Form
Name: Una Lazarev
Age: 35
Face Claim: Zhenya Katava
Personality Traits: Extroverted. Charming. Passionate, but also explosive. Hospitable (despite always donning her RBF). Vain. Loyal. Loves drama. Either overshares or is very private. Observant. Sociable, always knows someone who knows someone. Judgmental. Party girl.
Brief background regarding why you’re in Carrington Cove: She's here for a vacation to try to get some much-needed R&R and scout the location for a potential business venture. She's a plastic surgeon, possibly there to check if Carrington Cove could be another location to open a clinic.
Interests: I think there is romantic potential with both Judas and Fabian, while Audrina is seen as a friendship that might scare her a little bit, and excite her more.
Status: DONE!
Chapter IX
The woman looking back in the mirror does not resemble the woman she knows, which sounds like an awful cliche, but it is true. This was supposed to be a vacation with the rich and famous, she almost laughed, not sure about what the hell was happening.
Each day felt alike and very unpredictable at the same time. She dreaded the moment of coming down to face Holden in the autumn of his life (or winter, she’s not that good with metaphors), then again she hoped the signal was back, or something similar to it because she chooses to believe she still has a job and her family is not insanely worried if she’s alive and well, not sending police to fetch her.
She gets dressed, she heads downstairs, the emptiness of her stomach gone the moment she acknowledges she has to eat something.
This place was no longer fun, it just got more intense. Sun shines brighter, wind blows stronger, people get drunker, parties get wilder, and Una? She’s both angry, sad, upset, and done with this place.
Hair pushed back in a low bun, she’s dressed to head out to work out but decides to go for a hike. Nature is healing, as people often tell her when she ignores it, but also the top of the hill might offer some signal at least, because driving off to Carrington Manor seems too unpredictable right now.
Wilderness seems safer, somehow.
Then, one second later, the fright that goes through her when Fabian touches her shoulder makes her believe she should have gotten out a bit sooner.
“Jesus, Fabian—”
“I’m so sorry,” he attempts an apology through laughter, clearly not as worried about… well, anything. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“You did,” she notes, pulling her headphones down. She instinctively kisses both his cheeks, saying hello and nodding.
“Out for a run?”
Suddenly, he seemed like an unknowing participant in a small expedition. “Hike, actually,” Una flashes a smile. “Care to join?”
“Hike? How long—”
“Come on, I’d think you’re just running up and down this street just to see me,”
“You think of yourself highly,”
“Should I stop?”
“Of course not,” he smiled.
“Come on, Fabian,” she exhaled. “Fresh air, my company, some nice vistas,”
“You are stubborn,” his statement was a bit too truthful, she saw a moment of regret flash over his face, but she smiled at the candur.
“And I thought you were never crossing any lines,” Una smiles. “So, how about it?”
“Fuck it,” he exhaled. “Let’s go.”
There’s too much mud in nature, she understands halfway up the hill, rethinking her choice to go there, her choice to take up pilates instead of anything remotely more useful when walking up a hill.
“Is there a goal height here, Una, or we’re just heading up until we’re out of air?”
“A bit too late for that, at least for me,” she cracks a joke under her breath, taking his hand as she almost fell down. Shit, was he always this hot, or is she just exhausted and most likely ovulating?
Both, probably.
Una pulls her phone out of her bag, raising it up over her head. The top of the hill is visible, and the signal tower is there, but nothing is happening. She’s annoyed as fuck, mussing some profanities under her breath.
“So, can we go get that drink now?”
“No, actually,” she smiles. “I’m famished, let’s grab some food.”
“My cabin is there, actually,” he smiled, pointing at a deep brown roof shining in the distance. “We’ll be there in 15 minutes.”
“And you can cook?”
“I can do a nice omelette,” he promised, leading the way down. Una stood for a short second, before following him down.
The kitchen is cosy, she can acknowledge it, sitting at the kitchen island, watching this handsome man prepare food in front of her. He’s aware of his good looks, just like most men in LA (and her life), yet with him it feels— organic.
Just like the eggs he’s scrambling at the moment.
“Any allergies?”
