The American Beauty

Charlotte Delyle - 23 - Admin at Gravewood High

[charlotte-delyle]

ellexreynolds·:

Was Elle excited about her brunch with Charlotte? Not really. Was she going anyway? Yes. Besides taking any excuse to get out of the house, her frenemy type relationship was worth maintaining. The two girls had long been “friendly” rivals. Throughout high school, they’d battled it out to be top of the food chain, cheering each other on while secretly hoping the other would fall. It was an odd dynamic, but it worked for them.

It had been a while since they’d caught up, so Elle had agreed to meet Charlotte. She’d seen the other woman in passing around town, but they hadn’t had much of a chance to chat. As she entered Java Junkie, Elle scanned the room for Charlotte, her eyes landing on her when she waved. “Hey!” She said as she approached, her best, most believable smile on her face as she gave her a quick hug. “How are you? It’s been too long!”

-

When she saw Elle's face, it wasn't hard to see why every small fish in Gravewood had wanted to belong in the crowd with the two of them. Whatever Charlotte had in beauty, Elle made up with it in aura. A perfect match some say, or two people destined to be fighting for the spotlight. But in Charlotte's mind, Elle had won. She had the prince. Smiling however, she pulled Elle into a rather quick hug, somewhat enjoying the feeling again.

"Oh I'm alright, you know. Just watching all the ins and outs of Gravewood High," she said, waving away any concerns about her. It wasn't like she was about to announce where she had been last night... not that Charlotte was still thinking about it. Sitting back in their booth, Charlotte leaned forward excitedly. "Congratulations are in order I hear. Tell me all about it," she offered rather excited.

"Have you booked a date for the wedding yet?" Again, it was almost easier for Charlotte this way. But, not once did she consider this might not be what Elle wanted. People in small towns talked and well.. never had Charlotte expected it. Suspected? Maybe. But she wanted to know all the details.

[charlotte-delyle]

isadoramorgan·:

- $$$ -

It didn’t cross her mind? How fucking weird. Isa’d essentially grown up alone and even she knew to lock the door behind her, drunk or not.

Not about to give up on the whole bathroom door thing, Isa decided to save more thoughts on that particular dilemma for another time, her shoes taking first priority. She didn’t even spare a second glance at the other girl in the bathroom, unrequested makeup wipes appearing in her hands without so much as a thank you in response.

“I’ll send them to be professionally cleaned, but it’s not like I can’t afford another pair,” was all she said instead. And then she was scrubbing, trying to salvage things to lessen the odds that she would have to make an unnecessary purchase.

Her parents had raised her to be thrifty. To appreciate money. Nowadays she appeared to spend it like she had an unlimited supply, but she did, in fact, adhere to a strict (large, but still) budget.

The more she scrubbed, however, the more frustrated she grew. At the shoes. At the situation. At the other girl dressed as Persephone who hadn’t taken the hint and was still in the bathroom.

Isa hadn’t actively disliked Charlotte Delyle until more recently. Sure, she’d gotten attention back in high school for being pretty, but a lot of people had sparkled like diamonds to the outsiders looking in.

No, the unforgivable offense was that Charlotte had gotten out. She’d had an opportunity that Isa, due to family obligations, had only ever been able to dream of. And she’d squandered it. And now they were face to face.

Had Charlotte been nice enough thus far? Sure. But Isa had no desire to engage with the cubic zirconia to her actual diamond.

Hmmm. What could make someone flee?

“Unless you’re hoping for someone to catch you shitting someday, I suggest turning locking the door when entering the bathroom into a second-nature behavior. Oh… unless you were waiting for someone? Mmm, a Hades, perhaps?”

-

Well, at the very least there didn't seem to be any animosity toward her at first.. it more seemed that Isadora didn't find Charlotte anymore interesting than the towel that was hung on the back of the door being completely honest.

Still, to be as rich as Isadora Morgan must be nice, to be able to simply just order another pair of shoes.. especially as the stain was so clearly not removing itself. But ah, eventually came the vitriol that Charlotte had so often heard about from people around town, rearing it's well-manicured head.

"It usually is, I can't be held accountable for what happens with a few drinks," Charlotte said rather innocently, raising her hands as she did so. "I've only run into a foreboding mother tonight who seems to think they know best," Charlotte added, thinking back to her run-in with Austin. Still, it was clear to see that perhaps Charlotte wasn't wanted here.

