The world never did help a smart girl.

[p-finch]

"No, that's hideous. What wasn't clear about that the first time?" Percy was definitely undercaffeinated, and his pop-up shop wasn't going as smoothly as he planned. He had gotten back to Rosewood just a few days ago after a few weeks in Paris and he was trying not to be a snob. But the summer staff he had hired barely knew their right from left. "Hey does anyone want a job? Everyone here is fired!" He stepped outside and patted his pockets for his cigarettes. "God, I've become a bitch, haven't I? Or do bitches just have high standards?"

[marinalisbon]

Rosewood fashion district at this time of day was not when the casual shoppers would be out and about but the professionals, and as one of them, Marina was running errands and looking for pieces to feature in an upcoming look book she was working on for the fashion house she didn't quite work for anymore now that modeling was the more steady stream of income, but she still dedicated her time to an an unofficial capacity. She'd heard that a pop up shop was happening and figured she'd get in early before anything really good got snatched up but figured she'd perhaps made it there too early as she witnessed Percy frankly talk to his employees like shit and fire them. If he wasn't looking for the truth, Marina was the wrong person to have crossed paths with that morning as she didn't like bullies, "The former, not the latter." She said coolly as she pulled out her phone, looking for alternative shops she could check out as this likely wasn't going to work out.

[queen-tinsley]

Tinsley bit down on her lower lip as Marina spoke on her lying, immediately shaking her head. Now that was a word that triggered a lot in her now a days. Just the mere thought brought back memories of doing not so great things with a certain pain in her ass. And the worst part being that she hadn't exactly hated it. But that was in her past, not so distant past, but past regardless. She knew that Holden and she would never be more than a lay... or a few, so she had to put her life back in order. Her perfect life, the life that she'd worked so hard to get with the man that she'd loved for her entire life. "Not a lie." She instantly told her. "Why would I have to lie to you?" The blonde told her, a small smirk working at her lips. "I do too." Tinsley said, looking over the dress with such love. "Well, I'm not exactly a messy easter, so that shouldn't be a concern." She told Marina. She liked to think white could represent a clean slate, or at least cleanish. Sure, she was synonymous with the color red. And my god, she loved it. But she wanted to enter a new era. One that didn't involve hookups with her mortal enemy or reminders of her childhood escapades with those ungrateful girls she called her friends back in the day. No, she was ready for her new chapter. "I do. Plus perhaps seeing me in white will insight something in Stefan..." She let Marina know with a raise of her eyebrow. "Well that's where the pop of color is definitely gonna have to come through."

[marinalisbon]

Other people's business simply wasn't Lisbon business and if it wasn't Lisbon business then Marina wasn't digging too deep so if Tinsley came off a little triggered by the 'lie' accusation then it flew right over the model's head, "Mmm yeah then I guess this is her? So that something is something you're actively wanting right now? Marina asked, keeping her casual tone, but just to cover her bases she continued on without missing a beat, "I love Diego and I have literally never loved a man, but if he asked tomorrow? I don't know what my answer would be. Then again, he knows I'm not terribly interested in that so I doubt he'll ask. You have to try it on by the way, we need the full effect then we move on to shoes."

[queen-tinsley]

"I was listening." Tinsley said, her lips twisting soon after as... yeah, she might have been lying. "Okay, so I missed a bit there, but I was and am listening." She told Marina with a nod of her head. Today was about enjoying herself, and she intended to do just that. "What look?" She asked, clearly playing dumb. "I've just spread myself thin, lately. I've got a lot to juggle and Cannes is literally next week which means having to wrangle a ton of our talents and that doesn't really leave me with much time with Stefan so I kind of want to make the most of it." She confided in Marina. Whilst she'd loved how successful both her boyfriend and she were in their respective fields, they sort of become married to their jobs as of late. So she was excited for this dinner. "Well, he's about right on that front. We, Chadwells sure know how to put together a dinner party." Tinsley looked over the dress that Marina recommended, not exactly hating it. If the dress code was to out-do everyone, that'd surely do it. But she wanted to go into this dinner wanting to be irresistible. She wanted Stefan to take one look at her and want to have his way with her then and there. "I love that, but I'm kind of thinking something shorter. Something more a la..." Tinsley looked over the racks, her ruby red manicured index finger tapping at her lips until she found it. "this. Chanel '93. Can't go wrong with this."