“My mother would rather denounce me,” she replied, and he laughed. “No, I’m joking, but it’s not a thing a lot of people worry about that, not where I’m from.”
“Good,” he noticed. “It seems interesting,”
“What does?”
“Your family, from what you told me so far,” he continued.
“Generational trauma can be quite entertaining,” Una chuckles. “So, do you mind if I have a coffee while I’m waiting for my Michelin-level meal?”
“What’s mine is yours,” he said, Una chuckled again.
“Ah, don’t say that, I really really loved that signet ring you wore the day we met,” she shook her head.
“You are just—”
“Incorrigible, I heard that before,”
“Not where I was going,”
“Where are you going?” Una smirks, while the delicious smell spreads through the kitchen, Fabian sliding the omelettes to plates.
“Normally, I go for a fun time—”
“But not a long time?” Una interrupted
“Not necessarily,” he chuckled, reaching for some chives from the closest cabinet. “I meant—”
“How about we have breakfast, complain about too much food and potentially wait out this heatwave under your AC?” Una says, unwilling to continue this push and pull, she does this regularly with Judas already.
“Should I take it you’re not enjoying your hotel?”
The plates are getting finished, he walks over with the food. “I’m not,” Una admits, unwilling to say she is not going to spend more money while she’s not sure if she has some. “I’m not, but it’s okay, I mean, we’ll be able to leave soon, I mean, it’s been a few weeks—”
The realization doesn’t sound super fun.
“Enjoy,” Fabian smiles. “We’ll discuss housing after breakfast.”
Chapter X
It comes as a surprise Audrina is still pushing for Una to move to Carrington Cove, or the fact this topic rises to the conversation quite often - there should be a red flag somewhere, and at the same time isn’t his what every girl is thought is love? Or, they used to be, not anymore, hopefully. She’s overthinking again.
There’s radio silence with emails from work, paranoid part of her wonders if it’s even going through.
“For fucks sake, Una, are you even listening to me?”
Audrina walked out of the bathroom with a new dress on, holding her blonde hair in her hands.
“Sorry,” Una said sincerely. “I’m just— I’m not sure.”
“I’m quite certain I already told you I can deal with this problem,” Audrina seems annoyed, glancing over at Una between long, infatuated looks she gave herself in the mirror.
“You understand it’s not something people normally do,” Una tried. “I mean, no one just gives you—”
“You are overthinking it, honey,” Audrina walks up to the bed where Una sat, watching the other gowns. “You aren’t thinking about your outfit, tho.”
Una smiled, lips pursed together, steps to this dance seemed to be well rehearsed. Una would ask about something relating to the real world, and Audrina would attempt a distraction easily. “You really throw a lot of parties around here,” Una says, Audrina smiles.
“So, you didn’t think about it,” Audrina chirped, walking back to the bathroom.
“I didn’t think I’d be here so long I need various gowns,”
“You’re in luck, I have many to spare,” the reply doesn’t touch on the burning subject at all, but again, she’s not expecting Audrina to worry about it. She was home, after all. Una looks at the watch, it was almost time to go meet up with Fabian - they decided to go swimming instead of hiking this time. Plus, she’s given up hope of getting any signal at all.
“Audri,” she yells out towards the bathroom, a soft hum coming back from Audrina. “I’m out, I need to meet up with someone in town,” she says.
“Boo! I thought I had you to myself today,” she yelled out.
“I’m here too often in any case, besides, I’ll be here tomorrow, we’re still heading to the SPA, yes?”
“I look like a dry mess, we need to,” Audrina steps out, in time to say bye to Una.
There is always some nervousness taking over her as she walks through the house alone. The uneasiness of the monster hunt evening feels like it happened ages ago and at the same time five minutes ago. She’s in goosebumps, walking around, wondering how empty this manor seems to be.
She opens the door to let herself out, stepping out into the sun, and instantly pulling her hat out of her bag, noticing a familiar figure heading her way. It feels stupid to say it - or to call it as such, but Judas really walks as if he has no worries on his mind. He steps up once he notices her, and it’s very stupid of her to realize she is already smiling when seeing him there. He’s carrying a suit bag in his hand, handing it from his shoulder.
