DOWN BAD.

Jiya Santa 35 Doctor

[jiya-santa]

Full Name: Jiya Santa

Nicknames: Jee

Age & Birthday: 35 - October 27th

Occupation: Doctor of physical medicine and rehabilitation

Preferred Pronouns & Gender: She/her & cis-female

Sexuality: Bisexual

Hometown & length of time in town: New York City, NY - She is brand new to town.

Neighbourhood: Beach Front

Family: Two sisters, one older, one younger.

pinterest | connections | facts

Was born in Dallas, family moved to New York when Jiya was 4, after her dad, a surgeon, was offered the role as head of cardiology at a major hospital in the city. 

Her dad is a head of cardiology and her mum is an OBGYN.

She did a double major in biology and chemistry at Vanderbilt and then returned to New York for medical school and she was then accepted to complete her residency at Mount Sinai. She now specialises in paediatrics, neurology and pain medicine.

Met Alex when she was in med school/her residency. Refused to acknowledge him at first before eventually just saying no when he asked her out. Eventually he wore her down and they got married 3 years later.

She had been diagnosed with PCOS and endometriosis when she was 22, both of which hindered their attempts to start their own family. This devastated her and instead of opening up about it, she disappeared into her shell and distracted herself with work. This deeply damaged her and Alex's marriage and it was the beginning of the end for them.

Alex’s affair devastated her but again, instead of showing how she felt when he told her and asked for a separation, she simply agreed and left the room. She cried for what felt like a week straight and didn’t go to work. 

Since then, she has completely thrown herself into work and rarely takes breaks. For months, she survived on nothing but coffee, hydration sachets and trader joes frozen meals. 

Eventually her sisters rallied around her to get her head straight and she has since just pushed all her feelings down. Until she found out that Alex had become a father and had moved to BR. She then decided to go and pay him a visit. 

She has taken leave from her attendings job at Mt Sinai whilst she visits BR, but will likely start working at the hospital in Charleston or open her own practice in the town. She’ll be asked to consult from time to time at the hospital which will get her foot in the door. 

At work she is kind, patient, caring and she is loved by her patients. She can occasionally care too much and is too hard on herself if treatment doesn’t work or isn’t enough. She’ll work herself to the bone for her patients.

Outside of work, she can come across as cold. She doesn’t like showing vulnerability or much emotion in front of people so instead of doing so, and showing she isn’t an ice queen, she’ll fall apart in private instead.

Has very little in the way of a filter and will say what’s on her mind. With her family and friends she will try and tone down the harshness to not hurt people.

Doesn’t open up to people a lot so can sometimes just be very quiet.

On the few occasions she lets her hair down and has more than one glass of white wine, she will be unrecognisable. She will deny all knowledge of party Jiya the day after whilst privately nursing the hangover from hell.

Quick facts/headcanons

She goes to Pilates 4 times a week, she also does one gym session of cardio a week.

She hates drinking plain water so usually has about 3 flavours of water enhanced flavour pots in her handbag.

Her favourite thing to do is roll her eyes.

Isn’t the biggest fan of coffee anymore. She loves herbal teas, matcha and homemade chai. She will occasionally drink coffee at work, but tries to avoid it.

Has the sweetest sweet tooth. 

She can’t cook. In NYC, she relied on meals sent by her parents cook, bought meals and take out, or eating out. In BR, she might burn a kitchen down trying or just be a frequent at the different restaurants.

She loves eating food from her culture, but also loves Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese and Italian food.

Has a serious fear of clowns.

Has botox in the balls of her feet to stop her heels from hurting.

She will always look put together. She will always take the time to do her hair and make up, even for work, even if she only has ten minutes.

Does sudoku for fun.

Will deny it but there isn’t an episode of a Real Housewives show she hasn’t seen.

She speaks English, Tulu, Hindi, Maratha and Kannada. She was brought up speaking all of these languages. Many of them she can speak, read and understand, but doesn’t write them. 

Used to spend every summer in Udupi with her grandparents and is very in touch with her culture. 

She celebrates Diwali, she doesn’t eat beef, she has a small altar in her home so she can pray. She tends to only go to temple or perform puja when she is with her family or for a special occasion.

She has done Bhangra dancing since she was a child and it’s one of her favourite things to do.

Isn’t really a fan of flowers in the house, but she does love having a white orchid on her coffee table.

Has zero time for pets but would love a dog one day.

She hates ripped jeans. It’s irrational, but she does.

