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Realistic or Modern Somebody I Used To Know | Main

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Corryn Russell.



  • So far, Corryn could say she was pleasantly surprised with the other girls on the show. While there seemed to be a tiff of some sort between Olivia and Kaya, they all seemed incredibly nice. Kaya had even offered her a lipstick that matched her dress. It was such a pretty color that she couldn't really refuse. Natalie seemed sweet as well, and Corryn hoped they would all be able to get along while on the show. Because at the end of the day, this show was about reuniting with their exes. And while the brunette marketing executive hadn't had a messy break-up with her own ex, she could assume the sentiment wasn't the same for the rest of them. It was important that they befriend one another, have a little group that they could vent to, and be able to rant to one another about all the stupid shit the men would no doubt do throughout the entirety of the show.

    Corryn glanced down the line to the girls on either side of her, smiling at them. She had chosen her dress specifically for its high slit and curve-hugging form, matching her body type perfectly. The others looked absolutely stunning in their gowns as well, each choosing something that appeared to match both their personalities. She could only imagine what the men looked like. Cory couldn't help the nerves that were rising in her chest, causing her heart to beat a little bit faster. She knew what was happening, knew who was on the other side of the curtain for her. She could feel the cameras on her. But, for some reason, the brunette couldn't help but feel a bit anxious. Nevertheless, Cory raised her chin and stood as confidently as she could, even if it was all a ruse.

    Stormy blue eyes followed the hem of the curtain rose, pausing only when it reached eye level. In front of her stood, Grayson, dressed to the nines in a sharp black tuxedo and a white button-down. Corryn watched as he gave her a once over, a smirk crawling on to her lips as his grin grew. Her nerves subsided slightly, replaced by a bit more confidence. She returned his nod with one of her own before glancing at the other men. Two she didn't recognize, but one was familiar. Though she had never met him personally, she knew he was a fairly respected football player. These types of shows always needed some sort of ringer, a face they could market to bring in the views then build off of that. Declan Bennet must be that face.

    Corryn's attention was caught by a new man to join their group, no doubt the host of the whole thing. With his presence, it was blatantly obvious now that they were being watched. She couldn't quite ignore the skin-crawling feeling it instilled in her. Not to mention there was something about that host that she fully didn't trust. Cory turned her attention to the set of candlelit dinners, unable to suppress an eye roll. She knew it was probably some attempt to rile them up and get them on edge. But, as far as she would admit, there were no hard feelings between her and Grayson. The blonde took the few steps towards her ex, linking her arm in his like some sort of ball. "Like old times, I suppose?" she commented with a shrug before leading them over to an unoccupied table. Soft atmospheric music played in the background as she sat opposite Greyson at the table. Immediately reaching for the red wine that had been poured for them, Cory took a sip and asked, "How have you been since we last spoke? Anything new at the firm?"








coded by weldherwings.
 
Last edited:







Abel Rothenberg.



  • Abel shifted his weight uncomfortably, eyes adjusting to the bright stage lights. Even though it was evening time, the patio was lit up like a Christmas tree. The music that he assumed was supposed to be calming had the opposite effect. Though he was usually charismatic and charming, he couldn't help but feel nervous at that moment. Reality shows were only in it for the ratings, wanting to make sure they could get enough viewers and make enough money to continue on in the next season. He could only assume that brother contestants were one of those 'fun things' that would draw more people in. So it only made sense that they would want the most problematic exes they could find opposite them. And that meant only one person for him.

    As the curtain lifted, Abel's forest-green eyes focused directly in on the brunette that stood opposite him, his breath catching in his throat. She looked drop-dead gorgeous in her black gown, and he was immediately taken back to that night in her parent's garage. Though he would never admit it, Abe knew that he made a huge mistake that night. But her father had made it very clear that Abel would never be able to give Olivia the kind of life she deserved. After all, what could a broke criminal working in a chop shop possibly provide to an heiress? It had been a hard decision, but at the end of the day, he knew that her father was right. Abe hadn't kept up with Olivia since then, had ignored any news that might have involved her, and dodged her attempts at reconnecting. He didn't really have it in him to push her away for a second time. But it looked like now, he might not have a choice.

    The blonde man's logical side began to kick in again, and he slid his hands into his pockets. He didn't really want to give the cameras the satisfaction of earning a reaction from him. The host appeared, catching Abel's attention. He took a second to glance at the other women, recognizing Kaya opposite Cain. He couldn't help the slight distaste he had at the sight of her, knowing just how difficult their relationship had been. Feeling his brother grip his shoulder, Abe let out a low chuckle, nodding towards Kaya. "Yeah, you too, brother." Olivia approached him, and he forced himself to remain laid-back, charming, with his temper and emotions in check. He could see the remnants of tears in her eyes but told himself they were from allergies or something like that. Taking a step to the side, Abel gestured towards the table. "After you." Taking a seat opposite the beautiful brunette, he awkwardly ran a hand through his hair. "So uh.... How have you been?"








coded by weldherwings.
 
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Kaya


Montgomery

mood.
"Fucking figures..."

location.
the stage

outfit.
click!

interactions.
Cain ( apolla apolla )



Standing there, behind that luxuriously red curtain, Kaya was visibly trembling and quite honestly, she hated that she was this weak. Her reputation preceded her back home. She was tiny but an absolute firecracker and despite her small figure, she could handle a bar full of biker gang members. And now, knowing there were cameras everywhere, that people were watching, her palms became sweat, her lower lip trembled and she felt like her feet melted into the stage. One step was enough to make her crumble to the ground in front of the whole nation. Her heart was pounding against her ribcage and she felt like she needed a shot. Or seven.

Finally the curtain started to rise and Kaya fleshed one last look at the other three girls, all looking in much better shape than her. Or maybe they were just better actresses. Music filled her ears and Kaya took a deep breath, putting her game face on. “Okay, Dominic, let’s make this work.” she whispered to herself quietly, still very much convinced it was him. The curtain disappeared, sharp stage lights hit her eyes, blinding her for a moment. Several blinks later, the brunette was finally able to look at the male stage and she almost fainted.

“No fucking way…!” left her perfectly painted lips as her gaze fell upon the handsome devil walking towards her. It was almost as if they agreed on their clothes, Cain matched her perfectly. Always. He always matched her. Memories started to flood her head, good, bad, all of them. Moments when they laid in bed, breathless and wrapped in a tight hug, when they engaged in the yell fest, trying to overcome the other, throwing stuff around, thrashing the apartment, seconds before he grabbed her wrists and they had the best angry sex ever. And the moment she walked inside an empty apartment, Cain nowhere to be seen and Kaya realized he left. For real that time.

And now he was here, the cocky mother fucker walking to her with that eternal smirk he wore so well, mocking her from the first second ever. And he even had the audacity to pull the KayKay card. That name was the sweetest thing he could whisper to her ear when hugging her from behind at the kitchen counter. And it was the name she hated the most because he could make it equally poisonous. “I know.” she spoke after his compliment, offering the sweetest of the fake smiles. “That’s because I didn’t dress up for you.” Kaya flashed him a dagger-throwing look, walking down from the stage. There were romantic candle-lit dinners nearby and Kaya had to appreciate the paradox. The two of them were a lot of things but not romantics. “Truce. For now.” she looked over her shoulder, strutting towards the tables, strategically choosing the furthest one. Her and Cain together in public? This was either genius or an extremely bad idea.

