[color=lightgray][right][sub]Right before ‘Keep My Head Above Water’ and after ‘Dawn Patrol: Seraphina’ Monday Morning [@LovelyComplex] & [@BrutalBx][/sub][/right] [center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/220525/da772403c101007e7372e7ea24bf4161.png[/img] [color=f8f8ff]____________________________________________________________________[/color] [img]https://i.imgur.com/TcDXOFU.gif[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/O8tkF21.gif[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/q4LyEuT.gif[/img] [color=f8f8ff]____________________________________________________________________[/color] [img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/220525/f0d21545058ac10590bec72cf62ef040.png[/img][/center] [indent][indent]Kylee had kissed her girls goodbye, distracted and on a mission. Jericho had revealed a new letter, after a whole month of nothing, and now Kylee couldn’t stop [i]thinking[/i] about the contents and about her friend. To be honest, the letter didn’t seem like it was written by Charlie Decker. If anything, the letter showcased a girl head over heels for one of Edenridge’s star basketball players. A young one who was hopelessly devoted to the deceased David O’Hara. Mei offered to drop Lorelei home at the Mercer residence and Kylee gratefully accepted because she needed to focus. She needed to call her friend. Riding her bicycle to Cafe Rochambeau, with her laptop bag hanging from her body, Kylee with her earpiece on told Siri to call Clay C. He might be driving around and unable to pick up but she could do her part as his friend. She wanted to know if he was aware of the letter and how it talked about his friend, which means any future letters would undoubtedly focus on him and his friend group. The Scooby Doo Crew needed to pick up on their investigation. Who knows what the next set would be about? What if someone found out about her father’s skeletons before she did? When she went straight to voicemail, Kylee accepted the outcome, even though her stomach was twisting and turning in anxiety. [color=a95963]“Hey, Clay. Call me? I have a feeling you already know what this is about… just call me. Please.”[/color] Worried, Kylee was worried about Clay and no opinions she had over the controversy during her sophomore year with the ‘pedophile’ matter. What mattered was how he was holding up and how his friends were. There’s his story, her story, and then there’s a truth. No one knew the truth, not really, and she knew all too well that stories could easily get overdramatized, embellished, and changed entirely for the benefit of someone. Edenridgers would eat that shit up. People loved drama. The whole incident that year didn’t sit well with Kylee. It didn’t sit well then and it didn’t sit well now. The Mayor’s daughter decided that was one shitshow she wouldn’t make worse. One issue she would avoid. The Elite were sacred and one had fallen from grace. Thankfully, at the time, Roddy pulled her away from all the drama and kept her focused on keeping him company and supporting him through his plights. He was a much needed distraction. Kylee’s mind was blown away, baffled and dumbfounded, with how everyone seemed to forget how good of a guy David was. She recounted memories with him where he gave her some sound advice, especially during that one time he found her crying on the bleachers when no one else was in the gym. Crying about something revolving around her father. He understood all too well the high expectations of a man with influence. His father, Coach, her father, the Mayor. That talk made her see him in a light she didn’t have for many people. She respected David. Unfortunately, all the good things he ever did was thrown out the door once they found out he was fucking someone underage. Don’t get her wrong, if it was indeed true, it was morally wrong but she could only imagine how the girl felt because Kylee completely understood when you want to be with someone, age meant nothing. If only they had waited until the girl turned eighteen. If only David didn’t die. Once she got to the cafe, she secured her bike on the rack and sped into the cafe. She didn’t usually come back to the cafe but she needed a place to think, without the distraction of her house. Part of her hoped Wes wouldn’t come to the cafe… she didn’t necessarily want to see him nor did she want to go to his place like she usually did after Dawn Patrol. The morning rush had been and gone, Colleen had gone out back for a cigarette and Poppy wasn’t working that day because finally the young flower had decided to push forward with life. All of which meant that Beau was by himself behind the counter when Kylee Grimm came sweeping in for the second time that day. [color=E4DF9B]“Mon Cheri,”[/color] The former English teacher greeted with his usual jovial grin but the grimace on her pretty young face told a tale and unfortunately, Beau knew exactly which one. [color=E4DF9B]“Something to take the edge off Miss Grimm?”