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NeoAJ female Member

Fine. I'll High Five Myself.

STATUS: Happy new year. Yes I am still alive. Bleep you 2022. 2 yrs ago
Avatar of NeoAJ

Status

Recent Statuses

2 yrs ago
Current Happy new year. Yes I am still alive. Bleep you 2022.
3 likes
3 yrs ago
You need to chill, girl. ;P
2 likes
4 yrs ago
I still don't know why I'm awake.
4 likes
4 yrs ago
I have no idea why the hell I am still awake right now. I blame my brother.
3 likes
4 yrs ago
Today, I have added "people who don't wear masks" onto my shitlist. Oh wait, I did that months ago...
6 likes

Bio

I'm a 32 year old woman just looking to keep those writing muscles in whatever shape I can. I'm also Canadian, so fill the rest of this bio with every stereotype you can think of. I've also been single for over a year now, so clearly I'm a catch.

"She's horrible and stuff" - @BangoSkank

Most Recent Posts

In BHHS: Limitless → 8 mos ago Forum: Casual Roleplay










In BHHS: Limitless → 8 mos ago Forum: Casual Roleplay

In BHHS: Limitless → 8 mos ago Forum: Casual Roleplay


In BHHS: Limitless → 8 mos ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
Well, I guess I better get cracking on those sheets then...
In Beverly Hills: Limitless → 8 mos ago Forum: Casual Interest Checks
Given my avatar is my avatar because of a character from this universe... yeah... I'm thinking I'm back.
In Edenridge → 9 mos ago Forum: Casual Roleplay

________________________________________________________________________________

What If: Before the Party || Featuring: Danilo Belmonte & Jillian Belmonte
________________________________________________________________________________

In their pristine, white mansion, a haven of safety and serenity, but also completely minimal in design (aside for the man of the house’s closet and gym), Danny Belmonte, shooting guard #7 of the Boston Celtics, had blasting out of his bluetooth speakers Here We Go by Lightmuzik. He had been up for hours now, seeing how he had a regime he couldn’t break even if this was supposed to be a day of relaxation.

He was in the kitchen almost done making breakfast for himself and his wife. A nice, hearty breakfast. Omelets, English muffins topped with raw honey and a pinch of ground chia, and plenty of blueberries. In his activewear, he swayed around the kitchen, grabbing their filled plates and bopping to the dining room table. Regardless of what he and Jillian were going through, he wanted to remind her that he still loved her and would always be there for her, in whatever way she needed him. That’s what they promised in highschool and he was someone who never broke his promises. If he said he’d always be there for someone, through thick and thin, that’s exactly what he’d do. Be there.

For a good while now, he had been battling creeping thoughts of his own happiness and debating if he was where he wanted to be. The more he and Jill climbed, the more it felt like they weren’t where they needed to be. Everything went according to their design and yet, as perfect as it all seemed, he knew deep down, he couldn’t love Jill in the way she deserved. He loved her. Of course, he loved her. But that love was of a man who watched his best friend blossom into a beautiful and strong woman. That love wasn’t passionate. That love was simple. Easy. It was safe. That love wasn’t the kind that made him want to run back home. That love was that of friends not lovers. And they’ve been married for a few years and nothing’s changed. If anything, the one thing that has changed was they couldn’t pretend anymore and their life was made for pretending.

Today he had more bounce in his step and that was likely because they were going back home. Something they didn’t do often even if they lived only an hour away. In the calm of the morning, in the privacy of their humble abode, Danny and Jill could be their most authentic selves, putting the masks down, talking about anything and everything that was forcing them to lose sleep. Danny had noticed lately that Jill had been distracted. Just like she planned, she went from BC to Harvard Law. Just like she planned, no one asked when they’d have children. Jill had a way of shutting others down the moment they even asked too personal of questions. Just like she planned, no one tried to unravel their secrets, like the arrangement of them having an open relationship to satiate their urges, so long as it was kept locked tight.

It helped that she was friends with Kylee Grimm and no one wanted to make that girl their enemy. To this day, Kylee scared him. He couldn’t tell if she was heartless or she actually cared which is why she was ruthless. Regardless, Jillian Belmonte always had a solution for all their problems. Recently though? She could barely keep her thoughts straight. She was scattered and lost in the depths of her mind. Danny wanted to know what was up and if they were on the same wavelength, they just hadn’t discussed it yet. Quietly, he poured orange juice for both of them and then proceeded to make Jill’s morning coffee. Just how she liked it. Briefly, he glanced at his wrist watch, expecting her soon and finished setting the table. Soon she’d be here and soon they’d get to talk. He eagerly waited for his wife to exit the bedroom, all dolled up and ready to conquer her day. He eagerly waited for Jill.

The wait wouldn’t be long given the smells that were wafting through the halls and up through the second level. The aroma and honey and blueberries were already mingling in while Jillian was touching up her hair. She prided herself on her looks. She wasn’t going full Elle Woods during her law degree, but she would make Reese Witherspoon turn around and give her a knowing nod as if her life depended on it. It was down to a science at this point, and the routine never wavered while she was in her palace in the Boston suburbs. Some carefully brushed shadow, one thick run of liner, smudged into the lid, the big mascara, the ruby red lipstick, her skin already perfect, the porcelain untarnished, she made it look effortless. Her hair had already been brushed to a fine wave, her light white cotton top was a perfect fit for the warm weather, and her butt looked damn good in those jean shorts. It was a shame she had nowhere in particular to go today, but that would certainly not be the case in an hour or so. Olivia would have something. Or Kylee. There would be somewhere to be, someone to impress. Even on the slim chance that it was an actual day off though, she could at least look good for her husband.

The off-season was one of her favorite times of the year, since it meant she would have Danny all to herself. The road trips for basketball business were kept to a minimum and all the places she wanted to go were on the docket. Not many law school students got to take breaks by going to the Maldives or Ireland or Italy. But even still, there was something about their respective schedules that did allow them to focus on what they needed to do. Danny’s NBA career was on the upswing and she was breezing through Harvard. They were a true power couple on the rise, with brighter things on the horizon.

So why wasn’t she happier about it?

This is all she ever wanted, right? Sure, was Danny on her radar as that potential Prince Charming in high school? Not really. Not until junior year did he officially cross out of the friend zone and into something much more. She followed in Allison’s high-school footsteps heel for heel, controlling the Clovers and the control of information with a bit of help from her friends. She was top of her class at BC. She was on the fast track to the state house and beyond. But there was still a hollowness to it. Maybe the long lonely nights from the fall to the winter were getting to her more than she let on. It did seem like she took greater joy in telling her girls about her latest triumphs than her husband. Even on her wedding day, which was a lovely occasion back home that started at the lake and ended in a reception room filled with catering from every business in Edenridge (even if the Belmontes insisted Italian had to be front and center), it felt like it should have been something more than it was. Like Danny never truly left that zone, with the memories of being kids keeping something in check. Those feelings had been growing during her time in Belmont. Maybe that name just had connotations she didn’t take into account when she picked the place out. Jillian was increasingly distracting herself with her friends’ business. Olivia and Kylee were in constant contact updating her about things. Same with Lanie, and Allison, although they weren’t as frequent. Hell, even Mei was keeping her abreast of her latest developments with Devi… So why didn’t it feel like she had the same passion that they did?

All those thoughts stayed in the mirror though as Jillian gave one last kiss to herself before sauntering down the stairs where the breakfast awaited. As she blesses the dining room upon arrival, she got a glimpse of Danny in full and had a smile plastered on her face. “Mmmmm, morning Danny. Everything smells just right. What did I do to deserve such a breakfast… and such a man?” She was really laying it on thick today.

