Ex Convict Read online

  Ex Convict

  Ex Convict

  A novel by

  Ashley Beale

  Ex Convict © Ashley Beale, 2014.

  This publication is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws, and all rights are reserved, including resale rights. You are not permitted to give or sell this book to anyone else. Any trademarks, product names, service marks, or named features are assumed to be the property of their respective owners, and are used only for reference. All rights are reserved.

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to any person, living or dead, any place, events or occurrences, is purely coincidental. The characters and story lines are created from the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  Published by: Ashley Beale

  Edited by: Amanda King

  Beta Readers: Jessika Harper, Sandi Laubhan, Christina Concus, Jennifer Finch

  Cover image © 2014 – depositphotos.com

  This book is dedicated to second chances.

  Hope

  I have no doubt my red leather mini dress will have all heads turning and staring. I love being the queen bitch. I love being envied. I love being the center of attention. Tonight will be no exception to all that.

  After sliding on my black boots I send a text to DJ to tell him to hurry his ass up. I have the Rohypnol I was asked to grab. Thankfully I didn't even have to pay for it, I just had to flash my tits at the dirty douche bag I got them from. Tonight we're going to prank that stupid skank, Jenny, who has been spreading rumors that I have herpies. DJ was not impressed when he heard the rumors, but when I swore up and down he is the only guy I've ever been with, he quickly realized that she was just a jealous little bitch.

  Tonight we're going to roofie her, then the guys from the football team are going to pretend they're interested in her. I have my cell phone charged so I can record her enjoying the temptation of all the guys she drools over but can't have. Then when she makes a total ass of herself, I'm going to edit and upload the videos to all the social networks I can. I hope the damn video goes viral and she gets so embarrassed she leaves this town. I'd love nothing more at the moment.

  Lights flash against the wall then DJ beeps his horn twice. I run down the stairs and grab my jacket as I make my way out the door. Sliding into the passenger seat, I lean over and give my boyfriend a kiss to cheek.

  "Hey sexy," he says with that beautiful smile of his. Yes, it's beautiful even though he is anything but. Being the Quarterback of the football team, he is all muscles and a complete badass. I love it. I love him.

  "Hey," I say, beaming with my own smile.

  He backs his dad's muscle car out of the drive and together we head to the party. "You get the roofies?" he asks me.

  "Uh, yeah, obviously. I got four. Is that enough?"

  He glances over at me with a raised brow. "We're not trying to kill the bitch, just some payback. Why don't we keep it at one? We can save the others for later."

  I shrug my shoulders, not really caring either way. "Fine, whatever."

  We arrive at the party a little late, but honestly I don't mind one bit. I like walking into a crowd, it just means eyes are on me. We meet up with a few of the guys to go over the plans once again, then we set out to enjoy ourselves as well as torture innocent little Jenny. It'll definitely teach her not to spread rumors about the queen bee ever again.

  Steve and Martin, DJ's two sidekicks, also known as the guys all the girls drool over, walk over and start mindlessly flirting with Jenny. She smiles and giggles as I watch from the corner, sipping on a beer. She actually thinks they like her and I find it absolutely hilarious. I hold in my laughter, watching from the corner of my eye.

  Maybe if she lost ten pounds, learned to wax those brows of hers, and understood what a fashion magazine was, she'd be okay. Maybe even worthy enough to talk to me. But since she is an ugly heifer and likes to spread rumors, she deserves all of this.

  I can see as Steve slips the roofie into her drink, then he lightly brushes his hand down her arm. It is epic. I actually can't explain the excitement I feel. She takes the cup seconds later and downs half the drink. I can feel my face lift into a smile, knowing this is going just as planned.

  DJ and I make our rounds, talking and drinking with fellow friends. Normally at this point in the party, being three drinks in, I'd be out dancing on the makeshift dance floor with my best friends, Mercedes and Aurora. Instead I patiently wait until Jenny is walking with a wobble and laughing annoyingly.

