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the universe is grand, but life is grander

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Won't be able to post for about a week, but it's probably going to need work and I've been sitting on it forever anyways so here.

Checking in. So, people are jumping ship to the other roleplay, Santa Celia, that looks to be pretty similar to this one? Or, what's going on here?


? Over half the cast has posted in the past 24 hours.
C H L O E B R O N S E
&
N O A H G A L L A G H E R


N O R T H C R E S T W O O D

Tuesday, August 21st, 2018 - 07:10pm | Kettle Bridge

Of course the damn dog would come back just in time to make things worse. Chloe stumbled over gravestones until she found solid footing on pavement and continued in whatever direction it took her; someone was still following. The streets were mostly lit, but she didn't dare turn to see who it was. The other girls had gone off in another direction, or at least gotten enough of a head start that their paths never crossed.

Never the greatest athlete, and hardly aided by heeled boots; she was nearly tripping over her own feet by the time she reached Kettle bridge. Of course, she could outpace any pursuant, but the past month had been spent hiding and repressing such displays. Panting she finally turned to face whoever was following, only to find the stray dog, stopped just behind her.

"What do you want?!" She yelled at the animal, frustrated by the events of the night, her senseless attempt of escaping a dog, and the definite blister forming on her right foot. She leaned forward and forced herself to take a deep breaths. A cricket dropped from her hair sending her jumping and shaking out her hair and clothes in attempt to dislodge any more of the hitchhikers. The process only served to further dishevel her appearance further. The dog was still there.

"Shoo. Go home." Chloe hadn't ever been a dog person. Where most saw cute she had a hard time getting past the teeth and claws, not to mention the size of the one in front of her. Finally calm enough to stand, she took in her surrounding and cursed. Running wildly hadn't been wise; she was no nearer home and closer to the even less savory part of town. She dropped to the curb and unzipped her boot to try and relieve some of the pressure on the foot. The dog was still there.

Well past the end of her patience, she threw the shoe at it. "Get lost already!"

Catching the shoe out of the air, the dog sat back on its haunches before placing the shoe on the ground. Barking playfully towards Chloe before it picked the shoe up again and slowly walked forward, gently placing it at her feet. Backing up a few steps, the dog sat down again, barking once before throwing its head back in the direction of the church, looking back at Chloe and then again back at the church before letting out a low whine and impatiently stomping its front paws.

Chloe blinked at the dog with a look of surprise that quickly turned to scowl. Something was obviously wrong with this dog. She examined the boot before putting it back on, the soft suede was ruined; but that was more due to sprinting through a muddy graveyard then the stray. He clearly was expecting her to follow, but back to the way they had both come. Just the thought of returning to the church gave her the chills. But a quick look around provided only worse options; she had not stopped in a nice neighborhood, and the fastest way home was back south through Mather park anyways. Her mind fell to Kaitlyn again, missing without a trace, and suddenly having a large animal around didn't seem like such a annoyance. She stood carefully on the blistered foot, with her head cooled some, she was able to reduce the chafing enough to walk without limping.

"Back we go I guess."
C H L O E B R O N S E




S T. B E T R A N M E T H O D I S T C H U R C H

Tuesday, August 21st, 2018 - 06:47pm | Outside, in the cemetery.

It was easy to forget how old the Hollow was sometimes. For a small town, it held a lot of cemeteries, but St. Betran's was the oldest. The lot had been expanded to accommodate, and while the west end had neatly ordered flat plaques for easy maintenance, the original graves nearer the church were random in size, placement, and condition. It was there a dark shadow crossed Chloe's path. A dark hound running through the graves. No wonder Crestwood had such an eerie reputation. Stray or not, the sight was familiar enough and the sunset light enough to keep Chloe's own superstitions at bay.

Fortunately, Hannah and her crew had chosen to set up on the newer end of the graveyard, though there were only two when Chloe reached them.

"You're late." Mikaela approached her, arms cross and expression petulant, while Hannah bent over four buckets behind them.

"Doesn't seem like I missed much Kiki" Chloe replied with the hated childhood nickname alongside a mockingly sweet smile as he dropped her purse to the ground and went to inspect the buckets. Mikaela wasn't high enough on the totem pole for Chloe to give much thought to her opinion. "Did someone bring their dog or something?"

