NeoAJ

Vanguard: Calder City

I’m already fighting the urge

@BrutalBx

Resist Brutal. Cause if you do that, I'm gonna have to make a love interest who has fallen from grace and finds your edgy character in the pits of her despair and has them help guide her out of it.

Vanguard: Calder City

It is truly a blessed thing to be in an RP where posts keep rolling in before I get caught up.

@Lord Wraith

I am already worried I'm going to be too rusty and my quality is not going to match that which I am seeing, but I will certainly try my damndest to meet that bar.

Vanguard: Calder City

Dang, Emily Rudd, cool FC

@Fabricant451

Thank you! I wanted to use her in the last RP I was in before I took a break from the site, so I figured she was a good FC to build my returning character around.

Vanguard: Calder City

<Snipped quote by NeoAJ>

Melissa is currently on holi-bobs, so if you're okay to wait we'd appreciate it.

@Colonel Sep

Yeah, it's no problem.

Vanguard: Calder City

Hi. I'm alive-ish. Can I play?

We're all a little different once the midnight hour hits...

C R Y S T A L L I N E
C R Y S T A L L I N E

^{"When I came to Calder City, all I wanted to do was make people see the beauty around them, but now I think people are so focused when I perform as Crystalline, they just ignore it and focus on me... which is quite the pickle..."}

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C H A R A C T E R P O R T R A I T C H A R A C T E R P O R T R A I T _________________________________________________________ (FC: Emily Rudd; Dialogue: 5584AC) _________________________________________________________ S U M M A R Y S U M M A R Y _________________________________________________________ Michelle Allison Tierney _________________________________________________________ January 20 | 31 _________________________________________________________ Single (For Business Purposes) | Female | Pansexual S T A T S S T A T S _________________________________________________________ Height | 5'8" _________________________________________________________ Hair Color | Varies, but currently Brown _________________________________________________________ Eye Color | Blue _________________________________________________________ Hometown | Kamloops, BC, Canada -

H I S T O R Y H I S T O R Y ___________________________________________________________________________________ Michelle Tierney's story is almost too stereotypical for her upbringing. Born to a real estate agent and an arena maintenance worker in the heart of the BC interior, the young girl was immersed in the best of Canadian culture. Growing up around the rink as her father kept the Sandman Arena ice in immaculate form, it was natural for Michelle to have an affinity for frozen exploits. Unbeknownst to the local population, Paul Tierney was a super, and his daughter inherited his gifts, but wanted to take them to the next level. The young woman was a star hockey player growing up, but was unable to parlay that into long term success after taking a crushing hit into the boards during her junior year at Minnesota. She swore there was super speed at play, but either way her shoulder and knee were so banged up she wasn't able to physically maintain the pace on the ice without tapping into the powers her father swore her to keep quiet about. Michelle quietly retired and started looking into acting as a way to get the fame she thought she deserved while hiding the powers she felt the world deserved to see. She moved to Vancouver following graduation and landed a few minor roles in local TV productions before moving to Calder City five years ago to try her luck in a more vibrant setting. While she was unable to parlay her Canadian credits into something more substantial, she found a home on a stage in the West End as part of a regularly performing burlesque show under her stage name Crystalline. It isn't glamorous, but it helped pay part of the bills, with the other half coming from her barista duties during the daytime. Her reputation has been growing within the social scenes, hopefully leading to a brighter future in the city. A B I L I T I E S A B I L I T I E S __________________________________________________________________________________ Michelle, much like her father Paul, possesses cryomancy abilities. She has the ability to form ice crystals using moisture in the air around her and form it to her whim. Paul subtly used this ability to create the smoothest ice surface in Canada, as well as make sure his family enjoyed the full pleasures of Canada's winter wilderness, but was adamant that they didn't need to make a fuss about it so that people were coming to them for everything. Michelle doesn't subscribe to that theory and has been expanding her abilities while in Calder City. She is able to control the temperature of liquids she touches in order to chill them, hence her iced mochas being the best ones on offer at AlleyCat Coffee House. She can shape frozen liquids with ease, forming perfect ice balls for drinks and perfect tiny blades when she's threatened. Her favorite trick to do is one she has perfected on stage. Once of her fellow cast members will spray a gentle mist from an elevated position and Crystalline will harden the droplets in a flash, creating a surreal diamond-like shimmer to surround her as she's spinning and dancing, like a brilliant flurry. Michelle also has the ability to withstand frigid temperatures with ease, almost always seen in a pair of shorts and a tank top even in the coldest weather Calder City has to offer. The problem for Michelle is that given her father's clamping down on the abilities the family was given, she has no idea what she can actually do with them. Can she make a frozen death ray that coats a city block? Can she bury an unsuspecting villain in a sudden avalanche? How quickly is she able to create an ice sculpture of Calder City Cougars star Brycen Daniels? These are limits she's never tested, and wants to push, but it's tough to do that without attracting unwanted attention. P E R S O N A L I T Y P E R S O N A L I T Y __________________________________________________________________________________ There are three personas to Michelle, that all show various facets of her personality. The Michelle that holds a senior server position at AlleyCat is a perfect example of Canadian politeness. She can tell by a glance what kind of drink or baked good a person usually needs, and is willing to offer a friendly ear for a moment or two while someone is chitchatting waiting for their order. She maintains a level of responsibility and a watchful eye over her co-workers to the point where she gets referred to as "Auntie Chelle" by some of the younger members of the team. She's not thrilled about that distinction, but she wears it all the same in the coffee shop confines. The Crystalline persona is confident, sultry and demands to be the center of attention, all traits that Paul Tierney would have despised seeing his little girl portray out in public. When Michelle puts on that ice blue wig and dusts the rhinestones onto her face, any visage of submissive behavior takes a backseat to the woman who commands the room with a frozen fist. Crystalline doesn't fear anything or anyone, and does her best to project that value for people in the crowd that need a reason to believe. With all the attention some supers have been getting, she wonders if she should take her act to the next level, maybe doing an ice knife throwing routine with volunteers. She has no doubt she could make it work. The woman that remains when both those identities are cast aside has some issues to work through. Michelle knows that she didn't capitalize on the gifts she had in the arena, nor in front of the camera, and she is a little neurotic about it now that she's crossed over the 30 threshold. She does her best to hide it on the rare occasions she goes out socially, but it eats at her and does color her actions even without the costumes she wears at both her jobs. Plus, being single, she worries that she's been too cold to those that might try to get to know her closely and thus she remains in her one-bedroom apartment with only her cat for company. Not that Snowflake isn't good company, but while Michelle is trying to piece together these psychological conundrums, the Ragdoll cat can only offer a stare that demands soft food, and that doesn't set the Canadian's mind at ease. M O T I V A T I O N S & G O A L S M O T I V A T I O N S & G O A L S __________________________________________________________________________________ Turning 30 puts some things in perspective, and it's finally convinced Michelle that hiding her abilities in the shadows are not the way to go to accomplish what she wants in life. Her father was adamant that relying on powers to get ahead in the world was no way to find satisfaction, but then what is? Michelle's done playing down her powers, and she wants to use them, get better with them. Get the fame that she knows she was destined to achieve before life waylaid her plans with various pitfalls. Maybe it's time for a third job to get her name on people's lips. If Crystalline can wow the crowds at the theater, then surely she can do so in the streets of Calder City as well! Proving to herself and to her father that their cryomancy isn't something to be sheltering from the world is now a rising goal in her mind and she is certain she can handle the rising notoriety and pressure it would bring. It has to be better than what she's doing now. If she can't fully be herself in Kamloops or Vancouver, she sure as hell would do it in Calder City. Secondary to those goals is the hope that Michelle can finally find her people, ones that don't need the barista or the burlesque personas to enjoy her company. While she has friends among her co-workers and fellow performers, they only see the versions of Michelle that suit those particular worlds. Ultimately what Michelle needs is someone who can help shoulder the load of what she's been carrying since the first time her father told her not to do anything that would bring attention onto the family, and help her take the next step in her evolution as a superhuman.

No Joke

Her name was originally Aurora, then I saw Eddie's sheet and had to quickly change it up...

Corsair Adventures (Invite Only)

Callie Emery

Callista Harriet Emery

FC: Sol Ruca



^{Color: FF7F50}

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AKA: Callie, Cal, Surfer Girl

Age: 23 (Born September 9, 2002)

Position: Water Guide (Surfing, Parasailing, Snorkeling)

Nationality: American

Home: Hale'iwa, Hawai'i, USA

Education: Bachelor of Science (Environmental Science) '23 - Long Beach State, Long Beach, California

Returning Crew Member: Yay, Third tour

Experience: Callie heard about the job in during her junior year at LBSU and given her affinity for the water, she leaped at the chance to get paid, and paid well, for doing things that she wanted to do anyway. After working as a General Guide in the first year, she was promoted to primary guide for sports that have to do with water, where her years of surfing, swimming and paragliding were put to great use. She's picked up snorkeling en route to being trained to scuba dive as well, but the surf is her passion.

Personal Statement: "So, I've never really been big on talking myself up, but I guess I had to if I wanted to get accepted to this program, and here I am. Ready to add a little Hawaiian chill to whatever you're gearing up for. Since my parents moved to Oahu when I was five, I was raised by the ocean, and I wanted the chance to share that with people around the world. Even when I was going to school at the Beach, I would meet people who were as fascinated by the sea as I am, and those connections are a big part of why I keep coming back."

Extra:

• Font - LaksOner
• Has a sleeve of tattoos on her right arm, as well as ear, nose and tongue piercings. She also favors glitter makeup to replicate that seaspray shine.
• Callie is known for a lack of panic and keeping a calm attitude on whatever trip she is on. However, people have said that if you truly make her angry, she will steal your soul from your body.
• Can usually be heard listening to surf rock, tropical house, alt rock and light trance music.
• Her favorite food is tuna sashimi, but it's gotta be done just right.

Corsair Adventures (Invite Only)

Damn it, ya bugger, ya reeled me back here.

BHHS: Limitless

^{Timestamp: FLASHBACK- Friday, during the game
Before Time To Hang
Location: EZ Park Convenience Lot
Sav, Nev, and Toury
@NeoAJ and @Aces Away}

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In the residential section that surrounds Beverly Hills High School like a quarter moon, there is a moderately successful convenience store that has staked itself on catering to the needs of the Pirates’ populace during business hours. Whether looking for some chips to hold the hunger pangs back until a customer gets home, some water in the midst of the California heat, supplies for a hastily-crafted last-minute homework assignment or… other things that he definitely didn’t know about and doesn’t want to know about, Ahn-Jun “Andy” Park’s store was the place to go for those who didn’t want to drift among the towering buildings during lunch hour and wanted a gruff but friendly face. Or in the case of his daughter Sunny, an actually friendly face.

Since taking over as the primary day-to-day operator of EZ Park and gently pushing her father towards a part-time schedule, Sunny Park has tried to open things up a little more and make sure that the students of BHHS know that they won't get the fifth degree that Andy offered upon their arrival. The younger Park knew all too well what that was like when she brought friends back to the store for what she thought would be discounted snacks. Andy thought otherwise, much to Sunny’s chagrin. That policy was rescinded now that she was in control.

Once she found out about the offers available at the local convenience store, Savannah Payton was quick to broach the subject of a mutually beneficial arrangement. With Homecoming bringing a lot of off-campus attention, the usual parking lot setup that the PLC used for operations became a bit riskier. Over the summer, Payout made Sunny an offer. If the PLC had access to a space in the lot and the facilities inside, Sunny would get a discount on the services provided. Seeing an easy way to get her hookup without arousing the suspicion of her father, Sunny agreed. So now, when the Kia appeared in front of the convenience store, Andy was told it was for school fundraising opportunities. It technically was correct, especially on a day when there would be plenty of alumni possibly looking to younger siblings to let them know where the place to go for what they need would be.