“Don’t tell me you’re leaving,” he says before she reaches him, placing a hand on his chest very lightly to lean in, pecking each of his cheeks shortly.
“I am, yes,” Una says. “Busy day?”
“Not as much as I would have wanted, no,” he replied. “Do you have time for a coffee?”
“Ah, sadly, no, not right now—”
“Too bad,” Judas announced, with Una shrugging at him. “I think—”
“It should be easier to just schedule something,” Judas said, pulling his phone out of his pocket. “Let’s get out of the Cove for a day, what do you think?”
“You have the means to get out?” Una asks, more focused on the fact he just offered something she would have considered to be unattainable.
“For a day, yes,” he nods. “I’d like for you to join me, we can take the boat and just get out of the Cove for some hours.”
“I’d like that, sure,” she smiled, perfectly certain he was flirting this time. “Preparing for the gala?” Una nodded to the bag.
“Ah, yes,” he smiles. “I imagine Audrina invited you already?”
“She did,” Una nodded, unsure if she’d like to say she would have been happy if he asked her to join him, but this is not what she normally does. Why should she change her MO for this cute billionaire? No, not today.
“I’m assuming you’ll attend,” he smiled, but it felt forced.
“Yes,” she picks up on this easily, not sure what to do next. “Oh, I have to go, but—”
“—I’ll see you soon?”
“Sure,” she replied. “When should we meet?”
“I’ll pick you up around 10, just dress comfortably, it’ll just be the two of us,” he made her chuckle.
“Sounds vaguely naughty,” there might be an extra bat of lashes thrown in there, along with a one-sided smirk she is pretty sure works normally.
“You never know,” Judas snickered before they bid their goodbyes, at least for a day.
She has lived in Napa for years before moving to LA, and Una’s perception of wealth and money, in general, has been distorted. She’s also attractive, aware of it, and very smart about how she displays it, she never lacked attention. Fine dining dinners, lavish clubbing, pretty nice anniversary presents - there was normally some fanfare about it - the display was there for a reason, but the ease with which he is just showing up around the town he actually owns made it seem very casual. Made her live in this reality where it was casual, and it made her think about staying for longer.
They embarked on the ship in the Cove harbour, the crew of around six people made sure they were comfortable sailing out, top deck, overlooking the shore. The food and drinks were served before they reached their final destination: the outer limits of the Cove, overlooking the entire bay and the open sea on the other end. Una sat on the top - in the shade, naturally, it was mid of summer, she’s not stupid to be there unprotected - watching Judas talk to the captain, giving some directions to the crew, before she left them to depart on a smaller boat, heading to another part of the coast. She noticed a small pier there, which she missed before, wondering if the crew was just going to sit there and wait.
She imagines not. Or hopes not. That would have been rather cruel to do. Before she says anything, Judas is back, sliding onto the seat next to her, watching in the same direction.
“Okay, now, we have some privacy,” he smiled, hand reaching out towards her hair. She’s not going to admit it, but there are a few fun goosebumps on the back of her neck before he just removes something from a strand of her hair. Una still smiled. “So, tell me, did you think about staying here?”
Una scoffed, shaking her head, reaching out for the sparkling water on the table. “With my own private clinic, but no signal or way out?”
“Things change in Carrington Cove,” he replied.
“I imagine they don’t, not really,” she mused, but the thing was, she was not very keen on starting any other topics. Judas, on another hand, seems to be.
“The entire community is very future-oriented, Una, there’s always funding coming in, especially for good causes, for the right people, for those who enjoy sharing their knowledge with the rest, and working on bettering the community.”
Now, it might be the sun, it might be the fact that this foreplay, hot-and-cold, flirting, whatever you wish to call it seems to have lasted for half a year now, but she smiled again. Perhaps he was, in fact, a gentleman? They might not be extinct, in the end. “And you believe me to be part of this, potentially.”
“I already told you about the research, and you were— discreet about it, I appreciate that I don’t have to worry about sharing things with you,” he replied.
