Melissa

Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP

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_{Location: Southern Plateau - Pacific Royal Campus}

Welcome Home #1.105: Smoke Signals

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_{Interaction(s): It's a collab folks! @Hound55}

Previously: Chasing Cars

Banjo snapped awake. His head dripped with perspiration, which hadn't just confined itself to his brow.

He looked over at Calliope who had managed to keep sleeping peacefully, despite his dramatic awakening. Banjo ran his hands through his hair, and over his ears, before pinching the bridge of his nose with his forefingers and letting out a deep sigh.

Again. Tonight of all nights. Another bloody nightmare.

Banjo pushed his frustration and rising angst down, and decided the best place to let it go was outside of the tent. No need to ruin her sleep as well.

Carefully he slid around her, planting one foot on the floor and lifting himself over her, watching her whilst holding his breath until his other foot safely found the floor.

Banjo rustled through his belongings on the floor, making sure his cigarettes and lighter were in his shorts pocket, before pulling them on and quietly unzipping the tent’s flap, unveiling the night’s sky. Outside it was spitting and threatening to turn worse, but he needed the open air so he walked out into the brisk open air.

A few strides away, he popped a single durry from his packet of Winfield Blues, and holding it in his leeward side, lit up, with a hand sheltering it from the weather. Taking a first deep drag, his mouth twitched, and he sniffed in agitation.

That’d be bloody right. A night away from one of those daft big beds, a night where I can curl up with Calli, and the bloody nightmares come back so I still can’t get a proper sleep.

It was infuriating. Just when all was right with everything else. Things couldn’t just go smoothly.

He sat on the grass and hugged his legs whilst the dart hung from his lip.

And the worst thing was, there wasn’t anything he could do about them, or properly explain it to anybody else.

Aurora had let herself toss and turn for a while, hoping sleep would wash over her like the waves on the shoreline, but it wasn’t looking like rest would come to her easily tonight. Her mind was restless, a jumble of thoughts that she had attempted to unravel to no avail.

She sat up and looked over to the other side of the dimly lit tent, watching as Lorcán slept soundly. The redhead admired him quietly, studying each slope and curve of his upper body, memorizing the lines of his tattoos, his scars. She imagined what it would be like to fall asleep in his warm embrace, tucked underneath one of his strong arms.

Sure, it was a little bit creepy to stare at him like this. But in her defense, it was the only opportunity she had to do so without anyone questioning her. But as she looked at him, her thoughts drifted back to the moment they shared earlier. The things he said, the way he made her feel, the fire in his eyes she hadn’t seen before. It was confusing, she was confused. She was also scared. Oh, so scared.

Maybe some fresh air would do her some good.

Silently, Aurora slipped on her shoes before ducking out of the tent. There was a noticeable chill outside in comparison to the warmth inside, and she shivered as she felt the temperature shift, along with the small drops of rain that had started to fall. It might have been late Summer, but the nights on the island ran cold. Well, at least by her standards - she was an Arizona girl, after all.

Popping back inside, she spotted her bag on the far end of the space, but it’d be far too loud to rummage through her things to find her sweatshirt; she couldn’t risk waking Lorcán up. She glanced to his side of the tent and noticed his hoodie was within grasp, laying on top of his backpack. The redhead picked it up, attempting to not make any noise and headed back outside. She’d apologize later for stealing it but something told her he wasn’t going to mind that much.

She pulled the sweatshirt on, inhaling citrus and smoke as she covered her head with the hood. She was practically swimming in the oversized garment, but something about it made her feel secure, safe. Aurora began to walk away from the tent and towards the cliff’s edge, but movement out of the corner of her eye made her stop in her tracks. She turned, spotting Banjo crouched down on the grass, taking a drag from his cigarette.

Seems she wasn’t the only one who evaded sleep.

The redhead didn’t hesitate to make her way over and sat down next to him, wrapping her arms around her bent knees. “Just one of those nights, huh.”

“Mmm. Another one.” He replied. He looked over at her and caught sight of the red of Lorcán’s hoodie and smiled to himself as he turned away and took another drag.

Good. Looks like those two cleaned up whatever was on his plate. He thought to himself. Curling and uncurling his hands to hopefully stop the shaking and jitters.

He turned back once he was satisfied he’d straightened himself out enough.

“I’d offer ya one, but you can’t out-jump the big ‘C’.” He showed her, before pocketing the pack.

Aurora shook her head, “You know I don’t smoke, Banjo,” She noticed the way he had moved his fingers a moment prior, seemingly trying to lessen the physical reaction of whatever had gone on inside his head whilst he slept. Although he tried to hide it, the motion didn’t get past the redhead; she knew how bad thoughts could manifest physically. “Calli still sleeping?”

“I know… but it’s that weird thing where it’s rude to not offer ya one, but at the same time I know you wouldn’t want one, and nor should ya. I’ve got a lot of things where it’s just going through the motions.” His hands gestured from side to side, as if directed by the path of social niceties.

“You know me… Always on the frontline battlin’ rudeness, fightin’ for social decorum.” He chuckled to himself at the absurdity of his own statement.

“And yeah. That she is. I take it Matchstick is too?” He took another puff.

The redhead couldn’t help but laugh softly at the nickname he had given Lorcán. “Like a rock.” She answered, holding her palm out facing upwards, feeling the droplets of rain hit her skin one after the other. “I’ve been up all night, never even fell asleep in the first place.” She glanced back at the blonde, a small smile gracing her lips. “And here I was all worried I’d wake him up.”

“Ahh… so not the dreams y’self this time?”

He thought for a moment. So something had wound her up then. Or maybe he was too quick to assume they’d ironed everything out.

“I noticed he took it pretty bad at the Assembly thing earlier today. But that all got straightened out earlier, didn’t it? So what’s on your mind, because you seemed pretty down earlier on over grub? Wasn’t going to say anything, because you looked like you didn’t want attention drawn to it at the time.” He asked, deconstructing what he’d seen throughout the day.

Aurora sighed, letting the sides of her mouth fall downwards, her grin turning into a more neutral expression. “You saw that, did you?” Just as she was observant, so was he. Out of all of her friendships, the one that she and Banjo had felt more familial than anything. They supported each other like siblings, leaned on each other as few others understood their common denominators. “We had an… interesting day.” To boil down the events of the day to one adjective was a vast understatement, but she couldn’t bring herself to elaborate at that moment. Instead she raised an eyebrow curiously.

“Can I ask you something?” She didn’t give him the chance to answer, plowing forward with her question before she lost the nerve, “Were you… scared to let Calli in? How did you know you were ready for that after everything?” There weren’t many others she could be candid with when it came to the subject.

“Ahhh.” He said in recognition, rocking back and drawing a second dart from the pack, before stubbing the first into a blackened palm.

“Doesn’t apply, I’m afraid. She was everythin’ I already wanted, I was just too afraid to ask. Fortunately for me, I didn’t have to.” He reminisced back to this same plain five years earlier.

“But yeah… because I probably wouldn’t have. Between you and me, I thought there wasn’t much point and I’d never have a shot, til it just happened.” He lit up the second, before snapping the zippo shut, pocketing it.

“Everywhere I bounced around, all the foster places, boarding schools, and such. Well, boarding schools tend to be single sex, or at least segregated in some way, so I didn’t exactly have a whole lot of experience with the fairer sex before I got here, and I never really stayed put in any one place long in the few places which were co-ed. And I was new, weird and wild. Didn’t exactly draw a lot of attention in that way, not that I’m aware of.”

“So here, with Calli? That was pretty new. I’ve never really been afraid to be myself, but.” He said, taking a draw. “I mean… I can’t hide me forever, so what’s the point in tryin’? So no. I didn’t have much fear in lettin’ her in once it came to that. All of my fear was gone the second the door was open. If you catch my drift. And she did that for me.” He shrugged.

“I got incredibly lucky.” He said, adding another puff to accentuate.

The redhead watched as the smoke from Banjo’s cigarette curled, only slightly visible in the air as the raindrops fell. She nodded slowly as she made an effort to internalize everything he had just spoken. It wasn’t the answer she was anticipating, she hadn’t expected the boy to feel that way about it all. Kids like them didn’t plant roots, it was too challenging to see them be ripped up over and over again. But hearing the blonde’s sentiments seemed like a small sliver of hope, should she choose to go down that path. Still, the voice in the back of her head piped up, “And now? Are you afraid that you’ll lose her just like you did the others?”

Banjo stuck his tongue in his cheek considering the question. Thought about who was asking it and why.

“I think sometimes I’m helped by the fact I’ve got no memory of them at all. Abandonment issues and all.” He said.

“Harder to miss what I don’t remember ever havin’.”

“Doesn’t help with these fuckin’ nightmares though.” He said, poking at his own head with a few hard taps. “I’m damn near certain it’s from something back then, but the memories… that time’s swiss cheese.”

“It’s frustrating, I can get everythin’ bloody right in my life. Everything going perfect, and I mean PERFECT right now. And then this bullshit happens again. And I can’t do anything about it, because I don’t know what the Hell it’s about.” Anger had rushed back to the surface, and his hands trembled slightly with agitation.

“And they don’t even make any sense to anyone to be frightened about, when I try to explain ‘em! But I’m terrified in them. I think it’s because I was there, and knew what it meant– but now it’s all just… Space. Empty space and residual terror. Faaaarked.”

He stopped and realised he’d deviated too far from the question.

“Shit… sorry for the self pity party. Nah, short of bein’ worried she could do much better and ditching me, I’m not too scared of losin’ her. And with the way she’s been talkin’ lately, even that’s been seeming unlikely.” He smiled, at the thought of the woman in the tent.

“I put in the effort. She puts in the effort. That’s the magic to it. Simple trick. And always think of it as effort and not work. Work’s a begrudgin’ thing. Effort though… Effort’s just give-a-shit. Effort’s just energy, at least to me. And I can get that whenever I care enough.”

“I catch m'self lookin’ at, or listening to her sometimes and–”

He pulled the smoke from his mouth and turned and looked at it for a while. His mind a thousand miles away. Before he caught himself and took another drag, before continuing.

“Well, I just can't see ‘give-a-shit’ ever bein’ an issue.”

Aurora knew that was where their stories deviated. Where Banjo had no memories, she had plenty, too many, of her past. She was in agreement with him that it was easier when you couldn’t remember and didn't have to think about what you never knew. Clearly, it was an issue the redhead needed to tackle on her own. She empathized with his nightmares, however. She knew how debilitating they could be, how helpless they could make you feel, especially when everything else felt in your control.

“Don’t apologize,” She placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, “I get it, truly. Just because someone else might not find it terrifying doesn’t invalidate your fear. It’s not the situation itself, but how the situation makes you feel. Anything is scary if you believe it to be.” Aurora explained, “Doesn’t matter if it doesn’t make sense in the traditional way.”

A small smile returned to her face as he talked about Calli. He was so in love, and it was obvious. The redhead was happy for him, for them, and glad that they had found each other. But the same envy from earlier crept up, now accompanied by the weight of what had happened in the tent with Lorcán. She could be as happy as them, if she tried. But the questions she had asked didn’t seem to have clear answers. Turning the subject back to him instead of continuing on with her inquiries, she nudged him playfully with her arm. “Sounds like you’ll be buying a ring soon, Banj.”

He smiled to himself, internalising the question. His mind raced through a half dozen ‘Get Rich Quick’ schemes he could run to pull some cash for a ring together. The smile turned to a smirk, and he took another drag before answering.

“Quite possibly.”

The line of questions. She’d been beating around the bush looking for advice to hopefully be of some help with Lorcán, of which he’d been able to provide all too little. Maybe summary statements?

“I don’t really remember my parents at all, but everything else since then is still solid. A lot of pain, sure. But while I didn’t feel hurt by being dragged around, yanked away from every place I’d been very soon after we’d just got there. It’s mostly because I just got numb to it. For the most part, I didn’t get too close to the other kids, figuring I wouldn’t be around long. Found my own ways to entertain myself along the way.”

“Bein’ numb isn’t a good or permanent solution, ‘Raw. And even if it were, I suspect it’s too late for that anyway, in this case. Let me ask you something. Hypothetical: Say the Foundation up and decided to segregate the entire school by sex tomorrow. Picked all us blokes up and whisked us away, made us form new class teams, and oh… you’re in Myotis and he’s Canis. The New team lunchtimes are set at different times, and they brought in a strict curfew at close of school every day.”

“How would you feel?” He’d smoked the second durry down to the filter, and so stubbed it out once again in a black palm.

“Because unless I’m very much mistaken… that’s your answer right there.” He reached into his pocket and shook the remnants of his carton. Only three to go. He thought better of saving them and pocketed the pack.

Aurora’s face fell as Banjo presented the scenario, the “what ifs” of it all popping in her head. But, her eyebrows raised back up in a panic as he mentioned teams, not having indicated otherwise that the questions had any relation to a specific person. It seemed like everyone around her today was picking up clues that she was not intentionally putting down - first Harper, now Banjo. Not to mention, the words that Lorcán spoke continued to bounce around her mind, which wasn’t helping her train of thought.

How would she feel? Like a piece of her was missing.

The redhead exhaled audibly, shaking her head. So much doubt clouded her judgment, even though the answer seemed simple and straightforward. “Hypothetically,” She looked back towards her tent, where Lorcán lay sleeping, the only indication she was willing to provide without uttering the words out loud, “It would be… difficult.” The rain began to fall slightly heavier, more noticeable in the evening air. “I don’t want to be alone again, Banjo.”

