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[HonestlySurviving]

Alexandria


I didn't show my sadness outwardly that he had left, going around the party to continue mingling.

 

[Tom-Pen]

The waves lapped under the boat, which climbed up the swell, and then crashed down with a splash, a mist of water blowing back over myself. I was sailing, and it was wonderful. The fresh sea air, the water, and the endless possibilities for adventure. My sea legs weren't the best, but I knew they'd come in time. I climbed up from the cockpit (The place where the wheel is, directly behind the cabin) and leaned forward looking into the distance, hanging onto the mast for support. A storm was brewing in the distance, black clouds swirled, and the water turned a dark shade of blue that seemed to rise and fall in 20ft increments. Facing what was sure to be a deadly endeavor only excited me. I smiled in the face of the approaching danger.


I was getting closer to the storm, the water I sailed over becoming more and more rough. I readied myself at the wheel, prepared to do battle with Neptune himself, but then, off to my starboard side caught site of a much larger ship. It was heading away from the storm, away from the adventure. I laughed at them, at the thought of their fear. My laughter ended however, when I heard a cry for help. Leaning over the edge of my own ship, peering through a telescope I looked after the fleeing ship. Waving a white handkerchief over the side, and calling for help, was Alexandria. I looked closer just in time to see her mother, dressed much like a pirate captain, grabbing her and dragging her away, out of my sight.


"Oh no!" I said.


"Something wrong?" A man from the group on the porch asked. I turned to him, a little dazed at my sudden return to reality. He looked at me with a concerned stair before I finally answered.


"No, I just uh... remembered something." I went back into the house, the group I had been with earlier had disbanded. I stood at the base of the stairs where are group had been, thinking of where to go, or who to go and mingle with. Then, I caught sight of Alexandria, she had moved on to another group; I figured she was mingling about, as hostesses are often required to do. I walked up and joined in, saving her from what I guessed to be boring party talk, which, although not as harrowing as saving her from an evil pirate mother, still made me feel somewhat heroic. "Hey, how's the mingling and small talk going?" I asked jokingly, stepping in beside her.

 

[Aryn Harris]

Devon


I sigh softly and run my fingers through my hair. I run my hands down the dress I'm wearing, fixing any wrinkles or errors that might be there.

 

[HonestlySurviving]

Alexandria


I smiled. "Whatever do you mean? I am having conversations..." I said with a laugh.

 

[Tom-Pen]

I laughed at Alexandria's joke, it was good to see someone of her status, in her position, had a sense of humor. I let a moment go by, and then turned to her. "So, you said you love to travel, where would you love to go?" I asked, not sure if she felt comfortable enough around me to answer.

 

[HonestlySurviving]

Alexandria


I smiled. "To the tallest mountains and the deepest seas and the longest valleys and everything in between."

 

[Tom-Pen]

"Wow, that really would be some traveling." I said, thinking of those places she had mentioned myself, of the the mountains, and of the sea mostly. While in thought, standing next to Alexandria, my phone buzzed, and pulled it from my pocket. I looked at the text from one of my friends who had long since left the party. I pondered what I had read. It was a slim shot, but I figured I'd give it a shot. "So I don't suppose you'd be up for some traveling tonight, would you?" I asked, feeling certain she would decline.

 

[Energie]

The wheels to Jackson's Jeep Wrangler screeched to a stop just inches from the bumper of the car in front of him -- the boy had been distracted by the swig he was taking to finish off his flask. As he shifted the car into park, he took a second's pause to examine himself in the rear view mirror, replacing a fallen strand of hair back into it's place before hopping out of the car and circling it to his trunk. He made quick work of refilling his flask from a bottle of whiskey he'd snagged from his father's collection on his way out of the door.


Jackson had realized several years back that it was near impossible for him to tolerate any of these community gatherings without something in his system -- champagne never doing it for him; though, he knew that it was a regular guest at most of these things. His parents always paid him the respect to allow him to drive himself, but Jackson made it a regular habit to show up fairly late and moderately buzzed.


He made his way into the party maintaining the expectations he was raised under and saying hello to all those older town members he was expected to speak with. However, the second he'd greeted the last of the council members in attendance, he made a his way back into the building with his calm, collected stride. As he passed the buffet table, he plucked a snack from a kid's plate who was hard at work serving himself. He had a wide, smug grin on his face as he approached Alexandria and the group surrounding her.


"Alex, you've outdone yourself with this one." He called out, his voice ringing in the haughty tone it often took at events like these. He cleared the distance between the group, now standing beside the hostess. He made quick work of taking in who all was standing around -- him having no doubt interrupted a conversation, but he was sure it was nothing of importance. His arm found his way around Alex, his forearm resting on the shelf her shoulders created. "Hell,keep this up and in just fifteen years, you'll be the spitting image of your mother, hosting these little soirees every chance you get and I'll be on the town council, like my father. Our little slice of heaven." He muttered, his eyes glancing over to the guy in the group. He gave a subdued huff, figuring the kid was trying to prove himself to the hostess.

 

[Tom-Pen]

My words were cut short, by a rowdy party guest who had just entered, making his way immediately to Alexandria's side. I wasn't sure who he was, aside from being the son of a city councilmen, which he made clear through loud conversation with Alexandria. He didn't bug me, much, at least at first. However, he earned my disliking when he gave a snort like huff in my direction. With his arm around Alexandria, and that pig like noise he made in my direction, I could tell he had a message for me; stay away from the girl. Normally, I would have taken this as a sign to back off, if Alexandria was just another girl, but Alexandria was different than most of the girls I had met, and frankly, I didn't feel like staying away. I gave the kid a laugh, just a little one, followed by a shake of my head.

