[center]___________________________________________________________________ [img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/220603/f5962f6ab6034004e47640010917b0fd.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/OJ9713T.png[/img] [img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/220603/7a9c57ecc0f987769441b574bf72047e.png[/img] ____________________________________________________________________ [sub][i][b]Flashback: Same day as "Kids in America" flashback. [/b][/i] [@BrutalBx] & [@LovelyComplex][/sub][/center] [color=lightgray][indent]Violet Hawthorne, soon to be junior of Edenridge High, walked beside Francesca Belmonte (six years old), Nina’s little girl, who was in full girl scout wear, pulling a red wagon of cookies. The sweet summer child, a Scout Daisy, had a cold when the other scouts were in front of the Godmothers selling cookies, so she had to meet her quota with her Scoutmaster. They had already gone through Scott Street and now it was time to take on the business owners. Cesca was determined! She wanted to hit this whole town by the end of the day, with the exception of the southside. Mommy wouldn’t like her going there. Too dangerous. There was a tiny grassy green portable kids radio in the wagon beside the cookies, blasting kid songs. Right now [i]Why Should I Worry[/i] from Oliver & Company was playing in the background. [color=d25f61]“... whoo, whoo, whoo, whoo, whooooo. I’m street smart, I’ve got New York City heart,”[/color] Cesca happily sang as they marched down the sidewalk. She was a girl on a mission but she was also a girl just having a fun day with one of the people she looked up to and strived to be. Violet had such a smart brain and pretty face. And she was friendly! She also had all the badges ever in the world and a heart made of gold. Mommy loved Scoutmaster Violet, so did Cesca. The two girls walked down the sidewalk, greeting those walking past them with smiles and waves as they made their way to their destination. [i]Swerve Arcana[/i]. As they approached the building, Violet timidly sang with her little one the chorus of the Disney song, [color=c4c0fd]“Why should I worry? Why should I care? I may not have a dime. But I got street savoire faire.”[/color] [color=d25f61]“Why should I worry? Why should I care? It’s just a bebopulation. And I’ve got street savoire faire!”[/color] Nina knew how to raise them, that’s for sure. She kept her children cultured. Most of the shows and movies Francesca knew were things Violet group on, like DuckTales. Cesca loved DuckTales. Cesca also loved the Mighty Ducks and the Swan Princess. A true geek in the making that had a thing for birds, it seemed. When they arrived in front of the comic book store, Cesca was quick to turn off her radio and straighten her vest. Squeezing her shoulder, Violet whispered, [color=c4c0fd]“You ready?”[/color] [color=d25f61]“I got this!”[/color] Giving her Scoutmaster the wagon handle, Cesca led the way, with Violet close by, and went straight to the tall counter. Standing on her tiptoes, she tried to reach for the bell. Alas, she was too tiny and could not reach. DOOM! Violet let go of the wagon handle, picked up the little Belmonte, and helped her ring the bell herself. Coming out of the backroom, having stuffed her face with a glorious chili dog, Avery Kaine with mustard on her face saw at a distance one of her best friends and a little one. [color=fccb8e]“Just a minute!”[/color] In a matter of seconds, the proud lesbian who was unapolgetically herself (a fool, a geek, and a weirdo) wiped her face, chugged down her cherry coke, and loudly belched. Okay, she was good. Making her way to the counter, she leaned over to see the grinning face of Francesca with a cute green beret on. [color=fccb8e]“Well hey little girl, how can I help you?”[/color] Violet took a step back to let Francesca practice her social skills and take charge of her sale. As she let the conversation unfold, she placed her hands in her jean jacket pocket and grabbed a hold of two bracelets she made. [color=d25f61]“Hi! Hello! Yes!”[/color] Cesca nervously giggled, before introducing herself, [color=d25f61]“My name is Francesca!”[/color] The little Belmonte excitedly cheered, wanting to beat her fellow girl scouts in sales. She was going to be the bestest, she just needed to tell the world these cookies were delicious and they had to have it. She was going to sell the most! [color=d25f61]“And I’m here today to support the girl scouts, by selling cookies, uh…”[/color] She blanked for a moment before remembering, [color=d25f61]“Four dollars a box! Do you want some?”[/color] [color=fccb8e]“Sounds dope.”[/color] [color=d25f61]“Really?!”