Setting
Default Location for City Living
Minimap
northwest |
north |
northeast |
west |
You are here. |
east |
southwest |
south |
southeast |
New York City is a part of 
City Living.
13 Characters Here
Caraline Forrester [286]
Makalya Wright [282] "Patience is a virtue."
Chanel Nasiri [268]
Holly Maddon [267]
Roman Killens [229]
Brooklyn West [220]
Collin Forrester [207]
Zoey Saidi [54]
Riley Paige [53]
Ruby Barr [49]
Start Character Here »
Makayla was tempted to say "nice try" to Brooklyn, as she listened to the girl try and goad a more mature answer out of Holly than Holly gave her, but she opted to keep her mouth shut. She and Brooklyn had been on good terms lately, and beyond that, Makayla was too tired for even the pettiest of squabbles with the blonde right now. Her arms felt like they were about to snap with the heavier of the grocery bags weighing them down, especially given that she had just had to carry them up five flights of stairs, plus the couple of blocks worth of the walk home. "Put everything aside from the cookies away, okay? We need to make sure that we're organized first, and then we can put these in the oven," Makayla said to her sister as she opened the door. Things that were common sense to most people, were the most necessary things to remind Holly of, it seemed. She either forgot, or what Makayla tended to think was more of the case lately, she just simply preferred to do the "fun" things, and liked to pretend to overlook the more tedious ones.
"Why do you think Tony invited Brooklyn over, and not us?" was all that Holly answered with, before following her question up with an unrelated squeal. "I'm so excited for Thanksgiving! I love Thanksgiving, it's my new favorite holiday!" Inside, her attention shifted quickly again, and Makayla's words from just a second before went in one ear and out the other as she set the grocery bag that she was carrying down by the door and continued inside without it. The first thing that had caused her attention to tray was the way that the apartment was filled with an aroma that was so good, it was impossible to ignore. Holly was picky when it came to foods, and it was likely that she would scrunch her nose in distaste at most of the dishes that created this wonderful smell, but she could still appreciate how good it smelled. It only added to the festive mood that was so easy for her to get into. The second thing that she noticed, and that she noticed more consciously, was the man standing in their kitchen. She would have expected to see Sam or Deja, but instead, it was their neighbor Theodore. "Theo, I think you're in the wrong apartment," Holly informed him, a look of skepticism on her face. Deja must have escaped down the hallway just a second before, because as she and Makayla walked in, the only person left in the kitchen was the boy, who Holly knew, certainly did not live here. She wasn't against him being in the apartment, per se, but it was just instinctive for her to point out things she noticed, and this was one of those things that seemed noteworthy. "And if something is in the oven, you definitely need to take it out because me and Makayla have cookies to bake, and that's more important than anything else in the world right now," she said, taking on an uncharacteristically stern tone now, even though she really didn't know if anything was even still in the oven. "But we'll let you have one when they're ready! We're bringing them to Cara's house because we went to watch the parade today, and she invited us over to have turkey and other Thanksgiving things for dinner, like the pilgrims did on Thanksgiving! And then, you know what happened after that? Like, the next day the Native Americans still thought the pilgrims were nice and stuff, but then they gave them a million kind of sicknesses, even worse than a sore throat or a cold, and they killed all of the nice Native Americans who just wanted to have fun in their lives! It was so rude and I hope you're never like the pilgrims were, Theo. I would have to tell you that we can't be friends and everyone in the apartment building would probably tell you to get out, and we would send you to Alaska or Antarctica, all alone."
If Holly had taken a breath anywhere during that tangent she went off on, Makayla would have cut in to shut her up, but in between grabbing the grocery bag that the redhead predictably dropped by the door, and then managing to carry it and the two heavy ones already in her hand, into the kitchen, she wasn't able to. After she shot Theo an apologetic look, she looked towards Holly and really, really tried to be patient. "We're not sending him off anywhere, Holly. Stop talking crazy like that," she said, as she maneuvered through the kitchen to put the milk and lemonade into the fridge, before unpacking the other bags, since she knew asking Holly to do it would be futile. "Is Deja's turkey in the oven?" Makayla said, addressing Theo now. She knew that Deja was hosting a Thanksgiving celebration of her own, here, so that would've made sense anyway, especially given the smell. "We can put the cookies on a tray, and then you can bring them down the hall and see if someone will let us use their oven for ten minutes, if that's the case," she said, returning to address Holly, then, since she knew that if she didn't finish with that, Holly would throw in some dramatic response about how cookies were still more important than Deja's turkey.
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
xxxlocation: street xxxoutfit: here
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
xxx"should i spell it out for you?
xxxno one here is bulletproof.
xxxso what are you to do?
xxxbattle. battle on through."
x
Eyeing the shelves of drinks in front of her, Sam sighed. Tony was presumably caught up in the cooking, which meant that she didn't have any guidance as to the drinks to buy. Eventually, she picked up stuff to make her favourite cocktail and a six pack of beer. Not terribly exciting, but then again, it was a Thanksgiving dinner, not an actual party. It wasn't even the dinners of her past where she'd taken advantage of her client's tab to get as many drinks as she could get into her without appearing totally drunk. Turned out she had a bit of a talent for that.
She paid for the drinks and started the walk back to the apartment, the bag slung over her wrist. She reached it back to the madness of the fifth floor in record time, thanks to the cold air, and decided to stop at 5B to dump her stuff and get her brownies. There appeared to be an odd moment of relative peace, as the only people to be seen were Makayla, Holly, and Theo.
"Holy sh-" she quickly stopped herself, remembering Holly's presence. "Something smells fantastic," she finished. "Tell Deja to keep me some," she added as she started trying to remember which cupboard she'd hidden the brownies in. "So, Holly, did you enjoy the parade this morning?" Sam asked as she leaned up to retrieve them from an upper shelf. "You know, I've never actually been to that parade. I would have gone with you, but unfortunately, I had to sleep and then go for a run," she added.
"What was your favourite part?" She asked the younger girl, turning around to lean against the counter and sitting the covered brownies on top of the bag of drinks.
She paid for the drinks and started the walk back to the apartment, the bag slung over her wrist. She reached it back to the madness of the fifth floor in record time, thanks to the cold air, and decided to stop at 5B to dump her stuff and get her brownies. There appeared to be an odd moment of relative peace, as the only people to be seen were Makayla, Holly, and Theo.
"Holy sh-" she quickly stopped herself, remembering Holly's presence. "Something smells fantastic," she finished. "Tell Deja to keep me some," she added as she started trying to remember which cupboard she'd hidden the brownies in. "So, Holly, did you enjoy the parade this morning?" Sam asked as she leaned up to retrieve them from an upper shelf. "You know, I've never actually been to that parade. I would have gone with you, but unfortunately, I had to sleep and then go for a run," she added.
"What was your favourite part?" She asked the younger girl, turning around to lean against the counter and sitting the covered brownies on top of the bag of drinks.
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
T O N Y X G A R C I A
_____ T H EXT O U G HXO N E _____
Outfit: Here
Location: Apartment 5D
Dialogue Color β¦ #FF5100
Thought Color β§ #AF0100
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
T O N Y X G A R C I A
_____ T H EXT O U G HXO N E _____
Outfit: Here
Location: Apartment 5D
Dialogue Color β¦ #FF5100
Thought Color β§ #AF0100
"Unless you tell me the food was made by Maneet, I could care less if all the Chopped Champions plus Bobby Flay made it or even if Guy Fieri approved it," Tony declared over another bite of pie followed by a swig of beer. During the slower nights at the bar, and when the customers present didn't seem to care too much, Tony would turn on the Food Network channel on the flat-screen TV her Dad had gotten installed just before her high school graduation. She didn't watch the channel much when she was young, nor had she known it existed until she reached her twenties, but it had definitely become her mindless television channel to watch. Even during her down time in her apartment, she would grab the crochet blanket her aunt Marisol made for her, sit on the couch in the living room with a blanket around her and a bottle of beer, and fall asleep to one of the chefs swearing vehemently because they belatedly remembered that they forgot to include a basket ingredient.
Nevertheless, Tony wasn't impressed that Cara couldn't have been bothered to make a simple Thanksgiving meal, but had the audacity to have her nose up all of the time. Granted, it wasn't like Tony was around the other woman all the time to confirm that sense of superiority she herself felt emanatating from the blonde, but that didn't stop her from making the judgement. Nor did it stop her from rolling her eyes as Brooklyn told her about the delivery. After all, even if you purchased a pre-made or pre-stuffed turkey, there's nothing stopping you from doing boxed, canned, or frozen sides. Then again, Tony didn't pretend to empathize with Cara's loss of her formerly privileged lifestyle. "Crazy bitch or not, at least you can't say she was trying to poison you. Wouldn't even get to it without poisoning her damn self," she pointed out, sticking her fork in her pie so that she could concentrate on getting her phone out and reading the text she had gotten from Jesse. It made her snort, though the sound got cut off when what Brooklyn said finally registered in her head. "Wait, what? Why?" Tony hurried up and sent the quick response to Jesse, and then set the phone on the table in case anyone else messaged her.