... Still. "This is such a nice party, it brings me back to our high school days," Charlotte opted for, touching up her lip gloss one more time in the mirror. "Everyone getting drunk, people moping in the corners.. makes you miss those years doesn't it?" she offered, her tone perfect and interested.. but really she wasn't. Maybe, Isadora not wanting her here had had the opposite effect.

[charlotte-delyle]

mckennaapplepie·:

–

“Two hours ago, actually. My mom decided that I needed a little vacation so… here I am. In the flesh,” Mckenna said with a little put-on cheer. It wasn’t that he was unhappy to see her, he just didn’t know how he was supposed to act.

 Charlotte Delyle had broken his teenage heart, but he’d forgiven her easily. At least, that was what he convinced himself of. Truth was, he didn’t have a lot of time to reflect on how he really felt about the whole affair after the initial hurt of it all. Life after high school had been a whirlwind, but he was there now in sleepy Gravewood. Everything seemed to slow to a stop there.

The longer he looked at her, the easier it became to understand how he’d been charmed the first time. Charlotte had only grown into more of herself. Beautiful, blonde, perfect. Mckenna scratched the back of his head sheepishly, unable to do much more than grin like he was sixteen again and asking her out to junior prom.

“Well, I do still live here. My parents’ house is still on Oak Avenue and– Oh, did you mean– You meant the high school.” He laughed, abashed.

“My mom signed me up to do some back-to-school speech to raise morale or whatever. It’s kind of silly but…” Mckenna shrugged, looking like he hadn’t fully committed to his mother’s reasoning when he knew she was humblebragging about his success. He was proud of what he’d accomplished but it always felt weird to flaunt it in front of his old friends. No amount of fame had stopped his besties from leaving him anyway.

“What are you doing here? I thought you were out of Gravewood for good.”

–

Biting her lip as Mckenna talked, it all seemed a bit... surreal to Charlotte that he was here, in the flesh, as one would have it. She was a bit unsure how to respond to that, so unfortunately it was met with a rather fake-looking smile, to hide said confusion.

Still, the look in Mckenna's eyes the last time they had hung out.. well, when she had broken his heart was not a look that a young girl so easily forgot. It didn't help that Mckenna looked the same as the day she had left him. "Oh.. that sounds like something your mom would do," she lightly teased, falling into old habits.

However, the question of her return to Gravewood had spiked, and somehow, someway Charlotte couldn't bring herself to tell him why she was back in Gravewood. With a much warmer smile, she waved off his question as if it were unimportant. "Oh, I just knew mom would miss me too much, plus, college wasn't for me anyway," she added on, hoping it would pass as truth.

"I kept up with what you were doing, in LA you know? Your face was a bit hard to miss sometimes," she offered, an apt deflection onto conversation about herself, especially with a "celebrity" in the mix. "It's really good to hear you've made it so far there, I know your mom always wanted that for you."

[charlotte-delyle]

location: the gallows starter for: @alec-flynn​

It started out as another night for dear Charlotte, spending far too much of her free evenings loitering around the Gallows in whatever short outfit she had fished out of her closet for that evening. Here, the shorter the skirt, the hungrier the looks Charlotte got from the men that frequented such a bar as this. 

The more attention, the better as Charlotte’s mum had once told her, when the greedy eyes of pageant judges lavished over her teenaged body growing up, but Charlotte was assured that it was all in the name of fame and fortune. Thus, it was no surprise that already, the pretty young girl was in the clutches of a much older man. Stubble littered his chin, and his hungry eyes all too eager to keep buying Charlotte drinks. 

She loved the attention, relished in it. To these men in these bars she wasn’t just a young girl, but a woman that they looked at, that they wanted. Charlotte learned very quickly that a giggle here, and a few batted eyelashes had most men falling over their chairs. Alas, it appeared this one had fallen over quite too literally, leading Charlotte to have his beer all over her lap. 

A quick trip to the bathroom, and out Charlotte rushed once all dry, straight into a familiarly tall person. Stopping herself from falling, she put her hands out to hold onto the familiar sight of Alec. “Oh- I’m so sorry,” she began, checking him over. “I think one of those patrons is a bit.. unduly intoxicated?” she said, looking just a slight bit worried, and the tiniest bit sheepish.