After the bell rang to bring the school day to a close, Savannah Payton skipped the pep rally and drove her Sorrento right into its usual spot in the EZ Park lot to set up shop for the afternoon. She didn’t need school spirit. She needed to sell spirits, and whatever else the clientele may desire to enhance their enjoyment of the events tonight. Aside from a choice bottle or two that had already been earmarked for her own personal use. She was likely going to need at least one of them for tomorrow’s events.

The person who effectively sealed her fate in attending one of those events was the only one who accompanied her to today’s shift. With Everly wanting more time in the parking lot to work on her tricks, and Addie… being Addie, Savannah’s partner and muscle was again Nevaeh, in her usual cheerful mode. While it did mean that there likely wasn’t going to be any funny business, usually it meant the conversations were kept to just Savannah and her customers, or Savannah and Sunny whenever she came out for a breath of fresh air. Today however, Payout wasn’t going to let the dark one get away with another podcast session.

“So what was that all about gettin’ Ev’s back on that whole dance thing, Nev?” Savannah questioned her fellow PLC member. “Figured the last thing you’d wanna be doin’ is slow jammin’ to Zayn or some shit like that. I thought you’d have my back on not wantin’ ta do tha thing.”

It was true it had been a long time since Nevaeh allowed herself to be a part of the BHHS social scene. Even when she was running with the cheerleaders, she wasn’t a willing participant in a lot of the perceived obligations they had to show up at parties and school events to schmooze and such. She did it, but she never really felt at home doing it. When her father was still in California, she went to some of those big charity events with him and was basically used as a prop. She felt similar vibes at a lot of the functions she attended from freshman to junior year.

Maybe that was part of why she assumed no one wanted anything to do with her after the black mark was put on her name. What good is a prop with a foul stench on it? But there was one person who stayed with her through everything, and she thrived in events like that. Toury made a lot of those things bearable, even if she wasn’t feeling it herself. Since her release back into the wilds of Beverly Hills, Nevaeh had been neglecting to give her girlfriend any attention on her grounds, instead asking her to come to the parking lots she now called home for their usual interactions. It was greedy. She had to start doing better by Toury.

“I meant what I said earlier,” Nevaeh asserted. It wasn’t hard for Savannah to think back to what exactly she said given how little the dark-haired devil actually said. “We’ve been working hard, and the results have been good. We deserve a break. A night to enjoy the fruits of our labor.”

“Yeah, but this more a y’all thing,” Payout protested. “I mean, Ev puttin’ it up? I didn’t really see that comin’ but I guess I could? I know she’d bin feelin’ kinda melancholic ‘bout school ‘n shit. Seems like doin’ a dance or somethin’ would help make her feel a part of it. ‘N Addie I figure she’ll tear through there like a whirlwind, like she do. But fuck, girl! You ‘n me weren’t about bein’ parta any shit here, ever since I known ya. So I’m basically goin’ ta support y’all. I just wanna know why. Ya owe me that.”

“Well…” there was an unusual coyness in Nev’s voice, unsure if she wanted to share with someone who has been her closest friend in the last year that wasn’t forced to share a cell with her. “This also helps me give Toury something I know she wants. She’s been… insistent that I try and have more time with her outside of things here. I feel as though this would be good for her, to have me in her world for a night. She does so many things for the Candies. I want to give her an event where she can just be her and enjoy it with who she cares about. And I care about the PLC, so if the group is interested in attending, that’s all the people I care about in the school there too.”

Payout leaned back against the Sorrento and sighed. “I guess I see tha point n’ that. Shit, I ain’t had to worry ‘bout relationships in a while. Forget how much work it kin be. Course my last one was pretty one-sided. I didn’t have ta think too much about shit.”

“I hope I didn’t put you in an unpleasant spot,” Nevaeh confessed. While she did think she was being altruistic in giving her girlfriend something she wanted, she did rope Savannah into it without even discussing it. It was greedy in another way. She had to be better at that with those who dared to earn her friendship. “I should have asked if you were OK with it. I’m probably going to be occupied during it too, so it’s not like I’ll be able to give you a lot of support during it. I don’t want you to have a bad time supporting my good one.”

“Don’t worry ‘bout nothin’,” Sav affirmed. The pink-blonde glanced up past her associate, spotting another person crossing the small patch of pavement who did not appear to be interested in what she had to offer, and more into what the girl in black had on display. She waved her hand. “I’ll be allright.”

Tourmaline Phoenix stalked across the parking lot towards her cheerleader-turned-cheer-eater with nothing showing on her face about the aggravation and irritation she was feeling beneath. Her step-brother may have thought he was being sly and inconspicuous, but Toury saw the way he winced when reaching for his favorite cereal in the cabinet this morning, and the moment just before when his reach had hiked his shirt up and exposed ugly purple bruising along his side and ribs. Someone was bullying her little brother, and for whatever reason it wasn’t getting through to Dash that it was bullying, so he refused to tell her anything.

Okay, he wasn’t actually her little brother, being both the same height and age as her, but the energy had been there long before her father had put a ring on Dash’s mother’s finger. Regardless, Dash had the protection of the Tantalizing Trio, and someone thought that that didn’t mean shit. So naturally, when Jonah Goldstein of all people had reached out to her with vague feelers and talk of a proposition, she had made a simple demand back: information on her brother’s tormentor. She didn’t care how the cheerleader boy got it, only that he did. If he managed to procure the information she demanded in the few hours until the end of the game when their meeting was set, then that would prove that whatever offer he wanted to bring up to her- and from their recent interactions, that offer had something to do with Dash- would be worth listening to, and that he had a dedication worth acknowledging, as well as connections he could call upon on short notice. Whether the brunette boy knew it or not, this was the only test and chance he would get, because Toury was on a warpath for her brother right now and she didn’t have time for anything that couldn’t hold water, even if it was a friend’s plans.

When she finally saw her girlfriend past the cars after walking over from the school campus, her bright ruby lips pulled into a sharp smile and her thoughts of her later meeting were put on hold in favor of taking Nev’s form in. The next few hours were about the angel turned omen that she managed to earn and keep the heart of. She could get back to business when it was time to part. Nevaeh had her back to her, but Savannah had clocked her as soon as she’d appeared on the other side of the lot. That didn’t stop her from announcing her presence to her girlfriend as she always did, coming up behind her with a simple, “Hey, baby,” and wrapping her arms around Nev’s shoulders, putting her face over one shoulder and kissing the fallen cheerleader on her pale cheek. Left behind, as always, was a slight red tint from the gloss she put over her lipstick, and one of her favorite things to do was see how long her girlfriend lasted before caving and trying to wipe the mark off. She grinned at the other girl on the lot once she was done kissing Nevaeh’s face. “Hey Savvy!”

Savannah could only smirk as she saw the peering face of Nevaeh’s girlfriend emerge from that sculpted shoulder like a hydra. Watching over the scene could make a person sick if they weren’t aware of just how important it was to both of them. It was strange how the black-haired girl could ever think that she didn’t have a girlfriend.

When Savannah had those talks with her back in June, Nevaeh was certain that everyone she had before her arrest left her abandoned to walk the earth like a waif in search of a haunt to call her own. That sense of detachment allowed the two to bond in the early days of Payout’s California residency. Both were ripped out of their respective worlds and cast into strange new levels of existence, but their combined knowledge helped one another get set up to move forward. Nevaeh could count on Savannah as someone who wanted to be her friend whether she had status inside the school or not, and Savannah got the connections she needed to set up shop in Beverly Hills wherever she pleased. It’s why they were at the convenience store now, with Nevaeh being well aware that Sunny was a willing host to their off-campus dealings.

Still to watch that little bit of pink return to the cheerbleeder’s face as she felt the touch of Toury along her neck, the blonde appraising it like a vampire sizing up their latest damsel, Savannah couldn’t help but feel a little jealous. How long had it been since someone had caressed her like that? At least without putting a shiv into her side a minute later? She didn’t even really get a chance to say goodbye to the gang in Texas before leaving, with her mom determining the Golden State getaway was happening while she was serving another six month sentence. The second she got out, Savannah was bundled off on the Fresh Prince Express. It was only through the grapevine she heard that Chapolita finally got nailed on the grown-up charges and likely wouldn’t be seeing freedom in Texas for a while. What she wouldn’t give for one more chance to show Alexis what she actually meant to her, for all that she did…

Payout shook her head and returned her attention to the newly-arrived girlfriend of her consigliere. “Good seein’ ya, Toury. I’m guessin’ I’m gonna be flyin’ solo for a bit if ya got Nev wrapped up like that within seconds of ya bein’ here.”

Nevaeh blushed a little more at the direct reference Savannah made to what could be happening. Toury was very intoxicating, and distracting, and skilled at getting what she wanted. Even in her darkest hours, she persisted and continued to knock away at the walls Miss Morgan had set up to protect herself during her time away from the school. It wasn’t easy given Toury liked to present herself as a free agent at times, free to toy with the affections of other people in the school at the whims of agents of love and chaos. It made it easy to believe that Toury would move on and forget the discarded Nevaeh just as the other cheerleaders and the Strattons and everyone else did. Yet here she was, hanging off Nev like a choker on a fledgling child of the darkness.

“H-hi, Toury,” Nevaeh finally stammered out. She moved her thumb up to her blackened lips and licked her print, preparing it for the task of wiping the red lipstick off her cheek. It was going to be a quick cave this time under the attention from Miss Phoenix. Nev looked back over her shoulder at the blur of blonde. “I didn’t think you’d be over here while we were working. Not that I’m not happy to see you.” She looked back at Savannah. “I’m fine to stay out here if you need me here, Sav.”

“Oh?” Toury replied to her girlfriend with a devilish grin, speaking into her ear but still loud enough for Sav to hear her. “Brazen, looking to see how voyeuristic your clients are?” She trailed teasing touches down Nev's arm until she reached her hand, intertwining their digits. She knew, of course, that that hadn't been what the goth girl meant, but Toury never missed a chance to make a lewd comment or flirt with her girlfriend, so when the opportunity for both arrived it was more tempting than she tended to be to the school population. Besides, after having lost her ability to touch the other girl when she was in juvie, the playful blonde made sure to have as much contact as she could get away with, especially after she had to hunt the girl down herself shortly after the release because she had started avoiding her, thinking Toury had moved on as if she hadn’t been to every visitation and written letters to her through her whole stint. “Count me in.”

“Suit yourselves,” Savannah confirmed as she shook her head. “I mean, I get it. Ya got shit like that goin’ on, ya want the world to see it. See whatcha fought for. I just didn’t think leanin’ on a Sorrento would be too comfy in the Cali heat. But I’ll take the company.”

“Excuse me,” a relatively quiet junior spoke up, brushing the light brown hair out from the side of his crisp new Angels hat. He looked like he wasn’t sure what he was supposed to be doing in this particular parking lot but he dug into the pocket of his cargo shorts and pulled out a couple of bills that lacked the clean creases of his hat. “Brayden said I could come to you to pick up a couple of six-packs of Cherry Coke?”

Savannah smiled as the clearly nervous customer blurted out his order. Their various products had been assigned codenames so that discussion could happen relatively freely among students, and if anyone snooped in, there was at least a little deniability. Drugs? No drugs here, just someone networking for the local convenience store, making sure beverages reached the parched students of BHHS. Because marijuana was their best-selling offering, it was assigned Coca-Cola and all its various flavors for whatever strains Addie cooked up. Cherry Coke was very popular.