“So, if you’re scared of bein’ hurt… and you’re already at a stage where it’d hurt…” The rain had picked up, matted his hair some, and was running down his shoulders and back.

“Seems to me, you’re already takin’ the risk without reapin’ all of the rewards.” He rocked back and forth with his arms around his knees.

“Like I said, there’s your answer.”

“But that’s just the lawyer in me. ‘Never make a point you’re not willin’ to belabour.’” He offered a warmer grin, getting to his feet.

“Now hold back, I’ve got to get this crap out me lungs.”

His breath quickened and halted, and his body turned blacker than the night’s sky around them. A much smaller corona surrounded him, due to the lack of available light, and his flesh re-knitted. His lungs and system cleaned itself out, and his synapses flared and sparked out all of the effects of the nicotine. He held a few seconds before reverting back to his usual appearance.

Rain droplets had supercooled from the effort and turned to frost on his shoulders. He smiled, as his thoughts once again returned to the woman in his tent.

Aurora sat with Banjo’s words, letting them reverberate while he used his abilities to effectively undo the damage of the cigarettes he had smoked. He had a point, she had already taken the risk by forming the connection in the first place, which only added to her conundrum. But how was she supposed to know that their innocent friendship would turn into something more? It was too late now to save herself apparently. She was going to get hurt either way.

The rain continued, thunder looming in the distance. The redhead looked to Banjo, inclining her head towards his tent. “You should try and go back to sleep. There may not be hope for me getting some rest, but that doesn’t mean you can’t.”

“I reckon I might.” He said, looking back at the tent. If nothing else, it had been good to puzzle himself over someone else’s business, rather than dwelling on what was between his own ears. He’d originally planned to come out and analyze what he’d heard from Alyssa on the Foundation, but this had worked too. Probably saved him some smokes too.

“You should probably head on in as well. Seems this is pickin’ up, but I’m betting it’s a damn sight warmer in your tent, than here. Yours comes with a space heater.” He stuck his tongue out.

“I’d feel bloody terrible if you wound up comin’ down with pneumonia or somethin’ as well, on my account.” He reached a hand out to help her to her feet. “So head in and see ya tomoz?”

The corners of Aurora’s lips curved upwards ever so slightly. “That's why I keep him around.” She joked as she stood, sticking her hands in her front pocket and looking up at the sky, “Hopefully this storm clears through before the morning.” The girl took a few steps towards her tent before hesitating and turning back to the blonde. “Hey, Banjo?” She called back to him, “Thank you.”

Banjo unzipped his tent, and hearing ‘Raw's thanks, raised his brow. He hadn't anticipated there being any more to say. Deciding he'd rather not risk waking Calliope so close to his own tent he settled for a simple thumbs up, before stepping back inside out of the elements.

Aurora watched as the boy disappeared, walking a few strides in the direction she was supposed to be headed. But before she pulled the zipper of her tent, she stopped, taking a moment to simply breathe in the fresh air as the rain continued to fall around her. Just like the beach, there was something about the sound of water that soothed her mind. Letting her intrusive thoughts win, she tipped her chin upwards, the hood of Lorcán’s sweatshirt falling to her back as the droplets began to dampen her copper locks, curling the ends. With another deep inhale, she removed her hands from the hoodie and ran her fingers through her scalp. It was calming, refreshing, freeing.

With a slightly clearer head on her shoulders, she re-entered the tent, immediately greeted by the heat that seemed to radiate off of the boy as he slept. She peeled off his hoodie, draping it off the end of her cot to dry over the next few hours, and returned to tossing and turning once more.

BHHS: Limitless

^{TIMESTAMP: Flashback, before homeroom, 7:00AM
INTRODUCING: Ivy and Isla Leung
@Melissa and @Bee}

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The Leung household was quiet and still as Ivy stood in front of the stovetop, cooking herself breakfast. Her mom was working an overnight shift and her dad was already at the office, which left her and Isla to their own devices that morning, well, like most mornings. It wasn’t often that all four members of the Leung family were at home all at once; either Ivy was at cheer practice, or her mom had a big surgery, or her dad was out of town at some conference. Isla was always home though, locked in her room (much to her sister’s chagrin), but still, schedules seemed to rotate and never align.

The dark haired girl removed her eggs from the skillet and slid them onto her plate, turning off the burner, simply unbothered by the fact she was running behind. It was Friday after all, nothing could get her down or ruin her mood! Well, maybe her sister, but that was a normal occurrence. She ate quickly, answering a few texts as she went, before rinsing her dish and putting it in the dishwasher. If there was anything her father hated, it was a sink full of dirty plates and cups.

“Isla! Let’s go!” She called her twin, awaiting a response that never came. The girl waited a few moments, hoping for a reply, but when only silence answered, Ivy rolled her eyes. Her sister was in her own little world, as always.

She marched up the stairs, clearly unhappy with the extra effort it required, and pounded on her twin’s bedroom door. “HELLO! Earth to Isla!” Ivy tapped her foot impatiently, checking the time on her phone, and banging on the door once more, “If you’re not out here in 30 seconds, nerd, I am leaving without you.”

Hearing the pounding of a rather irate Ivy on her door, Isla plucked her airpods out of her ear and sighed. She knew that Ivy was up and around eating her breakfast -- that wasn’t something that Isla really partook in. Heavier breakfasts that Ivy had a tendency to eat simply made her feel more lethargic than anything.

She’d rather use the time that would be spent preparing breakfast to stay in her room and be in her little bubble. It didn’t take very long for her to get ready, so she would chill on her bed, tapping around on the drier-than-the-sahara piece of technology known as her phone.

Opening the door, Isla poked her head out, “Calm down, Ivy…” Isla murmured, as she left her room, “You don’t have to be so pressed.”

It was hard to believe that Ivy was the younger of the two sisters, only because she called the shots and Isla always listened. “I’m not pressed. Can’t you just, I don’t know, turn down your music? Or only put one airpod in? Like, how do you even expect to hold a conversation if you're just tuned out…” Ivy inquired, pivoting and making her way back down the stairs. She pulled her backpack over her right shoulder and picked up her cheer bag with her left hand before grabbing her car keys from the hook next to the door. Not bothering to turn around to face Isla, she continued to talk, “Not that you care, but the homecoming game is tonight. I can drop you off after my last class or you can find a different way home, I’m assuming you’re not coming?”

“You sound pressed.” Isla sneered, following behind her (slightly) younger sister, “See, that beats the point of having Airpods. The point of them is so that I can’t hear anyone.” Isla valued her bubble very much, and the most you’d get from her with her Airpods in is a blank stare.

As Ivy grabbed her stuff in front of her, Isla only continued to walk behind her, before being reminded about the football game tonight. “I’ll figure out a way home. I’ll call an Uber if I have to.” Isla then had a little brainwave, “Orr… you could just let me take the car and drive and you can hitch a ride with one of your cheerleader friends.”

“And why would I do that?” Ivy scoffed, looking over her shoulder as she unlocked the front door, the house alarm chiming once to indicate their departure. “No way in hell, I want to get back quickly after the game so I can have enough time to change for the after party.” She walked outside, strutting towards the car and opening the driver's side. The girl slid effortlessly into the seat, throwing her belongings into the back and checking her reflection in the rear view mirror.

“You could always come to the game, y’know. Support me or something? Doesn’t your little bubble travel? Glinda travels by bubble, so could you.”

“Ugh. Fine.” Isla slid into the passenger seat and also chucked her bag in the back, sliding down her seat in defeat. She wanted the car so she wouldn’t be stuck on campus, but alas. Her own car was in the shop because certain pieces kept falling off.

“I don’t really want to go to the game, maybe I’ll walk off somewhere else and call an Uber.”

“Your loss.” Ivy barely waited for Isla to get situated before starting the ignition and reversing out of the driveway. It frustrated her to no end that her sister was well, a hermit. At one point in time she made the effort to invite her everywhere, encouraging her to break out of her shell, but it was always met with a lousy excuse or a flat out no. So, she simply stopped asking. It wasn’t worth her breath these days.

To say the dark haired girl was a subpar driver was an understatement. She consistently drove over the speed limit, rolled through stop signs, and turned right on red even when she wasn’t supposed to. But, she’d never gotten them into an accident… at least up until this point. She navigated the car through the busy Beverly Hills streets towards the High School, turning up the volume on her mainstream pop playlist. Ivy sang along to the song absentmindedly, her sister decidedly not a chatty companion. “Like a feather, like a feather, like a featherrrrr,” She glanced over to the passenger’s seat at Isla, goofily trying to get her attention as they drove. “Come on, lighten up. It’s Friday! And no one can be annoyed on a Friday.”

Accompanying the rollercoaster that was Ivy’s driving, she was basically gripping for dear life as she drove like the average Tesla driver. Thank goodness these Teslas had features in them, otherwise her and Ivy would’ve been wrapped around a telephone pole about now. Isla had a bit of a scowl on her face, peeved that she had to take an Uber and sit in a stranger’s car for god knows how long to get home. She just wanted to get home!

“It’s certainly one of the days today.” Isla muttered, “Why is it so special when the football players come home? Aren’t they always home?”

“Ha ha ha, very funny.” Ivy mocked, before continuing. “It’s an important game, Isles. We’re playing our rivals, and if we win, we get to hold that over their heads for the rest of the season! Not to mention we’re so close to the playoffs and state championships.” The dark haired girl looked over to her sister in the passenger seat. “I would try and put it into music terms for you to understand, but I don’t speak nerd.”

The cheerleader accelerated down the road, turning right onto the side streets that led to the High School. Senior year was upon them and it was important for her to have as much fun as possible. As soon as the fall hit, she’d be a college student, where more revelry would await her. It was an exciting time, in her eyes. For her sister? Not so much. “Are you at least coming to the dance tomorrow night?”

Isla rolled her eyes, “Such a big deal… for a game that won’t matter in two years.” The musician scoffed, staring out the window as Ivy somehow maneuvered the streets of Beverly Hills.

“I don’t know. I don’t have anyone to go with. They’re never fun alone.”Isla pouted. Despite her apathy toward school, Isla was well aware of how much having someone to go to a dance with would enhance the experience.

“What’s the point of going alone?”

Ivy sighed, “Who cares,” She rolled to a stop at a red light before turning to look at her twin. “I don’t have a date, and I’m still going. Plenty of people are going alone! You’ll find others there to hang out with.” The light turned green and she hit the gas pedal, cutting off a car who angrily honked at her as she haphazardly changed lanes to make the left turn. Even though it irked her, and she had “given up”, she still took opportunities to help her sister out. “If you go tomorrow, I’ll let you take the car after school. On the one condition that you ACTUALLY try to talk to people.” Ivy gave her sister an earnest expression, “You’re going to need to be extroverted enough to land a record deal, might as well start on people who don’t matter to you.”

Isla scowled as Ivy presented a deal that was extremely difficult to turn down. The musician was practically backed into a corner that she couldn’t get out of. Yeah, she hated the idea of going to the dance, but she did really want the car.

“I hate that you get all the leverage here.” Isla pouted, “Fine. I’ll go, but you better give me the car.”

The dark haired girl smirked as they pulled into the BHHS parking lot, finding their usual spot in the corner closest to the football field. It was a small win, but a win nonetheless. She turned off the ignition and hopped out of the car, grabbing her bags from the backseat. She tossed her sister the keys, nearly smacking her in the face. “All yours, nerd.” Ivy pulled a lip gloss out of her backpack and applied it as she stared at her reflection in the driver’s side window. “If I can’t get a ride after the game I’m calling you to pick me up. It’s only fair.”

Catching the keys, Isla narrowly avoiding poking her eye out as she finally got the car she’d been wanting for the whole drive.

“Ugh. Fine.” Isla rolled her eyes, sliding her backpack onto her back. “Don’t make me pick you up at 3 AM again.”

“I’ll call you at whatever time I want, after all, I’m being kind enough to let you use my car.” Ivy guilted before blowing her sister a kiss. “Have a great day sweetie. Make some friends! Or don’t!” She chimed in a sickeningly sweet voice, before turning on her heel and walking towards the school, swinging her hips from side to side confidently.

Isla, once again, rolled her eyes so far back into her head she could practically see her brain. Guess she had to pick her sister up at some ungodly hour now.

Not that she had any choice.

Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP

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_{Location: Southern Plateau - Dundas Island, Pacific Ocean}

Welcome Home #1.100: After Hours

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

Previously: Supermassive Black Hole

Aurora quickly masked any remaining woe in her face as Lorcán sat down next to her, trying to take Harper’s words to heart.

Lorcán is his own person, and we have to trust his judgment, even if we may not always agree with his choices.

The redhead shook her head as the boy extended the marshmallow towards her. In normal circumstances, she would have eagerly accepted, as Lorcán had a talent for crafting the perfect s’more. So much so, she refused to attempt them herself and opted for him to make them on her behalf, which he always obliged. But her appetite had still not returned, and she really wasn’t in the mood.

“Sad? I’m not sad.” Denial at its finest. “Thanks, but I’m not that hungry.” Aurora stated, before looking around at their teammates, noticing some were turning in and heading to their tents. “Honestly, I might call it a night. It’s been a long day, and tomorrow is going to be even longer.” The thought of going to sleep sent a shiver down her spine, not knowing what her dreams, or lack thereof, would hold. But tonight she was mostly concerned with someone else being mere feet from her, thus subjected to her terrors. It was a disclaimer she knew she didn’t need to provide Lorcán with but she paused, trying to decide how to word her next request.

