OH, THE HORROR!

30s.   |   she ╱ her.   |   ari. don't follow or interact with if you're sensitive. there's no censoring here.

[talesofcrypt]

closed starter for @horrorsluts ft. lena

setting: a test subject escaped the lab and put lionel in intensive care

Lex is seated behind his office desk, scanning through LuthorCorp data. One of his experimental subjects broke out of 33.1, destroyed the lab, killed six armed guards, and hurled Lionel through the windshield of his limousine. It was easy for Lex to blame himself. Lionel didn't know about his extracurricular activities. He was simply visiting LuthorCorp when he stumbled upon the man enraged.

The heavy doors to his office are pushed open causing Lex to peer above his computer screen. Lutessa. He closes the laptop and leans back in his chair. "I take it you heard about dad. Not to worry, I have my A team on it." As for the mutant running rampant in Metropolis, specialists have yet to locate him.

[horrorsluts]

She heard about Lionel, all right. By now, the whole city of Metropolis heard about the incident at LuthorCorp. Lena knew her brother was to blame. He promised to shut 33.1 down and clearly hasn't. Now one of his subjects were on the loose and it was only a matter of time before he went after Lex, or worse, her.

"I don't give a shit about your A team, Alex. You promised!" She should've known better than to trust his word. He might've hated their father but they were more alike than either cared to admit. "You think I don't know that your freakshow is still going on? You play Operation with enough juiced up experiments and you think something like this isn't going to happen? Who's next? You?.... Me?" And although, she wouldn't dare say it to his face, they both knew she was thinking it.... Ollie.

[horrorsluts]

"I didn't tell you about Brooke so you could go over there and confront her. You do realize, that's crazy right? Ty isn't going to trust me if he thinks I'm blabbing shit to my girlfriend." / @talesofcrypt

[talesofcrypt]

Tyler wants to see the situation through Riley's eyes. He's stubborn but not stubborn enough to intentionally throw away a good relationship over a misunderstanding. But is that all this is? A misunderstanding? He does as Riley suggests and tries to imagine a scenario where Brooke is caught inside a diner having lunch with someone he hates. He closes his eyes and sees Dante. The blonde's wolfish eyes, hungry mouth, and Brooke the innocent doe. He knows he wouldn't be able to leave her there. He wouldn't have crushed her without hearing her out. "I hate the idea of her with someone else, but I wouldn't have reacted the same way. I mean, I probably would have punched the guy. But I think I would have given Brooke a chance to explain." He sighs and lays back, his arms outstretched, and his hips showing. "You're a good friend, Riley. My best friend." He crosses his arms over his face, wanting to enjoy the dark for a while longer. "I'll talk to her tonight - okay?"

[horrorsluts]

As much as she tries to fight it, her eyes have a mind of their own and immediately flock to the outline of his hips. The V formation is prominent and from what she can see, black ink pokes out from underneath his shirt. If Riley were a lesser person, she'd act on her desires and let her fingers roam over his pelvis before they saunter beneath his belt, and over the bulge she's endured hearing about countless times from Brooke, Nina, and a dozen others who believed him to be smoking hot.

Her traitorous thoughts were enough to send a shiver down Riley's spine before she shot up unexpectedly. She should not be thinking about him this way. It has her feeling flustered as she scrambles to the door. "You do that. Then, let me know how it goes. I should probably get home. It's my night to do the dishes."

[talesofcrypt]

Tyler can see the change, it's in her eyes before it eventually makes its way to her lips. Three spoken words: come with me. The walls she put up were coming down and he was grateful. There was no part of him that wanted to fight. Brooke means everything to him. If he could, he would put a ring on her finger tonight and ask her to make him the happiest man alive by marrying him. But he can't. He doesn't want to get in the way of her dreams and despite her extremely tempting offer, he can't leave Riverwood. The Vipers would kill everyone closest to him and then they would mount their motorcycles and spread out to find them. Lucky for most people, Tyler doesn't have many friends. He can count on one hand how many people he actually cares for.

