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Poppy tried applying makeup onto the eye that was scarred, it was abit more troubling considering she couldn't see out of it so she had trouble with the mascara. Eventually getting it,
Her fifteenth was coming up soon, She hadn't exactly planned on doing something to extra, only a small party with her friends and closer family.
That was her gameplan until Enzo burst through the door of Demeter Cabin
Millie was relaxing on her bed, in a deep sleep as she had a small purr in her chest which had soothed Poppy's thoughts.
"Poppy!!! You in here? You didn't show up at the Dining pavilion" She looks over at him and sighed, this boy has been pestering her about her birthday for the past month now.
Millie jumps up with a yowl as he catches her off guard, her tail bushing up before she sees who it is and loafs back down.
"Okay so my mom as you know lives in New York now, turns out being a Model gets you even more money over here. Anyways she has agreed to pay for your quince!"
"Enzo..I've already told you, I don't want some big extravagant get together. Half of my family don't even know I exist or I've met once, and it didn't go so well."
"So? You don't need them, am I not your family?" He put a facade of offense. "Twelve years of friendship down the drain like that."
Poppy chuckled. "I just, it feels abit much does it not? Besides I don't want your mom spending so much money over me-"
"Shut up! Your practically like a daughter to her." Enzo cut in, he stole her chocolate bar and took a bite. "Besides she wouldn't offer if she cared about a price."
"I was eating that." She rolls her eyes. "I know Quinceneara's are important to my culture and I know what happens in one. It just..I guess it doesn't feel the same, what's the point."
Enzo sighed "Listen I know your father's not gonna be there, but he'd want you to celebrate it would he not."
Poppy tapped her mascara against the mirror in thought, before reluctantly speaking. "I'll think about it, THINK about it. I'm not saying yes or no."
He squeaked "Oh we'll have to get your dress! And uh..could Micah come maybe?"
"Enzo! I said maybe. Not confirmed or anything." She reminds him, sometimes she wonders how they've been friends for so long.
Enzo laughs as he grabs his things, preparing to go and contact his mother with the news "Well it's clearly a yes considering the fact that once I tell her something she is not going to let you disagree, so get ready on Saturday we are going dress shopping in NYC! Itself!"
Poppy stood up "Enzo! It's gonna be extremely expensive shopping in New York itself, let me just order something online and have it shipped in."
Enzo turned to face her "And risk it making you look washed out, no chance Pops! We are getting a dress that compliments your complexion and doesn't make you look like you haven't touched sun in 85 years"
"Your taking this way to close to heart! Enzo! It'll be jam-packed, did you forget it's spring. Loads are looking for Spring dresses in shops, especially on a Saturday."
"We'll figure that problem out when it comes to it!" He then tries to pet Millie on his way out but she hisses, so he yanked his hand away and quickly left.
Poppy sat down next to the cat and stroked her across the back "What am I getting myself into, hm?" She looks down at the cat affectionately, Millie tended to hang in here with her.
Poppy definetily was going to regret informing him that she might be on board with the plan.
She decides against dwelling on the thought and to catch some shut eye before tomorrow, she really was going to regret this. She absolutely despised crowds of people. It made her overwhelmed.
The next morning she was in bed snoring, when she got rudely awaken by Enzo who chose at that moment was perfect to awake her.
She groans and swipes his hand away "Five more minutes." She mumbles incoherently.
Enzo shook his head "No can do! Mom'll be picking us up soon to drop us off in New York for the day. Aren't you excited."
Poppy let out a fake cheer sarcastically "Yayy I'm so excited.. " She started drifting back off to sleep, when she was suddenly shoved onto the floor and she stood up "Enzo!? What the hell!" 'I'm gonna kill this man one day.' She thought.
Enzo looked away for her own Privacy to get dressed "I'll be waiting outside the Cabin! Kinda have to sneak away from camp, I didn't tell Chiron were leaving."
Poppy brushed her hair and got dressed before joining him to sneak out. "Is this Necessary?!" She whisper-shouts.
"Yes!! Very" They eventually make it to the road and get in the car.
Poppy notices the time "Five in the morning!?! YOU WOKE ME UP AT FIVE!?"
Enzo nodded "Bright and early, I wake up at this time every morning. It's quite peaceful, Trust me."
"After this I'm never trusting you again." She grumbles to herself.
Eventually they get into New York and she follows him to the Mall, Where they have breakfast quickly before their shopping pursues. "I hate you."
