SpicyMeatball

Palm Beach Royals: Senior Year

April’s day thus far had largely been spent sitting in bed in her bathrobe with music blasting from her headphones, while she browsed through the photos from her most recent day at the track. A part of her was sad that she’d finally conceded to Santiago’s requests to stop going to the track until after the baby was born, but she knew it was for the best. It also wouldn’t be too long until she was back behind the wheel of a race car considering her due date was fast approaching. God that was a terrifying thought. There was nothing that had been on her mind more--not even Santiago--in the past few weeks than the overwhelming thoughts of giving birth.

“Don’t lose it April, you’ve got this. It can’t be that hard, right?” the brunette told herself out loud, the self reassurance lasting all of a millisecond before her mind went to the video about child birth they’d been forced to watch the year prior in sex ed. April visibly shuddered at the thought before tossing her phone aside onto the bed and walking to the bathroom.

“Time to get your butt into gear.

Truth be told, April didn’t know whether to be excited or nervous about showing up to the Diedrikson residence. This whole shitshow of a Valentine’s dance had made her nervous, and she had still yet to have a dance that she could take Santiago to, where they could have the first real dance of their “official relationship”. Regardless, she was scheduled to show up at Archer’s shortly and needed to finish her final preparations prior to leaving.

After a quick shower, the brunette brushed her hair thoroughly before going through her regular routine to give it her signature curled look. Then, a conservative application of makeup that took her way too long to perfect and a pucker of her now lipstick-covered lips finished off her preparations up top.

Now it was the dress. And boy had it been a bitch and a half to find a maternity dress that April liked and that fit her rather small frame--other than pregnancy belly. It had taken her and her father--much to his dismay--two days and a phone call to Julie to finally track down a dress that April would tolerate. What had come of it however, was well worth the effort in the brunette’s mind. She’d eventually decided on a simple long-sleeved, lace number in her favourite shade of burgundy.

Making her way down to the main floor, April looked around for her keys briefly before realizing they were definitely not in their usual place. She spun around after hearing a small jingle, her father coming into view with April’s keys dangled out in front of him.

“Dad what the hell!” she exclaimed, stomping over to grab them from her father, who quickly pulled them out of reach.

“Ah ah ah young lady. I will be your chauffeur this evening, your car stays home this time. I saw that speeding ticket on your dresser.” her father shook his head, giving her an unimpressed look before shuffling her out of the kitchen and towards the garage.

“Out of all the days to do this on, I swear.” April muttered to herself, stomping out to the car after putting her running shoes on. There was no way she’d be spending the evening in heels. Besides, the length of the dress easily concealed them.

Minutes later, the pair showed up at Archer’s house in April’s father’s blue BMW X5 and pulled into the laneway. With a venomous glare at her father, April got out of the car and slammed the door before taking in a deep breath to compose herself. She looked back to Jamie Foster through the windshield, motioning for him to stay put. She didn’t need even more embarrassment than what was sure to come on the following car ride.

A moment after she knocked on the door, she was welcomed to Archer’s smiling face to which she returned her own warm smile.“Archer! Hi!” she replied excitedly to his greeting. As he ushered her in the door, April saw the looks on his parents drop the moment their gaze hit her waist. With a nervous wave and equally nervous smile, April took in one of what was going to be many deep breaths in the foreseeable future and introduced herself.

“Hi! I’m April Foster, nice to meet you both mister and misses Diedrikson. Now I know you may have some questions so I’m gonna get ahead of all of it by saying this. Yes, I am very, very pregnant. No, it’s not Archer’s. Good?” she raised a thumbs up, cocking her head a bit as she waited nervously for a response, not entirely sure she wanted one.

Palm Beach Royals: Senior Year

“Yeah, go on and walk away! Fucking hypocritical btich!”

April’s thoughts about the whole situation were quickly interrupted by yet another screaming match, although this time it was Kavi and Julie’s voices that came up...shortly before the sound of Julie’s wicked slap rang out as her hand met Kavi’s face. [color=ec008c]What the hell did I miss?

“Don’t you EVER talk to her like that”

April’s eyes widened as one of her best friends then shoved Kavi backwards before storming off, once again leaving her alone in the company of Ariel, Kavi and this Ryland character, someone she grew less and less fond of by the minute. It wasn’t long before even he wandered off with a simple little "Yeah... I guess, what she said. Best of luck.". Well I guess that problem solved itself.

