A/N: The final part is here! :)
Thank you guys for all the reviews, follows, and favorites! You are all amazing!
I feel like I should probably address one thing before posting this chapter. I received two reviews stating that the age of the characters and their use of marijuana made the reader uncomfortable. I'm sorry you felt this way! I feel that I put clear warnings at the top of each chapter, and that is all I can really do! While I personally believe 16 and 18 year olds are too young to use marijuana, this is a work of fiction. Again, I apologize to anyone that has felt uncomfortable reading this story due to the marijuana use. Please DO NOT read if the idea of marijuana use among high-schoolers makes you uncomfortable!
Warnings:
1. This story contains mentions of and discussions of rape (not in great detail, but it is central to the plot of this story). If this is triggering to you or will upset you to read about, please do not read this story!
2. This story also contains and depicts the use of marijuana. Again, if this offends or upsets you, please do not read this story!
I hope you enjoy the final part of After the Storm!
After the Storm IV
:||:
Piper breathed steadily in and out, the rhythm of her short breaths matching the pace of her feet as they thumped gently against the compacted dirt path. She allowed the muscles in her legs to propel her through the course, her heart pounding hard in her chest. Piper loved running; it served as her escape. A slight burning in her lungs, the wind against her face and in her hair, the strength of her legs, and the steady beating of her heart reminded her that she was alive. Running made her feel alive.
Whether it was the peaceful solitude or the way her body moved automatically without any conscious thought, Piper's mind cleared of all excess thoughts while she ran. Running was great for problem solving, because she was able to really focus in and concentrate on any one specific topic. She hadn't faced a problem yet she hadn't been able to solve during a good run.
Today, her mind seemed to decide the topic of its focus was one, Alex Vause. It was Tuesday, and Piper hadn't seen Alex since they had kissed on Saturday. They had texted a bit, but not much (Piper had come to realize that Alex wasn't really big on texting; she much preferred just talking in person), and both of them had avoided discussing the moment they had shared.
She knew she had thoroughly enjoyed kissing Alex and at the time she felt the older girl had reciprocated her feelings. Alex certainly seemed to enjoy the kiss just as much as Piper. But Alex hadn't brought it up, which left Piper confused and worried. Perhaps the darker haired girl thought kissing Piper was a mistake and that risking their friendship to be more than friends wasn't worth it. Piper wasn't sure where they stood with each other and it was messing with her head.
She was also annoyed by the fact that Alex had finally texted her earlier in the day asking if they wanted to do homework together that evening, but Piper had had to decline due to the cross country meet she was currently taking part in. They would have finally had the chance to talk about things and put Piper's mind at ease, but Piper couldn't make it due to a dumb school sport.
(Okay, Piper didn't think cross country was dumb; she loved it. But she was annoyed with it since it was keeping her from spending time with Alex.)
And what about Sylvia? Was Alex still into her? What if Alex preferred Sylvia to Piper? Thoughts of Sylvia and Alex flooded her mind, causing jealousy to rush through Piper's body, spurring her on. Piper picked up speed. She was coming up on a runner from the other team, near the edge of the forested area they were presently navigating through. Piper had run this course before and knew that once she cleared the forest, there was just a long stretch through an open field with the finish line waiting on the other side.
As Piper began to pass the other girl, she realized too late that the girl had stuck her foot out to the side, effectively causing Piper to trip and face-plant onto the ground.
"What the fuck?!" Piper managed as the girl sneered and continued running.
Piper picked herself up and tested her weight on her ankles. There didn't seem to be any damage, so Piper continued running, determined to beat the bitch that tripped her to the finish line.
She let thoughts of being tripped and thoughts of Alex and Sylvia alternate in her mind as anger and jealousy fueled her movements. She gained speed, the other girl not too far ahead of her and the finish line a little further out. Piper was practically sprinting by the time she passed the other girl, and didn't slow down as she flew through the finish line.
Her coach was waiting for her with a bottle of water, which she gladly took and gulped down. She set the bottle onto the grass, and bent over at the waist, her hands on her knees while she panted, attempting to return her breathing to normal.
She fired a cocky smirk to the girl who tripped her as she cleared the finish line moments later.
Piper heard the girl mutter, "Preppy bitch," under her breath as she passed Piper on her way to her own coach. She fought down the urge to hurl a rebuttal at the other girl, because to Piper, beating her to the finish line was the worst insult of all.
"Great job, Piper!" Her coach said, clapping her on the shoulder as more of Piper's teammates flooded through the finish line. She left Piper to meet the others, making sure that everyone had water.
