saw more than a woman when they looked at the piece.
...
Last period ended in the blank of an eye and before Piper knew it, she was at her locker listening to Polly rant about her pointless argument with Pete.
She laughed when she was supposed to; made noises of disagreement and offered her best friend wise parting words before hugging her goodbye with the promise of going to the baseball pep-rally with her on Friday, later that week.
She and Larry were on weird footing still. Though they were past arguing, Piper hadn't completely forgiven him for being a douche bag, so he was on probation for the time being.
"What are you doing later?" Larry asked.
Piper shrugged. "I don't know." She replied. "Why?"
"I was thinking I could come over later." Larry said. "It's been a while since we- uh,"
Piper watched him squirm with the words. Was he fucking kidding?
Okay. Let's tackle this issue about how much of a douche men can be. Did you know that they only have two reoccurring/repeating thoughts multiple times a day? Like every seven seconds, they think about sex or food.
Ridiculous right?
"Cut the shit." Piper groaned, tired of watching him stutter. "Just say it. It's been a while since we had sex."
Larry cringed. "I was actually going to say hang out, but yeah, that too."
Piper pushed her hair back from her forehead and cracked a smile. "Great." She said. "I'll let you know if I can squeeze you in for a quick fuck sometime later."
Larry gaped. He knew how blatantly blunt Piper can be at all times but this one hit home. "Perhaps you need a reminder, but there is nothing quick about my fucking, darling."
"Jesus Christ." Piper rolled her eyes. Boys and their fragile egos. "I'll text you later, Larry."
As she slammed her locker shut and left Larry staring after her, Piper's first thought was Alex.
At the exact moment the thought of Alex occurred, her feet seemed to have grown a mind of its own because she was already flying down the hall of her locker and going to the third floor.
When she got to Alex's room, she found the brunette behind her desk, eyes buried in a stack of papers with a red pen in hand. She look focused with pursed lips, her long dark hair tied in a curly knot haphazardly on the top of her head and thick-black rimmed glasses framed her face.
She looked gorgeous. Piper couldn't help but admire her from the door-frame.
But somehow, there was this energetic pull between them as soon as Piper stepped inside the classroom and Alex's head snapped up to look at her.
For a second, she looked almost thrilled to see her and then Piper blinked, she saw nothing.
"Hi." She greeted.
Alex stayed mute. Just stared back at her with clear green eyes.
"Ah, I see. You're not talking to me." Piper nodded. "It's okay. I figured as much." She expected that, so her feelings didn't hurt as badly. But still, she wished Alex said something. "But anyways, I did take the SAT's just because and the results came back."
A few months ago, Alex told Piper she should consider taking the SAT's just in case she changes her mind later about the whole going to college thing and it seemed like she took it.
Alex swallowed. The only indication that told Piper she was listening and should go on.
"When I got them back, you're the only person I wanted to tell about the results." Piper informed, hoping that somehow meant something to Alex. "I scored a 2380."
Piper watched as Alex's face went from blank to a series of other emotions that could only be described as pride. Her green eyes sparkled and was bursting with pride even as she was silent and that was enough for Piper at that moment.
"I'll see you around, Vause." Piper smiled.
She turned to leave and waited just a few seconds in her track, hoping Alex would say something. But she said nothing. Just let her leave.
Piper reached the hallways, just two feet away from Alex's classroom when her phone vibrated in her hand with a text.
From Hot Sugar:
You did good kid. Congrats.
Piper smiled. For now, that would suffice.
888
The rest of March flew by quick and soon enough, spring made its entrance in April. The weather was nice and with thoughts of Piper constantly circling around in her head, Alex didn't know what to do with herself.
Spring break was coming up in a week and Alex decided to do some renovating to her beach house. She figured with summer ahead, she could give the house a more summery vibe and let it breathe more.
She woke up Saturday morning to the sunrise of her beach house, and over caffeine, she drew up a plan to extend and have the back of the house remodeled completely. And she also thought of repainting the whole place too; give it a more colorful vibe.
God. What the hell is up with her? Is this what her existence has turned to all because of a teenager and a fucking kiss that has cursed her?
Shit.
With an estimated budget, she made a note to call people who know how to do shit like remodeling.
Nicky would have a fucking ball if she knew that the thought of Piper Chapman has her redecorating just to keep her sanity.
With a sigh, she got up and decided to go take a shower. Her mother's birthday was the weekend of Easter and she reckoned promising her mother a trip to Spain for her birthday a few weeks ago.
