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[indent][indent][color=darkgray]It felt as if one more ghost had joined the army floating around Edenridge High that night. At least, that's how Jillian felt. Well aware of just how pathetic she looked curled up on a floor that heralded the bloody end of so many dreams lately, floating above a body that for all intents and purposes was already dead to the world. Jillian wanted to scream at herself to stop feeling so god damn sorry. To stop letting the past continue to bury her under everything it put her through, even as it continued to pile on. But it was a futile effort.

Brains are assholes like that after all.

So she sat there, tears in her eyes as more fighting broke out, another remnant of the past as her ride clashed with her nemesis. Again. The bad blood between Kylie Grimm and Natalia Belmonte was very well known, and it didn't take a lot of arm-twisting on Kylie's part to get Jill to side with her in that battle. From when they were kids, Natalia had been nothing but an absolute bitch to her whenever she visited Danny's place. Jill learned how to give people the side-eye because she was on the receiving end of countless glares from the twin. As much as Jillian tried to put olive branches out there, Natalia only wanted to break them and use them as kindling. So it wasn't surprising that the sparks from that fight reignited in this pressure-cooker situation.

Also not surprising that Danny and Lanie went to try and quell that instead of paying any attention to her at all. They had well and truly abandoned her. Jill contemplated for a second asking Decky to just put her out of her misery since he probably had experience...

Then she was reminded of the force that brought her here.

She could almost feel her essence sucked back into her body through the warmth on her forehead. It seemed to have healing properties that would make the Catholic Church call in its panel to determine its status as a miracle. The tears stopped as she looked back up into the eyes of Miss Midnight. How appropriate she led Jill away from that harsh light, if only for a moment.

[b][color=C652D5]”Come on, baby. We’re gonna end this.”[/color][/b]

The vigor was renewed, stronger than any fortification vodka would provide at this time. As Mei turned to address the assembled masses in the hallway, Jillian shakily pushed herself back up to her feet. Her fellow former cheerleader was marshaling the forces to head back to Carlisle Street. Just one thought was going through her own mind at that moment, overriding everything else.

[color=FD9100][i]I would follow this woman to the gates of hell and back...[/i][/color]

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The twenty-minute walk gave some time for the redhead in the group to think. She still held onto the now empty vodka bottle, content to have something to hold onto during the walk while indulging herself in the latest discussion to take up real estate in her brain.

[color=FD9100][i]Do I really want to ask her that? I mean, we spent the whole day together with time flying by. So many days. Like they're nothing. She wasn't sick of me, even like this. She pulled me out of this. But she's my best friend... Heh, all those people who thought I would end up sleeping with my best friend but betting on Danny would have been completely wrong. She wouldn't go for that though. I can't imagine. I mean, how would we discuss the headlines from the previous night if we already knew what happened?[/i][/color] As the familiar fallen remains of the Sinclair house came into view, she had to come to some conclusion and her conclusion was...? [color=FD9100][i]Are you sure this isn't the booze talking, Bean? You know damn well how you get when you're drinking. Think about this tomorrow maybe and see if you still want to go to that spot.[/i][/color]

The presence of ReyRey Gonzalez made it a lot easier to table the conversation with herself. Jillian knew that if Hailey was going to get her in at the Edge, she was going to have to go through ReyRey, so she did her best to maintain some level of presence that didn't invoke pity. ReyRey admitted it wasn't him writing the letters but he started to take the ex-students of Edenridge back to the day that Allison Davies breathed her last breath. It wasn't hard for Jillian to join him. The reason she made so many trips to this house was to go back to that night...

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[b]December 4, 2016, Edenridge, MA, 13 Carlisle Avenue, ReyRey’s Party House[/b][/center]

[color=FD9100]"I'M THE QUEEN OF THE WORLD!!!!![/color]

[color=147129]"You're going to be the queen of the emergency ward if you don't get back in here! C'mon, Red!"[/color] the [url=https://wikiramp.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Connor-Swindells.jpeg]male in the Edenridge letterman jacket[/url] beckoned.

Jillian pouted and climbed back in off the roof of the awning that overlooked the house that served as the staging point of the celebration of what would be a long line of Pinehurst defeats. It was proving to be a night of firsts for her. The first victory in cheer competition over those Pineheads. Her first (and second, third, fourth and fifth at that point) alcoholic beverages. And not 10 minutes ago, the first time she got to third base with a boy. [color=FD9100]"I'm sorry! I'm just... really freaking happy right now, you know?"[/color]

[color=147129]"I wish all the other girls were as happy as you are after what you just did. Would make my life easier."[/color]

[color=FD9100]"As fun as that was, it's not just that. It... I don't know. Just feels like things are really falling into place. Like this is who I'm meant to be. Even... doing that. By the way, how was I? I mean, for a rookie and all. I know I've been exceeding expectations tonight, so I'd love to keep that streak going."[/color]

The boy ran his hand over his hair to slick back the beads of sweat while coming up with a diplomatic answer. He didn't dare say that Jill wasn't quite up to the levels as her more practiced sister. In fact, mentioning Grace at all seemed to be a bad idea. [color=147129]"You kept it going, all right. If that's your first effort, I'd say you're going to be going places in that regard."[/color] Jillian beamed and went to kiss him, but he held up his hand. [color=147129]"Easy there! Go down another couple Breezers, wash the taste out, then you can go ahead and do that."[/color]

[color=FD9100]"Sorry! Still new to this whole process. Duly noted though. And your feedback will help improve this service in the future."[/color]

[color=147129]"Any time you need feedback, girl, let me know."[/color] He snapped the fly on his jeans and stood up from the meager bed that served as the staging grounds for their endeavor. [color=147129]"C'mon. We should clear out and get back down to the party so someone else can have their fun... Jill, right?"[/color] He knew damn well it was Jill, but she didn't need to know he knew that.

Jillian nodded affirmingly. [color=FD9100]"You got it! I'll probably get back to my friends, so maybe I'll see you around... um... sorry I don't know why I'm blanking right now. I'm usually so good with names! I swear I have a memory like an elephant!"[/color]

The boy laughed and dismissively waved his hand. [color=147129]"Don't worry about it. It's Mike. Mike Barrie. I'll see you around, Jill. Don't go practicing too much without me, all right?"[/color] Michael turned and left with a more positive wave as he faded out of sight.

A giggle escaped Jill's lips as she gave a quick glance in the dirty mirror, fixing the straps that had come askew during her time in the room. [color=FD9100]"I don't know what could make this night better,"[/color] she said softly to herself as she went to rejoin the party. 

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