"Fuck yeah, bitches!" Poussey announced joyfully, flopping backwards on Alex's bed. "We fuckin' slayed that shit."

"Hell yeah we did," Nicky agreed, shimmying out of her leather pants and into a pair of jeans. "Did you hear how loud those people were yelling?"

"And the stage door...I can't believe you didn't pick any of them girls up," The drummer nudged Nicky who'd collapsed next to her with her foot. "Anyone of them would've come back with you."

Nicky shrugged nonchalantly. "You're damn right they would've, but this is our night. Tradition, remember?"

Back when they'd first started the tour, Alex declared the first night in every city after a concert be just about them. They could go out or stay in and drink but no one could skip out or bring any girls around that first night. The others had initially grumbled about it but they'd abided by Alex's rules and it had become a neat little ritual.

"Yo, fearless leader," Poussey stretched herself up, craning her neck toward the bathroom door. "In or out?"

As she scrubbed her face clean with the standard white hotel wash cloth, Alex didn't answer right saway. It had been an amazing fucking show, to be sure. She was pretty sure they hadn't sounded that good, that cohesive in a very long time and the audience fed off their insane energy. And Piper...well, she was a star. Which was a relevation to her, maybe, but not to Alex. She had known it the instant the girl opened her mouth at the audition. She just hoped the blonde didn't realize she was too good for them too soon and peace the fuck out early.

"Vause? You alive in there?"

The reflection staring back at her in the mirror was not Bettie Page any longer. It was plain old Alex again. But she looked happy. Spent and a little disheveled, perhaps, but happy as hell. The magic on the stage made her feel a lightness she had been resigned to never feeling again. She wouldn't mention it to anyone, for fear of sounding like a complete pussy, but there it was. She'd call her mom tomorrow morning before they got on the bus again and Diane would sense the levity in her voice without her having to even mention it.

Alex finally emerged from the bathroom, having changed into a black tank top and black jeans. "I say let's go out. We should celebrate."

Nicky raised her eyebrows. "Shit, dude, you must be in a good mood." No "The bus is leaving at 8 a.m sharp and you bitches better be on it, hangovers and all. I'm gonna go to bed and watch Gilmore Girls on Netflix till I pass out?", The bassist imitated her husky tone.

"OK, first of all, I don't fuckin' sound like that. And secondly, I watched that show one time. The mom is hot, Jesus. That's it." She looked to Poussey who'd collapsed back on the bed, laughing. "Back me up here, man."

"Nah, man," The drummer was still laughing. "You on your own."

Alex picked up a pillow and bopped her with it. "OK, yeah, I'll admit it, I've been a little uptight lately. "

"A little?" Nicky scoffed, "You have permanent fuckin frown lines."

Alex touched her face. "I do not. Do I?"

"What you need is to get laid, son!" Poussey grabbed her hand and pulled her back onto the bed with them. "Let's go out and get you a girl."

"You should talk," The brunette looked at her pointedly. "When was the last time you picked anyone up?"

"Hey now, we're talkin about you." She replied defensively.

"If you're counting all the eye fucking she and Chapman did on stage tonight, then I'd say no, she's all set," The bassist laughed.

"You guys think you're so fucking funny, don't you? There was no eye fu-, you know what, forget it. I'm obviously friends with fucking fourteen year olds so I'm just gonna go drink by myself." She pulled herself into a sitting position and grabbed her wallet from the night stand.

"Ah, c'mon, Vause," Nicky jumped up, "Don't be like that."

"Yeah," Poussey agreed, sitting up. "We was just playin'."

"Look, I'll just shut the fuck up about it, OK? Chapman's smokin' hot, you wanna do her, we get it, cased closed. Want my advice?" She leaned in.

Alex sighed. "Not really."

"Just sleep with her already. One time, no guilt, no consequences. It's not like we all haven't fucked straight chicks before. Hell, I was in love with one." Her face fell a little and she shook her head as if to clear Lorna's memory from it. "I've seen your game, dude. It's pretty solid. You can get her in your bed easy. I'd bet money on it."

