Realistic or Modern Farveyl High [Mature]

[Bhlow]

Thea Grace Malone

Thea snapped out of her own thoughts as she was forced to stop mid run and face Bailey, and in response to that situation she wrinkled her nose in disgust. Her first thought was to simply turn around and run the other way, but she has never been that sort of person, confrontation was always so much more entertaining and with Bailey? It was extremely amusing. But the amusement from the plain girl didn't come as she mentioned Darius, insulting him, and for once Thea didn't know what to say; she only tensed - wanting to trash her for calling him a monster. Thea knew that When he loved, he loved with all his being, that wasn't a quality of a monster. But before she could respond she got distracted by the vision that Bailey had pointed out to her through the window, Darius and Rachel - no, Hannah and she almost staggered at the image but instead of reacting she kept her expression cool, her hands slowly growing into fists at her side being the only indication of her fury. Was Hannah the reason he has left her at the hospital, why he stopped answering her calls or replying to her texts when she needed him most? Would he become as infatuated with her as he had with Rachel, and she would yet again become a mere slut to him, a nusience - nobody.


She clenched her jaw in fury, turning back to reply with a biting remark about Mason but the psycho bitch had already left and was replaced with Julia.


"What the hell was Bailey Bitchwell saying about Rachel?". Thea looked at Julia as she said it, annoyed that she had tried to listen into the conversation. "That is none of your business", Thea snapped at the girl, her fury slowly building before she realised that it was Julia she was speaking to. "I'm sorry, that was harsh", she murmured after a moment, putting a finger to her temple. It felt like she was being crushed, attacked from all sides, loosing everyone while people were trying to trample her and she was finding it hard to breathe. At that moment, as if right on cue to the line of her problems came in Madison, the constant threat to her status and she almost growled, watching her powder her hands for the bars as if she was a pro.


"You know, if she falls from those bars and dies, I swear I'm not saying any nice words at her funeral" Thea whispered to Julia, arching her back as she stretched. Unlike usual, Thea didn't do an intensive work out and pair up with Julia in sit ups, with her side still healing she simply moved continuously, in her brain counting the calories she could take if she wanted to keep her figure - which bot surprisingly equalled to none, but she knew she would have to break the rules if she wished to take part in getting high at lunch.


Sports passed in a blur, and in no time Thea was back in her bodycon dress walking the hallways to advanced drawing, the subject she needed to take alongside her fashion design and interior design subjects. She walked the hallway, checking her notifications, surprised to has received an email from her mother that she was to attended an engagement party with her tomorrow. She almost scoffed, emails from her mother were rare, and this one looked to be more from her secretary, but the email left out who it was that was getting engaged - they had to be important if both representatives of the Malone family were to be there.


She settled down in her seat in advanced drawing, ignoring the presence of Darius as he slipped in, into the back of the classroom, pulling out her sketchbook, ready for any task until Mrs. Fallinger spoke. "I have paired up each student with another student for you to draw each other - there is no bettter way to draw a human, than to start of with drawing those with which you are familiar".


Carelessly, Thea zoned out of the rest of the chatter, waiting for her name to be paired up, and she noticed that Mrs. Fallinger was pairing girls up with boys, and her name wasn't mentioned - until it was and she turned to shoot a venomous glare at the guy she was meant to draw. She knew his face without needed to look at him, and every bone in her body screamed to tell her that she hated him for leaving her, for being with Hanna, and they stared at each other, both unmoving, with Thea's hands curled around the side of her desk, her knuckles turning white until Mrs. Fallinger's voice broke through the classroom again. "Thea, Darius, is anything the matter?"


Mentioned: @Ecstasyia @SofeGvan


Directed to: @Atsuko

 

[Vitez]

???

​

Jin scans the crowd for Hana to no avail. Sighing, he pulls out his phone again, smiling when he sees that the screen is covered in messages from his friends. They spam him endlessly with unimportant details of their lives: a late night adventure in Seoul, rumours circulating about one of Jin's crushes, and the new order of honey butter chips that finally reached the corner store. Of course, none of this affects him anymore, but it makes him feel less homesick. Plus, reading in Korean is a refreshing break from English. After replying with some details about his life in America, he scans the crowd again. He doesn't see a familiar face yet, not even someone he saw at his orientation.


Just then, he spots Hana exiting the elevator, her eyes searching for the classroom. He can't help but smile and feel his mood improve. She notices him too, waving and grinning "Jin!" He doesn't need to beckon her over, she is already on her way. "Are you not going in?" She asks, stopping before him. Jin notices her headphones and the giant load of books she carries and above all her innocent, questioning expression.


"Oh, I am, I was just waiting for you," He grins, meeting her eyes. "I figured it would be better to start the day together, you know, because we know each other." He explains. He steps aside to allow her to enter the classroom first. Following her inside, he spots two empty desks next to each other. "Would you like to sit together?" He says, placing his stuff at one of the empty desks. He smiles at her, internally marveling at how lucky he is to have someone to start the day with. He had been anxious to start at the school on his own, as it did not seem like a very friendly place even from his orientation. But he expected that. Jin can't help but be overwhelmingly grateful to Hana for taking the time to get to know him enough before school began that he feels much more comfortable here. He hopes he has done the same for her.





@Koala

 

[Atsuko]

D A R I U S S I M A K O V

​

Darius entered the sun lit classroom through the back in order to avoid any attention. Even though he had made a quiet entrance, Mrs. Fallinger smiled and waved at him. He had somehow became her favorite student thanks to his decent art skills compared to the rest of the class, even though he rarely came to class. He had originally entered the art course blindly following Rachel, but he found out that he surprisingly had talent in the creative area. After her death, drawing alone in the empty workshop near the art department building was almost like a sanctuary for him, away from the people who wanted to take benefit from him or the loud, noisy ones that sucked the energy out of him.


Sara was already sitting in front of an easel, and she winked at him patting the seat beside her. Ignoring her, he went to sit in an isolated corner of the room observing the loud classroom full of obnoxious pretentious artists who believed they were all some form of an art connoisseur because of a gallery exhibition or two they got thanks to their connections. He rested his head against the table, dozing off when Mrs. Fallinger stopped the chatter in the classroom by rapping her stick against the board.


"I have paired up each student with another student for you to draw each other - there is no better way to draw a human, than to start of with drawing those with which you are familiar. Oh, and just for you lovey dovey couples, I'm pairing you guys up boy-girl just for today. Girls will be the figure models first, and the lads will draw them. Now go sit in front of your partner as you name is called."


Darius sighed, closing his eyes and going back to sleep, knowing that there was no one in the classroom that he was particularly fond of to have a chummy time of drawing each other. He could feel Sara's eyes burning in to his head, but he desperately hoped that Mrs. Fallinger would know better than to pair him up with her.


Names left Mrs. Fallinger's tongue one by one, none of them his, and slowly the pairs began to shuffle together and placing their easels to face each other. Finally his name was called, but the name that followed...his heart stopped. Since when did she even start taking art courses...he remembered that at least while Rachel was here Thea would constantly avoid the department as if it was a plague. He looked up to see her staring at him with a venomous glare, and he returned her cold stare with horror.


"Thea, Darius, is anything the matter?" Darius turned to the teacher, weakly smiling as he got up and walked towards Thea with everyone's eyes burning in to his back. The whole school knew Darius and Thea only as friends whose relationship went sour, without any of the details that led up to their strange relationship. He could hear their snickering, as he slowly shifted the easel and sat before her. He coldly glanced back, and the whole room went silent as their eyes turned away.