Stoic as can be, learned behavior from his father, now that he was no longer alone, Danny finished setting the table, which included their espresso shots, orange juice, and water, turned the music off so there was nothing but silence surrounding them and pulled out Jillian’s throne, “Only the best for my Queen.” He volleyed back, knowing this dance all too well. These kinds of sweet nothings and pleasantries were not a sign of happiness for Jillian and Danilo. No. Even if they didn’t say anything, they knew each other long enough to feel that their chosen partner had a lot on their mind. That they weren’t happy.

After she took her seat, he kissed her cheek and whispered into her ear, “You look beautiful.” As always, he complimented her, which she didn’t need to hear but it was a habitual routine of theirs. It was his way of outwardly showing he cared. They didn’t have any prying eyes but the more he did it, the more it would become true, right? She was very much beautiful to him and she deserved the world, and Danny had promised himself, since the beginning, he would show that every day. However, he also knew that he wasn’t the one that should be giving her this treatment. He knew these words and these actions all felt empty because she didn’t want them from him. A coffee can be made the same by two people but the one made by the person you loved tasted ten times better because that was a necessary ingredient to life. Love.

Both Jillian and Danny loved each other but not in the way that set their hearts ablaze. He loved her, but not enough to make her dream and think of him and that was the same for him. He loved Jillian but he knew, deep down, that he settled because it was the perfect life, the ideal painting, everything he could and should ever dream of. She was the perfect choice. The perfect partner. The perfect wife. Jillian O’Brien was perfect and to the outside world, she was perfect for him. Once he was done pushing her in, like any gentleman would, he went to his seat, across from her. Grabbing his table napkin, he flapped it open and laid it on his lap.

With his knife and fork, he cut a piece of omelet and tasted his cooking. Somewhere from highschool and now, he learned how to not burn a kitchen down and maybe it’s because Jill pushed him to greatness and made him want to be better, or maybe after the loss of his mother, he wished he had learned sooner. Regardless of how he learned to cook, a small smile did creep on his face. It wasn’t half bad. He was getting better. “So,” he finally started. “I checked your calendar and it looks like you’re free today…” he took a moment to take another bite, chewing in silence. “I was thinking we could do something together.”

As Jillian tucked into the sumptuous breakfast bounty laid out before her, she nodded. “Mmhmmm, yes, I don’t have any meetings on the docket at LLC today,” the redhead confirmed as she enjoyed some of the fluffy omelet. It was certainly a better job than some of Danny’s previous attempts. Thankfully their downstairs bathroom had the ability to digest what she couldn’t from back then. “I think they’re finally starting to let up a little bit.”

She did like those days when it was just the two of them. As helpful as having Maya and Kendall around the house was for cleaning and cooking, they couldn’t talk to Jillian the way Danilo could. Although talking wasn’t coming very often lately. Sure, they talked about the things in front of them, but it was so different from the conversations they had when they were teenagers, or even kids. Just able to meander in each other’s company, without a care for what the other would think or what the topic’s importance was. Everything now was tight and almost functional. A byproduct of their respective paths, but it was difficult to bear without the presence of the Belmonte man for the majority of the year. Especially the cold New England winters. More often than not, if he had a game, by the time he was done with the press and the cooldown rituals and back home, Jillian was in bed. The 8 am classes required her full attention, and while her makeup game was practiced as Danny’s jump shot, it still took time. So a rare day like this could be exactly what they need to make sure there was still a spark of something there.

Or determine if it was extinguished for good. Sure, they would always be friends. Danny had done nothing to convince Jillian that anything would change that. The worst thing she could think of would be sleeping with her sister, but Grace actually held to her word as far as she knew. Danny was never touched. Instead, Jill got that honor in senior year.

However, maybe it was because Danny was basically the only man Jillian had ever known that made the ennui more present. Was she missing out on something? Olivia had been around with a few men before settling on Quinton Woods as her partner. The two were planning another rendezvous to Paris in the fall to celebrate their two years of marriage. Of course, having to choose between Olivia and Mei in regards to who she sided with in regards to Q and his previous relationship with Miss Midnight left a sour taste in both Jill and Mei’s mouths.

And it was that taste that she thought about during those lonely nights in her bed, trying to drift asleep to the sounds of Danny’s exploits lighting up ESPN Sportscenter’s nightly recaps. There were times when there were thoughts in her head, thoughts that she had shared before under the unbreakable pacts of slumber parties with the girls that would eventually team with her on the Clovers and beyond. Thoughts that she even expressed physically a couple of times. Kat was a willing partner, as was Mei, but the second Danny confirmed things, those thoughts had been quelled. Recently, they were back. The loneliness was the subject of a few conversations with Olivia, Kylee and Allison lately. This could be a chance to remedy that. Or at least take something off the full buffet plate her mind had been the past few months.

Speaking of the plate, a bite of muffin was next, washed down with some water. “I would love to have a day together, just you and me. Did you have something particular in mind that you wanted to do?”

His question was a test and it looked like Jill had failed it, clearly having forgotten about the importance of this day. They had plans and it was on the door of their fridge being held by a magnet, in the form of an invite and a picture of Beau smiling like he had just written a bestseller book. “Yeah, I do, but the likelihood of us having me and you time is very unlikely, Jillian.” He said matter-of-factly. Grabbing a couple of blueberries, he tossed them one by one in the air and started catching them in his mouth. Once the mild distraction came and went, Danilo never having grown out of his childish tendencies, he focused on his wife, once again giving her his undivided attention (which wasn’t really all his attention, his mind as of late rarely on her), “You really don’t remember, do you?” His expression was perplexed, as if this was surprising news, but it immediately shifted to acceptance and a shrug, like he should’ve known better, “I guess that’s to be expected since you’ve been a busy girl chasing a feeling but that’s why I made sure to get your schedule adjusted so you had today open. There’s no way I’d miss this for the world.”

It was a rare instance when confusion appeared on the face of Jillian O'Brien, but when it did, it was tough to hide. She was used to seeing it on Danny, but those remarks combined with the face brought it out of her. She stopped eating for a moment as she tried to think about what she could have possibly missed. Was Nat back in for a visit? The Belmonte family had plenty of events to keep track of, and even Jill had trouble keeping up. There wasn't much for the O'Brien household to keep tabs on with everyone fanning out after her father's death. No, it couldn't be a familial event.

As she struggled to come up with the answer, finally it dawned on her. Allison had mentioned a big event some time this month. A big gala that the community was coming together for. But what would Allison be worked up enough about to… "Oh… OHHHHHhhh. Oh right! Beau's retirement party! Wow. I totally forgot about that…"

It made sense for Allison to want to give the man a proper send off. It could be argued that if Beau hadn't broken up the party on Carlisle Street that night, Allison would have ended up in the hospital. Or worse. In all honesty, Beau did a lot for his adopted community. Jillian didn't discuss much with the former English teacher and now cafe owner, but he was always willing to listen. Still, his retirement didn't really register on her mind. That's what happens when a person is hyper-focused on something else.

"I didn't know if you wanted to head back to Eden tonight or not. I mean, I am definitely able and willing to go! I'll have to pick out a better outfit than this, obviously, but yes, totally. We can do that. We can have a date night another time."

