lucy fisher

/ twenty one / student at east mount academy / the social butterfly

[tyleroneills]

Tyler hoped she missed the way his eyes rolled at the mention of River and him having things in common. There was some truth to that, not that he would ever admit to it or elaborate. The two shared a past and hated each other. But there was one night where the two boys put aside their differences and got along, but they don't talk about it. "I support you 100 percent. I would never fault you for who you date or hangout with. God knows I'm not the best judge of character." Tyler dated Lakewood's notorious mean girl for a year before he came to his senses. She was way worse than River. The girl was a borderline psychopath and according to the grapevine, she was still causing hell at East Mount. "If you ever want me to hang out with him and try to form a friendship for your sake, I will." Tyler could do that much for her and more.

Hazel eyes followed her fingertips as they traced over the new artwork he had added. Tyler was addicted to the pain and the distraction that comes with having a needle repeatedly puncturing his skin. The last person he got a tattoo with was Brooke and he wasn't sure he was ready to share that experience with someone else. Then again, Lucy was his ride or die and he would love to commemorate their friendship. "Have any ideas in mind what we would get?" His newest tattoo was a rising phoenix to symbolize his rebirth, and before that one he added a wolf howling at the moon located on the back of his arm. The moon was the tattoo he got with Brooke three years ago.

"Her name is Mina. And aside from looking like a literal goddess, she has a beautiful mind and soul. They always say you're either blessed with a good personality or good looks, but she was blessed with both. She's been helping me get better. You know, get to a place where I can find peace. Guess that makes her my guardian angel." Tyler was always a soulful person who could be poetic and beautiful but he doesn't often show that side of himself to anyone. But he could trust himself with Lucy and never holds back from opening up around her. "But I feel guilty. I, uhm. I feel like I'm not over Brooke. She hates me and thinks I'm dead. I wish I could just wake up and not feel anything anymore but I do."

[butterflyonawall]

It felt good to hear that Tyler would try to be nice to River. A relief from the exhaustion of hiding all of this from her parents, at the same time trying to keep her relationships in order. "Thank you." She smiled, "I really do think you two would get along." Lucy didn't know how much truth there was in the sentiment. Their similarities could be their downfall for all she knew. But she'd put herself in the middle if it came to a fist fight.

Lucy tapped her chin in mock thought before giving up. "No fucking clue. But we'd better come up with something soon. You're running out of skin." She didn't know how he had sat through so many tattoos, or how had he had the patience to let them heal. Lucy didn't remember getting hers, or the pain. But she remembered what it felt like afterwards. The discomfort of it. It why she hadn't raced back for any more since. Tyler had always been stronger than her though. If she'd been through half of what he had she wouldn't have made it.

Listening to Tyler talk about Mina made Lucy's heart swell. He deserved someone good, someone who could sift through everything on the surface level and find who he really was. Kind and loyal and willing to do anything for those he loved. "I can't wait to meet her." Lucy reached her hand across to cover his. She knew opening up had never been easy for Tyler, but she appreciated that he was never afraid to do it with her. She wasn't shocked when he mentioned Brooke. "The way you feel about someone doesn't just go away. Have you thought about telling her that you're alive? Maybe you'd get some closure or at least work out how you really feel beyond whatever guilt you have." Lucy understood why Tyler was keeping his being alive a secret. But she knew from experience what the grief of losing him felt like. Moreover, what it took out of her to keep the secret from all of their old friends, knowing the relief they would feel at having him back.

[izadorable]

Isadora looked up and smiled at Lucy but it was more of a reflex than genuine. "Sorry, thought you were the waitress." The other girl's clothes were fine, fashionable even, but Isadora still checked her out as if she were dressed like a staff member. Maybe it was the all-nighter she pulled on Adderall but she could definitely use a makeover. "I thought I looked horribly hungover, but compared to you I feel so hot, so sit down." Now her smile was genuine albeit bitchy. Leaning back against the red vinyl seat, she flipped her phone around to show Lucy a picture of Kendra Porter, a Westham student who works at the diner. "Have you seen this skank? I want to get a picture of her working here. She's been such a whore." It was safe to say Isadora hated her and wanted payback for something.