[charlotte-delyle]

location: java junkie cafe starter for @ellexreynolds​

In Gravewood, there was seldom much to do on a Saturday, especially when your job description related purely to a school week. However, there was one past-time by which most of the townsfolk, Charlotte included could find themselves doing, especially when catching up with ones kind-of-friend. A small brunch-style trip to the Java Junkie cafe.

To say that Charlotte, and Elle were friends may be stretching the truth just a tad. Still, Charlotte had wanted to catch up with her. You can’t be sort-of best friends for all of your high school years and not still make the time to see each other. More than anything, Charlotte was curious to see how her life was going. Was she happy, sad? 

It would be an easy life, Charlotte had decided, being married to the heir to the greatest fortune Gravewood had to offer, but whenever Charlotte had seen Elle around town, she hadn’t looked quite as happy as Charlotte would expect. When the blonde head appeared around the corner, Charlotte stood up and waved to her friend, “Over here Elle!” she called to the other. 

​

[charlotte-delyle]

mckennaapplepie·:

It was just like his mother to book him for an appearance at Gravewood High not two hours after he’d landed in North Carolina. The ride to Gravewood couldn’t have been any longer with the car filled with Jocelyn’s rapid-fore yapping over the phone to her assistant about talking to his agent’s assistant about talking to his agent about some press thing he couldn’t care less about. 

Returning to Gravewood was supposed to be a vacation. A small reprieve from the stresses and hustle of Los Angeles and into the warm bosom of small town living. Mckenna found the idea novel, even if the only reason he had been sent back to purgatory was due to a little mishap with his medications. A mishap was all it was. Jocelyn had taken his explanation at face value and he didn’t have it in him to examine that any further either.

So he sat and waited out the ride back home, watched the trees change colour as they zoomed past them. He’d missed this. The greens and oranges, the weather, the short houses and quaint shops. Mckenna had learned a lot about what people thought of small towns once he got out of it but he couldn’t agree. Gravewood was a speck on the map, but it’d always been his home. It was where he had his birthdays and met his best friends, made his first memories and met his dog, his mentors, his girlfriend… 

As they pulled up to the old high school, Mckenna couldn’t help but feel nostalgia wash over him. The red brick was old and falling apart, the grandeur of it having weathered with time. He could see the goal post at the back, where the fated football field was and the hurt he’d once felt had simmered down to a dull longing for a youth that had passed him before he knew it.

“Come along, Mckenna, you’re going to be late,” he heard his mother say. She was at the door and waving him in, touching up his shirt and jacket as he passed her.

The old hallway was just as he remembered it. Long and lonely, spackled with hundred year old banners proclaiming school spirit. He remembered walking the length of it with his posse in a row. Somehow, it didn’t feel much different than him walking down it alone then.

As he passed by the doors, he chanced a look inside, curious as to how much had remained the same. If the teachers he liked were still there or if the decor had changed. He was lost in the sentiment of it all until he caught sight of a familiar blonde head peeking above a desk in the admin’s office. Mckenna stopped, circled back and stood at the doorway to look at the girl inside.

It was as if time had been afraid to touch her at all. Charlotte Delyle, Gravewood beauty queen, just as pretty as she was the day she dumped him. He’d thought about her for a while afterwards, gotten upset even, that he’d lost the one person who wasn’t afraid to rub up against gold. But that had been another time. Another life. Another Mckenna. 

He could hear his mother beckoning his name further down the hall but for once he decided to ignore her.

Instead, he said, “Hey Charlotte. Long time no see.”

@charlotte-delyle·

Here she was, Charlotte Delyle back at Gravewood High where she had been for what.. the past month or two? Of course, being ex-alum who was well adored by school staff due to her perfect demeanour, they were all to keen to have a former beauty queen manning their front desk. Especially one who had been touted as perfect as Charlie had been previously. It was mindless work, that allowed Charlotte the perfect view of Gravewood’s most eligible bachelors over the age of thirty. 

The middle of the day was rather boring however, dealing with students who were lost, those visiting the Principal and the occasional offhand comment coming from the even lovlier Austin James. Those, she tried to avoid. Her perfectly manicured fingers flew across her keyboard as she focused on report after report, parent contact this and parent complaint that. 