Maybe it's time she oughta take that trip. Maybe that would help her. Travel to some foreign country; lose herself in cultural traditions of the Spanish nation. Eat delicious meals of delicious spices and drink fantastic aged wine with cheese. Also, spending time with her mom would be the bonus of course.
It doesn't sound like a horrible plan. Maybe that would help her forget about Piper and that goddamn kiss.
Highly fucking unlikely though. But she can only hope.
After her shower, she decided hitting up Nicky to see if she could make their traditional Saturday breakfast.
...
When she met Nicky for breakfast, the crazy strawberry ginger head was still and always her dapper self, giving her shit for no reason at all.
"You look like shit." Nicky smiled to her across the table at Zia's. "Like the woman from The Conjuring after she got possessed."
Alex cringed. Really? "Eat shit, asshole."
"And yet you still swear you don't love me." Nicky teased. "What's up, Vause?"
"I'm thinking of heading to Spain for the break." Alex told her.
Their menus came and they ordered before resuming back to their conversation.
"Yeah?"
Alex nodded. "Ma's birthday." She said. "Wanna tag along?"
Nicky grinned as if she knew something Alex didn't.
"What the fuck are you grinning about?" Alex looked around to make sure nobody was sneaking up behind her.
Piper in particular considering she's been avoiding the hell out of the girl.
"Actually, I've been talking to Lorna..." Nicky begin.
Alex rolled her eyes. Like it hasn't fucking been obvious that she's been talking to the Italian Princess.
"What else is new?" She questioned with raised eyebrows.
"And I'm visiting her for Easter." Nicky revealed.
"No shit." Alex's eyes widen. "Nicky Nichols does family introductions?" She teased. "When's the fucking wedding? And I better fucking be your MOH or else I'll fuck up your whole shit."
"Asshole."
"And yet you still swear you don't love me." Alex quoted.
Nicky rolled her eyes. "Eat shit."
They both laughed.
Their food came shortly after. They dig into mountains of waffles, turkey bacon, and sipped on mimosas.
Fuck off. Its 5' P.M. somewhere out there in the world.
"So what's next?" Alex continued. "White picket fence house and 2.5 children?"
Nicky stopped chewing and flipped Alex the bird.
"Really?" Alex chuckled. "Real mature Nicolette."
Calling Nicky by her full first name is the way to make her your number one worst enemy.
And Nicky knew just how to get Alex back for that one.
"How Chapman doing?" Nicky asked.
Oh yeah. She knew about that kiss the two women shared.
Alex shut up.
"Oh you know, cute little blonde with those beautiful bright blue eyes? I've heard she can kiss like a goddamn storm."
Not funny.
"How lovely." Alex feigned cheeriness with full sarcasm. "I'm sure you and the Italian Princess will have a fun time."
Nicky popped a piece of bacon in her mouth and smirked. "That's more like it."
"Eat shit."
888
Piper felt tortured.
She missed Alex. Even though she saw her at school all the time, things changed.
Alex doesn't see her anymore. She's become shrewd around her. She misses the old Alex who brought her breakfast in the morning and made her crappy days feel better with just her signature sexy-as-sin smirk.
She spent majority of her Saturday morning caring for her weed plants at her friend's rented basement. And after a long run at Grand Park, she decided she needed a day alone to just be.
With Lincoln gone back to Arizona, she felt lonelier than ever.
And it's not because she had nobody else. Her minions offered to come hang out for the day but she let them down easy with a smile and told them to go blow off their paycheck for the week
As for Larry, well they had another one of their stupid fights and Piper was giving him space with the silence treatment.
Fuck him.
So she ended up spending the rest of her Saturday in her painting room where she sketched a picture. It started with really dark green eyes and then everything else just sort of fell together by itself.
By the time she was done, she realized she had sketched Alex in a domineering posture. Shoulders popped back, dark hair- an entangled mess flowing over her face and strong shoulders. Thick-black rimmed glasses graced her beautiful face and a pencil clenched between her lips and blinding white teeth.
She really misses her.
Her stomach grumbled. At first she thought it was because of Alex but she realized it's because she had been sitting in this room for nearly six hours and hadn't eaten anything but a piece of toast and coffee since the morning for breakfast.
When she heard the buzzer in her apartment, she jumped quickly to her feet to go see who it was.
At the door were her minions, smiles on their faces and they brought the delicious smell of food with them. Pizza, hot chicken wings, beer and a brown bag with other stuff in it.
Though surprised, Piper was thrilled to see them.
"We know you said we should go have fun, white girl." Poussey said.
"But you haven't been answering that piece of shit you call a phone." Daya added.
