can't shake this feeling that i have...

Sally Finkelstein, 32 y/o, she/her | Seamstress, Costume and Set Designer for the Community Events Committee | Lover of Jazz, Puppetry and All Things Theater

[sallytheseamstress]

HAPPIESTPLACEHQ TASK 11 - INTRO & CONNECTIONS

sally finkelstein ~ thirty-two ~ seamstress + salesclerk ~ she/her (cis woman, bisexual)

[ bio / muse / headcanons / pinterest / spotify ]

Character Information

Raised by her controlling father and accustomed to looking after him ever since she was just a child, only recently did Sally move out of her abusive home. This sudden freedom is as exciting as it is terrifying.

Immensely creative, though used to keeping it all to herself, Sally has been trying to get out of her own head for a bit, become more sociable and to make friends. So far, and to her surprise, this has been quite successful.

Working in the sidelines and backstage for Community Theater and as part of the Events Committee means she has developed a keen ear, a knack for passing undetected, and a certain thrill in ocassionally snooping around and harmlessly breaking a few rules. Having experience with sneaking out of her home for a taste of freedom while her father was asleep probably helped too.

She is used to sacrificing her own happiness and comfort for others: whether that is allowing others to have the spotlight, or to prioritize a good friendship over anything more intimate and risky, Sally will always make the choice that puts someone else first.

Sally has had her job at Jack’s Attic Holiday Store from age twenty-two, and has been hopelessly in love with Jack King for about a decade now. Her deep-set insecurities have led her to accept she might as well never be brave enough to confess her feelings, no matter how much she yearns for him to return them.

Wanted Connections

Friends: More than happy with the friends she currently has, nevertheless Sally can be willing to let a few more kindred souls into her heart. She’s especially curious about life in big cities outside of Redwood Hollow, so out-of-towners are particularly welcome to try their hand at approaching Sally and becoming her friend.

First-Times: This is the year Sally tries to live a little and give love a chance –or so she tells herself. Maybe your character is a stranger with whom Sally hits it off surprisingly well; maybe it’s an old friend who’s willing to help her out this once; regardless, this might be the person who can finally give Sally the push to let go of her infatuation and move on.

Thespians: Working at the Community Events Committee, especially making costumes and sets, means she has a good knowledge of the Redwood Hollow performing arts scene. Whether or not Sally can help your character with their networking dreams of stardom might be harder to say –but they can try!

Therapists: To even try to seek any help at all is a big enough first step for Sally. After years of staying in denial about her difficult relationship with her emotionally abusive father, she’s slowly accepting that, in order to fully let go of the pain she’s just coming out of, she might need a shoulder to cry on.

Plot Ideas

Familiar Face: Your character just happens to absolutely adore holiday decor, because honestly, who doesn’t? They’ve been coming to the store for years and with a surprising frequency, so Sally already sees them as a regular and knows them by face, but has never really had an actual conversation with them... Until now.

Hello Neighbour: Moving out of her childhood home and into a new apartment closer to her workplace means brand new people to introduce herself to. Your character might pass by and ask for some powertool or baking supply Sally happens to have in stock, knock on her door to beg for her to keep the showtunes down a notch, or simply pass by to present themselves

Sneaking Past The Graveyard: No matter how much of an indoors creature the Small-Town Goth is, they must always spend some time every week to wander through a cemetery. Sally in particular feels at home there, chatting with the local gardener and taking flowers to the tombs of those without any families to mourn them anymore. And, of course, more than once she has watched a mourner in secret from a distance: perhaps this time she wasn’t discrete enough.

Sandbox Love Never Dies: Sally has never been particularly friendly; however, there might have been someone in her early childhood, a classmate she used to rely on, a bosom friend with whom, for some reason, they have drifted apart –and only now, with Sally participating more of the social scene of Redwood Hollow, the scars of that old falling out are out back in the open. It could have been due to anything, from a broken toy to a deep personal betrayal. Regardless, Sally must face the matter head-on, and learn a little lesson in forgiveness.

Custom Works: Who would have thought word of mouth could be so effective? Someone who has seen Sally’s Halloween costumes and her ocassional designs for her friends decides to hire her for some custom outfits. Professionalism be damned, Sally will not betray her creative vision!

