Evenin' folks! EmmyAna has granted permission for extention and the round is now expected to close on Friday, 21st. And an estimated guess would be around 21:00 forum time. Happy writing!

Round 4 - It Starts with a Rumble
Covers the first two weeks of August

Okay, so you all have heard about the scuffle at the Bar the other night, right? Most of you must have been there and if you weren’t surely you have caught what went down from a friend who was there, or from someone who knew someone who was there. No? I mean come on, you must have caught the curious and asked around when you saw James strutting around carrying his black eye like it was a shiny gold medal or the bump the size of a boulder on Luke’s forehead, preventing him from scowling properly, as the situation deserved.

But you know, if you missed it because you’ve been living under a rock - in that case, I’ll tell you:

Alright, gather around people - it’s time for storytellin’

So, it was a night at the Bar, like any other. Luke and Betty serving up beers as if there had been a drought in town. Up til that point, it had been a night of separate coexistence, Tigers kept their corner and Crocs to theirs. Sure, there were rowdy conversations and laughs over drinks, but the darts were thrown at the dartboard, not aimed at enemy eyes, if ya know what I mean. Loud, thirsty and peaceful, just to Luke’s liking. But with all the shit that has been brewing over the last months, it was too much to ask for - that all would play nice and when the clock struck closing time, each gang would pick up their drunk asses, file out of the door and go their separate ways, seeking their beds and sweet dreams. Yeah…that was not what happened.

When you have downed a few beers the pressure starts building, on the bladder I mean, and Jojo was just headin’ to the gents. That path took him past the table of Tigers. While Jojo usually is quick as a weasel, especially around the striped, this time the cat’s claws caught its mark. James had him pinned to the wall, not physically but crowding close with a bully’s mirthful taunts to the chuckles of fellow felines.

That was one moment and the next Dale was there, yanking hard on the jeans collar, spinning James to face him - and boy was there pure hell fire burning in the crocodile’s eyes. Then he said something, still gripping a handful of jacket, puffed up chest and close enough that the spit of his seething landed on James’ cheek. I’ve tried to get intel on what it was Dale said, but unheard by all it has been a hopeless task. Either way it drew forth the most vicious grin, the exact copy of the one James’ brother Frank pulled, back when he was still in town. And then he said:

“You show such diligent care for the pup here, but where’s the piglet tonight? Shouldn’t you keep a better track of where your sister sleeps?”

And then he laughed before he continued:

“Not that you seem to care much for any lady on your team as they basically come begging for stratification.”

Dale took a step back, drawing in a breath shaking with anger and - now, no one in attendance would contest that James’ face indeed looked very punchable in that moment, and as you know Dale is famous for his right hook. In other words James should have seen it coming but he didn’t and - BAM!

The connection of fist to face had James stumble back a couple of steps, baffled for a moment and then he laughed again, almost as if he was asking for another one. And he might have got it too, if not Gonza had crashed into Dale’s shoulder trying, in a stumbling drunk attempt, to throw a punch, and with it hit the floor himself and set Dale off balance. Suddenly there was an awful amount of chairs scraping, but Luke was already around the bar, and some say he slipped on a beer puddle but I know what I saw, and that was Rover’s foot conveniently out stretched in his path, making Luke hit his head at the edge of the bar before crumpling to the floor.

Before Luke even fell Cookie had acted in self preservation and pulled the still chuckling James by the neck with her to the door, Rover fished Gonza off the floor and hereded the rest of the Tigers out through the door, Crocs split between chasing them out and checking up their fallen comrades.

And through it all, Jojo stood still-frozen-panicked, still against the wall.

Yeah, that was it, pretty rad or pretty bad? And this reminds me, of the unspoken rule of conflict and confrontation between Cros and Tigers:

To fights you bring yourself and nothing else. No knives, no tools.

And with this. stuff snowballed, yeah even though July’s past and we are just now stepping into August.

James is really strutting about like he was the unbloodied in the cock fight, but what is the thing about appearances? Yeah, you try to keep them up when things are falling apart. As the Tigers got back to the villa that night it was the big out between James and Rover, as James flipped at Rover’s comment that “Might just be best to leave the kid alone.” answered by a whole string of creative cussing and “What’s the point of you even being here if you are just going to be a”, more heinous cussing, “and not say”, retracted, “thing. Where the”, retracted, “is he?” He in this conversation is sure to be Frank, the lost brother, you might or might not have heard about him. To that Rover just put on that, annoying or hellish charming - depending on the situation, nonchalant smirk of his and said: “Ever considered he might just not want to have anything to do with you?” And then he was out the door. After all of this, add on the female bother he can’t quite figure out how to deal with, strutting is all appearances.

With everything, Rover is hard considering that road leading away from this place. He’s out of the villa, shacking up with Cookie and Mack or Red, whoever might house him. And while the road is calling, he’s waiting for something, or someone, which is definitely a change.

The Crocs might have guessed what would go down at the house that night, and conveniently found themselves elsewhere, as Peggy came giggling home to a fuming Dylan with a “What the,” retracted, “have you been doing?” and it was the start of the fight of the century.

To sum it up, not even Junior’s meddling worked this time and after two days of slamming doors and other outlets of anger, he called in Luke to slap some sense into his brother. And escaping the house for the moment, Junior might wonder just how he could have been so happy lately, and with this being who he is, perhaps it was ever just going to be a summer thing.

Luke was the opposite of successful. It wasn’t if he and Betty had their own troubles, as the deliveries of bootleg to the back door had dried up after the fight, and somehow the little arrangement that had been going on since spring had reached Dale’s ears and deranged by that anger, well, yes Luke and Dale are not speaking at the moment. By the look on Luke’s face as he left the Dale house, he might be angry enough to strangle someone. If it wasn’t that he was so damn tired of the fighting.

One result of Dale’s excellent parenting being that he now has no idea where Peggy is sleeping as she flew out of the house in the end to save herself. She might be sleep-hopping around town, and maybe you will find her at your doorstep one night.

Are you tired of this yet? Well it’s your lives and now you have to go live and deal with them. I wish you good luck. But it’s not like we end there. No, of course not.

At the start of the second week of August a rumor starts spreading that Piglet is preggo, and in the dry summer heat, the rumor catches fire like dry kindling. After a run in with Dylan at the end of the week, Peggy goes awol. And in the end, everything comes down to one night - one night where you all might find yourselves a bit busy. 

Round Requirements
Basic form:  name, age, etc.
Interests:  three please!
Outfit:  A fit or two or three for your outings, absolutely obligatory or you won’t get to play anymore. Ha! JK.
Story:  Focus on the interactions with your extras!

Fellow troublemakers, look here for a moment! Although I was sloppy and fell asleep while I was on closing duty and this round arrived late, the plan is still to close on the evening of the 26th, this round shouldn't be too heavy and neither should next, so I hope it will work out!

Last edited by tricole (26/10/2022 at 21:57)

Missy

Peggy
After the latest development Peggy has lost some of the pepp in her step. She’ll come around and ask if she could stay with you for a couple of nights, she wouldn’t impose and expose you to your mother’s hard eyes for any longer, besides she doesn’t want Dylan to know where she is. Peggy is really happy she found you as a friend, and she’s racing between anger and hurt. She’d cuddle close for comfort, saying she is very tired of boys and brothers, well, just the one brother really - Jack is actually always very nice.

It’s the talk of the town that the youngest Miss Dale might be pregnant and everybody know that such a condition is contagious by proximity, at least when it comes to rumors and the talk about what you might have been up to is fanned by the fact that someone as must have decided to share that they have seen the mayor’s daughter, with a boy, in a truck, in… action. Mummy must be thrilled.

Junior
After Peggy packed her bag and left, Junior does his best to spend any time that doesn’t involve sleeping out of the house. This means taking his motorcycle out for a spin after work, with the pressing thoughts that with his siblings being like this - there’s no chance he can ever leave them, and it means wanting to spend time with you, because, thinking back on this summer, you might have been the best thing about it. Perhaps he’d even take you out for a spin on the bike, if you dare.

But thinking back on the summer, perhaps it is bound to be only that. Through all challenges which have been coming your way, you have managed to stay daddy’s girl, and thinking a little too much on his own, in the second week Junior comes to the conclusion that hanging with him and the Crocs might just have been passing fun - because he can’t see how both can continue. Perhaps it’s a good idea to talk about futures if you don’t want the autumn chill to set in prematurely, and of course the rumors popping up surely won’t make things easier. 

Wherever the two of you land, at the end of the second week he would come by with the truck, because Peggy is properly missing and he would ask for you to come with to look for her. TBC if you agree.

Bonnie

Zeke
Given the hostility dripping from the walls in the Dale house Zeke will suggest the two of you might share a motel room for a while until the drama dies down - this is not his first rodeo of the Dale siblings. You might notice him being even more restless than usual and had the gang not been so wrapped up in their own to notice - they might have warned you that is usually not a good sign.

Either way, at the end of the second week he will ask you if you might want to come with him to get up to something, knowing you too might need to blow off some steam. TBC if you go with him

Belle
Belle has been untouched by the latest drama, actually she’s been looking very chirpy lately and condescendingly nice, only just barely trying to trip up your work at the Diner, might be the best way to describe your interactions on her part for the start of August. You have the late shift one night during the second week when Boss comes in after closing time, red with fury and with Belle in tow. 

Turns out someone has been lifting bills out of the registers for the whole of summer, and he knows it has corresponded to your shifts and checking the register that night, the amount missing is the same one he found when he, on Belle’s suggestion, checked your locker. Belle has been a loyal employee for years and she cares about this place - he should have listened to her misgivings about you from the start, he’ll say, to your protests I’m sure, and he wanted to give you a chance but he for sure has learned his lesson now. While he might not have enough proof to actually have you picked up by the police, be sure - you are fired.

James
The fight with Rover should just be considered a nuisance but it still gets to James and the halting deliveries to the Bar is less than ideal, as Luke is one of his better customers but he had to do something and driving a wedge between Dale and Luke was just that. All of this should fill his head but instead there is this incredulous intruding need - a need that goes beyond broads and floozies - a need for you… in some way. There has been the good between you, the bad, the reeeally good and the you literally almost running away from him, between all that he’s a little unsure where the two of you actually stand.

You will definitely come across him in the first week of the month, this time unarmed with other girls, and his attention will be on you. He might not be exactly excellent at explaining this need through all his regular arrogance in a productive way, but be sure that at least before the end of the second week he will have made it clear that he is actually quite mad for you.

Billie

Luke
Luke’s headaches of late have very little to do with the bump on his forehead but very much to do with the night that caused it, and the effects which followed. Dylan is officially a pain in the ass - they have been friends forever but there’s fucking line to be drawn. Then some of the stores are running out, which are causing some irritation among customers and should he wait for James’ anger to seep away or get some liquor the straight way, which presently he doesn’t have all the money for and to top that off he feel like Betty might be on her way out again - never mind he won’t want to bore you with it, he’d be more up to talk about anything else.

But he is closing up the Bar earlier on some nights, there’s only so much drunken complaints he can take. He’d ask you to come around though, to talk, to drink, if you aren’t too picky about what you are served. He might even ask if you have something extra in exchange, you know, to smoke. Even though the ship of the two of you weren’t meant to sail this time, or I don't know - it could still be floating - he would perhaps try to mention that he believes you have a lot of love in you, to give, and he hopes you don’t go the way he did - and turn into a closed off old man.

Dylan
Yeah sorry, Dylan may not be carefree and fun loving these two weeks… Ha! As if he ever was much of that from the start, but let’s just say less so now. Somewhere he does know that his care and love for his siblings and for the whole gang, just makes him into an egoistic ass instead. He just doesn't know how or if he can help himself. But he does know in your interactions you haven’t come out hostile to his overbearing ways so far, but met it with humor.

More than one night he can be found out on the poarch to the eerily empty Dales house, staring into the night. Should you come by you would maybe be met by the flippant comment that there is no need for groceries since no one is there any more (yeah, he does recognise the acts of other’s caring). And should you stay around either way, the conversation can really spin in any direction.

Belle
Belle is quite chirpy lately, in her own sharp way. Her affection makes for harsh lashes sometimes, but the way the two of you know each other you might know there is a great deal of care behind them. (She absolutely doesn't shy away from the fact that you would do much better without those crocodile brutes.)

She’s thrilled that you are painting, and that it is going well for you, and it raises her hopes that, just maybe, is it actually plausible that she can make something more of herself too. The thing is that life is not looking as grey as she’s made it out to be and it has been her long time plans to leave and try her wings once summer is over, she has a few things to sort but once that is done… but now there is you too. The unspoken truth is that she never did well lonely either. To be careful of one’s heart is how to survive, and Belle would quietly raise the question if you are planning to stay around. And should the interactions head there, she’d not mind being one of your french girls.

It’s the end of the second week and Belle has asked you if you want to meet her at the Diner after she’s closed up. TBC if you do.

Betty

Luke
A lot is fracturing, splitting apart as August comes, the gang, the bar, and perhaps… Whether it’s just a feeling or Luke knows the signs - he thinks you are on the way out again and there’s nothing he can do about it. He’ll be alright he always is, but with everything going on and you leaving, he might close himself off to you involuntarily, preservation already begun. If there is a discussion to be had, you would have to bring the initiative.

Rover
He’s always been Rover in town, in fact he would claim he has a new name everywhere he goes - Roy, William and - but while it’s only half jesting, you can be sure you have caught something more than just another nickname. Rover sees it clear as day: neither of you are made of stuff which can stand this small town for much longer and getting out together seems like a good plan. But with the information which has come to light, he does wonder if your itch to leave is life starting to crowd in and you running away from something again, or going with him towards something else? If so, does it matter? And he wonders if he is running  a lil’ bit too, he might have been unnecessarily cruel to James.

After what goes down at the Bar, he would come around to make sure that the two of you are alright, truth be told he felt like the situation warranted that he’d get the Tigers out at any cost and Luke turned into a pawn in the making of that. He’ll be available, and not shy at wanting you near, close, and some interaction might be needed to make sure you are in agreement about which direction you are heading.

With plans to leave in place, at the end of the second week, he would ask if he could show you something first. TBC if you agree

○

Red

This round Ellie is missing in action, no not really her fellow Tigers are well acquainted with the hiking trip you take each year with your father, Luke though, he might wonder where you are.

Caty

Last edited by tricole (26/10/2022 at 11:19)

All About Betty

Name (and nickname): Elizabeth Johnson, called Betty or Ace
FC: Laura Harrier
Age: 23
Occupation: works at The Bar with her brother, Luke
Traits: Resourceful, often out and about. Observant, believes herself to be good at reading people and situations. Competitive. Approachable and generally friendly. Warm, supportive and caring with her friends, but often with mordancy and a good dose of wry humour. Has the hardest time asking for help, without realizing, she is not good at opening up (reserved, one might say, altho if you buy a drink from her at The Bar, it wouldn't seem like it). She's usually daring and audacious, but her care-dare graphic is a parabola: after a certain limit, the more vulnerable she feels, the more she's going to recoil. Doesn't like showing their sensitive side. Great at giving advice, but bad at following them herself. Takes care of herself, vain about her appearance.
Info, personality & biography:
Betty and Luke were very young when they first showed up in town - seemingly a burden for their uncle who just got stuck with two kids after the death of his only sister. So, fun uncle Chuckles became uncle Charles in a very short time. The dynamics changed, the uncle changed, and by the time they realized their entire life changed overnight, it was a done deal. Luke and Ace spent many evenings and afternoons writing their homework in the backroom of the watering hole that was - very literally, maybe? - called The Bar. And uncle Charles was a very, very resourceful man: he would always come up with money last minute, he would always find the necessary liquor for the patrons of his bar, and he knew which patrons were safe to toy with and which ones were not. The only thing the good uncle did not know how to do is stop his outrageous lifestyle.

But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

Oh, and Ace? Well, uncle Charles did not care for the name of his late mother, and Betty did get excellent grades in school.

While Luke saw nothing worth mimicking in his uncle’s behaviour - his was, and Betty believes always will be that hard work and an honest heart will get you places - Betty picked up on all the little things that can help you when you run a bar or you grow up a woman in this world. Observing people you encounter to detect potential trouble, being charming whenever it’s required and without crossing limits, stashing the good booze and occasionally, crossing that moral line just in case you need to get by.

Luke noticed it - no matter how much she liked to say her brother did not know her as well - so, he ultimately backed her wish to get out of this small town and head for the big city. It was a whole ordeal for her, the best thing that could have happened - at 18, you know everything, right?

Well, she did, and she left the town, enjoying whatever the world can give, which is a lot of things all at once, and very little confidential information gives an honest reply. She went to seek a career, an education, to make it in fashion, maybe showbiz, or she found love? But the strings that come with the town have this strong pull on everyone there, Betty included, and the only thing that could have brought her back did happen: uncle Charles' outrageous lifestyle finally caught up to him and the fact he managed to hide the fact he was sick for an outrageous amount of time...well, that was the one last bit of fun uncle Chuckles in him. Distraction is easier than confronting your problems.

And that desire not to (over)share? It remains a strong part of her personality. Especially since she came back for uncle Charles' funeral and decided to stay - for a while, for a bit longer, forever? No one is sure. Again, so many unconfirmed theories she is not confirming nor disputing. She is there, maybe to stay, maybe not. Time will tell.

Gang alignment: Crocodiles. Established member (sorta, she got in earlier this spring).

Relationships:
Loves her brother Luke, thinks he's the best, and at the same time thinks he is too honest for this world (or, The Bar, because this is their primary source of money).
She's familiar with the Crocs and gets along well with the Dale siblings. She's friendly (perhaps friends that just fell out of practice when she moved out, but are picking up now she's back?) with Dale and Junior, and feels a bit protective over Peggy in these last few months.
She went to school with James and Zeke, has some business with James, and shares an estranged friendship with Zeke and Joe possibly.
Good terms with Billie, too. And possibly other members of the Crocs. Accepting the new ones with an open mind.

Thunder road: Recklessness is kicking in, so hell yes! With Jack as her (scared) second
Interests: Lee & Luke!

Pages turned with the bridges burned

She’s unsure how it started exactly, but there was a moment when things turned to hell and she found herself an observer of the situation instead of doing much about it - until it was far too late. Luke noted the confrontation between Dylan and James, and she did not miss on the extremely smug smirk James blessed them all with when he spat his words towards Dylan - shortly, to the point. She did not hear the entirety of the sentence clear enough to repeat it, but the words were clear enough to imply Peggy’s sleeping arrangement. Dylan stood in his track before James threw some glances around while laughing, amused.

Of course, she got her moment, too. “Not that you care about any of them,” he laughed. “They all come begging for stratification.”

How in the world did James not assume Dylan was creating distance between them only to get a better swing was beyond Betty, but his right fist hit the mark very precisely, making him take a few steps back - before bursting into another round of laughter, taunting Dylan additionally.

“L—” Betty tried, but her brother was already around the bar by the time Gonzalez tried to swing a punch at Dylan - and she can see him walking behind the bar, and then falling down at the same moment. “Luke!”

Betty rushes to the other side, pushing through some people to get to Luke, as half of the bar is dispersed in a puff of smoke.

Luke got up - fairly quickly - and she got him up, quickly closing out the bar. After they were sure he did not have a concussion, they went home. Luke went to bed, Betty went to her room. She crashed fairly quickly, too.

The sounds of cars woke her up, and there was something else she did not realize was there. Faint knocking. Or, well, pecking? She opened her eyes, pulled the scarf from her head, heading to the window. She pulls it up, the air is still fresh - meaning it’s way too early - and she’s almost hit by a pebble.

“Shit.” Rover is down, nudging her to come downstairs, and she nods, closing the window. Betty picks up the pebble and made her way out of the room, unbraiding her hair as she patted her way down the hall, peaking into Luke’s room. Asleep, snoring a bit, the blues and purples settling in with the greens nicely. She shuts the door gently, making her way down, and letting Lee through the back door.

She takes her hand towards his face, turning it a bit, but there’s nothing there. He chuckles. “Worried?”

“Of course,” she replied. “You look like you haven’t slept a bit,” she noticed.

“Maybe you can get us both some coffee, then?”

“Of course,” she nodded, heading towards the filters and the coffee. “What happened last night?”

“I slept at Ellie’s,” he starts, and she turns over her shoulder. “She housed me for the night, on her sofa—”

“I didn’t—”

“I know,” he nods. “James—”

“James—” Betty piped.

“—Ace?”

“Yes?” she turns as the machine started to heat, leaning on the counter in the kitchen. She’s rarely up this early, but she is now, and it looks absolutely lovely in this light. He looks lovely in this light. So much so she forgets she might not be.

“How fast can we go?”

Well, she would have liked to say now, but she glances up, thinking of Luke in the bed, biting her lip, hands crossed on her chest. She shrugs, avoiding to look straight into him, but she eventually does. “As soon as I know Luke is okay,” Betty finally said. “I cannot—”

“Of course,” he gives a reassuring smile and she smiles back, as the kitchen fills with the smell of freshly brewed coffee. “I mean, I’m not saying we— you have to go—”

“My plan was to go, eventually,” she replied. But leaving in the middle of the mess felt very…unfair. “Luke knows I intend to go, he’s not happy, tho.”

His brows furrow, leaning forward. “What do you mean?”

“He’s been distant lately,” she shrugged. “Avoiding everything from just spending some time around me, from stupid things, like drinking coffee in the morning—”

“I can use some now,” there’s a raspy voice heard from the other side of the room and there’s a very familiar feeling of getting caught that shoots up her body. Luke walked into the kitchen, sitting at the table, next to Lee. He glanced at Betty before she turned to grab another mug, pouring two mugs of coffee, and placing both on the table, ready to get one for herself.

“I don’t believe we’ve met, not properly or—” Luke sounds less awkward than Lee looked and Betty almost trips over herself as she turns.

“Lee,” he says, shaking Luke’s hand. “But keep that to yourself.”

Luke snickered, looking over at Betty. “We could have done this sometime before,” Luke says, and she nods, trying to sound nonchalant.

“Well, had you stayed for some deliveries,” siblings chuckled at that.

