dancing in the dark.

mae o'brien. seventeen, junior, the perfectionist, wannabee.

[maeobrien-blog]

kenneththemenace: 

Kenneth had been sitting outside on the porch swing reading a book and enjoying the summer sun. He loved the heat - it was almost as if it charged him and he tried to be outdoors as much as possible. When he heard a call for help, he looked up searching for someone in trouble before fixing his eyes on the girl with a box. Placing his book down, he stood up and jogged towards her taking the box out of her hands. “This is nothing,” He teased with a laugh. “I could juggle this.”

Mae smiled at the boy who jogged over to help her, and sighed with relief as he grabbed the box from her. “Well, I’m sorry,” Mae said playfully, “but not all of us are so strong!” She was a ballerina, and dance should have made her strong, but Mae’s upper body strength still left something to be desired. “I’m Mae. Nice to meet you.”

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kitmontgomery: 

“No, no need to apologize at all. It literally is a hellhole. Hence, ya know, trying to make it a tiny bit less hell-like, at least on the surface.” Kit said, gesturing to his artwork in front of him. He put a little finishing touch on the bottom left corner of his little painting, before wiping his paintbrush on a rag. “If you ever need some tips on the best places in the neighbourhood, let me know. There’s a great coffee shop near my house, and then a few blocks further there’s somehow still a movie rental place which mostly survives by selling the best ice cream.”

Mae smiled. “Well, you’re doing a good job improving it. It’s incredible, Kit.” Mae sighed with relief as he offered to help her out. “That would be amazing. Honestly, I’ve never moved before, and I’m clueless when it comes to stuff like this.” She laughed. “And the neighbourhood doesn’t sound so bad. My old neighbourhood was full of old people who only emerged from their houses to yell at kids for being too loud."

[maeobrien-blog]

jhowlands: 

Jaxon nods, almost speaking until Mae says something else. “Yeah, I’m a junior too. You’ll be fine..the people just look scary, but I’ve been in the district my whole life and it’s mostly just for show. Plus they have activities during the summer for new students to help adjust.” He looks at the house before looking at the blonde again, head tilted. “Is there anything in particular you wanna know? I could probably tell you. Or lead you in the right direction of someone who could.”

“I’m glad,” Mae said, glad that Jaxon understood. “High school was terrifying back in Canada. Fingers crossed Franklind is better.” She smiled. “Well,” Mae said slowly, finally asking a question she’d wanted to know the answer to since she arrived. “Is there a dance team?” Mae was almost worried to know the answer. If there wasn’t a dance team, she’d definitely hate living in Mauve.

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dianawilton: 

Diana was walking home from cheer practice in her uniform, and as always she was taking the long way home. An ordinary precaution she employed in her life, Diana had to walk from practice in the direction of the house she had been pretending was her own for the past year. Then, she’d eventually make a turn towards her family’s actual apartment. Diana never regretted the lies she had told; they had made her popular, invincible, and more importantly, perfect. They gave her control over her own life, and now, her happiness would never exist at the mercy of anyone else’s. As she walked, she heard a girl — who was stumbling with a large box in her hands — speak to her. “Of course!” Diana said, “Are you new to Mauve?”

“Oh, thank god. Moving heavy boxes is not my strength.” Mae laughed a little, adjusting her grip on the box to keep it from slipping out of her hands. “Yeah, I just got to town this morning. I haven’t even had the chance to see any of it yet.” Mae smiled. This was true - they’d arrived early in the morning, and had been unpacking ever since. “I’m Mae, by the way.” Mae took a look at her saviour. She and the girl were probably the same age, and Mae noticed the girl’s uniform. Mae wasn’t well acquainted with the art of cheerleading. She’d tried to try out for her old high school’s team, but it seemed that each of the girls had something against her. Still, she’d always longed to be on a cheer team. “Are you a cheerleader?”

