you try everything you can to escape

greer madeline wu. twenty-five. the lifeguard + apex predator. curated by 𝖑𝖊𝖝𝖎.

[lifeguardia]

𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐃𝐀𝐘

𝖌𝖗𝖊𝖊𝖗 𝖜𝖚: 𝖆𝖓 𝖎𝖓𝖙𝖗𝖔𝖉𝖚𝖈𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓.

we can't wait to meet GREER WU (havana rose liu, she/her)! known in their friend group as THE APEX PREDATOR, the FASHION MAGAZINE ASSISTANT reminds everyone of SALT CRUSTED HAIR, THE SCENT OF SUNSCREEN THAT SMELLS TOO SWEET, ALL LEGS AND CONFIDENCE, SITTING TALL IN A WHITE PLASTIC CHAIR LIKE A THRONE, & BUBBLEGUM PINK NAILS. they've always been a little TERRITORIAL, but surely they've gotten more CHARISMATIC now that they're TWENTY-FIVE years old, right? i guess we'll find out, since they'll be the THE LIFEGUARD for the grand reopening of the newly rebranded camp sunnyside!

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[rockstarfm]

"you do?" stella's face flushes, though whether it's from embarrassment that she'd reintroduced herself or pride that greer remembered her was anyone's guess. her already poor social skills are rusty from a year spent more or less on her own, though she'd probably be stumbling over her words regardless.

"thanks," she says, glancing down at her own outfit, as if she'd forgotten that she was wearing her standard band tee and cutoff shorts, "you look... great, but like, duh. you don't need me to say that."

stella realizes then that she hadn't stopped lingering in the other woman's sun. she decides to plop right down on the ground, unconcerned about dirtying her clothes, "so... what have you been up to? something super cool and like... chic, i bet."

[lifeguardia]

Greer's sunglasses slid a fraction lower as Stella flushed. The heat, the awkwardness, the way Stella still somehow managed to look like she was bracing for impact just by existing near Greer. It was slightly nostalgic. Maybe even made her feel a little like she was back home. Her mouth tugged slightly into a smile at Stella's compliment. "I know," she replied, almost immediately.

Her gaze followed Stella down, lingering a second longer than necessary. At the other's question, she let out a sharp laugh. "Something super cool and chic?" She echoed, raising her voice just an octave. "I work at a magazine back in the Big Apple. I'm like, a total real life walking talking Carrie Bradshaw." Which was the easy way of putting it instead of saying she grabbed coffee for other people. How the mighty fall!

"Et tu?" She tilted her head. "Didn't you used to do that like, whole music shtick?"

[goesfar]

sadie and greer were very different, but it was their differences that made their friendship stronger. once upon a time, sadie may have taken the girl's words at face value, or read too much into her tone. these days, she knew better. sadie meant what she said in the way that she said it - greer often didn't (at least, not from an outside perspective). and it was with that in mind that sadie could playfully roll her eyes at the girl's teasing.

"yes, actually. you know i love awards." she pointed out, ignoring the vampire insinuation in favor of her preferred positive reinforcement.

obviously there would be no medal, but she didn't let that fact stop her from doing what was asked of her. though plopping onto the ground wasn't the most ideal way of getting out of the sun, it was certainly the quickest. and so, her next words were directed up at her friend from below.

"you have to define normal, because at the end of the day i'm still me. but if your definition includes typical summer sadie behavior, there's a good chance." and greer was more familiar with summer sadie than most! her words didn't come without a caveat, though. "however, if you're asking if having fun is in the cards, then no. but that's actually super not my fault! our fearless leader is way more of an idiot than i thought... which kind of explains why the pay is so high. i don't think he knows how to do math."

[lifeguardia]

Greer's sunglasses tipped down just barely an inch as Sadie dropped to the ground. She peered at her friend over the rim with something close enough to her own version of fondness. Friends at camp never did come easy to Greer, so she was glad Sadie had somehow become one let alone remained one all these years. "Drama queen," she said, pursing her lips. Took one to know one.

At Sadie's question, Greer hummed in thought. "Define normal," she parroted back, but was quick to wave a vague hand around. "Actually, don't. I already know what your definition is and it's like, deeply unsexy and bums me out."