Taken Connections

Friends: @sweetellafontaine​, @ollie-olliebaby

Enemies (?): @ozborror-highroller

Other

I would love for Jack King to make an appearance in the RP, if anything else to resolve the feelings Sally has had for so long with a definitive answer at last.

[ellasweetfontainex]

sorry... | Sally & Ella

@sallytheseamstress

Ella had been nervous all day—so much so that it settled into her bones, a quiet, relentless tremor she couldn’t shake. Every small task felt heavier, every passing minute louder than it should have been. She had made sure Dandelion wouldn’t be home; she couldn’t bear the thought of her daughter witnessing this, of those bright, innocent eyes trying to make sense of something Ella herself barely understood.

She had rehearsed the words over and over again, whispering them under her breath, reshaping them, softening them, hardening them—anything to make them hurt less. But now, standing there in the stillness of the room, staring at the wall as though it might answer for her, she realized there was no version of this that wouldn’t break something.

Still, she couldn’t turn back. Not now. Not after all the nights spent lying awake beside silence, pretending it was comfort.

When Sally arrived, Ella felt her chest tighten so suddenly it almost stole her breath. For a moment, she considered pretending—just for one more day, one more evening—but the weight of everything unsaid pressed too hard against her ribs.

She forced a small, fragile smile and gestured for Sally to come in. Her hands trembled, so she clasped them together, holding on to herself as if she might fall apart otherwise.

She had done this before.

Patrick.

The memory flickered through her mind like a wound that had never quite healed—different person, same hollow ache. The same moment where love turned into something unrecognizable. The same realization that trying harder wouldn’t fix what was never truly there.

And now here she was again.

“Sally…” Her voice faltered, softer than she intended. She swallowed, blinking rapidly as tears threatened to spill. “You know I love you.”

The words hung between them, fragile and heavy all at once.

“But we can’t keep doing this—whatever this is,” she continued, her voice trembling despite her effort to steady it. “You’re more absent than you are here. And when you are here…” She hesitated, her gaze dropping to the floor. “Nothing changes. It’s like I’m waiting for something that never comes.”

She drew in a shaky breath, pressing her lips together before continuing.

“I told myself you just needed time. That if I was patient enough, if I loved you quietly and didn’t ask for too much, things would grow. I thought… maybe one day you’d look at me and feel it too.”

A tear slipped free, and she quickly wiped it away, though more followed.

“But I can’t keep pretending anymore,” she whispered. “I can’t keep living in something that feels so… empty.”

Her voice cracked then, the composure she had clung to finally slipping.

“I need more than this, Sally. I need warmth. I need closeness. I need to feel wanted.” She shook her head faintly, a broken, disbelieving sound escaping her. “We’ve been together for almost two years… and you’ve never even kissed me.”

The words seemed to echo in the silence that followed.

“I kept telling myself it didn’t matter. That love doesn’t have to look a certain way. But it does—at least for me. And I’ve been starving for it.”

She finally looked up, meeting Sally’s eyes, her own filled with a mixture of sorrow, exhaustion, and quiet resolve.

“I don’t think we’re meant to be more than friends,” she said softly. “And I’m so, so sorry for realizing that this late… for hurting you like this.”

Her voice dropped to almost nothing.

“But I think I’ve been hurting for a long time too.”

The room fell into a heavy stillness, the kind that comes after something irreversible has been said.

And in that silence, a painful truth settled fully into Ella’s heart.

Sally wasn’t her great love.

Maybe she had never been.

And as much as it frightened her to admit it, Ella could feel something colder, lonelier creeping in at the edges of her thoughts—the growing belief that perhaps a love like that, the kind people spoke about in soft voices and happy endings, simply wasn’t meant for her at all.

[sallytheseamstress]

.

Once again, Sally was exhausted. Things had been exhausting for the past year (in actuality, for the past decade, if not even more), but it was something that for whatever reason she couldn't really get used to, not really. Even good news was exhausting. She loved her little place, a place of her own, one she had managed to pay for by herself. But now that her father was moving out somewhere more comfortable for him --doing that which she had assumed impossible, to give up the home he had always been so possessive of --the old house was hers. All hers. To do with as she pleased. And with that came a lot of responsabilities --fixing everything that had been decaying and failing over the few years she was gone, and to decide what to do with it, whether to move back in or sell it, and go through everything William left behind and didn't take with him...

