[color=gray][right][sub][@Venus] & [@LovelyComplex]
LOCATION: Nikole's cabin inside [i]The Thousand Sunny[/i][/sub][/right]
[img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/230924/cb49d7f93d5a73a7d95bc5b388f9dc72.png[/img] 
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[img]https://i.imgur.com/pKXEzb0.png[/img]
[b][color=#117F94]_[/color][color=#127D94]_[/color][color=#137C95]_[/color][color=#147B95]_[/color][color=#157A96]_[/color][color=#167896]_[/color][color=#177797]_[/color][color=#197697]_[/color][color=#1A7598]_[/color][color=#1B7498]_[/color][color=#1C7299]_[/color][color=#1D7199]_[/color][color=#1E709A]_[/color][color=#206F9A]_[/color][color=#216E9B]_[/color][color=#226C9B]_[/color][color=#236B9C]_[/color][color=#246A9C]_[/color][color=#25699D]_[/color][color=#27689D]_[/color][color=#28669E]_[/color][color=#29659E]_[/color][color=#2A649F]_[/color][color=#2B639F]_[/color][color=#2C62A0]_[/color][color=#2E60A0]_[/color][color=#2F5FA1]_[/color][color=#305EA1]_[/color][color=#315DA2]_[/color][color=#325CA2]_[/color][color=#335AA3]_[/color][color=#3559A3]_[/color][color=#3658A4]_[/color][color=#3757A4]_[/color][color=#3856A5]_[/color][color=#3954A5]_[/color][color=#3A53A6]_[/color][color=#3B52A6]_[/color][color=#3D51A7]_[/color][color=#3E4FA7]_[/color][color=#3F4EA8]_[/color][color=#404DA8]_[/color][color=#414CA9]_[/color][color=#424BA9]_[/color][color=#4449AA]_[/color][color=#4548AA]_[/color][color=#4647AB]_[/color][color=#4746AB]_[/color][color=#4845AC]_[/color][color=#4943AC]_[/color][color=#4B42AD]_[/color][color=#4C41AD]_[/color][color=#4D40AE]_[/color][color=#4E3FAE]_[/color][color=#4F3DAF]_[/color][color=#503CAF]_[/color][color=#523BB0]_[/color][color=#533AB0]_[/color][color=#5439B1]_[/color][color=#5537B1]_[/color][color=#5636B2]_[/color][color=#5735B2]_[/color][color=#5934B3]_[/color][color=#5A33B3]_[/color][color=#5B31B4]_[/color][color=#5C30B4]_[/color][color=#5D2FB5]_[/color][color=#5E2EB5]_[/color][/b]
[right][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/230924/1edd11ff0808e10d6d344f6fb1ace851.png[/img][/right]
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[indent][indent]Inside one of the spacious cabins of [i]The Thousand Sunny[/i], the young woman responsible for the planning and organizing of this class reunion sat in front of the small vanity, obsessively examining every inch of her reflection in the mirror for what felt like the hundredth time. It was easy to tell that Nikole Seara-Reyes was nervous. And why wouldn’t she be? She’d been planning this event for weeks: securing the venue with Ty, confirming the attendance of her classmates, coordinating with the vendors, putting her trust in staff she had no previous experience working with… All in hopes of ensuring that every guest had the top-tier, quality service that [i]Lucid Dream Events[/i] prided itself upon. With the attendees being people she had known for years, Kole had set herself very high expectations for the night ahead. And like it always happened when such high stakes were attached to an event, the brunette’s anxiety was at an all-time high.

After combing over her flyaways for what felt like the dozenth time, Nikole decided she needed to do something to take the edge off. With her hands trembling lightly, she picked up one of the chilled Pink Whitney bottles previously resting on the vanity, unscrewed the cap and downed the miniature bottle in one go. In different circumstances, she would’ve indulged in one of the magic chill pills hiding inside one of the pockets of her purse. But she needed to be of sound body and mind tonight, and Nikki knew that she’d be able to handle at least four of those little liquor bottles before she started to revert back to the wild party girl of her teenage years.

[color=602DB6]“Okay. How do I look?”[/color] Kole asked the other person in the room, barely able to hold their gaze for a few seconds before starting to fidget with the skirt of [url=https://uploads.wornontv.net/2023/06/patbo-printed-lurex-dress-ruby-boats.jpg]her dress[/url]. 

