LovelyComplex

BHHS: Limitless

_{TIMESTAMP: Friday Evening
After Rule Number One}

_{@Hey Im Jordan Skatie @smarty0114}
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_{@LovelyComplex Koz @BrutalBx}

Pacing around in the living room, having already covered her coffee table with two large snack boards, glasses of water and virgin pina coladas, Kim could feel the somersaults in her stomach, the sweat in her palms and the nerves coursing through her veins. It was almost time for the arrival of her boyfriend, her best friend and her best friend’s boyfriend and she was so nervous. Incredibly nervous. Her pacing gradually shifted to a halt. Standing still, Kim gave the table a once-over, re-evaluating the snack boards, as if she hadn’t done so a million times already. One of her boards was intricately decorated with healthier options of snackage, such as veggies, fruit, cheese and meat, while the other was adorned with the not so healthy options like girl scout cookies, candy fit for a movie theater, chips and obviously, popcorn.

She was over prepared. Kim usually was. The wait game forced her mind into an endless montage loop of horrible scenarios of the night going wrong. Terribly wrong. Kim was a worrywart. Anyone that was close to her knew that even while she acted composed, she was worrying about something. In her worry though, a sudden and abrupt thought appeared, which was par for the course of her being creative. Rushing to the kitchen, she opened her laptop where a word doc was opened, with notes for her working title: Happily Never Ever (a highschool musical). She scrolled to the lyrics of one of her songs she was writing and typed:

How would I feel?
Given the spotlight.
Instead of a star
I’m a tiny firefly

Was this out of character? In her play, it was a collection of stories, molded in one big story. Simple enough, right? The protagonist within her notes on the page she was on had gotten lost in the background. Her name was Emma. There was one person who noticed her in a sea of many others. A crowd of thousands. He was different from what she knew. A boy who embodied anarchy. If she were honest to herself, being different was good. For her, different was great. He went by the name Fitz.

The invisible girl of this short story wished she could fly far away from the tumultuous climate that was her school. Her life had reached a point of lonely, cold isolation and since she was an observer, not an actor, all she could do was watch. Watch her best friends get distracted with their own affairs. One never wanting to leave her boyfriend’s side. A girl named Marnie who loved to hear herself talk and forget her friends existed. The other, a boy, distracted by his growing responsibilities and an unexpected infatuation. His gaze betrayed him when a boy passed him by. If only Milo shared with her the madness in his mind, just as much as she shared with him her stories and ideas. If only she wasn’t a supporting character. If only she was a star rather than a tiny firefly.

Childlike wonder, evening delight
A girl with bright ideas
Unable to journey to the sky
Counting moments, not months
Time is never enough
Where would I be
If I wasn't stuck in a dream?

Ding-dong.

When the doorbell rang, Kim hopped up, locked her laptop and closed it shut. Ritualistic and protective over her thoughts, not willing to share them until she was ready, Kim double checked to make sure she did indeed lock her laptop. When she was done securing her trove of ideas, she scurried to the door and patted her skirt down. Turning her head toward the mirror in the entryway, she checked the mirror not once but twice and made sure her lipstick wasn’t smeared and her make up wasn’t flaky. Only when she thought she looked presentable, as pretty as she could possibly be for an average canvas, Kim opened the door, already knowing who was waiting on the other side because of the tall silhouette with the large, curly mane.

“Hi, Meatball,” Kim greeted, thumb twiddling and trying her best to hide how anxious she was.

The house was a hurricane of chaos when he had left it. Vincent and Capri were busy in their kitchen, a safe haven for the aging lovers as their five children bustled around them, experiencing life to the fullest in their own specific ways. Despite this, the patriarch and matriarch of the Osso clan would still prepare a large feast for their offspring, even if they never actually sat down to enjoy it. They’d give the leftovers to Nduja the dog.

Bobby had to work because of course he did. All those McMansions and stores weren’t going to watch themselves whilst all of the Beverly Hills elite were at the big game. Clari had the babies to fuss over, ever the doting mom. Sissy was compiling a case against a big Colombian narco and Ricky was trying to style his hair in the mirror for the fourteenth time to impress Sofi. Oz himself was also busy preening but that’s because the night wasn’t just another night and he wasn’t thinking about homecoming.

Kim was going to properly tell those she loved about him. This was a big deal. Not so much for Anthony, as nice as it would be to be acknowledged, this was all about his girl. She needed this. She needed to step out from the opaque she had embraced and into the spotlight she deserved and what better way to do that than to announce to the world that you are dating the most metal motherfucker that had ever walked the pristine white halls of BHHS?

Kimber Benson was fucking metal, man.

Ozzy had washed his wild mane with his sister's hot girlfriend's shampoo, now it smelled like coconut and he had stolen a simple black button down from Bobby because he wanted to at least look somewhat presentable. He loved his all black wardrobe but if Kim needed him to be human for a night, then he would do it. The metal lord would walk barefoot through the fires of hell and drag his dick through broken glass if it pleased his good lady. Call him down bad, call him a simp. It didn’t matter because he was the one that got to close his eyes and dream of Kim Benson.

After walking Nduja, apparently it was Oz’s turn but he was pretty confident that the little shitstick Ricky switched the names on the fridge which had the schedule on it, he shot off on his Harley towards Kimi’s cul-de-sac. With Motörhead’s “Eat the Rich” turned up to eleven, the heavy metal hero rode through the streets like a modern day outlaw, unforgiven and unforeseen towards his waiting princess. Though he had to make sure to stop and not forget the pistachio cannoli’s that mama made. Arriving outside Kim’s, the neighbors peered out of their windows as they always did when Oz’s bike slid into their slice of white picket heaven; he flashed them the bird before grabbing the box and heading to the door and ringing the bell.

“My dearest lady.” Ozzy leaned and kissed his beauty’s rosie red lips. “I brought treats, as requested.”

Breathing in the tender kiss, her eyes half closed, Kim took in the notes of coconut layered on top of her boyfriend’s natural earthy scent. A scent that reminded her of the woods after a summer rain. When he pulled away, she grabbed the dessert from him and urged, “Make yourself at home.” Leading the way to the living room, she reasoned with herself, already having her doubts. “Katie might not show up! She hasn’t texted me yet so I am a little worried.” Finding a home for the cannolis, on the nearly fully covered coffee table, she explained, “I wouldn’t blame her. I’m sure she has better things to do than watch movies with me.”

“If she doesn’t turn up, that’s her loss.” Oz followed his girlfriend into the big empty house and specifically the living room which she had obviously spent the time and effort into crafting into a comfy den for a magical movie extravaganza for those she cared about. “And it’s my gain because it means that I get you all to myself.” He was aware that it just being the two of them wasn’t the point. The night was meant for Kim to finally be the self she always knew she could be and show her friend Katie that she was more than just a background player in her CW teen drama. He sincerely hoped that her friend would actually do the right thing and turn up so that Kim got her chance at center stage. “So what’s the plan babe?”

“We sit, we wait, and we scroll through movies until they show up, I guess?” Kim sat down on the couch and patted the spot next to her. Her timid gaze followed him as he joined her. Leaning forward, she brushed a strand of curl behind his ear and smiled, “You had a good day?” she asked, redirecting her nerves and focusing on the moment shared with her boyfriend. It was all she could do as they were in limbo waiting for Katie Callaghan and Scott Lyon.

Grabbing her Metalhead’s hands, she held them delicately and wondered to herself when she’d get to meet his family and friends. Was it too soon to think about those prospects? If things fell through with Katie, she could always properly introduce Oz to Niles. It was too bad that Niles didn’t have a partner like her because then they could go on a double date to Glitter City. To see Niles roller skate would be adorable especially if he had a certain… boy… at his side.

“Can’t complain.” Oz had spent his day going through his usual motions. After leaving Kim that morning, the dungeon master got together with his menagerie of misfits to discuss their own personal issues. Ozzy had elected himself as the problem solver for the downtrodden and down beaten. This began with the innocuous enough, posting love letters into lockers for the innocent freshmen who were desperately devoted to someone who didn’t even know they existed.

Second was something a bit more up Oz’s street. messing with some jocks for being pieces of shit to the non-conformists. Anthony Osso was no fighter in a physical sense but he was brave, some might say foolhardy and just a little bit stupid. With the honor of the geeks on the table, Ozzy Tp’d several cars, squirted stale whipped cream into some of the football players cleats and he superglued lockers closed. Harmless hijinks for the most part but nobody messed with Oz’s weirdos; the silly stuff was just a warning.

Adjusting himself next to his girlfriend, the thrash king placed his arm around her. Anxiety was radiating off of Kim and all he wanted to do was make it better for her, to give her everything that her beautiful heart desired. Was that not his job as a boyfriend? To make her happy? Gently caressing her soft brown hair, Oz kissed the top of her head. “And you? How many hearts did you break today?”

“You’re funny,” Kim rolled her eyes. Even as a joke, she couldn’t believe she had it in her to break hearts. “My day has been alright. Just been thinking about tonight.” Kim leaned her head against her companion and traced her fingers on his chest. “I want this to go perfect but I really don’t know how Katie is going to feel about you. And the fact that I didn’t tell her immediately, she might take that personally.” There were many possible avenues this could go and Kim hoped that the one that happened was a positive one, for all parties involved. One could never predict when it came to a Callaghan. “I haven’t even told her that I’m writing an original musical for spring… I feel like there’s so much I haven’t told her and I feel really bad.”

“It’s not like you haven’t tried to tell her babe,” Anthony caressed his girlfriend's soft locks. “Katie has always had her own shit on the go, for as long as I can remember anyway. I know you love the girl but she’s never prioritized you over herself.” He didn’t want to speak ill of Kim’s best friend, he knew how devoted she was to Katie but the fact that Kim was feeling the way she did, to Oz, that wasn’t comparable to a true friendship. “When she finally gets her head out of the clouds; she’ll see everything you’ve been doing, every step you’ve been taking and she’ll be so proud. I know I am.” The metal lord knew that it wasn’t the same to hear the words coming from his mouth but he also knew that Kimber needed to hear those words often, she needed to know that she was worth the world. To Oz those weren’t just words, they were gospel.

“That’s true, I guess…” Kim muttered in response, trying to ease her nerves with the calm that her boyfriend exuded. She wanted this to go perfect, without a hitch, and be the best night she and her best friend had in a long while. Sure, she was being optimistic but there was a time where it was them two versus the world. No boys to put a rift in their friendship. For the past couple of years now it’s been Katie and Scott, where Kim and Niles waited, patiently, for Katie to make time for them. The moment the blonde of the trio met Scott the rose colored glasses went on, which made her forget anything else existed. Especially her friends. Now that Kim had Anthony things could change and be a little less lonely. She’d hopefully understand what it means to love someone in a more romantic sense. It was time to stop thinking about things like her and Katie growing apart and focus on the memories to be made of their senior year. They were still best friends. They’d always be best friends. No matter what. Right?

Speak of the devil, and she shall appear. Katie and Scott announced their joint arrival with a press of the doorbell, both holding a Chick-Fil-A cup in one hand. When Kim opened the door, Katie let out an excited squeal, wrapping one arm around her friend as she stepped across the threshold. “Sorry we’re late babe, we had to–” a glance at Scott reminded her of the agreement they’d made on the way over, and she adjusted, “Actually, I’ll tell you later. What are we watc–” Katie stopped abruptly as she noticed a long haired, vaguely familiar boy. She squinted at him, equal parts suspicious and intrigued.“Who the hell are you?” It wasn’t quite aggressive enough to be rude, but it certainly wasn’t welcoming.

“Antonio Tiziano Osso, at your service ma’am.” Oz bowed his head and body like he’d just stepped out of Bridgerton. He didn’t much care for Katie or Scott. It had nothing to do with them as people, he didn’t know them and didn’t have a negative opinion of the pair. He just didn’t know them. The circles they ran in were different, he hypothesized that their views on the world were different. The only true bond that they could share was their love for Kimber Benson. He had no doubt that Katie loved her best friend but she hadn't been showing it lately. To him, Kim deserved to be worshiped every day. “Most people call me Oz. We’ve only had class together for a few years but who's counting right?” Ozzy realized that him making some sarcastic comment was not what Kim needed from him at that time. It was his default setting. “You must be Katie and Scott, Kim’s told me all about you both! All good things, obviously.”

“Obviously,” Katie said, bemused. She left hardly any opening for a conversation that she didn’t control. She looked between her shy, but determined, best friend, and the boy called Oz. It only took her another second to piece the puzzle together. The interloper wouldn’t be here if Kim hadn’t invited him, and if Kim had invited him, that meant he was important to her. The only questions remaining were how the hell Antonio Osso had gotten so close to Kimber, and what the hell were his intentions? “How’d you meet Kim?” she asked, after a sip of her frozen lemonade.

Oz looked to Kim for some kind of reassurance. He was usually so open and honest about every thought that crossed his mind, most had considered and settled on the fact that he probably was lacking the normal vocal filter that nearly everyone on the planet possessed. Though he didn’t want to say anything that would upset Kimmy, this night was for her after all. For her to step under the spotlight she so rightly deserved. “We actually met at the Drive In. You know how it is, someone under stress meets someone looking pretty and I was definitely looking pretty that day. Covered in grease, smelling like old socks and sucking on a lollipop.” He wondered if his humour would even reflect at all or if in the eyes of Miss Katie, he was already unworthy? He didn’t care regardless. The only opinion that mattered was Kim. “But yeah, I was doing some maintenance there and I saw Kim by herself, asked her if she wanted some company. No one should be alone at the movies.”

“It was the night you canceled on me, mid June and Niles was visiting his Chicago family… so I decided to go alone,” Kim meekly admitted, freeing herself from Katie’s embrace and gesturing for the group to follow her. She wasn’t intentionally trying to give her friend grief but many times Katie blew her off for other people and while Kim hid it behind a small smile, that did leave her a little bit disheartened about where their friendship stood. That didn’t matter right now though. She had a movie night to host! “Yepp, and since then he’s been insistent we spend more and more time together. And now we’re… ^{boyfriend and girlfriend}.” Kim’s voice turned into a whisper, hoping Katie didn’t focus too hard on that last bit. “Scott! How are you?” She asked swiftly, grabbing a Tagalong cookie and looking at Katie’s boyfriend worriedly. Unsure and on edge, Kim nibbled on the cookie and waited for the dynamite blonde to explode.

Up until the point that he was called upon by the hostess, Scott was kind of genuinely enjoying not being expected to participate in the conversation. He liked listening, especially when Katie was talking. Katie was a good talker. He thought she was the best talker in any room, and he was happy to just let her talk for him. Kimmy was cool, but Kimmy was her friend. Scott talking out of turn here would be like if Katie tried to talk about his car to his bros.

As Kimmy said his name to draw attention from what she’d said, Scott found himself feeling like a prop. This feeling, he thought, was only okay when Katie used the tie he wore to their debate team events to tie his hands together. When he turned his gaze onto Kimmy, he first wore ire in his gaze but it softened when he saw how worried she was. At first, he’d wanted to repeat the bit about boyfriend and girlfriend, but now he felt like he needed to help out. He would take a few boxes of girl scout cookies when they left, as payment.

“It’s been a long night. What movie are we watching tonight? I don’t remember if Katie told me.” She probably had, and as likely as admitting he didn’t remember was to get him in trouble, it was probably better than letting her go into Sherlock mode on the poor guy. He slurped at his cup. Frozen lemonade. The only beverage that he knew could ease the lingering emotions of an argument. His dad thought a Jack & coke did the trick, but Scott would argue that was not the case.

He did not give Kimberly enough time to answer before he turned his attention to Oz. “Nice to meet you dude. I’ve seen your bike,” he held out his free hand for Oz to shake. “A heritage right? It’s cool how they gave them a vintage look - but I prefer street bikes anyway. I wanna do the Isle of Man someday.”

Shaking hands with Scott Lyon; Ozzy didn’t expect that to be how he was spending his evening but it’s what Kim wanted and she deserved everything that she wished for; it was his job to make sure she got it all. “I love me a classic but having a modern bike with all the vintage props just speaks to me.” In some ways; his bike was a representation of Anthony himself, a modern take on an old classic. He was a 21st century boy with a 1980’s mentality. The rocker reached out and shook the racer's hand. “Your Honda is an absolute beast. Bet she drives like a dream.” Oz was a bike guy but he knew how to appreciate the finer points, curves and moments of a sexy automobile. He took a step back, his eyes falling on an obviously nervous and terrified Kim. He placed his hand on the small of her back for reassurance and smiled at the other couple. “Kim went all out tonight, let’s get this movie night a rocking!”

Katie was nothing if not a gifted actress. Questions like, ‘Why didn’t she tell me?’ and ‘Am I the worst friend ever?’ weren’t helpful at the moment. Right now, she needed to be the supportive best friend, not…whoever she was starting to see in the mirror. After a moment's surprise, she assessed the role she was meant to play, and played it well.“Awww,” she cooed, nudging Kim, “Our boys both like things that go vroom. Cute.” As Oz began to rally them, Katie leaned into Scott. “I don’t think you told me that either,” she said, wearing a grin that would win Oscars one day. “What are we watching?”

Relieved, Kim relaxed, not only because Oz was soothing her but because Katie’s reaction was better than she expected. She couldn’t help but feel grateful for Scott’s presence and assistance. Separating herself from her boyfriend, she scurried to the remote, which was left on the three person sofa and turned her TV on.

“Great question. I was thinking ‘Mamma Mia!’ Since it’s your favorite and it’s around that time we should watch it, since we watch it at least once every year. AND. I doubt either of our boys have watched it. I want to see their reactions. What do you think?”

“Good choice.” Katie wondered for a moment if she was being placated, and why she suddenly cared. Overthinking was Jamie’s schtick, and she was not enjoying trying it on. “I hope you like ABBA, Oz. We take ‘Mamma Mia!’ night very seriously.”

“Deadly serious,” the meek girl beamed at her boyfriend, excited that he was here with her and could enjoy one of her favorite things. Watching musicals with her best friend. All her worries, now buried.

For now.

BHHS: Limitless

_{TIMESTAMP/TIMESKIP: Saturday
Around 5:30 PM
LOCATION: Lobby to entrance of school gymnasium
FT: Celeste Green & Levi Green-Locke
Small FT: stinky Stan “The Man” Rogers
@LovelyComplex & @smarty0114}

A dance is not just a dance. Certainly not at this school. When the populace consists of the children of Hollywood celebrities, business moguls, and sport legends, the standard exceeds the expectation. If you expect your classmates to go above and beyond, wearing what's in season, what's trending, and what's ridiculously overpriced, go bigger or go straight to fashion jail. Be better and set the trend. Don't follow it. Try to separate yourself apart from all the girls that may choose to wear a sexy tiny black dress, just like you, for the red carpet. How will you stand out in the crowd? How will you be remarkable and glam when you're surrounded by people that have spent their entire childhood mastering how to perfect their look? How can you surpass those you know are better than you? These are some of the questions you should ask yourself before showing up with hammy downs and becoming a laughing stock and the next viral joke for the beautiful, dirty, rich kids of Beverly Hills.

Their existence alone shows where you stand in the hierarchy and to try to change the way things are, this late in the game, would take more than a bunch of rowdy rough boys that call themselves the Elite (who are just as rich, just as privileged, and just as fortunate, as all the shallow, mean girls they compete with). Speaking of the Elite, there seems to be plenty of inner conflict. Theo and Benji's public spat caused quite the stir. Curiosity roams the halls. Tragically, they lost the game but perhaps a loss can be someone else's gain? What will happen to the boys, brothers-in-arms, that balance the political field with their general jackassery? And how will the Hive seize this opportunity to ruin the Elite further? With the arena set, weaknesses revealed, and the elections just around the corner, there's plenty to anticipate in the upcoming months.

All the drama aside, we return to what matters: the Homecoming dance. This dance is the first official one of the year to truly set your name in stone, to get your peers to remember who you are, and to look at them with purpose: this year will be your year. The theme is rather cliché. Hollywood. The Red Carpet. Fame. Stardom. Legends who never die. When you have Ethan Green interrupting the dance committee meetings, constantly trying to tip the scales of this year’s aesthetic, because let’s be real, homecoming sets the tone for the rest of the year, and even offering to do them favors, to spice up the pot… Well, no fight was worth the agonizing back and forth. Especially not with someone as persistent, charming and full of himself as Ethan. When a boy wants something, he will get it. Whatever it takes. The leader of the Elite pack would say.

The dance, where people show off and judge each other, is where the kids can pre-game and talk about the main event: the after party. School shenanigans are one thing but relaxing and forgetting about your worries, the hakuna matata way? Now that’s worth getting excited about. Who cares if you’ve just gone through a bad break up or you’re too involved in someone else’s drama! Forget about that because tonight you’re going to be free. You’re going to let loose. Cowabunga and shit! And remember what Miles Dalby (played by Curtis Armstrong) said in Risky Business: “Sometimes you gotta’ say ‘what the fuck’, make your move. Joel, every now and then, saying ‘what the fuck’, brings freedom. Freedom brings opportunity, opportunity makes your future.”

You are Joel.

Say what the fuck and just go have fun. Take a chance and live a little. Don’t worry about the consequences, that’s tomorrow’s problem. It’ll only be a little messy, right? Say yes and live the dream and remember team:

“What the fuck,” Celeste Green grimaced, having arrived early to the dance to put fliers up, wearing pink obvi. She was staring at the bulletin board by the gym, where the homecoming dance would be held. The school only really got a venue for prom. The rest of the mixers and dances were held in the gym. Cost effective - even if money wasn’t an issue for BHHS. The school would much rather use their funds to improve the learning programs and facilities, as well as pay faculty and staff far better than the average American school, than spend unnecessary money on a dance venue. The Green princess, far more regal than her cousin Diana, glared at the fliers that displayed Naomi Davis and Levi Green-Locke running for student council president and vp. Of course Levi would try to be something he was not and that was someone worth power and influence, who actually cared about the people.

Hilarious.

