The Club
Davy Pietro
Elaine Cardozo
Maria Valentia
Aaron Schofield
The Town
The Dead
[CHAR] 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐂𝐥𝐮𝐛
- Horror
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- Fantasy
- 18+
- Advanced
- Slice of Life
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Little Bill Unbannable
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5 mos ago
Davy Pietro
Elaine Cardozo
Maria Valentia
Aaron Schofield
GM
Little Bill Unbannable
Member
Seen
5 mos ago
David "Davy" DePietro III
What's your name?
David, but my friends call me Davy. David's my father, you know? And his father's name, except he was actually named Davide. Changed it when he came to Ellis Island on account of all those World War II service records, you know? Besides, I always thought Davy sounded pretty cool, like Davy Jones, or Davy Crockett. Pretty much the only good examples though. Oh, except on the fields of Aznagor, I'm Davidus the Druid. You probably don't know about Aznagor, or what a Druid is, but it's like a game where you talk out what you do, with dice. Some people say only losers like to hang out roleplaying, but I think they just don't exactly know what it is, and that makes them sort of upset, you know?
How old are you?
Thirteen next week. My mom's so Catholic, she clenched together for three hours to make sure I wasn't born on Halloween. November First ain't a bad birthday, though, even if it was at 12:05 in the morning. My mom likes to wake me up at that time on my birthday, every birthday, which was a fun tradition the first five times. Now, knowing the surprise that's coming just keeps me up all night. I still pretend to be sleeping for her, you know? Some parents forget their kids' birthdays, letting my mom blow a kazoo in my ear is the least I could do.
What do you look like?
Are you with the Army? I know I said I'm turning thirteen, but I think I'm too young for you to draft me. For real, though, I look like this. Real ladykiller. My mom says I look like Roy Orbison, and Roy Orbison got chicks, man. Sometimes she says I look like Conway Twitty. Not much of a compliment, but Twitty totally got around too. Some kids at school pick on me and call me fat, which I hate more than the actual fat kids, because I just have strong bone density. I'm not even husky, I'm just stocky. Sicilians are mountain people, we're stocky. Nothing wrong with being stocky, you know? Sometimes I wish I wasn't, though. I'd like to look like Michael Jackson, even though it sounds crazy. A white Michael Jackson, right? That would be bananas, I bet chicks would line up for white MJ.
Do you have any hobbies?
Too many! My biggest is ventriloquism. My mom got me a dummy for my sixth birthday because I was a tubby only child with no friends, and I've gotten super good at it since. I bring him to the talent show every year. We're not as cool as those breakdancing twins from China, but I like to think we've got a cult following amongst the English teachers. His name's Crunch, because the roof of his jaw and his mouth are actually meant to make him a functional nutcracker, so they look a little bit like one of those meat mallets, only wider. Sometimes people complain that it looks like teeth, but I wouldn't trade him in for the world. Plus, I can't do that joke where he eats all my sandwich unless he could mush it up, you know? Also, you ever make braciole without whacking the steak first? It's like a log. I offered to use Crunch to help with making braciole one night, my mom didn't think it was funny. She's the one who got him for me, but Crunch freaks her out the most.
I also have an aquarium. Most people have fish tanks, but theirs are just depressing empty tanks with some gravel, but I have a real aquarium, with a waterfall and pond stuff like you see in the zoo. No biggie. Well, my mom has a real aquarium, but Froggina is mine. She's a Surinam Underwater Toad. She used to have a husband, Froggy, who we got first, but he died last month because he jumped out of the tank and Sprinkles ate him. My grandma found him in the morning, she nearly jumped out of her wheelchair, hah. Don't tell my mom I said that, though. That'd result in what she calls "The Guinea Reset Button". You wanna know where it is? The back of my head.