Kaya barely waited for Cain, walked on her own whether he offered his arm or not. There was wine on the table and she was a woman on her mission. The second her butt touched the soft plush of her chair, she wrapped her fingers around the wine glass and took a healthy gulp from the velvety red liquid. Pinot Noir. That much she could recognize. “So…” she sighed, leaning against the back of her chair. “I knew you wouldn’t stay away for too long. Cockroaches never do.”

code: s e v e n s e v e n
​
 
Declan


Bennet

mood.
"So it begins..."

location.
the stage

outfit.
click!

interactions.
Nat ( Desert_Blossom Desert_Blossom )



This wait was endless. Declan was used to a lot of suspense, it was basically in his job description. His trainings didn’t only whip his body into this perfect marble shape but also formed his will and patience. Many saw football as only a brutish men sport which could get a person bloody from head to toes, the easiest way how to get in hospital. But in all those years Declan had played, he noticed that the condition training was also helping him in tense situations, he was not trembling, not sweating and definitely not being scared like a school boy. His face was an epitome of calmness and though he had to admit that his insides might have been on fire a bit more than usual, when the curtain started to lift, he was as ready as he could get.

Declan recognized her immediately. Nat has not changed a lot. Sure, she grew up, her features formed a bit more, putting together a beautiful fairy tale face framed by a crown of shiny satin blonde strands, resting on her shoulders in soft waves. Declan still remembered how it felt to fun his fingers through her silky hair, rest his hand on the nape of her neck and pull her in a kiss. Just the mere memory of their great times made his stomach somersault. Natalie Mayfair was a gorgeous woman, no debate there.

Letting himself to immerse a little, Declan blinked a few times, noticing the couples were getting together. Just he and Nat were still standing there. Two girls already approached their exes and Cain was on his way to pick up his own though the tiny girl in magenta dress looked like she could just impale him on a nearby pillar. If this was their first evening, something was telling Declan that they all were in a proper serving of a couple drama. But he had to refocus, look at Natalie as he was walking to her, casually, taking lazy long strides. “You are even more gorgeous than I remember.” he smiled, charming as ever. The athlete leaned closer and brushed his lips against her cheek in the most subtle kiss. The kind you kiss your mother or sister with. There was no need to get the audience way too excited. “Shall we then?” Declan offered Natalie an arm and whether she took it or not, they walked to the dinner area.

Gentleman he was, Dec helped Natalie to get in her seat and only then took his own across the table. There were already plates, silverware and glasses prepared for them, a single tall candle was burning in the middle and the white table cloth was covered with rose petals. A single rose decorated the table, set in a small vase next to the candle and two glasses of red wine were prepared for every contestant. “Would you believe me if I said it’s good to see you again?” Declan asked and reached for his wine, motioning at her to do the same. “Hey, Nat. Whatever happens…I’m actually glad you did this. You know, that you submitted us here. Bold step for sure. But who knows? Maybe we can even win this thing. Cheers.” Dec toasted and clinked their glasses together. First, only a small sip disappeared, followed immediately by greater portion. Maybe he was not that mind-blowingly calm after all.

code: s e v e n s e v e n
​
 










































Natalie Mayfair








People were starting to move around Natalie, and the host's words about tables being prepared for the couples finally started to sink in. They were expected to all sit down with their ex and have dinner. Just like that? The show sure wasn't wasting any time. Natalie knew she was supposed to do something, and that she should take the cue like the other two girls had and walk over to Declan, but she didn't trust herself to move. She didn't trust herself to be the one to break the years-long silence between Declan and herself without either being too icy, or worse... too friendly.

As Declan approached her, his casual strides making her stomach flutter with each step, Natalie tried to prepare what she was going to say. Why hadn't she gone over options for opening lines before this moment? Her mind was coming up blank now that she knew she had cameras on her, and now that Declan was here in person. He'd broken her heart, and part of her wanted to make it very clear from the get go that she was still angry at him. While the other part reminded her that she was going to be on national television and shouldn't say anything that she would regret later.

Declan broke the silence first though, and Natalie silently both thanked and hated him for it at the same time. How could he be so charming and level headed about his? Natalie half wished Declan had been rude so she could justify an aloof greeting and frosty glare. But he hadn’t, and Natalie found herself mirroring his smile and demeanor as a defense mechanism.

"The years have been good to you as well..." She replied, glancing up at the tall man she'd once loved, forcing a smile onto her face. Declan leaned down to kiss her cheek, and Natalie did her best to steel herself against the emotions running through her. Internally, Natalie was keenly aware of how different this simple greeting was from the kisses they'd once shared, but externally, Natalie hardly appeared to give his kiss a second thought.

Declan offered his arm, and Natalie hesitated for a moment. She wanted to reject his polite gesture in hopes that it would sting a little, but she caught sight of a camera out of the corner of her eye and thought better about it. "I suppose so." Natalie replied with a nod, slipping her arm around Declan's and walking towards the table with him. It wasn't like they had much of a choice anyways. No use resisting their produced, candlelit dinner.

It was surreal that she and Declan were both on their best behavior and acting like there was no ill will between them. Natalie didn't want to be the one to draw first blood if it could be avoided. And since Declan had signed them up for this mess, she wanted to at least wait until she determined his motives before rehashing the past. Natalie would play nice for now, and act like being arm in arm with Declan was no big deal. Once at their table, Declan pulled out Natalie's chair and she thanked him quietly, before he took a seat across from her.

Under more natural circumstances, the beautifully set table would have made for a romantic setting. But the fact that the table had been set up by producers and was surrounded by three other couples made it loose some of its luster. Raising her glass and a slender eyebrow in response to Declan's question, Natalie studied him for a moment, weighing whether she actually did believe him or not. Whatever conclusion she came to though was lost when Declan continued speaking, talking about how he was glad she submitted them to the show. Natalie's brows knit in confusion, and she stared at Declan for a moment trying to register what he was talking about as he clinked his glass against hers and drained some of his wine.

"Wait, what?!" Natalie finally said, louder than she intended, before bringing her voice back to a more intimate level. "What are you talking about? I didn't submit us. You did." The blonde clarified, trying to keep her face calm even though alarms were going off in her head. "Or at least I thought you did." She only agreed to come on this show because she thought Declan had submitted them and was going to apologize. But if Declan didn't apply, then that meant...

"So you're not here to apologize then?" Natalie asked bluntly, meeting Declan's dark eyes with an accusing look. All her silly notions of Declan actually regretting what he did were once again being replaced by the same feeling of betrayal that Declan had inflicted all those years prior. Natalie could feel the rising wave of disappointment threatening to crash over her, and she raised her glass to her lips, trying to drown herself in wine instead. Her hand shook a little though, and she set the nearly empty glass back down on the table. What had she gotten herself into?




































Disappointed






























Couple’s Table


































Outfit
























_amaranth_ _amaranth_


















































nine lives




 










































Grayson Moore








Corryn was stunning, and it was hard for Grayson to tear his gaze away from her when the host came out to announce the night's activities. The couples were to enjoy a candle lit dinner, no doubt in the hopes that the romantic dinner would actually end up in flames. Fortunately Gray hoped that he and Corryn might manage to disappoint production and get through the dinner peacefully. He turned his attention back to the blonde just in time to see her eye roll in response to the perfectly set tables, and he had to suppress a chuckle.

Overly romantic dates had never really been their thing. Sure they'd gone to nice restaurants, but all the nice settings there had just been a product of the environment, and not the reason for going. Rose petals and candles were a level of intimacy that Grayson had never felt the need to include in their power couple dynamic. Sure, he'd gotten Corryn flowers before, but sprinkling petals around was where he had drawn the line. They were just a gimmick that would need to be cleaned up later. At least here though, someone else had done the arranging and would be doing the cleaning.

Once the host had finished explaining what was expected from them, the couples started to move around on their stages. Corryn began making her way towards Grayson, and he stepped off the guy's stage to meet her halfway by the firepits. He began to offer his arm at the same moment that she took it. Cory had either read his mind, or had intended to take his arm whether he actually was a gentleman and offered it or not. Gray did let out a chuckle this time and nodded. "Yeah, old times." He replied, walking over to the table with his ex girlfriend.