Sally rubbed her eyelids. She couldn't start again with that. She needed to relax a little.

She smiled when she saw Ella. She always did, when she came back to her. It had become an automatic gesture, like making her bed every morning. But then Ella made a gesture calling her, and something small and barely noticeable itched inside Sally's head. A warning.

Ella was trembling. This was very, very bad.

"What's wrong?" she asked immediately, quietly. Hopefully reassuringly.

Then Ella was talking, and everything she said made Sally feel as if she was sinking deeper and deeper, her body heavier, triggering a need to run away that she knew by now how to repress. Shame.

Suddenly, Sally became very awake.

A tear slipped out from Ella's eye. Sally held her breath. She had caused this --made Ella cry.

Empty. Sally repeated the word in her mind, trying to find the true meaning of it, something she might be missing. But no. It was just that --empty. And that was everything.

She could see it coming. Still, even as Sally braced herself, she tried not to think about it, and refuse to accept it. Maybe that way she could pretend it wouldn't happen.

Oh, please, no.

Sally knew how much Ella had gone through. Maybe not the full extent of it, but she knew enough to believe that she deserved nothing but happiness for the rest of her life.

"I... I'm sorry," was everything she managed to say. "I... I should have tried harder--" Sally mentally kicked herself. This wasn't about her feelings, nor about all the mistakes she made. How much she had neglected her, the woman she truly loved the most. Apologies wouldn't be enough.

It was true, Ella needed more than whatever Sally could give. And it was true, Sally hadn't put in the proper work. It was all true. It was all her fault.

"I love you too," Sally managed to blurt out, in a thin, weak little voice. It was true. And it definitely wasn't enough.

[sallytheseamstress]

open inboxes (for all ask games and starters!):

sally // sofia // remy // chelsea // guinevere // kit // shock // berlioz

[redwoodhollowreview]

Honesty Hours Are Here! 💌✉️

By reblogging this post, your character is opening themselves up to interview style questions. Please answer them in character because it's more fun that way. It's up to you how much truth they divulge.

Please make sure your inbox & anon are switched on. Honesty hours will end next Friday (20th Feb).

[sallytheseamstress]

open inbox:

sally // sofia // remy // chelsea // guinevere // kit // shock // berlioz

[ketzalcoatl]

ketzal_coatl

[krxnk-cabrera]

"Ah, that's okay. Morticia is the one people recognize first, usually," he chuckled. Without her, he probably just looked like a guy in a suit, unless someone was a fan of the series. Wendy was surely around somewhere mingling with others.

Kronk loved talking about his work and interests, so when she asked, he got a bit excited. "Oh sure! Well, I uh, do quite a few things. I have a background in the pharmaceutical business, but that didn't really take off. Currently, I work down at the nature reserve as the head Squirrel Scouts troop leader, and I also manage Evangeline's. What about yourself?"

[sallytheseamstress]

.

"No, I should have guessed, with the cigar and the little mustache," Sally chuckled. In all honesty, her first guess might have been a 1940s mobster --though in retrospect, she did feel like the costume reference was pretty obvious.

"Wow, you've got some interesting experience," she commented, truly impressed. "What made you choose the pharmaceutical business, at least at first?" Science people rather fascinated her, as someone who had a few fantasies of being a scientist herself when she was younger. Pharmaceutics in particular sounded really interesting, at least the side of it that focused on helping people.

Having worked with children a few times, as part of being the costumer and set designer for a few community theater plays, Sally had met quite a few Squirrel Scouts back in the day. They always sounded super excited about their activities, and all in all she was just glad that they had a way to spend some time outdoors, especially since Redwood Hollow had such wonderful natural environments. "The Squirrel Scouts have got a great reputation in town. I guess we got to thank you for that."

Sally thought for a moment about her answer. "Well... I mostly work at Jack's Attic holiday store, you might know of it. Especially now, with all these holidays going on... And I also work at the Events Committee, helping to organize these sorts of parties and ceremonies for the town." She had a sip of her drink. "And, um, there's also my job doing costume and set design for the Community Theater. Are you a theater person, or not at all?"

[javi-jookiba]

Javi was dressed in a costume... He and Gwen had gone as Frankenstein and his bride. He supposed that either costume could have stood on it's own, but it was likely obvious if anyone saw both of them that it was likely a couples costume. "Yes, I suppose it is... maybe I'll enter, this year. Or is that just... automatic?" He had no idea how these things worked.

