he takes a seat, ready to take something light. he’s going to spend the whole night working for the station, he has to keep his act somewhat together. the voice next to him catches his attention, “some what…?” it takes a second for his brain to catch up to the joke. “oh… oh! aha, like ashton would,” ruby smiles thankful for the recognition. “i’ll just take the corona, thanks for offering. the blood sounds pretty nasty out of character.” it’s taken ruby a bit of time to get over the fact that his chance to be a star was taken from him so early. being in hollywood felt like one wild fever dream, and it was only reminders from folks around town who knew about effervescent that proved he was a part of something bigger. “hi there, i’m ruby gould, i don’t think i’ve seen you around before.”
“Tell me the fake blood was at least something sweet and not tomato juice,” CJ asks and makes a face for emphasis. She leans up on the chair to reach into the back pocket of her jeans, pulling out cash to pay and place some in the tip jar. “Claire James,” she introduces herself, “But I don’t look like a Claire, so everyone calls me CJ.”
“Yep, new in Wellcliff,” she explains. “I’m from Venice beach, out in Cali. My friend’s got a bnb I’m looking at for.” Not really a lie, but saying she’s trying to crawl out of a career hole sounds way pitiful. “You originally from here?”
cj’s fashion is ever fluid: from baggy t-shirts underneath denim jackets to tight bodycon dresses and heels, she truly likes to embody the phrase “get you a girl who can do both.” however, she’s always the most comfortable in a simple white tee — sometimes a crop top! — tucked into her baby blue jeans. (or a bikini, duh.)
"okay, but avril was definitely replaced by a clone and the moon landing video was in a studio. you can’t disprove that, it’s just facts, dude.” chuck shrugs before taking a sip of her extra large blue slushie. sugar and conspiracy theories come together in a beautiful way and chuck stands by that. “ooh and the chuck e cheese pizza thing has to be true. not one pizza on the entire plant would look that fucked up. i never trusted that damn rat to begin with.” @wellcliffstarters
Intoxicated by her one true love mary jane, and filled to the brim with cherry slushie that’s currently giving her a mondo brain freeze, CJ blinks as a reply. She collects her thoughts, “Dude, don’t talk about the moon landing like that — I’m tryna go to space eventually.” And then, “You think Miley’s a clone too?” Another. “You’ve heard of the Mandela effect? I think I’m part of the other universe — the Berenstein bears one.”
She digs into the bag of chips she’d purchased along with her slushie earlier. “What are we doing this weekend? Are house parties really the only thing poppin’ around here?”
hey peeps!! just letting everyone know i’ll be around tomorrow/the weekend! work’s been heavy (just got off really and it’s almost 8 😭), but i’ll be down to plot and meet everyone soon!
settler’s point was a great place for bj to park her skoolie. it gave her a great view, lots of people surrounding her - and it was the only beachy location that allowed parking big enough for school busses without having to pay for overnight. it would do for now. when she woke up, she was already excited to see what the small town had in store. with her roller skates strapped to her feet, bj slowly climbed down from the school bus’ emergency door at the back, easing onto her feet slowly while barking out a cheery “good morning, wellcliff!” as she did so. she spun around to close and lock before skating over to a perfect stranger, “hi! you know any good breakfast places around here?” @wellcliffstarters
CJ had all but given up on hunting for the “hidden cove” she’d read about in some local’s blog. Instead, she’d turned her weekly adventure to Settler’s Point, dead set on catching a video of a ghost to prove to her ex-girlfriend that they were real. (And yeah she’d chosen to go in the daytime, but whatever, she’d re-visit it at night eventually.)
So far the area looked pretty normal — save for the slightly dilapidated lighthouse and a school bus(?). And to CJ’s mercy, there were more than enough people to save her from ghosts. Despite that, her nerves were still on high alert, the YouTube video she’d watched on the light house’s history still fresh in her memory.
She literally jumps when the random sound of skating nears her. “Fuck,” she feels her heart beating a mile a minute. But the apparition isn’t much of a ghost. It’s a face so friendly she can feel the bubble of energy already. “I thought you were that ghost everyone talks about.”
