smarty0114

CANCELLED.

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_{A @Silent Observer & @smarty0114 Collab
Featuring: Jamie “I Need A Drink” Callaghan and Selena “He’s Nobody” Sterling with special guest appearances by Kit “Hamster Without a Leash” Thomas and Connor “Fine as Wine” Prince
Location: The Party}

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Jamie was perched near the bar, a martini in one hand, a glass of champagne in the other. As much as Jamie liked a good party, he didn’t feel the need to be completely plastered when he tried to win Marshall back. He’d skipped his normal drink for the champagne and decided that if by night’s end everything had gone according to plan then he’d treat himself, and have a real good cocktail.

He saw Selena approaching the bar through the crowd of people, her silvery blonde hair hard to miss. He locked eyes with her and grinned, raising her martini to signal her over. “Welcome to the circus. Over there is Becca Helmsley, dancing sluttier than normal, if you can believe it. The rest of our friends have yet to arrive, so you haven’t missed too much,” he noted, handing her the glass, and keeping his eyes trained on the dance floor, hoping to catch a glimpse of one partygoer in particular.

Honestly, what was Sean thinking? What kind of character did he assume that his sister had these days? Of course she wasn’t going to go home with someone else. She wasn’t some slag. She was… probably unloveable. Definitely a virgin. And she was totally shook by his assumption. Selena decided that she needed that martini now more than ever. Making her way through the crowd of high schoolers — some of them stepping out of the way to give her a wide berth, as if she were some kind of plague — Sel arrived at the bar.

Her blue eyes followed Jamie’s gaze to Becca going all out on the dance floor. Yikes, apparently not much had changed since the last time the Helmsley’s were home. Sel sipped on the drink her best friend had handed her. It was perfectly dry, and very high quality, as she would expect from the Helmsley’s stock of alcohol. “It’s like watching one of those nature documentaries where the animals do elaborate mating dances. Yet, far more primitive… and even less classy.” She took another judgemental sip of her martini.

“I’ll give them one thing. The Helmsley’s sure as hell know how to get people drunk,” Jamie said, taking another sip of his champagne and turning to face Selena. “What’s up? You seem...off,” Jamie inquired. He’d known Selena for a while now, and as excellent as she was at hiding her feelings, every now and then Jamie caught hold of something genuine. Tonight was one of those times.

Ahh, so her party face had failed. That was… unfortunate, but Sel had expected that given the conversation and events that transpired prior to her arrival. Selena sighed and took another big sip of her drink. Swallowing down the pleasant burn, she put on her best stunning Selena smile. “Perceptive… I do hope that it’s Jamie asking, and not Rita.” Sel teased and arched an eyebrow up at her journalist friend. She knew him well enough to know that sometimes he couldn’t turn that off, and she didn’t really feel like being interviewed right now. “The same could be said for you. Champagne tonight? That’s unusual.”

Jamie grinned. She knew him too well sometimes. He took another sip of the champagne, holding it in his mouth for a moment before swallowing, savoring the taste. “I’m sure you saw the video from this morning of me and my oh-so-wonderful ex-boyfriend,” Jamie said, rolling his eyes at the mention of AJ. “I need to win Marshall back tonight. Well, if it’s possible. I don’t suppose you’ve seen him?”

“Yes, I saw the video and I was not happy about it. AJ’s grossly slimy, and you deserve better. I thought you were over that phase.” Selena crossed her ankles as she stood and leaned back against the bar as they chatted. This wasn’t so bad, talking with Jamie made parties a bit more entertaining. It was becoming quite obvious that he intended to be spending his time with other people tonight… and she… she really couldn’t blame him there. “I haven’t seen him, unfortunately. He kind of… ditched school and didn’t show for the rest of day. I heard he left with some pretty girls on his arm. Here’s hoping that little kiss incident didn’t turn him straight.” As if that was possible.

Jamie sighed, leaning his head back for a moment to look up at the starry night sky. “What are the chances we swear off men all together and run away somewhere glamorous? I hear Paris is nice this time of year,” he said, finishing off what was left of his drink and setting it down on the bar behind him. “On a lighter note, can we take a second to discuss the new arrivals in homeroom today? That freshman that Cassie and Ophelia adopted? A menace! And since when are Hana Park and Hailey a thing? I mean, why on earth would she want to be friends with any of us? We suck!” Jamie said with a laugh. The champagne had calmed his nerves and loosened his lips. Maybe this party wouldn’t be the worst event of the year.

“Paris is great any time of the year. I’ve really been meaning to cross Ibiza off my bucket list, though. Say the word, and I’ll plan us a getaway whenever you want, my dear.” It had been a while since she’d gone on a vacation. She could use one, and she certainly had enough money to afford to go wherever she wanted. When Jamie brought up the newcomers, Selena’s eyes widened. “Oh my goshhh, tell me about it. Kit is one of the newest members of our cheer squad, and my god, she never shuts up. Hana is also a new member… though… she didn’t really try out or anything. Maybe Hailey’s really good in bed? I have no idea how that happened, honestly. And—” Sel gave him a sassy glare that was more playful than it was vicious. “Speak for yourself. I never suck.” Sel smirked and tapped her pointer finger against the base of the glass in her hand.

Jamie shook his head, smirking. “Oh, well excuuuuse me,” he said, chuckling and looking out over the crowd. “Sel, who’s that?” Jamie asked, nodding his head towards a boy, tall, and rugged, a ruffian if you will, that was very clearly checking out Selena.

Selena once again followed her friend’s gaze into the crowd. Her eyes found a boy. No… a man. The mysterious one she spoke with yesterday. They locked eyes for a moment before Selena looked away towards Jamie. “Prince. Er, Connor Prince. I met him after tryouts yesterday, he’s new in town. Is he… is he still staring?” Sel asked, her cheeks turned just the faintest shade of pink.

Jamie looked up at the boy, who was alternating between looking away and looking back at the duo. Once he noticed Jamie watching, he quickly looked away. “Not anymore. So, who is this mystery man? He’s fine as wine,” Jamie said, smirking and looking back to Selena, intrigued by this possible new development.

“He’s no one.” Selena responded quickly. He wasn’t, really, right? She’d hardly talked with him. If anything, he’d just pissed her off by calling her pet names without even the slightest modicum of respect. “I made him carry chairs for me. And he kept calling me blondie. Ugh. I’m sure he’d do the same for you, if you think he’s so fine as wine… have at it. I thought you were all about winning someone else over tonight, though.” Sel gestured her chin towards the dance floor, where Trixy and Marshall were currently drawing the attention of more than a few sets of eyes. “Speaking of…”

Jamie smirked. “I can still window shop,” he said, before following Sel’s gaze to one Marshall Radley, putting years of dance classes to good work. Jamie’s jaw clenched, a clear effort on his part at trying not to show a reaction. He looked to Trixie and rolled his eyes. “Trixie has a habit of ending up in the exact positions I want to be in,” he said, before turning to the bartender and signaling for another, much needed glass. He had window shopped and found the only item worth purchasing having a very good time without his company. “I need a distraction, stat.”

Luckily, a distraction came in the form of the very thing both Selena and Jamie had come to hate. Coming straight from the crowd, and approaching the pair without a care in the world, Kit Thomas stepped up to Selena. She tapped the slightly taller girl on the shoulder, and when she had Selena’s attention, she grabbed onto the back of Sel’s head and pulled her down so that their lips met.

Given that Kit was trying to decide whether or not Selena Sterling was the one or not, the kiss was surely something. It wasn’t a quick peck on the lips — it was a kiss. Once Kit was satisfied, she broke away and looked at Selena with pure, visible disappointment on her face. She shook it off after a second, “Ehhhhh… not for me.” Then, Kit disappeared back into the throngs of people, off on another adventure.

“What the fuck?!” Selena was stunned in place. What just happened? Who did that little freshman think she was? Sel’s cheeks flushed red, not with embarrassment, but with rage. The usually well-put-together blonde uncharacteristically slammed her glass down on the bar counter and actually wiped at her lips with her now-free hand. As if she could erase the kiss that way. “What was that? Jamie? Did that just happen? I’m…”

Jamie stood, paralyzed by shock. Did that really just happen? It must’ve. They couldn’t have had the same hallucination, could they? And did Selena just curse? She never cursed. Kit would be lucky if she made it to tomorrow night. “Ophelia and Cassie need to leash their hamster,”

“I’ll…” Selena sputtered, overcome with a mixture of emotions. She’d only kissed one other person before, and it was her choice then. Kit just came and… she quite literally stole a kiss. Selena was pissed. No one gets to take a Sterling’s choice away. No one. Especially not mouthy little freshman. “I’ll end her. That was assault! She’ll be lucky if the least I do is get her kicked off the squad, and out of our table, for that.” Selena seethed before turning to request another drink from the bartender.

Jamie nodded. “She brought it on herself. Ophelia really needs to revamp her recruitment process if that’s the kind of rabble they’re bringing in now days,” Jamie said, taking a sip from his new glass of champagne. “It may be worth noting that Mr. Prince, also known as, ‘No One’” Jamie began, using rather emphatic air quotes before continuing, “is rather amused by that whole little fiasco.” Jamie gestured across the deck at Connor, still alone, but now clearly amused, a big grin on his face, shaking his head in disbelief.

This time, Selena did not follow Jamie’s gaze. She wasn’t going to look back over at Connor. Nope, absolutely not. She felt… embarrassed? That was a new emotion for the silver princess, and she did not like it. Her teeth were ground tight together and she did her best to keep her expression even. “I’m not amused. That wasn’t amusing. Who does he think is— and why did you just use air quotes at me, Jamie?” Sel felt suddenly attacked, by the one person she thought she could trust on this boat. Honestly, first her brother, and now Jamie too?

Jamie smirked at his best friend, taking another sip of his drink. “Selena Sterling, you may be very smart, and an excellent liar, but I know something when I see it. And that staring was something,” Jamie said, before looking back to see Connor moving through the crowd. Jamie, turned back to Selena. “Now, don’t panic, but he’s coming over now, so act natural. And don’t get pregnant. The world doesn’t need more Scorpios,” Jamie said, before giving Selena a thumbs up, and disappearing into the crowd. She’ll thank me one day.

Selena gaped as her bestie walked away. Was he serious? He was just going to tell her not to get pregnant and then abandon her here — as if she would ever be that stupid. She didn’t have enough time to fully react to that, because if what Jamie said was true, Connor was coming over here, to where she was standing, and there was very little she could do to stop it. Selena did the only thing that she could think to do, she took a huge gulp of her second martini, and prepared for the worst.

CANCELLED.