"I would love to go," There's a 'but', stuck in his throat that makes the air around them feel much colder. All the warmth that is Brooke Maddox was slowly starting to fade away with the realization that no mater how much he wants it, he can't leave. "But I can't leave." Before he can explain further, he takes her face between his hands and tells her how much he loves with with his eyes. "They'll kill Riley, Volchok, Isadora, the McKenzies..." He knows she's fighting with Isadora and couldn't care less in the moment, but would she really want Isadora and Volchok dead because of them? He knows she would never let anything happen to Riley.

"You can go and I'll come see you. We said a lot of things, but I don't want to break up or be with anyone else. That doesn't mean I want you to give up your dreams though. You know you deserve better than a underfunded college with more drug busts than graduations. You deserve better than these people and this town." He's never done long distance before but he believes in them and therefore he trusts that they're capable of anything. "I believe we can make anything work. I believe in you...pretty eyes."

[horrorsluts]

"Tyler----" she knew, like he did, what his answer would be before he even said it. It was in the eyes. Those same eyes she would kill to look into forever. That's why she didn't mean it when she said she was done with him. Now, that he'd broken her from her tunnel vision and pulled her back to earth she could see that she was overreacting. She could admit to herself she felt threatened because Chloe was after everyone she loved. Brooke wouldn't trust the girl as far as she could throw her.

"Don't say no, okay?" She was too stubborn to accept 'no' as his answer. "Just say you'll think about it. This town isn't made for you, either. I know you think the Vipers are your responsibility but they're not." She understands it's a lot to think about and he's worried they'll make good on their threats to force his leadership but, wouldn't Dante be happy if Tyler stepped down? If he passed the torch to him instead. Maybe Brooke could find him and convince him to take on the job himself and leave them alone. "My plane doesn't leave until Saturday. And I bet, if you let me, I could get you to change your mind." In fact, it would be her goal for the next couple of days as she took his arms and wrapped them around her waist, "At the very least, I'll have fun trying." She seals the promise with a kiss. A slow, steady, impossible to reject kiss.

[talesofcrypt]

She feels her stomach tighten when her eyes meet Brooke's for the first time in weeks. Even with the glass between them, she can feel the heat coming off her former best friend. She's a tiny bull charging at red, and Isadora is not a matador. Behind the spiteful facade, she's desperate to make amends, to find a way to put this behind them. But Brooke's anger is so palatable it can open the sky. With eyes like lightning and words like thunder, Isadora's bristles and takes a step back, preparing herself not to get punched in the face.

"I'm not Satan. I have a right to be mad." HELLO? She slept with her brother and kept it from her! "Look, I came here to talk, not trade blows." That was the plan. But hearing her talk about Nina fucking Volchok makes her want to forget that plan. Maybe they should rip each other's hair out. It might make them feel better.

"I'll just get straight to the point. New York. Is that true? You're not supposed to leave." She thought they would go back and forth for awhile and then make up. If she leaves then it'll be over. For good. "You can't just leave."

[horrorsluts]

Did it ever occur to her that maybe Brooke didn't tell Isadora about Seth because she was trying to protect her best friend? Isadora couldn't see it then just as she couldn't now but, she was so much better off without her brother around to ruin her life. Once Brooke put all the pieces together... she saw the Palmers for who they really were. Not who they reinvented themselves to be in Riverwood. Seth was dangerous and if he truly cared about Isadora, then he wouldn't have disappeared from her life in the first place. He would've told her where he was staying, and hell, he could've saved his family the embarrassment by not dragging their name through the mud. Isadora was the collateral damage in that family tree. Brooke thought she'd spare her a repeat of their past by ignoring Seth and cutting him out the second she learned the truth about him.

"That's nice but, I'm not really interested." Fighting with Tyler was exhausting and heartbreaking enough. She wasn't looking for a round two with Isadora. It hurt too damn much. Especially when Brooke trusted her and really thought they were friends. Turns out, nobody can be trusted. Not even the people she swore would never betray her.

"How did you hear about New York?" Was it any surprise that she did? Not really. It still doesn't explain why she cares though. "Not that it's any of your business, because you made it perfectly clear we're not friends when you befriended Nina and stole my entire squad from beneath me but, yes it's true. I'm moving to New York this Saturday. I got offered a job there and it's what I want to do so, I don't really see any point of staying." Besides Tyler, however Brooke was still trying to convince him to go. The Vipers weren't his responsibility even though Eli might've brainwashed him into thinking they were.