[samuelfalk]

open  starter anytime,  some  community  board

       after  lots  of  late  night  research,  customization,  and  adding  to  cart,  samuel  had  hesitated  on  selecting  the  buy  now  button.  some  instinct,  a  voice  he  knew  to  trust  and  never  ignore,  had  told  him  to  wait  and  continue  to  shop  around.  the  delivery  on  his  order  would  take  weeks  anyway,  and  he  supposed  that  was  fair  for  what  he  was  purchasing.  it  did  little  to  quell  the  need  for  instant  gratification  and  the  ability  to  ride  his  new  bike  around  immediately.  so,  on  his  way  to  grab  some  coffee  as  some  fuel  for  much  needed  errands  around  town,  sam  approached  the  community  board  to  see  if  anyone  had  posted  a  vintage  bicycle  for  sale.  it  was  a  long  shot,  he  knew  that.  “wow  …  there's  a  lot  of  missing  cats  in  this  town.”  there  was  some  astonishment  in  his  tone  as  his  gaze  moved  over  all  the  postings.  “if  nothing  else  that  might  be  something  to  look  into.”

[jiya-santa]

God, she hated running. Especially running in the August heat and humidity of South Carolina. For years, Jiya's cardio had been a dance class or wishing the world would end so she could finish being on the stair master, but lately, running had been the only thing that worked. For however long she could force herself to be out and running, she did nothing but focus on the music in her ears and her breathing rhythm and not the fireball that was her life.

It might have been the only thing good enough to clear her head, but it still went against everything she liked. She hated being sweaty outside, she hated not being put together and she especially hated that someone could then see her in town, hands on her knees as she tried to get her breath back. But there she was.

"Pretty sure most of them are the same cat." Straightening up a little, Jiya reached up to smooth a hand over her hair before she slipped her other earphone out. "My neighbour said it runs off every couple of weeks apparently but always shows up when it realises it's owner gives better food."

[valentincflores]

Val noticed the cold reception, the lack of reciprocity when she hugged Jiya. To be fair though, Jiya hadn't ever seemed like an overly affectionate person, so maybe she just wasn't a hugger. But when the brunette took a step back, and voiced a question that clearly wasn't a happy greeting, Val confusion only deepened.

She stood frozen, shock rooting her in place as Jiya’s outburst shattered what had been a happy morning, dousing it in ice-cold dread. With each accusation, Val felt herself shrink inward. But one phrase rang louder than all the rest—wedding ring.

Had Alex cheated on his wife? Was Emmy the product of him stepping out of his marriage?

Her breathing grew shallower, each inhale tighter than the last, as one of her biggest fears, her worst trauma, seemed to be hurled at the man she... well, the man she damn near loved.

She didn't hear the footsteps echoing across the pavement behind her, only when she saw Alex's tight frame approaching Jiya, did Val feel herself relax just a tiny bit. Surely, Alex would vehemently deny these horrible claims. He'd prove they were false and Val had nothing to worry about. Instead she was met with 'that's not who I am anymore,' and Val's world came crashing down. He wasn't denying it. He was admitting he cheated.

Her eyes, suddenly glossy with moisture she desperately tried to keep at bay, flew to Alex, watching him try to diffuse the situation. But what was there to diffuse at this point? If it was all true? And why was he trying to keep Jiya from saying more? Was there more? Was there something worse?

Without even intending to do so, she found herself quietly asking, "Wait, so it's true?" She didn't know if she was asking Jiya or Alex at this point, all knew was that she was hoping, aching for someone to tell her this was all a big mistake. @jiya-santa

[jiya-santa]

There was a part of her, a part she would recognise later on when she had calmed down, that felt sorry for Valentina. Not only was she dealing with Alex's apparently crazy ex-wife but was also dealing with the revelations of his past. "Very true, if you're lucky, he might even show you the date of separation on our divorce papers that you can compare to the dates his child was conceived. Don't get your hopes up though, I don't think the man has an honest bone in his body."

She had felt anger for so long but had continuously pushed it down but now it was bubbling so far over the top that the ice queen was beginning to melt. It wasn't even directed to her ex or Valentina, it was just the expression she needed to get out. "I was just never enough, was I? Not emotional enough, not loving enough, not good enough." Her voice was raising in volume but for the rest time, maybe ever, she didn't care. "There I am still dealing with the fall out of your affair, the divorce, the doctor and here you are, raising a child with your perfect girlfriend, because I was just never damn good enough!"

Raising her hands, she covered her face for a second before she pushed them back and over her hair, the few strands that had escaped her ponytail and fluttered around her forehead already annoying her. "I lost everything, I did, not you, I did! I lost my husband, my chance at a family, my life, my future and you have everything! How am I still the one getting punished that I can't even go to a yoga class and escape you when I did nothing wrong! When you're just simply a complete asshole!" Even in his eyes she said. "All I did was grieve in a way that you didn't like and then you go and do this to me!" Shaking her head, it was likely she truly couldn't believe where she was. "You're not the same person but your girlfriend didn't even know about me, so you're still a damn liar!"

She wasn't even sure at that point if they were still there, her focus anywhere other than the man that she had loved. "Well here's the emotion you wanted and I hope it's haunts you everyday for the rest of your life." Moving her hand once more, she angrily brushed away the tears that had begun to fall down her cheeks. "You are nothing to me anymore, not just to me, you are nothing. I would've followed you anywhere but I am done feeling like I am the reason for your fuck ups." She paused for a second, only to catch a breath. "I deserve so much better than the life I have lived, not trusting people and scared of feeling that pain again."