To: Jesse
Sap :p I'll bring the whipped cream
By that point, Brooklyn had moved onto telling herself (because she definitely didn't have Tony's consent to a damn thing) that she could bring Collin to her apartment to do the deed. "And who the hell told you, you could screw anyone in here? Not I!" Tony narrowed her eyes at Brooklyn, shaking her head as she picked up her beer bottle and drank a bit more. Not only could Tony just not fathom anyone using a nice guy like Collin for pettiness (she hadto remind herself that this was her friend she was talking about though) and so a part of her felt protective, she also couldn't fathom the benefit of this plan other than a quick round of fun. And Brooklyn could find that anywhere. "And also, what good is screwing that boy gonna do for you with that girl? She'll be mad cuz you fucked him for like, two seconds and then what? You still gonna be living with the bitch that fucked your man and got away with it without a scratch. Do you know how many bitches have lived with the hoes their brothers have smashed?"
Nevertheless, Tony wasn't impressed that Cara couldn't have been bothered to make a simple Thanksgiving meal, but had the audacity to have her nose up all of the time. Granted, it wasn't like Tony was around the other woman all the time to confirm that sense of superiority she herself felt emanatating from the blonde, but that didn't stop her from making the judgement. Nor did it stop her from rolling her eyes as Brooklyn told her about the delivery. After all, even if you purchased a pre-made or pre-stuffed turkey, there's nothing stopping you from doing boxed, canned, or frozen sides. Then again, Tony didn't pretend to empathize with Cara's loss of her formerly privileged lifestyle. "Crazy bitch or not, at least you can't say she was trying to poison you. Wouldn't even get to it without poisoning her damn self," she pointed out, sticking her fork in her pie so that she could concentrate on getting her phone out and reading the text she had gotten from Jesse. It made her snort, though the sound got cut off when what Brooklyn said finally registered in her head. "Wait, what? Why?" Tony hurried up and sent the quick response to Jesse, and then set the phone on the table in case anyone else messaged her.
To: Jesse
Sap :p I'll bring the whipped cream
By that point, Brooklyn had moved onto telling herself (because she definitely didn't have Tony's consent to a damn thing) that she could bring Collin to her apartment to do the deed. "And who the hell told you, you could screw anyone in here? Not I!" Tony narrowed her eyes at Brooklyn, shaking her head as she picked up her beer bottle and drank a bit more. Not only could Tony just not fathom anyone using a nice guy like Collin for pettiness (she hadto remind herself that this was her friend she was talking about though) and so a part of her felt protective, she also couldn't fathom the benefit of this plan other than a quick round of fun. And Brooklyn could find that anywhere. "And also, what good is screwing that boy gonna do for you with that girl? She'll be mad cuz you fucked him for like, two seconds and then what? You still gonna be living with the bitch that fucked your man and got away with it without a scratch. Do you know how many bitches have lived with the hoes their brothers have smashed?"
Location: Apartment 5F
Mood: Excited/Content
Outfit: This
Dialogue Code: #FF3300
Thought Code:#FF8000
"My day has been awesome so far. I went down to the parade, got some really neat shots, and met some even cooler people. I did a mixture of digital and film, but I really think the film is going to turn out gorgeous. You know, it was mostly overcast with some sunshine which was just made the photos kind of gloomy yet warm."
Olivielle smiled and listened to Jude speak. He always made her smile, especially when he got excited and enthusiastic about his work. It took a rare and real passion and love for what you do. He asked about her day, and she tilted her head and brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face with a shrug.
"It was good! I made decent tips, and I had time to make pie!" Olivielle said happily as she gestured to the pies cooling on the counter.
"I know we'll both probably be a little drunk by the time Thanksgiving dinner is over, but do you want to come to the dark room down the street with me to develop film?" Jude asked. Olivielle's eyes widened, she was pleasantly surprised by his invitation. She paused only momentarily to think. She had always wanted to know how the processed worked and she was enthralled by Jude's work. As a photographer, it was his responsibility to make people care about his work, and he did a wonderful job.
"I mean, we can also do it larrow. I mean, later- No! Tomorrow. We can do it tomorrow." Jude seemed to suddenly be back peddling, as if he was regretting his decision to ask her along. She giggled at him lightly and shook her head.
"I would love to! I have never seen a dark room, and I love your work...you have such a unique way with photos. You look passed the simplest thing and find the thing that makes them beautiful. It astounds and amazes me the amount of passion you have for your work." Liv said in awe. She realized suddenly, that she was rambling and she felt her face burn slightly as she glanced away from him.
"Ah...will you be at Deja's Thanksgiving or do you have other plans?....Oh, I'm sorry. I am so rude! Please have a seat, can I get you a drink?" She asked with a smile as she gestured for him to sit.
Location: Apartment 5D
Outfit: This
Hex Code: #91415d
"I could've given her karma that way, but that's not what makes girls like Cara tick. They do that underhanded shit, and if Cara had a man that I could steal, I would've already done that. But she doesn't, and the closest thing to a guy that she thinks she owns is her brother." To Brooklyn, all of this made sense, but a lot of things made sense to Brooklyn that just seemed completely illogical to people who liked to think things through more than she did. "I mean... I could try to fuck her dad... but too complicated of a plan right now. We'll save that for Plan B," she smirked, standing up now as she suddenly decided that she was hungry enough for pie. Not for her own slice, but just of a bite of Tony's. It wasn't in Brooklyn's nature to ask before taking, so after grabbing a fork of her own, she dug the utensil into the partially eaten slice in front of Tony and allowed the rich dessert to melt on her taste palate. "Damn, Garcia. Now that I'm no longer taken, I might just have to put a ring on you. A drug connect was fun while I was young, but now that I'm a grown woman, I think all I need is a bitch who can cook," she teased, sporting a sultry voice. To add to it, she pulled the rest of the pie off of the fork and popped it into her mouth, sucking the last remnants of the dessert off of her finger. Brooklyn wasn't playful or even friendly with most people, but surprisingly, it came easily with Tony.
D E J A - B E N N I E
Location: Apartment 5B
Hex Code: #7c6d96
Location: Apartment 5B
Hex Code: #7c6d96
With her handy turkey hat in hand, Deja went back into the common space. She threw the hat onto the couch before drawing too much attention. "You can use the oven," she piped in. "Everything is done. Just staying warm." Seeing Holly Deja made her way over to her and gave her a side hug and head kiss as she said "Hey, cutie. Hope the parade was fun." Usually Deja wasn't this happy about seeing Holly, but the holiday was getting her all warm and fuzzy inside. This was especially strange considering Deja was still completely sober.
Speaking of sober the tall blonde found her way to the fridge and grabbed two beers. One for herself and one for Theo. She opened both of the bottles while listening to the chatter in the room. Thanksgiving was always a good holiday for Deja. It was always hosted at her father's house with every relative she could think of, including her mother. Just enjoying the conversations around her reminded her of her time at home. She wasn't on great terms with her father at the moment, but she secretly wished she was at Bennie Thanksgiving dinner.
Deja handing the beer to Theo before she went over to the coach and plopped down into the cushions. She took a long sip before speaking again. "So, people should be getting here in an hour. Then the fun begins!" She looked around the apartment for a moment, wondering if there was something that she missed. It didn't look like it.
Theodore Henderson
Location: Apartment 5B
Hex Code: #9E6D2B
As Theodore watched Deja walk away to go get ready, his phone chimed inside of his pants pocket and he took it out to see Jesse's name scroll across the screen. He had opened up the message and couldn't hold back his chuckle once he read the message. Theo couldn't help but feel a little bit bad for Jesse now as she started to type a reply towards his roommate.
To: Jesse
Sorry. Thought Rowan would've rolled with you. I can stop by, if you wish.
Theodore sent the message and bit his bottom lip, hoping that Jesse wouldn't really want him to stop by. Not that he didn't want to but it'd just bring up a bad memory between himself and Cara. His ears twitched whenever he heard approaching footsteps, wondering to himself how did Deja get ready so fast. He turned around briefly then heard the chipper voice of Holly. His gaze turned towards her and Makayla now as his eyes widened. "Ahh! Am I really?!" Theodore jokingly said towards Holly as she mentioned something about the oven. "Oh, uhm..." Was all he could get out as Holly rambled on and on about Thanksgiving, the Pilgrims and the Indians. He would've stopped her but that seemed like a bad idea, especially with Makayla standing right there beside her.
Not really knowing what to say once Holly was done, his eyes went towards Makayla who addressed him now and he nodded his head but that was it. His eyes went over towards Sam as she entered the kitchen now and a breath of relief came from Theo, himself. He shot Sam a wave of his hand then heard her ask Holly about the parade. He screamed a little then went over towards Holly and towered over her a little bit. "Oh, my gosh! You saw the parade live?! I am so envious of you two right now." Theodore wanted to go and see the parade live, too but couldn't really find someone to go with him, not that he really asked anyone to go either. But he sure would've went with Holly if he had known that she was going.
