(VICTORIA JUSTICE, CIS WOMAN, SHE/HER) In a city where every face has a story, CAMILA COLE stands out. The TWENTY-SIX-year-old may not make front page headlines, but they’ve got a presence that lingers like smoke in the air. With a reputation for being CREATIVE, they draw people in, but it’s the EXPLOSIVE you need to watch for. It’s always the quiet ones, isn’t it? A CLEAN civilian on paper, working as a PA TO A BROADWAY PRODUCER, but word is, they’re UNALIGNED. In a city crawling with secrets, you never know who’s really holding the match.
basic
Full Name: Camila Harper Cole
Nicknames: CC, Mila, although she prefers just going by Camila
Age:Twenty-six
Height: 5′6″
Gender & Pronouns: Cis-woman & she/her
Orientation: Pansexual
Occupation: PA to a Broadway producer, freelance singer and musician, whatever earns her a couple bucks
Relationship status: Single
Alignment: Clean civilian
bio
Sometimes Camila wondered whether it would have been easier to be abandoned by her real parents at a very young age. Taken away from her biological parents at the age of nine, the young girl vividly remembered the things the two people, clearly unsuited to be parents, did. It took years before the girl could open up even a little, so when the Coles spotted her and decided that she was part of their family, the road to recovery was barely completed halfway through. It took Camila a long, long time to be able to trust her new family after everything she had gone through, but having new siblings, and people that actually cared for her helped the girl open up. When her new parents gave her a piano, the girl focused all of her free time onto it, soon enough joining the school’s choir as well. Singing and music became her new passion, and a way to heal, so it was only but natural for her to work hard towards a career in music.
With her dream being set to Broadway, Camila did everything she could, auditioning to every single play, investing so much time and money in singing and acting lessons. Yet, she was one of the many doing the exact same thing and using the odd connections her family had here and there just wasn’t an option. Pushing herself away from her father’s – and then brother’s- business, Camila wanted to reach her dreams all by herself. But like the many people she met in auditions, she was unsuccessful. Despite having an amazing voice, she just wasn’t enough. And when the door closed, a tiny window opened in the form of a job offer within the same industry. Being a PA to an absolute dick was a headache, but somehow, Camila was managing it. The pay wasn’t the greatest, but she worked hard, sharing a small (or quaint and cosy, as the agent put it) apartment with roommates and maybe eating food that was near-expired, hoping that all of it would pay off in the end, no matter how much time went by. Instead, over the years working for the director, Camila learned how to manage them herself, no matter how late in the night or early in the morning some of the calls came. After all, it was all for her dream, no matter the cost.
Location: St. John's Hospital
Status: Closed @camilaxcole
Coming out of Julieta's room wth Soph fast asleep on one shoulder, Damian met up with his little sister in the waiting room. "I think she's doing okay." Damian said with a somber smile, he couldn't shake the feeling this was still all his fault. The Veil said not to say anything about the evidence he found or his family would be targeted, and he told the other Ghost Riders. This could be on him. Regardless, he turned everything he had over to the police anonymously last night. It had been a few days since the car show, and he just wanted Jules out of this place. "Are you gonna go home tonight."
With the plastic hospital chairs quickly becoming her new home, Camila wasn't getting much rest or stress-free moments. She couldn't help but worry about her older sister, about her well-being now, and whilst it didn't really do much, she wanted to be around, just in case. So when Damian left Julieta's room, she was quickly up on her feet, as if he would somehow deliver good news only a doctor could provide. "Really? You're not just trying to be overly positive, right?" She questioned him, as if he would somehow be lying. Of course he couldn't be, not when he was in the same boat as she was. "I guess so. I don't think the nurses will be happy to see anyone camping out here tonight. You should get some rest too, though."
