Ever since "Conversation" by Dramaticat on Wattpad, I've always wanted to write a story focusing mostly on dialogue. Inspired by New Romantics. Honestly, I had expected to finish "Tears of Mascara" first.

"Companion to 'Tears of Mascara.' – Seeing Piper slowly spiral into a road of self-destruction (and lip gloss) forces the Hazel to reimagine their outlook on Cabin 10."

Watching her carefully, the golden-eyed girl shook her frizzy hair out of her face.

"Piper," was all she said.

The older girl—Piper—flicked her long, curled brown hair back before reapplying, for the dozenth time, her cherry-flavored lip gloss.

"Yes, Hazel?"

That was it, no "'Sup Haze?" or "Yes-siree, that's me," just "Yes, Hazel?"

"What's going on in your life?"

"Nothing much, just Drew being annoying again. As usual."

Then, she laughed, but it was bitter and fake in such a way that it made Hazel want to hug herself and just sob, wishing for the old Piper back.

"Are you sure?" Hazel found herself saying, her tone calmer than she really was. "You seem to be more invested in your appearance lately."

"A girl's gotta have a hobby, am I right?"

"...Yes, but you were always more into exercise or helping out around camp. Not…whatever this is. Makeup, clothes, looking good. That was never your thing."

"Well it is now."

"Why?"

"You sure have become annoying, you know that?"

"Piper."

"You sure have become annoying," she repeated.

"You never would have said that a couple months ago."

"That was a couple months ago, Haze."

Ah, there it was. A ray of sunshine peaking out from behind the clouds. A sliver of the real Piper shining through the artificial, vain, rude, Venus girl she had become. It was amazing how much hope Hazel suddenly felt after only hearing that one simple nickname.

"You called me Haze."

"Are you suddenly against the nickname?"

She took out her eyeliner, swiftly drawing the contours of her kaleidoscope eyes.

"No, it's just…you haven't called me that in a long time."

"What are you playing at?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't understand what you're talking about?"

"Seriously, we haven't had an actual conversation in weeks. 'Fess up."

Hazel's eyes absently trace over Piper's outfit. Skater skirts and a Camp Half-Blood T-shirt pinned and tucked, and cut and resewn to make a shirt that barely resembled what it had been before. Knee-high black socks and maroon, lace-up boots. Formerly choppy hair had become even and curled—and let's not forget to mention the amount of makeup on her face.

"Why did you have to change?"

Her laugh was bitter, "I'm an Aphrodite girl, have to look the part."

"What does that mean?"

'That means I'm no good."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that the Aphrodite cabin isn't all gossip and lip gloss, Haze. It's fucking Tartarus."

"No, my cabin is."

Neither smiled.

"It's kill or be killed with us, Haze."

"Didn't you change them?"

"I didn't understand them. I get it now."

"Stop speaking in riddles."

"You're too young, Haze, I don't want to harm your innocence."

"I'm older than you."

"That doesn't count and you know it."

"Just tell me why you changed."

"Stop it."

"I'm your friend, you can tell me anything, Piper."

"Stop."

"We're all getting worried. What happened to the happy, laid back, fun Piper who didn't give a shit about her appearance?"

The fact that Hazel had found the situation so dire, she felt the need to use profanity, made Piper freeze for a moment. Hazel looked at her hopefully when—

"Stop."

"Jason misses you."

"Jason was the one who broke up with me."

"Is that what this is about?"

"Stop."

"So it is."

"It isn't."

"Tell me then."

"I said stop."

"I'm not going to. Not until you tell me."

"Why are you so persistent."

"Why do you insist on going on the road to ruin?"

"I'm not."

"Sure."

"I didn't know you had it in you to be sarcastic, Haze."

"Stop trying to change the subject."

"My mascara is smearing."

"Before you changed, you would have cried out in joy."

"…"

"How many boys have you dated since Jason broke up with you?"

"…"

"Fine. I've been counting. Twelve."

"…Shut up."

"Tell me."

"There is no winner in the Aphrodite cabin."

"I don't understand."

"Take me home, Hazel, I just wanna go home."

"Where is home? It sure as hell isn't Cabin 10."

"I…don't know."

"Piper, what happened?"

"Nothing."

"Piper, there are cracks in your mask."

"Help."

"Tell me how, and I'll do it."

"I…"

"I've missed you."

Silence.

"I just wanna know what happened. You want help, but you're not letting me."

Piper braided her hair.

"What happened?"

"Aphrodite doesn't know shit about what goes on in her children's cabin."

"I'm still confused."

"We're fucking dolls, she dresses us up and expects us to squeal. She gives us love advice and expects us to follow it. What she doesn't know is that we've lost our humanity, she's put so much foundation on us that it's become a second skin. We're plastic. We're nothing. We're empty-headed. We're beautiful but not. We're shallow."

"You're still talking in riddles."

"I'm hurting."

"I know."

"Help?"

"I want to, but I don't know how."

"I hate Camp Half-Blood—it's not safe haven, it's hell."

"That's not what you said before, all those months ago."

"Things change."

"I still don't understand."

"You don't have to. Just be there for me, okay, Haze? Even if it winds up with me dead in a ditch, always be there."

"I'm not sure if I can keep that promise."

"I need love."

"You have it with me."

"…"

"…"

"…Hazel?"

"Yeah?"

"You're like the little sister I've always wanted."

"I love you, Piper. Always. You're my big sister, okay?"

{we're so young.

But we're on the road to ruin.}

the fucking end.

Be sure to check out the companion story, "Tears of Mascara" when it comes out! Peace.