“Butler, isn’t this funny? This is so funny. Levi really thinks people will listen to him. What do you think he will do for the school? I have my theories. You know what I think? He will do nothing. Because that’s what he does best. Nothing. The king of nothing! Well dear, this won’t do.” Celeste put her own advertisement over Levi’s and harshly stapled over it. Like the petty queen she was, she made sure to cover the whole board.

The Green Foundation Auction was far more important than some stupid student election. November 1st, Friday Evening. Proceedings would go to the Green-Minded scholarship which her grandma Alyssa would present and give to a few lucky students during the senior honors and awards ceremony. Think of it like the golden ticket from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory where the Greens help kickstart a couple of students’ futures. There were requirements and it was up to teachers to nominate students based on their grades, performance and general enthusiasm to go above and beyond. Exceed expectation, with a promising future ahead of them. Students they believed won’t be a wasted investment for Alyssa Green.

Her grandchildren would not be given the chance to get this scholarship - they had other expectations to meet and a trust fund to earn. It wasn’t like the money mattered to any of them. The Green children were set for life. They didn’t need the scholarship (though the idea of having their own money, apart from their family, was a nice thought). Celeste was doing her part and making sure people knew how giving her grandma could be. How rich, powerful and influential her grandma was. How wonderful a woman she is. The almighty Alyssa Green. This was far more important than some stupid election and would certainly make her grandma happy. “Silly, silly Levi. He really is in over his head.”

When Levi stood to benefit, he was very much capable of getting his hands a bit dirty, eager to, even. He’d foregone getting ready with the girls in favor of hitting the campaign trail running. He wanted this, and he was going to get it.

The rhythmic clicking of his staple gun was interrupted by a tap on his shoulder from Butler, and when he turned, the stonefaced bodyguard silently tilted his head to the left. Levi’s eyes followed the motion, and landed on his cousin, doing what she did best. Fucking with his life.

“Celeste!” His voice echoed through the empty gymnasium, startling the serfs who were putting the finishing touches on the dance. He marched over to her, Butler (Butler Prime, if you would) not far behind him. “So glad you could take a break from lighting puppies on fire to come dance.” He stood across from her, straight-backed and stoic. If you didn’t know any better, you might’ve thought Butler was his father. “I’m guessing you’ve been starving yourself to fit inside that clown costume and your brain isn’t at it’s full, unimpressive capacity, so I will say this slowly. You. Stapled. Over. My posters.” He forced a smile and cocked his head. “Would you like to take them down, or is Butler Number Four feeling particularly helpful today?”

“Over my rich, dead body,” Celeste retorted, stapling loudly in front of her cousin. Her Butler, who was a giant in comparison to her, held the fliers and simply used this opportunity to leave the two to their own devices. He held the fliers with one hand and played candy crush with the other. Celeste turned to look up at her cousin, who was 10 inches taller than her, and scoffed, “First of all, Levi, I’m a fucking American. I don’t need to know anything. Second of all, nutbag, you’re going to get bored of your little experiment as you once again ride the coattails of your best friend, who lets be real has more personality than you. If you want to put in the work of taking down the advertisements for grammy’s auction, be my guest. I’m sure she’ll be so pleased to hear about that.”

Levi crossed his arms, and relished in the fact that he was able to look down on his cousin. “Choosing the right coattails is PR 101. Don’t be pissy that I picked a Paris Hilton and you picked two prettier, less enjoyable, Richards siblings.” Boiling his and Naomi’s relationship down to numbers and favorability was hardly an accurate representation, but Celeste could get fucked. She wasn’t entitled to the inner workings of his heart and mind. “Also, fuck you, don’t bring Grammy into this.” With oneslender hand, he reached over, and tore the poster off the wall. “She likes me better anyways.”

Instead of getting angry, like Levi wanted, Celeste snickered. “This is why we’re not in the same league, Slenderman. Look at you, doing exactly as I say! The work of a servant boy. I’m not surprised, obvi. It’s clear as day you're not a Green. No matter how many times you tell yourself you are. The DNA speaks for itself,” She beamed up at her cousin, unburdened and unbothered. Glancing at the torn paper, which ripped his own flier, because of the sheer amount of staples she used, she jested, “One down, plenty more to go. This was my last stop. Have fun backtracking to all the boards.” She lifted the staple gun up and made a gesture as if she was going to shoot him with it.

“Just kidding!” She teased, pulling back her arm. “I could never. Violence is not my cup of tea. Now, Levi. Please put on some deodorant, you smell like war and that’s just gross. Oh and make sure you eat a mint too. It's impressive you manage to stay so confident when your breath is like gag. I feel bad for whoever decides to kiss you. Assuming you’re that lucky. Consider this a gift from me to you, saving your ass from your own sweat and bad breath.”

Levi dug his perfectly manicured nails into his perfectly smooth palms, and glared. She always had to take it there. “I’m pretty sure I smell like Versace, but, God willing, you’re just having a stroke,” he said with a sigh and a roll of his ocean eyes. “Go play at being relevant, Celeste. After all, this is your last shot at it before you have to sell your soul to Andy Cohen. Bravo always needs an almost pretty, bitter, hag.”

“... hey guys, Cesca told me to ask you: are you going to help us blow up balloons or are you just gonna’ keep beefing?” Stanley Rogers, apprentice to Jamie Callaghan and next editor-in-chief of the Pirate Hook (hopefully), interjected, knowing he was walking right into the thunderdome. The youngest Rogers showcased geek fashion with a comic book boutonniere and a tie to match. His suit was navy blue and his shoes were red converse. While not high fashion, he thought he looked pretty cool and his siblings, Tristan and Tyler Rogers, gave him the seal of approval. That was more than enough validation to stunt on his peers.

“Tell Francesca I’m not even on the dance committee and it’s hilarious she thinks I’ll ruin my manicure by doing manual labor. You idiots should’ve just hired people to decorate for you.” Celeste glared at the little dweeb that interrupted her and her cousin’s sass off. “I’ll tell you what, munchkin—”

“It’s Stan…”

“Don’t interrupt me. Now, Levi here loves helping the people. He’s actually running for VP with Naomi, can you believe it? Anyways, he’s totally ready to do whatever you guys need. As for me, I’m going to powder my nose and wait for my besties to get here.”

Stanley tried to get another word in but Celeste was already strutting off to the bathroom, like a pink tornado, with her Butler in tow. He turned to Levi to see if he actually was willing to help the dance committee only for his attention to be brought back to the blonde diva down the hall.

“Have fun sucking your own dick, Slendy! Ta-ta for now!” She turned the corner.

Levi ground his teeth before forcing a smile. He was a politician now, after all. “Butler, go clean up her mess. I have to help Sean,” Levi said, so confident you might not even realize he was boiling over with rage. He turned back to the underclassman, Levi-suit snugly tailored once again. “Okay, I don’t do paint, I don’t blow up balloons, and I’m definitely not going to be breaking a sweat in this tux. So, where do you want me?”

Hello Limitless family!

Sorry for the incredible delay. From vacations to the ups and downs of mental health, we all have been going through it and that’s okay. We’re a great group of creatives and no matter what, real life comes first. Now that we are all recharged and refocused we can get the show on the road. I’m so grateful to have you all part of this roleplay and I can’t wait to see where we take it.

Now the prompt is simple: get your character to the dance. You can write a pre-gaming and/or a getting ready scene, or you can have them already here. You can have them contemplating not coming and getting dragged by a friend, or you can have them grab the courage to go on their own and face their fears: asking someone to dance. The possibilities are endless. The moodboard above is the aesthetic of the dance. Hollywood glam, red carpet, movie magic, stardom. It’s time for you to shine bright like a diamond because baby, tonight can be heaven or tonight can be hell. Live a little and see where you end up.

The scene with Levi/Celeste is slightly before the dance, which will start at 6 PM. The Homecoming King & Queen will be announced at 9PM but don’t get too comfortable. Ethan Green, his boys and the Gearheads plan to crash the event and bring the party to the never been seen before, Green vineyard, Eden Springs, just minutes outside of LA county. Anyone that’s anyone will be there. The party buses and limos are first come, first serve. In addition to that, the gearheads are willing to take a few people too. If you end up not being able to fit, guess you’ll need to find your own way! It would royally suck if you miss the first major party of the year.

Remember kids, the theme is Risky Business. Make sure you have a change of clothes to look like one of the characters. Ethan Green takes his love for movies quite seriously.

Lastly, say: what the fuck and chase the night like a goddamn fool. We are young and we are free.

Happy Homecoming!

BHHS: Limitless

^{TW: Mentions of child abuse (Jonah) and
Toury alluding to an uncomfortable underage pastime
Timestamp: Immediately following Time Enough
Location: Mr. Phoenix’s Classroom
Tourmaline and Jonah
@Aces Away and @LovelyComplex}

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Toury sat at her father’s desk in room 210 with her feet up on the wooden surface an her head tilted back and staring upside down at the wall clock, arms crossed over her chest. Jonah wasn’t even late, but Toury had gotten there early after her time spent with her girlfriend at the convenience store parking lot the past few hours, and she was already getting bored in the dark and silent room. He better have food on him or she would riot. Nevaeh’s black lipstick was still imprinted on her cheek, untouched as it had been since the goth girl put it on the Tantalizer’s skin, and if Toury closed her eyes and breathed deeply, she could still smell the subtle cucumber scented soap of her lover from when the blonde had been wrapped around the brunette.

When the door opened silently and changed the airflow on her cascading locks and exposed skin with ten seconds to spare before he’d have been late- shame as she’d wanted to tease him- and Jonah strolled through almost as quiet as the door, Toury lifted her head up and raised an eyebrow at the boy that hopefully be a fruitful investment of her time. The aroma of greasy fast food that trailed on the newer air currents and into her nostrils had her smirking expectedly at him.

“Welcome to my domain, Cheerio, you got food for me?”

Jonah didn’t answer the obvious question. Instead he placed the bag on Mr. Phoenix’s desk. “Do you know why I asked you here?” He asked, placing his backpack alongside the food. As he waited for her response, he went to the chalkboard and began idly setting up a game of hangman. Why not? It would keep them busy during their back and forth. He drew four lines for his chosen word.

_ _ _ _

He turned to Toury and continued, “You must have an idea of why I asked you here.” Since the beginning of Toury’s business relation with Jonah, not only has she observed him on the job but occasionally, he did ask about her brother, taking interest in the boy, curious if he had anything to offer. It wasn’t an obvious thing to notice, since Jonah was excellent at weaving his intention in his words without giving too much a way. He was a clever boy, Toury knew that. Still, Jonah had faith that Toury paid attention. At least in regards to topics that mattered to her, like her family, especially her step brother.

“Why do you think I asked for the information that I did?” Toury rolled her eyes and didn't yet get up to play Jonah's little game. He hadn't made it worth her time yet. She wasn’t stupid, of course she knew that the strategic minded boy had had an eye on her brother for a while, and that he was occasionally curious enough about Dot Dot that she would shut down the conversation rather decisively. Pulling a barely warm fry from the bag, she popped it in her mouth before taking her feet off the desk and leaning forward in the chair to look up at Jonah. “You seemed pretty confident that you'd be able to tell me who was bullying Dash. This meeting doesn't start until I have those answers.”

“Oh, I have more than enough information for you but aren’t you one for fun? Give me a letter and I’ll feed you with the food you want,” Jonah teased, holding out because he could. As he waited for her to start the Hangman game, he added more definition to the gallows. “Come on, don’t be a party pooper.”

Toury narrowed her eyes at the boy's challenge, well aware she was being played with. She stared him down for a long moment as he held his ground, and eventually Toury decided that if he was willing to test this whole meeting by adjusting the terms of the arrangement, then he better have had something good for her. Her lips, back to candle apple red after fixing it up post-Nevaeh, turned down slightly to show him her displeasure.

“D, for dicks who like to try and be cute.”

“Cute,” Jonah repeated after her, writing a D on the side and drawing a head where the noose should be. “You really think I’d do Dash? Oh silly Toury, I’m not that simple.” Twirling the chalk between his fingers, he glanced at her and decided he wasn’t done playing. “You care an awful lot about this. To the point that you are willing to meet up with me and trade information so I can hire your brother. You ever considered how he would feel if he found out the lengths you would go to protect him and micromanage him?”

“What is this, family therapy?” Toury rolled her eyes and finally stood up to stand next to Jonah at the board. If she were in flats, he would have had a good three inches on her, but she was wearing heels that put them eye level. Jonah has been a trip to deal with since the first time Toury stole a tater tot from his tray while perusing new targets at each lunch table. She'd realized by the look in his eye as she bit down into the crispy golden goodness that he would be better as an ally then a source of amusement, especially with her brand of manipulation being all but useless with him. You live, you learn, you form ties and alliances to bring down those who have wronged you.

“Dash can be upset as he wants, he can flip his shit on me and I'd probably cheer him on,” she grit her teeth as she thought of the sight of his side this morning. “Until he's not hiding bruises from me, I'll keep going behind his back on things too,” she glared at Jonah for his last comment. “Don't tell me that you don't do things for your family in the shadows, I wouldn't even believe you if you did. The second Dot Dot came up to me he was under my protection and he knew it, he should have expected it to be worse when our parents got married. Now, P, for you're starting to piss me off.”

Jonah smiled, “Now, now, Toury. You knew what you were getting into that fateful day you stole my food, which, by the way, I still haven’t forgiven you for.” He knew that what he had to offer was way more vital to her than his desire to have Dash in the House. Dash would bring in revenue, that was easy to see and the numbers didn’t lie. His success rate at pool would tip the tables in the House’s favor. He would be an investment that guaranteed success. But like most things, hiring a boy that was naive and still had their younger child directing their soul was a risk. A gamble. A danger to his small operation. Dash may not even agree to the terms so the one that had more to lose and less to win in this deal was Jonah and he would make sure Toury understood that the House ran on his terms. As long as she worked for him and wanted to keep their relationship amicable, he would assist wherever she needed. She just needed to play games with him, from time to time. “I’m surprised you answered me. You could’ve kept things going, for a little while longer. I suppose if therapy is what you seek, I’m free real estate.” He wrote a P to the side and drew a lanky body.

She wasn’t good at this game or perhaps he chose too hard of a word. Jonah went to the side of the board and painstakingly slowly began writing the name of Dash’s bully, just like he promised. Backwards. He deliberately kept out the third because that would be a dead give away.

N….O….S….

“How are things? With you, your girls, your newfound lover? Just because we have a business thing going doesn’t mean you always have to act tough around me. We’re both seniors. At a pretentious highschool. You’re allowed to chill and get to know me beyond my business.”

D…R…A…

Toury's crossed arms tensed as he read her, her eyes glaring at the letters he was providing as she tried to decipher the game he was playing. “More like re-found lover,” she provided a bit cagily before forcing herself to relax. “I've been dating Nevaeh since late sophomore year, she just understands my fun and I'm very open with her about who I'm playing around with,” he wants her to act a little softer? He wants her to play his games? Fine. “You notice how rarely anyone has actually been able to say they got to the final stage with me? It's because I don't need to to get what I want from them and I respect my girlfriend enough to talk to her about any drastic maneuvers beforehand,” She tapped the black lipstick kiss on her cheek, very obviously the girl’s in question. “As for my girls, we've all been extremely busy today, I'm sure the update texts will be rolling in from both of them soon.”

Tracing the word he was writing, Toury decided to stop trying to read it like he was giving her a direct answer and look at it like a word game much in the same sense of him starting their meeting with Hangman. She thought of the crossword and word search books she would blow through with her father on a lazy day and the thought immediately brought her to the backwards words that she used to struggle to find amidst the jumble of letters on the page.

“Ardson?” She vocalized with a thoughtful hum, trying to run through her mental list of classmates for what was now obviously a part of a last name. She cut out anyone that couldn't or wouldn't hurt Dash, and the already small target pool she'd been working with immediately shallowed out to a single prick. “Richardson? Malcolm fucking Richardson?”

He was dating Anna-Marie, one of the bitches on the cheer squad that used to be ‘friends’ with Helen and Amy when they were still impressionable. She's had her own interactions over the years, been aware of his wandering gaze and the look that it put on his girlfriend's face. And now he was using Toury's brother as a personal punching bag?

“Is there a four letter word for murder, Jonah?” She asked in a suddenly sickly sweet tone, her sharp nails looking like claws as she tensed and untensed her fingers. The falsely cute smile she wore was dangerous as she already began running scenarios in her mind on how to ruin this boy's life so bad that he trembled In fear the second he so much as thought about Dash. She wanted to completely take over his mind so he couldn't even focus on her little brother until it was too late and she'd sucked the rich boy dry of any cockiness or entitlement and left him a confused, listless husk of his former self. “Because this boy is about to be dead in everything but the most literal sense.”

“Kill,” Jonah answered without hesitation. That, however, was not his four letter word. “Would you like to use those four letters for our game?” Jonah’s energy did not match Toury’s at all. If anything, he was lethargic, tired and still. He allowed himself to relax in the presence of company. He brought the chalk in a new area of the board and started lazily making a swirly. That was not part of the game; he was killing time. “And yes, yes it is Malcolm. Good job.”

“I'm so pleased,” Toury drawled, not pleased in the slightest. His offer to use the letters from KILL in their game did have her pausing long enough to look him in the eyes again. He was still playing with her, but in which direction was this nudge he was offering going to send her? If there was anything she'd learned about Jonah Goldstein it was that he was similar enough to her that he enjoyed seeing friends and family succeed even in the smaller things just as much if not more than he enjoyed watching targets flounder and suffer under his games and tests. She looked at her little circle and stick figure with a guess left for each limb and decided that if she was wrong with all three letters and Jonah was prompting her to fail then that would be a miscalculation on her part. A learning lesson. And for him? A loss of access to one Dash A. Day.

“Go for it, Cheerio, lightning round that shit. K, I, L.”

Quietly, methodically, Jonah drew two limbs. An arm and a leg. But she did get one letter. Two more chances and then she would be out of luck.

_ I _ _

“In my bag, feel free to open it — there’s nothing important in it to me — that’s everything you will need. I’d suggest you shred the information after use or sell it, I don't care. Malcolm can burn. I’m sure you’d be doing this school a service. Do with it as you please. Just don’t get caught with it,” Jonah glanced first at his bag then at his pocket watch, not because he cared about how long this would take, but because he was a creature of habit. Checking his watch was one of those habits. That or maybe there was another reason he stopped what he was doing to grab onto something he considered precious. A sentimental item that has always been on his person. At least for as long as Toury’s known him.

Locking eyes with his peer, he advised, “Anna-Marie would be the best route for you to go, if you want to get back at him. You might even be able to convince her to ruin him with you, since she thinks he’s being unfaithful. Just make sure she thinks it’s her idea.” Jonah finalized, deciding to offer the chalk to the other girl by placing it on her father’s desk, waiting for her when she was ready to finish the game. “Clue: This is something you can’t save. Something you can lose. Something that can’t be bought. Something you may even consider priceless. What am I?”

If Toury were a lesser woman she would have groaned in irritated realization the second Jonah pulled out his damn timepiece. As it was, she stayed silent and let him advise her on the newfound information and her future steps, taking his counsel seriously and already using it to form her future plan. Anna-Marie was a vapid bitch and Toury herself had had a bit of fun playing with her at the start of Freshman year before Helen caught her eye, and later Amy though they hadn't done anything together. Before Nevaeh caught her heart. Was the girl dating some nasty college boy at the time? Of course. But things like that didn't stop the at the time solitary Tantalizer.

When Jonah set the chalk down and gave her a riddle that she didn't even need anymore, she snatched the stick up and stalked up the board with a purpose, writing the other three letters out in her sharp but swirly script. Jonah really was cute, with his little games and riddles, and she felt a kindred spirit in him. She couldn't wait until he found a boy to play with for more than a fling, being privy to that would be a form of payment in and of itself.

T I M E

She dropped the chalk, letting it crack in half from the shock of the fall to its holder, and walked past Jonah while running her fingers along his jaw gently and playfully, just grazing it with her acrylics with no actual intent behind the motion aside from it being one of her favorite moves. She knew nothing she did or said would interest Jonah in tha capacity, it was more just habit than anything. Then, she stood in front of the boy's bag on her father’s desk and opened it with reckless abandon, uncaring of anything else he may have stashed in there aside from the manilla folder staring her down from the largest pocket. He'd already stated he didn't care, so she wasn't about to pussyfoot around it. With her reason for agreeing to their late night meeting finally in hand, the blonde turned to look at the wavy haired boy with a happy smile instead of the frowns or smirks she'd been gracing him with the whole time, waving the folder like a kid showing off the goldfish they won at a fair game.

“Well, now I actually am pleased.”

Jonah didn’t react to her entering his personal space to caress his face. If this was his eldest nephew, he’d react poorly. If this was an Elite, they’d get horny. If this were another girl, they’d either be extremely into it or want to throw hands. For Jonah? He was indifferent. It was like wind against his cheek, that came and went and was forgotten the moment it stopped. He looked at the remnants of his bag and began cleaning up her mess, returning his school supplies back into its bag. “Glad to be of service to you. Do I get your blessing? See if your brother’s willing. It would be a temporary position. One night only. An experiment to see how many people underestimate him and who thinks they can get an easy win during my game nights.” That and because they both know that Dash’s attention span was limited. Any longer than that and Jonah would become an unpaid babysitter. He zipped up his bag and threw it over his shoulder. “Oh and you can have my food, I chose this place because I know you like it.” He wasn’t hungry anymore. Downside of focusing on business more than taking care of himself. He’d have some nosh when he was home.