It wasn't until she was standing right next to her that Hannah seemed to notice her existence. "Dog? No. You're here, though which is good. Nadine should be here with the girls in a minute, and Gabby's just picking up a few last minute things. Want something to drink?" A thermos with a suspiciously dark liquid in her hand as Hannah vanished from sight. The buckets were filled with ice.

"Going to give me a clue as to what we're doing?" But Hannah had forgotten her existence all over again, digging through a duffle-bag for another drinking vessel.

"Not really." Mikaela smiled sweetly at her. Chloe drank.

"I've arrived ladies!" Gabby joined the group holding an unmarked box at arms length in front of her. None of the girls were wearing their uniforms at least.

"Oh Chloe you made it! I'm glad, we're going to have such a good time."

"You're late."

"Oh boo hoo K, did you want my job?" Hannah stood straight and waved for them to be quiet before Mikaela could respond.

"Shut up they're right there, Gabby put the box next to the grave." Chloe's attention snapped to the giant empty hole that lay less than five free from where they all stood.

"What-"

"Shh- Shut up!"

She managed to get a last swig before Gabby stole the thermos, abandoning the mysterious box. "Old lady Mitras died two days ago funeral is day after tomorrow." She explain in hushed tone before downing the rest of the drink.

Chloe felt very cold as the final six girls approached. Nadine led three blindfolded freshmen through the grave yard. Whatever directions she was gave couldn't stop the girls from tripping over the flat gravestones and the ten yard walk over ended up taking a very awkward three minutes. Still the four waiting seniors remained silent until they were all neatly lined in front of them, and Chloe realized why she was there, and almost had to hold back a laugh.

She was Kaitlyn's replacement. Five seniors for five freshmen. It would have been hilarious that she had taken on one of her former tormentor's position's, if it wasn't on the same day half the town was out looking for her body. And here were her supposed best friends, not even taking part in the effort.

"Welcome girls to your official Raven initiation ceremony. Each of you have been assigned a mentor from the senior year to help you through the process." One by one each of the freshmen was paired off. Chloe found herself guiding a barely five foot tall blonde away from the perilously close grave. Whatever their blind trek had entailed, the girls hadn't come out clean or unscathed, and Chloe's was shivering already.

"I'm Shannon." Chloe ignored her, eyeing the bucket, box, grave, and Hannah with equal levels of suspicion. The captain herself had chosen the odd girl out, and Chloe's grip on the small girl's shoulder tightened enough to make her whimper. Hannah's chosen 'initiate' was going to have a rough night. It was a fat girl. There wasn't any way around it, whatever her face looked like behind the blindfold there was no way Hannah Ellis; the girl that had pulled Chloe's frizzing curls and cut the straps off her bra in gym was letting a fat girl onto the ravens cheer squad. There wasn't much left to deduce from there, four buckets, five girls desperate to fit in, and a very deep hole. She wasn't about to hold out that Gabby's box was filled with celebratory donuts.

"Hannah"

"Seniors, bring your freshmen each a bucket." It wouldn't be a gentle fall. How deep were graves? It looked deep, too deep for anyone to get her out without serious help.

Chloe didn't move. "Hannah" Ellis gave her a glare that stripped away whatever protest she'd been preparing, if she wasn't careful she'd be the one finding out exactly how deep that hole went. Gabby handed her the bucket full of ice, while Chloe stood staring at the blindfolded fat girl wile Shannon fidgeted endlessly beside her.

"Take it." She finally managed, placing the weight in the younger girls hands and looked away as the official cheerleaders all converged around Hannah's girl.

It wasn't a gentle fall. Chloe winced as the girl screamed and the resounding thump. There might have been a snapping bone, but it was impossible to be sure as panic struck the other freshmen, calling out for each-other and asking what was happening. Hannah put an end to the unrest by simply clapping her hands twice.

"Ladies! Blindfolds off!" Chloe's hand was steady as she undid the knot. It wasn't her that was screaming at the bottom of a hole, what did she care? The muttering began again as the initiates realized what had happened to their peer. Another clap for order came from Hannah.

