Melissa

Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP

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_{Location: Crestwood Hollow - New Hampshire}

Human #5.036: I Can't Handle Change

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_{Interaction(s): Lorcán @Lord Wraith}

Previously: Starting Over

Before either Aurora or Lorcán had the opportunity to open the door to the Jones’ house, it flew open to reveal Ripley’s wide smile. Completely ignoring her cousin, Ripley flew down the front steps, practically launching herself from the last one before tackling Aurora with a hug.

The redhead barely had time to brace herself as the brunette barreled into her, small, slender arms latching around her waist as though they’d been separated for years rather than just a few days. Aurora stumbled back a step, letting out a soft laugh, and gave the younger girl a gentle squeeze. Ripley’s joy was infectious, and she couldn’t help but smile, but inside, she felt as if she were teetering on the edge of being completely overwhelmed.

“Whoa, you really missed me, huh?” Aurora said, trying to inject her voice with a lightheartedness she didn’t quite feel. She looked into Ripley’s bright eyes, forcing herself to focus on the younger girl’s excitement. “And here I thought you’d be happier to see your cousin, I didn’t think I’d get such a warm welcome.”

“Who him?” Ripley teased, “Eh, he’s old news and a boy, ew gross.” She continued while guiding Aurora inside and towards the stairs. “You’re going to be staying in my room, I’ve got it all set up for you. We can stay up late swapping girly stories and in the morning, I’m making waffles.”

“Do I get waffles?” Lorcán asked from behind the pair while he carried their bags inside.

“Uh, no, I’ve seen the way you put away food. You’re fending for yourself.” Ripley called before she and Aurora were stopped by a lean woman, once golden hair spilling over her shoulders as it cascaded between gold, silver and platinum white.

“You must be Aurora, between Ripley and Tori, I feel like I already know you,” Alexis said with a smile as she initiated a hug with the copper-headed girl. “I’m Ripley’s Mom, Lorcán’s Aunt, Alexis, and this scruffy fellow is my husband, Calvin,” She added, gesturing towards a more rugged-looking man, his longer dark hair flecked with silver that was more predominate in the rough beard that covered his lower face.

“Glad to have you both here, please make yourselves at home. Mi casa es su casa. If there’s anything you need, please don’t hesitate to ask. Pizza okay with both of you for dinner?” Calvin asked, looking from the eagerly nodding Lorcán back to Aurora.

Aurora let her eyes wander as Ripley pulled her along, taking in the new, unfamiliar setting that was the Jones household. From a first glance, their home was warm and inviting, lived in, with well worn couches adorned with colorful cushions and soft throws. There was an abundance of natural light from the large windows, and many plants sat in the sunny spots around the living room. It felt similar to the Roth’s home in the Alumni Village, had the same feel, which should have settled something within her. But she still felt uneasy, all the emotions she’d been mulling over the entirety of their journey bubbling to the surface.

Even Alexis’ embrace felt familiar and comforting, the kind older woman welcoming her quite literally with open arms, Calvin too greeting her with compassion. And yet, the redhead found herself mustering a smile that didn’t reach her eyes, nodding in response to the latter’s question.

“Yeah, pizza’s great.” Aurora replied, eyes darting between all the people looking at her, feeling her heartbeat pick up, “I- uh,” She looked back towards the front door, which still sat open, the cool Autumn breeze calling to her, “I’m just going to take a second, get a bit of fresh air,”

She glanced at Lorcán apologetically before slipping her hand from Ripley’s grasp, quickly turning on her heel and stepping out onto the porch, inhaling and exhaling deeply as she leaned against the banister to ground herself.

“Where’s Cass?” Lorcán asked, giving Aurora space as he watched his girlfriend go by before turning to see the inquisitive faces of his extended family. When he was met with silence, Lorcán raised an eyebrow before moving to head to Cass’ room only to be stopped by Calvin before Ripley interjected.

“Like, I know you’re new to this whole boyfriend thing, Leo,” She monotoned, “But uh, when you’re girl leaves, you’re supposed to go after her,”

“Oh, it’s ‘Rora, she does that all the time.” Lorcán protested before Calvin gently turned him around.

“I think she might be a little more overwhelmed than usual, I know your dad is used to only raising you, but I have a bit more insight here.” He smiled, “Go, listen. Don’t try to solve anything, just let her talk to you.”

“COM-MUN-I-CATE!”

“Ripley, that’s enough,” Alexis interjected as Ripley stuck out her bottom lip.

“But, Mom!”

“Enough, go upstairs, I’m sure Aurora will join you shortly.” Lorcán heard his Aunt add before he stepped outside and leaned against the railing beside Aurora. October in Crestwood Hollow had always been a favourite time to visit. Due to the town’s connection to Witch Trials, they had a tendency to go all out for Hallowe’en. But at the moment it was more of a distraction than anything.

He bowed his head, mustering the words to initiate before finally speaking.

“It’s a lot, Lady Dude, I can’t begin to like imagine what you’re feeling right now.” He began to say, “Crestwood Hollow is safe, probably one of the safest places for Hyperhumans on the entire East Coast. It’s not without its vocal minorities, but it is safe.” He repeated, almost like a recited mantra at this point before stopping himself and allowing the words to hang in the air.

Aurora could see Lorcán approach in her periphery, but didn’t immediately turn to face him, her gaze unfocused but directed towards the houses on the other side of the street. The trees that lined the sidewalk danced in the wind, their leaves rustling and falling to the ground peacefully.

Peaceful. Crestwood Hollow seemed peaceful. If the rug hadn’t been pulled out from under them so rapidly she imagined that she and Lorcán could have visited under better circumstances; planned a little getaway for just the two of them, a break from classes, from the stresses of senior year. But this escape was the more literal sense of the word instead of the romanticized variety.

“You know that was only my second time on a plane, right?” The redhead broke the silence, finally shifting her sapphire eyes to look at her boyfriend. “The first was when I flew from Arizona to Vancouver as a kid to get to Dundas,” She explained, “And when we hit turbulence I was convinced we were going down, so when we landed, I was happy that I’d never have to go on a plane again.”

“Because I never thought I’d leave, genuinely,” Aurora stated in earnest, before sighing.

“I have no doubt that Crestwood Hollow is safe. It seems so lovely here and I can’t express how thankful I am that your Aunt and Uncle are hosting us,” Her gaze shifted back to the front yard and the pavement. “But this is just a lot of change to wrap my head around, Lor. I’m trying my best, but it’s hard.”

Lorcán nodded whilst listening, trying his best to empathize. But it was an unspoken sentiment that they both knew he couldn’t. How could the Prince of P.R.C.U. possibly empathize with a girl who didn’t even know if her own mother was still alive out there? Lorcán never had to want for anything, he was an heir apparent to everything his parents had helped Jonas build.

Even with all that stripped away, he still had two loving parents and a place to call home. Aurora on the other hand was trying to move upstream without a paddle. She had to feel like she was moments away from drowning.

“No matter how hard it gets, I’ll always be right here.” Lorcán offered, finally breaking the silence as he put his hand on hers and intertwined their fingers. “Whatever you’re facing, we’re facing now. I’m with you until the end of the line,” He smiled, scooting closer and wrapping an arm around her before softly kissing her forehead.

Aurora leaned into Lorcán, resting her head on his shoulder and inhaling the citrus and smoke scent of him. It was a foreign feeling, being adrift in this way, but she just needed to continue reminding herself that she could plant roots wherever he was, he was the only constant she needed in this ever changing landscape. Her gaze lifted to look at him again.

“I love you,” She stated, a small smile appearing on her face as the words flowed freely from her lips. It still was taking some getting used to, but it sounded better each and every time she said it. “Sorry to ruin the welcome party.” The redhead shook her head, “I didn’t anticipate how ecstatic Ripley would be to see us,” She nudged him, a small laugh akin to a breath escaping her.

“Well, me.”

“I love you too,” Lorcán replied, softly kissing her forehead again. “Ripley sees you as the sister she’s always wanted, she can come off a little strong, but like she means well.” It was a tender moment, but his stomach had other ideas as it loudly growled, interrupting their conversation.

He looked down at his stomach, smiling sheepishly before offering a small apologetic shrug.

“Calvin did have to like go and mention pizza.”

Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP

^{| Vancouver, British Columbia - A Few Weeks from Now}

“Hey, Dream Girl, how’s your day going?”

Aurora’s eyes instantly went wide as she beheld the sorry state that Lorcán was in, his eye practically swollen shut underneath the now dripping ice pack held over it. She didn’t hesitate to drop her tray on an empty table and rush over, her expression shifting from surprise to concern as she reached for his face, fingers hovering just above the skin starting to bruise.

“Oh my god,” She looked over her shoulder at one of her coworkers behind the counter, a sweet older woman with hair the color of moonlight. “Deb, can you get some ice for this, please? There should be some plastic bags in the back.” The redhead sat down at the barstool next to her boyfriend and inspected him for any other bumps or bruises- it may have been busy, but her tables could wait.

“What the hell happened?”

Behind Lorcán the drone of a TV echoed through the diner.

“... the wreckage of a civilian craft was discovered today along with the bodies of several identified Hyperhumans. The Coast Guard is working alongside the RCMP to account for the bodies and the wreckage. At this time, foul play is suspected and police are pursuing leads into a motivated hate crime.”

Lorcán turned his attention back to Aurora who was waiting on bated breath for a reply.

“Oh, just the usual.” He smiled, trying to hide the wince caused by the movement of his face muscles. “Just someone thought I was a Hype and didn’t take no for an answer.” Lorcán rubbed his eyes, dropping his voice before whispering to Aurora.

“Though I’d kill to be able to take these contacts out.” He smiled as he sat back up, rubbing his faux baby blues again.

“I think when I didn’t fight back, he’s satisfied for now, but I’m going to have to be careful…” His voice trailed off as his eyes suddenly widened at the television screen.

“... are alive today thanks to the heroics of one local firefighter…”

Lorcán’s cheeks went beet-red as all eyes in the diner were first drawn to the television set and then to the pair at the counter. He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, downplaying the applause before weakly smiling at Aurora.

“Really careful.”

The redhead sighed.

“I wouldn’t exactly call running into a burning building being careful, Lor,” She said under her breath, knowing that they still held the attention of those around them.

“Here you go, honey.” Deb reappeared from the back with the makeshift ice pack wrapped in a paper towel and passed it over the counter, “I’ll cover your tables, give you two a few minutes,” She offered a warm smile on her aging face, “Seems you’ve got quite the hero on your hands.”

Aurora’s eyes shifted back to her boyfriend, and her face softened as she met his gaze.

“Sure do,” She concurred, a small half smile pulling her lips upwards and a warmth blooming in her chest. “Thanks, Deb.” As the older woman walked away to take care of her section, Aurora took the ice pack and held it up to Lorcán’s swollen eye gingerly, not wanting to cause him any additional discomfort.

“Look, it goes without saying that I’m proud of you, you saved those people,” She began to tell him, her tone genuine, “But you can’t be so reckless like that, next time you might not be as lucky.” Aurora leaned in closer, her voice dropping into a whisper, “And I’m not just talking about keeping a low profile, I don’t know how you did that without going into Hype-Psy, it’s dangerous.” She lifted the ice pack for a moment, examining the injury, wincing at how painful it looked.

“Who did this to you? Someone at the station?”

“It was more passive anyways,” Lorcán replied dismissively, opting to negate mentioning his earlier bloody nose. He gave Aurora enough reasons to worry, she shouldn’t have to worry about hyperpsychosis on top of it all.

“And yeah, just a guy from the station. Nothing to worry about, just typical guys being guys. Probably was some more hazing.” He continued to downplay. He knew Aurora, he knew she’d want to give Miller an earful. There was something about Miller’s tattoo that still didn’t sit right with him, he needed to check with his Dad, maybe it was something he had told Lorcán about previously.

“I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve had to stop those dudes from taking a razor to my hair.” He laughed, pressing the paper towel-wrapped ice to his face and discarding his old one.

