Xandrya

Between Lessons & Lies

The scribbling of twenty something pencils and the black clock on the wall ticking away second after second acted like white noise which Giselle seemed to find relaxing enough to pass the time without needing to entertain herself in another manner. The kids were a little more than halfway through the allotted time for their assignment, each of them busy pouring their thoughts onto paper in reference to their assigned book of the quarter, Number the Stars. And staying true to character, there in the back of the classroom, Kyle sat crouched on his seat looking at either his phone or some sort of video game device. The young woman sighed, clearing her throat. A few heads looked up expecting to be told something before seeing there was no eye contact between her and them. But Kyle knew this warning a little too well, and he scrambled to put the device away in his pant pocket. She made a mental reminder to switch him to the front of the classroom sometime this week. She was somewhat peculiar with her seating charts, but there was always room for improvement.

Anna raised her hand halfway up while offering a smile and turning her paper over. Giselle got up, met once again by a number of eyes which lingered for only a few moments. Her footsteps echoed softly in the otherwise mostly quiet classroom until she reached the girl's desk, hunching forward as to not disturb the remaining students. Prior to the start of the assignment, they had all been advised to turn their paper over and get a head start on the next book when they were finished, though Anna obviously needed something else.

"What is it, Anna?" Giselle asked in her usual, friendly tone. The blonde, blue-eyed girl dressed in the school uniform that was a white blouse and gray plaid skirt leaned in close, communicating what she needed in a whisper.

"Miss Hunt, may I go see the nurse? I think I may have gotten my—"

"Oh, of course! Go go go. You finished it, right?" she picked up the paper to take it to her desk.

"Mhmm," Anna responded with a nod.

"Go, it's okay."

Giselle was used to these types of scenarios since she taught fifth grade. Walking back to her desk, she looked over her students for a moment. A couple more had finished, their hands holding the next assigned book as they looked it over, flipping through its pages trying to get an idea as to whether they would somewhat enjoy their next read. Judging by their expressions alone, the outcome wasn't very promising. At least Kyle held a pencil in his hand now, though he wasn't doing much writing per se as was evident by his worried stare into a paper that might as well have had the instructions written in a foreign language. Giselle had talked to his mother a few times in the past, but some kids needed that extra push.

The clocked continued to tick, and she decided to start reading Anna's paper. She was maybe a quarter of the way in when she noticed some movement out of her peripheral. Giselle placed the paper face down out of habit to look at the young boy approaching her desk.

"What is it, Kyle?" she asked with some concern on her face. The boy look slightly distraught.

"Um, Miss Hunt, I don't know what to write, I—I didn't finish reading the book." The confession came in a low whisper without his eyes meeting hers, and he looked like he was about to cry.

Giselle sighed in return, but not out of disappointment.

"Kyle," Giselle added in a low whisper as well, "I want to help you. How about you stay behind after class for a little while, does that sound okay?" The suggestion was only brought up because she didn't have another class after this one. Instead, it was her grading block.

Finally a brief smile, that which was accompanied by a soft nod.

"Okay, what's your next class?"

"Gym."

"With Mr. Petersen?"

Another nod.

"Okay. I'll go talk to him. You go back to your desk and work on finishing that book, got it?"

"Okay, thank you."

Giselle pushed back her chair to stand as Kyle began to make his way to his desk. This hadn't been the first time her student missed an assignment. In fact, He'd had an issue two other times. Her plan now was simple: push back his deadline, rush his next book a little more, and hope he gets an overall passing grade otherwise he'll be repeating the year and not graduating like the rest of his classmates. Giselle wasn't a fan of the latter option, but it was better than letting him go into middle school unprepared.

Between Lessons & Lies

Name: Giselle Marie Hunt

Age: 24

Appearance: Standing at an unimpressive height of 5'4, Giselle doesn't stand out within a crowd for towering over people nor is she the type needing help every time an item an needs to be fetched from the top shelf. Her brown, straight hair is of medium length and it reaches down to just below her shoulders, and her hazel eyes are, on occasion, hidden behind wisps of hair from a fringe that has been left uncut for too little too long.

Given her time spent reading and grading assignments, Giselle has found that if she's at home or at work, her vision doesn't strain as much while using her prescription glasses. The thin, black frame is as neutral as her work clothes, although when she's off the clock, her wardrobe magically turns a little more colorful and vibrant.

Portrait

Occupation: Elementary Teacher

Interests/Hobbies:

• Jogging
• Swimming
• Trying new recipes
• Reading
• Binging Netflix

𝙰 '𝙿𝚞𝚋𝚕𝚒𝚌 𝙰𝚌𝚌𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚃𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗' 𝙸𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝙲𝚑𝚎𝚌𝚔

Okay fine, I'm interested.

Eastwood Regional High: Senior Year

So I've got an idea for a character that I'd love to try out, so I'm definitely interested.

Post a random fact about yourself.

After a few months delayed due to renovations and whatnot, we finally slept in the first and only home I've ever purchased, which was back in December.

