[IC] Rosefell High.

[NeoAJ]

---

Smug fucking pricks.

Of course, Melissa couldn't expect stuck-up pieces of trash to learn from the first interaction. Their parents probably paid other people to do the learning for them. It was clear there weren't any social skills on display. But having watched her fair share of Disney movies growing up, this was an opportunity for the Ohioan to do what none of those Mighty Ducks or High School Musical kids ever seemed to want to do to their rivals.

At least, until she was interrupted.

"Excuse me! Hi. Is the punch good? I just got here so... I'm a bit behind. The name's Trixie. Well, Beatrix, really. I think you're Melissa, right? and you, DeShawn? Please correct me if I'm wrong! I think you both have some classes with my brother."

Well, at least Trixie was showing a bit more class than these other fools. It was enough to get Melissa to snap out of revenge mode for a moment to play the gracious host she usually was at these sorts of things. "Hi Trixie! I can call you Trixie, right? Well, you are correct on your names, and you know what, I think Dee here can help you out and get you some punch." A devilish smirk spread across her face. "But be careful! she said quietly, not wanting to completely telegraph what was to come as revenge filled her mind once more. "It's got a hell of a kick to it."

After winking at Trixie to punctuate the warning for her, she turned around to her true target. A target that stupidly turned his back on her thinking that they were done. Not by a longshot. Not when had so much to be taught. Like that all boys have the same weakness. A weakness Melissa was familiar with. She reared back and promptly buried her cranberry juice-stained Aldo flat right into Jackson's junk, intent on kicking so hard the snake charm on the front would leave a permanent imprint on his scrotum. She could feel she hit paydirt too. Those shoes weren't that thick after all.

Content to let her boytoy crumple after such a kick, Melissa went back to Miki for another tongue lashing. "I'm sorry, did I not make myself perfectly fucking clear? This is my fucking universe. This is the Rosefell universe. There are no high roads here, you stuck-up little bitch! You think there was an opportunity to sneer down your ugly $2000 nose job at us? Fuck. No. So since you saw how my foot apologizes to absolute pissant little shits who wouldn't know a muscle if one slapped him in the face, you ready to actually fight for yourself instead of buying your way out of trouble? Cause you better believe this ain't over, yet. And if you've stalked me enough to know my Insta handle, you know the kind of fight you're in for. Or maybe you just can't wait to get physical with me, can you girl? Either way, I'm right here and your pathetic excuse of a man is down for the count, so put up or shut up!" Melissa raised her arms defiantly in front of the former Liberty student. "You want this fucking crown? Come and try to take it from me."

[GirlOnMarz]

---

---

It wasn't long before Tyler found herself maneuvering through the crowded inside of the well-decorated home once more; With a half-full cup of Hennessey and coke in hand, she tried her best not to bump into anyone too hard. This proved to be quite the task for someone who'd already downed a half cup of her own concoction before refilling it to the brim; the girl found herself mumbling apologies to random Liberty students as she aimlessly stumbled her way past. It didn't really surprise Tyler when she nearly knocked out both herself and someone else; she looked up at the large figure prepared to either apologize or throw a punch, but was relieved to see that it was only DeShawn. "Stay in your lane, mama," the Linebacker said with a smile that Ty instantly returned. "Nearly cleaned you out. I mean, I know you can kick my ass but still…”

"Damn right I can! As long as you know it," Ty said with a chuckle as she lightly patted Dee on the shoulder. "And yeah we definitely should catch up. I'll find you la-" Ty's sentence was cut short when she noticed that Dee had momentarily directed his attention elsewhere; she followed his gaze to see that he was staring at none other than the Queen of Thorns herself. She stood right in front of two people Ty didn't immediately recognize, but she could tell just from how they looked that they were Liberty kids. It looked like they were involved in a pretty heated conversation, and it wasn't long before Dee excused himself from their brief conversation and and appeared at Melissa's side. "Well... okay, then," Ty said to herself as she stood by for a couple of minutes, watching to make sure that she didn't have to run up and punch a bitch. But it looked like Dee had things under control, so she continued on her way.

After taking another few gulps from her cup, Tyler continued to roam the house, internally debating whether or not she was drunk enough to dance with a group of random Freshman. Her thoughts were interrupted, however, when she suddenly felt someone come slamming into her chest. "Jo!" Ty exclaimed, welcoming her hug with open arms once the shorter girl's face had finally come into focus. "I've been okay, I guess. Just trying to drink my weight in dark liquor... you know, nothing too crazy. Those burgers are amazing by the way. I don't know what Spike did to make them taste so good, but holy cow."

When Joanne motioned to her friend who stood not too far away, it only took Tyler a second to agree to meeting her. "Yeah, no I'm not busy! Let's go-" But yet again, Tyler was stopped mid-sentence when she heard commotion from behind her. And she turned right in time to see Melissa make a move that Ty didn't think she had in her. "Here we fucking go... finally! A fight. What's a Rosefell party without a good fight?" Tyler said, a hint of excitement in her voice as she turned to watch the events unfold.

"My money's on Melissa."

[GirlOnMarz]

▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂

JayVaughn had decided to leave the bouncy house not too long after he'd climbed inside. It was fun while it lasted, but he decided to cut his fun short when more drunk teenagers started to join him; it would only be a matter of time before one of them hurled up everything they'd consumed that night, and he didn't want to be around when that happened. In swift motions, the young man pulled his shoes back onto his feet, dusted off his pants and shirt to make sure that everything was still in its rightful place, and begun to head back inside to search for some of his friends. Soon enough, JJ had spotted several familiar faces near the liquor table; he approached them all with a smile on his face, but stopped dead in his tracks when he realized what was about to happen.

"All right, who wants in on this? I've got Melissa and her boy as the 2-1 favorites-" JJ heard someone say, and he couldn't help but roll his eyes at the immaturity of it all. Leave it to the Rosefell crew to start and instigate a fight at the very first party of the year.

"Ayo, Dee," JJ said, coming to a stop at the boy's side once he'd finally gotten over the initial shock of seeing Melissa snap. "You take care of that, and I'll get ol boy... make sure he doesn't try anything to get back at Melissa." And without hesitation, JJ made his way over to an unfamiliar Jackson Park; he lay a friendly hand on the guy's shoulder and began to make an attempt at pulling him away from the scene. "That was a nasty ass kick you took there," JJ said, a hint of amusement in his voice as he spoke that he quickly tried to mask. "Let's go find you some ice or something, ight? I know that shit gotta hurt."

[BrutalBx]

---

---

Fat jibes? Really?

For all their talk of class, these Liberties were nothing but children when it came to their insults. Anyone with a working pair of eyes knew that DeShawn was built out of marble and granite. Yeah the boy was a little thicker than most but the ladies loved that about him.

DeShawn was trying to maintain his composure, trying to stick to his well worn mantra at this point. “Stay in your lane”. Every single fibre of his being was screaming at him to grab Jackson by the next and put him through the goddamn table. He had to keep his promise. Stay out of trouble. One wrong move and it was all over for him. Corner boy be damned, you’re a Rosefell Knight now. As he clenched his large fists, ready to decide if he was going to destroy his future for a girl, he was interrupted.

As only the Queen could; Melissa tore Miki and Jackson apart. He was in awe as the blonde shredded their dignity, battered down their confidence and forced them to retreat with their tails between their legs under the guise of the high ground. In some ways, Dee was extremely thankful that the two had walked away; given the chance the linebacker would’ve likely caved in to his lesser impulses and ended up in a cell for the night.

An extremely small girl popped up in front of DeShawn and Melissa before he could further react. She was tiny yeah but damn, talk about a knockout. He would be worried that would snap the poor thing in half if he went anywhere near her.

"Excuse me! Hi. Is the punch good? I just got here so... I'm a bit behind. The name's Trixie. Well, Beatrix, really. I think you're Melissa, right? and you, DeShawn? Please correct me if I'm wrong! I think you both have some classes with my brother."

Hi Trixie! I can call you Trixie, right? Well, you are correct on your names, and you know what, I think Dee here can help you out and get you some punch. But be careful! It's got a hell of a kick to it."