With the mention of Jasper, Greer's posture changed. Her shoulders sat more upright and a reddening on her cheeks began to form. "I think he's sooooo cute," she blurted out, dropping any hint of his daftness behind. Idiot could be cute! Then she kicked a perfectly oiled leg to tap against Sadie's knee. "Maybe you could get laid this summer. Give him a little tutoring," she finished off with a waggle of her brows.

[antleredhart]

　　　　𓆱　　“ yeah, i’ll get right on that . ”  if it were any other camp grounds — if it were anyone but bambi — she could have agreed with greer’s sentiment. everything about this offer would be better than the shitty kitchen she had boxed herself into back home. the scenery was beautiful, the pay much better. no spikes and lulls throughout the day, just designated meal times.

but her last comment should have hurt. maybe it did a little, but not in comparison to the way everything else hurt. it should have pissed her off. struck a nerve that forced her to react. would anyone have faulted bambi if her palm had collided with greer’s blushed cheek at the allusion to samira ?

it wasn’t some superhuman self restraints that held her back, but a lack of desire.

in a weird way, it was… positive. not nice. or a comfort. just positive. refreshing to not have to watch someone carefully pick out each word before they said it to her. pity didn't radiate off the other woman. she was not something fragile that greer was afraid to poke. “ i couldn’t be anywhere else. ”

it’s not that bambi was expecting any big breakthrough to happen. the only way she’d be leaving the camp grounds with her sister under her arm was in her dreams. ten years of people talking about ‘ what a joy samira was ’ nailed that coffin shut. yet there’s still a part of her — the frozen teenager that had stopped aging when she could no longer track samira’s next to her — that hoped. reckless, childish hope.

if something did happen, how could bambi not be there ? what if new management tried to spin samira’s story wrong ? spoken ill of their parents because of the lawsuit ? responsibility fell on bambi’s shoulders once again. perhaps a chance to right whatever big sister wrong she had committed ten years ago that allowed her to slip between her fingers. if nothing but stopping her from becoming a monster with claws whispered about over the campfire. to avoid the prank where the older kids rustle the bushes and make the younger ones think samira’s back ! and she wants revenge !

“ it’s just a bunch of wood, anyway. ” the trees, the buildings. all of it. “ it doesn’t have any power. ” if she said it enough times, maybe it would be true. “ like you said, paid vaycay. ” but it had sounded much more natural from the other’s lips.

[lifeguardia]

For once, Greer listened to Bambi as she spoke, which honestly may have been the most alarming thing about her in that particular moment. She wasn't completely heartless. Blunt, maybe. Catty, certainly. But, Jesus, she didn't know what she would do if one of the twins disappeared.

But the twins hadn't been missing for ten years. Samira had.

The lake lapped quietly behind Bambi, the sun still warm on her shoulders, but something about the way the haunted girl spoke — soft but stubborn — made Greer's posture relax. She wasn't about to hug her or anything, but there was a level of respect earned. If Bambi was running around here acting like nothing had impacted her, something Greer was strategically doing, she may have felt differently.

She let out a quiet huff through her nose, pushing herself up a little straighter in the chair, one pink manicured hand absentmindedly brushing sand off her thigh. "It's not just a bunch of wood," she said, though the words were edged with that same valley girl lilt of hers. But, if you looked a little deeper, it may have been an understanding. "'Preciate you for trying to not let it bother you."

Then, she tilted her head to the side. "Luckily for you, if anyone says anything," other than her, of course, "I'll totes mcgotes shut it down. I don't care it it makes me a bitch. I mean, I am one, but still." Did it put Greer on Bambi's side? Not necessarily. There was a heart underneath there!

[rockstarfm]

growing up, stella had thought about where her camp friends might fit into her normal life, which groups they would fall into among her schoolmates. it should have been easy, obvious, but a lot of them had stumped her. from an outside perspective she'd probably place them into categories of the things they liked— eddie with the jocks, sadie and harrison with the honors students, etc. etc. it grew more complicated when she factored in personalities. eddie didn't knock into her like she was invisible when they passed one another, harrison and sadie didn't treat her like she was incompetent.

greer had confused her the most.

she would, undoubtably, fit right into the top of the portland high food chain. but while those girls had never even considered giving her a shot, greer had promised friendship, so long as stella could prove she was worth it. she'd never quite proven her worth, but surely that was just because they'd run out of time... right?

so much has changed in the last decade, but looking at the other woman now makes her feel fourteen all over again. stella had walked up to her with the intention of a reunion, but her mind had gone blank the second she was in earshot.

