Westbrook Season 2

[Elf_Ruler]

Cam was relieved when Milos arrived, at least he wasn’t the only male anymore and didn’t have feel like the odd one out anymore. Sure, he enjoyed Gia even though he didn’t know her well, but this seemed more like her group of friends and he was just an intruder in the group. With Milos he felt like he had an excuse to hang around. He smiled at Milos, “Hey, Milos. Glad to see you made it here.” He really did mean that, he wanted to get to know Milos more and what better time than now. As soon as Milos had arrived so did Tadita. Cam gave her a look as if trying to question why she left him alone with a bunch of females. He still wasn’t a fan of River, but he wasn’t going to be a dick in front of a group of people.

He could already tell Dita did not have the best taste in males, so he was just going to have to suck it up and deal. Finally, Parker arrived and of course all his attention was directed towards Gia, but he wasn’t surprised in the least bit, “I was going to see if Milos wanted to go play a game with me.” Cam gave the boy a flirtatious look, “You want to? Games are my treat.” He offered pulling out a couple ones.
--
Gia was beginning to feel overwhelmed by the large amount of people, it was like her group kept increasing and she was beginning to feel anxious about everyone. She really only knew Milos and Maisie the best. Well that was until Parker had arrived. She smiled at him when he arrived, “Glad you could make it.” Her hand was playing the soft fur on the bear trying to distract her anxieties away. She had almost forgotten that Cam’s friend had won the bear, “Thank you for the bear.” She smiled at Tadita. She didn’t know the girl well, but she did appreciate the cute toy.

She needed a little bit of space from everyone, “I was suggesting game as well. Maybe ring toss, maybe something else?” She was unsure of what to do but she wanted space from everyone that was around her. Her hand was still messing with the fur twisting it and untwisting it. She couldn’t relax with so many new people around her and she was worried about Maisie as well. She could only hope her friend wasn’t freaking out like she was because she knew if that was the case, she would feel awful. She hadn’t planned for a large group of people.

PenguinFox Winona Soap Twin Fantasy dendygar TheFool (Hopefully I tagged everyone)

 

[Soap]

Caleb

The two climbed onto the ferris wheel. Caleb muttered a thank you to the attendant and took a deep breath, rubbing his hands on the front of his knees. He hadn't really told anyone about any part of his life, but Tatum deserved to know more than anyone-- he was closer with her more than anyone. "Things have been a little weird between us, and I'm not like, ignoring you or anything. I wasn't trying to at least." He didn't want to go. But he didn't really have much of a choice. "Um... so, my mom's really sick. She has been for a few years but it's not getting any better." It's getting worse in fact but Tatum didn't need to hear that part.

"No one really knows, it's not something I like to throw out there." He shrugged. Placing a hand on the back of his neck, trying to ease some of the tension. "But she's pretty bad now, and we're going to go back to my grandparents. I don't know for how long this time, maybe until she--" His voice cracked, Caleb shook his head and cleared his throat composing himself before continuing.

Staring at the window as the ferris wheel continued and they stopped at the very top while other people had started to get off at the bottom.

"I don't want to go, but I have to."

Elf_Ruler

​

 

[mogy]

Noah Stewart

​

Like being in the hospital with a broken leg wasn't bad enough and didn't take a huge toll on Noah, Mason entered, all cheerfully, like he wasn't the one to blame for this whole mess. Sure, he might hadn't been cheerful, but he had looked a lot more happier than Noah did, especially when he noticed Mason had entered the room. The mood had instantly shifted from the neutral feel of Noah's conversation with Evie to a much darker and colder tone. Tension could be cut with a knife, and Noah could swear that there was a drop of temperature the second Mason walked in.

Was Mason just so extremely selfish that he wanted to ruin even more of Noah's life, like he hadn't already ruined like 90% of it? Coming here, having the decency to show up in the hospital room of someone who is there because of you, especially in this case, was the worst thing a person could do, but it didn't appear Mason cared about this. He didn't care about others. This should've been obvious to Noah, he did know Mason for a very long time. It might have taken him a long time to realize what type of person Mason was, but at least he knew now, and he knew that he would never let Mason back into his life again.

Noah didn't want to snap. He didn't want to get angry. He didn't want to cause a scene. He was far too tired for all that crap. All he wanted was for Mason to leave and never come back. It would've been considered harsh, but considering the whole situation, Noah was kind of almost excused for feeling and thinking that about his ex-best friend.

Noah wanted to say something, but found himself wordless. He didn't know what to say, but he wanted to say something. He needed to say something.

"Please get out." It was all that Noah could mutter out.

Interactions: Winona (Mason), Dede (Stu), Soap (Evie)​

 

[Winona]

Elise

And just like, her relaxation was stolen when someone called her name. Elise turned to see who it was, and then her gaze narrowed when she saw the Woods mother. Oh yes, of course Elise knew who the woman now in front of her was. Here she had been expecting a different worried parent of a current student, but instead, she had Mrs. Woods standing before her.

Of course Elise would recognize the mother of Ash's boyfriend. Well, unfortunately, Ash's ex-boyfriend. When she had been informed that her daughter was single again, Elise had been upset. Sean had been good for her daughter and out of all of Ash's "boyfriends," he'd been the only one that both Elise and Steve had approved of. Usually they disagreed when it came to people that their daughter dated (Ryder being a marvelous example), but you couldn't argue that Sean had been perfect. Especially following the accident.

"How nice to see you again." Elise started to speak. She wasn't sure why Mrs. Woods had come here, so she was definitely suspicious and on guard. "How is Sean doing?"

Soap PenguinFox​

 

[High5ives]

Kanen's torso turned slowly, coming to stand face to face again with Ash. His face was a unreadable cross of frustration and determination. "I don't want emtpy promises." He said flatly, crossing his arms across his broad chest. "Don't say shit because you think its what I want to hear. If you're not actually going to stick to it, I don't wanna listen it." Kanen challeneged, staring coldly at Ash. How many times had he told her he was getting better just to turn on it the first chance he got? Kanen wanted to keep Ash from going down the same rabbit hole he had. Sure, he was being a total hypocrite and Ash was probably going to call him out on it eventually, but that wasn't going to keep Kanen from at least trying.

Kanen shook his head. "Go enjoy the festival or whatever this shit is." He said, motioning for her to go back out the door again. What else was there for him to say? Anything more would just make him sound like a broken record player.

Winona​

 

[dendygar]

Sha'nay

Shay rose her brows at Toby as he came walking up, not sure if she should laugh or sneer at how unimpressed she was.. but he seemed genuine, genuine enough to not do either of those things.