“Just the reality of this new life.” He stated before looking down at his phone. The chances of Gil actually reaching out at this point felt slim, Gil had been on a warpath his last night at P.R.C.U. and while Lorcán earnestly wanted to help, he could only imagine that if it was Aurora in Amma’s position, he’d charge in headfirst by himself too.

“He’ll call,” Lorcán said more to himself than towards Aurora before placing his phone face down on the counter.

“I’m famished, have you had a meal yet today?”

Aurora frowned. Lorcán’s words still incited worry even though he was attempting to do the opposite. She’d been to the station once or twice since he started working there and had met a few of the guys - they seemed welcoming and kind, not the type to pick a fight for fun - so her hunch told her that this was more than just a standard initiation ritual. But she didn’t want to come off as overbearing, so she simply nodded and bit her tongue, choosing not to push the issue further. Her sapphire eyes watched as her boyfriend checked his phone, again, a tic that had become frequent over the last few weeks.

“Give him time, Lor,” She reassured, knowing who he was referring to without him needing to explain. The redhead sincerely hoped Gil would reach out, but part of her wondered if he ever would.

“I had a little snack earlier, so I’m not that hungry.” Aurora replied, “But I’ll ask James to make you something, what do you want?” She inclined her head towards the kitchen, where the fry cook worked diligently on the orders that continued to come in.

“Burger, fries, orange soda,” Lorcán beamed, rhyming off his usual while James echoed the words from behind the counter, the fry cook having heard Aurora ask.

“And no-”

“Mustard, I know,” James smiled, “Good burgers don’t need mustard.”

“So he can be taught,” Lorcán wiggled his eyebrows at Aurora while James rolled his eyes.

“Careful, or you’ll be cooking your own food!” James shouted back as Lorcán flashed a wry smile.

“Have you heard from any of Blac-, uh, our friends lately?” Lorcán asked Aurora before shoving his phone back in his pocket to avoid checking it again.

The redhead couldn’t help but laugh to herself at the exchange, but upon hearing his next question, her expression fell once more. She shook her head.

“No,” Aurora replied, pulling out her own phone to find no new notifications since she started her shift. Her lock screen image was her and Lorcán, but when she swiped up, the image changed to one of her and Harper, taken at the end of the previous year. “I’ve sent a few texts but… haven’t heard anything back.”

“Guess everyone really did move on then,” Lorcán replied, doing his best to control his facial expressions. He felt a little defeated after spending so many years with the others that none of them had reached out or even replied. It made Lorcán wonder if perhaps he hadn’t been as good of a friend as he could have been.

Maybe he should have been more supportive of Haven and Rory, maybe he should have tried to encourage Cass more with Harper. He knew he had drawn the line in the sand with Katja, but they all had. There was no trusting her after the truth had come out. Calliope was dead, Amma was also dead and Gil was off who knows where. Lorcán had never taken the opportunity to get to know Cleo, Lucas or Manny.

And that was everyone that he could think of.

Part of him had considered reaching out to Ryan, seeing where she ended up. But he honestly could see her using her connections to Priest Jr. to land a teaching gig with the Foundation. Ryan always had a way of landing on her feet, probably the only positive trait passed along by her father.

He barely registered his food being placed in front of him. His hand brushed against the cold glass before he took a long solemn sip.

“Eh, probably better that they can focus on the Foundation I guess.” He muttered before taking a bite of his burger. His usual zeal for food seemed absent as he slowly chewed the mouthful of meat and bun.

Aurora placed her hand on Lorcán’s shoulder comfortingly, seeing how visibly disappointed he was about how things had ended up. They both were. There were times throughout her years at P.R.C.U. that she definitely took their group for granted, rolled her eyes at their antics, but now, she wished for just one more chaotic adventure with her friends.

Rising to her feet, she looked down at Lorcán lovingly before pressing a kiss to his head.

“I should get back to work,” The redhead found Deb across the diner and waved, signaling she’d take over her tables again. “I’ll be done in an hour or so, I don’t have to close tonight.” She reached into her pocket and grabbed her pad of paper and pen.

“Stay and eat though, then we’ll go home, okay?”

“Sounds good, Dream Girl,” Lorcán smiled, “I’ll be right here.”

His mind, on the other hand, was anywhere but.

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_{Location: Crestwood Hollow - New Hampshire}

Human #5.027: Starting Over

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_{Interaction(s): Lorcán @Lord Wraith}

Previously: Burning Down

^{| Present Day}

The cab from Portsmouth felt unusually long as Lorcán and Aurora watched the foreign yet somehow familiar Eastern Coastline fly by as the car made its way into Crestwood Hollow. The flight from Vancouver to Portsmouth had gone smoothly. Lorcán had opted to put on costume contact lenses to disguise his eyes, while the pair had managed to go undetected as Hyperhumans and avoid any incidents.

He couldn’t abide the thought of being forced to wear a dampener let alone an inhibitor. Though his wandering mind suddenly likened it to a chastity belt, a shiver travelled Lorcán’s spine as he realized there were Hyperhumans out there that probably used the devices for their indulgences.

As the cab entered the Orlaith Valley, Lorcán felt like he was coming home. He had been to Crestwood Hollow more times than anywhere else on the mainland, and the smell of the orchards in fall was one of his favourite scents. The dense forests of oak and maple beyond the valley were turning colour and decorated the horizon in beautiful hues of orange, red and yellow.

Crestwood Hollow was divided across its North and South into two sections by train tracks, the Beau to the North, the rough side of the city while the Southern half was known as the Belle. His father had grown up in the Beau but his Aunt lived in the Belle while the infamous Mather Memorial basically straddled the line allowing for a mingling of students from all over the city.

It’s how a Roth had fallen for a Bordeaux.

As the cab came to a stop, Lorcán held the door for Aurora, helping her out before moving to the trunk to fetch the luggage while Aurora took care of paying the driver. His parents had entrusted their funds with Aurora as opposed to Lorcán for entirely justified reasons.

Standing in front of the house of his Aunt and Uncle, Lorcán flashed a smile at Aurora.

“Ready to see where Cass and Ripley grew up?”

The redhead had been quiet for most of the cab ride, in fact, for the majority of their journey she’d been wrapped in her own thoughts, lost in a steady churn of feelings she didn’t know how to voice. Starting in Vancouver had been one thing- she’d been a handful of times throughout her years and it felt familiar enough- but traveling across the country to a town she’d never step foot in was entirely another. Each mile that took them further from P.R.C.U. left her feeling untethered, like she was leaving something behind.

It was only when they reached the Orlaith Valley, the dense clusters of trees with their changing leaves pressing close to the winding roads, that she felt the faintest glimmer of something other than grief. She’d never seen a fall like this before, the reds and oranges were so vibrant they almost looked unreal. On the Island the seasons shifted more subtly, a quiet transition from warm to cool, but here, fall was loud and brilliant, blazing with colors that seemed to set the landscape on fire.

Aurora took a deep breath as she got out of the car, her eyes sweeping over the three-story home that lay before them, painted a light blue-toned grey with white trim. The house exuded character, the front porch scattered with autumn leaves that had drifted down from the towering oak in the front yard.

“Yeah,” She nodded, still taking it all in, “Ready.”

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^{| The Black Forest, Germany - Several Weeks from Now}

The room was lit only by the warm hues of the flickering candlelight.

A fragrant incense burned in the corner, masking the smell of freshly spilled blood. The source of the blood sat on a simple wooden stool whilst drawing a thread made by binding together five long hairs from atop her head. The veiled maiden then took the hair and slowly tied it around a thin needle that had been painstakingly carved from the bones of her pre-deceased predecessors.

Copper hair spilled over the shoulders of the younger woman sitting directly across from the one carrying out a sacred and ancient duty. From beside Aurora, Lorcán gently squeezed the redhead’s right hand reassuringly, as the pair watched the woman drag the newly woven thread through the untainted crimson ichor.

“Breathe, this next part will hurt.” She instructed and Lorcán squeezed a little harder as the needle penetrated the first few layers of Aurora’s palm.

Aurora inhaled deeply as directed, trying to remain calm, but her exhale quickly turned into a loud shriek.

The pain was sharp and intense, unlike anything she had ever felt before, and her grip on her boyfriend’s hand became crushing as the maiden navigated the needle through her skin, each movement hurting more than the last.

“Ow, ow!” She exclaimed, sapphire eyes watering as the agonizing sensation radiated from her palm up her arm.

“I will finish sooner if you remain still.” The veiled woman stated as Lorcán did his best to steady Aurora, his other hand balling into a fist at his girlfriend’s pain. He hated that she had to be subjected to this, but if Ellara was right, without this ward their souls would be ripped to shreds.

“Is there no way to like, numb the pain?” Lorcán pleaded.

“No, the pain is part of the Path.”

The redhead took a shuddering breath, nodding before clamping her eyes tightly shut as tears trailed down her cheeks. It was excruciating, the stabbing evolving into something that felt akin to burning, but she knew it was necessary if they were to continue on their journey. Another breath, and she directed all her focus to cease the trembling in her hand and arm, trying to remain still as instructed.

She bit down on the inside of her cheek as the veiled woman continued, a metallic taste coating her tongue as she attempted to quiet her whimpers of pain.

Withdrawing the needle with the last pass, Lorcán’s eyes widened as he watched the rune begin to glow. He had just experienced it himself, he knew the next part was going to be the worst for Aurora and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight, feeling the heat shoot through her body.

But not even Lorcán’s strong embrace could comfort her as the burning sensation overtook. Aurora leaned into him, burying her head into the crook of his neck and cried, desperate for any relief from this torment. Her body felt ablaze, like it was being set on fire from the inside.

And then as quickly as the pain had come on, it disappeared.

Breathing heavily and a sheen of sweat dotting her brow, Aurora cautiously sat upright and gazed down at her hand, at the coal-black symbol that now covered the fair skin of her palm. Swallowing, she looked between the veiled maiden and Lorcán, a few final stray tears slipping down her face.

“Is that the last of you now?”

“Yes,” Came Ellara’s reply as Gil waited anxiously nearby for the ritual to be completed, “Just the three of them, thank you again, Sister.”

“This is the Path I walk.”

Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP

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_{Location: The Beach - Pacific Royal Campus}

Human #5.017: Burning Down

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_{Interaction(s): Harper @Qia Katja @Zoldyck}

Previously: Where Do I Go?

Aurora listened to Rory’s words, heard the raw pain behind them that resonated with her own in that moment. The pieces clicked into place - Katja was the member of Blackjack that Raze had revealed during the trial, she was part of Orcinus. Her heart pounded in her chest, each beat louder than the last, as she realized that her friend, someone she trusted, was a traitor.

But it was Harper’s fury directed at the wheelchair-bound boy that urged her to speak, anger not based on logic regarding the situation, but of circumstance and consequence. Her fists clenched tightly at her sides as she turned toward the brunette, her voice sharp.

“Harper,” The redhead scolded, her friend’s uncharacteristic hostility stunning her to her core. “You have absolutely no right to speak to Rory like that. Not even a little bit.” Though the girl wouldn’t be able to see her face, she knew she could hear the disappointment laced into her tone. “You’re completely wrong.” She paused, her breath quickening, trying to hold onto the composure she was known for, and she rose to her feet.

“Because if Katja did care about us, and I mean truly cared, she wouldn’t have sided with a goddamn terrorist.”

Aurora didn’t get mad often, if ever. Most of her teammates knew her to be compassionate and level headed, always finding civil ways to de escalate any situation. But this week had pushed her beyond her limits emotionally, and she had just about had it. The tension had been bubbling up for days, and she was ready to burst. She couldn’t hold it in any longer.

“During the Trials, I was warned that one of us was still loyal to Hyperion and was responsible for trapping us inside,” She was seething now, her voice trembling with suppressed rage, cheeks turning as red as her hair, “I didn’t want to believe it, thought it was a trick of the simulation, but now, I know that it was true, and it was you.” Her sapphire eyes were cold and calculating as they fixed on Katja, and she took a step closer, almost predatory. "Do you even understand what you’ve done?"