"Also, yes, I'm Isadora. The one and only. I know you're Lauren or Lisa. You go out with River." She's partied with River a lot. She vaguely remembers seeing Lucy at a few of the parties too but could be wrong. Her memory could be pretty shit when she's getting trashed which was a real shame for her major. She wanted to be a journalist and that meant staying sharp and focused.

[butterflyonawall]

Lucy's smile faltered. She looked down at herself. Sure, her skirt was a little creased, and her mascara had definitely looked better a few hours ago, but she hadn't thought she looked too bad. Lucy made a mental note to pack her makeup next time she spent the night in the library. "It was just a long night I guess." The waitress brought Lucy's coffee over to the table. Lucy took the phone from Isadora so she could get a better look. "I've seen her before, not today though." Lucy crossed her fingers that Kendra wasn't coming in today, it sounded as if she wasn't in for a pleasant shift. She felt a bit taken aback by Isadora's attitude, but she wouldn't comment on it. Passivism helped you make friends a lot quicker. She handed the phone back. "What'd she do that warrants payback?"

"It's Lucy." Hearing that she knew River formed a lump in Lucy's throat. They hung out but Isadora didn't even know her name -- did River even mention her? She knew these worries were stupid. She trusted River. Maybe they weren't even that close. "How do you know River?" She said it with a sweet smile. An attempt to disguise her worry.

[valerie-francis]

“Yeah,” Valerie confirmed, trying her best not to look around to see who might be standing Lucy up and if they happen to be coming back their way. But the girl confirmed rather quickly that Valerie 's concerns were unfounded; there was no date standing her up, just a father who wasn't returning to dinner, which quite honestly sounded like just as much of a disappointment as far as Valerie was concerned. “Well, that sucks... That sort of thing happen often?” It could be seen as an invasive question, and Valerie didn't think about how it might have made lucy feel until it had already escaped from her mouth. “Sorry, you don't have to answer that...”  hesitantly, more so because she still felt like she was imposing despite having been explicitly invited twice now, Valerie pulled out with a chair across from Lucy at the table and sat down. She watched curiously as her former classmate dug around in her purse. Though surprised at Lucy's offer, the idea of taking the edge off of an unexpected social interaction was enticing. “Actually, that would be fantastic,” Valerie replied, letting out a breathy laugh of relief. “Its just been that kind of night I guess. One of my high school friends was in town and she wanted to meet up for happy hour and it just turned into this whole thing where I ended up hearing about every little piece of drama she's had in her life since I saw her last... which is totally fine but definitely not what I signed up for, ya know?”

[butterflyonawall]

At Valerie's question, Lucy's hands became clammy. She had a theory her dad only stepped out on meals or became too busy to make it to important events when she had disappointed him in some way. When he'd gotten the call, Lucy had just finished telling him about a poor grade she'd gotten in one of her classes. "No, uh, it's okay. He's a doctor, so he gets called away all the time." Lucy told Valerie. She left out the part where he was a plastic surgeon. Generally their weren't too emergencies in his field. Another reason why Lucy was suspicious of his abrupt exit.

"Awesome!" Lucy pooled a couple of pills in her palm and passed them to Valerie. "They're for my anxiety so they should help you relax." She explained, though far from the truth. I steal them from my dad. Didn't sound as approachable. God, she was lying a lot tonight. Hearing about Valerie's honest confession about her friend almost made Lucy feel bad that she had. "Happy hour is great for trauma dumping unfortunately. But, hey, you're night could still turn around! And I promise I won't start telling you my life story." Lucy laughed.

Glancing around the restaurant, the place was starting to feel stiff. Everyone around them above the age of 40. "Eesh, the crowd in here is kind of dull. How would you feel about getting out of here?" Lucy needed noise and chaos and fun. It would shut her mind up.

[izadorable]

new open starter ! davey's diner

Feeling under the weather due to a massive a hangover, Isadora went to Davey's for some comfort food. She couldn't get anyone to come with her but she wasn't in the mood for any major socializing anyway. The only company she needed was her strawberry shake and fries. Regardless of that, she stayed glued to her phone and social media, scrolling through everyone's posts and leaving likes while muttering unpleasant objections. "Ew. Boring. Gross. Cute dress, ugly face. No. No. Double no. Ew. Oh cute, but pathetic."