“You can wake me up, if I’m having a nightmare… I’d prefer that, actually. Who knows if I’ll have one tonight, but I just wanted to put it out there. I’m sorry if I do.”

Wrapping a hand around the marshmallow, Lorcán subtly reduced it to nothing but ash before standing.

“No problem, Lady Dude, I’ll always watch out for you.” He exaggerated a yawn with a stretch.

“Yeah, bed sounds good.” He added, letting Aurora know she wasn’t getting away from him that quickly.

The redhead rose to her feet cautiously. Each step she took toward the tent, their tent, was hesitant. As they walked side by side her heartbeat fluttered, an unfamiliar bout of nerves setting in. It was no big deal, she tried to remind herself, but especially after her conversation with Harper this afternoon, she wasn’t so sure she could continue telling herself that.

Opening the tent for Aurora, Lorcán waited until she was inside before entering himself, pausing, before he turned and addressed her.

“Uh, hey Lady Dude, if you need to change or whatever, I can like go back outside,” He offered, before gesturing to the seam down the middle of the tent.

“Or there’s the privacy screen if you’re totally comfortable with that.”

She hadn’t really gotten the chance yet to examine the pair’s living space for the night. Sure, Aurora slept in a tent like this every year for the last seven years, but for some reason, this year it felt smaller than usual. She’d never noticed how close the two cots seemed to be… or maybe it was just her imagination.

Eyes darting to the middle of the tent before turning to Lorcán, Aurora shrugged. “The privacy screen works just fine for me.” She stated, moving to reveal the barrier between the two sides of the space and locking it into place. If it had been daytime, the screen would have been completely opaque, but with the lights illuminated, the girl’s shadow was visible as she moved about, but nothing more.

She dug around in her tote for her pajamas, an old oversized Myotis tee shirt and a pair of shorts, and began to get changed. Silence hung, only the sound of her movements audible, and in that moment the tent felt somehow even more cramped.

Lorcán’s molten-coloured eyes were drawn to the shadowy silhouette on the other side of the screen. His heart thumped against his ribcage, escalating in speed as Aurora removed her uniform. The light outlined her supple form, each subtle curve revealed ironically through shadow.

Removing his shirt, Lorcán looked down towards his chest. Beside him, the two silhouettes on the privacy screen became intertwined. Faces nearing each other, lips hovered within millimetres while hands moved to hips. His shorts hit the floor first, a dull, muffled thud seemingly thundered through the tent as they did.

He felt warm.

His body reacted to the sight of Aurora’s silhouette sensually illuminated in the soft, flickering light. He felt himself flush, the sudden rush causing his abilities to raise the tent’s ambient temperature. His HZEs sought Aurora’s own before merging with them, synchronizing their beating hearts.

Heavy breathing hung in the stillness of the dimly lit tent while beads of sweat began to dot his forehead, humidity sticky to his glistening skin. Lorcán suddenly felt like he could feel Aurora’s silhouette, her soft skin beneath his fingers, her heartbeat racing under his touch. The exhilarating aroma of rose and peony overwhelmed Lorcán, intoxicating him with her scent. He leaned forward in the empty air, his lips felt as though they brushed up against hers. His hand caressed against her ethereal jawline, his fingers tracing along her cheek, tucking behind her ear before cradling the back of her head.

And then Lorcán tripped.

Tumbling downwards, he scrambled to catch himself, grabbing ahold of the privacy screen that gave way with a loud rip before revealing Aurora and entangling the solely boxer-clad Lorcán beneath it. His uniform shorts were still around his ankle, the culprit behind his fall.

“Ow.”

Aurora stepped out of her uniform athletic shorts, slipping on the softer cotton sleep shorts, and pulled her shirt up and over her head removing it. She opted to keep on her sports bra in case she got too warm in the middle of the night, which seemed inevitable given the human furnace on the other side of the tent. Grasping her oversized tee in her hand, preparing to put it on, she paused. The part of her that feared the night wished she was sleeping in the familiarity of her own dorm, and she let her thoughts drift, her HZE’s seemingly pulling her to move and readying for the jump.

And then suddenly, he was there.

She didn’t know how and she didn’t know why, but Lorcán’s calloused fingertips grazed her skin, at least, it felt like it. The redhead grew warm, not only from the rising temperature of the tent but from the thought of his touch, her pulse quickening as citrus consumed her senses. Her eyes fluttered shut as she basked in the feeling, he was everywhere, he was everything.

The sound of the fabric screen ripping snapped her out of it, and Aurora jumped, startled. She tried to catch her breath as well as steady her pounding heartbeat. The girl looked down at Lorcán on the ground, brought back to reality, and nimbly threw her tee shirt over her sports bra. “Oh god, uh,” She started, swallowing as her throat suddenly grew very dry, “I, uh- are you okay?” The redhead asked, a million thoughts racing through her brain.

“I’m just choka,” Came the groaned reply. “My face broke my fall.”

Truth be told, in his current predicament, his face did not take the brunt of the fall, but somewhere lower. With a small moan, Lorcán rolled over to face Aurora, sitting there for a second in all his mostly naked glory, before his eyes darted downwards to the stretched red boxers. He felt flush again, his eyes widening before quickly pulling the damaged privacy screen over his lap and looking back at Aurora.

“So, like a few seconds ago, before I fell,” He started, “Did you, uh feel anything?”

The girl would have normally laughed at Lorcán’s clumsiness, maybe even given him a hard time about it, but as she stood there in the wake of his fall, she couldn’t find the proper words. She was trying to figure out how it was possible that had just happened… that, and wondered if she had even wanted that moment to end. As they made eye contact, she saw something else in his gaze; it was always fiery, but this felt different. Her focus faltered as he looked away, letting her baby blues rove over his toned chest and arms. Catching herself before they dipped elsewhere, Aurora averted her eyes and turned, attempting to regain her composure.

But Lorcán’s next question had her feeling warm all over again. Thankfully, he couldn’t see how red her face had become. So it wasn’t just her.

Without turning around, she cleared her throat. “I…I felt…yeah, I did.”

“Me too,” replied Lorcán, “It’s the first time I wanted it to happen, but I’ve experienced this before.” He continued,

“It’s like, uh, how do I explain it,” He paused. “It’s like in ability training when we boost or block each other’s powers, but instead it's a mingling. But it’s like not just our powers mingling, it’s all of us.”

“It happened before with Amma. When she tried to break down the logs in one of my fires.” Lorcán admitted almost sheepishly. He rubbed the back of his head apologetically. “I didn't even know it was possible before last night. I should have told you sooner.”

As the boy spoke, Aurora couldn’t help but notice the sinking feeling in her stomach that only seemed to intensify with each word that flowed from his lips. It was almost nonchalant the way he glossed over the details of something that felt so intimate and then dropped her name like an absolute bomb. Truth be told, the redhead had never thought about what would happen when he met someone, what that would mean for them and how it’d make her feel, but she’d never expected it to be like this.

She moved to sit down on her cot and glanced at Lorcán, the flush on her cheeks having dissipated, his admission like a bucket of cold water over her head. “Oh,” The girl started, eyes darting down to her hands in her lap as she hid the disappointment in her voice, “I didn’t know that could happen either.” Aurora reached her right hand up absentmindedly to fidget with her necklace, pulling it along the chain. “And you two… figured that out?”

“No!” He immediately protested, “No, no it wasn’t like that, not in the slightest,” Lorcán replied, “The first time I had no idea what was happening, then when we were assigned together I realized she’d never really been allowed to have fun with her powers, y’know?” He stated, embarrassment behind every word. Lorcán could see the hurt on Aurora’s face. It left him feeling sick, a ball of anxiety swirling in his stomach threatening to pull him inside out.

“Remember when we used to play tag, but I could never win because you’d always teleport away at the last minute? I wanted to make sure she had some sort of good memory to hold onto and not just whatever gnarly experience the Foundation put her through.” His brain was working in overdrive to explain, but he just couldn’t shake the guilty feeling.

“Ugh, ‘Rora I am so sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about last night earlier. I am sorry I didn’t warn you that this could happen. But I didn’t figure it out with her, at least not fully, I had an idea of what was happening, but what happened with you, here, just now…” His voice trailed off.

“When my powers merged with Amma’s, it was like a really hot shower. It felt good, but it was just a good sensation, ultimately empty.” He fumbled his words a bit as he tried to explain.

“But just now, with you. It was intimate like I was feeling all of you, everything about you. It was like our entire essences joined. I’ve always felt close to you, but, in that moment, I felt one with you.” He took a breath.

“It felt like I was whole.” Lorcan let the words hang for a second before moving his hand. He hesitated before placing it on Aurora’s.

“Look, you mean the world to me and I never wanted to hurt you. With Amma, I was just trying to be friendly, I didn’t mean or want to get caught up in this ‘power mingling’. But tonight with you, it felt…” His voice trailed off, nerves catching up with the oddly bold comments he had been making. Though in all fairness, Lorcán was sitting there undressed with very little left to the imagination. If Aurora was going to push him away, he might as well show his hand.

“Right.” He squeezed her hand.

“I just need you to know Amma is just a friend,” Lorcán continued, before adding a small scoff. “Cutback, ‘friend’ might even be too generous.” He squeezed Aurora’s hand again.

“But you’re my number one, my ride or die and nothing,” He took hold of her other hand, looking her sincerely in the eyes, their faces hovering very closely together. “I mean nothing is ever changing that.”

Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP

^{__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}

_{Location: Southern Plateau - Pacific Royal Campus}

Welcome Home #1.091: The Lonely Hearts Club

^{_{________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}}

_{Interaction(s): Harper @Qia}

Previously: Flock Together

The afternoon faded into evening and Aurora just wanted the day to be over already. It had been a rollercoaster, with highs and lows that would have been tough for anyone to predict, but she was looking forward to spending time with her teammates and their Firebird peers, which would hopefully clear her mind of everything going on. After splitting off from Haven, she had served herself a small portion of food from the makeshift buffet, but admittedly, her appetite was shot. She at least made sure to grab a Hyper-Aid to replenish the HZE’s she’d used to teleport supplies back and forth all day, but otherwise, she picked at her plate, pushing what was there around. Normally, she would have been starving after such bouts of her abilities, but for one reason or another, she wasn’t interested in tonight’s meal. Deciding not to bother, she put her plate down, opting to sip on her beverage instead. She could always teleport back to her dorm if she got hungry later, but she didn’t foresee that happening.

As she looked around, her eyes fell on her teammates chatting. She caught bits and pieces of each conversation, but from the seat she had chosen, she wasn’t positioned to participate, so she popped in her earbuds, letting the music she played wash over her senses. With a new soundtrack, she simply observed. Haven and Harper were engrossed in a discussion about something that seemed important, animated reactions coming from both of them. Calli and Banjo sat next to each other, hand in hand, and the redhead couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy. They had been an unexpected pairing, but still, they were so solid.

The redhead looked to the intentionally empty seat next to her, which was meant for Lorcán. Yes, Aurora had saved him a seat, like she always had. Sure, they didn’t sit together at every gathering, but most of the time it ended up that way whether it was planned or not. Tonight, she guessed, was one of the few times he preferred to sit elsewhere, as she had seen him carry his plate over to where his cousin Cassander and Gil were located and joined them instead. She didn’t mind, of course, but it stung a little after this afternoon’s, well, situation.

She watched as Lorcán got up and approached their group, and Aurora moved to wave, but he didn’t even acknowledge her, didn’t even look at her. He made a beeline over to Haven and the two struck up a conversation. It was odd, to say the least, that he didn’t say hello or hadn’t come over to talk to her. It made the girl feel uneasy, on edge.

Harper’s discerning eyes meticulously scanned the scene from her position across the campfire while Haven and Lorcán conversed. Her innate talent for reading subtle shifts in body language alerted her to the silent strain evident in Aurora’s stance. The usual brilliance of Aurora’s crimson tresses even seemed somewhat subdued under the flames provided by the campfire, mirroring the hidden disquiet that she grappled with, unseen by others.

Except for her, of course.

With Lorcán’s departure, Haven had turned to Harper with a grin, excitement dancing in her eyes. “It's our lucky day, Harps.”

Harper’s gaze, momentarily ensnared by Haven’s infectious enthusiasm, soon drifted back to Aurora. The vivid recollections of the day’s earlier events clashed with the current reality before her. The Aurora that had radiated some sense of vitality during the morning’s ceremony now seemed like a shadow of her former self, isolated and pensive. The disparity was striking, and Harper felt a compelling urge to bridge the gap between the Aurora of the past and the solitary figure that now sat before her. It was a call to action she simply could not ignore.

“Hey, Little Dove?” Harper’s voice was soft, a tender note in her address to her feathered companion. She placed her barely touched plate of food beside her, her hunger no longer felt as much. “I need a moment, alright? I promise I’ll be back shortly,” the brunette assured, her words gentle but laced with concern. With that she stood, her movements deliberate, as she navigated the space between her and Aurora.

“Hey…” Harper said once close by, taking the empty seat beside her friend. A gentle elbow nudge accompanied her greeting. “You’ve been missed.” The admission flowed with an ease that Harper’s former, more guarded self would have envied.

But, with Aurora, words like this found their way naturally.

The redhead offered Harper a small smile as she approached, popping out her earbuds and pausing the music she had been listening to. “Hey,” The girl greeted warmly, turning to face her friend who now sat next to her. She sighed, letting her hands fall into her lap and beginning to fidget with her fingernails. “Sweet of you to say, but I’m good. Trust me.” Aurora lied, letting her eyes glance down to the ground briefly before looking back up at her dark-haired friend. “It’s been quite a day, just enjoying a bit of quiet, I guess.”