“Oh you’re Brayden’s friend, are ya?” she asked, sly as ever. “Foster or Posey? Ah, I guess it don’t matter none. Let’s see if we got any Cherry Coke in stock for ya….”

“Griffin.”

“Griffin, gotcha, well, welcome to PLC Convenience, right this way,” Savannah escorted the soon to be tarnished Angel off to the front seat and turned on the radio in the Sorrento, giving the couple a small semblance of privacy while she talked business and educated Griffin on how to actually handle such transactions.

Nevaeh blushed a little more as Toury continued to hang off her like a jungle gym. She did say how much she enjoyed the strength the black-haired girl built up during her time away from the general populace. Toury’s fingers still felt delicate as ever in her hand though. She knew that Toury was capable of far more power than she was, at least in terms of fighting the injustice in the school, but it still gave her some comfort that she could keep Toury protected in case the battle got to be too much. “I keep telling you that you don’t have to be here if you don’t want,” she offered. “I know you were all right with what I was doing for the Twins, but I don’t need you getting roped up into any PLC things either. I don’t think they’ll let us share a cell if we’re both busted.”

It was clear that stint at Camp Joseph Scott still was affecting Nevaeh a bit. It probably shouldn’t have, given that they maintained her on the path of graduation this summer, and Santa Clarita wasn’t a world away from Beverly Hills, but it may as well have been in the middle of the Gobi Desert for the levels of separation she felt during her time there. When she got out, she was angry and sad, emotions that led to her isolating herself from most people. After Savannah pulled her up out of the depths and Toury reaffirmed her commitment, she started to move past it. Slowly. Little by little. A glacial pace. But Savannah told her that her March birthday meant that she wasn’t going back to Santa Clarita. The Twin Towers would potentially be in the cards.

“Even if they did, I’d never get out of jail because of all the people I’d have to take care of to protect you.” There was that positivity that Nevaeh wasn’t known for in the slightest.

“That would be super hot to see, less fun to deal with the aftermath. And honestly,” Toury huffed with a roll of her eyes, letting Nevaeh go and circling around so that she was in front of the other girl. She crossed her arms and leaned against the car before giving her girlfriend a wide eyed, innocent look that anyone who actually knew the blonde knew to be wary of. “I'm just visiting my beautiful, wonderful, super strong girlfriend and grabbing a few concessions before the big game. If anything untoward is happening how am I supposed to know? I've never been involved with anything like that so how should I see the signs?” The blinking, doe eyed look dropped just as quickly as it had appeared and Tourmaline was back to looking lasciviously at the dark beauty before her. “I was too preoccupied with my girlfriend's rockin’ body and addictive lips. See how that works?”

She knew it wasn't a genuine argument, just like Nev knew that Toury couldn't get in trouble for a clique and operation that she had no part of outside of her relationship with Nev or a suggestion of supplier to the kids around school. If Toury were to be arrested and put in juvie- or more likely since she was almost eighteen, prison- it would be for getting caught with blackmail or for finally playing too much with the wrong person and taking a wrong step in her manipulations. The Tantalizer had her own illicit activities she dealt in, not that her girlfriend seemed to realize that there was trouble to be found and had outside of narcotics, but Tourmaline had been steeped in it- an agent of it- long before she locked eyes and lips with the girl that got quickly supersaturated in her own criminal element. Toury, despite her glossy blonde curls and bright makeup, her outgoing personality and standing as Mr. Phoenix’s daughter, was a corrupting influence and very proud of it.

She'd seen the near limitless possibilities in the eyes and movement of those like her now best friends, Helen Wells and Amy Kwon, long before she ever approached them with open arms. She was content to let the girls stumble blindly beneath the light for years until the illusion- their trust and belief in others- was finally shattered, and that was when she swooped in to help them realize that they stumbled so hard in the light because they were always destined to dance in the dark. She hated- or in Helen's case, didn't even know- the events that lead to both girls finally being open to her tainted influence and encouragement, put that look in their eyes that alerted her to their entry of limbo between dark and light so she could guide them all the way over. You never miss a look that you see in the mirror, after all. No one was a Tantalizer without a reason, they weren't just some random clique of sluts, they were there because together maybe they might be able to burn down the world that betrayed them each in their own way.

She’d seen the possibilities and dark streak in Nevaeh from her vantage point on the bleachers while the cheerleader practiced, but it had been through actually flirting with the girl and eventually doing the unthinkable and actually dating her that had gotten her to realize that, to Toury at least, it wasn't about someone's potential for once. Nevaeh didn’t need her nudging in the end, what with the Toxic Twins setting their teeth into her and eventually throwing her under the bus, and while she had been satisfied with her cheerleader in the light, she was just as willing to have her by her side in the dark. What she did not like was how it happened, how it had been a betrayal and had taken the girl away from her for months. However, there had been nothing for her to do. Toury, despite her standing as the creator of the Tantalizing Trio, was far more restricted in her actions than the likes of the Hive, the Elite, the Triple Crowns. At least in the light of day. These cliques were made up of entitled rich kids with more combined resources and connections than most small towns’ local law enforcement. While none of the Tantalizers were toeing the poverty line, they also were nowhere near the tax bracket of those kids, and that meant having to tread lightly and find the hidden angles so as not to disrupt the lives of their loved ones, especially with both Helen and Toury’s fathers working for the school. That didn’t stop them from raising hell when they knew that they could get away with it, of course, or they wouldn’t have the well earned reputation that they do, but it did stop them from messing blindly with the ‘higher tier’. Unfortunately, the likes of the Strattons were also on that tier, out of the blonde’s vindictive reach.

She’d been glad when Savvy had come along and shook things up, got deep pleasure in her taking over the parking lot, watched from the shadows as she established herself. It was why she hadn’t stressed when Nevaeh had gravitated towards Sav instead of coming back to Toury the first couple weeks out of juvie, she’d figured her girlfriend would find her people and then find Toury again when she was ready. Only, she realized that wasn’t the case and that was when she decided to reannounce herself in Nev’s life in a way that assured the freshly fallen wouldn’t dare avoid her anymore. Say what you will about Tourmaline Phoenix, say that she’s a bitch, and whore, a tricky succubus or a walking warning sign, but she knew when it was time to stay back and when it was time to step up, it was what made her so good at her freelancing for the Candies and for her own subtle revenges, and it was a survival instinct that only ever failed her once.

She pursed her lips at Nevaeh, grabbing her hand again and tracing circles over her knuckles, ever defiant of her girlfriend’s near subconscious need to push her away or keep her at arms length. “We’ve both been busy, and I only have a few hours before I’m busy again. Is it so crazy I want to spend all the free time I have with you?”

“I guess not,” Nevaeh answered, displaying that linguistic talent of hers.

She knew there was nothing that was going to stop Toury from entering her orbit if the Phoenix girl so desired. Toury was a force of nature at BHHS, and Nev should probably be thankful that Tour chose to encircle her with protection as opposed to ripping her apart like a hurricane. Nevaeh could do her best to keep Toury away, but she would come back. Even after Nevaeh returned to school, Toury came back.

It still vexed the dark-haired girl to this day. Why, of all the girls in the school, was she the one that Toury chose? The girl she was back in the early half of her high school career, maybe she could understand it. Nevaeh knew she was a prototypical cheerleader from outward appearances. The bows in the ponytail, the twirl in the skirt, the smeared paint under the eyes, it was hard to find someone who embodied the image more than young Nevaeh Morgan. She gave her heart to the school, and she actually gave a damn about trying to perform. Hell, she hadn’t even started dyeing her hair at that point. Sometimes she wondered if anyone actually remembered she had auburn-blonde hair before it started to go dark to match her moods. No matter, as she progressed in the grades she leaned from the red in the Pirates colors to the black with all her energy.

That was the Nevaeh her mother still wished was present, that’s for sure. Nev was still getting lip service parenting from her mother back home. When she wasn’t busy working in a lab in downtown LA, Dr. Sharona Morgan was doing anything she could to avoid talking to her now convict daughter. Dinners were never anything spectacular given the amount of work Dr. Sharona had to do (or the risk of accidentally contaminating a lasagna with streptococcus), but now it was a bunch of money on a table and the occasional sandwich.

Her brother didn’t have to worry about that, with his diet regimental in order to keep at the pinnacle of fitness in his ascent through the high school ranks. All of Cameron’s meals were pre-packaged and formulated. He was the meal ticket for the future, the only good thing his famous father left the family before he trotted off to England the second he extracted his payday from MLS. He got all the attention now, Mom attending every one of his games and cheering as loud as she could between coughs. Granted it gave Nevaeh the chance to slink away unnoticed, but at some point, the silence can get to a person. Hence the persistent headphones Nevaeh was seen with when not wearing her girlfriend as a shawl, or listening to her PLC compatriots discuss something.

That’s why the Dance offered something of a rebirth. Toury would likely be going to the event on the arm of some schlub her conspirators wanted to drag towards one of Cupid’s sickening arrows. Now that Everly’s wish had been granted and it appeared the PLC would also be making their way under the lights and onto the dancefloor, there was a chance for Nev to give Toury a sliver of that old facet of their relationship. A night of grandeur maybe. A thanks for sticking with her for everything. If nothing else, Nevaeh knew Toury had the wardrobe for it.

“So,” the gothic girlfriend finally offered, “Everly convinced the others to go to the Homecoming Dance. Savannah was looking at me to back her up and keep the PLC out of the strobe lights, but… I thought it would be nice to go. Celebrate the success of the crew and try to have a regular school experience.” A small smile turned those black lips upward, especially when she caught the gaze of Tourmaline. “And it means that potentially there’s a few more hours for you to spend with me. If you want to.”

This time, the wide eyed look that Toury shot her girlfriend was genuine in its shock. She hadn’t been expecting that at all, but she was more than pleased with the new development, and she showed it by grinning and giving out an excited squeal before swooping down to catch the shorter girl’s charcoal dark lips in her own candy apple reds. She wrapped her arms around Nevaeh’s waist and back and pulled her in tight without breaking their kiss. Her girlfriend was going to be at the dance! This wouldn’t be some boring prowl the whole night doing the Candies dirty work to shove as many perspectives together as possible while they were all in one area. As fun as that was for her, as much as it fueled her own ego, Toury also missed going to school functions for herself or her loved ones. Nowadays it was all business and very little actual pleasure, so no matter how busy she kept herself she was still utterly bored and understimulated.

She was never anything but stimulated when in contact with her own personal phoenix. Her baby girl had really been sent into the flames and returned while carrying the cinders and ash on her soul like armor, and Toury reveled in being the only one that knew every kink.

Breaking the kiss but not letting Nevaeh go, Toury dropped her forehead to her lover’s and stared into her eyes so she could see her excitement. Her hand dropped from her back further down and squeezed her girlfriend’s toned glutes possessively before kissing her again and then pulling away to let the other breathe. She smirked at the red tint that now stained Nevaeh’s lips much like she was sure her lipstick was now closer to maroon.

“Entering back into my domain, baby? I can’t wait.”

“Don’t get too excited,” Nevaeh said, trying to reel Toury back to her new reality. While the first year of their relationship saw the two trip the light fantastic at a plethora of school events, there was no desire for Nev to show her pale face around the building any more than she had to after her time away. This was almost going to be a test for her, coming back and trying to revive herself. The time with the PLC had made her feel like she could actually be accepted, at least partially, in this new form of hers. But there was bound to be conflict and strife. There always was.

“I don’t know how long we’ll be in for, Payout’s never been one for dressy events as long as I’ve known her. Everly was the one who wanted to go, but she may not have the stamina. Addie… she’ll probably get distracted by something in the first 30 minutes. And I… I’m basically dipping my toe back in. But if nothing else, I’m sure I will last for at least one dance.”

