⸻   𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻' 𝗼𝘂𝘁   .

﹙   𝗴𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻' 𝗶𝗻    ...   𝗆𝗒 𝗌𝗒𝗌𝗍𝖾𝗆   ,  𝗌𝗁𝖾 𝗌𝖺𝗂𝖽    ,    '𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗮 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝗼 𝗳𝗮𝗿?'  ﹚

[oflos3rs]

⸻      𝙾𝙵𝙻𝙾𝚂𝟹𝚁𝚂     ,     𝑨 𝑺𝑻𝑼𝑫𝒀 𝑰𝑵     ...

𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗸𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿,   𝗍𝗐𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗒𝟩,   𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘺 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮.

𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗺,   𝗍𝗐𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗒𝟦,   𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘥𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 / 𝘥𝘦𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮.

𝗴𝗮𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗹 𝗮𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘁𝘀,   𝗍𝗐𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗒𝟩,   𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘶𝘴 𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘰 / 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘤 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.

𝚁𝙸𝙻𝙴𝚈,   𝚃𝙷𝙸𝚁𝚃𝚈,   𝚂𝙷𝙴/𝙷𝙴𝚁,   @𝙲𝙰𝙼𝙿𝚄𝚂𝙻𝙾𝚂𝙴𝚁.

[sing2you]

"my graceful movement is courtesy of taking ballet classes since i was three years old," stella informed casper, ignoring the fact that ballet didn't fully explain how she was able to go undetected for so long (given her shining, attention-worthy presence). the fact that she was able to dull her shine in order to utilize the element of surprise was a special talent, the mechanics of which were to remain a secret that she shan't reveal.

luckily, casper didn't press further. and even more luckily, she seemed to be taking that week's show choir assignment seriously. ish. as serious as one could take it without yet knowing their partner.

"as would only be right," she nodded, broadly supportive of anyone's right to be dramatic, though her eyes did narrow and her head did shake enough to semi-dispute the professionally dramatic comment. regular dramatics would suffice for a partner lacking in talent. thankfully, stella had basically memorized that week's pairs by that point, so she could witness casper's reaction to her partner (and any potential dramatics there might be) firsthand.

"i believe you were paired with conrad, whose audition song didn't ring any immediate alarm bells. but i offer my condolences anyway, as i get the sense that he's in our show choir more out of fomo than genuine interest. if all of your friends jumped off a bridge and whatnot..."

the conrad talk wasn't going to keep stella from acknowledging casper's seemingly new sense of dedication to the group, however. so used to knowing casper as more of the girl in the debate society who only spoke when she had something insightful to add, this was a welcome change.

"i'm glad to hear that you're already planning to rehearse. it's truly music to my ears. as a long-ish-time member of new directions, i trust that you'll set our new recruit on the right track?"

[oflos3rs]

   "  ballet  .  "  casper  repeated  ,  giving  a  slow  nod  as  though  mentally  filing  that  information  away  beneath  things  that  made  an  alarming  amount  of  sense  .  "  explains  the  posture  .  doesn't  explain  the  horror  movie  entrance  . "  whether  stella  accepted  the  distinction  was  another  matter  entirely  . conrad.  the  name  earned  a  quiet  hum  of  recognition  .  she'd  seen  him  around  enough  to  put  a  face  to  it  ,  but  not  enough  to  have  formed  much  of  an  opinion  beyond  the  observation  that  he  seemed  ...  present  .

   "  fomo's  not  the  worst  reason  i've  ever  heard  for  joining  something  .  "  she  said  after  a  moment  .  "  there  are  people  who've  built  entire  personalities  on  worse  motivations  .  "  her  shoulders  lifted  in  an  almost  imperceptible  shrug.  "  if  he  sticks  around  ,  maybe  he'll  figure  out  whether  he  actually  likes  it  .  "  or  maybe  he  wouldn't  .  that  wasn't  really  her  business  .

   stella's  next  question  settled  between  them  with  more  weight  than  it  probably  should  have  .  set  him  on  the  right  track  .  there  had  been  a  time  when  someone  asking  casper  to  lead  anything  would've  felt  almost  laughable  .  she  wasn't  encouraging  .  she  wasn't  especially  patient  .  she  certainly  wasn't  the  type  to  clap  someone  on  the  back  and  tell  them  they  were  doing  great  when  they  clearly  weren't  .

   but  she  did  know  music  .  she  knew  what  it  sounded  like  when  voices  clicked  into  place  ,  when  harmonies  stopped  competing  and  started  trusting  each  other  .  she  knew  how  to  hear  mistakes  without  making  them  feel  like  failures  .  she  just  ...  rarely  bothered  .  her  tongue  pressed  briefly  against  the  inside  of  her  cheek  .  "  yeah  .  "  the  answer  came  simply  .  certain  .  "  i  can  do  that  .  "

   her  eyes  met  stella's  for  a  second  longer  than  usual  .  "  i'm  not  going  to  babysit  him  .  "  the  clarification  arrived  without  apology  .  "  but  if  he  wants  to  learn  ,  i'll  help  .  if  he's  flat  ,  i'll  tell  him  he's  flat  .  if  he  fixes  it  ,  great  .  if  he  doesn't  ,  i'll  tell  him  again  .  "  there  wasn't  any  cruelty  in  the  statement  ,  only  honest  .

   casper  had  never  understood  why  people  wrapped  criticism  in  enough  sugar  to  make  it  unrecognizable  .  if  someone  wanted  to  improve  ,  they  deserved  the  truth  .  the  rest  was  up  to  them  .  after  a  beat  ,  the  corner  of  her  mouth  tugged  upward  ,  faint  enough  that  someone  could've  missed  it  if  they  blinked  .  "  congratulations  ,  though  .  "  she  gestured  vaguely  toward  stella  with  two  fingers  .  "  sounds  like  you  successfully  guilted  me  into  becoming  a  functioning  member  of  society  .  "

[themuckrakers]

any relationships you'd really like to see happen?

for  purely  entertainment  purposes?  goldie  and  brooks,  without  question.  watching  the  two  dumbest  people  i've  ever  encountered  stand  there  telling  each  other  #exactly  while  simultaneously  misunderstanding  the  same  conversation  would  heal  something  inside  me.  brooks  strikes  me  as  the  type  to  accidentally  flirt  with  literally  everyone  because  he  has  the  social  awareness  of  a  dog.  goldie,  however…  #mamadontplay  that  girl  would  launch  the  atomic  bomb  over  somebody  saying,  "hey,  brooks!"  in  the  hallway.  saint  rivera  would  become  a  crater  by  the third  class of the day.  #nationalsecuritythreat

i've  already  spoken  on  this  once,  but  i'll  happily  say  it  again:  cece  and  stella.  i'm  going  full  #yuri  for  those  two.  i  don't  want  sunshine  and  rainbows.  i  want  yearning  so  intense  it  ruins  both  of  their  academic  careers.  i  want  six  months  of  aggressively  denying  feelings.  i  want  unnecessary  arguments  fueled  entirely  by  poor  communication.  i  want  one  of  them  to  storm  off  dramatically  while  the  other  stands  there  pretending  not  to  care.  healthy  relationships  are  beautiful.  however…  my  favorite  relationships  are  always  deeply  concerning.  #toxicwlw

respectfully…  SYDNEY  AND  MILO!  i've  seen  enough.  put  them  in  a  room  together.  make  them  accidentally  brush  hands.  have  one  of  them  say  "good  game,  man"  and  linger  half  a  second  too  long.  i'll  do  the  rest.  i've  already  got  ao3  open  and  i'm  halfway  through  outlining  chapter  one  in  my  head.  you  can't  stop  me  now.  break  the  stereotypes.  hold  hands  after  practice.  share  a  milkshake.  realize  you've  been  in  love  for  three  months  and  everybody  else  noticed  before  you  did.  google,  show  me  these  guys'  b-  #justonelockerroomscene

now,  just  for  shits  and  giggles,  this  is  my  #rapidfire  list.  cece  and  august,  but  i  imagine  only  for  like  a  one-week  fling  —  they'd  throw  the  school  out  of  balance  too  much.  abilene  and  a  white  claw,  or  really  any  alcohol,  i  need  to  see  how  the  #godgirl  let's  loose!  i'd  like  to  see  gabe  and  a  normal  human  interaction  for  once.  and  lastly,  glee  club  🤝  winning  anything  at  all.