[butterflyonawall]

Lucy loved Davey's. The jumbo sized cups of coffee and low lighting. She loved that it was always open and that her parents would never be caught dead there. So after an all night study session fuelled by Adderall, it was the perfect place to come down. Her eyes were wide as she approached the counter. "Black coffee, thanks."

As the waitress poured her a cup, Lucy turned to survey the diner. A trucker in the back corner, an old man chewing on oatmeal, and a blonde sitting in one of the booths. Isadora. Lucy knew her face from around town, running in the same circles with a lot of her friends. Maybe they could be friends too. So as she approached the booth, Lucy pinned back her shoulders and put on her brightest smile. "Hi! You're Isadora right?"

[tyleroneills]

The invitation to stay with her after her parents leave shouldn't have come as a surprise to him, she was his best friend after all, but Tyler wasn't used to people caring for him. No one looked out for him unless they were getting something out of it. Lucy was the only person who didn't expect anything in return. He knew there were no strings attached, no devil in the details. Their friendship was cut clean and simple. He was convinced there was no one else in the universe like her. And how lucky he was to have found a friend who only wants the best for him.

"Really? And what about that rot for brains you've been slumming it with?" Tyler wasn't a huge fan of River. Wouldn't the little prick get jealous or read into the situation if he were to see Tyler walking around her apartment in his boxers or eating out of a cereal box at 3:00 AM. Significant others have a hard time trusting opposite gender friendships. For good reason, of course. For most people, temptation was a hard thing to curb.

"I've tried disguises." Tyler laughed, making no attempt to fix his hair after she messed it up. It was always disheveled, but bedhead was a good look for him. He'd been rocking the sex-hair since he was a teenager. "It's kind of hard not to recognize the 6'3 giant with a neck tattoo." Tyler stuck out like a sore thumb due to his plethora of tattoos and dark style of leather jackets and motorcycle boots. He could have been a model if he didn't stain his tan skin with weird symbols and battle scars. But despite being frighteningly handsome, he has zero confidence and only sees himself as the world's reject. "I probably would have left town but then I'd miss you. And I've also been kind of seeing someone. She's the RA at Westham and kind of my life coach at the recovery center. I've been meaning to introduce you two."

[butterflyonawall]

Lucy stared down at her hands and started to pick at her fingernails. Tyler, much like Cassandra, wasn't supportive of her relationship with River. In some ways, she understood why they felt this way. River hadn't always been good to her, but they didn't see him the way Lucy did. The way he cared for her when it was just the two of them. She didn't know how River would feel about Tyler staying with her, but she didn't care. If it came time to choosing between the two of them, she would pick Tyler. Besides, she didn't have to tell River... "River will understand, I'm sure. He's not such a bad guy, you know. If you spent less time judging him you might find you have a lot in common."

It was true, Tyler was memorable and didn't blend into most crowds. Lucy noticed the new ink that he had added to his patchwork of tattoos since she had last seen him. "I like what you've done with this one." She pointed at one of the tattoos, and with a little liquor in her system, "We should get one together sometime. Right next to my fish." Tyler and River were the only ones who knew about the fish tattoo on her ribs. But Lucy had omitted the part where she was completely blitzed when she got it. Although she was kind of ashamed of that one, she would love to share one with Tyler.

Lucy's face lit up, she shoved Tyler playfully on the shoulder. "Why am I only just hearing about this girl now? Who is she? When do I get to meet her?" She interrogated.

[butterflyonawall]

[NEW MESSAGE] ONE PILL, TWO PILL, THREE PILL, FOUR. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN DADDY FINDS HIS LITTLE GIRL OVERDOSED ON THE FLOOR. KEEP KNOCKING ON THE DEVIL'S DOOR AND I'LL ANSWER. —SCARFACE

Lucy had been in her bathroom struggling to open a bottle of Oxy when her phone lit up. Once she read it, her hands started shaking, her eyes darting either way. No, there couldn't be anyone here. Still, she tiptoed around the two bedroom apartment checking under every bed and in every closet. Each came up empty. Call Tyler, or Cass or River! Lucy told herself. But she couldn't show them this. She couldn't let them think it had gotten this bad. So instead, she checked the deadbolt on the door and spent the rest of the night wide awake.