“The idea of finding James there was not appealing, honestly,” he says. “And you seemed to have had the hold of the matters, for a time.”

Before she gets the chance to reply, Luke takes his coffee. “I’ll go back to bed for a while more, should Dylan arrive—”

“No worries,” Betty smiles. Lee, watching as Luke left to go upstairs, leans back, less tension in his body, and looks at her.

“That doesn’t look like someone who’s angry,” he says gently. “Maybe he’s just trying to prepare to see you go away, again.”

It hits her in the face, the realisation that her leaving does things to people - no matter how small of a part of the community she feels, it seems like she should have remembered that. Now that she does, it really makes her feel bad.

Burn all the files, desert your past lives

She really did not expect things to take this turn, nor this fast when she only saw Peggy arrive not an hour ago. Luke has just left to open the Bar, Rover (because breaking habits is almost as horrible as building them) has been there for a second before running off and now Betty feels the need to sit down as she’s being stared down by Peggy.

“Aren’t you gonna say something?” Peggy sounds both worried and snarky. Betty cannot, honestly.

“I mean, what can I say?” she mused, reaching out to hold her hand. Peggy has other plans, promptly jumping up at the first touch. “Peggy.”

“I’m not here for your pity—”

“I’m not offering any,” Betty said calmly. “It’s called empathy, Peg, I promise I would not involve pity in this conversation, the way I see it, you need to decide what you’ll do.”

Peggy scoffed. “Yeah, as simple as 1, 2, 3.”

“I didn’t say that,” Betty sits calmly, brows furrowed, hands clasped in her lap. “And, uh, the father?”

It felt off saying it, the makings of a father are much more than what happened between Peggy and the man. Even more so, a responsibility that comes with one is certainly not part of the other. “Peg?”

“I can’t,” she seems annoyed.

“I know,” she says, shrugging lightly. “But you’ll have to. Decide, I mean,” Betty bites on the soft cuticle, glancing up at Peggy. Peggy looked back at her, no love at the moment, and Betty can do nothing else, because she feels she might overstep here. Luke said it well, some days ago, before the bar brawl got him back into a slightly better mood - she was there occasionally, but she did not know the reality of something. It sounded like he was starting an argument at first, and truth a second later.

“I don’t wanna talk about this,” she says, and before she reaches the door, Betty catches up, pulling her in for a hug. There’s some resistance on one end, but there is a hug given back, perhaps reluctantly, but she does not mind.

“It was not even that fun,” she says into Betty’s shoulder, and Betty looks at her, breaking the hug, pushing her hair back. She nudges towards the kitchen.

“Come, I’ll make us some food, and you tell me what was not fun,” the question leaves her in a very naive moment, and Peggy gives a very amused yet sad chuckle.

“Well, sex wasn’t as fun as you’d imagine,” she mused, sitting at the table, both feet tugged under her. She still sat like she was about to run out to play in the back yard. Betty snickered, glancing at her, shortly glancing behind her back before she threw out some shrugs.

“Well, it takes practice,” Betty says.

“Like riding a bike, or driving,”

“Like penmanship,” she says. “You can get good at riding a bike, even driving, but you’ll take some time and good materials to—”

“You lost me,” Peggy admits.

“Well, I lost me, too,” Betty furrowed her brows. “Um, you need time to figure out what you like, and it’s surely easier if you have someone who is not new at it with you,” she shrugged. “But, practice, yes. Take of it what you will.”

“I’ll take a change of topic,” Peggy replied. “I don’t need a reminder of how we got here.”

Betty agreed, silently. “So, did you have a moment to think about it?”

“No,” she stated. “Not yet.”

“Just,” Betty turned around. “Promise me you won’t do anything on your own, okay? I mean, whatever you decide, I’d love to help.”

While it felt like a good moment right then, things did not exactly play out well days later. But at that moment, it still felt like they might.

Moving on was always easy...before

There’s something hypnotic about this man. The more time she’s around, the more time she craves, and it feels like a dangerous thing to feel. And she’s never been quite able to figure him out. Not that she actually feels the need to pinpoint people down — just, she’s not quite sure.

But, during those moments when they are actually together, which has been a lot more lately when they are not hiding, she’s simultaneously calm and excited, and loves it, especially since she feared that it might all change now they are not. Still, he’s around, she’s around, and they both seem to enjoy it, fully. Between the moments of navigating the situations around them, they sneak in a moment or two or more, and she’ll reach for his hand, hair, lips at times, or offer her neck, shoulders, collarbones to be kissed, touched.

The lingering question, however, remains. There’s an invisible string pulling them both back - to the city, Los Angeles, or maybe Las Vegas, even towards the East Coast - and the harbour they are in currently turns to have a stronger hold on both. Lee isn’t happy to march into the house just like that, so back doors are the compromise they reach and he finds himself at home there, but she tries to keep it all at bay for Luke’s sake.

After the whole disagreement with Dylan, Betty is more or less inclined to baby him and tip-toe around him altho he did not ask for it, and while it feels like he is avoiding her at times, she is willingly ignoring that: he is hurt, she wishes to help. The fact she’s unsuccessful is another thing.

There’s a weird string of two rainy days at the beginning of August, she sits in the house, tucking her feet under the cover for a moment, sipping on the n-th coffee of the day, wondering has she ever felt as lost as she does now. Soft knock, soft smile.

“Hi,” she welcomes Lee with a smile, taps on the sofa to invite him to join her. Kiss, he takes her coffee, and takes a sip.

“Fresh,” he nods.

“Yeah,” she replied. “Ellie…?”

“Back from her shift,” he pulled her feet to his lap, hands resting on the shins. “Luke?”

“Out, errands, avoiding me,” she attempts a playful chuckle, but he does not buy it.

“Elizabeth,” he replied, and she smiled. “I mean, maybe he’s pacing himself?”

She furrowed her brows, taking her mug back. “For?”

“You leaving?” Lee offered, but it sounds more like a question than it does a reply. “I mean, I would, if you told me you’re not coming with me.”

It’s quite bittersweet, the moment because she smiles at the thought that Lee would miss her as much as she would miss him, yet she never applied the rule to Luke because the rule would not apply. Luke is Luke, he is the fixed part of the equation, the permanent part of it, he is the safe thing in her life. She’ll leave, that much she knows, but she’ll return, that is for sure. Luke won’t be left behind, forgotten, he never was…was he?

“Shit.” Betty leans back, gently wiping a tear that almost escaped her, shaking her head. “Does he feel like I abandoned him?”

Warmth spreads through her face, into her eyes.

“Hell, I didn’t want to do this,” Lee tried. “Everyone’s used to me coming and going, I’m leaving no one behind, but you have Luke.”

“I have to talk to him,” Betty replied.

“You do,” Lee replied, taking the mug back for another sip. “And I might have to talk to James.”

Betty shrugged. “Burning bridges is never the smart thing,” she replied. “I’m not great at holding myself up to that rule, but you seem like a better person.”

“I was too harsh,” Lee admits.

“I never ask what happened there, not precisely,” she mused. It didn’t feel like something she should insert herself in, but she was - of course - curious. “You said—”

“Something I shouldn’t have,” Lee shrugged. “I mentioned Frank,”

“His brother?”

He nods his head, exhaling sharply. “And that he might have gotten away to get away from him.”

“Lee,” her voice drops at the end, and she reaches for his hand. “That was—”

“Unnecessarily cruel,” he replied. “I’m aware, especially since it wasn’t true, and I know it’s not true.”

Betty squeezed his hand, he turns to her. “So, we have some things to do before we leave, right?”

“Seems like it,” he replied, turning towards her, offering the mug. She smiled.

“And I disagree with what you said a few minutes ago,” Betty started. “If you left now, you’d be leaving someone behind.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

xx

It feels like Luke can sense her wanting to talk, making up various reasons not to do so as he goes about his day: bar, errands, work around the house, work on the car, basically everything takes priority.

So, she cooks, because he has to eat, no?

Barely, as it seems, as he has the attitude sitting there, and she is mildly amused by the fact they have - after decades - reversed the roles. Luke sipped on his soda, glancing at her from time to time. “Are you going to get to the point?”

“What?”

“Whatever you wanted to talk about before we got here,” Luke replied. “You’re leaving, I assume? With Rover.”

“Lee, and I might, yeah,” she replied. “But, I can’t leave like this.”

Luke scoffed, barely. “When are you leaving?”

“Whenever we sort out the mess here,” she replied. “With Peggy, with Dylan—”

“That is not your mess to sort,” he replied harshly. “You’re on your way out—”

“And I intend to return around Christmas,” she cuts him short, finding herself getting mad. “What’s wrong with this conversation, Luke, this feels like you’re eager to get rid of me—”

He laughed. “Gosh, Betty, you really don’t see beyond your nose.”

She stays silent, he puts his cutlery down, walking away. He rushed upstairs, she picks on her plate for a second, considering what might happen if she actually cried outside the privacy of her room but then abandons the idea as quickly as she got it, rushing to catch up to him.

“Knock next time,” he says as she swung the door open.

“Be nicer next time, and I won’t have to run after you!” she replied. “I’m trying not to do what I did before, okay? I’m trying not to leave without a plan, without knowing when I’ll be back, and if you don’t want me to do that, you need to say it, and you need to say it now because I cannot be back and have you—”

Unable to finish the sentence, she swallowed her emotions as she normally does. Luke was sitting down, looking at her, silently, as he normally did. Betty would throw shows, she would throw tantrums, she would throw herself head first into things and he would sit, silently wait, and get involved when necessary, wisely putting the end to whatever she did not know how to handle. And instead of doing something she might regret, Betty breathes the anger out.

What was left was worse. She felt sad, walking up to his bed, and sitting down.

“I can’t stay,” she mused. “I can’t make myself like this place when you’re the only thing I absolutely adore about it.”

“I won’t be able to have you walk into this house only when you have no other options, Bette,” he replied, reaching for her hand. “I’m your brother, I’m not a last resort.”

It stings, she’s not going to deny it, because it might not be what she intended to do, but it was what it felt like to him, and that was enough for her to feel horrible about it. “I’m sorry I made you feel like that,” she managed. “It wasn’t what I wanted.”

Luke remained silent. “So? What do you suggest we do about it?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m not going to shove this to some hidden part of my brain, ignoring it until it creeps up on me again,” he replied. “If you choose to leave before we agree on things, you—”

He stopped right after, but she could finish his thought on her own. Luke was not a cruel man. Nor brother, and whatever he said was not in some attempt to make her feel bad, she was aware of it as much as she was aware he had a point. She craved her freedom, she loved her ability to come and go, and she should have extended the courtesy to him, too.

“You’re right, I shouldn’t.” Betty sat, shoulder slouched, eyes puffy, nose blushing in red. She gave a shrug. “Do you want me to stay?”

“Yes, and no,” he replied in a moment. “I would love to have you here, but I’m aware you’d not be happy, isn’t that right?”

“It is,” she nodded. “And you don’t want to come with me,”

“I have a life here, Bette,” he attempted a smile. “A bar to run, friends, community,” Luke continued. “Even the feud we’ve outgrown, you said it yourself.”

“So, what is it, then? I stay, or I go—”

“God, no!” he shook his head. “You go, for sure, and you return, not waiting until someone dies, or you get a good excuse, and you talk to me wherever you are, because you need no excuse for that, either,” he replied. “You return whenever you want, this is your home, still.”

The effort has been huge until that part, but the tears streamed down her face after that part, and she hugged Luke with more honesty than in these last months, most likely. The words were unnecessary after that, the deal was made.

Freedom felt like summer

It felt like a playful moment when he asked to show her something before her mind went right into the old pattern of the plot twist and something bad he was about to confess, but the fact they rode all the way to the abandoned Gonzalez factory meant something else entirely and she was unsure where Lee was heading with it.

She tells him about her conversation with Luke, she tells him about the plan to visit over Christmas, she subtly throws a hint to include him in the story, too. There’s very little she manages to stay silent about, filling the silence of not knowing what was about to happen with words, and then the smoke shows up as they approach.

She’s not quite sure why Lee wanted to show her the booze stash that day.

She’s not sure who yelled Peggy was inside, nor where Jack showed up from along with Missy.

She’s not sure how they got to the hospital either.

But, she’s sure she was happy everyone got out in time. She’s happy they just happened to be there.

Sitting there, fluorescent light that drained what remained of the blood from her cheeks, she concluded that the summer was over.

Done.

Last edited by Zaralee (28/10/2022 at 14:44)

THEME SONG Stupid Cupid; Connie Francis

I'll clue you in... DONE

NAME:
Bonnie "Vixen" Fuentes

FC:
Luma Grothe

AGE:
22

OCCUPATION:
Waitress at the Diner

TRAITS:
Headstrong, Daredevil, Fiesty, Confrontational, Sneaky, Persuasive, Bratty, Open-minded, Seductive

BACKGROUND
Life ain’t never been easy… so a girl does what a girl gotta do to get by. It was a motto heavily influenced by her jobless, relationship-hopping mother, DaisyMay. A string of rapidly increasing siblings served to improve the welfare check at the beginning of each month and little else. In place of food, Bud’s stocked the fridge and it wouldn’t feel like home without cigarette butts littering the ground. She made no secret of valuing street smarts over book smarts and compelled all of her kids into her mad-capped schemes at every opportunity. It was all fun and games for a while, pulling off capers with childish innocence. Being both cohort and patsy should things fall off the rails, Bonnie’s big doe-eyed chicanery was quite effective in escaping any harsh repercussions. And when the heat built up too much, well… DaisyMay simply packed their bags and moved her private little swindling troupe to greener pastures.

Always on the run, the family rarely had the chance to actually belong anywhere. Bonnie, for her part, soaked it all in like a fish to water. Her mother was an idol for a time, the carefree, unorthodox upbringing filled with laughter and raging parties was… normal. To be sure, DaisyMay was a looker, but ruthless… and wound men around her finger like the best femme fatale… not that any of the flies she caught in her net were a catch by any means. But by the time Bonnie reached puberty, all the tomfoolery started to wear off. It would take a couple more years before the wandering glances would turn into full-blown propositions to upstage old mum with the hotter, younger version of herself.

It made home life impossible. Bickering and accusations… Bonnie was really having none of it. Desperate for her own survival, at the age of 16, she took off. But she wasn’t exactly unarmed, she’d mimicked her mother’s actions long enough to become a skilled and convincing trickster, equipped with a built-in ‘no nonsense detector’ that helped her avoid the worst of circumstances. Shamelessly, she learned to scrape by on her wits and her body. Petty crimes saw her in and out of juvie for a while but that was also par for the course. Bonnie is and will always be her mother’s daughter… charming, loving to be the center of attention, and remorselessly wandering into the next big grift… until maybe she finds the right place to call home.

ALIGNMENT:
Crocs... tough, cold-blooded, and potentially dangerous

MEMBERSHIP:
Bonafied troublemaker!

INTERESTS: ❤James❤ Zeke ☣Belle☣


LOOKS:
Oops, almost forgot!

IT STARTS WITH A RUMBLE - DONE

HOUSE OF CARDS - DONE

“Peggy!”

I gasped, holding the door open with some shock.

“Hi… sorry, I didn’t mean to just drop by with no word… but, well,” she muttered softly and looked around a little awkwardly before adding, “can I come in?”

I frowned, “you don’t apologize…” I grabbed her hand and pulled her inside.

The room wasn’t big, with just two untidy twin-size beds, a stash of dirty Tupperware stacked on the small table along with a small pile in the dirty linen basket beside the bathroom door attested to regular occupancy. I peeked outside once more, scanning the parking lot ahead of me before shutting us both inside.

“Sorry…” she muttered again and said it again at my reproving look while she twirled her hands together, and looked around. “I’m not interrupting anything?”

Quickly shaking my head, I captured her hand and led her to sit on the edge of one of the beds.

“No, of course not.” I looked over her face. “How are you?”

She inhaled slightly and shrugged. I had the biggest urge to clutch her into a big bear hug but even the thought of it made me feel awkward and I had no clue what she might do if I dared. Look at me like some deranged twit no doubt. So I held back, waiting, letting her unburden herself at her own pace.

It had only been a few days since the trouble at the bar and the subsequent explosion at the Dale house. Since then, things had been said… and done… that put her right in the boiling pot. And not for the first time since that day, a fury welled up in me. She looked so… well maybe not helpless and not so innocent. But there was a vulnerability to her that I hated to see. That I may have misinterpreted as something I may have experienced in the past. A feeling of abandonment and defiance. And perhaps of being used. Or maybe I was just projecting.

Whatever she might be feeling, she was troubled. And the rumors can’t be helping much with her state of mind. True or not, they must be burdensome. I hadn’t seen her in a couple of days, alternating my time between work at the diner and the motel room that Zeke and I had settled into while the dust settled.

“I’m fine.” She uttered, lifting her chin as she did so. I smiled and rubbed a hand across her shoulder and then her arm. Being supportive, I hoped. I wasn’t exactly sure what else to say or do. As much as I adored Peggy, I wasn’t used to having a lot of female friends… or this strange feeling of protectiveness over another girl.

“Good.” I murmur tipping a hand under her chin, lifting it a bit more, “You’ve no reason to be otherwise.”

She looked uncertain, darting her eyes away as if she is contemplating what she wanted to say.

“Everyone hates me right now.”

I chuckle softly, shaking my head. “No one hates you.”

“You heard what Dylan said… he was absolutely hateful.”

I bit my lip for a second, trying to consider what to say.

“I’m certain it is out of love that he behaved that way.” She frowned stubbornly. “He’s worried about you…”

“I’m not a child!”

“No. You are not. But I think that won’t matter much to him.” I went to grab us both warm pops that Zeke or I hadn’t gotten around to downing. “You’re parents are gone… for a while. And he’s taken that role. I think… maybe… you should consider how difficult that must be for him. Worrying about you… and Junior too, really.” I looked into her eyes, seriously, “Have you considered yet what you would be like, being a parent at his age?”

A blush crept up her cheeks and she looked away. Several seconds passed before she peeped back at me.

“Do you… I mean… have you ever…” She was completely flustered but I didn’t rush her. “How do you know if you are pregnant?”

I wanted to punch something on her behalf even though she looked more earnestly confused and sad rather than angry. Why were men such assholes? She’d been used as a pawn in this stupid rivalry. I maintained a soft expression somehow, or at least I thought maybe I did.

“Well, I suppose the first sign is that you miss your monthly.” The blush on her cheeks was still there. “Have you? Are you late?”

She shrugged slightly, “Maybe. I… I haven’t always had it like at the exact same time and didn’t think about counting.”

I nod, “But… you have, you’ve been doing it?” Her nod was brisker. “Wit- without protection?”

“Usually.”

I wished I could chastise her for not using anything but I didn’t want to add to what she was already feeling and dealing with from her brother… and well perhaps the looks from other people in town over the rumors. I didn’t judge her so much for wanting or having sex, but she should have been smarter about having him cover-up. And he damn well knew he should, I thought bitterly.

“If you want, we can go to Fat City to have a test done.”

“A test?”

I nod, slowly. “There are some places that it can be discreetly, usually in every major city. I’m sure I can locate one with a little digging.”

“Really?”

I nod. “Been on my own since I was 16, remember? You learn a thing or two. But…” I smiled, patting her hand, “if worst comes to worst, we’ll figure things out. So don’t worry just yet… not until we know for sure if there is anything to actually worry about.”

Suddenly, she flung her arms around and hugged me tightly. And I froze, eyes wide at the sentiment even though I had briefly given it consideration moments ago. Tentatively, I let my hands pat her back for a second, then another before I settled into the embrace.

“You won’t be alone, I promise.”

And for some reason, at that moment, I didn’t remember that I most likely wouldn’t be around to keep that promise.

⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️

Over the week, both before and after talking to Peggy, I managed to successfully avoid interaction with him. I had suspicions, and although Peggy never came right out and said a name, she’d admitted that the potential father was a Tiger. And wasn’t he the one taunting Dylan over it? Insinuating he was the one that knew where Peggy was spending her time.

I felt disgusted. And not necessarily for the most obvious reasons. Sure, those reasons existed. But it was more than just that. In fact, even suspecting what I did, I still couldn’t get the monster out of my thoughts. Or dreams.

At any rate, I stayed firmly away from the Quarry, despite the ridiculously humid late summer heat. I managed to switch tables when he came to the diner… alone. Why the sudden lack of a date, I could not fathom. And I knew I was imagining things when a look of disappointment crossed his face when some other waitress went to serve him. I was more annoyed by the fact that I seemed unable to ignore him and whatever reaction he might have. And I’d purposefully lingered after shifts, as I was doing that day, a week later, remaining in the locker room until Belle was gone to avoid seeing him when he picked her up. And all the while I felt like I was stepping on eggshells, just waiting for the next shoe to drop. Why I didn’t just pack my shit and leave was beyond me.

“Are you avoiding me?”

A startled screech spit out of me as I jumped, banging my elbow painfully against my open locker.

Like a huntress trapped by a bigger predator, my eyes scanned the room and honed in on the exit that was now strategically blocked by the man that just wouldn’t get out of my head.

“James…” why did I sound so damn breathless? His eyes bore into me and I cleared my throat while rubbing my elbow. “How’d you get in here?”

He shrugged, “Belle. She happily assumed I’d cause the Diner Croc some drama.”

I narrowed my gaze, “Sorry, not interested.”

“Not really an option,” he tilted his head, “So… are you?”

“What are you really doing here?”

“Asking a question, obviously.”

Pressing my lips together I looked away, stuffing my work shoes and apron into the locker and shutting the door deceptively calm. Then, with infinite care, I tugged my purse on my shoulder and turned… walking briskly towards the door. He did not budge.

“I have nothing to say to you.”

“Is it because you’re shacking up with that Croc?” The hairs on the back of my neck stood straight. “Trying to be the good girlfriend all of a sudden?”

Dumbly, I realized he was angry. His eyes were intense, not just observant… and the words were little more than a sneer.

“Whatever I’m doing is none of your business!” I spit back and tried to shove past him.

His palm slammed flat against the door, crashing it back into the frame after I barely cracked it open.

“I’m making it my business!”

“Excuse me?!”

