𝐈'𝐌 𝐒𝐎 𝐇𝐈𝐆𝐇.

matilda cai. thirty. attendant at the movie house. ocean crest apartments.

[tillycai]

[cisfemale, she/her] Welcome to Aurora Bay, [MATILDA CAI]! I couldn’t help but notice you look an awful lot like [CHLOE BENNET]. You must be the [THIRTY] year old [ATTENDANT AT THE MOVIE HOUSE]. Word is you’re [SPONTANEOUS] but can also be a bit [HEDONISTIC] and your favorite song is [RIGHT NOW BY GRACIE ABRAMS]. I also heard you’ll be staying in [OCEAN CREST APARTMENTS]. I’m sure you’ll love it!

TW DRUG ADDICTION, PARENTAL ABANDONMENT.

matilda is the second and youngest child of juliette and marshall cai, a nurse and an actor respectively, in aurora bay

while her parents were happy at the time, marshall's job had him away for most of the time and their connection eventually dwindled to nothing. tilly was 13 when he fell in love with his co-star at the time and she mostly saw him on the big screen from that point on

after that, it was her brother who took care of her most while their mother tried to make ends meet by herself on a nurse's salary

tilly was a good girl for most of her life, getting good greats and always scoring the leads in the school plays. she even joined the theatre program in college where she excelled.

that's where she met her future husband (now ex) @javicastillo

the two of them fell madly in love and married quickly

their marriage was generally a good one, but things started going downhill when matilda momentarily moved to l.a. to pursue a career in acting

she actually made it pretty big, was making the 'actresses to watch' lists when she had her first run-in with cocaine and a few bad seeds

one thing led to another and soon she was arriving late to work (if she showed up at all), forgetting lines and practically ghosting her husband

it all came to blows when the divorce came. tilly had a public meltdown and was shipped off by her agent to a rehab facility, only to be dropped by them a few days later.

she quickly ran out of money and was forced to run back to aurora, tail between her legs, and find herself a job

because she's a glutton for punishment, she's now the attendant at the movie house where people never fail to remind her of her very epic fall from grace

CONNECTIONS:

EX-HUSBAND: @javicastillo ROOMMATE: CHILDHOOD FRIENDS: CASUAL HOOK-UP: EXES: RIVAL:

[basespinosa]

who: open / @aurorabaystarter where: outside town hall

Bas didn't know what possessed to do school on top of work, but he liked having busier days. Typically he didn't find his mind wandering as much if he had a task to focus on. His work schedule was relatively light during the semester, so he could take the time to focus on his classes. Some days that was better than others still and he always felt there was work to do. Today, Bas knew that he didn't want to think about the work piling up. "It's bad when it's only thirteen days into the new year and you've already abandoned your resolutions."

[tillycai]

"I feel like that's what resolutions are for. You make a list to feel good about yourself, then you abandon it and feel shit for the rest of the year. That's how life goes," Tilly says with a shrug, always the optimist. "What resolution did you already drop?" @basespinosa

[henrysisaacs]

"I guess? I don't really notice. I'm sure they appreciate me knowing what books there are in the library and making sure that I do my job." He took it seriously after all. Books were important to him. "Probably not. If I saw that I'd probably be terrified to contact that person. What's attractive to you might be different for me."

[tillycai]

"I'm sure they do if you have great recommendations that aren't written by the usual suspects," Tilly tells him. "Exactly, it just sounds creepy, so I'm not even going to try. I'm okay paying rent by myself right now, anyway. Hot doesn't equal good roommate, so... Probably wisest to stick to living by myself." @henrysisaacs

[cherryxkoch]

Cherry: sober crying is more sad but more therapeutic. drunk crying could be about anything. Cherry: i drunk cried about ladybugs once Cherry: lifetime was robbed in 2015. like who cares about birdman when there's a woman who needs to sell a haunted in at christmastime?? ( @tillycai )

[tillycai]

Tilly: you have a point Tilly: i've cried over ridiculous shit while drunk Tilly: the standard for tears gets lower Tilly: lifetime originals are so overlooked. why are people so snobby? @cherryxkoch

[cherryxkoch]

Cherry: that sounds like a dream. mocktails is good for the Family Stone so i'm not drunkenly crying at the end. Cherry: i will need something cheesy in there after that. Cherry: have you seen the Spirit of Christmas on Netflix? Cherry: he's a ghost that haunts an inn. it's a cinematic masterpiece.

( @tillycai )

[tillycai]

Tilly: Is sober crying better than drunk crying? This is a serious question Tilly: Pizza with double the cheese and cheese-filled crust Tilly: That does sound particularly good. An Oscar contender, if I do say so myself @cherryxkoch

[edenxoconnell]

"Yeah," Eden huffed out a little laugh. "I guesso. I haven't really spent a lot of time around them. Arkin's the only one with a kid." Addison never had kids, Eden never wanted any of her own, and Nikki hadn't had any either, so Eden figured Arkin would probably be the only one out of them as a parent for a long time.

