Member
RPM
Kaithe Dame
Deadline
Moon Child
Plank Sinatra
Pathei Mathos
Sadie
canaryrose
Stryder BC
SpicyMeatball
It’s a brand new day in Salem, Illinois. After an eventful day for some of Salem’s most prominent citizens, this new day presents its own batch of challenges to test the limits of their patience and how much they can handle. But it is also a day to let loose and have a little fun. Whether you’re a member of the Horton, Carver, and Brady families hanging by the lake for the 55th Annual 4th of July Celebration, a member of the Castillo Family enjoying the day with either your family or somewhere in town, or a Zima at home, celebrating the 26th birthday of the second-eldest child, Katinka Zima, this is a day full of wonders and happiness. It’s filled with love.
Whatever happened before today, it does not matter. Be with the ones you love. Enjoy the day as much as you can. Give your all to the celebration. Give your all to your family and friends. Have a blast and never forget that the Sands of Time stops for no one, so savor each and every moment while you can.
Whatever happened before today, it does not matter. Be with the ones you love. Enjoy the day as much as you can. Give your all to the celebration. Give your all to your family and friends. Have a blast and never forget that the Sands of Time stops for no one, so savor each and every moment while you can.
H a p p y 4 t h o f J u l y !
LOCATION — Eva's room
INTERACTING WITH — Zeke [@Proseiac], Dmitri Zimma (Papa)
MENTIONED — Ali, Colin, Adrian, Kat, and Eli
TIME — 7-8 AM
INTERACTING WITH — Zeke [@Proseiac], Dmitri Zimma (Papa)
MENTIONED — Ali, Colin, Adrian, Kat, and Eli
TIME — 7-8 AM
As she sat there in her bed for nearly thirty minutes, Eva thought about yesterday and how so many things happened. Some good like seeing her big brother, Alec back in town. It was nice seeing him, though he did look like he had seen better days. There were also some unfortunate like running into Eli Horton and how his girlfriend, Ali Brady, thought that somehow she had something worry about by Eva and Eli knowing each other. The fact that someone put the idea in her head that something was going on with Eva and the redhead’s boyfriend was outrageous. Eva tried to explain it to her that it wasn’t what it looked like, but by the time Eva finished, Ashton told her to get back inside.
No one would have ever thought Evangeline Zima would willingly leave a conversation, but when her supervisor requested her back in, she took it without a moment’s hesitation. And then, when she recalled the moments that followed, Eva met this boy. She had served him drinks earlier in the night. “I think he was that cop Brady's brother. Uh, Colin? No, that’s the brother’s name. Zeke?” She murmured, trying to remember his name. “Oh! Zeke. Ezekiel. I don’t know. He was cute, though.”
Suddenly, she found her thoughts about yesterday leave her as the blonde would now be solely focusing on Zeke. His face. The way his hair seemed to compliment his boyish features. And those eyes of his, they were like two pieces of delicious milk chocolate that she could get lost in forever. And unlike most boys/men around her age, who all seemed to be concerned with getting her into bed, by the way, Zeke was so nice. She only talked to him for a few moments, but when Colin had stepped away with Adrian Castillo (yes she knew of him from her encounters with his siblings), she was able to squeeze in words here and there. Though short, Eva got a really good vibe from him. She gave him her number before he left so they could perhaps meet up later today before all of the celebrations.
“Well, actually…”
Eva rolled off her bed, reaching over to her nightstand. She struggled to get her phone on the first try, though she managed to snag it on the second one. Scrolling through her phone, she landed on Zeke’s name. She started to type a message - a message that said the following:
Okay, that felt good. Like really good. Eva had a positive feeling surge through her body after she sent the trio of text messages Zeke’s way. She hoped he didn’t think she was weird or anything. Oh god, what if he does? She nearly lost it again and was going to pick up her phone and send him another one. Thank Allah that she was stopped by a knock on her door. Oh the God was being good to her today.