[scgclden]

"well maybe next time you should take the beer outta my hands instead of just telling me. when i'm that drunk i'm not capable of making smart choices." the attempt at child's pose was doing her no good, so the blonde used her core to roll herself up into a seated position before focusing on stretching her legs. of course now that brook was next to her, she also wanted to be able to look at his pretty face... and make sure he knew just how cute and flexible she was in her workout clothes.

she giggled as he even admitted to his own failure to say no to the drinks being forced into both their hands. "exactly. it woulda been so rude to just tell them no! they had so many beers, they needed to be drank." and if not by her, then by who?

she flinched slightly as he attempted a stretch, but stumbled and fell instead. pulling herself out of her own position, the blonde flipped her hair behind her shoulder before making her way over to him. "here, lemme help you." he was struggling so it was the right thing to do. but it also meant she could both look and touch. and if yoga had taught her one thing, it was that boys just weren't always as flexible. they had to be open to different variations of a pose, and that was okay! so she guided him into a sitting position that would also allow him to continue to stretch as needed, but also not overextend to the point that he hurt himself. "and you're right. bodies are super durable. i mean, you get thrown into walls and i have girls in the pyramid falling and accidentally kicking me in the head. and we've both turned out okay."

she returned back to her original spot and listened aptly. smiling brightly when he mentioned cheer. "you COULD totally do cheer. and we can always use more eye candy on the team. especially ones with big strong arms. if ya ever wanna practice tossing people around, just let me know." the one thing goldie had learned over the last few weeks is whenever she tried to flirt with this boy, it didn't land. maybe she had to really lay it on thick. "and you don't need to be flexible to be a cheerio. you just need determination, a great smile, and the ability to count and listen to the music at the same time." she leaned in, covering her mouth as if to expose a trade secret. "and lots of people can't even do that, so coach hides them in the back." she pointed at one of the newest freshman that joined the team as if to prove her point. "but also, you have hockey. and that's like super demanding right? and i bet would make schedules soooo difficult. so you can always just hype me up when i'm cheering, and i'll cheer you on while you guys are on the ice. i can even make a sign. i'm pretty good at those."

[oflos3rs]

   "  oh  …  "  brooks  nodded  immediately  .  "  yeah  ,  actually  ,  that's  way  smarter  .  "  like  she'd  just  solved  a  complicated  equation  .  "  next  time  i'll  just  take  it  outta  your  hand  .  "  another  beat  .  "  does that mean i'll just have two beers at one time forever ?  "  he  frowned  .  "  actually  ,  that's  kinda  hypocritical  ,  huh  ?  me drinking more because you shouldn't drink more . "  his  brow  furrowed  with  genuine  concern  as  he  tried  to  untangle  the  moral  dilemma  he'd  somehow  stumbled  into  . "  okay  ,  here's  what  we'll  do  .  every  time  somebody  hands  you  a  beer  ,  you  hand  it  to  me  .  "  pause  .  "  wait  .  "  another  pause  .  "  no  ,  that  just  means  i  end  up  with  twice  as  many  beers  .  "  his  face  scrunched  , the exact same situation he just stated but said in a different way .  "  ...  man  .  "  he  sighed  dramatically  .  "  there's  gotta  be  a  system  for  this  .  "

   before  he  could  dedicate  any  more  brain  power  to  what  was  quickly  becoming  the  beer  paradox  ,  goldie  had  wandered  over  .  his  eyes  followed  her  without  much  thought  until  she  crouched  beside  him  .  he  blinked  .  "  thanks  ,  golds  .  "  brooks  was  about  as  cooperative  as  an  overgrown  golden  retriever  at  the  vet  .  the  moment  she  adjusted  one  of  his  legs  ,  he  followed  along  without  complaint  ,  if  only  because  she  seemed  like  she  knew  what  she  was  doing  .

   "  whoa  .  "  his  eyebrows  shot  up  .  "  i  don't  think  my  leg  has  ever  been  so  bendy  before  before  .  "  he  stared  at  it  for  a  second  .  "  i  kinda  forgot  it  could  do  shit  like  that  .  "  there  wasn't  an  ounce  of  embarrassment  in  him  .  if  anything  ,  he  looked  fascinated  by  his  own  anatomy  .  "  you  should  charge  money  for  this  .  "  he  declared  matter-of-factly  .  "  people  pay  for  massages  all  the  time  .  this  is  like  …  "  his  hand  waved  vaguely  .  "  ...  yoga  surgery  .  "  that  definitely  wasn't  what  it  was  . once  she  stepped  away  again  ,  brooks  stayed  in  the  stretch  for  approximately  three  seconds  before  slowly  slumping  back  into  his  usual  seated  position  like  a  sack  of  potatoes  losing  structural  integrity  .  "  see  ?  "  he  patted  himself  on  the  chest  .  "  durable  .  "

   his  attention  bounced  right  back  to  her  as  she  started  talking  about  cheer  again  .  "  eye  candy  ?  "  he  looked  over  one  shoulder  .  then  the  other  .  "  ...  who's  the  ⸻  ?  "  he  genuinely  thought  she  meant  somebody  else  .  there  were  like  twenty  attractive  people  scattered  around  the  field  .  surely  she  couldn't  mean  ⸻  his  train  of  thought  derailed  before  it  even  reached  the  station  . "  i  could  totally  toss  people  .  "  his  chest  puffed  out  a  little  .  "  i  mean  ,  i  already  throw  around  hockey  bags  that  weigh  like  …  "  he  looked  up  toward  the  sky  as  if  the  clouds  contained  the  answer  .  "  ...  probably  four  hundred  pounds  .  "  they  absolutely  did  not  .  "  or  maybe  eighty  .  "  he  shrugged  .  "  still  heavy  .  "

   his  smile  only  grew  when  she  started  explaining  how  cheer  worked  .  brooks  leaned  in  too  ,  matching  her  conspiratorial  whisper  without  questioning  why  they  were  whispering  in  the  first  place  .  "  ...  that's  actually  genius  .  "  he  whispered  back  .  "  i  always  wondered  why  people  stood  in  the  back  .  "  his  eyes  drifted  toward  the  freshman  she'd  pointed  out  . he  nodded  solemnly  .  "  good  for  them  .  "  another  nod  .  "  still  made  the  team  .  "  that  seemed  like  a  victory  in  his  book  .  then  she  mentioned  making  him  a  sign  .  brooks  lit  up  so  fast  it  was  almost  cartoonish  .  "  really  ?  "  there  was  nothing  coy  about  the  smile  that  spread  across  his  face  .  it  was  all  teeth  .  all  excitement  .  "  that'd  actually  be  sick  .  "  he  laughed  ,  a  shake  of  his  head  as  a  memory  made  its  way  to  the  surface  .

   "  my  mom  made  signs  sometimes  .  "  which  somehow  felt  relevant  .  "  except  hers  usually  say  stuff  like  '  hit  somebody  !  '  "  he  demonstrated  with  an  invisible  poster  board  in  his  hands  .  "  '  skate  faster  !  '  "  another  imaginary  sign  .  "  '  nice  hustle  ,  baby  !  '  "  he  winced  affectionately  .  "  which  is  kinda  embarrassing  when  you're  seventeen  and  she's  yelling  baby  loud  enough  for  the  other  team's  parents  to  hear  .  "  a  laugh  escaped  him  before  he  looked  back  at  goldie  . "  i'd  definitely  make  you  one  too  .  "  he  nodded  with  complete  sincerity  .  "  i  dunno  what  it'd  say  yet  .  "  he  rubbed  at  his  chin  .  "  probably  something  encouraging  .  "  another  thoughtful  pause  .  "  ...  or  maybe  just  '  go  ,  goldie  !  '  "  he  smiled  .  "  'cause  if  i'm  yellin'  it  anyway  ,  i  figure  i  might  as  well  write  it  down  too  .  "

[rawtalents]

🎙️           ˚           ﹕ㅤㅤ    billy didn't need stage directions to know exactly where she belonged these days, her childhood and adolescence infested with flocks of people with only their own best interests in mind. so much that she'd rather exist somewhere quieter, where it was her own voice that she followed more than anyone else, where she could avoid people as much as possible. and where others desired to be in the spotlight, billy would rather be the captive audience now, a commentator to the spectacle. close enough to know everyone's else neuroses and drama, but removed enough so no one knew hers. maybe that was why she enjoyed the late-night time slot, how the world felt like it belonged to a select few, how everything felt less tangible, and she didn't have to do much but listen. but as much as she wanted to present herself as this elusive figure that could bring confessions out of anyone, as if she was the holy spirit, the upkeep of that persona was much easier when she was alone in a glass box with radio equipment that made aloofness part of the mystique than a social shortcoming. and god she wished she had brought gabe along to use his gawkiness as a buffer between her and everything that made her nervous. to make it easier to hide her own apprehension in the face of something incomprehensible. because that was exactly what pretty girls were. incomprehensible. forcing action out of someone's voluntary atrophy with attraction. unfathomably confusing with how casper's gaze was already taking root in her before either of them had even said a word. a scoff as she sat beside her, an exertion of faux confidence so no one would be able to tell her mind was scrambling how to exist here with casper without desperation. "  don't give me a challenge, graham.   " she picked up a lone fry, dragged it through the patch of ketchup in an absent-minded stroke, then took a bite. it was without ceremony, holding casper's gaze through the entire thing, until she swallowed despite the staleness, corners of lips quirking up a ghost of a smile. "  i like lost causes,   " billy said, glancing at the clock then back at casper. "  and anyone still awake at this hour must be one.   " the nonchalance in her voice made it impossible to tell whether she was talking about herself or casper, though most likely both. mostly likely to establish a common thread. "  but it's always good.   " as expected. "  aside from multiple complaints about your glee club, but that's part of the nightly routine now.   "

