Preparty Gossip

Who: Peyton and Alexis
Where: Alexis's house
When: Evening

It was six thirty by the time Peyton decided to walk over to Alexis's. Tyler had left already to drive to Gabe's to help the other guys set up, and as Isaac was one of the "guys" too, Peyton refrained from calling him to occupy some of her free time before the party. So after eating dinner with her dad, Peyton changed and slipped on her shoes before heading out.

It wasn't terribly hard to find Alexis's house, given Peyton knew the town like the back of her hand, and the street name had been familiar to her. Stepping up to the door, Peyton knocked and waited, hoping Alexis wouldn't mind if she were thirty minutes early.

Alexis had nothing better to do than wait around for Peyton to show up. Her dad was "working", and she'd only been lounging around reading a book she'd found at Nevermore. It was interesting, but not near as nice as actual company. When a knock came from the front door, she hopped up, checking the peep-hole before opening the door. "Hey," she smiled, "You're early. Wanna come in?"

Peyton smiled when Alexis answered the door, readjusting her bag on her shoulder. "Hey! I know I'm a little early. Dad was getting ready to leave for his shift, and Tyler left before dinner, and I didn't really want to hang out alone at home." Peyton stepped inside of Alexis's house. "I hope that's okay."

"It's fine," Alexis said, "I just need to throw a few things in my bag. Come on in." The furniture in her house was sparse, the unfortunate effect of moving on a regular basis. The difference could be seen in Alexis' room, as she did her best to move in, personalizing anything she could. Movie posters hung on the walls, a beaded curtain between the bathroom and bedroom, and her box springs and mattress were pushed into the corner. She didn't have a bedframe, putting her bed low to the floor. "Is there anything I need to bring?" she asked, figuring this was an occasion to leave the gun at home.

"Uhm, no I don't think so." Peyton was kind of caught up in checking out the house and room, though she was trying not to be too nosy. She returned focus back to Alexis and grinned. "Actually, I always shove a t-shirt in my bag when I go to parties." She pulled open the messenger bag flap and pulled out her Rolling Stones t-shirt and waved it around. "I learned freshman year that beer and cheerleaders who can't hold their liquor make for a really bad experience so it's always nice to have a back up in case someone loses their lunch on you."

Alexis scrunched up her nose in disgust. "Nice," she said sarcastically. "I think I'll grab a spare as well, even if I just leave it in your car." She was still incredibly thankful that Peyton was letting her crash at her place. If her father came home and found her gone without reasonable explanation, she'd have a parental panic on her hands. "Who all do you think will be there tonight?" she asked.

"We'll sneak it in Tyler's car," Peyton told her, since Peyton was currently carless. "I'm going to make sure he gives us a ride home tonight. Or, well, I'll drive us home, since he'll probably be wasted." Even if she didn't have a license, she knew it couldn't be too difficult to get the car a few blocks back home. She shoved the t-shirt back in her bag. "Let's see... well, my brother, Thom, Isaac and Jason for sure. Gabe. Duh. Probably a lot of the football team and cheerleaders once the game is over. Gabe's friends, who I don't know all that well. Is there anyone in particular you're hoping to see?"

"Um, I guess not," Alexis said. The one boy she had been hoping to see, now had a very public date to homecoming. At least she'd only spent a few days crushing over him, rather than a few months. Hopefully she could manage friendship, since that was really all she expected to get, but she wasn't about to tell Peyton just yet. "I just think it'll be nice seeing everyone outside of school. Different settings give you a better idea of who they really are."

Peyton lifted an eyebrow and leaned against the wall. "You guess not?" She figured Alexis would want to see Thom, but she didn't come right out and say that. Or what she thought about Thom and Chrissy going to homecoming together. She didn't want to bring it up unless Alexis did. She knew what it felt like to watch the guy you had a crush on with other girls. Not that she knew for sure Alexis had a crush on Thom - just... girlish intuition? "And yeah, a different setting does help, although sometimes they're just as obnoxious as they are in school. Beer only makes it worse."

"Well... There was someone, but I'm the one staying in tomorrow night," Alexis shrugged. "It's silly, though. I've only talked to him once. It's so easy to make something out of nothing, you know?" Sometimes she thought that, if she didn't spend so much time alone, her mind wouldn't wander quite so much. It was a theory that had yet to be tested. "Do you know Chrissy Chapman?" she asked, deciding to go in that direction, rather than ask immediately about Thom.

"I know Chrissy, yeah. We're not friends or anything, but I know her." Peyton paused, trying to think about how to word what she wanted to say. She felt mild sympathy for Chrissy - certainly not when she was being a bitch and torturing kids in school, but because she still felt, on some level, that Chrissy must be unhappy underneath all of it. Or maybe that was just Peyton looking for good in everyone, when she shouldn't. "She's... not Thom's type. At least not from what I know of Thom. And you know, just because they're going to a dance together... that doesn't mean anything."