Taken aback by being shoehorned into this new conversation without having had the chance to cool off properly; Dee turned and grabbed a glass of punch for the newcomer. ”Here you go, mama. Enjoy yourself, it’s a party” Distracted by Trixie, DeShawn was taken aback by the swift kick to the nuts that Melissa planted on Jackson. He thought it was over, he wished it was over but of course, the Queen wasn’t going to let this go; that was just her style.

Like the hero he was, Saint Jayvo tried to help the poor Liberty that Melissa had assaulted; little did he know how much the bean pole actually deserved it for what he had said to the cheerleader.

In that moment, maybe it was the booze talking and maybe it was the genuine frustration that had been building for over a year but DeShawn felt something he hadn’t felt in a long time; he felt himself. The Liberties and the Rosefells fell away from his vision, replaced by the cold, blood soaked streets of West Baltimore. He stood on the corner of Calhoun and Baker, a few dead soldiers in hand to resell to the fiends that come around the way. The East side boys looking to step to him and his crew; wasn’t no turf war if the soldiers get capped quick. In his ears, Dee could hear the bullets flying overhead, striking vacant lot doors where all the bodies were buried, and the pounding feet of corner boys running for their lives. The unmistakable rotting smell of the last vestiges of the American dream.

For over a year, Dee had been pretending to be a good boy. He had been honourable, decent and soft; everything that his uncle wanted him to be. Yet that’s not how he came up. He was the son of the Soulman; the most feared drug kingpin this side of NYC. The slight against Melissa didn’t even matter anymore; DeShawn just wanted to hurt somebody.

”Fuck it”

Charging out of his trance, he marched over to Jay and almost manhandled his friend out of the way. ”Don't get in my way, Jay. Imma hurt this bitch” He grabbed the still kneeling Jackson by either side of his head and pulled him upwards and head butted the youth square in the nose.

”The fuck your think was gonna happen?”

[Hedgehawk]

---

Jaxtyn has spent the past few songs dancing to the beat. The dancing he did was more of an awkward shuffle. It was clear the newbie was still trying to work out exactly how you dance at a party; even more so when you are alone. Still at this point the alcohol had finally managed to start pumping through his system properly and the social anxiety and fear of rejection he was normally subjected to, felt a lot more suppressed. His shoulders had dropped down more to relax, there was less tension in his body, and it was visible by the way that his arms were waving around.

Jaxtyn Bradley: The guy who never relaxed, never took his mind from his school work and never interacted with anyone was having the time of his life and was fitting in at a party. Well, perhaps not? Maybe he was making himself look like an idiot, but this newly induced alcohol high seemed to give Jax the ability to not give a shit. Maybe it was time to get some more alcohol?

Jax had danced his way over to the drinks table and took in the drinks again for a second time tonight. This time he wanted to try one that came in the smaller glasses; He believed people called them shot glasses. Pouring an almost clear liquid into the small glass, Jax lifted it up and smelt it. This one was not as pungent as the bottled beer. While the smell was less, the vapour of the drink was burning his nostrils. This was some strong stuff.

He was interrupted by the sudden eruption of the escalating conflict on the otherside of the table. Someone had just insulted Melissa. It looked like some Liberty kids. Well it had to be really. There was no way that a Rosefell student would dare stand up to Melissa. Jax then got to watch the whole spectacle, The one male had ended up taking a hit to the crotch and a hit to the head. It looked like Dee and Mel had this all under control…

...They need your help...

Jax didn’t quite understand the reasoning that caused him to suddenly down the shot, splutter a cough from the sudden almost burning sensation going through his lungs and then proceed to march around the table to stand in between Melissa and Dee. Maybe it was secret Rosefell pride that he felt. Maybe he just wanted to get into Melissa’s good books with the text he sent earlier and then question he needed to ask tomorrow. Helping her deal with some bitches, would surely get the queens attention. Maybe he would even get knighted and become a knight?

”Why don’t you two just shut up?” He said rather candidly to both Jackson and Miki. ”Like it or not your school is gone and you are on our turf now. You can’t just walk in and pretend like you own the place. You have to abide by our rules to start with” This felt nice. This sudden sense of fake authority, as if he was actually in charge and laying down the law. Normally Jax was wayyyy too meek to speak up in an environment like this. ”’sides, If you want to get to Mel, you are going to have to go through me...” In his head that sounded way cooler than it came out. He then pointed this thumb towards Dee. ”...And…” Jax couldn’t quite figure out how he was going to describe the male without perhaps attracting his ire. ”...him”

In all honesty Jax had never actually been in a fight in his life. He clenched his fists, somewhat correctly and raised them to his chest, looking forwards and looking for any signal that someone in front of him wanted it. Maybe the male and female would just go into full retreat now that people were standing up to them physically. That would probably be the easiest outcome for Jax, He could claim he was able to intimidate them to run away from his bravery.

[KatKook]

---

"This is not going to be easy."

---

——————————————————
_{Christian's House}

Jackson world completely shifted, he felt like he could die at the moment of impact, as his knees buckled and he fell to his knees holding his hands over his crotch. He gritted his teeth and leaned back to try and ease the pain but damn, it was like the girl's foot was made of steel.

"Rosefell piece of shit!" Jackson exclaimed, but could barely let his voice out, he felt someone grab his shoulder and attempt to get him away from the wake of destruction, "(KR) Who the fu-?" he looked up at the man attempting to save him, an angel in disguise? From Rosefell? That just did not make any sense. Though his time of being free was short lived since that same man who was helping him was shoved off him like he was nothing by the big fatty. Dee grabbed Jackson by the head and as he was pulled up he could not help but be the smug, egotistic Jackson we all know and love. "Lay off the burgers..." He let out before seeing Dee's head slam rapidly into his.

Jackson's vision got blurry, he blinked a few times only to realise that they were crudely outnumbered but that did not mean Jackson was going to backdown. He ended up on the floor, he felt liquid trickle down to his mouth and moved his thumb to see what it was. He was busted open, typical big man with a thick skull. He pushed himself on his feet and shook his head to get himself in the rhythm of things, it was time for a fight. He wiped the blood from his nose and stepped up only to be stopped by this shorter fellow who clearly looked like he had never been in a fight before. Jackson smiled, smug as can be and shook his head at the guy.

"Don't make me laugh twinkle toes." he looked over the guy's shoulder to see the man who just busted him open standing high and mighty, and upon seeing him he took a page out of the guy's book and reeled back, the headbutted Jax right in nose. He held his head and shook it after doing that, he did not have as thick of a skull as Dee so he was not able to just throw it out without repercussion. He shoved Jax to the side and had his eyes deadbeat on Dee.

He quickly gained momentum and swung a hook at Dee's face, following it up with a shin kick to the man's side. To beat a man of his side he needed to be faster, and with Jackson's experience this was definitely something he had over Dee, he just needed to be careful. He was wary of his behind, who knew which Rosefell prick was going to jump in and save Dee from some shit.

---

[Grimoire Gaming]

_{Location: Christian’s House Party}

Cael was fully enjoying the perks of having had a THREE THOUSAND DOLLAR budget to help decorate for Christian’s party. He could hardly believe that a kid he had only just met trusted him and Rae with that kind of cash. Was it a wise decision? Holy fuck, no. Did Cael make the most of Christian’s lack of good judgement? Hell yes, he did. That’s why he was currently jumping in a giant bounce house with a bunch of his friends and new classmates.

Once one of the bigger guys left, the bouncing lost a little bit of its fun. Cael was a small guy, so he needed the counterbalance of extra weight pushing him up if he really wanted to hit the ceiling of it. Man, Rae would have loved this. What shitty timing to get a stomach bug! Before the sadness of missing his best friend’s presence could settle in like a dark cloud above him, Cael hopped out of the bouncy hut in search of booze.

Along the way, he passed the grill and grabbed a hot dog. Bouncing sure did burn calories. Plus, he loved a good weenie, and the grilling game was on point tonight. Christian was hanging out by the grill and Cael gave him an appreciative head nod. “Great party man, we gotta do this again.” Cael gave the shaggy-haired cutie a thumbs up before flitting off to his true destination.

It didn’t take long to find the trough of jungle juice with the bright red color and sticky sweet smell of it in the air. Perfect! Cael loved his drinks just like himself - fun, fruity, and full of surprises. He couldn’t tell what all was in the concoction, but it tasted great and was sure to keep his buzz going. Sipping at the solo cup of drank, he perused the table of glowing party favors and selected a light up necklace and bracelet to wear, and one of those under the tongue glow sticks.