"no, not really," she gives a weak laugh as she shifts her weight from foot to foot, "it's me, um... stella. i just wanted to say hi. so... hi."

[lifeguardia]

Greer just stared at Stella over the rim of her sunglasses, one leg still lazily swinging off the side of the chair like she had all the time in the world. And, well, in her mind; she did. The lake glittered behind Stella and it was almost too bright and warm. Time had done a number on most of them, for the better, which honestly, kind of put a pang in Greer's chest. Not the kind of pang that made her sad.

She was mostly just bummed that she wasn't the hottest person now.

It was adorable to see that nothing had shifted in Stella much. She had the same nervous energy she always did and Greer wondered if she still was that same fourteen year old girl or if it was simply Greer's own presence that brought it on. "I know who you are," she said, in an almost scathing tone.

A snort left her nose. Saying hi back was probably what a normal person would do in this circumstance. Ask what Stella had been up to, what her career was, did she have a partner? All of the typical small talk, but Greer had never been built for that. There was some wire in her head that had been snipped in adolescence.

"You look cute," she stated. A compliment or a jeer? Well, it was hard to tell with Greer, wasn't it? "Tres grunge."

[harriscns]

to harrison, it was no surprise to find greer relaxing while the rest of them are trying to get things ready for the campers. when he’d seen her name on the list of staff, he knew that he was probably going to end up with at least a dozen headaches a week just from her alone. but while he’d roll his eyes and walk straight past her any other day, he noted the way she was laying out in the sun, clearly tanning. the nurse in him couldn’t help himself.

without any real choice of his own, harrison is making his way towards greer. his brows lift slightly at her question, but he quickly shakes it off.

“that depends,” he offers with a small tilt of his head, “you do realize that the sun is pretty strong right now, right? unless you have a shit ton of sunscreen on, you probably shouldn’t be laying out here like this.”

[lifeguardia]

Greer's head tilts just a hair to the side at the sound of Harrison's tone, almost like a direct mirror of him. "Oh my god," she drags out each word in annoyance, her elevens just creasing slightly. She was having a grand, relaxing time and Harrison just had to ruin it by being... medically responsible?

"I do have sunscreen, thank you very much. I want supple skin when I'm like, eighty. I'm not an idiot," she spat out, leaning farther into her chair. Despite the lack of sun on her now, she still tilted her head back, chest rising as if she was still getting some sun, closing her eyes and deciding that he was definitively not a problem right now.

Still, it didn't stop her from speaking because asking Greer to not speak was like asking the sun not to rise. "Do you have sunscreen on?" She retorted back, knowing the answer herself. "Otherwise, you're either a hypocrite or highly chivalrous for being a human sun shield."

[lcvergrrl]

being back at camp shady pines - sorry, camp sunny side - was brining back emotions dani had not thought about in a decade. in fact, they had been pushed so far to the back of her mind that she had forgotten such memories even existed. but just being back in these familiar woods reminded her of the night after the farewell bonfire when the news of samira's disappearance was announced. of course dani knew something was up before that, after all the counselors had been asking her if she had noticed when samira left their bunk. and dani had been too caught up in her own problems to even notice the girl was missing.

so, in an attempt to really commit to this whole starting over thing, dani wanted to wash herself clean of any negative thoughts. while a shower was an option, taking a swim in the lake sounded much more appealing. even if that first jump in would be bone chilling.

she had just walked to the edge of the water and dipped her toe in the lake to check the temperature when she heard a voice behind her speak up. thick curls bouncing as she whipped her head towards the sound, dani couldn't place her initial feelings upon seeing greer wu. "chill out." the brunette murmured, dipping her hands in the water to wet them and splash the water on her limbs to help protect against the impending jump in. "if you didn't say anything you would've gotten your light back." dani may not have spoken to greer like this ten years ago, but she had grown up.

"did you come here before unpacking your bags?" she wondered, not taking much notice of the other girl's belongings in their room when she had been unpacking her own suitcase.

[lifeguardia]

Chill out. Those words settled in her ribs, lighting a fire she didn't know was there. That was the problem with Greer. She never did know what would or wouldn't make her totally bug out on another person. A part of her was like, totally impressed that Dani had the juice to say something.

"Daniella," Greer practically purred, sitting her sunglasses atop her head so she could take in the sight in front of her. They weren't kids anymore and the dark haired girl had to respect that, but it didn't mean that she wouldn't still fight venom with venom. All's fair in love and cattiness. Or whatever it was John Lyly said.

