❥▐ cupid's brew

Natalie Williams

Outfit (to be worn later)|Location: Home|Music|Mood: Neutral|OOC: N/A​

Natalie awoke but stayed lying in bed. She didn't want to get up, or let Sarah know she was awake. Instead, she pulled a piece of paper and a pencil to her from her nightside table.

Dear Lexi,

Really sorry I didn't reply sooner, but I was busy writing the script for the school play. It's been taking up a lot of my time.

I hope you are well. I made a new friend named Sarah. She reminds me of you a bit, because you two are equally as obnoxious. She really wants to meet you, so we may head up to visit you soon after rehearsals are over. Really wish you were here with us, we could use singers like you in the show.

Anyway, write back soon. Hopefully I'll have a date to visit you set by then. Until then, good bye.

Missing you with lots of love,

Natalie​

​

PS: I keep dreaming about our time at camp and about Sebastian. I'll tell you in person though.

Natalie looked at the paper. It was easy to write as if she were happy. Sure, she wasnt completely sad, but she'd felt empty for the past two years. As if three very big parts of her were missing.

Quietly, she got up, put the letter in an envelope, and put it in her drawer.

"How long you been awake Nat?"

Natalie jumped. "Oh, Sarah! You startled me. I thought you were asleep!"

"You aren't the quietest writer nor walker, Natalie."

"Right..." Natalie grumbled.

 

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WEARING ✔ ⧉ DATE▹ 12/19/2015 ⧉ DAY▹ 2 & 1/4 ⧉ MUSIC​

MOOD▹ FRUSTRATED ⧉ LOCATION▹ HOME ⧉ OOC▹✘​

ACTIVITY▹ RUMMAGING ⧉ INTERACTION▹ ✘ ⧉ ❤▹ 0/10​

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Pierce was rifling through a drawer in the kitchen dressed for the day and currently home alone. Her mother had informed her that she needed to run errands before going to bed, having only gotten home a few hours ago from her overnight shift. ❝ Where is it? Where is it?! ❞ The contents of the drawer were now on display across the floor. Stacks of paper were arranged haphazardly, along with notebooks, writing supplies, a few ornate jars, and a mostly empty bottle of rum. Pier kicked the bottle and it rolled across the tile floor, stopping in front of the broom closet. Her mother didn't drink often, but when she did, she could clear most of a bottle in a short few hours. She slumped down to the floor feeling utterly defeated. A choked sob escaped her and she rested her head against the cupboard.

Her teeth chewed fiercely on her cheeks and she slammed the drawer shut, not bothering to put anything away. What am I going to do now? her brown eyes connected with the bottle and a sudden gasping chuckle escaped her. What a wretched thought. She fumbled in her pocket for her phone. It was a lot nicer than her old one, but now two years obsolete. It was amazing how quickly electronics lost their value. She opened the message icon and quickly tapped in Sophie's name.

She pressed send and almost immediately regretted it. Sophie would undoubtedly mock her home--it just seemed like the kinda thing she would do. It was a wonder they were friends at all. Granted, she's pretty much my only friend... Pierce sighed, pulling herself to her feet and grabbing the bottle off the floor by its neck. The rest of the mess lay where she left it as she stalked off to her bedroom and plopped ungracefully down on the bed. The bottle rested beside her. She eyed it in an accusatory manner before unscrewing the cap.

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Maria brushed her silver comb through her delicate platinum blond locks. It was antique given to her by her grandmother that she cherished dearly. A knock sounded on the bathroom door and Stephan came poking his head in. They had the same fair hair and blue eyes of their mother, but where she was sharp and slender; he countered in broad, rounded, and muscular. Stephan worked outdoors. All those years at a music school meant little to him. While he spent most of his life building callused fingers from instruments, they were now rock hard and solid from ripping things apart and filthy with a constant layer of grime. He was still equally as beautiful as her, but now more rugged. She cocked her head to the side, glancing at him through the reflection in the mirror. ❝ Can I help you? ❞

❝ Are you almost done? You know there's only one bathroom, ❞ he scolded, brow knit sternly. It was hard to ever take him too seriously, given their history.

❝ Yeah, yeah, ❞ she chided him before rising from her stool in front of the vanity. Maria set the comb down and tossed her flowing locks over her shoulder before sauntering out of the bathroom. ❝ Where were you last night? You left everything out. ❞

❝ Out, ❞ he snapped a little too quickly before slamming the bathroom door shut her face, rather out of character.

Maria stared blankly at the white door in front of her. All right then... She spun on her heel, heading down the hall to fetch her coat and purse. I wonder if there's someone I can meet up with before rehearsal. I need to relax my mind into a state of utter emptiness if I want to deal with that jerk Torvald. she shook her head and plucked her phone from her purse as she exited the apartment. Maria scrolled through the list of contacts before crossing a much wanted name. The perfect distraction. She smirked.