“I’ll take what I can get,” Toury replied, completely honest. She’d take anything Nev would give when it came to their relationship, especially when she knows Nev’s going against her own comfort for it. “Do you need to borrow something from my closet or have you been hiding some hot gothic number from me?”

“I still have a couple of tricks on that front,” the raven-dyed teenager confirmed. “So I hope I’ll surprise you.” A smile perked up those dark lips. “And I know you’re going to look… absolutely tempting in whatever you choose to wear.” She moved in and planted a soft kiss on Toury’s cheek, leaving her own black mark on the tanned skin of her girlfriend. A little harder to remove than the red on Nevaeh’s visage, but turnabout was fair play. “It’ll probably keep me on the floor an extra dance or two.”

“Cute,” Toury replied, entertained by her girlfriend’s attempt at returning her little gloss game. Unfortunately for Nevaeh, Toury had no shame and that perfect black imprint of the goth’s lips would live on her cheek until she used her makeup remover tonight before bed. No doubt Jonah would get a mild kick out of it when they had their meeting later. She grinned, the stain on her skin stretching with it, and kissed her girlfriend quickly again, twirling her dark strands between two fingers playfully. “And of course, my outfit is going to be downright tantalizing.”

An even rarer chuckle could be faintly heard before the other two students emerged from the front of the Sorrento. “All right, that should set you up for what you need. Tell Brayden I'll give him a little discount next time as thanks for the referral. Free can of Coke on me,” the pink-blonde offered. Savannah knew that not only would that satisfy the person who brought Griffin into her parlor, but now Griffin knew referrals would work for him as well. It was a basic business strategy but it worked very well on the populace of BHHS.

The Angel-capped student could only nod as he walked away, purchase stored in his backpack while Savannah returned to the couple that was left to stand watch while the transaction was completed. “All right, that went better than expected. Kid learned himself pretty quick,” she confirmed to give the couple ample time to disentangle themselves should they need to do so. “Anyway, guessin’ Nev told ya we’re goin’ dancin’, eh Tour?”

“Sure did,” Toury gave Sav a toothy grin and finally broke physical contact with her girlfriend, satisfied in the knowledge that she had plenty of time now and even more time tomorrow to spend with her lover. “I’ve got to say I didn’t see that coming, I’m quite pleased,” She admitted while grabbing her phone to check her messages. She hadn’t had a chance to get her walkie talkie back after Dash had taken it earlier that morning with plans to give it to whichever Elite had requested them of him, so her message notification was in the double digits no matter when she checked, that was just the way her brother texted. Glancing over his stream of consciousness, Toury figured it wasn’t anything that needed immediate response, in fact it seemed like he was still mid info dump, so she determined waiting for him to finish before replying was the best course and put her phone back, returning her attention to those before her. “She already said she has a dress, but what about you girls? For this very special occasion, my closet is open if any of you need something. Within reason, of course.”

It was a genuine, if rare, offer from the wavy haired Tantalizer. While always open to the likes of her two besties and Nevaeh, her wardrobe was hardly ever available to anyone else. But the PLC going was what had Nevaeh going in the first place, so the least she could do was offer the girls a chance to avoid last minute shopping if they were planning on actually dressing up.

Savannah rubbed the back of her neck. “Ya know, I might take ya up on that,” she admitted. “I’m not exactly tha dress-up type ‘n I dunno if my mom’s stuff is… suitable. Definitely if I wanted the attention of tha monitors, but I’m guessin’ you might have stuff that’ll fit me a li’l better. Maybe we all meet up at yours tomorrow ‘n figure it out before tha thing. ‘Sall right, Nev?”

The goth girl nodded, not exactly happy to leave Toury’s embrace, but knowing that it was there for her made it easier. “Yes. It should be fine. Like I said, I already have something in mind for the evening. I think black is the PLC’s color.”

“You think black is everythin’s color.”

“It’s a perfect color.”

“Fine, fine, it’s a good color. We’ll see what Tour’s got.”

“Fantastic, I’ll make sure I have snacks and drinks ready,” Toury clapped decisively, happy with the new events on her roster. She’d have to text Amy and Helen about the new development soon. “I’ll pull out a few pieces I think would fit for you all but you won’t have to choose one of those, I’ll understand if you hate my choices,” She teased sarcastically before pulling her phone out to quickly send off that text as well as add an alarm as a reminder for tomorrow. She was always getting just a bit busier, but these plans gave her even more time with her girlfriend tomorrow than she initially thought, so she found she didn’t mind one bit. “I’ll even help you with your makeup, no charge, if you’re looking to go all out.”

“I ain’t gone all out in a long time, but I guess if we’re gonna be kickin’ round, might as well let ya take a crack at me. I think I gotta good plan, but,” Savannah looks at her friend, almost spotting a smile on that pale face. “like I said, I’ll take any advice inta consideration.”

The agreement was sealed in Payout’s mind, and with good timing as a Korean woman in her 30s emerged from the store and headed to the Sorrento. “Hey,” Sunny interrupted. “My dad’s getting back from his physiotherapy in like 15 minutes, so that’s your warning in case you’ve got customers when he arrives.”

“Preciate ya givin’ tha heads up, Sun,” Savannah said, almost thankful to end the conversation about making her look like one of those trophy girlfriends. “We’re almost sold out anyway. Homecomin’s good business. Still got your order if ya want it now.”

Sunny pulled out a crisp $20 and handed it to the Texan. “This and a couple of Gatorades and we’re good?”

“Make it three ‘n we’re good,” Payout confirmed, as she looked over at the doting couple now back in each other’s arms. “Those two’ll prob’ly need the electrolytes sooner rather ‘n later.”

BHHS: Limitless

_{TIMESTAMP: Friday evening
After Earth and Water, The Rule of Two, and All My Friends
LOCATION: The Mermaid's Closet
FT: Angel @LovelyComplex & Indy @NeoAJ
Juliet @Hey Im Jordan
Tristan, Abby, Ellie & Shauna @Fabricant451
Text messages at end to:
Dahlia @Grimoire Gaming and Jade @Bee}

____________________________________________________________________


____________________________________________________________________

For two teenage girls in the closet, they were now walking into the place of the once upon of time leading lady killer of Beverly Hills High. A woman who understood women better than anyone. While Shauna Flynn’s reputation precedes her, not many people knew who the Shark was. The one and true Romeo had become a myth in the halls of BHHS and unless you actively sought her out, she was just another legend of many that lingered in the air, like the strongest, most intoxicating perfume. Girls could emulate her but girls could never be her.

There was only one woman who carried the nickname ‘the Shark’ and she was running a clothing store for the young and beautiful. The Mermaid’s Closet. A place for girls to see the flowers they were and let their petals spread; their garden bloom. As such, not many students were able to match a face to the myth. Only those who truly cared about the school lore knew and unfortunately for these two, blooming flowers, they were not in the know. They were oblivious, just how Shauna used to like her prey. In their innocent eyes, they carried weight Shauna knew all too well, having hunted girls just like them. Having hunted girls unsure about their sexuality and bringing them to their knees. Angel. Having hunted girls who were in love with their best friends and succeeding. Indy. She was a professional in luring the delicate flowers to the dark side with cookies and milk. If there was any woman that could read them like an open book, it was the woman watching them from behind the counter.

When they entered the store, the colors, patterns, and fabrics appearing from every which way, Angel could feel how out of her element she was. Just because she knew what would look good on Indy didn’t mean she knew what would look good on herself. She didn’t know clothes like that. She just thought, ‘hey, a suit would make my friend comfortable and hot as fuck’. There’s no way Naomi wouldn’t take notice. Beyond that? Angel liked wearing big shirts and no pants as she gamed in her closet. When she walked outside, her mom determined her outfit of the day. Angel didn’t know how to express herself with clothing. Her identity, at least to the public eye, was that of God. If it wasn’t conservative, she didn’t know where to begin.

Mrs. Royce suggested black and Indy concurred, so that’s where she’d start off but first, she needed to see if they still had the light blue suit. It was the last one available, the site said hours ago, so there was a chance it had been bought from the time they looked on the site to now. The sooner they found out what Indy would wear, hoping it was affordable and still looked Hive worthy, the sooner Angel could grab something herself and hope for the best that her mother didn’t find her new clothes. Silently, Angel led her friend to the cashier counter, thankful that it was late and they caught the store at a quiet hour. “Excuse me, do you still have this?” Angel asked, turning her phone to the older woman, showcasing the picture. There was no point in her trying to find the clearance section and get overwhelmed in a place she had never been. Instead she went to the person she assumed knew how to assist. Little did Angel know she was talking to the leading lady herself. “If not, do you have something similar? I’m trying to help my friend not commit social suicide while staying true to herself.” There Angel went, talking brutally honest and going straight to point. A flaw and a strength. You either admired it or you didn’t. It seemed the small, petite girl that had the personality of a black cat didn’t care. She was focused on one thing and one thing only. Her friend.

When Shauna Flynn opened the Mermaid’s Closet there were some dissenting voices from her past that assumed the worst, that she was doing it solely to keep up her tactics from high school. Those voices did die down as the Closet earned a fair amount of good press with its prices, selection, and professionalism of the staff - all of which were covered in an actual article written about the boutique in the local paper; of course, just because Shauna was a professional business owner now didn’t mean she forgot how to ride a bicycle…so to speak.

Shauna could tell a customer’s wants and needs as soon as they came through the door. A young girl walking ahead of a disinterested or occupied mother? Someone fresh from junior high looking to reinvent themselves for their freshman year. A person with hunched shoulders and hands thrust deep into the pockets and barely able to say what they were looking for? Shauna called them ‘hoodie girls’, the kind of customer who wasn’t used to wearing anything beyond casual comfort and likely had social anxieties they were working through. Even the occasional dysphoric male who walked through and who wasn't there to buy something for his girlfriend was always led to an employee on staff who had been through what they were going through. The Closet certainly didn’t discriminate, only ever encouraged.

So when Shauna saw Indy and Angel walk into the store, she already had her own personal history for the two in her head. She could’ve been wrong - she sometimes was - but Shauna was an expert in high school girls and the complicated and messy emotions that swirled in their heads during any given day. The darker haired girl was doing the talking and she used the word friend. Shauna’s experienced emerald eyes looked at the friend who was in need of help and back to the one holding the phone in front of her. A suit. Clearly they, like most of her customers for the first half of October, were high schoolers looking for Homecoming outfits. They weren’t going together, at least not as dates, and if she were a gambling woman she would’ve bet it all on the fact that neither of them had dates regardless. While not impossible, Shauna had never known a straight woman to go for the suit option first but that just raised another question, namely if the dark haired girl was aware that her friend was in the closet while in the Closet? It wasn’t Shauna’s place to out anyone, but encouraging women to be comfortable with themselves was part of the Mermaid experience.

All of Shauna’s analytics about the two girls happened in the brief period of time between the phone being shown to her and the dark-haired girl finishing her little introduction. Her verdict? The blonde wanted to be more than friends with the brunette but the brunette had no idea because she herself had no idea about, well, herself. A classic scenario and one she had experienced in her youth. Though in those days playing matchmaker with wannabe lovers was…something she couldn’t and wouldn’t do with customers. “Oh, I’ve a grá for a good suit.” Shauna’s Irish tones were as smooth as they were when it was used for more nefarious purposes. “Think we’ve sold out tha’ one, but let’s ‘ave a check, aye?” Shauna tilted her head towards a section of the store where suits of a similar make as the phone image were on display, and led the way towards its direction.

“Your, ahh…friend got an opinion on what she likes or is her mout’ proper banjaxed?”