“It’s cute that you think I wasn’t going to eat your food anyways, it’s kind of our main thing,” She winked at him, snatching the bag immediately and digging into it for it’s precious contents, coming back out with a handful of fries and popping a few in her mouth. She had a feeling that Jonah knew enough about her habits and personality by now that he was aware that if he were to ever tell her to leave his food alone she actually would. She oblivious to the fact that people had food insecurities and eating disorders, and she wasn’t here to bother or hurt her friends, but Jonah had a habit of letting his food get cold as he let his brain run at supersonic speeds, and that first tater tot had been the start of her keeping him aware of the bad habit. In her own way, of course. She wasn’t just the type to walk up to someone and say ‘that’s the third time this week you’ve let your fried potato side dish go cold, what are you thinking of so intently?’ with something as simple as words. She let Jonah sit in silence as she finished her handful of fries, downing them with her water bottle before giving him the answer he’d been waiting so patiently for.

“Permission granted, Jonah Goldstein,” She finally allowed, once again breaching his personal space with the confidence of someone who can handle themself far better than anyone actually realized. Jonah had the same confidence, it was a good quality for the type of relationship the two had. Because they weren’t just friends, there were far too many business transactions between them for it to be a simple taunting friendship developed through a mutual love of manipulation and games that sent people spinning like dreidels. She knew not to get in just anyone’s face, knew who had restraint and who had triggers, and she acted accordingly. “But I swear to all vengeful deities I can call upon, if anything happens and you fail to cover Dot Dot-” because it wouldn’t be that Jonah didn’t try, it wouldn’t even be that he didn’t do his best, she knew the boy was highly capable and something extremely disruptive would have to happen in order to cause Jonah to falter enough to fail Dash. Still, cover all bases and all that. “-I will be extremely displeased. You’ve seen what I can do when I’m annoyed or bored, but you’ve never seen me upset. Dash is fucking pure in the most vulnerable ways and if you even toe the line of putting him in any danger I don’t approve of I will sever all access to him and act accordingly.”

Her frown was harsh, the nail poking Jonah in the chest for emphasis was pointed, and just for Jonah- because this is all hypothetical future shit and they are on great terms right now- her eyes were scared. Toury loved her family and what it had become over the years. She loved working for her step-mom and the stupid family game and movie nights where Dash would never stay sitting in one spot for more than a few minutes, bouncing from her to their dad to their mom with a constant running commentary that never failed to anything but make the night even better. She protected Dash because he needed it. She made an offhand comment to him about learning self defense and he went and found Malcolm Richardson and fell for his bullshit and lies. She misstepped and now he was getting hurt while thinking he was getting help. Dash needed all the protection he could get. Hell, his whole little Limit Breakers lunch table of gaggling gremlins did. But Dash was hers to take care of, and she took the self-assigned job extremely seriously.

So seriously, in fact…

Just because we have a business thing going doesn’t mean you always have to act tough around me.

“Jonah, tell me this is the right choice. Tell me I’m not letting myself ruin Dot Dot and I’m actually a good sister.”

He wasn’t surprised. It wasn’t like he expected her to open up to him but he wasn’t surprised. Jonah had already thought of all the possible responses she could’ve said to him and for once, she decided to rewind, going back to when he allowed her a safe space to share, without the hardened shell. The games had ceased and it was now just her and him. Friends. Gently, Jonah grabbed her chin and brought it up, high. His eyes softened, which had more value than she likely realized. The way he looked at her was through a familial lens. “Right? Wrong?” Jonah returned his hand to his side and kept his focus on her. Subconsciously, he dug in his pocket and took a coin out. He rolled it between his fingers. “There isn’t a map on being a good sibling, a good child, a good friend, a good lover…” Jonah continued, the word lover having more emphasis due to his own buried thoughts.

“You do what you think is best, based on what you believe, and if it happens to not have the best results, you pick yourself up, adjust how you see things, and you keep going,” Jonah advised, hoping it would help her in more situations than just with her brother. “You are protective, to the extreme, but I get it. Dash is a child at heart.” As he looked at her, he thought of his nephews and asked, in a rhetorical manner, “Wouldn’t you want him to find out these unsavory, dark things through someone he can trust rather than him finding out on his own? Or through people like Malcolm? I’m sure you know this world leaves very little room for magic and fairy tales.”

Flipping his coin in the air, he grew silent, watching it turn slowly in the air until it landed on the back of his hand. “I can’t take back the lost time I have with my nephews, and what they’ve been through. I can’t relate to my older brother who had to uproot my and Hirsch’s lives for protection. I was only a baby when my sister convinced my mom to drown me. That obviously didn’t happen… I know out of all my family, I’m the most fortunate and that’s because I was protected and prepared. To see the dark. To see the demons Eiran had battled most of his life. To see how hard it had been for my family to free themselves. It was because I was given the choice to look into their world, that I formed a self that quite frankly, I’m proud of. Eiran knew he wouldn’t always be there to be my shield so he guided me in other ways. It was AJ’s father that gave me my toolkit. That’s a story for another day, though.”

Tourmaline listened intently to Jonah as he gave her perspective and personal insight, each sentence daring to send her on an emotional journey she was not ready for. Moreso did the look he pinned her with. There was something about it that made her feel incredibly warm in a way she hadn’t since her Tantalizing Trio had been solidified, or Nevaeh, or her dad having Dash and his mom over for dinner the first time. He was looking at her the way that she looked at the people she deemed close enough to her heart to garner her protection and vulnerability. And what he was saying was right. She knew more than most just how empty of magic and fantasy the world was, both in and outside of their little highschool ecosystem, he was right about that. All the Tantalizers did. Then he shifted to a personal anecdote that threatened to break her tainted little heart. His sister convinced his mom? And this is the woman Decky Boaz lived under with his brother until they blew into Beverly Hills halfway through freshman year? The small glimpse Jonah gave her into his life had her reeling, but she refused to show it, instead keeping steady eye contact with the over-tired boy and absorbing every word. When he’d finished, she let the silence sit heavy for a moment out of respect for his openness and honesty. It had helped immensely, and the impact was more potent with his experience being used as the example.

Finally, she smiled at him warmly and cupped his cheek, kissing the other lightly before stepping back from him and turning to reach for the tissue on her father’s desk so he could wipe off the mark she left behind, talking to him as she did so. “You’re a good man, Jonah, and a good uncle. I’ve seen the way Decky looks at you when you’re not the one watching him, you know,” She handed him the tissue and leaned against her father’s desk. “The kiddo with the curls too. Whatever you’ve done for them since they showed up here, it’s been right. It’s really cute seeing Decky’s grumbly standoff-ish scowl fight to stay on his face as he admires your routine or catches sight of you at lunch or the quad. It’s like a pitbull turning into a frenchie. And I’ve seen the kid run face first into you in a hug any time you’re in the same hall, you’ve obviously helped the both of them a lot,” She tilted her head at him and let her lips quirk up just the slightest bit more, knowing he would likely ignore the next part but saying it anyway. “I know you don’t sleep well, but you work hard for yourself and others. You should sit down some time and just rest your eyes,” She nodded to her dad’s comfortable desk chair. “I can always sneak you in here for a rest when I know dad won’t be here, I know his habits and schedule by heart.”

“Rest,” Jonah repeated after her, barely processing the word. It was as if the concept of sleep was a foreign language to him. “If only,” He chuckled to himself, feeling warmth in the pit of his stomach at the mere fact that his nephews looked up to him. “We have one year left, Tourmaline.” Jonah switched his coin with his pocket watch and grasped it. “I don’t want to waste it.” He looked down and opened the watch. Staring at the moving hands, he faintly disclosed, “I lost someone dear to me, many years ago. He loved time, space and dreams. Life, he made me realize, is such a fragile thing... I don’t want to run out of time and not have anything to leave behind. My family deserves more than that. They deserve to be happy.” Sleep would come when it had to. While he was still awake, he would do what he could to build. That was his duty to carry. His promise to himself.

Toury didn’t really know what it was like to lose a person on such a formative level. Her birth mom was still alive and unfortunately Toury had to spend every other weekend with her while she berated all of Toury’s dangerous and promiscuous life choices. Her mother didn’t like the way the highschool girls doted on her and taught her how to do her make up so young, or how they were teaching her how to flirt by watching them with the boys. She was worried that they were ruining her good little girl that she’d worked so hard to mold. Toury never fit that mold in the first place, but that didn’t stop her mother from judging every story she tried to excitedly tell, shooting down her grin with admonishments like an all knowing god sending meteors at its creations. By the time Toury realized her mother had been worried about something else, it had already happened, but they’d been fighting so hard at the time that Toury couldn’t bear to tell her. There was a very brief, very unmemorable month back in middle school where Tourmaline all but disappeared into herself, muting her clothes and fading into the background, unnoticed due to the fact that she’d never made friends her own age. It was that little twerp Dash Day bounding up to her and talking a mile a minute that had reminded Toury how wonderful life was with constant splashes of color.

Then, highschool came, dad married Dash’s mom, her mom, and Toury finally started forming bonds. Helen, Amy, Nevaeh. Jonah. Dash was always the first one that saw Toury first instead of her seeing him, and without him making her believe again none of the other bonds would have been possible. Without momma Mads’ steady and warm love Toury wouldn’t have grown into the woman she was today. Her family even before it formed properly was her saving grace, and it was all thanks to one bubbly stumbling ball of eager excitement. She knew she was almost pathologically protective of her brother, but there was so much more behind it than anyone realized.

Still, she never lost someone, so she could not quite empathize with the pain and emotion that must overtake Jonah every time he looked at his pocket watch, but she could sympathize with the empty look in his eyes. She’s never lost someone, but she’s lost a piece of herself before, and the look in his eyes was very similar.

Regardless, while she understood his sentiment, it was now a mission of hers to get this man to close his eyes for at least five minutes sometime in the near future. Her bones ached just looking at him.

“You better not drop out of exhaustion on me, I would break my heels catching you,” It was backhanded wording to tell him that she’d be there for him, to catch him if he falls both physically and metaphorically, but Jonah did love his word games and Toury was the daughter of an English teacher. It was another thing that allowed them to bond. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, and she stood up from her lean against her dad’s desk and fished it out of her pocket, glancing at her mom’s contact over the text message. “Sorry, one sec.” Opening it, she frowned.

From: Momma Mads👓🎻:
Hey Sweetie
Dasher is at Lyon’s Den Gym and the whole thing turned into a sleep over
Could you drive his go bag to him? Love you

Toury blinked at the message. Looks like Dash made new friends again. And of course she kept a bag of spare clothes and toiletries in her car for him, have you seen the way that kid runs around? He’d look like a wilderness survivor by the end of the day if she didn’t. She texted back an affirmative to her mom and put her phone away, returning her attention to Jonah and wondering just how many people he fielded these sorts of texts for.

She was tired too.

“You take care of a lot of people Jonah, are you letting them take care of you too?”

“Are you getting a soft spot for me?” Jonah slyly grinned, burying his melancholy to go back to what he preferred, playful banter. “It’s almost as if you care,” he teased, pocketing his watch and backpedaling to the door. “It’s almost as if you like me enough to consider me a friend. So sweet.” It was reassuring to know that he wasn’t just a business contact for her. Seeing Toury break down her walls and let little ol’ him in was heartwarming to say the least. He didn’t know if he deserved her kindness but he was glad she trusted him enough to give him it. “You know, dear, it’s late. I imagine you’ll be seeing your Dot Dot around midnight at this rate.” Jonah, whether it was intentional or not, was directing the conversation away from him and making a swift exit. She saw enough of him for one night. “I’ve kept you long enough, a bed awaits me,” he half joked. Was he actually going to go to sleep? Probably not. He was certain though Hirsch was waiting on him and wouldn’t go to sleep himself until he knew the whereabouts of all his family. That they were safe. “We both could use some sleep.”

“You are not about to go to sleep, don’t lie to me!” The Tantalizer called after- and yes, he was right- her friend, who she did indeed care about. It was his fault for opening that door for her. She also wasn’t oblivious to the fact that he completely side-stepped her question on whether or not he let others take care of him back. That was a no, then. That would have to change, and soon. He also wasn’t wrong, they could both use some sleep, but it seems it would elude them both for some time to come. Huffing at his teasing now that he was gone and the door once more closed behind him, Tourmaline smiled a bit. “So sweet,” She mocked to herself as she turned back to her father’s blackboard and began cleaning everything up. “We could both use some sleep, he know’s I’m not sleeping either. Always acting so damn-” She swiped through Malcolm's half done backwards name with vigor before taking out the hangman too. Finally, she took out the little whimsy spiral he’d drawn while waiting for her to choose another letter. Jonah may not really realize it, but especially when he was playful and teasing like that it really changed the air around him. Others might not receive or recognize it the same way she does, but to her? The snarky smile and playful banter on her friend’s lips only ever made her think one thing. One of her favorite words that could be a complement, a flirt, an insult, anything she wanted it to be with the right tone of voice. A word that to her was as versatile as the boy who just left. “Cute.”

Grabbing the thick file and stuffing it in the back of her waistband, covering it with her shirt and jacket, Tourmaline looked at her father’s room and made sure she left no traces as always before strolling out- forward, like a normal person Jonah- the classroom and towards her beloved car, Stupid Cupid. When she was finally behind the wheel and headed out of the darkened parking lot with the file hidden from view, she let out a sigh and pulled up the directions to the Lyon’s Den, heading out to her brother and whatever he threw himself into head first this time.

BHHS: Limitless

_{TIMESTAMP: After This is How We Roll
@LovelyComplex, @smarty0114 & @Hey Im Jordan}

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“See, Dash this is how you paint a pinstripe, dude. Your line was squiggly... Dash?” Owen spoke confidently as he wheeled around on his heel to find that Dash was… nowhere to be found. That wasn’t a big deal, Owen had already lost Dash’s attention three or four times, and getting it back wasn’t that difficult. What did bother him though, was how when he looked at the chair where his phone had been sitting, there was a whole lot of nothing. “OI! DASH! WHERE THE FUCK’S MY PHONE?” Owen had gotten a text, requested that Dash respond to it… and now he didn’t know where anything was. Did he just get punked?

As he peered around the gym, Owen found himself to be not as angry as he would have been with anyone else. He and Dash had been hanging out and chatting for a while by the time they’d gotten this far in the painting. Anyone else, and Owen probably would have been having a bit too much fun envisioning all the ways he could pound their face in, but Dash Day? Owen had known him for almost a single entire evening, and they would already kill for each other.

His phone was fine. It was just… missing. “Dash! Seriously!”

“Why are we yelling?!” Kylie yelled back, opening the door to her husband’s office and there appeared a wild Dash by her. “We were just talking and he found my snack stash.” There was a quick instant where Ky turned to the smaller boy and gave him a wink.

Obediently, Dash did what he was instructed by Mama Lyon. Running to Owen he gave the boy one, his phone back and two, a box of condoms. “Your mom told me you’re going to need this!”

Owen frowned as he wondered what his mother and Dash could have been talking about in the office by themselves, but he felt an immediate wave of relief wash over him as his father followed them out. “I asked her to leave it alone.” Troy said with a shrug and Owen looked down at the box of condoms Dash thrust into his hands, and then at his phone where he read back through the texts Dash had sent. Owen frowned and Troy shrugged. “I’m going home. Your mother is coming with me. Your padawan stays. Your demon cat stays. She’s upstairs asleep, I think.”

Owen listened to Troy’s words, but he couldn’t stop the pink tint appearing on his ears as he realized what was happening. His mother, Dash, and Jamie (unknowingly) had teamed up to hook him up with a girl he’d never met, or even seen. “Man, what if I don’t like her. Did you think about that?” Owen asked the group, but he knew his words would fall on deaf ears. His father was nearly at the door already, and gesturing for his wife.

“Kylie, let’s fucking go. Kid’s gonna be fine. It’s called the 365 Combat Club. Someone’s gotta be here 24/7. We live like fifteen minutes away. Chop chop, I wanna get out of here before more teenagers show up.” He paused. Then, he continued.

“I fucking hate teenagers.”

“It’s The Lyon’s Den, you promised!” Kylie protested as she gave a little wave to her son’s duo. Rushing to her husband, who was now waiting for her by the door, she had a sudden realization. “Oh, lover of mine. I just remembered, Sunday I have a brunch planned with all my friends. From highschool. Meaning I’ve sent texts and we’re in discussion for obvious girl time.” Grabbing onto his muscular arm, she beamed up at her man, batting her eyes and being the dutiful, loving wife, always at his side, “Belle already said she’s down. She’s flying here tomorrow!”

Troy Lyon did not like this revelation and it was almost immediate even to Dash with the way his shoulders slumped, and he squinted down at his wife as she hung off of his arm. “Are their husbands going?”

Kylie thought about it for a second, looking around as if she was searching for an answer. “Obviously! When have we ever had a girls night without our men? You’re so funny, baby. Oh wait, I guess we aren’t all coming with our husbands… Izzy has been talking about some serious stuff. She hasn’t even told her children yet.”

“Yeah? Sounds dramatic. Izzy doesn’t even like me. I decline.”

“What if…” Kylie purred, turning her chest toward her husband and pressing it against him not so subtly. She let her fingers walk up him, leisurely and playfully, before she caressed his bottom lip and giggled, “What if I do the thing you really like… you know when we…”

Troy frowned as he looked down at his wife, considering it. She only really did that for anniversaries and his birthday… He wondered if his son or Dash would judge him… but that didn’t stop him from nodding and speaking with absolute reluctance. “Fine. Twice.”

“Please stop talking aloud.” Owen pleaded, tossing the box of condoms off to the side. He’d get those when he needed them. If he needed them.

“THRICE!” Kylie shouted, so her son heard clearly.

“Why not all night?!” Dash hollered after Mama Lyon, not knowing the context.

Troy looked back at his son and shrugged. “You’ll get it when you’re married. You two better be done painting by the time I get here in the morning.” With that, Troy spun on his heel toward the door, having been ready to leave long before Kylie appeared and begged him to let Owen’s ‘other friends’ come to the gym. That had gotten Troy at least one morning wood removal service. He felt pretty smug about that one - he would have let them come anyway.

He yanked the door open, and found himself face to face with a girl and a boy he’d never seen before. Neither of them looked like they worked out, and Troy frowned. “Wrong place. Go away.”

Owen was quick to get involved at that point, appearing behind Troy and shaking his head. “Dad, dude. Those are my friends. Fuck off and go do something else. You told me you’d kill to have the house alone with mom… wellllll.” Troy frowned and thought about it, before he nodded.

“Good point. Kylie, no talking. We’re leaving.” To make sure things happened the way he wanted them to, Troy lifted Kylie up into his arms bridal style and walked past both of the other two standing in the doorway, headed toward the minivan in the parking lot. Owen looked at Jamie first, but then his eyes found Trixie and he was unable to stop himself.

“Whoa.”

Neither Trixie or Jamie had time to react or respond because Dash was dashin’. “You made it! Welcome to the Lyon, rawr, den, where Owen is here to show you how to kick ass like a ninja.” Dash began to fight an imaginary sparring partner, showing them his sick skills. Chop. Slap. Kick. Hadouken. The show of how not to fight ended with Dash breathing heavily in front of them, proudly grinning, hands on his hips. “So are you going to help us paint?”

Jamie’s eyes bounced between Trixie and Owen and Dash, and he praised himself for the foresight to bring the second bottle of champagne. After catching a ride from Jim, the forty two year old Uber driver who was now spiriting away in his Honda Civic, Jamie was well and truly drunk, but he could still pick up a vibe. And here, there was most definitely a vibe.

“I guess we are. Owen Lyon, this is Trixie Kingsley,” he said, gesturing between the pair. He did not bother introducing Dash. Everybody knew Dash. “We brought wine,” he slapped his palm against a bag, hanging from his shoulder, “and I would like to add, I am really killing my role as Peer Mentor.” He pushed past the boys, into the gym, and took a look around. “It’s cute. Bit industrial, but it’s a consistent aesthetic at least.”

Trixie had a whole uber ride to sober up and gather her thoughts. She couldn’t believe Jamie convinced her to do this. All for what? To see a boy! Scott’s cousin at that. When they arrived, she did a double take when she saw the redhead clinging to the brawny man, feeling like she’d seen her before but unsure where and when. That, of course, wasn’t something of importance at this moment. What was important was for her to try her best to not embarrass herself in front of the new transfer student. Throughout Dash’s tangent, Trixie examined the boy who grabbed her attention by how he held himself, how he looked at her and how he behaved in her presence. Pushing her hair behind her ear when Jamie gave her introduction, she smiled at the boy, letting her friend take the lead on this one.

“I don’t think I should drink,” Dash answered, knowing that booze would not be good for him because his mind was wired differently and he didn’t want to risk forgetting or doing something stupid. “I can’t make my mama worry about me so no can doooooo, Jamie. Thank you for the offer though! Super nice. Super dope. Super awesome.” He made an X with his arms, as his formal decline of the champagne. “You know,” he slyly continued. “Owen hasn’t taken a break yet. Maybe we need an ice breaker! That way he can get to know Trixie better since he knows me and he knows you, Jamie!”

“That’s a very sweet suggestion, Dash,” Trixie acknowledged and validated the smaller boy, her pleasantly smooth and mellow tone voice finally out in the open air. While she was free from harshness, at least in this second, Beatrix was still raised with spice and vigor. She was feisty, feral and full of attitude given the circumstances. Don’t ever let a Latina fool you with their softness. Behind her calm demeanor, behind her beautiful brown eyes, there was a calculative she-wolf, protective of what was hers. The person she trusted the most in this gym was Jamie and as much as Owen Lyon was a looker, she wouldn’t let that distract her to the point that she let her guard down. She wasn’t raised to fall for some boy just because of his looks.

No, Trixie deserved more.

Not just someone that was handsome but someone that matched her energy and treated her with respect. Someone that loved her and didn’t blame her for their problems. Someone who wouldn’t get her to second guess herself and gaslight her until she barely knew what was true or not. Trixie deserved better and she would make sure if she gave into her impulses, it was because she wanted to and wasn’t pressured into it. “I’m sure Owen and I will have plenty of time to get to know one another tonight.” Trixie approached her new acquaintance, small yet mighty, and looked up at him, sizing him up as she did so. “Jamie talks highly of you.”