✜ Wearing ✔ ❖ Music ❖ Date: 12/19/2015 ❖Day: 2 & 1/4 ✜​

✜ Mood: Annoyed ❖ Interaction: Stephan ❖ Location: Home ✜ ​

✜ ❤: Tucker ❖ Activity: Chatting ❖ OOC: ✘ ✜​

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✌ CLOTHES ≛ MOOD» PRODUCTIVE ≛ TUNES≛ LOCATION » HOME--SHELTER--CAFE ≛OOC ✌​

The cherry haired male woke up with a smile to the sound of soft mewing by his side. There was very slight, constant tugging on the blanket that draped over him and off the side of the bed where he lay on. His chestnut eyes met with the little tugger when he opened them.

The kitten didn't stop mewing as it looked up at him hungrily. He reached over to pet it and brush its black fur. Its white paws reached for his wrists as it stood up on its hind legs, almost as if it was snuggling into his hand. Tucker smiled, imagining the kitten pleading for food right now. He pulled his hand away from the kitten and threw his blanket off of him as he got up to his feet. The mewing didn't stop as the kitten brushed at his fleece pajama pants. He smiled down at the animal before he started making his way to his kitchen, "Shush, little rascal, don't worry. Your food's coming up!"

He literally took about ten steps out of his bedroom to step into his kitchen. Tucker lived alone in a studio apartment. It had one bedroom, one bathroom and a space that split as the living room and kitchen. It wasn't big, obviously, and he didn't have a roommate for other obvious reasons. He did know his neighbors though - and he did have some animals over every once in a while (cause he didn't actually enjoy being alone for the most part...) like Eap, the black kitten that woke him.

After retrieving a can of cat food and emptying its contents into a bowl, he placed it down on the floor next to Eap who immediately tackled it. Tucker ran a hand through his red locks, laughing slightly as he watched the kitten gobble it up, then looked over at his landline phone that blinked a message. Curiously, the man walked over to it and pressed the play button.

____________________________________________________________________​

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"Good morning little T! It's your mother, and looks like you're still ​

waking up late, haha. I just wanted to call and say hello and that I miss ​

you. Jack, Simon and I are really enjoying our trip to Europe. They both say​

hello and we all hope you're doing well and wish you were here with us!"​

____________________________________________________________________​

His smile widened at his mother's voice and kind words while looking at his photo with her during her second wedding. He was much taller than her auburn haired mother, but both wore similar grins. His mother had remarried about two years ago, sometime after the horrid camp incidents. It really made him happy to see her smiling again - especially after such traumatic events (Which his mother freaked out on completely, but soon understood how Tucker quickly recovered from it). She lived with her new family quite a distance away and even had a child last year. Now they were having vacation time - he was invited as well but Tucker knew he had responsibilities he couldn't sacrifice, besides, he didn't want to trouble his mother with himself.

He glanced back at the kitten who was still eating the cat food before he walked into his room, opened his closet and went to the bathroom to take a shower. After freshening up and getting ready, he pulled on his shark sweatshirt, some dark jeans and boots. Walking out of the bathroom, he noticed Eap playing around, finished eating its food. He picked up the empty bowl it had left before kneeling down beside the kitten, brushing the fur on its back. "You're going to find a good home. I'm sure little Eap." he said gently, before getting up, placing the bowl in his sink and grabbing necessities scattered around his apartment. He got his set of keys, a small blanket for Eap and his mobile phone - which also beeped a little message as he picked it up.

'Maria?' He didn't expect a text from the lead, or let alone anyone in the cast. He often got texts from Julius or Erik or the school. Blinking away his shocked eyes, he gave a little shrug and opened the text.

Although he found himself even more shocked, he smiled. That was nice of her to offer some company - and coffee did sound good at the moment. Looking over at the black kitten in his living room, then glancing at the clock, he quickly responded to the girl.

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____________________________________________________________________​

To: Maria​

Good morning! I'd absolutely love to! Thank you for the invite. I'll​

just have to drop by the local Animal Shelter, but don't worry it's​

on the way and I'll go on super speed!​

I'll see you soon ( :​

____________________________________________________________________​

Stuffing his phone into his pocket, he picked up the little kitten with his left hand and then cradled it in his arm with the small blanket draped over its little body. He walked out of his front door after locking it then quickly made his way out of the building. He met with his bike in the bike stand next to the building, unlocking it before stuffing his set of keys into his pocket. He placed the blanket on the small metal basket that was on the front of his bike before carefully placing the kitten in it. Eap mewed and the young adult took it as a signal to go.

​

He arrived at the local Animal Shelter in about ten minutes, leaning his bike on a post outside. He grabbed little Eap in its blanket, carefully stroking its fur and petting its head. He pushed the door open with his shoulder. "I've got another one for you guys as promised!"

A thin man, not much older than he, walked out of the back door and past the counter. The animal shelter man had scruffy ginger hair that sat at the top of his head and vivid, green eyes. His name was Sean. "Tucker, what would we do without you?" he laughs as he approached him, beginning to pet the kitten too. "And what have you named this one this time?"