"I'm sorry about this morning. Hopefully next time we talk it'll be a bit less of… … … this."

April nodded with an understanding, but still warm smile. She wasn’t gonna pretend like she understood Kavi and Ariel’s relationship, but inside she really hoped they could work out whatever issues were happening and be happy for once. There wasn’t a time she’d seen them together where they weren’t fighting or arguing over something, and while Kavi may have earned some of that, they both deserved to be happy eventually, right?

“It’s alright. Next time we’ll hopefully meet under...better terms and better company. April piped up, before smiling to the both of them and walking away towards her first period class.

Palm Beach Royals: Senior Year

"I'm not going to pretend like all is forgiven or forgotten. It'll take me some time to move past everything, but I really appreciate the apology and the gift - though you really didn't have to spend that much money. Congratulations on a little girl, by the way."

April sent the black-haired girl a warm smile and a nod of understanding. She knew that this whole ordeal was far from over, but it was a situation that desperately needed at least somewhere to start. A place to begin the reparations that needed to be made between herself, Ariel and Kavi. Hopefully it would be a smooth ride and the three of them could eventually all get along like the civilized adults they almost were.

Hopefully.

She knew that Ariel could be a bit of a loose cannon, but if her attitude going forward was anything like today then April felt like things would go well. Assuming nothing happened to ruin it down the road.

"You know, it's been a while since I've had to punch a bitch, and I'll gladly do it for April and my future niece's sake."

April couldn’t help but break out a wicked little grin when she saw both Chanel and Julie roll up with borderline perfect timing. The cavalry's here motherfucker she thought to herself, looking to Ryland with a less than impressed look. She was about to say something when the new stranger shoved back Kavi between herself and Ariel. The fuck was he thinking? That he could come in here without a warning and just shove people around? That’s all this school needed, another dumbass guy that didn’t know when to back off.

"April, sorry for intruding, but I think you should just leave.”

April couldn’t help but stifle a laugh before looking at him with false disbelief. “Really? You roll up here like you’re tough shit, intrude into a conversation that has nothing to do with you, and then expect me to walk off like nothing happened? Yeah, somehow I doubt you’re really sorry asshole. Back off and get lost, I’m not going anywhere.”

To reassure Ryland of her point, April stepped forward just a bit now that Julie stood in front of her and with Chanel at her side. She shot a look that just screamed Whatcha gonna do about it? towards Ryland just as he called out at Ariel. And just as April’s mouth opened to intervene, her eyes widened as Julie took Ryland all the way to the lockers opposite of the group, pinning him there.

“Don’t mess with the Trinity new guy!” she grinned, looking at Chanel with a grateful smile before hugging her from the side. “You guys are the best. Perfect timing as usual."

For the first time since this whole thing started, April looked back to Ariel to make sure she was alright, because despite the rocky terrain they may have been on before, April found herself giving a shit about the raven-haired girl. She didn’t deserve all this. April nodded in reassurance when Ariel shot her the apologetic look, taking in a deep breath just before Chanel ripped the PS4 from April’s hands. “Hey!”

"You know what, I think it's time that we remove ourselves from this situation, April doesn't need to deal with all of this petty bullshit... the stress isn't good for the baby. And actually, I don't think that all of what this Ryland guy had to say was all wrong. I mean, he shouldn't have called you out your name like he's ya father, that's for sure. But I don't appreciate you being all passive aggressive towards one of my best friends because your man is a trifling ass cheater. Focus all that negative energy on him instead, okay? And April, girl.... what the hell are you thinking?"

“I didn’t know how else to apologize to Kavi for fucking his relationship up. And I know everyone loves to take a side against him, but ultimately it was me who made the first move on him.” April sighed, looking at Chanel and then down to the gift wrapped box she held. “I suppose your point’s fair enough though, sorry Kavi. I can’t match Chanel.” she shrugged with a well shit smile before watching Chanel walk off, talking about giving the gift to someone worthy or something.

April took in one final deep breath before turning back to the rest of the group, particularly directing her...mixed bag of emotions, at Ryland. “You see the shit you stirred up? Are you happy Ryland? Like jesus fucking christ I was just trying to fix shit and you come in here like a frieght train. Take a seat and calm down. April took a breath before turning to Ariel and Kavi “This is not the way I wanted this to go at all, and while it really wasn’t my fault I do feel a certain need to apologize again.

