fragile heart;

Scarlett Reyes. Twenty-six. Westbrook native, certified publicist.

[samflewaway-deactivated20211001]

[msmarvel]

[totaly-people]

[scxrlettreyes]

@david-corvin

It had been almost ten years since Scarlett had graduated high school. Almost ten years since she’d kissed her parents goodbye and headed off to New York to go to college, to escape the small town clutches of Westbrook. Almost ten years since she’d left all of the residents, good and bad, behind. Yet somehow, those ten years had done nothing to dull the unwanted sting of a faint yet familiar hurt that shot through her at the sight of him. David. Ten years had seldom changed him. He still looked exactly the same. Innocent, warm eyes that cleverly hid the loathsome soul that dwelled inside him. A smooth-talking tongue that was too-well versed in telling people exactly what they needed to hear to get what he wanted. He still wore the same smirk he’d trademarked when he was seventeen, and the sight of him made Scarlett’s stomach roil. She pretended not to notice him as she descended the steps of the bleachers. To recognise him would bring him too much satisfaction, if he even remembered her at all. Why would he? She had just been a notch in his belt, that had been made clear. As she took a seat on a bench close to the field, the brunette gnawed on the inside of her cheek angrily, willing the session to be over so she could leave. She would tell her boss there were no clients worth representing. None had potential. If signing an up-and-comer here meant running into David more often, she would prefer to be fired. Deciding it would just be easier to leave, Scarlett stood up and turned to exit the way she came, before a voice stopped her in her tracks.

[scxrlettreyes]

@theoxrhodes​

If it hadn’t have been for Theo and his almost annoying ability to persuade her, Scarlett would have been at home in her sweats, buried under a backlog of work or watching the South Haven fireworks from the small view her apartment balcony allowed her. Yet here she was, pulling up outside an unfamiliar beachside mansion, where a party was already in full swing inside. The heavy pounding of the bass seemed to match the rhythm of her heartbeat as she gingerly made her way up the winding path to the entrance, trying to exude as much outward confidence as possible to mask the nerves that coursed through her. While the Alexis mess had been sorted out and her reputation cleared for now, Scarlett was still apprehensive about immersing herself in the same crowds. Even though everyone was concerned with their own lives, people had a way of remembering the girl who wished death upon her best friend, who then, coincidentally, had turned up dead.

“Hey, I’m here, I’m just outside. Not sure where to go. Whereabouts are you?” Scarlett texted, hovering beside the front door while she awaited instructions on where to find Theo.

[timelordinaustralia]

[scxrlettreyes]

silasbrouwer:

“They also say something about giving yourself time to heal; the more you poke a bruise, the darker it gets.” Silas wondered if he was the vision of some sage old man– the role he played in the lives of his younger acquaintances always puzzled him. They seemed to rotate through dramas with lightning speed; it was his duty to remain a steadying constant. “If it’s any consolation, I never consider glass to be very delicate– even when it’s shattered, it still has a sharp edge.”

Silas smiled now, shaking his head. “They’re doing their best, I’d hate to listen to me too.” He sighed, “My family’s up in Maine, there’s Theo’s parents in Atlanta, but I really don’t think either of us are interested in spending time with them. Maybe I’ll do a dinner for all of our friends; you’re welcome at our table of course.”

“Well it sounds like you need to cut yourself a break as well,” Scarlett chuckled, seeing their now casual conversation as an opportunity to have a water break and a breather, collapsing herself into one of the plastic chairs at the side of the room that seemed to consistently bend and groan under her weight. “I bet all the kids love you. I bet they love listening to all of your stories that somehow always have hidden pearls of wisdom in them. By the way, do you plan that or is that organic? I’ve always wanted to know.” She flashed a lighthearted smile Silas’ way before transforming it into one of gratitude. “Really? I don’t want to intrude or anything, but that sounds...pretty great, actually.”

[jeongyeonyoo]

[humorblr]

#about me

[becca-archive]

[thelovejournals]

There had been too much emotion, too much damage, too much everything.

