[center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/190210/295820ef8505ed107364fed18f36bd8e.png[/img]
[img]https://media.giphy.com/media/107pNN5KioUJs4/giphy.gif[/img]

[color=darkgray][b][i]With [color=A52A2A]Marisol[/color] and [color=CF5685]Julie[/color][/i][/b][/color]
[img]https://mkrada.gov.ua/files/368/Images_for_site/black-divider-png-groom-4-on-wedding-wedding-ring.png[/img][/center]
[indent][indent][color=darkgray]The second Marisol stepped back inside the tent, the girl felt like she’d been dropped straight into a episode of The Twilight Zone.

Stella Lambert was lip-locked in a kiss with Oliver Grayson: someone who Mari knew was as about as straight as wet spaghetti.

Beatrice, Archer and Kavan were attempting to do some sort of Bollywood-style dancing. Yup, that’s right: Archer Diedrikson, who’s knowledge of Bollywood dancing - or dancing in general- was about as vast as his interest in females.

Lucas Anderson was getting chewed out by Chanel Martin, and Jordan Henderson was refereeing the fight. [i]That[/i] was probably the least crazy of the hallucinations, seeing as it wasn’t far-fetched that Diablo’s ride or die would do something as dumb as he was to get himself in hot waters with the badass woman that was Chanel.

And, finally, Cousin Kavi getting ambushed by two girls while two others watched, none of which looked particularly pleased with him for a change. See, Sol always knew that Cousin Kavi’s playboy habits were bound to catch up with him eventually - that wasn’t the big deal. The [i]real[/i] surprise of the night was that the two girls currently cornering Kavi were none other than the two you would least expect: Pinkie Pie Nadia and Emo Queen Ariel. [i]How[/i] had that happened, Mari had no idea. But was it looking like an entertaining little scene? Hell yes. She would need to catch up on that later.

Shaking her head at all the weirdness going around, Mari looked around for any signs of Salem, but failed to spot him in the crowd. A frustrated sigh left her lips. She didn’t want to look like a complete loser just standing there by herself, so she begrudgingly made her way over to the two people she knew that were available to talk. Who knows? Maybe in the process she would show Sonny - and herself- that she was able to move forward with life.

[color=A52A2A]“Hey Julie!”[/color] Mari greeted the young woman, shooting the redhead a bright smile.The last time she’d talked to ‘the jewel of Crown Heights’ had been during Diablo’s party some time before. So much stuff had happened since then, but with her schedule now dominated by work and school, Mari hadn’t had the chance to do more than wave at her across the hall. It was finally nice to catch up with her, even if it was in passing. 

Julie had been deep in laughter at Sonny's reaction of the ballet picture when she heard the familiar voice belonging to Marisol Castillo. The red head just about pulled muscle smiling as she turned around to face her short friend. [color=CF5685]“Well, if it isn't the little stranger! How have you been? Feels like I haven't seen you in ages!”[/color] She exclaimed as she swept Marisol into a tight hug. 

[color=brown]“I know, right?!”[/color] Mari said happily, hugging Julie back with the same enthusiasm. When their embrace was over, the shorter girl gave the redhead an appreciative once-over. [color=A52A2A]“You look fucking amazing, dude.”[/color]

[color=CF5685]“Thank you so much! I had daddy get in from the vault. It's from the 94’ winter collection! I've been really in to vintage stuff lately!”[/color] Julie let the silky emerald fabric swish around her. [color=CF5685]“But don't let me bore you with that! Your dress is stunning! Very chic!”[/color] She said, looking at the petite girl appraisingly. 

[color=brown]“Why, thank you so much, sugar,”[/color] the shorter girl replied with a mock-southern girl accent, laughing while giving Julie a comically exaggerated bow. [color=brown]“You have my grandmother Marlena to thank about this one. There’s no way she was going to let me come in here in my shorts, my T-shirts and my beanie!”[/color] she chuckled. [color=brown]“I barely got away with the Vans as it is!”[/color]

Looking around she saw that Marisol was alone and no date in sight. [color=CF5685]“Where's your date? That hunky new guy that always follows you around?”[/color] Julie took a sharp inaudible breath and bit her lower lip, eyes shifting between Sonny and Marisol. Maybe that question wasn't so kosher considering the current situation. 

