"Damn, Dystopian girls move like that?" Sidney asked curiously as he took his bong from Henry. The blond in question nodded as he held in the smoke for a bit before blowing it out slowly and sighing contentedly. He leaned back against the grimy old couch and rubbed a hand against his face, watching as Sidney took a hit from the bong then passed it to Jasper.
"Yeah, they're down for anything. Those bitches are kinky out there. They were even fucking with Jasper," he said and Jasper sent him an offended glare.
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?!" he asked and the other two burst out into a fit of laughter. He scoffed and rolled his eyes, setting the bong down on the table. "Whatever, I always got more girls than you anyway." Henry snickered and shook his head before looking at Sidney.
"I'm going out tonight. Do you have anything for clubs?" he asked and the raspberry blond raised an eyebrow. He waited until Sidney got up and left the room before he asked the question that was on his mind.
"You're going out? With who?"
"Tati, she asked me to take her out to a club tonight," he answered. That surprised Jasper even more. Why was he going out with Charlotte's friend? A part of him wanted to tell him about what she told him earlier, but she seemed adamant about being the one to tell him herself. But he wondered if she even knew about whatever was budding between Henry and Tati. As he contemplated over what to say, Sidney returned and plopped back down onto the couch.
"So, anyone who knows anything about clubbing knows that the best drug of choice is E," he said as he pulled out an unlabeled pill bottle. He opened it and dumped a series of different colored tablets into his palm. They looked like child vitamins, but clubbing and fighting crime in Dystopia taught Henry and Jasper that they were much more dangerous than that. Neither had bothered to experiment with the drug, but Henry needed something to get his mind off of Charlotte and he had every intention of doing so tonight.
"Now, don't worry, I only use clean materials when making my stuff. It's not poor quality or laced with anything too dangerous. You take one of these and you'll be euphoric all night long. I also have shrooms if you're looking for a nice trip," he said as he scooped the tablets back into the bottle. Henry shook his head and took out his wallet, pulling out some cash.
"I'll just take the ecstasy. Is this all you have?" he asked and Sidney shrugged before offering him a sly grin.
"I have everything you could possibly want. What are you looking for?"
"Coke. But no cheap shit, I know my stuff." The dark haired male laughed and nodded. He took another hit from his bong before setting it back down and leaving the room once again. Jasper watched Henry curiously. This wouldn't be the first time he experimented with cocaine, but he was worried about his reasons for doing so this time. He was clearly upset about Charlotte and he worried he was about to rely on drugs to help him keep his mind off of her.
"Hey, maybe we should just stick to weed. The harder stuff can get dangerous and scary," he said. Henry shrugged dismissively.
"I'm just trying to have fun tonight dude, don't worry." Sidney soon returned and the two of them focused on their transaction as Jasper watched them silently. He knew if he told Henry what he knew, he would drop everything and run to Charlotte. Everything would fall back into place and they'd both be okay. He wanted to tell him so badly but she would kill him. This wasn't his fight nor his place. So, he sat back and let Henry make his own choices. No matter how bad they may be.
"Thank God," Piper exhaled as she entered the house. She dropped the multiple bags she was holding and dragged her feet over to the couch, falling onto it with an exhausted grunt. She hated black Friday shopping and this was exactly why. Her father had her and her mother up since 3 am, camping outside of a store until it opened early at 5 and they spent the rest of the day shopping. She had been elbowed, shoved, pinched, and smacked over crazy deals. Granted, it was a great stress reliever to get to punch and shove some people too, but she still hated being out there. It was now past 2 pm and they were finally home.
"Great job everyone!" Jake said proudly as he entered the house, only carrying one item as his wife struggled with the heavier things. "We got all of our Christmas shopping done and all got things that we wanted!"
"We?!" Piper lifted her head to look at him. "You got a ton of stuff and would've kept buying stuff for yourself if I didn't wrestle your card out of your hand to buy stuff for me and mom!" He shrugged and waved her off dismissively.