I like comic books and cartoons and the usual stuff you'd think I like. My favorite comic is Superman. Most people hate Supes because he's overpowered, but that's not the point of Superman. You already know he can kick the villain's nuts into his mouth, but you don't know if he can save the day in the process, you know? The audience might always know what Superman's gonna do, but that's because Superman always does the right thing. Isn't that the point of a superhero anyway? Oh, and I like movies, I've seen every Star Wars three times. Have you ever seen Return of The Jedi? That's the newest one, so don't start with it. I really like the animated Hobbit movie too. You ever see that one? I think it was in the 70's. That's more your time than mine, haha.
What are some things that you especially dislike?
Bullies. I've never been one of the cool kids, and it seems like the cool kids are just the meanest kids who hang out together and shit on everyone else. Then, everyone else calls them the popular kids because they're the ones who won't let people sit with them, as if it makes a difference. I hate my curfew, too. My mom wigs out if I don't get home on time. In fact, the Wiscasset police station had to formally ask her to stop filing early missing child reports without waiting the proper amount of time. I get that we're all we've got, but sometimes she feels a little suffocating, you know? Maybe it has to do with Carlo. I love my mom, but she's a really anxious lady. I hate parrots too. Most birds, now that I think of it. They don't blink enough. Even Crunch blinks. That's actually a little secret to ventriloquism I'll let you in on. If your model can't blink, kids will start crying about five minutes in, when your dummy stares into their souls like the one from Magic.
What are your goals for the future? Both immediate and long-term.
Immediately, I'd like to get into Strong Vincent Academy. Afterwards, I don't really know. I'd like to be the first touring ventriloquist, and tell dirty jokes at nightclubs and the Tonight Show with Crunch, but my mom says comedians all develop cocaine addictions and their parents all die of neglect eating cat food in an apartment, so I guess a puppeteer newscaster would be a compromise. My mom says that's not real, though.
What's your home life like? Specifically, what is your relationship like with your parents?
Oh, you're not in the Army, you're child services. That makes sense. My mom's fine. She hovers over my shoulder, but someone who's had her life has every right to, I guess. She's always got food on the table, even if she has an obsession with spaghetti and lasagna. My nona cooks too, but she fears seasoning like dracula fears garlic. Other than that, my nona mostly just watches TV, hangs out with Sprinkles, and sleeps on the couch. Other than that, it's just Sprinkles and Froggina, who are a cat and a frog.
My dad? He lives in Boulder, I think he's an accountant for a nightclub or something. I forget. I don't see him, but he sends my mom a monthly check and she doesn't take him to court for child support, so we're all even steven. I don't dislike him or anything, I don't think he wanted to be a dad in the first place, but my parents got divorced when I was one, so I guess he could've taken longer to figure it out, y'know?
What's your favorite animal, and why?
Frogs, because of Froggy. He taught me a lot about love, laughter, and life, until Sprinkles turned him into cat food. I brought Froggy to school once, everybody loved him. Since then, Andrew Pooley says I look like a frog, and you know what I say? Andrew Pooley kissed his sister on the lips in the third grade, so screw that sister-fucker and his opinions. Roy Orbison didn't look like a frog. Aside from Froggy, I think frogs are cool because of their ribbits. It's a cool noise for a thing to make. Plus, they literally evolve in their lifespan. When people are born -- when most things are born, really -- they just look like a smaller, pinker, less hairy version of the thing they are. Frogs have a whole tadpole stage where they look like boogers, and then they grow little nubs, and then those nubs get fingers and get a little longer, and then they lose their tails.
Boom. You've got a frog, my friend.
How about your favorite color?
Red. Who doesn't like red? The best things are all red. Kool-Aid, cars, popsicles, you name it. I mean, imagine getting up early, running down the stairs, ripping off the wrapping paper and unboxing a little green wagon on Christmas. Plus, I always pick red for my school picture background. My mom says it accentuates my eyes.
What are your grades like?
Nothing too bad, nothing too great. I'm good at English because I like to read and reading gets us extra credit, but I suck at math. Doesn't everybody kind of suck at math, though? I wish instead of math, I could just take extra science. All we really do in science is basic math anyway. I hate gym, too. You'd think it's the fun class, but all we do is run laps and take free throws, and I suck at both of those. Coach Laheigh is getting up there, so nowadays he usually doesn't notice when I take a breather under the bleachers.
