NeoAJ

BHHS: Limitless

^{Timestamp: FLASHBACK- Friday, during the game
Before Time To Hang
Location: EZ Park Convenience Lot
Sav, Nev, and Toury
@NeoAJ and @Aces Away}

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In the residential section that surrounds Beverly Hills High School like a quarter moon, there is a moderately successful convenience store that has staked itself on catering to the needs of the Pirates’ populace during business hours. Whether looking for some chips to hold the hunger pangs back until a customer gets home, some water in the midst of the California heat, supplies for a hastily-crafted last-minute homework assignment or… other things that he definitely didn’t know about and doesn’t want to know about, Ahn-Jun “Andy” Park’s store was the place to go for those who didn’t want to drift among the towering buildings during lunch hour and wanted a gruff but friendly face. Or in the case of his daughter Sunny, an actually friendly face.

Since taking over as the primary day-to-day operator of EZ Park and gently pushing her father towards a part-time schedule, Sunny Park has tried to open things up a little more and make sure that the students of BHHS know that they won't get the fifth degree that Andy offered upon their arrival. The younger Park knew all too well what that was like when she brought friends back to the store for what she thought would be discounted snacks. Andy thought otherwise, much to Sunny’s chagrin. That policy was rescinded now that she was in control.

Once she found out about the offers available at the local convenience store, Savannah Payton was quick to broach the subject of a mutually beneficial arrangement. With Homecoming bringing a lot of off-campus attention, the usual parking lot setup that the PLC used for operations became a bit riskier. Over the summer, Payout made Sunny an offer. If the PLC had access to a space in the lot and the facilities inside, Sunny would get a discount on the services provided. Seeing an easy way to get her hookup without arousing the suspicion of her father, Sunny agreed. So now, when the Kia appeared in front of the convenience store, Andy was told it was for school fundraising opportunities. It technically was correct, especially on a day when there would be plenty of alumni possibly looking to younger siblings to let them know where the place to go for what they need would be.

After the bell rang to bring the school day to a close, Savannah Payton skipped the pep rally and drove her Sorrento right into its usual spot in the EZ Park lot to set up shop for the afternoon. She didn’t need school spirit. She needed to sell spirits, and whatever else the clientele may desire to enhance their enjoyment of the events tonight. Aside from a choice bottle or two that had already been earmarked for her own personal use. She was likely going to need at least one of them for tomorrow’s events.

The person who effectively sealed her fate in attending one of those events was the only one who accompanied her to today’s shift. With Everly wanting more time in the parking lot to work on her tricks, and Addie… being Addie, Savannah’s partner and muscle was again Nevaeh, in her usual cheerful mode. While it did mean that there likely wasn’t going to be any funny business, usually it meant the conversations were kept to just Savannah and her customers, or Savannah and Sunny whenever she came out for a breath of fresh air. Today however, Payout wasn’t going to let the dark one get away with another podcast session.

“So what was that all about gettin’ Ev’s back on that whole dance thing, Nev?” Savannah questioned her fellow PLC member. “Figured the last thing you’d wanna be doin’ is slow jammin’ to Zayn or some shit like that. I thought you’d have my back on not wantin’ ta do tha thing.”

It was true it had been a long time since Nevaeh allowed herself to be a part of the BHHS social scene. Even when she was running with the cheerleaders, she wasn’t a willing participant in a lot of the perceived obligations they had to show up at parties and school events to schmooze and such. She did it, but she never really felt at home doing it. When her father was still in California, she went to some of those big charity events with him and was basically used as a prop. She felt similar vibes at a lot of the functions she attended from freshman to junior year.

Maybe that was part of why she assumed no one wanted anything to do with her after the black mark was put on her name. What good is a prop with a foul stench on it? But there was one person who stayed with her through everything, and she thrived in events like that. Toury made a lot of those things bearable, even if she wasn’t feeling it herself. Since her release back into the wilds of Beverly Hills, Nevaeh had been neglecting to give her girlfriend any attention on her grounds, instead asking her to come to the parking lots she now called home for their usual interactions. It was greedy. She had to start doing better by Toury.

“I meant what I said earlier,” Nevaeh asserted. It wasn’t hard for Savannah to think back to what exactly she said given how little the dark-haired devil actually said. “We’ve been working hard, and the results have been good. We deserve a break. A night to enjoy the fruits of our labor.”

“Yeah, but this more a y’all thing,” Payout protested. “I mean, Ev puttin’ it up? I didn’t really see that comin’ but I guess I could? I know she’d bin feelin’ kinda melancholic ‘bout school ‘n shit. Seems like doin’ a dance or somethin’ would help make her feel a part of it. ‘N Addie I figure she’ll tear through there like a whirlwind, like she do. But fuck, girl! You ‘n me weren’t about bein’ parta any shit here, ever since I known ya. So I’m basically goin’ ta support y’all. I just wanna know why. Ya owe me that.”

“Well…” there was an unusual coyness in Nev’s voice, unsure if she wanted to share with someone who has been her closest friend in the last year that wasn’t forced to share a cell with her. “This also helps me give Toury something I know she wants. She’s been… insistent that I try and have more time with her outside of things here. I feel as though this would be good for her, to have me in her world for a night. She does so many things for the Candies. I want to give her an event where she can just be her and enjoy it with who she cares about. And I care about the PLC, so if the group is interested in attending, that’s all the people I care about in the school there too.”

Payout leaned back against the Sorrento and sighed. “I guess I see tha point n’ that. Shit, I ain’t had to worry ‘bout relationships in a while. Forget how much work it kin be. Course my last one was pretty one-sided. I didn’t have ta think too much about shit.”

“I hope I didn’t put you in an unpleasant spot,” Nevaeh confessed. While she did think she was being altruistic in giving her girlfriend something she wanted, she did rope Savannah into it without even discussing it. It was greedy in another way. She had to be better at that with those who dared to earn her friendship. “I should have asked if you were OK with it. I’m probably going to be occupied during it too, so it’s not like I’ll be able to give you a lot of support during it. I don’t want you to have a bad time supporting my good one.”

“Don’t worry ‘bout nothin’,” Sav affirmed. The pink-blonde glanced up past her associate, spotting another person crossing the small patch of pavement who did not appear to be interested in what she had to offer, and more into what the girl in black had on display. She waved her hand. “I’ll be allright.”

Tourmaline Phoenix stalked across the parking lot towards her cheerleader-turned-cheer-eater with nothing showing on her face about the aggravation and irritation she was feeling beneath. Her step-brother may have thought he was being sly and inconspicuous, but Toury saw the way he winced when reaching for his favorite cereal in the cabinet this morning, and the moment just before when his reach had hiked his shirt up and exposed ugly purple bruising along his side and ribs. Someone was bullying her little brother, and for whatever reason it wasn’t getting through to Dash that it was bullying, so he refused to tell her anything.

Okay, he wasn’t actually her little brother, being both the same height and age as her, but the energy had been there long before her father had put a ring on Dash’s mother’s finger. Regardless, Dash had the protection of the Tantalizing Trio, and someone thought that that didn’t mean shit. So naturally, when Jonah Goldstein of all people had reached out to her with vague feelers and talk of a proposition, she had made a simple demand back: information on her brother’s tormentor. She didn’t care how the cheerleader boy got it, only that he did. If he managed to procure the information she demanded in the few hours until the end of the game when their meeting was set, then that would prove that whatever offer he wanted to bring up to her- and from their recent interactions, that offer had something to do with Dash- would be worth listening to, and that he had a dedication worth acknowledging, as well as connections he could call upon on short notice. Whether the brunette boy knew it or not, this was the only test and chance he would get, because Toury was on a warpath for her brother right now and she didn’t have time for anything that couldn’t hold water, even if it was a friend’s plans.

When she finally saw her girlfriend past the cars after walking over from the school campus, her bright ruby lips pulled into a sharp smile and her thoughts of her later meeting were put on hold in favor of taking Nev’s form in. The next few hours were about the angel turned omen that she managed to earn and keep the heart of. She could get back to business when it was time to part. Nevaeh had her back to her, but Savannah had clocked her as soon as she’d appeared on the other side of the lot. That didn’t stop her from announcing her presence to her girlfriend as she always did, coming up behind her with a simple, “Hey, baby,” and wrapping her arms around Nev’s shoulders, putting her face over one shoulder and kissing the fallen cheerleader on her pale cheek. Left behind, as always, was a slight red tint from the gloss she put over her lipstick, and one of her favorite things to do was see how long her girlfriend lasted before caving and trying to wipe the mark off. She grinned at the other girl on the lot once she was done kissing Nevaeh’s face. “Hey Savvy!”

Savannah could only smirk as she saw the peering face of Nevaeh’s girlfriend emerge from that sculpted shoulder like a hydra. Watching over the scene could make a person sick if they weren’t aware of just how important it was to both of them. It was strange how the black-haired girl could ever think that she didn’t have a girlfriend.

When Savannah had those talks with her back in June, Nevaeh was certain that everyone she had before her arrest left her abandoned to walk the earth like a waif in search of a haunt to call her own. That sense of detachment allowed the two to bond in the early days of Payout’s California residency. Both were ripped out of their respective worlds and cast into strange new levels of existence, but their combined knowledge helped one another get set up to move forward. Nevaeh could count on Savannah as someone who wanted to be her friend whether she had status inside the school or not, and Savannah got the connections she needed to set up shop in Beverly Hills wherever she pleased. It’s why they were at the convenience store now, with Nevaeh being well aware that Sunny was a willing host to their off-campus dealings.

Still to watch that little bit of pink return to the cheerbleeder’s face as she felt the touch of Toury along her neck, the blonde appraising it like a vampire sizing up their latest damsel, Savannah couldn’t help but feel a little jealous. How long had it been since someone had caressed her like that? At least without putting a shiv into her side a minute later? She didn’t even really get a chance to say goodbye to the gang in Texas before leaving, with her mom determining the Golden State getaway was happening while she was serving another six month sentence. The second she got out, Savannah was bundled off on the Fresh Prince Express. It was only through the grapevine she heard that Chapolita finally got nailed on the grown-up charges and likely wouldn’t be seeing freedom in Texas for a while. What she wouldn’t give for one more chance to show Alexis what she actually meant to her, for all that she did…

Payout shook her head and returned her attention to the newly-arrived girlfriend of her consigliere. “Good seein’ ya, Toury. I’m guessin’ I’m gonna be flyin’ solo for a bit if ya got Nev wrapped up like that within seconds of ya bein’ here.”

Nevaeh blushed a little more at the direct reference Savannah made to what could be happening. Toury was very intoxicating, and distracting, and skilled at getting what she wanted. Even in her darkest hours, she persisted and continued to knock away at the walls Miss Morgan had set up to protect herself during her time away from the school. It wasn’t easy given Toury liked to present herself as a free agent at times, free to toy with the affections of other people in the school at the whims of agents of love and chaos. It made it easy to believe that Toury would move on and forget the discarded Nevaeh just as the other cheerleaders and the Strattons and everyone else did. Yet here she was, hanging off Nev like a choker on a fledgling child of the darkness.

“H-hi, Toury,” Nevaeh finally stammered out. She moved her thumb up to her blackened lips and licked her print, preparing it for the task of wiping the red lipstick off her cheek. It was going to be a quick cave this time under the attention from Miss Phoenix. Nev looked back over her shoulder at the blur of blonde. “I didn’t think you’d be over here while we were working. Not that I’m not happy to see you.” She looked back at Savannah. “I’m fine to stay out here if you need me here, Sav.”

“Oh?” Toury replied to her girlfriend with a devilish grin, speaking into her ear but still loud enough for Sav to hear her. “Brazen, looking to see how voyeuristic your clients are?” She trailed teasing touches down Nev's arm until she reached her hand, intertwining their digits. She knew, of course, that that hadn't been what the goth girl meant, but Toury never missed a chance to make a lewd comment or flirt with her girlfriend, so when the opportunity for both arrived it was more tempting than she tended to be to the school population. Besides, after having lost her ability to touch the other girl when she was in juvie, the playful blonde made sure to have as much contact as she could get away with, especially after she had to hunt the girl down herself shortly after the release because she had started avoiding her, thinking Toury had moved on as if she hadn’t been to every visitation and written letters to her through her whole stint. “Count me in.”

“Suit yourselves,” Savannah confirmed as she shook her head. “I mean, I get it. Ya got shit like that goin’ on, ya want the world to see it. See whatcha fought for. I just didn’t think leanin’ on a Sorrento would be too comfy in the Cali heat. But I’ll take the company.”

“Excuse me,” a relatively quiet junior spoke up, brushing the light brown hair out from the side of his crisp new Angels hat. He looked like he wasn’t sure what he was supposed to be doing in this particular parking lot but he dug into the pocket of his cargo shorts and pulled out a couple of bills that lacked the clean creases of his hat. “Brayden said I could come to you to pick up a couple of six-packs of Cherry Coke?”

Savannah smiled as the clearly nervous customer blurted out his order. Their various products had been assigned codenames so that discussion could happen relatively freely among students, and if anyone snooped in, there was at least a little deniability. Drugs? No drugs here, just someone networking for the local convenience store, making sure beverages reached the parched students of BHHS. Because marijuana was their best-selling offering, it was assigned Coca-Cola and all its various flavors for whatever strains Addie cooked up. Cherry Coke was very popular.

“Oh you’re Brayden’s friend, are ya?” she asked, sly as ever. “Foster or Posey? Ah, I guess it don’t matter none. Let’s see if we got any Cherry Coke in stock for ya….”

“Griffin.”

“Griffin, gotcha, well, welcome to PLC Convenience, right this way,” Savannah escorted the soon to be tarnished Angel off to the front seat and turned on the radio in the Sorrento, giving the couple a small semblance of privacy while she talked business and educated Griffin on how to actually handle such transactions.

Nevaeh blushed a little more as Toury continued to hang off her like a jungle gym. She did say how much she enjoyed the strength the black-haired girl built up during her time away from the general populace. Toury’s fingers still felt delicate as ever in her hand though. She knew that Toury was capable of far more power than she was, at least in terms of fighting the injustice in the school, but it still gave her some comfort that she could keep Toury protected in case the battle got to be too much. “I keep telling you that you don’t have to be here if you don’t want,” she offered. “I know you were all right with what I was doing for the Twins, but I don’t need you getting roped up into any PLC things either. I don’t think they’ll let us share a cell if we’re both busted.”

It was clear that stint at Camp Joseph Scott still was affecting Nevaeh a bit. It probably shouldn’t have, given that they maintained her on the path of graduation this summer, and Santa Clarita wasn’t a world away from Beverly Hills, but it may as well have been in the middle of the Gobi Desert for the levels of separation she felt during her time there. When she got out, she was angry and sad, emotions that led to her isolating herself from most people. After Savannah pulled her up out of the depths and Toury reaffirmed her commitment, she started to move past it. Slowly. Little by little. A glacial pace. But Savannah told her that her March birthday meant that she wasn’t going back to Santa Clarita. The Twin Towers would potentially be in the cards.

“Even if they did, I’d never get out of jail because of all the people I’d have to take care of to protect you.” There was that positivity that Nevaeh wasn’t known for in the slightest.

“That would be super hot to see, less fun to deal with the aftermath. And honestly,” Toury huffed with a roll of her eyes, letting Nevaeh go and circling around so that she was in front of the other girl. She crossed her arms and leaned against the car before giving her girlfriend a wide eyed, innocent look that anyone who actually knew the blonde knew to be wary of. “I'm just visiting my beautiful, wonderful, super strong girlfriend and grabbing a few concessions before the big game. If anything untoward is happening how am I supposed to know? I've never been involved with anything like that so how should I see the signs?” The blinking, doe eyed look dropped just as quickly as it had appeared and Tourmaline was back to looking lasciviously at the dark beauty before her. “I was too preoccupied with my girlfriend's rockin’ body and addictive lips. See how that works?”

She knew it wasn't a genuine argument, just like Nev knew that Toury couldn't get in trouble for a clique and operation that she had no part of outside of her relationship with Nev or a suggestion of supplier to the kids around school. If Toury were to be arrested and put in juvie- or more likely since she was almost eighteen, prison- it would be for getting caught with blackmail or for finally playing too much with the wrong person and taking a wrong step in her manipulations. The Tantalizer had her own illicit activities she dealt in, not that her girlfriend seemed to realize that there was trouble to be found and had outside of narcotics, but Tourmaline had been steeped in it- an agent of it- long before she locked eyes and lips with the girl that got quickly supersaturated in her own criminal element. Toury, despite her glossy blonde curls and bright makeup, her outgoing personality and standing as Mr. Phoenix’s daughter, was a corrupting influence and very proud of it.

She'd seen the near limitless possibilities in the eyes and movement of those like her now best friends, Helen Wells and Amy Kwon, long before she ever approached them with open arms. She was content to let the girls stumble blindly beneath the light for years until the illusion- their trust and belief in others- was finally shattered, and that was when she swooped in to help them realize that they stumbled so hard in the light because they were always destined to dance in the dark. She hated- or in Helen's case, didn't even know- the events that lead to both girls finally being open to her tainted influence and encouragement, put that look in their eyes that alerted her to their entry of limbo between dark and light so she could guide them all the way over. You never miss a look that you see in the mirror, after all. No one was a Tantalizer without a reason, they weren't just some random clique of sluts, they were there because together maybe they might be able to burn down the world that betrayed them each in their own way.

She’d seen the possibilities and dark streak in Nevaeh from her vantage point on the bleachers while the cheerleader practiced, but it had been through actually flirting with the girl and eventually doing the unthinkable and actually dating her that had gotten her to realize that, to Toury at least, it wasn't about someone's potential for once. Nevaeh didn’t need her nudging in the end, what with the Toxic Twins setting their teeth into her and eventually throwing her under the bus, and while she had been satisfied with her cheerleader in the light, she was just as willing to have her by her side in the dark. What she did not like was how it happened, how it had been a betrayal and had taken the girl away from her for months. However, there had been nothing for her to do. Toury, despite her standing as the creator of the Tantalizing Trio, was far more restricted in her actions than the likes of the Hive, the Elite, the Triple Crowns. At least in the light of day. These cliques were made up of entitled rich kids with more combined resources and connections than most small towns’ local law enforcement. While none of the Tantalizers were toeing the poverty line, they also were nowhere near the tax bracket of those kids, and that meant having to tread lightly and find the hidden angles so as not to disrupt the lives of their loved ones, especially with both Helen and Toury’s fathers working for the school. That didn’t stop them from raising hell when they knew that they could get away with it, of course, or they wouldn’t have the well earned reputation that they do, but it did stop them from messing blindly with the ‘higher tier’. Unfortunately, the likes of the Strattons were also on that tier, out of the blonde’s vindictive reach.

She’d been glad when Savvy had come along and shook things up, got deep pleasure in her taking over the parking lot, watched from the shadows as she established herself. It was why she hadn’t stressed when Nevaeh had gravitated towards Sav instead of coming back to Toury the first couple weeks out of juvie, she’d figured her girlfriend would find her people and then find Toury again when she was ready. Only, she realized that wasn’t the case and that was when she decided to reannounce herself in Nev’s life in a way that assured the freshly fallen wouldn’t dare avoid her anymore. Say what you will about Tourmaline Phoenix, say that she’s a bitch, and whore, a tricky succubus or a walking warning sign, but she knew when it was time to stay back and when it was time to step up, it was what made her so good at her freelancing for the Candies and for her own subtle revenges, and it was a survival instinct that only ever failed her once.

She pursed her lips at Nevaeh, grabbing her hand again and tracing circles over her knuckles, ever defiant of her girlfriend’s near subconscious need to push her away or keep her at arms length. “We’ve both been busy, and I only have a few hours before I’m busy again. Is it so crazy I want to spend all the free time I have with you?”

“I guess not,” Nevaeh answered, displaying that linguistic talent of hers.

She knew there was nothing that was going to stop Toury from entering her orbit if the Phoenix girl so desired. Toury was a force of nature at BHHS, and Nev should probably be thankful that Tour chose to encircle her with protection as opposed to ripping her apart like a hurricane. Nevaeh could do her best to keep Toury away, but she would come back. Even after Nevaeh returned to school, Toury came back.

It still vexed the dark-haired girl to this day. Why, of all the girls in the school, was she the one that Toury chose? The girl she was back in the early half of her high school career, maybe she could understand it. Nevaeh knew she was a prototypical cheerleader from outward appearances. The bows in the ponytail, the twirl in the skirt, the smeared paint under the eyes, it was hard to find someone who embodied the image more than young Nevaeh Morgan. She gave her heart to the school, and she actually gave a damn about trying to perform. Hell, she hadn’t even started dyeing her hair at that point. Sometimes she wondered if anyone actually remembered she had auburn-blonde hair before it started to go dark to match her moods. No matter, as she progressed in the grades she leaned from the red in the Pirates colors to the black with all her energy.

That was the Nevaeh her mother still wished was present, that’s for sure. Nev was still getting lip service parenting from her mother back home. When she wasn’t busy working in a lab in downtown LA, Dr. Sharona Morgan was doing anything she could to avoid talking to her now convict daughter. Dinners were never anything spectacular given the amount of work Dr. Sharona had to do (or the risk of accidentally contaminating a lasagna with streptococcus), but now it was a bunch of money on a table and the occasional sandwich.