When Shay heard the words "Fire!" she didn't even bother turning around to look. She just assumed that it was some kids picking around and being goofy, not smelling any smoke just yet.. so what was there to worry about? They probably just lit up a flyer no, big deal. Besides, what was happening here was much, much more interesting than what was happening on stage.

Her dark eyes followed Toby's figure as he shot some hoops.

"How much do I know?" She asked and looked over, raising her brows as she shot another hoop, slowing down so that she could think for a few moments. Sha'nay was actually pretty good.. she'd never played basketball, but her little sister did. Shay felt she was too short and too girly to play any sports, so she did other after school stuff instead. Not that anyone could blame her- sports simply just weren't for everyone! However, the cheerleading team at Westbrook did seem mighty appetizing..

If mostly because she could get to know each and every one of the girls on a level personal enough to ensure her own safety. In a world full of sharks, it's eat or be eaten. And Sha'nay Watson was not about to be a little shark swimming around near the surface of the water.. oh no, she wanted to be one of the biggest, one of the baddest swimming at the very bottom out of sight.

But now there was a little bit of a problem. Norah was smart, just as smart as she was when it came to the realm of social politics. She was seeing right through her, and she knew that she wanted Norah to be a friend rather an an enemy. But Sha'nay didn't ever let her friends get close enough to hurt her. Everyone was always at an arm's length, even if Shay could fool you into thinking you weren't. She could twist the truth and make up total lies just to get people to open up.

Shay kept shooting the hoops and looked over at Toby every once and a while, curious about him. "Honestly, I don't really know." Shay said honestly. And besides, she wasn't going to give away her secrets about how she knew what she knew.. they were very important. "I just go off of what I see on twitter, most of the time. Everyone likes to air their business out on there, don't they?" Shay asked with a small wink, shooting her final ball and getting the full point.

Shay's eyes wandered to the girl standing behind Toby, sizing her up and deciding that she too, would be better friend than foe. "It's really not hard to find out about Westbrook. A few of my old friends at East Park know lots about the place too, they've given me some heads up." The beauty shrugged with one shoulder casually and flashed a smile. "I don't think the people here are going to make it easy on us, though. So judgmental.. so pushy." She sighed and bit the inside of her cheek as she looked over the prize options, really not interested in any of them. But she wondered what Norah would have picked.. was she going to ask? No. Shay had a hard time deciding, but she eventually picked a big stuffed dog with a die-dye pattern on it.

It was cute enough, her little sister would like it. She waited for Norah to pick out her prize.. before her eyes widened at something bright and flashing out of the corner of her eye. It was.. she could smell it now. "What the fuck?" Shay hissed in confusion, her brows twitching together as the poor person on stage still had no clue what the fuck was happening. "Shit." Shay didn't swear often, but now was a pretty good time to do so, she figured. Part of her wanted to laugh at the spectacle of it all, it almost seemed like some scene out of a teen comedy movie. This whole 'Fall Festival' seemed like something out of a comedy movie. The flames were still quite small, but there was no mistaking what it was. That was a fire, all right. "Do you see that?" She asked.

-



Tadita

Gia didn't know Tadita well, and that was okay. She wanted to make a good impression, because she knew that Parker was going after her.. and well, if he ended up taking this seriously, she would be seeing Gia a lot more often merely because she and Parker were close. "Yeah, not a problem. I don't have room for stuffed animals in my room anymore.. I figured you'd really like it."

When Parker had arrived, Gia asked almost instantly if they could go be alone together and do some ring toss. Tadita made a small expression at Parker when Gia wasn't looking, almost as if to say, Don't fuck this up, bud. "Have fun!" Tadita called, feeling like a proud parent almost. Her cheeks hurt from her smiling so damn much, and she put her hands on her hips and turned to Cam and Milos. "Hey, I'm Dita." She shook Milos' hand and smiled at him. Her eyes caught Maisie, and she wanted to ignore her. Because she was high, she felt a bit paranoid that Maisie hated her, but also pissed off that she might have hated her in the first place. Don't say anything. Chill out, Dita.

BELIAL. Elf_Ruler Soap Twin Fantasy PenguinFox TheFool​

 

[Winona]

Ash

He was frustrating.

Like, extremely frustrating. Ash huffed. She had promised a lot of different people that she would get better, sure, and had continually fallen back down. Kanen was right to not believe her. Who would at this point? Except for maybe Ian. He had more faith in her getting better and being strong than anyone else. Hell, Ian believed in her more than she believed herself.

Well, except for maybe Kanen.

Because at the end of the day, even if they fought a lot, Kanen was always there for her, wasn't he? Like now. They'd been doing nothing but fighting for the last few months, and yet he'd still been there for her. No one else had tried to stop her or take her somewhere safe. And fuck, when she'd disappeared after the stupid party? Kanen had been the only one that she couldn't convince to leave her alone.

Fuck Kanen.

She wasn't think clearly. Like, obviously she definitely wasn't.

But before she could actually think clearly, Ash stepped forward, grabbed the front of Kanen's shirt, and leaned up and kissed him.

High5ives​

 

[lion.]

Ronnie "Blue Nile" Kane​

The spate of rain lived on, the nimbus gray clouds varnishing a chroma over the blue. Between the tip-toeing sonority of mist drops tinkling around and the open-door conversations, Ronnie’s world was slow. Too slow.

The lyrics slipping from the boy on stage became measureless intervals, the rhythm of tangled strings tangling, and tangling, and tangling.

Half moonwalking with gravity pulling at him and half humdrum dragging, he was sure something was blazing in the rims of his shades, the oscillating tonics of musical chords and thrums pulsing like heartbeats, strongly weighing down his thoughts.

Letting his minty yellow shades slip up to the bridge of his nose, he squinted at newborn flames sweeping the tail end of the stage.

It was a fire.

Working free his facial expressions, his face warped into a baneful grin.

Yes, that was an idea. Why didn't they just go around and set the whole damn place on fire? Perfect way to end a performance. Broadway would pay.

In the ringing distance, he emerged from his thoughts, hearing someone murmur if they were really seeing a fire.

What a day to burn his brain cells.

Anyone because I do not want to get in the way of interactions

 

[0k_mang0]

sebastian

With: Toby PenguinFox
mention: BELIAL. dendygar​

He glanced at the two girls by the basketball booth, not having noticed them earlier while in deep thought. Then, he took a quick over his shoulder when someone yelled “Fire!” but didn’t try to find anything that could cause a big panic. It was probably just a smoldering baby fire. Whatever, not his problem if he wasn’t close to it.

“Three shots for five, huh?” Sebastian mused skeptically while the guy talked to the two girls. The chances of getting the points for one of the best prizes weren’t so high, about 60 percent. He hadn’t picked up a basketball in over 2 years, and tossing crumpled paper balls and such in trash cans hardly counted. A free practice shot was suggested, and he bit his lips hesitantly. It was just ONE free try. 80 percent now. He could use his gradually-healed right black eye as an excuse, but it didn’t impair his vision at all.