"You betrayed us, Katja, and for what? Some warped vision of the future that was sold to you?" Aurora’s voice rose with each word, her anger barely contained. "Do you even understand the lives you’ve put at risk? The people you’ve hurt? The people you’ve killed?"

The redhead turned to look down at Harper in her seat, ensuring that her words would reach her loud and clear.

“I’m insulted that you think she cares about us, Harper. You weren’t here when Hyperion attacked, you don’t know what it was like.” Aurora’s voice broke, her pain rising to the surface, raw and exposed. “People like her tried to take everything from me, again.”

The tension was thick, suffocating. Had Lorcán been there, he might have calmed her, grounded her in some way. But with him off consoling Gil, there was no one to pull her back from the edge. She was a storm unleashed, relentless, as she took another step towards Katja.

"You think you’re doing what’s right," She continued, her voice dropping into a low, dangerous tone. "You think you’re on the ‘right side,’ don’t you? But one day, you’re going to look back and see the destruction you’ve caused, the lives you’ve ruined." Aurora’s gaze burned into Katja, her tone cold, final.

"And by then, it’ll be too late."

Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP

All good things must come to an end.

And for Aurora Mitchell, more often than not, her dreams flowed directly into the nightmares that were left in their wake.

It was emotional whiplash, to say the least, going from the best night of her life to one of the worst in a matter of minutes. One moment she and Lorcán were still in their own little world, practically floating on cloud 9 as a couple. After years of friendship, quiet pining, and unspoken feelings, they’d taken that leap together, and walking hand in hand back from the beach, the world had felt infinite, like they could conquer anything.

But the next moment, they’d descended directly into chaos. The result of an attack on the ARC by a creature called the Chernobog, claiming the lives of several students and injuring plenty more.

Her friends had been there. Her teammates. And she hadn’t been.

Aurora stayed over at Lorcán’s dorm that night, though sleep didn’t come easily. She lay beside him, curled under his arm, feeling the warmth of his body against hers, but even his comforting presence couldn’t quiet the turmoil in her mind. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the faces of the injured students, the devastation.

The night had started so perfectly, and now it was nothing but a blur of guilt and regret.

After what seemed like hours of lying awake, she slipped out of bed quietly, careful not to wake him, and wandered over to sit by the window. The moon hung low in the sky, casting a soft glow over the campus below. It looked so peaceful, but Aurora knew better. Beneath the surface, there was tension. Fear. Grief.

Part of her was thankful that they hadn’t been there, that she and Lorcán had been safe from the attack. But the thought felt selfish, like a betrayal of the people she cared about. How could she be grateful for her safety when so many others had suffered? Her friends, her teammates—they had faced the terror of the Chernobog while she had been wrapped up in her own happiness, blissfully unaware of the danger that loomed.

The guilt gnawed at her. She hated herself for even feeling relieved. What kind of person was she, counting her blessings when others had been hurt, when lives had been lost? Her mind flashed back to the faces she had seen when they returned, their haunted expressions and the eerie silence that had followed. Aurora couldn’t help but feel like she’d abandoned them, like she’d failed her friends when they needed her most. She should have been there, should have fought alongside them. Instead, she’d been dancing on the beach, lost in the euphoria of her new relationship with Lorcán.

She ran a hand through her hair, letting out a frustrated sigh. It wasn’t like she could go back and change what happened. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that she’d let everyone down, including herself. The thought made her stomach twist.

Turning back to look at Lorcán’s sleeping form, she watched the steady rise and fall of his chest, the peacefulness in his expression that seemed so far removed from the unease swirling inside of her. They hadn’t planned for any of this to happen, of course, but knowing that didn’t make the guilt any easier to bear.

Aurora hugged her knees to her chest as a shiver racked her spine, her back having been pressed against the cold windowsill. Though she couldn’t escape the weight of her thoughts, the icy air only made her feel more alone. She tore her gaze away from the darkened landscape below and stood, returning to bed and slipping beneath the blankets with careful movements so as not to disturb Lorcán. As soon as she settled, he stirred slightly, instinctively pulling her close, his arms wrapping around her and his warmth taking away the chill.

She allowed herself to relax into him, and in his arms, the world felt smaller, the chaos a little less overwhelming. Burying her face in the curve of his neck, she inhaled the familiar citrus and smoke scent of him, finding comfort even though the heartache still lingered at the edges of her mind.

Tomorrow, they’d face what came next, but for now, she allowed herself this small moment of serenity, even when everything else seemed to be rapidly unraveling and falling apart.

^{_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}

Pacific Royal Collegiate & University is closed.

Aurora froze.

Every word that followed was muffled, the only sound louder than the students around her was the deafening ringing in her ears. Her gaze drifted, unfocused, the moisture pooling in her eyes turning everything before her blurry and distorted. The closest thing she’d ever had to a home, slipping from her fingers, just like that.

It was happening all over again, a vicious cycle continued.

“I have nowhere else to go.” The redhead exhaled, rigid in her state of shock, “PRCU is the only place I have, Lorcán.” She whispered, her voice shaky, eyes wide with disbelief. “What am I going to do?” The hand that was intertwined with his grew limp. She felt completely and utterly numb.

“I don’t have another choice, I’m going to have to go to the Foundation,” The tears began to roll down her freckled cheeks as realization hit. “I-I don’t want to leave, I don’t want to go.” She continued, her voice cracking and her breath hitching, the panic beginning to set in.

Lorcán pulled her in tightly against his chest, wrapping his arms around her and squeezing to try and force some of the tension from his girlfriend’s body. He gave her a minute to catch her breath before speaking.

“You’re not going anywhere, you’re staying right here with me.” He replied in a low voice, his tone comforting. “The house has another bedroom and my parents already see you as part of our family. No one is letting you go to the Foundation,” He added, emitting a slight warm glow from his body to help her calm.

“This is our home, we’re staying right here. We’ll make this work, I promise.”

Aurora felt the steady rise and fall of his chest as he held her tightly and attempted to match the rhythm of his breathing, warmth radiating from his body and wrapping around her soothingly. But she still was sent reeling.

“No, I-I-I couldn’t,” She sputtered, immediately pushing back on his statement. “Your parents already have enough to worry about,” The redhead knew that her staying with the Roth’s meant she was another mouth to feed, another person to concern themselves with. The last thing she wanted was to be a burden. “I’d never put them in that position, I can’t.”

“I’m insisting, firstly as your friend, secondly as your boyfriend,” Lorcán implored, “I’m not taking ‘no’ as an answer, I’ll get a job to help out. It’ll be fine, we’ll make this work.” He continued, “I’m not losing you to the Foundation too.”

Her pulse was racing, but something within her settled at his unwavering resolve, even though her mind continued to spin out and the tears streamed down her face. Maybe it was because she felt safest with him, and deep down she knew that so long as they were together, she’d be okay. But later, as she sat on the porch of the Roth homestead while Lorcán spoke with his parents inside, something occurred to her.

He was home.

PRCU had only been a place, Lorcán had been the one to make it mean something more. It didn’t matter where they were physically - on Dundas Island, on the mainland, somewhere else - wherever he was, was where she was meant to be.

She wouldn't let him slip through her fingers too.

^{__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}

_{Location: The Beach - Pacific Royal Campus}

Human #5.012: Where Do I Go?

^{_{________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}}

_{Interaction(s): Lorcán @Lord Wraith & Rory @webboysurf}

Previously: Death of a Bachelor

Aurora stood waiting at the edge of the path to the beach, the point in which the trees opened up to greet wide open space and where rough gravel met soft sand. Her sapphire eyes watched the waves crash onto the shoreline, entranced, as if she were examining the intricacies of their ebb and flow.

The bags under her eyes were noticeable and her fair skin was far paler than usual, the last few days having sucked her effervescent demeanor dry. At this rate, she had no more tears left to cry, having practically exhausted herself with the endless questions that had no answers and the overwhelming changes which left her aimless.

The end was imminent and the unknown awaited.

The sound of gravel crunching under wheels cut through the air, coming in spurts of energy. He was no longer sporting casts on his legs, but his hunched body language and grimaced expression were not a comforting view when he rolled to a stop near his teammate. His eyes glanced in Aurora's direction, but he didn't seem to focus on her. He opened his mouth to speak, but the only sound that came out was a raspy exhale. He cleared his throat for a moment, shaking his head a little. He didn't even know what to say to her. Or any of them, for that matter.

The words he did settle on were simple, sincere, and empty. His voice lacked the usual warmth, instead echoing with sorrow and frustration.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. It's… I'm not used to this.”

Aurora didn’t look at Rory as he spoke, anxiously tucking her hair behind her ears, her dull copper locks lacking their normally vibrant hue. She was hesitant to shift her gaze towards him- down at him. She hadn’t seen him since the day after the attack, when she and Lorcán had gone together to visit both him and Haven in the infirmary, but at that point he was still resting in bed, legs covered with bandages and blankets.

Knowing that he was confined to a chair increased the guilt she felt for not being there, and facing it now was a tangible reminder that she had failed her teammates, her friends. Tentatively, she glanced at him, and that familiar pang of regret hit her like a truck, but yet her expression remained stoic, empty.

“I know.” The redhead sympathized, recognizing he was still navigating this new normal. “I haven’t been standing here long, besides, I’m enjoying the view.” She assured him, motioning out to the endless sea ahead of them. “How are you feeling today?” She asked, hoping it would come off as sincere although her voice wavered.

The corners of Rory's lips turned upwards in the faintest and saddest impression of a smile.

“Not jumping for joy.” He glanced up at Aurora, finally taking in her expression and posture. He turned his gaze back towards the beach. His words remained cold and stoic in a way that was alien to him.

“It would have killed you. And him.”

“You don’t know that.” She was quick to reply, not wasting a breath on words that weren’t truthful as her eyes drifted out to the horizon, the sky painted in shades of orange and pink. “I could have teleported you guys out, Lorcán could have thawed the ice and distracted the Chernobog long enough for Alyssa and Luce to finish it.” Aurora could feel the lump forming in the back of her throat.

“We should’ve been there. Things would have been different”

Rory shook his head.

“Maybe. Or maybe there would be more gravestones.” His breathing was deep and heavy, his eyes shifting to the sea. “It doesn't matter now. We can't change what happened.”

A heavy silence hung between the pair, Aurora not quite sure of what else she could say in response. Rory was right—they couldn’t change what had happened—but that didn’t stop the constant, gnawing question of what if. Her jaw tightened as she fought against the surge of emotions bubbling beneath the surface, the loss weighing on her chest, threatening to spill over.

“I know,” She whispered, her voice thick with the unspoken grief that lingered. “But that doesn't mean I’ll ever stop wishing we could.”

The redhead turned and took a step to the side, positioning herself behind Rory’s wheelchair, palms coming to rest on the hand grips. She took a deep breath, mentally preparing herself to teleport not only her friend but his wheelchair as well.

“Ready whenever you are.”

Rory simply nodded, unable to utter a single word. He wanted to reach up and offer some sort of support, but he didn't have the energy. He simply hunched over in his seat, readying himself for that weightless sensation while gripping the armrests tight.

Aurora closed her eyes, and in an instant, they were gone.

The action felt more strenuous than it normally did, the weakness in her legs evident when her knees wobbled upon their arrival on the beach. But she steadied herself before anyone could notice, bracing against the chair for a moment while she readjusted to the sinking sensation of the sand below her feet. With Rory now parked in the spot left intentionally vacant directly next to Haven, the redhead quickly found her place beside Lorcán. She wasn’t even seated for more than a few seconds before his hand drifted towards her, and she wordlessly interlaced her fingers with his.

They still hadn’t told the team officially of their relationship per their original agreement, but especially now, it didn’t seem right to share such positive news. The pair had been the only ones to gain something on a night that everyone else had lost, if anything it’d be tone deaf to express such sentiments. Nonetheless, she assumed that most of their friends had likely figured out by now that they were together.

Her sullen sapphires flitted around the campfire, gazing upon those gathered who remained. What once was a lively and tight-knit group now felt fractured, haunted by the events that had torn through their world just days ago. The circle was smaller now, empty seats reminding them of those who weren’t with them anymore. The mood was somber, heavy, and Aurora felt the weight of it press down on her shoulders. It wasn’t just the loss of people; it was the loss of what they once had together, that carefree camaraderie that had been shattered in an instant.