Indy had to blink for a second to make sure she understood what she was being asked. She lived all around the world and heard many an accent, but the year and a half in Australia had nothing on the thick Irish brogue she was hearing now. What she thought she heard was disappointing at first. Angel had done such an amazing job finding the suit in the vast array of options the Closet had to offer, and while there was only one according to the shop, it wouldn’t take much to take it out of her hands. An inventory error, a production mishap, someone else having the same eagle eye that her friend had. The day did nothing to dampen her excitement but according to the older woman, or so she thought, the chosen outfit wasn’t here.

But it was the Closet! It was a place of legends. If that suit wasn’t in, surely there would be something. Maybe something more in line with the color that Angel was going to wear. Indy had her eye on the lookout for something in black, it was a color that suited her friend very well. She had to agree with the opinion of the cheer coach on that one. While it was the vision of white from earlier in the day that stole her gaze in Naomi’s car, for some reason, Indy just wanted to see the so-called church girl shrouded in black lace, a mid cut, with maybe a slit in it so the world could get a look at those legs that were seared into her mind. It seemed only fair to share the joy. It was something that she was certain would never survive a trip to the Vazquez home, and it wouldn’t be something Indy could conceivably fit in, but it would be immaculate on Angel.

But surely there was a backup. Right now, they had to take care of her own Homecoming outfit first. Indy didn’t want to be… banjaxed? Was that even a word? How do you banjax something? Is that some weird Irish torture device? Did they even have banjos in Ireland? How do you put jacks on a banjo? So many questions about those two syllables… or was it three syllables? Another one added.

“No, I don’t… think I’m banjaxed. Pretty sure I had my shot for that,” Indy said, still not sure what she was defending against. “But if that exact suit isn’t in, I think I’d like to try and find something in a similar style. Maybe even a deeper color.” She then motioned to her shopping partner. “And then we need to find something for my friend. Doesn’t need to be preventing social suicide, but I want it to look like she can murder on the dance floor and get away scott clean. I think she can pull off something daring.”

Shauna offered only a polite smirk towards the banjaxed comment. Part of the experience at the Mermaid was dealing with Shauna and her accent and slang; she claimed it made her a better salesperson but a popular theory among employees was that she did it to impress women. Those that knew her in high school would likely agree with that hypothesis, especially those who were swayed by the brogue. “Daring and deep, eye catchin’ and stylish, you’ve come to the right place. Don’t let me influence you too much, this is all about you and your friend, but with your hair and her whole…vibe, you can’t go wrong wi’ a classic twist on Ebony and Ivory.” Shauna gestured towards the suits she led them towards, specifically a white jacket and matching slacks. “Take a look around. Find a color. If white’s not your thing, don’t worry. We’ve got a real rainbow of choice.” Shauna’s emphasis on the word rainbow was not done by accident.

“What about you, Lydia Deetz?” Shauna sniped towards Angel. “You the femme in this couplin’ or what?” Now she was laying it on a bit thick, but her ever present smirk remained. “Kiddin’, o’course. But you don’t strike me as the suit type.”

Angel had kept quiet, looking around the store and listening to the shopkeeper and her friend interact. When the conversation turned back to her, she observed the Irish woman and noted the Lydia Deetz mention. With her second life as a gamer girl, she didn’t live completely in a hole so she knew that was a character from Beetlejuice. She didn’t know how Lydia could relate to her. They looked nothing alike. That was irrelevant though. For one reason or another, the owner of the Closet saw her as Lydia and that was A-OK with her. “I’m a clean slate,” she spoke honestly. “I have no preference.”

There were no lies behind her words. All Angel ever wore was conservative clothes. It wasn’t until she joined the Hive that she discreetly adjusted her wardrobe, taking noticeable risks that could get her grounded for months if not done correctly. Small adjustments to her outfit like rolling up her skirt, opening her blouse by undoing a couple of buttons, or not fixing her nylon knee highs and letting them drop to add to the appeal. These actions and light changes may seem minuscule to most people but for Angel, each imperfection was intentional and carried weight. Subliminally, she hoped she was conveying the message that religion was not her ministry, not truly. It wasn’t too drastic for her mother to catch wind of but to those that did pay attention, she’d like to think her message was clear. Without words, she hinted at the fact that she wasn’t the Virgin Mary. That she wasn’t a saint. That she certainly wasn’t here to save anyone.

Glancing at Indy, seeing how willing her friend was, Angel felt it was only fair to permit Shauna full reigns in dressing her up, trusting the process. “We could go with something vintage and timeless, that seems to never go wrong for celebrities. That might be too safe for homecoming though…” The small teen felt the dresses in front of her; how soft they were. She wondered if it was time for her to truly stand out from the crowd and dismantle everyone’s views on her.

How bad did she want to be seen?

Not for the facade she wore for her mother but for herself. If Angel truly wanted to, she could be anyone and anything. If Angel truly wanted to, she could break a few rules and try something new. If Angel truly wanted to, she could have fun and take a risk that no one could ignore. If Angel truly wanted to, she could be beautiful. She could be free. “If you don’t mind taking the lead, I am open to change or a better term would be I am open to transform. If you were me and you wanted to make a statement, what would you wear?” There were no Ifs. Angel wanted to.

Wear me on your lips.

If Indy was truly confident, that’s what she would say in the moment. Those thoughts she had, those lovesick wonderings that started as a whisper when she came to BHHS, were only getting stronger the more of the true Evangely Vazquez that Indy got to see. While the previous 10 months had given her a chance to see if there was something more to her attraction than the forbidden fruit angle, today seemed to be kicking it into overdrive. From Naomi’s car to the hallway to the Closet, everything she did with Angel today was just enforcing that her instinct was right. This girl could be the one that she could get to the next level with, raise some stat points, take a shot, engage in an adventure, all those fun things. Angel was the fabled whale shark drifting off the Animal Crossing island that Indy couldn’t seem to land. If she said such a blatantly inappropriate thing, maybe that would break the glass between them that indicated that final barrier and allow them to shrug the visage of the Hive and just be.

Nah, that would never work.

Instead, Indy said nothing, simply letting the professional clothier take the reins of the situation.

“If I were you?” Shauna repeated the question with a look of consideration as she gave Angel another once over. Fashion, style, was up to the one who wore the clothes and in her mind as the closest thing to a professional in the establishment, her mind was racing with potential. The Irishwoman assumed that the two might want to match in terms of theme if not in brand or outfit. “Vintage is cliche, you don’t want to be cliche, you want to become cliche. You, I feel, could work in a variety of outfits. You have one of those faces that says “I don’t care” but only after spending a half hour getting the face just right. Which is a good thing. Means ye’ve got a sense of style just beggin’ tae come out. But if your friend is gonna go, and forgive the terms, yeah, butch, then perhaps femme is in your future? But don’t worry, you two look like you can swap.” Shauna was laying it on thick, but if she hadn’t been then someone might’ve assumed she was sick.

“Here, what about this? It’ll guarantee every eye will be on you when you walk in the door.” For her next sentence, as she handed Angel a somewhat…revealing and quite leggy dress for consideration, she looked towards Indy. “Even if ya only want one particular pair’o eyes on ya.”

Angel wasn’t deaf. She knew exactly what Shauna was getting at. Her accent was thick; for someone that wasn’t multilingual and observant, this may have been a challenge to decipher. That wasn’t the case for Angel. As for the undertones, she knew what the older woman was implying. She didn’t live under a rock although her mom likely thought she manipulated her daughter to believe that God was the reason behind everything. God was fact. God was truth. God was absolute. She was fortunate to have more than bible study, youth ministry and catholic sleep away summer camp to shift her perspective, nurture her identity and strengthen her values.

Truthfully, Angel had a feeling for a long time about her preference. It wasn’t until she befriended Stella that she started to understand that it wasn’t a preference, it was who she was. She played up the clueless Catholic girl that never steps out of line pretty well. Reality of her situation was she had no choice but to play pretend. She knew if her mother caught wind that her only child was a lesbian she would send her away, strip her of any means to contact her friends and find some outdated zealous person to forcibly repress her sexuality and convince her to swear a life to heterosexuality, monogamy, and breeding.

At all cost — her mother would change her daughter. That’s how ruthless that woman could be. Lord knows if her daughter was gay there would be nothing but shame brought to the household. Maritza Vázquez wasn’t a kind woman and that is why Angel decided to keep her mission to herself, planning and working in silence, so when the time came she could move into her own place and make her own rules, cutting ties with her mother completely. She would include her father but he was an alcoholic and an echo chamber to his wife. He was barely a person, a ghost of a man, especially after her mother forced him to separate from his side of the family.

The last thing Angel needed was her friends worrying about her. It was 2024 and people still existed that were homophobic, racist, and close minded. Her mother was the perfect example of that. A woman who used her generational trauma and lack of ambition to fight it as an excuse to be a shitty human being, becoming the one thing she despised the most. The parents that beat her to believe whatever they said was gossip truth. It was hard to have sympathy for her mother though. At this point, regardless of her past, her actions and behavior were inexcusable. Mari’s parents, Angel’s grandparents, were dead. That means her abusive grandfather was gone and the light that was her grandmother, who tried to make small shifts, only for it to turn on her, was buried alongside with him. Maritza chose to continue the barbaric cycle, convincing herself that God was law and now it was Angel’s turn to embrace the path her mother set out for her or break it.

With the risqué dress in her grasp, Angel decided right then and there that this was a matter of the heart and not mind. That some rules were worth breaking. Holding the dress close, she met Indy’s gaze which was concentrated on her. It usually was. In return, Angel’s expression never shifted. There was no smile, no facial movements, and no obvious emotion. In her brown eyes though, a story was waiting to come out. Her grandmother might be gone, someone that opened doors for her when she was a little girl, but that didn’t mean she was alone. She still had people that lit the way. People that made life worth chasing, on her terms. “Sure. I’ll try it on,” Angel answered, giving Shauna one last glance over before concluding their interaction, for now, “Thank you. I trust your opinion and if the reactions I get are nothing but positive, I’ll need to come here more often.” Glancing at her wrist watch, Angel began leading the way to the dressing rooms, naturally assuming Indy would follow behind her, in time.

Meanwhile, Indy was still letting her anxiety rule in her head. She hadn’t heard wrong before, the proprietor did assume that her and Angel were a couple already instead of only in her dreams. That she was the butch in the pair. That was funny. Kai would have found it funny. The side-shorn Aussie was certain they had found a stumbling girl wandering through the world that they could shepherd into their rainbow flock, but not once did Indy ever consider herself more masculine than them. Was it even right to consider that relationship in this context? Kai was adamant to make sure Indy knew what her options were when it came to this new arena she was entering, especially considering her time in Turkey was one where she only knew oppression of such beliefs.

It makes sense… Indy had to concede that by the metrics of supposed masc behavior, she was more butch than Angel. Indy was an athlete, with an athlete’s frame. Until she was elevated into the upper tier of the school’s hierarchy, she dressed like an athlete. Tank tops and shorts were comfortable, easy to wear, and allowed her to move on the court and on her board with freedom. She had that competitive streak in her that allowed her to be ruthless when searching for a spike or aggressive in attacking a fledgling wave. By contrast, Angel was submissive and raised to be that way on outward appearances. The Latina never dressed in anything other than a perfect visage of a religious schoolgirl, even with her rebellious efforts to shake that image. Sure they weren’t as obvious as stripping down a skirt in a car like today, but those extra undone buttons didn’t go unnoticed when Indy could help it. For some reason, Indy could never truly picture the Vazquez girl in anger, swearing a blue streak at something or someone. She couldn’t see Angel in overalls and a tight bun, chopping down a tree or whatever the old ideals of what it took to be masculine were. It would be hot though. That probably did make Indy the butch by default.