She looked around at their friends strewn across the campsite as well as the members of Firebird as everyone ate their dinner and chatted. “Nice that we’re all together tonight. How’d things go with Mei and Calli this afternoon?”

Harper’s intuition tingled as she observed her friend’s subdued presence. Aurora’s smile was a mere shadow of its usual radiance, and her hands, usually so steady, now betrayed her with their nervous dance. Aurora deflected, her voice threading through topics of inconsequence—anything but the weight that Harper knew pressed on her shoulders. Harper’s heart swelled with compassion all the while, recognizing the silent plea for reprieve in her blue eyes.

“Mei and Calli? Oh, they were great,” Harper shared, indulging her friend’s query. “Their ideas were perfect. Honestly, I felt like I didn’t really contribute much other than putting them together.” The joy in her voice was infectious, a brief respite from the undercurrent of concern.

Yet, as Harper’s gaze lingered on Aurora, her smile waned. “Rora,” she ventured softly, “are you sure you're alright? I know today has been a lot, and you seem..." Harper trailed off, searching for the right words, "...a bit out of it. Here, but not really here. Is it because of what happened this morning? With our degrees and stuff?"

Aurora knew better than to think she could get anything past Harper, as much as she attempted in that moment to remain inconspicuous. With an ability like hers, it was impossible for her not to notice the minute details. Try as she might, the redhead wouldn’t get off easy here. She let her smile fade, biting her inner lip. “Not exactly…” She started, her eyes scanning the campsite. It was at that exact moment a certain dark-haired girl sauntered over to Lorcán with an unmistakable air of confidence, stood close to him, too close, and said something she couldn’t decipher. The way Amma smirked was almost feline. A predator who had just found their prey. Aurora was suddenly nauseous.

“Haven and I were doing supply runs and we thought it’d be nice to bring everyone some water, especially given that it’s so hot out today.” She took a sip of her drink, trying to fight back the bile that rose in the back of her throat, “And when we got to the construction site, only Rory was there. Apparently, Lorcán and Amma ditched and went off into the woods, together. Everyone was whispering about it, but Haven wouldn’t tell me what they were saying. They kept staring at me though, it was almost like they felt bad for me.”

“Something just felt so… wrong about it. He’s my best friend, and I’ve never known him to be selfish like that. To just leave his friends high and dry. You know how I feel about Amma- she is not a good influence and she worries me, especially when it comes to Lorcán. I just don’t want to see anything bad happen to him.” The redhead explained, looking at Harper with a twinge of anxiety in her eyes. “And now to make matters worse, he’s ignoring me and I don’t know why.” Aurora exhaled deeply, realizing she was rambling. “Sorry, that was probably more than you bargained for.”

Harper listened intently as Aurora recounted the events of the day, her words filled with worry and confusion. Despite Aurora's attempt to remain composed, Harper couldn't help but notice the subtle clues that hinted at something deeper. She could sense Aurora's concern for Lorcán and her uneasiness about Amma's influence on him. Harper couldn't blame her either; she had felt a similar nervousness during their time at the beach.

The idea that Lorcán might have reciprocated Amma's advances was difficult for Harper to comprehend as well, especially given the feelings for Lorcán that Harper suspected Aurora harboured. Yet, she did her best not to let her worries show on her face.

"It's understandable that you're worried," Harper began instead, her tone gentle and empathetic. "It does sound out of character for Lorcán to abandon his responsibilities like that." She paused, considering whether she should voice her own misgivings. "You know, I've also sensed something off about Amma. There's an intensity, a possessiveness in the way she interacts with some of us that leaves me uneasy."

Placing a reassuring hand on Aurora's shoulder, Harper continued. "I think it's important that we keep an eye on the situation, for Lorcán's sake. He might not be aware of the effect Amma has on him, and as his friends, we should be there to support him if things take a turn for the worse."

Pausing for a moment to let her words sink in, and recalling Calliope’s advice to Mei from earlier, Harper added, "But let's also remember that Lorcán is his own person, and we have to trust his judgment, even if we may not always agree with his choices. We should be there for him without overstepping his boundaries." She sincerely hoped her words hadn't been too harsh; the last thing she wanted was to hurt Aurora.

The redhead nodded, taking in the words of wisdom Harper imparted. Her friend had a soothing quality to her, and just having her ear put Aurora at ease. The dark-haired girl wasn’t wrong; Lorcán could do what he wanted when he wanted, and as much as it killed the girl to see him make interesting decisions, she had to let him do so. But that didn’t change the unmistakable sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach as a result of his choices. Why was she having such a hard time with this?

She broke eye contact briefly, letting her gaze drift to where he was standing across the way. “You know, Lorcán and I actually met on my very first day at PRCU,” Aurora recounted, her eyes glazing over ever so slightly as she let herself remember. “After I got off the ferry, they brought me to the Administration building and told me to wait outside while they handled some paperwork. I was standing next to the rose bushes, and this boy ran past.” She smiled at the memory, “He was clearly in a rush to get somewhere, but when he saw me, he stopped… and he waved. He didn’t even know me and yet he smiled at me like I was an old friend. Other than the HELP workers who had gotten me out of my last placement, it was the first genuine kindness I had received in a long time.”

Aurora played it off as if it was nothing. “I don’t even know if Lorcán remembers that, but I do.” The redhead looked back at Harper, brushing a strand of copper hair behind her ear. “He’s always been so good to me, and I think I’ve always just tried to do the same for him. Friends look out for each other,” She explained, “He’s never given me a reason not to trust him. I just don’t trust her.”

Harper was completely engrossed as Aurora recounted her first meeting with Lorcán. The story struck a chord with her, and she could deeply appreciate the impact of that moment on Aurora's life. Despite its simplicity, Lorcán's thoughtful gesture had clearly left a profound impression on her friend.

"I see now why you're so protective of him," Harper remarked in response to Aurora's revelation. "In the time that I've known him, he’s always come across as genuine and open-hearted. He seems like the type of person who truly values such meaningful encounters, so it wouldn’t surprise me if he also remembers that moment," Harper paused thoughtfully before continuing, "I think... we should trust his judgment and ability to look out for himself to a point. You can express your concerns, but…give him a chance to explain. Okay?"

Harper offered a comforting smile. "I think it would mean a great deal to him to know that you stand by him here, just as he stands by you and everyone else in the group."

Aurora let her friends' words ring in her ears before shaking her head. “I don’t even think I need to express my concerns to him, he knows how I feel.” She sighed, “Lorcán has such a pure heart, so pure that I’m afraid someone will take advantage of it. He’s not guarded or jaded, and he has such an optimistic outlook on everything.” The redhead found another set of blue eyes across the campsite, “Amma is the opposite, and in the last year I’ve known her she hasn’t done anything to prove me otherwise.” She recoiled as she thought about the two of them sneaking off together to do god knows what, “I will always stand by him, and of course I will give him the chance to explain, but I have such a bad feeling about this and I can’t shake it.”

Harper’s gaze followed Aurora’s to the blue eyes that, to this very moment, she could recall looking into, resisting the urge to shudder. Perhaps, Aurora had every right to be concerned about their enigmatic teammate. Still….

The brunette’s apprehension, at this point, was palpable as she nibbled on her lip. Tucking a rebellious strand of hair behind her ear, she ventured with a hesitant resolve, “Rora... have you ever considered that this protectiveness of yours and your judgment of our teammate, who neither of us really know, stems, in part, from the depth of your... affection for Lorcán?” It was the closest thing she could say without sharing what she believed to be the hidden truth she perceived about the situation.

The redhead blinked once. Twice. Three times. She felt a blush creep up on her cheeks as she blankly stared at Harper.

Now, the thing was, Aurora did indeed feel a certain level of affection towards Lorcán. It was no secret how close the two were and how highly the girl thought of him. Their friendship had been one of her favorite parts of her time at PRCU, in fact, it was quite possibly the most important thing to her. Over the years, their bond had evolved from something innocent and surface level into a connection that was much, much deeper.

But, as strongly as she felt about him, the redhead never let herself go so far down the rabbit hole in determining what that truly meant for her, for the two of them. And even if she had, in her eyes, she was too afraid to explore it. To risk it.

Aurora swallowed, trying to will away the flush that now shaded the freckles on her skin in scarlet hues. “Of course I care about him… the same way I care about you, and Haven, and my other closest friends.” She chose her next words extremely carefully. “I couldn’t bear to see anything bad happen to any of you. I can’t take losing anyone else I care about.”

Harper’s gaze remained fixed on Aurora, the weight of her friend’s emotions hanging heavily between them. She observed the conflict etched into her expression, noting how the fiery glint in her eyes from earlier had dimmed at the mention of Lorcán. It was as though the mere hint of him, coupled with the insinuation of deeper feelings, conjured a whirlwind of confessions and concealed yearnings.
How relatable it was.

Harper reached out, her hand gently grasping Aurora’s, a silent show of solidarity. “Rora,” She began, her voice soft but firm, “it’s okay to admit that what you feel for Lorcán might be more than what you feel for the rest of us. It doesn’t diminish the love you have for us; it just means that your heart has found a… different kind of connection.” Was she, perhaps, pushing things? But no, she couldn’t do it. Between the both of them, Aurora had the best chance of making something that was great even better. How could she not want that for her?

Harper continued, “Wouldn’t you agree that it’s better to understand what’s going on with you, because there definitely is something deeper at play here, than to live with any potential ‘what ifs’?”

Aurora could feel her heartbeat quickening. Her eyes darted around nervously, suddenly overly concerned that those around them would hear what was being discussed, and leaned a little closer to Harper. “Harps, there’s nothing to understand here. We’re just friends.” She snapped, unintentionally, as the redhead had no interest in entertaining this discussion, not now, maybe not ever. The dark haired girl meant well, the redhead knew that, but sometimes she could take things a step too far. She was a loyal friend, alright. “Forget I said anything… I’ll talk to him later about what happened with Amma. Let’s just move on, okay?” She squeezed her friend’s hand. “Please.”

Harper could feel the tension radiating from her friend, and she squeezed her hand back gently. Best not to push it. She’d done it once before and it had almost cost her everything with this one.

“We’ll shelve this conversation for another time then,” she suggested, “Circle back when the time is right. About Amma. About everything.” The brunette offered a small smile as she slowly withdrew her hand. A respectful pause, rather than a full retreat.

Aurora brought her now free hand up to her necklace, holding the gold heart shaped pendant between her thumb and index fingers. “Sure, yeah.” She dismissed, hoping to drop the conversation altogether, before turning to face forward in her chair.

“Another time.”

The two girls sat quietly for a few moments, the crackling of the fire and the chatter of their teammates and peers hanging in the silence. The redhead glanced back at her friend briefly before clearing her throat, “So… care to share who you’re bunking with tonight? It’s not me, and I know it’s not Haven so… spill.”

Aurora’s voice held a playful edge, but it was enough to send a rush of warmth to Harper’s cheeks.

This was karma, wasn’t it?

Harper hesitated, her mind racing with excuses and half-truths. “Oh, um, I’m bunking with Gil,” she managed to say, her voice a practiced steadiness. She gave a casual shrug, her expression one of feigned indifference. “It just worked out that way. Pure coincidence. No big deal.” Glancing over her shoulder with exaggerated concern, Harper continued, “Speaking of which, I think Haven’s giving me a funny look. Probably wondering where I disappeared to.”

With a swift motion, Harper rose from her seat, her departure as sudden as her decision to flee the conversation. She tossed a peace sign over her shoulder to the redhead as she made her way back to Haven, sending a silent message.

Not today, sucka.

BHHS: Limitless

_{TIMESTAMP: A little before the Football game
Though, after the football team leaves the locker room
Introducing: Athena Helmsley & Jonah Goldstein}

^{@Melissa & @LovelyComplex}
____________________________________________________________________

Athena Helmsley was a simp.

Okay, maybe that was a bit of an overstatement, especially given the fact that she wasn’t wifed up yet, but she was practically gnawing at the bars of her “friend zone” enclosure. Showing up to the Football game of the guy you were kind of sort of talking to was indeed simp behavior, especially considering this was the first Football game she had shown any interest in attending in the last four years. Calli was suspicious enough as it was. But, Benji didn’t need to know that.

The blonde stood leaned up against the side of the bleachers, out of sightlines but not far too from the action. After all, she was technically there to watch the game, but like always, she had her own agenda to attend to first. With the chaotic crowd focused on what was happening on the field, it was the perfect location for a quick business meeting. No one would be the wiser to what was being discussed and the cheering was an excellent sound buffer.

With a sigh, Athena checked her watch as she waited, a tad impatiently. She wanted to get back to the stands before she missed anything major, but then again, this was debatably more important.

And the person that Athena was waiting irritably for was taking his sweet time, leisurely drinking from his water bottle, in his black and red cheer uniform. Standing on the endzone of the field, with his fellow cheermates stretching and practicing, all ready and prepared to run to the front of the bleachers, Jonah Goldstein stared at his friend through a pensive lens. His fixed, cold expression was hardened from concentration and his dark eyes radiated fierce, uncompromising intelligence.