"Though I don't remember seeing that dress in your closet before. So not quite like old times." He added as they reached the table and he unhooked his arm from Corryn's, taking a step back to admire her for a moment. "You look amazing. Trying to win me back, eh?" He teased.

Grayson would have pulled Corryn's chair out for her, but Cory was as independent as ever and sat before Gray got the chance. Cory didn't need his help or chivalry. That was one of the things he appreciated about her when they were together- she was never needy. Though the fact that Corryn didn't need Grayson was also one of the reasons the two didn't end up working out. She didn't need him to be happy or to be successful, and sure that stung a bit. But Grayson was quick to remind himself that he hadn't needed Corryn either, as he took a seat across from the beautiful blonde. They were just both two independent people, who refused to rely on anyone, for anything. Even love.

"Can't complain." Grayson shrugged in response to her question, lifting his own glass as he set Corryn with a steady gaze. "Last few weeks have been busy tying up loose ends at work, finding someone to watch Ace, you know, making sure the world still goes round while I'm here." He continued, leaning back in his chair and taking a sip of his wine.

A smirk tugged at his mouth and he gave Corryn a teasing look of disapproval when she asked about the firm. "Come now Cory, you know I can't talk about things going on at work with the enemy." Gray replied, drinking a bit more wine before setting his glass back onto the table. "Besides, if there was anything new going on at the firm, I'd want you to be the last to know so you don't steal our ideas." He added, his smirk offering a levity to the truth of his words.

"And you? How have you been?" Grayson asked, glancing away for a moment as noise from one of the other tables caught his attention. Nothing major seemed to be happening though, and his blue eyes returned to Corryn's. "How did your father take the news of you coming on this show? I didn't get you into any trouble did I?" He asked curiously.

A year ago Gray had aspired to be just like Mr. Russell, but after being passed up for the promotion, his feelings towards the successful man had been tainted a bit. Now Grayson half hoped that Corryn being on the show, and foregoing work at Russell & Sons to be with him, even if just as his ex, pissed the old man off. If he was lucky, Gray could kill two birds with one stone: earn himself a promotion to the campaign he wanted at work and hurt the competition by stealing away one of Russell & Sons' brightest employees. If he and Corryn could actually win the show too, even




































Relaxed






























Couple’s Table


































Outfit
























MadiRaiCat MadiRaiCat


















































nine lives




 






olivia




filler



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  • home (filler tab)



































camila cabello



crying in the club








Had this been a mistake? The same damn question kept popping up into her mind as she'd walked towards the backyard, then waited for the curtain to rise, and even when her eyes landed on Abel's face. It had taken her a good few minutes to recognize his brother as well, and she could hardly believe it. Not only was her ex here, but his brother as well? But then all the lines started to connect. Kaya, Cain, Abel... Fuck, this was happening all over again.

She and Kaya had never been close, hadn't ever really gotten along. Liv thought that Cain was a real piece of work, though she knew he had his good qualities as well, though they seemed to be buried deep. As she approached Abe with that tremble in her lower lip and tears in her eyes, she couldn't lie and say it didn't hurt that he didn't even comment, or reach out to her. Though what should she have expected, honestly?

They made their way over to one of the tables, and she felt hyperaware of everything going on around her. The host had disappeared, though she wasn't really looking for him. She and Abe picked a table and she slid into the seat, folding her hands in her lap as she watched him take a seat opposite her. There was wine already poured on the table in front of her; would she look like an alcoholic if she downed the contents of both glasses?

Fuck, this was more difficult than she expected. Swallowing heavily, her eyes flicked up to him as he ran his hands through his hair, an action she'd done many times in their short time together. Just seeing him do it reminded her that she missed doing it herself. Hearing his question, her eyes shifted to his, and she forced a small smile. "You don't know?" She tilted her head, wondering if he'd really not heard a thing.

Maybe she should have expected that. Just because she'd become a celebrity didn't mean everyone liked her, and that was something she knew well. Shaking her head, she drew in a shaky breath. "I've been okay. How about you, Abel?" She pursed her lips slightly, unable to stop herself from reaching for the glass nearest her now. After drinking a bit of the bitter wine, she set the glass back down with shaking hands. "Tell me something interesting you've been up to since we last saw each other."






♡coded by uxie♡
 






cain




filler



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filler









































machine gun kelly



home








Cain shouldn't have been surprised that his charm wouldn't work on Kaya, at least not right away. She'd had plenty of time to get over him, after all, and who knows? Maybe she hated his guts now. But the glint in his own eyes paired with the way her body reacted to him told him that 1, he didn't believe that for a second, and 2, she was definitely still into him. He even surprised her with his old nickname for her, wanting to make her smile.

Which, she did smile, but he'd recognize that fake one anywhere. Still, he just smirked at her response to him. "Of course you didn't dress up for me, doll. You had no idea I'd be here, just like I didn't know about you." He hurried to catch up with her, pulling the chair out for her and sliding his hands to her shoulders before letting her go and moving to seat himself opposite her. "Still, we somehow seemed to know deep down."

He gestured to her dress and his suit, his smirk only growing. She'd called a truce between them, yet somehow he felt anything but truce-like, especially as she grabbed for the wine and leaned back in her chair. He nearly snorted at her cockroach comment, reaching for his own wine as well. A salad appetizer was brought out for each person, and Cain grinned at Kaya over his own, his head cocked to the side.

"How was I supposed to know it'd be you on the other side of that curtain?" He shrugged, reaching for his fork as he twirled it between his fingers. "Besides, for a cockroach, you sure came crawling back to my bed time after time." Stabbing a cucumber, he brought it to his lips and grinned at her before popping the piece into his mouth. "Did you miss me, KayKay?"






♡coded by uxie♡
 







Abel Rothenberg.



  • Abel couldn't remember the last time he had sat down at a candlelit dinner with anyone, let alone a date. It all felt a bit too intimate for his liking, especially with someone who he had been fairly intimate with in the past and was no longer. He could only imagine what her father must be thinking. Did he know that Abe was the ex that would be on the show? He must, right? That man was powerful, with people everywhere to keep eyes out for him and do his bidding. Abel had done his best to avoid them but knew that he probably wasn't as hidden as he thought he was.

    The air around them felt awkward, and it was clear to him that neither of them had really dealt with their break up. Abel had pretty much ignored it, putting the thoughts of Olivia to the back of his mind so that he could move on with his life. He had avoided anything that might remind him of her and had successfully not heard about or from her since their break up to that moment. And now, all of it came crashing back. Every kiss, every touch, every time he made her laugh or pulled her into a hug. Fuck, he certainly hadn't expected it to be this tough. Abel reached out and picked up the wine glass, inhaling the bitter scent. He had never been one for red wine, rather liking beer and whiskey. But he also certainly didn't want to be sober at that moment. And so, he took a large gulp from the glass, swallowing before he could really taste it.

    Abe felt Olivia looking at him and met her gaze curiously. What didn't he know? Better yet, did he really want to know? Before he could ask, she took a breath and continued. The delivery of salads briefly interrupted their conversation, allowing him time to breathe and consider her question. Did he really want to tell her what he had been up to, the reason he was after the money? No, it was probably better to lie. At least for now. Abel took a thoughtful bite before answering, "Uh, I guess I've been okay. I work at this mechanics shop over on the west side. It's alright. How about you? Still living in paradise?"








coded by weldherwings.
 







Corryn Russell.



