Setting
Default Location for 7 Years
Minimap
northwest |
north |
northeast |
west |
You are here. |
east |
southwest |
south |
southeast |
Bluffton, North Carolina is a part of 
7 Years.
8 Characters Here
Casey Worthington [20] "I really fucked it up this time. Didn't I, my dear?"
Amelia Boudreaux [18] I don't know how much someone can take from her.
Ben Bordreaux-Hansen [17] "we're writers, my love. we don't cry. we bleed on paper."
Jeremiah Hawk [15] "And the All-star is back, barely able to hide his limp."
Jenna Reynolds [15] Mom, I am a rich man
Nas Amasio-Hansen [14] "And you see him as you fall asleep, never to touch and never to keep..."
Diana Boudreaux [12] clever & devoted
Nathaniel Price [11] I took the road and I fucked it all the way
Start Character Here »
────────────────────────────
────────────────────────────
A M E L I AXB O U D R E A U X
_____ T H EXF R E EXS P I R I T _____
Outfit: Link Here
Location: The Boudreaux-Hansen Home
Dialogue Color ✦ #C35817
Thought Color ✧ #730800
────────────────────────────
A M E L I AXB O U D R E A U X
_____ T H EXF R E EXS P I R I T _____
Outfit: Link Here
Location: The Boudreaux-Hansen Home
Dialogue Color ✦ #C35817
Thought Color ✧ #730800
and
────────────────────────────
────────────────────────────
I K E N A S I OXA M A S I O - H A N S E N
_____ T H EXB A DXB O Y _____
Outfit: Link Here
Location: The Boudreaux-Hansen Home
Dialogue Color ✦ #307D7E
Thought Color ✧ #183E3F
────────────────────────────
I K E N A S I OXA M A S I O - H A N S E N
_____ T H EXB A DXB O Y _____
Outfit: Link Here
Location: The Boudreaux-Hansen Home
Dialogue Color ✦ #307D7E
Thought Color ✧ #183E3F
Seven years away would never be enough to escape the anxiety brought about by an event hosted by Margaret Boudreaux, especially when one of the attendants happens to be her own flesh and blood. Her youngest daughter, at that. Amelia has been gone for what she innately knows was too long, but she has not forgotten the minutiae of readying herself for her mother's scrutiny, for her mother's audience's entertainment. It's a momentous time of the year, after all - for the company, at least. When the family hosts a party so close to the beginning of fall, it brings in potential clients for the fall or winter months; the more debonair and luxurious their event seems, the more likely they are to draw in the attention and money of likeminded clients who want to them to tailor their experiences.
Regardless of if this is all supposed to be about Ben.
"You're nervous," is rumbled behind her from the spacious bed of the master bedroom. Amelia did not have to glimpse the scene behind her to know that Nas turned to Dion, eyes glittering like obsidian as they soften for the boy each time he looks Dion's way, to stage-whisper to the toddler's ear, ""Mama's nervous." Her son's shrieked giggle at probably being tickled made Amelia's chest ache with affection, love expanding too big in the limited space that is her chest, so close to bursting to the very seams of her that she had to pause in her perusal of Nas' wardrobe, her ponytail swishing against her slightly exposed back.
"Of course, I am," she agreed easily, plucking out the shirt she'd honestly decided upon two minutes ago, but had hesitated simply because she hadn't wanted to fight Nas on his fashion choices. "Had it not been for myself and my brilliance - " Nas snorted. " - you would've managed to throw away a golden opportunity and now, I am making sure that you won't." Dion seemed to become fascinated with Nas' large shoes once more, tiny body slipping off the bed before Nas could snatch him from falling too quickly. The toddler crumpled to the floor like paper, making Nas' breath catch, but only seemed to stay there as he slipped his hands into Nas' sliders, grinning up at the older man with tiny teeth and dimples as he made a clomp-clomp sound with the shoes on the hard floors below.
"Golden opportunity?" Nas cursed himself for having to ask. Amelia paused then, the button up in one hand and a hat that sent a pang of remembrance through him. It must've been what the diminutive blonde had reached up on the tips of her toes for, even in her heels. She turned to him sharply, narrowed hazel eyes alight with determination.
"An opportunity to re-present yourself as a source of comfort, understanding, and healing for your estranged husband," she informed him primly and Nas let out a long sigh. Amelia frowned. "Don't make that face. Besides, you should be thanking me. By the time I'm done with you, you'll look too delicious for Benny not to want to come home. Maybe you might be trusted to administer some sexual healing, if you're real good."
"Lia!" He exclaimed and the blonde's eyes sparkled with mischief even as her son stared up at the volume of his voice in innocent bemusement. It still surprised him, at times, that the last person he would have thought would have the first child in their old friendship group would actually have the first child. Have the child, she did however, and though Amelia surprised him with how well she's taken to being a mother, she was still Amelia. And she seemed hard-pressed for anyone to forget that tidbit, especially as she waved off his concern.
"He's not paying me any attention and moreover, conversations like these go over his little mind," she said and when she turned to her son, it was difficult to recall the bewilderment he'd experienced when Ben first said that Amelia was pregnant, the wariness. It was so hard to recall his skepticism towards her maternal instincts when Amelia's entire face went soft, when fondness had her smile wider than he's ever seen it and her entire aura brighten so luminously it was difficult to believe she'd ever truly been happy when she looked quite like this. Amelia proceeded to coo at Dion and the boy's brown eyes were immediately drawn to her, his entire being beckoned by her voice as she spoke, "Isn't that right, bubba?" Nas watched fondly as pudgy arms reached for Amelia even as the toddler waddled over to her, one shoe apparently forgotten on the floor at some point.
Nas didn't know how to tell her that he doubted that there would be any sort of sexual, conversational, or well - any type of healing going down, no matter how much care she put into his attire. In truth, which had been the entire reason she'd set off to find him an outfit, Nas had considered not showing up. Sure, it would have been nice to see everyone after so long; Amelia had confirmed that mostly everyone was supposed to have been in town. Whether or not they showed up today was a completely different story, but he doubted they wouldn't come. Ben was the whole reason they were in town in the first place. Hell, seeing Ben would be nice - more than nice, it would be fucking fantastic. Compounded, however, with his trepidation of seeing a husband he was sure didn't want to see him was the hesitation to even see his in-laws. Diana had been a friend for years, especially in the time that Amelia had been gone, but as the only one he was sure welcomed him in to the family in the first place - he wasn't sure he had in him to contend with his husband's parents' displeasure.
Amelia, as always, had other plans. And once any child of the Boudreaux family made up their minds, only God himself was welcome to offer a second opinion.
"Amelia..." Nas tried anyway, though he knew it was futile. When Amelia threw the shirt at him, Nas sighed again, peeling the garment off his face in time to see Amelia scoop Dion up. She pressed a kiss into one apple-shaped cheek and the toddler giggled again, placing his own hands on her face with glee.
"It's already starting and you've already agreed to watch Dion with me," she reminded him. Amelia walked over to him and set the hat beside him before placing her hand over his bruised left shoulder, giving it a squeeze. Nas winced, only noting a moment too late that he wasn't supposed to. The pinched space between Lia's eyebrows made him wince again, even as the concern her eyes reached her voice, "Are you - ?"
"It's nothing," he stated quickly, rolling off her touch and sliding to his feet, towering over the now even more concerned blonde. Turning away from her, Nas made a show of lifting the hem of his shirt, but not exactly pulling it off. He'd done a good job of not walking around with shirts that didn't have at least short sleeves to hide the bruising and he had been good at shielding the small injury from her when she'd first come with a need for lodging. But he wasn't keen on sharing the sight of the blue-purple-mottled flesh nor how he'd received it, so he hoped Amelia would take the hint. The corner of his mouth twitching in an attempt at jesting, Nas added, "I hope you don't think you get to come back and boss me around the entire time." Amelia, still wary, grinned.
"How else am I gon' get y'all to get your heads outta your asses, sugar?" She shot back before hopping off, scooping her phone up from where she'd tossed it and heading towards the bedroom door, casually throwing over her shoulder as if she were the driver, "We live in five." Nas shook his head as she left and Amelia set to sending out two texts.
To: Benny Boo
im a goddess n im bringing you a meal in the form of your gorgeous husband.
appreciate me <3
To: Wifey <3
I MISS YOUR FACE!! are u here?
Regardless of if this is all supposed to be about Ben.
"You're nervous," is rumbled behind her from the spacious bed of the master bedroom. Amelia did not have to glimpse the scene behind her to know that Nas turned to Dion, eyes glittering like obsidian as they soften for the boy each time he looks Dion's way, to stage-whisper to the toddler's ear, ""Mama's nervous." Her son's shrieked giggle at probably being tickled made Amelia's chest ache with affection, love expanding too big in the limited space that is her chest, so close to bursting to the very seams of her that she had to pause in her perusal of Nas' wardrobe, her ponytail swishing against her slightly exposed back.
"Of course, I am," she agreed easily, plucking out the shirt she'd honestly decided upon two minutes ago, but had hesitated simply because she hadn't wanted to fight Nas on his fashion choices. "Had it not been for myself and my brilliance - " Nas snorted. " - you would've managed to throw away a golden opportunity and now, I am making sure that you won't." Dion seemed to become fascinated with Nas' large shoes once more, tiny body slipping off the bed before Nas could snatch him from falling too quickly. The toddler crumpled to the floor like paper, making Nas' breath catch, but only seemed to stay there as he slipped his hands into Nas' sliders, grinning up at the older man with tiny teeth and dimples as he made a clomp-clomp sound with the shoes on the hard floors below.
"Golden opportunity?" Nas cursed himself for having to ask. Amelia paused then, the button up in one hand and a hat that sent a pang of remembrance through him. It must've been what the diminutive blonde had reached up on the tips of her toes for, even in her heels. She turned to him sharply, narrowed hazel eyes alight with determination.
"An opportunity to re-present yourself as a source of comfort, understanding, and healing for your estranged husband," she informed him primly and Nas let out a long sigh. Amelia frowned. "Don't make that face. Besides, you should be thanking me. By the time I'm done with you, you'll look too delicious for Benny not to want to come home. Maybe you might be trusted to administer some sexual healing, if you're real good."
"Lia!" He exclaimed and the blonde's eyes sparkled with mischief even as her son stared up at the volume of his voice in innocent bemusement. It still surprised him, at times, that the last person he would have thought would have the first child in their old friendship group would actually have the first child. Have the child, she did however, and though Amelia surprised him with how well she's taken to being a mother, she was still Amelia. And she seemed hard-pressed for anyone to forget that tidbit, especially as she waved off his concern.
"He's not paying me any attention and moreover, conversations like these go over his little mind," she said and when she turned to her son, it was difficult to recall the bewilderment he'd experienced when Ben first said that Amelia was pregnant, the wariness. It was so hard to recall his skepticism towards her maternal instincts when Amelia's entire face went soft, when fondness had her smile wider than he's ever seen it and her entire aura brighten so luminously it was difficult to believe she'd ever truly been happy when she looked quite like this. Amelia proceeded to coo at Dion and the boy's brown eyes were immediately drawn to her, his entire being beckoned by her voice as she spoke, "Isn't that right, bubba?" Nas watched fondly as pudgy arms reached for Amelia even as the toddler waddled over to her, one shoe apparently forgotten on the floor at some point.
Nas didn't know how to tell her that he doubted that there would be any sort of sexual, conversational, or well - any type of healing going down, no matter how much care she put into his attire. In truth, which had been the entire reason she'd set off to find him an outfit, Nas had considered not showing up. Sure, it would have been nice to see everyone after so long; Amelia had confirmed that mostly everyone was supposed to have been in town. Whether or not they showed up today was a completely different story, but he doubted they wouldn't come. Ben was the whole reason they were in town in the first place. Hell, seeing Ben would be nice - more than nice, it would be fucking fantastic. Compounded, however, with his trepidation of seeing a husband he was sure didn't want to see him was the hesitation to even see his in-laws. Diana had been a friend for years, especially in the time that Amelia had been gone, but as the only one he was sure welcomed him in to the family in the first place - he wasn't sure he had in him to contend with his husband's parents' displeasure.
Amelia, as always, had other plans. And once any child of the Boudreaux family made up their minds, only God himself was welcome to offer a second opinion.
"Amelia..." Nas tried anyway, though he knew it was futile. When Amelia threw the shirt at him, Nas sighed again, peeling the garment off his face in time to see Amelia scoop Dion up. She pressed a kiss into one apple-shaped cheek and the toddler giggled again, placing his own hands on her face with glee.
"It's already starting and you've already agreed to watch Dion with me," she reminded him. Amelia walked over to him and set the hat beside him before placing her hand over his bruised left shoulder, giving it a squeeze. Nas winced, only noting a moment too late that he wasn't supposed to. The pinched space between Lia's eyebrows made him wince again, even as the concern her eyes reached her voice, "Are you - ?"
"It's nothing," he stated quickly, rolling off her touch and sliding to his feet, towering over the now even more concerned blonde. Turning away from her, Nas made a show of lifting the hem of his shirt, but not exactly pulling it off. He'd done a good job of not walking around with shirts that didn't have at least short sleeves to hide the bruising and he had been good at shielding the small injury from her when she'd first come with a need for lodging. But he wasn't keen on sharing the sight of the blue-purple-mottled flesh nor how he'd received it, so he hoped Amelia would take the hint. The corner of his mouth twitching in an attempt at jesting, Nas added, "I hope you don't think you get to come back and boss me around the entire time." Amelia, still wary, grinned.
"How else am I gon' get y'all to get your heads outta your asses, sugar?" She shot back before hopping off, scooping her phone up from where she'd tossed it and heading towards the bedroom door, casually throwing over her shoulder as if she were the driver, "We live in five." Nas shook his head as she left and Amelia set to sending out two texts.
To: Benny Boo
im a goddess n im bringing you a meal in the form of your gorgeous husband.
appreciate me <3
To: Wifey <3
I MISS YOUR FACE!! are u here?
The Valedictorian // Attire // Location: The Boudreaux-Hansen Home // #2a5d9c
Seven years. Seven god damn years. Casey didn't know what was worse, the fact that she'd be seeing some of the people that she hadn't seen in seven years for the first time, or that it had been seven years already. She couldn't decide which was worse, how that much time had gone by, or that it felt like no time at all. But here she was, standing in front of the sit-down mirror in her small apartment as she finished applying the last bit of her makeup. Casey was never one who went all out with her looks, especially in terms of makeup, so she went with as minimalistic, and as easy as she could manage. She haphazardly tied her hair up into a messy ponytail and called it a day. She wasn't exactly one for presentation now a days, which was one thing that changed drastically in the seven years since she had left Bluffton. She used to dress cleaner, neater. More feminine. Stereotypical. Everything her faith based parents wanted. But, as she left that house, and their rules, stepping out of her shell and safety net. Casey was now more comfortable in the way she presented herself. Loafers and combat boots for shoes. Tight jeans or slightly baggy dress pants, with a blazer and long sleeve shirt underneath. If only her mother saw her today. Mid-calf boots, dress pants, a black loose dress shirt, and an overcoat. Guinnevere would have a stroke, and maybe...Casey wouldn't mind paying to see it, how morbid of a thought it may have been. She shook her head of those thoughts. She wasn't here to spite her parents or anyone else. She was here for a friend who just got out of hospital not even a few days ago.
Casey remembered when she was in the middle of her last class of the day when her supervisor came into her classroom and pulled her aside, bringing her the news about Ben. She took immediate leave, booked the first flight she could get and was going back to the United States. Back to Bluffton. Back to her friends. Back to Je-Casey found herself blinking steadily as she snapped herself back to reality. She wasn't here for that. Least it's what she kept telling herself. In all reality, Casey didn't know what she was here for in all honesty. But, all she had to focus on was Ben and this damned party that his family was throwing. Of course they'd use a terrible excuse of their son's attempted suicide as an excuse to flash their wealth. Anything to draw the simplest attention. It only reminded her of Casey's own parents. If she had attempted the same thing..."Oh fuck me..." she muttered under her breath with a small groan, rubbing her temples as she rested her elbows on the dresser in front of her. A small whimper came from down beside her on the floor. Glancing off to the side, Casey's eyes landed on the midsized dog who wandered over to her, resting his head on her lap, "It's okay, buddy. I'm fine. Go back to your nap, bub." Casey mused as she placed a gentle kiss to the pitbull's forehead. His dark eyes trailed on her's for a moment before his tail waged happily and he strut back over to his bed on the floor in the corner with a content sigh escaping his lips. A small grin formed on her face for just a moment as she looked down at her phone, she still had thirty minutes until she'd be 'fashionably' late to this party. But, she knew Erin would kill her if she showed up late to this thing. As if her cousin wasn't going to give her enough grief as is. Casey knew the moment she showed up, Erin would grill her ass, about everything and Casey didn't know what she feared more. Having to see Jenna again like this, or having Erin being at this damned party as the hired on bartender. Who, if Casey would guess correctly, would spill all sorts of shit on everyone. It was just the way she was, and Casey knew she'd never change. Even when they were all in school, Erin happily called everyone out on their shit, and then some. That much never changed.