Soon, Deja entered back into the area where everyone else was situated now and then she handed him a beer before going over towards the couch. Theodore took a sip from the beverage and walked right behind Deja then sat down beside her. "So, what are we going to do for an hour?" Theodore muttered towards Deja as he pulled out his cell phone, just to wish a few people a happy Thanksgiving in case he wasn't going to see them for the day.
To: Jude :)
Happy Thanksgiving, dude!
To: Rowan :D
Dude, where are you? Deja is still wanting to know if you're coming over or not.
To: The Garcia Siblings
Happy Thanksgiving, you two!
Theodore sat his phone down on the couch beside him then took another sip from his beer, waiting for people to respond to his texts as he let out a sigh. "We could plan our next prank." Theodore mentioned towards Deja in a whisper, smiling a little bit.
To: Jesse
Sorry. Thought Rowan would've rolled with you. I can stop by, if you wish.
Theodore sent the message and bit his bottom lip, hoping that Jesse wouldn't really want him to stop by. Not that he didn't want to but it'd just bring up a bad memory between himself and Cara. His ears twitched whenever he heard approaching footsteps, wondering to himself how did Deja get ready so fast. He turned around briefly then heard the chipper voice of Holly. His gaze turned towards her and Makayla now as his eyes widened. "Ahh! Am I really?!" Theodore jokingly said towards Holly as she mentioned something about the oven. "Oh, uhm..." Was all he could get out as Holly rambled on and on about Thanksgiving, the Pilgrims and the Indians. He would've stopped her but that seemed like a bad idea, especially with Makayla standing right there beside her.
Not really knowing what to say once Holly was done, his eyes went towards Makayla who addressed him now and he nodded his head but that was it. His eyes went over towards Sam as she entered the kitchen now and a breath of relief came from Theo, himself. He shot Sam a wave of his hand then heard her ask Holly about the parade. He screamed a little then went over towards Holly and towered over her a little bit. "Oh, my gosh! You saw the parade live?! I am so envious of you two right now." Theodore wanted to go and see the parade live, too but couldn't really find someone to go with him, not that he really asked anyone to go either. But he sure would've went with Holly if he had known that she was going.
Soon, Deja entered back into the area where everyone else was situated now and then she handed him a beer before going over towards the couch. Theodore took a sip from the beverage and walked right behind Deja then sat down beside her. "So, what are we going to do for an hour?" Theodore muttered towards Deja as he pulled out his cell phone, just to wish a few people a happy Thanksgiving in case he wasn't going to see them for the day.
To: Jude :)
Happy Thanksgiving, dude!
To: Rowan :D
Dude, where are you? Deja is still wanting to know if you're coming over or not.
To: The Garcia Siblings
Happy Thanksgiving, you two!
Theodore sat his phone down on the couch beside him then took another sip from his beer, waiting for people to respond to his texts as he let out a sigh. "We could plan our next prank." Theodore mentioned towards Deja in a whisper, smiling a little bit.
H O L L Y . M A D D O N
Location: Apartment 5E
Outfit
Hex: #db0083
ADHD took a human form in Holly, and the way that each one of her train of thoughts ended abruptly and churned into an unrelated topic was simply part of her character by now. A lot of people found it to be at least mildly bothersome, and though she was so used to it now that she barely thought anything of it, there were definitely times when she recognized it and was frustrated by it as well. At times like this, when she didn't need to focus on anything, it was easier not to care, but there were other times, like in school, where she could be pushed to tears because she knew she needed to focus, and her teachers would constantly tell her that she needed to stay on task, but she just couldn't. No matter what she did, she couldn't keep her mind focused on anything. For a moment, she would be reading along to the text that her teacher was reading aloud, and the next minute her mind could only focus on the background noise of the clock ticking as each second passed by. A second later her eyes wandered towards the movement of a boy's tapping foot, a few desks up, and that would remind her of a television show she had watched the night before that involved tap dancing. It wasn't normal daydreaming, the way she became distracted. It was literally an inability to focus on anything, be it the boring school stuff, or those daydreams that most people used to escape. Her mind was always racing, and when it caught up to her, even she could acknowledge how tiring it was.
Most of the time, she talked just because she liked talking, though. So if people didn't respond or couldn't respond, because they had no idea what she was talking about, she barely noticed. She was used to it, even, and since talking for her was the easiest outlet to allow all of her thoughts to be relinquished from her crowded mind, a lot of the time she wasn't even speaking in search of a response from anyone. That was why she didn't think anything of Theo skipping over the bulk of what she said and just honing in on the fact that she had went to the parade. With an enthusiastically proud smile, she nodded. She would have said more, if not for Sam coming inside. She captured Holly's attention now, and the fact that Sam was actually engaging with her first gave Holly all the more reason to want to respond as energetically as possible. "My favorite part was when me and Makayla were watching the parade and stuff, and then a policeman walked past with a police dog. It was a dog who was smart enough to have a real job, and he knows how to find bombs and save the world, and the only reason that me and Makayla survived is because he probably found all of the bombs at the parade before they exploded, so you should definitely thank him if you see him ever, because if me and Makayla exploded, the only friend you would have left would be Deja. And I guess Theodore would be your friend too, but boys aren't as good of friends as girls are. Except Weston. He's my friend and he's a boy and he's a good friend, but if he was a girl, he would probably be a better friend, but either way, now you can say the most thankful thing you're thankful for on Thanksgiving is me and Makayla being your best friends in the world, and what are you hiding under there? But actually, I don't think you would have liked the parade police dog as much as me, because I know you like cats better than dogs, right? And I bet he would have hated you for that because it's not a very good choice, Sam." At the end of her whirlwind of a response, Holly was still pointing to the covered dish that Sam had set on top of a grocery bag, even though the inquiry about the brownies wasn't the last thing that came out of her mouth.
Deja came over then, another easy way for Holly's attention to stray. She smiled upon the girl's greeting, and wasn't bothered by the physical aspect of it either. Holly was usually the person in most relationships who was more touchy-feely than the other party was comfortable with. It wasn't ever in a weird or sexual sense, but she just struggled to get a grasp on what social boundaries were. If Sam wasn't wearing a hat, it was likely that Holly would have reached out to touch her ears to see if they were as cold as she was sure hers were when she had first gotten inside. She liked to touch people's hair, and hold hands, and hug people. It was all innocent for her, but understandably, strangers weren't all that fond of someone who they only knew as the person who was sitting next to them on the subway touching their shirt or bag just because Holly thought it was a pretty color. Deja maneuvered over towards the fridge, and then to the couch with Theo before Holly could formulate a proper response, but she did turn back to Sam after hearing the tallest roommate's words. "Why did she say the fun is going to begin in an hour, when me and you are already here and it's already fun?" she inquired, a look of confusion plastered on her face.
Rowan had spent Thanksgiving morning on the phone to his little sister, who had been bubbling with excitement as she told him about all the plans her and their father had for today. Of course, he was sad that he couldn't spend Thanksgiving with them, but having moved so far away, Rowan really didn't have the money to just pop down whenever he wanted. Currently, the boy was trying to save up so that he could spend Christmas with his family, meaning that Thanksgiving would have to be spent alone. Or so he thought. That's until Deja sent him a text to see if he wants to come to hers for dinner. Happily, Rowan sends his friend a text back.
To: Deja
Heading over now, hope u got enough food for ur fave ;-)
Heading over now, hope u got enough food for ur fave ;-)
At that moment, Rowan's phone beeps with an incoming text and he looks down to see both his roommates have messaged him. Biting his bottom lip, Rowan stands from his seat on the windowsill of his bedroom as he grabs a pair of black jeans from the ground and pulls them on, having still been in his pyjamas (which were actually just his underwear and an old t-shirt). Shooting off some replies, Rowan heads to the bathroom and glances at himself in the mirror.
To: Theo
Dw I'm coming, do u really miss me that much? I'm honoured.
To: Jesse
Sorry dude, Deja already invited me over to hers. See u later @ the apartment tho?
Dw I'm coming, do u really miss me that much? I'm honoured.
To: Jesse
Sorry dude, Deja already invited me over to hers. See u later @ the apartment tho?
After sending those messages, Rowan swaps his t-shirt for the first clean one and grabs a flannel shirt to chuck over it as he hunts down his keys in the living-room, finding them with a satisfied smirk, Rowan plays with them as he exits the apartment, hair still vaguely messy from his lay-in and then long conversation with his sister in which Rowan didn't even leave his bedroom, let alone get dressed.
Heading one apartment up, Rowan knocks lightly on the door before letting himself in, Deja had left the door on latch so that guests could come in, Rowan assumed. Seeing an already small crowd of people having gathered, Rowan shoots a smile to everyone before walking over to where they all stood. Giving Sam's arm a squeeze and sending an extra warm smile to Holly who reminded him of his little sister so much, Rowan was glad he could spend Thanksgiving with his New York family, although there's no doubt he greatly missed his sister and father. "Happy Thanksgiving guys." Rowan begins, his accent still pretty thick for having lived in America half his life, but that was because his formative years were spent in the heart of Dublin. He found it weird that he used to never even celebrate this holiday - back in Ireland, of course, no one did. It was only when they moved to America and Rowan became close with his American side of the family that they really started to celebrate it. Despite not really holding much meaning for Rowan he still enjoyed that everyone could get together and be thankful for all that they have.
