[cis woman, she/her] Welcome to Aurora Bay, [LAURAINE CORTĂS]! I couldnât help but notice you look an awful lot like [SOFIA CARSON]. You must be the [TWENTY-EIGHT] year old [LOUNGE SINGER]. Word is youâre [EMPATHETIC] but can also be a bit [FLIGHTY] and your favorite song is [âTHE BOLTERâ BY TAYLOR SWIFT]. I also heard youâll be staying in [OCEAN CREST APARTMENTS]. Iâm sure youâll love it!
Lauriane was born in Florida to two parents of Columbian descent. Both her mum and her dad enjoyed travel, and never liked spending too much time in one place â as a child, Lauriane got used to moving around. She always knew that no home was permanent, except the ones she found in her parents. Her childhood was happy, and full of excitement. She never longed to settle down â from her perspective, she was seeing corners of the world that most people could only dream of seeing, and she was doing it all while learning how the world worked.
Music had always been an integral part of her life, and when she began to grow into a personality of her own, Lauraine began training in singing. Slowly, she improved in skill and ability, and eventually began booking gigs of her own in the bars and restaurants of the towns her and her parents were travelling through. She fell completely in love with performing, devoting much of her time to trying to build a career out of this dream.
She found herself having to put these dreams on hold when she found out that her mother had been diagnosed with cancer. Her and her parents had to settle down in a small town together, fighting the uphill battle against her motherâs disease. Those years were the toughest â seeing her mum go through something that she knew she couldnât fix was something she wouldnât wish upon anyone.
Lauraine was twenty when her mother died. It was peaceful. Her funeral was far busier than she had expected â so many of the people her mum had touched throughout her travels made the trek to their small town to pay their respects.
Unwilling to sit with her grief, Lauraine earned herself as much money as she could, and poured all of it into a van. With her father, she transformed it into a home on wheels, and one day, when she was just shy of twenty-two, she drove away. She left everything behind, and sped off into the horizon.
She never looked back. She never stayed still. She never allowed herself to remain in any place for long enough to grow roots, never allowed herself to stay still for long enough to make any connections. She only kept what could fit in her van, and only kept in contact with people who were happy to accept that once she had come through their town once she was unlikely to ever head back there again â and all the while, she kept singing. Every venue that would hire her, she performed.
When she was twenty-eight, she found herself driving through the roads of Aurora Bay when her van began undergoing issues. Pulling aside, she tried to repair it, but it needed far more specialised repairs than she was able to complete â and she hardly had the finances to afford it. Still, no worries â she would see if there were any jobs going, and try to bring in as much money as she could. After a few weeks, it became apparent that she couldnât live in her broken van forever â and so she rented an apartment. Just for a while. Just until she could repair her van.
Except Aurora Bay had an uncanny ability to worm its way into her heart, and the longer she stays, the more she finds herself struggling to leaveâŠ
P E R S O N A L I T Y
Positive: Adventurous, driven, empathetic
Negative: Flighty, non-committal, reserved
O T H E R I N F O R M A T I O N
TBA!
C O N N E C T I O N I D E A S
Lauraine is quite open to anything atm because sheâs very new to town and is also very sociable!
Exploring buddies â Lauraine loves to explore the town, and it would be great to have someone that would go on impromptu little adventures with her
Clubbing buddies â she loves a night out
Friends to do random activities with â bowling, karaoke, competitive arcade games all afternoon⊠Lauraineâs your girl! She is down for shenanigans 24/7
Regulars at Golden Hour - Lauraineâs a lounge singer there, so if your muse frequents it sheâll probably recognise them
"Probably too late for that now, but I appreciate it." Layla places a fresh coaster in front of the woman for her drink, "If it wasn't so damn scummy of them, I'd be impressed."
"In the past, I did it a lot, when I was young and had the energy to square up with angry college kids after their girlfriends confronted them." That, and a lot more gall to get involved in other people's business, "Now it's a bit more subtle if they ever do bring their girls here."
Lauraine smiles her thanks as Layla places down her coaster. âFor sure,â she agreed. âIf there wasnât a girl being hurt on the other end, the effort almost would be impressive.â
A nod of understanding. âFair enough,â she said. âMaybe not the ideal way to end the night. Whats your go to subtle way to do it, then?â
‷ Who: OPEN @aurorabaystarter ËËË
â Where: The beach, in one of the many pay-to-park lots along the shore.