He didn’t move. He didn’t wave. He simply watched. That was how Jonah presented himself. A rock of a man. Hard to read and understand without a magnifying glass. Stable, steady, and strong. A man tossed by the wind and washed by the water. A man who lived through storms and now, thanks to his family, could use the force of nature to polish himself and be brilliant. A man who chose to take action and break his shell, to live and be, more than his family have ever lived to dream. A boy trying to succeed. That was Jonah Goldstein.

Part of his plan to success had to do with his growing friendship with the small, blonde student continuously glancing at her wrist watch. A gun of a woman. Hard to sway and challenge without presenting a pitch. Enterprise-focused, eloquent, and efficacious. A woman that had all the tools and resources at her fingertips. A woman who was a treasure trove of knowledge, wealth, and connections. A woman who had no limits to what she wanted to accomplish and achieve. A girl trying to live up to her family’s legacy. That was Athena Helmsley.

Together, they were becoming quite the promising duo and the fruit of their labor showed solely based on the fact that a Helmsley was waiting for a boy who may as well be considered nameless in the world of the rich and famous. There was a brief moment Jonah did scan the bleachers to see who was in attendance other than his darling ‘Olympian’. He studied who was arriving, who was engaged in conversations, and who was missing-in-action. To his surprise, he noticed Mordechai, his nephew, who didn’t care for school functions such as the homecoming game. Jonah caught sight of where his nephew’s fixation was set on, the marching band, and watched as Jordyn Jones, the caramel skinned beauty, with long, curly hair, that loved rodents, had an infectious giggle, and ate red hot flamin’ Cheetos savagely, eagerly waved up at him. Jonah smirked.

The cheer team began to make their way to their designated area, in front of bleachers reserved for Beverly Hills High Students. Alongside the cheermates exuding high energy, Cael and Minnie specifically, he cast an intrigued eye once more on Athena. Someone who he was surprised gave him the time of day a couple years back. Someone who understood business better than any other student that attended this elite, ridiculously expensive, and overrated school. Someone that understood that luck only exists when adequate preparation meets opportunity in a statistical universe. Meaning? There was no such thing as luck. All their wins were because of how well they played the game. Luck only existed because they made luck real. People would believe anything when they want it to be true. If they wanted it to be real. If they wanted it for themselves. So for the purpose of their business motto: Luck can be achieved, you just need to believe. That was Athena and Jonah. The Dream Team.

Breaking off from the rest of the cheer squad, ever so casually, Jonah strolled to his partner-in-crime and calmly jested, “Looking for someone that isn’t me?”

The blonde kept her gaze directed on the field, or at least the portion she could still see from her vantage point, tucked off to the side. Even as her friend and business partner approached, finally gracing her with his presence, she did not make eye contact, instead choosing to focus on what lay ahead. In a blur of black and red, she watched as the players scattered around the turf, practically identical if you didn’t know what to look for to distinguish them. But for her, it was easy to spot Benji, and it wasn’t simply because she knew his number. No - it was the way he only used one of his arms to propel him forward as he ran, the other stiff and rigid. He also leaned in a way that his head became level with his shoulders. Small details that other people would miss. But not Athena Helmsley. She noticed everything.

“Always,” She stated, before finally looking over at Jonah, taking in his cheerleader persona.“You look cute, nice uniform.” The girl smirked, reaching out and picking off a piece of lint from his shoulder, “Remind me again how you ended up on the team?”

“Thanks, it makes my ass look good,” Jonah answered offhandedly, his engaged stare never straying from her large, luminous, midwinter blue eyes. They were the lightest of blue, nearly gray. The windows to her soul were frosted, trying to mask and hide what was waiting inside. There was a moment, a quick one, where her gaze passed him and went back to the field, to the football team. In that rapid moment, that came and went as fast as his vibrant haired lover ran around the field with zoomies, Jonah saw her eyes glint. There was a fire burning quietly, a desire beyond achievement, and warmth coming straight from the heart. Softness that was unbecoming of a Helmsley. A touch of kindness, a pinch of respect and a spoon full of compassion, love and adoration. Keeping his thoughts to himself, Jonah turned and let his brown eyes explore the field, alongside her. “I’m good at catching people when they fall,” Jonah chuckled, knowing Athena well enough that that wasn’t a good enough answer.

Cheerleading, at least on the surface, wasn’t a role normally painted on someone like him. But that was the point of why he joined. To imagine something possible, to make it more factual and evident, one shouldn’t stay within the preconceived limitations he created in his mind. He joined cheerleading sophomore year when he realized Mordechai was having a hard time adjusting and while he’s been teased by his extracurricular activity, Jonah owns it, breaking the stereotype and inspiring the crowd. Just how he does as the Ringleader for Game Nights.

The last thing he wants his nephews’ lives to become can be summarized by these three things: could have, might have, and should have. He wanted the Boaz boys to dream and as their uncle it was his job to guide them while they searched for themselves, explored what makes them happy, and redefined their character. He was diligent, astute and versatile. Athletic, conditioned and patient. You’d be surprised at the strength necessary to cheer on an international level and male cheerleaders were in high demand. It was an easy sport to try out for, guaranteed acceptance. Jonah needed something to add variety to his day. The Cheer team did just that. “Cheerleaders love to talk. It’s a good place to find out who is involved with who. More importantly though? I do it for my nephews. I like to think it helps them defy convention.”

Athena nodded, understanding his perspective completely. If she didn’t already have a twin, or two, she would have been under the impression that Jonah and her had been related in some way, possibly even separated at birth. They were cut from the same cloth, never had the blonde met someone who thought so similarly to her. Someone who knew what she was thinking before she even could say it. And not in the normal way, the perceptive way. The strategic way. It was unique, to say the least, to find someone like Jonah. He was wise beyond his years. It was exactly for that reason she had been so willing and well, eager, to help him at first.

Cheekily, she moved back and checked out his behind in the cheer pants. “You’re not wrong. I didn’t realize you even had an ass. God bless spandex, I guess.” Athena laughed, eyes moving back to the field. “So what’s the word on the street? Who’s a hot ticket these days?”

“A few people of interest,” Jonah started, not one to drag things out. There was no reaction to Athena checking out his ass. When the self made man was focused, with a clear objective, he was completely locked in. “I sent a video link to your email. New kid. Just transferred in today. I’m sure soon Theo is going to clock him. Owen Lyon. In summary, he fights well. The video is him fighting a whole football team, not his but the opposing team, because they decided to harass his kicker. It led to them insulting his mother and yeah, that didn’t end well for the other team. I gather the reason they moved was because his father had to take over the 361 Combat Club. Rebranded to The Lyon’s Den. It closed abruptly a few years back. Since Theo is our biggest competitor, I thought I’d start with him.”

When he finished the first part of his ever growing list of prospects, he scanned the bleachers and directed Athena’s attention to two people that were conveniently sitting in the same row. Romi Rae was to the far left and Isaiah was in the midsection. “Then there is Romi and Isaiah. Understated and overshadowed. Jewels that go unnoticed. Just like me. I’ve observed them for a while now and I think they could offer something to our program. Romi is exceedingly fit, there’s no doubt about that, and we could use another bouncer. However, what I’m more interested in is the fact that her parents are deep in the AWE scene, and Joey has only good things to say about her. That means she must have stage presence and our whole thing is an immersive experience. An act of sorts. The House is a world of make-believe and fun, and I could benefit from someone that has acting skills; who isn’t in the theater department. Just something to think about.”

Jonah took a moment to drink his water when a couple of teens got too close to them, smelling of booze and weed. He waited for them to move away and stumble onto the bleachers. His dark eyes went to his fellow cheerleaders, his eyes resting on his lover, Cael. “Not many people know this but Isaiah raps and MCs at The Dolla Lounge. On top of him being smart, I am led to believe he has a keen eye and could catch things before they happen. It’s a plus he has a voice worth listening to. And I do think he’d be easier to convince to join us, over someone like Leila. She is too pure for us. And Yani is not an option because people would know who they are, immediately.” There was one last person he wanted to mention, someone that he thought would intrigue Athena the most but he chose to wait to hear her thoughts first, before giving her more to consider.

Athena pulled out her phone as Jonah spoke, tapping into her Mail app and clicking play on the video he had sent. It was evident it was filmed by a student sitting in the bleachers during the game, shaky, as if they were in shock, and the crowd’s reactions were loud and audible as the camera focused in on the tall player standing at the 30 yard line. It was David vs. Goliath, a single boy versus an entire team, but that didn’t seem to matter as he plowed through, taking them down one by one. It was unlike anything the blonde had ever seen before. Her eyes darted back up to the field, noting Benji’s unharmed form, before settling back on Jonah as she slipped her phone back in her pocket.

“Kid’s got talent. He’s Piper’s cousin, well, they’re somewhat related. Jamie showed him around school today, god only knows what he said to him.” Athena grimaced, “Theo’s going to be hot on his coattails.”

She continued to listen as Jonah riddled off details about their peers Romi and Isaiah, nodding along. The girl inherently trusted the boy’s judgment, which made this exercise more informational than anything else. She didn’t need to give him approval, they were far past that. She simply enjoyed hearing and seeing how the wheels turn in his head, learning what made their classmates tick. “Both seem like solid additions, Jo. So long as they understand the secrecy that goes into an operation like this. I’m sure you’re already plotting how to approach them, don’t let me get in the way of that.”

He did have a plan. He always had a plan. Jonah was the type of guy already thinking months ahead, which is shown from his work ethic as a student. His homework was done for the rest of the semester, having schmoozed his way on getting the syllabus for each of his classes in advance. He didn’t have time to waste when he had people to meet, places to be, and connections to make. “You know me well. But before I pursue those options, I have a date with Toury. A more interesting avenue that we conveniently have an in with, comes in the form of her step brother, Dash. Turns out that little Dash is genius level good at billiards. His father, the rapper not Mr. Phoenix went live this past weekend and in the background I could see Dash playing. When his father gave a tour of his place, I took a closer look and that kid was destroying his father’s friends, without breaking a sweat. One thing led to another and I found out Dash used to be part of the APA junior league, that is until his parents divorced. His rep though makes it hard for anyone to believe he’s good at anything, seeing how he’s hyper fixated on becoming a pro fighter and… is doing his best.”

Athena raised an eyebrow, always impressed with Jonah’s instincts. Most of the time they rivaled her own. “Interesting,” She bit her inner lip, thinking through things more thoroughly, and leaned up against the bleachers. “We’ll have to convince Toury, I’m assuming, and get her on board with the idea. I highly doubt she’d let him get involved so easily without some type of sway. We can give her a cash advance, call it a generous referral bonus.” The blonde ran her fingers through her hair, “Make sure she knows that he’ll be taken care of if things go haywire. I don’t foresee that happening, but speaking from experience, I wouldn’t let my siblings get involved unless I knew they’d be protected if things went south.”

“I’ll talk to Monarch, see if she has any information on Dash that might interest his sister,” Jonah voiced, knowing well enough money would not be the only thing Tourmaline would want. Money only guaranteed protection if it was meant for hiring men to be muscle. This money was meant to dangle and entice, which meant Jonah needed to go to Toury with more to offer. The cogs in his brain continued to turn, shifting his to-do list and formulating a concrete plan on how to bring in a new tournament where Dash was at the center of it all. He knew Athena would write him a check before the day was through. It was safer to do it the old fashioned way with a minimal electronic trail. They decided that when they formed the House contract. Business partners through and through. Till the end, whenever that may be. With his debrief completed, he gave a sly grin and leaned in toward Athena, as she looked toward the field. He whispered, “You going to ask him out?”

The blonde's steely edge dissolved almost instantaneously, a flush gracing her fair cheeks. Nothing got past Jonah, alright. Even though it was the thing she admired about him most, his attention to detail, she’d be lying if she didn’t say it was annoying as fuck. Especially when she was trying to simp in secret.

“That, my friend, is none of your business.”

BHHS: Limitless

Ivy Leung

18 • FEMALE • PANSEXUAL • SHE/HER • SINGLE

(FC: Lola Tung; Dialogue: ACECE5)

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► reputation

Cheerleader by day, party girl by night. Extroverted, bubbly, goofy, and fun-loving, Ivy radiates a contagious kind of energy that can light up any room. She’s the friend who will drop everything to go on a crazy adventure with you at 2am, a girl who can turn the most mundane moments into something memorable. She loves to have a good time... maybe a little too much.

► current dilemma

Ivy can outdrink you, go shot for shot, but in more recent months she’s turned to other substances to get her kicks. Her love for wild nights has led her down a treacherous path, where the line between recreation and dependency has blurred.

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► social media handles

Instagram: @ivyleung

► style

"My style is just like me, fun! I like to wear clothes that show off my figure too, I am an athlete after all."
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

► ride & everyday items

Ivy drives her and her twin, Isla, to school everyday in her Blue Metallic Tesla 3. Her car is consistently a mess on the inside.

► extracurricular activities

Ivy is a Cheerleader on the BHHS Cheer Team. She started cheering when she was younger and loves it, and she’s hoping to continue cheering in college wherever she ends up.

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Friends would describe me as _______.

The life of the party, obviously!

In my free time I like to _______.

Go to the gym, binge the Great British Bake Off, annoy my sister.

I would like to learn _______ in the next year.

How to tie a cherry stem with my tongue or how to open a beer bottle with my teeth like Hailey Bieber.

This is how I define success and failure:

Success is nailing a stunt on your first try. Failure is missing a simple basket toss and falling on your ass.

I'm inspired by _______.

Fridays. Honestly, it's the best day of the week, and I know everyone looks forward to them but I live for them. It's when you know your home free and the weekend has arrived and you can be whoever you want to be and do whatever you want.