“Medicine is going a long way, these days,” she replied. “I mean, you have all the resources in the world, Judas, I appreciate someone whose vision can lead to progress.” She catches herself speaking in phrases thought at places where flattery would take you a long way, which is not what she is trying to do here. “That sounded—” brows furrowed, she chuckles, and he joins in. There’s a shared laughter, she quite enjoyed it.
“A little, yes,” Judas agreed.
“I mean, I didn’t mean it to sound so horribly fake,” Una replied. “I just like that you’re not out there just squandering money on drugs and alcohol and—”
“Yachts?”
Una laughed, appreciative of this moment. “Yes, it’s really nice.”
“At the risk of sounding horribly fake,” he picks up, hand landing quite close to hers, “I admit I had some apprehensions about you, in the beginning, but it feels like we really can be birds of a feather, just trying to make this world a more beautiful place,”
“In very different ways, apparently,” Una chuckled, realizing there was a drop of sweat rolling down her forehead. “Okay, now, I really have to move from the sun, it’s not—”
“Sure,” he got up, extending a hand towards her. “Are you hungry?”
“No, not really,” she smiles, hearing there’s music coming from somewhere. “I could go for a swim, tho.”
“We have time to do everything,” Judas follows her down to the lower deck, as she goes to get some water, maybe jump for a quick swim, trying to hum to the music, but she keeps missing the melody. Una picks up her things, all the way from the lowest deck, pulling her stuff from the wicker bag she brought, heading to the room to change. There’s a shocking lack of personal things on board, she noticed, writing it off as a thing of another lifestyle, but she does take her time changing. The melody seems to be off, and at the same time strangely familiar, she’s just not certain if she heard it before, or where, because she should know the lyrics, it’s one of the stupid idle things she was good at. She ignores the fact she’s unable to recall, getting back to the plan. Refreshing ocean swim. Once done, her bikini on, she’s out of the room, and towards the decking, trying to figure out if Judas is going to join her.
Una called out, but there was no answer. Una looks around, but there is no trace of any boats coming or going, she imagines he is changing. She tries again, but there’s no reply.
Not a moment later, Una hears a splash, turning around towards the dock, only to see a hand rising up from the water. There’s not a real explanation of what happens next, not one she could give if someone asked, but there’s a woman stepping onboard, out of nowhere, climbing on the metal ladder.
She froze for a moment - and a moment too late because there was another hand emerging from the water - Una turned around, walking into Judas, a soft scream escaping her.
She shivered in fear, he held her shoulders, a smile playing on his lips. “Calm down, it’s all good,” he seemed sure about what he spoke about, eyes flying between her and whatever was happening behind her. You didn’t have to be insanely smart to notice she turned pale, she was a walking goosebump, and she froze out of fear - scared was not something she often did. Now, she was terrified.
His hand on her shoulder steadies her, as the other hand reaches for her jawline, lifting it up a little bit.
It felt like an eternity, it was only a few seconds.
“Una,” Judas smiles softly as their eyes meet. “I’ll be back with you in a second, do you want to wait for me upstairs?”
The wind blows cold, and she gets a grip of herself, moving his hand from her face, she makes it to the stairs. Stumbling, she makes it up in time to turn around, seeing him help a few more people up to the boat, before reaching into his pocket, and pulling something out. It glistens in the sun, the colour unlike anything she’d seen before, and before her brain can even comprehend what’s happening, the women jump back up, one after each other, and by the time she tries following the last one back, she encounters Judas’ gaze meeting hers.
He smiles again, before heading towards the stairs.
Una feels like she should run, or move, but she finds herself frozen again.
“Una?”
He’s in front of her, she’s standing in the middle of the deck, just…standing there.
“Are you okay?”
“What the fuck just happened?” she whispered, wincing as he took a step towards her. She stands up straight, now remembering she is not some frail, frightened girl (well, she was), but rather— a confused, gullible one? Maybe.
“Una?”
“What?” she basically jumped.
“Are you okay?”
At this point, it’s not really a question or a statement. “Am I okay?”
“Listen, it’s all good,” Judas touches her head, smiling again. “What you just saw—”
“—what did I just see?”
“—friends, stopping by, for some— well, youth serum.”