"Eap. E-A-P, as in Edgar Allan Paw. Yes, Edgar Allan Paw. Paw. Found him in a gutter two nights ago, shivering from the cold. Thank god I heard him mewing cause his black fur did not help at all." he said with a slight laugh at the end then handed the playful kitten to Sean, who laughed at him and simply nodded. "Thanks though, as always. Really, you're like the only volunteer who actually does something… want to stay and watch little Eap get settled in?"

"I'd love to, but I've been spending far too much time with this little guy. He might not let go of me." he said as he petted the little kitten one last time and held its little face in his hands to give him a small peck.

"Hah, or you never letting go of him." Sean said, pulling the kitten closer into his arms and away from Tucker's kisses. Tucker simply laughed and began to head out of the door with a small wave. "… You seem like you're in a hurry though. What's the rush? Got a morning date?"

Tucker's eyes widened as he slammed into the front door, failing to push it open properly and causing a loud thud and the door to shake. He got completely frazzled at the mention of the word, feeling his face getting flushed and his body tensing. No. Stop. He had to act cool. Be all boss, Tucker! He looked back at his friend with a cool expression, laughing off his accident awkwardly "Pffft, you're kidding right? You actually think I've got time for dates? My hands are too full bringing lost babies back to you, you lazy bum. No way!"

Sean had a smirk on his face though, but before he could even retort anything back to him, Tucker was out the door with a quick, "Bye Sean! See you!" and all Sean could do was let out a big sigh and smile as he watched Tucker zoom past him outside.

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Tucker pedaled as fast as he could to make it uptown and towards Crystal's Coffee where he agreed to meet Maria. He saw the cafe at his sights but knew he had already taken much time to get there, possibly another 10 minutes? Probably 15. He made a sharp turn over there and parked his bike in the bike rack nearby before he began jogging up to the cafe. Upon entering it, the sweet smell of coffee and pastries distracted him for a second. It seemed like such a treat after the energy he used up - but first, Maria. He glanced around, hunting down for the girl. Her long platinum hair was a big give away and the redhead spotted her almost immediately. He snaked through the many people, tables and chairs to get to her. "Hey Maria! Sorry I'm a little or very late, I'm not really sure. But hello! And good morning!" he said warmly as he pulled the seat in front of her and sat down with a big smile on his face.

 

『WEATHER』 CLEAR SKIES, COLD 34°! ✖『DATE & TIME』 12/19/2015 - 9:26AM ✖『DAY』 02.2​

Noëlle wondered why he wouldn't be staying, but not deeply enough to ask. She thought abou the question and sighed. She wasn't feeling as down today, and she had wanted to talk to Julius, assuming he would be there ...

❝I'll go too, I think. I did say I would.❞

Not that it mattered.

Finally, with nothing more to say ( well, nothing she could tell him ), she stood up and gathered both of their dishes, slipping her shoes back on and walking back into the house.

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Maria had placed herself at a small round table near the back of the coffee shop. She loved it here at Crystal's. The familiar scent of fresh ground coffee beans and sweet muffins always seemed to invigorate her with a sense of calming. She looked up from her large cup of Chai Tea at the sound of the front door chiming. She caught sight of the familiar shock of cherry-red hair making its way through the entrance and across the room. It seemed to take him no time at all to spot her, and for that she felt a mixed sense of relief and excitement.

❝ Hey Maria! Sorry I'm a little or very late, I'm not really sure. But hello! And good morning! ❞ he said warmly as he pulled the seat in front of her and sat down with a big smile on his face.

How cute... She smiled up at him sweetly over the lid of the coffee cup before taking a sip and setting it down on the table in front of her. ❝ Hey Tucker, ❞ she beemed, ❝ It's fine. I wasn't waiting long and it was rather last minute. ❞ Her blue eyes grazed over him and she couldn't help but smile at his shark sweater. There was a short fine hair stuck to it, animal no doubt--he had mentioned in his text that he was going to the Shelter. She reached across the table and plucked it off him, before holding it up at eye level. ❝ You had a hair, ❞ she commented. ❝ Do you go to the Animal Shelter often? ❞

Maria took another sip of tea, still smiling. This had been a good idea. She rarely got to be alone with him. Her insides felt fluttery and her head a little light. It was like taking drugs, but one thousand times better. Tucker was a sweetheart. Everything he did was sweet and she often times feared that looking at him for too long would cause her to get a cavity or something of the like. Her heart thumped enthusiastically in her chest and her cheeks were already starting to hurt from smiling. ❝ Are you going to order something? ❞ she finally asked. ❝ I would feel terrible if you came all the way down here just for me. ❞ Maria bat her mascara laquered lashes at him, blue eyes sparkling in the light. Just like a drug...

✜ Wearing ✔ ❖ Music ❖ Date: 12/19/2015 ❖Day: 2 & 2/4 ✜​

✜ Mood: Elated ❖ Interaction: Tucker ❖ Location: Crystal's Coffee ✜ ​

✜ ❤: Tucker ❖ Activity: Chatting ❖ OOC: ✘ ✜​

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Ethan looked back up. The confusion in her eyes was a good thing. Someone had acknowledged her finally. Now, how to make her still feel the way she did. The play was later and obviously he could continue to do formal chit chat with her there, but it was a Saturday, who wants to be stuck in a theater practicing on such a wonderful day. Maybe a stroll around together would make her day as well as his. "Sasha, how about we skip the practice today and go on around the campus. We have all been in the theater every day since auditions began, why not take a small break." He raised his hand to pick her up out of the seat. "Will you join me?"

