[COLOR=GRAY][CENTER][COLOR=8A9A5B][sup]________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________[/sup][/COLOR][url=https://open.spotify.com/track/1TnUURhehaoMWKAqQtirm6?si=1df786103b914590][img]https://i.ibb.co/589szLm/harperbanneri-copy.jpg[/img][/url] [/CENTER][indent][sub][COLOR=8A9A5B][B]Location:[/B][/COLOR] [I]The Beach[/I] - [I]Pacific Royal Campus[/I][/sub][sup][right][COLOR=8A9A5B][b]Welcome Home #1.0017:[/b][/COLOR] [I]Rainbows[/I][/right][/sup][/indent][COLOR=8A9A5B][SUP][sub]____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________[/sub][/SUP][/COLOR][indent][sub][color=8A9A5B][B]Interaction(s):[/B][/COLOR][I] Aurora [@Melissa], Gil [@Roman], Katja [@Zoldyck], Amma [@Rockette][/I][/sub][SUP][RIGHT][COLOR=8A9A5B][b]Previously:[/b][/COLOR] [COLOR=GRAY][I]Tides of Responsibility:Harper’s Campus Stand[/I][/color][/right][/SUP][/indent]


An involuntary smile curved Harper's lips as Aurora's voice drifted toward her, the familiar tone piercing through the salty sea breeze. Despite her best efforts to maintain the stern facade of a seasoned "drill sergeant," Aurora's playful teasing possessed an uncanny ability to chip away at Harper's resolve.

[color=#8a9a5b]“Somebody has to keep these maggots in line,”[/color]Harper quipped, her hand sweeping across the beach to emphasize the scattered debris. The sun-drenched sand was still somewhat strewn with remnants of carelessness—discarded wrappers, forgotten plastic bottles, and the occasional abandoned flip-flop. As Harper’s gaze swept across the beach, she noticed the colourful contrast of her friend Aurora's vibrant hair, a fiery blend of red, orange, and golden yellow, against the deep green hues of the palm fronds swaying gently in the breeze behind her.

[color=#8a9a5b]"Otherwise, this place will be a disaster zone by the end of the day,"[/color]she added, her tone half-serious, half-teasing. [/color][color=#8a9a5b]"And don’t you dare say I’m being too hard on them. Someone has to remind them that this beach is more than just a playground. It’s a fragile ecosystem—a sanctuary for creatures big and small. Like…Kat and little Rothy. And I care immensely about both! So there!"[/color] [COLOR=GRAY]She harrumphed with a pout before dissolving into giggles.

As Aurora sat down, Harper took a moment to truly observe her friend. She always looked so stunning, no matter what she wore. Her hair shimmered in the sunlight like a halo. Her eyes, the colour of a seafloor dotted with sunken ships, seemed to hold a thousand mysteries—and Harper felt lucky to be privy to some of them. She practically embodied everything Harper admired, too. She was the yin to her yang—the chaos to her order. And as much as Harper grumbled about the students’ lackadaisical attitude, she secretly revelled in Aurora’s presence. It was like a soothing balm for her perpetually furrowed brow.

[color=#8a9a5b]“In all seriousness,” [/color]Harper continued once she caught her breath, her eyes dancing,[color=#8a9a5b]“you’re looking at P.R.C.U.'s new and one and only lifeguard.”[/color]She struck a pose, hands on her hips, channelling her inner superhero. [color=#8a9a5b]“Watch out, world! Harper’s on duty.”[/color]

Harper’s gaze shifted from the sun-kissed beach to the worn pages of her sketchbook at Aurora’s comment. She wasn’t usually one to seek out compliments. Her art was a silent companion, a refuge from the world's chaos. But Aurora’s praise slipped past her defences, settling in a corner of her heart. It was nice to have her work acknowledged, even if she rarely shared it beyond these pages.

[color=#8a9a5b]“Thanks, Rora,”[/color] Harper replied, her voice soft. She traced the curve of the protagonist’s winged back with her fingertip. [color=#8a9a5b]“I’ll have to add you to my list of subjects.”[/color]

Although, she’d already drawn Aurora once. 

Harper’s sketchbook held her remaining secrets. Each line drawn was a confession, a silent tribute to the people that coloured her world presently. And Aurora was no exception to that.  Her old shyness resurfaced, however, tangling her tongue. So, she settled for a half-smile.