Her teammates scattered to meet with their parents and other family members and friends who had come to support them by watching the meet. Piper stood alone, catching her breath and watching as the other runners crossed the finish line. Her own parents rarely came to a meet; they weren't exactly the definition of involved. While sometimes that saddened Piper (like when all her friends were being hugged and congratulated after a meet), for the most part, Piper was happy they weren't around. It gave her a sense of independence other kids her age hadn't yet achieved.
"Hey, Piper!" She heard someone shout. She looked around and saw it was her teammate Janae. She began walking towards the other girl, who was standing near the sidelines where the spectators sat. As she neared, Janae continued to shout, "Your girlfriend's here!"
Piper blanched. Her eyes found Alex and Nicky sitting not far from Janae, and Piper could tell by the strange look on Alex's face that she had definitely heard what Janae had said. Piper panicked, not wanting Alex to think that she was telling everyone the two of them were dating, when they hadn't even discussed or put a name to whatever it is they were.
"Oh. She's not my girlfriend," Piper said adamantly to Janae as her face heated up. "We're just friends." Piper had continued walking forward toward Janae, Alex, and Nicky until she was close enough to all three to have a conversation at a normal volume.
"My bad. I know you guys hang out a lot, and I just assumed. I'll see you later, Piper. Great race!" Janae said, practically running from the awkwardness she had created.
Piper looked at Alex. She hoped Alex didn't think she was clingy or jumping to conclusions about their relationship. Alex's face was stoic, though, and didn't give anything away.
The three stood uncomfortably for a moment before Nicky broke the silence, "Hey, great job out there, Chapman!" She threw her arm around the younger girl's shoulders. "The way these races are set up we don't get to see much, but you killed it on that last sprint. That girl you passed was so pissed!"
Piper smiled at the compliment, her uneasiness fading slightly. "Yeah, that bitch tripped me when we were in the forest. I wasn't about to let her beat me to the finish line after that."
Piper expected a reaction from Alex, but she remained silent, impassive. Nicky said, "Whoa, man, that's intense. Who knew cross country had dirty players?"
Piper laughed, "Most sports do, don't they? Yeah, that kind of stuff happens a lot since most the course is out of view of any spectators."
Nicky nodded, her eyes landing on something behind Piper. "Hey, is that Lorna Morello?"
Piper turned to check and then confirmed to Nicky that it was. As Nicky ran off to say hi to her newest crush, Piper turned her attention to Alex.
"What are you doing here?" Piper asked shyly, hesitantly meeting Alex's bright green eyes. She hoped Alex would snap out of whatever funk she was in and return to her normal, teasing self.
Alex shrugged and said, "When you said you couldn't hang out tonight, I was bummed that I wouldn't get to see you. I talked Nicky into coming with me; we thought it'd be fun to come watch you run."
Piper blushed. Alex wanted to see her so badly that she came to school event? Piper was kind of shocked, but definitely pleased if the little butterflies in her stomach had anything to say about it.
"The big, bad Alex Vause showing her face at a school sporting event; I must be pretty special." Piper teased with a wink and a playful smile, hoping Alex would catch on to her attempt to bring some normalcy back into their interaction following Janae's comment.
"Don't get too full of yourself, Piper," Alex teased back, bumping her shoulder against Piper's. "True, you got us here; but we stayed for the view." Alex nodded with a smirk and raised eyebrow, indicating around to all the female runners in their short shorts and tank tops. Her eyes landed on one girl in particular who was currently dumping a bottle of water over her head.
"Hey now," Piper said with a laugh, stepping into Alex's line of sight, effectively blocking her view of the other girl. Her face grew serious and she said, "Anyway, I'm glad you guys came. I never have anyone here cheering for me at these things."
Alex smiled. "Of course, Pipes. You were really great, and like Nicky said, that girl's face when you passed her was priceless. From the sound of it that bitch got what she deserved."
Piper smiled with pride over Alex's praise. Nicky soon returned to them, and the three girls headed toward the parking lot. Piper relaxed, happy that things seemed to be copacetic once again.
:||:
Alex was sprawled on the couch in a pair of comfy cotton boxer shorts and an oversized t-shirt with the words The Offspring scrawled across it. Her mom sat next to her in similar attire and an open pizza box rested on the coffee table in front of them.
It was a rare evening in which Diane was not scheduled at any of her three jobs, and Alex was excited to spend the night in watching movies, eating pizza, and catching up with her best friend.
Despite her excitement to spend time with her mom, Alex was having a difficult time keeping her attention on the movie. Her mind kept wondering to Piper's cross country meet the previous evening, and the blonde's reaction to Janae's comment about Alex being her girlfriend. She had been quick to insist that Alex wasn't her girlfriend and to set the record straight (no pun intended) that they were only friends.
