atelophobia

haven curriere. twenty-four. "how much of what you liked about me was because I was a ballet dancer, and how much because I was me?"

[call-me-two-bit]

"Because you're moping about being sent home, not moping about getting fired. "Threw up because you want me so bad?" He laughed, "Oh man, that does suck but it's a growing pain you know, there's no point in dwelling on what could have happened. I'm sorry though, bud. Your strawberry shortcake is on me, just because I'm in such a good mood."

[havencurriere]

"I could choke you from up here," she warned, though the way her arms were draped over his shoulders was more affectionate than anything. "Yeah yeah I live and I learn. And thanks.. for making me feel better. I bet that poor guy in the dunk tank wishes you got to me earlier."

[call-me-two-bit]

Matty had a record so it took a hell of a whole lot for him to judge anyone for a mistake, mostly he wanted his grumpy friend to get out of her head and be her regular levels of grumpy again. Her jumping on his back was a good sign, and Matty pretended that his legs were going to give out for a moment before he easily straightened back up. "Okay and I bet you won't speed through anymore right? Sounds like a lesson learned to me, and you didn't hit anybody. I think you handled this better than you're giving yourself credit for low key. What were you distracted by when you were rushing?" He grinned, "You were thinking about me, weren't you? I face so handsome, lives are in danger."

[havencurriere]

Chace kicked him like a horse when he acted like she was too heavy, though he was doing a pretty good job at making her feel better so far. "How do you know I didn't hit anybody?," she joked. "Yeah I was thinking about you and threw up in my mouth a little. I don't even remember so obviously it wasn't important. Actually, no- some guy texted wanting to see me but I didn't have his number saved so I was trying to remember who he was. Again not important."

[call-me-two-bit]

"Hold up, Chace you made a mistake? And you're beating yourself up about it? Come on, you're an intern, right? Mistakes happen, you're there to make them and learn from them you know? What happened?" It had to be somewhat big if she had to go home as a result but if it was upsetting his friend then of course Matty was going to encourage her to cheer up. "Come, hop on and tell me all about it while we find you some shortcake to drown your sorrows in." He told her, squatting in front of her so she could jump on his back.

[havencurriere]

"Hard to believe, right." She didn't want Matty feeling sorry for her or anything like that, though she knew he was right, she was there to learn. When he kneeled in front of her she hesitated a second then smirked and jumped on his back, legs wrapped securely around him so she'd stay put. "I was labeling blood samples, which is super easy, so guess I got cocky. Like I was speeding through it and I mislabeled one of them. Somebody else caught it, and then I got defensive, which only made it worse, so they had me go home."

[call-me-two-bit]

Matty stopped in his tracks and delivered his answer as if he were captain America himself, "It was a pie worth fighting for." He grinned while he resumed walking and easily caught up with Chace with a few quick strides, "Why aren't you having any though, that's like half of the reason to come here." He glanced over at the pageant and shrugged, "No clue, if it were me I would have done it at the start, right before walking out, you know like in that old movie, Showgirls, you ever seen that? What's up with you though, you seem a little off, or am I tripping?"

[havencurriere]

"I don't know, I'm not really in the mood for pie. I'll get something else though, like shortcake, I heard there's no shortage of that. Yeah I've seen it." Chace did feel off, he wasn't imagining that, but she was trying to get over it. While she wasn't a total perfectionist like her mom, she did hold herself to a higher standard, at least when it came to work and school, and she'd messed up. It was a minor mistake, she mislabelled a blood sample at her medical internship, but it could've killed someone if she hadn't caught it. She shrugged, "I made a stupid mistake at my internship and they sent me home because of it. There's not much I can do now but I'm still like mad at myself over it."

[walsh-miles]

Jace watched the back and forth with his eyebrows raised and a small smile tugging out the corners of his mouth. "No, no. Go for it." He held his ball out for her, taking a small step back to give her a bit more space. "I probably wouldn't have hit it anyways, and I'm honestly more entertained watching."