So engrossed in her report, she unfortunately didn’t take notice of the person approaching her desk until it was rather too late. That voice, so familiar to her and yet at once sending nerves to the pit of her stomach of the likes she hadn’t felt before. Her fingers pausing, she looked up into the eyes of the first boy she had ever loved, Mckenna Benson. He looked just as handsome as the day they had said their goodbyes, same person down to the very hairstyle, and the clothes. 

“I.. Mckenna, when did you get back to town?” she asked softly, standing up from her desk as if to offer him a hug, as you do to people you haven’t seen for a while. Yet she held her arms around herself instead, pausing at the last moment. At one moment she was again the young girl with big dreams who had left the perfect, all american boy at a pivotal moment in time. “I didn’t think I’d see you again... not here at least.” Not at her place of work, that was for sure. 

“How have you been?” 

[charlotte-delyle]

tobegriffb·:

෴    

Griffin had been called a creep often enough in his life. Barging in on a woman in the bathroom wasn’t something he wanted to add to the town’s list of grievances against him. Even he wasn’t that intrusive. As soon as he caught sight of the flowers in Persephone’s hair, Griffin made to shut the door again, lest he incur the wrath of Hades. 

Then, Charlotte’s tone changed and Griffin hesitated. It sounded like she was striking up conversation. He’d found the bathroom for a reprieve from the congested party anyway, so if she was offering him the opportunity, he’d gladly take it. Regardless of how interested he was in this particular social interaction.

“Don’t tell my mother,” he joked, still half in the door, half out of it. “You should know they put locks on these things nowadays, though. For next time.” He jiggled the handle for emphasis, as if that wasn’t something Charlotte already knew.

“If you’re sprucing up for the costume contest, you should also know that Isadora rigs it every year so that she wins,” Griffin mentioned. “I wouldn’t hold out hope for another tiara if I were you.” 

Whilst the face was vaguely recognisable, it took Charlotte a few seconds to clue into who had walked into her bathroom stall... "Griffin?" she asked. As if anyone could forget such an infamous face. Let's just say that unfortunately a set of fancy crowns was not enough to keep you out of your high school news paper.

"You know, I had considered locking it but, unfortunately that third glass of champagne may have clouded my judgement," she offered, perfectly practised and poised as she did so, not at all someone who looked as if they had just been drinking as much as they could get their hands on. Years of practise can do that to a person. However, a smile graced her lips at Griffin's next comment.

"I don't think it helps that we just so happened to pick the same goddess. I have a feeling that I'm in luck to have avoided Isadora so far tonight," she continued, fixing up the last bit of her makeup as she did so. "What are you meant to be anyway?" Eyeing off his costume with suspicion, as she tried to figure it out. Scrolls, a mask.. must be Roman, who knew? Of course, Charlotte at the very least knew to be careful what she said around Griffin, time away from Gravewood was not enough to make her forget the Baxley family traits.

[charlotte-delyle]

indyerstraits·:

–

Jamie gave her a skeptical look when she assured him that she knew what she was doing. He highly doubted it, but he wasn’t going to argue with some girl who preferred wrinkly old ball sacks. His taste was not commendable but at least his preferences didn’t need a pacemaker and a healthy helping of Cialis to get through the night. 

He rolled his eyes and drank from his cup, gulping down more jungle juice than he would’ve if he didn’t have a chatty blonde in his ear doing mental acrobatics around him like he hadn’t heard it all before. Oh, poor Gravewood citizens and their dead end futures. Oh, poor Jamie Dyer could’ve been the best of us all if he had just tried a little harder. 

It was a tired song and dance around a miserable reality he’d come to terms with the help of bourbon and tequila. There was no way he was going anywhere before his siblings had grown up enough to care for themselves when Mom and Dad were still trying to live out their teenage years at the end of skid row. He scoffed at the suggestion of an easy life. As far as he knew it, life only came in two modes: hard and nightmare.

“You say that as if college has a timeline. I could get into any college I want, when I want,” he informed her. “You know why? Because my talents don’t expire with old age.”

.