Her brother didn’t have to worry about that, with his diet regimental in order to keep at the pinnacle of fitness in his ascent through the high school ranks. All of Cameron’s meals were pre-packaged and formulated. He was the meal ticket for the future, the only good thing his famous father left the family before he trotted off to England the second he extracted his payday from MLS. He got all the attention now, Mom attending every one of his games and cheering as loud as she could between coughs. Granted it gave Nevaeh the chance to slink away unnoticed, but at some point, the silence can get to a person. Hence the persistent headphones Nevaeh was seen with when not wearing her girlfriend as a shawl, or listening to her PLC compatriots discuss something.

That’s why the Dance offered something of a rebirth. Toury would likely be going to the event on the arm of some schlub her conspirators wanted to drag towards one of Cupid’s sickening arrows. Now that Everly’s wish had been granted and it appeared the PLC would also be making their way under the lights and onto the dancefloor, there was a chance for Nev to give Toury a sliver of that old facet of their relationship. A night of grandeur maybe. A thanks for sticking with her for everything. If nothing else, Nevaeh knew Toury had the wardrobe for it.

“So,” the gothic girlfriend finally offered, “Everly convinced the others to go to the Homecoming Dance. Savannah was looking at me to back her up and keep the PLC out of the strobe lights, but… I thought it would be nice to go. Celebrate the success of the crew and try to have a regular school experience.” A small smile turned those black lips upward, especially when she caught the gaze of Tourmaline. “And it means that potentially there’s a few more hours for you to spend with me. If you want to.”

This time, the wide eyed look that Toury shot her girlfriend was genuine in its shock. She hadn’t been expecting that at all, but she was more than pleased with the new development, and she showed it by grinning and giving out an excited squeal before swooping down to catch the shorter girl’s charcoal dark lips in her own candy apple reds. She wrapped her arms around Nevaeh’s waist and back and pulled her in tight without breaking their kiss. Her girlfriend was going to be at the dance! This wouldn’t be some boring prowl the whole night doing the Candies dirty work to shove as many perspectives together as possible while they were all in one area. As fun as that was for her, as much as it fueled her own ego, Toury also missed going to school functions for herself or her loved ones. Nowadays it was all business and very little actual pleasure, so no matter how busy she kept herself she was still utterly bored and understimulated.

She was never anything but stimulated when in contact with her own personal phoenix. Her baby girl had really been sent into the flames and returned while carrying the cinders and ash on her soul like armor, and Toury reveled in being the only one that knew every kink.

Breaking the kiss but not letting Nevaeh go, Toury dropped her forehead to her lover’s and stared into her eyes so she could see her excitement. Her hand dropped from her back further down and squeezed her girlfriend’s toned glutes possessively before kissing her again and then pulling away to let the other breathe. She smirked at the red tint that now stained Nevaeh’s lips much like she was sure her lipstick was now closer to maroon.

“Entering back into my domain, baby? I can’t wait.”

“Don’t get too excited,” Nevaeh said, trying to reel Toury back to her new reality. While the first year of their relationship saw the two trip the light fantastic at a plethora of school events, there was no desire for Nev to show her pale face around the building any more than she had to after her time away. This was almost going to be a test for her, coming back and trying to revive herself. The time with the PLC had made her feel like she could actually be accepted, at least partially, in this new form of hers. But there was bound to be conflict and strife. There always was.

“I don’t know how long we’ll be in for, Payout’s never been one for dressy events as long as I’ve known her. Everly was the one who wanted to go, but she may not have the stamina. Addie… she’ll probably get distracted by something in the first 30 minutes. And I… I’m basically dipping my toe back in. But if nothing else, I’m sure I will last for at least one dance.”

“I’ll take what I can get,” Toury replied, completely honest. She’d take anything Nev would give when it came to their relationship, especially when she knows Nev’s going against her own comfort for it. “Do you need to borrow something from my closet or have you been hiding some hot gothic number from me?”

“I still have a couple of tricks on that front,” the raven-dyed teenager confirmed. “So I hope I’ll surprise you.” A smile perked up those dark lips. “And I know you’re going to look… absolutely tempting in whatever you choose to wear.” She moved in and planted a soft kiss on Toury’s cheek, leaving her own black mark on the tanned skin of her girlfriend. A little harder to remove than the red on Nevaeh’s visage, but turnabout was fair play. “It’ll probably keep me on the floor an extra dance or two.”

“Cute,” Toury replied, entertained by her girlfriend’s attempt at returning her little gloss game. Unfortunately for Nevaeh, Toury had no shame and that perfect black imprint of the goth’s lips would live on her cheek until she used her makeup remover tonight before bed. No doubt Jonah would get a mild kick out of it when they had their meeting later. She grinned, the stain on her skin stretching with it, and kissed her girlfriend quickly again, twirling her dark strands between two fingers playfully. “And of course, my outfit is going to be downright tantalizing.”

An even rarer chuckle could be faintly heard before the other two students emerged from the front of the Sorrento. “All right, that should set you up for what you need. Tell Brayden I'll give him a little discount next time as thanks for the referral. Free can of Coke on me,” the pink-blonde offered. Savannah knew that not only would that satisfy the person who brought Griffin into her parlor, but now Griffin knew referrals would work for him as well. It was a basic business strategy but it worked very well on the populace of BHHS.

The Angel-capped student could only nod as he walked away, purchase stored in his backpack while Savannah returned to the couple that was left to stand watch while the transaction was completed. “All right, that went better than expected. Kid learned himself pretty quick,” she confirmed to give the couple ample time to disentangle themselves should they need to do so. “Anyway, guessin’ Nev told ya we’re goin’ dancin’, eh Tour?”

“Sure did,” Toury gave Sav a toothy grin and finally broke physical contact with her girlfriend, satisfied in the knowledge that she had plenty of time now and even more time tomorrow to spend with her lover. “I’ve got to say I didn’t see that coming, I’m quite pleased,” She admitted while grabbing her phone to check her messages. She hadn’t had a chance to get her walkie talkie back after Dash had taken it earlier that morning with plans to give it to whichever Elite had requested them of him, so her message notification was in the double digits no matter when she checked, that was just the way her brother texted. Glancing over his stream of consciousness, Toury figured it wasn’t anything that needed immediate response, in fact it seemed like he was still mid info dump, so she determined waiting for him to finish before replying was the best course and put her phone back, returning her attention to those before her. “She already said she has a dress, but what about you girls? For this very special occasion, my closet is open if any of you need something. Within reason, of course.”

It was a genuine, if rare, offer from the wavy haired Tantalizer. While always open to the likes of her two besties and Nevaeh, her wardrobe was hardly ever available to anyone else. But the PLC going was what had Nevaeh going in the first place, so the least she could do was offer the girls a chance to avoid last minute shopping if they were planning on actually dressing up.

Savannah rubbed the back of her neck. “Ya know, I might take ya up on that,” she admitted. “I’m not exactly tha dress-up type ‘n I dunno if my mom’s stuff is… suitable. Definitely if I wanted the attention of tha monitors, but I’m guessin’ you might have stuff that’ll fit me a li’l better. Maybe we all meet up at yours tomorrow ‘n figure it out before tha thing. ‘Sall right, Nev?”

The goth girl nodded, not exactly happy to leave Toury’s embrace, but knowing that it was there for her made it easier. “Yes. It should be fine. Like I said, I already have something in mind for the evening. I think black is the PLC’s color.”

“You think black is everythin’s color.”

“It’s a perfect color.”

“Fine, fine, it’s a good color. We’ll see what Tour’s got.”

“Fantastic, I’ll make sure I have snacks and drinks ready,” Toury clapped decisively, happy with the new events on her roster. She’d have to text Amy and Helen about the new development soon. “I’ll pull out a few pieces I think would fit for you all but you won’t have to choose one of those, I’ll understand if you hate my choices,” She teased sarcastically before pulling her phone out to quickly send off that text as well as add an alarm as a reminder for tomorrow. She was always getting just a bit busier, but these plans gave her even more time with her girlfriend tomorrow than she initially thought, so she found she didn’t mind one bit. “I’ll even help you with your makeup, no charge, if you’re looking to go all out.”

“I ain’t gone all out in a long time, but I guess if we’re gonna be kickin’ round, might as well let ya take a crack at me. I think I gotta good plan, but,” Savannah looks at her friend, almost spotting a smile on that pale face. “like I said, I’ll take any advice inta consideration.”

The agreement was sealed in Payout’s mind, and with good timing as a Korean woman in her 30s emerged from the store and headed to the Sorrento. “Hey,” Sunny interrupted. “My dad’s getting back from his physiotherapy in like 15 minutes, so that’s your warning in case you’ve got customers when he arrives.”

“Preciate ya givin’ tha heads up, Sun,” Savannah said, almost thankful to end the conversation about making her look like one of those trophy girlfriends. “We’re almost sold out anyway. Homecomin’s good business. Still got your order if ya want it now.”

Sunny pulled out a crisp $20 and handed it to the Texan. “This and a couple of Gatorades and we’re good?”

“Make it three ‘n we’re good,” Payout confirmed, as she looked over at the doting couple now back in each other’s arms. “Those two’ll prob’ly need the electrolytes sooner rather ‘n later.”

BHHS: Limitless

_{TIMESTAMP: Friday evening
After Earth and Water, The Rule of Two, and All My Friends
LOCATION: The Mermaid's Closet
FT: Angel @LovelyComplex & Indy @NeoAJ
Juliet @Hey Im Jordan
Tristan, Abby, Ellie & Shauna @Fabricant451
Text messages at end to:
Dahlia @Grimoire Gaming and Jade @Bee}

____________________________________________________________________


____________________________________________________________________

For two teenage girls in the closet, they were now walking into the place of the once upon of time leading lady killer of Beverly Hills High. A woman who understood women better than anyone. While Shauna Flynn’s reputation precedes her, not many people knew who the Shark was. The one and true Romeo had become a myth in the halls of BHHS and unless you actively sought her out, she was just another legend of many that lingered in the air, like the strongest, most intoxicating perfume. Girls could emulate her but girls could never be her.

There was only one woman who carried the nickname ‘the Shark’ and she was running a clothing store for the young and beautiful. The Mermaid’s Closet. A place for girls to see the flowers they were and let their petals spread; their garden bloom. As such, not many students were able to match a face to the myth. Only those who truly cared about the school lore knew and unfortunately for these two, blooming flowers, they were not in the know. They were oblivious, just how Shauna used to like her prey. In their innocent eyes, they carried weight Shauna knew all too well, having hunted girls just like them. Having hunted girls unsure about their sexuality and bringing them to their knees. Angel. Having hunted girls who were in love with their best friends and succeeding. Indy. She was a professional in luring the delicate flowers to the dark side with cookies and milk. If there was any woman that could read them like an open book, it was the woman watching them from behind the counter.

When they entered the store, the colors, patterns, and fabrics appearing from every which way, Angel could feel how out of her element she was. Just because she knew what would look good on Indy didn’t mean she knew what would look good on herself. She didn’t know clothes like that. She just thought, ‘hey, a suit would make my friend comfortable and hot as fuck’. There’s no way Naomi wouldn’t take notice. Beyond that? Angel liked wearing big shirts and no pants as she gamed in her closet. When she walked outside, her mom determined her outfit of the day. Angel didn’t know how to express herself with clothing. Her identity, at least to the public eye, was that of God. If it wasn’t conservative, she didn’t know where to begin.

Mrs. Royce suggested black and Indy concurred, so that’s where she’d start off but first, she needed to see if they still had the light blue suit. It was the last one available, the site said hours ago, so there was a chance it had been bought from the time they looked on the site to now. The sooner they found out what Indy would wear, hoping it was affordable and still looked Hive worthy, the sooner Angel could grab something herself and hope for the best that her mother didn’t find her new clothes. Silently, Angel led her friend to the cashier counter, thankful that it was late and they caught the store at a quiet hour. “Excuse me, do you still have this?” Angel asked, turning her phone to the older woman, showcasing the picture. There was no point in her trying to find the clearance section and get overwhelmed in a place she had never been. Instead she went to the person she assumed knew how to assist. Little did Angel know she was talking to the leading lady herself. “If not, do you have something similar? I’m trying to help my friend not commit social suicide while staying true to herself.” There Angel went, talking brutally honest and going straight to point. A flaw and a strength. You either admired it or you didn’t. It seemed the small, petite girl that had the personality of a black cat didn’t care. She was focused on one thing and one thing only. Her friend.

When Shauna Flynn opened the Mermaid’s Closet there were some dissenting voices from her past that assumed the worst, that she was doing it solely to keep up her tactics from high school. Those voices did die down as the Closet earned a fair amount of good press with its prices, selection, and professionalism of the staff - all of which were covered in an actual article written about the boutique in the local paper; of course, just because Shauna was a professional business owner now didn’t mean she forgot how to ride a bicycle…so to speak.

Shauna could tell a customer’s wants and needs as soon as they came through the door. A young girl walking ahead of a disinterested or occupied mother? Someone fresh from junior high looking to reinvent themselves for their freshman year. A person with hunched shoulders and hands thrust deep into the pockets and barely able to say what they were looking for? Shauna called them ‘hoodie girls’, the kind of customer who wasn’t used to wearing anything beyond casual comfort and likely had social anxieties they were working through. Even the occasional dysphoric male who walked through and who wasn't there to buy something for his girlfriend was always led to an employee on staff who had been through what they were going through. The Closet certainly didn’t discriminate, only ever encouraged.

So when Shauna saw Indy and Angel walk into the store, she already had her own personal history for the two in her head. She could’ve been wrong - she sometimes was - but Shauna was an expert in high school girls and the complicated and messy emotions that swirled in their heads during any given day. The darker haired girl was doing the talking and she used the word friend. Shauna’s experienced emerald eyes looked at the friend who was in need of help and back to the one holding the phone in front of her. A suit. Clearly they, like most of her customers for the first half of October, were high schoolers looking for Homecoming outfits. They weren’t going together, at least not as dates, and if she were a gambling woman she would’ve bet it all on the fact that neither of them had dates regardless. While not impossible, Shauna had never known a straight woman to go for the suit option first but that just raised another question, namely if the dark haired girl was aware that her friend was in the closet while in the Closet? It wasn’t Shauna’s place to out anyone, but encouraging women to be comfortable with themselves was part of the Mermaid experience.

All of Shauna’s analytics about the two girls happened in the brief period of time between the phone being shown to her and the dark-haired girl finishing her little introduction. Her verdict? The blonde wanted to be more than friends with the brunette but the brunette had no idea because she herself had no idea about, well, herself. A classic scenario and one she had experienced in her youth. Though in those days playing matchmaker with wannabe lovers was…something she couldn’t and wouldn’t do with customers. “Oh, I’ve a grá for a good suit.” Shauna’s Irish tones were as smooth as they were when it was used for more nefarious purposes. “Think we’ve sold out tha’ one, but let’s ‘ave a check, aye?” Shauna tilted her head towards a section of the store where suits of a similar make as the phone image were on display, and led the way towards its direction.

“Your, ahh…friend got an opinion on what she likes or is her mout’ proper banjaxed?”

Indy had to blink for a second to make sure she understood what she was being asked. She lived all around the world and heard many an accent, but the year and a half in Australia had nothing on the thick Irish brogue she was hearing now. What she thought she heard was disappointing at first. Angel had done such an amazing job finding the suit in the vast array of options the Closet had to offer, and while there was only one according to the shop, it wouldn’t take much to take it out of her hands. An inventory error, a production mishap, someone else having the same eagle eye that her friend had. The day did nothing to dampen her excitement but according to the older woman, or so she thought, the chosen outfit wasn’t here.

But it was the Closet! It was a place of legends. If that suit wasn’t in, surely there would be something. Maybe something more in line with the color that Angel was going to wear. Indy had her eye on the lookout for something in black, it was a color that suited her friend very well. She had to agree with the opinion of the cheer coach on that one. While it was the vision of white from earlier in the day that stole her gaze in Naomi’s car, for some reason, Indy just wanted to see the so-called church girl shrouded in black lace, a mid cut, with maybe a slit in it so the world could get a look at those legs that were seared into her mind. It seemed only fair to share the joy. It was something that she was certain would never survive a trip to the Vazquez home, and it wouldn’t be something Indy could conceivably fit in, but it would be immaculate on Angel.

But surely there was a backup. Right now, they had to take care of her own Homecoming outfit first. Indy didn’t want to be… banjaxed? Was that even a word? How do you banjax something? Is that some weird Irish torture device? Did they even have banjos in Ireland? How do you put jacks on a banjo? So many questions about those two syllables… or was it three syllables? Another one added.

“No, I don’t… think I’m banjaxed. Pretty sure I had my shot for that,” Indy said, still not sure what she was defending against. “But if that exact suit isn’t in, I think I’d like to try and find something in a similar style. Maybe even a deeper color.” She then motioned to her shopping partner. “And then we need to find something for my friend. Doesn’t need to be preventing social suicide, but I want it to look like she can murder on the dance floor and get away scott clean. I think she can pull off something daring.”

Shauna offered only a polite smirk towards the banjaxed comment. Part of the experience at the Mermaid was dealing with Shauna and her accent and slang; she claimed it made her a better salesperson but a popular theory among employees was that she did it to impress women. Those that knew her in high school would likely agree with that hypothesis, especially those who were swayed by the brogue. “Daring and deep, eye catchin’ and stylish, you’ve come to the right place. Don’t let me influence you too much, this is all about you and your friend, but with your hair and her whole…vibe, you can’t go wrong wi’ a classic twist on Ebony and Ivory.” Shauna gestured towards the suits she led them towards, specifically a white jacket and matching slacks. “Take a look around. Find a color. If white’s not your thing, don’t worry. We’ve got a real rainbow of choice.” Shauna’s emphasis on the word rainbow was not done by accident.

“What about you, Lydia Deetz?” Shauna sniped towards Angel. “You the femme in this couplin’ or what?” Now she was laying it on a bit thick, but her ever present smirk remained. “Kiddin’, o’course. But you don’t strike me as the suit type.”

Angel had kept quiet, looking around the store and listening to the shopkeeper and her friend interact. When the conversation turned back to her, she observed the Irish woman and noted the Lydia Deetz mention. With her second life as a gamer girl, she didn’t live completely in a hole so she knew that was a character from Beetlejuice. She didn’t know how Lydia could relate to her. They looked nothing alike. That was irrelevant though. For one reason or another, the owner of the Closet saw her as Lydia and that was A-OK with her. “I’m a clean slate,” she spoke honestly. “I have no preference.”

There were no lies behind her words. All Angel ever wore was conservative clothes. It wasn’t until she joined the Hive that she discreetly adjusted her wardrobe, taking noticeable risks that could get her grounded for months if not done correctly. Small adjustments to her outfit like rolling up her skirt, opening her blouse by undoing a couple of buttons, or not fixing her nylon knee highs and letting them drop to add to the appeal. These actions and light changes may seem minuscule to most people but for Angel, each imperfection was intentional and carried weight. Subliminally, she hoped she was conveying the message that religion was not her ministry, not truly. It wasn’t too drastic for her mother to catch wind of but to those that did pay attention, she’d like to think her message was clear. Without words, she hinted at the fact that she wasn’t the Virgin Mary. That she wasn’t a saint. That she certainly wasn’t here to save anyone.

Glancing at Indy, seeing how willing her friend was, Angel felt it was only fair to permit Shauna full reigns in dressing her up, trusting the process. “We could go with something vintage and timeless, that seems to never go wrong for celebrities. That might be too safe for homecoming though…” The small teen felt the dresses in front of her; how soft they were. She wondered if it was time for her to truly stand out from the crowd and dismantle everyone’s views on her.

How bad did she want to be seen?

Not for the facade she wore for her mother but for herself. If Angel truly wanted to, she could be anyone and anything. If Angel truly wanted to, she could break a few rules and try something new. If Angel truly wanted to, she could have fun and take a risk that no one could ignore. If Angel truly wanted to, she could be beautiful. She could be free. “If you don’t mind taking the lead, I am open to change or a better term would be I am open to transform. If you were me and you wanted to make a statement, what would you wear?” There were no Ifs. Angel wanted to.

Wear me on your lips.

If Indy was truly confident, that’s what she would say in the moment. Those thoughts she had, those lovesick wonderings that started as a whisper when she came to BHHS, were only getting stronger the more of the true Evangely Vazquez that Indy got to see. While the previous 10 months had given her a chance to see if there was something more to her attraction than the forbidden fruit angle, today seemed to be kicking it into overdrive. From Naomi’s car to the hallway to the Closet, everything she did with Angel today was just enforcing that her instinct was right. This girl could be the one that she could get to the next level with, raise some stat points, take a shot, engage in an adventure, all those fun things. Angel was the fabled whale shark drifting off the Animal Crossing island that Indy couldn’t seem to land. If she said such a blatantly inappropriate thing, maybe that would break the glass between them that indicated that final barrier and allow them to shrug the visage of the Hive and just be.

