Princess eyed her reflection in the mirror. She repositioned her buns higher on her head and relaid her baby hairs into intricate swoops. Her almond eyes were accentuated with a smoky wing and a strip lash finished her feline expression. Princess always wore light base makeup, never wanting to hide her constellations of freckles but always made a statement with her signature lipgloss combo. If anyone chose to look past their fears and prejudices they could see that Princess was one of the most gorgeous girls in school, but because she didn't look like a Hadid, there was a part of her that would always be a tad undesirable. She didn't let it get to her.
She unflipped the gold septum piercing she hid from her father and finished putting on the rest of her jewelry. A faux pas she picked up from her father she loved mixed metals. She wore gold and silver with various gemstones but she couldn't be bothered to care what others thought of the lack of uniformity. She felt like she wore the sun, moon, and all the planets on her body. Her purple, red, and green plaid pants hung baggy off her hips and she slung various oversized necklaces on her waist. Her shirt was a nude cropped distressed beater with "Princess," airbrushed on the front in black lettering. Finally, off-white sneakers completed her fit and she popped her gloss one more good time in the mirror.
"God, I love when La Princessa comes out to play!" Mari admired her outfit.
It was true. At school, she toned her look down a bit, per her father's wishes. He had seen what she had purchased after shopping with Kamari one day and immediately threw a fit. He called her a styleless cosplayer and claimed she was wasting the good taste and money her status earned her. He wanted her to assimilate, so she hid her good stuff at Mari's and went to school in her plaid two-pieces, pin-stripes, and couture. Only her dance company got to see who she truly was. It might be time to change that.
"Me too," Princess agreed, "She should come play more often."
"YES! Now I need your help, which shoes?"
Kamari was the girlier of the two. She did a fitted cheetah print maxi skirt with a simple white crop top and a black cropped denim jacket. She styled her long goddess braids into a middle part that made sure the hair stayed behind her shoulders. As per usual, she did all gold jewelry with bamboo hoops, her "Kamari" necklace, light bracelets, and gold waistbands. Her makeup was clean and subtle, truly a natural beauty. In her hands she held up a black leather platform sandal, and in the other simple white air force ones.
Princess couldn't help but grimace, "Neither, you need a pop of color. You still got those red creepers I got you?"
"You mean the ones I asked you not to get me?" She rolled her eyes and reached for them in her closet anyway. "Yes, I do."
Kamari was still a little put off by Princess' money. The shoes had just come out and with Princess being a Morbucks, she got first dibs on anything new. She always picked two of everything with any and every launch. One for her, one for Mari. She had to explain to her multiple times that she was not trying to buy her friendship. The Martins were all good to her; this was just her way of sharing her blessings with those she cared about. She expects nothing in return.
"And you've got that oxblood Telfar bag I got you," Princess made the chef's kiss motion. "Ugh, I'm a genius."
Her creepers poked out perfectly from under the skirt and the red bag added that extra level of spice the fit needed to be less basic. If Princess had it her way she would've done the skirt with an orange top, teal sambas, a windbreaker, and ALL the jewelry. But, a good stylist knows her client.
"Should I do a red lip too?" She joined Princess in the bathroom mirror.
"No, that's OD. I had the same thought when I considered putting on my beret to match the pants."
She and Mari spent a few moments musing in the mirror. They were best friends, goddesses, and very very single. They were the others in their school. According to Ma, the two were simply too good for the selection at the narrow-minded school. They were better off focusing on their friendship and accolades, "but don't be afraid to show 'em, whatcha got!" She had once said.
"Here, squeeze in," Princess pulled her phone up high to accommodate Kamari's height and snapped a photo for her story. No filter needed.
"Okay, I just texted Mitch and he's already there. We've got like twenty minutes to make the show on time," She shoved her phone into her purse. "He said it's packed. People are asking about us."
"Us?" I questioned following her down the stairs.
"Hell yeah, us! The fireworks worked, Prin. Now we just have to show up." She braced herself against the doorframe. "Ma, we're leaving!"
"You know the curfew, no riff-raff, and no—" Ma began from the kitchen wrangling Mari's little brother's unruly hair.