[talesofcrypt]

Tyler was a prideful person, but this had nothing to do with ego. It wasn't a conversation he wanted to win. He would gladly admit defeat if he thought Brooke was making any kind of logical sense. What could he have done differently to avoid this fiasco? The obvious answer would be to have avoided Chloe. Which would have been a lot easier if he knew who she was before she sat down next to him at the billiards club with a broken phone. Now ( because of that ?) Brooke was relocating towns and schools. It wasn't fair. He wasn't going to let her cast him as the bad guy in her story. Not again. Tyler was a lot of things. A liar, an outcast, a criminal, but he was not a bad boyfriend. He tried his best with Nina, gave his greatest efforts to Lo, and would give his life for Brooke. Which is why he would let her walk.

If she really wants to leave, who is he to stop her? She is not his hostage and he is not her captor.

"You know what I mean, Brooke. You abandoned me once and you're abandoning me again. I can't live like that. I can't live in fear that you're going to leave every time you see something you don't like. If you stay, there's going to be tons of things about me you won't like. I drive a little too recklessly, I self medicate with drugs and booze, I flinch at the idea of big crowds, fight my way out of danger, and disappear when I'm not wanted..." He's grown tired of fighting to be seen, to be heard, and to be loved. Fairytales aren't just for girls. Tyler's spent half his life staring out a window or up at the sky, wondering if there was something ( or someone ) out there for him.

"You're mistaken if you think all I care about is getting laid. Maybe that's how you see me. I'm still just the bad boy from the wrong side of the river. The one who beats up your friends and gives you orgasms on the hood a car. Maybe you thought revisiting me would make you feel something again and when it didn't... you decided to pick this stupid fight and then bail. So no I'm not going to beg you to stay. You have to decide that on your own. I know what I want but you have unfinished business with the world. You're still searching. So go find it, pretty eyes. But don't you dare tell the world I was your wolf. I am not your monster."

[horrorsluts]

She was too wrapped up in her own feelings, and in her own hurt, that she'd selfishly denied his. What kind of girlfriend did that make her? A bad one. She saw him slipping away and in a desperate attempt to protect her heart, she cast him as the villain. But deep down, she knows him. She knows that's not who he really is. Yes, he's impulsive, and yes, he's guarded. But as an orphan, he's had to be. Sometimes they could be total opposites. Isolated by their pasts and the manner in which they grew up. No one besides them had ever seen a future that could last, so long as they fought hard for it and ignored the opinions of those who disagreed and tried to rip them apart.

Maybe Brooke was hoping he'd try to stop her. The flight or fight response in her, craved that. But the more sensible side, had always prayed for this version of him. The one who saw her and encouraged her to be her own person. Rather than repeat desperate mistakes in trying to entrap her again, Tyler was willing to set her free. If she comes back to them, then they're meant to be and if she doesn't..... well.... he'd know it was really over.

Right? ... No. Not exactly.

Because, Brooke had other plans. It was like calling her pretty eyes again had unlocked something in her. It was that nickname that told her he wasn't lost, she still had him. Chloe hadn't taken him from her or turned him against her. "Come with me." It wasn't a question. It was a flat out invitation. They could run away. Leave behind a town full of people that didn't truly know them. A town that would eventually be the death of them if they had stayed to see it through. If he came with her to New York, they could start over. Distance themselves from distractions and live a new, safer life in a bubble where all they had was each other.

"I know it sounds crazy," she's full aware of that. Especially given the blow out they just had and the complete 180 her personality took. But, it was this town.... it was the people she wanted to escape that were driving her crazy. It wasn't necessarily, Tyler. She only blamed him because he was there. He was the one person she couldn't bear to lose. The idea of truly leaving him behind, she couldn't fathom. It cut through her tunnel vision like knife through butter. "I mean it," her voice softened as she closed the distance between their bodies and left her car running, so she could cup his cheeks in her hands and force him to look at her. "Come with me to New York. Ditch the Vipers, get in the car and go with me. I can't stay in this town any longer. But, I don't want to lose you. I can't abandon you if you come with me."