Nah, that would never work.

Instead, Indy said nothing, simply letting the professional clothier take the reins of the situation.

“If I were you?” Shauna repeated the question with a look of consideration as she gave Angel another once over. Fashion, style, was up to the one who wore the clothes and in her mind as the closest thing to a professional in the establishment, her mind was racing with potential. The Irishwoman assumed that the two might want to match in terms of theme if not in brand or outfit. “Vintage is cliche, you don’t want to be cliche, you want to become cliche. You, I feel, could work in a variety of outfits. You have one of those faces that says “I don’t care” but only after spending a half hour getting the face just right. Which is a good thing. Means ye’ve got a sense of style just beggin’ tae come out. But if your friend is gonna go, and forgive the terms, yeah, butch, then perhaps femme is in your future? But don’t worry, you two look like you can swap.” Shauna was laying it on thick, but if she hadn’t been then someone might’ve assumed she was sick.

“Here, what about this? It’ll guarantee every eye will be on you when you walk in the door.” For her next sentence, as she handed Angel a somewhat…revealing and quite leggy dress for consideration, she looked towards Indy. “Even if ya only want one particular pair’o eyes on ya.”

Angel wasn’t deaf. She knew exactly what Shauna was getting at. Her accent was thick; for someone that wasn’t multilingual and observant, this may have been a challenge to decipher. That wasn’t the case for Angel. As for the undertones, she knew what the older woman was implying. She didn’t live under a rock although her mom likely thought she manipulated her daughter to believe that God was the reason behind everything. God was fact. God was truth. God was absolute. She was fortunate to have more than bible study, youth ministry and catholic sleep away summer camp to shift her perspective, nurture her identity and strengthen her values.

Truthfully, Angel had a feeling for a long time about her preference. It wasn’t until she befriended Stella that she started to understand that it wasn’t a preference, it was who she was. She played up the clueless Catholic girl that never steps out of line pretty well. Reality of her situation was she had no choice but to play pretend. She knew if her mother caught wind that her only child was a lesbian she would send her away, strip her of any means to contact her friends and find some outdated zealous person to forcibly repress her sexuality and convince her to swear a life to heterosexuality, monogamy, and breeding.

At all cost — her mother would change her daughter. That’s how ruthless that woman could be. Lord knows if her daughter was gay there would be nothing but shame brought to the household. Maritza Vázquez wasn’t a kind woman and that is why Angel decided to keep her mission to herself, planning and working in silence, so when the time came she could move into her own place and make her own rules, cutting ties with her mother completely. She would include her father but he was an alcoholic and an echo chamber to his wife. He was barely a person, a ghost of a man, especially after her mother forced him to separate from his side of the family.

The last thing Angel needed was her friends worrying about her. It was 2024 and people still existed that were homophobic, racist, and close minded. Her mother was the perfect example of that. A woman who used her generational trauma and lack of ambition to fight it as an excuse to be a shitty human being, becoming the one thing she despised the most. The parents that beat her to believe whatever they said was gossip truth. It was hard to have sympathy for her mother though. At this point, regardless of her past, her actions and behavior were inexcusable. Mari’s parents, Angel’s grandparents, were dead. That means her abusive grandfather was gone and the light that was her grandmother, who tried to make small shifts, only for it to turn on her, was buried alongside with him. Maritza chose to continue the barbaric cycle, convincing herself that God was law and now it was Angel’s turn to embrace the path her mother set out for her or break it.

With the risqué dress in her grasp, Angel decided right then and there that this was a matter of the heart and not mind. That some rules were worth breaking. Holding the dress close, she met Indy’s gaze which was concentrated on her. It usually was. In return, Angel’s expression never shifted. There was no smile, no facial movements, and no obvious emotion. In her brown eyes though, a story was waiting to come out. Her grandmother might be gone, someone that opened doors for her when she was a little girl, but that didn’t mean she was alone. She still had people that lit the way. People that made life worth chasing, on her terms. “Sure. I’ll try it on,” Angel answered, giving Shauna one last glance over before concluding their interaction, for now, “Thank you. I trust your opinion and if the reactions I get are nothing but positive, I’ll need to come here more often.” Glancing at her wrist watch, Angel began leading the way to the dressing rooms, naturally assuming Indy would follow behind her, in time.

Meanwhile, Indy was still letting her anxiety rule in her head. She hadn’t heard wrong before, the proprietor did assume that her and Angel were a couple already instead of only in her dreams. That she was the butch in the pair. That was funny. Kai would have found it funny. The side-shorn Aussie was certain they had found a stumbling girl wandering through the world that they could shepherd into their rainbow flock, but not once did Indy ever consider herself more masculine than them. Was it even right to consider that relationship in this context? Kai was adamant to make sure Indy knew what her options were when it came to this new arena she was entering, especially considering her time in Turkey was one where she only knew oppression of such beliefs.

It makes sense… Indy had to concede that by the metrics of supposed masc behavior, she was more butch than Angel. Indy was an athlete, with an athlete’s frame. Until she was elevated into the upper tier of the school’s hierarchy, she dressed like an athlete. Tank tops and shorts were comfortable, easy to wear, and allowed her to move on the court and on her board with freedom. She had that competitive streak in her that allowed her to be ruthless when searching for a spike or aggressive in attacking a fledgling wave. By contrast, Angel was submissive and raised to be that way on outward appearances. The Latina never dressed in anything other than a perfect visage of a religious schoolgirl, even with her rebellious efforts to shake that image. Sure they weren’t as obvious as stripping down a skirt in a car like today, but those extra undone buttons didn’t go unnoticed when Indy could help it. For some reason, Indy could never truly picture the Vazquez girl in anger, swearing a blue streak at something or someone. She couldn’t see Angel in overalls and a tight bun, chopping down a tree or whatever the old ideals of what it took to be masculine were. It would be hot though. That probably did make Indy the butch by default.

But if it was that obvious to Shauna that those thoughts were real, could she act on them in such a grand manner like this? She knew her spot in the Hive didn’t come without controversy. Angel told her how when the four of them were meeting to discuss expanding to a group of five, Lottie had been pushing for her best friend Kathleen to be accepted into the clique. However, Angel and Levi (with some prodding) helped tilt Naomi’s scales in her favor. Again, that was the overwhelming factor in not taking the plunge to see just how much of a chance there was of turning those dreams into reality. That the reality she had where this… stunning girl could beckon her close with a glance and she could come oh so close to that pool would have to live on the rule of not drinking from it. Those eyes really were so full of soul… and looking at her watch.

Shit! Not the time Indy! You’re on a deadline here!

Besides, the dress that Angel had in her arm looked exactly like the one she wanted to see. Entranced by another trip to the pool, Indy followed towards the changing room, a more spacious place for swapping outfits than the backseat of Naomi’s car.

“Oi, one thing, lass.” If Shauna hadn’t been an adult and a business owner, she would’ve put a hand on Indy’s shoulder before letting her go to a changing room; personal space and consent to simple touching was much less fluid a concept as it was when she was younger. Normally, Shauna wouldn’t say anything more, it was like learning to swim: you couldn’t just push someone into the deep end and expect them to get a handle on it. But if nothing was said she had to wonder if either of them would ever dive into Sappho's pools anyway. “Window shoppin’s great an’ all but sometimes you gotta make a purchase. No one ever got what they wanted just by lookin’ at it. Just some…food for thought. G’wan no’, try’s it on. If ya need any help, just gies a hollar, yeah?” Shauna left the girls to their changing room try ons but turned her head towards the front door as she heard the sound of conversation and new arrivals.

Three girls that, at a look, didn’t seem like they’d travel in the same circles walked in, fronted by a tall girl with dark hair and a clear athletic build. Medium length hair kept away from her eyes, athleisure clothes branded with a familiar logo, a sleeveless top no doubt meant to showcase her arms, classic athlete but Shauna clicked the roof of her mouth; this girl wasn’t browsing around a closet looking to come out. Neither was the girl who was keeping the conversation going. Shorter, vibrant hair, bright color eye makeup, the kind of girl who would wear paint covered overalls because all of her clothes had paint stains on them. They were friends, clearly, but Shauna couldn’t see it, but then when she went to high school there was a very loud, very…unique girl who was friends with popular students so the more things changed the more they stayed the same.

It was the third girl of the group that gave Shauna the vibes, but only because anyone who came into a clothing store like this looking like they fell out of a grungy club where the speakers are too loud and everything sounds grimy was already someone who knew to keep their fingernails trimmed. The third girl was laughing at the first two in a way that someone who was trying very hard not to show any emotion other than ‘laid back’ did. Shauna looked from the new arrivals to the front counter as she made her way towards the new girl she hired. What better way to see what she had? What better way than to shove her into the deep end of the pool?

“Newbie,” Shauna whispered to Juliet as the boss returned to being behind the counter. “Let’s see what you’ve got.” She nodded her head towards the trio of Tristan, Abby, and Ellie, who were absently flicking through rackware, the way customers did when they wanted an employee’s help but didn’t want to outright come to the front and ask for it.

Juliet was still getting her bearings in the Closet. She didn’t like working. She thought she had made that clear to Shauna, but it seemed her words had fallen on deaf ears. Her impression had been that she would just be spending time looking at pretty girls and getting them to let her finger them in the changing room. Instead of that, she was practically lighting her brain cells on fire in an inventory spreadsheet at a computer she was confident was older than she was. This was the exact kind of work she hated!

It was Shauna’s own fault there was an undeniable scowl on her lips when Shauna called her attention. Almost immediately, it softened as she realized Shauna finally had an actual assignment for her. She eyed the three girls who were approaching. Instantly, she dismissed the yapper. It was nothing personal, but Juliet knew in point three seconds that she didn’t have the patience.

She looked toward the athletic woman only briefly as a thought crossed her mind. Been there, done that.

Finally, she looked at the Kurt Cobain impersonator. Juliet knew of her, but she didn’t know her very well. Of course she’d heard about the girl who played bass covers of punk rock songs from before any of them were born in the parking lot, but she’d never had the chance to really get to know her. What was she going to do? Ask her to play Hawaiian Rollercoaster Ride? This was her element though.

She gave Shauna a grateful smile, and then gracefully glided across the show floor to stand in front of the trio who had let themselves in. Putting on her best customer service smile and voice, she greeted them. “Do you need any assistance today?”

“Wait, you work here? Since when?” Tristan recognized Juliet almost immediately - Tristan’s memory wasn’t always the best but she never forgot the face of people she once made out with. It didn’t work out between her and Juliet, their personalities were hardly compatible, but Tristan didn’t think there was any love lost between them. But still, the sight of Juliet working an after school job made it impossible for Tristan to hide her snickering laughter, a gesture that had ‘the yapper’ of the trio blinking as she looked between Tristan and Juliet.

“Are you two friends? Hi, I’m Abby, it’s not my real name but everyone calls me Abby.” Abby extended her hand for a handshake but then retracted it almost immediately since it was probably weird to shake hands with someone at a clothing store. “My friend Tristan needs an outfit for the Homecoming dance and I need one too because we’re going together.” There was a pause that almost counted as a pregnant pause before Abby immediately corrected course. “We’re not going together like a couple, we’re going together as friends! Do you have something for friends to wear to a dance? She’s very tall and I don’t really know anything about dresses. I like them, I think. I don’t know.”

“Relax, Abs, you’re gonna give the girl a headache.” Ellie spoke up, placing a calming hand on Abby’s shoulder which seemed to work like a pause button. “Yeah, these two need outfits. Well, mostly her.” Ellie tapped Abby on the shoulder for emphasis.

“If it helps, her favorite color is green.”

“Mint chocolate chip ice cream.”

“Yeah, green.”

“Look, she wants to look like a princess,” Ellie gestured to Abby, “And she,” A gesture to Tristan, “Just needs something like a one shoulder sequin, show off the gams and the yams, you know?”

“Those mean the same thing.”

“What the fuck are gams?”

“The same thing as yams.”

“I hate yams, they’re disgusting.”

“But you’ve got them. Gams, yams. Is hams one too? That would be weird. Rude also.”

“If you don’t interrupt them they will keep going.” Ellie’s words to Juliet might as well have been a warning.

Exactly what Juliet feared was going to happen was actively happening. It didn’t help that Tristan was giggling at her, something that Juliet tried to silence with a dark glare. When that failed, she resigned to turn the customer service look back on. She let them talk, listened to their words and filed them away. Before she could help them with their outfits though, she had to set things straight.

“My mother made me get a job after I got unjustly fired from Disneyland.” She said, with her eyes on Tristan. Juliet didn’t harbor any ill will toward her, but a failed one month long relationship meant Tristan knew more about Juliet than others tended to. The words spoken toward Tristan abandoned the ‘customer service’ tone for one that gave more… ‘I’m annoyed you’re exposing me.’ energy. “I’ll find something for you.”

“It’s too bad you didn’t meet me last week,” Juliet said, as she turned her attention onto Abby. It was dangerous to engage this one, but Juliet had a feeling if she didn’t try to help Abby, she’d never get her way. “I used to work at Disneyland, I helped do the princess makeovers…” She sighed wistfully, remembering better days with a smile, “we can find you a pretty dress. Green… green might be hard. But I’ll try.” Juliet did not like the color green. It looked like the throw up emoji.

She finally turned her attention onto Ellie, the last girl. “What’s your size? I already have ideas for you.”

“My size is irrelevant, shouldn’t you be asking them that question?” Ellie didn’t know why the employee was asking her, she wasn’t here to shop. She was the ride. The wheels. The moral support. Dances, especially school dances, were not exactly her scene and that wasn’t about to change in her senior year.

“It doesn’t have to be green, but Tiana did have a green dress and it was very pretty. And then they stopped doing hand drawn animation, I don’t know why, it’s so much nicer.” Abby interjected, green was never mandatory for her outfits, but color was. She never wanted to wear black even to a funeral. “What did you do at Disneyland?”

“More like who.”

“Oh, sorry. Who did you do at Disneyland?”

“I oversaw princess makeovers and was a cashier at one of the photo shops. Basically, I did make up for girls who wanted to cosplay.” Juliet explained, trying to be patient with Abby even though she hated repeating herself. At least she seemed to have taste as she mentioned Tiana. She didn’t have a chance to comment on it before Tristan started running her mouth again, talking about the ‘who’ rather than the ‘what.’ “Stop being combative, Tristan. That’s basically slander.” The difference in tone of voice when she spoke to Tristan and when she spoke to the others was clear as day.

There were more important things to talk about than to go down a list of the princesses she’d bagged at Disneyland. “Have you seen Wish? It’s not quite hand drawn, but the style is nice. Like a call back to when Disney didn’t suck.” Her attention was turned onto Abby, who had suddenly become the most interesting person in the room. “It isn’t a very good movie, but it’s pretty and the musical numbers are fun to sing along with. Do you have a favorite Disney song? I do.” Juliet walked into the jungle of clothing racks as she spoke, gesturing for Abby — and the others, she supposed — to follow along.

Before Juliet got too far into rambling about Disney, she met eyes with Ellie and gave her a small, sly smile. There was no verbal response to Ellie’s question, but Juliet certainly hadn’t forgotten it yet. One step at a time. She talked as she walked, “it’s How Far I’ll Go, by the way. Or Let It Go, but… that’s so basic. I love Frozen, but I have to stay vigilant and be unique!” She made a gesture with her hands, something of a small fist pump. That was for Abby; she was animated enough that Juliet felt she’d appreciate the extra motion. “Stitch is my favorite movie though.” She did not call it ‘Lilo & Stitch.’

Ellie saw the smile aimed at her and only raised an eyebrow in response. This was the strangest customer service interaction she’d been witness to and she once stood behind a drunk guy trying to remember what gas pump he was at. He didn’t even drive. Tristan, meanwhile, rolled her eyes at Juliet’s words; it wasn’t combative when it was true and the only reason she didn’t step in and stop Juliet from discussing cartoon shit with Abby was because Tristan was almost positive Abby would take the discussion literally and not realize if Juliet was trying to make something happen. Tristan wasn’t Abby’s mother, but she knew Juliet well enough to know that if the Disney girl ever got her lips on Abby, it would only end in Abby’s tears and that would require Tristan to gather a drop of blood for every tear shed.

“Oh, uhm…I like…Part of Your World.” Abby didn’t clarify, but the way she looked away, blinked rapidly, and started rubbing a finger in the palm of her other hand suggested there was something to the choice beyond just enjoying Jodi Benson’s voice.

“What’s unique about liking two songs that made the Billboard charts, man? That’s like saying you’re unique for liking Taylor Swift. At least say Un Poco Loco. No one ever says that.” Ellie had not seen a single Disney movie, but she had let Abby control the aux at times and she had at least heard most Disney movies by this point. Only a small number of them ever remained in Ellie’s thoughts. “Look, how long is this gonna take? Cuz I’ll just wait outside.”

Juliet shook her head. “You stay. It won’t take that long. I’m getting to know my customer. Also, just so you know, it’s kind of edgy to dislike popular things because they’re popular. Can you point out something musically wrong with either song? I’m not saying they’re perfect, but they’re pretty good tracks. Especially Let It Go. Be serious.” She addressed and dismissed Ellie with a wave of the hand and quick words, before turning her attention to the belle of the ball. “An excellent choice.” As she spoke, Juliet idly looked through clothing racks. Green? Green? Who wore a green dress? And to homecoming? Diabolical work.

“We should watch Disney movies sometime, Abby. My name is Juliet. And yes, Tris. I’ll behave.” She spun on her heel and thrust a mint green dress to Abby. With a smile, she explained her choice. “This seems like it fits you. It’s a bit… loud for a homecoming dance, but I don’t think that will bother you. Besides, I can’t imagine you in a dress that doesn’t flourish when you spin. I mean, what’s the point?”

She knew Abby would talk whether eye contact was held or not, and twirled around to look at the racks again. Digging, this time for only moments before she turned back around and faced Tristan. “Here. Unless your ass got fatter, this is your size.” She held out a purple dress that matched the mint one. “Now go try them on.”

“Yeah, I bet you still wish you had my ass to enjoy, Jules.” Tristan teased while snatching the dress and making for the fitting room, but not before making sure Juliet saw her give her very well proportioned volleyball star ass a slap. Just so Juliet knew what she lost out on. Truthfully, Tristan didn’t care what kind of dress it was, if it wasn’t for Abby she wasn’t even going to go and, not that she was bragging, but Tristan was confident she could show up in a garbage bag and still be in the upper tiers of hottest in the room. Athletes just had that advantage.

Abby, meanwhile, held the dress out in front of her with both hands then put it close to her like she’d seen done countless times. It was bright, it had floral print, and it reminded her of mint chocolate chip ice cream. In a word, it was: “Perfect!” And, like Tristan, Abby headed to try it on, though she had much more of a skip in her step in comparison to Tristan’s sassy sashay.

Ellie, then, was left with her hands thrust in her pockets.

“God, she thinks she can get away with everything just because she has pretty brown eyes and a nice butt. Is she still annoying as a passenger princess?” Juliet shook her head to dismiss the rhetorical question as she finally devoted her full attention to Ellie. “At least we’re finally alone. You never told me your size.”

“She demands shotgun, if that’s what you mean. If you’re focused on her eyes, I have it on authority that she's single.” Ellie had never once thought on Tristan’s eyes or butt, but clearly Juliet had been and if it would stop Tristan complaining about her lack of a relationship then why not try and set the two of them up? Clearly there was history there but that wasn’t for Ellie to know about. “You don’t need to know my size, man, I’m not here to shop. Didn’t you hear me, or have your ears been poisoned by Elsa’s schlocky song about girl power?”

“I know she’s single. I dumped her.” That was mostly true. While it was a fairly mutual dumping, Juliet had been louder and more dramatic, which she took as a victory. She had not discussed this idea with Tristan, and had no plans to. When Ellie started talking again, Juliet prepared to deliver her pick up line - and then Ellie decided she wanted to fight. “Schlocky? What, are you mad that it’s essentially the most popular song of the 2010s and it didn’t even need a funky bass line? Please.” She rolled her eyes and folded her arms over her chest. If there had been something she wanted to follow up with about Ellie’s size, it had been pushed to the back of her mind. “Of course it’s schlocky. It’s a Disney movie. Just because it’s a bit cheesy doesn’t make her voice less powerful, or the lyrics less inspirational. If you want to dislike it, that’s fine. But Let It Go is basically the foundation for a billion dollar franchise and saved the company. You’re gonna have to do better than ‘popular bad.’” She scoffed.

“Are you seriously telling me the first time you heard the song it didn’t do anything for you? Idina belted the last chorus so hard that most pop stars should be ashamed of themselves. They can’t even keep up with an animated white girl.” She huffed.

