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[sub][color=slategray]A Collab by [@Universorum] and [@Silent Observer]
Featuring: [color=a5a5a5]Sean “Not A Perfect” Sterling[/color] and [color=ffb5fd]Selena “Pretends To Be A Perfect” Sterling[/color]
Location: Sean’s Car → The Helmsley’s Boat Party[/color][/sub]
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[indent][indent]Sean and Selena were on their way to the Tuesday night party, in Sean’s [url=https://4carfanz.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/hnda-nsx.jpg]new NSX[/url]. He was happy to report that the car rode smoothly, and was even happier to report that he liked it. This was good; it meant he’d have a viable mode of transportation that could comfortably fit at least some kind of shopping bag. He had a feeling that if this thing with Brynn was going to go anywhere, then he needed a way to lug around a lot of shopping bags. She seemed the type.

Sean tapped the paddle shifters on the back of the steering wheel and looked over at Selena. Currently, his focus wasn’t on Brynn. He was meant to be focused on Selena. They needed to talk. Since his return from the Academy, nothing really had gone right with them. Sean had been in a bit of a mood since coming back, and it seemed to have established a rift between the two of them. He wanted to fix it, or at least attempt to. Maybe with a decent enough talk, she would be happy again.

His lack of interest in a party had seemed to upset her, but she didn’t fully understand. It wasn’t just [i]that[/i]. Sean’s expulsion from the Academy had left him in a rut. He wasn’t himself, he wanted to be alone, so that he could wallow in his own depression. Fortunately, it seemed Sean was willing to bend for the wants of Brynn [i]and[/i] Selena combined.

And now they were heading to the party together.

[color=a5a5a5][b]“Selena, we should talk.”[/b][/color] There, conversation started.

The feminine twin had remained silent throughout their entire walk to the car. This might be viewed as her stewing, but in reality, she was just mentally preparing herself for the party. Selena had a number of faces to wear, and the one that was required for a Helmsley party was not the one that she was currently wearing. Clearing her mind, Selena stared out of the window and tried to think of the things she had to look forward to. The list was short, but it was working to distract her until Sean spoke up. Sel didn’t even turn her head to respond, she kept her gaze focused on the passing landscapes outside the car. [color=ffb5fd][b]“Should we?”[/b][/color]

[color=a5a5a5][b]“More specifically, I need to talk, and you’ll listen, then you can talk, and I’ll listen. Or, you can ignore me — either or. I need to at least somewhat clear the air here.”[/b][/color] Sean paused, staring at the road for a moment, thinking about how best to phrase what he had to say. He couldn’t be blatant about it, his father didn’t want his mother nor his siblings to know about any of what he did, so he had to dodge questions and formulate answers that weren’t complete truths, nor complete lies. It would not be easy. [color=a5a5a5][b]“I don’t know what you’ve been told about the school that I went to, but it was a very big deal that I got accepted to it, perhaps even more so considering I was recommended by Christopher. I worked very hard, and I threw away years of my life and time with my family to achieve the goal of graduating from the Academy with top marks. I was on the way to doing it, when I messed up. I made one mistake, and it left an ugly, bloody wound on what could have been an otherwise legendary career.”[/b][/color]

He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, taking a glance at his sister, before pressing on. [color=a5a5a5][b]“I didn’t expect to be expelled like I was, but looking back? I probably should have expected it. I’d seen others get worse for less. I failed myself, I failed our father, I failed Christopher, and I failed the family. I messed up. I’ve come back here, and I’m different, yes, but more than that I’m just… I think I’m pretty much clinically depressed. I’m in a slump. I don’t like to interact with people, already; add in being in a slump, and being trapped on a boat with a bunch of people sounds like hell.”[/b][/color]

