Ages 8 and 4
For a long time, Alex found Piper boring. Her mum promised her that they'd be friends when they were older but whenever her and Nicky tried playing with her she'd usually just crawl away or cry.
Once Piper could talk though it wasn't as bad. The fact that 3-year-old Piper could have a full blown argument with 7-year-old Nicky Nichols amused her no end.
Today was Pipers fourth birthday and Mrs Chapman had insisted to Diane that Alex would attend, and much to the laters horror, it involved getting dressed up. Diane had been saving all month and working extra shifts in the morning at the diner so she could afford a new dress for Alex.
The 8 year old would much rather go in jeans and a t-shirt than the frilly yellow dress her mother got her, but apparently Piper had insisted to her mother that she wanted Alex there so she'd just have to suck it up and wear the dress. As Alex had spent so much time at the Chapman's growing up Piper felt like a little sister to her. Even when she couldn't talk Alex loved her even though she was a scared baby that occasionally cried for no reason because her mum loved her so much. Since Piper Mr and Mrs Chapman had another baby, Cal, but Alex was never as close to him. The 2 year old was quite strange in the eyes of the youngest Vause, but she thought that might just be due to how much older she was than him. She never noticed anything too weird about Piper when she was younger other than the fact she didn't like cooked yolks. Seriously though, who doesn't like egg yolks?
The young redhead stared into the mirror. She was deciding if she hated how the bright red of her hair clashed with the bright yellow of the dress too much. She'd never really liked her hair colour, but her mum had told Alex repeatedly that she could dye her hair whatever colour she wanted once she was 16. After smoothing out the wrinkles in the dress and giving her self a final once over, just to make sure nothing had changed too much in her appearance whilst she moved. She grabbed her glasses from the nightstand and positioned them on her head before stepping over the piles of books and dirty clothes to go downstairs where her mother was waiting for her.
"Al! You look gorgeous" Diane beamed as her daughter came down the stairs.
Alex just scrunched up her nose and shrugged, clearly not buying it. Diane quickly shoved the hastily wrapped pink polka dot wrapped present into Alex's hands before heading out the door and towards the stairs away from their flat.
Once in their vista cruiser parked outside Diane started towards the Chapman's once more. She was leaving Alex so she could fit in another shift at the diner so it would be Alex's first time alone there. Not that see really be alone; Piper followed her around like a lost puppy. And if it really came to it Alex was friends with one of the neighbour's kids, Nicky Nichols, and her parents were never home so she could go there if she were really uncomfortable.
The car pulled up at the drive of the grand house of the Chapman's, complete with pink balloons and very quite pop music. "Alex," the girl in question looked over to her mother "no funny business, okay? If you get me fired you're getting a job. Be good kid and make sure you eat as much cake as you can" She said with a smile before pulling her daughter in for a hug.
"I will Mum," Alex said climbing out of the car "Love you, bye!. She waved off her mother as she sped off to her next job.
Alex looked up at the large house of the Chapman's. It was never this scared with her mum, she thought as she started up the drive towards the front drive.
She knocked on the door, hoping it wasn't Mrs Chapman who would open the door. The woman clearly thought that Alex shouldn't be around her daughter and made it clear to her that they were from different worlds. Luckily, the door opened to reveal Celeste Chapman offering her a warm smile. The woman was only a small bit taller than Alex despite the former having a good 50 years on Alex. "Dear, come in. You're Alex aren't you? Pippi has not shut up about you, she'll be so excited you're here love" the older woman continued, walking off in to the back garden to find the birthday girl.
Alex followed Pipers grandmother as she tried to avoid the rest of her WASPy family. Outside the young redhead was met by several young children and a few that were blonde and blue eyed which she presumed where Pipers cousins. There was a bouncy castle and a table of food outside. Looking around she noticed it was mainly adults drinking, not kids having fun. This confused Alex but she didn't have much time to ponder on it as she was nearly knocked off her feet abruptly as a small weight launched herself at her.
"Alex! You came!" Beamed a very happy Piper.
Alex smiled down at her "Of course I did, I wouldn't miss my favourite four year olds birthday, would I?"