"My brother used to live in LA so he would come visit and we'd have a gift exchange and spend time together and all. He's living in Aurora Bay again, and like I said, its my nephew's first Christmas this year, so I'm sure it'll be special for them." Eden shrugged.

"The holiday itself isn't that bad. It's just, I don't know, just brings up bad memories this time of year." She shrugged.

@tillycai

[tillycai]

"Well, it's never too late, right? What better time to work on a relationship than during the holidays?" Tilly points out, hoping to get at least a smile out of the girl. Just because her celebrations were going to be pretty bleak didn't mean other people had to be miserable as well. "I used to live in LA, too. Does he miss it as much as I do?" There was part of her that enjoyed life in Aurora, but it wasn't the life she had envisioned for herself. Not by a long shot. "That's why you gotta make new memories to replace the old ones." @edenxoconnell

[henrysisaacs]

"I do my best. I think I have read every children's book we have. Picture books are pretty easy to read. I can get through like 20 in an hour." He did read a lot on his shifts as long as he wasn't working on something. "It is a very interesting book." That was the sort of book that he liked to read. "Well, I mean what's stopping you from finding one? I'm sure there's someone out there looking for a roommate that's also hot."

[tillycai]

"Parents here must love you," Tilly points out with a chuckle. With the amount of picture books that come out nowadays, she wouldn't even begin to know how to pick if she had kids. "Should I put that in my roommate ad? Looking for a hot roommate. Hot people only must apply." @henrysisaacs

[heyits-asher]

"No offense taken. Check me before I wreck... me? Wreck myself."

Ash snorts and starts a giggle fit at the recognition of how dumb he might sound. He settles enough to say, "Maybe, but I definitely don't get offended easily normally. I might've just misunderstood what you were saying. My bad."

At least things aren't weird or awkward feeling after that.

"What?!" Ash instantly pipes up, his eyes wide. "You're so not a loser! It's really way impressive, and the rest of us aren't like off any better just because we don't keep sober. I mean, we all could benefit from it, even if it's sometimes, so power to you."

He snickers as she laughs, "Okay, okay. No use in offering to find a beer cooler, wanna see if anyone is grilling anything up somewhere? After like, thorough inspection of the edibility of said food."

@tillycai

[tillycai]

Tilly hasn't sounded like he does in a long time, but she liked to think this was what she was like when she had one too many. Most likely not, unfortunately. She had a feeling she looked more tipsy cute, and more sloppy mess. "No worries, we'll blame it on whatever you were drinking before."

It was nice to hear something with a different view of her sobriety. She wasn't too impressed with her achievements, so his little pep talk was definitely welcomed. "Thanks, I appreciate that. I'll try to convince myself to see it that way as well, but I make no promises."

"Yeah, I could go for a hot dog. Should I let you lead the way? I'm afraid we'll end up three blocks away accidentally." @heyits-asher

[edenxoconnell]

"You're right on." Eden grimaced as she thought about how odd the holidays had always been. It seemed to have always been her siblings and herself. Their father wasn't around much, and he'd passed away when Eden was younger, and their mother was someone Eden didn't even speak to anymore, so the holidays certainly weren't bringing them together.

"I do. It's my nephew's first Christmas so I'm assuming we're doing something big for him. I'm not sure though. But yeah, I do have my brother and sister." It was just hard for Eden because she'd been compared to them so much growing up, it was easy for her to push herself away from them. Even though she knew it wasn't their fault.

"You guys have any fun things you're doing together?"

@tillycai

[tillycai]

The holidays were also synonymous with pain for Tilly. Most times, she was just reminded of her first Christmas without her dad. It made it even harder that she could see him on the TV, but he wasn't there opening presents with them anymore. "That's great. Better than being alone, you know? Babies make everything instantly better, you know?" No one in her family had one yet, but she had a feeling her brother and his wife weren't too far from taking that step.

"Just the usual. Eating together, presents, The Grinch," Tilly tells Eden with a shrug. Desperately avoiding any talk of their dad was also always on the table. "What about you?" @edenxoconnell

[henrysisaacs]

"Yeah, I try to. It's sort of part of the job. I don't have to read every book in the library and I know I haven't read them all." Henry tried not to read smut books because they just made him far too uncomfortable, even if they were queer ones. "It's really worth it. I can't describe it other than this atheist lesbian gets a job at a church and becomes obsessed with the life of the woman who used to work at the front desk of the church. It's really witty and funny." Henry loved books like that. "My roommate is one of the most gorgeous people I've met here. He could be a model if he wanted to be."

[tillycai]

"I don't think that'd be possible, no matter how hard you tried." It'd be like her trying to watch every movie ever made to better advise moviegoers. "That sounds wild, but seriously fun." She couldn't help but think it'd make a great movie, but she had no connections to make something like that happen anymore. "I fully believe you. I would love a hot roommate." @henrysisaacs

[edenxoconnell]

open starter: @aurorabaystarter

where: choose your own adventure

“I kind of hate this time of year.” Eden said as she stirred her coffee with her straw. “I’ll be happy when it’s over. What about you, are you actually excited?”