J U D E ----- D E M A R C O
Location: Street / Apartment building
Hex Code: #6b8e66
Hex Code: #6b8e66
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Jude hadn't realized how interested Olivielle was in his work. He honestly just thought that she had a general interest in photography and having a neighbor who was a photographer was just an added bonus. The way she spoke about his work made him flush. It had been a long time since someone had given him such a heartfelt compliment, yet alone a beautiful woman. Jude could feel his face grow hot as he grinned. He wasn't really sure what to say. It was like she had suddenly poured out everything she ever thought of his photographer at once. "Uh," Jude imposed himself quickly. "Thank you, Olivielle, that's really just... Wow. I can't wait." He finally said, referring to showing her the dark room.
"No," said in response to her question. "I'm going to Cara's thing. But I might stop by Deja's place afterward. It's not not Thanksgiving with Cara Forrester is going to be very fun." When Liv offered him to come in and sit Jude nodded his head and took a half-hearted seat, knowing that he would have to leave soon.
"I've got to run back to my apartment soon, but I'll stick around and have a drink first." Jude said with a smile. Soon he would be sitting at the most awkward Thanksgiving table of his life, he might as well have a little alcohol in his blood before. He wasn't sure why Brooklyn agreed to sit face to face with Cara, but Jude figured, despite his disapproval, that Brooklyn had some plan to make this the worst Thanksgiving of Cara's life.
There were times when Jude didn't understand Brooklyn's need for vengeance, but at this point he had sworn to himself that he would be the best friend he could be for her. Brooklyn needed support in this situation, and even if Jude had to provide support in something he didn't personally believe he would do it for Brooklyn. Jude didn't know what his best friend had up her sleeve, but he figured there was a reason she had agreed to have a sit down dinner with Ms. Forrester.
Feeling a vibration in his back pocket Jude looked down at his phone. A text from Theo. Jude smiled as he responded.
To: Theo
Thanks, bud. Happy Thanksgiving to you too. Don't have too much fun with Deja! :P
Thanks, bud. Happy Thanksgiving to you too. Don't have too much fun with Deja! :P
D E J A - B E N N I E
Location: Apartment 5B
Hex Code: #7c6d96
Location: Apartment 5B
Hex Code: #7c6d96
"You're a little early, but I don't mind. Come sit with us and have a beer." Deja said, sliding to fridge and grabbing another beer. Deja was the type of person that didn't really care if you didn't want a beer, she was going to open it for you anyway. If you really didn't want one then it would all be fine, she would just drink another one. While making her way back to the couch she handed Rowan the beer. "Come along then," she said in a comical (and terrible) Irish accent. With a plop she was sitting back down next to Theo, and scooted over so that Rowan could sit next to her if he wanted. The couch wasn't terribly big, but three people could sit semi-comfortably on it.
"I hope I'm not late or anything," Thomas announced as he walked in the apartment carrying an armload of liquor. Just the essentials: vodka, fine wine, and bourbon. No one ever accused him of drinking lightly. He raised an eyebrow at Sam. He had seen her at the liquor store, but he hadn't managed to talk to her. At Holly's rambling, he laughed.
"Take a deep breath once in a while, Holly. I wake up at night worried you finally suffocated from speaking so much," he teased. Seeing his roommate, he smiled at her as he walked into the kitchen and set the liquor up on a out-of-the-way countertop before pouring himself a drink and returning with a slight smile.
"So, what are we thankful for?" he asked curiously.
C A R A - F O R R E S T E R
Location: Apartment 5E
Outfit: This
Hex Code: #1BB3F5
xxxxx
Halfway through Collin's carving, Cara realized that the turkey she ordered was probably over sized given the amount of people here. She stopped Collin then, and took the plate containing the pieces he had already cut and set it down on the table, where the numerous other side dishes were laid out. Though she was hungry now, especially with the smell of so many foods flooding her senses for the past hour, she wasn't going to make a plate immediately. That wouldn't have been the proper thing to do as a hostess, she decided. Besides, refilling her glass of wine was more important than food, so as she made her way over to the counter where she had laid out various alcoholic and non-alcoholic drink choices, she called out, "The food is ready. You guys can make a plate and eat wherever, if you're hungry," as nonchalantly as possible. She liked playing hostess, and preparing a party was enjoyable to her, but again, the crowd that she was serving didn't make her feel like she had to bring her A-game. Their opinion of her Thanksgiving wouldn't matter that much to her, partially because she didn't care, but also because there was still that part of her that knew that they were below her. No Thanksgiving that they had ever experienced could compare to the ones that she had, back at home, she thought. Their rinky-dink get togethers with their tacky aunts and uncles were laughable in comparison to the posh celebrations her family hosted. In Cara's world, it was the image that mattered, and that's why hers were superior. She had never really experienced a family party or family bond in itself, where the emotions and memories were more important than how expensive the wine was, or how A-list the guests were, so she didn't understand that there were some people who only cared about having a good time at parties, no matter what else happened.
[font=Times New Roman]Location: Apartment 5B
Outfit: This
Dialogue Code: #FF3300
Thought Code:#FF8000
Olivielle poured Jude two fingers of whiskey on ice and herself a mixed drink of orange juice and vodka. She perched gently on the edge of the couch and sipped her drink. They spoke for several minutes, Liv simply enjoying the conversation. When they said their goodbye's she couldn't help but feel a little giddy at the thought of their meeting later that evening.
"I'll see you tonight....ah...text me and let me know when you want to meet up" She said as he was leaving.
Olivielle dropped off the first pie she made to Cara's apartment with a quick 'Happy Thanksgiving' and a wave good bye. She was excited to see her friend Deja and wanted to soak up all the good times she could, while hanging out with her friends. She knocked on the door but didn't wait for a reply to enter.
"Dejaaaaa, I'm home you foxy lady" Liv called as she entered the apartment. She brought the pie she made and went straight to the kitchen to see if anyone needed help....not that she doubted Deja's abilities what so ever.
"Am I early?" she asked
M a k a y l a ~ W r i g h t
Hex Code: #FF8400
Tonight was a perfect example of how Makayla didn't think that Cara was all that bad of a person. She was hosting Thanksgiving dinner on her own dollar, and had invited Holly and her without the invitation seeming forced or out of guilt. That was something that Makayla paid attention to frequently in her interactions with others, so it said something that she actually felt comfortable showing up to Cara's without feeling like a burden. There wasn't too much time between when they arrived and when Cara announced that the food was ready, but Makayla was still relieved when she did. She was beyond hungry at that point, having only eaten something for breakfast earlier on. After spending money that she knew she couldn't afford to spend at the grocery store today, Makayla had opted to skip having a late lunch when they got home, because eating any of that food would make her feel like she was eating literal dollar bills. The end of the month was always the trickiest time for her financially, so Makayla was just relieved that right now, she could eat as much as she wanted without having to worry about it. "Oh my God, everything looks amazing," Makayla gushed as she headed into the kitchen, from where she was sitting in the living room with Holly. She had told Holly to come in as well, but she wasn't going to press the issue. A television was the one thing that could keep Holly in one place with her mouth shut, and if it the trade off to that was Makayla having to make herself and Holly a plate on her own, she was completely fine with that. "Thanks again for having us over, Cara. She probably told you this, but she's never actually done a real Thanksgiving dinner for her before, so this is a big deal," she said with a small laugh, as she stood beside the blonde for long enough to refill her own glass of wine. When she could get her hands on good wine like this, without it coming out of her pocket, wine was her go-to drink over liquor or beer.
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
W E S T O N X G A R C I A
_____ T H EXS M A R TXK I D _____
Outfit: Here
Location: Apartment 5D
Dialogue Color β¦ #C35817
Thought Color β§ #730800
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
T O N Y X G A R C I A
_____ T H EXT O U G HXO N E _____
Outfit: Here
Location: Apartment 5D
Dialogue Color β¦ #FF5100
Thought Color β§ #AF0100
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
W E S T O N X G A R C I A
_____ T H EXS M A R TXK I D _____
Outfit: Here
Location: Apartment 5D
Dialogue Color β¦ #C35817
Thought Color β§ #730800
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
T O N Y X G A R C I A
_____ T H EXT O U G HXO N E _____
Outfit: Here
Location: Apartment 5D
Dialogue Color β¦ #FF5100
Thought Color β§ #AF0100
"Awww yaaaaayyy!" Tony cried the second her uncle Miguel walked through their apartment door with three of her male cousins close behind him, though Tony's gaze was obviously not at all on them. While Wes shook his head and greeted his cousins, Tony's gaze was fixated on the covered square dish, the contents of which she was already familiar with considering how many times her aunt Guadalupe had made her special pineapple rum cake specifically for Tony while making a much larger one for the family. "You know you're sharing, right?" Came from a smirking Weston as he adhered to Ricky's demand that music be played considering the silence that had followed Brooklyn's earlier departure. Tony sneered at him while retorting, "You know you can kiss my ass, right?" In all the years that Guadalupe had ever made the pineapple rum cake, Tony had never shared. At least, with anyone but Wes. But she wasn't going to remind him of that little fact if he continued to be over in the moon with that peanut butter silk pie.