“Youth serum,” she blinked. Now, she’s even less sure, stumbling back, sitting down on the bench behind her. He gets down, kneeling on one knee in front of her, unsure of what to do. Hand in her hair, he seems to be gentle about explaining to her what she just witnessed, but she’s not convinced this is a conversation that should be conducted calmly.
“Your friends came from the ocean to get youth serum,” she parroted. “Judas, what is happening there?”
He seems to be losing this endless patience, but not showing it openly. “I told you already, I just—”
“Your friends normally show up from nowhere?”
Judas seems to have a small smirk on his lips. “Not nowhere, but it’s just as it is—”
“Oh god,” there is a small part of her that is no longer just scared, but a bit annoyed. Brows furrowed, she reached for his hand, eyes widened.
“Your friends came to pick up youth serum, from the ocean, and you just gave it to them?”
Judas smiles, hands still holding. “It’s a debt that is son to be owed.”
Fingers brushing over her knuckles, he moves to sit next to her. Una shifts a little to position herself closer to him, so she can still watch him because his mouth did open, she could have sworn, but it made very little sense.
Suddenly, it feels like Kafka’s Process. The last novel she would have wanted her life to fit into, honestly.
Una exhaled, but before she could say something, Judas reached out towards her again, hand on her jawline, finger in her hair. “You’re as cold as a block of ice,” he concluded, making her chuckle.
“You should know,” comes out as a blurt, but she does not explain once he asks about it, which doesn’t sit well with him, but nothing sat well with her at this point, so she does not care at all.
“Do you want to—”
“I think I want to leave,” she surprised herself.
“Una,” Judas smiles. “Where’d you leave now? We’re in the middle of the— and we’re just getting the day started—”
“Are we?”
“There’s nothing to be scared of here,” Judas smiled, trying to reassure her, and had she been someone else, it might have worked. Her face looks pretty blank now. She feels pretty much the same. He leans back, hand hanging over the backside of the bench, now completely turned towards her, again with the small touch of her shoulder. She doesn’t move, but she doesn’t feel very happy about it either. Actually, she feels like she’d just had a full day of surgery. “Besides, we still didn’t even touch the topic of the serum.”
Una scoffed, unsure of what to tell him, she pushed a few loose strands of hair off of her face, leaning her head down. “I’m not sure I’m in the right mind space to talk about anything remotely intelligent right now.”
Judas chuckled, moving a bit forward, lifting her chin up a little bit. “Then we don’t talk,” he offered, eyes trailing over her lips, but she is aware he wouldn’t do anything anymore.
“We do what, then?” Una asks, all of a sudden. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m not in the mood to explore whatever chemistry we might have anyways, but you’re not interested in doing that, are you?”
“Una, I—”
“No, I don’t need you to think up excuses, I just can’t try to push for anything anymore, you know?” she concluded, much more freely than she would have done normally. Or less? She’s unsure. “I like the thrill of the chase, normally, but right now I feel like I’m just jogging, and now with—” she gestured towards the ocean.
“You’re a friend of my sister,” he says, a flash of anger - or something else - clouding his face for the moment.
“And? Do you have a rule of not dating your sibling’s friends? Or?”
“Audrina is possessive of her friends, she’s quite thrilled about you—”
“Okay,” Una interrupted. “I need to go.”
“No, you really need to understand—”
“I don’t, actually,” Una replied. “At the start of this, I thought you were amazing, so smart, and you are charming, I’d give you that, and I thought you might—
“Una—”
“—no no, no-no need to explain, I mean actions speak more than just words, besides, I hate being this woman, so I won’t be. You’re not interested, and I am not in search of new friends.”
“Will you allow me a word?”
“Of course, once we’re back at the Cove,” she got up. “Or, ideally, you can drive me somewhere out of the Cove, I’ve overstayed my vacation anyway.”
“Come on, Una.”
“I don’t want to stay—”
“Because I don’t want to kiss—”
“Because you had people step onto the deck to trade drugs with you just a moment ago, mainly,” Una continued. “This failed dating attempt—” she shrugged. “I’m going to go and change, I would really appreciate it if you could take me back.”
Judas seems defeated - or angry - she did not stay there long enough to check.