A resounding sigh escaped the blonde's lips as she slowly pushed herself to her feet, grabbing her sunglasses as she did so. Looking in the mirror once more, adjusting her hair once more as she tucked a few stray strands of hair behind her ear. Making sure she had everything, phone in her back pocket, packet of cigarettes and lighter in the interior pocket of her overcoat and some mints and gum in the other pocket on the other side. Just fucking kill me, Casey thought to herself as she opened the front door of her apartment and stepped outdoors, closing the door behind her as she made her way to the taxi that would take her to the The Boudreaux's home. To this god damn party.
----
The car-ride wasn't as long as she had initially thought it was going to be, or hell, even as long as she had hoped. But here she was. On her way to confront all of her ghosts from her past. Hell, she didn't plan for life to go this way until now. Especially now. But here she was. Alone. Going to a party where most likely everyone would be better off than she was. Something she had been fearing. But, Casey knew she'd have to put on a brave face for the night, and it's exactly what she was going to do. She felt the car slow and then finally come to a stop. Almost immediately feeling her stomach plummet as a lump formed in her throat, and a pit slowly forming in her stomach. "Alright, miss! Your destination has arrived!" the cabby called. Snapping Casey out of her hazed stupor. "Oh shit, right. Thank you!" she stammered, as she handed the man the money and opened the door of the cab. Stepping out into the fresh air, Casey took a deep breath as she looked around at the house. Yup, this was indeed a party. Good to know they never changed either. Casey rolled her eyes at the thought before she waved the cab off, and made her way to the frontdoor of the lavish house. Without knocking she pushed the door open and stepped in. Immediately being greeted by dozens of faces she didn't exactly recognize, but some she did. Giving small awkward nods and waves, small hellos as she weaved through the crowds until she found herself stumbling into the bar counter. "You alright there cut-Holy shit, Casey!?" an all too familiar voice shouted in surprise. Casey awkwardly rubbed the back of her neck as she locked eyes with none other than her own cousin, Erin, who was in the middle of filling up someone's glass. "Yup, that's me." she said awkwardly, flashing Erin a small smile. "Oh don't give me that shit, and get over here instead you dumbass!" she exclaimed as she ran from behind the bar and practically tackled Casey into a bear-hug. Which almost took the other girl off her feet, and onto her ass. But thankfully Casey had been anticipating it and managed to hold herself grounded enough. "Hey 'Rin" she greeted cheekily as she returned the tight embrace.
"You look fuckin' hot! Like, holy shit. I know we're related but like...Shit, dude." Erin gave her a small wink before she returned back to the bar. "Why are you like this?" Casey groaned mockingly as she took one of the seats on a stool at the bar counter. "Like what? Unashamedly myself? I thought you said to go out and be brave, Cas? Or...Was that not it?" she mocked. Casey feigned an overdramatic shocked expression, "Wow, using my own words against me, huh? I get it was stupid, but jesus christ. Gimme a break, alright?" Erin chuckled as she began pouring a drink she knew Casey would have wanted without even asking, "Oh please. If I was bustin' your balls you'd know. Speaking of which-" she started, before sliding the glass over to Casey, who took a sip and immediately regretted it once the next few words left Erin's mouth, "Where's your girlfriend anyway?" Casey found herself choking on the alcohol as it hit her tongue. "Holy fuck, Erin. Really?" she sputtered. Coughing as she tried to regain her composure. "Oh right...Yeah, you kinda fucked yourself on that end, didn't you?" the platinum blonde remarked. "Can we not already, Erin? I'm here for Ben, that's it. So, drop it." Casey retorted.
Erin shot her a small look that Casey knew all too well. The partially raised right eyebrow that had a small slit in it near the arch of her brow. The partially clenched jaw, the slightly squinted eyes. "You left nearly four years ago, with next to no word. You left your girl, for a job." Erin started, "But not only that, you left her to deal with that whole shit-show by herself. Do you even know how miserable she was after that? Cuz, I do. Because I was there for her, Cas. Kinda like you were supposed to be. But no. I had to clean up my own damn baby cousin's bullshit, like always." Casey remained silent, as the small vein in her forehead twitched, her eyebrows furrowed together as her jaw clenched tightly in place. Simply giving Erin the look to shut up, but she continued. "If you don't fix this shit. If you run away like a coward, you'd be no better now than you were back then. You're being given a second chance today, Casey. You get that right? Even if it doesn't end with you going home with the girl by the end of the night, you'll at least be able to get some sort of closure. Take the fuckin' hand that life is giving you right now, and fix this shit yourself. Or so help me god I will lock you and Jenna in a closet for the rest of the night until you fix your shit between you two. Because I swear, you're gonna kill me by the time I'm 30, and I'm nearly there." Erin finally finished her long rant as she cleaned out a shot glass, placing it to the side as she shot Casey a side eyed glance.
Casey couldn't help but admit that Erin made countlesly correct statements. Even if she didn't like it, she was right. About it all. And that was the worst part of it all. Erin was always right, and while she wasn't going to admit it aloud, she appreciated hearing it from someone else. Even if now wasn't the time. Hell, now especially wasn't the time. Casey opened her mouth to respond, but felt her phone buzz in her hand. Looking down she saw it was a text from Lia.
Lia:
I MISS YOUR FACE!! are u here?
The text read. Casey took a deep breath of relief as she sent out a quick response of her own.
Casey:
MISS YOU TOO, BABE! And yes! At the bar! Please help, Erin is already terrorizing me. I need help, ASAP!
Casey tucked her phone away back into her pocket as she got to her feet, glass in hand, "I swear, if you make tonight hell for me or any of the others. Well, more than you already did, I swear. I'm gonna have to kill you, Erin." Casey shot her a look, before a small grin creased her lips. "Love you too, Cas. Now, go see who you're actually here for, or was your booty call of a text more important?" Erin mocked, looking at another patron who placed a glass down. "Oh please. It was Lia. She was asking me if I was here yet. And I haven't seen Ben yet, but I'll get to looking for him soon. That and well, I've stuck to flying solo in recent years...Just...Easier that way." Erin flashed her cousin a grin, "Hey man, just cuz you're flying solo, doesn't mean you can't get any, if you know what I mean." Casey groaned, "Oh fuck me, come on now, Erin." Erin chuckled, "I mean, I don't think I'm the one you should be saying that to. Cuz, I'm pretty sure there's someone else here who you'd rather be saying that to, right?" Erin grinned. Casey felt her face flush, "I swear I will harm you if you don't shut up, Erin." Erin gave a small chuckle, "Sorry, just stating facts." Casey shook her head as she rubbed her temples, "You're infuriating." she chuckled as she took another sip of her drink, mindlessly going through her phone as she waited for Lia or another familiar face for her to say hi to. It's why she was here after all. Right?
xxxi've never so adored you
xxxi'm twisting allegories now
xxxi want to complicate you
xxxdon't let me do this to myself
Being back in his room in his childhood house felt... wrong. He hadn't slept here in years, and it didn't feel like his room any more. It didn't feel like home any more. It felt like a stranger's room. But he hadn't had anywhere else to go, and so he ended up here. Somewhere his parents could keep an eagle eye on him. His parents, especially his mother, kept talking about how wonderful it was to have him home again. They seldom seemed to address the incident that had brought him home, however. But that wasn't going to stop them from using him to quell the rumours that had already sprung up in the neighbourhood. Officially, this was just a casual get-together to celebrate the end of summer. Unofficially, it was a party to show off that their son was still alive and still a functioning member of society.
"Ben, darling, are you nearly ready? Everyone is arriving!" His mother called. "Yeah, just a minute!" He called back. It was the thought of everyone that was concerning him. Apparently it was everyone. Some of his high school friends had come home to see him. There was one name that his parents refused to even mention that was also the only name that Ben wanted to hear, even if he knew they'd likely spend the entire party avoiding each other. He wanted to see Nas again, more than anything. But he wasn't sure what the hell they were even supposed to say to each other, when the first time they'd seen each other in far too long was in the hospital.
His phone buzzed with a text as he got to his feet. Lia's text just made him roll his eyes. She seemed determined that Ben and Nas would get back together, no matter what. No matter how many times Ben said he was sure he'd ruined things for good, she would just roll her eyes and get back to whatever nefarious plotting she was doing at the time.
To: liiiiiiiia
behave yourself. mom and dad are already probably going to want to kill you. <3
He shoved his phone in his pocket and headed downstairs. Lia had told him that he was bringing Dion with her, and while Ben was thrilled to finally get to meet his nephew in person, he also knew that his parents might just have a stroke when she showed up with a kid and no ring. If they thought their son attempting suicide was shameful, their daughter being a single mother might just be a step too far for them. But Lia didn't need them to be happy about it, because Ben knew that Dion brought her all the happiness she needed. And that was what mattered at the end of the day.
He got downstairs, spotted his parents, and immediately headed in the other direction, finding himself drifting towards the bar. He had been delighted, if surprised, when he'd discovered that Erin Monaghan was going to be their bartender. She was another person he hadn't seen in years, and she'd always managed to make him the best drinks that were alcohol free and still not boring. But another figure caught his attention at the bar, one that managed to make him properly smile. She apparently didn't see him coming, which gave him the element of surprise. "Casey Worthington, in the flesh, all the way from England. I feel honoured," he teased as he stood beside his friend, grinning at her and bracing himself for the bear hug that he knew was about to come.
"Ben, darling, are you nearly ready? Everyone is arriving!" His mother called. "Yeah, just a minute!" He called back. It was the thought of everyone that was concerning him. Apparently it was everyone. Some of his high school friends had come home to see him. There was one name that his parents refused to even mention that was also the only name that Ben wanted to hear, even if he knew they'd likely spend the entire party avoiding each other. He wanted to see Nas again, more than anything. But he wasn't sure what the hell they were even supposed to say to each other, when the first time they'd seen each other in far too long was in the hospital.
His phone buzzed with a text as he got to his feet. Lia's text just made him roll his eyes. She seemed determined that Ben and Nas would get back together, no matter what. No matter how many times Ben said he was sure he'd ruined things for good, she would just roll her eyes and get back to whatever nefarious plotting she was doing at the time.
To: liiiiiiiia
behave yourself. mom and dad are already probably going to want to kill you. <3
He shoved his phone in his pocket and headed downstairs. Lia had told him that he was bringing Dion with her, and while Ben was thrilled to finally get to meet his nephew in person, he also knew that his parents might just have a stroke when she showed up with a kid and no ring. If they thought their son attempting suicide was shameful, their daughter being a single mother might just be a step too far for them. But Lia didn't need them to be happy about it, because Ben knew that Dion brought her all the happiness she needed. And that was what mattered at the end of the day.
He got downstairs, spotted his parents, and immediately headed in the other direction, finding himself drifting towards the bar. He had been delighted, if surprised, when he'd discovered that Erin Monaghan was going to be their bartender. She was another person he hadn't seen in years, and she'd always managed to make him the best drinks that were alcohol free and still not boring. But another figure caught his attention at the bar, one that managed to make him properly smile. She apparently didn't see him coming, which gave him the element of surprise. "Casey Worthington, in the flesh, all the way from England. I feel honoured," he teased as he stood beside his friend, grinning at her and bracing himself for the bear hug that he knew was about to come.
J E N N A x R E Y N O L D S
Jenna had spent most of the morning staring at the ceiling in Jeremiah’s spare room, tracing the paint swirls with her eyes. Maybe she could make a fabric print from them. More likely, she was trying not to think about seeing everyone again after seven years away. And she definitely wasn’t thinking about seeing Casey again. The thought didn’t cause her chest to tighten. No, that was just her body telling her to sit up. She hadn’t wanted James to come because that would inevitably mean he would run into the Brady Bunch of relatives in town. Now she was starting to wonder if that had been such a good idea. If anything, he would have been a buffer against whatever was about to go down. Jenna sat up and dragged her hands down her face. This was ridiculous. She was a self-reliant, self-dependent boss running her own fashion business. She didn’t need a man to hide behind. Or anyone for that matter. So she dragged herself to the shower and started getting ready for the day.
She stepped in the shower and went over the list of things she had left to be done at JR. The Fall/Winter line needed finalising, there was so much left to be done on that. They needed to book the shows, the models, studios. And it was all in Christine’s hands until she got sent the final cuts. Maybe Christine had a point about her working too much. She was here for her friend, work could wait. She hadn’t seen Nate for years beyond his picture in the gossip columns, she’d been reading Ben and Lia’s work, she’d followed Jeremiah’s career, Di was an anomaly though. She hadn’t heard anything from Lia’s twin for a while now. Nas she saw more often than the others. They had always been friends and it would be good to see him again. And Casey had disappeared to England. That must have been nice.
Jenna pulled her pants on and checked her hair in the mirror. She looked good. “Jer? You ready to go?” she called as she headed down the stairs, sliding her shoes on as she went.
N A T H A N I E L x P R I C E
Nate slid into his car and sank back into the seat. Had it always been this warm in Bluffton? It had been that long since he’d even thought about the place, never mind the weather. He cruised through the streets he had grown up in, back when it seemed like this small town was all the world had to offer him. His life couldn’t be more different now. This all seemed very quaint by comparison. No doubt the word had spread around town that he was back already. Even insignificant news travelled fast in a small town. He’d already had a call from his manager about the story that was going to run about him going back home. The devil worked hard, but his PR team worked harder. At least that's how it felt sometimes. Every move he made was marketed and spun a certain way to ‘protect the brand’. Once upon a time, Nate might have pushed back against it, but his life was public interest now. People would talk whatever he did. There was nothing he could do.
Nate turned down the street that Ben’s parents lived on. A party to celebrate being out of hospital...It was a new one by Nate, and probably something to pass on to his LA friends the next time he saw them. They’d probably throw a party to celebrate him being back in LA. Or just have a party because they could. He parked up outside the house he knew all too well. The place was practically a palace compared to some of the places he’d lived over the years. The LA property market was not kind to the up and comers. He didn’t bother knocking. He’d never knocked in the past, mostly because he’d always been with Lia, so why start now? He let himself in and navigated his way through the crowd. He was used to ignoring the looks he got from people, but he still enjoyed knowing that they were looking.
Erin was behind the bar and Nate could almost feel the relief course through him. Someone who knew how to make a good drink. Ben and Casey were standing at the bar. Clearly he wasn’t the only one who hadn’t heard from Casey in a while if their reunion was anything to go by. He looked around the room. So far it was just the three of them from the original group. Nate made his way to the bar. “Well, this all looks very civilised,” he said by way of hello. What did you say to two friends you hadn’t seen in years when one of them had just been released from hospital? It wasn’t exactly something that came up everyday.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxJeremiah Hawk
xxxxxxxxxThe Athlete - ED1005 - outfit
Jeremiah sat on his bed once again that morning. Lifting his leg up to put his foot on the bed as well, he could feel his knee shaking. He took of the bandages he put on earlier. It was the third time he was doing so, never finding it tight enough to get through the day.
He put them back again, his skin turning a bit lighter as he pulled the bandages as tightly as he could. It looked like no blood would be able to go through the leg to his feet. Another worry for another day. Definitely not as important as being able to walk normally today.
He had trouble admitting how injured he was. His agent knew, his doctor and his coach knew and Jeremiah knew, that was about it. Except for the doctor, all had agreed for Jeremiah to keep up appearances. Showing the nation and more importantly the city of LA he would be back in a few short months.
Lately, he had been walking a lot, trying to get his speed up and his limp under control. He had made a quick walk through town the night before, just practicing after the long flight. It went well, and if people saw him, it wouldn’t have been many.
He couldn’t shake the feeling of being nervous. And sleeping in a bed he didn’t know, under a roof he wasn’t used to, wasn’t helping it one bit. He had taken a shower the moment he got up, finding that both his mom and Jenna weren’t awake yet. The half hour power shower had been very welcome. It was kind of hot in Bluffton for the time of the year, and Jer sweat throughout the night, not finding a comfortable position to lie in. No matter if he was on his side, stomach or back, he could always feel his knee thumping. Like it was moving on its own.
