Chapter 3

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Alex was sat with her two department teachers, Taystee and Poussey, on the Friday afternoon. They had been going through lesson plans for the different year groups for the next couple of weeks, but they had been distracted by old holiday videos.

"T, again?" Poussey choked out through her laughter at the images of Taystee and Nikki, topless, and covered head to foot in barbecue sauce.

"I know." T said, seriously. "How do these things happen to me?"

"Where were you in all this Vause?"

"Being an adult." Alex smirked.

"Being a bore." Corrected Taystee. "She was all tucked up in bed over a sulk about Silvia." Both women gave Alex a knowing look, and Alex gave them the finger.

"Seems like you're over her now though."

"I am"

"No thanks to a certain blonde history teacher." Poussey winked, and both women fell into fits of laughter again. Alex simply rolled her eyes and ignored them, turning back to her files and checking she had all the work sheets she needed ready to photocopy.

The truth was, since coming into her classroom yesterday morning, Alex had hardly seen Miss Chapman. During lunch, Piper had been sat with a group of the drama teachers, chatting away happily and making new friends. Then, during the team building in the afternoon, they had been in different teams. Nikki had even, in a poor attempt to win their bet, tried to ask Piper out for first day drinks, but Piper had politely refused, saying she already had plans. In fact, every time Alex had tried to even make eye contact with the women, she had been completely ignored. It was infuriating. Maybe, she thought, she had come on too strong yesterday with the smirks and the subtle, very subtle in Alex's opinion, flirting. Or, perhaps, Piper just wasn't interested. Alex knew when she was fighting a losing battle however, and wasn't prepared to make a fool of herself. So she prepared herself that eventually, from the proximity that Nikki's position allowed, that she would win over Piper and Alex would lose the bet. That wasn't what was bothering Alex though. There was something about Piper that drew her in.

It wasn't just how attractive the blonde was, because, sweet Lord, she was hot. Tanned skin, tall, toned legs that went on forever, bleached blonde hair and sparkly blue eyes, little waist that Alex could imagine fit her arms perfectly. Thinking about her gave Alex a familiar ache between her legs that made her shift in her seat. However it was none of those things that made Alex want to know the woman. There was something about Piper, deeper, that made Alex want to get to know her, to be her friend. Piper was not, as she had first thought, just the kind of girl who was an easy fuck. Piper was smart, and funny, from what she could gather, watching her subtly with other staff. She was also incredibly competitive, a trait that had become clear the previous day. Alex thought the only reason her team had won was from shear fear of Piper shouting at them had they lost. It had been incredibly entertaining, and sexy too. Alex found confident girls such a turn on.

"What you grinning at?" Taystee asked, eyebrow raised, a smile playing on her lips.

"Oh, I think perfect Piper has gotten into our little Alex's brain."

"Oh fuck off." She said, throwing a pen at her.

"Hey, don't shoot the messenger." Poussey said, holding up her hands. Both girls still laughed at her, and Alex felt a small blush form on her cheeks. No, Alex Vause didn't blush, and not over a girl who had no interest in her.

"Can we please just get this work done so I can drink and enjoy my weekend?"

"Sound like a plan."

"Oi, Chapman," came Nikki's voice from behind her. She had been finishing off some personalised book tags for her girls in her exam classes, thinking it would be nice to be able to give them something on her first day as a welcome back, and hopefully make some friends amongst the students. Nikki, she could tell, was at her own desk in the classroom. The doors between the office and the rooms had been left open so they could talk, and listen to the music Erica played from her radio above her desk.

"Whats up?" She asked, swivelling in her chair.

"What are you doing tonight?"

"I'm not going out drinking Nikki." Piper had told her yesterday she wouldn't be coming out.

"Oh come on, it's Friday. It's the weekend after your first training and your last weekend before the end of your life." Piper scoffed. "Trust me, full time teaching is no peach."

"I believe you." Said Piper, turning back to her labels. She heard Nikki leave her desk and walk towards her.

"What is it? Do you hate us that much?"

Piper rolled her eyes, "No."

"Good, because it wouldn't change a thing you know."

"I'm starting to get that." Piper replied, smirking at Nikki and turning to look at her now she was leant against the doorway between her classroom and the history office.

"Then what?" Nikki's face suddenly changed. "Have plans with your boyfriend."

Pipers face dropped a little, and she turned away from Nikki. "I don't have a boyfriend."

"Ooh, sore subject, got it."

"No." Said Piper, trying to regain herself. "Just went through a bad break up at the start of the year. It's not something I want to dwell on."

"Got it." Said Nikki, and her posture changed, stood up a little taller, "So drinks?"

"Not tonight. Maybe next week. I'm sure surviving my first week will need to be celebrated."

"You got it Chapman." Replied Nikki, giving her a toothy grin, and she swaggered back to her desk, grabbed her phone from her pocket, and started texting frantically. Piper shook her head. She had no idea how long Nikki had been working here, but Piper had yet to see her do any work towards preparing for the kids on Monday. Maybe she had it all planned and ready to go, but Piper had a sneaking suspicion that wasn't the case. Shaking her head, she turned back to her own desk, and finished off her prep. She couldn't wait to get home to her boy. Whole days away were hard, and she wasn't used to them. Hopefully it would get easier.

Alex's phone buzzed as they were finishing up the reading list for the new students who would come in at the bottom end of the school. They had chosen not to send one out to prospective students before the start of the summer, knowing full well they wouldn't do any of it. They would have to just work hard this side of term. She fished her phone out the back pocket of her trousers, and checked who it was from. Nikki's name showed up.

'Better get your money ready Vause'

'She agreed?'