She glanced at the last members of Eclipse, who’s stories she would unfortunately never get the chance to know, just their names and abilities.

Haven, her gorgeous wings now a whisper of a memory, freedom now just out of her reach, and Rory, who had tried so hard to put the team first, save the girl by his side which ended in his own detriment.

Gil, the actor whose facade had finally cracked, unable to hide the grief that had consumed him, and Banjo, a man in mourning, lost without his love, which made her shift slightly closer to her boyfriend.

She couldn’t even bring herself to look at Harper who sat on her other side, her closest confidant, eyes the shade of snow. There’d be no more drawings, her precious sketches permanently erased with her gift having vanished.

Aurora squeezed Lorcán’s hand tighter, her grip almost desperate. She didn’t know how to fix any of this, didn’t know how to bridge the gaps that had now grown between them all. But her attention was pulled away by movement on the edge of her vision. Two figures stepped into her periphery, one of them—a white-haired girl—approaching Gil with something small and delicate in her hand.

The last known belonging of Amma Cahors. Ammaranthe she was told later on was her full name, the purest piece of herself which she had tried to reveal during the trials. The raven haired girl barely had the chance to show them who she really was. Aurora knew now that it was Amma who had saved Lorcán’s life - and she’d never get the chance to express her gratitude or repay that debt.

She knew she could have stopped this, all of this, or at the very least, she could have prevented this from happening. And she’d need to learn to live with that for the rest of her days.

The redhead’s hand suddenly went cold, and she turned her head to watch Lorcán’s retreating form that followed Gil down the beach. Her fingers twitched, instinctively reaching for the warmth that had just slipped away, and for a moment, she sat frozen. The crackling of the fire was the only sound that broke the silence which had fallen over them once again, the light and shadow the flames cast flickering across the somber faces of her friends, their eyes heavy with grief and exhaustion.

Exhaling audibly, she spoke for the first time.

“I’m going with Lorcán to Crestwood Hollow.” She revealed, although she doubted it came as much of a surprise to the rest of the group. “After that...” Her voice faltered, and she glanced around the circle, meeting each of their eyes for a brief moment before her gaze dropped to the ground.

“We’ll figure it out,” She added quietly, though the uncertainty in her tone betrayed her. The words felt like a promise she wasn’t sure she could keep, and she let them hang in the air for a moment.

“I hope.”

^{_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}

^{| Vancouver, British Columbia - A Few Weeks from Now}

Aurora stood in front of the payphone outside of the diner, the cool autumn air biting at her skin. Her fingers hovered over the keypad, trembling slightly, the slip of paper in her hand had grown soft from being folded and unfolded too many times, the ink barely legible. She’d gone over this moment in her head a thousand times, rehearsing the words, the question. But now, with the phone pressed to her ear, she contemplated if she really was about to do this.

She wasn’t ready. She doubted she'd ever be.

The faint ringing on the other end was steady, but with each tone, the knot in her stomach tightened.

"Hello?" Aurora swallowed hard, her throat suddenly dry.

"Hi there, I'm, uh, calling about one of your employees... Sasha Mitchell?" The name felt foreign on her lips, like it didn’t belong to her anymore. It had been so long since she'd said it out loud. "Does she still work there?"

The woman on the other end paused for a moment, her voice softening.

"Oh, dear... no. She quit a few months ago, actually. And..." Her tone turned somber, hesitant. "No one's seen or heard from her since."

“May I… may I ask who’s calling?”

Aurora’s heart sank, the sharp ache of years of wondering, of hoping, surged through her. She tried to steady her voice, but it came out shaky.

"I- I'm just an old friend," She said, almost whispering the lie. The other end of the line went quiet. She could almost hear the woman weighing her next words, wondering who this "old friend" really was.

"Well, if you happen to find anything out, do let us know." The woman’s voice was laced with sorrow, her words slow and careful, as if she knew speaking them could break something fragile. "We miss her around here, you know. Between you and me..." She sighed, the sound heavy with unspoken history.

"I hope she finally left that no-good husband of hers and skipped town."

Aurora’s grip tightened around the phone, her knuckles white. The mention of her stepfather twisted something inside her- that familiar fear. Memories she continually tried to bury began to resurface, the same ones that haunted her nightmares, but she forced them back down, the distance between her and her mother feeling more insurmountable than ever.

The silence between them stretched, filled with unspoken questions, before the woman cleared her throat.

"Well... take care, dear."

"Yeah... you too." Aurora murmured, the phone slipping from her grasp as she hung up. She stood there, staring blankly at the receiver, one of her only leads vanishing into thin air.

Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP

^{________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}

_{Location: The Augmented Reality Center - Pacific Royal Collegiate & University Campus}

Dance Monkey #4.082: Death Of A Bachelor

^{_{____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}}

_{Interaction(s): @Lord Wraith - Lorcán Roth}

Previously: Dancing In The Flames

It didn’t take long for Lorcán and Aurora to trade the quiet stillness of the Mess Hall for the melodic crashing waves on the shoreline, the latter teleporting the pair in an instant to their shared favorite place.

As soon as she felt the solid tile flooring underneath her dissolve into cool grains of sand, the redhead reached down and slipped off her shoes before they could sink too far downwards, sighing contently as her toes dug into the beach. Free from the restrictive confines of her heels, she let her discarded footwear hang from her fingertips, her other hand still grasping onto the boy by her side as she began to walk along the water, being careful that the skirt of her dress didn’t get caught in the incoming tide.

“I came out here alone a few nights this past week, both when you were in the infirmary and after everything happened.” Aurora revealed, recounting the evenings she had spent sitting on the shore with her thoughts during the witching hour. Next to them, the ocean seemed to glow in the moonlight, shades of white and silver dancing along the surface. “It was weird. Lonely, really. It didn’t feel the same without you.”

“When I was in the infirmary-” Lorcán looked out towards the sea, his eyes following the horizon before a silvery reflection on the water's surface caused his eyes to dart to the North. Glowing antlers saluted him and as quickly as he had noticed the white stag, it was gone again.

Lorcán quickly blinked, shaking his head with a small smile before continuing his thought.

“When I was unconscious, it was you, you were the one watching over me, guiding me through. My thoughts dwelt almost entirely on you.” He explained, before suddenly stopping. His eyes lit up as he noticed a structure in the distance.

“Looks like someone was like planning to continue the dance out here.” He exclaimed, suddenly releasing Aurora’s hand before darting forward. It was a simple setup, a temporary floor between four posts with strings of lights connecting them. Lorcán quickly located the power to the decorative display and watched it illuminate the dark beach.

Noting the Bluetooth speaker nearby, it only took him a few seconds to pair the device with his phone before he held his hand toward Aurora again.

“You did promise to save me a dance.”

A small smile formed on Aurora’s lips as Lorcán spoke, and yet, in combination with her radiant joy she also found herself in disbelief. Through all those days and nights in the infirmary that she sat by his side, he had been thinking of her? Of all the people in his life who he found important, especially his family, she was the one who he cited guiding him through. It was difficult for her to wrap her head around that she held such a prominent place in his heart and mind. Then again, she held that same space for him.

But before she could comment, she followed his gaze and then his path to the structure he spotted not too far from the water’s edge. The lights glowed warmly as they were lit, the same warmth that the redhead felt blooming in her chest, a stark contrast against the cool tones of the night sky and sand. It was becoming a picture perfect evening, especially considering how differently it could have gone given the way the night had started.

“I did, didn’t I,” Aurora playfully recounted, taking his outstretched hand and moving closer. She let her other hand settle on his shoulder, looking up at him with bright blue eyes. “Well it’s a good thing then that I never break a promise.”

Lorcán took hold of her hand and playfully spun Aurora around as the music began to play. He had been sure to select one of her favourites, but still something with a solid enough beat that he could move his feet to it. Playing along with music was one thing, but Lorcán wasn’t exactly known for poise or grace.

“I don’t see how there could possibly be anywhere else I’d want to be right now than here with you, Aurora.” Lorcán smiled, her name feeling almost foreign on his lips. Could he still call her ‘Lady Dude’? Did he need to think of a new nickname? Was actually being romantically involved always going to lead to these moments of overthinking every small action?

Staring in her eyes, Lorcán let go of any doubts as he re-centred himself in the moment, determined to enjoy the now and worry about tomorrow when it came. With his phone on silent, they were free of any distractions or disturbances as the romantic melody spilled out over the empty beach. The twinkling lights above their heads were accented by the moon that reflected off the peaceful crashing waves.

It was a perfect moment and there was nothing that could ruin it.

The redhead agreed, there was nowhere else she’d rather be. She’d dreamed of a moment like this, sharing a tender experience in the setting that they had grown to call their own. Beach aside, she’d said it herself back in the infirmary - the only place she ever wanted to be was where he was.

But hearing her given name as opposed to the nickname she had grown to cherish felt different. The thing was though, things were different now. With both of their feelings out in the open, communicated and sealed with a kiss, this was now a new chapter in their friendship - their relationship.

Was that what this was now? A relationship?

She thought so, at least, that the confession of their love and shared feelings meant that they were now likely together in that manner. But after everything that had happened between them which could have precluded this from even occurring in the first place, she knew better than to assume. The familiar nerves she had felt before quickly made themselves known again, and so Aurora approached the subject gently, deciding that from here on out there would be no more secrets, no more holding things close to her chest.

“Lorcán,” She hesitated, but continued, “I know we still have a lot to figure out, but,” Her hand moved from his shoulder to cup the back of his neck, letting the pads of her fingers glide into his hair. “What happens next? Where do we go from here?”

“I don’t know,” He replied, shivers running down his spine as Aurora played with his hair. He could feel more than just the hairs on his arms standing on edge as the pleasure-filled tingles ran through his body.

“But I do know we do it together,” Lorcán added with a smile, “I want to be with you, to know you fully and wholly, and I think you want that with me,” He explained, “I see no reason why this isn’t more. I told you, I wanted it to be more, and I want to continue to explore that and life with you.”

He took hold of her hand, kissing the back of it lightly before locking his ember-like eyes with Aurora’s shimmering sapphires.

“What I’m trying to say is, Aurora Mitchell, I want to be your boyfriend.”

Aurora's heart skipped a beat, her lips curling into a smile, blood rushing to her cheeks and staining them rose.

I totally don’t see us as static either, we’re still evolving.

Together, just as they always had, but more than before. No more lingering doubts, no more dancing around what they both wanted. And the way he looked at her—like she was the only thing that mattered—made it feel like the most natural thing in the world.

"Boyfriend," she repeated softly, as if testing the word on her tongue. It felt strange, but wonderfully so; a page turned, a new chapter. “I’d like that,” she whispered, her voice barely above a breath, her thumb brushing lightly against the nape of his neck, her touch gentle. “I’d like that a lot.”

Without thinking twice, the action in itself instinctual, she leaned forward and closed the gap between them. Her lips pressed softly against Lorcán’s, the kiss languid, filled not with urgency but a promise of something lasting. She could feel the steady beat of his heart, strong and sure, and his embrace felt like the safest place in the world.

“I guess that makes me your girlfriend,” She teased gently, the familiar lightness returning to her tone.

“I was hoping so,” Lorcán replied with a giddy grin, “Otherwise this would be real awkward,”

But another thought quickly followed, one that Aurora felt was important to address now while the rest that flurried through her mind they could answer later. “Though, let’s keep this between us for now. I don’t want to tell the rest of the team just yet, if that’s okay. I know they mean well, but sometimes they can be a little too nosy for their own good.” Aurora smirked, “This is still so new, and I think you and I need to get the hang of things first.”

Lorcán nodded enthusiastically.

“I couldn’t have said it better myself, I’ve watched how some of them run into relationships and if anything, it has only ever like shown me what I don’t want.” He replied, “I don’t ever want anything to ever separate us again.”

He placed his lips on her forehead, nuzzling her head under his chin before wrapping his arms around her and staring out at the peaceful ocean behind them.