The place he bought for his mom, and where they were now staying was nothing like his old place. When they were younger, this house was known as ’old man Hickory’s house’. Although the man in question had been dead for a long time, the overgrown house still bore his name. Before he bought it, it had been known as a kind of haunted house. The kind of house people walked by fast, and where children dared each other to come as close to the place as possible. There had been lots of stories about the place, of course, none of it true. The group had been in here before, when they organised a Halloween party in the house.
After Jer had bought it, they changed up the entire place. The structure was still the same, but the garages had been removed and the surrounding grounds had been turned upside down to make it a very cosy and warm looking place. A place perfect for his mom. She had objected at first, humble as she was. But when the plans were drawn up, and she saw the garden and the kitchen in architect images in front of her, she had been excited to move to ’the other side of the bridge’.
After re-doing his knee, he went back to the mirror to shave. He had perfected the stubble in the past few months, finding it suited him well. The edges of his would-be-beard were finely marked on his face. Looking sharp. He could not withhold a compliment to his fine work. In the closet he picket out simple black jeans and a black shirt. He was going for simple. Some of the brands and styles he normally wore would not be as accepted at a party organised by the Bordreaux’. He laughed to himself, the couple had never been as accepting to him as their kids were. With some practice he had been able to copy the exact frown of Margaret, something they’d often laughed over.
He sprayed on some aftershave before making his way to the kitchen, where his mom had just left a note to let him know there was food in the fridge. Well…, if that isn’t a blast from the past. He opened the fridge to see 2 plates of his mom’s famous Mac n Cheese, one for him and one for Jenna. He has insisted him mom made his favourite dish, and being the only child he was still being spoiled whenever possible.
As he closed the fridge, he heard Jenna coming down the stairs. ”Jer? You ready to go?”
He looked over and saw her slipping on her shoes. ”Wow, it seems you’re looking to impress a certain someone.” He said with a smile, directly followed by a lump in his throat. He rather not discuss Casey too much around Jenna, both finding it a sensitive topic for very different reasons.
He coughed slightly to clear his throat and continued. ”I thought we’d walk, it’s not too far from here in any case.” In truth it was not his only reason for walking. He wanted to avoid sitting down and standing up, scared it would loosen his bandages again.
They left the house and stepped into the bright sunlight. As they walked they made some small talk about Jenna’s fashion line, Jer’s success from the previous season and how excited they were to see everyone. That last part was a bit of a stretch, at least for Jer. He was not sure what he was walking into. He had hoped to avoid Di, but then again, it was a party at her house, so a big fat chance of that happening. They passed one of the walls of the Bordreaux’ property. ”See that tree there? That’s the best way to climb in unseen.” He pointed out a specific spot to Jenna. ”There's very little light on the other side of the wall, and I only had to pass Lia’s room before getting to Di’s.” He thought back, but would not be able to tell Jenna how many times he’d done that.
The closer they came to the entrance, the more his stomach started rumbling. He wasn’t hungry, but he had the feeling his stomach was in a football match all on its own. Finally standing in front of the entrance, he looked at Jenna. ”Ready?” he asked her, copying Di’s mom’s frown. or not… he thought to himself.
────────────────────────────
────────────────────────────
A M E L I AXB O U D R E A U X
_____ T H EXF R E EXS P I R I T _____
Outfit: Link Here
Location: En route
Dialogue Color ✦ #C35817
Thought Color ✧ #730800
────────────────────────────
A M E L I AXB O U D R E A U X
_____ T H EXF R E EXS P I R I T _____
Outfit: Link Here
Location: En route
Dialogue Color ✦ #C35817
Thought Color ✧ #730800
and
────────────────────────────
────────────────────────────
I K E N A S I OXA M A S I O - H A N S E N
_____ T H EXB A DXB O Y _____
Outfit: Link Here
Location: En route
Dialogue Color ✦ #307D7E
Thought Color ✧ #183E3F
────────────────────────────
I K E N A S I OXA M A S I O - H A N S E N
_____ T H EXB A DXB O Y _____
Outfit: Link Here
Location: En route
Dialogue Color ✦ #307D7E
Thought Color ✧ #183E3F
The snap of Amelia's rubber band against the skin of her wrist made Nas' grip on the steering well tighten. Not that the blonde in question seemed to notice. Dion had fallen asleep as his mother prepared the large straw purse she was using a diaper bag for him, which made it easy for Nas to tuck the child into his car seat when he'd emerged from the bedroom. It had not taken him long to dress in the clothes Lia had set out for him, though he'd been hard-pressed to avoid putting on Ben's forgotten hat until his sister politely plopped it atop his head just as they closed the door.
"Who knows?" She'd opined thoughtlessly. "Seeing you in something that belongs to him might awaken some primal, possessive creature in 'em and before y'all know it, y'all are going at it on one of my mama's circle tables." Nas had choked out a variation of her name in genuine surprise, but Amelia had only smirked and winked at him lasciviously, refusing to allow Nas to take her bag from her as she carried Dion out to the car.
En route to her childhood home, however, and all of the blonde's exuberance from earlier seemed extinguished by a melancholy Nas had not seen coming. Amelia had read as unbothered when Nas had been tasked with retrieving her from the airport. She had seemed more focused on throwing herself at Nas with all of the excitement of her toddler, Nas having felt little Dion clinging to his ankles as tightly as his mother clung to his shoulders. It had been more affection than he'd allowed himself in a long time, welcome in the face of no true contact from Ben after having held his husband's hand when he'd been unconscious. She had not mentioned any trepidation nor nerves at the idea of seeing her family in the flesh for the first time in seven years, in having to introduce them to the son only he and Ben had known about. That fact still shocked Nas.
Diana and Amelia clashed, it was true. Nas remembered watching them while he had also been watching out for them; it had become his unspoken duty after he'd begun to date Ben - one he'd taken seriously. The girls were as different as day and night, but similar enough that it was impossible to not believe them twins. They had the same smile, though Diana's cheekbones were sharper like Ben's. They had the same commandeering presence, though Lia was clearly far less trustworthy considering how much she was less likely to stay out of the club. But there was love there; there had always been love there, with the way Lia had beamed to herself when Diana won an award even if she rolled her eyes in her sister's face, or in the way Diana served one hell of a comeback to a guy who'd disrespected Lia after she'd turned him down even after Lia had walked away. Out of everyone, even Casey and Ben, Diana still seemed like the one Lia would have wanted to tell of her pregnancy.
And yet, she hadn't.
To: Wifey <3
omw now, coming w/ nas
To: Benny Boo
Behave? we dont know her
"You know," Nas rumbled out, not particularly sure where he's going with the conversation, but knowing he needed to do something, especially with the way the skin of her wrist turned pink under her assault. Amelia stopped when she finally settled to text back whomever she was communicating with, but he knew she'd pick it up again if he didn't try to distract her. "It's okay to be a lil nervous." Amelia scoffed before giving him skeptical look.
"Is this you giving me a pep talk, babe?"
"Nah, that's all you, doll. Wouldn't even dream of crossing your territory," he assured her and was awarded a small laugh. The lines of Amelia's bared, sloping shoulders loosened. "Just sayin' it's been awhile. You're allowed to be nervous - seeing your family for the first time in a long time." Amelia's smile faltered as she rested her head back on the seat's back, glancing away from him out the passenger side window.
"Well, thank you for your permission, Mr. Hansen." Nas rolled his eyes as he concentrated on the road. When he and Ben had decided upon a home of their own, they hadn't wanted anything particularly big nor too close to his parents. It kept them thirty minutes away from his father, much closer to downtown where the cost was a touch more expensive than either of them had been particularly prepared for. But the hour long ride had been enough distance for Ben to not have to deal with his mother taking the time out of her day to come see him. The memory causes the corner of his mouth to lift, but before Nas could truly lose himself to thoughts of Ben, he heard Amelia speak up again. "Besides, I've been seeing my family every year since I left home - the ones who wanted to see me, that is." At that, despite the melancholy still lacing her gaze, her smile went soft and Nas was powerless to resist returning the look, despite his thoughts. He didn't think she was giving her twin enough credit.
"I think that you don't give them enough credit." He told her, ignoring the eye roll he received in response. "And I think you'll find that they might even surprise you. Especially since you come home bearing a gift." Amelia snorted at that, eyes flitting over to her still sleeping son who would probably awaken upon their arrival at the house. Amelia found herself just watching him for a moment, breath catching in her throat as Dion shifted in his sleep, little chest rising and falling beneath the checkered shirt she'd decided Nas needed to match for aesthetic purposes. After she had her fill, she peeked at Nas from beneath her lashes.
"We'll see," she said before grinning. "Don't tell me you're turning into the optimist now?" Nas laughed then.
"Not a chance. Your territory, remember?" Amelia giggled, putting the thought of texting Diana at the back of her mind. After all, she'd meant what she said: she had spoken and seen (and been seen) by the family that had wanted to see her. Her number had never changed. Diana knew that Ben had spoken to her. If she'd been over their last argument, she could have - no, would have - reached out. But she hadn't, which meant she had not wanted to see a hide nor hair of Amelia. Who was she to try to reach out now when they'd have no choice but to be in one another's presence anyway?
"Who knows?" She'd opined thoughtlessly. "Seeing you in something that belongs to him might awaken some primal, possessive creature in 'em and before y'all know it, y'all are going at it on one of my mama's circle tables." Nas had choked out a variation of her name in genuine surprise, but Amelia had only smirked and winked at him lasciviously, refusing to allow Nas to take her bag from her as she carried Dion out to the car.
En route to her childhood home, however, and all of the blonde's exuberance from earlier seemed extinguished by a melancholy Nas had not seen coming. Amelia had read as unbothered when Nas had been tasked with retrieving her from the airport. She had seemed more focused on throwing herself at Nas with all of the excitement of her toddler, Nas having felt little Dion clinging to his ankles as tightly as his mother clung to his shoulders. It had been more affection than he'd allowed himself in a long time, welcome in the face of no true contact from Ben after having held his husband's hand when he'd been unconscious. She had not mentioned any trepidation nor nerves at the idea of seeing her family in the flesh for the first time in seven years, in having to introduce them to the son only he and Ben had known about. That fact still shocked Nas.
Diana and Amelia clashed, it was true. Nas remembered watching them while he had also been watching out for them; it had become his unspoken duty after he'd begun to date Ben - one he'd taken seriously. The girls were as different as day and night, but similar enough that it was impossible to not believe them twins. They had the same smile, though Diana's cheekbones were sharper like Ben's. They had the same commandeering presence, though Lia was clearly far less trustworthy considering how much she was less likely to stay out of the club. But there was love there; there had always been love there, with the way Lia had beamed to herself when Diana won an award even if she rolled her eyes in her sister's face, or in the way Diana served one hell of a comeback to a guy who'd disrespected Lia after she'd turned him down even after Lia had walked away. Out of everyone, even Casey and Ben, Diana still seemed like the one Lia would have wanted to tell of her pregnancy.
And yet, she hadn't.
To: Wifey <3
omw now, coming w/ nas
To: Benny Boo
Behave? we dont know her
"You know," Nas rumbled out, not particularly sure where he's going with the conversation, but knowing he needed to do something, especially with the way the skin of her wrist turned pink under her assault. Amelia stopped when she finally settled to text back whomever she was communicating with, but he knew she'd pick it up again if he didn't try to distract her. "It's okay to be a lil nervous." Amelia scoffed before giving him skeptical look.
"Is this you giving me a pep talk, babe?"
"Nah, that's all you, doll. Wouldn't even dream of crossing your territory," he assured her and was awarded a small laugh. The lines of Amelia's bared, sloping shoulders loosened. "Just sayin' it's been awhile. You're allowed to be nervous - seeing your family for the first time in a long time." Amelia's smile faltered as she rested her head back on the seat's back, glancing away from him out the passenger side window.
"Well, thank you for your permission, Mr. Hansen." Nas rolled his eyes as he concentrated on the road. When he and Ben had decided upon a home of their own, they hadn't wanted anything particularly big nor too close to his parents. It kept them thirty minutes away from his father, much closer to downtown where the cost was a touch more expensive than either of them had been particularly prepared for. But the hour long ride had been enough distance for Ben to not have to deal with his mother taking the time out of her day to come see him. The memory causes the corner of his mouth to lift, but before Nas could truly lose himself to thoughts of Ben, he heard Amelia speak up again. "Besides, I've been seeing my family every year since I left home - the ones who wanted to see me, that is." At that, despite the melancholy still lacing her gaze, her smile went soft and Nas was powerless to resist returning the look, despite his thoughts. He didn't think she was giving her twin enough credit.
"I think that you don't give them enough credit." He told her, ignoring the eye roll he received in response. "And I think you'll find that they might even surprise you. Especially since you come home bearing a gift." Amelia snorted at that, eyes flitting over to her still sleeping son who would probably awaken upon their arrival at the house. Amelia found herself just watching him for a moment, breath catching in her throat as Dion shifted in his sleep, little chest rising and falling beneath the checkered shirt she'd decided Nas needed to match for aesthetic purposes. After she had her fill, she peeked at Nas from beneath her lashes.
"We'll see," she said before grinning. "Don't tell me you're turning into the optimist now?" Nas laughed then.
"Not a chance. Your territory, remember?" Amelia giggled, putting the thought of texting Diana at the back of her mind. After all, she'd meant what she said: she had spoken and seen (and been seen) by the family that had wanted to see her. Her number had never changed. Diana knew that Ben had spoken to her. If she'd been over their last argument, she could have - no, would have - reached out. But she hadn't, which meant she had not wanted to see a hide nor hair of Amelia. Who was she to try to reach out now when they'd have no choice but to be in one another's presence anyway?
The Valedictorian // Attire // Location: The Boudreaux-Hansen Home // #2a5d9c
Casey mindlessly kept scrolling through random messages and cycling through different apps on her phone, occasionally taking small sips from the glass she held in her left hand, as she held her phone in her right. Barely even noticing the slight taste of metal that started to form in her mouth as she chewed on the inside of her cheek, trying to keep herself composed and not fall apart at the seems. Hell, she was even fighting off the urge to go out onto the back balcony and smoke for a few minutes to calm her nerves down. That was until yet again, an all too familiar voice sounded off from night next to her. Starting her out of her dazed stupor. It took her a moment to realize who she was looking at, her brows furrowed for a moment before she put the glass and her phone down on the counter, and practically tackled Ben into a tight hug. Which, admittedly lasted a bit too long for even her liking, "Holy shit, Ben!" she exclaimed with a small chuckle as she finally stepped away from him to get a proper look at him. "You look good, really." she gave a small smile, awkwardly fidgeting with her hands for a moment. "And oh please, it's just me. I'm...Nothing special." she forced with a small shrug. "You can say that again." Erin shot off from behind the bar. "Don't you have work to do?" Casey shot back. Erin gave a small shrug, "I can multitask." she gave Casey a small wink, before turning her attention to Ben. "Hey bud." she flashed him a smile and wink, turning her attention to a glass that she had already began to mindlessly make for Ben. It was a simple drink, one that he'd be able to not only enjoy, but not feel guilty about drinking either. It was a different combination of flavors, both sweet and sour, but more so sweet and light. With a slight aftertaste of a tang, but it was over-ridden by the contrast of the sugar that covered the rim of the glass. Erin slid the glass to Ben and went back to work. "There ya go, Blondie." she said as she turned to focus elsewhere.
Casey looked back from Erin for a moment, and then back to Ben. A small pit of guilt and regret was slowly starting to form in her stomach. The two of them had been so close, they remained in contact for as long as they did, him being one of the few others that Casey had bothered to truly stay in contact with. And, knowing the first time they got to meet up again in so long, was for this..? It made her stomach turn. She truly should have seen the signs, the change in Ben's behaviour. But she didn't. And she hated herself for it. Looking back at Ben, a small smile creased her lips for a moment before she spoke, "It's good to see you again, Ben. I'm just...I should have came back to see you all sooner. I'm sorry." her expression faltered for a moment before she heard a voice from the other side of her and looked up. A mixed expression overtook her solemn one for just a moment as her eyes landed on Nathan. She hadn't seen him in years, well, at least in person. Sure, she had seen his face in magazines, newspapers, plastered on billboards and buildings. And of course the occasional movie she went to go see. Which, weren't exactly terrible in her opinion, just not her cup of tea.