"Oh, no, I came with my wife," he nodded. "She loves the holidays, and I like to support that."

[sallytheseamstress]

.

"One has to enter, yes," Sally explained. "Though some people impress others so much with their costumes, even if they don't enter they could be said to win, too. But you definitely could write your name down and put it there, inside that box. The votes are counted at the end of the party, and the winners are announced." The best costume contest was one of Sally's favorite parts of Halloween parties, since it was a way to showcase people's creativity and effort. Sure, most just went with a variation of a fancy dress or suit and maybe some mask and animal ears, but there were always pleasant surprises.

Like, for example, what this man was wearing. "That's really nice." Some people saw couples costumes as a bit corny, but in all honesty, Sally thought they were pretty cute. "I do think you have a good chance, at the costume contest," Sally said with a genuine smile. "Well-made Frankensteins always get some attention."

[flash-hundredyarddash]

"Not physically, Sal. Just the vibes have taken a bit of a dip here, you know? I think the best thing to do is stay inside until this thing blows over - literally and figuratively. I mean, once everyone stops freaking out - totally valid - you could put the playlist back on and let the good times roll. Respectfully, of course," he added for good measure. "Are you doing okay?"

[sallytheseamstress]

.

It was evident that the 'vibes' had definitely changed, that was for sure. Still, even if Sally didn't want to end up encouraging any panic to spread, she had to admit that she thought these circumstances deserved to be taken seriously, even if no one was hurt. Freak storms like this one didn't just happen... Did they? Or was she just overreacting, if at least just in her mind?

"Yes... Yes, I'm okay," she said, hoping she sounded convincing. "Thank you for remaining level-headed, that is very much needed during sudden emergencies." Even if no one was hurt, the fact that they needed to stay indoors to be safe was surely going to continue causing some anxiety in the guests, at least until they were allowed to leave. And, of course, the fact that there was no signal would definitely make several people start getting even antsier.

[mydearestladylannister]

“Don’t worry, I won’t drink your blood tonight,” Lady chuckled, her fangs catching the faint light like a threat wrapped in silk. It was a joke—mostly. Unless, of course, it was Guin, and she got one of her rare, frisky ideas. But that was hardly likely in their carefully constructed farce of a marriage.

Sometimes, though, the pretense gnawed at her. Lady would find herself watching Guin from across the room, the candlelight tracing the edges of her face, and feel an ache she couldn’t quite name. It was ridiculous, she thought—like a dog chasing after a sausage, only to catch it and realize it had already spoiled. Wanting something she couldn’t have, and knowing that even if she could, it wouldn’t taste the way she imagined. Still, the chase was its own kind of tormenting pleasure, and Lady was nothing if not addicted to torment.

@happieststarters

[sallytheseamstress]

.

"Oh... Well, I'm glad," Sally said with a nervous little chuckle. After a little while she had finally decided to give it a shot and have some wine --just a little, because she knew herself by now, and knew not to have too much of a good thing. And, of course, there was the fact that, despite being uncorked right before her eyes, Sally was still not entirely trusting that there would be no more poisoning incidents.

Looking aside for a moment, she had a sip of her glass while silently counting the number of vampires they had at Town Hall. It would do her good to have some friendly chitchat and avoid thinking about worrying topics that would just sour her night. "That's a really nice costume," she told the woman who had just talked to her. "Are you planning to participate in the contest?" Sally thought she had a good chance at winning.

[krxnk-cabrera]

"Hm." Kronk hadn't thought about it that way. The long lasting effects of everything was something he hadn't considered. But now, well, he sure was considering them. "Right! The costume contest! I'm definitely excited for that." He had almost forgotten!

"Oh no, I'm here with my girlfriend. The Morticia to my Gomez, if you will," he smiled, laughing lightly. "She's somewhere around here, we got separated for a minute, but that's alright."

[sallytheseamstress]

.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, I didn't quite recognize your costume," Sally said with a little awkward chuckle. "That's a great couples' costume idea." When she and Ella had started dating, it was something she had been a bit intrigued about --with their slightly differing styles, what could they find to go as, if Ella asked to celebrate Halloween together? But in the end, it was a silly concern. Ella had decided to stay at home, handing out candy, while Sally fulfilled her duties as an event organizer.

