#author-speak

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"I just liked people, Nina. I didn't care what they had downstairs, I just liked them. You kids have words for these things now, but I didn't. I just had this." She gently pounded her fist against her heart. "I had my love. You kids have so much more now. It's still not easy, but you have more people standing behind you than I ever did. You have everything I ever wished for when I was your age."

Mariana Hernandez, Q-Town Dance

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So I've been in a rut, and just kind of writing to write, but I was going through some pieces of THEWD with a friend, and we discovered that a character I once despised is a little more complex than I thought.

I haven't talked about him in a while, but the character I used to hate is Jackson Wirth, a character from "The Prom". I hated him cause he's a homophobic asshole who is rude to one of my MCs, but after rereading sections he's in, we discovered that he has a lot of internalized homophobia??? Like I didn't plan to write him that way, it just happened.

So guess who has his own side story set after "The Prom" because I'm weak?

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FNF 10-19-2018

Oof, this could be better but I tried and that’s all that matters. 759 words

Tags: @immawritethat @writerofwriting @ken-kenwrites @fantastiskandie

“Nol? Are you okay?”

Nol blinked, looking over to his bed. Joey stared back at him, head tilted. Papers were spread out in front of them, their textbook lying on top of it. Their bangs were pulled up in a short, stupid looking ponytail with a pink hair-tie, and Nol couldn’t stop the smile that spread across his face. “I’m fine. Do you want to take a break?”

Joey slammed their book shut, sitting up to stretch. “God, yes. I’m hungry. Can we go get something to eat?”

Nol nodded, and they headed down to the kitchen. Nol was glad his mom wasn’t home right then, or she would have trapped them in the kitchen with conversation. None of his friends minded indulging her, but he did from time to time. He went to dig in the fridge, and Joey hopped up on the counter, humming to themselves.

“Hey Nol, what's got you so distracted lately?”

“What do you mean?”

“You keep zoning out and stuff. Is everything okay? Do I have to fight someone? Or sic Maria on them?”

Nol chuckled, shaking his head and pulling out the container of leftover chicken. He put it down before turning to Joey “No, no, it's… just someone.”

Joey cocked their head, eyes narrowed. “Just someone- wait, do you have a crush?” They gasped, eyes sparkling with curiosity. “Who is it? Tell me!”

Nol's smile disappeared. “No.”

“Tell me!”

“I said no.”

“Tell me tell me tell me tell me tell me tell—”

“It’s you, okay? Shut up!”

Joey’s mouth opened and closed several times. “Wha… me?”

Nol buried his face in his hands, saying nothing.

“You have a crush on me?”

“Don’t. We’re not talking about this.” Nol turned to grab the chicken, but a harsh tug on his arm had him facing Joey again. The blond looked furious, cheeks red, eyebrows scrunched together. Their grip on Nol’s arm tightened.

“Hold on! You can’t just say something like that and then pretend you didn’t!”

“You were the one who forced me to say it!” Nol growled, yanking his arm back. “If you hadn’t fucking pestered me we wouldn’t be having this conversation! You’re so nosy, always in everyone else’s business. Maybe if you minded yours for once-!” Nol covered his mouth, suddenly aware of how awful he sounded. Joey’s eyes were wide and hurt, and Nol reached out with his free hand to touch him, eyes widening when his friend flinched back. “Joey-”

Joey jumped down and pushed past him, running out of the kitchen, and Nol swore, running after him. He stopped in the doorway of his room, watching helplessly as Joey quickly grabbed their stuff, shoving it in their bag.

“Joey, hold on-”

“Screw you.”

“What-”

“I said screw you, Nol! You say you like me, but then you start insulting me? What kind of bullshit is that?” Nol’s eyes widened in surprise. Joey never swore unless he was really mad. He’d messed up good. “I was going to tell you I like you back, but apparently feelings are just a fucking inconvenience for you. I’ll make sure not to bother you with mine anymore.” They moved to step around Nol, but the dark-haired boy grabbed them, pulling them back. “Let me go!”

“Wait! Please? I’m sorry.”

They struggled, but not for long. The fight leached out of Joey, and they sank forward against Nol’s chest. He was trembling, and Nol’s heart broke when they sniffled.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean… God, I’m so bad at this.” Nol wrapped his arms around Joey, burying his face in their hair. “I don’t know how to do this.”

“Do what?”

“This! Like someone! I’ve never - it’s hard enough for me to make friends, having a crush on you is so much harder. My chest feels weird when you laugh and I get so pissed off when someone upsets you and- You’re so good and I’m… not. I’m sorry.”

Joey wiped their eyes with the back of their hand before wrapping their arms around Nol, holding him close. “Do you really like me?”

Nol nodded, and Joey’s shoulders shook with quiet laughter.

“I really like you, too. Maybe… Maybe we can just try? I think we’d be good together.”

“Joey-”

“No, really. I know how you feel about relationships, but I know you. You wouldn’t hurt me on purpose, right?”

“Of course not.”

“Then it’ll be fine. Just promise me that you’ll talk to me about how you’re feeling, okay? Always.”

Nol nodded into Joey’s hair, eyes suspiciously wet. “I promise.”

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Another important character in Q-Town: Mariana! She's Nina's grandmother, and her legal guardian. She's sweet and friendly, but don't mess with her granddaughter or mistake her kindness for weakness - you'll be sorry.

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I would like to praise @immawritethat for letting me sleepily ramble about my OCs because I needed to. She's great y'all ❤❤❤❤

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Who wants to hear an idea I'll probably never work on but am in love with anyway

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Highness is that really extra WLW who goes to the cafe Georgina works at and buys coffee that she doesn't like just to talk to the really cute barista for a few seconds.

Georgina is the really cute barista who has a mental heart attack every time Highness walks in.

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Random fact about The Perfect High: Highness's name was originally Hyna (to play off High) but Highness seemed like a better fit both for the play on words, and for the sole fact that I wanted someone to say "Your Highness" just once