𝕽𝖔𝖘𝖊𝖘

[caroroseste]

Carolina Rose

" Come back. Even as a shadow, even as a dream. "

STATS.

name: Carolina "Caro" Rose

age: 19

pronouns: she/her

sexuality: questioning

occupation: heiress / investor

ABOUT. (tw death/kidnapping)

carolina is the oldest child and only daughter of the rose family

they moved into hawkins about a decade ago, and she was always presumed to be a spoiled rich girl

she might have been popular if she leaned into her family's status, but she made it a point to befriend "freaks" and outcasts, because she always considered them to be more honest people compared to the preppy crowd

despite her family having influence in town due to their money, she has also heard several rumors about the shady side of her father's wealth, but nothing can be proven

due to her circumstances, she ended up gravitating towards connie howard, and she considers her the only person she can trust outside of her younger brothers

she is also the distant cousin of carol perkins, but they are not exactly on good terms

when she graduated high school, she started gaining some of the benefits of her trust, and she was quick to use her money to invest in local businesses

the town might still see her as a spoiled rich girl, but she has made a few smart investments into local, now well performing businesses, so the money she has made recently is all her own

aside from the success, a dark shadow fell over the rose family when she was fifteen and her youngest brother went missing

he was presumed dead suspiciously fast, considering a body was never found, but she remembers a government agent visiting her family home and they told them her brother was dead

however, she noticed holes in the agent's story, and she blames herself for not keeping a closer eye on her brother, but she is convinced he must still be out there

overall, it's easy to to assume she's an airheaded rich girl, but she's smarter than she lets people believe and she carries the burden of her family's legacy on her shoulders

WANTED CONNECTIONS.

business friends/acquaintances

people who know her brothers, but have only recently reached out to her for various reasons

wrong idea: someone that is dead set she must be an insufferable rich kid, but she proves them totally wrong

preppy but not: someone else who, because of their family reputation, falls into the preppy/popular crowd, but they also can't stand the judgmental attitude of their peers and who is more open-minded

[constanceelisee]

Connie shoved her playfully. "That's so cliché. Popular guy gets Witch Bitch of Hawkin's High. What about you could totally ask him out?"

Connie was relieved that Caro wasn't looking at her too closely or she light have noticed Connie's ears had turend bright red. God. She was still trying to understand the werid feeling she got when Steve was mentioned.

[caroroseste]

"Ugh, no way," she nudged her back with a grin. "Despite your denial, he's your man and not my type at all. Good hair, but reminds me too much of my dad."

She stuck her tongue out in a faux gag.

"Besides... I'm still holding out hope for someone else, you know that."

[abuickandbloodyknuckles-ste]

"And make myself a bigger target for whatever heart throb decides he can take me down? Nuh uh, not happening. Sorry Caro, I appreciate your faith in me, but you'll have to accept me for me for who I am: a guy who's like...maybe the 12 hottest guy in Hawkins, Indiana. Nice and safe at the bottom of the dozen." Conrad said, watching as Carolina moved to her attached bathroom, unable to stop from thinking how nice it would be to have one of those. To not have to share a bathroom with his father. Or have to hope there was enough hot water left to shower with before school, or to have to keep track of if dad made sure to pay for the utilities, or- Conrad's thoughts were interrupted by Carolina's mention of not being a saint. Conrad's lip quirked, but he moved to take a seat on the floor, one leg stretched out while the other folded in half a lotus position, leaning back on one hand to continue watching Carolina as she returned with towels and a box. The clarification actually got a proper laugh from Conrad, one loud enough that he quickly tried to stifle it by covering his mouth, "Oh fuck, don't make me laugh like that Caro, it makes my head throb." Conrad said, wincing but still grinning. "I mean, sheesh, talk about mix messages. You don't want me on your bed but you want my shirt off? If you aren't careful, I'll start thinking I've been brought here for untoward intentions." Conrad said, before looking up at Carolina with eyes twinkling with mirth. "Which, personally? All for it, very happy with untoward. But maybe we should grab dinner first. Keep it classy, you know?" Conrad said, voice light and jovial as he made to unzip his hoodie. This was fun. Conrad hoped maybe they could talk like this later, when he wasn't a blood soaked mess. Conrad shed his hoodie, setting it beside him on the floor and making sure to tuck the bloody sleeve inside so it wouldn't leave traces behind. Conrad's chest was solid with muscle, pale scars dotting around his biceps and a pink appendectomy scar low on his torso. And across Conrad's ribs, were several bruises. Yellowish green and clearly rather old, but large enough to suggest whatever hits he took were rather significant back when they were new. But Conrad didn't bother addressing them, instead reaching up to push his hair more out of the wound, "You have a clip or bobby pin or something? You know, to keep my hair out of your way?" Conrad asked, now able to properly look Carolina in the eyes for the first time since she'd helped him up, grimacing as he saw the bottles of disinfectant. "Ugh, I hate that shit." Conrad muttered, the way more disinfectants smelled making him feel ill. In all the years he'd needed to use it or had it used on him for the various injuries he'd gotten- whether from sports, fights or the instability of his own homelife- Conrad couldn't get past the way it smelled, from right out of the bottle to when it was fizzing away on his cuts. "Can we revisit the duct tape option again? I'd be chill with that if it meant we could skip all that." Conrad said, even as he was mentally preparing to deal with the smell and sting of the damnable disinfectants.