“I’m sorry, Ariel and Kavi.”

Dead Paradise [SpicyMeatball and Azseth]

Jessica Robins, aka "Jess"

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Jess

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Name: Jessica Robins, though known only as Jess by most.

Gender: Female

Age: Thirty two years old

Birthplace: Toronto, Canada

Former Life: Jess was a ER nurse at Toronto General Hospital prior to the outbreak.

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Appearance: Jessica has a rather light build with a slight athletic tone to it, retaining slight curves in the right areas. The young woman stands 5’7” and weighs about 136 lbs, remaining on the lighter side of an average woman’s weight. Jessica keeps her long, brown hair neat, tidy and tucked away the vast majority of the time, usually in either a loose ponytail or a tight bun (the former for casual, day to day wear, the latter for when she’s at work). Her soft brown eyes are warm and welcoming, giving off a certain feeling of comfort to those around her.

Given the current situation that has risen on this unfortunate planet, Jess has undergone quite a large change in what she wears. The woman that once loved to dress to impress now chooses practicality over anything. Because of this, she is now normally seen wearing a pair of olive green, quick-drying cargo pants; a black, waterproof softshell jacket; equally waterproof hiking boots; an olive green, lightweight ballcap for when the sun comes out; and lastly a decently sized backpack for when she ventures outside of the settlement.

---

Personality: Though she isn’t one (and doesn’t plan on it, at least not for a while), Jessica is much like a mother. Although this may have come from her career at the hospital and how she watches over her patients like a hawk, it also manages to describe her general outlook on society and its members. Any time she sees someone being taken advantage of, whether it be in the bar or out on the streets, she is quick to intervene. Over the few short years she’s spent working as an ER nurse in Chicago, she’s been selfless to a fault and prioritizes her patient’s well being over anything, sometimes even family. In her mind, the moment she walks in that door, she’s no longer Jessica Robins, she’s a nurse. Nothing else matters until her shift is over.

However, not everything is sunshine and lollipops in her world. Long shifts at the hospital and her many years of study have worn on her patience, and she can sometimes be extremely harsh; brutally honest almost to a fault. Jessica is also extremely stubborn and if you contest her about something, expect her to contradict it in any way she can. Jessica is also quite a spitfire and is easily aggravated when not working, often followed by either silent judgement or an everlasting grudge. Her current career at the hospital has also led to her frequently detaching herself mentally from a situation to avoid, and has made relationships rather….difficult for her.

---

Biography: Like every other one of her siblings (four in total, not including herself), Jessica was born in the Toronto General Hospital. Brought into the world on the morning of a warm June day, she was the third of the five Robins children, placing her in the awkward role of the middle child. Adored at first, put aside later as her parents focused on her younger siblings Elliot and Olivia. In her mind however, there was no jealousy. There was only love and acceptance from her, the unbreakable bond of family. She watched over her younger two siblings up until she finished high school, often helping them with homework or comforting them on bad days.

Speaking of her education, Jessica was an excellent student. Having been grilled to do well by her parents, she tried her absolute hardest in school, driven by the promise of a career in the medical field later in her life. Straight A’s in the vast majority of her classes, but few friends around her through high school. Jess wasn’t the social butterfly that a lot of the other girls were. Never good in groups of more than a few people, never good at public speaking and never good at talking to guys. She was all book-smarts.

After graduating from highschool with a really good scholarship, Jessica immediately enrolled in the Nursing program at Ryerson University. It wasn’t medical school like her parents had hoped, but they were still happy that she had decided to stay within medicine. For four years, she worked as hard as she possibly could and saw little interaction with others apart from her part time job at the Café. And it all paid off. Graduating with honors, she was almost immediately offered a position at the Toronto General Hospital in the I.C.U.

Two years later, she migrated to the E.R. and enjoyed every moment of it. Something about saving people’s lives on a daily basis made up for all of the lonelier years of her childhood and teenager life. When the world went to hell, Jess grabbed anything she could from the hospital before getting out of town as fast as she could.

---

Skills:

• Calm and collected under pressure, a trait she gained from her many years in healthcare.
• Medically adept. She's no surgeon, but for the majority of wounds and illnesses, she's one of the best chances you've got. "Are you really gonna be picky when the rest of humanity has been fucked over?"
• Athletic. While not the fastest or most agile, Jess has above average cardio and can keep going for hours upon end if necessary. She won't break any records, but she also won't break down.

