grey area

The great know only one law:the outcome justifies the act. Have you the stomach for greatness?The stomach and the appetite?NOAH HENRY POWELL16. 11th Grade. Heir to a throne.

[mia-vanpoop]

“What? It’s 5′o clock somewhere, no need to be giving me judgy eyes. I really don’t think I can put up with that right now.”

[pxwell]

Judgy eyes? I’m part Irish. 

Absolut is for midnight in the VIP section, getting a lap dance from the heiress of a diamond cartel – a Smirnoff is what cures a hangover with another hangover.

[one-jaide]

Monsters exist in margins. They are thus avatars of chance, impurity, heterodoxy; abomination, mutation, metamorphosis; prodigy, mystery, marvel. Monsters are indicators of epistemic shifts.

Ten Theses on Monsters and Monstrosity (VII), Allen Weiss  

[pxwell]

stella-powell:

As soon as the words leave Noah’s lips, waves of emotions come crashing down on Stella. The sincerity in his eyes matched that of his words and voice. Stella’s eyes well up. She had held back a lot, since that fateful day she hadn’t been as free with Noah as she used to be. Now, his words were threatening to break that dam that her hurt heart had built. But before she could respond the host appears and Stella quickly turns her face away to hide her tears. She is able to compose herself by the time the host leaves and turns to look at Noah endearingly when he comforts her as she had asked him to. “I will never ever leave you Noah. Never. I love you too brother. Thank you for being my rock of strength and my cushion,” she whispers looking deep into his eyes with a small smile on her lips.

He smiled at her, as he tried to wipe away her tears with his wrists. “You don’t have to thank me for that, sis.”

[mia-vanpoop]

She listened to his words, each line drawing her closer to him. This was something she had never thought of before, having someone recant Shakespeare to her while she stood on a balcony above had never been a childhood romance dream of hers. Though from where she was standing now, she wish it had been. The smile was soon interrupted by her teeth grazing her lower lip. “Don’t worry, I’m not the territorial type, if I bite it’s for good reason.” she countered back. She moved in front of him, her hands slowly making their way to his shoulders, then moving down to his collarbone and resting on his chest. She looked up at him then, her eyes wide with curiosity. “Don’t you want to see what heaven taste’s like?” she asked him, lifting her own shoulder and dropping it down, the strap of her bra falling with it. A smirk resting on her lips as she continued to look up at him, challenging him to make the move.

[pxwell]

It was easy for his mind to lose itself in her image. The water was cold, the night even colder, and she was the hearth, calling you to her warmth. He was a boy besides his apathy. And boys like him were damned to be enticed with girls like her. Girls with her eyes, girls with her lips, and girls with her body. Girls like her graced the Powell’s hall with their expensive designer dresses in hundreds. She could have been anyone of them, standing there beside him, speaking like each word was a secret. Strange how he suddenly wasn’t capable of imagining another face. His mind recanted the steps he had taken and the words he had said, wondering whether he had meant to be here all along, anticipating for something. He wasn’t sure what, not even when she moved her hand on his chest, not even when she looked at him like that. 

His rough hand grazed her cheek, before his fingers tapped notes on the nape of her neck. His other hand caught her waist, hoisting her up for her face to level his. He wondered what she expected him to be: the gentleman she approached or the boy who played a kiss from her. Noah wanted to save that next kiss until he was sure. Until then, lips found her shoulder, her collarbone, her chest, her throat, her chin, teeth grazing as he explored each inch of her skin. He’d move her against him, until they were chest against chest, forehead against forehead, and the tip of their noses brushing, lips not too far from a kiss. Noah didn’t want the game to be over. He didn’t want it to be just another night to write on his journal. Breathing heavily, with his forehead still pressed against hers, he whispered to her lips a question. “Are we here because we’re attracted to each other? Or are we here because we’re lonely?”

[mia-vanpoop]

“Challenging me won’t get you another, you’ll have to be smoother than that.” she told him, treading in the water. “Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve been called that.” she said simply. He kept his distance and she didn’t complain. Her undergarments left little to the imagination and them being wet didn’t help much. “Be careful, I hear she bites” she teased once more. She ducked under water, swimming under until she was next to him, their shoulders touching while both faced opposite directions. “Only if you don’t steal mine” she said, barely above a whisper.