Danny nodded at his wife, both coming to an agreement of their duty and making an appearance in Eden which had become less and less each year. He had barely touched his food, which wasn’t something he usually did; always keeping up with his health and wellness, making sure he stood in tip top shape for his career. He couldn’t help but search Jill’s expression and see if she really did want to go or if this was all just her forcing herself because he wanted to. He could keep the conversation going. He could ask her if she was sure and bring up the elephant in the room. The clear tension between them because of their lack of lust for one another. He could do a lot of things. He could be happy. Instead he chose to keep things as they were and asserted, “It’s decided then. We’ll head there tonight.”

Putting his fork down, he grabbed his phone and began texting a few people, his attention having already left the dining room to think of better things. As he texted Mikhail, his co-captain and dear old friend, to see if he wanted to meet up at some point, he firmly suggested, “You should wear your tiny black dress. It looks hot on you. You gotta’ remind everyone why you reigned supreme. But also,” he stopped typing for a moment to lock eyes with his wife. “Black suits you,” he smirked. “You don’t wear it enough.”

A wry smile cracked Jill’s facade as she chuckled softly. The ginger goddess was not exactly known for her blackened wardrobe, but she had worn it well in previous eras. For a time in sophomore year after her dad passed away, she draped herself in enough dark shades that Mei even told her she had to lighten up a bit. No one could mourn forever, even for someone as integral to the community as Shane O’Brien. But the Celtics (the NBA ones) made black and green look damn good together.

“Well, between all the red for Harvard and the green for the Celtics, black hasn’t had many chances to get in there,” Jill admitted. “But if the Bruins can make it work, I suppose I can as well. But I don’t want Beau to think I’m there for a funeral. It’s his retirement party, right? It should be a celebration.”

A celebration that had slipped her mind completely. Was Danny right? Did Jillian lose touch with her Edenridge roots already? She hadn’t been in Boston that long. Sure, BC was a wild ride, a chance for her to prove herself to the greater Massachusetts area that she was more than just a pretty face and a worthy cheerleading captain. But just because one rises from the mud to be put on a pedestal doesn’t mean she can completely forget what shaped her?

“The right accessories could make it pop though. Maybe that emerald necklace to show that I still have the heart of a Celtic? I’m starting to get some ideas. If Olivia is going tonight, I can coordinate with her and Kylee to make sure the outfits are on point. Show that the queens are still in control of things?”

“Is Jillian Belmonte asking for my permission or telling me how things are going to go tonight? If you go green, we know I have several ties to match.” After pocketing his phone, he checked his wrist watch, a clear sign he was about to dismiss himself from the table. Ready to go off and focus on his strict schedule, leaving his wife to her own solitude, Danny thought of the hour drive they had ahead of them and all the catching up he’d need to do. Standing up, while wiping his fingers on his napkin, he chuckled to himself, “I think tonight I’ll try to fit a game in with Mikhail. It’s been awhile since he and I shot hoops together. Bet I still can kick his ass though.” Tossing his napkin on his plate of unfinished food, he cracked his neck, and gave the beautiful redhead a genuine suggestion, “You should try to meet up with some old friends too. Who knows! Maybe it’ll give you a moment to breathe, from all that studying...” His voice trailed off once more and his gaze was back on his phone, which was now out of his pants’ pocket. As he scanned through sports alerts and social media notifications, he started to clean the table, disengaging and truly believing he did enough to be present and attentive for his dearly beloved. At this point, the two lovers were completely disconnected even if they were great at playing pretend.

An eyebrow was raised from the other end of the table at the question that responded to her rhetorical statement. There was no asking. Danny knew that. Jillian was in control of the relationship from the second the childhood friends made it official. It seemed like that was the way things should work, but it was more of a drain on the Head Clover than she let on. She was managing so many things at Harvard, at home, with Liv and Kylee, and she had been doing so for so long. While Jill was thankful for the support she had through high school with Allison setting such a sterling example, Lanie and Olivia being her right and left-hand women, Kylee being the digger, now it seemed like those avenues were blocked off and everything was on her. Danny was supposed to step up in Boston, but aside from the breakfasts he seemed more distant than ever. Even now, in regards to the party, he was talking about what he was going to do with other people, not even interested in her. Jill should be offended…

But was she? It was tough to tell. Maybe too much of Danilo Belmonte was a bad thing after all. Or too little in her case. They were almost less than friends. More like roommates. She saw him less these days than she did her neighbor at BC that first year, and she was certain he flunked out because he was conducting “chemical studies” in his room way too much. It was sad in a way, but she also couldn’t feel the same things she thought she felt in all those conversations when they were kids. They were supposed to conquer the Bay State, but instead it was more like they were splitting the path to other kingdoms. Hell, she was certain she heard Danny mentioned in trade rumors through the grapevine.

“Well, like I said…” Jill started, an air of annoyance in her voice. “I know Liv and Lanie will likely be there, Kylee is probably there, most of the people I want to talk to at the party I talk to on a regular basis…” She was trying to think if there was anyone else who would have her attention. “I don’t know. I’ll figure something out. I hope Grace is still off on one of her ‘art tours’ or something. I’d prefer not to rehash things there. I don’t know. I’ll probably find someone to talk to. Maybe Allison is there with some of the older Clovers.”

“Don’t sound so hesitant, babe,” Danny chuckled, amused at how uncertain Jill sounded. “You’re a socialite and a top dog at what you do. Finding someone to talk to is easy for you. And hey! Maybe you’ll meet up with that crazy ass goth chick you vibed with in highschool.” As he brought his dishes to the sink, he tried to bring a name to a face but couldn’t recollect.

Anyways, it didn’t matter.

He had plans and Jill was bright enough to figure out her own. They didn’t need each other to enjoy their hometown. Danny had better things to do and other people to catch up with that weren't his wife. He loved Jill but at this point in their relationship she was less than interesting to him. Same-o, same-o. Unchanging and always there. Rarely wanted to change things up. And usually so stressed. Uncool and totally not his vibe a lot of the time. Once he cleaned up his area, he made his way to his wife and put his arms on her shoulders, gently massaging her, “Seriously. You need this. Stop thinking about school and use this opportunity to chill. Okay?” He leaned down and kissed the top of her beautiful red hair before his gears went to something better. Himself. “Now!” He exclaimed, squeezing her shoulders with a bit of force. “I have to make a call but before I go, are you done? I can clean up so you can focus on taking a nice scented bath and do all the things you girlies like to do. Shave… self care… whatever.”

Whatever. That unprofessional word certainly summed things up in their relationship. Danny didn’t really care what Jill did. Each member of the household was so laser-focused on their own path, their own way forward, the other person could do… whatever.

It was so frustrating for Jill. Every time Olivia and Q gushed about their plans it was always as a tandem. As much as Jill tried to loop her right-hand woman into what she was doing, Q always came in at some point. The synergy there was not present in this house. The redhead could feel it in her shoulders as they tensed under Danny’s touch. It wasn’t an embrace, it was a death grip.

And it was keeping her locked in place until Danilo released her. It dawned on her that maybe Belmont, as well as the last name that was just one letter off, were both one and the same thing. An empty boxcar, keeping her locked in this railway to her goals, but leaving her with nothing in between to hold on to. Did it matter the destination if the journey left nothing to be desired? Maybe that was something she could talk to someone about tonight. But who could she trust? Olivia would tell Quinton. Allison would tell other members of the squad. Kylie? It was possible she could tell everyone. There was a lot to think about.