Flaws:

• Weak. In a fist fight or a dead lift competition, Jess would place near the back of the pack. She's not very strong when it comes to lifting, carrying or striking things. Even after having to use various objects to kill some undead, she's just not strong. Her relatively small frame and short stature doesn't help either, limiting what she can carry with her on the settlements various expeditions.
• Addicted. Before the incident, Jess would never have guessed that she'd develop an addiction to the very same medications she gave out to patients on the daily. That all changed the night she got attacked on the way to her car. Stabbed in the shoulder twice and the abdomen once after she refused to give him the keys. The incident left her shaken, and had her taking both pain meds and anxiety meds to calm her down. The rest they say, is history.
• Stubborn. Once she's made her mind up, Jess is extremely hard to sway. Plain and simple.
• Occasionally reckless. Jess enjoys an adrenaline rush now and then, and if its been a while she can become quite reckless in how she gets said adrenaline rush.

Other:
Jess enjoys stargazing, now made much easier without the light pollution of the pre-zombie world.

Palm Beach Royals: Senior Year

April’s heart raced a bit when Ariel showed up seemingly out of the blue. Inside, she’d really hoped that this entire conversation would have happened without Ariel’s presence at all. But, she was here now so it was something April had to roll with. As Ariel spoke, April grew even more uncomfortable at the totally fake warmth she was showing. There was no way in hell that any of the present company involved was over the events of that fateful night. April looked the girl up and down, lingering on her unsettling eyes for a moment before placing the large box onto the table next to the trio. And just as the brunette had finally composed her thoughts once again and was ready to speak, an unfamiliar face showed up and butted into the conversation.

April inhaled deeply and looked at the newcomer with an unimpressed gaze as Ariel introduced everyone. She couldn’t help but think Who the hell invited you? as she smiled with little effort towards Ryland, before turning her attention back to the Kavriel duo. “Now that we’re all super friends, I would like to first apologize to you Ariel. What I did was wrong, and while I didn’t know you and Kavi were a thing at the time it happened, I’m not gonna hide behind it as an excuse. I am sorry.” April wasn’t entirely sure what emotion to show towards Ariel with this apology, and after a rather lengthy mental debate with herself, she landed on a half smiling apologetic look. “I’d heard from someone that what I did had some rather physical aftermath, so I thought it only right to help repair that. It’s a PS4, plain and simple. And while truth be told I only came here prepared to give something to Kavi, I have a Starbucks card here that I haven’t touched. You’re welcome to have it Ariel. I know it’s not much in comparison, but I don’t really have anything else on me worth giving really.”

With another deep inhale to calm her nerves--Ariel certainly intimidated her to quite some extent--April dug the card from her purse and offered it out to Ariel before looking between the pair of them once again. “I don’t want to make either of your lives any harder, so do what you will with it. If you don’t want it, I’ll take it back, I just don’t know what else to do to show my apologies. Maybe Ariel being here was for the better. It gave April the opportunity to be straight with the two of them. What they did in response was out of her control.

April looked to Ryland after she had said her piece, but remained silent otherwise. She didn’t know the guy and right now her attention was on Kavi and Ariel. If he had something to say to her, she’d be surprised.

Come and build the world with me.

I'm definitely interested in the idea above regarding supernatural beings. I don't really know what else to say here, other than I look forward to writing with you should you want to write with me.

Palm Beach Royals: Senior Year

April took in a slow, deep breath as she laid beneath the silky covers of her bed, staring at the ceiling. Today was the day that the entire class of 2020 would enter into their final semester, and with it their final days at King’s Academy. She felt her heart race a bit as the thought crossed her mind. This was going to bed a hell of a year, not just for April, but for Santiago and April’s father, Jamie as well. Jamie had agreed that he’d help take care of Camila while April was at college so that she could attend fresh out of high school and not wait until a year or two after.

There wasn’t a single other soul that was aware of the plans April had for after college however. On top of raising her and Santi’s daughter, April wanted to keep her family’s name in the racing business, but in a different way. With the financial help of her father, April wanted to start designing her own high performance supercars to compete with the likes of Porsche, McLaren and Koenigsegg on the racetrack. Her own car company for the super rich and for the racing-inclined.