"Whatever. Point is, we had a successful Black Friday! Honey, hurry up with those things!" he instructed as Kris struggled. She managed to pull the large TV to the doorway before sending him a dangerous glare and letting go of the box, which he quickly reached forward to grab.
"I hate Black Friday!" she snapped before storming inside and stomping her way upstairs. Jake watched as his wife left before looking at his daughter worryingly.
"Maybe I should go back out and buy that tennis bracelet I saw…" he contemplated and the blonde nodded.
"Maybe you should," she confirmed before sitting up and looking at her phone. She was surprised to see a text from Oliver. Truthfully, she hadn't thought about him much since meeting him at the parade - what with the bombshell of Charlotte being engaged and finding out she and her brother had some kind of relationship going. She was just so distracted that he completely slipped her mind. As her father brought in the rest of the items they bought, she made her way upstairs while texting him. They spoke casually about how their Thanksgiving went and how their day was before he suddenly asked if he could come over to hang out with her.
She bit down on her lower lip and walked into her bedroom, kicking the door closed and plopping down on her bed. She had to think about that. It was Friday, she knew her parents would probably be going out, and soon now that he had to buy her mom a bracelet as an apology for…well, being himself. Henry and Jasper were out doing whatever and would probably be out until late at night. So, she and Oliver would be alone. She wondered if she wanted to be alone with him. It did weird her out yesterday when he suddenly touched her lower back and invaded her space. But he seemed like a nice harmless dork. And maybe he could help her to get her mind off of Jasper. She chewed on the corner of her lip and looked at her phone again, texting him to come over and sending him her address.
It was a little after 8 pm when her parents finally left, both of them deciding to see a movie then get dinner and go dancing. Jake had gone out and spent a pretty penny on a diamond tennis bracelet and red bottom heels to make Kris happy and she was eager to show them off. Once they left, Piper changed into a white knit cami with a matching cropped hoodie over it, the hemline stopping above the cami so her cleavage was still visible. She put on a simple pair of jeans and made sure her hair looked nice before going downstairs just as she heard a knock at the door. She looked through the panel and smiled when she saw Oliver, opening the door for him.
"Hey!" she greeted and he smiled at her.
"Hi. Wow, you're gorgeous," he said with a soft exhale and she laughed softly. As he stepped inside, he looked around and nodded in approval. "Nice place."
"Thank you. Make yourself comfortable. Would you like anything to drink?" she asked as he walked over to the couch and sat down with a pleased exhale. He looked at her and smiled.
"No thanks. What are you up to?"
"Not much, I was maybe going to watch a movie," she answered. She walked over to the couch and sat down next to him, making sure to leave a comfortable amount of space. She grabbed the remote and turned on the TV, pulling up Redflix and going through their movie selection.
The two of them spoke idly as she looked for a movie to watch. Piper found Oliver comfortable to be around for the most part, but there was something about him that made her more and more uneasy. Maybe it was the way he kept easing closer to her on the couch, or maybe it was the way he kept looking at her with a weird smile plastered on his face. She knew she was gorgeous but damn, he could be a little more subtle. After selecting some cheesy rom-com, Piper leaned back and kept her eyes trained on the screen.
"You know, I love this movie," Oliver commented and she looked at him. He was suddenly close to her again, having eliminated all of the space she put between them. She resisted the urge to sigh and just gave him a sweet smile.
"Really?" she asked with feigned interest. He nodded his head quickly and rested his arm behind her on the back of the couch.
"Yeah. I especially like the part where they're having dinner in this booth, and the guy looks at her and says how beautiful she is at that moment. Then they lean in and kiss," he explained and she nodded her head a little.
"Sounds romantic," she mumbled then turned to look at the screen again. She could feel Oliver's eyes on her still and she grew uncomfortable. What was this guy after? They literally only met yesterday. She opened her mouth to speak when she felt him press a finger against her jaw and had her turn her head to face him.