“The first time I heard the song the only thing it did to me was make me not want to watch the movie.” Ellie still hadn’t seen it, of course, and she didn’t feel like she was missing out on anything. Normally she wouldn’t even expend the effort on a discussion like this - Disney teens were just a couple years from being Disney adults and Ellie couldn’t imagine a more depressing thing other than being a K-Pop fan over the age of twenty one. But Juliet being so ready to fight for the song was…well, it made Ellie want to fight back. Passion was passion and passion was rare around here. “I didn’t say it was bad because it’s popular, I like Girl On Fire and that is twice the song Let It Go is and Alicia Keys isn’t even a Broadway broad like your Queen Idina is. What’s inspirational about the lyrics? It’s the same rah rah don’t be afraid to be who you are message that’s been around since, like, the queercore movement of the 90s! The only difference is this time it has Disney money pushing it so it’s shined to a squeaky clean finish for easy, empty calorie consumption.”

Ellie was spending too much effort, but she could see her words were making Juliet pout and that seemed like enough motivation to continue; it was a uniquely cute pout. “And if you remember, my issue wasn’t you liking the song, it was you saying you were unique for calling it your favorite. What next, your favorite movie is Avengers?”

“Do I look like I watch superhero movies?” Juliet couldn’t help herself and snapped. She was practically being insulted by someone who clearly didn’t know what she was talking about. She clicked her tongue, “maybe you should watch the movie before you judge the song, huh? I don’t know if you realize this, but Disney money pushing out the ‘don’t be afraid of who you are’ message is kind of a big deal for people our age. I don’t care if it made a corporation a bunch of money, it’s important! Alicia Keys isn’t even comparable!”

“First of all, I said that Let It Go would be my favorite if I didn’t want to be unique.” She tapped her head, an unspoken gesture meant to ask ‘are you stupid?’ in a way that wouldn’t get her fired. She reeled back and fired off in her native tongue, hoping to safely express how she was feeling. “너는 귀여운데 너의 취향은 나를 토하게 만든다. 멍청한 상사.”

When she was younger and hating the fact that she had to learn a language other than english, Ellie’s mom just said that one day she’d be glad to know her ‘mother tongue’. Ellie’s mom would never know that the day finally came, if only so she could give a light laugh at Juliet’s sudden dive into Korean. It wasn’t a mocking laugh; Ellie’s laugh sounded like it came from the throat, a husky chortle that matched her normal ‘husky smoker but a teen’ voice of her day to day. “넌 내 취향을 모르잖아, 자기야”

At first, Juliet looked almost insulted. It was almost as if not disclosing that she spoke Korean was the most insulting thing Ellie had ever done. Then, it was like a switch turned in her head and Juliet’s demeanor shifted a bit. Even her tone of voice changed, dropping the silky smooth customer service voice she’d used for most of their encounter as she stepped forward and tilted her head to the side, “오, 진짜?” A voice that was quiet enough it was meant only for Ellie’s ear, lilted from Juliet’s lips. Her voice was sing-song; angelic or devilish, depending on who you asked.

The smirk she wore said it louder than her words. Each step she took forward resulted in Ellie taking one backwards. When Ellie’s back touched the wall, Juliet held up and wagged a finger. She didn’t talk though, because what needed to be said was best said silently. She stepped up to Ellie and stood on her tip-toes, very suddenly pressing her lips against hers. By the time she let the kiss break, her arms had found their way around Ellie’s neck - though they dropped as Juliet pulled away from her.

She ran her tongue along her upper lip, commenting. “Blue raspberry? I thought you’d like cherry.”

It was over before Ellie was backed against the wall. Juliet had taken control and Ellie was just along for the ride; the bassist wasn’t even aware of the kiss at first, but once the taste of candy flowed onto her tongue, Ellie was kissing back as if they weren’t in the middle of a store where eyes could fall upon them with all their scrutiny. When Juliet broke the kiss, Ellie was still puckering towards the air, like she wanted to keep the kiss going, and there was a gentle flush of embarrassment when she realized she was still wanting more. She didn’t have a sweet tooth but Juliet’s lips were the tastiest thing this side of a blue slushie. “I’m a size eight.”

“Oh good. Then you’ll be able to try on what I want you to be wearing when you pick me up for the dance. And I want shotgun.”

“Shotgun’s yours, 애기야.”

“Oi, this is a place o’ business, nae pleasure, yeah? Take it outside or outta sight.” Shauna’s dulcet brogue snapped Ellie out of the candy reverie she found herself in. Ellie promptly looked away, cheeks red, while Shauna looked at her watch. ‘Five minutes? Not bad, Newbie.’ Her internal thoughts were giving Juliet a thumbs up even if all she could do physically was nod to the new girl, Stepping out from behind the counter, Shauna headed for the fitting rooms where the first two girls had been.

“You ladies all good in there? Just checkin’ on ya.”

“Yeah, no, it’s fine! We’re fine! Just trying to see the fits!”

Indy Adams was lying. She wasn’t really fine. She looked fine. That was a given. She was very good at looking the part, even more so now that she had the tools and tricks of the Hive in aiding that goal. But inside her head, there was chaos.

What the proprietor had said, about window shopping and everything, Indy knew what she was talking about. It was almost embarrassing to be read by the Irish woman with the ease of a kindergartner flipping through a pop-up book. She knew the desire that Indy held inside, but it was never about Indy. While there was growing evidence that a move made on Angel would result in positive reactions for both of them, it didn’t matter when it appeared there were so many gates ready to slam down in the way should Indy get caught off guard. Naomi. Levi. Mami Vasquez. They all would have things to say if word got out about Indy’s attraction to Angel, and they wouldn’t hurt the blonde nearly as much as they could hurt the brunette. Indy was already the vagabond, the traveler who would move on to her next destination and put BHHS behind her like she did so many other stops in the world. Angel, as far as Indy knew, didn’t have that luxury. She wasn’t even sure of any alternate family members in the area that would take Angel in should her mother act as expected should she find out her daughter kissed a girl. There was potential for Angel to have to leave Los Angeles entirely.

That was the conundrum Indy faced. Would the short-term pleasure be worth the potential long-term pain of being denied such joy ever again?

At least right now, the outfit was proving to be the least of her problems. After swapping the bomber jacket for the suit jacket that was indicated by Shauna, it looked like it would do the job, provided she got rid of the red tank top underneath. Red was not the color to be paired with such a stark white. This wasn’t Valentine’s Day. Yet Indy’s heart was still fluttering like it had a couple arrows in it.

“I don’t know if this would be better with a black top underneath, or the silver one, or if I just go full white. But I know red isn’t it,” she stated to Angel.

“I like black,” Angel quickly responded, mirror-gazing at her features, inside her dressing room, right next to Indy’s. “You should pick black.” Turning to her side, to check how the back looked, she could see how beautiful the dress accentuated the best parts of her, like her lithe form, and how it showcased her legs. ^{“My mom… would not like this,”} She said to herself, too low for Indy to hear. It wasn’t often she felt this pretty. Naturally, in the Hive, she had no choice but to be creative so that she didn’t gross her peers with her conservative wear. But to wear whatever she wanted? Without getting scrutinized for it? The thought was liberating.

Turning to face the mirror once more, Angel pulled her hair back and tried to imagine hairstyles with the fit. Once she returned home she would need to call Dahlia to see if she’d allow her to get ready at her place. Angel wanted to go to the party too but the only way she’d be allowed away for the weekend was if Dahlia’s mother was tagged in for distraction. There was a spinning vortex in her stomach at the thought of deliberately disobeying her mother. All her life she was told what to do, how to speak, who to interact with. Her father was a bystander to all the verbal abuse and there were times, she felt like doing exactly what her mother wanted was good for her. If it weren’t for her mother, she wondered if her father would try to slip in her bedroom at night. The way he looked at her sometimes, especially after he drank, made her exceedingly uncomfortable. Perhaps that’s why she decided to turn to video games originally. To add color to her prison cell.

“I’m coming out.” Stepping out of the dressing room, to show Indy the dress Shauna picked out, Angel anxiously rubbed her sides and asked, “What do you think? Is it too much?” Her mother said that dressing like this would get her raped and killed, and part of her was worried she’d be asking for it but she’d be lying if she said she didn’t like it on her.

At the sound of her shopping partner announcing her unveiling to the store, Indy emerged from her own stall to get a look at just how that idea of darkness and lace would look on her friend and she was not disappointed. It was almost sad to think Angel was unable to show off her body like this due to her mother’s overbearing presence, because the world needed to know what it was missing out on. The lace was in all the right places, accentuating the tan skin and making sure the fabric was where it needed to be. The revealing cuts showing off that little bit of midsection and a lotta bit of leg, paler compared to the arms, and that wide neckline at the top, it was the way Angel was meant to be shown. She looked like a beautiful shadow, hidden by the “light” of the world but emerging now to taunt and tease and hint at what she could do if set free.

Indy didn’t say any of that out loud though. Maybe Shauna’s warning hadn’t taken hold yet.

Instead, she opened her mouth and then closed it. Holding back the torrent of praise she wanted to give. Holding back the confessions that were springing to her mind finally seeing Angel in something that expressed something akin to her true feelings, not those imposed upon her by the threat of some beardy man sending her to a pit of fire for daring to have a thought that wasn’t devoted to his praise. Shoot, Lucifer themselves might show up at the Pearly Gates to claim this dark Angel for their own collection before Peter told them to shove off.

This was a true test of Indy’s restraint.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity in her mind, she spoke. “Nah, I don’t think it’s too much. I think it meets you, like, you seem like you’re made to wear that. I mean… it looks really good on you.” Indy looked down at herself. “I don’t know if there’s a black top here that will match with this. I don’t think I have one unless I really do just want to wear a bra to the dance… I almost thought that would be too much, but if there’s a party afterwards, at least that’s an easy change. I can just bring a different top to put over it.” She heaved a sigh. “Sorry, I’m rambling. No, it is not too much.”

Again, Indy was lying. This was becoming a bad habit. However, admitting that the sight of Angel in that dress was overloading her mind was not the thing to say. Not right now.

“Right… cool, yeah,” Angel replied, pushing some of her hair behind her ear, aware of how exposed she was. The fact that her friend said the outfit was made for her caused somersaults in the pit of her stomach. “I’ll get it then,” She agreed, feeling awfully bashful. That was until their shared moment was disrupted. Inside her dressing room, her phone began to ring. A Spanish gospel song signaled her mother was calling. It was a song her mom heavily suggested to be her ringtone and by suggestion, her mother ripped her phone from her hand and put it in for her. Evangely didn’t have a wrist watch but she knew it wasn’t eight yet. They weren’t in The Mermaid’s Closet that long. Although this place certainly did feel timeless.

Apathetic and seemingly unbothered, Angel quietly left Indy’s side to return to her private room. Picking up the phone, she listened to the woman on the other line, “It’s game day… I told you yesterday... ¿Alguna vez te he mentido?” Momentarily, there was silence coming from Angel’s dressing room. Putting the phone down on a small bench in the room, exasperated, as her mother continued to yap on, Angel began to change and put on her casual wear. Leave it to her mother to ruin a good time. Taking earbuds out of her backpack, she placed them in, transferring the audio from one device to the other. “No puedo volver a casa, cada vez que se pelean.”

Exiting the dressing room, black dress hanging in her arm, Angel texted Indy, who she assumed was in the other room. She continued to listen to her mother complain and in response, she tried her best to talk in a calm tone, hoping it helped the older woman off the ledge.

To: Perla
register.

The sooner she got home, the less likely her mom would strip her away from anymore highschool experiences, like the dance tomorrow. Somehow, someway, Angel needed to guarantee her freedom tomorrow. Missing the game was one thing but missing the first party? That was unacceptable behavior for a member of the Hive. Angel disappointing her mom continuously was one thing. She was used to it. Disappointing Naomi and Levi was a whole different thing. She didn’t need to add them to that list and commit social suicide. Nor did she want to let Indy and Lottie down by worrying one and being ‘so lame’ to the other. If things went her way, tomorrow, around this time, she would be at school watching her peers dance poorly. Then she’d head to the party likely in the backseat of Naomi’s car and her mom would trust that she went straight to Dahlia’s to sleepover.

To: Muñeca
sos.
tmr. get rdy at ur place?

SOS was all Angel needed to send to her childhood friend for her to understand what was needed.

To: Joyita
wanna play league?

Putting her worry aside, deciding to take this adventure as a win — she got a new dress and she felt closer to Indy — Angel focused on what was next on her list. Getting home, decompressing, and playing games all night. She hoped Jade was down. Angel needed to release her frustration. What better way than to have fun with friends while improving her competitive needs? That was honestly the best way.

To: Joyita
give me 30

Indy had finished putting her school outfit back on, denim shorts returned to the ensemble now that she was out of the withering glare of Naomi Davis, and was ready to claim at least the suit before wondering where she could find the final pieces to her Homecoming Dance style when she got the text from her shopping partner. She knew it wasn’t time for Cinderella to leave the castle but the wicked mother’s powers dwarf that of the fictitious step-mom. She sighed, not really wanting this trip to end yet but surely there would be others who could help her finish the task of making sure she didn’t shame the Hive at the event tomorrow. Maybe Shauna would be able to figure something out. It was her job after all. Either way, she did want to make sure Angel was going to be all right with her jailer. Going through all this and not being able to enjoy seeing the fruits of this trip under the strobe lights and whatever decorations were planned for this sort of thing? That would be a true sin.

To: Dark Angel
See you there.

BHHS: Limitless

Kathleen Frasier

_{Kathleen Hannah Frasier}

18 • Female • Bisexual • She/Her • Single

(FC: Rhea Norwood; Dialogue: a03cb8)

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Ｉｎｔｒｏ

► reputation

"I think my reputation is pretty damn sparkling! I’ve done a good job being more than just the daughter of a celebrity and really carved my own name for myself at BHHS. Lottie and I have the squad in a great position, considering how much… turbulence there was in our year. Still, varsity is killing it, we are so ready for Homecoming and beyond, and those other schools will drown in an ocean of poison and blood and… shoot. Guess Mom’s blood is still in my veins after all."

► current dilemma

“So like I’ve said, I have been working on making my own reputation outside of just being the daughter of Eden. All the Greens have their own thing, their own personalities, but me? What do I really have? I dated Jack for a while, but it feels like that’s just what a cheerleader is supposed to do. Date an athlete. So is that it? Does being a cheerleader count as a personality? I don’t think so. I know a lot of other students are in the same boat as me, but this is the last year of high school. I want to make sure I’m on a path that can get me somewhere I deserve. Even if that takes me away from California.”

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Ｄｅｔａｉｌｓ

► social media handles

“I’m on Instagram @CheerKatF616, Twitter and Snapchat at the same, Facebook at Kat Hannah, Discord I don’t use, but just in case, it’s BlackKat616 cause I thought it sounded cooler. That’s what discord is right? It’s cooler, so you have to have the gamer handle or something?”

► style

“I wear a lot of colors, a lot of red to match the school, but I don’t go for a lot of black, just because I get enough of that from my Mom and Dad. Red is my favorite color, so I try to accent that with some brighter tones. Sometimes I show up with a choker on, but that’s because my mom demands I do something to show some teeth, as she calls it. But that’s not who I am, that’s who she is.
I do work some plaid in sometimes, mostly to keep my dad happy. He really wants to make sure I embrace my Scottish and English roots. I just think it’s a cute pattern. At home I do try and speak a little more with the accent. It's not as pronounced as school, but people keep telling me they can hear it and the Scottish kinda throws them off, but yeah, it's really thick at home.”

► ride & everyday items

“I have a Black Aston Martin that my dad gave me for my 16th birthday. A right British car. It’s nice and sporty, and the guys seem to like the fact that if I let them drive, they get to feel like James Bond. Jokes on them, they don’t get to drive. They are the Bond Girl. 

My phone is my most important item, need to have it. It is my lifeblood. I always have my makeup bag on me, never know when I need to touch something up. Aaaaaand, I always try to have some fruit somewhere near by. A banana, a mango, something just to keep the energy up. I have to buy all the fruit myself though. I swear if I said word dragonfruit to my parents, they’d laugh and say nothing grows in Wales.”

► occupation

“Is cheerleader an occupation? Then that.”

► extracurricular activities

“I’m going to give you one guess! Yeah, as second-in-command of the cheerleading squad, that takes up the majority of my time. I’m the Eliza Dushku to Lottie’s Kirsten Dunst. My parents REALLY want me to do something musical. I guess I could sing a little. Oooooh, or play the violin or cello like Auntie Krista! But right now, I want to focus on making the Flyrates the best squad in the state! No, the country!”

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Ｑｕｅｓｔｉｏｎｎａｉｒｅ

Friends would describe me as _______.

"A shining light, a beacon inspiring the school to strive higher than before! I guess my friends know how much effort it takes for me to be like that. I don’t know how people like Amy and Nevaeh feel about me now, but to the others, they know I’m true blue… or red, I guess!”

In my free time I like to _______.

"I’ve spent some time learning German thanks to Auntie Krista. I think it’s important to be able to have a second language on the resume, or third, since Spanish is so prevalent, here. To relax, I do like to just veg out and listen to some music. At least I kept that from my parents. But I’m usually not vegging out! So many practices to do!.”

I would like to learn _______ in the next year.

"Enough German that I can watch the dubbed Mean Girls movie without subtitles. If I get there, I think that means I’ve got it on lock.”

This is how I define success and failure:

“There is no such thing as true failure, despite what my parents say. If you don’t complete something that you attempt, but you still learn something from it, that is still a success. As long as you keep moving forward without being so stuck in the past, that’s what it means to be human. To keep going as far as you can go.”

I'm inspired by _______.

“Wow, um, my fellow cheerleaders, obv. They put so much effort into everything, and overcome some tough losses, I couldn’t ask for a better group of people to work with. Also my Auntie. Krista has taught me so much joy and compassion, I’m so thankful to her.”

These songs are the soundtrack to my life:

“All right, so these are some of my favorite songs to do routines to. I know some of them are a bit old and campy, but I just like them! I hope my parents like some of them even if I’m not going to ever do a routine to Embrace the Venom:

“Ariana Grande – Into You”
“Breathe Carolina - Blackout”
“Queen – Killer Queen”
“Taylor Swift – Bad Blood”
“Missy Elliott – Lose Control”
“Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Heads Will Roll”
“SZA – Kill Bill”
“Sophie Ellis-Bextor – Murder on the Dancefloor”

My fondest memory as a child was _______.

“Landing a standing backflip for the first time when I was 10. I had to adjust a little as I got older, but being able to do that consistently gave me the confidence that I could do this cheerleading thing. My dad says he was trying to get me to practice flipping off a stage. Jokes on him.”

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

“Don’t let the light inside you be dimmed by the darkness. As long as it still shines, there is hope not just for you, but for others.”

The things that make me smile are _______.

"That feeling when I get caught after a perfect pike twist, post-game party sessions with the rest of the girls, and Elite parties!”

My whole life story in one sentence:

"I am proof that you are not what you are born into as one can choose their own path in this life, so why shouldn’t everyone spread their wings and fly?”

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► extra information

”OK, first of all, no, I don’t know if East of Eden is doing a farewell tour. Or if they will ever been done. My mom always said she would die with a guitar in her hands, and honestly, I believe her. If my parents do leave though, you better believe there’s a big party at my place. Second, I know a lot of people like giving me gifts and stuff, so please, no chocolates, I prefer flowers, perfume or stuffed animals for the collection at home. I’ve almost hidden the gimp bear my mom bought me from Dollskill. Finally, Go Pirates!”

_{NPC FCs: Rebecca “Bex” Frasier (mother): Siouxsie Sioux, Shepard Frasier (father): Jason Issacs, Krista Muller (non-related aunt): Elisabeth Shue}

BHHS: Limitless

_{TIMESTAMP: 8:30AM / 4:30PM
LOCATION: Hallway/Mr. Phoenix's Room/BHHS Field}

The few students that roamed the hallways of the cacophonous building might have been surprised by the blonde slowly making her way toward Mr. Phoenix’s homeroom class alone. The blonde could probably tell whoever was asking the names of 80% of them. After all, Emilia Seger knew so many people in Beverly Hills High that surely someone would be talking to her about their latest club that they wanted to set up, or a project that needed an extra little bit of a push. It was something she was happy to do, sampling all of the various pleasures that life in her later teenage years had to offer. It did mean that she had very little free time for herself, but she could rest when she was dead! Ariana wouldn’t stop for a second and neither would Emilia! Right now, however, it was all taken care of.

That meant, for once, all that floated around the young woman’s head at the moment was the cold sensations hitting her brain and the sweet fixation hitting her tongue. All the jumbled things that bounced her brain, trying to figure out how to help who and what club needed what, were quiet. They were held down for the moment by the rush of cold sugar, cream and caffeine that went some way to explaining how the blonde managed all that energy she seemed to have for her many endeavors.

The iced white chocolate mocha and croissant breakfast sandwich would serve as her fuel today, against her Gramma's best wishes. Too many preservatives, she would exclaim. A growing girl needed a strong start in the morning, and that meant oats, berries and a black cup of coffee. It was a meal that sustained generations through the winters in Sweden and Minnesota. But there was usually no time for Emilia to make her own breakfast, not only because of her many duties around the school, but because she was often at the whims at whichever member of her primary friend group was giving her a ride to school. Emilia could drive herself, but she made a commitment to the Green Group to cut down on the amount of times she drove her Mazda. For some reason, today’s ride needed to be at school early today. And he craved Starbucks, so deciding to take advantage of that stop and grab a quick meal was an easy call to make. People might think the weirder decision was who she accepted the ride from today.