And naturally, she’d try her damndest to get her daughter interested in the family business as well, though she wouldn’t ever force anything on the little one.

With this thought, April scanned across her room at the numerous posters from almost every car brand in the business and smiled contently at the bright future she had dreamt up for herself.

“April, you’re gonna be late at this rate!" Her father called out, jarring April from the happy little trance she had been in.

Right, it was time to kick this final semester’s ass.

April got herself ready in record time, though forgoing the regular school uniform for something more pregnancy friendly with the school’s permission of course. She put her long, curly brown hair up in a messy ponytail and hastily applied some finishing touches to the makeup she had started earlier. With a quick once-over in the mirror--the bright white font reading “Racing for two” contrasting the navy blue background of her maternity shirt standing out from the rest--the brunette pulled on a light sweater to cover her arms from the cooler Florida winter air before she made her way to the kitchen.

April ran her thumb across the trident logo embedded in the key fob for her car as she waited impatiently for the toaster to finish it’s job, muttering “Come on, come on…” quietly to herself. She swore everything decided to work against her when she was behind schedule.

Another five minutes and April was in the front seat of her car, taking a final moment to compose herself. She looked down to the sizeable gift wrapped package that sat on the passenger’s seat and nodded to herself before twisting the key to start the car. With a deafening roar, the Maserati came to life and April shot out of the driveway, squealing the tires purposely to announce her departure.

Not ten minutes later, April pulled into the school parking lot and grinned as she pressed in the clutch before revving the powerful V8 engine as loud as she could, getting a very stern look from the vice principal who was standing at the main entrance. April waved to him with a big smile on her face before speeding through the lot and into her usual spot underneath a few trees. As she turned off the car, she spotted Kavi walking across the pavement and inside, and with a small curse to herself she grabbed the package to her right and hopped out of the car.

With her best effort, the brunette pursued Kavi through the bustling hallways, her heart pounding in her chest as she awkwardly passed between people. Being six months pregnant really wasn’t helping her in this moment.

After a solid five minutes of chasing the attractive young male through the hallways, April finally got close enough to get his attention. “Kavi! Hey! April panted, closing the gap between the two of them. “I know our last encounter was uh, well interesting to say the least. And I heard what happened with Ariel and I really just want to say… April inhaled deeply, still evidently trying to catch her breath as her words came out a mile a minute “Kavi, I’m sorry for kissing you and fucking up what you had going with Ariel. I didn’t know you two were a thing and I feel like shit for doing that to you. She paused for a moment, offering an apologetic smile before holding out the hefty package in front of herself “I also heard that she did some damage in more than one way, so I hope this helps.

Palm Beach Royals: Senior Year

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As the youngest son, grandson, nephew and cousin of the Fernandez family, Santiago was put on a pedestal from the moment of his birth. He was the pride and joy of the family with his charm, affection and vivacious nature. They celebrated his successes, bragged about his athletic accomplishments and supported him unconditionally. So when everyone’s favorite golden boy had shown up to the family’s Christmas Eve party with a very American, very visibly pregnant girlfriend, everyone had been nothing short of shocked. But once the initial surprise had blown over, the Fernandez family had quickly embraced April as one of their own. Santiago had done his best to properly introduce his girlfriend to the family, but it had been Gabriela who’d taken the girl’s hand and paraded April around the opulent home, gushing to everyone about her and her excitement about becoming a grandmother for the first time. It was during one of the moments in which April was caught up in conversation with his cousins that Santiago had excused himself from the party, and entered the house of the late Rosalba Fernandez.

An overwhelming wave of grief and nostalgia suddenly came over him, tears suddenly burning at his eyes. It was the first time he had set foot on the property after her passing, and he was surprised to see that everything looked exactly the way she had left it. A part of him secretly hoped that the elderly woman would suddenly round the corner with her welcoming smile, embrace him in her arms and wrap him in one of her warm, loving hugs-- but he knew deep down that it was nothing but an empty dream.

His brand footwear made soft clicking sounds against the tile floor as Santiago took his time examining every single inch of the house he’d grown up in, taking in all the sights and reliving many memories of his upbringing Once in the hallway, his pace came to a complete stop, eyes glued to the framed photographs of the members of the Fernandez family hanging from the walls: childhood photos, weddings, class pictures, graduations… And right at the bottom of the hall, adorned by a large golden frame, was a photo of the family matron with her beloved youngest grandson.