  • Corryn was used to being in control. She had spent her whole life striving for perfection, working hard to be the absolute best in her field. She was strict and harsh in some cases, had been called every name in the book because of it. But none of the that fazed her, at least not on the outside. At the end of the day, she did not take no for an answer and that was something she could always be proud of. However, her place at that table, in the backyard of some beachfront mansion with the ocean breeze perfuming the air, wasn't exactly what she had in mind. It was oddly romantic in a way that she definitely wasn't used to, her previous relationship with Gray far more transactional in nature. The intimacy of it all made her slightly uncomfortable. But at least she had wine and the company of the other couples to help temper it.

    "This dress?" the blonde answered, glancing down to the deep red elegant gown. "No, this is something new I picked up. Thought it might be nice to keep you on your toes," she continued with a smirk, blue eyes returning to meet his. Her eyes slid down his body, admiring how his suit clung to his form. She took another sip from her glass of wine, savoring the bitter notes of the tannins. "Doesn't your team have the ability to function when you're gone? Or do you have to keep a close eye on them?" she returned the tease, competitive as ever. Letting out a light laugh, she shook her head at him. "Gray, you know I don't need to steal your ideas to get ahead of you. I've done that plenty of times on my own."

    There were the types of conversations that were easy for her, the sassy jabs back and forth, the banter. She was quick to think on her feet, and love seeing the reactions her words elicited. However, Cory couldn't help but think that maybe that was one of the reasons they did not work out. After Gray left Russell & Sons, they no longer could work together. And instead of being on the same side, they were forced to battle against one another. Neither was willing to give up everything they had built for the other. And on top of all that, the feelings they had for one another were more business-partner like in nature than love.

    As the salad course was placed in front of them, Cory pondered the question about her father. "He was surprisingly supportive," she answered honestly, looking up at Gray again. To be honest, she hadn't expected him to like the idea. But her father was just as calculated as she was, and probably had something up his sleeve. Stabbing into a grape tomato with her fork, she glanced around at the other tables. "I wonder how all of this is going to go. It already feels like things are being set up for disaster."








coded by weldherwings.
 
Kaya


Montgomery

mood.
annoyed...by herself mostly

location.
dinner table

outfit.
click!

interactions.
Cain ( apolla apolla )



Saying that seeing Cain again was not painful would be a lie. Kaya still felt that ping of disappointment when she returned to their place and he was gone. He bailed. On her and on their life. Sure, she left first but they both knew she was going to come back. That was their MO. They fought, insulted each other, yelled, threatened but at the end of the day, they ended up in tight cuddles under the sheets, sweaty and breathless after an amazing performance. That was how they always rolled. And therefore, seeing the apartment empty caused Kaya to crumble down. This time it was serious.

As they she walked to the table with Cain in a close tow, Kaya’s hands were balled in fists, nails leaving half-moon impressions in her skin. Thank god for the wine or else she had no idea how she was going to survive the dinner. Of course it occurred to her that Cain could be here but she was so fixated on the idea of seeing Dominic again that the rational part of her brain was shut down. When she looked back at it now, it made perfect sense Cain was here. The show needed drama, right? And those two were more than capable to provide.

The fact that she wore dress that matched his jacket was more than irritating. Kaya wore the magenta piece because it was drop dead gorgeous and made her look luxurious. It was the best piece she owned and quite honestly, the only piece like this that she owned. But now, regrets filled her head. Even more so when she realized Cain looked amazing. The jacket fit him perfectly and as he undid the buttons on it before sitting down, Kaya could clearly see how that white shirt clung to his abs, embracing every line perfectly. And yes, it made her tremble a bit which she cleverly covered by drinking her wine.

Shortly they were served a salad and Kaya watched her ex to play with his fork before he started to eat. She shot at him immediately because after leaving her like that, Cain didn’t deserve anything else. “You and I apparently have a very different definition what you dragging me in your bed means.” she commented dryly and grabbed her own fork, moving a few green leaves around. “And stop calling me that. After you bailed on me, there was not one day I’d waste thinking about you.” she lied with a straight face and stuffed her mouth full of lettuce. Her eyes were shooting daggers and Kaya hated herself for wanting to taste his lips. She really needed to pull herself together and fast. This time, Kaya was not falling in the trap named Cain.

code: s e v e n s e v e n
​
 
Declan


Bennet

mood.
annoyed af

location.
dinner table

outfit.
click!

interactions.
Nat ( Desert_Blossom Desert_Blossom )



Feeling Natalie’s small hand on his arm flooded Declan with memories. And the sudden realization hit him how different this all was. The two used to be the perfect couple, the teenage dream of their high school. People envied them, girls wanted to be Natalie, guys were jealous of Declan for dating her and yet, they always emerged on top and always together. Hand in hand, Nat and Dec against the world. She used to be his endgame, the one he was supposed to spend his life with. The one that filled his heart with all kinds of emotions that he never felt anywhere only when he was with her. Declan was the epitome of a jock everywhere else but with Natalie, he always got a bit softer.

And now, the touch was familiar but he could feel the nerves in the air as he led her to the table and helped her to get seated. Look at him, Mr. Hotshot football player confident star and he was trembling in front of camera as a kid on its first day of school. Wine was going to help with it a little with that nervousness and Dec used the first opportunity to go for a toast. And once those words left his lips, one look at the woman was enough to know that something was wrong.

Nat looked at him and Declan froze for a second. Hearing her say that it was not her who had submitted them to the show made the wine in his mouth go sour. He only swallowed because he willed himself to do so and set the glass down. “You didn’t?” he asked quietly and stopped talking for a second while they were served with the appetizer. Somehow, the football player was not hungry anymore. If she didn’t submit them and he didn’t either, who was the culprit responsible for this? But then she took his breath away again.

“So you’re not here to apologize then?”

Declan looked at her after taking his fork and his eyes lingered on delicate features of her face for a while. “You’re still onto this fantasy of yours that I should apologize?” he asked, lifting his right eyebrow. With a deep tired exhale, Dec impaled a few pieces of veggies on his fork and brought it to his mouth. For a moment, silence fell on their table and the man chewed thoughtfully. Once his mouth was empty, he looked at his ex again. “For christ’s sake, Natalie, we were on a break!” he exhaled and knew that his tone and volume might have attracted the cameras. “And let me remind you it was you who wanted it. You wanted a free pass to roam Italy as a single happy camper. I only did what you wanted. So why can’t you just move on? I have nothing to apologize for.” he breathed, annoyed all of a sudden. Yeah, grand idea coming here. Kudos to whoever did this to him.

code: s e v e n s e v e n
​
 










































Natalie Mayfair








For a few mere moments Natalie had entertained the naive idea that she and Declan would finally be able to recover from the events of the past. For a few mere moments Natalie had been reminded of what it felt like to be beside Declan again as they walked to the table. And for a few mere moments Natalie almost wished they could stay like that... But those fleeting moments were nothing compared to the past few years of feeling a sting in her heart every time she thought about Declan. And now that sting was back, and just as sharp as ever.

Declan's referral to Natalie's belief that he should apologize as a "fantasy" made her flinch. It was a loaded word to the blonde. Calling it a fantasy carried two implications: 1) That the idea wasn't based in reality and would never happen and 2) That she was delusional or crazy or childish for believing a fantasy could come true in the first place. Natalie glanced away as Declan speared some of his salad and took a bite.

Natalie hadn't even noticed the servers deliver the salads to the tables, her mind racing and her focus set on Declan. How could she even think about eating at a time like this? Waves of nausea from the anxiety of realizing she had agreed to be on this show under false pretenses chased away all previous feelings of hunger. Natalie now found herself trapped with the singular man who had broken her heart and crushed her plans for their future together. Trapped with him on a show to be broadcast to millions, no less. She may not have submitted herself to this hell, but she'd willingly plunged herself into the fiery torture nonetheless.