That almost threw Owen off. Jamie talked highly of him? Jamie had known him for less than an hour, but Owen supposed he wouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. He couldn’t deny the relief he felt when he realized that both he and Trixie were mutually eye-fucking one another, though he was still a bit embarrassed to admit he had audibly reacted to her appearance. Unsure of any other way to greet someone for the first time, Owen stuck out his hand for her to shake. “I’m Owen, it’s nice to meet you. I’m sure it isn’t as highly as he talks of you.” He beamed.

Dash suggested something about an ice breaker, but if Owen was honest, he was so focused on Trixie that he hardly heard a word anyone else said. That was for the best, because if he had heard Jamie’s comments about the aesthetics of the gym, he might not have taken it very well. He turned to look out at the gym, a sweeping gesture toward the ring at one end of the building, “Jamie asked me if I can teach him how to beat his ex up. Do you think you’ll sign up too? It might be nice to have you around more often.”

Trixie held a chuckle back, amused at how surprisingly adorable Owen was being. Her eyes rested briefly on his firm grip on her hand and the size of it in comparison to her’s. Her mind lingered, thinking about things she shouldn’t, until he gave her new information. She raised an eyebrow, finding it strange Jamie was going to do an MMA class. For self defense, against AJ. Anything physically taxing wasn’t really up Jamie’s speed but what made this even more surprising was that this desire to fight was ignited because of AJ. That told her that AJ did hurt him. Why else would he want to beat up his ex? She looked over her shoulder at her friend, slightly irritated he didn’t tell her the whole truth. Trixie did wonder though, if this was all a ploy for her to get close to the new kid, which would be rather excessive even for Jamie. If that was true, she didn’t know what to think. She would much rather be mad at Jamie telling her half truths.

Turning her attention back to Owen, crossing her arms, Trixie pointed out, almost defensively, “I’m not a beginner.” Yes, it was sweet that he wanted to see her more but there was no way she’d go to a class that didn’t challenge her. She had experience having learned some mma techniques from brothers. She built natural stamina, strength and endurance from a strict routine when she figure skated. She played hockey with her brothers from time to time, still to this day, and when she was angry or needed to clear her head, she boxed a punching bag. Trixie needed to release tension somehow and her home gym was made just for that.

“Who is the one that decides the level? Do I need to prove myself? Because I will.” She said matter-of-factly. Trixie might be tipsy but that didn’t mean she would hesitate in fighting if it meant she wasn’t going to the baby class. Beatrix Kingsley was no baby fighter but she supposed, against someone like Theo, who could easily overpower her, she wasn’t nearly as good as she wanted to be. “If I take a class I want to learn how to defend myself against someone twice my size. My brothers taught me a few things but I don’t think it’s enough for… certain scenarios.” Trixie looked away when she said that last part, thinking of Theo once more and hating every minute of it. Walking to the ring, taking the lead, Dash immediately followed behind, energetic as always, she continued to give Owen her undivided attention and admitted, “I don’t like being underestimated.”

“I don’t underestimate you Trixie! You’re actually kind of scary at school but not in the punchy sense,” Dash invaded the conversation.

Owen frowned. He wasn’t sure why she felt the need to mention she wasn’t a beginner when he hadn’t called her one, but then… girls could be difficult. He followed her through the gym, but Owen would have been lying if he said he heard a single word Dash said as she approached the ring. It was like she was an angel sent from the heavens to make sure she was singly and holistically the only thing in his world that mattered. And who could blame him? Owen didn’t even know it was possible for hips to sashay from side to side like that. Was this just how she walked?

Owen made a mental note to give Jamie a thousand thank yous, though he knew not even that would be enough. Trixie was going to change his life - hopefully for the better. Owen snapped himself out of his trance as she stopped in front of the ring and turned around to look at him. “Me. I teach the beginner class, so it’s up to me who goes up. You wanna do it right now? Here, hold up.” Owen stepped up onto the ring apron, and sat down on the middle ring, grabbing the upper one and holding it up, using his body to create an opening for Trixie to slip through. “You’re already dressed. We can spar. Dash, go get us gear. Gloves and two hea—” Owen paused to think about it. “One headpiece. I don’t need one.”

“Aye aye Captain!” Dash saluted and just when he was about to run off, Trixie whispered for Dash to retrieve more water. Although she was distracted by Owen, and everything that he was, she did keep in the back of her mind how much Jamie was drinking. “Aye aye other captain!”

While Jamie’s master plan had been executing itself, he had been busy finding a seat, watching the pair with a knowing, drunken smirk as he uncorked his champagne, the pop piercing the silence that Dash had left behind. He made a mental note to clean up the wine that had overflowed onto the floor. It was a note he would forget. “So, uh,” Jamie took a sip from his bottle. “why the hell did you guys move here? Are your parents models? They kinda looked like models,” Jamie shouted across the gym, unconcerned by this point with things like decorum, or decency.

“I guess the guy who owned this gym passed away, and left it to my pops. He wants to make it popular like it was when he was younger.” Owen said with a shrug as he rested on the ropes, looking over at Jamie. When he said his parents looked like models, Owen laughed and shook his head. “My dad’s a UFC fighter, he’s out of the game though. My mom? My mom is a professional housewife and trust fund baby. She spends her days drinking wine, gossipping with her friends all day, and watching unhinged amounts of The Great British Baking Show and Real Housewives.”

“You should tell her you think that, though. You’ll make her whole week.”

When Owen offered to spar her to gauge her level, Trixie nodded, thinking that was a good idea. As the boys talked, she walked ahead and slipped into the ring. Scanning the area, staying silent as ever, she went to one end of the ring and began to warm up to get her blood moving (a set of jumping jacks, a set of sit ups and a set of push ups). She didn’t mind if the boys were watching her, she wasn’t going to be an idiot before sparring. Owen was a boy clearly twice her size and if she wasn’t smart she could get hurt. Raising her leg and resting it on the highest rope, she stretched and hummed to herself. The tiny girl with meat in all the right places and clearly flexible was serious. He made the offer and she was going to take it. Trixie wanted to see where she needed to improve to take down someone like… someone like Theo. She worried if things were to escalate she wouldn’t be able to protect herself. That was a scary thought.

Jamie nodded. He was pretty sure that he’d be far too drunk by the end of the night to really retain much of this information, but hey, it was the thought that counted. “Very cool. Explains a lot about your general vibe,” he said, matter of fact. He didn’t bother explaining who his parents were or what they did. He’d gotten tired of that exchange years ago. “How did the first day treat you? Better than…wherever the hell you’re from?” Jamie was a California native to his core. If it wasn’t on a coast, he didn’t care much about it.

“It’s different. It’s definitely different.” He gestured toward the bottle of champagne, “where I was going to school before, kids didn’t really do that. I’m supposed to go to that party? It sounds to me like it’s about to be like nothin’ I’ve done before.” Owen explained, shaking his head. When he was living in a party town, he’d been too young to really get crazy. But the tiny town he’d grown up in on the east coast? People were quiet, and they definitely didn’t throw parties his mother described as ‘legendary.’ “Day was alright though. I told you, dude. I’m not looking for any trouble, head down. School, home. I don’t wanna my dad complain again.” As Owen talked, he took a seat on the stool in the corner, a spot where he could both keep Jamie in his peripheral for their conversation, and keep an eye on Trixie as well. Watching her stretch, Owen couldn’t help but let out a sigh.

He could feel himself folding as she lifted her leg onto the top rope.

“Yeah, yeah, very serious, I remember. Trix, he was made for you,” he shouted. “And you do have to come to the party, because yeah, knowing Ethan, you’re probably right. Plus, it’s a very serious insult to turn down an invitation on your first day. I’m sorry, I don’t make the rules,” he said, only half joking.

“What?” Trixie turned her attention back to the boys. “Yeah right, no one was made for me.” The small latina scoffed, still fighting her attraction toward the transfer student. Finishing her stretches, she approached the rope closest to the others and watched as Dash sprinted back with gear and water in hand.

Having taken off the label, just as Trixie told him, Dash yelled out, “Jamie I got VODKA!” Trixie knew Jamie wouldn’t drink it if it was clearly water so Trixie told the boy to make it look believable. Dash didn’t know how to do that so he grabbed a marker and wrote VODKA big on it. “I got it out of that room riiiight there.” He pointed to a room that appeared to have a little kitchenette in it. “It’s strongggggggg stuff. It’ll hit the spot, trust me.” Dash did his best at lying, he wasn’t very good at it, giving the other boy the bottle that was clearly water and then bounced to his newly achieved best friend. “I got the gloves and headpiece, boss.”

Owen took the offered gloves and headpiece away and handed the headpiece and a pair of the gloves over to Trixie. “Okay, Dash. You wanna watch me and Trixie spar? Sit down.” Owen paused, thinking about it before he quickly added. “Still. Sit still.” He clarified before he glanced over his shoulder at Jamie and nodded. “Don’t worry. I’m gonna go, but you can’t get fuckin’ upset when I follow you around because I don’t know nobody.” He cracked his neck, rolling his head from side to side as he looked back at Trixie.

He pulled the gloves down onto his hands and pulled the velcro straps tight, “you think I’d complain if I was made for you?” Owen asked, pulling his shirt off as he did so and tossing it over his shoulder to the gym floor below. “Jamie can ring the bell.”

“Dash this is, quite obviously, water,” Jamie shouted, though he still unscrewed the cap and took a gulp. He stood and walked over to the bell, footsteps far from straight. “You do that now?” Before he got a response, he gingerly pulled a lever, and sent a loud clang ringing through the gym. “Gooooo, or whatever they say. Fight? I don’t know,” he waved his questions away and leaned up against one of the bench presses, watching the ring.

Fuck, does he plan to get wasted the whole weekend?

Trixie worriedly thought to herself but was immediately pulled away from her mind and Jamie when she was brought face to face with Owen’s… bare chest. His abs. His firm… snap out of it girl! Trixie avoided eye contact when she realized how distracting this boy without a shirt was. He needed to focus and show him that she could fight. That she wasn’t a beginner. She walked toward him, burying the butterflies, to grab her gloves from him and put them on. “So you like what you see?” She commented on his flirtatious quip.

“I won’t move! I promise. I can be completely still. So still you won’t even know I’m here!” Dash yelled, going exactly where Owen told him to go to watch a fight ensue. He failed one mission. Jamie knew he was given water. He wouldn’t fail this one! He was a statue. One with the floor. There was nothing distracting… there was him and the fight. The fight and him. Focus. Concentration. Locked in. He was ready. Born ready. This fight would be dope. So dope. The dopest. His squirrel brain went from Owen to Trixie, Trixie to Owen, before he looked at Jamie and saw the bell. Heard the bell. THE BELL IS SO COOL! Could he ring the bell?!

Owen gave a side eyed glance to Dash as he rambled about… whatever. It was hard for Owen to hear, or even see anything in the room other than Trixie. Had he ever seen a woman this attractive in person before? He definitely didn’t have any memory of it if he had. Trixie was… hot. He took the headpiece from her and carefully situated it on her head as he explained, “it’s pretty simple. If you can take me down, we roll around and I’ll put you in a few basic holds.” He secured the clasp under her chin, “if you can get out of at least one of them, and make me tap out… then you’re good to go. Otherwise?” And he couldn’t stop the devilish smirk that curled across his lips as he challenged her with a teasing tone to his follow up taunt.

“You’ll just have to accept you’re a beginner.” He winked and took a step back as he finished putting the headpiece onto her.

His wink was rewarded with a faux glare. As much as she wanted to be mad at the prospect of her being put in a beginner’s class, his words were smooth as silk and made her melt. She never felt like this before. Everything this boy said and did caused her to ache and it was extremely hard to concentrate. Trixie was completely and utterly out of her element. She wanted him. She wanted him bad. Shut up! Show him you can fight. She scolded herself internally. As she backed away, putting distance between them, she rolled her eyes, “Ya lo veremos.”

”Ven a descubrirlo.”

… okay. Yeah. That was unexpected and forced her brain to picture those shorts off, him running his fingers through her hair, and them… STOP! They were about to fight. Those gorgeous blue eyes were not going to bring her down to her knees. If she could fight her brothers, she could fight this boy. Taking a deep breath in, she scanned him, trying to think of anything else that wasn’t his body. The way he was looking at her, practically undressing her, making her feel… so very vulnerable… was not helping. Breathing out, she met his gaze once more and ran toward him, quickly raining blow after blow and seeing how he reacted to each hit. A hook, an uppercut, another hook… she was searching for an angle to bring him to the floor but being this close to him and catching a whiff of how sweaty he was, which she found… really hot, Trixie realized she was folding. Quick. He smelled so… fucking manly. It was fucking up her game.

Owen weaved backwards and put up his hands to block and dodge most of her attacks. Trixie had either underestimated Owen or overestimated herself, and there was a smirk on his face as he held her hand after her last punch. “You almost had me on the last one… Geeze, just a little faster next time, okay?” Owen was having fun, messing with her and smiling all the while. He stepped forward and went onto the offense himself, taking her hand he held from catching her punch and rolling her over his shoulder.

They crashed to the ground together and Owen rolled her into a rear headlock. “You have a look in your eye that I don’t like, so I’m just gonna remind you: Biting’s against the rules, missy.”

What was that supposed to mean?! And missy???? Trixie could not believe what she was hearing! Was she that easy to read? God, now she was to her side, with him wrapped around her, and their size difference meant she’d have a hard time escaping. No matter, she was a fighter. Even if she could feel him, pressed against her ass, she was going to FIGHT. Trying her best to not be flat, staying on her side, she squirmed hoping she could free one of her legs to use in a kickstance, to reverse the hold. She could already tell he wasn’t using all his power on her and yet it was still extremely hard to escape.

Intentionally, she pressed herself against him, to make him aware of his position and the fact that she could feel him. He began adjusting himself and that’s when she decided to escape his heavy side control and give herself power in this fight. Driving her elbow to his ribcage, which opened her window even more, she turned herself, escaping his headlock so their angle was more facing one another. She was lucky he loosened her grip (intentional or not, she was free). Making a bridge quick, she shrimped her leg and shot it around him; her legs were now wrapped around his waist, as she gable gripped his arm that she had freed herself from. “I like to take things slow,” she purred into his ear.

Owen had never been in a situation like this before. He’d never been this… frustrated when he was in the ring before, but he supposed he’d never had to wrestle the walking, talking girl of his dreams. It was hard not to have the reaction he was having, and his cheeks flared up in a blush as she spoke to him. Why did Dash and Jamie have to be here? Why did he want to kiss her so bad? Trixe was able to maneuver him however she wanted, but then in that moment Owen probably would have barked if she asked him to.

He chose not to immediately respond to her whispering in her ear, figuring whatever he said without thinking would be dripping with so much thirst that Dash would never respect him again. He let her hang onto his arm as he thought about what to say, “I kind of like to take it fast.” Owen had seen enough. She rolled around and knew a couple of holds well enough that he knew she could cut it in the intermediate class.

Which meant their sparring session could be over. Owen reached up with a hand to Trixie’s cheek, and gently tapped her. “I give up. Dash, ring the bell.” He looked at Trixie, “do you wanna go check out the upstairs bedroom? There’s… some paperwork you need to fill out.”

He lifted her up with so much ease. Letting go of him, she proceeded to take off her gear and helmet, trying her best to hide her burning red face. She had teased him just as much as he teased her and now he likely thought she was experienced. The fire in her eyes turned into nervousness. Tightening her legs together, her confidence shifting to bashfulness, Trixie whispered, “I never… I…” She was a virgin and she didn’t know how to express that without making herself look like a fool. Focusing on her rapid breathing, she slowly explained, “You’ll need to show me… what to fill out.” And bit her bottom lip.

He was a little surprised to find out that she was a virgin, but it wasn’t like that made him think less of her. Owen just nodded and gave her what he hoped was a calming and even reassuring smile. “Yeah of course. I’m a good teacher, and I can be gentle.” Owen promised in a quiet voice. He was trying to make their private conversation as private as possible, in spite of the other two in the room.

With desire and need in her anxious gaze, Trixie breathed, unable to hold back what he was doing to her, “I want to. With you.”

The bell rang.

“That was so sick, bossman. You two were like, really good. Some of the moves I didn’t even understand!” Dash complimented, still replaying the match in his head. Trixie did her best but Owen, his best friend? He was so strong! Dash couldn’t wait to be just like him. Muscles and all. “Is it okay if I play some music on the speakers? I think me and my boy needs to get some energy out,” Dash gestured to the zoned out Jamie, immediately catching the vibe that he needed a distraction. “And Dash knows how to busta’ move.” The energetic gremlin crouched down and did a weird wobble and wave. Trixie giggled at that, nerves easing thanks to both Owen and Dash. Quickly, she placed the gear on the ring floor, eager and ready to be taken upstairs. When she returned to a standing position, she instinctively grabbed onto Owen’s hand.

Owen let his fingers interlace with Trixie’s and he gave her hand a squeeze. Tugging her in his direction, he walked toward the stairs to get down from the ring. Owen could have used his words, but he hoped Trixie would get the message - his words were too busy telling Dash what the fuck was up this time. “Dash, bro, you can do whatever you want as long as it doesn’t interrupt me and Trixie working on our paperwork. Okay?”

“HELL YEAH! I mean helllll yeah. We won’t bother you, and you can trust us. There won’t be any trouble. Just a dance party, right Jamie?” Dash turned to the melancholy boy and nudged him out of his stupor.

This had all started out as a much better idea. The champagne and the forcible matchmaking, that is. Yet, as Jamie watched Trixie and Owen weave themselves around each other, the thoughts he’d been doing such a good job of drowning suddenly broke free and came up for air. Visions of himself and AJ, in the backseat of his car, or pressed up against the walls of the garage. AJ’s lips on his, or pressed against his neck, or trailing down his chest, or…The breath he was holding slipped out, a low hiss, as the memories pierced him. They felt all too real, yet just out of reach. What had he done to fuck that up? What had he done to earn the pain in his chest, and how the hell could he make it stop?

One hand clenched around the neck of the champagne bottle, the other beating out an unsteady rhythm against his leg, Jamie stirred at the sound of his name. His eyes, which only moments ago had been staring through Owen and Trixie as if they were ghosts, refocused, at least partially. His mind felt torn between his memories, the only place he could reliably find the version of AJ he’d fallen into so helplessly, and the here and now. He forced a smile. “Yeah, yeah, we will be fine. Go ‘fill out paperwork,’” Jamie said, spinning on his heel and taking another gulp of champagne. “Show me your playlist Dash, let’s see how much of it holds up.”

The almost lovers disappeared, leaving Jamie with the special-kind-of-special Dash Day. “Okay I have three modes. But I think the mode you need is my mom’s playlist.” Connecting his phone to the Bluetooth speaker, Dash explained, far more in tune to what the editor-in-chief was going through than he’d probably like, “When my mom found out my dad was cheating on her, this really helped her relax and vibe. There’s something about Cher that really makes you want to belt and completely lose yourself in the moment. That and just 90s-80s vibes in general.”

“I’m not your mom, and I do not need to go on a heartfelt, musical journey to rediscover myself, if that is what you’re implying,” Jamie said, as he slowly walked over to Dash and his phone, leaning over the shorter boy’s shoulder so he could watch as he scrolled. “I do like Cher though.”

His first playlist had songs like Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield and The Man by Taylor Swift. His second playlist, which was the one he was going to, had music from These Dreams by Heart and Heaven is A Place on Earth by Belinda Carlisle. The last playlist, however, was unlike the other two. It was rap focused and masculine, with many songs from his dad Damon Day, and songs his dad suggested every week, like the set from the Drake-Kendrick Lamar Feud. Dash scrolled down his mom’s playlist and chose a classic. “Do you always not have chill?” Dash tossed his tank of a phone, with an otter box, on one of the mats and turned on his heel, shimmying, to face a kid he surprisingly rarely interacted with in their four years. “Okay, Jamie. Show me how much a Callaghan can let loose. I’ve seen your sister belt, can you?” The Limit Breaker backed up, placing his hands on his heart, and swayed to Cher’s voice.

“My entire thing is a distinct lack of chill,” Jamie said, gently swaying to the music, despite his armor of cold, nonchalance. He rolled his eyes. First JJ, now Dash. Was he truly such a hot mess that he was becoming a magnet to the misfits of BHHS? He exhaled quickly, laughing to himself, because if he didn’t he might cry, and he’d really had enough of that for today. “I got dumped less than twenty four hours ago, I am truly not in the mood for karaoke.” He began to pace, hands animating his speech. “Do I look like someone who gets dumped? Apparently I do.” He sighed. “Love is just a chemical reaction, Dash, remember that.”

“Aw come on man, that’s the best time to karaoke. I wouldn’t know because I’ve never, but it looked soooo cathartic for my mom.” Dash hopped and hopped and hopped close to Jamie like a bunny on crack then playfully bumped the other boy’s hip. He began singing. Poorly. Dash was no singer like his dad. He could rap though! But that's besides the point. Where was he? Oh yes, the song was at mid chorus.

♬ There’s no more to say.
So save your breath and
Walk away
No matter what I hear you say
I'm strong enough
To know
You gotta go ♬

“Oh! To answer your question, IDK MAN! I think you’re cool. You deserve a happy ending…” His voice trailed off when he heard a thump from upstairs, laughter and…

“Jesus they did not waste time, did they? I don’t know why the Candies act like this matchmaking thing is so hard.”

BHHS: Limitless

_{TIMESTAMP: Early today, Lunch Period}

____________________________________________________________________


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_{@Aces Away @Grimoire Gaming @LovelyComplex @Hey Im Jordan @smarty0114 @Melissa}

Holding her Minnie Mouse lunch box, her mother not liking her eating the cafeteria food, Philomena Ramsey’s soft eyes rested on the Candy table, seeing her friends talk and chatter. Cael caught her looking, widely smiled and waved at her to come hither. Without saying anything, the two best friends had a silent conversation through facial expressions (sassy brows, playful eyes, and smirks). The manic pixie dream boy raised an eyebrow when Minnie gestured to the area of attack. When he leaned in to whisper something into Ramón’s ear, Minnie used that moment to gather herself. She wasn’t going to overthink. If she did, she would mess this up completely and Minnie wasn’t going to royally fail at her dare. That was not how she and Cael did their dares! It was go all in or don’t even bother.

