Realistic or Modern Home

[HonestlySurviving]

Alexandria


I smiled. "I received early admission from UCLA..." I said. "I don't know if I'm accepting, though."

 

[Safton]

I step through the front door of the house with no small measure of self-consciousness. I can't help but tug at the collar of the blue dress shirt and the darker tie that seems to be choking me, even though I'm sure it was just his nerves at work. I'm also wearing a button-up vest, slacks, and dress shoes -- all black.


Part of me is already regretting showing up. I wanted to move on with my life once and for all. I've graduated; there was nothing left for me here but my parents and a lot of bad memories. I had made his peace with this place, now I want nothing more than to march to the recruiter's office and sign up. Still, my parents "persuaded" me to give the party a chance and, after some resistance, I acquiesced.


With a sigh of resignation, I head into the living room...

 

[Tom-Pen]

Arron Wilde


"What makes you guys want to go to college?" I asked, but then rephrased my question. "I mean, what do you want to do after college?" As I waited for an answer, I noticed a familiar face appear in the crowd. It was a young man I had seen before, another football player.

 

[Aryn Harris]

Devon


"Oh hey that's great! And why not? You should accept it." I say to Alexandria before turning my attention back to Arron. "I wanna go into Law Enforcement." I answer.

 

[HonestlySurviving]

Alexandria


My face paled slightly. "UCLA?" I heard my mothers voice chime in. "Darling, that is all the way across the county. Of course you want go..." Her hand tightened on my shoulder, squeezing hard.

 

[Tom-Pen]

I smiled and nodded my head at Devon's words. Before I had a chance to answer, Alexandria's mother came over. I heard her remark about UCLA. "Well you can't expect her to stay here forever." I said, a little too loud. I didn't plan for it to be audible to the group, particularly to Alexandria's mother. I guess her remark made me think about my own situation, and my own mother, giving my voice a few extra decibels to many. I bit my lip in remission.

 

[Safton]

I scan the room, searching for familiar faces before finding one. A guy my age, and a fellow football player. I was good with names and faces... Arron, that was it. While we aren't friends, that was simply due to the fact that we tended to travel in different circles. I don't have any problems with him in any case. The girls he's standing definitely go to my school, but unfortunately this time I draw a blank on their names.


I shrug inwardly before walking stiffly towards the small group.

 

[Vodka]

Joanna-Beth


Music. People. Food and drinks-which where free. Sounds like fun.


The land always looked bigger from the road, as did the house. She had parked her car near the front gate, using the distance as an advantage to explore the grounds before officially entering the party. Joanna-Beth use to come to the property regularly before her dad died. She remembered playing with the horses while her father constructed on whatever he was paid to do. Nothing had changed over the years.


Once indoors, saved from the humidity, she instantly realized her took "casual attire" a little too literal. Dressed in her light grey tank top and flannel, jeans that began to fade in color from repeatedly washing it, and her boots. Her thick hair that appeared a brighter shade of blonde in the sunlight had been let loose to cascade to the mid of her back in a soft wave; almost messy from constantly running her fingers through it, flipping it over from side to side. Who would have guessed that her mother's prediction would have been right. The definition of casual was her family's version of fancy.


For the most part, she kept her peace near the buffet of delectable goodies and champagne. Stuffing her mouth with the treats to fulfill the main purpose on why she attended. No one tried to talk to her, so she quietly stood back to watch, ate continuously off the small white plate, and would occasionally swipe a champagne for herself, licking the sweet beverage from her full lips. Jo's dark green eyes scanned the growing crowd of faces she'd been raised to remember. Almost everyone in the town was here, even the Mayor showed. It had been barely twenty minutes before she spotted a small group of fellow students that she knew off near the stairs, talking amongst themselves. Football players, one of the richest girls in town, and over shy teenager with unnecessary insecurities. Such an odd mixture of personalities.


Tempted to join in on the fun, but once she caught sight of the hostess, Alexandria's mother, she decided against it and remained where she stood. Jo continued to people watch and ease drop of near conversations of scandals and politics. When spotted be a familiar face she would wave and smile kindly, only a few would greet her with a handshake and unwanted small talk.

 

[Aryn Harris]

Devon


I look over at Alexandria's mother and cross my arms. I eventually look down at the ground and shake my head, one of my hands rubbing my arm.

 

[HonestlySurviving]

Alexandria


She smiled at him, a dangerous smile. "Of course not, dear. I am simply reminding my daughter of her duties and obligations, something you obviously know nothing about." I almost shivered at the ice in her tone. "Mother, I do not need reminding..." I said, praying she would leave. "And I know how much effort I put into Harvard, but I no longer wish to go there." She laughed softly, a laugh that made me want to shiver. "I suppose we will speak on a later date about the subject..." She excused herself, and I knew why. Her claws had definitely already bruised my shoulder, and if she stayed, there was a risk of her hurting me in a more obvious manner, which would be bad for press.

 

[Aryn Harris]

Devon


I look up at Alexandria and I frown slightly. "Are you okay?" I ask, reaching over to place a hand gently on your right bicep.

 

[HonestlySurviving]

Alexandria


"Fine..." The smile had been plastered on my face throughout the entire exchange. "She just doesn't want to let go of her baby yet, that's all."