[marinalisbon]

"There are better things to waste lies on than this, Tinsley." Marina said in the same cool and matter of fact tone she said most things in. She wasn't offended that Tinsley's mind was elsewhere, she was just observant and unafraid to voice what she was thinking if she were so inclined. She nodded, thankful that she wasn't in one of her 'spread too thin' moments herself. It's good though, that he gets it. I think it's important when it comes to dynamics all those ebbs and flows. Some guys wouldn't be able to get over themselves. Marina didn't know all of the ins and outs of what brought Diego and Stefan together in the first place, but she gathered Stefan was down for a time and now he was on the upswing and it didn't sound like he'd given Tinsley any static when he wasn't on top the way he was now. Hell ever since she'd met the guy he'd been disgustingly in love with Tinsley. The look Tinsley selected was stunning. Marina went over to feel the garment and looked over the stitching, admiring the craftsmanship with her critical eye. She smiled as she came to the conclusion that yeah, that could work, "I love this. My only question is do we want to go with white?" Marina didn't know if that was a plus considering Tinsley would be getting engaged or if white should be reserved only for the wedding day but decided it wasn't a deal breaker. "With the right shoes…this excites me."

[queen-tinsley]

"Huh?" Tinsley found herself snapped back out of her thoughts, a smile finding itself back onto her features. "I'm sorry, my attention is being tugged in a million and one directions as of late." She said with a soft sigh. Well, between being quite a major player in her workplace and her relationship with Stefan ( which she couldn't help but feel like was heading towards a major moment... and that came with it's own web to untangle )— her life was a bit of a juggling act. "No, thank you." Tinsley scoffed. "It's not every day I get to talk fashion with someone who actually knows their shit." The blonde let Marina know, having enjoyed the girl's company. And that was high praise, given that Tinsley didn't really care for many people's company. Her circle having been as closed knit as it could possibly be. "So what exactly is the dress code for this event? Stefan couldn't really give me too many details, I caught him as he was off this morning. All I know that we're sat with Diego and you, and that's something you'll never catch me complaining about." Tinsley let Marina know, as she enjoyed the other woman's cutting commentary on the stuffiness of some of the events they were forced to attend given their positions on Rosewood's social ladder.

[marinalisbon]

"I never claimed to be the world's greatest conversationalist but when I speak people typically listen." Marina wondered if Tinsley suspected but figured that if she as long as it wasn't because of anything she did then she could live with that. Personally, marrying Stefan seemed like something built for a special kind of person, and even then it would likely only be for the money, but weirdly, she could low key see the whole real love between him and her current shopping companion. "What's going on in there, what's with that look?" Marina motioned with her index finger swirling to Tinsley's face. "And that's bullshit, Diego said Stefan told him holiday dinners with your family is like the Met Gala only more formal. Which he weirdly said as if that is appealing. apparently" She didn't answer Tinsley right away, instead picking up a frothy, tiered party dress and holding it to Tinsley's frame, her eyes darting all over her; partly considering and partly stalling, "I think the dress code is to out-do everyone else in the room. I don't have a whole lot of details either. I thought my man was the only one whose usually short on those. What do you think about this?"