£ 𝕚𝕟𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖 £ - A Murder Mystery RP

Sounds like a plan!

£ 𝕚𝕟𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖 £ - A Murder Mystery RP

Moving isn't fun... but writing this post sure was!

Also, Katherine is on the phone a lot...I just noticed

£ 𝕚𝕟𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖 £ - A Murder Mystery RP

Katherine

---

Maybe it was the thunder that led her to have such a restless night, or maybe it was the fact that this was the first time in years that she was staying on the property, which unfortunately wasn’t for a good reason… Or both. Katherine stared back at her reflection with unmistakably tired eyes; her hair messy from the seemingly endless tossing and turning. She also recalled being jolted awake at one point from her body tricking her into believing she was about to fall of the bed.

A sigh escaped her lips before she bowed forward to wash her face. Her phone sitting on the side of the sink began to ring, and she was already annoyed knowing who it was without having to look at the screen.

Katherine picked up the call almost immediately, drops of water falling from her face before she reached for the small towelette with her free hand. Sam and her talked for a few minutes. For some unknown reason, Katherine wasn’t looking forward to the day. In fact, she was dreading it just a bit. But that was news she didn’t bother to share, not even with her partner of years. The young woman rushed through the conversation, hoping Sam would get the hint without making it sound too intentional. And after a few quick minutes, he advised that he needed to get moving. That was his tell, but at least he didn’t push the typical “what’s wrong” like he usually did every once in a while.

It was some time later when Katherine arrived for the will reading. She was dressed in a simple, dark grey dress and a black coat paired with black heels. The young woman had previously perfected the art of looking genuinely pleasant when offering the typical greeting such as “good morning”, smiling politely to whomever she saw as she made her way through the office before arriving at the conference room. Katherine then greeted those present, and the charade stopped there.

To busy herself while waiting for things to commence, Katherine took out her cell phone and answered some quick work emails. To be honest, none were urgent, but it did help keeping her nerves in check. And all was fine until her father’s PA arrived.

Her voice alone was annoying, and the remark she had made… Katherine stopped her typing, looking at Kayleigh dead in the eyes. This conniving whore really had opened with that comment.

The youngest child cleared her throat, intentionally setting the phone down on the table in front of her with enough force to draw attention while simultaneously not being overly dramatic.

£ 𝕚𝕟𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖 £ - A Murder Mystery RP

@themaybreeze

I will work on something in the next few days hopefully during some free time! Birthday weekend and moving going on all at once.

Fashionably Late: A Crime Thriller Roleplay

_{LOCATION: New York City, Marquee Skydeck}

018. The Princess

---

_{INTERACTIONS:. Lauren, Stromm, & Dahlquist}

It was late in the evening—one of those hours where the mind drifts into a soft haze and the edges of the world seem just slightly out of focus. Anna felt it settling over her, a fog that dulled her senses without quite taking hold. The night had unfolded predictably for her and Lauren; their conversation lingered in circles, stretching on long past its natural end. Anyone sober enough to listen would have likely begged them for a moment of quiet.

Nearly finished with her third drink, Anna lifted her arm in a loose, practiced motion, trying to catch the bartender’s attention as he moved briskly between customers.

“Another one?” Lauren asked, her hand coming to rest lightly on Anna’s shoulder. She wasn’t one to ruin the night, but she also wasn’t about to let her friend drift too far. “Maybe water instead…or a seltzer?” There was a softness beneath her words, a genuine concern she didn’t bother to disguise.

Anna scoffed, the sound sharper than intended. Across the bar, she caught the bartender’s eye; he gave a quick nod, acknowledging her silent request.

“That’s exactly what I’m getting,” Anna replied coolly. “I’m offended, Lauren. You seem to forget I have at least some level of self-control.” Her tone carried no hint of teasing—only a thin edge that shifted the mood between them in an instant.

Lauren’s smile lingered, though it faltered just slightly. She leaned back in her chair, hands retreating to her lap as if she had overstepped some invisible boundary.

“I was just concerned,” she said quietly.

A moment later, the bartender approached. His black sleeves were rolled neatly to his elbows, revealing forearms that caught Anna’s attention despite herself. He moved with an easy confidence, the kind that didn’t need to be announced.

Mr. Forearms wiped down the bar in front of her with a small white towel, then set a fresh napkin in its place. “What can I get for you, Miss?” His nametag read Richard, and he leaned in just enough to be noticed, not enough to presume.

“Just a water,” Anna said, her voice flat, her patience already thinning. Whatever charm he carried, she had little interest in entertaining it.

Lauren let out a quiet chuckle and reached for her own drink—the same one she’d barely touched all night. She idly stirred the straw, listening to the soft clink of ice against glass as the noise of the bar swelled and receded around them.

Midnight was approaching, creeping closer with each passing minute. Anna downed a good portion of her water, then slid carefully off her barstool. Her footing wasn’t as steady as it had been earlier, though she masked it well enough—and it was almost surprising that Lauren didn’t reach out to steady her.

“Come on,” Anna said, brushing a hand along the bar for balance. “Let’s get some air.”