For the first time in years, Jiya's chest felt light, like she had finally ridded herself of the awful weight she had carried there since the day she had been asked for a divorce. Blowing out a deep, yet shaky, breath, she finally looked at the scene in front of her, that was now slightly more crowded than before. Accepting her bag as the other member of the yoga class handed it to her, Jiya nodded. With a glance to her ex, she simply shook her head. "Just so you know, I regret nothing. I only regret not ripping you a new asshole years ago, when I should've done. In fact, I could've gone harder right now, but it doesn't serve me and that's the only thing that damn matters." Wiping her cheeks again, she spared a glance to Valentina. "Sorry." She didn't regret it, but she was sorry Valentina had to witness and find out the way she had.

She took a second then, quickly sifting through her internal emotions to make sure she had gotten out everything she needed to. She knew the outburst would take healing on its own, but at least she was no longer going to be a shell. With one more deep breath and the sun on her face, Jiya turned on her heel and made her way over to her car.

THE END.

[jiya-santa]

💔 & 🕺

💔

Turning Tables by Adele. It hit homes for Jiya and is a strange comfort to her during heartbreak.

🕺

One would be Never Too Much by Luther Vandross. This is one of her dad's favourite songs and he will request it at any function where there's dancing. It's one of her favourite songs to dance to because of the memories. Another would be O Saki Saki from Batla House. This is one of Jiya's favourite songs and there's no way she could resist the beat. She will play it anytime she gets to contribute to a playlist.

[jiya-santa]

Send a 😢 for a song my muse listens to when they're sad

Unbreak my Heart by Toni Braxton. Jiya is very much a 'listen to the music for the emotion you're in' girl, so if she's sad, she wants to listen to sad songs. This is one of her favourites to play when she needs to have a cry in the shower.

[cemcerkez]

Cem doesn’t flinch when her arms loop around his neck—nor does he pull back or tense—but the moment Jiya leans up and presses her lips to his, something in him stills.

For a heartbeat, he lets it happen. And then—gently, deliberately—he pulls away.

His hand finds hers again, but this time not to spin her or lead her across the floor. It’s an anchoring touch, quiet and steady, a silent pulse that says I’m here, but not like this.

“Jiya.” His voice is quiet now, low enough that it doesn’t have to compete with the music anymore. There’s no judgment in it. No coldness. Just that same Cem steadiness—the one that watches everything, that reads between lines and beneath surfaces.

He doesn’t step back far, just enough to meet her eyes and make sure she’s really seeing him. Not the haze, not the distraction. Him.

“You’re not going to regret saying it,” he says, managing a small, warm smile. “I promise. Because I heard it. I believe it. And I’ll remember it.” He raises a hand, knuckles brushing lightly against her jaw. It’s tender, but there’s restraint in it too—measured, intentional. Because even if he wants to close the space between them again, he won’t—not like this.

“But you’ve had a hell of a night, and more whiskey than should be legal in most zip codes,” he says softly. “And I’m not the guy who lets something real happen under the weight of that.”

He glances around the beach bar briefly—just enough to orient himself, then looks back at her. “Let me take you home. No agenda. No weirdness. Just... me. Making sure you’re okay. You can even call me annoyingly hot the whole ride if it helps.”

His smirk is faint, but it’s there—a thread of humor to soften the moment. But behind it, his eyes don’t waver. He means what he says. Every word. Because Cem Çerkez has learned the difference between moments that are about escape—and moments that are about truth.

And he’s not letting Jiya blur the line between the two—not tonight. He cares about her too much to let that happen.

[jiya-santa]

It was lucky for her ego really that she was drunk enough that this memory would be blurry by the time she woke up in the morning, if it wasn't already there by the time she went to sleep. She hadn't expected to kiss him but as he stiffened and pulled away, Jiya felt the heat of embarrassment rush to her cheeks. Of course he'd pull away, he was just being a good guy, a friend and she had crossed a line.

"Sure, the whiskey is the reason." Somehow her hand was in front of his face and she gently poked his chin, after trying to tap his nose in a boop. "Whoops, missed." She wanted a hole to open up in the ground and swallow her whole, just so she'd never had to face the rejection of the kiss from one of her few friends in town, but there was no way Cem was going to let her drop down that particular ground hole.

"Slight problem with that cowboy." Holding up a finger, Jiya swayed a little on her heels. "I don't actually remember my address." She erupted in giggles at the sentence, snorting a laugh once again. She was even drunker than she realised, but she had only moved into a rental recently and her drunk brain had zero recollection of her new address. "I'm not going to say that, there'd be no room for your ego in the car if I call you hot the whole ride to wherever."

Waving a hand through the air, Jiya took a step away from him, as if she was going to try and walk home. If all else failed, she wasn't that far from the resort and she'd have to get a room. "I'll be fine, I can just stay here with my very good friends Jack and Daniels." She took another step but instantly stopped when she felt herself wobble on her heels. "I'll get out of your hair."