[caroroseste]

"Somehow, heartthrob and fighter don't go together in the same sentence. I'm pretty sure you're already bigger than all the pretty boys in town," she paused, tilting her head in thought. "Have you ever stood next to Billy Hargrove?"

Hargrove definitely cut an imposing figure, but Carolina was sure he was just as damaged as the rest of Hawkins.

A playful, but unapologetic smile crossed her features as she took a damp towel to Conrad's forehead. The bleeding seemed to have slowed down, so now she just needed to get a better idea of what she was dealing with.

"Oh, you assume I'm classy?" She asked teasingly. "Forget it, Conrad. If I wanted you in my bed, it definitely wouldn't be before you're back to one hundred percent."

Of course, when he removed his hoodie, she caught a glimpse of the physique underneath, but she made it a point to keep her gaze focused on his wound. She was not a shy woman, nor would she be ashamed of being caught staring, but she knew better than to gawk at something that he would probably prefer to be hidden.

She was reaching up with her damp towel when he requested something to keep his hair out of the way. "Oh, uh— sure." It took her only a second to remember she had a clip in her hair. She removed it and was quick to pin up his brown locks to keep his hair away from the injury.

"You're kidding me." She shot him an admonishing look as she worked on clearing away the dried blood. "No amount of duct tape is going to prevent you from an infection, dummy. You're just going to have to deal," she said with a soft hum as she finished cleaning him up.

"Anyways, it looks like I was wrong about the stitches, but you still need ointment, so just breathe through your mouth and count to ten," she stated with a sweet smile. She wasn't trying to be dismissive of her patient, but she wanted to keep the tone light, so he would let her do the most important part.

[abuickandbloodyknuckles-ste]

"Keep it a mystery, and you'll be the new picture next to the definition of tall, dark, and handsome," Conrad could feel the heat grow in his cheeks at the compliment. Conrad knew he was handsome- he had heard it before, and he never really didn't believe it when people told him so. Sure, he felt his height could make him a little too visible at times, but in general, he knew he had looks to fall back on. At times, it felt like they were all he had to fall back on. But still, he never got tired of hearing it from people. To know he had something to offer, even something as shallow as his looks? Well, it was probably a little pathetic, but it made something light up in him. And all the more, coming from Carolina. Which was why her words were met with a grin, more pleased than pompous. "Really? I mean, I knew I was a contender but the definition? I am gonna have so many dudes after me now- you've damned me to a life of running for my tall dark and handsome ass, Carolina!" Conrad said, giving her a look of obviously mock fear, which faded into something more thoughtful as the silence returned. This time, it felt more understanding. Carolina's wink was met with a chuckle, and Conrad shook his head, "Heh, what are you talking about? If anything, you're the sweet one. You're helping me out and playing candy striper before the sun's even up. Not a lot of people would do that, Caro." Conrad said, and he kind of hated how true it was. Hawkins...Hawkins wasn't the warm and fuzzy small town you saw in cheesy movies. The people here could be cut throat, quick to turn on you if you stepped out of line. Or even if they thought you stepped out of line. It had been something that had bothered Conrad all through his time there. Had kept him quiet while his team members bullied others. Sure, he didn't typically join in on the cruelty, but he also didn't step up to stop it. All for fear of being a new target. Ugh, it felt so stupid now. Conrad shook his head to clear the thoughts that bothered him (wincing a bit as he quickly realized that doing so in this moment of injury was in fact a bad idea) and looked up as Carolina's home drew closer, arching a brow at the thought of sleeping through a thunderstorm. "Lucky him." Feeling the tissue against his face, Conrad leaned down a bit to assist Carolina's work, face still a touch sticky from the dried blood but now no longer in danger of making a mess in her home. Following behind his former schoolmate (making sure to wipe his feet well on the mat first) Conrad followed Carolina up to her room, glancing around while trying not to make his curiosity too well known. "Okay, so should I sit on the bed while you work? Or would the floor maybe be better- It's been a minute since I had someone else fixing me up."