[talesofcrypt]

Jaxon feels the shift in his expression, an annoyed eye roll, but catches himself before doing so. If Alexis wants to play hard to get, he'll just amp it up and make tonight messy. It was a toxic way of thinking but Jaxon doesn't know any better. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. The word 'no' was as foreign to him as food stamps. Remy understood the assignment. He noticed his step sister fingering herself with someone else's hand. Tyler. Maybe they'll both succeed in their conquests tonight. "My costume's upstairs. I'm dressing up as Elvis. I've just been a little busy hosting. Wanna help me do my hair or are you waiting for your big bad wolf?"

[horrorsluts]

"Are you seriously inviting me to your bedroom?" They haven't talked in weeks and the first time they do, he's propositiong her? Who does he think she is, his whore? Yeah right.

"I don't think that's a good idea." For starters, she's seeing someone. Sort of. She had a crush on the news guy, who kept sitting at her section in the diner.

[talesofcrypt]

"If I sound harsh it's because she was harsh." Tyler knew Brooke. She wasn't Lakewood's mean girl but she wasn't innocent either. She did this before. The minute they became closer, she got cold feet and blamed him for everything. Said he was drugging her and that she never loved him. Now, fast forward a couple of years, he breaks up with his girlfriend to be with her, and she dumps him after she sees him TALKING to another girl. Not HOOKING UP WITH, literally talking. There was blood on the floor. She knocked that girl good. Afterwards, she was complaining about a possible concussion. Tyler had to beg her not to press criminal charges. "Look, you might see where she's coming from but I don't. I had no idea who this girl was. She never mentioned Brooke. I've never seen her before in my life. I go to Westham and I have never seen her. Which is why I was a little suspicious of her at first but she told me she was a loner." Tyler could understand that. He never had any friends before Riley. She was his first and only friend. Now Volchok was starting to warm up to him. Hopefully someday they could be more like brothers. Tyler would like that. However, he won't get his hopes up. No one in his life ever stays. "What should I do? If I apologize then that means if she ever catches me talking to another girl then I'll be wrong for it. Am I really supposed to put my head down and avert my eyes every time a girl asks me a question or for help? If I say I'm wrong then that means what I did was wrong. But I didn't cross any lines. I love Brooke and I told her that. She's the only person on earth who has heard those words from me."

[horrorsluts]

He's not the only one who feels stuck. Riley feels it, too. She wants to be there for Brooke but, she also wants to be there for Tyler. They were both her friends. And each of them had a point. Though, Riley could agree that Brooke may have overreacted. Then again, she was a girl and also Brooke. Riley knew how sensitive the former queen bee could be. "Can I ask you this, how would you feel if the roles were reversed? I'm not saying you're wrong. I actually get where you're coming from. I'm just saying, maybe she's jealous? Maybe she's acting a little crazy because she's scared of losing you. This may come as a total shock to everyone but me but, you're a good guy Ty. You pretend not to be so you don't get hurt but, you are. It's hard not to fall in love with you." Riley would know. She's been in love with him since they became besties. But, she buried her feelings for the sake of her other best friend. "That oughta drive a girl a little crazy, y'know."

[talesofcrypt]

starter for brooke (and/or riley) @horrorsluts

It's been weeks since Brooke and Isadora's initial fight. Isadora expected Brooke to make a bigger effort in making amends but when she didn't, Isadora became more spiteful and toxic. It wasn't enough to hang out with her enemy Nina Patterson. She had to turn the other cheerleaders against her too. If anything, it was a taste of her own medicine. When they were in Mexico, she told Brooke about her brother. Not by name, but she told her she had a brother who she ran away with after he was accused of hurting someone. Following that information, she told Brooke that he'd been ghosting her. When Brooke found out who Seth was, she should have told Isadora she found him. Instead, she kept the secret and continued to bang him behind her back. Isadora was just as alone as Brooke. She lost her brother, her best friend, her entire family. The only person she had left was Volchok. And according to Volchok, who spoke with Tyler, Brooke was leaving town. Furious, Isadora showed up at her house, banging on the door like she was the police.

[horrorsluts]

The downside to living in a small town? News travels fast. It should've been comforting to know that people cared enough to kick up a stink over her setting her sights on New York. Maybe it would've been if those same people hadn't betrayed her. It was hard to believe they genuinely cared when given a knife, they plunged it into her back, twisting it every so often to remind her it was there.

