a/n: hey thanks for continuing to read my story. also thanks to the people who leave feedback, it puts fuel in my fire to keep on writing. :) as always, enjoy.
The next morning, I felt the girls in my block looking at me differently. It could just be paranoia settling in my brain, but I'm pretty sure I was getting weird looks. As for my roommate, well, I have decided I will not take her act of kindness to heart.
Trust no one.
The only friend in prison, is paranoia.
That's what all the prison for dummies books told me. What? I had to time to read some books during my trial. I figured my public defender wasn't going to get me out of anything, so I took that time reading up on prison life. I could almost guarantee the person who wrote "Prison for Dummies" most likely has never been to prison.
I was not prepared at all for this.
It was time for breakfast. I got dressed-in the same thing I will be wearing everyday. At least I don't have to worry about picking out outfits. It was a hard part of my day, let me tell you. Thank you for taking that hard task out of my life and making it simple with this ugly fucking jumper.
My roommate was not in her bed when I left my cell to shower this morning, but the less I see of her the better. I can't trust someone who is a crazy bitch one second, and touching my shoulder sweetly the next. Fuck that. I made my bed perfectly, no thanks to that chica. I started to let a little grin show, as I let the laughter, caused by my own joke, run wild in my brain. It wasn't even that great of a joke-who am I kidding, the joke was shit.
I heard a tiny tap on the frame of my non existent door, "Hey, I see a shit eating grin on your face, are you planning something evil? That bitch deserves it."
Before I turned to look at the tall girl, I finished fluffing my own pillow before carefully setting it down, "Nah, I am better than that. I'm just here to serve my time, without evil plans." The tall brunette was quite attractive for a girl with black rimmed glasses. I could see her rocking some serious tight leather clothes outside of that jumper, and my mind is wandering. Stop.
She smirked and entered my room as she spoke, "Said like a true inmate, and you've been here for a whole day. I'm Alex, by the way, and I'm not better than that." She said as she sat on Lopez's bed.
"Alex, yes, I remember." Firmly I stated, "I'm Pierce," giving out first names seems sort of personal now, like revealing the details to why you are behind these walls.
The tall brunette let out a grin and spoke, "Not even on a first name basis yet? I'm hurt, Pierce." She winked at me, "It's all right, I'll get it outta you sooner than later. Let's go eat." She turned and left my cell, expecting me to follow because she halted her movements when she realized I was still sitting on my perfectly made bed. No more failed room checks for me.
"You eat, right?" She rhetorically asked.
I nodded, hopped off my bed, flattened the blanket, and I followed Alex to the cafeteria to eat some of that delicious breakfast food. As I walked next to the tall girl in silence, I wondered what the Russian lady cooked up for us this morning. I can't wait to see what happens with the Russian mob wife kitchen, I think that will be my entertainment throughout my sentence. Since I can't indulge in reality television anymore, I will watch Russian Mob Wives:Prison Edition.
Alex opened up the door for me and l walked in first as she spoke, "You're a quiet one, Pierce. That'll change."
What is she like the fucking prison Yoda? "Wisdom, full you are." I let a shit-eating-grin wipe across my face for a millisecond, until I realized I mumbled that part and I did not just think it.
Alex let out a laugh and kept smiling as she spoke to me, "You just mocked me with Yoda, didn't you? Holy shit," she paused still grinning, "you are a nerd."
My cheeks reddened with embarrassment. I had nothing to say to that, other than, "You could say that."
"That's fuckin' adorable. Let's go eat. Red got us some BACON TODAY!" Alex yelled out the last part with a wiggle of her body. Then the whole cafeteria cheered in unison and slammed their trays on the table to make their excitement known.
Back to the trough of food, where we will be fed like pigs, while eating pigs ironically. I shook the odd realization out of my head as I grabbed my tray, stuck it under the glass, and waited for piles of slop to be thrown on. Everyone in this room seemed to be in a super good mood. I wonder if it was all because of bacon. Will I be this excited one day, over a lousy piece of meat?
I slid my tray under the last of the glass and waited for two strips of bacon to be piled on top of what resembled scrambled eggs and pancakes. "Yo, Red, new girl!" I am getting deja vu, didn't we already go through this? My feet slowly moved away from the trough of food and my brain told me to walk back to my table. But my feet wouldn't listen. I was planted there waiting for Red to appear.