[oflos3rs]

   casper  watched  the  almost  -  smile  arrive  .  it  wasn't  much  .  most  people  would've  missed  it  entirely  .  she  didn't  .  funny  ,  the  things  the  eye  learned  to  collect  when  it  had  spent  most  of  its  life  searching  rooms  for  exits  instead  of  people  .  her  fingers  turned  the  coffee  mug  another  slow  quarter  turn  against  the  table  .  ceramic  rasping  softly  against  laminate  .  "  that's  generous  .  "  she  murmured  .  "  calling  me a  lost  cause  .  "  another  beat , another upturn of her lips , another flash of light in her gaze  .

   there  it  was  again  .  that  instinct  to  roll  her  eyes  before  the  corner  of  her  mouth  betrayed  her  with  something  gentler  .  glee  club  was  exhausting  .  too  many  personalities  compressed  into  one  rehearsal  room  .  too  many  people  who  insisted  on  filling  every  silence  as  though  quiet  itself  were  a  disease  .  there  were  days  she  left  after  learning  exactly  what  she  needed  and  not  a  second  more  .  and  yet  .  she  kept  coming  back  .

   she  wasn't  sure  when  obligation  had  quietly  become  comfort  .  or  when  the  noise  had  started  feeling  less  like  something  to  survive  and  more  like  proof  that  she'd  found  somewhere  she  didn't  immediately  want  to  leave  .  it  irritated  her  a  little  .  "  they  complain  because  they're  dramatic  .  "  casper  finally  said  .  "  give  them  a  microphone  and  suddenly  everyone's  living  through  the  end  of  civilization  because  somebody  missed  a  harmony  .  "  a  pause  .  "  they're  usually  wrong  .  "  usually  .

   her  eyes  lifted  again  .  billy  was  still  looking  at  her  .  she  wondered  if  she  did  that  with  everyone  .  listened  like  this  .  looked  like  this  .  as  though  every  sentence  deserved  to  be  held  for  a  moment  before  being  put  down  .  it  was  unnerving  , but  not  because  it  felt  invasive  .  it was because  it  felt ...  nice  .  casper  wasn't  practiced  enough  in  receiving  that  kind  of  attention  to  know  where  to  put  her  hands  .  or  her  eyes  .

   she  settled  for  meeting  billy's  gaze  instead  .  "  you  listen  to  all  of  it  ?  like really listen ? "  her  voice  had  grown  quieter  without  permission  .  less  teasing  .  more  curious  .  "  every  complaint  .  every  late  night  caller  . all the confessions , the vulnerability .  "  she  tipped  her  head  just  enough  to  study  her  .  "  that's  a  lot  of  strangers  living  in  your  head  .  "  the  sentence  hung  there  for  a  moment  .  then  ,  more  .  "  doesn't  get  crowded  ?  "

[divin3s]

Abilene paused midstep when she heard Abs, of all things, and for a split second, she considered pretending that she didn't. She turned anyway, her cardigan still buttoned wrong from rushing to stack chairs with their reserved time up. Her eyes immediately make eye contact with the sandwich, then reluctantly, to Brooks.

"Oh," the words come out eloquently. "We start on time," she gives him a once-over. "And we end on time." She watched as he peered into the empty classroom with something like genuine loss, and that threw her for a loop. Was this the potential for recruitment? It would help their numbers; guys rarely joined, and where jocks went, more were sure to follow.

"Next week. Same time and place," she answered, after a hesitant beat. Her gaze flicked to the sandwich again. "Preferably without outside food. But we do have the occasional pizza social. Those are always a hit."

At his languid summary of the meeting, her brows knitted together, scandalized on instinct. "That is not," she started, but decided that the fight wasn't worth it. He was a curious soul, and was Abilene not meant to lead? "We talk about our temptations and how we can curb them. We're separated by gender; boys start in the opposite room, and then we all come together to share our faith. Sometimes we read scripture or share testimonies, but everything is strictly voluntary," she explained.

She let herself fall into step beside him, posture straight enough to suggest she's walking with a purpose. "You're always welcome to come," Abilene flashed a beaming smile at him, one almost too artificial to be considered real.

[oflos3rs]

   "  next  week  .  "  brooks  repeated  it  around  another  bite  of  sandwich  ,  nodding  to  himself  with  the  sort  of  solemn  understanding  usually  reserved  for  learning  cpr  or  assembling  ikea  furniture  .  "  i  can  probably  do  next  week  .  "  probably  .  that  word  carried  a  great  deal  of  weight  in  brooks'  vocabulary  .  it  could  mean  absolutely  .  it  could  mean  absolutely  not  .  it  could  also  mean  he'd  forget  entirely  until  somebody  reminded  him  ten  minutes  beforehand  .

   his  eyes  lit  up  at  the  mention  of  pizza  .  "  oh  ,  see  ,  now  that's  good  advertising  ,  abs  !  "  he  pointed  the  remaining  half  of  his  sub  at  her  like  she'd  just  revealed  state  secrets  .  "  you  should  put  that  on  the  posters  .  forget  all  the  ...  y'know  ...  "  his  free  hand  waved  vaguely  through  the  air  .  "  the  abstinency  stuff  .  "  a  beat  .  "  abstinence  .  "  another  beat  .  "  abstinentialism  .  "  he  frowned  at  himself  .

   "  ...  whatever  .  the  no  bonin'  thing  .  "  he  nodded  once  ,  satisfied  enough  with  that  .  "  just  write  :  '  free  pizza  .  '  i'd  show  up  for  free  pizza  .  hell  ,  i'd  even  show  up  for  breadsticks  .  "  brooks  listened  ⸻  genuinely  listened  ⸻  while  abilene  explained  the  structure  of  the  meetings  .  his  expression  never  shifted  toward  ridicule  .  if  anything  ,  it  softened  with  concentration  ,  eyebrows  knitting  together  as  he  tried  to  file  every  piece  into  the  correct  folder  inside  his  head  .

   boys  over  there  .  girls  over  there  .  scripture  .  temptations  .  voluntary  .  his  head  bobbed  every  few  seconds  .  "  huh  .  "  that  was  …  actually  way  more  organized  than  he'd  pictured  .  "  i  kinda  thought  it'd  be  like ...  "  he  gestured  with  both  hands  now  ,  nearly  dropping  his  sandwich  in  the  process  before  catching  it  against  his  chest  with  a  startled  little  grunt  .

   "  ...  y'know  .  chairs  in  a  circle  .  everybody  says  their  name  .  then  somebody  rings  one  of  those  little  desk  bells  and  goes  ,  '  congratulations  !  another  week  without  gettin'  laid  !  '  "  he  smiled  sheepishly  .  "  i  dunno  .  clubs  got  traditions and stuff  .  "

   then  came  the  invitation  .  you're  always  welcome  to  come  .  brooks  beamed  so  brightly  it  almost  looked  painful  .  "  wait , seriously  ?  like  for  real  ,  no  take  backs  ?  "  there  wasn't  an  ounce  of  suspicion  in  him  .  no  wondering  whether  she  meant  it  .  no  concern  that  maybe  he  wasn't  exactly  the  target  demographic  .  just  uncomplicated  excitement  .

   "  that's  actually  really  nice  of  you  .  "  his  shoulders  lifted  in  a  shrug  .  "  i  mean  ...  "  he  glanced  toward  the  ceiling  as  though  the  answer  might've  been  written  there  .  "  i’m  not  exactly  ...  y'know  ... "  his  sandwich  became  a  pointer  again  .  "  qualifying  .  "  another  thoughtful  pause  .  "  like  ,  i've  definitely  had  sex  .  "  he  said  it  with  the  same  casual  tone  someone  might  confess  to  owning  a  bicycle  .