"To be a part of the Raven Cheer Team is to join the elites in the history of Crestwood Hollow. There is a reason Mather is the best high-school around, and we're it." She paused for dramatic effect, eyeing each of the girls, daring any one of them to say anything. Pleas for help and confusion came from the grave in the center of them all.
"We're the best cheer team in the state- hell we're best in the entire east coast, and with that comes responsibility." With every word, Hannah looked somewhat less high-school teen, and more commanding officer. She began pacing in front of her recruits.
"We've already lost one of our sisters this semester, but that doesn't diminish us. That doesn't make the Raven's Cheer team an open extra-curricular for just anyone. We are a sisterhood, and tonight you forge yours." Finally she gestured to the hole where the confused cries for help had subsided to loud sobs.

"Allison" Mikeala pushed her freshman forward. "Are you ready to be a Raven?" The girl looked around nervously and nodded. At the direction of the two older girls she poured the partially melted crushed ice into the hole. Chloe winced at the resulting cry before bracing herself for the following rounds.

"Trisha" Another splash, again Chloe turned away, opting to look at the sky. It was a full moon. Or close enough at least.

"Becky" The fat girl had again stopped screaming. Chloe wondered if the stray was still wandering the cemetery somewhere.

"Shannon" Nothing happened. Chloe looked down to trembling girl in front of her. She wasn't moving. A dangerous look of annoyance began to creep across Hannah's face.

"Is there a problem Shannon?" Chloe held her breath while Shannon remained rooted, the sound of crying came to an abrupt stop. Shannon still didn't move

"God damn it." Chloe muttered, barely audible as she snatched the bucket from Shannon's hands and dumped it down the grave herself.

"What the hell Chloe! She-"

"It's done. You've had your fun. Move on already." Hannah was glaring at her, but Chloe had conceded too much for the night already, and glared right back.

"Fine. She'll just-"

"This way! It came from over here!"

It had grown too dark to see much past their small gathering place, sparely lit as it was, but the voices weren't far and in the seconds the group were struck still, small pricks of flashlights became visible. Everyone looked to Hannah, who broke the stillness by lunging for her duffel-bag. When she turned around again to see everyone still staring at her she gave an exasperated but urgent "Move!" to kick them all in motion.

There was chaos as the seniors stumbled over freshmen to retrieve their items, while avoiding the pit.

"Gabby the bugs-"

"I'm not touching them!"

"You're all utterly useless"

She didn't see who's shoe kicked the box over, but Chloe did see the contents; thousands of dead crickets, went flying everywhere, in the grave, through the air, and towards the girls; inciting further panic. Chloe was vaguely aware of a few landing in her hair.

It took only a handful of seconds to find herself completely alone.

"I swear- It sounded like a girl too. Hello?! Anyone there?!" Chloe looked down at the hole. The sun was gone and without the other girls' lights, it was impossible to see. It would be easy to pull the kid out, there was no danger of dropping or slipping in herself.

"Kaitlyn?!" It would be so easy. The girl in the grave was too silent. A light landed on Chloe's boot, and she fled.

C H L O E B R O N S E




M A T H E R M E M O R I A L H I G H

Tuesday, August 21st, 2018 - 03:00pm | Hallways


"We want you to come out with us tonight." Chloe's eagerness to leave the classroom evaporated with the first syllable. She looked up to see Hannah Ellis leaning against her locker, Gabby in toe.

Chloe scoffed and gently pushed her shoulder, she moved away willingly enough but remained too close for comfort.

"You two are going to help look for Stewart?" The thought was about of absurd as Ellis showing up at Chloe's locker. Especially after the latter had been explicit about her lack of desire to have a friendly relationship. Multiple times in fact. But Hannah Ellis had never really had practice in the word 'no'.

She rolled her eyes and Chloe promptly shrank three inches. "No that's just the excuse everyone's using to get out. We're having a cheer meet up, and want you to join."

"Weren't your tryouts weeks ago?" It was impossible to ignore Hannah, but Chloe managed to avoid looking at her and focused on her locker combination. It wasn't really a surprise, they'd been trying to get her to join since junior year. Then at least she'd had her trips to New York as an excuse.

"Can always make an exception for special cases. Besides, word is we'll be needing a replacement in a few months." The comment was ominous, and prompted and snicker from Gabby that made Chloe's skin crawl.

"What are you planning exactly?" Chloe looked at the two of them as her locker opened, Gabby all excited smiles, Hannah watching her too closely.

"A little tradition is all. Initiations from the seniors for the new recruits." A hazing. Chloe glared at her.

"How stupid do you think I am Ellis?"

"Relax Chloe, you're one of use right? We just want you to come down and help out. Who knows maybe you'll even have a good time."