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Xara shook her head from her daydreaming state. Her bowl of cereal had become moist and lost all its crunch. She finished it off and grabbed her Hello Kitty jacket. The warmth of it was remarkable, it was like being wrapped around a lover's arms. Opening the door to her room, she set out to go over to Natlie's place.

After some walking within the cool crisp air, she made it to Natalie's. Xara knocked on the door and waited for her reply.

 

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Location: Middle of School Grounds {} Mood: Hesitant/Happy {} OOC: Sup Guize c:​

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Is this what compassion felt like? Maybe it's more than compassion? Whatever the case, she was hesitant to accept his offer, even a little afraid. Skipping practice was a dangerous act to do. Was it worth it? Would he understand her troubles? Even more...would he stand by her side when the words are shot at her? Her hand reached out for his, hesitating a bit before grabbing his hand tightly and standing up with a small nod. "O-of course I shall join you..." A part of her worried about him. Would he really be ok being with her? Ethan...I hope you know what you're getting yourself into. You're gonna see a shitstorm coming at you if you're gonna go on with this...​

 

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She grabbed his hand but with much hesitance. Fear was a driven factor in her after all the rumors had spread. Poor girl had no idea what happiness was like for a long time. For some reason, Ethan had trouble letting go of her hand. It was still so light and warm. She was very pretty. A lot of the time he only stared at Maria, but maybe it was time to give up on such a fantasy. The next question was, where would they go? He did know a very nice coffee shop that would serve as a nice place to sit together, relax, and just open in communication. "Let us go to Crystal's Coffee. It is a nice place to just relax for a while." He was still holding her hand. Why couldn't he let go? He just continued to walk with the grip. If she didn't let go, he didn't believe he could.

 

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Location: Middle of School Grounds {} Mood: Happy {} OOC: N/A​

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Sasha nodded and followed him along, not also wanting to let go of his hand. "A coffee shop sounds wonderful. I agree." It was so alien to her walking like this, but it also made her feel happy and content with herself. It was nice that no one was really around the campus at this time. Thank god for Saturday Mornings, the root of all oversleeping. At least she can let go of the fact that someone will see them. They should be safe for a while.​

 

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Nodding to her, he and she continued to walk to Crystal's Coffee. Neither of them could let go of the other's hand however. If people were around, they'd presume they were dating, but if a rumor was to spread about that, he would not care. They don't know him or her so who are they to assume such things. The two of them could just be cold and wanted to warm each others hands. It isn't uncommon.

Few minutes passed and the two had arrived. Ethan chivalrously opened the door for Sasha and let her walk in. Once the two sat down, he'd wait until the waiter/ waitress came to ask for their drink. Ethan also managed to let go of her hand as they sat together. "This is the place. Crystal's Coffee. Quite a pleasant place to be on this Saturday morning." He smiled. At the cornet of his eye, however, he noticed a familiar face. The face of Maria as well as another man, Tucker he believed his name was. He couldn't quite recall however.

The waiter came up to the two of them asking what they would both have. "I will take a cafe late my good sir." He liked that the most of what they offered. Soon the waiter would ask Sasha for her choice as well. "Don't worry about what you get, its on me."

 

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Location: Crystal's Coffee {} Mood: Happy {} OOC: N/A​

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Outside, she looked normal as if she didn't want others to suspect what was going on between them. She hoped not. One rumor going around was bed enough already. Inside though, she was overjoyed he was doing a great favor for her. Not just for asking her out to a coffee shop, but also helping her open up from the cold, hard shell she placed around herself. He probably didn't realize it, but this simple event could change her whole being. ​

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Once they reached inside, Sasha looked around the shop. It was a very cozy looking place, perfect for those cold winter mornings which should be arriving soon. Sitting down, she felt his hand leave hers. She felt somewhat sad, but hey, they can't hold it forever. She smiled back at him. "It's a cozy looking place Ethan. I should probably come here more often..." Looking around the shop, she noticed two people she saw at the theater yesterday. Hmm...looks like others come here too. She nervously twiddled her thumbs. "Y-you shouldn't be paying for me Ethan. It's fine. I can pay for myself." She looked back up at the waiter. "I'll have a Chocolate Espresso please." ​

 

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✌ CLOTHES ≛ MOOD» PRODUCTIVE ≛ TUNES≛ LOCATION » CRYSTAL'S COFFEE ≛OOC ✌​

Her friendly greeting comforted his growing guilt as she mentioned not waiting too long. He grinned even more, scratching the back of his head as he let out a big "Phew! That just made me feel a lot better." he said honestly, still awkwardly scratching the back of his head and grinning widely as his eyes came to a cheery close.