His finger slowly picked up the pencil, and began to draw the base structure of her face when he realized she was still glaring at him. The guilt began to come back as he realized that he had left her alone in the cold hospital room due to his own pathetic fear of making her feel like he was trust able again.


Darius focused on the easel, his grip tightening around the pencil as he sighed. "If you keep on glaring like that, even my talent won't be able to make you beautiful." He hesitated for a moment, before glancing back at her. "It's nice to see that you're getting better quickly," he murmured.


Mentioned:
​

@Bhlow

 

[jiminie]

H A N A ~ K I M

​

Hana walked into the classroom, smiling at Jin as he stepped aside to let her through. "I figured it would be better to start the day together, you know, because we know each other." Hana blushed as Jin explained his reasoning for waiting for her. She found it sweet that he thought about her and stood, wasting his own time, so wait for her.


Upon entering the room, Jin walked over to an empty desk with two seats. He asked if Hana wanted to sit next to each other, and her butterflies went at it again; churning her stomach up and making her feel sick, in a good way.


"Of course." Hana smiled, placing her few books on the table and dropping her bag over the back of her chair. She took her seat and rested her elbows on the table, edging the chair further in whilst making a horrible screeching noise which caused everyone in the room to look at her. Hana laughed and went bright red, embarrassed and nervous she looked at Jin. She examined his eyes and his face, trying to be subtle, she marvelled at his attractiveness.


"What class do you have after this?" Hana finally spoke and hoped she didn't sound too eager to spend time with him, though that is the only thing she actually wanted to do today.


@Vitez


(I'm sorry it's so rubbish, typing more than 3 lines on a phone is tiring).

 

[Couldyoustfu]

Adrian stared a little amusedly at the girl, who seemed to daze off for a while.


But then she said his name, and amuse turned into confusion, and then realization.


"Oh, Bailey right? And great, let's say a lot happened." He gave a mirthless chuckle, trying to recall the Ball.


Yes, he remembered. She was Mason's betrothed, and Mr.Blackwell's daughter. His father was never really fond of the man, as he had once heard him say on the phone, and Adrian couldn't help but agree.


Who the hell marries their children off? It's the 21th century!


The Italian also recalled well how Mason had presented immediately to Thea's side in the hospital and wondered if Bailey knew about it, wondering if it was worth knowing.


Suspects started to flow through his head, but he shook them off.


No, impossible. Mason didn't look that much like the cheating type to Adrian.


He had always suspected that Darius and Thea had some sexual tension going on, that they probably had resolved some way or another, but he'd never seen her along with the half-egyptian if not at the hospital.


Trying to look as neutral as possible as various suspects crawled in his head Adrian offered a smile to Bailey, before calmly questioning.


"How's it going with you and Mason?"


@Atsuko

 

[Atsuko]

B A I L E Y | B L A C K W E L L

Bailey pursed her lips when she heard the question, forcing out a smile. "We're doing well," she murmured, as her eyes darted away. The class was almost over and the girls were shuffling back in to the locker room.


Out of the corner of her eye, she could see that Mason was approaching Thea.


In public.


Her face began to grow hot from humiliation realizing that sooner or later everyone would catch on that her and Mason's loving relationship was nothing but a facade.


Bailey's hands curled up in to a tight fist by her side, as she tried to maintain a civil expression on her face. "Adrian...would you mind cutting your next class and taking me somewhere? It won't take long."


@Couldyoustfu


OOC: Sorry...not much I can write right now with out a bunch of dazing off and talking to herself which is kind awkward to do.

 

[Bhlow]

Thea Grace Malone

Thea continued glaring at Darius as he moved his easel towards her, teetering between feeling self concious and raging at him before he spoke.


"If you keep on glaring like that, even my talent won't be able to make you beautiful." She blinked at his words. She didn't meant to read into them, but she did anyway, slowly dissecting his words. Chances were he was joking but, it was more likely that he was serious - he didn't find her beautiful, and that's why he chose Hana and Rachel over her. She couldn't understand it, everyone always told her she was beautiful, and she knew she looked like a model off a Vouge catalogue, so what would make him think differently?


The fire within Thea died down a little and she looked down at her hands until she heard his next words, and she almost snapped, seething in anger. "It's nice to see that you're getting better quickly". Returning to glaring, she hissed her words, keeping her tone quite so all the other students who were straining their ears couldn't hear. "Getting better?" She spat "I was in a car accident where a piece of glass skewered my side so far that an inch further would have meant paralysis for me and you weren't there for me - when I needed you most". She stopped, taking a breath and steadying herself, her voice had risen, and she wondered if anyone caught what she had said last.


"You were fine with fucking me hours earlier, and then fucking over my relationship with Mason further but you weren't there for me later on so don't pretend you care about me or my well being now". She bit her tongue from spraying out more colourful words at Darius and instead watched him as he went back to drawing - unfazed. She didn't know what she had expected, an apology? Understanding from his side? A show of genuine emotions towards her? They all seemed like abstract notions with Darius and she couldn't help, as always, thinking back to what it used to be like when they were children. Maybe that was her problem - around him, she continued living in the past.


@Atsuko

 

[Vitez]

???

​

Jin watches Hana blush and nearly blushes himself. He is slightly nervous when he asks her to sit by him, he fears that she will decline his request even though he knows the chances of that are slim. When she says "Of course" he feels all the nerves drain out of his body, only to be replaced by relief and excitement. She flashes him a smile that causes him to immediately smile in return. He watches her with his smile still lingering as she situates her materials, her tendency to be meticulous strangely adorable. Just then, her chair makes an awful sound and she flushes with embarrassment.


Hana fixes her eyes on him and he notices she is studying his face. He blushes, more than a little self-conscious, and averts his eyes. After a moment, he slowly brings his gaze back to her and admires her beauty, in a manner not unlike the way she is marvelling at him. Jin simply cannot believe how attracted he is to a girl he had only just met. In Korea, it took him much longer to develop crushes on girls than it took his friends, and those crushes were far and few between. Yet here he is in America, falling hard and fast for a girl he had only met a day prior. He could only imagine how his friends would tease him if they were here. But there is something about Hana, something innate that she doesn't even realize she possesses, that makes her too easy to fall for.


"What class do you have after this?" Hana asks him eagerly, breaking his chain of thought. He can't help but secretly hope their answers are the same. He wants to be around this girl the whole day not only because he wants to spend time with her, but also because he wants to protect her. To Jin, she radiates innocence and purity, and his protective nature demands that no one will taint that. "Oh, I think I have Math next, I'm not sure who it's with, though. What about you?" He asks, making eye contact with her.


@Koala

 

[Couldyoustfu]

The italian offered a small grin back, pretending not to notice the coldness in her smile. He searched for an excuse to leave the awkward conversation, and perhaps hoped that Mason would arrive and sweep his girlfriend away, but upon following Bailey's small glance to the left he could see that the senior seemed busy. With Thea.


Am I not mistaken?


The anger in the girl in front of him was too strong not to notice, and the eighteen year old thought that had she had something in her hand now it'd be crushed.


Adrian glanced around in a casual way, noticing the emptying hall. Next he'd have philosophy, and his tired mind wasn't exactly ready for an hour and ten minutes of Freud.


And it also wasn't ready for her question, bring her somewhere? Where?


Don'tdon'tdon'tdon'tdon't.





It seemed like an awful, terrible plan, anyone could see them and refer to Mason. What were Bailey's intentions anyway? He kept the unsureness away from his features as much as he could, before giving a mere nod.