[caroroseste]

Carolina laughed brightly at his faux fear, imagining him having to run from a mob because he was too handsome. "Better bulk up," she teased, before focusing back on the task at hand.

As soon as she stepped into her room, she dropped her bag onto her vanity and then went into her attached bathroom to search for her first aid kit. Being the oldest with two energetic brothers had given her some firsthand experience with wound care. The thought itself struck her surprisingly hard as she thought about the last time she had patched up her youngest brother. A bad scrape earned from climbing somewhere he shouldn't have. He had come to her first, knowing she would take care of him without scolding him too harshly. A sad smile crossed her lips, but she was quick to wipe it away when she remembered why she was searching for her kit.

"Oh, I'm no saint," she remarked from her bathroom, calling out to answer. "Floor, please. It'll be easier for me to see everything up top."

A brief moment passed before she stepped back into the room with a pink box and several towels.

"Alright, big guy. Strip—just your hoodie," she added teasingly. Setting down the box next to him, she started removing several bandages and disinfectants. She enjoyed their easy banter, whether it would mean anything after today or not, she didn't think about it.

[abuickandbloodyknuckles-ste]

"Damn, is it really that bad?" Conrad asked, pulling his sleeve away and looking at it, before silently replacing it over his forehead. Yep, judging from the amount of dark red on his sleeve, it was indeed that bad. "Be honest with me- you think the scar will look fine, or will I look like some kind of wannabe Bond villain?" Conrad questions, knowing that either way he wasn't going to want to get stitches, "I always planned to skate by on my looks, so it's kind of an important thing to consider." He said. He was only half joking. The mention of Carolina's brother brought a silence between them. Not uncomfortable, but the sort where it's clear nothing needs to be said. Everyone had heard about the other's brother. About how he went missing around their sophomore year. And how there seemed to be little chance he was still alive, after how long he'd been gone. He'd heard them say he was dead, but there had never been a body to bury. So how did they really know? Well. Conrad wasn't about to ask Carolina these questions. "The town gets loud at night. Different than how it is during the day. Which is kind of better, kind of worse." Conrad mused, looking ahead of them for a moment. He didn't know what he was trying to get at- whether it was to comfort, commiserate, or just to fill the silence. Carolina had a better method though-certainly a less heavy one-and Conrad let out a laugh, the sound bright in the dark, "You'd make a cute candy cane." Conrad said, not thinking too hard about it. He was a flirt- always had been, even when he never really planned to do much about it- and Carolina had always been pretty. Pulling his hood up over his head, his mess of dark brown hair partially concealed and his ears covered from the cold, Conrad looked at his companion. "You think your folks might freak out, you coming home with some bloody dude?"

[caroroseste]

"We'll see when we clean up all that blood," she answered easily. For several reasons, Caro was far from squeamish.

"Former jock with a new scar? Keep it a mystery, and you'll be the new picture next to the definition of tall, dark, and handsome," she reassured with a smirk. Jock's weren't exactly her type, but she knew a handsome guy when she saw one.

His lack of commentary or questions about her brother put her at ease. She was more than willing to talk freely about him, but she hated nothing more than someone who tried to tell her he was really gone. She wasn't sure what Conrad believed had happened, but he clearly knew how to read a room.

"Aw, aren't you sweet," she teased, glancing back at him with a flirty wink. Handsome was handsome, after all.

"Don't worry. My parents are away on a romantic getaway, and my other brother will sleep until noon even through a thunderstorm."

The oldest of three, she was left to take care of the middle child while her parents had their private time.

"But, speaking of—" she dug through her bag, finding a few tissues, and she used them to wipe the edges of his face where the blood threatened to fall. She had to stand on her tiptoes, but she worked quickly.

"There you go. Now you can enter the mansion," she joked, finding her parents' expensive tastes to be too gaudy for her liking, but she let him in through the front door and led him up to her room.