[misscassandrajones-deactivated2]

Cassandra exhaled seeing her mother get up and leave the restaurant. It was a breath that was filled with both relief and guilt, one hell of a mixture. Since the affair Cassie and her mom had been on shaky grounds. Every time she spoke to her she felt like she was betraying her father, and every time she avoided her mother she felt like she was doing the wrong thing. It was a difficult situation to stomach, one that Cassandra could not have predicted and she was trying to get through it the best way she could. She was supposed to be meeting her mother for lunch but she just couldn't do it. What would Cassie have even said to her? Something she'd regret later on most likely. Ignoring the shower of guilt she felt wash over her, she quickly texted her mother a sorry I can't make it tonight text and deferred to taking the cowardly way out. And she knew it too. Once the older woman had left she made her way over to the bar and slumped down in one of the seats. She couldn't live like this forever.

Movement in her peripheral vision had caught her attention causing her to instinctively turn around. A smile appearing on her face almost instantly. "Lu?!" Her best friend. Now what on earth was she doing here tonight? "Just the person I wanted to see." Not wanting to question this pleasant surprise she got up and walked over to Lucy's table putting her arms around her shoulders and giving her a quick hug once she arrived. "You know I do!" Her brows furrowed when the shock she felt died down and what Lucy said had registered. "Wait, why are you here having dinner for two by yourself?"

[butterflyonawall]

"God I'm so glad you're here, Cass!" Lucy squeezed on Cassie's arms wrapped around her, her eyes closing at the familiar comfort. Though their friendship was relatively new, Lucy felt like she'd known Cassie for a lifetime. She was always there when Lucy needed, even now. "I was here with my dad. He ordered, no joke, like four appetisers right before getting called out for an emergency." Just as she finished speaking, two waiters began to place several plates of food on the table. Lucy's eyes grew wide. "I saw your mom leave before. Please tell me you haven't already eaten?"

[tyleroneills]

"Thanks." Tyler accepted the drink with a genuine smile. Lucy was his favorite person. He would do anything for her and the best part is, he knows she would do the same for him. Out of his twenty one years on this shitty planet he could only say that about her. Everyone else has either lied to him, betrayed him, or abandoned him. Lucy on the other hand was a rare gem. Seeing her again was like visiting family. A feeling he never would have understood if he didn't know her. She was the only 'family' he has. "I don't deserve you." He raised his glass to her and then downed it in one thirsty swig. The alcohol smothered his cheeks with warmth and the glazed look in his eyes would tell her he's already had enough.

"That's really it. I don't like to hang around school much." Tyler had a roommate who he hated and making friends wasn't really his thing. He'd attend parties here and there for the free booze and drugs, but he would mainly hangout at the billiards club or tattoo parlor. For the past few of weeks he'd been getting more work done on his tattoos. "But its becoming harder to stay off the grid. I keep seeing faces from my past and pretty soon everyone's going to know I'm not dead." After Tyler was stabbed in Lakewood he kept his survival a secret from everyone but Lucy. He knew how close Lucy was to Brooke in Lakewood and he didn't want Brooke to know he survived. It was better if everyone thought their bully was dead.

[butterflyonawall]

As Tyler downed his drink, Lucy raised her eyebrows, but followed suit. She wondered how long he'd been here, the slowness of his movements enough to tell her it had been quite a few drinks ago. Lucy raised a hand to the bartender and ordered herself a double. She wanted to be where he was right now. Numb. "Don't be stupid. You deserve everything." Lucy loved him, more than she loved almost anyone. He had never judged or had any expectations of her. More like family than the family she had.

"You can come stay with me when my parents leave? They flew in again without telling me but Dad said they'd be gone by the end of the week." Lucy felt bad that she couldn't bring him back to the apartment now. They could play video games, binge watch Netflix, drink and hide out for as long as Tyler needed. But she couldn't have him there while her parents were staying.

She had told Tyler about their expectations, their feelings about her hanging out with anyone who frequented the Westside. But it still made her embarrassed that she couldn't stand up to them, and worried that Tyler might think she was ashamed of him when she wasn't. God, even thinking about it made her hands shake. So she finished the rest of her drink quickly and changed the conversation, "And you know, we could go buy you a nice wig, a fake mustache and no one would even recognise you." She ruffled her fingers through his hair laughing. Laughing was the only way Lucy could stomach the thought of what happened to Tyler in Lakewood. The thought of him not being here anymore, that feeling she'd had in the pit of her stomach until she found out she was alive, was paralysing.