“Eva? You awake?” She heard her father knock a few times. Hard.
“I’m up, papa!”
Under normal circumstances, her father would’ve left well enough alone, but today was obviously not like all days, so he walked in. Eva wasn’t improper, but she wasn’t presentable in the way her father would’ve liked. She was wearing a T-shirt and a pair of shorts. And as Dmitri walked in her room, dressed like he was about to walk into Zima Enterprises and run the empire like he did every day.
“You’re still not dressed, Eva?”
“I’m sorry, Papa. I had a late shift at The Edge last night. I didn’t get home until 3.”
“Is everything okay, sweetheart?”
“Oh yeah, it’s all fine here. Just tired, is all.” That was the biggest fib that left Eva’s mouth. And she knew that her father knew it.
Damn it.
Dmitri took a seat next to Eva. “Talk to me. What’s going on?”
Eva hesitated, unsure if she wanted to take the focus away from Kat. Today was her big day. Though Kat wouldn’t make a big fuss about it, Eva wanted it to be as special for her. Talking about her silly schoolgirl crush on Ezekiel Brady was not only doing the total opposite of what Eva wanted to do, she didn’t know how to explain it to her father without setting off his overprotective dad instincts.
“You know I won’t leave until you tell me. So, out with it, Eva!”
She pouted, though she eventually just sighed and gave into her father’s persuasive demands. She couldn’t possibly say no to him. She was, after all, daddy’s little girl. “I’m not sure how to say it, but I kind of like this guy.”
“Kind of?”
“Well, it’s all still new. I met him while at work last night. His name is Zeke Brady.”
“Oh.”
That’s all that Dmitri said, but it held such weight in poor, Eva’s heart. “Oh? Why ‘oh’?”
“I know of a Brady. He’s a detective on the Police Force. Not a bad guy, I suppose. He has issues.”
“What sort of issues?”
Dmitri seemed to be thinking about it. “It’s not really important. What matters is that you seem quite smitten with this boy. I can just tell by the way you speak about him. You should invite him to your sister’s party.”
“I mean..” Suddenly Eva was grabbing at her blanket, looking away.
“Unless you already did.”
“I texted him. No reply yet.”
Dmitri laughed.
“What’s so funny?”
“Oh, no I’m not laughing at you, angel. You just remind me so much of your mother when I first met her. Believe it or not, but she was just like you.
She didn’t know what he meant by that. Her mother was nothing like her. Eva was so sunshine happy-go-lucky all the time, though this morning was an exception since she’s been all butterfly-nervous. Natasha, her wonderful mother, was confident and her hero. She was the type of person Eva hoped to be. Her mother and Kat, though her sister’s demeanor was sometimes more like their father’s, have almost the same level of grace and confidence. Then there was Eva. Now, that wasn’t to say she didn’t have her own confidence, but there were so many better women than her. She just didn’t compete.
Eva, once again, got lost in her own thoughts and completely forgot to respond to her father. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Papa!”
Dmitri smiled at her, waving away her apology. “No need for that.” He clapped his hands, standing up. “I’m going to go downstairs. Why don’t you shower and join us whenever you’re ready? Your sister, I’m sure, will be thrilled to see you, as will your mother.” Dmitri held his arms out, inviting her to give him a big hug.
And so she did. She hugged Dmitri as tight as she could, almost holding on for dear life. “I love you, Papa,” Eva said affectionately.
“And I you, angel.”
She stayed on her bed a few minutes after her father left, letting all the thoughts that had come and gone from her mind return only to leave again. This time, however, she took this as the perfect time to do something productive. Today was hopefully going to be a good day for her and her family.
Hopefully...
No one would have ever thought Evangeline Zima would willingly leave a conversation, but when her supervisor requested her back in, she took it without a moment’s hesitation. And then, when she recalled the moments that followed, Eva met this boy. She had served him drinks earlier in the night. “I think he was that cop Brady's brother. Uh, Colin? No, that’s the brother’s name. Zeke?” She murmured, trying to remember his name. “Oh! Zeke. Ezekiel. I don’t know. He was cute, though.”
