01 | retro stuff — pulp fiction

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QUEENS, NEW YORK
PRESENT DAY

               PIPER SPENT HER YOUTH BEING PASSED FROM ONE HOUSE TO THE NEXT. Her records basically had "WARNING!" written in bold red letters due to the fact everywhere she went something peculiar would happen. Her first foster family called her "a demonic being from hell", insisting that whatever she touched brought agony to others—their statement somewhat true.

Since the incident happened, something inside Piper changed. After extensive research and accidental power outbursts, Piper diagnosed herself as an unstable teenage superhero in the making—well, sort of. Piper has the ability of neutral impulse manipulation meaning she can sense and manipulate the electrical discharges in nerve fibers of living organisms through touch to cause immense pain.

Unfortunately, her discovering her abilities hasn't been the easiest. She has yet to discover a way to control her strengths and even if the slightest thing triggers her she'll go off. From causing accidental strokes to almost killing her previous foster siblings for pestering her, you can see why she doesn't have a constant home. She keeps these things to herself in fear of being sent away to some creepy lavatory. People tend to react badly to things that they cannot explain. Luckily for Piper, her current foster mom is an ex-military who doesn't know how to cope with being back with actual civilization. She spends day and night drinking at the bars—she doesn't pay attention to much. As for her foster sister Lucy, she spends most of the day out at work to pay for them to stay in their quaint apartment.

"Janet, I'm leaving for school," Piper informed the half-asleep woman who was laying on the couch, a corona in her hand. No response. "I'm gonna be a little later coming home. Lucy's work is having a retro night so I'm gonna go with Hope." Piper paused for a moment but just sighed and slammed the door of the apartment. "Have a nice day, Piper! I'll still be a useless drunk when you get home." Piper snickered under her breath.

The walk to school is Piper's favorite part of the day. Not because she's going to school but because she actually feels normal. The high energy buzz of New York is such a rush. Watching all the different people storm through the street fascinated her. Everyone seemed to have something to do, someone to see and not once do they glance at Piper. She's just a normal girl out on the streets.

"Peanut, I forgot to do the chemistry homework!"

Piper cringed at the sound of the nickname her best friend ( well only friend ) gave her, as she walked through the school corridor. "Shhh! Could you have said that any louder?"

"What that I didn't do the chemistry homework?" Hope asked trodding alongside Piper like a lost puppy.

"No, dummy! I thought we agreed you can only call me that when we aren't around other people." Piper exclaimed, pushing her way through the sea of obnoxious students.

"Oh, you mean peanut? Calm down I'm sure no one heard." Hope reassured her best friend.

Piper suddenly felt a nudge against her shoulder, "What's up, Peanut!" The cocky voice of Flash Thompson belted throughout the school corridor. Piper squeezed her eyes shut and gritted through her teeth, "You've got to be kidding me."

"Oops?" Hope nervously laughed, but only received daggers from Piper. "Okay, well back to what I was saying before. I need the chemistry homework—like now."

"You sit next to Peter Parker, a literal genius, can't you just get it from him?" Piper asked as she stopped by her locker to grab her chemistry book.

"Seriously? Peter would never give me the homework you know that. Plus we sit in the front of the classroom I'll totally get caught." Hope whined like a five-year-old.

"I literally sit behind you guys what's the difference?" Piper slammed her locker shut and began walking towards the chemistry class, "Don't you think Mr.Hall is gonna start getting suspicious when our homework has been the exact same for the past five months?"

"Uh, No?" Hope retorted. Piper rolled her eyes, the two girls walking into chemistry together. Piper looked over to see Peter sitting at the lab station, his head in a book like always. She had never really had a real conversation with the boy—matter, in fact, she's never really had a real conversation with anyone at her school besides Hope. Piper didn't do good with people. The fewer people she grew closer too the less chance she had at hurting them.

"Hey, Peter!" Hope exclaimed, patting him on the back. Piper snorted, as she took her seat. This is going to be funny she thought.

Peter flinched, taking his nose out of his textbook, "Uh—hi, Hope?" He spoke rather confused on why suddenly his lab partner who is usually on her phone was suddenly talking to him.

"So, funny thing actually! My dog ate my homework so I was hoping you'd be a doll and let me take a peek off of yours?" Hope lied, flashing her fakest smile in the world.

"You're dog? I thought you were allergic to dogs." Peter asked, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Oh, well just the ones with hair—" Hope spoke slowly, trying to come up with something from the top of her head, "I just got a hairless chihuahua...his name is Pickle."

Piper couldn't help her let out a laugh at her horrible lying. Hope turned around slightly giving her death glares. Peter began to chuckle as well as not buying it one bit. Hope let out a groan trying to figure something else to say.

"Hey—you like retro stuff right? I always see you with that tape thingy." Hope asked, a smirk creeping at the corners of her mouth.

"It's called a cassette player, but yeah I guess you can say I like retro stuff," Peter confessed, his voice growing curious.

"Listen, It's retro night at the diner in downtown tonight. All the milkshakes are going to be half off and they're going to be playing oldie movies. If you let me copy your homework I'll buy you your dinner or whatever you want." Hope proposed, hopefully persuading the teenage boy.

Peter stayed quiet, pondering on whether or not he should take the offer. Hope being the impatient girl she was couldn't handle it, "Peter, I can't fail this class so make up your mind dammit!"

"Okay—okay!" Peter exclaimed, putting his hands up in defense, "I'll let you as long as I get to bring Ned tonight."

"Deal—Piper will pay for Ned." Hope snickered.

"Sorry, what?" Piper blurted out, zoning out of the conversation many minutes ago. Peter turned his head slightly making eye contact with the girl behind him. Piper looked away quickly towards her best friend.

She gave her a smug look before taking Peter's homework out of his hands, "We'll see you tonight at six."

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