How Green Becomes Wood

"She'll miss out. I mean, I don't actually know what happens at those parties, I only see the people arrive, but it's like... only people who show up in the best costumes you've ever seen and don't show back up until like... 5am the next day. I bet it's like what a Masquerade would be like at Versailles. Kids get glimpses inside when they trick or treat there, the mystery is part of it. As a kid, I was convinced monsters actually visited." Sloan confessed, as embarrassing as it was, "It was like... Scary Godmother, if any of you have seen that movie."
 
They all shook their heads. None of them had seen the movie.

"That sounds awesome but crowded!" Peter grinned. "I hope I get to go, and you, too, since you'll be right across the street. Parties are the- Oh! I forgot!" He turned and dove into his backpack, sorting through a few things before he brought out a small, colorfully wrapped box. "Here. Happy birthday!" He hesitated. "If it's not okay for any reason, I can take them back. I don't want you to be uncomfortable, but I thought you might like them."
 
Sloan shrugged, figuring they probably hadn't, but knowing if they had, they would have gone feral at the reference. She might have tried to explain it, but then she was presented with a birthday present, "Oh, gosh, thank you! You didn't need to get me anything!"

When she unwrapped it, though, she stared at the earrings in the box. They looked beautiful and expensive. With the exception of the diamond earrings she received at her Bat Mitzvah, they were probably the most sophisticated thing she had ever been given. "Dude, these are gorgeous... they're not... real, though, right? Because that'd be a lot of money to spend, and I know your family are like... dukes or whatever, but..."
 
"They're real, but, and I wouldn't normally tell people this, and if it'll make you feel better," he leaned closer and admitted, "I got them on sale and then bartered them down a bit." Leaning back, he said, "I know you have piercings, but I thought having these might give you a chance to experiment with other placements without paying to get a hole poked."

Alec shuddered. "I don't know why people like doing that."

"I've been thinking about getting mine repierced," Xander said.

"Those are really pretty!" Alec assured Sloan, deliberately ignoring Xander's comment.
 
"That does make me feel better," Sloan admitted, picking one up, "They're really pretty. I don't even know if my mom would be kind if she saw me wearing fake ones, I was too nervous when Xander let me have one of his." She shrugged, lightly, "but I guess if I keep them in my car I can take them off before I go inside and put them on before I leave. Thank you."
 
Peter smiled, relaxing a little. He'd been worried that jewelry was too much for their level of friendship, but he'd heard Sloan saying she wanted more piercings but couldn't because of her mother. It seemed like a good gift, one that was actually useful.

"Are you going to put them on now?" Alec asked. "Or wait until you have a mirror?"

Peter gestured to the box. "And there's something under the pad thing that holds them."

Under the pad was a coupon for half off any piercing at one of the nicer places in town. It had no expiration date and could be used at any time, even if Sloan waited years.
 
When Sloan lifted the pad, she expected to only see, perhaps, a mirror or something, but when she saw the coupon, a little half smile crossed her face, "Cool." She tucked her hair back and put the pad back, before digging into her bag so she could put the earrings on where she liked them, "I always have a mirror with me, Alec. Even if I didn't, that's what front cameras are for."
 
"Front cameras always betray me, but I should have known you'd have a mirror," Alec said, reaching out and offering to hold the mirror for her.

Xander squinted at her ears as she worked. "Dang. Those do look nice. You should wear them to graduation."

"Oh, please don't just wear them on special occasions!" Alec protested. "If you do that, you won't get to enjoy them as much."

"They are for whenever you want," Peter told her with a smile. "Daily or special."
 
After getting them where she wanted to, she sat back, "I don't know when I'll end up wearing them. I don't think there's really a point to get something and decide when it'll be worn. I just pick things that I think look good with whatever outfit I'm wearing that day, so it's really not a big deal."

Taking her mirror back and putting it away, she thanked Peter one more time. Her hair, admittedly, did cover her ears once it settled back down, but considering most of the time she wore her hair in a ponytail, it wouldn't be a common problem.
 
Peter paused to think. "That is tonight," he stated. "How did my brain not register that? Don't worry, I will definitely be there! I just got a brain cramp and was thinking of the Judo tournament tonight."
 
"Yeah, but most Judo tournaments are a lot like your gymnastic tournaments in that mostly only fellow Judo students show up," Peter told her. "At least, until you get to the big ones! This one's more about school against school, so smaller and not mandatory. It's really good to attend those, though, because it helps you get a feel for fighters outside of your typical circle." He was giving Xander a pointed look while saying that.

Xander didn't look at Peter, his eyes glued to folding a tortilla piece as small as he could manage.
 
Peter shook his head. "No, I'll just be going to your party. I think I accidentally told a couple of friends I was going to the tournament thanks to that brain cramp, so I have to correct myself. Anyway, see you tonight!"

"You never told me about any tournaments," Alec frowned at Xander as Peter left.

"That's because I don't do them," Xander said simply.
 
"See you tonight!" Sloan replied, waving goodbye to Peter. Then she turned back to Xander, "Why don't you do tournaments? I'd have thought, with how competitive you can be, that you'd love to, you know, compete."
 
Xander shrugged. "Don't care to. Too many people and stuff."

"She's right. You should totally do a tournament!" Alec encouraged. "You'd be fantastic!"

Xander grunted. "Isn't it about time for class?"
 
"If you don't want to, nobody will force you," Sloan promised, watching him carefully because his refusal of tournaments really shocked her, and his clear hesitancy around them was curious, "I do think it can be helpful to at least watch them, even if you don't participate. It can be helpful."
 
"I would totally participate! Even if I fell flat on my face the entire time," Alec stated.

"You would, too, since you have no training," Xander pointed out.

Alec rolled his eyes. "LIteralist."
 
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