Leilani's POV

"Oi pretty eyes, you're out today ayye love?" It was Red, screaming at me from across the dining hall her beady brown eyes staring right into mine. All the guards now staring her down because of her startling yell.

"Yep." I wasn't that excited, it's not like I had anyone or anything on the outside. You see I was being released on parole after only doing eight years of my eleven year sentence on good behaviour.

"You don't sound too fucking excited. Fuck me, if I was gettin out of 'ere any time soon I'd be goin' fucking nuts over there!" This time it was Suzy spitting the words from her mouth full of rotten black teeth.

"Oh well, you girls can be excited when it's your turn hey?" This was meant more as a question not a statement as I got up and walked out of the cafeteria bland muffin and apple in hand, I could feel their eyes on me.

I laid on the top bunk in my cell, what I had of my belongings were all packed into a plastic shopping bag so I didn't need to worry about running around at the last second. I was lost in my thoughts thinking about where I'd stay, whether my Father would take me back after what I did or wondering how I'd ever get a job. My thoughts were broken by a knock at my big green cell door. I looked up to see the curly brown locks of Deeanne leaning against the side of the door.

"Come in it's wide open," I sighed at my sarcasm the door was obviously open. I was going to miss Dee.

She ran over and hugged me tight. "Promise me you wont come back, promise me when I get out you'll be there for me." She was crying

"Of course Dee, of course! I love you." I wiped the tears away from her cheek with my thumb, "You're the sister I never had, I wouldn't have stayed sane in this place if you didn't take me under your wing." Now I was crying reminiscing about all the times she looked out for me in my early days in the slammer.

"Hey I ended up under your wing Lani, you're bloody top dog in this place," I sighed again not proud of what I did to earn my status in the cells.

"Was. Was top dog..." I reminded her, "It'll be Red once I'm out the door. Now you were always on my side she wont take you in, she'll probably be out for you but don't show her you're scared, she'll think you're weak because I'm not here to protect you. Prove her the fuck wrong. Just play it safe, don't get on Red's bad side and do what the 'Screw's' say okay, you'll be out of her in no time." I finished my lecture making sure she just did what the Screw's, well the guards, said it was the only way to play it safe in this god forsaken fucking hell hole.

"I'll try Lani.." she coughed out a laugh, "You ready to go?" I looked up at the clock on the wall, it was time to go. I picked up my bag full of photos and my belongings and walked to the holding cell at the front of the prison.

"Lillith," I nodded towards the guard acknowledging her for the last time in these halls as she opened the huge brass door. Bits of her blonde bun at the back of her hair started to fall and I could smell her floral fragrance with the cool burst of air the blew in from the next rooms air conditioner. She turned sharply and her green eyes pierced into mine. She had that stern 'I'm a screw don't talk to me like I'm your friend' look on her harsh, cold face.

"You know Bennett, it's still Mrs. Paulson to you even if you're not an inmate as of today." I laughed.

"Okay Lil," I winked and she frowned at my smart ass comment ignoring her orders. I preferred to call the Screw's by their first name it made my level of power clear.

I stepped forward not looking back as I passed the gate to my final strip search before I signed myself out and hopped onto the bus to freedom before I heard footsteps, lots of them, plotting down the hall. I turned back to see a blue jumpsuit, one after the other, all the other woman including Red standing just back from the door pouting.

"What are you all doing?" I stuttered.

"You weren't leaving us without a goodbye Pretty Eyes!" I was surprised when I heard the words drop from Red's mouth as she walked over to me and wrapped her arms around my shoulders. I rolled my eyes at her stupid nickname. I heard her lips part as she started to whisper into my ear, "Just because I never liked you Pretty Eyes don't mean I don't like your pretty curly haired friend, I'll take good care of her if you know what I mean," she leaned back from the hug and gave me a wink, I shuttered at her words knowing she wouldn't 'take care of her'. I searched the crowd until I found Dee biting her nails back to the bone only calming down as I gave her a reassuring nod. She came fleeing over to me for one last hug. I sniffed back the tears as I pulled away from her hug giving her one last smile as I turned back to enter the search room. I heard a roar of "Awwwws" as I left the jail's cold hallway.