"Alright, follow me."


With that he walked in the halls and out in the parking lot, guiding her to his car. The shiny Mercedes was hot to the touch, the spots under the shadows had been all taken that morning, so after having opened the door for Bailey and then having proceeded to enter the driving seat, Adrian started the conditioned air.


"So, where are we going?" He tried to put as much nonchalance as he could into his tone, but his conscious kept screaming at him.


Badideabadideabadideabadidea.


@Atsuko

 

[jiminie]

H A N A ~ K I M

​

Looking around her, and fiddling with the pages of her textbooks, Hana leant back in her chair as she spoke. "I've got a business class next."


Hana felt a bit upset at the fact they had different classes next, but she knew that it would be next to impossible to have all the same classes. Hana thought about the likelihood that they would have a few classes the same, they were both focusing on STEM subjects and there were only so many classes.


As the teacher spoke, explaining various things of which Hana mostly knew already, she twirled a pen in her hand and rested her chin in the palm of her other. She kept sneaking glances at Jin, distracted by his looks and barely paying attention to the teacher. There was something about Jin that Hana liked, he was effortlessly charming and he had an aura about him that made Hana feel relaxed.


As the class neared the end, Hana tried to think of how to ask Jin about break. She had begun to feel as though she was nagging Jin, but nonetheless, she wanted to keep getting to know him and the only way to do that was through spending time together.


"Want to meet up at break... Or lunch?" Hana asked Jin, cupping her chin and cheeks with her hands as she attempted to look cute; though she wondered if it came across as silly instead.


@Vitez


(break = recess, snack time, nap time, whatever you call it... here in the UK it's break; fifteen-ish minutes of chill time between classes)

 

[SofeGvan]

"That's none of your business." Thea snapped at her and Julia almost snapped back... If not for Thea immediately looking apologetic about what she had said not even a second after. She wished she could hug the blonde and make the all her problems disappear. First a car accident, and then Bailey? Julia didn't like the queen looking so worried and lost... It was strange and unlike herself.


She wanted to ask the blonde how she was doing with the whole accident but she couldn't bring herself to because as curious as Julia was, she thought Thea needed a bit of a break from her own life at least for this period. They paired up for sit ups and Julia tried her best to make a Thea smile a bit.


"If she dies I'm not saying any nice words at her funeral." Thea suddenly said and Julia looked up to see her staring at her greatest rival. The brunette was swinging from the high bars and she couldn't help but agree with Thea. No nice words would be said from her either.


Gym wasn't much more eventful after that and the time passed by pretty slowly for Julia. After what felt like hours, she was able to go change back into her button down that now smelled like vanilla from her locker. She took out the phone from her backpack on the way to class, finally getting a chance to look at it. The short haired girl noticed she had gotten an email from her moms personal assistant, the only person in her family that would talk to her. It said something about an engagement. She shrugged, putting it away thinking about how she could never get married. That would be selfish to not share herself with all the subjects out there.


Julia had a free period next and couldn't think of a better way to spend in than outside, sketching cars and tress that she saw.

 

[Atsuko]

D A R I U S S I M A K O V

​

Darius sat in front of the easel mutely, sketching the outline of her figure slowly as he listened to her scathing rage.


"You weren't there for me...when I needed you the most."


His hand froze and he yearned to say something, but no words would come out. He dumbly stared at the grey lines as guilt began to pour over him. Like always...his selfishness had hurt her. For countless hours during the past week, he had stood before her hospital room or wandered about the lobby trying to think of words to say if he ever entered her room and he wondered if she had even wanted to see his face when she had Mason and Adrian by her side. He had thought during the past couple years of the pain and abuse she received from him...she would have learned that he was nothing but a bastard to the core. But for some reason she kept on coming back to him while knowing that she would only get hurt...and he never stopped her.



​

2 years ago; The night after Rachel's funeral











Darius reclined on his chair, his head hanging over the edge with a glass of wine in his dropped-down hand. The windows were open and the moon light floated in to the room.






He couldn't breathe, and his mind was nothing but a jumble. No tears would come out, as he sat there in solitude staring in to black space as he downed glass after glass. The room reeked with the stench of alcohol and the smoke of cigarettes and none of the maids nor even his grandmother dared to bother him.











He felt numb, and the only thing continuously flashing through his mind was her body lying at the bottom of her bath tub lifeless in her own murky blood. His throat began to tighten as he tried to breathe. With trembling hands he reached down for a new bottle when suddenly his door slammed open. With his life less eyes, he slowly glanced up at the intruder who stood before him...Thea.











"What are you doing here...," he sighed, as he poured himself another glass.











Thea walked over and snatched the glass away from him as she stood before him with tears in her eyes. "Your grandmother told me...to come save you. What the hell are you doing to yourself? I know that Rachel was speci-..."











His mind snapped as soon as he heard the name. His hand shot up and hovered just an inch away from her throat. He could see the fear growing in her eyes and he truly wanted to stop but his tongue and mind belonged to a monster now.











"Don't say her name with that disgusting mouth of yours...," he snarled. His lips curled in to a sneer, as he stumbled towards her. "Save me? When you're the one who stopped me from saving Rachel? Who the fuck do you think you are? My guardian angel? Congratulations. Some how even I, the one who usually plays the game, got trapped in your snare."











Thea placed her trembling hand against his shoulder, trying to stop him from getting any closer. "You need to get some air...," she choked out as she reached for the door handle.











He grabbed her arm and yanked her on to the bed, pinning her down. The wine from the glass in Thea's hand spilled on to the white sheets staining the bed crimson.






"Isn't this all you and I want in the end...," he muttered. "While some one was crying for help and dying in a cold dark bathroom all alone..."











Thea struggled against him, sobbing. "Let me go!" She cried out, as she shattered the glass against his head. In a daze, he staggered back as blood dripped down his face. Horror spread across her face as he stared at her with pain and rage flooding in to his eyes.











"D-Darius..."











"Get the fuck out," he snarled. "Before I actually kill you."











Trembling, she hurriedly ran past him and stood in the hallway staring back at him. "You need help...," she sobbed. "You've become a monster."











His hand reached for the door handle, as he stared at her silhouette in the darkness. "I don't need a help from a whore like you," he choked out. "Don't ever appear before me again...I won't stop myself next time."






Slamming the door, he crumbled down on to the floor. The broken glass crunched underneath his hands, but he couldn't feel any pain.

Darius closed his eyes, as he tried to drown out Thea's echoing sobs outside of his room. ​

​

​

​

"I'm sorry...," he murmured, as he lay down his pencil. Her grey and white face on the canvas stared back at him with the same pain and anguish that was on her face whenever she tried to come see him the months after Rachel's death. She was still beautiful...no matter what facial expression she had on. That was what made him hate her so much...she was a painful reminder of his lack of control and the dirty stains of his past.


Darius turned the canvas sighing. "I told you that it would be hard to make you look beautiful even if I was the one drawing," he snorted.


Mentioned:
​

@Bhlow

 

[Atsuko]

B A I L E Y | B L A C K W E L L

The car roared off as Adrian speeded down and out of the school's drive way past the grave yard, through the forest, and in to down town. Bailey swayed her head to the music, smiling softly to herself as she tapped her finger on the window sill concentrating on the out door scenery. She glanced over at Adrian, and smirked at how tense and nervous he looked. The Italian boy who always looked so cocky and full of himself seemed to be catching on with how strange her behavior was.


