Valko-Zeke

Chapter 7

"I'm fully convinced that you never graduated kindergarten," Bellamy snickered as I tossed a burnt patty in the garbage. Jack had assigned us both to lunch duty today, and let's just say I was no Gordon Ramsey.

"Ha ha, very funny," I replied, rolling my eyes. "They don't teach you to cook in elementary school."

"Obviously not!" He exclaimed, gesturing to the trash can full of my mistakes. My face crimsoned as I let out a soft chuckle. Bellamy reached over my shoulder to turn the heat down. "Here," he said kindly, "That should help them not to burn so quickly."

I smiled at him, and flopped another patty on the stove. "Thanks."

"Now just check on it often and flip it once it turns brown." He suggested.

I wedged the spatula underneath the burger and peaked underneath, it was brown just as he described. I flipped it over and let a toothy grin.

"I did it!" I squealed, looking up at Bellamy.

"Great! Now you just have to do it 50 more times and we can be done." He said caustically.

I frowned, "Whatever you sourpuss."

He brushed my comment off quickly and changed the subject. "So jack believed your story, huh?"

"It's not a story," I insisted. "It's the truth."

Bellamy gave me a knowing look, but didn't press the issue any further. I was relieved we could just move on, but I still felt uneasy about the whole thing. If he knows what's going on, there's no telling what will happen. As of now, all he had to go off of was pure speculation.

"Are you coming to the big party tonight?" I asked.

Bellamy scoffed, "Those parties are lame... but I'll be there. But it's only so I can keep an eye out for you."

"For me? How sweet," I said sarcastically. He rolled his eyes in response.

"Okay, let's wrap it up, it's time to serve lunch!" He declared.

I nodded and we worked together to load all of the food onto the serving trays and brought them out to the dining hall one by one.

Bellamy and I stood behind the counter, dishing out the burgers to the prisoners as they came through the line. The kitchen was hot, the air thick with the smell of cooking meat and the steam rising from the grill. The prisoners were lined up, some impatiently tapping their feet while others chatted among themselves. As I handed out the burgers, I couldn't help but feel their gazes linger on me, a woman, in an all-male prison.

"Hey, Bellamy, How's it going?" one of the prisoners asked, taking his burger.

Bellamy grinned, "It's going great, as usual."

"How's the new girl doing?" the prisoner asked, nodding in my direction.

Bellamy shrugged, "She's holding her own. Don't worry, she can handle it."

I tried to ignore their stares, focusing instead on the task at hand.

"Don't mind them, they're just curious," Bellamy said, noticing my discomfort.

"I know, it's just hard to get used to," I replied.

The kitchen was hot and the work was demanding, but Bellamy and I worked in a well-oiled machine, each of us instinctively knowing what the other needed. He would flip the burgers and I would add the toppings, our movements in sync. He would c***k jokes and tease me, his sarcasm providing a small escape from the reality of our situation.

As we served the last of the burgers, I couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. Despite the challenges of being a woman in an all-male prison, Bellamy and I had done our part to make the prisoners' day just a little bit better. The kitchen was hot, the work was demanding, but we had done it together.

Bellamy and I walked back to my cell after finishing up in the kitchen. As we sat on my bed, he turned to me and said, "Are you going to get dressed up tonight? Or are you gonna be too scared to leave your cell?" I could see the sarcasm in his eyes, as if he found my nervousness amusing.

I rolled my eyes, "Yeah, I guess I will. This will be my first time meeting some of these guys."

Bellamy grinned, "Don't worry, I'll be there. I'll introduce you to everyone and make sure you have a good time. Or at least, as good of a time as you can have in a prison."

I smiled, despite his grim comment. "Thanks, Bellamy, that means a lot to me."

As I got ready for the party, Bellamy sat on my bed and we talked about the different prisoners and what I could expect. I took my time getting ready, doing my own hair and make-up. I wanted to make sure I looked my best, but also not out of place. I styled my hair in loose waves, and applied a subtle smoky eye and red lipstick.

"You look great, Amalia," Bellamy said as I finished putting on my lipstick. "Now you'll blend in with all the other inmates."

