It Never Took a Lot to Make This Hard

Piper grew more and more furious as she walked down the mountain toward Daphne and Katrina. She couldn’t understand why Daphne would want to hang out with Katrina, much less why she would choose to ride with her instead of practicing with Piper. As she walked closer to them, she could hear them laughing, only causing Piper to grow even angrier. “Daphne, where the hell were you this morning?” Piper yelled out, and Daphne turned around to see her cousin walking towards her.

“What are you talking about?” Daphne asked obliviously, and Piper crossed her arms over her chest.

“Practice,” she spat. “Remember, the thing you promised me you wouldn’t be late for. So, I wait at my place for nearly an hour waiting on you, and you never showed up. You didn’t call or anything. Damn it, Daph, I had no idea where you were. I tried calling you a million times, and you didn’t answer your phone. Hell, I even called Louie to see if you were over there, and no one had heard from you!” Piper yelled, causing everyone to turn their attention towards them to see what all the ruckus was about.

“What, are you her mother or something?” Katrina questioned with a shrill laugh.

“No, I’m her coach, and I’m wondering why she didn’t show up for practice this morning,” Piper said, turning her attention towards Daphne, waiting for an answer.

“Piper, I don’t get why you’re getting so upset. I’m here practicing right now with Kat,” she said, glancing over at Katrina, who nodded her head in agreement.

“Daphne, can I talk to you for a moment,” Piper said through gritted teeth, pulling on her arm. “Alone.”

“Whatever you want to say to me, you can say it in front of Kat,” Daphne said, shrugging out of Piper’s grasp.

“Daph, your practices are supposed to be with me. Not with Katrina,” Piper said, giving Katrina a dirty look when she saw the look of triumph on her face. She could hear footsteps coming up behind her from a distance, and she turned around to see Mason and Louie trekking towards them.

“Piper, I’m practicing,” Daphne told her, setting her board down in the snow. “Just with Kat. I get that you don’t like her and whatever, but I really don’t know why. She’s a really cool person,” she said, and Piper clenched her fists at her sides. “Besides, weren’t you the one that said that you weren’t a good enough coach for me, that you wanted me to be coached by someone that was good and that was still able to get on a snowboard and show me new tricks?” she asked.

Piper’s jaw instantly dropped, and her face whitened. “Who told you that?” she questioned.

“Louie did,” Daphne told her, not understanding why she was making such a big deal about it right now.

Piper spun around towards Louie, who was only a few feet behind her now. He obviously hadn’t just heard what they were talking about, as he continued making his way towards the three girls. Piper stomped over to him, causing him to stop in his tracks. “You fucking told her?” she practically yelled, and Louie just looked at her curiously.

“What are you talking about?” he asked.

“You fucking told Daphne what I told you, about how I didn’t feel like I was good enough coach for her?” she asked loudly. “Why? I told you that in confidence, not so you could go blabbing your mouth around!” she exclaimed.

“I was just trying,” Louie began, but Piper cut him off.

“I don’t want to hear it,” Piper yelled. “Fuck all of you,” she said, pushing both Louie and Mason out of her way so she could climb back up the mountain and away from all of them.

Louie turned around to look at Daphne, wondering what had just happened. “She’s just pissed off because I decided to do one practice session with Kat instead of her,” Daphne rolled her eyes. “She’ll get over it,” she said before turning around to Katrina, asking her if she wanted to do a few more runs, which Katrina quickly agreed to, and the two of them made their way back to the top of the pipe, leaving Mason and Louie standing there, both confused.

“What just happened?” Louie asked to no one in particular.

“I have no idea,” Mason muttered.

***

Piper slammed the door to her apartment, furious at all of her friends. She threw her jacket onto the couch, screaming out in frustration. She heard a knock on her door, and she ripped the door open to see Louie on the other side. “What do you want?” she asked, not waiting for his answer as she turned around and walked back into her apartment and towards her kitchen.