“A bath sounds nice,” Jill confirmed as sweetly as she could. “I can relax a little bit and fully picture the ensemble for tonight. I’ll be ready for showtime… and for Beautime.” With that, she cleaned the rest of her plate and left Danny to the dishes.

Alone again.

In Edenridge → 12 mos ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
Early Morning - What If
f. Sabrina Aviles, Clay Costigan and Lilith Aviles-Costigan







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The house was relatively cheery looking from the outside, a bit surprising given its position on the Edenridge landscape. With the imposing Aviles mansion just down the road, the relatively modest split-level with the white siding and the red door looked more like it belonged in Hawkins, Indiana, than the Upside Down that the manor inhabited. However, the nefarious deeds that were done in that seemingly innocent house were on par with those in the more notorious place down the way.

One such spell was being concocted this very morning, a witch at work with deft hands easily manipulating the various ingredients necessary to make this particular effort a success. The molten sludge in the cauldron served as a welcoming base for the various powders that were being thrown into the mix, dissolving within the deep, dark muck. The levels had to be just right in order for it to work. Next, an offering of an unborn animal, binding the powders to the sludge, giving the spell cohesion. Sustenance for the child that would never be, curdled far beyond its time, the age giving it power. Then a black liquid, still piping hot, poured into the cauldron, melting the sludge, allowing it to accept the potion within the rest of the concoction.

“Soon…” the young witch gloated. “Soon, I will summon the demise of those who oppose me. Soon, they will know that they have been vanquished. Soon, they will taste death!” Evil laughter rang out in the witch’s domain, knowing that everything was coming according to plan. The kiln was ready, locking in the forbidden secrets that would bring everyone around her to their knees. The cauldron was emptied, the mold prepared, everything would be locked in place. There was nothing that could stop the witch…

“Mommmmmma!”

The witch turned, startled by the noise behind her.

“Mommma, is it time to go?”

The witch smiled. “Soon, Lilith. Soon. It’s only 9:30 after all.” With that, Sabrina Aviles slid the cake pan into the waiting oven, the batter now complete and set to bake for an hour.

It was strange at times, this feeling of contentment that washed over Sabrina with even the simplest tasks completed. In high school, she would have loathed this version of herself that stood in the kitchen, a white cotton t-shirt and a pair of black shorts completely given in to the domestic lifestyle. Sure she still had a job, but it was secondary to her tasks around the house, in the community, and most importantly, to the four-year-old that was standing in the kitchen, ready for another session of daycare.

Lily seemed to get the best of both her parents. She had her father’s looks, down to the immaculate Aviles jet-black hair that feathered as it went down from her head. She had her mother’s brains though, and everyone agreed that was probably for the good of the child. She was already reading above her daycare classmates, able to hold distinct conversations while showing off the latest drawings, she was going to be able to do whatever she wanted in the world and take it by storm. She had the power. It was willed to her. Every thunderstorm that rolled into Edenridge, Sabrina would take her husband to the designated room and do her best to make sure that everything was aligned. If she was going to have a child after all, it was going to have to be in line with the beliefs she never fully shook from high school. Hard as her husband tried, Sabrina still was an Aviles, and she still embraced the dark side. And he was usually willing to go along with things. It’s part of what made him fall in love with her after all. That and a late night car ride in senior year that seemed to confirm that maybe there was more than just an odd-pairing friendship there.

Sure, Sabrina got a lot of stick from her younger siblings. Samara never let her hear the end of how she got Stepfordized, the second Aviles after her aunt Marina to embrace the normie culture and move into the town, even if it wasn’t that far away. Lucien usually tried to say something, but was met with a punch or a threatened drowning. Her mother was very pleased though. She doted after young Lilith the way it would be expected for a grandmother to look after her first grandchild. The gifts weren’t the same, but the emotions held true. Plus, Sabrina had to admit, it was going to take someone of immense talents, a steel will and an ability to find light in the pitch black to get her to come willingly into motherhood.

If only he could get his ass ready to go on time.

“Clay?!?” she shouted down the hall, hoping that her husband would hear her. “You said you’d take Lilith to daycare today, right? I still have this cake in the oven, and if you want this chocolate to be deadly, I need to make sure it’s glazed at the right time!”

Yawning and stretching his arms out widely, Clay Costigan shuffled down the hall of his home towards the kitchen which smelled suspiciously and decadently of baked goods. “I got her, babe, I got her. Don’t you…” His words were interrupted by another yawn as he entered the kitchen. “Worry.” He said as his agape mouth finally began to close. “There’s my girl.” It took less than a second for Lilith to sprint across the kitchen and into her father’s arms. He picked her up and smiled as he booped her little nose.

Clay had never seen himself fully as a father type. He had always wanted kids but as his high school years wore on, he began to wonder if he was even built for it. He had searched for love in too many places and he had seen first hand that the world around him did not encourage people like him to become fathers. All he ever wanted was to find someone that he could share his soul with and start a future with. Very few people ever truly realized just how lonely Clay Costigan was. Even with his Elite and Foundling status, even with a bevy of beauties at his beck and call; the boy was scratching and clawing for something more. He was desperately searching for someone to fill a void, a hole in his life that he just couldn’t quite figure out.

Then he got a phone call.

It was supposed to be a great night. The Celtics had just won their state championships and Clay had a date with a hot-as-all-hell Pinehurst girl. Basically everyone was at a party on the Southside when Beau broke it up and helped prevent Allison from od’ing on some bad coke. Clay himself was elsewhere when he got a call to help out someone he knew only as a friend, Sabrina. He didn’t know what it was about that particular night but there was something in her usually monotonous if not disdain filled voice that was telling him that she needed him. Clay dropped his date and went to pick up Sabrina straight away. He didn’t take her home immediately, she said she didn’t want that. Instead, they just drove around town all night, talking. It was just little things at first but then it got deep and by the rise of the sun they found themselves sharing a kiss so electric that it likely would’ve raised Frankenstein's monster from its slumber…or knowing Sabrina, her grandfather Julio.

They had been together from then on, and despite the looks and the glares and the world around them’s misgivings, they found happiness in one another. They shared vows and eventually welcomed their daughter into their lives. Clay had finally found what he had been searching his whole life for and he’d be damned if he let it go. “It’s not a problem. I’ll drop her off on my way to do…whatever jobs I’m given. I don’t really know what I’m doing but it’s fine! It’s all gravy.”

Sabrina smiled as she heard Clay confirmed yet again that he was going to be up to the task. “I know it’ll be gravy. It’ll be freakin’ dijon mustard.” She walks over from the oven to where her immediate family stood. “But if you want gravy on this cake, you say the word, babe.” She kissed Clay quickly but sweetly on the lips.

It was a pale imitation of that first kiss in Clay’s car during that December night, but trying to recreate that moment would be like trying to repaint the Mona Lisa. Even Sabrina herself didn’t really know how to bring the separate facets together that led to that fateful liplock. Learning what had nearly happened to Allison, how she nearly met her end at that party on Carlisle, it affected her more than she actually cared to admit. Like it or not, Allison was the one who brought her onto the cheerleading squad in the first place and took her out of what she realized soon into the beginnings of her relationship with Clay was a rather unhealthy obsession with the despair and dark tendrils of the town that settled in after the death of her older sister Bianca. The head Clover saw something in the raven-haired girl that Sabrina herself couldn’t see through the haze and smoke. By the time that party rolled around, the macabre Aviles princess was a model member, taking Mei Ramsey under her raven wing and actually contributing to the senior squad.

In her own dark way, of course. She was still an Aviles after all.