Suddenly, she found her thoughts about yesterday leave her as the blonde would now be solely focusing on Zeke. His face. The way his hair seemed to compliment his boyish features. And those eyes of his, they were like two pieces of delicious milk chocolate that she could get lost in forever. And unlike most boys/men around her age, who all seemed to be concerned with getting her into bed, by the way, Zeke was so nice. She only talked to him for a few moments, but when Colin had stepped away with Adrian Castillo (yes she knew of him from her encounters with his siblings), she was able to squeeze in words here and there. Though short, Eva got a really good vibe from him. She gave him her number before he left so they could perhaps meet up later today before all of the celebrations.
“Well, actually…”
Eva rolled off her bed, reaching over to her nightstand. She struggled to get her phone on the first try, though she managed to snag it on the second one. Scrolling through her phone, she landed on Zeke’s name. She started to type a message - a message that said the following:
Okay, that felt good. Like really good. Eva had a positive feeling surge through her body after she sent the trio of text messages Zeke’s way. She hoped he didn’t think she was weird or anything. Oh god, what if he does? She nearly lost it again and was going to pick up her phone and send him another one. Thank Allah that she was stopped by a knock on her door. Oh the God was being good to her today.
“Eva? You awake?” She heard her father knock a few times. Hard.
“I’m up, papa!”
Under normal circumstances, her father would’ve left well enough alone, but today was obviously not like all days, so he walked in. Eva wasn’t improper, but she wasn’t presentable in the way her father would’ve liked. She was wearing a T-shirt and a pair of shorts. And as Dmitri walked in her room, dressed like he was about to walk into Zima Enterprises and run the empire like he did every day.
“You’re still not dressed, Eva?”
“I’m sorry, Papa. I had a late shift at The Edge last night. I didn’t get home until 3.”
“Is everything okay, sweetheart?”
“Oh yeah, it’s all fine here. Just tired, is all.” That was the biggest fib that left Eva’s mouth. And she knew that her father knew it.
Damn it.
Dmitri took a seat next to Eva. “Talk to me. What’s going on?”
Eva hesitated, unsure if she wanted to take the focus away from Kat. Today was her big day. Though Kat wouldn’t make a big fuss about it, Eva wanted it to be as special for her. Talking about her silly schoolgirl crush on Ezekiel Brady was not only doing the total opposite of what Eva wanted to do, she didn’t know how to explain it to her father without setting off his overprotective dad instincts.
“You know I won’t leave until you tell me. So, out with it, Eva!”
She pouted, though she eventually just sighed and gave into her father’s persuasive demands. She couldn’t possibly say no to him. She was, after all, daddy’s little girl. “I’m not sure how to say it, but I kind of like this guy.”
“Kind of?”
“Well, it’s all still new. I met him while at work last night. His name is Zeke Brady.”
“Oh.”
That’s all that Dmitri said, but it held such weight in poor, Eva’s heart. “Oh? Why ‘oh’?”
“I know of a Brady. He’s a detective on the Police Force. Not a bad guy, I suppose. He has issues.”
“What sort of issues?”
Dmitri seemed to be thinking about it. “It’s not really important. What matters is that you seem quite smitten with this boy. I can just tell by the way you speak about him. You should invite him to your sister’s party.”
“I mean..” Suddenly Eva was grabbing at her blanket, looking away.
“Unless you already did.”
“I texted him. No reply yet.”
Dmitri laughed.
“What’s so funny?”
“Oh, no I’m not laughing at you, angel. You just remind me so much of your mother when I first met her. Believe it or not, but she was just like you.