“And please, let me know if we’re having more visitors before we go back, I don’t think my heart can take another surprise like this.”
Chapter XI
It’s been a few days since she visited the Carrington Manor, and luckily Audrina is okay with that because she would have died out of boredom sitting in the room, with no connection and no connection to the world. The two of them drove around the city, ready to have lunch, when Audrina concluded it was the 14th already.
“So?”
“So, you didn’t want to get a treat with me, I didn’t pull any tricks on you, and you didn’t do any tricks on me,”
“Tricks?” Una replied, brows furrowed, as she noticed there was a call incoming to her phone - Judas. She hangs it up.
“You know, trick or treat, it’s quite—”
“Ah, yes, sorry, I got distracted,” she exhaled. “I might need coffee or sleep,” Una replied. “Or both.”
In reality, she needed to get her grip. There’s nothing she’s doing that would exhaust her, but she’s been feeling a bit more tired than usual lately. “Oh, fuck!”
The car comes to a screeching stop, which would have been a problem had they been in a crowded street, but nothing is happening in the back roads between Carrington’s and the SPA centre in the mountains. Una stops herself before slamming onto the dashboard, looking around.
“Is it a dear? Bear?”
“Gown!” Audrina replied, shifting the gear to reverse.
“A gown crossed the road making you almost kill us?”
“Very dramatic of you, I kinda dig it,” Audrina chuckled, turning the car around.
“No, wait, where—”
“The seamstress is coming to take up my dress a little, I need to be there, and then we can go—”
“Audrina—”
“You like me too much to say no,” she smirked, giving a playful little shrug, and had it been another day, Una would have agreed - but not today. “What’s the matter? If this is your lame attempt at a prank, you need to get your head in the game.”
“First of all, Audri, I do like you, but how many gowns is too many gowns?” Una exhaled. “Secondly, honey, you are putting far too much thought into a trick, you know?”
“I’m really loving the traditions around here,”
“Wouldn’t have taken you for a lover of anything traditional,”
“So, what I’m hearing is that I can still surprise you,” Audrina is smug again. Una, on the other hand, is not sure if she’s willing to go down that (literal) road and risk running into Judas. “You’re silent again.”
“It’s been an actual second,” Una chuckles. “How much time do you need with the lady?”
“One hour tops,” she says, Una sighing. “Come on, go chill by the pool, or I’ll ask Judas to show you the library, you haven’t seen it?”
“No need,” she dismissed the idea she would have loved to explore, actually, but this house gave her bad vibes now. Plus, she was not in the mood for aimless flirting with Judas. That said, she feels like there’s quite some growth she has had lately. “I’ll wait in the car.”
“You won’t, I’ll tell Roman to whip you something to eat,” Audrina replied as they drove back into the yard. And apparently, everyone was there. James, Judas and the seamstress were all in the yard, some coming, some going.
“Ah! I’m just in time, aren’t I?” Audrina grinned at the lady carrying the gown, while she went between James and Judas to give both of them a peck on the cheek, commenting something under her voice, and picking up her pace to head towards the house. Una, still in the car, watched it all play out, watching her stop by the door to point at Una while speaking to the butler. He nodded, she vanished inside, and Una took it as her sign to step into the house as well. She greeted both James and Judas, who continued their conversation for a moment more, and just as she believed to be saved from having to talk to Judas (or convincing herself she did not want to talk to him again), stepping into the foyer - she heard her name being called. She continued forward, but he called out again.
“Una!”
“I’m not interested in talking,” she replied, continuing up the stairs.
“Stop, just a second—”
“To discuss what?”
Well, she felt annoyed now. Whenever she’s angry, she likes to move away from whatever made her feel uncomfortable, but he was not willing to take no for an answer. She stood on the stairs, glancing down at him.
“I’m sorry for what happened on the boat,” he looked around as if checking if they were alone. “It wasn’t as if I had—”
“You had what? Honestly, Judas, let’s just leave it here,” she shrugged. “It’s me, not you, I’m feeling lonely here, isolated, and I liked the glimpse of the potential I have seen between us— no, I thought I saw, and if you don’t mind, I am a little bit upset by the fact I was rejected, nothing else.”