[color=a5a5a5][b]“I’m not a perfect Sterling, I’d argue that I’m not even a [i]good[/i] one. I can’t do what mom and dad expect and be a socialite and make appearances and friends and connections and be a benefit. I had my shot, and I blew it, and I’m trying to come to terms with that. But you have to give me time, Sel. I like time alone. I love you, and of course I want to do things with you — you’re basically my other half, just not in a romantic way? — but I really do enjoy just sitting in my room and being quiet. I know it’s boring, and I know it’s not very Sterling-esque, or even teenager-like of me to do that, but I do.”[/b][/color] There was another pause, longer this time, before Sean said:

[color=a5a5a5][b]“Okay, your turn.”[/b][/color]

Selena sighed. She listened to her brother, of course she did, but did he really think that she didn’t know most of these things? Sel lived under the same roof as him, under the same parents, with the same pressures. Selena did everything in her power to be the perfect daughter, and even then, she was repaid with lies. Sean was the one who got to go to a special school, he escaped, and he was favored for it. Things were different now that he was home, but they were different in a worse way. [color=ffb5fd][b]“I don’t know what you expect me to say, Sean. I’m not a perfect Sterling either, you know. If I was, then Daddy wouldn’t lie to me… but he does. And so do you. And Mom…”[/b][/color] There was a moment of silence where Sel almost started to chew on her lip. She stopped herself when she remembered that she was wearing lipstick. That would ruin her party face. The physical one… her emotional one was completely shot at this point. She could at least try to salvage one of them. [color=ffb5fd][b]“I wasn’t trying to force you to go… I just… I didn’t want to go alone again. It’s a lot, I know that, I do it all the time. To you that boat is going to be full of a chaotic mess of people and, to me, it’s going to be just as lonely as being in our house. You say you like being alone, but it’s only because you are depressed — and yes, I knew that too. You’re my twin, and I’m not blind. I just have no idea how to help. I’m trying to find ways to spend time with you, because I’ve missed having you around so much, but… I don’t know. Maybe we’re both too messed up to be happy anymore. Mandy and Ali might be little turds, but I envy how close they are… we used to have that too.”[/b][/color]

[color=a5a5a5][b]“We can have it again. Maybe not parties? We could do literally anything else together, and it would be much better. Maybe it is just because I’m depressed, but you know, depression passes… eventually. This might be good for me — maybe I’ll even get plastered like the rest of them. Who knows? Where should I park?”[/b][/color] Sean asked, looking around as they pulled into the area. Sean turned his attention to the boat, and raised an eyebrow at the glowing monstrosity, radiating a million colors into the sea. [color=a5a5a5][b]“That’s… different. Has their boat always glowed?”[/b][/color] He asked, putting the car in a spot away from the others; he decided he didn’t want it near other people.

[color=a5a5a5][b]“I’m not mad at you. I even overreacted a little, and I realize that. I think what it boils down to,”[/b][/color] Sean paused, getting out of the car and walking around to her side to open the door for her, [color=a5a5a5][b]“is that I felt spoken for, by you. I wouldn’t have minded going to the party, I don’t think, but you sort of just told me to? And then you had mom tell me to. And that made me more annoyed, so I lashed out. I’m sorry,”[/b][/color] Sean said, holding out a hand to pull her out of the vehicle, so they could enter the party together — like she wanted.

[color=ffb5fd][b]“I won’t invite you to a party again. Or assume you’re going to one. I’m sorry.”[/b][/color] Selena responded with a genuine apology. Despite her family’s tendency to lie — be it blatant, by omission, or through half-truths — Sel would always be honest with her brother. She had no reason not to be. At least not yet, anyway. [color=ffb5fd][b]“I’ll offer a free pass, one shot to get me to do anything that you want to do instead. How about that? Even if it sounds like something I wouldn’t like, I promise I won’t complain.”[/b][/color] The soft smile that graced her lips betrayed that she might be making a promise that she couldn’t keep. Sel would at least do her best not to complain, it would really depend on what activity he’d come up with. Her phone buzzed in her clutch and Sel pulled it out to see a text from Jamie, which she responded to.