Do you believe in magic?
Uh, no?
banjoanjo Still likes pistachios
Member
Seen
21 days ago
Aaron Schofield
What's your name?
“Aaron Schofield.”
“…Sorry, were you expecting more? I’m not the kind of person that looks for name meanings or family trees and stuff. Aaron’s just Aaron. It's from some Bible story if I remember correctly but...we don't even go to church that much? I don’t think there’s anything fancy to find about a name that three guys in my grade have.”
How old are you?
“12. Technically not a teenager yet, like everyone keeps telling at me. My birthday’s in June if you’re wondering.”
What do you look like?
“But aren’t you right in front of—oh okay…”
“Um, I’m tall. That’s a big thing. 5 foot 3, last time I checked. Skinny. Brown hair, dark eyes. Not really anything that stands out. Henry got the flashy blond hair from my dad and auntie so I guess there wasn’t much left for me. What else, uh…I look sporty. That comes with the ‘tall’ thing. Usually you don’t even have to play anything to look fit if your body is basically a flag pole but I do so it…works. Dad and Henry said girls like tall guys a lot but they don't talk to me and I don't talk to them so it's sorta...”
“I walk a lot. One look at my legs can tell you where I’ve been. I swear my knees are rock magnets cos they’re always scraping against something. Might be safer to keep the bandaids permanently glued on. There are a lot of other scratches on my legs too, cos trees are annoying and I always get too hot to bother wearing long pants when I go out. They’re really tiny scratches so they don’t even matter that much.”
Do you have any hobbies?
“It used to be basketball but now...I walk. A lot. By the lake, around the forest. The summerhouses, the rocks. There’s a lot to look at out there. Have you ever tried just looking? Staring and examining something until you want to pass out, learning all the cracks and holes, the insides and outs. Boring, right? Yeah, I might sound like one of those loony art types but concentrating on one thing is really interesting. Anything can be interesting if you want to look further.”
“It’s nice to be out there, like I’m on a one-man trek into the unknown. Not to say I don’t like being in the house but…yeah, I don’t. I like the quiet and the alone-ness out there. I can read and draw without anyone around to complain about college tuition when they think Henry can’t hear or try to find me so they can apologize for forgetting to take me to my game. It makes me feel better that way.”
“Heh, no, I don’t get scared. Safest town in Colorado, right? So I don’t get worried. My parents don’t get worried either. I…don’t know if they know where I go, actually. Don’t tell them, please, just in case. Maybe…sometimes…this might sound crazy but…I don’t think I’d be scared even if something was out there. Like, after all these years of walking around, I found something like E.T.! Wouldn’t that be so cool? It’s a bit much to hope for, I know.”
“Maybe…I’m waiting for something to take me away.”
What are some things that you especially dislike?
“Stuffy rooms. The thermostat is always too high. Yelling voices. And peas. They’re mushy and gross. There’s a lot of things in the world, I can’t just check my opinion like that on the spot. Come back tomorrow?”
“No. No, I don’t dislike my family. Can you not ask me something like that so suddenly? Where did that even come from?”
What are your goals for the future? Both immediate and long-term.
“There’s this hill out west I want to look around. There’s always something interesting if you look far enough. Also a whole pile of books I need to finish. I’m really behind on my reading for Book Club.”
“Long term? That’s a big question. I’m only in middle school. Even my brother said he doesn’t know. He made me promise not to tell mom and dad, all serious-like. I don’t know what he’s worried about. He can get into whatever university he wants. Maybe I should try for that too. Not sure which one, or what major I’d even take but, eh, I dunno.”
“I don’t think it matters where I go. As long as I get out there, I think I’ll be happy. Or, well…anywhere where they aren’t.”
What's your home life like? Specifically, what is your relationship like with your parents?