_{“Oh shit, I totally forgot to tell you. I dared Minty to ask someone to the dance this morning. Look!”} Cael hissed a quick whisper into Mo’s ear. The temporarily red-headed pixie watched with rapt attention from the lunch table that sat both Candyland and a large part of the senior grade thespians.

_{”You what?”} The Candy King asked in amazement, just as quietly before his eyes too locked onto their friend. This was not something that he could miss even a moment of.

She had already freshened up in the bathroom, reapplying her lip gloss and misting her juicy and electric raspberry punch and coconut sugar perfume. This was her chance to ask someone on a date. The only scary thing about this was what if the person she asked refused her? She’d be the laughing stock of the school but that’s fine. This was to be expected. Who would want to date her, anyways? Minnie spent practically all morning social stalking multiple people before coming to her decision. After thorough research and perhaps watching a specific person in math class since she sat behind him, she decided who the perfect person to ask out was that she realized she was attracted to. She hadn’t realized her attraction until Cael forced her hand and she had to think who was a good match for her.

Now it was time.

Lunch was here and she knew exactly where to find him. Subtly, she breathed out into her hand to check her breath. It smelt minty fresh. This was good. First impressions would be in her favor and if things went how she imagined, he would know who she was. They both were popular but he was like, really popular in comparison to her. Still, she’d like to think they were sort of in the same orbit, maybe. Oh goodness! She was overthinking already. After shaking her head, getting all the doubt and negativity out, Minnie patted her cheeks with her free hand. Finally, she mustered the courage to saunter onward, passing many tables until getting to her destination.

Cloud Olympia.

Her target was sitting in between his sisters and when they all acknowledged her by a simple glance, she was too nervous to read into their faces, her surroundings blurred out, like black noise. This was nerve-wracking. Minnie bowed and anxiously whispered, _{“Her-Hercules, would you like to…”}

Seriously, Min? You can do better than that.

Her sister’s voice appeared in her head when she needed encouragement the most. Minnie picked up her head, like the Brave Little Toaster that she was, and locked eyes with the boy. Shooting her shot, not even knowing how she felt about him, only knowing that she found him cute and she hoped he found her cute too, she shouted, “WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO TO THE DANCE WITH ME?!” Her loud, cheerleading voice resounded in the cafeteria. When her cheeks were kissed pink, Minnie lifted her lunch box up, covering her blushing face, completely and utterly embarrassed. She didn’t mean to yell that. Why was she so loud? “Hercules, I mean. Although you two are pretty too.” She clarified, her cute, little voice muffled against her lunch box.

Cael was midway to popping a grape in his mouth before Philomena enthusiastically declared her invitation for all of the cafe to hear. _{“Oh my god!”} The pixie prince stifled the oncoming giggles of secondhand embarrassment into Ramón’s shoulder. The last thing he would want was for Minnie to see him laughing at her and get thrown off her game. <sub>“Oh my god, she did not.”

"Oh, but she did,”</sub> Ramón replied, equal parts mortified and mystified by Minty’s actions. He’d dropped his frenchfry directly into his ketchup in shock when her voice had boomed across the cafeteria. With an aggrieved sigh, Mo patted his prince’s head before turning his attention back to Minnie, food entirely forgotten in favor of the scene.

There was something in the air that morning.

Hercules Helmsley had realized it when he opened his eyes for the first time, and the sun peeked just right into his bedroom. There was something in the energy he felt even hours ago that told him something interesting was going to happen today. Something exciting! After leaving his tower bedroom that morning, Hercules had gone to find his mother to discuss the vibe of the day. That discussion ended quickly when Parker had insisted they continue the good energy of the day the only way she could think how: with chocolate chip pancakes shaped like Mickey Mouse.

A breakfast that filling had tided him over until lunchtime rolled around, but now Hercules Helmsley was in the process of shoveling the lunch he and his mother had put back together. A few leftover pancakes, some peanut butter, apple slices, and… a Capri Sun (Tropical Tide). It was hanging from his mouth by the straw as he slurped away at it and rapidly scribbled down notes in the digital notebook sitting before him. Enemies-to-lovers is so cliché… you’re better than that, Herc! He slashed a line through one of the notes.

He hardly registered the girl at first, her voice was so quiet. When she screamed her question, he visibly jolted, and flicked his head upward — causing the Capri Sun to start sliding off of the straw he held between his teeth. He quickly snatched the pouch and caught it before it fell down and made a mess. As she spoke and complimented his sisters, he sucked at the juice.

Hercules thought about what she’d said for a few seconds. He knew she’d asked him to the dance, but that wasn’t what he was interested in. Something… else was on his mind. There was something about the way she’d phrased the compliment to his fellow Olympians. He sat the Capri Sun down on the table and tilted his head as he looked up at the pretty girl who’d asked him out to the dance. Hercules held his hand up, pointing with a single finger toward his face. “You think I’m pretty?” He asked, almost incredulously. He blushed. He looked away. He smiled. He looked back. He smiled wider.

“Of course! I’ll go to the dance with you. Duh.”

Calliope Jane looked up from her phone, grinning. This was much more entertaining than her game of Subway Surfers. Her eyes danced between her brother and Minnie like she was watching a deeply riveting game of tennis, rather than two teenagers stumble into a date. “You should come get ready at our place. Mom will show you all of Herc’s baby pictures, and then you’ll know if you really wanna commit,” Calli said, leaning forward and resting her chin upon her closed fist. It was a shockingly genuine gesture, in a school full of falsehoods and cruel tricks. Truthfully, Calli just enjoyed an opportunity to embarrass her brother.

The third Helmsley triplet was also enjoying this spectacle, watching intently as the small girl that stood at the foot of their table fidgeted nervously, her question hanging in the open air. Athena took in her body language, trying to hide the smile that graced her lips as Minnie hid behind her lunchbox. The girl was shy, it was obvious, and it had taken a lot of gusto to approach her brother - as if using Minnie Mouse as a shield would help. She swatted Calli playfully, before piping up with a delicate laugh, “You can sit down if you want, we don’t bite.”

Everything was happening so quickly. From Hercules saying yes, more open than expected, to his sisters being inviting and friendly, Minnie found her head spinning. She never thought asking someone from the richest families at her school out would go this smooth. The Chairman, her grandpa, had told her many tales of what people do to stay in power. He said as long as there was a free flow of information, wealth could easily be challenged. Information is what undermines political legitimacy. Unfortunately, this fell on a simple mind because Minnie was not like her cousin, Reagan, who was built for business and likely would inherit everything one day. She wasn’t like her other cousin, Mei, who could use martial arts to get her point across. She wasn’t like her sister, who oddly enough shared the same name as Hercules’ sister, Calliope, who had so much grit and gumption to become a worldwide k-pop idol. She was just Minnie and she loved to dance.

While Minnie was mostly Chinese, her mother did have Korean in her. It made sense why Callie chose the career that she did. Sometimes when she’s in the area, Minnie is offered opportunities to dance on stage with her, which is always a fun time because she could make art with her sissy. Her auntie and uncle, Reagan and Mei’s parents, chose more pragmatic pursuits. Auntie Shannon was a psychologist and uncle Will owned his own MMA gym. Her parents, on the other hand, chose to go down more unique paths. Art and culture was important to who they were as people and that’s why if you ever entered a wealthy Chinese home, you would find traditional Chinese art throughout it. That was a sign of prestige. Her late grandma, the Empress as her sister would call her, saw art as the highest human performance and her daddy took that personally. Unconventionally Samual Ramsey chose to start a funeral home business, taking pride in fixing and repairing the deceased, making them anew, as if they only went to sleep. Her mother nowadays focused on being an art dealer, but prior to that, she did work in conservation and handling at the local museum. Both her parents had meticulous eyes and firm hands, the main thing that separated them was her father was a man of humor, even if it leaned on the dark side, and her mother loved to apply pressure because all she wanted was to see her daughters succeed. Minnie had more family of course but her immediate side and Uncle Will’s family would be the ones that she was the closest with.

As you can see, her family was well off but they weren’t Green, Helmsley or Lyon well off. In the halls of Beverly Hills High, Minnie had always felt a little intimidated by these families. They were legacies and they were filthy rich. They could ruin her family if they really wanted to. Anxiously swallowing as she became the new pretty showcase for the privileged, Minnie brought her lunch box down and giggled out loud, letting her intrusive thoughts take over, “Oh that’s fine! I’m a biter.”

Oh. My. God.

Did she just say that outloud? Where was her best friend when she needed him?!

“I mean, I don’t either!” Minnie tried to quickly fix her error by redirecting the conversation back to the dance. Sitting across from them, she playfully smiled like Wendy, John, and Michael did when they first got to Neverland and they were amazed at the fantasy that laid before them. With no hesitation anymore since the ice had been broken, she began, “If I’m going to get ready at your place, I’ll need your number so you can text me the address. I don’t have my license yet so I’ll have to ask daddy to take me.” Minnie explained, leaving her Disney lunch box on the table so she could pull out her phone from her jacket. Once the face recognition unlocked her phone, which was decorated with a Marie from the Aristocats case and a Disney donut charm, she slid it across the table to Hercules so he could put his number in it. “Since this is super last minute, I’ll need to improvise but I was thinking we’d wear your favorite color? Do you have one?” Big doe eyes observed Hercules innocently. Minnie tried her best to stay as calm as possible to show him that she was confident, she was fun, and she was flirty. In normal cases, she wouldn’t be afraid to socialize. This wasn’t a normal case though. She was talking to GODS basically.

As she patiently waited for his response, Minnie gasped at the sudden realization of forgetting her manners. Glancing at one sister to the other, Minnie bursted out, “Oh!” Her expression animated in shock. Easing her face into a genuine, playful smile, she emphasized her gratitude with heartfelt words, “Thanks for letting me sit here, I didn’t mean to intrude. I just kind of… took a little gamble and hoped for the best. I never asked someone out before like this… but Hercules!” Her attention was that of a squirrel and back on the boy she found handsome. “I’ve seen you hanging around my friend, he makes clothes for you. And I couldn’t help but think you’re nice to look at and I’m going to be honest, if it wasn’t for my bestie daring me to find a date, I would’ve definitely gone dateless but now I’m not and here we are!”

Hercules liked this girl. She talked a lot, but that was okay because he liked her voice - maybe if she was further on the screechy side of things rather than the squishy side of things, he wouldn’t like it as much… but her voice was cute. Hercules didn’t say it, but he couldn’t help but think about how her voice was basically like an anime character’s. A Disney princess! It was sugary sweet, and it was cute.

Minnie talked fast, but she was nothing compared to their mother. Other people might have reacted more negatively to her energy, but BHHS’s demi-gods had been raised by a woman who never fully outgrew her manic pixie dream girl phase. The best way to have a conversation with someone who talked this fast was to just let them work it out. Eventually, the stream of thoughts would come to an end…

“You can bite me if you want! Just not too hard, okay? Blood scares me.” Hercules beamed across the way at the girl who had just made her way across the battlefield of the BHHS lunch room to ask him out on a date - anxiety damned. Was there a single other person in the school who was this dedicated to the pursuit of love in their entire school? No way! Hercules would know if there were. He picked up her phone, having been careful to make sure she knew she had his full attention while rambling. “Thank you! You’re nice to look at too. No one’s ever called me pretty before.” It became apparent that Herc was going to be riding that high for a while yet.

“You wouldn’t have gone dateless. You’re too cute, you’re like…” For a brief moment, Hercules considered saying ‘cuter than Hello Kitty,’ but he ultimately decided it was better to hide his power level for now. “...so cute.” He held up her phone in the sky and looked up at the front facing camera with a sly half-smile to snap a quick picture for his contact photo, before he continued to talk. “You should sit on this side of the table. It looks like we’re the Godfather, and you’re here to ask us a favor. I already said yes, silly! You can sit next to me.” He gestured to his right, between himself and Athena.

“Not on Calli’s side. Sometimes I shoulder surf her YouTube videos.”

As if on cue, Athena slid over, creating a space between her and her brother. She couldn’t help but grin at this wholesome interaction- well, if you could consider biting wholesome - it felt subtly reminiscent of her own parents’ dynamic.

Was this love? Hopefully. Hercules was so single it was almost painful to watch.

The blonde patted the open seat and motioned for Minnie to join, moving some things around on the table to make room for the girl’s lunchbox. She stacked her papers she had been reading and slipped them back into her backpack. “Minnie Mouse for Minnie, that’s cute.” She stated, minding her tone to ensure it came off as genuine. Oftentimes, she found herself mimicking Celeste unintentionally, as they spent way too much time together. “You know, Hercules is named after a Disney character. Not the Greek myth, like most people think.” She smirked, using this opportunity to embarrass her brother playfully. “Ask him what his middle name is.”

“We’re all named after Disney characters, his is just the only one with a movie,” Calli said, shrugging, and taking a bite from an apple she produced from a blue, canvas lunch box.. “It’s kind of our whole thing,” she said, through a mouthful of Granny Smith. “Well, that, and being super hot.” Calli had never had a problem hyping herself up. In fact, she probably did it a little too often.

“Super hot.”

There was a lot to process and Minnie was severely delayed in any reaction; from Hercules allowing her to bite him, softly, to him calling her cute, so cute, and the fact that he was looking at her when he said super hot. Minnie’s heart felt like it would beat right out of her chest. Even if she wanted to divert her gaze and focus on her lunch box, she couldn’t turn away from him. He was genuine, honest and… incredibly nice to look at. The pink on her cheeks suddenly reddened like a rose at full bloom. He wanted her to sit next to him too. He wanted her close.

Speechless, Minnie found herself unable to respond right away. Hercules might not think she would have gone alone to homecoming but no one ever asked her out. The only experience she had was with her best friend and that was a mutual agreement with both parties. She didn’t know why she was never approached. Jade, Hana, and Amy all got approached. What made her different? Or maybe they were never approached, like her, because they were beautiful and sometimes it was hard to approach beauty? Maybe they did the approaching, just like she did? She shouldn’t assume, she knew better, but she couldn’t help but wonder. Why hadn’t anyone asked her out? Was it because she overwhelmed them with talk of her parents and the obstacles to come? Did she scare them by bringing up how serious of a lover she would be and if they dated it wouldn’t be a casual fuck buddy situationship? Was she actually intimidating? There were so many unanswered questions in her mind. She knew one thing for certain though and that was she was nothing like her sister. Minnie wanted to date for love, a romantic match, in hopes it would one day lead to a happy marriage. Minnie wanted romance. Minnie wanted love.

All of that didn’t matter right now. What mattered now was Hercules and his sisters seemed to like her, really like her. “Okey dokey… I’ll sit closer,” The bashful Candy whispered, getting up and grabbing her lunch box. If she wasn’t so nervous she’d skip to him but right now she was extremely self aware of their stares. They were watching her and she didn’t know what they were thinking. Finding her way to the other side of the table, standing between Athena and Hercules but having not sat down yet, Minnie announced, “Sitting now. Right there.” A cute, anxious giggle escaped her lips. “Here I goooooo.”

Joining the bench and nestling herself in the bench spot between them, Minnie placed her lunch box on the table, avoiding eye contact with the Olympians. “So… what’s your middle name, Herc?” She unzipped the Minnie box and licked her bottom lip, catching a whiff of Herc’s natural scent. “And I know the feeling. I wished my name came from Disney. Mine and my sister’s came from Greek roots. Still cool but Disney is cooler.” When her lunch box was opened it revealed a Hello Kitty bento box. While bentos were traditionally Japanese, other eastern countries used them too. In Minnie’s case however, she and her sister learned how to make it look authentically Japanese like the anime they watched together. Focusing intensely on the object before her, so the wired butterflies that flew around in her tummy like they were at a rave could calm down, Minnie opened her bento box and swallowed intensely.

Why couldn’t she turn to look at him? Sitting next to him only made things worse. Now she was even more distracted and whelmed. Feelings aside, Minnie knew not looking others in the eye was rude but she couldn’t help it. This boy made her feel things. She barely understood these things. But still! He made her feel things. Even just sitting next to him and touching him a little with her arm clouded her senses, where she was only thinking about one thing and that was him. She needed to act normal. Be normal. Live normal. The normalist Minnie there ever was. She could do that, right?

“I…” she began. Her deep, brown eyes glinted with bravery and admiration. “like Disney, and cute things,” she continued, as if it weren’t already obvious by her items and how she carried herself (like a Disney princess). The risk of looking at him only meant she could see him clearly and he could see that she didn’t know how to act, especially not around him. Internally, she was being her own hype woman knowing these were seas she never set sail on. A situation she never experienced. Internally she believed she could handle this and not act like a fool for love. Internally she was doomed. Her eager eyes fixated on him and displayed her blossoming infatuation. What an intense feeling it was to realize love could be for you too. This was becoming less of a dare, and a random gamble, and more of a tangible possibility for her to hold and grasp. If she really wanted to, in this instant, she could reach for him and touch him. If she really wanted to, they could do what lovers do. If she really wanted to, she wouldn’t be frozen in place and nervous. Did this mean she didn’t want to or was there something more to what she was feeling? It wasn’t like they were boyfriend and girlfriend. It wasn’t like he liked her that much. It was too early for those kinds of feelings. Minnie knew better.

“I like Disney and cute things too! John is my middle name. You know, like John Darling? From Peter Pan,” Hercules explained as he watched the girl. She was cute (possibly cuter than cute, but Hercules didn’t allow himself to throw words like ‘adorable’ in such a wanton way)... and she was almost ignoring him. Was he hard to look at? Maybe his expression was too harsh? Herc found himself briefly trying to soften his expression before deciding he probably looked like an idiot doing so. “You’re pretty nervous, huh? Have you ever had a boyfriend before? That’s okay. I’m a good teacher, watch.” Hercules said, before flashing her a smile — only to follow it up with the briefest of apologetic looks at both of his sisters.

He just knew they were going to cringe.

“Here, first you can do this.” He took one of her hands and guided it toward his knee, letting her palm rest there. “Then I do this…” He reached out and took the chopsticks that rested on her, watching as she followed his hands with her eyes. “Hey,” he tutted. “Eyes on me.” Hercules said, taking his free hand to gently grab her chin and turn her eyes back where they belonged: on him.

The chopsticks moved down to the bento box, and Hercules carefully picked up one of the pieces of katsu as he commented. “Is that Cinnamoroll made of rice? That’s adorable.” Cinnamoroll deserved adorable, he thought. He brought the food up to her lips, reuniting their gaze. “Go like this. Ahhhhh,” Hercules felt like a dentist as he mimed opening his mouth, but once Minnie did it, Hercules fed her the bite of food he’d picked up.

“There. Now the whole lunchroom knows.”

_{“Looklooklook!} Cael chattered excitedly, his feet bouncing under the table, as if his Candy companion’s eyes weren’t equally as locked on the scene unfolding. _{“He just fed her oh my god that's so cuuute.”} He gushed.

_{”Stix, please,”} The smaller boy sighed, ever the wrangler of the pixies but never actually upset about it, dropping a hand to the other’s knee to still it when he saw it bouncing a mile a minute in his periphery. <sub>”Observe but don’t draw attention, what if we break whatever spell has come over that table?”

“Sorry!”</sub> Mo was right, Cael could absolutely not mess this up for them. He focused on stilling his body and instead snatched up a fork. Cael gripped the utensil until his knuckles turned white, eagerly anticipating what storybook romance trope would come next.

Hercules kept surprising her. She couldn’t even process his middle name because now she was chewing her katsu and gawking at him, stunlocked. If she were an anime girl, sadly she wasn’t, this would be one of those moments where she would yell in surprise. Shock. Pure embarrassment! Minnie however was left speechless, which was a feat in itself. First he sniped her when he asked if she ever had a boyfriend before. Was she that obvious?! Then he gently grabbed her hand and rested it on his thigh, giving her permission to breach his space. His initiative wasn’t something she expected. She was naturally an intimate person, especially with her friends, but to have a boy direct her and show her where his boundaries were without her having to ask was… different. It was nice to not get in trouble for hugging someone you weren’t supposed to. This wasn’t a friendship hug, though. This was THIGH touching. This is what lovers did! This led to naughty things! On top of that, the last thing that caused her to get lost in his tender eyes was the fact that he fed her with her chopsticks. He. Fed. Her. Like a princess! Not only was he good at using chopsticks but he was impossible to look away from. And he was a gentleman. A prince!

Keeping one hand on his leg, Minnie brought the other one over her mouth, to cover it as she chewed and spoke, trying to get out of this state of astonishment and function like a normal teenage girl, “The lunchroom knows what? That you’re a good teacher?” She wasn’t the best at context clues. Minnie was a pretty color in the crayon box but she definitely wasn’t the brightest color. She just saw him as a bold date and dance partner. Clearly, her thoughts were delayed on the obvious. She swallowed her food. “You’re okay with me touching you?” The hand on his leg fidgeted. Part of her wanted to pull back and the other part didn’t want to let go of him. “I’m sorry but I think I should save this stuff for m-my boyfriend. I don’t want to lead you on… and to answer your question, I never dated before. That doesn’t mean I’m inexperienced. That isn’t table talk though… I just think I should do this with someone I’m dating and right now I have no one.” Decidedly, she did end up pulling her hand back, clearly misunderstanding his motives completely. “Maybe if you teach me, someone will like me!”

Athena tried her best to control the bile that rose up in the back of her throat as she watched her brother make “moves” on Minnie. She didn’t want to watch this, she’d rather be anywhere else on the planet than be subjected to this torment. The blonde slowly leaned backwards, not making any sudden movements, and threw one of the blueberries that she had been eating at Calli’s face on the other end of the table. As soon as she had her attention, the brains of the trio gave her a look that screamed discomfort.