The tone and volume of Declan's voice when he finally broke the silence again made Natalie's blue eyes dart back to him, the familiar hurt expression in her eyes. They'd had this very same argument the last time she'd seen him, and now were bound to repeat themselves. In the back of her mind, Natalie knew she could be the bigger person and just end the argument by not digging them into a deeper hole, but her pride never allowed her to. Yes, she had asked for the break, but she'd not expected Declan to take advantage of their separation so quickly.

Her ex's words and his annoyed expression found their mark, and Natalie raised her glass back to her lips, draining the rest of the wine in an attempt to swallow the lump in her throat that was forming. The one that typically arrived just before the tears did. There was no way she was going to be the first one to cry on this show. She'd already shed enough tears over Declan in private, she didn't want to shed more now for the viewers to watch from the comfort of their couches.

"Well, with the speed that you replaced me, one might have thought the break was your idea." Natalie replied, focussing on her anger rather than the hurt to keep the tears at bay. "And you didn't seem to have any qualms over it at the time." Natalie's gaze only broke from Declan as a server refilled her emptied glass, before returning to meet his again.

"Just move on?" She echoed with a dry laugh. "Like you did? I know it's so easy for you to move on, you made that very clear with the redhead how quickly you can get over things." More liquid disappeared from Natalie's glass, her heart pounding and adrenaline now rushing as their argument unleashed the feelings she'd been ignoring for years. When she found out who submitted her and Declan for this disaster...





































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Grayson Moore








Being seated across from Corryn felt natural. They'd spent many nights at tables hatching their newest schemes to get ahead of the competition or discussing ideas for a new campaign. What didn't feel natural, was the romantic atmosphere that had been attempted. There had only been two elements to Grayson and Corryn's relationship: their business partnership that they pretended or maybe even truly believed was the equivalent to an emotionally based relationship, and then the physical aspect. There was no gray area in between for feelings of love to be mixed in. They were either all business or all over each other.

Grayson chuckled a little when Corryn replied that the dress was meant to keep him on his toes, his thoughts wandering to that second aspect of their relationship for a moment. Not that he'd admit it, but the dress was achieving exactly what Corryn had intended it to. Sure, their business partnership had ended permanently when they broke up, but with work out of the way for the summer, perhaps Grayson and Corryn could rekindle the more pleasurable connection that they'd shared? No strings attached. They'd never been in danger of letting emotions get in the way of things before, so there was no reason to suspect a summer of casual hookups would hurt them anymore than their break up had. And that had just been like ripping off a bandaid. Quick, with only fleeting pain.

"Sure the team can function without me, but losing their star player does make things a little more difficult..." Grayson replied, not bothering to hide his cocky smile. Corryn's follow up comment hit a little close to home for Grayson, but he didn't bat an eye. "On your own, huh? Maybe if you disregard the headstart that nepotism gave you..." He shot back. "Doesn't hurt to have ties to the top." He pointed out, the ghosts of his past bitterness haunting him again momentarily. Grayson took a sip of his wine to lay them to rest again, reminding himself that he wasn't here for drama.

Grayson offered a half apologetic smile for stepping outside the playing field of friendly banter. "Last I checked the score was pretty even though on getting one up on the other..." He added, trying to find a middle ground again to tip the scales back into balance.

The salads were served, and Grayson was thankful that this produced date would actually include real food. It was disappointing to hear that Corryn's father had supported her decision to go on the show, and Grayson wondered if Mr. Russell had a scheme of his own. It was tempting to toss another jab out directed at Corryn's father, but after his last one, Grayson felt it safer to let the opportunity pass by.

Taking a few bites of salad, he considered Corryn's comment about the show being set up for disaster. Considering Grayson had accidentally entered dangerous waters with their conversation moments earlier, he couldn't disagree with her assessment. "Well, I don't know about you, but I don't particularly want to play into their hands... Bad for business if we give them the satisfaction of stirring up drama." Grayson replied, setting down his fork and propping his elbows on the table for a moment as he leaned in towards Corryn. "This may seem sacrilegious and go against everything you and I live for..." He continued, conspiratorially, "but perhaps we should make a deal not to talk about work while we're here?" Grayson suggested.

Yes, their love and drive for work was what connected Corryn and Grayson, but it was also what had separated them. At this point, Gray could find no other weaknesses that the show could exploit to stir up drama beyond him and Cory now being enemies when it came to their jobs. And if they eliminated discussion about work, well, what else could tear them further apart? "What do you say Cory? Think we can get through a summer talking about other things?" Grayson asked, picking up his wine glass as he continued to lean against the table, holding it up towards her to seal the deal with a cheers, should she agree to go along with his proposal.




































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nine lives




 






olivia




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camila cabello



crying in the club








To say this felt awkward would be an understatement. Honestly, Olivia hated it. Not only did she hate feeling awkward in general, but she hated that she felt that way with Abel of all people. Throughout all of the fancy parties and stiff people she'd come into contact with growing up, he'd been a steady comfort in her life after they'd met. Things had never been awkward between them, and she disliked the feeling now. What would even be a good icebreaker?

Tell me something interesting you've been up to since we last saw each other. Yeah, that was a great way to start. Super interesting question, Liv. Inwardly rolling her eyes, she glanced up when he answered, telling her he worked at some mechanics shop. The statement for whatever reason brought a small smile to her face. He'd always been good with cars. Her father asked him to maintain their vehicles often, whatever that entailed.

Olivia remembered spending hours with him in the garage as he worked on her parents cars, handing him parts and tools sometimes but mostly just sitting there talking, laughing, listening to music. She'd been big into singing even back then, and she almost always controlled what they listened to. He never seemed to mind, or if he did, he didn't say anything. Most of the time she had no idea what kind of tool he needed, either, so he'd end up getting it anyway.

Hearing his question to her, she scoffed automatically, remembering two seconds afterwards that she probably shouldn't talk shit about her label while on live television. "I don't live at home anymore." She said instead, taking a bite of the salad. "I have my own place in Pemberton now." The upper class town not too far from the town they'd met in. When she traveled, though, she stayed in hotels alot. "You didn't go far." After he left, she meant. She knew the west side, though she'd been forbidden to go there when she was younger.






♡coded by uxie♡
 






cain




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machine gun kelly



home








Seeing Kaya again brought back every single fucking memory he had of being with her. How attracted he'd been to her ever since he saw her for the first time back in high school. She'd had a boyfriend then, of course, some fucktard who didn't even know how to handle her. He'd flirted hardcore with her, but the good girl she was, she didn't want to cheat on him. Cain didn't let up, not at first. When they reconnected in college and she was single... Cain knew it was meant to be.

Their relationship had definitely had its ups and downs. But they always came back together, except for that last time. She'd packed up her shit and left the apartment they shared, and he was fucking done. He packed up too, and when she returned later, it was to an empty place. Of course, Cain didn't stay gone long, but long enough for them to be done and over for real. He regretted his choice to leave, but he'd never gotten a chance to tell her.

And with her smartass mouth, now didn't seem to be the right time. He grinned as he munched on the cucumber, absentmindedly wishing he had more dressing. Who liked eating grass, really? He hoped the main dish was steak or something. Kaya's words brought his attention back to her, and he chuckled as he reached for the wine to wash down the dressing-less cucumber. "Are you sure about that, KayKay? I mean, we're here for a reason, right?"

He was just fucking with her because he liked getting under her skin, always had. Maybe that was how he chose to show affection, but it was clear he hadn't changed that much. Eating another bite of the salad, he wrinkled his nose. "I need a good burger and fries right about now. Enough of the rabbit food." He moved the salad away from him, leaning back in his seat some as he lifted his gaze to Kaya again. "So, KayKay. How has your love life been since I left? Or, well, since you left, considering you left first."






