𝔽 ℝ 𝕌 𝔸 𝔻

Wish I’d been a prom queen fighting for the title Instead of being sixteen and burning up a bible The wasted years, the wasted youth The pretty lies, the ugly truth 𝒶 𝓁𝒾𝓉𝓉𝓁𝑒 𝓁𝑜𝓈𝓈 𝑜𝒻 𝒾𝓃𝓃𝑜𝒸𝑒𝓃𝒸𝑒

[bcdluhm]

    ❝ explorin’ a bah? ❞

                     he smirked before knocking the wood and straightening his                               posture. she was an innocent one, no doubt — her halo could’ve                          lightened up the place had he forgotten to pay the electric bill.                                         a walkin’ disney princess, ladies ‘n’ gents, he thought comically. 

❝ well this heah is a tap. pull the levuh and glorious                        nectah comes spillin’ out. would’ya like some? all i need is an i.d. in return. ❞   

[nataliethomasrp-blog]

      exploring a bar, yes, actually. It was hard to find places that Natalie knew certain people wouldn’t see her at -- which was a very rare need. Moodiness was striking the blonde that night though, and so she had grabbed her purse and simply gone out. Eve was probably busy wedding planning... not like Nat needed her or anything silly. 

           irritation twinged, and Nat’s smile turned from less as holy to a bit more humanly annoyed. ❝ I’m impressed! But I don’t drink. ❞

          already prepared for the look Nat knew she would get in return, she looked down to grab her wallet, pulling out a wrinkly wad of one dollar bills from her tip money from her waitress gig earlier that night.  ❝ Something virgin, please?  ❞

[casbriggs]

                 he didn’t noticed the wallet, at least not right away.                            upon first glance he had expected another happenstance                  similar to the previous one — this, however, proved to be                                 the exact opposite. she actually returned with the sole purpose                                                 of buying a charm. well, shit. 

         ❝ you may. ❞

        cas gave a small smile, tapping the counter                  before exiting to the back once again. he was             gone for only a second, emerging quietly as                        he set the bowl before her. 

                                         he remained silent for a brief moment, sitting down                                     and watching her suspiciously as she diverted her                                                         attention. eventually, he broke the silence. 

       ❝ if i’m bein’ perfectly honest … i hadn’t expected you to come back. you alright there? in the head? ❞

[nataliethomasrp-blog]

          slowly, the wandering fingers jumbled into the bowl, searching out the original charm that won Natalie over. When she had practically ran from the store, the blonde never would’ve believed she would’ve found the courage to return back in. but, vanity wasn’t something she usually struggled with, nor was selfishness for material things -- so when the urge to have a charm or two took over, Nat was unable to defend herself against the temptation.            -- Still, she wasn’t too eager to look Cassidy Briggs right in the eye again so soon, so her head remained tilted down. 

                  ❝ Um.... yes. ❞ The answer sounded indecisive as Natalie distracted picked out three little crosses, comparing them to each other. She was surprised at the blunt question -- church-goers were never so obvious with their judgement. ❝ As far as I know.  ❞                    Que girlish, awkward laugh.

                              ❝ Um, these please?  ❞ She held out her hand, the three crosses so specifically chosen placed in her palm.  ❝ .... I think.  ❞

[aaronmontgomerys]

                            Beau shrugged. He knew the food there wasn’t exactly the greatest,                             but growing up, he’d learned not to be picky, especially when momma                             was on a bender and daddy hadn’t showed back up at home in three days.

                             You ate what you could. 

❝Food ain’t that bad,❞ he shrugged, lying. It was cold and tasted like piss. But he ate it because he knew he wouldn’t eat again until morning. His momma always said that throwin’ food away was a sin.

        Beau glanced around the establishment scoffing when she’d said she was on the clock.

❝Don’t see nobody trippin’ over themselves for you to take their orders.❞

[nataliethomasrp-blog]

    Pursing her lips slightly, Natalie shrugged -- he wasn’t her typical crowd. Granted, the blonde didn’t specifically have a crowd of her own, it was more that she jumped in on whatever Eve was doing, or who. Still, the stranger eating the food she’d provided really wasn’t someone she had pictured herself eating with.

