Chapter thirteen

Piper hated Litchfield. She hated it. She hated everything about it, from the tiled walls in the showers, right down to the grimy corners on the ground, she noted. It was simply hateful.
Really, fucking, hateful.
With Alex gone it had grown more unbearable than she ever imagined it could be. It finally felt like a prison, like she was trapped and biding her time until they let her out. That was how love hit you; it hit you hard and it hit you harsh. Then reality would sidle up to you as you lay on the ground defeated and kick you hard in the teeth.
Piper glared at the queue through the shower curtain, she was sick of seeing their faces. She was sick of this place, she was sick of all of the crap that came with being in prison. Finishing her shower, she grabbed the towel, which she also hated, and wrapped it around herself.
"Somebody took their time." Taystee commented, as Piper emerged from the small cubicle. Piper threw her a glare, Taystee threw her a giddy grin, "Ooh, girl, somebody's in a bad mood this morning!"
A few of the other inmates sniggered, while Nicky simply watched Piper with her large curious eyes. Piper avoided her gaze and kept walking. She didn't need another freaking heart to heart, what she needed was to not be here. Without Alex, this place was awful. She wanted Alex back. She wanted to wake up in a hotel somewhere exotic and find herself beside Alex, and realise this was all just an awful nightmare.
She wanted that so much.
Fucking Larry, she thought bitterly. He was visiting her today. She didn't even want to see his face.

Larry waited at the table, as the sirens sounded he quickly stood. As Piper reached the table, he gave her a nod as a greeting. She simply glared at him and sat at the table. She kept her stubborn gaze on a blank part of the wall behind him. Larry frowned, "you okay?"
"I'm prison, Larry. What do you think?"
Fucking Larry, she thought as she looked at him, with his fucking face.
"Wow, having a bad day, huh?" He asked unhelpfully.
"No, Larry," she spoke with entirely with sarcasm, ensuring no letter was spared and even mistakenly interpreted as anything other than sarcastic.
"I'm having a brilliant time in here. Just terrific!" She laughed, "It's not like Alex's been gone for a month, and I've read every book people sent me back when people cared, back to back. I've read them thrice, cover to cover. I can quote the barcode on the back of pride and prejudice. The fucking barcode Larry."
"Jesus, calm down." Larry said, "so this is all because they separated you from your favourite play thing."
Piper stared at him, hard.
"Larry?" She asked, her voice low and disturbingly calm.
"Yes, Piper?"
"Would you like them to add 'murderer' to my charges in here?"
Larry's eyes widened, he looked at the guard then back at Piper.
Piper levelled him with a look, "I didn't think so."
"You know what," Larry said, standing, "I'm going to leave early because you're in a foul mood today. My latest interview goes to print in five days. Look out for it. And I'll bring you some more books, with different barcodes."
He left her at the table, sneaking back a nervous look at his angry ex. Piper didn't move, her arms were folded stubbornly, and her eyes were fixed on the blank wall.

"Chapman, you seen the new inmate? She's a transfer from Farfield." Red's voice said, Piper looked up from her uneaten food. She immediately scanned the dining hall. Red nodded to the far right of the room. That's when Piper saw her, the inmate her auburn hair and green eyes, she was gorgeous. And familiar, Piper frowned. Why was she so familiar?
"Apparently we get another transfer this afternoon." Morello said. Nicky nodded, with a shrug she mentioned, "She's nice. Fuckin' hot as well." Morello, Red and Piper looked to Nicky. Nicky shrugged defensively, "what? I like to make the newbies feel welcome."
"Of course you do." Morello remarked bitterly.
"Hey, don't get me wrong. I tried my best, but she's hard to get."
"She's from Farfield?" Piper asked.
"You always have one thing on your mind, it's disgusting." Nicky quipped. Red gave Nicky a scolding look.
"I meant Alex..." Nicky said with a smirk, "it's funny."
"She's right, it sort of is." Morello chipped in.
"Nobody asked you." Red said gruffly.
"Jeez, relax Red." Nicky muttered.
Red studied Piper, "oi, you okay?"
Piper looked at Red, "I'm fine."
"If you want, I can get these two to get lost?"
"No, no, they're just playing around..." Piper said. Nicky and Morello glanced at Red, they knew Red was protective of the inmates she was fond of. They were just surprised Piper had become one of her favourites.
"I worry about you." Red said kindly, she gave Piper's hand a squeeze, Piper gave Red a pained smile.
"Thank you, Red."
Red nodded, "why don't you go over there? See if she knows of Vause?"
Piper shook her head, "no way."
"What've you got to lose?" Red asked.
"We don't even know what she's in here for-" Morello interrupted.
"Man up, Chapman." Nicky instructed, "Shall I do it?"
The women looked at Nicky.
"I'll fuckin' do it." Nicky warned, the women just stared at her. Nicky stood from the table, "You pussies. You too, Red." With that she strolled over to the auburn haired beauty and gave her a casual smile, Piper watched as the gorgeous woman returned the smile and welcomed Nicky to her table.
Piper stared. Red unfolded a large newspaper and pretended to read it, Piper and Morello disappeared behind the paper two. Within moments, three pairs of eyes peaked over the paper and across the room to Nicky and the new comer.
The newcomer was laughing at something Nicky was saying.
"I admit it, she's got a way with words." Morello noted.
"What do you think they're talking about?" Piper asked, engrossed.
"I have no clue—oh jesus, they're coming this way—"
Red stared at the paper, and Piper and Morello cleared their throats and straightened up. Nicky gestured at the auburn haired beauty, "Piper, Morello, Red..." Red lowered her paper, and with the most sincerely surprised expression nodded at Nicky.
"Oh, Nicky, hi." Red said. Nicky gave her a confused look, then brushed it off and continued the introduction.
"This is Amber..."
"Hi..." Amber said with a disarming grin that lit up the room.
"Amber knows Alex." Nicky said cautiously.
"Ah," Piper said, "how do you know Alex?"
"She's my girlfriend." Amber said with a warm smile.
Nicky and Morello's eyes widened. Red muttered Russian expletives beneath her tongue then turned back to her newspaper.