Bailey sighed as she brushed a speck of dust off his shoulder. She could feel him glancing over at every couple minutes, and she realized that she would have to start stepping up her game soon. "Stop here," Bailey commanded, as she pointed at the dimly lit bar. It was no where near the high class lounges that she usually visited to have a casual chat with pretentious people, but it was exactly the small, private place she needed to get the information she wanted out of Adrian.





Adrian parked his car, and they entered the hall. She began to wonder if any of this was a good idea as she stood in the dirty grovel where she would have never bothered to step in to before. The room smelled of grease, sweat, and strong alcohol making her nose curl with disgust. But these sort of places had the sort of alcohol that would make a man's tongue loose quickly, and she did not have the time to start soaking him up with 2% alcohol martinis. She tentatively glanced back at Adrian who was staring at her with an expression of confusion as he glanced back and forth between the setting and her. Bailey sighed as she slid in to a booth, and the bartender walked over with two shot glasses and a bottle of something she couldn't recognize. The man smirked at Adrian making Bailey roll her eyes. Did she seriously look like one of those girls who would easily fall in to such a stereotypical trap.


She filled Adrian's glass with the strong smelling liquor, and watched him down it with glee. "It's been a really long time since I last saw you...," she chuckled, as she poured herself a glass. "You've gotten a bit more handsome in the last couple years."


Adrian choked on his drink, as he glanced up at her suspiciously. She smirked, as she handed him a napkin. "You sure have changed...," he coughed, as he took the napkin from her. "Always thought you were an uptight prude who didn't talk much. But still beautiful like the last time I saw you."


Bailey laughed, pretending to be flattered.. "People change...a lot of things have," she murmured, as she took a shot. "And I like to keep things constant," she whispered to herself.


Adrian was taking shot after shot, and she bemusedly watched him slowly getting drunker by the second. Carefully, she drank a bit from her glass as they continued their small talk until his head began to droop.





"You know...," he murmured. "A lot of shit happened after you left for Paris. Everything went in to a shit hole..."


Bailey stared at him, waiting for him to go on. He glanced up, laughing as he shook his head. "I don't know why the hell I'm telling you this. Fuck, I'm getting drunk already and its only the afternoon."


She pursed her lips as she watched him lean his head against the table.


"The new girl...the one who came out of the mental facility...she looks a lot like Rachel."


At the mention of her name, Adrian's head shot up as his eyes stared at her with pain. "Why...," he choked out. "Why are you bringing her up?"


Bailey placed her cold palm against Adrian's flushed face, smiling. "People change...a lot of things have. And I want to know everything that happened while I was gone," she whispered. "I can help you Adrian."


@Couldyoustfu

 

[Couldyoustfu]

Shouldn't.


Everything was going awkwardly for him, since the moment she stepped in his car and acted so casually. As if them in a car together, them entering a local as vulgar as this, as if she so casually touching him was normal. There had yet to be something normal in their interaction.


Adrian didn't find it in himself to speak up and make the conversation even more tense, instead reducing himself to following her unspoken orders and drinking to try and lose himself a bit.


The italian wasn't a stranger to girls trying to get their way at him by flatters, but Bailey Blackwell? She was of high class, from a supposedly respectable family, why was she risking dirtying her name by speaking with him while Mason may have been somewhere wondering where she were?


Adrian didn't have an answer for any of the questions, but he stopped minding about having to give one as the cheap alcohol of the fourth shot burned his throat.


His blue irises flicked upwards from their wondering at her touch, to which he answered with a confused frown.


He lightly enclosed his fingers around her wrist, bringing the girl's hand gently down.


Her cold touch was pleasing, too much so.


"There's nothing I can be helped with in what I've done." He sighed, settling the glass down. "When I got with Rachel initially it wasn't because I really loved her, not like Simakov did anyway, but for a fucking dumb bet." The admission came easier than he'd expected.


He explained the whole thing thoroughly just as he'd done with Thea a week prior, feeling the need to reach for his glass more and more often.


It's easier to tell your secrets to strangers.


"But even when I carried it on I couldn't really do it, Rachel became important to me...but someone else uploaded it and that was the end."


Normally at this point the italian would inquire why Bailey would be interested in such affairs, not like she was ever closely involved with himself or Darius anyway, but he did no such thing. The eighteen year old was drunk enough to ignore how satisfied Bailey looked at Adrian's so called slip, yet aware enough to know about the incoming headache the disgusting drinks would provide.


"And about that girl, she really looks a lot like Rachel. They look like fucking twins, goddammit." The brunette massaged his back, hating deeply the images that were making their way back in his brain.


Finished Adrian motioned for the waiter with his hand and payed for both his and the girl's drinks, he'd had enough, and if she wished for more he'd make her consider changing bar. Even if their conversation had swam toward a certainly dark part, the italian couldn't help but let a grin slip from his features.


"Damn you got me drunk, should I be scared of your intentions? How am I supposed to drive back to school, huh?"


Mason, Rachel, Darius, Hana or Thea were nowhere to be seen in his brain as he leaned slightly forward on his sofa, the alcohol flowing through his veins keep in them from reaching his priorities.


@Atsuko

 

[Bhlow]

Thea Grace Malone

Thea rolled her eyes at him, wondering what he thought he was sorry for, he understood her so little, she doubted he was apologising for what she wanted him to apologise for.


"I told you that it would be hard to make you look beautiful even if I was the one drawing". She found herself looking away as he drew, distracted by the work of others until he made his comment and her focus snapped back to him. "Can you stop saying that? If you don't have anything nice to say don't say it at all". She spoke harshly, his constant comments on how she wasn't good enough clearly grating her.


She finally looked down at the paining of her, pursing her lips in response. It looked like her, but it was also a face filled with suffering and she didn't like it one bit. "My turn" she muttered, gathering her hair in a ponytail to help her focus before setting the easel between them. She started sketching without needing to look at him, his nose, his soft and full lips, his rough looking yet silky hair and then his eyes. As she drew she spent the most time focusing on his eyes, she didn't need to look up to know they would be cold, sometimes it seemed he didn't even bother to hate her and that scared her almost more than when he did, because it showed just how little he cared. She shivered and glanced at him over her easel, she had been right, they were cold.


At the hospital, that one time he had come for her, she had almost thought she had broken through the ice, that it would take an accident to do it, but that she had done it nonetheless - but she hadn't, those eyes remained cold towards her. When the bell rang, she hadn't finished, Darius had taken the greater portion of the time, but she would only need to finish the shading to be done. She put her pencil down, and without glancing at Darius again she picked up her bag and walked out of the classroom wordlessly. If he wanted to have a look at the drawing he had eyes, and she didn't have to be around for it.


Once outside the classroom she took a shaky breath and released her hair, wondering when it was that things started becoming so hard. Her only consolation was that things were about to start getting wild in the canteen with the food she had spiked, and she walked that way, keeping an eye out for Adrian, knowing he wouldn't miss the scene for the world.

 

[ambiguities]

MASON ANTONIO AVANA

​

Mason tried his best stray away from the drama that was being left ajar in PE. Instead he opted to hang out with a few of his friends from his social circle, answering their questions on why he was out for a week in quick subtle statements. But still, he couldn't ignore the glances he was getting from Bailey and Thea, trying to brush it off as if they weren't there. That's how he hoped the day would be, there would be no harsh exchanges and lies until he was ready to confront both of them. The class was over as fast as it came, and Mason couldn't have been more glad. His schedule consisted of classes he didn't wish to be a part of, but he had to endure it for the rest of the year, the only motivation being he wouldn't see anyone after the year was over. He'd part ways with this life, hopefully. But unfortunately, he knew it wasn't going to be as easy as it sounded.