 

[HonestlySurviving]

Alexandria


"Remove your arm and take a step back. I do not wish to smell like alcohol..." I said curtly, a polite smile glued to my face. "And if you ever compare me to my mother again, you will be eating the dirt six feet under my garden out back, do you understand me?"

 

[Energie]

Jackson allowed his arm to slip off her shoulder and back to his side, as he rolled his eyes and ran his hand over his forehead wiping the moisture from his brow. He wasn't hurt by the comment, nor surprised having gotten similar things said to him before; however, his eyes stay trained on the guy after hearing the sound of his laugh.


His lips itched to say something, but he wouldn't allow the kid to get a ruse out of him -- not just yet.


"But, hell, Alexandria you make it so damn easy. The spittin' image of her. You've got the whole Stepford thing going for you, sweetheart, and you've got that feisty bite of a copperhead she's got. You might as well be her clone." He gave a placid laugh, rubbing the small whiskers on his chin.

 

[HonestlySurviving]

Alexandria


"Do not make me throw you out in a not-so-private manner. All of those council members watching your behind hit the pavement? What will your father say when he finds out? And don't worry, he will. I'll make sure it's in the papers! Front page would work well, don't you think?"

 

[Energie]

Jackson's body grew tense as Alexandria made her statement. His eyes darted over her noting that she was serious about her threat or least appeared to be serious; but, he was never one to take to kindly to being belittled. His expression grew stern, "It's a small-town, sweetheart. Everyone's got something on somebody and I know your track record isn't as squeaky clean as you make it out to be." His lips moved in a tense manner when he spoke, though his voice had lost some the life that it had before. "If you want to make a scene... throw some mud, go ahead. But, I can promise it'll do nothing, but hurt the both of us in the end." He raised an eyebrow at Alexandria, before retrieving the flask from his pocket and taking a long drag from it. When he finished he blew the lingering scent of the whiskey on his tongue in her direction, following it up with a smug grin.

 

[HonestlySurviving]

Alexandria


"Stealing five dollars from my father when I was two does not count, Jackson..." That was honestly the worst I had done. I had never held hands with a guy, let alone anything worse, I never drank, stolen anything, etc. I was a great driver and had always done my own homework and never cheated on a test. My record was 'squeaky clean'. I glared when he blew foul smelling breath in my face. I flipped open my phone, said three words, and three large men in black uniforms came over, hoisted Jackson up by his arms as if he were feather light, and carried him out, in clear view of everyone. Camera flashes instantly started going off like mad.

 

[Aryn Harris]

Devon


I bite my lower lip and look around. 'I don't fit in here...' I think to myself and begin to nervously fidget. 'Maybe I should just go home... That'd probably be best...' I think and slowly start to make my way to the front door. I slow down a little bit as I think about what might happen when I get home. I quickly think better about leaving and turn around, finding a new group to talk to.

 

[Tom-Pen]

I watched as the rowdy party guest was carried away. It seemed an odd thing to do, even to a rude guest, throw them out like that I mean. But, this was not my party, and perhaps Alexandria knew the man better than I did, which was likely, seeing as I didn't know him at all. My phone buzzed again, I looked down at it, it was the same friend asking the same question.


"How mad would your mom be if you, maybe, left the party for a little while?" I asked Alexandria, though I hardly needed to ask, the answer seeming quite obvious, just from what little I knew about her.

 

[HonestlySurviving]

Alexandria


I looked at him. "Where would we go?" I asked, barely caring, as long as it was away.

 

[Aryn Harris]

Devon


I continue to talk to a group and give small smiles, not really contributing to what they're talking about.

 

[Safton]

I watched as the guest was carried away, my expression no doubt bemused. Hesitantly, I walk towards the small group that remained. "What was that about?" I ask.

 

[HonestlySurviving]

Alexandria


"The guest was rowdy, rude, drunk, and disrespectful. I do not allow such things to be in my presence..."

 

[Tom-Pen]

Arron Wilde


Before I had answered Alexandria a young man walked up, a football player I recognized, though only by appearance, and not by name. He asked about the guy who had been, removed, from the party. Alexandria gave an answer, and in giving that answer, also made me think twice about taking her where I had thought I might. Addressing Alexandria's question, from before the young man had approached.


"I don't know, just thinking out loud." I felt like I covered up the fact that I did have a place in mind originally fairly well. Hopefully she would believe I was just thinking out loud, and had just asked out of curiosity.

 

[HonestlySurviving]

Alexandria


I looked at Arron and said softly, "Then I will go with you. I will be back momentarily..." I left to go tell my mother that I was going to get some air. A woman was with her, and before she could reply, said, "Poor dear was assaulted by that young man. I would want to gather myself together as well..." She was forced to let me go. I went to gather my purse, gloves, and head scarf. I passed Devon on my way out and invited her, and we walked together to where Arron was waiting.

 

[Aryn Harris]

Devon


I follow after Alexandria and furrow my eyebrows in confusion. "We are we gong?" I ask, but continue to follow after her. "And why am I going?" I add, very confused and oblivious that other people know about my step dad. "Did something happen? I'm sorry I'm asking a lot of questions...." I trail off, my eyes downcast.

 

[HonestlySurviving]

Alexandria


"I won't leave you here by yourself with my mother, and you're not going home tonight. The only logical thing is for you to come along. And I have no idea where we are going..."

 

[Aryn Harris]

"Why can't I stay here with your mother? There are other people here. I'm sure I could hide if I needed to." I state, giving a small smile. "You don't have to invite me somewhere just so I can stay away from her. I'm sure I'll be fine." I add, running my fingers through my hair.