[havencurriere]

She eyed the ball for a second and considered walking away while she was ahead, or, at the very least, hadn't gotten into a physical fight yet. But of course she loved a fight, and so she smirked as she took the ball from him. "Thanks." It was the same guy in the tank still and he groaned when Chace got back up- she wasn't trying to hit him before, she just threw hard and her aim wasn't great. She faked out like she was going to chuck it at his head then smiled and threw it at the target, sending the guy down into the water. "Ooh, see, I needed that extra turn," she said as he resurfaced though it was to the guy behind her, not to the big baby whining because he got wet. "What the fuck is his problem?"

[call-me-two-bit]

"Of course you do, what was I thinking?" Matty let out sarcastically, walking in step with her, "Maybe an hour ago. I fucking hate the Strawberry social. So I took a fat nap until Elena threw up the Matt Signal and told me the pie was getting low. Vaughn told me in the group chat that Mia didn't show at all so at least I'm not gonna be the one getting shit for being missing in action."

[havencurriere]

"How was the pie? I'm not gonna have any so I'll take your word for it. There's hardly much action to be missed." They walked past pageant, which either seemed to be winding up or winding down, she couldn't tell. "You think they're hit the sabotage phase of the competition yet, like stealing each other's dresses and shit."

[call-me-two-bit]

"No, no I'm good. Suddenly the dunk tank is the last place I wanna be, feels like we should be as far away from it as possible." Matty told Chace while his eyes stayed on the guy just in case the idiot felt like doing something even dumber than picking a fight with the blonde in the first place. "I didn't know strawberries pissed you off so much."

[havencurriere]

“Don’t let him win.” She didn’t glance back at the guy in the tank but she could definitely feel his eyes on her, and so she flipped him off from behind, hand at a discrete height by her waist. “I like strawberries,” she said, as if she hadn’t done anything to even suggest she was pissed, and started away from the dunk tank. “Although I'm pretty strawbed out right now. When did you get here?"

[giorgiawhighan]

RAIN SPENCER via instagram

[havencurriere]

"Why are you mad at me, you signed up for this." Had Chace used the dunk tank to release some pent up anger of her's, maybe, and it was five dollars well spent. Now she was getting into it with the poor guy who'd been a casualty through all of it. "You wish I'd fuck you- yeah, whatever," she waved the guy off, then turned to the person in line behind her. "You're up."

[sersh]

CAILEE SPAENY Makeup by Loren Canby, hair styled by Kiley Fitzgerald, styling by Nicky Yates for Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery press, November 19th 2025

for @roxxintoxxin!

[kieran-parsons]

Kieran nodded and laughed in recognition of her comment. As much as he lived for the applause it was refreshing to be able to move outside the lines, push the boundaries of skill and redefine 'good' and 'bad' dance. It was all just movement anyway and he was like a shark, just had to keep moving.

No notes from Haven of all people was unimaginable, not with her eye, but it was evidence of growth he supposed. She wasn't so eager to point out perceived flaws and he wasn't suspicious of her biting her tongue now just to save it for later to put him off his game. Crazy, he thought, how they'd all once been tooth and nail to rise above each other on some invisible ladder of perfection, now he was just happy to see her.

"Shower?" he suggested, using her close proximity to flick her with the towel she'd given him. "I'm starving and I'm not gonna take my girl out to celebrate all sweaty. You, obviously," he clarified, joking about her being the sweaty one. And before she could ask, "I don't know what we're celebrating. Just life. Success. Bein' sexy as hell and everyone being jealous about it."

[havencurriere]

Her whole life she was taught not to see her peers as potential friends, or people who shared her interests, but competition. They dedicated all their time to the same thing and yet she remained convinced they'd have nothing in common, that her and someone like Kieran could carry a pas de deux but not a conversation. They all had their baggage though, and if she were less self-involved, not as laser focused on perfection, she might've noticed she wasn't the only one struggling. She didn't have to suffer alone.

