Chapter Sixteen

Alex sat on her bunk, toying with her glasses as she cleaned the lenses. Amber appeared by the entrance, she leant against it and looked at Alex. Alex glanced up at the interruption, she gave Amber an apologetic look. Amber tossed a magazine at her, Alex caught it and opened it on the page that had been folded over. She stared at Larry's interview, the way he had announced her and Piper's dirty laundry so bluntly on the page stung.
What an asshole... Alex couldn't help but look to Amber, Amber glared at her.
"You're a real piece of work." Amber declared then walked away. Alex turned back to the interview, that was when her eyes landed on it. On Larry's words, explaining to the world how there was an inmate his ex was in love with, and had risked so much for, and professed her love for, but the inmate had never even reciprocated. Not even once. That inmate was Alex.

Alex rolled up the magazine and stormed out of her room. She was furious, and pissed off. She entered Piper's room. Piper was in the middle of getting dressed, she pulled on her shirt and looked at the uninvited guest. Alex tossed the magazine at Piper.
"This is not okay."
"What?" Piper asked, with a puzzled expression. She began leafing through the magazine.
"You can hate me all you want, okay? You can do what ever you want, but how you think it's okay to talk about something so personal so publicly is messed up, Piper."
"What're you talking about? And by the way, this..." Piper pointed at Alex, then at her room, "this does not fall in line with staying away from me."
"I'm none of Larry's business. WE are none of his business."
"Oh come on, what do you care?" Piper said flippantly as she found the interview, "he's just telling readers how things are in here—"
"This is our life. I'm not okay with this." Alex said firmly.
Piper scoffed, "oh please, he hasn't named you. Anyway, everything in this is true, he hasn't lied."
Piper rolled up the magazine and offered it back to Alex, Alex looked from Piper's extended hand to Piper. Piper frowned, "what?"
"You think I never loved you?"
Piper gave Alex a half hearted shrug, doing her best to pretend not to care.
"It's not like you didn't have the opportunity to say it, Alex."
Alex fell silent, Piper studied her face, it was hard to read. Piper couldn't tell if Alex was about to scold her or apologise.
"It's ironic that it took Larry to do something, in order for us to talk."
As Piper spoke she noticed Alex was fighting back tears, "Right?" Piper added with a smile, in hopes of preventing Alex's anguish.
"What's ironic is the only person I've ever loved, never realised how much I loved them." Alex's words hit Piper like a punch to the stomach. Unable to stand close to Piper without breaking Alex walked out of Piper's room. Before Piper could even process or react to Alex's astounding confession, Piper was left in the wake of Alex's revelation, and it came in the most disarming way Piper could imagine. And for that, she hated Alex.

Alex stalked through the prison, her eyes were locked on the fire escape that led to the court yard. She needed some air, she felt like she couldn't breathe, it was as though her entire world pulsated along with her pounding heart, leaving her restless and trapped. Bursting out into the courtyard, Alex took in a deep breath and ran both hands over her face.
Get a grip. She ordered. Her eyes scanned the lush greenery as her mind raced. Prison was harder than she could have imagined. And she was all out of heart now. She had nothing left to fight for or care for. She was at rock bottom.
"I've been looking for you," Amber's voice came softly, "Sorry I reacted like that. I didn't know you two had a history."
"I should have told you." Alex confessed.
"The article said she loves you."
"Apparently so." Alex answered bitterly.
"Do you... you know?" Amber asked gently.
"I used to. More than I thought I could."
"Wow..." Amber said softly, she glanced at Alex, "and now?"
"Oh she's finished with me. That's it. It's over."
Amber nodded then asked Alex the most important question Alex had ever been asked. "Are you finished with her, though?"
Alex studied Amber, "Yeah. I don't really have a say in the matter."
Amber scoffed at the response, Alex studied her for a few moments.
"Amber, I'm sorry." She said after a beat. Amber gave her a soft smile, then tiptoed close and pecked her on the lips.
"Don't be. We had fun." Amber smiled.
Alex nodded, and let out a sad laugh, "You know, I think she's actually grown to hate me."
Amber studied Alex, "She doesn't hate you." With that, Amber headed for the doors and disappeared into the prison. Alex leant against the fence and stared out at the endless fields, and world. She longed to be free. She needed to remember how it felt to be out there. Life is bigger than Piper, don't forget that.
"Vause?" Luschek's voice came as an irritating disturbance. Alex glanced at him, ensuring her expression had nothing but utter disdain written on it for him to see.
"I see you're feeling like you're lovely self today." He muttered.
"What do you want?" Alex asked, she didn't have time for this prick.
"The storage cupboard needs organising. Rotate the old stock, put the new stuff near the back and bring the old stuff forward. Throw out really old boxes, and mop and dust it."
"Why me?"
"Because you're the only inmate using the courtyard when it's off limits."
Alex glared at him. Luschek shrugged, "don't shoot the messenger."

Alex tried the keys in the storage room door, much to her surprised it was already unlocked. She headed inside and locked it from the inside. She didn't need unexpected guests right now. Maybe cleaning out the old storage room wasn't so bad. She took in a deep breath and shut her eyes. Finally some alone time, she thought with an air of anticipation and relief. Being in close quarters with Chapman twenty-four-seven was driving her crazy.
She had never told someone she loved them before, and she loathed Piper for making her fucking say it. Being attached to somebody made her hate herself. She felt weak, and that was the one thing she couldn't stand being. Unfortunately for Piper, Alex rarely remained hurt, she would quickly evolve straight to angry rather than dwell on being hurt.
She heard a soft humming behind her. She frowned, who am I locked in here with? She wondered. She turned around to find Piper with headphones on, humming along to a song while rotating the stock and organising piles of tinned food. Alex stared at the blonde.
There is a God, and he really hates me. Alex concluded.