                        Or, well, watching eat. That was a different issue of its own. But Natalie’s feet hurt, and the benches were comfier than the floor. So she slid into the seat across from him, a bright smile that was coming to be her signature look over the years naturally easing onto her face.  Hey, he couldn’t be all bad -- he said the food wasn’t bad!

                ❝ Alright! You’e convinced me! ❞ Natalie boasted, as if the man had really tried his hardest and ought to be proud of his accomplishment. ❝ I’m Natalie, but you know that from the name tag, probably. ❞

[aaronmontgomerys]

Beau dug into the freshly poured bowl of spaghetti. Which, quite frankly, tasted like shit. But he hadn’t eaten in well over twelve hours. Busy doing runs across town. Busy doin’ work.

                  ❝What?❞ He snapped. ❝Ain’t ever seen a hungry man before?❞

❝Can sit, if you want,❞ he said, eyes focused on the meal in front of him. 

[nataliethomasrp-blog]

     truthfully, Nat hadn’t meant to hesitate after dropping off his platter to his table. as a waitress in this kind of a town, she got the privileged to see a good many oddities wander in and out of the doors, but somehow this particular encounter intrigued her.

                            ❝ ‘course I have, just not usually so... enthusiastic here, ❞ Natalie replied, voice small, well aware that the food she would bring out 32 hours a week absolutely sucked. Normally consumers would pick and poke before taking a small, reluctant bite. 

           ❝ ..... I- I’m on the clock still,  ❞ was the short reply, despite the fact the boss man was never around, the cook was sleeping in the back, and the lobby was deader than the graveyard.

[bcdluhm]

                   he stared incredulously, his nose scrunched ever-so-slightly                        as he watched the person stand at the entrance. leaning his               left elbow on the bar with his right palm glued to the wood,                             he looked over his shoulder under the pretense that perhaps                    someone else was positioned there; after all, why else would                                       this person be standing in his establishment? 

       no one stood in his establishment. 

               ❝ yuh lost ?? ❞

[nataliethomasrp-blog]

    it was the kind of place that Vera would spend time in, head back laughing without a care as Natalie pulled her sleeves down over her hands -- dust and grime covered every surface around here, but it was especially so in the little, unknown crannies.           she looked up, wide cerulean orbs peering back behind side swept flaxen bangs -- startled to have been acknowledged, it would’ve seemed. 

                     ❝ i’m not! ❞ defensive tone lay underneath, and Natalie chose a spot quickly, dropping herself down on a stool feet away.  ❝ just exploring, you know.  ❞

[casbriggs]

❝ s’been a while. ❞ 

                    he muttered, the pen between his teeth being pulled                     away as he signed the order form in front of him. the                     store was a little busier than usual, no doubt for some                     block party or charity event being planned. 

                                  ❝ how’s hell ?? ❞

[nataliethomasrp-blog]

     blonde curls of hair lay nicely on Natalie’s chest as she let her fingers trail over the spine of a book, smiling lightly as she glanced over to the counter. past experiences in the little shop hadn’t gone so smoothly, but a shimmery red and black wallet was clasped in her free hand, and she hoped the promise of cash this time would be enough of a predictor that she did come in peace.

                               ❝ I really wouldn’t know. ❞

                                --     ❝ but , I would love to actually get my hands on some of those charms -- if you still have them available, of course. May I?  ❞

[casbriggs]

             they had given up. 

                            each and every one of them.

                                               someone forgot to give  H E R  the memo.

cassidy couldn’t remember the last time he had been asked to attend church. he could force the scenery — the dust filling his lungs, small specks of dirt flying in his eyes given the aid of the dry and heated breeze — but that was just a guess. for all intents and purposes, the church was tired of his bullshit and the same could be said for the contrary.  yet there she stood, bright and persistence, asking him to stop by.  she reminded him of sarah. 

                      he imagined frequently of what it would be like, humorous thoughts guessing                       how long it would take for the man to burn upon entering the building. cas didn’t                       need to attend church in order to praise and pray for some inner hope that god                       might be real. he knew very well that he was — and a decade of nightmares and                       depression proved that god wasn’t as nice a deity as people liked to think.