“You were—”
“I am not interested in talking right now, okay?”
“What’s going on?”
Judas’ eyes dart up the stairs, brows furrowed as he sees Audrina standing on top of the stairs. Una turned around, too, watching the blonde watch them.
“Nothing,” Una replied, now confused she was there. “Are you done already?”
“Haven’t started yet, but your club is in the room if you want to eat—” Skeptical expression doesn’t leave her, she’s looking between the two of them. “No, seriously, you guys, what’s going on?”
“Nothing, really, I was just commenting I’m restless about the signal, not being able to go back to LA, or—”
“And I told you, you should have stayed here—”
“I told her the same thing,” Judas jumps into conversation. “Setting up a clinic—”
“Yes!” Audrina chuckled, looking at Una, who was getting increasingly annoyed. Audrina is getting called by the people in her room, but doesn’t bother, which is adding to Una’s annoyance. “Carrington Cove is perfect for that, so you should say yes already.”
“I can’t stay here to work at the clinic, Audrina, because I won’t be able to work in around eight months,” she glanced at the blonde’s surprised expression and then glanced at Judas, equally confused. “I’m pregnant, and marrying Judas,” she announces.
A gasp escaped Audrina, Judas seemed confused and almost startled, and then Una’s upset expression turned into a very wide, proud grin.
“Oh come on, Audrina, I’m not,” she rolled her eyes, watching the blonde’s continued confusion as she chuckled. “You asked for a trick, and a trick you got.”
Una mimicked a small curtsy, happily approaching Audrina as she went up the stairs, and pulling her in for a hug. Once they are away, and colour has returned to Audrina’s face, and a smile lit it up again. “But man, you should have seen your faces.”
She didn’t bother checking on Judas, but she imagined he was not amused.
Perhaps this would make them drop the topic, once and for all. It might have been under revision before, but right now she was sure she was not sticking out at the Carrington Cove. There was something inherently wicked happening her, and Una was not keen on finding out more.
Chapter XII
Murphy's Law says (she thinks) that if you want to avoid someone at a party, no matter how large the party is, you will bump into them at least a billion times.
Or at least that was the subjective feeling she got just walking around the gala - Judas seemed to have been everywhere, somehow, and all at the same time.
“How are you feeling about the whole thing?”
“Gala, you mean?”
“Yes,” Audrina sipped on some bright-coloured cocktail, and a moment ago she debated heading to get something a bit more strong upstairs, but got talked out of it by Una whose only argument is that you can only have so many septum deviations you use an excuse before it gets obvious. “So?”
“I like how it turned out, yes,” she replied, heavy under the mask that she might have appreciated a bit more had she been in a less foul mood. But, it is what it is, so… she does not. Audrina, on the other hand, is doing a nice job of hosting or co-hosting, or simply existing as the queen supreme in everyone’s heads, before she does what she normally doesn’t - mention her father.
“He’ll finally show up,” she exhaled after blabbing out something about his work and how he never actually is located in one address and how he often forgets where he lives just by the sheer amount of movement. Una didn’t get half of it, between the music and the greetings, the scattered sentences and the fuzzy timeline, she just concluded there was no way in hell her parents would have let her go wild when she was a teenager. 16-year-old Una would have been envious of the teenage Audrina, but the current version knew better, just reaching out for Audrina’s hand at one moment, knowing all too well she did not understand why she did that.
She did not expect appreciation or anything for that matter.
“Okay, I think I will go say hi to some people,” she says. “Care to join or—”
“I am happily sitting down, the heels are very uncomfortable,” Una replied shortly. It only meant she wasn’t tipsy enough. Her lonely moment is interrupted by a few more sightings of Judas, which she softly ignores, glancing from one side of the room to the other, before she hears her name.
“I’m surprised I managed to find you,” Fabian finds a spot in the armchair next to hers, setting his drink on the table between them.
“You recognized me fairly easily,” she concluded, complimenting his outfit, which seemed to sit well with him. There are a few pleasantries changed, the whole thing has a familiar rhythm to her, she wonders why she’s not been paying too much attention to him there. With one glance that lingered too long, he tilted his head a little bit.