Some people would never understand why Emilia would still be friends with her ex-boyfriend even after he moved on from her for some guy, but AJ Tyler had qualities that weren’t quantified by mere relationship details. Emi had been through a lot with the boy who dare not be called by his first name. He was one of the first people to be kind to her when she moved to California at the age of 8, without the knowledge of why she had just arrived in the Golden State, and that friendship continued throughout the rise in grades. While AJ’s interest in cars was growing, Emilia did her best to go full speed with him, even as her interests drifted like a dandelion seed on the wind. Emilia is nothing if not loyal. To a fault, people would argue at times.

The second AJ arrived at the school, he said he had to run off to do something else. Emilia asked what it was, but she was given the usual “Don’t worry about it” in response. Then AJ was gone, speeding off to somewhere else. There was no chance of Emilia keeping up with him, so she took him at face value. If he said it was fine, it was probably fine. The value of that earned loyalty AJ received left her walking the hallway by herself, mocha in hand, but it would be fine. Surely he would be fine.

However, when she finally arrived in the homeroom to make sure her perfect attendance mark was still intact, she did not spot AJ. Clearly even after making her rounds, it wasn’t enough time to deal with whatever it was he needed to deal with. That was fine. Although the absence of another boy did leave her with something to worry about.

She hoped nothing was wrong with Ethan. Despite what a lot of people said when Emilia told them the Green boy had started making moves towards her a couple months after her and AJ broke up, she was glad she eventually relented and gave him a chance to show her he wasn’t the person all those rumors said he was. The people who still whispered in the hall about what Ethan and his buddies got up to weren’t getting to her. She was used to others doubting her taste in boyfriends. After all, AJ didn’t have the best reputation either.

They didn’t know the Ethan that she got to know. The guy who hid such a sensitive soul underneath all that money-family bravado. All those sweet texts he would send while she was doing homework at night. Sure they didn’t go on dates EVERY weekend, but a guy does need his space from time to time.

Emilia wondered if that was why AJ eventually pulled away from her in that regard. Maybe it was too much time together, familiarity breeding boredom. Was that why he wanted Jamie instead? No. People can’t help the way they are. She knew that. They had a talk about that after AJ confirmed his feelings. It wasn’t what Emilia wanted, but she couldn’t argue it.

This is what happens when my mind is left to wander. I’ve got too many things in here.

A final sip of her drink before it hit the trash can steadied her mind for the moment. Emilia did pick up a new thought though. The work she had did for the Earth by hitching a ride with AJ today was probably undone by the non-reusable cup that she used. “Shoot,” she cursed under her breath as she moved to take her seat. At least she was somewhat prepared for the chaos of the day.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Emilia managed the day pretty well. At least she believed it enough to be true. She did get an answer to where Ethan was at the very least, the text still present on her screen:

Hey sweetheart, I’m shopping for my party. Let me know if you want anything. I hope you have someone to keep you company during the game. Kisses. See you tomorrow.”

Nothing new had popped up since, not that Emi noticed. She was too busy helping with the setup for the game. As a senior, she didn’t have to man concession booths anymore, but she still liked to check in before the game to make sure the juniors were up to the task. The Cooking Club could use a new Dutch Oven, and the sales from homecoming would give them that and then some. Countless groups benefited from the sales of merch to the alumni coming back to BHHS for a refresh of their wardrobe, a size up or down depending how the respective binge-eating or surgeries went. Everything appeared to be in order.

So all that was left was for Emilia to find someone to sit down with and actually watch the game...

Easier said than done.

BHHS: Limitless

_{TIMESTAMP: A little before & during Homeroom/Morning Show}

_{@NeoAJ & @LovelyComplex}
____________________________________________________________________

A huge sigh left Indy Adams’ lips as the trudge through the parking lot concluded. The small skirt was riding up a little higher than she was used to, and the wind off the Pacific was coming in just enough to make her worried about flashing the degens in the skate park. It was a small price to pay for her blushes being spared. The shorts that offended the sensibilities of the Queen Bee now rested in her backpack, only for a moment before they would be quickly dispatched to her locker for the crime of not matching the theme of the day.

After a briefing in Naomi’s sedan, the Hive eventually spread out to take care of their various dealings. Naomi and Lottie were in one homeroom, while the other three members shared the pleasure of having Miss Belmonte start their day with attendance. Levi had his own priorities and had left to take care of them. This left the two newest members of the Hive, and arguably the two with the least say on the proceedings of the clique, to walk towards Room 105 together.

It was a long trek for Indy. She was still thinking about what actually happened in the backseat of that Benz. She saw more of Evangely Vazquez’s leg than she ever dared to think she would today. Even the times when the Hive hit the pool, Angel was sporting a far more modest swimsuit that didn’t offer that much of a view. Indy’s coverup showed more skin, at least in her thoughts. That image was going to sustain the blonde for a while. The incident was far less explicit than the tales told by rappers of their various conquests in assorted Mercedes’ backseats, but it was still something that weighed on her mind.

“Thank you, again,” she finally offered to Angel as the two inched closer toward homeroom. “I should have just grabbed one of the skirts I had instead of trying to make the denim work. I’ll get this back to you at the end of the day.”

Evangely bit the inside of her cheek as they walked together, side by side. Their differences were laughable really. Indy could touch the top of a doorway frame and Angel could hide in a locker. Indy was fair and kind, Angel was dark and broody. Indy was approachable and optimistic, Angel was neither. Nothing about them was similar and yet out of the group, Indy was the one Angel felt the most herself around (well, if we’re not including her discord friends she games with). Indy was authentic, natural, and completely herself. Sure, Naomi, Levi and Lottie did their best to dress them but that never changed how Indy thought or behaved. That never changed who Nicola Adams was as a person, and that to Angel was admirable. The school hadn’t consumed her yet. She wasn’t an actor. She was simply a girl trying to survive her last year of high school.

Looking around them, Angel observed their surroundings, with no emotion written on her face. She locked eyes with a freshman girl, a brunette, whose hair was in a French braid. She watched them in awe. When she went to wave at them, her outfit screaming pink and Sanrio, her shy, mousey friend grabbed her hand and brought it down, avoiding eye contact with the two popular girls. She whispered something in her friend’s ear and the girls scurried off. Out of sight, out of mind. Being part of the Hive wasn’t a good thing. Those that admire you just did and said what they thought you wanted. In this incident, one freshman didn’t want to be in the Hive’s orbit and the other freshman didn’t know better. The reality of the situation was all the bees under Naomi Davis were feared because she was feared.

No one really knew any of them and prior to Angel joining the circle, people just thought she was a walking crucifix. People never wanted to know her. The only friends she had were those she met online. Then the day came when she caught Levi in a sweet, wholesome scenario. He got embarrassed when he got caught working at the local children’s home. He didn’t like that someone from his class was now working side-by-side with him as a youth mentor. It was weird that he didn’t want people to know he did charitable work and that he cared about children but she wasn’t going to make a fuss out of it. He wasn’t the only one with secrets. And she wasn’t going to lie and say she didn’t hate the fact that her club had more than just her and a couple of quiet kids.

With Levi, Indy, and Tate in Faith Forward, maybe she would gain enough traction to shift its purpose to something more meaningful to her. She didn’t give up on it because there were students that actually looked up to her and ate up every word she said. If she wanted to, she could have her own little cult of lonely, desperate and lost students who just wanted to sit in a circle and talk about their struggles, hoping Jesus could absolve their sins or at least make life easier. She didn’t hate the empowering part of religion but whether her club was aware of it or not Angel was providing them resources and tools of the secular and the sacred, giving them philosophy and food for thought, so they could come to their own decision of what they wanted to believe or not. She didn’t hate religion, it gave most people a reason to live. She hated how people used it as a weapon. Originally, creating Faith Forward was for her parents’ sake, to show she is actively making an impression on her school and spreading the word to her peers, but it's turned into a fellowship that meets weekly to provide comfort and guidance to those that need it. In a way, Angel designed the club to feel like an AA meeting but for teenage struggles and family trauma. No one would know that though unless they attended a meeting. Whatever is said in Faith Forward, stays in Faith Forward.

“No need to thank me, I was an asshole,” Angel brusquely spoke, turning her head to look up at the girl beside her, fixing her gaze with the blonde’s serene stare. Something about the way Indy looked at her, the soul and color residing in her eyes, reminded Angel of the radiating brown sun, circled by rings of gold, in a clear autumn sky. “I liked what you were wearing,” She admitted. “It looked good.” That same dark, mysterious gaze that pierced the veil with a simple look trailed down Indy’s lithe form and stopped at her skirt. “But yeah, my skirt does look good on you,” she complimented, her usual sarcastic, cold and monotone voice now had a hint of playfulness, even if it was not easy to discern. “You’re welcome.” A tiny smile appeared on her face before she turned her attention to their walk, covered her mouth and yawned.

Was that… was that joy? Happiness? Something indicating a positive emotion present on the face of her friend? It appeared for only a second but it could have lived in Indy’s head for 1,000 years. Those rare moments when a pleasant visage was allowed to emerge, something that no one really got to see. For some reason, Indy was able to.

Maybe that was what attracted Indy to Angel in the first place? It didn’t make a lot of sense. For someone who had just been tuned into this burgeoning side of her sexuality a couple of months earlier in Sydney, identifying the head of the religious group inside the school as her potential target of affection seemed like a surefire way to not only undo the work that Kai had done on Bondi Beach, but also quash any chance she had of exploring those feelings any further.

That glimpse into those eyes though, dark brown windows into a soul that was set on one solemn path but dared to toe the line towards the woods. A face that glowed with the warmth of the sand on a picture-perfect summer day. And that smile, that perfect little smile, caught only for that brief second. Managing to burn through whatever walls were put in front of it for a cameo appearance. It had to be swiftly contained, its power was too great. When it escaped though, it was amazing.

It’s why Indy put herself in such positions to try and coax that smile out as much as possible. She was never a religious person. Her travels around the world left her convinced that no one religion had all the answers to the mysteries of the universe, and those that claimed they did were lying to make a quick buck for some corrupt asshole at the front of it. She had some ideas, but no pure belief. Joining Angel’s Faith Forward group was a massive leap of faith in that regard, putting herself at the mercy of Catholic dogma just for a shot at potential mental debauchery. She joined shortly after she arrived at BHHS, but when she attended, it didn’t have the feel of one of those sidewalk sermons where some wannabe preacher tries to convince you his path was the way of righteousness. It was more like a chance to vent, to discuss problems other people were having. In a way, it did make Indy feel blessed that her major problem was that she didn’t really know anybody. Well, aside from the other problem of not knowing if she was going to explore her other dating options or not. Angel answered a lot of the questions regarding that without even saying a word.

Apparently, her performance in Faith Forward along with her status as a varsity athlete was enough to put her on the radar of Naomi Davis. She didn’t know if it was Levi or Angel herself that fed the word to the Queen Bee, but to be a part of Angel’s circle outside of school in addition to inside? It was an offer that the surfer girl couldn’t refuse. Even if it meant enduring the verbal lashings like the one she took in the car today. Even if it meant she was, dare she say, a feared presence in the student body. While she could see the stares gaze downward and hear the hushed whispers on the side, it didn’t matter to Indy. It was worth it to have Angel stand by her, much like she did today. A true moment of practicing what you preach, sharing your possessions for the betterment of your fellow humans.

Plus for all the warning signs that told her there was no way a pious child like Angel Vazquez could ever be convinced to give in to the temptation of the fairer sex, stripping down in the back seat the way she did told Indy that there were always openings into that reality.

The fact that Angel called herself an asshole was another. That was not the language you heard in the mosques of Istanbul, the shrines of Kobe, or the chapels of Clearwater. Certainly outside the chapels of Clearwater.

The blush on Indy’s face was starting to spread a little bit as Angel spoke. She had a blunt way of talking that led to a little bit of difficulty telling when she was being sarcastic or not. That admission had no scent of sarcasm in it though. It was truth. Angel felt bad, and she actually liked the outfit. Indy demurred a little bit and brushed the side of her bangs behind her ear, showing off the faux-ruby stud that sat in the lobe. “Thank you,” she finally answered. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned since I moved here, it’s that I need to work with what I got, and my legs are my best feature. At least, according to Levi and Naomi. And your skirt is definitely helping with that.”

She paused for a second before sighing. “I still don’t know what I’m going to do for Homecoming though. I know it’s a big deal, but… I’ve never been big on the whole… dressing up kind of thing. I’m not a gown girl. Shoot, I’d rather just show up like this. I know Naomi would crucify me if I did that though.” She thought for a second about that imagery. “I mean, not literally, of course! But… still. A new dress is definitely going to eat into that car fund.” What little free time Indy had she did make available as a tutor, for a price of course, and she was hoping to get a car at some point before the “winter” came, but she didn’t feel like she was getting any closer to her own set of capable wheels and the ability to sit in the front seat on the ride to school for a change. Passing the license test already ate into those funds. The university money was coming into the family now, and her parents were coy on the subject of giving her some money for a car, but Indy wanted to earn her ride on her own terms. It was a joke that her nickname was short for Independent, or that she could send volleyballs flying at you that looked as imposing as the boulder that chased down Dr. Jones, rather than the South African slant on her initials. She never really felt it though until Bondi Beach. She wanted to spread her wings and figure things out in California. Who better to help with that than an Angel?

“I just want to be able to go to the beach again under my own power, and a fancy dress does not survive contact with the sands and the surf very often.”

“Who said it has to be a dress?” Angel countered, already pulling out her phone from the front pouch of her backpack and entering The Mermaid’s Closet in her search engine. Strolling onward, she explained, “Tomorrow they want us to dress like we’re invited to the red carpet but there isn’t anywhere that says it has to be a dress, nor will these drunk, rich kids know if it is out of season unless you’re the Triple Crown girls and who cares what they think.” The pretentious, privileged and pompous princesses that thought they were better than everyone else because their parents’ had a black card might have the looks and the name brands on the outside but they were completely shallow and empty on the inside. “One thing I’ve learned quickly with the crew is you wear the outfit, not the other way around.”

Deciding homeroom wasn’t worth rushing to, Angel gestured for Indy to follow her to the side, so that she didn’t have to walk and look at her phone, risking crashing into someone. Once she led them to a wall, she leaned up against it, and followed the pathway to the ‘sales’ section. She filtered colors and articles of clothing until she found something she thought would look phenomenal on her friend. Blue was definitely her color. “The Mermaid’s Closet closes at nine so we have time, sorta.” She paused, grumbling at her curfew which her friends knew was 8PM. “If I’m totally honest with you I could care less about the game so let’s skip it and go shopping.” She paused again and looked around, making sure no one was in ear shot, “I know Naomi said we SHOULD attend the pep rally and game but let’s be real, if you show up in a Macy’s dress she might disown you. What you wear is far more important than us watching boys in their peak, thinking a game will define who they are.”

Was she wrong?

“As Nomes said in the car, this place has a homecoming sale. All we’ll need is our school ID. Now if we focus on what is already on sale, prior to the extra 20 percent discount we get for being students, you can get this,” Angel suggested, handing her phone over to her friend and showing her what she discovered, before continuing her pitch, “It’s off the rack. It has been sitting there for over a year and is definitely not in season, but.” She dragged the screen down to show the price, “It’s dirt cheap and you’ll spend 30 bucks on a suit top and matching bottom. The only risk we have is it might not be your size but we will never know until we check it out. Now if you have a bustier or a lace bra, rock some heels, and add some silver jewelry, you’ll blow everyone away.”

Angel eased her hand over Indy’s, to grab her phone, her thumb brushing her palm. Her big, brown eyes glanced up as she did so, making sure they found Indy’s pretty blues. She pulled away. “I have a better suggestion though, if you want to hear it.” Once again Indy got a side of Angel that not many people did. There were three instances where Angel felt safe enough to talk freely and that was with her, in her Faith Forward meetings, and when she gamed. Indy didn’t know the last one but maybe in time she would. She was Angel’s best friend, after all.

There were so many thoughts running through Indy’s mind at the moment, and none of them were the ones that she thought were going to be in there not minutes ago.

First, there was the sale. Angel was right that she didn’t exactly have to wear a dress if she didn’t want to. Indy could never be accused of being the girliest girl in the world, but not wearing a dress to a big school event didn’t feel like an option. It clearly was though if Angel was giving it to her. And it looked sharp. While it didn’t show off her legs, it definitely emphasized other parts of her body that didn’t get enough attention when she was picking her wardrobe out. It was a bold statement of intent, that she not only wasn’t going to conform to the ideals of the old Homecoming, she was going to flaunt her choices. Her friend already knew how to accentuate it with just a glance as well. Indy shouldn’t have been surprised given how quickly Angel was able to make the skirt swap this morning, but it was still impressive.

This led to the second thought, Angel was clearly not as invested in anything she said she was before they became friends. Indy knew this. She made a big show in front of Mrs. Vazquez while praying that she didn’t watch The Handmaid’s Tale, but the more that she got to know Angel, the more she felt like there was something there that she actually had a chance at finding. Everyone knew the studious Christian girl who helmed the faith group, went home by 8 pm, and was in league with the Hive. No one knew about this sudden rebel who was suggesting ditching school events and the game to go shopping for high fashion at low prices, who dismissed the privileged of Beverly Hills both on and off the field, and who spoke with such a passion for the plan she was formulating in her head.

Except Indy. Somehow Indy knew. She was trusted enough in the eyes of this vision from Heaven to see inside, past that mask. It wasn’t quite an open book, but the vagabond was a few chapters into this page-turner, and she wanted to keep pressing on. The two were able to smile and laugh in close quarters. Not in front of Naomi or Levi or Lottie, who would tell everyone. It was their own little pact. Indy got the insight that Angel didn’t give others, the joy that she couldn’t give others.

…And the touch. Thought number three.

Indy had not been physical with anyone since arriving back in California. It was hard after Kai had opened up that world to her, but she persevered because she didn’t want to put her position with Angel, Naomi and the others in jeopardy. But the touch of that thumb on her palm gave her the same euphoria as hitting the Daily Double. As it brushed along her skin, she thought for a second this was the clasp of the hands that signified something more, but as Angel’s phone returned to its owner, Indy did her best to hide what that thought did to her. She was already blushing a little, and hopefully, Angel would think it was merely a reaction to the pretty outfit. But their eyes met again, and Indy wasn’t so sure she could hide it.

“Oh yeah?” she finally eked out. “I mean, you have been pretty much en fuego with your suggestions today, Angel. What do you have for me?”

“You’re in the Hive now,” Angel asserted, returning her phone to its designated place within her backpack. The smaller of the two zipped up the front pocket of her bag, always one to be careful and protective over her belongings, and adjusted the strap on her right shoulder. Shifting to face her friend, full body turn, she fixedly looked up at the girl with sunlit waves for hair. “I think it’s time for you to do a power move and wow our friends. Don’t you think?”

That was rhetorical.

The Latina took a step closer, to get a better look at her friend and size her up, just how she did in the car. The smell of Angel — sandalwood shampoo, perfume that was like an evergreen walk in the woods, and cocoa butter — breached Indy’s bubble, ever-present in the air. It mixed with the ocean fragrance of wood sage and sea salt that belonged to the easy on the eye, tall and lean beauty. Earth and water. That’s what described these two girls in a nutshell.

“Don’t wear anything under the blazer,” Evangely stated with complete certainty. “I’m just saying,” she insisted. “You’ll look hot as fuck with a gender-fluid aesthetic and if you really want to earn Naomi and Levi’s respect, I think that’s what you should do.” Lottie didn’t count. Indy knew, she knew. There wasn’t a lot going on in her head and Angel meant that with the utmost kindness. Their friend, as sweet as dulce de leche as she was, was a girl who thinks her nipples getting hard means it’s going to rain. She was a hype girl but her opinions were that of the Hive.

Naomi and Levi were so far away from Indy’s mind at the moment. With that idea espoused by Angel, the chances of hiding the blush on the blonde’s cheeks went from 10% to 0.10%. Just like that.

That was the lingering thought with the suit idea that crossed the blonde’s mind. Was it too much of a statement of intent? The outfit on its own certainly would put the queer thoughts that were occupied within her mind firmly into everyone else’s brains. Indy already had her come to Jesus moment when it came to being, if not a lesbian, definitely bisexual. It felt like the arrow was firmly on lesbian. She had hidden so much of it for fear of losing her chances of keeping Angel in her life.

Now her crush was boldface telling her to go bra and blazer to Homecoming.

Was this really happening? Were her dreams more of a reality than she thought? The comment from earlier came back to Indy. Angel had no interest in staring at a bunch of sweaty boys running around a field hugging each other if the other option was getting her friend a proper outfit. Was there more to that, or was it just an indictment of the possible entertainment? Indy understood the lack of passion. From what she saw, Aussie Rules was a much more exciting game than American football. Maybe it was just another thing her and Angel had in common. More than she thought.