"BOYS," The girls finished in unison.
"Have fun! Lord have mercy, boy if you don't stop movin' ya damn head!"
The Basement looked like nothing up top. It was located in the middle of the city of Townsville and people from all walks of life came to party on whichever floor of the 3-story building you chose. It was a white and teal blue building, repainted to match the improvements that were creeping their way into the lower parts of the city, but below was another story.
The basement was still completely unfinished. The only access to it was through the alley that led to a decent-sized yard and down the wooden stairs of the basement cellar. If The Basement got too full, patrons could still post up outside and fight for the handful of outdoor seating that was offered. Tonight the ground was shaking from the speakers, and the concrete walls were nearly busting at the seams with people. Princess and Kamari held hands and walked through the packed alley trying to land their eyes on Mitch who was likely holding their spot inside. It was pushing 8:15, and BC's band had not started yet due to the pandemonium of people. Was hosting an event like this even legal given the one entrance and exit to the location? Probably not, but the place made a killing doing events like these and it was BYOB. As long as no one said anything, The Basement, was just a basement. Kamari was vigorously texting Mitch and next to her Princess could overhear the whispers of her classmates.
"Is that Princess?"
"Obvi, look at the hair."
"What is she wearing?"
"Damn, shorty."
"Think she'll dance tonight?"
"Mafia princess."
"Just wait until Blossom sees her…"
She swallowed the lump in her throat and kept her eyes swiveling the crowd with a well-practiced confidence. She let it be known her intentions for the year when she took over the assembly. All she had to do was show up. They approached the cellar doors with the drummer's cousin standing guard and Mitch arguing to the death to hold the doors for them. Below a low note began to play and the crowd was going wild.
"Fuck!" Mitch grabbed the two of them and pulled them in front of the bouncer. "See told you. They're here, they're bad as fuck, and they need to be in that basement."
The bouncer didn't seem too impressed. He was in all black, a semi-broad build, with deep skin and a lime green fade. Small gauges adorned his ears and golds peeked through his lips when he sucked his teeth. He eyed Kamari up and down.
"They aight," He quirked the corner of his lip up.
Kamari sucked her cheek and tipped her head back to get a better look at the man. She eyed him just as he eyed her and with a huff, decided she was unimpressed as well.
"What're you, a freshman?" She began, "Saw all that snow on campus and left no love for the sunflowers, huh?"
"Really not a fan of winter," He smiled at her now, golds and all. "Prefer summer's temperament."
"I ain't hot?" She quirked a brow and shifted her weight to her hip, crossing her arms.
"Nah shorty, you too cold." He stepped aside and let the trio through, the bantering pair locking eyes and sharing knowing smiles between them.
"I love when you do that!" Mitch yelled to Kamari over the music.
"Just a bit of that Martin charm, Mitchie. You know this goddess face is a weapon." She laughed.
The song from the assembly began to slow and then stop. BC shook her bass guitar as they strode through the crowd. "Thank yall for coming to party with us," BC's smooth voice glided against the concrete walls of the basement and shivered down Princess' spine. "We're Rotten Flowers and I figured we'd slow it down a bit for a moment. Let the bouncer let the people of the hour in."
Princess's ears perked at her words. Was she waiting on them? Mitch probably did start a ruckus to make sure they got in on time and a decent spot near the "stage" (aka stacks of painted pallets pilled nearly too high to be safe). They got as close to the front as they comfortably could before the guy on keys began the digital beat. The tone was nearly haunted, but it had a sensual bounce to it that allowed Princess to roll her hips to the beat. Music was her safe space. With just a few notes she was transported to the lyrics and a story far from her own. Or maybe just the right telling of it.
I was invisible then I saw you and thought, "I wish you could see me."
Everyone walks around me, act normal, fade into the shadows
it's what everyone's expecting.
I'm not the person I'm projecting, I'm just protecting myself
I've got all of my ugly, still, you understand me
Maybe I'm not the only devil in this hell
Princess had this bad habit of dancing with her eyes closed and right now more than ever she decided it was one she had to break. She had bumped into Bubbles Utonium. The people who saw gave them a little bit of space just in case a fight broke out between the two, but Bubbles just smiled her eyes slightly bloodshot.
