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Veronica "Ronnie" Lanteith

[heather--phillips]

Heather dismissed the waiter as he offered them straws, pushing the green juice towards Ronnie and grabbing her own coke, using it as an excuse to spend a moment ordering her thoughts. “I am the less involved maid of honor in history, my duties include sitting on my ass while my mom and future Mrs. Dr. Drake Ramoray discuss wedding details for hours.”

[ronnielanteith]

Ronnie put her shoulders back in preparation to drink her anti-hangover beverage. She grimaced before starting to down it, drinking just under half. She scoffed at Heather’s reference, smiling at her best friend’s wit. She looked down at her green juice after she saw the way Heather’s stress lined her familiar features. “I hope you know that when you get married, I’m not doing anything to help you,” Ronnie sat back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest. “I won’t help with the dress or the flowers, place cards, nothing,” by the end of her sentence Ronnie’s smile had defeated her teasing, bringing some affection to her post-drunken eyes. 

[alethia-del-castillo]

“That’s good, I’m glad,” Alethia continued awkwardly, her grip tightening on her thermos. “So you are doing fine, right? Like here in Helios, or in general,” Alethia rambled, looking away. Locking eyes with Ronnie had once been so easy, but now staring into her familiar eyes only brought a heavy guilt that she was trying to leave behind. 

[ronnielanteith]

“O-Oh yeah, definitely,” Ronnie nodded. She swallowed the lump wanting to form in her throat, tucking her hands in her denim short’s pockets, trying to gain the courage to look into Alethia’s eyes. When she succeeded, Ronnie noticed, just like Alethia had, how it didn’t feel like it used too. Ronnie hadn’t been this close to Alethia in months, but, yet, she had never felt so distant. She widened her fake smile. “Well, anyways, I’ve got to go and I’m sure you do too–” She cut herself off, starting to walk away. 

[alethia-del-castillo]

Considering that Alethia had to put up with a job she hated five days a week for a rather miserable salary, she was better at putting up a fake smile than Veronica, but that didn’t mean that it was easy. “Really? Were you-uh… was anyone hurt?” Alethia cleared her throat, taking a sip of her coffee. 

[ronnielanteith]

Alethia’s concern pulled enough at Ronnie’s curiosity to raise her pair of green eyes from the floor. “Oh– no,” she answered quickly, torn between wanting to continue speaking to the artist or the ever-promising sprinting back to New York. She rocked once on her heels. “Everyone was... Fine.” 

[heather--phillips]

Heather chuckled, when Ronnie had walked in everyone had turned around to see the sunglasses wearing goddess, but after she threatened to bite off the heads of those staring, the two were given privacy. “Trust me, I’d take the hangover over my night. I had to skype with the blushing bride.”

[ronnielanteith]

“Ew,” Ronnie spat, rolling her eyes under her hand tent. “How’d that go over?” She quizzed, looking up just enough to see their waiter deliver their drinks. 

[alethia-del-castillo]

Alethia left the office promptly at five, not a second before not a second after. She grabbed her bag and left, her straight face softening very subtly when she saw a familiar face outside. “Please tell me you hate your job too.”

[ronnielanteith]

Seeing Alethia always threw off Veronica’s guard and this time was no exception. Stopping cold in her tracks, Ronnie’s face took slightly longer to soften. “Well, considering I don’t really have a job at the moment, that’s a bit hard to... Comment on,” Ronnie answered her humbly, dodging eye contact when she finished speaking, letting her green eyes find refuge on her battered Converse. “I was doing a show, but it fell through. As in literally the roof of the rachet Helios theater fell through so we had to stop rehearsing.” 

[tracewilkins]

“I said it’s amazing that in just a few months, I’ve gained a sister and a brother…in-law. And a nephew. Never thought that would happen to me.”

[ronnielanteith]

Veronica peered up to see past the rim of her baseball cap and find Trace’s sweet smile, recognizing it from Michael and Isabelle’s wedding, trying to subdue her grumpy exterior. “You are doing better than me,” Ronnie decided. “All I gained this month was this wicked hangover.” She smiled softly to the brunette to let him know she was joking, then extended her hand. “I’m Ronnie, by the way. You’re... Isabelle’s brother?”

[heather--phillips]

Heather rolled her eyes at Ronnie when the waiter repeated the day’s special for the millionth time. “We’ll both have waffles, bring me a coke and Miss Hangover here, you bring her a green juice, thanks.” She handed the menus back and dismissed the waiter. “Done.”

[ronnielanteith]

The fluorescents of the diner prompted Ronnie to fidget with her sunglasses, pushing them closer to her eyes. “I swear to god restaurants are not this bright in New York.” She made a makeshift visor with hands cupping her forehead. “Why couldn’t you have partied with me last night?” She whined. “I like it when we’re miserable together.” 

[ronnielanteith]

“Look, if you could just start over quieter and slower, the odds of me hearing you this time around would increase by like one thousand.” 

