Hard Time (Hard Time Series Book 1)

All In The Name Of Love

LENA POV

The only thing that was calming me today was gardening with Callie as we both needed to get out of the stuffy prison and be outdoors. She had never done it herself and I enjoyed showing her. All I wanted to do was push that fight I had with Stef earlier that I knew half the prison had heard and I was even surprised myself at how loud I had become. Maybe it was my frustration with myself, with my feelings and for the fact that I had been trying to avoid my reality. Maybe but when she told me what to do it was almost as if it struck a nerve in me and this other side of me came out. Stef questioned my loyalty to her and I understood why for I said I liked her, but maybe I wasn't showing it or displaying it in the way I should be. I really wasn't as I had checked on Ms. Rose only to be told she had been transferred to the hospital and I knew that act alone would only piss Stef off even more.

"Lena I love these yellow ones." Callie said snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Oh yes. Can you read what the sticker says?" I asked her as she took it from my hand.

"MM Tu..Too lip. Toolip?"

"Yes. Very good. It's a Tulip. I'm so proud of you Callie you have come such a long way. You really have."

"With your help. You're a good teacher Lena."

"And you are a good student." Smiling at her she returned it as we dug a few more holes into the ground as we planted a few of the yellow and pink tulips along with purple ones. Sometimes it was moments like this that caused me to feel as if I wasn't locked inside a prison as my eyes glanced over to Stef who was playing a card came with Roxy. Her eyes soon fine mine andd I looked away and not realizing Callie must have gotten wind of my thoughts even if I was pretty sure she heard our fight. Maybe part of me had tested Stef myself to see if she would hurt me. But she had not even if I saw her temper and she had seen mine.

"You know Lena mom is stubborn. Like crazy stubborn."

"I guess we all are in our own way honey." I said handing her another flower.

"I had one friend in here. Ariana. But we had to choose. I mean I wave to her but we can't hang out. That's just how it is."

"Why?"

"She has her family in here and I have mine and they don't cross. They don't. When I get out well if I do maybe Ariana and I can be friends but my loyalty is to my family and her loyalty is to hers. It can get messy in here sometimes so it's easier to not have any of it mix and the Lions Den and Latina Queens have a truce. Part of that is we don't mix. Alex tried to put the two groups against each other that's another reason she got hurt. But most people who owe mom debts it's because they crossed her and some more then once. Depending on what they did it determines the length of their debt and any missed debt can screw stuff up. I know it sucks seeing your friend get hurt but maybe mom got hurt too by you. Ask her. But there is a reason she had to hurt her and I'm not supposed to say anything. Just know it has to do with my medication. People make barter deals in here and if they are late well..yeah. Thing is I hope you stay with us. Mom loves you and I do too Lena. "

Seeing Callie's face grow sensitive I knew what she was saying and now I felt like an asshole. I really did and she was right. She was and so was Roxy in the fact that I had to choose. I cared deeply for people but this was not the outside world. It wasn't and if Ms. Rose jeopardized Callie's medication by stealing well that I got and Stef's actions made sense to me. They did and maybe I needed to ask Stef more and see both sides.

"I'm not leaving babygirl and I love you too. We have many more books to learn before you have your little one. Right?"

"Yeah. And I find out soon what I'm having."