(Michelle POV)

I woke up on the 23rd without realizing what day is was. I took a shower, rinsed my body with a special orange-scented body wash my mom had bought for me and washed my hair with a 2-1 shampoo and conditioner my mom had bought for me. I got out after a few minutes and was standing, looking through my closet while I wore only a towel, when Iris spoke suddenly and scared me.

"Madame Michelle, today is your homecoming. Shall I gather some dresses ideal for homecoming for you to wear?" Iris asked, and I gasped for breath. Then, I realized what she said, and nearly choked in surprise.

"Shit! Today's homecoming, I completely forgot! Uh, sure Iris, you can get a few dresses. It's at 6 pm right? Ugh, I have stuff to do before then. I'm gonna get dressed and go out for a few hours, okay Iris?" I cried. Iris simply nodded wordlessly and walked off, and I closed my door before continuing to pick out an outfit.

I eventually decided on a simple gray shirt with a plaid shirt over it, tied in a knot towards the bottom. I also had jeans and a pair of heeled fur boots, and a neat scarf as an accessory. I might hate how many fancy outfits I was forced to own, but I'd be damned if I said I didn't like to dress up once in a while. Of course, by 'dress up' I mean in my own style and not my mother's version of 'dress up', which was slapping on a $2000 dress, heels, makeup and bag to accessorize.

I took my long, platinum blonde hair and styled it into a waterfall braid. My mom had taught me to style my hair when I was 10, and so I had styled my hair on my own every day since. I put on minimal makeup: light brown eyeshadow, no blush, a tiny bit of mascara and clear lip gloss. As soon as my makeup was done, I grabbed my car keys and walked downstairs and outside. I locked the door behind me before I walked to my car.

I drove my car to the mall, and decided to walk around. I wanted to try and keep myself busy as long as I could so I'd have an excuse to not go to Homecoming.

I stopped by a Hot Topic in the mall. I had heard of Hot Topic, but I had never gone inside one. I walked around the Hot Topic, looking around the store. I found a few really cool shirts, and even a few dresses.

As I looked around, a store employee walked over to me.

"Hello there, do you need any help today?" She asked, a smile on her face.

"Uh, not really. I'm just looking right now, I have never come here before." I replied calmly, a smile on my face. "Actually, wait, do you have anything plaid?"

"We have a plaid dress." The employee replied, walking me over to a dress on the wall. "What size are you?"

"Oh, I'm a medium." I spoke, and the woman nodded and grabbed a dress in a size medium.

"Here you go miss." The employee said as she handed the dress to me. "Is there anything else you need help with?" I shook my head, and the woman nodded and walked off.

I left the Hot Topic with ten shirts, three dresses and a necklace. I was proud of my purchases, and went to put my purchases in my car. I may have hated to fit any stereotypes, but I did fit the 'loves to shop' stereotype. Though, I only liked to shop for clothes that I personally liked, which usually consisted of all the clothes my parents disapproved of.

I soon walked back into the mall, walking from store to store to find clothes I liked. However, my plan to keep myself busy failed when my mother demanded I come home at 5 that evening.

When I got home, my mother wasn't there, but she had Iris contact her when I did get home. I picked out a midnight blue and violet colored dress, with a pair of platform heels that my mom insisted I wear. At 6 pm, I reluctantly headed to the homecoming dance.

When I got there, many people were surprised to see me. After all, I had insisted many times I would not be attending. I walked in, and immediately sat down on a chair and refused to move from there. However, sadly, I didn't stay seated for long.

It was a quarter to 8 when someone forced me to drink a cup of the punch, which I was stupid enough to not realize was spiked with alcohol. I got drunk rather quickly, but luckily for me, I seemed to have a good tolerance to it.

At a little past 8, I stumbled outside, past a few wasted, passed out teens, and to the street, where I saw none other than Peyton herself. I waved my arm excitedly at her, and her face morphed into an expression of confusion.

"I didn't expect to see you here." I spoke, my voice a bit slurred. Peyton seemed to hold herself high.

"Oh, I'm not here for the party. I'm just here to see how many kids have already gotten wasted." Peyton replied, and I couldn't help but laugh. "Why are you laughing?"

"That's the fucking lamest excuse I've ever heard." I laughed, my eyes tearing up. "Seeing how many teens are wasted? Are you fucking kidding me? What's your real reason?"

Peyton fumed. "That is my real reason!"

I heard the tone in her voice, the honesty, and I stopped laughing. "Ah. Well, that is a dumb reason. But, I've done things for dumber reasons."

She looked at me like she couldn't believe a word I was saying. "You? I doubt that."

I perked up. "Oh, I have. I once came to a party simply because someone had told me some kid was gonna bellyflop into the pool." I remarked with a laugh. "Never did happen though. The kid had just wanted me there to ask me out."

"A plus planning to that dude." Peyton remarked, and I laughed. "What?"

"You're actually pretty funny." I admitted, laughing. "I would've never known, cuz you never talk to anyone."

Peyton shook her head, her hair cascading in waves along her side. "I don't particularly like people." She responded, as she turned to make her way back to wherever she lived. "Also, my mom needs me back home, so I have to go."

My body sagged as I fell a little forwards, my arms falling to my sides. "Oh phooey. I was just having an actual, real conversation with you."

Peyton looked at me like I was crazy. "What, like you want to talk to me? Me?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Well I mean, yeah. You always glare at me as if I did something wrong. Whatever it is, I want to fix it. I hate being hated, especially for any wrong-doing I've done." Peyton paused, then abruptly turned around.

"You're rich." She hissed, glaring at me. "There's a hundred things you've done wrong." With that, she turned and walked off at a fast pace, so fast that I, in my drunken state, couldn't keep up with her.

I wobbled after her, crying her name, but she didn't even turn around. She just kept walking as fast as she could, and she soon disappeared from my sight. I continued to cry her name for a solid minute, but when I realized she was truly gone, I sat on the grass and sobbed. I ended up having to call Iris to come pick me up, and she looked at me disapprovingly when she saw I was drunk.

"Madame Michelle, you musn't get drunk at dances." Iris chastised as she drove me home.

"Someone handed me a spiked drink. I didn't realize it was spiked. I'm stupid." I replied, shaking my head. I glanced out the window, and sighed.

When we arrived home, Iris helped me into the house, and steadily walked me to a couch. She brought me a glass of ice water and two pills for my head. I downed the pills and drank some of the water, then I remembered what had happened that night, and I began to sob. Iris was clearly taken aback; I had never cried in front of her before.

Iris cared for me until I fell asleep at 11 that night, and I quietly thanked her before I fell asleep.

Sorry for the incredibly long wait, but thank you for being patient. Here's the next chapter, and it's extra long (1.4 thousand words)
~ Liz