Alex startled as a small cold object hit her directly on the cheek. She picked the penny up off her lap and glanced curiously at her mom.
"Wanna talk about whatever it is that's distracting you from this excellent piece of cinematography?" Diane asked, clearly having picked up on Alex's uncharacteristic silence.
Alex snorted, "Back to the Future is hardly an example of cinematic excellence."
Diane chuckled and said, "Maybe not, but it's one of our favorites. What's going on, kid?" Diane had been overworked lately, so Alex had not had the chance to fill her mom in on everything that had happened between her and Piper. At Alex's sigh, Diane leaned over to reach for the remote resting on the couch between them and paused the movie.
"Piper and I kissed," Alex admitted. She grabbed another slice of pizza as she waited for her mom's response.
Diane grinned, patting Alex's leg encouragingly. She said, "Well that's great, right? You've had a crush on that girl for as long as I can remember."
Alex's smile was small, bittersweet. She replied, "It was amazing. The best kiss I've ever had, and I know she thought it was great, too. But now, I don't know what she wants. I'm pretty sure she's into me, but I think she's embarrassed about it."
"What makes you say that?" Diane asked, adjusting herself on the couch to fully face her daughter.
"Nicky and I went to her cross country meet yesterday and some girl made a comment about me being her girlfriend. She looked really embarrassed, and she denied it almost immediately. She made it very clear that we are just friends." Alex was angry with herself for feeling so upset at Piper's rejection. She usually kept herself guarded enough to keep anyone from holding that kind of power over her, but Piper was different. Piper had always been different. "I just feel like an idiot. I went to her cross country meet for godsakes! I thought she would understand what I was trying to do. I've never gone to a school sporting event in my life."
Diane picked up on Alex's sadness. If there was anyone Alex let herself be vulnerable in front of, it was her mom. Diane rubbed Alex's leg and said in that comforting tone that all moms have, "Oh, Hun. You know, if Piper does have feelings for you, it's probably very new to her. You've had a long time to figure out who you are, but Piper is probably just beginning to discover some things about herself. What happened leading up to the kiss?"
Alex filled Diane in on everything that had happened since Piper had come crashing back into her life. Once she finished, Alex sighed. "I just really like her, Mom. I don't know if I'm capable of being only friends with her; I think I'll always want more."
Diane smiled at her daughter and pulled her foot into her lap, tugging gently on Alex's bare toes. "After everything you've told me, it seems like she likes you, too, Al. You said she recently went through a hard time where she was rejected and bullied by her friends? But now she's in with them again? Maybe she is just trying to lay low and not give those preppy bitches more fuel against her. I don't know, kid. I think you should tell her how you feel and give her some time to figure out what she wants."
Alex chewed on her lip as she thought over her mom's advice. If she told Piper how she felt, she would be risking their friendship; but could she even be friends with Piper knowing the way she felt about her was so much more than that?
:||:
That weekend, Piper was hoping to get to spend some time with Alex. They still hadn't talked about the kiss and what it meant, and Piper was beginning to feel worried that her feelings for Alex were one-sided. In the moment, Alex had seemed so into it, but her behavior since had led Piper to believe the opposite. Piper was confused, and at this point, she really just wanted answers, even if they were answers she wouldn't be happy about.
It was midmorning when Piper texted Alex about her plans for the weekend.
To Alex (10:21am): Hey stranger ;)
To Alex (10:21am): Wanna hang out this weekend? I miss you!
As Piper waited for a reply, she began her homework so she could get it out the way, thus freeing up the rest of her weekend. The more time that passed without a reply from Alex, the more frustrated Piper got. Because of her annoyance, she had barely made any progress on her homework two hours later when her phone finally buzzed with a reply from Alex.
From Alex (12:31pm): Sorry, Pipes, I was sleeping. I was over at Nicky's late last night. I wish I could hang out this weekend, but I took a few extra shifts at the diner.
Piper felt a rush of emotions; confusion, sadness, anger. But most of all she felt hurt. She knew Alex didn't have to invite her to come to Nicky's with her, but she assumed she would have. Especially since she was working all weekend and knew that they wouldn't have any time to hang out. Maybe Alex just didn't want to spend time with Piper as much as Piper wanted to spend time with Alex. She knew that Alex had to work, but Piper couldn't help feeling rejected by the older girl. She hadn't even said she missed Piper back in her text response.
To Alex (12: 44pm): Okay. I guess I'll just see you at school on Monday. Enjoy your weekend.
Piper knew her text sounded passive aggressive, but she couldn't bring herself to care. Screw Alex and her confusing behavior and the mixed signals she was sending. Screw her for making Piper feel and then not following through.
