It had been a long day, topped off with a mountain of homework due in just a few days later. Hepzibah knew she ought to have been doing it now, but at that moment, she wasn't that interested in working. She had tried to focus, sitting down at her desk, forcing herself to figure out her fractions & take in more Shakespear, but the music blaring from the warehouse - even from the distance of the dorms - had distracted her.

The warehouse could be seen from the academy, out of the back, where the dorms were, & Zee had seen the lights & heard several screams & shouts mingled with the thumping tunes.

Having decided she wasn't going to be the only one left out, she'd got to her feet & started rummaging through her wardrobe, looking for something half-decent to wear. James had mentioned a party in cooking, was this the one he meant? With a pang she reminded herself it would probably be crawling with Plastiques & the like.

But still...

She found a favourite dress of hers; it was meant for everyday use but still had the 'formal' affect. Of course she knew the party would be far from formal. A bright yellow dress - sleeveless, 50's style. The skirt stuck out slightly from the clenched waist & stopped at her knees & covered in large, black polka-dots. Shoving her feet into her yellow dolly shoes with the tiny black lace bows - she liked to be colour co-ordinated - she ran a brush through her loose dark hair, bunching it back in an untidy ponytail. So bunched, so untidy that the hair band was hidden under the messy mass.

Checking herself in the full-length mirror & nibbling her lip awkwardly, she decided it would do. She didn't know where her dormmate Sam was, perhaps already at the party? As she descended the stairs, the common room was empty. That was a good sign; if they were all at the party it wouldn't be overun by Plastiques.

Hurrying out of the entrance hall she jogged out of the enormous wrought iron gates. Being September & eight thirty in the evening; it was already pitch black. A few street lamps dotted the dark country lane as Zee slowed her pace, cautious in the gloom but oddly eager to get to the party.

Reaching the warehouse, she expected to be shunned away by a pair of giant bodyguards, but was pleased to see the Plastiques hadn't gone to such an extreme length. Forcing her way through the crowds of people - which was difficult, as upon seeing a Jewel in their midst they promptly attempted to block her entry - she finally made her way into its midst, looking around for someone she knew. The music was deafeningly loud, but she hoped she'd get used to that. Someone almost spilled a drink that definitely wasn't non-alcoholic over her, but she dodged, moving to a less crowded space of the warehouse, tucking her hands behind her back & keen not to be spotted by the wrong people.

Looking up from examining her bright yellow shoes as she turned her feet inwards slightly, Hepzibah heard her voice over the music & was delighted to see a face she finally recognised; 'Pilot!' was her greeting as she hastily brought her arms back in front of her. Unsure what to do with them, she awkwardly laced her fingers together instead.

'Surprise! Yeah. Well, right back at'cha.' Back at'cha? Zee felt her face burning with embarassment as her cheeks flushed pink - a terrible contrast to her dress. Who still said, back at'cha?