[color=brown]“He, um, had to take care of something real quick,”[/color] Mari responded in a small voice, purposely avoiding Sonny’s gaze and biting the inside of her cheek. [color=brown]“I’m sure he’ll find me soon.”[/color] There was something about hearing Julie talk about Salem like that in front of Sonny that made the girl uncomfortable. Although her whole mission was to show her ex-best friend she wasn’t the least bit affected by his presence, it was painfully obvious that she [i]did[/i] care, and didn’t want to hurt his feelings. 

Sonny had remained uncharacteristically silent during the entire time the conversation between Julie and Marisol had been going on. To save himself and even Marisol the grief (though he could very well tease her some more), he had to show that at least [i]one[/i] of them was the mature adult of the two. He didn’t know why he wanted to spare her the grief of making some offhand comment about Salem. Perhaps it was the company of Julie and his exposure to Nadia’s innocence that was rubbing off on him, but Sonny didn’t feel like causing trouble for Marisol tonight.

As he took his drink and sipped it slowly, he looked at Marisol briefly. It was a short glance, but he could see the work she put into looking good tonight. No matter what they may have been going through, he could appreciate how hot she was tonight. But of course, he wasn’t going to tell her that. 

[color=darkorange]“Clearly, this is a conversation you two want to have alone. I gotta shit, so I’ll see you around, Julie,”[/color] he said, giving Julie a quick hug. [color=darkorange]“See you around, Lil Sol~”[/color] He said almost affectionately, waving before darting towards the bathroom.

Julie whimpered as she watched Sonny made his way away from them. [color=CF5685]“Oh, I’m so stupid.”[/color] she whine, turning towards Marisol looking visibly upset.[color=CF5685] “I-I didn’t mean to… stir something up! I know you guys have had rough time. I should just have been quiet.” [/color]

This little confession immediately caught Mari’s interest. The short girl had been watching Sonny go with a pang of guilt in her when the redhead spoke up, making Mari whip her head around to face her. [color=brown]“Wait a second… What exactly do you know?”[/color] she asked Julie, eyebrow raised while the guilt morphed into suspicion.

The red head looked around and huffed as she grabbed Marisol by the wrist and dragged the small girl towards an empty table. When they had settled down, Julie swept her hair behind her shoulder and leaned closer to Marisol so she could talk at a lower volume. 

[color=CF5685]“So, I don’t really know much, but Sonny had told me that you guys have not talked at all for a while. And that he didn’t really know why you… well, ghosted him.”[/color] 

Marisol’s jaw fell open in disbelief, brows furrowing even further in her forehead. Her head was swimming with alcohol and now anger about the blatant lie Sonny had told Julie: a not-so-hot combination that would have her putting her foot in her mouth in no time. [color=brown]“That he didn't-”[/color] she stuttered but trailed off, taking a second to scoff before carrying on with her slurring speech. [color=brown]“But he DOES fucking know, Julie! He knows perfectly well why I did! He’s not stupid enough to not fucking know why!”[/color]

Julie cocked her head to one side and looked at her friend with a confused face. [color=CF5685]“Well… So why are you two not speaking then?”[/color] she asked quietly.

