Realistic or Modern Letters From The Grave | Main

[Desert_Blossom]

Vanessa Hill

Vanessa Hill had spent more time in this police station than she'd like to admit. Even if it did bolster her street cred. Though, usually she'd been seated in front of some deputy's desk being reprimanded and fined for something, or in the interrogation room being asked questions she skillfully avoided answering. The pinkette had only found herself locked in the holding cell once before, and that hadn't ended well for her. Thanks to her ex-boyfriend who had a penchant for grand theft auto, Nessa had spent a few nights in jail for being an accidental accomplice, before being sentenced to community service for having bad taste in men. Her words not the court's. This was a sentence she was still serving, so finding herself back behind bars put her in a precarious position. A judge would not be as lenient the next time she found herself in court, if things got that far.
The police themselves didn't scare Nessa, and their annoyed expressions at her disrespectful words only fueled her spirits. What did threaten to make her stomach turn and hands shake was the threat of all her darkest secrets being discovered because of this arson arrest. Images of the night Victor died in the gymnasium fire were trying to sear themselves back into her mind, and she kept having to push away flashbacks to the day she'd spent being interrogated after the man her mother had been having an affair with was caught in a house fire. A questionable alibi from her sister and a lack of evidence had gotten Nessa off the hook for the latter, but even though Nessa had nothing to do with today's fire, it might be enough to spark some interest in her past. Had the Southsider been alone, she may have been more shaken up by her pending doom, but luckily the company of Devereaux and Bia gave her something else to focus on.

The brunette woman seemed to calm down a little bit after Nessa's advice about the police, at least enough to come and take a seat on the bench as well, and the pinkette took that as a small win for their team. Turning her blue gaze towards Dom, she watched him pace back and forth in the small holding cell. He'd been calm and collected during this experience, but that's what made Nessa ask if this was his first time. If he wasn't out of his comfort zone, the pinkette imagined he'd be giving the police a piece of his mind and ordering them around by now. Being arrested had a way of bringing out another side of people. The quiet, respectful Bia had found some grit, and the outspoken, wild Devereaux was suddenly silent and comparatively docile.

Is it that obvious? Shrugging one of her slim shoulders, Nessa smirked a little. "Sometimes a girl just knows..." She replied teasingly as Dom took a seat on the other side of her. The pinkette's lips pursed thoughtfully as she considered the Northsiders next questions about how long they'd be kept in the holding cell. "We'll be here until they decide whether they have enough evidence to charge us. Though this department isn't known for their speed or skills of deduction, so who knows how long that will be." Nessa sighed, wishing she still had some gum to chew right now. "And at this rate, it doesn't feel like they're trying to clear our names as much as pin it on us..."

Blue eyes shifted back over to Bianca when her quiet voice chimed in. This is no coincidence... He wants us here. Or she. Whoever the bastard is. Vanessa knew immediately that Bia was referring to the mysterious texter who'd plagued them last week. V. In all the commotion the Southsider hadn't considered who might actually have been the one to set the may pole on fire and dump blood on Vivi, but the brunette's words struck a chord. Tightening her arms against her chest a little more, Nessa tried not to betray the feeling of dread that washed over her. Suddenly she wasn't so sure the police wouldn't find any evidence to charge the trio. Maybe it was because V was anonymous, or seemed to know things that no one else did, but Vanessa couldn't shake the sensation that this was some kind of twisted game and this group of misfits were his puppets. Bia groaned that she was going to be sick, and Nessa for once almost agreed with her. What a mess.

"Did either of you get any texts before this afternoon...?" Nessa asked in a whisper as she watched the policemen intently to make sure they weren't eavesdropping. She thought of her phone that had been confiscated and prayed no new texts had come through since. "You both deleted those texts from last week, right?" She continued, trying to keep her hushed tone casual.

Brave Face

Holding Cell

Outfit

MadiRaiCat _amaranth_

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Maxim Drozdov

The Maypole celebrations in Russia were nothing like the one Max was experiencing today. While red was a national color, no one went around pouring buckets of crimson liquid on unsuspecting women. And arson was usually saved for protests rather than celebrations. It was disappointing that such a fun day had ended in such disaster, but Maxim had to remind himself that the day wasn't over yet. There was still hope that everything would turn out okay... and still the threat that it wouldn't.

Thankful that he hadn't been arrested, the exchange student was trying to stay positive and not add to the anxiety that was thick in the air. Vivian was understandably not in the best of moods, which was only made worse when she wasn't allowed to join the others in the cafe. Partially covered in the bloody substance himself, Max had remained with the redhead and did his best to clean up at the expense of his shirt. Vivi was able to wipe some of the dried substance off her face, but it wasn't much and the Russian felt useless, unable to help more.

As they waited for the three Southsiders, Max had more time to think about Dom and Bia and his positive demeanor cracked a little. It helped that Vivi agreed that their fellow Northsiders would be okay, and Max nodded, still trying to convince himself of it. The brunette man promised Vivi earnestly that he had nothing to do with the prank that had ruined her moment as queen, and was relieved to hear that she believed him. A silence fell between the two for a few minutes, both getting lost in thought, before the redhead was suddenly jumping out of the car and striding into the cafe. For a few moments Max was stunned, remaining in the seat where he was as he called for Vivi to come back, but it was no use. Not wanting to draw even more attention to their group by walking into the place shirtless, Max just grumbled to himself as he waited alone.

He wondered what Bia and Dom were doing, the image of the sweet brunette girl being held in the police station difficult to picture. Max ran a hand through his hair as he sighed and leaned back against the seat. Sure he'd helped Vivi, but he hadn't looked out for Bia... or Dom. Two of his friends had been caught, and he'd just ran with the redhead. It's not like he couldn't have fought off the police, but Max didn't like the cowardly feeling that was growing inside him.

After what felt like an agonizing eternity, but was likely only a few minutes, the others exited the cafe and returned to the car. Anders looked to be in an even fouler mood, if that was possible, and Max wondered if Vivi's entrance was to blame. Electing not to poke the bear, Max sat quietly as everyone filled back into the car. Anders muttered the words that had been written on the May Pole and questioned if Vivian was behind this mess, before ultimately deciding that even she wasn't this hungry for attention. The Russian was relieved that the Southsider came to the conclusion on his own, but was ready to defend the redhead if needed.

Unable to hold back his curiosity any longer, Max finally had to ask about what went on in the cafe. "So... um, what did you do in there?" He asked, looking over to Lily who'd seemed to be in charge of their field trip to find wifi. "Did you find anything out? Are they going to be okay?" He didn't like being out of the loop, already used to feeling like the odd man out in many situations thanks to being from another country, and was keen to get caught up. "And now where are we going?" Max added, directing the last question more towards Anders behind the wheel.

Left Out

Der’s Car

Outfit

_amaranth_ apolla MadiRaiCat

nine lives

 

[_amaranth_]

Bianca

MOOD: stressed out
LOCATION: the holding cell
OUTFIT: click!
INTERACTIONS: Nessa, Dominic
MENTIONS: x
TAGS: Desert_Blossom ; MadiRaiCat

Bianca Clayton was a lot of things. She was a straight A student, an aspiring scholar, a possible future valedictorian, a volunteer during all town events, a good friend who was always prepared to help, a tutor to her classmates,a good daughter to her parents. But she was not a troublemaker. People usually saw her as a goodie-2-shoes nerdy wallflower, especially in comparison to her lively twin Veronica. And even after the unfortunate events with the other Clayton daughter, Bianca never deviated from her path and presented herself and her actions in the exact way people would expect from her. No one saw Bianca as someone to get in trouble with the police. No one saw her as a girl who would even cheat on the test so any greater problems were out of the question. Until today when people saw her handcuffed and led to the police cruiser, brought to the station and locked behind bars with a Southsider girl and Dominic Deveraux.

Being caged brought out her worst fears in the brunette. She was too close to the law and her conscience was too plagued for such proximity. Bianca was not ready for any of her dark secrets to come out and the longer she was behind bars, the more her anxiety was kicking in. She desperately needed her little yellow bottle hidden deep inside her backpack but that item was not available to her. She expected that her backpack remained in the park, right where she had put it that morning. And so did her magic pills she now craved more than water. Her calm demeanor dissolved in the thin air and she was starting to panic, her snark started to surface and she was very much aware she had to look hysterical.