[/color] [color=fccb8e]“Cookies are fan-fu--”[/color] Just when she was about to curse, Avery changed her course of words because Violet gave her a death glare, [color=fccb8e]“--dging-tastic. Fan-fudging-tastic, yeah! What you got?”[/color] Clapping to herself, happy this business deal was going smoother than her other ones went, Cesca speedily went to her wagon to showcase the flavors, [color=d25f61]“We got creamy mint treasures, English butter toffee, chocolate, banana, caramel, s’mores, pecan, samoas, PEANUT BUTTER! We got so much!”[/color] Nonchalantly, Avery dug into her pants pocket, took out her wallet, and grabbed a fifty, [color=fccb8e]“I’ll take five of each.”[/color] Eyes widened and her jaw dropping, Francesca was stunned one person was buying so many! She turned to Violet to see if it was a good sale. Violet smiled and nodded and Cesca was quick to run back to the counter and reach for the money, [color=d25f61]“Thank you, thank you so much! You won’t regret it. I promise.”[/color] [color=fccb8e]“Girl scout cookies are my weakness, you came to the right place.”[/color] Once the transaction was completed, Violet put all the cookies on the counter, which unintentionally hid Avery’s face, and laughed, [color=c4c0fd]“Your dad is going to kill you.”[/color] [color=fccb8e]“What? Nah. He’ll eat most of these before I even get the chance.”[/color] Both Avery and Violet’s attention went to the entrance when they heard a loud ruckus. Stumbling into the large life size cut out of Spider-Man, no doubt Mr Kaine’s idea to help promote the new Homecoming film with new Spiderguy….Tom something…Clay tried to catch it before it hit the floor. He failed. And this was a high school athlete. As he picked up the friendly neighbourhood super hero, he realised that he had now bent it. [color=bcdd81]“Oops.”[/color] Throwing the red and blue spider dude into the manga section, Clay dusted his hands off and swaggered over to the counter; jumping up and taking a seat onto it when he got there. He reached into one of the boxes of cookies that were randomly there and started munching down. [color=bcdd81]“Ahoy ladies!”[/color] He said with his mouthful. Violet chuckled as she looked up at Clay. He was a goofball. Turning to the six year old, she pulled out a twenty, [color=c4c0fd]“Hey, why don’t you get yourself a comic? It’s a gift for all your hard work! That was a BIG sale.”[/color] Francesca was giddy, exchanging her earned money for the collective and taking her reward. [color=d25f61]“Thank you, Scoutmaster!”[/color] The little girl was quick to disappear in the maze that was Swerve Arcana. A fantasy land for kids. Exiting the register area, Avery went beside Clay and leaned against the counter, [color=fccb8e]“Look who decided to show up, McDungus.”[/color] [color=c4c0fd]“Ahoy!”[/color] With proper posture, Violet took one of her hands out of her jacket pocket and shyly waved at her only guy friend (Violet not only had two best friends that were two years older than her but she spent most of her days as a part time babysitter and a full time scout ambassador). As seemingly sad as it seemed, she had more kid friends than actual friends her own age. Even so, she was okay with that. Avery and Clay were extremely important to her. More than they’d ever know. The dynamic goofy duo adopted her one day in the library. Avery had dragged Clay with her so they could work on their research papers. The first thing Clay did was try to flirt with her, but of course it was rewarded with Avery slapping his head and the two of them finding out that Violet was the VP’s daughter. That same day they found out that she was teased by people in her year for being a ‘school pet’ and her peers thought the only reason she got good grades was because of her mother’s authority. Not actually because she was a good girl and a smart one too. From there, Clay and Avery taught Violet how to navigate through the school drama and politics, even taking her to her first party. Tha party was a lot of Clay shielding Violet from sexual harrassment and Avery getting high off her goddamn mind. Regardless, Violet balanced them and even if she didn’t realize how important she was to the now graduated seniors, she was. She centered them and made them feel loved, in her own cute way. Tweedledee and Tweedledum liked having a morally sound friend with them. Lord knows the rest of their friends were not this innocent. It gave them someone worth protecting, and it felt good to have her in their lives. Upon finishing an entire box of cookies, Clay tossed the rubbish into a nearby trash bin and dusted the crumbs off of his shirt. [color=bcdd81]“What’s going down in groove town? What’s with all the cookies?”[/color] [color=fccb8e]“I wanted them,”[/color] Avery clicked her tongue as she reached for the Samoas, [color=fccb8e]“I’m being a good samaritan and supporting our local scout girls and whatever charity cause they’re donating to. I’m practically Jesus. The Lord and Savior of cookies.”