“Thanks for thinking I’m a local,” she laughs, shaking her head at herself for her earlier shenanigans. “I actually just moved here.” And because she’d love some friends, “Haven’t hit all the local joints yet, but I’ve got a ham, swiss and egg sandwich I was going to smash at the top of the light house if you want half?”
After her morning at the studio, Ruby was getting ready to head out and go about her day. It was mid afternoon by now, her radio show having just gone off the air about thirty minutes ago, and she’d taken her time saying goodbye to her coworkers before walking out the door. She loved her job more than anything in the world, getting to co-host a show on her favorite station, the one she’d listened to since she moved to Wellcliff as a teenager. It always seemed to good to be true, but that was her life and she was thankful for it.
As she walked down the sidewalk with her bag slung over her shoulder, Ruby hummed along to the music playing from her headphones, going in the direction of Bean There, Done That to get herself a coffee. Her attention wasn’t fully on her surroundings, though, because she was focused on her music - until she ran directly into someone. “Shit,” She said softly, stumbling back a couple of steps before pulling her headphones off her ears and putting them around her neck. “Sorry about that. Are you alright?”
CJ feels it before she hears it — the soft thud to her back as she herself pays no mind to the oncoming traffic on the sidewalk. She’d paused riding, one foot off her cruiser board to hold herself in place, to look for Wellcliff monuments that aligned with the path to the “hidden cove” some local blog had posted.
Grin on her face, she turns around to acknowledge the culprit. “No apology necessary — I probably shouldn’t clog up the flow of traffic by just standing here,” she puts her phone away. “I’m totally chillin’.”
“What were you jamming out to?” she points to the headphones for reference.
"Fuck, am I really that old?” she turns to the dude, holding a little necklace with a shark tooth in one hand, and a pooka shell bracelet in the other. “Are these really outta fashion? We’re in a beach town, they’re never out of fashion.”
Her friend had not lied — the waves at Wellcliff, while not Hawaii’s 8 footers, were divine. They were warmer, too, than California, and CJ had found herself on numerous nights outside on the water without her wetsuit. Today had been no different, but rather than throw herself into the crash head first, she’d chosen to hover on her board, a ways away from the girl already mashing up the surf. She was good — her center of gravity measured and her foot in just the right position (maybe a little too forward on her board, but CJ wasn’t in the business of correcting anyone’s form).
With the sun beating on her bare back, blonde hair already downed from the crash of a wave she’d dived under to get here, she waits for the attention of the surfer before calling out. “Yo! Mind if I take the next wave?” she pointed at the upcoming swell. @dcngerousblues
There’s a long list of things Aidan loves about her job at Sparky’s–the laidback environment, picking up on all the town gossip, getting to give entitled drunk men a piece of her mind when necessary–the list goes on. But probably her favorite thing is getting the cooks to give her baskets of delicious, perfectly golden french fries to eat behind the bar practically every shift. It may seem like a small thing, but she’s tried many a french fry in her day, and none of them compare to Sparky’s. It’s a weekday and still pretty early, so the bar is slow except for a few regulars who are already taken care of, and Aidan finds herself munching on the fried delicacy while queueing up some songs for the night. She’s so distracted by the taste and the music that she doesn’t realize the person walking into the bar until they’re seated right in front of her. “Oh sh–,” the bartender starts, swallowing and standing up straight from her position leaning against the bar. “Sorry, didn’t hear you come in.” She chuckles to herself and runs a hand through her short hair. “Can I get you started with something? I can definitely recommend the fries.”
It’s taken CJ two weeks to get situated and into a routine she could be proud of. Though Sparky’s bar had seemed enticing the moment she landed in Wellcliff, she knew the biggest lesson she’d have to learn this summer was self control and moderation.
So, with CJ’s room fully unpacked, a job secured and protein shake downed, she finally treats herself to a cold beer and — “Some fries,” the woman’s chuckle is contagious, and she offers a laugh in return too, taking her seat right in front, lifting her arms up to reveal a tiny, rainbow string bracelet on her wrist. “And a corona,” she takes a chance, “Plus something your boss lets you drink on the job.”