Calli cringed back at her sister, and mouthed a silent, “What the fuck?” She had grown accustomed to her brother’s quirks, but they would still never cease to amaze her. Now there was another version of him, with more boobs and possibly less awareness. Shaking her head, she popped back into her place as though she’d hadn’t moved a muscle, raising an eyebrow at Minnie. “Babes, I hate to be the first to break this to ya, but I think he likes you,” she said in her best stage whisper.

“Wait really?” Minnie muttered in disbelief. In her little mind, she had already created a narrative that the only person that would ever like her was her best friend. With how strict her mother could be and how aloof her father could be, she didn’t really consider her own love story. Certainly not before thirty. Her parents told her she couldn’t date until she got married. Maybe she took that too literally and needed to revisit that conversation. “Really funny, guys.” Minnie brought her attention back to her lunch and found herself losing her appetite real quick. Her nerves shifted to insecurity right before the triplet’s eyes. “You don’t have to pretend, I’m just happy I have a date for tomorrow.” She wondered if she was overstaying her welcome at the table. She didn’t want to burden them anymore than she already had. Part of her wanted to leave and go back to her Candy friends. The other part of her was lost and confused with all this information swirling around her head, unable to translate it. If this was a joke, she didn’t think it was funny. She closed her bento box, preparing to make her exit and run away from the situation.

Cael noticed the exact moment that Philomena’s demeanor changed. One moment, she had her hand on Hercules’ thigh under the table and the next it looked like she was folding in on herself and ready to bolt. What Cael would give to be able to hear what was being said, but he couldn’t. All that he knew was that his friend could get hurt if he didn’t do something right this very moment. The Prince of Candyland dropped the fork he nearly mangled with his grip and pushed his chair back to make room to stand up to go be her knight in pastel armor.

_“No,” the Candy King hissed quickly to his fellow pixie, hand dashing out to encircle his wrist while also hooking his foot behind Cael’s chair leg to pull the other back against the table. He’d been watching just as intently as Cael, but he was reading the three Helmsleys much more than he was reading their dear Minty. Keeping the other boy’s hand in his grip, he intertwined their fingers and patted the back of the pastel boy’s hand. He knew the boy could have a bruising grip when anxious, but it was the best way to keep him tied down at the moment. _{“No no. We are not doing that. You dared her, not your place to interfere now. Watch.”}

Mismatched eyes glared back at the Candy King. A wave of emotions crashed over Cael’s expression — shock, betrayal, anger. His brows stitched together as his whole body bristled against Mo’s commanding grip, despite the fluttering it stirred in his stomach. _{“If they hurt her, I’ll kill you for this.”} He didn’t mean it, of course, but it looked like he did in the moments just before his gaze flicked back to the table of Olympians.

Ramón, well used to the boy’s ever changing moods and impulses, simply maintained his hold on the other’s hand whispered back, _{“If they hurt her, let me kill them before you kill me,”} just before Calli’s mouth started moving at the other table.

“Herc, please tell the cute girl that we’re not pretending.” Calli had a lot of things, but time or patience to watch these two baby deer beat around the bush was simply not it. They would thank her for it later.

Yeah, that’s fair. Hercules thought to himself as he stood up alongside Minnie and put his hand over hers as she closed her bento box. He took her dainty hand in his own and lifted it up to his lips, kissing the top of it as he looked at her with a slightly tilted head and a dashing smile. He was hopeful the act would stun lock Minnie long enough for Hercules to do what really needed to be done.

He closed the distance between their faces rather quickly, and pushed their lips together in what he hoped was a romantic kiss. At least, as romantic as a kiss in front of the entire lunchroom of Beverly Hills High could be. Hercules held it long enough to dip Minnie back, and then he broke the kiss and looked down at her.

“Will you be my girlfriend?” He smiled, adding. “Please?”

Hercules Helmsley was going to be so, so, so bad for her. Shattering all the doubt she had with a single kiss that felt like she was Cinderella at the ball where she met her Prince for the first time, Minnie could only focus on one thing and that was him. She was lost but no longer confused. This felt like something she’d watch in the movies. His intention was laid bare for her and the tiny dancer found herself disoriented, yet intently captivated by the boy’s eyes. They were the softest of browns imbued with the most soothing of greens. They reminded her of gentle flowers within a steep forest.

Once Upon a Dream…

The kiss itself was shy, cautious and sweet like nectar. She could taste how nervous he was. A million thoughts condensed into one single grand gesture. She could only imagine the courage it took him to kiss her not only in front of his sisters but in front of the whole cafeteria. If she didn’t understand now, then she truly was an idiot. Her eyes watered, blurring her vision. To understand how she got here was pointless. Fate decided that her dare would lead to love. She was so happy.

“Yes,” Minnie breathlessly answered. The dip shifted to her grabbing his face, as he still held her at an angle and her giving him a thousand excitable pecks all over his face, his lips and his neck. “Yes! I’ll be your girlfriend!” Her nerves quickly turned into energy and she jumped up, wrapping her legs around him like a koala as he held her close. The kiss that started it all wasn’t anything she felt before. There was electricity in his touch and she wanted more. Steeped in passion, heat on her cheeks, Minnie showcased to the world her pure and vulnerable self, this time giving him the kiss he deserved. A long one that lingered and allowed him to explore her lips. A kiss with a volume of feverish adoration, a fear of the unknown, and pure, unadulterated spirit. Minnie embraced Hercules and hoped in this moment, he wouldn’t regret this decision.

Having spent the past few minutes with his jaw clenched tight in anxiety, Cael’s lips parted with a sigh at the sudden release of tension. Mo had been right to hold the pastel pixie back, not that Cael would ever give him the satisfaction of admitting it. He could not believe his eyes — his bestie in the whole state of California was lip locked with Hercules Helmsley while nearly a quarter of their school looked on. Cael didn’t even bother to hide his gawking.

The faculty and staff in the lunchroom were speechless. They were lucky the principal wasn’t here or they’d get in trouble for PDA. When they pulled away, Minnie giggled and beamed at Hercules, her boyfriend. It was then that she realized she not only did the dare but she outdid the dare! Turning her head, in search for her friend, she caught sight of the Candy table and yelled, “I HAVE A BOYFRIEND, CAEL!”

“YASS, BABYGIRL! AND YOU’RE WELCOME!” Cael shouted back, matching her energy as they always had. As they always would. Despite the proud smile on his face, his gaze fell upon the empty seat beside him and lingered for a moment. At least… he hoped they always would. Minty had a handsome rich boyfriend now… something like that had never happened before. Would it change things? Would her chair remain empty? Cael did his best to shove the shameful, selfish distress deep into his core. He finally popped that grape into his mouth and instead focused on the burst of sugary sweetness now coating his tongue.

_{“Honestly, Stix,”} Mo whispered out of the corner of his mouth while giving Minnie an acknowledging wave and smile. He could see exactly what false fantasy had wormed its way into his head and it took everything in him not to roll his eyes. As if their little Minty would disappear on them any more than Cael himself would. He squeezed the other boy’s hand once more as the paler ate his grape, _{”If anything, that poor fool is about to be stuck here with us.”} Not that Mo actually thought it would be a punishment for the other, Candyland was just a scary place to be if you couldn’t handle the energy. Judging by his and Minnie’s interactions, though? Mo was interested to see Herc’s inevitable integration.

For most of his life, Hercules Helmsley had felt like he lived in some kind of novel. It was hard not to; he lived in a castle, his parents were practically King & Queen of the realm, and his siblings were treated like royalty even when they very specifically asked not to be. He was a prince, and did — at times — feel like a demigod. In his eyes, his sisters were the same. Athena was barely seventeen years old, but it was easy to see she was in some kind of thriller story, detailing the backroom deals that most people didn’t even know happened. Calliope was in some kind of action-adventure novel, a tale about a girl who had to try everything before she found the one thing she truly loved. Calli’s story, Hercules thought, had coming-of-age vibes.

But, he’d never really been sure what kind of story his own was. He had his own hopes and dreams, of course, but no one ever really knew until they knew. The very moment that Minnie leaped from the ground and up into his arms, Hercules could have sworn everything around them froze. Were there other people in the room? In the building? In the world? Hercules forgot about them all as he tasted Minnie and the taste of her bubblegum flavored lip gloss rushed over him as quickly as the realization that he was exactly what he wanted to be: the protagonist of his very own romance novel.

The kiss broke. She shouted at someone, but with her staying attached to him, Hercules didn’t even break from the spell she’d spun on him until Cael yelled at his friend. Snapping back to reality, Hercules carefully (and regretfully) put his girlfriend on the ground and asked a question.

“Do you want to go see the inside of a janitor’s closet together?”

The janitor’s closet? What a strange place to take someone. Unless! Unless Hercules had something special to show her. Or something special waiting for them both. “Is there a little treat in the closet?” Minnie questioned, quickly grabbing her things and clingily holding onto his arm. “Even if there wasn’t a little treat for me, I’d still go.” She explained matter-of-factly before giving him a warning of how… high maintenance she could be. The prerequisites that one must have to date Philomena Ramsey. “I go where you go, that’s number one rule. Unless we have to go home or go to class, then I guess I don’t go where you go.” She pouted, realizing her special ed schedule would never collide with her scholarly new boyfriend.

“But I expect all the texts!” Minnie pleaded with desperate need in her innocent gaze. “If you don’t text me within a minute I might cry. So please tell me when you’re busy. I want good mornings and good nights. And I love LOVE so never hold back when you want to give me kisses and hugs. I might have days when I get really sad and insecure but I hope that doesn’t mean you’d stop liking me. If I’m a lot, I’m sorry in advance.” Minnie was losing track of the little treat and now focused on how their relationship would pan out. She never thought she’d have a boyfriend. A hot one at that!

Nice. As Minnie was talking, Hercules felt the relieving realization that Minnie was going to match his freak right down to double and triple texting if there wasn’t a response in three minutes. He held her hand and led the most beautiful yapper he had ever seen out of the cafeteria and through the halls. As he walked, he spoke.

“There is a little treat waiting for you, and that little treat is little ol’ me.”

Multiple times since the beginning of their interaction Hercules shot her in the heart with cupid’s arrows. Her eyes widened with her mouth agape. The heat rushed to her cheeks, neck and… elsewhere when she understood what he meant. He knew how to turn up the dial of her doki doki thermostat to the maximum because instead of replying right away she buried her face into his arm.

The warm glow on her face was hard to hide, she was fair skin and vibrantly expressive. Nuzzling his arm, she muffled, anxious and embarrassed, _{“I’m sure you’re yummy.”}

“Something tells me I’m not as tasty as your lipgloss, so let’s hurry and find out.”

BHHS: Limitless

@NeoAJ@Festive

Love them. Accepted. I’ll add them to the list when I’m home

BHHS: Limitless

_{TW: mentions/description of withdrawal symptoms
@LovelyComplex, @Aces Away, & @Hey Im Jordan
TIMESTAMP: Sometime after The Price is Right
Ethan, Andy, Decky, & Sully
Big FT of: Henry Green
Small FT: Owen Lyon}

____________________________________________________________________


____________________________________________________________________

Decky glared up from the backseat of the car at the house Ethan had driven them, arm around Sully’s shoulders as the younger senior dozed pressed up against his side. The spanish colonial style home stood large and wide across an already sprawling property with perfectly trimmed hedges and manicured lawns, garden beds taking up both sides of the house with the ornate entryway sitting regally in the middle. He had a feeling before, but he knew for sure now that he was going to hate every minute of this, and if the vineyard party was to be any similar then he was glad he’d be high as fuck the whole time. As Ethan brought the car to a stop, Decky tapped Sully on his bicep until the lighter brunette opened bleary eyes, which Decky easily took as his cue to straighten up and take his enveloping arm away.

Sully sat up and rubbed at his eyes as he reacclimated to the waking world, trying to remember what was going on past the fact that he fell asleep on his friend, the other boy easily recognizable to him even before he began to register anything else. He looked at the scowling mechanic blankly before following his gaze out the window of the car and to the property beyond.

“Oh yeah,” He stated simply, gaze traveling across the architecture before them with minimal interest or thought aside from, shit’s huge. Then, he registered that they were there already. “Wait, how long was I sleepin’ for?”

“Does it matter?” Decky scowled at Sully and threw the door open but didn’t step out yet. “Ya obviously needed it. Green, what’re we doin’? Waitin’ here for a cue or just followin’ ya in?”

There wasn’t an immediate response. With his mind finally slowing down, in the comfort of his property, and parked, Ethan was looking through all his messages to make sure he didn’t miss anything from the chat with his boys to his girlfriends’ dms. If it wasn’t obvious by now, Ethan wasn’t the best person to text. Actually, he sucked at it. Noting the time, the game would start in twenty five minutes, Ethan wondered to himself if it was even worth going to the game. The thought of the game was fleeting because soon enough, he realized he had a text from an unknown number. He raised an eyebrow.

From: Unknown
yo, im new. my name’s owen. jamie suggested i text you
he said i need to be in attendance for your party tomorrow
he also said you owe him one for not telling your girlfriends about each other

There was a momentary rumble of protest in his throat. Jamie was being bold, as per usual. Owen? Doesn’t ring a bell. He must be new. Ethan didn’t know any Owen in their year and if Owen was already connected with Jamie, and Jamie suggested Owen to him that means the gossip boy thought this new kid suited the Elite. Or the gossip boy wanted to protect this new kid from Hive. Whatever the reason was, it seemed that his hand was being played for him. Ethan didn’t want any trouble and being on Trixie and Jamie’s good graces wasn’t such a bad thing… sometimes. They were needy, especially when they wanted him to do something. It got exhausting but at the same time, it wasn’t like he cared for school politics and the petty drama. He just wanted to chill and build a brotherhood (which was inclusive to all genders). He just helped them from time to time because they asked (it’s that easy, folks).

Once he added the number in his contact, he messaged back.

To: Owen
you do
anyone that’s anyone is going to be there
don’t expect you to go to the dance
at 6
Party bus will be in the lot 7:30
We ride then

From: Owen
I don't really party so rn I'm just planning on staying at the gym
But Jamie said he'd hook me up with Trixie if I went so I might be there lol

Oh. This was going to be too easy. With quick ease, Ethan copied Trixie’s instagram url and put it in his text with the transfer student. He pressed send, dangling the hot babe to guarantee Owen went to his party. Trixie was hot. She was just hard to get. Maybe Owen would be different. Maybe she’d bite.

To: Owen
your welcome.
see you tomorrow.

“Sorry boys,” Ethan finally responded. “Had to take care of something, but come on, let me show you around my family’s crib.” Ignition off, Ethan was out of his car leading the way to the front entrance. Once he unlocked the front door, he gestured for the two lost souls to enter one of his family’s properties and make themselves at home. “Wha’cha think? Pretty dope, huh?”

“I feel bad for your landscapers,” Sully responded with little thought as he glanced around the ornate foyer with a vaulted ceiling and chandelier, mind still a bit behind and processing the outside still.

“I fuckin’ hate rich people,” Decky muttered darkly, glaring at the ostentatious display before him. “Too much fuckin’ time an’ money, too many tchotchkes. There’s so much shit, what the hell is the point in havin’ all these things?”

“To fill the empty spaces they can’t in their hearts?”

Decky paused and stared at the other poor boy in the room, not surprised that Sully’s barely-there mental filter hadn’t woken up with him, but the tiktoker hadn’t even missed a beat. Decky was almost proud.

“Huh, you’re probably on ta somethin’,” He agreed easily.

The usual laid back and all smiles Ethan Green was now wearing a pinched expression. “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” the Elite leader whispered under his breath. Crossing his arms, he stared at his two guests disappointed. “You’re both acting like my cousins, but just on the opposite end of the spectrum.” Was he wrong for picking these two to be fake friends with Andy? Well, they didn’t say no to his offer, so this money they were disgusted by was helping them get what they wanted. If they were really against helping him, they should’ve just communicated. It was too late now. They were here and they were going to help him get the vineyard.

“We only have one landscaper and I help him,” Ethan disclosed, flicking at his nails that had dirt in them. “My dad has given him full reigns on the design and basically can do whatever the fuck he wants. He gets paid well. It’s my job to mow the lawn, do the dishes, take out the trash, clean the fucking pool, and be my brother’s keeper. My parents didn’t raise bitches and it’s wild to me your friends with AJ if you think like this.” Looking away from Mordechai and Sully, burying his annoyance and bringing out his casual, cool persona (his automatic setting), Ethan breathed, focusing on the task at hand and emptying out any worry. He yelled, “ANDY YOUR FRIENDS ARE HERE!” His voice was loud enough that if his father was home, he would hear. His mom wasn’t home — she was in Tokyo purchasing an exclusive statue for one of her all time favorite animes — so unless she had ultrasonic hearing, she would not hear him. She would not appear.

“He’s got a point.”

“Shut up, Sully.”

Sully shrugged at the surly boy, not having intended to say any more on the matter anyways. Ethan had been right, what Sully and Decky had said was rude and deserved reprimand. Oli was his best friend, it wasn’t like the DIY streamer was unused to sights similar to the Green home. But, Sully forgets himself often and randomly spits out the things he’d heard growing up in his low income neighborhood, where there was no love to be had for the opulent lifestyles existing just a few blocks away. What he’d said about empty hearts had been something his uncle said often, usually a few minutes or hours before he showed up with some stolen items from the very type of people he’d disparaged earlier. There was a reason uncle Del was in and out of jail his whole life, and Sully usually knew better than to quote him. His ma would probably be a little disappointed. Seeing as he’d probably hurt Ethan’s feelings without trying, and wondering if his words would have hurt Oli if he’d heard them, Sully removed himself from their little triangle, wandering away a bit to start inspecting the actual structure off the foyer’s interior rather than what it had hanging on its walls.

Decky glared after the other boy in annoyance, arms crossed defensively and unwilling to admit that Ethan had properly chastised him. Not that the taller boy would care, especially given the way Decky had just acted, but his response had gained him a lot of respect in the gearhead’s eyes, as well as struck a chord with him at the brother’s keeper comment. It made him think of his smoke session in the bathroom earlier with PJ and Nicky, and the only child’s initial unenthusiastic response to the way Decky had spoken about being a sibling.

“Sounds like a lot of work.”

So yeah, Ethan had sufficiently made him feel like a bit of a dick while remaining humble himself, and Decky found himself liking the guy a little more. Who would’ve thought? Still, he didn’t want to be here. It’s been forever since he’s had a proper hit of anything but weed to mellow him out and his people skills were barely passable when he was on a fresh high. But his uncle had insisted and no matter how obstinate he was, he tried his best to respect the wishes of the men that took him and his brother in. Any wind gone from his sails, Decky hunched his shoulders tensely and remained silent by Ethan’s side, awaiting the response and arrival of the two other Greens.

By the time Decky had resolved to silently brood instead of loudly, Andy was only moments away from appearing on the scene… and appear he did. He had a plastic guitar strapped around his neck, hanging at his side. He crossed the long hallway and stood in front of his brother and his ‘friends,’ and it became immediately apparent that Andrew Green’s eyes were bloodshot, a redder tone than a fire hydrant. Somewhere along the way, weed must have come up between Andrew and his father. “Dad’s downstairs. I’m glad you guys are here… He keeps wanting to play vocals, but maybe he’ll let someone else do it.” Andy glanced over at Decky and Sully, adding a quick explanation, “my dad can’t sing. He’s got the juice but not the pipes. Does that make sense?” Though not a groundbreaking sentence, for the first time in their lives, Ethan was hearing his brother sound more like their father as he rambled about ‘the juice.’

He looked at Decky and Sully again, and it was like a wave of reminder had been washed over him. “I don’t know what you guys like. Dad wants everybody to have a good time and he asked if we needed refreshments and I said probably, so! He gave me these to give to you.” He dropped a hand into his jeans pocket and produced a plastic baggie with two very full, very large rolled blunts which he thrust toward Decky. “I think Dad thinks everyone we know is a stoner.” Though he was looking at Decky, that was directed toward his brother.

“Oh, he also wanted me to say ‘mi casa is su casa.’ Although… maybe I shouldn’t have said that he told me to say that… can I try again?” This time, it was back to Sully and Decky.

“No need, I got the message,” Decky replied, scowl still in place but tone lighter than it had been before Andy’s entrance. The other boy was pretty high from a glance alone, and his talkative nature was not something Decky was expecting, but he had a soft spot for ramblers and Andy being both chill and bouncy at the same time was as off putting to the former dealer as it was endearing. He hesitated a bit at the bag being offered to him before reaching out and taking it lightly from the musical Green with a soft but confused, “Thanks,” while craning his head around to look for the other person that was supposed to be falling into the deep end with him. He sighed in irritation when he saw that Sully was staring at the fucking arches of the walls and ceiling instead of paying attention and called out, “Sully, he was talkin’ ta both’a us, tune in man.”

“I was listenin’,” Sully defended as he took a few long strides to Decky’s side, waving at Andy in greeting.

“Repeat it, then.”

“Somethin’ ‘bout juice and refreshments, were we supposed ta bring some?”

“No, and ya definitely weren’t payin’ any attention.”

Sully shrugged. “Can’t blame a guy for tryin’. Hey dude,” He looked at Andy, finally addressing him with more than a wave. “Who does the restorations on this place? It’s some of the cleanest shit I’ve ever seen.”

“I don’t know, ask my dad. I thought it was like this when we bought it, but I don’t know… this is just the guest house, maybe they restored it? The main house is getting renovated,” He added that last part with a shrug and a somewhat apologetic look to Sully. He didn’t have an actual answer for the other boy, but his eyes lit up as he thought of something he could tell Sully. Pointing at one of the pictures on the wall, Andy explained. “But my mom did all the decorating. See? This is me, my dad, and E at a safari. We saw a giraffe, which was pretty cool.” Alongside the hallways were pictures of the twins, their parents, and various groups of them. Andy gestured for the group to follow and started to head down the hallway, glancing over his shoulder to look at the other three boys.