After teasing that Brooklyn could have always had her if she really wanted her, Tony had seen the blonde off, turned the music down so that she could finish on the rest of the dinner, and Wes had returned with the ingredients they would need. Naturally, Tony wound up changing since she liked to say she wasn't rude enough to just walk around with booty shorts and a three sizes too big sweatshirt (Wes had begged to differ, but there was only so much arguing one could offer when a pillow is shoved in their face) while Wes put in some time to do work on his Thanksgiving math packet (mind you, who the hell decided that they needed to give out packets that literally only consisted of three problem-solving questions that required you actually studied trigonometry on your day off), which meant virtual silence. Tony had pulled away from stirring up the gravy that she had just added a touch of cayenne to when there had been a knock on the door and Wes opening it for their family members.
"You know Lupe is not too happy with you not showing up this year, Tony," her uncle asked as he followed her back into the kitchen so that she could make sure that all of the burners were off. Tony sighed, wiping her rather clean hands on her dark jeans so as to have something to do. "And I said I'd make it up to her on Christmas, okay? I just...wanted to do this," she explained, daring him with her eyes to press any further on a conversation (she was calling it a Chick Flick moment and she wasn't here for it, thanks) she didn't want to have. And the "I know, I know" that was supposed to placate her did nothing of the sort. Yet and still, and Tony blamed it on the holidays and not the fact that she would have honestly caved if it had been absolutely anyone in her family to reach out, Tony acquiesced when Miguel wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close, leaning into his warmth despite his not being that much taller than her. Miguel was the shortest of his siblings, after all, and even his sons took more after his wife than him in that department, though not by much. "ΒΏTe estΓ‘s cuidando a ti mismo?" (Are you taking care of yourselves?) Tony knew he hadn't asked to be mean or question her ability to provide for her brother and herself without assistance - that he absolutely trusted her to have nothing but Wes' best intentions at heart - but it didn't stop her from feeling affronted and biting back, "Haven't I always?" It came out much more bitter than she anticipated, but Tony didn't shrink away from it once the words were out. Miguel only raised an eyebrow at the sensitivity until, like she did when she was three and he was calling her on her bullshit about the old antique plate falling on its own from the locked china cabinet, Tony folded and said quietly, "SΓ." He only smirked and tilted her head so that he could kiss the top of it, muttering into her hair, "Bueno." Tony hurried to get out from under his hold, already ready to be done with the randomly tense moments when there was drinks to be had and food to be eaten. "Go drink a beer or something. You're getting sentimental with age or something, old man." And promptly ignored her uncle's knowing grin as she whipped out her phone to text and see where Sam was and if Rowan was going to say hi before everyone left, getting a beer for herself while she was at it.
To: Sam
Food's ready and my family's here. Don't forget to wear that top I love so well, gorgeous!
To: Rowan
I see how it is. Loved you first and I can't even get a Happy Thanksgiving visit first?? You suck!
To: Dane
I have food and I'm going to Deja's a bit later to get wasted. You in?
To: Deja
Entertaining fam right now, but I'll be over soon with pie and jungle juice.
Wes punched Ricky's shoulder for the second time since the older Garcia had been in their apartment. They had always had a rather biting but playful relationship, and Wes appreciated it. Rick, Emmanuel, and Alex were the only cousins he felt the closest to, and there were about five more closer to their ages, when not including the three babies. Whether or not everyone wanted to say it (and trust Tony to be the one to call people on it), Wes wasn't exactly oblivious to the sneers and judgmental stares due to his father's infidelity. He also didn't understand how that infidelity had anything to do with him other than result in his creation. He didn't ask for his Dad to cheat on Tony's mom and he most certainly did not ask to be in this world. But, of course, he was better suited to ignore the issue than Tony who had point-blankly called their aunt Yovanna a straight up bitch who needed to be more concerned with figuring out the day when their uncle George would start asking if the twins were really his or not. Newsflash - they looked nothing like him. Everyone else was just being nice about it.
Which was why he was happy that Ricky and the others were here. Tony wouldn't say it, but even Wes knew that it was weird for to not have at least some of her family with her. Especially after all the work she had done. Tony had never done the full Thanksgiving meal; she never had to. Wes wasn't exactly horrible at cooking. On a good day, he could make an omelet without it falling apart too much, he had only burned toast once his entire life, instant oatmeal seemed to work for him, and if he had supervision and instructions, he could possibly bake cookies with the pre-made dough. So, he liked seeing Tony's easy smile behind her beer bottle as she pulled Emmanuel into a headlock because he said something about her being a housewife. "Oh, hey, Tones, where's that pie for Collin and Cara?" Wes asked after a beat, the thought hitting him once Ricky mentioned wanting a bite of the apple dutch one still sitting on the counter. "That's not for you!" Tony snapped, directing a pointed finger at Ricky with a glare that begged him to try her patience. Tony had picked up smacking greedy hands with a spatula from Guadalupe and that was just dangerous. It didn't stop Wes from laughing quietly. Tony flicked her head over to where the chocolate pie sat and Wes grinned. "Cool. I'll be back." His shoulder brushed Tony's as he went by her, and Wes caught her small smile (she wasn't as against giving the Forresters things as she wanted them to believe and he'd happily tell Collin about how sentimental the holidays made Tony), and grabbed the pie. He was already out the door as he text Collin, trekking across the hall to their apartment before knocking on the door without checking to see if the door was unlocked. Brooklyn might have felt comfortable with just waltzing into their apartment, but the feeling was definitely not mutual.
To: Collin
Tony sends her love through a chocolate pie that I feel half inclined to eat myself if you don't open this door for me, man
After teasing that Brooklyn could have always had her if she really wanted her, Tony had seen the blonde off, turned the music down so that she could finish on the rest of the dinner, and Wes had returned with the ingredients they would need. Naturally, Tony wound up changing since she liked to say she wasn't rude enough to just walk around with booty shorts and a three sizes too big sweatshirt (Wes had begged to differ, but there was only so much arguing one could offer when a pillow is shoved in their face) while Wes put in some time to do work on his Thanksgiving math packet (mind you, who the hell decided that they needed to give out packets that literally only consisted of three problem-solving questions that required you actually studied trigonometry on your day off), which meant virtual silence. Tony had pulled away from stirring up the gravy that she had just added a touch of cayenne to when there had been a knock on the door and Wes opening it for their family members.
"You know Lupe is not too happy with you not showing up this year, Tony," her uncle asked as he followed her back into the kitchen so that she could make sure that all of the burners were off. Tony sighed, wiping her rather clean hands on her dark jeans so as to have something to do. "And I said I'd make it up to her on Christmas, okay? I just...wanted to do this," she explained, daring him with her eyes to press any further on a conversation (she was calling it a Chick Flick moment and she wasn't here for it, thanks) she didn't want to have. And the "I know, I know" that was supposed to placate her did nothing of the sort. Yet and still, and Tony blamed it on the holidays and not the fact that she would have honestly caved if it had been absolutely anyone in her family to reach out, Tony acquiesced when Miguel wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close, leaning into his warmth despite his not being that much taller than her. Miguel was the shortest of his siblings, after all, and even his sons took more after his wife than him in that department, though not by much. "ΒΏTe estΓ‘s cuidando a ti mismo?" (Are you taking care of yourselves?) Tony knew he hadn't asked to be mean or question her ability to provide for her brother and herself without assistance - that he absolutely trusted her to have nothing but Wes' best intentions at heart - but it didn't stop her from feeling affronted and biting back, "Haven't I always?" It came out much more bitter than she anticipated, but Tony didn't shrink away from it once the words were out. Miguel only raised an eyebrow at the sensitivity until, like she did when she was three and he was calling her on her bullshit about the old antique plate falling on its own from the locked china cabinet, Tony folded and said quietly, "SΓ." He only smirked and tilted her head so that he could kiss the top of it, muttering into her hair, "Bueno." Tony hurried to get out from under his hold, already ready to be done with the randomly tense moments when there was drinks to be had and food to be eaten. "Go drink a beer or something. You're getting sentimental with age or something, old man." And promptly ignored her uncle's knowing grin as she whipped out her phone to text and see where Sam was and if Rowan was going to say hi before everyone left, getting a beer for herself while she was at it.
To: Sam
Food's ready and my family's here. Don't forget to wear that top I love so well, gorgeous!
To: Rowan
I see how it is. Loved you first and I can't even get a Happy Thanksgiving visit first?? You suck!
To: Dane
I have food and I'm going to Deja's a bit later to get wasted. You in?
To: Deja
Entertaining fam right now, but I'll be over soon with pie and jungle juice.