Donning his new party gear, he made his way to the dance floor. There were some live performances, which was neat, but Cael much preferred vibing to the house music. This DJ was really great. A few songs deep and Cael was sweating glow paint and breathless, his drained drink having put a warm alcohol-laden grin on his face. Pausing between songs, he caught sight of a familiar handsome face. Oh yesss, the party was about to get started now!

Confidently breaking away from the dance floor, the fae-like boy made his way to an awkward and moody-looking Caspian standing off to the side. “Hey kitten, how goes it? You look bored.” Cael smirked and met his dark gaze, his own eyes shining with slight inebriation. “I can fix that with a drink… maybe something more exciting than a black coffee with espresso, hmm?” He looked down at his party outfit and shrugged, “No apron today, but I promise it’ll be just as good. Better, even. Come, come, pick your poison.” He beckoned.

[BrutalBx]

---

---

Ok.

Jackson had some flex in him.

That was fine. Better even. Now it wouldn’t look so bad when DeShawn killed the motherfucker.

”Why don’t you two just shut up? Like it or not your school is gone and you are on our turf now. You can’t just walk in and pretend like you own the place. You have to abide by our rules to start with. ’sides, If you want to get to Mel, you are going to have to go through me...And...him”

For whatever reason, Jaxtyn decided to chime in and the linebacker wasn’t sure what to make of it. Maybe the little man had way too much to drink or maybe he thought this was some kind of way to get Melissa into bed. Whatever the case, his being involved in this rumble made little to know sense. It almost made Dee regret grinding the boy to the party, if not for his being there, Jax wouldn’t be about to get his ass kicked.

”Jax, don’t. This ain’t your scene, kid”

He was about to reach for the boy and pull him out of the line of fire but was too late. In milliseconds, Jaclson had taken a move from Dee’s own playbook and head butted Jaxtyn in the nose. Maybe he did need to lay off the burgers? He thought he was faster than that. Before any other move could be made, the Liberty teen was in him, swinging at his face. Dee dodged that shot but not the following kick to the shin which brought the large boy to a knee.

Unexpected: the beanpole had some strength to his moves. It didn’t matter though, DeShawn had dealt with far worse than a high schoolers converse. He had been beaten with baseball bats, he had been cut with razors and he had been pistol whipped by the cold stew of a Glock. Dee had seen things that those around him wouldn’t believe and there was no way in hell that he survived all that time on the street for some rich kid with daddy issues to take away everything he had worked for.

Like a pissed off grizzly, DeShawn exhaled sharply out of his nose as he gritted his teeth. He ate kids like this for breakfast back in the day, this wasn’t no thing to get concerned about. Pulling himself to his feet, the mountainous boy moved past Jaxtyn and bull rushed Jackson against a wall. Number 44 of the Rosefell Knights was the best defensive player in the state, arguably in the country, when he hit, you felt it. His humongous hand wrapped around Jackson’s throat and began to squeeze and in that moment. DeShawn was no longer just fighting for Melissa or Rosefell, he was fighting for survival, he was fighting for the life he had been so desperate to protect.

Throwing Jackson by his neck across the room, he suddenly stopped and began to stare at his hands. He had done a lot with these hands, a lot of bad things and this was one of them. He looked up at the growing crowd and then to Jackson. DeShawn could snap the boy like a twig, he didn’t even have to think about it. The question was, did he really want to?

It wasn’t Jackson he was mad at after all.

[LovelyComplex]

^{Caspian & Cael
@LovelyComplex & @GhostMami}

The colors around him were intensely vibrant and strikingly bright. Caspian stood hidden in plain sight with his muted suit on, as his peers got increasingly more intoxicated and let the rhythm of the night take over their bodies. There was something about the shadows and the dark corners of the party that soothed him. He would go unnoticed and avoid the chaos that comes with being a teenager. This was something he always found comfort in. In darkness, his heart could speak up and nobody would care to notice. Nobody would listen.

Yet, standing here watching them laugh and have a good time, made him desire something he wouldn’t have, if Callie was here. Holding this light saber a strange and unique personality gave to him, Caspian found himself imagining how his sister would light up this party, every fibre of her thin frame craving maximum attention. She enjoyed herself so naturally, without a care in the world. No reputation, no fame, and no money would stop her from having fun and being young.

Her absence only made him realize how much he took for granted and how much he used her as a crutch. People would be distracted by Calypso that they wouldn’t see the boy standing a little behind, silently making moves in the dark. He wished these chains that held him back loosened. He wished he could freely fly, without thinking it would backfire. What was he so afraid of?

His dark gaze scanned the crowd to see a furious Billie Grey making her way to him or trying to at least. Raising an eyebrow, relieved he wasn’t completely invisible but still not in the mood to get interrogated, he handed the sword to some random drunk person and did what he does best. Disappear. Disguised by the flashing lights and the jubilant crowd, losing his sister’s best friend was easy. He found himself inches away from her and yet, she was focused on people at a distance. His heart sank when she got down from the chair and defeatingly muttered, “Cas… you absolute fool, you complete and utter ass…”

When someone walked into her, Billie walked away in fierce rage and there Cas was again, alone in a crowd. Shortly after, he was back to people watching. His attention was grabbed for a second by someone that gave him introverted vibes (Jaxton), similar to him, but found it in himself to dance among the high and drunk. The kid’s dance wasn’t elegant and fluid, but he was enjoying himself. Just letting go of the pressure to live in the moment. Cas considered himself in that position. Would he look like that if he indulged a little and let go of his worries?

Caspian’s mind was immediately pulled from one boy to the next. Although his expression was nothing but apathetic, he was bewildered and surprised that this boy, his barista, appeared out of nowhere and caught him off guard. Not only did… Cael… see him in a crowd of disgustingly close, sweaty teens, he approached him with no hesitation. “The Vampire King” locked his focus with the mythical, magical, and multicolored boy’s mischievous gaze and whether he knew it or not, Caspian Grey was entranced. The way those heterochromia eyes captured him, staring right through his soul — Cas couldn’t help but feel like Cael was reading him like an open book.

“Hey kitten, how goes it? You look bored.”

Did he… did he just call me kitten? Clearing his throat, doing his due diligence to not lose face, uneasy at the thought that this empathetic stranger could see beyond his walls, Caspian was immediately betrayed by his voice. A chuckle slipped out of lips after hearing the mention of his coffee order and internally he could only reprimand his weak will. Clearly, Cael wasn’t going to take a no for an answer. “It might be best if you surprise me. I’m old fashioned with my… poison.” Subtly, Cas hinted at his old-school drinking taste with no muddled fruit.

Being lured to follow, Caspian nervously gulped and let his legs take him deeper into this new encounter. To hide his anxiety, he decided to let the boy’s voice fill the atmosphere and hopefully take lead in this aimless conversation, “Enjoying the party?” He glanced over, watching for any signs of negative emotion, just as a precaution, “I don’t come to these things, usually.” Without my sister.

“Of course I am, I helped plan it!” Cael beamed excitedly. “Well… I helped decorate it, it was Christian’s planning, really. Our first of hopefully many successful Liberose collaboration events!” As the pair made their way to the drink station, it became increasingly obvious that not all Liberose interactions were going as swimmingly as Cael had just mentioned.

Disgruntled but not dissuaded from his course of action to test the romantic waters with this dark, mysterious acquaintance, Cael pushed his way through the altercation. Jesus, Melissa was back on her ‘queen’ bullshit again and the simps were peacocking in full HD technicolor for her. “ExCUSE me. Some of us are trying to ENJOY this party, and you all are blocking the drinks!” He said sassily, annunciating his words very intentionally.

Finally making his way to the drink table, Cael tapped his chin in thought. “So like, how old fashioned are we talking?” He asked, turning to face Caspian again. “Like, dry gin and tonic with a side of Bengay to rub on your arthritic joints or… are you trusting me to have a little fun with the surprise?” The freshly green-haired boy teased with a half smirk.