'End of next week. Still got it.'

Alex couldn't help the pang of jealousy that hit her stomach. She was perplexed. Why would, why should, she be jealous over this. It was just a playful bet between friends. It didn't mean anything. It didn't mean Piper was into Nikki or anything. Hell she didn't even think Piper was gay. But Alex had wanted to win. She wanted to know Piper, and it wasn't fair that she was friends with Nikki and ignoring her. Hold up there Vause, she thought to herself. Maybe she had spent too much time listening to teenage girls and their dramas. Of course Nikki and Piper were going to be friends. They were in the same department for God's sake, and it would have been awkward and unnecessary if they weren't. But Piper hadn't even given her a chance.

They've been back for less than two days, Alex reminded herself, and Piper was still new, finding her way. There was still time. First impressions, however, had obviously not been good. She would play it cool, and when Piper was ready, she would come to Alex. Nodding, she sent back a 'ok' emoji to Nikki, before looking up at her two English department staff.

"And did you see those two skinny ass white bitches in the dining hall? Amanda, I will not stop until my ass is so small, it disappears entirely. You heard about this new diet with cookies and ice cream, and you still lose weight? It's called bulimia. I love it so much, it's a miracle."

"Oh Mackenzie, I've always been jealous of your willpower. I'm like a house, ever since Mark invested in that modern American bistro up the street. You would die for their artisanal sodas - peach, lavender, rose petal. Yes please!"

Both of them burst out laughing, clutching onto one another for support to stay in their seats. Alex couldn't help but laugh along with them. This is what it was about. Good friends and good laughs.

"Jesus Christ, who allowed you to move you across to English from Sociology?" Alex mocked.

"You did boo, and it's the best decision you ever made." Taystee leaned across the desk and kissed Alex on the cheek.

"Alright, enough. Go back to your classroom before I change my mind." They laughed again, and made their way out.

"See you Vause." Poussey called over her shoulder. Alex gave a curd wave back, and sighing, picked up the first book of the semester. 'Great Expectations'. It was one she had read many time's before, but still one of her favourite, and she was so happy she had been allowed to choose the syllabus this year. She flicked through to her favourite chapter, and began to read.

It couldn't have been 20 minutes later, whilst Alex was making rough notes on the part she would be going through with her class next week, that she heard quick steps coming down the hall way. Looking up, she was pleased to see Red.

"Alex, dear, have you see Nikki?"

"Not recently, have you checked her classroom."

"I was just there. Only the new one is in there. She didn't know where Nikki had gotten to."

"Sorry Red, me either." Alex said, an apologetic smile on her lips. The older lady looked up and down the hall way, before entering Alex's classroom and closing the door.

"A little welcome back treat." She muttered, a mischievous look on her face as she pulled a small bottle of whisky from the pocket of her apron.

"Oh Red, you know the way to a girls heart. This is the good stuff."

"Darling, I am too old to waste my time with the bad stuff. Now," she poured two mugs of whiskey for them, "If Nikki was here I would drink to a term with no complications, but as Nikki is not here, and I know this is no problem for you and I, then I will drink to our sanity."

"I can drink to that." They clinked their mugs together, and took a sip. Alex held the whisky in her mouth, savouring it. Another set of foot steps was coming down the hall way, and both women looked up to see Piper hurry past with her long graceful strides.

"Have you met her yet?" Red asked, tipping her head in the direction Piper disappeared.

"Briefly."

"She seems nice, a sweet girl, maybe a little.. uh"

"Uptight?" Alex suggested, and Red chuckled.

"I was going to say fancy, but yes, uptight sums it up." Alex snorted at that, taking another sip of her whiskey. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm good. Ready for this year to get started."

"I meant your heart." Red said, leaning in. Alex sighed and pushed her glasses up on top of her head.

"Just great."

"I understand that look."

"Well, it's better. I'm happy."

"Alex, anyone can have three or four girls gracing their bed a week and call themselves content. If you were really happy, you wouldn't need to keep up all the sleeping around."

"I'll keep that in mind." Alex said, and Red gave her a little wink. Red knew everything about her. Since Nikki had moved in with her when they were still teenagers, and she had helped them get back onto their feet, pushed them through school and coached them into their jobs here, Red had become like a mother to her. A mother to them both. They had no secrets.

"You are a good girl Alex. You work hard. Your time will come."

"Thanks Red." She took another drink from her mug, and took her glases off completely, rubbing her eyes. "That might be me done. You ready for Monday."

"As I'll ever be. What are you doing tonight?"

"Not sure, Nikki makes the plans, I provide the fun."

"Well enjoy." Said Red, smiling. "I have a date with the rest of this bottle."

Alex left her classroom not long after Red, taking her laptop bag with her, and making sure the whiskey mug was cleaned out before she left. Last thing she needed was the room to smell like alcohol on the first day of term. She didn't see anyone on her way out, until she got to the car park. There she found Nikki, leaning on the hood of Alex's volvo, smoking what Alex clearly knew to be a joint.

"Are you fucking crazy? What if Fig sees you."

"Alex, my friend, I could not give a shit."

Alex looked at her friend for a moment, considering her. "Lorna left you again didn't she?"

"Her and Vinnie are getting married."

"What?" Nikki didn't respond, just took a long drag on the splif. "Come on Nik, get in the car. We are going out."

"Fuck yes." Her friend replied, falling into the passenger side and rolling down the window. As they pulled away, she noticed Piper talking to Luschek outside the staff room entrance, and couldn't help noting her ass. Piper had worn jeans today, not something she would be allowed to wear once the school year started, by Jesus did she look good in them. Alex shook the thought away, and drove down the driveway to the main road.