Ernest Hemingway, The Garden Of Eden (via musingrps)

[scxrlettreyes]

athenawclker:

There was no favor in any of this for Athena now. It was a prolonged reoccurrence. From the beginning of the case to now, with new information in the case. Wishing everything was easier and people helped out the investigation, it meant returning to square one and appearing on friendly terms could help out in the end. The heartless moments of hers was evident, sadly too often than anything else but Athena was simply here on decent terms - although, she did wish for the possibility of a new interrogation. She didn’t want to come off as desperate, even though any information and any new leads could pick out potential suspects while canceling others. So this approach, whatever Athena was attempting to lead off here, it would be one interesting attempt, “Oh shit, a shame. Nothing like letting out all of the emotions on a bag. Maybe, I’ll just invest in gloves next time.” Athena spoke up, arms crossed over her chest before nearing the other. A brow raised, only to shake her head at the next statement. “I come strictly off the record here. Although, yes, maybe there would be an ideal time to have you come down to the station.” Carefully swooping in, tucking a strand of her own hair behind her ear. “Scarlett, I don’t think you did it, okay? If this makes things easier because I know how I come off. I’m just trying to get this figured out.” 

“I’m sure you’ll be able to afford a pair once your boss gives you a bonus for solving this case,” Scarlett retorted absent-mindedly, before catching her words in the air, casting a glance over to Athena to gauge her reaction. No sense of relief came from the detective’s words; off the record didn’t by any means signify any kind of safety. If she were to confess that she was the one who had murdered Alexis, she would be in cuffs right then and there, off-the-record be damned. “An ideal time?” She scoffed. “Is there ever an ideal time to willingly send yourself to the police station to be interrogated? I had nothing to do with this, and that’s the truth. Why does it matter that we got into a fight? We got into fights all the time, but I would never lay a hand on her. That part of my statement still stands.”

[scxrlettreyes]

ashervaughn:

“Mhmm.” Asher pursed her lips and nodded her head, realising that she said too much. “Does that surprise you?” she asked, before clearing her throat. Maybe it was Asher that needed the friend more, and maybe she admitted that as a coverup, but she did care about Scarlett. Even if she did show it in a different way. Giving her the benefit of the doubt, she thought it wouldn’t hurt to check up on her. She nodded her head as if she was saying that she understood, her shoulders shrugging lazily at her question. “Could be better, honestly.” Asher paused, not wanting to drag her into her own problems. “Uh, how long are you gonna stay here for? I was wondering if you wanted to get out of here, maybe grab a bite to eat.”

“Yes, actually...” Scarlett replied, the honesty of her words making her voice flutter in her throat. She was surprised that anyone would want to take a chance on her, or see how she was faring in all of this. He brain had convinced her that maybe she didn’t deserve the sympathy she’d been hoping for, so to receive it was unexpected, to say the least. “I think I’m done. No amount of punching seems to be working, and now that you’ve mentioned food, my stomach is ravenous.” She offered a small, fleeting side-smile before frowning. What’s wrong, Rowan?”

[scxrlettreyes]

elvislawson:

        The moment he’d finished his sentence, he wished he could’ve taken it back. Not only did it make him feel like an asshole, like his simple mistake of dismissing Alexis’ claim had any sort of difference as compared to what Scarlett was dealing with, but he didn’t want people to think of him differently because of it. He looked at it as his chance to have protected a girl he hadn’t known very well and had heard some pretty shady things about but she still didn’t deserve what had happened to her, at least to his knowledge. “Don’t.” He began, shaking his head slightly as he took a step closer to his friend, offering her a slight smile. “I can’t change what happened and neither can you. So don’t let anyone get to you about any of this.” 