I rolled my eyes again, "Thanks, Bellamy."

"Before we go, I have something for you." Bellamy pulled a red dress out of his bag. "Don't gasp." he insisted.

I stood there shocked, admiring the beauty of it. "H-how did you get that?"

"Now, now... It wasn't from me," he clarified and pointed his finger upward towards the tenth floor. I nodded, astonished at what he was suggesting. It was at that moment I realized that he must be friends with Zeke.

"Oh," I said dumbfounded, a small blush reddening my cheeks.

He nodded, and lowered his to a whisper. "I didn't know you were Zeke's mate when I insisted that you fight Valentino. I apologize for my mistake."

I smiled, grateful for the explanation. "It's okay, Bellamy. You were just doing what you thought was best at the time."

"He had been very clear that we enforce the fighting ritual. It keeps the prisoners from thinking they can run rampant." He explained.

After I processed this new information, Bellamy informed me that he would wait outside as I changed and then escort me to the party.

I quickly took the dress, and held it up to myself in the mirror. The fabric was a deep red, and it had a fitted bodice with a flared skirt that fell to my ankles. I couldn't help but smile as I imagined how stunning I would look in it.

As I walked into the party with Bellamy by my side, all eyes were on me. I could feel the weight of the stares, and I felt a bit self-conscious. I was used to being stared at because of my gender in an all-male prison, but this was different. The dress I was wearing made me stand out, and I could tell that people were admiring it.

The room was decorated with toilet paper streamers and tablecloths, and it was amazing how they managed to make the room look festive. The streamers were hanging from the ceiling, creating a canopy that made the room look more alive. The tablecloths were covering the tables, creating a sense of elegance and class, despite the fact that we were in a prison.

As I walked through the room, I could see the prisoners' faces light up as they saw me. Some of them were smiling, others were nodding, and some were even whistling. I could see the appreciation in their eyes, and I felt a sense of pride and happiness. I was amazed by the effort that they had put into the decorations, it was evident that they had gone out of their way to make the party special for me.

I felt my nerves dissipating as I began to relax and enjoy myself. I was grateful for Bellamy's friendship and support as I navigated the new and challenging environment of the prison. I knew that with him by my side, I could handle anything that came my way. The party was lively, the music blasting and the prisoners dancing and laughing. The atmosphere was electric and I could feel my nerves dissipating as I began to relax and enjoy myself. I was glad I decided to wear my beautiful red dress, it made me feel special and like I belonged there.

As I continued to walk around the party, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to see Jack standing there, a wide smile on his face. "Amalia, you look amazing," he said, his eyes scanning over my dress admiringly.

I felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment. Jack had always seemed to be pretty keen on me, but I felt uncomfortable with this obvious flirting when the man I really desired was watching me from upstairs.

"Thanks, Jack," I said, trying to sound as casual as possible.

"That dress really suits you," he continued, "You look like a real lady."

I smiled, "Thanks, I'm glad you like it."

He looked at me with a serious expression, "You know, Amalia, you don't have to be afraid of anything in here. I'm here for you, and so are the rest of the guys."

I nodded, appreciating his words. "I know. I'm glad to have you and everyone else's support."

As Jack and I chatted, I couldn't help but notice that the drinks on the table were alcoholic. I was curious as to how they managed to get them into the prison. I turned to Jack and asked, "Jack, how did you all manage to get these alcoholic drinks in here? I thought they were strictly prohibited."

He gave me a sly grin and leaned in closer, "Let's just say, we have our ways."

I felt a bit uneasy, I knew that what they were doing was against the rules, but I also knew that the prison life could be tough and sometimes the prisoners need something to take the edge off.

"I see," I said, feeling a bit hesitant.

"Don't worry," Jack said, "It's all under control. We have a system in place, and everything is done safely."

I nodded, still feeling a bit uneasy about it, but decided to let it go for now. I knew that I would have to navigate the complexities of prison life and learn to navigate the unwritten rules.

I took a sip of my water, feeling grateful for Jack's company and the lively atmosphere of the party. I knew that this was just the beginning of my journey in this prison, and I was determined to make the best of it, with the help of my friends like Jack and Bellamy.

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