Cas once thought the dance floor was chaotic, but when he saw what was happening around the drinks, he was proven wrong. The problem this merge gave birth to was glaring at him. An obstacle he would have to deal with when he inevitably joins the student council. While Cael was unbothered, Caspian flinched at the sight of DeShawn bulldozing into Jackson. Right when his eyes were going to glaze over, he was gently nudged out of the way, as a tiny girl shimmied past him. “Sorry, Caspian!” Trixie was here?

Briefly, Caspian watched her run away, giving her drink to some rando. Well, at least she wasn’t going to get mixed in this. Marcos wouldn’t like that at all. Okay, what was he doing again? Ah yes. Barista boy. “Aren’t you here to show me a good time?” Caspian stepped forward, beside Cael, to examine the alcohol selection, and nonchalantly shrugged, “Be my guest and hit me with something strong.”

Bingo. Caspian’s comment about a ‘good time’ set off confirmation alarms on Cael’s internal gaydar. Confident in the reciprocated flirting, Cael went about his task of making Caspian a drink. “As you wish,” he said before testing the cocktail cherries by taking a sensual bite of one, plucking the stem off while the juicy red fruit was held between his teeth. Cael settled on making Cas a manhattan. A classy beverage with a touch of fruit — a perfect combination to represent the pair. And, as requested, he was a bit heavy handed with the whiskey. “Order up.” He joked and passed the beverage to Caspian, turning his attention briefly to the royal rumble taking place before them.

Good mannered and poised on the surface, Caspian deliberately examined each gesture, every quirk, and all the oddly intoxicating thoughts racing through his mind. His breathing was shallow, yet rhythmic as he traded class for thirst. One thing he took pride in was his self control but being in the presence of this boy he barely knew, well, he felt an insatiable hunger. A lustful greed he had never felt before. After feasting his eyes on Cael biting a cherry off it’s stem, the distance closing in between them, the introverted, pale student of Liberty High, the dark enigma, studied the talented, mixology abilities of this exuberant, energetic peer of his. Almost fervently, he peeled the manhattan out of Cael’s grasp once it was ready to be tasted.

Not responding right away, Cas took a sip of the drink, taking in both bitter and herbal undertones. A light sweetness, but for the most part dry. Just how he liked it. After turning his angle to face the fight, Cas whispered to his companion, “Thank you for this.”

[Hedgehawk]

---

Jax had no idea what caused him to suddenly rise up in the defence of Melissa. It wasn’t exactly something he would normally do. While he had no specific ill will towards the head cheerleader, he wasn’t exactly on her social radar, and as a result, ran in separate circles. If they ever did speak, the conversation was never social, more along the lines of being given orders. While Jax wanted to say to everyone that he didn’t mind the people of Liberty High attending Rosefell, maybe he did have some kind of subconscious bias. More than likely, it was probably due to the fact that someone has tried to just waltz in and remove Melissa from her throne. Jax liked order in things, and a sudden change in the social hierarchy wouldn’t be good for Jax. While Melissa never treated him like a knight, things could be alot worse. He had no idea how this ‘Miki’ character would treat Jax, so maybe that was why found himself there, fists raised, attempting to defend a fellow schoolmate.

Not that Jax actually was useful. He managed to stand toe to toe with Jackson for a good few seconds before getting headbutted right in the nose. Jax’s vision became shafted and all the colours blurred for a moment, almost like someone was smacking an old tube style TV. Jax staggered back as Jackson threw him aside, but by some miracle, he didn’t fall over.

His nose hurt. Really hurt. He could feel the pain pulsating over and over again while also feeling a thick liquid drip from his nostrils. Looking down at his shirt, he could see it was blood. Oh god. Blood. It was a pretty thick stream too, but at this point, between the throbbing and the out of focus vision, blood was his last worry. With his vision coming back, he noticed that Dee had kindly offered to deal with that arsehole, but that left Melissa open. Jax would walk right back up to the side of Mel with his fists raised, just incase someone else tried to get involved and go for her. Just ignore the blood.

”Don’t worry…. I got your back” He sputtered out, taking a deep breath through his nose to try and stop the dripping blood.

[KatKook]

---

"Can't back down now."

---

——————————————————
_{Christian's House}

He chuckled the moment he saw Dee reel a little from his kick, but it was short lived. This... Minotaur of a man just pushed Jackson against the wall, the impact his back made with the wall felt like he got hit by a car. Dee was way too strong for him, he needed to think of something but having gorilla hands around his throat definitely made it hard. He clawed at his hands and started punching it for him to let go but the man would not budge, Jackson was fighting a walking brick wall and he was starting to regret it.

He then moved his hands to the man's face, pushing him back, one thumb even making to his eyes to disorient him. He was trying to keep himself from passing out because it still felt like he was getting lynched by a man to death. He must have done something right since Dee let go but threw him across the way. He at least landed on his feet but skidded across the ground into some poor blonde girl holding some burgers.

Jackson may have been losing but he was filled with one emotion, and one emotion only: Rage.

Jackson looked over at Miki's direction but the sea of people made it pretty hard to see her since Miki was not exactly the tallest of people. He hoped to whatever god was up there that she was alright, he would honestly hate himself more than he already does if he was the reason that Miki got hurt real bad. He clenched his feet and gritted his teeth at the thought of it and brushed his hair back. He winced as he felt pain run through his body for a second, but he cracked his neck left and right and locked eyes with the monster in front of him.

Jackson shook his head and tried to forget about the pain, the adrenaline pumping in his body definitely helped a lot with that. He took off his jacket and threw it at Dee to cover his face to blind him. He then charged in and wrapped one arm around his head and the other going at it on the man's gut. After a few more punches, he went for a sweep, he hoped to dear god it was enough to put the man on his back. If the man fell to his back he would mount him UFC style and started to be on the offense, but no matter what the outcome was; Jackson being in control is something that will not happen often.

---

[AlteredTundra]

---

---

While Miki wasn’t against conflict because, of course, anyone who knew her, knew she could defend herself to the point where regret was in the air for the person who stepped in her direction and did something foolish. And in normal circumstances, she would have done that very thing the minute Melissa opened up her arrogant mouth.

But she didn’t.

And she didn’t because Miki was considering a few things. Showing that Missy’s attitude annoyed her meant giving the blonde bimbo something over her. There was no way she’d subject herself to Missy’s level, so she opted for a road she preferred to travel.

Unfortunately for her patience, as Missy reared her big, fat, hidiously-looking head her way, just moments after she had guided her and Jackson away from the chaotic scene of almost-clashing queens, Miki sighed out.

Before the most cliche “I’m the Queen” speech came, she was caught completely off-guard as the next thing she heard was a noticeable groan from Jackson as he bent over from the stern kick his family jewels too.

“Jackson!” Miki exclaimed, a genuine look of concern on her face as she knelt down. His painful expression only furthered her red-hot hatred for this bitch.

Even as Melissa went on some kind of rant, saying something about Miki stalking her, which who the fuck cared if she did a little stalking or not. That didn’t change her opinion that Missy Elliot wasn’t even on her level. Nobody was! Not Missy, not that ungraceful Billie Jean. Not even the people who she considered her friends. The only person she recognized was her Trixie and Jackson, and this blonde bimbo hurt him. She hurt him.

“I tried to walk away. And I never walk away, but you really are going to force me to--”

In the middle of what was going to be words followed by action, all hell broke loose. Dee and Jackson started fighting, Jay probably got swept up somewhere, and that wallflower — Jaxtyn was his name, right? — got hit in the nose, blood just pouring out like it was a fountain.

But that wasn’t the worst of it. As bad as all of this was and as hot her anger was, hotter than a bowl of Kimchi or even how she looked tonight, Miki wasn’t a fighter. Or rather she didn’t like to fight. She was brought up to solve her grievances with people in a diplomatic fashion. She was every bit her father’s daughter and he always made deals. She tried to model herself after him, but Missy was making that next to impossible.

Sometimes, like her father had to do too, albeit in the business room, you had to get hostile with your enemy.

“Screw it,” she muttered.

She saw Jax and mirrored Melissa as she delivered a gutting kick to his family jewels with a knee. “Stay the hell out of this!” Miki spat on him. “Well come on since you’re so eager. If you want to fight, let’s fight, Missy!” Miki said with outstretched arms and hands and aimed to wring her neck until the bitch handed her crown of thorns over to her.

[BrutalBx]

---

---

”MOTHERFUCK….!!!”