Tonight had been perfect, and it was only just the beginning.

Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP

^{__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}

_{Location: Augmented Reality Center - Pacific Royal Campus}

Dance Monkey #4.057: Look What You Made Me Do

^{_{________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}}

_{Interaction(s): N/A}

Previously: guilty conscience

Making Lorcán jealous was the exact opposite of what Aurora was trying to do. In fact, she prayed that he wasn’t watching them dance right now - the last thing she needed was to make things worse than they already were, but clearly Chad had other ideas. What had transpired between the two in order to cause such hostility? She had never seen them interact in the past, she didn’t even think that they knew each other, so her curiosity was instantly piqued.

“Who knew you’d be so eager.” The redhead stated as they continued to sway, pretending to go along with the act. The words stung as they left her lips, but she wasn’t about to reveal to him the reason she was really looking for Lorcán. “What is it that you’re getting out of this?” She watched as the dark haired boy’s expression darkened at the question.

“Let’s just say he hurt someone very close to me. I’d take any opportunity to get back at him for what he did.” His intonation was low, a warning, and Aurora knew better than to push the issue further. But she found it hard to believe that Lorcán actually harmed someone, he wouldn’t hurt a fly, let alone a person, on purpose. There must have been a piece of the puzzle missing. Chad’s eyes lightened again, and he smirked before spinning her outwards and then pulling her in, her back now pressed against his chest. His breath was warm on her ear as he leaned in to speak, “More importantly though, I could never say no to a beautiful girl like you.”

Oh?

She turned back to face him and continued to sway, one slow song morphing into the next, but noticed his gaze was out into the distance still. Aurora followed his line of sight, which led to his friends who stood in the same spot they had left them in. One of them nodded their head towards the exit before mimicking having a drink and the entire group began to migrate to the front of the A.R.C. She glanced back at the dark haired boy only to find his eyes were now locked on her, a devious smile playing on his lips.

“What do you say we get out of here?” He stopped moving his legs, planting them firmly before his arm snaked around her midsection towards the small of her back, “Head to the speakeasy, have a few more drinks…” His hand came to rest on her lower hip, “Go and have some real fun.”

The redhead tensed, her cheeks flushing almost instantly as his thumb stroked along the fabric of her dress. He’d just had his hand on her waist while they were dancing, but this felt more deliberate, more intentional. That combined with his previous comment led her to believe that the vibe was definitely shifting between them in a way she wasn’t prepared for.

“I, uh… I don’t think…” She stammered, clearly wary of the sudden change in dynamic and unsure of what to say in response. Chad’s smile turned into a playful smirk, a flirtatious glint in his eye.

“You’re cute when you’re flustered.” He commented, another compliment based on her appearance, raising his eyebrows, “This dance is lame anyway, and besides…” His hand slowly slid lower as he leaned in towards her ear, speaking barely above a whisper.

“I’ve been dying to find out what’s under this dress.”

The alarm bells in her head sounded loudly and this time, she listened to them. Aurora immediately tried to take a step away from Chad and create some distance, but he quickly moved his hand back up to her waist and pulled her into him.

“Don’t get all shy on me now, Aurora. I’ve seen the way you’ve been looking at me.” He insisted. She was quick to shake her head, confused on how he’d come to such a conclusion when she hadn’t intentionally given him any indication of interest. She knew a lot of girls liked Chad in that way, but she had eyes for someone else.

“You’ve got the wrong idea, I don’t want-” The redhead tried to explain, attempting to maneuver out of his grasp, but the dark haired boy tightened his hold, effectively keeping her from going anywhere.

“It’s okay to be nervous,” He assured, his voice sickeningly sweet even with what he was insinuating, making bile rise up in the back of Aurora’s throat. Her eyes searched around the dance floor, desperately looking for a friendly face. She hoped one of her friends was near and could see she needed assistance; in an ideal scenario, Harper would have been watching from across the room with her keen eye or Haven would have been eavesdropping from afar. But with all the commotion, she likely was lost in the shuffle.

“No, Chad, I’m not interested,” She formed the words successfully, but her voice still wobbled in her panic, something that the dark haired boy latched onto and ran with.

“Come on, baby, you know you want to.” He wasn’t relenting, choosing to ignore her blatant refusal and her heart sank. How more obvious could she be?

His hand slid lower, cupping her backside. He squeezed, and her breath caught in her throat.

“We can take things slow,”

How could she have been so stupid. His words and actions had been questionable this whole time and yet she had chosen to sweep things under the rug, believing she was reading into it all too much. That denial had led her to this moment. Amma’s words repeated in her mind and she finally understood what the raven vixen was warning her about, who she was warning her about. Chad had asked her to the dance for one reason, and one reason only, but she had been so consumed in her woe over Lorcán that she hadn’t seen the warning signs.

She knew guys like Chad. They didn’t get rejected often, so when they did, they didn’t take it well. Or rather, they didn’t accept the rejection at all, and she was not about to let him pressure her into doing anything she didn’t want to do. Aurora may have been her mother’s daughter, but she was definitely not her mother.

Enough was enough.

Her face turned bright red, not in embarrassment or flattery, but in anger.

“Don’t touch me, and don’t call me baby.”

This time, she didn’t hesitate as she slapped Chad across the face.

The deafening sound of skin hitting skin seemed to ricochet even with the music playing loudly in the background. Releasing his grip, the boy reached up and cradled his face before looking back at her, eyes gone dark and alight with rage. Aurora took the opportunity to step back, separating herself from him.

“What the hell, Mitchell!” He spat, his facial expression contorting into one of shock for the action taken.

“I said no, Chad.” Aurora stated firmly, standing her ground. People around them were starting to notice the altercation, and seeing this, Chad grabbed the redhead’s arm, his fingers digging into her fair skin.

“Teleport us out of here before you make more of a scene than you already have.”

“The lady said no,” A voice roared, “Let me express that in a language you’re familiar with.”

Cass was a blur of motion, his fist connecting with Chad’s jaw, stunning the taller boy and causing him to release her. A follow-up strike to Chad's chest exploded with a concussive blast that sent him sliding back across the floor.

Lorcán pushed through the dumbfounded crowd, appearing beside Aurora and reassuringly grasping her hand while his free hand crackled with energy. He took a step in front of her and stared Chad down.

“If you ever touch her again, you’ll lose the hand.” Lorcán spat, his fiery eyes prepared to burn a hole through him.

It all happened so fast, Aurora barely had enough time to react before Cass came out swinging, but as Lorcán grabbed her hand, angling himself between her and Chad, all of the panic she felt instantly vanished. The pair had practically appeared out of nowhere, but she wasn’t about to question how they had come to her aid so quickly.

Relieved, the redhead squeezed the hand that held hers.

“You’re going to regret that, Charon,” Chad seethed, scrambling to his feet while clutching his chest. He looked down at Cass with the few inches he had to his advantage. “I should have taught you a lesson the first time.” He snarled, referencing their altercation from the day prior before looking over the blonde’s shoulder to where Lorcán stood. The dark haired boy saw red.

“So now you want to play the hero? That’s rich.” Chad scoffed, “You and I both know you’re far from innocent.” No one else would understand the reference, but he knew it’d cut deep nonetheless. He shook his head, “But you can have her, Roth, she’s a fucking tease anyway.”

Lorcán’s empty hand clenched into a fist at Chad’s words. He’d heard the term before but didn’t quite understand how Aurora was a tease. If anything, Lorcán knew it was Chad forcing a debt on the young woman she had no obligation to pay.

“No, she’s my friend, she doesn’t owe me anything,” Lorcán replied, standing his ground, “And she doesn’t owe a junkyard dog like you a moment more of her time.” He paused before addressing Chad again. His experiences with Miranda earlier that day flooding back, the memory of his confrontation with Lance and Ryan, the actuality of that situation. A cool head began to prevail as he tried to reason with Chad.

“Lance’s memories were altered, along with your parents’ and yours.” He explained, “I didn’t harm your brother, but he hurt someone and consequences found him.”

“Apparently a familiar trait,” Cass snarked.

“For tonight, these are your consequences,” Lorcán continued, “Unless Aurora says otherwise,” He turned to look at her, waiting to see if the girl he loved had anything to add.

The redhead met Lorcán’s molten gaze, fully knowing he’d unleash the fire he’d been keeping at bay if she said the word, and only then. Because at the end of the day, even though her best friend would always have her back, he knew that she was capable of fighting her own battles. And she definitely wasn’t done here. With a nod and another squeeze, she let go of his hand.

In an instant, she teleported directly in front of Chad and sent her knee straight into his groin.

He howled, doubling over in agony, not having had enough time or awareness to protect himself. The students around them seemed to grimace or wince in response, but Aurora’s focus remained pinned on the dark haired boy, her sapphire eyes abnormally icy.

“You so much as say a word to me ever again and I will teleport you off of the Southern Plateau.” Aurora threatened, brow furrowed.

Chad managed to lift his head after a moment, his face still contorted in pain, and glared at the redhead.

“You little-” He began but stopped himself, noticing just how many people were now watching them. For a moment, it seemed like he wanted to retaliate, but if there was anything the boy cared about, it was his reputation. He looked between the three of them, from Cass, to Lorcán, and back to Aurora, staring her down. “This isn’t over, Mitchell.” He spoke through gritted teeth low enough for only her to hear before hobbling off, their classmates parting like the sea and creating a clear path for him to depart the A.R.C.

“You want to get some air?” Lorcán offered, taking a hold of Aurora’s hand again, “Feels like a good time for ice cream,” He smiled, turning to take her other hand as well, giving them both a small squeeze.

The redhead exhaled as she felt the familiar warmth of Lorcán’s skin, not realizing she had been holding her breath. Everyone else in the background seemed to fade away, her focus only on the boy standing in front of her, and she nodded in response, a small smile reappearing on her face.

“Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.”

“Well, I’m not needed here,” Cass stated dryly, “I suppose I should find my date and apologize for my tardiness.”

“So long as you’re not here,” Lorcán replied with a smirk of his own, his eyes never once leaving Aurora’s, “But thanks, you’ve always got my back,”

“Always will,” Cass replied, loosening his tie before pushing into the crowd and leaving the pair alone for some much-needed communication.

Without another word, Aurora teleported herself and Lorcán out of the A.R.C.

Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP

^{__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}

_{Location: Augmented Reality Center - Pacific Royal Campus}

Dance Monkey #4.055: guilty conscience

^{_{________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}}

_{Interaction(s): N/A}

Previously: Time to Dance

Chad’s arm wrapped around Aurora’s shoulders felt heavy, but the weight of her own actions bore heavier. The further that they walked from where Lorcán stood, the more guilty she felt, her best friend’s words reverberating in her head on a loop. He’d so willingly provided answers to the questions she hadn’t been nearly bold enough to ask, and instead she had hastily made her own assessment about the entire situation.

It begged the question, what else had she misconstrued?

Well for starters, that night in the tent before the trial he’d been talking about her. He’d fallen asleep trying to ask her to the dance. He had only just confirmed his intentions but the answer had been right there all along, clear as day. Their powers intermingled and he had said how right it had felt, he’d even assured her that Amma was just a friend - and yet, she’d doubted herself. Chalked it up to him being overwhelmed with everything that had happened that day with the school losing accreditation.

The following evening in his dorm room, he’d said everything he did during the trial was to get her back, and he didn’t know what he would have done if anything had happened to her.

Someone you love.

Was it possible that he felt the same way? Everything was starting to click.

Even so, she didn’t have an answer as to why he had asked for Amma when he woke up. What had she said or done that caused her to be the first person he wanted to see, and thus set off this chain of unfortunate events? She racked her brain for a logical explanation-

“Earth to Aurora,”

Chad shook her shoulder gently and Aurora blinked rapidly, snapping out of the trance she’d found herself in. “Damn, am I boring you that much?” He asked playfully.

“No, no not at all,” She quickly recovered, swallowing and offering him a smile, although it was much smaller than the one she’d given Lorcán only a few minutes prior. “I’m sorry, I just zoned out for a second.” The girl stated apologetically. She tried to keep her expression neutral, but inside she was beside herself.