Everything about the moment was telling her this was right. The smells coming from their combined presence were hammering in the sight before her. This dynamo in front of her, looking up to her and telling Indy to be… maybe what she couldn’t? To live the life, strut the stuff that her home life wouldn’t allow her to? Was Indy still at her parents’ place, dreaming this was really happening? She almost wanted Angel to step on her foot to confirm it was real.

“You know… I have this really nice silver bikini that I got in Sydney. If I wear the top to that, you think that would work with the blazer? Keep the teachers off my back and still be fire? The middle string will disappear in the right light.” She was not hiding anything at the moment. The filter was down. If she had her way, she wouldn’t even wear the blazer for Angel, but decorum demanded some level of modesty. Even if she thought she was reading into everything those YA novels told her this could be, there was still something in her mind telling her not to fall fully into this daydream.

“You girls know homeroom is almost over, yeah?” Their intimate moment was interrupted by a sultry, stripper-like, British voice. Mrs. Sydney Royce, cheer captain and health education teacher, nearly as tiny as Angel, appeared between the girls. Not too close to make them uncomfortable, but close enough so they knew they weren’t alone in the hallway. Her blonde curls were vibrant and untamed, her petite body was adorned with a cute, red bow dress, and even when she tried to hold herself with some kind of authority, she was easy going, harmonious, and playfully upbeat; a bright smile beaming from her face. It was hard to see this woman as a leading figure at this school. If anything, most students saw her as one of them (to her frustration). “I’m not gonna’ write you a slip but you should definitely get goin’ before one of the big dogs comes and sees you. Oh and maybe, I overheard a little, Nicola, you should do that. It would be like really amazeballs and I bet that look would make it to the yearbook.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Royce, I agree. She’d look great and, yeah, sorry, we lost track of time.” Angel admitted and apologized, not really thinking it was worth lying to their health teacher who usually let most of her students get away with murder. “We were just leaving actually.”

“Oh sure, sure.” Sydney chuckled, already having her own ideas of their interaction. “Before you skedaddle, Evangely, dear, you should try a black dress. I don’t know why but when I look at you I see you really workin’ in black. Absolute killer vibes. But oopsie! I’m getting distracted, you two better head on off before I’ll have no choice but to give you a ticket to detention.” She paused and grimaced when she said those last words. “Ew, I hate saying that,” the youthful teacher admitted, before shooing them away, “Now get goin’ please.”

“No worries, Mrs. Royce. We’ll check in with Belmonte immediately,” Indy confirmed. She very nearly called her Sydney, given how much she looks like one of Lottie’s co-captains instead of her coach. She held off though. “And thank you. If you’re chaperoning, I’ll try and make sure I strike the right pose for the Pirates’ Log.” She winked and started hustling herself and Angel towards Room 105.

As they departed, she kept her voice down while whispering. “Sydney’s right, you know.” That time she couldn’t help it. “You absolutely rock black like nobody’s business. If you see something at the Closet that you want to get and you know your mom won’t approve of it, I can hold onto your outfit for you and bring it so you can change into it at the dance. It’s the least I can do for all your help.”

“Okay,” Angel agreed while walking beside her friend, finally reaching their homeroom. She wasn’t afraid of trying a new outfit. If she could, she would have a whole new wardrobe that suited her and wasn’t what her mom wanted her to wear. It was just more effort than not to hide what she likes from her parents, especially right from under their nose. “You should pick my outfit out. I’d like to see what you think looks good on me.”

If she was dressing Indy, might as well let Indy dress her. It was only fair. Plus she trusted Indy, more than she’d ever know, and earning Angel’s trust wasn’t an easy feat. For the most part, Angel hated people. Indy wasn’t one of them.

Indy still thought she was dreaming, but if she was, she didn’t care to wake up. This was a world she could live in until zombie Jesus came back to Earth. Nothing else mattered. “Bet.”

BHHS: Limitless

_{Timestamp: 7:30am
Location: BHHS parking lot, near the skate park
Savannah "Payout" Payton, Everly Rigby & Nevaeh Morgan
Cameo: Mei Midnight & Jillian "Ashes" O'Brien
@NeoAJ, @Fabricant451 & Cameo work by @BrutalBx}

There weren’t many things to be thankful for with a move halfway across the country, but one of the advantages was that the biological clock often took a while to adjust itself, and led to earlier wake-up times being easier to handle. It’s why ever since Savannah Payton arrived in her new stomping grounds of Beverly Hills she was able to get up for school at a time she could easily manage. It was still 8:30 am in Austin. Not that she didn’t loathe having to be productive so early, but when one doesn’t have the choice of determining when they wake up, among other things, it becomes tolerable.

By now her routine was pretty simple. With her mom preferring to sleep in, and Chris going off to the office bright and early to try and deal with the traffic, Savannah was left to her own devices to prepare for the day as she saw fit. Right now, that was harder to do than when she first arrived from Texas. Word had gotten out that when you wanted the good shit, be it marijuana, pills or alcohol, Savannah and the PLC always had the hookup. People put money into her pockets and got what they needed. She earned her Payout moniker in Texas, but it spread even quicker here. That meant the money was already coming in at a speedier rate than it did when she was working with Chapolita, and that suited her just fine.

She even had a vehicle to work with in California. While she wasn’t all that thrilled with the Sorrento her step-father decided to bestow upon her, it did have a lot of space. Both obvious and not so obvious. Anything she didn’t want to be seen easily got hidden in some of the hollow spaces of the Korean SUV. No one searching her car without a warrant was going to find anything. Savannah was certain of that.

It was a much quieter ride to school than usual. Of her assembled PLC regulars, only one wanted a lift today. Everly usually went to the school even earlier than Savvy did, intent on grinding the jumps at the park that served as their primary office. The skater girl was determined to nail tricks at a 100% rate, the kind of dedication Savannah respected in her right-hand woman. Ever since Miss Rigby joined the Crew, it was clear she was inspired to better herself in more ways just on the board. Whether that was her own self-realized action plan or Payout actually managed to have a positive influence on someone was not of her concern. The girl worked her butt off and it was appreciated.

The usual source of the noise in the back seat came from one of the most crucial members of the PLC, but Addie wasn’t on board either. The supplier of the best-selling product that Payout had to offer, the hypersonic Addie was always bursting with enough energy to power the Sorrento on a jaunt to Vegas and back. However, she was also absent from proceedings, with the only message sent to the PLC WhatsApp chat being “PANCAKES!!!” before she was unreachable. Every crew needed a livewire after all. Tesla was that member in Austin. Seemed like every time that girl wanted to do something, she’d put her foot down on the accelerator pedal and it would get stuck there. That was Addie here.

Which left the lone occupant of the backseat, the black sheep of Beverly Hills High. At least that’s what she’ll tell you. Nevaeh Morgan was well known for a fall from grace so spectacular the Russian judge had no choice but to give it a 10. The former cheerleader was a pariah following her brief stint in a juvenile correction facility. She was abandoned by her former plastic friends, excommunicated from her fellow drug runners, and left to drift along her remaining year and a half of high school. Right into Savannah’s arms.

Neveah was slow to open up to the Texan after Savannah spotted her skulking about the parking lot that June afternoon. Tough to miss a girl wandering around the California sunshine dressed in all black. However, once the shadow started to reveal bits of herself to the pink-blonde who didn’t shoo her away, what happened to her that left her such an outcast, Savvy couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. Another survivor of the “justice” system, only she had so much more to lose when it happened. It allowed for an empathy that was foreign to Savannah at the time, but now proved very useful. Just as Nevaeh would.

It was the Morgan girl who linked Savannah up with Addie, Nevaeh being well acquainted with ADD on the outskirts of the popular cliques. That gave Savannah an opening with the specialty strains the botanical genius was cooking up. It was that success that got the attention of the rival Stratton cartel to the point where she convinced Everly that there was a better path than tailing the twins, who already proved they couldn’t be trusted to watch your back. Nevaeh backed up Savannah with words rarely heard at the time, and rarely heard since. In essence, there is no PLC without the Strattons casting out this… surprisingly well-built goth girl. Maybe that's why they were so pissed off.

But Nevaeh still kept to herself for the most part, the gigantic black headphones latched onto her head like a protective vice to keep her placated with the latest episode of whatever podcast she was listening to, getting her through school, lifting sessions, 10-minute breaks at the Cheesecake Factory, whatever she needed. Her obsession for the past couple of months was Midnight Frequency, a serial podcast blending music and mystery out of Boston that adorned the tank top she wore underneath her jet-black cardigan, the same one that was wrapping up another episode as Savannah arrived at BHHS.

"And that was Pool Kids with That's Physics, Baby. I don't know about you Mei but I definitely vibe with that song more now than I did when I was actually taking Physics!

“Honestly I don’t even remember taking physics, pretty sure I was wasted most of senior year?”

“Completely understand given a lot of the shit that happened! But back to the matter at hand, I know we were talking about what exactly happened to Erika Miyashima all those years ago, but we still don't really know why she had that plastic wrapped around her fingers!"

“The mystery of Erika Miyashima has endured for a long ass time and will continue to do so until a pair of intrepid explorers with fat asses and bad attitudes solves the damn thing.”

"So we will be back to the cursed shores of Lake Eden at some point to see if we can't wash anything up from the depths, and if we don't, well the bad attitudes will be on display. That won't stop us though! You MFers know it won't!"

“Don’t forget to submit your own hometown mysteries to us! If we find them interesting enough, we might just come to your town, empty your best bar of its alcohol, fuck your wives, steal your daughters and look fine as all fuck doing it!”

"Send us something really tempting and we will shout you out on the podcast, just like Caitlin Dubinsky of Noblesville, Indiana, who got us to come to the Hoosier State to investigate the horrific story of the Tenth Street Bank fire! That got Caitlin a free 'Fine as Fuck' t-shirt, a 1 on 2 meet and greet at Syd’s Fine Food and Spirits, and something that only she knows! So if you want the same experience, find your best mysteries and get in touch with us! Ooh, especially if you're in the Los Angeles area and can get us there around late November! I heard Violet Orlandi is playing a secret show, and I want to get a certain someone VIP tix for our anniversary! I mean, that someone is definitely not Miss Midnight! Nope!"

“She is talking about me because I not only want to hear Violet sing but I also want to bring her to our bedroom to do unspeakable things but I digress. But seriously, submit your stories and we may just wind up at your door. Until then, my ghouls and gals, here’s some slow tracks to bring your mood to where it needs to be. I’m Mei Midnight, this is the burning girl herself Jill O’Brien, you’re listening to the Midnight Frequency and this is Sex & Violence by Pensacola Mist.”

It was easy for the goth girl to adhere to the dress code of the day, black being all she seemed to wear, but Savannah, rebel that she was, refused, sporting a blue crop under that bulky leather jacket that she was so reluctant to give up no matter the weather. Besides, it was October, it was technically getting colder. The ripped black leggings and dark combat boots were the only things that might have counted as showing some Pirates pride, but in reality, Savannah didn’t care. This was just a place she had to be in for another year. Then? Who knows?

The Sorrento pulled into the parking lot of BHHS and Savannah quickly spotted Everly’s board rolling up an incline, although Everly wasn’t on it at the moment. Was it another wipeout? She couldn’t tell. “Shit, let’s go see how busted up Ev is this time,” she commented, unsure if Nevaeh heard her over the synth-pop in her ears, but Payout hopped out of the vehicle, bag in tow, and the dark-haired Morgan girl followed.

As the Sorrento beeped closed and Payout approached the park, she finally shouted down, “Ev, you nail any of those tricks yet or are they just nailin’ your back?”

There was probably no other student at Beverly Hills High School who spent more time on her back than Everly Rigby. Even before the staff begrudgingly allowed for the construction of a mini skate-park rather than adding another extension for more parking spaces on school grounds, Everly was hitting her ass on the sidewalk, the asphalt, grass, even into a filled pool a few times. It came with the territory of being more comfortable on a board with four wheels than her own two feet. She could do simple tricks with the best of them, kickflips, ollies, board slides, but no one was ever truly interested in someone who could only do the basics and if Everly wanted to do anything with a skateboard…then she would have to deal with falling on her ass and getting back up. No one ever accomplished anything without working hard for it. Well, other than the elite kids of gajillionaires that went to school here. But the good thing about rich kids? They always needed what the PLC provided.

If Everly’s fiercely political parents knew that their daughter was, effectively, part of a drug empire, they would likely ship her off to the military to learn discipline or secretly hope she got killed or incarcerated for going AWOL, but Everly never sought out to get involved in the wild world of supplying and dealing illicit substances for students and the teachers who the PLC totally promised to keep secret - it just sorta happened. The Strattons just kind of adopted her when they saw her trying to break her own record for manualing. At the time, Everly needed three things: friends, a support system, and someone to help her step out of the closet publicly. The Strattons provided enough of the three to make Everly shrug and go along with them. It wasn’t until Savannah came around that Everly realized that the only one who thought she and the Strattons were friends was Everly. The PLC provided Everly with what she needed, and not just the pocket change from their little empire.

Everly was often one of the first ones at school in the mornings, not because she had morning sports practice or morning tutoring, she just didn’t want to hang out at home. She often didn’t sleep at home if she could avoid it and when she did, she entered her bedroom by climbing in through the window rather than risk the verbal berating that would happen if her parents saw her walking through the front door. But every morning, at least every weekday morning, Everly was at the parking lot skate park, wheels down, hair blowing in the wind, helmet only sometimes on her head. It didn’t matter if all she did before school hours was fail the same trick a hundred times, if she nailed it once then she was golden. For someone who was dangerously close to flunking out of high school, it was almost shocking how diligent and focused Everly could be with skating.

Today was, of course, no exception. Progress was slow but she was wiping out much less on the backward rotation this time. She was feeling good as she dropped in but the confidence faltered as she came down in an awkward landing on the first take off the ramp. Everly was on her back again, and it was only now that she was looking up at the sky that she noticed it was lighter now than it had been since the last time she bothered taking a break. How long had she been going? Had to at least be an hour and a half, maybe more. School would be starting soon but Everly would still be here. She wasn’t even following the theme of the day other than her jeans being black. Her shirt was a white t-shirt with a pink logo and her baseball cap was purple with the CR logo of the Colorado Rockies. School spirit was for people who would look back on high school as their peak and if Everly ever thought high school was the best part of her life then she’d probably hate herself more than she hated her parents.

The familiar voice of Savannah caused Everly to raise her left hand in a thumbs-up before she rose to a seated position. “You just missed it, dude. I got it twice this morning already. And I didn’t get it like forty times, but hey, I’m not bein’ graded on this so I only fail if I give up.” For the moment, Everly remained sitting but her attention was on her partners in crime. Her friends. And then she stood, brushing her pants with her hands and leaving the comfort of the skate park for the asphalt of the parking lot if only because it was uncool to make friends shout at each other so early in the morning.

“Shit, I’m not missin’ a business meeting or anything am I?” It wouldn’t have been the first time Everly was late for one of those. “Shit, Nev’s wired in again, huh? We gotta get her some AirPods or something. Anyway, what’sup, Sav? Adds didn’t come in with you?”

A laugh was the first thing out of Savannah’s lips as she heard Everly go off. Everly Rigby was never one to be concerned with marks or anything that wasn’t related to her own goals and ambitions. Once she was set free of the Strattons’ influence, it was clear she was more than happy to focus on what gave her fulfillment, and that was one of the things Savannah liked about her. Sure, when they initially met it may have only been on Nevaeh’s tip that Everly could offer a clearer picture of what the Toxic Twins were doing, but once she got to know the skateboarder, she saw more there. It was a refreshing change of pace after a month of watching Nev’s thoughts on the student body at large hold true.

“Nah, no meetin’,” Payout assured Ev. “Not ‘til after class. That’s when everyone’s gonna be lookin’ for that extra bit of school spirit ahead of the game. That’s what we gotta be ready for. Glad you’re hittin’ that five percent land rate on the trick though. You’ll get double that by the end of the week for sure.”

Savannah was also happy to see that Ev was embracing her own style and not dressed in red. That was one of the biggest things that annoyed her about this school. Everything was so cliquey, everyone had to be their own special specific thing, together as one. It sickened her. At least in the TCJCF, it was done out of survival. Maybe it was here, but the stakes were so far under what the other students here made it to be. That’s one of the things that she liked about her current crew. They crossed the various thresholds of the school. An outlaw, a skater, a goth and a brain. So close to a Lesbian Breakfast Club. Her mom loves that movie.

“I tried to get holda Addie, but ya know how that girl is. She is fuckin’ free-wheelin’ at all times. I think she got some breakfast? All she texted me was pancakes, so I dunno what that girl’s on. ‘N ya know I ain’t gettin’ Nev to ditch the cans. I told her before that she don’t need them giant things, but she wants the immersion.” Savannah turned around and pulled one of the cups off the black-haired girl’s head. “Hey Nev!”

The goth girl snapped out of her podcast-induced trance. “Hmmm?”

“Ya got anythin’ ta say to Ev before we check-in to class?”

Nevaeh thought for a second before finally uttering. “Not really. Hi Ev. Skateboarding looks good. Maybe we can have another lesson.”

Savannah shook her head and put the headphone back down. The Texan had no idea what Nevaeh was really like before Savannah arrived, but if reports were any indication, she would have been far more excited for today’s game. Also, she would be saying more than 12 words in a conversation. The Twitter handle and the few pictures that escaped deletion bore out that she once was a cheerleader, but now? Cheerbleeder was more accurate. She still wanted to be in class though, worried that any marks against her that were blatantly obvious would result in another lock-up. It made sense to Sav. Couldn’t make any money if you weren’t there to let the people know what they had. Still, it would be nice if she could get some talking out of Nevaeh that didn’t make her feel like Miss Morgan was operating on a character count.

“Anyway, just checkin’ in witcha. You know I like to keep you up to date on everythin’, so we’ll just meet back here after class ‘n start gettin’ the word out to our usual sources that we are open. I’d like to sell everythin’ before this big shindig I hear is in the works on the weekend.”

There was a big party over the weekend? Of course there was. There were parties all the time, it was exhausting how often rich kids liked to get together and party, though fortunately the big ones were often focused on big events: holidays, school events, the birthday parties of the crusted gunk in the grooves of a shoe that were the Hive Five and the Elite. Typical enough. As far as Everly knew, the only thing happening this weekend was the Homecoming dance. "Shit.” The Homecoming dance. Everly didn’t have a ticket but she also didn’t have a date and there was absolutely no way that she could ask Her to go; Everly was pretty sure that She already had a date, probably had one before tickets were even on sale. Was this the kind of shit Everly missed out on by ditching class?

"Wait, what party?” Though her thoughts were still on the fact that she once again missed out on a chance to tell Her how she felt, Everly was chill enough to focus on the important thing. A party. She didn’t know if she was invited but that hadn’t stopped her before. "We’re gonna wanna hold a sale or something. Fancy parties means some of these dudes are gonna want more than just dimes and nickels. I’m seein’ green in our future. Not, like, you know, weed but, like, cash. Cash green. You get it.” Business was potentially good on a day like this. Sure, people could go to a store but the PLC prided themselves on quality as well as quantity, not to mention convenience which could not be understated.

"On an unrelated note, and feel free to answer too if you want, Nev, but you thinkin’ of going to Homecoming? I know it’s kinda lame, it’s a school dance and all, but I mean..” Everly shrugged. She had no idea where her train of thought was going when she started and the destination remained cloudy even as she spoke. "So…anyway…big day for us today, then.”

Savannah looked at Everly for a second. The Homecoming dance was the furthest thing from her mind at the moment. Too many teachers there who didn’t know what was happening on the side. Too many snobs among the revelers who liked to stick their noses in where they didn’t belong. There wasn’t a lot attracting her to that sort of thing. There was no money to be made.

But if it meant something to Everly… it had to, otherwise she wouldn’t be asking. Savannah tried to think about what it really could be. If she thought about anything other than the business for one second… It was tough to do that. The business succeeding meant survival, and survival was the name of the game back in Texas. Here, there wasn’t a dogfight just to get through every day. Could it mean she could take the time to just try and do something for the sake of doing it?

That still sounded kinda sappy in her mind.

“I dunno, Ev. I mean, I’ve never been one for all the fancy dos and such. I always end up stickin’ out like a sore thumb. Between the height ‘n the hair and all? It’s why I didn’t end up goin’ to prom last year either. Not much point in me showin’ up for only two months of bein’ here.” She looked over at the still-silent partner and lifted up the cup again. “What’cha reckon, Nev? You want to go to the Homecomin’ dance?”

Nevaeh thought for a second before sliding the rest of the headphones off her head. “If you had asked me six months ago, I would have said no. I didn’t go to prom either.”

“I remember. Think I found ya skulkin’ around the setup for that blowfest. That’s when we got ta talkin’ about things.”

“Right, so I wouldn’t have gone then. But now? Things are going well. We should have a night to enjoy ourselves. I still have some sleeveless dresses I would fit into. I would go.”

