Disclaimer: I dont own Percy Jackson. . . unfortunately
Piper was so lost, now she knows that they're just trying to help but she seriously doubted that electric blue eyeliner would match her skin tone or anyone's for that matter but when Lacy came up to ask her if she could help get ready for the dance. She could not say no. Sigh. Look where that got her. The only thought running through her head was that she looked like a cat that was blow dried into a puffball. Literally. The bathroom door opened and Drew took one look at her before doubling over in laughter. Piper tried to ignore her and looked back into the full-length mirror trying to figure out how to salvage her appearance.
When it seemed like Drew finally got a hold of herself, she approached Piper by the mirror. She was wearing what the Aphrodite kids called her 'bitch smirk'. " I honestly don't know where to start. Gods you look awful. I mean I don't understand why someone would curl your hour hair that tight, your dress washes out your complexion and sweetheart don't get me started on your make-up" Drew flashed her an unkind smile and walked away.
Normally would just shrug off the comments and not let it get to her but even she knew that everything Drew said was unfortunately true.
Drew saw Piper self-consciously picking at her dress, so with an unnecessary loud sigh. She got up and stood beside her " I guess we could turn that rats nest of curls into a updo". She then gave Piper a smile one that relieved her and scared her at the same time.
"Not that I'm complaining or anything but why would you do this for me?" Piper asked because after a mere 15 minutes she looked marginally better even if something was still a bit off.
"Something is missing" Drew quipped "Hey sweetie you're not like attached to that dress or anything right?" Said dress being a 50's inspired poodle skirt attached to a tube top.
"No, Lacy picked it out for me. Why?"
"It's hideous you need to change"
"And you have spare dress to give me?" Piper said dripping with sarcasm
Drew gave her a Cheshire grin. "As a matter of fact I do. And since you're my sister and you look completely wretched, you qualify for it"
"Thanks?" Piper said completely unsure of what was happening.
"Ok so I'm going to give you a gift and I swear if you damage it in any way you are turning from Cinderella to dumpster girl faster than the Stoll's run when Katie's chasing them." Drew said in a completely serious tone.
"Who said I was Cinderella?" Piper asked
"This fairy godmother that's working her ass off!" Drew said while she was walking towards her trunk. It was a old antique looking trunk with D.T carved elegantly at the top of the clasp. She took a key charm from her charm bracelet and inserted it at a notch by the side. The chest did absolutely nothing. No bright light, no weird announcing sounds, not even glitter. And if you have ever lived in this cabin you would know that almost everything glitters.
Drew opened the chest and took out a dress that would make any girl jealous. It was pink (duh) but it was a soft pink not the gods awful neon everyone's sporting these days. It was one-shouldered with a ribbon at the top and the skirt was shaped as a ruffled rose with a black belt to tie it all together.
"Silena Beauregard gave this to me when I was freaking out about a first date with this guy I've liked since forever. From what I know mom gave it to her for her first date with Beckendorf and now it's yours"
"Wow" Piper was awestruck by it. There was obviously something magical about it. "Yeah my guess was that mom was caught up in some maternal streak and cared enough to give some of us a bit of happiness . . . at least for a little while"
Piper seemed to return to her senses enough to ask "Happiness? No offense but you and Silena don't seem the best examples of happy ever after"
"Well that wasn't the dress's fault now was it? And you should know happy ever after is a state of mind it doesn't mean ever like literally."
"And you know this why?"
"Because I lived through it! I fell in love with a boy and it was wonderful but it ended and now here I am. Do you want the dress or not Dumpster Girl?" Strangely enough Drew didn't sound angry just tired as if the memories made her want to give up. That wasn't Drew though Piper thought, Drew was complicated, unresponsive and just plain spiteful but she never gave up, she kept hitting until she was sure whoever she was hurting would never get up again.
Drew turned away from Piper as she was changing and said "You're already late. You should go and . . . I hope you have better luck than anyone else in this godsdamned cabin. Someone here should be happy."
Before she left she whispered "Maybe you deserve to be happy too"
Piper was in fact late to the party but wasn't it just like a daughter of Aphrodite to be fashionably late. She was beautiful just like Drew said, they all cooed their compliments like Drew said and boys fell at her feet (metaphorically) just like Drew said. This was a celebration meant for the heroes of the prophecy but all Piper could think of was her half-sisters bizarre behaviour. And that's how Annabeth found her by the punchbowl. "You're wearing that dress" She said with a small smile "I couldn't put my finger on where I'd seen it before until Katie Gardner reminded me. That's the dress Silena wore on her date with Beckendorf and that is the same dress Drew wore on her date with Connor"
"Connor! As in Connor Stoll. That's who Drew dated?" Piper all but freaked out. Annabeth raised one of her eyebrows in an amused manner. "She didn't tell you did she? Don't feel bad, not that many people knew it happened and the ones who do know . . . well we know it's better not to get involved . . . again."
"Why what happened the last time?"
"Well everyone involved was banned from the lava wall for 2 weeks. It wasn't a pretty picture, anyways you should enjoy yourself, I have a feeling were not going to see these people for quite a while."
Piper looked around and surveyed the place. She saw Travis and Katie romantically slow dancing to a pop song, she saw Connor and Leo trying to roast something in the bonfire basically she saw her friends doing random things. She didn't realize she'd been people watching until Jason tapped her shoulder. Piper jumped at the contact. "Sorry I didn't mean to scare you" Jason said.
"I wasn't scare just surprised is all."
"You looked like you were thinking about something really deep. A penny for your thoughts?"
"I was just thinking about how happy this moment is and about how long until we all feel this happy again."
They lapsed into a comfortable silence until Jason said suddenly "Dance with me."
"What?" Piper squeaked
"Hey you're the one talking about the moment and everything. Dance with me." Jason argued, then he smiled at her and Piper could swear her heart skipped a beat. She took his outstretched hand and he led them to the dance floor.
"Did I tell you how great you look in that dress by the way" Jason whispered in her ear.
"No, but it is a pretty dress right?"
"I'm more interested in the girl wearing it" He said making Piper blush.
Drew saw the bonfire and the fairy lights, she could hear the laughter and the jeers of people enjoying themselves as she sat on the porch of Cabin 10. It felt so long ago when she was there dancing and enjoying the party with her friends and she wondered what happened to the girl who dated Connor Stoll in a cotton candy pink dress.
Hi! So . . . um . . . this is my first story ever and I appreciate feedback! :))))