   "  not  ,  like  ,  today  .  "  beat  .  "  or  yesterday  .  "  another  beat  .  "  actually  i  don't  remember  exactly  when  .  couple  months  ?  maybe  ?  i  don't  keep  spreadsheets  or  anything  .  "  he  looked  back  at  her  .  "  does  that  matter  ?  "  there  it  was  .  a  completely  earnest  question  .  not  defensive  .  not  embarrassed  .  just  curious  .  "  'cause  if  this  is  one  of  those  clubs  where  once  you  mess  up  they  kick  you  out  forever  ,  i  probably  should  know  before  i  get  emotionally  invested  in  the  pizza  .  "

[themuckrakers]

I think gabe is really cute ૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა

wait…  WHO?  hold  on.  *puts  on  reading  glasses*  *flips  through  notes*  *checks  attendance  records*  *reviews  security  camera  footage*  *pulls  out  the  saint  rivera  student  census*  *contacts  the  fbi*  *opens  a  missing  persons  case*  oh…  GABE!  why  didn't  you  just  say  that?  yes,  he's  easy  on  the  eyes.  unfortunately,  that's  where  my  report  ends.

every  time  i  try  to  gather  information  on  that  boy,  he  disappears  into  the  background  like  mist.  what  does  he  do  for  fun?  no  idea.  who  are  his  enemies?  unknown.  what  are  his  hobbies?  being  quiet,  probably.  he's  cute,  sure.  but  from  a  gossip  perspective?  total  flop.  #BORING  #speakupking  #isheevenreal

[themuckrakers]

top 5 most annoying glee club members?

#1.  LET'S  ROCK!  well,  savannah  has  to  be  up  there,  right?  i  mean,  we  get  it...  you're  emo.  2007  called,  they  want  their  eyeliner  back!  every  time  i  see  her,  i  feel  like  i'm  about  to  get  lectured  on  a  band  with  twelve  monthly  listeners  and  a  lead  singer  who  only  communicates  through  tumblr  posts.  besides  her  overall  vibe  that  i'm  not  fucking  with,  she  seems  fine  if  you  can  get  over  the  annoying  'i  listened  to  them  first'  attitude.

#2.  INFESTATION!  i'm  not  counting  them  individually  because  they  travel  in  a  pack  and  it  feels  dangerous to keep them apart. they come together, #DONOTSEPARATE!  carter.  sydney.  cole.  conrad.  theo.  milo.  i'm  looking  at  YOU!  why  did  the  hockey  team  collectively  decide  to  infiltrate  a  safe  space  for  theater  kids  and  losers?  some  things  are  meant  to  remain  #separate.  every  week  i  feel  like  i'm  watching  a  nature  documentary  about  an  invasive  species.

#3.  GOLDILOCKS!  for  absolutely  no  concrete  reason,  i  feel  like  goldie  could  be  deeply  annoying.  if  she's  calm?  maybe  i  could  love  her.  if  i  look  deeply  into  my  heart,  i  could  say  she  has  potential!  but  when  does  that  girl  ever  act  like  she  didn't  just  do  an  8-ball?  regardless,  she's  on  thin  ice  with  me.  save  some  hookups  for  the  rest  of  us,  girlfriend!  dare  i  say...  the  #girlsully?  many  people  are  asking  this.

 #4.  &  #5.  THE  GHOST  &  THE  (LO)SER!  the  last  two,  i'm  pairing  together.  casper  and  lo?  they  seem  2  kool  4  skool.  casper  treats  glee  club  like  a  court-ordered  community  service  requirement.  she  shows  up.  sings  like  rent  is  due.  immediately  vanishes.  now,  i'll  eat  my  words  if  it  comes  out  she's  actually  auditioning  to  play  forrest  in  a  new  forrest  gump  musicial  because  in  THAT  case,  she's  obviously  #winning.  but  until  then?  stop  acting  like  you're  better  than  everybody,  sweetums.  and  then  here  comes  lo…  the  spiritual  opposite  of  casper.  they  stay.  they're  present.  they're  technically  participating.  but  i  need  somebody  to  explain  the  performance  choices  to  me.  you  can  sing.  i  know  you  can  sing.  so  why  are  you  performing  like  somebody  just  told  you  enthusiasm  is  federally  illegal?  loosen  up!  do  some  jazzercise!

anyway,  these  are  my  opinions  and  therefore  objectively  correct.  xoxo  kisses!

[oflos3rs]

𝚂𝙴𝚃𝚃𝙸𝙽𝙶  𝚃𝙷𝙴  𝚂𝙲𝙴𝙽𝙴:   les affamés,   @3:15AM.

𝙿𝙰𝚁𝚃𝙽𝙴𝚁𝙸𝙽𝙶  𝚆𝙸𝚃𝙷:   @rawtalents,   + billy.

   the  fries  had  gone  cold  somewhere  between  her  second  cup  of  coffee  and  whatever  thought  she  had  been  chewing  on  before  it  dissolved  into  another  one  .  they  sat  abandoned  beneath  the  glow  of  the  tabletop  lamp  ,  limp  and  salted  and  forgotten  .  casper  dragged  one  through  a  puddle  of  ketchup  anyway  ,  more  out  of  habit  than  hunger  .

   the  diner  existed  in  that  strange  hour  where  everything  felt  suspended  .  not  empty  .  not  busy  .  just  lingering  .  an old man  nursing  black  coffee  at  the  counter  .  someone  asleep  three  booths  over  with  their  head  tucked  into  crossed  arms  .  the  hum  of  the  refrigerators  behind  the  kitchen  doors  .  she  liked  places  like  this  .  places  where  nobody  expected  anything  from  her  .

   the  bell  above  the  entrance  chimed  .  casper  glanced  up  automatically  .  and  then  looked  twice  .  there  was  something  almost  cinematic  about  seeing  billy  at  this  hour  .  her  gaze  lingered  a  second  longer  than  it  normally  would  have  . just  enough  to  take  her  in  .  the  tiredness  hidden  beneath  the  surface  .  the  remnants  of  a  long  shift  .  the  kind  of  exhaustion  that  wrapped  itself  around  a  person  without  managing  to  dim  them  .  pretty  .  the  thought  arrived  plainly  and  left  just  as  quickly  .

   then  billy's  eyes  found  hers  .  casper  didn't  look  away  .  instead  ,  she  lifted  a  single  fry  between  two  fingers  .  "  if  you're  here  to  save  me  from  these  fries  …  "  she  said  ,  deadpan  .  "  i'm  afraid  you're  about  twenty  minutes  too  late  .  "  the  corner  of  her  mouth  tilted  upward  .  not  quite  a  smile  .  close  enough  .

   she  nudged  the  basket  across  the  table  a  few  inches  .  "  although  if  you're  feeling  brave  ,  i  admire  commitment  to  a  lost  cause  .  "  her  gaze  drifted  over  billy  again  ,  softer  this  time  ,  less  observational  and  more  familiar  .  "  good  show  ?  "  she  already  knew  the  answer  .  it  was  always  good  .  still  .  it  felt  easier  than  saying  i  was  hoping  to  run  into  someone  interesting  tonight  .

[oflos3rs]

𝚂𝙴𝚃𝚃𝙸𝙽𝙶  𝚃𝙷𝙴  𝚂𝙲𝙴𝙽𝙴:   right after celibacy club ends.

𝙿𝙰𝚁𝚃𝙽𝙴𝚁𝙸𝙽𝙶  𝚆𝙸𝚃𝙷:   @divin3s.

   the  hallway  outside  the  classroom  looked  like  the  aftermath  of  something  sacred  .  students  spilled  from  the  doorway  in  clusters  ,  voices  low  and  careful  ,  drifting  together  like  incense  smoke  beneath  the  fluorescent  lights  .  brooks  walked  straight  into  it  with  a  sandwich  in  one  hand  .  he  looked  wildly  out  of  place  .  his  hoodie  sleeves  were  shoved  to  his  elbows  despite  the  chill in the air  .  there  was  mayonnaise  on  one  thumb  .  a  paper  bag  was  tucked  beneath  his  arm  .  he  moved  through  the  thinning  crowd  with  such  conviction  that he couldn't comprehend considering  the  possibility  that  he  wasn't  welcome  somewhere  .

   by  the  time  the  last  few  students  had  filtered  away  ,  only  one  person  remained  .  abilene  .  "  yo  ,  abs  !  "  then  ,  brooks'  face  fell  immediately  as  he  finally  understood  that  the  students  leaving  the  room  meant  they  were ...  finished  .  "  aw  ,  man  .  "  his  words  came  out  around  a  mouthful  of  sub  .  he  chewed  twice  before  swallowing  and  pointing  the  sandwich  at  the  now - empty  classroom  .  "  it's  over  already  ?  "  the  disappointment  sounded  genuine  .  devastating  ,  even  .

   he  glanced  past  her  shoulder  into  the  room  as  though  maybe  there  was  still  time  to  catch  the  second  half  .  "  i  thought  this  thing  went  longer  .  "  another  bite  disappeared  .  then  he  brightened  .  "  wait  .  when's  the  next  one  ?  "  the  question  arrived  with  all  the  confidence  of  someone  who  had  never  attended  a  single  meeting  and  had  somehow  skipped  directly  to  assuming  he  belonged  there  .

   his  gaze  settled  on  abilene  .  brooks  knew  exactly  two  things  about  her  .  one  :  she  was  religious  .  two  :  she  was  very  religious  .  the  distinction  felt  important  .  he  wasn't  entirely  sure  what  celibacy  club  actually  did  .  every  explanation  he'd  ever  received  had  sounded  suspiciously  like  homework  .  still  ,  he  found  himself  fascinated  by  it  in  the  same  way  people  became  fascinated  by  documentaries  about  deep  sea  fish  .  it  was  a  completely  different  world  from  his  own  . he  took  another  bite  .  "  you  guys  got  snacks  in  there  ?  ⸻  actually  ,  scratch  that  .  if  you  did  ,  don't  tell  me  .  i'll  get  jealous  .  "  the  corner  of  his  mouth  twitched  .

