Chapter 3

I entered the day room and noted the tables holding trays of breakfast. Used to bread and cheese, the smell was a welcome sensation to my senses. Scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast, along with juice boxes ... yep, this was a blessing to my diet.

But the girls sitting around Casey stopped talking as they eyed my approach. Casey looked up and then away from me. I headed for the slot where the guards dispensed the food trays wondering what that was all about. But I was never good at drama and had the ‘less I know the better off I was’ policy.

“Darling!”” the inmate handing out food harrumphed, reading my tag, “I was about to take the tray back. Put some pep in your step next time.” and shoved it through the slot.

She turned to walk away and I overheard the girl say, “Darling my ass. That bitch is ugly.” under her breath.

With my own harrumph, I mumbled loud enough for the girl to hear, “Who let that fat ass near food?” while looking my plate over. And then the thought hit me right as the last word came out, ‘Now watch her screw around with my food.’

Casey’s table was full but a girl I didn’t know got up and took her tray so he took her abandoned seat at a table across from her. Eyeing the group of girls, I focused on a few I wouldn’t mind mating with. Settling on one good looking female, I tried to get a feel of her personality. She seemed outgoing and her breakfast companion called her Melissa.

With my hair hanging over my plate, I concentrated on her conversation. She talked about the work ahead of her in the kitchen and promised to bring in sugar packs for the two’s secret stash of tea. As she was explaining her plans to snatch some donuts to bring in, Bertha stepped up beside me.

“Give me your bacon.” she demanded, balls of fists resting on her hips.

Not bothering to look up at her, I hissed, “Go away.” and picked up a slice of her goal.

“I’ll make your life miserable.” she threatened, “Now give me the damn bacon.”

“At least I’ll have bacon to enjoy.” I whispered, and shoved the whole piece in my mouth.

“Oh hell no you didn’t bitch!” she exclaimed, “You’re going to pay for that!”

I stood up and faced her, tilting my head to the side. “Let me guess, you have friends that will help you beat my ass.” and looked her up and down, “But they won’t be around all of the time. So, you better make sure you can take me on your own.” and leaned in closer, “Otherwise, I’m the one going to make you pay.”

She looked at the guard in the Plexiglas bubble and back at me. “We’ll see who gets who bitch.” she quipped, and walked away.

She was a big girl and I was a scrawny runt but I was a guy, right? I should be able to take her on. But I knew she was plotting my demise as soon as she took her seat and started whispering to the girl beside her. I took my seat and finished my breakfast remembering that a girl named Mindy was in the infirmary over that bully.

I was called right after breakfast for orientation and a different guard named Jones escorted me out. I watched the backside of the female guard as she led me upstairs, admiring the way her pants hugged her ass cheeks. Her hair poked out from the back of her officer cap in a ponytail that swayed across her back, just trying to get me all flustered. While I wondered what her relationship status was, she was marching me down a corridor.

She stopped in front of a door and turned facing it, giving me the side view of her breast pressing hard against her uniform. If ever I felt a kink to get my ass beat by a guard, Miss Jones would be the one I wanted doing it. I would call her ‘Beat Me Up’ Barbie because of her appearance and slim figure and the dominant demeanor she had.

Knocking on the door and then opening it, a woman peered at us over her desk. I had to force myself to keep from yelling out, “Bubbles!”

“Councilor Simmons, new inmate Tonya Darling.” Guard Jones announced.

The girl with the bubbly boobs motioned me in and the guard closed the door, leaving me with visions of soap rolling over nipples.

“Have a seat.” she instructed, pointing at the chair in front of her desk with a ball point pen.

I took the offer while she focused on a folder opened on her desk. “Not much here.” she noted out loud.

“Well, the less you know...” I mused, settling into the comfortable chair.

Picking up a pair of glasses, she put them on saying, “No school listed, home address...” she sounded off, lifting up the folder, “Tell me about Tonya.”

That was going to be hard since I wasn’t Tonya but I knew what she meant. So, I started with the topics she mentioned.

“School; had to drop out. I couldn’t afford it.” I stated.

“Public schools are free.” she pointed out, peering over her glasses.

“Ok, free clothes?” I asked, “Free supplies?” I prompted.

“Your parents are obligated for that.” she countered, studying me intently.

“That brings us to the home address.” I quipped, “They couldn’t afford me either.”

“So your parents kicked you out?” she asked, suspecting a reason.

“Yep, I had to eat and they couldn’t afford it.” I explained, crossing my arms.

“Don’t do that.” she chastised, nodding at my chest.

“Do what?” I asked, wondering what she was tripping about.

“Crossing your arms.” she explained, “It indicates that a person is defiant and blocking you out.” and huffed, “I’m the one person here you don’t want to block off.”

I laid my arms on the rests and asked, “How is that? You got a way of getting me out of here?”

She gave me a smile and said, “I decide if you get to clean toilets or bake cakes.” and took a serious tone saying, “And, if you can get out early.”

I shrugged at the last part, thinking out loud, “I don’t care if I get out early or not.”

“Oh, you’ll care if your life is miserable in here.” she smirked, dropping the folder on her desk. “I’ve seen them all.” she lectured, “Deviants and misfits, the too good and the too bad.” and sighed, “They come and go like waves.” and looked at me intently, “It may take a little time, but I get to know who they are...” and leaned closer, showing me her cleavage, “and who you are.”

Her blue eyes forced me to look away and I mumbled, “Let’s hope you don’t.” thinking she could cause me trouble.

“But I will.” she determined, “Now, do you have any skills?” she asked, leaning back in her chair.

“I can fit into some pretty tight holes.” I mocked, trying to get her out of her serious stance.

“Oh, I seen that!” she laughed, looking back down at the folder, and then peered at me over those glasses again. “What else can you do?”

Well, I couldn’t say sex was part of my arsenal of skills. The best I could come up with was, “I can cut grass.”

A puzzled look crossed her face and she asked, “No cooking or cleaning?” and shook her head, “Ironing or washing?”

“Oh yeah, I guess I can do that too.” I agreed, beside myself for not thinking of women chores first.

“But you like being outside.” she guessed, “We have a maintenance detail you could join.” she thought, “And I could refer you to that.” standing up.

“That would be great.” I admitted, “I could use some fresh air.”

She stepped around her desk, showing off her short, pleated skirt, and stepped to my side. “Placing a hand on my shoulder, she looked towards a bar-covered window musing, “Ah, the sunshine and wind blowing through your hair. Squirrels walking powerlines headed to their home in the trees; crossing over rose bushes and greeting birds perched on branches.”

“That sure does sound nice Miss Simmons.” I whispered, caught up in her daydream of flowers and birds.

“Yes! I can do all of that for you.” she exclaimed, and whipped around to look at me, “But what do I get?”

Taken back by her sudden query, I blurted out, “I’d lick those high heels you have on there and massage your back!” But that wasn’t enough for my dumb ass. I kept it up, rattling off a list of services I could provide like, “Bubble baths, foot rubs, and spoon feed you chocolate!” and panted, “Anything you want; I mean anything!”

She shook her head in disbelief and said, “What?” curling her nose, “No; I want you to get your G.E.D. and focus on a career for college!”