If I wanted to give him a bit of credit, I’d point out that he seemed to try to suck up whatever feelings he was dealing with. But I didn’t want to and didn’t bother to. Every awful thing I had been thinking about him in the last week boiled over. How dare he come here, sneak in, and have the nerve to be mad at me? With his free hand, he brushed back his hair and seemed to take a long ragged breath.

“What game are you playing?”

That his voice wavered when he spoke meant little to me. I didn’t even know why and didn’t care. I wasn’t willing to be considerate or communicative. And I certainly wasn’t about to fall for that wounded look in his eyes, as if he were some sort of victim or patsy.

“You’re the one with the games…” I spit, riled up. “All the tricks and pettiness… being so fucking vile just to get one up against them. Hurting people just to make yourself feel good about your pathetic little life!”

“You’re kidding, right? Do you think those Crocs are any better? They do the same goddamn thing… attacking us just as much as we attack them!”

He really truly felt that his actions were no more than another stupid prank. His bitterness and defensiveness made my heart clench tightly in my chest as I started to shake my head in disbelief and downright rage.

“You’re an animal.”

The words were barely a whisper but they made his eyes blaze fiercely. Within a heartbeat he crowded me against the door, arms pressed on opposite sides of my body, pinning me there while he glared down at me.

“That’s right…” he hissed, “I’m a goddamn Tiger… I don’t back down from a fight, and I sure as hell play to win.”

“Consequences be damned!”

“That’s right…”

His eyes were as narrow as a slit but I still noticed when they lowered and trailed across my mouth. Every fiber of my being froze and I am certain I stopped breathing.

“Don’t…” I choked the word out as my stomach flipped violently.

He shook his head and I couldn’t tell if it was because he was trying to clear his sudden thoughts or because he was simply denying me. He suddenly grips my chin tightly, lifting my face with utter determination on his face.

“When I want something, I go after it. And I’m not gonna let some stupid Croc stand in the way of me getting what should be mine!”

I tried to remind myself that he’d just confirmed that he didn’t care who he hurt in pursuit of his horrid games. But when his face lowered, I was basically paralyzed by what I knew was coming. And after the heat of our argument and the rage that seemed to be burning within each of us, his mouth had no business being so soft and tender when it touched mine. Slowly, his tongue strokes the seam of my lips, urging me to open up, seeking a welcome and despite every well-intentioned part of my despicable soul I melted against him. My mouth parts, just barely, but it’s enough. In the next second one hand cups the back of my neck and the other grips my hip before inching around to my back. I’m drawn in, drowning in the hunger that kiss invokes. I pull him closer, relishing the feeling of his hard body against mine and completely forgetting about every valid reason I should steer clear of him and this utter craziness that leaves me completely out of control when it comes to him.

He bites my bottom lip and tugs playfully, a terribly sinister grin proving how pleased he is with my submission. But I was never one to remain docile and conquered. His moan sends a surge of gratification raced through me when I bite back harder and drag him closer still, tilting so that his mouth is best suited to my demanding need. Then it’s both of us, his hands lifting me off the ground until a jolt slams through my body as I'm braced against the door behind us. I’m clinging to him, raking my nails down his back, up into his hair, and turning that initially gentle exchange into something far racier. His lips drag along my throat, burning into the groove of my neck.

“I need you, Bonnie.”

Four words. That’s all it takes to have my stomach clenching. To make me utterly crazy in defiance of who and what he was.

“Goddamn you, James!”

A grunt is his response. There was a pain in me that just made everything more intense. Not physical, but mental. Hurt and rage twisted into something demanding and savage. The chemistry between us is like an explosion, fireworks skyrocketing in my head and at every caress. My blood is boiling.

“God, I hate you so much!”

Yet my body belies the words as I struggle to touch more of him, almost desperate. Maybe more than almost. I hated how much I wanted him, knowing how despicable he is. I tried to focus on the vile thing he has done, begging for my body to reject him… this. But I have no fucking luck, and certainly no damn control. I grit my teeth, tossing my head back as the treachery of my own body wrecks havoc over me, as I struggle to rip his clothes away while trying to blink away the burn at the back of my eyes. The realization of just how far I would go… how far I am trying to go with his terrible behavior fully known reminds me once more just how much I am my mother’s daughter.

“Hurry!” I choke out, gritting my teeth. But just as my fingers finally get his jeans parted his hand is there, gripping as if in a vice and restricting my access. I hiss and growl, but he slams me back harder and when I finally let my gaze shift to his I suck in a strangled, shocked breath.

He looks at my swollen lips as if he just created a masterpiece and it sends chills down my spine. But then his thumb brushes my cheek and it’s only then that I feel the dampness on my cheeks.

I clench my teeth as a hollow feeling grows in my throat and I blink, squeezing out another tear that I hadn’t even known to be there. Again, he swipes it away and the worry and concern in his eyes tries to break everything inside me.

“Why are you crying?”

“I’m not!” I lied as I tried to blink away more. I dashed my hand against my face shoving at his chest to get him away from me as a soft sob slips from my lips.

‘Bonnie, clearly you are.” He holds me close, “tell me what’s wrong.”

“I hate you…” I snap. “I hate how you make me feel… I hate that I’m so depraved and messed up that I cannot stop wanting you. After what you’ve done I still want you… and I hate us both for it!”

“After what I’ve done?” His utter confusion made me almost as sad as I was angry.

“You’ve ruined Peggy’s life!”

That there was a tiny hint of guilt that flashed across his face made me want to slap him. But then his jaw flexed and he narrowed his gaze.

“It’s not my fault she’s too damn immature to take precautions when she’s out running around playing grown folks' games. I just told the truth.”

I swear my jaw dropped open. I reached up and dashed any remaining tears from my cheeks and shoved him again. At least the anger was back to being in charge instead of that bitter sorrow that had tried to take over.

“You are though!” His brow was dipped into almost a v-shape. “Old enough! You should have taken precautions!!”

“Me?” He looked incredulous before his eyes narrowed again. “Me?!”

“How could you? That’s as big a low as you could possibly go. And it’s not funny… not a good joke or prank and not a goddamn game!”

“You think I…” he shook his head and laughed. I drew up straight at the sound. “When exactly do you think I had the damn time to do anything with that kid when I’ve had more than my fair share of Croc drama from another, much more interesting nemesis.”

“What?” He arched a brow, not bothering to repeat himself. “But you… you were the one taunting Dylan… all of them. You instigated that fight.”

“True.” He brushed a finger at his eye. “And it was worth seeing him brought low. But she’s running around town with Mack, not me.”

He said it like the very idea of it being him was utterly ludicrous. I pressed my lips together tightly but for the first time in a week, the heaviness that I’d felt in my chest was lifted. I shook my head and tugged on my anger still because although he might not be as vile as I had imagined, he still wasn’t innocent.

“It was petty. And hurtful. And ruinous!” I jabbed a finger at him. “You are a guy… you have no goddamn idea how much trouble your callous words have harmed that girl… in this stupid little town with everyone talking horribly about her… women are vicious and you’ve given them all the reason they need to treat her abominably. And how many men are going to approach her… be vulgar at her because they think she’s easy? All because you wanted to hurt Dylan?”

"Bonnie..."

“No! What could you possibly say? You can't go back and undo the damage you caused..." I bit out and shook my head. "You need to leave.”

"Bonnie,"

I gritted my teeth, "I need to lock up... please, just go."

He frowned.

“I’ll give you a ride.”

“No need, the motel is close.”

His gaze turned dark again.

“You’re going back to the motel?” I tilted my chin stubbornly. “Fine!”

In the next heartbeat, he stormed out, hitting the front door so hard that it slammed back against the building before swinging back to the frame.

I released a ragged breath once he turned out of the parking lot and sped off but knew that nothing at all had been settled between us.

TIME TO SKIN A CAT - DONE

It seemed that karma had some sort of vendetta against me, and I’ll be damned if I knew exactly which dastardly deed I was being punished for.

First, she was tormenting me with that damn Tiger King. After weeks of playing with fire, living in denial, heated arguments, and heavy reflection, I’d slowly, finally, come around to understanding the dilemma. It literally made me stumble when it hit me, like a punch to the gut. For the very first time, ever, I seemed to have been caught by that dirty, awful four-letter word. Somehow I found myself in love with that bastard. I couldn’t figure out what else this insanity could be if not that. The highs and lows, the tears and rage, the insistent thinking about him. It was all so damn consuming, a damn rollercoaster of emotions that I wished I’d jumped off of before it started making me dizzy. Of all the egotistical jackasses I could have pined for, why had I settled on him? At this point, it wasn’t exactly uncommon for folks to wonder what the hell I was grumbling about under my breath so regularly.

And as if to rub salt in wounds I was barely managing to lick clean, that bitch Karma decided to hammer a nail in some coffin she’d laid out for me the very next day after my big row with James.

“Ms. Fuentes, we need to talk.”

I didn’t need to turn around to know that this wasn’t going to be good. And when I did, the smug, barely contained smirk on Belle’s face, just over the shoulder of Boss, confirmed it.

“Sure,” I spoke up, wiping my hands after setting aside the cloth I’d just been using the wipe the counter down. It was the end of the shift and everyone else was already finished up and on their way out the door.

With some effort, I kept my hands idly at my side, wondering what the hell damn prank Belle had done now. After everything that happened in the last couple of weeks, I would think she might have just let things die down a little before getting back into this silliness. But his stony expression made me brace for what was to come.

Which, as it turned out, was a rather good thing that I did.

After he spoke, I stood there, blinking for a moment imagining I must have misunderstood.

“This is very disappointing. You seem like a nice woman, but this sort of thing cannot be overlooked.”

“I see.”

I blinked again and turned towards Belle. Perhaps she might have done well seeking an acting career. The sad, irreproachable look on her face could’ve fooled the devil.

“Is that all you have to say for yourself?”

Finally, calmly, I looked back at him.

“Would anything I say make any difference?”

For a brief moment, he looked uncomfortable. But then his lips flattened again, the displeasure back on his face.

“No.” Breathe, breathe… “Belle has been with me for ages and she cares deeply for this place. When she hesitantly admitted what was going on…” he shook his head. I stared directly at him, listening as if from some long-distance tunnel. “I should have listened to her right from the start… you are nothing but trouble. And now this! This is a very serious matter. That you would steal after I have given you a chance… it’s just… it’s unbelievable! If I could prove something definitive… well, I’ll have you know young lady that the authorities would have been here along with the two of us! You should be thankful that all that is going to happen to you is that you are fired.”

Expressionless, I untied my apron and placed it on his desk. I considered railing against this injustice but really… I was an out-of-towner and his precious Belle’s word seemed to be all he needed. With my head held high, I strolled out of that office and never gave either of them the satisfaction of seeing me plead or flip my lid.

At least, not at that precise moment.

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“What’s your poison?”

I frowned at the spot on Luke’s head that barely showed the lump that had been two sizes too big just last week as I straddled the bar stool. This wasn’t exactly where I planned to go but it definitely suited my temper. I wasn’t really in the mood for company, but I also didn’t want to sit in that motel room letting my rage stew all alone.

“Mind-numbing.”

He arched a brow but pulled down a shot glass and filled it with a golden liquor. I gritted my teeth before tossing it back. The burn felt familiar, mingling with the heat still simmering under the surface. I tapped the glass before he could stash the bottle back on the shelf. After that one, I debated… staring at the empty glass before reaching into a pocket and slapping a wad of bills on the counter.

“Leave the bottle.”

Luke hesitated and seemed to suspect something about the seriousness of my mood.

“What to talk about it?”

“No, not really.”

“If you change your mind… it’s kinda what I do, listen.”

I grimaced and nodded as he set the bottle down and moved to the one other person nursing a drink at the other end of the bar.

I didn’t really know much about Luke, he seemed quite nice enough, but I wasn’t about to unburden my drama on him. This town seemed to have more than enough to go around. And since everything that went down here the customer count had greatly diminished. That couldn’t be good for business. Plus, the argument between him and Dylan hadn’t exactly been quiet when I’d still be at the house. The Crocs were a damn mess right now. Yet more things to lay at the feet of those damn Tigers.

I poured my next three shots all on my own.

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I should have been too drunk to function. The tequila bottle jostled in my fist as I stomped up the front steps, spilling liquor on my fingers that I completely ignored. It might have been better if I was. I wanted to be. But my anger seemed to guzzle up the booze like a fish to water. I gritted my teeth, ignoring the burn that sat in the center of my chest and the bit of haziness clouding my view.

I was fine. Too undrunk to lay wasted and unconscious somewhere else instead of in front of the wiggling white door ahead of me.

“OPEN UP!” I shouted after pummeling my fist against the panel. Seconds pass, or minutes. Maybe a whole damn hour. I pounded again, yelling at the steel in front of me until I stumbled forward, my swinging arm propelling me past the barefoot figure gripping the knob beside me.

I was spinning, or maybe the room was as I spilled into the entry with the clatter of clicking heels.

“Where is she?!”

It took a full 360 turn before I saw him again, narrowing my gaze while pointing with my bottle holding hand trying to remember this dark-haired one’s name.

“What the hell?”

I gritted my teeth before I tilted back my head and yelled at the top of my lungs.

“COME OUT AND FACE ME BITCH!!!”

“Bonnie?!”

I swung around again, ignoring the low-rung Tiger as my nostrils flared wide.

“You!” I hissed as he strolled down some big wide stairs. Shoeless as well, but also barechested.

“Bonnie, What the hell are you doing?”

“What the hell am I doing?” I mimicked snidely, waving my hand around as he continued coming closer. I really didn’t care that there were two of him… I was more than eager to beat the crap out of both of him. “You’re two peas in a fuckin’ pod, aren’t ya?! Ruinin’ people's lives all willy-nilly!”

I jabbed a finger at him and stumbled a little further, completely missing the shoulder I was aiming for.

“Dude… she’s bent.”

I spun again, glaring at the other guy when his snicker captured my attention.

“Maybe I am… but I ca-an still kick you -hic… re ass.”

I stepped towards him only to be caught up around the waist.

“Whoa, hold you’re horses, slugger…”

Gasping, I wiggled furiously and slammed an elbow back not caring where it landed when his grip loosened.

“Don’t you fuckin’ touch me… you… you monster!”

The room was moving a bit too fast for me to get a good view of him stumbling backward, I pivoted to the left, calling out again…

“COME OUT KITTY! TIME TO FUCKIN’ DIE!”

Blindly, I moved to the next room, bumping against a table in the process.

“Bonnie!”

Ignoring him, I raced forward, letting the bottle tumble from my grasp as it bumped a chair in my haste. I barely gave it… or the harsh explicative that followed one single thought.

“Dude!”

James said something to the other guy, but whatever it was… I had little interest in it. My mission was shorter and darker… and soon to have her damn eyes scratched out. I shoved a door and stomped into the next room.

Why the hell was this place so damn big?

“GET OUT HERE YOU WITCH! YOU… YOU WANTED TO PLAY GAMES… WELLLLLLLLLLLLLL… HERE THE FUCK I AM!”

I slammed against him as I tried to retreat in another direction.

“What the hell are you doing?”

I jerked and tried to steamroll past him but soon found myself gripped snuggly, unable to wrestle free of the way my arms were suddenly jerked up behind my back and held tight as the door slammed shut behind him.

“I’m going to fuckin’ kill her!” I seethed while continuing to struggle.

“Who?”

“You know!” I snorted loudly and tried to ram my knee up between his legs earning a hiss but not the release I sought. “You two are the same! Doing damnable things to people just to get your thrills!”

I tried again, connecting to something only to be suddenly jostled until I spotted my feet swinging eye-level before me. A couple of strides and loud squeals later I flailed as I fell mid-air. It was a soft landing but the entire room was spinning madly and I had to close my eyes against the sickness that was bubbling up inside of me.

I tossed my arm across my eyes, trying to block the flashing stars before I gagged and moved to cup my mouth.

“Hell!” I said or heard… it was impossible to know exactly which because what little focus I had left was fixated on my hand now covering my mouth to trap the series of heaves that threatened to escape. Then I jerked up, but before I could race anywhere something solid was shoved into my hands and I bent forward, retching like it was nobody’s business.

“Are you okay?”

“No!” I blurted irritably as I collapsed back into the softness and yanked at whatever it was that was plastered to my chest… it was hot as hell! But my lids were way too heavy to see what it was. Then suddenly there was a breeze and I sighed.

“What happened?”

I grumbled with a twist of my head as drowsiness pulled me in, something about possibly loving an asshole and a bitch that got me fired.

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“How are you feeling?”

I blinked and squinted into the darkness, trying to locate where he was. With a wince, I tried to sit up, which seemed to cause him to materialize right by my side. I swallowed, then smacked my lips while he adjusted a pillow behind my back.

“Pissed.” Was what I ended up choking out, looking directly at him now.

“Want to tell me what happened now?”

I hesitantly accepted then guzzled the chilly water he handed me, relieved as the parched feeling subsided.

“What time is it?”

“Morning. Sixish maybe.”

I sighed and shove aside the covers, just then realizing I was laying in a bed. Part of me wished that this was all some bad dream but I vaguely remembered storming through the villa last night. The details, however, were far from clear. I frowned at him now sitting in a chair nearby.

“Did you sleep there all night?”

“No, not here.”

Something about the way he said it sounded cryptic, but I let it go. Swinging my legs off the bed, I sat still, letting a wave of dizziness pass with some regret.

“Sorry,” I muttered, adjusting my wrinkled, half-buttoned shirt. “I shouldn’t have come here last night.”

“Maybe.” He was unreadable, just watching me. “Tell me why you did.”

I nibbled my lip, inhaled deeply, and felt relieved that at least there was no more nausea. The bad taste in my mouth when I woke proved just how badly off I had been last night.

“It hardly matters in the light of day. I was never going to put down any roots here.”

“Had you changed your mind?”

“No.” The short response was slow, I think, but perhaps not so heartfelt. I shrugged. “Doesn’t matter either way. After your girlfriend convinced Boss I was skimming off the register all summer, I’m sure I’ll not get any positive recommendation for a legitimate job in this town.”

“Well, were you?”

“Wouldn’t that be convenient…” A bitter laugh spilled out as I spotted and slipped on my shoes before standing somewhat productively.

“You have to admit… you can be reckless…”

“Yes, like falling asleep in the enemy’s den.”

“More like you passed out, and not in the best way I could imagine…”

“Really? Flirting now?”

“What can I say, you bring it out of me.”

I stood there testing my equilibrium for a moment more before I scanned the room trying to ensure I had all that I came with.

“More like every girl does…”

“Say what?”

I glanced at him, a hand cupped to the back of his ear clearly missing what I mumbled.

“Hardly matters.” My expression was sad. I’m not sure if I actually noticed his back go straight or if I just imagined it. “I’m leaving.”

“Going where?”

I shrugged, looking away again.

“Doesn’t matter. This game isn’t fun anymore.” I sigh softly, my heart slamming in my chest as my eyes land anywhere but on him. It was well past time. I moved, heading towards the door. James moved, stepping in my path.

“Don’t leave.”

There was more in those two words than was actually said. It wasn’t just about me and it wasn’t too hard to connect the dots back to his brother’s abandonment.

“I can’t do this anymore, James.” I waved a hand, “I would have tried to kill her if I’d gotten close enough to her last night. That is how enraged I was. This isn’t just jokes or pranks. And you’re as bad as her, consumed with this hatred… over what?” I shake my head. “These aren’t jokes anymore. She lied, got me fired… framed me for a crime.”

“She went too far with that.”

“Yes.” I nod, reaching up to cup his cheek but pulled back immediately, the heat of it sending a chill down my spine. “I’m no stranger to juvie… but I like to actually be guilty of something before I head there. So, I’m done.”

“What about what you said?”

I frowned, searching his face. There were some gaps in my memory, some things I wasn’t sure if I said aloud or just thought in my head. But the severe look he gives makes me feel that maybe I’d spoken things that should have been left unsaid.

“Whatever I feel for you…” The intensity between us didn’t change, “this sadistic sense of humor you two seem to share… your steadfast dedication to genuinely hurting them, and her's with me, at all costs, that just doesn’t work for me.”

“So you’ll just leave… wipe your hands and walk away.”

I lifted my chin. “You could give up on this hate. Let it go.” His chin followed mine. I sighed again. “Your pride will be the death of you, James Reid. And I'm not staying to watch it happen.”

And with that, I made my escape.

SNAP, CRACKLE... RUN! - DONE

For a last hurrah, it went off with a bang. A literal one.

I hadn’t actually told Zeke I was leaving yet. Actually, I hadn't told anyone. Except for James. But I knew... not even because I wanted to but because I just had to before I lost myself. And this would be my final act, the one to put the icing on the cake of a whirlwind summer. A night of devilment and abandonment before I put this place in the rearview. A wicked tour d’town, unleashing the last little bits of fun I might tweak out of this place. One, despite any earlier claims, I wouldn't soon forget. It would be bittersweet.

Zeke and I understood each other without needing the words. He was riled up too, edgy, eager. And any time thoughts of him intruded, or I seemed to become a bit melancholy, my partner in crime upped the anti.

It’s how we ended up at the Factory, of all places, a couple of six packs drained and trashed around our feet while we threw rocks and broke windows heedlessly.

“Screw this place!” I muttered as a memory of the very first time I’d been to this location in town flashed in my mind. I wasn’t even totally sure which room in the big building I was in when I swiped one particular denim jacket. But I knew every minute detail of what happened and of the fire that was ignited right inside there. The burn from that night had only gotten worse as the summer progressed until now when I was all but consumed by it.

As much as I shouldn’t… and couldn’t, I wanted him.

“Yeah, screw it!” Zeke muttered, grabbing another beer to gulp before passing it to me. I held it, gazing at it as if it had all the answers to be had.

Whatever came over me, it was fast and fierce… like my feelings for him. Eyebrows etched deep on my forehead, I glanced around and set my lips in a grim line.

Then things spiraled maddeningly out of control. I snatched some carelessly discarded rubbish and stuffed the bottleneck, much to Zeke’s gripes. At least initially. Seconds later, after my lighter flipped shut, I hurled the blazing brew directly at the building. It exploded against the side and dropped, sizzling, into the overgrown hedge at the entrance. Zeke’s laughter touched me before he followed suit, sending another projectile violently at one of the nearer windows.