[marinalisbon]

"I can't say I'm terribly impressed with the collection thus far, but I'm holding out hope, all is not lost yet." How Marina got herself roped into assisting with Stefan's little proposal scheme, she'd never know. Well…that wasn't true, she knew. Marina wouldn't quite say that Tinsley was her friend, she didn't think she'd be sharing any secrets with the woman anytime soon, but she wasn't a stranger and a little more than a casual acquaintance considering their partners' close friendship. Still, it made sense enough that it wouldn't throw up too many red flags if Marina asked her to go shopping. They both had a fashion eye that couldn't be denied with it being Marina's industry and Tinsley was just a rich girl who could dress her ass off. "Thanks for agreeing to do this by the way, I've been itching for a good shopping trip and my sisters don't have the stamina for how I like to shop. Even Nova is over it after two hours." Marina's task was to make sure Tinsley wore something showstopping and fabulous and frankly Chanel was timeless - so (hopefully) 30 years from now Tinsley could look at photos from the day she got engaged and not have to say 'God, what was I thinking?'. It wasn't labor, but Marina seldom got in others affairs outside of her Lisbon ecosystem so this was her good deed for the year…and if Stefan bribed her with his black card to also pick up something for herself as a thank you for her small part in making their upcoming proposal perfect, then what of it?

@queen-tinsley

[lisbonnova]

"Just hypotheticals. I'm not longing for some life I never go to live. Unless there's a version of me out there that was born a nepo baby, who got every opportunity just handed to her and came out with like a skin or makeup brand. That sounds pretty cool." She tossed such a ridiculous idea out there to ease Marina's peace of mind, to show that Nova wasn't suddenly going through some emotional crisis. "As long as I got to keep my sisters anyways. I wouldn't choose any life where I don't have you guys by my side."

Her eyes widened as her sister spoke up again, not expecting her question. As far as her future went she had never really thought that far ahead, preferring to take things day to day. And after everything she couldn't say she didn't have some trauma and reservations about the whole motherhood thing. "Don't know if I would even want that this lifetime. I don't think i'd be very good at it and that's not fair to any kid." She pursed her lips. "Maybe if it was with the right person. Jorge would probably make a good dad. But i'm not actively trying to make babies with him anytime soon. So that thought never leaves this conversation, okay?" She stuck her tongue out at Marina. "Is this how far ahead in the future you think?"

[marinalisbon]

Marina rolled her eyes fondly at her sister whose hypothetical aspiration was to be a nepo baby, "Same." Rolled off of Marina's tongue easily because an existence without her sisters was not an existence she wanted to live under any circumstances. "It's fine if you don't want kids. I'm pretty solid that I don't. But I don't believe for a second that you would be a good mother. You're nurturing, in a way that different from Tessa and absolutely different from my brand, if you could even call it that. You care about people, it shows, my hypothetical niece or nephew would be lucky." She pantomimed zipping and locking her lips, letting Nova know her secret was safe with her, already relieved that her sister wasn't thinking of having Jorge's kids, even if he'd proved to be adequate as his sister's partner. "It depends on what part of my future I think about." Marina shrugged, "When I'm thinking of my career I try to stay open even if I have an idea of what I want to do. In my love life I hope to be with Diego, I can't really imagine anyone else. But I'm also realistic in if he wants kids I'd have to let him go which will hurt in ways I know I can't fathom but I'd be happy to do that if it meant he was. And when it comes to you guys above all I just know you all are always going to be my best friends and that's all I need. I know I want an easygoing life."

[lisbonnova]

"Not any reason in particular. I guess when it got brought up I just started thinking if there was another Nova somewhere out there that I hope she got to live a softer, quieter life. That's all." She shrugged, not really seeing an issue with dwelling on the past. But this was where the two had always bumped heads, with how they dealt with their past and their trauma. Marina preferred to move forward and not dwell on things she couldn't change while Nova liked to dig to the root of the issue, sometimes too curious for her own good. "I don't regret any of my choices or where i'm at now. I'm pretty happy with where i'm at actually. I think there's just a novelty to thinking of other versions of you that could have been. Like there might be a Nova out there that may have actually become a mom and that's a wild concept. I can barely take care of myself most days." She said with a laugh, not taking Marina's words to heart. It had been an issue in the past considering how much she wanted to be liked by everyone, especially her sisters. But she had come to the conclusion that the two of them would probably never see eye to eye and that was okay. At the very least she didn't completely shut her down and that was progress in itself. "Yeah, you're right. You start to throw actual science into it and it hurts my head too much."