“I haven’t gotten anything.” she mumbled, moving again to pace around the cell. Her stomach was on water and she felt her skin tingle as if electricity was running through her veins instead of blood. “What is even the point of this whole thing?” she mumbled and walked closer to the bars, trying to see something. Anything, really. Preferably an officer who was coming to unlock the door and let her go home. She listened to Nessa and Dom talkand sighed quietly. Nessa was right about one thing. No one here was going to hurry to let them out. That was not the Briarwood way. Especially if they managed to lock anyone from the Southside, even if there was some collateral.

Bianca’s pale blue eyes, puffy and slightly red from all that stress and suppressed tears, found Nessa. “Of course, I deleted them. But they can’t go through our phones. Not without a warrant.” she spoke in her usual naive way. “But what if…?” she asked, leaving the question unfinished as all blood rushed out of her face, leaving her skin almost translucent. What if V, whoever they were, sends a message now? All three phones would beep at the same time, shining with the same message. Shortly after, an officer appeared and Bianca almost fainted. He unlocked the cell and held the door open. “Come on, brats. Your stay with us is going to be a short one. This time.” he spoke sarcastically, giving each of them a good long look which held a promise he would see them all again and soon. Bianca did not hesitate any longer and walked out quickly, making a short stop at the table to gather her belongings. Huge relief washed over her when she lit up her phone and there was nothing. The brunette didn’t need anything else, she hurried outside as if the devil himself was chasing her only to stop right on the top of the stairs, trying to calm her breathing down while she waited for the other two to come out as well. She wasn't sure about Nessa but Dom was surely the closest thing to a friend she had now, crush or no crush.

code by low fidelity.

 

[_amaranth_]

Maddox

MOOD: fed up
LOCATION: Internet café
OUTFIT: click!
INTERACTIONS: Anders, Vivi, Lily, Max
TAGS: apolla , Desert_Blossom ; MadiRaiCat

There were not many situations Maddox didn’t know what to do about and he hated that this was exactly one of those. Feeling helpless was not what the bloodhound on the back of his leather jacket stood for, quite the contrary. But not even the one and only Maddox Grant was able to barge in the police station and get Nessa out of jail. Honestly, he didn’t really care about the Northsiders but on the other hand, he also knew they had nothing to do with the mayhem at the park. But still, Nessa was the person he cared about the most. She didn’t deserve to be in jail. Not today. Not ever. However, it seemed like the police’s favorite hobby to arrest anyone from the Southside. It was like a goddamn sport there. Were the fucking cops playing a game? The highest number of arrests or something? Who wins gets an award? MJ imagined it was something like the Douchebag of the Month or what not.

He was watching Nessa as her fingers were flying all over the keyboard as if she had been doing this since the day she was born. The words leaving her lips, though, they surprised MJ even more. He knew people who could do stuff with computers but this was some next level shit. “How is she doing that?” Madds nudged Anders, motioning his head towards the brunette, question marks shining in his eyes. He had literally zero idea about any of this stuff and while he could use a computer, his knowledge was very beginner level.

They didn’t really get far because suddenly, the door flew open and the red tornado appeared, swiping everything around her. Vivi approached them, snarky and demanding as always. Anders apparently didn’t have any patience for her shit and let Vivi know so. Soon, he was marching outside, an angry aura surrounding him. “We finished, doll?” MJ turned to Lily and waited for her to stand up and gather everything before his fingers wrapped around Vivi’s arm. “He’s right. It looks like you need discipline training.” he wiggled his eyebrows at the queen and almost dragged her outside, holding her tight but not forcefully, not to raise any more attention as he brought her to the car, returning her to the backseat.

They all piled back inside Ders’s car and the question was clear. What now? They could accept Vivi’s suggestion and go to her place but MJ was also nervous and wanted to know whether whatever Lily did worked. The bug was still planted in his brain, wondering what exactly she was doing there and where she learned all that IT mumbo jumbo. Twisting in his seat, his two-colored eyes found the PC magician. “What exactly was that performance inside, sweetheart?” he asked, smirking widely. “I have seen a lot of shit but that was some real magic what you did.” he told her and returned his eyes to the road. “How about we try the station? Maybe Lily’s stuff already worked? We could grab Nessa and go home.” he suggested, talking mostly to Anders and Lily this time. He was sure everyone had enough of the Northside for one day. But there was still one thing that was making him restless. How the hell did the fucking fuck organize this whole frame?

code by low fidelity.

 

[MadiRaiCat]

location

Cafe -> Car.

mentions

Nessa, Vivi, Ders ( apolla ).

interactions

MJ ( _amaranth_ ), Maxim ( Desert_Blossom ).

outfit

x, x.

Liliana

southside

Anonymity was important in Liliana's life, and the powers of technology made that part of her chosen career possible. Virtual private networks, free public computers with public internet access and no security cameras. Though her code had a signature all of its own in the form of an intricate star that prints to screen when the target inevitably checks their system, it had never been traced back to her. That sort of invisibility provided her protection. Lily did steal from the rich, and often they would file a claim of identity theft, get their money back via account protection, and move on with their lives. But she also stole from criminals, intimidating people with money or things that someone else wanted. And she didn't take sides. She would work for both as long as they paid her. It was a dangerous game the brunette played. But it paid the bills. It was safe to say that if her enemies ever found out her identity, she would certainly be dead.

But that wasn't the only importance that a hidden identity gave her. Lily hoped to one day make her way out of the Southside, to finally be off the streets she grew up on. Maybe she would go to college and get a degree, or maybe she would get a legitimate job at some big corporation. Maybe she would move as far away from that messed-up town as she could, find someone to love and settle down with, and have a couple of kids and a white picket fence. It could be a normal life, what she had always dreamed of. Whatever this so-called better future held, the hacker didn't want the remnants of her past following her to it, didn't want it coming back to haunt her or drag her down again. Underneath her pseudonym 'Stargazer,' she could retire from the keys one day and no one would be able to find her. Liliana did something that very few others could.

But now, in the blink of an eye, all of that could come crashing down. She quickly closed the screen, standing from the seat so her chocolate brown eyes found Anders, Maddox, and now Vivian standing behind her. She barely caught the widened eyes of Anders before his expression returned to normal. Her heart sank into her stomach, but thankfully the brunette man didn't say anything. Maybe he didn't see or didn't recognize it. Maybe he and MJ had no idea about what their boss paid her to do regularly. Maybe her secret, and therefore her potential future, was safe. Lily gathered her things and nodded to Maddox, flinching slightly at yet another pet name. "Yeah, we're finished," she murmured, following their lead out to the car to climb in alongside the others. Lily found herself staring out the window and, though her face was passive, a million intruding thoughts raced through her mind. She did her best to keep them at bay.

"Yeah, they're going to be fine," Lily responded to Max, purposefully ignoring his first couple of questions. MJ turned around to face her, the questions she didn't want to answer spilling from his lips. "Oh, that was just something I learned at the library," the brunette hacker responded, immediately looking away. She did her best to play it off, hoping that he wouldn't know enough to truly understand what she had been doing. Thankfully, her phone's ringtone went off. Pulling it from her pocket, an automatic email popped up on the screen. "Looks like they've been released. I'll text Nessa and tell her to head to Vivian's. We can regroup and figure out everything there. Does that work?"

nine lives

 

[MadiRaiCat]

location

Cell -> In Front of the Station.

mentions

None.

interactions

Nessa ( Desert_Blossom ), Bia ( _amaranth_ ).

[/comment]outfit

x.

Dominic

northside

Could it get more ironic? A more perfect representation of opposite people, siblings that are so different it's a wonder they were created by the same parents? The thought struck Dominic as he sat on that bench. There he was, in jail. Yes, it was for a completely bullshit reason that made no sense and those assholes had no proof of their so-called guilt. But, his money kept him from that very spot time and time again before. Whether it was partying too much, wrecking his cars, drinking too much, he should have ended up behind bars a long time ago. But he hadn't, and that was because of his wealth and privilege. Dom often relied on those two things to keep him out of trouble. He didn't have to work, didn't have to go to school, didn't have to struggle. And so he didn't. He rode on the coattails of the Devereaux ancestors before him, those that worked hard to build up their Oil Corps wealth and passed it on to their children without a second thought. What would they think if they saw him now?