“oh, shit, this song slaps!” she says, happily, bouncing along to the beat with her daughter by her side. sober thalia is suspiciously close to drunk thalia, the same bubbly persona, but with lucy on her hip, she’s been keeping an extra vigilant eye out on everything around her. “do you mind holding her for a second?” she asks someone close by. “or just holding her hand. i’m thirsty, but i haven’t been able to score some of that punch all night.” / @wellcliffstarters
With the two tequila shots she’d downed earlier starting to lose their effect, she finds herself after an hour of straight jamming in a corner on the dance floor hovering by the punch bowl. She hears the tail end of a conversation, brown eyes seeking up to note the woman coming in her direction. “I’m warning you right now... some kids spiked this ish like it’s prom night,” she grins, grabbing a cup for herself in the classic manor by dipping the edge of it and letting it pool half way. “This one over here’s just orange juice for chaser, I think, if she wants something to drink too?” she offers, looking behind her to note the kid.
Location: Hot Dog Stand, The Boardwalk
Status: Open
“You’d think someone would have brought corndogs around here,” he said, looking at the hot dog stand. For some reason, he thought back to a trip to the Santa Monica Pier, something that took place when he was about thirteen and his dad had thought that a road trip to Los Angeles would be a good time. There was an old corn dog stand somewhere at Venice Beach that his father had insisted on visiting. “But I guess… people aren’t into corndogs here?”
“That’s what I’m saying,” CJ responds, bringing the hot dog dressed with mayo and ketchup to her lips. “You ever had a cheese corndog? The pepperjack ones are my jam.” She wipes the remnants of her lips with the back of her hand. “You’d make bank if you opened up a stand.”
ruby speaks into the mic of his station calling out to the crowd and listeners at home, “i’m your host, ruby gould, and things at the bonfire are already starting to heat up wellcliff… if you’re not here then you are definitely being a square,” he winks at the crowd, making his sound board play a sad trumpet noise. “so, get your behind down to the beach and show us your best movies. WAVES 8.38 is hosting a dance contest in an hour for anyone who thinks they can bring it to the table. the prize? i’m glad you asked… it’s a basket put together by some of the small shops here in town. looks like we’ve got some local cheeses, a bouquet, a certificate to sparky’s worth thirty-bucks, and a chance to meet yours truly and get a station tour,” he finishes the announcement with a charming smirk. “well, until six pm, my friends, it’s all music, no ads sponsored by sparky’s. see you soon,” he takes off his headphones, passing them off to his stand in for making sure the booth is maintained and who is queuing up the pop hits. his first stop is the bar.
Stationed at the bar (where else would she be, really?), corona in hand, she feels motion to the side of her as someone saddles up.
A closer look reveals someone she used to spend hours binging. Grin on her face, she makes a lame joke, “Whatcha ordering? Cup of blood, or can I offer to buy you a corona?” she raises her own beer for emphasis.
Since moving to Wellcliff two weeks ago, CJ’s found herself charmed by the locals on all fronts — from the pier workers to the little old ladies who offer her treats while on her morning run. The radio station, in particular, has kept her extra company as she settles in and gets accustomed. It’s only now that she’s even put two and two together, too.
“All I’m saying is, it literally took me 23 years to realize that salt and pepper didn’t make paprika.” Cade fired back to seemingly no one in particular as he leaned against the fence blocking off the boardwalk from the rest of the beach. “Blue’s Clue’s is either out here lying to children about how it’s made or the Mr. and Mrs. have some additional explaining to do.” He added before he recognized the strange look he was receiving from the other person who was sitting a few feet away on one of the benches. He made a motion to try and explain that he had an air pod in and that he wasn’t a complete lunatic sitting on the boardwalk talking to himself about, but that didn’t do him much good when all of a sudden it was falling out of his ear and into the sand below. “Shit!” He exclaimed the frustration thick in his voice as he glanced over and contemplated the drop, down to the sand. “Quick initial thoughts, too high up to jump over or should I make the long trek along the beach?”