After 30 seconds of deciding, Sebastian shrugged his shoulders and said, “Okay. I’ll try a free shot first.” He picked up the basketball, shuffled a slight spin between his hands to get a feel of its weight. He looked at each hoop, calculating his decision. He assumed the highest hoop had the largest point. It wasn’t as high as a professional backboard, but he felt like he stood as far, or almost as far from it as a free-throw line.

For one whole minute, Sebastian was silent and didn’t take a shot yet. He dribbled the ball once, twice. Basketball was also a mental game. Patience was important. His feet were planted not too firmly on the ground at shoulder-length, his shoulders relaxed. Slightly bending his knees, Sebastian held his breath and then pushed the ball out of his hands.

The ball flew into the middle hoop, a less risky try. And it was a clean shot, barely bounced against the rim. Sebastian raised his eyebrows slightly and blinked a few times, not making a big reaction. But secretly, he surprised himself. For a moment, he felt like he wasn’t out of practice.

 

[DrabberRogue]

Jace was pretty good at chasing after people. Not in the sense of running after them when they stormed off like Ash, mind you. He almost never did that. No, he was just good at chasing people in general. Just ask anyone who's played tag with him. Yes, he is a seventeen year old boy who still plays tag, and he's damn good at it. So long story short, he was still within line of sight when Ash ran into his least favorite person.

Okay, to be fair he actually respected Kanen a little now. He'd been paying attention to the whole Twitter storm after the last time Ash ran away, and he appreciated the ex-mob-rat taking such drastic measures to make sure she was safe. Even if the whole thing had shown him a rebelliously self-destructive side of Ash that he really didn't want to see. If there was one thing he could trust that guy with, it was helping that girl. Or at least making sure she wouldn't do anything stupid.

It was annoying though. The one time he was going to be proactive, actually face the music and try to help the girl he liked, she still ended up going to someone else. Albeit accidentally, but still. Of course he could follow after them, but like, Kanen. He was pretty sure joining that conversation would achieve the exact opposite of helping Ash. So with a heavy sigh he let his weight fall back onto the flats of his feet, no longer needing to run. There was an expression of dejected disappointment on his boyish face while he watched the musclebound man drag the small cheerleader into the school. A look that vanished soon after they were out of sight, Jace turning to head in the other direction. Throwing up a practiced poker face as he went.

Honestly, why did he bother? He wasn't stupid, at least he was pretty sure he wasn't. The test scores spoke for themselves when he actually bothered to pay attention in class. He could notice patterns. Patterns like Ash's same old cycle of parties, drugs, sex, running away, getting a new boyfriend, and getting lectured by one of the many other boys in her life. All the while feeling like he was on the outside looking in.

It was hard to get bored when crushing on a pretty blonde, but Jace really didn't enjoy long term repetition.

You know what? He needed a slushie, that would chase away his stupid bout of angst. He'd seen a stand selling the things earlier and had been stalked by a craving ever since. It was time to go spend some money. So that's exactly what he did, striding through the festival grounds to where he could buy himself a cup of sugar laced ice. Along the way he took note of the atmosphere. Grey, drizzly, and filled with some damn good music. That hipster kid wasn't kidding about being an awesome musician

It was, like, one of his favorite combinations. Jace fucking loved drizzle. The sky was pretty, the air was filled with the sweet scent of humidity, and the rain was just light enough to be refreshing without drenching him. Also his hair looked better damp, which was cool. Add Charlie's killer performance into the mix and it gave the festival a perfect backdrop. Well, maybe not the best backdrop for a festival, but still pretty great. All together it was enough to lift his mood a little, making it easier for him to flash a friendly smile at the person running the slushie stand as he made his order.

While he was waiting for the sweet little miracle of a drink to be poured, the boy's icy blue eyes wandered a bit, ever searching for something to occupy his attention. It was then that he noticed another pretty smell. A familiar and honestly kind of worrying scent joining the chorus of festival food plus drizzle. Burning wood was another one of those smells that Jace really liked, but it was also an indication that something had gone horribly wrong. Especially as the call of 'FIRE!' had echoed from the direction of the stage.

He wasn't really sure what to think of it, to be honest. Like, he didn't see anyone panicking, so maybe it was a small thing. Better yet, maybe that Charlie guy had set up some cool effects for his show. Just to make the final performance of the festival that much more awesome. Whatever it was, the person behind the stand was handing him his slushie, so obviously he had to focus on that. With a delighted smile he thanked them, taking the drink and sipping deep of the cherry colored ice.

Screw drugs, sugar was objectively superior.

 

[Twin Fantasy]

May Gu & Kandi McCloud

Kandi almost seemed to huff when Gia said it was alright to stick around. But she didn't say a word, as May was so excited she was practically vibrating. Then Milos showed up, and a bunch of other people, including some friend of May's. May looked at Parker's clumsy sign language with a similar glee to that of a mother gazing upon her newborn. She gave Parker a thumbs-up and a smile. Kandi threw an arm over her shoulder.

"Well, there's no need to worry about that because I'll be translating her for you." She smirked, almost as if she'd gotten one over Parker. He wasn't bad looking. He could've gotten a lay if he wasn't moving in on Kandi's territory. "God, May, how do you know so many people?" May shrugged. "You're like a socialite."

'No way.'

"Who's that twerp on stage?" Kandi motioned. "He smells like burnt popcorn."

'I think that's Charlie.'

PenguinFox Winona Soap Elf_Ruler dendygar TheFool​

 

[Twin Fantasy]

Charlie McAllister

Charlie felt invigorated. His parents always said he'd amount to nothing. Best get on your knees now and repent, boy, because God won't think too highly of those songs of yours. He smiled as his first song ended, giddy as a little kid. His voice was wavering, anxiety and excitement rattling his body and making him shudder a little. His feet couldn't stay still, his legs trembled like an earthquake.

Really, he should've moved when he heard someone shout 'FIRE!'

Instead he said,

"Uh, thank you."

All while blushing and sweeping his hair behind his ears. "Alright, this one's, uh... I think it's by Remo Drive? Yeah, Remo Drive. It's- they're a good band, you should look them up, this song is called 'Song of the Summer'."

His riffing was answered with claps and cheers, he felt like he could die right there on the spot and be happy. But soon enough the cheers turned to mumbles and Charlie could smell something burning. He turned around. He almost wished he hadn't. Behind him, the stage was beginning to smolder, red embers flying in the soft autumnal breeze. Charlie staggered back, stepping on the cord of his Gibson Les Paul and unplugging it from the amp by accident. There were stairs.