Opening them, she noticed her getting up. His big chestnut eyes watched her as she seemed to lean in closer to him. His mouth slightly split open as his breathing stopped for a moment and he began to lower his hand down over his knee. His eyes, filled with much curiosity, watched her hand reach forward to his sweater. She pinched something off of it, which caused him to raise an eye brow as she sat back down and held… something in between her fingers.


❝ You had a hair, ❞


Ah, he saw it now. The small piece of kitten fur between Maria's fingers focused in his vision. He was right, black fur did not help at all.


❝ Do you go to the Animal Shelter often? ❞


His smile returned as he pulled his attention away from the remnant of Eap to the girl in front of him. He nodded, placing his elbows on the edge of the table and leaning forward slightly. "Yeah, I kind of volunteer. Don't really work there or anything, just drop by if they need help or when I find strays." his tone was very casual. He had gotten used to doing what he did for the animal shelter, it had been a couple months already. A thought followed into his mind as he looked at the talented girl in front of him, 'I don't really like to be alone in my apartment. Having them around helps me sleep at night.'

He suddenly blushed a bit as that thought rang back in his mind while he looked at her. He gulped down the nerves and replaced it with a smile as he shifted in his seat slightly. His arms crossed over each other, with his hands holding over his elbows as he watched her. He didn't like her in the way his mind kind of put together. Maria was a beautiful girl, and she was very talented. She had become a good friend of his over camp - not just when she was a student but more so when she became a counselor. She was very good at being a counselor and Tucker admired that. She considered her to be a very good friend of his. He just found himself getting little lonely at home some times.


❝ Are you going to order something? ❞


"O-oh, yeah!" he said quickly, straightening up. He leaned his back comfortably on his chair as his hands rested on the sides of the chair. He whipped his head around from left and right quickly, searching for a waiter or waitress. One immediately caught his look and started to head over to their table.


❝ I would feel terrible if you came all the way down here just for me. ❞


"Pfft, come on Maria, don't worry about it. I would anyway, meeting up with friends in the morning is a great way to start the day." he said genuinely, then turned away from her for a moment as he quickly placed his order to the waiter when he had arrived.

 

⎛ DAY 2 ‖ 2/4 ⎠ ☁ ⎛ DATE ‖ DECEMBER 19TH ⎠ ☁ ⎛ LOCATION ‖ UNIVERSITY ⎠
⎛ MOOD ‖ PLEASED ⎠ ☁ ⎛ ❤!! ‖ %8 ⎠ ☁ ⎛ WEARING ⎠
⎛ OOC ‖ . . . ⎠

❝ＯＰＰＲＥＳＳ ＴＨＥ ＦＥＥＬＩＮＧ ！！❞​

Sophie left one of the lecture halls with a sigh, a hoard of shouts came room behind her. She hadn't exactly meant to begin a philosophical argument about morality, it just sort of happened. When the seeds were ( accidentally ) sown, she decided to head for another part of the building, wondering if rehearsals would really take place today.

In the pocket of her coat, her phone vibrated and she pulled it out.

FROM: Pierce
Hey!
You at the school already?
Do you ah... wanna come over after rehearsal?​

Sophie blinked at the message, taken by surprise at its contents. Once the request sank in, she gave a fox-like smile. Normally, Pierce didn't invite her anywhere because they weren't exactly friends, but this message was now telling her otherwise. It meant Pierce thought of her as a friend -- perhaps her only one, at that.

She liked where this situation might go. The possibilities . . .

There was a small part of her that was chiding, but she ignored it and continued down the hall with a smile.

TO: Pierce
Sounds like fun. Are you coming to
rehearsal today? If so, we can go
to your house together in my car.

FROM: Pierce
Yeah I'll be there! Sounds fun! Can't wait.​

Sophie smiled at the message and began to wonder why Pierce was so enthusiastic about seeing her. As far as she knew, Pierce didn't have any real friends, so that might contribute to something, and in the past, Sophie had shown her kindness ( that had not gone unrewarded, she might mention ).

It seemed her plans to have Quentin for lunch were cancelled. Maybe.

 

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+ The clock struck ten, and her curiosity had broken her.

{ m u s i c }​

Little Fatime stood hunched in her white coat over one of Fortissimo's many black chemical benches in the old laboratory. Dusty and dry; rarely ever used since the new one opened up all the way on the other side of the campus. But this was good, ah-- this was perfect. She didn't say a word throughout the entire ordeal, and really was very much like a ghost, or a ninja, in how secretively she was able to come to this decrepit, abandoned room, far away from the prying eyes of others. Ohohoho, it made her heart flutter. <3

Deep, thick goggles gazed at the party of flasks, pipes, and tubes that had been scattered almost haphazardly along the table. They were filled with traces of strange liquids, most of them translucent, others smoky, and still others in dazzling chemical hues. A thick pinkish smoke clouded around her, and her deep breaths echoed through her tightly-strung face mask. The low hum of a ventilation shaft directly above her head allowed the smoke to dissipate and naturally condense back into water vapour, but as a result, the room's mild heat left her skin flushed and burning. One could almost mistake it from the passion of her work.