Chloe didn't respond and took her time moving her books into her locker. She briefly considered holding onto the pass-card, but opted to leave it behind as well rather than draw any attention from the other girls. It didn't take long for Hannah to lose her patience.

"We're meeting at the graveyard behind St. Betran's. Be there at 6:30." Finally a smile broke through her too-still face. It might have even seemed genuinely friendly to someone that hadn't been subject to Hannah's torment before.

Chloe put less effort into making her own believable but did wave after Gabby as she made one final plea for her to come. They were lost in the hallway crowds before Chloe slammed her locker shut and leaned her forehead against the cool metal. She hadn't realized she'd been holding her breath.


B R O N S E R E S I D E N C E:

Tuesday, August 21st, 2018 - 6:10 PM

The Madden boots were missing. Chloe stared at the collection of ill-gotten shoes at the bottom of her closet in disgust, perfectly aware that with every passing second she was growing later. Maybe it was the last remnant of self-preservation against Hannah Ellis. Not that she had anything to be afraid of anymore. Not really. She pulled an alternate pair of long black suede boots and red skirt to change into.

"Chloe!" Chloe pushed past her mother just as she opened it and looked her up and down "Are you going out? You're father's gone so I was thinking we could order in and talk about your first day."

"Sorry mom, can't. Everyone's out looking for Kaitlyn tonight." Mrs. Bronse frowned at the back of her daughters head.

"You need heels and lipstick to join a search party?"

"One of my teachers wanted the entire class to go."

"I don't really feel comfortable with you being out there Chloe, whatever happened to that girl..." Chloe's features softened as she turned to her mother, still carrying Thomas in her arms. She could never quite shake the feeling of betrayal that came with lying to her mother.

"Teachers and parents will be around mum, nothing to worry about promise. But I gotta go." She gave both a quick kiss on the cheek and took the stairs down to the street two at a time.
C H L O E B R O N S E




M A T H E R M E M O R I A L H I G H

Tuesday, August 21st, 2018 - 02:36pm | The ‘Loft’

While not incredibly invested in the discussion, Chloe turned to her left to see what the fuss was, to notice some younger girl painfully writing out her answers. With mild disappointment at the lack of excitement, her eyes drifted over the rest of class again only to catch Felix Brooks staring at her with the most deliciously pathetic look that made her more vengeful and sadistic side smirk. Instead, she ignored him as his attention quickly snapped away towards the silent student who was still writing.

She focused on her nails, running the new pass-card under them while vaguely aware that others were still talking, thinking only of what a complete waste of time the class was turning out to be and if it was too late to take something else instead. For a brief moment she considered taking out her phone, but the memory of physics that morning was still fresh enough for her to think the better of it.

It wasn't the teacher, but the entrance of an all-too-happy Asian girl waltzing in late that broke her trance. Vaguely familiar, but mirroring the same bight-eyed cheeriness that Chloe found so distasteful among her own 'friends', she quickly looked away as to not inadvertently invite the newcomer to sit too close.

The new kid left, followed by the mute girl shortly after, leaving an uncomfortable silence in their wake. Chloe tapped her foot on the floor, eager to move things along to actual learning.

"Finding a way to cure hypes or prevent them in the first place would do a lot more good than changing the rules every few years." She raised an eyebrow at Mr. Lehrer, she was being deliberately provocative but anything she could do to further separate herself from the known freaks in the class, the better.
Been a while since I've said anything, so just giving the heads up that I'm still around, and should have a post out tomorrow.

Edit: Didn't realize my grammar mistake until rereading it quoted about four times in all those posts. Oof.
I dropped a pregnancy bomb for added drama. <3


Just waiting to make protection jokes about the guy that literally makes shields.
C H L O E B R O N S E




B R O N S E R E S I D E N C E:

Tuesday, August 21st, 2018 - 7:40 AM

There hadn't ever really been a time when morning in the Bronse household had been calm, but adding a one year old to the mix made the already too-small kitchen downright chaotic. Both patriarch and matriarch tried to develop a plan for the day by way of speaking over each-other while the former attempted to put on a jacket while eating buttered toast, and the latter negotiated with the baby to keep his bowl of banana on the highchair. It at least worked out for Chloe, who was able to survey the scene with a large mug of usually forbidden coffee, sweetened to a point that would bring her dentist to tears.