"Hey, you," She said bumping her hip into Princess's. "You guys killed it at the assembly. I've been trying to change that routine for years."
What was up with the puffs lately? First BC, now her sister? After years of enduring these girls now all of a sudden, everyone wants to be buddy-buddy. Granted, Bubbles had never been mean to her. She even was the one to shut down the rumors and snickers once they got too out of hand. So she had no real reason to dislike the blue puff, and she did kind of make a mockery of her and her squad even if they did deserve it. Bubbles was the most talented of them and with Brick gone, the Hot Pokers could use someone like her. Why not throw a wounded dog a bone?
"Thanks, Bubbles," she said sincerely and returned her smile, "We meant what Mitch said, you've got aura! And I'm sorry about Boomer, I know you guys were close…"
Her eyes seemed to downcast a bit before perking back up and leaning into me. "Before he left, he stashed a zip in my locker." She chuckled slightly. "Guess he made sure I'd be able to smoke the pain away."
You're my teenage freak fantasy, the monster you made of me.
I can't let you go.
I can't help but take what you give to me,
I want your everything. I'm losing control.
BC was crouched at the end of the stage mic in hand and bass strung behind her back. Her mullet spiked at crazy angles from sweat, her mascara started to smudge making her green eyes darker, and her skin glistened under the strobe lights. Princess caught the wild eyes of the singer through the crowd and her movements stalled under her gaze.
"She's amazing, isn't she?" Bubbles yelled over the music.
"She is," Princess agreed to the undeniable. There was something about Buttercup Utonium that was magnetic. So when she made the come hither motion to her through the crowd, her feet moved on her own accord. She pulled Princess onto the stage just as the song was ending.
"Ladies and gentlemen, Princess Royalty Morbucks!" BC introduced as the crowd hollered. She could hear Mitch and Mari through them all.
"Co-Captain to the Hot Pokers at Pokey Oaks high and damn," BC came close to Princess their profiles on display to the crowd while she snuck her free hand around her waist. Pupil wide Green eyes locked on brown before running over Princess's entire body before dropping to her lips. BC's tongue lazily danced over her lips before releasing the dancer. "She looks goodddd."
Princess's breath hitched and deepened before locking back in on Buttercup's speech, refusing to let the confusion show on her face. "She and her company were kind enough to use our music for the display. Ya'll think we should do it again?" She asked the crowd.
The crowd erupted with cheers and BC approached Princess again. "What do you say, Princess," her name was soft on BC's lips, "Wanna make Rotten Flowers the official music for the Hot Pokers?"
Princess couldn't help but love the way things were falling into place this year. An agreement with the hottest band in school was just what the company needed and Bubbles might just follow after. She told Buttercup that she wanted her throne this year and it looks like she's willing to help her get it. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Heather seething in the crowd. Blossom was nowhere in sight. She was much less action-packed when Blossom wasn't around.
Princess swiped the mic from Buttercup, "Not with the Hot Pokers, I think it's time for a rebrand." She smiled as the shock graced her features and looked to the crowd murmuring below her. Among them was Mitch and Kamari, nodding do it. "Rotten Flowers will be the official music for Oaks Kingdom dance company."
"OKAYYYYY!" Mitch's voice rang through the concrete walls before anyone could speak.
"O-K!" Another random crowd member repeated coining the acronym. Then another, until The Basement was filled with chants of "OK, OK, OK!"
BC mock bowed to the queen and slyly took the mic from Princess's fingers. "Bet they've never seen a monster on the throne, huh?" She whispered before placing the mic back on the stand and slinging her bass back to the front of her body.
Princess was making her way off the stage before BC's velvet voice boomed through the speakers once more. "Aren't you gonna dance for me, Princess?"
Her head was tilted slightly with a smirk on her lips. Her eyes gazed lazily at her body. She strummed the guitar, and the music began through the speakers. She knew what her answer would be.
"My pleasure." She sauntered back to her side on the stage.
Long time no write! Sorry it's been a while, but I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!