When Mason arrived to his English class, the lecture had be stopped and everyone stared at him in silence. "Ah, Mr. Avana, nice of you to finally join us." Mason grinned in response to Mr. Henderson's greeting. "Great to be here Mr. Henderson, I missed this class dearly during my absence." The middle-aged teacher narrowed his eyes, as if he was trying to figure out if Mason was being serious or not. He shook his head and nudged his head to Mason's empty seat in the back corner. Mason took his time walking to his seat, his leisure pace visibly annoying Mr.Henderson. When he sat down, the man cleared his throat and continued on with his lesson, in which Mason intently listened to. Although he didn't take a particular liking to most of his classes, he still managed to make excellent grades.


At some point, Mason's eyes drifted to the clock that was situated on the wall. The class was almost over, and anytime he had glanced at the ticking time bomb, it seemed to drag on even longer. "Mason." A whisper drew his attention away from the clock as he turned to his right. It was a girl, no doubt someone that was relatively popular. "Yeah?" He whispered back, his expression bored. "One of my friends just texted me and said that she saw bailey leave with that Italian boy- Adrian." Narrowing his eyes, sighed in annoyance. He wasn't sure what he was annoyed at though, maybe the girl or maybe Bailey. "Why are you telling me this?" He muttered. "Well, she is your girlfriend," he inwardly winced, "I just thought you should know who's she's been whoring around with."


Anger in him sparked as he glared at the girl. "I fucking dare you to say that again." Mason snarled, making the girl's eyes widened. Mason had grown this protective instinct over Bailey, and didn't take kindly to anyone degrading her, especially considering the reason she didn't come to school often was for just that. Even if their situation was somewhat tense, he was her friend, and even if they were bind by something much more, he'd defend her.
​

 

[Atsuko]

B A I L E Y | B L A C K W E L L

"How about Thea...what exactly happened between Darius and h-"


Adrian's head slammed on to the table, as the power of the alcohol overpower him. A tinge of annoyance shot through her as millions of questions roared through her mind and stung the tip of her tongue. Sighing, she removed the glass from his hand and gently propped his head on to her jacket as she phoned her chauffeur.


"Yes, Miss Blackwell?"


"Come to the Bard Pub at downtown and pick me up please," she said, as she glanced over at Adrian's sleeping face with a grimace. "We'll have to make another stop before you drop me off at home."


"Yes mi-...did you just happen to say a 'pub' miss? A pub? In broad daylight? Miss, due to the press conference that was announced every move you make will be watched by the press. What if someone sees y-"


Bailey rolled her eyes and released an exasperated sigh. "I've been living under scrutiny my entire life. I know how to avoid it when necessary. Please just come without asking anymore questions."


She hung up the phone and glanced at the boy who lay knocked out before her. Bailey hadn't meant to make him this drunk...just tipsy enough to make it easier for him to tell her everything with out hiding any details. Guilt began to overwhelm her as an innocent child like expression appeared on his sleeping face.


Bailey had never liked Adrian since the first day she met him...not because he had ever done anything particularly wrong to her but for she was taught that people like him brought only trouble and would only stain her name. Whenever she saw him, he was always with a new woman in his arms or drinking his heart away. Sometimes she envied how free he could be...but always quickly shut that thought out knowing that she would never be able to live such a lifestyle.


Carefully, she brushed hair out of his face flinching when she heard him mutter something about Rachel quietly under his breath.


Bailey moved her hand away and she tightly gripped her dress with her trembling hands. She really didn't want to drag innocent people in to this...but they were the only tools she had left to get back at Thea for the pain and humiliating she had to go through for the past couple years.


They sat in silence as Adrian drifted off in to a deep sleep, and she sat drinking up the remainder of the alcohol. She could feel her face slowly getting flushed as the minutes passed and everything began to slow down around her.


"I'm sorry," she whispered, as she leaned her head down against the table and closed her eyes.





@Couldyoustfu

 

[Atsuko]

D A R I U S S I M A K O V

​

Darius stared at the floor silently as Thea set down her pencil and walked out with out a word. For some reason, he felt terrified of what he would see on the canvas...he didn't want to come to terms yet with what Thea saw him as.


He always knew he was a monster, and Thea had every right to hate and fear him...but it was a truth that he never wanted to accept. Whenever she reached out to him for help, even though he knew he would do nothing but hurt her, he couldn't help but feel short-lived happiness for it was almost as if they had for a moment stepped back in to their peaceful childhood days.


Even though he had never truly romantically loved her, Thea had always been the person he would lean on in the past. When he had first arrived in Farveyl, she had been the first person who talked to him for the mere sake of wanting to get to know him. She was the only person before Rachel who had tried to dig beneath the shell that he had hidden himself in after losing both of his parents to cruel circumstances. She...had actually been his true savior but he had pushed her away for the sake of Rachel and as time passed, his mind clouded the things Thea did for him along with Rachel and he had mistakenly idolized Rachel as his angel while pushing Thea in to the shadows. It could only make sense that she saw him as nothing but a selfish monster.


Closing his eyes, he tried to recollect the last time she was truly happy around him. Tentatively, he reached out for the canvas and pulled it towards him.


When he opened his eyes, two cold eyes stared back at him. The shadowy figure that sat in the darkness with a gaunt expression was supposed to be him, and he felt his mouth grow dry as his hands began to tremble.


Too much time had passed...and the wounds were now infected...there was no way they could go back to the times where they could lean on to each other with out any worries. He had always been monster and he had dragged her down to hell with him.


Mentioned:
​

@Bhlow

 

[Couldyoustfu]

It had started with his vision leaving him, first from his left eye then from the right, and that was the moment an horde of dreams had invaded his drunken brain.


He hadn't completely fallen asleep, but was stuck in that horrible phase in which slumber fights with staying awake, and you cannot distinguish reality from fantasy.


In the darkness he finally heard a woman's voice, which made the italian wonder whatever it was his subconscious talking. But why would it ask for Adrian to come and pick it up at a pub?


He was enough confused to initially not notice the cold touch on his forehead and hair, but when he did he frowned lightly.


"Rachel, you know it feels weird..." He muttered, and immediately realized how absurd that statement was.





Rachel is dead, you killed her.


Then who could be the one touching him with such tenderness? No one had done so in a while.


The realization sort of shook him, because then Adrian narrowed his eyes and woke again.


"What the fuck.." He whispered, an hand reaching up to rub at his forehead that strangely enough ached terribly.


The hand that had been brushing his hair had darted away, but the owner of which was still sitting beside him, her head laying on the table. The italian straightened, eyeing the brunette before giving a soft shake to her shoulder.


"What-" but she interrupted him, shooting up, and he couldn't tell whatever the expression on her face was of guilt or disdain.


"You've fallen asleep for a while, now my chauffeur is coming and he'll get you home."


The senior frowned, tentatively raising on his feet, once he found some type of balance he offered his hand for Bailey to take. He never allowed anyone to drive him around.


"No way, I'll bring you home." At her protests he shook his head, gently yet decisively bringing Bailey to his car once she had taken his hand.


The familiar smell of the leather seats was enough to make him aware of his surroundings and drive calmly if not a little loosely, but he could feel and see upon glancing how tense the girl beside him looked anyway.


"Don't worry," He smiled tightly "I've driven in worst conditions."


Her strict nod didn't look reassured at all, but she didn't open her mouth to make any complaints.