There were stairs. Why didn't he use the stairs.

He just got so nervous and antsy and shrieked, and he threw himself over the edge of the stage like a whale. For a moment, he flew almost beautifully in the darkening sky, his left arm covering his guitar. Unfortunately, his landing was not nearly as clean.

Never until then had Charlie heard his arm crack like that.

Pain shot through him immediately, the limb throbbing underneath his turtleneck sweater. Even so much as moving a finger sent ripples of agony through his nerves. Tugging back his sleeve, one of the bones in his arm was woefully out of place, instead creating a node in his skin. It's a subdermal, he thought grimly, clutching it and gritting his teeth. He must've looked awfully pathetic just laying there, wailing like a kicked dog, with a fire raging on behind him.​

 

[DrabberRogue]

Serena knew the smell of fire very well. It brought pleasant memories of going out camping with her dad, making her smile slightly as she sipped her coffee. Too bad winter was on its way, she'd like to do that again at some point. It'd be a nice break from all of Westbrook's drama.

Why did the music stop?

Her emerald green eyes shifted in the direction of the stage, but she still couldn't tell what was going on. Too many people in the way. It was a shame too, that music was decent. Certainly better sounding than a lot of the other stuff that had been playing. The musician could use some confidence though, his awkwardness between songs took away from the performance. Seven or eight out of ten, she figured, if she had to rate it.

Anyways, that wasn't what she was focused on. She was at a festival, and coffee had only partially lifted her mood. Besides, there was a booth set up to raise money for the two organizations she was a part of. Better yet it was a booth all about shooting hoops. Serena just had to give it a spin before the festival ended.

She approached slowly, taking her time and sipping her at her coffee. Savoring the grainy flavor. The Sleeping Hedgehog was definitely one of the better coffee places in Westbrook. Certainly leagues ahead of the mass produced garbage Starbucks tried to sell her. The warm beverage running down her throat provided a soothing feeling, warding off the chill in the air around her. It grounded her, let her focus on what she was looking at.

Her verdant gaze swept over both the basketball booth and the people at it, both sizing them up and watching them shoot. They all seemed decent. Good enough that she would strongly consider selecting them as teammates in an impromptu game. Actually the guy technically had perfect accuracy as far as she'd seen. Although that wasn't saying much, considering she'd only seen him shoot once. Still it was a good shot.

"Nice shot." Serena remarked as she stepped up to the booth, giving him a small smile before again looking over at the other two girls. Their posture was striking. Refined and confident. Their clothing was also nice. Stylish, elegant, and actually a bit nicer than hers. How much did they pay for those outfits? She could only assume that they were Black Mill students. The wealthy new additions to Westbrook that she'd already heard oh so much about. It was too early to make comprehensive judgements, but...

She was looking forward to having some actually competent people around.

Satisfied with her brief inspection, she turned to Toby, giving him a dazzling smile.
"Hey Toby! You know I couldn't stay away." She intoned, her voice carrying a polite sweetness. "How much?"

0k_mang0 dendygar BELIAL. PenguinFox

 

[High5ives]

One moment, Kanen was gesturing for Ash to leave. The next, Kanen's hand was on the small of her back, pulling her against him. Whether this was just lust, or something more, not even Kanen knew. But he kissed Ash back wholeheartedly. Not long ago, Kanen would've laughed at the idea of getting with Ash, but he sure wasn't laughing now. He wasn't stopping either, not unless Ash told him that is. Hands wandered, breath quickened. It was like being a teenager again. (Despite the fact Kanen was still in his teenage years.)

Kanen didn't even bother to think about anything he was doing. He acted impulse and instinct. Surely if he had taken even a moment to consider, he'd realize what a huge mistake this was, but nope. Despite everything, Kanen was a nineteen year old boy who felt nineteen year old things. It's not his fault he found Ash attractive! Plus, she kissed him. All he did was go along with it. Bending his neck down, pulling her in closer. She started it though!

And that's exactly the excuse Kanen would tell himself later when he felt bad for this. Ash started it. Ash was a big girl. She could make her own decisions. Kanen was trying to keep her sober, not chaste. Who she wanted to hook up with wasn't his problem, even if he ended up on the receiving ends of her lips.

Winona​

 

[Winona]

Ash

Ash had done a lot of stupid things in her life, especially in the past year. But kissing Kanen easily had to top the list.

For one, like, eww. She didn't even like him like that. It was Kanen. And maybe like, she had a crush on him for a day or something when they were younger but nowadays? That was just gross. They were friends. Literally, just... friends, and Ash didn't kiss her friends or whatever... right? Like, she was totally capable of a normal friendship.

Or maybe not.

This was stupid.

But fuck it.

Ash kept kissing him, and let Kanen pull her closer. She really tried to not think about this, about how stupid this was, but there was something nagging at the back of her head. Ash had promised that she would get better -- she'd promised Ian, and now here she was in the freaking art classroom, making out with an ex-convict.

But it wasn't just some ex-convict, or just some guys he'd met on Tinder. It was Kanen, and he wouldn't ever actually hurt her, right? So Ash let all reason just leave her thoughts.

So her hands moved down his chest, and looped through his belt buckles. Ash started to back up, pulling Kanen along with her until she felt her back press against the wall.

This was stupid.

High5ives​

 

[High5ives]

This was happening now. Kanen wasn't stopping. Ash wasn't stopping. The two most volatile people in Westbrook, in an art room, just fucking going at it. Lord strike down Westbrook, for it is a city of sin. Send forth your rains and your winds, wash away the impurities of this foul land. 'Then the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the Lord out of the heavens. 25 Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, destroying all those living in the cities—and also the vegetation in the land.'

Honestly, this was the first time Kanen had felt alive in days. The only time he felt anythign anymore was when he was fighting or when he was fucking...and he wasn't about to punch Ash. As Ash latched onto his belt loops and pulled him towards the wall, Kanen didn't need any more encouraging. Strong arms banded with muscle lifted Ash up before pressing her into the wall, right into the light switch.

Lights Out.

Winona

(I refuse to do more. Fuck this.)​

 

[Soap]

Evie


It was clear Noah’s mood changed as soon as some dude walked in with... hey! It was the nugget hater! Evie didn’t do much except glance at the weird exchange between Noah and Mason, waving slightly towards Grace’s friend before the brunette found a comfy spot onto a nearby chair. “Don’t mind me.” What? Evie wasn’t leaving. This was her hiding place and she’ll be damned if anyone but a nurse dragged her out.

Whatever was happening between the two was clearly high in tension. She didn’t know what else to do but watch. Poor Noah. Whatever the sad looking dude did— Evie was on Noah’s side. “So, why are you two mad at each other?” She asked. What? She was biased. They were basically friends now.