But if it was that obvious to Shauna that those thoughts were real, could she act on them in such a grand manner like this? She knew her spot in the Hive didn’t come without controversy. Angel told her how when the four of them were meeting to discuss expanding to a group of five, Lottie had been pushing for her best friend Kathleen to be accepted into the clique. However, Angel and Levi (with some prodding) helped tilt Naomi’s scales in her favor. Again, that was the overwhelming factor in not taking the plunge to see just how much of a chance there was of turning those dreams into reality. That the reality she had where this… stunning girl could beckon her close with a glance and she could come oh so close to that pool would have to live on the rule of not drinking from it. Those eyes really were so full of soul… and looking at her watch.

Shit! Not the time Indy! You’re on a deadline here!

Besides, the dress that Angel had in her arm looked exactly like the one she wanted to see. Entranced by another trip to the pool, Indy followed towards the changing room, a more spacious place for swapping outfits than the backseat of Naomi’s car.

“Oi, one thing, lass.” If Shauna hadn’t been an adult and a business owner, she would’ve put a hand on Indy’s shoulder before letting her go to a changing room; personal space and consent to simple touching was much less fluid a concept as it was when she was younger. Normally, Shauna wouldn’t say anything more, it was like learning to swim: you couldn’t just push someone into the deep end and expect them to get a handle on it. But if nothing was said she had to wonder if either of them would ever dive into Sappho's pools anyway. “Window shoppin’s great an’ all but sometimes you gotta make a purchase. No one ever got what they wanted just by lookin’ at it. Just some…food for thought. G’wan no’, try’s it on. If ya need any help, just gies a hollar, yeah?” Shauna left the girls to their changing room try ons but turned her head towards the front door as she heard the sound of conversation and new arrivals.

Three girls that, at a look, didn’t seem like they’d travel in the same circles walked in, fronted by a tall girl with dark hair and a clear athletic build. Medium length hair kept away from her eyes, athleisure clothes branded with a familiar logo, a sleeveless top no doubt meant to showcase her arms, classic athlete but Shauna clicked the roof of her mouth; this girl wasn’t browsing around a closet looking to come out. Neither was the girl who was keeping the conversation going. Shorter, vibrant hair, bright color eye makeup, the kind of girl who would wear paint covered overalls because all of her clothes had paint stains on them. They were friends, clearly, but Shauna couldn’t see it, but then when she went to high school there was a very loud, very…unique girl who was friends with popular students so the more things changed the more they stayed the same.

It was the third girl of the group that gave Shauna the vibes, but only because anyone who came into a clothing store like this looking like they fell out of a grungy club where the speakers are too loud and everything sounds grimy was already someone who knew to keep their fingernails trimmed. The third girl was laughing at the first two in a way that someone who was trying very hard not to show any emotion other than ‘laid back’ did. Shauna looked from the new arrivals to the front counter as she made her way towards the new girl she hired. What better way to see what she had? What better way than to shove her into the deep end of the pool?

“Newbie,” Shauna whispered to Juliet as the boss returned to being behind the counter. “Let’s see what you’ve got.” She nodded her head towards the trio of Tristan, Abby, and Ellie, who were absently flicking through rackware, the way customers did when they wanted an employee’s help but didn’t want to outright come to the front and ask for it.

Juliet was still getting her bearings in the Closet. She didn’t like working. She thought she had made that clear to Shauna, but it seemed her words had fallen on deaf ears. Her impression had been that she would just be spending time looking at pretty girls and getting them to let her finger them in the changing room. Instead of that, she was practically lighting her brain cells on fire in an inventory spreadsheet at a computer she was confident was older than she was. This was the exact kind of work she hated!

It was Shauna’s own fault there was an undeniable scowl on her lips when Shauna called her attention. Almost immediately, it softened as she realized Shauna finally had an actual assignment for her. She eyed the three girls who were approaching. Instantly, she dismissed the yapper. It was nothing personal, but Juliet knew in point three seconds that she didn’t have the patience.

She looked toward the athletic woman only briefly as a thought crossed her mind. Been there, done that.

Finally, she looked at the Kurt Cobain impersonator. Juliet knew of her, but she didn’t know her very well. Of course she’d heard about the girl who played bass covers of punk rock songs from before any of them were born in the parking lot, but she’d never had the chance to really get to know her. What was she going to do? Ask her to play Hawaiian Rollercoaster Ride? This was her element though.

She gave Shauna a grateful smile, and then gracefully glided across the show floor to stand in front of the trio who had let themselves in. Putting on her best customer service smile and voice, she greeted them. “Do you need any assistance today?”

“Wait, you work here? Since when?” Tristan recognized Juliet almost immediately - Tristan’s memory wasn’t always the best but she never forgot the face of people she once made out with. It didn’t work out between her and Juliet, their personalities were hardly compatible, but Tristan didn’t think there was any love lost between them. But still, the sight of Juliet working an after school job made it impossible for Tristan to hide her snickering laughter, a gesture that had ‘the yapper’ of the trio blinking as she looked between Tristan and Juliet.

“Are you two friends? Hi, I’m Abby, it’s not my real name but everyone calls me Abby.” Abby extended her hand for a handshake but then retracted it almost immediately since it was probably weird to shake hands with someone at a clothing store. “My friend Tristan needs an outfit for the Homecoming dance and I need one too because we’re going together.” There was a pause that almost counted as a pregnant pause before Abby immediately corrected course. “We’re not going together like a couple, we’re going together as friends! Do you have something for friends to wear to a dance? She’s very tall and I don’t really know anything about dresses. I like them, I think. I don’t know.”

“Relax, Abs, you’re gonna give the girl a headache.” Ellie spoke up, placing a calming hand on Abby’s shoulder which seemed to work like a pause button. “Yeah, these two need outfits. Well, mostly her.” Ellie tapped Abby on the shoulder for emphasis.

“If it helps, her favorite color is green.”

“Mint chocolate chip ice cream.”

“Yeah, green.”

“Look, she wants to look like a princess,” Ellie gestured to Abby, “And she,” A gesture to Tristan, “Just needs something like a one shoulder sequin, show off the gams and the yams, you know?”

“Those mean the same thing.”

“What the fuck are gams?”

“The same thing as yams.”

“I hate yams, they’re disgusting.”

“But you’ve got them. Gams, yams. Is hams one too? That would be weird. Rude also.”

“If you don’t interrupt them they will keep going.” Ellie’s words to Juliet might as well have been a warning.

Exactly what Juliet feared was going to happen was actively happening. It didn’t help that Tristan was giggling at her, something that Juliet tried to silence with a dark glare. When that failed, she resigned to turn the customer service look back on. She let them talk, listened to their words and filed them away. Before she could help them with their outfits though, she had to set things straight.

“My mother made me get a job after I got unjustly fired from Disneyland.” She said, with her eyes on Tristan. Juliet didn’t harbor any ill will toward her, but a failed one month long relationship meant Tristan knew more about Juliet than others tended to. The words spoken toward Tristan abandoned the ‘customer service’ tone for one that gave more… ‘I’m annoyed you’re exposing me.’ energy. “I’ll find something for you.”

“It’s too bad you didn’t meet me last week,” Juliet said, as she turned her attention onto Abby. It was dangerous to engage this one, but Juliet had a feeling if she didn’t try to help Abby, she’d never get her way. “I used to work at Disneyland, I helped do the princess makeovers…” She sighed wistfully, remembering better days with a smile, “we can find you a pretty dress. Green… green might be hard. But I’ll try.” Juliet did not like the color green. It looked like the throw up emoji.

She finally turned her attention onto Ellie, the last girl. “What’s your size? I already have ideas for you.”

“My size is irrelevant, shouldn’t you be asking them that question?” Ellie didn’t know why the employee was asking her, she wasn’t here to shop. She was the ride. The wheels. The moral support. Dances, especially school dances, were not exactly her scene and that wasn’t about to change in her senior year.

“It doesn’t have to be green, but Tiana did have a green dress and it was very pretty. And then they stopped doing hand drawn animation, I don’t know why, it’s so much nicer.” Abby interjected, green was never mandatory for her outfits, but color was. She never wanted to wear black even to a funeral. “What did you do at Disneyland?”

“More like who.”

“Oh, sorry. Who did you do at Disneyland?”

“I oversaw princess makeovers and was a cashier at one of the photo shops. Basically, I did make up for girls who wanted to cosplay.” Juliet explained, trying to be patient with Abby even though she hated repeating herself. At least she seemed to have taste as she mentioned Tiana. She didn’t have a chance to comment on it before Tristan started running her mouth again, talking about the ‘who’ rather than the ‘what.’ “Stop being combative, Tristan. That’s basically slander.” The difference in tone of voice when she spoke to Tristan and when she spoke to the others was clear as day.

There were more important things to talk about than to go down a list of the princesses she’d bagged at Disneyland. “Have you seen Wish? It’s not quite hand drawn, but the style is nice. Like a call back to when Disney didn’t suck.” Her attention was turned onto Abby, who had suddenly become the most interesting person in the room. “It isn’t a very good movie, but it’s pretty and the musical numbers are fun to sing along with. Do you have a favorite Disney song? I do.” Juliet walked into the jungle of clothing racks as she spoke, gesturing for Abby — and the others, she supposed — to follow along.

Before Juliet got too far into rambling about Disney, she met eyes with Ellie and gave her a small, sly smile. There was no verbal response to Ellie’s question, but Juliet certainly hadn’t forgotten it yet. One step at a time. She talked as she walked, “it’s How Far I’ll Go, by the way. Or Let It Go, but… that’s so basic. I love Frozen, but I have to stay vigilant and be unique!” She made a gesture with her hands, something of a small fist pump. That was for Abby; she was animated enough that Juliet felt she’d appreciate the extra motion. “Stitch is my favorite movie though.” She did not call it ‘Lilo & Stitch.’

Ellie saw the smile aimed at her and only raised an eyebrow in response. This was the strangest customer service interaction she’d been witness to and she once stood behind a drunk guy trying to remember what gas pump he was at. He didn’t even drive. Tristan, meanwhile, rolled her eyes at Juliet’s words; it wasn’t combative when it was true and the only reason she didn’t step in and stop Juliet from discussing cartoon shit with Abby was because Tristan was almost positive Abby would take the discussion literally and not realize if Juliet was trying to make something happen. Tristan wasn’t Abby’s mother, but she knew Juliet well enough to know that if the Disney girl ever got her lips on Abby, it would only end in Abby’s tears and that would require Tristan to gather a drop of blood for every tear shed.

“Oh, uhm…I like…Part of Your World.” Abby didn’t clarify, but the way she looked away, blinked rapidly, and started rubbing a finger in the palm of her other hand suggested there was something to the choice beyond just enjoying Jodi Benson’s voice.

“What’s unique about liking two songs that made the Billboard charts, man? That’s like saying you’re unique for liking Taylor Swift. At least say Un Poco Loco. No one ever says that.” Ellie had not seen a single Disney movie, but she had let Abby control the aux at times and she had at least heard most Disney movies by this point. Only a small number of them ever remained in Ellie’s thoughts. “Look, how long is this gonna take? Cuz I’ll just wait outside.”

Juliet shook her head. “You stay. It won’t take that long. I’m getting to know my customer. Also, just so you know, it’s kind of edgy to dislike popular things because they’re popular. Can you point out something musically wrong with either song? I’m not saying they’re perfect, but they’re pretty good tracks. Especially Let It Go. Be serious.” She addressed and dismissed Ellie with a wave of the hand and quick words, before turning her attention to the belle of the ball. “An excellent choice.” As she spoke, Juliet idly looked through clothing racks. Green? Green? Who wore a green dress? And to homecoming? Diabolical work.