“I’m sorry, I...I should have known, I don’t know...” Scarlett didn’t know what to say, but an overwhelming need to help the situation consumed her. But how could she help? How could she possibly have known? She wished she would have held her tongue. Now with Elvis, and then with Alexis. The forlorn look on the male’s face made Scarlett instinctively reach out her hand to touch his arm, a soothing touch her first effort to make him feel somewhat better. “It’s not your fault. She could have said that to anyone else and they would have thought the same thing. I would have.” It would have been far more likely in her mind that Alexis was drunk and being dramatic than being hunted. That sort of thing just never happened in their hometown. But how wrong she’d been. How wrong they’d all been. At his advice, she returned a small, timid nod. “I’ll try not to.”

[scxrlettreyes]

katrinaunger:

“Yeah, but I feel unfit as fuck.” Katrina laughed, twisting idly before scrunching her nose. “Y’know, I’d never noticed the smell until you mentioned it.” She filed easily out of the room, her boots clicking against the tiles– a stark contrast to the quiet tread of the sneakers. Fingers wiggled at the eyes that drew their way before she took a deep breath of clean, outside air. “Oh you know me, just trying to get by. Have you read my article on the Christmas Prince yet? That was my entire yesterday afternoon, between putting lights in my window and gorging on cookies.” Kat tucked her hands into her pockets, “Lance is in town, the prices of icecream keep going up, and I think I’m gonna get a car soon.” 

“As a matter of fact, I did read that. I get alerts every time you post,” Scarlett informed, a proud smile creeping its way across her lips. “It was a great article considering the content. Honestly, kudos to you for sitting through that entire thing because I couldn’t.” She paused then, remembering an article that she’d skimmed past on her social media feeds. “Wait, I hope you’re not one of those people who have watched it fifty-two times are you? Because I didn’t plan on staging an intervention today but I will if I have to.” Arriving at her car, Scarlett unlocked the boot and placed her gym bag in before closing it again and sliding into the driver’s seat; Katrina’s statement only just clicking in her head. “Wait, do you mean Lance Sutherland? A you two a thing?”

[scxrlettreyes]

silasbrouwer:

“We don’t have to talk about it,” he said easily, looking at his knuckles. There was something to be said about a bone breaking– how when it mended itself, it would heal calcified, stronger. Silas wondered if such a thing was true with someone’s spirit, if it would give out, or simply become more willful. Scarlett was too dear of a person to try such theories out on, he wished to protect her– if a thing was within his capabilities. “I’m alright, busy though.” Silas stretched, “Winter break’s in a few days, that’ll fix it all.”

“It’s fine, probably better actually. I’ve heard that the more you talk about something difficult, the easier it becomes... and to be honest, I’m sick of feeling like a fragile glass ornament. I’m sick of letting myself feel that way.” A hand absent-mindedly travelled up to the bag, fiddling with a piece of leather that was starting to come away from the stitching. This had been the most candid she had allowed herself to be yet, and while she couldn’t make eye contact with Silas after admitting such a vulnerable piece of information, his nature brought about a small sense of calmness, and a minuscule part of her heart felt lighter in his presence. 

The shift in conversation came as a relief, and Scarlett straightened up off the bag to listen. “I hope those kids aren’t giving you too much hell,” She commented in a serious tone that didn’t match the smile that followed. “What are your plans for the holidays? Do you and Theo have family close by?”

[scxrlettreyes]

julescallahan:

The day must’ve been full of surprises, because as soon as she said his name, Julian froze. A million questions echoed in his mind at that exact moment. How’d she know him? Was it through his career? Someone from his past? Someone he fucked? If he hadn’t already been sweating, Julian definitely would’ve been panicking a lot more. Clearing his throat, he turned to the girl and raised his eyebrows in confusion. “Uh… hi?” Nothing about her screamed outright, but if he looked closer… Julian found the tips of his ears turning red, caught. “I’m sorry, I… Do we know each other?”

“Wow, it is you,” Scarlett smiled before Julian’s confused expression reminded her that he hadn’t made the same connection that she just had. “I’m Scarlett. I went to high school with Rory. Uh we’ve met a few times, but it was ages ago so I don’t blame you for not remembering.” She was sure that if she mentioned that she was the friend whose Dad was the Mayor he might recognise her then, but that was an identifier she was all too happy to omit for now. “How have you been? What do you do with yourself these days?”