                                     his nostrils flared at the victim’s name and his brow                               furrowed as she cursed in his shop, but overall, he                                           remained casual and stern. he was never one to                              wear his feelings through expression or posture.                         after years of practice, he had grown very good                                     at keeping things to himself. 

              “ thank you, ” he managed quietly before she took leave.

“ but i don’t avoid church because people hate me, natalie. i avoid church  because i want to … we all know the devil recruits more than christ does   — more people will be damned than saved. going to church won’t make me  a better person … and going there doesn’t make you one either. “ 

                 he pauses, leaning forward with his eyes   glued upon hers. “ and i don’t hate you either. ”

[nataliethomasrp-blog]

   The words took Natalie by surprise, and she blinked at the man -- hating her hadn’t truly seemed a possibility, and now, she felt such relief that he didn’t. The links left to Vera, the tragedy, there all so thin and worn, that Natalie felt like even just the tiny one was worth preserving.                Opening her mouth, Natalie simply let a word fall from it.  “...Thanks.”          And she turned, practically racing from the store and back into the dirt caked streets, and back towards home. 

[weissacker-blog]

he listened closely, however, the further she went into her story, the more his expression of interest changed; not to say he wasn’t curious … he was only interested in a different topic. it was the one she spoke about without really talking about it. the words were there, but she disguised them slightly to seem casual and unimportant. at least that was how he perceived it. 

        then again, it was none of his business.               despite considering himself religious, he        followed christianity in his own, oftentimes                     vague terms. unlike most others who            frequent the church, he was fairly open-minded. 

                                          “ geez … ”

                        he lifted his drink to his lips, taking a gulp before setting the glass                         back down. his brightened hues appeared frazzled and frayed.                         this, of course, not being a proper response, but more of a set up to his                         next line. weiss was quite the dramatic savant when he wanted to be. 

  “ that explains a lot. i tried gettin’ shay to kiss me for years. ” 

              “ as i live vicariously through ya … was she any good? ” 

[nataliethomasrp-blog]

     ❝ Um, what? No...❞ Natalie tried to defend, but then realized he really couldn’t have meant any harm, and laughed. She felt natural with the topic when talking about it like this, and was irritated that she kept trying to tense up and psych herself out.        For once she felt like she was having a totally normal conversation. It was nice, actually, and Natalie shrugged after taking another sip.               ❝ --Well, like, I mean, I was surprised, so... I don’t think I really thought anything except oh. my. goodness. Like lucid dreaming, ❞ The blonde added seriously, feeling quite clever for the comparison, and smiled brilliantly as she gestured to him, sipping on her non-alcohol drink.    Pretending to be drunk and tell secrets was fun. 

    ❝ Come on now, your turn again. I don’t have any other good stories, but I’m just dying to hear yours.❞

[nataliethomasrp-blog]

she didn’t give a shit whether this news got out or not.

                                            in fact, it would probably be better for her case if this spread like wildfire. eve needed to play along, though. girlfriends were supposed to share their engagements in privacy before exposing it to the world. she was supposed to call her mother, and jump for joy over finally belonging to a man.

but on account of her hating her mother, natalie would work just fine.

eve pulled her hand out from her lap, sliding it across the table in front of natalie. a ring hung snugly on her finger, the diamond gleaming almost as prominently as the thorne girl’s grin.

❛ he asked me the other morning !! ❜  

The sparkles of the ring caught Natalie’s attention, who wasn’t a materialistic girl by nature, and emotion flooded her veins momentarily. Jealousy almost made her seethe, recoil from the thing like a burning demon clinging to Eve -- but Natalie sat frozen, staring at it, face blank for the longest time.                     If only she was like her, normal and straight. Plenty of men courted Natalie, but none could satisfy her. None made her believe in anything other than boredom, headaches, and regret.               The only person who Natalie would have ever let her finger belong to a ring for was buried 6 feet deep, and had been impossible even while she breathed. 