[marinalisbon]

"Hmmm..." Marina still didn't think there was a point in the thought exercise, for her it was a so what if there were versions of her that lived a softer life and a harder life and the only difference is if she'd made a different choice. That just seemed cosmically unfair to Marina, but she wasn't interested in discouraging Nova, seeing value in the way her little sister saw the world as opposed to herself who'd closed off parts of it for her own sanity's sake - uniformity in thoughts of otherwise wasn't a requirement or desire for their bond.

Hearing Nova declare that she was happy made Marina smile involuntarily; as far as she was concerned everything was worth it as long as they were all happy. "Do you think there will be a version of Nova in the future whose the mom? Maybe these versions aren't simultaneous but they still exist." It was the best she could offer in the thought experiment.

[lisbonnova]

"I wish. Maybe if I was I wouldn't be overthinking the question. It was just something that someone brought up in the support group and it's been in the back of my mind since." She stuck her tongue out at her sister, who was of course giving her shit for having her head in the clouds again. What she didn't expect was that the older Lisbon would actually humor her with a proper answer. Nova nodded at her response, practical as ever. But she respected that she was unwavering in her views. "Fair enough. Don't you ever wonder how different things would have turned out if you had made other choices though? Maybe something as simple as a haircut could have prevented you from becoming a millionaire for all you know."

[marinalisbon]

"Not funny. Why do you think it's something you're overthinking. We're in charge of what we do with our lives now, Nova. That was the whole point of...everything." Marina couldn't pretend that she hadn't had her philosophical moments, but for her at least those moments came when she wasn't in the greatest of headspaces, so she wanted to make sure that wasn't the case for Nova, "I do not. I did enough wondering inside of that house. Now I don't focus on what ifs, I find them useless." Recognizing she had a slight edge to her words, Marina took a beat internally, resolved to soften for her sister's sake, "Plus all of that butterfly effect stuff is just a lot, how do you parse through infinite possibilities?"

[lisbonnova]

"Have you ever wondered what kinda of life you might be living in some other universe?" Nova pursed her lips in thought, pondering on a subject someone had brought up in her most recent group therapy session. "Like are the choices we make really that big of a difference in the grand scheme of things? Or are we just going down some predetermined path with the illusion of choice?"

[marinalisbon]

"Girl, are you high?" Was Marina's knee jerk response to her sister who after co-existing in relative and comfortable silence with her sister for who knows how long said that. Still, if Nova was asking, Marina was going to answer, "I have never thought about a different life in another universe, but I absolutely think the choices we make inform our lives. Pre-determination seems like bullshit to me."

[babiesarelazy]

[chuck-diaz]

"Sorry," he quipped, knowing he wasn't in the right company to be making such jokes. "You're even more right, as usual... except about the parties. They're real and I can't prove it because you're not allowed to take phones in and I know everything that comes out of my mouth sounds like a joke but I swear it on Two-Bit's cock that I'm not lying."

[marinalisbon]

Marina waved her hand dismissively as if to say 'not needed' as she was far beyond being effected by the crass nature of most of the thing that came out of Chuck's mouth. In fact, (though she would never admit it to him) it was part of his charm in a way that Marina wouldn't be able to describe if a gun was pointed at her head. Still, the party he described was not at all desirable to Marina and the scrunched up, disapproving frown on her face displayed that. "You know, before you spiral into a 'I'm boring because I'm secure crisis' I should probably remind you that there's nothing stopping you from buying a vacuum cleaner AND going to your uncouth sex lairs or whatever. You're allowed to contain multitudes, you don't even need your alter ego to do so. Also, this is a quality vacuum, the buy it for life kind. I approve."

[chuck-diaz]

"'Happy Pride', I say to myself as I slide my new vacuum cleaner into the back of my car..." Chuck shook his head to himself, a small wrinkle of distaste in his brow as he considered his trajectory of what most would call personal growth. "I remember when I used to basically wipe June off the calendar... Cocaine's a hell of a drug, and so on... I think we need to go to one of those parties where we throw tomatoes at people in gimp suits and call it art."