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_{A @smarty0114 & @Universorum collab
Featuring: Katie “I Don’t Want A Disease” Callaghan & Scott “You ARE A Disease” Lyon with special guest, Noah “Katie Don’t!” Nichols
Location: Upper Deck}

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By this point in the night, the party was in full swing. People were dancing like Snapchat didn’t exist and the smell of expensive liquor was so entrenched in the air, Katie had long since stopped noticing it. Everywhere she looked someone was either trashed or on some kind of drug, either weed, coke, or uber. Or all three. The boat hadn’t even left yet and already, Katie was pretty sure this would be one of those nights that everyone at BHHS told stories about.

Katie and Noah had perched themselves on the top deck, right by the railing so as to watch everyone. At this exact moment, Katie was halfway through telling Noah everything about Joy and Damian’s kiss in the gym earlier.

“It was INSANE! I mean, Damian O’Connor, as in, the Damian O’Connor, comes over, picks her up and fucking plants one on her! I mean, I was sure I must’ve been hallucinating or something and-HOLY FUCK HOLD MY DRINK!” Katie shouted, shoving her cup filled with juice and a splash of vodka into Noah’s arms.

Noah followed Katie’s furious gaze across the deck, to one Scott Lyon, simply standing, talking to a girl, a junior or senior. Katie marched over, her blonde hair bouncing with every step, her anger painted clear as day on her face.

“Scott Lyon, you piece of shit!”

Here we go. Scott knew this would happen, he knew it. He told Brian he needed to be plastered for this party to be an even remotely good idea, but did his pleas get heard? No. They were ignored, and Scott was on sober duty; told firmly not to drink a sip. And he hadn’t! He was nothing, if not a loyal friend. But the sight of Katie Callaghan approaching him, ignited a fresh fire in his chest, and he glared at her.

“The fuck do you want, Katie? Why can’t you go fuck off with your friends? PROBABLY BECAUSE YOU DON’T HAVE ANY!”

“Says the loser who has nothing better to do than shit talk me on my insta? You’re pathetic Scott! I’m sorry that Mommy and Daddy’s money didn’t prep you for the real world, where sometimes you aren’t the fucking best at everything!”

Katie was pissed. Something about the sight of Scott Sebastion Lyon turned her into an animal, going for every point of attack she could find. He pushed every button she had and she couldn’t figure out for the life of her why. She was pretty confident she loathed him. Not hated. Loathed.

“I DELETED IT!” Scott screamed, and then it began: eyes. All eyes on the deck were very suddenly focused on himself and the woman — girl she was a girl — he considered his mortal enemy. Stepping toward her, Scott continued to press on with his verbal attack, “and clearly I’m the best at something since you’ll never leave me alone! What is it, Katie? You want to fuck me or somethin’?! Well, get bent, I can do way better!” Scott shouted, wishing he had something to throw at her.

Considering that he didn’t, he did the next best thing: Scott threw up the middle finger in her direction, scowling. How dare she bring up his parents! He didn’t choose to be born rich, why wasn’t that a point of contention!?

“Oh, so you didn’t want to just man up and face the fucking music did you? God you are such a bitch baby!” Katie didn’t care a bit that half the boat was watching them by now, hushed silence having fallen over the deck, save for the whispers of the audience and the shouts of the two competitors.

“Scott, if I wanted to catch every disease known to man, I’d be sure to fuck you, but unfortunately for you, I have morals. Not that you’re used to that with most girls,” Katie quipped, crossing her arms and cocking her head. This fight had no point, no winner or loser, no prize. Yet she kept fighting, kept shouting, kept throwing out barbs, because to walk away was to admit defeat, and that was the last thing she was going to do. He didn’t deserve the satisfaction.

If she was a man, Scott would have hit her. To be honest, he wanted to hit her anyway, but his mother raised him better than that. Instead, he chose to do the only logical thing: scream some more. To him, the world had washed away. There was only him and Katie, there were no spectators. This wasn’t being recorded and posted to Snapchats everywhere. “I don’t have any diseases, you bat! And even if I did, at least I’m not a fuckin’ disease on this planet! And you? Morals?! HA!”

Scott ripped off his hat and threw it at her, “The ABSURDITY makes me laugh! You threw chess pieces at me today, you dumb bitch!” Scott snapped, scowling.

Katie stepped sideways, letting the hat flop on the ground, then clapped her hands in mock glee, and made a face, similar to one you might make if you were congratulating a baby on their first words. “Oh my! ‘Absurdity’ that is such a big word! Good job, Scotty!” Katie scoffed. “Y’know what Scott, why don’t you just do me a favor and keep your ego small enough that I don’t have to deal with it! Now go and find some whore to hook up with,” Katie said, fixing him with a famous, Katie Callaghan Stare, and shooing him away. The crowd erupted into hushed whispers. Katie was a performer, and she knew how to get a reaction.

“You dim-witted, dense, daft, dumb doofus! I don’t hook up with whores!” Scott screamed, and he wanted to throttle her. Scott was getting more angry than he remembered ever getting, Katie knew how to push every single button that he had. Where did she even get this shit!? “And don’t call me ‘Scotty!’ You have to earn that,” he hissed stepping closer to her.

During this exchange, Noah had been perched nervously at the edge of the crowd, Katie’s drink in one hand, a cup of water in the other. He could feel the fight escalating until finally, he had to step in. Anxiously handing the cups off to one of the many viewers, he pushed his way through the crowd and into the small circle that had formed around Katie and Scott. He went to grab her hand, to pull her away, but she slapped it away.

“Go away Noah!”

Noah stood for a half-second, chewing his lip before wincing and wrapping his arms around Katie’s middle. Despite his frame, Noah had no trouble lifting Katie who was much smaller than he was. He began walking through the crowd, Katie kicking and shouting expletives.

“NOAH PUT ME THE FUCK DOWN!!! SCOTT LYON THIS IS NOT OVER I SWEAR TO GOD!” Katie shouted, struggling valiantly against Noah’s grip, to no avail.

Finally, after Noah had deemed them far enough from Scott he set Katie down, only to be shoved backwards by her, her face twisted into a mask of rage.

“Who the fuck do you think you are?”

“Katie I-”

“No, fuck you Noah! You had no right!” Katie said, storming off to the lower deck, leaving Noah standing alone.

“Yeah, get her outta here before she gets messed the fuck up! Don’t yell at him, you bitch, he’s protectin’ your ass!” Scott bellowed after Katie and Noah, before turning his attention onto the surrounding crowd, and flashing a middle finger at all of them. “Show’s over you assholes! Go find something else to entertain you, you fucking VULTURES!” Scott snapped, before storming off to anywhere but here.

Stupid Katie.

CANCELLED.

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_{Featuring: Jamie “I Wanna Make Out With Marshall” Callaghan, Katie “Go Get Laid” Callaghan and Noah “Boys Aren’t Cute” Nichols
Interacting With: Selena "Sparkles" Sterling @Silent Observer
Location: The Destiny}

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Noah was not exactly happy with how the night was going. He didn’t want to be going to this party. Parties were scary, and stressful, and had way too many people, and Noah hated people. They were confusing. Noah didn’t need anymore confusion in his life. That all said, JD was going to be there. Dixon. The boy with the green hair. Who was cute. But not. At all. Cause boys weren’t cute. Noah was pulled from his thoughts by one shout from Katie Callaghan.

“Are you fucking kidding me!” she shouted as their car raced through Beverly Hills, towards the docks. “That prick! Who the fuck does he think he is?”

Jamie was pulled from his own thoughts, ones that were very Marshall-centric, with sprinkles of AJ thrown in for maximum confusion and anxiety. As much as Jamie liked Marshall, and as much as he hated AJ, he couldn’t deny that there was still...something there. He wasn’t sure what exactly, but he knew that he wasn’t as over AJ as he might like everyone to believe. That was a problem, most definitely. However, like any stupid high schooler, he decided that it was a problem for another day. Or never. Never was preferable

“Let me guess.”

“Scott Lyon.”

Katie scowled, smacking Jamie on the shoulder and then turning to face Noah. “Whose side are you on anyways?” she asked, receiving only an apologetic shrug in response. She scoffed in annoyance before turning back to face the road. “Listen to this bullshit! Good job Katie! You turned the bitch of long enough to have a civil moment with your family! V proud of you! Who does that? I mean, I could get him expelled if I wanted to! I could!”

As Katie ranted about Scott, Jamie tuned out, focusing on the road ahead of him. Tonight, he was on a mission. Win Marshall...back? Could he even call it winning him back if he hadn’t even been his in the first place? For the sake of ease, he would. That said, once he figured out the Marshall situation, he’d be free to go after whatever secret Owen Lyon was hiding. Jamie didn’t give a fuck about whatever broke him and Trixie up, he just needed to know. The god damn newspaper was on the line.

As Jamie pulled his car into one of the parking spaces at the marina, Noah chewed his lip nervously. Katie had long since fallen into a stewing silence, her anger clear. Noah however, was left sitting quietly, his stomach churning with worry at the thought of what the night could bring. What if his mom found out where he was? Or he drowned in the ocean? Or JD kissed a girl in front of him? The scenarios ran through Noah’s head as he got out of the car, walking with Jamie and Katie up to the line. The party had clearly begun, music was blasting, so loud he could hear it from here. What really amazed Noah, were the colors that leapt from the boat. Flashing lights, and the hull itself shone brightly with so many shades and hues he couldn’t keep track. This was like art porn. He loved it.

After waiting in line and signing their names, the trio finally stepped aboard the Destiny. Jamie turned to his sister and her friend, taking a deep breath before fixing her with a stern look. “Katie, please be careful. Neither of you die or anything. I’m not trying to explain that to Mom. Don’t do hard drugs, don’t have unprotected sex, don’t...just be safe. Now, I’m gonna go find Selena,” Jamie said.

“Just go get laid already!” Katie shouted at Jamie. He rolled his eyes at her before turning on his heel and walking into the crowd, sending Selena a quick text as he went.

To: Sparkles

im grabbing you a martini, meet me by the bar

Katie turned to Noah as Jamie walked away, her loathing for Scott Lyon forgotten, and her love of drunk people returning her energy. “Come on! Let’s explore!” Katie said, grinning and pulling Noah with her into the crowd. If Noah knew what was about to happen tonight, he’d surely never have come. But hindsight is 20/20.

CANCELLED.

_{Featuring: Cassandra “Liar Liar, Pants on Fire” Clark
Location: Cassie’s House -> On the way to Ophelia’s
Interacting With: Ophelia}

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“You’re a liar,” Cassie said to her reflection, as she stood, alone, in her bedroom, wearing only a bra and panties, her chestnut locks falling in loose curls down her back. The worst part about that statement? It was true. A cruel bit of irony. See, plenty of teenage girls stood in front of their mirror and hurled insults at themselves. And they were all wrong. But Cassie was right. She was a liar. She lied to her friends, she lied to her mom, she wasn’t sure she’d told the truth in years.