“Guess I need to keep you a bit more stimulated then.” He winked, and where Aurora should have continued to burn, she instantly went cold. The action itself would have made the majority of girls on campus weak in the knees, but in that moment the redhead was immune to it, even a bit repulsed by it.

She should be here with Lorcán.

The pair rejoined Chad’s group of friends and Aurora tried to remain present as they conversed. She knew she’d only cause more issues for herself if she bailed on her date and went off to find the person she truly wanted to spend the evening with. So, she smiled politely and listened, pretending she had an ounce of interest in water polo. The discussion droned on, and the redhead thought she had gained the ability to turn invisible until one of Chad’s friends directed his attention to her.

“So like, you can teleport anywhere, right?” He asked, a dopey looking grin on his face. “Say you wanted to teleport to - I don’t know - the Gulo Dorms. You could do that right?” He snickered, and the redhead raised her eyebrows.

“I mean, no, it doesn't really work like that.” Aurora responded, warily, “It either has to be in my field of vision or I’ve had to have been there before.” She shook her head with a small laugh, trying to diffuse the situation, “It’s not like I can just show up somewhere I’ve never been.”

“Well that’ll change after tonight…” He said under his breath, nudging the boy to his right with his elbow accompanied by a small smirk. Did she hear him right? What kind of assumption was he trying to make?

“Okay, I think that’s enough from you,” Chad scolded, and yet there was something else laced in his tone and expression that she couldn’t quite discern. He took the drink from Aurora’s grasp and placed it down on a table before grabbing her hand. “If you’ll excuse us, I think I owe my date a dance.”

Before she could protest, the dark haired boy led her out onto the dancefloor just as the band switched to a slow romantic tune. Finding a spot amongst their peers, he pulled her closer using the hand holding hers and placed the other on the smallest point of her waist, the two beginning to sway to the music. Aurora’s gaze wandered around the room, attempting to spot that familiar head of light brown sun bleached hair.

She should have been dancing with him.

“I may be a jock, but I’m not stupid, you know.” Chad commented bluntly, causing Aurora’s sapphire eyes to instantly go wide as she returned her focus forward.

“Oh, no, I was just-” She tried to cover for herself, and he chuckled at how quick the redhead was to react, interrupting her almost immediately before she could come up with a fabricated explanation.

“What I’m trying to say is that I know who you’re looking for.” He leaned in towards her, “Normally, I’d be offended, but I get it.”

Aurora tilted her head, her facial expression contorting into one of confusion.

“...you do?” She questioned, surprised.

“Absolutely.” A devious smirk popped onto Chad’s lips.

“I’m all for making Roth jealous.”

BHHS: Limitless

_{Timestamp: 7:30pm
Location: The Sterling Residence
Theo Van Cise & Tatum Sterling
@BrutalBx & @Melissa}

Twenty four hours.

Twenty four hours could be an eternity.

Lost in the infinite. Drifting in the cosmos. Specks of stardust floating around the Milky Way.

Or some shit like that.

All Theo knew was that the last twenty four hours had been nothing short of hell.

He had spent much of the previous late evening trying to spread the story that he and Alvaro had concocted about him being drugged. He was proud to say that for the majority of the peons and pencil necks, it worked. It really didn’t take much for the Franchise Player to manipulate the unclean and uneducated masses of Beverly Hills High. Most were vapid and senseless with no real grip or perception on the reality of the world.

But he knew. Theo always knew.

After convincing his mother and sister of “Benji’s” sinister prank, the red haired boy attempted to tell his father, which of course sank like a certain unsinkable ship lost in the Atlantic. Uncle Matt was easy enough to get on side too. Lexy and Tally? He barely had to ask. Lex was always on his side, Tallulah needed a little more incentive. Threatening that Sinead girl worked wonders in the long run. It got Tally on his side very fast. His Bea was hesitant but that was ok, he didn’t need her to spread the story; instead her minion Jamie would be Theo’s port of call and they were meeting at the dance. But first? He had another appointment.

The myth in his own mind had opted to stick to the classics for the Hollywood themed Homecoming dance and dressed in a vintage black and white tuxedo looking every inch the heir apparent to James Bond. He softly ascended the stairs of the Sterling household, a pristine white box wrapped nearly in a lavender bow sitting in his strong arms. Getting in was easy, Tatum’s parents just let him walk straight in when he said he was taking her to the dance. The Van Cise name still rang out. Making his way to the door, he lifted his large fist and knocked twice before ignoring the chance of an invitation and entering anyway.

“Hi there, gorgeous.”

Tatum had gathered all of the key elements for a perfect night in.

She was wearing her comfiest sweatpants and her baggiest tee that were fresh out of the laundry, still warm to the touch and scented of her dryer sheets. The water bottle that sat on her nightstand was filled to the brim with freezing cold water and she’d also cracked open a can of Diet Coke that had been chilling in the refrigerator overnight. A bowl of buttery popcorn was directly next to her on her bed, a pouch of classic M&Ms mixed in (the perfect combination of salty and sweet) and in her lap was her sketchbook, which she was currently drawing on. While she worked, her favorite show played on the TV in the background. She didn’t need to watch it to know what was going on, she’d seen each episode at least five times.

The brunette had her ideal evening routine down pat, because the truth was, she didn’t really enjoy going out on the weekends. Sure, she’d make the occasional appearance at a party if her friends begged her to come, but it was few and far between that she ventured out of her own volition. She’d rather stay home by herself than socialize any day of the week, which was why when almost all of her classmates were busy getting ready for one of the biggest nights of the fall semester, she was alone in her room. And she was perfectly fine with that.

So naturally, not expecting any visitors, she jumped at the knock on her door, eyes going wide as Theo Van Cise strolled into her room unannounced and uninvited.

“Theo?” Tatum slammed her sketchbook shut and scrambled to her feet, “What are you doing here?” She questioned in disbelief, taking in his polished appearance and instantly feeling self conscious in her slouchiest attire. “Shouldn’t you be at the dance?”

“Why would I go to the dance without you?”

Theo drank in the girl's surroundings with his dark gaze, it was very much as he had pictured it to be. Very demure, very mindful and cutesy; you could tell a lot about a person by the state of their bedroom and Tatum’s was almost exactly as he had imagined it. Walls adorned with artwork and sketches, delicate and hand crafted decorations engulfed in the multicoloured wrapping of her walls, each surface adorned with some artistic endeavour. To say it clashed with Theo’s own, almost empty and barren room would be an understatement to say the least.

“But seriously.” He took a further step into the artist's inner sanctum. “After yesterday, I didn’t think I would go. I felt like the whole school was gonna turn on me for something that wasn’t my fault; they would bully and harass me because someone spiked my drink and made me look the fool…” He cued a small quiver in his vocals; something he learned from a drama brat he dated freshman year. Theo always took something from those in his life, something that was theirs, something that he could add to himself to make his mask of humanity just that touch more realistic. “After the summer I had, with the break up, my head was just all messed up and I felt alone and scared but then you text me and you made those weeks bearable.” He inched closer to his prey. “Last night, after I got pulled from the field and I was coming down, all I wanted to do was find you. You bring me peace and I thought, maybe, if you came to the dance with me tonight, I could actually get through it.”

The Franchise stopped a foot or so away from the pretty brunette and pulled loose the bow that held the pristine box in his arms together. He lifted its lid to reveal a sparkling sequin black dress, worth more than probably half of his class's cars. “I heard you talking to someone about this dress you saw in a store window, so I went in and bought it. I heard you say you wouldn’t pull it off but I think this dress was made for you, Tate. Made for you to wear today, so that you could come with me and be the star of the show.”

As Theo stepped closer, Tatum could feel her heartbeat quickly accelerate, the previous flutter having evolved into a rushed and reckless rhythm. She was having a hard time comprehending his words over the pounding in her ears, hell, she was still in shock that he was here in her room in the first place. But even in her state of surprise something he said still managed to set off alarm bells in her head, snapping her out of her daze.

“Wait, someone spiked your drink?” She blurted, not sure she heard him correctly. It was the type of thing she only thought happened at parties, she would have never considered it could happen on a school campus, let alone to someone as popular as Theo. His behavior the night prior had been unhinged, she’d seen it with her own two eyes from the stands, so unlike the boy she knew. That was the reason he acted the way he had? “Are you serious? Who would do something like that?”

But before the boy could provide any clarity on the situation, all of her focus was diverted to the dress that rested neatly in the box. The gorgeous dress she had been admiring for weeks in the window of a boutique that she thought she’d never have the opportunity to wear, let alone be able to don without looking ridiculous. The gown screamed ‘look at me’ when every other instinct in her mind and body said ‘look away’, she could never do it justice. And yet, for some reason, he seemed to think that she could. Her eyebrows raised instantly, and she shook her head vigorously.

“No, Theo, I couldn’t,” Tatum tried to explain, hoping he could still return the dress and get a refund, after all she knew how expensive it was. But he stepped closer and her pulse somehow grew even faster. “Seriously, that was way too generous of you, but you’ve got the wrong girl, I’m not star of the show material.”

“How do you know?” Theo tilted his head with a half grin, a flick of his fiery red hair dropping ever so slightly across his left eye. “For as long as I’ve known you, you’ve been a wallflower and no one, not even me, should ever expect you to change.” The football star rested the box on the bed where the girl had once sat, his eyes never leaving her. “But to think that you’re not the right material for this? I’m sorry but that’s just not right.” He reached out with his large hands and as gingerly as he could, rested each on one of her arms. Tatum would not welcome the dominant force that Theo used on other girls. The tactic with her was a simple one, soft hands, close quarters, be undeniable.

He lowered his head ever so slightly to match her height and to reach her level, another one of his human techniques. “We’re in our senior year, Tate. We are who we are but now is the chance to throw all caution to the wind and just try shit, take a chance. It’s time to take your chance, Tatum.” After gently caressing the brunette's arm with his thumbs, a subtle way of alluding to something similar to care, Theo reached down to the open box and pulled out the dress.

It fell in its full glory downwards, stopping a short way off the ground, the Franchise platter gently pressed it against Tate’s body. “At least try it on. For me?”

The amount of eye contact that Theo was giving was enough to make Tatum blush, but his touch managed to set her fully ablaze. Her cheeks instantly flushed as deft fingertips danced along her skin, tender and gentle, such a stark contrast from the feverish rage she witnessed during the game. It didn’t make sense at the time that he had shown such anger, but with the further clarity that he hadn’t been himself, things were adding up. The boy standing in front of her was the kind boy she had come to know, the one she felt comfortable around. But still, her breath caught in her throat at his suggestion to try on the dress. It felt oddly intimate to do so, although she knew his intentions were well meaning and innocent. But he had bought it for her, after all. It’d be rude if she didn’t at least give it a chance… right? Taking his words to heart and taking that chance, she grasped the fabric in her hands and nodded.

“Okay, I’ll try it on.” The brunette agreed, although a bit hesitantly. She took the dress from him and folded it over her arm. “I’ll be right back,” She inclined her head towards her ensuite bathroom before walking over and shutting the door behind her. It wasn’t until she was alone that she exhaled the large breath she had been holding.

Theo offered to her the sweetest smile that his cherub like face could muster as she disappeared into the bathroom. Once the door was securely closed, the curl of his lips dropped back to the grimace he saw in the mirror every morning and he began to scour the room with his eyes. Now was the perfect opportunity to see what Tatum was really about. For weeks merging into months, he had been playing this game with her and tonight was a night where he would take the upper hand or win all together.

As his fingers danced on counter tops, tracing over artbook after artbook filled with all the imagery and creativity that the Sterling girl could muster from her mind, Theo examined every page with a feverous thirst for knowledge. “Don’t play if you’re not playing to win.” That was his fathers mantra, it was written on the walls of the family gym and it had been tattooed across Theo’s heart the day he learned to hold a ball. He approached every aspect of his being with it on the forefront of his mind. Football. Baseball. Debate club. The fights he organised and his relationships. The Franchise always came out on top.