So posed. He had thought amusedly.


But her fears on his drunkness didn't turn out to be completely unfounded as he pulled up at his own house, realizing only a few seconds later his mistake.


"Oh," He simply said, turning toward the girl in his car "I got kinda confused, let me-" Adrian was about to start the engine again but Bailey, in a slightly panicked way, grabbed his wrist and shook her head.


"Nonono, it's fine here." She added something he didn't hear about being picked up, so with a shrug the Italian closed the car and opened his house's door for her.


He could tell nobody was home, his father worked until very late on Mondays, and the silence resonated loudly. The senior felt terribly exposed at her scrutiny of his fancy house, of the old family pictures and various furnitures. So, he tried to get her attention by inviting her to sit on the couch.


His head was beginning to get heavier, and the only thing he seemed able to do was grin dumbly.


"So, are you going to abuse of my drunkness?" He joked.


What happened after was a daze, because he could only remember small chat and himself studying her features, fragile yet beautiful, before saying something about her needing to loosen up, being too posed, and kissing her.


And the brush of lips and tongues was the only thing his mind could recall for a while, while her hesitance that had disappeared only after his touch had turned less tender didn't come to mind, and then a void.


An huge void which Adrian couldn't really fill, if not maybe with the touch of skin against skin, pleasure and moans, but all these factors together didn't make sense to Adrian.


His sleep was taunted by dreams about Bailey, Rachel and Darius, in which Thea and Mason also fit in somehow.


No more alcohol. The italian lied to himself while stirring awake, the pounding headache in his temples not as strong as he'd feared. Whatever he'd drunk really had made him lose his mind, Adrian thought, he'd dreamed about having sex with Bailey, how weird was that?


But then Adrian reached out to scratch at his tight and practically stilled as he felt a leg that was not his brush his elbow in the way, and so let his eyes open into slits.


He hadn't expected Bailey to be asleep next to him.


"Porca merda!" He jumped upright, sheltering his lower parts with the covers, while trying to advert his eyes from the beautiful and clothed less body beside him.


What have I done? Adrian glanced around and took in his own room, before turning again toward Bailey, unsure of how to act.


His toned and muscular body was incredibly tense, so when he reached to give her shoulder a gentle squeeze with his hand he could see veins practically popping from it.


@Atsuko

 

[Atsuko]

B A I L E Y | B L A C K W E L L

Mason tenderly brushed his fingers through her hair and smiled at her warmly. “Don’t worry about the contract...I actually love you,” he whispered, as he embraced her in bed.


Bailey’s heartbeat rate began to escalate as she pressed her face into his shoulder trying to hid her tears. “I’m so gl-”


A gentle squeeze awoke her from her dream, and Bailey sat dazed in a room that she couldn’t recognize. Wincing, she held her aching head with her hand as she tried to blink away her drowsiness. Where was she…. The last thing she remembered was calling her chauffeur to pick her up and drinking up the remainder of the strange liquor before...fuck.


Everything that happened was nothing but blurred flickering clips and her head hurt too much to piece them together. She closed her eyes hoping that this was all just a simple nightmare and that she would soon wake up in her own bed but the sound of his voice shattered her hope.


“Do you need a glass of water,” Adrian casually asked, as he got up from the bed with a blanket wrapped around him. Bailey looked at him in horror, and glanced over the at the numerous empty wine bottles on the dresser. Fuck...please….no. Out of all events that could have happened, this was the last thing she had to deal with...today.


“Oh my god…,” she muttered, closing her eyes. The press conference...engagement ball...everything was to be revealed today. Today had been the day that she would finally be able to claim Mason as her own and show off to the world...but here she was lying in bed with a boy that she had barely talked to. Adrian was going to be at the ball for sure...and when he found out that she had slept with him on the same day that her engagement to Mason was to be announced...what exactly was she to become.


He handed her a glass with a calm expression on his face but she could see the shock in his eyes. With trembling hands she reached out for the glass not knowing what to say, but accidently dropped it on to the floor. The two of them stared in silence as the glass shattered and the water spilled on to the wooden floor. “I’ll clean it up..,” he quietly murmured, as he walked out of the room.


Bailey hid her face in her hands, as panic began to take control of her mind. Get yourself together Bailey. No one will know. Adrian might be a fuckboy but he knows better than to destroy you…Her phone buzzing interrupted the thoughts filling her head, and she tentatively glanced over and just as she thought…


“Hel-...”


“Miss Blackwell!!! I went to pick you up at the pub last night, but you were nowhere to be found. And you didn’t pick up any of your calls. We’ve tracked down your location, and it seems the press hasn’t found out yet but please quickly get dressed and come out. Your father is furious.”


Adrian walked back into the room with a sweeper and a bandage in one hand. She hadn’t even noticed that she had gotten cut by the shards. As he bent down to do it for her, she quickly snatched it away and messily wrapped it by herself barely being able to hold the tape.


“What happened last night...was just a mistake. A drunken mistake. You had those a lot haven’t you...just think of me as another mistake. Than everything will be easier for both you and I,” she muttered quickly as she pulled her dress on.


She grabbed her purse as she pulled on her heels. Bailey took a deep breath in as she glanced back at him. “I’m sorry,” she murmured, as she darted out of the house.


Slamming the car door behind her, she nearly screamed when she saw her father sitting beside her. His hand smashed against her cheek, leaving her stunned as tears sprung from her eyes. “I’m sorry...I-”


“Of course you would be nothing but a skank like your mother,” he snarled, as he glanced at her messy appearance with disgust. Sitting back, he faced forward and sighed. “Luckily no one found out yet thanks to your secretary. Hurry home and get dressed in something more proper. You don’t have to say anything at the press conference for it’s only about the business part of the contract but try to look close with CEO Avana’s son so that it wouldn’t be a surprise later at the ball. And…”


“I know better than to tell him. I’m not an idiot,” she muttered, as she tenderly touched her bruised cheek.


Her father scoffed. “Which is why you decided to fuck another boy on the night before your engagement is announced? Do you want your child to end up like you?”


Silence filled the car, as she stared at her father in horror. Even her own father seemed to have noticed the harshness of his own words, and his mouth began to open almost as if he wanted to take it back.


But all he said was, “Cover up the bruise with make-up. People will get suspicious.”


Bailey calmly nodded, as she stared out the window. What exactly had she expected…


As each minute passed by, the meeting with Mason seemed more horrifying and daunting.


@Couldyoustfu Mentioned: @ambiguities

 

[Couldyoustfu]

Adrian stared at her leaving back in silence for a while, the distant sound of a car's door slamming closed only barely reaching his ears.


The italian then passed an hand through his messy hair, pulling at it roughly out of rage.


"What the fuck happened?" He asked himself, getting on his knees to clean the mess Bailey had made.


The girl had seemed shocked, disgusted with herself almost. Adrian narrowed his eyes, picking a large shard with his fingers and throwing it in the near trashcan, yet if he remembered well she had been very participant last night.


Perhaps for the alcohol, he reasoned, but was it not her that had brought him to the pub?


What were her intentions? The senior could barely recall all her questions from the day before, but knew all together she had made him drink for a reason, which most likely wasn't sleeping with him. He scoffed, pulling a pair of underwear and comfortable pants on while lighting himself a cigarette.


“What happened last night...was just a mistake. A drunken mistake. You had those a lot haven’t you...just think of me as another mistake. Than everything will be easier for both you and I." She had said so, but Adrian couldn't bring himself to believe it was as simple as that. Bailey wasn't like most girls, she didn't throw herself at anyone, and she had been fun last night. She had more to her than just her beauty.