"You're really beautiful," he whispered intimately and she raised a quizzical eyebrow. Before she could respond though, he leaned in and pressed a kiss to her lips. Piper felt her stomach twist in a series of knots and all the hair on her body stand up. It wasn't a bad kiss, his lips felt nice really. But it was so sudden and so fast, she barely even knew this guy. He seemed to only want one thing and she wasn't in the mood to give that to some stranger. She pressed her hands against his shoulders and pushed him away as she chuckled nervously.
"Okay, whoa. Calm down," she said and he stared at her.
"What's wrong?" he asked and she stared at him in a mix of surprise and confusion. What did he think she wanted from him?
"I mean, you're nice and all Oliver, but we only just met. I barely even know you!" she explained. He shrugged his shoulders and took her wrists into his hands, his green eyes meeting her own.
"I'm Oliver Martin, I'm 20, I'm a Scorpio, I have three cats, my favorite color is yellow, my dad is a personal trainer, and I have a little brother named Todd. I also think you're really hot and I wanna hook up with you." After his quick rundown and explanation, he leaned forward and pressed their lips together once again. She squeaked in surprise and her arms flailed slightly, being restricted by his hold. She managed to free her arms from his hold and she shoved him away from her. Her palm connected with his face with a hard slap before she quickly got up from the couch.
"Get out!" she yelled and pointed to the door. He sighed heavily and reached out for her but she quickly stepped away from him.
"Come on! Okay, maybe I was a little too aggressive. But I really think we have something going on here, you know?"
"No, I don't know. Get the fuck out of my house!" She grabbed his arm and yanked him up before starting to push him towards the door. He turned around to face her and grabbed her arms again, pulling her body close to his own.
"Come on, Piper. You're really not into me?" he asked as he looked into her eyes. She stared at him and bit down on her bottom lip. He was no different. It was like something about her only attracted guys who just wanted her body and nothing more, guys who didn't even bother to get to know her. A part of her considered giving in and just giving him what he wanted. Maybe that was all she was destined for. But then she quickly scowled at that idea. She was Piper Hart. She was a gem, someone worthy for way more than some random hook-up or fling. She let out a breath and kept her eyes on his own, her hand pulling out of his grasp and placing it on his crotch. She held back the urge to shudder at the feeling of his bulge and the way he inhaled sharply.
"Is this what you want?" she asked, her voice dropping down to a seductive whisper. He licked his lips and nodded his head a bit too quickly. She smirked and leaned in until their faces were mere inches apart before she tightened her grip on his bulge and twisted it roughly. He cried out in pain and tried to pull away but she kept a firm hold on him.
"If you don't get the fuck out of my house, I'll rip it off," she threatened. The look in her eyes told him she would definitely do it, and he didn't want to test her. He nodded his head rapidly and when she let go, he let out a relieved breath and ran to the door as fast as he could.
Meanwhile, Sky by Playboi Carti played over the stereo system in the BMW as Henry drove home. Jasper idly bopped his head along to the music as he stared out the window, his mind still on what Charlotte told him and Henry's plans for the night. He could already see the meltdown his friend would have when he found out the truth, but it would be too late because he'd already done whatever with Tati. So, logically, he should tell him and avoid easily avoidable misunderstandings and hurt feelings. But was it his place to do so? As he thought about it, he wondered if Piper could help them out. Charlotte didn't tell him not to tell her and if he told her, she wouldn't hesitate to set her brother straight. It would be perfect. He grinned to himself as he was satisfied with his plan.
He took off his seatbelt as Henry pulled into his driveway and parked the car. Jasper climbed out of the car and exhaled softly as he thought over his plan. It was foolproof. He would tell Piper what Charlotte told him, maybe gently drop a few hints that Henry was going out with someone else tonight, and watch as she worked her magic. That way, Char wouldn't kill him for telling Henry and Henry wouldn't make a stupid mistake. He walked up to the door but before he could open it, it swung open and the same guy from the parade ran out past him in almost a blur. Henry walked up and watched the boy run away, just as confused as Jasper was. He walked inside the house and looked at his sister.
"Uh…who was that?" he asked. Piper glared at him with such dangerous eyes that he had to take a defensive step back.
