Lethal Lust (Harry Styles x Reader)

the black swan.

"Okay ladies!" Pepper Stone loudly exclaimed from behind a red velvet partition.

"For this year's theme I've decided to craft costumes that are traditional yet classical, simple but stylish!" She spoke, in that irritable, nasally upper register that got on everyone's nerves.

"Jesus H. Christ, you're boring me already and I've only been here for five minutes." Matilda expressed, perched on Pepper's bedroom window-sill, cradling a lucky strike like her life depended on it.

"Anyway" she continued, undeterred by Matilda's overt passive aggression. "Inspired by the legendary Tchaikovsky ballet I present the dresses!"

Pepper jumped from behind the partition, swinging the dresses around to the tune of the little swans that was now playing from her speaker. Hastily attempting to- uh dance? but she had all the grace and charm of a paralyzed bear on ice.

Pepper was one of those girls that were difficult to love but impossible to hate. Yes her overt theatricality could rival that of Sharpay Evans, and her constant need to be in control of every minuscule thing was kind of annoying. But...she had this positive and cheerful out-look on life that was infectious. Well infectious to everyone but Matilda Moriarity.

"Its a little basic, Pepper. Don't you think?" Pepper hated being called "basic" she found it very demeaning towards her determination to be individualistic. "How are we supposed to win with a stupid idea like that!"

Pepper's little lip was quivering, tears pricking her eyelids. Great! She was about to bawl her eyes out. See Pepper, being the captain of the glee club and head of the Theater committee was melodramatic af and so was as sensitive as my skin when there's no more mineral cleanser left and I'm forced to use baby wipes to get my make up off. God just thinking about it makes my eyelids sting. Ow.

"Hey Pepper." Meghan Devich shot up and attempted to calm her down in a cool and soothing voice. "I think the swan costumes are an amazing idea." Meghan smiled, "Every other girl will be in skin-tight Velcro as a sexy cat or a slutty zombie schoolgirl or I don't know a knock-off Britney Spears in "Hit Me Baby One More Time." We are going to win by being classy."

No one gets anywhere being "Classy"but alright Meghan "I'm going to be the First Lady Of America" Devich.

"You really think so?" Pepper inquired, her spirits a little lifted.

"I know so!" Meghan took the dresses and started handing them out. Okay, okay...they were beautiful, Pepper might not be the sharpest tool in the shed but she really knew how to work a needle. She was like Hester Prynne minus y'know being a slut and getting knocked up by a priest. White corsets encrusted with diamante studs with white tutus adorned with feathers. It was stunning...but there was only three! By the time Meghan got to me all the dresses were gone! WTF? Am I supposed to turn up in nothing? Hehe... bet Harry would like that-

"Before you convulse with shock and horror at the thought of not having a costume-" Wasn't going to do that...If pushed, my last minute.com option was cutting holes in my tank then all of a sudden i'm Regina George and I win Halloween, basic white bitch edition.

"Tchaikovsky would be turning in his grave if I made four Odette costumes and didn't consider making an Odile one." In her hands was a black ballerina dress, still the same corset with feathers but with Gothic lace and Bardot neck-line. Jesus, just one look at it and I could feel middle school me die of happiness in the note of G.

"Oh Pepper" I muttered in disbelief, "I can't wear that, I couldn't do justice to it! I mean i'm just a plain stock Mary Sue, who sports messy buns and drinks PSLs. I haven't got a sexy bone in my body- everyone will just think i'm trying too hard to be something I'm not!"

"Oh come on! Y/N! I've seen more spine in Jellyfish!" Matilda flicked the cigarette out the window and snatched the dress from Pepper's hands and threw it at me. I near choked to death on the feathers. "Last time I checked! you weren't Greg Heffley so that means you have no excuse for being a friggin' wimpy kid." Uh... that is the worst insult I think she's ever thrown at me! Note of guidance readers, you want to intimidate your best friend? Don't quote a kids book then you're just sad.

"You are going to wear that dress tonight, you are going to be the talk of the dance and you're going to win us that 150 dollar Sephora voucher so I can beat my face and look like Miss Robyn Rihanna Fenty herself! DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR!" Matilda was right in my face which was slightly unnerving me, she takes this whole competition thing way too seriously. But I didn't want to rock on out to the Dance-floor looking like something I wasn't. When people spoke my name they thought of pure and piety not sexy emo hooker goth swan hybrid! But Matilda's eyes were piercing into my very being so I submitted.

"Fine!" I sighed, "I'll be the Black Swan." I was given a massive hug from Pepper and a cheer from Meghan. Matilda picked up her make-up bags and proceeded to the bathroom.

"Now C'mon, I have half an hour to miraculously take you from a lousy 6.5 to a perfect 10 and help you impress a certain boy." Matilda spoke and gave a playful wink.  What the hell have I got myself into?