Lying on her bed was her phone, open to Lia’s text. Her and Lia had been carrying on...something, for sometime now. Their no strings attached relationship had been beneficial, to the both of them. Except, Cassie had no clue what she was doing. Was she just going to keep fooling around with Lia for the rest of high school? Or until one of them got into a relationship? More likely until Ophelia found out that Cassie was a giant, lying, skanky bitch. Cassie sighed, and turned away from her reflection, walking over to the t-shirt and jeans she’d left draped over her desk chair.

She slipped into the casual outfit, and flopped down on her bed, letting the air rush out of her as she looked up at her ceiling. She’d go over to Lia’s house to get ready with her and Kit, and then they’d all head over to the boat. She’d told her mom she was going to Ophelia’s to study and have a girls night. Another lie.

Back in freshman year, Cassie’s mom used to ask why her friends never came over to their house. Cassie would explain it away, bullshit about how far it was for them, or how Ophie’s house was just where they liked to hang out. Not that, Cassie was lying about her family to everyone, and she couldn’t let them find out. She hoped her mom didn’t think Cassie was ashamed of her. That was the furthest thing from the truth. Cassie loved her mom more than anything. But, if that was true, why did she hide her from her friends? Why did she lie about who she was? Cassie sighed, once more, and got off the bed. These were difficult questions, for another day.

Downstairs, in the living room, Isabella Clark was napping silently on the couch, still in her uniform from her shift at the hospital. Cassandra tiptoed down the stairs and looked over at her, smiled softly at the woman who’d raised her, and made a silent promise to be better, before quietly slipping out the door, and into the awaiting Uber, a backpack slung over her shoulder with everything she’d need for the night’s events. And away we go.

To: Ophie
omw

CANCELLED.

_{A Collab by @smarty0114@Silent Observer@Lovely Complex@Universorum
Featuring: Damian “Bless The Rains” O’Connor, Joy “Woah She Can Sing” Darling, Connor “Sensitive Area” Prince, JD “Lap Sitter” Piccoli and Riley “How Long Can I Make Them Wait” Wells
Location: The Wells House -> Damian’s Car}

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Damian parked the car in front of the Wells’s home, and he considered honking to summon JD and Riley to his vehicle so that he, Connor, and Joy could hurry up and get there — Brian wanted him there pretty early, so he was doing his best to be on time. Brian was the most punctual person he knew, and Damian knew damn well that if he was too late, Brian would complain passionately. He was always this way when stuff like this was involved. But, Damian knew that if he honked, Remy would come out and want to talk for at least fifteen minutes. Better to just get it out of the way now, rather than make it happen through a window.

Damian twisted his body and turned round to face Connor in the backseat, “Hey, we’re here to pick up JD and Riley…” Damian, said before he trailed off. He had just had an epiphany, a sudden realization: with the speakerbox he’d had installed in the center of the backseat, there was only room for one additional person, but he was due to bring two additional people to the party. “Oh, fuck.” He thought about it for a second, before he shrugged and tapped his chin.

“JD’s pretty small. Is it cool if JD sits on your lap? It is? Dope.” Damian gave Connor a thumbs up before he hopped out of the car, gesturing for Joy and Connor to follow him. “There will probably be food, and Remy’s gonna wanna talk. We probably shouldn’t mention the whole boyfriend/girlfriend thing, since I think Rem would tell our parents,” Damian added to Joy, shrugging his shoulders. With that, he went to the doorbell and rang it.

Dixon looked up from his comfy spot on the couch when the doorbell sounded. He had one earbud in, blasting orchestral emo music into his left ear, while he alternated between scrolling through Reddit on his phone and watching Jareth play Fortnite on the big screen. Staring around the room, he waited for any signs of life. “... is no one going to get the door?”

Jareth looked over at him briefly, taking his eyes off of the screen for just a millisecond too long. “Yeah, you are. It’s probably for you party fiends anyway.” Jar smirked and then looked back to the task at hand. The smirk disappeared, he was dead. “Well… son of a bitch.”

The front door opened to reveal a rather annoyed looking JD. So, the usual for JD. When he saw that it was Damian and one of Katie’s other friends — the nerdy one — his face softened, but only slightly. “Oh… uh, come in, I guess. I dunno where Riley is, probably being a girl and taking forever to get ready.” As if Dixon was really one to judge in that respect.

Meanwhile, upstairs in the youngest Wells’ bedroom, Riley laid on his bed with his arm over his face wearing the outfit he wore at school, the usual darkly clad mix. Nothing noteworthy. Did he actually want to go to this party? Where both Marshall and Jamie would probably be at? No. Not really. But with the turn of the morning show and him on sorta okay terms with Brian Helmsley, he felt obligated to. At least for the sake of keeping the door open for their business relationship. “Dad, I look fine. I’m not trying to impress anyone.”

There was rummaging coming from the inside of Rye’s closet. Poking his head out, Remy tsked, “Oh, come on! A random party on a Tuesday night? You should dress to impress. It’s a Helmsley affair!”

“So, what? Like a suit?” Riley sat up and dully blinked at his father. Couldn’t he stay home and play video games with Pops? Why did he have to befriend Brian today, out of all days, for the sake of his morning show?

“No! Too fancy. But I do have something in mind~”

“Are you excited?” Looking at JD, Joy entered the house with confidence beyond the norm; being around Damian did that. She felt like she could conquer anything! The excitement of going to a party on a Tuesday and sort of behind her parents’ backs was also kind of exciting… she was exploring a side of her she didn’t know she had. Though, she wasn’t necessarily party ready, in her opinion. Her clothes were pretty anti-climatic and hardly sexy. Things happened so fast at her house, there wasn’t enough time! But also, if she looked out of the norm, Ma would’ve asked her questions. That could’ve led to her caving in and revealing that Damian was her boyfriend. So. Jeans, tank, Converse shoes, and a cardigan was the decided party wear for the night. While she waited for JD’s response, she made her way to Jareth, who was playing Fortnite, “Heyyyy, Mr. Wells!” Jareth was one of her uncle’s close friends!

Dixon simply shrugged in response to Joy’s question. Was he looking forward to the party? Not really. Well, maybe a little bit? He was curious about what parties were like, and he liked people-watching. Surely there would be a lot of interesting people to watch tonight. If he was being truly honest with himself, he was a bit nervous about going, but he wouldn’t let that show. It was easier to look indifferent... viva indifference! After he shrugged to Joy, Dixon turned and walked towards the hall, where he promptly shouted up the stairs. “RILEEYYY… our ride’s here!” He could have used an Assistant to notify Rye, but screaming was much more JD’s style.

“Jesus, kid.” Jareth raised his eyebrow and looked over at the loud, small boy in his living room. He shook his head and looked back to the screen to watch JJ doing much better than he had done this round. Shocker. Jar hadn’t even made it to the top fifty of the battle royale this time. He turned to Joy and smiled, “Sup, Joy? Wanna play a round and undoubtedly make my account look better?” Jar offered the controller to her.

While everyone gathered in the living room, Damian dipped into the kitchen. There, he silently cursed his luck — stupid Brian, making him come early. Why were they so early? The boat wasn’t leaving until 8:45! Fucker. Dinner wasn’t done, which left him with nothing but snacks to pick from. Grumbling, Damian threw open a cupboard and grabbed a plate, before loading it full of mozzarella cheese sticks, nachos, a small stack of cheesy bites, and a couple of kebabs. Satisfied, he carefully balanced the full plate on one hand, while using the other one to fill a glass up to the brim with juice.

Carrying both things, he strolled to the living room. Once there, he held the glass of juice out to Joy. She liked juice, right? While still holding it out to Joy, he did a quick head count. Where the hell was Riley? “RILEY! LET’S ROCK AND ROLL, DUDE! I’m on the clock!” No respect for schedules… Fucking people.

Meanwhile, Connor was seated in the car, silently twiddling his thumbs, peering out the window at the luxurious neighborhood that surrounded him. He could’ve gone up with Damian and Joy, but that felt weird. He didn’t know these people, and from how Damian talked about them, they were clearly family, or close enough. Connor figured it’d be easier to meet the newcomers once they’d arrived in the car, or on Connor’s lap, as Damian had suggested one might. Jesus Christ. Was it so wrong for Connor to not want random dudes on his lap? That was a sensitive area. He sighed, leaning his head back and waiting for the return of his new friends.

In the common area, where everyone was waiting on one person so that they could get the show on the road, an unexpected, feminine voice resounded throughout the house. The voice felt like melting honey, sounded like a nightingale, and seemed both motherly and unamused. "Voice message from second floor, Riley's bedroom: Oh hush and wait! I'm trying to get my son laid. DAD. He'll be down in a sec. Okay, Verity. That’s it. Send it and tell them to chill. As per Master Remy’s orders, he would like the yelling to stop and for you all to cool down.”

While all this was happening, Joy graciously grabbed the juice from Damian, thanking him silently by kissing him on the cheek and then chugging the liquid down in a matter of seconds. Handing him back the now empty glass, her attention went towards Jareth, “Aw man, I’d love to play, but we’re kind of in a rush. Is Uncle on the other end? Nevermind, I see his tag. HI UNCLE. Goddammit. Why are we going to this party again?” For a moment, Joy forgot her pursuit in having an intimate and affectionate night with her boyfriend and instead felt the desire to play video games all night with PopWells and her uncle!

As Joy got all excited, Damian looped his arm around her waist. He could eat in the car or something! He handed the plate of food off to JD. “Hold this for me?” He said, before turning his full attention to Joy, “Because Brian asked me to, and I want everyone to see —” At this point, Damian paused and tapped Jareth on the shoulder. It was important Second Dad heard this. “— me and my girlfriend. Jar, look. This is my girlfriend. Isn’t she great?” Damian was all smile, and seemed as bright and as proud as could be! After all, he had a girlfriend. And she was cute.

“Look, watch.” As if saying it wasn’t enough proof, Damian sealed the deal by leaning down and pushing his lips against Joy’s, which was rewarded with Joy’s face flushing. After a pretty classic Damian kiss — probably too much for the public, he pulled away, leaving his girlfriend breathless (literally). “The best.”

“Hold your own shit,” Dixon began to protest Damian’s request, but was cut off by the plate of food thrusted at his chest. Grumbling, he took it, and taxed Damian for it. The tax, you ask? A cheese stick and one kebab, for starters. And then he, along with Jareth, looked to Damian and Joy as they proceeded to lock lips in the Wells’ living room. “Woah, what? Really?”

Jareth’s eyebrows stitched together. Joy… and Damian? Damian and Joy? That didn’t make any sense, but, opposites could attract. They often did, he knew that from personal experience. Next to question was how new this all was… did Jericho know? Because he certainly did now. “Uh-huh… Jar mused in thought, looking away for the brief period of teenage PDA taking place in his domicile before he turned his attention back to a very flushed Joy. “Is this true? You and Damian? You could do so much better…” Jareth shot a teasing grin at Damian as he readied up for another round of Fortnite.