"A boy. A stupid fucking boy like all of you are! Stupid useless annoying shitty pussy chasing boys!" she shouted before storming upstairs. Henry stared at her retreating figure for a moment before turning to an equally bewildered Jasper.
"Is she okay?" he asked slowly and the tall blond let out a mirthless chuckle.
"I guess so. Five years and she hasn't changed a bit," he answered with a shake of his head. While the two of them hadn't spent much time together while he was home, Henry figured that Piper matured a little. Mainly because she wasn't trying to kill Jasper anymore and she somehow maintained a job with Ray despite his annoyance with her. However, it seemed like she still had her temper tantrums and threw fits over seemingly nothing. He decided to let her be and figure out whatever was going on with her on her own. He had his own problems to deal with. He made his way upstairs to get ready to go out with Tati later.
Jasper rubbed the back of his head as he followed him. While Henry didn't seem as bothered or worried about Piper's random outburst, he was. He spent a little bit more time with her and he could see that she had mostly grown up and matured. So, something must have been wrong for her to lash out like that suddenly. And that guy running out of the house clearly had something to do with it. As they walked down the hall to Henry's bedroom, the blue eyed man paused outside of Piper's door. He bit down on his bottom lip and hesitated for a moment before knocking. When she didn't respond, he opened the door slowly and peeked his head inside.
"Piper?" he called out quietly. He heard her sniffle quietly and he walked into her room, gently closing the door. She sat at her vanity with her head against her palm, her back to him as she sniffled and wiped away her tears. He licked his lips nervously and looked around her room. He had only been in there a few times when he was younger, mainly to borrow her curling iron, but from what he could tell it hadn't changed much. It was still purple but instead of the girlish purple and pink theme from when she was a child, the pink accents were replaced with white ones that made it seem a little more mature. It was very reflective of her. He cleared his throat and sat on the corner of her bed.
"Are you okay?" he asked softly and she let out a shaky sigh.
"I'm fine," she answered.
"Did something happen with that guy who ran out of here? Did he try anything with you?" he asked as he increasingly grew more worried. The mere idea of someone hurting her made his blood start to boil and he was ready to kill anyone he had to. She sighed heavily as she wiped her eyes again then sat up straight, turning around on the stool to face him. Jasper felt his heart ache at the sight of her face. He had seen her cry before when she was younger, and of course when he found her on the porch, and the rare occurrence was sad then but something about seeing her like this now made him feel even worse. He wished he caught that bastard and kicked his ass.
"Nothing happened that hasn't happened before with these shitty guys. He came over and I thought we were just gonna hang out, next thing I knew he's kissing me and trying to do more. But don't go all vigilante on me, I fought him off and threatened to rip off his dick when you guys showed up," she explained with a sigh. Jasper nodded as he listened to her but something about the way she monotonously explained almost being assaulted made him sad. Was this really such a casual everyday experience for her? He could remember when he found her crying on the porch after a date where a similar situation happened. It was disappointing that she kept meeting such jerks.
"It just sucks because it seems like I'm destined to only meet the worst guys, you know? Like, are all of them like that? Horny and after one thing only?" she questioned, mainly thinking out loud.
"No, Piper," he sighed. "There are a lot of guys who want that but there are ones who genuinely want a nice relationship. You just…have to go through a lot of spoiled eggs before you find the one that'll make the perfect omelet." She stared at him for a few beats before laughing a little.
"That's absolutely not the saying," she said between her soft chuckles and Jasper shrugged with a small grin.
"It totally is. But hey, I'm glad I got you to laugh," he said. She smiled sheepishly and looked down at her hands as she fumbled with her fingers idly. "Hey, Henry's going out tonight. Wanna hang out? We can watch a movie or something and I'll show you that not all guys are assholes who think with the wrong head," he offered. She chuckled at his wording but nodded.
"I would really like that," she answered as she looked up at him. As he smiled at her, she felt her heart skip a beat and her cheeks warm up as she blushed. Maybe the night wouldn't be so bad after all.