These songs are the soundtrack to my life:

♫ All Night Longer - Sammy Adams
♫ Promiscuous - Nelly Furtado
♫ Toxic - Britney Spears
♫ Streets - Doja Cat
♫ The Hills - The Weeknd
♫ Where Have You Been - Rihanna
♫ Levitating - Dua Lipa
♫ Murder On The Dancefloor - Sophie Ellis-Bextor
♫ Party Monster - The Weeknd
♫ Habits (Stay High) - Tove Lo
♫ I Love It (feat. Charli XCX) - Icona Pop
♫ Dance The Night - Dua Lipa
♫ On The Floor - Jennifer Lopez, Pitbull
♫ Heat Waves - Glass Animals
♫ Rain On Me (With Ariana Grande) - Lady Gaga

My fondest memory as a child was _______.

Isla and I learned Ross and Monica's dance routine from Friends one summer when we were kids. We definitely were too young to watch the show and fully understand it but we had binge watched the entire series and saw them doing it and thought it would be really fun to learn. I still know it all these years later, I wonder if she does...

If I could tell my younger self something, I would say:

Being in high school is just as cool as you think it will be, and more.

The things that make me smile are _______.

Hitting a routine, when my fake ID works at the liquor store across town, making the perfect wing with liquid eyeliner

My whole life story in one sentence:

He offered her the world and she said "uhh I asked for a vodka soda"

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► extra information

Font

BHHS: Limitless

_{TIMESTAMP: 5:30AM -7:30 AM
Location: The Cage Rink & Performance Center → Ms. Belmonte’s Classroom
Starring: Jack “Mac” McDonough}

There was nothing better than the sound of freshly sharpened skates cutting across clean ice. Well, at least for Jack McDonough.

The sun had yet to crest the horizon as the blonde haired boy laced up his Bauers for his usual early morning practice. At the ungodly hour, the rink was empty aside from the first shift janitors and himself, but that was just the way he liked it. Being there on his own gave him free reign, the entirety of the ice at his disposal. Sure, he had to grease a few elbows to make it happen, call in a few favors, but it was well worth it.

Each morning ran like clockwork. He spent the first 10 minutes warming up. It was a step that most players often overlooked, but Jack knew better; he wasn’t about to risk a season ending injury from lack of stretching. He often used the quiet time and the stillness to think introspectively and set intentions. It was the only kind of mindfulness he did; hell would surely freeze over before the kid tried meditation.

The next 30 minutes were spent running drills. Today he had wanted to focus on edgework, stick handling, and accuracy, so he divided up the block into thirds. Admittedly though, he took some extra time for accuracy drills because he wanted to practice his Michigan goal. Every good player had something unique up their sleeve, and if he could score one during regulation, it’d be legendary. If Bedard could do it, so could he.

Some players bitched and moaned about running drills. They argued that nothing could ever prepare you for how a real game would go down; the split-second choices you’re forced to make and the unforeseen circumstances. But for Jack, practice made perfect. Sure, he had keen instincts on the ice and was fast as hell, but none of the greats made it as far as they did on only their speed and intuition. No, he was trying to go places. Be someone. Jack wanted to don the ‘C’ proudly on his chest, be the athlete on the Wheaties box, the guy with a statue outside of the Arena, and the player who’s number hung on a banner in the rafters when he eventually retired.

Mac wanted it all, and he was sure as shit going to do everything he could to make it happen.

The last 20 minutes were spent getting his heartrate up, line sprints. From the boards to the first blue line and back, to the center line and back, to the second blue line and back, and finally the length of the rink. Mac was a bullet on blades, with strong legs and quick feet, and it showed. He made it look easy, gliding from one end of the ice to the other. It was like breathing for him, second nature. His parents had put him on skates soon after he could walk, enrolled him in lessons as early as the league would let them, and it had paid off. He was a natural, a prodigy.

Satisfied with his work for the day, Jack called it quits and headed for the locker room. As he stood under the spray of the shower, washing the now sticky sheen of sweat from his body, his mind drifted to the year ahead. He was a senior now, the weight of expectations heavier than ever before. College scouts would be watching his every move, dissecting his performance with a critical eye, and Draft day quickly approached. But the blonde refused to let the pressure consume him; instead, he saw it as an opportunity to prove himself worthy. And besides, a year of debauchery and fun with his buddies awaited before the real world set in. And you could bet your ass that Mac was going to make the most of it.

It didn’t take him long to get dressed, packing up the discarded smelly, well-worn gear into his duffel that would be sure to make his mother gag later, and depart the rink. He haphazardly threw the bag into the back of his Jeep and set off for school, definitely pushing the speed limit to make it on time. Last thing he needed was another tardy on his record. He coasted into the parking lot at 7:26am and sailed into Ms. Belmonte’s room at 7:30am just as the bell sounded.

Jack gave her a devious smirk, “Right on time, of course. You know I’d never keep you waiting Ms. B.” The woman simply sighed, not bothering to deign him with a reply as her homeroom and students were always this exhausting. The blonde shrugged.

He’d woo her… one day.

Scanning the class, he spotted Benji in the back with a free desk adjacent that the boy assumed was meant for him. He wasted no time making his way over, collapsing into the chair with an audible exhale before turning to his friend. “Big weekend ahead, Benj. You ready?”

BHHS: Limitless

Athena Helmsley

17 • FEMALE • HETEROSEXUAL • SHE/HER • SINGLE

(FC: Meg Donnelly; Dialogue: 82A6ED)

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► reputation

Athena Helmsley may still be navigating the halls of Beverly Hills High School, but her sights are set far beyond graduation. The heir apparent to Helmsley Enterprises, she’s laying the groundwork to one day take the reins of the family empire. With a sharp mind and a natural talent for strategy, she's not content to sit and wait for her future—she's actively shaping it. She’s the brains of every operation, confident and calculating, and everything she does has a purpose, whether it be for her own personal gain or for her family’s namesake. Always ahead of the curve, Athena's entrepreneurial instincts are finely tuned. She knows potential when she sees it, is always on the lookout for the next big thing, and has no issues backing her peers' endeavors if she thinks it could be fruitful. Well, so long as she always gets her cut.

But Athena possesses what previous generations of Helmsley’s lack: sensibility. Her parents, Brian and Parker Helmsley instilled within her a strong sense of humility early on, and her upbringing shaped her into a pragmatic and level-headed individual, unswayed by the allure of extravagance or entitlement. While she may move in circles of affluence, Athena's feet remain firmly planted on the ground, guided by a sense of realism that serves as the foundation for her aspirations and ambitions. She uses her heart in tandem with her mind; she’s accepting, compassionate, and loyal.

► current dilemma

I’m trying to decide where I want to go to school after graduation. Mom and Dad want me to stay on the West Coast and go to USC or Stanford, but I’m _obviously applying to all of the Ivy Leagues so we’ll see where I end up.

Calli and Herc and I also can’t agree on a theme for our 18th birthday bash. I thought it would be so cool to do a “Shark Tank” theme at the aquarium and make people present their business ideas to us in order to get in, but they didn’t see my vision.

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► social media handles

Instagram: @thegoddessathena

► style

Athena isn’t one to pay attention to labels. She thinks it’s silly to splurge on trendy and upscale name brands when she knows her money can be better spent and invested elsewhere. She dresses nicely - jeans, sweaters, cute tops - but she’ll never shell out more than $100 for any piece in her wardrobe, except for special occasions. Or she just puts it on her Dad's card.

► ride & everyday items

"So it’s actually really embarrassing, but I can’t drive. I failed my driver’s test the first time I took it because I may have gotten into a teeny tiny fender bender during the test-"

"Teeny? You ran a red light and t-boned a car, ‘Thena, it was a full on accident."

"NO ONE ASKED YOU CALLI!…anyway, so I don’t drive. I’m a really great co-pilot though!"

► extracurricular activities

Athena isn’t involved in any BHHS extracurriculars, but she does take a few college level courses outside of the normal senior curriculum.

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Friends would describe me as _______.

A smarty pants, but the kind that won’t shove it in your face.

In my free time I like to _______.

Hang out with Celeste and Piper, make Herc chauffeur me around & go to Jonah’s casino nights to watch chaos ensue.

I would like to learn _______ in the next year.

...how to drive.

This is how I define success and failure:

You’re only successful at the end of the day if you’re profitable. Sure, the journey might be rocky to get there, but so long as you’re getting return on your investment, that’s what matters at the end of the day.

I'm inspired by _______.

Herc and Calli. Everything I do is for them, even though they can be a royal pain in my ass sometimes. My parents too, I love them a lot and I know how lucky we are.

These songs are the soundtrack to my life:

♫ god is a woman - Ariana Grande
♫ Start a War - Klergy, Valerie Broussard
♫ Unstoppable - Sia
♫ Team - Lorde
♫ Wendy - Maisie Peters
♫ Heaven - Niall Horan
♫ Wiser - Madilyn
♫ Who's Afraid of Little Old Me? - Taylor Swift
♫ Everybody Wants To Rule The World - Tears For Fears
♫ Clocks - Coldplay

My fondest memory as a child was _______.

Aunt Bailee brought me to work with her one day when I was 10. She wanted to show me around, mostly to show off how cool her office was, but the coolest thing to me was how everyone looked at her as she walked those halls. How much they respected her. I think that’s when I knew I wanted to follow in her footsteps.

If I could tell my younger self something, I would say:

Your last name will get you far in life, there’s no doubt about that, but only you can go the distance.

The things that make me smile are _______.

Getting an A on an assignment that I worked hard on, breakfasts with my family, laughing so hard you cry.

My whole life story in one sentence:

I know that I’m smart because I understand that there’s still so much to learn.

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► extra information

Font

BHHS: Limitless

_{Location: Wells Residence(s) → The Road → School.
Timestamp: Honestly, they're definitely late.
Small FT: Savannah Wells @Melissa
& Mason Wells @Aces Away}

____________________________________________________________________







_{Hope & Helen Wells
@Melissa & @LovelyComplex}
____________________________________________________________________

Hope was up with the sun, like she was most mornings, not even needing the sound of her alarm to get out of bed. Her older brother often joked she was likely a Disney Princess in another life because no normal person woke up that happy, and he had a point. The redhead rose each day eager and excited to tackle whatever challenges came her way, head on. This morning especially, she was looking forward to the day ahead. Spirit Week was by far one of her favorite BHHS traditions, which made sense because Halloween was her favorite holiday, and each day was like a mini version of it.

She sat on her bed scrolling through her phone (since she had been ready for a while already) and over the sound of her music she heard a familiar car horn sound, signaling that it was time to get a move on. Hope loved nothing more than carpooling with her cousins to school, as it was quality time they got to spend together each day, no matter how busy she was with extracurriculars. Not to mention, it was also extremely convenient as they lived right across the street from each other.

“Hope!” Her mother yelled up from downstairs, as if she didn’t think her daughter heard the obnoxious honking outside.

“Yeah, I’m going!” The redhead called down before grabbing her things, turning off the lights, and shutting her bedroom door behind her. She tore down the stairs in a hurry, not wanting to keep her cousin waiting for too long, but quickly popped into the kitchen to grab a granola bar. The girl moved quickly, darting in and out of the pantry and making a break for the front door.

“Not so fast,” A voice tutted, stopping Hope in her tracks. Savannah Wells leaned casually up against the island, savoring her morning cup of coffee poured from the pot her husband had brewed for her before he left for work. Hope was often told she was the spitting image of her mother; the woman was now in her late 40’s but still somehow managed to look ageless and youthful. “Can you please double check with Michael today what time he’s coming to pick you up tomorrow for the dance? I texted Joy to ask but she doesn’t know either and I want to make sure we have enough time for pictures.”

“Okay, I will.” Hope nodded and turned to leave, but hesitated. Without missing another beat, she ran over to her mother and gave her a kiss on the cheek goodbye. “Love you! See you tonight.”

In a flash of red curls, she was out the door, running towards Helen’s car and sliding inside nimbly. “~Good morning!” She chimed in a sing-song voice, all too cheerfully.

The same routine as usual. Helen Wells, the goth bitch of her class, who was the daughter of Riley Wells, a beloved teacher of her school, and cousin to Little Miss Sunshine, spent a couple hours finding the perfect look to stand out from the crowd. Within those same hours, she had a long beauty routine, making sure her skin smelt like cherry, crushed pistachio and whipped vanilla. Most importantly though? Her make up was on fleek.

Today, however, was the day everyone would dress like her because their school had edgy colors and she was the literal queen of edge. Since it was October, she decided to take her aesthetic to the next level spirit week, using it as her opportunity to cosplay as goth characters people knew in mainstream media. PJ day, she was Shego, because let's be real, PJs are best when watching cartoons. Tuesday she was dressed as Sam Manson from Danny Phantom, transferring her main outfit to look sporty. Who doesn’t like a goth bitch in their jersey? Wednesday she was Wednesday Addams dressed as an Indian from Addams Family Values because before there were cowboys, there were Indians. Thursday she was Raven from Teen Titans, but she made the look: hippie goth. Once again, who doesn’t like a goth in loose clothing, especially one who is the daughter of a supremely powerful and dangerous inter-dimensional demon? Obviously, Helen knew exactly what she was doing and knew how to make the boys, and girls, and everything in between go wild. Finally, today, she chose to be Katherine, from Vampire Diaries. A seductive, evil, and venomous vampire. Red eyes, a dress that would make Mo moan in excitement, sharp nails to kill, and fangs that were meant for biting. Now add her hearse that her grandpa Jareth gave her? She was a dark goddess, a walking nightmare, and a bitch in hot red stilettos. A dame to kill for and a dame to die by. The Queen of Hell.