As she took another step away from him, Jiya suddenly seemed to lose all of her drunk bravado. She hadn't just come to the bar to get drunk, she had come to not feel like she was alone. Turning back to him, Jiya reached out to hold onto the back of a nearby chair. She didn't know what to say, but she felt more vulnerable than she had in a long time. "I don't really know what to do.."

[levibecker-a]

“Have to give you credit. Being from a city, going right for the houses.” Likely the reason why he gravitated towards the downtown area. As tempting as the residences more near the oceanfront were, the familiar noise infiltrating busier town streets kept his mind better occupied. Mostly. “Whichever one you go with, I’m sure will be a good one. And have a killer view.” Oddly enough, the brunette’s bemused remark resonated, prompting a slight uptick at the corner of his lips. “Interesting how that works, isn’t it? — I wasn’t sure when I first got here either..not like you have a deadline or anything to decide on one, right?” A perk of essentially hitting the reset button. 

“— I knew I’d be staying…for this long? Don’t think I could’ve predicated that..” At the time, everything seemed largely unknown, uncertain in all aspects. “You blink and next thing you know, years have passed.” With a brief, light scoff, his head shook itself, intent gaze lost in the repetitive breaking of the waves onto the nearby shore. Still, even despite the brutal surprises that awaited him in Briar Ridge, Levi couldn’t envision himself returning back to the west coast at any given point. “That’s ok. I didn’t have any idea either.” If that was some consolation for his unexpected, pleasant company. 

“Yeah, definitely would recommend there.” He didn’t mind giving them away in this instance, especially with the brunette taking his suggestions seriously, diligently typing location names into her phone. “The lighthouse? I try to. If I’m not stuck at the resort.” Which happened often. She might’ve already noticed as a current guest. “It’s usually part of my running route though.” 

[jiya-santa]

"I haven't had stairs inside my home since college and honestly, I really miss them." It was her favourite thing about visiting her parent's townhouse, that she could actually leave the floor she walked in on. "New York problems." Glancing back out at the ocean, Jiya nodded before she looked back to Levi. "I guess I kind of do. I have to tell my work when I can come back or if I'm even going back. They've got someone covering me but I can't leave them hanging on."

Pushing her feet into the sand, Jiya just took a moment to enjoy the feeling of it on her skin. She was too close to her family to permanently move away from them, especially to a town that so far didn't hold a lot of great memories for her, but the idea of leaving also left her feeling torn. "What made you stay? Was it just being here felt right?" It was comforting to know that someone understood where she was coming from, that someone else had been in her shoes. "Maybe I'll just know when it's time."

Nodding, Jiya dropped her phone back into her purse before she leaned back on her hands. "I'm not much of a runner but it seems like a good place for a walk." In fact, she hated most forms of cardio. "What do you do at the resort?"

[tanvi-rao]

Tanvi's hands gripped the steering wheel to the point that her knuckles were turning white, her aggravation with the woman in her passenger's seat reaching a point where she could feel herself losing the tentative control she had on her anger and she was mere seconds away from abandoning her own vehicle with the woman inside and walking herself back to her own office just to get away from her. Jiya may have been stubborn, but Tanvi was obstinate.

"As an apparent kidnappee you're not really in any place to make demands, are you?" She asked through gritted teeth, her hardened gaze affixed on the road ahead of them through the windshield. She had to remind herself to breathe, slowly pulling in a deep breath through her nose while silently counting to five, and then exhaling it in the same countenance. She repeated the process a couple more times before she was calm enough to confidently turn her gaze towards Jiya without reaching over to shove her out of the vehicle. "You can appreciate a ride all you want, but until you apologize for ruining my job and acting like you're now entitled to a ride back because you haven't bothered to learn the way home without help, then we're going to sit here."

[jiya-santa]

She wasn't sure how she expected her night to turn out but this was definitely not it. Not only had she thought she was getting kidnapped by someone who had seemed relatively normal, but now she was in an argument about the not kidnapping.

"Well you've been telling me that I'm not a kidnappee so I'm pretty sure that means I'm fine to make demands!" Rolling her eyes a little, Jiya looked out of the window as she tried to make out where they were. "Oh my god, I am so sorry that I didn't memorise the streets of a tiny town that I have been in for two minutes and my phone died. I didn't plan on staying longer than twenty minutes so I forgot to commit every corner to memory." Leaning her head back against the headrest for a second, Jiya rolled her eyes again before diverting her gaze out her window. "Feel like sitting here does very little for you." Shrugging a shoulder, Jiya felt herself begin to soften ever so slightly. "But if you want to go back to your job, I can sit and watch until you can drive me home."

Considering only a minute ago she thought she was getting somewhat kidnapped, Jiya almost couldn't believe herself that she was now reluctant to leave the car.