Then there was Genevieve. His younger sister by two years. But, pit them side by side, one would think that she was the older of the two. She was far more mature, she had her life together. She was hardworking and went to college to work on a career in environmental law. And, while she took advantage of their money to pay for college and help her through, she was still ambitious. One would think that being such polar opposite siblings would pit them against one another, create a violent sibling rivalry and bitter relationship. But Genny and Dom were thick as thieves. As the big brother, he was fiercely protective over his little sister. If she needed anything at all, someone to intimidate an ex, someone to talk to after a hard test or a break-up, someone to just go see a movie with, she knew she could ask her brother. And Dom felt the same. He could call his sister with anything, and she would be there for him. They were bonded, and the problematic family secret they uncovered together a while ago only solidified that bond, despite the questionable morals.

Dominic let out a sigh, running a hand through his darkened hair. "What evidence could they possibly have to charge us? All eyes were on us for the entire dance. Do they think we manipulated and orchestrated..." he trailed off, realizing the event had a shocking resemblance to that night in the high school gym. It caused his heart to clench almost painfully, the reminder of his friend's death taking a mild effect. But it was gone as quickly as it came, even though he still felt somewhat responsible for Victor's death. His blue eyes found Nessa once again, and he pondered her question. It had been such a long day, he couldn't even remember. "I don't think so either... But maybe? I know I've deleted everything up until this point." But before he could think on it more, however, an officer snidely let them out of the holding cell. Dom nearly sprinted out of the station, stopping to grab his things. He opened his cell and immediately called for a car, ready to be as far away from that dreadful place as possible. Turning back to the ladies, he offered them a smile, more sincere than his manipulative charming facade. "Do you ladies need a ride somewhere?"

nine lives

 

[apolla]

Before Vivian could even finish her sentence, Anders practically shot out of his chair and not so kindly told her to shut up. Offense taken, and that was as plain as day by the look on her face. Her mind was reeling with a thousand insults to fling back at him before he muttered how she couldn't follow basic directions. "Excuse the hell out of me for wanting to shower." She hissed back at him, but Anders ignored her, asking the others if they were done here before he stalked out of the cafe. Vivi watched him go with anger flashing in her gaze, anger that she turned right onto MJ when his fingers wrapped around her arm. "I don't- you- not- ugh!"

Vivian Cellars was not a girl who normally was at a loss for words. Deciding to chalk it up to the day she'd had, she let MJ guide her out of the place, back to Anders' car. Plopping back in the backseat, she crossed her arms over her chest, turning her glare back on Anders when he twisted in his seat to blatantly ask if what happened had been a publicity stunt. She shot up to a straightened position, but before she could tell him to go fuck himself, he came to the conclusion on his own that even she wouldn't be this desperate. "Exactly." She snapped at him, as the others piled in and questions started coming forth.

Truthfully, Vivi hadn't even given two thoughts to what Lily was doing in there on the computer. Max asked if the others who were currently sitting behind bars would be okay, while MJ asked Lily flat out what magic she'd done. Now Vivi's interested eyes flicked to the dark haired southsider, her curiosity peaking. The bitchy expression fell from her face, and she didn't fail to notice how Lily avoided a few of the questions in favor of the more easy answers. "Hm." Vivi scoffed, leaning back in her seat again, her eyes shifting back to MJ when he mentioned going home. Her scowl returned, but for once, she remained quiet as Ders started the car and backed out of the parking spot. Lily spoke up then, saying she'd text Nessa and they'd regroup at Vivi's.

Even though going to her house had been her idea, she almost regretted it. Giving Anders directions to her house, Vivi remained silent otherwise, and practically bounced from the car when Ders parked in her large driveway. Not looking back, she dug out her keys, angrily unlocking the door with slightly shaking hands. Nobody was home, but what else was new? It was probably better that way anyway. She stepped into the foyer and started flipping on lights, turning to whoever walked in behind her. "Don't touch anything that looks expensive or my father will have a cow. Come upstairs, there's a room there we can use to talk, just in case someone comes home. And if you want to go home, go. Nobody's stopping you." She looked like she wanted to say more, but she held her tongue, disappearing up the stairs to clean the now dried blood from her body.

vivi

pretty girl
by [maggie lindemann]

interactions:
dom; bia; maddox; anders; max

tags:
MadiRaiCat Desert_Blossom _amaranth_

mood:
shocked

outfit:
Click!

º º code by ditto º º

 

[apolla]

Anders should have known better than to think Vivi would stay in the car. It did surprise him to find that Max hadn't come in as well, but at least the dude had enough common sense to stay in the car like Anders had told both him and Vivi to do. He realized why once he got back outside, seeing that he was now sitting in the back of his car without a shirt on. Trying not to read too much into it, Anders just shook his head and sighed as he lit up his cigarette. He couldn't stop thinking about what Lily had done back at the computer, and he was wracking his brain, trying to find any excuse he could. There was no way Lily was the hacker. None. Or... was there?

The others followed him outside, cutting his time short, and he climbed back into the car. After his shot at Vivi, he didn't say much else, just smoking and staring at his steering wheel. But he was listening. When Lily finally said the others were going to be fine, that they'd been released, he finally felt some of the tension leave his shoulders. Flicking the finished cigarette butt to the ground, he put the car into reverse, finally leaving the parking spot. "Give me directions, Vi." He muttered, following them as she told him where to go. He knew her home would be huge, but he was still impressed at the size when he pulled into the driveway. "Fuckin' rich people."

Shaking his head again, he shut off the car and got out as well, glancing at the others before he started to follow the blood-covered redhead inside. At her first comment, he just gave her a flat look. Really? Everything in here looked fucking expensive, so were they just supposed to stand around? Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, he moved out of the way for the others to come in as well. Vivian disappeared upstairs, and he didn't have to guess at what she was doing. Truthfully, if he was covered in blood like that, he wouldn't be as bothered as she was but then again it was moreso the situation surrounding what had happened. Whoever this V was, they were trying to make a statement, and that... that gave Anders goosebumps.

"Well... I guess we're going upstairs." Ders muttered, tucking his hands into his pockets as he followed Vivi up the stairs. She gestured vaguely to a door as she passed it, heading for her own room, and Ders stopped outside of it before he turned to the others. Shrugging, he nudged open the door and stepped inside a large sitting room, complete with comfy looking couches and chairs, and a fully lined wall of bookshelves. There was a large desk by the windows on another wall, and a round table in the center of the room. Making his way to one of the couches, he plopped down on it, kicking his feet up on the table. "Did you text Nessa?" Ders asked, his gaze sliding to Lily.

anders

lowlife
by [theory of a deadman]

interactions:
MJ; Max; Bia; Dom; Vivi

tags:
_amaranth_ ; Desert_Blossom MadiRaiCat

mood:
himself

outfit:
Click!

º º code by ditto º º

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Vanessa Hill

Vanessa may have always lived on the wrong side of town, but she didn’t always act that way. She used to be studious, behaved and full of dreams of bigger and better things… but life on the Southside didn’t often cultivate success. The opportunities to get into trouble lay around every corner like boobytraps, and once the first was sprung it was a difficult cycle to get out of. Those who were born on the Southside usually died there, unless they were lucky enough to get out of Briarwood completely.

The pinkette’s brother had found his escape through joining the service, but that wasn’t an option for Nessa. By the time she turned 18 there was no way she’d be able to take orders and put up with sexist soldiers, even if it did offer a ticket out of dodge. Just as there was no way she’d be able to live under the scrutiny and controlling ways of her Northside grandparents. Her younger sister Kendra was young enough to manipulate when their grandparents took her, but Nessa was far too rebellious to be the prim and proper young woman her grandparents required in order to house her.

Ending up in jail was almost inevitable, the way Vanessa saw it, but she’d imagined she’d at least deserve her stint when she did. Of course she wouldn’t be the first, nor last, Southsider to be locked up for a crime they didn’t commit. The pinkette had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep a sarcastic response from slipping from her lips when Dom questioned how the cops could think they were behind the festival incident when they basically had an alibi, and then when Bia thought a lack of a warrant would stop the cops from searching their phones. Warrants had a convenient way of appearing after such misconducts had occurred. Her Northside jail mates seemed troubled enough by whatever thoughts were running through their heads though, so Nessa spared them a lesson in the corrupt practices of Briarwood’s justice system.

When an officer appeared with keys and opened the cell door, the pinkette made no move to rise from her spot on the bench. She was certain it was because Dom or Bia, or both, were being bailed out by their rich families and she’d soon find herself alone… but she was shocked to hear that all three of them were being released. Bia and Dom were quick to make their get always, and Nessa brought up the rear. She wasn’t sure how they’d gotten off the hook so easily, but she wasn’t about to question it. Gathering her belongings off the desk, Nessa avoided making eye contact with any of the officers in case they realized they’d made a mistake by letting her go with the others.