“We should watch Disney movies sometime, Abby. My name is Juliet. And yes, Tris. I’ll behave.” She spun on her heel and thrust a mint green dress to Abby. With a smile, she explained her choice. “This seems like it fits you. It’s a bit… loud for a homecoming dance, but I don’t think that will bother you. Besides, I can’t imagine you in a dress that doesn’t flourish when you spin. I mean, what’s the point?”

She knew Abby would talk whether eye contact was held or not, and twirled around to look at the racks again. Digging, this time for only moments before she turned back around and faced Tristan. “Here. Unless your ass got fatter, this is your size.” She held out a purple dress that matched the mint one. “Now go try them on.”

“Yeah, I bet you still wish you had my ass to enjoy, Jules.” Tristan teased while snatching the dress and making for the fitting room, but not before making sure Juliet saw her give her very well proportioned volleyball star ass a slap. Just so Juliet knew what she lost out on. Truthfully, Tristan didn’t care what kind of dress it was, if it wasn’t for Abby she wasn’t even going to go and, not that she was bragging, but Tristan was confident she could show up in a garbage bag and still be in the upper tiers of hottest in the room. Athletes just had that advantage.

Abby, meanwhile, held the dress out in front of her with both hands then put it close to her like she’d seen done countless times. It was bright, it had floral print, and it reminded her of mint chocolate chip ice cream. In a word, it was: “Perfect!” And, like Tristan, Abby headed to try it on, though she had much more of a skip in her step in comparison to Tristan’s sassy sashay.

Ellie, then, was left with her hands thrust in her pockets.

“God, she thinks she can get away with everything just because she has pretty brown eyes and a nice butt. Is she still annoying as a passenger princess?” Juliet shook her head to dismiss the rhetorical question as she finally devoted her full attention to Ellie. “At least we’re finally alone. You never told me your size.”

“She demands shotgun, if that’s what you mean. If you’re focused on her eyes, I have it on authority that she's single.” Ellie had never once thought on Tristan’s eyes or butt, but clearly Juliet had been and if it would stop Tristan complaining about her lack of a relationship then why not try and set the two of them up? Clearly there was history there but that wasn’t for Ellie to know about. “You don’t need to know my size, man, I’m not here to shop. Didn’t you hear me, or have your ears been poisoned by Elsa’s schlocky song about girl power?”

“I know she’s single. I dumped her.” That was mostly true. While it was a fairly mutual dumping, Juliet had been louder and more dramatic, which she took as a victory. She had not discussed this idea with Tristan, and had no plans to. When Ellie started talking again, Juliet prepared to deliver her pick up line - and then Ellie decided she wanted to fight. “Schlocky? What, are you mad that it’s essentially the most popular song of the 2010s and it didn’t even need a funky bass line? Please.” She rolled her eyes and folded her arms over her chest. If there had been something she wanted to follow up with about Ellie’s size, it had been pushed to the back of her mind. “Of course it’s schlocky. It’s a Disney movie. Just because it’s a bit cheesy doesn’t make her voice less powerful, or the lyrics less inspirational. If you want to dislike it, that’s fine. But Let It Go is basically the foundation for a billion dollar franchise and saved the company. You’re gonna have to do better than ‘popular bad.’” She scoffed.

“Are you seriously telling me the first time you heard the song it didn’t do anything for you? Idina belted the last chorus so hard that most pop stars should be ashamed of themselves. They can’t even keep up with an animated white girl.” She huffed.

“The first time I heard the song the only thing it did to me was make me not want to watch the movie.” Ellie still hadn’t seen it, of course, and she didn’t feel like she was missing out on anything. Normally she wouldn’t even expend the effort on a discussion like this - Disney teens were just a couple years from being Disney adults and Ellie couldn’t imagine a more depressing thing other than being a K-Pop fan over the age of twenty one. But Juliet being so ready to fight for the song was…well, it made Ellie want to fight back. Passion was passion and passion was rare around here. “I didn’t say it was bad because it’s popular, I like Girl On Fire and that is twice the song Let It Go is and Alicia Keys isn’t even a Broadway broad like your Queen Idina is. What’s inspirational about the lyrics? It’s the same rah rah don’t be afraid to be who you are message that’s been around since, like, the queercore movement of the 90s! The only difference is this time it has Disney money pushing it so it’s shined to a squeaky clean finish for easy, empty calorie consumption.”

Ellie was spending too much effort, but she could see her words were making Juliet pout and that seemed like enough motivation to continue; it was a uniquely cute pout. “And if you remember, my issue wasn’t you liking the song, it was you saying you were unique for calling it your favorite. What next, your favorite movie is Avengers?”

“Do I look like I watch superhero movies?” Juliet couldn’t help herself and snapped. She was practically being insulted by someone who clearly didn’t know what she was talking about. She clicked her tongue, “maybe you should watch the movie before you judge the song, huh? I don’t know if you realize this, but Disney money pushing out the ‘don’t be afraid of who you are’ message is kind of a big deal for people our age. I don’t care if it made a corporation a bunch of money, it’s important! Alicia Keys isn’t even comparable!”

“First of all, I said that Let It Go would be my favorite if I didn’t want to be unique.” She tapped her head, an unspoken gesture meant to ask ‘are you stupid?’ in a way that wouldn’t get her fired. She reeled back and fired off in her native tongue, hoping to safely express how she was feeling. “너는 귀여운데 너의 취향은 나를 토하게 만든다. 멍청한 상사.”

When she was younger and hating the fact that she had to learn a language other than english, Ellie’s mom just said that one day she’d be glad to know her ‘mother tongue’. Ellie’s mom would never know that the day finally came, if only so she could give a light laugh at Juliet’s sudden dive into Korean. It wasn’t a mocking laugh; Ellie’s laugh sounded like it came from the throat, a husky chortle that matched her normal ‘husky smoker but a teen’ voice of her day to day. “넌 내 취향을 모르잖아, 자기야”

At first, Juliet looked almost insulted. It was almost as if not disclosing that she spoke Korean was the most insulting thing Ellie had ever done. Then, it was like a switch turned in her head and Juliet’s demeanor shifted a bit. Even her tone of voice changed, dropping the silky smooth customer service voice she’d used for most of their encounter as she stepped forward and tilted her head to the side, “오, 진짜?” A voice that was quiet enough it was meant only for Ellie’s ear, lilted from Juliet’s lips. Her voice was sing-song; angelic or devilish, depending on who you asked.

The smirk she wore said it louder than her words. Each step she took forward resulted in Ellie taking one backwards. When Ellie’s back touched the wall, Juliet held up and wagged a finger. She didn’t talk though, because what needed to be said was best said silently. She stepped up to Ellie and stood on her tip-toes, very suddenly pressing her lips against hers. By the time she let the kiss break, her arms had found their way around Ellie’s neck - though they dropped as Juliet pulled away from her.

She ran her tongue along her upper lip, commenting. “Blue raspberry? I thought you’d like cherry.”

It was over before Ellie was backed against the wall. Juliet had taken control and Ellie was just along for the ride; the bassist wasn’t even aware of the kiss at first, but once the taste of candy flowed onto her tongue, Ellie was kissing back as if they weren’t in the middle of a store where eyes could fall upon them with all their scrutiny. When Juliet broke the kiss, Ellie was still puckering towards the air, like she wanted to keep the kiss going, and there was a gentle flush of embarrassment when she realized she was still wanting more. She didn’t have a sweet tooth but Juliet’s lips were the tastiest thing this side of a blue slushie. “I’m a size eight.”

“Oh good. Then you’ll be able to try on what I want you to be wearing when you pick me up for the dance. And I want shotgun.”

“Shotgun’s yours, 애기야.”

“Oi, this is a place o’ business, nae pleasure, yeah? Take it outside or outta sight.” Shauna’s dulcet brogue snapped Ellie out of the candy reverie she found herself in. Ellie promptly looked away, cheeks red, while Shauna looked at her watch. ‘Five minutes? Not bad, Newbie.’ Her internal thoughts were giving Juliet a thumbs up even if all she could do physically was nod to the new girl, Stepping out from behind the counter, Shauna headed for the fitting rooms where the first two girls had been.

“You ladies all good in there? Just checkin’ on ya.”

“Yeah, no, it’s fine! We’re fine! Just trying to see the fits!”

Indy Adams was lying. She wasn’t really fine. She looked fine. That was a given. She was very good at looking the part, even more so now that she had the tools and tricks of the Hive in aiding that goal. But inside her head, there was chaos.

What the proprietor had said, about window shopping and everything, Indy knew what she was talking about. It was almost embarrassing to be read by the Irish woman with the ease of a kindergartner flipping through a pop-up book. She knew the desire that Indy held inside, but it was never about Indy. While there was growing evidence that a move made on Angel would result in positive reactions for both of them, it didn’t matter when it appeared there were so many gates ready to slam down in the way should Indy get caught off guard. Naomi. Levi. Mami Vasquez. They all would have things to say if word got out about Indy’s attraction to Angel, and they wouldn’t hurt the blonde nearly as much as they could hurt the brunette. Indy was already the vagabond, the traveler who would move on to her next destination and put BHHS behind her like she did so many other stops in the world. Angel, as far as Indy knew, didn’t have that luxury. She wasn’t even sure of any alternate family members in the area that would take Angel in should her mother act as expected should she find out her daughter kissed a girl. There was potential for Angel to have to leave Los Angeles entirely.

That was the conundrum Indy faced. Would the short-term pleasure be worth the potential long-term pain of being denied such joy ever again?

At least right now, the outfit was proving to be the least of her problems. After swapping the bomber jacket for the suit jacket that was indicated by Shauna, it looked like it would do the job, provided she got rid of the red tank top underneath. Red was not the color to be paired with such a stark white. This wasn’t Valentine’s Day. Yet Indy’s heart was still fluttering like it had a couple arrows in it.

“I don’t know if this would be better with a black top underneath, or the silver one, or if I just go full white. But I know red isn’t it,” she stated to Angel.

“I like black,” Angel quickly responded, mirror-gazing at her features, inside her dressing room, right next to Indy’s. “You should pick black.” Turning to her side, to check how the back looked, she could see how beautiful the dress accentuated the best parts of her, like her lithe form, and how it showcased her legs. ^{“My mom… would not like this,”} She said to herself, too low for Indy to hear. It wasn’t often she felt this pretty. Naturally, in the Hive, she had no choice but to be creative so that she didn’t gross her peers with her conservative wear. But to wear whatever she wanted? Without getting scrutinized for it? The thought was liberating.

Turning to face the mirror once more, Angel pulled her hair back and tried to imagine hairstyles with the fit. Once she returned home she would need to call Dahlia to see if she’d allow her to get ready at her place. Angel wanted to go to the party too but the only way she’d be allowed away for the weekend was if Dahlia’s mother was tagged in for distraction. There was a spinning vortex in her stomach at the thought of deliberately disobeying her mother. All her life she was told what to do, how to speak, who to interact with. Her father was a bystander to all the verbal abuse and there were times, she felt like doing exactly what her mother wanted was good for her. If it weren’t for her mother, she wondered if her father would try to slip in her bedroom at night. The way he looked at her sometimes, especially after he drank, made her exceedingly uncomfortable. Perhaps that’s why she decided to turn to video games originally. To add color to her prison cell.

“I’m coming out.” Stepping out of the dressing room, to show Indy the dress Shauna picked out, Angel anxiously rubbed her sides and asked, “What do you think? Is it too much?” Her mother said that dressing like this would get her raped and killed, and part of her was worried she’d be asking for it but she’d be lying if she said she didn’t like it on her.