“And if he asks, Amy Kwon is a perfect princess and I have the situation completely under control.” Not true, but a prying father didn’t need to know.

Sully shrugged at the lack of answer from Andy, having asked out of immediate interest more than anything deep, and slowly followed after the now leading Green, following his fingers and latching on to whichever painting or photo he spoke about with more engagement than Ethan would have seen in him all day. He liked having references when getting new information, it just made things easier, and Andy was providing him both with little effort.

“Guest house? Christ,” Decky puffed out in shock, waiting to start moving until Sully and Ethan had. “This place would take up a whole neighborhood block back home. Wait, what the hell does Amy Kwon have ta do with this?”

“Welllllll, I’m taking her to the party, Decky.” Andy couldn’t help but look over his shoulder and grin at the assembled boys. Whatever fears the masses had about Amy’s bad reputation, it seemed Andy either didn’t share them - or was too blinded by how pretty she was. “Super cool, huh?”

“...” Decky stared silently into Andy’s eyes, a million different responses to him ranging from she’s gonna eat ya alive to an incredibly sarcastic suuuuper cool, dude, but none seemed appropriate for the bright, excited grin on Andy’s face. Decky didn't know Amy too well, they had only the vague connection of having Rye and Helen between them. And while their close friends were also close, the same could not be said for those on either end of the friendships. He looked to his side a bit to stare at Ethan’s profile, trying to see if the other Green boy had an opinion on the matter. He noticed the not so subtle distaste and the quick cover up back into his neutral smile when Sully suddenly turned around and spoke up, saving Decky the trouble of forming a response to Andy.

“That’s sick man, you like her?” Sully pulled a jolly rancher out of his pocket, unwrapping it and popping thw hard blue candy into his mouth. Then, distracted once more, or rather returning to the train of thought he was previously on, he pointed to one of the proudly displayed photos, “Is that you guys as babies?”

Ethan Green didn’t like Amy Kwon. He knew her game and what she wanted to do. He loved his brother more though and if she was what made him happy, he would accept his brother’s blooming romance and wait until he was needed. He believed that would be sooner rather than later when Amy inevitably breaks Andy’s heart. Ethan didn’t know Amy, not like Helen and Toury did. He knew better than to judge a book by its cover. It was the rumor mill that got him concerned and that someone actively exposed Amy. True or not, that was not a web Ethan wanted his older brother to get caught in.

To his own grief, Andy was a Green and Ethan knew he’d get involved because that’s just how they were. They all got involved in their own ways, even Diana with her art and love for love, leading the Candies to some meddlesome matchmaking antics. Celeste might not think she was involved but the fact that she can be heard over a crowd of thousands is her own way of getting involved. She was a Triple Crown and her actively ‘not getting involved’ is a stance on its own and will get noticed. Ethan had his Elite and Levi had the Hive. Andy though? Andy was a wallflower and didn’t have any reason to fly toward the sun, risking getting burned by it. His crush on Amy, however, changes everything and soon he’d be attached to the Tantalizing Trio, whether he liked it or not. Soon someone would actively try to throw him into the rumor mill. It came with the territory of being famous and let’s be real, Amy was famous. Everyone knew her name.

Deciding to take Sully’s cue, no matter how unintentional his redirect was, Ethan laughed, “Yeah, you wouldn’t believe it when you see it but I’m the smaller one that looks like he’s going to cry. The other baby, that is soothing me, that’s Andy.” There was a moment of reflection as Ethan looked at the picture. Before the zoo incident, they would’ve seen Andy with confidence, with direction and with an eagerness that couldn’t be contained. Ethan looked up to his brother as he thought about how things were and how things are. Even now, even if Andy was less in control and hardly at peace with himself, the younger twin looked up to him. None of that mattered right now! What mattered was the vineyard and securing it for his party. “Okay boys, we can always sight see after the talk. Do you want anything? You can head to dad’s mancave with Andy and I can fix something up in the kitchen. Unless you want dad’s snacks and drinks, then he got the hook up downstairs. Just say the word and it’ll be provided. Want an espresso martini? You got it, dude. An Italian sub? Hell yeah, I could eat. Something simple? Crackers and cheese? Easy.” The more Ethan talked about food, the more hungry he got. It’s been awhile since he and his bro had food. Clearly, he was ready to eat again. “Now what’s it going to be?”

“You got coffee?” Sully asked once Ethan had completed his explanation and offers, ever reliant on the energizing substance regardless of the time of day.

“Yeah, sure thing,” Ethan replied, choosing to accompany the boys until they got to the door that led to the basement. Then he’d head toward the kitchen and fix Sully up some coffee.

Decky’s stomach twisted at the thought of any food. It may change once he smokes a little or finally has a good hit, but as it is he's as close to sober as he's been in he doesn't know how long and there was nothing appealing about the thought. He could already feel his stomach cramping and the occasional chill wracking his body, and the thought of taking something in right now just to throw it up later when the withdrawals sunk their razor sharp teeth deeper into his body was sickening.

None of this stopped him from observing Ethan as he explained the photo to Sully, the rich boy's mind somewhere else as his eyes were locked onto the photo of him and his brother as babies. There was a lot said from that single lingering gaze, and likely it wouldn't have been so obvious if Decky himself weren't his own brother's keeper, or if he hadn't been paying so much attention to Ethan in the first place. There was a lot of love in that gaze, and plenty of happiness and nostalgia. But there, just before he changed his line of sight from the photo to the two boys he'd bought the time of, there was pain and loss in equal measures. There was a brother who saw both paths that his brother could have gone down, and had decided to shadow him on whichever he ended up taking to make sure he had the best go of it. Decky's seen that look in the mirror ever since they survived Gravette and came to Beverly Hills, ever since little Danny had started flourishing and letting his genius show. Decky may hate most everything about the ritz and glam of the area they found their new lives in, but he could never regret what it was doing for Danny.

When Sully and Andy both started making their way to the Green father's den, Decky shoved his hands deep in his pockets and did his best to change his scowl into something softer, though he's unsure if it worked. He waited until the other two of the quartet had gotten further down the long hall before he addressed the boy of equal height.

“You're a good brother, man,” He said without any emotion, glancing sideways for a brief moment of eye contact before he looked at the backs of the other two boys and took a step forward while ignoring the ache in his muscles. “If ya got concerns, we'll look after him when we're around,” another glance at Sully wandering back over to the walls and getting distracted by the detailing of the baseboards, he let out a sigh and began to make his way after him. “Or at least I will.”

“Thanks,” Ethan answered, trailing behind and matching his pace with the gearhead. “As worried as I am,” he began, speaking honestly and low enough for only Decky’s ears to hear. “I would much rather him learn now, while we’re still in school. I have full faith he can take care of himself, he just needs to believe he can.” The Elite member stopped in his tracks, at the door that led to the basement, where his father was waiting. Andy and Sully continued onward, idly chatting, likely thinking Decky and Ethan were close behind. Ethan turned to look at Decky; his thumbs hooked in his pockets. “I should be thanking you two though. You could’ve said no but here you are indulging in my stupidity. And I know I’m being stupid. Our party could be held here if we really wanted it to but there’s something about the vineyard, and the fact that it’s off limits, that makes me want to throw it there more. Stupid, right?”

“People always want what they ain't s’ppose ta have, Gre- Ethan, it's human nature,” Decky responded, fumbling over his tongue as he realized it wouldn't make much sense for him to be calling both the twins Green while in the presence of a third Green, especially if he's supposed to be Andy's friend. He thought about Nicky's earlier comment on Decky's use of last names for everyone outside his friends and while he didn't agree with the gamer's assessment that last names were only for sports teams, he did agree that at the very least he could start calling a few people by their first name. So long as he's open enough to getting to know them more, of course, he wouldn't just go calling everyone by their given names as if they held any lasting place in his memory or life. “Not stupid, you're just bein’ a normal person, nothin’ wrong with that. And hey,” He paused for a moment, wondering if he should say the next bit since he wasn't sure about it, and deciding if Ethan was willing to be more open and honest with him, then the least Decky could do is respond in kind. “I don't know if this is any help, but Rye's good friends an’ shit with Helen Wells, and he don't tend ta stick around people that ain't worth it, or that don't have good hearts. Somethin’ tells me that shit with Kwon ain't what it seems, just like everythin’ and everyone else in that fuckin’ school. I mean dude, ya brought me in ta your house and I'm a literal convicted criminal and drug addict.”

“You right, you right, and I owe it to Andy to give his maybe future girl the benefit of the doubt, but man, she’s going to eat my brother alive,” Ethan grimaced; Andy and Sully no longer in view. It was hard to not think the rumors were true because it revealed Amy’s character, who she was in the dark, or at least it was manipulated to the point that it made an extremely convincing argument. Ethan wasn’t going to think about that. It was just going to ruin the vibes. He needed to lock the fuck in and focus on the task at hand. The vineyard. “Alright homeboy, go work your magic and convince my dad you’re cool. He’s a simple guy. If he offers a joint, take it and smoke.”

“Well, least I wasn't the first one ta say it out loud,” Decky responded to Ethan's ‘eaten alive’ comment before giving him a careless salute and following down after the already disappeared Sully and Andy, leaving the Elite leader alone upstairs.

Whilst the other two had their private conversation, Andy and Sully walked together down the halls of the home, with Andy providing context on whichever picture Sully commented on. Despite the boys calling it a ‘guest house,’ the twins' mother had done their best to make it feel like a home. Eventually, they found their way to a staircase, with Andy speaking as they stepped down them. “I hope he’s not playing without us, dude.”

The stairwell was wide, and perhaps a few feet deeper than one explained, but it was lucky for Sully that Andy was there to add the exposition. “So, when my parents bought this property - it’s a fifteen acre lot, there was just this house. The basement used to be like, a wine cellar I think… but dad had it expanded! Anyway, they’re building the actual house… but it won’t be done for a while. That’s why all of our family photos and stuff are in here.” Andy shrugged as he spoke with the cadence of someone who had said this spiel a hundred times before, and put his hand on the knob to a door at the end of the staircase.

“I guess I’m rambling. But you sounded interested in the pictures!” Andy justified his chatter about his home’s origins, and threw open the door. The basement was huge in a ‘cavernous’ way, with one of the four walls lined with arcade cabinets, pinball machines, and one skee ball machine tucked into the corner. The opposite wall held framed art, mostly of anime characters, a glass container that held figures, some of which were big enough to be clearly visible even from this distance.

Under the art, there were shelves stocked with bottles of different liquors and a wooden bar equipped and ready for a full service. Past the bar was something a little out of place at first, probably the strangest thing in the room: a single, full-size bowling lane was tucked into the wall. Andy gave a sweeping gesture to Sully, and ultimately pointed at the back wall, with a large black leather couch in front of a huge TV hanging on a wall and flanked by massive speakers, with a man splayed across it. “DAD! We’re here.”

Upon hearing the door open, Henry Green sat up. Upon hearing his son’s voice though, he hopped to his feet and spun around to look back at the two teens on the scene, a still lit blunt in one of his hands. “What’s up, dudes?” He quickly closed the gap between himself and the other two boys, then held out a hand toward Sully. “Yo. I’m Henry. Welcome to my humble abode, mi casa is su casa.”

Sully had been interested, so Andy needn’t have justified his explanation, but the taller boy didn’t seem to actually be worried about his amount of talking so Sully simply nodded to him instead of interrupting. As he reached the bottom of the stairs with him and took in the basement, his face lit up at the arcade games and layout, a small smile finally breaking his blank features. When Henry Green came over and introduced himself, Sully didn’t waste the manners that his ma instilled him with and he quickly clasped the man’s hand with his own and gave him a firm and steady handshake.

“Thank you for havin’ us sir,” He replied, trying to maintain his gaze on the patriarch but unable to keep it from wandering to all the visual stimulation around them. His wandering gaze also had him realizing that Decky and Ethan had yet to follow him down, so he amended his previous statement. “Or just me, I guess. This basement is awesome.”

“Dude, don’t call me ‘sir.’ Henry is cool. I miiiight accept a Hank if you guys hang out here often enough.” He lifted the doobie he held between his fingers to his lips and drew from it. He held the smoke in his mouth and looked between the two younger boys with a quick glance. He blew the smoke out as he spoke, “don’t tell my wife I’m down here burning flower. She’d hit me with a shovel,” he explained, with an offhanded gesture toward the anime figures in the case. If Alicia heard about the smoke being blown in the game room, Henry would have heard it not just because of ‘smoke residue’ on the figures, but on more than one of the original arcade cabinets they had. That was a big deal! Apparently.

“Hey, kid. Do you know the lyrics to Enter Sandman?” Henry asked as he met eyes with Sully. After Henry asked the question, Andy did his absolute damndest to subtly motion that Sully should agree. It was not subtle, and Henry shot Sully a look before launching into an unasked for explanation. “My son here, he doesn’t appreciate my singing. Usually, when we play Rock Band, my wife sings - she was in choir in high school. I wasn’t! BUT, I’ve been singing damn near half the setlist in the car since before you were born.” Henry groaned, but ultimately relented.

“Do you like to sing, dude? You wanna play vocals in Rock Band? Andy told me the only way Decky — helluva name, your other bro — would play is if we let him play drums, since then he can hit something.”

“He’s actually a good singer, I’ve heard him singin’ to music in the garage when he thought the break room door was closed,” Sully responded, but didn’t deny that Decky would be more willing to play along if he could get some aggression out. He, just like Henry, had seen Andy’s imploring look and simply tilted his head back at the other boy once the father had stopped talking and wondered if this was the conversation he’d missed earlier upstairs. Was he supposed to be the one singing?

“Well now I know ta lock your ass in the room if I want some privacy,” Came Decky’s voice from the last few steps of the staircase, followed soon by his actual appearance into the basement, an unhappy scowl on his face at the discovery of Sully’s knowledge. Deciding the other boy already had his chance to answer the Green twin’s father, Decky crossed his arms and answered for him. “I ain’t the one with girls fawnin’ all over videos of me if I so much as hum a chord, so Sully’s your man if ya want vocals.”

“That doesn’t mean I sing, dude,” Sully argued with little care, turning to the other gearhead with a confused frown. “I don’t even know what my singin’ voice sounds like.”

“Looks like it's time ta find out, then,” Decky bitched back before adressing Henry’s earlier comment about his name. “By the way, it’s a nickname my brother gave me before he could pronounce my full name, but it’s the only one I go by.” It was informative for the man that didn’t know him, but it was also a warning not to use his birth name even if Henry already knew it. Decky wouldn’t respond to it in any positive manner, and he had a feeling that from what Ethan had already told him about Henry Green, the man would understand to leave well enough alone. “Also, I’ve played real drums but I’ve never played this game, would it translate?”

Henry walked as Decky and Sully talked, and he couldn’t help but grin. It reminded him of the way he had talked with his friends, when he’d been younger. If this was the kind of people his son was hanging out with, then Henry felt like he could relax and let things take their own course. Andy was a little soft at times, and Henry knew that was partially his fault - but knowing that didn’t mean he magically had an answer for it. This was good though! A good start for Andy.

By the time Decky posed his question, Henry was already holding drum sticks. He spun on his heel and instead of answering, he pointed a drumstick at Andy for an answer. Andy looked momentarily alarmed and then looked down at the guitar controller that hung from around his neck and then quickly shook his head, “what? No, no way. This is hard. Ethan is better than me at this.”

Decky grimaced and held his hand out for the drumsticks. “Great.”

The door to the stairs entrance creaked open and there were light steps heading down the stairs. Slow and steady wins the race. Whistling like Spike Spiegel from Cowboy Bebop, thanks mom, Ethan inched closer to his destination. He was going at a snail’s pace, which was unusual for him. There was a reason for that and it would soon be revealed. Almost a minute later, the youngest son of Henry Green found himself off the stairs and in the basement. The tune came to a close and he breathed out in relief. In his hands, held with a tight grip, was a serving tray. Ethan cautiously moved to the bar.

On it was a sterling silver coffee pot, a sugar bowl, a cream pitcher, a shot of espresso, a small cup of 2% milk, a small cup of oat milk, a couple of packets of Splenda, two mugs (just in case Decky wanted coffee too), a micro spoon on a dainty plate, cinnamon, nutmeg, honey, ginger, vanilla extract, some chocolate, whipped cream, and a couple of biscottis. He forgot to ask Sully how he liked his coffee and from what he knew of coffee, especially from his girls, there were many ways to make it and plenty to add in. All he really liked was a shot of espresso and occasionally a chai latte on the side with it. Coffee could be complicated so he kept it simple. He was a simple boy. He didn’t need much. “If you want liquor, like Kahlúa or rum, my dad has some here. I filled this tray up as much as I could. Didn’t know how you liked your coffee.” Once he placed the tray on the bar, having held his breath from the bottom of the stairs to the bar, he breathed out again. He succeeded without clumsily dropping everything.

Success!

Turning on his heel, Ethan faced his father, his brother and two friends, yes you too Decky, and he grinned, “I can sing!” He couldn’t. While he could keep a whistling tune, once he sang, he couldn’t stay serious and always made funny voices. His favorite was acting like he was a demon from hell, growling and poorly attempting to do screamo. He wasn’t good at it. At all. His family knew better than to let Ethan sing.

Decky and Sully both stared at the serving tray with wide eyes, neither even able to take in just how much the rich boy had loaded onto it without their focus jumping from one addition to the other like a bad game of pinball. When Ethan offered to sing, Decky’s attention split away from the tray while Sully moved towards it slowly like it would bite him if he made the wrong move. Decky didn't believe Ethan for a second that he could sing, if only because he’s never heard so much as a roaming whisper in the school hallways about it. Ethan didn’t seem the type to hide his talents, see: his sports career. To top that off, if the shorter Green twin could sing, Andy wouldn’t have asked Decky and Sully ahead of time to take the bullet.

“What, ya don’t wanna see Sully switch in ta his Entertainer persona?” Decky goaded, knowing that the way Sully acted on screen and camera versus the way he acted when they were off was forever intriguing to much of the BH student body.

“It ain’t like I’m a whole other person,” Sully called back from the coffee tray, his eyes having found his targets and most of his focus going into not losing sight of them. He took the espresso and dumped it into his black coffee before doing the same thing he’d done this morning and taking the smallest amount of sugar and a splash of cream and mixing his coffee together. It didn’t even change color. Perfect. He drank half of it in one go before continuing. “It’s just more like I used to be. Like rewindin’ time.”

“Yeah, but it does throw people off.”

Sully shrugged. “People shouldn’t be so easily surprised or entertained, but I guess that’s why I have a followin’ that pays the bills,” He tilted his head at Ethan while Decky rolled his eyes at him. “Did you wanna sing? I don’t wanna take your spot or nothin’.”

“Sully sings.” Henry spoke as he looked up from his phone and over to Ethan. “I wanna see the entertainer thing. Sounds cool.” He shrugged.

“I hum,” Sully stressed once more, his objection falling on deaf ears.

Henry scoffed. “Yeah, so does Hetfield. You’ll be fine.”

“Jesus, that’s how you like your coffee?” Ethan’s mind was not keeping up with the rock band conversation. He was fixated on Sully’s black coffee of death. He really should’ve just asked him how he liked his coffee. Never judge a book by its cover, that’s for sure. Now he knows for future sleepovers. There was nothing fruity about Sully! Black coffee was probably like a shot of espresso anyways. He just didn’t realize Sully liked his coffee like that. “Okay, okay. The Music King is here,” Ethan announced, with conviction, grabbing a plastic guitar and putting it on him. “We’re going to play a whole set list and then when we’re done, we’re going to watch a movie. Dad has an arsenal of good movies, it’s going to be great! I made sure to have the guest rooms prepared last night.”

“What’s wrong with my coffee?” Sully asked defensively, having already been teased about it by Rye this morning.

“Guest room?” Decky asked with a frown as he twirled the drumsticks with shaky fingers. “Why?”

“Whaddya mean why?” Ethan raised an eyebrow, legitimately confused at Decky’s question. “And Sully, my man, nothing is wrong with your coffee. I just didn’t expect it, is all.” Damn. These two asked too many questions. What were they? The fuzz? “Nevermind that. Places boys. It’s time to rock.” Not waiting for anyone, the youngest Green started the song and swayed his head to the music, all the while making glances at his brother to: ask the fucking question.

“Whaddya mean what do I mean?” Decky volleyed back while his attention got drawn to the screen, the row with his little drum set logo already rushing notes forward for him to hit. He may have never played the game, but it didn’t exactly take a hard thinker to figure it out; yellow note, hit the yellow drum pad, wait for the next one, repeat. That is, until it changed pace and suddenly the screen was requiring a lot more of his attention, pulling it away from Ethan. “Who just brings up their guest rooms? And a whole setlist and movie? What time am I s’possed ta be gettin’ home tonight?”

“I still have to drive home from the garage too,” Sully piped up, the vocals yet to come on screen. He turned to look at Ethan, head tilted in question. “I have to be at Oli’s early for us to get ready together for the dance. I think we’re recording a Get Ready With Me or somethin’ for my channel.”

“You don’t have to stay the night if you don’t want to! But you could. Chef makes killer waffles, you guys like waffles?” Henry had now kicked his feet up onto the couch and was resting as he watched his sons and their friends play games. Did he have somewhere better to be, or something better to do? Maybe so, but at the moment… it was all about the vibes.

“Dad can we party at grandma Eve’s vineyard? Uh, just me and E and these two. And Amy.”

Henry grinned. “And there it is. See? I knew there was no way you guys were doing all this for nothing! You think I never pulled the ‘sibling asks instead’ card, E? Cyndi used to do this shit for me all the time!” He sat up and shook his head as the music continued to fill the room, “That’s what? Five people? There are more than five people here every Saturday! The entourage is bigger than five, why you lyin’?” He rolled his eyes, before eventually giving a serious answer.

“I don’t care, just don’t burn nothin’ down.”