It wasn’t until she exited the building and was welcomed by fresh air that Nessa let herself believe her luck. Relief washed over her, followed by the beginning tinglings of adrenaline that came with escaping jail time. Her hand shook a little as she slid a piece of gum out of her pack and popped it into her mouth, but this time in a good way. Hell, she even returned Dom’s smile with a genuine one of her own when he looked back at her and Bia and asked if either needed a ride. “You sure your car won’t turn into a pumpkin if I get in?” She joked, coming to a stop beside him. Before the pinkette could decide where she wanted to go since home was typically the last place she wanted to be, other than jail of course, her phone chimed with an incoming text.

Nessa’s heart stopped for a moment, the immediate fear that they’d gotten off too easy and it was a text from V seizing her… But she glanced down and saw Lily’s name on the screen. She mentally scolded herself for being so jumpy, before sliding her message open. It was a brief text, but it still brought a small frown to Nessa’s face. Hey, I know you’re out. Head to Vivi’s. There were multiple questions the pinkette wanted to ask Lily- how she knew so quickly she was out for one, or why the hell she was at Vivian’s house- but she only texted back one. “Okay… Are Ders and Mads with you?” Obviously Lily was in the clear, but she wanted to make sure her other Southside friends were accounted for too. They hadn’t been in jail, but that didn’t mean they weren’t in trouble.

Sliding her phone into her shorts pocket, Nessa turned her blue gaze back to Dominic. “I can’t believe I’m actually saying this… but I need a ride to Vivian’s house.” She sighed, glancing at Bia as well. “I think we all do.”

Highs and Lows

Outside the Police station

Outfit

MadiRaiCat _amaranth_

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Maxim Drozdov

It didn't escape the Russian that Lily had avoided all but one of his questions. Nor did it escape him that something peculiar had gone on inside the cafe based on MJ's query. However, so much was happening in the little car packed to the brim with five adults that it was difficult to get any further words in edgewise. It seemed that Maxim would have to be content with knowing that Bia and Dom would be safe, and that they were going to Vivi's house to regroup. Whether he liked it or not. Had he known he'd be the odd man out by doing what he was told and remaining in the car, he would have just followed the redhead inside. Takoye der'mo!

Max spent the remainder of the ride sullenly sitting in his seat as he tried to piece things together, but he was relieved to scramble out of the backseat when they arrived at Vivi's. He grabbed his soiled shirt and followed after the red head as she led the group to her front door and let them in. This was not the exchange student's first time in Vivian's house, though he was always impressed by her family's wealth. It was difficult not to be. Max might live with the Swansons on the Northside now, but his family home in Russia could have nearly fit in the foyer of this mansion. This was the type of life he wanted, and was borrowing until his Visa expired, but it wasn't what he had for himself.

Glancing over at Anders when Vivi said not to touch anything, he almost cracked a small grin. He knew that look on the Southsider's face well, because that's exactly how he'd originally felt the first time he was in anyone's house on the Northside. He nodded when the brunette muttered about going upstairs, and followed along as well. Max glanced at the room that Vivi gestured for them to wait in, but didn't join the others as they went in. "I'm gonna use the guest washroom real quick..." He called after his friend, knowing his way around well enough to make his way there without her help.

Once behind the closed door, Maxim stood at the sink, turning the water on to wash any remnants of the blood off. He'd done a good job getting majority of the residue off, but now that he had a mirror he could see missed smudges here and there. His poor shirt was probably a lost cause, but he still washed it out in the sink as well, before throwing it over the curtain rod to dry. Sure, that wasn't the most upscale thing to do, and he probably could have found a housekeeper to wash the shirt for him, but right now it wasn't a priority. Leaving the bathroom as shirtless as he arrived, albeit cleaner, Max finally joined the others in the sitting room. Ders had just asked if Lily had texted Nessa, and Max turned his gaze to the brunette girl as well for confirmation that the others were on their way.

His hand slid into his pocket, the temptation to call Bia to confirm her safety for himself there... but the group was already in a bit of a pickle and looking suspicious. He didn't want to add to matters by being the first one to call her the moment she was sprung free. From the sound of the conversation in the car, it wasn't necessarily legal. Reminding himself to be patient, Max took a seat on the couch opposite of Ders, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. "So much for riding any of the amusement rides..." He sighed, mostly joking. Boy had today gone to shit.

Left Out

Vivi’s house

Outfit

_amaranth_ @goldieloxx MadiRaiCat

nine lives

 

[_amaranth_]

Bianca

MOOD: anxious
LOCATION: the holding cell
OUTFIT: click!
INTERACTIONS: Nessa, Dominic
MENTIONS: x
TAGS: Desert_Blossom ; MadiRaiCat

Bianca’s heart pounded and she definitely felt like that cell, tiny as it was, was closing in on her. Her head was slightly dizzy and she was chewing on the inside of her cheek so hard until she felt that metallic taste of blood on her tongue. Only that stopped her from biting a hole in her face. The more she thought of the small orange bottle, buried deep in her backpack, the more anxious she was growing. The worst part was she knew she was an addict at this point. Those small pills had become a part of her life, deeply rooted in her everyday routine until she was unable to get through the day without popping a few. Bianca was aware this day was going to be stressful. After all, the organizer badge around her neck was nothing if not proof of it. However, not even in her darkest dreams could she imagine getting arrested as a criminal. Did her parents even know? Did she want them to know? Her mother would totally throw a fit and Bianca would be the one to bear the consequences one way or another. Well, she was no Veronica.

Veronica used to be the favored twin not only at school but in the Clayton house as well. As much as her parents, her mom especially, claimed they loved both girls equally, Bia knew it was not true. Not really. She always came second to Ronnie and even now, with Ronnie…gone, the ghost of her was still hanging in the air of the Clayton household as if mocking Bianca all the time. There were days the brunette really felt like it was laughing at her that even the memory of a deceased daughter was more precious than she could ever be.

The darkest thoughts were popping up in Bia’s head so when the cell opened and they were told to go home, she almost ran out of there and snatched her belongings before getting out of the building. Her body shook slightly and her fingers were clutching her phone so hard her knuckles went white. It was over. She could calm down now. But could she really? Someone was after her. Someone had made it their goal to make sure she was terrified all the time. Not just her. Seven other people too. God, she needed to get home and take a long cold shower to wash away the sweat and dirt of the holding cell. Dominic appeared and Nessa too and when the handsome devil asked about the ride, Bianca knew she needed to throw away her inhibitions in this area. “Could I…?” she started but Nessa spoke then and knocked Bia’s breath out completely. A car appeared, crawled out from around the corner lazily, and parked right in front of Dominic. “To Vivi’s house?” Bianca asked as if she was dense. Bad feeling nestled in the pit of her stomach as she gulped. “Did you guys get anything? You know…” she asked in a hushed tone and shook her phone a little to indicate what she was asking about as they piled inside the small car. “I don’t think Vivi would be inviting me of all people over like this if it wasn’t about…this thing.” she looked at the other two.

The driver turned his head over his shoulder and looked at them. “So where to?” he asked and when they gave him the address, the car pulled away from the curb slowly and off they were, driving towards Vivi’s mansion. And the unease inside Bia was only growing, making her finger grip the skin of her bare thighs so much her nails left imprints in her skin.

code by low fidelity.

 

[_amaranth_]

Maddox

MOOD: fed up
LOCATION: Internet café
OUTFIT: click!
INTERACTIONS: Anders, Vivi, Lily, Max
TAGS: apolla , Desert_Blossom ; MadiRaiCat

His whole life, Maddox Grant didn’t really know anything else but the Southside and its gang life. His father had been a patched member, joined the gang a long time ago. As for MJ, one of the first pieces of clothing he got was a tiny little leather jacket with the logo of their gang. He was basically destined to be a gang member and got his tattoo when he was 15. No one ever doubted MJ would join as it was basically a tradition at this point. Gang members had children and basically produced another generation, raised them right and when their kids had their own offspring, the situation repeated and so on and so forth. It was nothing unusual and so when MJ watched Lily’s fingers dance on the keyboard, he could only stare. Not that he had no idea how to use a computer. It was more about the letters and numbers on the screen which reminded him of that shitty movie he had seen some time ago. He actually had to bite his tongue so he wouldn’t ask Lily whether she was entering Matrix.

