𝗪𝗔𝗜𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗠𝗘 ━━ l. valdez

𝐗𝐗𝐗𝐈𝐈𝐈 ; there in her glittering prime (the light refract sequin stars)

title from 'i can do it with a broken heart' by taylor swift

౨ৎ･ﾟ:*

I WOKE UP TO THE SOUND OF YELLING. i was falling. my body tensed i she reached for whatever i could. the arm rests of a chair? okay, so i wasn't falling...

i was at a table at a sidewalk café. it was a sunny morning. the air was brisk but not unpleasant for sitting outside. at the other tables, a mix of bicyclists, business people, and young adults sat chatting and drinking coffee.

i could smell eucalyptus trees. lots of foot traffic passed in front of quaint little shops. the street was lined with bottle-brush trees and blooming azaleas as if winter was a foreign concept.

in other words: i was in california. i'd never been to california, but i grew up during the age of hollywood. i saw california on the movie screens when i'd sneak out to the cinema against my grandparents wishes.

"what?" hedge demanded. "fight who? where?"

"falling!" leo grabbed the table. "no—not falling. what are we?"

"is this california?" i asked breathlessly.

jason made a little choking sound and said. "what are you wearing?"

piper blushed. she was wearing a turquoise dress with black leggings and black leather boots. she had on a silver charm bracelet and a snowboarding jacket. her hair was done up as well.

"it's nothing," she said. "it's my—it's nothing."

leo grinned. "aphrodite strikes again, huh? you're gonna be the best-dressed warrior in town, beauty queen."

"hey, leo." i nudged his arm. "you look at yourself recently?"

"what... oh."

all of them had been give a makeover. leo was wearing pinstriped pants, black leather shoes, a white collarless shirt with suspenders, and his tool belt, ray-ban sunglasses, and a porkpie hat.

"god, leo." piper said, clearly stifling laughter. "i think my dad wore that to his last premiere, minus the tool belt."

"hey, shut up!"

"i think you look spiffy," i told him reassuringly. i meant it too. leo looked like he could fit right into my childhood.

"i think he looks good," said coach hedge. "'course, i look better."

the satyr was a pastel nightmare. aphrodite had given him a baggy canary yellow zoot suit with two-tone shoes that fit over his hooves. he had a matching yellow broad-brimmed hat, a rose-colored shirt, a baby blue tie, and a blue carnation in his lapel, which hedge sniffed and then ate.

"well," jason said, "at least your mom overlooked me."

jason was dressed simply in jeans and a clean purple t-shirt. he had new track shoes on, and his hair was newly trimmed. his eyes were the same color as the sky. piper's facial expression read that jason was the most amazing thing she has ever seen, but she didn't say that.

"anyway..." piper said uncomfortably. "camille, you should see yourself."

"mils, you're a total hottie!" leo exclaimed.

i completely forgot that i must've gotten a makeover as well. i look down at myself and what i saw was shocking. aphrodite clearly thought i needed a lot of fixing because... wow.

i was adorned with a black mini dress. it was tight up top, but around my waist puffed out to give me a nice figure. i had on black sheer tights and my black boots i had secured from leo's toolbelt miraculously. i had my silver parka that had disappeared when i was claimed by styx. the shock of shiny brightness of the silver parka complimented the all black outfit nicely. piper handed me her knife which doubled as a mirror. the front pieces of my hair were pulled back and secured with a black bow. the right ringlet curls in my hair looked almost too perfect.