“Fine. It’s fine. Kind of a strange question to ask, really. Not everyone has a tragic backstory. Nothing to complain about when there’s…nothing, y’know?”
“If you’re dying to know, leave me alone and ask my brother, Henry. I bet he has a lot more to say about our parents than I ever would. N-not that that’s bad or anything. It’s just the truth. No really, it’s fine. I know it could be a lot worse. I could get beaten or starved or poor or in a split household like Jessica Baker’s parents. I can’t complain.”
“Huh? Neglected? No, no, they talk to me. They try to, at least? I dunno, it’s weird. I know they’re itching to get back to Henry so what’s the point of sticking around? They’ll probably forget about what I said the next day. Not that I say much.”
“Henry is…he’s nice. Maybe he feels bad for me. He shouldn’t. He earned all of this fair and square.”
“…C-can we talk about something else now?”
What's your favorite animal, and why?
“Agh, I’m bad at these questions. Uhhhhh…otters. Mom bought me this really cute plush one when I was a baby, before I can even remember. I’ve had it ever since. I know it's kinda girly but...”
“Is that a good reason for it being a favorite? I’ll think up a better answer if you need.”
How about your favorite color?
“I don't think boys my age are supposed to have that sort of answer ready. Mine's is green. Or orange. Or blue. Urgh, I’m really bad at these. It’s whatever I see in when I walk so it’s never really one color.”
“I’ll try to cut it down to one if it’s that important but…well, I don’t want to be rude but does it matter that much? All the pretty stuff is made up of crazy mixes of colors. And that’s not even considering the way light changes everything after you wait a while. Does it make sense to pick just one?”
What are your grades like?
“They’re fine too. B’s and sometimes A’s. The English teacher is always saying I need to write more though. Apparently, I don’t explain enough, write out the feelings. It all sounds a bit dumb to me, but please don’t tell him I said that. Always A’s in Gym. I’ve never had problems with running for long games or ‘hand-eye coordination’ or whatever. Overall they’re passable. Nothing like Henry’s but…”
“I need to keep my expectations reasonable. I’m never gonna be like him.”
“…Uh, yeah. My parents would try to do that serious talk thing if I let my grades drop. Or not. It doesn’t really matter. All I need to do is put the work in and everything will stay the same.”
Do you believe in magic?
“No offense, of course, but…why would I do that? I’m not a five-year-old.”
Henry Schofield ▮ 17 ▮ High School Student ▮ Aaron's older brother ▮Hard-working, Empathetic, Well-liked
TBA
David Schofield ▮ 43 ▮ Newspaper Editor ▮ Aaron's father ▮Logical, Goal-oriented, Focused
TBA
Anna Schofield ▮ 40 ▮ Part-time Retail Worker ▮ Aaron's mother ▮Distracted, Detail-oriented, Sociable
TBA
What's your name?
My name is Elaine Cardozo, but most people call me Lainey or Ellie for short. My parents named me after Elaine Brown, this powerful, outspoken woman who just so happened to be former chairwoman of the Black Panther Party. My mom had me do a lot of research about her a while back, and I can't help but admire her. Apparently, my name also means "bright, shining light." Given my personality, I think the name really suits me. Don't you think?
How old are you?
I'll be turning thirteen on the fourteenth of November. It's kind of funny, actually... my birthday. I've always been a pretty bright kid, so when my mom and dad "explained" to me where babies came from, I'd already known a lot of it. It was my older brother, however, that planted it in my head that I'd been conceived on Valentine's day. I didn't know what that meant, so I took a trip to the library to look it up in the dictionary. I ended up looking into a whole bunch of things that I don't think I should have. It was pretty gross stuff, believe me. I don't think I'll ever want to have kids.
What do you look like?
I look like my parents. I mean, don't I? I've always been told that I have my mom's big brown eyes and lips, and my daddy's nose. The only thing I didn't get from either of them was my skin tone. Both of them are about two shades darker than I am, but mom says that I'll probably darken over time. I don't play sports or anything, and I'm not as active as my dad wants me to be. Ever since the doctors told him that I was about three inches taller than the average twelve year old girl, he'd been trying so hard to push me into basketball. I think I'd much rather watch it on TV or read about it in the paper than actually participate. Don't get me wrong, though. I'm definitely not fat. My dad would hate that.
