Awake at Last

Six

We pull up to the party right on time. Everyone's already there, and the house- I'm guessing it's Scott's and Mitch's -is packed with people. Lights flash inside and the beat of some stupid hip-hop song vibrates through my body as Piper and I unbuckle our seat belts and jump out of the car.

"You look great again, Alyss, why do you still look like you're about to throw up?" Piper says, grabbing one of my elbows. I do feel queazy, mostly because of what I'm wearing- tight, black, ruffled mini-skirt and simple silk, teal tank-top paired with black tights and black, lace-up combat boots to match. I look like... like an evil Piper clone, ready to take over the world via skimpy dresses and shopping. She, of course, picked this for me and did my makeup and hair- which consists of a dramatic smokey eye and bright red lipstick, with my hair curled in tight ringlets and pinned up in a sloppy but- apparently -'chic' bun.

Piper said Avi would like it, I just think I look ridiculous. "Piper, you just had to go and throw me into this, didn't you?" I complain, shaking her grip off of my arm and resting my hand on her car. I'm trying to hold down my puke and find some kind of balance for my shaking body.

"I said you look great, now come on!" She grabs my arm and drags me inside. I feel like most of my days are spent with Piper pulling me around. We push through the door and into a sort of great room, with a couch, TV, and a few other living room things. An archway leads into the kitchen and a few doors line one wall- into bedrooms and a bathroom I'm guessing. Sitting on the couch, draped in fans and flashing winning smiles at everyone, is the main trio: Scott, Mitch, and Kirstie. Avi and Kevin are hanging out in a corner with drinks in their hands, talking to each other.

From where I am, I can't make out what they're saying, but it doesn't matter anyway because Avi notices me and immediately stops talking to his best friend. I notice the smallest bit of movement as my... boyfriend, I guess I should call him that now, taps Kevin's arm and gestures to me. It's as if he's saying 'look at the prize I won'. I instantly feel self-conscious as I catch both their gazes on me, and try desperately to make the skirt magically longer. That method didn't work, and I try really to disappear into a wall, but that doesn't work of course so I'm stuck standing here like an idiot. "Let's go say hi to Scott!" Piper says, quite conveniently forgetting her promise that she would stay off him. I find myself pulled by my arm as she walks over to the three on the couch, pushing through the sea of fans and inviting herself to sit down. I'm left standing, so thanks a lot Piper. "Hey guys!" She says, flashing one of her 'I'm so perfect, can't you tell?' smiles. "So what're you all up to?"

"Oh, hey," Scott says, being the first of the three to talk. Kirstie looks at me and a light of recognition blazes through her eyes.

"You're Avi's girlfriend, right?" She asks, smiling at me. "I saw you on the news last night. It was honestly a little weird to see one of my best friends snuggled up with some girl. I'm Kirstie, and you are...?" Oh, great. Just-freaking-great. Now I'm being recognized by celebrities as 'Avi's girlfriend'.

"That's right," Piper volunteers. I flash her a grateful look for getting me out of that mess. Even if I had had the slightest idea on what to say, I wouldn't have been able to choke it out. "This is Alyss and I'm Piper, and missy got herself into some relationship with bass cannon Kaplan over there. Don't think she'll say anything, though, because she won't even tell me and I'm her best friend." She laughs, blissfully oblivious to how annoyingly much she's blabbering on.

"Piper, please do shut up and get me a drink," I order, already feeling the headache coming on. She sighs, scuttles off, and I take her seat on the couch. Of course as soon as my butt hits the cushion, all eyes are on me as Avi pulls me into a hug. So much for 'no more PDA'. "Hi Avi," I grunt, mouth buried in his shirt. "You're kind of crushing my ribcage, so if you could..." he lets me go and smiles apologetically. New scientific discovery, get your notebook out for this one: Avi's smile is still contagious after knowing him for four days.