“What’s on your mind?” Fabian asked, taking his drink and downing it. He waves to one of the staff members, who comes and takes it away promptly.
“Honestly? You.”
He chuckled, one very smug smile plastered on his lips. “Me?”
“Yes, you,” she noted, as there were two new drinks set on the table between them. “Are you surprised by that?”
“No, not really,” he’s honest, which she appreciated. “Or, perhaps a little bit, actually.”
“Why?”
“You were very elusive so far,” he replied. “I could not pin you down, and I’m not sure I still can.”
“Why would you?” Una shrugged. “What’s happening here, if not a fun summer that never seems to be ending?”
It sounds far too bitter, she is coming off as someone far too bitter, contrasting the fact she has been and still is a very willing participant in whatever is happening here. Why? She’s unsure.
“You’re eager to return to reality?”
“My reality is quite nice,” she exhaled. She was honest about it - she enjoyed her life - good and bad alike, she didn’t mind having a bit of both, while here, it felt like Stepford Wives were about to make an appearance. “I’m happy to go back to that.”
“Come on, what’s sweeter than some fiction?”
Una scoffed, it was very American of him to say that - she didn’t mean it as an insult, but it sure as hell was not a compliment. “What’s funny?” Fabian asked, she shrugged, taking a gulp of her drink. She’s not getting tipsy or drunk tonight, she’s not sure why.
“Nothing,” Una replied. “I would be okay with this adventure being done already.”
“You said yes to the experience,” he continued, this all felt like phrases now.
“I did, and now I’m saying I’m over it,” Una replied. “And you? Still haven’t found that sweet spot of whatever you were hoping to get here?”
“I’m not the topic of the conversation, I’d like to figure you out,” he smiled, downing the second glass, and waving for a third. She mimics his antics, the cups are gone and refilled momentarily. “What’s bothering you?”
“Nothing,” she replied, because if he was not bothered by all the things that have happened so far, perhaps he was not the person to have this conversation. “I’m still here, aren’t I? Unbothered by anything, just…here.”
“You’re looking for something, then,” Fabian concluded.
She’s not impressed, obviously, it felt very on the nose. “Isn’t everyone? In life, in a lifetime, whatever you want to call it.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” he replied. “Motivation is always a matter of perspective, different people react to same things very differently, and motivation is very subjective.”
“Is it?” she’s not in the mood for the philosophical - or she is, but not his type. “Aren’t we all motivated by the same things - to live, to survive?”
“Yes, but this is very simplified, it’s not—”
“So, yes?” Una grinned, enjoying that she was, in fact, right.
“That’s a very simplified conclusion, not everyone is,” he gets stubborn about it, and she notices it. Luckily for him, Una was not in the mood to have another argument this week.
“Perhaps you need a better perspective,” she offered, cutting the topic in the next part. “Or someone willing to ask good questions.”
Brows furrowed, he leans back. “Such as?”
“Such as, well, what are you looking for, here?”
He smirked, holding on for a moment, lips pressed at the glass as he took a sip of his drink, resting it on his knee the next moment. He let out a chuckle.
“What?” Una is a bit annoyed, this silence is too premeditated. “Don’t try to get out of answering, nothing bad will happen if you’re honest,” she teased. “Tell me, speaking of motivations and all of that - what are you looking for, Fabian?”
“A muse,” Fabian replied, surprising her a little. “And I think I might have found her.”
Fuck it.
What a lie would it be had she said it wasn’t flattered. To say the least. It goes to her head for a moment, but then it feels—
“Oh god, Fabian, what kind of a pickup line is that?”
Before saying anything else, there are a few whispers around the room, both of them trying to figure out what is happening. She glanced around, and a second later she landed a the main buttler, standing at the bottom of the stairs.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to present to you, Mr and Mrs Carrington.”
The sight of the current Mrs Carrington - yes, Audrina got to her - arms twisted around some young, attractive man, as they both removed their masks, all smiles and radiance.
The only thing that goes through her mind is Devi might have remarried recently, or that Judas might have been right. There is youth serum after all.
donedonedonedonedonedonedonedone
Last edited by Zaralee (09/09/2024 at 19:53)