From Alex (12:51pm): My shift starts at 2 and I work til close if you wanna stop by sometime tonight. I know it's not as good as hanging out, but it'd be nice to see your face. I miss you too, kid.
Piper groaned. Seriously, screw her.
:||:
"Seriously, Piper, what is up? Jessica hasn't given you shit for a week now and things have mostly gone back to normal, so why the hell are you so moody?" Polly paused in the task of painting her nails to address Piper, who was currently sulking in Polly's desk chair.
After finding out that Alex wouldn't be able to hang out with her, Piper had texted Polly, not really wanting to spend the weekend alone, but also not in the mood to be friendly and social. And now Polly was the one suffering.
Piper sighed. She actually really wanted to talk about this to someone, and Polly was her best friend. She felt that she could trust her. "Okay, I have something really big to tell you, but you have to promise not to tell anyone. I mean it, Polly. Not even Pete."
Polly grew serious, "Of course, Pipe. We all know I like to gossip, but I can keep a secret if it's important; you know that."
"I know, Pol." Piper took a deep breath in. She leaned forward, and even though no one else was home but them, said in a voice just above a whisper, "Alex kissed me."
Polly was careful to keep her expression blank as she waited for Piper to elaborate.
"And I wanted her to. And I liked it; I like her," Piper said, color rising to her cheeks. Polly was the first person she had admitted her feelings for Alex to. It felt good to say it aloud.
"So, wait, are you a lesbian now?" Polly asked sounding interested, yet also confused. Piper thought it was a pretty good reaction, all things considered.
"Ughhh," Piper groaned. "I don't know, Polly; I haven't really given it a whole lot of thought. I've been too busy trying to decipher what's going on in Alex's head."
"What do you mean? You don't think she likes you back?" Polly asked. At Piper's confused shrug, Polly said, "Piper, she totally does! She kissed you and then she showed up to our cross country meet. I don't think Alex Vause has ever come to a school sporting event in her life. She was trying to court you."
Piper laughed, "Court me?! What are we, in the 1800s or something?"
Polly smiled and rolled her eyes, "You know what I mean, Piper. She was trying to show you she's interested in you. Why else would she come to the meet?"
"I don't know. To support her friend maybe? It could honestly be anything, Polly. And I can't help but feel like she's been avoiding me lately. It's been a week since we kissed and we haven't had the chance to talk about it! Maybe she just wants to pretend it never happened." Piper seemed hopeless. Polly hated to see her best friend upset, and she would be livid if Alex was playing games with her.
"You need to force her to talk. The worst that can happen is she says she regrets it, and you move on. At least you'll know where you stand, right?" Polly said returning to her nails.
"I'm gonna have dinner at the diner where she works tonight, so maybe we can talk a bit then." Piper said, feeling better at the prospect of hashing everything out. She was beginning to think that uncertainty is one of the worst feelings a person could experience, right behind jealousy.
"I think that's a good idea. Honestly, Pipe, I don't think you have a reason to worry. She likes you." Polly said reassuringly, and Piper was starting to believe her. "You know, Homecoming is next weekend. We should go dress shopping tomorrow!"
:||:
Alex looked up from behind the counter as the chime above the door to the diner rang, indicating a new customer had arrived. Alex hated to admit that she had been watching the door all day in hopes of an appearance from a certain cute blonde.
Her wish was granted, and in walked Piper, looking gorgeous as always. She was wearing a flowy white summer top with light-washed cuffed jean capris. Her shoulder-length hair was done in light, beachy waves with the front bobby pinned back to keep it out of her face.
Piper searched for her face in the crowd, and when she found it, made her way over to the counter. She smiled shyly at Alex and said from behind long lashes, "Hey."
Alex stared dumbly at her. She had never in life wanted so badly to grab someone and kiss them senseless.
Piper waved her hand in front of Alex's face, breaking her stare. Piper smirked knowingly. After a week of uncertainty, being in Alex's presence erased all of Piper's doubts. The look Alex was giving her was not a look given to someone you only feel platonically toward. Piper felt a pleased blush begin to creep into her cheeks. She wished the two of them could be alone to pick up where they had left off a week ago.
She forced those thoughts out of her head as Alex asked, "You wanna sit? Are you planning to order food?"
Piper nodded and laughed, "Yes and yes."
Alex smiled at the melodic sound of Piper's laugh. She hesitated only a brief moment before taking Piper's hand and leading her to a booth in the corner of the restaurant. She knew her mom was right, and that Piper needed time to figure things out on her own, but that didn't mean Alex couldn't attempt to convince her that being with Alex was worth the risks.