Laying on one of the many beds in the Sunny, but this one specifically claimed by his sister, Matías Reyes leaned up against her bedframe, listening to classical lofi in one ear and in the other, her anxiety ridden tangent. He seemed checked out of the conversation, focused on reading [i]One Hundred Years of Solitude[/i] by Gabriel García Márquez. Matty usually seemed uninvolved and uninterested; that was just his nature.  Nikole knew better though. She knew her step brother was one of the most present people in a room, sober or not. He was aware of everything that surrounded him. He was aware of her. 

Call it a curse or a blessing, Matty saw things and understood people, their personal battles and their bonds with others, without anyone speaking their truths and telling him what they were going through. His intuition was out of this world or perhaps he simply was a keen observer. Whether it was his wits or the fact that he was begrudgingly an empathetic dude, there’s a reason he decided to live off the grid and part of her knew parties and large events overstimulated him. Not in the sense of the wild comings and goings, but more so he could feel others' joys and sorrows, highs and lows, to the point that it drove him to have a dependency on drugs. Drugs and booze was hell disguised as heaven and in highschool, he chased that addiction, he rode that wave and became someone he wasn’t proud of. 

No matter… that was all in the past. He had been sober for years, making him see the world with immense clarity, not using the trip as a distraction. There would be no doubt in her mind that she knew he could see right through her. From the fidgeting to her sweaty palms, Matty read her like a book. With a sharp and quick glance, he stared at her, their eyes meeting only momentarily. His male gaze didn’t linger on her form for too long, just enough for him to gather the necessary information, before bringing his attention back to his book. He turned to the next page. 

[color=117f94]“Can’t believe you’re still putting this much effort to impress him,”[/color] Matty muttered. His legs laid out, already in formal wear, with black socks to match. His lightweight, white oxford button-down shirt wasn’t closed fully, showing a glimpse of his muscular chest, while his blue pants had been ironed and his left ear, like a token look since childhood, had a small hoop earring. Relaxing himself, more so than he already was in his sister’s cabin, he tsked, annoyed that Nikki was still doing this dance after all these years, [color=117f94]“Does how you look even matter if you’re not gonna’ say shit?”[/color] 

His sister’s scoff of disbelief was immediate. [color=602DB6]“Who are you talking about? I’m not trying to impress a specific person!”[/color] Nikole quipped, shaking her head in disapproval before taking a seat in bed next to Matias. [color=602DB6]“I’m just making sure I look presentable, is all.”[/color] The siblings knew that there was only one reunion attendee who could make Nikki so flustered, and that deluding herself into thinking he didn’t matter to her in [i]that[/i] way was her default way of coping with the unresolved feelings. [color=602DB6]“I just really, really, [i]really[/i] want this night to go well-- for all of us.”[/color]

A ten-year high school reunion wasn’t exactly something that anyone would ask for other than those individuals who peaked during said time period. That wasn’t the case of any of the former classmates who had RSVP’d. Yet Nikole, in her infinite, business-oriented wisdom, saw it as the perfect opportunity to get everyone together not just for a fun time, but for some potential hardcore networking as well. Her graduating class had the likes of well-known internet personalities, Hollywood stars, sport MVPs, respected academics, successful healthcare providers… The possibilities for interactions were endless! For some of these very important guests, this was their first time attending an event of Kole’s-- so first impressions would be [i]everything[/i].

[color=117f94]“Oh yeah, yeah. This party will be bitchin’,”[/color] Matty scanned the words on a page of his book, not really taking any of it in because his attention was on his sister. [color=117f94]“Got people worried I might relapse, and then some think I’m dead - which is hilarious.”[/color] He chuckled to himself. [color=117f94]“When I found out, I couldn’t stop laughing.”[/color] He was making light of the situation and although he wasn’t nervous to see his former classmates, he did wonder what reactions to expect, especially from the Swimmer twins.

Nikole’s lips pursed into a tight, disapproving line. [color=602DB6]“Right. Freaking [i]hilarious[/i].”[/color] While the whole ‘Matias Reyes Is Dead’ rumor had been amusing in the beginning, it got old pretty fast when Kole started getting condolences from people-- some going as far as to make it a point to make remembrance posts or calls to her on his ‘death anniversary’ even when nobody from the Reyes family had confirmed, denied or made any comments or the slightest of remarks regarding his whereabouts. Nikki’s loyalty to her brother meant that, no matter how exasperated the whole thing made her, she kept her lips sealed and put up with it. Thankfully, tonight’s comeback meant that Matty's charade would finally be over. All she could hope for was that those who believed it was true wouldn’t be too upset about it.