When she thinks about it — Blue’s Clues really did convince an entire generation that salt and pepper made paprika. But, then again, they also encouraged an entire generation of tween boys that wearing the same shirt every day was okay, so, she’d take that show with a grain of salt. Raising an eyebrow, she watches the scenario play out to the side of her, a laugh leaving her lips when he asks about jumping.
She’s sat on the ledge herself, shoes dangling in front of her and a backpack with her cruiser board attached to her. Brown eyes glance quickly at the gap between her and the sand. Claire finds it doable so long as you don’t have jelly legs and the slightest bit of adventure. “Dare you to do it — ” she challenges. “ — well, only if you have FindMyIphone activated. If the fall doesn’t kill you, trying to find the airpod in the sand will.”
[ brie larson, cis female, she/her ] have you seen CLAIRE ‘CJ’ JAMES hanging around? the 27 year old often hangs around WELLCLIFF BEACH when they’re not being a FISH MAINTENANCE/AGRICULTURE ASSISTANT AT MURPHY’S FISHERY. i’ve been told they’re OUTGOING but OBLIVIOUS and when i look at them, i see MOONLIT NIGHTS, BONFIRES ON THE BEACH, DRIVING WITH THE TOP DOWN. wellcliff wouldn’t be the same without ‘em! [ mel, 26, she/her, pst ]
*— ABOUT
* — growing up in venice beach, california, claire james naturally gravitated to the water. and with a professional surfer as a father, it was hard to ever want anything else. by 16, claire had already secured her first sponsorship — a $5000 stipend partnered with surfboard accessories, and some new digs to wear while out on the water.
*— her competitive nature made her a strong contender, propelling her to the top spot on any team roster. for the longest time, it seemed like there would be no end to claire’s upward trajectory, but as high school came to an end and college became the backdrop, cj fumbled.
*— between falling in love with multiple girls, breaking up and allowing the heartbreak to keep her out of the water, her performance suffered. while girls on her team were out practicing, cj dedicated her time to partying. it showed when competitive season came along; first place turned to third place, turned to tenth place, until sponsorships were dropped.
*— in a moment of freakout, cj dropped all her college courses and moved back to her parent’s home. definitely overstaying her welcome, it took some tough love to finally get her out of the house and back on the water. (tough love meaning her parents literally gave her an eviction notice to get her shit together after 4 years!)
*— she eventually reached out to a girl on her surf team for a place to stay, who opened the doors to the back house of her family’s rental property on the east coast in a town named wellcliff. she could stay there for free so long as she helped check in/out the bnb guests.
*— to make some extra spending money, CJ picked up a job at murphy’s fishery. she likes to get her hands dirty helping with shipping, packaging and her favorite: feeding/caring for the fish.
*— ultimately, with the olympics finally accepting surfing as a sport, claire’s dedicated to making this summer part of her comeback story. if she can separate her personal life from her job, she could be a champion.
—*PERSONALITY:
she’s charming, witty and outgoing, but she’s constantly lost in her own world, focusing only on her problems/her friends/her life/her/her/her.
she falls in love fast (read: infatuated), and would prefer to be in a relationship. but, when she’s single, she enjoys partying and sleeping around. she isn’t a player on purpose (hence the obliviousness), but tends to get lost in her own emotions and forgets that other people may not be on the same page as her.
cj is an out and proud lesbian. she doesn’t hide it or scream it from the mountain tops, just assumes everyone knows or at least eventually picks up on it.
all in all, she’s chill. loves smoking weed, drinking coronas and spending time in the water and around the beach.
—* FUN FACTS:
she’s a pisces sun, taurus moon and cancer rising (yeah, she’s emotional.)
she’s not very traveled, but she has visited a lot of beach-side locations for surfing
she’s a mean cook, and her signature recipe is gnocchi
she watches asmr videos on youtube, and sleeps in shorts no matter how cold the weather is
she hates the taste of ginger and spicy tuna is her favorite food
—* CONNECTIONS:
summer love. though cj’s a sucker for love, her plan for this summer does not include falling in love. she’s here to train and train only, right?
best friends. available.
hookups. available.
party friends. a party animal by nature, it would not be out of the ordinary for cj to frequent parties or the bar.