[viraldoosh]

"A lot." A lot has happened. Starting with Tyler O'Neill. In high school, Brooke was sneaking around with Tyler, living out her bad girl phase. When Jake found out about it he was pissed and things got really toxic. They were able to patch it up but their relationship was never the same. "After all the shit that went down in Lakewood our trust was never the same. We both made sure we got into East Mount together but eventually broke up. Then I found out she was boning our literature teacher..." It was fair game considering they weren't dating at the time, but it still hurt. Jake was just glad the teacher got fired because he wouldn't be able to sit in his classroom ever again. "I thought she was done acting out but she cant' help herself. She inherited her mother's emotional dysregulation. Anything can set her off and then she's straight to the booze shop. Then topless in some rando's car. She's a mess but I love her." He sighed, clearly at the end of his rope.

"Dude, she doesn't have a good reason. She's just holier than thou. She doesn't want us objectifying women." It was such bullshit. Girls do the same thing. They get together and talk about hookups and penis size and blah blah. The only difference is the jocks have a book for it. The fact that Sarah gives better hand jobs than Wendy was crucial need-to-know information. "I can't just break into her room and flip her shit. I'll get expelled if caught. Buuut if we head down to Mexico and you room with her, it'll be easy peasy lemon squeezy. You'll also get an all-paid expense trip out of it with River. Imagine all the hot vacation sex. I mean...c'mon, it's a no-brainer."

[butterflyonawall]

Lucy knew exactly the kind of shit that had happened. Tyler had told her when he'd messed around with Brooke, and though Lucy was disappointed, she didn't judge him for it. People made stupid decisions. But it made her sad to think about how Jake might have suffered because of it.

"W-wait a minute. That was Brooke who hooked up with that teacher? Holy shit." It was the juiciest gossip on East Mount campus for weeks. Lucy hadn't put Brooke's expulsion and the rumour together. She was shocked by Jake's candor. For someone who normally hid himself behind jokes and wit, he was being open with her. Hearing how he spoke about Brooke reminded Lucy of how she felt about her parents, even how she felt about River. No matter how badly they hurt her, she would always forgive them. "Give it time. People change." She gave him a sad half smile. It was a sentiment she believed, but had never seen it happen.

It was true, Cassandra could be hard to take at times. She knew what was right and what was wrong almost to a fault. That was one of the reasons Lucy loved her. Cassandra had strong convictions that Lucy didn't. "I mean stopping the objectification of women is a pretty good reason, but hey, I agree she shouldn't have stolen it from you." Still, Lucy didn't warm to the idea of tricking Cassandra, no matter if it meant a weekend getaway with River or 'hot vacation sex', the latter which she rolled her eyes at. "Look, if you agree to take us to Mexico, I'll talk to her. Try and convince her to give it back, but I'm not stealing from her."

[priquintana-deactivated20241209]

HALEY LU RICHARDSON

[tyleroneills]

status: open to all

location: billiards club

Tyler was looking to blow off some steam after another night of bullshit. The Billiards Club was his favorite place to go for drinks and to hustle people out of their money, but tonight he was losing a high-stakes game of pool and was teetering on the verge of a killing-spree. "Whatever. Take your fucking money." Tyler threw the money in the guy's face and it went all over the room. The guy's friends had to restrain him from going after Tyler with a pocketknife. While they held him back and talked some sense into him, Tyler took a seat at the bar. After losing all the money he had, he was down to pocket change and would have to run a scheme if he wanted dinner. Luckily, there's a sucker born every day. Tyler scoped out his surroundings and then turned to the person closest to him. "So what brings you here? Drinking for fun or to forget something?"

[butterflyonawall]

Lucy had been wandering around Riverwood for hours. Her parents had showed up unannounced again. Her dad with a duffel, her mom with a rolling suitcase. She was glad she'd popped a Xanax before they arrived, supressing the racing of her heart as she lied about needing to study for a quiz tomorrow. Instead of heading the the East Mount library, she'd found herself at the Billiard's Club. Lucy knew she'd find someone there to talk to, and seeing Tyler lit her face up like a Christmas tree. She ordered two drinks and placed one in front of him.