Kinda.

The small girl looked up towards the boy with an accent, innocently curious.

“Do you know why?” Her tone was lower, almost as if she was whispering to the boy, but it was undoubtedly heard by the others.

Dede mogy​

 

[dendygar]

Tadita

She looked over her shoulder at River with a small smile.

Then, she looked back at Cam, and then at May. She's so cute. Tadita couldn't help but smile.

"I'm Tadita." She introduced herself.

Tadita didn't want to make a bad impression, she was kind of desperate for friends at Westbrook. She looked at Kandi and smiled too, reaching out and shaking each of their hands. "I really like your guys' outfits. They're really cute." She complimented, her tongue still bright green from the sucker she'd ate. Right then, she was living in the moment.. and it felt amazing.

"I didn't know Parker knew sign language." tadita muttered with wide eyes, watching him leave with Gia. She frowned and shrugged. "Good for him.. Do you use sign language?" She asked May, seeing that parker had been gesturing at her. She'd never learned sign language, learning Navajo and Spanish and English were enough languages for her to speak. She felt her phone buzz, and as she reached over to get it.. she saw a fire on the stage, and her eyes widened. "Yo, is that a fire?"

Soap Winona TheFool Elf_Ruler PenguinFox​

 

[Winona]

Zander

The easy-going smile only grew when she agreed to take his jacket. "Oh don't worry about me. I've been outside in less with it colder than this. Actually, so there was this one time--" Zander had to catch himself. This probably wasn't the time to bring up when he was dared to run outside in his underwear and jump in the snow. And then on the way back inside, he'd been dared to lick a pole, so he had and his tongue had gotten stuck. Zander had had to wait in the cold for the police to arrive.

"Anyway, yeah, sure, let's go get that hoodie." Ha, the smoothest save. Zander waited for the nice girl, Bella, to stand up and then started walking with her towards one of the hoodie booths. "So, are you new, too?" He asked and before she could answer, he kept ranting. "See I'm new. My brother and I were going to a private school, but... well... there were a few issues and we had to leave. But like, we came here so that he could be with his girlfriend. JJ the cheerleader."

JJ was terrifying, but she was growing on Zander.

He heard Charlie playing up on stage, and glanced over to watch him for a second, a smile on his face. It was so nice to see Charlie doing something he loved. People were always the most beautiful when they were doing something they were passionate about, and the exact same thing was true for Charlie up on that stage.

Wow, he even had smoke effects!

And then he heard someone yell.

"Fire!"

Oh.

Oh shit.

The fire moved up the back of the stage fast, and people started to run away from the stage. Except for Charlie, who was still stuck up there. Zander watched as he tried to jump from the stage and well, he got off the stage, but his landing left a lot to be desired. He could practically feel the cracking of bone from over here.

"Oh shit. Fuck." Without even thinking, Zander started to push through the crowd to go and get Charlie, and that's when he remembered that he was trying to be cool with a pretty girl. "Uh, sorry, Bella! I'll have to catch you later, I gotta get Charlie." He yelled back at her as he kept moving farther away. "Just uh... keep the coat?"

And then Zander turned and pushed through the crowd until he finally broke through by the stage and next to Charlie. In the distance, he could hear the sounds of the firetrucks as the fire kept growing. At least the slight drizzle was slowing it down some, but obviously not even close to enough. It wasn't stopping anything, just slowing the flames.

"Charlie, dude, you gotta get up." He said, grabbing Charlie's not broken arm and trying to pull the guy to his feet.

@geminiy Twin Fantasy​

 

[Dede]

Stu

​

Stu followed Mason into the room. He had brought Noah, no – not KitKats, what a shocker – but instead a box of Ferrero Rochers, complete with a ribbon that made it look like early Christmas. He had heard graphic accounts of Noah’s “accident” from other kids at school, and seen the gruesome picture that Tom had sent him with the caption: ‘I got to ride in an ambulance today’. Noah pretty much deserved expensive chocolates.

But as he made his way inside, he was surprised to see the nosy skateboard girl from earlier. What was she doing here, too? He circled around the bed, still keeping an eye on that girl, before placing the box of chocolate down on the bedside table to Noah’s left. The tension in the room had already multiplied as Noah asked Mason to leave. He didn’t know what the fight was about, but he was inclined to stay out of it.

‘So I was right,’ Stu said to the skateboard girl. ‘You do live here.’

Was Noah really mad at Mason for falling on top of him? It was an accident! Still, he was hurt pretty badly. He wondered how long Noah was going to have to stay in hospital.

‘I have an idea,’ he answered her question, ‘but it’s probably none of your business.’

Not in a rude way or anything. She looked the sort of girl who appreciated a bit of edginess.

Soap Winona mogy

 

[Winona]

Mason

He should've expected this kind of response. Actually, Mason had thought he was prepared for this kind of response, but nothing could really prepare him for stepping into this hospital room and seeing the coldness in his friend's eyes, or the daggers that edged Noah's words. Fuck, fuck, fuck. He'd fucked up this time, and it felt like his heart was cracking, caving in, his stomach was twisted with guilt, his throat choked with meaningless apologies that wouldn't change a thing.

Fuck.

"I'll make outside for you, Happy Meal."

His words were clipped, cold, curt. Mason turned and headed back out of the room, his fingers closing around the cold doorknob beneath his hand. He wanted to break something, but that feeling of wanting things to crack and break and bleed beneath his fingers was what had gotten him to this point. With one of his only friends, stuck in the hospital.

Everything was fucked.

Mason pulled the door closed with a little too much force, the slamming of the door causing a few nurses to look up from their station. They didn't make a move to come over, so Mason turned down the hallway away from them and started walking. His hands balled into fists, and he did his best to try and steady his breathing. Steady his breathing, and keep himself from screaming or throwing things or breaking anything else. Just walk, and breathe. Stay calm.

Fuck.

mogy Dede Soap​

 

[Braddington]

Fitzroy Windrift III

Relaxing. It felt amazing. It had been months since he had sat down and been in comfortable surroundings. He could push the world away and just give in for a second or two. Maybe even the whole night. Mal was amazing. Such a good friend. And he always had good shit, shit that stopped him shaking. He hated shaking. He could feel his hands again. He could control his hands again. Though, as they tapped away in some conversation on Twitter he still found he couldn’t keep hold of his phone as the other pulled it away from him.

His back against the couch, he just looked over at the other.

“Man, thanks. You have no idea the shit I was in there. He just hit the ground and I was like, fucking done. Nothing I could do, nada. In a car and away I was. Fucking wild.”