“Sure.”

Lauren rose as well, smoothing out her dress. Hers was simple—black, modest, falling just above the knee with sleeves to her elbows. Anna’s, by contrast, was a deep burgundy, fitted and longer, the fabric falling just below her ankles, its sleeves mirroring Lauren’s in length but not in presence.

They stepped outside together, the cool air a quiet relief from the warmth and noise within. Finding a spot beneath one of the heat lamps, they lingered there, close enough to feel its gentle warmth.

“Nice night,” Lauren offered.

“Yeah.”

The silence that followed wasn’t uncomfortable—just empty. The kind that comes when everything that needed to be said already had been, or perhaps hadn’t been said at all.

In the distance, fireworks began to bloom across the sky, a few minutes ahead of schedule. Bright bursts of color lit the horizon, their reflections dancing faintly in Anna’s eyes. She watched them in quiet appreciation, feeling her mood soften, if only slightly.

After a while, she turned to Lauren, pulling her phone from her hand and glancing at the time.

“It’s that time,” Anna said.

Lauren looked out toward the fading sparks, then back at her, a small smile returning. “Yeah… it is.” She glanced toward the entrance, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “We should probably head back in soon.”

The energy inside had transformed completely.

Whatever dullness had lingered earlier in the night was gone, replaced by something electric—alive in the way only a crowd on the edge of midnight could be.

“Alright, everyone—this is it! We’re counting down!”

In return, glasses were lifted, strangers pressed closer, arms thrown around shoulders without hesitation or permission. The room tightened, bodies swaying together as the final seconds approached.

Anna and Lauren stood just at the edge of it.

“Ten!”

The number echoed, shouted from every direction, some too early, others too late.

“Nine! Eight!”

Lauren laughed, pulled into it despite herself, her earlier unease slipping for just a moment. She glanced at Anna, expecting to see that same distant expression—but instead found her watching the crowd, alert in a way that didn’t quite match the celebration.

“Seven! Six!”

Lights flashed faster now, bursts of gold and white cutting through the dimness. Someone bumped into Lauren, apologizing without slowing down.

“Five! Four!”

“Come on,” Lauren said, nudging Anna lightly, raising her drink. “At least pretend you’re having fun.”

A faint smile touched Anna’s lips—brief, but real enough.

“Three! Two! One—!”

“Happy New Year!”

The room erupted.

Cheers crashed together with the music as it surged back to life, louder than before. Confetti burst from somewhere above, scattering across heads and shoulders. People kissed, shouted, laughed—some already recording the moment, others too caught up in it to care.

Lauren leaned in, wrapping Anna in a quick, impulsive hug. “Happy New Year.”

Anna returned it, if only for a second. “Happy New Year.”

For a moment, everything felt normal. Maybe even good.

Minutes passed in that heightened blur—music pounding, drinks flowing, the crowd riding the high of the new year’s arrival. Whatever tension had lingered earlier seemed to dissolve into the noise...

Then, a scream.

Not the playful kind that had filled the room moments earlier. This one was jagged, cutting clean through the music, through the laughter, through everything.

The music stuttered—then stopped.

Silence didn’t fall immediately, but it spread quickly, confusion overtaking celebration as people turned, searching, asking questions no one could answer yet.

Anna and Lauren looked at each other.

This time, there was no mistaking it.

Something was wrong.

Before Lauren could say anything else, two figures appeared at Anna’s side as if summoned from the air itself.

“Anna!”

The voice was low, controlled. The words barely audible beneath the growing noise.

Anna’s expression changed instantly. The haze was gone, replaced by something sharper, more alert. She straightened, her earlier irritation and detachment falling away like a discarded coat.

“We need to move,” Dahlquist said, positioning himself slightly in front of her, Stromm already scanning the room with practiced precision.

Lauren blinked, caught off guard.

Anna didn’t look at her right away. “Stay with me,” she said instead, her tone quieter now, but firm as she blindly reached for her friend's arm.

The crowd had begun to split. Some people hurried out, driven by instinct and rising fear, while others lingered—hesitant, curious, unwilling to abandon the night so abruptly without understanding why.

“What’s going on?” Lauren asked, her voice lower now, pulled taut with unease.

“I don’t know yet.”

But neither guard waited for certainty. They guided the two women toward the edge of the room, away from the densest part of the crowd, creating space where there had been none moments before.

Near the restrooms, a cluster had formed—people pressing inward rather than away. A phone screen lit up, then another, casting pale light over faces drawn tight with concern.

Minutes stretched.

Then came the distant wail of sirens.

Relief didn’t follow—only a different kind of tension.

When the police arrived, they moved quickly, voices authoritative, cutting through the confusion. The music remained off. The lights, too bright now without their usual accompaniment, exposed everything too clearly.

“Everyone, please stay where you are!”

Anna’s guards exchanged a brief look before one of them leaned in slightly. “We should identify ourselves before they come to us.”

Anna gave a small, controlled nod. Whatever distance she had tried to maintain earlier in the night was gone now, replaced by something more formal, more practiced.