But Sabrina couldn’t fathom what would have happened to her if Allison had actually died that fateful night. The emotions were overwhelming, forcing her to confront the buried trauma that she thought rested with her sister underneath that tiny tombstone in the backyard. It almost consumed her… until she reached out with her phone. With the rest of the squad at the party still reeling from Beau’s actions, there was one noticeable absence that she hoped would have been rectified. And it was. Clay was a doofus, but he was reliable. To this day, he was just that, but on Dec. 4, he was above and beyond. He was the pair of wings she needed.

She doesn’t fully remember the conversation in Clay’s car, but it was more emotional than she had been in years. No one in her family had been able to pull the thorns out of her soul like the Costigan boy with a cocksure glance and a friendly ear. Clay had been one of the athletes she had gotten along with, him not judging Sabrina for her stylistic choices, or Allison for having an “emo girl” on the sidelines. He just… was good. A beacon of light to counteract the darkness she used to put into the community. It made for an odd yin-yang friendship… that moved into a yin-yang relationship… and now a yin-yang family. With Lilith, who was only called that by her mother’s side of the family as her father and everyone else usually went with her nickname Lily, the perfect combination of both. Sabrina also moved to give her daughter a loving peck on the cheek.

“I just wanted to make sure you remembered,” Sabrina finally told Clay. “She doesn’t have to be there for another 45 minutes, but she can go whenever you’re ready.” She booped Lilith’s nose. “And don’t worry. If Daddy wants gravy on his slice of cake, he can have it, but I’ll make sure you have the full amount of chocolate required for death to take hold, my sweet.” Lily giggled at the consecutive boops.

As Clay gazed upon his wife and child, a feeling of love washed over him, a feeling of thankfulness. He had long and always considered himself a lucky man. It was never lost on him just how better he had it growing up in Edenridge, Massachusetts as a Foundling in comparison to many of his compatriots from elsewhere in the town. He was white, rich and athletic, a WASP dream child. There was an underlying guilt that he often could not shake, that he had no right to the troubles that weighed heavily on his heart because there were so many more people who had it far worse than he could even possibly imagine.

Sabrina was one of those people from the upside down of Clay’s white picket world. Laughed at, mocked, drowning in heartache from what he would come to learn was her older sister's passing. The Aviles family held strange beliefs and basically worshiped within their own private religion, facts which people would use to torture Sab. Still, for as long as he could remember, all Clay ever saw was the cute dark haired girl at the back of the class who just seemed sad and lonely so he would start every morning by offering her a smile. It took a while but eventually she would smile back and that smile of hers would change his life forever. Sabrina became yet another part of his being which he could thank his blessed stars for.

“You are as literal as a hammer sometimes, babe.” No luck but what we make. It was a common theme for a Celtic but Clay didn’t subscribe to that theory like the O’Hara clan did. Someone up there, or maybe down below considering who the woman that gave his life meaning was, was looking out for the idiot and had gifted him a raven-haired lady of the wood and a mischievous little sprite to be the family that he had sought for so long. “I love you.” Clay couldn’t help but lean and kiss his wife again, blessed or cursed he be.

With Lily still in his arms, he made his way over to the fridge to grab his daughter a juice box. “I just had a quick call with Laura, she said she and Prim are happy to take Lilith for the night whilst we’re at Beau’s thing. She’s got Jasmine too, so Lily will get to play with her. Would you like that baby?” As Clay handed his daughter her juice, he immediately saw the darks of the eyes light up just like her mothers often did when she perfected a spell or decided to torture her brother Lucien. Lily loved spending time with her aunt Lamb but she also loved causing mischief with Clay’s cousin JJ’s daughter Jasmine. He worried for the future of Edenridge when those two grew up, especially considering who Jaz’s father was. “Maybe do her a protection charm just in case.”

"To be fair, my white magic isn't nearly as good as my dark magic, so it's just as likely I protect Lilith from good things instead of what you want her protected from. But I trust Lamb can definitely make up the difference, especially if she has Prim as backup. And Lilith’s little coven with Jasmine will surely yield great results when they enter school. The jungle gym will be theirs!”

Sabrina smiles and laughs, punctuated with a happy sigh, so different from the huffed expressions of annoyance she was known for in the early part of her Clovers career. She swore she could already see shades of her older sister in what would have been Bianca’s first niece. The sparkle in her eyes, the curiosity in her surroundings, the penchant for sweets. A lot of things that she thought were lost given herself and her younger twin siblings. However, more and more of those things were starting to surface in her lately. It was… weird.

“I love you too, doofus. I’ll talk to Allison and see what she’s thinking. We can do a little coordinating. I’ll cut the cake up and have that ready to go whenever we head over.”

“There’s gonna be so much cake.” Clay proclaimed as he dusted a small bit of food from Lily’s charcoal hair. “I know David said CeCe was doing the majority of the main baking but you already know you and I aren’t the only ones bringing extra food to this thing.” His dark eyes glanced down at his daughter as he placed her on the floor to play with some of the million and one toys she had scattered around their suburban gothic homestead. “We’re gonna go from the most haunted town in America to the fattest town in America in the span of forty eight hours.”

Just as Clayton had finished speaking, the kitchen radio which had been playing adverts during the husband and wife’s conversation burst into life with the familiar sounds of Mei Ramsey, DJing on her morning show, the Dawn Patrol with Jade Taylor. Mei and Sabrina had a history which was even to this day steeped in mist for Clay. He knew that his wife and the radio host were very close, to the point where Sabby had insisted on making Mei Lilith’s Godmother but there was still much about their relationship he was not aware of and probably didn’t need to be aware of.

Like his fathers band, Gallows, used to say, that’s Witch Shit.

“I’ll give your girl her due babe.” Clayton made his way over to his wife as music began to pour out of the VAL speakers of their home stereo. “She’s got amazing taste in music.” He wrapped his arms around Sabrina and offered those big, expressive and mesmerizing eyes a stupid Clay-grin. “Even better taste in women.” He winked as he pressed his lips to Sabby’s. Blessed be he for another day in paradise with his girls. “Any other jobs before I head out with the demon spawn?”

“I’ll give you a better taste of a woman,” Sabrina whispered to her husband, making sure that her daughter was out of earshot for that one. Clay had mentioned Mei, and hearing Miss Midnight’s voice on the morning radio was certainly strange, but she had to admit that her and Jade had a lot of chemistry together. Maybe not as much as she did. A part of her thinks that maybe she could take a more public role in the community now that she was somewhat out of the shadows. At least she was offering to do things again. Childbirth had taken a lot of energy out of her, but it was worth it every time Lilith looked up with that devil-may-fear grin of hers. “And there won’t be that much cake. I told CeCe I would take some of the baking off her plate so she wasn’t being completely overloaded with cooking for the whole town. But, a few slices will be Aviles and Costigan property only, so don’t worry. At least one of those pounds gained will be solely yours.”

Talking about weight and caring about damaging children’s brains with sexy talk were just the latest signs that while the outward veneer of Sabrina Aviles remained somewhat dedicated to the images of high school, she just didn’t feel it fully in her soul anymore. It wasn’t black anymore, it was… almost an Oreo by this point. She remembered how much losing her sister hurt, how all she wanted was to contract the demons to bring her back, but as she enveloped herself more in the Clovers and in her relationship with Clay, it felt almost like Bianca’s spirit was soothed seeing her siblings in better places. Sure, she was probably the most well-adjusted of the three direct descendants, with Samara still committed to her dark witch act (although Amy Robinson had asked for help finding the right city to get Taylor Swift tickets in, and that girl didn’t have a boyfriend as far as Sabrina knew, so confirming that she had that ammo against her sister was a nice surprise), and Lucien was… still Lucien, but she felt so much more at peace with her position in Edenridge, and in life. Maybe it was time to crack the dark cookie a little more.