"You're gonna freeze, if that's your idea of taking a dip. Or are you like, one of those weird little new age freaks?" She asked, curious. Greer doesn't dog on religion! "You either jump in or you don't. Best way to do it."

At Dani's question about unpacking, she waved a vague hand around. "Um, obviously. Can't you see I'm technically working?" As she waved a hand around herself and back to the lake that had approximately two people on it. One being herself. None being children.

"I mean, what if you like, drowned or something? No one would be here to save you."

[inafieldofdaisies]

[antleredhart]

　　　　𓆱　　greer’s initial sarcasm felt like her cue to leave .  but something about the studying gaze held her in place. like a vice, like an embrace. something muddy in the middle. everything that followed stuck to that theme. truly, bambi didn’t know what kind of greeting she was expecting. signing on to work in the kitchen, she had been under a false sense of security that she could just spend the summer avoiding people.

cabin mates ? group activities ? not things that had crossed bambi’s mind until the grating voice of jasper st james had forced them to. introductions seemed hard. re-introductions even worse. greer was like plunging into the deep end of cold water. the stage of hypothermia that almost felt warm.

“ it was a long commute, ” probably shorter than most’s, if she were being honest. a palatable lie, as opposed to the gruesome reality that she had been rotting the last ten years. “ you — ” it’s the first time that she really forced herself to look. not at the scrapbook of memories she held in her mind, but the figure in front of her. “ don’t. ” it wasn’t a compliment. not an insult. “ i didn’t expect you to be here this year. ” no one from those ten years ago, really. greer one of the least.

[lifeguardia]

Greer nearly smiled when Bambi didn't leave. There was a second where she thought she might high tail it in the other direction. "Tragic. You should like, file a complaint with the state of Maine or something," she remarked. Then she heard Bambi's little comment. You don't.

Her brows knitted together. There was a small chuckle that left her lips and for once, Greer was at a loss of words. She would tack it down in her mental notebook as a compliment, but she knew that wasn't exactly what the other meant. There had been seldom a change in Greer; maybe her hair had grown longer and the corners of her mouth had become more hollow.

She took a moment to stare Bambi down, her eyes crinkling. It was hard not to notice it. Time had passed, a certain dullness now accompanied a once bright girl. And if Greer stared too long at Bambi's hair or her skin, all she could think of was Samira. It hit her quiet and unwelcome, and she just as soon pushed any feelings back down.

"Yeah, well, who could like, pass up a paid vaycay?" She asked. Not that it was much of a vacation, but Greer wasn't bound to learn that on day one. "You're one to talk, though," she added, pushing some of her hair behind her shoulder. "I feel like you're the last person I expected to like, willingly come back here." Harsh.

[goesfar]

a summer to remember.

jasper's grating voice was still ringing in sadie's ears as she trudged out to the lake that afternoon, a fierce determination to banish her boss and his insane list of tasks for her to complete from her thoughts propelling her forward. even if it was only for a moment, she reasoned, it would be enough.

she was not normally one to take the time to appreciate nature, the beautiful landscape and warm weather of california that she found herself in back in the real world (aka not during her one throwback summer) totally wasted on someone who spent most of her time cooped up inside and buried in law textbooks. however, the lake was just far enough away from the administrative offices to truly reset. a quick walk there, a momentary reprieve, and one more walk back and all would be well.

as she drew closer, however, she realized how unrealistic her plan had been. because sitting there, soaking up the sun, was the one person from her past who she'd actually kept in contact with.

and they were long overdue for a catch up.

"yes," she insisted once her just standing there'd had her desired effect. "i'm actually outside. are you proud of me?"

[lifeguardia]

Greer was proud of Sadie. It had been, what? Months, maybe close to a year since she had been back home, let alone, made the commute up to visit Sadie. Such was the life of being an adult and being miles away from one another. But, they were never more than an AIM message away. Although, Greer's social commitments and Sadie's academic ones were sure to get in the way from time to time.

A small, indiscernible sigh left Greer's mouth as she leaned back further into the chair, letting her head tilt just a hair, tilting it towards her friend. "I'm literally, like, so proud. This is huge for you. Seriously, I might have a disposable somewhere. Might as well document that you like, don't totally burst in the sun," she said, joking in her best way — condescension.