[/color] [color=a95963]“It’s a bit too early to drink, but I will have one of your yummy donuts,”[/color] Kylee beamed at her old English professor, hoping she wasn’t too easy to read with how she was feeling. [color=a95963]“Chocolate frosting, rainbow sprinkles…. and mocha iced coffee. Let’s change up my usual.”[/color] Beau was shocked to see her face again but he was sweet and never turned a customer, regardless if they may or may not have a pastry problem. Besides, this was one of his kids, how could he say no? [color=E4DF9B]“Coming right up.”[/color] He took a gorgeously decorated obsidian glass with intricate fleur de lis patterns from a nearby rack and began to mix up her Grimm heiress’s coffee order. While Beau made her drink, she asked him if he had the letter on him - if anyone already knew what was going on, it would be Beau. [color=a95963]“Can I please borrow it for a few? I’ll give it back before I leave. I don’t really want to trek home just to see if it’s in my mailbox.”[/color] Her work as Velma was never over and she needed to analyze the new lead. The letter had been the first thing that Beau had read that morning. It was at the top of the pile of mail when he entered the cafe several hours ago. He recognised the stamp and his heart sank. It was happening again. The beautiful departed being dragged from the graves to inflict pain upon the living. Beau knew every student that ever graced his English classroom inside and out. He knew how they thought, how they felt and what made them tick. He knew when he was fighting a losing battle and trying to get Kylee Grimm to drop a mystery was like asking a one legged man if he could win an ass kicking contest, it was pointless. [color=E4DF9B]“Soft eyes, Kylee. Don’t stare, don’t squint. Read it, absorb it, feel it.”[/color] He handed the letter over the counter along with the young girl's drink. [color=E4DF9B]“I’m here if you need me.”[/color] Tapping her finger uneasily on the letter, Kylee stopped Beau in his tracks by clearing her throat, [color=a95963]“Mr. Beau, I… I don’t usually go to you for things but,”[/color] Glancing around her, the Mayor’s little girl sighed in relief when she saw the only other customers leave the building. [color=a95963]“What… no, how would you confront your wife if you found out she hasn’t been telling you the whole truth? What do you do… to show you’re trustworthy?”[/color] Beau cocked an eyebrow, it was unusual for Kylee to ask him for advice. There were always certain students who needed his guidance all the time, some occasionally and a few not at all. Kylee fell into the latter. He poured himself a cup of coffee and leaned over the counter, just a little closer to his young charge. [color=E4DF9B]“Well, as you know, I used to be homicide back in New Orleans. Back then, I saw a lot of things, lot of bad voodoo and whenever I came home, the first thing I did after I kissed my Colleen was tell her everything that had happened to me, every gory detail.”[/color] He took a sip from his cup of Java and his lips curled a little, damn the big man made some great tasting coffee. [color=E4DF9B]“On the rare occasions I didn’t tell her something, whatever the reason, it wasn’t good enough. If she thought I was lying, she would sit me down, put her hand on mine, look into my baby browns and say Sugar, everything now, all at once, I need to know. Honesty is the best policy. Even when we lie for the right reasons, it’s still wrong.”[/color] [color=a95963]“Is it a lie if he just didn’t tell me?”[/color] Kylee was in disbelief. What Beau had with Colleen, it was so genuine and pure. She was starting to realize maybe she took her infatuation with Wes too far. He wasn’t really into her. They drank. They had a good time. But he wasn’t into her. If he did, he would be honest with her. [color=a95963]“I don’t know what my boyfriend is afraid of, maybe it’s because I’m a Grimm. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong.”[/color] Frowning, Kylee pulled her coffee to her lips and took a sip. This conversation only meant one thing. She probably should break up with him. [color=E4DF9B]“It ain’t you honey,”[/color] Beau began. [color=E4DF9B]“Whatever hang ups or problems this boy has are his own. He’ll have a reason for not telling you something, whether it’s good or bad I don’t know and I can’t judge because that is not my place. It’s yours. Only you can decide what is worthy for you.”[/color] The elder man took another mouthful from his Americano before standing back up to his full height. [color=E4DF9B]“Speak to this boy, Miss Grimm. Ask him what you need to ask him, then make your call. You know your worth, he needs to know it too. All the pieces matter, baby girl.”