â When: Morning, 10:49 AM
In an attempt to beat the heat, the beach didn't seem like too terrible an aim. It was nearly September â the water was as warm as the Pacific was ever going to get, and he had a cooler full of Coors Banquet. The stars were aligned. For him, at least. As soon as he began making his way to the boardwalk, he noticed a car with a plainly flat rear tire. Shit. Now he felt involved. Before he could loop back around to his Bronco to grab a scrap of paper and a pen (a courtesy note in mind), someone came out of seemingly nowhere, looking as puzzled as him, "Uh- sorry, this isn't your car, is it?" He gestured to the wheel, "It's just, this back tire's halfway to pancake." He told them, some concern in his voice, and then sudden intuition, "â and if it's your ride, I could help you change it."
Lauraine was fairly sure sheâd spent the past week living in the water, trying desperately to cool herself off beneath the almost unbearable summer heat. The water itself was definitely far from cool, but it was still far more pleasant than trying to exist out of it.
Sheâd been hurrying back to her van to grab the towel sheâd forgotten when she saw a man staring at it. Fearing the worst, she had hurried over, only to hear him point out her flat tire.
âAh, dammit,â she said with a sigh. âIâve only just got this van fixed.â Frustrated, she ran her fingers through her hair. âIf itâs not too much trouble, Iâd love some help getting it sorted. This vans kinda like my baby. I canât leave her like this.â
She titled her head. âDo you know these guys? How do you know the momâs nice?â
âWould it be better to try to help the mom first, or the kids?â Lauraine said, tentatively crouching a little closer to the cats. âBecause I donât want the mom to get all⊠mama bear and attack me if we pick up her kittens, but also how likely is it sheâll come out for food when her kittens are still in here?â
â cause sheâs always showing up at my door for a can of cat food and some behind the ear rubs â Ramsey explained as she looked back over to the mom and cats.
â I think it would be easier to get her first because if we get the kittens she might get upset. â or she might try to get to them and then sheâd actually be easy to catch, Ramsey thought to herself a moments she really didnât have to faintest idea what to do. â she still needs to eat so itâs possible she might be hungry already. I hadnât been able feed her in a while cause she went and had these little guys â @lauraine-cortes
âThatâs really cute,â Lauraine said with a laugh. âItâs like youâve accidentally adopted a stray. Any idea where she came from originally?â
She nodded thoughtfully. âGood point. If we try to grab her kids, thatâll probably cause all of them more distress than weâd want.â She knelt down, emptying all the contents of her bag into her pockets and placing the bigger items on the floor. âDo you have any cat food on you? Or anything she might like to eat? Because that would definitely make things easier!â
âOh, god, people puking makes me go ââ Lauraine said somewhat anxiously. âIâm gonna need you to point me in the other direction the next time a kid does something like that â unless you want a very nasty surprise.â
She couldnât help but giggle slightly at her comment about the firefighters. âHot firefighters make everything better,â she said. âHonestly, I could stand around watching them all day. Want to go ogle them again with me?â
"Thank God, just the woman I've been meaning to ogle inappropriately with. You wanna stop for a treat first, or did I suddenly ruin your appetite by having to point out the most disgusting shit, as per usual? I'll even pay to get you a churro, and you know how frugal I am when it comes to people who are not myself."
âChuros and ogling firefighters?â Lauraine gave a burst of bright laughter. âSee, this is why I hang out with you. Youâre a true genius walking amongst us.â
At the mention of a treat, Lauraine nodded, suddenly realising that she was quite hungry. Besides, it would be a shame to be somewhere like this and not make the most of all the food on offer.
âIâm going to hold you to that!â She joked. âAnd mark the occasion in my diary. The day you bought me a churroâŠâ
Lauraine couldnât help her smile at Laylaâs words, grateful for the kindness. âHappy to keep you company while you clean!â
She gave a small shudder at the mention of the college boys. âYou know, I never went to college â but every time someone mentions the boys I find myself more and more grateful for that. Why do they do that, anyway? Like, surely itâs more effort keeping those lies running than just ending their relationship with one?â
"If i'm closing on my own I usually just blast the jukebox till my ears ring, so it's nice to have some company." Albeit she liked the occasional quiet of taking on the task al by herself. "I think they tend to delude themselves that they can make it work. And if it doesn't, just gasslight 'em, pretend they weren't technically in a committed relationship. Tends to be the steps."
Fish: do you like fish and sea life? any favorites?
