Author's note: Haha, I knew that you wouldn't like Sylvia's appearance. Honestly I hate her too, but she needed to be part of the story. Don't worry, I'm not going to mention her again. Unless I get some very good idea. :D
Enjoy!
"What's this?" Alex asked as she took a book from Piper.
"Your birthday gift", Piper said grinning.
"How did you know it was my birthday?" Alex smiled.
"Oh... Uhmm, Diane talked about it a while ago", Piper lied. Alex didn't have to know that she had created two years ago a fake facebook account just to check Alex's birthday. 15th of July. Piper had never forgotten.
"Holy shit", Alex said with wide eyes as she recognized the book. "Where did you get this?"
Piper shrugged. "I got it from my grandma years ago."
"I can't take this", Alex said as she gave Piper back the original version of Dubliners by James Joyce.
Piper didn't take it back. "I'll be offended if you don't accept my gift."
"Piper. This book is worth of 400.000$!"
Piper furrowed her eyebrows. "I know."
"Jeez, I can' take that valuable gift!"
"Just take it Alex. I've read it so many times that it isn't even fun anymore. And I know for a fact that you want to read it, so take it."
"I'm not taking it", Alex said.
"Fine", Piper huffed. "Don't expect any other gifts then. Ever again."
"I won't. I mean I didn't even get you a gift", Alex said.
"Thank god, you didn't. I hate gifts", Piper said grimacing.
Alex shook her head smiling. "Of course you do."
Later that day when Alex had left to work, Piper gave the book to Diane. "Could you maybe put this into Alex's bookshelf?"
Diane took the book confused. "Sure but why?"
"It's her birthday gift. She didn't accept it."
"Why? She loves books."
"It's kind of valuable. Said she couldn't take it", Piper shrugged.
"If it's valuable why would you want to give it away?" Diane asked.
"I don't know. I've read it so many times already and I know that Alex wants to read it. I wouldn't ever sell it for money because I think it's ridiculous to ask so much money for something that everyone should be able to read. But if Alex wants to sell it, she could get a little college money or something..."
Diane stared at Piper. "You're probably the most selfless human being that I know."
"Just put it into her bookshelf, please?"
"Sure. Thank you, Piper."
When Alex came back around four p.m. to get her mom, she had a surprising visitor with her.
"Nicky!" Diane exclaimed as she rushed to hug her daughter's best friend. She had always liked Nicky.
"Ayee, Diane. It's good to see ya."
"I hope you've stayed out of the trouble?"
"I have actually. I've been clean over a month now", Nicky said proudly. Not ashamed about her drug use around Diane. She knew that Diane was very understanding.
"That's good news. I really am proud of you."
Piper smiled at herself with her back towards them. She was happy that she had been able to help Nicky.
"So, is this the Piper that Alex had been talking so much about?" Nicky asked smirking.
Piper tensed a little. She would have been happy to be out of this conversation. And Alex had talked about her with Nicky? She turned around and smiled a little. "No need to act Nicky. They already figured it out", she said as she patted Nicky on her shoulder.
"I'm leaving now. See you tomorrow", Piper said, mostly to Diane before walked out of the door.
"Do you want a ride?" Alex called out after her.
"No", Piper said as she continued walking.
Nicky watched after her. "You were right, she is her own kind."
"Yeah", Alex said also watching at Piper's receding back.
"So, how did you figure it out?" Nicky asked curiously.
"She heard the call and acted weird. When I asked her about it she denied it all but wasn't too convincing. Then I said that you had told me and she confessed. Never told her motives though", Alex explained.
"She had too little trust on me. I'm not a snitch."
"Do you know why she did it?" Alex asked with raised eyebrows.
"I mean, yeah... It isn't like you can just say to a drug addict that 'I need you to get clean now.' She shared her motives and her own story with me... Or at least parts of it."
Alex shook her head.
"What?" Nicky asked.
"I'm just confused by her, you know? It took lots of patience to get her trust us even a little bit. Then she's suddenly so open with a girl she just met? Like I said, you can never quite figure her out."
"Isn't it making it all exciting?", Nicky laughed.
Alex grinned. "I guess."
"Okay, I'll close the shop now and then we can go. How long will you stay Nicky?" Diane asked.
"Just a couple of days. I need to meet my counselor. I had to practically beg her to let me come here for Alex's birthday", Nicky said.
Diane nodded. "Okay then. What do you say if we had a taco night?"
"Hell yeah!"
"Mom?" Alex asked as she went to her mom's bedroom.
"Yeah?"