Savannah was a bit stunned by this admission from the excommunicated cheerleader. “Really? Shit, I thought at least you would be a dissentin’ vote. ‘N I know Addie by now, if she were here, she’d be sayin’ something like ‘Addie goes where she pleases, and everywhere needs Addie, so that means Addie is goin’ to Homecomin’!’ Or somethin’ like that.” She looks down and shakes her head before turning back to Everly. “I guess I can’t leave y’all to go without me. Fine, I’d do it if all the PLC is goin’.”

“Hey, look at the bright side. If it sucks we can just bail and go do something fun.” Everly wasn’t showing excitement, but internally she was happy; sure it meant having to raid her mom’s closet for something and yeah the music would probably be lame and the majority of the people even lamer…but the PLC would take a hell of a Homecoming photo…and maybe, just maybe, there was a chance that Everly could score a slow dance with Her. The window of opportunity to do something about the unbearable weight of having a crush so out of reach that She might as well have been on fucking Jupiter was closing by the day and the only thing worse to Everly than getting rejected was not doing anything about it at all. Why could Everly wipe out on a skateboard and get back up a thousand times but the idea of asking a certain girl to dance seemed like the most impossible task in the world?

“I’ll text Adds and tell her we’re goin’. And to have her tell Belmonte that I attended.” Everly was, of course, not going to go to homeroom. It was senior year, who wanted to be bogged down in going to class? “You two headin’ to class? Nerds.” Sometimes, Everly’s comments made her giggle. This was one of those times. “Save me a seat at lunch, though, yeah?”

“Yeah, but you know my idea of fun don’t involve bein’ in a dress, Ev,” Payout confirmed. “But fine. And yeah, Nev don’t need the absences, and honestly, neither do I. When you ain’t showin’, that’s when questions get asked. Least people here know where you are. But yeah, see ya out here for lunch, amiga.” She snapped her fingers at her homeroom classmate. “All right, Nev, let’s go make appearances. And thanks again for havin’ my back on that topic.”

Nevaeh smiled, those black lips standing out on her face even with the tanned skin around it. “You’re welcome, Sav.” Her headphones slid back on over her ears and she followed Payout as the two made their way to class, leaving Everly alone with her dreams of a 15% hit rate on that new trick.

BHHS: Limitless

Nevaeh Morgan

_{Nevaeh Olivia Morgan}

18 • Female • Bisexual(?) • She/Her • Single

(FC: Natalie Holland (Tatum Paxley); Dialogue: 0e69e4)

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Ｉｎｔｒｏ

► reputation

"I think it’s pretty bad. The arrest last year ruined anything I had going. The Toxic Twins stopped speaking to me, no one from cheer took me back. If it wasn’t for Savannah, I think I’d still be alone with my thoughts."

► current dilemma

“Current? Hah. It’s been a high school-long dilemma. I was going to be a varsity cheerleader, you know? But the Strattons made me believe I could have so much more. And I did, for a while. But then I got caught while carrying an ounce of their weed, and they did nothing. They denied they knew me. I spent three months in a correctional facility, and after that, no one would talk to me. Not until Savannah came to BHHS. She made me feel like a part of something again. Everly even apologized. So now there’s one thing left to do. Help the PLC take the Strattons down. For good.”

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Ｄｅｔａｉｌｓ

► social media handles

“Twitter @heaveNreehC, Insta @NevaehMorgan, Facebook @NevaehMorgan, Discord @FallFromheaveN19”

► style

“Definitely a lot more black now. Life has been hard. I used to dress in a bunch of colors to balance out the Strattons. Now, I don’t feel it. I just embrace the darkness. I don’t really want to wear anything else. I just want to keep doing what I’m doing. If everyone else wants to forget about me, that’s fine, I have the PLC now. That’s all I need.”

► ride & everyday items

“I don’t have a car, I walk to school. Sometimes Sav gives me a ride, it’s fine. I don’t have a lot on me after my return. My phone is the big thing I keep on me, as well as my makeup. It’s the one thing I was really good at even before the Strattons ruined my life! But it’s fine. It’s fine.”

► occupation

“As part of the release program, I’m working at The Cheesecake Factory part-time. It sucks.”

► extracurricular activities

“I used to be a cheerleader before, well, everything happened. Now? I don’t do much. Who would want to be seen with me? Aside from Savannah and Everly and Addie. They’re all I need.”

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Ｑｕｅｓｔｉｏｎｎａｉｒｅ

Friends would describe me as _______.

"My old friends saw me as a piece of trash, easily discarded. My new friends see me as a part of the team. I like that.”

In my free time I like to _______.

"When I was in the correctional facility, I got into weights. I got very good very quickly at powerlifting, so I’ve kept that up since release. It gives me the ability to fight who I need to.”

I would like to learn _______ in the next year.

"Crush my enemies and hear their lamentations before me. …I mean, how to ride a skateboard.”

This is how I define success and failure:

“I’m just a big failure. I’m thankful that the PLC talks to me. Success would be getting through the year and figuring out what I can do with my life from here.”

I'm inspired by _______.

“The fact that Payout came in here and didn’t give a damn and went after the Toxic Twins is amazing and she got me and Everly back together. She is so inspiring.

I’ve also been listening to this podcast, Midnight Frequencies. The co-hosts are great, and it's one of the few things that can take my mind off things. If Mei Midnight and Ashes ever come out to California for a meet and greet, I’ll be first in line.”

These songs are the soundtrack to my life:

“These are the songs I feel right now:

“Boston Manor - Foxglove”
“Bring Me The Horizon - LosT”
“Middle Class Rut - Busy Bein’ Born”
“Metric - Gold Guns Girls”
“Mashlin - The Shore”
“Bayside f. Ice Nine Kills - How To Ruin Everything (Patience)”
“Movements - You’re One Of Us Now”
“Pool Kids - That’s Physics, Baby.”

My fondest memory as a child was _______.

“I don’t remember anymore.”

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

“Do the exact opposite of everything you think is a good idea starting when you’re 15.”

The things that make me smile are _______.

"The thought that someday karma will catch up to Tally and Lex.”

My whole life story in one sentence:

"A cautionary tale of what happens when a girl loses the light inside of her and finds nothing but the darkness of the world.”

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► extra information

"I think I’ve said enough.”

_{NPC FCs: Mei Midnight - Lyrica Okano, Ashes - Madelaine Petsch}

BHHS: Limitless

_{TIMESTAMP: Early Morning
Driving to school}

________________________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________________________

_{@NeoAJ @Fabricant451 @smarty0114 @Aewin @LovelyComplex}

Homecoming is a funny word to those who never lived long enough in a place to truly call somewhere home. There’s not a chance to build any meaningful connection to the location beforehand, so there’s not a tearful goodbye to all the memories that were made. They are just another blip in the winding road that continues to unfold before someone on the cusp of adulthood.

And yet here Indy Adams was, forgoing her usual preferred colors of blue, green, and white, and donning the red and black that was asked of all the BHHS students ahead of their homecoming game and dance.

Naomi Davis was insistent that Indy had to comply with the color scheme, even if her options were limited. The dyed blonde managed to find a couple of things that worked together. A red tank top and light black bomber jacket gave her both school spirit options on the top half of her body. However, they had to cover the blushes of the denim shorts below, her tanned legs sculpted by the last year of running on the beach, surfing the waves and jumping for spikes also showing a little bit of red on the exposed skin. Indy didn’t have any black pairs of shorts, something that certainly would draw another trip to the Mermaid’s Closet on the Queen's orders to rectify that fact. The black onyx necklace swayed slightly with the turns, breaking up the solid crimson on her torso. It wasn’t one of her best outfits, but it was good enough to get her into Naomi’s car that morning and make sure that she didn’t have to take an Uber to school.

Indy was behind the passenger seat, the front seat in the clique’s ride already occupied as it usually was by the Hive’s second-in-command Levi Green-Locke. Lottie Quinn was in the back with her, offering a potential buffer to the last member of the crew to be given a lift this morning. Indy was still a bit unfamiliar with some of the sights along the route taken to school. In the ten months since she arrived back in California from Australia, she had plenty of time to memorize the vegan donut shops and hypodermic spas along the way, and yet they kept changing names and types as fast as she could get them down in her head. Nothing was permanent here. Even the Hive, as ironclad as it seemed, had an expiration date. Somehow she was along for the ride, literally in this case, but she knew something was going to break it apart.

That was a thought for another day. Indy shook her head a little bit. Her grey eyes scanned around the neighborhood, trying not to focus on those terminal feelings. Clearly, she needed some more time on the beach than she had been getting.

“So, since this is my first actual homecoming event, what is it all about?” Indy asked, trying to get some clarity on what exactly her role was going to be. “Is it all just an excuse to get people riled up in the autumn? Or is there some sort of deeper significance that I’m not aware of yet?”

Levi turned to face Indy, smiling like he’d just heard the funniest joke in the world. His outfit was on theme as well (duh du jour); dark red shirt, top two buttons undone, and black, tailored pants, cuffed at the ankle. “You’re cute. The deeper significance is remembering the Pirates who came before us. That, and getting everybody riled up in the middle of autumn.” He turned back to face the winding roads of Angel’s suburbs. “Everybody else gets to watch Naomi and I win homecoming court, and then we all get to watch the serfs get sloppy drunk. I wish I could take credit for it, honestly. Pure American genius, that one.”

Indy dropped a chuckle at Levi’s summation but there was a hint of nervousness behind it. Between Naomi’s desire for a spotless crew and the currently absent Angel’s pious nature, the alcohol culture she had embraced during her time Down Under had no chance to flourish on the Puritan American shores. It had been nine months since she had really cut loose and joined the masses in drunken reveling, but the pleasure of the punch had to be sacrificed to maintain her current position. This was the last chance for her to have anything resembling a high-school social life. Even if she was surprised Naomi had summoned her to be part of one of the most popular cliques in the school, she didn’t want to throw it away to be left hanging with the stoners and washouts in the parking lot. She nodded at Levi’s assessment. “Yup, that tracks with what I know.”

Lottie shifted in the backseat, smoothing down the red and black plaid skirt that she had chosen for the day. Despite Naomi's insistence on following the school colors, she had managed to bend the school rules ever so slightly by pairing the skirt with a tight, semi-sheer black turtleneck that clung to her figure. Over it was a cropped red blazer that narrowly avoided getting her dress-coded for said semi-sheer turtleneck. Her black knee-high boots with a stiletto heel completed the look, giving her a few extra inches of height.

Tossing her brown curls over one shoulder, she let out a soft giggle at Levi's response to Indy. "Hehe, he's not wrong! Homecoming is like, THE biggest event of the year at Beverly Hills High." Her grey-blue eyes sparkled with excitement and she leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. "There's the big game of course, where we get to watch the boys kick some *serious* butt on the field."

She paused, pursing her glossy lips as she thought. "But the best part is definitely the dance afterwards. Everyone gets soo dressed up and we get to party all night long!" Lottie clasped her hands together, practically bouncing in her seat from the excitement of it all. It was likely thanks to the two caramel macchiatos she'd had since waking up. "Oh, and they always go all out decorating the gym too. Last year's theme was like, 'A Night in Paris' or something. They had this gorgeous Eiffel Tower set up and everything."

It wasn’t always the responsibility of Naomi Davis to drive herself and her most loyal subjects - dubbed the Hive Five, a name Naomi didn’t outright dislike but would be hard-pressed to say she loved - in fact, they often took turns so the ones with a car didn’t always have to act as chauffeur. Except, of course, when Lottie’s turn came up. Whenever Lottie was scheduled to be the driver, they always managed to convince her that, no, actually she didn’t have to be the one behind the wheel. A little white lie between friends never hurt when the alternative was having to endure a road trip where Lottie winds up on I-10 heading east and having to quickly turn back around before they wound up in Los Angeles for a day. The only constant with the carpool situation was that if Naomi wasn’t driving, then she was in the passenger seat. This was the rule, as consistent as gravity.

Even when Naomi wasn’t the one driving, she always had control of the music in the car and while she…entertained requests, it was never any surprise what was frequently playing from the speakers. Today was no different, though Naomi was kind enough to turn the current song to a reasonable volume so conversations could be heard, but from the way she was slowly grooving her head back, forth, side to side, it was clear that she was hardly interested in engaging in conversation while the song was playing.

Homecoming Week was vital for the Hive Five; it was important for Naomi that the five of them set a strong example when it came to school spirit for the week. That, of course, meant following the theme of each day to the letter. If that meant having to look like Annie fucking Oakley for a day, then that’s what they did. Yesterday had been Hippie Day and Naomi managed to make an outfit that looked as if Sharon Tate (or Margot Robbie’s take on her) had a fashion child with Foxxy Cleopatra, afro and all. Today was a bit more subdued in theme, school colors, and Naomi looked as if she was going to a Riot Grrl concert after school. Black leather jacket under which was a black halter neck crop top to offer the rubes just the barest hint of her navel, a plaid black and red miniskirt like she was a Catholic school girl gone bad, and sheer leggings because Naomi knew that her legs were money makers and deserved as much focus as possible. Her father had said the jacket made her look like, quote, “someone who listens to Melissa Etheridge” and when Naomi didn’t know who that was, the clarification was a four-letter word and Naomi got the message loud and clear.

She put it on when she got to the car, out of sight of her father.

The song came to an end as Naomi continued along the suburban route towards the fifth member of the Hive’s home. She checked the rearview mirror, ostensibly because it was safe driving to regularly check, but also to subtly click her mouth at Indy’s denim shorts. Sure, the upper half was fine and she didn’t forbid Indy from getting in the car, but such a faux pas during Homecoming Week was going to be remembered, by Naomi if no one else. "You’re probably wondering what makes Homecoming more important than prom.” Naomi, of course, had no way of knowing what Indy was thinking - probably something about kangaroos or koalas - but what mattered is she had asked a question and was getting a proper education on Beverly Hills High School. "Prom is a big event, sure, but it’s only for juniors, seniors, and the odd underclassmen the weird students invite. But Homecoming is for the entire school and even alumni. The football game, the dance, the afterparty, it’s all very…vital to the social heartbeat that is our school. If you don’t go to the Homecoming Dance, you’re nobody. Even if you show up dateless, show up.” That wasn’t a suggestion. Not that anyone in the Hive ever had problems getting dates. Getting them to last was another question entirely.

"Which reminds me, Indy,” Though Naomi was speaking directly to Indy, her eyes were on the road as she inched the car ever closer to its destination, "I hope you’ll show up to the dance with a little more…enthusiasm in your wardrobe. Mermaid’s Closet is having a Homecoming sale for a reason. Just in case you were unaware.” As the car rolled to a stop, so too did the next song on Naomi’s playlist start to play as they waited for Angel.

“Shit…” That was going to be a whole other trip and a whole other dent in the bank account. Indy was never going to join the ranks of the car-owning Hive members if she kept handing over all her cash to the Closet. There was no way she was going to be able to wear last year’s prom outfit. Naomi would spot it in a second. There would be time, she supposed, in between the final bell and the game. Even if she didn’t have to be at the game itself, wondering why they kept stopping play all the time. Aussie Rules Football just had so much more action than American football, and they were more supportive of the women’s leagues too. The athlete in her appreciated that. Still, what was she going to find that was on theme for the dance? Shauna knew what the theme was, she had to. She was an alumnus. She’d have something set aside. It was going to be a pain in the ass keeping everything in her locker though.

“Of course, Naomi! I’ll be stunning!” Indy lied. “I mean, it’s one of the biggest dances of the year, like you said. I won’t let the Hive down. I just wanted to keep my options open in case someone proved themselves worthy of being my date! But, no one has, so c’est la vie.”

Turning her attention back to Indy in the backseat, Lottie playfully nudged her friend's shoulder. "Psh, don't worry about finding a date, Inds!" she reassured with a dismissive wave of her perfectly manicured hand. Her nails were painted a deep crimson red to match the school colors. "It's like, way more fun to go stag anyway. Then you can flirt with all the cute guys without being tied down!"

With her words of wisdom imparted on the floundering Floridian (ha, get it?!), Lottie resumed trying to figure out what the hell she was listening to. It was some kind of... jazz? The guy was crooning too much. She didn't know. Just sounded not so vibey for her, Lottie’s choice of tracks being closer to 00’s pop, but she would rather talk to Mo dressed as a disaster than ever telling Naomi Davis that she did not like her music choices.

Meanwhile, in the suburban cookie-cutter house the sedan had parked in front of, finishing her oatmeal, Evangely Vázquez dully stared ahead at the shelf of assortment prayer candles. They say the light of a candle represents the Christ who is the Light of the World. Prayers were requests for help, guidance or peace from God. It gave those who had faith belief that someone was listening but really, more often than not, prayers were never answered. They were achieved by your own work and efforts, and the righteous gave credit to God, because it was all in His plan. They believed and so it must be true, that the job they got, that the house they bought, that the break up they healed from, was all because they surrendered to God. He told them because of Him, the right doors would open at the right time, at the right place, when they needed it the most. All in which was part of His divine plan.

Her mother would say it is a great tower of strength, and when we pray, we grasp a force that can move mountains and save souls. Her mother would pray to their heavenly Father for serenity so she can let go of the things she cannot change, and gain the courage, the conviction, and the constancy to change that which she could. Her mother would say her father, who should be filled with guilt and remorse for committing adultery and washing his sins away with a bottle of top-shelf scotch, has been spared from all of that. They have been spared from all that because they were chosen. They were saved. Hell on Earth is only part of the journey that leads to crucial moments that bring them closer to their Savior. To their Lord. To Jesus Christ. God the Almighty.

You know what Angel would say to all that? That this was all horseshit and that the bible was the biggest con-artist that ever existed. The Bible, and Catholicism in general, tries to guilt you over trivial things, like lying or having sex, and blames you for your failure and that without belief you’re a fool. Without a cloud of judgment, without the fear of her tyrannical mother and narcissistic father, without the fear of being looked at wrongly for disagreeing, it was painfully obvious to see how impressionable religion could be, convincing the masses that if they trusted the Lord they would overcome sin.

Sighing heavily to herself, Angel grabbed her bowl and went straight to wash it and put it up in the dish rack. It was then when she heard a familiar honk. Once she was done wiping her hands with a small towel, she grabbed her brown leather backpack, threw it over her shoulder and shuffled to the door. As she slipped on her black loafers, her mother, still in her bathrobe, came marching downstairs. She turned around knowing exactly what to expect.

Silently, her mother, Maritza, examined her child, crossing her arms and hovering over her. Angel was incredibly short to most people, including her mother, who loved to assert her authority. Stoutly, Mari inquired, “I don’t like those friends of yours… they either dress whorish or homeless but that’s neither here nor there. When will you go back to taking the bus?”

“Right now it’s quicker to get to school with them and you’ve met them all, they are good people,” Angel replied with a monotone cadence, adjusting her straps.

“They are fake people. My friends tell me they don’t go to church, which means they lie to my face,” Mari complained, gritting her teeth in annoyance. She wasn’t dumb and she could tell there was nothing pure about the group of teens waiting outside.

Angel didn’t raise her voice. She didn’t talk back and she didn’t correct. All she did was tell her mother a half-truth to ease her troubled soul. The Hive Five weren’t religious. In that aspect, her mother was right, but as far as her mother was concerned, Angel had spread her ministry and converted even the most sinful souls. That should be enough to shut her up, for now. “Whether that’s true or not, it’s my job to bring the Word to everyone right? I’m doing just that and like I said before, they’re good people and want to embrace… perfection.” She opened the door from behind and gave her mom a small smile, “Trust me, they’re worth saving. Now.” Angel stepped back onto the front porch. “It’s almost time for you to get ready for work, I’ll see you tonight.”

“Not too late. Come home straight after the game,” her mother commanded. In response, Angel nodded and turned away from the woman of the house. She took in the morning, leaving her problems behind, breathing in the breeze and soaking up the sun. While her smile fell, Angel wasn’t one to smile often, her brown eyes glistened and every morning, whenever she stepped out of her house, she felt the one thing she desired the most. Freedom. With a delicate and graceful hand, she waved at her friends. One thing she knew for certain was her outfit was nightmarish and she knew she was going to get grilled.

As Angel stepped out from beyond the door, Indy had a front-row view and laid the first eyes on the outfit the Faith Forward leader had chosen for today. It was, as expected, extremely conservative given the family but it couldn’t hide those eyes, the first thing the world traveler remembered seeing when she first met Miss Vazquez in her homeroom class. Contrasting her silver pools, those deep brown eyes looked like caverns one could get lost in, and Indy was willing to not be found. However, she quickly learned the extracurricular activities that Angel participated in and the prospect of expanding on what she had experienced with Kai on the Bondi Beach sands was indeed as dim as those eyes were right now.

The outfit did give Indy hope that her faux pas with the deep navy denim shorts would be spared, but a new problem emerged. When Levi got hold of the family’s Bentley, seating wasn’t usually an issue. But Naomi’s sedan meant someone had to sit in the middle of the back seat. Being the tallest at 5’7”, Indy wasn’t an option, and Lottie was in her own world at the moment, so Angel, the smallest member of the Hive Five, usually got the role. For some reason, today it seemed more daunting than usual to have the girl Indy may or may not have a crush on, and who may or may not be the main reason she accepted Naomi’s offer to join the Hive, right next to her. But Naomi would suspect something if Lottie was forced into the middle. Anything that could potentially make the Hive tardy, especially on Homecoming Day, would not be acceptable.