Brooke could see Isadora through the glass. She considered ignoring her. In fact, she probably should've. But, considering this would be their final goodbye... Isadora deserved to know how Brooke felt about her. "I think you have the wrong house. Satan, your new best friend, lives a block over. You may want to call first. Knowing her, she's probably banging your boyfriend."

[talesofcrypt]

There she was again. Mentioning the word TRUST and how he'd broken hers. What Tyler couldn't understand was HOW? He didn't know Chloe was her sworn enemy. He didn't know that she was behind Brooke's expulsion. To him, she was just some random girl in need of a new phone. He couldn't fact check every single person who walks his way. Brooke was being dramatic but he couldn't tell her that. She would take it as an insult and accuse him of invalidating her feelings. This situation was a lose-lose for him.

"I'm talking in circles. I didn't know who she was. It would have only been a betrayal if I'd known and went against you. She said she was from the southside. I thought she was some poor street kid who was down on her luck and needed a favor." Tyler wasn't sure why she lied but he was starting to wonder if she was also behind his missing laptop. He thought he misplaced it but it was possible she conned him for his modded laptop. But if she was from the northside why the hell would she need his computer? She could probably afford twenty of them.

"I'm not taking her side. Her side is the only side I knew. Because you left. You could have stayed and told me what was going on. But instead you told me you were finished with me and you left. The truth of the matter is, you didn't care enough to stay. You never do." Brooke's timing couldn't have come at a better moment. She was leaving for New York? And possibly moving there. Tyler has to hold back a string of profanities. Of course she was fucking leaving. That was her move. Create chaos and then run away while blaming everyone else. "New York, huh? So right now we go to the same school... We live in the same city. We can have a real relationship but you're taking off and transferring out of here the minute you see me talking to someone. That's all it takes for Brooke Maddox. The same girl who left Lakewood after getting matching tattoos with me. Any time we get close, you run. That's why I made that tape. I felt you slipping away and I was desperate to keep you there. But I only made it worse. I don't know what to do here. If you want to go then go. But don't you blame me." Jake left because Brooke was hooking up Tyler again. Isadora left because she found out Brooke was lying to her about seeing her brother. Now she has problems with Tyler because she thinks he betrayed her for Chloe. She might think the whole world was out to get her but she was doing it to herself. She's a runner. She takes something good, sabotages it, and then runs away. "Should I assume you're going to be with other people now?"

[horrorsluts]

Her shoulders slump against the Range Rover geared up and ready to take her away. "What's that supposed to mean?" You didn't care enough to stay, you never do. Whatever he thought of her, he was wrong. Brooke cared more than she liked to admit. She put on a hard exterior but underneath all of her bitchiness was a girl who simply cared way too much. Maybe she was better at putting on a front than she thought she was. Or maybe, Tyler didn't understand her at all.

Because her threats to leave Riverwood and start a new life in New York, were just that - threats. She wanted to see how badly he cared in whether or not he'd try to stop her. Instead, he called her bluff and was practically encouraging her to go. So much for their relationship. If he didn't care enough to save it, then why should she? Underneath it all, Brooke Maddox was a sensitive soul. And she refused to get hurt. Especially by Tyler. The one person in this world who could destroy her and has fooled her once or twice. If leaving meant avoiding that or him, then so be it.

Brooke had half a mind to kick up her feet and leave just then. But, his last question stopped her dead in her tracks. It was almost like a freight train had nailed her in the chest. Nowhere in her actions, or in her words did she utter or even suggest the idea of breaking up for real. Nor did she imply her leaving meant they were free to see other people. It shouldn't have come as a surprise though, that that's what HE wanted. How could she ever compare or top his list of seventeen other lovers. She should've known that she was just another number to him. Another heart to break on his way to the next girl's bed. "Is that what you want?" Betrayal flooded her eyes and caused tears to form in her filmy gaze. "It is, isn't it? That's probably why you were hanging out with Chloe. You thought you'd sleep with her too. Well you know what? go right ahead, Tyler. I'm sure she'd be thrilled to have another go at my sloppy seconds." First Jake, now Tyler. Who was next, Branson? Maybe Brooke should send Chloe a list so she could go down them in order. "I should've known you'd never commit to one girl. You can't. So fine, go be single. Go sow your wild oats. Maybe while you're at it, you can call Nina. I'm sure she'd be thrilled to see you again. Wouldn't be the first time you ran back to her either."