♡coded by uxie♡
 







Corryn Russell.



  • Strangely, and perhaps unexpectantly, Corryn and Grayson seemed to be the only couple who still had firm grips on their civility. The sweet blonde she had learned was Natalie had anger in her eyes and was downing wine like it was water. The man opposite her seemed rather unimpressed as well. Kaya's sarcastic comments were hard to miss, and Cory wasn't sure how much longer she and her ex would last before breaking out into an actual physical fight. While not sporting any clear signs of anger, it was hard to miss the sadness in Olivia's eyes and the awkward tension in the shoulders of the man who sat with her. Cory couldn't help but wonder how they had let things get this far, how their feelings seemed so dependent on a person who was, by definition of the show, their ex. She didn't feel those things about Gray, did she?

    The blonde's stormy blue eyes focused on the dark-haired man sitting across from her once again, spinning the ring on her thumb absentmindedly. When they had split, she had felt some sort of pang in her chest. But she always thought it was because she was losing her business partner, which had maleffects on her career, and her bed partner, which wasn't great for her sex life either. There wasn't anything else it could be, right? Corryn pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind, instead focusing on the conversation. She forced herself to bite her tongue at his comments on her father's nepotism. That argument had been had several times before and, to her, there was no use in fighting a battle she knew she could not win.

    Thankfully, however, Grayson seemed to realize his words and smile. There were no words associated with the apology, but Cory had come not to expect them. Apologies were simply ways of letting the competitor have the upper hand, and that was not allowed in their line of work. "Bad for business indeed," the marketing executive agreed, stabbing her fork into another piece of lettuce. But before she could take a bite, Grayson leaned in a bit closer. She lifted her eyes to meet his blue gaze, getting lost there for just a moment and almost missing his proposal. Gray was a striking man, and he was most certainly aware of it. And Cory knew exactly what was beneath that carefully tailored suit of his.

    Setting her own fork down on her plate, she crossed her arms under her chest and leaned against the table towards him. Had there been an unknowing outside party looking, it could almost seem like the couple was really into one another and on a romantic date. But, looking a bit closer at their body language, things were a bit more primal and competitive. A smirk played at the corners of Corryn's lips, her fingers wrapping around the stem of her wine glass. While she wasn't entirely sure what else they could talk about, considering all of their conversations in the past were somehow related to work, she liked the idea of a challenge. "I'd say I'm in," the blonde answered, gently clinking the edge of her glass against his before taking a long sip.

    Almost as if on cue, the servers appeared to clear out the salad course and replace it with that of a gourmet steak dinner. The large white plate held a perfectly round pile of red skin mashed potatoes, topped with a cross-hatched, grilled filet mignon steak. What appeared to be a demi-glace was expertly drizzled around the plate, and there was a side of steamed broccoli. Cory couldn't help but wrinkle her nose slightly at the green vegetable. It had been her least favorite vegetable since she was a child, and so she turned the plate until it was the furthest away from her. Cory tried to come up with something to say, not knowing what else to talk about aside from work. But it was like the gears in her head weren't turning. So, she settled on, "How is Ace, anyway?"








coded by weldherwings.
 







Abel Rothenberg.



  • It was strange, sitting across from her at some fancy candlelit dinner. When they had been together, he was making chump change working for her father. There was no way he could have afforded something like that. He did his best, taking her out when he could or creating dates from what was available. Hell, the most perfect date they had ever been on was when he had stolen the gardener's pickup truck, driven them out into the country, and watched the stars while sharing a bottle of her dad's cognac and sitting in the truck bed. And that hadn't cost him a penny. But those days were over. He had made the choice, taken the buy out, and left. It had been a hard decision, but it was one that he needed to make, regardless of whether or not Olivia understood.

    Hearing the scoff, Abel looked up from his salad, a smirk playing on his lips. Liv had always seemed to want more out of life than the sheltered structure her father had set up for her. What she didn't realize was that life with him wasn't easy or safe. Abe was the type of guy that trouble followed, whether it was his fault or not. Cain had had to bail him out more times than one, and often Abel came out on the other side bruised and bleeding. Unbeknownst to Olivia or the staff of the show, but he was there to win some money and get the threats of the people he owed off his back. There was no way he could even consider bringing an innocent into that life.

    "That's good. Pemberton is a nice part of town. Safe, too," Abe answered, sitting back as the servers removed their salad plates and replaced them with a fancy steak dinner. Liv was probably used to this kind of treatment, but he certainly wasn't. The mechanic stared at the plate with wide eyes for a moment, only ever seeing food that fancy when he was working at the Kennedy estate. On the other hand, he couldn't shake the feeling that they were just making small talk, like talking about the weather with a neighbor he only knew in passing. After all the time they had spent together, it certainly didn't feel natural.

    "No, no I didn't. Just to somewhere I could afford," Abel answered, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly. Finishing off the wine in his glass, the blonde chased it with a bite of steak before looking up at Olivia. With a little alcohol in his system, he had a little more courage. "Listen, Livvy," he began, using the old pet name for her, "I know we left things a little... strained." Well, that certainly wasn't the right word for what had happened when he left. But he had already said it and there was no going back. Offering her his signature charming grin, Abe continued, "But I was hoping we could just bury the hatchet, you know? Let bygones be bygones and all that. What do you say?"








coded by weldherwings.
 
Kaya


Montgomery

mood.
annoyed

location.
dinner table

outfit.
click!

interactions.
Cain ( apolla apolla )



From the very first moment she saw Cain standing on that stage, Kaya knew this was going to be wild ride. With the two of them, it always was. Not one peaceful day they would spend in that rainbows and unicorns mood. They either yelled at each other like maniac and then had the best angry sex. Or they just fucked because it was fun and they totally clicked at the physical levels. There were times Kaya thought whether they ever were more than fuck buddies actually. Yet every time they separated, she felt like a part of her was missing. At that time, she couldn’t even comprehend how such a fucktard could be missing from her life and she just wanted to cut him out like a puss-infested wound. But that was just not possible. On a certain level, the two belonged together and Kaya knew it.

Not that she would ever admit it. Or, god forbid, let Cain know. Now he was sitting across the table, looking hot as ever and she just wanted to scream. Why it had to be him? Why was the world out there to destroy her? Couldn’t it be that sweet boring Dominic Kaya could definitely wrap around her finger and pull his strings in a way she wanted? In that case, she could totally see herself winning the whole thing and leave with that sweet cash reward, buy a nice flat and finally have the life she deserved. But with Cain here, things just got way more complicated.

And once again, Cain was right. They were there for a reason and if Kaya wanted that flat, she had to find a way how to make it work with her class A jerk ex Cain Rothenberg over there. Chewing on the salad with was getting worse with every next bite, she was trying to stuff her mouth and refrain from jabbing at him. Should they continue this dance, it was bound to end up with that glass of Pinot in his face. Not at all how she wanted to present herself the first evening on the show.

Upon his next question, Kaya looked up at him, dropping the fork down with a loud clang. “You always had a way to take my appetite away.” she scoffed with almost a disgusted look gracing her features. The wine glass found its way to her lips again but this time, she finished the whole thing in one go. Waiter was right there with a refill and she offered him a charming smile, thanking him for the promptness. Cain’s comment had her roll her eyes. “Classy as ever, aren’t you? I see some things never change. Dress the pig in a tux but it’s still a pig.”