âFun fact: I am slightly terrified of fish. Donât know why, but they just⊠freak me out. I think itâs something about not being able to see them properly. The deeper out I go, the more I freak out about what might be beneath me!â
Earth: do you ever like to unplug and disconnect for a while?Â
âOh, for sure. Look, I spent my life travelling up and down the country in a van. Unplugging and disconnecting is practically what I was raised doing. I like to make time each week to ground myself, to remind myself of whatâs really important.â
for: open! (0/5)
location: a walking path during the evening
@aurorabaystarter
"Yeah! It was pretty cool!" She smiles. "I really missed New York, I got to see some old friends, sit in on some conferences, went back to my favorite deli." Lydia babbles for a moment, pausing to let Gus sniff a bush before continuing on. "I am glad to be back though. I missed my bed and I forgot how much better I sleep without having to block out all the noise."
Lauraine laughed. âSounds amazing! It must be nice to be able to go back to somewhere you spent so much time. Had things changed much since you were last there?â A small nod of understanding, and then, âI get it. Nothing quite like your own place, at the end of it all!â
âI stayed here for all of it,â said Lauraine. âIt feels⊠strange, to stay in one place for so long, but I weirdly like it in a way? I donât know if itâll be a permanent thing, but for whatever time I will be in town, Iâm making the most of it.â
âThe secretâs safe with me,â Lauraine responded with a wink. âAnd thanks. Iâll try not to loiter too long â I hear all the time about how frustrating that is, from the guys at Golden Hour.â She took another sip of her drink. âHowâs tonight been? Any gossip to share?â
"Ahh, it's okay." Layla motions her hand as if pushing away the notion of her being an imposition, "It's gunna take a while for me to clean up the place. What's one glass that waits till tomorrow to get washed?"
"Oh, the usual. A few college boys who are juggling a few different girls who don't know about each other.
Lauraine couldnât help her smile at Laylaâs words, grateful for the kindness. âHappy to keep you company while you clean!â
She gave a small shudder at the mention of the college boys. âYou know, I never went to college â but every time someone mentions the boys I find myself more and more grateful for that. Why do they do that, anyway? Like, surely itâs more effort keeping those lies running than just ending their relationship with one?â
where - outside/in front of flora and fauna flower shop
"Is the flower arch too much?" Iris wondered aloud, looking to the entranceway of her shop. "Or is it not enough? I was thinking like, it could be seasonally changed too, you know? With all the upcoming months being decoration-heavy and all.."
âFor this shop?â Lauraine said, glancing towards her. âAbsolutely not. Iâd say itâs actually the perfect vibe. Something thatâs equal parts elegant and fun, you know?â
She tilted her head at the mention of seasonal decorations. âNow that definitely sounds like fun. What kinds of things did you have in mind?â
Lauraineâs eyes widened at her words. âWell that explained the cat carrier!â She said, opening her bag and quickly taking her stuff out. Luckily, there wasnât much in it â sheâd been on her way to the store to get some groceries, so all she really needed to take out was her keys and wallet.
Shoving them into her back pockets, she handed her bag over to the other woman. âOkay, how do you want to do this?â She asked. âWhatâs the best way to move some stray cats?â
â yeah I should have led with that oneâ Ramsey admitted glancing over to the other woman. Sheâd been so caught up in trying to help that she had avoided giving additional context. It probably would have helped speed things along better.
Ramsey had gotten this far but she wasnât sure what to do next. She didnât actually think anyone would have helped her. â well theyâre not super mobile yet so they might be easy to grab. I might have to lure the mom out with food or something cause sheâs nice but obviously still a wild animal â @lauraine-cortes
She titled her head. âDo you know these guys? How do you know the momâs nice?â
âWould it be better to try to help the mom first, or the kids?â Lauraine said, tentatively crouching a little closer to the cats. âBecause I donât want the mom to get all⊠mama bear and attack me if we pick up her kittens, but also how likely is it sheâll come out for food when her kittens are still in here?â
âThatâs all one guy?â Lauraine arched an eyebrow. âThatâs⊠dedication? Maybe bordering on harassment?â
âIâm all for people taking a chance â this industry is practically built on people having the guts to fight for something â but like⊠thatâs a lot.â
She gave a small shrug. âI mean, Iâve done a lot of open mics and shitty gigs in my time before getting my residency at Golden Hour Lounge. I think the lowest for me was auditioning for an entertainer role and being beaten by a sock puppet.â She gave a shiver at the memory. âBut I donât think Iâve ever done that much. Surely after the tenth tape youâd take the hint?â
With an awkward smile, she reached towards the box and took out a tape. âIâll give it a go. Whatâs the worst that can happen, right? You want anything for this?â
A small chuckled and then, âMaybe this was their plan all along â give you so many you have to give them out to others, and then heâll increase his exposure that way!â
â one very dedicated and possibly stubborn personâ Lalita replied as she glanced back down at the box. She didnât know what possessed them to send that many copies especially since she only needed one but Lalita never knew what went on in peopleâs heads.
