Lulu sighed in frustration when she bursted inside her house, running to her room as she almost tripped over the sneakers she tried to take off at the same time.

She had been flying all over the country to promote the movie and was back just in time for the halloween party. But she would have to go on her own because she was late. As usual.

Lulu grunted as she found herself stuck in her tight jeans, falling face first on her bed as she tried to pull them down desperately, "That ass's gonna be the death of me!" she grumbled before finally stripping down, grasping the beautiful dress she would wear.

It was very tight and short, white with pink wavy edges and multiple patterns sewed with sparkly sequins. Colorful starfishes adorned the dress as two golden seashells were sewn over her breasts, creating the perfect mermaid dress. She decided to pair that with a golden choker and some rings and put on her platform black converses before applying gold eyeshadow all over her lids and under her lash line.

She popped her lips together after putting some lipgloss and locked the door behind her as she walked out of her house.

Her eyes met Fezco's figure when she turned around, realizing he had probably been staring at her before she even noticed he was there. She brushed the thought away and gave him a smile, "Hey, Fez."

Fezco knew his cheeks were crimson red —he could feel himself burning up from the inside, he fluttered his eyelashes to focus his attention on Lulu's face, somehow unconsciously letting his eyes wander on her curves just a little more. It took him a few seconds to realize Lulu had said hi.

"Holy shit, that's a motherfuckin' mermaid right there," he let out without thinking, "Fuck, Lulu."

Lulu giggled wholeheartedly, hitting his arm, "Thanks for the compliment, didn't expect that much."

"Well, I mean..." Fezco said, scratching the back of his neck, "You look like a princess, ya know."

She smiled, covering her rosy cheeks by digging in her purse for a cigarette, "So, you going to the party?"

"Yeah... need a lift?"

Lulu exhaled the smoke, "Sure."

Fez and Lulu didn't talk that much ever since Lulu pretty much lost her temper on Fezco a few weeks ago. They texted a bit, talked a little when Lulu would swing by the gas station and it was never really awkward but... they knew something had changed.

They couldn't pretend they were just friends anymore.

"I missed ya," Fezco confessed, stopping the car at the red light.

Lulu felt a tickling in her stomach, allowing her eyes to scrutinize Fezco's face. She took in the sight of his freckles, creating constellations all over his light skin, she bored into the blue of his eyes and finally lingered on his small beard, smiling internally.

Because... Lulu isn't really a fan of beards. So when she told herself she adored the look on him, she knew she was fucked.

"So, like... what you do for promo?" Fezco asked, his eyes focused on the road.

"Uh... well, it's not glamorous or anything," Lulu said with a chuckle, "Mostly just interviews and photoshoots. It gets repetitive real quick."

"That means you'll have your face all over the country?"

Lulu shook her head, "Nah, not really. If the movie does well with the reviewers then yeah maybe you'll see my face on big covers and shit."

"I can't fucking wait," Fezco admitted as he pulled over.

They walked out of the car, hearing people screaming and music blasting loudly. Lulu was excited, she would never lose that rush she would feel whenever she was about to walk into what was basically the representation of human turpitude.

Lulu abruptly stopped walking as they were about to get inside, causing Fezco to bump into her, "Yo, what's wrong?" She turned around and gave him one of those looks that drove him crazy on the inside, "I missed you too, Fez."

And she disappeared inside, leaving him dumbfounded on the front porch.

A loud gasp over at the kitchen aisle made Lulu swiftly turn her head to realize Jules, Rue, Kat and Lexi had their eyes glued on her. Jules dropped her shot and shrieked, engulfing Lulu in a side hug, "You are so freaking gorgeous, I'm jealous!"

"Thanks girl," Lulu replied as she scrunched her nose, "You drunk already."

Jules shrugged innocently, "Oops?" and poured herself another shot.

Lulu gave Rue a side look, leaning closer, "Is she good?" but she quickly sensed Rue's discomfort in her voice, "I... Nah, I mean, I-I don't know."

"Oh my god, wait!" Jules exclaimed, "Lulu, can you be Rue's chaperone?"

Kat scoffed, "Lulu, the chaperone?! Yeah, right," and received a death glare from Lulu, almost choking on her tequila shot, "Like, we all know you drink more than all of us combined, right?"

"You're lucky I love you," Lulu said before lighting a cigarette.

Soon, Jules and Kat escaped to go dance, leaving Lulu alongside Rue and Lexi, "When was the last time it was just the three of us?"

"I think there was no alcohol involved," Lexi said as the three started laughing.

And they ended up on a couch, eyeing Jules and Kat as they were getting more wasted by the minute.

"Is she okay?" Lexi asked, talking about Jules.

"I don't know."

"Does she normally drink?"

"No."

"Something's definitely going on. This must be weird."

"What?"

"Like, being a teenager, but not really being able to do teenagers stuff."

"Yeah, well, when I'm an adult, I won't be able to do adult things, either," Rue said before giving a look at Lulu, "Wait, you aren't drinking?"

"No."

"Are you okay?"

Lulu scoffed, "Yeah! I just don't feel like drinking tonight."

"Why?" Rue asked suspiciously.

I mean, I already said I thought she might have a drinking problem so...

"I don't know?" Lulu said with a shrug, "I'm hanging with you both and that's enough for me to have a good time."

Rue let out a side smile, somehow touched by Lulu's words when Lexi noticed something happening in another part of the house.

"Is that Gia?"

Lulu put her hand over her mouth, easily recognizing Rue's younger sister smoking a blunt alongside Roy and Troy, the twins that Lulu never really appreciated that much. They had never done anything to her before but seeing them hanging out with Gia made it all more clear as to why she never really felt a good vibe when they were around.

"You gotta be fucking joking," Rue spat as she stood up.

Lexi and Lulu followed suit, "He's gonna get his ass kicked and I'm so down for it."

Lexi let out a small chuckle and the two girls exchanged a knowing glance causing Lulu to realize how much she had missed feeling this comfortable with other people.

( )

a/n okay so i dont know why but i experienced some kind of writer's block on this chapter for some reason? and i still cant figure out why but yeah idk i hope you guys liked this chapter anyways??

(cause to get over writer's block i actually forced myself to finish writing it SO if it isn't extraordinary im so sorry but you can go ahead and be totally honest in the comments!)