She tapped a thick, leatherbound copy of her weekly read by her side. The fraying, yellowed copy of Gustave Heitor's Paper Shields was placed inside a translucent laboratory bag to protect it from her work.

But within the midst of this cacophony of chemical conundrums, her eyes and her cunning, dastardly frown were fixated on the heart-shaped bottle in the middle of this mess of flasks. It had been opened, and small plastic tubes ran from deep within its reaches to burettes and flasks nearby. They dripped the contents into test tubes and through pipettes where they were further filtered through the Bunsen burners that heated the liquids and generated the pink smoke.

Fatime carefully picked up a test tube with her gloved hand and swished around its translucent contents, holding it close to her goggles. She froze in place for a few seconds, the liquid briefly returning to its state of rest, and placed it back in the test tube rack, allowing the burette to continue its drips.

This was strange.

She looked at the paper pad by the heart-shaped bottle, where she had scratched in notes only recently.

She couldn't help it. A naturally curious mind was driven to breaking school rules and being in unauthorized places to pursue the truth, right?
So here she was, realizing that the insane contents of this-- this "Cupid's Brew" she had so foolishly purchased was something like a terrifying designer drug. One that seemed to work ... maybe, but she had no idea! Schizophrenic hallucinations. Aggressiveness. Pain inhibitors. Excessive stimulation of the nervous systems and the brain's reward pathway. Chemical aphrodisiacs. Natural love polypeptides. Addiction, addiction, addiction ...

But this was all up in the air. Yes, yes it was ... ah, what oh what could that final three percent of this detestable drug cocktail be? 97% of this Brew was death, but that final three percent could change everything ...

She sighed behind her mask and picked up her book, gently taking it out of the bag and rifling through the pages. Her eyes scanned them quickly and efficiently, almost like a machine, before she settled on the right page, stopped, slammed her finger down on the text, and satisfied her thirst.

She cleared her throat.

<< "My dear Madrigal, it is all on the upside," Bishibel replied, a cunning grin on her face. "When the light of truth, O how brightly it may shine yet be unable to pierce the thick fog of mystery, flickers and dims behind one's own apprehensions, then they must take steps to ensure that chaos facilitates the orderly pursuit of the truth." >>

She slammed the book shut, and turned back to the bottle of Cupid's Brew on the table. It still retained much of its contents, so she had a chance.

Huh, hmm ...

Fatime thought for a long time.
Right, that was right. They had a rehearsal today! A rehearsal, rehearsal ...
Lots of people, right? Right.
Haha ... lots of people. A light of truth flickered in her head. That-- that's it ...
Facilitate chaos, hm?!
Through the pink smoke that slowly began to clear and dissipate, she smiled behind her mask deviously as she eyed the flasks of clean water. Her grey eyes lit sparks in amusement.
When thou shalt be disposed to set me light,
And place my merit in the eye of scorn,
Upon thy side, against myself I'll fight,
And prove thee virtuous, though thou art forsworn.

How long had it been since she had her own fun?
Hehehe.

 

Zachary arrived at rehearsals looking sheepish despite having done no wrong. His long sleeved velvet shirt was spattered with tears but it was worth it, a damp shirt in the cold in exchange for a happier girl was worth it. He walked down to ththe theaters stage and used the side stairs to slip into the backstage. His eyes began to inspect all the props, making sure tthey worked, then he found himself giving all paintings and things created for the show, a decorative once over. He smiled now, it was all coming together perfectly! He didn't like using perfect so lightly but his sector was coming together nicely. All he had to do now was wait on Julius to arrive and give him a status report.

He roamed over to the exposed stage and gazed from behind the backstage wall. The place was practically empty. He shrugged it off and assumed that he was just early, or that people had things to do on the weekends. He moved into a theater seat and got comfy, putting his feet up on a empty seat infront of him and pulling out his phone to read up on his favorite blog. He stumbled across it a few years back and when the blog owner painted his face, he nearly let the cat out of the bag by saying her name and not explaining why. But how do you say, 'Oh yeah, hey Elisa, you're super interesting online so I read all you right on your blog. She wasn't the only blogger he kept up with, but it was great that she went to Fortissimo with him! And was even mere inches from his face. He would tell her that he was a fan of hers. As soon as he worked up the nerve.

His baby blue's swept across the theater and found that he was being left alone, soon he began to get lost in his readings. Jumping from one obscure blog to another before finally fully catching up on Elisa's. He debated wether he should wait on one of his potential cuddle buddies, or if he should just hang somewhere else and just call Julius with the positive update, but decided against it. He felt it would be more productive on the set, for a few hours at least. Settling deeper into the seat and glad he decided to stay, because he's lazy, he began to examine Elisa's outfit of the day.

God that outfit is adorable.

 

(*) Cafe (*) Mood: Calm (*) Music (*) OOC: Yes, he listens to j-pop (*)​

​

Alex's morning started off like most days, he got up from his bed and went to take himself a shower. Still following his tradition of taking a short but efficient shower, he was out and got dressed. Normally on a weekend he would go ahead and get some breakfast since he actually had time to do so, but today he was feeling like going out for breakfast.