â I love the idea of just going in there and doing it themselves but this is a lot. â she admitted. â I donât have the space for all their stuff anymore. Wait did you say a sock puppet?â She asked as soon s the words hit her. Did she hear correctly? âWhat the hell was the sock puppets act? â
â literally nothing bad would happen. It isnât like the tape is cursed or anything. I donât need anything youâre doing me a solid by taking it off my handsâ she noted before glancing back. â that would be actually pretty clever. â @lauraine-cortes
âOh, yeah, thereâs definitely a line, and this guy⊠heâs one hundred percent dived over that.â Lauraine gave another amused glance to the box, stuffed full of tapes. âYouâd think theyâd get the hint at some point.â
She gave a grin, the memory of the sock puppet disaster now distant enough that it was amusing rather than embarrassing. âTo be fair, they were quite entertaining. Think, like⊠muppets, but with sock puppets, and a bit⊠well, less family friendly. It was an all-singing, all dancing comedy troupe â just the troupe was two people and several socks.â A shrug, a giggle, and then, âDefinitely hurt a little losing out on a gig to a bunch of socks, though.â
âThanks for not giving me a cursed tape.â Lauraine laughed. âNot sure I need that in my life.â
âWhatâs you go-to drink?â She asked the nearest person, tilting her head as she contemplated her options âOr what do you think is the strongest? I'm definitely looking for a bang for my buck here."
âHere?â Lauraine replied, taking a good look around the Golden Hour. She had just finished her show for the evening, and, as she would usually do, had come across to the bar for a little celebratory drink and to socialise with some of the regularsâ and not so regulars. âDefinitely an Old Fashioned. Iâve got an image to keep! Canât have your lounge singer necking back jĂ€gerbombs â doesnât quite fit the vibe. Besides, Old Fashioneds are pretty strong too. Definitely worth considering. Though the strongest has definitely got to be a Long Island. Think that nearly took my head off when I first had it!â
âYou planning on having just one to nurse for the night, or have you got big evening plans? Because that might be a deciding factor in which drink you should get.â
who: open / @aurorabaystarter
where: carnival, near ferris wheel
"You know I never thought I'd admit this to anyone," Oriana started at the nearest person next to her. "But I think I might actually be afraid of heights." She'd been trying to get herself to go up on the ferris wheel. "I've been standing here for twenty minutes and I can't bring myself to get in line."
Lauraine gave a small laugh. âHey, I wouldnât beat yourself up about it. Iâve spent all day dodging requests to go on that chair swing â that thing is nightmare fuel.â
âWant to conquer our fears together? I promise I wonât judge you if you scream on the wheel as long as you donât judge me if I cry on the swing.â
Location: outside 100.3 Pirate Radio
Status:open
@aurorabaystarter
Lalita stood outside with a box of mixtapes and demos and she seemed to have ran out of room on the trash can from the last time she did this. She also figured this was a case of this would be bad for the environment and she wasnât out to do that sort of thing. â how many demos can one person send before it becomes too much?â She replied before glancing over to the person next to her. â itâs all from the same guy. â she admitted. She liked when people put themselves out there to be seen but this was overkill. Plus she was just one person in a small town she couldnât make real shit happen unless she was in a bigger city. It was her goal but it would take time. â Iâm not even mad; just a little worried for them. I appreciate the effort. You ever do this much to try to make something happen? Anyway; you want one? Itâs not bad music; I just donât have the need in my booth for 30 copies â
âThatâs all one guy?â Lauraine arched an eyebrow. âThatâs⊠dedication? Maybe bordering on harassment?â
âIâm all for people taking a chance â this industry is practically built on people having the guts to fight for something â but like⊠thatâs a lot.â
She gave a small shrug. âI mean, Iâve done a lot of open mics and shitty gigs in my time before getting my residency at Golden Hour Lounge. I think the lowest for me was auditioning for an entertainer role and being beaten by a sock puppet.â She gave a shiver at the memory. âBut I donât think Iâve ever done that much. Surely after the tenth tape youâd take the hint?â
With an awkward smile, she reached towards the box and took out a tape. âIâll give it a go. Whatâs the worst that can happen, right? You want anything for this?â
A small chuckled and then, âMaybe this was their plan all along â give you so many you have to give them out to others, and then heâll increase his exposure that way!â