“I don’t think we need anything else for the party. I believe there are a couple bottles of wine in the fridge still, although we could probably use one more in case if you want to grab one…” Sabrina trailed off a little bit. The tiny thought in her head wanted out. “Clay… how do you think I would look as a blonde? I just… I thought I might try it. Sam has those silver streaks in her hair, but I can’t do that. But the blonde… I don’t know. It’s stupid. Never mind.”

“Oh shit.” Clay was somewhat taken aback by his lover's words. Sabrina going blonde, now there was a thought. “Lilith, daddy owes for the swear jar. Go get a dollar from my wallet.” The youngling didn’t have to be asked twice as she sprinted to the other side of the kitchen and began to rummage through the pockets of her fathers brown leather jacket that was hanging on the back of the door.

Sab had always had the strikingly dark obsidian mane for as long as he had known her (which was from diapers at their current point), which perfectly matched the tar pits of her eyes where he often found himself trapped, sinking and loving it. As Sab had suggested, only her younger sister Samara had ever ventured beyond the dark to add some color to their infamous locks. Sab, Sam and Luci all were pitch black, their still hot as hell mother Drusilla still had a full head of raven hair, their father Dorian was a silver fox but which had grown out from his jet black roots. Hell, even their stupid sexy uncle Felix possessed a mane that was as black as the ace in a deck of cards.

Blonde would be a change.

“Babe if it’s something you want to try, you know I’ll always support you.” Clay made sure that his grip around her waist was comforting and not too tight. “Personally, you know whether you have these lovely locks..” He pushed a strand of the topic of conversation behind her ear. “Or if you’re blonde, ginger, green, red, blue, candy floss or whatever the shit…” the sailor cupped his wife’s face in his hand and looked deep into her eyes. “That I will find you the most beautiful woman on the planet. Sexy as all fuck and I will love you anyway, eyeballs to entrails my sweet.”

It was a silly thought. Blonde was the color of light, of summer, of bleach that wasn’t being drank. It was seemingly everything Sabrina wasn’t for so many years. Would she actually go through with such a thing? Maybe. But not today. Not as much as one of the Lucastas would probably love seeing an Aviles turned towards the bright side. She wouldn’t go that far. Samara and Marina had the right idea, with the streaks in their hair proving as a nice contrast to the jet black they boasted. A colorful flash in the night.

But as Lilith dropped the dollar bill in the jar on the counter that was to be used for the child’s entertainment, Sabrina let that silly thought go. Why did she need to change so drastically if she didn’t want to? Clay loved her. LOVED. She’d never forget the day she heard that from him. Family love is one thing. Aviles stuck together, no matter if they had the name or not as her cousin Karina taught her. Not only was Clay stricken with her entirety, it was clear that he was already absorbed into the culture her clan fostered. She was certain that Clay Costigan, one of the princes of Edenridge High, would never have tried that line on anyone but her. Would never have dreamed uttering it. But it made her love him even more

She darted her head forward and pecked sweetly at her husband. “Mmmmm, maybe I just wanted to hear you say such perfectly suited words to me.” She smirks. “Or maybe I just wanted clearance in case I have to try and make a bet with Samara to get her to babysit one of these nights. I don’t think I can be ginger, CeCe would not stand for it. Or Jill if she ever came back. Hope that girl doesn’t get turned the wrong kind of evil at Harvard.” She shakes her head. “I mean, my evil is fine, but that?” She laughs. “Satan damn it, Clay, you got me giggling again.”

“It’s what I do, Sabby.” Clay savored the brief moment his wife’s lips were pressed to his. He also understood her trepidation of the young Jill and her potential evil. In a town such as Edenridge, to be branded a Foundling comes with the unbearable weight of expectation. This was a weight Clayton and his sister knew all too well. Going to an Ivy League school or making something of yourself in an accepted and respectable way was the norm for people like them. Failure to do so was almost unheard of but it had happened. Nepotism was alive and well in Massachusetts and it was eating away at the souls of the youth.

Clay leaned down and picked up his daughter, flinging her over his shoulder much to Lilith’s delight based on her fluffy giggles. “Alright Gremlin, we gotta get outta here so Mom can mix her potions and bake her cakes without either of our sticky fingers stealing the Butterscotch.” He glanced down at the watch that Sabrina had gotten him for their last anniversary, it was a beautiful chronograph style piece, probably an Uncle Randy special. Watching the hands move and feeling the weight of his child on his shoulder, Clay said a silent prayer to himself. He wished that Lilith wouldn’t grow up too fast. For all their jokes and for the deep beliefs of Sab and her family, there was always darkness in this town, a different kind of darkness that crept along its borders at night, waiting for open doors to invite itself into unsuspecting lives. He prayed that Lilith would keep her door closed.

With his free hand, Clay caressed his wife’s face before reaching behind her to pick up a soccer ball that was on the side. “Can’t forget this!” The ball itself was a gift from Clay’s cousin Emerald and Lily worshiped it. “Stay in touch today? Let me know if you need a hand with anything or if you just wanna take our clothes off and stare at each other. Maybe touch butts?”

Another giggle. Happy Sabrina was clearly in charge today. It was very easy to give in when Clay was continuing to be as goofy as he was. A source of infinite jest in the dead seriousness of this town. "Oh, I think we can potentially touch a few things. I shall be summoning you when I have everything in place for tonight." She booped her daughter on the nose. "Now you be good at daycare, young witch! No hexing the boys or anything, OK?"

Lilith matched her mother's giggle and nodded. "No heck-sing."

"Good girl." Sabrina smiles again. "See you later, doofus."

In Palm Beach Royals: Reunited At Sea → 1 yr ago Forum: Advanced Roleplay



featuring Sandra Sonnett
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"Mom! Have you seen where I put that yearbook? I wanted to be able to have it for people to be able to take a look back!" The brunette started to ransack the area, trying to confirm she wasn't going crazy. She knew that she had put it on her childhood desk, a luxury for her given that her sisters' rooms had been converted into a workout space and an potential future nursery. But that was a day or two ago. It couldn't have sprouted legs and walked off! Was it on a shelf? A chest?

Finally the Class of 2013 yearbook appeared in a hand, but not the hand of Lindsey Sonnett. Instead, it hovered in the doorway in the grip of the matriarch of the Palm Beach household. While she was not the tour-de-force she was in her younger days, known to be able to go toe-to-toe with anyone at Kings, Sandra Sonnett was still nimble enough to spring a surprise on someone who looked at her and underestimated what they were facing. Including her youngest daughter. "It's right here, Lindsey. I got it. Don't tear the place apart."

A sigh of relief escaped Lindsey's lips as she took the book from her mother. "Thank you, mom. Where was it?"

"On the kitchen table, where I left it after looking through it."

"MOM! I thought I was going crazy!"

Sandra laughed. "Can't help it if you got me feeling nostalgic, sweetie. Hard to believe it's been 10 years since you graduated. I can still remember watching Megan go off to kindergarten, and now all of you are grown, with your own lives. It makes me appreciate just how far you all have come."