𝙸𝙽𝚃. 𝙼𝙾𝙲𝙷𝙰 & 𝚂𝚃𝙴𝙴𝙻 , 𝙻𝙰𝚃𝙴 𝙼𝙾𝚁𝙽𝙸𝙽𝙶
status , open — @rotsstarters
the bitter bite of coffee did little to burn away the worry carved deep into his face. sweat still clung to the collar of his shirt from his run, chest rising steady but heavy as he sat tucked into the back corner of the café. phone angled low in his palm, gideon’s eyes tracked the encrypted message scrolling across his screen—details from his team. the beach bombing. levi’s death. and the video attached, the angles too clean, too precise. it didn’t sit right. none of it did. for a moment, he stared past the glass, watching the city move like nothing had happened. the thought gnawed at him. something was off. he exhaled through his nose, slow, the tension rolling off him in waves. it was enough to draw looks from the tables nearby, but he didn’t move, didn’t speak—until the scrape of a chair or the shadow of a figure broke his focus. his thumb locked the phone dark, expression shuttering as his gaze lifted. “...morning.” his voice was low, rough-edged, an invitation or a warning depending on who chose to answer.
Over the course of the years, Camila had easily become a regular at many cafe's in New York City. It wasn't that she was an absolute coffee fanatic- she loved coffee - but her boss was just insane enough that she was bound to frequent many of the places more often than she was willing to admit. Today, for once, she was there by herself, because she wanted to, and not because some ass was paying her minimum wage to fetch an overpriced drink.
She was lost in her own thoughts, thinking from which drink to pick to what movie to watch later, when she was swiftly pulled back by the somewhat familiar voice. The tone was certainly anything but familiar, but that didn't stop her from smiling quickly. "Morning! You sound like you could use a new cup of coffee."
The day was nice, and he was happy to be in the sunshine for a few minutes. Everyone needed a chance to step away from what was bothering them if they could, and based on what the woman he spoke to said, she needed to do the same. He laughed and shook his head. "I've never been good with it either. I like to come and see everyone else's progress when I have a chance." He reached out and brushed some dirt off one of the leaves. "I like to silence my phone when I'm up here. It's a good way to step away from it all."
"And does that happen often?" While it could've easily come off as sarcastic and rude, Camila was genuine about her question. This was the city that never slept, the city that was in a constant rush, so seeing anyone stop and smell the roses- almost literally in this case - was oddly surprising. "How long do you manage that? I swear, if I did that, my boss would send out one of those planes with the messages displayed on banners, looking for their Starbucks order."
Location: Random ass club
Open Starter: @rotsstarters
This sure as hell wasn't her scene. Skeezy bars, sure, but a damn dance club? She had to be out of her fucking mind? Without a doubt, but it had nothing to do with her current choice. Still, she embarked deeper into the venue, observing as girls passed by in skimpy glittery ensembles that scarcely obscured their bodies. And there she was, looking as if she'd just stepped out of a scene from The Craft.
Working her way through the crowd, she lets out a growl of annoyance as a body smacks into her, alcohol splashing against her frame. "Watch where the fuck you're going!"
Even now, Camila had no idea why she had agreed to this place. A few people from the production were going, and it made sense to tag along, but soon enough, she was on her own, annoyed, tired, and with not enough alcohol in her system to tolerate certain people. Moving away from a particularly stubborn individual, she did so with a little too much force, walking right into someone else, and immediately feeling something wet and sticky all over her clothes. "Shit-" Unfortunately, she hadn't gotten even the worst of it. The girl she had bumped into had clearly taken a hit, only adding more issues to Camila's awful night. "I'm so sorry! I think there are napkins at the bar, or at least I think I saw something as close to be clean there."
Location: Right Stop Market
Status: Open @rotsstarters
Late nights at the bodega could be fun, but most of the time they were boring. The cat was out on a nightly prowl, and Sloane was left alone to watch the small tv behind the counter. She wanted a cigarette, but every time she tried to step out from behind the counter someone else walked in. The bell on the door got her attention and she turned to look at who had entered as a cop car went speeding past and stopped at the next block. "Any idea what that's about?"
