[color=ccccff][table] [row] [sup][h3][b][color=2e2c2c] ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅ [right]▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅[/right][/color] [/b][/h3][/sup] [/row][row][cell][color=2e2c2c]______________________________________[/color] [center][img]https://i.postimg.cc/bwqJtP3b/tumblr-caa3d1f4f4634cc54c0dbd237c320ebf-9c2b71b7-250.gif[/img] [/center][/cell] [cell][indent][/indent] [img]https://i.postimg.cc/vBZ5Bxqq/49f2a031596fc55ef6e3f19dcc6353d1.png[/img] [color=cc99cc][sup][b]______________________________________________________________________________________[/b][/sup][/color] [sup]⭐ [color=cc99cc][b]LOCATION[/b][/color] ⭐ [/sup] Vega Residence [sup]⭐ [color=cc99cc][b]OUTFIT[/b][/color] ⭐[url=https://i.pinimg.com/736x/74/df/8b/74df8b357f6415dc51f0898021f148a6.jpg[/url]comfy casual[/url] [/sup] [sup]⭐ [color=cc99cc][b]INTERACTING WITH[/b][/color] ⭐ [/sup] Her grandparents and sister (NPCs) [color=cc99cc][sup][b]______________________________________________________________________________________[/b][/sup][/color] [/cell] [/row] [/table][/color] [center] [color=cc99cc][sup][b]______________________________________________________________________________________[/b][/sup][/color] [/center] [color=ccccff][indent][indent][indent]“Mija, for the last time, we’ll be fine. We have electricity!” Alejandro insisted, giving his granddaughter a firm, yet gentle smile. Alejandro Vega was a lot of things. Stubborn? Absolutely. Adamant? Almost every time you tried to change his mind, but he was also gentle when he could be. The scare of the blackout was a lot worse than he would ever be willing to admit to anyone, but Stella was able to pry it out of him. Things got scary for him and he felt in his lungs. Even with the checkup that Ellie made in the afternoon and throughout those three days, Stella found out from him and him alone that he was worried. But he never let his wife know. Stella promised to keep it between them, but it was during that day that she and her abuelo had a heart-to-heart. She admitted her stress and expressed it was not because of him and his fall or abuela’s failing health. She put too much on herself and knew she had to rely on not just Luna but Sylvester and them as well. Fast-forward four days and that’s how the current situation came to be. Ellie, earlier in the day, promised they were doing fine. Their vitals were strong and with everything seemingly fine with the power grid and the electricity flowing through the residents of Pines consistently, she didn’t have to worry about it going out when she went out. It was Luna’s idea for Stella to take an evening for herself and with the festival happening, what better way than for Stella to enjoy time out with Luna. That’s when the worry about Alejandro and Soledad came into conversation. “Mija…” Soledad’s soothing voice spoke this time, looking at Stella with a smile, “We are going to be okay. You already made us dinner and Dr. Ellie said she is just a phone call away. If something happens, we’ll call her and she’ll call you.” Her face went from gentle to almost as adamant as her husband. “Now I’m saying this cause I love you, [abbr=But if you don't get your ass out of here, I'm going to order Taco Bell right through the door.]Pero si no sacas el culo de aquí, voy a pedir Taco Bell justo a través de la puerta.[/abbr]” The way that Stella [url=https://gifdb.com/images/high/itati-cantoral-gasps-in-spanish-z7nsppzb75w2n0ex.webp]gasped[/url] was almost comedic if it wasn’t fueled by the absolute terror of fake, plastic Americanized mexican food. [color=cc99cc]“Abuela, you wouldn’t…”[/color] The face Soledad made was practically daring Stella to refuse. In the end (and fifteen minutes later), Stella came down from upstairs, [url=https://i.pinimg.com/736x/74/df/8b/74df8b357f6415dc51f0898021f148a6.jpg]dressed[/url] for the late evening heat in a bohochic playsuit, showing off just a little of her cleavage and wearing black ankle boots. She also, for good measure, had a simple tan cowgirl hat on top of her dark locks. It was, after all, the south and this town of hers, for all that she despised about it, was proud of that and she figured she would at least dress the part. Luna, on the other hand, went with causal jeans and a [url=https://i.pinimg.com/1200x/24/9d/47/249d47169e3aaabff8a63c416d6ddae1.jpg]blue midriff[/url]. She had a black cowgirl hat. Both were dressed for the event and in whatever way they would, they’d at least try and enjoy the evening. They said their goodbyes and when the door closed and they were both in Stella’s Dodge Durango, the engine wasn’t started yet and Stella just stared at the garage door. She was still debating whether this was a good idea or not. She was still wondering if it was right to leave. Stella broke down last week and even though that had lifted a lot of weight off her tired shoulders and then having that honest talk with Alejandro, she still felt wrong for enjoying herself. [color=b0e0e6]“Hey..”[/color] Luna’s hand was on Stella’s shoulder and the older Vega sister looked over, biting the inside of her lip like she was trying not to break down [i]again[/i]. [color=b0e0e6]“They’re going to be okay for a few hours. You’re allowed to enjoy yourself--”[/color] Luna stopped mid-sentence and reaffirmed her tone, [color=b0e0e6]“[i]We’re[/i] allowed to enjoy ourselves. Just because they need our help doesn’t mean we can’t be allowed to take breaks. They’re old but not dead.”[/color] Stella hated that Luna had to remind her of that. Weakened but not useless. Not there yet, she always told herself. Not there yet. Something about that grim, realist, honest reminder shook the last bit of guilt out of her. As the engine revved and Stella pulled out of the driveway, Luna smiled. [color=b0e0e6]“And I don’t know about you but I plan on at least getting 3 big ass teddy bears that I can sell on Ebay as [i]collector items[/i]. Big City folk will go for anything if you slap [i]rustic[/i] to it.”[/color] Stella shook her head but couldn’t deny it. She lived as a “big city folk” for close to three years and, as bad as it was, Luna was right. They went crazy for the idea of a small town. If she had her choice, though, she wouldn’t ever wish the daily life of it on any of them. That was a thought Stella would keep buried deep and drove in the direction of the festival. [/indent][/indent][/indent][/color]