Lindsey was still pouting a little. She tucked the book into her backpack and finally zipped it up, sealing it. Her change of clothes weren't that different from what she was wearing. A sleeveless blouse, orange as the Gators' end zone, and a black skirt down to the knee, with bare legs until a pair of black leather flat sandals. Her dad joked that she was ready for Halloween, not for her reunion, but Kevin Sonnett didn't land Sandra Darby for his style. A simple palm tree clip sat in Lindsey's hair, tucked back into place after she frantically looked around for the book, and a necklace, a shimmering silver feather, slid back around, but both paled in their ability to command attention like that million-dollar smile that she finally flashed.

"If you wanted to come chaperone, mom, you probably could. I'm sure there is enough space on the yacht."

Sandra waved her daughter off. "No, no, this is your night. I'll be fine. Just make sure Matty and Beck are taking care of themselves."

"I will definitely let you know how Matty is doing," Lindsey affirmed. She too wanted a better picture of how her ex was holding up a decade after high school. The talk with Matty about needing to do something about the drinking problem was one of the hardest things she did prior to her time in Haiti. Thankfully, her boyfriend was receptive, but she hadn't heard much from him since she returned to Gainesville.

Speaking of Gainesville, it was going to be interesting to see if Kenny Price could break away from his talking head gig to make it. He did RSVP yes for the event. Funnily he was one of the only Kings' students she was closer to outside of high school given they both went to the Swamp. And as her mom mentioned, Beckett would be there. And Kole, Kai, Trevor, so many people! It was going to be a great event.

"And I promise I won't get too crazy."

"Now where is the fun in that?" Sandra asked. "Go crazy! Do whatever! You only get one 10-year reunion! And we didn't get a boat! Enjoy it!"

—--

That was the take away as Lindsey Sonnett parked her Rogue in the designated lot in front of the Thousand Sunny. Even if her mom stopped just short of giving a war cry. It wasn't a long drive but it promised to be a long night. A good night. It had to be. Lindsey was back among her people. She was ready to get caught up.

As she made her way up the gang plank, she smiled at the crew. "Hello, everyone! Let's make some magic tonight!"


In Palm Beach Royals: Reunited At Sea → 1 yr ago Forum: Advanced Roleplay
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@BrutalBx & @NeoAJ
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With one of Fleetwood Mac’s most hidden gems, Isn’t it Midnight, blaring out of the speakers as the The Roadster, one hundred percent a little bit over the speed limit, screeched down the highway towards the Pier, where a yacht of bountiful plunder awaited, Ziggy glanced from behind their Top Gun aviators at the single passenger of their convertible; one Kainat Qureshi.

Ziggy had known Kai going on fifteen years, since their family arrived in Florida from Baltimore. She was an early friend for the owner and proprietor of the Dead End Lounge AKA the hottest fucking club in Miami, baby. When Zig first made their way into the social hive that was King's Academy, they initially struggled to find their way. There weren’t many people who were willing to reach out to the non-binary kid in a sheer flowing dress who had the mouth of a sailor and the temperament of a porn star. Kai was one of the few that was willing and Ziggy always made sure that she knew how much they appreciated that. This was why when the sun-kissed wandering angel contacted them and asked for a place to crash prior to whatever the hell was about to go down at their ten-year high school reunion, Zig couldn’t refuse.

To say they weren’t intrigued by the prospect of catching up with some old faces would be a lie. Ziggy had stayed in contact with a few of his fellow alumni from Kings over the years, with many making their club a port in the storm over the years. Others they had only been able to see via social feeds and lifetime movies. Zig had always been a people watcher, an instigator when it was time to solve the problems of their compatriots, even if it was as simple as throwing a party to make sure two people who needed to hook up were locked inside a closet for seven minutes of dry humping. Zig wanted to know how everyone turned out and selfishly, they wanted to know if they were right about certain people all along.

“Penny for your thoughts, KQ? You look like you’re confused or in desperate need of a shit.”

That was Ziggy. You could say a lot of things about them, but they were always quick to the point with just the right splash of inappropriate. At least for the old Kai.

“Well, if it was the latter, I’m not sure I’d risk it at one of these gas stations, but I will admit, I don’t know how this is going to go for me.”

For someone who has had to relieve themselves in some uncomfortable places, it was strange to think that the… Thousand Sunny could top them all. However, since her arrival in Miami a day earlier, it was tough for Kainat to think about anything else. It had been ages since she had seen the majority of her classmates. Only a select few had contact with her since she left for her undergrad at Princeton. How the hell were they going to perceive her now that she was merely a Bachelor of Science as opposed to the doctors and lawyers and successful people that were surely going to have emerged?

Kai-Q tried to keep count of how many people might know that the hijab had been long abandoned for the life of a vagabond, aside from the trips to the locales where observing the local customs was the right play. The driver of the vintage vehicle serving as her ferry to the yacht obviously knew. It wasn’t the party lifestyle that linked Ziggy and Kai during the Kings’ days, with the Pakistani-American abstaining while under her parents’ roof, but they were both excellent students and both headed off to the Ivy League. So when Kai started breaking down in senior year, Ziggy got a lot of her attention, as well as the girls in her classes. Ziggy tried to get her to come down to Miami at that time, but instead, she accepted Kristen’s offer to travel to Morocco, and that was that.

But Ziggy was also a safe haven for her. As the channel was starting to grow and Kai was trying to figure out what she was going to do, Ziggy always had a spot at their place, a meal at their table, and a bit of green to calm things down. Now that she was a bit more open-minded, Kai was able to see the point of certain things and enjoy more of Ziggy’s talents. It was a huge benefit heading into this party.

And Asher would be there. Asher was her business manager, in a sense. He negotiated the money coming into her accounts from the various sponsors and made sure the contracts were on the up and up. He had that level of trust with Kai. But who else? Trevor, maybe? Matty, if he escaped from whatever shack he was staying in? And then after that, who would there be? A lot of people probably expecting the buttoned-down cheat sheet that stuck to her after-school activities and went home right after.

She struggled to think about how she would handle that revelation, and she still did. Her hand rested in the purple-streaked hair she sported for this party, a royal purple for the Kings’ reunion. It didn’t completely hide her natural black tones, but it was still a welcome contrast. She liked the freedom to change her hair color as she pleased. As the wind was hitting it, cooling her brain down, she still wasn’t coming up with a cogent plan.

“Trapped on a boat for a night with a bunch of people probably expecting me to be doing something else… shoot, I don’t even know how many of them will even recognize me at this point.”

"You’re kidding right?” Ziggy shook their head as they pulled into the next lane of traffic. "Sweet, sugar, my baby lollipop princess.” Reaching out with their bejeweled fingers adorned with rings of high value, the club owner pressed their fingertips onto Kai’s shoulder and gave the young woman a reaffirming squeeze. "Listen to Mama, ok? Cos she did not just get dressed in her finest Stevie Nicks flowing dress just to drive through these muggy Florida palms and turn back before anyone sees us looking this sexy.” Zig glanced towards their friend whilst trying to maintain eyes on a steadily growing traffic problem.

Ziggy for all their flaws had over the years somehow taken on a more parental role amongst the reprobates and miscreants that called Kings their alma mater. Zig, a heavy drug user, corrupted genius and usually fabulous bitch was dishing out advice, meddling in love lives and making sure that their friends, loved ones and randoms were always happy and feeling themselves at their best. It was a strange sensation, being a protector when one considers themselves toxic to begin with.