To say April was a bit overwhelmed by all the new people was a massive understatement. Santiago had told her about his rather large family in the past, but actually seeing the vast majority of them in one place was completely different. The brief moment of their shock when they saw April--very much not from Puerto Rico and very obviously pregnant--was a bit jarring at first, but after some casual conversation they seemed to warm up to her quite quickly. But of course, no one warmed up to her as much as Santiago’s dear mother. Initially, the amount of love and kindness from this woman was almost uncomfortable, but given that April had barely had a mother figure in her life until now, she grew to love it. Gabriela was the mother she’d dreamed of, but never had.

Conversations about April’s childhood, her father and her hobbies dominated the conversations that took place between herself, Gabriela and a few of Santiago’s male cousins. April’s smile never left her face as she regaled them with obviously over exaggerated stories of her time at the race track and on the road, stories of close calls with the cops, and most importantly the stories where she beat her dear Santiago around the track.

It wasn’t until she got dragged away into conversation with the women in Santi’s family that she got to talking about the baby and how the pregnancy had been. It didn’t take long for the question to come up. “Is it a boy or a girl?” they all asked. April took a deep breath and glanced around for Santiago. He would probably want to be here so that they could announce it together. “Let me get back to you on that, Santi would want to be here for it.” And with that, she gave them her gentle warm smile and paced off to look for her now absent partner, leaving the warm evening air outside and heading into the house.

After a few moments pacing around the unfamiliar house, April caught a glance of her lover through the crack of an open door. The flats on her feet made little noise as she quietly and slowly walked down the hall towards him, her head cocked slightly as she tried to see what he was looking at. Once she was no more than a pace away, the brunette spoke quietly to him “I know you miss her more than anything. Are you alright?” April wrapped her arms around his waist from behind him, tucking her head into his muscular back.

The feeling of his girlfriend’s slender arms around him instantly provided Santiago with a sense of comfort. He basked in the warmth she provided for a few seconds before turning around to face her. “I’m fine,” he said softly, wrapping his own muscled arms around her and kissing the top of her head. Hugging her was starting to be a feat these days. “What about you? You holding up okay? My huge family hasn’t scared you off yet, hasn’t it?” he joked, flashing her one of his playful grins.

April grinned as they embraced, shaking her head as much as she could manage with it against Santi’s chest. “Your family is amazing Santi, they’ve been super supportive. Especially your mother, she’s just amazing.” She gently broke from Santi’s arms and looked up to him before kissing him gently on the lips.

"I'm starting to think my mom loves you more than me, and I'm the favorite," he chuckled softly, playfully squeezing her shoulders.

“I’m serious mi amor, I know how much she meant to you. I’m always here for you.” April smiled to him before glancing around. His grandmother certainly had a nice home.

"I know," he reassured her, kissing her forehead. Now that the nostalgia was over, he honestly felt okay. "I'm fine, promise." He was quiet for a second, but when he noticed her looking around the house his smile returned and he grabbed her hand. "C'mon. Let me give you a tour."

April nodded and squeezed Santi’s hand gently before he began to lead her around the beautiful home. It was a very bright and peaceful looking place, with walls colored in gentle shades of brown and cream, and spotless white marble floors that tied the entire look together. It was a place with a partially modern look, but the furniture suggested a more rustic taste with stained wood in almost every room in some manner. It wasn’t décor that April would’ve chosen herself, but she didn’t mind it at all. It was very cozy, but still a sizeable house.

As they walked, she ran her fingers along the now marble walls as they entered the master bathroom. “As much as I like my bathroom back home, I could get used to this.” she grinned, running her finger along the edge of the very modern looking bathtub before turning and walking over to the mirror. The brunette looked at herself briefly, then down to her very pregnant looking abdomen. She let out a relaxed breath before looking at Santiago through the mirror “If you had told me back in freshman year that I’d be having a child before I graduated, I would’ve laughed in your face. And now, now I feel like it was meant to happen. It just feels...right, y’know?”.

The young man couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head, staring at their reflection in the mirror. "It's fucking crazy, Lils," he admitted, closing the short distance between them and wrapping his arms around her once more, resting his chin on her shoulder and his hands on her round stomach. "It's been a rollercoaster, but I'm thankful for it at the same time. If it wasn't for you and this kid, I would still be walking around with no idea of what to do with my life. But now I've got you, we'll have our kid, we have this house…" he purposely trailed off with a smirk, waiting to see her reaction.