"Do you happen to know anything about this book that appeared in my bookshelf?" Alex asked with Piper's book in her hand.
Diane sighed. "It's a gift from Piper. Just accept it."
"Mom! I'm not going to accept a gift worth 400.000$!"
"400.000$!?" Diane exclaimed. "But, it's just a book!"
"Not just a book mom. It's the original version of Dubliners by James Joyce!"
Diane sighed. She liked to read books but she never was as passionate as Alex and Piper. She recognized the name faintly, but never had guessed that his book was that valuable. "Okay, it was far more valuable than I originally thought, but Piper wanted to give it to you. She said that she would never sell it herself, so what's the matter?"
"I would never sell it either, but it's..." Alex trailed off as she tried to think something.
"Yeah. Just take it. You can give it back to her if you feel like it, but at least read it", Diane said.
"Fine", Alex mumbled before went back to her own room.
"So, is Piper always like that? You know speaking that little?" Nicky asked Alex when they were driving towards the bookshop. Alex had just gotten out of the work.
Alex chuckled. "Usually yeah. Sometimes she lets herself loose around us, but mostly, she is pretty quiet. And when she opens her mouth, it's quite often something sarcastic."
"I was wondering if I could talk with her?"
"Nicky, she's not our dog that bites your head off if you go near her", Alex laughed. "Of course you can talk to her. Although she's probably going to bite your head off if you mention her visit. She does not like to talk about it", she warned.
"Okay then", Nicky laughed.
Alex parked the car and they went in, immediately seeing Diane behind the cash register and Piper talking with some older woman.
"Doris Lessing is a very inspiring author", Piper agreed with the woman as she looked for something on the shelves.
"I've heard so much good about her from my friends that I had to see if she really was that good", the older woman chuckled.
"Knowing your taste in books, I'm sure you love her", Piper smiled as she gave her a book. "This is The Golden Notebook, one of the Lessing's most known works. I think you should start with this, but feel free to pick whichever you want."
The woman quickly read the back cover. "I'll take this. Thank you, Piper. You've been a great help again."
"My pleasure", Piper smiled.
The woman paid the book and when she had left everyone was staring at Piper.
"What?" She asked self-consciously.
"That's exactly why I hired you", Diane smiled.
Piper blushed a little and scratched her neck. It was her unconscious habit when she was uncomfortable.
"Chapman, could I have a few words with you?" Nicky asked, breaking the silence.
Piper furrowed her eyebrows. "About what?"
"I guess, you'll never find out if you don't come", Nicky chuckled with raised eyebrows.
Piper groaned. "Fine."
"Ahh, I knew that you wouldn't be able to resist my charm", Nicky smirked.
Piper rolled her eyes but smiling a little, led Nicky to the backroom where they could talk in private.
"Piper and Nicky are kind of alike", Diane noted.
Alex thought about it for a while. "I guess they share a few traits."
In the backroom, Piper and Nicky were having their own conversation.
"I can't ever thank you enough, Piper. I didn't even realize how much drugs were destroying my life", Nicky started.
Piper moved, becoming uncomfortable again. "Nicky, please stop it. It's in the past now, I don't need or want anything from you. I'm happy for you got clean and we can leave it at that."
"You're giving too little credit to yourself", Nicky shook her head. "But it's fine if you don't want my gratitude. I just wanted you to know that I am. Anyways, what I really wanted to talk about is why are you so reluctant about sharing your past with Alex and Diane?"
"Because it's my past. They don't need to know about it", Piper said defensively and crossed her arms over her chest.
"They might not need to know, but it would turn out for the benefit of both", Nicky said.
"What? Why would it?"
"They could understand you better and you could stop carrying it all by yourself", Nicky explained smiling.
Piper huffed. "I'm strong. I'm able to carry it all by myself."
Nicky laughed. "I know you are. But it would make your life so much easier. When I was using and Alex or Diane didn't know, it killed me. It was hard to keep it all in. You might be accustomed to it, but if I were you, I would consider talking about it. You know them. They truly are amazing, they would understand."
Piper furrowed her eyebrows. "I know but it's not something that I'm comfortable with sharing. I would gladly just forget that it ever happened."
"You can try all you want, but it's not gonna work. And you know that. You need to accept your past in order to move on."
"Now you're starting to sound like a therapist", Piper mumbled.
"Well, you did too in Hartford", Nicky pointed out. "You know that I'm right. Don't make life too hard for yourself", Nicky said before opened the door. "See ya around Chapman."
Piper stayed and pondered Nicky's words. She had noticed that she had started to feel a little better but didn't know if it was for opening up to Diane and Alex or just generally being around them.