"And we got worried." Taystee continued. "We was worried you finally did the unthinkable."
Piper rolled her eyes. "How nice." Her tone dripped with sarcasm.
"So we've come to feed you and keep you company like the amazing friends we are." Polly said.
With a shake of her head, Piper let them through.
Did she mention how much she loves those girls? No? Well they're the closest things she has to a real family.
And it's been a long time since she's had one.
"We also got phish food ice cream from Ben & Jerry's and rented a couple of movies." Polly added as the girls move effortlessly through her kitchen.
Taystee snatched a piece of pizza with bacon topping and hummed. "That's right girl." She spoke between chewing and swallowing. "Maybe you can make one of you famous cake recipes. We're making this weekend a girls' night, Taylor Swift."
And to that, Piper had nothing to say. She didn't even try to protest. Turns out, she could use a little company.
888
The week before spring break went by remarkably fast.
Field trips kept Piper out of the school and quite frankly, she preferred it that way. She didn't think she could go another minute with Alex not talking to her anymore.
So if she didn't see the brunette, then she wouldn't feel that cringing feeling in her chest every time they made eye contact from across the room or the hallways in between classes.
Bloody hell.
What's that smell, you ask? Oh right... It's the smell of her reeking of desperation.
Fucking pathetic.
What the hell was she doing lusting after her teacher in the first goddamn place? Where the fuck was her sense of boundaries?
Anybody with half a fucking brain would've known to stay the fuck away and avoid Alex Vause like the fucking plague.
Did she do that?
Of course not.
Pathetic as hell.
So Thursday morning, Piper woke up and decided she has the fucking flu and stayed her ass home.
888
Things were weird for Alex's end of the torture. No Piper meant no early morning breakfast or afternoons where they spend hours debating or having discussions about the randomest things. Alex figured it was probably for the best. She couldn't be with Piper in a room alone because she doesn't trust herself to do that anymore. It's gotten too much.
The teasing in the beginning— she learned to deal with it to sort of trump the sexual tension a little bit.
And that worked for a while.
That is until that Saturday night. Oh that kiss… God, she could still feel it. The heat of it— when she closed her eyes she was back in that bar and nothing in the entire world mattered.
She wailed with a bad case of pent-up sexual frustration induced in hysteria that no vibrator was going to cure. She must've played that kiss in her head multiple times. Had she not chickened out, she would have gotten what she wanted and so desperately desired. It would've been fucking fireworks between them and then in the morning, she would've resented Piper for letting her have what she wanted and ruining their friendship in the process.
It's not even that she's scared to go to jail anymore… no, that fear, she was beyond it. Nothing was going to happen between her and Piper again. They were just going to have an appropriate relationship that student and teacher should have with no kissing or anything physical involved.
What scares the shit out of her though is that, as much as she's tried convincing herself that she can fucking hide her feelings, she was bullshitting. She's fucked. Piper's all she thinks about. She's everywhere! In her mind, in her class, in the hallways, on her lips and it's fucking with her mental stability.
...
The Friday before they went on break for spring, Alex decided that she was going to stay late to enter grades on her computer. She hasn't updated the grades in ages and she has students coming after school, complaining about having a B- in her class. Like it's the worst thing in the entire world that can fucking happen to them.
Try having feelings for your barely adult student and having nightmares at night of getting cuffed and being publicly embarrassed.
"I come in peace."
The voice snapped her out of her haze and she started freaking out.
Spinning around in her chair, there she stood in front of her. Her long blonde hair tied up in a haphazard bun on top of her head. Worn out, blue denim cut-off shorts so short they should be banned from clothing stores showed off her long legs and a few collections of her tattoos. A white tank top and a pair of red toms completed her outfit.
"You're sweating." Was what she came up with after literally not speaking to Piper in two weeks.
And Piper was.
"I walked here. It's hot outside." Piper replied.
"You didn't come to school today." Alex said.
"Yeah… Doctor's appointment." Piper explained. "Took the rest of the day off since you won't stop being an asshole."
Alex raised her eyebrows. "I'm being an asshole?" She questioned unbelievably.
"Fuck yeah!"
"Fuck you, Piper." Alex blurted angrily. "You're the one that fucked it all up when you asked me to kiss you."
"You shouldn't have kissed me like a woman if you're gonna treat me like a child. And don't act like you didn't fucking enjoy it!" Piper yelled. "I tried to be an adult about it… doing everything to make it feel less awkward between us but you're hell bent on being a fucking asshole."
"Get over yourself. It was just a fucking kiss, Piper." Alex scoffed.
