How Green Becomes Wood

Since Sloan had been briefed on Becky's study habits she wasn't too bothered by any of the distractions, especially since sometimes taking little breaks from studying are what you need to refocus. Upon receiving Xander's text, she quickly replied, Yeah, why?
 
Wanna go to a party? Xander asked in his succinct way.

Becky watched her with an expression that conveyed nothing but polite curiosity before looking back at her notes. She really was a pretty talented actress when she put her mind to it.
 
Sloan stared at the text and couldn't help but laugh once at it, Since when do you like parties? and then she looked at Becky, "I think Xander is sick or something, he just invited me to a party. That's like... Alec inviting me to... I don't know, a wicker furniture convention."
 
Becky laughed at that. "Maybe if there was an opportunity to paint said wicker furniture I could see him going. But... really? Xander invited you? That must be some party!"

Since this one. It's supposed to be cool. Coming? Xander texted back.
 
I'm hanging out with Becky, what am I supposed to do, run out on her? And ffs, it's not like last weekend was particularly fun. Sloan replied, but because she was feeling like something was up, she paused for a moment and then sent a second message, What's so special about this one anyway?

"Or it sucks and he's trying to get out of it without admitting he doesn't like it," Sloan replied, resting her chin on her knee, "But then I'd be annoyed he didn't go with me last week."
 
"Wait, are you not going to say yes?" Becky asked, looking genuinely shocked. She started scrambling to her feet. "Come on! It's Xander! There's gotta be something cool about this party if he's thinking about going, right? You said it yourself, it's like Alec at a wicker chair thingy."

That was last week. This is this week. I'm a week older and a week more rebellious. Also, I'm sitting in my car outside. Becks can come too if she can drag herself from studying.
 
Sloan looked up at Becky and then again at the text and scrambled to her feet before hurrying to Becky's window and looking down at the street. "What the f..." She murmured under her breath and then shut the curtains, "I'm in jeans and a t-shirt and you want me to sneak out to a party?"
 
Xander stood on the sidewalk leaning against his car. He looked up and gave Sloan a salute when he saw the curtains move.

Becky paused and looked Sloan over. "I think you look great as you are, but if you want to jazz it up, you can borrow one of my shirts. You look great! But I've got a couple of shirts that I think could fit you. How do you feel about flowy?"

Xander sent a text. Come as is. It's chill. After a pause, he added, I've got pudding.
 
That sounds like you're an f-boi and you're hitting on me Sloan texted back, looking down at her clothes. It really wasn't what she would've chosen to wear to a party, "Aren't your parents going to freak out if they find you gone? They won't be back until after nine, but it's already seven, so... Unless you're planning to be there for less than two hours..."
 
Do you really want to study that much? Xander shot back.

"Don't worry. If we turn out the lights, they'll just think we've gone to bed," Becky told her. She pulled out several loose-fitting shirts that she thought might fit Sloan. "Mom never checks." She gave Sloan a pleading look. "He asked you, which means if you say no, I don't get to go, and I would absolutely love to see what he's up to!" She hesitated. "I mean, I guess if you really don't, I shouldn't, like, peer pressure you, but when does Xander Cunningham ever ask anyone to go anywhere?"
 
No, but I also don't want to get ripped to shreds by my mom.
"I'm sure he's asked people to go places before," Sloan replied, bouncing on one leg and then going to the window and looking back down at Xander, "This is crazy. He's being crazy." She did want to go, really, because she was deadly curious about what was going on, but... she came so close to getting in so much trouble the week before.
 
I'm not going to tell her. You're not going to tell her. Becky sure ain't going to tell her. And I'll be there to keep you out of trouble. Unless I start trouble. Xander responded.

Becky grinned at her. "I'm all about crazy. I promise, if you don't like it, I'll pay for an uber back myself, and I'll help you yell at Xander if he gets us into trouble." She waggled her brows. "Come on. Adventure time?"
 
Sloan rubbed her face and then texted Xander, You have no idea what it's like having strict parents and then told Becky the same thing. "I'm not even wearing eyeliner, I don't want to look stupid."
 
"Hey." Becky took Sloan by the shoulders, her touch light. "Look at me, girl. You are gorgeous. I'm not just saying that because I want to go to a party, I mean it. You could show up in a potato sack and you still wouldn't look stupid." She let go and hurried to the tiny vanity tucked in the corner. Quickly, she grabbed some makeup wipes and held them up. "I'll take off my makeup and even change if it'll make you feel more comfortable, but you do not look stupid. And as for strict parents... well, you're here at my house, aren't you? I can guarantee that even if we do get caught by my parents, they aren't going to tell yours."
 
"Yeah, but--" She half gestured to herself, trying to figure out how to express what she was feeling. She wanted to look nice and feel pretty if she was going to a party, and she had no idea who was even going to be there. "It's not even that I don't want to go, it's just... different for me."
 
Becky lowered her wipes and smiled. "Tell you what. You look through my closet and I'll set out my makeup stuff. If you see something you think will look good on you, wear it, and we'll do a quick makeup job. I have a lot of makeup because I do it for the drama club. If you don't want to go as you are, and you don't like what you're wearing, just say no. But... for what it's worth, I think you should go. I think it'd be good for you to do something ridiculous and spontaneous. If not, we'll go downstairs, pop some popcorn, and watch any movie you want."
 
"Okay..." She said slowly, still feeling anxious about it, but trying to act like she wasn't, because she didn't particularly like looking upset in front of people, "You should probably tell Xander it will be a minute." She took a breath and tried to remind herself it was fine and nothing bad would happen, it would be fun, it would be an adventure, and if Xander was inviting her it would probably be fine.

She hurried through Becky's closet until she found a dress that looked like it would probably fit over her hips, "Do you have a safety pin?"
 
Becky quickly texted him, and Xander assured her he could wait. He, in turn, texted Alec to tell the others that they were running late but on their way.

When Sloan asked about a safety pin, Becky held up a small clear box full of them. "Here, let me help. I can close it up so it doesn't even show." She quickly went to work adjusting the dress so that it fit Sloan perfectly without looking as though it was pinned. She moved aside so that Sloan could sit at the small vanity and showed her the makeup options she had to offer.
 
After the dress was pinned, she put her t-shirt back on and tied it so it stopped at her waist so she looked casual but still more put together than just the shirt and jeans. Makeup was quick, because really she just did eyeliner, mascara, and a bit of blush, because she had lipgloss in er purse. Then she was able to take another breath and change her ponytail to being only half-up, "Okay, I think this is better."
 
"From gorgeous casual to fun beauty," Becky told her happily. "Come on!" She quickly picked up the things off her floor and turned off the lights, making certain she had the house keys before locking up.

"There you are," Xander said mildly as Becky skipped over to them. "Who's sitting shotgun?"

"Sloan! I'll sit in the back. Retro ride, dude," Becky giggled, heading to the sliding door.

"Nice dress," Xander noted, opening the door for Sloan.
 
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