[math-hall]

“Then let’s do a favor to the world and never let those two get to know each other, imagine if they got married and re-populated the Earth with overachievers. Us lazy-ass people would be ruined for life.”

“I mean it,” he smiled at her. “Now that I am not broke anymore you can tag along any time when I go visit my family.”

[ronnielanteith]

“That’s a brilliant plan,” Ronnie complimented hiding each trace of humor. “Sleeping until 2 PM will prevail!” 

She chuckled at her display before Matt smiled. Her lips lost their curve just enough to show the intrigue of her expression. “Are you serious? That is so kind of you. Thank you.” 

[slinkyfailures]

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[math-hall]

“I wouldn’t know about that, though,” he chuckled. “My sister would, she is one of those people that does everything at school? And she does some musical theatre, or at least she used to do it. Now she is more into science.” 

“Either way, London would be lucky to have you.”

[ronnielanteith]

"Sounds like my brother, Blake.” Ronnie’s eyes glistened with enthusiasm. “He tried it all too. I never understood how he could have so much energy and passion for fucking everything. Half the time I couldn’t even get my ass out of bed.” 

“Well, thank you,” she bowed just a bit. “I may just take you up on that.” 

[math-hall]

“Another debate? What the hell? Why do you Americans make things so damn complicated, can’t you just vote once and that’s it?”

[ronnielanteith]

“Maybe I’ll just move to London. West End theatre is fucking amazing anyways.” 

[averyreynolds]

Oh honey, why would you do that? It’s like a blood bath on the news when it comes to politics. Someone did something and the other skeleton is coming out of the closet.

[ronnielanteith]

All they did was talk shit. I swear to god I never even heard the words “healthcare” or  “immigration” once. I don’t even want to vote anymore. 

[ronnielanteith]

Considering this is the first election where I can actually vote, thought I’d turn on the news for once, watch a debate. Huge mistake. 

[math-hall]

“I can put her back on, if you want,” he offered, dismissing the bottle before stumbling towards his bed, sitting on the edge and running his hand through his hair, it was longer than usual. “Congratulations on the play, will I get to see it?” He asked honestly, the room spun around him, but he still managed to keep track of the bullet points she was offering him. Alethia, he thought, but stayed quiet. Kate and him were tight, and Alethia was always willing to look after Tia even when he couldn’t afford to pay her. “Don’t apologize. i know this is horrible, but it is comforting to know my life is not the only one that sucks.” Matthew sighed. “Look at you, if you can’t get the person you want, what hope is there for the rest of us?”

[ronnielanteith]

“That’s alright,” Ronnie said earnestly, feeling the bed dip when she sat beside him. “Thank you and, possibly. I’ll let you know, once rehearsals start, if it’s up to Matthew Hall standards.” She hadn’t noticed until that moment that her feet didn’t reach the fancy carpet at the base of the fancy bed, so Veronica brought them to the mattress, crossing them. Her knee resting on Matt’s thigh. “My life doesn’t suck per say,” she said defensively, but unconvincingly before she changed her mind. “Never mind, it kind of does.” Ronnie took another sip. “Look at me?” She asked, exasperated. “Look at you! You’re fucking sex on a British stick. Why are you single? I mean,” she cocked an eyebrow. “I’m glad you are, but that doesn’t mean it makes sense.” 

[math-hall]

“You came in too late, I already went through the entire discography of Celine Dion and Adele. It’s Perri’s turn.” Veronica looked gorgeous, and Matthew kept his eyes on her, not pouring any more drinks. “How are you, anyway?”

[ronnielanteith]

“Damn, I missed Celine?” She applied an extra layer of disappointment, taking Matt’s stillness as hint enough that he didn’t want another drink, but she offered him the bottle anyways. Ronnie kind of cringed at his question. “I got in a play,” she stated with a shrug. “It’s not quite Broadway, but Helios has, uh, it has a theater, so...” She chuckled after her incomplete sentence before taking a sip. “I’m thinking about getting a dog and I think I’m still hung up on someone I used to date. Scratch that, I know I’m hung up on someone I used to date.” The brunette took another swig. “I’m sorry. I’ll shut up if I keep drinking, promise.” 

[math-hall]

“What is there to say anyway? I’m a failure, I don’t have a job and I am wasting Mike’s money in this fancy alcohol to listen to sad Christina Perri music. The fire starters always get the burns, and the good guys never get the girl, and shooting stars cannot fix the world. And if you tell anyone I was watching Sense and Sensibility I’ll kill you. So let’s just drink.” He said, turning off the hotel’s TV.

[ronnielanteith]

Ronnie exhaled in a huff, finding most of Matt’s explanation to sail wistfully right over her head. She eyed him for a moment, wanting to steal his hurt and bury it underground, but she didn’t know to do that, so Veronica turned on her heels and went for the expensive hotel alcohol. “Christina Perri? Really?” She asked after a moment, pouring herself a glass.