[talesofcrypt]

"Been there, done that." Their relationship was very toxic. Off and on with no promise of a real ending. They would argue, yell, blame each other for this and that, and then wind up in bed again. "I don't get why you're so uptight. You're no little miss perfect. If you were, you wouldn't have got involved with me in the first place." Gavin wasn't hiding behind his pretty smirk and blue eyes. Everyone around town knew he was merciless and psychopathic. Instead of learning from his father's mistakes, he followed down that same dark path, only instead of obsessing over surfing, he was hooked on mixed martial arts and humiliating others.

[horrorsluts]

Uptight?

UPTIGHT?!

Never in her life had someone called her uptight. But if being uptight means she doesn't want him to pummel her best friend then fine, she'll bear that cross like she does so many others. Including being his girlfriend at one point.

"So what if I am uptight? Guys usually like that. Hell, maybe this weekend I'll find someone new to help loosen me up while you sit there and watch."

[talesofcrypt]

Wyatt involuntarily bites his lip at the sound of her whining. Audible signs of pleasure were a huge turn on for him. Moaning, breathing, whining, whimpering. Every inflection would bring him closer and closer to climax. Add in some dirty talk and he'll immediately crumble. It was embarrassing which is why he would never voluntarily share these things with her. She would undoubtedly use this information as weapons against him. "Well. You're competitive. You don't like to lose and I'm a threat." He teases against her neck, pressing little kisses here and there. He loves the way she tastes even after a night of dirty sex. "And yeah, something like that." He wouldn't exactly call them enemies. She was a thorn in his ass and half the time he wants to choke her with both hands but, there's a part of him that knows he would miss her if she ever went away. "You think I would get attached? Please." He scoffs, shaking his head with laughter. It was an absurd thought. If anyone was going to get attached it would be her. To prove it, he licks his lips and keeps eye contact while slowly dragging his fingers over the front of her panties, caressing and massaging the delicious shape of her pussy. "If anyone gets attached, it'll be you, darling." His voice is low and raspy. Sliding his palm down the waistline of her panties, he runs his fingertips across her heat, spreading the wetness around her clit.

[horrorsluts]

"Never." Despite the defiance in her tone, her own body betrays her in the form of her legs spreading to make room for his wandering hand. The pad of his thumb smearing pre cum over her clit is enough to draw a moan and a frivolous gyrate of her hips. "You're the one who can't keep his hands off me. Tell me, how do I feel?" This is the kind of dirty talk she loves. Being told she's the best others have ever had.

[talesofcrypt]

Gavin didn't want to be here anymore than Sienna. Their relationship was nothing if not tumultuous. What started off as a one night stand should've never transitioned into a friends with benefits agreement and then a full-on relationship. "Yeah well - maybe you should have thought about that before dumping me the other night." It wasn't his fault her ex-boyfriend ( Ricky ) got in his face during a family get-together. Just like it wasn't his fault when he stole money from her parents, crashed her car, hit on her friends, got a boner while watching her mom in the pool, or fought her neighbor for 'crossing boundaries' - come on, her neighbor has the hots for her, everyone but Sienna can see it.

[horrorsluts]

"You're right." There's a moment of silence as she nods to agree. "I should've dumped you weeks ago. My mistake." If he refused to take any accountability for his actions then, she refused to say she was sorry for reacting to them. Not that she was going to anyway. Up until their monumental break up, she let many things slide. Too much, as Ricky would say. Pummeling her best friend was the last straw. Ricky might've been out of line but, that was no reason to give him a black eye and busted lip. And it definitely wouldn't help his case any with her family.

[talesofcrypt]

davey's diner | alexis cartwright @horrorsluts

It's become routine. Every night at precisely 8:45 pm. Sean O'Malley returns to Davey's Diner and sits at the same vintage red booth. The Kitschy diner was known for its nostalgic air its variety of milkshakes and fresh-ground burgers. But Sean was more interested in its waitress. Alexis ( as her nametag suggests ). The reporter always orders the same thing. Black coffee and a slice of cherry pie. It's his fuel when working on a big story. And there's nothing bigger than the Riverwood Ripper ( the name's a work in progress ). Every news channel was playing the horror story and unfortunately the diner chose to play Channel 6 with Gale Weathers as their star reporter. Sean was half-tempted to go over there and turn the channel. He probably would have if his focus wasn't broken by the sight of Alexis making her way to his table. She's beautiful and witty but that's all he knows about her. He's hoping to change that. "You should tell your boss Channel 6 is full of hocus pocus. Gale Weathers is a witch."