Conversations with Jamie were always just so... enlightening in Charlotte's opinion, especially since he had caught her performing a rather glorious walk of shame. But, she tried her best not to let any of that get to her as she took yet another sip of the free flowing champagne. Part of her wondered if there wasn't some part deep down in him that had.. oh, she didn't know. A nice thought? 

Shrugging at his comment, Charlotte leaned back against the wall, "It doesn't, no. But do you ever plan to go to college?" she offered back at him, rolling her eyes at his comment about old age. "I have plenty of talents that don't revolve around my looks, Dyer. Pagaents weren't just all about looks, you know." Except they definitely were, Charlie just felt the need to defend herself somewhat from his quips. She hated admitting he was right but, Charlotte was so sure in her decision that she could just invest in their children, her hobbies. Her thoughts almost had a dreamlike quality about it all. 

"Whatever, you're entitled to your opinions Jamie Dyer," she said, downing the rest of her champagne. "Better be careful, you know, we might end up related somehow, with all these jokes you enjoy," Charlotte teased, not at all serious. Despite her prodding into the dark realm of the Dyer boys in town, they weren't the type of family you settled down with, were they? 

[charlotte-delyle]

austinxxjames·:

- - -

“It definitely didn’t shock me, but I don’t like to go around telling people I predict their actions.” Austin, on a good day, knew how weird he was. He wasn’t about to highlight that to people. Especially not as the new guy in town, he finally had that chance to become anything- he could tell Charlotte right now he worked as a pirate, and would she know better? “So does everyone know everyone? Isn’t it weird to have everyone remember all the parts of your life? You can’t hide any skeletons in a closet.”

He couldn’t help but think of Teddy at that comment, the dude basically walking around in his Dad’s shadow. Austin liked that about him, but he could imagine it would wear someone down. Maybe that’s why Teddy seemed so quiet?

“Elle?” His mind tried to remember who that was, but it was drawing a blank. “Well.. good for her. For settling down and getting engaged, and stuff. Was that something she wanted?”

“Persephone. Ah, so I am your Mommy.” Although, Austins mind was reading further into the choice. He didn’t know a whole bunch about Charlie, yet, but he wondered if she knew about Persephones relationships with men. Did she realise it paralleled her own discussions around them?

“And for what reason is it, then?” He‘d let her explain her choices, even if he was sure she might embellish them a little. “Did you secretly want to match with me?

.

"Unfortunately. Just ask Leo, I love her but to this day people still talk about what she got up to in high school," Charlotte said with a slightly sad sigh. She herself tried to avoid talk of that, but she knew how it must've felt for Leo to have that kind of history following you. For Charlotte, she certainly couldn't go anywhere without someone in town talking, especially amongst the church-going folk.

"I almost wish it were me, not that the heir is any sort of 'good husband'" she offered, airquotes around the word. Maybe she had been slightly jealous but, there was a reason she had broken it off with the Jock... there was a difference in tastes.

Rolling her eyes again, Charlotte gave Austin a light tap to his shoulder, enough to make her displeasure at the whole situation clear. Already she could see the cogs turning in his head, and the conversation he would so obviously make when they saw each other at school on Monday. "Ugh, as if Austin, I think you tried to match with me," Charlie teased just slightly, "What would you say if I told you I just like her flower thing?" Obviously Austin wouldn't believe her, but she had to try.

"You just want me to say I wish I had my own tall, dark and handsome to whisk me away to some underworld. I'm sure as my mother you'd disapprove?"

[charlotte-delyle]

isadoramorgan·:

The night was still young, but somehow Isadora Morgan was already Over It.

Were you supposed to actually enjoy the parties you threw? Because they were maybe two hours in and Isa had already been insulted on multiple levels, both direct and indirect. And all while she was essentially doing charity work for the dreary makeover before-shot town of Gravewood.

The latest offense was by far the greatest, some rando who she didn’t recognize having decided that the best place to vom was directly onto her Louboutins.

Unforgivable.

Isa had barely managed to have them removed from the premises with a bottle of water tossed their way to show she “cared” before she was bursting through the bathroom door at the rear of the penthouse, arm reaching for a towel before she could even clock that someone else was already there.

“Disgusting emergency,” she tossed out, actually taking note of who the other girl was only once a plush hand towel was finally in her grasp.

Another Persephone?? God, could her night get any worse?

Never one to back down, Isa proceeded to wet the towel, immediately slipping out of her heels to begin the cleaning process. 