After several more moments, and tosses, I stood there heaving slightly while Zeke lit up the last bottle of our stash. This one seemed to glow brighter, more fierce. Or perhaps it was only my imagination. Either way, the destructive nature of that flame matched Zeke’s simmering gaze. He reared back and through that one with all his might. Helplessly, carelessly, I watched it sail through the air and shattered through an already cracked window pane. There was laughter at the supposed victory. For just a moment, we’d felt success. But then it changed, more rapidly than either of us could have imagined.

How we managed to take heed in time is still a wonder, or rather he did. A sickly fractured snap erupted somewhere ahead, followed by a sizzling crack that put Zeke in motion. He ran towards me as I continued to stare ahead, expecting the blaze’s glaring glow was reflected in my eyes. I felt his grip before his words reached me, my arm pinched by his hand, snatched, then dragged roughly in the opposite direction.

“Go! Go! Gooo!”

I stumbled a little, looking over my shoulder just as another loud pop and then a violent bang ricocheted in the night air. The room burst outward, shattering more glass that rained down the path we were racing along. By the time we got a good distance half the exterior wall was engulfed in a billowing red blaze.

R1-DONE | R2-DONE | R3-DONE | R4-DONE

Last edited by BambiFoxx (26/10/2022 at 15:53)

Billie-Jean Booker
22— Crocodile
Hooker— I mean cashier and painter of French girl's probably
Interests: Belle, Dylan, Luke babies <3

Kilby Girl - The Backseat Lover
Bronze Radio Return - Up On & Over
Bronze Radio Return - Shake Shake Shake

one.

It’s funny she’s been doing this for so long and it shouldn’t bother her, but lately it crawls under her skin. Not now when it’s so close, she’s almost out so why does it feel like the light at the end of the tunnel is going out? Or maybe it’s just night time at the other end? But you know the feeling when you are so close and anything in the way suddenly turns unbearable—

Billie rises from red bedsheets, the entire motel room was decorated in a sleazy red, the client snores on the other side and she has already forgotten his name. She tastes bitterness and cheap white wine on her teeth.

She calls the house because she really can’t stay a moment longer and Zeke would be awake, but there’s no answer. Belle doesn’t have a phone, the bar was closed so it’s 2am and she sits down on the sidewalk. Billie looks terrible, no worse than usual and nothing she did not agree to, she bruises easily like touching a ripe peach and after another cigarette she calls Jojo.

“Is there a rager?” Billie asks chirpy when she climbs into his car, down a pair of pantyhose’s but a few pounds richer.

“Well— there’s rage,” Jojo’s palms do this weird gesture upwards and his neck pushes forward, gripping the steering wheel he nervously taps it.

“What did Piglet do?”

“It’s worse,” he confirms without as much as looking at her.
“Thank you for picking me up,” she pushes her messy hair out of her face.

“Anytime Billie, I mean it,” they hadn’t spoken much since her return just two passing ships in the night, - “are you okay?” It’s this rapid almost tick-like movement and his eyes are on the road again, licking his lips and fingers tapping rapidly.

“You?”
“Yeap, good, good, good,” Jojo confirms.
“So fill me in—“

Jojo details the saga from his point of view, retracting a few words here and there out of the story, and they are parked by the trailers when he is still explaining. Licking his lips and taking a sip of water before continuing, half a pack of fags deep and half leaned over the steering wheel.

“I stood there. You know, just plainly, a plank.”

“You ain’t a fighter Jojo,” Billie reminded with a meek smile, and the tale of the crocs and tigers never really ended. Neither did the saga of the Dale siblings. - “Think she’s pregnant?”

“Would kick up dust if she was, so no,” he weighed his options carefully before answering. Somewhere in the morning hours they fell asleep in the front seat of the car right outside of her trailer, when words had cleansed their souls.

two

“And where were you?” Dylan screams across the yard when she approached, throwing a beer without an attempt of getting up. - “Get out of here Billie-Jean, it’s not as if you want to be here anyways.” Dylan constricts his own chest arms coiling tighter by the second. So what did she say, hey champ? But it was patronising something out of a movie. His mouth was moving, something about, something— something groceries. Arms flailing for a split second and then all the air went out of him, he sunk to the bottom step of the stairs.

“You need to eat,” Billie replies, swinging the bag back and forth between her broad standing feet, - “I do too. And once they are back—“ she pivots and sits next to him, - “they’ll need to as well.”

“You wouldn’t know Billie-Jean. Just stop being— stop being caring. I never asked for it, I don’t know what you think you are getting out of it, but—“ his eyes are a thunderstorm, creating waves which took down the most experienced sailors. Luckily she’s somewhat of a bad singing siren or a derpy sea lion was closer to the truth.

“Dylan I am not a punching bag, what you say hurts,” and she had a terrible night as well. - “I charge extra for abuse— dick.”

“Can’t I just have my pity party? It’s honestly infuriating to be angry with you— and that’s the suckiest insult.”

“What would you like? I think I can fry a hamburger, I’ve never tried,” he held her wrist for five seconds on the dot, Dylan had an anger which usually occupied every space of this house now it was blown away.

“Sit with me—“

“Want a ramble of my weekend?”
“I already have a headache,” Dylan replies with his head in his hands, - “I know I am an ass.”
“Well Dylan at least you have a good ass, that’s one thing in your favor.”
“Billie— I am not in the mood.”

She doesn’t leave him, he’s had a weekend with smashing doors and it doesn’t seem right to leave no matter how much he insists she should.

They go to bed or she falls asleep on what was once a yellow Bukowskis couch and it’s so silent in the house, she has never heard it speak before, how it squeaked and the pitter-pattern of a mouse family.

At a few minutes past four there’s a bang and she’s on her feet like a cat, heart racing and groggy eyes, Dylan sweeps in from upstairs and there’s a click when he tries to flip on the light.

“Of—“ there’s a long line of words which impressed Billie on par with mother when she was angry. - “I can’t have anything!” Furiously he takes out his anger on the switch before pushing a hand through his hair. - “I told you to leave!” An old oak side table smashes to the floor and breaks apart with a little drummer boy statue.

“I’ll fix it,” Billie says with conviction but she really had no clue how.
“And then I’ll have a dead body to deal with. Don’t think so, don’t ever touch electrical stuff, it's not your thing.”
“Then you’ll have showed me, how silly I will look after you find my bony ass,” she bounces after him with a flashlight into the basement, - “good thing you look after me.”

“Another forced responsibility—“ He mutters and she tries to aim the flashlight correctly but he keeps telling her how bad she is even at that. Until it’s ripped from her hands and he places it between his teeth. - “There,” he shoves the flashlight into her chest when passing, striding into the kitchen for a beer.

“I am sorry you had to take on this responsibility. It’s not fair on you either,” she sits with him again and that’s what they do now, either they say a few words or let the silence grow. Because she finds it easier to be alone together with someone.

“I keep seeing them in the mirror because I have her eyes and his nose. Peggy is nearly a spitting image of our mother, except the nose,” Dylan stares at nothing. - “And I can feel our mother in Jack’s humour, but I already said goodbye to the only ones who have been with me my entire life— what are you doing?”

“N— nothing,” Billie sits up, blurry eyed and wavy mouthed, - “I’m just sad for you.”
“How stupid, stop.” There’s a shove and she hits the floor, - “you deserved that.”
“For what Dylan?” Wincing while rising up on her elbows.
“Stupidity, you can’t go around being so soft— this world will crush you,” he’s hovering over the little table.
“Yeah?”
“Yes.”
“And then I’ll heal,” there’s a puff of smoke rising from her lips.
“Imagine if you don’t,” Dylan points out.
“I’ll come and be miserable with you?” She grins choking on smoke, the way she already was.

three

Hand on her heart she thinks the work she does is semi-honest except her heart was bundled up in her sleeve and clutched in a fist. Hand on her heart she’s not an innocent bystander herself and if they rip her apart she will do the same what had been done to her.

Billie and Belle would braid each other’s hair while telling stories of witches, they’d smoke among the cool kids when in reality Billie was only cool back then by proxy. She would bring lunch for two because Belle wouldn’t always have food with her. So she’s the only one you’ve ever unfurled your fist for— there was no one who would look after you like Belle would even if Belle hated that notion.

Belle’s lips were plum colored that day you suckle in the color weave it into your memory how it cracks with a smile. You weave your fingers together as if they were strands of hair and for a second Belle stops speaking but then she continues—

“You know?” She asks twiddling with Billie’s thumb.

“Absolutely— I didn’t hear a word but yes,” Billie nods earnestly and puts her sketchbook away on the table.

“You get a pass because you made me look pretty,” Belle leans back in her chair at the convenience store, releasing their hands and tucking her hair behind her ears.

“You are pretty Belle,” she reminds her and leans in over the girl studying her face, - “but you know that.” Billie tilts her head and touches the texture of Belle’s face, mapping it out with twinkling eyes.

“So you’d paint me?” The woman coughs suddenly making Billie retreat back when the bell chimes, - “I mean I am unsure if I should bestow the gift of painting me after you painted Piglet.”

“Babe I’d paint you a thousand times over,” Billie assures and lets the insult roll off, Belle couldn’t help it, - “especially if you’d ask me to.”

Blue fumes rose from the back row. They slipped back and forth in the rows, hounding laughs like hyenas. Billie felt the tension shift in the room together with the weight on Belle’s chair. It’s in the air she breathes this poison, this anger which has her gritting her teeth and it does her no good. - “Billie—“ Belle trembles with three warm fingers pressing against her wrist but Billie pulls away.

“Get out James.” She asks nicely with no more than a side eye. This cavity in her chest couldn’t forgive the pain which had been caused, it rattles her bones.

“Or what? You’ll hit me?” His side chicks giggles when he struts over like a crooked man finger tucking at his belt probably making room for his swelling bull balls. - “Seriously, what are you going to do?” He chuckles again, splitting a bag of chips open.

”James I have zero self-preservation absolutely none—“ rising like a gangly beast.

“Hey can we all settle down?” The gaze they throw Belle irks her further, but that’s just a stupid excuse.

“Cute, it’ll be no more than a kiss on the cheek or do you charge? Because you aren’t worth the penny I picked up from the floor,” she’s crawling over the desk with Belle gasping in surprise before jumping into action.

“Both of you cut it!” There’s a commotion, James flinches backwards into the snack shelf and Billie faces the floor because of gravity when her foot gets stuck on something and it’s all but gracious or dignified. Not even cool.

“JAMES— out.” The bell chimes violently, the glass door trembles when Junior makes an appearance. This time the gang listens because there has been enough drama and they exit beside Jack speedily. - “What are you doing Billie?” She wanted to reach out claiming her but she’s too far down the aisle, already brushing part Junior without looking back.

“Snapping Jack—“ she rolls around on her back and watches the ceiling fan, something warm rolls down her face and drips. - “I bent and then I snapped,” blood pools on her sleeve when she wipes her face.

“Dylan’s anger infects people when he’s like this.”
“No I just snapped,” Billie repeats, - “my nose hurts,” she can feel her eyes tearing up.
“It looks quite swoll, good dive, nice form,” Junior grabs a tissue box for her.
“He’d be where I am if I had hit him,” she chuckles and pressed a tissue against her nose.
“Of course he would,” Junior sits down next to her on the cold concrete floor, - “do you need any medical attention?”
“Bugger off—“

four

Dotted sun bleached curtains blew in the hot summer night, with two people Luke’s kitchen was officially crammed. He was a giant upon a teeny tiny yellow vinyl chair which Billie liked to imagine his nana must have given him. He dwarfed the kitchen making it look as if he was getting ready for a tea party.

“Investor?” Billie spat out the idea, spatula splattering chocolate and weed everywhere.

“Already thought about it, who would invest? And can I stand having a partner?” Luke’s pupils were also giant and eyes bloodshot.

“Picky, you know when I get the money I’ll invest,” the batter comes out in chunks on the parchment, - “this is what we need, granny’s dementia brownies. Which is what she calls them.” Billie slaps them into the little oven and dries her forehead.

“What do you call them?”

“Granny fuc—*” perched on the table she steals a smoke, - “there’s a story accompanied with that name if you want to hear it.”

“No.” Luke smiles and rolls the joint between his fingers, - “you look a mess.”

“That thing about misery and company— but the weed helps,” Billie leans her head out the window because the one room apartment was hell. - “Could sell brownies for a profit. Granny grows it somewhat and it grows like weed,” she chuckled at her own pun and felt Luke’s hand tuck her back inside.

“Don’t go sploosh on the sidewalk,” when he relaxes there’s a scowl on his face and she tries to wipe it away with her palm from where she lays on the table. Groucho’s voice booms from the tv when he makes a crude joke on the behalf of a contestant who is a female officer.

“He makes my skin crawl, she turns her face towards the tv— you can hear what sort of man he is.”

“You’d punch him in the face?”

“Two times— or three, he calls you girl or girly and then look at you like a woman but treat you worse than a dog. I really can’t stand him,” Billie repeated and looked back up at Luke. - “I need a beer.”

“Three times would do it,” Luke rests his chin on interlocked fingers, - “got to do with why you don’t kiss?”

“I’ve got two.” Billie pulls two beers. - “One, I already love too many on a platonic level, the I'd rip my soul out for you level, that’s my sin.” She sits next to Luke who opens them on the table. - “I fall easily and hard. Two—“

“What’s two Billie?”

“You still licking your wounds and that wouldn’t mesh well,” she shrugs her shoulders and they both take a sip.

“Just an old man, all alone in the world,” Luke sighs and if you didn’t know him you wouldn’t hear the playful tune in his voice, despite being serious.

“I’ll get you a grumpy cat for your birthday, so you won’t be alone and when you die I heard they eat your corpse,” she leans in and buffs him by the shoulder but he doesn't budge.

five

“I have work, just wanted to drop by, make sure you hadn’t lost your mind yet,” Billie fiddles with her purse before looking up and Dylan grins— he chuckles for a minute.

“What did you do? Like seriously what happened?” The laughter is gone and he just looks confused.

“Nothing—“ the chances of him finding out were slim, it wasn’t as if anyone was talking to him. Anything James related would reignite it all again so she swallows it like with everything else. - “I fell down the stairs of the bar,” she lied.

“Not surprised,” Dylan was hunched over and didn’t continue down that thread of conversation. - “How old is he tonight?”

“He’s not on a ventilator,” Billie chuckles, twisting on one of her rings, - “it pays, you can’t shame people.”

“Hurtful?” Bangs had grown longer so she leans down and tucks one side out of his face, she thought it was his way of dealing with his own pain. Allowing it to seek out over everyone around him.

“Yes, I don’t do it for fun. If I went into construction I’d lose an arm, and I mean I would obviously still be hot but one can only lose so many limbs,” Billie rants. - “They’d pay good money to play drop the soap with a boy like you Dylan.” She adds in a chuckle.

“For— mind your language,” but he smiled even for a split second and out of the mental horror. - “I couldn’t do that,” he kicked some dirt which was completely pointless.

“Please dropping a soap is easy,” Billie rolls her eyes at him, speaking to him was tip-toeing a minefield but she had stepped on so many now that it stopped being scary. The question was how much damage had been caused when the shock wore off.

six

“Paint me—” Belle’s robe hits the ground and all the candles make a swooping noise, the light curves and bends with her body.

“I love you—“ Billie-Jean smiles a smile so wide it leaves wrinkles by her eyes.

“Of course, I am everything,” she’s reflected in the refilled wine glasses, her hands on hips.

“You are.”
“You should paint,” impatient Belle appears, - “what are you doing?”

“Taking in the view, looking at the perspective and just seeing the beauty,” she takes a sip without lifting her gaze, one of her silver rings chimes against the glass.

“Why do I put up with you?”

“Because you feel the same,” Billie responded without an ounce of hesitation dipping her brush and taking a first stroke.

“Where does your confidence come from?” Goosebumps in the humid summer night, a drop of sweat trickles from Belle’s forehead, all the air disappears from the room sucked up by candlelight.

“Where does yours?”

“Spitefulness towards the world, it’s not always there I force it forward,” Belle replies in an unusually soft voice, - “your turn.”

“It’s the opposite, why should I feel insecure? And it just dies away with the years,” Billie muses, concentrating on mapping out each constellation of birthmarks correctly.

“Confident enough to leave with me?” She’s twinkling eyes in the candlelight and just a heavenly raw naked body, vulnerability seeking from her pores. But Billie-Jean snickering ignites a fire which was hard to miss.

“Sorry— don’t get mad,” Billie says calmly and pulls out two cigarettes pressed one between the woman’s lips and leans in to light it, - “didn’t I tell you? I came back to wait for you, a small spat doesn’t change that silly,” another snicker when she adjusts a strand of hair behind Belle’s ear. As if it was known to everyone, as if the world held its breath just for them to reunite and it was written in the stars.

They fell asleep that night on a blanket on top of Belle’s trailer, tangled up in each other. Whispering secrets and old memories until there was a comfortable silence between them and their intertwined fingers had gone cold. And it made more sense being together again than anything did apart, an unwritten rule of thumb. Their pinky promise since they were six to stick by each other and they weren’t going to break now.

There are two days left— two days until she’s supposed to meet Belle after her shift at the diner.

seven

Here is what they all have in common— bloodied knuckles from the fight and a hungering pain growling at the pit of their stomachs. They all just show it a little bit differently, but they are all fighting someone until their knuckles bleed, perhaps themselves, the world or a palpable person. But the confusion comes when you stop fighting for a moment and Billie-Jean comes back because she just stopped, with it the world stopped spinning for her. And she wants it to spin until she keels over from dizziness—

In her dreams she had been alone in a museum, seeing her own body standing there in a black void and there was nothing else, a world without people or art. A vacuum. Slowly that dream filled up with these people full of life, hope, dreams and anger. And she’s spinning.

“We should go out.”

“Leave this fine establishment?” Luke asks with his usual towel thrown over one shoulder and leaned over the counter.

“Have a date with your cat or the tv?” Billie asks mischievously while swiping the drink, - “you are long overdue for some harmless fun.”

“Define your harmless,” he stands with arms crossed.
“You drive,” she smiles and tugs on the white shirt.
“Okay, got anything to smoke?” Billie pulls out a pack of camel’s and wiggles it in front of him.

“Locked and loaded.”

It’s midnight and Billie-Jean is on the dance floor trying to out spin the earth's rotation. Luke stands in the bar while girls pool around him like vultures and she laughs at the safe space his cold demeanour keeps them at. The lights flicker overhead with blinding neon purple and she’s too high, and soon too drunk when someone pressed a drink in her hand. But there are no crocs and there are no tigers and they can be whoever here.

“See plenty of fish in the sea,” she recognises his cologne on the collar, when the other man is replaced, - “you should just pick one.” His firm touch registers slowly in her brain, his speech feels slurred but so does she.

“Yes,” he agrees but holds her like a child by the arm to weigh up for the one on the hip, - “did you drink the entire drink?”

“Yeah, absolutely, free drinks—“
“Free drugs,” Luke counters and a surprised ohh slips out her lips.

“I am unsure if that is nice or mean,” Billie chuckles and steadies herself on him, - “like two gifts rolled into one.”

“Want the realistic view?”

“Ohh I know it,” she lifts her gaze up at him, - “we are here to have fun, not to worry.”
“You never worry.”

“You don’t need to either, it’s a term coined by society. I have a pretty high tolerance for this by now.”

“Stand on your own then,” they cast a look down at her feet bent at the wrists an inch above the floor.
“Look at that.”
“I am Billie,” he assures her with a straight face.
“Want me to get you a drink?” Luke laughs in surprise.

“You paying?”

“Yeah, or you want a free one? They are kicking tonight,” she tries her feet and manages to get down to the bar with Luke’s help. She drinks a water and he gets a whiskey together with a odd looking cigarette. - “Who do you think is the highest?”

“The dude still watches from the shadows,” Luke gives a stare from over his glass and she imagines that guy wouldn’t stick around.

It’s nearly one o'clock and they’ve been talking by the bar, and he should have been looking for some fun, she reminds him. It’s nearly two o’clock when Billie says he owes her a dance because he was half baked last time. And he pulls her up on the floor with the slamming of the glass at the bar.

“This?” He asks with an arched eyebrow and pushes at her elbows until her hands slide over his collar.

“If that’s what you had in mind, it feels fair that you decide this time.”

“So you say?” He asks and it sounds menacing.
“We said we wouldn’t,” Billie replies with a straight laced face.

“Yes.” He agrees. - “You really didn’t think about it?” Billie kept her gaze as steady as possible, unsure what was swaying. - “I think you might be scared.”

“Wouldn’t be exclusive,” Billie finally says firmly.
“Telling me or yourself?”
“But we shouldn’t,” she adds as if she didn’t hear him.
“Yes,” it’s a menacing laced chuckle.

“Is that a yes or no now? Because it’s a bit different—“ the music dies down and it feels like the universe speaks to them.

It’s half past two and she’s on her knees at a rest stop but it’s because a drink didn’t agree with her. Luke is leaning against a bench while holding her hair up, professional hazard. Somewhere during the night she transfer’s after puking again from the couch to the bed. After asking, and Luke pets the empty side for her to lay down.

“Let’s do something else for fun next time,” Billie says with her eyes closed trying not to think of her own breath.
“Not a good time?”
“Think I am getting too old,” she sighs.
“Stop taking drinks from strangers.”
“It’s like saying stop accepting candy from strangers,” Billie gets through her joke before rushing to the bathroom.

eight

Calamity fills the air when Belle turns the key in the lock to the diner after her, not that they can sense it. Billie watches the woman’s shoulders drop and she turns with an indecipherable smile playing on her lips.

“Come on,” she has Billie by the hand who is trying for dear life to hold onto her cigarette when she’s forced into a sprint. Summer madness, summer madness is more real than anyone thinks.

“Did you place a bomb in there while you were at it?” She wasn’t a track star, but she kept her hand in Belle’s being dragged along, as if police sirens are about to go off at any minute. She would trust her blindly, Belle was too smart for this town, she always had been.