[dcomgifs]

“don’t get any ideas mister. the only thing more deadly than my high-kick is my low-kick”

[maeobrien-blog]

jhowlands: 

“Ballet? That’s cool.” He didn’t know anything about dance, or anything related to it. Jax shrugs again, running a hand through his hair as he looks at the blonde. “Yeah, I get it. Not the same situation..but I get it.“ He shakes his head at her words. Part of him wonders just why she felt that way about dancing..but he wasn’t going to ask. Not any of his business. “Nah, it’s not stupid. Lots of people feel that way.”

Mae smiled, grateful of Jax’s reassuring words. “Hey, do you go to school at Franklind?” Mae had figured they were probably the same age, so he most likely would be going to school there. “I’ll start my junior year in the fall, and honestly, I just want to know what it’s like.” High school back in Victoria had been hell, and some small part of Mae was holding onto the hope that this year would be different.

[maeobrien-blog]

knightxlindsey: 

He nodded, indicating that he had a good grip on it and wouldn’t drop it. “I’m Knight.” To his surprise, he didn’t even hesitate in revealing his name so casually. Usually, he’d get embarrassed or even a bit bitter whenever he’d introduce himself… but this time he just wanted to talk to the other person. “So… where does this go?” He motioned his head towards the box.

“Knight? Damn, that’s got to be the coolest name I’ve ever heard!” And Mae meant it. "See, I was cursed with the name Mabel. You're lucky." She'd been forever jealous of people like Knight, who had cool names. Mae smiled at him. “Just put it on the porch, if you don’t mind.” She gestured towards the house. "And thank you again. Hey, many hands make light work, right?"

[maeobrien-blog]

daviddez: 

David was a skinny kid. He spent most of his time indoors. He didn’t have a ton of muscle, but he wasn’t weak by any means. You could thank mandatory gym class for that, no matter how often he begged to get out of it or pleaded illness to get out of running. “Mhm,” David nodded, noting the heaviness of the box. He walked towards the open door. As soon as David and Mae were inside, he se the box down. “I don’t know where your dad will want these books, but they look like a good door prop to me,” he grinned. He wasn’t typically the type to makes jokes, only because he was so anxious half the time, but the medication switch had been working fairly well. “I would’ve done it whether or not you paid me a million dollars, but… I will say, a million dollars wouldn’t look too bad right now. It’s nice to meet you Mae. So, are you gonna be going to Franklind High School in the fall?”

“Unfortunately,” Mae said with a sigh, before realizing her mistake. “I’m sorry - I’m sure Franklind High is great.” But Mae wasn’t sure at all. In fact, from what she’d seen of Mauve already, she wasn’t sure that any of it was great. The town just didn’t feel at all like home, like Victoria had. “I guess I’m just homesick already.” She smiled sadly. “I’ll be a junior in the fall, so only two more years.” And then a college like Juilliard, she hoped.

[maeobrien-blog]

weszhou: 

It seemed like Wes’s neighborhood was becoming more populated by the day. The O’Sullivan’s were coming out more since then death of their son, the other neighbors were comforting them, some people down the street were moving in, and even the Zhou’s had taken to their porch oftentimes during nice nights. It was a lively neighborhood, and one that was becoming even more lively with the addition of new folks moving in just down the street from Wes. Coming back from his early evening run, the young man noticed a blonde struggling with a large moving box, and quickly came to her rescue, “Hey, yeah,” He grabbed the box with ease and laid it carefully on her front porch, “Do you just want me to help you with the rest ‘a those?”

Mae smiled as the boy from down the street easily carried her box onto the porch. “You’re a lifesaver,” she said gratefully, “and if you wouldn’t mind, I would love some help.” Mae’s arms were already starting to ache, though she didn’t like to admit it. Dancing had made her strong, but after over an hour of carrying boxes back and forth, she was definitely in need of some help. “Our movers took a coffee break, and my dad and his girlfriend ran to the grocery store, so I’m pretty much on my own.”