   Slowly, Natalie let her eyes travel up to Eve’s, the tiniest hint of a weak smile making her cheeks fluff for a moment, before the blonde really managed to slide back into the place of congratulations for her friend. Instead of envy, Natalie told herself to celebrate with Eve, revel in her good news, and make her feel like the princess bride she deserved to be.        ❝ Wow, oh my God, I- I’m shocked, ❞ Natalie finally spoke, the sting fading and truly feeling pleased for Eve. It was a wonderful thing, and Natalie did love weddings... and she automatically assumed Eve would be next asking her to be in it, too. That  was enough to get her smiling naturally again, and fawning over the glittering jewel.       ❝ Eve Kirby! This is amazing! I want to hear the whole romantic story! ❞

[dylan-reyes]

dylan thought it to be a bit much for him to roll up in front of the church his detective cruiser, but he wanted to keep his outside appearance strictly business. what he was about to do, the offer he was about to make, it was all very unusual and he didn’t need anyone asking questions about it. if the man showed up in a unmarked police car, he figured the good people of the church would assume he was there for an investigation rather than on personal grounds.  it was the best way to keep his real reasoning under lock and key. 

he pulled into a vacant space that was in clear view of the church and waited patiently as the blonde approached the car, the man only relaxing when she seated in the passenger side of the cruiser. at least here, their conversation would be private and there would be no prying ears. the last thing he needed was someone overhearing what he was about to ask this woman. 

 ❝ you too. ❞ he replied absentmindedly, choosing to ignore her religious comment. the church folk were always throwing this stuff his way and he always dismissed it with no real want to talk about the lord or any of his nonsense. 

he turned in his seat so he could look at natalie properly, taking in her very conservative appearance and the innocent air about her. she was perfect.

❝ listen, this may seem weird, but just hear me out ok? ❞ he drew in a deep breath, steadying himself for his request, ❝ so, i don’t know how much that you know about me, but i don’t exactly have the most wonderful reputation as a faithful man around here. which usually, i wouldn’t mind, but lately i’ve been really hoping to get back into the churches good graces. don’t ask why, because i won’t tell you. i just want the people of the church and preferably the pastor to look upon me as an honorable man and i figured one of the best ways to achieve that would be to date someone who is the perfect picture of innocence and grace, ❞ he paused, trying not to laugh at how ridiculous it all sounded now that he was finally rehashing his plan out loud, ❝ which is where you come in. now before you start to think im crazy, know that this would be a paid arrangement. you and i won’t actually be a couple. i give you money and you be my girlfriend in public. simple as that. i take to you to work events and you show me off at church, so on and so forth. how well you play your role will depend on how much you get. i want people to think we are so grossly into each other that they refuse to think of me as anything else than the kind detective who dated the wonderful natalie. does that make sense? ❞

[nataliethomasrp-blog]

     Different emotions switched out in Natalie -- relief, at first, that it truly was something mostly unrelated to her at the moment and any other tragedies. Curiosity at why he wanted this, and why he wouldn’t tell her. And why her. Under the curiosity came the irritation, almost anger, that Dylan could just assume she’d be willing to be bought like a doll. But, finally, clarity, and Natalie sat still without a word for a very long moment. 