"How did it go?" Alex asked once Nicky had closed the door.
"Well, my head isn't bitten off", Nicky grinned.
Diane shook her head smiling. "I should close the shop, I'm going to inform Piper."
When Diane stepped into the backroom, she saw Piper sitting on the chair deep in thoughts.
"Piper?"
Piper startled before looked at Diane. "Jeez, you scared me."
Diane smiled apologetically. "Sorry."
"It's fine."
"I'm closing the shop. Are you okay?" Diane asked.
"Why are you always so worried about me?" Piper asked.
"Because I care about you. Alex does too. We know that your life hasn't been easy, that's why we're worried", Diane explained.
"I'm not going to break", Piper mumbled.
"We know you won't. But we can still be worried."
"Well. For your information, I'm never truly okay. So, it saves you from the trouble of asking", Piper stated.
"You're going to be okay", Diane said as she hugged Piper.
"How do you know?" Piper asked as she rested her head on Diane's shoulder.
"You're strong. You'll make through it. Just accept my and Alex's support."
"You've been too good to me", Piper whispered.
"No. You've only been too hard on yourself."
Piper sighed. "I should go. You're closing the shop, right?"
"Yeah, but we're having a pizza night, wanna join us?"
"Oh, I wouldn't want to impose", Piper smiled.
"You wouldn't be imposing. I'm sure Alex and Nicky would want you too there", Diane said smiling.
Piper was going to decline again before thought that what the hell. It was just a night between friends, right? There wasn't anything bad in that.
"If you're sure..."
Diane smiled widely. "Great. That's settled. Let's go."
"Piper's coming with us tonight", Diane announce once they had stepped into the shop again.
"Nice! This is going to be so much fun!" Nicky exclaimed grinning.
Alex just smiled widely at Piper.
"Let's play never have I ever!" Nicky proposed when they had eaten their pizzas.
"Oh, no. I've maybe allowed a little alcohol, but I'm not allowing three underaged to play a drinking game!" Diane said with hands on her hips.
"Oh come on Diane, we are only year away", Nicky whined.
"Expect Piper", Alex reminded.
"Please. I'm more mature than Nicky", Piper said smirking.
"Hey", Nicky said in mock hurt.
"We can play it with lemonade", Diane suggested.
"Better than nothing", Nicky grinned. "I'm going to get some secrets out of you all", she called out as she went to get shot glasses and lemonade.
Piper hesitated but decided to go with it. It would be fun.
Soon they were all sitting around the table in the livingroom.
"I'll start", Nicky stated. "Never have I ever slept with a man", she said.
Only Diane and Piper drank.
They went clockwise and it was Alex's turn next. "Never have I ever flirted with someone when I knew they were taken."
Piper and Nicky drank, grinning to each other.
"Never have I ever hooked up with someone I just met within the first 24 hours", Diane said.
Everyone expect Diane drank.
"Jeez", Diane mumbled.
"Never have I ever been walked in on by someone while having sex?"
Alex drank blushing slightly and avoided looking at her mother.
"No way! You never told me that story!" Nicky exclaimed.
"For a reason", Alex mumbled.
Diane laughed along Piper and Nicky.
"Never have I ever been having sex in a car."
Diane drank and when she saw all the surprised eyes on her she started to defend herself. "What? I've been young once too!"
"Jeez mom. I didn't need that information. Never have I ever had sex with more than one people at the same time."
Piper and Nicky drank again.
"Of course you have", Alex rolled her eyes.
"Never have I ever had sex in the school."
Alex drank and Diane looked at her shocked. "Okay girls. I'm getting into a bed before I get to know something about my daughter that I wouldn't want to. I had no idea that this would turn into so sexual", she laughed. "Good night, girls. Piper, you are welcome to stay a night if you want. Nicky is having the guestroom but if the couch is fine?"
"I'll think about it. Thanks", Piper said smiling and Diane left upstairs.
After she had gone, the girls continued a few rounds. Turned out that they all had pretty wild sex life even if Alex didn't do it as often as Nicky and Piper.
After 11 p.m. Nicky went to sleep too. It left Alex and Piper alone.
"So, are you staying a night?" Alex asked.
"Do you want that I stay?" Piper asked.
"Sure. You're fun to have around", Alex grinned.
Piper grinned back. "Well... I guess I could stay then."
"I just realized that you were living in here almost a week and you never saw my book collection."
"You're right", Piper said as she stood up. "Can we check it now?"
"Yeah, that was the point", Alex laughed as she led Piper to her bedroom.