"May I ask," she quickly began saying, eager to get the image of lonely Ella out of her mind. "What is your line of work?" So far she hadn't talked to that many people throughout the night, but she was curious to know what was the general type that had attended the Town Hall Halloween party.

[javi-jookiba]

Javi was, by all academic accounts, a smart man. But socially... well... he was getting there. He did notice that she looked down at his drink, but it took a few extra moments for it to click what she might be thinking.

"Well, I think everything looks great," he attempted to distract from the nerves with compliments, but had no idea if it was working. "You should try to have some fun. Maybe dance? Er— I'm not sure what else there is to do."

[sallytheseamstress]

.

"I'm glad you're enjoying it," she smiled politely. "Well... There's the costume party coming up soon, that's always fun, I think." The party at Town Hall was not formal, per se, but it did attract more... Formal types, she guessed. Or at least, it carried a sense of professionalism and required an attention to detail that made Sally take it rather seriously. That meant it didn't have as many party games as your average Halloween party might.

Sally glanced at the wine glasses being offered nearby. It was probably okay, she told herself. She picked up one, but didn't drink yet. "Did you, um... Did you come here with someone else?" She had a feeling this man didn't fully come out of his own volition, not when he seemed a bit out of place, a bit unsure of how to have fun.

[benaksingh]

Benak was trying his best to not let the feeling of edge get to him. He had not been particularly close to the happenings of the past, but he knew they were certainly terrible and terrifying. He hoped nothing of the sort would happen tonight.

Looking at the spread before him, he smiled when he heard a voice.

"Oh yes, everything is quite good, I'm very impressed." Benak praised. "As I am with your very unique costume. I mean that as a full compliment."

[sallytheseamstress]

.

Sally chuckled and looked down, before raising her eyes at the man standing beside her. "Thank you. I don't know if unique is the word I'd use for it, but I'm glad you think it's impressive."

She frowned for a moment, unsure of what his costume was supposed to be, until she saw the little monkey on his shoulder. Then she smiled wider, and laughed out of sheer joy. "Oh, I love your costume!" It was relatively simple, but once the reference clicked, it made Sally really happy to see it. "I remember when we did a play based on Curious George Flies a Kite, with the community theater." That had been a great success, as most children's plays often were there in Redwood Hollow. "Those were some really fun costumes, for sure."

Glad to have something to distract herself with, she picked up a glass of water, forgetting about the poisonings for a moment, and smiled at the man. "What made you choose this costume?"

[sallytheseamstress]

@happieststarters

Sally had been having a bad feeling --a sense of doom, of impending catastrophe --all throughout the event at Town Hall; she hadn't quite expected, with the clear skies over Redwood Hollow, for that threat to materialize as a storm. In a sense, even if, of course, it ruined the Halloween event completely with the fierce winds and the violent rain, there was a slight relief from Sally's part. At least nobody seemed to be hurt, not yet. At least it wasn't a disappearance, or a poisoning. One could almost believe this was a completely random instance of bad luck.

"Excuse me, has someone been hurt right now?" she asked out loud to the crowd, once everyone was gathered inside Town Hall. "I ask that you please remain calm while we try to contact someone for help." She knew the building somewhat well, and the tree blocking the main entrance did present a bit of trouble. There were the emergency exits, though, and at least one had to work, once the storm was over. Of course, the situation was pretty bad, and yet Sally somehow found a strength and a will to make sure this only remained a bad weather scare.

[krxnk-cabrera]

Kronk tipped his head, a bit confused. "What do you mean? If they caught the person, shouldn't that make you less anxious?" Even if the woman before him attempted to change the subject after, he couldn't stop thinking about it. "Oh. Well, I suppose so, I mean— I've only just gotten here, so... I'm hoping that the fun will come to me soon," he chuckled. "Are you here alone?"

[sallytheseamstress]

.

The man's question was valid, and Sally knew that he had a pretty good point. But it was undeniable, to her, that they weren't out of the woods yet. There were still far too many questions unanswered. "I just think... I don't know, I just think that it isn't as easy as just catching this suspect and assuming everything will go back to normal." Maybe she was being paranoid. She would have liked to feel safer now, of course. And yet Town Hall clearly agreed with her to some extent --otherwise they wouldn't have increased the security like this.