       Many times had she accepted dinner, movies, nature walks, and other dates with men from the church. In High school, she went on several a weekend, and not always with just church men... or women, in secret. Now, she still did so, but did it with less enthusiasm. It’d been noticed, and the offers came less, and Natalie knew that there was gossip about why such a young, pretty thing hadn’t been married off yet.                             Of course no one knew the true reason why... but they still questioned and guessed at it. It’d worried Natalie somewhere, but she’d ignored it, realizing only just then that her fear could become a possibility. That eventually, the boys would give up, and then she’d either be considered unsuitable to all, or worse.  Natalie sighed, breaking the awkward pregnant pause with the sound of her air rushing out. It even sounded heavy, like this was a huge weight Dylan had placed her with.          ❝ Wouldn’t it be weird to suddenly just... be dating me? ❞ The blonde finally asked, still having doubts, still hesitating on the whole idea. Dylan wasn’t quite what her parents wanted for her, and she’d hate to disappoint them -- then again, this wasn’t real.          Another thought occurred, and Natalie frowned deeper. She’d be lying -- to God, the church, everyone. It was as if she’d be a con artist -- then again, wasn’t she already? Dylan could be her beard, in a sense. Help solidify her life in the church.                        No one had to know the truth about anything. 

   Taking a deep breath, Natalie turned in the seat to face him, giving him an all-business expression. ❝ Fine, but, I get to make rules, too. The first being we donate the money to charity. I won’t harbor dirty deceitful money for selfish reasons, and second being, it will be my goal to make you truly a decent faction of the church. Also... we have to do double dates with Eve and her-- and her Noah. ❞

[julicnsx-blog]

❝ no, it ain’t unusual at all, ❞ 

           she couldn’t help but smile at the girl,           her innocence more than fascinating to nova, 

❝ i kinda wish i could be more  like that, but i’m much more of a material girl myself. i like pretty  things that shine as bright as me, ❞ 

          she paused for a brief second, letting her eyes           trail the length of the girl’s body, 

❝ you certainly look like you deserve pretty things. ❞

[nataliethomasrp-blog]

     The look, the words, the slight hint at flirtation caught Natalie by surprise, and threw her off of her mind track that’d she’d been so devoted to for over a year now. Natalie’s jaw went slack for a second, and she tried to regain composure and mask her reaction with a laugh, that perhaps sounded like a cough, and a little shrug of her shoulders.           Dainty, just as she was supposed to be.  ❝ I wouldn’t know about that, ❞ Natalie responded, sounding as modest as a blonde, fashionable young adult could sound when speaking to a pretty lady. ❝ I- I suppose I do have an affinity for hair bows, and polish for your fingers. I spent most of my spare change on them, at least. ❞

    Random facts of Natalie Thomas’s less than exciting life of thrills -- fascinating, really, and the blonde let herself fall silent to keep from sounding more pathetic than she likely did so already. 

[okcosmo-blog]

      he furrowed his brow with a humorous expression       contorting his features. okay, so she had just made       T H A T   reference. sadly, it was one that he       immediately understood; a fact that embarrassed       him more than it should have. 

                           “ you know, the customer service here is crap. ”

he said this with a smile and a chuckle, a clear indication that he was kidding. the people in this town were far more sensitive than he expected, so he took to walking on eggshells when it came to certain jokes or comments. many things flew over their heads, one being common sense — but what else would he expect from a bunch of hicks. 

           “ i’d leave a comment card, but you’ve yet to tell me your name. ”

[nataliethomasrp-blog]

       ❝ -- You don’t know it? ❞ The blonde questioned, almost surprised to hear it. It took a delayed moment for her to realize she no longer actually wore her apron, with the Natalie Thomas embroidered on i in crappy stitch work. She’d tried her best, at least, and then flushed a brilliant pink as she realized how utterly conceited she sounded.                ❝ Oh, no, I meant because I normally have my name on my clothes.                                                I mean, my apron.                   ....for work, ❞ She finally finished meekly, turning away with a wince to gather her things, about ready to bolt from the room and pray to God to give her the gift of forgetfulness so she could wash away the memory of her blunder. And it’d been going so well!

       As she held her things, the blonde glanced back to him, clearing her throat.  ❝ Um, Natalie. Thomas. Please leave a good comment. I- I should... I’ve got to go. Nice to meet you, though.  ❞

[casbriggs]

her reaction almost made him smile — a l m o s t. instead, while his expression appeared indifferent, his eyes brightened at the thought that someone else may have liked them. he cared very little about making sales when it came to his store. after all, most of his money was made elsewhere. the business was just a front — it may  have appeared as a dump, but it did the job just fine. no … he cared more about the items themselves. they held personal value. so when she said she forgot her wallet,  he involuntarily arched his brow in judgment. 

                    there it was: the real reason she stopped by. 