"Blondie," she leered with her full Russian accent, while curling her finger at me. Total deja vu.
I'll play.
I stepped closer and leaned in, "You want two extra pieces of bacon? I got job for you."
"I'm here to serve my time and not get in any trouble." Firmly, I spoke as I looked her dead in the eyes the entire time, "and a job sounds helluva close to a favor."
Red chuckled, but it sounded as if she was chuckling with a thick Russian accent. It was the most terrifying laugh I've ever heard. I began to turn my body away from Red as she spoke again, but I only listened with one ear, "You a smart cookie. I like that, whaddya say?"
"I don't do favors for a slice of bacon." I turned my head to look at her.
"TWO!" She held up two fingers at the same time, like she was used to people not understand her accent.
"I'm sorry, but you've got the wrong girl." I smiled politely and walked away as she shouted loud enough only for the people around us to hear, "Soon, you be right."
Is everyone here just full of fucking Yoda wisdom? What the fuck.
My heart was thumping fast. I'm not used to saying no to people. It's just not in my nature. The entire time I was holding down my exterior cool, I was expecting all of her mob wives to attack me for denying her request.
My tray was plopped down first, then my ass on the seat next to Alex. I was invited to their table by Chapman last night, anyhow. Alex was chewing her bacon as she pointed at me with the half-eaten piece in hand, "Hey Miss Popular, what was all that about?"
Shaking my head as I shovelled some scrambled eggs in my mouth, "Nothing," I spoke while chewing my food.
"Awwwwww," the word was sarcastically drawn out, "we got a shy blondie on our hands." Nichols chirped.
I rolled my eyes as I continued to eat my breakfast, which is going to start being my new favorite meal around here. It actually tastes like one. I looked around at all the girls that surrounded me as they all silently chomped on their precious breakfast bacon. My eyes fell shut as I listened. Just listened. This room is typically loud and filled with chatter, but today? Nothing. Silence as everyone coveted their bacon. I had bacon within this last month, I wonder when the girls around me had their last slice? This simple slab of meat, doesn't make me want to fall silent, doesn't make the chatter stop in my head, and it definitely doesn't make me want to do a damn favor for a Russian.
"Here." I tossed a slice of bacon at Alex, "you need this more than I do." She looked at me in shock like I just threw a blood diamond at her. I gave that slice of bacon away, with the intention of having this lovely gesture returned. Because I might be in a position one day when I need a slice of bacon to escape my prison life. Looking at the other slice of crispy bacon, I picked it up, and tossed it in the middle of the table. The girls looked at me. I sheepishly grinned.
"I offer my other slice of bacon to the girl who has the best story." I smiled, crossed my arms, and leaned back in my chair.
The women at the table dropped their forks and looked at me and then at the bacon. I could see in some of their eyes, that they just wanted to take the bacon. Claim it as their own. Want, take, have; that's the mentality that landed us all in here. But everyone was showing self restraint. My eyes darted from one girls eyes to the next, challenging them to spill their best story as I waited to judge.
"Fuck it," Nichols hesitated, "I was really fucking stoned, probably close to the highest I've ever been, alright? I had this precious pussy hanging on my arm and she was ready to get fucked by little ole me. I boozed and drugged her up all night long." Nichols closed her eyes as she continued to recall her memory, "So here we both are walkin' down the strip of Vegas. Lights in our eyes, laughing, walking back to my hotel, when all of a sudden a black SUV pulls up next to us and takes us both into the car. These white dudes in suits demand money from me saying I owe them for their whore. Who knew I was with a prostitute all night? I spit on both of them, said fuck you all. Jumped out of the moving car and walked-," she chuckled, "mainly limped- back down the strip and picked up this sweet piece of-"
"Nichols! This story fucking sucks, no one wants to hear about you eatin' pussy. Shit we see it in the shower every morning!" Big Boo shouts out as her mouth waters, thinking about the prize in site. "Pierce, can we move on?"
Everyone stared at me.
Wow.
I. Was . In. control.
This was me establishing myself in these walls. This is an odd realization to have, but I can dwell on this later. I need to focus.