“I should have!” She calls back all high on adrenaline never looking back because she knew Billie would always be there. - “Got keys?” They stop suddenly, pull into an alleyway and catch their breath. - “Last chance Booker, are you with me?”

“One way or another— always,” Billie is panting beads forming on her forehead. Life was just a series of decisions they had to live with.

“I am driving just so we are clear,” the woman declares with a palm gesturing upwards, their tempo slower down the little street passing the bar. Belle is a few steps ahead and her laughter is the first to die down when they are about to pass what they assume is some homeless dude having a meltdown. Billie crashes into a sea of hair, laughing by herself with a hand on Belle’s hip, suddenly she supported more of the woman’s shivering weight. - ”James—“ it’s a whisper, a question and the calm before the storm, Belle’s knees hit the ground and she’s screaming. Billie’s viewpoint shifts, stomach coils, an arm holding onto a ragged Belle who cried a ragged hymn. She sweeps a leg in front of Belle who screams louder, clasping Billie’s wrist until her nails dug into the skin. - “I told you they are insane!” Belle hissed with a dwelling rage in the midst of her crying storm.

“Jojo—“ she questions what she sees, the moon glares at her from a large shining puddle on the ground, it’s a crescent moon and they are supposed to be good luck right? Little rings are created when something drips from the knife down into the puddle. - “Why don’t you give me that?” Billie tries to speak, her words come out all jumbled and she leans forward unsure she can keep her balance.

“Billie! Jojo—“ it’s strange because it’s not Belle’s voice nor her strength keeping her from reaching the boys. - “Hey,” her chin is lifted and she breathes into Luke’s face, his face is stern, a look she hasn’t seen before. - “Get the car here,” it’s an easy demand. - “Breathe and go,” Luke demanded and she obeyed trying to drag Belle who was stuck to the alley, so she sprinted down the street on her own, promising them all she’d be back.

Luke helps them load James limp body into the backseat like a roadkill where Belle hunches over him, head in lap and tears streaming down her face. - “It’ll be okay Belle,” Billie manages to say when she kisses the woman’s forehead and closes the passenger door. She gives Luke a glance when fumbling with the keys and wonders if she should have told them that she hadn’t driven before. It felt irrelevant.



It’s 5am in the morning, the juice has gone lukewarm and untouched. The sunlight is unforgivable on their ashy skin the same way Belle’s words were. First they waited in a pressing silence at the hospital but somewhere during the morning hours it broke, the anxiety of waiting for an update about James.

”I told you! But you never listen—“ a poison dart for tongue Belle moves back and forth, back and forth, a tigress patrolling the borders. - “You and your all-consuming love! You are so blind, how can a person be so stupid and I am not even mad at you.” Eyes overflowing with tears of mixed origin, - “but still I am.”

“Because I am so stupid and that’s easier to think about,” Billie-Jean nods understandingly so why does it feel like she’s being stabbed repeatedly? - “Go on—“

“I know it’s not you, I know that,” Belle licks her lips and by now she’s running out of fume’s, this conversation was miles away from where it started. - “But how can those be your friends?”

“No, you are sort of right,” Billie bobs her head, - “I won’t argue—“

“Of course not, you never do!”

“Belle you’ll say something you regret,” there’s a moment when all stops and they just stare at each other, Belle from her pacing ground and Billie with numb legs tucked underneath her on the hard plastic chair.

“I wish there was something I could say to rattle you. Because I love you— but not even now does it feel like you can hear me. This was not just some human mistake Billie-Jean, this is the most heinous crime someone can do and because it’s your friend you are fine with that?” Billie takes a deep breath and tilts her head trying to find her words in response.

“I don’t know if I fully grasp what has happened yet,” Billie confessed.
“Will you ever?”

“Don’t know,” she shrugged her shoulders and turned to look out the window, it looked to be a beautiful, warm summer's day. And she walks over to Belle casually as if the world backtracks and stops. Beatrice deserved better. In the softness of the orange morning Billie fumbles with their fingers and pulls her closer. Softly envelopes her in a cocoon and Belle struggles to let her in first. Billie knits her fingers into the hair, pushing an arm around the waist and up over the small of Belle’s back until she hears her breath out.

This was Billie-Jean Booker underneath the waxed confidence barely tangible but she’d plunge the knife for you into her own heart without hesitation.

This was Beatrice Alemagna overachieving exterior, a politician’s raw energy and a secret need for nurturing.

“I hate this fuc— town,” Belle tucks her chin into the woman’s shoulder.

She’s your marigold but you are greedy and pick the pretty ones for a bouquet—

Done! added a small Belle scene at the end

Last edited by Mimira (26/10/2022 at 13:29)

Mary "Missy" Jameson

Background information

FC: Dove Cameron
Age: 18
Occupation: High School Graduate who is now supposed to actively be seeking her M.R.S
Traits: Too intelligent for her own good and manipulative enough not to show it, Mary "Missy" Jameson is the only daughter of the town mayor and on the surface is the picture of prim femininity, always ready with a demure smile or a kind word and capable of being flirtatious when it suits her although she doesn't want to give anyone the wrong idea about what kind of girl she is. Admittedly though, albeit in only select company she can be a bit naive. Her father's position and her mother's old money have kept her comfortable but she's beginning to chafe against the expectations that come with her position, especially as it means she's expected to be married off in a year and a mother soon after that. Up until now her rebellions have been minor and easy to explain away as she's fairly cautious but she's no longer interested in playing by rules that aren't wholly her own which perhaps defeats the purpose of aligning herself with one of the two rival gangs in town but if she wants real excitement she figures this is the best place to start.

Summer Lovin'? *** Rebel without a Pause


Gang alignment: Crocs

Interests: Peggy (FI), Junior (RI)

Story-DONE

Summer Lovin'?-DONE

While I'd become accustomed to Peggy showing up at my house, what was uncharacteristic was her doing so with tear-stained cheeks.

"Don't they serve dinner at the Dale house?" My mother bristled as Peggy's entrance into the dining room behind Miss Graves interrupted the main course that had just arrived on the table.

"I don't mean to intrude," Peggy said, her voice low and sad.

"It's okay Pegs, you can sit next to me," I said getting up and setting a plate next to my own.

"Please join us," my father started when he noticed Peggy still lingering in the doorway, "Miss Graves serve her a plate please."

***

As soon as the last dessert place was cleared I hustled Peggy up to my room much to the visible chagrin of my mother.

"What's wrong Pegs?" I asked as soon as I closed the door.

"Is it okay if I stay here for a couple of nights?"

"Of course, we'll make a party of it," I said giddily thinking of all the fun we could have, but in the middle of rattling off what records we could listen to, and what snacks Miss Graves could prepare I noticed that Peggy wasn't joining in. "What's wrong Pegs?" I asked again.

"Boys," she started as she rested her head on my shoulder, "Theyre all just so stupid, boys and brothers who are also boys but you know-"

"Brothers?"

"Well, brother," she amended. "Jack's pretty swell."

I had to bite my tongue not to agree too readily.

***

"Did I miss out on the announcement of a new city ordinance?" My mother asked snidely one morning, while Peggy was still in the shower "When was the Mayor's mansion designated as a rooming house for wayward youth."

"Peggy's not wayward," I interjected defiantly.

"Don't use that tone with me young lady," my mother started, "she is most certainly wayward, and soon the whole town will know that."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

My mother proceeded to tell me a rumor that hadn't managed to reach my ears: allegedly Peggy was with child, news that left me speechless much to the visible satisfaction of my mother.

***

I rationalized that if Peggy was in a family way that while I may not be the first to know that I would certainly find out from Peggy herself. However, since Peggy did not tell me I refused to believe a word of it, and eventually managed to find the words to tell my mother that.

***

While I practically begged Peggy to stay at my house another night she refused, but promised that she should stop by again in a couple of days.

***

When Peggy didn't show up in a couple of days I made my way over to the Dale house, the new car feeling strange under my control.

"Lil Dale isn't here," came the gruff response of one of the other Crocs whose name I couldn't place.

When I looked around I also noticed that Junior's motorcycle was missing, so I went to the gas station discreetly in search of him. However, in not finding him there I decided to drive to some of the places that he had taken me to previously, eventually finding him riding his bike near an abandoned farm.

"What are you doing way out here?" He asked as he pulled his bike up to my car.

"Looking for you," I answered honestly.

"Well what happens now that you found me?" He asked with the lopsided smile that I realized I was falling in love with.

"How about you show me what it is you love so much about that bike?" I asked after first inquiring about Peggy. His half answer let me know that all wasn't right as far as she was concerned and that he likely has as much idea about where she was as I did.

"You want to go for a ride?" He asked with a raised eyebrow making the skepticism as evident on his face as it was in his voice.

By way of answer I hopped out of my car and onto the back of his stopped motorcycle.

"Shall we?" I asked with a smile, my arms circled around his waste.

***

Over the course of the next several days Junior made himself easy to find, and I took comfort in the idea that if he wasn't spending every free moment he had in search of Peggy that it was unlikely she was in trouble. Those carefree afternoons spent in secluded parts of town on riding on his bike and sitting in my car necking came back to haunt me one evening when I arrived home and my mother was in my bedroom packing my clothes into a suitcase.

"What are you doing?" I asked, my lips in a tight line.

"Peggy may have no options but your father and I do," my mother said without stopping her packing, "Luckily for you I have cousin whose already agreed to claim the child as her own?"

"Child? Whose child?" I said trying to keep my voice even.

"Don't play coy with me Mary, I know all about what you've been doing?"

"And just what is that mother?" I asked trying to give nothing away.

"People talk, my friends talk, and you've been seen with a young man in the back of a truck...a truck Mary, on the street, like some common whore."

"People may talk mother, but that doesn't mean you have to listen!" I yelled as I ripped one of my dresses out of her hands.

I was in no way prepared for the sting of her hand across my cheek, or the way in which she stepped back with her hands in front of her face as if she'd been the one who was struck.

"Mary," she started her voice barely above a whisper as she sunk down onto my bed, "Missy I'm," she drew in a ragged breath unable to finish her sentence as she stood up to her full height and left the room and the mess she'd made.

Rebel without a Pause-DONE

At the start of the second week of August Peggy still hadn't come back to my house and going to the Dale house and finding that Junior wasn't home let me know that she likely hadn't returned.

"Has she ever done this before?" I asked Junior one afternoon as we sat eating ice cream in the next town over, a precaution I deemed as necessary after the fight I'd had with my mother.

"Never for this long," he answered with a sigh, "Usually it's a day maybe two at most."

"I wish she would have just stayed with me."

"I think we both know why that wasn't really an option."

"Why not?" I started defensively, "Sure my mother wouldn't have liked it, but my daddy is a reasonable man and he'd never turn her away."

"And so then what? Just some happily ever after at the Mayor's mansion no matter what mistake Lil Dale may have made?"

"I didn't say that."

"But I wouldn't be surprised if it's what you were thinking," his tone wasn't angry just solemn "Things always just work out for you Missy, but that's not the way the world works."

"I know that," I said softly, "Remember was car engine was ruined," I continued to whisper.

"Oh you mean the engine on your brand new car," Junior started with a small laugh, "the one your daddy had replaced like it was no bigger deal than a spilled coke at the diner."

"Junior you're not being fair. I can't help it that my daddy can afford to buy me nice things, and I never, not once acted like I was better because of them."

"You don't have to act like you're better than it, all I know is that you don't act like a Croc either."

"So that's what this is about?" I said starting to feel self-conscious, "you'd prefer I was like one of those other girls."

"Remember Lil Dale is one of those other girls."

"Remember Pegs is my friend." I shot back.

"For how long? Until the end of the summer? Until mommy and daddy find you one of their friend's son's to marry? Until you get tired of pretending-"

"Pretending to what?" I asked when after a moment it was clear he wasn't going to finish his sentence.

"Pretending that this...that us is real."

"I want to go home now," I said after a careful pause as I quickly wiped away the tears forming in my eyes. "I need to go home now." I said failing to stop the tears from falling as I walked back to my car.

***

Peggy was right, boys were horrible. Peggy was also wrong though Junior was most certainly not swell. This was the feeling that was swirling through my head when I entered my house, and likely the reason why I was able to enthusiastically agree with my mother's plan to send me to go and stay with a distant cousin of hers in Europe for the remainder of the summer and into the fall.

"See a few weeks away from that Dale girl and your back to making smart decisions for your future," my mother beamed when there was no pushback from me. "You'll come back more refined,and more poised ready to find a husband."

"Or maybe she'll end up finding a duke or something to marry while she's in London," my father joked as he entered the room on the tail end of my mother's comment.

"Why settle for a duke?" My mother sighed not catching the humor.

I hated that in the moment, with talk of marriage swirling, my mind wasn't filled with royal possibilities, or any possibilities at all, except for a certain gas station attendant.

***

The next few days were a flurry of dress fittings, informal refreshers of my previous French lessons, and more smiling from my mother than I had seen all summer. The happy frenzy however came to a grinding halt when Junior showed up at the door one evening, his truck parked by the curb.

"Is Peggy here?" He asked after a hasty greeting. Miss Grave stood a few feet behind him, watching but otherwise unmoving.

"She most certainly is not," my mother answered, "This isn't some cheap boarding house."

"Have you heard from her at all Missy?" He asked ignoring my mother. "I haven't and I'm getting worried."

"I haven't."

"And with any luck she won't again, Mary's leaving for London tomorrow and there'll be no need for you or your sister to come here again."

"London?" There seemed to be a half a dozen questions in that one word.

"Yeah someone told me there wasn't anything real here." I said as flatly as possible.

"Why are you explaining yourself to him?"

"Because I love him," I blurted out instantly wishing I could take the words back.

"You barely even know him...unless...of course the boy in the truck, I knew you couldn't really like that Dale girl it was all a ruse to see him, this was all some foolish little rebellion."

"Peggy has a name mother and it's not the Dale girl and this isn't just some childish whim."

"Are you pleased with yourself young man?" My mother said turning her attention to Junior, "You've piqued her fancy by giving into some delusional school girl crush, but no daughter of mine is ever going to be with the likes of you, so whatever sweet words you whispered in her ear to get close to her and to my money know that it's not going to happen."

"Mother!"

"With all due respect Mrs. Jameson, I'm just looking for my sister and I was hoping Missy could come help me," he said skillfully ignoring all the hate my mother spewed his way.

"She most certainly will not help you," my mother spat back attempting to answer for me.

"Actually, I will", I said standing up, "Junior let's go."

"Mary Elizabeth Jameson, if you leave this house you will not be welcome back," she said seizing my arm.

"Then I'll have to write daddy to tell him why I'm not here," I said pulling away from her, "Let's go find Peggy," I finished as I stalked out of the room, grabbing my packed suitcase from the livingroom as I passed it.

"Mary," Miss Graves called to me as I exited the house, "Take this," she whispered as she produced as small stash of bills from her brassiere.

***

As I hopped into Junior's truck my immediate thoughts swirled; I was worried about Peggy but I was also very worried about me.

"Since she wasn't at your place I have an idea of where Lil Dale may be," Junior said as we drove away from my house.

I kept my eyes on the road refusing to try and read his profile for clues of what he may be thinking and unable to believe that I told my mother that I loved him before I told him.

***

Junior and I drive in silence all the way to the old factory. It wasn't a place I would have chosen to stay but I also wasn't yet as desperate as Peggy seemed to be and it was somewhere where there was a roof overhead and she was unlikely to be disturbed.

"This place is filthy," I said as I moved debris out of our path with a sweep of my foot.

"Well we can't all live in the Mayor's mansion," Junior said with a small laugh.

"Well technically, none of us actually live there now," I said dryly, "At least not if my mother gets her way.

"About that," Junior started as he continued ahead before suddenly stopping in his tracks, "wait do you smell that?"

Against my better judgment, I inhaled deeply.

"Is that....smoke?"

"I hope not."

***

The possible smell of smoke became the definite smell of smoke and both Junior and I started to call out for Peggy. While there was initially no response, eventually we could hear the sounds of coughing and we followed them into a corridor that was quickly filling with black clouds that Peggy was navigating her way through. I looped my arm through hers to help steady her and Junior led us all out into the fresh air. As we looked back at the factory it was clear that the smoke was coming from a much bigger fire than I imagined, and I was grateful as we drove away.

Junior drove us straight to the hospital to get Peggy checked out, and while there was a brief wait to see a doctor they assured Junior that she would be fine.

"Let me take you home,"Junior said to me once he was informed they would be keeping Peggy overnight.

"You mean the home my mother told me to never come back to?" I asked.

"We should probably talk about that."

"I don't want to talk about it, talk is what started all of this. You really want to do something for me Junior? Take me home."

"Isn't that what I just said?"

"Not to my now former home, to your home." I said with more bravado than I felt. "I don't want to be alone tonight, I also don't have anywhere else to go."

"I'm sure your father has talked some sense into your mother by now."

"Maybe he has..." I started, "If you don't want to Junior it's fine. I'll be fine."

Rather than respond or leave he just took a seat in one of the empty chairs in the waiting room.

"Peggy may need something tonight," he said as he patted the seat next to him. "We should both be here for her."

I couldn't disagree with his logic, and I really did want to be there is Peggy needed something so I sat down, making sure to tuck my hand underneath my thigh so I wouldn't absently reach for his as I wondered where we...or where I...would go from here.
 

Rounds 1, 2, 3 and 4 COMPLETE

Last edited by Dare (25/10/2022 at 07:47)

Round 5 - And ends with…
Covers the last two weeks of August, or however long you need

Where should we start? Where we ended? With a couple fleeing a factory in flames, not that they could have known it would go up quite like that, and a handful of others converging with two separate cases at the hospital. Or should we start with everyone being so wrapped up in their own, and the disappearance of Peggy, that they forgot about the trembling Jojo? Because James didn’t. Dylan and Luke shouldn't have. But then Jojo never wanted to burden anyone to begin with, so we shouldn’t blame them too bad. Or if we should trace blame, do we need to start much further back, as far as last year when James’ brother Frank upped and left without a word? Because I think there are a few who know what happened that night, and why it might be relevant in connection to this.

But perhaps we need to start by saying, everyone will be okay. Physically. I can’t say much about the state of your mental health at the moment.

James lost blood, but after a few stitches - his status wasn’t too bad. Jojo skillfully - undoubtedly - managed to avoid causing nasty damages, no intestines, no organs nicked, just cut through muscles and tissue. Which was bad enough for James, as he cursed loudly through the pain until Belle bullied the nurses to give him a higher dose of morphia, causing him to go out with a snap. He would be discharged a few days later, on pain meds and strongly advised to not to do anything strenuous for quite some time.

Coughing and drifting in and out of consciousness during the drive, Peggy came to properly at the hospital. After examination it was ruled that she had inhaled a good amount of smoke but there would be no permanent damages, she would need rest but the doctors wanted to keep her a day for observation, just to be sure. Junior got hold of Dylan in the morning hours and he arrived out of breath and frantic with worry, wrapping his little sister in a tight hug until she was coughing for air. He hardly left the side of her bed for the rest of the day. In the afternoon Peggy, awake with energy, casually mentioned that she now knew she wasn’t pregnant after all, to which Dylan expelled a “thank god”, to which Piglet found her fury again and told him straight - that had she been, she would have had that kid and she would have strapped it to her back, never letting go, loved them and taken care of them better than anyone else could’ve - all to an angry red rising in Dylan’s face, but he bit his tongue. And when she finished her raging rant with barely coughing, it was decided she was well enough to go home.

So, what happened that night?

The Factory

Zeke and Bonnie headed to the factory to blow off some steam. Having been set up as a thief and gotten fired, all by Belle plus having to deal with emotions and James’ arrogant ass, there was no question why Bonnie needed it. And Zeke, well, he always bailed when the shouting turned violent at the Dales’, the memories of a home he left long ago making him want to crawl out of his own skin.

The act itself, a few bottles, a lighter, it wasn’t worse than what he had been up to on other occasions. The result, however, was. As the fire started spreading neither of them knew that Gonza had let James set up his store of bootleg there. Years since it was abandoned, it might have been forgotten that the factory was once run by the Gonzalez family, before the company collapsed and left much of the town unemployed. Neither could they have known that Rover had decided to show the stores to Betty nor that Peggy had taken shelter there, trying to keep out of reach from her brother’s reprimands. Luckily Jack and Missy got her out in time.

Outside the Bar

A Croc and a Tiger both found themselves on their way to catch Luke at the Bar. James and Luke had agreed to meet and talk about resuming the deliveries, Jojo on the other hand, he just needed a friend to help him.

The night of the fight at the Bar had rattled him more than he let on, there is a good reason why he avoided Tigers and that night he was once again reminded by that reason. Then the lives of all Crocs erupted, the house got deserted, Luke and Dylan weren't speaking, Dylan overall a walking nightmare ready to snap at anyone, Junior head over heels with thoughts mainly diving to one thing, someone… everyone just had a lot. Unintrusive, Jojo was left flying to the wind, fraying evermore as he did, until he got really drunk that night and was going to beg Luke to take him in. But instead he came across James out on the street, and something Rover had said the night of the fight, the way he said it, it stuck in James’ head - what did Jojo have to do with anything?

And so James asked, in the brusque way of someone demanding answers and in a way which comes off as a full on attack to someone who is already scared shitless. Jojo, frightened and drunk, pulled the knife he had secretly kept on himself for the last year. He had acquired it to feel safe, and that night he just wanted James to back off so he could get away. Seeing the gravity of the situation, James tried to disarm him and in tossle the blade found itself in the belly of the Tiger. That was when Billie and Belle came across them, James crumpled to the ground and Jojo holding a bloodied knife. The comotion stirred drew Luke to the street and fully comprehending the situation, he thought it best to send Belle and Billie to the hospital with James, as he gently removed the knife from Jojo’s bloodied hand and guided him towards the Bar, Jojo stumbling as if he had forgotten how to move, and then inside, off the street. Billie and Belle drove James to the hospital as the town’s collective sirens headed in haste towards the factory, as the flames licked the night sky.