Do you have any hobbies?
Does reading and writing count as hobbies? If so, let's go with that. A lot of people think I'm boring when I tell them this, but I don't really care. I love reading because it gives you a chance to transport yourself into a different world. You can sort of escape from reality, even if it's just for a few minutes. Fantasy is my favorite genre, but I also like to read autobiographies and biographies about my idols. The Autobiography of Malcolm X, for example. I've read it dozens of times. My mom gave it to me for my eleventh birthday, and I haven't been able to put it down since. Hopefully one day I'll be able to write a book of my own, autobiography or fantasy. Or maybe I'll even grow up to be some huge activist or superstar, so someone will write my biography instead!
I've never been much into dolls like most girls my age. My girl friends thought it was super weird that I liked to play with my brother's action figures instead. They made such a big deal out of, so I eventually just started to play with them when I was alone, and played dolls whenever I was with them. I still suck at braiding the dolls hair. I mean, their heads are so tiny, and I have to put rubber bands at the ends of the braids to keep them from coming undone. It's just too much work, is all I'm saying.
I'm also not sure if watching movies counts as a hobby, but I'm just gonna throw this out because I don't want to look like some loser who doesn't do anything fun or cool. Movies are cool, right? I've seen a bunch of them, new and old. My favorite movies are Star Wars and Indiana Jones, but don't tell anyone that I said that. I don't want people to think that I'm some kind of geek. I like chick-flicks and musicals too, you know? Like Grease and Flashdance... I kind of want to be in movies when I get older, like an actress or something. I think I'd be really good at it.
What are some things that you especially dislike?
There isn't much that I dislike besides the obvious like bullies or idiots. I mean, I try to find the beauty and goodness in everything. Well, alright... I do dislike cats. That's only because I'm allergic to them and can't help but sneeze whenever they're within two feet away from me. I also kind of dislike my older brother's friends, especially when they come over. They always find it funny to play pranks on me or just make a bunch of noise when our parents aren't home. I also hate when it rains because it messes up my hair. Plus, I have allergies and get sick easily, so even a slight change in the weather will have me sneezing and sniffling. I also dislike a lot of horror books and films. The movies always seem to use a lot of blood and guts, so it grosses me out more than anything. The books are always predictable, it gets boring after a while.
What are your goals for the future? Both immediate and long-term.
Immediate? To make it through the rest of school without dropping below a B average. I mean, shouldn't that be all of our immediate goals? As for long term, I don't really know. I love to read and write, so I could definitely see myself doing something with that. I could be an author or work for the paper. But then again, I just don't see how doing either of those would really put my name out there. One thing I do know is that I want to be remembered even after I'm dead and buried underground. I want to leave something great behind so that everyone will remember me. I could be an actress, like I mentioned before, or some kind of activist...or I could just combine everything into one. Who knows?
What's your home life like? Specifically, what is your relationship like with your parents?
Well, I guess you could say that I have your average, black Coloradan family. My mom grew up here, but my daddy moved here from Louisiana when he was twelve. From what I've heard, I have a big family down in New Orleans, but I have yet to meet them all. My dad did bring a few things with him when he moved to Colorado, though, like his famous New Orleans style gumbo recipe and many jazz records. Nine times out of ten, our little house usually smells like you just stepped inside of a Cajun restaurant. Some like it, some hate it. My big brother, Josiah, and I used to be best friends. That is, until he turned thirteen and wanted to spend more time with his boys than with me. Now, sixteen years old, he usually spends most of his time out until curfew, at which then he'll shut himself in his room and do whatever it is that he does.