A sigh came from his lips, his whole body still tense, not being long since he had arrived.

“Weird thing is, I have no idea what the fuck it is. It’s like, not normal. Think I have some kind of condition? Fuck. Get put in some asylum for being a nutjob. One of those evil expensive places you see in movies and shit where they experiment on you.”

He had no idea what he was saying. He was just rambling as a distraction, anything to get his body to calm the fuck down.

“Hey, you ok man? It’s rude to focus on me, you know? Westbrook treating you well? You’re not one of us rich bastards. You get a big boost.”

Ramble. Ramble. Ramble.

Every second he was urging for something stronger, something better, something that would give him that fucking release.

“Place is ermm...wack. Right?”

Fucking hell.

BELIAL. ​

 

[TheFool]

River



When River Walsh was nine, he began playing hockey. Ground hockey first and it’s ice variety second. He, surprisingly, much preferred the latter. There was… something about skating around, passing puck from player to player, that just… riveted him. And River wasn’t easily riveted. Being on the ice was freeing. River felt free. Free from what, he never knew. It was the exact opposite feeling he felt when playing football. Football was so calculating. Contrived. You had to constantly be aware of where your feet were taking you and where your hands were about to yeet that ball. That pigskin. He remembered hating the feeling as a young kid - the first time he balanced that ball upon his fingers. It was icky. But, he never let it bother him. He couldn’t let it bother him. Not with his father watching. He joined the football team when he just turned eleven. Along with the soccer and hockey teams. No ice hockey team, but he still practiced it with friends on the weekends. Until he didn’t. His weekends ended up being sold out to, well, the pigskin. Football. Because River was good. No, he was more than good. Great. Amazing. And he didn’t like that at first, because it impeached on his hockey. On his skating. He wanted to quit at one point. Quit throwing that stupid fucking ball around. But -


River just kept winning.


Game after every single game. Scores. Touchdowns. River was a fucking child prodigy and not in some big brained kid genius kind of way. He was a prodigy in the best kind of way. The American way. His coach would have him come to practice about an hour and a half before each match. By himself. He’d do laps around the field. Push ups and pull ups. Stretches. Passes. Kicking that fucking ball over and over and over again. He remembered skidding in the muck at one point, falling down and clutching his foot. Crying about how much it hurt. His toes felt like they were about to fall from his body. His coach grabbed him by the back of his jersey and heaved him back up. “Cut the bullshit, Walshy.” He would say as he placed the pigskin back on it’s spot.
“Again!”
“But-”
“I said a-fuckin-gain!”
And he did what he was told. He kept on kicking. He kept on passing. Running. Kicking. Passing. Running. Until it was finally game time. Where he’d excel. River couldn’t count the amount of times they finished playing a rival school and his teammates would surround him and lift him up on their shoulders. Parading him around like he was their trophy.
And that’s what he was really.

His family would never NOT miss one of his matches. Even though he always felt like his father was… distant, he was always there in the bleachers. The first one to jump up in joy once River passed right or kicked right or scored. His mother cheered the loudest out of any other mother sitting on those damn seats. Until, of course, she stopped coming. When River won ( and he always did ), he felt something that was rarely felt. He felt like his parents actually loved him. Like he was doing them proud. And he was. After each and every win, he’d shower off in the locker room and meet his family outside in the carpark - where they’d bury him in congratulations. His father would then take them all to some fancy restaurant where each item on the menu had a cost of triple to quadruple digits.
River would have steak.
Lobster.
Caviar, even though he never liked it.
“Anything for my boy.” His father would say when the waiter asked their order.
Anything for his boy.

And, with the rampant onset of puberty, it was around this time that River began feeling the love from people who weren’t just his birth givers.
Girls.
Oh, the girls. There was so, so many of them. He had his first kiss at twelve. That kiss also being his first French kiss. River always used tongue. Sometimes in the pushy way where it was a bit too much, but none of the girls minded. He received his first handjob at thirteen and fully lost his virginity a year later at Gus and Fitz’ birthday party.
The girls loved him.
He loved the girls.
By fifteen, River Walsh became notorious amongst Black Mill Academy for being the first sophomore student in its history to hook up with six different girls at homecoming. Four of them being cheerleaders, the other being his date Holly James ( hottest girl in school ) and the last being… well… if you believe the rumours… Mrs Edwell. An English teacher and almost thirty years River’s elder. Which is pretty fucked up but River never really acknowledged it.

For good reason.

River was never allowed to process any sort of emotional feeling. “Whatever it is that’s troubling ya, don’t think about it. Bottle it up completely. And use that to fuel your skills.” His coach said to him once at one of their private practicing sessions. It was just after his mother passed away. River had been late to practice and started crying on the pitch. His coach sat him down and told it straight,
“People die, Walshy. Life goes on. Your Mom would’ve wanted you to win tonight. So sit up and walk it off.”
River listened to that advice. Even though people would argue that it was severely unhealthy to listen to. But he did.
And, that night, he scored the finishing touchdown.
So for him that advice worked.
Or at least there was some… illusion that it worked.

So he got back on the field.

Bottling everything up.

He’d fight with his father ( when Robert Walsh was around ) and get enraged. But he’d bottle that rage up. He’d get into arguments with girlfriends ( when River would do them dirty ) and get confused. But he’d bottle that confusion up too. He’d think about his mother sometimes -
Snorting one too many a line of snow and seizuring around in that Manhattan penthouse apartment, before it was too late.
And she was gone.
He’d get sad thinking about that. About his mother. But -
Bottle.
It.
Up.



When they got the news that Black Mill would be closing down due to some shady asbestos, River was, in a way, glad. Though he would never admit that. He bled Black Mill. He lived and breathed it. But - there was some little part of him that felt… relieved. Relieved to be leaving all that behind and starting fresh.
Of course,
It wasn’t too long before he was no longer feeling that little feeling. Westbrook had been, so far, fucking awful.
And the people were the same. Maybe minus the girl he met at the fair. Tadita. She seemed cool enough for a chick. But River was feeling antsy about everyone else. Slowly the cap off of that bottle was inching open.
He could feel it swelling.
About to burst.
On his last day in Black Mill ( before the move ), he walked into the building situated on a corner in Hanover. It was dark and the air was cold and crisp. The only light source being the sun peering through large windows in the roof. Lighting up the field like a sunny winter’s day. He strapped on his skates and slid onto the ice, puck in his left hand. Stick in the right. He almost slipped at first but he grabbed onto a ledge and found his footing. It had been a while. But fuck it.
He placed the small black puck in the middle of the ice.
And took a breath.
Putting down the hockey stick and eyeing up the defenseless goal.

He gripped the stick, tightly.

And swung.

“River get up, come on!”