[color=brown]“I did tell him, Jules! I told him how I felt when I was back in the preserve after the whole incident with Vic! And you know what he told me?!”[/color] she cried out, visibly getting upset at remembering what part of the story came next. [color=brown]“He chuckled and shook his head and told me with a smile that I was probably so doped up on benzos that was the meds talking!”[/color]

[color=CF5685]“Okay, okay”[/color] Julie cooed in a calming tone grabbing Marisol’s flailing hands. [color=CF5685]“I get it sweetie, calm down.”[/color] she rubbed the girls hands with her own. [color=CF5685]“We both know that Sonny isn’t the… uhm sharpest when it comes to feelings. But don’t you think he would say that to cover what he really feels? Even if he didn’t have the same feelings as you?”[/color] Julie’s eyebrows knitted together in thought. [color=CF5685]“And I’m not taking sides or anything!”[/color] she interjected sensing a a complaint coming. [color=CF5685]“All I am saying is, do you really think that ignoring each other solves anything?”[/color]

Marisol was silent for a few seconds, analyzing what Julie was saying. She had a point: ignoring each other had probably done more harm than good in this particular situation. But what else was she supposed to do: confront him again? To have him dismiss her feelings again? [i]Miss me with that gay shit.[/i] [color=brown]“I just thought that if I put some distance between us the problem would fix itself.  Clearly that's not what happened here…”[/color] she muttered, shaking her head in disappointment. [color=brown]“I miss my best friend, but I'm not about to put myself in the spot again. If he wants anything to do with me again, he can tell me himself.”[/color]

Julie sighed [color=CF5685]“Well if that’s how you feel, I’m not going to argue with you.”[/color] she straightened up in her chair. [color=CF5685]“But don’t tell me he hasn’t tried, Mari… I’ve seen the texts, left on read. Take it from someone that has been ignored by a best friend, that stuff hurts… for a long time.”[/color] her voice growing quieter as she remembered her sophomore year when the incident with Santiago went down and April chose sides.

Mari's eyes narrowed in suspicion. Since when were Sonny and Julie close enough for him to show her any messages he'd sent Marisol? Had he made the redhead her replacement already? How long had that been going on? Whatever it was, Sol certainly wasn’t standing by it.

[color=brown]“I don’t know what text messages he's been showing you, because we haven't even looked at each other since the little scene he pulled on me and Sal at the cafeteria on the day the pairings were announced,”[/color] she replied, voice now dripping with annoyance. [color=brown]“And how does this ‘not taking sides’ thing work, exactly? Because all I've been hearing since I sat down in this fucking chair is all in defense of Sonny, as if he was some altar boy who wouldn't hurt a fly. Where was this defense for me when I told you that he fucked and dumped me last summer?”[/color]

[color=CF5685]“Watch it, Castillo!”[/color] Julie hissed, clearly taking offense to the hostile tone being thrown at her. [color=CF5685]“I have only been stating facts here. And I seem to remember spending the good part of an hour on the back of a truck trying to calm you down?”[/color] she huffed and crossed her arms. [color=CF5685]“Look! I’m not saying he is innocent in anything he has ever done, but neither are you. And don’t you dare shift your anger towards me! If you guys want to play these games with each other, go right on ahead, but keep me out of it!”[/color] The redhead stood up, pushing her chair back as she did so. She took a calming breath and shifted her eyes back towards Marisol. [color=CF5685]“If you value your friendship with Sonny, I suggest you get your priorities straight. That’s all I’m going to say.”[/color] And with that, the redhead turned on her heel and pushed through the crowd of dancing people.

Marisol’s heart sank as she watched the very upset Julie storm away from their table, her green eyes immediately swimming in tears. Fucking great: she’d managed to alienate the one female in King’s Academy without a judgmental bone in her body who’d been willing to listen to her and offer good advice. And why? All because she’d, once again, let herself be consumed by the alcohol and allowed the negative emotions overtake any sort reason.

Before anyone could see her break down, Mari took a deep breath and left the room, making her way towards the parking lot. Frankly, she was done with Homecoming and all the stuff that had happened. If she’d known this is how things were going to happen, she would have left the party a long time ago.

When she reached her date’s car, she pulled out her phone and sent Salem a quick text message:

[indent][color=brown][i]Where are you? I’m outside waiting by the car. I’ve had enough of this bullshit and I want to go home.[/i][/color][/indent]
[/color][/indent][/indent]