"Nichols, I expected better from you." I tried out my wink, "who's next?" Verdict is by Nichols facial response: my wink could use a little more work. All I have is time.
"Ay ay ay," Taystee outstretched her hands, "Look ya'll this will be the last story you need to hear."
WIth my arms still crossed I nodded at her, "try me." Alex looked at me through the corner of her eye intrigued at my sudden change of demeanor.
Taystee, the black girl who I met on my first day in the van, stood up, rubbed her hands together in anticipation of telling her story, then began, "So look. I wake up not knowing what just happened the night before. I'm looking around the room eyes barely open!" Taystee starts to become extremely animated in her story, with her arms flailing in the air, "So, I'm sitting there, realizing I have barbecue sauce on my titties," she chuckles in between, "and I'm like, what the fuck again? Barbecue sauce on my titties, I thought I dealt with this problem before! I thought to myself. So then I get up and realize there's a guy on my floor," she hesitates and becomes less animated, "wearing my shirt, and he's got barbeque sauce all over his face," she pauses and talks quieter, "and he's dead."
The table stayed silent.
"Ten minutes ladies! Eat up!" The silence was quickly interrupted by a guard shouting as he walked in between the rows of women.
"One more story, and I call it!" Chapman, the other blonde, chirped in at the last moment.
Everyone else at the table who was hoping to get in a story looked at the piece of bacon and simultaneously mumbled, "Fuck.." As they all waited to hear Chapman tell her tale.
Chapman rocked in her chair with excitement. She joyfully smiled with her hands clasped together, "So, I am going to beat you all out of the water." She placed her hands on the table as she began her story, "So so so, there was this one time," the other blonde can't hold her laughter in as she tries to get out her story, "this one time I was in a park on a blanket and it's a nice day out..."
Chapman's story faded into the background as I heard the guard shout, "FIVE MINUTES LADIES!"
I looked around the table and everyone is rolling their eyes at the giddy Chapman,
"...and then I reached into the basket and there was no ring! My fiance forgot to bring the ring he was proposing with and my hand was full of potato salad."
Everyone at the table slowly looked at each other after Chapman finished her story. They all shrugged their shoulders and shook their head, "White girl. That was the whitest story you could have ever told." Jefferson, Taystee's bunkmate chirped in, "We've personally seen better shit happen to you!"
The table laughed. As I looked at everyone I wondered what happened to Chapman behind these walls. Wondered if that was the reason the bags under her eyes were so large. I find it hard to look at her, because she is a reminder of what I could look like if I let this place get to me.
Looks like I got a tough decision to make, "Taystee, bacon's yours." I nodded at her as I scooped the last of my food into my mouth. I spoke with my mouth full, "You had the most wicked twist factor. So did you do it?"
The bacon crunched in the black girls mouth as her curls bounced on her head, "Now that, is a story for another time." She winked as she bounced away to the trash can and disposed of her food and placed her tray in the receptacle.
I stood up and did the same as everyone else in the lunch room-or should I say breakfast room? Either way, we all made our way to the trash can like busy worker bees. I'm not sure what we do next. This is my first full day, I just realized I do not have a clue.
The ladies around me are scampering off to places, but I haven't a clue what I am supposed to do. I just stare at the trash can as I let my food slowly fall in. Everyone is bumping my shoulder and throwing their garbage in the can as I stand in their way.
I heard whispers, "It's okay, Pierce is slow or som'in."
I'm starting to find it hard get mad at this rumor that quickly spread in under a day. I guess I am staring off into a garbage can looking like a lost child in a department store. So I probably deserve all these slow comments.
"Hey," I felt a hard slap on my shoulder blade. The shock of a human touch almost made me drop my tray to the floor but I kept my grip, "So ya know, people are thinking you are retarded. There I said it. What the fuck are you doing?" Alex half smiled as she raised a brow at me.
I finished up with my tray and walked with her as I spoke, "When I was throwing away my trash, I realized I have no clue what to do next." I looked over at her. We seemed to be walking somewhere. She had somewhere to go or something to do. Which begs my question even more, what the fuck do I do next?
She kept looking ahead of her, darting in and out of women walking, "Ah, I have a feeling you'll figure out soon enough."