He heard a voice coming from downstairs. His eyes opened. Fuckin’ Norah. His arms left the safety of the blanket and stretched. He noticed that he had, well, some morning glory. “Gimme two seconds, ho-bag.” He shouted back down. Quickly deciding that he had to relieve himself. He stuck on some light entertainment and did his job.
Several minutes later,
He threw the blanket off of his naked body and jumped up. Quickly hopping into the ensuite’s shower. River put his head against the black tiled wall and shut his eyes - letting warm water run over the back of him. When he was done, he got out and did a quick shave. Before dressing himself in black skinny jeans and a Tommy Hilfiger hoodie. Finishing the ensemble off with black socks and new runners. He was, of course, commando. A River Walsh staple. Boxers and briefs just got in the way most of the time. Though he would wear them the odd time obviously.
Running down the stairs,
He spotted his sisters. “Mornin’.”
They explained as pleasant as pleasantries go. Before River stole a slice of toast off of Riona’s plate. It was buttered with jelly. Not his fave, but -
Still.

He chewed noisily, sitting on the kitchen counter and checking his phone. The twitter feed had gone crazy, again. Fuck this place. Social media was too exhausting sometimes. “You drivin’ today?” He asked Norah. He reached over and got himself a glass from a box of glasses they had yet to unpack into a cupboard, and he put the glass under an automatic kitchen tap. It filling with water. He took a drink of it to wash down his toast.
Or, well, Riona’s toast.
He usually had such a big breakfast. He had to get as much protein as possible. Bulk up for his training or whatever. But he wasn’t training right now. And he wasn’t even sure how good Westbrook’s team was. Could they even handle him? So…
For now, he would stick to burnt bread.
He eyed Norah as she sat.
He could tell something was up. Was she pissed at him? Probably. She always was. Norah Walsh was constantly on her rag. Something River came to terms with long ago. “Whatcha’ get up to on Sat?” He asked her. Chewing.
“Please tell me you didn’t talk to that bitch from twitter. What’s his name…” He stopped for a moment. “The captain of this shithole’s football team.”
He looked over at Riona as well,

“What ‘bout you kiddo?”



BELIAL.
ailurophile



​

 

[Twin Fantasy]

Pixie West

Pixie wasn't one to sleep.

Most nights -- the good nights -- her boyfriend Martin was blowing her back out in their trailer. It was a good thing he parked it in a somewhat remote location, because Pixie had a shriek that could wake the neighbors. On other nights -- the bad nights -- she would be anxiously waiting for him to come home from his late escapades. She always wondered what he was doing. Running drugs? Doing secret super spy work? Maybe he just got together in a small gang and robbed houses like in A Clockwork Orange? Perish the thought, as that might imply he was laying with another woman, and it didn't seem fair. After all, he'd start throwing furniture if he even suspected Pixie of cheating.

As if anyone would date her.

Martin had always made it crystal clear that he was the exception to an almost universal rule, it being that girls like Pixie do not get laid. That seemed fair, she had no evidence of the contrary. Most people were scared off by either her personality, or the fact that she was packing. Most nice men will say they'll date a trans woman, but it's anyone's guess if they'll make good on that promise. Martin was an exception. A fucked-up individual made all for her.

She had debated for a long time whether or not to go back to high school. Martin had brought her practically across the country to Maine, where he apparently "knew a guy" that could find them some semi-decent housing. Not long ago, Martin said he had gone to Westbrook, and that it was "alright."

"I played football. Wasn't like, a star or anything." He'd mumbled, over a bowl of cereal. "The kids there were all fuckin' insane, but I never had any trouble. I doubt they even remember me over there." Pixie thought it over, and decided that, if she really didn't like it, she could drop out once she turned sixteen. She had many milestones to look forward to. Sixteen to drop out, eighteen for her and Martin's love to be legally accepted, twenty-one to drink without smuggling it under her jackets.

Plus, Martin said he could hook her up with some estrogen. This was the most exciting part of moving. Estrogen, and then surgery in a couple years. Pixie kept having dreams where her breasts were weighty and her body was curved, like a woman's ought to be. She'd seen a couple photos of post-op gender reassignments and they looked almost like the real thing.

So Maine was the place to be. Westbrook was the place to be.

Her last school had been a Catholic boy's school, so it was nothing short of freeing to be able to throw on casualwear without being sent home. As she was tying her shoes, Martin came up behind her and pressed a kiss to the nape of her neck.

"Goin' somewhere?"

"School." She giggled a bit. "We got the enrollment shit out th' way so I can finally attend. I hope they ain't too far ahead a' me."

"They'll prob'ly let you play catch-up, apparently a bunch of new kids are going there."

"Really? How come?"

"Apparently some bougie private school was havin' an asbestos problem." Martin lit a cigarette. "Serves the little fuckers right, if you ask me. They ain't had to suffer for much. Some place called Black Mill."

"Oh!" Pixie held up a finger. "People kept askin' me if I went there, and I had no idea what the fuck they were talkin' about." She gritted her teeth. "I sure as hell don't look like a prep school kid, I dunno how you'd make that mistake. Unless everyone in this town is blind. Makes ya wonder what the moonshine operation looks like 'round here."

"I feel like mistakin' you for a prep school kid is like mistakin' an iguana for a dinosaur."

"Bet." She grinned, kissing Martin on the cheek. She had to stand on her toes to do it. "Also, if you steal my CDs, at least ask me first! Fuck's sake, I was diggin' around for hours."

"Chill, Pix. I ain't gonna lose 'em."

They quickly kissed once more and said their good-byes before Pixie finally left. They'd parked relatively out-of-the-way, so Pixie had invested some car wash money into a bicycle. It was bright red, and clearly too small for her, but it worked. She zoomed away from the trailer at Mach 10, or so it seemed to her, and she got to school within the hour, at the very least. Parked outside, locked her bike in, and stood there.

What a big place.

// OPEN //​

 

[TheFool]

Theo



Theo’s parents met in college. In Vermont. Todd Wright was a music design student, who’d yet to get his first DJ-ing gig. Angela Russo was studying business studies. She was white. A second generation Italian-American, specifically. Todd was black. It was 1995. America was very much the land of the free but the people in it still held their grievances. Unfortunately. Angela’s family refused to meet her newest boyfriend simply because of the colour of his skin. Todd’s parents, on many an occasion, said -
“She’s a white girl, Todd. It ain’t supposed to last.”
But they were wrong.
They wed in 2000. Celebrating in Paris, the night before Todd’s biggest gig yet. About three years later, they gave birth to their daughter. Their Theodora. Thankfully, at this point, Angela’s family had come around. As did Todd’s. They guessed that a child made it official. Todd and Angela were truly in love. It was apparent.
It always had been.
When she wasn’t travelling with her father, in his guise as DJ Cybil, Theo would stay at home with her mother. They’d snuggle up in bed each night and put on a movie. They had been living in Boston around the time they watched A Bronx Tale. A movie that was Angela’s favourite, and one that quickly became Theo’s. She loved the song that played through-out it. Her mother would sing it to her softly as she succumbed to sleep,
“I only have eyes for you…”
A cherished memory.