My mom is a typical, no-nonsense mom, I guess. Along with my dad, she always pushes me to do my best when it comes to everything, school especially. She's usually the stern disciplinarian, and doesn't hesitate to hand deliver whoopings when she sees necessary. My dad, on the other hand, is pretty easy-going and fun. He's always dancing around the house and singing along to his jazz records, which is one of the things I love most about him. He can cook better than anyone I've ever known. He treats me like his princess, and always tells me that
I can do whatever I put my mind to. My parents and I have a strong bond and a certain level of trust that I don't have with anyone else.
What's your favorite animal, and why?
Although I don't have any pets at the moment, I do love dogs. My family had a dog when I was younger, but he died right before my ninth birthday. I've always loved how dogs seem to love you no matter what, and cheer you up anytime you're feeling down in the dumps.
How about your favorite color?
My favorite color has always been and will always be orange. When I think of orange, I think of happiness, sunshine, and warmth, which matches my personality perfectly. When you walk into my bedroom, you'll see orange everywhere: orange bed sheets, orange wallpaper, and orange lamps. Even the ring that I wear nearly everyday has a hint of orange in the stone.
What are your grades like?
I've been on A and B honor roll since I started school; my mom would never tolerate anything less than that. My strongest subjects, though, have always been history and English. I have the highest reading level in my class, something that I am very proud about. My worst subject is math, simply because I have a hard time remembering formulas. As for electives, I don't particularly enjoy gym, but I do enough to keep my grade at a low B. I do love my theater class, though. I hope to star in lots of musicals and plays when I go to high school.
Do you believe in magic?
Sure! There's magic in everything. Just because you can't see it doesn't mean it isn't real.
Janine Cardozo ▮ 42 ▮ Pharmacist ▮ Elaine's Mother ▮Hard-working, Straight-forward, Charismatic.
Elijah Cardozo ▮ 46 ▮ Chef ▮ Elaine's Father ▮Laid-back, Soulful, Empathetic.
Josiah Cardozo ▮ 16 ▮ High School Student ▮ Elaine's Brother ▮Immature, Obnoxious, Witty.
Olga Maria Valentia
What's your name?
Maria. Well, Maria's my middle name, but everyone calls me it. My first name is Olga, after my Mom's Great-Aunt or something, and I honestly can't think of an uglier name. It's my best-kept secret. Kinda have to keep it secret, otherwise it would be perfect ammunition for the bullies. Don't tell anyone, will you?
How old are you?
12 and 3/4. Actually, it's probably more like 7/8. I don't know, I'm not great at math. My birthday is the 17th of November, due to arriving about 5 weeks early as a baby. Apparently I had to spend a few extra days in hospital because I was borderline premature, but that's honestly preferable to having a birthday during Christmas. My cousin over in Nevada was born on the 25th of December, and she has to celebrate her birthday and Christmas at the same time. I mean, I suppose you get the same amount of presents, but it's not really the same.
What do you look like?
Most people who look at me tell me I'm the spitting image of my Dad, but I don't really see the similarity. He has a thin face, mine is broad. He's super tall, but I'm one of the smallest in my class. His hair is really straight and nearly golden coloured, but mine is annoyingly frizzy and a weird mix-up of blonde and brown. My sister will sometimes do my hair for me when she's being nice - either curl it or straighten it. Most of the time I just have to tie it up for school or something and pray it behaves. I guess I have my Dad's eyes, but then, everyone in my family has blue eyes. My Mom did too.
Do you have any hobbies?
Well, yeah. You'd have to be a pretty boring kid if you didn't have any. I guess my main thing is video games at the moment. My Dad bought an Atari 2600 a few months ago, but I prefer the arcade. There's more things to play, records to beat, and I enjoy the atmosphere of the place. Also, I can eat as much candy there as I can afford without my Dad or his girlfriend nagging me. I like board games too. In fact, any kind of game that you can play with other people. Since my sister developed a more skanky lifestyle, I don't get to play as much at home as I used to. Thankfully, there's plenty to do out and about if you have the imagination for it. Like exploring!