DeShawn backed off of Jackson as the boy dug his thumbs deep into his brown eyes. As the world continued to blur around him, it suddenly went black. Something was obstructing his already impaired vision and this was quickly followed by the all too familiar pummelling of knuckle on skull. For a moment during the assault, Dee froze; not out of fear but out of regret. He could’ve just left well enough alone, Melissa could handle herself. He had to get involved and now he was putting everything at risk for a girl that probably wasn’t in his long term future.

The kicking of the back of his leg woke him up from his daze. Jackson was trying to chop down the redwood but all he successfully did was wake up the sleeping beast. With as much force as his large frame could muster, DeShawn stretched out, flung his arms back and managed to swing the other boy off of him. Yanking the jacket off of his face, Dee straight punched Jackson in the mouth with his huge left hand, followed by a right hand and he finally finished by throwing him to the floor. Lost in his street mentality, DeShawn grabbed a nearby chair and broke it over his knee, taking a chair leg as a weapon. He loomed over the probe Jackson like a horror movie villain about to murder a beautiful college co-ed who made the mistake of saying I’ll be right back.

”Words hurt, boy. So does this”

As he came down with the swing of the weapon, something or someone caught Dee’s wrist. He turned to see another boy, shirtless, wet and roughly about the same size as DeShawn himself.

“Relax homeboy you won. This ain’t the street, we’re civilised here”

Theo pushed the other boy back and stood in between him and Jackson. He was a mirror to the Rosefellian in size with the only key difference being their skin colours. DeShawn and Theo had met on the football field before, both were the linebackers for the respective teams, both were highly touted and both were highly competitive. One had a silver spoon and the other, he used his hands. If ever there was night and day in two men, it was these two.

”Could’ve fooled me” Dee spat back. ”This ain’t your fight man, get outta my way”

“Can’t do that, bud” Theo smiled that damn fucking grin before turning to Jackson. “Go calm your woman down before we have an international incident” he returned his gaze to Dee and let go of his wrist. “Here’s the thing, right now this is just a fight at a party. You swing that thing, it’s assault with a deadly weapon. Your ass will be in jail quicker than a virgins first pump on prom night. I’m the only person stopping that from happening right now. Defense Marcus”

As much as he hated to admit it; Dee knew that his Liberty counterpart had a point. His initial worry walking into this party was that beyond himself and Tyler; there was a distinct lack of people of colour and in this environment if anything went wrong, they would be the first people blamed, most likely without evidence. If he stopped now he could get away with it, it was a few harsh words and few bruised egos. Should he take that next step, all the work he had done since leaving Baltimore would be undone.

“You don’t want college recruits to focus all their attention on me now, do you? We’re not competition anymore, Forty Four; We're teammates and they’ll only pick one of us. So relax, grab yourself a drink or something stronger and enjoy the party” TVC patted the brick like arm of DeShawn and smiled sweetly. He turned away and made his way to Jackson, putting a firm hand on the Libertine's shoulder. ”Keep it in check, Park. You embarrass our school like that again and I’ll end you myself”

Theo rose to his feet and made his way over to one of the drinks tables and setting out to accomplish the goal he had originally intended when he walked back into the house; beverages for he and Lilith, whom he had left in the pool, wet and warm in multiple ways. As he poured out the booze into some solo cups, he turned to look upon a young stunner standing there, dark hair and covered in denim, she was unmistakably a Kingsley. He offered her that damn smile and a wink before heading back out to the pool like an all conquering hero.

DeShawn dropped the wooden stick he had and glanced around the room at the carnage he had caused. For the last few minutes he had been everything he had always ever been accused of being; a thug, a street rat, a no good hood.

[LovelyComplex]

This was all getting rather ridiculous. At first, Trixie didn't want to interfere. She literally just got here but after watching the next five minutes of utter stupidity transpire, her patience was running thin. Having handed her untouched cup of punch to some random kid, while two boys joined the drinking table, she found herself thinking. Thinking of a way to defuse the situation without ruining the fun. Miki was one of her closest friends, and by proximity, Jackson too. However, she wasn't one to pick sides. Especially if neither side could be deduced as the winning side. It doesn't matter if you were her friend or not, if you're wrong, you're wrong.

Right now, both queens were wrong. She wasn't going to assume who started the fight, who poured fuel to the fire, and who was innocent. From what she gathered by watching things play out, they were all guilty. The two factions were both childish, but if this was painted into a narrative, the story would be that the Queen of Thorns and her Knight jumped the Queen of Hearts and her rabbit. Or using less imagery and throwing in buzzwords: Merge Shakes Up at Student Party. Rosefell's Head Cheerleader and Linebacker Get Violent, double teaming two Liberty Students.

Nudging the boy next to her out of her way so she can retrieve something, she briefly turned to him realizing it was Caspian and shouted over the crowd and music, “Sorry, Caspian!” Before she could scurry off, Miki kicked this nerd in the balls and was ready to throw hands, which was something new for her friend.

Time seemed to slow down when a... development happened.

This development went by Theodore Van Cise.

Raising an eyebrow, Trixie followed him with her eyes as he seemingly tamed the beast in front of a crowd of hundreds. She sidestepped her way closer while he was distracted by talking, gaining respect points with the audience and his counterpart. After Theo dispersed the raging beast inside of Dee, the charismatic man turned his attention to Jackson and gave choice words.

Hm.

When he walked away, Theo went close to her by the drinking table. As he approached, she chose to keep eye contact. With her feet rooted to the ground, she took a moment to check her nails when he poured a couple of drinks. The moment she looked back, he gave her a smug smile and a wink. Awe, intrigue, and suspicion transformed on her face.

Once Theo finally left and DeShawn looked absolutely defeated, an idea sparked in her mind. Theo influenced the results by making a move internally. Looking up, she surveyed the growing crowd around them and grinned. A light bulb blinked over her head. Not wasting anymore time, she walked a few distance away from the drinking area and called her brother, the one at the party DJ'ing.

"What?"

"I need an air horn or a megaphone."

"... where are you?"

"By the drinks."

Click. Without any questions, Noah hung up.

Seconds later, Noah was walking in the crowd, letting the DJ table just shuffle through a playlist, it wasn't like these drunk kids cared what he played, and blew an air horn. After breaking the crowd like Moses did with the Red Sea, he caught sight of his sister and gave her a megaphone. "Why not both?" After blasting the air horn once more but in consecutive beeps, he grabbed a fold up chair and kicked it towards Trixie. Once he felt accomplished, he went to a stoner circle and let his sister do her thing. He was on a 15.

Smiling at Noah's surprising efficiency, she walked in between the two factions and jumped on the chair so the audience could, well, see her. "How's everyone doing tonight?!" As expected, the drunks were quick to roar. "I CAN'T HEAR YOU!" The screams got louder. "That's more like it!"

Knowing how short their attention spans were, she went straight to it. Her proposition. Using her nights of watching American Wrestling Entertainment to impact her speech, she was ready to bring the heat, "There is clearly fire in these ladies' eyes!" Trixie gestured toward the two queens, hyping up the people. "There is clear blood on these men's faces!" She pointed to Dee, Jackson, and kid-she-didn't-know (Jax). "We know exactly who they are and they're extremely entertaining! I'm surprised you all don't have your phones out. Kudos to you three in the front, I'm sure those videos will go viral."

Intentionally, Trixie mentioned the lens that always watched everyone and anyone. Gossip was a bitch and she lived for it. If any of these individuals fighting cared about their reputation, they would think wisely their next moves because the pressure was on and more phones were getting pulled out to record. "Why don't we see them do more than just fighting? Why don't we see them get their drank ON! This is a party isn't it?"

At this point, Trixie had completely grabbed everyone's attention and they seemed to like the idea of changing this competition into something more civil, yet hilarious to watch. People getting stupid-faced was always fun when you were the bystander. "Or are the most high all talk and no game? Have they left their balls at home or are they ready to play?"

To finish off her speech, she mischievously twinkled, "To even the teams, I'll join Liberty. If you're going to make bets, bet on this. Three games. Funnel race. Flip cup. Beer pong. Three players per team, which means more chances to win. The ones with the most victories will be tonight's champions. And the losers?" Intentionally, she paused, for dramatic effect, "WHO WANTS TO SEE US GO SKINNY DIPPING IN THE POOL?!! Oh? You all do? Excellent."