"Did you want a medal, too?" Greer added, lightly, her lips curving into amusement. Then, just a little softer, but not all that nicer, "You're still in my sun. Schmoove, Sadie."

"Does that mean you're about to grace us by being normal this summer?" Nobody probably knew it better than Greer that Sadie always did let loose a little bit during summer. Maybe not by much — Greer was sure there was a perpetual stick up Sadie's ass. But like, not in a bad way! Just in a way that Greer always had to nudge her.

[antleredhart]

　　　　𓆱　　bambi wasn’t at camp yet .  at least, not really. she’d driven the familiar route down with her brain on autopilot. gotten there, greeted jasper for cabin assignments, placed her stuff in said cabin, checked out the kitchen — all before she had truly arrived. a childhood familiarity led her over the grounds without ever having to snap out of her daze.

she wasn’t at camp. she was at camp ten years ago. she had never left.

when greer’s voice first cut through the white noise of wilderness sounds, bambi could have been convinced it wasn’t real. that she’d look to her right and see the girl speaking to samira instead. that it was a moment she had stored away in her head. silly girl, accompanied the thought, samira is the sun.

but this was about blocking it. something that had been shining, so dull. temperature dropping upon approach. bambi. her head followed the sound to the left, watching greer’s sunglasses give way to reveal familiar eyes. a lot had changed in ten years, but time hadn’t touched those. not even the way they possessed the kind of sass present in teenage girls. it should have been concerning to be on the receiving end. instead, it was a comfort.

“ no, ” bambi replied. did a casual tone make up for taking too long to answer ? bury the fact she had clear been miles away when the other woman started talking ? likely not, as the answer to both, but she had come this far ! “ this is just a — ” pause, think. play the part. even if it’s with all the talent of a child cast as tree # 3. “ a friendly camp welcome. i’m — it’s bambi. ”

[lifeguardia]

Greer didn't sit up at all when she realized it was Bambi in front of her. It had been, what? Ten years? There was an admittedly different attitude in the girl, at least from what Greer could recall. Now, though, faces had blurred and even memories from camp seemed to be hazy. Maybe this was how Bambi had always been.

"Right," she said, dryly. "Super necessary, then." It was definitely sarcastic as she said it. It's not like they didn't know each other, even if the years had passed them by. Her gaze sharpened, dragging her eyes to look over the differences. Underneath it all, Greer was sure it was the same girl in there. Nobody ever did grow up. Such was the case with Greer Wu, at the very least.

"Wow. You look..." Greer breathed out, almost exasperated like she was shocked to see her. And she was. But, the noise she made, even followed by the way she finally stood up, it was almost like she might embrace the doe eyed girl. Like maybe they had been friends for years. Until, she deadpanned,

"Like shit."

What a welcome that must have been.

[lifeguardia]

𝐖𝐇𝐎: greer wu & you!

𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄: near the lake

Greer had always liked the lake best when it was quiet and for the next week, she expected no snot nosed interruptions. She was sat in a chair, one leg hooked over the arm and the other swinging, sat like a true queen atop her throne. Although, she had neglected her actual lifeguard chair in the hopes of getting a bit of a sunkissed tan on her skin. She had put SPF on because she wasn't like, trying to be one of those leathery ladies in their fifties, but every girl looked a little better with a tan. That was what Greer thought, anyway. Pale and ghostly were meant for the likes of people that lingered too close to Hot Topic in the mall.

Her eyes were closed and sunglasses were propped on the bridge of her nose, but there was no unmistakably moment that the sun had disappeared in an instant. The forecast didn't call for rain or overcast, so she cracked a singular eye open. "Um, hello? You're like, totally blocking my sun," she stated matter-of-factly, as if she owned the sun itself. She perched the sunglasses further down her nose to peek at the perpetrator. "Is this important?"

[nick-nellson]

Clueless (1995) dir. Amy Heckerling

[mothercains]

HAVANA ROSE LIU as shai in lurker (2025)

[dailyflicks]

Havana Rose Liu as Lizzie Wang-Wasserman — Oh. What. Fun. (2025) dir. Michael Showalter

[sersh]

HAVANA ROSE LIU Makeup by Misha Shahzada, hair styled by Clara Leonard and styling by Austen Turner ahead of the 35th Gotham Film Awards, December 1st 2025

[emotional-emotion]

Friends (1994 - 2004)