“Uhhhh.” Joy was speechless. By now you’d think she’d get use to these in the moment kisses, but nope, she was caught unaware. Again. Instead she gave a pouty grumpy face, gently slapped Damian’s arm in embarrassment, unsure if she was okay with kissing in front of an adult, and crossed her arms. She was ready to leave. Like now.

And thankfully, loud, rushing steps could be heard coming from down the stairs and the door flew open, “Okay, ready. Bye, Pops! Love you.” Riley wanted to die. His father got him to wear the most preppy college look he’s ever seen. Compliments to Remy’s closet. The best part of his outfit was his damn pants, which were black. The rest, he didn’t necessarily know how to feel about it. Even his hair was sleeked in a way to make him look what Remy deems ‘fly’. Kill him, please. Luckily for him, Damian’s car was unlocked and the boy went in the back seat only to be rewarded by a handsome stranger’s face. He looked familiar… “Uh, hi.”

Damian looped an arm around his blushy girlfriend and kissed her on the cheek, before pulling her out of the house. “Sorry about that. I just get really excited when I remember I can kiss you whenever I want.” Damian beamed, and as the other people clamored into the car, almost as if to prove his point, Damian kissed her again. Joy wasn’t given time to respond because they were kissing again, in front of people.

Dixon peaced through the front door as soon as Riley had showed himself. He took the plate of food with him, he’d earned it. Out in front of the Wells’, Damian’s ride was parked. Shining and bright blue, his favorite shade of blue, too! “Dang, your car is so sick!” JD said over his shoulder, not even sure if Damian was following or not. This wasn’t his first time seeing the vehicle, but he was always hit with the same intense wave of jealousy every time that he did see it, so he had to voice his praise in some way. Rye went to the closest backseat door and Dixon assumed that Damian’s girlyfriend had shotty, so he went the other back door. He did not expect to open it to find another person there. A dude, some literal rando, no less. Was he trying to steal Damian’s car… from the back seat? JD looked down at him, his eyes wide with shock. “Woah, who the fuck?!”

At this, Damian broke away from the kiss. JD was being a buzzkill. Very, very unlike JD. He gave Joy an apologetic look, as if it were the greatest travesty in the world that they had to stop making out AGAIN. Then, he looked at Dixon. “That’s Connor. He’s cool. New friend. You’re gonna sit on his lap, cuz if you don’t we can’t fit everyone. Sorry, dude, life sucks sometimes.” With that, Damian gave Joy one last kiss and slipped into the driver’s seat.

“Damian…” Joy voiced quietly.

Connor had been on his phone, maybe or maybe not debating giving one certain Sterling a follow, when the door opened up. He looked up, saw a green haired child screaming expletives, and then Damian, explaining away the situation. “Yeah, Damian kinda brought me along,” Connor said, the awkwardness of the situation having gotten no better. This kid had to sit on his lap. How in the world could he make that situation not awkward?

“I get that we can kiss whenever… it’s still all very new to me and don’t you think it’s a little awkward kissing in front of people?” The only girl in the vehicle twiddled her fingers and looked out the window, still very much embarrassed. How she was handling this was so weird to her because it was like she couldn’t handle it! And Joy Darling could handle anything. Anything but maybe kissing this much in front of family, friends, strangers, adults, other teens…

“Uhh—” Taking after his older almost-brother, Riley, Dixon blinked dully at Connor and Damian, both in turn. Oh, wow. How was he supposed to handle this? He had to sit on some guy’s lap, sure, whatever, no big deal. Except that it was a big deal, to JD, who found himself having a bit of a hidden personal crisis of late and, if he wanted it to stay hidden, he probably shouldn’t make this into a big deal. “Okay. Sure. Yeah, that’s fine.” Dixon stammered out, avoiding eye contact entirely now. He shoved the plate of half-eaten snack foods across the seat to Rye for him to hold. After waiting until everyone else was seated, Dixon looked down at Connor. He wasn’t sure of the proper etiquette in a situation like this, but he also wasn’t really one for manners in the first place, so he just… went for it. Dixon climbed into the back seat and sat on Connor’s lap, and by lap, it was more like his knees — the furthest away from the actual lap area that JD could possibly place himself.

After being shoved a plate of food, Riley watched his friend sit on the lap of this boy named Connor. Thank god it wasn’t him in this position. JD being small had its perks. It was JD on a random boy’s lap and not him! On top of that, Damian was being extremely affectionate with his girlfriend. This was going to be a weird car ride, wasn’t it? Where was Trevor when he needed him? Oh, that’s right. Trevor had a girl. Everyone was getting in relationships. It was stupid. “I’m going to eat some of this.” Rye announced and did exactly what he said. He ate some of JD’s food.

“Heyyy!’ Dixon protested Riley’s decision to eat the food that he had handed him. That was his food… which Damian had handed him... Whatever, that didn’t matter, it was still his! JD reached over and snatched up another mozzarella stick before aggressively chomping down on it. Stupid Damian and his stupid, cool car, with it’s tiny ass back seat and this ridiculous speaker. Ugh! “Can we drive now or do you two need to make out again?”

“See!” Joy protested at her boyfriend. Their kissing was making a scene.

“Oh, calm your tits, JD. We’ll get there when we get there. Here. Eat some more.” Riley brought the plate to the hangry, peeved little guy, as he too ate a mozzarella stick. To this, Rye was rewarded with a salty eye roll from JD as the boy shoved his earbuds back in and pulled out his phone to turn his music up loud. Really loud.

JD was ungrateful, man. Damian took time out of his own day to swing by and pick up these two guys, and now one of them had stolen his food, and the other one got Joy all upset. Whatever. “Snake, turn on some music.” Damian ordered. And Snake did so, pleasant tunes entering the car. Damian turned the dial and let the car drive itself. Snake knew where they were going. As the song played, Damian nodded his head to the tone of the music, singing along softly.

“I hear the drums echoing tonight
But she hears only whispers of some quiet conversation
She's coming in, 12:30 flight
The moonlit wings reflect the stars that guide me towards salvation
I stopped an old man along the way
Hoping to find some long forgotten words or ancient melodies
He turned to me as if to say, ‘Hurry boy, it's waiting there for you,’”

With the chorus now coming on, Damian turned to look at Joy, taking one of her hands in his, and putting his other hand over it, belting out the chorus as the song was turned down slightly so she could hear him (he wasn’t that bad), “It's gonna take a lot to take me away from you
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had~” He sang to her, smiling brightly and laughing as the song continued to play.

Smiling back, but really not knowing how to feel right now, Joy was speechless. He was singing to her. Should she… sing with him? So it didn’t feel this… weird. This has never happened to her and she couldn’t tell if she liked it or not. One thing she did know was, she was dying and everyone was watching. Deciding to just not think, at all, because it was only making her cheeks more and more red, she yelled the chorus and stared ahead because this is what Joy did when she didn’t know what to do. She got really fucking dorky. She knew she wasn’t a singer, so she was just going to yell.

IT’S GONNA TAKE A LOT TO TAKE ME AWAY FROM YOUUUU
THERE’S NOTHING THAT A HUNDRED MEN OR MORE COULD EVER DOOOOOOO
I BLESS THE RAINS DOWN IN AFRICAAAA
GONNA TAKE SOME TIME TO DO THINGS WE NEVER HADDDDD!”

Damian listened to her sing and smiled, laughing lightly. She was amazing! Damian leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, and it looked like he was going to say something before the music stopped suddenly, followed by the Assistant’s voice filling the car, “Damian, you have a call from Brian “B-rye” “If I Had to Pick a Dude” “Ryan” “He’s On a Cleanse” “Too Much Electro Jazz” Helmsley. Do you want to answer?”

“Uh, yeah, sure. I told you that you don’t have to read out the whole contact names, man.” Damian said, shaking his head and grabbing another quick kiss from Joy, this one from her lips.

“I know, but I do it anyway because they’re funny.” Shortly after that, Brian’s voice came over the speakers.

“Damian? Hey, can you do me a favor?”

“Aren’t I already doing you a favor? Ugh, sure. What’s up, man?” Damian looked at Joy and shook his head, as if he was saying to his significant other ‘friends. what are you gonna do?’

“Bring me a Big Mac. I’ve been back in the country for a day and a half, and I want an American cheeseburger, greasy, salty, deep fried potatoes, and a large cherry Sprite. Please? I’ll pay.”

“Goddamn right you’ll pay, you trillionaire bastard. Yeah, sure. See ya in a bit.” Damian hung up and looked around the car, even going so far as to shake JD’s leg to get his attention. “Who wants McDonald’s?”

Connor was in, very easily, the worst situation of his life, and that included the time where his dad shipped him across the country. He was cramped, there was a couple practically spilling their guts to each other in the front seat, and, oh yeah, there was a fourteen year old boy practically riding his dick. How could this get better? Prolonging the experience, duh! At Damian’s question, Connor did his best not to outright shout, but there was no chance in hell he was going down without a fight. “I mean, we could not...I’m sure there will be food at the party,” Connor said, struggling to maintain an air of nonchalance.

At this, a frown came on Damian’s face. He twisted his body and leaned toward Connor, “Imagine this. Lil Damian O’Connor, drivin’ down the road, heading to a party. A celebration of the return of one of his best friends, one of his brothers. Then, he gets a phone call from Brian himself,” Damian clenched his fist slightly, bringing it over his heart, “the man of the hour, the HOST with the MOST, my boy, my friend, my brother. And Brian says ‘Damian?’ and already, ALREADY, I can hear the sorrow, in this man’s heart. I can hear the pain. I respond, I say ‘how can I help you, man?’ and you know what Brian tells me? He says he’s been in Sweden for the past six months, starved of American food. He says ‘can you bring me a big mac, please?” Damian paused, and shook his head, trying to emulate the tortured soul that Brian apparently was.

“Because of how much Brian means to me, of course I agree! I tell him yes. Yes, I can get you a Bic Mac. Then, I remember, I’m not alone in the car. For a moment, everyone had disappeared except for me and Joy —” Damian turned and winked at Joy, with a brief smile, before his attention was back on Connor, the fake frown back on his lips, the quiet, forlorn tone returning to his voice, “—and I say ‘what can I get you fine people from McDonald’s?’ My new friend Connor, he looks me dead in the eyes, and you know what he tells me? You know what the hell he tells me?”

Damian couldn’t hold back a small giggle, a slight crack in the armor showing. “He says fuck ‘em, dude.” Damian finished his spiel, and burst out laughing, smiling as he turned back to face the road. “Yeah, that’s fine man. I’ll just text Scott to do it. We’ll be at the boat in like three minutes, I think.”

CANCELLED.