No, you're not a mere mistake.


So after a ridiculously long and gelid shower Adrian laid back on his messed over bed, in which Bailey's feminine smell lingered, before pulling out his phone and writing a short yet decisive text to the brunette.

To: Bailey Blackwell

@Atsuko


From: Adrian


"You own me some explanations. See you at the ball."
​

But the italian felt a little ridiculous and so pounded a while before actually pressing the "Send" icon. His head was clearer now than it had been upon his awake, but the questions that were haunting him hurt nonetheless.


Why did she sleep with me?


Why did she get me drunk?


Why did she ask about Rachel?


Will she tell Mason?


About the last one he seriously hoped not, confrontations weren't in his favorite things to do list, especially when it came with other popular people. Too many questions and not one single answer, and the only one that could tell them to him had practically ran off.


The situation was too odd, and were the circumstances different he'd probably let this slide, but this wasn't the case.


Deciding to skip the conference Adrian spent the rest of the day throwing away wine bottles and trying to avoid his father's calls. The man would most likely be at both the ball and the conference, but Adrian really couldn't stomach Roberto for more than a couple hours.


So when the time came the senior started to prepare himself, throwing on a rather elegant dress along with a tie, fixing his hair and hoping the hangover that was so obviously showing on his face would be mistaken for tiredness.


Desperately trying to distract himself before the time to leave the house arrived, the eighteen year old snapped a mirror picture of himself and posted it on Instagram, satisfied with the amount of likes that followed only a couple of minutes after.


Scrolling through the feed he also noticed Thea, and immediately remembered of the events of the prior day with her too. He considered telling the girl about what had happened, but didn't trust the blonde to keep the information secret.


Thea wasn't a bad friend, but Adrian suspected she wouldn't exactly be capable of resisting such a gossip.


So, also texting her, he kept his words casual.

To: Princess Thea

@Bhlow


From: Adrian


"So how did the cafeteria thing go? I had to leave yesterday :/ "
​

 

[Bhlow]

Thea Grace Malone

The rest of the school day, Thea passed high on weed, like most students and teachers in the school. She watched on as those high made fools of themselves, and others that had unknowingly taken ecstasy sat frustrated or was making out with someone else. At one point she thought she saw two teachers making out in a classroom but she didn't pause for long enough to find out, the whole event wasn't brining her as much fun as she had hoped, instead she stepped around the mayhem she had caused, breathing a sigh of relief when she finally left school.


She was surprised that Adrian hadn't found her to watch the mayhem with her, and she simply assumed that he had gotten high on drugs himself and was out banging someone somewhere, but she still hoped she would at least have his company, considering that Mason ignored her in the same way she ignored him. The rejection hurt.


From school, Thea headed for the hospital. There she met for her appointment with Theo, letting him take the stitches out that had been in her for over a week now. She was relieved when it was over, expecting it to hurt, but instead she merely felt an uncomfortable tugging sensation, until the threads were out. Without the stitches she still had a scar - it looked better than before, but it still destroyed her perfect body.


She drove home, to a manor that was lit up like a Christmas tree, and she didn't need Chikelu's warning to know that her mother was back. She thanked her driver and headed inside, to be met with Chikelu's warm voice.


"Your mother is waiting for you in her office". Her face gave no explanation as to the reason, and so Thea stood there for a moment, surprised. Whenever her mother called her into the office - which wasn't often, it was to reprimand her for something - and she hadn't done much; except spend thousands on drugs the day before in order to punish her mother - but she wouldn't have found out about that... yet.


Trudging through the hallway, Thea reached the open office to be faced with her pacing mother, and upon seeing her the stern looking woman stopped and turned to her, a stormy look on her face.


"Why must you always bring me embarrassment - even the mention of you makes me ashamed". Her mother snapped, her hand flashing out to slap Thea's cheek, the noise ringing out across the office. Thea stood surprised and shocked as her mother continued. "I had a meeting with Madame Simakov today, and instead of representing my best side - we trudged on the topic of you and in her company I found out that you managed to get yourself in hospital by causing a scene like only you know how to". At the words, Thea burst, repressed anger over taking her.


"You Bitch" the words came out almost as a snarl. "Do you want to know how it must have looked - like you didn't care about your daughter, like your private phone ignored the calls from the hospital and instead of a family contact I had Darius visit me - so damn right it's embarrassing to be as a shit of a mother as you". Still holding her cheek she stormed out of the office, ignoring the voice behind her, warning her to not walk out on her or turn her back while she was still talking, and Thea bounded up the stairs. Adrenaline pumped through her, but instead she bit her lip to not scream and shout in anger.


Thea sat by on her large windowsill, which she had always treated as a window seat and placed her cheek on the cool glass, knowing that if she went downstairs to get a bag of peas or an ice pack she would start crying if she saw Chikelu's face. So she spent the evening gazing outside, at one point watching the shadow move behind the curtain in Darius's room and like when she was little, she wished she could turn to talk to him - but she also knew, he simply wouldn't care.


---


Dozing off at the window, she awoke again in the middle of the night, moving into her comfortable bed, and then again when the sun light streamed in through her windows. Her phone was already going off with alerts and she stopped scrolling upon receiving a text from Adrian - not exactly a good morning text per say, but close enough.

To: Italian Boy


From: Thea
​

"Depends, why did you have to leave?"

​

She typed up the quick response and pressed send. She had to admit, she was curious as to why he left the sex crazed high on weed school, it wasn't like him to miss a party.


With her mother not home, Thea spent the day calmly, tanning in her garden until it was finally time to get ready for the engagement party. She still didn't know whose party it was, but she assumed it would be some sort of middle aged couple, from their upper spheres who had spent their life together and were now finally planning on having kids. Getting ready didn't take as long as usual, having picked up her outfit earlier, Thea put on a golden one shoulder gown, that trailed behind her as she walked, and with her hair pinned up elaborately she looked like a modern Aphrodite. She quirked a smile in front of the mirror as she applied golden eyeliner. She knew everyone would be there and she wanted their jaws to drop, and damn she even wanted the couple who were getting engaged to think twice about their choice.


Once she was ready she ordered a cab, assuming that her mother would arrive separately, and drove towards the venue, checking the news she didn't have time to see earlier, other than a shooting at Melbourne, and another possible missing plane - there was also a piece on the "union" of two companies, and the pictures from what seemed to be a press conference with Mason and Bailey in photos labelled as the "leaders of the new generation". She kept her contempt down, disgusted at the fact that Mason's father not only forced them to date but also paraded them out in front of press, and she put the phone away, ignoring the bile of jealousy rising up inside her.


Once they arrived, Thea tipped the driver and stepped out onto the pavement, looking to see if any familiar faces had arrived before she went in.

Spoiler

Mentioned: @Atsuko @Couldyoustfu @ambiguities

 

[Couldyoustfu]

Adrian sang along with pathetically sad italian songs, all the while making sure the expensive silk of his shirt stayed into place.


"C'è chi se sposa e c'è chi fa l'amante!"*


He applied a small amount of gel on top of his hair, just enough to hold it in place, and then finally wore the upper part of the suit.


"Ready..." He sighed, unsure of what this ball would bring. What if Bailey decided to purposely avoid him by not coming? That wouldn't be completely unexpected, but the italian hoped someone of the Blackwell family had enough guts to face him.


While shutting the music on his phone Adrian noticed Thea's response, he hadn't checked texts during his whole preparation, and her question put him off a little.


