[center][color=40E0D0]RYLEIGH RAINE[/color]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/xWZh7nH.gif[/img][/center]
[sub][url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gs069dndIYk]The bell was ringing[/url]
[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gs069dndIYk][center]Our souls were singing[/center][/url]
[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gs069dndIYk][right]Do you remember every cloudy day[/right][/url][/sub]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/LF0KJgM.png[/img][/center]
[sub][right]Three Specific Mentions - [@Silent Observer][@Barrett][/right][/sub]

[center]Every week Ryleigh told herself and her roommate, Gemma, that she was going to quit her job. At first it seemed like the right thing to do, though it had its perks - namely the brief hours and the opportunity to banter with some of the most dry newscasters this side of the Atlantic, but she couldn't escape the soul-crushing feeling that she was wasting her talents on a job she only got because the producer really wanted to sleep with her. And judging by the way he leered every time her segment came up she was certain he still thought he had a chance. Ryleigh learned fairly early on not to wear the little ear piece that the producers can feed lines into after the first month when her ear piece was overtaken by compliments on her dress. 

Of course Ryleigh knew that quitting her job was kind of an impossibility, she didn't exactly have any other career prospects given her lack of a college degree and the market was already cornered on flower shops and herbal establishments. Given that she was still expected to pony up her half of the ren, her job was a necessary evil. She wondered what her family would think knowing that for all the knowledge swimming around in Ryleigh's brain - knowledge about spells and witchcraft and other bits that would make a normal civilian believe themselves to be in a dream - that she wound up using it in order to read weather for a few minutes on the morning news every weekday. Her coven would surely be so proud. As if they kept tabs on her for any reason other than making sure the Raine name didn't drag itself through the mud any more than it already was. 

The absolute worst part was waking up. Technically news never slept but the morning news prided itself on being there for people that liked to turn the television on while they ate cold cereal and toast and needed a talking point for the water cooler when the hot show or sports were in the off season. Six in the morning every morning, which meant Raine had to be in the studio no later than five thirty. Fortunately Ryleigh had mastered the art of not making much noise when getting ready, Gemma didn't deserve to miss out on sleep because of Ryleigh's unique choices in life. Depending on the amount of coverage and breaking news, Ryleigh's segment came on anywhere between six thirty and seven and once more for the late arrivals at quarter to eight. Ten minutes, tops, with most of her work day spent in a chair while an underpaid intern put some bounce in her hair. 

It could be worse, Ryleigh justified, she could always be on the evening news as well. 

This morning saw Ryleigh take the early train to the news building, say her greeting to the poor desk clerk who existed just to tell people which elevator bank to go to, and arrive in the green room for the local news. It wasn't exactly the BBC - they probably had a bit more professional decorum comparatively - but it was still the news. Ryleigh didn't fully hate her job, of course, just the unfortunate personal inconveniences that every young professional surely felt; if there was a poll Ryleigh would be certain that ninety percent of people hated their jobs due to ridiculous reasons like 'not living up to their potential' or whatever. Though giving a weather forecast was not how a little Ryleigh envisioned her adult life, that she could get away with delivering the forecast in whatever manner she fancied (assuming it was fit for broadcast, of course) had kept her complacent for the most part. 

"Can you believe we're still on about this Bloodfang nonsense?" From the makeup chair next to Ryleigh came the sharp voice of Constance Chapin, one of the two anchors (three if one included Heath Darcy, who did sports) and who Ryleigh always said looked a bit like Emily Blunt which was meant as a compliment but wasn't taken as such. "I've heard of slow news days but this is ridiculous." 

Normally, Ryleigh wasn't the type to socialize with her co-workers when the camera wasn't rolling, but it was clear that Constance was trying to get some reinforcement. "Yeah, I can't imagine why people would wanna know about a guy that took out three girls. Sorry. Allegedly. Lawyers, right?" Ryleigh spoke up, doing little to hide her sarcasm. 

Constance either hadn't expected the response or didn't appreciate it. The anchorwoman turned her gaze to the weather girl and the tightly pursed lips might as well have been a wealthy socialite looking down the nose at a pauper for all the vitriol contained therein. "It's [i]nonsense[/i]. People actually believe this talk of 'Other'? That someone named Nick [i]Bloodfang[/i] exists? Gullible idiots, the lot of them. The people that believe this 'Other' bunk probably believe anyone who wears a pointed hat is a witch."

"Witches don't wear those hats anymore, they went out of style in like the 1800s." Ryleigh replied in full-on deadpan and it wasn't until Constance glared at her that Ryleigh cleared her throat with a little bit of laughter. Her little off-handed remark was not at all appreciated by Constance. 

"Viral marketing, that's all it is." 