However, back in the car, he couldn’t resist and had to ask what that magic was but her answer surprised him. “Library?” he mumbled under his breath, pretty sure he had never gone there in his life. Well, not willingly. What did people even do there? Rows of bookshelves, high ceilings, silence. One couldn’t say anything out loud because the risk of public stoning was too high. Sure, chicks very cute. In their own nerdy way cute. But literally, he had no idea why someone would spend their free time there. “I have so many questions.” he shook his head but never had time to ask them as their car ride was coming to an end.

Vivi’s house was large. Even bigger than that. Maddox stared at the behemoth of a building in front of him with his eyes wide open. “This shit is bigger than our houses combined, dude.” he nudged Anders in the ribs and followed Vivi. But if the outside was impressive, the inside was breathtaking. The large hall was decorated, pictures and paintings were hanging everywhere and MJ was already taking a stroll around, examining the whole room. A group of small objects on the fireplace grabbed his attention and despite Vivi’s warning, he traced a small golden statuette with his fingers. When he retracted his hand, the statuette was there no more, taking a new residence in his pocket. Might earn him quite a few bucks. Hopefully, no one saw him. And MJ was sure that this loaded family was not going to miss one tacky piece of junk anyway.

Only then he noticed the small ragtag group was moving and he caught up real fast, jogging upstairs as well. “These people seem to have way too fucking much money on their hands.” he mumbled, looking around. “I could relieve them of some of that burden for sure.” They all piled inside Vivi’s room and grabbed a couch for himself as well, placing one leg on the other with his ankle resting on his knee. “What’s that, pretty boy? Who peed in your cheerios? Shit happens, cheer up. And welcome to our lives.” he laughed, seeing poor frustrated Max. The truth was, nothing equally shitty had ever happened before and while MJ was infuriated that some prick was playing games with him, he was used to fucked up shit. After all, he spent his whole life in the bad part of the town.

code by low fidelity.

 

[MadiRaiCat]

location

Car-> Vivi's.

mentions

Maddox ( _amaranth_ ), Vivi, Max, Dominic.

interactions

Nessa ( Desert_Blossom ), Anders ( apolla ).

outfit

x, x.

Liliana

southside

It was times like these that made Liliana realize why she liked motorcycles so much. They were generally solitary forms of transportation. She didn't have to worry about being squished into the back set with people she barely knew, let alone liked. The redhead covered in red was about as annoying as a car alarm. Maddox and Anders most certainly couldn't be trusted. And, while Max seemed nice on the surface, there had to be something hiding beneath that friendly smile. She tried to tune them out for a moment, sending a quick text in Nessa's direction to let her know what the plan was. Hey, I know you're out. Head to Vivi's. Was it kind of cryptic? Maybe. But, the pattern of not explaining herself needed to continue if she was going to stay safe. Lily could feel the others glancing in her direction periodically, but pretended as though she didn't notice. Faux ignorance was still bliss, right?

As soon as the car was parked, the brunette hacker wasted no time in freeing herself from the confined space. There it was, the second reason she liked motorcycles more than cars. No confined spaces, no doors keeping one inside. Just free, fresh, open air. Lily inhaled deeply, taking a moment to calm her frayed nerves from the event of the day. She stared up at the mansion in front of her in a bit of awe, lips parting ever so slightly. Sure, she had been to Northside parties before, had seen the ways they lived. But this was something else. "Don't touch anything expensive," she murmured under her breath, following the others inside. "So don't touch anything. Got it." Her phone vibrated in her pocket, and she saw the reply from Nessa, bringing a relieved smile to her lips. Okay... Are Ders and Mads with you? It was just like the pinkette to be worried about the others. So, the brunette quickly texted back, Yep, Vivi and Max too. Hopefully that meant she would be joining them soon.

Putting her phone away, Liliana slipped her hands into the front pockets of her jean shorts and followed Ders up the stairs into a den-like room. She moved towards the bookcases, fingertips lightly running across the spines as she read the titles and wondered how long it had been since they had been read. Because she could only assume there was a housekeeper that kept all of this dusted, she most certainly wouldn't be able to tell. Once again, she felt eyes on her, and Lily glanced over to meet Anders' gaze and then Max's. "Yeah," she answered simply, turning her attention back to the books in an attempt to take it off herself. She briefly wondered how much everything in this house was worth, if one day Vivian's father would be one of her clients. Or maybe one of her targets if he made the wrong enemies. Her phone vibrated again, and Lily went to check it again, assuming that it was Nessa confirming they were on their way or something. Instead, she found a secondary, much angrier text. The same person who had texted her earlier.

The brunette froze slightly, realizing she had forgotten to respond given everything that had happened. Her eyes scanned the request and the minor threat to take business elsewhere. And Lily certainly needed the paycheck. It wasn't a client she particularly liked working for. But, her rent was due soon, and her fridge was empty. So it was make-or-break. She quickly tapped out a response: what information she needed before the job, where she would drop off the items, and where they would drop off her payment. She had zoned out for a moment but was brought back to the present by a few new voices filling the room. Quickly locking her phone and putting it back in her pocket, Liliana looked back to the door to see Dominic entering with that signature I-can-get-away-with-anything-because-I'm-rich smirk on his face. Her chocolate brown eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Maybe if people didn't always hand the Northsiders everything on a silver platter, they would actually have a sense of empathy for those in different situations. But she kept her mouth shut. Best to stay under the radar, like always.

nine lives

 

[MadiRaiCat]

location

Jail -> Vivi's.

mentions

Vivi, Max.

interactions

Nessa, ( Desert_Blossom ), Bia, MJ ( _amaranth_ ) Ders ( apolla ), Lily.

[/comment]outfit

x.

Dominic

northside

Dominic was used to everything he ever wanted or needed simply being handed over as soon as the thought arose. He had a 'guy' for everything. A suit 'guy,' an expensive Italian leather good 'guy,' an illegal drugs 'guy.' Hell, he was pretty sure his people could even find him a human organ 'guy' if he were to need one. He was rarely without a scantily clad woman on both arms, drinking expensive scotch and smoking Cuban cigars. He'd thrown some wild parties in his time that often garnered the attention of the Northside's finest in blue. But never something like this, never something that was out of his control, something that he thought his lawyers and team couldn't sweep under the rug with the simpleness of signing on the dotted line. The whole carnival could have burned to the ground. People could have been injured or killed, the Mayor even. He didn't even know if everyone came out scot-free. Was Vivi alright? The last time he saw her, she was drenched in something red that sickeningly looked like blood. Was she hurt? He couldn't afford to lose any other friends in that godforsaken town.

But thankfully, they were out, though Bianca's words still rang clearly in his mind. This was another orchestrated scheme from that asshole who kept texting them. If it really was them, the whole thing fucking diabolical. Who had any of them wronged so badly that someone planned something like that? The question hung in his thoughts for a moment as he pondered it, and realized that they all probably had an enemy like that. Who knew what supervillains his family's company had angered? Ders and MJ were in a gang and were bound to have pissed off someone in their line of work. Someone wanted to make their lives hell, and they were certainly off to a good start. Well, fuck them. His parents had probably come through again, and Dominic believed he hadn't fallen victim to that anonymous bitch's games. For the time being, he truly thought that they had won. But he would learn eventually how wrong he was.

Almost as soon as he finished his question, a smaller black town car pulled up to the curb, ready to take the three of them wherever they needed to go. Dom glanced back at Nessa with a surprised face. "Honestly, I was planning on going over there anyway to check on her. So I guess three isn't that big of a crowd." Pulling open the door, he allowed Nessa and Bia to climb in first before taking up the rear. "To Vivian's, Nicholas," he said, pulling out his phone in response to Bia's question and glancing at the screen. A few messages from parents, one-night stands, his sister. But nothing from the so-called 'V' that had been terrorizing. "I've got nothing. Maybe they did? Or they figured something out? Whatever the case, it's probably best we all regroup and talk things out anyway. Start coming up with a plan." Dom noticed the unease in the brunette's body language and offered her a sincere smile. "It's alright. We're out of there, and we'll figure this out. Don't worry." With that, the car took off down the street toward the more expensive neighborhoods of the Northsides.