"Nobody is expecting you to do shit, ok? Like you realize who some of the people we went to school with are, right? The expectation on them is far worse than the one on us. We just two illustrious bitches coming to fuck shit up and maybe get ourselves fucked. Open bar on international waters? Sissy the world is ours, and so is everything in it.”

“I’ve certainly been able to see a lot of that world the past few years,” Kai concurred as she patted her driver’s hand, rubbing the ring on top of it for that extra bit of silent praise. “And there are definitely some nice things to take. You should make it up to my place in East Point sometime when I’m not out and about. I can show you even better stuff than I’ve brought you down here.”

She was wearing a bit of it to the ocean affair. As Ziggy pointed out, they did look sexy. At least Kai thought so. The playful she was wearing for the evening was a pickup from a quaint little shop in Java that she couldn’t help but give some extra rupiah to ensure would be hers. It also showed more skin than she was ever allowed to show in the halls of Kings, lest her dad be informed how much of a harlot his youngest was being, as well as a couple of new tattoos that she added to her look. In truth, her father had mellowed a decent amount in the 10 years since she was in high school, realizing how much pressure he was putting on both his daughters. It wasn’t full acceptance, but it was something.

Still, Kai at least knew where she stood with her family. Aside from the handful of people she kept in touch with, she still had no idea what anyone from her teenage years would think of her now. That was part of the joy of traveling. Sure, if she went to some place in the States or the odd European excursion, she might get a fan or two nowadays, but for the most part, there were no expectations of her. Every person that she met while off on one of her whirlwind trips had no knowledge of Kai-Q and her cheat sheet service, or the girl with the Princeton degree. They saw someone entering their world and they would judge her right there on how they would talk to her and interact with her. It wasn’t always a positive interaction, but it was far less stressful and more enjoyable than anything she would have done in a hospital or a courtroom.

Maybe that’s why Ziggy ended up her closest friend out of the high school collective. She knew there was no reason to judge them back then based on their appearance, just as they didn’t judge her. It started as mutual respect and then evolved into so much more. They were a hotly-requested guest on the channel, even if they had their clear preferences for locations. Besides, who else had a ride this fly ready to roll to this party?

“Maybe I’m more worried for everyone else about having their mind blown when I show up? I mean, if you didn’t know what I’d done after high school and just guessed based on those days, I’m pretty sure this is not the occupation or look you would expect to see me sporting. And don’t lie to me Ziggy, I can tell when you’re lying.”

Zig placed a hand on their chest in a feigned shock with mouth agape before returning it to the steering wheel. "Me? Lie? Oh my little caramel square, I don’t lie. I just don’t always tell the truth.” Their outburst of laughter was devilish and dirty. "But of course you’re right. We all expected you to have cured cancer by now but here you are, a foxy millionaire with umpteen million followers and abs you can bounce a quarter off. Speaking of, what is it with you travel types? You seen Trev Moreau lately? Doctor Jones but on some BEEF. Daddy History can dig around in me any time.”

Kai looks down at her stomach. “Oh I don’t know if my abs are that good. But I did see Trevor recently. I can confirm he looks pretty good for an archeologist. Probably going to swing in on a vine and land on the deck.” She hadn’t spoken with Trevor before the party, but they had collaborations on a couple of things given they were both crisscrossing the world. Still, she wasn’t much for keeping tabs on people from high school. That was her driver’s forte.

Unlike some others, Ziggy had kept a lot of tabs open for their high school friends. It was their business after all, knowing what people needed and desired. It had been that way from the moment Chester Patrova first walked into the halls of Kings. At the time, they were still using He as a pronoun but knew that they were non-binary. It didn’t take the would-be Zig to figure out how to survive the Academy’s Serengeti atmosphere. Rich kids were primal in their instincts, they wanted and they were gonna get it one way or another; so it only made sense for Chester to be the one to get it for them. It started small, candy bars and homework answer sheets, that was easy enough they grew up on the mean streets of Baltimore. As time progressed it became weed and then eventually the hard shit.

Ziggy didn’t particularly mind being called a drug dealer in the same way that they didn’t mind someone fucking up their pronouns. At the end of the day, they didn’t care what others thought about them but put much value on how they viewed their services. Zig was a businessperson born and if they weren’t providing the required service then what was the point in trying to do business? To survive Kings, Ziggy knew that they had to adopt a mantra which even to this day they still live by. As Gordon Gecko once said in Wall Street: “greed -- for lack of a better word -- is good. Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit.”

In the distance in front of the roadster, Zig could see the docks where they would depart, and in its bay sat the yacht that would be their home for the weekend. Seeing such majesty did not make Ziggy miss the harsh dry docks of Baltimore. They didn’t miss seeing a bunch of sweaty bearded polacks cuss out each other or weep in hidden dark corners when they lost hours and struggled to feed their families. No. Zig didn’t miss that hellhole one bit. "Almost there, get your game face on, honey.”

As much as Ms. Qureshi wanted to posture for her friend, the yacht still looked imposing in spite of the name. The massive boat was growing larger by the second, but still, Zig was right. She had no reason to be worried. She was going to be fine! She had backup! No matter what happened! And if people were shocked by who she had become, then they could learn themselves! For all the teaching and answers she gave in high school, it’s the least they could do!

“Good thing I don’t have to apply any war paint that I didn’t already put on at your place, Zig,” she remarked. “I’m ready for action. Let’s get in there and show off. I can’t promise I’ll match your talents in that regard but I’ll give it my best efforts.”

Ziggy giggled as they spun the wheel of the classic motor car which was guided by their hand then pulled into the parking area of the marina. "Oh my Kai…” Zig stopped the Jaguar in an available space and turned to face his friend once more. "Nobody can show off like me because I am the whole fucking show.” The master of the nightclub booped Kai’s nose with their painted fingernails before turning the engine off.

They glanced around, trying to absorb the surrounding faces and process the information. Zig never had any enemies and everyone owed him a favor but that’s not what the weekend was about. The weekend for them was all about seeing where everyone was, what they had become, and crushing them for forty-eight hours under the weight of long-held desires. Ziggy couldn’t wait. They stepped out of the car, a soft breeze blowing their flowy black dress around them, and tossed the car keys to a waiting valet. "Scratch her and I’ll use your dick as an umbrella for my cocktails. Mmmkay? Thanks lovey.”

Ziggy waited for Kai to get out of the other side and watched as some employees took what bags they had brought with them from the boot of the Jag and began to carry them onto the boat. Of course, being who they were, Zig had brought some “party favors” much like had done oh so many times in the bygone days of King's Academy. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Lacing their fingers with Kai’s, Zig moved their gaze to the people that were already at the yacht, faces that had aged from when last they were seen but were still as obvious as Tom Cruise’s height. "Come on Mama, let’s go say hi.”

Kai let out the breath that she was holding unbeknownst to herself. Despite all the psyche ups, this was still uncharted territory for her. Especially let her former classmates see her at her most vulnerable, with a beverage in her hand. Zig’s hand kept her tethered to reality, making sure she knew that this was real. This would be fine. It would probably be uneventful. A murmured hello, a quick “what are you up to?” that a half-minute on socials would solve. That was the Occam's Razor situation. However, it was that unknown chance that it was going to be something else that would catch her by surprise that gave Kai those butterflies in her stomach. She took a breath in and nodded at one half of her friendship triumvirate from a decade ago. "Ready to mingle, Zig. Let's dive into this place." And with one of her catchphrases uttered, Kainat Qureshi would do just that.


In Palm Beach Royals: Reunited At Sea → 1 yr ago Forum: Advanced Roleplay


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