[constanceelisee]

Connie rolled her eyes before crouching to stub the joint on the ground. She stood up and folded her arms. "Yeah, right, and get hit with sorry Connie, but I don't feel the same way, I'm still in love with my ex girlfriend who dumped me for the creep of Hawkins High, I still want my dignity,"

[caroroseste]

"Can't blame her. He was kind of a dick in high school—but he seems different these days." She shrugged. "Either way, probably best not to, since you guys do work together, but it's a shame. You'd be cute."

[abuickandbloodyknuckles-ste]

Conrad couldn't help but crack a small grin at the retort, shrugging as best he could in his current position, "Hey, they say dream big. What's bigger than hoping a small town ever does construction on a decent time frame?" Conrad asked, looking down at the hole in the road and scoffing. "Who am I kidding? That's not a wish, that's a pipe dream." 'Would you prefer duck tape?'

"...you think duct tape would actually work?" Conrad asked, before watching as Carolina picked up her bag from the ground, "Oh yeah? What about?" Conrad asked in response to hearing about whatever was on Carolina's mind, before seeming to catch himself and averting his eyes. "I mean, if you wanna talk about it. If not, then ignore me and assume it's the head trauma." Conrad said, fiddling with his pocket and pulling out a packet of cigarettes, only to realize he didn't have a free hand to smoke them and he didn't want to drip red all the way back to his house. It might've been comical, watching his eyes move from the pack in his hand to the arm pressed over half his face, back to the pack, before he slid it back into his jean pockets in defeat. The invitation to follow Carolina back was met with a look of surprise mixed with genuine gratitude, and the smile he gave was genuine, the corner of his visible eye crinkling as he moved to follow behind her. Noticing how the shorter brunette attempted to fight the cold breeze, Conrad moved to stand in the line of the wind, hoping his larger frame might cut the chill a bit as they walked. "Lead the way, Doctor Rose." he said, voice tinged with soft teasing as they made their way through the chilly morning breeze.

[caroroseste]

Caro couldn't help but chuckle at the question. "Oh, you're definitely shooting for the moon with that one," she agreed. If you wanted something fixed quick in this town that wasn't related to a government building, you were just better off doing it yourself.

"Only if you don't care about a scar," she remarked, remembering some odd tips she had gotten from her father about wound care.

,She glanced back at him at his second question, taking a moment to watch him struggle with his cigarettes. As soon as he was patched up, she was grabbing her lighter and they were both going for a smoke walk.

"It's cool. You could probably guess if you listen to town gossip," she admitted openly, finding comfort in his humor as she led him along the easy distance to her house. "I was just thinking about my brother. It's been a few years..." she trailed off, letting the 'he went missing, presumed dead' part of it float away.

"I prefer candy striper. I'm not one for medicine, but I have always thought the uniform was cute. Like a candy cane," she mused with soft laughter.

[constanceelisee]

Connie turned red. "No," she said a little too loudly. "I mean...we don't get along..I mean, we did hook up sophomore year, but that's all,"

[caroroseste]

An excited grin quickly formed on her lips. "Oh. My. God!" She tugged on her friend's jacket sleeve. "That is not all. You should totally ask him out."

[abuickandbloodyknuckles-ste]

Conrad took the offered hands without question, using whatever strength he could from his legs to aid in getting upright (even as his head seemed to scream in protest that the ground was a much nicer home.) "Thanks. Can't believe they still haven't fixed the roads around here." Conrad said, bringing a hand up to touch his forehead, only to groan as it came away wet with blood. Carolina's words didn't do anything to help, as he looked at her with a wince. "Don't say that, Caro. If you say it then it's probably true, so maybe if you keep quiet the universe will give me a fuckin' pass." Conrad said. Conrad had an...unfortunate habit, of managing to get hurt. Between getting into stupid fights and just being reckless (or as he'd call it, adventurous) he ended up with a fair share of cuts and scrapes and a fair amount of trips needed to the local hospital. And anyone who'd known him even vaguely in his time at Hawkins had likely seen him wish some kind of bandage or stitches, always just intact enough to keep playing football without needing to take a break. Pressing the sleeve of his hoodie to his forehead, he peered at her with one eye, the other covered by his arm's placement, "So, other than watching me kiss the pavement, what are you doing up so early?" Conrad asked, before bringing his other hand up to quickly yawn into the inside of his elbow. "If I could actually sleep, I sure as shit wouldn't be awake right now."

[caroroseste]

Caro let out a small grunt as she hoisted Conrad back up to his feet. They may be the same age, but he was the kind of tall that stuck out even in a crowded room.