Ryleigh kept her comments to herself and let Constance rant and rave in peace. Ryleigh did suddenly have an idea for the day's weather report, though, and she had to excuse herself and take a trip down to wardrobe. 

By the time the clock struck six, the Edgetoun News played its little ditty and the headlines were read off and reported on by the anchors. By quarter to seven Constance threw over to the weather. The weather report had its own name that Ryleigh requested by making a little request to the producer with winking eyes and a suggestive voice. Other news channels just had the weather. Edgetoun had 'Raine or Shine with Ryleigh Raine'. 

"Thanks, Connie." Ryleigh knew that every time she called Constance 'Connie' that the anchor hated it. Constance was likely to hate Ryleigh's outfit this morning since it looked like a strong case of 'Halloween come early'. Ryleigh had a black pointed witch's hat, complete with wide bill, and to complete the ensemble she had a black and red corset and frilly skirt and heeled boots, something that wouldn't look out of place in a costume store for 'Sexy Witch', albeit a tame version. She even had a little wand in her hand which doubled as a pointer. "Ladies and gentlemen it's February and you know what that means. That's right, it means it's almost March. Fortunately today is going to be a bit brisk but not like the biting chill of winter. You can get away with a light jacket though I would leave the shorts at home." 

Ryleigh gestured with her wand to the colored representation of clouds rolling in. "Of course it'll get cooler in the evening so for those of you who will be making the most of your Friday night, be sure to dress appropriately. It's hard to shake your stuff if your stuff is frigid. Do you ever shake your stuff, Connie, or are you too frigid?" 

The camera cut to Constance who was struggling to keep her composure. Before Constance responded the focus was back on Ryleigh who now stood to the side and let the weekend forecast display show up for the viewers at home. "As you can see we're in for a bit of a cool weekend but spring is ever on the horizon. Which of course means now's the perfect time to invest in an umbrella. And as some of you are aware, this Sunday marks the full moon. I am required to inform you that in light of recent stories to take certain precautions. That, ladies and gentlemen, is your weekend forecast. Raine or Shine, I'm always on time. Now here's Mister Darcy to tell you how ardently he admires and loves sports." 

When the cameras were off Ryleigh, she stepped away and went to the back to sit down and admire her handiwork. The job did have its perks. She might not have been quitting anytime soon, but she was sure that a certain anchor might be clamoring for her to be fired. It was the little things that made all the difference.

Ryleigh was out of the studio a little before nine and that was the best part of the gig. Early hours made for a fairly open schedule. The weather was kind of the most useless part of any given news broadcast given how easy it was to just check on a phone, but Ryleigh made the best of it. She had to give the people a reason to care and she settled on fun costumes and banter. Clearly it worked given she still had a job. With her job done and her attire back to normal, Ryleigh stopped into a coffee shop on her way back. Coffee wasn't normally her thing but her eye caught sight of a few pastries and often her stomach dictated the route. 

The coffee shop was definitely some place she'd expect to find a congregation of people discussing acoustic rock music for hours which made it definitively 'not her scene' but coffee was coffee and pastries were pastries regardless of clientele. She did have to roll her eyes as they looked over the menu. What the hell was a 'cappurr-ccino'? Ryleigh made a mental note to maybe not come back here again if that was the kind of thing this place was going for. Why couldn't places just have a regular menu? She sounded like an old person now. It was quite unbecoming. 

Ryleigh had her hands in the pockets of her jeans as she stood behind what she assumed was the only open register. An older man was talking somewhat intently with the young employee. It seemed like a private conversation but it wasn't as if Ryleigh could hear anything other than her own thoughts wandering and wondering who signed off on cat pun coffee menus. "You guys got like a May-December thing going on?" She spoke to the two of them with little regard for a filter. "Maybe you two can do your makeout thing later? I kinda wanna get a 'meow-chiato'." 

"Excuse me.." A voice from behind Ryleigh drew her attention away from the conversation at the register and came face to face with someone that Ryleigh didn't know. They seemed to be a bit on the meek side given the small voice; if Ryleigh had to guess this person had simply rolled out of bed and went out. It seemed otherwise impossible for hair to be so...frizzy or a sweater to be so ghastly out of style by at least twenty years. Was that [i]mauve[/i]? Did they make ANYTHING in mauve anymore? 

"Line starts behind me." Ryleigh figured that would be the end of the interaction but she hadn't noticed that the mauve-clad person had a cup of coffee already in hand. 

"Oh, no, not that. I...um...sorry if this is...you know...weird but...are you Ryleigh Raine? From the news?" 