"What's his type?" she asked, then laughed nervously. "I'm just curious. I mean, this is really out there. I'd be surprised if he remembered my name." Alexis wasn't entirely sure guys crushed like girls did. She couldn't see them sitting around, wondering when they'd see a girl next, and what they should say, or wear, or how to do their hair. The vast majority of them didn't have to worry about weather it looked better up or down, that was certain. "Why would he ask her to the dance if she's not his type?"

"Thom doesn't... I don't know if he has a specific type? I mean, he dated Em for awhile, who I'm not too big a fan of. And then my friend Leija he dated for awhile and she's really down to earth and sweet and not at all like Em or Chrissy. Thom doesn't really..." Peyton trailed off, still sorting her thoughts. "I don't remember him dating a lot at all other than those two. He sort of keeps to himself. And to be honest, I don't know why he's taking Chrissy. I've been dying to ask Isaac, but I have to wait until I see him tonight. I'm pretty sure I can say that's not a love match at all. I think if they're together? Hell froze over and we didn't know about it."

"Maybe he's not interested in girls," Alexis said with a little frown. "I mean, he doesn't come off like that, but it's a reason to take a girl he has no interest in, but has social status. He doesn't seem like a social climber though, either." It would certainly help if she knew him better, that was for sure. "I hope that's not the case-- the not interested in girls thing. That would suck. In a bad way," she said, smirking a little.

Peyton laughed and then shook her head quickly. "No, I'm pretty sure he's into girls. Actually, I'm positive he is... his relationship with Leija..." She remembered Isaac telling her how Thom had been in love with Leija, and still wasn't exactly over what had happened. "But yeah. And he's definitely not a social climber. I don't think Thom's ever been interested in his social status at school, or anywhere. I think he's just really particular about what girls he likes. The Chrissy thing is a mystery, especially since the girl was the one spreading rumors about Thom and Isaac being gay for each other awhile back. Maybe she blackmailed him," Peyton mused in a mostly joking way. "Or put a spell on him? I don't really know. You should talk to him tonight. See how he's doing or something."

Alexis almost asked if Chrissy was a witch. Almost, but then decided that Peyton might look at her like she was crazy. Plus, this seemed more like high school drama than a real love spell, even if she had no idea how such things might work. "I'll talk to him then. Just in case," she smiled. "Chrissy really accused Isaac and Thom of being gay?" She giggled, just thinking about it. When she'd said it herself, she hadn't really been serious. It was only made sillier with the fact that she was talking to Isaac's girlfriend. She highly doubted Peyton would be into the boy if he weren't into her. "Did anyone actually believe it?"

"Oh I'm sure some of her friends chose to believe it, because they're all mostly sheep." Peyton waved her had dismissively. "No one with half a brain believed it. It was more Chrissy lashing out because Isaac and Thom both rejected her advances before. Chrissy isn't used to being turned down, if you ask me. I say go for it and talk to him. Balls to the wall," she stated firmly, remembering what she and Leija had discussed. "What have you got to lose, you know?"

"That's true," Alexis grinned. She'd never had a boyfriend, and if she did nothing, that might not change. If she talked to him, it might be the same. No hurt in trying, right? "So, how long have you and Isaac been together?" Alexis asked curiously. She remembered Peyton saying she'd known Isaac for a while, due to him being in a band with Tyler, but she really didn't know how long they'd been dating.

Peyton instantly brightened at the mention of Isaac - a natural reaction she could never really help. "A couple months. Not very long, to be honest. It feels longer than it has been, and that's not a bad thing," Peyton explained. Going through what they've been through had strengthened their feelings for each other, in Peyton's opinion. Life and death situations tended to do that, right? "But I've known him since I was little, and vice versa. I was that desperate sister of a friend who had a crush for like... four years before I got him to notice me. Things are really good between us though." She took a breath and smiled. "Sorry, I tend to ramble when it comes to Isaac. Hopefully you guys can meet tonight. And you'll be able to meet my brother, who I already warned you about."

It was impossible not to notice the way Peyton brightened at the mention of Isaac, and Alexis smiled back. "A couple of months seems like a long time, coming from a girl who's never had a boyfriend," she laughed. "I'd love to meet both of them, and I'm looking forward to hearing them play." Alexis grabbed her t-shirt and her purse as she rose to her feet. "So, should we head out?" she asked, having no idea how far of a walk it was. It couldn't be too far though.

"Definitely. It's not too far from here, and we should get there with enough time that we won't have to wedge ourselves in the door." Peyton started toward the door with a grin. She was eager to see Isaac and have some fun for once. Especially when there wasn't the knowledge that she would be cleaning up afterward. "But try to keep the dancing on tables to a minimum."

"I'll see what I can do," Alexis grinned. This was a better environment to meet new people, at least she hoped. She could be more relaxed, have some fun, and even if everything returned to normal tomorrow morning, at least she'd know a few more people. Hopefully they wouldn't remember her for doing something ridiculous. Dancing on tables wasn't the worst she could do.