Closing his book, he placed it on his sister’s stand, leaned back, resting his head on his hand and looked at the ceiling. [color=117f94]“Real talk though, this is you and I got no doubt that this party will be nothing short of amazing.”[/color] He turned his head toward her and gave a sly smirk, [color=117f94]“What? We gonna’ burn Ty’s boat down just like we did with dad’s billion dollar mansion?”[/color]

That last comment earned the man a knowing smile from his sister. When Matias and Nikole were first introduced to one another, their parents were concerned by the initial hesitation displayed by the two. They were two ten-year old kids trying to navigate tweenhood while processing their parents dating someone seriously for the first time since their own personal tragedies. They didn't need to worry, though. By the time the day was over and ever since, Matty and Nikki had been two peas in a pod: inseparable partners in crime. They went to school together, hung around the same friend group… She couldn’t even count the amount of times the two of them had covered for one another, or helped each other sneak around, or conspired on some mischief whenever their parents were away.

[color=602DB6]“You’re lucky he loves me enough to forgive most of the trouble we got ourselves into,”[/color] she chuckled, referencing the many times Kole took responsibility for their misdeeds because she knew Juan Diego would go easier on them if she did. [color=602DB6]“I still remember the time his and Mom’s flight got canceled and we had to rush to get the place clean and everyone out of the house before they showed up! That was a fucking trip.”[/color]

[color=117f94]“Good memories,”[/color] Matty sighed in response, that unwelcome feeling of nostalgia of the best and worst years of his life washing over him. [color=117f94]“You’re pivoting though,”[/color] he glanced over at her, taking in her pristine make-up job, with no flaws or blemishes. Her cheeks kissed pink and her natural features more pronounced. [color=117f94]“You want this night to go well. Obviously. But what does that mean to you?”[/color] There was a brief pause, allowing her to sit on his words and [i]think[/i]. He sat up, shifting himself toward her, now completely in listener mode. [color=117f94]“Don’t think about anyone else. You got food, booze and a scenic view, that’s more than enough to entertain everyone. Where do [i]you[/i] see yourself tonight? In a bed alone or…”[/color] Matty intentionally let his voice trail off, not finishing his sentence. He knew deep down, Kole wanted to rant and ramble about a certain topic. It was getting her to that point that took time. He knew her all too well and honestly, in another life they were probably twins. 

[color=602DB6]"Hypothetically speaking, maybe there's a certain superstar athlete I'd like to finish the night with,"[/color] Nikki admitted, her cheeks turning pink from something other than her expensive blush. [color=602DB6]"And, hypothetically speaking, maybe the reason I used the yacht as a venue was so I could justify not giving people the option to bring plus ones so there would be no chance of him showing up with one of those instathots he likes to parade himself around with. But this superstar athlete has also been my best friend for nearly sixteen years. Do you know how pathetic it'll sound if I just walk up to him and say: 'hey, remember the night we hooked up after prom? You know, the only one we've ever slept together? Well, that kind of confirmed that I've had feelings for you since I was 15, but I've been too much of a chicken to tell you because I was scared of ruining our friendship'? Imagine something like that backfiring and then having to spend the rest of the weekend around each other feeling all kinds of awkward and mortified. I'd rather get eaten by a shark."[/color]

Bluntly, Matty answered, [color=117f94]“Very pathetic, actually. You’re not wrong.”[/color] Cracking his knuckles, he continued, not really caring if his sister was seeking validation or reassurance but answering things in the only way Matty knew how. Curtly and without holding back any of the punches. [color=117f94]“Hey, at least the only way he can escape you is off board, amiright?”[/color] He humored himself, even letting his handsome smile slip through. [color=117f94]“So definitely a strategy to have this party on a boat-- and no plus ones, for sure.”[/color] 