"Planning to," she quipped back and swatted at the towel. "At least I don't smell," she countered, with a pointed look in his direction, then snatched the towel from his hands. Since he didn't seem to be using it and the sweat literally dripping off him was going to bother her. "People are always jealous of us." She dabbed at the side of his face, wiping down towards his neck. "You really want to go out? We can, I just don't have nicer clothes with me."

[kieran-parsons]

They'd both gone through the motions when it came to their feelings toward dancing. Back in high school when he'd broken his ankle and taken the Chicago Ballet for everything they had he'd been relieved to have been forced to stop. Then the dust had settled and he'd come back more determined to prove himself than ever. His company was thriving and he'd made a real name for himself... and then dancing was just business all over again. This time he was less self destructive about the feeling though, choosing to find his joy in these rare moments where no one was expecting anything from him. Haven could understand better than anyone, he was certain, which was probably why she never tried to stop him.

"Mm," he hummed happily at the second kiss, not shying away from making it known how he wanted her. She deserved it, to be chosen and wanted exactly how she was, and for once he was happy to lay his ego to the side and prove it quietly. What he appreciated was that her presence wasn't a distraction as he danced. He could feel her eyes on him but his focus wasn't pulled. It didn't feel like a performance, it still felt like the same freedom as he'd had when no one had been there at all. Well, maybe he'd added a few flourishes because he was by nature a show off, but he swore it was all in the name of Haven's entertainment.

"Probably a bit much for the kids, huh?" he joked as he caught his breath, rising from his final position. As the track started over again he made a few languid steps toward her, fishing his water bottle off the floor next to her. He let the music play, if only because it made the room feel warmer. "Why are you still here, anyway? You miss me that bad?"

[havencurriere]

Dance, for Haven, had never been a choice, not hers anyway. Her peers all had their stories, of when and why they chose dance, when it clicked, and when the question fell back on her she just shrugged, said she’d always known. It was the truth, sort of; she danced because it was what she was brought into this world to do, to achieve all her mother couldn’t. Sometimes she caught herself hoping her ankle would give out from under her, just as Kieran’s did— and then she shoved the thought away, panicked at the prospect of not dancing, even after all the pain it’d caused her. Who was she without it? She cheated her way through school and so she had no other skills or interests to fall back on, she’d given her all to dance. Panic could’ve been her out but instead it gave her perspective, as near death experiences did. She slowed down, determined to make ballet something she enjoyed and not just the thing she did. 

It was Kieran who’d helped her the most, giving her space when she needed it but also challenging her to set boundaries with herself, to strive for something other than perfection. She was embarrassed to admit she stayed at the studio so late not to fine-tune her technique but to step outside her comfort zone, playing and experimenting in a way that still felt totally unfamiliar to her. Even as she watched Kieran she wasn’t focused on technical prowess as much as overall feeling – she had a few notes, but it was late and she figured it was nothing he wouldn’t work out himself. 

She clapped as he finished and walked towards her, the polite and silent kind usually reserved for tennis. “Maybe. Is that allowed?," she teased, brows raised, then shrugged. “Lost track of time.” Watching the sweat pool off of him, she grabbed a towel from her bag and tossed it to him. “I like when it’s quiet like this too. Like I have the freedom to embarrass myself.” It was strange to admit out loud, that she was even capable of such a thing, but she knew he’d understand. She hesitated a moment then stood up, and stepped closer to him, “No notes.”

[kieran-parsons]

Kieran hadn't even meant to be in the studio that evening but once inspiration struck he was unstoppable. Hours later and he was slick with sweat, completely in his element as he studied his every move in the mirrors, correcting and correcting until the foundations he'd laid were perfect. Almost magnetically he came out of a turn facing his audience, expression of focus loosening into his ever-charming smile toward Haven. "Now's the only time I get to dance without being interrupted," he said, though he did scoff a laugh to himself when he picked up his phone and noticed the time. "One more," he promised, changing the music connection from his headphones to the sound system in the studio so she could hear it as well. "Opinions are welcome," he noted, knowing full well he was opening himself up to what some considered Haven's harsh truths. "However, if you're going to watch you have to pay the entry fee," he hooked a finger under her chin gently, clearly expecting a kiss.