That quickly vanished once [i]he[/i] decided to make his presence known.

Gil.

Harper's heart fluttered slightly, and she couldn't help but avert her gaze, looking down at her lap as if searching for something beyond the polished surface of the megaphone resting there. She was so captivated by his presence that she barely took notice of Mei's arrival, an oversight she knew she would have to apologize for later, accompanied by some pitiful excuse.

To distract herself from the whirlwind of emotions, Harper’s fingers traced the edges of her sketchbook, which she had swiftly—though not subtly—swapped for the megaphone.The graphite smudged her skin as she turned it over, revealing the familiar embossed design at the front.

[color=#8a9a5b]“Yeah… gonna be great,” [/color]she managed as an answer to his question, her voice steadier than expected. Four words. No stutter. Progress. But beneath the surface, her thoughts churned like a tempest. She’d drawn Gil before, too—captured glimpses of his essence in fleeting strokes. His blue stormy eyes were etched into her memory, a detail she could never quite capture on paper when he wasn’t watching (and surely not when he was). Just from memory, she’d recreate the curve of his lips, the tilt of his chin, the way his hair fell across his forehead.

Harper’s cheeks warmed, and she wondered if he’d ever stumble upon her sketches. Would he recognize himself in those lines? Or would they remain secret, hidden within the pages of her sketchbook, a silent tribute to the guy who made her heart race and her fingers itch for the touch of charcoal?

Thank goodness for Calliope’s arrival. Harper didn’t think she could take much more of whatever was going on in her head.

The sun painted Calliope's silhouette with hues of indigo, casting a dark, almost regal aura around her as she approached the group. The deep blue-violet shade seemed to embody the coolness Harper often sensed in Calliope's demeanour, and as her figure drew closer, the indigo shadows receded, revealing her familiar features and that controlled, calculated warmth Harper had come to associate with her.

[color=#8a9a5b][i]And when there’s the blonde beauty queen there is…the Dung Beetle.[/i][/color]

Right on cue, Harper's ears picked up the distinct drawl of Banjo's accent as he approached the growing group—an accent that often grated on her nerves due to the fact that she could hardly understand him half the time. Seriously, what the hell was a [i]Soup star[/i]!? The man was a walking, talking enigma, and not always the charming kind.

She needed a break, and she needed it pronto.

The brunette stood up to follow her copper-headed friend, deftly slipping her sketchbook into the camo drawstring bag stationed beside her before leaving. She brushed the clinging sand from her sun [url=https://www.nepal.ubuy.com/productimg/?image=aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWFnZXMtY2RuLnVidXkucWEvNjMzYWQ3MmY2YjY4ZWM3NTZjMzc1Y2FlLWFpbWlrLXdvbWVucy1sYWNlLXNob3J0LXdoaXRlLXdlZGRpbmcuanBn.jpg]dress[/url] as she walked, her gaze now lingering on Rory’s cooler. He’d set it up upon arrival, a silent invitation to quench their collective thirst. But Harper’s attention wasn’t solely on the chilled beverages; it was on the figure she’d noticed earlier—Amma—strolling near the water’s edge.

While everyone congregated here, Amma stood apart, a solitary silhouette against the horizon. A familiar feeling enveloped Harper at the sight—one that she had often experienced herself during her first year here, isolated amidst a sea of people. The loneliness was a shade of violet, a gentle hue but unmistakably present, connecting them in their shared solitude. It wrapped around Amma like a delicate veil, almost like she was a figure in an old horror painting.

The thought of her alone, forgotten, tugged at Harper’s empathy. And that simply would not do. So, with determination etched into her expression, she pondered her options—the possible unspoken peace offerings that could bridge the gap.

Two beer cans caught her eye, their metallic coolness promising refreshment. Harper frowned; her decision was made. If Amma wanted anything different, she’d have to venture here herself. For now, Harper carried not just beer but a silent invitation. One that she hoped Amma would take.

As Harper turned around, however, she was greeted with a scene she honestly should have expected: Katja engulfing Amma with one of her famous bear hugs. That girl truly was sunshine incarnate. She peered down at the two cans in her hand and decided to keep with her original intention. At least, this time, she wasn’t risking putting Amma on the spot.

[color=#8a9a5b]“Hey ladies,”[/color]she greeted the both of them as she drew near, holding up the cans in her hand,[color=#8a9a5b]“Care to join us?”[/color][/COLOR]