[maeobrien-blog]

cierra-collins: 

Cierra had decided to forgo the voluntary rehearsals at her dance studio that afternoon; she wanted a day to herself, to relax. She was lounged on the front lawn of her house, tanning lotion on and watching her little brothers chase each other through the sprinklers. Though a moving truck had been parked across the street all day, it had hardly inhibited the sun’s rays, something Cierra was determined to soak up as much of as she could. She glanced up when she heard a voice across the normally quiet street calling for help. She sat up, her hand shielding her eyes, realizing that it was her new neighbor requesting the help. She held up one finger, jumping off the lounge chair and darting up the steps to her house, shouting to her mother that she was running across the street real quick. She crossed the lawn, jumping into a pair of shorts along the way. “Hey there!” Cierra beamed. “What do you need help with?”

Oh, thank you,” Mae smiled as one of her new neighbours came to help her, “This box was just a lot heavier than I thought it would be.” Understatement - Mae had nearly dropped the box. Still, she didn’t want to seem weak in front of anyone in Mauve. She wanted to give a good first impression, especially to this girl. They were probably the same age, and Mae figured that having a friend wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. “I think this is the box with all my dance pictures, and I’ve got a couple thousand of them.” Mae smiled. “I mean, if you wouldn’t mind, could you help me carry this into the house?”

[maeobrien-blog]

x.

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jhowlands: 

“Yeah, we had to sell them on the Facebook garage sales. Creepiest things ever.” He shudders even at the thought. Jaxon nods and does ashe’s told, setting the box inside the house. He doesn’t look at the inside ; that’s a bit personal, he wouldn’t want to intrude and make a comment about the condition of their house. It’s not like there’s anything in it anyways. “I mean, it’s just one step to being able to eat actual meals here. I’d take that as a win.” He shrugs, turning around and raising a curious eyebrow at her next words. “Are they special to you?” Might be a bit too personal, Jax. “Hopefully you’ll find them soon, then. It’d suck to be living in a house that doesn’t feel like a home. Felt that for awhile until my room was unpacked..not a feeling I’d want to have again."

"Yeah, they are pretty special," Mae said with a nostalgic smile. "I, um, do ballet. I guess, whenever I dance, I just feel safe and at home, you know?" It was true. Back in Victoria, the ballet studio had been her home away from home, especially when her house didn't feel like a home. Now, she didn't even have that. She blinked and shook her head. "I'm sorry, that's really stupid."

[maeobrien-blog]

daviddez: 

David was more of an inside kind of kid. He preferred playing with Legos than playing frisbee. His family tended to be the kind of people who liked being outside. He didn’t mind it, most time, but when he got tan, he got TAN. Though, when a moving truck was spotted across the street, his mother immediately called him outside to help. That’s the kind of people the Reids were. Helpful and caring. His mother would make a desert for them to have that night and David and his brother would help the family move their boxes in. His sister was away at band practice, but David and Kyle were there and ready to help. “That’s what I’m coming over for!” David called, looking both ways before trotting across the street. “Let me take that for you,” he grinned. Kyle immediately went to grab another box from the truck. “I’m David. I live across the street.”

“Thank you so much!” Mae said, relieved, as she handed the box over to David. “I was sure I was going to drop this box on my toes.” She smiled gratefully at him and the other boy, who Mae assumed was his brother. “I really should be able to do this on my own, but I’m pretty sure that’s the box with my dad’s collection of law books, and heaven knows that shit is heavy.” Mae realized she hadn’t even introduced herself. “I’m Mae, by the way. And thank you again for helping me out. My old neighbours wouldn't have helped me out if I offered to pay them a million dollars.”

[maeobrien-blog]

jhowlands: 

“Canada’s cool,” hands shift the box to hopefully keep it from falling out of his hands. “Went there with my family a couple of years ago.” Jax’s eyebrows raise at her description, letting out a light laugh. “You probably won’t be saying that soon enough. Most people I know can’t wait to get out of here.” He nods his head and steps back so she could lead the way. “Yeah, just show me where you want it. When we moved into my new house, they took everything but these weird little gnome statues, so it’s lightbulbs aren’t the weirdest thing in the world..just more inconvenient.”