She had answered his question, but she was more than glad to focus, as best she could, on the actual party. "I hope so. I mean, I think the music's really good this year, and the best costume contest is always exciting." There weren't many 'out there' costumes at Town Hall right then, but a few were pretty elaborate and well made. "Ah... Yeah, I'm alone," Sally replied, not really wanting to talk about that either. "What about you?"

[krxnk-cabrera]

Kronk felt a little intimidated when he was going through the metal detectors before being allowed into the town hall. He understood the extra precaution, of course, but to be gawked at so suspiciously like he was already a suspect... well that didn't feel too good. "Anyone else get a strange feeling about the party this year?"

@happieststarters

[sallytheseamstress]

.

Sally turned to look at the man in the Gomez Addams costume, and barely managed to repress a little sigh of relief. So she wasn't the only one feeling a bit antsy that night, even without the supposed relief to having all that security there.

"I get a strange feeling every time there's an event in this town," Sally admitted to him, wringing her hands. "But ever since that man was caught, the supposed poisoner, I feel even more anxious."

She really wished she could relax and have fun, and enjoy her favorite holiday without a care in the world. That was not the reality she was living in, unfortunately. With the issues with her father, and with Ella, and with her job, it was very hard for Sally to feel at ease at all. Still, she didn't want to ruin this man's night out, so she smiled and tried to shrug. "I guess we're in good hands, or at least I'd like to think so. Apart from our concerns, are you having fun?" After all, Sally had worked hard to make the Town Hall Halloween party a fun one, despite everything else.

[javi-jookiba]

Javi wasn't always one for parties, but he knew that Gwen loved them, and now that she was back, they were making more effort to spend time together both because they'd truthfully missed one another, and to keep the public image of their "marriage" in a positive light. So here he was, at the Hootenanny, doing his best to be social.

"Oh, I suppose so, yes," Javi nodded, holding a drink in his hand. "Are you enjoying the event thus far, aside from that?"

[sallytheseamstress]

.

"I... I think I am, yes--" Sally chuckled, looking at the man who answered, before noticing the drink he was holding. Her smile faltered. She quickly picked it back up, but she was certain the man had noticed, and that she was now starting to act a bit suspicious.

After all, it made no sense to be wary at this point, right? With all this security, there was no way anyone could even dare to try poisoning the drinks. Sally hadn't tried any yet, not even had a glass of water --even though she insisted to herself that it was perfectly alright.

"... I..." she mumbled, before clearing her throat. "Yes, well, I certainly am trying to." Sally smiled, maybe a bit too wide. "I helped organize this event, as I do with each one the town hosts. I think this one is looking up to be a pretty good one... But of course, the guests are the ones whose opinion matters."

[gabe-guzman]

Gabriel was looking out into the room, carefully scanning faces and mentally noting any changes in behaviour. There was a buzz in the air, and he couldn't place which way it was influencing the scales to tip. Was it really over? Should he pack up his bags and call it a day? No, it couldn't have been that easy. After years of seeing the layers of a story, of anticipating the twist, Gabriel's view couldn't help being biased. That much he knew.

"Noteworthy," he responded, turning to face her properly. His eyes glanced over her face, wondering what she'd been thinking moments before her bold comment on the canapés. "I would quite like to hear what else you were thinking about, though. If you don't mind?"

[sallytheseamstress]

.

Sally actually turned to look at Gabe, now that she realized who she was talking to. Of course she had heard of the investigator, but for whatever reason she hadn't expected to see him at Town Hall that night. She should have, obviously: the tension in the air she herself felt probably attracted such sorts like Mr Guzman like blood to a shark.

"Um... I was just thinking..." Should she be honest with him? He would probably know if she wasn't. And besides, it would do Redwood Hollow good to have more eyes and ears open, especially professional ones. "... That I don't think this is over. The wave of poisonings, it just... It can't be as simple as catching a supposed culprit." Sally chewed on her lip, not caring too much if she stained her teeth. "And... It's stupid, but I still remember how, some years ago, there were these... These weird thefts, and how I was certain they had to do with all the weird things that kept happening in town."

Alright, she was sounding like a crazy conspiracist. A bit too much like that kooky Mz Katz from the local paper, whose absence did surprise Sally a bit.