Wes punched Ricky's shoulder for the second time since the older Garcia had been in their apartment. They had always had a rather biting but playful relationship, and Wes appreciated it. Rick, Emmanuel, and Alex were the only cousins he felt the closest to, and there were about five more closer to their ages, when not including the three babies. Whether or not everyone wanted to say it (and trust Tony to be the one to call people on it), Wes wasn't exactly oblivious to the sneers and judgmental stares due to his father's infidelity. He also didn't understand how that infidelity had anything to do with him other than result in his creation. He didn't ask for his Dad to cheat on Tony's mom and he most certainly did not ask to be in this world. But, of course, he was better suited to ignore the issue than Tony who had point-blankly called their aunt Yovanna a straight up bitch who needed to be more concerned with figuring out the day when their uncle George would start asking if the twins were really his or not. Newsflash - they looked nothing like him. Everyone else was just being nice about it.
Which was why he was happy that Ricky and the others were here. Tony wouldn't say it, but even Wes knew that it was weird for to not have at least some of her family with her. Especially after all the work she had done. Tony had never done the full Thanksgiving meal; she never had to. Wes wasn't exactly horrible at cooking. On a good day, he could make an omelet without it falling apart too much, he had only burned toast once his entire life, instant oatmeal seemed to work for him, and if he had supervision and instructions, he could possibly bake cookies with the pre-made dough. So, he liked seeing Tony's easy smile behind her beer bottle as she pulled Emmanuel into a headlock because he said something about her being a housewife. "Oh, hey, Tones, where's that pie for Collin and Cara?" Wes asked after a beat, the thought hitting him once Ricky mentioned wanting a bite of the apple dutch one still sitting on the counter. "That's not for you!" Tony snapped, directing a pointed finger at Ricky with a glare that begged him to try her patience. Tony had picked up smacking greedy hands with a spatula from Guadalupe and that was just dangerous. It didn't stop Wes from laughing quietly. Tony flicked her head over to where the chocolate pie sat and Wes grinned. "Cool. I'll be back." His shoulder brushed Tony's as he went by her, and Wes caught her small smile (she wasn't as against giving the Forresters things as she wanted them to believe and he'd happily tell Collin about how sentimental the holidays made Tony), and grabbed the pie. He was already out the door as he text Collin, trekking across the hall to their apartment before knocking on the door without checking to see if the door was unlocked. Brooklyn might have felt comfortable with just waltzing into their apartment, but the feeling was definitely not mutual.
To: Collin
Tony sends her love through a chocolate pie that I feel half inclined to eat myself if you don't open this door for me, man
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
xxxlocation: fifth floorxxxoutfit: here
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
xxx"should i spell it out for you?
xxxno one here is bulletproof.
xxxso what are you to do?
xxxbattle. battle on through."
x
Having managed to escape from Holly with her brownies still untouched, Sam had quickly retired to her room to prepare for dinner. Usually, she would have considered her checked shirt and leather jacket to be more than sufficient for chilling at Tony's, but with her family coming, she figured that she should probably dress up a bit. For years, Sam's only outfits had been jumpers and jeans, maybe with a leather jacket or two for going out with friends, and then fancy cocktail dresses and jewellery that looked expensive. On escaping her escorting, though, she sold most of her dresses online and invested in clothes that were somewhere between. She was not, however, used to putting these outfits together, so it took her longer than usual to dress. Once she had her outfit put together, she took a quick shower to freshen up.
Her prep finally done, she retrieved her supplies from the top shelf of one of the cupboard. She wanted to stay out of Deja's way as she got ready, so she made herself scarce as quickly as possible. The text from Tony came just as she left the apartment, making her grin.
To: Tony
You mean it's not a pyjama party? Jk, be over in like thirty secs. Don't let Weston eat all the food x
She ran her free hand through her hair as she approached the apartment. She'd met some of Tony's family through working in the bar, but this was the first time she'd spent any serious time with them. Part of her was nervous, but she still strode up to the door and knocked. Finding the door was only ajar, she pushed it open. "Y'all got room for a poor stray?" she called.
Her prep finally done, she retrieved her supplies from the top shelf of one of the cupboard. She wanted to stay out of Deja's way as she got ready, so she made herself scarce as quickly as possible. The text from Tony came just as she left the apartment, making her grin.
To: Tony
You mean it's not a pyjama party? Jk, be over in like thirty secs. Don't let Weston eat all the food x
She ran her free hand through her hair as she approached the apartment. She'd met some of Tony's family through working in the bar, but this was the first time she'd spent any serious time with them. Part of her was nervous, but she still strode up to the door and knocked. Finding the door was only ajar, she pushed it open. "Y'all got room for a poor stray?" she called.
C O L L I N - F O R R E S T E R
Location: Apartment 5E
Outfit: This
Hex Code: #7d9959
xxxxx
He had forgotten entirely of Weston's promise to stop over, until there was a knock at the door. Collin already had a plate in his hand at that point, but hadn't put anything on it, and given that he was the closest person to the door as he rounded the corner of the island, he figured he should open it. He was glad he did too, given that he hadn't seen the text Wes sent him. "Hey, Holly! Look who finally showed up!" was the first thing that came out of Collin's mouth after opening the door. He turned back to Weston with a smirk, though it was a good-natured one. He was sure that Wes was going to give him some bullshit excuse for why he couldn't stay, and though Collin doubted that he would be able to talk him out of abandoning him so quickly, Holly might be able to. Even if she couldn't change his mind, the way that she could run her mouth could leave Wes stranded here for twenty extra minutes, depending on how many times Collin suggested she tell Wes more about the dog she had mentioned seeing at the parade, or about what she was thankful for today. Exploiting the girl's good nature was probably mean, but Collin couldn't help himself from getting a laugh out of it at Weston's expense. In his defense, it was usually him who had to listen to all of Holly's stories when Cara brought her over here, so allowing Wes to feel some of his pain (in terms of this Thanksgiving gathering and that) seemed only fair. "Sorry man, but not even one of Tony's pies is enough to get you out off your friendship obligation with me to at least see what I've got to put up with for the night, so step on in," he said, stepping aside to welcome Wes into the apartment.
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
T O N Y X G A R C I A
_____ T H EXT O U G HXO N E _____
Outfit: Here
Location: Apartment 5D
Dialogue Color β¦ #FF5100
Thought Color β§ #AF0100
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
T O N Y X G A R C I A
_____ T H EXT O U G HXO N E _____
Outfit: Here
Location: Apartment 5D
Dialogue Color β¦ #FF5100
Thought Color β§ #AF0100
"Β‘Usted bastardo codicioso!" {You greedy bastard!} Tony shouted just as she was about to bring her beer bottle to her mouth, turning away from the door to see Ricky already popping one of the platanos in his mouth. He chewed around a grin, unashamed and Tony picked up the nearest object - a pen - and hurled it at him. The son of a bitch had the audacity to duck laughing. "You can't even wait for Wes to get back or at least to bless the damn food. I have a guest coming!" Which wasn't really as much of an issue as she was trying to press for it to be, but it wasn't uncommon to have to smack greedy hands from the food when no one had blessed it. Tony didn't think of herself as devoutly religious, but that didn't mean she had forgotten her Roman Catholic upbringing. She still prayed before she ate meals, though she performed it rather quickly, kept at least one bible around the apartment so one of her relatives didn't think she was a flat-out heathen, and she had never thrown away her mother's rosary. Didn't dream of it. "It's a bit blasphemous to get all god-fearing in the same breath that you used a curse word with," Emmanuel stated, because he was a smart ass, at the same time as Rick inquired, "Did you kiss your mother with that mouth?" Tony's response was an icy "Β‘Vete al infierno!" {Go to hell!} and a satisfied grin as Miguel smacked his son on the back of his head just as Tony heard Sam come in. Smirking, Tony hurried up to text Brooklyn, even though she had just sent Wes over, to see how dinner was going.
To: Brooklyn
How's ur first class dinner? U didn't carve her instead of the turkey right?
Tony beamed at the white-haired woman the second she heard her question, purposefully raking her eyes over her friend's form in appreciation. There was rarely an instance Sam didn't look good to Tony, but she could tell there was effort put into the girl's appearance when there normally was no need to do so. And her friend looked good. Tony felt inclined to admire. "They're all blood-thirsty mutts anyway, so we could use a cute little stray like you," she declared coquettishly and positively cackled when she felt her uncle shove at her from behind with his boot, making Tony stagger forth through her laughter. Her eyes fell on the items Sam brought with her, her grin widening. "See, and you're a nice guest!" Tony turned a half-glare at her cousins while continuing, "At least Sam loves me enough to bring me something. You all suck." Ricky pointedly shot her the bird and Tony gave him one back. Wrapping an arm around Sam, she brought her into the living room a bit more, gesturing to each person as she went. "You remember my uncle Miguel and that shithead Ricky, he's not as sexy as he thinks he is with that new cologne he's got on so don't buy into his bullshit if he tries to hit on you. And that's Emmanuel and that's Alex. Guys, this is Sam. Get up, boys, make yourselves useful and figure out which one of you are gonna pray over this feast I have humbly prepared for you selfish bastards." Tony knew her family could be a bit rough around the edges, but she had never bullshitted around the fact that her family was rowdy. They fought and griped on a regular basis, but loved just as much as they hated. They were possessive about their own and stubborn to a fault, traits she herself had picked up, but her family thrived on being just that: a family. And even though she was going to wind up kicking them out and going to a friend's eventually, she wouldn't change a damn thing about them and she wasn't about putting on airs for the sake of giving Sam (or anyone) some fake glimpse into her family life. They were who they were and most of her friends (and even those she wasn't close to) had learned to accept that fact, or just stay out of her life.