"Drinking to forget your little tantrum over there. You've always been such a sore loser." She took a big swig from her glass with a smirk on her face. "What is it you're doing here? Besides losing at pool."

[viraldoosh]

Jake knew firsthand you never get used to it. Especially if you're like him and have no siblings either. Loneliness one of the worst feelings in the world which is why Jake spends so much of his time playing the fool. If people think he's funny and a good time, maybe they'll stick around.

"Yeah, when I was younger I would go a lot. Sometimes I would bring Brooke and we would sneak into my father's club and she'd play dress up in wardrobe and I'd steal alcohol from the bar. I was, like, ten. So I thought I was so bad ass taking baby sips from a bottle of beer." He laughed, remembering how all he wanted to do was impress Brooke, but she just thought he was an idiot troublemaker. "You're for sure welcome to come next time I go. We can do a group thing." Brooke, River, Cassandra... Especially Cassandra because speaking of the book, she has it and he needs to get it back.

"I would have no doubt shown it to you because it's awesome. But little miss perfect, Cassandra Jones, took the book when we got our stuff mixed up in class. Maybe you can help me get it back?" Jake wasn't going to tell her about River's digital copy. It was one thing for Jake to have a playbook of ranked conquests but another thing for her boyfriend to have one. "Maybe pitch the Mexico plan to her? I'll fly us out and if she brings the book to hold over my head, you can help me swipe it. In return, I'll give you anything you want."

[butterflyonawall]

Hearing Jake talk about Brooke, Lucy could see how his eyes lit up, the crinkle in the corners of his mouth as he spoke about her and laughed at the memory. "You and Brooke, what happened?" She shouldn't pry. But she couldn't help herself. She remembered how they were when they were together. Those feelings didn't just turn off, no matter how badly the other person hurt you. At least that's how Lucy felt about her relationships. "You were so close, for like, ever."

Cassandra had his book? She hadn't mentioned it to Lucy. Lucy's face faltered with surprise for only a moment before she covered it back up with a smile. "Bold of you to assume I'd try and trick my best friend. Cass has a good reason to keep it I'm sure." Lucy sat back in her chair nursing her drink. She could only imagine what secrets were contained in that book, considering how eager Jake was to get it back. She was surprised he hadn't already tried to rob her of it. "I can't think of anything that would make me betray a friend. But, if there was it'd have be really good." She would remember his offer though, just in case. "Besides, why don't you just get it back yourself?"

[valerie-francis]

The Ace Hotel wasn’t Valerie’s first choice in places to hang out on a random weak night evening. The bar was nice and the restaurant was nicer... too nice to meet a high school friend who came back to town for a siblings birthday. But that was where Serena wanted to catch up, so that was where Valerie found herself in the early evening, sharing a drink and listening to her friend's stories about her criminology course she was taking at northwestern and her new boyfriend and how she was really growing tired of small town life but it was so nice to come back and see the people she hadn't seen in what felt like a decade. After Serena left, Valerie tossed back the rest of her drink, asking the bartender for another. As much as people changed when they moved away, it seemed that they were exactly the same person they used to be when they came home.

Just as the bartender returned with her second drink of the evening, Valerie’s attention was caught by a friendly girl about her age waving her over. “Sorry, me?” she asked, moving to the girl’s table. “What? No, I couldn’t – you didn’t get stood up, did you? Because I can totally beat a guy up if you need me to. I don’t look strong, but I can pack a punch. Really.”

[butterflyonawall]

"Yeah, it's Valerie right? I swear we were in the same psych class last fall." Lucy had never seen at any parties or really anywhere outside of school. She was really just scrambling for any connection, to get the girl to stay. She hated eating alone. "No, no one stood me up. My dad had an emergency at work and I don't want to waste a good meal. I appreciate the offer though." Lucy gave Valerie a once over. No, she definitely didn't look like she could do a whole lot of damage. That never meant much though. Even the most unassuming had turned out to be killers before.

Lucy took a sip from the glass of wine in front of her but it did nothing to itch her scratch. Her mind was running a million miles a minute. She opened up her purse and rifled through until she found her pills. She took two from the bottle and popped them in her mouth. "Xanax. You want one?"