"I love you to." He retorts back.
They were waiting for the Waiter to drop by and take their orders
"I really despise you right now for dragging me out here at this time of the morning, you are the most irritating person ever!! I could just kill you!"
She slammed her fist down on the table while looking up at him.
"I think you'd miss me to much if you killed me, besides who would you gossip with? What would you do without your dearest best friend"
"Aww cute, your not my closest best friend actually. It's Threo." She has a nickname for the Older girl.
"Picking some Random over your childhood best friend, how foolish of you! Terrible choice." He leaned back in his seat.
"Uh huh? I was joking you dumbass, why would you not be my best friend." She smirked.
"Oh so I'm the dumbass now, let me remind you who tripped down a hill while trying to confess their love to someone and you still chickened out after falling." He reminds her.
She scoffed "You'd stoop as low to remind me of my failures, tsk tsk." She over exaggerated her words. Crossing her arms over her chest.
"Y'know while we're out, you wanna drop by hot topic? You might find your Gyaru stuff there, whatever it's called."
Poppy placed a hand on her chest. "It's a very beautiful style! Besides im Gyaru and part decora ish, i don't keep all these bracelets on my wrists for nothing. And all the clips in my hair and stuff makes me look prettier."
"But yes I would enjoy to go to Hot Topic."
Enzo beamed at the thought, before yanking the menu from her hands. "So what are you thinking on getting? Cause I'm really craving that chocolate milkshake and pancakes. With a full breakfast."
Poppy grabs the menu back with a roll of her eyes "Uhhh, probably a strawberry Milkshake. Maybe just some pancakes With eggs on the side and sausage, not the biggest fan of anything else."
The Waitress eventually comes over "May I take your orders?"
Poppy nodded and told their orders to him watching carefully as she noted it down before walking off.
Enzo turned back. "So why won't you tell him how you feel."
Poppy noticed the girl bring their milkshakes back and she sipped on hers for a moment. "What if I mess it up, I mean. Sure I'm a good friend but a good girlfriend? That's a push."
"You two fight like a married couple already, makes me feel like a child of divorce sometimes." He sipped on his milkshake dramatically, Making sure it bubbled.
She then noticed the Waitress giving Enzo goo goo eyes and she let out a stifled laugh "Looks like someone has the eyes for you Zozo, pretty sure she's your age aswell." She was amused.
Enzo glanced over awkwardly before looking back at Poppy. "Don't you dare."
Poppy takes the opportunity and stands up walking towards the waitress "So how old are you?"
The waitress blushes "I..I'm 15, my dad he owns the restaurant."
"He does? Well isn't that convenient, hate to break it to you but my best friend is gay. I know you might be giving him the loving eyes but he has a boyfriend so yknow-" She decided to give a heads-up but made false expressions to throw Enzo off.
The girl deflated sadly "Oh. He's really cute, but wasn't looking at him more uh..you. your scar kinda caught me off guard."
Poppy swallowed anxiously "Really? It did..I'm sorry about that, it is abit of an eyesore"
The girl nodded "Atleast your acknowledging it, some people deny it and pretend to be in denial." She stared at the scar, mostly the grooves in them as if trying to understand what happened.
Poppy shoves her hair to cover the scar and returns to her seat 'you need to get used to this. You wanna run a bakery someday, you need to deal with it.'
Enzo noticed this, guessing what the interaction was about "Poppy just ignore it okay, your scar makes you even more beautiful or else that Aphrodite boy wouldn't keep asking you out even if you keep rejecting him.."
Poppy smiles "I suppose so..but still it reminds me ..of that. I still get nightmares sometimes."
Enzo's expression changed to a more serious one. "Poppy i thought you were getting help with those, you told me months ago these nightmares had stopped. That you didn't have them anymore."
She glares at him "You think it's easy coping? Getting my eye knifed at. That night still haunts me today."
Enzo placed a hand over hers "I just wish you'd told me, I could've helped you-"
"How? How can you stop these constant nightmares. You seem to forget how long I struggled for after that accident." She then calmed herself.
The food arrived and they ate in silence, Enzo was filled with guilt.
He then gained some hope back and optimism "So..do you still want that Hot Topic stop on the way for your dress? Maybe I could try and be Gyaru."
She spat out her milkshake as she snorted "Really? You gyaru. Wow, you wouldn't really like the style of clothing trust me. It's the opposite of what you wear."