 

[Aryn Harris]

Devon


I continue to frown, obviously concerned. "Look if you ever want to just get away we can just drive around. My place wouldn't exactly be much different." I state and give her a small smile.

 

[HonestlySurviving]

Alexandria


I smiled. "It's okay. I'll be fine..." I said, taking a deep breath. "I am going to be a doctor after college..." I wasn't exactly thrilled about that. I wanted to be a movie producer.

 

[Aryn Harris]

Devon


I nod my head and cross my arms again. "Well that's a good career. What do you wanna go into? Surgery, Ortho, Peds, ect?"

 

[HonestlySurviving]

Alexandria


"Emergency surgeon..." I said, like my mother wanted from me. I kept the smile on my face, even though I was obviously fake.

 

[Aryn Harris]

Devon


I look at Alexandria, examining her face closely. I furrow my brows slightly. "You don't really wanna be a doctor... Do you?" I ask.

 

[HonestlySurviving]

Alexandria


"Of course I want to save lives..." I said a little softer, still smiling. I bit my lip and looked at Arron. "And you? What do you want to be?"

 

[Aryn Harris]

Devon


I let out a soft sigh and turn my attention to Arron as she asks him what he wants to be.

 

[Tom-Pen]

Alexandria's mother was gone, a little breath of air I was holding back in fear coming out. Devon and Alexandria spoke to each other for a moment, and I listened. I wasn't sure what to make of it, their conversation I mean. Alexandria was claiming she wanted to be a doctor, Devon didn't seem to believe her. I didn't know what to think.


"And you? What do you want to be?" Alexandria asked.


"Oh, uh..." I was a little caught off guard by the question. I was going to lie again, say something like being a doctor, or that I wanted to go into law or business, but I changed my mind. I didn't want to lie to them again. I was looking into Alexandria's eyes, trying to think of what to say, when my imagination suddenly took a hold of me, as it so often did.


I imagined I was flying a plane, one of those old ones, you know, with the two stacked wings, and a propeller in front. The thick smokey white clouds making it near impossible to see anything around me. I turned round to see Alexandria in the seat behind me, a white scarf around her neck, blowing in the wind. Her eyes, they were watching me, a sweet smile on her face, a real smile, not one of the party facades. I felt the plane shudder and turned back around, putting my focus back on flying the plane. Soon the clouds began to thin, and I could almost see something ahead of us.


Then I was snapped back into the reality of the party. Once again looking at Devon and Alexandria, unaware of how long I might have spaced out for. Worried it may have been more than a few seconds I quickly answered the question, blurting out the only thing currently on my mind.


"I want to fly a plane." I said, a look of surprise on my own face, once I realized what I had said. Did I want to fly a plane? I suppose I wouldn't be opposed if I had the opportunity, and it was a better answer than saying, I don't know.

 

[Safton]

I had stopped my journey across the room halfway. The atmosphere in the group seemed tense, even from this distance.


Coward.


Shaking the inner voice away, I quickly look around for an escape route... there. The buffet table seems as a good a choice as any. I make my way over to it. The host of the party definitely didn't spare any expense. The table is piled high with snacks, desserts, and various drinks -- including champagne. There's only one person currently availing themselves of the latter: a girl, blonde, dressed in flannel and shorts. I suddenly feel overdressed. Drawing up next to her, I grab a small plate and none too self-consciously begin placing snack foods on it. I'm not particularly hungry, but that's hardly the point. Anything to avoid pointless "mingling" was fine by me. I give the girl a nod as she takes a quick sip from the champagne.

 

[HonestlySurviving]

Alexandria


That made me genuinely smile. "That sounds amazing. I would love to travel..." I smiled a bit more. "Where would you go first?"

 

[Tom-Pen]

I saw Alexandria's smile change before my very eyes, from one of polite elegance, to one of intrigued curiosity, at least I think that was the change. I looked at her, and her genuine smile, which was quite beautiful.


"Well, I guess I don't really know." I thought about the question for a moment. Where did I want to go? It was something I thought about often, yet, I really had no particular place in mind. "Somewhere." I said, smiling as I began to think more about it. "Somewhere new, somewhere not here." Suddenly a good phrase popped into my head. "Anywhere the wind takes me." I said, laughing just a little at myself for saying it. It was a corny thing to say, but it expressed my feelings perfectly. Anywhere really would do, but I couldn't help but remember my parents, my life, the very world I lived in, which though I hated to admit it, was not set up for someone to gallivant around, from one adventure to the next, whether by plane or any other means of travel, and so I added the words of doubt. "But I don't know." The words being breathed out, airy and faint.

 

[HonestlySurviving]

Alexandria


I smiled a bit more. "That's okay..." I said, "You'll know when it's time...Everyone knows everything they need to know when the time comes..."

 

[Tom-Pen]

She didn't quite understand, it was okay, no one ever did. "Yeah, your probably right." I said, nodding my head, there was no point in trying to explain more. I stood with the group only for a few minutes more. I looked around, there were still a lot of people. "I'm gunna' go outside, get some air." I left the group and went outside, standing a little ways from the door, and a small group of party goers that had congregated on the porch. I could see the stars, not all of them, but some. There I stood for a little while, once more loosing myself in a very over active imagination, the din of the party fading away as I drifted out of reality.