Piper

I watched Ty sleep, taking the time to really look at his features. He was a handsome guy, just a slight stubble on his face and a small scar underneath his right eye.

I wondered where it came from, if it was abuse or something else. If I wasn't looking closely I wouldn't have even seen it. It was light and blended in with his skin.

I thought back to earlier when Jake had cornered me in the kitchen and warned me of his fragile mindset and asked me not to hurt him. I told him I already knew more than he thought and I didn't plan on going anywhere. I also told him I thought he was a great friend for being so worried about him. Tyler could really use good friends. Especially when he got down on himself.

Jake didn't seem like the asshole I had met before, the guy who made crude comments when I had mistakenly jumped into Tyler's arms and tried to screw him right in front of the guys. In my defense I hadn't known they were there though.

Maybe those guys changed and grew with Tyler. Maybe that's what friends do. Sophie and I tended to change each other. Wasn't that the golden rule? People change people? It only made sense that Ty's best friends would change too.

I admired Jake for taking that risk, I could see the jealousy in Ty's eyes as he came into that kitchen as if it were on fire. It would have scared me to death if he had looked that way at me.

He had nothing to worry about though, Jake wasn't interested in me at all. He was more interested in making sure his friend didn't get hurt.

My phone buzzed on the table beside me, and I reached out for it.

I quickly responded and slipped out from Tyler's hold. I thought about leaving a note, but that would only make him panic. Instead I shook him.

"Hey baby, what's wrong?" He murmured, eyes opening just a crack to look at me.

"My friend needs me. I'll be back soon okay?"

His eyes opened wider and he rubbed them, sitting up to look at me.

"What?"

"My friend. I'm gonna go meet her. I'll be back soon. I didn't want to leave without waking you." I said.

"Hurry back." He said, leaning up to kiss me and then rolling over to his side and cuddling into the pillows.

Within moments he was asleep again.

I pulled my shorts on, slipping a hoodie over my head and walked out the door.

It didn't take long to find dorm c, and within twenty minutes I was cuddled up in Mindy's bed while she cried on my shoulder.

She hadn't told me what was wrong yet, but it had to be bad.

"Talk to me Mindy, tell me what happened?" I urged her, gently patting her back.

"He said it was just sex. He said he could never love me." She cried, burying her face deeper into my shoulder.

"Who?" I asked.

"Jameson."

I knew there was something going on between them. What a jerk.

"Mindy he's just a douche. I'm so sorry." I hugged her tighter, not really knowing what to do to make it better. "You want some ice cream? Let's stuff our faces with ice cream."

Ice cream seemed like the go to in this kind of moment. You could never go wrong with ice cream.

"There's rock-rocky road in the freezer." She sniffled.

I got up, walked to the freezer and took out the carton of ice cream and two spoons from a small drawer in her little makeshift kitchen. It didn't really have much, just a microwave, a toaster, and a small fridge/freezer. Just like my dorm.

I handed Mindy a spoon and the carton of ice cream, waiting for her to take the first bite.

"Let's talk about something else, anything else." I said, smiling at her. "Ohh how about history?"

She forced a smile, dipping her spoon into the ice cream and taking a big bite.

"Let's talk about you. What's new with you? I've been hearing rumors." She said, almost instantly perking up when the ice cream hit her tongue.

"What kind of rumors?" I asked, nervous at where this was leading.

Had news spread about my hospital visit? About Jack? About why I really came here?

"Some girls in class said you've been real chummy with Ty." She said, going for another spoonful of ice cream.

I let out a breath, thankful it wasn't anything else.

"Yeah, we've been hanging out." I said, relieved.

"Piper he's gonna hurt you." She said, looking up at me with big sad eyes.

"Nah. We have an understanding." I said, smiling at her to show her I was just fine.

"Tell me you didn't sleep with him."

I looked away, unable to meet her eyes.

"You totally did!" She squealed. "It's only a matter of time now Piper. I'm shocked he still talks to you. He doesn't sleep with anyone more than once."

I looked back at her, an even bigger smile on my face.

"Really? Because we've slept together about ten times now." I said.

"What?" She jumped up, knocking the carton of ice cream over and flailing her arms in the air.

"Details. Now."

I laughed, picking the ice cream back up and handing it to her. I dipped my own spoon in, taking a big bite.

"We're kind of dating." I said.

"Tyler Scott doesn't date." She said matter of factly.

"Well he does now."

