[right][sub][color=gray][b]Small Features.[/b] [color=288FC6]Francis Callahan[/color] & [color=C69BB8]Russel Lord[/color] [@BrutalBx]
[color=52796e]Maxine James[/color] & [color=c85d84]Vivia Belmonte[/color] [@LovelyComplex][/color][/sub][/right]
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[b][color=fff79a]The Party: December 4, 2016, Edenridge, MA[/color][/b]
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[color=gray][indent]The more the party progressed, the more she wanted to crawl back into her shell. Her conversation with Allison gave her a high that only lasted as long as the game did. Unfortunately, the more she tried to smile and impress, the more he looked at his phone. That fucking phone. Before Poppy knew it, Charlie had left the game early, leaving her and Jade behind. 

Penelope James wanted Allison’s courage. She wanted the head cheerleader’s lipstick to mask her weakness and create something that she wasn’t, which was a girl who had everything. Sadly, the more Charlie didn’t see her, the more invisible she felt. The more lonely she realized she was. Even here, at 13 Carlisle Avenue, where everyone was drinking and celebrating the Celtics win, she was alone. 

Where did Jade go? 

The Wallflower kept quiet, holding tightly onto her red cup of this strong, kind of disgusting punch. She found herself fading in the background, as she watched everyone enjoy themselves. Her green gaze went from Danilo Belmonte doing a keg stand with his seniors to Kylee Grimm taking selfies with the surrounding drunk people that she barely knew. 

While Poppy did find it interesting how hard her peers tried to fit in with the upperclassmen, she also felt sad for them. In return, she felt sad for herself. Was this what highschool would be like for the next four years? All of them trying to fit in even if they were just kids whose only job was to be young and dumb? Danny would certainly end up puking all night and Kylee probably wouldn’t even remember the names of all these strangers she pretended to like.

Heavily sighing, Poppy took a seat next to two jocks, not even bothering to take in their features or anything. She sat there staring deep into the liquid courage she barely drank. Her heart ached. Penelope didn’t understand why no one wanted to be with her tonight. It was selfish of her to think Jade would spend this entire night with her, babysitting, when her friend loved to party, and it was selfish of her to think Charlie would prioritize her for once. The punch in her cup rippled as one of her tears fell into it. 

No. 

She wasn’t going to cry. 

Nervously, the youngest James girl ran her finger under her left eye to make sure the water didn't cause her makeup to flake. Continuously, Penelope replayed Allison’s words from earlier today. There was only one her and she was unique. A fox even. Charlie was stupid. So stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Why would she cry over him? 

If Allison could hide her feelings through lipstick, so could she. At least that’s what she wanted to keep telling herself. The party had other plans for her as her thoughts were interrupted with a gentle and accidental bump. She turned to see the boys next to her only to realize how [i]intimate[/i] they were. Together.

Francis was lost. Lost in the moment. Lost in his mind. Lost in his heart. He was trying to be what everyone expected him to be and had been for so damn long; it was killing him. He loved Allison, he truly did but just not in the way that it was [i]supposed[/i] to be. For too long he had been Francis Callahan, the golden boy of Edenridge, MA. Pride of the Celtics. Few and far between were the moments he just got to be Francis Callahan; boy. 

Something about tonight had inspired him. Maybe it was shooting for all those points? Maybe it was because he set a record that would stand for years? Maybe it was because he finally got to see Roddy enjoy himself for a change and not be so wrapped up in the fate of the world? Or maybe, just maybe it was because he knew that Allison, his darling sunflower, was going through a tough time and now was as good a time as any to finally be who he was meant to be? He wasn’t sure how it started or when it would end, all Fran knew was that he and Russell Lord, fellow jock and alpha male were ensconced in an embrace like he had never felt before. 

[color=288FC6]“What is this, Russ?”[/color] The Butcher's Boy asked.

The golden haired Adonis who held him close, brushed his dark bangs to the side and smiled with a quiet confidence. [color=C69BB8]“It's your prize, Callahan, one night only. A free pass to Nirvana.”[/color]

Frowning, Penelope couldn’t help but watch the boys feel each other, touch each other, kiss each other. Not only was she made uncomfortable with how close they were doing this next to her but she also found herself swallowing hard in envy. The desire for her to try something like this with Charlie was so strong yet she held herself back time and time again. It was only when the blonde teen ran his fingers into the dark haired boy’s locks that Penelope realized who one of those boys were. Absent-mindedly and bewildered, she whispered, [color=fe6f5e]“Aren’t you… Allison’s boyfriend?”[/color]

Alarms set off when she realized she was ruining their moment and if she spoke any louder, she would bring attention to them and herself. What would Allison feel if she saw this? She didn’t want to know, but for Poppy, the sight of such a love story taking a turn for the worse, abruptly crashing like a trainwreck, absolutely devastated her and any romantic notion she had left in her teen heart. 