[horrorsluts]

"You say that like you know her." Either way, she chances a glance at the TV. Gale Weathers might be intense but, at least she dresses impeccably. No one can pull off a pencil skirt quite like the witch herself. "Anyway," Tapping the bulb of her pen against the pad of paper in her hand, Alexis continues... "Your regular? Black coffee, with cream and sugar on the side?"

[horrorsluts]

open to: snyone, your choice! @talesofcrypt muse: sienna fox / 26 ( for the sake of the plot ) / living in new york plot: we broke up right before a giant roadtrip our friends planned and we don’t want to bail on everyone and ruin the trip so yay, looks like we get to spend a five hour drive and a weekend in a cottage together.

"The only way we're going to get through this is with alcohol. So drink up." That's what she planned to do, anyway. Because she wasn't the one driving. Plus, it beat sitting next to her ex for five hours battling an awkward silence. When in doubt, drink it out.

[talesofcrypt]

"So if I know you, I should know she's not not your friend. Yes, but should I know she's your enemy? No. It's not like you ever showed me a picture of her and said 'watch out for this girl', how was I supposed to have any idea?" If he'd known she was the girl who got Brooke kicked out of East Mount Academy, he would have told her off. Tyler wasn't so selfish that he would do a favor for someone who hurt her. He was desperate for money but not THAT desperate. In his world, Brooke came first. Before anything. But it was made obvious she didn't feel the same way. She should have punched Chloe and then took his hand to lead him outside the diner so she could explain. Not break up with him in front of Chloe and then ghost him. He wasn't going to chase after her AFTER she broke up with him.

"Okay, so we're clear. You can't trust me because I fixed, who I thought was a random girl's, phone? I betrayed your trust by not knowing something I never knew? And when you say 'we're done' it doesn't mean, we're over. It means, we're over for now? None of this makes any sense to me." Tyler was feeling beyond frustrated. They were stuck in an impasse. He wasn't going to budge and it was clear that neither was she. However, he couldn't tell her she's right when he doesn't believe it. He was in the DARK. He didn't know who Chloe was and he didn't hook up with her. It was a business transaction. "If I were to reach out what would I even say? You clearly have this picture of me in your head. The cheater. The liar. The untrustworthy. Oh, and the whore." Since she's so concerned with how many people he's hooked up with in his life. When he was growing up in the slums, he didn't care about his reputation. He never thought he would get a girl like Brooke, so being a dirt bag never really mattered. "If you can't trust me then what are we doing? What do you want from me?"

[horrorsluts]

In retrospect, and if hindsight was 20/20, Brooke would realize she’s being ridiculous. She’s projecting her insecurities and fears onto him even though he hasn’t done anything to betray her. (At least not that she knew of— but befriending Chloe and giving her a lift home after all was said and done would surely be proof enough that he doesn’t respect her wishes for them not to interact.)

“That’s a good question, Tyler. I don’t know.” It pained her to even have to say it. To admit that, she wasn’t sure their relationship could survive her hurt feelings and an obvious case of miscommunication. Couples have gotten divorced for less. Her own parents were still married but they barely spoke or looked each other in days. They casually lived separate lives and hooked up with other people. Was she doomed to repeat their same mistakes and live the same miserable life? It appeared that way.

Even Tyler came from a broken home. So does that mean, his future relationships and any family he built, would also be broken?

“I don’t know how I’m supposed to trust you though and just move on when you’ve clearly sipped on the Chloe koolaide like everybody else.” Her squad, Jake, her friends, and now Tyler? Isolating her from the people she loves was a total Nina move. For a moment, Brooke couldn’t help but wonder if somehow — Nina had orchestrated the whole thing. After all, it would be the perfect takedown.