"I can't believe that you can't believe that," she retorted somewhat jokingly.

A brow rose, but she understood the sentiment. A trip to the hospital was never a fun time.

"Would you prefer duck tape?" She offered, figuring the least she could do was help clean him up. If he didn't care about a scar, then she might be able to help avoid getting stitches.

"Me?" She moved to pick up her bag again once she was sure he was not about to pass out from blood loss.

"Well, that makes two. I got too much shit going on up here." She tapped her temple before crossing her arms, weakly shielding herself from the morning wind. "Come on. My home is only a block away if you really don't want to see a doctor today."

[constanceelisee]

Connie became very interested in the loose thread from her jacket. "I guess. Do you have any ideas?" she asked casually, before bringing the joint to her lips again.

[caroroseste]

Caro hummed, noticing the shift, but made no comment as she thought over her answer. "He needs someone that's totally unlike him. Wheeler was cool, but obviously that ship sailed. Has he ever asked you out?" She asked innocently, figuring Harrington wouldn't be able to resist since they worked together.

[abuickandbloodyknuckles-ste]

You'll never leave. You'll grow old here and wither. You'll die before you reach 30. You'll live to be just like him. You'll be alone. You'll never be alone. You're doomed if you do nothing. Conrad groaned, pulling a pillow over his head to try and block out the whispers. He knew better- they weren't able to be blocked out so easily. Less like flies buzzing next to his head and more like bees buzzing inside his skull. Wings brushing his cortexes and making it spark in a way that was so utterly wrong it made him shudder with each word said. Or well, it used to. After months of dealing with it, it had grown more annoying than anything. Something just consistent enough that Conrad never took a good night's sleep for granted, and never went to bed with the assumption he'd get said good night's rest. And tonight, it was very clear he wouldn't be getting any rest at all. Throwing his pillow aside, Conrad raked his fingers through his hair, damp with sweat. Ugh, gross. He looked towards his shower, then at the darkness outside his window. The clock on his bedside table said it was a little after 4 AM. Seemed his night was just about shot. Getting up from his bed, Conrad pulled on his red zip up hoodie and a pair of jeans with the knees torn out. Sliding on his well-loved adidas and snatching Doorene's keys and his wallet from the drawer of his bedside table, Conrad opened his bedroom window and slipped out silently into the early morning. There was something embarrassing about still needing to sneak out at 19, even after he graduated. Like he was scared his dad would hear him and do something about him leaving. Wouldn't he though? The air was crisp and cold for now, and it sent clean-feeling shivers down Conrad's back as he walked. He glanced over at Doorene, thinking about getting in before deciding against it. He'd run instead. That'd be a better way to get the energy out. Which led him to now, running running hard and fast down the roads of Hawkins like a bat out of hell. Or maybe like a quarterback chasing a last minute goal, either one worked well enough. He would try and get to the park, maybe have time to sit at a picnic table and get a good view of the sunrise before it started crawling with other people. Conrad prided himself on being a social guy but he just couldn't deal with it. Not today. Not after what those fucking voices said to hi- His musings were cut short as his foot caught a hole in the road, sending him flying forward. Instinctively, he moved to protect his face from the fall...but something was holding him back. What the fu-? Conrad had no real time to ponder what had caused him to lock up, as the blackness of the road met his face read on. Stars exploded behind his eyes, the pain muting him as his forehead collided with the rough pavement, breaking the skin and quickly drawing blood from the tall man's head. For a moment, Conrad remained in place on the ground, dazed and not wanting to acknowledge the pain that seemed to spark with every movement he made after. But, with a groan of defeat, he pushed himself up with his hands, squeezing his eyes shut tight before opening them to see the ground. Drip...Drip... His blood fell onto the black tar, the color lost in the low light and looking just as dark as the road beneath it. "Today is gonna be a fan-fucking-tastic one." he groaned, before seeming to realize someone else was there. Looking up at the new arrival, dark brown eyes shifted in real time from agitation to a dry amusement, as he held his hand out. "Wanna help me up? C'mon, I think it's fair, since you got to see me eat it on the ground. And for free, too!"

It was hard to be charming when your head was split open and blood was slowly making it's way to your mouth. But hopefully he'd get some slack.

open starter for @sterpstarters

[caroroseste]

"God," Caro swore out loud as she searched for a lighter in her bag.