[jiya-santa]

Send a 🎼 for a random song from my muse's playlist

Bawaria from Dhadak 2. Jiya listens to a range of music and she loves when in the midst of Adele and The Weeknd, a Bollywood song comes on. Speaking a few languages from the region of India her family are from, she grew up with this music and it's a way of keeping that part of her culture alive when she is away from her family.

[jiya-santa]

🙈

She will never admit to this, by Jiya's guilty pleasure song is Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley. She will roll her eyes when it's mentioned and pretend to be cool to like such a cheesy song, but she loves it. She can often be found dancing around her bedroom to it when trying to get ready in the morning.

[sonnysolis]

Sonny’s laugh is low and rich, curling around the bar's noise like the smoke of a cigarette—slow, lazy, and unapologetic. She watches Jiya climb up onto the bar like she owns it, the gleam in her eyes sharpening and sparkling with every click of those ridiculous heels against the wood. It’s the kind of moment Sonny lives for—as it's right on the edge of reckless, messy, and almost poetic.

“Oh, sweetheart,” she purrs, sliding her bottle down the bar like she’s leaving behind a tip and a warning. “You’re gonna regret inviting me up here with you before the second chorus.”

Either way, she grabs Jiya’s hand and obliges.

The moment their fingers connect, Sonny's up alongside her in one fluid motion—her boots landing heavy on the bar, her stance confident, like she was born on elevated surfaces. She doesn’t dance so much as she moves—hips loose, shoulders rolling, her jet black hair falling into her face as she lets herself bleed into the beat. There's no hesitation, no sense of shame. Just full-throttle mischief wrapped in moonlight and neon.

Below them, the crowd’s reaction is instant—cheers, hoots, the barkeep somewhere shouting something half-hearted that no one’s paying attention to. Some guy pulls out his phone. Someone else starts banging their bottle on the table in time with the music. And while, Sonny's aware she shouldn't be doing any of it, she can't stop herself. It's the most free she's felt since arriving to town.

Eventually, Sonny leans in close to Jiya, her mouth brushing just near the other woman's ear—close enough to feel the heat of her skin but not quite touching. Her voice is a whisper that still somehow cuts through the music. “See? Told you. You look like trouble up here. The kind that gets remembered. And, I'm pretty sure you will be.”

She spins away, arms up, grinning like a dare incarnate—full of chaos and charm and a heartbeat that only knows how to race. There’s no part of Sonny that isn’t alive right now. She's no longer the exiled daughter, the burned-out strategist, or the woman haunted by ghosts she doesn’t care to talk about. Up here, she’s just a little bit wild, a little bit free, and for once, not thinking five steps ahead.

The only thing on her mind is the music. The crowd. And this woman beside her who’s got fire in her eyes and bourbon in her blood.

Sonny glances at Jiya again, more serious for just a flicker of a moment. “You ever have one of those nights you know you’re gonna remember before it’s even over?” She spins again, letting her grin answer for her. Because yeah—this is about to be one of those nights.

[jiya-santa]

"I regret nothing!" Helping her onto the bar next to her, Jiya dropped her hand as they both started to dance. The music was loud, the alcohol was strong and it really was what she needed. If you can be confident enough to dance on the bar in front of a load of strangers, then maybe her confidence wasn't so shot after all.

As she moved her hips to the music, nothing else seemed to matter. Her ex, her emotional explosion, her mess of a life, none of it. All that mattered was the beat, the cheers from the crowd and the thrill of feeling free and alive that was running through her body. Sober Jiya would be nowhere near the bar, let alone on top of it, but this was a feeling unlike anything she had ever felt before.

"Good, because I'm sick of looking like the opposite!" Maybe this wouldn't be quite as fun if she hadn't been a little obsessed with coyote ugly when she was a teenager, but the grin on her face said everything. She didn't move her feet much from fear of her heels slipping on the bar top, but the cheers they were getting were loud enough as they twirled and wiggled.

Glancing out to the crowd, Jiya grinned again as she spotted someone filming them. Instead of shying away like sensible, she simply leaned forward slightly and shook her ass in time to the music. She never would've been in the position had Sonny not encouraged it, but she might be forever grateful.

Grabbing her hands as she spoke again, Jiya lifted them up for the girl to twirl underneath their arms. "Pretty sure I thought that as soon as I climbed up onto a bar and risked my life." She might not remember all of it if she continued drinking, but then again, that might not be such a bad thing once she regained some of her composure. "This might be the most fun I've had for a long ass time. Tell me we can do this every night!"

[genortiz]

Genesis blinked as her mind began to catch up with the other woman's words. While she had known that her ex was previously married, never had she imagined she'd be standing face-to-face with the woman Alex had once shared a life with. Let alone have coincidentally approached her in the paint aisle of a hardware store. Her stomach twisted—not out of anger or discomfort, but the sheer unexpectedness of it all. “Oh wow. Yeah, I mean… that’s me!”

