she hadn’t talked to anyone all summer, opting to isolate & ignore her texts or phone calls — it was easier that way. aj’s grief had peaked at the end of the spring semester, just around what would have been she + michael’s anniversary, if they had been together for another year. that was when she closed in on herself; doubled down on studying & was rarely seen practicing her volleyball skills at the recreation center.
she thought that if she hid, no one would ask her how she was or how her summer went. of course, when hiding in plain sight, that wasn’t an option. the feeling of somebody’s presence removes her from her reverie, brown hues coming in contact with the figure standing near her.
it was rare to see blake in the library when she didn't have a deadline to meet in less than forty-eight hours. she hated the quiet and she felt judged every time she opened a can of red bull or checked her phone instead of writing her essays. but as per usual she was there as a last resort. she had checked the quad, the gym and aj's dorm but her cousin was nowhere to be seen. blake poked her head around various bookshelves until she spotted sight of a familiar array of brown curls. "hey? that's it?", she asked, hands on her hip and voice low (at least by her standards). "you were basically a ghost all summer. i was worried about you." blake pouted. it didn't surprise her aj needed space but there was space then there was completey going awol. "anywho, how are you doing? are you settling back in okay?"
she knew blake meant well, aj knew blake was only looking out for her, but the feeling of being parented by her younger cousin so early in the year got on her nerves a little. the young woman stares intently at her relative before speaking, “bee, i love you to death, but you don’t need to be my mom, okay? i know i ghosted and i’m sorry, but — i needed space.”
that was a tad harsh, the brunette realizes after the words spill out of her mouth. she sighs, “that was shitty, i’m – i’m sorry. i’m settling in alright, i did lose my lighter though… uhm, do you want to get out of here? we could walk around the quad or something. we can’t have an actual conversation here.”
she hadn’t talked to anyone all summer, opting to isolate & ignore her texts or phone calls — it was easier that way. aj’s grief had peaked at the end of the spring semester, just around what would have been she + michael’s anniversary, if they had been together for another year. that was when she closed in on herself; doubled down on studying & was rarely seen practicing her volleyball skills at the recreation center.
she thought that if she hid, no one would ask her how she was or how her summer went. of course, when hiding in plain sight, that wasn’t an option. the feeling of somebody’s presence removes her from her reverie, brown hues coming in contact with the figure standing near her.
Anyone who knows Verity is well aware that if she's spending her free time anywhere, it wouldn't be cooped up in the library — forced to be silent when she's normally anything but.
Still, she's here. Not that she wanted to be but the sound of her friend's nagging is more than enough to get the blonde to agree to anything. Regardless, Verity stands idle — light hues wandering until they land on AJ. Alone. Pretty sad, if you asked her, so she wastes no time in walking over: a soft smile on her lips.
"Wow, such a warm greeting after summer break. Really, I missed you too," sarcasm rolling off her tongue, sliding into the free seat — ignoring the lack of an invitation. "We all just got back and you're already in here? Seems kind of boring way to celebrate our college freedom while we've got it."
brown hues fixate on the brunette as soon as she’s visible, slight surprise & a hint of curiosity etches on to aj’s features at the sight of verity in the library; this was not like her at all. she blinks a little when the young woman gazes upon her and strides over with a soft smile.
“i know i went awol — was having a rough fuckin’ time.” aj replies, cocking her head to the side, “since you’re so big on college freedom, what the hell are you doing in the library? this is.. unlike you. don’t get me wrong, i’m — i’m actually really happy to see you, but i came in here to… hide.”
she hadn’t talked to anyone all summer, opting to isolate & ignore her texts or phone calls — it was easier that way. aj’s grief had peaked at the end of the spring semester, just around what would have been she + michael’s anniversary, if they had been together for another year. that was when she closed in on herself; doubled down on studying & was rarely seen practicing her volleyball skills at the recreation center.
she thought that if she hid, no one would ask her how she was or how her summer went. of course, when hiding in plain sight, that wasn’t an option. the feeling of somebody’s presence removes her from her reverie, brown hues coming in contact with the figure standing near her.
First year as a graduate student would be—well, how different would it be? Damon had gotten so used to the university over the years that a higher grade level didn’t really make him feel separate in any way. It was like when people asked if you felt different after turning a year older. If there was any real uncertainty happening, it was over the weird Phantom user situation. And also the course syllabus he grasped in his hands, wondering if the professor had made one or seven typos on exactly which books they should be getting. Well, an adventure around the library it would take then.