"Then if it was "just a fucking kiss" get off your high fucking horse and start being adult about it."
"You're the one standing in my classroom yelling at me. How very adult. Congratulations!"
"We're having a fucking argument. People have those sometimes." Piper said.
An argument. Already they sounded like an old married couple.
They both burst out in laughter. A contagious laugh that echoed throughout the room, and released some of the tension accompanied with sexual frustration that's coursing through their veins. It felt good.
When the laughter died, Alex spoke: "It can't be how it used to be between us."
"Why not?" Piper asked.
"Because friends don't kiss, Pipes." Alex replied. "It's bound to get awkward and it doesn't exactly fucking help that I have to see your face every day."
Piper chuckled as she walked towards the windows. Pulling the shades down, she then proceeded to head for the door, locking it— she also turned off the lights, leaving Alex very confused about the whole thing.
"What are you doing?" Alex asked with a puzzled look on her face.
Piper walked up to her like she was on a mission and cupped her cheeks in her palms— grazing her fine jaw with her thumb. "You might hate me even more after for doing this but I have to." She said. "I have to do this for me because I need to know that it's not all in my head… I need to know that this is real and that I'm not insane, Alex."
Piper's mouth came down on Alex's and something inside her broke free like an angry tiger wreaking havoc. All self-control Alex had exerted over the past few weeks, all that bullshit she fed herself about never letting something like this happen again between the two of them; all of it went out of the window like dust to the wind. the sweet smell of sweat, coconut-cucumber and female filled her nose and intoxicated her. Alex wrapped her arms around Piper's neck and she pulled the blonde on her lap. Fingers threaded in each other's hair, lips moving in sync expressing in that one kiss things they wouldn't dare speak out loud.
"I'm not danger." Piper breathed against Alex's lips.
Alex stroked her cheek. "Yes. Yes you are." She replied breathlessly. "Go home Piper."
Wow. She couldn't even make that fucking sound convincing.
Piper kissed the inside of Alex's wrist and nuzzled her nose in her palm. "Let me in."
Alex's jaw clenched; a sign of frustration as she cursed under her breath. "Piper..."
Piper brought her lips back against hers and hushed her with the soft texture of her lips. "Don't say anything." She whispered. Her palm touched Alex's racing heart through her chest and she watched the rise and fall of her hand. "Just let me in."
Alex knew exactly what Piper was asking of her. But it was better said than done.
"You're way too young and you're not even my type."
And you know what Piper's reaction to that was?
She burst out in laughter. For fuck's sakes, she had the audacity to laugh and throw Alex's words back at her.
Then she stopped and looked Alex straight in the eyes. Something weird was happening between them.
The gaze was so penetrating, Alex felt as though Piper could see so much further into her eyes, deep in her soul. It felt intimate yet strange at the same time.
"Liar." She declared.
"Don't you think maybe that this is just a phase?" Alex quirked her eyebrows. "Just a curious itch you need to scratch?"
Somebody please tell her how insecure and ridiculous she sounded...
Piper frowned, "Do not insult this- what's happening between us right now. Don't fucking do that." She sounded really pissed off. "Do you really think I'd use you as a fucking binky for my little lesbian experiment?"
Alex didn't respond. Just stared at Piper.
"Tell me to stop." Piper demanded as she inched closer to Alex's lips.
"Stop." Alex breathed.
The usual authoritative roughness in her tone wasn't there.
"That was so full of shit." Piper told her. "Tell me to stop and mean it."
What the ever-loving fuck have I done to deserve this? Alex thought.
"Goddamn you, Piper Chapman."
Then their lips were locked together again. Devouring each other like addicts on their last high before the apocalypse.
Piper sensed Alex's urgency for more. The thrust of her tongue rough, as she bit on her lower lip. She definitely wanted more.
Piper smiled in triumph. As if she just won the goddamn lottery. She got Alex hooked enough and now she was going to steal her thunder.
She pulled away and Alex groaned. God. Was there ever a more beautiful sound?
"Let me in. And all this," She gestured at herself from head to toe, "Can be yours. All you have to do is let me in." She placed one final innocent chaste kiss on the brunette's lips before getting up and heading for the door. "Happy Easter, Ms. Vause."
She turn at the door and fucking winked.
888
Hah! So this chapter was like three mini-chapter made into one altogether. And I hope you guys enjoyed it! And once again, I can't thank you guys enough for all the reviews and support for this story. I hope to continue making you guys laugh or whatever is it that you feel when you read this story. Anyhoo, leave a review and let me know what you thought of this chapter. Until next time…