This was a first. Not technically, she'd been recognized before, but this was a rarity. Rare enough to where it felt like the first time. Though Ryleigh was on television five days a week it wasn't like she was a household name like an actual actress or something which was great for maintaining anonymity. "Never heard of her." 

"You're funny in person too. I don't...I don't want a picture or anything I just wanted to say hi. I watch the weather every day." The person was either a fan or someone that just watched the news and by extension the weather. It was probably the closest they'd come to being star struck if Ryleigh had to hazard a guess. "Well...have a good day!" 

And before Ryleigh could think of something witty to say, they were out the door and on their way. Not the strangest interaction she'd had with a fan but still it made Ryleigh shake her head and turn back to the cross-generational lover's meeting going on in front of her. Just as she was about to make another comment, the other worker behind the counter stood at the second register and waved Ryleigh over. "Does this place know that cats are lactose intolerant or is it just a cute little joke that the milk drinks are cat puns?" Ryleigh pulled out a crumpled bill and glanced again at the menu. "Now is the meow-chiato different from the es-purr-esso and don't you think that's a bit lazy when you already have cappurr-cino? Could I suggest 'kitty-au-lait'?" Ryleigh was smiling at her remarks which made for one person smiling at them. "Yeah, I'll get the macchiato and a cream cheese danish." 

It seemed increasingly evident that Ryleigh wouldn't be coming back here anytime soon, if she wasn't barred from entry  for her cheek anyway.[/center]

[center][color=FFFF00]KAREN SCALETTI[/color]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/onOVbCK.png[/img][/center]
[sub][url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KVZR-x94tg]Give a little bit[/url]
[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KVZR-x94tg][center]Give a little bit of your love to me[/center][/url]
[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KVZR-x94tg][right]There's so much that we need to share. So send a smile, and show you care
[/right][/url][/sub]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/KA51pLW.png[/img][/center]

[center]Karen was running late this morning and that might as well have been the end of the world. She had always prided herself on being a bit on the punctual side but today was different. When the alarm sounded, yanking Karen from a happy dream where she was being given a cute little trophy for 'Teacher of the Year', she promptly put the pillow back over her head and pleaded for a few more minutes before somewhere in the back of her mind she convinced herself it was Saturday. That seemed right. It felt like a Saturday so it must have been a Saturday. There wasn't any school on Saturday so she didn't have to have office hours which meant a little more sleep before spending the day with a mug of coffee, a few crackers with cheese spread, and catching up on reality dating programs or seeing what streaming had to offer. Kind of the perfect Saturday in a way. She really wanted to know who was going to win the heart of the Bachelorette this series. 

The dreams of an ideal Saturday lasted for a good half hour before her children voiced their wish for breakfast. Still, not the worst thing to happen. She could get out of bed, feed her kids, then crawl back for another hour or so. The cries for sustenance only grew louder and Karen voiced her understanding as she crawled out of bed, bare feet sending a sudden shiver up her spine as she stepped on cold flooring. 

Karen rubbed her eyes as she crossed from her bedroom to the kitchen. Her steps were light but they seemed to echo off the plain eggshell walls which were devoid of any decoration; the only bit of decoration was a framed photo on the mantle in the living room. The photo in question was of Karen and her two children which was a bit of a hassle to get taken in the first place given how unruly kids could be. Karen's place was lived in but every bit of it felt like it was unoccupied. If it wasn't for the stack of mail on the coffee table it could almost seem like Karen was squatting; she wasn't, she just lived in a place where the only rooms that saw any use were the kitchen, the living room, and her bedroom which had a bathroom attached to it. There was plenty of space for others but there was only one pair of shoes. One person's clothes in the closet. A fridge of condiments and leftover Chinese takeaway. A drawer full of takeaway menus. A bedroom bookshelf full of pulpy novels with Fabio wannabe's on the cover. 

Karen set two bowls out and opened the cupboard next to the fridge. The familiar sound of bits of food clinking against the bowl summoned her kids from their own beds. "Hey, hey, wait until I put it down." Karen spoke with a softly stern voice but it was the only way to get the kids to back away. She set the bowls down on the floor, next to their water dish. "Breakfast is served." With a purr of acknowledgment, Raggedy Anne and Haggardly Randi dug into their food while Karen gave them space to enjoy their kibble. 

Though she would've liked to crawl back into bed she knew full well that once she was up she was up for good. Yawning, Karen took a seat in the living room, reaching for the remote and turning the television on. "Do you ever shake your stuff, Connie, or are you too frigid?" There was a little bit of relief in knowing that she didn't miss Raine or Shine, arguably the highlight of the otherwise dry morning news. It was strange, though, she didn't think Ryleigh Raine did the weather on Saturday. Karen's  eyes went wide as it became clear that today [i]wasn't[/i] Saturday at all. Now came the time to scramble. 