Her parents were far from perfect and honestly, at times, Poppy wondered if they still had love left in them for each other because they barely spent time with one another. This though? Was love even possible if the golden boy could cheat on the girl who had everything? What did this mean for her and Charlie? Swiftly, Poppy got up and ran into the crowd, hoping neither boy noticed her. 

Hearing a girl's voice, Francis turned in a sharp spin to see a small thing in a red dress hurrying out of the room. A wash of panic began to run through his body, calmed by Russell’s hand on his, he looked to the other boy and sighed. He knew that the pretends had to be up soon and that he had to live his truth. For his sake, for Allison’s, for everyone. 

[color=C69BB8]“Relax, Fran. Pretty sure it was a Pinehurst kid. You’re fine. Now come here, I gave you one free pass and it expires at midnight.”[/color] As the two resumed kissing, the clicking shutter of a camera was drowned out by the pounding music of the party.[/indent]
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[indent][color=fe6f5e]“Maxine, [i]please[/i]. I want to go home. I can’t find Jade, can we please go home?”[/color] Penelope interrupted her older sister who was playing spin the bottle upstairs with faces she couldn’t make out. The only face she did recognize was Nolan. 

Irritated, clearly with an objective in mind, the eldest James daughter glared at her sister, [color=52796e]“I said no, Penelope. I’m having fun, just call mom or something.”[/color] Undoubtedly annoyed, Maxine’s eyes never left the bottle when Nolan reached for it, getting ready to spin it. Her tone opened the floor for unneeded discussion. The group of drunkards came in like a wrecking ball, ready to be rude. 

“Yeah, stop being a baby.” A faceless boy insulted. 

“The baby didn’t drink enough. Go cry to mommy!” A dimwitted girl teased. 

“Max, that’s your sister? She’s fucking whack.” Another stranger complained. 

Instead of defending her, like her sister usually did, Max matched her surroundings. After taking a sip of her beer, she laughed and sarcastically responded, [color=52796e]“Come on guys, she [i]is[/i] a child. I guess this party is for big kids only!”[/color] There was a moment Max and Nolan looked at each other, but not in a tender and loving way. Disappointment washed over his face, which only caused Max to look away and continue to joke with those who would forget her name tomorrow. 

Nolan stopped himself from spinning the bottle. No longer interested in this game or party. Standing up, he shyly dismissed himself, [color=39B54A]“I’m out.”[/color] The group grumbled and bitched in displeasure as the empathetic boy took his leave without hesitation. 

[color=52796e]“Wait, Nol'!”[/color] After jumping up, Maxine took a moment to balance herself, inebriated. When she stood up tall and steady, she chased after her friend. Rushing past her little sister, Maxine dejectedly muttered, [color=52796e]“Thanks a lot,”[/color] before leaving Penelope's sight.[/indent]
[hr]
[indent]She wasn’t going to cry. She wasn’t going to cry. She wasn’t going to cry. 

Refusing to surrender to her emotional pain, Penelope walked down the stairs and defeatedly shuffled to the front door. When she reached for the door, she immediately pulled her hand back and jumped. Someone, a girl and an upperclassman, threw the door open with reckless abandon. With absolutely no fucks. And her expression was that of a mad woman. Penelope did note, however, that this stranger was [url=https://www.ladbible.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=648,quality=70,format=jpeg,fit=pad,dpr=1/https%3A%2F%2Fs3-images.ladbible.com%2Fs3%2Fcontent%2F6adaf0c960d01d8d05817789fa3c3e58.jpg]hot[/url].

[color=c85d84]“Where the fuck is he?”[/color] The blonde hissed under her breath. Unbeknownst to Penelope, she was staring at the furious and headstrong Vivia Belmonte. Danny and Natalia Belmonte’s older sister and Allison Davis’ best friend. In addition to all that, she was Reyrey’s “sex kitten” with tempting, sinful tinted eyes. That was kept a secret to everyone but Allison. 

The two girls were an iconic duo and coexisted together, one as a preppy cheerleader and the other as an inspiring artist. Both were some of the hottest girls in their year and knew each other since diapers. Their friendship lasted through all the trials of adolescence and not even their separate passions could keep them apart. They trusted each other wholeheartedly and if Vivia had to choose between someone and Allison, she would always choose Allison. That was just the kind of friendship they had. 

Stepping out of her way, Poppy watched the walking barbie saunter in and continue her pursuit of finding whoever 'he' was. Finally, the petite girl exited the building and walked down the sidewalk, aiming to get further and further away from the party. The park wasn’t too far from here. Thankful to the angry blonde for giving her a distraction from almost having a breakdown, Poppy picked up her phone and called her father a bit more composed than she had been before…

[color=fe6f5e]“Dad… can you pick me up?”[/color] [/indent][/color]