"Hey Nate." Casey said simply, giving him a small smile as she gave him an awkward side-hug for a moment, before stepping back. "You look good." she gave a small smirk, "Just shocked you actually showed up. You know, time schedule and everything. Can't be easy for you." what sounded like a cough came from back behind the bar as Erin locked eyes with Casey for just a moment, "You're one to talk." she rattled off. Casey rolled her eyes, "Okay, that sounded bad. I just...I didn't mean it like that." Casey stammered, feeling her face flush with embaressment. "Sure you didn't." Erin retorted, giving her a look with raised eyebrows. "Anyway uh..I'll be back in just a second....I need to uh, use the bathroom." Casey pushed her glass in Erin's direction, gave the two boys a small, awkward nod and quickly made off for the bathroom for a few minutes. Quickly coming back to the bar shortly after, tucking her phone away in her pocket as she leaned against the bar, looking at Erin. "You fucking say anything in the next few hours, I will personally kill you." she muttered. Erin shot her a quick glance, sliding her drink back across the counter-top. "You keep saying that, but I doubt your commitment....On a lot of things." she said cooly. Casey felt her face pale at least three shades lighter than it already was, reaching into her overcoat's pocket as she retrieved her phone.
To Lia:
Please hurry. >_<
Casey tucked her phone back into her pocket as she took another sip of he drink. Doing anything and everything she could to try to calm her nerves. She had already talked to half the group, all that was missing was Nas, Jeremiah, (who she could have wished to avoid at all costs tonight), Diana, Jenna, (who, Casey began to panic even to think about in that moment), and possibly her only hope for the night, Lia. Who she was beginning to doubt was actually going to come and help save the day.
xxxi've never so adored you
xxxi'm twisting allegories now
xxxi want to complicate you
xxxdon't let me do this to myself
Ben hadn't realised how much he'd missed Casey's hugs until she had him wrapped in a bear hug. He probably held on for a little longer than he needed to, releasing her with a smile. He shrugged a little bit as she said that he looked good. He'd heard that a lot, people telling him that he looked good, and it was usually accompanied with that type of sympathetic smile. But Casey's comment seemed genuine, and so his smile was genuine. Erin's sly comments made him smirk. "Thanks, Erin. Good to see you again," he said, taking a mouthful of the drink. She always made the best drinks, and he never even missed the alcohol.
His smile slipped slightly as Casey apologised for not being back sooner. He shrugged. "It's fine, I... I've been in Charlotte most of the time for the past while anyway, and... I'm doing better. Really, I am. It's good to be back home." He said quietly. He and Casey had been in contact relatively regularly for the past few years, and he felt guilty that he'd never really talked to her about what was going on. But he hadn't been able to talk to anybody. That was the issue.
Nate arrived, and Ben shot him a smile. Casey, in her usual style, managed to make things awkward, and her response made him roll his eyes, even as she walked away. "It's good to see you, man. Always nice to have our favourite star around the place," he teased. "How have you been?"
Casey seemed a little on edge when she came back, and Ben shot her a smile. He wondered if she was nervous for the same reasons that he was, wondering if and when some of the others would show. Ben knew that Lia was coming, hell or high water. Something about needing to give his dumbass a proper hug. But it was everyone else that put them on edge. Ben found himself watching their surroundings, simultaneously disappointed and relieved that he couldn't yet see Nas. He texted Lia back.
To: liiiiiiiia
are you gonna be fashionably late or just straight up late?
His smile slipped slightly as Casey apologised for not being back sooner. He shrugged. "It's fine, I... I've been in Charlotte most of the time for the past while anyway, and... I'm doing better. Really, I am. It's good to be back home." He said quietly. He and Casey had been in contact relatively regularly for the past few years, and he felt guilty that he'd never really talked to her about what was going on. But he hadn't been able to talk to anybody. That was the issue.
Nate arrived, and Ben shot him a smile. Casey, in her usual style, managed to make things awkward, and her response made him roll his eyes, even as she walked away. "It's good to see you, man. Always nice to have our favourite star around the place," he teased. "How have you been?"
Casey seemed a little on edge when she came back, and Ben shot her a smile. He wondered if she was nervous for the same reasons that he was, wondering if and when some of the others would show. Ben knew that Lia was coming, hell or high water. Something about needing to give his dumbass a proper hug. But it was everyone else that put them on edge. Ben found himself watching their surroundings, simultaneously disappointed and relieved that he couldn't yet see Nas. He texted Lia back.
To: liiiiiiiia
are you gonna be fashionably late or just straight up late?
XX
XXXXX━━ DIANAXBOUDREAUXoutfitxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxIxxxxxxxIIxxxxxxIII
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
To say Di wasn't nervous would be a blatant lie. Diana Boudreaux, who was her parents' high school princess, the organizer of just about every social event in town, avid book club leader.... nervous? Leave it up to her family to pull something off like this to get Di's anxiety levels at an all time high. Just about every person she was close with from school were here. The kind of friends who are up all night having the deep conversations with you. That kind of close. Her nose twitched. To say she felt sort of out of place was an understatement. Every one of them had branched off to live their own lives, and she, well.... felt like she had accomplished the opposite. While Diana could probably be President of the country right about now, she's stuck in her hometown instead.
'What am I suppose to say?' she thought as she stared at her reflection in her mothers vanity mirror upstairs, 'that I ended up working for family business like every other sad, lonely kid that's well off?'. She blew a curled piece of chocolate brunette hair out of her face. Her cherry red lipstick stained her lips, and she had more makeup on than she's worn in awhile. Her hair was practically perfectly curled on the top of her head as she had been spending the last two hours perfecting her appearance. She wasn't even that much of a drinker, but she definitely needed a drink. Or six.
Her jaw clenched as she stared at herself in the mirror, making that facial expression everyone knew as her own personal trademark for when she was thinking too hard. Hell, her head may just pop off. She shimmied her dress to hitch higher over her flat chest, and realized how self-conscious she felt just doing it . Her brain was spinning. She raised her arms to quickly check if her armpits were sweating profusely. 'All good' she thought as she lowered her arms back to her sides. Her parents were probably beginning to wonder why she hadn't come down to mingle yet. These were her old friends, after all. Casey, Nate, Her sis--Oh god. Jeremiah. 'Oh, dear God'
She dragged her heeled feet across the floor. She was Diana. The one who always made her parents proud. What was she doing hiding away? She drew back her shoulders and took a deep breath. Twisting the doorknob, she let herself out of the room. Voices, familiar voices, filled her ears. 'This is a good thing. This is going to be fun... kinda.'
Diana walked down the stairs and made eye contact with her mother. She gave her mum a tight smile, threw her a thumbs up and turned on her toes in the direction of her old friends who hadn't seen her enter the room quite yet.
"Who the hell started this party without me?" She exclaimed as she eyed the drinks in peoples hands, throwing her arms up in the air as if she were posing for an over-the-top bougie photo. "Oh my gosh, Nate! You definitely grew a bit taller, no?" She smiled brightly, stalking over to the small group and throwing her arms around Nate as if she had just seen him yesterday. Drawing back, she looked over at her brother and wrapped her arm around him in a side-hug and squeezed his shoulder. "How's it going with you? Where is our dear sister? Erin, where's my dear sister?" She questioned, tilting her head to the side to glance up at the blonde at the bar.
Slipping her arm away from around Ben, she leaned on the bar, folding her arms over one another and resting her head on top of her hands as she turned away from the boys and drew her attention towards Erin. She was obviously nervous. Bouncing all over the place was so unlike her. She really just doesn't want anyone to know she's dreading this.
"Please make me your strongest drink." Her lips curled into a wicked but sweet-looking smile as she blinked up at Erin. She wondered who else had arrived.
'What am I suppose to say?' she thought as she stared at her reflection in her mothers vanity mirror upstairs, 'that I ended up working for family business like every other sad, lonely kid that's well off?'. She blew a curled piece of chocolate brunette hair out of her face. Her cherry red lipstick stained her lips, and she had more makeup on than she's worn in awhile. Her hair was practically perfectly curled on the top of her head as she had been spending the last two hours perfecting her appearance. She wasn't even that much of a drinker, but she definitely needed a drink. Or six.
Her jaw clenched as she stared at herself in the mirror, making that facial expression everyone knew as her own personal trademark for when she was thinking too hard. Hell, her head may just pop off. She shimmied her dress to hitch higher over her flat chest, and realized how self-conscious she felt just doing it . Her brain was spinning. She raised her arms to quickly check if her armpits were sweating profusely. 'All good' she thought as she lowered her arms back to her sides. Her parents were probably beginning to wonder why she hadn't come down to mingle yet. These were her old friends, after all. Casey, Nate, Her sis--Oh god. Jeremiah. 'Oh, dear God'
She dragged her heeled feet across the floor. She was Diana. The one who always made her parents proud. What was she doing hiding away? She drew back her shoulders and took a deep breath. Twisting the doorknob, she let herself out of the room. Voices, familiar voices, filled her ears. 'This is a good thing. This is going to be fun... kinda.'
Diana walked down the stairs and made eye contact with her mother. She gave her mum a tight smile, threw her a thumbs up and turned on her toes in the direction of her old friends who hadn't seen her enter the room quite yet.
"Who the hell started this party without me?" She exclaimed as she eyed the drinks in peoples hands, throwing her arms up in the air as if she were posing for an over-the-top bougie photo. "Oh my gosh, Nate! You definitely grew a bit taller, no?" She smiled brightly, stalking over to the small group and throwing her arms around Nate as if she had just seen him yesterday. Drawing back, she looked over at her brother and wrapped her arm around him in a side-hug and squeezed his shoulder. "How's it going with you? Where is our dear sister? Erin, where's my dear sister?" She questioned, tilting her head to the side to glance up at the blonde at the bar.
Slipping her arm away from around Ben, she leaned on the bar, folding her arms over one another and resting her head on top of her hands as she turned away from the boys and drew her attention towards Erin. She was obviously nervous. Bouncing all over the place was so unlike her. She really just doesn't want anyone to know she's dreading this.
"Please make me your strongest drink." Her lips curled into a wicked but sweet-looking smile as she blinked up at Erin. She wondered who else had arrived.
┗━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━┛
────────────────────────────
────────────────────────────
A M E L I AXB O U D R E A U X
_____ T H EXF R E EXS P I R I T _____
Outfit: Link Here
Location: The Boudreaux Residence
Dialogue Color ✦ #C35817
Thought Color ✧ #730800
────────────────────────────
A M E L I AXB O U D R E A U X
_____ T H EXF R E EXS P I R I T _____
Outfit: Link Here
Location: The Boudreaux Residence
Dialogue Color ✦ #C35817
Thought Color ✧ #730800
Ba-dum-ba-dum-ba-dum-ba-dum.
Amelia swallowed, throat constricting though she felt more parched than anything else.
It seemed that the closer they were to the house she once called a home, the faster her heart began to beat until she was sure it was going to climb up out her throat. There was something sitting in her belly, swirling, tightening. Amelia had to swallow again, a small gasp escaping her when the rubber band slapped into her wrist for the final time as Nas found a parking spot. She'd asked him some minutes prior to park two houses down, if he could. She needed the walk, regardless of how minimal it would be. Now, she wished she had said a block down, maybe two. Fuck, why not just have followed his lead? What the fuck was she doing? What the fuck am I doing? She thought, feeling the knot inside of her tighten when Nas cut the engine.
She had convinced herself that she was fine. Of course, it would be daunting to return to her family after being gone for so long. How could it not be? And she was bringing a child into the mix? In what world would it not be a near harrowing ordeal? And yet, the severity of the aforementioned nerves did not truly touch her until the moment Nas had shifted his car in drive and as Amelia exited the vehicle, she found herself in the thick of a panic she didn't want to label as cowardice. Especially when the next words left her mouth:
"I should go change Dion," she breathed, avoiding Nas' gaze as she rounded his car, not fast enough to keep him from being the first to reach Dion.
"You good?" Nas asked almost immediately, but Amelia's smile was wide and false, unable to hide how not good she was.
"Just wanna get this out of the way," she replied breezily, reaching out to retrieve her boy. Dion wasn't asleep anymore; blinking owlishly, but he was on the cusp of still being so. Getting changed would awaken him, which would give Amelia more time to linger, she thought. She'd have to get him in an agreeable mood to meet people, after all. Plus, his diaper felt full through his shorts; there was no scent, but any longer and it would've become uncomfortable and leaking. "Put him in khakis without even thinking and I'm already gonna have enough going against me to have my kid potentially walking around with a pee stain or worse. Then they'll really say something." Nas' face didn't move in the way that Amelia's did, easy and without consent, but his eyes did a thing she didn't like. It looked too much like pity, a lot like concern.
"I can get Ben - " He began, but she cut him off.
"No." It was immediate and brooking no room for argument. She flashed him a grin before turning to Dion, beaming even as the little one gave her a sleepy smile in response. "We're just gonna get all freshened up and then we'll be down with everyone else." At Nas' hitched eyebrow, she added, "I forget - you and Ben were...good boys. Didn't wanna hide. There's a side door, leads to a smaller staircase. I'll just go up to the bathroom near my old room. Be down in a jiffy." If the look on Nas' face was skeptical, Amelia didn't bother acknowledging it because once both her bag and boy were secured in her arms, she walked as briskly as she could towards the house and then around it.
It was cowardice. You're a coward. She told herself mentally. But that didn't stop her, heart racing and palms moistening, from being grateful that her parents kept the side doors of their home unlocked during the day. It made sense, given the fact that they were going to have "casual" friends over, but Amelia remembered plenty of times when she'd been able to sneak around due to this negligence. Luckily, she didn't have to encounter anyone on her way up the stairs and before she knew it, nostalgia hit her even as the knot in her belly tightened further. It was easy, remembering her room and the bathroom she'd shared with Diana. The house still smelled the same, the lemons and detergents used to clean off surfaces, the soft muskiness of warm vanilla from the candles her mother kept around the entirety of the home. Before long, she found herself bypassing the bathroom entirely and creeping into her childhood bedroom.
"They kept it the same, bubba," she declared, stepping into the space she'd once planned out cheer routines in and invited boys she shouldn't have. A sheen developed in her eyes without warning, causing her to blink rapidly as she breathed through the knot of anxious emotion. All the while her son watched her, quiet and still until their eyes met only for his lips to stretch into a wide grin. Amelia gave him an answering one. "Let's get you changed." She was laying him out, trying to get her breathing in order when she had a thought, reaching over for her phone. Focused on her task, she didn't even see Ben's text.
To: Wifey <3
My room. tell no 1
Amelia swallowed, throat constricting though she felt more parched than anything else.
It seemed that the closer they were to the house she once called a home, the faster her heart began to beat until she was sure it was going to climb up out her throat. There was something sitting in her belly, swirling, tightening. Amelia had to swallow again, a small gasp escaping her when the rubber band slapped into her wrist for the final time as Nas found a parking spot. She'd asked him some minutes prior to park two houses down, if he could. She needed the walk, regardless of how minimal it would be. Now, she wished she had said a block down, maybe two. Fuck, why not just have followed his lead? What the fuck was she doing? What the fuck am I doing? She thought, feeling the knot inside of her tighten when Nas cut the engine.
She had convinced herself that she was fine. Of course, it would be daunting to return to her family after being gone for so long. How could it not be? And she was bringing a child into the mix? In what world would it not be a near harrowing ordeal? And yet, the severity of the aforementioned nerves did not truly touch her until the moment Nas had shifted his car in drive and as Amelia exited the vehicle, she found herself in the thick of a panic she didn't want to label as cowardice. Especially when the next words left her mouth:
"I should go change Dion," she breathed, avoiding Nas' gaze as she rounded his car, not fast enough to keep him from being the first to reach Dion.
"You good?" Nas asked almost immediately, but Amelia's smile was wide and false, unable to hide how not good she was.
"Just wanna get this out of the way," she replied breezily, reaching out to retrieve her boy. Dion wasn't asleep anymore; blinking owlishly, but he was on the cusp of still being so. Getting changed would awaken him, which would give Amelia more time to linger, she thought. She'd have to get him in an agreeable mood to meet people, after all. Plus, his diaper felt full through his shorts; there was no scent, but any longer and it would've become uncomfortable and leaking. "Put him in khakis without even thinking and I'm already gonna have enough going against me to have my kid potentially walking around with a pee stain or worse. Then they'll really say something." Nas' face didn't move in the way that Amelia's did, easy and without consent, but his eyes did a thing she didn't like. It looked too much like pity, a lot like concern.
"I can get Ben - " He began, but she cut him off.
"No." It was immediate and brooking no room for argument. She flashed him a grin before turning to Dion, beaming even as the little one gave her a sleepy smile in response. "We're just gonna get all freshened up and then we'll be down with everyone else." At Nas' hitched eyebrow, she added, "I forget - you and Ben were...good boys. Didn't wanna hide. There's a side door, leads to a smaller staircase. I'll just go up to the bathroom near my old room. Be down in a jiffy." If the look on Nas' face was skeptical, Amelia didn't bother acknowledging it because once both her bag and boy were secured in her arms, she walked as briskly as she could towards the house and then around it.