Leaning against the driver’s side of her perfectly white Range Rover, Brooke sighs against the metal and crosses her arms over her chest. It’s a defense mechanism. It’s a way for her body to project that it’s protecting itself from harms way. “You’re taking the words of some girl who told everyone at East Mount about my affair with Branson and was the reason I got expelled and wanted to off myself for three months. She’s taken over my home, my school, my friends, my squad, Jake, and now even YOU are siding with her even though you don’t realize it.” Which was disappointing because of the two — between him and Jake — Brooke always thought Tyler would be the less wish washy one of the two. Tyler wasn’t naturally swayed by anyone. Unless you were Nina. Though, she only had power over him because she was the queen of blackmail. Jake was too much of an emotional wreck, just like her. When he got hurt, his only reaction was to get even. They were both spiteful and that’s why a relationship between them was not healthy.

“Just forget it.” She felt too exposed in front of him right now. They were in Westham’s parking lot when Brooke ran a defeated hand through her flat, blonde hair. “I gotta get to the airport anyway. I’m going to New York for a few days. There’s this influencer con I was invited to and there’s not much left for me here. I might just see if I can transfer there and start over fresh.” As bad as that sounds, at least she was being honest about it. Had she gone away without telling him? That would be bad. Maybe a small part of her was hoping, he’d stop her or try to talk her out of it completely and therefore prove and make up for the fact, he didn’t run after her in the diner. If they had any hopes of salvaging this relationship, she NEEDED him to want her. She NEEDED him to chase her again and it not just be her chasing him all the time. “So, what do you think?” What is it, he suggested they do about their relationship? Do they fix it? Do they try to mend it and attempt long distance? Or …. worst case scenario…. do they just break the fuck up?

[talesofcrypt]

"That's... not very helpful, Riles." Tyler was hoping she would have more information. Maybe she did. It was possible Brooke vented to her and it was possible Riley didn't want to betray her trust by reiterating it all back to Tyler. The thought annoyed him but he tried not to show it on his face. "There's no story. I was at the Billiards Club, making bets, having a few rounds, and then this girl walks in and sits down next to me. She has an old flip phone and says her nephew broke it. Everyone on the south side knows I fix shit for cash. I'm the tech guy." It was his way of making money. Racing, gambling, and upgrading ( jailbreaking ) people's shit. Tyler had no idea Chloe went to Westham and knew Brooke. Then again, they all looked around the same age. Therefore, it made sense that if she was enrolled in school, it would be at Westham. But not everyone from the southside went to college. Succeeding in something other than gang activities wasn't exactly in the town's demographic.

"I went back home, fixed her phone, made sure she wasn't trying to play me by going through all her messages and contacts and then we met back up at Davey's to exchange cash for phone. Then Brooke comes in, sees us talking, punches the girl in the nose, and breaks up with me. From what I understand, this girl was talking to Jake while they were dating, and Brooke got mad. Now she was caught talking to me. So Brooke thinks she's moving in on all her boyfriends. That's literally all I know. She could've trusted me. Could've given me the benefit of the doubt. But nope, she sees what everyone else does. A liar. A manipulator. A criminal."

[horrorsluts]

"Oh come on," Riley had to scoff. Brooke was many things but, she never bought into anyone else's press. She marched to the beat of her own drum as much as she possibly could without succumbing to the bottom of the totem pole. Her mean girl persona was just an act. She had the biggest heart out of anyone they knew. And if Riley remembers correctly, that's one of the things Tyler always said he admired and liked most about her. So where was that love for her now?

At the same time, Riley gets it and she sees his point too. When Brooke feels slighted, she has this way of overreacting and fleeing from her problems. Quinn would say she gets that from her mother. It's easy for people to write Brooke off as a prissy, stuck up, rich bitch. But there's more to her than that. Just as there's more to Tyler than the zipcode he came from or the houses he always bounced around in. "Don't you think that might be a little harsh? Look, I get you're angry. It's messed up if she broke up with you over just that without giving you a chance to truly explain yourself. You're not a cheater and I don't think you're that guy. But, I also kinda get where she's coming from. I mean if this girl was talking to Jake while they were still together then, that sucks. Brooke's way more sensitive than she lets on and it sounds to me like she's just hurt. Maybe even a little insecure or jealous over you. It's kind of a compliment because it means she's afraid of losing you. I don't think she would've cried to me all night if she didn't care or didn't feel some type of way about you. And those weren't the kind of tears you shed over a guy you think isn't good enough for you."