"Well I'm off then, have a good day." Curt Bronse leaned down to lay a crumb-laden kiss on his wife who pointedly pushed him away.

"Your face is already filthy. And wish Chloe luck, its her first day back today." Chloe put down the mug and looked for an escape. But the door was on the opposite wall, and two giant arms wrapped around her before she could make any movement.

"Dad-"

"I know, I know." He released her and offered a far more acceptable grin instead "I'm walking to work today if you want to take the car."

"You're walking because Thomas has an appointment with the pediatrician in an hour. Sorry Chloe, do you want a ride?"

The only thing worse than taking the family's decade old sedan to school would be to get dropped off in it. Chloe shook her head vigorously and changed the topic as her father sent his last good-luck wishes and headed out the door.

"What's wrong with Thomas?"

"I think his rash is coming back and he coughed last night." The both waited a brief moment, listening for some demonstration of suffering. Thomas took the opportunity to knock his bowl to the floor.

"My cue to leave." Chloe drained her remaining coffee and escaped the final few well wishes for her first day of senior year.


M A T H E R M E M O R I A L H I G H S C H O O L:

Tuesday, August 21st, 2018 - 9:48 AM

Despite her best efforts, the assembly was still going when Chloe got to school. She'd taken the long way out of the Port, a route which had the added benefit of keeping her from smelling like the morning's catch when she got to school, and stopped for her second coffee of the morning. Not the wisest decision she soon realized when her hands began shaking as she opened her locked. Other few student, stranglers or fellow hooky-players roamed the halls. A few made passing marks of greeting which Chloe returned with little more than and icy stare that sent one poor freshman sprinting.

She was preening herself in the locker mirror when the bulk of students were dismissed from the auditorium. Physics, Biology, Lunch, English, and Chemistry. The last class of the day was decidedly put out of her mind since the moment she signed on for it. A thing easier said than done when the new teacher -the only exciting thing to happen in the Hallow all summer- was teaching her first class.

"Isn't he kind of hot?" Gabby, a short and too-perky blonde who continuously proved immune to Chloe's unapproachable demeanor had joined her in the back of the class.

Chloe looked at the tired-looking, bald, middle-aged man, then back to Gabby with a skeptical brow. She was brushed off in response.

"You know what I mean, he's got that smart, professor look. Besides its not like we've got a wide spread here. Everyone know Mr. Lindsey is unavailable. Good choice taking that weird extra-credit class, maybe I should sign up?"

Chloe didn't get the chance to ask how the hell Gabby had heard what classes she was taking before Mr. Lehrer himself began the lecture, but was left with a distinct smugness when Gabby was forced to leave the class with a new crack in her phone.



Tuesday, August 21st, 2018 - 02:30pm | The ‘Loft’

The first day of classes was always tedious -what with teachers trying to discern where the previous one had left off and the students unaccustomed to the monotony of school life after the summer. It didn't help that after cooping herself up since the beginning of the month, Chloe was already well ahead in most of the classes. By the time Chemistry had rolled around she'd grown bored enough to swipe Mr. Oswall's wallet from his desk on the way out. The man had it coming; too old for even Gabby's standards and well past the point that should have called for retirement they'd barely covered anions after a full hour.

It took eight minutes to lose Gabby at last break, she kept insisting Chloe join 'the group' on an outing to some cottage or other over the weekend. Eventually, she made it to the top floor of the school alone. She kept looking over her shoulder, paranoid someone would see her. Not that there was anything for her to hide; as far as anyone was aware she was just taking the easy bird course with the ignorant new teacher to lighten her heavy course-load.

She walked into the classroom, grimacing at the look of the place. Mather Memorial wasn't exactly state of the art, but no classroom she'd been in before had a such distinct smell. She took a seat by one of the open windows and examined the pass card and syllabus before carefully scanning the small class, avoiding prolonged eye-contact with anyone, until Lehrer began to lecture.

Every mention of hyper-humans had Chloe resisting the urge to shrink into her seat. Eventually she settled for staring out the window, trying her best to look mildly bored. It became genuine when the lecture was turned towards the class, and she actually rolled her eyes when the first kid stood to give an answer. She turned to see Ivy, hyper-human social outcast of the senior year. Even when she was the ugly bullied kid, Chloe had been careful to avoid her. Now she scoffed.

"Isn't the whole idea that no one wants to be hype in the first place?"
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