It was cowardice. You're a coward. She told herself mentally. But that didn't stop her, heart racing and palms moistening, from being grateful that her parents kept the side doors of their home unlocked during the day. It made sense, given the fact that they were going to have "casual" friends over, but Amelia remembered plenty of times when she'd been able to sneak around due to this negligence. Luckily, she didn't have to encounter anyone on her way up the stairs and before she knew it, nostalgia hit her even as the knot in her belly tightened further. It was easy, remembering her room and the bathroom she'd shared with Diana. The house still smelled the same, the lemons and detergents used to clean off surfaces, the soft muskiness of warm vanilla from the candles her mother kept around the entirety of the home. Before long, she found herself bypassing the bathroom entirely and creeping into her childhood bedroom.
"They kept it the same, bubba," she declared, stepping into the space she'd once planned out cheer routines in and invited boys she shouldn't have. A sheen developed in her eyes without warning, causing her to blink rapidly as she breathed through the knot of anxious emotion. All the while her son watched her, quiet and still until their eyes met only for his lips to stretch into a wide grin. Amelia gave him an answering one. "Let's get you changed." She was laying him out, trying to get her breathing in order when she had a thought, reaching over for her phone. Focused on her task, she didn't even see Ben's text.
To: Wifey <3
My room. tell no 1
────────────────────────────
────────────────────────────
I K E N A S I OXA M A S I O - H A N S E N
_____ T H EXB A DXB O Y _____
Outfit: Link Here
Location: The Boudreaux Residence
Dialogue Color ✦ #307D7E
Thought Color ✧ #183E3F
────────────────────────────
I K E N A S I OXA M A S I O - H A N S E N
_____ T H EXB A DXB O Y _____
Outfit: Link Here
Location: The Boudreaux Residence
Dialogue Color ✦ #307D7E
Thought Color ✧ #183E3F
Asking if the blonde Boudreaux twin had been "good" had been a true folly, a really dumb mistake, if anyone asked Nas. Of course, she wasn't good. If she snapped the rubber band into her skin any harder, than the mark on her wrist would be pinker than it already was. In retrospect, it was an ugly habit, this purposeful pain, that he needed to honestly ask Ben about because it just wasn't right. And what you're doing is? A voice in his head shot back, but Nas only tried focusing on heading towards the Boudreaux house, hoping that when he glanced the way Amelia went, no one else followed his gaze. She clearly wasn't as ready for attention as she initially wanted him to believe, and he didn't want to be the one who drew it to her when she wasn't particularly prepared. So, he kept walking towards the entrance.
The Boudreaux family home was truly an architectural masterpiece that exemplified the picture of Lowcountry luxury. There were a lot of homes in this neighborhood that achieved it, but with the centuries-old live oak trees framing the property as well as the balconies he remembered climbing on and offonly when he stayed or came over much later than allowed, it was still a spectacular sight. He remembered sketching out these homes, admiring the views, filling in painstaking lines to make up the texture of the crown molding and even the rain gutters. He'd wanted to build homes like these; he'd wanted to build Ben a home like this. Their home. "Like that was ever gonna happen," he muttered to no one in particular, shoved his hands into his pockets, swallowed, and proceeded through the entrance.
The sight of the amount of people made his stomach swarm with discomfort. This wasn't his world. The amount of pearls and jewels in the room - this wasn't him and, despite how much he would've adored to cling to Amelia's optimism - even his own hope, when he and Ben had first married - none of this was ever going to be him. And somehow or another, he'd stupidly thought that he'd find a way, that they'd find a way. And now, he had to find his husband in a room filled with people who never wanted him here and hope that his old friends would be enough to distract from that thought. And the thought of the divorce papers he still hasn't gotten the stomach to serve. Luckily, though, any deeper and darker thoughts on the matter were disrupted by the sight of a familiar, surprising pair. A pair that included a face he'd always welcome.
"Jen?" Nas had to do a double take, so taken by the sight of his best friend that he hadn't been able to place Jeremiah immediately. "Wait, J-Jeremiah Hawk? Wassup, man? It's been...fuck, it's been a minute. How are you?" Nas found himself grinning, particularly at Jenna when he added, "Both of you?"
The Boudreaux family home was truly an architectural masterpiece that exemplified the picture of Lowcountry luxury. There were a lot of homes in this neighborhood that achieved it, but with the centuries-old live oak trees framing the property as well as the balconies he remembered climbing on and off
The sight of the amount of people made his stomach swarm with discomfort. This wasn't his world. The amount of pearls and jewels in the room - this wasn't him and, despite how much he would've adored to cling to Amelia's optimism - even his own hope, when he and Ben had first married - none of this was ever going to be him. And somehow or another, he'd stupidly thought that he'd find a way, that they'd find a way. And now, he had to find his husband in a room filled with people who never wanted him here and hope that his old friends would be enough to distract from that thought. And the thought of the divorce papers he still hasn't gotten the stomach to serve. Luckily, though, any deeper and darker thoughts on the matter were disrupted by the sight of a familiar, surprising pair. A pair that included a face he'd always welcome.
"Jen?" Nas had to do a double take, so taken by the sight of his best friend that he hadn't been able to place Jeremiah immediately. "Wait, J-Jeremiah Hawk? Wassup, man? It's been...fuck, it's been a minute. How are you?" Nas found himself grinning, particularly at Jenna when he added, "Both of you?"
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxJeremiah Hawk
xxxxxxxxxThe Athlete - ED1005 - outfit
Jer opened the door and stepped back to let Jenna in first. As he stepped through the door, he was hit by a feeling of déjà vu. The house was still, simply put, too big. The walls were higher than in any other house he’d seen. The oaken finish of the staircase and the chandelier hanging high on the ceiling still took him by awe. It hadn’t changed anything, even from the first time he had entered this house. Ironically enough, the first time he had stepped through these doors had been to bring home Lia, instead of Diana. He hadn’t stepped in for more than two steps before Lia basically pushed him out again playfully.
The crowd inside of the house was sizeable to say the least. The people that were there for Ben could probably be counted on 2 hands with the thumbs cut off. One of the famous Bordreaux functions. Jer nervously looked around, not immediately seeing any of their friends. He was trying to spot Nate, the only one he had spoken to about a week ago. Them living in the same city basically meant they saw each other more than any of the others. Jer looked towards the bar when he heard a voice come up behind them.
”Wait, J-Jeremiah Hawk? Wassup, man? It's been…fuck, it's been a minute. How are you?” A wide grinning Nas came walking up to them. Jer wasn’t sure what it was, but the grin on Nas’ face was usually an indication he was up to no good. He just had one of those cheeky smiles that made him very likeable, even though he didn’t show it to everyone.
”Nas!” Jer was completely oblivious to the fact that the man’s attention was more focused on Jenna than himself. Like a true football player, he intercepted the bee line Nas was making towards her. He threw up his right hand to the height of his chest, ready for Nas to do the same, so their hands would meet in the middle. Not stopping, Jer put his left hand over Nas’ shoulder and pat him on the back, completing the bro-hug they had been using for years.
”It’s good to finally see you, man! I’ve been wanting to thank you in person forever for my moms house. It looks amazing…, like really amazing.”
Realising he was just a tad bit selfish, Jer finally let his friend go and stepped back, giving the same opportunities to Jenna. He found it hard to describe how relieved he was to see Nas here as well. Not only because he had truly missed hanging out with him, but also and maybe even more so, to have an additional buffer between Jer and the others. He knew they were all going to be there, or at least they all had said they’d come. They might not have been the most dependable bunch in the last few years, but he was sure all of them dropped whatever they had going on to come and support Ben. The sweat was forming on his forehead rapidly, and it wasn’t the heat. He took out a small piece of cloth from his pocket and dabbed his forehead.
He didn’t specifically look forward to seeing Casey, already feeling uncomfortable at the thought. But at least he understood the silent agreement the two had, to never talk about what happened between them. Either of them would be crazy to bring it up. It was one of those things you hoped you could forget. Not for the experience itself, but because you don’t want to admit to yourself how stupid and foolish you actually are.
At least Casey and Jer didn’t have to discuss any of that, at least not here and definitely not now. Unlike Diana… he thought to himself. They had to say something to each other. Not that he had any idea what exactly, but they had to say something. For the millionth time he wished he hadn’t waited. That he would have showed some bravery, instead of the undeniable cowardice he had shown. I really had to wait for Ben to almost die before coming back here.
Ben… What would he even say to Ben? They had never been extremely close, but Ben had always been there. Jer always had the feeling Ben was too smart for him. Jer’s head was up in the clouds, while Ben’s head was in a book. Thinking about things just way too much. Jer’s jaw had dropped when he heard the news. He wouldn’t readily admit it to anyone, but he had trouble understanding the state of mind bringing someone to suicide. Not that he was overly happy at all times, or never had really bad days, but the extremity. If nothing else, I couldn’t do it to my mom.
Almost waking up out of a trance, he suddenly realised Ben and Nas, and the fact they were still married. Speaking before thinking it just came out, not with bad intent, but he always had trouble keeping things in. He leaned into Nas, at least having the decency to keep it just between the three of them. ”So Nas?…How are you feeling right now? I mean…, this must be weird for you, no?”
The Valedictorian // Attire // Location: The Boudreaux-Hansen Home // #2a5d9c
As Casey remained sitting down at the bar, she had managed to catch Ben's eyes and gave him a feign smile, one she knew he would have been able to tell was fake and forced. She just needed to calm down. She was an adult, it was time to act like one. Keyword was act. Casey kept her eyes down at the bar, on her phone as she attempted to blend in and be overlooked by most people, and it seemed to work. Until she heard a few more familiar voices sound off from where she had been minutes prior next to Ben and Nate. Which, she decided to entirely ignore that situation, especially now. Seeing as both Nas and even god damn Jeremiah fucking Hawk. Of course. Why wouldn't he be one of the next few people to join the party. Casey felt her stomch tie itself in knots before she turned back around in her chair, ignoring the two guys talking, relieved she managed to remain being unseen by the others.
That and well, she managed to catch just the smallest of glimpses of Jenna. "Oh fuck me." she muttered, quickly taking her glass and finishing it off in one go. The burn was a temporary distraction from reality slowly beginning to cave in around Casey. Erin raised her eyebrow in question as she looked off in the direction of where Casey had last looked. "Oh holy shit, isn't that-" she was stopped as Casey slid the glass forcefully across the counter and bumped against Erin. "Shut the fuck up!" Casey hushed, panic clear in her voice as she averted her gaze in the direction that Erin was staring off in. "Damn, you really struck out, cuz. She looks hot as ever-" "If you don't shut the fuck up, I swear to all the gods I will kill you, Erin." Casey quickly retorted. Erin raised her hands defensively, "Alright, chill your tits, man. I was just messing with you. But, she does look really good. Should go and say hi. Ya know, like an adult. Not hiding over here like a fuckin' kid." Erin shot back.
Casey rolled her eyes, "Yeah, I will. Later. Just...Not now." she said with a deep exhale. Erin smirked, "Actually today or in the next twenty years?" Casey groaned at her cousin's comment. "Actually later just...Not now. Lots of people and...I don't wanna overdue it." she said calmly. "Sure, that's why. Totally not that you're too scared to go say hi to your ex that you, ya know. Fuckin' left like an idiot." Casey's eyebrows raised for a moment before knitting tightly together across her forehead as she glared at Erin. "Sorry, sorry. Won't bring it up again." Erin shrugged. "I think I'm gonna take a smoke break.." Casey muttered as she searched through her pockets idley. "Since when do you smoke?" Erin questioned, genuinely not knowing. "Last three years...Yeah, yeah. Call me a hypocrite. I know these things will kill me one day...Kinda the point at this rate." she muttered. Erin opened her mouth to say something, but Casey watched as her attention was brought back to the other end of the bar as yet again another familiar face finally showed up. Diana. Casey had wanted to avoid her just for a little bit longer, especially with Erin being around, and was thankful when her phone went off. Checking to see what it was, Casey raised her eyebrow at the message in question, and silently excused herself from the bar as Erin was distracted with Diana.
"Sure thing, love. Got ya covered. Oh hey, did you say hi to-" Erin stopped short as she turned to mention Casey, and saw the chair was empty. "Mother fucker..." she muttered before turning back around, "Just another person you'll have to catch up with later, I guess." Erin finished, before she finished making Diana's drink and slid the drink to Diana. "Hope it's to your liking, Princess." she gave Diana a playful wink before she started making someone else's drink, "As for your sister...Who the fuck knows in all honesty." she said with a small shrug.
---
Casey had managed to slip away without barely being bothered or interrupted by too many people as she bobbed and weaved through people as she made her way to the staircase and then the upper hallways until she came to the door that lead to Lia's old bedroom. They hadn't been here in years, it was weird. Almost like it was the old days again, but Casey couldn't focus on that. Not now. Casey knocked on the door as quietly as she could, "Lia, it's me." she called out softly so only Lia would be able to hear her, before she twisted the doorknob and stepped into the room without looking. Closing the door silently behind her. Casey took a deep breath before she slowly began to turn around, "Alright, what the fuck was with that cryptic message, Li-" Casey found herself stopping mid-sentence as her eyes landed on a sight she hadn't been expecting. Sure enough, Lia was there. But was so a very small, yet adorable child. It took her a moment to register what she was actually seeing. Casey licked her lips for a moment as she finished pondering her thoughts, trying to come up with something proper to say, before a small chuckle escaped her lips. Finally breaking her silence, "Well...That explains...a lot of things, actually." Casey chuckled as she gestured to the kid. Shaking her head as she stepped forwards, wrapping her arms around Lia tightly in a bear hug, "Oh god, I missed you so much." Casey said with a smile as the two shared the embrace for a moment, before she took a step backwards and looked back off to the side as the small child. "Well then, who's this little fella, huh?" she chuckled, looking back up at Lia, "You gonna explain, or do I have to make my guesses? Regardless, congrats but uh...I won't be taking the fall for this. I had nothing to do with it." she chuckled once again.
N A T H A N I E L x P R I C E
"You're one to talk." Erin butted in. He had almost missed her knowing everything and not having a filter. Everything in his life was so goddamn filtered now. Everything had to be carefully thought out. Nothing was carefully thought out where Erin was concerned. It just happened.
"Okay, that sounded bad. I just...I didn't mean it like that." Casey stammered. Her cheeks were starting to turn pink.
"Sure you didn't."
“Hey, it’s fine, don’t worry-” he started to say.
"Anyway uh..I'll be back in just a second....I need to uh, use the bathroom."
Nate watched her leave. Clearly he was missing something here and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to know. The last time he had been in town, she had been glued to Jenna’s hip, but he couldn’t see the other woman anywhere in the crowd. He knew things hadn’t ended well between them, but surely it couldn’t have been that bad, right? Break ups happened all the time and they’d had years to get over it. What had Jenna done to make Casey so skittish? He was brought back to earth by Ben’s voice.
"It's good to see you, man. Always nice to have our favourite star around the place." Nate rolled his eyes. "How have you been?"
“I’m good, always good. Pilot season just died down so things are a little quiet, but y’know, scripts are still landing on my desk. Gotta ride the wave before it crashes right?”
Before he could ask Ben if he was working on anything new, the once familiar call of Diana filled the room. "Who the hell started this party without me?"
“Wouldn’t have had to if you could be anywhere on time,” he muttered to himself before pasting a smile on his face. “Diana! Feels like forever.” He wrapped his arms around her, rolling his eyes at Erin over Diana’s shoulders. Nate was starting to feel like he’d fallen into another dimension. Everyone was themselves, but not how he remembered. Sure, Di had always been the golden girl, Mommy’s princess if you like, but this was a level of schmooze that a studio head would be proud of. And Casey was kinda awkward all the time, but she seemed like she was about to combust. How much had he missed? Erin would know. She always knew. “Hey Erin, let me know when you’ve got a minute.”
J E N N A x R E Y N O L D S
Jenna felt the dread knotting in her stomach as they walked up the drive. The Boudreaux-Hansen’s had always done pretty well and Jenna had thought their house was a castle when she was a kid. Now it felt more like a fortress. With any luck, Casey was running late and she could find her feet before having to deal with the ex. She twisted the strap of her bag around her fingers.
”Well.., I guess we’re letting ourselves in.”
“Looks that way.” Jenna stepped into the lobby and everything was exactly as she remembered it. Still ornate and grand, and almost like something out of a Disney movie. But it all felt different now. Maybe she knew too much now about appearances, about life in general. It was still beautiful, but it was beautiful the way a blizzard is beautiful, not the way spring is. She looked around the room. Nate and Ben were by the bar being lovingly attacked by Diana...and Casey. Jenna felt her chest tighten and she looked away. This was ridiculous. It had been years and Casey still had this effect on her. She was Jenna fucking Reynolds. She didn’t need someone who didn’t need her. Jenna sucked her cheeks in and tried to get a grip on herself when "Jen?"