As much as Camila enjoyed cooking, she never had the time for it. Most of her days were spent at work, or busking in the streets, and whenever she actually had the time to eat, most of the decent places were closed. It made sense to her to pop by a random bodega on her way home, pick something potentially unhealthy out, and fall asleep with half of it still somewhere by her bed. Even tonight that was the plan as she picked up some of the items, only to get quickly distracted by the girl behind the counter. "In this city? Probably something horrifying." She frowned a little, taking a better look at where the police was parked. "It's close to my building so that's.... comforting."
The Grove was always a spot to go and enjoy a few minutes of fresh air during the middle of his day. Maybe he'd stop and grab a book on his way back to the office, but he wanted to enjoy the garden for a few minutes. "The flowers came in nice, didn't they?"
She was fielding off the messages from her boss the whole day, even if he was supposed to be away on holiday. Who the hell takes holiday in the middle of rehearsals, anyway? Camila wasn't in the best of moods, firing away one message after another when someone nearby spoke up, nearly scaring her. Who knew the city would be full of other people and not completely centered around her problems? "What? Oh, uh... I think so. I've never been good at gardening or understanding when flowers are... doing well." Camila paused, frowning at her own sentence. "Boy, that came out stupid. I'm sorry, I've been too distracted to notice."
“worth it,” he said finally, voice low and steady. “not every day you get a song that cuts through the noise out here.” he glanced past her to the street, the constant churn of people and horns, then back again. “most of the time it’s just—chaos. sirens. shouting. too loud to hear yourself think. you didn’t play over it, you leveled it. that’s rare.”
his hands slid free of his coat pockets, one gesturing lightly toward her guitar. “keep that up, people won’t just stop, they’ll stay. that’s not nothing. world doesn’t give much space for quiet anymore. you make it, or you don’t get it at all.”
the faintest tug pulled at his mouth—not quite a smile, but closer than his usual. “so yeah. it was worth staying. even if it means you’ve got me loitering in your corner instead of letting you play in peace.” he gave a small shrug, eyes holding hers now. “question is… you mind that?”
Camila quickly found herself smiling at the other's admittance. Granted, the song only brought her so many tips, but it was nice cheering someone up - and if not cheering up, then at least catching their attention long enough to improve their day. And it was a nice change of pace for herself, too, especially when her regular repertoire was exactly that - repetitive. "That's... new. I like that. It's like being part of the city without turning into part of the chaos."
Her smile remained as the man continued to speak, and she bowed slightly as he pointed at her guitar. "It's sweet of you to think that would happen, but I'll take that. A wishful hope, enough to keep going."
With her time running out in the spot - even something like that was timed, with many more people trying to make it big - Camila took her guitar off, gently folding the strap up. "I don't mind you loitering in the corner, it's a nice company." She assured him, not breaking the eye contact. "Truthfully? No. It's a nice change of pace. Refreshing."
Camila's reaction was one that most people parroted whenever she admitted that she didn't watch that show, and quite frankly, Zaina just laughed it off now. No matter how many people raved about it and swore by it's greatness, she just didn't get the hype. "Believe it or not, I've met a few people that haven't. There's a few viral tweets and TikToks from people expressing their same avoidance of the show. I actually like the actors in it, but the show just have bland to me." After all these years, all she knew about the show was some of their names, and something about a rejected proposal or wedding or something, and that alone was too much info for her. "Singing in a fancy dress by a restaurant actually sounds like a good way to get more tips, or maybe even get booked for some kind of gig. Have you tried that before?" She asked, now slightly intrigued by the woman's efforts to make it in a city like this. When she didn't seem to understand the singing restaurant thing, she just wrote it off as her fyp not being very local. The nod to following her dreams made her smile though. "Oh no, you're totally right, and you should follow your dreams. And I'm sure making it on Broadway or as an actress is just as stressful as the actual music industry, but I feel like I've just heard more horror stories about record labels constantly fucking over their artists. And the independent route is hit or miss, but it seems more on the miss side, but Broadway? Haven't heard entirely too many bad things. Have you landed any big auditions yet, or are you still trying to make it that far?"