She shoved the ice cream away, getting up on her knees and feeling my forehead to make sure I wasn't sick.

"I've got to be dreaming. This isn't real." She said, touching my forehead again. "No, you're dreaming. Wait let me pinch you."

"Oww!" I screamed, pushing her away. "That hurt!"

Her eyes widened and she snatched the ice cream back, shoving two spoonfuls in her mouth.

"So tell me, is it big?"

I laughed, rolling my eyes.

"So big." I motioned her with my hands, smiling even bigger now.

"Shut up! Seriously?" She had forgotten completely about Jameson, which was my intention in the first place.

"Seriously."

She motioned with her own hands, much smaller than I had.

"That's Jameson. I thought he was big. You sure you aren't exaggerating?"

"I'm sure."

She blew out a loud breath, falling back on her bed and kicking her feet up in the air.

"Damn I bet that felt good. Is he as selfish as they say?" She sat back up quickly, grasping my arm. "Did you even get off? Did he go down on you? Everyone I've ever talked to said he didn't do that. Wait, did you go down on him?"

I laughed even louder this time, clutching my stomach and wiping at my wet eyes.

"You done now?" I said between giggles.

"Yep." She gulped.

She shoved another spoonful of ice cream in her mouth and pulled her fingers across her lips as if zipping them.

"Yes it felt good. No he isn't selfish at all. Like at all. Yes I got off, several times. Yes to the other two as well."

She grasped my arm again, squeezing tightly.

"You know what this means right?" She asked, eyes wild.

"Umm no?" I raised an eyebrow, putting another spoonful of ice cream in my mouth.

"It means you tamed One Time Scott."

I laughed so hard I spit the ice cream out, and it dropped down my chin. I quickly wiped it from my mouth and off the front of my hoodie.

"One Time Scott?"

"That's what the girls call him." She said, rolling her eyes.

She drug a hand through her black and blue locks, pushing it out of her face and tucking it behind her ear.

"That's hilarious."

She dipped her spoon in the ice cream again, putting it in her mouth and talking again.

"Smoterjackly."

Her words were mumbled and I had no clue what she was saying. I looked at her with raised brows and pointed to the spoon. She quickly pulled it out and swallowed the bite of ice cream.

"It's not a joke. I'm seriously freaking out right now. You and Tyler, Tyler and you, how, what, you must have a killer-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence." I warned.

I didn't need to hear about my killer lady parts.

She hit me playfully, smiling.

"Well I forgot all about that douche bag. Your escapades with The Tyler Scott is way more interesting. Thanks by the way."

I dipped my spoon back into the ice cream, putting another big bite into my mouth. I didn't even care that I had it all over me, because right now I was just happy. Here was this super cool girl who got screwed by a guy, meanwhile I was busy pining after a dead guy and one fell into my lap. It's funny how life works. It's funny how I met Mindy, but now I'm glad that I was crying against that dorm, because without Tyler hurting me, I never would have met her.

Life truly did work in mysterious ways. And it had proved it to me time and time again.

"Welcome bitch." I smiled. "I'm done with the ice cream. You?"

She shook her head, dipping her spoon one last time and plopping it into her mouth. Then she handed it to me and I took it to the sink. I put the ice cream back in the freezer and sat back down on her bed.

"What's he like? You know when no one is around?" She asked.

"He's pretty great." I smiled again, thinking of him, back at the penthouse asleep curled up in his pillows.

"Lucky. I'd die for someone like that; Someone who liked me for me and was a genuinely nice guy. I guess the fairy tales are true then, a good girl can tame the bad boy." She smiled a sad smile, one that didn't reach her eyes. Instantly I thought of Jake and how great the two of them would be together.

"So there's this guy, he's pretty great, I could introduce you. Tomorrow maybe? He comes to Ty's house pretty often for poker. You two would be perfect together. Of course you would have to let me play Barbie with you and make you so hot he couldn't say no. Oh, I have this little black dress that would look killer on you."

She glanced at me, smiling then frowning.

"You saying I'm ugly?" She asked.

"No way! Just saying I want to accentuate your goods darling." I fluttered my lashes, leaning back into her pillows and pressing a hand to my heart dramatically. "I can see it now, he will be tripping over his words."

"Let's do it." She said, offer her hand to shake on it.

"It's already done."

*

"Why do I have to do this again?" Ty asked, pouting.

"Don't you want your friend to be happy? I think they will really like each other." I said, pouting a little.