    “ i see … ”

                                        he picked up the bowl and placed it beneath the counter,                                         taking his seat once again before returning his gaze to the                                         blonde. she wasn’t very good at lying, now was she? how                                         odd. being a christian normally made for good con artists. 

              “ you can leave then. ”

[nataliethomasrp-blog]

    Sad to see the pretty little ornaments stored away and out of her sight, Natalie took a moment to process the sudden dismissal -- something she’d never came across before in her whole life. The church was practically built upon outward kindness, and it wasn’t like many people wanted Natalie Thomas to leave badly enough to give her a sudden command to do so.            Surprised, she turned obediently, taking two whole steps before catching up with herself and the mindless following of rules she seemed to do so naturally.            Slowly, the blonde turned back around, arms behind her back and shoulders hunched slightly, as if to protect herself from whatever Cassidy Briggs might say or do next. He wanted her gone, clearly.      But Natalie wasn’t ready to go yet, and she’d not have the courage to venture in again unless she got her piece said and done.           ❝ Um, actually, ❞ Natalie began, mouth still poised open as she waited for the Lord to grant her the words.                                 Silence. Well. Cleared the big man didn’t approve of this pointless chasing of answers or closure or something.  It wasn’t enough to deter Natalie, though, and she blundered on, throwing her pride to the wind as she just spoke. 

          ❝ I know it’s a totally sensitive subject, and it’s probably totally uncomfortable and out of place and I shouldn’t say a single thing to you about it, or anyone, but...  ❞ Blue eyes faltered, flickering down, unable to meet his even, never-ending gaze. Cass could have been a statue in that moment.  ❝ V-Vera Defraine. I remember you, like, from the news. Everyone said... well. I’m s-.. I’m sorry that it all happened, and-and I just wanted to say that if you ever felt like you wouldn’t be wanted or accepted... I wouldn’t mind. Seeing you there. At church, of course. Shit, ❞ The blonde whispered, everything coming out so wrong. The curse word sounded foreign on her lips even to Natalie herself, and her face flushed when she realized she said it out loud.

        Last try. Natalie refused to even attempt to meet his eyes now.  ❝ I just wanted to say that if you ever felt like everyone still hated you, it isn’t entirely true. It took a long time, but, I don’t hate you. And if I can accept things, like Vera and the... everything, then... I think everyone else can, too. And God loves you. You never did anything wrong, and I think that we know that, but even if we don’t, God does. That was all. I’ll just go now, I’m sorry.                                        .....please come by sometime. Just once. ❞

[julicnsx-blog]

❝ oh c’mon. a pretty girl like yourself has  nothin’ she wants? i don’ buy that for a  single second. everyone got somethin’ they’d die for, even if they ain’t supposed to admit whatever it is out loud. ❞

[nataliethomasrp-blog]

❝ Of course, but for me, I’d die for my faith or my family.      Unless you meant more metaphorically, in which case... I don’t know. I hadn’t thought about it.        I don’t... buy much stuff.                                ....is it that unusual? ❞

[zahrasrivera-deactivated2016053]

Crossing her arms, the brunette cocked her head to the side, trying her best not to simply laugh at this girl’s face. “How can you be sure that he isn’t keeping the money to himself?” Before the blonde could say something, Zahra raised one hand and answered the question. “Right–because he’s a Pastor. So he gets to tell everyone how he’s donated a huge amount of money and you get to applaud him for it–when it was your idea in the first place. It’s not about glory, you know? It’s about doing the right thing. If you think that something or someone are worthy of your charity, why must you take someone else’s opinion and simply accept it? Why does he get to decide who’s worthy of the money in the first place?”