On Tatum’s book shelf sat a collection of Young Adult novels, perfect fodder for made for Amazon movies that pre-teens, lonely middle age women and gays would eat for breakfast. A quick search on his phone later, and Theodore knew every story of every book, every stereotypical trope and vaguely spicy sex scene that probably educated Tate’s thoughts at night; thoughts he knew that he was the main character in thanks to the journal that he quickly skimmed through on her bed.

Theo had studied her playbook and now it was time to go for the W.

The red haired boy moved to her window and looked out from Tatum’s bedroom at the empire of broken pieces of glass that was Beverly Hills. He couldn’t wait to get out; to go where he was destined to be. First college, then law school and after a few years at some big firm, the campaign would start and a big White House in Washington would be the place that he would call home and then they’d all see. He was going to win; he was number fucking one.

Oblivious to what had occurred whilst she changed, Tatum opened the bathroom door just a sliver in order to pop her head out. Her hair was still clipped up off of her back and out of her face just as it had been prior, but the rosiness on her cheeks had dissipated slightly, having had a quiet moment alone to collect herself. She found Theo’s gaze and gave him a sheepish smile.

“You have to promise not to laugh,” The brunette prefaced, looking down out of his view at herself one last time, “I look ridiculous, but I said I’d try it on so…”

Opening the bathroom door fully, the wallflower reemerged in a dress that was anything but.

The fabric hugged her body in all the right places, revealing every subtle curve and asset, the black sequins glinting and shimmering in the light. The fit was practically perfect, how the boy had chosen the right size was beyond her, but it flattered her figure to a tee. The neckline was fortunately not too revealing, which she appreciated, but it definitely sat lower than anything she’d normally find herself wearing. Stepping towards her full length mirror, she looked at herself in the reflection before letting her eyes find Theo once more.

“See, I told you, I can’t pull it off. I really appreciate you trying but-”

“Are you mental?” Theo, even with all his charm and game playing, wasn’t fully prepared for the view that he would get when Tatum left the bathroom. She looked beautiful, then again, the dress was made for her. He made sure that the seamstress got every detail right. If the brunette was going to be on his arm, be his First Lady for the evening, then she had to look the part, and goddamned she looked the fucking part. “You’re stunning Tate.”

He slowly stepped up behind her as she looked into the mirror. Placing one hand on her arm, the athlete lifted his other to the back of her head and seamlessly pulled out the bun in her hair, allowing her silky tresses to dance across her shoulders. “Now that right there? That’s the star of the show. The main character. I think tonight, there’s a story waiting to be told around you, Tatum.” Words were weapons for most, daggers to attack or defend against the onslaught of the world. Theo learned better; words were power; they were control; they were soft, soothing and had the ability to wrap around a person's mind, body and soul and make them bend to a whim. Sometimes it wasn’t even the words that did the work, it was how they were said.

“I think…” He softly pulled her hair back, strands of brown slipping through his fingertips as he neatly tidied any loose ends. He lowered his voice to a lyrical almost whisper. “I think you really need to come tonight. Unselfishly, I think you’ll just miss out on a fun night if you don’t. Though selfishly, it’s because I want you there, with me.”

The main character.

Never in her life had Tatum Sterling been the pinnacle of any moment. She preferred to stand on the sidelines, desperately wanted to fade in the background and be swallowed up by the scenery. Her mother had made a name for herself, had a reputation to boot, and therefore the brunette didn’t want to add her name to the history books in this town.

But why?

Why shouldn’t she take a moment to soak up the limelight? What was it about being the center of attention that repulsed her so?

Tatum’s eyes didn’t leave Theo’s. She watched him in the reflection of the mirror, captivated by his every motion, hanging on his every word. Did he really mean what he was saying to her? That he truly wanted her to go to the dance with him? It seemed like it, she could tell in the way he spoke, the way he moved. He was intentional with his actions, he oozed confidence, he was self assured and she’d be lying if she didn’t say she wanted more. Exhaling shakily, Tatum let her lips settle into a shy smile.

“I guess I really can’t say no to that, can I.” She replied, half to him and half reassuring herself that this was the right choice. The girl turned her head to look at him, not realizing how close their faces were until she found herself nearly nose to nose with him. She laughed awkwardly, taking a step backwards to create some distance. “Give me a few minutes to put on some makeup and do something with my hair, if that’s okay?”

“Of course.”

Theo knew in that very moment that he had her; the look of want in her baby blue eyes gave away her secrets. She wanted more, she wanted everything that she had never had, she wanted what was coming to her, she wanted the world and she wanted him. He had become the drug that the artist girl craved, the inspiration. In return, Tatum would be his masterpiece in corruption. To violate something so perfect and pristine; there was a deeper level of satisfaction in that, something near enough to primal.

Brushing a strand of hair from her face, Theo sweetly smiled at this night's prey. “I’ll go wait in the car. Take as long as you want.” He turned on the heel of his Louis Vuitton’s and made his way back towards the girls bedroom door. He stopped for a second and turned to gaze at her once more; admiration. She would see this and feel more, feel like he really saw her, like he really wanted her.

Tatum didn’t stand a chance.

He descended the stairs of the Sterling home, pausing at the bottom when he saw a wallet sitting in the side. Without a second thought he emptied it off any cash contents it had. Someone has to pay him for the service he was doing by making Tatum the most important person in the room. Theo placed it back down onto the counter and left the Sterling home a thief; of both money and of the heart. He climbed into his Stingray to await Tate’s arrival.

As the door to her bedroom softly clicked shut upon Theo’s departure, Tatum exhaled deeply, trying to calm her racing heart. Was it warm in here, or was it just her? Taking a steadying breath, she stood frozen for a moment, simply overwhelmed with the situation at hand and what she had just agreed to. She, Tatum Sterling, wallflower extraordinaire and absolute nobody, was going to the Homecoming dance, actually going to a school function, with a member of the Elite, and football star at that.

Was she dreaming?

Not letting another minute go to waste, the brunette quickly sprung into action, attempting to get ready efficiently but also not wanting to rush herself into messing up or looking stupid. She plugged in a curling iron as she worked on her face, applying her makeup clean and simple, enhancing her dainty features but adding color back into her fair skin so that the sequined black dress didn’t overpower her. The girl still didn’t completely buy that she was able to pull off such a daring fashion statement, at least for herself, but she didn’t have time to mull over it with the clock ticking. Moving onto her hair, even though it was quite long, it was thinner than it looked, meaning it didn’t take long to curl and took heat well. Her locks settled into loose waves and she pinned half of it back out of her eyes.

In a record breaking 20 minutes, with a last spritz of perfume to finish things off, Tatum Sterling was ready to go. She found a pair of simple black heels and grabbed a clutch, stuffing a few necessities inside, before turning off her lights and heading down the stairs towards the front door. A mere few feet from leaving, she thought she was golden, until the voice of her mother ricocheted off the walls.

“Tatum, honey, is that you?”

The brunette fought the urge to stop dead in her tracks, to have to explain to her mother what was going on and why she was finally conforming to normal High School life, and chose to simply yell back as she pulled on the knob of the front door, exiting.

“Yes, but we’re already late! I’ll be home later, love you!” Tate slammed the door behind her, not entertaining another word from the peanut gallery. Relieved, she walked to Theo’s car, opening the door to the front seat and climbing inside. She smiled at him, “I did the best I could in the time I had, but all set.”

As soon as he heard the passenger door open, Theo switched it back on, his so called humanity. He gripped the wheel tightly with his large hands and took a deep , short but sharp breath, like a mystical monster breathing in Tatum’s essence, soaking in her soul. He worshipped her with his gaze and welcomed her with a warm smile plastered on his handsome face. “You. Look. Incredible.” He moved his hand to the ignition and turned the key to shock the classic car to life. Swiftly they were on the way, a relative short drive but a perfect snippet of time for Theo to further his plan

“I want us to have a great night tonight.” The smile on his face fell as his eyes drifted to Tate and back to the road. “So I wanna get this out of the way now, before we get to the dance.” He turned the music down on the stereo and let out a deep sigh.

“Yesterday, at the game. Benji thought it would be funny to juice my drink, I don’t know why. You know he’s going through a hard time right now and I think he just needed someone to lash out at.” The line had been thrown, now it was time to reel her back in. “Obviously I had a bad reaction to it and I did what I did. I’m going to speak to the right people to get the truth out there but…” he gave pause for a moment. “Tonight, some people might try and start something or they might stare at us. You know how people at our school are but I want you to know, without a shadow of a doubt, that my attention, my time, it’s all about you tonight.” In reality, Theo was going to revel in the notoriety, in the vilification of the golden boy, it was intoxicating. “You’re more than just my main character, you’re my peace from the storm.”

Tatum couldn’t help the blush that graced the apples of her cheeks and along the bridge of her nose at Theo’s compliment. She liked the way he made her feel, even if it was definitely out of the norm for her to have such raw undivided attention placed upon her. But in this moment, she reveled in it, answering his genuine gaze with a grateful grin.

“Thank you,” The brunette found the words of appreciation easy, having warmed up to his easy charm. But as he continued to speak, detailing exactly what had happened the evening prior and who was responsible, she gasped. Tatum didn’t know Benji well, but the walls could talk and she had heard stories about his father’s misdoings and always wondered if it ran in the family. Shaking her head, she sighed, “I can’t believe he would do something like that to you,” The girl tried to wrap her head around what had been revealed, “It’s truly awful.”

“It’ll be okay though,” Tate tried her best to convince Theo, and herself, that things would be alright, even though the thought of their classmate’s staring and whispering didn’t entirely sit well with her. But she’d do it if it meant getting to spend the night with him, one evening where she tried to step outside of her comfort zone. She’d do it for him. “Who cares what they think,” She commented, even though the little voice inside her head screamed at her in protest, “We’ll have fun regardless.”

“You’re goddamn right.” Theo grinned from ear to ear. “We’re gonna have an absolute blast, maybe you’ll even get to see my dance moves.” He flicked his thick ginger brows up suggestively several times before the Stingray made the turn into the BHHS Parking lot.

All the right wheels were in motion. Tate was under his thrall, he had his meeting set up with Jamie to spread the story of his drugging and he had very little doubt that Tallulah would have any trouble planting the drugs he needed in Benji’s locker. His orange haired cousin had a knack for getting into places he shouldn’t be in. If she wanted to keep her private life private, then Tally would need to do exactly what Theo said when he said it. Sometimes it was so difficult to have a brain as big as his.

He pulled into his usual space, reserved for only the Elites of society and climbed out. He could always hear the hustle and bustle inside the venue. There would be some fun to be had here sure but the true enjoyment would come later, at the after party, where the kids could well and truly let loose. Gently dragging his fingers across the hood, Theodore moved around the car to the passenger side and opened the door for Tatum, offering his hand as he did.

“My lady.”

Taking his hand, a small smile growing on her glossed lips, the brunette stepped out of the front seat and onto the asphalt of the parking lot. As she saw their classmates milling around the entrance and the pounding music flooding out into the endless night, her heartbeat quickened. She inhaled deeply, before gazing back at Theo, noticing that she hadn’t let go of his hand just yet.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous,” She candidly stated, a soft anxious laugh trilling from her, “But it’s too late to back out now, so let’s do this.”

What he was seeing from her, the look she was giving, the anxious laughter, Tatum was evolving right before Theo’s eyes. His plan was working perfectly. It had begun as a way to alleviate the boredom after dumping his junkie ex; then it was about challenging himself to see if he could do it and now the proof was in the pudding. Theo had swayed the tide and the corruption of Tatum Sterling was in full swing. She took his hand willingly, no longer a lamb to slaughter but as a star ready to fall from the sky.

She was the main character now.

She was his.

“We’re ready for your close up, Miss Sterling.”

Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP

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_{Location: Myotis Dorm → Augmented Reality Center - Pacific Royal Campus}

Dance Monkey #4.043: Please Please Please

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_{Interaction(s): N/A}

Previously: Between Shadows and Light

The walk from the Myotis Dorm to the A.R.C. felt much longer than it normally did.