“Why would you not lock the door?”

Maybe, in fact Charlotte should have locked the door. But being tipsy didn't really give anyone the right sense of what to do and why to do it. Yet who should walk in if not for the woman of the evening, Isadora Morgan. Of course, of all the people that had to walk in...

Looking down, it was unfortunate to see that Isadora's shoes were ruined, Charlotte wasn't so crass as to laugh at someones misfortune when Louboutins were involved.. was she? "It didn't really cross my mind, no," she offered with a slight smile.

Isadora didn't look too happy to see her, "I thought it being closed would be enough but, lucky I was just fixing my make-up, isn't it?" she offered, putting the final touches on her lipstick as she did so. Turning to lean up against the bench, Charlotte looked almost sorry for Isadora. "That doesn't look too good, vomit isn't the easiest thing to get out is it?" she offered to the other, pulling a few makeup wipes out of her clutch. "These might be easier?"

Did it feel good to be that one step above Isadora tonight, considering they were in the same costume? Yes. Not that she'd let that show though.

[charlotte-delyle]

@leoyoons

* ∗ ⁎ ⟶ 

Of all the things that could have happened to Leonora post- fall from grace, this friendship with Charlie wasn’t one she would have added to the list. Not that there’d ever been any actual animosity between the two of them, but they just hadn’t run in the same circles, and when they had, Leonora had been far too preoccupied with the allure of infamy. 

Still, she thinks she’s grateful for the camaraderie; for the chance at a friendship without much of High School hanging over them— she’d never gone and jilted Charlotte in the way she may have done the others, so this one was a war easier to fight. By now she’d gauged that Charlotte liked her well enough, and Leo’s sure she can say the same. 

“You know how it is, kiss a thousand frogs before you find your frog princess,” she teases, glad to have some conversation that didn’t feel like she was wading through no-man’s land, scared she’d step on a land mine at any moment’s notice. “You look really pretty, by the way, I love this…if I didn’t know any better I’d say you were fighting Isadora for the position of Queen of the Underworld.”

“Can’t say it’s been much better though. Interesting? Surely, but I wouldn’t call it fun.” Odd considering that seemed to be the main ( if not sole ) purpose of this little get together. “Feels like we left all of that in High School,” which was as beneficial to Leonora’s trajectory in life as it had been annoying. 

Camaraderie was always nice in a town such as Gravewood, and since she and Elle didn't really talk as much as Charlie sometimes wished they would, Charlotte needed the friends she could get. Plus, Leo was one of the few people who had not judged Charlie for her choice in men, if in fact Leo had encouraged it in her.

"I just can't believe said Prince Charming hasn't arrived yet, unfortunately," she added with a slight sigh as she did so. However, a much prettier smile graced her face at Leo's compliment and she gave a small twirl, showing off her dress. "I was a bit worried when I saw Isadora's costume but.. I think mine is better."

Taking another sip from her drink she glanced around the party at all these people that her and Leo had known their whole lives. "I for one already have something lined up for afterward anyway... seems much more interestin-"

The screaming cut through whatever Charlie was going to say and she glanced over at the rapidly growing crowd. "This better not be one of Isadora's set ups for the party," Charlotte said, just a touch of worry in her voice, "Come, lets check it out," she offered to Leo.

[charlotte-delyle]

austinxxjames·:

- - -

As the night wore on, Austin was starting to realize just how small this town was. In a place like Seattle, knowing like 10 people was no one- not even large enough to think about parties. Here, it felt like he knew a good chunk of the people here, with his 10. Sure, there was plenty more people around- it seemed a little like the guest list was too wide open, in his opinion. 

This realization hit him like a truck– or, well, actually, a Charlie. Technically they didn’t hit into each other at all, but it felt like one of those moments where they had, pausing, attention drawn to each other.

“I did take you as one. Honestly, I’m kind of surprised that you’re not hosting a competing party or something. Like they do in every CW drama, you know?” 

Austin didn’t spare a thought to how it was rough to stereotype the pretty blonde girl as top of the town. Charlie had that look, though, and he could imagine at times that she’d be some sort of model- opening the Gravewood equivalent of vogue and finding her face in it.

