Not too sure how accurate the schooling element is when it comes to the American education system in this chapter, so I'm just basing this roughly off my own experiences - apologies if it isn't.
Walking briskly towards her locker, Piper can't wipe the smile from her face having just finished her last exam. Opening the metal door, she takes out the two textbooks inhabiting the space, puts them into her bag, and locks the door again. She needed to rush home to get ready for this evening's graduation ceremony, and being that she knows Alex will be there, she wants to look her best for the older woman.
By the time she gets home, Piper showers - making sure she's well shaved in all the appropriate areas, straightens her hair, and then gets dressed.
"Piper are you ready? We're going to be late if we don't leave now," the blonde hears her mother shouting from downstairs.
"Coming, Mom," she shouts back, while giving herself a final once over and grabbing her clutch bag.
The event, the blonde notes upon arrival, is rather pointless, but it's an excuse for students to try and take advantage of the open bar that's supposedly for parents and guests aged over 21. It begins as a form of social event, whereby students are taking pictures with one another while parents take the occasion to catch up and gossip with one another - mostly acting as though they'd keep up their fake friendships despite the fact that their children will no longer be going to school with one another.
Standing with her own set of friends waiting to be called into the main hall for the small ceremony, Piper can't help but scan the room every so often, checking to see if Alex has arrived. After being nudged by Polly - who raises her eyebrows, knowing why the blonde is spacing out every so often, Piper shuffles on the spot, trying to fight off her smile as she feels a slight blush adorning her cheeks.
It's another 5 minutes before the blonde finds herself eyeing the room's opening, and as she does so, her breathing rate increases and her heart thumps in her chest as she watches Alex enter, smiling as she talks politely to the people standing on the doors. As ever, the brunette looks stunning, and given the fitted dress, blazer and heels she's adorning - matched with her flowing hair and black flames, Piper can't look away, and when the brunette finally - in what feels like a lifetime - looks her way, she performs a tight-lipped smile before her attention is grabbed by someone greeting her.
Not wanting to get too caught up in looking at the older woman, Piper heads to the restroom with Polly before seeking where her parents are. She spots them in the corner, both drink in hand, and as she begins her approach, her best friend grabs her arm, pulling her back gently.
"Are you sure you want to go over there?" she asks, looking concerned.
"Why? What's wrong?"
"Your parents - they're talking to your wife."
"No they're not," Piper says, angling her head around the crowd of people to get a clearer view. When she sees that Polly is indeed correct, she panics, wondering what they could possibly be talking about. "Shit they are."
"Why don't we go and see when we'll be going in. I'm sure they'll walk with my parents," Polly tries to reassure having seen the sudden flash of worry and anxiety cover the blonde's face.
"Yeah, you're right," Piper replies, starting to walk with her best friend. "And she isn't my wife."
Turning off the ignition having parked, Alex leans to pick up her things from the passenger seat and gets out the car. The graduation evening isn't exactly something she's looking forward to sitting through, but apart from the fact that it's compulsory for all staff to attend, it helps keep her mind off the piles of work at home that she still needs to get done. Putting on her blazer while she walks into the main school building and up a staircase - careful when going up the stairs in her black heels, Alex is greeted by two staff members standing on the door, letting her know that the wait shouldn't be too long and that the bar is open all evening. After saying her thanks, Alex looks across the room and her eyes immediately fall on Piper, who is staring at her intently, hiding behind a glass - one of which the brunette guesses isn't just filled with water.
Just as she's about to try and find some of her colleagues, a hand taps her shoulder, and upon turning to see who it belongs to, Alex is faced by a man in which looks familiar; a man who she thinks is Piper's father.
"Miss Vause - sorry I'm Bill Chapman, Piper Chapman's father," the grey-haired man begins, obviously feeling apologetic in approaching the brunette.
"Mr Chapman - hi," Alex begins, smiling at the older man and shaking the hand that he had held out. "What can I do for you?"
"I just wanted to apologise for my wife a few months ago. She has a habit of being rather… well, intrusive when it comes to other people's business."
"Oh, don't worry about it. At least she's aware of the lack of money I make in this profession," Alex replies, chuckling out of self-pity.
"While my wife isn't here, I feel as though I should thank you for everything with Piper this year. She's been set on doing English at college, but I think you were the push she really needed to go for it," he says, leaving Alex momentarily speechless - and partially worried by his reference of 'everything'.
Clearing her throat, she responds to the older man: "Mr Chapman, it's been a pleasure teaching your daughter. It would have been a real shame if she hadn't have pursued the subject. Has she heard anything back from any colleges yet?" she goes on to ask, genuinely curious due to the limited contact she'd recently had with the blonde.
"She originally wanted to go to NYU - ever since she was little, but for some reason she recently changed her mind to Smith. Of course she applied for others, but those are the only ones she really cares to mention," Bill says, chuckling at the thought of the dramatic lectures his daughter delivers at dinner about how she wants to go to a particular college and why.
Alex, in hearing about Piper's sudden change of heart, can't help but think she perhaps influenced the blonde's decision, being that she had shared with the younger woman that she herself had been to Smith for her studies.