  Once I catch her stuttering with her words, I walk over and slip my arm around her shoulders. "Hey Jenny. You enjoying yourself tonight?" I put on my extra sweet voice matching my extra sweet smile. I know I'm not fooling her- or at least I don't believe so.

  Her eyes widen, proving she is terrified of me. Good, she knows I'm not messing around. They slowly turn into two little slits and she stutters out a sentence. "You, I'm not, you don't scare me Hope."

  "I know Jenny, I know. I just see you're making friends with Steve and Martin, and you know they're friends of mine. I was just coming to make peace with you."

  I can see her chewing on the inside of her cheek while her head sways back and forth. It takes a lot not to laugh, because she has no clue she was just drugged by two guys she thinks she is going to have sex with. Hell, the three of them might have sex. Who knows? She is obviously willing and I've never seen them pass up a chance for a threesome.

  "Mm, yeah, yeah, um, okay," she mutters. She is even more incoherent than she was mere minutes ago. I wink at Steve as I walk off. He knows just what that means.

  I stand close by so I can hear the conversation. He leans in close but talks loud enough for me and a few others close by to hear. "You doing okay Jenny? You feeling okay?"

  She shakes her head back and forth so fast, I'm surprised she doesn't fall over. "I'm fu-fine," she says, even though she is shaking her head no.

  Steve slips his arm around her waist and pulls her a little closer, bringing his lips to her ear. "Let's go lay you down then." Oh the bastard is laying it on thick. Kudos to him.

  Trying not to laugh, Martin pushes on Steve some. "Dude, I saw her first." Cue for me to pull out my cell phone. I put it on the video recorder and start recording the scene that is about to play out.

  "Fuck off," Steve says to him back.

  "Seriously dude, Jenny and I are about to go out to the pool house."

  Steve throws his hands in the air and faces Jenny. "I thought we had something here!"

  Jenny's face is both paled and shocked. She isn't sure what to think about this, and I'm sure the drugs and alcohol aren't making matters any easier. "Stop it, you uh, you can bof, both have me."

  This is exactly what I was hoping for. The best part? She said that pretty loud so many heads turn and give her dirty looks. Yeah, that will teach you skank.

  "Well then, come on," Steve places his arm over her shoulders and starts heading towards the back door with Martin on the other side of Jenny. I sneak behind them, recording it as I go. DJ is doing his best not to laugh at the whole ordeal. We can both laugh later, while we send off the video to everyone and their mother. Maybe even her choice college. Now that would really teach her never to mess with me again.

  The plan is that they'll bring her to the pool house, let her get naked and make a complete fool of herself while I record it. When I get enough footage, well then they can have fun with each other or they can leave her alone- that is all on them. I had one thing in mind, and so far, everything is going perfect.

  They walk into the pool house together and I sneak to the back door with DJ, being as quiet as I can be. Not that she notices anything going on, I just don't want to mess anything up. I open
the door, slowly sneak in and hide behind the built in bar, where I crouch down and continue to record. Jenny pulls her shirt off and swings it around in the air. The girl looks as though she can kneed her gut, and that bra of hers is most certainly padded.

  Both the guys are settled onto the couch as Jenny climbs onto the coffee table and starts to slowly pull her jeans down, doing her best attempt at a strip tease. God, this girl is ridiculous. I hope to hell she doesn't actually think she is being sexy. Just as her pants come off and she kicks them at the guys- revealing her white cotton panties- the door swings open and her best friend, Katrina, walks in. I hate this girl just as much, and I'm thinking she is going to have to have some pay back as well.

  Katrina walks over to Jenny, yelling at her. "What the hell are you doing, Jenny? Get off that table. You're drunk! These guys are taking advantage of you!"

  Steve stands up and walks over towards Katrina, stopping her before she can get to her friend. "Back off. She isn't that drunk, and we're not doing anything more than watching her. You can leave... now." He isn't scared to give her a threatening tone.

  "If I don't leave this damn place without my best friend I'm calling the cops!"

  Steve shakes his head. "That wouldn't be very smart of you, I can promise you that."