_{Most of Tuesday morning...
Starring: Rose & Quincy
Collab with @Lovely Complex}

Ilyana Powers had one sole goal today: Capture Quincy Hart in the most memorable light that could, and hopefully would, mean the world to her. When Rose embarked on a journey, that was usually in the form of an art project, she went all in or she did nothing at all. If she didn’t have inspiration, she would be upfront about it and tell the people how it is: I got nothing. The only thing she allowed herself to half ass on was her general studies. Everything else? She had to go above and beyond or she wouldn’t be proud of her work. Her high standards wasn’t even high enough because she had a lot to live up to, having some of the most creative and brilliant people as her parents. David Powers, the leader of an extreme sports team, Justin Credible ^{Say It Fast!}, and Elysia Powers, the famed Miss. (now Mrs.) Nuclear Warhead.

No, she simply wanted to do her best and make meaningful stuff. If her art involved someone she was close with, then that gave her more of a reason to make the significance of this project not just be limited to the pictures she took but also by the experience that she gave her subject.

Her project was The Day in the Life of Quincy Hart. Taking her own creative liberties, Rose had texted Q the previous night, while Q was snuggling A Double across the hall, with what she had in mind for their morning to lunch adventure. Choose 10 places that are important to you. You don’t have to tell me why. But tomorrow, after homeroom, we’re going on a journey. I promise, you won’t regret it. Plus, this would give them an opportunity to catch up with one another, like Rose learning more about Q’s relationship with her brother. Technically, they could’ve left after breakfast, but Rose had an engagement at 6:30 AM on school campus. Weird, but it seemed important. Turns out it was only a bored starlet wanting to make a film about the school. Rose still wasn’t fully convinced she wanted to do it, but that was a concern for later.

In her Trip Ship, Rose put on her shades, as she chewed her gum and popped it in her mouth. Driving slowly around the school, the misfit turned down her volume of AC/DC and scanned the area. Her agenda did not entail giving Q a headache with loud, good music. Hopefully Q wasn’t going to bail on her. She told her to go out the back way so it wasn’t too conspicuous they were playing hooky. Though, keep in mind, Rose’s vehicle was a vibrant moving piece of art, with every possible color under the sun.

Seeing her brother’s lover waiting for her, behind the library, Rose slowly pulled up. Their vehicle wasn’t suspicious at all. And then a click could be heard outside to signal the doors were unlocked. She blew a bubble while she waited.

Quincy grinned as Rose pulled up, her wonderfully garish van about as conspicuous as it was possible to be. She climbed into the passenger seat, smiling despite the pit in her stomach. She’d written down a list of places to go with Rose, and to say she was nervous barely scratched the surface. The list had started out simple enough, places like Burntown and Captain Cuddles. As she got further down the list, it had taken on more meaning than she’d expected. She’d realized that, for the most part, no one really knew her. They knew what tacos she liked, what her favorite ice cream was, how many hits it took to get her really baked, but none of her friends knew the spots where she laughed, and cried, and was the realest version of herself. Q hardly knew those spots anymore. ”I uh, made a list of places. First up is Captain Cuddles, then Burntown,” Quincy said, looking over at Rose.

“Righto. Those two places are easy enough to get to.” Rose blew a big bubble as she left the library in the dust and went on her merry way toward Captain Cuddles. As she moved along, she chewed in silence for a moment, contemplating what to say to one of the few female friends she had. Eventually, a lightbulb did come and she initiated the first of many conversations that would take place between these two this fine morning, “Sorry for the early trip. I like to get the sun before it’s too hot... and bright. Too hot and bright. If you need me to stop for anything, just ask. Thanks to my daddy’s map — with my additions — I know LA like ADubs knows MJ.” Turning signal on. A left here.

For someone like Rose, who had anxiety, adhd, and a lot going on in her head, she was a calm driver and surprisingly, better than most teens. The weed helped, but more importantly, the experience of learning from her parents gave her the courage to drive while the want to carpool her friends gave her the need to drive. “So.” Rose clicked her gum. “How you been?” Pause. She wasn’t being too forward was she? “We haven’t talked much lately… I hope you’re okay with me asking.”

”I’ve been good. Really good,” Quincy said looking over at Rose. ”Y’know, I really appreciate you asking me to model for ya Rose,” Quincy said, grinning. Rose involving her in stuff like this, it made her feel welcome, like maybe she did belong in this life. She needed that validation more often than people realized. Sometimes, Quincy felt like she was watching her life play out on a plasma screen, a life she didn’t belong in. This though, this suggested that maybe she was doing the rights things. Living the right life.

Shrugging at Q’s words, Rose blatantly responded, “You’re one of the most attractive people I know and I don’t mean just on the surface.” The token misfit returned the smile. Quincy’s eyes were breathtaking, and not because Rose could see the appeal that brought Q and her brother together. The blue-gray of Q’s eyes reminded her of the skies before a storm began. Lightning wanting to strike but the cloud still gathering since dawn. Rain begging to come out but left in the clouds. Calm, always calm, but stuck, swirling with emotion and holding incredible depth.

Quincy was beautiful and Rose noticed her beauty a while ago. A girl that carried an underlying sadness, like the sadness her mother carried when her brother, Rose’s uncle, past on leaving a son and a heartbroken wife, but still finding reasons to trudge on. The people you met made life a little less hellish and for Rose, Q was one of them for her. She didn’t have to say much, but Rose watched her strength in silence and how she is more of a go-getter than she probably believes… yeah. “The perfect model.”

Q smiled and looked away for a moment. “Thanks, Rose. I appreciate that,” she said, her cheeks tinged pink with slight embarrassment. It wasn’t everyday that someone called her beautiful. In fact, it was rarer than she had realized. “Hey, Rose. Wyatt told me you were asking him and Raf a bunch of questions about kissing. Is there someone on your mind?” Quincy teased, grinning over at her friend.

Now equally embarrassed, Rose jerked her head back toward the road. Of course, Wyatt would tell Q! Tapping her thumbs on the wheel, Rose popped her gum and contemplated her next words. She sighed. Talking about this more, with one of her friends, could do her some good. After hesitation, she lamented, “Yeah, but I don’t think I like him like that. I don’t know if I ever liked him like that. We were too young to really know.”

Going deep into her brain, Rose thought back to the the time where she and this boy were kids. Childhood friends that spent a lot of time together. Tire swing. Climbing that big apple tree. Rolling in the dirt. Playing pretend. Young kids that didn’t understand the concept of love but innocently loved each other. Now that she looks back at that time, it seemed more platonic than romantic. They were just kids. “At the party, it caught me off guard. We hadn’t talked in years… I kind of pushed him away because, I don’t know, he was growing up too fast. I wouldn’t even consider him a friend of mine anymore because we’re both just… different.” Two different worlds and she knew that the boy he has become isn’t someone she sees herself with. Isn’t something like her mom has with her father. Isn’t what she needs to be happy.

The stars have a different story written for her and she’s okay if it didn’t involve that kind of love. She was happy with the love from her family and friends, but most importantly, she was happy with the love she had for herself as she relentlessly kept dreaming about making meaning to her existence. Making things that put a smile on her loved ones’ faces. “Wyatt says kissing can be for fun, but I don’t think I’m that type of girl.” She glanced at her friend, displaying the conflict that she’s been going through since New Years. “I don’t even care about all that, and I don’t know if that makes me weird? Or well, more weird. I get all the love I need from you guys and my family. The kissing caught me off guard, especially from someone I had history with, not the idea of maybe having someone like you have with Double A.”

Quincy nodded along to Rose’s story, smiling sympathetically. “Rose, I think the strongest thing in the world is to be able to stand on your own. You do that really well. Don’t forget that.”

~

Their first stop was Burntown, it’s cracked cement and graffitied surfaces reminding Quincy of her short times with her new found friends. She could see it like it was yesterday, Jennifer Hart, walking into the skatepark, wearing heels, a short skirt, and a blouse that showed more skin than should be legal. She’d been looking around like she was about to get robbed. All she’d wanted was some weed, something to make her forget...well everything. Her dad had just died, her supposed friends had just abandoned her, all cause she’d seen Hailey for what she was. A heartless snake. She’d gone to Burntown to get weed. She hadn’t realized she’d find new friends too. A Double had been stoned, and so funny. She’d smoked with him and Wyatt, and later Rose and Raf had shown up, and just like that, she was one of them. Such a complex dynamic out of such a simple decision.

“You remember when we first met each other? I think that was one of the longest days we spent here, ending our night laying in the bowl staring up at the night sky. It was peaceful and time didn’t matter. Not like how it matters now, with graduation rollin’ around. Being an upperclassmen sucks. It’s all about: what are you going to be when you grow up?” Rose stood beside her friend and peered down at the place where all of them laid on the ground, laughing and being high as fuck. “Not gonna’ lie, but seeing a cute prep standing next to my brother was a sight to see. I immediately thought, welp, what did Adubs do now? But it turned out, you just wanted company and I’m glad we gave you just that.” Rose had a pelican case propped up behind her, where she stored two specific cameras in it, with their complimented accessories. One being, the Cannon A1, which was one of the oldest school shooters, that actually has a microprocessor in it. This camera, as old as it is, it was actually her mother’s, would provide her the softness and outdated quality that she wanted, for nostalgia’s sake. No filter required. Plus, Rose wasn’t one to use filters, she’d just enhance her pictures in photoshop if necessary. The other was one of the newer Fujifilm polaroid cameras. Outlandish to go a more vintage aesthetic for something that was supposed to portray the present, but Rose believed the past made our present. Therefore, she wanted to go on this journey with Q, maybe even get to know her better.

The polaroid was going to be used sparingly. For moments she would think Q would appreciate to have to hold and use to decorate. With the camera now in hand, her hands having subtly turned it on, but her attention never leaving Quincy, Rose smiled, “What’s your favorite memory here?”

Quincy grinned as she recounted the numerous memories that she’d made in this concrete jungle. From meeting A Double and the others, to learning to skate with Wyatt and Raf, to watching her boys do stupid tricks, while her and Rose giggled. It was hard to pick just one. “There was this time, last year around this time. I’d only just met you guys, but I was here with all of you, in the middle of the night. Wyatt was stoned out of his mind, and he thought he was frozen and couldn’t move. Anyways, you and A Dubs and Raf went to go get some food from Taco Bell and I’m sitting there alone with Wyatt. All of sudden, he starts crying, and I have no clue what to do because I’m a little high and I hardly know him! So he starts talking and he tells me everything. About his dads, his brother and sister, I mean he didn’t hold back, and I think that was the first time, since my dad died, that I felt...welcome” Quincy said, smiling gently as the breeze toyed with a lock of her hair.