Their dinner was brought, making Kaya happy that at least the main course was edible. Moving the broccoli aside as she already had enough green stuff for a year, she stabbed a potato whole her eyes were shooting daggers at Cain. “And what’s it to you? Apparently, you moved on pretty fast after I left. Found yourself a new whore to su…” Kaya stopped herself very quickly, remembering how she was not supposed to cuss. “What’s your point, Cain? You here to make my life a living hell again? Or you got tired of exploiting all those mediocre bitches since I set the bar too high?”

code: s e v e n s e v e n
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Declan


Bennet

mood.
"Seriously?"

location.
dinner table

outfit.
click!

interactions.
Nat ( Desert_Blossom Desert_Blossom )



Seeing the Natalie there, confirming his suspicions about which ex was going to come, gave Declan hopes that they could finally get that closure they both needed so much. He had his fair share of guilt on what happened between them and was willing to admit it but she should do that too. After all, as far as Dec was concerned, it was her initial idea that actually lit the fuse which later caused the whole affair to explode brighter than fireworks on the fourth of July. The girl Declan got with meant nothing, she was just a random hookup after a party since he was a free single guy. And a part of him expected Natalie to do the same. It was only natural for them to go wild since neither of them ever knew another person since high school.

Sitting across the table from her now was all kinds of everything. Declan couldn’t deny she became even more beautiful as he remembered her from high school and his heart fluttered every time he looked in her sparkling eyes. But it also felt a bit weird because of how things ended with them. And when she went on saying how he submitted them here to apologize, it was that proverbial last straw. Why on earth would he do such thing? Especially since he had nothing to apologize for. Until the end of the world, he was going to be adamant in his statement that it was her idea and that they were on a fucking break!

“I moved on? God, Nat. Don’t be this condescending. You gave me a free pass. You wanted a break. And you can’t tell me you did not use your single time properly. So if you think I’m going to feel sorry for doing what you basically told me to do, then I’m sorry but that is not happening. Plus it was you who became ever so spiteful and slept with anyone who would go with you.” he almost spat those words, emptying his wine glass. Only then it occurred to him he was harsh and probably very much unfair but she was trying to pin that on him. Moreover, how many times did they have to go through this over and over again?

Declan honestly thought this was going to be a nice peaceful dinner. From the looks of it, only the couple in the back seemed to be screaming drama and seeing the look on the small brunette’s face, she was mere seconds from throwing her steak dinner at the man. But the situation at his own table was not exactly pink either. “Look, Nat. One way or another, we’re here now and there is no point in dwelling on the past. You wanna do that? Go down the memory lane every time you see me? Suit yourself. But I think we’re just…” Dec started but couldn’t bring himself to finish the reasonable idea. “Well, you wanna go on and on how I cheated on you, sure. But please, at least have that much decency to admit that you were responsible for it in the first place.” he grumbled and suddenly the exquisite stake dinner looked like a pile of trash and the piece of meat he just put in his mouth turned into ashes. For some reason, he was not even hungry anymore but he did accept more wine, wishing there was something much stronger in his glass.

code: s e v e n s e v e n
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Natalie Mayfair








Declan's words shouldn't still hurt as much as they did. Natalie had thought the wounds from their breakup had scarred over long ago, but Declan's anger and harsh words reopened them, making the pain fresh. Natalie had tried to keep her tears at bay. She'd tried to drown them in wine, to hold them back by focussing on her anger... but even so, it was hard to swallow them when the man that she'd once shared so many wonderful memories with was saying such hurtful things.

Natalie had to glance away from Declan, unable to look at him as he spoke to her. She blinked her eyes a few times, feeling the tears begin to pool in them, and glanced around for a way out of this situation. She could see figures moving in the background, beyond the large lights that lit the tables for filming, and wondered what the faceless people would do if she decided to just leave.

Declan's comment about Natalie sleeping around to spite him was enough to draw her attention and ire back to him. The blonde's hand reached for her glass with the intention of throwing her wine in his face for suggesting that she was easy or some sort of whore of Babylon. Alas, her glass was empty though, and Natalie's brows furrowed for a moment, realizing she'd already drinken her second glass. Or was that her third? Fuck. She needed to slow down.

Either way, her hand already gripped the stem of the glass, so to cover her initial intentions and save face, she raised the glass slightly as the waiters took their salad plates and replaced them with steak dinners. "More wine please?" Natalie asked simply, though she told herself she'd nurse this glass the rest of dinner. She hadn't even touched her salad, and had no desire to force down the steak either. Some dinner this was.

A million emotions and retorts were going through Natalie's mind now, but she feared that trying to throw anything back at Declan would only open the flood gate and she'd just start crying. He said some cruel things, and it killed her not to defend her honor and tell him the truth of why his actions cut so deeply, but it would kill her pride even more if she broke down in tears at the dinner table now. She'd made sure not to let any man affect her the way Declan had since their split, and she hated how quickly he'd gotten under her skin again. Natalie had built walls to protect her, but here Declan was knocking them down with cannonballs in the shape of insults.

With a deep breath, Natalie raised her chin a little, trying to salvage what dignity she could, and met Declan's eyes. "I am not denying that I asked for a break..." She finally replied, forcing her tone to be calm and level despite her shaking hands, tucked away in her lap. "But that doesn't mean I'm responsible for your decision to sleep with someone else." Natalie added, a single tear breaking through her defenses and falling onto her cheek. A hand rose quickly to wipe it away instantly, and she ignored the slip of emotion otherwise, her resolve hardening by the second. "I was an idiot for ever thinking you'd change, and I will not make that mistake again, Declan."

With each sentence Natalie was rebuilding her walls, and the hurt expression in her eyes was being replaced by an icy, expressionless mirror that just reflected the person she gazed at. "Memory lane is just a dead end street. So you're right, no need to visit there again." If all attempting to get closure did was reopen old feelings, then Natalie would just have to accept that closure was impossible. The Declan she once knew and loved was dead and gone, officially replaced by the man who sat before her. There was no use trying to resurrect a ghost. All that she could do was try to figure out a way to live with Declan for the summer, and then erase him completely from her memory and life after that. Once and for all.





































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nine lives




 










































Grayson Moore








When Cory mirrored Gray's move, leaning in closer towards him as he suggested his proposal, it was hard not to be distracted by how stunning the blonde across from him was. This moment reminded Gray of past evenings he’d spent hatching business plans with his ex partner in crime, and he felt a pang of... what was this feeling? Nostalgia maybe? Regret? Whatever it was, Grayson shook it off and focussed solely on the stormy blue eyes that gazed back at him.

A grin graced Grayson’s features when Cory agreed to his proposition and clinked her glass against his to seal the deal. “Cheers...” He leaned back in his chair, drinking some of his wine as well, relishing in the commencement of their self imposed challenge to avoid talking about work. Sure, it might be a little tricky to get into a new rhythm with his ex, but maybe it would do them some good.

Servers came to take away their appetizers and delivered the main entré to their table. The show was pulling out all the stops for this meal, and the steak looked delicious. Grayson chuckled when Cory immediately rotated her plate so that the broccoli was further from her. He picked up his fork and leaned forward for a moment, stabbing a piece of broccoli off of the blonde’s plate and popping it into his mouth. He chewed for a moment as if contemplating something before shrugging as he swallowed. “Nope, still isn’t poisoned.” Gray teased, recalling Cory’s childish dislike for the green vegetable. “Never can be too sure though, huh?” He smirked, glancing over at Cory as he began to cut into his steak.

A silence fell between them for a couple moments, and took advantage of the lull to take a few bites of food. “Oh Ace?” Grayson said once he’d swallowed, smiling at the thought of his fury companion. “He’s really good. Smart as hell. I’ve almost taught him how to bring me a beer on command.” He said proudly. “He can get the fridge open, but keeps bringing me the ketchup bottle instead of beers... he’ll get it eventually though.” Gray shrugged, taking another sip of wine. “Was hard to leave him honestly, but he’s in good hands with Shania.”