The Cellars estate was impressive, no matter how many times he had seen it or been to it in the past. He and Victor had been friends, and so Dominic had spent quite a few days and nights at that house throughout the years. But even then, he knew there were parts he had yet to explore, places and expensive items he had yet to see. All of the mansions in the Northside held secrets, things the families that lived in them kept from the public for fear of ruining a reputation or their image, his included. While he and Vivi talked a lot, they certainly didn't share everything. So, as they pulled up to the mansion, he couldn't help but wonder what he didn't know about the Cellars. Nevertheless, he opened the door and waited for the two ladies to climb out before shutting it behind him. He may be a troublemaker, but he could still be a gentleman. Leading the way inside, Dominic nodded towards the stairs. "They are probably up in Vivi's sitting room. Follow me," he said before leading the way. Entering the room, he was only a little bit surprised to see only Southsiders there. "Well, the jailbirds have arrived! Where are Vivi and Max?"

nine lives

 

[apolla]

Apparently Vivi wasn't the only one way too ready to get out of the car when Anders finally pulled up to the mansion she called home. To say the car ride had been uncomfortable was an understatement, but Vivi's main concern was taking a shower. The one least impressed with the house led the way up the steps and into the home, directing the others not to touch anything expensive. She gave them halfhearted directions to the sitting room that was attached to her bedroom, waving over her shoulder at Max as he said he was going to use the guest bathroom. The sound of the bathroom door slamming shut was her only response, and she made the mistake of looking at her reflection, growing distracted by her appearance for a few seconds.

In the safety of the bathroom, alone with nobody watching her, she could put down the walls. She recognized the fear in her eyes, stemming from everything that had happened. Even though she didn't feel as though her life was in danger, in a way, it was. Everything that she'd built up around her so carefully could come crashing down at any moment, as the mysterious V had proved twice now. It was hard for her not to feel as though she alone were being targeted, even though there were seven others in this predicament. This V seemed to want to fuck with her-- all of them-- more than actually end their lives, and it was crueler than if he'd just offed them. Sniffling, Vivi tore the stained and ruined dress from her body, turning to turn the water on, as hot as she could stand it.

Stuffing everything she had been wearing into the trash can, she stepped into the shower, just as the tears hit. She lost track of time as she stood there, her tears mixing with the water spewing from the showerhead. She scrubbed herself until her whole body was pink and raw, following with her hair. Only once she was sure every ounce of blood was gone did she turn the water off, stepping out and snatching a towel from the rack. With no shame, she waltzed from the bathroom, down the hall to her room. Tearing off the towel, she changed into a pair of dark jeans and an almost skin toned crop top. Hearing voices from the sitting room, she paused to listen, breathing a sigh of relief when she heard Dom's voice. Picking up her brush from her vanity, she started brushing her long red locks, opening the door that connected the rooms. "I'm glad you're out." She told Dom, though her eyes did drift over to Nessa and Bia as well.

vivi

pretty girl
by [maggie lindemann]

interactions:
dom; bia; maddox; anders; max

tags:
MadiRaiCat Desert_Blossom _amaranth_

mood:
shocked

outfit:
Click!

º º code by ditto º º

 

[apolla]

The house he pulled his car up to was more than a house. It was a fucking mansion, and he felt his lips curl downwards into a frown as he piled out with the rest. "Fuckin' rich people." He muttered, shaking his head. It was disgusting how they flaunted their wealth, when Anders could think of a thousand better ways to spend that money. It was one reason he didn't feel guilty about stealing from the rich. They had enough to share, so why shouldn't they? He shot a look of disgust in Vivi's direction as she led them up into the house, his thoughts the same about her. The pretty little rich bitch was just that-- a bitch. He really didn't even want to be here, but unfortunately, fate had drawn both of them-- and the others-- into the same shitty situation.

"Too fuckin big, if you ask me." Anders smirked over at MJ, tucking his hands into his pockets. Once inside, Vivi gestured vaguely to a room they could sit in while she went to clean up. Plopping down into a seat, he propped his feet up on the table, asking Lily if she'd texted Nessa. Her answer was short but not no sweet, and he eyed her for a few more seconds before he looked around the room from where he sat. He couldn't stop thinking about what she'd done at the cafe, though. The more he thought about it, the more he was sure that she was... even if he didn't want to believe it. But it wasn't like he could just ask her, especially not with the others listening in. He wasn't stupid enough to think she'd want her secret identity revealed to everyone, even if they were southsiders.

Max came back into the room long before Vivi did, and even Dom, Nessa, and Bia beat her to it. By the time the redhead appeared, she was the last to arrive. They hadn't really brought up what had happened yet, not because they were waiting on her, but Ders thought it might be because nobody knew how to bring it up. He remained silent as he thought, not really listening to the chatter going on around the room. But after a few minutes, he couldn't take it anymore. He'd folded his hands together, resting his chin on his fingers, but now he held his hands out to the side. "We gonna talk about it or what?" He asked, his voice tight. "I mean, that's why we're all here, right?" Removing his legs from the table, he set them on the floor with a heavy thump, leaning forward. "Has anybody gotten a text?" He didn't feel as though he had to say who from.

anders

lowlife
by [theory of a deadman]

interactions:
MJ; Max; Bia; Dom; Vivi

tags:
_amaranth_ ; Desert_Blossom MadiRaiCat

mood:
himself

outfit:
Click!

º º code by ditto º º

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Vanessa Hill

And just like that, the adrenaline rush of escaping jail was put to a quick end. Now Nessa’s jitters were thanks to the impending meeting at Vivi’s house that could only be about one thing: the mysterious texts. The pinkette slid into the car when Dom opened the door, only glancing up at the driver for a moment before averting her gaze out the tinted window. She wasn’t used to being chauffeured around, and felt wildly out of place in the back seat of the Northsider’s luxury vehicle. The irony wasn’t lost on Nessa that she felt more comfortable in the jail cell than here, but she kept her unease to herself, resting her head against the glass of the window as they drove. Dom and Bia discussed the texts, with Nessa only contributing a shake of her head when asked if she’d gotten anymore. They were sure to have this conversation again once they arrived at Vivi’s anyways. Though part of Nessa did hope Dominic was right and that the others had figured something out.

As the car came to a stop, the pinkette gazed out at the Cellars’ mansion, or what she could see of it though the window, and could feel her stomach twist a little. If she felt out of place now, there was little hope for her until the meeting was over and she was back in Southside territory. Exiting the car after Bia, Nessa gave Dom a simple nod in gratitude, both for holding the door and for the ride, even if she’d rather a different destination. Turning to the entrance of the estate as Dom led the way, Nessa paused for a moment, finally getting a full view of the grandeur. A dry laugh escaped her lips at the sheer wealth the mansion oozed and flaunted, and she tried to bury her bitterness as she caught up to Dom and Bia. Refusing to look around and be impressed by the finery as they made their way to the room upstairs, Nessa kept her blue gaze forward at the back of Dom’s head.

Now it wasn’t that pinkette expected a grand welcome when they arrived, but considering she, Bia and Dom had just escaped a stint in jail, she had expected a little more of a greeting than the jailbirds- as Dom dubbed them- received. Vivi wasn’t even there, Anders and Lily said nothing, and Max… well she didn’t care about him. Though she did wonder why he was shirtless. Glancing around the room for someone in particular, Nessa spotted Maddox and made her way straight for him… and greeted him with a punch to his shoulder. “You left me behind, asshole!” She huffed, glaring at him for a moment. Yeah, they were only friends with benefits so it wasn’t like he really was required to look out for her, but she needed someone to blame… and, well, just someone right now. The anger left Nessa’s eyes, replaced by a rare vulnerability for a split second as she followed her punch with a relieved hug. There’d been a lot of emotions running through the pinkette over the last couple hours that she couldn’t really share with Dom or Bia, and she just needed a momentary release. “You can find a way to make it up to me later…” Nessa added, a little muffled against his chest before letting him go so she didn’t look too soft.

Vivi rejoined the group, and Nessa met her gaze when in flicked over to her for a moment. The last time she’d seen the redhead she’d been dripping in what looked like blood, so it was good to see that Vivian was okay. Physically at least. Vanessa turned her attention to Anders when he finally addressed the elephant in the room, and she sat down on the couch next to MJ. “We haven’t gotten anymore…” She replied, glancing at Dom and Bia before back at Ders. “We thought maybe you guys had figured something out…” Nessa continued, “Since Lily texted to meet here.” The pinkette’s attention turned to her friend, her head tipping curiously. “How did you know we’d just gotten released? The cops seemed like they planned to hold us for a while and then just let us go… I don’t think they’re convinced we’re not involved though, so I’m sure we’ll hear from them again.” She added, popping a pink bubble.

