Chapter 1

Those eyes. The bluest shade of blue Alex Vause had ever seen.

Occupying a table in the far corner, Alex's attention was on the slender, young woman at the counter. She took in every detail. Every movement of her body. Every intake of a breath.

Piper Chapman.

Twenty-two years old. 172 cm. Blonde. Smith graduate. A wealthy family. A privileged life—a 'something' Alex never knew. Fascinated by the sight of deep blue eyes reflected on the mirror behind the bar, Alex watched her target as she enjoyed her cup of coffee. She liked her caffeine at midnight. It kept her on high alert. It suited her job. After all, she was an errand girl. Whatever they would like to call it, it had made her feel useful—important at times. And that was all she had wished for, being somewhat visible.

So blue… Alex pondered. Then she flinched the moment the blue gaze traveled in short, snappy flickers, and halted at the reflection of Alex's own green pools. It all happened in the mirror. Fleeting and surreal. After a moment, Alex had to force her gaze down at the coffee cup in her hands instead, but immediately felt stupid at her action.

What… the hell are you doing? Pull yourself together!

Alex silently cursed. She had never been the one to shy away. She was the predator—the spider, and they were all just flies. Taking in a deep breath, she lazily ran her hand through the thick mane of her raven hair, and looked up. She stared into the mirror again, meeting the expectant, curious eyes. But she froze. She failed again. She would usually know what the looks meant, but her mind was acting funny tonight. It was all a blurry, crazy mix of weird excitements, untamed curiosities and primal needs. Alex knew just how much trouble she was in when they weren't even touching. They were simply gazing at each other.

It was the night both Alex and Piper would never forget—how they first met.

Piper was vomiting green stuff out of her hot, burning throat. She couldn't tell what it was, but she knew that it was bad.

"Piper, honey, are you all right?"

Piper glanced up from the toilet bowl, breathing heavily. Her face was gaunt from months of sleepless nights. There were dark rings around her usually vibrant, blue eyes. Her body felt burnt, her stomach ached. She couldn't tell if those were sweats or tears running down her face. Her entire arms trembled from the harsh grips on the white ceramic. Her knees pained from an hour of kneeling on the cold, tiled floor. "Yeah, just… just gimme a minute."

Larry looked worried, his hand rested on the wooden door. "Are you sure? Do you want me to call an ambulance—"

"No!" Piper shrieked, but immediately lowered her voice, knowing how alarming it had sounded to her boyfriend. "N—no. No, I'm fine. Don't call an ambulance. Just—" She paused for a breath. "… just don't call anyone." Her body was weak. Her head was heavy. She sank to the bathroom floor, hugging her knees to her chest. What happened tonight was a just nightmare and nothing more.

Nothing.

But it was a nightmare that had started five years ago. It had started as soon as the mysterious, dark-haired stranger walked into her life, and it had seemed to know no end. Hungry. Crazy. Relentless. After four years of repression, which had only grown weaker and more desperate each time it happened, tonight had just proven that there was no point of return. None.

Hugging herself tighter, Piper whispered to herself, "…fine… I'll be fine…"

No… God, I need help…

A month later Piper found herself on the cryptic island. It took only a month for her world to shatter—for everything she had ever known to become one big lie. What surprised her the most, however, was that her future father-in-law had suspected and expected it all along. Howard Bloom was the help she needed. He knew what it was. He was one of them.

Standing by the pier, Piper was wearing a beige trench coat, a wooly, black dress underneath. Her shoulder-length blonde hair danced in the fierce wind. She looked a little pale, nervous and scared. Both her hands snuck in the coat's pockets. She bit her bottom lip as she gazed up at green highlands. It was to become her new home. It was supposed to be where she belonged, or at least it was what she was told. Somewhere secluded. Somewhere hidden away from the rest of the world.

That's right. Piper thought bitterly. No more extravagant parties. No more luncheons with the privileged blondes of her class. Now she was stuck on a godforsaken island. Green of nature. In the middle of nowhere. She was sure that her friends would forget to ring her up in two-week time, and she just didn't want to imagine what life was waiting for her after she was done with this 'safe place'. Her pessimism said months or years before she could pull herself together.

Larry sighed. "Come now." His words pulled her out of her thoughts.