Throughout their conversation, Rose snapped a picture here and there, but rarely in between. She listened to her friend, who recollected the fond memories she had with them. This set the tone for the rest of the morning they would share together. Where the girls simply talked and when Rose saw a moment, she quietly captured it. She would review the pictures later. At every place, she asked questions, as well as answer questions that Q bounced back to her. Questions that would hopefully compliment her presentation by shedding light on who Q was as a person when she showcased her pictures to the art club. Their route was based on the places that were closest together. Rose didn’t want to back track if she didn’t have to.

At Wheels n Deals, where Wyatt works, the question that stood out from the rest was: “If there was one thing you wanted to do with us all, what would it be? Or are you happy with how things are? If that’s the case, why do you like us so much?” A question that Rose was always curious about. What drew Quincy to each and every single one of them. The burners. The people on the lower end of the school hierarchy.

Quincy smiled as she looked around the skate shop, her eyes lit up with the memories of her times here. Wyatt ignoring customers to teach her how to roll a joint, or A Double and Riff helping her pick out her first skateboard, At Rose’s question, Q looked up, pondering for a moment as she mulled over the question. “Right now, I don’t think I could be happier. I mean, for once everything seems...right. Or at least I think it does,” Quincy chuckled. “I think I like you all so much because, you’re so...present. I mean, everything you guys do is about the here and now. There’s no worrying about popularity and the future. I spent so long hung up on things that didn’t matter, it’s nice to be around people with better set priorities.”

Captain Cuddles was next, it’s bright lights and cheesy aromas a familiar scene for the two girls. Quincy smiled. Captain Cuddles was where she’d first felt something for A Double, something more than friendship. He’d won this giant stuffed turtle for her, and handed it to her, like it was nothing. She remembered how she went home that night and smiled, really and truly beamed, into her pillow, until she eventually fell into a deep sleep.

The cool thing about this place was Rose was able to capture Quincy in vibrant colors emanating from the surrounding arcade games. Like the Dollar Store photography challenge, created during Rose’s mother’s teen years, the eccentric blonde wanted to show that ordinary things could be more than just ordinary. It was all in a matter of perspective. High schoolers tried so hard to be more than what they were (or are), tried so hard to impress everyone but themselves, and tried so hard to be something they were not when all they have to do is just be. Be themselves and they would be found. Found by those that would show them that they don’t need the glitz and glam to shine. Following Q around Captain Cuddles did make Rose recall the many memories they’ve shared in here, like her glancing over from the skee-ball machine and seeing Adubs win Q a giant plushie of a turtle. Their happy expressions from a simple exchange spoke volumes to Rose at the time, she just chose not to look too deeply into it.

As they approached the rewards counter, Rose reached out to Quincy, getting comfortably close, and silently plucked a lint out of her blonde curls, before asking, “My brother means a lot to you, doesn’t he?” If Rose loved, she could see herself being attracted to both genders and people who identify themselves as otherwise. The soul of a person is what captivates her; what they label themselves as has nothing to do with the love she and them could build together and the good they could contribute to this world. Rose wished she understood it. The concept of love. Yet, she knew that wasn’t something she would be able to understand until she experienced it for herself.

She wasn’t in a rush to find her soulmate though.

“He does. And it scares me a bit. A lot actually. I haven’t cared about someone that much in a long time. I mean, I wake up and I think about him, and what he’s doing, and when I go to bed I worry about him, when I’m in math class I’m thinking of him, when I’m talking to my mom, I’m thinking of him. But people leave. And I don’t know if I can stop him from going.” Quincy wiped away the tears that had welled up, shocked by her sudden honesty. “Oh, wow. I’m sorry, that was a lot,” Q said, offering a feeble grin to Rose. “We should go.”

“Uh, yeah sure.” Wow. Rose was taken aback. Quincy really loved her brother, and she could feel it in every word that came out of her mouth. What did she mean by she can’t stop him from going? Where was ADouble going? Brushing the thoughts out of her mind, Rose did the one thing she felt was right after a moment like this. Letting her camera drop to her side, since it was strapped on her, she slipped her hand in Q’s and with the intention of comforting her, tightly squeezed it. After giving a soft smile, her fingers interlocked with Q’s, her expression displayed the sentiment that everything was going to be okay, she’d be okay, because Rose was here for her, and her feet led them out the door.

The rest of the journey started to get more and more personal for Quincy, the deeper down the rabbit hole they went. No longer was the journey about Q’s friends and her love for A Double. No, the journey was now about her personal life. What makes her vulnerable. What makes her dream. What makes her Quincy Hart.

Words didn’t have to be said for Rose to understand that these places meant the world to her. Q’s bedroom was her shelter. Her safe haven. Her secret place away from the hell that was their school...

Quincy’s bedroom came after Captain Cuddles, it’s pastel pink walls a stark contrast to the grunge aesthetic Q so loved. She had painted those walls when she was twelve, with her mom and dad helping her. She’d picked out pink from the supply store, and they’d come home to begin the remodel. She remembered the smell of fresh paint, her dad’s laugh, the look on her mom’s face as Quincy and her father danced around to the music they’d put on. That had been a long time ago. Now, the pink walls were plastered with posters, some of her dad’s movies, others of bands she listened too. Her bed was a mess, her floor littered with clothes. This was the one place where Quincy and Jennifer met, and spoke. Their conflicting influences were everywhere, from the walls to the posters to the closet. Here was where the war inside of her ceased. Here was the one place she thought she had a clue.

The Lawrence Botanical Garden was the place she could get the most peace at, surrounded by the beauty of nature and the many colors and smells of flowers. Q really did love flowers…

The botanical garden was another haven of Quincy’s. This was a place where she could forget about everything. The soft music that played through speakers, hidden amongst the leaves, created a tranquil ambience, one that often led Quincy into a world of escapism. Here she wasn’t Quincy or Jennifer or A Double’s girlfriend or the girl who pissed off Hailey. Here she was just a girl who liked flowers. That anonymity was welcome sometimes.

The airport was Q’s wistful plan to fly far, far away, out of this place. Escape from the hell that was Beverly Hills, among other things. As if she were a caged bird, trapped, and the airport was her open door out of here.

Perhaps that's why Rose was attracted to her. The girl reminded her of a bird and Rose loved birds.

The airport was next on the list. Whenever Q felt the pressures of Beverly Hills life closing in around her, she came here. Here she could watch the planes take off, wishing she was one of the many passengers on them. After her dad had died, after his funeral, she’d gotten as close to leaving as she could. She’d come here, bought a ticket to New York with her mom’s credit card and practically ran to the gate. And then she’d stopped. Right in front of the gate, just as they were beginning to board, she’d stopped, fell down, and cried. There she was, blonde hair straightened and falling down her back, dressed all in black, crying on the floor of an airport. Her mom had found her not long after that, and held her there while she cried, shedding her own tears. What her mom said that night would stick with her forever.

“It’s a big world out there, Jennifer. But there’s not a world big enough that you can outrun grief. One day, you’re going to notice that it doesn’t hurt so bad. And every day after that will get easier. I promise.”

The atmosphere of the places shifted even more and a journey that once was about a girl, was now about a girl and her parents. Quincy’s defenses were coming down, right in front of Rose’s eyes and Rose would happily take this moment as her own. She would cherish every ounce of Quincy that she was given this day. From the Hart’s Cove, a little pocket beach filled with memories of Q and her parents, like her dad teaching her how to surf, to the Little Starlet Park, where her parents met and there was a memorial of Q’s father. Rose couldn’t help but be grateful that Quincy had the courage to do this with her. On top of that, Rose was able to get Q to stand beside her father’s memorial and take a simple landscape portrait of her. If that wasn’t sad enough, they visited the Beverly Hills Memorial Cemetery, where Q’s father and grandparents were buried at…

Hart’s Cove was a tiny little spot that her father had found one morning while he was on a jog. They’d just moved into their house, Quincy was about twelve, and he’d come running into the kitchen, his ever so common look of excitement on his face. He’d dragged her and her mom out to the beach and said, “This here, is our beach. And we shall surf it!” That morning, Quincy had gotten on a board for the first time, and her dad had taught her how to surf. From then on, Hart’s Cove became a family spot, for picnics and adventures every weekend.

Little Starlet Park had been around for decades before Catherine McPherson had arrived in LA, but it didn’t become special until she did. Catherine had been in the city for two weeks when she stumbled upon the park, a tiny little place, tucked away in the hills. She strolled through, admiring the lights that twinkled throughout the trees, when she’d walked right into Logan Hart, a young actor who’d shot from D-List to A-List only a few years ago. He’d fallen in love right there, but she’d taken some convincing. He eventually won a date from her, a date that turned into a few years of dating. And on the night of Catherine’s first premiere, they’d returned to that very park and Logan had knelt down and said, “Catherine McPherson, you are the most amazing woman I have ever met, and to lose you would be to lose my entire heart. You are the moon, and the stars, and everything in between, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

Quincy had heard that story a thousand times. Now days, a statue of the moon sat in the center of the park, a memorial to Logan Hart, paid for by Catherine. Oddly enough, when Quincy came here, she wasn’t reminded of her father. Here she thought of her mother. Here was where she’d experienced one of the happiest moments of her life. Here was where Quincy could feel her mother, from the trees to the statue.

The cemetery was next. Logan Hart’s plot was next to that of his parents, nestled away in the back corner of the cemetery, watched over by a large willow tree. Quincy came here as often as she could, to clean up the flowers from her last visit, and to sit and talk about her life. Her mom rarely came. Q used to hate her for that, but at some point she stopped caring. Quincy kind of preferred it to be just her and her dad. When Rose and Quincy arrived, Quincy walked over to his grave, Rose standing a bit behind.
“Hey Dad. It’s me, Quincy. I brought a friend today. Her name’s Rose. I’m modeling for her, so I’m taking her to some of my favorite places. I took her to Hart’s Cove, and the park where you and Mom met and...I miss you a lot, Dad. I have a boyfriend now, that same guy I was talking about. I think you’d like him, he’s adventurous like you. I’ll bring him some time. Alright. I love you, Dad. Bye.”

In the back, Rose rested her hand on her chest, debating if it was right to take a picture of this. This was… too personal. Maybe of his grave, but not of Quincy talking to him. This was their private conversation. She was a trespasser. With goosebumps tingling throughout her skin, Rose was reminded so much of her mother, who to this day makes time to visit her mother and brother’s graves. Grandma Rosie, she was never fortunate to meet, and Uncle Brandon, she was too young to remember, but her aunt and cousin, the sole Fables in Cali, remind her whenever they see one another.

They live in Santa Barbara.

Inspired more than she was before, because Q felt she was important enough to walk with her, through this, Rose would come out of this replenished. Quincy trusted her. Trusted her enough to take her to the where her father rested. A monumental morning for the two girls. Rose would remember this forever.