"How much," Poussey perked up. "Cuz you still owe me from last time."

"Hey, hey, there will be no betting. And I'm not gonna talk about this right now. Or anytime in the near future. Let's get the fuck out of here!" Alex said, flinging her hands in the air. "You guys wanna try Eclipse?" She named a hotel bar Denny the doorman had recommended, knowing fully well it was not her kind of place but wanting to go any way, to get out of her comfort zone.

"Sounds good," The drummer replied. "Yo, you gonna text Chapman? She should be comin' too. If you guys think she's in."

"Did she pass your little trial run?" Ni k questioned, re applying lipstick. "Cuz I'd say she did a-fuckin' okay tonight, wouldn't you?"

"If you two assholes don't scare her away...yeah, of course she's in. That girl killed it tonight."

"Do you think Larry is gonna stay on the rest of the tour? Being her manager and all." The bassist pulled a face. "I fuckin' hope not."

"Red's gonna have to sign her if she decides to go on with us and he has to sign a release saying he won't be able to make any money off of her," Alex lied. She hated being deceitful to her bandmates but they certainly couldn't lose Piper who arguably made them sound better than they'd ever sounded.

"Well, we'll deal with that shit tomorrow. Red probably took care of it already, knowing her. Text Chapman, see where she's at and let's go." Nicky said practically. "Text her already."

"She and Larry were grabbing a drink, I think she told me. Something about a wine bar?" Alex said uncertainly, holding her iphone in her hand. "She's probably busy..."

"You gotta at least ask her, man," Poussey grabbing the phone from her. "You starin' at it ain't gonna do nothing. Siri's not a mind reader."

"Poussey-"

"I'm just gonna call her," Nicky took the phone from Poussey and rolled her eyes. "Not brain surgery here, guys. ".

"No, Nick, don't,-" Alex began to protest. Nicky, for her part, grinned and hit call. "And you're calling her." She put her head in her hands. "Shit."

"Hey, Chapman," Nicky greeted cheerfully, shooing away Alex's attempts to retrieve her phone. "Yeah, this is Nicky. Listen, we do this thing on tour where the first night in each city we all hang out. We decided we're gonna hit a couple of bars tonight. Only catch is nobody else, just the band. You cool with that?" She paused, listening. "You're engaged, not dead, dude. Oh yeah...what? He says go, have a good time? Oh OK. Yeah, that's too bad." She put the phone to her shoulder, muffling the sound. "He's not coming on the rest of the tour!" Nicky whispered. "Thank fucking christ, right?!" She put the phone back to her ear. "So meet us in like half an hour at Eclispe? Just grab a cab. Yeah, Vause is coming too. The whole band." She raised her eyebrows toward Alex who willed herself not to turn tomato red like she'd done at the diner. "Awesome. Text her when you get there. Mhmm, ok. Later."

Nicky hit end and handed the phone back to Alex. "She said if you were coming, she'd definitely have yo because you're the reason she didn't lose her shit up there. Did I miss something?"

Goddammit, now she was certain she was blushing. "You didn't miss anything," She said casually. "When I showed up, she had a little bit of stage fright. I told her she just had to look at me when she got up there and I'd help her out."

"Right," Nicky snickered. "Vause, that girl has a crush, whether she knows it or not. And now that good ole Larry is gonna be out of the picture...it's now or never, Vause."

"Ok, just stop. Seriously. I don't want to talk about Piper for the rest of the night. For the rest of the tour. Except when it comes to music, ok? She's off limits. I've accepted it. Case closed." Alex fumed. Her friends were assholes.

"Whatever you say, dude," Poussey shook her head. "Let's go."

With that, the trio left the hotel and hopped in an Uber Nicky had secured. Eclipse wasn't overly busy when they arrived, save for guests from the hotel and they headed straight up to the roof bar.