"What do you want?" Alex asked, letting go of Piper's hand and pulling out her notepad. Piper scooted into the booth.
"Cheeseburger and fries?" She asked a little unsure about what was good here.
Alex nodded and said, "Good choice." She began to walk away, but turned back when Piper called for her.
"Can you eat with me? Do you get a dinner break soon?"
"Maybe," Alex replied with a smile, happy with Piper's request. "Let me ask around."
Alex was able to take her dinner break with Piper, and the two girls ate cheeseburgers and shared a large plate of fries. They joked and laughed and told each other about their weeks, and when Piper tried to give Alex money to pay for her food, the older girl shook her head and said with a smile, "I got it."
As Piper drove home she couldn't wipe the smile from her face, or ignore the little voice in her head that told her she had just had a date with Alex Vause.
:||:
When Piper arrived at school on Monday, the halls were filled with an excited chatter, different from usual. A huge banner hung across the entrance to the cafeteria advertising the Homecoming football game and dance that would take place the coming weekend. Polly had talked Piper into going dress shopping the previous day and Piper was completely enamored with the dress she had found. It was a very light blue with jewels sewn into the bodice. The bodice was form fitting, but the dress flared out at the waist and ended mid-thigh. Piper couldn't wait to see the look on Alex's face when she saw her in it.
Piper looked for Alex at lunch, but she was nowhere to be seen. She sat down in an empty seat beside Polly and joined in on the conversation the table was having about Homecoming.
"The Homecoming game is against Park Slope High. We don't stand a chance." John Bennett, one of the best players on the team, was saying.
Jessica took a seat next to him and gave Piper a pointed look. She said, "Well, if Mendez was still on the team things would be different. We would definitely win. Thanks again for that, Piper."
Piper just looked down at her plate. When dealing with Jessica it was better not to fight back.
Turns out, she didn't have to say anything. Polly rolled her eyes dramatically and said, "Shut up, Jess. The whole Mendez thing was forever ago; get over it." Piper smiled thankfully at her friend. "More importantly, who's running for Homecoming Court?"
Jessica huffed at Polly's dismissal of her and said, "Well, I'm obviously going for Queen."
Piper gave Polly a look. At least Jessica would be graduating this year and they wouldn't have to deal with her ever again after that.
As Polly and Piper walked to their lockers after lunch, Polly stopped Piper suddenly with a wicked gleam in her eyes. "I just had a brilliant idea!" Piper raised her eyebrows in question. "You should run against Jessica for Homecoming Queen! It'll be amazing! Just think of the look on her face when she loses to you!"
Piper laughed, "Good plan, Polly. You're just forgetting one thing. I'm only a Sophomore and Seniors always win Queen."
"But it's not a rule or anything," Polly insisted. "Think about it. You're friends with Larry, so he can get you all the band votes, and maybe even some of the other geeky groups. Alex could probably convince her crowd to vote for you; I mean, if any of them even show up to the dance. And you'll at least get half of the votes from the popular group. Jessica only really has the cheerleaders and football team. And I'm sure if given the choice between you and Jessica, most everyone else would vote for you, because Jessica is a mega bitch."
Piper realized Polly actually made a good point. She might be able to pull this off. "It would be such a great way to get back at her. She'd be so pissed not to win, and to lose to me of all people! Polly, you are a genius!"
Polly just smirked and said, "I've tried to tell you this a thousand times, Pipe, but you never listen."
:||:
The next day, Piper announced her run for Homecoming Queen, and she and Polly set out to begin campaigning for votes. Jessica was refusing to speak to either of them, instead shooting daggers with her eyes every time she saw Piper in the hallway. It did nothing to intimidate Piper; in fact, she was on cloud nine. After talking to a lot of her peers, it seemed like she might actually have a shot at winning the crown.
After fourth period, Piper rushed out of the classroom in a hurry to get to lunch and touch base with Polly.
"Piper, wait up!" She heard her name being called behind her, so she slowed down to let Larry catch up.
"Hi, Larry. What's up?" Piper said with a slightly forced smile.
Larry took a moment to catch his breath while Piper tapped her foot impatiently. Finally, he said, "I wanted to ask you something."
"Okay," Piper said, drawing out the word and looking at him expectantly.
Larry got shy all of a sudden, and it dawned on Piper exactly what Larry wanted to ask her. Shit. Shit. Shit. In her head she was freaking out, but she managed to remain calm on the outside.
"Will you go to Homecoming with me?" He rushed out, looking at Piper with big, hopeful puppy-dog eyes.
Piper liked Larry, but only as a friend. She supposed she hadn't done a good job of making that clear to him, though.