[quote]To: [color=31ba9f][b]Rita Skeeter[/b][/color]
[color=ffb5fd][b]Sounds fantastic!
Be there soon, we just pulled in.[/b][/color][/quote]

Selena pointed out a place for Sean to park once they arrived in the lot. She was gathering her things in the passenger seat and was pleasantly surprised when her brother showed up at her door to open it for her. So… he could still be a proper gentleman, it seemed. Mom would be proud. [color=ffb5fd][b]“Thanks, Seanie.”[/b][/color] she said as she stepped out of his new ride, taking the hand that he offered her. Sel turned for a moment to admire the vehicle, which reminded her of his early quip about her own whip. [color=ffb5fd][b]“It doesn’t only drive itself, by the way. My pink [i]monstrosity[/i]. I actually rarely use that feature — only when I am multitasking, or if I’ve had anything to drink. Liking to have control is the one Sterling trait that [i]both[/i] of us inherited. I could see how you might consider the color a bit garish, though. Oh! By the way! Tell me about your motorcycle, what’s that like? Mother looked like she had a cow when Mandy brought that up.”[/b][/color] Selena asked him with an excited, wide sparkle in her eyes. For the first time in a while, she looked like she was living up to her namesake.

[color=a5a5a5][b]“No, she’s not happy about it, at all. I bought it with my own money — because I wanted it. It’s like riding a bike, only with a motor I guess? I don’t know, you can ride it if you want. It’s not very hard, just remember to squeeze the clutch before you shift. Do you know how to drive a stick? It’s similar to that, only you shift with your foot. You hear the engine revving up, shift the gear.”[/b][/color] Sean shrugged his shoulders. To him, it wasn’t really a big deal, he’d been riding motorcycles for quite some time now. [color=a5a5a5][b]“Riding a motorcycle is much better than driving a car, in my opinion. It’s a lot faster, and I like the maneuverability. It’s a helluva lot easier to outrun the cops when you can bob and weave in between buildings and traffic. Don’t tell mom I said that.”[/b][/color]

[color=ffb5fd][b]“Of course I can drive stick. Daddy taught me.”[/b][/color] Selena said as she hooked her arm with Sean’s as they walked towards the yacht. Sean would know that fact about her, had he been around for their sixteenth birthday. But he wasn’t. She wondered then, how it was that [i]he[/i] learned, if Daddy wasn’t there to teach him too. There was so much that she didn’t know, and she hated that. Sel listened to him talk about his interesting new toy, and her ears perked up at one particular statement towards the end. [color=ffb5fd][b]“The cops?! Seanie!”[/b][/color] Sel tsked and gently slapped at him. [color=ffb5fd][b]“Mom’s gonna kill you! Wait… did you say that [i]I[/i] could ride it?”[/b][/color] There it was, the sparkle came back.

[color=a5a5a5][b]“Mom’s never gonna know. I didn’t get caught, so no harm, no foul. And yes, you can ride it if you’d like. Or, I could just buy you your own… Up to you, I don’t care.”[/b][/color] Sean explained, looking at the two guards, who handed him an iPad. Sean stared at it at first, before he scribbled his name onto it, and handed it over to Selena. [color=a5a5a5][b]“Trust me, if you’re going fast enough, the cops won’t even bother. At least not where I drive.”[/b][/color] Sean explained, smiling at his twin sister. Maybe this wouldn’t be [i]too[/i] bad of an experience.