The walk to the cafe didn't take too long for him to walk to, mainly because he was lost in the song he was currently listening to. It wasn't often that something like this popped up for him to listen, but when it did he was pretty much in his own little world. Just about oblivious to what was going on around him unless either someone said something to him or if he eventually noticed.

The first thing he did after taking a seat was to order something. As per usual he wasn't feeling like something big so he just ordered some coffee. He’d only recently started drinking it and was slowly starting to like the taste of it. The process of him liking coffee was a slow one, but it was still making some progress.

 

『WEATHER』 CLOUDY, COLD 36°! ✖『DATE & TIME』 12/19/2015 - 2:00PM ✖『DAY』 02.2​

Julius had never responded to her text and was no where to be found once she arrived back on campus with Bryan. The school was pretty much empty, besides the auditorium, and a couple of other classrooms reserved by clubs for the break, so he would have been easy enough to spot if he were present.

... Then again, it was the weekend and maybe Julius had a wife and kids and was too busy to meet with her after all. Somehow that bothered her ...

Dejected, Noëlle entered the auditorium. She wasn't alone, so she made sure to plaster a smile on her face and greet anyone around with a 'hello' and a somewhat dismissive 'how are you' as she strode up to the stage. The lights were warm and a bit bothersome, but the stage was otherwise comfortable. Inviting, even.

She hadn't bothered with auditioning for a role in the play and a part of her regretted it. She couldn't help but feel a bit ... jealous of Maria having gotten the lead. Her competitive nature made her wonder if she would have been cast.

Noëlle didn't consider herself an actress, but she honestly didn't consider herself much of anything aside from a romantic. Music was a ... thing of her's, but she wasn't phenomenal at it, in her opinion [ at least not any more ... ]. She was athletic, but her love for such things had ... dwindled down a bit. All of her time lately was consumed with feeling sorry for herself.

Nestling into the warm leather of the piano stool, Noëlle breathed in. It was a calming, steadying breath that served to distract her from her feelings [ and combat the urge to gaze out into the audience for Bryan ]. Her fingers glided forward to the smooth, white keys of the familiar instrument before her.

No one was barking orders at her yet, so she was able to play a quiet, sweet melody unrelated to the musical, providing the theater with a gentle ambiance.

​

 

​

✧ location: theater [ auditorium ] ✧ mood: cheerful ✧ theme: tea? ✧​

✧ affection: -- ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ✧ ​

✧ ooc: -- ✧​

​

Text from Elisa bby:​

​

Good morning Richie! Sorry I couldn't respond to you last night, ​

I fell asleep right after updating my blog hehehe I'm sorry! u A u;; ​

Anyway, see you in rehearsals soon! ​

I'm going to come early since my mom has work today. ​

If you're not too busy we should definitely hang out!​

​

Richie pulled out his phone as he walked into the auditorium. He wasn't able to check it prior since he woke up late and even getting to Fortissimo on time was a challenge. Despite it being the weekend, the blonde-haired boy still felt it was his duty to be punctual. And yet, he didn't even have that much to do... maybe this wasn't the best idea; he would much rather be home right now on the computer, or hanging out with Elisa. Elisa... Richie looked back to his phone, which was clutched tightly in his palm. Anyway, see you in rehearsals soon! He smiled as he remembered why he came after all.

​

Text to Elisa bby:​

​

sorry i didn't get to reply! i was asleep orz ; ^ ; ​

but i'm at the theater now!! ^ u ^ where are you? ​

i don't have much to do anymore lol so maybe we could hang out! * 3 * ​

we can talk about hanging out after practice when i see you! <333​

​

The sound of delightful music could be heard as Richie slipped the phone into his pocket. He was... mesmerized by the lovely, hypnotic melody of piano keys. His eyes wandered to the stage, where he saw a lone girl on the piano. He squinted, and the image of Noëlle became crystal. It was as if he had no control over his body as it forced its way to the melodic siren. He approached her calmly, and said delightfully, "That sounds... beautiful, Noëlle. It's legit so soothing and peaceful... you're really good at playing piano. How long have you been playing?" He spoke casually, despite almost never have spoken with the red-haired girl before.

He didn't care if he sounded weird though, he needed to tell her how great she was. It made Richie happy whenever someone complimented his voice or clarinet playing. He wanted to pass the joy onto others, because they should know how skilled they are. At least, that's what his mother always used to say. He giggled cheerfully as the music continued to fill his ears with pure bliss.

 

◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆
⌠ DAY 2 │ 2/4 ⌡ ◆ ⌠ DATE │ DECEMBER 19TH ⌡ ◇ ⌠ LOCATION │ DORM / DRESSING ROOM ⌡
⌠ MOOD │ HAPPY ⌡ ◇ ⌠ ❤ │ 30% = NOËLLE / 30% = SOPHIE ⌡ ◆ ⌠ MUSIC !! ⌡
⌠ OOC │ . . . ⌡
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆​

The night passed listlessly for Quentin. He returned the composition notes to Sophie. He expressed that there were no immediate problems but left his thoughts anyway. They chatted for a bit about the musical before he bid her farewell. Then he went back to his room and browsed the web until he fell asleep.