To: Brooklyn
How's ur first class dinner? U didn't carve her instead of the turkey right?
Tony beamed at the white-haired woman the second she heard her question, purposefully raking her eyes over her friend's form in appreciation. There was rarely an instance Sam didn't look good to Tony, but she could tell there was effort put into the girl's appearance when there normally was no need to do so. And her friend looked good. Tony felt inclined to admire. "They're all blood-thirsty mutts anyway, so we could use a cute little stray like you," she declared coquettishly and positively cackled when she felt her uncle shove at her from behind with his boot, making Tony stagger forth through her laughter. Her eyes fell on the items Sam brought with her, her grin widening. "See, and you're a nice guest!" Tony turned a half-glare at her cousins while continuing, "At least Sam loves me enough to bring me something. You all suck." Ricky pointedly shot her the bird and Tony gave him one back. Wrapping an arm around Sam, she brought her into the living room a bit more, gesturing to each person as she went. "You remember my uncle Miguel and that shithead Ricky, he's not as sexy as he thinks he is with that new cologne he's got on so don't buy into his bullshit if he tries to hit on you. And that's Emmanuel and that's Alex. Guys, this is Sam. Get up, boys, make yourselves useful and figure out which one of you are gonna pray over this feast I have humbly prepared for you selfish bastards." Tony knew her family could be a bit rough around the edges, but she had never bullshitted around the fact that her family was rowdy. They fought and griped on a regular basis, but loved just as much as they hated. They were possessive about their own and stubborn to a fault, traits she herself had picked up, but her family thrived on being just that: a family. And even though she was going to wind up kicking them out and going to a friend's eventually, she wouldn't change a damn thing about them and she wasn't about putting on airs for the sake of giving Sam (or anyone) some fake glimpse into her family life. They were who they were and most of her friends (and even those she wasn't close to) had learned to accept that fact, or just stay out of her life.
J E S S E || H A L L
Location: Apartment 5E
Hex Code: #a63335
_____________________________________
H O L L Y . M A D D O N
Location: Apartment 5E
Outfit
Hex: #db0083
_____________________________________
The game that was currently on was the Redskins vs. the Cowboys, and to put it lightly, Jesse was getting into it. He wasn't a fan of either team, with the NY Giants holding a special place in his heart, but the dedication to his team led him to dislike the Cowboys, who had become a rival team in recent years, and because of that, he wanted the Redskins to win. The Cowboys were 9-1 up until now, though, so Jesse wasn't betting on a loss on their part, even if he was hoping for one. By the time that Cara called out that the food was ready, the Redskins already appeared to be on their way to getting their asses handed to them, so Jesse was ready to flip the television off. He was surprised, however, to hear Makayla call out towards him, and yet not to him. As he cocked his head to the side, he noticed that Holly was still sitting on the couch with him, with only a cushion separating them. Could it be though, that she had been there since she sat down about twenty minutes ago... and he didn't hear a word come out of her mouth since then? The confusion was evident on his face as he looked at the younger girl, who's zombie like stare only faltered when the screen went black. "Didn't know football was your thing, Little Red," he commented, raising his eyebrows in genuine surprise as he got to his feet.
"It's not. Cara said that they're doing a rerun of the dog show that I missed watching earlier because I was out at the parade and stuff, but Makayla said I wasn't allowed to tell you to turn your football game off, so I was waiting for you to finish. Why are they called Redskins?"
He guessed he had something to thank Makayla for after that, because he was sure that if Holly had made a big deal about watching the program she wanted, Cara would've come over and made him change it, even if Makayla insisted he didn't have to. Maybe I'll toss her an extra twenty the next time she wants some of this dick, he thought, readjusting his decision to thank her in a more appropriate manner. Holly wouldn't be Holly if the things she said and questions she asked were normal ones. She was like a child in a lot of regards, but especially in how innocently blunt she was with the things she said. She called things as she saw them. "That's a good question. You should ask Brooklyn if you can use her laptop so you can look it up, and then tell me why they're called that after you figure it out," he suggested. It was the easiest response for him because for one, he knew he would get a laugh out of seeing Holly pester Brooklyn, and two, he didn't feel like trying to explain that the term "Redskin" was actually seen as an offensive and derogatory word for Native Americans. He left it at that with the girl for now, though, in favor of following his nose to where all of the food was lined up in the kitchen. Tossing the two empty bottles of beer that he had downed in the last few minutes into the waste bin first, he then grabbed a plate, just as Collin went to answer the door. "Since I'm sure Demarco is about to friend zone it up wherever Brooklyn's sitting," Jesse said, purposely speaking loudly enough for them all to hear, "I think I'll sit next to our beautiful hostess tonight." He announced it as if it were legendary news, but surprisingly, his attention was all on the food in front of him. By the time he had passed by every dish, his plate felt like it weighed twenty pounds and there wasn't room for anything else, even if he wanted more.
Although Holly had heard Makayla and Cara both say that it was time to eat, she remained seated on the couch, even after Jesse left. Now that the remote was in her hands, she was able to navigate through the channels until she found the National Dog Show rerun, from when it had originally aired earlier this afternoon. Food was important, and Holly was excited to have a real Thanksgiving turkey for the first time ever, but dogs came before everything. It was a random obsession for Holly to have, and when exactly it developed, she would never be able to pinpoint. When she had first moved in with Makayla's family, one of Makayla's father's friends always had a Pitbull that he would bring over. It wasn't a nice dog at all, and Holly knew after receiving a few growls or snaps at that it wasn't a dog to be played with, so it wasn't like she loved the animals forever. In fact, she was probably actually scared of them at that point. Somehow, though, the fear eventually disappeared and dogs became her "thing". She loved seeing them while she was walking on the streets, and maybe it was because she wasn't allowed to have one that she wanted one even more, but whatever it was, they were her current fixation. An entire program dedicated to finding the best dog in the world was something that seemed like it was made just for her, and she barely even stirred, initially, when Collin called out to her. It was only simple luck that allowed a commercial break to come right after his words, and that allowed Holly enough of a distraction to stand up to see who the blonde was talking about. Her face lit up at the sight of Weston, and she hurried towards the door. "Happy Thanksgiving, Westy boy!" she said energetically. "You made it just in time for dinner and the dog show. We've been waiting for you!" she said, grasping his forearm in excitement, before noticing what was in his hands. "Cara! Wes brought us a pie and he said that Tony's on her way over with macaroni and cheese and gummy bears!" she exclaimed, though she laughed aloud following this, as if it were her own little joke.
D E J A - B E N N I E
Location: Apartment 5B
Hex Code: #7c6d96
Location: Apartment 5B
Hex Code: #7c6d96
When Olivielle entered Deja gave her a big hug. "Livvy Loo," Deja said as she squeezed her. Deja was so glad that Liv had decided to hang out at her place for the holiday. These two ladies were like partners in crime, and Deja liked to have Liv by her side at any event that involved excess drinking. "No, you're not early. Just socializing until everyone gets here," Deja stated. "Here," she said as she opened a beer and handed it to Liv. "Partake in the alcohol."
"Gather round! Gather round, everyone!" Deja bellowed. Most if not all of Deja's guests had already arrived for dinner. Regardless of attendance the tall blonde was ready to begin. She had been slaving over these dishes since this morning and she was as hungry as a beast. It would only be a matter of time before Deja's peppy mood would turn into something sour.
People were gathered around the common areas of the house, chatting and drinking before their feast. The scene reminded her of some uptown cocktail party that a doctor or lawyer would throw. All of her dearest lovelies were gathered in one place, looking fine and enjoying their time together. Honestly, there was nothing that Deja loved more. She looked around with a crooked smile on her face, seeing her friends all together made her little heart sing.
Deja playfully tugged at some of her friends' clothes as she made her way to the dinner room table. Thankfully, the table they had in their apartment had an extending leaf and Deja predicted that everyone would be able to fit comfortably. She sat down at the head of the table, thinking it only fitting because she was the hostess of this shindig. The turkey had already been carved and everything was ready to be eaten. Another flutter of joy pasted through her.
Who as here and who had yet to come was unknown. Deja had neglected to really keep an eye on things. It didn't help that she had already had a handful of beers and was starting to feel a buzz. She knew that she would be intoxicated by the end of the night, but she hadn't anticipated that until dinner well into dinner. Deja sat down at the table and watched her guests seat themselves. She didn't care to remember who was coming for dinner, who was coming later tonight, and who was actually there right now. That all seemed to technical right now. That being said he decided that once they were seated she would reveal her beautiful turkey hat, make some awful jokes, and just hope that everyone was there before starting to eat.