Selena’s expression paled at the words he was so casually saying in front of the Helmsely’s [i]security guards[/i]. She played it off with a dismissive, casual laugh. [color=ffb5fd][b]“Very funny, Sean.”[/b][/color] Selena signed her name in elegant script across the screen and passed it back to the guards with a warm, entirely innocent smile. As soon as they stepped out of earshot, she leaned in towards him and whispered. [color=ffb5fd][b]“I’d love to try it. Don’t tell mom I said that.”[/b][/color]

Sean almost laughed at her trying to deflect his statement, as if the two security guards cared. As they walked up the ramp together, he decided to drive the discussion away, in case she crumbled when they got with their peers. [color=a5a5a5][b]“I joined a gym after school today. Well, I applied; hopefully they process my paperwork and accept me soon.”[/b][/color] Sean explained, looking out at the sea of people. Well, if he had to guess, Brynn was at the bar. [color=a5a5a5][b]“The 365 Combat Club. Have you ever heard of it? I Googled it and it looks nice — a little small, but definitely nice.”[/b][/color]

[color=ffb5fd][b]“Oh…”[/b][/color] Sel turned to him as she processed that piece of information. She grimaced a little, and didn’t bother to hide it. [color=ffb5fd][b]“Yes, I’ve heard of it. Owen’s dad owns it. You remember Owen… from the party? He cheated on our cousin, almost killed Marshall… you… mysteriously went from mathlete to athlete and stopped him.”[/b][/color] Selena’s eyes were on him, full of curiosity as she remembered that scene in vivid detail. [color=ffb5fd][b]“Are you sure you want to go there? There’s probably a dozen other gyms in the area, it’s Beverly Hills.”[/b][/color]

Sean nodded. [color=a5a5a5][b]“Yes, it was his suggestion that I join. Owen seems really nice, as far as I can tell. He approached me this morning, I think to be friends. We shook hands, and I told him that I don’t have any problems with him. He wants to spar with me, so I figured I might as well join the gym if I’m going to be doing that — I have to stay in shape somehow, after all,”[/b][/color] Sean said, before rolling his eyes in response to her bit about his ‘mysterious’ transformation. [color=a5a5a5][b]“I don’t think I transformed at all. I just saw a situation that was about to go from bad to worse, and I stepped in to defuse it as best I could. You guys were lucky I was there, though. I think Marshall and probably Ophelia would both be in the ground by now if not for my intervention.”[/b][/color]

[color=ffb5fd][b]“Maybe… I’m not sure though. Owen and Marshall were like, weirdly close before all of this. Not weird because of the closeness, it’s just that they’re very different people, you’ll see that if you get to know them. I don’t know, I think Owen was just a bit triggered. I’m glad you stepped in, someone did need to. I just didn’t expect it to be you. You kind of got the whole school talking about you, you know?”[/b][/color]

He shrugged his shoulders, [color=a5a5a5][b]“I don’t think it’s that big of a deal. Sometimes, people need saving. I’m usually a villain, but I can play the hero when the mood arises.”[/b][/color] He gave her a smile, the mischievous glint now apparent in his eyes, [color=a5a5a5][b]“I guess this is where we part ways? I’m sure you want to hunt down Jamie and… do whatever it is you and Jamie do.”[/b][/color]

Selena smiled through a slight giggle. [color=ffb5fd][b]“Oh… you know... gossip, shopping, talking about boys.”[/b][/color] She said teasingly. Some of that was true, and most would assume those were the kinds of things she cared about, but Sel hardly talked about boys. Ever. There were never any interesting ones to discuss, well... usually there weren’t. [color=ffb5fd][b]“He did actually text me to meet up with him. You could come with, I promise I won’t let him awkwardly stare at you again. For both of our sakes… unless, you have other plans? I’m sure Brynn… is here. Somewhere.”[/b][/color] Hopefully not shacking up with someone other than Sean. Not that she wanted to think about Brynn shacking up [i]with[/i] Sean… eww, wow, no thank you. 

[color=a5a5a5][b]“Brynn [i]is[/i] here, and I’m on a quest to find her. Text me when you’re ready to leave, unless you end up going home with someone else.”[/b][/color] Sean smiled and kissed her on the cheek, before he turned to leave and begin his own adventure.[/indent][/indent]