beautiful nightmare

[ofsilverspoons-blog]

With barely a head nod dedicated to answering his question, the redhead he’d found himself next to swiftly pivoted the conversation to something of her own interest: herself. She seemed young, a teenager or just barely older, so he figured her self-centeredness would be forgiven by those who knew her. A newcomer to this social circle, however, Mason had only been exposed to people his parents had known for decades. 

A little teenaged narcissism seemed better than any of the other alternatives offered, and so he stayed in place. “Right then, I’m Mason,” he raised his glass to her, not knowing what else to do. “Thanks for the honesty, I guess.” 

Etiquette dictated that it was his turn to offer up a topic of conversation now. Usually that would entail putting the spotlight back onto her, but considering how she had failed to fulfill her duty to ask about him, he was left with very few options. “You don’t have to come. Your age gives you an excuse to get away with bratty behavior.”

[shadowhispers]

Judging by the way his face changed, she could easily tell that he wasn’t pleased by her answer. Well, not that she really cared anyway. She didn’t like crowds of people, didn’t like parties and whoever here knew her could tell that. She was here to please her parents, not anyone else.

So Minerva shrugged the comment off, sipping on her boring juice instead of what she really wanted; the booze. But if anyone would see her serve herself some of this, she would get into trouble. So she refused, but still counted with a small ounce of hope that the guy in front of her would help her out.

“Nice to meet you, I guess?” She repeated with the same tone he used. A small grin pulled on her lips. “You would think so. But it doesn’t work this way.” She explained, not bothering to dig into further. “What about you? Do you actually like it here?” The tone she used implied what she suspected; not many of the younger people liked it here. Even some of the older one’s only came because it was some kind of duty.

[ofsilverspoons-blog]

East Coast life was only new in the sense that it was hotter than he’d expected, though Mason supposed that was the danger of only ever spending the winters on the Atlantic Seaboard. Santa Rosa was cool, mostly, and when he’d wanted to go to the beach, there’d been one close enough by. 

Life in D.C. wasn’t anything like that, and where usually getting to go out with his friends would make him feel better about the situation, that wasn’t an option anymore either. The Macanthoses, gracious as they were, had invited the entire family to their home for a celebration. The homecoming of one of their many talented sons, or something, though a quick glance around the room showed far too many grey-haired adults for this to be done solely for that purpose. 

Deciding to branch out a little, he turned instead to the person at his right, sipping at his rum and coke before saying, “Stuffy in here isn’t it?” 

[shadowhispers]

Minerva didn’t care to be around any of those people. But what else could she do than just smile for her parents and go along with them? At some points she felt pity for them. For their complete ignorance and naivety, that they never knew what exactly Vita and her were doing. Vita and Minerva weren’t the closest best friend kind of sisters -- but they knew things about each other no one else did. Things that their parents were always too blind to see, through the many times the sisters communicated with nothing but glances and silence.

Her elder sister wasn’t here tonight. Minerva didn’t know why she didn’t make it, but she suspected she had lied to their mother once again about it. Not that it bothered her anyway. If at least one of them could escape those events, she would be glad.

Her eyes scanned the crowd, observed people, like a shadow she was leaning against the wall. Small, grey and invisible. As usual. No one noticed her presence and that was the best. Until someone talked to her.

She had never seen the guy before. Or maybe she did but she didn’t care to remember any of those faces here anyway. The people she didn’t see regularly, she forgot about.

“Mhmmm. It is.” She agreed, her eyes glancing to the glass he was sipping from. The content looked like Coke. Just the same she had. But she didn’t think it was really just that. Maybe if she was nice --- if she at least tried to not bore him into sleep, she might had a chance for him to sneak one of them for her too.

“I’m Minerva. And I don’t like these parties.” The look on her face could give away only indifference as usual. But maybe someone who didn’t know her wouldn’t think that it was just the normal way she was.

[kyrasamos]

Easier to ask forgiveness than permission–Kyra’s modus operandi.

She knew Helene would be out from a text convo earlier in the day, which meant the coast was pretty much clear for her to do what she wanted. This involved breaking into Helene’s room and pretty much kidnapping her roommate. And really–it wasn’t like she went out of her way to exclude Helene from her nightly misadventures. Kyra just wasn’t giving her a chance to slam her with a solid ‘NO,’ pretty certain that her friend’s tastes didn’t involve breaking and entering. Big daddy Calore was running for pres, and sure–so was Kyra’s mom for VP. But more shits were given about a potential Eagle One’s spawn than the second one down the food chain. She could get away with a little bit of mayhem.

If she was even caught.

Taking a knee she fished out two bobby pins and efficiently picked the lock (had to keep her skills sharp), and then let herself into the room. Her Apple Watch said 2 am, and feeling her way through the dark, Kyra threw herself on Minerva’s bed, slumping over her friend’s sleeping form.

“Wake up, Nerve.” She pressed her chin into Minerva’s arm. “I got something to show you.”

[shadowhispers]

The sudden intrusion in her bed startled Minerva, immediately waking her up. Still feeling confused from the dream she could now barely remember, in the dim light of the streets shining through the thin curtains her eyes could find another pair of familiar, dark brown one’s.

“Oh. Wow!” She commented on the action, voice still hoarse from sleeping and mind clouded in confusion. Slowly straightening up herself, although she hated shaking Kyra off herself.  Minerva didn’t question why Kyra was suddenly in her bed. There was barely anything that could surprise her anymore about the girl. 

“Knocking too mainstream for you?” She joked, reaching to turn the lights on. Through squinted eyes she glanced at the other girl once more. It was already clear that she would not sleep any longer. Her body demanded it --- but Minerva liked Kyra’s presence too much to just ditch and bail. But she would still complain. 

“What is it? And why at this time?” She whined. Not that she even dared to glance at the clock on her nightstand table. Knowing the time would make everything only worse, she was convinced.

[ivanabaqero]

[ @purpleprose-writes ]

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