With the major attention the bruning factory pulled, it wasn’t until late the next day the police came to inquire about the stabbing which had taken place. By that time Luke had managed to make his way to an awakened James, explaining, by putting all cards on the table, why not to name Jojo when the cops came asking questions. Leaving with an eggshell promise not to, Luke could only hope it wouldn’t be broken if anger struck. And he would do his best to tell it all to everyone in the gang, after the latest events, keeping the secret had proven to be potentially fatal.

With the cat out of the bag - here is what happened a year ago

The petty and not so petty fighting have been going on forever, I’ve already told you that. At the head of it, for the last years, was the animosity between Frank and Dylan - they had been trading fists all through their middle and high school years, and while the brusin’ lessened after Dylan dropped out, the hate never did. Jojo always enjoyed poking fun at the enemy gang with his fellow Crocs, and he could get caught up in it, quite obsessively and through it Jojo and Frank caught a relationship of constant bickering when they crossed paths.

Some have claimed there is a thin line between love and hate, either way - what happened happend. Luke and Dylan weren't there as it went down, and Frank never shared his full perspective, but between Jojo’s stuttering tale and what they could piece together from the aftermath - the story was pretty clear.

It was a night at the end of the summer, a big bonfire down by the quarry pulled both Tigers and Crocs, as well as a good portion of the town.

Frank and Jojo had come across each other on the forest edge, both were drunk - you have all encountered the good and the bad effects of alcohol this summer. It had started with bickering, escalating into a brawl - Jojo was never clear on how it escalated even further - but Frank must have had a knife. Frank had stumbled back to where he found Luke and Dylan, urging them to get to Jojo among the trees, where they found him with slashes across his arms and wounds into the stomach which bled profusely. It was pretty bad, as they got to the hospital there were a few hours before they knew he would be okay.

Dylan would claim they ran Frank out of town. Luke would rather say that Frank left voluntarily, after inquiring if Jojo would make it out, shocked and shamed over what happened, what damage he had caused. Perhaps realising that friendly fire crossed into fatal. It’s all fun and games until somebody gets hurt.

Dylan couldn’t care less for where Frank went, Luke would admit not knowing - it was a pretty hasty departure.

At that time of year, Rover had already left for other adventures but Frank caught him at a seaside city, Rover managed to drag out a short version of events out of him with a promise not to tell anyone. Frank had taken a position on a ship, trying out repenting as a salty sailor.

And as for everyone else not knowing - that was Jojo’s insistent decision. He wouldn’t have it any other way, although Dylan was pretty pissed at it. Jojo had been bound to leave for the unknown called greater education either way, staying with his sister up north and once he was discharged from the hospital, he did, just a little later than planned. And then he came back around christmas, more jittery than ever, refusing any explanation other than he wanted to be home with his friends.

So, here we are, now you all know and in the wake of events you have to deal with friends, lovers and foes. Where do you all go from here?

And in the wake of things, is there anything I have missed?

As for your interests I believe your impressions might shine a bit of light on where they are, and the rest I’ll drop here below.

Bonnie already had it out with James about the fact that you should leave talking loudly about girls’ sexlives the fuck alone and once Cookie heard Mack snickering about that he was the one to start the whispers about Peggy baking babies, she wacked him properly over the head. He might have whined a bit that Peggy was the one who started it all by threatening to spill how underwhelming sleeping with him had been if he ever breathed a word about them doing just that. But Cookie simply told him that if he ever did something as foul again he’d be out on his ear and he’d no longer be blood of hers.

I did remind you all that that ol’ factory was actually  Gonzalez property. It has long been widely known the youngsters of town spend time there for dares, sweet lovin’ or just hanging but no trace has been traced to who the culprits responsible for the fire might be. And as it turns out it might all have been a bright affair for the family either way, as the incoming insurance money is looking to be pretty hefty. 

Round Requirements
Basic form:  name, age, etc.
Outfit: If it brings you joy
Story: Where do you all find yourself as this summer comes to an end? I’m dying to find out!

Last edited by tricole (29/10/2022 at 21:24)

Missy

Peggy
Leaving the hospital, perhaps coughing just a little, but rid of the burden that was the pregnancy scare - Peggy is lighter and livelier than ever (she has a few recently learned lessons about using protection, she would share if you need it.) Having you as a friend sure has made life a whole lot better and she’d thank you for coming to the rescue that night.

Any blame for what happens she puts on Dylan - everything from her being caught in the fire to Jojo’s trauma - and as soon as her older brother starts trying to be the parent she just threatens to run into the closest burning building, and for now Dylan does his best to bite his tongue. Because one thing she has realised is that while the two of you are not 21 yet, you are damn well old enough to make decisions about your own lives and she is about to implement it fully.

Taking Jojo in under her wing, they have made plans for one last trip before summer is properly over: to hit the road and visit Jojo’s sister and whatever they fancy, before Peggy has to be back at the Hairdressers - there may have been a few mishaps but she is sure it’s her calling. Zeke is joining the trip and so can you too, if you want.

Junior
Junior would take you to whichever home you’d like after leaving the hospital, as long as you promise not to leave up and leave for Queen’s country. Junior might need some time to properly digest all that has happened before he returns to be his old self again. But with a few changes, he is becoming more certain that his attempts to smooth over the arguments between Peggy and Dylan have done little good in the long run but also that life happens now, and he needs to live it.

He would apologise for what he accused you of, he can see now how he was wrong and mostly scared of losing you. And what you professed in the argument with your mother, when the time is right he would admit to sharing those feelings. He has always longed for a bit of adventure and to see something beyond the town. Would you go somewhere? Just the two of you or joining the others? He would be keen on listening to your thoughts and feelings, which are the most important to him at the moment.

He knows your parents surely love you - he’s experienced the overbearing sides of a parent’s love too - and if it’s what you like he would do anything to make it work with them, you know, as long as you hold his hand.

Bonnie

Zeke
Zeke is a bit shaken up after what happened, the fire - yes, but even worse over Jojo because they have always been close and he thinks he should have seen the signs. He would lay low for a few days after the fire, together with you if that’s what you like, making sure there’s no trace leading back to you. Should the police come knocking, a knee jerk reaction of the local force to talk to Zeke every time there’s been trouble, a good alibi should send them away empty handed, and any Croc would help with that if needed.

He would check in with you, in the sense that you and him are ok, but also if you are ok, after everything he knows to some extent what you are dealing with, and he will be a friend. But one who lays low on the shenanigans for now. He’s going to join Peggy and Jojo on a bit of a road trip, to have Jojo catch up with his sister and just get out of town for a bit. He will make sure you know there is an empty seat in the car with your name on it, should you want it.

Belle
Belle and James had quite the row between your drunken visit to the villa and the trip to the hospital. The only thing they agreed on in the argument was that the other has appalling taste in Crocs. The result of it, and later less heated talks between them, is Belle turning up to see you, presenting a wad of cash which should cover a little over a month of diner wage plus tips. Turns out you didn’t deserve to go down that badly, or at least someone who she does like didn’t think so, she still isn’t convinced. Either way she’s going, and it won’t be a bad thing that she doesn’t have to see your face again, at least for a long while.

James
After the stab, James is in no physical form to fight with you, neither is he in a mental state to want to. Honestly, as long as Dylan stays out of his face, he is actually put off by all ideas of fighting at the moment. He’s made up with Belle and he’s made up with Rover. They had a talk late one night at the hospital, Rover sneaking in both himself and some cigarettes after visiting hours were over.

The bootleg is up in smoke, whether he knows about your involvement in making it happen is up to you, but he wouldn’t be as upset about as you might think, it was some work and some money and all that he can replace, once he is back to working shape, but his mind is spending more time on immaterial things at the moment. After he got home, and after he spent a few days woozy popping pain meds like candy, he had a talk with Cookie about Frank - they were close - and to quote her words: “fuck what he wants, you have a right to talk to him.” The last letter Rover received from Frank, he was going to settle into port for a couple of weeks at the end of September.

James actually doesn't know how to approach you, darling - his confidence is also up in smoke when it comes to you, at least when he is overthinking from afar. That said, I predict that somehow your paths will cross, it's a small town after all. And when you do, he’d ask you how you are doing, how Jojo is doing, he might mention Frank and that he might go and see him, and with some talking, some flirting is never far off when it comes to Frank, and the two of you should make a decision where this relationship is heading.

Billie

Luke
Though it all, Luke is keeping a look out for his fellow Crocs, things are looking up at the moment. Well he missed the danger and walking wound which was Jojo, and he will make up for that by taking him in for a while. Until he finds someone with sound legal business advice, he might just take you up on your illegal one. Those brownies are damn good after all.

Luke will always have a look out for you. And the two of you might always have this thing. If you are leaving he will bring both Jack and Daniels for the goodbye, and if you are staying he will still bring them both for a good evening in good company. If you don’t get him a grumpy cat for his birthday he will pick up one on his own, the idea stuck in his head. Or perhaps a couple? He never had an aversion for felines actually, as long as they don’t claw at you too badly. If he is already a grumpy old man perhaps it is his destiny to also become the crazy cat lady this town so desperately needs.

Dylan
Dylan is doing his absolute best to keep his tongue and actions in check so as not to have Peggy run into another burning building, as she is threatening. Still, if he does nothing - he is sure she will just run about and get herself actually pregnant or just straight end up dead in a ditch somewhere. But instead of yelling that, he fries up hamburgers for everyone in the house. Look at that.

He and Luke are back to talking, but he always knew Luke would forgive him. He is really trying his best, still everyone seems to make plans to leave him, nothing he can do about it and it breaks him, a little. A lot. Should you tell him that you are on your way out too, he will try to hide that bitterness, not that it would help as it seems you are always able to see straight through him. You are funny like that. But of course you should go, don’t stick around kid, as long as you come back one day, with the promise to slam his head into a wall if he is still as much of an ass as when this all started.

Belle
As the dust settles, Belle is more ready than ever to just get out of this town, staying will be the death of her. She had had a fight with James, that’s why finding him bleeding out in her arms felt even worse, just let her be a bit dramatic over it, but they are good now. As good as they can be, he’s an ass but she loves him, in a strickly asexual way. Truth was she never did very well on her own either and he was there when you weren’t - but now you are here, and that’s what matters the most. Because you are still there right? She needs to check to be absolutely sure.

Once she knows James will be all good, she really only has one thing left to settle and it’s quickly done, it cuts off a bit from your ‘Getting-the-hell-out-fond’ but there’s still a pretty hefty sum left. But she understands if you would need more time after everything, and if so she would do her best to be a patient and good girl as she waits for you.

Betty

Luke
Luke is becoming more at ease again as the dynamic among the Crocs are growing closer again, he’s taking a great deal of care for Jojo, so the sofa might be occupied some nights. The business will sort itself out one way or another, he has some ideas. But then there is the thing with you leaving. God knows he’s not perfect, as does Luke himself, and he will try to work on that.

He has already said the most important things - he wants you happy and as long as you want, this will always be your home too - but he would repeat them if needed. Your brother loves you. He might not use those direct words often, but after everything and where the two of you are, he would try a more straightforward way to let you know for sure before you go. Luke has never thought Rover - sorry, Lee - more than a dodgy weedhead who comes and goes, obviously you’ve seen something more, being your big brother and all, he would be curious to what that is.

Rover
The delays were inevitable - perhaps the going will be all the better for it. You might see mostly snippets of him while James is in the hospital, being both there and with the other Tigers, as well as the always who-knows-where. But once James is released and ‘ok’ he would come round more, with a sort of relieved comfort expressed in the form of seeking closeness. He’s waiting for you, perhaps not rushing you by verbally bringing up the topic of going, but there is the twitching-itching in his fingers.

He’s never been one to make far ahead plans, but follow where the road takes him. At the moment that means an excitement for the unknown ahead which is the two of you. When December hits, christmas plans could be cool and come the new year, he usually travels north east. If it is still relevant by then, he might have someone he needs to introduce you to. But first the road has to take you there.

○

Red

All the Tigers hoped you had a lovely camping trip and as you come back - there might be a little catching up to do, or a lot. Once you have caught up, the dust settling, you will find that Rover is on the move again, you shouldn’t be surprised he always leaves sooner or later. But he won’t leave before saying goodbye, making sure you’ll stay sharp and keep cookin’ until he returns. Mack is feeling a bit down, losing stung and revenge didn’t taste as sweet as he had thought, he might feel a bit better having you around now and again. He is a bit lost in what to do with his life, you are admirable in many ways - you seem to know what you are doing - and he’ll be happy to have a friend like you around for advice. Zeke’s whole focus is on his friends, not foes, right now. But old habits die hard, so who knows what your run ins will look like in the future. Some of his most loved ones are leaving but Luke is determined not to feel left behind, he’s working hard with the bar but would be interested in treading further with what you have started building as he is trying to be bolder and more communicative than his old self.

Caty

No doubt ut there rocking hard with her career, many of her friends will be eagerly waiting for her return and the stories she'll bring with her.

Last edited by tricole (29/10/2022 at 21:38)

THEME SONG Fever; Peggy Lee

THEME SONG You’re The One That I Want; Olivia Newton-John & John Travolta

I'll clue you in... DONE

NAME:
Bonnie "Vixen" Fuentes

FC:
Luma Grothe

AGE:
22

OCCUPATION:
Waitress at the Diner

TRAITS:
Headstrong, Daredevil, Fiesty, Confrontational, Sneaky, Persuasive, Bratty, Open-minded, Seductive

BACKGROUND
Life ain’t never been easy… so a girl does what a girl gotta do to get by. It was a motto heavily influenced by her jobless, relationship-hopping mother, DaisyMay. A string of rapidly increasing siblings served to improve the welfare check at the beginning of each month and little else. In place of food, Bud’s stocked the fridge and it wouldn’t feel like home without cigarette butts littering the ground. She made no secret of valuing street smarts over book smarts and compelled all of her kids into her mad-capped schemes at every opportunity. It was all fun and games for a while, pulling off capers with childish innocence. Being both cohort and patsy should things fall off the rails, Bonnie’s big doe-eyed chicanery was quite effective in escaping any harsh repercussions. And when the heat built up too much, well… DaisyMay simply packed their bags and moved her private little swindling troupe to greener pastures.

Always on the run, the family rarely had the chance to actually belong anywhere. Bonnie, for her part, soaked it all in like a fish to water. Her mother was an idol for a time, the carefree, unorthodox upbringing filled with laughter and raging parties was… normal. To be sure, DaisyMay was a looker, but ruthless… and wound men around her finger like the best femme fatale… not that any of the flies she caught in her net were a catch by any means. But by the time Bonnie reached puberty, all the tomfoolery started to wear off. It would take a couple more years before the wandering glances would turn into full-blown propositions to upstage old mum with the hotter, younger version of herself.

It made home life impossible. Bickering and accusations… Bonnie was really having none of it. Desperate for her own survival, at the age of 16, she took off. But she wasn’t exactly unarmed, she’d mimicked her mother’s actions long enough to become a skilled and convincing trickster, equipped with a built-in ‘no nonsense detector’ that helped her avoid the worst of circumstances. Shamelessly, she learned to scrape by on her wits and her body. Petty crimes saw her in and out of juvie for a while but that was also par for the course. Bonnie is and will always be her mother’s daughter… charming, loving to be the center of attention, and remorselessly wandering into the next big grift… until maybe she finds the right place to call home.

ALIGNMENT:
Crocs... tough, cold-blooded, and potentially dangerous

MEMBERSHIP:
Bonafied troublemaker!

INTERESTS: ❤James❤ Zeke ☣Belle☣


LOOKS:

AND IT ENDS WITH... - DONE

CATCH YOU ON THE FLIP SIDE - DONE

✴AKA✴ Welcome to Pleasantville

Out racing the smoke and laying low while the heat died down, no pun intended had been the plan. We succeeded in hoveling into our motel room but spent the night overwhelmed and overanalyzing how things had gotten so bad so fast. It made no sense. And the number of sirens we could hear speeding through town all through the night let us know that things were just as bad as we imagined. What we did come to understand and agree upon, was that there was possibly safety in numbers.

That had us hauling our butts over to Dale house. None too soon, in all honesty. Yet there was already a whole lotta confusion settled under that roof that we only added to in those moments. Before we could make heads or tails over the very obviously traumatized Jojo or the equally worrisome Luke there came a harsh knock on the door.

Every pair of eyes shifted anxiously to what sounded suspiciously like doom comin’ a-knockin'.

I had little time to contemplate the increased pallor of Jojo’s cheeks when my mind was still reeling and struggling to compose my own guilt. I spared a hesitant glance with Zeke before two officers were allowed into the house.

Within seconds, it became blatantly clear why… and who, they were there for.

“Supposin’ you tell us what you’ve been up to last night, kid.”

With a stubborn glint and tilt of the head, Zeke released a mocking chuckle. But to me, it sounded nervous and defensive… worrying me more.

“A little of this… a little of that… what’s it to ya, fuzz?”

“Ahh… looky here Billy-Bob, seems we got us a real smarty pants…”

The other cop stepped forward a bit, cutting off his partner but with only a marginally better temperament.

“Look kid,” every hair on the back of my neck stood up recognizing his patronizing contempt for what it was. “Things would be a whole lot easier if you just fess up now and just tell us exactly what you did up at the old factory.”

“You got nothin’ on me…” There was definite irritation glaring back at Zeke’s muttered bravado. “You’d a hauled my ass outta here so fast if you had…”

My pulse raced, watching intently, searching for signs that he might be wrong. But the glance they exchanged with each other made me feel a bit more confident but only just barely.

“He was here… with me. All night.”

The two darted a gaze at me, both of them regulars at the diner during the long summer months. I tried to remain calm as all sorts of thoughts ran through my mind. Had the diner owner warned them about what he suspected of me? If so, it would drastically reduce my credibility with them… but even beyond of that, I wasn’t a towny. Would they trust an outsider when they were so ready to condemn Zeke out of hand without any evidence at all? The fact that both of us had been there and were very much at fault was hardly any consideration to me.

“With us too.”

My stomach flipped as Luke stepped up, vouching as well for Zeke’s whereabouts. The two officers were clearly annoyed by our offered alibi but I stood a bit taller bolstered by the fact that none of those Crocs around me would allow one of their own to be tossed into the fire alone. It was such a different feeling, a different atmosphere than what I grew up knowing. They cared for and protected each other. I’d noticed it for a while but I still held myself back from it, recognizing that it wasn’t for me. That I wasn’t a part of what they had. But somehow, in the course of a few months, perhaps I had found a place with them without even realizing it. Together, in our own little make-shift band of chosen family, we stood as a unit against the forces that would tear one or more of us down.

The officers had little choice and were forced to retreat until they could come up with something substantial and concrete against Zeke. But my relief and our subsequent gaiety quickly subsided as Jojo’s, and then Peggy’s predicaments became known to us. That alibi was good for more than just one Crocs' misadventure of the night… even if the cops didn’t realize it yet.

And it was definitely a rollercoaster of emotions. At first, I gasped in alarm upon hearing that Peggy had been at the factory when Zeke and I set it ablaze. That she was in the hospital was only part of the night’s tale. Before understanding the true ramifications of it all, Zeke and I settled beside Jojo, offering concern and support while Luke began explaining what caused our friend to sit there seemingly dazed and distraught after what he’d gone through. Slowly, as the details and actions were exposed and I learned the full extent of the harm that had been doled out that night, the who and the why of it all… I was quite certain all of the blood had drained from my face. I might have stopped breathing at a point and I was pretty sure that my heart must have been crushed or at least pierced by some invisible weapon.

Vaguely, I listened to mention of taking a road trip, getting out of town for a while until things cooled off but I hardly butted into the conversation. I wasn’t even sure which of them made the suggestion or if they were at all serious about it. I only knew that the more I sat there, the more claustrophobic I felt until I could bare it no more.

Standing abruptly seemed to stall whatever they had been saying but I brushed aside my interruption and slipped outside. It was hot and the sun beat steadily upon the dirt path that served as a driveway in front of the house. I wasn’t sure if it was the lack of air and dizziness crashing through me or the ridiculous heat that made the ground seem like it was actually steaming ahead of me. I gasped, gripping the rickety banister while trying to pull myself together.

That must have been some sight Zeke happened upon at that moment. And I felt rotten for the racing concern that I caught in his gaze. I tried to shake it off but there was fear choking everything inside of me. Something I hadn’t felt in years… since the moment I came to learn that I was nothing more than a tool for mom in her ruthless and relentless schemes. Mentally I could distinguish the differences… how that fear had been so very different than this one, but all the same by how I was left completely terrified. There was no man; ugly, toothless, and triple my age, leering back at me now… only this choking horror that my whole life hung in the balance.

Running worked then. I got out and ran, fast and far. Refusing to turn back, unwilling to allow myself to trust anyone because if a mother would do such a thing then surely there was no one in this world that could be trusted. And I refused to let anything get me like that again. Sure, I’d been scared enough times in my life, but nothing like that night. I just kept moving, kept away from people that had the ability to strike that type of feeling into me again. But now…

“I’ve got to go to the hospital.”

The words were ragged, panicky.

“Okay,” He nodded quickly, “I’ll grab my jacket.”

“What?” I quickly shook my head, “no, you shouldn’t leave him…”

We both knew who I spoke of, and I knew Zeke was feeling torn over it. I didn’t need the words from him, there was some connection between us, an understanding. He cared about his friends but there was something special between him and Jojo and I knew he was feeling strained over the struggle his friend had been living with over the last year while he had gone blissfully unaware.

“You’ll let Peggy know I’m sorry too?”

I froze, blinked, and felt rotten.

“Peggy… yes.” The words were barely a whisper but his arched brow conveyed all the skepticism I could ever imagine. I blushed but lifted my chin, tears already welling up in my eyes as the worst possible thoughts swirled in my mind. “I… I have to make sure he’s okay, Zeke.”

“After what he’s put Jojo through?”

“It seems to me that what happened was more a result of what his brother did to Jojo… not James!”

The spurt of defensive anger, I knew, stemmed from my fear but I had nowhere else to throw it and Zeke just happened to be in the line of fire. He grumbled and we tossed a few heated comments regarding how out of hand everything was getting lately.

“Jojo’s physically unharmed…”

“He’s wrecked, did you look at him?”

