Number Six

"Wake up Nieve."

The light spread like wild fire on my face, a hand pushed my hair out my face, the hand was Ray's. "Good Morning Ray." "Good Morning Nieve," His hair was dripping, it looked a lot darker that way.

It meant he just got out the shower. Showering. I'd have to do it sometime. I'm just fearing that Jerome will come in there and make me his 'bitch'. "Nieve, you have to shower, just be careful while your there. Here,"

He tossed me a towel, a bar of soap and some advice.

"Avoid Jerome at all costs,"

Those words ringed through my head, leaving temporary place in my membrane. I go to one of the shower stalls, drop my towel and started washing my body. I felt more naked than I was... more vulnerable to them.

Like all my shields were down, you could see me in the skin I was born in. It made me kind of sick just thinking about.

"Well, well isn't it the white boy from earlier. Must to great havin' Ray as a cellmate, ain't it?"

I turned around to face Jerome, my breath hitched. I felt what I felt and I felt was fear. "No, I..." I was pushed against the wall, my fear were realized when I saw a sliver gleam coming from his dark hands. A razor blade.

He was going to hurt me, or worse kill me. The closest person I could pray to save me was Ray. His words felt like trust, in my mind I hoped he would live out that trust, he would come and save me.

But another part of me would question it.

Could I really trust a drug-dealer?

Could I really trust a true criminal?

I push him away, grabbing my towel, I thought fast as wrapped my towel around the waist.

A hand pushed me out the way, I hear the guard's yell, take one glance at the person who pushed me away. It was a tranny, a drag queen. She had distinctive hazel eyes, long wavy black hair, and red lipstick on. I had to admit- he- she was gorgeous.

Her figure was curvaceous body, breasts, plump thighs and of course- a ass.

"Sasha I'm fucking tired of you!"

"No Jerome, I'm tired of you tryin' to get ass everyday!"

Sasha yelled back, turning to me, I could see the guard pull away Jerome. "Are you okay Suga?" I nod, tying the towel around my waist.

"I swear he needs to go to the damn crazy house with all the shit he's been doing. I heard you were Ramon's new inmate, is that true?" "Yeah it's true," I notice the she was lilting a cigarette, she shifted the pack to me and I shook my head no. "Good kid. I'm Sasha." "Amie,"She nods, tells me to follow her and I do.

She leads to my cell, she greets Ray with a hug, along with a smack against the head. "You Idiota! Podría haber sido asesinado," "Hacerla más lenta perra loca. All I did was ask to you to watch him while I handled business, not lecture my ass."

He looked at me, then at the cut on my arm, and anger flooded his voice. "Sasha, don't tell me you did this." Sasha took a second cigarette, blow smoke out her pouted mouth.

"Now why would I do that? It was Jerome's ass," Ray sucked his teeth, turning to me, "Is this true, Amie?" "Yes." He bobbed his head up and down like he was nodding, but he seemed like he was in deep thought.

"Nieve, wait here. Sasha watch him while I'm gone" And like a light he was out.

Sasha reached into her jump suit pockets and pulled out a roll of graze. "Sit down Querido," I did as she said, sitting on the bottom bunk. She wrapped the graze as the way up my to my arm pit.

"There Querido, make sure not to get it wet,"

"Sasha can I ask you some questions?" Sasha nods and sits on bunk besides me.

"Where did Ray go?" She sighed, pats me on the shoulder, crosses her legs. "He went to handle his business." Her Latin accent with warmth, like that of a child in mother's womb, I guess. Like the closet form of affection for a human being, simply divine.

"What business?" She mouths you. At that time didn't understand what she meant, so I went on and asked the other question.

"What made you umm... change?" She smiles at me, the crease around her eyes told me she was probably in her forties.

"Are you sure you want to know?"

I nodded, she smiled again and continued.

"Well when I was young we didn't have those things like support groups and rallies. If you were born a man, you were identified as a man. When I was about about sixteen I would watch my sister go on dates, wear these beautiful dresses, I felt something was wrong.

I wanted to be the one in those dresses, I wanted go on those dates with men, I wanted to be a woman. I grew my hair out by seventeen, wearing dresses to school and even stole money for hormone pills.

I was made fun and teased for who I was. But I stuck it out, even when my family shunned me. I got really addicted to Meth at one point and lost my job as a teacher. That was also the day I came to Wonderland. My real name Santiago Gracia" Sasha glanced at me and touched my cheek.

"In my my eyes your true woman,"

"Thanks Nieve, so much,"