Enzo hummed in thought then declared "Maybe it's time for change! New year new me."
She finishes her pancakes and moves onto her eggs when she chuckles. "My pancakes were kinda burnt."
Enzo nodded in agreement showing Poppy a piece of his which is burnt. "Almost tastes worse than Feathers. Remember that time?"
Poppy laughed "not hard to forget having to take my best friend to the infirmary because he fell in the stables where the Pegasi were shedding and accidentally swallowed feathers."
"I'm sorry but it was not my fault, who the hell left a rake on the floor!? Someone set me up for failure! They knew I had duties to clean in there."
Poppy giggled.
"It wasn't. WAS IT YOU!?"
She started laughing loudly
"How could you!!!" He was offended as he finished his full breakfast. She had finished hers just before
"Oh come on!! It was hilarious, just..didn't expect you to fall and swallow feathers that part wasn't my intention."
They pay and then leave, as they walk they head into Hot Topic and just buy some stuff
As she's browsing, Enzo questions her "So? Is there anything you've been wanting lately? Maybe an item or some kind of wish?"
Poppy pondered on the question as she moved through the clothes trying to find her size on a jacket she fancied, she already had most of what she wanted until she spoke. "I'd really like another cat, like a Calico fluffy one. I find them pretty."
Enzo nodded as he listened to her, they finished up there and payed before heading over to another mall nearby, he knew it had a Five star review
He walks inside with her and its crowded, Seeing as Prom season is coming up he's not surprised.
Poppy approaches a worker "Excuse me? Sorry. I need help finding a dress."
A worker turns to her and spoke "Of course what kind of Prom dress are we looking for?" She smiled politely towards her. Happy to assist.
"I'm actually not here for a Prom dress." She glances at Enzo anxiously before turning back to face the worker, moving her hair out the way of her scar. "I'm actually looking for a Quinceneara dress. I was wondering-"
The woman's eyes filled with happiness "Oh yes! I'd be delighted to help you. Come along we have a large selection. This shop is the highest rated in New York for a reason."
Poppy and Enzo get left there so she picks a few and goes to the changing room, she puts the first dress on its a deep purple and stepping out and spinning so he can see. "What do you think?"
He shook his head "Pops it really washes you out, the purple competes with your eyes, not the one."
She groans in annoyance and goes back into the changing room and has some assistance changing into the next one, it's a dusty pink colour and she herself doesn't like the look of it so she changes to another pink. She walks over and sees Enzo narrow his eyes critically "No change, your hair colour doesn't match it."
She sighs but in relief, she did not like it.
After a few dresses she narrows her eyes at Enzo "Enzo!! For Zeus sake make up your damn mind! I am not trying on dresses all day like some barbie doll."
She puts on one last dress it's a deep sage colour with glitter on the bodice, it compliments her heterochromia while not taking so much focus in different areas at once. She does a spin by herself in the mirror before stepping out
"How..how do I look? Is It pretty-"
Enzo felt emotional seeing her like this, she looked like a princess out of a Disney movie. "You look gorgeous!! Definetily the one."
She turns and checks the Price tag. "A..are you sure?.." it was $678 dollars which she thought was extortionate pricing and Enzo waved it off as if it was nothing
"Ah its fine, my mom won't care now go get changed back and we shall we be on our way!!"
The next few days she has been arranging who's coming which eventually Enzo's mom took over and she's been told to rest and let them handle it and Enzo wishes he could help but his mom told him she has the best in New York helping her decorate. Poppy does give a specific Cake she wants though.
The day of the Quince arrives and Poppy insisted doing her own cakes despite it being her birthday. She had just finished eating when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
She froze up and turned, she never knew she'd come face to face with her grandparents and she felt her breath caught in her throat.
"..Grandma? Grandpa.." they haven't seen her since she was a baby but Enzo's mum had kindly shown her pictures of them. "Is..is it ..your here-" She hadn't known they were invited.
She didn't hear the announcement for her dance to focused on the fact they were here..here with her, she shakes that thought off and goes up to dance with her Older sibling. Who had volunteered to dance with her for her quince, before dancing by herself and a few bo She was so out of it..so much was going on.
It eventually came time for the crowning of the next quince, and that passed by quickly she wasn't really fully paying attention. Why were they here..
A few hours passby and she looked miserable, Enzo came and sat next to her from the dance floor where everyone had been. "Y'know for the birthday girl you look miserable."