“But alive!... James might be… he could be…” The words stuck in my throat made an awful, strangled sound instead. I couldn’t… well didn’t want to belittle Jojo’s pain, I could see very well how upset he was. Shaken and scared. He looked so young and fragile. And even though Luke was sure that James' condition was stable, I wasn't so satisfied with his words. I needed to see for myself, firsthand. I had to go, there simply was no other choice in the matter.

Zeke seemed to back off almost as quickly as he had been incensed. Sure, he stubbornly placed the blame elsewhere and grumbled about how I’d let a dirty kitty get the best of me, but reluctantly acknowledged it would be more ideal not to have a dead or cagey cat laid at our doorstep. Not that I had the power to stop either of those things from happening, but I would go find out, no matter what. And if things turned out for the worst? Well, I just did not know… I couldn’t think that far ahead, not yet.

“You’ll be back, right?” This was said after he’d given me the tightest bear hug ever. There was concern in his eyes, for me at that moment, not just the worry over the rest of the crew. Like in many things before between the two of us, it was like he completely understood things about me that few bothered to notice. “You do know we’re here for you too, right?”

I’d somehow managed to hold back my tears up until that point, but one squeezed through as I looked up at Zeke. A well of emotion was trying to strangle me but for once I didn’t feel so all alone dealing with them. That flight or fight mode that usually sent me wandering when things got too complicated didn’t even threaten to rear its self-absorbed head. I offered a small, awkward smile.

“I’d sure feel pity for the person that dared to stop me from coming home…”

THE ART OF EATING CROW - DONE

✴AKA✴ Finding a Middle Ground

“You’re a dipstick, you know that?”

The words were low but no less harsh as I clutched a limp hand between mine and brushed a platinum strand off his forehead. He didn’t move a muscle as the wall clock ticked nearby. Every second-hand stroke reverberated through me and reminded me that time was passing by while he lay there, drugged into obliviousness of my very existence. But I’d managed to learn at least that much from a nurse before I snuck my way into his room. And the fact that Luke had been right, James was going to be okay.

And for once, I allowed my relief to be more validating than the anger I wanted to feel at his stupidity. Or the true anger I wanted to level at his brother for running away from this mess in the first place. I wanted to know how much James knew of Frank’s acts before leaving but based on the bits of honest conversation we’d had in the past… I suspected he knew very little about it. I just wasn’t so certain whether knowing would have stopped James from taunting the Crocs as much as he did. Would it have even mattered to him?

How could I love someone I knew so very little about?

But I no longer doubted that I did. For whatever insane reason, my heart had chosen this egotistical, prideful, troublemaking Tiger. And here I thought people said opposites attract. This fool was the yin to my yin… just wearing a different skin.

I sniffled and wiped a tear from my eye as a tiny smile crept across my face at the thought and I laced my fingers in his. Damned fool.

“Hurry up and get your ass out of this damn bed you jerk,” I muttered after leaning down to brush my lips across his cool cheek.

“Vixen…” My whole body froze as I searched his face after the groggy whisper spilled from his lips… but his eyes were still closed and his breathing was totally even. I frowned, wondering if I imagined it and considering-

“What the hell are you doing in here?”

I jumped and whirled around, pinned by the vicious glare that might have struck me down if looks could kill. I gritted my teeth and peered at James for another moment before I released his hand and stepped back.

“I just wanted to make sure he was alright.”

“He’s fine… and doesn’t need any more of you vile reptiles causing him more trouble.”

I inhaled slowly, biting my inner cheek to keep from snapping back at Belle. She looked a mess, tired, and irritable. But maybe the irritation was solely for my benefit. I could imagine what she must think walking in and finding me there. I seriously doubted James was running around his friends rambling on about me and it was even more likely that if I did come up it was in the middle of a long string of expletives.

“You can leave…”

I blinked, only then realizing that I had only stood there like a damned idiot.

“I’ll go,” I nod after a smaller pause. “But… can you at least let him know I stopped by?”

I saw her jaw flex and that glare did not drop one little bit. “No.”

My stomach curled. “Belle…”

“I really do not care what you have to say. Leave him alone… he’s been through enough of your Crocs’ troublemaking…”

“That’s fine, you do not have to care, but I’ll say it anyway, I know you hate me… and I sure as hell have given you more than enough reason for that dislike. I’m too much of an asshole to regret the pranks I’ve pulled… and too much of a hypocrite to forgive you for at least one of the pranks you’ve pulled. But I care about him. More than I’ve been willing to admit. And if he’ll have me, we’ll have to come to some understanding because I know you matter to him.”

She waited, I waited… I suppose hoping she’d be receptive to my appeal.

“Are you done?”

I, once again, held my tongue. But, oh boy, was it difficult. I didn’t intend on getting into a fight with her at James’ sick bed. I shook my head.

“I’ll go.”

“Good.”

⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️

I supposed that Belle was a woman to her word. Days passed and I didn’t hear one peep out of James.

Or maybe she had told him I visited and he hadn’t cared. I knew he had been released from the hospital, and that he was at the Villa. But other than that I had no new news… and no way to get more information out of that camp. And I fretted. In ways that would have had me rolling my eyes had it been anyone else doing the exact same thing.

So I let myself be drawn into the travel plan discussion between Zeke, Peggy, and Jojo. It would be a good distraction, perhaps. But late one afternoon, when Zeke caught me alone on the porch having probably my hundredth cigarette of the day, he didn’t bother beating around the bush.

I nibbled at a hang nail as he pressed his palm against my jerking knee, making me conscious of both actions at once. I sighed and took another puff of my cigarette before squishing it out on the floorboard.

“Wanna talk about it?”

“What is there to say? I’m an idiot.”

“You won’t hear me arguing with you about that.”

I sucked my teeth with a testy glare in his direction which only earned me a good-natured chuckle. Or mocking… either way I wasn’t amused.

“I was perfectly content annoying myself without any of your help.”

He grinned some more while slipping the pack of Luckies out my hand to pull one of his own. After lighting up and a long puff he shrugged.

“So whatcha gonna do about it?”

I frowned. “About what?”

“All this righteous indignation and frustration you’re pinning up inside.” I continued frowning without a response. “As Jojo so recently made aware… letting shit build up never comes to a good outcome.”

“Oh, you’re the household therapist now?”

“Someone’s gotta do it… or at least it seems. Maybe I’m made for it.” I laughed, and he did too while we both shook our heads. “You’re right… I’d just try to get everyone to go burn some shit down…”

“Hey… it almost worked for me. Besides… I’m fairly sure starting that fire had been my idea.”

He grinned and bumped his knee against mine.

“It was a good one, for all of five minutes.”

I smirked before releasing a long, ragged breath and contemplated lighting up again.

“So what are you gonna do about it?”

I shrugged. I’d never felt so indecisive in my life. At least not that I could remember.

“If he’s making you this lame and boring, I might just hogtie you and pack you in the back of the Chevy when we leave just to get you away from here and back to your usual self.”

“You know I’d give you all types of hell when I got loose.”

He smirked, “that would be more in line with my BonBon.”

Before I could respond the sound of crunching pebbles drew both of our attention to the yard. Zeke, almost instantly, stood to lean against a column near the steps. And despite the leisurely pose, he was anything but. The tip of his cigarette drew bright red as the driver slipped out of the vehicle ahead and at that moment tension raced to every limb of my body.

“Think you took a wrong turn up on the main road, Belladonna.”

She gave Zeke only the most superficial glance before looking directly at me.

“Can we talk?”

The hairs on the back of my neck stood straight up as I did.

“Okay.”

What else was I gonna say? But she hesitated, continuing to hold my gaze.

“Alone?”

A quick peek at Zeke showed him posted like some etched statue, cold as stone with smoke billowing around his head and a quick flash of ash drifting to the ground beside him. And only bothered to move once I asked him to give us a moment.

“I’ll be right inside if you need me.”

My lip ticked up a tiny bit as I waited for him to stomp his cig and finally leave. It fell away the moment I glanced back at her.

And still, she hesitated. Building up the courage… or perhaps the tolerance to say, or do, whatever it was she came for. Eventually, she grimaced and started forward, digging into her purse those few short steps to me. Unconsciously, I both held my breath and braced myself, prepared to dive if need be away from whatever new trick she had up her sleeve.

The wad of cash that she promptly flashed before me was definitely the least of my imagination.

“Take it.”

I frowned, not moving a muscle. She huffed before shoving the bills forward while at the same time grabbing my hand so that she might slap them to me.

“What is this?”

Begrudgingly she shrugged. “A month’s salary… plus tips.”

There was literally no change to my expression although the money had been released from one hand to the other. If anything, my brow dipped lower.

“Why?”

She wasn’t immediately forthcoming and when she was, it wasn’t exactly remorseful or direct.

“Some might say you were dealt a bad deal.”

“Most probably. But clearly not all…”

She pressed her lips together stubbornly at my criticism. “Some may be losing their damn minds.”

Instantly, my pulse jumped erratically.

“Because some believe I deserved better?”

She looked me over as if she were trying to bare my soul right there in the yard. “Verdict is still out as far as I’m concerned. I’ll decide by the time I come back perhaps.”

“You’re leaving?”

She leveled her gaze on me but oddly enough, I wondered if perhaps there was just a little bit less heat in her words than there may have been at any point prior to her arrival at Dale House.

“Don’t think that’s an invitation for you to bring drama to our doorstep… I’m expecting some to have their head screwed on straight by then…”

I almost laughed. It took everything in me to contain the wild sensations coursing through me at that moment.

“I’m afraid I’m gonna try my hardest to disappoint you.”

“Figured as much.”

Her words were a loud mumble as she rolled her eyes and then mashed her lips together again. But there was a flash of something in her eye that I couldn’t put a name to right then and there. But whatever it was didn’t even matter. She gave one final look before turning to leave. And for the first time in probably weeks, I was chomping at the bit to start a little trouble. Well, if you didn't count that pesky little fire or... well that impromptu drunken visit to the Villa, neither of those had been planned!

HEREDITY BE DAMNED - DONE

✴AKA✴ James' and His Giant Peach

The pounding was loud, as loud as the first that had ever swung from my fist. Only this time when the huge door swung open I didn’t stumble inside, I strolled, head held high and proud like some reigning monarch. My heels clicked loudly on the marble tiles that were so much more impressive when I could actually see them through a steady gaze. Not that I was about to dole out compliments at that particular moment.

“What the hell… I didn’t invite you in.”

“That’s okay, I’m not here to see you.” I scanned the room after flexing the collar of my jacket and slipping my hands into the pockets. “Where is he?”

The dark-haired Tiger, Gonza, narrowed his gaze on me and I was 83 percent certain he was the same one that guarded… or tried to, the door the last time I’d come to ‘visit’. I had to be given some lee-way considering how distorted the warden had been that other time. And I was being quite cooperative this time, I hadn’t even raised my voice or tried to cause a commotion. Yet.

Although, he didn’t seem convinced at all by the charming smile I brandished in his direction.

“I’ll not leave until I see him. You could, of course, call the authorities to have me removed. I wonder how interested they might be in having a look around if given the chance to come in to get me.”

He definitely didn’t buy it. I just smiled a bit wider.

“There’s nothing here they’d be interested in.”

“Peachy keen, jellybean… so then, point me in the right direction… or perhaps we should give the fuzz a buzz…” I hummed softly and pointed to the closest room. “I seem to recall a phone in there, right?”

Without waiting, I started forward.

“He ain’t in there… in case you been livin’ under a rock, one of you beasts tried to kill him.”

“I’d be rude to point out unsuccessfully… but alas, no one would ever accuse me of having lady-like manners.” I turned back and tugged my hands out, waving them loosely as if in total surrender, “I come armed with only my wit and my sassy tongue. Both of which could wreak havoc on your fearless leader, if he’s lucky.”

“Whatever it is you planned, you can just unplan it… he’s not-”

“Bonnie?”

Both of us turned and my heart skipped a beat. Gonza was the first of us to move, striding over to a barefoot, bare-chested James, a bottle of pop in one hand striding from a hallway to the right of where we stood. The bright white patch of gauze taped to his abdomen did little to conceal the ridges there but it did serve to remind me of the amount of danger he’d been in. If anything more serious had happened… well I just didn’t know what I would have done. But it certainly resolved any hesitancy I felt about being there right at that time.

“I’m handling it, James.”

“No, he’s not.”

Both of them turned at my interruption. My hands were once more stashed in my jacket, drawing more attention to the taut leather. The flicker of annoyance that flashed in his eyes as he viewed that garment made my lip curl wickedly at the corner.

“I am.” Gonza insisted in what he probably hoped sounded stern and authoritative. “She’s just about to leave.”

“No, I’m not.” Again I drew both gazes. “I’m not leaving until I speak with you.”

Well, maybe I shouldn’t have felt so emboldened. Not after taking in the look of uncertainty on James’ face. But there was no backing down now, whatever happened afterward was left to the fates.

“It’s okay, Gonza.”

The exchange between them was silent but convincing, apparently, because with one last suspicious look his friend left us alone. James waved a hand, guiding me to the room I’d been headed to when he appeared.

The archway we passed through left little privacy for our discussion, and any of his buddies could pop in to rescue him from my clutches at a moment's notice.

“Well…?”

I remained standing while he sought a seat, resting on the edge of one cushion as he watched me ruefully. Without further delay, I tugged my hand again and tossed a wad of bills onto the table ahead of him.

“What’s the meaning of this?”

He looked confused as he looked up.

“I’m guessin’ you didn’t come here for a lesson on how money works…”

“Funny. No. Why did you make her give that to me?”

Giving him credit, he didn’t pretend to misunderstand. He did, however, snort again.

“Belle is about as controllable as you are.”

“Thanks for the compliment… but that doesn’t explain anything at all. She certainly didn’t give me this of her own accord.”

“Look at you soundin’ all lawyerly.”

“Nice try…” I shook my head belaying my words and was done tip-toeing around. “Was it for me to leave?”

Confusion slowly gave way and he shrugged.

“Isn’t that what you said you were doing?”

“I’m asking if it’s what you want.”

“You’ve made it clear, twice now, that you want nothing to do with me.” He shrugged again, cautiously. “I’m not in the habit of forcing my attention on someone who dislikes it so very much.”

I frowned.

“Just like most men… I believe you haven’t been paying attention.”

He scoffed and stretched his legs out, crossing them at the ankles. The exposed abdominal muscles flexed as well, drawing my too-willing attention. But his wince and the creases on his forehead when I looked upward spoke of the pain he still dealt with. He was quick to try and mask it with an artificial lopsided grin.

“Are you calling me ordinary?”

My laugh was a lot more genuine but still hesitant. I wished I could read his mind.

“Things between us would be a whole hellova lot less complicated if you were.”

“Well… you have the cash to make your escape now as you wanted.”

I frowned and shrugged.

“Maybe I’ve decided to stop letting what Daisy did… and how she treated… well, used me, influence all other relationships I could have in my life.”

“It’s hard…” he muttered after a long pause without relinquishing our locked gazes, “not getting damaged or corrupted by family drama. In a shit town like this, it just becomes generational… falling in line and repeating the same damned things. You were smarter running away.”

“No. It was just easier. Then it gets lonely, having only yourself to rely on and care for. Then you go and let yourself fall in love for the first time with some wise-ass, show-off, raging bull and you have no damned clue what to do about it. Fight or flight kicks in and you're dancing in limbo between both.”

“Don’t you mean Tiger?”

Was that hope I heard in his voice or just more ego? Not that it mattered. I lowered my guard and stripped raw my pride. He would have the power to embrace or reject me at that moment as I laid my heart on the line.

“Yes. I do mean Tiger.”

Heat flashed in his eyes and there was hardly a pause before he reached for me. Together we wiggled that tight skirt up my thighs so that I could easily straddle his lap while his hands reached around to grope my ass. I knew this was right, exactly where I was meant to be. Home. And even though I made every effort to avoid his patched side he certainly wasn't trying to make it easy for me or either of us, really. Goosebumps spread along my limbs when he slowly eased me close enough for his mouth to brush against my ear.

“That must be damn hard for you.” I groaned, too caught up in having him near after almost two full weeks. “Admitting that I am right.”

It took a moment for the words to sink in, the teasing tone of his husky voice sent chills down my spine. But still, I rolled my eyes as a grin tugged at my lips then very lewdly ran my tongue up the side of his cheek.

“There’s a first time for everything, Lord Kitty… don’t expect it to happen often.”

“I’m finding it hard to imagine you have a whole lot of first-times still to have.”

“Not up for the challenge?”

“Never doubt your Tiger King, my peach.”

I wrinkled my nose. “Peach?”

He smirked and dug his fingers more firmly into my bum. “Well… Bonnie is still a dirty Croc… right?” The hopefulness for denial was utterly transparent. When I smirked back he snorted in disgust. “Right. Well… that… and Vixen is dead…”

“Is she?”

“Absofuckinlutely. My girl won’t be seducing strangers to steal their clothes.”

“What about their wallets?”

He squeezed harder making me squirm forgetting all about the delicacy of my position. He sucked in a breath, making me gasp as well.

"I'm sorry!"

“I swear I’m gonna kill that Jojo.”

“You’re not!”

He sighed dramatically but it was obvious he was in pain. I tried to shift away but his fingers sunk into my thighs, keeping me still.

“Fine. I’m not. But I sure as hell want to right now with you so close and being unable to do more than this.”

He began lazily caressing my thigh but it was obvious from the bulge under me that he wanted much more than that.

“Maybe I should get you tucked into bed and I can use a gentler way to help you relax.”

A slow leering grin stretched across his face.

“How unselfish of you…”

I smirked as I squirmed off his lap. “Not at all. These dumb tigers have let you take this slow road to recovery… it’s time you hurried that shit up because I have needs.”

He laughed, heartily and it filled me with a joy I couldn’t even begin to define.

“Then, by all means, my impatient brat… let’s hurry this shit up.”

It took less time than expected for him to drift off to sleep but I lingered for a while after, straightening things around his room just to stay busy between my checking on his comfort a few times. Gonza checked in twice as well, the first time with a crap-load of skepticism about my still being there, the second with a grudging acceptance as James snored blissfully from his bed. I’m sure, had he known of the mischievous scheme that rushed through me before I left that night, I’d never have been left alone with a thoroughly unconscious James and a very unchaperoned denim jacket.

⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️

It was another week later, after long and giggly cya later’s were exchanged with the departing Crocs, I found myself settling into James’ pick-up, road maps stretched across my lap highlighted with the route to some port town provided by Rover. The place James could find his wayward brother.

James was feeling much better and he thoroughly proved it in the wee hours of the morning before I returned home to finish my packing. And he proved it again, reaching over and cupping the back of my neck to pull me into a very heated and passionate kiss. It’s possible he meant to embarrass me by the loud hisses and heckles that streamed from the front of the Villa by those in his gang still lingering over their goodbyes. But the way his chest panted as rapidly as mine and I could see a very obvious bump growing in his pants only made me smirk at his attempt.

“How the hell I fell for a damned Croc I’ll never understand!”

My heart raced madly before a spurt of laughter bubbled out of me. That he thought that was the very worst thing he could say about me tickled me pink. But before he had the chance to even stick the key in the ignition I cleared my throat.

“Forget something?”

“No. I…” I hoped to hell I wasn’t blushing. “I was wondering.”

“Oh, God. That sounds dangerous.” I mashed my lips together but he was grinning like a Cheshire cat. “Tell me…”

“I was wondering. After you finish with Frank… would you mind taking a bit of a detour on the way home?”

“Have somewhere specific in mind?”

I was definitely blushing.

“Just a couple hours off route, I think. Maybe. It might be a huge waste of time. They might have moved by now.”

“They?” But before I could respond he seemed to understand perfectly. “Your family?”

I shrugged and glanced down at the map. I’d considered it a lot the night before, recognizing the strength James was showing in confronting his brother. In seeking some closure. It was beyond time that I did the same.

“As I said, they may have moved on by now.”

“Well, we’ll just go find out for ourselves.”

“Thank you.”

I hated that I sounded small and meek. I cleared my throat again. Then James turned pure asshole making it a lot easier to slip out of that headspace as he revved the engine.

“You sure you don’t want me to drop you in some big city afterward… let you get lost in the life you used to have?”

I wrinkled my nose, “Only if you’re planning a game of hide and seek.”

He laughed but then turned a bit somber and shook his head as the truck started down the long graveled drive. “Wouldn’t mind some fun and games… but I’ve gotta get back and figure out how to get my operation back up.”

“Maybe warn me where you’re keeping your stash and I’ll try to avoid tossing a molotov cocktail into the vicinity the next time you piss me off.”

“Are you always planning to be a worrisome brat?”

“Just keeping you on your toes.” I grinned wickedly.

“Two can play that game you know… I’ve been told I can be quite maddening.”

I puffed at him and rolled my eyes but his devilish grin definitely had my stomach coiling into tight, excited knots.

“Give it your best shot, tomcat!”

His gaze narrowed as he peeked over at me after turning onto the main road.

“That reminds me… where’s my goddamn jacket?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

R1-DONE | R2-DONE | R3-DONE | R4-DONE | R5-DONE

Last edited by BambiFoxx (31/10/2022 at 10:12)

Billie-Jean Booker
22— Crocodile
painter and alternative style therapist?
Interests: Belle, Dylan, Luke babies <3

Kilby Girl - The Backseat Lover
Bronze Radio Return - Up On & Over
Bronze Radio Return - Shake Shake Shake

last

”So are we still—“ Belle forces air down into her charcoal lungs, - “we are still—“

Billie chuckles, cutting Belle off. She’s leaning against a mint green submarine of a Buick which she had recently purchased and bumped into another car— no harm had come to the Buick. They stood parked by the quarry, late enough for darkness to have settled and emptied the ground of people.

“Of course babe—“ she throws a gaze over her shoulder and drops the cigarette to the ground, - “but that’s cute, like very cute Beatrice. This worry you got going on for me.” A few steps behind Belle stands with her arms crossed over her chest.

“Where did you get the money for this monstrosity?” The woman asked, slapping the rear.

“Completely legal and a moving in present for you,” Billie stands before the woman balancing on the heel of her feet hands stuffed in her pockets and a big grin on her face.

“It’s the color of my fuc— trailer,” she huffed.