   "  though  i  gotta  ask  .  what  do  you  even  talk  about  for  an  hour  ?  just  everybody  sitting  in  a  circle  like  ,  '  yep  .  still  not  having  sex  .  '  "  he  nodded  thoughtfully  .  "  seems  like  it'd  be  a  pretty  short  meeting  .  "  there  wasn't  a  trace  of  malice  in  it  .  no  mockery  .  no  judgment  .  just  genuine  curiosity  wrapped  in  the  unfortunate  delivery  system  that  was  brooks  daniel  keller  .  he  shifted  the  sandwich  to  his  other  hand  and  fell  into  step  beside  her  without  invitation  .  "  c'mon  .  walk  with  me  .  i  got  another  fifteen  minutes  before  i'm  supposed  to  be  somewhere  ,  and  there's  at  least  a  fifty  percent  chance  i  skip  it  ... okay , you got me ! you're good ! ... a seventy - five percent chance .  "

[oflos3rs]

𝚂𝙴𝚃𝚃𝙸𝙽𝙶  𝚃𝙷𝙴  𝚂𝙲𝙴𝙽𝙴:   the overlook,   @9:30PM.

𝙿𝙰𝚁𝚃𝙽𝙴𝚁𝙸𝙽𝙶  𝚆𝙸𝚃𝙷:   @sheltersheridan.

   the  overlook  had  always  felt  less  abandoned  than  forgotten  .  abandoned  things  were  mourned  ,  spoken  about  in  past  tense  with  a  kind  of  aching  fondness  .  forgotten  things  simply  remained  where  they  were  left  , collecting  dust  and  weather  and  years  until  they  became  part  of  the  scenery  .  he  sat  near  the  edge  with  his  knees  drawn  up  loosely  toward  his  chest  ,  a  battered  notebook  balanced  against  one  thigh  .  the  page  before  him  was  crowded  with  half  -  finished  thoughts  and  crossed  -  out  sentences  that  seemed  profound  right  up  until  the  moment  he'd  written  them  down  .

   he  paused  when  he  heard  footsteps  .  at  first  they  were  distant  .  swallowed  by  concrete  and  echoes  .  then  closer  . instinct  immediately  unfurled  inside  his  chest  .  leave  .  someone  else  was  coming  here  because  they  wanted  to  be  alone  .  that  was  usually  why  people  climbed  all  the  way  to  the  overlook  .  they  came  because  they  wanted  distance  from  something  below  .  even  if  they  brought  others  ,  it  was  to  create  their  own  little  space  separate  from  the  rest  of  the  campus  .

   gabe  understood  that  better  than  most  .  he  lifted  his  head , his eyes catching a brief glimpse of the stranger  .  shelter  .  of  course  .  his  gaze  lingered  only  briefly  before  dropping  away  again  .  they  weren't  friends  .  in the way he wasn't friends with anybody . they knew of each other  .  just  two  people  who  occupied  enough  of  the  same  spaces  to  recognize  one  another  .  hallways  .  classrooms  .  cafeteria  lines  .  familiar  strangers  .  still  .  he  knew  enough  .  everyone  knew  enough  .

   gabe  wasn't  interested  in  gossip  ,  but  avoiding  it  at  a  school  like  theirs  was  like  trying  to  avoid  rain  during  a  storm  .  his  fingers  tightened  slightly  around  the  notebook  .  for  a  second  he  considered  staying  perfectly  still  and  pretending  he  hadn't  noticed  her  .  for  another  ,  he  considered  gathering  his  things  and  leaving  entirely  .  instead  ,  he  settled  somewhere  in  the  uncomfortable  middle  . awkwardly  rising  to  his  feet  ,  he  slipped  the  notebook  beneath  one  arm  and  glanced  toward  the  stairwell  .

   "  i  can  go  ,  if  you  want  .  "  his  voice  came  out  quieter  than  he'd  intended  .  the  wind  nearly  stole  the  words  before  they  reached  her  .  gabe  cleared  his  throat  .  "  uh  .  "  a  pause  .  "  i  mean  ...  you  were  probably  here  first  .  conceptually  .  "  immediately  ,  he  wished  he  hadn't  said  that  .  she had been at the school longer than him , of course , therefore conceptually ... never mind . his  eyes  squeezed  shut  for  half  a  second  .  "  that  didn't  make  any  sense  .  "  another  beat  .  "  sorry  .  "

[rawtalents]

🎸           ˚           ﹕ㅤㅤ    funnily enough, the guilt struck him with absolute swiftness the moment the other man seemed to agree, searching himself for every minute detail of what he could've possibly perceived, and how he seemed to grow embarrassed as if hollis could actually see right through him, when it was simply shit talk for shit talk's sake. and maybe he could apologize for accidentally bestowing the other an impromptu existential crisis, could call him pretty which would be too true, but hollis ruled not to⸻ thought it would be more important to maintain his unapologetic enigmatic allure, the kind that belonged to a #sewerrat with elbow bandaids and a silver chain. so he pulled on another thread to unravel, because he might not look like shit but he was obviously troubled by whatever he had walked away from. there was an immediate resonance, how he'd done the same so many times, and sometimes never even looked back. better to just abandon things than come to a point where he felt absolutely incompetent. he'd rather feel anything else than feel like a #loser who couldn't do anything right, who didn't have a complete control over his destiny. " yeah? what were you working on? " hollis asked before he took a sip of his radioactively blue slushie, though his gaze was trained on the other, albeit his neck starting to get sore for having to look up. and once the brain freeze hit, hollis cocked his head and added, " let me guess … " and he paused for a moment to think, #lowkeymasochistic to contemplate about someone's artistic avenue while going through an ice cream headache, but it was half the fun if you asked him. it took another thirty seconds or so to finally come up with something, a half-playful half-appraising smile on his lips. " you feel like someone who's a little bit of hopeless romantic, but mostly hopeless. " a laugh escaped him then, wondering if his read was going to be right. probably not, but he didn't mind being wrong either. it only meant being corrected with the truth, a foolproof way to learn more about someone. " so i'm guessing you were working on some romantic poetry. but you couldn't get the prose right, because it feels impossible to make it both extremely flowery and natural at the same time. " and hollis didn't even bother to answer the question directed at him, so much more pressing matters at the moment than his exasperation with the glee club, feeling the need to crawl inside the midnight stranger's mind. to know him better. to feel less alone while the rest of the world was asleep. " did i get it, right? "

[oflos3rs]

   gabe  watched  him  think  about  it  with  an  attentiveness  that  felt  strangely  rare  .  watched  the  pause  settle  over  him  as  he  worked  through  the  puzzle  of  a  person  he'd  only  just  met  .  there  was  something  almost  earnest  about  it  ,  hidden  beneath  the  teasing  and  the  slushie - stained  absurdity  of  the  whole  interaction  .  most  people  filled  silence  because  they  were  afraid  of  it  .  he  seemed  content  to  sit  inside  it  for  a  while  ,  turning  possibilities  over  in  his  head  until  one  made  him  smile  .

   it  should  have  felt  invasive  ,  having  a  stranger  attempt  to  piece  him  together  from  scraps  .  instead  ,  gabe  found  himself  studying  the  sharp  angles  of  his  grin  ,  the  easy  confidence  with  which  he  threw  out  wild  assumptions  ,  and  deciding  that  there  wasn't  much  danger  here  .  the other  felt  like  the  sort  of  person  who  asked  questions  because  he  genuinely  wanted  answers  .  the  sort  who  poked  at  locked  doors  out  of  curiosity  rather  than  malice  .  and  maybe  that  was  enough  .  maybe  that  was  why  gabe  hadn't  made  an  excuse  to  leave  yet  .