Out of Place

Vivi’s

Outfit

MadiRaiCat _amaranth_ apolla

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Maxim Drozdov

While Maxim had lucked out and been placed with the Swanson’s during his year as a foreign exchange student, he wasn’t a true Northsider. Sure he dressed like one, and tried to act like one, and hung out with them… but back home in Russia, he lived a life closer to that of the Southsiders than the excessively rich. He did a good job hiding his humble beginnings, but he hadn’t forgotten them. He’d been through his fair share of shit before this mess, so he didn’t appreciate Maddox’s pretty boy comment. The Russian’s eyes narrowed as he looked over at the gang member contemplating whether it was worth picking a fight. There was no love lost between the two men, but Vivi’s sitting room wasn’t the place for Max to take out his frustrations. “Is peeing in Cheerios a Southside thing?” He simply quipped, laying back against the couch to wait for his friends to join.

Max’s restraint was for the best, as a couple moments later Dominic walked into the room. Well, the jailbirds have arrived! Where are Vivi and Max? Max turned from where he was sitting slumped on the couch, raising his head over the back. “Hey, right here bud.” He grinned, standing up and walking over as Bia and Nessa entered the room too. “Vivi is just showering, she should be back soon.” Max added, thumping Dom on the back, before turning to the brunette.

His instinct was to hug Bia, but then he realized he was still shirtless and that might be intrusive and ran his outstretched hand through his hair instead as a coverup. “Bia! I’m glad you are safe.” He smiled, his mood much improved now that his friends were back. “How are you? Do you guys need anything?” He asked, glancing between Bia and Dom. “Sorry that you got caught, so much was happening and I…” He began to apologize before Vivian walked in the room. He offered her a smile and glanced around the room. “Well, looks like the gang’s all back together…”

While Max was happy that Dom and Bianca were back, he was not so thrilled about the reason they all were gathered. We gonna talk about it or what? I mean, that's why we're all here, right? Has anybody gotten a text? The Russian looked over to Ders who looked impatient to get this conversation over with. The pinkette spoke up first, replying that neither of the three who were arrested had received a text. Max checked his phone just to be sure and shook his head. “Nope. You think the writing on the maypole was V’s message for today? They didn’t really say what they want, unless…” Max looked over at Vivi, his brows furrowing. Surely V didn’t really wish for Vivian’s death, even if she was crowned the festival’s queen. “Nah. Must have just been to scare us.”

Relieved

Vivi’s house

Outfit

_amaranth_ apolla MadiRaiCat

nine lives

 

[_amaranth_]

Bianca

MOOD: anxious
LOCATION: the holding cell
OUTFIT: click!
INTERACTIONS: Nessa, Dominic
MENTIONS: x
TAGS: Desert_Blossom ; MadiRaiCat

The further the car was from the police station, the calmer Bianca seemed to be. Her heart rate was slowly coming down and the grip on her thighs released as well. It was hard to believe she was not in a jail cell anymore and her anxiety was still slightly tearing through her but she wasn’t as tense as a while ago. By the time the car parked in front of the Cellars estate, Bia even leaned back in her seat and allowed herself to relax for a moment. None of them received any new text from V which sounded like a good thing. But was it really? This person seemed to know a lot about them and Bia couldn’t say with a complete certainty how much they found out about her own shenanigans. But it surely looked like whoever V was, they were connected and very capable. If they were able to frame six different people at once during the town fair, Bianca was sure no one was safe. Not until they found V and eradicated the threat.

She followed Dominic and Nessa out of the car and hurried inside. The house was larger than the neat family house she and her parents lived in. Bia hurried not because something inside was calling her name or that she had a chance of a full recovery in the circle of her closest friends inside. Vivian was everything but her friend. But being outside felt extremely exposing and the brunette truly had enough of that. Honestly, she just wanted things to return to what they were. She was mostly invisible, on her way to graduate with honors, to become the valedictorian, to be accepted by a really good university. She wanted that. She wanted to return to polishing her resume and not solving mysteries, no matter how tempting the uncovering moment could be.

The stairs were almost flying under her feet when Bia took them by two. When the jail trio entered the sitting room, everyone but Vivi was inside. Bia’s eyes found Max who was walking to her and she offered him a soft smile, happy to see a familiar face. Not that her cheeks didn’t go red after facing his bare abs instead. “What happened to your shirt?” she asked, looking up at his face. “Thanks. It’s been…it’s great to be away from the cell.” she shook her head and decided to stick to Max’s side for now. “I definitely think it was V. Had to be. Who else would be crazy enough to orchestrate such a roller coaster?” she shrugged, her fingers toying with her phone in the pocket of her pink skirt overall. “And I am more than sure they will make themselves heard soon, whatever it is they want. Whether we are aware or not, there has to be something we have in common and the sooner we figure it out, the better. Well…pissed someone lately?” she looked around, her gaze stopping at Vivi first, then moving to the Southsiders one by one, question marks shining her her irises.

code by low fidelity.

 

[_amaranth_]

Maddox

MOOD: fed up
LOCATION: Vivi's house
OUTFIT: click!
INTERACTIONS: everyone
TAGS: apolla , Desert_Blossom ; MadiRaiCat

The mood in the room was getting grim and MJ was not in his element. He was in the house filled with items which could make him damn loaded and yet all he could do was sit on the couch and pretend to be a good boy. His leg was bouncing and his fingers itched to reach for a cigarette but something told him that if he lit up in here, the owner might have yet another fit. So he sat there, bounced his leg and occasionally cracked his knuckles or his neck or drummed on his thighs to keep his hands occupied. Several things were running around in his head but the largest question mark was who the fucker was that was messing with them all. Today, Maddox evaded arrest only so so. Had he not been so lucky, his stay behind bars with his rap sheet would have been a much longer one.

Finally, the door opened and the trio entered. MJ didn’t care about Dominic and the brunette was too forgettable so if she didn’t show her face, Madds wouldn’t even know she was there. His eyes only belonged to the pink tornado rushing straight towards him. “Ow!” he scowled, rubbing his arm where Nessa assaulted it. It didn’t hurt, not really. But the show had to be put on at least a little bit. But his arms were already around her and he held Nessa close to him in a tight hug. Smell of her shampoo swiveled up his nose and Maddox closed his eyes for a brief moment. “I’m glad you’re fine.” he muttered and leaned down to place a sensual kiss to the place where her jaw connected with her neck. “And I already know how to make it up to you.”

His left arm remained wrapped around Nessa’s thin waist while the right hand disappeared in the pocket of his leather jacket. “I do have a peace offering though.” he grinned and pulled out a small golden statue he had swiped from downstairs. “It’s ugly as shit but I bet it’s worth an ungodly amount of money, eh?” he winked and gently tapped the statue against Nessa’s nose. “Don’t say I’m not your best boy.” he added, handing that piece of junk to the pinkette as an olive branch for saving his own ass first. The conversation moved on to the matter at hand and MJ returned to his seat on the couch, pulling Nessa on his lap. His hand casually rested on her hip as the others spoke. “Wouldn’t they just call? Or text?” he asked then. “I mean, they are a dickhead enough to be proud of their shit so why not let us know?” he wondered. And just then, a cacophony of ringtones echoed in the room, alerting everyone they all just received a text message.

code by low fidelity.

 

[MadiRaiCat]

location

Vivi's.

mentions

Vivian, Maddox.

interactions

Anders ( apolla ), Nessa ( Desert_Blossom ), Bia ( _amaranth_ ).

outfit

x, x.

Liliana

southside

Liliana wasn't a fan of having her hand forced. She didn't like using a computer other than her own. She didn't like working on a public computer, despite it being in a location that couldn't be tracked. And she certainly didn't like hacking when others were watching her. Was that part of V's plan? If they knew those things about the others, they might have known about her side hustles as well. But Lily had always been so careful, had hidden her tracks better than most. She'd kept that secret, along with a few others, even from those she was closest to. Even when she did jobs for other people, she hid behind an alias and never really showed her face. It was all virtual. So how could someone figure her out? But, at the end of the day, Lily didn't know anything about this so-called 'V.' They could be some Luddite who had no idea how to open a command prompt. But, they could also be better than her. And that scared the brunette hacker.