[pxwell]

He stretches his arms behind him and set it upon the ledger, as laughter quakes his bare chest. He kicks his foot against the bottom of the pool, letting his body float. The stars above was the subject of his eyes’ wonder, after he took them from her. There were only so few of the burning silver dots, light years away, spilling on the black blanket that was the sky. “I’m afraid that’s how I do suave,” he says. “What would Shakespeare say? Hm.

If being kissed by you is to be pierced by the poisonous stinger of a thousand bees, I would gladly pay the price of my pain and endure it, again and again – a thousand times again – if it means tasting the saccharine honey that gushes from your merciless lips. Seal my fate now, if I must die by the hand of my longing. What reason would I have left to live, once I’ve tasted heaven?”

He dropped his arms back into the water. “How was that?” He tensed as she came near, daring not to move an inch. He pictured the exact same scenario, except with a different girl. The other was detrimental to the project he was writing on his book, and she was a luxury. A liability. “I hope I don’t come out the water bruised. I’d like to look presentable in the morning.” He tilted his head to face her, a corner of his mouth curving upwards. He wondered why he never thought about her before that night. “It’s a deal then,” spoken quietly, careful of whatever invisible partition that stood between them.

[pxwell]

stella-powell:

Stella takes a deep breath and calms herself, with her eyes closed. She cannot break down like this. That’s so not her. “I want you to just give me a hug and tell me how pretty I am and that I’ll make a very good lawyer and find a wonderful guy,” she says playfully with a smile, though there was a trace of sadness in her eyes but she was feeling much better.

Noah heaved a sigh, shaking his head and lowering his eyes. “I want to be that person,” he says, eyes gradually rising to meet hers. “I want to be that person who you can be with without torturing yourself.” When the host arrives at the table, Noah makes his apologies, says it was nothing, charming the man with his boyish smile, and waits for him to leave them. He looks back at his sister and follows most of what she asks. Part of his life was dedicated to doing that. “You’re beautiful, amazing, the kindest, and one of the most intelligent and innovative people I know. You’ll make an excellent lawyer. For a woman like you a man is a small luxury and not a necessity. And I love you. I love you, so don’t leave me, sis.”

[pxwell]

brooke-lauder:

Mhm..That’s true. I would do the same for you,” grinned Brooke happily, warmed by the thought of how blessed she was to have such loving family members. She chuckled,” I’ll hold you to that promise. But I really hope you’re right.” she sighed. “Cos’ you know my mum. There’s a possibility she’ll try to manipulate the situation.

“Granddad always says, if we don’t have family, what’s life worth?” He gives his cousin’s cheek a brief kiss. “I do know your mother. I don’t doubt she will. But best pray I’ll out maneuver her.”

[pxwell]

stella-powell:

“But Noah…I wanted us to enjoy. Oh god! Why is this happening! I should’ve kept a grip on myself.” Stella starts feeling worse about how the whole situation was unraveling.

“What do you want me to do?”

[pxwell]

stella-powell:

Seeing Noah call for the host Stella snapped out of her sappiness. “Oh no! you were famished and we drove so far. Let’s eat and then leave. I’m fine,” she says urgently trying to sound as happy as she could. She really didn’t want to spoil the night.

“There should be food in storage at the Hamptons house. I can cook. You can rest. It’s a lot closer than home. I don’t want you to smile, when you want to cry – not that I want you sad. Crying is cathartic.” 

[mia-vanpoop]

“Well then I guess it’s a good thing we already had ours.” she told him. She then grabbed her purse and threw it over the fence, She then hoisted herself up and over the fence. “Well then, come on a follow” she said, walking over at dipping her foot in the water, pulling her dress up as she did. “Good news, it’s warm…ish” she said, walking over to a chaise. She unzipped the side of her dress, pushing down the sleeves and letting it drop to the ground. She was thankful there was only one light from the back porch, making it very dim where they were standing. Although she still kept her hands in front of her stomach as she walked over to the pool. Sitting down and sliding into the water. “Much better then childhood tree house.” 

[pxwell]

“You call that a first kiss?”

