[right][sub][color=crimson]LOCATION[/color] ⤑ [color=hotpink]School[/color]
[color=crimson]TIME[/color] ⤑ [color=hotpink]Morning[/color]
[color=crimson]INTERACTING WITH[/color] ⤑ Matthew [Acquaintance] 
[color=crimson]FEELING[/color] ⤑ [color=hotpink]Wondering what i should do next. Will Alyssa listen...?[/color]
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When Matthew mentioned her solo, Eva couldn't help but get nervous. Her Saturday performance hadn't been to her liking, and she didn't get a chance to prepare considering the events of the weekend. She knew Matthew meant well, but bringing up the recital stressed her out. She simply nodded politely in response, her brain screaming that she was going to mess it up. Just what she needed, to mess up the future she had planned out for herself. She shook her head, clearing out those thoughts. No, she just needed to focus. At that point, Matthew mentioned Arthur, and she couldn't help but smile. "[color=pink]He doesn't look it, but he's nice,[/color]" She said, though she found herself having to keep up with Matthew. As homeroom began, she made sure to pay attention, but her mind drifted off once again. Admittedly she was thinking about Arthur again, realizing that she didn't really know too much about him. Would he be receptive to her wanting to get to know each other better? Or would he reject it, saying they were better as friends? Well, he wasn't really treating her like a friend, or at least not any friend that she knew. How he went out of his way for her after she got kicked out, when they slept together...In the back of her mind, however, she wondered if he only saw her as a fling.

The thought continued as the day went on, and unfortunately, it was a rather distracting thought. As the bell rang and she packed up, she looked at him. Maybe she could try to ask him? But was asking him here such a good idea, or was it better to wait until later? She wanted to know [i]now[/i] though, and when she made up her mind, she started to walk over to him. "[color=orange]Eva,[/color]" Alyssa called out to her, stopping her in her tracks, and Eva stopped, looking between Arthur and Alyssa. Of course. Taking out her phone, she decided to shoot Arthur a quick text about meeting up for lunch ([color=pink][i]Um, there's something I want to ask you at lunchtime[/i][/color]), and then went to Alyssa. "[color=pink]Hey, what was with you and Helene this morning?[/color]" She asked as they walked out of the classroom, though her eyes fell onto the necklace in her hands. It was the same one she had the other day.

"[color=orange]Forget about her for a second. I need some advice from someone who's neutral,[/color]" She dismissed Eva's concerns. 

"[color=pink]Is it about Jacob?[/color]" She asked. "[color=pink]Helene said you two got into a fight.[/color]"

"[color=orange]Is that all she said?[/color]" When Eva nodded, she continued, "[color=orange]She's right. He said he wants me back, but I can't seem to find it in myself to trust him. If we did get together, it could get...complicated.[/color]" She sighed, pocketing the necklace for the moment. "[color=orange]But...as much as I keep telling myself it's not a good idea, I...[/color]"

Eva seemed to understand, taking Alyssa's hand in hers. "[color=pink]Aly, you don't even have to think about it. You should always go with how you feel first and foremost, everything else will follow,[/color]" She urged her rather passionately. "[color=pink]Come on, he's miserable without you, and you're sad without him, right? So there really isn't anything stopping you.[/color]" Her words seemed to affect Alyssa whether she realized it or not. In a way, however, she felt that she needed to take her own advice. There wasn't anything stopping her from just asking Arthur what they were. If he decided they were just a fling, then okay, but if there was even the tiniest chance that he returned her feelings, then why shouldn't she at least try? Staying in limbo wasn't doing her any favors. She looked at Alyssa for a reaction, noticing the brunette hadn't replied yet. She squeezed her hand, smiling. "[color=pink]You have to try,[/color]" She said gently. "[color=pink]Then at least you can say you did and not have to wonder 'what if'.[/color]"

Alyssa sighed, though she gave her a smile. "[color=orange]I really, really want to believe you.[/color]"

"[color=pink]I wouldn't be saying it if it weren't true,[/color]" She said confidently.

Shaking her head, Alyssa sighed. "[color=orange]Yeah...I'll...think about it...[/color]"

[hr]

Walking through the halls, Helene did her damnest to remain in the crowd, constantly looking around. Gigi was determined to corner her, and so far she managed to get herself into class before Gigi could catch her. As she neared her next class, someone pushed her towards the wall. Before she could turn to yell at them, she felt her arm getting dragged, and she let out a yell as she was dragged into a classroom. She fell onto the floor, only getting to watch as Gigi locked the door and pulled down the blinds. Damn it, she was so close! Scrambling to her feet, she laughed nervously, trying to appeal to her friend. Unfortunately, the cold blooded killer wasn't in the mood, her glare alone enough for Helene to hang her head in defeat.

"[color=orangered]Why did I think I could count on you for this?[/color]" Gigi asked, shaking her head. "[color=orangered]Instead of getting any information, or at the very least [i]trying[/i], you decided to just fuck him all weekend, didn't you?[/color]"

"[color=lightsalmon]Alright, fine! We did! And it was only because I was so damn preoccupied by everything, I couldn't think straight![/color]" Helene admitted, exasperated. "[color=lightsalmon]It felt good to let go for the time we had together, so sue me![/color]"

"[color=orangered]Let go--Helene, you lose focus anytime you're so much as in the same room as Terrance![/color]" Gigi tried to get her to understand.