As she opened her refrigerator to get a bottle of water out of it, she heard her front door shut, and she knew Louie had come inside. She turned around to see him in the kitchen doorway, and she sat down at the table, not feeling like fighting him to get out of the room right now. “What do you want?” she repeated, opening the bottle of water.

“I’m sorry,” he apologized.

“Why’d you tell her?” Piper questioned.

“I didn’t tell her thinking she’d blurt it out in front of everyone or that she’d use it against you,” he began. “I told her that when she was having trouble with her backside nine, and I thought it’d give her some motivation. I really am sorry,” he told her, sitting down across from her, giving her a smile.

“I’m not mad at you, Louie,” she sighed, knowing all along she wasn’t going to be able to stay mad at him very long. She had never been able to. As soon as he flashed a smile at her, her anger always melted away.

“But, you’re mad at Daph?” he asked.

“Yes,” she stated. “How can I not be? Did you hear what she said to me? Not to mention she’s suddenly become best friends with Kat. Kat, Louie. You know everything she’s done and said to me. And, now Daph’s hanging out with her? What’s going on?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” Louie admitted. “Maybe she’s seeing a different side to Kat than we know.”

“Louie, we’re talking about Katrina Lehti. The only side she has is bitch. You know it. I know it. Everyone knows it. And, if she’s being nice to Daph, then she’s got some agenda.”

“That’s what I’m worried about,” Louie told her. “But, it’s not like anything you or I say to Daph is going to change her mind. We’ve got to let her figure this one out on her own.”

Piper smiled up at him. “When did you get so smart? I was always the smart one. You were always the one that got into trouble,” she laughed.

“Yeah, somewhere along the lines we changed places. So, what kind of trouble have you been getting into lately?” he asked jokingly. “Maybe something with Mason?” he asked, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

“What?” Piper asked with a laugh. “Where’d that one come from?”

“I saw you two together today,” Louie began.

“Umm, Louie, in case you forgot, you’ve seen me with Mason before. It doesn’t mean that anything’s happening with the two of us. And, if you must know, we were bonding over our hatred for Katrina,” she informed him.

“Oh,” Louie said, drawing the syllable out. “Well, I still think you two might be good together,” he shrugged his shoulders.

Piper gave him a curious look. “Since when do you give me advice on my love life?” she questioned. “I believe not too long ago, you couldn’t even ask out the girl that you’ve been in love with for like a year. I was the one giving you the advice,” she reminded him. “And, Mason and I would not be good together. In case you forgot, he’s nearly five years younger than me. I do not go for younger guys,” she shook her head.

“Okay, well, let’s find you an older guy then,” Louie told her. “Maybe Keir Dillon instead?” Louie asked, trying to hold back his laughter.

“Yes, Louie. Why don’t you set me up with Keir?” she asked. “Um, maybe because he’s married. With a daughter!” she practically yelled. “You know, you really suck as a matchmaker.”

“Hey, I’m just trying to help get your mind off of Daphne,” he told her. “And, it worked, didn’t it?” he asked with a big smile.

Piper rolled her eyes but couldn’t disagree with him. “Yeah, it did,” she admitted. “But, I’m still pissed at her. And, I will be until she gets her head out of her ass.”

“Well, I’ll try to talk to her tonight when we go out to dinner,” Louie told her. “See what’s going on with her.”

“Thanks,” Piper smiled at him. “And, can you remind her she’s got workouts tomorrow morning, and I’m not going to let her do that with Katrina.”

“I’ll tell her,” Louie promised. “Now, just get your mind off of Daph for right now. Think about Mason. Or Keir,” he smiled.

“Shut up and get out of here!” Piper laughed, pointing towards the door for emphasis.

“Fine, I can see when I’m not wanted,” Louie said, feigning hurt. “I’ll talk to you later.”

“Bye, Louie,” she called after him. “And, thanks,” she added as he shut the door behind him.