It was her fault, Noah silently screamed back at the moon. It’s her fault she’s so goddamn lithe. He followed her, as obediently as he said he would. She had a way about it that suggested it wasn’t her first time climbing up other people’s fences. “I’d call you a jailbait for completely different reasons.” His teeth grazed his inner cheek, as he stood quietly watching her undress, reluctant. Biting his lip, he finally gave into it. He unbuttoned his shirt first, and unbuckled his belt, leaving only his boxers on. Clumsily, he folded his clothes, before putting it aside. He went in after her, keeping a safe distance. God knows what would happen if he didn’t. “I don’t know about that. There’s a far deadlier creature in front of me. Looking like that one moment in history that has to be captured and featured in Times. Iconic, you could say.” He smirked. “I’m keeping an eye on you. Don’t steal my clothes.”

[pxwell]

stella-powell:

Stella smiles meekly, her brother’s gesture was so touching. She just leaned her face into his hand. Closing her eyes, she sighs. “You’re kind but the journey I want to venture out on cannot be made with anyone else. Plus, it’s a one way ticket. What’ll become of Powell Fulbright if you don’t return?” Stella was in pain, the pain welling up over the years. She felt like an old lady living in a teenager’s body. She wanted an escape. This side of Stella Powell was not a fighter, hence, she’d always kept it under wraps lest someone exploit it.

“Stella you aren’t going anywhere” was all he could say. He detached his hand from his face to call for the host, an apologetic expression already painted on his face. They needed to go -- this wasn’t the place for this.

[pxwell]

stella-powell:

Stella listens with half a smile on her face. How typical of her brother. But she refrained from judging him on moral grounds. “A farewell kiss? That means she’s expecting you to return her messages and calls and let me guess you haven’t done any of that?” Stella laughs softly. Just then they are interrupted by the server who’d come with their drinks. Thanks him with a smile she lets him go. Then she takes a long hard look out of the window at the wide expanse of the water. Sighing deeply she takes a sip of her wine. “I…want to leave. Get lost. Never return.” Her voice was distant, shaky and tired while her face expressed an unknown melancholic desire.

He laughs. “Am I that transparent?” He listened with nothing but concern. But he never understood sadness. Maybe once he’d known of it, but he had forgotten the moment like it was a millennium ago. There was only anger left – an entire ocean of it coming to him tidal waves or stillness. He tightened his grasp on her hand, and set the other against her cheek, his thumb rubbing the space underneath her eye. “Not without me.” It was half a lie – magnificently told, but a lie, nonetheless.

[mia-vanpoop]

Mia slowly stepped backwards, like a animal trying not to alert the prey. She reached the gate that surrounded the pool. Her hands grasping two bars on either side of her. “Had, is the key word there. So is that your pick or would it kill you to throw that suit on a chaise?” she teased him. She found herself having fun, she liked the back and forth they had going and how spontaneous the situation was. She pulled her bag off her body, dropping it by the ground. She stared over at him, waiting for him to make his decision, suddenly feeling like that animal again, this time the prey was aware.

[pxwell]

He was simultaneously listening and watching to everything that surrounded them, distrustful, most of all, of the moon that was watching above with its silver eye. He felt like he was being chastised for hiding in the shadows with Eurydice. “Once, I think I heard someone say tree houses are the perfect setting for a first kiss. I got stung by a bee for the first time in mine. Pivotal, nothing less.” He halted – walking, speaking, breathing – letting the silence linger for another beat. “It’s Jean Paul Gaultier,” he teased. “I’m just waiting on you. Follow the leader.”

[pxwell]

Lie to him convincingly- the only thing that Stella would suck at for life. Oh why did she let the feeling overcome her in the first place. She rolls her eyes and looks at Noah with a sigh, “Why don’t we do this: You tell me about your trip first, then I’ll tell you what you want to know?” She wasn’t going to give in without negotiation, as was her usual course of action. She looks at Noah, matching his steady encouraging look.

[pxwell]

stella-powell:

“I’m going to take that as defeat. But it doesn’t taste nice when it’s not won fairly.” He breathes in deep and exhales through his mouth in one blow. “Fine. But you asked for this. Remember that. I went in for an afternoon of golf. They offered me to stay the night at their villa, instead of going home to the Watsons. I agreed. We had drinks. Helen and I lingered, before we finished an entire bottle of scotch. We both tumbled in the same bed at around midnight. We woke up both naked beside each other. The next morning, we had a rather awkward breakfast -- Helen and I, the rest of the family were decent. Before I left for New York, she gave me a farewell kiss. Oh, and Gansey also put father on retainer. Your move, Powell.”