[/color] With an appreciative smile and a heavy heart, Kylee nodded at Beau’s good advice. [color=a95963]“Okay, I won’t run away…”[/color] Another customer came in, causing her professor to bring his attention elsewhere. Before he walked off Kylee thanked him, wholeheartedly. She wasn’t one that needed therapy, or perhaps she was too stubborn to notice when she needed help, but this conversation was exactly what she needed to face her problem head on. After her heart to heart with Mr. Beau, Kylee took a pen out and started dissecting the letter, annotating it, and listing names of people that surrounded David’s friend and family group in her notebook. She continued to write notes and make another list of the people she thought of when she looked at the handwriting. It looked so familiar. There weren't many people with this type of delicate, angular, and gracefully fluent penship. Staring at some of the words, hovering over the paper as it sat on the bar, tapping her pen repeatedly on the counter, Kylee couldn’t help but think about the monthly deadline day where her class sent their written essays forward to pass down the line and land in Beau’s hands. Was the writer of this letter someone in her class? Her mind was running a million miles per hour when her phone buzzed and she rushed to grab it, seeing Clay’s name on her caller ID. [color=a95963]“Clay! Sorry for calling you during work, you free to talk?”[/color] [color=BCDD81]“I’m literally just finishing up,”[/color] Clay sat parked in his car outside of the O’Hara house. He had made his report and sent it to Chief Broadus and sent a quick text to Sly too to give him the heads up on the shit storm that was about to head their way. [color=BCDD81]“I’m assuming this is about what was in today’s mail?”[/color] [color=a95963]“Yes. I read the letter during my show,”[/color] Kylee placed the pen down and stared at her donut. Not touching it or eating it, all she did was stare at it. She didn’t know if they were at this level of friendship yet, but the mayor’s daughter was starting to care about Clay like she cared about Roddy. Well, maybe not to that extent, but close enough. Enough for her to want to check on him and let him know he has someone in his corner, if he needs it. That he wasn’t alone. [color=a95963]“... you okay?”[/color] She didn’t know how else to phrase it. Her worry was simple. She just wanted to be there for him. While she would never understand his pain from her sophomore year, Kylee was still a good person and could show compassion when she wanted to. [color=BCDD81]“I’m okay,”[/color] Clay responded. [color=BCDD81]“Does it fucking suck worse than Pinehurst first five line up? Hell yeah but that won’t stop me from getting this motherfucker.”[/color] He kept the phone to his ear as he brushed his other hand through his famous hair. [color=BCDD81]“What I can tell you is that this letter isn’t about David.”[/color] He picked up Jamie’s letter from the passenger seat and stared at it for a few moments in silence. [color=BCDD81]“This letter is about the girl, the one they never named. David’s name is already mud. Whoever this is, they want to drag the girl down too.”[/color] [color=a95963]“The handwriting looks really familiar…”[/color] Kylee whispered in response, before shaking the random theories out of her mind. Grabbing the donut, she finally took a bite of it, calmly and quietly chewing, [color=a95963]“I don’t think it’s that black and white, Clay. The letters target not just the people involved. The whole Allison show didn’t just hurt the cheerleaders and Vivia and whoever else was in her circle. All of Charlie’s friends? They were [i]crying[/i]. Did you see the video that was posted online? That was such a hard watch.”[/color] Her eyes grew distant as she stared into her drink, chewing her donut, [color=a95963]“This is a public statement. Whoever sent this is angry. Why else would they expose something so close to the heart, a love letter, for the whole town to see and judge? They’re mad and I think it has everything to do with David.”[/color] [color=BCDD81]“Either way I’m gonna get this guy. This is my family.”[/color] Clay, the most easy going, chilled, most lackadaisical person walking God’s Green was pissed, he was angry. [color=BCDD81]“Do whatever you can Kylee. We need to get them before someone gets seriously hurt. Give me a call if you figure out anything.”[/color] He hung up the line and threw his phone down. This fucking sucked. [color=a95963]“Oh… okay,”[/color] Kylee didn’t get a chance to say goodbye but at least she was able to check on him. He wasn’t doing okay. No matter what he said she knew he wasn’t doing okay. It was obvious though that he needed space. [color=a95963]“Bye then.”[/color] She’d do her part and look into the letter and go around town to find more bread crumbs. She was thinking of starting off on the northside, bothering a few girls who may have the same penship as the one in this letter… Consuming all her donut, she wiped her fingers on the napkin and grabbed her phone. She opened the text thread she had with her boyfriend. After scanning through the text messages, she typed: [i][color=a95963]We need to talk.[/color][/i] And sent. [/indent][/indent] [/color]