I can’t help but cringe at her reply. She was another one who warned me not to get involved in this shitshow with Koko, and I did it anyway. I should’ve fucking listened to them. “Lena says not to, that Koko has no evidence, but you know how these girls are. What if there’s something I don’t know about?”
“I doubt it. I mean, what could she possibly have that would point them to you? Can’t say I blame you for thinking that way, though, especially when she hasn’t come back.”
“So help me, God, Mari...if she rats me out, I’ll kill her,” I grit, snatching another pair of pants off the table.
“No, you will not because that’s considered murder, and then, you’ll really never get the fuck out of here,” she argues, bouncing my shoulders through a semi-amused chuckle.
“I don’t mean literally. You know that’s not my style. She’ll regret her whole life, though, I can promise you that.”
“Again, no. I let you do this stupid shit when you first got here because you’re a big girl and who the fuck am I to stop you? But if she opened her mouth and you end up paying the price along with her, I’m not going to let you fuck shit up for yourself anymore. La dejas quieta y ya.” You leave her alone, and that’s that.
Not in this lifetime, I think to myself. There’s no way I’m going to lose everything and let that little bitch—
“Ladies,” Delfino’s voice erupts from the doorway, snapping our attention his way. “Leave everything where it is and line up.”
What?
My eyes flick to the clock on the wall. It’s only two in the afternoon. “But we’re not done yet. We still have a couple more hours before—”
“I’m well aware of your schedule, Villanueva,” he snaps at me, “but B Block is currently undergoing a sweep, and all of you need to pick up your belongings before you wrap up your workday.”
And there it is—the proverbial drop of the shoe I’ve been waiting for.
If it weren’t for Delfino and his beady amber eyes watching me like a hawk, I’d be puking my brains out right about now. My stomach is in one giant knot, and my heart is shattering into a million pieces as reality crashes down on me. They’re...sweeping. They’re sweeping our cells, where I have the phone tucked away inside the metal post of the bunk.
This is it.
I’m definitely going down...and Koko didn’t even have to snitch. I’m sure she did, but this is how they’re going to get me. It’s physical proof, and while Lena may love me, she’s one hundred percent not going to take the fall for me as my cellmate. I wouldn’t expect her to—wouldn’t want her to. She’s got enough time left to serve as it is for me to lie through my teeth, shove a knife in her back, and tell them it’s not mine just to potentially save my ass if Koko’s story never checks out.
My legs feel like jelly as I follow behind Mari and the girls into the line. We don’t line up alphabetically as per usual, just kinda float from the laundry room in a static order to the block as Delfino trails behind us. White-hot tears burn the back of my eyes, but I manage to keep them at bay for now. All I can think to myself—aside from the fact that I’m stupid as hell on multiple accounts—is that I’m so glad I didn’t tell Noely about early release. She and Ma would be so disappointed in me—and they’d have every right to be.
When we arrive at the block just a few minutes later, it’s pure and utter chaos. I don’t even have a moment to adjust or brace for impact; we’re just thrown in there like slabs of meat in a lion’s den. All the girls who had the day off are glued to the walls outside of their cells as the CO’s toss their shit around. I’d say I’m curious as to what they're looking for, but given the current circumstances, I already know it’s whatever drugs Ryker was bringing in.
Mari doesn’t know about the phone, but she flashes me an anxious look as she ambles away to her cell.
“It’s gonna be okay,” I mouth back, striding to my own cell with those damn tears burning the back of my eyes anew.
It’s not. It’s not going to be okay at all, but at least I’ll still have Mari and Lena to get me through the days when they extend my time. And that’s even if they decide to do that, which would be the kinder option, for lack of a better word. With possible deportation still hanging over my head, they may decide to just ship my ass back to Cuba rather than have me here any longer.
And trust me when I say that would be hell.
Don’t get me wrong. I miss my family back there, and I’d love to see them again. I still remember so much of it and have great childhood memories, despite living in poverty, but my country isn’t what it used to be, especially in this day and age.
Not to mention, I’d never be able to come back. I’d never see Noely again, would never be able to visit Ma at her...at her grave. The harrowing thought threatens to unleash the floodgates yet again, but I hold them back harder than ever. Showing any sort of emotion in this situation will only result in me incriminating myself. Later though, I’ll end up breaking down on Lena since it’s more than likely I won’t be able to talk to Andrés anymore once they find the—
Wait. Where is Lena? She was supposed to be off today, and she’s not by our cell as I approach—a fact that makes my heart race ten times faster than it already is. Flattening my back against the wall, I scope out the cellblock, searching for