“Demeter, actually. The god of grains.” He stated proudly, untucking his cereal box and lifting it up triumphantly. “And you are? I don’t want to make assumptions about a ladies costume, you see.”

For fresh blood, it was impressive to Charlie that Austin had gotten an invite to Isadora’s Halloween party, but then again it really was an open invitation to almost everyone under the age of twenty-five in town (disappointingly). 

“The high school beauty a partier? It can’t be that shocking. I’ve been in school with most of Gravewood since Grade 1,” Charlotte added amusedly, the face was that Austin most definitely did not seem as if he was quite used to the small town vibe that came with little old Gravewood. “That would be for Elle to do, I think.. though, she seems rather unpartylike since she got engaged. I think it’s a change for the better,” Charlotte said with a genuine smile. 

Even though, part of her was jealous at her “best friend” for settling down, and wishing it was her with the ring on a finger. Not that she’d ever want to date the Heir of the town anyway.. 

At the mention of his costume, Charlie sighed at the horrible irony that had befallen her situation. First, she had picked the same costume as their illustrious host. And now, “.. Persephone,” she said, soft against the blaring music. Maybe he wouldn’t have heard her? Why on earth had she had to bump into the one person who would read too closely into her. 

“I swear it’s not for the reason I know you’re thinking Austin James,” a firm look on her face said it all. 

[charlotte-delyle]

indyerstraits·:

“Speculation is different than an eyewitness account,” Jamie retorted bluntly. He didn’t know the details of anything but it wasn’t hard to deduce. Charlotte’s existence was one often seen in Gravewood. A mother’s ambition and a lost daughter seeking guidance from older men regardless of social standing. It was a tale he knew well, for his mother shared the same one, only she’d found love in a scholar her age. Jamie might’ve been thankful if either of them didn’t turn out like shit anyway.

He scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Hard pass. I don’t need to be associated with whatever my family does on their own time.”

Jamie sipped his drink, contented with filling his mouth with things until he found the nerve to dive into the fray and join Alec on his rolling quest to contract some kind of contact disease from the plethora of bodies roaming around the dance floor. It was an inaccurate comment about making it out of Gravewood that plucked him from his idle thoughts. 

“You’re not the only one,” he interjected, sounding a little defensive. It wasn’t as if he remained friends with those who had left, but he had once been part of them. A prospect for more than small town parties and a shitty old diner. “Believe it or not but the word doesn’t revolve around beauty and fame. Some of us make it out on academic accomplishments, though I beg to wonder what they’re doing back here.”

He cut a look at her at last, eyes cold. “Most of us wouldn’t squander an opportunity to stay out.”

At this, Charlie sighed just slightly. Well, she didn’t know what else she should’ve suspected from starting up a conversation with the boy who seemed to hate people in Gravewood for simply breathing. Sipping her own drink, she shrugged at his comment about not wanting to know, “You brought it up Jamie, I know what I’m doing.. for the most part,” she added. 

She could be having more fun, working her way around the party and catching up with those she knew would be more excited to see her. Dancing under the pulsating lights and completely losing herself much as they did in high school. But, the shining lights had lost their lustre to Charlotte. She preferred the atmosphere darker. 

“No, but I could count them on my hand,” she added to him, a small smile gracing her lips at the defensiveness. I guess she did still have it, didn’t she? “Academics isn’t everything Jamie. There’s something to be said for an easy life,” she added to his comment. 

Turning to meet his stare with one of her own, it was easy to see there was no love lost between the two of them, but she found the cold look didn’t quite cut her in the way it used to. “Are you jealous Dyer? You know, you could’ve gone to college too. You had the grades for it...” Maybe it was a push too hard. Everyone in town knew that Dyers were here, and they hardly left. Maybe part of Charlie had hoped Jamie would be different. But she guessed not. 

[thoughtkick]

She didn’t need to be saved. She needed to be found and appreciated for exactly who she was.

j. iron word (via thoughtkick)

[charlotte-delyle]

Who: Open Where: Bathroom

Charlotte Delyle had made her rounds through the party, but as of now considering how tiring everything had been that evening she made her way through the crowds, pushing past the ever sweatier bodies of dancing gods and goddesses, her own paint beginning to tear around the edges. 