Did they even need us? Decky thought as he tried to get back on beat after he fumbled upon realizing the Greens had planned a fucking sleepover. Decky doesn’t plan to sleep at other people’s houses, he just usually ends up passing out there from either exhaustion, drugs, alcohol, or a combination of the three. Having one planned seemed so…childish? Innocent. Something like that. It was a cute, if weird, sentiment from the rich boy considering how close they all actually weren’t, especially considering the fact that their dad didn’t even seem to need much convincing on the matter that was the entire reason the two working class boys were here. He glared at the screen and hit the pads a little harder than necessary.

“I got a little brother ta get home ta, he won’t put his damn book down ‘til sunrise if I’m not there,” He finally answered around the one minute mark of the song.

“I’m just goin’ home to an empty house so I don’t really care,” Sully answered, eyes not leaving the screen as he waited for the vocals to begin. He tilted his head and fiddled with the brim of his cap. “But I guess if you’re gonna be droppin’ Decky back off then there ain’t any point in havin’ to do it again in the mornin’ for me to get my truck, y’know? I don’t wanna put you guys ou-” The lyrics hit the line on the screen and Sully cut his sentence off, starting the song without missing a beat. “♪ Say your prayers, little one, don’t forget my son, to include everyoooone~♪” Sully was no longer in the sleepover conversation, his attention now on the screen despite the fact that he knew the lyrics already. Andy seemed pretty excited to have someone that wasn’t his father or brother singing, and the Greens have been really nice so far so he wanted the other boy to enjoy the game as much as possible, which included actually trying to sing well. He didn’t know if he was actually a good singer, but hopefully he was better than Henry and Ethan.

Sully did sing well but by then the vibes were off and Ethan was missing more keys than he was used to. He was glad his dad was down to letting them use the vineyard but now he was upset that neither Decky or Sully wanted to stay over and watch movies with him. He didn’t say anything in response but it was visible that he was getting angry at himself the more he fucked up in the game. If he kept messing up that would certainly lead to a broken guitar, which isn’t uncommon in this household. He just wanted to hang out with his new friends but that was too much of an ask. Was he really that awful to hangout with?

“Just bring the kid brother, dude. Who cares? Kids would kill to hang out here. Ethan, take a chill pill, bro. Ain’t many of those guitars left, y’know?” Henry sat up as he talked, the song having come to an end and the results up on screen. “What garage is he at? I’ll send someone over there. But, Decky, dude… You gotta get into it man, you know what I mean? Like this.” Henry mimed headbanging along to the beat of the song, flailing his arms as if he were playing the drums. How did he end up with two dudes who didn’t know how to have fun? Luckily, there had never been a better place to learn.

“You got that long ass hair, bro. Put it to use.”

The thought of moving his head the way Henry just did sent a spike of nausea straight to his stomach, and he did his best not to look like he’d sucked on a sour lemon at the feeling. When he responded to Henry, the tone was completely flat despite the fact that it was intended to be sarcastic. He didn’t know what had Ethan upset, but his father had clocked it so it must not be out of the norm for the Elite boy. “Oh yeah, just call up Dom’s Garage and tell my Uncle Hershey ta have ‘im ready and waitin’ with our bag’a spare clothes, have him grab an extra set’a mine for Sully,” He looked at the adult in the room with a raised eyebrow and pointed to the screen. “I got the second highest score? What does headbangin’ gotta do with it?”

“Life ain’t about the score, it’s about the vibes, my friend! The energy. Dude, are you even stoned? For fuck’s sake, I sent A up with two fatties for you guys, I figured you smoked ‘em on the way down. Hold on, dude.” Henry stood up and stalked over to the bar, which he disappeared behind, and Andy looked between Sully and Decky.

“Sorry my dad’s weird.” He’d never really had anyone over to say that to before, but it felt accurate.

A few seconds later, Henry emerged from behind the bar with a device, and sat it down on the bar. “Come here, dude.” He said, gesturing for Decky. “Come hit this shit.”

The song concluded, right on cue, and Ethan looked over to his father, brother and friends. His dad was right, he did need to chill, but at the same time Ethan didn’t want Sully or Decky to go home so early. He contemplated something for a moment before signaling to his dad, silently, that he’d pick up Danny. It would be better if Decky’s little bro didn’t have a random stranger arrive. Stranger danger and all that. If his father and brother kept these two distracted, Ethan could discreetly come and go without them noticing he was gone for too long, especially if they got stoned out of their mind. Taking off the guitar, leaning it on the entertainment center, Ethan grinned, “You too, Sully. Relax a bit. Get to know my dad! He’s a cool dude.” Backpedaling to the stairs, Ethan made his spidey escape and lied, “gotta’ take a dump. Be back!” And just as quick as he came, Ethan was gone, on a mission to pick up Danny Boaz so that he can have his goddamn sleepover.

“What the fuck is that?” Decky asked, looking askance at the foreign object the Green patriarch had brought out, setting the drumsticks down as Ethan left and slowly making his way over to Henry, grabbing Sully by the scruff and dragging the boy with him so he didn’t have to be the only one learning something new. Sully stumbled for only a moment before following along easily, smacking lightly at Decky’s hand to have him release his grip on his collar.

“I’m comin’ dude,” Sully protested and Decky released him easily, and stopped on principal just to see the look the taller boy gave him before turning his attention back to Andy to address his previous comment. “If you think your dad’s weird then you don’t even wanna meet my uncle.” He tilted his head to the Green boy to show he wasn’t just walking away from him like he has a habit of doing, and then made his way over to the counter with Decky. It was then that he finally took in what was sitting there, and his eyes lit up in interest. Ever curious, he asked, “Nah he was right, what the hell is that thing? How’s it work?”

BHHS: Limitless

_{@LovelyComplex & @Aces Away
TIMESTAMP: Afterschool, a couple hours before the game
Small FT: Hirsch "Hershey" Goldstein (Jonah's older brother, Decky's uncle)
Texts to Stella @Melissa, Emilia @NeoAJ, & Piper}

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

When Ethan Green found out that both Sully and Decky were not heading to his house but instead at Dom’s Garage, one working and one doing homework, probably, the leader of the Elite adjusted his plans, once again, to get things moving for his party. There wouldn’t be any party if there was no vineyard and the only one who would be allowed to use it was not the Green driving but the one home likely laying on his bed staring up at his ceiling, thinking about a Tigress. “Text Agent Coffee: Hey, I’m heading there now. Prepare Decky for me. Send.”

Pulling the turn signal lever, Ethan shifted to the right lane and prepared to get off the next exit. “Text Babe: not going to the game. Busy night but I can’t wait to see you in your sexy dress tomorrow. Sorry about today. Just… been a day. Thinking of you.” He wasn’t completely lying. Today had been a day and his brother needed him. Still he knew it didn’t excuse his behavior of ignoring his three girlfriends. “Send.” The text had gone to the ether and straight to Stella.

He glanced at the digital clock on the dashboard, knowing time was of the essence. The last thing he needed was his brother sleeping for the rest of the day because he just wanted to dream of a girl climbing on top of him. “Text Baby: hey sweetheart, I’m shopping for my party. Let me know if you want anything. I hope you have someone to keep you company during the game. Kisses. See you tomorrow.” When he reached a stoplight, Ethan quickly glanced at his speech to text before saying, “Send.” He only talked that sweet to one person and that was Emilia.

One last girl and then he would have done his duty of the day and could focus on making sure his party was guaranteed one of the best, scenic spots his family owned at a reasonable driving distance. “Text Bae: Okay, please don’t kill me but my brother has not been doing okay. I know I should’ve told you but I’ve been busy keeping him afloat and planning an epic party. I’ll make it up to you tomorrow, promise. Talk when we can.” Having already left the stoplight, Ethan was going down one last street when he finally began approaching the Garage. “Send.” Piper would be receiving a text soon enough and now he felt accomplished, finally able to relax and worry about his boyfriend duties another day. He was free and had party planning to focus on. He pulled into the garage and parked his Mercedes-Maybach in the spot right by the entrance. He honked fast to make his presence known but not be too obnoxious. He was here and he was ready to get two boys into gear.

Decky slammed his head into the bottom of the car he was working under at the sudden honk, cursing vividly as he pushed himself out from beneath and sat up on his creeper, a hand to his throbbing skull. Hirsch didn’t even look up from his spot in the chair sat just a bit away from the car, having spent the time during Decky’s shift handing the boy the necessary objects with one hand and rifling through shop files with the other. Honestly, despite the few years spent with him in the shop now, Decky still wasn’t quite sure what his second youngest uncle did here. Hirsch raised a judgmental eyebrow Decky’s way but said nothing as the younger grumbled his expletives and stood up, wiping his hands with a greasy rag that barely helped clean them. Decky tossed the dirty cloth at his uncle and, much to his chagrin, the man who looked younger than both Decky and Jonah caught it before it hit his face. The look he got once the rag was lowered was enough to light a fire under his ass and send him quickly trudging towards the entrance of the shop.

From the break room came Sully, who left behind little Danny to continue his own studies, and the Boaz brothers’ anxious uncle Zo, who was tearing through the box of donuts as a way to cope with his nerves over his wife Pepper, who would be having their baby any day now. Sully even left behind some lollipops for Danny, who already had one in his mouth. Before the door swung closed behind the internet eye-catcher, Decky saw Danny hesitantly reach out and pat their uncle’s arm in comfort, not looking up from his textbooks, journal, and paperwork. He couldn’t help but smile for a brief moment before it dropped back into his usual scowl as Sully reached his side.

“Ethan is here. I was supposed to tell you he was comin’,” The boy in the baseball cap said simply.

“No shit. Ya didn’t fuckin’ tell me though.”

“I was studyin’ with Danny.”

“You’r-” Decky stopped himself with a sigh, knowing that anything he said to the other boy would go in one ear and right out the other. To Sully it was really that simple, he was studying and didn’t want to break concentration, maybe even couldn’t without losing it completely. He’d probably barely even glanced at Ethan’s text and, given his poor short term memory, it had likely immediately left his mind until the rich boy had rolled up. Plus, Danny liked his study buddy, and he’d be upset if Decky scolded him for focusing over telling him what a text said. “It’s fine.”

They walked up to the car and Decky glared into the driver’s seat at the brunette that sat there. “What?”

“I will pay you double your shift if you take today off to hang with my bro,” Ethan casually commanded, cutting to the chase. Taking out his wallet and pulling out hard cash, he asked, “How much do you get paid an hour? 20?” It was obvious that Ethan Green didn’t want to waste time. He had shit to do and if it meant throwing cash in his boy’s face, he would. For his party, he would. “Tell me your price because my party won’t be a thing without Andy asking my dad permission and Andy already said he’d tell dad that: he has friends. My bro does not have friends, my guy,” the Green explained, exasperated at how complicated his older twin brother made this for him. “No joke. Name your price and I’ll give you the money. You and Sully need to get in the car before my brother falls the fuck to sleep. Without you, my party won’t happen and I need it to happen. It’s supposed to set the tone for the rest of the year. Seriously. If your boss needs me to explain why I need you, I will. Now what’s it going to be?”

“That was…a lot of words really fast,” Sully said with a frown to mirror the one on Decky’s face.

“I got the gist,” the mechanic grumbled with an irritated roll of his eyes. “The fuck is with ya rich people and thinkin’ ya can throw money at everythin’? This is my fuckin’ job-”

“Just go.”

“Fuck!” Decky flinched violently, almost cartoonishly, away from his uncle's sudden presence next to him, the shorter man's shoes surprisingly silent on the typically squeaky floor. Hirsch gave him an unimpressed look that covered the concern to those that weren't family and didn't know what to look for. The baby faced man took the wad of money from Ethan's grasp and shoved it in the front pocket of Decky's greasy work shirt. “Uncle Hirsch I got-”

“Compensated for a day's work,” he cut in, easily taking off the suit jacket he tended to walk around in and leaving him in a basic white tee. Without the slimming design and with his arms and muscles exposed, Hirsch was a little closer to actually looking the 21 he was instead of the teenager people often mistook him for. He held his jacket loosely at his side and cracked his neck before staring blandly at Decky. “I'll finish your workload here today, just get him out of here,” he glanced at the Green boy and his disheveled state. “Your brother is comforting your uncle in the break room, but I can only handle so many unhinged energies in this place without Jonah or Eiran around. Please get out.”

“Uncle Eir-”

“I can handle my brother. Go.”

Decky stood there for another moment, staring at his uncle's unyielding gaze while trying to contain the major bitchface that wanted to take over his normal scowl. Decky didn't want to go, but Hirsch was making it very clear that he didn't have a choice. He looked over to Sully for support, but was left to sigh dejectedly at the glazed over look in the other's eyes as he stared at nothing against the far wall. Looks like studying had taken a lot out of him today, and Sully.exe would not be functional until he got some rest.

“Fine,” Decky spat, knowing he'd lost on all sides already. “But drive safe and keep the fuckin’ music down so Sully can sleep on the way,” said boy didn't respond beyond tilting his head when he heard his own name, and his fellow gearhead released a desperate sigh as his uncle turned away and disappeared to go work on the car that had previously been Decky’s job. He grabbed Sully roughly by the back of the collar and directed the lost boy towards the backseat. “This is gonna be a fuckin’ shitshow, Green, I hope ya know that.”

“That’s what makes this exciting, Boaz, don’t you think?” Ethan grinned at the two boys, primarily addressing the mechanic. He was ready to book it the moment their asses touched the car seats. “Now, this is what you need to know about my dad…”

This was going to be lit.

BHHS: Limitless

@Melissa@Fabricant451

Accepted you two! Love em :)

BHHS: Limitless

_{TIMESKIP: Approaching 7 PM (that’s when the game starts)
Friday Night Lights
Introducing: Stanley T. Rogers @LovelyComplex
Special guest writer: @Viciousmarrow as Cadence “Kay” Webster}

_{Disclaimer: Each school we've taken creative liberties and adjusted information/mascots/colors to fit our fictional 'real world' universe.}

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With one airpod in his left ear, Machine Gun Kelly ft. Corpse ‘Daywalker’ playing on low volume, Stanley T. Rogers, sophomore Sports & Culture news editor (who dual roles occasionally as an editorial cartoonist when he impresses his upperclassmen enough - they were hard to please), held a voice recorder in hand and observed the growing crowd. He needed to sneak into the locker room before Coach Boone gave his speech to the football team.

Boone had a way of being pure fun, comedic and optimistic. During his iconic speeches, he used wordplay, focused on the word BELIEVE, and loved to make unusual metaphors. One thing that was undeniable of Coach Boone was he was memorable, hard-working and awe-inspiring. None of his players could deny that and he’s earned that respect by showing results, time and time again. There’s speculation that he may replace the hockey team’s coach this year because of a scandal that Stan wasn’t sure he could or should disclose yet without proper evidence. No matter, this game was huge for Beverly Hills High. Not only was this game in the Pirate Bay, that’s what they call their homefront, but they’d be playing in front of parents, students, and alumni, going up against their rivals, the Santa Monica High School Warriors.

The Warriors have been rivals with the Pirates for years, going back to their parents’ highschool days, and even further. Playoffs were in mid-November until the last week of December, colliding with the start of the hockey season. This was the ninth week in the season, out of eleven weeks, before any of the California high school teams were offered the chance to fight for the crown and honor of being state champions. If the Pirates lost today, they would have to win their last two games in order to make it to the playoffs. Same goes for the Warriors. If they lost today, stakes were high, but if they won, they’d just need one more win. Imagine the pride either school would have if they won today.

Now add the pressure that this game was a homecoming game. Winning a homecoming game not only leaves current seniors with a positive lasting memory of their last school spirit week, but it’s a good show to set the tone for the rest of the year. There was no way the Warriors weren’t coming in hot. If they wanted to take their biggest competitor in all of California down, they needed to conquer by force and blood. Stan had faith though. He always did.

They had an epic team with Theodore Van Cise and Benjamin Mayhew being some of the best players BHHS has seen in years, with the highest ranking stats in the SoCal area. He did worry though. Ever since Benjamin’s scandal, from his father’s arrest to his own personal, very public breakdown, Stan could tell from this season that he wasn’t himself. Theo and Benji were a dynamic duo on the field, synergized and fierce, yet lately they were out of sync. It was unlike the Pirates to fumble as much as they did this season. If the Warriors have done their research, which Stan had no doubt they did, they will be quick to go on the offensive and attack the team’s weak point. That was, right now, the tethering bond of middle linebacker and running back.

Stan BELIEVED though. He had to believe. The odds would be in their favor. They had all the support they could have sitting in the bleachers, they had cute cheerleaders that were ten times better than the girls in white and blue, and most importantly? Pirates were way cooler than Warriors. This year’s seniors were going to finish their story and he was stoked that Trixie and Jamie gave him the opportunity to report on it. Strolling down the field, he talked into his recorder, observing the competition while he made his way to his destination, “It’s your boy, Stanley, and we have one heck of a game tonight. There’s no doubt it’s going to be a tough dog fight out here. No matter what the score is, the Pirates always finish hard and they finish fast. All it takes is guts and attitude to be successful and that’s what Coach Boone always says. It’s going to be tough, it’s going to be hard, and our opponents might try us. You’re going to go out there and FIGHT. Fight like you mean it. But you’re not here to do it for just me. No, you’re going to get out there and do it for one another, do it for yourself, do it for us, and you’re going to go out with this win. You want to know why? Because I BELIEVE. “

He paused his recording briefly and mumbled to himself, “Man, I really should get promoted… I’m so good at this reporting thing.” He shook the fleeting thought of whether or not he was getting abused by his superiors out of sight and out of mind to stay attentive to the field. “FOCUS Stan.” He turned the recorder back on and brought the device to his lips once more. “Looks like there is a lot of energy in the bleachers, the cheerleaders and the marching band are ready to bring in the hype, nothing like Friday Night Lights, and I’m about to interview—”

“Me.” An assertive and commanding voice struck Stan’s ears. The tone didn’t fit the mousey, bespectacled woman emblazoned in white and blue that approached him and forcefully snatched the recorder from his hands. With feigned enthusiasm she began her own mock interview with herself.

“Why thank you Stan! Pirate pissants, this is Cadence Webb from the Warrior Weekly with an exciting message for you: You’re trash and you always have been.”

With a flourish, she jabbed the rival reporter in the chest with the utmost gusto.

“Yes that’s right, Stan! Your loser team is destined to lose tonight. After all, I heard your runningback was having some problems at home, right? You know that kind of thing just really gets into a player’s head, Stan. He’s certainly going to torpedo your chances tonight and leave your team sinking. And if that’s not enough, what was that you were just saying about Coach Boone? He likes to ‘finish hard’ and be up in his player’s guts? Disgusting! Guess a Pirate needs their booty though, huh?”

There was a cocky grin spread across Kay’s face as she slammed the recorder back into Stan’s hands. She had apparently overheard bits and pieces of his recording and seemed well connected to Beverly Hill’s rumor mill. Worse, she seemed cruelly motivated to use any and all of her sources to strike out at Santa Monica’s eternal rival.

“Don’t count on getting promoted or having any sort of career in this field, Stan. You’re the ‘BELIEVE’ guy, right? How embarrassing. You must not have much of a social life then.”

For some reason, Kay really had it out for this guy tonight, a tiny huntress assailing her prey.

Stanley’s right eye twitched. Fucking Kay. He hated this bitch. She was literally the worst person that ever graced this Earth and that was saying a lot since he went to school with the likes of Naomi Davis and Amy Kwon. Who did she think she was interrupting his recording with her own useless words?! He needed to keep his cool and show her she did NOT get under his skin. She did but that's besides the point. “That’s cute coming from a girl who is the human equivalent of a participation trophy. I will not have a battle of wits with someone who has nothing to her name. Who are you again?” Stan scoffed, defending his turf, before mocking her high pitched giggle and ugly grin.

“Oh!” He took a step forward, breaching the distance since she so happily chose to do it first. He snapped his finger, gleefully, asserting his own confidence and Pirate pride, “Is it hereditary that salad dresses better than you?” Okay, maybe he was stooping low but it was the BHHS way and his mama didn’t raise a little bitch. She was a bitch. Kay, he means. Not his mom.

“Really? That’s all you got? Salad? You really do suck at this.” Kay snickered while rolling her eyes.

“Let me give you some advice: If you want to be in this field, you’re supposed to make words sting, not resort to your pedantic elementary roasts. I guess I’m just like your parents though because I also don’t BELIEVE in you, champ.” She was clearly enjoying this game, goading him into a verbal duel.

“Well you’re a girl and I have my limits. What’s got your panties in a bunch? You’re so forward about my life when I bet your mom looks at you and calls you fat everyday. Go do something useful, like actually interview people from your team or change your tampon. I have more important things to do like not talk to dumb bitches like you.” Stan hissed. It was getting increasingly harder to hide his growing rage from this cocky, nobody Warrior. Through gritted teeth, he growled, “Just you watch, Kay, we’re going to WRECK you.” He didn’t care if he wasn’t as good at verbal duels as Trixie and Jamie were but he knew he was better than her. He went to Beverly Hills High. She didn’t.

Kay looked back at Stan with true disappointment, expecting venom and true hate but only getting a limp yelp from a downed dog. She wanted an inferno, a bestial attack, not this pathetic mewling.

“I’m really embarrassed for you right now. This is… sadder than I expected. I don’t know what’s going on in your life, but get some help, man. You can do better than this.” Her snide attitude was legitimately replaced with a sympathetic, pitying tone. Suddenly, she backstepped with a look of disgust on her face.

“EW, THIS GUY JUST SHIT HIMSELF! GET AWAY FROM ME, FREAK.” She yelled out with her fingers pinched over her nose, making her final barb to a chorus of laughter from the Warrior’s sidelines. She quickly hurried away from him, as if desperate to leave his presence.

What the fuck?

Stan quickly looked around him and could already feel the eyes on him. He booked it screaming, “I DID NOT SHIT MYSELF! SHE’S A LIAR!” She was right though. Maybe he wasn’t cut out for this field.

Shit. Stinky Stan was not a good look. He could hear Jamie already.

Fuck. He let her get inside his head.

This sucked.