~

Their morning was coming to a close and they would soon have to rush back to school to pick up their friends for lunch…

The Kodiak Theatre was old. Built in the early 50’s, it had actually burned down and been rebuilt in the 90’s. That said, it was still ancient. However, producers and studios loved the theatre for the vibe it gave out, classic and proper. It was a home of art, art of the highest caliber. The Kodiak was home to Logan Hart’s first red carpet premiere, for his first film, He Who Looks At The Sky. Her father may have been buried miles away, but this was where Quincy could feel him the most. This was her father’s home.

“My dad loved this place. I think he loved acting in the purest way you can, I mean he was made for the screen. He used to tell me that when he pulled up in front of the Kodiak, he knew he’d made it. That all his dreaming had paid off. And then he’d look at me and say, ‘There is always gonna be someone who tells you no, someone who tells you that you’re doing the wrong thing, that you should give up. They don’t matter. You can do anything you put your mind to Jenny. Every dream you have, you can accomplish. I’m living proof!” Quincy said to Rose, her eyes glued to the theatre. Her eyes stung as tears welled up and rolled down her cheeks, free falling to the ground. Quincy wiped them away, chuckling. “I’m sorry, it’s just...no one really knows any of this, Rose. My dad was the greatest person in the world, and...I just fucking miss him,” Quincy explained, her tears flowing freely again, Quincy’s sobs wracking her body.

Rather than say any immediate words, Rose moved her camera to the side and slowly approached Q. In complete silence, she pulled the crying girl close, wrapping her arms around her friend. Her embrace was warm and protective; a simple, soothing gesture to show that she was grateful. As the tears soaked her chest, Rose squeezed a fraction tighter, before lifting her friend’s face up to look at her. She wanted Quincy to have a good look at her light brown eyes and all the emotions swirling inside of her. She smiled and kindly whispered, “Don’t be sorry.” Raising her voice, and giving Quincy a little space. Rose proclaimed, “He’s right, you know?”

Stepping a couple steps back, so the theater was a backdrop to Rose, the eccentric blonde quoted Q, who quoted her late father, “You can do anything you put your mind to, Jenny.” She paused and pointed at her friend, “Your his daughter, after all.” And ultimately, living proof of all his hard work. “Now can you do me a favor?”

Q sniffed, wiping the tears away and taking one deep breath, her cheeks splotchy from her sobs. A weak smile tugged the corners of her mouth upwards ever so slightly. “No one’s called me that in a long time,” Quincy said, chuckling softly. “What is it?” Q asked, looking over at Rose.

“Yell. At the top of your lungs. That you miss him.” Rose blatantly demanded. Quincy bottled a lot up. Honestly, another good option would be for her to yell that she was worth it, but this… felt more fitting. It was the emotion that Rose felt the most today with Q. That she missed him. If Q declined, Rose would play devil and egg her on until she simply released everything in whatever way she felt necessary. Aggression was always a possibility. Tears was only the start. Rose knew there was more to release. Q felt sorry for showing she was human. Of course there was more to release.

Q shook her head, smiling ever so slightly. This was the exact kind of spontaneity that Rose always exhibited, the kind of adventure that drew Quincy to her in the first place. “I miss him,” she said, quietly. “I miss him,” she said, this time, louder. “I miss him!” Quincy shouted, this time at the top of her lungs, drawing the wary gaze of the pedestrians on the sidewalk.

Rose’s soft lips stretched into a cheesy grin. The opportunity of Quincy allowing her inner self to rise to the surface had come and pass. Her soul gave off a warm glow, from the release of emotions, and it was time to go back to their friends. “Thank you. For being my model.” And for the entire morning.

Quincy grinned, taking a deep breath. It felt like a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders, like she could breathe again for the first time in a year. “Any time Rose. Any time.”

CANCELLED.

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_{Featuring: Jamie “Dubiously Consenting Kisser” Callaghan Katie “No Knock” Callaghan & Noah “Please Don’t Make Me Go” Nichols}

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Jamie flopped down on his bed, letting out a long sigh of relief. The comfort of his home was refreshing after the day he’d had. First AJ, then his run in with Jeremy Macintosh had Jamie ready to crawl into a hole and die. The only silver lining, oddly enough, was that Ophelia and Cassie had come to talk to him about Marshall. And that meant, he had to go. He had to do this, tonight, or else him and Marshall would be an ongoing saga of not knowing, and Jamie couldn’t deal with that. Sighing he rolled over, letting out a scream into his pillow, before sitting back up. “Alright Callaghan, let’s get ourselves a boyfriend,” he said, getting up and walking over to his closet.

Meanwhile, right next door, Katie had already begun putting the finishing touches on her own look. Noah had helped her pick an outfit hours ago, but had since lost interest in her preparation. He’d returned to his natural form, curled up on Katie’s bed, sketching away. Katie applied her last bit of makeup, ruby red lipstick, and turned around to face Noah, posing. “Tell me the truth. How do I look?” Katie asked. She was dressed in a pale blue crop top, and tight black jeans, with black booties finishing off the look. A necklace hung down her chest, a blood red jewel ornamenting it. Her red lips were accompanied by smokey eyes. In other words, she looked hot.

Noah looked up at his friend for a second and nodded. “Yeah you look fine,” he said, his attention quickly returning to his sketch. Katie rolled her eyes and turned back around, shaking her head. “You are no help,” she said, before nodding to herself in affirmation of her outfit. She turned back to Noah, walking over and snatching his sketchbook from his hands and closing it. “Hey! Katie! I was working!” he protested, reaching for the lost book to no avail. Katie shook her head, smirking. “All work and no play, makes Noah a dull boy,” she teased, dragging his unwilling self off the bed.

“Can’t we just skip the party and watch a movie instead?” Noah pleaded as Katie hauled him over to Jamie’s room.

Katie scoffed. “Noah! It’ll be fun! Plus, I already forced JD to come, and he needs this party too. Maybe you guys can hang, out, god knows you both need to let loose,” Katie replied, grinning, before barging into Jamie’s room.

“Jesus Christ!” Jamie shouted, rushing to cover up his naked torso with his hands.

“Nope, just me. But, I’ve been told we have some striking similarities,” Katie said, waltzing past the half naked Jamie and into his closet. “What the hell are you covering anyways? It’s not like you have tits or anything,” Katie said, digging through Jamie’s shirts, looking for a suitable one for Noah.

Jamie rolled his eyes. “Some people have modesty you slag,” Jamie spat. “Noah here doesn’t need to see every inch of me for fuck’s sake. You’re lucky I had pants on! Oh, and hi Noah,” Jamie said, finishing his rant with a slight wave to a crimson red Noah Nichols, who was standing in the doorway, looking like he’d rather burst into flames.

“Do you have anything that doesn’t look like our grandpa bought it? I’m trying to find an outfit for Noah to wear to this party,” Katie shouted from the closet, her voice slightly muffled.

“A, fuck you. And second, since when are you going to the party?” Jamie asked, pulling a shirt from a pile on his bed and trying it on, checking himself out in the mirror before taking it off again.

“I want to go watch drunk people act like idiots, and Noah here needs some adventure,” Katie explained.

For once, Jamie could admit his sister was right. Noah was a nice kid, he’d been one of Katie’s best friends for years now. He was over so often, he was practically Jamie’s brother at this point. He was nice, and wicked talented, but he wasn’t exactly outgoing. “Did Noah agree to this?” Jamie asked, trying on another shirt.

”No, I didn’t!” Noah said from his spot in the doorway.

“Oh hush!”

Jamie grinned, shaking his head. “I can’t believe I’m taking my baby sister to a party,” Jamie said in disbelief. Katie popped her head out of the closet, a scowl on her face. “Jamie, I’m a year younger than you!” she shouted before popping her head back in, only to pop it out a moment later. “Also, why was there a video of you and AJ swapping spit going around? I thought you guys were done.”

Jamie sighed. Of course there was a video. This was Beverly Hills High, why wouldn’t there be a video? “WE ARE DONE!” Jamie shouted, his frustration clear.

“Didn’t look like it!” Katie taunted, emerging from the closet with a pile of shirts she’d deemed acceptable for Noah to wear.

Meanwhile, Noah had taken a seat in a beanbag chair across the room, next to a large window. He’d known Katie and Jamie long enough to have become familiar with their fights. The barbs and the shouting didn’t even faze him anymore. He watched as the siblings rolled their eyes, shouted. Red burst from their mouths in waves, bright and passionate. It wasn’t anger but the kind of unconditional love you only saw in family.

“AJ came up to me while Marshall was probably trying to fucking ask me out, and shoved his fucking tongue down my throat!” Jamie explained, his frustration obvious.

“Sure didn’t look as non-consensual as you say it was,” Katie teased, tossing a button up shirt at Noah. “Try this on,” she ordered, flopping down on Jamie’s bed.

Noah looked down at the shirt, then at the shirt he was wearing. He timidly pulled it up and over his head, and hurriedly slipped into the shirt Katie had given him. It fit perfectly, and he stood up, looking to Katie and Jamie for an opinion.

“What’s the vibe here Jamie?”

“Eh, too me. Try that green t shirt, and then that jacket,” Jamie advised, giving Noah a quick glance and gesturing to some of the clothes Katie had pillaged from his closet.

Noah grabbed the shirt and changed into it as Jamie continued to explain his day to Katie. He looked at himself in Jamie’s mirror, bright green covering his torso. He was reminded of JD, the radioactive boy, and how he’d see him later tonight. His stomach clenched with fear and excitement. He slipped on the jacket Jamie had mentioned, leather with a gray hoodie attatched.

“Oh wow! Noah! You look like a badass!”

Noah blushed, turning around to face Katie and Jamie. Jamie nodded in approval, having finally decided on a shirt, a navy blue button up with the sleeves rolled to his elbows. “God, I may not be able to hold a relationship, but damn can I dress people well,” he said, smirking, causing Noah’s cheeks to flush red. It wasn’t everyday he was told he looked good. Especially not from other guys.

“Hey, what are you telling Mom?”

“I don’t know, what are you telling Mom?”

Jamie rolled his eyes, chewing his lip, before nodding his head, as if in approval of his own plan. “Okay, here’s the deal. You guys are going to Joy’s for a study group, and I’m going to Selena’s to hang out. We’ll be home by midnight. Got it?” Jamie asked. Katie and Noah nodded in affirmation. Jamie looked over at the clock that rested on his wall. “Okay. Let’s do this.”

CANCELLED.

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_{A [@Universourm] and @smarty0114 collaboration
Featuring: Jamie “No Spine” Callaghan, Ophelia “Perf as Fuck” Brycen & Cassandra “Damn Right” Clark}

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Jamie was alone in the journalism room when Ophelia and Cassie walked in. His notebook was out on the desk in front of him, turned to a page filled with scribbles of his handwriting, all relating to one thing: the breakup of Trixie Kingsley and Owen Lyon. The biggest mystery of BHHS since the rumor about Brynn Payne’s sex tape started up.