He passes her the surprise gift "I know you wanted one of these."
She was confused and opened the bag to see a cat collar and some toys, before his mom brought in a carrier where a small fluffy calico kitten was and she gasped in shock before reaching for the small kitten and she felt herself tear up. "Thank you!! Thank you.." She held the cat close, it was clearly an expensive breed due to its coat.
Alot of people cheered, maybe this wasn't so bad after all as she had anticipated she took a few deep breaths before smiling and thanking everyone separately for the presents she'd received.
Enzo had done a speech for her, mainly complimenting her and saying how amazing she is. And it definetily did good for her thoughts and how insecure she was with her scar. She laughed a little though.
He sounded so stupid saying it in tuxedo especially.
She had her surprise dance with a couple of people she was close with and enjoyed herself to the brim, it slowly settled down as they cut the cake.
She had a ton of presents but felt overwhelmed and needed some fresh air so she passed the kitten which she had named Cocoa onto Enzo and quickly got up and left for the outside.
She was stood looking up at the night sky, when she heard the door slide and turned to see her Grandad she quickly turned to face away
"I came out for air.."
She doesn't answer, choosing to stay silent.
"Poppy please allow me to explain-"
"No!! No why should I let you, you left me! You left my dad. You kicked him out and cut contact!! He raised me all by himself and he was seventeen when I showed up."
Her grandfather was silent and she turned around angrily until she heard sniffling and looked at his face.
"I made so many mistakes that day. Your father..when he brought you in from that doorstop, I.. I was so angry. How could he have gotten a girl pregnant let alone her not be in the picture."
She just listened.
"..I.. tried to convince him to give you up for adoption to a family who might not be as fortunate to having kids, he wasn't having that. We argued alot and words we're said that haunt me to this day."
He tears up. "I wasn't..the best father to him, I was barely around his mother raised him while I was in the army raising money for us. The economy was..horrendous, while yes we were wealthy and still are. I made a lot of regretful decisions, which..I'm not very proud of myself for. After he was kicked out the first five years I was alright. I was to stubborn to admit I was wrong..that he deserved to be kicked out."
Poppy tears up, sympathy for her father who despite all odds and the fact they'd grown up poor, she was even staying in a gang of pickpockets to make a living, he still cared. He always made an effort to put her wellbeing before his own. "I can see now why we never had family get togethers for my birthday before he passed.."
He didn't know how to word it
"I should've been there.."
"But you weren't, you could've reached out or make an attempt to get into contact with us or me!"
"I..i had given up, i didn't know he was dead until the police contacted me months later. You were long gone by then I'm sure.."
She nods "I'd reached ..summer camp by then." She lied, she didn't want him to worry she was a demigod.
He nodded. Before speaking his voice choked up.
"I never got the chance to see my son grow up, but to miss out on my granddaughter's life to. I don't want to make the same mistakes I made with your father to you." He pleaded
"Please..forgive me Poppy, I ask for your forgiveness."
Poppy was hesitant, on one hand she wanted to say she accepted his apology, but on the other she felt like she was betraying her father who had suffered mistreatment.
He then snapped her out of his thoughts.
"God..you do have his features.. everytime I look into those eyes I see him looking back at me."
"R..really? I..I look like him.." she murmured.
He nodded, smiling wistfullu "You really do.." He was looking at her with his eyes full of nostalgia.
She then hugs him tightly, allowing herself to cry. She was full of emotions at the moment, it threatened to burst completely and when it did she sobbed loudly. "I don't forgive you, but I'm willing to give you a chance to fix this.."
He brushes his hand against her hair in a soothing matter "That's all I ask for.."
They return to the party and she has the time of her life it eventually finished at around 4am and they all cleaned up before leaving.
She had to return to camp now but she hugged both her grandparents before leaving, then returned back to where all her friendgroup was from camp and returned with them.
Poppy was trying to focus on the conversation
Although she still had her dress on as she walked through camp but she hadn't been bothered to change out of it
so she was avoiding the puddles and mud currently.
She eventually got back to Demeter Cabin and held her necklace close to her, the one her father had gotten for her as a child. Before taking it off and changing into pj's she settled into bed, looking at her scar she usually covered it with makeup but decided not to from that day on, it stung to much to cover it anyways.
She has exhausted herself today and with all the planning so she takes a well deserved rest with herself as she drifted off into a comfortable slumber.