“Pretty neat, right?” A pair of car keys dangles in the air, - “happy anniversary.”

“We haven’t moved yet,” Belle retorted with an eye roll and reached for the keys. Billie catches her hand pulling the woman in closer until their foreheads touch and her hand rests on her hips.

“We could have more anniversaries than one—“ her shoulders shrugged when she mindlessly brushed Belle’s hair over her shoulder.

“I am in favor.”

“How wonderful it is to be alive,” Billie plays a playful smile on her lips still holding onto Belle’s fingers.

”Stop ruining my anniversary—“ Belle breathes against her lips. They are softness at first, no sharp edges nothing which you could cut yourself on. You eliminate the space between us and consume all oxygen. There’s just an all consuming feeling of never being close enough, hands grasping at whatever they could reach. - “I hate the Buick,” she adds when they are coming up for air.

“Yeah—“ Billie muses against her lips. You’d let her in under your skin if you could and you are uncertain if there would ever be enough time. It’s Belle and it’s Billie, and it’s her own hands cupping the woman’s face until she collapses into her and  the car keys are somewhere on the ground. - “Ask me again if I’d go with you.”

“Stop being childish.”

*****************************

“Giovanni—“ the boy does a double take at his formal name.

“A—are you angry?” A tremble, a harsh swallowing to clear the throat as if he’s talking to someone important. Billie throws her head back in a chuckle, she might be a little high and she goes with it.

“Would it help?”
“Probably not,” he smiles, catching whatever she’s contaminating the air with.

“I think it sounds softer, more loving. The way your mother intended when choosing it,” Billie replies, head hung backwards and now watching her feet up in the air.

“No trouble,” Luke walks in on them in the kitchen.
“I’d never.” He rushes the answer the way a mouse rushes from a cat.
“Billie would.”
“Billie would,” Billie repeats in a snicker.

“Are you actually leaving?” Jojo asked with a set of playing cards shuffling in his hands.

“Yeah—“ she sits up and taps the table for a card, - “you’ll barely notice I am gone.”

“Liar liar pants on fire,” he threw her a card face up a queen of hearts.
“It’s just a town over and I’ll have plenty of free time,” she taps the table again.
“So you’ll be back— like often?”

“Yeah of course, Belle will work her little butt off and I’ll just be selling paintings and be rich in no time,” she shrugs her shoulders.

“Nonchalant,” Luke comments, taking a beer from the fridge and sits down on the corner of the table, - “21? Hit me.”

“Confident without overbearing,” Billie replies and Luke gets a Jack of clovers, - ”we’ve got that in common.” Jojo flips a card for the dealer and lands a joker.

“If only I had this luck in real life,” he says jokingly, twiddling the card between his fingers.
“You are—“

*********************************

Modern turquoise walls and matching counters with black and white chess floor where the women sit in the morning sun sharing a package of cornflakes and milk straight from the jug. They sneak glances and exchange coded laughter. Their timing wasn’t perfect but it would never be, life wasn’t perfect so they decided to drop everything and build something new. Now they had until the end of time and isn’t that perfect?

Perfect in the way last night when a warmth embraces her face; she leans into what feels like sunshine and all else falls away until it embraces her lips. It’s natural. The two had always been a constant in each other’s lives. Space falls away between them, the floor drops before the softness of a bed catches the girls. Belle draws back hunched over on her hand and there’s a unanimous smile exploding between them, she was always the answer wasn’t she?

“Should I hold your hand tonight?” Belle asks a fist full of captain crunch but she eats them one by one.
“You should.”
“People will talk,” she points out which was a given.

“Babe—“ Billie smiles, - “they’ll talk anyways from just the way we look at each other, it doesn’t matter. Just makes my art edgier.”

“Or I just shouldn’t come at all, we could ask Luke or Dylan to go with you,” Belle continues.”

“Belle— stop being—“

“What? I love your careless attitude just not applied here, it’s not as if we are accepted. Even the government calls it deviant, I am pumping the breaks for you before we crash,” a captain crunch is sent flying the short distance between them.

“You’d rather just be roommates?”

“No. Of course not Jean, but we need to be realistic as well, this is not back at home where everyone will have our back and wrap us in bubble wrap.”

“Okay—“ Billie nods slowly and picks up the captain crunch from the floor and eats it, - “I’ll call Dylan.”

“You’ll be a public person Jean, you could actually get hurt by someone who does not consent to our view of the world,” Beatrice has a serious look on her face but it’s hard for Billie to take her seriously with the milk mustache and oversized t-shirt.

“Can you handle what this entails?” They were about to step out of their little bubble.

“Yes.” Belle replies without missing a beat, - “don’t question me looking after you, I have looked after you our entire lives,” she adds annoyed and a little insulted.

“So the day when we can, you’d marry me?” Billie leans back on her hands with a mischievous smile.

“Depends on the size of the ring—“

Done even if I wanted to add more but this is what I have time for

Last edited by Mimira (31/10/2022 at 11:17)

All About Betty

Name (and nickname): Elizabeth Johnson, called Betty or Ace
FC: Laura Harrier
Age: 23
Occupation: works at The Bar with her brother, Luke
Traits: Resourceful, often out and about. Observant, believes herself to be good at reading people and situations. Competitive. Approachable and generally friendly. Warm, supportive and caring with her friends, but often with mordancy and a good dose of wry humour. Has the hardest time asking for help, without realizing, she is not good at opening up (reserved, one might say, altho if you buy a drink from her at The Bar, it wouldn't seem like it). She's usually daring and audacious, but her care-dare graphic is a parabola: after a certain limit, the more vulnerable she feels, the more she's going to recoil. Doesn't like showing their sensitive side. Great at giving advice, but bad at following them herself. Takes care of herself, vain about her appearance.
Info, personality & biography:
Betty and Luke were very young when they first showed up in town - seemingly a burden for their uncle who just got stuck with two kids after the death of his only sister. So, fun uncle Chuckles became uncle Charles in a very short time. The dynamics changed, the uncle changed, and by the time they realized their entire life changed overnight, it was a done deal. Luke and Ace spent many evenings and afternoons writing their homework in the backroom of the watering hole that was - very literally, maybe? - called The Bar. And uncle Charles was a very, very resourceful man: he would always come up with money last minute, he would always find the necessary liquor for the patrons of his bar, and he knew which patrons were safe to toy with and which ones were not. The only thing the good uncle did not know how to do is stop his outrageous lifestyle.

But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

Oh, and Ace? Well, uncle Charles did not care for the name of his late mother, and Betty did get excellent grades in school.

While Luke saw nothing worth mimicking in his uncle’s behaviour - his was, and Betty believes always will be that hard work and an honest heart will get you places - Betty picked up on all the little things that can help you when you run a bar or you grow up a woman in this world. Observing people you encounter to detect potential trouble, being charming whenever it’s required and without crossing limits, stashing the good booze and occasionally, crossing that moral line just in case you need to get by.

Luke noticed it - no matter how much she liked to say her brother did not know her as well - so, he ultimately backed her wish to get out of this small town and head for the big city. It was a whole ordeal for her, the best thing that could have happened - at 18, you know everything, right?

Well, she did, and she left the town, enjoying whatever the world can give, which is a lot of things all at once, and very little confidential information gives an honest reply. She went to seek a career, an education, to make it in fashion, maybe showbiz, or she found love? But the strings that come with the town have this strong pull on everyone there, Betty included, and the only thing that could have brought her back did happen: uncle Charles' outrageous lifestyle finally caught up to him and the fact he managed to hide the fact he was sick for an outrageous amount of time...well, that was the one last bit of fun uncle Chuckles in him. Distraction is easier than confronting your problems.

And that desire not to (over)share? It remains a strong part of her personality. Especially since she came back for uncle Charles' funeral and decided to stay - for a while, for a bit longer, forever? No one is sure. Again, so many unconfirmed theories she is not confirming nor disputing. She is there, maybe to stay, maybe not. Time will tell.

Gang alignment: Crocodiles. Established member (sorta, she got in earlier this spring).

Relationships:
Loves her brother Luke, thinks he's the best, and at the same time thinks he is too honest for this world (or, The Bar, because this is their primary source of money).
She's familiar with the Crocs and gets along well with the Dale siblings. She's friendly (perhaps friends that just fell out of practice when she moved out, but are picking up now she's back?) with Dale and Junior, and feels a bit protective over Peggy in these last few months.
She went to school with James and Zeke, has some business with James, and shares an estranged friendship with Zeke and Joe possibly.
Good terms with Billie, too. And possibly other members of the Crocs. Accepting the new ones with an open mind.

Thunder road: Recklessness is kicking in, so hell yes! With Jack as her (scared) second
Interests: Lee & Luke!

Get out your map, pick somewhere and just run

She stares at the suitcase next to the bed, and for a moment, it feels like it might be looking back. With the weeks behind her, haunting felt like a very natural progression of events.

Well, Peggy was doing better - fighting with Dylan while pulling on her IV in an attempt to strangle him with it - and Dylan is back to being friends with Luke. James is okay, and okay with Lee, and Lee is okay with James, so everything is okay apparently.
Getting there.

In case there is no haunting about to take place, but the suitcase hasn’t given any diabolical signs.

But, she still sits there, staring at it. A hand creeps on her waist, a soft moan from the waking man in the bed behind her, and she takes his hand.

“Feeling better?”

He pulls her closer instead of saying something.

“Packing?”

“Trying.”

His soft smile turns to chuckle, and it’s somewhere between “good job” and “I can tell you did not pack a thing.”

“We need to set some time,” she decided.

“You mean for the departure?” Lee asked as she turned towards him. He’s on his back, eyes closed, Betty leans for a kiss. It was hard not to do.

“Yes,” she confirmed. “So, we’re heading out on Tuesday.”

“Tuesday?”

“It’s not Monday, so it’s not expected, and riding out on weekends feels like you should ride out to have some fun, and Wednesday is predictable like Monday,”

“What about Thursday?”

“Absolutely not, it’s too close to the end of the week, and Friday—”

“So, I guess this means Friday is out, too,” he chuckled, she confirmed. “You told Luke already?”

“I haven’t,” she replied.

“You need to tell him as soon as possible, I imagine,” Lee replied, reaching for her hand that sits on his chest now.

“I do.”

tis the damn season

The place they rent in LA overlooks Venice Beach and it would be well beyond their means if they did not agree to step out in December. It feels quite good, it feels easy and in the moments when she is completely overwhelmed by the experience of actually sharing life, not just bits of it, she paces around wondering about the first misstep she’d take to make it all go away. And at that moment he usually shows up, as if she put on some beacon of panic and he answered the call. Slowly, it feels like these moments happen less and less. She hopes for it, either way.

Come December, the great move is undergoing, and they find their way to the place where it all started, in their personal Nowhere, Nevada. Luke is happy to see her - well, them now - and the small change in the rituals makes the best of changes, so they are behind the bar together occasionally during December, all grins and stupid inside jokes, and it’s quite simple and very grin-inducing for both.

There’s still some magic in returning to the beginning choreography - Lee spending some time with his Tigers, Betty participating in a few Dale/Jackson combined family dinners with some extended members and visiting people, too - and at the end of the day, the comfort of sitting back in their car, driving out, feels like the right call.

Until, suddenly, the turns right at the intersection.

“Where are you taking me?”

“You need to see where I usually spend some time in January,” he replied.

“Oh?”

Lee smiled, mockingly replying. “Oh.”

“In that case,” she nods. “I’d love to head a little bit south when we’re done visiting, I hear New Orleans is beautiful!”

DONE!

Last edited by Zaralee (01/11/2022 at 08:44)

Mary "Missy" Jameson

Background information

FC: Dove Cameron
Age: 18
Occupation: High School Graduate who is now supposed to actively be seeking her M.R.S
Traits: Too intelligent for her own good and manipulative enough not to show it, Mary "Missy" Jameson is the only daughter of the town mayor and on the surface is the picture of prim femininity, always ready with a demure smile or a kind word and capable of being flirtatious when it suits her although she doesn't want to give anyone the wrong idea about what kind of girl she is. Admittedly though, albeit in only select company she can be a bit naive. Her father's position and her mother's old money have kept her comfortable but she's beginning to chafe against the expectations that come with her position, especially as it means she's expected to be married off in a year and a mother soon after that. Up until now her rebellions have been minor and easy to explain away as she's fairly cautious but she's no longer interested in playing by rules that aren't wholly her own which perhaps defeats the purpose of aligning herself with one of the two rival gangs in town but if she wants real excitement she figures this is the best place to start.

Gang alignment: Crocs

Interests: Peggy (FI), Junior (RI)

Story-DONE

Dear August-DONE

Waking up in the hospital waiting room the next morning I was greeted almost immediately by my father rushing in, my mother trailing behind him.

"Missy!" He called out, "There you are, are you okay?"

"You're not hurt are you?" My mother asked meekly.

"I'm fine daddy," I said sleepily stretching, "Junior-"

"How could I forget?" My father said as he turned to Junior who also had seemed to just open his eyes, "The nurses told us what happened and I owe you a debt of gratitude for getting Missy and your sister to safety." He finished as he reached out to shake Junior's hand.

"Yes thank you," my mother echoed her voice still small, "You must be ready to get home," my mother added.

"Home?" I asked skeptically, her words from the night before still loud and clear in my head.

"Or if you're up for it, I'm sure we could get you to the airport in time to make your flight," my father said looking at his watch.

"You'd have to run every red light in town daddy," I said glancing at the clock in the corner of the room.

"Good thing I can order a police escort then," he said with a laugh.

"Daddy that's not necessary, I really just want to check in on Peggy."

"I'm sure that the Dale girl needs to rest, or at the very least wants to be with her family," my mother said, the snobbish tone I knew well finally returning to her voice.

"With all due respect Mrs. Jameson, I know that Peggy views Mary very much like a sister," Junior started, "And I'm sure she'd like to see her, especially since Missy helped me find her."

My mother looked as if she was going to protest, but my father stopped her.

"We can wait here while you see Peggy," my father said getting ready to take a seat.

"It may be a while Mayor Jameson," Junior said, "If you have no objection to it, I can drive Missy home."

Once again my mother looked prepared to protest, and once again my father stopped her.

"You proved yourself to be quite responsible last night son," my father started, "So if that's what Missy wants it's okay with me."

"Thank you daddy," I smiled. "I'll be home soon."

***

Aside from the occasional cough, Peggy was no worse for the wear after surviving her ordeal.

"Promise you won't disappear like that again Pegs," I pleaded one afternoon as we sat in my room.

"Cross my heart," she said with a smile before she proceeded to tell me about the trip she was planning on taking to close out the summer. "Come with us," she started, "It'll be a scream."

"I'm sure it will be," I said laughing at the thought of a road trip, "but there are some things I need to take care of here in town."

While she pressed I wasn't quite ready to reveal that they involved Junior.

***

As much as I knew I needed to speak to Junior there was a part of me that was dreading it, still feeling conflicted about my declaration of love, albeit not directly to him, and knowing that we needed to discuss it sooner rather than later.

It took a few days but I was finally able to track him down, riding his motorcycle at one of the abandoned farms on the edge of town.

"Looking to go for a ride?" he asked nonchalantly as if the summer and what we were doing was still new.

"Looking to talk."

Over the next hour or so we said all of the things we should have said a week ago, revealing our fears, and the lingering question of what would happen next.

"I do love you Missy," he said at the end of our conversation. "Tell me you know that."

"I love you too," I said with a smile leaning in for a kiss.

"Well I knew that," he laughed, "After the way you screamed it at your mother."

"Speaking of," I sighed "I think we should tell our families."

***

Peggy was predictably elated with the news, declaring she always wanted a sister before Junior reminded her that we were dating and not engaged.

"Not yet," Peggy said with a wink, "I call dibs on being the maid of honor."

My father, seeing Junior through different eyes since the fire was happy as long as I was, but my mother was her snobbish self, although that may have had at least something to do with the fact that I refused to take off Junior's leather jacket throughout the dinner I'd arranged for the three of us.

"It could be worse mother," I whispered, "Remember when you thought I was pregnant, at least I may have a chance to get married first." I laughed.

And looking at Junior I smiled at the possibilities of what may lay ahead...

Rounds 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 DONE

Last edited by Dare (31/10/2022 at 17:28)

That’s it, folks! We are at the close. Is this where we bury the hatchets? Put down our guards? Love has proven to be stronger than hate this time around and surely that can guide us better. No matter if you picked up and left for good, with plans of returning or stayed to keep working, for the money and on yourselves – the road doesn’t matter, it’s how you haul. What we know for sure it that the lines between Crocs and Tigers are blurrier now. As for the future, it will have to prove how hard old hatin’ habits die.

What? I’ve nothing more for you, you’ve brought this lovingly to an end. I’ll excitedly skip ahead and catch the last bits of your stories as you ride into that sunset. Not the sunsets of your lives, those are still at the start darlings, but into the sunset of this story. Thank you for bringing me on the ride of your lives this summer! It’s been an absolute blast.

○

It’s a wrap! I’m going to relieve myself of this narrator-host persona now and inhabit myself instead. Any weirdness and broken English, let’s just attribute all faults to them instead and rid me of any responsibility? Thanks. No, I’m kidding, I’m taking responsibility, especially if you had the tiniest bit of fun, because I had a lot of fun. It made for a good deal of excited squeals and laughter, often suppressed as your stories accompanied me in the silent zone on my never-ending train rides under the month. Now my readings will have to go back to consisting of theory and articles, as I may have some non-fiction catching up to do.

I want to give you all a huge thank you for making this as good as it was. I have some more in depth thanks to bring you, but it might take some time to gather my thoughts, so it will most likely arrive after I’ve had a few hours to catch up after work tomorrow.

In the meantime, this is to those who fancy – a short playlist with songs which, to me, carry meaning in regard to your characters and this whole story. On two platforms, for your convenience:

Spotify | Youtube

○

The Fierce Crocodiles - aka the three B-babes and Missy

Betty by Zaralee

Thank you Zara, for letting Betty blossom so beautifully to give insight into her depth, having her turning to face and realise some of her flaws and acting with a whole lot of heart.

Billie by Mimira

I’m sorry Mira if I started to ship Bille with just EVERYONE after a while, and also, thank you for that, her empathy made for great love stories, weather they were platonic and romantic you wrote them all with great care.

Bonnie by Bambi

Thank you Bambi, for making James the fun kind of asshole. Bonnie and he were destined from the moment she first skinned him and it turned into an intricate dance of back and forth, ups and downs

Missy by Dare

Thank you Dare, for truly making Missy too intelligent for her own good, and for my good as there might have been some pulling my hair out trying to come up with appropriate challenges - but it was a delight to watch Missy waltz through them brilliantly.

The Honourable Tigers

Ellie by J3zab3ll

Thank you Jez, for joining with Ellie and cooking all the flavours, the bitter rivalry and all the sweetness of a tentative love.

Caty by Schoggo

Thank you Schoggo, Caty’s presence might have come to a too early end but the vulnerability and fireceness she brought with her was missed all the more for it.

○

Let me just gush a little bit more…

Through this month, I've come to gain an even higher degree of respect for you who host regularly than I already had, thank you for doing that work with excitement! I promise never to complain over reasonable situations again, well I'm sure I will and if I do feel free to just direct me back here.

Really, thank you for enjoying this.
My procrastination game has been so great these last weeks that I have even taken to reading theory I don’t even need for my classes (leaving the mandatory articles left untouched), theory looking deeper into the definition of fiction. If you care for some rambling, bear with me, I’m hoping this will all make sense at the end of it. In Mimesis as Make-Believe Kendall L. Walton puts forward a theory in which they ground their definition of fiction as games of make-believe, the kind of games which children play everyday. Fiction is what grownups call it to separate themselves from the games of children.
I have come to the conclusion that I will always be a child to some degree, and so, thank you for joining me in this game of make-believe, for joining me in this sandbox. I hope I have not been the overbearing host, shoving sand cakes down your throats, but have presented them as gifts of opportunities. I have marvelled at all the details of the sand-castle-characters you've built, from the base to the delicate spires and watching them live through shared imagination.
All fiction is built on participation. To quote Walton: “Games of make-believe, however, are easily shared; we play them together. And doing so neither compromises the objectivity of the fictional worlds nor lessens the spontaneity of participants' imagin-ings. [...] [T]he magic of make-believe is an extraordinarily promising basis on which to explain the representational arts-their power, their complexity and diversity, their capacity to enrich our lives.” SWC goes beyond participation and into collaboration. The extent of the collaborative aspect of the SWC-format is something which excites me to no end. I’m well aware that I am a fiction-fangirl, with obsessive tendencies and little to no self-control at times - but I really want you all to know how amazing I think it is that the words we all type together although we sit in front of our separate screens, the sentences and paragraphs - our games of make-believe, if you like - go together to build these awesome narratives and form extraordinary characters. I’m very happy to be writing with you all. Though I think I will stay on the contestant side for the most part.

That said, now I’m going to crawl under a blanket and knit my nerves back together by crocheting(:

Last edited by tricole (01/11/2022 at 19:37)

An absolutely awesome contest! A good deal of shtick, gimmick, and awesome storytelling on your part. I loved the creativity of this and look forward to your next foray into your hosting shoes.

Thank you for bringing this world and your awesome characters to us!

Also, totally dig the playlist!

Thank you so much for allowing us all to spend some time in your beautifully crafted world. You did a brilliant job creating both an interesting backstory and fleshed out paper people who were fluid in the most human ways making it a joy to write. I was excited for every round and more excited to see what you dream up next.

Ah! Firstly, congratulations on your first hosting gig, it was absolutely delightful.

Thank you for the amazing contest, the wonderful characters, and the lovely world you created for us to play in and build into, and for allowing Betty to step into it. I doubt this part is questionable at this point, but I truly enjoyed writing it: all the characters and personalities, the family, the stories - good parts and the harsh parts - everything.

Thank you for the playlist, too, and, hopefully, we do this again!

From concept to execution you did such an amazing job with this contest! Loved the characters and freedom which came with it, and it was just a good time all around. Absolutely looking forward to seeing you host again and hopefully finding the time to join!

Thank you all for the kind word, banners are now posted up above. Until next time!