Dropping off the chair, she placed the megaphone on it and looked at the fight club, "Boys walk off the pain because we have games to play. Or... are you going to disappoint your people?" Her eyes went from Miki than to Melissa.

Slipping back into the crowd, Noah decided to support his sister by starting a chant, and together the crowd of people high on life and him cried out, "Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink!"

"What do you say? Bury this beef for the night and take a shot?" She finished her move by addressing the culprits that seemed to forget this wasn't their party to ruin.

---

At home, Marcos Kingsley found himself watching an Instagram live video. Whoever was holding the camera couldn't keep still but he was getting a decent read of the party. Looked fun. Not too much drama. At a distance, he saw a familiar redhead with his best friend and they looked... different. This grabbed the jock's curiosity. He didn't want to assume. Aiden wouldn't lie to him like that, right? Instead of letting his mind wonder, he continued to watch the video and suddenly, the party had his full attention. The camera girl squirmed her way to the front of a large group to show a fight between the ones who floated above it all, like him. The popular kids. And some kid he didn't know, but hey, good for him for trying.

He subconsciously stood up, rather forcibly, when he saw Trixie. "You fuckin' shitting me?” God, she got him cursing again and she knew he hated cursing. Once he saw Noah get involved, he knew he needed to get off his ass and get to this goddamn party.

All he wanted was a night of relaxation but now he had to get his sister out of this stupid predicament. What did he tell her about throwing herself in the middle of things? She will never learn. It was that nosy spirit of hers that got her into trouble. Inserting herself in places where her short ass didn't belong.

Only catching a little of Trixie's speech, Marcos went off this person's story and left the living room.

Time to get the bike out.

---

"Hey! Get some alcohol in these water guns and
lets get this party started!"

[Sugar and Spite]

_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________

Chatting with Cade and the rest of the group, Christian was too caught up in how delicious his burger was to notice what was going on inside the house. It was only when he was halfway through his second burger that Christian noticed he didn’t have anything to drink. Bidding farewell to Cade, Elezar, and Spike, Christian departed the grilling station for the house.

When he got about halfway there, Christain became more aware of the sound of shouting coming from inside. It was hard to see through the crowd, but he was more than certain that there was some sort of argument going on. Still determined to complete his original mission of getting everyone to get along, Christian took a deep breath and marched on - stopping for a quick second to grab the water hose and turn it on.

While turning on the water, Christian heard a somewhat familiar voice from inside the house shouting over the roar of the voices. With the water hose in one hand, and a burger in another, Christian made his way into the house as far as he could. Most of the people around him were drunk and paying attention to Trixie, allowing him to only get a few strange looks and giggles as he drug the hose into the house.

Stopping about ten feet from where the fight was happening, Christian stood amongst the crowd and continued to nom away on his burger. Trixie was doing a good job changing the overall mood of the crowd. She had said mostly what Christian wanted to say - only it was how she wanted to say it.

Now it was his turn to say things his way.

Spraying the ceiling with the water hose, Christian shouted over the crowd as the water rained down upon them all.

”YOU FUCKING HEARD HER! Now stop acting like fucking idiots. Next person to even try and start something will be thrown the Hell out! UNDERSTOOD?”

There was a mixture of replies from the crowd. Some continued to shout ‘DRINK’, while others rolled their eyes or gave a thumbs up.

As someone began to call out for the teams to assemble, Christian let the garden hose fall to the floor with a sigh.

Now he really needed something to drink.

[KatKook]

---

"Are we not better than them?"

---

——————————————————
_{Christian's House}

Jo smiled at Tyler, giving her a quick rub on the back of her arm. She looked down on her burgers and kept falling in love every time she took a whiff of the scent of them, Sam was absolutely going to love them. Her eyes focused on Tyler and nodded at her, she shifted her stance and spoke.

"Makes me wanna dig in on both of them right now, but I did promise my friend to have one with her so you know-" She then heard the crowd make some collective noise a few ways away from her, Jo looked through the crowd to see what was going on. Jo already had a suspicion that it was a fight but Tyler just confirmed that with her statement. "Uh... Okay, who's throwing down?" She asked. Tyler then spoke about Melissa and Jo pursed her lips together and practically agreed at that but she knew it was not just Melissa since she heard a few male voices as well. She then peaked her head up and saw just enough to make out who it was.

"Dee?" She mumbled to herself, she looked at Tyler and shook her head "This is messed up..." She said to herself. One of the fighters was then thrown into her, she got knocked back but the worst thing about that was her dropping the burgers which definitely annoyed her. Who was Dee fighting? He looked familiar... This guy... He was fast but who was he? He was, that guy that Rico toured with. From what Rico said he was bitter but he did not seem like the fighting type. Jo then pieced it all together: Liberty did not start this fight, but they sure as well are willing to finish it.

This tall korean guy, Jackson was his name, he did not give up. Jo watched as he retaliated multiple times against Dee who clearly had the advantage with size and strength, but this one was a slippery one, he was fast and kept Dee on his toes, even after he got knocked to the ground and Theo practically stopped Dee from killing the man. Jo clenched her fist and looked at Tyler, "I need to talk to Dee, We'll catch up some other time okay?" She said jogging off to chase after her friend, she then quickly looked back and added, "Drop by my aunt's cafe when you can! I owe you some food!" She then ran off to Dee, she walked up behind him and grabbed him by the arm, she squeezed a little tighter than she would hope but she really needed to talk.

"A word." Jo stated, her tone definitely showed that she was annoyed, she grabbed Dee by arm and pulled him to the side. "Dude, what the hell was that?!" Jo exclaimed, she genuinely wanted to know what caused all of this and she wanted to hear what Dee has to say, and she hoped to whoever is up there that he would not lie to her because frankly, she has had enough. "Fighting with liberties? Really? This is where you're going?" She sighed, she tilted her head down, crossed one arm over her chest, rested the elbow of the other on the back of her hand, and started massaging her forehead with her middle finger, index finger, and thumb. "You know I love you, but come on!" She said throwing her hands in the air. "Do you want to be arrested? These rich people have enough money to ruin your life, and I don't want to see that happen to you." She looked around, then at the destroyed chair Dee was supposed to use as a weapon. "Whether you like it or not, we're currently in Liberty turf, if this was your house then I would be all for it, but we're not." She swiveled around to the side with her heels and gestured at the sight of everything, "Is this how you want to be remembered? As Missy's body guard? And the guy who beat up some tall Korean toothpick?" She shook her head and took a step back, pointing to the guy on the floor, "I'm... going to go to help them, talk to me when you're no longer batshit crazy." She pursed her lips and jogged off.

She saw JJ and placed her hand on his shoulder, "Can you help the guy up?" She then looked over at the other girl who was about to square up and shook her head, sighing at the work she has to do to stop all of this. "I'll handle the girls." She stated. She looked at the two girls and definitely had to make a choice of who to stop, because she already knew Missy's reputation, before she could even step in, Christian came in and sprayed the ceiling and called out to stop the fight.

If that did not stop them, she knew what she had to do.

---

[Hedgehawk]

---

Jax had only wanted to protect Mel and in the process perhaps get a little more popular. While he had never been in a fight before, there was a first time for everything. And it seemed as if he hadn't exactly been given the easiest of times. It seemed people targeted him because it must have been obvious that he was new to all this. Perhaps it was the way he held his fists up.

Before he could do anything to really help Mel, Miki had stepped forward and launched her knee upwards, striking Jax right in the crotch. The usually stoic male gave a groan of pain as his legs wedged together and he fell to the ground. He continued to lay there, in a slowly developing pool of his own blood, dripping from his nose, while the rest of the events unfolded out.

Jax blamed Colin for this one. If he had been a better school bully then perhaps he would have had more fight experience and it would be him giving Jackson what for instead of Dee. Everything was usually Colin's Fault in someway. Hearing the proposition propose by Trixie, Jax sat up and pinched his nose, his voice coming out all nasally as he spoke out.

"Regretfully I suspect with my lack of drinking experience I would be a liability to the Rosefell team. I only had my first ever drink an hour ago." Real cool Jax. Just let them know how green and out of place you are

[Melissa]

”I think you and I are going to have a grand time tonight.”