[/color] [color=c4c0fd]“Well, actually, you’re just helping us fund the program. We can only use the money earned through these activities for purposes of giving these girls the resources and tools they need. Like a camping trip, for example. This fifty dollars could go to that. It’s actually against policy to solicit money for other organizations. And immoral. Why abuse little girls to earn money for charity? This is their hard earned money, you know?”[/color] There Violet went… over explaining. [color=fccb8e]“Got it, got it. These cookies are fucking good regardless of where the money goes. The money could go in a stripper’s ass and I’d be okay with it,”[/color] Avery shoved another cookie in her mouth. [color=c4c0fd]“Avery!”[/color] [color=fccb8e]“I know, I know. Language. There’s a child somewhere in here. Blah, blah, blah,”[/color] with a full mouth of cookies, Avery glanced up at Clay and apathetically asked, [color=fccb8e]“How are you, dude? Ready to pop a cap in psychos and pedos? Pew, pew.”[/color] [color=bcdd81]“Why do people keep saying this? I’m not a cop yet. I have to go through like four more years of school.”[/color] Clay looked at Violet, the smartest of the three and sighed. He loved Avery but sometimes she was the real McDungus, a name she had bequeathed upon him their very first month of friendship. [color=bcdd81]“I’m all packed to head to Lowell if that’s what you mean. It’s a good job I’m not far away I don’t think you’d last five minutes without me.”[/color] With all the grace of a trucker, Clayton did a sudden back roll off of and behind the counter. When he popped back up into view, he was now holding a Monster that his darling Avery had so many spares of in her secret mini-fridge. He cracked open the can and took a big gulp. With a satisfied sigh, he looked at the two girls starting holes through him. [color=bcdd81]“Listen, I was partying with Sawyer last night and then I had to deal with my sister, Duke and Jamie all day. I need the pick me up.”[/color] [color=fccb8e]“Partying hard and then out you go, leaving us behind. Classic Clay,”[/color] Avery teased, placing her cookie box down and clearing her throat, [color=fccb8e]“...and how’s Jamie doing?”[/color] Of course she was going to use this opportunity to know the whereabouts of her fantasy unicorn babe. Jamie never noticed her when she did attend Edenridge High, so it wasn’t like she stood a chance. Even so, Jamie O'Hara's face was engraved in her mind and as long as she was happy, Avery was happy. As Avery probed to know about her crush, Violet anxiously moved back and forth on her heel and toes. She kept a smile on and didn’t say a word as her friends talked about their future adult adventures. Part of her hated that they were two years older than her. The rational side in her told her Avery wasn’t going anywhere. She’d be here, in this comic book store, but the irrational side of her said it wouldn’t be the same. Clay was going away and they wouldn’t be walking the halls of Edenridge High anymore. They wouldn’t joke around in the library and then get hushed by the librarian. They wouldn’t exchange snacks in the cafeteria. And she wouldn’t have two older kids to throw cartoon bandaids on when they were being dumb. She was sad at the thought that this was ending but she hid it behind a bright, beautiful smile. [color=bcdd81]“I can put in a good word for you, Avery,”[/color] Clay might have been God’s favourite idiot but in the language of love, he was a certified genius and he knew that his darling nerd friend had been in love with his amazing popular friend forever. [color=bcdd81]“I have known Jamie O’Hara, literally, from diapers.”[/color] He took a sip from his drink before continuing. [color=bcdd81]“I can probably convince her to give you a date. I’m good like that, like one of those little baby’s with wings that shoots arrows.”[/color] As if on cue, Clay was struck by a balled up piece of paper. He turned to see his attacker and punched him square in the mouth but before he did, he recognised the face and the hair and that horrible taste in fashion that stood before him in the doorway. It was fucking Oz, flanked by one Quinton Woods. [color=c0f9fd]“You mean a Cupid, you moron.”[/color] The long haired metal lord made his way into Swerve Arcana and patted his young charge on the top of his goriest Afro. [color=c0f9fd]“I submit for the approval of the Midnight Society, the tale of the infinite mullet.”[/color] He flashed the devil horns with a Gene Simmons like tongue wave before grinning. [color=c0f9fd]“Go get the game set up, Q, in the back room over there. The rest of the Society will be here soon.”