Over the intercom, "Pierce please report to Healy's office. Pierce report to Healy now."
Alex smiled at me as she walked through the doors and pointed at herself and mouthed, "Yoda."
Getting dropped into prison is like getting dropped in India and not knowing anything about the culture and dialect. That is exactly how I am feeling. Everything is foreign and I am not used to prision society. Where no one tells you anything, yet everyone knows everything.
I found the door that had SAM HEALY written with black lettering on frosted glass. Should I knock before entering? I was paged over the intercom, so I've got to be an expected guest. Well, maybe I should knock. I don't want to piss off any more guards. It is only my second day and all. As I lifted my knuckles up to the door, I heard a muffled voice from behind it, "Come in Pierce." How the fuck..? That was beyond creepy, I thought as I entered the office.
"Have a seat, Pierce." He swirled a wooden stick in his coffee as he ruffled through file folders with the other hand, "Ah, here you are." He wiped off his hands and placed his reading glasses on, "Brittany Pierce. I read your file the other day. Such a shame to be in here for such a pretty girl like you." He shook his head, took off his glasses, and pinched his nose where his glasses rested. I stayed silent. This is kind of like high school was, you just sit there and listen to what they have to say. No matter how much you want to talk back.
"So, keep your head down. Don't get roped into problems or lesbians." Lesbians? Did I hear that one correctly? "And STAY AWAY from Chapman and Vause, trouble follows them."
"Vause?" I looked up at him and asked. The name was unfamiliar to me.
"Yes, inmate Vause. You may know her as Alex. Alex Vause. She's in here for the long haul. Be a good inmate and parole may be an option sooner than you think." He smiled at me, seeming like he genuinely cared.
"Yes, sir." I nodded. Just say what he wants to hear, I keep repeating to myself in my head.
"Now, for your work assignment-to which you will go straight to after breakfast every day- is laundry detail." He sat back down on his rickety chair and as he adjusted himself he continued to speak, "And don't worry the work changes every six months." I swear I heard a squeak of the chair in between every word.
"Laundry detail it is, yes sir." I nodded my head and spoke like a good little student-sounds better than inmate.
He picked up his reading glasses and looked back down on his papers, "Oh and first visitor is allowed next week. So I need a list of approved visitors by tomorrow." He didn't look up once as I sat there blankly staring at his balding head, "Off you go now, that's all."
The rest of my day was blur after that. I went from laundry detail, to lunch, to recreation time, to dinner. I just remember being taught, first we sort, then we push that button, blah blah blah. I think I understand the concept of laundry, even though that was probably the chore I did the least in the outside world. I was happy to see my perfectly made bed when I entered my cell. I was actually relieved to see my fucking bed.
The only bad part about being in my cell is that my roommate will be coming back at any time. I don't remember seeing her throughout my day, but today was literally a big blur. All I know is, if Healy wants me to stay away from Vause why would he put me in laundry detail with her? If this is a test, well I certainly don't fucking play that game.
I see my cellmate enter our room out of the corner of my eye. She stands there for a second, huffing, she stomps into our room towards me and not towards her own bed. I will hold my exterior cool. I will not let her intimidate me, but this is slightly hard with her barrelling at me.
Lopez is now on top of me. It was easy to get me into this position. I let her stomp towards me as I sat on the edge of my bed and then she pushed me over. She continues to straddle me, I struggle a bit, but she is much, much stronger so I give in and let her pin my arms down above my head. Our eye contact never breaks during this. Whatever this is.
She leans down towards my right ear and whispers, "If I find out that it was you..." She pauses as she breathes heavily into my ear, "I'll fuckin' make you pay." Lopez slowly retracts herself from my ear, grins, then proceeds to lick my face. She smirks once more and hops off me.
Not even a second later Pornstache and another guard walk into our room. "Lopez, grab your fucking necessities. Off to solitary you go."
Pornstache walks up to me, with his boots echoing throughout the silent block. I stood up from my bed confused as fuck, panting from the altercation I had to endure. He stands so close to me his body is practically touching my breasts as he looks down at me with his pervert smile, "Use these two days to figure out how you'll survive her wrath."
Can anyone tell me what the fuck just happened?