“What do you mean we’ll have this house? We’re gonna move to Puerto Rico?” April turned around almost instantly, looking into Santiago’s eyes inquisitively, trying to see if he was messing with her or not.

“Only if you want to…” he said with a shrug. “Abuela left me this house on her will. Whether you want to or not, it’ll always be here. The house is still ours.”

“I mean, it’s gonna have to be after I finish university. I already have a few places lined up where I want to apply, they have the best engineering programs in the area.” A smile broke out across her face, her warm playful eyes sparkling in the dimmer light of the bathroom. “I guess I’ll have to work harder on my Spanish.” she said with a grin before leaning in and planting a kiss on his lips.

“Feliz navidad, princesa,” he responded with a sweet smile, kissing her again before taking her hand once more. “Now let’s go back to the party. I think it’s about time we give everyone what they’re asking for.”

April followed Santiago back to the party with a big smile on her face. As they got back outside, all eyes were on them, looking up questioningly at both the young couple and at the confetti cannons Gabriela had handed each person during their absence. She had left them with quite a cliffhanger and evidently they were eager to find out about the baby. April looked to Santi, then back to everyone else as she took in a deep breath. It seemed like there were so many more people when every single one of them was waiting for an answer.

“Ladies and gentlemen: if we could have your attention, por favor. We have a big announcement.” She smiled to their audience, before looking to Santiago once again and speaking to him in a whisper “Are you ready, mi amor?”

The young man’s grin was infectious as he nodded and winked at his girlfriend. “Definitely!” he answered cheerfully, shooting his brother Steven a thumbs up so he could start filming the happenings before excitedly addressing his family. “Okay. So. The most asked question that April and I have gotten all night is what are we having. So instead of us telling you, we’re going to let you find out yourselves…” he declared, still grinning widely at his family while putting his arm around April’s waist and pulling her closer to him. “Mami gave everyone a confetti cannon a few minutes ago. What I want everyone to do is to point their cannons upward, and on the count of three, twist the top and bottom parts of the cannon in opposite directions. Anyone got any questions?”

After looking over the group and ensuring the group knew what they were doing, April leaned over to whisper to Santiago as everyone began to grab their confetti cannons “This was an awesome idea. So much better than regular old announcements.” She turned back to the rest of the group and squeezed Santi’s hand gently before calling out once again. “Is everyone ready?!

As all of the gathered smiling faces nodded, the couple of the night called out in unison, their voices echoing across the yard.

"T H R E E !"

"T W O !"

"O N E !"

"G O !"

And after their united countdown, over thirty separate confetti cannons shot off into the evening air and filled the sky with a mix of pink and silver confetti. The first few moments were silent as the confetti rained down above them in slow motion, a mix of bewilderment and awe on the faces of all. And then smiles, applause and cheering began to fill the air as the many faces of the Fernandez family returned their attention to April and Santiago, rushing over to the expecting parents and showering them with love.

After all was said and done, the young couple posed for a couple of pictures together. And for the first time ever, Santiago decided it was about time he showed off his growing family to the world. With the most genuine of smiles, the young man picked out his favorite photo out of the bunch (a beautiful candid of them mid-laugh with his hands on April’s round stomach) and posted it on all his social media platforms with an accompanying caption.

"Camila Rosalba Santiago: Est. May 2019. Crazy in love with my girls."

Life After -- A Zombie Apocalypse RP

<Snipped quote by Norschtalen>

I second this. The first few characters have been made for almost a month now and we still haven't started, my faith in this RP is getting smaller every day. If we're not started in a week, I'm out.

@SpicyMeatball

Alright, I'm packing up. GM hasn't been on RPG for almost two weeks, I can't be bothered to stay in another RP that'll probably just fizzle if it ever gets off the ground.

Farewell.

@Makani

Life After -- A Zombie Apocalypse RP

The GM tends to be rather on/off. I'd like to keep playing, but unless she intends to make this a very played-controlled RP, I'm not sure if it'll even begin.

@Norschtalen

I second this. The first few characters have been made for almost a month now and we still haven't started, my faith in this RP is getting smaller every day. If we're not started in a week, I'm out.