[pxwell]

Stella avoids Noah’s gaze as he asks her with concern. What could she tell him? That there was no real reason behind this? That she just felt like her life was too much to handle? That she wanted to run away and didn’t even know why? No, she wasn’t going to say that. She wasn’t going to bother Noah with something she didn’t understand herself. “I have a lot of work…i can’t take a vacation. That’s all…nothing is wrong. If it were, I’d have told you, right? So, don’t worry about me…tell me about your time in West Virginia and the lovely Helen Gansey.” Stella looks at Noah with her usual curious and playful smile, though it failed to reach her eyes. Stella was terrible at acting.

[pxwell]

stella-powell:

He smirked. “Don’t stammer. If you don’t want to talk about it, lie to me convincingly.” He leans his elbows on the table, his eyes encouraging her.

[mia-vanpoop]

“Sorry sweetie, but my name ain’t Helena” she slowed her pace her head swiveling to make sure she wasn’t going to run into things.. Playing with the straps of her heels so they were connected with each other and then tied around the strap of her cross body purse. Relieving them from her hands. She rolled her eyes at his challenge, “It all depends on the challenge really” she countered.  “Hey, no more other languages. Don’t make me pretend I’m actually fluent in french.” she then stopped, far enough away from him that he had time to slow down before standing in front of her. “You’re expectations are probably a little higher than mine.” without another word she started walking through the house they were standing in front of. She made her way to the side of it, getting showered in darkness. “Well we can either go swimming, or see how lame their tree house is…who the hell even has tree houses?” she asked rhetorically. She then turned herself around waiting for Noah.

[pxwell]

“Tsk. Easy mistake to make.” Thinking she was made uncomfortable by his observation, the boy lowered his gaze on the pavement beneath his feet, watching the soles of his shoe crushing dead leaves. “Ah, well…even formidable daredevils have limits.” He throws his hands up in surrender, grinning to himself at her supposing it was French. His father had once told him to keep spitting limericks or phrases in Greek/Latin only amongst the Dead Languages Club (“otherwise, you’d sound like a total asshole”). Swiftly, halting just a brief length from her, Noah placed his hands back inside his pockets. He was looking down at her – Nietzsche gazing at the abyss. And it gazed back, with its blue eyes. “I suppose they are. Can’t blame me for that.” He only watched her as she began to walk towards the empty house, considering the ramifications of taking another step forward. But he’d set himself into trouble the moment he answered her request for gum with his cherries. “Hey, we had a tree house once,” he answers, and follows behind.

[pxwell]

stella-powell:

Stella just looks out of the window, longingly and sadly, while Noah appraises the place in his usual careful, observant manner. Hearing his voice she turns to look at him with a smile, “You know me…I just pick up my car and drive off in whichever direction I feel like. One day after the dance, I felt like driving along the coast, and landed here.” Noah was the only one apart from her mother who knew that Stella had a private dance studio in the city and went there reularly and discreetly. She follows her brother’s gaze to the view outside and feels as if the sea was calling out to her. She didn’t want a vacation. She wanted an end. She wanted to get lost at sea. She never wanted to be found. But she manages to smile again when her brother’s voice interrupts her dark thoughts, whichc she’d been having a lot lately. “Oh it doesn’t matter what I’ve earned…I’m too spent to even enjoy a vacation. I’d rather keep myself immersed in studies and work than take a break.” She chuchkles at the mention of fishing. “Oh! Yes! Your wonderful fishing trips! Grandpa is always so enthusiastic about it. Once I tried to learn how to fish. I couldn’t stay quiet to save my life, we didn’t catch any fish and he gave up on me!” Just then a server appears with water and Stella thanks him with a smile. “Jacob, we’d like some Guy Charlemagne Mesnillésimé Grand Cru 2004,” she tells the server with her charming smile while glancing at Noah for his approval.

Noah was awfully familiar with that tone, that mood, that melancholic Stella that he wished was distant from who she usually was. But never does it seem to leave her. It worried him, naturally, which made him sit straighter – if that was any possible. “No one ever doesn’t need a vacation. What’s wrong?” Any talk about fishing soon vanished like his interest on food, at the thought that something was agonizing his sister. Again.