She didn’t know what he meant by that. Her mother was nothing like her. Eva was so sunshine happy-go-lucky all the time, though this morning was an exception since she’s been all butterfly-nervous. Natasha, her wonderful mother, was confident and her hero. She was the type of person Eva hoped to be. Her mother and Kat, though her sister’s demeanor was sometimes more like their father’s, have almost the same level of grace and confidence. Then there was Eva. Now, that wasn’t to say she didn’t have her own confidence, but there were so many better women than her. She just didn’t compete.
Eva, once again, got lost in her own thoughts and completely forgot to respond to her father. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Papa!”
Dmitri smiled at her, waving away her apology. “No need for that.” He clapped his hands, standing up. “I’m going to go downstairs. Why don’t you shower and join us whenever you’re ready? Your sister, I’m sure, will be thrilled to see you, as will your mother.” Dmitri held his arms out, inviting her to give him a big hug.
And so she did. She hugged Dmitri as tight as she could, almost holding on for dear life. “I love you, Papa,” Eva said affectionately.
“And I you, angel.”
She stayed on her bed a few minutes after her father left, letting all the thoughts that had come and gone from her mind return only to leave again. This time, however, she took this as the perfect time to do something productive. Today was hopefully going to be a good day for her and her family.
Hopefully...
LOCATION — The Edge Nightclub
INTERACTING WITH — Shawn, Jess @SpicyMeatBall
MENTIONS — The Cunstillos, Jess, and the Brady Family
TIME — 11:45 PM
INTERACTING WITH — Shawn, Jess @SpicyMeatBall
MENTIONS — The Cunstillos, Jess, and the Brady Family
TIME — 11:45 PM
Nothing in the past twelve hours gave Colin any joy. If he could erase the last day from his memory, then he would, but nope! He had to remember being reduced to a lapdog for that god-forsaken Castillo family. If it was bad enough that he had to do their bidding during the day, when he was trying to enjoy his night off from the hell at his day job - running on little sleep and a lot of caffeine, mind you - that bold Adrian Castillo had the gall to pull him away from Zeke, whom Colin was trying to get to let loose, so he could serve as a bodyguard. The only upside of that whole ordeal was the free drinks that were put on Adrian’s tab. The downside? Colin woke up with the worst hangover of his life.
But thank that stupid Jesus Christ for his family’s hangover cure.
“Let me guess? Hungover again.” Shawn shook his head at his son. “Honestly, Colin, this is the fifth day in a row. You need to pace yourself or that liver of yours will give up on you.”
Colin didn’t bother responding to his father. One, he didn’t feel like wasting his words, especially not when it came to Shawn. And honestly? Colin was feeling like shit. He didn’t even want to hear the sound of his own voice, let alone the sound of Shawn’s judgmental tone.
“Not going to talk, huh? Fine, have it your way.” Shawn rolled his eyes, pouring Colin a cup of coffee. “Your Clam Chowder will be ready in five minutes. And, if you can make it, come by the lake later. I don’t care if you don’t want to see me at all. Do it for your mother and siblings. They’ll miss you.”
He pretended he didn’t hear any of that, but Colin had no choice. And as much as he didn’t want to admit it, his father was right for a change. He could harbor a hatred for his father all he wanted, Colin would never hold that same kind of negativity towards the rest of his family - least of all those who never judged him like Shawn did. His mother, his sister, Ali, and brother, Zeke - especially Zeke. those three were the main reasons he hasn't offed himself. They are the reason why Colin didn’t drown himself even further into an early grave, or, god-forbid, retreat back to the reason why he’s a recovering drug addict.
“Fine, I’ll stop by this afternoon,” Colin said as Shawn had stopped. He didn’t turn around, though one could assume there was a sense of pride and happiness in Shawn. Of course, Colin wouldn’t know this. Both men were too proud to even ask that question. Shawn simply went back to his duties as current manager of the Brady Pub.