[havencurriere]

"Okay, " she said, unconvinced his one more actually meant just that. At least her's rarely did, which he'd seen time and time again, when she insisted on running something to perfection or until she wore herself out, whichever came first. It was late though and Kieran had a little more restraint than her. "I have a few," she offered tentatively, as though asking if he really wanted her criticism. Her eyes narrowed as he hooked a finger under her chin, a challenging look on her face which barely concealed the smirk she was fighting back. She kissed him quickly, and then again, in case he had any qualms about the first. "Good?," she asked as she pulled back, teasing, and nudged him away. "You can keep the change on that too." Even when they danced together it was a different experience, she didn't get to appreciate Kieran's talent the same as if she were a spectator. He was a treat to watch, the effortlessness with which he moved always something she'd quietly envied. Haven dropped her bag to the floor then slid down next to it, back against the mirrored wall, and looked to Kieran expectantly. "Ready when you are."

[havencurriere]

Haven didn't insist on being last to leave the studio like she once did but there were moments, like today, where time just got away from her. The lights were off, practice rooms all but empty besides one, at the end of the hall, which she poked her head in to. She lingered in the door frame while Kieran, headphones on, briefly oblivious to her presence, blocked choreo. They kept it professional at work (or tried to, at least) but that hardly stopped any gossip from circulating, jealous whispers of what she'd done to get a role. As if she hadn't danced lead long before they started sleeping together too. Like a sixth sense, Kieran always knew when he was being watched and she smiled as he caught her. "How long is this going to take?" She wagged a finger in his general direction, recognizing that same bit of tenacious perfectionism they shared. "Before I say I'll wait up, I don't want to be here all night either."

@kieran-parsons

[emoryjeffers]

"Well I highly disagree. I assigned you to be my wingwoman for a reason and that is because you always push me." Emory peeked over their heart shapes glasses, a smirk working on their lips as they looked at Haven. Self wallowing was no longer allowed. It was a new year and the best time of the month. Emory had made a promise to themselves that they would live life to the fullest from now on. "Ah, yes the description of every man in every romance novel ever made. Bit of a cliche don't you think?" They laughed. Though, they did enjoy a good cliche now and then. "Oh but I was so excited to introduce him to my best friend, Haven, who will kick his ass if he tries anything."

[havencurriere]

"Oh I can push you if you want. Physically," she joked back with a warning glance. It'd been over a year since the break up and while they both knew healing wasn't linear or whatever, she did think that was a perfectly appropriate amount of time to start moving on. "Got the point across though, didn't it." And what was she, a poet? "Mhm, okay. We can say hi. To that guy, or anyone else really. Let's see how many cliches I can think of."

[havencurriere]

"I feel like I'm holding you back here," Haven said from behind her sunglasses, drink in hand. Her and Emory were at the first Pride event of many that season, and while they were past their sad divorcee era, she sensed her being there was doing more harm than good. "What about tall dark and gorgeous?" She nodded to a potential suitor. "You should go talk to him. Without me." @emoryjeffers

[themarielaalves]

Mariela nodded as Haven spoke, not knowing what the universe had in store for her when it came to romance but she surely hopped that whomever it was, brought nothing but peace to her life. She was a bit too past the typical antics that attached themselves to the men of Rosewood, that's for sure. "Wait, what?" Mariela asked her, as it'd sounded as if Haven had just let her know she was dating Kieran. "Which Kieran? Like... the Kieran we know?" She asked her, before stopping a cocktail server who'd just walked by. "Can I get like two more of these, please?" Mariela told them, before her attention turned to Haven. "From the very beginning, go."

[havencurriere]

"The Kieran we know," she confirmed with a slow nod. She assumed their friends all had some idea by now but maybe it was just Emory who'd sensed a shift in the balance, always clocking things before she'd even figured them out herself. "It's recent, or.. kind of recent. We kissed a couple years ago, just once, drunk at some New Year's party." She shrugged, "Bad timing I guess. And now, I don't know. We're seeing where it goes."