"Uhhh. Can I think about it, Larry?" Piper tried to be as gentle as possible. It obviously wasn't the response Larry had been hoping for. He looked crestfallen.
But, of course, Larry was so sweet and kind, he'd never make Piper feel bad about it. "Of course. Take your time. I'll see you in class tomorrow."
Piper waved goodbye, feeling pretty bad about herself. She didn't want to answer Larry until she talked with Alex. She was hoping the dark haired girl would want them to go together.
Alex wasn't at lunch again, and Piper was desperate to see her. She remembered that day weeks ago when Alex had barged in on her in the bathroom to smoke, and wondered if perhaps that's where Alex had been spending her lunch.
She caught up with Polly on campaign progress while she scarfed down a sandwich. Then, she hurriedly made her way to the bathroom to search for Alex.
She opened the door slowly, peaking her head around the opening. Sure enough, there was Alex looking like a deer-in-headlights, hand hidden behind her back. Her relief was immediate as she recognized the intruder to be Piper, and she produced the half-smoked cigarette from behind her back.
"Geez, Pipes, you about gave me a heart attack." Contrary to her words, Alex looked completely cool and collected. She took a drag on the cigarette.
"Sorry!" Piper's smile was unapologetic and she pushed further into the room.
"So, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Alex asked as she beckoned Piper closer. She offered the blonde the cigarette, and laughed when Piper made a face and shook her head vehemently.
"I wanted to talk to you about Homecoming. The dance is on Saturday." Piper said, bouncing nervously on the balls of her feet.
Alex husked out a laugh, "You know, I heard a funny rumor about that today."
"What?" Piper asked intrigued.
"I overheard someone saying that you are running for Homecoming Queen!" Alex chuckled as she took another drag on the cigarette, making sure to exhale out the open window.
Piper's cheeks turned crimson and she averted her eyes to the ground. She fidgeted uncomfortably with her hands.
"Shut the fuck up!" Alex said with a loud laugh, Piper's embarrassment confirming the rumor.
Piper felt the need to defend herself. "It was Polly's idea! We thought that if I won against Jessica, it would be the perfect payback for everything she did to me."
Alex thought on it for a minute and said, "If you win, the look on her face will be priceless. Is that what you wanted to talk about? You wanted to ask for my vote?" Alex continued on without pausing to give Piper a chance to answer, "You can have it if you want it, but it'll cost you." She punctuated the statement with a suggestive smirk and wink.
Piper's stomach flipped as heat flushed her cheeks. She was suddenly painfully aware of their close proximity and the emptiness of the bathroom. She took a step back, away from Alex, and a deep breath to regain her wits.
"No," She stuttered out, and Alex raised an eyebrow at how flustered Piper suddenly was. "Well, I mean, yes, I want your vote, but that's not why I wanted to talk to you. Larry asked me to the dance, and well I wanted to talk to you before I gave him a definite answer," Piper was rambling, but she noticed how Alex's playful, amused expression had been replaced by an indifferent mask when Piper had mentioned Larry. "And, well, are you going? To the dance?" She finished awkwardly. Wow, Piper, seriously? What the fuck was that? She still managed to look somewhat composed (or so she thought) as she looked at Alex expectantly.
"No," Alex said simply, curtly.
"Oh," Piper said, obviously disappointed. She stood there uneasily for a moment as Alex ignored her, continuing to smoke out the window. "Well, I guess I better get back to lunch." Piper didn't know what had caused Alex's sudden shift in mood, but the atmosphere in the bathroom was becoming unbearable and Piper needed to get out.
As she slipped through the door, she heard Alex mutter bitterly, "Have fun with Jerry."
:||:
After hours of having her hair and makeup done, getting dressed, and having pictures taken at Polly's house, Piper finally arrived to the Homecoming dance. The student council had done a really nice job with decorations, Piper noted as she entered the gymnasium along with Polly, Pete, and few more of their friends.
Immediately upon entering, a long red carpet stretched from the doorway into the gym. A huge star shaped archway made entirely of balloons stretched across the carpet. The lighting was already dim, but the dance floor was illuminated by bright white and gold lights strung up above it. It was still early, so the dance floor was mostly empty. Piper knew that soon the DJ would play a song like the electric slide to coerce students into dancing. For some reason, everyone always seemed shy to get things started at dances.
"Piper! Let's go do the photo booth before it gets super crowded!" Polly shouted above the music, grabbing Piper's hand and dragging her along.
Piper posed with Polly for a few different rounds in the photo booth; occasionally they were joined by a few of their other friends and Pete. Piper enjoyed making funny faces when it was just Polly and herself, and smiling prettily with the larger groups. Piper was happy Polly had suggested they do the photo booth early, because Piper had to admit they looked good in the pictures. She knew that later she'd be more of a mess due to hours of dancing and drinking spiked punch.