[/color] As the boy followed his gamemaster's orders, he darted a dirty look at Clay which was understandable since the man they call ‘The Hair’ had slept with his sister not too long ago and not called her back. Anthony Osso or to everyone else other than his father, Oz. With his long hair, denim jacket and leather pants, one would assume that he was a Serpent. Yet the actual truth of the matter was that Oz and his family came from Westbrook. He was metal, man. He didn’t have to play the games that those assholes on Carlisle and Scott Street played. No, he was the dungeon master in charge of a small group of high IQ’d and misunderstood teens like himself that he called the Midnight Society. They were the misfits, the outlaws, the ones that the great storybook called ‘Americana forgot about’ when all was said and done. Oz had almost found his way into this other band of misfits by accident. He had decided to crash Francis Callahan’s seventeenth birthday party as a freshman. He didn’t much care for the Elite and what they stood for. Armed with paint guns and a Sabbath soundtrack, he invaded the O’Hara McMansion only to be swept off his feet by a mousy girl who had definitely had too much to drink. He made his way over to the group of older kids by the counter and wrapped his arms around Violet's chest from behind. In a stark comparison to his appearance he gently laid a kiss to her cheek. [color=c0f9fd]“Hey idiots, what’s going on?”[/color] Oz greeted. With the sudden appearance of her boyfriend, Violet’s gentle soul, modest nature, and delicate sweetness took surface in her face. Her cheeks peeked the pinkest of champagnes as she took her hands out of her jacket pockets and held onto his arms. It was still surreal that she had a boyfriend. A boy with a complicated attitude, trouble as most would put it, but who saw her through their large class of beautiful people. He was in her class too, which meant she wasn’t losing everyone. Her anxiety eased in his hold. She leaned back and looked up at him, before bringing her eyes back to Clay and Avery. People had their opinions on Anthony, but to her, he made her feel important. Wanted. Loved. Dangerous, hot thing was what Violet thought when he directed her away from the drinking games that she could barely keep up with and led her to a quiet area in the backyard with a glass of water in hand. That night she found out they had English Literature, Physical Education, and Spanish together. For once, she could talk about anything and everything with someone [i]her age[/i] and he didn’t judge her for it. This was honestly the best feeling ever and the night ended with her smiling, telling him she would tell her mom about him. And now, here they were, about to enter their junior year, going almost a year strong (she was shy and didn’t immediately jump the gun to date him). [color=fccb8e]“Well first off: Clay, you’re full of shit. The moment Jamie gives me the time of day is the moment you find yourself alone in a bedroom with Cat.”[/color] Avery teased before grabbing a new box of girl scout cookies. Clay lifted his index finger to pause his friend. [color=bcdd81]“Don’t bring my Kitty into this, Avery.”[/color] Using his unrequited love for the owner of the Godmother’s was a low blow. [color=fccb8e]“You’ll be aiiiight,”[/color] Avery smirked, as her eyes went from one friend to the next. [color=fccb8e]“Secondly, gross you two. Save some love for the rest of us. Stop being so goddamn cute.”[/color] She proceeded to shake the box in front of the metal lord’s face, [color=fccb8e]“Want some, Ozzy? I bought a shit ton and to answer your question, we just vibin’ here.”[/color] [color=d25f61]“O-M-G!”[/color] Francesca hugged The Essential Calvin and Hobbes: A Calvin and Hobbes Treasury book as she looked at her Scoutmaster in an intimate embrace like her mommy and daddy do. [color=d25f61]“Are you two in loveeeeeeeee?”[/color] Amused, Avery grinned and pointed to the youngster with her thumb, [color=fccb8e]“I like this kid.”[/color] Violet’s heart rushed at Cesca’s bold question and her blush was no longer only concentrated on her cheeks. Her whole face was beaming red as she said in a hushed, embarrassed tone, [color=c4c0fd]“I, um…”[/color] Was it silly of her to say this right here, right now? Her honest to god’s opinions, even if they were still young, was yes, but was that being too forward? [color=c4c0fd]“...do.”[/color] She could only speak for herself. That’s all she could do. Suddenly, feeling a desperate need to change the subject, scared to hear his response, Violet dug into her pockets once more and pulled out four bracelets. Handmade and woven with love, by her. [url=https://imgur.com/nG3F3P2]Green[/url] for Clay. [url=https://imgur.com/hZ4v8kh]Yellow[/url] for Avery. [url=https://imgur.com/cV9XKIB]Purple[/url] for herself. [url=https://imgur.com/N7g3VQ2]Blue[/url] for Oz. [color=c4c0fd]“I wanted to show you guys how thankful I am for everything you’ve done for me…”[/color] [color=d25f61]“Oh neato! Scoutmaster Violet, can you teach me how to make those?”