Nightmares had woken her before the sun could, she was normally an early riser, but even this was too early for her. She wanted to smoke to take the edge off, but her lighter was proving to be evasive. She knew she had to have one. She had just used it the night before.

Fuck.

Now she was remembering she had left it on her vanity. Taking the cigarette from her lips, she was resisting the urge to crush it in her hand out of frustration, but settled on putting it back in the pack.

Letting out a loud sigh, it was cut short when she noticed a guy running in the same direction she was walking. She took a few steps to the side to make sure she didn't get run over, but it was completely unnecessary since he tripped a couple feet short from her.

She stepped forward, wondering if the fall was as painful as it looked.

When he lifted his head, she winced at the blood and immediately dropped her bag, offering both her hands to help him up.

"Sure, I'm stronger than I look so—" She took his hand, unbothered by his attitude. She wouldn't be prince charming either if she had just eaten shit.

"You're probably going to need stitches," she remarked.

[constanceelisee]

"Well, it's doing great. Keith gave us raise, because hordes of girls started coming to see Steve. When Robin brought it up, I thought she was exaggerating. Turns out he is still relevant."

[caroroseste]

"Seriously?" She couldn't help but laugh. "I didn't think Harrington still had it. He should just get a new girl already so everyone can get over it."

[constanceelisee]

Connie laughed. "Wish I could. But I got an early shift tomorrow, and Robin has school, and Harrington is going to be late as usual. Keith comes in at 9, so it's up to me to open the store," she brought the joint to her lips and breathed. "God...I have no fucking clue where Munson gets this shit, but I got to have a lifetime supply,"

[caroroseste]

"Bummer, but I get it." She chuckled. "Oh yeah, he's the best. Busier these days, but he still comes through in a pinch. How's the video store doing?"

[constanceelisee]

Connie shrugged. "Well...it is almost 3am," she said, glancing at her watch. She held out the joint. "Want some?"

[caroroseste]

"Well, a girl shouldn't smoke alone at such a late hour," she mused, happily taking the joint and bringing it to her lips. "I have a bitchin' bottle of aged whiskey in my trunk." Letting a cloud of smoke pass her lips, she passed the joint back. "At this hour, we should do something fun."

[constanceelisee]

Connie sat in the empty lot, smoking. She could've gone anywhere else, but Hawkin's was small. And she wasn't smoking any old cigarette. She was smoking a joint, and she was pretty sure that was illegal in the state of Indiana. And even if Hopper knew her well enough, he'd still arrest her. Which sucked. Just then, Connie caught sight of someone staring at her. She sighed. "Please don't tell the police,"

//open starter// @sterpstarters

[caroroseste]

Caro grinned as she spotted the other girl. "I'm no snitch—unless you're not sharing," she teased, giving her friend an expectant look. She was always good at returning the favor. "It's pretty dead outside today," she assured, having seen no one nearby in a while.

[mona-henderson]

Mona leaned against the brick siding of the Hawkins Public Library, her thumb flicking the wheel of her Zippo. She took a long drag of her cigarette, the smoke curling around her head before being whisked away by a sweet spring breeze. She was locked in a silent, high-stakes staring contest with a cherry blossom tree. It was in full, obnoxious bloom. A riot of aggressive, sugary pink that felt like a personal insult to her current wardrobe and general disposition. To anyone else, it was a sign of rebirth and the "magic of the season." To Mona, it looked like the tree had tried to eat an entire bottle of Pepto-Bismol and then lost the battle in the middle of the sidewalk. "Look at you," she muttered, exhaling a cloud of smoke toward the lowest branch. "Aggressively cheerful. It’s disgusting."

There was something about the sheer effort of the tree that bothered her. It was trying so hard to be beautiful in a town that, at its core, was mostly damp soil and secrets. It felt like a trap, a pink, floral distraction meant to make you forget that the ground beneath it was probably still sour from whatever the hell had happened at the Lab. A petal drifted down, caught in the draft of her cigarette, and landed squarely on the toe of her scuffed black boot. Mona stared at the tiny intruder with a look of profound betrayal. She didn't brush it off. "Don't get smug," she whispered to the trunk, flicking her ash onto the pavement. "One good thunderstorm and you’re just pink mulch."

[caroroseste]

"What did that tree do to you?" Carolina asked, having heard her last statement, which could have only been directed at the bright cherry blossom tree. She was fond of the soft pink petals, but she didn't expect everyone to be a fan. However, she also didn't expect someone to sound like they had a personal grudge against this part of nature. "Did a cat get lost in it?"