  Katrina simply raises an eyebrow, daring him to do something. Stupid, stupid girl she is.

  Martin speaks up from the couch as Jenny unsnaps her bra and tosses off. Yup, it was padded alright. "Dude, ignore the stupid bitch. Look, Jenny just took her bra off and is playing with her nipples. Get that other bitch out of her or tell her to join, but I don't feel like listening to any bitching and complaining!"

  "Jenny!" Katrina yells.

  Jenny seems to just now notice as her face looks in that direction. She smiles even wider, wobbling a bit on the coffee table. "Katrina! Come jo-join me."

  "See, she is hammered!" Katrina looks to Steve again while pointing her finger in the direction of Jenny. God this girl is pissing me off. She has three minutes before I head out of here and kick her ass.

  Steve pulls on her arm and she starts clawing at him, trying to get out of his grip. He doesn't let up until they're back at the couch and he pushes her to sit down next to Martin before taking the seat on the other side of her. "Now you can either sit here and watch your friend, or you can get up there and join her. You're not running out of here and being a snitch." The tone he uses would scare most anyone so I'm not surprised to see her first tense up then her shoulders to drop as she decides that she will indeed stay seated.

  Jenny ends up falling backwards off the table and I have to bite my tongue. Maybe we gave her a little too much but I've never seen anything funnier. "Some... help," I hear her say.

  Martin grunts and gets off the couch to help her and within seconds Katrina gets up and starts running towards the door. She makes it out the door before Steve even realizes, but he soons take off after her. "I'm going to kill them," I say before standing and running after her as well.

  Steve has Katrina by the arm next to the pool, talking quietly. Probably explaining exactly what he'll do to her if she runs off and tattles. Her eyes meet mine and she glares, saying something low enough I can't hear. She knows this was my plan now. I turn back around to head back into the pool house as a very naked Jenny comes stumbling out with Martin. She is crying about something and now all the eyes are on them. Everything was going so perfect until Katrina walked in. She is really going to rue this day!

  Everything after this moment just becomes one giant blur. It's all surreal and in slow motion, except, it all happens so fast no one is able to stop it. I don't know how to explain the catastrophe that breaks out. People are screaming and yelling, clawing at Steve and Martin, while Katrina is yelling, Jenny is crying, DJ is pulling at me away from the scene while I'm mentally pounding in Katrina's face for messing everything up.

  When Katrina starts pointing her finger my way, saying it was all my fault, I planned this and drugged Jenny, and that I'm an evil bitch. Well, let's just say, the girl has a damn death wish!

  I bolt in her direction, leaving DJ behind me, and just as I'm getting to her Jenny steps in my way and falls backwards. Her head slams into the side of the pool before her entire body falls into it and blood just pours out in every direction, turning the water a deep, dark red.

  Shrill screaming breaks loose and panic takes over everyone, including me. I first just stare as I hear DJ screaming at me to run, but I can't. I'm frozen. Shit, I just... I just killed her. I didn't mean to, it just happened, and now... now she is dead. I wanted to humiliate her and get her back but I never meant to kill the girl.

  I continue to stand here as people pull her out of the pool. I continue to stand here while people are getting in my face, calling me a murderer. I stand here while the ambulance comes and takes her away. Then I'm being handcuffed and put into the back of the cruiser. I can't think of anything, I can't say anything, I can't even breathe correctly. All I can do is picture the girl falling to her death at my hands.

  Everything goes blank. Everything. My mind shuts off completely as everything plays out around me. I come-to every now and again, remembering only bits and pieces. I remember my mug shots and finger prints. I remember pulling on the navy blue jumpsuit while at the county jail. I remember stares and whispers and shaking heads. I remember the look on the judge’s face. I remember my jumpsuit being orange while being put into the women's prison. I remember my parents visiting me one time. One. Time. I remember the looks on their faces.