So far, he had nothing. Owen seemed as guilty as they come. There were pictures of him with a girl, a girl who was still unknown, and his attitude about the entire situation only painted his hand redder. Why be so secretive if he had nothing to hide? What the hell was he hiding? Was he protecting the identity of the girl? Or his own reputation? Everyone already knew he cheated so it must be something other than that. Jamie had too many questions, and very few answers, which made the entrance of the two Candies all the more frustrating. He knew enough to be sure that they weren’t here to braid his hair and talk about boys. “Ophelia and Cassie. Nice of you to visit,” Jamie said, gently closing his notebook.

“Thanks!” Ophelia said brightly, looking around at the room. Despite being one of Trixie’s best friends, Ophelia didn’t often spend time in the journalism room — it wasn’t really her style, so to speak. Plus, most of the people who hung out in here were just… depressing. Like Jamie, for example! Really, a truly perfect example. Bitter, angry, broke her best friend’s heart. It was too bad Hailey wasn’t around to feed Jamie some kind of drug laced pastry!

Ophelia took a seat across from Jamie and leaned forward, gesturing for Cassie to sit next to her. “Jamie Callaghan. We need to talk.” She said, leaning toward him with a serious look on her face.

Cassie took a seat, nodding enthusiastically. “We really do,” she added, staring down Jamie.

Jamie arched a brow. He was tired. Tired of dealing with Trixie and Owen’s mess, tired of people asking him about his stupid eye, tired of stressing about Marshall. Wait. Marshall. That’s why Ophelia was here. She was probably on a warpath after what had happened this morning in the hall. His walls dropping faster than Brynn’s panties, his face turned from cool indifference, to frantic surprise. “Look what happened in the hallway, it wasn’t what it looked like,” he said, hardly knowing where to even begin. “AJ and I...it’s complicated. But it’s done.”

Well, that was fast. Truth be told, Ophelia didn’t really care all that much for AJ. From what she understood, and had experienced, he was a bit of a fucker. Ophelia just wasn’t a personal fan of people who didn’t try at… well, anything. “Yeah, well you’d best fix it. I’m sick of you and Marshall not being a thing. It’s literally teetering on the edge and I hate it. Now, thanks to AJ, it might literally be dead forever. Here’s the deal, though. I want Marshall to be happy.” Ophelia paused and brushed a piece of her hair out of her eyes, and frowned. Her face was washed over with a wave of sadness and her eyes glassed over a bit, as if Marshall’s apparent sadness was her own. Then, with a brief second of readjusting herself, she was back to normal. “Look, Jamie, we might not agree on… well, anything. And we don’t! And I don’t like you much, and you probably don’t like me much. But Marshall is my best friend, and he has been for a long time, and I want him to be happy. If he thinks you’ll make him happy, then you make him happy. I know he’d make you happy. If he wouldn’t, you wouldn’t have been nearly as immediately defensive.”

“Ditto. Look, hopefully Marshie will be at the Helmsley’s party tonight. A little drugs, some shots, you’ll be well equipped to win him over,” Cassie said, grinning at Jamie. If Marshall liked Jamie, then Marshall liked Jamie. He needed a boyfriend, it had been far too long. It being Jamie Callaghan, well, that was a nuisance, but it was one that could be dealt with.

Jamie leaned in his chair, his head tilting up towards the ceiling as he released a sigh. His mind was rushing with emotions. Elation, annoyance, anxiety, and everything in between. He’d gone and fucked things up with Marshall over some bullshit, and now he had to fix it. He straightened himself out, looking back at Ophelia and Cassie, chewing his lip for a moment as he mulled over his words. “Y’know, as much as I do want to talk to Marshall, I doubt he feels the same way. I mean, I made out with my ex boyfriend right in front of him,” he said, shaking his head and looking down at his feet. “God I’m such an idiot,” he muttered.

“Maybe you need another cupcake from Hailey.” Ophelia suggested, shaking her head. Jamie seriously needed a confidence booster of some sort, but what did she have to offer? NOTHING. “Look, you’re definitely an idiot. There’s no getting around that, you made a mistake. But here’s the biggest secret I’ll ever tell you: everyone makes mistakes. Marshall makes them! You make them! AJ makes them! I… I don’t really make them. Neither does Cassie, we’re perf as fuck.” Ophelia paused briefly to kiss Cassandra on the cheek, before she returned to her rambling. “And love — or lust, or infatuation, whichever one of those emotions you and Marshall feel towards each other — beats mistakes. You just have to find it in yourself to ask for forgiveness. Do it at the party, I guarantee you it’ll work. Just get a couple of drinks in your system, a drug or two, and just go for it.”

Jamie took a deep breath, held it in for a moment, and exhaled. They were right. He needed to just suck it up and go for it. That was life right? There wouldn’t be a notebook or an article to hide behind forever. “Marshall’s lucky to have you guys, y’know,” Jamie said, looking up at Cassie and Ophelia.

Cassie scoffed. “You’re damn right he is,” she said, grinning.

CANCELLED.

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_{Location: Gym Class, Shortly before Kiss & Tell}

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California was about as different from New York as it was possible to be, at least in Connor’s opinion. However, there was one thing that had stayed relatively similar. Locker rooms. As Connor shuffled into the men’s locker room, he was greeted by the oppressive heat of shower steam, the raucous noise of teenage boys, and more naked torsos than a Playgirl magazine. He was bothered.

Connor had no problem with gym class. He was athletic, so it wasn’t a challenge like it might be for other kids. The problem really, was the locker room. Since right around middle school, Connor always felt...different around other guys. For the most part, he got on well with them, but when it came to the locker room, he began to waver. It wasn’t his body that was the problem. He didn’t much mind that, it was the others. There was something about them that just put this pit in his stomach, but also held his attention.

He stepped down a row of lockers, the one he’d been assigned yesterday sitting at the end. Squeezing by boys in various states of undress, he winced and powered through to the end. Why was he so averse to this? Wasn’t it normal for guys to see each other practically naked? His friends back in New York had never been weird about it, so why was he?

That question would remain unanswered, as Connor pushed it from his mind in order to focus on changing quickly, and exiting the locker room. Stepping out into the gym, he could hear the squeak of rubber on linoleum, the chatter of students, their panting breaths, the thud of their feet on the ground. Now this, was familiar. So far, California was shaping up to be...tolerable.

Uncle Jack was fine, so far at least. It had only been a couple of days since he’d arrived, but they’d fallen into a bit of a routine. Connor did whatever during the day, either something around the house or school now that that had started up again, and Jack spent all day in his office, clacking away at his computer, only coming out for lunch and dinner. Connor hadn’t spoken much with him, but he let Connor be, for the most part. He’d yet to test the limits of that, but he figured tonight would be as good as any, considering the flyers that were littered around the school.

Connor took a seat on the bleachers, looking down from his perch at the students below. Running laps outside of practice was beneath him, he’d decided that long ago, but when a kid, Damian, called out for a pickup game, he jumped up to join. Basketball he could work with. The rest...well that’s history.

CANCELLED.

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_{Featuring Katie Callaghan & Noah Nichols
Location: After School, The Streets of Beverly Hills}

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Katie stormed through the halls of BHHS, her footsteps echoing through the halls, the loud clap of her shoes on linoleum the only noise in the empty halls. She was pissed. Scott Lyon was a piece of shit, and she was done with him and this stupid game she entertained him with. From now on, Scott Lyon was dead to her. That was a promise.

Outside the school, sitting near the flagpole, Noah was waiting for Katie. Most days, if he didn’t have anything else to do after school, he went around with Katie to her extracurriculars, never really taking part in the activities, just waiting for Katie. Then, they’d go over to her house and hang out or study, until his mom or dad or Uncle Oli picked him up. Today though, Katie was in Chess Club, and Noah hated being in Chess Club with her. Noah wasn’t one for confrontation, or fights in general, so being around Katie and Scott was a generally unpleasant time for him. That meant that today, he was outside, green oil pastel in hand, sketching away in his sketchbook, oblivious to the rest of his surroundings as color flowed out of him and onto the page.

Katie’s arrival, while loud and dramatic, aka, a typical Katie arrival, Noah was still frightened when she tapped him on the shoulder. ”Hey, you ready?” she said as she did so, causing Noah to practically leap into the air. ”What were you drawing?” she asked, having noticed the bright green color bleeding onto the pages of his sketchbook.

Noah quickly shut the book and focused on the ground, retreating into himself, his face growing red. ”N-n-nothing. Nothing. Just, trees.” he said. He told Katie everything. Really, everything. But this, this was something that he, for whatever reason, kept buried deep down. This wasn’t a secret for the world. This was his, and his alone. No one could know. Ever.

Katie fixed him with a look, the classical Katie Stare, the one that said, ‘I know you’re lying,’ but dropped the topic nevertheless. While that may work on Jamie and Joy and everyone else, Noah was different. He knew where to hide so that that stare never found him. He was interesting like that. ”You will never fucking believe what Scott said today!” Katie exclaimed, much to Noah’s relief. He didn’t like lying.

As they walked away from the campus, towards Katie’s home, Katie ranted about Scott. ”He said I was unoriginal! Like, has he looked in the mirror lately? And he’s so obsessed with why I don’t have a fucking boyfriend! It’s like, he doesn’t realize that some people don’t need to be getting laid all the fucking time to survive. Some of us don’t need the distraction of a boyfriend!” Katie raved, her hands flying about as she relayed her and Scott’s fight to Noah.

Despite Noah’s nods and sounds of affirmation, he was elsewhere. His mind had wandered, as it so often did, into another place entirely. New to this place, was a boy, with bright green hair and snakebites. He was there, in the middle of a field, glowing green, like he was bursting with energy, the same picture he kept painting over and over. He sighed, out loud and Katie turned. Oh shit. He hadn’t meant that one.

Katie turned to look at him. By now they were walking up her driveway, towards her front door. ”What?” she asked. Something was up with Noah, she could tell. She’d known him for years, she could tell when something was wrong. He was always spacey, but today he was walking on the moon. ”Noah, something’s definitely up,” she said, doing her best to pry the information out of him.

Noah shook his head, looking Katie in the eyes. ”I’m good! I just was thinking that you and Scott should just date already,” he lied, doing his best to get her on a topic that he knew would keep her occupied. He knew her too well sometimes.

Katie’s eyes went wide and she turned back around, opening her front door and leading Noah upstairs to her room. ”I would never even consider, dating that piece of trash. He’s such a little weasel! No fucking thank you!” Katie said passionately, flopping on her bed. She brought her head up slightly and looked over at Noah, a worried expression on her face. ”You sure you’re good Noah?”

”Everything’s fine,” Noah replied, taking a seat at her desk.

”If you say so,” Katie said, getting up and walking over to her closet. ”Now, let’s find something for me to wear to this party, then we’ll raid Jamie’s closet for you!”