Exploring is one of my favourite things to do. Even though Wiscasset is really small, you can find plenty of cool places to explore. You can usually find some abandoned summerhouses or hunting lodges out in the sticks. This one time, I found one with this creepy locked cellar in it, and I'm like 90% sure I heard something moving down there. I went back the next day with some bolt cutters, but uh... I wasn't strong enough to cut through it. If I was strong enough, you can be sure I was going to go investigate! I wasn't scared at all!
Anyway! Another hobby is photography. When my Aunt visited this easter she got me a polaroid camera. It was second-hand, but still works perfectly. I must have taken a thousand pictures since then, and I'm ready to take even more. I just have to hide some of them from my dad - he wouldn't be pleased about some of the places I've gone too to take photographs. He says it's dangerous out in the forests where I go, but it's not like anything's going to happen during daytime. He watches too many scary movies I think.
Oh! Scary movies! I love them. I've watched a whole bunch that I wasn't allowed to, but my dad doesn't know. My sister lets me watch videos with her as long as I promise not to get scared, and so far I've seen The Exorcist, Alien, Salem's Lot and a whole bunch of other ones. I did have nightmares, but I didn't tell anyone. I don't get them anymore though, I'm not some stupid baby. Dad's girlfriend is surprisingly cool with me watching scary stuff, because she loves horror movies too. She snuck me into the movie theatre last year so I could watch The Thing with her. The special effects were totally awesome! I'd love to be able to make things like that one day. Especially if I got to work with Kurt Russell. He's such a stud.
What are some things that you especially dislike?
My sister, when she's in one of her moods. I really hope I'm not as bitchy as her when I turn 16, but that's what she keeps telling me will happen. Sometimes I wonder if she'd be nicer if she didn't spend so much time making out with guys and trying to be cool. She's proud that she's been out with both of the "hottest" guys in her year (Which I don't get. Jock doesn't automatically mean cute, and Jordan Carmichael looks like a gorilla.), but it's kinda pathetic. There's more important stuff in life than that.
I guess there's a whole list of things I dislike, but I guess if I had to make a list, it would be the moody sister I mentioned, romantic movies and books because they're always so sickly sweet, snakes because they're creepy and can kill you, damaged books because why would someone damage a book??, and... I also hate hospitals. Don't ask me why, I don't like talking about it.
What are your goals for the future? Both immediate and long-term.
Long-term, I really want to go into the movie industry. Maybe to do special effects, maybe to do photography or videoing. Ooh, or maybe even screen-writing! That would be rad, but I know for sure I couldn't be an actress. I'm terrible at acting. In drama class, I always end up forgetting my lines, delivering them with a weird, monotone voice or just bursting into giggles in the middle of a scene. It doesn't even have to be a funny scene either, it just happens a lot. Anyway, whatever I pick, I'll probably have to go college to learn how to do everything. I guess that means my short-term plans are to get my grades up, but life can be pretty distracting when you're 12. Uh, I mean 12 and 3/4.
What's your home life like? Specifically, what is your relationship like with your parents?
There's currently five people living in my house. There's me of course, my 16-year-old sister Judy, my Dad, his girlfriend Barbara-Anne (She's not technically moved in yet, but with the amount of times she visits, she may as well be), and our pet dog, Mouse. I include him as a person because he's just as clever as one, in my opinion. We've taught him lots of commands, it's just that he only pays attention when he can be bothered. Just like a person! He's pretty difficult to force to do anything because he's a Saint Bernard, and he's huge. When he stands up on his hind legs, he's taller than me.
As for the rest of the house... well, I think I've talked enough about Judy already. My Dad is really nice, but sometimes a bit strict. He likes to know where me and my sister are at all times, so I can't just wander around town without telling him first. He even insists that we phone him while he's at work just so he knows where we are. It's really annoying at times, especially if I want to do something last minute. Judy has a tendency of skipping out without telling him anything, but I can't bring myself to do it. I'd feel too guilty! Also, being the town Sheriff, I think he'd find out too easily. It's a miracle he hasn't caught me snooping around the summerhouses yet.