His earpiece started playing the classical lofi version of [url=https://youtu.be/E2xBjoSWazI?t=268&si=KMdhgznwvj-sDfUu]Mozart’s Allegro[/url] and Matty took it off, only to put his music on speaker so his sister could vibe with him as he waved his arms and hands around to dance with this bop. His sister needed to chill. [color=117f94]“But seriously, we’re fastly approaching our thirties and it’s not like anyone else makes you wet like your bestie so you’re either going to end this night with a bang, or go home living through the same shit and being stagnant. How long you want to be bitter? For the rest of your life? Bet. That’s your grave sis, but I’mma do me and just let the flow take me on a journey. The only regret you’ll have tonight is not taking a chance because you’re quote, too much of a chicken, unquote but hey do you boo.”[/color]

As much as she hated to admit it, Nikole knew that Matias was right. For someone who always claimed to live her life to the fullest, take risks and have fun, she sure was proving to be doing the complete opposite of that. Nikki was an independent, self-sufficient 28 years old with a six figure bank account, a successful business, no children, no divorces, no psychotic exes or mountains of debt. For all intents and purposes, she was quite a catch. Why [b]he[/b] couldn’t see that was beyond her, but maybe she just needed to pry his eyes open with her fingers to the possibilities of what they could be together. They weren’t getting any younger, either, so the time to act was now. And if all else failed, she could always drown her sorrows in bottomless mimosas or disappear on some 3 month-long cruise around the world or something. 

[color=602DB6]“Okay [i]fine[/i]”[/color] Nikki conceded, rolling her eyes. [color=602DB6]“But that applies to both of us, bestie! If I take a chance on my person, you take a chance on yours. No exceptions.”[/color] she added sternly, shooting her brother a pointed look. She didn’t need to say names. Matty would know exactly who she was talking about. Her next comments would clear the air if there was ever doubt about who she meant. [color=602DB6]“Hopefully she forgives you for the whole ‘I’m not actually dead’ thing and we can all move on from that mess. I can’t wait for it to finally be over with.”[/color]

[color=117f94]“Woah, woah, woah,”[/color] Matty held his hands up in a hold-up-wait-minute gesture. She got his attention; his full attention. She was insinuating something that  wasn’t true, that he, of all people, was one to not take chances and two, he was stuck in the same situation as her with a girl he once knew.  This needed to be corrected. [color=117f94]“Person? Me? Come on, Nik. I’m not some sappy hopeless romantic looking to find my soulmate tonight. That mushy shit ain’t for me and I’m chill being alone. Will I talk to my once-upon-a-partner-in-crime? Absolutely. Will she slap me in the face? Likely. Do I deserve it? Definitely. Will we kiss? Probably. I’m not afraid to approach her, let alone talk to her about hard hitting topics like my death. Not like you are with your boy. That was never something up for debate.”[/color]

Nikole rolled her eyes again. [color=602DB6]"I am [i]not[/i] afraid to approach him [i]or[/i] talk to him about sensitive topics,"[/color] she scoffed, standing up from the bed to unknowingly pace around the cabin. And it was true. Nikki and Randy met up with each other in person at least once a month, they texted and video chatted as frequently as it was healthy for two people with such busy schedules. In all these interactions, the two best friends talked about anything and everything: including their love lives. Did Nikole constantly wrestle back feelings of jealousy whenever Randy went off on his soapbox about who he was entangling himself with? Absolutely. Did she try to compete with or one-up him with her own experiences that sometimes might be a liiiiiittle embellished and exaggerated? That was a possibility. But even then, she still pushed her biases and emotions aside and encouraged him to always do what made him happy-- even if it was at the cost of her own feelings. [i]That[/i] was the definition of genuine love.

[color=602DB6]"But this isn't about you, or me, or anyone else specifically! This is about having a night to relive the good ole’ times with the gang and make even more memories together."[/color] Kole declared in a pointed attempt to move on from the previous topic and shift the attention back to the [i]real[/i] purpose of this event. As much as she loved and trusted Matty, there was only so much venting she could do without it sounding repetitive or whiny. She couldn't afford to be this distracted before things even started, either. She needed to pick herself up by the bootstraps, take a page out of Troy Bolton’s book and get her head in the game. [color=602DB6]"I just hope there's not too much chaos this time around... I sorta promised Ty that we'd make it back to the harbor with his yacht in one piece. The last thing I want is for any of us to get screwed over by the insurance company suing us for damages or something like that."[/color]