With the arrival of their released friends, Lily felt a little bit of relief. At least her coding had worked. Turning her back to the books, she sat on the wider shelf at its base, now facing the rest of the group. Chocolate brown eyes found Anders again as he spoke up. "I haven't," she responded softly, tensing slightly at Nessa's following words. Her answer was a shrug, and thankfully the others kept pondering so she let it stay at that. The hair on the back of her next slightly stood up when Bia's gaze moved over her. Sure, she probably had more enemies than she could count on both hands. But, as far as she was aware, none of them knew her real identity, just some digital pseudonym, an alter ego, the mask of an anti-hero. Nevertheless, she shook her head slightly, relief washing over her as Bia looked on. While Lily knew the business of many high-powered people in town who used her services, including Bianca, she wasn't about to reveal that either. Silence was her protection.

Looking over to where Maddox and Nessa kanoodled on the couch, she pondered the former's statement for a moment. He was right. If she had learned anything about this mysterious 'V' and their fear tactics, they would most likely want to claim their devious deeds. So why hadn't they? And just like that, with a chorus of ringtones and vibrations filling the room, her question was answered. Lily hoped it was just a coincidence, but the sinking feeling in her stomach told her that it wasn't. V had returned to play. Maybe they would get lucky, maybe whoever this was wanted to just hurt Vivian and this would be another attack on her. Letting out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding, the brunette pulled her phone from her pocket, clicked on the red notification over the messaging icon, and read the words on the screen.

Thought you all might want to paint the town red at the festival. Quite the affair, I have to say!

Speaking of affairs, Maddox, have you heard from yours today?

nine lives

 

[MadiRaiCat]

location

Vivi's.

mentions

MJ ( _amaranth_ ), Nessa.

interactions

Max ( Desert_Blossom ), Vivian ( apolla ).

[/comment]outfit

x.

Dominic

northside

Despite the glitz and glam, the unassuming luxury and expensive knick-knacks scattered around the room, the couches, shelves, and seating that probably cost as much as the average person's car, Dominic felt at home in Vivian's sitting room. Hell, even the idea of a person having a sitting room next to their bedroom just screamed wealth. But, not to him. He had been in and out of her house several times over the years, though the frequency had been much higher when Victor was still alive. They were very close, maybe even best friends. At least, that's what Dom had thought. But with everything that was currently happening, he wondered if he knew anyone. Maybe Genevieve? But even she probably had her secrets, ones that she hid so easily while living across the country and barely talking to her family back home. Genny wanted to leave her prominent last name behind, but little did she know that she would find out more than she bargained for.

Almost as soon as he asked, Max's head peaked out over the top of the couch. His friend stand and paced over, and Dom couldn't help but feel relieved. If they were in Vivi's house, that meant she was around somewhere too. That meant that they all made it out alive and mostly well. He wasn't quite sure how and, honestly, he didn't really care either. As far as the brunette was concerned, the police were useless. If they couldn't find out who stole his car and only seemed to bust happening parties where people were having fun, then how could he believe that they were actually worth hard-earned tax dollars? "Good to see you too, man," Dominic answered with a grin. Almost as soon as Max responded to his question, the connecting door opened revealing a familiar redhead, then no longer doused in red goop. Dom walked over to her with a grin, twirling a piece of her damp hair around his finger, "And I'm glad you're no longer the Red Queen."

"Probably to scare us, yeah," he agreed with Max, moving to sit in a winged armchair near the door. The brunette heir let out a low chuckle at Bianca's words. "I'm pretty sure most if not all of us in this room have pissed off someone recently. We're not exactly angels," he answered with a shrug. The attacks seemed to be only one Vivian up until that point, and that unnerved him. She was like a little sister to him, and he felt a sense of protectiveness over her. Whoever this asshole was, he wanted their head on a silver platter. Okay, maybe not that aggressive. But damn near close. As they continued to ponder the earlier events of their day, their phones went off. Dom pulled his absentmindedly, only taking a pause when he saw the unknown ID on the screen. His eyes scanned over the words before immediately shooting over to where MJ and Nessa lounged together on the couch. He didn't know either of them all that well and didn't really like the former all that much. But it looked like he was the new target of V's wrath. At least it wasn't Dominic.

nine lives

 

[apolla]

Even though Vivi and Bianca were far from besties, and Nessa was a southsider, her words were directed at all three of them. Not that she made the effort to make that clear. Let them think what they wanted, but the redhead was smart enough to figure out that someone was targeting all of them. If it came to light at some point that it was one of them, well, they could deal with her wrath then. But for now, even if it seemed that she'd taken the brunt of the damage, she also hadn't been almost left to rot behind a jail cell. She had no idea how or why the three of them had gotten out, nor did she care. But if they were together, they had to be able to figure something out about this mysterious V. Some way to figure out who they were, and more importantly, how to beat them at their own game.

Dom approached her, lifting a lock of her hair to twirl around his finger. His comment about her being the red queen brought a small smile to her face, and she lowered the brush from where she'd been pulling it through her hair. "You're not the only one. Red is my color, but not in that way." She wrinkled her nose, lifting the brush again to finish untangling her damp locks before her eyes shifted to Anders when he spoke. Bia asked the room if anyone had pissed anyone off lately, and Vi just scoffed in response. "If anyone here claims to be an angel, they seriously need to take a look in the mirror." Setting the brush down on a nearby table, she sighed, taking a seat beside the southside not-couple on the couch. A snarky comment was on the tip of her tongue about them not making a mess on the furniture when everyone's phones went off at the same time.

Her heart skipped a beat or five in her chest, and she closed her eyes for a second, swallowing heavily. When she reopened her eyes, everyone else was in the process of pulling out their phones too, or already had and were reading the message. She lifted her hips, reaching for her phone that she'd tucked into the back pocket of her jeans. She wasn't immune to the message, though her fingers weren't quick to pull it up to read. As sick as it was, she breathed a small sigh of relief when she realized the message wasn't directed at her this time. Hadn't she been through enough? Sliding her gaze over to the pink haired girl and the guy underneath her beside Vivi, she dropped her phone into her lap. "Got something you want to confess to, pretty boy?"

vivi

pretty girl
by [maggie lindemann]

interactions:
dom; bia; maddox; anders; max

tags:
MadiRaiCat Desert_Blossom _amaranth_

mood:
shocked

outfit:
Click!

º º code by ditto º º

 

[apolla]

Anders wasn't the beat around the bush, candy-coat shit type of guy. Never had been, but growing up in the southside had only made it worse. He wasn't the only southsider with that issue, either, but clearly he was the most bothered at the moment. Or at least the most bothered to cut out the chit-chat and cut right to the point, because he doubted that the others weren't bothered by this V. Nobody admitted to having received a text from V yet, but Anders had to agree with Bianca and MJ. From what they'd seen and experienced so far, V was very proud of themselves, and after the shitshow at the festival, Anders was surprised none of them had heard from V yet. It was only a matter of time before they did.

As if on cue, all of their phones rang at the same time and Anders almost wished he hadn't spoken. But he also knew the messages would have come through whether he'd said anything or not. His eyes dropped to his phone as he navigated to the new message, reading it three times before just his eyes shot over to MJ. Vivi was the first to break the silence after everyone read the message, but Ders just shook his head. "Doesn't fucking matter. It's MJ's business. Not yours, not mine, nobody elses in this room." He looked back down at the text, reading it one more time before he backed out of the conversation. "V is just trying to get us to... to distract us from the real fucking problem: who the fuck they are." Setting his phone on the table in front of him, Anders looked around at everyone.

The thing is, how were they supposed to come up with a plan when they didn't know when or how they were being watched? They couldn't even communicate electronically, because what if V was a hacker? The thought made his gaze shift towards Lily, thinking again of her fingers flying over the keyboard at the coffee shop. He also wanted to ask her about that, but he wasn't about to do so in front of everyone else. He had noticed her shifty answer to Nessa's question, though. Shaking his head slightly, he blew out a sharp breath, lifting a hand to run his fingers through his hair. "We need to find out what they want. V. Maybe once we have their goal in mind, if we can find that out, we can go from there and figure out... the rest." He gestured loosely in the air, meaning everything that was going on.

anders

lowlife
by [theory of a deadman]

interactions:
MJ; Max; Bia; Dom; Vivi

tags:
_amaranth_ ; Desert_Blossom MadiRaiCat

mood:
himself

outfit:
Click!

º º code by ditto º º