When Theo moved, officially, to Black Mill, she was on the verge of eleven. Her favourite class was music class, and to a lesser extent choir class. She remembered standing up in-front of everyone when called up. Singing melodically. Her teacher, Mr Vogt, clapping excitedly when she finished. His praise made her blush. But she could remember the eyes on her from a few of the girls. They hated her for that praise. A week later -
She was leaving school. Her bag in hand. She spotted her parents, standing by their car. They had come to pick her up.
“Theo.”
She heard.
Turning, she saw it was those girls. “Yeah?” Her grip tightening on her bag.
“How’s it feel being a filthy mongrel?”
The girls snickered, before running off.
Theo could feel her heart sink.
It was the first time she was called that. And thankfully it was the last as well. But it was something she’d never forget. It became part of her.
But,
She learnt not to care.

She was a baby born of love and that was all that mattered in the end.

She was.


Her parents started fighting shortly after that thing at school. Theo never really knew what over. Her father was a world class musician, always travelling. Her mother was working at some shitty accounting firm before she, well, had to quit.


When she was twelve,
Theo’s mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. A rarity in someone of her age. Usually the disease would creep up in people who were well into their sixties. But, still, it was a thing. It was happening. It didn’t affect much in the beginning though. Theo would come home from school and her mother would help with her homework, cook her meals, and then they’d sit in bed and watch another movie. Something off of Netflix, or DVD.
They watched A Bronx Tale one night and Theo was confused by her mother wondering how the movie would end. Since it was a movie they’d both watched together so many times before. But then she’d hear that song. And she’d start crying.
Theo didn’t know why she would cry.
But it made her cry too.

Two years later,
Angela was hospitalised. Full-time. Theo would visit her every single day ( if she could ). The best days would be the ones where she’d walk through the door and her mother would smile the biggest smile. They’d hug and talk and laugh about life. About Theo’s budding skills as a DJ. About boys at school. And girls at school. Her mother would reminisce about her own childhood. Though… some of the details would be wrong. Theo always knew they were wrong but she would never correct her. It was just a slip of her memory, no?
The worst days - and there were a lot of worst days - were the ones where Theo would walk in and sit by a mother who didn’t speak. Who stared blankly. Theo would try and provoke a conversation. And she’d only be met with mumbling. One time,
It got bad.
Really bad.
The nurses had to hold her mother down after she tried to hit her. They had been sitting there in silence. And Theo’s mother snapped. Lashing out. Fists aiming at her. She dug one fist into Theo’s arm and Theo began to cry. “Mom, it’s me.”
She said.
The nurses rushing in - trying to calm her.
“LET GO!”
Angela would scream. Her voice sounding like someone else’s voice.
“Mom! It’s me… Theo…”
“GO AWAY!”
One of the nurses would escort Theo out and give her a short hug. Telling her that this is just the way things are going. And to try again another day. Where she might be herself again. The days where she was herself became fewer.
And fewer.
And fewer.

Theo start going less.

Because she couldn’t bear see her own mother in the state she was in.

She and her father sat around the kitchen table, eating Chinese food. Her father was never that good a cook. He would order take-out and make a joke about how both HE and the take-out had nothing on her mother’s cooking. He’d have tears in his eyes whenever he’d make that joke. Accompanied by a sad smile. They ate, this particular evening, in mostly silence. Until he told her,
She wasn’t going to make it.
The disease had deteriorated Angela’s mind almost completely.
And that she was on her way out.
Theo decided to visit her.
One last time.
She walked into the hospital room and sat on the bed. Her mother’s eyes wide open. That same blank stare. “Hi Mom.”
No response.
“It was my sixteenth birthday last week.”
She’d cuddled up to her mother.
In silence.
Until she had an idea. She took out her phone and opened her iTunes ( back before she had discovered Spotify premium ). She pressed play on a song. Their song.





Her mother flinched a little bit. Before she turned her head, staring into Theo’s eyes. “For you…” She sang - finishing the lyrics. Her face sunken and pale. Whiter than ever. Her lips trembled, before rotating into a small smile. Theo giggled. Before she felt her own lips tremble. And the tears well in the corner of her eyes. Theo let the song play as she gently put her head on her mother’s shoulder. Them both enjoying the music.



She died that night.

“I’m fine, Dad.” She said, sitting in her car. Parked safely in the school parking lot of Westbrook. She was slowly watching other cars drive by - slowly filling up each parking space. “Do you need anymore money sent to the card?”
She rolled her eyes, “I feel like the richer I am, the more people are gonna hate me so much.”
Her father laughed on the other end of the phone,
“I can’t imagine anyone hating my little Princess.”
She rolled her eyes ( again ),
“Uh huh.”
“Well, look, I’m going to be in Europe for a few more days. I’ll come visit you if I can but I think Jennifer wants me to do something in Tokyo soonish.”
Theo listened to her father, yawning slightly. “Dad, like, it’s fine. Don’t worry. Take your time. Enjoy yourself.”
“I will, sweetie. How ‘bout we go Bermuda for your Christmas break?”
Theo laughed,
“Christmas in Bermuda again? Do you want these Westbrook kids to just not like me at all?”
“That bad, hm?”
“I haven’t really met them yet but… twitter’s been rough like.”
“Twitter? Is that the one by Zuckerberg?”
“No. That’s Facebook. Dad, you HAVE a twitter account.”
Her father laughed,
“Jennifer handles all that. I think we pay some intern to run it or something.”
“Figures.”
“Look, I think I gotta run. Have an amazing first day. I love you.”
“Love you too. Bye.”
“Bye, sweetie.”
Theo hung up and let loose a small sigh. Still eyeing up the cars going by. The school slowly becoming more and more alive. I guess, this was it.

A new beginning.

She got out of the car. The air cool. “Here we go.” She whispered to herself. She was wrapped up well, wearing her favourite coat and scarf.
She walked towards the doors of the school.
But stopped.
Gulping.
Why was she so nervous?
She sat on a bench near the door instead. Crossing her legs. And whipping out her phone. She texted Mal. Hoping he was nearby but no answer. She texted Norah and Fitz. No immediate answer. Gosh. She sat back and sighed once more.

Watching as students walked by.

Hoping to see someone she knew. Desperately.



@OPEN



​