[/color] Cesca was no longer looking at the cuddly boy with wide eyes. Now she was hyper focused on the woven friendship bracelets. The little girl’s gaze sparkled in excitement. [color=c4c0fd]“Of course, sweetheart.”[/color] [color=fccb8e]“Well shiiiiii--”[/color] Child, there is a child right there, Aves. [color=fccb8e]“--iiiiiitake mushrooms. We’re not going to be that far, Vi,”[/color] Avery’s gay heart was touched and with her free hand, the one not holding the cookie box, she grabbed her bracelet. So fucking sweet. What did she do to deserve a friend like Violet? Such a good natured, humble, and delightful girl. Definitely was way too good for them. With one arm still wrapped around Violet, Oz slipped his wrist into the bracelet that his girlfriend had made. It wasn’t really his style as it wasn’t made from leather, denim or have studs that could kill a man attached to it but Vi had poured her heart into it so then that would mean the world to him. [color=c0f9fd]“Fits nicely next to my cuff, thanks little pet.”[/color] Ozzy knew the anxiety that Vi was feeling. Through conversations they’d talked about how very lonely she was before the Tweedles found her. Now they were growing up and leaving her. Clay held up his bracelet to his eyes and narrowed them. He was confused. Not by the bracelet, green was one of his colors but by the entire events of the day. From a weird goodbye with Sawyer, to his time with the Elite and now this. Everyone he had encountered was acting like he was dying. He was going to be two hours away in Lowell. It wasn’t like he was moving across the universe. He tied the bracelet around his wrist and smiled at the demure girl who had fired them. [color=bcdd81]“Thanks Violet, this is very sweet of you.”[/color] [color=c0f9fd]“Ok ok ok ok okay,”[/color] Oz clapped his hands together to disrupt, a classic move. [color=c0f9fd]“Too much loving going on here, now I gotta go take these young kids through a campaign of terror and horror the likes of which no mere mortal has ever seen. That is if I can get Q to stop talking about this goth Asian chick in his class. Like we get it, dude. It’s a fetish.”[/color] He dropped a kiss to the top of his girlfriend's head. [color=c0f9fd]“I’ll see you tonight.”[/color] He looked at the Tweedles. [color=c0f9fd]“Catch you later, dweebs,”[/color] Ozzy turned and jumped over a plume of comics before making his way through a door into a game area. [color=bcdd81]“Avery, kid, if we ever get divorced you can have the kids.”[/color] [color=fccb8e]“I’m upset my son didn’t want any cookies. He’s missing out.”[/color] Avery placed the box down, the one she had offered to Oz moments ago before Cesca started gushing over the love fest. Lifting her arm in the air to look at her bracelet, she smiled, [color=fccb8e]“You really didn’t have to do this, Vi, but thank you.”[/color] [color=c4c0fd]“I know, but I wanted to,”[/color] Glancing at her wrist watch, with her own bracelet beside it, Violet sighed, knowing her time with her friends was coming to an end. [color=c4c0fd]“I need to go… we have a few more stops to make before I have to bring her to her mom.”[/color] At this point, Francesca was sitting on the floor by her wagon, reading her book she had yet to purchase because her Scoutmaster was having a moment with her friends. [color=fccb8e]“Hey,”[/color] Avery shuffled her way to her unassuming friend and pulled her into a hug with one arm, [color=fccb8e]“Don’t worry about a thing, okay? We’re a phone call away. We’re not going anywhere.”[/color] From playful with no class to soothing and calm, Avery did what she did best and calmed Violet’s storm, [color=fccb8e]“I know you care. I know you care a lot, Dimples, but things aren’t going to change for the worse. You really think we aren’t going to make time for you? You’re the best of us, Vi, there’s no way in hell we’re going to let that go. I’ll make sure of it,”[/color] Resting her chin on Violet’s head, she side-glanced to the future cop-in-the-making and coolly asked, [color=fccb8e]“Right, Clay?”[/color] [color=bcdd81]“Yeah sure,”[/color] At that point Clay had already tuned out of the conversation as a pretty brunette was perusing the DC section of the store. He polished off his Monster, tossed a stick of gum in his mouth and like a gazelle in heat, leapt over the counter and slid to the side of the would-be customer. He brushed a hand through his hair of legend and smiled charmingly. [color=bcdd81]“Hey there, anything I can help you with? I’m Clay.”[/color] [/indent][/color]