Piper looked around the room. Immediately she noticed a big bookshelf taking an entire wall at the room's left side. There was also a big double bed, a wardrobe and a desk where was a computer.
The walls were painted light blue and there was a big window where you could see the backyard and the woods behind it.
"I like your room", Piper said finally.
"Thanks."
Piper walked in front of the bookshelf. "I like that you keep your books in order", she said after a while.
"Yeah. That's why I easily noticed the book you made my mother put in there", Alex said with raised eyebrows.
Piper chuckled. "Just take it."
"I'm going to keep it for now. I might give it back to you at some time."
Piper shrugged. "Fine."
Alex had some of the same books as Piper herself and then other classics. Piper furrowed her eyebrows when she picked the Career Of Evil by Robert Calbraith. It was actually written by J. K. Rowling but she published it with a false name.
Anyways, Piper had that book with her at the time of the accident. She had lost it and never really wanted to buy another one because it brought back memories.
"Could I lend this sometime?" Piper suddenly asked as she turned around. She was too focused on the book to notice Alex staring fondly at her.
Alex woke up from her daydreaming. "Yeah, yeah, of course."
Alex looked at the book more closely. "Wait, that's the one you don't have."
"What? I mean obviously, I wouldn't probably be lending it if I had it", Piper said confused.
"No, I mean, you had all the others Cormoran Strike series books but not this one. I found it pretty odd since it's not that hard to find that book", Alex said as she remembered Piper's book collection.
"Oh, right. I had it, but it got lost in the accident. I haven't really wanted to get another one. But it is a good book."
Alex nodded in understanding. "It is."
Piper stared at Alex for a while before blurted out. "I used drugs too."
"What?" Alex asked bewildered at the sudden confession.
Piper grimaced, that was not how she wanted that to come out. "Yeah, in the past. That's why I thought I would be able to help Nicky."
"Was it after the accident?" Alex asked after recovering from the shock.
"I used far before it, after my grandma's death. Though, I got clean and then used again after the accident. But it was just one time", Piper said as she sat on Alex's bed.
Alex sat next to her. Like she had been afraid of. Piper had also lost her grandma. "But why? I mean it isn't like you're visiting every drug addict. Why Nicky?"
Piper shrugged. "She is your friend. I recognized your pain. And if something had happened to her... well let just say that one fucked up person is enough for Diane to handle."
Alex looked at her. "But how? I mean how did you get her to stop?"
"She already had the motivation to stop, the most addicts don't have it. I just needed to point some things out to her and it helped her to see the whole picture. All the rest is her, she did most of the work by herself."
"Did you? Have the motivation to stop?" Alex asked.
Piper was quiet for a while. "At first, no. Then Cal changed my mind."
Alex nodded. "Thank you. For telling me this. And helping Nicky."
"I don't still like to talk about", Piper reminded.
"Of course. Does my mom know?"
"No. But if you want to tell her, it's fine. I know that you're close and I trust both of you."
Alex nodded smiling.
After a while of comfortable silence, Alex asked something. "Do you crave it anymore?"
"Drugs?"
Alex nodded.
"Sometimes", Piper shrugged. "But I would never use again. I couldn't do it to Cal again."
"Do you think that Nicky is gonna use again?"
Piper thought about it for a while. "I don't think so. But you can never really know. I'm not familiar with Nicky's life situation, so it's hard to say. But she seems very motivated to stay clean."
Alex nodded again. "Yeah."
"Do you want to sleep in here? I mean my bed is big enough and it would save us the trouble of finding you a blanket and pillow to sleep on", Alex chuckled. It was already past midnight and she was feeling very tired.
Piper smirked. "Well, it isn't like we haven't shared a bed already. But I need to lend something to sleep on."
"Wait a sec", Alex said as she got up and went to her wardrobe.
Soon she threw Piper a T-shirt and shorts. "I'll go change into the bathroom. Pick whichever side you want", Alex said as she pointed the bed before disappearing into the hallway.
Piper quickly changed into Alex's clothes and hopped under the covers. She picked the side next to the wall, so Alex wouldn't have to climb over her to get into the bed.
Soon Alex came back and climbed next to Piper.
"Good night, Piper", Alex whispered, not sure if Piper was already asleep.
"Good night", Piper whispered back.
Surprisingly Piper fell asleep quickly and slept better than usually.
Alex also slept very peacefully, knowing that the blonde was sleeping with her.
Thanks for reading! Please review and tell me what you thought. Suggestions are also welcomed! I know that you've been waiting for the first kiss and it's coming soo, I promise ;) I'll try to update soon again!
-Iina