[nataliethomasrp-blog]

   Taking a moment to decide if Natalie should continue to defend Pastor Jeremiah’s good name, which she could and would if the Lord called on her to do so, or if the blonde should let the subject lay still for a bit, Natalie smiled to ease the awkwardness she felt. An argument of such on the street wasn’t quite her style, so Natalie switched gears to a more peaceful way to continue, and hopefully end,  the present conversation.        “Well,” Natalie began lightly, smoothing the few $20s she held behind her back as if the brunette would snatch it and run. Really, Natalie wouldn’t mind -- her dilemma would be over, and she’d have not sinned. “I suppose I just don’t know where I’d even donate -- I’m not sure which charities need it more. Which would you support, given the chance?”

[nataliethomasrp-blog]

   Despite Dylan’s word, Natalie was worried, and after church when the blonde reluctantly slipped through the doors, she let her eyes scan the street for the car. Fingers had drummed on the back of the pew throughout the whole sermon, and she wasn’t even sure she had heard anything Jeremiah had preached that evening. Her thoughts had been, and still were, devoted to the mystery and concern about this secret meeting with the police task force man, Dylan Reyes.                 It was sad that her first guess had been a murder -- that man had been put away, after all. Still, nightmares haunted Natalie on occasion of the whole ordeal anyway, of Vera and the questions, the tears, the begging for answers, the accusations... the guilt.

Hopefully Dylan was right, and there was nothing to worry about this time. Natalie didn’t think she was strong enough to handle another fiasco, despite what the Bible says about the Lord never giving one person more than they could take on at a time. Doors and windows weren’t very comforting when someone you love so deeply ceases to exist. Her eyes fell on the familiar car, and with a deep breath to gather her courage, Natalie shyly made her way to the car. Questions stung her tongue as she slid into the passenger seat, but a formal and polite smiled graced her pretty, delicate features instead.                              ❝ I hope that you’re well, ❞ Natalie greeted kindly, smoothing out her floral skirt and avoiding his eyes. “And that the Lord has provided for you as of late. ❞

[evethorn3-blog]

❛ could be worse! ❜

                       could be a lot better too. eve didn’t notice the slip in natalie’s tone, CONSUMED by her own thoughts of boredom. at least the girl sitting across from her was pretty, she had to give her that. eve could remember a time when she found clarity in the lord’s spoken word. if god gave her adam, she was grateful. otherwise, he could take his bullshit elsewhere. 

                                                                   eve’s expression froze in place, a polite smile carved into her face as natalie denied alcohol. she silently pleaded for god to save her, in spite of rejecting him seconds before.  ❛ i’ll have sweet tea, an’ the biggest burger this place can muster! ❜ if she didn’t have booze, she sure as shit wasn’t going healthy on her plate, too.  ❛ well…. that event may not be the only thing i need a dress for. ❜

                     she leaned in subtly across the table, purity painted across those rose colored lips. 

❛ can you keep a secret? ❜   

[nataliethomasrp-blog]

   Of all the things that Natalie felt like she’d lost over the years, secrets were one thing that the sweet blonde never seemed to lose track of, or spill out all over the steaming pavement of gossips and liars.         Hell, Natalie had kept her own secrets for years, and managed to keep everyone none the wiser.                         If anyone could keep a secret, it was the Thomas girl.  Though in this situation, though Natalie was oblivious, it would probably have benefited Eve more if Natalie was the kind of girl to have loose lips.             Wide blue eyes opened, and the blonde leaned in close with her elbows on the table, despite the manners bored into her head by grandma and momma. This was important -- Eve trusted her with a tidbit of information!

       ❝ Do you even need to ask? ❞ The girl practically squeaked, managing to hit a high pitch while never straying from the whispering range. Natalie giggled, knowing that whatever secret Eve had would be absolutely and positively fantastic, and the excitement showed clearly on the grinning expression that Natalie beamed with. 

     It really was no doubt that she was pretty, and a glance from one of the boys across the room caused Natalie to tone it back down. She leaned back into her chair, hands clasped together on the table, and blue eyes intent on Eve. She was an avid listener, if nothing else.