At the sound of her shopping partner announcing her unveiling to the store, Indy emerged from her own stall to get a look at just how that idea of darkness and lace would look on her friend and she was not disappointed. It was almost sad to think Angel was unable to show off her body like this due to her mother’s overbearing presence, because the world needed to know what it was missing out on. The lace was in all the right places, accentuating the tan skin and making sure the fabric was where it needed to be. The revealing cuts showing off that little bit of midsection and a lotta bit of leg, paler compared to the arms, and that wide neckline at the top, it was the way Angel was meant to be shown. She looked like a beautiful shadow, hidden by the “light” of the world but emerging now to taunt and tease and hint at what she could do if set free.

Indy didn’t say any of that out loud though. Maybe Shauna’s warning hadn’t taken hold yet.

Instead, she opened her mouth and then closed it. Holding back the torrent of praise she wanted to give. Holding back the confessions that were springing to her mind finally seeing Angel in something that expressed something akin to her true feelings, not those imposed upon her by the threat of some beardy man sending her to a pit of fire for daring to have a thought that wasn’t devoted to his praise. Shoot, Lucifer themselves might show up at the Pearly Gates to claim this dark Angel for their own collection before Peter told them to shove off.

This was a true test of Indy’s restraint.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity in her mind, she spoke. “Nah, I don’t think it’s too much. I think it meets you, like, you seem like you’re made to wear that. I mean… it looks really good on you.” Indy looked down at herself. “I don’t know if there’s a black top here that will match with this. I don’t think I have one unless I really do just want to wear a bra to the dance… I almost thought that would be too much, but if there’s a party afterwards, at least that’s an easy change. I can just bring a different top to put over it.” She heaved a sigh. “Sorry, I’m rambling. No, it is not too much.”

Again, Indy was lying. This was becoming a bad habit. However, admitting that the sight of Angel in that dress was overloading her mind was not the thing to say. Not right now.

“Right… cool, yeah,” Angel replied, pushing some of her hair behind her ear, aware of how exposed she was. The fact that her friend said the outfit was made for her caused somersaults in the pit of her stomach. “I’ll get it then,” She agreed, feeling awfully bashful. That was until their shared moment was disrupted. Inside her dressing room, her phone began to ring. A Spanish gospel song signaled her mother was calling. It was a song her mom heavily suggested to be her ringtone and by suggestion, her mother ripped her phone from her hand and put it in for her. Evangely didn’t have a wrist watch but she knew it wasn’t eight yet. They weren’t in The Mermaid’s Closet that long. Although this place certainly did feel timeless.

Apathetic and seemingly unbothered, Angel quietly left Indy’s side to return to her private room. Picking up the phone, she listened to the woman on the other line, “It’s game day… I told you yesterday... ¿Alguna vez te he mentido?” Momentarily, there was silence coming from Angel’s dressing room. Putting the phone down on a small bench in the room, exasperated, as her mother continued to yap on, Angel began to change and put on her casual wear. Leave it to her mother to ruin a good time. Taking earbuds out of her backpack, she placed them in, transferring the audio from one device to the other. “No puedo volver a casa, cada vez que se pelean.”

Exiting the dressing room, black dress hanging in her arm, Angel texted Indy, who she assumed was in the other room. She continued to listen to her mother complain and in response, she tried her best to talk in a calm tone, hoping it helped the older woman off the ledge.

To: Perla
register.

The sooner she got home, the less likely her mom would strip her away from anymore highschool experiences, like the dance tomorrow. Somehow, someway, Angel needed to guarantee her freedom tomorrow. Missing the game was one thing but missing the first party? That was unacceptable behavior for a member of the Hive. Angel disappointing her mom continuously was one thing. She was used to it. Disappointing Naomi and Levi was a whole different thing. She didn’t need to add them to that list and commit social suicide. Nor did she want to let Indy and Lottie down by worrying one and being ‘so lame’ to the other. If things went her way, tomorrow, around this time, she would be at school watching her peers dance poorly. Then she’d head to the party likely in the backseat of Naomi’s car and her mom would trust that she went straight to Dahlia’s to sleepover.

To: Muñeca
sos.
tmr. get rdy at ur place?

SOS was all Angel needed to send to her childhood friend for her to understand what was needed.

To: Joyita
wanna play league?

Putting her worry aside, deciding to take this adventure as a win — she got a new dress and she felt closer to Indy — Angel focused on what was next on her list. Getting home, decompressing, and playing games all night. She hoped Jade was down. Angel needed to release her frustration. What better way than to have fun with friends while improving her competitive needs? That was honestly the best way.

To: Joyita
give me 30

Indy had finished putting her school outfit back on, denim shorts returned to the ensemble now that she was out of the withering glare of Naomi Davis, and was ready to claim at least the suit before wondering where she could find the final pieces to her Homecoming Dance style when she got the text from her shopping partner. She knew it wasn’t time for Cinderella to leave the castle but the wicked mother’s powers dwarf that of the fictitious step-mom. She sighed, not really wanting this trip to end yet but surely there would be others who could help her finish the task of making sure she didn’t shame the Hive at the event tomorrow. Maybe Shauna would be able to figure something out. It was her job after all. Either way, she did want to make sure Angel was going to be all right with her jailer. Going through all this and not being able to enjoy seeing the fruits of this trip under the strobe lights and whatever decorations were planned for this sort of thing? That would be a true sin.

To: Dark Angel
See you there.

BHHS: Limitless

Kathleen Frasier

_{Kathleen Hannah Frasier}

18 • Female • Bisexual • She/Her • Single

(FC: Rhea Norwood; Dialogue: a03cb8)

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Ｉｎｔｒｏ

► reputation

"I think my reputation is pretty damn sparkling! I’ve done a good job being more than just the daughter of a celebrity and really carved my own name for myself at BHHS. Lottie and I have the squad in a great position, considering how much… turbulence there was in our year. Still, varsity is killing it, we are so ready for Homecoming and beyond, and those other schools will drown in an ocean of poison and blood and… shoot. Guess Mom’s blood is still in my veins after all."

► current dilemma

“So like I’ve said, I have been working on making my own reputation outside of just being the daughter of Eden. All the Greens have their own thing, their own personalities, but me? What do I really have? I dated Jack for a while, but it feels like that’s just what a cheerleader is supposed to do. Date an athlete. So is that it? Does being a cheerleader count as a personality? I don’t think so. I know a lot of other students are in the same boat as me, but this is the last year of high school. I want to make sure I’m on a path that can get me somewhere I deserve. Even if that takes me away from California.”

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Ｄｅｔａｉｌｓ

► social media handles

“I’m on Instagram @CheerKatF616, Twitter and Snapchat at the same, Facebook at Kat Hannah, Discord I don’t use, but just in case, it’s BlackKat616 cause I thought it sounded cooler. That’s what discord is right? It’s cooler, so you have to have the gamer handle or something?”

► style

“I wear a lot of colors, a lot of red to match the school, but I don’t go for a lot of black, just because I get enough of that from my Mom and Dad. Red is my favorite color, so I try to accent that with some brighter tones. Sometimes I show up with a choker on, but that’s because my mom demands I do something to show some teeth, as she calls it. But that’s not who I am, that’s who she is.
I do work some plaid in sometimes, mostly to keep my dad happy. He really wants to make sure I embrace my Scottish and English roots. I just think it’s a cute pattern. At home I do try and speak a little more with the accent. It's not as pronounced as school, but people keep telling me they can hear it and the Scottish kinda throws them off, but yeah, it's really thick at home.”

► ride & everyday items

“I have a Black Aston Martin that my dad gave me for my 16th birthday. A right British car. It’s nice and sporty, and the guys seem to like the fact that if I let them drive, they get to feel like James Bond. Jokes on them, they don’t get to drive. They are the Bond Girl. 

My phone is my most important item, need to have it. It is my lifeblood. I always have my makeup bag on me, never know when I need to touch something up. Aaaaaand, I always try to have some fruit somewhere near by. A banana, a mango, something just to keep the energy up. I have to buy all the fruit myself though. I swear if I said word dragonfruit to my parents, they’d laugh and say nothing grows in Wales.”

► occupation

“Is cheerleader an occupation? Then that.”

► extracurricular activities

“I’m going to give you one guess! Yeah, as second-in-command of the cheerleading squad, that takes up the majority of my time. I’m the Eliza Dushku to Lottie’s Kirsten Dunst. My parents REALLY want me to do something musical. I guess I could sing a little. Oooooh, or play the violin or cello like Auntie Krista! But right now, I want to focus on making the Flyrates the best squad in the state! No, the country!”

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Ｑｕｅｓｔｉｏｎｎａｉｒｅ

Friends would describe me as _______.

"A shining light, a beacon inspiring the school to strive higher than before! I guess my friends know how much effort it takes for me to be like that. I don’t know how people like Amy and Nevaeh feel about me now, but to the others, they know I’m true blue… or red, I guess!”

In my free time I like to _______.

"I’ve spent some time learning German thanks to Auntie Krista. I think it’s important to be able to have a second language on the resume, or third, since Spanish is so prevalent, here. To relax, I do like to just veg out and listen to some music. At least I kept that from my parents. But I’m usually not vegging out! So many practices to do!.”

I would like to learn _______ in the next year.

"Enough German that I can watch the dubbed Mean Girls movie without subtitles. If I get there, I think that means I’ve got it on lock.”

This is how I define success and failure:

“There is no such thing as true failure, despite what my parents say. If you don’t complete something that you attempt, but you still learn something from it, that is still a success. As long as you keep moving forward without being so stuck in the past, that’s what it means to be human. To keep going as far as you can go.”

I'm inspired by _______.

“Wow, um, my fellow cheerleaders, obv. They put so much effort into everything, and overcome some tough losses, I couldn’t ask for a better group of people to work with. Also my Auntie. Krista has taught me so much joy and compassion, I’m so thankful to her.”

These songs are the soundtrack to my life:

“All right, so these are some of my favorite songs to do routines to. I know some of them are a bit old and campy, but I just like them! I hope my parents like some of them even if I’m not going to ever do a routine to Embrace the Venom:

“Ariana Grande – Into You”
“Breathe Carolina - Blackout”
“Queen – Killer Queen”
“Taylor Swift – Bad Blood”
“Missy Elliott – Lose Control”
“Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Heads Will Roll”
“SZA – Kill Bill”
“Sophie Ellis-Bextor – Murder on the Dancefloor”

My fondest memory as a child was _______.

“Landing a standing backflip for the first time when I was 10. I had to adjust a little as I got older, but being able to do that consistently gave me the confidence that I could do this cheerleading thing. My dad says he was trying to get me to practice flipping off a stage. Jokes on him.”

If I could tell my younger self something, I would say:

“Don’t let the light inside you be dimmed by the darkness. As long as it still shines, there is hope not just for you, but for others.”

The things that make me smile are _______.

"That feeling when I get caught after a perfect pike twist, post-game party sessions with the rest of the girls, and Elite parties!”

My whole life story in one sentence:

"I am proof that you are not what you are born into as one can choose their own path in this life, so why shouldn’t everyone spread their wings and fly?”

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► extra information

”OK, first of all, no, I don’t know if East of Eden is doing a farewell tour. Or if they will ever been done. My mom always said she would die with a guitar in her hands, and honestly, I believe her. If my parents do leave though, you better believe there’s a big party at my place. Second, I know a lot of people like giving me gifts and stuff, so please, no chocolates, I prefer flowers, perfume or stuffed animals for the collection at home. I’ve almost hidden the gimp bear my mom bought me from Dollskill. Finally, Go Pirates!”

_{NPC FCs: Rebecca “Bex” Frasier (mother): Siouxsie Sioux, Shepard Frasier (father): Jason Issacs, Krista Muller (non-related aunt): Elisabeth Shue}