I get along surprisingly well with Barbara-Anne. She's been dating my Dad for nearly 8 months now, and although I was determined to hate her at first, it's become impossible. She's just so cool! Whenever she has spare time away from her job, she nearly always spends it with me. Judy is hardly ever around, and Dad's work hours are kinda long, so it means it's just me and Barbara-Anne for a lot of the time. She bakes with me, takes me out to go bowling and to the movies, and she makes the best milkshakes I've ever tried. Sometimes I feel a bit guilty, for enjoying spending time with her when part of me feels like I shouldn't, but she's such a sweetheart. I'd be psyched if my Dad proposed. I'm not sure if he will though... not yet.
We lost Mom about a year and a half ago. It... um... it was hard. Still is.
What's your favorite animal, and why?
Dragons! Oh, does it have to be a real one? In that case, cats. I've always wanted a cat, but because of Mouse, we never got one. I'm pretty sure he'd eat a cat if it wandered into our house. But, it's not just house cats I like! The big cats are so awesome! I saw a snow leopard once at the Denver zoo, and it looked so adorable. And deadly, at the same time. If the movie route doesn't work out for me, I'll be taking my camera to Africa and Asia to take pictures of the big cats, like Lions and Cheetahs and Jaguars. Maybe I could even work for National Geographic, or with David Attenborough. I love watching all those shows he does. I'm not sure why I like cats so much - maybe it's just because I don't have one?
How about your favorite color?
Purple. Like a really rich, dark purple. My Mom's favourite flower was the Purple Columbine, and she always filled the house with it when they were in bloom. We don't really do it these days, but their colour is still my favourite.
What are your grades like?
Average in things like maths and science. Terrible in drama. Great in English, Gym, Geography. I do Photography as an elective, and that's probably my best grade. My art would be higher if I didn't mess around so much with the red paint, pretending it's blood.
Do you believe in magic?
C'mon, only babies believe in magic.
But I guess I do.
Isaac Valentia ▮ 39 ▮ Sheriff of Wiscasset ▮ Maria's Father ▮Protective, Humorous, Blunt.
Isaac had always been a bit protective of his children, what with knowing every single possible danger that existed in his town (He assumed he knew every single one, anyway.) However, after the rather unexpected death of his wife nearly two years ago, his protectiveness has become almost unbearable for his girls. Since meeting Barbara-Anne, he's loosened his grip somewhat, but still worries immensely about them every day. If he isn't given location, how long they'll be there, and who they're with when Judy and Maria are out, not much stops him from jumping into his car and trying to find them. He suspects the girls have found ways to evade his over-protectiveness at times, but also has the good sense to know that his behaviour is potentially driving them away. He tries to change, but it's not very easy.
To the town, his behaviour hasn't changed all that much. After having been Sheriff for a good 5 years even before his wife died, he's grown used to the quietness and the minor things he and his men are called out too. While he rarely complains, it's known to the townspeople that he'll make sarcastic quips when going to a particularly ridiculous or time-wasting scenario. The amount of calls he's had about supposed "Russian Spies" has led him to make several jokes about simply blasting "The Star-Spangled Banner" loudly in the fields to scare them off. While such humour isn't always appreciated by his citizens, most will usually enjoy a drink with him in the local bar after a long, hard day chasing "Commies" away and investigating missing pet cats.
Barbara-Anne Lewison ▮ 38 ▮ Secretary ▮ Maria's Dad's Girlfriend ▮ Maternal, Sarcastic, Hot-Tempered
Judy Valentia ▮ 16 ▮ High-School Student▮ Maria's Sister ▮ Moody, Vain, Secretly Family-Oriented.
Mouse ▮ 4 ▮ Pet ▮ Maria's Pet Dog ▮ Fluffy, Big, Slobbery.
Karina Valentia ▮ Died aged 34 ▮ Housewife ▮ Maria's Mother ▮Warm, Empathetic, Stubborn.
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