   for  a  moment  ,  gabe  simply  stared  at  him  .  not  for any particular reason  .  mostly  because  he  was  trying  to  figure  out  how  he  had  managed  to  construct  an  entire  person  from  a  few  minutes  of  conversation  and  a  pair  of  dark  circles  . his  mouth  parted  .  closed  .  opened  again  .  somewhere  in  the  middle  of  attempting  a  response  ,  a  smile  threatened  at  the  corner  of  his  mouth  .  small  .  reluctant  .  the  kind  that  appeared  before  he  could  stop  it  .  "  hopeless  romantic  ,  but  mostly  hopeless  , huh ?  "  he  repeated  it  quietly  ,  tasting  the  words  like  he  wasn't  entirely  sure  whether  he'd  been  insulted  or  complimented  . the  smile  lingered  anyway  .  a  faint  shake  of  his  head  followed  .

   standing  suddenly  felt  strange  .  looming  .  awkward  .  not  that  sitting  beside  a  stranger  was  much  better  ,  but  at  least  it  gave  his  hands  somewhere  to  go  besides  nervously  shoving  themselves  deeper  into  his  pockets .  so  he  lowered  himself  onto  the  concrete  beside  him  . the  night  settled  around  them  in  cool  layers  .  distant  traffic  humming  somewhere  beyond  campus  .  the  convenience  store  lights  buzzing  overhead  like  tired  insects  .  for  a  few  seconds  ,  gabe  watched  a  moth  throw  itself  repeatedly  against  the  glowing  sign  instead  of  answering  .  it  seemed  easier  than  being  perceived  . "  i  was  writing  ,  but  not  ⸻  "  his  brows  pinched  .  "  not  poetry  .  i  mean  ,  it  wasn't  ⸻  "  the  sentence  collapsed  halfway  through  itself  .  gabe  sighed  softly  through  his  nose  .

   "  something  like  that  .  "  it  wasn't  even  close  to  poetry  .  it  wasn't  romance  either  . but  explaining  what  he'd  actually  been  writing  felt  impossible  now  that  the  question  had  been  asked  .  the  song  was  still  sitting  unfinished  on  his  laptop  .  half-built  from  memories  he'd  spent  years  learning  how  not  to  talk  about  .  every  attempt  to  finish  it  felt  like  trying  to  cup  water  in  his  hands  .  so  he  let  the  answer  remain  vague  .

   "  you  get  half  a  point  ... for effort .  "  his  fingers  threaded  together  loosely  between  his  knees  .  the  smile  had  faded  ,  but  traces  of  it  still  lingered  somewhere  around  his  eyes  . then  ,  as  predictably  as  breathing  ,  his  attention  drifted  away  from  himself  and  back  toward  homme  .  easier  terrain  .  safer  .  his  gaze  landed  on  the  aggressively  blue  slushie  .  "  what  is  that  ?  "  he  nodded  toward  the  cup  .  "  it  looks  radioactive  .  "  a  beat  .  "  is  it  actually  good  ,  or  are  you  just  committed  to  the  bit  ?  "

[scgclden]

option one. inside of the choir room [0/2]

there was a soft skip in her step as we walked into the choir room to join all her fellow glee club members. taking her usual seat in the second row, slightly off to the side, goldie shrugged out of the her cardigan (definitely used more for fashion then warmth) and laid it out on the chair next to her. by now everyone knew the spot was reserved for cece, but you could never be so sure! once she was settled, the blonde looked up at the board and saw this week's assignment written out. "do you think if we're allowed to trade partners?" she thought of when the names had been pulled out of the hat, how she wished to be matched with at least five people in here and none of them had been the named called. "i doubt mr. kelmeckis remembered every pair off the top of his head." she couldn't even list off two groups from the top of her head.

option two. outside during cheer practice [1/2]

the sun was high in the sky, bright as could be, but thankfully there was a breeze that accompanied the late september day which gave some relief. stretching next to the others, goldie brought her hand up to shield her eyes from the glare as she trained her gaze on the person next to her. "i really hope coach steele goes easy on us today. i had way too many beers last night at a frat party and my tummy's been gurgling all morning." she sighed, moving into child's pose. or at least an attempt at it, really she was trying to find some kind of comfort. "remind me never to drink that much again." it wouldn't matter. she'd do it again. she never learned from her mistakes.

option three. inside sweet sugar [2/2]

she had found a moment for herself, between her late morning and mid afternoon classes, to be alone with a sweet treat. her biggest weakness is her penchant for sugar, and having a dessert shop in town was not doing her any favors. goldie had just bit into her pumpkin cupcake with cheesecake frosting when she locked eyes with another. "please don't mention this to coach steele," she begged, real fear in her eyes. putting the pastry down, goldie grabbed a napkin to wipe her mouth. "we're not supposed to eat unnecessary carbs or sugars, but it's a seasonal flavor!"

[oflos3rs]

   brooks  had  no  business  being  at  cheer  practice  .  not  because  anyone  had  told  him  he  wasn't  allowed  ⸻  in  fact  ,  goldie  had  barely  questioned  his  presence  when  he'd  wandered  over  and  plopped  himself  down  beside  the  group  like  he  had  been  doing  stretches  with  them  his  entire  life  .  but  because  brooks  keller  had  the  flexibility  of  a  rusty  folding  chair  and  the  coordination  of  someone  who  had  once  tried  to  catch  a  football  with  his  face  . ( he did do that once ) . while  everyone  else  moved  gracefully  into  their  stretches  ,  brooks  was  two  seconds  behind  ,  limbs  going  in  directions  they  probably  weren't  supposed  to  go  .

   his  face  scrunched  up  in  concentration  like  he  was  trying  to  solve  a  complicated  math  problem  instead  of  touching  his  toes  . " okay  ,  first  of  all  …  "  he  started  ,  completely  ignoring  the  fact  that  goldie  was  very  clearly  trying  to  find  peace  in  child's  pose  . "  i  told  you  that  you  were  drinking  too  much  .  i  literally  told  you  .  i  was  like  ,  '  goldie  ,  maybe  don't  have  another  one  because  tomorrow  you  are  gonna  feel  like  a  garbage  can  full  of  regret  .  '  "  he  paused  ,  looking  down  at  his  own  stretch  attempt  .  which  was  mostly  just  him  reaching  toward  his  shoes  and  somehow  still  being  nowhere  close  .

   "  but  ,  uh  .  "  a  beat  .  "  i  also  had  like  ,  a  bunch  of  them  too  .  so  i  guess  i  was  not  exactly  the  best  example  .  "  brooks  gave  a  sheepish  grin  ,  the  kind  that  made  it  impossible  to  stay  annoyed  at  him  .  "  but  that's  different  .  "  silence  .  "  actually  ,  no  .  it's  not  .  that's  probably  worse  .  "  he  nodded  to  himself  like  he  had  just  come  to  a  groundbreaking  realization  . then  immediately  ruined  it  .  "  but  in  my  defense  ,  everyone  kept  handing  me  drinks  and  it  would've  been  rude  to  say  no  .  like  ,  socially  rude  .  and  i  am  a  very  polite  person  .  "  the  logic  was  flawed  .  painfully  so  . but it was brooks .

   he  shifted  into  another  stretch  ,  attempting  to  mimic  the  person  beside  him  ,  only  for  his  leg  to  slide  slightly  and  send  him  catching  himself  with  both  hands  against  the  grass  .  " ...  don’t  look  at  me  .  " his voice resigned , defeated . lifting  his  head  ,  he  glanced  over  at  goldie  with  a  grin  .  "  also  ,  for  the  record  ,  i  think  your  tummy  is  gonna  survive  .  i  mean  ,  humans  are  pretty  durable  .  like  ,  hockey  players  get  hit  into  walls  all  the  time  and  we're  fine  .  kinda  .  "  he  rubbed  his  shoulder  thoughtfully  .  "  okay  ,  sometimes  we're  not  fine  .  but  we  walk  it  off  .  mostly  .  "

   brooks  finally  sat  up  ,  looking  around  at  the  practice  field  with  far  too  much  enthusiasm  for  someone  who  absolutely  did  not  belong  there  .  "  also  ,  i  think  i  could  totally  do  cheer  .  "  he  said  it  with  the  confidence  of  someone  who  had  never  once  considered  his  own  limitations  .  "  like  ,  the  throwing  people  thing  ?  easy  .  i'm  basically  built  for  that  .  " he  gestured  to  himself  proudly  .  "  strong  arms  .  great  balance  .  amazing  athletic  ability  .  "  a  pause  .  "  except  for  the  flexibility  thing  .  "  another  pause  .  "  and  the  coordination  thing  .  "  his  smile  faltered  for  half  a  second  .  "  okay  ,  maybe  i'm  just  built  for  cheering  people  on  .  "  and  somehow  ,  that  was  probably  the  most  accurate  thing  he  had  said  all  day  .