Usually she took so long to get ready that her brother would head out first, and she’d have very little time to eat anything. She’d rush downstairs, grab her things, and say ‘Love you dad, bye dad’ before rushing to her car and pulling out of the driveway, just to drive into another one, straight ahead, that belonged to her Uncle Trevor and Aunty Sav. It was freshman year when she stopped wanting affection from her fathers and while she knew it broke their hearts, she just had enough going on and didn’t want to seem needy for her dads. Plus, she didn’t always smell like her perfume and the last thing she needed was them to ask questions.

Like clockwork, she found herself dressed to impress, in her hearse, waiting for the brightest person in her life and oddly enough, best friend (by blood) to come prancing out the door. Amy Kwon was also her best friend but that was more like soul sisters that were each other's ride or die. Someone she met and was like yeah, you’re my bitch. Hope was her cousin she grew up with and couldn’t help but want to look out for her. Before there was Amy, there was Hope. And Troy, of course, but ew, her brother could fuck off and do his own thing. “You’re chipper, as always,” Helen responded to her cousin who nestled herself into her seat, as the passenger princess. Glancing in her side mirror, she could see her father, the sex therapist one, coming out of the door. She grumbled, “Here we go again.” Bringing her window down, she called out, “Dad, it’s fine! We can just get a burger or something.”

“You name me one burger place between here and school that’s as nutritious as my homemade meals,” Mason responded, pout out in full force as he leaned down to her window and thrust the bags past her towards Hope. “They’re made with love, Hellie! That’s the most important ingredient! Hi there Hope baby I put some snacks in there for you too,” He added, grinning at his niece. His husband’s family was his too after all, and he had to take care of family.

Hope gave Helen a once over, her jaw popping open at her cousin’s choice of outfit for the last day of spirit week. “You look HOT! I wish I could pull off a vampire look like you can. Maybe I’ll have to borrow that for Halloween…” She trailed off and began to look around the car, clearly searching for something. “Speaking of borrow-” The redhead started, but was interrupted by Helen calling out to her dad who was racing down the driveway trying to catch them before they left. Hope gladly accepted the bags of food as they were handed to her, offering her Uncle a bright smile in return.

“Thanks Uncle Mason! You’re the best.”

“I do my best to be my best!” He replied with a dopey grin at the girl. His smartwatch started blaring on his wrist and the father of two shot up in response, only to hit the back of his head on the inside of his daughter’s car from when he’d leaned in. “OWWwww Dammit!” He whined, rubbing the wounded spot harshly. His watch continued to ring, alerting him of his first patients having entered the virtual waiting room for their session, and he looked frantically between the two Wells girls and the window to his home office. “Okay! Love you two, I’ve gotta go but there’s three bags there! Troy left so early this morning and he didn’t take it either,” the blonde man huffed in disappointment, looking like a kicked puppy. Before she could react, Mason finished his interaction by laying a quick kiss to the side of his daughter’s head, careful of the exceptionally done makeup on her face, and ran back toward the house while yelling over his shoulder, “Bye Hellcat, kick ass today at school baby I love you!!”

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure he gets it. Bye, love you!” Hope called out to her Uncle as he retreated to his office, turning to her cousin and laughing at the affection ambush. “Anyway, as I was about to say, did you bring them?”

“Yeah, backseat,” Helen replied, watching her father through the rearview mirror. She was glad Hope did all the talking. Less effort for her if her cousin did the back and forth with her dad. Thankfully they were saved by one of his client appointments. It was too early to entertain him, especially when he always seemed to want affection and validation nowadays. She loved her dad but she certainly had enough going on. He didn’t need to worry about her, she could take care of herself.

Even if she got up early to do her makeup, making sure it was on fleek, Helen Wells was not a morning person. She thrived at night and became her most creative when the city of fallen angels was asleep. Her cousin was the opposite and had so much bounce in her step. Whimsical, carefree, and walking on sunshine: those were a few descriptors that Helen would use for her dear Hope. Their family either flourished under the sun or under the moon and it seemed that the two girls in a black hearse were a different side of the same coin. Once she directed Hope to the backseat, Helen revved up her engine and backed out of the driveway.

While turning the car, she brusquely probed, “Got any plans this weekend? Like going to the dance with Mikey or something? Seems like something you’d do. Go to the dance with your best friend.” This wouldn’t be the first time Helen tried to get Hope to cave and spill the tea. She wanted to see if there was more to her relationship with the tall, handsome, blonde boy next door than she was giving. There was no way they didn’t have something. In Helen’s head, she had already made up her mind: they were totally fucking.

Hope sighed in relief, “You’re the best, Hellie.” The redhead nimbly maneuvered over the center console into the back of the hearse, spotting a canvas tote propped up on one of the seats. Opening the bag and looking inside, she grinned, “Can you believe I don’t own anything black?” She asked, rhetorically, as they both already knew the answer. Even though Hope theoretically could have worn red and still remained spirited for Homecoming, she rarely did so since she felt it clashed with her vibrant locks. So, she often raided her built-in bestie’s closet, which had an abundance of options in the black variety. Hope pulled the clothes that her cousin was letting her borrow for the day out of the bag, inspecting what she had selected for her this time- a simple pair of black jeans and a cropped polo tank that would show off her midriff.

One of the perks of Helen driving a hearse? Tinted back windows, which meant Hope could change without fear of anyone seeing her. The redhead began to strip as the vehicle started to move, grasping the hem of the tee shirt she was wearing and pulling it over her head. “Spiff and I aren’t going together, silly. He’s just driving me there.”

The Wells’ and O’Connor’s weren’t just friends, they were family. Hope’s father and Michael’s father grew up together and had been best friends for their entire lives. Once they settled down and started their own families, it was only fitting that their children be just as close. Raised in the same neighborhood, the four children were practically inseparable, Hope and Michael especially. They were the same age, born only a few weeks apart, and did just about everything together. High school may have changed a few things - they ran in very different circles and had vastly different schedules- but their friendship never wavered.

“No one asked me to go, and I guess Michael couldn’t pick who he wanted to take between his many, many flings.”

“Why don’t you ask—” Him. “ —someone? or are you waiting for your Disney prince to sweep you off your feet?” Helen teased, rolling her window down a crack. As she drove, she brought her sunvisor down to check her makeup. With her left hand, she held onto the steering wheel and with the other she used it to grab her phone. Her phone was already connected to her radio by bluetooth and unfortunately (or fortunately) for Hope, Helen Wells absolutely needed music while she drove. She kept the volume low enough so they could talk. The Sacrament by Him resounded through her speakers. Another distinction that separated her from her cousin, their music taste.

Subsequently, the raven haired girl opened her center console and took out her cool tone lipstick to touch up her lips. Helen glanced at the road briefly, making sure she was not swerving or coming up behind anyone. She smoothly applied her lipstick, nonchalantly. She drove with little care in the world, focusing on the main thing that mattered to her: herself. Afterwards, she grabbed the cover and closed her lipstick tube, dexterous and nimble, just how she was in bed. “Like baby, we’re seniors and you’re still a virgin.”

From lipstick to cigarettes, Helen kept herself busy, one way or another. She wasn’t one to sit still as she drove. Although her mask hid it well, her mind was running a mile a minute. Keeping her console open, she grabbed a cigarette out of her pack of Camel Turkish-Domestic Blend and placed it in her mouth. She wasn’t going to roll her window completely down until Hope was done changing but this was her car and she was going to smoke. Her car, her rules. Hope knew the deal.

At this point in their drive the gothic goddess had already taken a couple of turns and now she was slowing down to a red stoplight. In quick motions she grabbed her black luxury electric lighter (it had a dragon on it). When she lit her cancer stick, her shoulders relaxed. Placing her lighter down and closing the center console, she leaned in her seat. Breathing the smoke in, letting it sit in her throat, having craved the taste, she enjoyed a moment of peace. This was the calm before the storm. School was a nightmare and she knew she’d hate today just how she hated everyday.

Exhaling in relief, Helen directed her smoke out of the window. What was it like to be a virgin? She wouldn’t remember. She wasn’t a nympho; she just knew what most people wanted wasn’t her. It was her body. Sex was good, especially if you were a good teacher and weren’t afraid to tell your lover what you wanted. Sex could be great if there was a proper line of communication. Usually there wasn’t and most of her peers couldn’t help but let her down. She was a good teacher and sex was one of her greatest skills. Some people didn’t like to listen and it was their loss in the end because she wasn’t the one disappointing people in bed. They were. “I guess it’s a positive thing you’re such a good, little girl. I’m sure it makes your dad proud he hasn’t lost his princess to some fucker.”

Hope continued to change in the back of the hearse, peeling off her leggings and tugging on the pair of jeans. It took some additional effort to get them over her thighs and hips, they were so tight that they left nothing to the imagination; neither did the cutouts where the pockets should have been. Skinny jeans were not the norm for the redhead; most of the clothing she thrifted tended to be baggier and looser, more free. In fact, most of the time she opted to wear skirts or dresses, foregoing pants altogether.

She shook her head at her cousin’s teasing, carefully manipulating the provided tank top over her defined curls without separating or ruffling them. “I really don’t need to go with anyone, I promise! I’m fine on my own. Trust me, I’m not waiting around for Charming to show up when he feels so inclined.” The shirt was almost as tight as the pants, hugging her chest, the v-neck revealing some (thankfully) tasteful cleavage. “Sure, Hel, say it a bit louder. Hope’s a virgin, whoop-dee-doo! Not all of us can be as tantalizing as you, you know.”

The hearse started moving again.

Of course, deep down, Hope wanted a romance just like her parents. They were high school sweethearts, one might even say soulmates, if you believed in that sort of thing. Picture perfect- the kind of couple that’s featured in the frame when you buy it at the store. They met her mother’s junior year, her dad’s senior year, and instantly clicked. He even gave her a promise ring when he went off to college; they were a timeless, old-school love story. The redhead would be lying if she didn’t say she yearned for the same thing. But she was far too busy to date, and even if she did in fact meet someone, she’d run into the issue of bringing them home to face her father… her police officer father. Definitely a mood killer.

Fully dressed, Hope climbed back into the passenger's seat, rolling down the windows to let out the remainder of Helen’s cigarette smoke that had been circulating the cabin. “Like he would ever let that happen,” She laughed, “I love my dad, but I truly fear the day I have to introduce my future boyfriend to him. I don’t think he’ll take it well.”

Helen flicked her cigarette out the window. Her cousin’s words went in one ear and out the other. It was the same-o, same-o. Nothing seemed to change and they were already in their senior year. Car rides with the sweet cinnamon roll was part of the routine, which also included Helen only partly listening, picking and choosing what she wanted to hear. Hope feared to take risks and get out of her comfort zone and that was likely due to the mere fact that Uncle Trev was a cop. If they switched parents, Helen would see that as a challenge.

Sure, Hel, say it a bit louder.

Helen sadistically smirked.

Hope should know better. Be careful what you say around the Hellcat; your words might come back to bite you in the ass. With both windows down and the school fastly approaching, Helen pushed the pedal to the metal, going over the speed limit, no longer caring about the law. With her powerful, well-trained and robust voice, Helen tactlessly hollered, “MY COUSIN IS A VIRGIN. SOMEBODY COME GET HER!”

The redhead’s eyes nearly bugged out of her head, her cheeks rapidly turning the color of her tresses. Slowly, oh so slowly, she craned her head at her cousin in pure disbelief, her jaw slack and mouth popped open. “You did not just do that, you did not just-”

Realization hit, and Hope exploded in a fit of panic. “HELEN!” The girl rushed to roll up the windows, praying they’d close faster, before burying her face in her hands and attempting to disappear altogether. She hoped the hearse would swallow her whole and carry her casket far, far away from prying eyes and ears. “I can’t believe you right now!” She shrieked, “Some of us are not as comfortable with their sexuality as you are, Hel. Not all of us have sex therapist fathers who have been handing out condoms on Halloween since the early aughts!”

“How many redlights do you think we can ride past without us getting hit or a cop pulling us over?” Helen’s eyes sparked with excitement as she immediately undid Hope’s hard work of bringing the windows up, locking them afterwards when they were halfway down. She was enjoying herself too much. They were now going down a long, busy street with multiple stoplights. Their school was near the end of this, after another right turn and one more left. They could cut ten minutes down to five, if they didn’t stop and obey the law. “If you don’t want to die, I want you to scream something. First thing that comes to mind. I will stop when you let go. Oh, look, first stoplight.” She raced through it, a blue sedan stepping on its brakes and profusely honking. “Come on, Hope, stop being a pussy and SCREAM.”

“Helen Wells! You’re kidding me right now!” Hope squealed as the car continued to coast, bringing her hand up instinctively to hold the handle above her seat. She kept her eyes pierced on the dark haired girl as they rolled down the street with no signs of stopping. The redhead loved her cousin, truly, but in moments like this she questioned her sanity and overall well being. Not desiring to have an untimely end or ending up an unsightly pile of debris, the redhead chose to scream at the top of her lungs, deciding in that moment to not be concerned in the slightest with those around them,

“FUCK, HELEN! I JUST WANT TO BE PUT FIRST!” Hope screamed, the first thing that came to her mind.

And she meant it. For so long, the girl has always put others before herself, and deep down she wanted someone to put her needs before their own. It definitely wasn’t what Helen was expecting to hear, but something about the situation, the anxiety it caused, forced her to speak.