[marinalisbon]

Marina trailed coolly behind Chuck not even attempting to help him with the vacuum cleaner instead shooting off a quick text, "You're right Charles, life was better when you couldn't remember living it." She scrunched up her nose, "That is not a thing and I don't really know why that would be something you want to do."

[brodiebalcoin]

"True. But I'm about to have a wedding to end all weddings so no one will be able to top it in this town ever. So no real reason to get married after that," he joked. Though he was excited to have his friends and family be there to witness what he and Colette had built together. "Which reminds me, should I just get an extra long Lisbon table? I was sure they would all want to come but I didn't want to assume. But yeah it is nuts. Me? Married? In my 20s? Surprised the hell out of me but I'm so ready for it. I think Marnie is actually even more ready for it. Honestly I think she's appointed herself our planner. And yes, I am drunk and talking about how great my daughter is," he acknowledged and laughed. "Do you really have to ask? You know now that you say that I feel like I can't remember seeing him with anyone in college or high school. Actually that's not true but no one I can like distinctly remember or name. I feel like he was either with some preppy up tight smart girl or like I don't know, whatever the opposite side of the spectrum from that is. But like I said, memory is fuzzy."

[marinalisbon]

"The Wedding to end all weddings, wow you really are from Rosewood." Marina herself didn't understand striving for that sort of wedding, or a wedding at all really, but she supported that was what the happy couple and Marnie wanted. "I assumed at the wedding to end all weddings all of the tables would be long, no?" Marina shrugged, "It's nuts and I don't know about Colette's past so much, but if I thought about it, it makes sense for you." She shook her head, "Sorry, that's the therapy jumping out." Marina ran her fingers through her hair to reset, "That's okay. I only talk to you to talk about Marnie." She nodded, "Yeah, I guess I never really thought about it so I never asked, probably because I don't have any exes to tell him about it never came up. Preppy girls really? Like Chadwell preppy?"

[tessa-lisbon]

Quietly, it surprised her that Marina seemed so casual about her being there. Their trust in each other was something that had taken a huge hit but fighting it hadn't helped, only time. She just hoped her being there wouldn't be a burden on her sisters, and if it came down to it she wasn't averse to slipping out early to leave them to their partying. "You sound like Chuck," she wrinkled her nose back at Marina, first playful then in distaste at the thought of being pulled on stage. As much as she enjoyed letting loose on the dance floor in the midst of a crowded room she wasn't sure she could say the same about doing so for an entire audience. "Pretty sure I have the sensual energy of a pickle so I'll leave that to you two. I think it's special for Bridget anyway, I'd hate to intrude. Also if any of us needs a hobby it's Cecily, so..."

[marinalisbon]

"I sound like Charles? I had better slow down then, that is unacceptable." She giggled, as Chuck had the kind of charm that only Chuck could make work, "Oh I'm sorry, I thought I was talking to the sister who out of all of us had been in a full on love triangle. Pickle my ass. You're just in your head too much, I've seen you dance, silly. Mmmm while I don't think it would be any less special if you made an appearance I do love that it's special for her, it's special for the both of us. I saw her with Benitez earlier and that hyper 'not boyfriend' of hers feels like a hobby in of itself. I literally saw him drool when he saw me earlier." Marina pulled a disgusted face, sure he complemented her gown but it was still gross.

[brodiebalcoin]

"Yeah some of us are but only one of us is about to marry Colette Mendez. So, yanno, I'm in a league of my own," he told her with a wink before laughing. It sounded like he was joking but Brodie knew that Colette really was one in and trillion. He followed her line of sight before his smile widened. "Very good choice. She's a babe. Respectfully of course. But yeah you're right, for all we know she could be bonkers. Or a stalker. Or like obsessed with...eating grass. Like a cow or some shit." He made himself laugh more at the thought. "Oh yeah I'd love to see him squirm trying to answer that. I got ten bucks on him saying something even cheesier than I said."