Lillith was standing across from me and the search room, she didn't say a word, I knew the drill. I pulled the blue uniform over my head, revealing the scars from incidents inside the slammer, and threw it in the basket on the desk behind me, the matching pants followed. I then unhooked my bra tossing it behind me and then gliding my plain black panties down my silky legs.

"Squat," every time the harsh words came out of the Screw's mouth I cringed. I did as she said and pulled my cheeks apart and coughed. When she was satisfied I stood back up and the search was finished when she ruffled my hair and checked my mouth.

I was handed the clothes I first came to the prison in and slid them back on, surprisingly too big for me. I almost forgot about my acid wash three quarter jeans, ripped white crop top and mint green Converse's even existed, all I'd known for the past eight years was blue, scrub like uniforms and white slip on shoes. The Screw opened up the glass door directing me to the next room into freedom. I followed her out to the front of the prison grounds on the other side of the fence where a bus was waiting and Lillith ushered me in. I jumped into the back seat of the white van and as I went to pull the door shut Lillith's hand was over mine. I looked up and for the first time in the four years she had worked in the yard she had a delightful smile upon her lips.

"Stay out of trouble Lani, I don't want to see you back," I nodded and she smiled back at me again.

"You know you've only ever called me Bennett nor have you evvvver smiled. Don't take this the wrong way but I'm glad I'll never see your face again Lil," I laughed and she pushed the door shut and I heard her tap on the back of the van as the driver pulled away.

I started rummaging through the plastic bag to grab my iPod, it was one novelty I had while I was locked up, I never got any new songs of course but it was enough. Wait, I couldn't find it, how could I forget my iPod?!

"Stop the van, please!!!" I pleaded and the driver looked back at me in the rear view mirror.

"Sorry love, no can do." His words were blunt, he didn't care but then again why should he. I pulled open the door, undid my belt buckle and jumped out the door, the van was hardly moving so I landed flat on my feet and I heard the vans wheels screech against the gravel road. I turned back and the driver was screaming out the window for me to get back I but I ran back to the prison. Before I could even open the door Lillith was standing outside her hand held out, my iPod in her palm, I pulled her into a hug without a word.

"How'd you know?" I managed to push out between my panting.

"You didn't pick it up in the cafeteria when you barged out earlier, I picked it up before any of the inmates just waiting for when you noticed, I'm glad it wasn't when you were hundreds of kilometres away at home," She smiled a relaxing smile and handed it over. After taking it in my own hands I ran back to the van and jumped in this time pulling the door shut myself. I made sure I didn't look back.

"You know you're fucking mental right?" The driver again looking back in the mirror.

"I didn't need to jump out of a moving vehicle to know that," he looked away from the mirror scared, obviously oblivious to what I was even locked up for.

"Hey where you taking me anywhere I ain't got nowhere to stay?" I was puzzled.

"The Governor of the Jail sets that up for you." I was confused, Fletcher never mentioned he'd be organising a place for me to stay. "Mr. Cowley has contacted your Father and your Father gave us your address, we're taking you home." He said no more, he could tell by the look on my face I was dumbfounded. My Dad was taking me back, wow. I haven't seen him for three years, I haven't seen anyone at that, after a while everyone gives up on visiting, even your fiancée.

I looked away from the driver and thought I'd get myself away from my thoughts and put my ear buds in my ear. I clicked on my Of Mice and Men playlist and let 'Farewell To Shady Glade' blast into my ears, funnily enough calming me into a deep sleep for the rest of the drive home.

Notes

So this is Leilani getting out of jail, obviously. The next chapter brings both Lani and Austin together.