Not before long, Colin’s order of his Great-Grandmother’s famous chowder came in a bread bowl. Growing up, Colin always loved eating her chowder. He knew the recipe, but he couldn’t make it worth shit. Thankfully, the chef they had working at the Pub was a genius. It was so tasty. It had a salty, yet spicy, flavor to it. The secret was to toss in an extra pinch of red chili flakes and a dab of the house specialty hot sauce. Colin liked it extra spicy, especially when he needed a quick fix for his consistent hangovers.
Colin finished the bowl in record time. The same waiter came by to refill his coffee and take the empty bread bowl to the kitchen. When they left, Colin took out his phone, going to a specific contact. It was Jess. He sent the following text:
As he set his phone down on the table, Colin let the thought sink in about Jessica Horton - the one who got away, or maybe instead of that, the one Colin screwed up with. Yeah, that sounded more accurate. He didn’t even know if she would be willing to meet up. Truth be told, one other reason why he wouldn’t have shown up at the lake today wasn’t just because of his father. It wasn’t just because of his strained relationship with some of the members of the town. It was not wanting to dredge up old, painful memories for Jess. If he removed himself from her social life, she wouldn’t need to be reminded of the shit time they had during their high school days.
Oh well. Only time will tell if she wants to or not.
But thank that stupid Jesus Christ for his family’s hangover cure.
“Let me guess? Hungover again.” Shawn shook his head at his son. “Honestly, Colin, this is the fifth day in a row. You need to pace yourself or that liver of yours will give up on you.”
Colin didn’t bother responding to his father. One, he didn’t feel like wasting his words, especially not when it came to Shawn. And honestly? Colin was feeling like shit. He didn’t even want to hear the sound of his own voice, let alone the sound of Shawn’s judgmental tone.
“Not going to talk, huh? Fine, have it your way.” Shawn rolled his eyes, pouring Colin a cup of coffee. “Your Clam Chowder will be ready in five minutes. And, if you can make it, come by the lake later. I don’t care if you don’t want to see me at all. Do it for your mother and siblings. They’ll miss you.”
He pretended he didn’t hear any of that, but Colin had no choice. And as much as he didn’t want to admit it, his father was right for a change. He could harbor a hatred for his father all he wanted, Colin would never hold that same kind of negativity towards the rest of his family - least of all those who never judged him like Shawn did. His mother, his sister, Ali, and brother, Zeke - especially Zeke. those three were the main reasons he hasn't offed himself. They are the reason why Colin didn’t drown himself even further into an early grave, or, god-forbid, retreat back to the reason why he’s a recovering drug addict.
“Fine, I’ll stop by this afternoon,” Colin said as Shawn had stopped. He didn’t turn around, though one could assume there was a sense of pride and happiness in Shawn. Of course, Colin wouldn’t know this. Both men were too proud to even ask that question. Shawn simply went back to his duties as current manager of the Brady Pub.
Not before long, Colin’s order of his Great-Grandmother’s famous chowder came in a bread bowl. Growing up, Colin always loved eating her chowder. He knew the recipe, but he couldn’t make it worth shit. Thankfully, the chef they had working at the Pub was a genius. It was so tasty. It had a salty, yet spicy, flavor to it. The secret was to toss in an extra pinch of red chili flakes and a dab of the house specialty hot sauce. Colin liked it extra spicy, especially when he needed a quick fix for his consistent hangovers.
Colin finished the bowl in record time. The same waiter came by to refill his coffee and take the empty bread bowl to the kitchen. When they left, Colin took out his phone, going to a specific contact. It was Jess. He sent the following text:
As he set his phone down on the table, Colin let the thought sink in about Jessica Horton - the one who got away, or maybe instead of that, the one Colin screwed up with. Yeah, that sounded more accurate. He didn’t even know if she would be willing to meet up. Truth be told, one other reason why he wouldn’t have shown up at the lake today wasn’t just because of his father. It wasn’t just because of his strained relationship with some of the members of the town. It was not wanting to dredge up old, painful memories for Jess. If he removed himself from her social life, she wouldn’t need to be reminded of the shit time they had during their high school days.
Oh well. Only time will tell if she wants to or not.