Quentin woke up late the next morning. He had been having trouble sleeping the same hours twice in a row, a problem he had tried to control with little success. Maybe it had something to do with sleeping at the academy. He was tempted to fall back to sleep, but a blinking light out of the corner of his eye forced him out of bed. It was his laptop.

TO: Quentin Freeborn
FROM: Noëlle Chambers
Hey, longtime no talk ... How've you been? I've seen you around, in rehearsal, but we've not talked much since ... then. I don't know, I was just thinking about you and remembered I still have your email address. Hopefully you actually check it. :P We should hang out sometime! Get some coffee, or something less generic. Lemme know. I hope you've been well. - Noëlle​

Would you look at that! She thought about me. Quentin was wide awake now, and excited. He wanted to meet her, and wanted to express it. Absence had dimmed his spirits, but he was still set on her. He struggled to type as he wondered what had triggered her thoughts. He didn't want to come across as desperate, but he didn't want to be too apathetic, either.

TO: Noëlle Chambers
FROM: Quentin Freeborn
Hey there! I am well, thank you. Those events took their toll, but I'm back on my feet. My best wishes on you and yours as well. I know it got to you, and I'm sorry I wasn't more helpful back then. But enough of gloominess. It's great hearing from you! I'm surprised you remembered my email after all this time. As for hanging out, I'd love to. Just tell me when.​

He sent it before he could second guess himself further and made a beeline for the shower. He needed to relax his nerves. How will she react? Is she emailing me as a rebound? Why now? He let his worries and excitements wash away beneath the water. He still had Sophie and her body on his mind. He would even say his heart was set on it, at least for the time being. One thing at a time.

He messaged Sophie after the shower. He needed to know what to go after today.

TO: Sophie Bennett
FROM: Quentin Freeborn
Do you want me?​

When no responses came in the next few minutes, he got dressed, got ready for the day, shut down his laptop and went to the academy kitchen for some breakfast. He poured himself a bowl of CoCo Pebbles and ate them on the counter. He was not a breakfast type of person, but he could eat cereal any time of day -- especially if it involved chocolate.

With breakfast out of the way, he got out his headphones and danced his way out of the dorm and to the university, and more specifically the auditorium. He loved the place.

Even without his headphones, it practically rang with music. It was much easier to appreciate when he was not choking to death on mustard gas. He was unsurprisingly late to the party and found several students already there. He didn't have much to do before the rehearsal, so he bobbed and weaved through the people and sets until he found himself in front of the dressing room. He went in.

Elisa wasn't there, but he could see that she had been. Some of the things were moved. I wonder if she looked over my designs. He looked over the face paints and other materials. Nothing was missing, and all of the lids were secure.

Satisfied, he picked up the sketchpad at the edge of the workstation and flipped through it; it contained a nice blend of designs. He was ready for colorful and dramatic or realistic and accentuated. I have never painted a face before, but how different could it be? He would have liked to paint either of his girls, but Sophie was the composer, and Noëlle . . . He looked over the cast list again. Noëlle said she had seen him at the rehearsals.

She was not there. She was not to be one of his subjects. He was disappointed. He sighed with it and turned the pad to a new page. He began a new face and waited for someone to disturb him.

 

​

A loud yawn echoed thought out the house as Julius rose from his bed and rubbed his eyes with a groan "urrgg...morning already?" Julius said getting up from his bed as he stretched and noticed a clock on his night table realizing the time his eye immediately began to twitch and immediately Julius's palm hit his face "MY FUCKING GOD! I JUST CAN'T GET UP EARLY" Julius yelled and began to grumble as he walked into the bathroom and began his sexy Julius shower time.

Upon getting dressed, Julius ate his breakfast/lunch and let out a sigh. Most mornings...or afternoons....were like this and Julius always tried his best to change that. Whenever he had to wake up early it was always quite the rush for him and his students could always tell just by looking at his dramatic entrances. Luckily it was the weekend and Julius also had no idea just what he would do for the weekend "Damn...I need some hobbies or something..." Julius muttered as he rose up to his feet. "Ehhhh might be optional...but might as well check up on the kiddos" Julius said getting his things and headed towards the auditorium.

The play never actually brought himself any real stress and in general Julius was quite proud that he really didn't have to yell much. As he walked down the halls Julius brought out his phone and smiled "oh thats right...Noelle messaged me last night..." Julius said placing his phone on. Noelle was his favourite little student and he always expected great things from her. "Hm...a text....oh damn..." Julius said with a groan. When Julius noticed the text he received from Noelle he felt a bit bad for not answering her text despite saying how he was ready to help her anytime.

With the message sent, Julius continued on through the hallway, and once he reached the auditorium he opened the door with his foot as usual and walked in. Glancing around the auditorium his eye noticed Noelle and though he raised his eyebrow he smiled after. "Yo! nice tune your playing there Elle!" Julius yelled out to her raising a hand in greeting before placing them back in his pockets and walked towards her.