The music turned down and the Undertaker, that’s what she called her baby, slowed a bit, going a normal, legal speed. Unlocking her windows, she brought them up and didn’t say anything in response. Not right away. She wanted Hope to think about what she had just said for a moment. She wanted her cousin to sit in her thoughts and let the weight of her words fill the atmosphere of her car. She loved her cousin, dearly, but sometimes it was like pulling teeth to get to the root of her emotions. Sure, Helen sometimes went about things… uniquely and perhaps a little batshit crazy but at least it got her best friend to talk. Helen knew how she was feeling before hearing it come out of Hope’s mouth — she grew up with the girl, she wasn’t that hard to read — but she wanted Hope to hear herself say those words.

She wanted Hope to be selfish.

I want to be put first.

If she was being transparent, full disclosure, Helen wanted to take pages out of Hope’s book and do some good for others. Learn how to touch hearts and make them remember her name not because of her body, but because she was a decent human being that cared about things. Helen knew she was selfish and it had nothing to do with how her fathers raised her. It had everything to do with her anger. Freshman year taught her many valuable lessons and was a wake up call. Freshman year was the chapter that changed her forever. Freshman year sucked.

She wasn’t one to deep dive into her past. No one knew what she went through that year, it was irrelevant at this point, and she was determined to keep it that way. But she knew that year changed her, for better or for worse, past the point of no return. Helen promised herself that year no matter what, she would always put herself first. Before her friends, before her family, before anyone, Helen Wells was going to take care of HER. If that made her a selfish, fucking bitch, so be it, who cares what they had to say? This was her life. The person that she was always laying in bed with at night was herself. Rye a lot of times too but that’s beside the point. He didn’t like being alone and she got that. He was her twink, so by nature, he was an extension of her and would always be welcomed into her bed like a teddy bear was for a child. (Weird comparison, but you get what I mean.) Hope was the exact opposite and both her and the gorgeous redhead beside her leaned heavily one way or the other that it was: unhealthy. Hope needed to live and Helen needed to be still. Would they ever be able to achieve such challenging feats?

Only time could tell.

“So,” Helen spoke, breaking the silence and stopping at the last redlight, right before the turn that led to their school. “You’re waiting for someone to put you first.”

Hope peeled her clammy hand from the grab handle and attempted to slow her heartbeat and steady her breathing. She inhaled and exhaled deeply, audibly, as the car paused at the signal, a welcome reprieve from the chaos that had just ensued. She broke eye contact with her cousin, letting her gaze wander out her window, and wiped her sweaty palm on her jeans. It was out of character for the girl to admit such things, completely contradictory in fact, of her long term goals and aspirations.

She’d never dared to utter those words out loud, but she’d felt it for a while. The redhead had aspired to be selfless for as long as she could remember. Her work as a CNA and her dreams of joining the Peace Corps were all about serving others, and she loved knowing the profound impact she could make. But between the honors classes, the tutoring sessions and the volunteering, Hope wanted to be taken care of. Of course, her doting mother and father always had her back and supported her, but she wanted someone, not blood, to care just an ounce as much about her as she did about everyone else. It was something she struggled with, something she felt guilty about, and Helen’s unconventional methods had pulled those rogue thoughts straight to the surface.

The girl crossed her arms and continued to divert her gaze away from her cousin as they waited at the stoplight. She bit the inside of her cheek as she stared out the window, contemplating what had just occurred. Hope sighed, exasperated. “Yes, I do.” She finally looked at Helen, letting a glimpse of displeasure flicker in her normally positive eye. “Are you happy now?”

“Ecstatic,” Helen sarcastically retorted, knowing she hit a nerve. She didn’t pity her cousin nor did she care that she put the passenger princess in a vulnerable place. In reality, the songstress wanted to set things in motion for the innocent bambino that was Hope Wells. Life wasn’t going to conveniently give her a prince charming to swoop her off her feet to take care of her and even if it did, their rare breeds. Rare breeds were still only human. Even prince charmings were deeply flawed. No one person could check every box that her cousin had on her ‘dream boyfriend’ prerequisite list. That’s why communication was key and would be essential for any successful relationship her cousin would pursue and any future endeavor her cousin would tackle. Helen anticipated this year would be different for Hope but the only person who could make it different was Hope. If she really wanted it to, her dreams could be more than just dreams. All she had to do was be a little selfish and chase this feeling, this deep desire to be loved and be loved in return. Finally, Helen entered the school gates and decided to drive Hope to the front (she’d park afterwards).

After shifting her car into park, Helen offered one last piece of advice, “Hey Hope, I love you, I do, but bitch.” Okay maybe she wasn’t the best communicator, but she meant well and aimed to get her point across one way or another. “How do you expect someone to take care of you if you are just wasting your time waiting? And don’t use your studies and all that extra shit as an excuse. You drown yourself in work and other people’s problems and what does little Hope get in the end?” Nothing, obviously. “Late at night you wonder: why am I like this? Well, Tiger, that’s all you baby girl. You better start changing up how you do things because you only got one more year here. One more year to be a kid and fuck up without carrying the weight of being an adult. Don’t waste your last year being such a good girl. Like sheesh. Live a little. Take a page out of my book. See where it takes you.” Helen grabbed her phone to check her text messages, waiting for the emotional Wells to exit so she could park and smoke another cigarette. What? She had a problem. She’ll quit eventually. For sure, for sure. That day wasn’t today.

The more her cousin talked, the more upset Hope got. She may have had a solid point or two, but it was evident that Helen’s priorities and motivations were very different than hers, and that was what the dark haired girl was missing. Sure, she knew that packing her schedule to the brim probably wasn’t the healthiest thing in the world, but other than that she wouldn’t change a damn thing. Hope was sure of herself, she was confident, and it was unfair for Helen to assume that “living a little” would miraculously solve all of her problems. The redhead's deepest desire and dilemma, wanting a fraction of the compassion that she put out into the universe, was not going to come to fruition by making juvenile mistakes. Helen didn’t get that though, because she was too consumed in her own world to see it.

In the redhead’s eyes, she could have her cake and eat it too. She was a good student, a good friend, a good daughter, and an objectively good person. It was enough for her. And hopefully, one day, it’d be enough for someone else.

Hope bit her tongue, aiming to take the high road like she always did, but hurt still showed in her eyes. Arguing with her cousin right now was not going to solve anything, especially as they were parked right outside the school where prying eyes lurked, but that didn’t mean that she was going to let things slide easily.

“Don’t bother waiting for me at the end of the day, I’ll catch a ride with someone else.” Gathering the change of clothes from the backseat, her bag, and the snacks from her Uncle (plus Troy’s lunch because Hope knew her cousin wouldn’t bother bringing it to him herself), she departed from the hearse, slamming the car door behind her. The redhead marched towards the school, cheeks flushed and eyes damp.

In that moment Hope wasn’t sunshine, she was a storm cloud.

As Hope marched, Helen was never one to give her cousin the last word. She was the Hellcat for a reason, and she loved bringing hell on Earth. “I wasn’t planning to! But love how reliable you think I am. Bye baby girl, I’m sure the next time we talk there will be nothing exciting to talk about!”

Helen honked her horn to bid the redhead adieu before driving off to park.

She wasn’t afraid of storms, especially ones named after Hope.

Hurricane Hope. GOD she couldn’t wait.

Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP

^{TW: Domestic Violence}

They were arguing again.

Aurora had been startled awake by their screaming. She didn’t know what time it was, but by the way the moon’s bright glow cast shadows on her wall, it was definitely the middle of the night. But, it shouldn’t have jarred her, as it was like clockwork at this point. God only knew what he was angry about this time. Sometimes, it seemed he just picked battles for the thrill of it.

The redhead could hear Damon’s footsteps as he paced, heavy and sluggish in his work boots. The girl may have been young, only 9 years old, but she’d figured out how to pick up on the subtle cues. If he was still wearing his work boots at this hour, it meant that he was only just getting home, and he and his buddies had gone out drinking after his shift.

“God, Sasha, don’t you realize how much I do for you? You’re so fucking ungrateful!” The timbre of his deep voice seemed to shake the walls, a crash of breaking glass and the fizz of the remaining beer that had been in the bottle made Aurora jump. She fumbled with the drawer of her nightstand, wincing at each loud sound that followed, and fished around in the dark until she found what her small hands sought.

The simple MP3 player had been a gift for her 7th birthday. It didn’t have all of the fancy bells and whistles - the screen was small and it only had the standard functions - but it got the job done. She slipped each earbud into the correct ear with shaky hands, selecting the first song she could. It didn’t matter what she was listening to, she turned the volume up anyway.

It was the only way to drown out the noise.

^{__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}

_{Location: Myotis Dorm ➜ Southern Plateau - Pacific Royal Campus}

Welcome Home #1.073: The Scenic Route

^{_{________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}}

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

Previously: Life Preserver

Aurora fiddled with the cable of her headphones as she leaned against the exterior of the Myotis dorm, listening to music and patiently waiting for Lorcán. It hadn’t taken her very long to pull her belongings together; she’d only packed a small canvas tote with her essentials since unlike her fellow classmates, if she forgot something or needed anything additional, she’d be able to retrieve it with ease. Still, she brought everything she thought she needed for their trip to the Plateau.

The redhead checked the time on her phone - 15 minutes had come and gone, and the boy was still nowhere to be found. It wasn’t completely unheard of for Lorcán to run behind, but he’d normally at least text her to let her know he’d be late. So his tardiness, combined with the lack of notification, felt off. Maybe something happened? He had been especially clumsy lately…

The thought was nipped in the bud as she looked up and saw him in the distance, and to her surprise, he was accompanied by his father. The two must have been talking, more likely than not about the school’s accreditations and the trainwreck of a ceremony. Aurora hoped that the conversation had brought Lorcán some more solace - she had thought she’d done a decent job of consoling him, but she very well knew she could only do so much. As they neared, his dad waved. “My fault he’s late, won’t happen again.” He called out to her. Aurora smiled, waving back, popping out an earbud to show that she had been listening before replying. She didn’t want him to think she was being rude, after all.

“No problem, Mr. Roth- I mean, Aiden!” Try as she might, the formalities were a force of habit, even though Lorcán’s parents had told her many, many times to refer to them by first name. She’d tried to unlearn it over the years, but some things didn’t change that easily. Lorcán’s father turned and departed, and as Lorcán approached her, Aurora took off her headphones fully, putting them away in her tote.

“Hey lady dude, sorry that took so long, we should probably hustle.” He smiled, “But I think we should still take the scenic route, I can carry that bag for you if you want?”

Aurora smirked, removing her tote from her shoulder and passing it into his waiting, outstretched hand. “Sure, thank you.” She inclined her head in the direction where his dad had walked. “Everything okay?”

"I definitely know you're about to think I've wiped out too many times but-" Lorcán started before explaining about his visit with Jonas, bringing Aurora up to speed on what had transpired in the short time that they were apart as they began their trek to the Plateau. The girl was shocked, to say the least, to hear this information. Sure, she could travel from place to place, but to travel across a timeline? It was fascinating, but also terrifying to know that this ability could possibly be replicated and the dangers associated with it. Part of her also recognized how lucky Lorcán was; she’d never tell him, but she found herself feeling slightly envious of the moment he had gotten to have with someone he’d cared so deeply about. Borrowed time that she’d probably never get to have.

The boy had also shown her the stone-like object that Jonas had left him with, and went so far as to hand it to her, letting the girl examine it for herself. She also found it to be warm on her skin and somewhat reactive to her touch, its reflective and metallic sheen catching the light in such an interesting way. Aurora knew it wasn’t akin to anything she’d seen before, which made her wonder where or when it was from and the meaning behind it.

The pair had taken their time as they made their way to the Plateau, simply enjoying each other's company. Conversation had always been easy between the two of them and silence was never awkward, always comforting; they could talk about anything or nothing at all. About an hour after they had set off on their walk, they arrived at the campground, and Tad was certainly not pleased with how delayed they had been.

“Aurora! Lorcán! You two need to hurry it up, you’re last to arrive and we have a ton of work to get done. A tent has already been set up for the pair of you. Aurora, you’ll need to find Haven, the pair of you will be doing supply runs, Lorcán, you’re with Rory and Amma, you three will be cutting and placing structural components that Eden can use to wrap the hedge around and build the maze.”

Did she hear him correctly? A tent for the pair of them?

Guess that’s what they got for taking the scenic route.

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to share with Lorcán- they were best friends, friends did things like this together all the time- but something about sharing the small space triggered Aurora’s fight or flight, especially when it came to her sleeping habits. What if she had a nightmare and woke up screaming like she had on some occasions? Or worse, crying? She knew he wouldn’t judge her, he’d comforted her so many nights on the beach, but sleeping in the same tent seemed oddly intimate. The redhead shook off her woes, turning to the boy. “Looks like you’re stuck with me,” She laughed, trying to keep her tone light and casual, despite the rapid thumping of her heart that betrayed her mind, “I’m going to go and find Haven, she’s probably wondering where I am and why I’m not helping her yet.”

Aurora took a few steps towards the construction site before turning back to Lorcán with a half-smile, “We'll talk later!” she promised warmly, walking away to begin the search for her winged friend. It didn't take long for the redhead to spot Haven amongst the organized chaos, and she didn't waste any time making her way over to her perch.

"Right on time as usual, Ror." Haven lilted as she approached, "You won't believe who asked me to bunk with him, and how he asked."