Jen looked up to see her best friend standing there. She let Jeremiah have his hello before she practically pushed the quarterback out of the way. She threw her arms around Nas, squeezing him tight. “I’ve missed youuuuu.” It had only been a few months since she’d last seen Nas, but he did hold the ranking of Best Friend. They’d seen each other through everything, usually over several alcoholic beverages and a strong black coffee in the morning. She missed Nas when he wasn’t in New York. She held him at arm’s length and looked him up and down. “You look so good!
”So Nas?…How are you feeling right now? I mean…, this must be weird for you, no?”
Jenna closed her eyes to hide the roll she did. “Think it’s weird for all of us. Never thought I’d end up back here. Not like this anyway.” She looked between her two boys. "But first, drinks!"
────────────────────────────
────────────────────────────
A M E L I AXB O U D R E A U X
_____ T H EXF R E EXS P I R I T _____
Outfit: Link Here
Location: The Boudreaux Residence
Dialogue Color ✦ #C35817
Thought Color ✧ #730800
────────────────────────────
A M E L I AXB O U D R E A U X
_____ T H EXF R E EXS P I R I T _____
Outfit: Link Here
Location: The Boudreaux Residence
Dialogue Color ✦ #C35817
Thought Color ✧ #730800
After making sure Dion was dry and fresh, and completely changed, Lia threw away the soiled diaper while her boy made himself busy with her old nightstand, reaching up to grab one of the little fixtures she'd practically begged her mother for during one of their little shopping excursions. At the time, she even demanded that Diana get one too. She faintly wondered if her sister even kept it. She didn't have time to dwell on that thought, however, not when Dion decided that putting one of the pebbles from inside a glass bowl was the obvious next course of action.
"Aaaaaaaannnd this is why I don't let you have free reign, bubba," she exclaimed, scooping him up with one arm and using the hand of the other to snatch the pebble out of her hand. He whined, reaching for it, fitful. But she was not hearing it, tossing the pebble back into its container while turning them away from her nightstand amidst his struggles. "Hey, hey, hey...I said no." Dion's face scrunched up adorably, even though Lia didn't see anything particularly adorable about his fits. Oh my God, I'm actually a mom, she thought, not for the first time, while setting him back on the floor without releasing him. She crouched before the toddler, giving him as stern a look as she could. "Not everything goes in your mouth. You pretend like you don't understand me, but you know what no means." Naturally, she didn't think he always understood what the word meant, but he was beginning to comprehend that it was associated with her displeasure. The real issue was if her toddler even cared, especially when his own curiosity needed to be piqued. Distracted by her task and Dion's current mood, she hadn't even realized that she'd begun to calm and settle.
However, before she could attempt to get him back to being her bubbly baby boy, Amelia heard the doorknob twist. For a brief second, her heart froze in her chest, but then she heard Casey's voice, allowing her limbs to loosen again. Lia looked up then, a smile frozen on her lips as Dion turned to face Casey. Amelia felt him back into her upon her childhood best friend's words, chuckling to herself both at Casey and Dion's seeming desire to blend into his mother until he could not be seen. "It's okay," she whispered directly into Dion's ear, nuzzling the side of his neck until he giggled. Afterwards, she rose back to her full height and met Casey halfway in the kind of soul-warming crush only Casey could provide.
The two of them hadn't necessarily fallen out of contact. They always had one another's phone numbers. They called, they video chatted and Skyped; they remained as up to date with one another's lives as they could, despite living in entirely different countries - barring, of course, Amelia's refusal to announce her pregnancy and childbirth to anyone save for her brother. But somehow, Amelia had convinced herself that she was alright with not embracing her best friend - any of her friends - for a long period of time and now that she was back in Casey's arms, it was difficult to remember why she'd allowed herself to be such an idiot.
"I missed you, too, Cas," she replied, giving the other girl a squeeze before they parted, only to turn to see her son hurrying back to her person, throwing himself at her legs while never taking his eyes off of Casey. Laughing at her friend's joke and crouching again, she ignored Dion's request to be lifted for the sake of simply holding him, nuzzling him again until he laughed. "Shut up before I take back saying I missed you," she told Casey before turning her attention to Dion. "You can say hi, bubba. You're not shy." The last sentence was said teasingly, especially when Dion only giggled, little hands framing her own as they held him by his waist.
Amelia knew people would have questions about Dion, about his father and how this came to be. Thinking about the man made her bite back a frown, the ghost of hands at her throat and bruises lining her sides making her close her eyes for the moment it took her to pretend that she knew what composing herself looked like. She wouldn't even blame Casey if she could see through her; Lia saw through her damn self, especially when she'd failed to suppress the shiver the memories of him elicited. "Dion is mine," she said firmly, as if Margaret Boudreaux were the one before her, and not her friend. "His father isn't in his life and I don't want him to be." Dion glimpsed the side of her face and Amelia met his gaze, mouth widening into a grin as her son grinned back and kissed the tip of her nose like she did him. Giggling, she squeezed his sides until the boy shrieked out a laugh, adding, "Besides, I think we've been doing pretty good on our own, haven't we, bubba?" Dion only giggled again, curling into Lia's chest until she wrapped arms around him so that he could bury himself in her chest. "The real question is - how are you? You see her yet?" The look she gave Casey was pointed, making sure her friend knew exactly who the her she was referring to was.
"Aaaaaaaannnd this is why I don't let you have free reign, bubba," she exclaimed, scooping him up with one arm and using the hand of the other to snatch the pebble out of her hand. He whined, reaching for it, fitful. But she was not hearing it, tossing the pebble back into its container while turning them away from her nightstand amidst his struggles. "Hey, hey, hey...I said no." Dion's face scrunched up adorably, even though Lia didn't see anything particularly adorable about his fits. Oh my God, I'm actually a mom, she thought, not for the first time, while setting him back on the floor without releasing him. She crouched before the toddler, giving him as stern a look as she could. "Not everything goes in your mouth. You pretend like you don't understand me, but you know what no means." Naturally, she didn't think he always understood what the word meant, but he was beginning to comprehend that it was associated with her displeasure. The real issue was if her toddler even cared, especially when his own curiosity needed to be piqued. Distracted by her task and Dion's current mood, she hadn't even realized that she'd begun to calm and settle.
However, before she could attempt to get him back to being her bubbly baby boy, Amelia heard the doorknob twist. For a brief second, her heart froze in her chest, but then she heard Casey's voice, allowing her limbs to loosen again. Lia looked up then, a smile frozen on her lips as Dion turned to face Casey. Amelia felt him back into her upon her childhood best friend's words, chuckling to herself both at Casey and Dion's seeming desire to blend into his mother until he could not be seen. "It's okay," she whispered directly into Dion's ear, nuzzling the side of his neck until he giggled. Afterwards, she rose back to her full height and met Casey halfway in the kind of soul-warming crush only Casey could provide.
The two of them hadn't necessarily fallen out of contact. They always had one another's phone numbers. They called, they video chatted and Skyped; they remained as up to date with one another's lives as they could, despite living in entirely different countries - barring, of course, Amelia's refusal to announce her pregnancy and childbirth to anyone save for her brother. But somehow, Amelia had convinced herself that she was alright with not embracing her best friend - any of her friends - for a long period of time and now that she was back in Casey's arms, it was difficult to remember why she'd allowed herself to be such an idiot.
"I missed you, too, Cas," she replied, giving the other girl a squeeze before they parted, only to turn to see her son hurrying back to her person, throwing himself at her legs while never taking his eyes off of Casey. Laughing at her friend's joke and crouching again, she ignored Dion's request to be lifted for the sake of simply holding him, nuzzling him again until he laughed. "Shut up before I take back saying I missed you," she told Casey before turning her attention to Dion. "You can say hi, bubba. You're not shy." The last sentence was said teasingly, especially when Dion only giggled, little hands framing her own as they held him by his waist.
Amelia knew people would have questions about Dion, about his father and how this came to be. Thinking about the man made her bite back a frown, the ghost of hands at her throat and bruises lining her sides making her close her eyes for the moment it took her to pretend that she knew what composing herself looked like. She wouldn't even blame Casey if she could see through her; Lia saw through her damn self, especially when she'd failed to suppress the shiver the memories of him elicited. "Dion is mine," she said firmly, as if Margaret Boudreaux were the one before her, and not her friend. "His father isn't in his life and I don't want him to be." Dion glimpsed the side of her face and Amelia met his gaze, mouth widening into a grin as her son grinned back and kissed the tip of her nose like she did him. Giggling, she squeezed his sides until the boy shrieked out a laugh, adding, "Besides, I think we've been doing pretty good on our own, haven't we, bubba?" Dion only giggled again, curling into Lia's chest until she wrapped arms around him so that he could bury himself in her chest. "The real question is - how are you? You see her yet?" The look she gave Casey was pointed, making sure her friend knew exactly who the her she was referring to was.
────────────────────────────
────────────────────────────
I K E N A S I OXA M A S I O - H A N S E N
_____ T H EXB A DXB O Y _____
Outfit: Link Here
Location: The Boudreaux Residence
Dialogue Color ✦ #307D7E
Thought Color ✧ #183E3F
────────────────────────────
I K E N A S I OXA M A S I O - H A N S E N
_____ T H EXB A DXB O Y _____
Outfit: Link Here
Location: The Boudreaux Residence
Dialogue Color ✦ #307D7E
Thought Color ✧ #183E3F
Instinctively, receiving praise for what he considered quick work - though it was work Nas genuinely loved doing, so he couldn't be too surprised that people were happy he did it right - discomfited him. Had Jeremiah not reached for him, initiating a bro-hug, Nas would've had no choice but to breathe out a ghost of a laugh, letting his hand raise to his head in an attempt to fuss with the short strands of raven hair at the top of his head only to be thwarted by the hat Amelia forced him to wear. As if remembering his manners, and finally being allowed to remove it because they were inside, Nas took the headwear off, returning Jeremiah's bout of affection. "No problem, man. Was glad to help," he answered honestly before releasing the other man in time to get bulldozed by Jenna.
Nas meant it, too. He had been glad to help. Jeremiah's mom had asked for his assistance around the same time he and Ben had started drifting apart, and it had seemed like a worthy distraction. Make sure a friend's mother was well taken care of and had the home she wanted to live in while pretending that he didn't know his home was becoming a house with two married roommates, perfect. The thought made him frown, but he didn't have time when Jenna grinned up at him. The brunette had honestly been a godsend over the years. They had never fallen out of touch. Nas had visited New York more times than he thought he would, especially considering the fact that he'd be the first to say he hated the city, but for her he'd been willing to bear the crowd. "I missed you too, Jen," he told her warmly before grinning at her follow up. "Don't let Lia hear you say that. She'll never let it go and probably try to be my personal stylist," he added, briefly glancing at the steps. Not enough time had probably passed for her to return down the steps and face the music, and he was hoping that the spitfire she'd always been will immerge. Before long, though, Jeremiah seemed to come back to himself and ask about Ben.
Nas never knew how to answer. Whether it was the lady who ran the bakery that had that Russian black bread he liked, or even his youngest brother - he never seemed capable of providing an adequate answer for his own feelings when it came to Ben. Especially not for the reason they were all here in the first place. The night Nas had gotten the call, his heart had nearly stopped in his chest followed by an ache he was sure would land him in the hospital before the night was over. Even as he gathered some things, made the necessary calls, and then drove all the way to Charlotte without stop, the ache had persisted, this uncomfortable chasm filled only with guilt and despair, until he'd been in his husband's hospital room, clinging to a still hand and hoping Ben would open his eyes. It happened, thank God, but Nas hadn't been there to prevent anything of the sort from happening in the first place. How does one unpack layers of failed responsibility and negligence like that? How does someone who has prided themselves on being accountable for their loved ones - for caring and providing for and looking after the people he loves the most - admit that they had not done so for the one person he should have? Nas swallowed.
Luckily, and this was probably the real reason why Nas could never rid himself of Jenna, she spoke up, diverting their attention to the idea of drinks. Nas breathed out a small laugh, relief coloring his expression as he shot her a look of gratitude. Face smoothing back into a more neutral expression, though, he said, "Yeah, I think a drink is in order."
Nas meant it, too. He had been glad to help. Jeremiah's mom had asked for his assistance around the same time he and Ben had started drifting apart, and it had seemed like a worthy distraction. Make sure a friend's mother was well taken care of and had the home she wanted to live in while pretending that he didn't know his home was becoming a house with two married roommates, perfect. The thought made him frown, but he didn't have time when Jenna grinned up at him. The brunette had honestly been a godsend over the years. They had never fallen out of touch. Nas had visited New York more times than he thought he would, especially considering the fact that he'd be the first to say he hated the city, but for her he'd been willing to bear the crowd. "I missed you too, Jen," he told her warmly before grinning at her follow up. "Don't let Lia hear you say that. She'll never let it go and probably try to be my personal stylist," he added, briefly glancing at the steps. Not enough time had probably passed for her to return down the steps and face the music, and he was hoping that the spitfire she'd always been will immerge. Before long, though, Jeremiah seemed to come back to himself and ask about Ben.
Nas never knew how to answer. Whether it was the lady who ran the bakery that had that Russian black bread he liked, or even his youngest brother - he never seemed capable of providing an adequate answer for his own feelings when it came to Ben. Especially not for the reason they were all here in the first place. The night Nas had gotten the call, his heart had nearly stopped in his chest followed by an ache he was sure would land him in the hospital before the night was over. Even as he gathered some things, made the necessary calls, and then drove all the way to Charlotte without stop, the ache had persisted, this uncomfortable chasm filled only with guilt and despair, until he'd been in his husband's hospital room, clinging to a still hand and hoping Ben would open his eyes. It happened, thank God, but Nas hadn't been there to prevent anything of the sort from happening in the first place. How does one unpack layers of failed responsibility and negligence like that? How does someone who has prided themselves on being accountable for their loved ones - for caring and providing for and looking after the people he loves the most - admit that they had not done so for the one person he should have? Nas swallowed.
Luckily, and this was probably the real reason why Nas could never rid himself of Jenna, she spoke up, diverting their attention to the idea of drinks. Nas breathed out a small laugh, relief coloring his expression as he shot her a look of gratitude. Face smoothing back into a more neutral expression, though, he said, "Yeah, I think a drink is in order."
XXXXXXX━━ DIANAXBOUDREAUXoutfitxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxIxxxxxxxIIxxxxxxIII
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
Diana’s head perked up at the mention of Casey’s name, feeling somewhat guilty for not noticing her in the room. But before she could go over and say her own hello’s, Casey disappeared. She mentally shrugged. "Hope it's to your liking, Princess." Erin playfully spoke as she handed Di a drink.
”Perfect. Thanks, girly.” Diana eyed the amber liquid and the golden glow of the glass-like cubes. She poked them with her perfectly manicured nail to hear them jingle. She watched, entranced, as they bounced back up- remaining mostly submerged like mini icebergs. Wrapping her long fingers around the glass, she raised the glass to sip, feeling the keen burn on her tongue and throat- a burn that made her recoil. Diana wasn’t much of a drinker, and for some reason it made her fingers tingle right up her knuckles.
"As for your sister...Who the fuck knows in all honesty." Diana’s attention was snapped back to reality as she heard Erin’s voice, mirroring her shrug. Typical Lia. Leave it up to her sister to show up after years of being away, only to show up late. Though, Diana couldn’t deny the fact that her heart ached with a ping of longing for her sister. Despite their well-known differences, she missed her dearly. She almost felt the sweat at her brow form as she wondered what she’d even say to her other half if she came walking through the front door at that very moment. ’No need to be so awkward, Di. This is family we’re talking about.
The house was indeed Elizabethan, with wooden panels along the corridors, ornate chandeliers, and oil paintings of old bearded men in tunics and ruffs. Family portraits lined the walls. It was no question her parents had a nice house. And it was, after all, her childhood home. How could she not think it was nice? She heard more voices begin to fill the air as more and more people entered the hall.
“Hey Erin, let me know when you’ve got a minute.” She heard Nate speak from behind her as she glanced at him from over her shoulder. She immediately turned to face him and straightened her back.
“I can step out for a minute,” she put her hands up defensively with a small smirk painting her cherry lips “Don’t mind me.” She turned on her heel to snatch her drink from the countertop. Before she could think, she turned her attention across the room where all the new voices were emerging from. Her cheeks turned a dark shade of champagne pink as her eyes locked with Nas, Jenna, and…. Jeremiah. She felt her heart skip a beat as she realized there was no turning back now. She couldn’t awkwardly face away and pretend as if she hadn’t seen them. No, that would be too obvious. And she couldn’t stay at the bar when she had already excused herself. That would be too awkward. “Yeah, uh, don’t mind me.” She repeated herself, taking a large gulp of her drink.