With that the smaller girl grabbed Alex's hand and started tugging her in the direction of the bouncy castle. There were already a few kids on it so Alex was apprehensive. What if she crushed them? She knew one of the girls was Piper's "second bestest friend", her being the first of course, called Molly or Polly or something along those lines. Another girl she didn't know and the third was a little boy she was fairly certain lived next door.
"Wait, Pipes, what about your present?" Alex asked, knowing her mum spent at least £15 on this present that she didn't have to waste. She handed the present over to the small blonde girl.
Wearing the biggest smile Piper eagerly opened it. She looked a little confused once she saw the present but smiled anyway "I love it!" Piper declared picking it up and discarding the wrapping paper "... What is it?" She then asked, looking up at Alex.
The older girl laughed, she was too nice for her own good this kid was. "It's a dinosaur, Piper. Look, it bites people too!" Alex took the toy t-rex and squeezed one arm so it opened and closed its mouth once before making it bite on one Piper's blonde ringlets, which made the young girl burst in to laughter before taking back the toy and making it bite a few more times. "Thank you Alex!" She said before running up on to the bouncy castle and biting the kids on there with the toy.
Alex's mum wasn't sure about the present, but really, what do you get a four year old who has everything? Alex finally decided on the T-Rex. She'd only picked it really because her cousins name was Thomas Rex, so everyone in her family called him T Rex and since he was born 6 months ago Alex found T-Rex's hysterical.
As the day wore on Piper refused Alex of her freedom and wouldn't leave her side, even waiting outside the bathroom for her and making her stay in photos with her family.
Once it was finally time to sing happy birthday and cut the cake people started departing. Within an hour Alex was the only one left besides the Chapman's as it was only 7:45 and her mums shift didn't even finish until 8:00. Mr Chapman let Alex go upstairs and play with Piper after an interrogation lead by Piper and her T-Rex.
"Al, do you want to have a sleepover?" Piper asked once the pair were sat on her light pink bedsheets dotted with stars.
"I don't know if I'd be allowed" Alex answered honestly. She'd never slept over at anyone's house before besides at her aunts.
"Come on, I'll go ask" and with that Piper ran down the stairs.
Alex knew no good could come of this. Mrs Chapman already didn't like her because she was poor, but simply tolerated her because her mother did a good job cleaning and raising her kids for her. Alex leant over to put her head against the wall to try and listen to the verdict of a sleepover. She didn't hear much other than "someone like her", "too old" and "bad influence" before Piper ran back in to the room bawling her eyes out.
"My mummy's mean! She doesn't want me to be friends with you even though you're my bestest friend! She doesn't understand" Piper sulked.
Although Alex didn't know what to do in these situations she patted her knee and said "Come here". Piper did as she was told and sat on Alex's knee, curling up into the eight year old and crying her little heart out. "Hey, if it makes you feel better when you're a bit older I'll ask my mum if you can stop over at my flat one day. You'd like that right?" Piper merely gave her a watery eyed nod "You can finally meet Mr Bonkers too, he's a very nice cat. I'm sure he'll love you"
"Alex" Piper wiped her eyes and sniffed "When I'm older can I marry you?" Alex laughed at the small child on her lap "You're supposed to marry your best friend and you're my bestest friend so I want to marry you"
"We'll see, eh kid?" Alex smiled at the little girls logic and was thankful that she'd stopped crying. She hated it when she cried.
Just then there was a honk outside, indicating that Alex's mum was outside to pick her up. "See you later then, Pipes"
Authors Notes:
Thank you so much for the feedback on this story! I really wasn't expecting such a response. I would just like to add I have a bit more of a clearer direction for this story but it's still fuzzy so feel free to review and give suggestions. Also I'm going on holiday today and the Internet is a thing not heard of in the English countryside so I won't be able to update for a few days. Also due to me starting school again soon updates may be slightly slow but I'll try to update most weekends, and maybe I'll surprise you midweek too! Who knows? Please review and thank you for reading and your continued support!
(Ps. I actually do have a baby cousin called T Rex and I just thought I could work it in there) - E