Although Alex didn't dig high end places (you could take the girl out of the trailer park..., she reasoned), she had to grudgingly admit that the view was absolutely stunning. The arch, in all it's glory loomed out before her, along with all of the lights of downtown . It was pretty fucking spectacular and truth be told, she was still on a high from the concert.

"Ritzy, huh?" Nicky addled up behind her, handing her a gin and tonic. "Let's wait for Chapman and we'll head elsewhere.

"Thanks," Alex took the drink from her and sipped it. "Shit, that's good."

"Better be for what I just paid," She drank from her own glass. "But they do make a fuckin' good martini. Just dry enough."

Alex smiled. "Where's Poussey?". she asked, looking around.

Nicky gesturd with her thumb. "Talking to her." Their friend sat at one of the high tops, drinking spmething the color of antifreeze and having a good time with a very pretty girl who looked to be in her early twenties.

"Hmm," Alex pursed her lips, "She's kinda breaking our rules here...do we let it slide?"

"I think talking's ok...just as long as she doesn't try to bring her along, right?"

"I guess that's ok," She smiled. "Seriously, it's a good thing. I don't think she's really even talked to another girl in awhile. Too busy keeping your ass out of trouble."

"Whose ass is in trouble?" Both women turned at the sound of Piper's voice. And once again, Alex was struck speechless at how good she looked. She'd scrubbed the heavy face off and adopted her simpler, clean look but she wore a short dress the color of the sea after the storm and stilettos sandals. Her legs were amazing and Alex couldn't help but stare. Again.

"Chapman," Nicky said smoothly, sensing Alex's hesitation. "Glad you're here. Larry finally give in let you out of the handcuffs?"

Alex shook her head. "Really Nichols?"

"Sorry to disappoint you, Nicky, we're really not into the kinky shit," Piper replied calmly.

"Aw, that's too bad because-"

"Hey, can I buy you a drink?" Alex asked, stopping her friend before she said something crazy.

"Sure, thanks."

"It's the least I can do. You were awesome tonight."

"I'm just gonna leave you to it," Nicky said hurriedly. "My girl over here is sending me bat signals. Think she's trying to get out of her conversation. Hit me up when you guys wanna leave, ok?"

"Nicky to the rescue," Piper laughed.

"Yeah, when the chips are down, she's there." Alex said. "Hey, why don't you grab us a table and I'll get that drink. What are you having?"

"Margarita. Rocks. Salted rim."

Alex raised an eyebrow. "Tequila girl, huh?"

"My favorite," Piper grinned. "You?"

"I do gin or tonics or beer. That's all. Everything else doesn't sit right."

"Interesting," Piper mused. "Nothing else?"

"Nope. But let me go get you yours. Be right back."

As it turned out, three margaritas later, Piper couldn't hold her tequila all that well. By the time Nicky and Poussey were ready to leave, she was already pretty tipsy.

"You sure you wanna head somewhere else?" Alex asked skeptically, "Maybe I should get you back to your hotel."

"Please, let me come with you guys. I wanna party with you all," She replied, hanging onto Alex's arm. "It's band night, right? And Larry never wants to go out. All he wants to do is order in Chinese and watch Netflix."

"Who can argue with that reasoning?" Nicky said. "It's settled. Chapman's coming with us."

"I knew I liked you," She told the bassist, her eyes bright. "C'mon, Al."

"Yeah, c'mon, Al," Nicky mimicked as she and Poussey laughed. "The girl clearly just wants to have a good time."

" Anyway, you have to tell me the stories of your tattoos. Like this one," She lightly traced the little woman on her left arm. "Maybe I should get a tattoo tonight "

"No!" Alex said loudly as the same time Poussey said "Oh hell yeah!"

This night, she thought, as they rode the elevator to the ground level to hail a cab, Piper clutching her hand, suddenly seemed like it very well could be a very, very, bad idea.