Cherry Bomb (Orange is the New Black fanfic)

Chapter 14

Reckless:

Bunching up the thin towel in my hands, I try to concentrate on the rough texture of the fabric so I won't let the chaos of my situation get to me.

My heart beats rapidly in my chest and I can't seem to make it go any slower.

"Hey, highlights, hurry up it's your turn" An aggressive voice snaps at me, and that's when I finally notice I was next in line.

The woman who was in there gets out, a towel loosely hanging around her wet frame as she puts her hair up in a bun.

All I can do is nod my head and step into the shower, my hands shaking as I pull the curtain closed.

Highlights, the woman had called me highlights.

It was probably because of the deep red highlights curling up my black hair like veins.

The contrast between the colors was strikingly different, making the red stand out even more.

That's why people called me "Cherry", as the color was the same as the fruit.

Shit, I have to stop letting my thoughts wander and get this over with.

I hang my towel over the side privacy wall and begin unzipping my jumpsuit.

It takes a couple of tries as my fingers keep slipping, my hands slick with sweat.

Why was I so nervous? God, get it together!

Finally taking all my clothes off, I hang them with my towel so they don't get wet.

I shiver as the room's cold air wraps around me, settling into my bones and freezing me to the core.

Turning the shower nozzle to hot, I wince as a powerful stream of cold water sprays down onto me.

Shit, it's so cold.

Taking another deep breath, I wash my hair and body as quickly as possible.

After a minute, the coldness numbs my skin and makes me more alert than I was before, causing my surroundings to seem more clear.

I take a glance at my arm and I almost gasp at the sight.

The harsh lighting and bright white walls, it seems to make my scars and burns even more vibrant.

The numerous cuts that line down my arm glows a deeper red than before.

The mutilated and raw skin around my tiny round burn marks pop out like paint splatters.

A grim frown forms on my lips as I remember how I got those.

Burn marks from cigarettes...

I could almost still hear the soft hiss whenever the cig touched my skin and the rancid smell of burning flesh.

"Hey! Hurry it up!" A rough voice yells out, shaking me from my memories.

I turn off the shower and go to reach for my towel but my hand freezes, my blood turning to ice.

My clothes were gone. My jumpsuit, bra, and underwear were somehow gone, taken when I was too distracted by my own thoughts.

My heart started to beat faster and I took in shaky, shallow breaths, forcing myself to calm down.

Luckily whoever took my clothes left my towel so I wrapped it around me, my hands shaking with every pull of the harsh fabric.

I yank open the shower curtain, my hands curled around it like claws, and walk out into the bathroom.