Thinking of Ace made Gray feel guilty for leaving his dog behind, but being on this shoe would ultimately benefit the four legged friend in the long run. Ace would forget about this summer of Grayson being away once he had a backyard.

“And your furball? I imagine Penelope is too busy taking cat naps to bring you beer...” Gray joked. “You got her playing duets on the piano with you yet? She couldn’t be any worse than I was at least.” He smiled. Corryn’s piano playing was one thing Grayson did miss from when he dated Corryn, at least one of the things outside of business or the bed that he missed. And while he was fiercely competitive typically, Grayson was happy to admit that Cory was an excellent player, while he was not.

Whatever drama was happening at the other tables, Grayson was pretty much oblivious to it. There would be plenty of time to size up the competition tomorrow once they were all in the house. For now he was rather enjoying just catching up with Cory on neutral ground.





































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MadiRaiCat MadiRaiCat


















































nine lives




 






olivia




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camila cabello



crying in the club








Hearing that Abel hadn't gone far after he quit his job working at her place for her father only hurt Olivia more. All that time she'd spend wondering where he was, what he was doing, and why he'd left... and he'd been close by the entire time. She'd imagined herself going to look for him, finding him and even refusing to live her life without him, but of course, that had never happened. Fame had swept her off her feet and distracted her, and she now realized as she picked at her salad that maybe that had been done on purpose.

For some reason, that brought tears to her eyes. She hated being used as a pawn, and if that's what had happened, then screw all of them. Trying to keep her emotions at bay, she lifted her gaze to the waiter as he removed the salads from their tables, replacing the plates with a steak dinner that looked to die for. If you were hungry, that is. Her appetite had seemed to diminish greatly at her new realizations. She still cut into the steak, though his words stopped her from bringing a bite to her mouth, a small frown present on her features. Just to somewhere I could afford.

She looked back at him, but he pressed on, and the use of the nickname he used to use for her made her vision swim again. He wore that same charming grin that had sucked her in before, and threatened to do the same now. His offer only caused her grip to tighten on the fork she held as she struggled to keep it together. "Let bygones be bygones." She repeated, looking up a little bit and tilting her head back, trying to prevent the tears from falling down her face. "If that's what you want, then I guess that's what we'll do." She finally answered, looking back down once she knew she could keep herself in check.

Bringing a bite of steak to her mouth, she chanced a glance at the other tables. Nothing was getting out of hand so far, and Liv definitely didn't want to be the first one to break the drama-free space, even if she did want to smack that grin off of Abel's face. How he could be so cool and collected was beyond her. All she'd wanted ever since he left was to see him again, to tell him how she really felt, but hadn't she done that already? When he was leaving, she'd tried everything she could think of to get him to stay. And yeah, alot of that had been screamed, but still. She didn't have to ask him why he'd come now. She already knew. "I know what you want, Abel, and you can believe me when I say I understand."






♡coded by uxie♡
 






cain




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machine gun kelly



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Cain had never been the type of guy to hide his emotions. Usually you could tell how he was feeling, or at least, Kaya had always seemed to know. That girl was smart as a whip, which was something he'd always admired about her. At least when she wasn't using his thoughts and emotions against him. That didn't mean that Cain was the type to sit around and talk about those feelings, though, and somehow his emotions always seemed to boil down to anger. Hence the fighting, the breaking up, the makeup sex, the getting back together. It was just how he and Kaya worked, and it'd worked for them for quite some time until the last time.

From her dropping her fork down with a loud clang to her calling him a pig, the grin never disappeared from his face. Kaya's words had long since stopped hurting him; he would just throw them back at her. Or at least, that's what he'd done when they were together. They had to find a way to work together now, if they wanted the money. Then she could go on with her life, fuck whoever she wanted, and he could do the same. Ignoring the pang in his chest that accompanied those thoughts, he stuffed another bite of salad into his mouth, just as the waiters were coming around with the main course.

The steak looked alot more appetizing than the salad had, and he was four or five bites in before Kaya started speaking again, drawing his eyes back towards her. "What's my point?" He asked, mouth still full of steak. He held up one finger and swallowed, chasing the bites he'd taken with the wine in his glass. A waiter appeared to refill both of their glasses, and Cain knew he had to be careful. Wine was never his crutch, but it still got you drunk, and he wasn't trying to get wasted on the first night. Especially not around Kaya's smart mouth.

Once he could speak again, he leaned forward some, pointing his fork in her direction. "I'm not here to make your life a living hell, Kaya, despite the fact that's probably what you believe." He shrugged one shoulder, stabbing another piece of steak. "In fact, I'm here because out of all these couples, I think we have the potential to win." He smirked, stuffing the bite into his mouth as he leaned back some. "Because we work so well together, KayKay, don't you think? Look around you. Abel's about to make Olivia fuckign cry, I can see it. Those two are stiff as boards, and those other two are way too soft. But you and me? We got this."






♡coded by uxie♡
 







Corryn Russell.



  • For a moment, Corryn continued to lean forward, even after Grayson leaned back. She watched his muscle move smoothly beneath his well-tailored suit, biting the inside of her cheek. His fingers wrapped around his glass, and for a moment, she remembered what it felt like to have those fingers touching her skin. The clinking of their glasses pulled her back to the present, and Cory nodded, leaning back in her own chair. She finished off her glass of wine, savoring the bitter flavor of the rather dry red. It was strange that they were sitting there, having dinner together. The blonde couldn't remember the last time she had sat across from him over food and they weren't working overnight on a project. If she was being completely honest with herself, she rather missed those nights.

    To distract herself, Corryn picked up her fork and knife, using them to gingerly cut into the perfectly medium-rare steak on her plate. A fork stabbed into the broccoli on the edge of her plate, and her blue eyes followed it to the culprit. She knew he was just patronizing her but nevertheless couldn't help the pretty smile that spread across her rouge-colored lips. "Wait a few minutes and see if you convulse, then we'll know," she answered, her tone playful. Eating a piece of steak, she shrugged her shoulders before adding, "Besides, with a flavor as terrible as that, it might as well be poisoned. You can't honestly tell me you enjoy it." They had had the conversation before when he had first learned of her dislike of broccoli. It was science, as certain people had a gene that made the vegetable taste bitter and metallic. Cory had no real proof that she possessed the gene, but she still used it as evidence for why she hated the green food.

    They ate in comfortable silence for a moment, and the blonde couldn't help but feel like the air was a bit awkward. As soon as she had mentioned Ace, however, Grayson practically lit up like a Christmas tree. It was interesting, seeing how he talked about his furry companion. He hadn't ever talked about anyone like that, not even her when they were together. He must really care for that dog. She wondered who Shania was, but decided not to dwell on it. If he had a new girlfriend, it wasn't any of her business. No matter the weird tightness she felt in her chest. Thankfully, he brought up her own glorious fur child, and Corryn felt her heart soar. "She hasn't quite figured out the fridge, no. But she does enjoy sleeping on the top of the piano while I play," she answered with a grin. The black baby grand piano she kept in her apartment was one of her most prized possessions.

    "You were quite terrible," Cory agreed with a soft laugh, nodding to the waiter as he refilled her glass with more wine. She made a mental note to slow down, not wanting to get too intoxicated on TV in front of the world. She shivered slightly at the thought of all of that being recorded but ignored the feeling, continuing to focus on their dinner. "You almost got the hang of that duet, right before we..." she paused, unsure of what to say. Why did the words 'break up' sound so strange in that situation? Her hesitation only lasted for a second before she finished the sentence with, "...separated." That word didn't sound right either, made it seem transactional. But in a way, that's what their relationship was. Corryn left it at that and took another bite of food. In an attempt to move on, she looked up at him. "Besides, you attempting to play the piano could never be as bad as me trying to play golf. Remember that time you took me to the course with you?"








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