Just as she had predicted, soon after they arrived, the DJ played the electric slide. Polly squealed and pulled Piper out onto the dance floor. It seemed that everyone had the same idea and soon the dance floor was filled with students all doing the same choreography to the well-known, popular dance.
Piper and Polly danced side-by-side; and Piper was thankful that even though Polly had come with Pete, she wasn't ditching Piper for him.
Piper wasn't exactly a good dancer, but she had rhythm. She could keep up, and even though sometimes her movements were goofy or awkward, she stayed on beat with them. Piper was having a lot of fun as she danced with her friends to song after song. Eventually a slow song came on, though, and Pete pulled Polly to him. Polly looked over her shoulder giving Piper a somewhat apologetic smile, then turned and pressed close to Pete.
Piper began to walk off the dance floor, but was stopped by a gentle hand grabbing hers. She turned to find Larry smiling timidly at her. "Wanna dance?"
Piper smiled, happy she wouldn't have to be a wallflower. "Sure!"
She danced with Larry and it was nice. He was respectful of her personal space and kept distance between their bodies. Piper smiled at him and realized she was having fun. She wished Alex would have wanted to come with her, but school functions didn't really seem like Alex's thing. She wondered if the dark haired girl even danced.
Still, she wished she was pressed up against Alex, swaying slowly to the beat. Alex's arms would be wrapped around Piper's waist and Piper would link her fingers behind Alex's neck. Maybe Alex would lean down and kiss her sweetly on the lips, brushing a loose curl behind her ear as their lips met.
During the fast dances, Piper danced in a group with her friends. During the slow dances, she danced with Larry and allowed herself to fantasize about dancing with Alex. The only break they took from dancing was during the announcement and crowning of the Homecoming court. Immediately after that, everyone was back to showing off their moves.
The dance was only half-way over when Piper and Polly finally left the dance floor to rehydrate with some punch.
They stood at the punch bowl gushing over how much fun they were having and how sweet Pete was being to Polly, and even how nice Larry was being to Piper, when Polly's eyes widened and her brow furrowed at something behind Piper's back.
"I thought you said Alex wasn't coming tonight?" Polly asked confused.
"Alex is here?!" Piper felt a jolt of excitement shoot through her.
She began to turn around at the same time Polly's face fell and she tried to stop her. "Wait, Piper."
But it was too late. There was Alex, looking drop dead gorgeous in a tight, low-cut black dress, her hair draped over her shoulder in perfect, loose curls. Piper's stomach flipped at the sight of her. Piper made to take a step in the dark haired girl's direction, but halted immediately as Sylvia Porter emerged from behind her, hand in hand with the girl Piper hadn't been able to stop thinking about for the past month.
:||:
Alex stood against a wall on the far side of the gymnasium surveying the crowds of students dancing. She wasn't much of a dancer, but she figured Piper was. She hadn't seen the blonde yet, even though she had arrived thirty minutes ago and had been scanning the dance floor for her for at least half that time.
Sylvia had begged her to dance, but when Alex refused she had gone off to find her friends. Alex hadn't really wanted to come with Sylvia, but she had asked and Alex felt that she should at least give the girl a chance.
Alex's heart just wasn't in it, though. Not after experiencing what it was like to kiss Piper.
"Vause, you fucked up. Big time." Nicky was suddenly in front of her, shaking her head emphatically.
"What are you talking about?" Alex asked, sort of dismissively. Nicky was blocking her view of the dance floor and she was still hoping to locate Piper.
"You won't find her out there," Nicky said, catching onto what Alex was doing.
Alex finally settled her gaze on Nicky's face, looking at her expectantly.
"Your girl's in the bathroom crying all over that Holly chick, because you came to the dance with fucking Sylvie and not her."
"What?" Alex was shocked. "She said that?"
Nicky nodded. "I was in a bathroom stall smoking the joint I smuggled in, when I heard them burst in. Chapman does not sound like a pretty crier, by the way. She was going on and on about how much she likes you and how she tried to ask you to the dance, but that you must only think of her as a friend, yadda, yadda, yadda." Nicky paused for a breath, examining her friend's face. Her own face became serious as she said, "She was really upset, man. You need to do some damage control."
"Shit." Alex said, pushing past Nicky to head toward the bathroom.
Alex stood outside the door to the girls' bathroom, trying to get her emotions in check. She couldn't believe that Piper actually liked her back. And like a jackass, Alex had ruined it. Thinking back on everything; Piper's constant seeking of her company, the disappointed look on her face when Alex had told her she wouldn't be attending the dance, the way Piper looked at her as they ate together at the diner, Alex should have known. She should have picked up on the signs Piper had been so obviously throwing out there, but she had let the fear of rejection keep her from seeing what should have been so clear.