She felt the soft panic that can grow or fade depending on what she did next. She guessed she could stay back and let the panic fade, but that would just mean she’d have to face up to it and do it all over again later. It would only grow if she just stood at the bar and let her thoughts swirl into a vortex of stupidity, eating their own tail. Or she could take another gulp of her drink, gulp, breathe real slow, and let her thoughts guide her over to the other group.
Diana painted a stretched smile on her lips as she crossed the floor, her heeled shoes clicking against the hardwood as she, in typical Diana fashion, let herself intruse upon the group's conversation.
“Hey, it’s so nice you all could make it.” Her voice was shaky but confident as she stood in front of the three. She looked at each one of them and gave them all a small grin, her palms becoming sweaty around her glass as she made eye contact with Jeremiah. Silence. “Oh, well, bring it in!” She chimed, attempting to break the awkwardness as she first wrapped her arms around Jenna in a small embrace, then stepped towards Nas to do the same, then stopped as she stood in front of Jeremiah. Her lips grew into a tight smile as she opted out of hugging, fearing it would feel too awkward. She simply faintly smiled up at him for perhaps a moment too long before awkwardly looking away and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She glanced down at her glass, where the liquid had somehow almost disappeared.
“Was everyone headed towards the bar for some drinks?”
”Perfect. Thanks, girly.” Diana eyed the amber liquid and the golden glow of the glass-like cubes. She poked them with her perfectly manicured nail to hear them jingle. She watched, entranced, as they bounced back up- remaining mostly submerged like mini icebergs. Wrapping her long fingers around the glass, she raised the glass to sip, feeling the keen burn on her tongue and throat- a burn that made her recoil. Diana wasn’t much of a drinker, and for some reason it made her fingers tingle right up her knuckles.
"As for your sister...Who the fuck knows in all honesty." Diana’s attention was snapped back to reality as she heard Erin’s voice, mirroring her shrug. Typical Lia. Leave it up to her sister to show up after years of being away, only to show up late. Though, Diana couldn’t deny the fact that her heart ached with a ping of longing for her sister. Despite their well-known differences, she missed her dearly. She almost felt the sweat at her brow form as she wondered what she’d even say to her other half if she came walking through the front door at that very moment. ’No need to be so awkward, Di. This is family we’re talking about.
The house was indeed Elizabethan, with wooden panels along the corridors, ornate chandeliers, and oil paintings of old bearded men in tunics and ruffs. Family portraits lined the walls. It was no question her parents had a nice house. And it was, after all, her childhood home. How could she not think it was nice? She heard more voices begin to fill the air as more and more people entered the hall.
“Hey Erin, let me know when you’ve got a minute.” She heard Nate speak from behind her as she glanced at him from over her shoulder. She immediately turned to face him and straightened her back.
“I can step out for a minute,” she put her hands up defensively with a small smirk painting her cherry lips “Don’t mind me.” She turned on her heel to snatch her drink from the countertop. Before she could think, she turned her attention across the room where all the new voices were emerging from. Her cheeks turned a dark shade of champagne pink as her eyes locked with Nas, Jenna, and…. Jeremiah. She felt her heart skip a beat as she realized there was no turning back now. She couldn’t awkwardly face away and pretend as if she hadn’t seen them. No, that would be too obvious. And she couldn’t stay at the bar when she had already excused herself. That would be too awkward. “Yeah, uh, don’t mind me.” She repeated herself, taking a large gulp of her drink.
She felt the soft panic that can grow or fade depending on what she did next. She guessed she could stay back and let the panic fade, but that would just mean she’d have to face up to it and do it all over again later. It would only grow if she just stood at the bar and let her thoughts swirl into a vortex of stupidity, eating their own tail. Or she could take another gulp of her drink, gulp, breathe real slow, and let her thoughts guide her over to the other group.
Diana painted a stretched smile on her lips as she crossed the floor, her heeled shoes clicking against the hardwood as she, in typical Diana fashion, let herself intruse upon the group's conversation.
“Hey, it’s so nice you all could make it.” Her voice was shaky but confident as she stood in front of the three. She looked at each one of them and gave them all a small grin, her palms becoming sweaty around her glass as she made eye contact with Jeremiah. Silence. “Oh, well, bring it in!” She chimed, attempting to break the awkwardness as she first wrapped her arms around Jenna in a small embrace, then stepped towards Nas to do the same, then stopped as she stood in front of Jeremiah. Her lips grew into a tight smile as she opted out of hugging, fearing it would feel too awkward. She simply faintly smiled up at him for perhaps a moment too long before awkwardly looking away and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She glanced down at her glass, where the liquid had somehow almost disappeared.
“Was everyone headed towards the bar for some drinks?”
┗━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━┛
The Valedictorian // Attire // Location: The Boudreaux-Hansen Home // #2a5d9c
Erin grinned as Diana thanked her for the drink, "Don't mention it." she said casually over her shoulder. The platinum blonde was in the middle of pouring another drink when she heard yet another familiar voice sound off next to her. Erin shot her eyes to the side, and a grin formed on her face as she saw Nate again, "'Sup, dude!" she said cheerily. Erin gave Nate a curt nod as she finished off another person's drink, quickly wiped down the bar and whispered to the other bartender that she'd need a minute. Erin quickly stepped out from behind the bar, giving Nate a small side-hug as she patted him on the back, "Well hello, movie star!" she chuckled before biting her lip, "Alright, I'll drop the bullshit." she sighed, looking around for a moment before looking at Nate, "What type of tea do you want from me this time? The shit-show that's my cousin and Jenna? Just Casey's bullshit? Cuz we all know there's more than enough of that to go around...Or maybe a little something else with the others. I got it all, so what's up?" she gave him a small grin and wink. Her attention quickly being pulled by the oncoming group of Nas, Jeremiah, and none other than Jenna. Erin flashed them all a small smile and wink as she leaned back on the bar, giving her attention back to Nate as they spoke.
Casey's lips twisted in the form of a small grin when Lia said she had missed her, which was shortly followed by a coy threat of taking back said claim. Casey combed her fingers through her hair for a moment as she listened to Lia explain everything, standing silently as she bit her nails. A bad habit she was never able to break, unsurprising as it may have been. Her eyes shifted over from Lia to Dion as his mother spoke, explaining everything. A a small pit forming in her stomach. She had a hunch some things may have been bad but, she didn't expect it to be as bad as Lia was alluding to. No one deserved that, especially Lia. Casey simply gave her a small, understanding nod, "I get it, Lia...You don't...You don't need to explain." the expression that overtook her face as she spoke was understanding, and sympathetic. That was the thing with Casey, she wore her heart on her sleeve, and her emotions were always out on public display on her face. A small sigh escaped her lips as Casey slipped her hands into her pockets as she thought for a moment.
Casey silently rubbed her chin and jawline with her fingers for a moment, licking her lips as she could feel anxiety slowly filling her body as Amelia was slowly coming to an end of what she was saying. Casey knew what was coming next, and she wasn't looking forward to it at all. She needed something, anything to distract herself from having to face what was to come next, and when that god damn question rolled out from Lia's mouth, Casey knew she was screwed. Almost on instinct, Casey knelt down next to Dion, giving him a small smile, "Hey bud." she shot him a small smile and wink, before nervously looking up at Lia. Giving her an overly forced and nervous grin, before slowly returning back to her full height. Casey rubbed the back of her neck as her other hand fidgeted with the bottom seam of her shirt. Casey took another deep breath, bracing herself as she spoke.
"Well...Ya see-" she started, averting her gaze from Lia as she continued. "I saw her. Yeah, for like...a good solid point five seconds, then you texted me and well, I wasn't just gonna ignore your text. So, I did the responsible thing and...Came up here to see what the hell it was that you were being so off for." Casey gave an awkward, yet small shrug of her shoulders as she continued to talk. "But yeah, I saw her. Yup. Mhm, it's all good though. Things are uh...Totally fine." Casey sputtered out, continuing to keep her eyes away from Lia. Casey knew better. She knew full well that if anyone was gonna call her out on her shit, it was going to be Amelia. And she was ready for it. Even if she didn't want to admit it. She was prepared as best as she could be.
"But yeah, I know I fucked up, alright? I don't need everyone telling me that. Hell, I already got grilled from Erin as soon as she fucking saw me." she said with a sigh, her eyes widening as the realization hit her. "Oh fuck...Erin's downstairs...With the others, and I'm not down there to stop her from saying shit. Yeah...This is fine. Totally fine." Casey combed her fingers through her hair as she paced across the room a few times, before stopping and looking back at Lia. Biting her lip for a moment, as her eyes glanced from Dion to Lia, then back to Dion, and then back to Lia again. At least she wasn't going to be the biggest shock for everyone anymore. She at least had that going for her. Which calmed her nerves just enough, but barely. "I haven't seen Jenna in about four years, and now Erin has free reign to say whatever she wants...Lia, you have to help me, got it?" Casey asked with a raised eyebrow, as panic slowly began to fill her again. "I haven't even gotten to say hi to her yet, and my god damn cousin is only going to make things worse before I can even attempt at not making things awkward for myself already....I'm really fucked here, aren't I?"
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxJeremiah Hawk
xxxxxxxxxThe Athlete - ED1005 - outfit
From the corner of his eye, Jer thought he saw a blond head sneaking off. It might have been Casey, but whoever it was went by too quickly for him to confirm. He rubbed his stubble thinking of how he would deal with seeing Casey again. He wondered how he could think so quickly on the field, but be so stumped when it came to normal life. He would have to act normal, or at the least his version of normal. We used to hug when seeing each other, but would that be too much now?
Jer took the phone from his pocket and his eyes focused when the thing unlocked itself. He had no new messages, and still about a thousand unread emails, although that was kind of a daily thing. He flipped through it, even though he knew full well there was nothing new on the damn thing. By now it was a nervous twitch than actually looking for something. He was waiting for the others to move, maybe they could deflect whatever was coming his way.
All of a sudden he knew he didn’t have to move for his nightmare to close in on him. Without looking up, or maybe even afraid to look up, he knew Diana was on her way. These were her high heels that made the clicking noise on the hardwood floors, he’d recognise it anywhere. The tempo of the steps, the way the sound filled the room. Was it just him, or did everyone hear it this way? The sound came closer still before he had the courage to look up at her.
He thought he could feel his jaw drop. She looked elegant as ever, radiant even. It felt like the low hanging sun lit up the room to emphasise her. If she was nervous about this, it looked like she had a better way of hiding it then he did. Her stride was still one of confidence and the way she composed herself was still like it had been 7 years ago. Just before she arrived to their group he remembered to close his jaw again. Stop trying to look so stupid for 1 friggin’ minute Jer could kick himself.
“Hey, it’s so nice you all could make it.” she said calmly, maybe a bit of a higher pitch than normal. Jer’s mind was racing. Of all the things playing in his mind, their fights were the last thing he wanted to imagine right now. However, it was the same few memories that flew through his mind time after time. I can’t believe the last word I ever spoke to her, or called her, was ‘bitch’ It had been wrong, it had been so wrong to call her that. Yes, they disagreed, and yes, they were drifting apart, but none of that should have driven him to call her a bitch. It had been mean, and solely intended to hurt her feelings.
He saw her smile at them. Bitch, bitch, bitch… The word repeated in his mind time and time again. He felt his palms get sweaty. Bitch, bitch… He saw her leaning in to hug Jenna first. Now he was feeling chills, cold and heat running through his body at the same time. Bitch, bitch, bitch… Come on man, stop yourself! He was better than this, this isn't how his mother raised him. As Jenna and Di separated, he saw her going for a hug with Nas. Bitch, bitch, bitch… Oh no, I’m next. Is she….is she gonna hug me too? The full fledged panic attack could be felt in every fibre of his being. Di was pretty much a foot smaller than he was, but he still felt himself shrinking further and further. Bitch, bitch, bitch… Why am I being such an ass, stop yourself!
Jer felt hopeless when Diana and Nas let go of each other. Bitch, bitch… Don’t you guys need to hug a bit longer, you’re siblings in law for crying out loud! The moment before they took note of him, he took out the handkerchief from his pocket to nervously dab his forehead dry. As he put it back in his pocket he looked straight into Diana’s eyes, their feet in each others direction. He blinked a few times quickly, almost hoping he would see something else when he opened his eyes again. Bitch, bitch, bitch… Please God, for everything that’s holy, don’t let me open my mouth.
He put one foot forward, expecting her to do the same. Expecting her to hug him like she did the others. Bitch, bitch, bitch…He hunched over and spread his arms before he realised she was not moving like he’d expected her to do. He stopped halfway, not knowing what to do next. His armpits felt like the Pacific on the left and the Atlantic on the right. He stopped moving completely, trying to camouflage his spreading arms as if he was to make an announcement. "B..bitch....-ing party, Di!" he proclaimed a bit too loud and a bit too forced. His smile turned into a small laugh, which turned into a sound he’d never made before, and hopefully would never repeat.
"Drinks sound like an excellent idea!" He turned his body towards the bar, hoping the others were planning on the same. In a few long strides he made his way over to the bar, like he was going for the end zone. "One beer, please…" he mentioned to one of the barmaids. quickly, he thought.
xxxi've never so adored you
xxxi'm twisting allegories now
xxxi want to complicate you
xxxdon't let me do this to myself
Ben just raised an eyebrow at Casey's very obviously fake smile. They'd need to have a proper catch up somewhere that wasn't here. But when he noticed her attention drifting elsewhere, he instinctively turned to look and spotted Jeremiah, Jenna... and Nas. His stomach dropped. They hadn't seen each other since the hospital, and even then, it had been brief and full of awkwardness. What the hell to you say to the man you pulled away from, you walked away from, and yet still left as your next of kin? He still hadn't figured out what the hell he was supposed to do or say. Thankfully, a distraction arrived in the form of Diana, clearly acting the perfect hostess, as if this was just another party and seven years hadn't passed since they were last all in the same room. "I'm good, Di," was all he said. "Haven't seen Lia yet, though," he admitted. He turned to ask Casey if she'd seen Lia, but Casey had slipped away without them noticing, leaving him alone with Diana and Nate. He fixed a smile on his face. Nate asked Erin for a word, clearly in search of news. Diana took that as her leave and sauntered over to another group. Ben's stomach twisted painfully again as he saw what group it was.
The fact that Diana and Nas had become friends would never not be weird to Ben. When he and Ben had first started dating, Diana had sided with their parents on the matter of not approving of him. She'd fed him some bullshit about just wanting to look out for him, and as time had gone on, the two seemed to genuinely let along. But Ben found himself stuck on the fact that when it had come to his happiness or their parents' approval, she'd sided with them. It had driven a wedge between them that they'd never quite bridged.
He found himself watching Diana interacting with them all and the speed at which Jeremiah seemed to leave the group and head for the bar. That did make him smirk a little bit, but then he found his attention drifting back to Nas. Afraid of accidentally catching his husband's eye, he turned around and fished out his phone, mentally chastising himself. But if his estranged husband was here, that also meant his little sister had to be here somewhere too.
To: liiiiiiiia
this is awkward af where are you??? <3
The fact that Diana and Nas had become friends would never not be weird to Ben. When he and Ben had first started dating, Diana had sided with their parents on the matter of not approving of him. She'd fed him some bullshit about just wanting to look out for him, and as time had gone on, the two seemed to genuinely let along. But Ben found himself stuck on the fact that when it had come to his happiness or their parents' approval, she'd sided with them. It had driven a wedge between them that they'd never quite bridged.
He found himself watching Diana interacting with them all and the speed at which Jeremiah seemed to leave the group and head for the bar. That did make him smirk a little bit, but then he found his attention drifting back to Nas. Afraid of accidentally catching his husband's eye, he turned around and fished out his phone, mentally chastising himself. But if his estranged husband was here, that also meant his little sister had to be here somewhere too.