[viraldoosh]

Jake could tell she was feeling down about her father's work emergency, but he wasn't the best at giving advice. The most he could offer her were some witty one-liners or a relocation to somewhere more entertaining. New York was full of nightclubs and sinful distractions. The party life was way better here than it was in Lakewood.

"I was called in to bust on a few boobs myself. So I understand." He teased, giving her arm a nudge from across the table. To most people, Jake would seem crass and insensitive, but the truth of the matter is, he was only trying to cheer her up with laughter. "I'm just kidding. But seriously, that sucks, dude. My father was never around either. He owns a chain of nightclubs and frequents the one in Mexico. It's where my mom's from so they enjoy spending as much time there as possible which meant the Jake is todo solo."

He leaned back and took a sip of wine. The wine reminded him of Brooke, she was also a fan of its bitter sweetness, they spent countless nights staying awake drinking red and having sex. But now she was gone too. "You know about the book." He sighed but with a grin he couldn't contain. And she thought it was his? It started off as the jocks playbook but it was lost so River turned it into a private instagram account that he'd been selling access to. Jake would bet she didn't know about that. He couldn't remember if she was on it or not. "Are you not a fan of the book? Books are important. Especially when you're in college. At least that's what I've been told."

[butterflyonawall]

Lucy chuckled half-heartedly and took a long sip of her wine. If she thought about it too hard, she thought she might cry. It was an odd relationship she had with her parents. They were always around when she wanted to be left alone, but when she needed them they were never there.

"It's weird, but I guess I'm used to it now." She definitely wasn't. Each new rejection hurt as much as the last. The sting of it only subsiding when they made up new promises or gave her praise. God she wanted a Xanax right now. Lucy pushed the plate of risotto to the side of the table. "Sounds like you're good friend to keep around if I ever need spring break plans. They ever take you with them?"

Book? She'd only been joking that Jake would have a list of conquests hidden somewhere. A list of girls names in his phone notes or in some kind of journal he kept under his mattress. Lucy had heard the whispers around campus of some book, but this was practically confirmation. "I love books. I haven't seen it but I'm sure it's a good read." Play along and see what happens. "Can I see it?"

[viraldoosh]

Jake wouldn't normally hang around the hotel unless he was looking for girls. It was convenient as the rooms were right there. But he definitely preferred Mystique for its members-only vibe. It gave him a certain rush of importance knowing not anyone could get in.

"Lobster does sound good. The Jake is famished." He was a little tipsy and had been secretly eyeing the girl's table for the past couple of minutes. Her seemingly awkward relationship with her father hit home because his father was always on-the-go as well. If he wasn't glued to his cellphone then he was glued to his laptop. The man was an enigma he could never catch. Which could be one of the many reasons why Jake's such an attention whore.

"So what happened? Daddy Fix-A-Hoe run off to save Kylie Jenner's lips or something?" Jake was best friends with her boyfriend River so they knew enough about each other to assume such things. Jake liked her and thought she was a fun girl but never tries to stop River from doing things behind her back.

[butterflyonawall]

"Busted boob job." Lucy explained with a shrug, but the sadness in her voice gave her away. The waiter came with the appetisers just in time to distract from it. He placed the plates down in front of them. Lucy started to push around her risotto, but made no moves to eat it. The rejection had ruined her appetite. She poured Jake a glass of wine from the bottle on the table before topping up her own, too impatient to wait for the waiter to do it.

"Fix-A-Hoe, huh? I always figured you were the biggest fan of his work. I'd say your little black book is basically his client list." Lucy had heard enough about Jake to know he was quite the player. She had no doubt he and River had been quite the duo before they started dating.

[butterflyonawall]

status: open

location: ace hotel

Lucy was at her monthly dinner with her father. She loved these dinners. She would put on a nice dress and they would share a bottle of wine. It would make her feel like grown up when he usually talked to her like a child. Her mother had insisted that it be at the hotel so they could trial the new menu, but before their appetisers had even arrived, her father got a call from a patient. Torn stitches from a recent breast augmentation. He had to attend to it immediately.

Typical. But Lucy understood that he was an important man and that she had to put her own feelings aside. Still, she was deflated as she watched him leave the restaurant. Just as she had let a frown settle on her face, she caught the eye of someone sitting at the bar. Lucy immediately smiled and waved them over. "I've got dinner for two on the way. You like lobster?"