The corners of Tyler Jane’s plump lips turned up into a gentle smile as she gazed at the enchanting boy who took a step closer to her, something magnetic about him that she couldn’t place a finger on. Although his intentions were made clear by his words, it was the way in which he was admiring her that said it all without needing to explain. The alcohol in her system was making her much more susceptible to his charms, but she was positive that even if she were stone cold sober she would have felt the same way.

And then like a mid-day storm, an clearly annoyed and gloomy dark haired girl appeared out of nowhere and rained on the two’s parade, beginning to berate the boy- now with a name, Nicholas - for god knows what. Her tone indicated clear disgust and disdain and the dancer recognized quickly that the two were not merely just friends, but related, noting the identical arch in their brows and features reminiscent of each other.

”You’re really going to stand there and act like you aren’t flirting with your Tramp of Choice?”

Well wasn’t she lovely. A ray of sunshine, no doubt.

”You always do this, Nick. You find some red head, flip on the charm switch, become a complete ass and settle for someone completely beneath you. It astoundingly perplexes me every time.”

Heat pricked the redhead’s cheeks, not expecting such choice words to come out of the girl- Billie’s- mouth. Hell, she didn’t even know her and she already didn’t like her! She was never one to shy away from conflict and the last thing she wanted to do was let this ruin a perfectly good opportunity, so Tyler Jane raised an eyebrow and took a sip of her drink before letting her fiery nature emerge in delicate and understated fashion.

“I hate to interrupt this game of Family Feud, I truly do, but - Billie Jean, was it? It seems to me like your brother is old enough to make his own decisions, and if this is how he wants to spend his evening, it should be none of your concern. Besides, don’t you have better things to do?” The redhead replied, more bluntly than even she was expecting, the alcohol in her system dialing up the sass meter.

“I mean, we’re at a party and yet the only thing that seems to be consuming you is who your brother decides to take interest in… a little bit sad if you ask me.”

[GirlOnMarz]

▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂

When JayVaughn was practically manhandled by Dee to get out of his way, he didn't dare to try and step to the guy once more. He'd known Dee for quite some time now, and knew better than to get in his way when he was pissed off. Sure, on one hand he didn't want things to escalate and lead to them getting kicked out of the party, but on the other hand JJ also knew that if he really wanted to, Dee could fold him like a goddamn lawn chair in one motion, and that wasn't really something he was willing to experience that night. So, he simply muttered a quick, "shit, Dee," before he stepped out of the way like everyone else and observed the slim Asian kid getting headbutted, hoping and praying that someone big enough would come and put a stop to things before they got too out of hand. But instead of having his prayers answered, the small crowd was joined by yet another person who did nothing but make things worse; JJ rolled his eyes as Jax Bradley suddenly appeared at Melissa's side, throwing his fists up like he was actually gonna hurt somebody.

"We shoulda left his ass at home," JJ said under his breath, wincing as he watched Jax get headbutted in the nose. But despite the fight that had continued on without him, as well as the blood that had instantly started gushing out of the young man's nose, he stood back at Melissa's side once more, fists up and ready to throw a punch. Jax was only really taken out of the game when the shorter girl on the Liberty side delivered him a swift kick in between his legs. It was then, after being briefly greeted by Jo, that JJ finally decided to intervene. After grabbing a couple of napkins from the liquor table, JJ rushed over to a now sitting Jax and offered him a hand. "Come on man, let's get on up," He said, using some of his strength to pull the young man up on his feet. "Head tilted back. Pinch your nose. Here are some napkins, let's see if we can find a bathroom... and no more drinks tonight."

But before he could pull the guy away, some girl he didn't instantly recognize started yelling something about a drinking game through a megaphone. And shortly afterwards, another guy he recognized as an old rival on the football field came out of nowhere with a fucking garden hose. JJ slightly flinched as freezing cold droplets of water came crashing down onto his head. "Bathroom first, then you can see if you're good enough to play. Deal?"

[BrutalBx]

---

A @Melissa & @BrutalBX Telenovela

---

Timing is everything in life. Of course, Ellie’s high started to hit right after Lil left the girl to her own devices.

It came on suddenly- one moment the brunette felt only tipsy from the two drinks she had downed, and the next her vision grew hazy and her shoulders released the tension she didn’t realize they had been previously holding. It almost felt dreamlike the way the party continued on around her in full merriment, but her own actions felt slower and more relaxed. She had nightmares before that being under the influence felt like drowning, but no- this was floating.

A familiar voice met her ears and she laughed, a carefree smile appearing on her lips as she swayed to the music. With an exhale that expelled her anxieties, Ellie began to enjoy herself, paying no mind to why the voice singing sounded like the one that used to serenade her. All she knew was that she was happy to hear it once again.

It wasn’t until the music changed and someone appeared in front of her that she realized that it was Rico who had been the one singing moments earlier. It was his voice that had caused her to start to dance and smile- a feeling she hadn’t felt in a while. Her reaction time was clearly too slow as before she could say anything, he vanished out into the backyard, guitar in tow.

After minutes that felt like hours of standing there trying to piece together what had just occurred, Ellie let her feet carry her to the backdoor and outside, following the familiar voice that sang out to her once again. Her footsteps light but also imprecise, she quietly made her way over to where the next song was coming from- one that was sadder and more yearning, clear that something heavy was weighing on his heart.

So she sat and listened.

Lost in rhythm, Rico didn’t even realise as he shifted to a very particular song that a certain girl joined the growing crowd around him. As he plucked the strings to a soft Latin vibe, he opened his mouth again.

“Recuerdo ese día
Te entregué mi corazón.
Corriste hacia el edificio para salir de la lluvia con tu viejo trapo azul.
Cuando me sonreíste, mi corazón vacío brilla con júbilo y le puse nombre a esa tormenta”

When he was playing music, there was nothing that could break Enrique’s stride. Even this song which he wrote for the girl that broke his heart, it pained him but he would never stop playing it. Even the negative emotions one feels can be taken and turned into something beautiful. He opened his eyes only to be met by the breathtaking image of the girl he named a storm after. He wouldn’t stop, this was her song after all.

Even in her high delirium, Ellie knew exactly what song Rico was playing before he started to sing, she knew from the first string he plucked. She knew every note that would follow, every word that was sung, every rise and fall, as it was the song that he had written for her. There was always magic in the music that Rico created, even before they dated it was something that she had admired, but after being with him so closely and understanding how naturally and deeply the poetry emanated from his lips, she knew how much he meant those words in which he sang. The girl under the influence of both the drugs and the music sat frozen, heart ringing in her ears.

After finishing the song to a round of applause (and some tears) Rico downed what was left of the drink he had brought outside with him and got to his feet. She had approached him! Maybe he was wrong to run away? All he wanted was to go back to the way they were, to fix what he had broken and to sing songs to her for the rest of his life. The drink was courage, the drugs were adrenaline and they both were pushing him closer to the one he loved. He wandered over to the brunette and smiled.

”You wanna talk?”

Ellie blinked once, twice, three times, eyes glazed over at Rico but not really seeing him. She was clearly in a daze, growing more high by the minute, and after realizing and snapping out of it, she dissolved into a little laugh. “I’m sorry, can you repeat that?” She bashfully stated, letting out another small giggle as her gaze refocused on his features. He was standing quite close to her, the closest they’d been since the breakup, she was positive he could hear how fast her heart was beating.

What was this? The dilated pupils, the minor beads of sweat sitting just beneath her silky hair, the laboured breathing...was Ellie high? Of all the things he thought in the world, Rico never thought he’d see the day where Eleanor Roberts would embark on a journey of altered consciousness. He had seen her drink before at parties but never imbibed in mind altering chemicals but he knew the signs all too well, in fact he was well under the influence himself. There was a thought that crossed Rico’s mind; he wondered if he had done this? Had she gone off the rails in response to their breakup? No she wasn’t that weak. Maybe she was just exploring herself in a new way...it wasn’t something he hated, he didn’t know her this way.

