star-crossed

Blake nodded. “Marco really does deserve to smile, and to be happy. We all do but like…I dunno, it feels like he needs it the most.” He’d spent so much time looking after Blake, it seemed like Marco never took the time for himself. Blake shrugged. “Couldn’t tell you. But never seems right.” Again he shrugged, shuffling his feet awkwardly into the ground. “Haddix isn’t an asshole, that’s just some preconceived idea people have of him. Did you know he was looking out for me the day the flood happened? When I was panicking because I couldn’t find you or Marco, he stepped in. That’s not an asshole thing to do.” He’d stand by that, defend the guy that had once been such a close friend and seemed to be heading that way again. “Incredible. Right…”

"he does. he's taken on the weight of our family for years since our parents died. it didn't help that i was gone for so long either, i know that" he was always so stressed, she wished that she could give him the time he had lost back. "haddix stepping in when you were in a vulnerable position sounds about right." she quipped. she was never a fan of haddix around blake but who was she to tell blake who to hang out with. "you are. you're kind, you're caring, you're talented, the list goes on"

As if on cue Sebby rolled down in the sand, showing his belly to Alessandra. 'Not his favorite. Water helps.' Heather nodded to the lake with a small smile. She added to the whiteboard 'diving for toys is always a winner.'

alessandra grinned down at the dog and started scratching his belly "poor guy, you must be toasty in this heat." she chatted to the dog before returning to heather "your dog is an angel. or should i say a merdog since he seems to be part fish diving for his toys"

He nodded in response then moved out of the way so she could get up. "It depends on what they have." Christian followed next to her, looking around as they went. "Have you been enjoying yourself?" He asked casually now.

"hmm that's true. though i would imagine it'll be the basics. gone are the days of fancy cocktails and over the top drinks" she chatted while they walked "i have. i'm not much of a fan of big gatherings but this one has converted me. it's been nice to spend time outside and with friends. i've been seeing people around that i didn't even know still lived in town." she looked over at him "how are you enjoying the lake over being stuck in a classroom? it's funny seeing teachers let loose, i think i've seen my brother smile more today than he has in the past few years combined"

She grinned up at Alessandra, signing thanks as she took the drink. Setting it aside for a moment, she grabbed her whiteboard. 'Summer's my favorite. Can never go wrong with swimming and beach games. You?'

alessandra nodded in agreement "mine too. my skin has been screaming for some sun. i've been lazing around soaking up the sun for most of the day, i'm taking full advantage of it while i can. how is sebby doing in the heat?"

"She seems to be. Every time he comes home and talks about her, he's smiling. Doesn't mean he's relaxed, but it means he seems happy, which in this place is kinda rare." Blake thought it was anyway. He couldn't remember the time he felt genuinely happy, without being worried about said happiness. Blake shook his head. "Nah Haddix is good for me. He doesn't look at me like I'm weird or like he feels sorry for me like everyone else does. He still treats me like I was, not like I am." Which was what Blake thought he needed.

"i love that for him, marco doesn't smile enough. blake, be honest, when was the last time you've ever seen marco this happy? never, right? they're cute together." she hoped that it was a relationship made to last. her brother was happy and she loved heather as a person. "haddix is an asshole, i don't know why you and the people that flock around him don't see it. who you were and who you are are two entirely different beings, and that's okay. change is a way of life. you're an incredible person blake, you just seem to be the only person that struggles to see that."

Christian had spotted Alessandra sun bathing and headed on over there, blocking the bit of sun for a second (it was mostly done to get her attention) "Just me." He glanced down at her with a smile. "I was wondering if I could get you a drink?"

she looked closer and made out the figure to be christian. "christian?" alessandra blocked the sun from her eyes and nodded "sure, a drink sounds nice. i'll walk with you" she got up from her spot and called to her friend to make sure it wouldn't be stolen and then turned to christian "so what are you thinking for drinks?"

"Marco doesn't have the capacity to relax," neither did Blake to an extent, but his was anxiety and fear based, Marco didn't have that excuse, he just seemed hard-wired that way. "And if you're gonna start giving me shit about Haddix, don't, because I've heard it all from Marco already."

"i don't know, i think heather is good for him. he doesn't look like he's being strangled when he's out in public now" she liked heather, she hoped marco and her would last "i'm not gonna give you shit, but you're better thank running around with the likes of him. you should know that."

At the invitation, Christian sat with a smile. "How long have you been in town?" He asked now.

"technically i was born and grew up here but i left years ago for reasons that i'm not going to bore you with. i got back here maybe less than a year ago to find out my parents are dead and my brother has been stuck here the whole time so there's that" she said, taking a sip of her drink "what about yourself?"

"Well, I'd like to get to know you." Christian didn't sit down as there was no invite and he wasn't a massive cunt after all. "It's totally your choice."

he'd like to get to know her? that can't be right. alessandra watched him in confusion before eventually relenting "fine, pull up a seat. i can't stop you"

"You're very welcome." Christian smiled at her. "I'm Christian by the way." He offered a hand, not turned up the flirting just yet because he wanted to see if there was any interest there before he wasted his time.

"christian..." she repeated "okay, i'm alessandra." she said, eventually introducing herself "is there a reason you felt the burning desire to send a drink over to someone you don't know?"

@alessandra-chen

alessandra looked up, confused at the drink placed down in front of her. she looked down the bar to see a man raising his glass and giving her a nod, and she gave him an obligatory nod back. just as she was about to tell the server to send the drink back, he was gone and the man was next to her "evening" she answered, suspicious of his intention. "thanks for the drink i guess"

Heather lightly smacked Alessandra. Wiping her board she wrote, 'He's a great dancer, I'll have you know. Not that I can tell if he's with the beat or not.' She shot the other a playful grin. After a moment she added, 'he makes me happy too.'

she laughed when she earned a smack from heather. "well i wouldn't put it passed marco to be someone who hides that he has talents like dancing" she smiled hearing that her brother made heather happy "good, because i'll beat him up if he doesn't."

She smiled at the other's laugh. Heather erased the board and added 'a little stressed, but it's fun seeing everyone have fun.' At the other question it was her turn to shake with laughter. 'Believe it or not he convinced me to dance earlier. A perfect gentleman.'

"as long as you're okay and having fun" she liked heather and she thought that she was great for marco. clearly she was the only person around here that actually makes her brother happy and that's all she could ask for him. "oh now i know you're making this up" she laughed "marco? dancing? marco nüwa chen? are you sure you have the right guy?" she grinned "i love that for you. you're good for him, you know. you make him the happiest i've seen him in what feels like forever."