Giving a soft, almost sheepish laugh, Gen's eyes flickered back toward the row of paint swatches before landing back on Jiya. “I didn’t know he’d talked about me. I mean, I know we were young. But I guess first loves really do stick with you.” The moment was definitely awkward and she was sure the other woman could hear the hesitation in her voice. “It’s just crazy to think that he carried any of that into his marriage. But you must have a good memory if you remember my name. Are you here in Briar Ridge to see him? I'll tell you, it feels super weird seeing each other around town after all these years. I never took him as the type to want to leave New York.”

[jiya-santa]

Although her face gave nothing away, Jiya's mind was racing. Was Genesis the reason he had moved to Briar Ridge? Had he known she was here when he moved and that was why he had chosen to settle in the small southern town? "That's you.."

Nodding slowly, Jiya tried to calmly sort through her thoughts but everything at the moment was coming up with a giant red flag. Yet another thing she'd discover about Alex, not through the man himself. "We had the ex talk and you came up, I've never really been one to forget a name." Maybe her memory really was photographic after all. "I guess that's what happens when you blow your life up." It was fair to say that Jiya still harboured some bitterness about her divorce, especially in her current circumstances. "I found out about his child through the tabloids, felt like unfinished business, especially given the timing." She wasn't entirely sure why she was telling Genesis that, but more and more lately things just fell out of her mouth. "Sorry, I must sound like a bitter and twisted ex-wife right now."

[cemcerkez]

Cem watches her with a warmth he doesn’t bother hiding anymore—not in this moment, not with the music pulsing around them like a heartbeat and Jiya laughing like it's the only thing keeping the ceiling from caving in. He lets her grab his hands, lets her tug him away from the easy closeness they'd slipped into. But his grip tightens just enough around hers to anchor her as she steps back.

“Big shoes and a high tolerance for chaos,” he says, smirking, matching her tone even as his eyes study her with quiet care. “Deadly combo, really.”

He lets her sway a little on her own, not quite letting go, just letting her move. Like he knows she needs the illusion of space, even if she doesn’t really want distance. Not from him.

“You sure you’re ready for this, though?” he asks, letting one brow tick upward. “I mean, I’m about to hit you with moves so powerful, they’ve been banned in at least three states and one very disappointed wedding in Boston.”

His thumb brushes lightly along her knuckles—subtle, quick, but it’s a gesture that speaks louder than whatever teasing he’s throwing her way. It says I’m here. You’re not alone. Even if she’s wrapped herself in bad jokes and whiskey-laced charm.

And then, without warning, he starts moving. It’s nothing dramatic—just a smooth roll of his shoulders, the rhythm slipping into his hips, a surprisingly fluid shift in his stance that has absolutely no business looking as good as it does. He moves like someone who doesn’t take himself too seriously but also knows damn well he doesn’t need to try hard to impress.

He turns slightly, spinning her under one arm like it’s instinct, catching her again with a steady hand at the small of her back, all while keeping just enough of a smirk to remind her: you asked for this. “Still think I can’t dance?” he asks, dipping his head a little closer, so his voice is low but still playful. “Or do I get my apology now before I break out the real moves? Warning: a sprinkler might be involved.”

And yet, even as he jokes, there’s something sharper flickering under the surface of his gaze. A quiet alertness. Because no matter how drunk she is, or how convincing her laugh sounds—he’s still watching the shadows behind her eyes. Still clocking the slight stumble in her confidence between the smiles.

“You don’t have to be ‘fine,’ by the way,” he adds, voice softer, meant only for her even as they keep moving. “You can just be yourself. However that looks. Trust me, that’s enough.”

[jiya-santa]

"Sounds like a pretty good combination to me." Even if Jiya had wanted to dance, the combination of her ever present heels and the amount of alcohol she had managed to consume in the beach bar had her swaying enough to pass off as dancing. She wasn't quite used to beach bars or the country music that was weaved in between the other songs playing, but it was something.

"You're really upselling yourself now. Considering what's allowed in this country, I'm even more intrigued as to what dance moves have got states clutching their pearls." She wasn't entirely sure if the shiver that ran down her spine was the alcohol, the slight breeze in the bar or the feel of his thumb softly running over her knuckles. She had been fine in the bar with people she had met that night, but being with someone she knew, even if they had only met twice before, had settled something inside her that Jiya didn't even know needed settling.

As he started, Jiya felt herself grinning and beginning to move more than just her little drunken sway. If she was sober, it probably would've annoyed her that he could dance as well. He was hot, perceptive, fun and now he could dance as well. "I'm still searching for a flaw." It was out of her mouth before she could think to stop it, not that it had ever really been a thought she'd have given the whiskey in her veins. As he spun her, she seemed to revert to the mental age of a teenager with the giggle that erupted from her. Looking up at him as they paused, Jiya let out a shaky breath. "I'm mildly impressed, but now more intrigued about the sprinkler."

She kept moving then, if she wasn't drinking because she was dancing with him, then she just needed to keep moving. Between him and the beat of the music, it was just about enough to keep her distracted which had been her main purpose of the night. "I am myself and myself is just fine." There was noway she was going to buckle and instead, she closed her eyes, moving somewhat in time to the upbeat pop song that blared from the speakers. "Stop being so perceptive, it's annoyingly hot."