[tillycai]

"Ah, I feel like everyone who doesn't have a perfectly stable family life kind of feels that way, yeah," Tilly agrees with a shrug. "Not particularly. It's just going to be my mom, my brother and me. Do you have anyone to celebrate with?" @edenxoconnell

[henrysisaacs]

"There are. And I read most of them anyways, even if I don't like them. I might find a book I like and it's not something I'd normally read. A couple of years ago I read this book called Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead by Emily Austin which was a delight even though the title is intimidating." It wasn't something he'd have picked up, but the subject matter was interesting. "I think most of the people in this town could tell me they were a book cover model and I'd believe them."

[tillycai]

"Well, I like that you at least give them a shot before making up your mind about them. That's more than a lot of people can say," Tilly tells him, impressed by his dedication. You would not be able to catch her reading something she wasn't in the mood for. Life was too short. That didn't apply to him, though, since it was literally his job to know about books. "That does sound a little bit intimidating, but also fun in a way? I'll have to pick it up eventually." The brunette laughed at his observation. "People are weirdly attractive here, aren't they?" @henrysisaacs

[tatumxcrabtree]

"I don't think I can vote for everyone even though I really want to. There's so many people here." Tatum huffed out a little laugh. "I just have to narrow it down. Who are you voting for?"

@tillycai

[tillycai]

"I haven't yet, and I don't have that much of an opinion if I'm to be completely honest. How about you vote for me? That way you get to vote for one more person," Tilly suggests, picking up an empty ballot and holding it out for Tatum. @tatumxcrabtree

[tillycai]

tilly 📱 cherry

Tilly: Christmas movie marathon soon? Tilly: I'm thinking mocktails, The Family Stone, and a copious amount of junk food. @cherryxkoch

[henrysisaacs]

"Oh, I meant they're fine for some people, but they're just not for me." He picked a book off the shelf from one of the few romance authors he could stomach, even if he picked through scenes. Henry turned the cover over and sighed. The two men stared up at him. Even these books were weird for him. The romance part was fine, but that was the only parts of the books he cared about. "I don't know how they manage that because my own hair is annoying enough and it's short."

[tillycai]

"That's totally fair. There are so many genres, we can't all be into the same stuff," she points out, motioning to the many different sections sorting the books around them. "Could you imagine that being your job? Book cover model? Maybe I could pull that off. I have long and luscious hair." @henrysisaacs

[heyits-asher]

"Touchy, like—" Ash finally yanks his hands from his pockets and holds them up. "Handsy? Because yeah."

There is a pause taken, and contemplation crosses his features, and yeah, that can sound off. "I mean like, with my friends. Not weird, just like being affectionate and letting them know I love them."

He sure hopes that clarifies it, even if he definitely missed what she meant by the word.

Ash listens in a sort of awe at her explanation, even if his view on the sobriety thing is limited to just things he's heard or things he's seen on television. It's not a wild concept, he figures as much as she explains, though it stirs a feeling of excitement he feels for a stranger.

"Yo, that's awesome! I guess I figured parties and stuff lost the appeal without booze and drugs, but I guess that says a whole lot more about me than it does someone who can enjoy herself without either." He reaches forward to give a playful smack to her shoulder with the back of his hand, light and barely brushing her. "Good for you, dude."

@tillycai

[tillycai]

"Touchy as in, you get offended easily," Tilly corrects, holding out a finger menacingly. "Keep those hands to yourself, drunky."

She drops her fingers when he elaborates on the handsy comment, feeling significantly less threatened now that he has clarified. "That did sound weird, no offence. I'd definitely keep that to myself if I were you." Tilly herself was pretty laidback, but she had a feeling most people would not stick around after a comment like that.

"Thanks, that's a nice way of seeing it. Most of the time, I see myself as sort of loser-ish," she admits with a shrug and a half-hearted laugh that turns into a real one when he smacks her shoulder. "Alright, I see what you mean by touchy now." @heyits-asher

[theirisxalderidge]

open - @aurorabaystarter

where - outside of flora and fauna

Iris had spent the morning swapping out the autumnal display for more Christmassy colors. Lots of reds and greens, poinsettias, holly. She even had samples of fresh pine garlands she was working on to see which would be best to string around.

There were some flowers that were ‘imperfect’ though, with discoloration in their petals, or stems that were cut too short, so she decided to just hand those out- both just for the good karma and to maybe brighten up someone’s day. “You want a free flower? Or like...a free few inches of a garland?”

[tillycai]

"Actually, I could use a garland as short as it might be. I've been looking for a few more Christmassy decorations for my apartment," she answers with a grateful smile. She could already see it on the TV console with a few fake candles and fake red berries. "I'm on a budget, so this is great." @theirisxalderidge