"So people make TikToks about how they haven't watched a particular show?" Camila questioned the other, brows raising. She would be the first to admit that she was easily a basic bitch, loving Friends, not saying no to a Pumpkin spice latte in autumn or happily dancing to basic pop in the clubs. Sometimes, you had the right to enjoy things without having to justify them to others. "That's... not gonna lie, probably worse than not having seen the show. High school levels of I'm so cool cause I haven't seen something popular and all." She joked, not really taking that all too seriously either. Instead, Camila's focus quickly shifted to the girl's next statement, far more surprising than anything else. Even looking so naively or oddly at this city. "Oh no, I bet it's as traumatizing as it is everywhere else. When there's a million people aiming for the same spot, it gets wild." She was more than aware of it, one disappointment after another, again and again. "I mean, I participate in auditions, technically. Just... more so sitting in the shadows on the other side." It was oddly shameful, admitting that she was a PA, rather than actually following her dreams on stage.
"Right! They are crazy. Total Dhamers of the ocean." Brooklyn wasn't into the whole serial killer fad; it seemed some people had a thing for it, but she just found it to be gross. "Yeah for sure, there is a tv show called Animal Kingdom too, has nothing to do with Animals though but it's really fucking good. My ex-boyfriend looked a lot like the main guy in the show back when he was younger."
"I love that. Someone should legit do a documentary on them and call it exactly that. It would attract so much more interest than something boring but informative." Camila mused. It was silly, but absolutely great marketing - she knew that much. "Really? I don't think I've ever seen it. Is that a compliment for your ex, or not so much?"
the slightest bit of a small smile forms on his lips as he glances over at camila. his amber orbs glancing at her. “truly it does, it’s like we’re all just vampires around here or something with no pain tolerance,” he says with a soft laugh. “it’s always the small things that hurt too and when you never really expect it.” he lets his board rest in his hand by the wheels of the board, dangling it as he makes their way to the hot dog stand. he was certain that he saw one not too far away, though he wasn’t entirely sure how long ago that was at this point. he’s kind of been lost in his own thoughts today. getting anywhere on time today was going to be the last thing on his mind at the moment. “how have you been today, aside from my board attacking you.” he says as he lets himself stride comfortably into place with her and shoved his other hand in his pocket.
"You know, I wouldn't even be too surprised if that was the case. This city barely gets any sun nowadays, so that would further prove your claim." Camila grinned at the other, no matter how silly the whole notion was. It was nice to find someone on a somewhat similar wavelength as her. And it was probably why she didn't really mind following him further into the park, which typically was a big no no; he just didn't seem the kind and she genuinely wanted a hot dog. "I was better a little while ago, but I'm sure some okay-ish food will make up for the downsides." Still, Camila couldn't help but tease the other, that simply being in her nature. "What about you? Do you actually know how to use a skateboard, or is that a fashion statement?"
tommy cole had always carried mixed feelings about times square. the crush of bodies, the lack of spatial awareness, the relentless noise—it all felt suffocating. yet he couldn’t deny it was also a place where great art was born, and he’d be a fool to dismiss it entirely. he was only there for rehearsal, but it was always a welcome surprise to stumble across his sister. tommy knew she was destined for a bigger stage than the red steps, yet here she was, commanding the space as if it already belonged to her. he was always the loudest to clap after her sets, happiest when he could lose himself in the sound of her voice—an escape he often needed. very few artists had the power to drown out the chaos of the city with their music. camila was one of them. his fingers itched to accompany her on piano, the way they so often did. instead, he leaned down, peeling open his wallet to slip a few of his rehearsal tips into her guitar case. “ this all just a scam to hustle your brother? ” he teased, a grin tugging at his mouth. “ grab a drink when you’re done? i just finished rehearsal. ”
The crows was dispersing, with people quickly moving on with their day, their busy lives. Even the tourists were busy, with their mile long lists of things to do, see and experience in this city. So whilst Camila did speak up, it was only moments later, after her brother addressed her, that she realized who it was that was speaking to her. much to her delight. "Tommy!" She squealed happily, gently swinging her guitar to her side so she could run up to her brother to give him a hug. It was always a good day when she could see her brother, even more so when she could actually hang out with him. "Of course this is all a plot! I've been camping out here for weeks - no, months - waiting for you to come across my spot and give me a couple of dollars. It was totally worth every second, minute, and dollar spent." She joked with a grin on her place, letting go of him. People were moving around them, busy with their own lives, too overwhelmed by everything to pay attention to anything. "We might as well go now, I bet the late evening crowd will bring me more tips than right now. Besides, I've missed you too much to wait!"
