'Hey Stephie!' Trixie shouted, giving a cheery wave as she spotted her friend waiting outside the gates of Lazytown High.
'So how did it go?' Trixie enquired, rushing up.
Stephanie's expression turned sour, 'awful, the nurses kept on giving me disgusted looks as if I were some sort of low life. I'm sure they thought I was going to try and steal something, they didn't let me out of their sight for an instant, well apart from when I had to go and … you know'
'Go and what'? Trixie asked.
Stephanie rolled her eyes with expiration, wondering just how naïve Trixie could be. 'You know'
Trixie still looked like she hadn't the faintest.
Her cheeks flushing bright pink, Stephanie leant in to whisper in Trixie's ear.
'Oh…right…yeah' Trixie stammered, sounding like she wished he hadn't asked. 'So did you pass?'
'They have to send the sample off to some lab apparently so the results won't be back until tomorrow' Stephanie explained.
'But you will pass, won't you?'
'Seen me snorting any cocaine lately?' Stephanie asked incredulously as they wandered inside the school building.
'Well no…' Trixie admitted, 'listen, you're not still grounded this weekend are you?' she asked, hastily changing the subject.
'No just tomorrow and it's finally over… thank god' Stephanie replied, her voice full of relief, 'spending so much time alone in my room is driving me insane'.
''Cause you'll never guess what, Pixel's finally got hold of the right software to make some fake ID's!'
Stephanie cocked her head. 'Seriously?' she asked, rising an eyebrow. She opened her locker and began shuffling books into her bag.
'Yeah, he downloaded it last night, he said to let you know this morning so you would stop pestering him about it,' Trixie elaborated. 'He says he can fix them up with our photos no problem, what do you think? We could finally check out that nightclub'
'They're good fakes right?' Stephanie asked warily.
'Well Pixel seems to think so' Trixie assured her.
'Count me in' Stephanie agreed giving her locker door a good slam shut. 'So when are we going?'
'Saturday would be best, you can come over to mine and we can get ready together,' Trixie arranged happily. 'My parents will be out bowling as usual, plus Stingy and Pixel are both free that night, I already checked.'
The days slowly rolled around and when Saturday evening finally arrived Stephanie sat perched on the end of Trixie's bed making the final adjustments to her outfit. Pulling on mid-length black boots over her fishnet stockings she stood up to study herself in the mirror. She tugged down her strappy pink top so that it covered her midriff and gave a quick twirl, her short black skirt flaring out around her as spun. Picking up a long sleeve black laced top she threw it across her shoulders and finished by applying lipstick and eyeliner and tying her long pink hair up into a high ponytail.
'What do you think?' she asked, turning towards Trixie.
'Perfect!' her friend appraised. 'So are you ready now?' she asked grabbing up her bag.
'Yep!' Stephanie confirmed excitedly.
'Good, 'cause my parents could be back at any minute'
'So the plan is to sneak in after they've gone to bed?'
'Yeah, anytime after midnight should be fine' Trixie affirmed as they left the house. 'You did remember to tell your uncle you were staying over at mine right?'
'Of course' Stephanie affirmed.
It took them only a few minutes to reach the town square where they had arranged to meet up with Pixel and Stingy the day before.
'So lets see it' Stephanie requested getting straight down to business.
Pixel reached inside his jacket and pulled out an official looking card. He placed it in her upstretched palm.
Inspecting the card carefully Stephanie looked impressed.
'Nice work' she appraised.
'Thanks' Pixel replied, looking pleased with himself.
Just at that moment a cab pulled up in front of them.
'This is it' Pixel confirmed and losing no time, they all piled inside.
As the taxi drove into Casinopolis they all started in awe at the bright neon lights, casinos, hotels and shopping plazas that sped past them.
'Wow' gasped Stingy, 'no wonder Ziggy was so excited about moving here'.
'Yeah, I'm sure he feels right at home with their hyperactive way of life' Pixel agreed.
The taxi pulled up outside a tall gothic style structure with red stained glass windows. The building was skirted by large stone pillars decorated with carvings of winged angels and demons engaged in eternal battle. Statues of leering gargoyles stared at them from the roof directly below which hung huge shimmering gold letters that spelt out the name of the venue: Club Perdition.
They all climbed out onto the pavement. As Pixel took care of the tab the others stared apprehensively at the entrance guarded by two surely looking bouncers.
'Well here goes nothing!' Stingy declared. Steadying his nerves he strode intrepidly up a couple of polished stone steps to the front doors.
'ID please' the right bouncer asked gruffly looking Stingy up and down.
Stingy dutifully handed over his newly acquired fake ID.
'Thank you' said the bouncer handing back the card and then Stingy was gone.
Encouraged by his success, the others wasted no time in making after him into the club.
The music was so loud they could feel the beat pulsing through the floor as they stepped inside. It was still early on in the evening and the main hall was practically empty so they headed upstairs to find a table on the balcony overlooking the main dancefloor.
'Anyone want a drink?' Pixel shouted.
'Archers and lemonade' yelled Stephanie.
'Bacardi and coke' shouted Trixie.
'Mmm…errrr' Stingy deliberated, beleaguered by the vast selection of drinks on offer.
'He'll have a Heineken' said Trixie, taking the choice out of his hands.
Stingy shot her an aggravated look. 'No, I'll have one of those' he said pointing to a huge jug filled with a peach coloured liquid being carted from the bar by a group of tittering girls.
'But that's a girl's drink!' Pixel exclaimed amused.
'No it isn't and I want some' Stingy insisted stubbornly.
'And you're going to drink that all by yourself? Pixel asked sounding sceptical.
'Of course' Stingy replied confidently.
Pixel looked unconvinced but headed off in the direction of the bar.
An hour later and things were much busier downstairs. After grudgingly helping Stingy to finish off his cocktail jug, they all made their way back downstairs. They had to push their way onto the dancefloor, now packed with Saturday night revellers.
It was only twenty minutes later when Stephanie, exasperated by Pixel constant attempts to dance up against her decided to go see what was on going on elsewhere. 'Trixie, I'm going to go see if I can find the R'N'B lounge' she yelled in her friend's ear.
Trixie nodded absent-mindedly, too preoccupied with throwing a pair of glow sticks back across the dancefloor at a couple of guys with punk hairstyles. Stephanie noticed Stingy glowering as he watched her, his arms folded across his chest.
It was well over an hour later just as she was starting to get seriously worried that Trixie spotted Stephanie again. She looked on anxiously as the pink haired girl lurched onto the dancefloor, a huge grin spread across her face.
'Hey Trixie!' Stephanie greeted jubilantly stumbling up to her friend.
'Where have you been? I was just about to go and look for you' Trixie asked uneasily.
'Downstairs!'
Trixie peered about, she hadn't realised there was a downstairs.
'Anyway, you'll never guess who I bumped into… Harriet! You know, that girl we met on holiday last year. She was out with a hen party. We started catching up and the next thing I know we're all sitting down in a group playing drinking games' Stephanie slurred.
'You've been playing drinking games for the past hour?' Trixie asked managing to sound impressed and slightly miffed at the same time.
'Yeah, I was terrible at it' Stephanie said. 'We played this one game, fuzzy duck, and I just couldn't get it right, I kept on saying 'f……'
'Whoa, watch it!' Trixie interrupted grabbing Stephanie by the arm as she swayed dangerously to one side. 'I think it's about time we headed back' Trixie said looking concerned.
'What already? Stephanie moaned.
'Yeah and we'll pick some bottled water on the way out' she added.
It took both Pixel and Trixie's help to get Stephanie back to the taxi rank but they where soon standing back in Lazytown.