"[color=lightsalmon]I do not. I just like spending time with him so that I don't have to think about everything else,[/color]" She insisted. "[color=lightsalmon]With him it's like nothing else matters. It's just us...[/color]" She fumbled with her hair as she spoke, her heart beating.

Gigi's eyes widened, and she slammed her hand onto the desk. "[color=orangered]Are you [i]listening[/i] to yourself?[/color]" She asked, incredulous. "[color=orangered]You love him![/color]"

No, no, it wasn't love. It was a mutual agreement. That's all it was. There was no way it was love. Releasing her hair, she approached Gigi. "[color=lightsalmon]No, I don't.[/color]"

Taking in a deep breath, Gigi recollected herself, although she gave Helene a stern look. "[color=orangered]I'm giving you one more chance. Either you get information from Terrance and get him to ally with us, or [i]I[/i] am going to get what we need doing whatever it takes.[/color]"

Helene nodded, and once the bell rang, Gigi unlocked the door, going along to her next class. The girl chose to stay put, taking out her phone instead. Gigi was right, she needed to get serious. Things were getting too complicated. She found her hands shaking as she tried to form a message to Terrance, but she ended up deleting it, holding her phone to her chest. No attachments. No feelings. No one needed to get hurt. But how was she going to get him to listen to her? Biting her lip, she tried to think of something. There was one way she could go, but it was risky. But she trusted him, so...this could go great or go horribly, horribly wrong. As she calmed herself down, she knew what she needed to do. Helene brought up her text history with Terrance, once again typing up a text, but this time she left it vague. No flirting. It went straight to the point.

[i][color=lightsalmon]We need to talk. It's important. Let me know when we can meet up.[/color][/i]

God, it wasn't anything like she usually wrote. But that was how she would get his attention, right?

[hr]

In the next town over, in one of the well-known hotels sat Ariadne in a room. Said room was well lit, untouched with the exception of the desk where she had laid down several maps, which had several black circles drawn with the exception of a single red circle. Leaning back in her seat, Ariadne's green eyes studied the piece of paper in her hand. It was a recent report she had requested from intelligence, the likes of which she had hoped would clear up one of her suspicions. The redheaded woman tapped her fingertips to the desk, multiple thoughts running through her head as she looked from the paper to the desk. She scratched her head, slightly frowning, although she perked up slightly at a knock at the door. Standing up, she took an envelope and her letter opener, peeling the envelope open as she opened the door. It was Evan, who raised an eyebrow as he closed the door behind him. "[color=darkorange]A letter opener, really?[/color]" He asked, shaking his head.

She pointed it at him, smiling. "[color=coral]It's sharp and I'm strong enough to pierce it through a limb, so you're lucky I like you,[/color]" She replied rather cheerfully, following him to the desk she previously sat at. "[color=coral]How'd it go?[/color]"

"[color=darkorange]What, interrogating that nobody? A waste, he was an obedient lamb who got lucky,[/color]" He replied, eyeing the map. Noticing the red circle, his eyes narrowed. "[color=darkorange]Are these the locations they've been hitting?[/color]"

Nodding, Araidne pointed to it. "[color=coral]That's where they spotted Helene's car. You say they got lucky, I say they're watching her,[/color]" She stated, placing the letter opener down and tossing the envelope into the trash. "[color=coral]They're gutsy, striking so close to where the Patrone and Munez families are. Bastien must be getting desperate, he's using more resources to find her than I suspected. The closer Bastien gets to Helene, the closer I realize he is to getting them.[/color]"

"[color=darkorange]You think the Patrone family would act?[/color]" He asked slowly. "[color=darkorange]Their allies are pretty tight-knit. We might not even have to lift a finger if he so much as steps a toe in the wrong direction.[/color]"

Ariadne seemed to agree, taking out a blue marker. "[color=coral]True, but...[/color]" She circled one of the houses.

"[color=darkorange]So now that you know she's safe, we can go,[/color]" Evan said.

"[color=coral]I want to agree, but...after the conversation I had with Giselle last night, I found out Helene is close to Brady's kid,[/color]" She sighed, putting a blue circle on the map. "[color=coral]If she says the wrong thing, it could mean trouble. Well, more trouble. Not to mention the Patrone kid is apparently in love with her.[/color]"

"[color=darkorange]Ah, to be young and in love...[/color]" Evan sighed. "[color=darkorange]I wonder what that's like.[/color]"

"[color=coral]It's dangerous is what it is. I wonder if the kid even knew he fell in love with his worst enemy's daughter,[/color]" She frowned, putting one more circle on the map. "[color=coral]Anyway, what [i]I[/i] was thinking was that if Helene talks to the right people, we could potentially get some business talk here.[/color]"

Evan hesitated. "[color=darkorange]Why Helene?[/color]" He asked.

"[color=coral]To get some experience, Gaspard wants her to take over when she graduates, and if she manages to set something up here, it'll be beneficial to everyone, and she can choose to stay if she desires,[/color]" Ariadne ticked off the reasons. "[color=coral]Or she can take my place, I would like to go back home if I'm being honest.[/color]"

"[color=darkorange]I like it here. The people aren't very bright, so it makes my job easier,[/color]" Evan admitted. "[color=darkorange]But you have a point. I'll go meet with her to discuss it.[/color]"

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