Maybe it was because Aurora was focusing intently on each of her steps, consciously making an effort not to twist an ankle or fall flat on her face in front of Chad. She was normally graceful and agile, but the last thing she needed was to start a trend of klutziness tonight. After all, she was wearing heels. Or possibly it was because she noticed each and every stare of her classmates as she held onto her date’s arm, the same shock etched in their expressions that her teammates had given when he showed up at her door.

It also could be that she was the one stalling, reducing their pace simply because she wanted to prolong the inevitable reaction from Lorcán once he found out who she was at the dance with. It seemed that all her thoughts were coming back to him, even though she knew he was likely only thinking about Amma. She needed to snap out of it, focus her attention on the boy who had actually asked her to the dance.

“By the way, this is for you,” Aurora slowed to a stop, holding up the boutonniere with a sheepish smile. “I won’t stab you with the pin, I swear.” As soon as it came out of her mouth, she mentally kicked herself for saying something so stupid. Chad’s eyebrows raised, something like realization crossing his features. Maybe he was realizing it was a mistake to ask her in the first place.

Lorcán would have laughed at her joke.

“Shoot, I knew I was forgetting something.” He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, “I didn’t get you a corsage, I’m sorry.” Not what she was expecting to hear, Aurora masked her disappointment, her heart sinking a little bit.

“It’s all good, really,” She quickly assured him as she took a step closer, expertly and nimbly attaching the boutonniere to the lapel of his jacket. “Not a big deal. Honestly, the only reason I remembered to get one is because I’ve spent the last few weeks watering the flowers at the Farm.” She downplayed the gesture, not a complete lie, but after she had seen how gorgeous the corsages had turned out, she was silently wishing she’d get to enjoy the fruits of her labor. Guess not.

Lorcán wouldn’t have forgotten to get her one.

“I’ll make it up to you later,” Chad looked down at her with a playful glint in his eyes, letting his hand trail up her arm, “I can promise you that.” His touch on her skin triggered goosebumps, and not the good kind, but nonetheless the redhead nodded. She quickly created distance between them before he could notice, attempting to will them away. But he seemed to clue in to her apprehension, smirking before gingerly taking her hand and placing it back onto his bicep where it had been prior. His eyes drifted down to her arm, the bumps that had suddenly appeared there, and Aurora could have sworn she saw a flash of amusement and satisfaction in his gaze.

Be careful.

“I don’t bite, you know.” He joked cheekily, before dissolving into a coy smile, resting his other hand reassuringly over hers, “I just want us to have a good time tonight, there’s no need to be nervous.” He sweetly explained, attempting to put her a bit more at ease.

“I know,” She breathed, trying to quiet the voice in her head that had tripped the alarm. Amma was just warning her given everything going on with Lorcán, not because Chad had less than well meaning intentions. Right? “Forgive me, I just… haven’t been on a real date before,” The redhead revealed, but as soon as the words left her mouth her eyes widened, “Not that I’m trying to assume this is a date, but you’re my date to the dance and-” Aurora was rambling now, her cheeks turning the lightest shade of pink, and Chad laughed before interrupting her runaway train of thought.

“This is a date, Aurora.” He stated matter of factly and continued guiding her towards the A.R.C., the dance drawing nearer. “And you can bet I’m going to make it one to remember.”

The pair continued on their way and after a few more minutes arrived at their destination. The school had pulled out all the stops for the event, the red carpet and glamorous theming a welcome reprieve from the usual serious air of the building. The music that flowed through the venue, along with the ambient noise and energy from their classmates created a lively and fun environment. Any worries that Aurora was harboring seemed to vanish as she remembered that tonight was supposed to be an opportunity to let loose and enjoy herself.

Chad steered them towards his friends, who had claimed a table on the far side of the room. The redhead didn’t know them well, having only met them in passing or hearing of them, but they seemed friendly enough. While the group began to banter back and forth about their practice earlier that day, she stood there quietly just taking it all in, their chatter fading into static in the background. Her eyes drifted around the room hoping to spot a familiar face from Blackjack or one of her roommates, but no one came into view. Hopefully she’d find them later, she needed to find Lorcán later.

An arm came to rest around her shoulders, and Aurora returned her wandering gaze to find Chad had pulled her closer to him, even though he was still engrossed in conversation. It didn’t feel like an affectionate gesture, in fact, it felt more possessive than anything. She saw the facial expressions his friends exchanged, almost as if they were all clued into something that she was not. Or maybe was she reading into things too much? It could have been in response to something they had said while she was distracted. And maybe Chad was just trying to reassure her while his focus was diverted.

The dark haired boy looked down at her and smiled, her previous negative thoughts melting away.

“I’ll go get us some drinks,” Chad offered, motioning towards the bar that sat above them in the mezzanine, “What do you want?” At the offer, Aurora shook her head, a nervous laugh trilling from her lips. She could still feel the burn of the Tito’s shot that she took in her dorm at the back of her throat, and thus didn’t have much interest in having another right now.

“We had a bit to drink already when we were getting ready, I don’t think I want-”

“Oh come on, one more drink isn’t gonna hurt you. Vodka soda?” He cut her off, a certain look in his eye that the redhead couldn’t read. His friends even seemed to pause around them, listening in. Even though she wasn’t sure if she wanted another, Chad had a point, one more drink wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. Besides, maybe it’d help calm her nerves.

“I, uh,” The redhead stuttered, second guessing herself before answering in his favor, “Sure, with a lime, please.”

“You got it. I’ll be back.” Clearly pleased with her sudden change of heart, the dark haired boy winked before disappearing, their classmates seeming to instantly part to let him through. His friends continued their conversation and Aurora sighed, bringing her hand up to her neck to fiddle with her necklace. While they remained engrossed in whatever topic they were discussing, she stepped away from the group, her eyes absentmindedly searching the dance floor once more.

Where was he?

Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP

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_{Location: Myotis Dorm - Pacific Royal Campus}

Dance Monkey #4.036: Fine Line

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_{Interaction(s): N/A}

Previously: A Heart's Fine Print

“Leah, stop moving, I’m not nice enough to redo these a third time.”

Aurora laughed to herself as she stood in front of the bathroom mirror, freshly showered and wrapped in a plush bathrobe, finishing up her skincare. With the door open, she could hear Maddy and Leah at the kitchen table, the former attempting to paint the latter’s nails, which was proving to be quite the challenging task. The blonde had difficulty sitting still normally, let alone remaining stationary long enough to avoid getting polish all over her fingers. The redhead was certain that by now Maddy’s patience was wearing thin, but nevertheless, she persisted. Kelcey was avoiding the chaos, sprawled out on the couch, a sheet mask on her face and scrolling through her phone.

Everyone was busy getting ready for this evening’s festivities - the senior dance was one of the main highlights of the Fall semester. Aurora was excited to enjoy a night off from the shitty hand that she had been dealt over the last week and a half, even if she was a little nervous about having an actual date to the function. She’d be lying though if she didn’t admit she was having second thoughts about her decision, but Chad had texted her not too long ago to confirm, so there was no getting out of the commitment now.

Leaving the bathroom, Aurora walked towards Kelcey and perched herself on the arm of the sofa, letting her lips settle into a weak half smirk.

“You know, I think you should go to the dance just like that. It’s a great look.” She stated sarcastically, even if the joke felt a tad forced. She had been keeping to herself for most of the morning, and her poking fun was a sorry attempt at a somewhat normal interaction. The brunette looked up from her phone slowly, raising a quizzical eyebrow at her. They had been roommates since Freshman year and by now the girl could easily tell when things were not completely right. Aurora didn’t have to say anything, Kelcey could read her like a book.

“Okay,” She spoke with a labored tone as she sat upright and peeled off her face mask, carelessly discarding it on their coffee table. “What’s wrong?”

Aurora held strong for another moment before letting her mouth drop and revealing a sad expression, eyelids drooping ever so slightly. With a deep exhale, she spoke of what was weighing heavily on her shoulders.

“About tonight, even if he might be interested in someone else, I don’t want to hurt Lorcán’s feelings or for him to be mad at me. I don’t know how he’s going to react when I tell him that I have a date and-”

“He already knows, Rora.” Kelcey interrupted matter-of-factly, lying back down on the sofa unceremoniously, as if she just didn’t drop an absolute bomb on her friend.

“Wait,” Aurora’s eyebrows were now raised, confusion etched onto her features. “He does?” The brunette sighed, setting her phone down and looking back at Aurora.

“Yeah, I told him. When I saw him yesterday after you ‘ported to the Alumni Village to get the dress from Tori.”

“You- what?” She was in disbelief of what she was hearing, which prompted Kelcey to elaborate.

“Well someone had to, and better for me to be the bad guy who upset him than you. You don’t owe him an explanation.”

“I mean… I guess.” Aurora gnawed on the inside of her cheek, instantly anxious. Maybe that’s why Lorcán hadn’t texted her at all. It was possible he was too mad to even speak to her, let alone hear her out. The wheels were turning in her head, the train flying off the rails, until Kelcey rested a hand on hers.

“Look, it’s better that Lorcán has had time to process this so you can have a conversation that isn’t emotionally charged. At the end of the day, he doesn’t have a right to be angry. He should have asked you if he didn’t want to see you going with someone else and these are the consequences of his own actions. Period, full stop.” The brunette reasoned, trying to instill the logic into the redhead’s brain. She was always blunt, which was both a positive and a negative, but she always spoke the truth and it was something that Aurora appreciated about her.

But before she could reply, a knock at the door interrupted their conversation, both girls' faces contorting into ones of surprise, as they weren’t expecting anyone this early in the day. The brunette quickly got up, the redhead not far behind her, and approached the front door, opening it to reveal a younger boy shifting his weight from foot to foot.

“Which one of you is Kelcey?” The underclassman asked, nervous energy radiating off of him, his voice shaky finding himself face to face with the older women.

“Who’s asking?” Kelcey questioned, defensively. The boy relaxed a touch, slightly relieved that he was in the right place, before revealing a bouquet of flowers that he had been hiding behind his back. He handed them to her, a note tucked in between the stems.

“Special delivery from House Lutra.” He stated, his mission accomplished, offering Aurora a small smile and nod before scurrying off.

The brunette’s brow raised as she stepped away from the entryway and into their kitchen area, examining the arrangement - deep purple chrysanthemums, red spray roses, along with some other jewel toned flowers amongst eucalyptus and greenery. Plucking out the card, she read it aloud.

“Just a little something for my date to the dance. Can’t wait to see you tonight, I love you. Oliver.” Kelcey bit her lip, attempting to hide the smile that crept up on her otherwise serious features. Oliver was her teammate and boyfriend of three years. He was her true opposite, friendly and warm where she was reserved and aloof. Extroverted and outgoing where she was introverted and distant. And yet, Aurora always thought that they were the perfect match. Opposites attract and all that.

“Is that… are you blushing, Kelce?” Leah’s eyes went wide as she teased, spying the light rosy hue across the bridge of the brunette’s nose and the apples of her cheeks. As quickly as she let her softer romantic side show, Kelcey reverted to her sarcastic and icy exterior.

“I will ruin your manicure, Leah.” She taunted, to which the blonde quickly dropped her playful demeanor and turned back to Maddy who tried to hide her amusement.

Aurora shook her head at the exchange, there was never a dull moment between her roommates. But her joy dissolved into discontent, Oliver’s display of affection tugging at her aching heart. She imagined what it would be like if Lorcán had sent her a bouquet, how that would make her feel if it was something even remotely possible. But it was unlikely he’d do that, after all, he’d send flowers to Amma before he would send them to her.

Harper’s words from the evening prior rang in her ears, imploring her to take action and not stand idly by. And with Kelcey’s confirmation that he indeed knew about her date, even if he was in fact ignoring her, at this point there was no use in waiting for him to reach out. If she was going to tell him how she felt, she needed to be brave and take that first step. Pulling out her phone, she let her fingers fly across the screen, typing out a message and not hesitating to hit send.

SENT TO LORCÁN ROTH Hey, I’m so relieved you’re okay. Sorry I ducked out before you woke up 😔 Want to talk to you about something… come find me tonight, I’ll save you a dance.