Have to fix this up was the thought on her mind as she found herself moving toward the haven, the sweet spot that was the nearest bathroom. What luck she had in finding the bathroom to be completely unoccupied. Pushing the door open she stepped inside, closing it behind her. 

Pity she hadn’t fixed up the latch, as just when she was finished fixing herself up in the mirror, she heard the door handle opening. “Don’t you know a shut door me-” 

“Oh.” she said, surprised by whom had chosen to enter the bathroom. “Bit rude to burst in when someone is in the bathroom, isn't it?” she added, almost surprised at the intrusion. 

[charlotte-delyle]

indyerstraits·:

–

The evening was a rollercoaster of events. From the ups of being swathed in puppy kisses and an abundant amount of liquor to the downs of paranoia and chasing his brothers with his eyes, Jamie found himself defeated by the mounting anxiety that something bad was bound to happen with this many Dyers in one place.

Tapping a rhythm on his glass, he became a wallflower like he was in high school, spine rigid with tension as he surveyed the party ahead. Parties never did appeal to him the same way they had others. The mingling, the banal chatter, the dancing. None of it was more appealing than staying in with a good book or puzzle to solve. But his new attachment to the numbing properties of drink drew him out more these days, if only for the free booze.

“You can cut the bullshit, Delyle. I haven’t told anyone about your illicit tryst with the local garbage man,” Jamie replied the instant Charlotte opened her mouth. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t seen her there with his danger sense cranked to the nines. Jamie, like most people, had the common sense to ignore people he didn’t want to run into. Apparently, Charlotte Delyle didn’t get the memo.

There had been a time when he was worried about her for no reason other than the fact that word around Gravewood spread faster than chlamydia. A pretty little blonde thing hanging around seedy bars was bound to be noticed by the seedy people within them and Jamie knew too well of the sorts when he shared blood with several of them.

But the concern began to dissipate into something else when he realized she had chosen to walk such a path, desperate to fill a void that not even a scholarship could fill and that wasn’t anything he could do about.

“You know, I thought about it but then I realized it was all voluntary so I figured the bomb wouldn’t need me to detonate it,” he said, eyes still pinned on the party. He’d never found the appeal of beauty queens when he knew exactly what they’d look like in a few years.

“Hope you’ve gotten your rabies shot. None of the Dyer-Wards tend to like to wrap.”

***

Sighing ever so slightly, Charlotte supposed it had been ambitious to suspect that Jamie would be anything other than absolutely not interested in seeing her unfortunately. Not that she thought he should really care whether she had anything to do with one of the various Dyer’s in town, they were a bit hard to avoid unfortunately. 

“I wouldn’t have minded if you did, most people know by now I think,” she said softly, matter-of-fact in her tone as she shrugged, although a slight bit hurt at the sharpness of his tone. Well, she was here now wasn’t she? Maybe still.. it was a bit of a bluff.  

Her image still, to be fair was important. It wasn’t like she bragged to the high heavens about her trysts in hidden, seedy bars.. nor did she keep too private the reason she was expelled from college (it was still unfair in her opinion). “I’d share all the details with you, if you wanted. Though.. I don’t think that’s your cup of tea is it?” she said, doing her best to keep her voice just even enough. 

“Do you think they’ve changed much.. since high school? I’m fairly certain I was the only one who made it out of Gravewood.. it seems everyone else was, content staying here.” Her sweet voice played innocently around the word content, but she hoped just slightly her meaning would be known. 

[charlotte-delyle]

So far the night had been a mix of going well, and going poorly. Charlotte had run into two people she had rather not run into, and yet she was yet to see a familiar face. However, it was as if her praises had been heard by god and she spotted a familiar one through the crowd. 

A smile lighting up her face, Charlotte pushed through the crowd to the familiar two-toned hair, that belonged to Leo. “Leo!” Charlie called through the din, before managing to pull herself up beside the other. Easily she was now next to the other and looking relieved. 

“I am so glad to have found you, I literally have not seen anyone who I’m excited to talk to... except you of course.” One of the strangest re-kindled friendships in her grand return to Gravewood, she had not suspected an unlikely friendship with Leo.. however, it seemed that they had both grown up in more ways than one. 

Sighing happily, she settled in next to Leo, all the more brighter for it. “Please tell me your night has been going better than mine, I swear parties used to be more fun than this.” 

@leoyoons