[marinalisbon]

"Well only one of us has interest in being married at all." Marina grinned happily as she fluttered her index finger around Brodie's face and booped his nose. "I can't believe you're getting married, that's like...nuts." Marina shrugged, "I have good taste, that can't be shocking, have you seen how selective I am with like...everything?" She laughed along at his ridiculousness, shaking her head at where his brain went vs. hers which was more, she could be really selfish or terrible at being faithful. "Excuse you..." she was going to defend but couldn't really find one, "Yeah, you're probably right, but I maintain he would answer the question eventually. Hmm, come to think of it, I've never seen any of his exes. Okay now I really have to ask. I have no idea what that man's type is."

[tessa-lisbon]

Tessa was nothing short of glowing with pride as she watched Marina on stage – which she supposed was fitting given the event. The universe had its way of sneaking up on her with these kinds of moments that served as reminders of how far they'd all come. She was sitting in a club surrounded by all sorts of temptation and she was hardly cracking a sweat about it. Only hardly, she wasn't sure she'd ever entirely be okay with it but at the very least she wasn't feeling any itching inside her skull. Nova was as emotionally stable as she'd ever been, Bridget was flourishing, and Cecily was finally having her turn at branching out beyond the borders of their family. In the past it might have created an ominous feeling but maybe, just maybe, they were coming past the point where they expected the other shoe to drop any time something good happened. "I tried to tell them," she shrugged, not overly sympathetic when it came to anyone approaching her sisters who clearly weren't interested, much less with a drink with god knows what in it. "It's so blasphemous to actual iced tea," she wrinkled her nose, remembering the taste of the drink even if she'd been sober for years by that point. "Anyway, you were incredible," her expression lit up once the topic turned back to Marina's performance. "I'm glad you went up there. I love every version of you but that one is my favourite."

[marinalisbon]

Trust, Marina had drilled into her head was a big key in moving on. She had become so used to protecting and taking care of her sisters, it was drilled in her head right along with all of the trauma they would probably be working through for years to come if not their whole lives, that trusting them to be able to do it themselves had fallen completely to the wayside. It was part of why her grip had been so tight but life had also forced Marina to see that they had all taken care of themselves in their own ways, and so Marina trusted that they could and if they needed help that they would ask for it. It was a radical concept at first, but easier now, so she trusted Tessa was okay around all manner of substances and alcohol, and trusted that if she couldn't she would either ask for help or remove herself, "I don't like actual iced tea either. Tea should be hot Tessa." Marina said then wrinkled her nose playfully at her sister. It was fun, but part of me wishes they'd dragged you up there. That would be a show, no? You should come to pole dancing classes with me and Bridget."

[brodiebalcoin]

"I know because there are just so many reasons. I get it. I'm hard to describe." He settled into the seat next to her and let his buzz wash over him. He definitely wasn't as young as he used to be but his tolerance was still pretty high. "Well it's paying off because that shit looks good. And I would know because Keegan's my best friend he joked." He pulled a face at the suggestion of her game. "You're gonna call me whack but I literally can't even entertain that thought. There's literally no one here who's hotter than my fiancee. Not even me." He laughed as he thought about it. "So you're free to pick from whoever, no judgement, the room looks gorgeous right now. But your standards are also high, so.."

[marinalisbon]

"Booooooo." Marina cupped her hands around her mouth and jeered her friend, all in good nature because as quiet as it was kept, Marina was glad Brodie found fulfillment in his life in whatever form it took, and if that was a romantic relationship then that was fine with her, "You are so disgusting for that. Some of us can love our partners and not be so annoying that we register other attractive people for a thought experiment. Fine, I'll go." She scanned the room, and wouldn't admit it but it was harder to get into that mindset to register someone else, "Ummm that girl over there, she's really pretty and I like her style." She said, pointing at Suede, "Of course that's strictly physically speaking, there could be so much wrong there. I wonder who Diego would choose. Remind me to ask him later."