Furrowing his brow, he wandered the space for a minute before noting a familiar face. “Hey, AJ,” Damon greeted with a small smile, adjusting his backpack strap on his shoulder. He mulled over his thoughts for a moment, hoping he hadn’t been bothering her. “Ah, how goes it?”
damon had been one of the few people that aj thought really got her; neither of their demeanors were ones that screamed out for attention. the two were misfits, perhaps. she felt seen by them and that was everything to her. he had also been a shoulder to lean on after michael’s death and having that support meant so much, considering her parents hadn’t reached out during that time. after much of the grieving process, the pair continued to hang out & aj had grown to harbor some romantic attraction towards her friend.
of course, that was then.
now, the brunette smiles almost too genuinely as he greets her, a symptom of having a crush that made her feel like she was in high school again. “it, uh — it goes!” aj replies, her tone of voice sounding more cheerful than moments prior. “how’re you? i – i’m sorry for not reaching out over the summer, shit kind of… hit the fan.”
she hadn’t talked to anyone all summer, opting to isolate & ignore her texts or phone calls — it was easier that way. aj’s grief had peaked at the end of the spring semester, just around what would have been she + michael’s anniversary, if they had been together for another year. that was when she closed in on herself; doubled down on studying & was rarely seen practicing her volleyball skills at the recreation center.
she thought that if she hid, no one would ask her how she was or how her summer went. of course, when hiding in plain sight, that wasn’t an option. the feeling of somebody’s presence removes her from her reverie, brown hues coming in contact with the figure standing near her.
[ zendaya , cis woman , she/her. ] ⸻ have you seen athena-jane ‘aj’ everett? yes, the twenty-three year old / junior that’s usually wandering around campus? they’re currently focused on psychology, so we’re sure they’ve been super busy with studying. according to rumors, they were michael’s ex-girlfriend and he knew they [ got into gsu via bribing ]. does it make sense considering they’re known for being compassionate as well as frugal? either way, the phantom is threatening to bring scary things to light, but let’s hope whatever they’re hiding stays in the dark.
BASIC DATA!
NAME … athena-jane ‘aj’ nicola everett.
BIRTHDAY … february 26th 2000.
ZODIAC … pisces sun, aries moon, leo rising.
MBTI TYPE … infp - t.
SEXUAL ORIENTATION … bisexual ( undisclosed. )
ROMANTIC STATUS … single.
HEIGHT … 5’10 / 177.8 cm.
BIRTH PLACE … seattle, washington.
RESIDENCE … los angeles, california.
OCCUPATION … student, volleyball player.
PERSONAL DATA!
AESTHETICS … the feel of sweat rolling down your back, the scent of vanilla & jasmine, runny mascara, the quiet noise of taking notes, urgent kisses from a lover.
CORE SONGS … sleeper, body and mind, peach pit, she’s thunderstorms.
TROPES … black cat energy, lonely rich kid, aloof dark-haired girl, good bad girl, the heart.
HEADCANONS & NOTES!
tw: mental health, parental neglect.
aj was born into a very wealthy family, her father is a highly successful lawyer & her mother is a plastic surgeon.
her family moved to california when she was seven, so they could be closer to their relatives.
her parents wanted more children, but with their busy careers, they decided they didn’t have time to raise more than one child. aj was mainly looked after by nanny’s & her aunts/uncles.
growing up, she did well in her education. her favorite subject was english during her elementary school days & she was part of her middle school volleyball team. in high school, her studies began to slip and her gpa dropped to the point where she almost didn’t graduate. however, she managed to make it through.
after graduating, she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
she doesn’t let anyone call her by her full name, she insists on being called ‘aj’. she did, however, make an exception for michael.
michael’s death impacted her greatly. she loved him with all her heart. he was her first love, despite him being unfaithful.
she rarely speaks to her parents and mainly relies on her other relatives for support.
her favorite thing to do when she isn’t studying or playing volleyball is baking. her specialty is brownies.
she loves indie & alternative music.
she smokes marijuana.
she has two tattoos: a pair of angel wings on her lower back & a tiny black heart near her groin.