A quick shower, a quicker battle with her eternal frizzy bedhead, and a debate over the outfit of the day - a purple sweater and jeans won out in the end - and Karen was at least on track to make decent time. Her office hours started at nine and she had already wasted time in ignoring her alarm and taking her sweet time in feeding her cats. By the time she was out the door she had totally forgotten that she hadn't had breakfast. It wasn't even eight and she was already anxious and exhausted and wondering how she was going to make it through the day. 

One of these days Karen was going to invest in a car but with the absence of a personal vehicle she was going to have to walk as she did fairly regularly. Some days she arranged a ride but she tended to enjoy the walk, it wasn't all that long from her residence to the high school and public transportation was always handy so she never particularly minded the lack of a car. She was a bit pressed for time today, however, which led to a little bit of a quickened pace, especially since she would be going a little bit out of her way. While many students enjoyed their coffee from The Crypt, Karen found the name a bit bleak and its location even more so; Karen generally preferred going to the Daily Grind because where else could she get a cappurr-ccino? How adorable was that? Sometimes they even drew a little cat on the cup and that was always worth the extra trip.

It was a good half hour or so but she made it to the Grind and took a moment to catch her breath from her quicker pace. She stepped to the counter and ordered her usual: cappurr-ccino and a cranberry muffin, and deposited her change in the tip jar - along with a little extra - and she stepped to the side. Usually she would save the muffin for when she got to school but she needed the extra bit of energy so while she waited for her drink to be made she enjoyed the muffin. Most of it, anyway. The final few bites she almost choked on as she saw an incredibly familiar face enter the Grind. 

For what seemed like an hour Karen wondered if she should go say something. She'd never met someone famous, or at least someone that was on television before, and yet there was someone she had just seen this morning. She was so absorbed in the moment that it took the barista tapping her on the shoulder to hand over the drink for Karen to remember a few specifics. Namely her pressed schedule. In all her time coming here, she'd never seen [i]her[/i] here. What if this was a one time thing? She could just...say hello. Nothing weird about that. She would just be confident and friendly, like any other person. 

"Excuse me..." Karen approached and spoke up, there was likely not going to be another opportunity to just say hello. 

"Line starts behind me." 

"Oh, no, not that. I...um...sorry if this is...you know...weird but...are you Ryleigh Raine? From the news?" So much for the confidence. Karen could hear her voice shaking and wavering but she couldn't just tap out now, not when she'd jumped over the hardest hurdle already. There was something kind of intimidating about Ryleigh, it had to be because Karen knew hew from the news and she had built up in her mind the belief that people on television were somehow unapproachable by the average citizen. 

"Never heard of her." 

Karen chuckled at the comment. It was a good little joke and it probably came from a place of constant recognition. Karen was probably just another on a long line of people that Ryleigh had to deal with on a daily basis. "You're funny in person too. I don't...I don't want a picture or anything I just wanted to say hi. I watch the weather every day." If she didn't have a coffee in one hand she might've palmed her on forehead at that. Now Ryleigh probably thought Karen was a weird stalker type. She basically just admitted that she watched Ryleigh every day. A bit creepy. Now was the time to bail out before she made it worse. 

"Well...have a good day!" 

Karen didn't even wave before she was out the door and putting distance between her and the Daily Grind. She could never come back there. Not if she would run into Ryleigh Raine again and make things even more awkward. Maybe it was time to embrace the Crypt Cafe. So what if it was near a graveyard, it wasn't as if zombies would sprout up all of a sudden. Just when she thought that being potentially late was the worst thing that could happen today. 

Late. That's right. She had to hurry on. 

Karen jogged the last distance to Crowley High when she rounded the corner that the school sat on. She had to take a moment to catch her breath outside the staff entrance and to compose herself. When she stepped through the doors she wasn't 'Karen who lived alone with two cats', she was 'Karen who lived alone with two cats but also a guidance counselor who helped wayward teens make good decisions'. There was a very clear distinction between the two. 

Her office was as she left it. Her hard-earned degree hanging on the wall. The cabinet in the corner where her puppets lived. The guitar in the opposite corner for when she needed a musical touch to connect to the students. The comfy chairs to make the students feel at home and safe. Her desk with the screen saver of a cat pawing at a ball of yarn. Photos of Karen at various school events dotted her desk and the walls, along with several motivational posters (including no fewer than five that had cat motifs), and a few stress balls that sat atop her desk. There was an air of comfort and caring in every corner of her office, which was clearly by design. By her watch, she had made it with only a few minutes to spare. A bit close, but life was a series of close calls. She read that on a fortune cookie before. 

For what it was worth, the counselor was in.[/center]