“Gnomes statues? Damn, that’s actually kind of creepy,” Mae laughed. She started walking towards the house. It felt good to be talking to someone other than her dad for once, but Mae still felt sort of lonely. Mae hadn’t had many friends in Victoria, but it was still home. Mauve was...not the same. “Just bring it into the entrance, if you don’t mind. I’m pretty sure that’s the box with all our cutlery.” She smiled sadly. Tonight, she’d probably have to eat instant noodles and sleep on the couch - one of the few pieces of furniture the old owners had left behind. “Honestly,” Mae said, “I can’t wait to find the box with all my ballet shoes. Then this house will actually feel like home.”

[maeobrien-blog]

kitmontgomery: 

“I suppose the mailbox isn’t actually horrible; I just happen to be biased against anything that reminds me of my stepfather. I swear, though, it was way cooler when I had painted a bunch of fish on it” Kit said with a grin. He always prided himself on his facial recognition, and he now recalled seeing Mae and her family with boxes on the yard. “I’m Kit, Kit Montgomery” he said, his face bright with a smile — painting always lifted his mood. “Thanks, I’m honestly not sure why I was so inspired to paint on a wall, but it definitely brightens the place up! Yeah, I’m going to be a Junior here next year. Wait, why are you here anyways? Showing up to school when it’s not mandatory for you, that’s impressive” he said playfully.

Mae nodded sympathetically as Kit talked about his stepfather. She could relate - she and her father’s girlfriend, Katie, (who would likely become his fiance) had never been close. Katie tried her best, but Mae always resented her for trying to take the place of her mother. Mae smiled as Kit spoke. For a moment, Kit’s rambling reminded Mae of Dinah. Her former ballet instructor had always been the same - bubbly, rambling, and best of all, kind. Mae shook the thought away, trying to forget. She shrugged. “I’ll be a junior, too. I guess I just wanted to check out the hellhole where I’ll be spending the next two years of my life.” Mae’s eyes widened as she realized what she’d said. “I’m sorry! That was really harsh.”

[maeobrien-blog]

knightxlindsey: 

Knight was doing anything, just aimlessly roaming when he noticed the moving truck, and his curiosity peaked. The pace of his steps decreased as he got closer to the scene. Instantly, questions were flooding his mind. Who was she? Why was she moving? Where was she before? Did she want to move? Did she move often? Before he knew, all of the questions he was asking himself started to have the underlying question of ‘Is she like me?’ He nearly jumped when she called out to him, snapping himself back to reality. “Y-yeah sure.” With that, he jogged over to her and held onto the box.

Mae sighed with relief when a boy jogged over to help her. "Careful, it's a bit heavy." She smiled at him. The boy couldn't have been much younger than her, so Mae figured they'd probably be going to the same school in the fall. "I guess I'm not as strong as I thought I was. This whole moving thing is kind of new for me." This was true, before this move the O'Briens had always lived in Victoria. Mae was hardly thrilled about the move, and she was even less thrilled about having to unpack. "I'm Mae, by the way."

[maeobrien-blog]

jhowlands: 

He can only shrug, or, shrug as much as he could while holding the box. It was actually heavier than he thought it would be. “It’s fine, don’t worry ‘bout it.” Jaxon looks over at the boxes on the lawn then back to the blonde, slightly nodding his head. “You’re fine. Seriously, it’s okay.” He gives her a small smile hopefully to ease her nerves. “’m Jaxon. Nice to meet you, Mae. Where’d you move from?" 

“Uh, Victoria, Canada.” Mae answered. “Probably why I apologize so much.” She joked, flashing a small smile. “Mauve seems...” she trailed off. Like the worst town on the planet? Like a steaming garbage fire?” “lovely.” She said, hoping her face didn’t betray how unenthusiastic she was about moving here. “Could you help me carry that box into the house? I’d get my dad to help me, but he and his girlfriend had to run to the store - it seems that the former owners took the courtesy of removing every lightbulb in the house before they left.”