To: liiiiiiiia
this is awkward af where are you??? <3
────────────────────────────
────────────────────────────
A M E L I AXB O U D R E A U X
_____ T H EXF R E EXS P I R I T _____
Outfit: Link Here
Location: The Boudreaux Residence
Dialogue Color ✦ #C35817
Thought Color ✧ #730800
────────────────────────────
A M E L I AXB O U D R E A U X
_____ T H EXF R E EXS P I R I T _____
Outfit: Link Here
Location: The Boudreaux Residence
Dialogue Color ✦ #C35817
Thought Color ✧ #730800
Amelia snorted when Casey had the audacity to pin her own inability to face Jenna just yet on Lia's request for attention. Granted, it probably was more of a demand, but Lia wasn't about to be blamed, which resulted in her retorting, not even pretending to mutter under her breath, "Ooookaaayy, blame me, why don't ya?" Her eyes had slipped back into something more playful as she put the bad spirit from her past to bed for the moment, as Dion crept out of her touch to go traipsing about her bedroom as if in search of something else to mess with. It gave her an opportunity to concentrate solely on her friend.
Amelia's green-brown eyes widened in alarm just as Casey paled, a panic stricken expression crossing the other woman's features as she mentioned Erin being downstairs where Jenna and the others also were. She actually really liked Erin, enjoyed waltzing up to the bar at Boom when the other girl used to work there just to sip on margaritas and glean any information she could from her just for the hell of it, found pleasure in making Casey whine about how much her cousin spilled too much, especially about her. Which was why it was difficult to find true pity in the other girl - sympathy, perhaps, because she understood the weight of anxiety and regrets, and particularly how so much said worries plagued the girl Casey had been when they were younger. The girl Amelia felt she was looking at. Instead, even when Amelia crossed the space between them to place her hands on Casey's shoulders in comfort, Lia couldn't help but secretly thrill at the thought of Erin wreaking havoc, especially if it helped Lia's plans to get all of her friends to get their shit together. She wasn't planning on staying in Bluffton for long, and no she was not going to investigate the pang that thought struck in her chest, but she'd at least play fairy godmother while she was here, if she could. "Hey, take a breath. No one's fucked here," she goaded the other woman, the Yet, a thought she was going to keep to herself. "Nobody's accusing you and truth be told, you and I both know that Erin would stir shit up even if you'd stayed downstairs." Grinning, Lia added playfully, "Besides, we both also know you would've made shit awkward without even trying, babe. It'll be fine."
It was easier to believe that now that she'd distracted herself with Dion and then with Casey. The knot in her belly had abated, not necessarily disappeared just yet, and interacting felt more manageable. She still had to introduce her son to these people, to her family and Amelia didn't want to. She wanted Dion to know his aunt, to finally see his uncle he loved so dearly. She also wanted to snatch him up into her arms, protect him, shield him from anyone and everyone who could threaten the peace she'd found in motherhood. But she couldn't - no, wouldn't. It defeated the purpose of the two flights she took to return. Plus, she realized as her phone vibrated on her old bed and she removed herself from Casey to see what the fuss was, she was here for a reason - for Ben. "Shit, we gotta go," she announced, wincing briefly in remembrance at Nas' shock for her crassness even around Dion. Her son didn't seem to notice, too distracted with the mirrored door of her closet. She hadn't even seen Ben's first text, scrambling to reply.
To: Benny Boo
Srry, diaper emergency
"We got this." Amelia didn't know who she was really telling it to, Casey or herself, but she tossed the words to the blonde's face the second she felt her own pulse quicken as she whirled back around. "We're gonna get drinks, we're gonna not run from Jenna, and we're gonna be just fine. Promise." It probably wasn't the best thing to say, making a promise, but Lia was clutching Casey's wrist in an attempt to make sure her best friend did not try to hide away like Lia secretly knew that she herself had been doing. She called Dion over and the toddler charged for her and then for the bedroom door, trying to wrench it open as if he was the one strong enough to do it when it was his mother who turned the knob. "We've got this," Amelia said, though she whispered it to herself, letting Dion pretend he knew the way as he surprisingly did lead them towards the steps, heart slamming into her ribcage in time with her heels onto the carpeted floor beneath their feet.
Amelia's green-brown eyes widened in alarm just as Casey paled, a panic stricken expression crossing the other woman's features as she mentioned Erin being downstairs where Jenna and the others also were. She actually really liked Erin, enjoyed waltzing up to the bar at Boom when the other girl used to work there just to sip on margaritas and glean any information she could from her just for the hell of it, found pleasure in making Casey whine about how much her cousin spilled too much, especially about her. Which was why it was difficult to find true pity in the other girl - sympathy, perhaps, because she understood the weight of anxiety and regrets, and particularly how so much said worries plagued the girl Casey had been when they were younger. The girl Amelia felt she was looking at. Instead, even when Amelia crossed the space between them to place her hands on Casey's shoulders in comfort, Lia couldn't help but secretly thrill at the thought of Erin wreaking havoc, especially if it helped Lia's plans to get all of her friends to get their shit together. She wasn't planning on staying in Bluffton for long, and no she was not going to investigate the pang that thought struck in her chest, but she'd at least play fairy godmother while she was here, if she could. "Hey, take a breath. No one's fucked here," she goaded the other woman, the Yet, a thought she was going to keep to herself. "Nobody's accusing you and truth be told, you and I both know that Erin would stir shit up even if you'd stayed downstairs." Grinning, Lia added playfully, "Besides, we both also know you would've made shit awkward without even trying, babe. It'll be fine."
It was easier to believe that now that she'd distracted herself with Dion and then with Casey. The knot in her belly had abated, not necessarily disappeared just yet, and interacting felt more manageable. She still had to introduce her son to these people, to her family and Amelia didn't want to. She wanted Dion to know his aunt, to finally see his uncle he loved so dearly. She also wanted to snatch him up into her arms, protect him, shield him from anyone and everyone who could threaten the peace she'd found in motherhood. But she couldn't - no, wouldn't. It defeated the purpose of the two flights she took to return. Plus, she realized as her phone vibrated on her old bed and she removed herself from Casey to see what the fuss was, she was here for a reason - for Ben. "Shit, we gotta go," she announced, wincing briefly in remembrance at Nas' shock for her crassness even around Dion. Her son didn't seem to notice, too distracted with the mirrored door of her closet. She hadn't even seen Ben's first text, scrambling to reply.
To: Benny Boo
Srry, diaper emergency
"We got this." Amelia didn't know who she was really telling it to, Casey or herself, but she tossed the words to the blonde's face the second she felt her own pulse quicken as she whirled back around. "We're gonna get drinks, we're gonna not run from Jenna, and we're gonna be just fine. Promise." It probably wasn't the best thing to say, making a promise, but Lia was clutching Casey's wrist in an attempt to make sure her best friend did not try to hide away like Lia secretly knew that she herself had been doing. She called Dion over and the toddler charged for her and then for the bedroom door, trying to wrench it open as if he was the one strong enough to do it when it was his mother who turned the knob. "We've got this," Amelia said, though she whispered it to herself, letting Dion pretend he knew the way as he surprisingly did lead them towards the steps, heart slamming into her ribcage in time with her heels onto the carpeted floor beneath their feet.
────────────────────────────
────────────────────────────
I K E N A S I OXA M A S I O - H A N S E N
_____ T H EXB A DXB O Y _____
Outfit: Link Here
Location: The Boudreaux Residence
Dialogue Color ✦ #307D7E
Thought Color ✧ #183E3F
────────────────────────────
I K E N A S I OXA M A S I O - H A N S E N
_____ T H EXB A DXB O Y _____
Outfit: Link Here
Location: The Boudreaux Residence
Dialogue Color ✦ #307D7E
Thought Color ✧ #183E3F
It seemed they were all geared to head towards the bar, which was great because lingering too close to the door drew attention, even if the other partygoers hid it behind champagne flutes. Nas didn't reckon himself enough of a personality to be well-known, but this was an event for the sake of his husband. Regardless of how much his in-laws had not particularly liked his acquiring the title, Bluffton was a small town and well...nothing stayed a secret for too long in Bluffton, regardless of who the secret involved. Due to that, as much as he knew there were an assortment of conversations flowing throughout the room, knowing that he drew a few gazes - some speculative, curious, accusing, even - made his nostrils flare. His shoulders drew back almost instinctively, muscles coiling, poised for defense, for attack if needed - a disposition he's always known garnered fear, bespoke dominance, a welcome veil for the roiling anxiety festering deep within. He'd even been poised to begin walking since Jeremiah appeared distracted by his phone, but then...but then Diana.
Nas would be lying if he said he wasn't grateful for Diana's presence, the way her arrival made his face split into something less like a stray dog ready to bite the second some wayward civilian reached out and more into something soft, agreeable. Even before he and Ben had married, Nas believed Diana didn't like him, just tolerated his presence because it seemed their circle gravitated towards one another and they were bound to interact. He acquired a protectiveness towards her regardless of the fact, a residual characteristic he thought he saved for family until he actually made friends and it's only grown, surprisingly, despite the state of his marriage. So, seeing her now despite having seen her a few weeks ago, managed to make the corners of his mouth twitch upwards into something resembling a smile, though he knew he couldn't fully commit. Not until he had some liquor in his system.
There was something disconcerting about her countenance, though, in the way her body felt too stiff against him when they hugged. "Hey, Di," he replied simply, giving her a light squeeze in his arms while attempting to decipher her expression. He couldn't, not really, when she wore a fortress for a face and elegance for armor. But he was at least able to pinpoint a shared discomfort between her and Jeremiah, their greeting stilted, an air of asphyxiated affectation lingering between the two. He knew the two hadn't ended their relationship smoothly; he'd been able to glean that much from the stiff way Diana had mentioned it some time ago. But he had never really attempted to gain any more information; it didn't seem to be his business and he thought his relationship with the oldest Boudreaux daughter fragile enough. Nas' brow furrowed slightly at the way Jeremiah bee-lined for the bar area. "Yeah, ummm," he paused, uncomfortable with the way Jeremiah completely abandoned them to his whatever-the-fuck-that-was, the way Diana seemed grieved both with the interaction and the current emptiness of her glass, "...we were just headed over. Can probably find you a refill, too." He finished the statement lamely, but there didn't seem to be much else to say. He was good with talking when it wasn't heaped upon him and with the more sociable of the two males seeking absolution at the bartender's mercy, he only had himself and Jenna. To support his assertation, Nas headed towards the bar, glancing back to ensure the two women were following before a flash of pale skin and paler hair caught the corner of his eye before his heart lurched up into his throat, making him suddenly wary about approaching the bar at all. Nas swallowed, hard.
Ben was there.
Nas would be lying if he said he wasn't grateful for Diana's presence, the way her arrival made his face split into something less like a stray dog ready to bite the second some wayward civilian reached out and more into something soft, agreeable. Even before he and Ben had married, Nas believed Diana didn't like him, just tolerated his presence because it seemed their circle gravitated towards one another and they were bound to interact. He acquired a protectiveness towards her regardless of the fact, a residual characteristic he thought he saved for family until he actually made friends and it's only grown, surprisingly, despite the state of his marriage. So, seeing her now despite having seen her a few weeks ago, managed to make the corners of his mouth twitch upwards into something resembling a smile, though he knew he couldn't fully commit. Not until he had some liquor in his system.
There was something disconcerting about her countenance, though, in the way her body felt too stiff against him when they hugged. "Hey, Di," he replied simply, giving her a light squeeze in his arms while attempting to decipher her expression. He couldn't, not really, when she wore a fortress for a face and elegance for armor. But he was at least able to pinpoint a shared discomfort between her and Jeremiah, their greeting stilted, an air of asphyxiated affectation lingering between the two. He knew the two hadn't ended their relationship smoothly; he'd been able to glean that much from the stiff way Diana had mentioned it some time ago. But he had never really attempted to gain any more information; it didn't seem to be his business and he thought his relationship with the oldest Boudreaux daughter fragile enough. Nas' brow furrowed slightly at the way Jeremiah bee-lined for the bar area. "Yeah, ummm," he paused, uncomfortable with the way Jeremiah completely abandoned them to his whatever-the-fuck-that-was, the way Diana seemed grieved both with the interaction and the current emptiness of her glass, "...we were just headed over. Can probably find you a refill, too." He finished the statement lamely, but there didn't seem to be much else to say. He was good with talking when it wasn't heaped upon him and with the more sociable of the two males seeking absolution at the bartender's mercy, he only had himself and Jenna. To support his assertation, Nas headed towards the bar, glancing back to ensure the two women were following before a flash of pale skin and paler hair caught the corner of his eye before his heart lurched up into his throat, making him suddenly wary about approaching the bar at all. Nas swallowed, hard.
Ben was there.
The Valedictorian // Attire // Location: The Boudreaux-Hansen Home // #2a5d9c
Erin couldn't help but overhear the remaining part of the conversation as the others slowly made their way towards the bar. Especially Jeremiah's part of where he had a rather clumsy recover, mentally facepalming at his fumble. For a former football player, he sure as hell could make better fumbles than a touchdown. Or maybe she just knew too much dirt on everyone at this damn party. Most were probably aware of that fact, and wanted to stay away from her as much as possible, but if she saw the opportunity to bring up something, she'd gladly take it. "Real smooth, jethro." she grinned before turning back to Nathan. Which, she could tell he was about to ask for some serious tea, and she was all but ready to spill it.
Meanwhile back upstairs; Casey couldn't help but feeling like her back was up against a wall here and she didn't like any of it. She found herself being caught up in her own thoughts, that it was only the contact that she felt being created on her arms by Amelia that brought her out of her short lived panicked state. Blinking back to reality as she nodded at Lia's words. Not exactly finding much comfort in them, if she was being honest with herself. "That's not exactly the most comforting thought, to be honest." she retorted softy. Nodding nonetheless though. "Oh please, I'm like...Totally cool, okay?" Casey rolled her eyes playfully in return to Amelia's all too true statement. She would have made things far too awkward if she had stayed there, but maybe she could have reigned Erin in a bit. Who honestly knows.
Casey nodded against once Lia said they had to go, knowing full well they'd have to return downstairs. Which, once that thought returned back to her mind, Casey found herself calming down ever so slightly. Knowing that her anxiety over all of this wasn't that bad, she could easily pawn off the awkwardness and brunt of the drama and stress onto Lia, as no one else really knew about Dion. Well, least not the majority of the others. So, that would help take most eyes off of Casey, but maybe not all of them, or more so not the ones that Casey wanted.
It was almost as if she was on autopilot, as she found herself following Lia after she found the other woman grabbing her wrist. Barely being able to nod as she said they were gonna be fine, and not, gonna run from Jenna. Fucking shit. Fucking shit. Of course she'd have to finally confront Jenna. Casey was fully aware of that, but that thought finally hitting her caused another wave of anxiety to flood through her as the three of them walked out of the bedroom and down the hallway. Making their way towards the steps, Casey found herself stopping for a moment, taking a deep breath as she could feel her heart racing in her chest. Casey was a god damn adult, she could do this. She couldn't keep running away from this. Nope. She totally wasn't going to run away from this again. Nope. Not at all. She was going to confront this head on, have a good time, and have a totally normal and delightful conversation with her ex. Nothing else, nothing more. Right?
The moment that three of them made their way down the stairs, and back into the main-room, seeing the others, Casey stopped in her footsteps for a moment. Her eyes landing back at the bar. Erin was there talking to Nathan, about who fucking who knows what, Ben, Nas and fucking Jeremiah were there. And of course, Diana and god damn fucking Jenna. Casey felt her heart absolutely plummet to her stomach as she stood there, jaw slightly ajar for a moment as she tried to recollect herself. For crying out loud, it had been years, so why in the hell was she still so fucking nervous? Was it the guilt she felt after all this time? Probably, but not like she was going to tell anyone that.
Casey silently leaned close to Lia, "I'm just gonna be a quick second. I need a quick smoke and I'll be right back. I swear." she muttered, and slipped out of Amelia's grasp, and waltzed straight out of one of the side doors after making the briefest of eye-contact with Jenna. Which was enough for Casey to instantly feel light-headed. The moment she opened those doors, and stepped outside, feeling the fresh air hit her face, Casey felt slightly better. Instantly digging into her jacket's pocket as she retrieved the packet of cigarettes and lighter, placing one between her teeth as she lit it, putting the packet back into its placement in her jacket. Casey leaned up against one of the railings of the side patio of the house, and inhaled sharply, taking in the toxins and nicotine of the cigarette, feeling it fill her lungs for a moment before exhaling just as sharply. Coughing heavily as the smoke tickled the inside of her throat. "[b]Oh fuck me...[b]" she muttered, shaking her head as she combed her fingers through her hair as Casey looked out at the property that surrounded the large building. What the fuck was she really even doing here? Of course she was here for Ben, there was no doubt about that. But what was she doing here? Other than being a god damn coward, running away from her problems as usual, and just skirting around the issues like she always had. Casey was never a confrentational person, and today was not the fucking day that she was about to start being one. All she needed was to get through this damn party, make small talk with the others, and get through the night with no fuck ups. That was all. She'd be fine. Right?
- 20 posts here • Page 1 of 1