"Ugh don't make the puppy dog face." He groaned. "Fine. I'll call him now."

I smiled and grabbed his arm, leading him out of the penthouse.

"Come on, take me to my dorm in that fancy car. I need to get some supplies."

He groaned again, pretending he didn't want to, but the smile on his face said otherwise.

"Don't tell me you're going to turn my penthouse into a freaking salon. Please don't tell me."

"Okay I won't tell you. Tyler- baby, I'm turning your penthouse into a salon." I grinned, leaning up to kiss him.

"Kiss me again and I'll stop whining."

I kissed him again and pulled him the rest of the way out of the building and to his car.

When we got there, I grabbed the little black dress and a red dress, then I filled a bag with makeup and shoes and curling irons. By the time I was done I was sure Ty's head was spinning but he stuck true to his word and didn't whine again.

I looked down at the clock, gasping and tossing the bag to Ty. Mindy was due at the penthouse in ten minutes.

"Let's go!" I said, running back to his car with the dresses in my hands.

Mindy was already waiting when we arrived, standing awkwardly by the door. She glanced down to our intertwined hands, sending me a huge mega watt smile.

"Ready?" I asked as Ty opened the door.

"Ready." She said.

Mindy gasped as she walked in, taking in every inch of the penthouse in fascination. I had pretty much done the same thing. You know, when I wasn't flying off the handle.

I lead her back to the bedroom and handed her the black dress.

"Go in there and change."

She slipped into the bathroom and I started to undress. I had the red dress halfway up before I heard the whistle.

"Fucking damn." Ty said. "What did I do to deserve this sexy red dress?"

I pulled it up, walking over to him and turning my back.

"Zip me?"

With skillful hands he zipped the dress right up, twirling me around and planting a kiss right on my lips. No sooner than they touched, I heard a throat clear.

I whirled around, whistling myself at Mindy. She looked hot in that dress and I hadn't even started on her hair and make up. Jake wasn't going to know what hit him tonight.

"Oh yeah, he'll be drooling before the night's up." Ty said, kissing my cheek and leaving the room. "Don't make a big mess eh?"

"Wouldn't dream of it baby."

"Baby?" Mindy said the moment he was gone. "You're calling him baby? Damn!"

I raised my brows at her, pausing to dig through the makeup.

"What's wrong with that?" I asked.

"It's so official." She said. "God he is gaga over you. I've never seen him look at a girl that way. Usually he just looks bored."

I laughed, rolling my eyes and going back to digging through the bag.

"Told ya. Now sit." I pointed to a chair that I had set up in the middle of the room.

I stared at her for a moment, admiring her beauty. She was already very pretty, but for tonight she needed to be drop dead pretty.

I set to work on her hair first, curling it and pinning it to frame her face. The two front blue streaks hung down on her cheeks while the back two were pinned back in a half up, half down do.

When I was satisfied with her hair, I quickly pinned my own hair back and twirled back around to her.

I heard a knock at the front door and peeped my head out, asking Ty to keep Jake busy and not to tell him about Mindy yet. Ty hadn't even told him why he was coming, or that we were going dancing, he just invited him over and told him there was a dress code for the hang out. Personally I would have thought that was weird, but Jake didn't ask any questions.

I quickly shut the door and started on her makeup. When I was finished she had smokey eyes with a red pouty lipstick. She looked like she could burn a guy alive with just one look.

I sat in the chair and let her do my makeup, glancing in the mirror and smiling. She had stuck with neutral colors to bring out my red hair and I was thankful she didn't make me look wild. The dress was wild enough.

I hadn't worn this dress since Sophie and I went dancing on my nineteenth birthday, and tonight seemed like it was time to pull it out again.

I gave her a quick pep talk and walked to the bedroom door, opening it and walking out.

"So Jake, Ty didn't tell you but we're all going dancing." I said, walking up to Ty and grasping his hand.

"Man I don't wanna be the fifth-" he stopped dead when Mindy walked out of the bedroom, mouth dropping and eyes wide. "Who is that?"

"Jake this is my friend Mindy, she is your dancing partner." I closed his mouth with the tip of my finger and pushed him towards her.

"Hi, I'm J-Jake." He stuttered.

That's Mindy up there. Or as close as I could find anyways. I have no idea who she even is, but she fit almost perfectly to the picture in my head.

I'm having a hard time letting go, so it might be a few more chapters. I wanted to wrap up everyone's stories in a nice big bow in the end.

Tootles.