"You know, I really need to do something about you all corrupting my kid... but also the free baby sitting is kinda nice." He said with a laugh as he took another drink from his beer. Soph was a good kid though, she had a heart of gold and maybe a touch of ADHD. Damian moved into the kitchen to pull out the small meal he had been prepping, craft mac and cheese with Dino nuggets. "One of these days you guys will learn not to team up on me." He said with a shake of his head. "Yeah! She is my friend from the beach. She is so cool. She's an eight year old which is also cool because I'm only six. And we played in the sand and built a sand castle and she's my new best friend and hopefully she can be my girlfriend so she can have a sleep over like Oxana and we can watch movies all night and eat snacks."
"Nothing's free in this world. You get babysitting, but we get to teach the little one everything we know. Whether you like it or not." Camila nudged Sophia playfully. She loved her niece, and wanted all the best for her, and if she could contribute to her childhood being a good one, then she'd do everything in her power to achieve that. Following her broter over to the kitchen, she raised her brows - not at the premade meal, but rather so at his statement. Although, if it was up to her, she'd be precooking him decent food all the time. "When pigs fly, sure. That's the burden you get to bear as the oldest child, so deal with it." Her attention then shifted over to her niece, a smile quickly reappearing on her face. "Oooh, an older crush! Fancy." Camila grinned. "I mean, snacks and movies sound awesome! Do you hang out a lot with her- like your dad and Oxana?"
OF COURSE MARISOL WOULDN'T dare force anything upon someone that they didn't want to engage in -- even for the brutality that comes with earning a paycheck. not in a thousand years. instead, she wants people to feel comfortable in the penthaus, allow them to let loose at the own time, on their own terms. even if it just means a simple conversation and a glass of soda water. she is a far different person when she's not sitting for the council. that is because her persona with them is a mask, something she wears just to get by. get out, and back to the life she's tried to build for herself.
marisol nods in agreement. " i wasn't in school very long.. life got in the way. " her father cut her off and she couldn't afford it. something he had known would keep her reigned in, continue his control over her. suffocating until she had relented. " oh, they were. i just stopped caring what people think about me a very long time ago, despite it taking a while. i was a very quiet child... my siblings were my protectors. " her heart pangs when she thinks of luca. " the further i got into my twenties, the more i realized i should just... live my life. " even if -- was she really living?
"That's fair. I mean, it's not for everyone, right?" The moment Camila was done with high school, she knew that she was definitely finished, aiming to reach for her dream instead, no matter how difficult or close to impossible it was. Not everyone was created for higher education, and the world needed a mix of things, not just everyone going into unreasonable debt.
"Honestly, that's amazing. Not everyone can manage that." She'd like to think that she didn't care about what others thought, too, but truthfully, that was part of her job. Being liked, being listened to, and being adored was eventually her goal, and that meant that she very much so had to care about what others thought of her. "It's sweet that they were. Honestly, I could probably say the same about my siblings." At least, once she warmed up to them. "You still had to come to realisation of that, though. It doesn't just happen overnight, does it?"
"Well honestly Orca's are viscous little fuckers. They are straight up nasty. They like to play with their prey, smack them around, launching them hundreds of feet in the air. It's crazy. They are the true villain's of the sea, but it makes sense they are dolphins, they are the smartest creatures in the water."
"Oooh, that's psychotic! They must be the serial killers of the animal world." Camila mused with a grin on her face. "There's so much drama in the animal kingdom, you'd never think this was the way things went! Honestly, I'd love it if nature's documentaries would be voiced like a decent soap opera. I bet that'd be awesome."