[rawtalents]

🎸           ˚           ﹕ㅤㅤ    hollis couldn't even remember the last time he had a full eight hours of sleep since the new school year began, the return of glee club back into the good graces of the campus population turning out to be both the best and worst thing to happen in his collegiate career. it was great having a front row seat of this trainwreck waiting to happen ( already had an ongoing bet for how long it'll take until julian devereux bursts a forehead vein dealing with those jocks ), but it also meant learning a whole new repertoire of songs just so he, alongside other members of the jazz ensemble, could be ready whenever those freaks tell them to " hit it! " or give them a glance with the expectation that the band already mastered their rendition of … everything in between sondheim and doja cat. so here he was, almost midnight and still sitting at the curb outside the convenience store after hours and hours of practice, sipping on a blueberry slushie as he desperately tried to forget about the arrangements of those fuck-ass mashup songs still echoing in his head. how could anyone expect him to sleep after that? and he was so desperate for a distraction that his attention latched onto the first person that entered his vicinity, looking up from the asphalt to another soul still awake at this time. " you look like shit. " he didn't mean it, spoken with a jesting smile, only said to get a reaction. " what're you doin' still awake at this time? "

𝘀𝗰𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗼: hollis, a member of the jazz ensemble and #furniture of new directions, cannot sleep because all the songs he's learning for the club are stuck in his head! #freehim, but he meets another night owl, and shenanigans ensue?

[oflos3rs]

   the  comment  landed  somewhere  between  a  joke  and  an  observation  ,  and  for  a  second  ,  gabe  genuinely  wondered  if  it  was  the  latter  .  his  expression  shifted  only  slightly  ,  brows  drawing  together  as  his  eyes  dropped  to  himself  like  he  was  searching  for  whatever  he  had  apparently  noticed  .  the  worn  out  hoodie  ,  the  same  one  he'd  thrown  on  without  much  thought  before  leaving  his  dorm  .  the  sleeves  pulled  over  his  hands  ariana - grande - style  .  the  way  his  fingers  still  carried  the  faint  smell  of  old  coffee  and  paper  from  hours  spent  hunched  over  unfinished  melodies  and  half - written  ideas  .

   then  there  were  the  bags  beneath  his  eyes  ...  yeah  .  okay  .  maybe  he  had  a  point  .  not  that  gabe  was  going  to  admit  it  that  easily  .  "  ...  thanks  .  "  the  words  came  out  quiet  ,  almost  instinctive  ,  before  he  realized  how  it  sounded  .  a  pause  followed  ,  a  small  crease  forming  between  his  brows  as  he  looked  back  toward  homme  .  "  i  mean  .  "  he  exhaled  softly  through  his  nose  ,  not  quite  a  laugh  ,  not  quite  a  sigh  .  "  you  aren’t  wrong  .  "

   there  was  no  offense  in  his  voice  .  gabe  was  rarely  offended  by  much  ,  especially  not  by  something  said  with  an  obvious  smile  behind  it  .  if  anything  ,  he  looked  more  embarrassed  by  the  fact  that  someone  else  had  managed  to  notice  what  he'd  been  trying  very  hard  to  ignore  .  his  room  had  started  to  feel  too  small  ,  filled  with  the  same  four  bars  of  music  looping  endlessly  in  his  mind  .  every  time  he  tried  to  finish  the  piece  ,  something  felt  wrong  .  a  note  out  of  place  .  a  rhythm  that  didn't  settle  right  .

   so  he'd  walked  .  because  walking  was  easier  than  admitting  he  was  stuck  .  his  gaze  drifted  briefly  toward  the  convenience  store  ,  the  dim  glow  of  the  lights  spilling  onto  the  empty  pavement  ,  catching  against  the  plastic  cup  in  his  hand  .  there  was  something  strangely  comforting  about  knowing  he  wasn't  the  only  person  awake  at  an  unreasonable  hour  .  "  couldn't  sleep  .  "  simple  .  honest  .  his  fingers  shifted  inside  his  sleeves  ,  picking  absentmindedly  at  a  loose  thread  .  "  was  working  on  something  .  got  stuck  .  "  a  beat  of  silence  passed  before  he  added  ,  quieter  .

   "  figured  walking  around  was  better  than  staring  at  it  until  i  hated  it  ,  you  know  ?  "  his  eyes  flickered  back  ,  taking  in  the  slushie  ,  the  exhaustion  he  was  trying  to  hide  behind  humor  ,  the  fact  that  he  was  sitting  outside  a  closed  convenience  store  at  midnight  because  apparently  neither  of  them  had  made  particularly  good  choices  tonight  .  gabe  understood  that  more  than  he  probably  should  have  .  "  what  about  you  ?  guessing  you  weren't  sitting  outside  at  midnight  for  fun  .  "

[hrmonies]

intermission. god's apology for all that is wrong with the world, also known as milo's sacred space. he was often found roaming the aisles past midnight, as if he were a ghost that was trapped within the store. especially since he looked extremely ghastly beneath the fluorescent lighting. each week, he had money set aside to restock on snacks, drinks and the odd trinket perched by the cash register. he'd made a decent display over the years and displays it with pride. his favorite being the miniature rubber ducky in saint rivera's colors, to the extent that each teammate of the titans received one. currently, he was balancing several bags of chips atop a case with glacier freeze gatorade which the store clerk set aside for him each week. rapport matters! he hadn't the common sense to set the contents down whilst pouring out a slushy... a #CLOWN, and karma for trying the new flavors out with a cupped hand out beneath the nozzle. inevitably, the chips go each and every way with the case of gatorades splitting and rolling out into the aisle. “ CRAP! my gatorade... ” his yell falls quiet with his mourning, shoulders dropping in defeat and lips falling on a pout. his luck only gets worse with his slushy falling from the tilt and splashing across his favorite pair of joggers, staining them with red 40 and blue 1. “ oh, come on! ” an irritated groan, followed with a muttered, “ you're such an idiot, milo, ” as he smears the slushy contents into the joggers until they become a shade of saturated violet. admittedly, he was neither the brightest nor wisest, with little regard for the mess he'd created in a mere matter of seconds or the innocent bystanders on a late night snack run. after a loss of dignity and many paper towels later, he finds himself crouched against the slushy machine gathering the remaining chunks of slush. he notices a foreign shadow beside him, shoes soon coming into sight. “ just a second, nearly done here. then this stupid thing is all yours! ” a hand raised out to them, half apologetic, half annoyed, 100% embarrassed.

setting: intermission, the beloved convenience store that seems to become a major inconvenience for milo. your muse witnesses the aftermath of his destruction and deals with a slightly irritable milo.

[oflos3rs]

   gabe  had  learned  ,  over  the  years  ,  that  there  were  two  kinds  of  disasters  .  the  ones  that  made  people  panic  .  and  the  ones  that  made  people  laugh  .  this  one  fell  somewhere  in  between  .  the  fluorescent  lights  of  intermission  buzzed  overhead  ,  casting  everything  in  a  washed  out  glow  that  made  the  whole  store  feel  like  it  existed  somewhere  outside  of  time  .  he'd  only  come  in  for  a  drink  .  that  was  the  plan  ,  anyway  .  simple  .  in  and  out  .

   but  then  there  was  milo  ,  crouched  beside  a  crime  scene  of  his  own  making  ,  surrounded  by  scattered  chips  and  rolling  bottles  of  gatorade  like  the  universe  had  personally  decided  he'd  had  enough  convenience  for  one  night  .  gabe  stopped  a  few  feet  away  ,  watching  quietly  .  he  wasn’t  judging  him  …  not  really  .  he  mostly  stood  there  because  he  wasn't  entirely  sure  if  he  was  supposed  to  laugh  .

   a  small  smile  tugged  at  the  corner  of  his  mouth  before  he  could  stop  it  .  though  he  quickly  looked  away  ,  pretending  to  be  more  interested  in  the  shelves  beside  him  .  it  wasn't  often  he  found  himself  amused  by  someone  else's  misfortune  ,  but  there  was  something  almost  impressive  about  the  sheer  dedication  milo  had  to  making  a  simple  snack  run  complicated  .  the  kind  of  thing  gabe  would've  somehow  apologized  for  ,  even  if  he  wasn't  the  one  who  did  it  .

   "  you  know  …  "  he  started  quietly  ,  stepping  closer .  "  most  people  just  buy  what they want  .  "  a  pause  .  his  eyes  dropped  to  the  mess  scattered  across  the  floor  .  "  less  ...  dramatic  ,  usually  .  "  it  wasn't  a  joke  delivered  with  much  confidence  .  gabe  wasn't  built  for  that  .  the  words  came  out  softer  ,  almost  like  he  was  testing  them  before  letting  them  exist  .  but  he  was  already  moving  before  milo  could  respond  . he  crouched  down  beside  him  ,  grabbing  one  of  the  bottles  that  had  rolled  beneath  the  nearby  shelf  and  setting  it  upright  with  the  others  .  no  hesitation  .