Lifting his arm, Jiya twirled under it once more before opening her eyes, blinking a little to re-orientate herself with the room and just how close she was to him. "I just called you hot, didn't I? Don't regret it one bit." She would in the morning, but that would be hungover Jiya's problem. "Meant it." She really should stop talking, but that had never been her forte when she was drunk. Looking up at him, Jiya moved her arms to loop back around his neck. In any other situation, Jiya would've thought about every possible outcome of every possible move she could make, but with the whiskey running amuck in her body, she simply rose up on her tiptoes and leaned in to kiss him.

[duskcrowned]

Alex shifted the car into park, half-listening to whatever song Val had humming through the speakers. His hand lingered on her leg as she reached for her water bottle, and she glanced over at him with that look — the one that still made his chest ache a little in the best way. They were only a few weeks into this thing, but it had heat and ease in equal measure, like they’d skipped the awkward chapter and gone straight into something real.

He leaned across the console and pressed a kiss to her temple. “You’ve got this. Just don’t judge anyone too hard for forgetting how to breathe.”

Alex stayed in the driver’s seat a moment longer, watching her stride toward the building with that easy confidence that still floored him. She glanced back once and he gave her a mock salute, ready to head out, but then something made him freeze.

A familiar figure had just reemerged from the far side of the parking lot. Ponytail. Workout clothes. The curve of her shoulders he still recognized instinctively. Jiya.

His stomach tightened.

He blinked once, hard, half-convinced he was seeing things. But no, it was her, and she was walking toward the very class Val was about to teach.

That didn’t make sense. Jiya was supposed to be gone. They’d talked. He'd assumed she was heading back to New York, that whatever lingering thread was keeping her in Briar Ridge had finally unraveled. He hadn’t pushed. It wasn’t his place anymore. And truthfully, he thought it might’ve been better for both of them if she left.

So why the hell was she here?

She hadn't seen him yet but he recognized the moment she saw Val. The way her steps slowed. The flicker of something like disappointment as her gaze followed the path Val had just walked, and found him at the end of it.

His jaw flexed. Dumbfounded, Alex just sat there, heart starting to pound, as he watched the quiet fuse that had just been lit in front of him.

“Well,” he muttered under his breath, leaning back in the seat. “Shit.”

@valentincflores / @jiya-santa

[valentincflores]

Driving through town, with Alex's hand on her thigh and living the passenger princess life of her dreams, Val couldn't help but question how lucky she was. She'd caught herself agonizing over when the proverbial shoe would finally drop far too many times to count, but recently the brunette had come to the decision to trust that for once, fate had her back.

Little did she know.

Grinning from ear to ear, she rolled her eyes at his joke and gave him a playful swat before finally stepping out of the car. Alex just made her too happy—she couldn’t even pretend to be annoyed by his dad-tier jokes. As she turned back toward the rec center, her face lit up even more at the sight of Jiya.

"Jiya, hi!" she called as she walked towards the student turned friend. Feeling a little extra... well, happy, Val couldn't help but throw her arms around Jiya when she approached, giving her a hug. "Are you ready for this? Because I'm super excited There's a couple moves I have planned that I think you're going to kick booty at!" @jiya-santa

[jiya-santa]

Jiya barely registered Valentina hugging her as her eyes were still locked on her ex-husband, who now seemed to have seen her. Her arms stayed by her side as she mentally put the pieces together and felt every single part of armour beginning to crack. For years, Jiya had tried to protect herself by building walls and armour that were impenetrable. To the world, nothing phased her and she simply got on with it but as much as she wanted to just carry on walking, she couldn't.

"You're.. you're with him?" She finally looked down at Valentina, awkwardly moving out of the hug and taking a step back. Looking back to Alex through the windscreen, she could feel everything bubbling under the surface. She really should've just turned around, got in her car and driven off to let Alex explain the situation, but the thread had finally snapped.

Her jaw tensed and she looked back to Valentina. "Woman to woman, if he starts telling you he's working late, don't believe him, he'll probably turn up a year later with another secret baby." She wasn't angry with Valentina in the slightest, if anything, she felt bad for her, but her rationality seemed to be another thing that had disappeared. "Give him thirty seconds and he'll probably jump out of the car." She could feel her hands shaking with the fury coursing through her body. "It'll be right under your nose as well, probably someone he works with, that tends to be his MO."

Her eyes moved back to her ex-husband and in that moment, all she wanted was to throw something at his car. "Or are you a changed man now, Alex? A wedding ring didn't help you to keep your pants zipped up, so does Valentina need to worry?" Her voice was raised ever so slightly, hopefully enough for him to hear. For the first time that she remembered in her life, she didn't care about making a scene. Jiya Santa had cracked.