"So have they given her offers?"
"She's had plenty, but Smith seems like the choice for her. Well, depending on her grades," Bill adds, laughing, despite the both of them knowing that isn't going to be a problem.
Not wanting to seem as though she's being too eager, the brunette wants to find out what Piper's mother thinks of the entire situation - whether the situation is perhaps therefore affecting Piper negatively.
"Does everyone at home think she's doing the right thing?"
"I just want her to do what makes her happy, but Carol more so otherwise…" he trails off, raising his eyebrows, letting Alex fill in the rest of the sentence in her head.
Before the conversation can continue, Piper's mother approaches, giving off what Alex can only guess is a fake smile. Although she feels less content in the older woman's company, the brunette feels as though she needs to impress Carol Chapman - not that the woman would know her intentions behind doing so anyway. The task proved harder than she thought - being that Carol seemed disinterested by whatever herself and Bill were talking about; Alex couldn't help but feel judged by Piper's mother. Her gaze makes the brunette feel uncomfortable, and despite not saying a word, Alex feels as though the older woman is judging her based on something, yet she isn't quite sure what that something is.
Thankful that the people throughout the room are starting to head into the main hall, Alex says her goodbyes to Piper's parents and heads to her seat. She notices many eyes scanning her as she walks by, yet not the ones she's looking for; and although she's internally chuckling at the surprise on many of the student's faces at her attire, Alex keeps her composure, telling herself that it's not worth voicing that staring is a rude trait to have.
The ceremony had reached it stage in which students were receiving prizes for various reasons, and Alex - for the second time that evening - found herself in awe over Piper Chapman. In hearing the blonde's name being announced for the English award - something she herself had put the blonde up for but didn't know the vote's outcome, Alex straightened in her seat, eager to watch the younger woman's presence grace the stage.
The blonde's mid-length silver dress was tightly fitted to her body with a slit down the side which, along with her matching stilettos, accentuated her toned thigh and calf muscles. Alex has to tear her eyes away - not wanting to get caught while obviously checking the blonde out, while also not wanting to cave into the thoughts of said legs wrapped around her waist under less orthodox of circumstances. The brunette watches Piper accept the award and then walk off to the side so the ceremony can swiftly continue while she has her picture taken. When standing in position, blue eyes meet her own green orbs, and as they stare at one another - no emotion evident, Alex watches the blonde shake her head out of its trance and turn to the photographer. She can just about make out a 'sorry, pardon?' come from the blonde's mouth, and smirks to herself at Piper's politeness despite what she was just doing. Not wanting to run the chances of getting caught staring, Alex turns away, focusing on what one of her colleagues with the microphone at the front is saying.
When the ceremony eventually finishes, the open bar is still running, and although students are mostly 18 bar some exceptions - Piper included, it's obvious that they're making the most of the free availability of alcohol. Being that it's ran by students volunteering from the year below the blonde, no one is really putting a stop to the underage serving; people are turning a blind eye towards it, and Alex for one won't be the one to spoil the students' fun.
The room is fairly packed - mostly filled with students being that a large number of parents had left already, and Alex finds herself conversing with two of her English colleagues: David - her boss, who she learns is retiring at the end of the academic year, and Natalie - the woman who attended the theatre trip with her months prior. The conversation is pleasant and Alex finds herself enjoying their company, yet her focus wavers when she feels her phone vibrate in her blazer pocket for the third time in the last minute - something she was avoiding to check, knowing it's probably Nicky giving her shit for having to be at a school event on a Friday evening.
When her companions are busy talking, the brunette reaches into her pocket and takes out her phone; she just about manages to not drop the champagne glass that she's holding in her left hand in seeing what's on her screen, while ensuring that no one around her could see its contents as she locks it and turns her head in a circle.
Piper: I haven't had the chance to thank you for the award yet, but when you're ready, I'm waiting.
Piper: It seems like you're having a good time over there, Al. I have to admit I don't like that woman you're with and how she's looking at you.
Piper: I've waited so long to have you, Alex; no bitch is getting in the way of that. I keep thinking back to that night from when we were on my sofa, how it felt when you fell on top of me and our hips touched.
Alex briefly shuts her eyes, clenches her jaw, and tightens her grip on the device. She's feeling majorly turned on having read the blonde's words, yet knows she can't act on what she's feeling - not now. Her phone vibrates one more time in her hand, and despite knowing the high risk she's taking, she peaks at the message that's flashed up on her screen.
Piper: I can see you reading my messages. What's the matter: cat got your tongue? Wait, no you need fingers to type. Pussy got your fingers?
Despite her increasing levels of arousal, Alex chuckles to herself at the blonde's clever word play, and although she'd love nothing more than do such things with Piper, it's rather obvious that her daring messages are due to her alcohol consumption. The brunette finds more and more things she likes about the blonde everyday, yet despite her state of enhibritation, she's learnt to appreciate how excellent English skills mixed with dirty text messages are quite the powerful combination.