His arms around her, Piper had never felt safer before in her entire life. Not even with her parents around. Not with her brother cooking for her. Not with their reassuring words. She had never felt so safe with anyone but Larry Bloom. They had made a promise, a silent promise that they would carry on and cherish each other to the end.

They both stood by the pier. Larry, a dark-haired man in his early thirties, glanced back at the ferryboat behind them. He was of average height. Not too short, but not too tall either. Straight, big nose. Thin lips. Dark, doe eyes. His hands were warm and reassuring, the hands that had guided Piper through her insecurities and fears.

Larry squeezed Piper's hands as he looked straight into her eyes. If Piper's life had been anything but lies, he was the only truth she had ever known. "My father will take good care of you. You have nothing to be afraid of. He's like—I think he's like God around here." He heartily laughed, trying to ease the heavy silence. "Well, no, I don't really know. Dad doesn't usually tell me things. Well, there's a reason for that, right? Well… uh, b—but I'm sure… I'm sure that he will take good care of you. You're going to make a lot of new friends here. People like you."

Piper frowned. "People like me? What?"

Larry paused. "Whoa. No, that's not what I meant—"

"No. No, say it. What do you mean by that? People like me? What is that?"

Larry gently took her hands and held them close to his heart. "I'm sorry. I picked the wrong words, I guess. Look, it's your first day here, and away from me. So please let's not start a fight now? I can't. I miss you already, Piper. I don't wanna go home with this fight hanging over me for what—weeks or months before they'd allow you to see me again? This is worse than you going to prison."

Piper shook her head. "I'm never going to prison. I'm not like that kind of person."

Larry furiously nodded. "Yes. Yes, that's what I meant. But all I'm saying is that… right now, I can't. I don't want to fight. I miss you terribly… Please?"

Larry smiled, and Piper smiled back. She knew that he was right. She couldn't afford to have a fight unresolved between them now. Who knew how long it would be before they could see each other again?

Piper clutched back his hands. "I'll miss you so much."

Their hands locked with each other, the couple looked at the highlands before them. The sky was gray, and they could see nothing else from the pier. It was the strangest place they had ever been. An island not too far away off the east coast, yet felt a world away for both of them. Where were they? Where would it all lead them?

"I'll be waiting for you," Larry mumbled, "Come back, Piper. I'll be waiting."

Piper tore her gaze from the scenery and turned to him. She studied, memorizing each of his garments. His black, leather gloves. His black beanie. The gray scarf around his neck. His pale skin and strong hands. His dark eyes that meant heaven to her. His reassuring words that she was not entirely lost to this new, strange world—that she still 'belonged' in the old world.

"Chapman. Piper Chapman?" A voice came from behind.

Piper turned and saw a woman with a short, red hair. The woman looked healthy in her early sixties, a smile on her thin lips.

"Yeah, that'd be me," Piper said.

"Mr. Bloom has been expecting you." The red-haired woman then extended her hand. "Jane Ingalls."

Piper shook her hand. "Nice to meet you." Then, she began to follow Ingalls down the pier. She looked over her shoulder and found that Larry had been ushered back to the ferryboat. They blew goodbye kisses and already waited with heavy hearts when they could see each other again.

The two-lane road curved along the endless, rocky shores. The van took Piper deeper into the private island. The trees were large and ancient, and the fog was thick. They couldn't see further than ten meters ahead of them. It felt like a different world altogether, and only minutes here Piper was already scared that she would be forgotten on the outside world.

Ingalls stayed quiet for most of the ride, but the younger woman, Lorna Morello, the dark-haired, beautiful driver, explained a few things about the island. The ferry left only once a day at precisely ten in the morning. Residents were free to leave on any day they choose. However, newbies must wait until their probation period ended before they were granted such freedom. Three phone calls were allowed each day. They would have three meals at precisely 8 a.m., noon, and 6 p.m. There was a public bath on each floor (of the 3-stories building), and a roommate would be assigned.

All the information, however, suffocated Piper, and she turned to look away to the scenery outside instead. "Are you… like me? Or do you just work here?" Piper asked.

"We're all gifted here." Ingalls softly patted the young woman's shoulder.

Piper put up a polite smile. 'Gifted' was a nice way to call it.