   "  i'll  get  these  .  "  he  murmured  ,  reaching  for  another  bottle  .  "  you  can  worry  about  saving  your  pants  .  "  his  gaze  flickered  briefly  to  the  bright  stain  covering  milo's  joggers  ,  and  there  was  another  quiet  hint  of  amusement  there  .  "  pretty  sure  they're  past  saving  ,  though  .  "  the  words  were  simple  .  almost  teasing  ,  if  anyone  else  had  said  them  .  from  gabe  ,  they  were  practically  a  conversation  .

   he  gathered  the  remaining  bottles  into  a  small  pile  ,  movements  steady  and  familiar  .  helping  gave  him  something  to  focus  on  .  something  easier  than  filling  the  silence  ,  easier  than  wondering  if  he  was  being  awkward  or  if  he  should  say  more  .  the  floor  could  be  cleaned  .  the  mess  could  be  fixed  .  people  were  harder  .  "  you  good  ?  "  he  asked  after  a  moment  ,  glancing  over  .  a  quiet  check  in  hidden  beneath  an  even  quieter  kindness  .  "  aside  from  ...  all  of  this  .  "

[xoxoclementines]

open. | fabray's cafe

" mm- wait just- one second- the phone eats first. " and clementine's not ashamed of that. not at this point. maybe she should be, honestly, but her life has to look pristine. no matter what's going on behind the scenes. her internet presence is college life without the damage. everyone's damaged at college, right?

" what did you get? it looks delish. " asked as she picks up her matcha, iced, always iced, phone going back in her purse. she'll pop that into tezza later before it goes on her stories.

[oflos3rs]

   casper  watched  the  ritual  unfold  with  all  the  familiarity  of  a  weather  pattern  .  inevitable  .  practiced  .  almost  comforting  in  its  predictability  .  she  didn't  understand  it  .  not  in  the  judgmental  way  people  always  assumed  she  meant  when  she  said  things  like  that  .  she  genuinely  didn't  understand  it  .  life  already  happened  .  it  existed  whether  someone  witnessed  it  or  not  .  whether  a  hundred  people  double-tapped  it  or  scrolled  past  it  without  a  second  thought  .  casper  had  never  felt  the  need  to  collect  proof  of  her  own  existence  .

   maybe  that  was  the  difference  between  them .  where  clementine  seemed  to  gather  pieces  of  herself  and  scatter  them  into  the  world  for  others  to  hold  ,  casper  spent  most  of  her  life  pulling  herself  inward  .  protecting  what  little  belonged  solely  to  her  .  still  .  she  found  herself  watching  .  always  watching  .  there  was  something  strangely  impressive  about  the  way  clementine  could  construct  herself  .  every  movement  deliberate  .  every  smile  curated  .  a  life  polished  until  it  gleamed  .

   casper  wasn't  sure  if  it  was  confidence  or  survival  .  maybe  there  wasn't  much  difference  .  one  shoulder  lifted  into  a  lazy  shrug  .  "  if  your  followers  don't  see  it  ,  does  it  still  taste  good  ?  like if a tree fell in the forest but nobody was ⸻ well , you get it . "  the  corner  of  her  mouth  twitched  upward  before  she  wrapped  both  hands  around  her  cup  .  the  tease  landed  flat  and  dry  ,  exactly  the  way  most  things  left  her  mouth  .

   her  gaze  drifted  toward  the  drink  in  clementine's  hand  before she spoke again .  "  and  it's  a  lavender  latte  .  "  she  took  a  sip  .  "  tastes  like  somebody  blended  a  flower  shop  into  espresso  .  i'm  still  figuring  out  if  that's  a  compliment  .  "  the  cup  lowered  .  for  a  brief  second  ,  her  eyes  lingered  on  clementine  instead  . there  were  people  who  performed  because  they  wanted  attention  .  there  were  people  who  performed  because  they  didn't  know  who  they  were  without  an  audience  .

   and  then  there  was  clementine  .  casper  hadn't  decided  which  category  she  belonged  in  yet  .  she  suspected  the  answer  was  more  complicated  than  either  .  "  you're  gonna  edit  this  one  too  ?  "  she  asked  ,  nodding  toward  the  phone  tucked  away  in  her  purse  .  "  seems  like  a  lot  of  work  just  to  convince  people  you're  having  a  good  time  .  "

[sing2you]

⭐an open starter for anyone in new directions

as co-captain of the new directions and someone still living in shame from last year's disastrous competition season, stella firmly believed that it was her duty to ensure that each and every new directions member was taking things seriously. not just in their group rehearsals, but outside of them too.

which was why she'd taken to cornering new directioners in public settings, appearing seemingly out of thin air beside them in a way that might terrify those with a weaker constitution. luckily, her voice alerted people to her presence soon after. that day's opening line? "hope you're excited about this week's show choir assignment," words she delivered with an only vaguely threatening smile.

"randomized pairing mashups - how fun! i recommend booking the choir room for your rehearsals sooner, rather than later, before it's monopolized by other - lesser and non-performance related - activities."

[oflos3rs]

   casper  had  never  quite  figured  out  how  stella  managed  to  do  that  .  one  second  she  was  alone  ,  minding  her  business  ,  and  the  next  there  was  a  co-captain  standing  beside  her  like  she'd  materialized  out  of  thin  air  and  obligation  . her  gaze  lifted  slowly  from  whatever  had  previously  occupied  her  attention  ,  blinking  once  as  she  took  in  the  vaguely  threatening  smile  aimed  in  her  direction  .  "  jesus  christ  . "  she  muttered  .  "  do  you  take  classes  for  that  or  does  it  just  come  naturally  ?  "

   the  words  came  easy  ,  dry  and  flat  in  a  way  that  often  got  mistaken  for  annoyance  .  maybe  because  most  people  expected  warmth  to  come  wrapped  in  ribbons  and  soft  edges  .  casper  had  never  been  particularly  good  at  soft  edges  .  still  ,  she  listened  .  which  was  probably  more  than  most  people  expected  from  her . the  assignment  itself  wasn't  surprising  .  neither  was  stella's  intensity  about  it  .  if  anything  ,  casper  had  started  to  realize  that  intensity  seemed  to  be  the  language  most  of  this  club  spoke  fluently  .  they  cared  loudly  .  openly  .  relentlessly  .  she  wasn't  entirely  sure  what  to  do  with  that  .  all  her  life  ,  effort  had  been  transactional  .  something  exchanged  for  grades  .  achievements  .  approval  .  affection  .  show  choir  wasn't  supposed  to  matter  enough  for  that  .

   yet  somehow  she'd  found  herself  continuing  to  come  back  .  week  after  week  .  she  told  herself  it  was  because  singing  was  easy  .  because  it  felt  good  .  because  it  gave  her  something  to  do  between  classes  .  but  lately  those  excuses  felt  thinner  than  they  used  to  . because  if  she  didn't  care  ,  she  wouldn't  remember  everyone's  harmonies  .  if  she  didn't  care  ,  she  wouldn't  find  herself  replaying  rehearsals  on  the  walk  back  to  her  dorm  .  if  she  didn't  care  ,  she  wouldn't  have  felt  that  small  sting  of  disappointment  hearing  about  last  year's  competition  results  .  that  was  the  irritating  thing  about  caring  .  sometimes  it  snuck  up  on  you  before  you  could  stop  it  .

   a  quiet  sigh  slipped  from  her  nose  .  "  i  guess  that  depends  on  who  i  get  paired  with  .  "  her  head  tilted  slightly  . of course she hasn't looked at it yet .  "  if  i  end  up  with  someone  who  can't  carry  a  tune  ,  i  reserve  the  right  to  be  dramatic  about  it  .  "  a  beat .  "  professionally  dramatic  ,  though  .  "  the  corner  of  her  mouth  twitched  upward  .  "  and  before  you  ask  ,  yes  ,  i'll  rehearse  .  " she  held  up  a  hand  before  stella  could  launch  into  whatever  speech  was  undoubtedly  waiting  in  the  chamber  . "  i  know  .  shocking  character  development  .  try  not  to  pass  out  .  " for  all  her  sarcasm  ,  there  wasn't  any  real  resistance  behind  it  .  just  the  strange  feeling  of  standing  at  the  edge  of  something  she  hadn't  decided  whether  she  wanted  yet  .  something  that  looked  suspiciously  like  investment  .  and  somehow  that  was  far  more  terrifying  than  any  randomized  duet  assignment  .