She had just worked up the nerve to go in, when the door abruptly swung open and a figure narrowly missed crashing into her.
Polly looked up at Alex's face, and Alex watched as anger quickly replaced the surprise in Polly's eyes as she recognized who she had nearly crashed into.
"Is Piper in there?" Alex asked, a touch of concern and hope in her voice.
Polly shook her head as her eyes narrowed. "Fuck you, Alex."
She began to march away, but Alex grabbed her arm pulling her forcefully back. "Look, I made a mistake, okay?" She said a bit gruffly, but then softer, "Please tell me where she is so I can fix this."
Polly gave in and said, "She went outside to get some air. Now, can you please let go of me?"
Alex released her, heading for the door of the gymnasium.
:||:
Alex surged through the door, her head first turning to the left and then to the right, searching. It didn't take long. There was Piper, leaning with her back against the brick wall not five feet from Alex. Green eyes met glistening blue, and Alex thought her heart stopped at the sight of her. The blue of Piper's dress only magnified the blue of her eyes, and with blonde curls mussed and askew, cheeks pink with a light flush, Piper was stunning. The picture of a beautiful mess.
Alex took a hesitant step toward her, as Piper sniffled.
The blonde held up her hand, and for a moment Alex was worried she'd tell her to go away, but then she realized Piper held something in it. A crown.
"I won," She said sadly, ironic. She knew that in reality, she had lost. She had lost Alex to Sylvia.
Alex continued to walk toward her until she was directly in front of her, in her space. Piper's eyes widened a bit in surprise at Alex's proximity.
"Alex." Piper whispered, and it sounded so tired and hopeless. Like she had given up.
A tear slipped down her cheek, and Alex softly wiped it away. Her fingers remained on Piper's cheek and she caressed the soft skin there. Piper's eyes fluttered closed, and Alex took the opportunity to gently tilt her chin up and bring their lips together.
Alex didn't know what to say to make things right, but if she could show Piper how she felt, maybe that would be enough.
Piper froze at the contact, but Alex was persistent. She moved her lips gently against Piper's until she felt the blonde girl begin to warily respond to Alex's ministrations. Alex let her hand slide into Piper's curls where she cupped the back of her head, gently keeping their mouths pressed together. She deepened the kiss, slipping her tongue between Piper's lips, as her other hand pressed against Piper's waist. A promise that she was there and wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.
Piper sighed into the kiss as her tongue met Alex's. Her own hands lightly caressing Alex's cheek and collarbone. Alex kept the kiss gentle and loving as she attempted to pour all the emotions she was feeling into it. I'm sorry; I made a mistake; I want you and nobody else; you're perfect for me.
Alex gently broke the kiss, but kept her forehead pressed against Piper's. Her slightly haggard breaths tickled Piper's lips and she shuddered at the sensation.
Piper's eyes opened and Alex's eyes searched them. She could see confusion in them, but also happiness and hope.
Alex sighed and ran her hands up and down Piper's sides. Piper shivered as Alex said in a husky voice, "I'm an idiot."
"You're just now realizing that?" Piper asked with a grin, and just like that everything felt normal again. She pressed her lips to Alex's in a short, chaste kiss, just because she could and it felt so good to be able to do it. "Does this mean I'm your girlfriend?"
"Do you wanna be?" Alex rasped out with a smirk, but her voice sounded bashful. Alex tugged at an errant blonde curl.
Piper smiled shyly, but nodded assuredly.
Alex took the crown from Piper's hand and settled it atop her messy curls. She took a step back from Piper, and Piper almost whined at the loss of contact. Alex smiled at her mischievously and tugged at her hand.
"Where are we going?" Piper asked, pressing close to Alex's side.
Alex gave her a look. "Back to the dance, stupid," she said with a chuckle, bumping her shoulder lightly against Piper's, so she'd know she was just teasing. "The queen can't miss out on her own dance, now can she? Come on, let's go shove this crown in Jessica Wedge's face."
The End.
A/N: Well, that's it! This fic was so much fun to write, and I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed thinking it up and writing it! I already have some ideas brewing for some new stories and am excited to get started on those!
I want to say one final thank you to everyone who read, followed, and favorited this story; and a special thanks to those of you who took the time to review! You all rock! You have no idea how happy it makes me when the email notification on my phone alerts me to a new review. I love hearing what you guys have to say about this story!
Please don't forget to leave a review for this chapter!
Peace,
Helena's Mangos