Location: Apartment 5D
Outfit: This
Hex Code: #91415d
As much as she told herself she was fine, Brooklyn definitely felt out of place spending a holiday this way. She hadn't spent a holiday with her family in so long, that she no longer really felt like that was how holidays were for her. It had been far too long since she and her parents and Kate had traveled to Connecticut to their grandparents house for Thanksgiving, where all of their cousins would gather. She remembered how much she enjoyed playing games with her cousins, who were all close in age with her, and how Kate loved to tag along and act like one of the "big kids". She could remember how nice their grandparents house would smell once the food started coming out of the oven, and how many times the adults chided them for being too loud at the kids table, and yeah, she missed it a bit, but it felt too foreign for her to get sentimental over, if she didn't think about it for too long. What had become her way of celebrating Thanksgiving for the past few years, was celebrating it with Nick. Jude would be included sometimes, too, but for the most part, for her, Thanksgiving meant sleeping all day, usually a fair amount of sex, and then going to get pizza or ordering in take out, and finally, seeing a movie in the theaters. Nick always told Brooklyn that she was demanding and materialistic, but her idea of a perfect holiday was that, and overall, it was pretty simple. Simple, and yet all she needed, and now that she was experiencing her first year without that, she was beginning to realize more and more that that was all she needed and wanted. She just didn't want that with someone who would cheat on her, even if he claimed that it wasn't technically cheating, since they had been broken up at the time. Technicalities didn't count in her mind though, because with their tumultuous relationship, they were breaking up almost once a week, and then getting back together the next day after some makeup sex. She knew that their separations weren't real, and so did he, so it was just as much cheating as it would have been on any other day, in her mind.
After leaving Tony's, Brooklyn had still been in the mindset that she could keep her spirits up, simply out of the desire to be vengeful. She didn't have to have energy to be positive and happy, but she could use it to look forward to getting back at Cara. As the hours passed, though, the realization that she wasn't going to be happy even if Cara was unhappy too, began to set in. Her relationship with Nick wouldn't suddenly be mended if she wronged "the other woman". That didn't mean that she wasn't still set on getting back at Cara, because even upset, Brooklyn still was Brooklyn. She just felt a lot more uneasy as the day began to remind her of what she had lost, that was all.
She had been in and out of her room over the past thirty minutes, but upon hearing Cara say that the food was ready, she figured it was time to go out. She didn't want to leave Jude stranded with the rest of these people, if nothing else. Though she could already tell that the food was going to be amazing, simply from the smell, she initially passed by it and headed towards the drinks. Cara and Makayla stood there, but that didn't deter her. When Brooklyn wanted liquor, nothing could stand in her way. While the other two girls seemed to be sticking to wine, Brooklyn opted to pour herself a Jack and Coke. With the way she was feeling, she was surprised at herself for not already being ten glasses in.
She would have started off the evening with some underhanded comment directed towards Cara, but the knock on the door caught her attention, and she watched Collin answer it. He's not ugly, she told herself, as she tried to imagine him with his clothes off. He truthfully wasn't ugly, either. If anything, he was actually quite attractive, but Brooklyn doubted she could shake that "younger brother" vibe he gave off, for long enough to actually see him as an equal. She watched as he pulled a move that she found to be very respectable, by essentially forcing Weston to stay longer than he likely intended, by goading Holly over. "Westy boy," Brooklyn repeated, approaching the trio and seemingly mulling over the nickname for a moment, before nudging Holly lightly as she passed by. "I like it," she decided, in approval of the moniker. Brooklyn and Weston weren't even really that close, where she could tease him that naturally, like she could his sister, but to Brooklyn, the depth of a relationship didn't really matter. She just liked to fuck with everyone, when she saw an opportunity. "It's funny you mention mac and cheese and gummy bears, Holl. Tony told me the same thing, that she was planning on bringing those over, when I spoke to her earlier. Someone needs to remind that girl that it isn't polite to be this late to a party." She had caught Jesse's obnoxious comment about how he would have sat next to her, if he didn't expect Jude to "friendzone" and take that seat, and though it had elicited an eye roll from her, she hadn't responded to it directly yet. Jesse was attractive, yes, but he was incredibly obnoxious, and persistent to the point of being pesky. "Yes, Jude, my love, please come friendzone it up. I need some intelligent conversation with my turkey, tonight," she said, placing her drink down for a moment, so she had two free hands to make a plate of food. Before she started browsing the food selection, however, she had to text Tony back.
To: Tony
Uneventful so far. And yours? Big sister let little brother abandon ship this early? I'm shocked! Also, Wes said you're dropping off macaroni and cheese and candy in a few minutes? Look at you with all these surprises up your sleeve, wifey!
J U D E ----- D E M A R C O
Location: Street / Apartment building
Hex Code: #6b8e66
Hex Code: #6b8e66
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Jude had been avoided direct contact with everyone. He wasn't particularly pleased the majority of his company. Namely Jesse, who was honestly just the worst in Jude's opinion. Then there was Holly, who could be funny at times but she was too excited to even say something remotely interesting. And of course, the queen of it all, Cara. She had managed to remain calm through the rest of the "cooking" process, which Jude marked as an achievement, but now he was dreading the rest of the evening sitting at the same table as her.
He mostly spent the awkward time before everyone was silently stuffing their faces with very slowly and intentionally serving himself a drink. Weston came to door but Jude ignored it, he stood by the drinks and slowly sipped his bourbon. His green eyes scanned over the room, catching some with distain and others with appreciation. As he was actively ignoring the commotion around him, Jude drifted off into his own thoughts. He thought about later tonight with Olivelle and began to daydream of all the scenes that could play out. Jude wasn't stupid by any means, but he wasn't exactly the smooth talking guy that got all the girls. Honestly, he was just glad that she had agreed to come with him.
When Jude heard Brooklyn speak he snapped out of it. That was his cue. "Gladly," he said as he made his way to the chair next to her. "Anything for you, darling." Jude cooed while he put his arm around the back of Brooklyn's chair. Jude smirked at Jesse as he took another swig of his bourbon. Finding no interest in verbally communicating with Jesse, Jude looked at the vast array of food. At least Cara hadn't taken it upon herself to cook because the only redeeming qualities about this dinner was going to be the food and the booze.
The brunette settled into his chair and watched his peers gather their food first. He often liked wait to serve himself last. There was always plenty to go around and he absolutely wanted to avoid any awkward arm bumps, snatching a serving right before someone else, or the dreadful grabbing of the same spoon. So there he sat, feeling a slight victory over his jab at Jesse, and waited.
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
xxxlocation: fifth floorxxxoutfit: here
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
xxx"should i spell it out for you?
xxxno one here is bulletproof.
xxxso what are you to do?
xxxbattle. battle on through."
x
Tony's apartment was chaos- and Sam loved it. Her family's Thanksgiving had always been a streamlined machine, with everybody having their own jobs. She loved that as well, but having been to so many fancy functions where introductions were stiff and formal, the sheer energy of Tony's apartment instantly made her relax. She laughed at Tony's introductions, grinning at those she knew and waving at those she didn't. Had it been anyone else's family, she probably would have felt a bit more on-edge. But she'd met Miguel and Ricky on occasion, so she didn't feel like a total stranger- and besides, the atmosphere meant it didn't even feel like an introduction.
"Nobody look at me to say grace, I'm a terrible public speaker. I can talk away like this, but as soon as I have to do anything more structured, I'm gone. Even with liquid courage. Speaking of which," she turned to Tony. "Beer? I'm also making cocktails if you want one," she said. She'd realised at the last second that mentioning that neither her nor her family was terribly religious may have made things awkward and frankly, she was relatively proud of how she'd handled it. Her grandmother usually said grace at Thanksgiving, but that was the the extent of things. The last time she'd been in a church had been her father's funeral, and those negative connotations certainly weren't encouraging her to go back any time soon.
She retrieved herself a glass and started making her cocktail. She could make a mean one in the bar if she had to, but when she was making it for herself, she wasn't as precise about it. As long as it tasted somewhat decent, she'd drink it. She wasn't picky about her drinks.
"Nobody look at me to say grace, I'm a terrible public speaker. I can talk away like this, but as soon as I have to do anything more structured, I'm gone. Even with liquid courage. Speaking of which," she turned to Tony. "Beer? I'm also making cocktails if you want one," she said. She'd realised at the last second that mentioning that neither her nor her family was terribly religious may have made things awkward and frankly, she was relatively proud of how she'd handled it. Her grandmother usually said grace at Thanksgiving, but that was the the extent of things. The last time she'd been in a church had been her father's funeral, and those negative connotations certainly weren't encouraging her to go back any time soon.
She retrieved herself a glass and started making her cocktail. She could make a mean one in the bar if she had to, but when she was making it for herself, she wasn't as precise about it. As long as it tasted somewhat decent, she'd drink it. She wasn't picky about her drinks.