Taking her hand, his heart began to race. Just the touch of Ellie’s skin was enough to light his heart on fire. ”Let’s go somewhere a little quieter” He led her away from the crowd of fellow inebriated teens and to a silent area elsewhere. Now that they were alone, Rico wasn’t sure what his plan actually was so he just said the first thing that came to his head. ”El, you look absolutely asombrosa”

It was almost as if an electric shock went through Ellie’s system the moment Rico’s hand touched hers, pulling her aside as her uncoordinated limbs followed. She’d be lying if she said she hadn’t thought about him since the Spring, and she’d also be lying if she made the claim that she didn’t miss him. But something about the party atmosphere and the weed in her system kept her level headed enough in that moment to pull her hand away the second they stopped moving. Even though she still felt like everything was dancing around her.

“I know.” The girl replied solemnly, knowing damn well that she looked good. Lil had said earlier to say that, and thank god she remembered and didn’t melt into a puddle. “You came up to me before and then you walked away… why.”

He almost hoped that whatever was in her system had made Ellie forget about that. Rico was a coward and now he had to admit to it. ”I...well… The songsmith was at a loss for words for once in his life. ”...I saw you in the crowd and I just wanted to be near you. I didn’t know what to say and I didn’t know if you would want to even speak to me. I’m sorry”

The simple truth of the matter, the truth that Enrique so desperately wanted to free was that he was still madly in love with her. It was that every breath that he put out was one less breath that he could give to her. Ellie had become everything in his world and it killed him that he had pushed her away. His entire body ached to be near her constantly but alas he knew that he couldn’t be and that tore him apart.

“I mean,” Ellie started, brushing a strand of loose hair behind her ear, “I was going to say something, but everything is moving at normal speed and I’m in slow motion so I couldn’t get my words out fast enough before you literally disappeared.” The girl admitted bluntly. She looked up at Rico, losing herself in his eyes and the small little freckles on his nose, zoning out for the second time. She blinked three times before realizing she had been staring again, and let out a small laugh at her daze. “I’m high, if you haven’t figured that out already.”

”I noticed; you’re smoking now El?” It was a strange thing seeing her like this. He didn’t hate it, in fact Rico had tried for the entirety of their relationship and even before that when they were just friends to get Ellie to let loose a bit with a little weed and a little booze. She was always so uptight, the weight of the world hanging off of her neck like a noose on a dead girl.

He wanted to reach out again; to touch her arm, to brush the hair from her cheek and feel her on his fingertips once again. Seeing Ellie in such a way both excited him and sobered him up even more. ”Are you ok, mi amor? How’re you feeling?”

Mi amor the words hit the brunette straight in the chest and sucked the air out of her lungs for a moment. It had been months since she had last heard such sweet words being spoken to her, another language of love in which she had grown so accustomed to. Ellie sighed, the loose strand of hair falling into her eyes once again. “I feel… good.” She replied, “You know, I feel more relaxed than I have in months, and I’m starting to get a little hungry, and also why is everything funny now? I don’t get it.” She rambled, dissolving into another high mindless laugh.

”That's the joy of the césped, it takes the edge off and makes things just a little lighter” Rico wasn’t sure what to do at this point. He had never been around high Ellie before. He had been around drunk Ellie but even that was a rarity. It was almost ironic that the pair's relationship, in part, had ended because of this very vice. Not the weed itself but Enrique’s use of it as well as other recreational drugs, he was a heavy partier and here the artist was, staring up at him with those beautiful eyes, high as a fucking kite. ”You wanna grab some food? You’ll feel great”

Now if Ellie were sober, she wouldn’t have started talking to Rico in the first place. She would have avoided him, avoided all eye contact and connection and just would have gone about the evening on her own. But the brunette conveniently was not sober, which made her much more agreeable and less aware of her woes. Her green eyes searched around for Lil, almost for permission, who was nowhere to be seen. Where the hell had she gone with that guy? She’d have to go and look for her… after food.

“Food sounds really good right now.”

This was a moral test of oneself; this was the first time that he and Ellie had been this close to each other in months, let alone the first time they had spoken since their break up. Absence truly did make the heart grow fonder and in her current state, if there was any ounce of deviancy in the fool for love, Enrique could probably convince her to take him back or at least spend the evening with him. The thought of that however, it truly sickened him. He could never take advantage of her, Ellie was his love and if his parents had taught him anything it was that love conquered all and sooner or later, if they were meant to be, she would find her way back to him.

”Let me take you to one of the food tables, make sure you get something to eat and then I’ll get out of your hair” He put a soft hand on her shoulder, caressing it subconsciously with his thumb. ”Don’t want to ruin your night when you’re clearly having a blast” With Ellie in one arm and a guitar in the other, Rico began to guide her towards the food table. ”What are you feeling? Burger? Hot Dog?”

The brunette placed one uncoordinated foot in front of the other as Rico assisted her towards the promised sustenance. “Doesn’t matter to me, anything sounds good right now.” The party seemed to spin around her but Ellie became hyper focused on the boy’s grasp of her shoulder, the way his fingers clasped both delicately and sturdily around her. His touch became reminiscent of months past and before she could stop herself she blurted, “I don’t know if this is the weed or the booze talking, but I miss you.”

Oh my God! She said she misses me!

Rico wasn’t entirely sure what to do with that information. What he was sure of was that he just wanted to grab her right there and kiss her as hard and as long as possible. He wanted to sweep her off of her feet, carry away from the chaos and just be together like they used to be. Which was why when he said what he said next; he immediately thought it was a stupid thing to say. ”I miss you too, mi amor- so much- but that might just be the party talking.”

Arriving at the snacks, he scanned what was there and began to plate up all the things he knew Ellie would love as well as some things he knew would soak up the alcohol and drugs to stop her feeling like the walking dead the following morning. ”Here,” He handed her the plate of food with a smile, ”If you still miss me when you're sober, then there’s always tomorrow. If not, at least I know there’s a little part of us that made you happy.” He kissed her on the forehead, trying not to linger too long. ”If you’re looking for Lilith, she’s in the pool making out with some dude.”

Ellie couldn’t help but notice a shift in Rico’s demeanor. For a moment, she could have sworn she had seen his eyes light up, a glimmer of hope in them, but his following words eliminated that notion. It was just the intoxication talking, she guessed. Every sense of her’s was heightened as she took the plate of food from him, especially as she felt Rico’s lips upon her forehead. It was tender and she wanted it to last longer, but he pulled away and the moment was gone. Her eyes glanced over, catching only a glimpse of Lil and the boy disappearing into the house. “Guess I’ll catch up with her later...”

Showing some form of maturity was a new thing for Rico. He had spent so much time being “Freako” that the actual boy behind the partying wasn’t probably known to many, if any. ”I’m sure you’ll find some way to occupy the evening, if not well, I’ll be in the corner, singing sad songs that don’t mean anything to anyone but me. You’re more than welcome to join me.” He offered up a soft but somewhat sad smile, like his heart was not truly in it. As he turned to finally leave her, the boy was struck by lightning as he often was in Ellie’s presence and turned to face her once again.

”Whatever happens, mi amor I want you to know, you’re my uno y solo and I’ll love you forever.” He couldn’t look any longer, the regret of blurting out the contents of his heart weighed heavy and she likely wouldn’t remember it anyway.

Eleanor Roberts was never at a loss for words. The bubbly and extroverted artist always had something to say or contribute, but as she heard those words tumble out of Rico’s mouth, she didn’t know how to respond. She wanted to chalk it up to the weed in her system, which made her reaction time much slower than usual, but it was just her not knowing how to proceed. She sighed, finding two words to describe how she felt.

“I know.”

It was strange. To most those two words could be taken as a negative in this situation but not here, not now, not for Ellie and Rico. He knew instantly the meaning behind them. It was a sobering fact that despite not being together, they were still together. He loved her and she, him but they were not ready, not yet. What they were when they were with each other, those people were not strong, they were not who they were supposed to be. Perhaps they were now? Morning may possibly shed light but perhaps not. Rico was willing to wait for her, as long as it took. He sighed through his nose and took a step forward into the night, guitar still in hand.

El Mariachi sings a sad song indeed.

Ellie watched as Rico walked away, disappearing into the revelry. She honestly didn’t know what to feel after that, so she settled for taking a few bites of food and then pulling the blunt out of her pocket that Lil had given her, twirling it between her fingers. She searched around for a moment before making her way over to a group of stoners sitting in the corner of the party. “Could I borrow a lighter?” The brunette asked.

Now she got why people smoked- it was to numb the pain.