Does she know everything?


A little paranoid, the senior wrote a simple and causal lie:

To: Princess Thea

@Bhlow

From: Adrian

"Family business, my father graced me with his presence."



​

"That sounds depressing." Adrian muttered, before letting the phone slide back into his pocket, grabbing his car keys and walking down in the garage. Still kind of nervous about the events that would follow the italian drove slower than usual, and felt like throwing up once arriving in front of the place where the ball took place at.


Adrian hated keeping secrets, especially when he was involved himself.


But instead of showing his distress the brunette put on an air of arrogance and walked inside, nodding and grinning at a couple of familiar heads before his eyes posed on Thea. A bile formed on his troath, and not only because her dress was extremely provocative, but because of the fact he'd have to lie to her.


I hate secrets. I hate lying.





So with a seemingly genuine, yet faked smile, he walked in the blonde's direction.


"My my, you can't live without looking stunning can you? Good evening." He chuckled, lowering his gaze to take a glance at her forms.


It annoyed him deeply how he couldn't stop comparing them to Bailey's.


"Hey, have you gone to the conference? I kind of skipped it." He terribly wanted to ask Thea if she had seen where said girl was, but knew it would have sounded a little odd coming from him.


After all you never had any relationship with her before, before last night. Last night you guys fucked and now I am surrounded by people who probably think Bailey and Mason had a perfect relationship.


His gaze then sharpened, and immediately searched for Thea's eyes. Mason at the hospital, at her bedside...perhaps Bailey wasn't the only one who had a little bit of fun outside of the extremely forced relationship ?


Feeling relieved by his suspects Adrian grabbed two glasses of champagne by a passing waiter, offering one to Thea and avidly drinking his own.





*That's actually a line from a song and it means "There's who marries off and who becomes a lover" and I thought it was very accurate

 

[ambiguities]

MASON ANTONIO AVANA

​

The last couple days passed by Mason in a foggy blur and as the week neared it's end, he was more than glad. But the relief was short lived when he attended the conference that he assumed wasn't due for a while now. Truthfully, he couldn't care to be interested in the useless business his father did because that wasn't what Mason wanted to do. Much like most of the aspects of his life, he was forced to. Some say he should be grateful, he was born into money and power. He didn't see it as anything remotely good, and as much as he tried for figure out ways to stray away from that part of his life, it'd follow him everywhere.


"Mason," Shutting the door behind him, he set his keys on the small table that stood next to the entrance. "Yes Maria? Why are you whispering?" He quirked a brow at Maria as she approached him soft steps. "Your father came home today, He requested that you speak with him before you sleep." Pursing his lips, he shook his head. "I saw him at the conference today and I think that's all I can stomach for today, Maria. I'll see him tomorrow at that - that thing-" Maria rolled her eyes, a small smile tugging the corners of her lips. She smiled too much, it was evident in her old age now, the creases that appeared anytime she did the action was proof of that. "The engagement Ball. I put your tux in your bedroom already." Mason nodded, kissing her cheek before mumbling thank you as he went upstairs and headed straight for his bedroom. It'd be best if they avoided all contact unless it was strictly necessary and that wouldn't change anytime soon.


Mason couldn't remember what time he fell asleep last night, granted he couldn't even remember getting into bed. When he checked the time he figured he had a few hours to kill until the Ball so he urged himself to get up and brush his teeth. The majority of the morning was spent spending lost time with Ophelia and Rocco, their excitement was contagious and Mason felt great at that moment in time, he could smile without it being forced and he could be himself without being judged. Most of all he didn't have to pretend with them. After announcing that he had to get ready for the Ball, he came upstairs. Just as he was about to enter his room, he heard a small purr. Looking down he was met with another Furry companion, one he hasn't seen in a while, Robin. Mason's relationship with the cat was something of mutual tolerance at times. He wasn't nearly as close with the cat as Ophelia was. Maybe it was the fact that Ophelia saw the cat as the only reminder of Their mother through out the days, despite the pictures of her hanging. The cat was a reminder to Mason too, that she wasn't here. It was a bitter reminder, the fact that he didn't know if she'd ever return. "You really need to stop leaving and coming back when ever you choose, Robin. You don't pay the bills here." He rolled his eyes and picked up the cat, raking his fingers through it's soft fur before setting it down and entering his room.


Just as he finished getting ready, he picked up his phone to see if there were any messages from Thea or Bailey. He had been disappointment the second time he checked and this was the fourth time so it lessened. He bit his lip and stuffed his phone back into his pocket. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to arrive with Bailey as they have done at most events, but he wasn't going to ask. He'll see her there. A knock echoed through his room, "Mason, It's time to go." Maria's Hispanic accented voice filled his ears. He opened the door and raised his eyebrows as if asking her what she thought. "You look handsome as always. Not that you weren't aware." Mason shrugged. "I know, it's fun hearing other people say it though."


As his driver for the night pulled up to the venue, Mason thanked him. Normally he'd tell them when to pick him up, but he didn't know what time the damned thing ended. His dad's secretary hadn't informed Mason on what or who this was for, and frankly he didn't care. But the vagueness was unsettling. When he stepped into the lavish hall, he was immediately met with greetings from His father's business associates. He had been talking to a man, no older than 50 or so about his dad's latest business tactics. No doubt a kiss ass. His eyes were roaming the room as his focus on the conversation deviated. His gaze locked on a familiar blonde, sporting an elegant gold dress that drew eyes from here to Europe. "Excuse me." He walked away from the man and started walking towards the Blonde. As he got closer, a man came into view who was standing with her. Italian boy- Adrian. "Hey guys." He offered a smile to Adrian quickly before looking at Thea. "Can we talk?"



​

@Couldyoustfu @Bhlow

 

[Bhlow]

Thea Grace Malone

Thea linked her arm with Adrian when he came along, accepting his compliment as if good naturedly, but she didn't have to guess twice to know that he was lying to her. She knew Adrian - and the text that he left for school due to "family business" was absolute bullshit. In the years she had known Adrian, he had always avoided his father to the best of his abilities, hidden under the cover of school to avoid his father - and not just let him "grace" him with his presence.


She ignored his chatter as he asked her about the conference, before finally turning to him, removing her arm from his. "You know - I hate it when people lie to me, I can tolerate many things, but not lying". Her hand would have thrown the contents of the champagne glass over Adrian had she not been distributed by a familiar voice, and although the voice caused her insides to melt, with her annoyment it was not hard to keep her cool as she assessed how Mason look in the suit. Handsome was an understatement, just the right amount of muscle showed through his suit making him unbearable to look at.


"Depends what you bloody want to talk about", she muttered under her breath, downing the champagne she had wanted to throw at Adrian a second before, and setting the empty glass on a tray of a passing waiter.


"Don't ever lie to me again". Thea warned Adrian quietly, before walking away from him, following Mason in the crowd and picking up another champagne glass as she went. When they reached a quieter place they stopped and Thea turned to look at him coldly, keeping her emotions down as to stop herself from kissing him there and then before speaking.


"You want to speak now? Where were you for the past two weeks? Where were you when I begged you to answer my calls on your answering machine or when I sent you hundreds of texts?" She bit her lip, wondering how she could trust someone who wasn't there for her in her times of need, who was willing to leave her on a hospital bed in favour of Bailey. He was exactly like Darius. Both of them picked others over her, and she kept deluding herself that they wouldn't.


"You've picked her over me, so what more do we have to talk about Mason?".





@ambiguities @Couldyoustfu