“Shit. Well if God isn’t going to help me out of this, Allah, Buddha, Vishnu, one of you better pick up the slack here.”

Without Naomi needing to say a word, Indy returned the wave, unbuckled and hopped out of the back seat, keeping the door open for the arriving Angel. She could spot the mother Vazquez watching from the doorstep and knew that she had to play up the good Christian girl angle at the moment. Luckily given her time in Florida she had some practice. “Good morning, Angel,” the blonde offered. “What a glorious day the Lord has given us. Blessed be the fruit.”

“Good morning, Indy,” Angel locked her gaze with her friend, briefly, as if she was peering into her soul. She rolled her eyes in response. It wasn’t like her mother could hear them, but sure, why not. She could play her part. “God is good,” she asserted. “God is great.” Behind her tone was dry sarcasm and whether her friends knew it or not, most of the things Angel said about God were not said with conviction but as a joke.

For a moment, Angel’s stare did travel downward to the blue denim shorts and Indy’s long, smooth and tanned legs. She did think of a compliment that could make her friend feel good. Not many people could pull off short shorts like Indy did and not many girls could make sporty look hot, but Indy obviously could. That was part of why Naomi adopted her. She had potential. Making someone into your likeness, just how people tried to live life in the likeness of God, all started with potential.

Indy was a lost soul who was given a chance to join the fold and be like Naomi. She was beautiful and had a body the Hive could work with. Most importantly though? She wasn’t too involved with the school, which meant they could groom her properly. Train her to be a proper bee and fly high toward the heavens, with the best of the best. Crème de la crème. This was Indy’s chance to prove she wasn’t a coward and could kick it with the cool kids, dressed in class, never bothered and never harassed. As long as she did what she was told, she’d be able to escape the thunderdome. If it wasn’t for Levi, Angel wouldn’t be here but she wasn’t going to put a target on her back, so she’d play along. Pretending was the one skill she’s become the master at.

“That’s blue,” Angel curtly pointed out and slipped around her friend, nestling herself in the backseat between her and Lottie. “You don’t own any black bottoms?”

“Fuck, even Angel’s going to give me hell for the shorts? She’s dressed like a 50s librarian!”

Indy wanted to say that colors were dumb, that people should just be able to wear what they were most comfortable in, but that was certain to get her sent packing from the Hive. Naomi was very clear that coordination was an important part of what they did for the school. The fact that Indy couldn’t find any black shorts this morning nearly made her blow a gasket, but her mom didn’t have any either and she weighed what was worse in her mind: showing up with the deep blue shorts, or showing up in Walmart shorts. She made her choice, and now even her crush was making her pay for it.

Instead, she blushed and demured as she sat back down behind Levi and buckled back in. “I think my black shorts got lost in the move over from Australia,” she offered as a weak excuse. “I thought for sure I had a pair, but I couldn’t find them, and I didn’t want to wear pants with the bomber jacket, so I thought since I wore the light blue denim for Wild West day, it would be OK if I did this today, and I’m wrong, and I’m the worst, and I’m sorry.”

Levi shot a knowing glance towards Naomi, before glancing back to his reflection in the passenger side mirror. “Don’t be sorry, be better. It’s kind of the entire point of the color coordination.” He moved a stray strand of hair into place, always preoccupied with perfection. “It’s whatever, you’ll just take the picture we post at the end of the day.”

"We’re all aware that Indy’s shorts are unacceptable.” Naomi could have let it continue and part of her wanted to. People that were made an example of always learned how to avoid such a thing in the future; Indy may have been in the Hive but before they were Five, they were two: Naomi and Levi. Just because you were in the Hive didn’t guarantee you’d be there come graduation. Hell, come next week. But Naomi was nothing if not understanding; Indy had a strike on her record. Everyone got one. They rarely got two, let alone three. "But she’s going to make up for it, isn’t she.” It was clear in Naomi’s tone, her calm but cold, calculated tone as sharp as a chef’s knife, that she wasn’t asking a question. "Levi is right. When it comes to the group photo, Indy will just be on the end, from the waist up.”

"Angel, your effort is appreciated. If you need some pins to make yourself look less like someone from the Church of Latter Day Saints, speak up.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Angel voiced. “Don’t know if Indy is going to fit a small but… I have another skirt in my bag.” She paused and shrugged to herself, coming to a decision rather quickly, “I guess we won’t know until she tries it on.” And with that, Angel took her black plaid skirt out of her bag, placed her bag on the oblivious Lottie’s lap and started undressing her skirt, revealing her cheeky, silk white underwear. Unceremoniously, she tossed her skirt at Indy. “Try that on.”

Indy was stunned for a moment. Sharing clothes with Angel? It seemed like something she would do in a dream world where her crush didn't get her fashion tips from Mormon missionary catalogs. Granted her top was better suited to make the skirt work than the drab blouse her Hivemate had, but there wasn’t much time to think about that as Miss Vazquez quickly revealed where the virginal white was hiding in today’s outfit. “Uhhhh, right, yes…”

She unbuckled the shorts and slid them down, the sea green bikini cut now on display for the clique. It took every ounce of restraint she had built up in California to avoid getting more than a peek at Angel’s bare legs, like avoiding staring at an eclipse. She was liable to burn more than her retinas if she kept it up. Unzipping the skirt and sliding it over the flats and up her legs, the small size definitely wasn’t making it easy, but it ended up sitting just below where her shorts were on her thighs. “It’s going to be more like a mini skirt on me, but it will work. I have some Spanx in my locker I can wear underneath, so… are we good? Do I get to be in the picture again?”

Lottie watched with rapt attention as Angel revealed her white silk underwear, trying not to stare too obviously. She couldn't help feeling a twinge of envy at the other girl's lithe figure and the effortless way she carried herself, but that was a can of worms Lottie would not dare open in the vipers’ nest.

As Indy slid the black skirt up her long, tanned legs, Lottie let out an appreciative hum. "Mmm, looking good, Inds!" she purred, giving her friend an exaggerated wink. Her grey-blue eyes lingered a moment too long on the exposed skin above Indy's knees before snapping back up to meet her gaze. "That skirt is so cute on you, babe. It's giving, like, sexy school girl. No spanx. Embrace your inner slutty Britney!"

Lottie pulled out her phone once Indy and Angel were both appropriately dressed again, switching to Instagram to record a short story heralding the arrival of the Hive. "It’s Hive-o-clock bitches!! Let’s blow a kiss and serve some lewks~!" Lottie panned the camera around the car, recording regardless if her Honeys planned on indulging her or not. Not a problem—they were hot, they were (now) coordinating. They were ready to blow some Bevvy Hills minds.

BHHS: Limitless

Lex Stratton

_{Alexandria Verona Stratton}

18 • Female • Pansexual • She/Her • Depends on who is asking

(FC: Jacy Jayne; Dialogue: b1021e)

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Ｉｎｔｒｏ

► reputation

"Look, if you don't already know who me and my sister are, then you aren't worthy of knowing who we are. We are the Toxic Twins, we are the devils on the shoulders of Beverly Hills High. I am the mouth that drives people wild in more ways than one, and my sister Tally is the bold body that takes hold of whoever is fortunate enough to lay eyes on it. We are that long tongue whispering those sweet things you want to hear into your ear, telling you to take those drugs, skip that class, imagine for a second that you have a chance at having sex with someone as close to goddess-hood as you are going to get. We are a bad idea that feels so good, and unlike our football-playing cousin, we are not afraid to embrace every last bit of this very real taste of human nature. There is nothing outside of our grasp that we don't get in our hands soon enough."

► current dilemma

“Or at least that used to 100% be the case. I honestly don't know where we slipped up. Maybe it was letting Nevaeh wander a little too far away without her knowing her place after she royally screwed the pooch by getting arrested. Maybe we were a little preoccupied with things around junior prom. But over the summer, we lost the majority of our drug clientele to some trailer trash from Texas that moseyed onto our doorstep! She doesn't even have the money to dye her hair properly like Tally, yet she now owns the parking lot! Our parking lot! With the skate park we had put in specifically for Tally and Everly to be able to practice! Now it's overrun by the Pee Ell Seeeeeea, complete with that traitor Everly. Well, the P.L.C. is going to be D.O.A. by Christmas, and as my grandpa says, 'That's not a prediction, that's a goddamn spoiler.' Bet.”

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Ｄｅｔａｉｌｓ

► social media handles

“X @LextraContent, Insta @LexStratton, Facebook @LexVStratton, Discord @SuccubassRiff, OnlyFans @SexyLexy27.”

► style

“I am a goddamn rock star, and I dress like one. I make sure my school pride is on display because I'm usually in black, but I show off the goods every time I step outside. I love a good mesh top and will wear them over whatever I want, usually with a jacket and a nice pair of shorts or ripped jeans to really make the plebs drool. I've already started on the piercings with my ears, nose and bellybutton done, but there's always room for more.”

1,2,3

► ride & everyday items

“Usually I ride with Tally in her Jeep, but I've got a 2023 black Nissan Z in the garage at home whenever I'm riding solo. My guitar is always in the back in case I need it.”

► occupation

“Model, Drug Dealer, Aspiring Rock Star. I do it all.”

► extracurricular activities

“Nothing inside the school besides gracing it with my aura. Tally and I do our business outside. I am getting petty good on the guitar, enough to play a lot of covers, but that is not for outside ears yet.”

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Ｑｕｅｓｔｉｏｎｎａｉｒｅ

Friends would describe me as _______.

"The fallen angel with the devil's touch and the best thing that can happen to you, with or without your clothes on.”

In my free time I like to _______.

"Conquer what I can, and burn what I can't. When I'm not out with my sister enacting said promise, I'm either at my mom's gym working out, practicing my guitar, or thinking up new ways to brand this school with the Stratton name.”

I would like to learn _______ in the next year.

"How to play the solo from Misery Business, how to get out of the canyon we live in, and how to get rid of Savannah Payton.”

This is how I define success and failure:

“I'm already a success and if you can't see that, then clearly you are the failure.”

I'm inspired by _______.

“Gramps and Gramma, for sure. The architects. My mom, who is nasty as hell and lets everyone know it. My dad, I guess, he inspires me to take what I want. My older sister, Scarlett, who taught me and Tally the business. My twin sister Tally, who is freaking amazing. Joan Jett, Lita Ford, Nita Strauss, Orianthi, Tash Sultana.”

These songs are the soundtrack to my life:

“Listen up, losers, because these are important songs.

“In Love by Scouts of St. Sebastian - I think you can trace my interest in guitar to watching Theo play Guitar Hero when he was a kid. I remember this song on his playlist, and it spoke to me. It was dangerous and vulnerable at the same time. I knew I could do that and be that.”
“Tell Me You’re Sorry by Real Friends - This is the theme song of the Toxic Twins. People will throw themselves at our feet after they screw up, begging for forgiveness, but we just know better.”
“Jungle by Tash Santana - Her guitar skills are amazing. I saw her in Santa Monica when I was younger, and that woman, she knows what she can do, she knows what she wants, and when someone screws up, this is what’s coming. I want to play guitar as well as she does.”
“Cult of Personality by Living Colour - This one should not need explaining.”
“Hollywood Baby by 100 Gecs - This is how I feel dealing with the trust fund babies who can’t handle what Tally and I do. I just want to light fireworks in their face.”
“Take the Ride by Story of the Year - When I’m driving impeccably fast in my Z coupe, this is one of my top songs. That feeling of freedom is what I’m after.”
“Neon Angels on the Road To Ruin by the Runaways - Gotta respect the classics and the solo is amazing.”
“Dance Monkey by First to Eleven - What happens when a bad song gets the proper treatment.”

My fondest memory as a child was _______.

“Not important to you. Just focus on the now in front of you.”

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

“You're gonna be great, kid, stay the course.”

The things that make me smile are _______.

"Whenever I don't have to answer shitty questions like this.”

My whole life story in one sentence:

"Depending on how you choose, I'm either the author of your greatest vision of triumph or your darkest fears come to life.”

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► extra information

“No extra unless you pay me. We're done here.”

_{NPC FCs: Penelope "Penny" Stratton (mother), 43, ex-WNBA player, owner of 24 Karat Fitness = Diana Taurasi, Mitchell Stratton (father), 47, sports/talent agent at Van Cise Promotional Agency = James Marsden, Scarlett "Scar" Stratton, 22, senior at Columbia majoring in business management = Mandy Rose}

BHHS: Limitless

Indy Adams

_{Nicola Diane Adams}

18 • Female • Heterosexual*{?) • She/Her • Single

(FC: Mia Healey; Dialogue: 42B5AE)

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Ｉｎｔｒｏ

► reputation

"Do I have a reputation? I don’t know if I have one of my own, honestly. I wasn’t here long before Naomi approached me and asked me to join the Hive. I’m not sure if that means my reputation is hers and I’m just borrowing it. I quickly fell into that clique life, and while I’m on a couple of teams, and I know a couple of people who I see when I go out on the ocean, I think people mostly know me as Naomi’s new project, her missing piece for senior year. I’m fine with that. I’ll ride that through to university and it’ll be fine. "

► current dilemma

“So, one of the reasons why I was happy to be accepted into Naomi’s circle, is because Angel Vazquez is in her circle, and Angel is… well, she does things to me. I started exploring my sexuality in Australia, shout out to Kai, hope you’re doing all right, but Angel… I don’t know what it is. And I definitely can’t say anything. ‘Hey, I know you’re the head of Faith Forward, but you should totally throw away all that religious stuff and join me on the beach sometime.’ Plus Naomi would have a fit if I broke up the clique over that, so what do I do about this? I don’t know. It's tough keeping up this veneer that Hive membership has gotten me. Maybe I’ll figure something out.”

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Ｄｅｔａｉｌｓ

► social media handles

“I am on all the socials @Indy520, because it was the lowest number above 500 that I could get, and it shows I go beyond the 500 people think of when they think of my name. I’m on TikTok, YouTube, Twitter, Insta, Threads, and Discord.”

► style

“Well, before I was more about comfort. You know, moving around as much as I did, I wanted to be able to move. But since I joined the Hive, Naomi has been more… insistent that I dress accordingly. She keeps saying I need to show off my legs more, so I started wearing higher-cut shorts and skirts, even away from the beach, and getting stuff from the Mermaid’s Closet to pair with it. I’ve never been one to go bougie brands or anything, but Naomi also has given me a few pieces, so it makes sense to dress accordingly.”

► ride & everyday items

“I don’t have a car at the moment. Never really had a chance to get my license with all the moving, and Australia backwards anyway. Thankfully I can hitch a ride with another member of the Hive, but I’d love to find a crossover or something in my parents’ range. Then I could get to the beach a lot easier. I don’t carry a lot of things besides the essentials, but I have my Galaxy, that’s a given with the Hive duties, and I do carry a little jar of sand. I’ve got grains from every beach we’ve lived near. There’s some pretty bands in there.”

► extracurricular activities

“I am on the volleyball team. All my beach volleyball skills transfer over pretty well. I guess I’m the athlete of the Hive. I’m a surfer as well, I started picking it up the last time I was in California, and while there aren’t waves in Turkey, there are plenty in Australia. As long as you respect the sharks, you can ride the ocean, and it’s very exhilarating. I keep trying to get some of the other Hive minds to try it, but I can’t convince them. I think Levi maybe, but the others? Nah. Other than that, I do a couple other things here and there.”

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Ｑｕｅｓｔｉｏｎｎａｉｒｅ

Friends would describe me as _______.

”Well, I hope they remember me first of all. I actually get that here. I hope they think of me as a loyal friend who always has their back. Someone who is willing to do what it takes to make sure something is a success. Someone who makes sure that things keep going as they should… I said loyal, right? That’s important.”

In my free time I like to _______.

”Surfing and volleyball is a lot of it, then I have all the time I spend with Naomi, Lottie, Levi and Angel. On rare days that I don’t have training or studying planned, I like to just plan a bonfire, chill out with people. Naomi is a stickler on the rules, but I told her I have permits. I do play some video games, I got a Switch before we moved to Turkey so I had something I could do that wasn’t in Arabic.”

I would like to learn _______ in the next year.

”I would like to finish learning how to drive, like I mentioned. I would also like to learn what I’m going to do in university. I know I have the full ride to the Beach with my mom and my dad both teaching there, but I don’t think I’m going to be a marine biologist so I don’t know what I’m doing.”

This is how I define success and failure:

“Success to me is setting up my teammates or my friends for their own success. In volleyball, a good spike comes from a hard-fought dig and a perfect set. All pieces need to work to get the attack off. As long as I’m helping move that chain, that feels good. Failure would be not being able to learn something from an experience. I’ve already learned so much here being friends with the Hive, failure to me would be if we didn’t end up seeing that through to the end.”

I'm inspired by _______.

“Whenever I’m able to just sit with the grains of sand in my toes, lean back on a towel or a blanket, hear the sounds of the waves hitting the shore, look up and see the night sky spread out above, then look out and see that same inky black ripple and shake, it just makes me feel so small in the grand scheme of things. In a good way! Oh, and Naomi has been such an inspiration since I came to BHHS. Obviously.”

These songs are the soundtrack to my life:

“So I’ll try and do these in order but I tried to get something from every country I’ve lived in. Aside from Turkey. Couldn’t get into the music there.

“Fine Again by Seether - I was born in Cape Town, South Africa although I didn’t spend long there. Enough to get my nickname though. This band didn’t spend long in South Africa either, but I just really like this song. It reminds me that even in the tough times, when things feel like Hell, things will be OK.”
“Song to a Moonlit Mermaid by Aenima - OK, no one knows this band. I think I must have heard it somewhere in Portugal, but when I listen to this, I’m just instantly on the beach, I’m seeing that mermaid, I know it’s dark, but it’s going to be fine.”
“Trinity by Paper Tongues - This is the song I put on for Angel, seems to be up her alley, but it’s about not trying to do too much, just trying to survive. I get that sentiment, but it still inspires me to do things for others too. But yeah, North Carolina band, from when my mom was teaching at Duke.”
“Ebb and Flow by Ray - OK, so don’t share this, but my guilty pleasure when the weather is too terrible to go to the beach is watching anime. I blame the time in Japan. Anyway, this was from an anime called Nagi-Asu: A Lull in the Sea, and it was the opening theme song, and I’m guessing you’re sensing a theme, but I’m an ocean girl. What do you want from me?”
“Vengo by Ana Tijoux - When we were in Chile, I started to expand my horizons a little bit, and Ana Tijoux is this amazing hip-hop artist that was super big there. Super feminist, super environmentalist, kinda one of my idols. Definitely needs more fame.”
“Stay by Zedd & Alessia Cara - I don’t endorse Here, which was the first time I heard Alessia Cara sing. I swear Canadian stations just have to pump Canadian music in at all times. But she was good in this, and I felt it, I wanted to stay put, I was getting tired of moving. I didn’t have the person she was singing about, but just that desire to hold onto something was growing.”
“Chinese Satellite by Phoebe Bridgers - There’s a detachment here that I definitely felt when I first heard it before we moved from California to Turkey. It felt like I was leaving home again for this weird unknown, and drifting. I was worried about how things were going to go, but I guess I made it back. It’s a very meditative song.”
“Sweet Disposition by the Temper Trap - OK, I went back in time for my Australian entry, but this song is like my theme song. Whenever I break a new wave, whenever my team wins a set, whenever I just have a great thought to start a new day, this is the song that plays in my head. It’s a song about potential, and considering the darker stuff from earlier, it’s a nice counter balance.”

My fondest memory as a child was _______.

“It’s tough to pick out just one, but I’ll say the first time I went into the deep water with my parents. I was seven, we were in Florida, and out in the Gulf of Mexico and my father finally let me jump in with him while he was heading out to collect data from one of the buoy stations. It was the first time I felt a part of my parents’ lives rather than just a carry-on bag or something.”

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

“Don’t get too comfortable in one place, but be sure to take as much of it in as possible. There aren’t many people who get to live a life like that, so while there are challenges, there are blessings too. Enjoy all of it.”

The things that make me smile are _______.

”That first full breath of sea air in a day, being able to make a success of something, my friends. I got a lot to smile about. I just don’t want to wreck it.”

My whole life story in one sentence:

”A girl who’s run out of fingers to count the places she’s lived is finally in a spot where she can make an impression that won’t get washed away by the waves.”

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► extra information

“We do have a dog, a year-old Labrador named Sydney, he was a pain in the ass getting over here from Australia, but he’s lovable as hell. Also, it’s been hard not to drink after it happened so often Down Under. I think I’m OK, but still, high school parties are going to have drinks right? Even if Naomi and the others give me looks. That’s the American high school experience right there.”

_{NPC FCs: Dr. June Adams (mother), 54, Dean of Marine Biology studies at Cal State Long Beach = Michelle Pfeiffer, Dr. David Adams (father), 59, Professor of Marine Biology at Cal State Long Beach = Pierce Brosnan, Kai Kewell, 18, first girl kiss = Katelyn Nacon}