[color=117f94]“The class that partied the hardest, keeping this boat in one piece? Ha, One Piece...”[/color] Matty chuckled, knowing where Ty got the name The Thousand Sunny from. [color=117f94]“Yeah, totally. Sounds easy enough.”[/color] He stood up and stretched his arms. They had a long night ahead of them. Would it be chill? Only time would tell. The horn of the Sunny went off and he gave his sister a wink, before getting ready to exit and make a stop at his cabin. [color=117f94]“That’s your cue, babygirl. Make this party your bitch. Oh,”[/color] he snapped his fingers, stopping in his tracks and going to her dresser where he rummaged through her jewelry box. He pulled out a stunning [url=https://i.etsystatic.com/24328899/r/il/9777ac/2820017441/il_1588xN.2820017441_3des.jpg]gold necklace with birthstone pendants[/url] and offered it to his sister.  [color=117f94]“This would go great with that dress, unless your goal is to show all that neck. Then nevermind. Do you, boo.”[/color] The more he talked, the more he realized how much Ziggy influenced his way of speech. Even to this day, he couldn’t help but speak with the same energy, just maybe less sass and kind of dry. That’s just the way of things when your best friend was a transcendental goddess. [color=117f94]“Still gorgeous but it might be best if we go up separately. I doubt you want to hear my eulogy during your bad bitch entrance.”[/color]

Nikki took the necklace being offered to her by her brother and glanced at it. She hadn’t planned on wearing anything other than earrings and rings, but Matty choosing to pull this specific item out of her jewelry box to hand to her was a sign. The necklace had been a gift from Juan Diego to his new daughter upon his marriage to Cristina, with each birthstone pendant representing the birth months of her father, her stepfather, her mother and her own. It was a necklace that Nikki had long since deemed as her lucky charm-- one she rarely took off and one that she was wearing in nearly every moment where she experienced having a little luck on her side.

As soon as she placed the chain on her neck and clasped it on, a sense of peace settled on her chest. She knew then that no matter what the night would bring her, she had her parents’ best wishes and luck on her side. Everything would be alright.

Smiling, Nikole wrapped her arms around her brother and pulled him into a tight hug. [color=602DB6]“Thanks for everything, babes. You’re the best brother I could’ve ever asked for,”[/color] she told him, holding him for a few seconds before the Sunny's horn went off again.

Five more minutes until showtime. It was time to [i]go[/i].

Finally releasing Matty from her clutches, Nikki turned on her heel and made a beeline for the door. [color=602DB6]“I’ll see you upstairs!”[/color] she called out to her brother, offering him a parting wave before rushing out of her cabin and into the unknown.
[hr][hr]
At exactly 8PM, the sound of cutlery sharply clanking against glass reverberated from the speakers across the top deck bar of [i]The Thousand Sunny[/i]. Nikole stood on top of the small stage, one hand wrapped around a wireless microphone while the other held a glass flute full of bubbly champagne. With a bright smile that hid her jitters, the brunette watched as the night’s guests were guided up to the top deck and greeted with flutes of champagne. When the final guest had received their glass, Nikki took a deep breath to center herself, and addressed the group. 

[color=602DB6]“May I have everyone’s attention, please?”[/color] Nikole politely called out to the crowd. She waited until the attendees settled themselves into their preferred positions before kicking off her small welcome speech. [color=602DB6]“First of all, I would like to welcome you all to the ten year reunion of Kings Academy’s graduating class of 2013! A round of applause for you all, please!”[/color] she exclaimed happily, allowing them a moment to clap before carrying on. [color=602DB6]“I truly appreciate each and every one of you here for taking the time out of your busy schedules to join us here for this little adventure. While we have lots of fun activities planned for the rest of our voyage, the night ahead of us is all about reliving the good times we spent together growing up and figuring things out while making new, exciting memories along the way.”[/color]

[color=602DB6]“With that being said, I’d like to propose a toast,”[/color] Nikki declared, raising her flute in the air towards the crowd and watching them mirror her actions. [color=602DB6]“To  the graduating class of 2013. May we all continue to keep cultivating successes in our lives, without ever losing sight of who we are. [i]Salut![/i]”[/color]

[b][i]Salut![/i][/b]

[color=602DB6][i]“Now, let’s get this party started! Yay!”[/i][/color][/indent][/indent][/color]