  When my mind decides to stop playing these damn tricks on me, it’s been a month. I lay on the bottom bunk in my cell, listening to the snoring of the girl above me. I wrap myself up in the itchy wool blanket and look directly to the two things I have taped above me. The newspaper clipping explaining Jenny Thimble’s death, and a calendar marking the days until I'm out. That day will be the day I'll be making a difference in the world. I'll be a better person. I have to be. Not just for myself, but for Jenny.

  Hope

  Just as it's been for the last six years, one week, and three days, my morning starts when the lights all flicker on with a soft buzzing noise. Next comes a few slams as cells are being opened and closed, then a few groans from everyone not used to the early wake up. Lastly is guards yelling for people to sit up while they do their head count. I sit up, grumble a bit, crack my back, and then slide my feet onto the floor where my bright orange Crocs are. As of two years ago we no longer have slippers, instead we have Crocs.

  "Manson, you got one hour," Pelky yells into my room as he does the head count. That is right, one hour to have my belongings ready to go. I have to strip my bedding, pack up my toiletries, and lastly, gather my handful of letters and pictures I got sent in here my first year- before everyone gave up on me.

  Once that is all done, I carefully pull off the newspaper clipping from six years ago, reminding me each and every day of why I'm in here and my purpose when I leave. I'll be anything but selfish. I am going to make a difference in this world, one way or another. I've thought long and hard of what I want to do to make this world better and step one- which is also part of my probation conditions- is to become a public speaker. I'm going to go to junior highs and high schools, giving speeches against bullying. Explain why I bullied, things I did, what happened, and where I am today because of it.

  Pelky, one of the prison guards, is back in front of my cell after the hour. We walk together down the hall and he helps me get processed out of this place. Once I'm done, he pats me on the shoulder with a wink. "Be good out there."

  I smile softly at one of the very few people I actually made friends with in here. "Will do. No offense when I say, I hope I don't see you around."

  "Same goes to you. Later kid."

  He was always calling me kid, and treating me as such. I was barely an adult when I got placed in here. My birthday was only three weeks before the incident.

  Stepping outside the facility, I look around an
d breathe in the fresh air. It's not like I haven't been outside, I visited the outdoors often, it's just now I'm breathing in freedom. Well, partial freedom I should say. I'm still on probation for the next year, and I'll always have the guilt suffocating me. I'll never be free again. I'll never be able to make right what I've wronged.

  Even though I've lived near Raleigh, North Carolina my whole life, it feels different walking the streets again. Thankfully I lived two towns over, had cropped dyed-brown hair, and was almost two pant sizes larger then. Being incrassated, I've let my natural blonde hair grow out and it now falls mid waist. My body is much smaller as well as very toned, since I was doing activities every chance I was given. I highly doubt any other person walking the street or riding by would recognize me right now.

  I haven't spoken to anyone in my family but they were informed I was being released. My mom was kind enough to drop off some clothing and money with the prison, however she also left a note informing me to make do with what I've been given. The cheerleading shorts are nearly falling off from me, my shirt is so baggy two of me could fit in this thing, and I haven't even walked a full mile and am sweating already.

  Talking to my probation officer last month, he told me I could live in a home for women. It's not exactly a half-way house but the similarities are nearly dead on. I don't have a curfew, thank God, but I do have many other rules such as no men allowed and if you get caught stealing you're out. I was given directions, and that is currently where I'm headed, but at this point in time I need to stop off for food and better clothing. My mom gave me exactly three hundred dollars, which is more than I expected but I know if I don't find a job in the next day or two, it'll be gone far too soon.

  I pop into this little boutique I've never seen before. It looks more like a secondhand shop, which is exactly what I need. After digging through the racks and trying on some clothes, I end up leaving with two pairs of shorts, one pair of jeans, and six shirts. All for twenty dollars. I figure I can where my current attire to bed most nights, as I can't exactly afford pajamas right now. Cashing out I ask the lady where I can find cheap socks, undergarments, and toiletries. She gives me directions to a store the next block over and once I leave there, I end up with two weeks’ worth of stockings and underwear. Sadly only one bra since they're so expensive. Anything is better than the sports bra I have on. Not like anyone is going to see this stuff anyways.