Piper [Persephone]

"We need a girls night."
Astra was standing at the table defiantly, her hair in long ringlets, her eyes covered with black eyeshadow like a racoon. Ava looked conflicted while Alexandria looked pissed off – she had an ice pack on her hand after her fight with Tina yesterday. I hadn't been there to witness it but apparently Alexandria had started it and it had been crazy.
"Um… kinda too busy to go out and get drunk Astra…" Ava began.
Astra held up a hand. "I don't give a shit. We haven't been out in forever. Come on – a firebomb hits the school playing field, we're in a fucking war – alcohol is needed here!"
"Jeez you sound like Danny…" Alexandria muttered.
"Maybe Danny has the right attitude! Come onnnn! This Friday. We hit Geisha, have a few drinks, dance around, go home happy."
Alexandria sighed. "I'm game. Ava?"
"Fine, okay. Piper?"
I jumped at my name. The girls looked at me expectedly. "Wellll?" Astra said, curling her tongue. Her piercing flashed. I blushed. I've never been invited out by these girls. But I guess this was me now in the circle… I felt a feeling of acceptance. And nervousness.
"Um… okay. I don't drink though-"
"Virgin daiquairis, it's cool," Astra said quickly. "We can get ready at mine."

I was trying to shake the feeling of dread as I walked down the hall. I guess you could call them my friends now? I think? Just what if I acted stupid? Or wore something immature? That would definitely happen, especially if I was going out with Alexandria – no doubt she would wear a tight dress that only emphasized her perfect body. I had no tight dresses. I was so plagued with questions that I wasn't looking where I was going – and I banged right into the leather jacket.
Well, I banged into Hunter.
But he hates people touching his leather.
"Don't touch the leather!" he yelled, turning around. He stopped short. "Oh. Piper. Um, hey."
"H-Hi Hunter."
We hadn't spoken in three weeks. I know. Ridiculous.
"You alright? You look a little… peaked," he ventured. I cleared my throat. "I'm fine. Just a bit of a stresshead today."
We were walking down the hall together. How had that happened?!
"What's up?" he asked, running a hand through his long hair.
"Um.. well, the girls have asked me to go out with them on Friday."
"…And that's stressing you out because?"

I groaned. "I know, it's stupid.. it's just I've never been out before. Like, to a club. Ever. Especially with them."
"If you're still intimated by them, then why sit at their table?"
He had a good point. And I couldn't answer it.
"I.. I don't know. Anyway, I don't think I'm gonna go – I have no outfit plus I need to study for a Math test in two weeks-"
"Oh fucking hell, Piper," he cut in. "Quit being such a baby."
I drew in a breath. Hunter looked pretty serious. And, erm, angry.
"You have a chance to finally make some friends – don't say you have any cause I know you don't- and you're pushing them away before they can get to know you. The test? It's in two fucking weeks. That's no excuse. Outfit? Go out and buy one. Then grow a set of balls and fucking man up."
I didn't know what to say. I was beaten.
"Um Hunter-"
"What?"
"What do I wear?"

Hunter [hades]

Oh fucking hell. Someone just shoot me now.
I am in NyC, standing beside a mannequin dressed in a tight black dress. Piper is trying on the hundredth dress she has picked out.
Somehow, she had convinced me to go shopping. Her reason for picking me? We both had a free period and she needed my brutal honesty. I wanted to die. Not only were there girls here, but there were girls looking at me, with my leather jacket, ripped jeans and Doc Martens and general penis issue, and sniggering.
"Hunter?" Piper called out from the changing room. "You still there?"
I sighed. "Yes, Piper. I'm still here. Still standing here next to the fucking mannequin."
She came out.
Tight black dress, like the mannequin, and strappy silver heels. Except she wore it better than the mannequin - so much better.
"Erm.. how do I look?"
I couldn't take my eyes off her. She looked older, more sophisticated. The dress that looked slutty on the mannequin looked classy on Piper.
"You, uh.. um. You look-"
"I look bad, I knew it," she interrupted, getting all flustered. "I knew I didn't have the right body shape. I guess I'll just stick to jeans and a bandeau top-"
"You look phenomenal."
She stopped talking and stared at me, her brown eyes wide, her mouth agape.
I wasn't lying to make her feel better.