Placing her phone back into her pocket, Alex finally scans the room to look for the mastermind behind her sudden change in emotions, and in finally spotting Piper with a group of her friends in the crowd, she - yet again - can't catch herself staring for too long. The blonde - in all her glory - is standing there, glass in hand, staring at the brunette with shimmering blue eyes as her perfect top row of teeth bite down on her lower lip.
Alex shifts her body to the side, finishes the rest of her drink, and excuses herself from her colleagues, announcing that she's going to head home. Of course that isn't her intention, but in knowing Piper has her eyes glued on her movements, she heads for the set of double doors that leads to classrooms. It isn't long until Alex is alone down a dark corridor having gone up a set of stairs to reach the floor where her own classroom and office are located. In hearing footsteps rushing up the stairs, she stops and hides in a gap between the lockers and another room, not knowing who the other person is. When she sees a shimmering silver dress and a head of blonde hair walking past slowly, she knows her plan had worked.
Holding out her arm, she grabs the blonde's wrist, who turns her head in surprise, before smiling at seeing the brunette.
"Alex," she breathes out, her shoulders relaxing.
The brunette doesn't reply, instead stepping out from her hiding place and dragging the blonde by her hand to her office. She unlocks her door - not breaking their hand connection - and guides the blonde in, before joining her in the room and locking the door, which can't be seen through due to the paper covering its small, streamline window. Still not saying a word, Alex turns back to the blonde and - without thinking - cups her cheeks, pulling Piper's face to her own and connecting their lips.
Both women moan at the contact that they'd been desperately craving for months - months that felt like an eternity, and as the kiss started to get heated, Alex felt her self-control begin to quickly dissipate. Moving her hands down to Piper's ass, Alex picks the blonde up and sits her on top of her - relatively empty - desk, pushing her hands under her dress while doing so. She groans into the kiss in feeling the barely-there skimpy thong Piper was wearing, and when she feels two hands grab her breasts, she rips away from the kiss, fusing their foreheads together.
"God, Alex. Why'd you stop."
"Because you're drunk, Pipes," she whispers, trying to control her breathing. "Our first time can't be like that."
"Just keep going."
"Pipes, I didn't intend for more than a make out," Alex says, yet her voice breaks at the feeling of the blonde's lips attacking her neck, to which she then groans while tilting her head back at the feeling of teeth gently grazing her skin, helping soft lips make their mark.
"Alex, I've been dreaming about you," Piper admits into the older woman's skin. "About doing this, right on your desk. Sometimes in your classroom."
"Jesus, that's hot," Alex replies, pulling the blonde's head back to plunge her tongue into her mouth as she guides her body to lie down and cover the length of the desk.
"If you could handle your drink better, then maybe that would have been on the cards."
"I can handle my drink," Piper tries to argue, yet feels a sudden have of nausea come over her. She pushes Alex off her and rushes to the window, pushing it up as she lets her body's reactions take over.
Alex smirks to herself yet helps the younger woman, holding back her hair and giving her some water to rinse her mouth out once she's done emptying her stomach.
"Role reversal," Alex points out, yet the blonde doesn't seem too thrilled by the comment. "Okay, I think you need to go home. I'll call you an Uber."
"No, Alex. I'm fine."
"Piper - you just threw up out my office window. You are not fine."
Grabbing her things and the blonde by the hand, Alex leads them out the office - ensuring it's locked, while trying to make sure the blonde makes it down the stairs safely as she orders an Uber from her phone.
"What's your address?"
"Hmm?"
"Your address. Where do you live?"
"You know where I live. We nearly fucked on the sofa," Piper drunkenly brushes off, draping herself over the older woman, who, despite having done what she did in her office, can't let them be seen in the position they're currently in.
Reaching the bottom of the staircase, they walk to the entrance where - by luck - Polly is standing on her own while holding a phone to her ear.
"Piper! Where the fuck have you been? I've been calling you," she exclaims, having been waiting for the blonde.
"On Al… Miss Vause's de-" she recklessly begins, before Alex intervenes.
"Okay! Polly, do you know Piper's address so I can order her an Uber? She's a little worse for wear."
After being told where the blonde lives - not knowing the details herself: only having a visual image, Alex orders the car, praying Piper doesn't open her mouth during the 3 minutes they have to wait.
Thankfully, she doesn't say anything, and when the car arrives, Alex instructs Polly to go with the blonde, being that she didn't really drink so can drive home.
"Make sure she gets home safely," she adds, holding the open door as Polly takes a seat next to her best friend.
"Where you going?" Piper asks the older woman.
"Home, Piper. Like you," she starts to say while closing the door. "I hope your head's good in the morning."
Putting her thumb up at the driver, Alex watches the car drive off, smiling to herself as she walks over to where she parked her car.
When approaching the vehicle, she heads for the boot, and in hearing a squelch under her foot mixed with the lack of lighting, she stops. Taking out her phone and turning the torch on, the brunette lets out a huff in seeing what she had stepped in.
Highering up the torch so that it shines on her car, Alex curses further as she sees that where she had parked happened to coincidently be a space under her office window, whereby the back and roof of her car is now covered in the alcohol-induced vomit from the one and only Piper Chapman.
"Fuck."