@alex-caldwell & @valentincflores

[hornyfordesicelebs]

Pooja Hegde

[tanvi-rao]

Her grip tightened on the steering wheel as Jiya spoke, her jaw tightening as she fought off the urge to roll her eyes. Why was this girl so dramatic? "Because you showed up, banging on my window and practically screaming my name while I'm working!" She countered through gritted teeth, her voice raising a bit as her already frayed patience thinned some more. "I had to get both of us out of there before I'm not able to go back and watch that guy some more, before he knows to look for me, before I miss out on the money I need to pay my bills." Her tone was short and clipped and she had to force herself to suck in a deep breath through her nose, hold it for a minute, and then exhale through her lips in order to calm down- repeating the process a of times before glancing towards Jiya.

Letting out another exhale, Tanvi's grip finally loosened and she leaned back in her seat. Her glance went to her unwilling passenger once again and she shrugged. "Then call the police. You want to go on a high speed chase? Really make things interesting?" She deadpanned, accelerating just to drive her point home before slamming on the breaks as she pulled down a side street and hitting the unlock button on the doors.

"You met me one time, that's a stranger. And any Karen on the block can listen to a police scanner so please don't think you're important enough for me to risk dealing with the headache that is Chief Plummer for you." Crossing her own arms across her chest, she turned in her seat the best she could to look at the other woman. "So go on, get out, then. No one's keeping you here. I was going to take you back to the hotel but since you've now accused me of wanting to murder you twice I think it's better if you figure out your way back on your own."

[jiya-santa]

Rolling her eyes a little, Jiya glanced to her side to look at the woman. "Oh my god, dramatic much? I knocked on your window and said your name in a normal, slightly excited tone and volume. If I could make you out across the street then so could he, so maybe you need to think about that instead." Having never encountered that kind of situation before, Jiya hadn't known that she wasn't meant to go up to a familiar face when she saw one.

When her body was thrown back and forward from the acceleration and the brake, Jiya reached out to steady herself against the dashboard. "Are you insane? I never said I would call them so can we stop trying to give me whiplash?" Even if she did know how to treat it.

"So now I'm in the wrong for not knowing that listening to police scanners are a thing?" Rubbing her temples gently, Jiya shook her head. So much for a quiet town. "This town might actually cause me to start accelerating ageing. I never actually accused you of wanting to murder me but you need to at least admit that this all looks shifty." Stubborn to her bones, Jiya simply shot Tanvi a look. "No, you kidnapped me, I have no idea where I am, so you can take me back to where we started or you can take me to the hotel. I only wanted directions anyway." Crossing her arms over her chest, Jiya tapped her foot against the floor. "I would very much appreciate the lift so I don't get lost again and make an already awful day worse. Thank you very much."

[levibecker-a]

“Yeah, I get it. When I came here, I hadn’t expected to stick around this long either.” Funny how his initial plans turned entirely on their head. Now, nearly a decade later passed. “There’s more apartments where I am right now downtown. If that’s more of what you want…the houses are nice though.” Levi took any opportunity that came along with meeting others also not from the town. “I bet you’ll figure it out sooner before later.” 

“Makes sense why you might still gravitate towards apartments then instead.” Levi mused, a hinted grin sounded within his tone. “Coming out here from the west coast, I’ve still been around oceans a lot of my life though..” His tennis-shoe covered foot dragged itself forward slightly in the sand. “But still, different kind of beach here on the eastern side. — I guess I’m technically still one too so you won’t hear me saying anything. And..sounds like you might go back to New York at some point?” 

“I thought the pier would die down for a little bit at least..after the recent festival clean up, but looks like I’m wrong.” He’d probably already have to re-consider his running route for the summer months. "— Have you been to the campgrounds or the winery yet? I’ve found some good ones in both those places too. They've got lots of land..also the lighthouse area, if you don't mind the ocean being a little more loud there."

[jiya-santa]

"I think I'll make the most of a little house whilst I can. Back home, there's no way I'm getting out of an apartment so it'll be fun to have more than one floor for once." Nodding, Jiya glanced back out at the ocean as if it was the only thing reminding her that she really was still here. "It's just strange, I didn't expect to be here for more than a couple of days and now I'm looking for a place, I think maybe it needs to sink in before I can really make a decision."

Shuffling a little to look at him, Jiya offered a small smile. It seemed that, from what she read between the lines, there was somewhat of a kindred spirit in Levi. "Turned up and never left or did you expect to stay?" Shrugging her shoulders, Jiya tried to envision going back to New York but as much as there was longing for her home, there was also a reluctance, but maybe that was just the unfinished business in town. "That was always the plan. I don't know, I didn't expect this so I don't really know when, but I'll never not go back. My whole family are in New York, so it's not like this is completely forever."

Shaking her head, Jiya pulled her phone from her purse to quickly jot down the places he had mentioned so she could make sure she got to them. "I'm not much of a camper but the winery piqued my attention." Adding another note about the lighthouse, Jiya smiled her thanks before dropping her phone back into her bag. "I don't think I'd mind. It's still weird to hear it daily anyway, it definitely sounds like it'll be more isolated out there. Do you go down there often?"